A retrospective of the GREGOR solar telescope in scientific literature

In this review, we look back upon the literature, which had the GREGOR solar telescope project as its subject including science cases, telescope subsystems, and post‐focus instruments. The articles date back to the year 2000, when the initial concepts for a new solar telescope on Tenerife were first presented at scientific meetings. This comprehensive bibliography contains literature until the year 2012, i.e., the final stages of commissioning and science verification. Taking stock of the various publications in peer‐reviewed journals and conference proceedings also provides the “historical” context for the reference articles in this special issue of Astronomische Nachrichten/Astronomical Notes (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Adhesion and collisional release of particles in dense planetary rings

We propose a simple theoretical model for aggregative and fragmentative collisions in Saturn’s dense rings. In this model the ring matter consists of a bimodal size distribution: large (meter sized) boulders and a population of smaller particles (tens of centimeters down to dust). The small particles can adhesively stick to the boulders and can be released as debris in binary collisions of their carriers. To quantify the adhesion force we use the JKR theory (Johnson, K., Kendall, K., Roberts, A. [1971]. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 324, 301–313). The rates of release and adsorption of particles are calculated, depending on material parameters, sizes, and plausible velocity dispersions of carriers and debris particles. In steady state we obtain an expression for the amount of free debris relative to the fraction still attached to the carriers. In terms of this conceptually simple model a paucity of subcentimeter particles in Saturn’s rings (French, R.G., Nicholson, P.D. [2000]. Icarus 145, 502–523; Marouf, E. et al. [2008]. Abstracts for “Saturn after Cassini–Huygens” Symposium, Imperial College London, UK, July 28 to August 1, p. 113) can be understood as a consequence of the increasing strength of adhesion (relative to inertial forces) for decreasing particle size. In this case particles smaller than a certain critical radius remain tightly attached to the surfaces of larger boulders, even when the boulders collide at their typical speed. Furthermore, we find that already a mildly increased velocity dispersion of the carrier-particles may significantly enhance the fraction of free debris particles, in this way increasing the optical depth of the system.     

Experimental and theoretical simulations of ice sublimation with implications for the chemical,isotopic, and physical evolution of icy objects

Recent ground-based and spacecraft observations of comets in the inner solar system reveal two distinct features that provide important insight into their origin and evolution. The first of these is the observation that the D/H ratio of water vapor in cometary comae is significantly higher than that in Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW). The second observation is that cometary jets are bursty (i.e, roughly steady state emissions that are punctuated with short-lived outbursts of water vapor and other materials) (Hughes, 1990, Soderblom et al., 2002, Soderblom et al., 2004a, Soderblom et al., 2004b). We present an experimental and theoretical study of ice sublimation in a vacuum that reveals several heretofore unknown and fundamental characteristics about the kinetics and mechanisms of ice sublimation that may explain both of these observed phenomena. In particular, we observe quasi-periodic sublimation cascades on time scales of hours to days, the D/H ratio in the vapor issuing from the sample is in general different from that of the sample, and in many cases, quasi-periodic changes in the D/H ratio of the vapor accompany the sublimation cascades. Changes are also observed in the infrared spectrum of the sample before, during and after a cascade that are consistent with our hypothesis that vacuum sublimation of water ice is a diffusive process that works to leave behind the most strongly bound molecules. Finally, we speculate as to whether the effects observed in the lab can be extrapolated to cometary-nucleus-scale phenomena.     

