Dark halos acting as chaos controllers in asymmetric triaxial galaxy models

We study the regular or chaotic character of orbits in a 3D dynamical model,describing a triaxial galaxy surrounded by a spherical dark halo component.Our numerical experiments suggest that the percentage of chaotic orbits decreases exponentially as the mass of the dark halo increases.A linear increase of the percentage of the chaotic orbits was observed as the scale length of the halo component increases. In order to distinguish between regular and chaotic motion,we chose to use the total angular momentum ...     

Newtonian non-linear hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics

We use covariant techniques to study the non-linear evolution of self-gravitating, non-relativistic media. The formalism is first applied to imperfect fluids, aiming at the kinematic effects of viscosity, before extended to inhomogeneous magnetized environments. The non-linear electrodynamic formulae are derived and successively applied to electrically resistive and to highly conductive fluids. By nature, the covariant equations isolate the magnetic effects on the kinematics and the dynamics of the medium, combining mathematical transparency and physical clarity. Employing the Newtonian analogue of the relativistic 1 + 3 covariant treatment also facilitates the direct comparison with the earlier relativistic studies and helps to identify the differences in an unambiguous way. The purpose of this work is to set the framework and take a first step towards the detailed analytical study of complex non-linear systems, like non-relativistic astrophysical plasmas and collapsing protogalactic clouds.     

Combining AVHRR imagery with CORINE Land Cover data to observe forest fires and to assess their consequences

This paper describes an operational application of AVHRR satellite imagery in combination with the satellite-based land cover database CORINE Land Cover (CLC) for the comprehensive observation and follow-up of 10000 fire outbreaks and of their consequences in Greece during summer 2000. In the first stage, we acquired and processed satellite images on a daily basis with the aim of smoke-plume tracking and fire-core detection at the national level. Imagery was acquired eight times per day and derived from all AVHRR spectral channels. In the second stage, we assessed the consequences of fire on vegetation by producing a burnt-area map on the basis of multi-annual normalised vegetation indices using AVHRR data in combination with CLC. In the third stage we used again CLC to assess the land cover of burnt areas in the entire country. The results compared successfully to available inventories for that year. Burnt area was estimated with an accuracy ranging from 88% to 95%, depending on the predominant land cover type. These results, along with the low cost and high temporal resolution of AVHRR satellite imagery, suggest that the combination of low-resolution satellite data with harmonised CLC data can be applied operationally for forest fire and post-fire assessments at the national and at a pan-European level.     

The nature of orbits in a prolate elliptical galaxy model with a bulge and a dense nucleus

We study the transition from regular to chaotic motion in a prolate elliptical galaxy dynamical model with a bulge and a dense nucleus.Our numerical investigation shows that stars with angular momentum Lz less than or equal to a critical value Lzc,moving near the galactic plane,are scattered to higher z,when reaching the central region of the galaxy,thus displaying chaotic motion.An inverse square law relationship was found to exist between the radius of the bulge and the critical value Lzc of the angular m...     

Improvement of satellite derived pollution maps with the use of a geostatistical interpolation method

 The small number of ground stations for the assessment of the spatial distribution of air pollutants motivates the search for methods that make use of satellite images. One such method, known as Differential Texture Analysis (DTA), is used to measure the Aerosol Optical Thickness in the Visible (AOTV), which correlates highly with air quality. With this method, the presence of clouds and/or land cover changes produce patches of missing values. In this paper we demonstrate that universal kriging can be used to obtain reasonable estimates for these missing values. The methodology was applied to a satellite derived AOTV map of the city of Brescia (Italy). Received: 17 July 2001 / Accepted: 11 December 2001     

Contribution to the study of Greek thermal springs: hydrogeological and hydrochemical characteristics and origin of thermal waters

A large number of chemical analyses of Greek thermal waters were evaluated in order to investigate spring water origin, water–rock interaction mechanisms, and estimate the thermal potential of the geothermal areas. Four water types were distinguished from geochemical diagrams. The relatively fresher waters include samples of Ca–HCO₃ and Mg–HCO₃ type waters originating from the schistose Rhodope Massif and the Quaternary basin of Aridea, respectively. Samples of the Na–HCO3 water type are typical of springs located in the post-orogenic basins of northern Greece. These hot, deep-rising Na–HCO₃ waters circulate in a CO₂-rich environment that favours the solubility of alkaline ions such as Na from siliceous rocks. Most of the samples belong to the Na–Cl water type and originate from Greek islands and coastal springs. These are characterized by the mixing of deep thermal solutions with seawater and fresh water. The presence of CO₂ in thermal and mineral springs is due to the metamorphism of buried marine carbonate horizons while H₂S is due to both local pyrite oxidation and the reduction of sulphates. The use of geothermometers suggested that the investigated geothermal areas have low enthalpy fluids at depth, while higher temperatures are likely present in Milos, Lesvos, Nisyros islands and Xanthi Basin.

