Several effects of baroclinic currents on the three‐dimensional propagation of inertial‐internal waves†

A ray theory is applied to the problem of three‐dimensional propagation of inertial‐internal waves in the presence of a mean baroclinic current which does not vary in the downstream coordinate. As time increases, the Doppler‐shifted wave frequency, or intrinsic frequency, tends to a limiting value determined by the horizontal and vertical variations of the mean current and density fields. The limiting value of the intrinsic frequency determines critical surfaces where energy is transferred to the mean motion. Also, the group velocity tends to the mean current velocity, and the phase velocity tends to be oriented towards or away from the core of the mean current, depending upon whether the wave is either initially propagating with a wave number component antiparallel or parallel to the mean current.     

Determining the thickness of the low-latitude boundary layer in the Earth’s magnetosphere

We describe a method for determining the thickness of the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) of the Earth’s magnetosphere at the dayside near the equatorial plane based on the data gathered by a single satellite that traverses the layer and measures the plasma velocity. The method may be applied when the position of the magnetopause and the magnetosheath parameters fluctuate. The necessity of taking the presence of outer and inner LLBL regions into account is analyzed. The developed method is tested using the analysis results of two almost simultaneous close traverses of the magnetopause completed by the THEMIS mission satellites that provided relatively precise data on the LLBL thickness. It is shown that the developed method makes it possible to determine the LLBL thickness with an accuracy of ～10%.     

A review of: “An introduction to boundary layer meteorology”

Abstract

by R. B. Stull. Kluwer Academic Publishers, ix + 666 pp. US $99.00 (ISBN 90–277–2768–6) and US $35.00 (ISBN 90–277–2769–4 paperback) 1988.     

A three dimensional k-ε-A_p model for water-sediment movement

A three-dimensional k-ε-Ap two-fluid turbulence model is proposed to study liquid-particle two-phase flow and bed deformation. By solving coupled liquid-phase and solid-phase governing equations in a finite-volume method, the model can calculate the movement of both water and sediment. The model was validated by water-sediment transport in a 180° channel bend with a movable bed. The validation concerns two-phase time-averaged velocities, bed deformation, water depth, depth-averaged streamwise velocity, cross-stream bed profiles, and two-phase secondary flow velocity vectors. The agreement between numerical results and experimental results was generally good. The comparisons of the numerical results of different models show that the three-dimensional k-ε-Ap two-fluid turbulence model has a relatively higher accuracy than one-fluid model.     

Capturing the residence time boundary layer—application to the Scheldt Estuary

At high Peclet number, the residence time exhibits a boundary layer adjacent to incoming open boundaries. In a Eulerian model, not resolving this boundary layer can generate spurious oscillations that can propagate into the area of interest. However, resolving this boundary layer would require an unacceptably high spatial resolution. Therefore, alternative methods are needed in which no grid refinement is required to capture the key aspects of the physics of the residence time boundary layer. An extended finite element method representation and a boundary layer parameterisation are presented and tested herein. It is also explained how to preserve local consistency in reversed time simulations so as to avoid the generation of spurious residence time extrema. Finally, the boundary layer parameterisation is applied to the computation of the residence time in the Scheldt Estuary (Belgium/The Netherlands). This timescale is simulated by means of a depth-integrated, finite element, unstructured mesh model, with a high space–time resolution. It is seen that the residence time temporal variations are mainly affected by the semi-diurnal tides. However, the spring–neap variability also impacts the residence time, particularly in the sandbank and shallow areas. Seasonal variability is also observed, which is induced by the fluctuations over the year of the upstream flows. In general, the residence time is an increasing function of the distance to the mouth of the estuary. However, smaller-scale fluctuations are also present: they are caused by local bathymetric features and their impact on the hydrodynamics.     

