An ocean circulation model in <Emphasis Type="Italic">σ</Emphasis>S-<Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">σ</Emphasis>B hybrid coordinate and its validation

A 3D, two-time-level, σS-z-σB hybrid-coordinate Marine Science and Numerical Modeling numerical ocean circulation model (HyMOM) is developed in this paper. In HyMOM, the σ coordinate is employed in the surface and bottom regions, and the z coordinate is used in the intermediate layers. This method can overcome problems with vanishing surface cells and minimize the unwanted deviation in representing bottom topography. The connection between the σ and z layers vertically includes an expanded “ghost” method and the linear interpolation. The governing equations in the σS-z-σB hybrid coordinate based on the complete Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are derived in detail. The two-level time staggered and Eulerian forward and backward schemes, which are of second-order of accuracy, are adopted for the temporal difference in internal and external mode, respectively. The computation of the baroclinic gradient force is tested in an analytic test problem; the errors for two methods in HyMOM, which are relatively large only in the bottom layers, are obviously smaller than those in the pure σ and z models in almost all of the vertical layers. A quasi-global climatologic numerical experiment is constructed to test the simulation performance of HyMOM. With the monthly mean Levitus climatology data as reference, the HyMOM can improve the simulating accuracy compared with its pure z or σ coordinate implementation.     

Peculiarities of Rayleigh wave displacement in a transversely isotropic half space

We consider a transversely isotropic medium with vertical axis of symmetry (VTI). Rayleigh wave displacement components in a homogeneous VTI medium contain exp(±kr_jz), where z is the vertical coordinate, k is the wave number, and j?=?1, 2; r_j may be considered as depth-decay factor. In a VTI medium, r_j can be a real or imaginary as in an isotropic medium, or it can be a complex depending on the elastic parameters of the VTI medium; if complex, r₁ and r₂ are complex conjugates. In a homogeneous VTI half space, Rayleigh wave displacement is significantly modified with a phase shift when r_j changes from real to complex with variation of VTI parameters; at the transition, the displacement becomes zero when r₁?=?r₂. In a liquid layer over a VTI half space, Rayleigh waves are dispersive. Here, also Rayleigh wave displacement significantly modified with a phase shift when r_j changes from real to complex with a decrease of period. At very low period, phase velocity of Rayleigh waves becomes less than P-wave velocity in the liquid layer giving rise to Scholte waves (interface waves). The amplitudes of Scholte waves with a VTI half space are found to be significantly larger than those with an isotropic half space.     

Reaction of the high-latitude lower ionosphere to solar proton events from observations in the ELF range

The reaction of the lower ionosphere to the solar proton events that occurred in 2011–2012 is studied in this paper based on the results of measurements of the propagation velocity and the E _z /H _τ ratio of the low-frequency electromagnetic pulses (atmospherics) in the ELF range at the high-latitude observatories Lovozero and Barentsburg. With numerical modeling methods, it is shown that horizontal local irregularities of the lower ionosphere conductivity profile could be a cause of the splashes in the E _z /H _τ ratio observed in the experiment during the solar proton event of March 7, 2012, which was a unique event in both the proton flux value and energy.     

Generation of superDreicer electric fields in the solar chromosphere

The electric field generation at the front of the current pulse, which originates in a coronal magnetic loop owing to the development of the Rayleigh–Taylor magnetic instability at loop footpoints, has been considered. During the τ_A ≈ l/V _A ≈ 5?25 s time (where l is the plasma plume height entering a magnetic loop as a result of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability), a disturbance related to the magnetic field tension B _?(r,t), “escapes” the instability region with the Alfvén velocity in this case. As a result, an electric current pulse I_z(z ? V _A t), at the front of which an induction magnetic field E _z, which is directed along the magnetic tube axis and can therefore accelerate particles, starts propagating along a magnetic loop with a characteristic scale of Δξ ≈ l. In the case of sufficiently large currents, when B _? ²/8π > p, an electric current pulse propagates nonlinearly, and a relatively large longitudinal electric field originates E _z ≈ 2I _z ³ V _A/c ⁴a²B_z ²l, which can be larger than the Dreicer field, depending on the electric current value.     

