Narrowband dm-spikes in the 2 GHz frequency range and MHD cascading waves in reconnection outflows

Two examples of clouds of narrowband dm-spikes, observed by the Ondejov radiospectrograph in the 1–2 GHz frequency range, are analyzed. After transformation of the frequency scales to distances in the solar atmosphere, the power spectra analysis of size scales reveals a spectral index of –5/3, resembling that of Kolmogorov spectra of turbulent cascades. The narrowband dm-spikes are interpreted as radio emission from electrons accelerated in MHD cascading waves, probably generated in plasma outflows from magnetic field reconnection.     

Equilibrium dihedral angles in the system H2O−CO2−NaCl-calcite,and implications for fluid flow during metamorphism

Fluid-calcite-calcite dihedral angles have been measured for fluids in the system H₂O−CO₂−NaCl, between 1 and 2 kbar, and 550–750° C. It is found that the calcite-calcite-H₂O dihedral angle decreases steadily with addition of NaCl from a value of about 80° (pure water) to 44° (60 wt% NaCl). The CO₂−H₂O system displays a well-defined minimum at , with a dihedral angle of 50°, in contrast to those of pure CO₂ and H₂O which are 90° and 80° respectively. Experiments containing fluids which are immiscible at run conditions showed a bimodal distribution of dihedral angles in the CO₂−H₂O−NaCl system, which can be approximately correlated with the compositions of the two fluid phases. Such bimodality was only observed for immiscible fluids in the H₂O−NaCl system if the quench rate exceeded about 200°C per min. This is probably due to the extremely rapid establishment of the single phase dihedral angle on quenching. The fluid phase topology in devolatilising marbles will only be a connected network for very saline brines and fluids with close to 0.5. Fluids trapped in fluid inclusions in calcite grains in marbles may be predominantly H₂O-rich or CO₂-rich, and of low salinity. All other fluid compositions in the H₂O−CO₂−NaCl-calcite system will occupy isolated pores, the largest of which will grow at the expense of the smallest. Escape of fluid produced during devolatilisation reactions under such conditions will occur by fluid overpressuring and hydrofracture. In contrast, previous experimental studies of quartz-fluid dihedral angles between 950° and 1100° C (Watson and Brenan 1987) predict that quartz-dominated lithologies will permit pervasive flow of H₂O−NaCl fluids, but not of H₂O−CO₂ fluids. Documented geological examples of differences in permeability and fluid flow mechanism between metamorphic argillites, psammites and limestones which support the results of the experimental studies are discussed.     

Solar Wind Plasma Particles Organized by the Flow Speed

An understanding of solar variability over a broad spectral range and broad range of timescales is needed by scientists studying Earth’s climate. The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS) Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM), is designed to measure solar spectral irradiance (SSI) with unprecedented accuracy from 200 nm to 2400 nm. SIM started daily observations in March 2018. To maintain its accuracy over the course of its anticipated 5-year mission and beyond, TSIS SIM needs to be corrected for optical degradation, common for solar viewing instruments. The differing long-term trends of various independent solar-irradiance records attest to the challenge at hand.

The correction of TSIS SIM for optical degradation is based on piecewise linear fits that bring the three instrument channels into agreement. It is fundamentally different to the correction applied to the TSIS SIM predecessor on SORCE. The correction facilitates reproducibility, uncertainty estimation and is measurement-based. Corrected, integrated TSIS SIM SSI agrees with independent observations of total solar irradiance to within 45 ppm as well as various solar-irradiance models. TSIS SIM SSI is available at: http://lasp.colorado.edu/lisird/.

     

Biases on the cosmological parameters and thermal Sunyaev–Zel'dovich residuals

We examine the biases induced on cosmological parameters when the presence of secondary anisotropies is not taken into account in cosmic microwave background analyses. We first develop an exact analytical expression for computing the biases on parameters when any additive signal is neglected in the analysis. We then apply it in the context of the forthcoming Planck experiment. For illustration, we investigate the effect of the sole residual thermal Sunyaev–Zel'dovich signal that remains after cluster extraction. We find, in particular, that analyses neglecting the presence of this contribution introduce on the cosmological parameters n _s and τ biases, at least ∼6.5 and 2.9 times their 1σ confidence intervals. The Ω_b parameter is also biased to a lesser extent.     

Diatom, Pollen, and Chemical Evidence of Postglacial Climatic Change at Big Lake, South-Central British Columbia, Canada

Postglacial climatic conditions were inferred from cores taken from Big Lake in southern British Columbia. Low concentrations of nonarboreal pollen and pigments near the base of the core suggest that initial conditions were cool. Increases in both aquatic and terrestrial production suggest warmer and moister conditions until 8500 cal yr B.P. Hyposaline diatom assemblages, increases in nonarboreal pollen, and increased concentrations of pigments suggest the onset of arid conditions from 8500 to 7500 cal yr B.P. Slightly less arid conditions are inferred from 7500 until 6660 cal yr B.P. based on the diatoms, small increases and greater variability in biogenic silica and pigments, and higher percentages of arboreal pollen. At 6600 cal yr B.P., changes in diatoms, pigments, biogenic silica, and organic matter suggest that Big Lake became fresh, deep, and eutrophic until 3600 cal yr B.P., when water levels and nutrients decreased slightly. Our paleoclimatic inferences are similar to pollen-based studies until 6600 cal yr B.P. However, unlike these studies, our multiple lines of evidence from Big Lake imply large changes in effective moisture since 6000 cal yr B.P.     

