Comparison of lightning activity and radar-retrieved microphysical properties in EULINOX storms

A combined analysis of microphysical thunderstorm properties derived by C-band polarimetric Doppler radar measurements and lightning observations from two ground-based systems are presented. Three types of storms, a multicell, a supercell, and a squall line, that were observed during the European Lightning Nitrogen Oxides project (EULINOX) are investigated. Correlations are sought between the mass of rain, graupel, hail, and snow derived form radar observations at different height levels and the electrical activity, represented either by cloud-to-ground or intracloud flashes. These relationships are explained by connecting the radar-derived properties with the non-inductive charging process. For the multicell and the supercell storm, the lightning activity can be linearly correlated to both the hydrometeor total mass and class specific mass in the upper part of the storm. It is shown that the fractions of graupel and hail above the −20 °C-level in these storms positively correlate with the intracloud flash activity in the supercell, and negatively for the cloud-to-ground lightning frequency in the multicell. No such relation can be established for the squall line, indicating that the convective organization plays a crucial role in the lightning development. The analysis of the masses in the different storms shows that lightning activity cannot be parameterized by total mass alone, other parameters have to be identified. The results provide important information for all lightning studies that rely on bulk properties of thunderstorms, e.g., the parameterization of lightning in mesoscale models or the nowcasting of lightning by radar.     

Dreiaxiale verformungen an Solnhofener Kalkstein im Temperaturbereich von 20–650° C. Röntgenographische Gefügeuntersuchungen mit dem Texturgoniometer

Axial-symmetric and real triaxial deformation tests on Solnhofen limestones were made in the range of 20 to 650° C. Stress, strain and time observations as functions of temperature and the ratios of the external stresses are plotted as stress-strain and strain-time curves. Mechanical twinning on e (01¯12) and syntectonic recrystallization (at temperatures above 500° C) is assumed to be the dominant flow mechanism. On samples of high permanent strain the textural changes and development of preferred orientations were investigated by means of the X-ray diffractometer. In all tests the symmetry of the polefigures is exactly identical with the symmetry of the external stress-field.In tests with ₁>₂=₃ the poles of the planes investigated (10¯11; 10¯12; 11¯20) occupy girdles about the unique principle compressive axis. When all principle stresses are different (₁>₂>₃) the poles of the planes investigated tend to maxima (in the case of plane strain) ore to girdle-occupations about the principle axis of maximum extension. The deduced c-diagrams show a fairly similar tendency of the spacial orientations.The pole figures (as well as the calculated orientation of the c-axis) must be explained by the superposition of reflected intensities on planes in twinned and untwinned grains. In every diagram partial occupations—possibly representing the orientations of twinned grains-are in fairly good agreement with the orientation predicted by the theory of Brace-MacDonald for the stable orientation of anisotropic minerals in a non-hydrostatic stress-field.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. F. Karl danke ich sehr herzlich für zahlreiche Diskussionen sowie für die kritische Durchsicht des Manuskripts. Mein Dank gilt auch der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft, welche die Untersuchung durch eine Sachbeihilfe unterstützte.     

Shock-induced thermal transformations of ries-biotites

Thermal transformations in biotites depending on increasing postshock temperatures were studied.A decrease of the unit cell volume, caused by oxidation of octahedral Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺ at temperature rangings of about 400–500° C was observed.In the same temperature range (500° C) the biotite lattice becomes thermodynamically unstable. Intersheet and octahedral layers are decomposed, whereas individual SiO₄-tetrahedra are more resistant to thermal vibrations. The decomposition of the biotite leads to the formation of new minerals and amorphous phases. By X-ray analysesmagnetite, hercynite, pyroxene, feldspar, and quartz were identified.Thermal transformations of biotite induced by shock waves are characterized by states of distinct disequilibrium.     

Ocean/ice shelf interaction in the southern Weddell Sea: results of a regional numerical helium/neon simulation

Ocean/ice interaction at the base of deep-drafted Antarctic ice shelves modifies the physical properties of inflowing shelf waters to become Ice Shelf Water (ISW). In contrast to the conditions at the atmosphere/ocean interface, the increased hydrostatic pressure at the glacial base causes gases embedded in the ice to dissolve completely after being released by melting. Helium and neon, with an extremely low solubility, are saturated in glacial meltwater by more than 1000%. At the continental slope in front of the large Antarctic caverns, ISW mixes with ambient waters to form different precursors of Antarctic Bottom Water. A regional ocean circulation model, which uses an explicit formulation of the ocean/ice shelf interaction to describe for the first time the input of noble gases to the Southern Ocean, is presented. The results reveal a long-term variability of the basal mass loss solely controlled by the interaction between waters of the continental shelf and the ice shelf cavern. Modeled helium and neon supersaturations from the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf front show a “low-pass” filtering of the inflowing signal due to cavern processes. On circumpolar scales, the simulated helium and neon distributions allow us to quantify the ISW contribution to bottom water, which spreads with the coastal current connecting the major formation sites in Ross and Weddell Seas.

3D seismic study of a ductile shear zone from laboratory and petrofabric data (Saint Barthélémy Massif, Northern Pyrenees, France)

In order to constrain interpretations of seismic reflection records more effectively, the seismic properties of a middle crustal section exposed in the Saint Barthélémy Massif have been determined. The massif, transected by a 200 m thick shear zone has been systematically sampled for density measurements and modal analysis has been performed in order to define the spatial variations of physical properties. Seismic velocities ( V _p, V _S, shear wave birefringence), have been measured on five representative samples to 600 MPa and 600°C simultaneously in the three structural directions (X, Y and Z). For two samples, the experimental data have been compared with calculated values, based on petrofabric analyses. The Lattice Preferred Orientation (LPO) is determined using universal stage, electron channelling microscopy and neutron diffraction goniometry. Using the experimental and calculated velocity data, we establish a lateral homogeneous anisotropic model.