Estimation of key surface parameters in semi-arid region and their impacts on improvement of surface fluxes simulation

Uncertainties in some key parameters in land surface models severely restrict the improvement of model capacity for successful simulation of surface-atmosphere interaction. These key parameters are related to soil moisture and heat transfer and physical processes in the vegetation canopy as well as other important aerodynamic processes. In the present study, measurements of surface-atmosphere interaction at two observation stations that are located in the typical semi-arid region of China, Tongyu Station in Jilin Province and Yuzhong Station in Gansu Province, are combined with the planetary boundary layer theory to estimate the value of two key aerodynamic parameters, i.e., surface roughness length z_0m and excess resistance κB^-1. Multiple parameterization schemes have been used in the study to obtain values for surface roughness length and excess resistance κB^-1 at the two stations. Results indicate that z_0m has distinct seasonal and inter-annual variability. For the type of surface with low-height vegetation, there is a large difference between the default value of z_0m in the land surface model and that obtained from this study. κB^-1 demonstrates a significant diurnal variation and seasonal variability. Using the modified scheme for the estimation of z_0m and κB^-1 in the land surface model, it is found that simulations of sensible heat flux over the semi-arid region have been greatly improved. These results suggest that it is necessary to further evaluate the default values of various parameters used in land surface models based on field measurements. The approach to combine field measurements with atmospheric boundary layer theory to retrieve realistic values for key parameters in land surface models presents a great potential in the improvement of modeling studies of surface-atmosphere interaction.     

Impacts of climate changes on ocean surface gravity waves over the eastern Canadian shelf

A numerical study is conducted to investigate the impact of climate changes on ocean surface gravity waves over the eastern Canadian shelf (ECS). The “business-as-usual” climate scenario known as Representative Concentration Pathway RCP8.5 is considered in this study. Changes in the ocean surface gravity waves over the study region for the period 1979–2100 are examined based on 3 hourly ocean waves simulated by the third-generation ocean wave model known as WAVEWATCHIII. The wave model is driven by surface winds and ice conditions produced by the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CanRCM4). The whole study period is divided into the present (1979–2008), near future (2021–2050) and far future (2071–2100) periods to quantify possible future changes of ocean waves over the ECS. In comparison with the present ocean wave conditions, the time-mean significant wave heights (H _s ) are expected to increase over most of the ECS in the near future and decrease over this region in the far future period. The time-means of the annual 5% largest H _s are projected to increase over the ECS in both near and far future periods due mainly to the changes in surface winds. The future changes in the time-means of the annual 5% largest H _s and 10-m wind speeds are projected to be twice as strong as the changes in annual means. An analysis of inverse wave ages suggests that the occurrence of wind seas is projected to increase over the southern Labrador and central Newfoundland Shelves in the near future period, and occurrence of swells is projected to increase over other areas of the ECS in both the near and far future periods.     

Limits of transversely isotropic elastic parameters for the existence of classical Rayleigh waves

Solutions of P-SV equations of motion in a homogeneous transversely isotropic elastic layer contain a factor exp(±ν _j z), where z is the vertical coordinate and j?=?1, 2. For computing Rayleigh wave dispersion in a multi-layered half space, ν _j is computed at each layer. For a given phase velocity (c), ν _j becomes complex depending on the transversely isotropic parameters. When ν _j is complex, classical Rayleigh waves do not exist and generalised Rayleigh waves propagate along a path inclined to the interface. We use transversely isotropic parameters as α _H , β _V , ξ, ? and η and find their limits beyond which ν _j becomes complex. It is seen that ν _j depends on ? and η, but does not depend on ξ. The complex ν _j occurs when ? is small and η is large. For a given c/β _V , the region of complex ν _j in a ? -η plane increases with the increase of α _H /β _V . Further, for a given α _H /β _V , the complex region of ν _j increases significantly with the decrease of c/β _V . This study is useful to compute dispersion parameters of Rayleigh waves in a layered medium.     