Primary petrology,mineralogy and age of the Letšeng-la-Terae kimberlite (Lesotho,Southern Africa) and parental magmas of Group-I kimberlites

The Let?eng-la-Terae kimberlite (Lesotho), famous for its large high-value diamonds, has five distinct phases that are mined in a Main and a Satellite pipe. These diatreme phases are heavily altered but parts of a directly adjacent kimberlite blow are exceptionally fresh. The blow groundmass consists of preserved primary olivine with Fo_86?88, chromite, magnesio-ulvöspinel and magnetite, perovskite, monticellite, occasional Sr-rich carbonate, phlogopite, apatite, calcite and serpentine. The bulk composition of the groundmass, extracted by micro-drilling, yields 24–26 wt% SiO₂, 20–21 wt% MgO, 16–19 wt% CaO and 1.9–2.1 wt% K₂O, the latter being retained in phlogopite. Without a proper mineral host, groundmass Na₂O is only 0.09–0.16 wt%. However, Na-rich K-richterite observed in orthopyroxene coronae allows to reconstruct a parent melt Na₂O content of 3.5–5 wt%, an amount similar to that of highly undersaturated primitive ocean island basanites. The groundmass contains 10–12 wt% CO₂, H₂O is estimated to 4–5 wt%, but volatiles and alkalis were considerably reduced by degassing. Mg# of 77.9 and 530 ppm Ni are in equilibrium with olivine phenocrysts, characterize the parent melt and are not due to olivine fractionation. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(i)?=?0.703602–0.703656, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_(i)?=?0.512660 and ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf_(i)?=?0.282677–0.282679 indicate that the Let?eng kimberlite originates from the convective upper mantle. U–Pb dating of groundmass perovskite reveals an emplacement age of 85.5?±?0.3 (2σ) Ma, which is significantly younger than previously proposed for the Let?eng kimberlite.     

Simultaneity as a challenge for development

Societies in the Global South are simultaneously confronted with various challenges that societies in the Global North faced over a long period of time. From the beginning of the 18th century the Global North has faced challenges in line with its industrialization and modernization processes including population growth with the necessity to feed that growing population, rapid urbanization or infrastructure development. Solving these challenges during past centuries has led to highly developed societies but produced new threats: environmental degradation and climate change—features of Beck’s ‘reflexive modernity’. Today, societies in the Global South not only face similar challenges such as population growth, malnutrition or lacking infrastructure, but also the consequences of the human-made environmental change and its related risks. Change in the Global South has reached a previously unseen pace and notable simultaneity. This paper aims to operationalise and visualise the challenge of simultaneity. By identifying six indicators for three main issues, the extent of simultaneity will be analysed using the examples of Kenya, India, Brazil and Germany. The findings show that simultaneity is a key challenge for current social, economic and ecological transformations in the Global South.     

How the Distribution of Anthropogenic Nitrogen Has Changed in Narragansett Bay (RI,USA) Following Major Reductions in Nutrient Loads

Over the past decade, nitrogen (N) loads to Narragansett Bay have decreased by more than 50%. These reductions were, in large part, the direct result of multiple wastewater treatment facility upgrades to tertiary treatment, a process which employs N removal. Here, we document ecosystem response to the N reductions and assess how the distribution of sewage N in Narragansett Bay has changed from before, during, and shortly after the upgrades. While others have observed clear responses when data were considered annually, our seasonal and regional comparisons of pre- and post-tertiary treatment dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations and Secchi depth data, from bay-wide surveys conducted periodically from the early 1970s through 2016, resulted in only a few subtle differences. Thus, we sought to use stable isotope data to assess how sewage N is incorporated into the ecology of the Bay and how its distribution may have changed after the upgrades. The nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) and carbon (δ¹³C) stable isotope measurements of particulate matter served as a proxy for phytoplankton, while macroalgae served as short-term integrators of water column bio-available N, and hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) as integrators of water column production. In contrast to other estuarine stable isotope studies that have observed an increased influence of isotopically lower marine N when sewage N is reduced, the opposite has occurred in Narragansett Bay. The tertiary treatment upgrades have increased the effluent δ¹⁵N values by at least 2‰. The plants and animals throughout Narragansett Bay have similarly increased by 1–2‰, on average. In contrast, the δ¹³C values measured in particulate matter and hard clams have declined by about the same amount. The δ¹⁵N results indicated that, even after the N reductions, sewage N still plays an important role in supporting primary and secondary production throughout the bay. However, the δ¹³C suggests that overall net production in Narragansett Bay has decreased. In the 5 years after the major wastewater treatment facilities came on-line for nutrient removal, oligotrophication has begun but sewage remains the dominant source of N to Narragansett Bay.     