A numerical investigation of eddy-induced chlorophyll bloom in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean during Indian Ocean Dipole—2006

An eddy-resolving coupled physical–biological model is used to study the effect of cyclonic eddy in enhancing offshore chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) bloom in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean during boreal summer–fall 2006. The results demonstrate that the offshore Chl-a blooms are markedly coincident with the high eddy kinetic energy. Moreover, the vertical variations in Chl-a, nitrate, temperature, and mixed-layer depth (MLD) strongly imply that the cyclonic eddies induce surface Chl-a bloom through the injection of nutrient-rich water into the upper layer. Interestingly, we found that the surface bloom only occurs when the deep Chl-a maximum is located within the MLD. On the other hand, the response of subsurface Chl-a to the eddy pumping is remarkable, although it is hardly observable at the surface.     

Contributions of non-tectonic micro-fractures to hydraulic fracturing—A numerical investigation based on FSD model

Shale gas has been discovered in the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, China. Due to the weak tectonic activities in which the shale plays, core observations indicate abundant random non-tectonic micro- fractures in the producing shales. The non-tectonic micro-fractures are different from tectonic fractures and are characterized by being irregular, curved, discontinuous, and randomly distributed. The role of micro-fractures in hydraulic fracturing for shale gas development is currently poorly understood yet potentially critical. Two-dimensional computational modeling studies have been used in an initial attempt toward understanding how naturally random fractured reservoirs respond during hydraulic fracturing. The aim of the paper is to investigate the effect of random non-tectonic fractures on hydraulic fracturing. The numerical models with random non-tectonic micro-fractures are built by extracting the fractures of rock blocks after repeated heating and cooling, using a digital image process. Simulations were conducted as a function of: (1) the in-situ stress ratio; (2) internal friction angle of random fractures; (3) cohesion of random fractures; (4) operational variables such as injection rate; and (5) variable injection rate technology. A sensitivity study reveals a number of interesting observations resulting from these parameters on the shear stimulation in a natural fracture system. Three types of fracturing networks were observed from the studied simulations, and the results also show that variable injection rate technology is most promising for producing complex fracturing networks. This work strongly links the production technology and geomechanical evaluation. It can aid in the understanding and optimization of hydraulic fracturing simulations in naturally random fractured reservoirs.     

Cold water anomalies in the middle layer of the northern Taiwan Strait in spring—a numerical approach

Ocean Dynamics - Cold water anomalies were found in the middle layer in the northern Taiwan Strait in the spring of 2015. The cold water was located at a depth of approximately...     

Charnock dynamics: a model for the velocity structure in the wave boundary layer of the air–sea interface

We present a unified model of the air–sea boundary layer, which takes account of the air–sea momentum exchange across the sea surface. The recognition of the importance of the velocity shears in the water (which comprise a frictional shear and the Stokes shear due to the wave motion) in determining the sea surface roughness is a distinctive feature of the analysis, which leads to a prediction of the Charnock constant (α) in terms of two independent parameters, namely the wave age and the ratio of the Stokes shear to the Eulerian shear in the water. This expression is used to interpret the large observational variability of the Charnock constant. The 10-m drag coefficient can also be expressed using similar reasoning, and the introduction of a relation in which the ratio of the frictional shear in the water to the frictional shear in the air decreases with the friction velocity yields predictive relations for the variation of the 10-m drag coefficient at very high wind speeds both in the open ocean and in wind–wave tanks. The physical interpretation of this relation is that the production of spray essentially returns momentum from the ocean to the atmosphere, and this process becomes progressively more important as the wind speed increases.     

