Nature of Coherent Radio Emission from Pulsars

The pulsar radio emission originates from regions below 10% of the light cylinder radius. This requires a mechanism where coherent emission is excited in relativistic pair plasma with frequency \(\nu _{\mathrm{cr}}\) which is below the plasma frequency \(\nu _{\circ }\) i.e. \(\nu _{\mathrm{cr}} < \nu _{\circ }\). A possible model for the emission mechanism is charged bunches (charged solitons) moving relativistically along the curved open dipolar magnetic field lines capable of exciting coherent curvature radio emission. In this article, we review the results from high quality observations in conjunction with theoretical models to unravel the nature of coherent curvature radio emission in pulsars.     

Changes in cosmic ray cut-off rigidities due to secular variations of the geomagnetic field

An analytical expression is derived for the cutoff rigidity of cosmic rays arriving at a point in an arbitrary direction, when the main geomagnetic field is approximated by that of an eccentric dipole. This expression is used to determine changes in geomagnetic cutoffs due to secular variation of the geomagnetic field since 1835. Effects of westward drift of the quadrupole field and decrease in the effective dipole moment are seen in the isorigidity contours. On account of the immense computer time required to determine the cutoff rigidities more accurately using the particle trajectory tracing technique, the present formulation may be useful in estimating the transmission factor of the geomagnetic field in cosmic ray studies, modulation of cosmogenic isotope production by geomagnetic secular variation, and the contribution of geomagnetic field variation to long term changes in climate through cosmic ray related modulation of the current flow in the global electric circuit.     

Probabilistic assessment of projected climatological drought characteristics over the Southeast USA

The study makes a probabilistic assessment of drought risks due to climate change over the southeast USA based on 15 Global Circulation Model (GCM) simulations and two emission scenarios. The effects of climate change on drought characteristics such as drought intensity, frequency, areal extent, and duration are investigated using the seasonal and continuous standard precipitation index (SPI) and the standard evapotranspiration index (SPEI). The GCM data are divided into four time periods namely Historical (1961–1990), Near (2010–2039), Mid (2040–2069), and Late (2070–2099), and significant differences between historical and future time periods are quantified using the mapping model agreement technique. Further, the kernel density estimation approach is used to derive a novel probability-based severity-area-frequency (PBS) curve for the study domain. Analysis suggests that future increases in temperature and evapotranspiration will outstrip increases in precipitation and significantly affect future droughts over the study domain. Seasonal drought analysis suggest that the summer season will be impacted the most based on SPI and SPEI. Projections based on SPI follow precipitation patterns and fewer GCMs agree on SPI and the direction of change compared to the SPEI. Long-term and extreme drought events are projected to be affected more than short-term and moderate ones. Based on an analysis of PBS curves, especially based on SPEI, droughts are projected to become more severe in the future. The development of PBS curves is a novel feature in this study and will provide policymakers with important tools for analyzing future drought risks, vulnerabilities and help build drought resilience. The PBS curves can be replicated for studies around the world for drought assessment under climate change.     

An alternative interpretation for the map expression of “abrupt” changes in lateral stratigraphic level near transverse zones in fold-thrust belts

The map expression of "abrupt" changes in lateral stratigraphic level of a thrust fault has been traditionally interpreted to be a result of the presence of(1) a lateral(or oblique) thrust-ramp,or(2) a frontal ramp with displacement gradient、and/or(3) a combination of these geometries.These geometries have been used to interpret the structures near transverse /ones in fold-thrust belts(FTB).This contribution outlines an alternative explanation that can result in the same map pattern by lateral variations in stratigraphy along the strike of a low angle thrust fault.We describe the natural example of the Leamington transverse zone.which marks the southern margin of the Pennsy lvanian—Permian Oquirrh basin with genetically related lateral stratigraphic variations in the North American Sevier(TB.Thus.the observed map pattern at this zone is closely related to lateral stratigraphic variations along the strike of a horizontal fault.Even though the present-day erosional level shows the map pattern that could be interpreted as a lateral ramp.the observed structures along the Leamington zone most likely share the effects of the presence of a lateral(or oblique) ramp,lateral stratigraphic variations along the fault trace.and the displacement gradient.     

An integrated water balance model for assessing water scarcity in a data-sparse interfluve in eastern India

Abstract

The objective of this study is to measure the balance of water demand versus water resource availability in an interfluve of West Bengal, India to support water resource planning, particularly of inter-basin transfers. Surface water availability was modelled using the US Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) approach, whilst groundwater availability was modelled based on water-level fluctuations and the rainfall infiltration method. Water use was modelled separately for the agricultural, industrial, and domestic sectors using a predominantly normative approach and water use to availability ratios calculated for different administrative areas within the interfluve. Overall, the approach suggested that the interfluve receives 327 × 10⁶ m³ year^-1 of excess water after satisfying these sectoral demands, but that the eastern part of the study area is in deficit. However, a sensitivity analysis carried on the approach to several assumptions in the model suggested changed circumstances would produce surplus/deficit ranging from ?215 × 10⁶ to 435 × 10⁶ m³ year^-1 . The approach could have potential for localised water balance modelling in other Indian catchments.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor D. Hughes     

Dual-Temperature Acceleration Radiation

Astronomy Reports - We solve for a system that emits acceleration radiation at two different temperatures. The equilibrium states occur asymptotically in Planck distributions and transition...