North Sea near-surface wind climate and its relation to the large-scale circulation patterns

The North Sea 10-m wind speed (WS10) climate is compared and related to circulation patterns based on the sea level pressure (SLP) extracted from three reanalysis and one high-resolution model dataset. The mean magnitude and the trends of WS10 depend considerably on the selected reanalysis. The variability of WS10 among the three reanalysis datasets is highly correlated in the recent period (1980–2000) but less so in the past period (1960–1980). The WS10 over the North Sea is well represented by the relatively low reanalysis resolution when compared to the high-resolution WS10 model data partially owing to the high spatial correlation of WS10. Exceptions are observed only at the coastal areas. The dominant mode of WS10 explains coherent variability of WS10 over the North Sea and is related to a SLP pattern similar to the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO). The increase of the magnitude of the dominant WS10 pattern is related to the increase of the magnitude of the NAO-like SLP pattern from 1960s to mid-1990s. The second dominant WS10 pattern—a dipole in WS10 to the north and south of Great Britain—is related to the differences in SLP between Scandinavia and Iceland. The relation between the second WS10 and SLP patterns is more prominent in the recent period. The extreme WS10 in the German Bight is related to the low SLP over Scandinavia. The extreme WS10 is strongly increasing from the early 1980s to the beginning of 1990s, which is not observed in the corresponding SLP time series over Scandinavia.     

Zur Anwendung der Kathodolumineszenz in der Karbonatpetrographie

Mn-activated cathodoluminescence can be used in several fields of carbonate petrography. It may, for instance, be possible to recognize

1. cement sequences and their correlation (Tab. 1, Figs. 1, 2, 4; Tab. 2, Fig. 1)
2. growth fabrics of skeletons (Tab. 2, Figs. 2, 3, 4; Tab. 3, Figs. 1, 2)
3. dolomitisation processes and problems (Tab. 1, Figs. 1, 2; Tab. 4, Fig. 2)
4. transformation paths from Mg-calcite to calcite and from aragonite to calcite (Tab. 2, Fig. 1; Tab. 3, Figs. 3, 4; Tab. 4, Fig. 1)
5. growth structures in certain types of ooids (Tab. 1, Fig. 4; Tab. 3, Fig. 3; Tab. 4, Fig. 1)
6. reworked skeletal particles (Tab. 3, Fig. 4)
7. phantom grains and fossil-outlines in a micro- or macrocrystalline groundmass (Tab. 4, Figs. 2, 3)
8. healed fissures crossing micro- or macrocrystalline carbonate rocks (Tab. 4, Fig. 4).

These are, however, no general luminescence criteria indicating the depositional environment. Luminescence of calcite and dolomite requires 20–40 ppm Mn, with the equipments used in this study. Aragonite is not yet investigated systematically. Zonal luminescence in carbonate cements may indicate changes of the chemical composition of the aquifer and may be used for “cement stratigraphy”. In skeletons it rather indicates physiological changes. While aragonitic skeletons lose their luminescence Zonation during replacement by calcite, Mg-calcite skeletons may keep parts of it, because their replacement preserves the original crystal fabric. Blotchy luminescence developes in Mg-calcitic particles during their adjustment to lower Mg-calcites by dissolution-precipitation processes in solutions with changing Mn/Fe-ratios.     

The mass of the neutron star in the binary millisecond pulsar PSR J 1012 + 5307

We have measured the radial velocity variation of the white dwarf secondary in the binary system containing the millisecond pulsar PSR J 1012 + 5307. Combined with the orbital parameters of the radio pulsar, we infer a mass ratio q (≡ M ₁/ M ₂) = 10.5 ± 0.5. Our optical spectroscopy has also allowed us to determine the mass of the white dwarf companion by fitting the spectrum to a grid of DA model atmospheres: we estimate M ₂ = 0.16 ± 0.02 M⊙, and hence the mass of the neutron star is 1.64 ± 0.22 M⊙, where the error is dominated by that of M ₂. The orbital inclination is 52 ± 4°. For an initial neutron star mass of ∼ 1.4 M⊙, only a few tenths of a solar mass at most has been successfully accreted over the lifetime of the progenitor low-mass X-ray binary. If the initial mass of the secondary was ∼ 1 M⊙, our result suggests that the mass transfer may have been non-conservative.     

