A simple model for thermal instability in the asthenosphere

Summary. Motion of the lithosphere over a low viscosity asthenosphere concentrates shear and thus energy dissipation in the asthenosphere. This heat source warms the asthenosphere and, in extreme circumstances, may lead to thermal instabilities. The conditions for thermal stability have been investigated by Melosh who supposed that constant stress acted on the plate, and by Yuen & Schubert who assumed constant velocity boundary conditions. In this paper we investigate a simple analytical model which behaves qualitatively like the more complex systems. This model reproduces the results of Melosh for constant stress and of Yuen & Schubert for constant velocity. The velocity—shear stress characteristic curve for this model shows three branches. The stability of solutions on each branch is a function of the boundary conditions, whether constant stress or constant velocity. The simplicity of the model allows us to investigate stability when neither constant stress nor constant velocity apply and to study the structure of the solutions as these limits are approached. A relation between the velocity of a plate and the driving force is constructed. A loading-line analysis specifies the actual stress and velocity of the plate. Although the solutions are unique for many combinations of the loading-line parameters, there is a region of multiple solutions. These solutions exhibit the characteristics of a 'cusp catastrophe' both a low velocity and a high velocity state are stable, while an intermediate state is unstable. Continental lithosphere may lie in this region, leading to epirogenic movements when the plate changes its velocity with respect to the mantle. Oceanic lithosphere almost certainly moves in the low velocity state.     

The sun's rotation and perturbations of geopotential height and temperature fields in the stratosphere

The morphology of a solar activity effect apparently connected with the Sun's rotation and showing up in 25-day and 13.6-day oscillations of stratospheric geopotential and temperature fields is analysed in this study. The used data cover the height range between roughly 20 and 30 km and a timespan from July 1965 to October 1971. Most prominent responses are found for zonal harmonic wave number 1 at the oscillation period of 25 days (solar rotation period modulated by seasonal changes) and for the zonally averaged meteorological quantities at the oscillation period of 13.6 days. Additional statistically significant effects show up in the zonal harmonics with wave number 1 and 3 at half the solar rotation period and in the zonal means with periodicities near 25–27 days. The results point towards a modulation of the quasistationary stratospheric planetary wave with a positive geopotential anomaly around roughly 180° longitude by solar activity changes. The direct physical mechanisms of this Sun-climate relationship are not yet clear, but it can be concluded that atmospheric dynamics is an important factor for its morphology and that downward propagation of such effects seems possible and should be investigated in future studies.Proceedings of the 14th ESLAB Symposium on Physics of Solar Variations, 16–19 September 1980, Scheveningen, The Netherlands.     

Modelling of convective turbulence with a two-equation k-ɛ turbulence closure scheme

 In this study we aim at comparing turbulence parameters from field observations and model simulations under convective conditions. The comparison is focused on the depth dependence and temporal dynamics of viscous and diffusive dissipation rates ɛ and χ. The near-surface observations were obtained by using a quasi-free-rising profiler which measured small-scale shear and temperature fluctuations to within the vicinity of the water surface. Convective conditions during the experiment are characterized by low wind speeds (between 0 and 4 m s⁻¹) and a typical heat loss of about 150 Wm⁻². We applied a state-of-the-art two-equation k-ɛ turbulence model with an algebraic second-moment closure scheme. The qualitative agreement of the turbulence quantities resulting from observations and simulations is rather good. The temporal dynamics of the temperature field is simulated correctly, whereas in the spatial dynamics some deficiencies of the model due to its local character can be seen. It is concluded that such models realistically reproduce convective turbulence and therefore represent a reasonable compromise between complexity and simplicity, so that they can be used with acceptable costs in large-scale models. Received: 31 October 2001 / Accepted: 20 September 2002 Acknowledgements The whole project was intitiated by Peter Schlittenhardt, who strongly supported the development of the observational technique in uprising mode and encouraged us to undertake the experiment in Lake Maggiore; for which we will thank him most. Performing the measurement campaign was only possible with the help of several colleagues from the Marine Environment Unit at the Joint Research Centre. Thanks to all of them, but especially to Dirk van d. Linde, Ulisse Devisioni, Bjarke Rasmussen and Hartmut Prandke. The Istituto Italiano di Idrobiologia, Verbania Pallanza, provided the boat Livia for the installation and removal of the measurement system; thanks to the master Stefano Maurizio for his engagement. Ute Tschesche provided the data evaluation and presentation software and Judith Challis helped to polish our English. Part of the study was␣supported by the PROVESS project (MAS3-CT97-0159); thanks to our sponsors at the European Commission. We are further grateful to two anonymous referees for their constructive comments. Responsible Editor: Charitha Pattiaratchi     

Atmospheric boundary layer characteristics in severe smog episodes

Summary The article brings together theoretical knowledge about the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) which should be typical for smog situations and ABL features observed during two severe smog episodes. It can be shown that the convective boundary layer (CBL) as a special ABL type is very favourable for the occurrence of smog and that at first glance simple modelling of the CBL seems to recommend itself for forecasting purposes.However, the real smog situations show much more complexity, and even high reaching (up to 1500 m) stable boundary layers (SBL) occur. Simple modelling fails because important input parameters (such as vertical wind and advection terms) cannot be derived neither from measurements nor from meso-scale models in sufficient accuracy. Even the most advanced forecast models cannot describe the ABL structure correctly or in sufficient detail to estimate the development of a smog situation.With 19 Figures     

Highly reducing conditions during Alpine metamorphism of the Malenco peridotite (Sondrio,northern Italy) indicated by mineral paragenesis and H2 in fluid inclusions

During regional metamorphism of the Malenco serpentinized peridotite (Sondrio, northern Italy), the mineral assemblage pentlandite-awaruite-magnetite-native copper-antigorite-brucite-olivine-diopside is formed. The opaque assemblage indicates very reduced fluids with fO₂ values 4 log units below QFM. Primary fluid inclusions were trapped in diopside overgrowth, contemporaneous with the opaque assemblage. These metamorphic fluids are saline aqueous solutions (about 10.4 mol% NaCl equivalent) and contain molecular H₂ of approximately 1 mol%, as shown by micro-Raman analysis and microthermometry. The fluids are interpreted to have been formed during deserpentinization at the olivine-in isograd under strong reducing conditions.     

Regional and Global Tropopause Fold Occurrence and Related Ozone Flux Across the Tropopause

This paper gives a synthesis of three algorithms to detect the presenceof tropopause folds from vertical ozone/radio-sounding profiles and frommeteorological analysis. Also an algorithm to identify injection ofstratospheric air into the lower troposphere fromozone/⁷beryllium time series is presented. Differences in theresults obtained from the algorithms are observed and discussed with respectto the criteria for fold detection and input data used. Spatial gradients inthe obtained folding frequencies are made evident on a global scale from thealgorithm based on meteorological analysis (Q-vector/potential vorticity)and probably also on a regional European scale from algorithms both basedmeteorological analyses and on ozone/PTU soundings. The observed seasonalvariation of folding occurrence is rather flat except during summer whenalso some differences appear between the algorithms. By combining thefolding frequencies with literature estimates of the cross-tropopause ozonetransfer in single folding events, an average stratospheric ozone influxinto the troposphere of 5.7 ± 1.3× 10¹⁰ mol.cm^-2 s^-1 is obtained for the Northern hemisphereand 12± 2.7× 10¹⁰ mol. cm^-2s^-1 for Western Europe. Potential additional contributions dueto other stratosphere-troposphere exchange processes than folds are not yetincluded in these estimates. Finally, the link between statistics fromozone/⁷beryllium data and folding statistics is brieflydiscussed.