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Resumen Se ha evaluado un gran número de análisis químicos de aguas termales griegas con objeto de investigar el origen del agua en los manantiales, los mecanismos de interacción agua-roca, y estimar el potencial termal de las áreas geotérmicas. Se distinguieron cuatro tipos de aguas a partir de diagramas geoquímicos. Las aguas relativamente frescas incluyen muestras de agua tipo Ca–HCO₃ y Mg–HCO₃ que se originan en los esquistos del Macizo Rhodope y la cuenca Cuaternaria de Aridea, respectivamente. Las muestras de agua tipo Na–HCO₃ son típicas de manantiales localizados en las cuencas post-orogénicas del norte de Grecia. Estas aguas calientes y profundas, de tipo Na–HCO₃, circulan en un ambiente rico en CO₂ que favorece la solubilidad de iones alcalinos, tal como Na proveniente de rocas silícicas. La mayoría de las muestras pertenecen al tipo de agua Na–Cl y se originan en islas y manantiales costeros griegos. Estas aguas se caracterizan por la mezcla de soluciones termales profundas con agua de mar y agua dulce. La presencia de CO₂ en manantiales termales y minerales se debe a el metamorfismo de horizontes carbonatados marinos enterrados mientras que el H₂S se debe a oxidación local de pirita y reducción de sulfatos. El uso de geotermómetros sugiere que las áreas termales investigadas tienen fluidos de baja entalpía a profundidad, mientras que las temperaturas más elevadas es probable que se presenten en Milos, Lesvos, islas de Nisyros y la cuenca Xanthi.

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Résumé Un grand nombre danalyses chimiques des eaux thermales grecques ont été menées de manière à investiguer lorigine des eaux des sources thermales, les mécanismes dinteraction avec les roches traversées, et destimer le potentiel des zones géothermiques. Quatre types deau ont été distinguées sur base des diagrammes géochimiques. Les eaux les plus fraîches correspondent respectivement aux échantillons des eaux calco et magnéso carbonatées du massif schisteux de Rhodope et du bassin quaternaire dAridea. Les échantillons deaux sodi carbonatées proviennent typiquement des sources localisées dans les bassins posts-orogéniques du Nord de la Grèce. Ces chaudes et très profondes eaux sodi carbonatées circulent dans des environnements riches en CO₂ qui favorisent la solubilité des ions alcalins, tel que le sodium, des roches siliceuses. La plus part des échantillons ont un facies chloruré sodique et proviennent des îles grecques ou des environnement côtier. Ces eaux sont caractérisées par des mélanges entre eaux profondes avec des eaux de mer et des eaux de surface. La présence de CO₂ dans les eaux de sources thermales et minérales est due au métamorphisme des horizons de calcaires marins et couverts, tandis que la présence de H₂S est due à loxydation locale de la pyrite et à la réduction des sulfates. Lutilisation de géothermomètres suggère que les zones géothermiques étudiées contiennent des eaux à faible enthalpie en profondeur, bien que des températures assez élevées soient rencontrées à Milos, Lesvos, sur les îles Nisyros et dans le bassin de Xanthi.

     

Urban aerosol mapping over Athens using the differential textural analysis (DTA) algorithm on MERIS-ENVISAT data

Low and moderate spatial resolution satellite sensors (such as TOMS, AVHRR, SeaWiFS) have already shown their capability in tracking aerosols at a global scale. Sensors with moderate to high spatial resolution (such as MODIS and MERIS) seem also to be appropriate for aerosol retrieval at a regional scale. We investigated in this study the potential of MERIS-ENVISAT data to resolve the horizontal spatial distribution of aerosols over urban areas, such as the Athens metropolitan area, by using the differential textural analysis (DTA) code. The code was applied to a set of geo-corrected images to retrieve and map aerosol optical thickness (AOT) values relative to a reference image assumed to be clean of pollution with a homogeneous atmosphere. The comparison of satellite retrieved AOT against PM₁₀ data measured at ground level showed a high positive correlation particularly for the AOT values calculated using the 5th MERIS’ spectral band (R²=0.83). These first results suggest that the application of the DTA code on cloud free areas of MERIS images can be used to provide AOT related to air quality in this urban region. The accuracy of retrieved AOT mainly depends on the overall quality, the pollution cleanness and the atmospheric homogeneity of the reference image.