A multifractal analysis of lidar measured water vapour

Accurate and fast-response measurements of space-time observations of specific humidity were made above a drying land surface at the University of California at Davis, using the Los Alamos water Raman-lidar. In an attempt to quantify the space-time intermittency features of turbulent flows in the lower atmosphere, a multifractal analysis of these water vapour measurements was performed. The structure of the specific humidity, (x, t), was analyzed quantifying a scalar gradient measure both in time and space, for all possible one-dimensional cuts, i.e. and . The results confirm the multifractal nature of this scalar gradient measure (a type of scalar dissipation rate) and show that humidity measurements at fixed times (x) are more intermittent (e.g. have less entropy dimension) than those at fixed locations in space (t). Similar multifractal behaviour of the spatial data, with and without a transformation from the observed wind velocities, supports the validity of Taylor's hypothesis for the studied fields.     

Geochronology and geochemistry of eclogites from the Mariánské Lázně Complex,Czech Republic: Implications for Variscan orogenesis

The Mariánské Lázn complex (MLC) is located in the Bohemian Massif along the north-western margin of the Teplá-Barrandian microplate and consists of metagabbro, amphibolite and eclogite, with subordinate amounts of serpentinite, felsic gneiss and calcsilicate rocks. The MLC is interpreted as a metaophiolite complex that marks the suture zone between the Saxothuringian rocks to the north-west and the Teplá-Barrandian microplate to the south-east. Sm-Nd geochronology of garnet-omphacite pairs from two eclogite samples yields ages of 377±7, and 367±4 Ma. Samples of eclogite and amphibolite do not define a whole rock Sm-Nd isochron, even though there is a large range in Sm/Nd ratio, implying that the suite of samples may not be cogenetic. Eclogites do not have correlated _Nd values and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. Five of the eight eclogite samples have high _Nd values (+10.2 to +7.1) consistent with derivation from a MORB-like source, but variable ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7033 to 0.7059) which probably reflect hydrothermal seawater alteration. Three other eclogite samples have lower _Nd values (+ 5.4 to –0.8) and widely variable ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7033 to 0.7096). Such low _Nd values are inconsistent with derivation from a MORB, source and may reflect a subduction or oceanic island basalt component in their source. The MLC is an important petrotectonic element in the Bohemian Massif, providing evidence for Cambro-Ordovician formation of oceanic crust and interaction with seawater, Late Devonian (Frasnian-Famennian) high- and medium-pressure metamorphism related to closure of a Saxothuringian ocean basin, Early Carboniferous (Viséan) thrusting of the Teplá terrane over Saxothuringian rocks and Late Viséan extension.     

On the discrepancy between the magnetic D-component and the overhead horizontal current at high-latitudes

The discrepancy between the overhead E-region current and the magnetic D-component is studied using data obtained by the Chatanika incoherent scatter radar (L = 5.6). The F-region horizontal current is estimated to be too small to cause the observed D-deflection. Also, the assumption that the magnetic effects of the Pedersen and field-aligned currents cancel each other on the ground is shown to be inadequate to solve the problem. The significance of the inclination angle in the data analysis and the importance of the field-aligned current sheets are discussed.     

A model of the origin of the Jovian ring

Starting with the assumption that the micron-sized particles which make up the bright Jovian ring are fragments of erosive collisions between micrometeoroid projectiles and large parent bodies, a physical model of the ring is calculated. The physics of high-velocity impacts leads to a well-defined size distribution for the ejecta, the optical properties of which can be compared with observation. This gives information on the ejecta material (very likely silicates) and on the maximum size of the projectiles, which turns out to be about 0.1 μm. The origin of these projectiles is discussed, and it is concluded that dust particles ejected in volcanic activity from Io are the most likely source. The impact model leads quite naturally to a distribution in ejecta sizes, which in turn determines the structure of the ring. The largest ejecta form the bright ring, medium-sized ejecta form a disk extending all the way to the Jovian atmosphere, and the small ejecta form a faint halo, the structure of which is dominated by electromagnetic forces. In addition to the Io particles, interaction with interplanetary micrometeoroids is also considered. It is concluded that μm-sized ejecta from this source have ejection velocities which are several orders of magnitude too large, and thus cannot contribute significantly to the observed bright ring. However, the total mass ejection rate is significant. Destruction of these ejecta by the Io particles may provide additional particles for the halo.     

The ion-composition of the plasma produced by impacts of fast dust particles

The composition of the impact plasma produced by fast dust particles (v > 1 km/sec) hitting an Au or W target was measured both with a model of the HELIOS micrometeoroid experiment (low electric field at the target) and a high field detector. The plasma composition and the total plasma charge depend strongly on the impact velocity and the electric field strength at the target. Spectra of 9 different projectile-target combinations were analysed. Two types of spectra could be observed, depending on the projectile material. (1) Spectra of metals and hard dielectrics (Mohs' hardness ? 5). Particle constituents of low ionisation energy (e · u ? 7eV, e.g. Na, K, Al) dominate the spectra of these materials at impact velocities below 10 km/sec. At higher speed the relative intensities change and new ions with higher ionisation energies appear. (2) Spectra of soft dielectrics (Mohs' hardness < 3). Below 9 km/sec these materials produced less total charge than did the others. The highest masses were detected at 74 amu. The relative abundance of ions with low ionization energies such as Li, Na, K, etc. is comparatively small. Negative ions were also observed in the impact plasma. Their total number was found to be approximately 3–6% of that of the positive ions at 6 km/sec particle speed.     