Microbial D-amino acids and marine carbon storage

In nature, there are two conformational types of amino acids: L- and D-isomers. The L-amino acids are the predominant form and are used mainly for protein synthesis, while the D-amino acids are few in quantity but more diverse in terms of their biological functions. D-amino acids are produced by many marine microbes, which are important players in carbon and energy cycles in the ocean. As the major constituent of the marine organic carbon pool, D-amino acids can persist in the water column for a long time before being further transformed by chemical or biological processes or transported through physical processes (such as absorption and aggregation). This article reviews the microbial synthesis of D-amino acids, their physiological function and metabolism in microbes, and the contribution of D-amino acids as a carbon source to the oceanic carbon reservoir.     

Variations in the IMF vertical component in isolated solar wind streams

The regularities of the variations in the IMF B _z component have been studied based on the data on the solar wind streams and their solar sources. Isolated solar wind streams such as magnetic clouds and shock layers before them, undisturbed heliospheric current sheets (HCSs), leading edges and bodies of high-speed streams from coronal holes (HSSs from CHs) have been considered. It has been revealed that each type of isolated streams in the interplanetary medium has it own features in the variations in the value and direction of the B _z component related to the stream immanent properties and conditions of propagation in the interplanetary plasma. The appearance of the southward B _z component is obligatory for all these streams which are, therefore, geoeffective.     

Dynamics of the ionospheric electric currents and auroral luminosity boundaries during strong magnetic storms

The regularities in the southward drift of the ionospheric current centers and luminosity boundaries during strong magnetic storms of November 2003 and 2004 (with Dst ≈ ?400 and ?470 nT, respectively) are studied based on the global geomagnetic observations and TV measurements of auroras. It has been indicated that the eastward and westward electrojets in the dayside and nightside sectors simultaneously shift equatorward to minimal latitudes of Φ _min ^° ～53°–55°. It has been obtained that the Φ _min ^° latitude decreases with increasing negative values of Dst, IMF B _z component, and westward electric field strength in the solar wind. The dependence of the electrojet equatorward shift velocity (V _av) on the rate of IMF B _z variations (ΔB _z /Δt) has been determined. It is assumed that the electrojet dynamics along the meridian is caused by a change in the structure of the magnetosphere and electric fields in the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetosphere.     

A Least-squares Minimization Approach to Depth Determination from Magnetic Data

—We have developed a least-squares minimization approach to depth determination from magnetic data. By defining the anomaly value T(0) at the origin and the anomaly value T(N) at any other distance (N) on the profile, the problem of depth determination from magnetic data has been transformed into finding a solution to a nonlinear equation of the form f(z)=0. Formulas have been derived for a sphere, horizontal cylinder, dike, and for a geologic contact. Procedures are also formulated to estimate the effective magnetization intensity and the effective magnetization inclination. A scheme for analyzing the magnetic data has been formulated for determining the model parameters of the causative sources. The method is applied to synthetic data with and without random errors. Finally, the method is applied to two field examples from Canada and Arizona. In all cases examined, the estimated depths are found to be in goodagreement with actual values.     

Effects of temporally correlated infiltration on water flow in an unsaturated–saturated system

Effects of temporally correlated infiltration on water flow in an unsaturated–saturated system were investigated. Both white noise and exponentially correlated infiltration processes were considered. The moment equations of the pressure head (ψ) were solved numerically to obtain the variance and autocorrelation functions of ψ at 14 observation points. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to verify the numerical results and to estimate the power spectrum of ψ (S _ψψ ). It was found that as the water flows through the system, the variance of the ψ (\( \sigma_{\psi }^{2} \)) were damped by the system: the deeper in the system, the smaller the \( \sigma_{\psi }^{2} \), and the larger the correlation timescale of the infiltration process (λ _I ), the larger the \( \sigma_{\psi }^{2} \). The unsaturated–saturated system gradually filters out the short-term fluctuations of ψ and the damping effect is most significant in the upper part of the system. The fluctuations of ψ is non-stationary at early time and becomes stationary as time progresses: the larger the value of λ _I , the longer the non-stationary period. The correlation timescale of the ψ (λ _ψ ) increases with depth and approaches a constant value at depth: the larger the value of λ _I , the larger the value of λ _ψ . The results of the estimated S _ψψ is consistent with those of the variance and autocorrelation function.     

