Modeling of Rapidly Rotating Thermal Convection Using Vorticity and Vector Potential

We have used a numerical scheme based on higher-order finite differences to investigate effects of adiabatic heating and viscous dissipation on 3-D rapidly rotating thermal convection in a Cartesian box with an aspect-ratio of 221. Although we omitted coupling with the magnetic field, which can play a key role in the dynamics of the Earth's core, the understanding of non-linear rotating convection including realistic thermodynamic effects is a necessary prerequisite for understanding the full complexity of the Earth's core dynamics. The system of coupled partial differential equations has been solved in terms of the principal variables vorticity , vector potential A and temperature T. The use of the vector potential A allows the velocity field to be calculated with one spatial differentiation in contrast to the spheroidal and toroidal function approach. The temporal evolution is governed by a coupled time-dependent system consisting of and T. The equations are discretized in all directions by using an eighth-order, variable spaced scheme. Rayleigh number Ra of 10⁶, Taylor number Ta of 10⁸ and a Prandtl number Pr of 1 have been employed. The dissipation number of the outer core was taken to be 0.2. A stretched grid has been employed in the vertical direction for resolving the thin shear boundary layers at the top and bottom. This vertical resolution corresponds to around 240 regularly spaced points with an eighth-order accuracy. For the regime appropriate to the Earth's outer core, the dimensionless surface temperature T ₀ takes a large value, around 4. This large value in the adiabatic heating/cooling term is found to cause stabilization of both the temperature and velocity fields.     

Approximate solutions of the surface mass loading of a spherical Earth model

Summary Simple linear representation of the components of an approximate plane solution of point mass loading of the Earth's surface in a conveniently chosen coordinate system leads to selection of a 2nd-degree curve which is the best fit of the spherical solution for the given Earth model. The new approximate solution, which, analogously to the plane solution, can be called a parabolic solution, enables the simple input parameters of the plane solution to be used also for substantially larger angular distances. The comparison with the spherical solution is carried out by computing the effects of the M₂-wave of ocean tides. The results of the computations for the tidal station Brussels prove the two solutions to be in sufficient agreement for global problems as well.

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Water uptake and equilibrium sizes of aerosol particles at high relative humidities: Their dependence on the composition of the water-soluble material

Equilibrium water uptake and the sizes of atmospheric aerosol particles have for the first time been determined for high relative humidities, i.e., for humidities above 95 percent, as a function of the particles chemical composition. For that purpose a new treatment of the osmotic coefficient has been developed and experimentally confirmed. It is shown that the equilibrium water uptake and the equilibrium sizes of atmospheric aerosol particles at large relative humidities are significantly dependent on their chemical composition.List of symbols A proportionality factor - a _w activity of water in a solution - c _{p v} specific heat of water vapour at constant pressure - c _w specific heat of liquid water - f relative humidity - l _w specific heat of evaporation of water - M _i molar mass of solute speciesi - M _s mean molar mass of all the solute species in a solution - M _w molar mass of water - m ₀ mass of an aerosol particle in dry state - m _i mass of solute speciesi - m _s mass of solute - m _w mass of water taken up by an aerosol particle in equilibrium state - m total molality=number of mols of solute species in 1000 g of water - m _i molality of solute speciesi - m _k total molality of a pure electrolytek - O(m ²) remaining terms being of the second and of higher powers ofm - p ⁺ standard pressure - p total pressure of the gas phase - p pressure within a droplet - p ₁,p ₂,p ₃ coefficients in the expansion of M - p _1i, p_2i, p_3i specific parameters of ioni - p _s saturation vapour pressure - p _w water vapour pressure - R _w individual gas constant of water - r radius of a droplet - r ₀ equivalent volume radius of an aerosol particle in dry state - T temperature - T ₀ standard temperature - T ₁ temperature of the pure water drop in the osmometer - v _w specific volume of pure water - z _i valence of ioni - _i relativenumber concentration of ioni in a solution - correction term due to the adsorption of ions at liquid-solid interfaces - activity coefficient of solute speciesi in a solution, related to molalities - I bridge current - T temperature difference between solution and pure water drop in the osmometer - exponential mass increase coefficient - _w specific chemical potential of water vapour - _w specific chemical potential of water - ⁰ _w specific chemical potential of pure water vapour - ⁰ _w specific chemical potential of pure water - ₀ density of an aerosol particle in dry state - _w density of pure water - surface tension of a droplet - ₀ surface tension of pure water, i.e., at infinite dilution of the solute - osmotic coefficient - _k osmotic coefficient of a solution of a pure electrolytek - _k osmotic coefficient of a solution of a mixed solute - _M fugacity coefficient of water vapour - ^s _{i=1 i} z ² _i This work is part of a Ph.D. thesis carried out at the Meteorological Institute of the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz.     

