High-speed photography of the bubble generated by an airgun1

High-speed photography has been used visually to study the shape, surface, turbulence and behaviour of an underwater oscillating bubble generated by an airgun. The source was a BOLT airgun with a chamber volume of 1.6cu.in., placed in a 0.85m³ tank at 0.5m depth. Near-field signatures were also recorded in order to compare the instant photographs of the oscillating bubble with the pressure field recorded about 25 cm from the gun. Estimations of the bubble-wall velocity and bubble radius estimated from high-speed film sequences are also presented, and are compared with modelled results. The deviation between the modelled and measured bubble radii was at most 9%. In order to check the capacity for transmission of light through the bubble, a concentrated laser beam was used as illumination. We found that the air bubble is a strong scattering medium of laser light, hence the bubble is opaque.     

The Operational Geography of Great Britain*

This article examines the operational geography of Great Britain in terms of six components: domestic context; student quality, preparation, and training; professional work environment; publications and productivity; conveniences and facilities; and employment. The goal of operational geography is to provide the basis for blending the strengths of different systems of geography which have much to offer one another. This article uses personal experiences and survey data to examine the strengths and weaknesses in Britain as compared to the United States. It finds that Britain has strong national support, a greater emphasis on geographic education, high-quality but narrowly trained undergraduates, and a productive academic faculty. The United States enjoys a more effective graduate curriculum, better funding, and more opportunity for personal advancement.     

Controls on Quaternary coastal evolution of the east-northeastern coast of Brazil: roles of sea-level history, trade winds and climate

East-northeastern Brazil has a wave-dominated, micro- to meso-tidal coast, lying entirely within the southern Atlantic trade wind belt. Integration of geologic mapping, radiocarbon dating and vibracoring data shows that the Quaternary coastal evolution of this area was controlled by three major factors: (1) sea-level history; (2) trade winds; and (3) climate change.

Sea-level history. Along the east-northeastern coast of Brazil, relative sea level has fallen approximately 5 m during the last 5000 y. Correlation of this sea-level history with the evolution of beach-ridge, lagoonal and coastal plain deposits shows that: (1) sea-level rise favours the formation of barrier island—lagoonal systems and the construction of intralagoonal deltas; (2) sea-level lowering is not conductive to barrier island formation. Rather, lagoons and bays become emergent and beach-ridge plains rapidly prograde.

Trade winds. Sediment dispersal systems along the coastal zone of east-northeastern Brazil have been highly persistent since Pleistocene time, as deduced from beach-ridge orientation. This persistence results from the fact that sediment dispersal in wave-dominated settings is ultimately controlled by atmospheric circulation which, for the east-northeastern coast of Brazil is associated with the South Atlantic high-pressure cell. The remarkable stability of this cell through time, has allowed the accumulation of extensive beach-ridge plains at the longshore drift sinks located along the coast.

Climate change. Effects of Quaternary climate changes on coastal sedimentation are twofold. Climate changes may affect rainfall patterns, thus exerting an important control on coastal dune development. Along the coast of northeastern Brazil, active coastal dunes are only present in those areas in which at least four consecutive dry months occur during the year. Mapping of these areas has shown that dune development during the Holocene has been episodic, these episodes being probably controlled by variations in rainfall patterns associated with climate changes. Secondly, despite its overall stability, the position of the high-pressure cell has experienced small shifts in position during the Holocene in response to climate changes. Changes in wind direction associated with these shifts have induced modifications in the coastal dispersion system, which are recorded in the strandplains as small truncations in the beach-ridge alignments.

These results have important implications in understanding accumulation of ancient sandstone shoreline sequences.     

The geography of defence — developing themes of study

Greater access to information after the Post-Cold War period gives researchers new opportunities to study the environmental, economic and social impacts of military defence. Changing political and economic circumstances are influencing the distribution of military facilities and defence industries in developed countries. The paper illustrates these developments and looks at the contribution to change made by pressure groups end at examples from the UK defence sector. Defence forces are reacting to criticism about negative impacts through a variety of measures including environmental training, site remediation and the use of simulation technology. A framework for further research is presented and many references cited.     

