A Multiple Flare Scenario where the Classic Long-Duration Flare Was Not the Source of a CME

A series of flares (GOES class M, M and C) and a CME were observed in close succession on 20 January 2004 in NOAA 10540. Radio observations, which took the form of types II, III and N bursts, were associated with these events. We use the combined observations from TRACE, EIT, Hα images from Kwasan, MDI magnetograms and GOES to understand the complex development of this event. Contrary to a standard interpretation, we conclude that the first two impulsive flares are part of the CME launch process while the following long-duration event flare represents simply the recovery phase. Observations show that the flare ribbons not only separate but also shift along the magnetic inversion line so that magnetic reconnection progresses stepwise to neighboring flux tubes. We conclude that “tether cutting” reconnection in the sheared arcade progressively transforms it to a twisted flux tube, which becomes unstable, leading to a CME. We interpret the third flare, a long-duration event, as a combination of the classical two-ribbon flare with the relaxation process following forced reconnection between the expanding CME structure and neighboring magnetic fields. Electronic Supplementary Material  The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Tracking Solar Active Region Outflow Plasma from Its Source to the Near-Earth Environment

Seeking to establish whether active-region upflow material contributes to the slow solar wind, we examine in detail the plasma upflows from Active Region (AR) 10978, which crossed the Sun’s disc in the interval 8 to 16 December 2007 during Carrington rotation (CR) 2064. In previous work, using data from the Hinode/EUV Imaging Spectrometer, upflow velocity evolution was extensively studied as the region crossed the disc, while a linear force-free-field magnetic extrapolation was used to confirm aspects of the velocity evolution and to establish the presence of quasi-separatrix layers at the upflow source areas. The plasma properties, temperature, density, and first ionisation potential bias [FIP-bias] were measured with the spectrometer during the disc passage of the active region. Global potential-field source-surface (PFSS) models showed that AR 10978 was completely covered by the closed field of a helmet streamer that is part of the streamer belt. Therefore it is not clear how any of the upflowing AR-associated plasma could reach the source surface at 2.5 R_⊙ and contribute to the slow solar wind. However, a detailed examination of solar-wind in-situ data obtained by the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft at the L₁ point shows that increases in O⁷⁺/O⁶⁺, C⁶⁺/C⁵⁺, and Fe/O – a FIP-bias proxy – are present before the heliospheric current-sheet crossing. These increases, along with an accompanying reduction in proton velocity and an increase in density are characteristic of both AR and slow-solar-wind plasma. Finally, we describe a two-step reconnection process by which some of the upflowing plasma from the AR might reach the heliosphere.     

Validation of an annual cycle simulation with a T42-L20 GCM

An annual cycle of an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is presented. The winter and summer zonal averages of the atmospheric fields are compared with an observed climatology. The main features of the observed seasonal means are well reproduced by the model. One of the main discrepancies is that the simulated atmosphere is too cold, particularly in its upper part. Some other discrepancies might be explained by the interannual variability. The AGCM surface fluxes are directly compared to climatological estimates. On the other hand, the calculation of meridional heat transport by the ocean, inferred from the simulated energy budget, can be compared to transport induced from climatologies. The main result of this double comparison is that AGCM fluxes generally are within the range of climatological estimates. The main deficiency of the model is poor partitioning between solar and non-solar heat fluxes in the tropical belt. The meridional heat transport also reveals a significant energy-loss by the Northern Hemisphere ocean north of 45° N. The possible implications of model surface flux deficiencies on coupling with an oceanic model are discussed.This paper was presented at the International Conference on Modelling of Global Climate Change and Variability, held in Hamburg 11–15 September 1989 under the auspices of the Meteorological Institute of the University of Hamburg and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology. Guest Editor for these papers is Dr. L. Dümenil     