Analysis of aeromagnetic anomalies over the central part of the Narmada-Son lineament

The Narmada-Son lineament (NSL) forms a major tectonic feature on the Indian subcontinent. The importance of this lineament lies in its evolution as well as its tectonic history. The lineament seems to have been active since Precambrian times. In order to understand the history of its evolution, it is necessary to know what igenous activity has been taking place along this lineament, and how the Deccan trap volcanics, which cover large areas along this lineament, have erupted.For the study of this problem an analysis of the aeromagnetic anomaly map lying between 76°15 to 77°30E and 21°45 to 22°50N has been carried out. Four different profiles (B ₁ B ₁,B ₂ B ₂,B ₃ B ₃ andB ₄ B ₄) have been drawn in N-S direction over this area and interpreted in terms of the intrusive bodies present within or below the surface of Deccan trap exposures. Inversion and forward modelling techniques have been adopted for interpretation purposes. An analysis of frequency spectra along the profiles has also been carried out to estimate the average depth of the different magnetic bodies. These results have been correlated with the available geological information. It has been found that most of the small wavelength anomalies are caused by dyke-like bodies within or below the Deccan trap at a depth of less than 0.5 km.     

Investigation of the instability of graveyard orbits due to the earth's gravitational perturbations

Summary The Banach theorem is applied to the Lagrange planetary equation for the semimajor axis of a geostationary satellite orbit to estimate the stability of near-geostationary satellite orbits. To achieve a graveyard (disposal) orbit, which will not interfere (=cross) the initial geostationary orbit, the geostationary semi-major axis a_g have to be increased at least by 50 km. Numerical results for a variety of graveyard orbits show that the increase of a_g by about 100 km will yield sufficiently stable orbits (accounting for the Earth's gravitational perturbations only) during the next 150 years.Dedicated to the 75th Birthday of Professor Academician Tibor Kolbenheyer     

Fundamental energy relations in the theory of compensation of non-equilibrium states in the earth's atmosphere

Summary The paper presents, in a condensed form, the fundamentals of global atmospheric energetics that have a bearing on the linear theory of compensation of non-equilibrium states in the Earth's atmosphere. The author introduces a new coordinate system with the vertical coordinate *=Z*/T*, which suits global atmospheric energetice.The relation between the energetics of the atmospheric system as a whole and the mean energetics level (MEL) is shown. Contrary to what has been assumed so far, it is proved that this level is neither an isopycnic level nor a physical surface, where */t=0 applies everywhere.List of Symbols Used x, y, z space coordinates in thez-system - x, y, space coordinates in the -system - t time - p, T, pressure, thermodynamic temperature and air density - p*, T*, pressure, temperature, density and geopotential on the mean energy level - g acceleration of the Earth's gravity - c _p ,c _v ,R specific temperature under constant pressure, volume and specific gas constant - = c _p /c _v Poisson's constant - E _k ,E _v ,E _p kinetic, internal and potential energies of the atmospheric system - r'(x,y) correction function to inhomogeneous atmosphere - v, v _n magnitude of motion velocity, magnitude of the normal component of velocity - O, S, S ₀ volume of the whole atmospheric system, surface limiting volumeO and the Earth's surface - Z _S height of surfaceS - arbitrary scalar quantity - _H , horizontal differential operators in thez- andp-systems Dedicated to Corresponding Member Vojtch Vítek, Director of the Institute of Physics of the Atmosphere of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, at the occasion of his sixtieth birthday.     

Coulomb constitutive laws for friction: Contrasts in frictional behavior for distributed and localized shear

We describe slip-rate dependent friction laws based on the Coulomb failure criteria. Frictional rate dependence is attributed to a rate dependence of cohesionc and friction angle . We show that differences in the stress states developed during sliding result in different Coulomb friction laws for distributed shear within a thick gouge layer versus localized shear within a narrow shear band or between bare rock surfaces. For shear within gouge, shear strength is given by =c cos + _n sin, whereas for shear between bare rock surfaces the shear strength is =c cos + _n tan, where and _n are shear and normal stress, respectively. In the context of rate-dependent Coulomb friction laws, these differences mean that for a given material and rate dependence of the Coulomb parameters, pervasive shear may exhibit velocity strengthening frictional behavior while localized shear exhibits velocity weakening behavior. We derive from experimental data the slip-rate dependence and evolution ofc and for distributed and localized shear. The data show a positive rate dependence for distributed shear and a negative rate dependence for localized shear, indicating that the rate dependence ofc and are not the same for distributed and localized shear, even after accounting for differences in stress state. Our analysis is consistent with the well-known association of instability with shear localization in simulated fault gouge and the observation that bare rock surfaces exhibit predominantly velocity weakening frictional behavior whereas simulated fault gouge exhibits velocity strengthening followed by a transition to velocity weakening with increasing displacement. Natural faults also exhibit displacement dependent frictional behavior and thus the results may prove useful in understanding the seismic evolution of faulting.     

