Radar studies of the non-spherically symmetric solar corona

We review the results of radar studies of the Sun made at El Campo, Texas 1961–69 with particular emphasis on the record of observed solar radar cross sections. Using ray traces which include the effects of refraction, absorption, and scattering in non-spherically symmetric models of the corona, we investigate the role of focusing by large-scale coronal geometries in enhancing the radar cross section. We find that certain coronal geometries (e.g. disk-center coronal holes) can, in principle, significantly increase the radar cross section. However the observations of large cross sections do not correspond very well with periods when such large-scale focusing geometries existed in the corona. We conclude that the present dataset does not support the hypothesis that radar observations of the Sun will be useful in determining the properties of large-scale coronal features.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

X-ray absorption spectroscopic studies of silicate glasses and minerals

Selected results of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) studies of amorphous silicates and minerals are presented in order to show their utility in providing short-and, in certain cases, medium-range structural and bonding information for cations and anions. EXAFS and XANES studies of amorphous silicates are reviewed with the objective of illustrating variations in structural environments of the various types of glass-forming cations, including Si, Al, Na, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Yb, and U. Al is shown to occur in tetrahedral coordination in all aluminosilicate glasses examined, including peraluminous compositions. The weakly bonded Na and Ca cations are shown to occur in sites with observed coordination numbers (ranging from 6 to 7) and distances similar to those predicted by molecular dynamics simulations. Elements like Ti, which form bonds of intermediate strength, may show some order beyond the first coordination shell at low concentrations in silicate glasses. EXAFS studies of Yb and U in silicate glasses at trace to minor concentration levels provide unique structural information about the environments of these cations. K-edges and XANES of transition element sulfides, third-row tetrahedral oxyanions, and oxygen in minerals are interpreted in terms of band theory or molecular orbital theory.     

Identification of microdetritus derived fromSpartina and its occurrence in the water column and intertidal sediments of Cumberland Basin,Bay of Fundy

A cellulose-specific staining procedure employing Herzberg’s chlor-zinc-iodide solution was developed to aid in the identification of microdetritus derived fromSpartina alterniflora and tested on samples of suspended and sedimented particulate matter collected in the Cumberland Basin at the head of the Bay of Fundy. Not all of the particles reacting positively to the stain could have been identified as originating fromSpartina on the basis of morphology alone, and the stain improved speed and confidence in identification even when particles could be identified morphologically.Spartina dominated particles greater than 100 μm while most of the smaller particles were amorphous aggregates of uncertain origin. In April 1985, at the start of the salt-marsh growing season, the average concentration of suspended microdetritus derived fromSpartina in Cumberland Basin surface water was 129 mg C m^?3 or 0.3–2.7% of the particulate organic carbon. The average concentration in intertidal sediments was 0.036 mg C g^?1 or 0.2–0.9% of the sediment organic carbon. Summing all reservoirs in the sediment (to a depth of 1 cm) and water column, the total amount of detritus originating fromSpartina in Cumberland Basin is 10–24% of the estimated annual net primary production of low marshS. alterniflora.     

Complexity of rupture in large strike-slip earthquakes in Turkey

Complexity of rupture propagation has an important bearing on the state of stress along the earthquake fault plane and on the prediction of strong ground motion in the near-field. By studying far-field body waveforms recorded by WWSSN long-period seismograms it has been possible to investigate the degree of complexity of several Turkish earthquakes. The results, which are obtained by matching synthetic P waveforms to observed data indicate that the July 22, 1967 Mudurnu Valley earthquake (M_s = 7.1) is a complex event which can be explained by the superposition of elementary sources with variable amplitudes and source time sequence history. In this regard, it is very similar to the February 4, 1976 Guatemala earthquake (M_s = 7.5). A comparison of these two events indicates that their source-time series ranges from 5 to ca. 20 s and, regardless of the total moment of the earthquake, the moment of the individual events is bounded at around 5 × 10²⁶ dyn cm. The November 24, 1976 E. Turkey earthquake (M_s = 7.3), on the other hand, has a complexity which cannot be explained by such a simple model; in this respect, it may be more similar to the Tangshan, China, earthquake and as such, may involve significant thrust, normal or other complications to its faulting mechanism than the strike-slip mechanism of the P-wave first-motion data. The source time history for the 1967 Mudurnu Valley event is used to illustrate its significance in modeling strong ground motion in the near field. The complex source-time series of the 1967 event predicts greater amplitudes (2.5 larger) in strong ground motion than a uniform model scaled to the same size for a station 20 km from the fault. Such complexity is clearly important in understanding what strong ground motion to expect in the near-field of these and other continental strike-slip faults such as the San Andreas.     