Die ostpazifische ‚'Wärmewelle“ von 1957/1958

Zusammenfassung Nach einer längeren kalten Periode des Oberflächenwassers vor der Westküste Nordamerikas trat dort 1957/58 eine ausgeprägte Wassererwärmung auf. Ihr ging eine Erhöhung des Meeresspiegels an der pazifischen Küste von Kalifornien bis Alaska parallel. Die ozeanische 'Wärmewelle zeigte sich auch an der Küste Perus (Puerto Chicama) und im freien Seegebiet südlich des Alaska-Golfs (Ozean-Wetterstation 'Papa). Die Hauptursache scheint eine Anomalie der atmosphärischen Zirkulation zu sein. Infolge Abschwächung der subtropischen Hochdruckgebiete im Ostpazifik ergab sich eine Verminderung der äquatorwärts gerichteten Windkomponenten in den Gebieten kalten Auftriebwassers.

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The warm water period of 1957/1958 in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Summary Following a longer period of cold surface waters off the west coast of North America, the ocean in this area showed a pronounced rise in temperature in 1957/1958 which was accompanied by a rise in sea level along the Pacific coast extending from California to Alaska. The oceanic warm water wave likewise occurred along the Peruvian coast (Puerto Chicama) and in the offing south of the Gulf of Alaska (Ocean Weather Station Papa). Its main cause seems to be an anomaly of the atmospheric circulation. A weakening of the subtropical high pressure system over the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean caused the wind components, directed towards the equator, to decrease over the areas of cold upwelling waters.

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La période «d'échauffement» de 1957 à 1958 en océan Pacifique oriental

Résumé Au bout d'une longue période d'eau froide de surface qui se manifestait devant la côte occidentale de l'Amérique du Nord, il se produisit en 1957/1958 dans ces parages un échauffement prononcé des eaux qui était accompagné d'une élévation du niveau de la mer le long de la côte Pacifique à partir de la Californie jusqu'à l'Alaska. La «période d'échauffement» océanique se manifestait également sur la côte de Pérou (Puerto Chicama) et au large au sud du golfe de l'Alaska (station météorologique océanique «Papa»). Il semble que la cause principale en est une anomalie de la circulation atmosphérique. Par suite d'un affaiblissement du système subtropical des hautes pressions dans la partie orientale du Pacifique, les composantes des vents orientées vers l'équateur subissaient un affaiblissement au-dessus de la région de la remontée des eaux froides.

     

Das Debye-Scherrer-Diagramm des rhombischen Schwefels

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Anmerkungen zu „Geochemische Untersuchungen an Sedimenten des Persischen Golfs“

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Composition and origin of lithic fragments and glasses in apollo 11 samples