Transmission of Rayleigh waves over the surface of a heterogeneous medium

Summary The frequency equation of Rayleigh waves propagating over the free surface of an isotropic, perfectly elastic, heterogeneous semi-infinite medium with material properties varying as = ₀ e ^az , = ₀ e ^az , = ₀ e ^az (a>0) has been obtained. Solution of the frequency equation in closed form is obtained in two cases (i) =0, (ii) =, and the Rayleigh wave dispersion curves for phase and group velocities drawn. In both the cases the medium yields single Rayleigh modes which cannot propagate below certain cut-off frequencies. It is found that in case (i), <c<c ₀ and 0.87500 <c _g <c ₀, and in case (ii), 1.03082 <c<c ₁ and 0.90850 <c _g <c ₁, wherec andc _g denote phase nad group velocities respectively, is the constant shear wave velocity of the mediumc ₀ andc ₁ are the corresponding Rayleigh wave velocities of the homogeneous medium of the same Poisson's ratio. The motion of the surface particles is found to be retrograde elliptical as in the homogeneous case, but the ratic of the major and minor axes now becomes frequency dependent and is plotted against frequency. In both the cases (i) and (ii), the ratio starts at a lower value at the cut-off frequency and approaches the corresponding value of the homogeneous medium at high frequencies.     

Primary ionization coefficients for dry and moist air; secondary ionization coefficients for a water surface

Summary A comparison has been made between the Townsend primary ionization coefficient, , for dry air and for air with humidities typical of those in the atmosphere. is defined as the number of new electrons produced by an electron per centimeter of drift in a field. A range of field/pressure ratios,E/p ₀, of 40 to 100 V (cm torr)^–1 was employed. The variation of with humidity is very small.Over the range ofE/p ₀ from 50 to 100 V (cm torr)^–1, the secondary ionization coefficient, , of a water surface has been found from sparking potential data to be typically 2×10^–4. represents the fraction of primary ionizing collisions that ultimately result in the production of additional electrons at the surface.     

The derivatives of the lunar disturbing potential harmonics with respect to euler's angles

Summary The derivatives of the harmonicsP _n ^(k) (sin _O)cos kT_O andP _n ^(k) (sin _O)sin kT_O, occurring in the development of the lunar disturbing potential, are derived upto n=4 and for k== 0, 1, ..., n. The equatorial co-ordinates _OT_O are referred to the Moon's mass centre; the procedure for the solar disturbing potential is formally identical.     

Friction constitutive law with rate and state dependences

A general formula for the Dieterich-Ruina friction constitutive law with rate and state (n-state variables,n=1, 2,...) dependences has been obtained and discussed under the assumption that the slip acceleration a varies ion a linearly with the slip displacement , namelya = a ₀ + (-₀). Wherea ₀, ₀ are initial constants, is the acceleration rate and constant.a ₀ and may be arbitrary constants (positive, negative or zero).The extreme value of frictional resistance and the existence condition of the extreme value, which are very important and govern to some degree the motion process of a frictionally slipping mechanical system, have been analyzed. A critical value _c which is the measure of the velocity weakening and velocity strengthening of the mechanical system, and its properties and the relationship to the extreme problem have been studied. Again, according to the critical value _c, the concepts of light or strong velocity weakening (or strengthening) are introduced.A possibly new phenomenon that frictional resistance may vary in some kind of decayed oscillation is found. Finally, the condition for the smallest frictional resistance for a slipping mechanical system with nonuniform acceleration has been obtained.     

