The Dicke cycle: A ∼27-day solar oscillation

Measurements of solar EUV irradiance show, besides the ～11-year Schwabe cycle, a series of oscillations with a ～27-day period. They are generally explained by the passage of active regions across the solar surface resulting from the Sun's rotation, but the calculated amplitude underestimates the observed long-term variation in irradiance (Lean 1991). The variant of this model proposed here is modulation of EUV emission from the corona by rotation of the Sun's radiative zone. The response would be immediate, raising the prospect of short-term forecasting of EUV effects on space weather and on the Earth's atmospheric circulation.     

River Suspended Sediment Control through Riparian Vegetation: A Method to Detect the Functionality of Riparian Vegetation

The aim of this paper is to propose a method to detect the functionality of riparian vegetation as buffers/filters/trap against soil runoff and polluting agents caused by agricultural land and erosion areas, near the river. The suspended sediment yield (SSY) is the main vector for pollutants and nutrients generated from the runoff, in the Apennines torrents, indeed finer particles of the soil and their aggregates were proved to be the preferential vehicle of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other polluting agents. The stages of the current study were to spot soil erosion critical areas by the application of Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), on a river strip buffer of 200 m, with support of aerial photos and satellite images, land surveys, and application of a G. I. S. The riparian vegetation analysis, on a 20 m wide buffer, was obtained on the basis of ecologic richness, the structural quality, and the depth of the vegetation. The two maps obtained, “erosion risk strip” and “degree of effectiveness of riparian vegetation”, were connected to identify, for every river trunk, the level of functionality of the riparian vegetation in relation to the level of risk erosion on the near hill slopes. The methodology was applied on the Gaiana torrent, near Bologna, North Italian Apennines, where both basin soil loss and SSY have been well studies. The proposed methodology has been designed for the control of water pollution induced by suspended solids, pollutants, and nutrients coming from soil erosion and as a tool to improve the quality of the river environment. The method has the advantage of being easily applicable and can represent a basic tool for stakeholders to take decisions regarding the control and improvement of the river and it can suggest ways to improve or replant the degraded vegetation on the stream banks.     

Vaca Muerta mesosiderite strewnfield

Abstract A field investigation is presented of the strewnfield of the mesosiderite Vaca Muerta, originally found in 1861. The area, 11.5 km long, 2.1 km wide, is located about 60 km southeast of Taltal, Chile, in the Atacama Desert. It has yielded 80 meteorites with a total mass exceeding 3782 kg. Most fragments were found in an undisturbed state, but some had been broken by prospectors. The present studies, in connection with historical records, indicate that the original mass of Vaca Muerta exceeded 6 metric tons. One impact feature, somewhat modified by man, consists of a 10.5-m diameter, 1.7-m deep hole, without an uplifted rim. Small masses were scattered up to 85 m from the hole.     

A dynamical model for the chromosphere-corona transition region

A dynamical, homogeneous model of the chromosphere-corona transition region and of the lower corona is presented, based on the hydrodynamical equations and on a semi-empirical relation deduced from radio observations. The model is shown to be in agreement with radio and UV observations and with the particle flux given by solar wind measurements. A comparison with the analogous static model shows that dynamical effects are very small. From the model it is possible to give an estimate of the energy dissipated at each level by the waves that propagate in the solar atmosphere. It is shown that this energy source cannot be neglected with comparison to the usual conductive, convective and radiative sources. The importance of the kinetic energy flux connected with the spicules is also discussed.     

Inter-Annual Variability and Decadal Trends in Alpine Spring Phenology: A Multivariate Analysis Approach