Intrinsic groundwater vulnerability assessment: issues,comparison of different methodologies and correlation with nitrate concentrations in NW Italy

The concept of aquifer vulnerability is certainly useful in the field of groundwater protection. Nevertheless, within the scientific community, the definition of vulnerability is still under debate and lacks standardisation. As a consequence, the methods for evaluating the vulnerability degree are numerous and often lead to conflicting results. Thus, in this study, three methods that are commonly used in groundwater vulnerability assessments due to their easy application (namely DRASTIC, GOD and TOT) were utilised in four areas of the Piedmont region (NW Italy). The results obtained by the different methods were compared and correlated with the nitrate concentrations in the groundwater. The aims of the study were (i) to evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted methods and their comparability, (ii) to discuss the limits of the intrinsic vulnerability methods and (iii) to verify the applicability of nitrate as a tracer in the assessment of groundwater vulnerability or explain the reasons why it is not applicable. It was observed that the three intrinsic vulnerability methods are not able to uniquely identify the most or least vulnerable areas. Additionally, the comparison of the intrinsic vulnerability indexes only occasionally showed a reasonable correlation. Furthermore, there was no clear correlation between the vulnerability indexes and nitrate concentrations in the groundwater. These results could be explained by several reasons: (1) the methods are mostly based on the level of groundwater protection provided by the overlaying lithologies and do not consider the physical processes occurring in the aquifer; (2) the intrinsic vulnerability methods only consider vertical pathways for contaminants, but a pre-existing contaminant could be present in the aquifer; (3) groundwater nitrate concentrations are affected by the nitrate input and surplus; and (4) nitrates are subject to physical and biological attenuation in aquifers and cannot necessarily be considered stable tracers in the assessment of groundwater vulnerability.     

On the relationship between vegetation and climate in tropical and northern Africa

Vegetation cover is a crucial component of the Earth’s climate system but, still, our understanding of the mechanisms governing the reciprocal influence between atmosphere and vegetation is limited. In this study, we investigate the unilateral atmospheric impact on vegetation cover in tropical and northern Africa, differentiated into regions with different circulation regimes and into detailed land-cover classes. In contrast to former studies, climate predictors from a regional climate model are used as input for a multiple regression model. Climate models provide consistent data without gaps at high spatial resolution, a considerably larger set of available climate variables and the perspective to transfer the statistical relationships to future projections, e.g., in the context of anthropogenic climate change. Indeed, robust climate predictors which drive up to 70 % of observed interannual vegetation variability could be extracted from the climate model. Besides precipitation and temperature, global radiation, and relative humidity play an important role. The statistical transfer functions are plausible in terms of the affected regions and land-cover classes and draw a rather complex picture of the atmosphere–vegetation relation in Africa.     

Sunspots

Abstract

Some examples of research on structure and formation of sunspots are briefly recollected in historical sequence. They relate to many facets of sunspots, first: magnetic inhibition of convection, the conjecture of a fiat penumbra, the stratification beneath the umbra, the observable magnetic profile, the Evershed effect as syphon flow, the concept of a magnetopause; next: cooling by Alfven waves, evolution and stability, the “bright ring”, the observed change of umbra brightness with the phase of the sunspot cycle, the hypothetical cluster of separate flux strands underneath the umbra, the profile of the magnetopause, the structure of the penumbra and the inclination of its field and finally: the concept of a deep penumbra with volume currents, exchange convection and the concept of a second current sheet separating umbra and penumbra.

Of course, the rigorous theoretical modeling of local magnetoconvection is an essential tool for our understanding of all these processes. I do not deal with it here, but the reader has a fascinating review of magnetoconvection already in his hands (Weiss, 1991).