Physical properties of the Earth's core

Calculations of the compression and temperature gradient of the core are facilitated by the use of the thermodynamic Grüneisen ratio, =3Ks/C _P . A pressure-dependent factor in is found to have the same numerical value for the core as for laboratory iron, justifying the use of a constant value for (1.6) in core calculations. The density of the outer core is satisfied by the assumption that it contains about 15% of light elements, particularly sulphur, whereas the inner core is probably ironnickel with very little lighter component. The presence of sulphur in the outer core reduces its liquidus at least 600° below pure iron, so that the adiabatic gradient does not intersect the liquidus, as Higgins and Kennedy have shown would occur in a pure iron core. The inner core is probably close to its melting point, 4700 K, and the adiabatic temperature gradient of the outer is calculated with this as a fixed point, giving 3380 K at the core-mantle boundary. The estimated electrical resistivity of the outer core, 3×10^–6 m, corresponds to a thermal conductivity of 28 W·m^–1·deg^–1, which, with the adiabatic core gradient gives a minimum of 3.9×10¹² W of heat conduction to the mantle. The only plausible source of this much heat is the radioactive decay of potassium in the core. As pointed out by Goles, Lewis, and Hall and Murthy, the presence of potassium becomes geochemically probable once sulphur is admitted as a core constituent. Thus it appears that the recognition of sulphur in the core resolves the two major difficulties which we have faced in attempting to understand the core.List of Symbols a equilibrium atomic spacing at zero pressure, also a constant - A surface area of core - b a constant - c a constant - C _V ,C _P specific heat at constant volume, constant pressure - D dimension of core (or core eddy) - E(r) atomic interaction energy - E energy due to atomic displacement from equilibrium - lattice energy of material - f ₁,f ₂ structure-dependent constants - F(P) pressure dependent factor in Grüneisen's ratio - g gravitational acceleration; also a constant (Equation (13)) - H latent heat of solidification - I integral (Equation (23)) - k Boltzmann's constant - K incompressibility (bulk modulus) - K _T ,K _S isothermal, adiabatic incompressibilities - N number of atoms in a volume of material - P pressure - dQ/dt core to mantle heat flux - r atomic spacing - r _e equilibrium value ofr under pressure - R _m magnetic Reynolds number - T temperature - T _c critical temperature - T _R reduced temperature (Equation (39)) - U specific internal energy of a material - v velocity of internal core motion - V volume - 3 volume expansion coefficient - compressibility - thermodynamic Grüneisen ratio (Equation(2)) - magnetic diffusivity - thermal conductivity - _e electronic contribution to - ₀ permeability of free space - density - _e electrical resistivity - R reduced conductivity,eM/e     

The geomagnetic dynamo-elementary energetics and thermodynamics

This paper is a non-mathematical review, summarising the work in this field.Estimates are made of the power needed to maintain the electric currents which give the main geomagnetic field. The observed surface field needs at least 2×10⁸ W, but unobservable fields may need much more; a toroidal field of peak value 10 or 50nT would need 10¹⁰ or 2.5×10¹¹ W.Ways of obtaining this power from the Earth's rotation, particularly through precession, are considered and rejected.Thermal power sources have the disadvantages that there is inherent thermodynamic inefficiency in driving the dynamo, and that a significant fraction of the heat input will be carried away by conduction rather than convection. Radioactivity will only be important if there is a substantial amount of potassium in the core. If this is not the case the core might be cooling; cooling at 20K per 10⁹ yr would release specific heat at a rate of 10¹² W. If the cooling causes the inner core to grow by freezing from the liquid core, then an additional 10¹² W would be released from the latent heat of freezing. These heat fluxes might support a dynamo having a small toroidal field.If, as seems likely, the solid inner core is significantly denser than the liquid, such cooling would also release 0.6×10¹² W of gravitational energy, giving compositional convection which would drive the dynamo very efficiently and give a large toroidal field.     

Optimum determination of Euler Angles

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The intensity of the main phase of geomagnetic storms in relation to the parameters of the solar wind

Summary On the basis of investigating 10 storms (1965–1967) good correlation was found between the density of the solar wind energy (₂=1/2mNv²) and the intensity of the main phase of the geomagnetic storms, expressed in terms of the maximum decrease of the horizontal intensity (B=H/cos). The relation between ₂, or Nv², and B could then be used to determine the quantities and ₀ ( is the factor expressing the increase in energy density in the magnetosphere, ₀ is the energy density of the particles in a quiet magnetosphere). A comparison with the directly observed distribution of the energy density of the particles in the magnetosphere indicates that the computed value of ₀ seems to be realistic. The magnitude of the factor will have to be checked again.     

Hm-wave filtration in a horizontally stratified Earth's magnetosphere

Summary Drawing on papers [4, 5] a semi-quantitative model of filtration and resonance of a linearly polarized HM-wave has been constructed in a horizontally stratified Earth atmosphere. The wave is filtered in a system of 3 homogeneous layers, limited by two halfspaces. Attenuation of the wave is only assumed in the lower layer, i.e. in the ionosphere. A relation has been derived for the amplitude coupling factor H_T/H_F expressing the absolute ratio of the amplitude of the wave after transmission through the system of layers and the amplitude of the wave, incident at the system of layers. The mechanism of geomagnetic pulsations is illustrated on the principle of the resonance of a HM-wave in the Earth's magnetosphere. The magnetosphere has been replaced by the said system of layers, and the dependence of H_T/H_F=f() on the parameters of the system of layers has been studied using a computer.     