Approximately 100 glasses and 52 lithic fragments from Apollo 11 lunar fines and microbreccias were analyzed with the electron microprobe. Ranges in bulk composition of lithic fragments are considerably outside the precision (<±1%) and accuracy (±2–5%) of the broad electron beam technique. Results of this study may be summarized as follows: i) A large variety of rock types different from the hand specimens (basalt) were found among the lithic fragments, namely anorthosites, troctolitic and noritic anorthosites, troctolites, and norites (different from Apollo 12 norites). ii) In analogy to the hand specimens, the basaltic lithic fragments may be subdivided into low-K and high-K groups, both of which extend considerably in composition beyond the hand specimens. iii) Glasses were divided into 6 groups: Group 1 are the compositional analogs of the anorthositic-troctolitic lithic fragments and were apparently formed in single-stage impact events directly from parent anorthosites and troctolites. iv) Group 2 glasses are identical in composition to Apollo 12 KREEP glass and noritic lithic fragments, but have no counterparts in our Apollo 11 lithic fragment suite. Occurrence of KREEP in Apollo 11,12, and 14 samples is indicative of its relatively high abundance and suggests that the lunar crust is less depleted in elements that are common in KREEP (e.g. K, rare earths, P) than was originally thought on the basis of Apollo 11 basalt studies. v) Group 3 glasses are the compositional analogs of the basaltic lithic fragments, but low-K and high-K glasses cannot be distinguished because of loss of K (and Na, P) by volatilization in the vitrification process. vi) Group 4 glasses have no compositional analogs among the lithic fragments and were probably derived from as yet unknown Fe-rich, moderately Ti-rich, Mg-poor basalts. vii) Group 5 (low Ti-high Mg peridotite equivalent) and 6 (ilmenite peridotite equivalent) glasses have no counterparts among the Apollo 11 lithic fragments, but rock equivalents to group 5 glasses were found in Apollo 12 samples. Group 6 glasses are abundant, have narrow compositional ranges, and are thought to be the products of impact melting of an as yet unrecognized ultramafic rock type. iix) The great variety of igneous rocks (e.g. anorthosites, troctolites, norites, basalts, peridotites) suggests that large scale melting or partial melting to considerable depth must have occurred on the moon.     

Das Kuriosum eines scheinbaren “Tidewindes” im Revier Außenelbe

Zusammenfassung Bei einer Auswertung der Windmessungen deutscher Feuerschiffe für die Sturmflut-Periode Mitte Februar 1962 fiel es auf, daß die Differenzen der Windgeschwindigkeit zwischen den Feuerschiffen Elbe 1 und Elbe 2 offenbar einem bestimmten Rhythmus unterlagen. Da der Abstand der meisten Maxima der Winddifferenz (Elbe 1 minus Elbe 2) etwa 12 Std. betrug, tauchte die Vermutung auf, daß dieser Rhythmus gezeitenbedingt war. Die Mittelbildung über 13 nach den Gezeiten geordnete Fälle ergab denn auch den Tidewind in ausgeprägter Form, wobei das relative Windmaximum von Elbe 1 bei Mitte Ebbstromzeit lag^** und der mittlere Schwankungsbetrag (Maximum — Minimum) 3.6 kn betrug. Eine auf die Gezeiten bezogenen Auswertung von Fällen quasikonstanter Windrichtung ergab noch größere Schwankungsbeträge und vor allem eine gegenläufige Schwingung des Tidewindes bei westlichen und östlichen Winden. Da dies Verhalten des Windes — nach Vorzeichen und Betrag — recht genau den differentiellen Schwankungen des Gezeitenstromes bei Elbe 1 und Elbe 2 entsprach, so hätte man an einen Mitführungseffekt des strömenden Wassers auf die Luft denken können, wäre nicht die ungeschwächte Übertragung von Bewegungsgröße bis in Anemometerhöhe von 18 m allzu unwahrscheinlich gewesen. Tatsächlich erlischt, wie E. R. Reiter [1955] zeigen konnte, der Mitführungseffekt bei einem Flusse ähnlicher Geschwindigkeit wie die Außenelbe in etwa 3 m Höhe über Wasser.Des Rätsels Lösung liegt in der kombinierten Wirkung des Gezeitenstroms und des Windes auf die Lage (Kielrichtung) der vor Anker schwojenden Feuerschiffe. Damit verändert sich im Verlauf einer Tide — bei konstanter Windrichtung — die Anblasrichtung der Schiffe, und diese Änderungen des Anströmungswinkels ergeben systematische Änderungen der gemessenen. Windgeschwindigkeit in Abhängigkeit von der Strömmungsstörung am Schiffshindernis. Die mit dem Gezeitenstrom schwojenden Feuerschiffe erscheinen so als ein geeignetes Versuchsobjekt zur besseren Feststellung des quantitativen störenden Schiffseinflusses auf den Wind.

