Images of Gradual Millimeter Emission and Multi-Wavelength Observations of the 17 august 1994 Solar Flare

We present a comprehensive analysis of the 17 August 1994 flare, the first flare imaged at millimeter (86 GHz) wavelengths. The temporal evolution of this flare displays a prominent impulsive peak shortly after 01:02 UT, observed in hard X-rays and at microwave frequencies, followed by a gradual decay phase. The gradual phase was also detected at 86 GHz. Soft X-ray images show a compact emitting region (20), which is resolved into two sources: a footpoint and a loop top source. Nonthermal emissions at microwave and hard X-ray wavelengths are analyzed and the accelerated electron spectrum is calculated. This energy spectrum derived from the microwave and hard X-ray observations suggests that these emissions were created by the same electron population. The millimeter emission during the gradual phase is thermal bremsstrahlung originating mostly from the top of the flaring loop. The soft X-rays and the millimeter flux density from the footpoint source are only consistent with the presence of a multi-temperature plasma at the footpoint.     

A current ribbon model for energy storage and release with application to the flare of 7 January 1992

Observations of the flare on 7 January 1992 are interpreted using a topological model of the magnetic field. The model, developed here, applies a theory of three-dimensional reconnection to the inferred magnetic field configuration for 7 January. In the model field a new bipole ( 10²¹ Mx) emerges amidst pre-existing active region flux. This emergence gives rise to two current ribbons along the boundaries (separators) separating the distinct, new and old, flux systems. Sudden reconnection across these boundary curves transfers 3 ×10²⁰ Mx of flux from the bipole into the surrounding flux. The model also predicts the simultaneous (sympathetic) flaring of the two current ribbons. This explains the complex two-loop structure noted in previous observations of this flare. We subject the model predictions to comparisons with observations of the flare. The locations of current ribbons in the model correspond closely with those of observed soft X-ray loops. In addition the footpoints and apexes of the ribbons correspond with observed sources of microwave and hard X-ray emission. The magnitude of energy stored by the current ribbons compares favorably to the inferred energy content of accelerated electrons in the flare.     

Comparison of the SFI peculiar velocities with the IRAS 1.2-Jy gravity field

We present a comparison between the peculiar velocity fields measured from a recently completed l -band Tully–Fisher survey of field spirals (SFI) and that derived from the IRAS 1.2-Jy redshift survey galaxy distribution. The analysis is based on the expansion of these data in redshift space using smooth orthonormal functions, and is performed using low- and high-resolution expansions, with an effective smoothing scale which increases almost linearly with redshift. The effective smoothing scales at 3000 km s⁻¹ are 1500 and 1000 km s⁻¹ for the low- and high-resolution filters. The agreement between the high- and low-resolution SFI velocity maps is excellent. The general features in the filtered SFI and IRAS velocity fields agree remarkably well within 6000 km s⁻¹. This good agreement between the fields allows us to determine the parameter β = Ω^0.6 / b , where Ω is the cosmological density parameter, and b is the linear biasing factor. From a likelihood analysis on the SFI and IRAS modes we find that β = 0.6 ± 0.1, independently of the resolution of the modal expansion. For this value of β, the residual fields for the two filters show no systematic variations within 6000 km s⁻¹. Most remarkable is the lack of any coherent, redshift-dependent dipole flow in the residual field.     

Introduction à la climatologie dynamique de l'Amerique du Nord,de l'Atlantique Nord et de l'Europe

Résumé Nous appliquons dans ce mémoire la théorie des perturbations, développée antérieuremet par l'un de nous, à la déduction des principales caractéristiques normales des perturbations compatibles avec un champ moyen donné de pression et de température. Cette deduction comprend la détermination: 1) de la configuration moyenne des perturbations dans les différentes régions étudiées; 2) des zones de creusement et de comblement et en particulier des foyers de formation et de disparition des perturbations; 3) des trajectoires, vitesses, fréquences et amplitudes moyennes des perturbations. C'est à l'ensemble de ces propriétés moyennes que nous donnons le nom de «climatologie dynamique» d'une période donnée.Après une première partie théorique, nous donnons des exemples d'application des résultats généraux à la climatologie dynamique des mois de Janvier et de Juillet pour l'Amérique du Nord, l'Atlantique Nord et l'Europe.

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Summary In this paper we apply the theory of perturbations, previously developed by one of us, to the deduction of the main normal characteristics of the perturbations that are compatible with a given mean field of pressure and temperature. This deduction comprises the determination: 1) of the mean configuration of the perturbations for the different regions under examination; 2) of the normal deepening and filling regions of the perturbations, and particularly their formation and vanishing focuses; 3) of the mean paths, speeds, frequencies and amplitudes of the perturbations. The «dynamical climatology» we are contemplating here is concerned with all these mean properties of the perturbations for a given period.After a first theoretical part, we give some examples of the application of the general results to the dynamical climatology of January and July for North America, North Atlantic and Europe.