Plant phenological observations are of increasing value as indicators of climate change and variability. We developed a robust multispecies estimate for Swiss Alpine spring phenology for the period 1965–2002 by applying empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis on a combination of 15 spring phases. The impact of climate parameters such as temperature and precipitation on the phenological development was investigated using a multivariate statistical model. This multispecies estimate proved to be a good approach to assess the pattern of spring appearance during the last 40 years. It revealed an earlier onset of spring in recent years, mainly since 1988 when a clear shift in spring appearance occurred. The mean overall trend of 1.5 days per decade was clearly driven by winter and spring temperatures whereas precipitation showed no significant influence. The dominant EOF patterns suggested a general climate forcing for the observed inter-annual variability independent of single plant phases. A more regional phenology signal was found in the second EOF mode, indicating slightly weaker phenological trends in southern Switzerland as well as in higher altitudes. Both, temperature and precipitation contributed to this pattern significantly. Analysis of single phases confirmed the pattern of the multispecies estimate. All species showed trends towards earlier appearance ranging from −1 to −2.8 days per decade and the appearance dates had a very high covariance with temperature.     

Distribution and abundance of hydrobiid snails in a mixed estuary and a coastal lagoon,Argentina

This study examined the environmental factors influencing the distribution and abundance of hydrobiid snails in two estuaries on the northeastern coast of Argentina in a coastal lagoon (Mar Chiquita, 37°40′S, 57°20′W) and a partially mixed estuary (Quequén Grande, 38°30′S, 58°45′W). Five intertidal study sites in each estuary represented a gradient in environmental conditions. Variations in the main environmental factors and in the abundance of hydrobiids were assessed both spatially and seasonally. The three species wereHeleobia australis, Heleobia conexa, andHeleobia parchappii, and they were primarily distributed across a salinity gradient. This pattern was clearly recognizable in the partially mixed estuary, where the abundance ofH. australis decreased as salinity decreased, and the abundance ofH. conexa gradually increased towards the inner reaches of the estuary.H. parchappii was restricted to areas far away from the influence of the tide. Slight differences in the distribution patterns of these species between Quequén Grande and Mar Chiquita were refated to the different dynamics of environmental factors in each estuary.     

Phase Resolved High Speed Photometry and Spectroscopy of Pulsars

We describe the implementation of two High Time Resolution modes for ESO's new generation CCD controller FIERA. These new modes have been used to perform phase-resolved high speed photometry and spectroscopy of pulsars with the FORS instruments at the VLT.     

Radio model of the transition layer in solar active regions

A model of the transition layer of an active region of the Sun is presented based on radio observations. The model is deduced by using the Laplace transform of the brightness temperature and the hydrostatic equilibrium equation. A rational function, well-behaved in the coronal region, has been used to represent the observed brightness temperature. The model indicates the existence of a very steep temperature gradient and suggests the presence of a constant conductive flux from the corona into the chromosphere. Both these conclusions are quantitatively in a very good agreement with those deduced from the UV emission lines observations, thus removing a previous discrepancy between radio and optical based models. It is also shown that the presence of a weak magnetic field does not alter the above conclusions.     

Liquefaction-induced structures in Quaternary alluvial gravels and gravelly sediments, NE Brazil

We have identified numerous well-preserved elutriation and fluidization structures probably induced by liquefaction in Quaternary gravels and gravelly sediments of braided fluvial channel deposits in the Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará states, northeastern Brazil. They show evidence of upward-directed water escape after sediment deposition and before sediment compaction. Among the several types of structures observed, the most frequent are pillars, pockets and dikes. These structures range in width from a few centimeters to as much as 4 m, and in height from 60 cm to 4 m. Dikes, pillars and pockets are systematically associated. Clastic dikes vented large quantities of sand to the upper layers or the surface; pebbles and cobbles from the host rock sank into the dikes and formed pillars and pockets. Pockets form the root part; pillars form the intermediate part and dike, the upper part of the composite structure. The morphology of the structures in sectional and plan views indicates a 3D geometry composed of a tabular dike and pillar that present a downward continuous transition to a bowl-shaped pocket. This “stratigraphy” of liquefaction features is different from that usually presented in the current literature.

Field data suggest that both the location and the geometry of the features were controlled by sedimentary properties rather than joints and small faults. The size and abundance of these features suggest that they were formed by great events rather than localized mechanisms. Field evidence also indicates that these features are the product of fluidization and elutriation and may have been induced by liquefaction processes associated with seismic shaking. A nonseismic origin related to elutriation processes, however, cannot be ruled out for some of the features.