The Radio-Silent Start of an Intense Solar Gamma-Ray Flare

Radio-silent -ray flares are solar flares that lack any significant emission in the (non-thermal) radio wave band during their impulsive hard X-ray and -ray emission phases. Flares with extremely suppressed long-wavelength spectra have previously been reported by White et al. (1992) and have been discussed in different context by Hudson and Ryan (1995). A striking example of a radio-silent flare was observed by SMM during the onset of the 6 March 1989 energetic -ray flare. We argue that the absence of radio emission at wavelengths longer than microwave wavelengths is an indication of the compactness of the flare rather than that the flare did not exhibit non-thermal properties. Probably the flare site was restricted to altitudes above the photosphere in a newly emerging loop configuration lower than the equivalent altitude corresponding to an emission frequency of 1.4 GHz. This implies the presence of a dense and highly magnetized closed field configuration confining the electron component which causes the impulsive -ray continuum. Reconnection in such a configuration did not lead to open magnetic fields and streamer formation. Acceleration of particles in the and hard X-ray bursts was restricted to closed field lines. Thermal expansion of the loop system may subsequently lead to the generation of radially propagating blast waves in the solar corona which are accompanied by type II solar radio bursts and decimetre emissions. The emission during the onset of the flare was dominated by a continuum originating from electron bremsstrahlung at X-ray and -ray energies with only little evidence for the presence of energetic ions. It is, therefore, concluded that energetic electrons have been primary and not secondary products of the particle acceleration process.     

Doppleritization of xylitic coal in the light of petrographic and chemical investigations

The paper presents the results of petrographic and chemical investigations of xylitic coal, xylite and their ash. As is known, a xylitic coal has the function of a lithotype whereas xylites are inclusions brown coals only. All these xylites were arranged according to the increasing degree of doppleritization of xylem in the sequence: common xylite, poorly, moderately and intensely doppleritized varieties, dopplerite coal. The distinctive criteria were their differentiated physical properties, which are also reflected in the variable petrographic and chemical compositions. The petrographic differences result from the replacement of textinite by ulminite and gelinite, while the differentiation of the chemical constitution is due to the increasing carbon content and the increasing number of functional groups that determine the aromatic nature of the internal structure of the coal. Infrared absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and chemical analysis of ash have shown that the aromatization of coal and the resulting increase in the degree of order of the structural unit are due to the formation of organomineral compounds in the course of doppleritization. It appears from the investigations that the doppleritization of vegetable matter gives rise to gels that are a mixture of organo-mineral humic compounds. The process of humification leads to the formation of gel made up of humins. It follows then that there are two ways of initial coalification of plant material, both referred to as biochemical gelification.     

The 1 October 2001 Eruptive Prominence: Observed and Modeled Structures

Using TRACE 171 Å image observations and H spectra and images observed at the Ondejov Observatory, the October 1, 2001, eruptive prominence is studied. The evolution of this prominence is described and velocities of specific parts of the prominence are determined. It was found that, after the rising phase of the cold loop-like prominence, its upper part expanded and below this expanding part, around one of its legs a `ring' structure, visible in the TRACE images, was formed. Then, at the same place, a tearing of the prominence leg was recognized. Simultaneous spectral observations of this structure reveal a very broad H line, which indicates strong turbulent motion at these positions. These processes were accompanied by an expanding H envelope. Due to the similarity of the observed `ring' and tearing structures with those modeled by Lau and Finn (1996), the prominence leg tearing is interpreted as a reconnection process between two parallel magnetic ropes having parallel electric currents, but anti-parallel axial magnetic fields.     

KOMATIITE WITS-1, LOW CONCENTRATION NOBLE METAL STANDARD FOR THE ANALYSIS OF NON-MINERALIZED SAMPLES

WITS-1 is a sample of silicified komatiite collected from close to the Komati River type section, near Barberton in South Africa. Two thousand kg of this komatiite was crushed and prepared for standardization. Noble metal analysis of WITS-1 has been carried out by six laboratories using four different analytical methods. The data obtained from these sources were subjected to statistical analysis (F ratio and Student t test) and a suite of "preferred" values for the noble metal concentrations are reported.     

The role of moisture fluctuations in unsaturated transport

Within the framework of stochastic theory and the spectral perturbation techniques, three-dimensional dispersion in partially saturated soils with a finite correlation scale of log-hydraulic conductivity is analyzed. The effects of spatial variability of the moisture distribution parameter on the asymptotic spreading behavior of a unsaturated solute plume are assessed. This is accomplished by comparing two asymptotic macrodispersivities and two variance of solute concentration, obtained for a constant moisture content and spatially varied moisture, respectively.