Subcalcic diopsides from kimberlites: Chemistry,exsolution microstructures,and thermal history

Twenty-six subcalcic diopside megacrysts (Ca/(Ca+ Mg)) = 0.280–0.349, containing approximately 10 mol% jadeite, from 15 kimberlite bodies in South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, and Lesotho, have been characterized by electron microprobe analysis, X-ray-precession photography, and transmission electron microscopy. Significant exsolution of pigeonite was observed only in those samples for which Ca/(Ca+Mg)0.320. The exsolution microstructure consists of coherent (001) lamellae with wavelengths ranging from 20 to 31 nm and compositional differences between the hosts and lamellae ranging from 10 to 30 mol% wollastonite. These observations suggest that the exsolution reaction mechanism was spinodal decomposition and that the megacrysts have been quenched at various stages of completion of the decomposition process.Annealing experiments in evacuated SiO₂ glass tubes at 1,150° C for 128 hours failed to homogenize microstructure, whereas, at 5 kbar and 1,150° C for only 7.25 hours, the two lattices were homogenized. This pressure effect suggests that spinodal decomposition in the kimberlitic subcalcic diopside megacrysts can only occur at depths less than 15 km; the cause of the effect may be the jadeite component in the pyroxene. Apparent quench temperatures for the exsolution process in the megacrysts range from 1,250° C to 990° C, suggesting that decomposition must have commenced at temperatures of more than 1,000° C.These P–T limits lead to the conclusion that, in those kimberlites where spinodal decomposition has occurred in subcalcic diopside megacrysts, such decomposition occurred at shallow levels (<15 km) and, at the present erosion level, temperatures must have been greater than 1,000° C.     

The structure of high-temperature flare plasma

In Paper I (Emslie, 1985) we derived scaling laws which relate peak loop temperature to injected non-thermal electron flux in electron-heated models of the flare corona. In this paper, we compare these predicted relationships with recent coordinated observations in hard X-rays and soft X-rays. Satisfactory agreement is found for large events, while for smaller events the plasma electron temperature determined by soft X-ray spectral fitting is too high. We discuss a possible resolution of this apparent discrepancy through careful examination of the method used to determine the temperature of the soft X-ray emitting plasma. It is concluded that temperatures determined by spectral fitting over a series of lines are not necessarily representative of the true temperature of the plasma, since the fitting technique is plagued by the same difficulties as a more straightforward technique involving a single spectral line or portion of continuum (Craig and Brown, 1976). The differences between actual and derived temperatures are sufficiently large to remove the above discrepancy between observations and modeling of electron-heated coronae.Presidential Young Investigator.     

On the expected performance of a solar oscillation network

We have estimated the performance of several hypothetical ground-based networks intended to provide continuous observations of solar oscillations for one year. These networks were composed of from 2 to 6 stations distributed both in longitude and between the northern and southern hemispheres. Weather patterns at each site were simulated using a 4 parameter climate model and the results analyzed to yield the duty cycle of the representative networks.The results indicate that a 2 station network might achieve a 60% annual mean duty cycle, 3 stations might provide 75%, 4 stations might yield 82%, and 6 stations might give a 93% annual mean duty cycle. Comparison of an existing 6 station network with our model of the same network suggests that the modelling procedure is realistic provided that the estimates of the climate parameters are accurate.To illustrate the influence of such networks on observations of solar oscillations, we have created a synthetic time-line of solar velocities from published data and analyzed the power spectrum of the signal as observed by various networks.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.NCAR is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Banda Sea surface-layer divergence

Sea-surface temperature (SST) within the Banda Sea varies from a low of 26.5 °C in August to a high of 29.5 °C in December and May. Ekman upwelling reaches a maximum in May and June of approximately 2.5 Sv (Sv=10⁶ m³ s^?1) with Ekman downwelling at a maximum in February of approximately 1.0 Sv. The Ekman pumping annual average is 0.75 Sv upwelling. During the upwelling period, from April through December the average Ekman upwelling velocity is 2.36 × 10^?6 m s^?1 (1.27 Sv). ENSO modulation is generally within 0.5 Sv of the mean Ekman curve, with weaker (stronger) July to October upwelling during El Niño (La Niña). Combined TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS 1993–1999 altimeter data reveal a 33 cm maximum range of sea level. Steric effects are minor, with well over 80% of the sea level change due to mass divergence (some bias due to unresolved tidal aliasing may still be present). The annual and interannual sea level behavior follows the monsoonal and ENSO phenomena, respectively. Lower (higher) sea level occurs in the southeast (northwest) monsoon and during El Niño (La Niña) events. The surface-layer volume anomaly and the surface-layer divergence, assuming a two-layer ocean, are estimated. Maximum divergence is attained during the transitional monsoon months of October/November: 1.7 Sv gain (convergence), with matching loss (divergence) in the April/May. During the El Niño growth period of 1997 the surface layer is divergent, but in 1998 when the El Niño was on the wane, the average rate of change is convergent. Surface-layer divergence attains values as high as 4 Sv. Banda Sea surface-water divergence correlates reasonably well with the 3-month lagged export of surface (upper 100?m) water into the Indian Ocean as estimated by a shallow pressure gauge array. It is concluded that the Banda Sea surface-layer divergence influences the timing and transport profile of the Indonesian throughflow export into the Indian Ocean, as proposed by Wyrtki in 1958, and that satellite altimetry may serve as an effective means of monitoring this phenomena.