Large-scale structure of the magnetic field in the outer heliosphere

Summary Magnetic field structures at great distances from the Sun have been analyzed qualitatively for a simple vacuum reconnection model of the interplanetary and interstellar magnetic field. In dependence on the mutual orientation of the main solar dipole _s and the local interstellar fieldB ₀ , either an open or closed configuration of the large-scale field is formed. For(_s B ₀ )>0, the field lines are represented by a system of magnetic lines open towards interstellar space. In the case of(_s B ₀ )<0 there exist two zero-points and a separating surface below the heliopause separating the open lines of the interstellar field from the closed lines of the interplanetary field. The magnetic field configuration is characterized by a certain asymmetry, which is considered for(_s B ₀ )=0.     

A note on the stress-dilatancy relation for simulated fault gouge

Theoretical constraints on the stress-dilation relation for a deforming Coulomb material requirev ifC=0 andv sin^-1( _m / _m ) always, wherev is the dilation angle, is the friction angle,C is cohesion, _m is the maximum shear stress, and _m is the mean effective stress. Recent laboratory measurements of friction and dilatancy of simulated fault gouge show that small amplitude shear-load cycling causes compaction and consolidation. Comparison of the data with theory indicates that such load cycling produces: (1) increased coefficient of friction (or friction angle), (2) increased cohesion, and (3) increased dilatancy rate (or dilation angle). Under certain conditions of load cycling without significant plastic shear strain accumulation ( ^p <0.005) we find thatv exceeds both and, in contrast to theory, sin^-1( _m / _m ). This result is interpreted in terms of enhanced cohesion and overconsolidation, which lead to residual stresses within the gouge. An analogy is drawn between these special loading conditions and those extant on natural faults. In particular, our results imply that jostling and minor stress variations associated with microearthquakes may produce strengthening of fault gouge and changes in the fault zone's stress-dilatancy relation. Hence, compaction associated with microseismicity may lead to subsequent dilation of fault gouge, even for faults with large displacement rates and large net offsets (e.g., San Andreas). In regions where such dilation persists over sufficient displacements (on the order of the critical slip distance for seismic faulting) it may tend to inhibit unstable slip.     

Electromagnetic scattering by a perfectly conducting half-plane in a conductive half-space

FollowingDmitriev (1960) a rigorous theoretical solution for the problem of scattering by a perfectly conducting inclined half-plane buried in a uniform conductive half-space has been obtained for plane wave excitation. The resultant integral equation for the Laplace transform of scattering current in the half-plane is solved numerically by the method of successive approximation. The scattered fields at the surface of the half-space are found by integrating the half-space Green's function over the transform of the scattering current.The effects of depth of burial and inclination, of the half-plane on the scattered fields are studied in detail. An increase in the depth of burial leads to attenuation of the fields. Inclination introduces asymmetry in the field profiles beside affecting its magnitude. Depth of exploration is greater for quadrature component. An interpretation scheme based on a phasor diagram is presented for the VLF-EM method of exploration for rich vein deposits in a conductive terrain.List of symbols x, y, z Space co-ordinates - Half-space conductivity - ₀ Free-space permeability - Excitation frequency (angular) - T Time - h Depth of the half-plane - a Inclination of the half-plane - E _x x-Directed total electric field - E _x ^p x-Directed primary electric field - E _xo ^p x-Directed primary electric field atz=0 directly over the half-plane - H _y y-Component of total magnetic field - H _y ^p y-Component of primary magnetic field - H _y0 ^p y-Component of primary magnetic field atz=0 directly over the half-plane - H _z z-Component of total magnetic field - H _z ^p z-Component of primary magnetic field - J _x Surface density ofx-directed scattering current - G Green's function - k ₀,K Wave numbers - u,u ₀,u ₁,u ₂ Functions - Space co-ordinate - s Variable in transform domain - Variable of integration - Normalized scattering current - Laplace transform of - N Normalized - , ₀, ₁, ₂ Functions - t Variable of integration - Skin depth - H Total magnetic field - H ^p Primary magnetic field - H ₀ ^p Primary magnetic field atz=0 directly over the half-plane - M,Q,R,S,U,V Functions - N ₁,N ₂ Functions