Quarter-wave ULF pulsations

Recent theoretical work has predicted the possible existence of “quarter-wave” ULF pulsation resonances, in which the wave electric field has a near-node in one ionosphere and an antinode in the conjugate ionosphere. Eigenvalues are derived for quarter-wave toroidal and guided poloidal resonances for a range of L-values and plasma density distributions. From these eigenvalues, resonant periods can be obtained.Three pulsation events with anomalously long periods (when interpreted as half-waves) are examined in the light of these results. It is decided that only one event is a good candidate for quarter-wave status; this event seems likely to be a driven resonance effectively in the quarter-wave guided poloidal mode.     

Application of solar max ACRIM data to analysis of solar-driven climatic variability on Earth

Climatic change caused by solar variability has been proposed for at least a century, but could not be assessed reliably in the past because the uncertainty in solar irradiance measured from the Earth's surface is too large. Now satellite measurements by such instruments as the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM) permit a preliminary assessment. The satellite data exhibit irradiance variations over a spectrum of shorter timescales, but the first 5-yr overall trend indicates slightly decreasing luminosity. The global temperature response to monthly-mean ACRIM-measured fluctuations from 1980–1984 was computed from the NYU 1D transient climate model - which includes thermal inertia effects of the world oceans - starting from an assumed pre-existing steady state, and the results compared with observations of recent global temperature trends. The modeled surface temperature evolution exhibited a complex history-dependent behavior whose fluctuations were an order of magnitude smaller than observed, primarily owing to oceanic thermal damping. Thus solar variability appears unlikely to have been an important factor in global-scale climate change over this period. The possibility of using the measurements to develop simple correlations for irradiance with longer term solar activity observable from the surface, and therefore to analyze historical effects, was considered, but is not supported by the satellite data. However, we have used a model of solar irradiance variation with time (Schatten, 1988), covering the period 1976–1997 in order to assess our model's response to forcing whose fluctuation timescale is comparable to the thermal relaxation time of the upper ocean. Continuous monitoring of solar flux by space-based instruments over timescales of 20 yr or more, comparable to timescales for thermal relaxation of the oceans, and of the solar cycle itself, is probably needed to resolve issues of long-term solar variation effects on climate.Presently at Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964.     

Production of lunar fragmental material by meteoroid impact

The rate of production of new fragmental lunar surface material is derived theoretically on the hypothesis that such material is excavated from a bedrock layer by meteoroid impacts. An overlaying regolith effectively shields the bedrock layer from small impacts, reducing the production rate of centimeter-sized and smaller blocks by a large factor. Logarithmic production rate curves for centimeter to meter-sized blocks are nonlinear for any regolith from centimeters to tens of meters in thickness, with small blocks relatively much less frequent for thicker (older) regoliths, suggesting the possibility of a statistical reverse bedding. Modest variations in the exponents of scaling laws for crater depth-diameter ratio and maximum block-diameter to crater diameter ratio are shown to have significant effects on the production rates. The production rate increases slowly with increasing size of the largest crater affecting the region.     

A review of progress in modelling of induced geoelectric and geomagnetic fields with special regard to induced currents

The Earth’s lithosphere and mantle respond to Space Weather through time-varying, depth-dependent induced magnetic and electric fields. Understanding the properties of these electromagnetic fields is a key consideration in modelling the hazard to technological systems from Space Weather. In this paper we review current understanding of these fields, in terms of regional and global-scale geology and geophysics. We highlight progress towards integrated European-scale models of geomagnetic and geoelectric fields, specifically for the purposes of modelling geomagnetically induced currents in power grids and pipelines.     

Titanium in subduction zone fluids: First insights from abinitio molecular metadynamics simulations