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The strange phenomenon of an apparent tidal wind in the Estuary of the Outer Elbe (Außenelbe)

Summary When the wind measured by the German lightvessels for the storm surge period mid February 1962 was studied, it became obvious that the differences of wind velocities observed on the lightvessels Elbe 1 and Elbe 2 showed a certain rhythm. As most maxima of these wind differences (Elbe 1 minus Elbe 2) followed one another within about 12 hours, it was supposed that this rhythm was connected with the tide. The average of a series of 13 tides showed very remarkably the tidal wind, the maxima of the wind differences being at the centre of the ebbstream interval at Elbe 1 and the mean range of maximum-minimum being 3.6 kn. Cases of wind with quasi-constant directions showed even greater values of deviation when referred to the tide and, above all, deviations in opposite directions at easterly and westerly winds. As this phenomenon, in sign and quantity, very nearly corresponded to the differences of the tidal currents at Elbe 1 and Elbe 2, one could have thought of an effect by which air is carried along by the streaming water, if not, up to the height of the anemometer of 18 m, the unweakened transfer of momentum would have been too unlikely. In fact, as E. R. Reiter [1955] demonstrated, the effect of air being carried along by the streaming water fades out at about 3 m above the water level of a river at similar velocities as the Outer Elbe.The explanation of this phenomenon is the combined effect of the tidal current and the wind on the course of the lightvessels swinging round their anchors. At a constant direction of the wind, during one tide, the angle between wind and course varies and this variation of the angle leads to a systematic variation of the measured wind speed according to the disturbance caused by the ship as an obstacle. Therefore, lightvessels swinging round with the tidal current seem to be a suitable test to study how much the ship herself disturbs the wind.

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Aspect curieux d'un «vent de marée» apparent dans la zone de l'Elbe extérieure

Résumé A l'occasion d'une étude des vitesses du vent mesurées aux bateaux-feu au cours des ondes de tempête de mi-février 1962, on fit la remarque que les différences de vitesse du vent entre les bateaux-feu «Elbe 1» et «Elbe 2» paraissaient obéir à un certain rythme. Comme l'écart de la plupart des maxima de différence («Elbe 1» moins «Elbe 2») était d'environ 12 heures, il vint d'abord à l'esprit, que ce rythme était subordonné à la marée. La moyenne obtenue dans 13 cas pris dans l'ordre suivant la marée, faisait d'ailleurs apparaître nettement le «vent de marée» pour lequel le maximum relatif de «Elbe 1» correspondait au «milieu de la période de jusant» et la variation moyenne (maximum-minimum) se chiffrait à 3.6 noeuds. Une étude, rapportée à la marée, de cas de direction de vent quasi-constante, fit apparaître des variations encore plus grandes et surtout une oscillation en sens contraire du «vent de marée» par vents d'Ouest-d'Est. Comme ce comportement du vent-selon prévision et grandeur correspondait très exactement aux variations différentielles du courant de marée à «Elbe 1» et «Elbe 2», on aurait pu penser à un effet d'entraînement exercé sur l'air par le courant d'eau, si cet entraînement n'avait gardé la même force jusqu'à la hauteur de 18 m de l'anémomètre, ce qui était invraisemblable. En fait, comme l'a montré E. R. Reiter [1955] l'effet d'entraînement pour un fleuve d'une vitesse analogue à l'Elbe extérieure, cesse de se faire sentir à environ 3 m au-dessus de l'eau.Cette énigme trouve son explication dans l'action combinée du courant de marée et du vent sur la situation (direction de la quille) des bateaux-feu évitant sur leur ancre. C'est ainsi qu'au cours d'une marée-le vent gardant la même direction-le navire reçoit le vent sous des angles variables. Il en résulte des modifications systématiques de la vitesse de vent mesurée qui dépend de l'obstacle que le navire présente au courant d'air. Ainsi les bateaux-feu s'évitant au courant de marée semblent fournir un élément d'expérience approprié pour une meilleure détermination quantitative de l'influence perturbatrice du navire sur le vent.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. H. U. Roll zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.