A Spectrum-Independent Procedure for Correcting Eddy Fluxes Measured with Separated Sensors

We investigate flux underestimates in eddy correlation measurements that are caused by horizontal separation of the sensors. A common eddy correlation setup consists of a sonic anemometer and a humidity sensor which, because of its bulk, must be placed some distance away from the sonic path, leading to a flux loss (of latent heat). Utilizing an additional fast temperature sensor placed near the humidity sensor, we develop a procedure for correcting for this loss. The procedure simultaneously corrects the sensible heat flux for the difference between true temperature and sonic temperature. Our correction procedure, which does not depend on the shape of the cospectrum, is then compared to the widely-used procedure following Moore (1986), which assumes a cospectral model ('Kansas Model). Both correction methods are applied to data collected within the internal boundary layer over a rice paddy, downwind of arid land. Under conditions of good fetch, they were found to agree well. Under poor fetch conditions, the model-based correction tended to be too small, while the spectrum-independent combined correction was robust. The latter is thus recommended for situations where the cospectral shape can be expected to deviate from the 'Kansas shape.     

Magmatic andalusite from the South Mountain batholith,Nova Scotia

Accessory andalusite has been found in some late-stage granitic differentiates of the South Mountain batholith. The andalusite is petrographically distinct from the andalusite of the thermal aureole, and it occurs in regions of the batholith which show little evidence of contamination by the country rocks. Analyses of biotites from andalusite-bearing and andalusite-free phases suggest that those coexisting with andalusite actually grew in equilibrium with the andalusite. It is concluded that magmatic andalusite must be confined mainly to water-saturated, peraluminous, epizonal granites, and some possible P-T paths for the crystallization of magmatic andalusite are considered.     

Green garnets from the Newlands kimberlite,Cape Province,South Africa

Six crystals of green, uvarovite-rich garnet from the Newlands kimberlite have been analysed. The range of Cr₂O₃ is 10.04–14.04% and CaO is 19.18–25.94% (wt.), and thus they are similar to garnets found in only one other kimberlite province, namely Yakutia. By combining data from both the Russian and South African occurrences, four models are considered for the formation of such garnets. The model which best accounts for the available chemical data, and mode of occurrence, involves formation of the uvarovitic garnets during subsolidus recrystallization of spinel wehrlitic cumulates, which themselves had been produced by a fractionating magma at a depth of about 200–250 km.     

Long edge waves over a continental shelf

Summary The existence of long edge waves over a continental shelf is examined for a representative collection of shelf profiles. The frequencies of both trapped and leaky modes are found, when they exist, in terms of the shelf parameters. Certain theoretical trapped waves over a semi-infinite shelf are shown not to exist in the real ocean.A typical shelf profile on the east coast of Australia is modelled in four different ways from the above collection. The amplification of the leaky mode at the shoreline is found in terms of frequency for each model. Comparison of the results illustrates the severe errors introduced by crude approximations to the profile both at the shoreline and at the shelf cut-off region.

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Lange Randwellen über einem Festlandsockel

Zusammenfassung Die Existenz von langen Randwellen über einem Festlandsockel wird untersucht für eine repräsentative Sammlung von Schelfprofilen. Die Frequenzen sowohl der trapped (geführten) als auch der leaky (energieoder impulsabgebenden) Eigenfunktionsformen werden — wenn sie existieren — ermittelt, ausgedrückt in Schelf-Parametern. Es wird gezeigt, daß gewisse, trapped waves (geführte Wellen) über einem semi-unendlichen Schelf im wirklichen Ozean nicht existieren.Mit Hilfe der obigen Sammlung hat man ein typisches Schelfprofil von der Ostküste Australiens in vier verschiedenen Arten modelliert. Die Verstärkung des leaky mode an der Küstenlinie wird für jedes Modell gefunden in Termen der Frequenz. Der Vergleich der Ergebnisse verdeutlicht die schweren Fehler, die durch grobe Näherungen an das Profil entstehen, sowohl an der Küstenlinie als auch in dem Gebiet des Übergangs vom Schelf in die Tiefsee.

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Ondes transversales à longues crêtes au-dessus d'un plateua continental

Résumé On examine l'existence d'ondes transversales à longues crêtes au-dessus d'un plateau continental, afin de constituer une collection représentative des profils du plateau. On a trouvé les fréquences du «trapped mode» (mode captif) et du «leaky mode» (mode de transfert d'énergie et du moment) — quand ils existent — et cela en fonction des paramètres du plateau. On montre qu'il n'y a pas, dans l'océan réel, certaines ondes captées théoriques qui existeraient au-dessus d'un plateau semi-infini.Grâce à la collection dont il est parlé ci-dessus, on a modelé de quatre façons différentes un profil typique de la côte Est de l'Australie. Pour chaque modèle on a trouvé l'amplification du «leaky mode» sur la ligne de côte en fonction de la fréquence. La comparaison des résultats montre les erreurs importantes introduites par des approximations sommaires du profil, à la fois près de la ligne de côte et dans la région de transition du plateau continental en mer abyssale.

     

Carbon and sulfur in the Swaziland sequence

Sedimentary and igneous rocks of the Swaziland Sequence of South Africa (>3,200 my. old) contain total carbon (0.09–8.28%), organic carbon (0.04–1.95%) and sulfur (9–53,000 ppm). Amounts of organic carbon are generally high in the lower part of the Sequence (based on two samples from the Theespruit Formation). Sulfur content varies widely with no obvious correlations or trends. These rocks may contain clues to the early carbon and sulfur cycles on earth.     

A discrete particle representation of hillslope hydrology: hypothesis testing in reproducing a tracer experiment at Gårdsjön,Sweden

Despite the long history of the continuum equation approach in hydrology, it is not a necessary approach to the formulation of a physically based representation of hillslope hydrology. The Multiple Interacting Pathways (MIPs) model is a discrete realization that allows hillslope response and transport to be simultaneously explored in a way that reflects the potential occurrence of preferential flows and lengths of pathways. The MIPs model uses random particle tracking methods to represent the flow of water within the subsurface alongside velocity distributions that acknowledge preferential flows and transition probability matrices, which control flow pathways. An initial realization of this model is presented here in application to a tracer experiment carried out in Gårdsjön, Sweden. The model is used as an exploratory tool, testing several hypotheses in relation to this experiment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chandra observations of neutron stars: an overview

We present an overview of Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of neutron stars. The outstanding spatial and spectral resolution of this great observatory have allowed for observations of unprecedented clarity and accuracy. Many of these observations have provided new insights into neutron star physics. We present an admittedly biased and overly brief review of these observations, highlighting some new discoveries made possible by the Observatory’s unique capabilities. This includes our analysis of recent multiwavelength observations of the putative pulsar and its pulsar-wind nebula in the IC443 SNR.