Estimation of storm-time level of day-side wave geomagnetic activity using a new <Emphasis Type="Italic">ULF</Emphasis> index

The level of wave geomagnetic activity in the morning and daytime sectors of auroral latitudes during strong magnetic storms with Dst _min varying from ?100 to ?150 nT in 1995–2002 have been studied using a new ULF index of wave activity proposed in [Kozyreva et al., 2007]. It has been detected that daytime Pc5 pulsations (2–6 mHz) are most intense during the main phase of a magnetic storm rather than during the recovery phase as was considered previously. It has been indicated that morning geomagnetic pulsations during the substorm recovery phase mainly contribute to daytime wave activity. The appearance of individual intervals with the southward IMF B _z component during the magnetic storm recovery phase results in increases in the ULF index values.     

Motion of Ionospheric Plasma: Results of Observations above Kharkiv in Solar Cycle 24

The equipment and methodical characteristics of determining the vertical component of the ionospheric plasma motion velocity V_z based on an incoherent scatter radar of Institute of Ionosphere, National Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (Kharkiv), which is the only radar of such type in Central Europe, are described. Based on the radar data, the patterns of altitude and diurnal variations in V_z near the maximum of solar cycle 24 for the typical geophysical conditions (around the summer and winter solstices, the spring and fall equinoxes) at low geomagnetic activity and the specifics of these changes during ionospheric storms are presented. The results of modeling of the dynamic processes in ionospheric plasma under the conditions of the undisturbed ionosphere, including the determination of altitudetime variations in the thermospheric wind velocity, are presented. It has been established that this velocity can significantly differ from the thermospheric wind velocity calculated by the known empirical global models. This difference is likely related to the regional features of thermospheric wind that are not shown in the global models.     

Seasonal variation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> tide

The seasonal cycle of the main lunar tidal constituent M ₂ is studied globally by an analysis of a high-resolution ocean circulation and tide model (STORMTIDE) simulation, of 19 years of satellite altimeter data, and of multiyear tide-gauge records. The barotropic seasonal tidal variability is dominant in coastal and polar regions with relative changes of the tidal amplitude of 5–10 %. A comparison with the observations shows that the ocean circulation and tide model captures the seasonal pattern of the M ₂ tide reasonably well. There are two main processes leading to the seasonal variability in the barotropic tide: First, seasonal changes in stratification on the continental shelf affect the vertical profile of eddy viscosity and, in turn, the vertical current profile. Second, the frictional effect between sea-ice and the surface ocean layer leads to seasonally varying tidal transport. We estimate from the model simulation that the M ₂ tidal energy dissipation at the sea surface varies seasonally in the Arctic (ocean regions north of 60°N) between 2 and 34 GW, whereas in the Southern Ocean, it varies between 0.5 and 2 GW. The M ₂ internal tide is mainly affected by stratification, and the induced modified phase speed of the internal waves leads to amplitude differences in the surface tide signal of 0.005–0.0150 m. The seasonal signals of the M ₂ surface tide are large compared to the accuracy demands of satellite altimetry and gravity observations and emphasize the importance to consider seasonal tidal variability in the correction processes of satellite data.     

Improved treatments for evaluating horizontal magnetic components through the 3-D FDM in <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>-polarization induction problems

To improve the accuracy of the numerical evaluation through the 3-D finite difference method, the surface boundary conditions are added to modify the old program. The author has tested the new program by making calculations for the model constructed by Wanamaker, et al (1984). The comparison between the numerical results obtained from this paper and those by Wannamaker, et al (1984) indicates that a pronounced improvement is realized in the evaluation of the horizontal magnetic components. Moreover, better calculations for the vertical magnetic components are also obtainable by using the new program.     