A statistical study of the upstream intermediate ion boundary in the Earth’s foreshock

A statistical investigation of the location of onset of intermediate and gyrating ion populations in the Earths foreshock is presented based on Fixed Voltage Analyzer data from ISEE 1. This study reveals the existence of a spatial boundary for intermediate and gyrating ion populations that coincides with the reported ULF wave boundary. This boundary position in the Earths foreshock depends strongly upon the magnetic cone angle _BX and appears well defined for relatively large cone angles, though not for small cone angles. As reported in a previous study of the ULF wave boundary, the position of the intermediate-gyrating ion boundary is not compatible with a fixed growth rate of the waves resulting from the interaction between a uniform beam and the ambient plasma. The present work examines the momentum associated with protons which travel along this boundary, and we show that the variation of the boundary position (or equivalently, the associated particle momentum) with the cone angle is related to classical acceleration mechanisms at the bow shock surface. The same functional behavior as a function of the cone angle is obtained for the momentum predicted by an acceleration model and for the particle momentum associated with the boundary. However, the model predicts systematically larger values of the momentum than the observation related values by a constant amount; we suggest that this difference may be due to some momentum exchange between the incident solar-wind population and the backstreaming particles through a wave-particle interaction resulting from a beam plasma instability.     

A review of: “Geoelectromagnetic investigation of the earth's crust and mantle”

Abstract

By I. I. Rokityansky, 381 pages, Springer-Verlag, Berlin (1982). Price $65.80 ISBN 3 540 10630 8.     

Experimental study of upstream influence in the two‐dimensional flow of a stratified fluid over an obstacle†

An experimental investigation was made of the upstream influence in front of two‐dimensional obstacles when they were towed in a linearly stratified fluid. The experiments were performed in a plexiglas channel 30.5 feet long, 2 feet high and 14 inches wide filled with a linearly stratified salt solution. Velocity measurements and flow visualization were obtained by neutrally buoyant liquid droplets and dye lines. Density measurements were made by a salinity probe.

The existence of unattenuated upstream influence in front of an obstacle was quantitatively documented for the first time. It occurred in the form of multiple unattenuated horizontal jets when there was a separated open wake behind the obstacle. These jets were identified to be the super‐position of “columnar disturbance modes”. The total number of columnar modes was determined solely by the Froude number of the flow and was equal to the number of lee‐wave modes excited. The drag due to upstream columnar modes was estimated and found to be lower than the drag due to the lee wave modes:     

Accelerated ions observed in the plasma sheet boundary layer: Beams or streams?

We present an analysis of two crossings of the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) in Earth’s magnetotail by a quartet of Cluster satellites, accomplished both in the absolutely quiet geomagnetic interval and in the restoration period between two substorms. It is found that in the quiet period, field-aligned electric currents were not observed in the PSBL, in spite of presence in this region of high-velocity ions moving toward Earth along the magnetic field lines at velocities of ∼1400 km/s. This means that in the given event, ions and electrons moved together; i.e., high-velocity ions were a part of the accelerated plasma flow. In the disturbed period, the Cluster satellites detected a system of two oppositely directed field-aligned currents, which can be associated with the presence of the X line rather close to the Earth. Owing to multipoint Cluster observations, we managed to estimate the spatial size of a current structure (along the normal to the PSBL surface), which was equal, for a current flowing toward Earth along the high-latitude PSBL boundary, to about 1600 km, which is comparable with the value of the inertial radius of ions. This agrees with the scenario of spatial separation of charges and formation of the Hall system of currents in the magnetic reconnection region. The duration of observation of the given current structure was ∼12 min., which points to the quasi-steady-state character of reconnection.     

Distribution characteristics of inertial sediment particles in the turbulent boundary layer of an open channel flow determined using Vorono? analysis

This paper presents the numerical investigation of the distribution of inertial sediment particles in the turbulent boundary layer of an open channel flow with the particle Stokes number ranging from 0.6 to 20.4. The methodology is a combination of three numerical approaches, i.e. direct numerical simulation of turbulent flow, the point-particle immersed boundary method, and the discrete particle method. By applying the Vorono? analysis, the preferential concentration characteristics of sediment particles were investigated quantitatively. It was found that the normalized area of the Vorono? cells follows a log-normal particle distribution. The inertial sediment particles distributed unevenly in the turbulent boundary layer and the unevenness, governed by the particle Stokes number, was more significant as the particle Stokes number approaches unity. The inertial sediment particles in the turbulent boundary layer accumulated preferentially in streamwise-aligned streaky structures and this pattern was less significant with increasing particle Stokes number.     