Collective resonant phenomena on small bodies in the solar system

For both asteroids and meteor streams, and also for comets, resonances play a major role for their orbital evolutions but on different time scales. For asteroids both mean motion resonances and secular resonances not only structure the phase space of regular orbits but are mainly at the origin for the inherent chaos of planet crosser objects.For comets and their chaotic routes temporary trapping into orbital resonances is a well known phenomenon. In addition for slow diffusion through the Kuiper belt resonances are the only candidates for originating a slow chaos.Like for asteroids, resonances with Jupiter play a major role for the orbital evolution of meteor streams. Crossing of separatrix like zones appears to be crucial for the formation of arcs and for the dissolution of streams. In particular the orbital inclination of a meteor stream appears to be a critical parameter for arc formation. Numerical results obtained in an other context show that the competition between the Poynting-Robertson drag and the gravitational interaction of grains near the 2/1 resonance might be very important in the long run for the structure of meteor streams.     

Why chromatic imaging matters

During the last two decades, the first generation of beam combiners at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer has proved the importance of optical interferometry for high-angular resolution astrophysical studies in the near- and mid-infrared. With the advent of 4-beam combiners at the VLTI, the u ? v coverage per pointing increases significantly, providing an opportunity to use reconstructed images as powerful scientific tools. Therefore, interferometric imaging is already a key feature of the new generation of VLTI instruments, as well as for other interferometric facilities like CHARA and JWST. It is thus imperative to account for the current image reconstruction capabilities and their expected evolutions in the coming years. Here, we present a general overview of the current situation of optical interferometric image reconstruction with a focus on new wavelength-dependent information, highlighting its main advantages and limitations. As an Appendix we include several cookbooks describing the usage and installation of several state-of-the art image reconstruction packages. To illustrate the current capabilities of the software available to the community, we recovered chromatic images, from simulated MATISSE data, using the MCMC software SQUEEZE. With these images, we aim at showing the importance of selecting good regularization functions and their impact on the reconstruction.     

Lake ecosystem responses to catchment disturbance and airborne pollution: an 800-year perspective in southern Sweden

Sediment sequences spanning the last 800 years from two small lakes in the south Swedish uplands were explored for assessment of effects of changing human population, local land-use practices and airborne pollution on lake-ecosystem functioning and resilience. Variations in nutrient cycling and deposition of lithogenic elements were studied, using a multi-proxy stratigraphic approach. Carbon and nitrogen elemental and isotopic analyses were applied in combination with records of hydrocarbons (n-alkanes) to investigate the sources and depositional conditions of sediment organic matter. Changes in fluvial and airborne delivery of inorganic matter were based on X-ray fluorescence measurements. The results reveal that population growth and related increases in land-use pressure had a major impact on catchment erosion and input of terrestrial organic matter to the lakes from the 1500s to the end of the 1800s. Evidence also exists of a brief period of catchment disturbance at ca. 1200–1300, followed by recovery, likely connected to the Black Death pandemic. At ca. 1900 synchronous shifts in most of the proxy records suggest a marked change in external forcing common to the two lakes related to a major decrease in population density and the introduction of modern forestry following the industrial revolution. Interestingly, the two sediment records exhibit generally coherent trends in C/N ratio, organic C content and δ¹³C, both before and after 1900, indicating broadly similar sensitivities of the lake ecosystems to human impact. In contrast, deviating trends in total N content, δ¹⁵N and lithogenic element concentrations (K, Ti, Rb and Zr) reflect site-specific responses to local disturbances during the last century due to different nutrient conditions and catchment properties. Our companion sediment records highlight the importance of understanding long-term human impact on watersheds and demonstrate how regional versus local forcing of lake ecosystems, as well as site-specific responses related to catchment characteristics can be reconstructed.     