The preferential incorporation of High-Field-Strength Elements (HFSE) in rutile (TiO₂), combined with its supposed stability in subduction zone settings, make it an ideal candidate to explain the low HFSE concentrations in subduction-derived magmas. The solubility behaviour of rutile is key to these arguments, but at present experimental and field-based evidence are contradictory.We have used abinitio molecular (meta)dynamics to investigate the coordination environment of Ti(IV) in pure water at 300 and 1000 K and densities ranging from 900-1260 kg m⁻³ (approximate pressures 0.9-3.6 GPa). In all high temperature simulations, the long-range structure of the solvent indicates a breakdown of the hydrogen bonding network as expected for supercritical water. The five-fold coordination of titanium to water is energetically most favourable in aqueous fluids at room temperature and pressure, separated from four and six-fold configurations by ∼175 and ∼200 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The average first shell Ti-O distance is 2.00 Å, in excellent agreement with bond lengths obtained from experiments. At similar densities and 1000 K, titanium is on average six-fold coordinate with water, and shows some degree of water dissociation in the first hydration shell. This coordination environment is remarkably persistent with increasing density from 1021 to 1260 kg m⁻³ at constant temperature (1000 K). At lower densities, however, (900 kg m⁻³ at 1000 K), the coordination with first shell water molecules is less than five. The observed coordination changes could promote association of titanium with peralkaline or peraluminous domains in the aqueous fluid, and thereby explain field-and laboratory based evidence of enhanced HFSE concentrations.This study demonstrates that abinitio molecular dynamics has considerable potential to access details of element behaviour in aqueous fluids at geologically relevant conditions that are impossible to examine otherwise. Changes in the solvent structure due to density variations lead to differences in solvent behaviour allowing access to new domains for fluid-solid interaction. Moreover, changes in the solvent structure are strongly linked to the effectiveness of element solvation.     

Plant and insect fossils at Norwood in south-central Minnesota: A record of late-glacial succession

The Norwood site in Sibley Co., Minnesota, contains 1.6 m of silt resting on till and overlain by peat. The base of the peat has been radiocarbon dated at 12,400 ± 60 and the top at 11,200 ± 250 yr B.P. The pollen, plant macrofossils, and insect remains in the basal silt consist of boreal species inhabiting open environments, but not tundra. No modern analogue exists for the insect assemblage, which includes elements of boreal forest, tundra-forest, and western affinities. The transition from an unstable open environment to a stable coniferous forest is reflected by both plant and insect fossils and is interpreted as a successional rather than a climatic event. During this time of significant biologic change, the climate is inferred to have been relatively uniform, with temperatures similar to those presently existing in the boreal forest south of the tundra-forest transition zone. The geologic and ecologic succession at Norwood is generally similar to that presently associated with ice stagnation of the Klutlan Glacier in the Yukon Territory. Localized successional sequences similar to those at Norwood are conceived to have occurred repeatedly during the melting of the Laurentide ice, and thus the proposed model has potentially broad application to the interpretation of late-glacial sequences.     

法国阿尔卑斯— 罗讷(Rhone-Alps)岩溶洞穴弱光带苔藓植物群落研究

报道了法国阿尔卑斯-罗讷( Rhone-Alps )地区3个岩溶洞穴苔藓植物群落研究结果。记载典型洞穴苔藓群落11个,苔藓植物种类8科12属15种(含变种); 区系地理成分含北温带分布(46. 66%)、温带欧洲分布(6. 67% )、欧洲-亚洲分布(6. 67%)、欧洲-北美分布(13. 33%)和世界广泛分布(26. 67%) 5种成分; 生活型含高丛集型(20%)、矮丛集型(33. 33%)、交织型(40%)和平铺型(6. 67%) 4种类型。根据岩溶沉积环境特征,划分洞穴苔藓群落为钟乳石苔藓群落、洞壁钙华苔藓群落、洞底泉华苔藓群落和石灰土苔藓群落等4种生态类型。      

Comparison of the EMEP, RADM2 and RACM Mechanisms

A comparison of the atmospheric chemistry mechanisms EMEP (Co-operative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-Range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe), RADM2 (Regional Acid Deposition Model, version 2) and RACM (Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism) has been conducted. Each mechanism was used to simulate the PLUME case of Kuhn et al. (1998) and to simulate an additional 150 and 81 scenarios with and without emissions, respectively. These simulations covered scenarios that ranged from relatively clean, through rural and polluted urban conditions. Ozone isopleths and scatter plots were generated from the simulations. The mechanisms were compared primarily on the basis of calculated ozone and ozone precursor concentrations. For the gas-phase ozone precursors the differences between the mechanisms were rather small under clean conditions and more significant under polluted conditions. The differences were especially significant for the concentrations of NO₂ and organic peroxy radicals. In general the EMEP mechanism yielded the most ozone and the RADM2 mechanism yielded the least. Furthermore the results suggest that a broad range simulation conditions should be used to compare mechanisms and not just a few selected scenarios.