Experimental study on three dimensional movements of particles Ⅱ Effects of particle diameter on turbulence characteristics

Based on the 3D PTV （Particle Tracking Velocimetry） measuring system, the 3D movement characteristics of particles with four different diameters were investigated. Under specific flow conditions, the impact of particle diameters on 3D motion of particles was studied, and the turbulence characteristics were analyzed by different statistical methods. The results showed that the turbulence intensity of coarse particle decreased as the diameter increased. In near wall region, the probability density distributions of longitudinal and vertical fluctuation velocities both deviated from the normal distribution; while in the outer region, the probability density distribution of vertical fluctuation velocity approximately agreed with the normal distribution.     

A numerical study on the mixed layer depth variability and its influence on the sea surface temperature during 2013–2014 in the Bay of Bengal and Equatorial Indian Ocean

Ocean Dynamics - This study addresses the air–sea interaction processes and mixed layer variability, which cause the intraseasonal oscillations in the sea surface temperature (SST) during...     

Experimental investigation of the elastic modulus of a fractal system—A model of fractured rocks

The elastic properties of a physical model representing a damaged rock matrix were studied using a square lattice deformed under tensile stress. The elastic modulusM of such a system varies in agreement with percolation theory as|x–x _c | ^f , wherex is the damage parameter andx _c the threshold value of the damage parameter,f3.6. Atxx _c the scale dependence ofM can be expressed asML ^–f/v , whereL is the size of the sample andv the correlation exponent in percolation theory.The experimental results are of interest in assessing elastic properties in earthquake focal zones and fault zones in general.     

Review of numerical simulation on the dy-namics of Qinghai-Xizang plateau

IntroductionQinghai-Xizang(QingzangorTibetan)plateauisthemostremarkableactivecollisionbeltontheEarth.Itsaveragealtitudeis5km,itscrustthicknessupto70kmanditsareaabout7?05km2.Inrecenttwentyyears,withthegeophysicalobservationdatagettingmoreandmore,manydy-namicmodelsaboutcrustthickeningandTibetanuplifthavebeenputforward(Harrison,etal,1992;LI,1995;ZENG,etal,1994;ZHONG,DING,1996;XIAO,WANG,1998).Theycanbedividedintotwotypes.ThefirsttypecharacterizesthattheconvergencebetweenIndiaandEura-s…     

The numerical simulation of thesource development of the Tangshan earthquake

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Magnetostratigraphic correlation of the Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian boundary

A magnetic polarity pattern for Boreal and Sub-Boreal ammonite zones of the Upper Oxfordian to Lower Kimmeridgian was established and confirmed in four British sections, including the proposed Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) on the Isle of Skye (Scotland) to define the base of the international Kimmeridgian Stage. A coeval pattern for Sub-Mediterranean ammonite zones was compiled from seven sections in Poland, one German section and multi-section composites from France and Spain. The mean paleopole for the European Craton (excluding Spain) at the Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian boundary is 74.2°N, 181.3°E (Α₉₅ = 3.8°). The common magnetic polarity scale enables inter-correlation of ammonite subzones among these three faunal provinces and to the marine magnetic-anomaly M-Sequence. The proposed GSSP at the base of the Pictonia baylei Zone is near the base of an extended interval dominated by reversed polarity, which is interpreted to be Chron M26r. This GSSP level projects to the lower to middle part of the Epipeltoceras bimammatum Subzone, which is the middle subzone of this E. bimammatum Zone in the Sub-Mediterranean standard zonation. In contrast, the traditional placement of the Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian boundary in that Sub-Mediterranean standard zonation (base of Sutneria platynota Zone) is at the base of Chron M25r, or nearly 1 million years younger.