Linear hydromagnetic stability of a differentially rotating non-uniformly stratified fluid layer

Summary Our discussion is concerned with the common effect of the non-uniformity of layer rotation and stratification. We have assumed a model of differential rotation with the upper part of the layer rotating more slowly, the bottom part more quickly. The upper part of the layer is stratified stably, the bottom part unstably.The thermal instabilities are preferred in the strong differential rotation case and they are the most easily excited by a strong magnetic field (10²–10³). The direction of its propagation is westward in the uniformly stratified layer and eastward in the non-uniformly stratified layer.     

Investigation of the instability of graveyard orbits due to the earth's gravitational perturbations

Summary The Banach theorem is applied to the Lagrange planetary equation for the semimajor axis of a geostationary satellite orbit to estimate the stability of near-geostationary satellite orbits. To achieve a graveyard (disposal) orbit, which will not interfere (=cross) the initial geostationary orbit, the geostationary semi-major axis a_g have to be increased at least by 50 km. Numerical results for a variety of graveyard orbits show that the increase of a_g by about 100 km will yield sufficiently stable orbits (accounting for the Earth's gravitational perturbations only) during the next 150 years.Dedicated to the 75th Birthday of Professor Academician Tibor Kolbenheyer     

On the determination of the European gravimetric geoid

Summary The method of the automated computation of the gravimetric deflections of the vertical and of the geoidal heights for the European region is described. The work was carried out during the period 1986–1988 by the Topographic Service of the Czechoslovak Army. The computation applies to 20 sheets of the international map 1:1 000 000 (total area of =16^c, =30^c - see Fig. 1). The mean values of the free-air anomalies for each surface element =5, =7.5, approximately 9 × 9 km, were used with radius of integration of 300 km.     

Petrogenesis of anomalous K-enriched MORB from the Southwest Indian Ridge: 11°53′E to 14°38′E

Glassy pillow basalts with unusual geochemical characteristics for mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) have been dredge sampled from the Southwest Indian Ridge between 12 and 15°E during Leg ANT IV/4 of the F.S. POLARSTERN. Lavas from 4 of 6 dredges are moderately nepheline normative, highly K-enriched (0.5–1.77 wt% K₂O) alkali basalts and hawaiites. Mg-numbers indicate that many of the lavas are fairly primitive (Mg No.=63–67), yet show extreme enrichment in incompatible elements; e.g. Nb (24–60 ppm), Ba (170–470 ppm) and Sr (258–460 ppm). Incompatible-element ratios such as Zr/Nb (3–5) and Y/Nb (0.46–1.1) are extremely low even for E-type (enriched) MORB, whereas (La/Yb)_n ratios are particularly high (3.4–7.8). ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.70290–0.70368), ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.51302–0.51284) and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (18.708–19.564) isotopic ratios further indicate the geochemically enriched nature of these lavas, which range from the compositional field for depleted N-type (normal) MORB towards the composition of Bouvet Island lavas. Mutually correlated incompatible-element and Sr-, Nd- and Pb-isotopic ratios allow a fairly well constrained model to be developed for the petrogenesis of these unusually alkalic mid-ocean ridge lavas. The alkalic nature and degree of enrichment in incompatible elements is ascribed to particularly low degrees of partial melting (3–5 wt%), at greater than usual depth, of a source region that has experienced prior geochemical enrichment (by veining) related to the upwelling Bouvet mantle plume. To account for the observed compositional variations, a model is proposed whereby mixing between partial melts derived from these geochemically enriched silicate veins, and an incipient to low percentage (±2%) melt from the surrounding geochemically depleted suboceanic asthenosphere occurs as a consequence of increasing degree of melting with adiabatic upwelling. Eruption of these alkalic lavas in this spreading ridge environment is attributed to a temporary hiatus in tholeiitic volcanism and associated spreading along this section of the Southwest Indian Ridge, related to readjustment of spreading direction to a more stable plate geometry.     

Dynamical instability in accreting white dwarfs

We study the evolution of solid, CO white dwarfs after explosive carbon ignition at central densities around 10¹⁰ g cm^–3 triggered by steady accretion in a close binary system, in order to elucidate whether these stars can collapse to form a neutron star. We show that as long as the velocity of the burning front remains below a critical value of 0.006c _s (60 km s^–1), gravitational collapse is the final fate. These calculations support the accretion-induced collapse (AIC) scenario for the origin of a fraction of low-mass X-ray binaries.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.