Enceladus: The likely dominant nitrogen source in Saturn's magnetosphere

The spatial distribution of N⁺ in Saturn's magnetosphere obtained from Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) data can be used to determine the spatial distribution and relative importance of the nitrogen sources for Saturn's magnetosphere. We first summarize CAPS data from 15 orbits showing the spatial and energy distribution of the nitrogen component of the plasma. This analysis re-enforces our earlier discovery [Smith, H.T., Shappirio, M., Sittler, E.C., Reisenfeld, D., Johnson, R.E., Baragiola, R.A., Crary, F.J., McComas, D.J., Young, D.T., 2005. Geophys. Res. Lett. 32 (14). L14S03] that Enceladus is likely the dominant nitrogen source for Saturn's inner magnetosphere. We also find a sharp enhancement in the nitrogen ion to water ion ratio near the orbit of Enceladus which, we show, is consistent with the presence of a narrow Enceladus torus as described in [Johnson, R.E., Liu, M., Sittler Jr., E.C., 2005. Geophys. Res. Lett. 32. L24201]. The CAPS data and the model described below indicate that N⁺ ions are a significant fraction of the plasma in this narrow torus. We then simulated the combined Enceladus and Titan nitrogen sources using the CAPS data as a constraint. This simulation is an extension of the model we employed earlier to describe the neutral tori produced by the loss of nitrogen from Titan [Smith, H.T., Johnson, R.E., Shematovich, V.I., 2004. Geophys. Res. Lett. 31 (16). L16804]. We show that Enceladus is the principal nitrogen source in the inner magnetosphere but Titan might account for a fraction of the observed nitrogen ions at the largest distances discussed. We also show that the CAPS data is consistent with Enceladus being a molecular nitrogen source with a nitrogen to water ratio roughly consistent with INMS [Waite, J.H., and 13 colleagues, 2006. Science 311 (5766), 1419-1422], but out-gassing of other nitrogen-containing species, such as ammonia, cannot be ruled out.     

Effects of subsurface soil characteristics on wetland–groundwater interaction in the coastal plain of the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Ecosystem services provided by depressional wetlands on the coastal plain of the Chesapeake Bay watershed (CBW) have been widely recognized and studied. However, wetland–groundwater interactions remain largely unknown in the CBW. The objective of this study was to examine the vertical interactions of depressional wetlands and groundwater with respect to different subsurface soil characteristics. This study examined two depressional wetlands with a low‐permeability and high‐permeability soil layer on the coastal plain of the CBW. The surface water level (SWL) and groundwater level (GWL) were monitored over 1 year from a well and piezometer at each site, respectively, and those data were used to examine the impacts of subsurface soil characteristics on wetland–groundwater interactions. A large difference between the SWL and GWL was observed at the wetland with a low‐permeability soil layer, although there was strong similarity between the SWL and GWL at the wetland with a high‐permeability soil layer. Our observations also identified a strong vertical hydraulic gradient between the SWL and GWL at the wetland with a high‐permeability soil layer relative to one with a low‐permeability soil layer. The hydroperiod (i.e., the total time of surface water inundation or saturation) of the wetland with a low‐permeability soil layer appeared to rely on groundwater less than the wetland with a high‐permeability soil layer. The findings showed that vertical wetland–groundwater interactions varied with subsurface soil characteristics on the coastal plain of the CBW. Therefore, subsurface soil characteristics should be carefully considered to anticipate the hydrologic behavior of wetlands in this region.     

Towards estimating root‐zone soil moisture using surface multispectral and thermal sensing: A spectral and hydrometeorological dataset from the Dookie experiment site,Victoria, Australia

This paper describes surface hydrometeorological and spectral datasets collected from two tower sites located in the University of Melbourne's Dookie experimental farm, Victoria, Australia. The datasets were collected from different vegetation types including wheat, canola, and grazed pasture during the 2012, 2013, and 2014 cropping seasons. The dataset includes 30‐min frequency latent and sensible heat flux measurements and layer‐average soil moisture data at profile depths of 0–5, 0–30, 30–60, 60–90, and 90–120 cm. Air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, precipitation, and incoming and outgoing longwave and shortwave radiation data were also collected from two locations in the study area. The dataset described in this paper is available online.     

Snowmelt variability in Polar Bear Pass,Nunavut, Canada,from QuikSCAT: 2000–2009

Snowmelt onset and end date estimates are made from QuikSCAT scatterometer measurements in the Canadian High Arctic wetland of Polar Bear Pass (PBP) and the surrounding region of Bathurst Island, Nunavut. In situ data within PBP is used to validate QuikSCAT snowmelt onset/end date estimates. Results indicate that within PBP from 2000 to 2009, the mean snowmelt onset date was Year Day (YD) 162, the mean snowmelt end date was YD179, and the mean snowmelt duration was 17 days. More interannual variability was apparent in snowmelt end date and duration compared with onset, and only snowmelt end date was significantly correlated with mean June air temperature at ?0.78. Cooler air temperatures in 2004 contributed to a long snowmelt duration of 24 days, and the very short snowmelt duration in 2007 of just 11 days was caused by rapid and sustained increases in air temperature. For snowmelt end date and duration the mean spatial pattern revealed two centres of later snowmelt end date/longer snowmelt duration over Bathurst Island. They were separated by early snowmelt end date/short snowmelt duration in PBP. These patterns are in agreement with the spatial distribution of mean May to July air temperature over Bathurst Island and are likely influenced by the local‐scale topography of Bathurst Island. Given the correlation between air temperature and snowmelt end date, we might expect quicker snowmelt under increased warming. The latter process may have implications for the sustainability of the PBP wetland under a warmer climate. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of shape parameters of sands: a deep learning approach

Acta Geotechnica - The shape parameters of sand particles can be determined by either a Krumbein-Sloss chart or mathematical computation based on the particle image. However, these approaches are...     

