Laboratory experiments in a baroclinic annulus with heating and cooling on the horizontal boundaries

Abstract

Experiments have been performed in a cylindrical annulus with horizontal temperature gradients imposed upon the horizontal boundaries and in which the vertical depth was smaller than the width of the annulus. Qualitative observations were made by the use of small, suspended, reflective flakes in the liquid (water).

Four basic regimes of flow were observed: (1) axisymmetric flow, (2) deep cellular convection, (3) boundary layer convective rolls, and (4) baroclinic waves. In some cases there was a mix of baroclinic and convective instabilities present. As a “mean” interior Richardson number was decreased from a value greater than unity to one less than zero, axisymmetric baroclinic instability of the Solberg type was never observed. Rather, the transition was from non-axisymmetric baroclinic waves, to a mix of baroclinic and convective instability, to irregular cellular convection.     

Offshore Transport of Pesticides in the South Atlantic Bight: Preliminary Estimate of Export Budgets

Surface waters of the inner shelf (coast to 20-m isobath) of the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) were sampled in July 1994 and August 1995 for pesticides currently used in the south-eastern United States to estimate offshore transport. Only atrazine was detected at all stations in 1994 and 1995 and simazine was detected at all stations in 1995. Atrazine levels were 5.60–12 ng/l in July 1994 and 3.1–11 ng/l in August 1995 and simazine levels were 0.8–4.6 ng/l in August 1995. We calculated reservoir masses (in inner shelf waters) of 550 kg atrazine in July 1994, and 325 kg atrazine and 180 kg simazine in August 1995. Using these reservoir masses and a previously estimated residence time for waters of the inner shelf of 30 days, annual export budgets were calculated. For 1994, a budget of 6600 kg atrazine was calculated. For 1995, budgets of 3900 kg atrazine and 2150 kg simazine were calculated.

Yearly riverine discharge to estuaries in the study region was estimated to range from 600 to 5600 kg atrazine and 100 to 550 kg simazine. The large budgets for the coastal inner shelf compared with yearly riverine discharge suggest that a significant fraction of atrazine and simazine applied in the region is being transported offshore from coastal waters. This transport pathway needs to be factored in when calculating mass balances and determining the ultimate fate of these pesticides.     

Geological and Historical Investigation of the 1650 Mt. Columbo (Thera Island) Eruption and Tsunami, Aegean Sea, Greece

This paper reviews geological andhistorical evidence for the eruption and tsunamireported to have occurred in 1650 in the areaof Mt. Columbo, Thera Island, Greece. The tsunami isbelieved to have been generated as a consequence ofthe eruption of Mt. Columbo 6.5 km NE of Thera Island.Historical documents state that the tsunami flooded upto 2 miles inland and destroyed many engineeredstructures. We present lithostratigraphic evidencefrom one abandoned trench and two trench excavationsclose to sea level in the villages of Kamari andPerissa respectively, which lie well within thereported inundation zone of the tsunami. The resultspresented show that no marine- (tsunami) depositedsediments are preserved at these locations.Alternative hypotheses of discontinuous sedimentdeposition and over estimation of the event magnitudeare considered to explain the observations presentedhere. The data may have important implications for thedevelopment of hazard zone maps, risk assessment,vulnerability reduction and for emergency managementofficials.     

FIRST RESULTS OF THE SUMER TELESCOPE AND SPECTROMETER ON SOHO – I. Spectra and Spectroradiometry

SUMER – the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of the Emitted Radiation instrument on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) – observed its first light on January 24, 1996, and subsequently obtained a detailed spectrum with detector B in the wavelength range from 660 to 1490 Å (in first order) inside and above the limb in the north polar coronal hole. Using detector A of the instrument, this range was later extended to 1610 Å. The second-order spectra of detectors A and B cover 330 to 805 Å and are superimposed on the first-order spectra. Many more features and areas of the Sun and their spectra have been observed since, including coronal holes, polar plumes and active regions. The atoms and ions emitting this radiation exist at temperatures below 2 × 10⁶ K and are thus ideally suited to investigate the solar transition region where the temperature increases from chromospheric to coronal values. SUMER can also be operated in a manner such that it makes images or spectroheliograms of different sizes in selected spectral lines. A detailed line profile with spectral resolution elements between 22 and 45 mÅ is produced for each line at each spatial location along the slit. From the line width, intensity and wavelength position we are able to deduce temperature, density, and velocity of the emitting atoms and ions for each emission line and spatial element in the spectroheliogram. Because of the high spectral resolution and low noise of SUMER, we have been able to detect faint lines not previously observed and, in addition, to determine their spectral profiles. SUMER has already recorded over 2000 extreme ultraviolet emission lines and many identifications have been made on the disk and in the corona.     

Elemental composition from gamma‐ray spectroscopy of the NEAR‐Shoemaker landing site on 433 Eros

Abstract— Elemental composition and composition ratios derived from gamma‐ray measurements collected by the NEAR‐Shoemaker spacecraft while on the surface of 433 Eros are reported. Performance of the gamma‐ray spectrometer (GRS) during cruise and orbit is reviewed. The best gamma‐ray data were collected on the surface of Eros after the spacecraft's controlled descent on 2001 February 12. Methods used in spectral analysis, to convert peak areas to incident photons, and photons to elemental composition are described in some detail. The elemental abundance of K and the Mg/Si, Fe/Si, Si/O and Fe/O abundance ratios were determined. The Mg/Si and Si/O ratios and the K abundance are roughly chondritic, but the Fe/Si and Fe/O ratios are low compared to expected chondritic values. Three possible explanations for the apparent Fe depletion are considered.     

Review of crystal diffraction and its application to focusing energetic gamma rays

The basic features of crystal diffraction and their application to the construction of a crystal diffraction lens for focusing energetic gamma rays are described using examples from the work performed at the Argonne National Laboratory. Both on-axis and off-axis performance are discussed. The review includes the use of normal crystals, bent crystals, and crystals with variable crystal-plane spacing to develop both condenser-type lenses and point-to-point imaging lenses.     

An experimental approach to estuarine microplankton ecology

An experimental approach was used in determining which factors, natural or man made, had the greatest impact on estuarine microplankton ecology. In microcosms, filled with natural water of <5‰, 10‰, 18‰ and > 26‰ salinity, the impact of high organic load (glucose), shading, Cu and a heavy metal mixture on the microplankton populations was monitored. Naturally occurring perturbations were of much greater impact to estuarine ecology than the addition of heavy metals in concentrations five to ten times that which are known to occur in moderately polluted estuaries.