Small-scale distribution of Solea solea and Solea senegalensis juveniles in the Tagus estuary (Portugal)

The distribution of Solea solea and Solea senegalensis in the Tagus estuary was studied following a small-scale approach. Preliminary sampling revealed that sole concentrated in two areas within their nursery grounds, the main subtidal channel and a large intertidal mudflat. Beam trawls were conducted intensively in the two areas in July 2006. Depth, salinity and water temperature were measured. Substrate samples were collected for sediment type determination and macrobenthos identification and quantification. Generalized linear models were applied in order to explain the occurrence and variability of soles' densities, using depth, salinity, water temperature and abundance of polychaetes, oligochaetes, amphipods, isopods and bivalves as explanatory variables. While S. solea was more abundant in the main subtidal channel, a deeper, warmer and lower salinity area, S. senegalensis abundance was highest at the intertidal mudflat area. Presence of both species in the two areas was associated with abundance of polychaetes (generally with another variable associated), and for S. senegalensis in the subtidal channel it was associated with amphipods and depth. Abundance of S. solea in the main subtidal channel was associated mainly with polychaetes abundance, while that of S. senegalensis was associated with amphipods density. In the intertidal mudflat, bivalves and polychaetes presented significant relationships with both species densities. Some of the factors that had been reported to be important for the distribution of these species in previous studies also do so at a finer scale; however, this small-scale approach provided an in-depth knowledge on habitat selection and spatial segregation of these species within this nursery area.     

On the spectrum of a gaseous nebula of pure hydrogen,I

The emissivity for the two photons decay from the metastable level 2s has been computed in the case of a gaseous nebula of pure hydrogen, with both radiative and collisional excitation of the states.The populations of 2s and 2p levels are deduced from the condition of equilibrium with other levels. Electron temperatures between 10⁴ and 4×10⁴K and electron densities between 10⁴ and 10⁶ cm^–3 have been investigated.For the optically thin case Ly intensity has also been computed.In the case of collisional excitation a much greater efficiency for the two photons process is found, which profoundly affects the appearance of the continuous spectrum.     

On the consequences of a long-term perspective for coastal management

The potential impacts of climate change on coastal zones combined with the ever increasing number of people living in these areas, motivate a more long-term perspective in coastal management. To explore whether such a perspective raises the need for developing coastal management strategies at larger spatial scales, this paper presents a case study for the dune-protected Holland coast. Long-term (200 years) coastal management strategies are set-up at different levels of spatial aggregation, accounting for specific characteristics of the coast itself and for types of land use in the hinterland. Using a combination of multi-criteria analysis and cost-benefit analysis the new coastal management strategies are compared to the long-term continuation of present coastal management practice. It appears that the large uncertainties that inevitably accompany a long-term perspective do not preclude the comparison of long-term coastal management strategies. Additionally, it appears that a long-term perspective favors solutions for coastal defense enhancement that are more spatially extended and alongshore uniform than those emerging from continuing today's coastal management practice for two centuries.     

Near-bed particle deposition and resuspension in a cold-water coral mound area at the Southwest Rockall Trough margin,NE Atlantic

Cold-water coral reefs and mounds are observed mainly on slopes and topographic highs, in areas with high current speeds. Previous investigations of the near-bed hydrodynamic regime around cold-water coral mounds at the Southwest Rockall Trough margin have revealed the presence of internal waves with a diurnal tidal frequency. Hitherto only short-term measurements existed on the particle supply to the corals and data are lacking on the seasonal variability. Bottom landers equipped with sensors recording near-bottom current dynamics were deployed at two sites in a mound area on the Southwest Rockall Trough margin, one with a dense coral cover and one without coral cover. At both sites a similar seasonal variation in internal-wave activity was recorded with high activity during winter and summer months and less dynamic conditions in spring and autumn. Increased intensity of internal-wave activity, reflected in higher average near-bottom current speed and amplitude of daily temperature fluctuations, results in higher mass fluxes as recorded in the sediment traps. On the site without coral cover, mass fluxes are two times higher, compared to the site with dense coral cover. During periods of high mass fluxes a predominance of resuspended material was observed at both sites, as indicated by reduced ²¹⁰Pb activity and low organic matter concentrations. The flux of resuspended material largely masked the primary pelagic signal. However, low δ¹⁵N values in early spring and summer marked the arrival of fresh particles on both sites. A dense coral framework, baffling a large amount of particles settling between the coral branches, results in differences in particle flux, chemical composition and freshness of the trapped material. On the long term the presence of a coral framework plays a crucial role in the build-up of cold-water coral mounds.     

The magnetic field in the Earth's tail

Detailed magnetic fields in the Earth's tail are calculated from a proposed model containing Beard's tail surface and a current sheet inferred from satellite observations. The component inside and perpendicular to the neutral sheet permits us to construct the drift pattern in the magnetic equatorial plane for charged particles. The computed results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental results, although some deviations are noted.     

Catalog of X-Ray Active Galactic Nuclei Based on ROSAT BSC and FSC Sources

Astrophysics - A general catalog of active galactic nuclei (AGN) has been created from identified optical sources of X-ray data from the Hamburg-ROSAT Catalog (HRC) and the Byurakan-Hamburg ROSAT...     

