Extraction of Solar Coronal Magnetic Loops with the Directional 2D Morlet Wavelet Transform

We present an automated extraction method based on the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) for analyzing solar magnetic loops. The aim of the work is to extract, from the images taken from solar EUV telescopes, the traces of bright loops presumably shaped by the magnetic field of the solar corona. The technique is that of wavelet analysis, using the two-dimensional Morlet wavelet, because of its efficiency in detecting oriented features, which allows us to follow closely the curvature of the loops. Next, we segment the wavelet modulus image and we threshold it, both globally and locally (i.e., adaptively), in order to eliminate the remaining noise. Altogether, our method performs well, it is robust and fast, and could be used as a standard tool for analyzing large data sets expected from missions like SDO.     

Problem of the length of the current interglacial

The climate during the past hundreds of thousands of years has been characterized by a rather distinct periodicity of about 100000 yr with brief warming periods (interglacials) lasting approximately 10000–12000 yr. Today, mankind is living in an interglacial period that began about 11 ka ago. In light of the discussion about global warming observed in recent decades, which advocates of an anthropogenic impact associate with emission of greenhouse gases due to combustion of fossil fuel, the question arises concerning the duration of the current interglacial. The data available on climate change and solar radiation on a time scale of the last millions of years are critically analyzed in this article and the problem of the length of the current interglacial is discussed.     

Is there a relationship between the density of primordial black holes in a galaxy and the rate of cosmological gamma-ray bursts?

The rate of accretion of matter from a solar-type star onto a primordial black hole (PBH) that passes through it is calculated. The probability that a PBH is captured into an orbit around a star in a galaxy is found. The mean lifetime of the PBH in such an orbit and the rate of orbital captures of PBHs in the galaxy are calculated. It is shown that this rate does not depend on the mass of the PBH. This mechanism cannot make an appreciable contribution to the rate of observed gamma-ray bursts. The density of PBHs in the galaxy can reach a critical value—the density of the mass of dark matter in the galaxy.     

Perceptions of climate change in China: The research and policy connection

Global climate change has evolved from a scientific problem into an economic and political problem oI worlOwloe rater- est. National perspectives play a crucial role in addressing climate change. Mutual understanding of perspectives is nec- essary to result in rational policies and a consensus among stakeholders with divergent interests. Conceptual frameworks for understanding the problem of climate change in China, the largest developing country and the largest greenhouse gas emitter, are of great significance to national and international efforts to address the problems of climate change. Chinese perceptions of climate change as a sustainable development problem have recently been in tension with an emerging Western perspective that frames climate change as a security issue. This paper explores Chinese perceptions of climate change as expressed in recent governmental policy statements, public opinion surveys, and academic scholarship with a focus on publications in Chinese-language journals, often unfamiliar in the West. It looks at the relationship between Chinese research and policy and finds that the Chinese policy frame of climate change as a sustainable development problem draws from the body of domestic research and is reflective of the perspectives and multidisciplinary approach of Chinese researchers in areas of climate change.     

Crustal structure of Iraq from receiver functions and surface wave dispersion: implications for understanding the deformation history of the Arabian–Eurasian collision

We report the crustal structure for two locations in Iraq estimated by joint inversion of P -wave receiver functions (RFs) and surface (Rayleigh) wave group velocity dispersion. RFs were computed from teleseismic recordings at two temporary broad-band seismic stations located in Mosul (MSL) in the Zagros Fold Belt and Baghdad (BHD) in the Mesopotamian Foredeep. Group velocity dispersion curves at the sites were derived from continental-scale tomography. The inversion results show that the crustal thicknesses are 39 km at MSL and 43 km at BHD. We observe a strong Ps _Moho at BHD consistent with a sharp Moho discontinuity. However, at MSL we observe a weak Ps _Moho suggesting a transitional Moho where crustal thickening is likely to be occurring in the deep crust. Both sites reveal low velocity surface layers consistent with sedimentary thickness of about 3 km at station MSL and 7 km at BHD and agreeing well with the previous reports. Ignoring the sediments, the crystalline crustal velocities and thicknesses are remarkably similar at both stations. The similarity of crustal structure suggests that the crust of the northeastern proto-Arabian Platform was uniform before subsidence and deposition of the sediments in the Cenozoic. If crystalline crustal structure is uniform across the northern Arabian Platform then crustal thickness variations in the Zagros Fold Belt and Thrust Zone should reveal the history of deformation and crustal shortening in the Arabian–Eurasian collision zone and not reflect pre-existing crustal thickness variations in the Arabian Plate.     

Size and shape of near-spherical Allegan chondrules

Chondrules were extracted from a disaggregated sample of the Allegan meteorite. Individual chondrules were examined with apparatus incorporating two orthogonal binocular microscopes, and their three major axes measured. Maximum chondrule diameters ranged from 0.15 to 2.75 mm with a peak in distribution between 0.35 and 0.75 mm. The chondrule size distribution was found not to conform to Rosin's law. The chondrules were found to depart from sphericity by only small amounts. The authors still believe that the melting of nebula dust-ball agglomerates by some high-energy event was the most probable mechanism for the formation of chondrules.     

Some basic notions in geographical synthesis

Modern geography is based on ecological thinking. In this paper some geoecological notions are discussed: the scales and levels regarding spatial magnitude and complexity, the “hierarchy” of landscape units and espcially the scale of time and the concept of the supper-imposing “stamps”. This last mentioned concept is very important in relation to the problem regarding regionalization and its possibilities. Three “stamps” are recognized: 1. the substrate, 2. the climatic conditions, 3. the human (noötic) influence. Holistic regionalization in which all elements (including the human influences) are telling to full advantage, is unsatisfactory.     

Mars data analysis program special issue no. 2

An extended photometric time series in the J and K bands of Neptune has a complex appearance which appears to require the simultaneous presence of three periodicities plus related harmonics in the (J-K) color. The most apparent of the fundamental periods is N1 = 17.73 hr. The two others are at N2 = 18.56 and N3 = 18.29 hr and may be the result of amplitude modulation of a previously reported period of 18.42 hr. We interpret the presence of multiple periodicity as indicating that distinct systems of zonal winds exist on the planet. We argue that these wind systems are probably confined to moderate or high latitudes on the basis of recent omages of the planet taken in a spectral region of strong CH₄ absorption, and, by analogy to the zonal wind systems that exist in Jupiter's atmosphere, deduce a period of rotation for the body of the planet of 18.2 ± 0.4 hr. Zonal wind contrasts of up to 109 m sec^?1 are implied in the atmosphere of Neptune by these observations.     

Effectiveness of fast electron retention in the magnetic cavern during disturbance of the magnetic field azimuthal symmetry

The loss rate of fast electrons (with an energy much higher than the energy of the plasma electron thermal motion), when they leave a magnetic cavern during a disturbance of the magnetic field azimuthal symmetry, is studied. The cases of point and volume sources of fast particles have been considered. The plasma density in the cavern is supposed to be low, so that collisions of fast electrons with plasma particles can be neglected. The effect of the electric field on particle motion is neglected because it is assumed that the electric charge particles outgoing from the cavern is compensated by the counter current of plasma conductivity electrons. The dependence of the loss value on the harmonic number and the amplitude of the cavern boundary radius disturbance has been obtained.