Confirmation of beach accretion by grain-size trend analysis: Camposoto beach, Cádiz, SW Spain

An application of the grain size trend analysis (GSTA) is used in an exploratory approach to characterize sediment transport on Camposoto beach (Cádiz, SW Spain). In May 2009 the mesotidal beach showed a well-developed swash bar on the upper foreshore, which was associated with fair-weather conditions prevailing just before and during the field survey. The results were tested by means of an autocorrelation statistical test (index I of Moran). Two sedimentological trends were recognized, i.e. development towards finer, better sorted and more negatively skewed sediment (FB–), and towards finer, better sorted and less negatively or more positively skewed sediment (FB+). Both vector fields were compared with results obtained from more classical approaches (sand tracers, microtopography and current measurements). This revealed that both trends can be considered as realistic, the FB+ trend being identified for the first time in a beach environment. The data demonstrate that, on the well-developed swash bar, sediment transported onshore becomes both finer and better sorted towards the coast. On the lower foreshore, which exhibits a steeper slope produced by breaking waves, the higher-energy processes winnow out finer particles and thereby produce negatively skewed grain-size distributions. The upper foreshore, which has a flatter and smoother slope, is controlled by lower-energy swash-backwash and overwash processes. As a result, the skewness of the grain-size distributions evolves towards less negative or more positive values. The skewness parameter appears to be distributed as a function of the beach slope and, thus, reflects variations in hydrodynamic energy. This has novel implications for coastal management.

Trophic ecology of Pomatoschistus microps within an intertidal bay (Roscoff,France), investigated through gut content and stable isotope analyses

The diet of Pomatoschistus microps has been studied using both gut content and stable isotope analyses. In the Roscoff Aber Bay (Brittany, France), this fish is commonly found on sandy muddy intertidal flats. Gut content analyses were also interpreted using trophic indices. Owing to the large diversity of prey consumed, these indices emphasised the opportunistic feeding behaviour of P. microps. Here, this species fed mainly on endofauna with meiofauna being of high relative importance. The main biotic components of its trophic habitat, characterized by δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N, provided evidence of a major trophic pathway based on drift Enteromorpha sp. Trophic positions estimated by both diet analyses and isotopic analyses led to similar results. In this bay, P. microps is a first‐order predator with a low degree of omnivory. Despite a preferential consumption of the amphipod Corophium arenarium, we assumed that this goby behaves as a generalist feeding on a uniform variety of endofauna taxa.     

Unraveling the Peruvian Phase of the Central Andes: stratigraphy,sedimentology and geochronology of the Salar de Atacama Basin (22°30–23°S), northern Chile

The Salar de Atacama Basin holds important information regarding the tectonic activity, sedimentary environments and their variations in northern Chile during Cretaceous times. About 4000 m of high‐resolution stratigraphic columns of the Tonel, Purilactis and Barros Arana Formations reveal braided fluvial and alluvial facies, typical of arid to semi‐arid environments, interrupted by scarce intervals with evaporitic, aeolian and lacustrine sedimentation, displaying an overall coarsening‐upward trend. Clast‐count and point‐count data evidence the progressive erosion from Mesozoic volcanic rocks to Palaeozoic basement granitoids and deposits located around the Cordillera de Domeyko area, which is indicative of an unroofing process. The palaeocurrent data show that the source area was located to the west. The U/Pb detrital zircon geochronological data give maximum depositional ages of 149 Ma for the base of the Tonel Formation (Agua Salada Member), and 107 Ma for its middle member (La Escalera Member); 79 Ma for the lower Purilactis Formation (Limón Verde Member), and 73 Ma for the Barros Arana Formation. The sources of these zircons were located mainly to the west, and comprised from the Coastal Cordillera to the Precordillera. The ages and pulses record the tectonic activity during the Peruvian Phase, which can be split into two large events; an early phase, around 107 Ma, showing uplift of the Coastal Cordillera area, and a late phase around 79 Ma indicating an eastward jump of the deformation front to the Cordillera de Domeyko area. The lack of internal deformation and the thicknesses measured suggest that deposition of the units occurred in the foredeep zone of an eastward‐verging basin. This sedimentation would have ended with the K‐T phase, recognized in most of northern Chile.     

Definition of the Spatial Propagator and Implications for Magnetic Field Properties

Solar Physics - We study a quiet-Sun blowout jet which was observed on 2014 May 16 by the instruments on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We find the twin CME as jet-like and bubble-like...