Lunar baselines and libration from differential Vlbi observations of alseps

Differential very-long-baseline interferometric observations of signals from Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package telemetry transmitters will yield the relative projected positions of the transmitters with uncertainty of only 1-3 m, set mainly by uncertainty of the lunar ephemeris. Noise and systematic instrumental errors which in the past affected similar observations have been reduced to the equivalent of a few centimeters on the lunar surface by the development of a new type of differential receiver. Continued observations should yield a determination of the motion of the Moon about its center of mass with uncertainty less than 1 s of selenocentric arc. Improvements (by other means) in our knowledge of the Moon's orbital motion would allow a further order-of-magnitude refinement in the libration and relative position results obtainable by differential VLBI.Communication presented at the conference on Lunar Dynamics and Observational Coordinate Systems held January 15–17, 1973 at the Lunar Science Institute, Houston, Tex. U.S.A.     

Das Korrespondenzprinzip in der Kosmologie. II. Klassische und relativistische Darstellungen der Weltmodelle

According to the equivalence between the FRIEDMANN equation of relativistic cosmology and the condition for the time-independence H = o of the HAMILTON ian H of an isotropic particle-system in the NEWTON ian mechanics (which equivalence is proved in the part I of our paper) we construct the corresponding classical HAMILTON ians to the relativistic world-models. Each cosmological model which is resulting from a physically meaningful gravitation theory must give a FRIEDMANN equation as the cosmological formulation of the time-independence condition of the energy H for the corresponding NEWTON ian N-particle system. In general relativity, EINSTEIN's field equations are including EINSTEIN's strong principle of equivalence and are giving the constance f = o and M = o of the gravitation-number f and of the mass M of the universe additional to FRIEDMANN's equation. – In special relativity, we have fM = o and this MILNE -universe is possessing a NEWTON ian and a general relativistic interpretation, too. – However, if the postulate together with the “cosmological principle” other principles about the world structure, too (p. e. MACH'S or DIRAC'S principle or the “perfect cosmological principle” by the steady-state cosmology), then EINSTEIN'S weak principle of equivalence can be fulfilled, only. In these world models the gravity-mass fM becomes a function of the cosmic time t [d/dt(fM) ± o] and this variability of fM is compatible with the constance H = o of the energy H of the NEWTON ian particle-system. For flat three-dimensional cosmological spaces (with H = Ḣ = o) a creation of rest-mass (M > o) is possible. This creation is the pecularity of the steady-state cosmos (with M > o, f = o) and of JORDAN'S cosmos (with M > o, f < o). The MACH -EINSTEIN -doctrine about the perfect determination of the inertia and of the space-time-metric by the cosmic gravitation is founded on the substitution of the NEWTON ian HAMILTON ian by a GAUSS -RIEMANN ian gravitation potential U^*(r_AB' v_AB) (TREDER 1972). Therefore, the FRIEDMANN equation for a universe with MACH'S principle is resulting from the analytical expression of the time-independence of this RIEMANNian potential U* = 0. In the case of such MACH-EINSTEIN's-Universes EINSTEIN'S condition 3fM = c8r between the mass A4 and the radius Y of the universe is valid additional to FRIEDMANN'S equation. For these universes, the EINSTEIN condition determinates the instantaneous value of the gravitation-number f. - The explicite form of the conditions H = o or h' = o gives the equation of motion for the cosmic fundamental particles with attraction and repulsion forces, generally.     

Spherical mhd shock waves under the action of monochromatic radiation

Self-similar MHD shock waves have been studied under the action of monochromatic radiation into a non-uniform stellar atmosphere with a constant intensity on unit area. It has been assumed that the radiation flux moves through the gas. Variation of flow variables have heen shown in tables for two different cases.     

A 44-year high-resolution ocean and atmospheric hindcast for the Mediterranean Basin developed within the HIPOCAS Project

A set of 44-year (1958–2001) homogeneous and high-resolution hindcasts of atmospheric, sea level residuals, and wave states was performed for the Mediterranean Basin within the framework of the HIPOCAS European Project. To this aim, different numerical models were used. As a first step, a Mediterranean high-resolution atmospheric database, suitable to provide realistic and homogeneous forcing for ocean hindcast runs was generated. The HIPOCAS atmospheric database was created by means of dynamical downscaling from the global reanalysis NCEP, using for that the limited area model SN-REMO along with a spectral nudging technique. In a second stage, different Mediterranean oceanic hindcasts were performed. On one hand a long-term database of sea state over the western Mediterranean was generated by means of the wave model WAM and on the other hand a sea level residual database containing storm surge events was obtained from a long-term integration of the HAMSOM model over the entire basin. The three different hindcast runs have been exhaustively validated. On that score, various simulated parameters have been compared to both satellite and in situ measurements. Such comparisons provide a measure of the skills of the different simulated fields to realistically reproduce the observed features. Once these skills are evaluated, a study of the ocean and atmospheric climate trends as well as the interannual variability for the whole 44-year period was carried out with the hindcasted data. The reliability of the data as shown by its comparison to measurements and a proven temporal homogeneity over the 44 years of simulation make the Mediterranean HIPOCAS ocean–atmosphere hindcasted database a useful tool for studies focused on regional climatic variability, as well as for further applications in coastal and environmental decision processes in the Mediterranean area.