中尺度数值预报模式初边值作用的试验研究

通过一次影响华南地区的锋面降水过程实例，进行了静力与非静力中尺度模式、不同驱动模式、不同初边值组合、不同边值更新周期、不同起报时次等27组对比试验。较全面细致地从不同侧面分析讨论了初、边值对中尺度模式的影响规律及特点，得出了一些有学术和应用价值的结论。如中尺度模式预报的总体趋势决定于其驱动模式，初值仅显著影响中尺度模式大约前10小时的预报，以后的预报趋势则主要决定于边值的信息；边值对模式内区的影响主要通过各种时间尺度天气信息(天气波动)的传播和移动来实现；土壤含水量等模式外参量初值可影响较长时效的预报；模式通过边界只能引入大于等于边值更新周期4倍的时间尺度的信息，更快的信息则被过滤掉；等等。其中一些结论对今后发展中尺度数值预报及其资料同化具有参考价值。     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE ROLE OF INITIAL AND BOUNDARY CONDITIONS IN MESOSCALE NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION

~~EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE ROLE OF INITIAL AND BOUNDARY CONDITIONS IN MESOSCALE NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION@闫敬华$Guangzhou Institute of Tropical & Marine Meteorology, CMA, Guangzhou 510080 China @Detlev Majewski$Duetscher Wetterdinst, Offenbach, Germany~~National Project "973" (Research on Heavy Rain in China) and BMBF of Germany (WTZ- Project CHN01/106)…     

A relationship between liquid water content and chemical composition in clouds

In this paper we present two-year results from the Cloud Chemistry Measurements Programme, carried out at Mt. Brocken/Hart (Germany) to assess the influence of cloud physical parameters on the chemical composition of clouds. There are large variations in the chemical composition of cloud water. We found that the liquid water content of clouds predominantly determines the ionic content. The relationship is best approximated by a power function, nearly identical for all chemical species. We identified deviations of data points from the general relationship accompanying events with different air pollution situations. An important conclusion is that cloud chemistry monitoring in the sense of air pollution studies is meaningless without measurement of cloud physical parameters. These are liquid water content, cloud base altitudes, and to some extent, droplet size distribution.     

Quantitative high resolution cathodoluminescence spectroscopy of diagenetic and hydrothermal dolomites

A combination of high resolution cathodoluminescence-spectroscopy (HRS-CL=high resolution spectroscopy of cathodoluminescence emission) with spatial resolving trace element analyses (PIXE=proton induced X-ray emission) is used to establish a method for the quantitative determination of the Mn-content of diagenetic and hydrothermal dolomites using the measurements of peak areas of Mn-activated CL emission bands. This method takes into account the overlap of the CL broad bands of Mn²⁺ in the Mg- and the Ca-lattice-position of dolomite. There is a linear correlation between the peak areas and Mn concentration up to approx. 1000–1500 ppm. Thus, CL spectroscopy allows a determination of Mn concentrations below the abilities of PIXE (10–15 ppm) to less than 1 ppm by extrapolation of this linear relation.

Up to an Fe-content of approx. 2000 ppm, no quenching effect of Fe on this linear relationship occurs. However, Fe-contents above 2000 ppm result in a decrease of Mn-induced luminescence. Even at Fe-concentration >25,000 ppm spectroscopy reveals that Mn-activated CL of dolomite is not entirely extinguished.     

Optically stimulated luminescence dating of sublittoral and intertidal sediments from Dubai, UAE: Radioactive disequilibria in the uranium decay series

Shallow marine and intertidal shell rich sediments from the low coastal plain of Dubai were dated by optically stimulated luminescence. Combined high-resolution gamma spectrometry and ICP–MS analyses revealed significant disequilibria in the ²³⁸U decay series. Time dependent dose rates were modelled for two scenarios including a closed system and an open system with linear U and Ra uptake. OSL ages that were calculated using the linear uptake model are in good agreement with archaeological evidence and radiocarbon datings on shells and wood. The presented results illustrate that luminescence-dating techniques are suitable to set up a chronostratigraphic frame for calcareous coastal environments if an appropriate model is applied to consider the influence of radioactive disequilibria and time dependent dose rates. A comprehensive radionuclide analysis of the sediments is thought necessary to perform geochemically supported dose rate simulations.