An early warning system for wave-driven coastal flooding at Imperial Beach,CA

Natural Hazards - Waves overtop berms and seawalls along the shoreline of Imperial Beach (IB), CA when energetic winter swell and high tide coincide. These intermittent, few-hour long events flood...     

Production, ionization and redistribution of O2 in Saturn's ring atmosphere

Molecular oxygen produced by the decomposition of icy surfaces is ubiquitous in Saturn's magnetosphere. A model is described for the toroidal O₂ atmosphere indicated by the detection of and O⁺ over the main rings. The O₂ ring atmosphere is produced primarily by UV photon-induced decomposition of ice on the sunlit side of the ring. Because O₂ has a long lifetime and interacts frequently with the ring particles, equivalent columns of O₂ exist above and below the ring plane with the scale height determined by the local ring temperature. Energetic particles also decompose ice, but estimates of their contribution over the main rings appear to be very low. In steady state, the O₂ column density over the rings also depends on the relative efficiency of hydrogen to oxygen loss from the ring/atmosphere system with oxygen being recycled on the grain surfaces. Unlike the neutral density, the ion densities can differ on the sunlit and shaded sides due to differences in the ionization rate, the quenching of ions by the interaction with the ring particles, and the northward shift of the magnetic equator relative to the ring plane. Although O⁺ is produced with a significant excess energy, is not. Therefore, should mirror well below those altitudes at which ions were detected. However, scattering by ion-molecule collisions results in much larger mirror altitudes, in ion temperatures that go through a minimum over the B-ring, and in the redistribution of both molecular hydrogen and oxygen throughout the magnetosphere. The proposed model is used to describe the measured oxygen ion densities in Saturn's toroidal ring atmosphere and its hydrogen content. The oxygen ion densities over the B-ring appear to require either significant levels of UV light scattering or ion transmission through the ring plane.     

Heavy ion formation in Titan's ionosphere: Magnetospheric introduction of free oxygen and a source of Titan's aerosols?

Discovery by Cassini's plasma instrument of heavy positive and negative ions within Titan's upper atmosphere and ionosphere has advanced our understanding of ion neutral chemistry within Titan's upper atmosphere, primarily composed of molecular nitrogen, with ~2.5% methane. The external energy flux transforms Titan's upper atmosphere and ionosphere into a medium rich in complex hydrocarbons, nitriles and haze particles extending from the surface to 1200 km altitudes. The energy sources are solar UV, solar X-rays, Saturn's magnetospheric ions and electrons, solar wind and shocked magnetosheath ions and electrons, galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and the ablation of incident meteoritic dust from Enceladus’ E-ring and interplanetary medium. Here it is proposed that the heavy atmospheric ions detected in situ by Cassini for heights >950 km, are the likely seed particles for aerosols detected by the Huygens probe for altitudes <100 km. These seed particles may be in the form of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) containing both carbon and hydrogen atoms C_nH_x. There could also be hollow shells of carbon atoms, such as C₆₀, called fullerenes which contain no hydrogen. The fullerenes may compose a significant fraction of the seed particles with PAHs contributing the rest. As shown by Cassini, the upper atmosphere is bombarded by magnetospheric plasma composed of protons, H₂⁺ and water group ions. The latter provide keV oxygen, hydroxyl and water ions to Titan's upper atmosphere and can become trapped within the fullerene molecules and ions. Pickup keV N₂⁺, N⁺ and CH₄⁺ can also be implanted inside of fullerenes. Attachment of oxygen ions to PAH molecules is uncertain, but following thermalization O+ can interact with abundant CH₄ contributing to the CO and CO₂ observed in Titan's atmosphere. If an exogenic keV O+ ion is implanted into the haze particles, it could become free oxygen within those aerosols that eventually fall onto Titan's surface. The process of freeing oxygen within aerosols could be driven by cosmic ray interactions with aerosols at all heights. This process could drive pre-biotic chemistry within the descending aerosols. Cosmic ray interactions with grains at the surface, including water frost depositing on grains from cryovolcanism, would further add to abundance of trapped free oxygen. Pre-biotic chemistry could arise within surface microcosms of the composite organic-ice grains, in part driven by free oxygen in the presence of organics and any heat sources, thereby raising the astrobiological potential for microscopic equivalents of Darwin's “warm ponds” on Titan.     

Changes in mixed layer depth under climate change projections in two CGCMs

Two coupled general circulation models, i.e., the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) models, were chosen to examine changes in mixed layer depth (MLD) in the equatorial tropical Pacific and its relationship with ENSO under climate change projections. The control experiment used pre-industrial greenhouse gas concentrations whereas the 2 × CO₂ experiment used doubled CO₂ levels. In the control experiment, the MLD simulated in the MRI model was shallower than that in the GFDL model. This resulted in the tropical Pacific’s mean sea surface temperature (SST) increasing at different rates under global warming in the two models. The deeper the mean MLD simulated in the control simulation, the lesser the warming rate of the mean SST simulated in the 2 × CO₂ experiment. This demonstrates that the MLD is a key parameter for regulating the response of tropical mean SST to global warming. In particular, in the MRI model, increased stratification associated with global warming amplified wind-driven advection within the mixed layer, leading to greater ENSO variability. On the other hand, in the GFDL model, wind-driven currents were weak, which resulted in mixed-layer dynamics being less sensitive to global warming. The relationship between MLD and ENSO was also examined. Results indicated that the non-linearity between the MLD and ENSO is enhanced from the control run to the 2 × CO₂ run in the MRI model, in contrast, the linear relationship between the MLD index and ENSO is unchanged despite an increase in CO₂ concentrations in the GFDL model.