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à ce mémoire a été assigné le Prix 1956 de la « Società Italiana di Geofisica e Meteorologia ».     

A parameterization of radiative fluxes suitable for use in a statistical-dynamical model

Summary A parameterization of shortwave and longwave radiation fluxes derived from detailed radiative transfer models is included in a global primitive equation statistical-dynamical model (SDM) with two bulk atmospheric layers. The model is validated comparing the model simulations with the observed mean annual and seasonal zonally averaged climate. The results show that the simulation of the shortwave and longwave radiation fluxes matches well with the observations. The SDM variables such as surface and 500 hPa temperatures, zonal winds at 250 hPa and 750 hPa, vertical velocity at 500 hPa and precipitation are also in good agreement with the observations. A comparison between the results obtained with the present SDM and those with the previous version of the model indicates that the model results improved when the parameterization of the radiative fluxes based on detailed radiative transfer models are included into the SDM.The SDM is used to investigate its response to the greenhouse effect. Sensitivity experiments regarding the doubling of CO₂ and the changing of the cloud amount and height are performed. In the case 2×CO₂ the model results are consistent with those obtained from GCMs, showing a warming of the climate system. An enhancement of the greenhouse effect is also noted when the cloud layer is higher. However, an increase of the cloud amount in all the latitude belts provokes an increase of the surface temperature near poles and a decrease in all the other regions. This suggests that the greenhouse effect overcomes the albedo effect in the polar latitudes and the opposite occurs in other regions. In all the experiments the changes in the surface temperature are larger near poles, mainly in the Southern Hemisphere.With 8 Figures     

The continental record of Ediacaran volcano‐sedimentary successions in southern Brazil and their global implications

The Ediacaran is one of the most important periods on Earth evolution, including the first appearance of soft‐bodied macrofossils, major climatic changes and a supposed rise in free oxygen. In southernmost Brazil, this period is represented by Camaquã Supergroup, including the Bom Jardim Group and the Acampamento Velho Formation, both of which record continental palaeoenvironmental changes in a more than 5000 m thick stratigraphic succession. Age constraints are given by seven Ar‐Ar and U‐Pb determinations on volcanic rocks, which bracket these units between c. 605 and 574 Ma, revealing the best dated and most continuous documented Ediacaran continental succession to date. Depositional systems evolution supports a Phanerozoic‐type glacial context during the last Neoproterozoic glacial event and presents the Picada das Graças Formation (580 ± 3.6 Ma) as the first dated non‐glacial unit coeval to the Gaskiers Formation.     

Distribution patterns of interstitial polychaetes in sandy beaches of southern Brazil

This study describes the distribution patterns of interstitial polychaetes along morphodynamic gradients on six exposed sandy beaches in Santa Catarina and Paraná (South Brazil). Three random transects were sampled at two points on each beach, one at the swash and another at the surf zone, in winter and summer conditions. Six sediment replicates were collected at each sampling point using a corer of 4.6 cm internal diameter that removed 10 cm into the sediment. Abundance and composition of interstitial polychaete were correlated to wave height, slope, grain size, CaCO₃, chlorophyll a , omega indexes, temperature and relative tide range using a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). A factorial ANOVA showed that taxa richness, mean density and Shannon's diversity were significantly higher at the reflective beaches, but average values differ significantly between transects and these differences change according to the beach zones on both sampling dates. PERMANOVA showed that polychaete associations differ among transects according to the beach zones. The composition of interstitial polychaete associations was significantly correlated to beach morphodynamics and features (P < 0.01). Polychaete associations of reflective beaches were more diverse than in other morphodynamic states. Intermediate beaches may also sustain diverse associations due to temporal variability of the morphodynamic patterns. Beaches presenting extreme dissipative morphodynamics and compacted sediments appear to be unfavourable for the occurrence of interstitial polychaetes.     

Local disappearance of bivalves in the Azores during the last glaciation

The Pleistocene (Eemian) outcrops of Lagoinhas and Prainha, located at Santa Maria Island (Azores), were investigated and their fossil mollusc content reported. These studies revealed that the last glaciation affected two groups of molluscs: the ‘warm‐guest’ gastropods with West African or Caribbean affinities (e.g. Conus spp., Cantharus variegatus, Bulla amygdala, Trachypollia nodulosa) and shallow bivalve species mainly associated with sandy habitats (Ensis minor, Lucinella divaricata, and probably Laevicardium crassum). In this paper we focus on this group of bivalves, which has since locally disappeared from the Azores. We relate the local disappearance of these bivalves in the Azores with the lack of sand in the shelf. The specific characteristics of the Santa Maria shelf combined with the sea‐level drop during the Weichselian prevented deposition of the lowstand deposits and permitted erosion of the previous ones, leaving the shelf without a sediment cover. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.