The boundary conditions for simulations of a shake-table experiment on the seismic response of 3D slope

Boundary conditions can significantly affect a slope’s behavior under strong earthquakes. To evaluate the importance of boundary conditions for finite element (FE) simulations of a shake-table experiment on the slope response, a validated three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear FE model is presented, and the numerical and experimental results are compared. For that purpose, the robust graphical user-interface “SlopeSAR”, based on the open-source computational platform OpenSees, is employed, which simplifies the effort-intensive pre- and post-processing phases. The mesh resolution effect is also addressed. A parametric study is performed to evaluate the influence of boundary conditions on the FE model involving the boundary extent and three types of boundary conditions at the end faces. Generally, variations in the boundary extent produce inconsistent slope deformations. For the two end faces, fixing the y-direction displacement is not appropriate to simulate the shake-table experiment, in which the end walls are rigid and rough. In addition, the influence of the length of the 3D slope’s top face and the width of the slope play an important role in the difference between two types of boundary conditions at the end faces (fixing the y-direction displacement and fixing the (y, z) direction displacement). Overall, this study highlights that the assessment of a comparison between a simulation and an experimental result should be performed with due consideration to the effect of the boundary conditions.     

Statistical relations between the probability of occurrence of Pc3-4 pulsations at high latitudes in the antarctic regions and the solar wind and IMF parameters

Geomagnetic pulsation in the Pc3-4 bands have been studied at high Antarctic latitudes during the local summer. The statistical relation between the occurrence probability of Pc3 and Pc4 pulsations and the solar wind (SW) and IMF parameters has been revealed by verifying the hypothesis that an indication is identical in two distributions. Different dependences of the occurrence probability of high-latitude Pc3 and Pc4 pulsations on the IMF value and orientation and SW density and velocity have been found out. It has been indicated that these dependences remain unchanged in the range of geomagnetic latitudes from 66° to 87°. It has been established that the Pc3 observation probability at small (20°–50°) IMF cone angles (θ = cos^?1(B _x/|B|)) is a factor of 1.5 higher than the average statistical probability and depends on the IMF value, which confirms the hypothesis that the Pc3 source is the turbulent region upstream of the magnetospheric quasiparallel low shock. On the contrary, the probability of occurrence of Pc4 weakly depends on the IMF cone angle and is maximal at θ ～ 0° and ～90°. With increasing negative B _z values, the generation probability increases in the Pc4 band and tends to decrease in the Pc3 band. It has been found out for the first time that the dependence of the Pc4 occurrence probability on the IMF clock angle (? = tan^?2 (B/B _z) is identical in the regions of projections of closed and open field lines, whereas this dependence is different for Pc3. In the region of projections of closed field lines, the Pc3 occurrence probability increases at B _z < 0 and B _y > 0 (the condition under which the cusp shifts on the dawn side) and at B _y < 0 and B _z > 0 (which is typical of the formation of the low-latitude boundary plasma sheet). In the region of projections of open field lines such a probability increases at B _y < 0 and B _z < 0 (which results in the formation of the high-latitude boundary plasma sheet). Based on the discovered regularities, the conclusion has been made that the sources of generation of high-latitude Pc3 and Pc4 pulsations are different.     

A numerical study on the seismic bearing capacity of shallow foundations

Based on a pseudo-static approach, finite difference (FDM) numerical analyses have been performed aimed at evaluating the seismic effects on the ultimate bearing capacity of shallow strip foundations. In the specialised literature, such seismic effects are usually divided in two components, namely, a structure inertia and a soil inertia, which can be either considered together, or separately addressed and then superposed. Both of these inertia effects are investigated in this work. The results of a comprehensive numerical study are presented in—and critically compared to—the wide framework of available analytical solutions proposed in the literature in the last 30 years. The good agreement found between the numerical and the analytical approaches is pointed out, thus providing further evidence of the reliability of some available and widespread solutions. The possibility of superposition of the two inertia effects is investigated. It is found that in some cases the soil inertia may play a significant role in the seismic capacity of the system, and that simple one-constant equations can be readily used in foundation design to estimate the reduction in bearing capacity (namely, factors e _i , e _k ) deriving from the two inertia effects.     

An experimental study on variation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis> value during deformation of rock samples with different structural models

A preliminary study of b value of rocks with two kinds of structural models has been made on the base of a new acoustic emission recording system. It shows that b value of the sample decreases obviously when the sample with compressive en echelon faults changes into a tensile one after interchange occurs between stress axis σ ₁ and σ ₂. A similar experiment is observed when the sample with tensile en echelon faults changes into that with a bend fault after two segments of the en echelon fault linking up. These facts indicate that the variation of b value may contain the information of the regional dominant structural model. Therefore, b-value analyses could be a new method for studying regional dominant structural models.