Nonlinear Force-Free Modeling of Coronal Magnetic Fields. II. Modeling a Filament Arcade and Simulated Chromospheric and Photospheric Vector Fields

We compare a variety of nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation algorithms, including optimization, magneto-frictional, and Grad – Rubin-like codes, applied to a solar-like reference model. The model used to test the algorithms includes realistic photospheric Lorentz forces and a complex field including a weakly twisted, right helical flux bundle. The codes were applied to both forced “photospheric” and more force-free “chromospheric” vector magnetic field boundary data derived from the model. When applied to the chromospheric boundary data, the codes are able to recover the presence of the flux bundle and the field’s free energy, though some details of the field connectivity are lost. When the codes are applied to the forced photospheric boundary data, the reference model field is not well recovered, indicating that the combination of Lorentz forces and small spatial scale structure at the photosphere severely impact the extrapolation of the field. Preprocessing of the forced photospheric boundary does improve the extrapolations considerably for the layers above the chromosphere, but the extrapolations are sensitive to the details of the numerical codes and neither the field connectivity nor the free magnetic energy in the full volume are well recovered. The magnetic virial theorem gives a rapid measure of the total magnetic energy without extrapolation though, like the NLFFF codes, it is sensitive to the Lorentz forces in the coronal volume. Both the magnetic virial theorem and the Wiegelmann extrapolation, when applied to the preprocessed photospheric boundary, give a magnetic energy which is nearly equivalent to the value derived from the chromospheric boundary, but both underestimate the free energy above the photosphere by at least a factor of two. We discuss the interpretation of the preprocessed field in this context. When applying the NLFFF codes to solar data, the problems associated with Lorentz forces present in the low solar atmosphere must be recognized: the various codes will not necessarily converge to the correct, or even the same, solution. On 07/07/2007, the NLFFF team was saddened by the news that Tom Metcalf had died as the result of an accident. We remain grateful for having had the opportunity to benefit from his unwavering dedication to the problems encountered in attempting to understand the Sun’s magnetic field; Tom had completed this paper several months before his death, leading the team through the many steps described above.     

The Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar Meteor Stream Catalogue

The Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar is a multi-frequency backscatter radar which has been in routine operation since 1999, with an orbit measurement capability since 2002. In total, CMOR has measured over 2 million orbits of meteoroids with masses greater than 10 μg, while recording more than 18 million meteor echoes in total. We have applied a two stage comparative technique for identifying meteor streams in this dataset by making use of clustering in radiants and velocities without employing orbital element comparisons directly. From the large dataset of single station echoes, combined radiant activity maps have been constructed by binning and then stacking each years data per degree of solar longitude. Using the single-station mapping technique described in Jones and Jones (Mon Not R Astron Soc 367:1050–1056, 2006) we have identified probable streams from these single station observations. Additionally, using individual radiant and velocity data from the multi-station velocity determination routines, we have utilized a wavelet search algorithm in radiant and velocity space to construct a list of probable streams. These two lists were then compared and only streams detected by both techniques, on multiple frequencies and in multiple years were assigned stream status. From this analysis we have identified 45 annual minor and major streams with high reliability.     

Astrometric masses of 21 asteroids, and an integrated asteroid ephemeris

We apply the technique of astrometric mass determination to measure the masses of 21 main-belt asteroids; the masses of 9 Metis (1.03 ± 0.24 × 10^-11 M_⊙), 17 Thetis (6.17 ± 0.64 × 10^-13 M_⊙), 19 Fortuna (5.41 ± 0.76 × 10^-12 M_⊙), and 189 Phthia (1.87 ± 0.64 × 10^-14 M_⊙) appear to be new. The resulting bulk porosities of 11 Parthenope (12±4%) and 16 Psyche (46±16%) are smaller than previously-reported values. Empirical expressions modeling bulk density as a function of mean radius are presented for the C and S taxonomic classes. To accurately model the forces on these asteroids during the mass determination process, we created an integrated ephemeris of the 300 large asteroids used in preparing the DE-405 planetary ephemeris; this new BC-405 integrated asteroid ephemeris also appears useful in other high-accuracy applications.     

Oxygen isotope anomalies of the Sun and the original environment of the solar system

Abstract— We present results from a model of oxygen isotopic anomaly production through selective photodissociation of CO within the collapsing proto‐solar cloud. Our model produces a proto‐Sun with a wide range of Δ¹⁷O values depending on the intensity of the ultraviolet radiation field. Dramatically different results from two recent solar wind oxygen isotope measurements indicate that a variety of compositions remain possible for the solar oxygen isotope composition. However, constrained by other measurements from comets and meteorites, our models imply the birth of the Sun in a stellar cluster with an enhanced radiation field and are therefore consistent with a supernova source for ⁶⁰Fe in meteorites.     

Climate, weather, and north polar observations from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Color Imager

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter observes Mars from a nearly circular, polar orbit. From this vantage point, the Mars Color Imager extends the ∼5 Mars years record of Mars Global Surveyor global, visible-wavelength multi-color observations of meteorological events and adds measurements at three additional visible and two ultraviolet wavelengths. Observations of the global distribution of ozone (which anti-correlates with water vapor) and water ice and dust clouds allow tracking of atmospheric circulation. Regional and local observations emphasize smaller scale atmospheric dynamics, especially those related to dust lifting and subsequent motion. Polar observations detail variations related to the polar heat budget, including changes in polar frosts and ices, and storms generated at high thermal contrast boundaries.     

Deposition and early diagenesis of microbial mud in the Florida Everglades

Microbial carbonate mud in the modern (<4 kyr) palustrine environment of the Florida Everglades is surprisingly susceptible to early diagenetic alteration. The low‐Mg calcite crystals show an open, trellis‐like crystal structure that yields a high surface area to volume ratio. This textural complexity, likely to be a result of organic influence, leads to abundant reaction sites vulnerable to both dissolution and subsequent precipitation. Rapid degradation of organics is attributed to both aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms. Geochemical signatures suggest increased denitrification within the freshwater environment and increased sulphate reduction at the (slightly) brackish mangrove transition zone. A transition from a freshwater to brackish depositional environment is likely to follow the Holocene sea‐level transgression. The textural complexity in these microbial carbonates causes an unexpectedly low preservation potential of original textural and geochemical signatures, even in low‐Mg calcite. Given the potential for early diagenesis of palustrine and perhaps other microbial carbonates, they should be used cautiously as archives for palaeoenvironmental proxies.     

Timings of early crustal activity in southern highlands of Mars:Periods of crustal stretching and shortening

Extensional and compressional structures are globally abundant on Mars. Distribution of these structures and their ages constrain the crustal stress state and tectonic evolution of the planet. Here in this paper, we report on our investigation over the distribution of the tectonic structures and timings of the associated stress fields from the Noachis-Sabaea region. Thereafter, we hypothesize possible origins in relation to the internal/external processes through detailed morphostructural mapping. In doing so, we have extracted the absolute model ages of these linear tectonic structures using crater size-frequency distribution measurements, buffered crater counting in particular. The estimated ages indicate that the tectonic structures are younger than the mega impacts events(especially Hellas) and instead they reveal two dominant phases of interior dynamics prevailing on the southern highlands, firstly the extensional phase terminating around3.8 Ga forming grabens and then compressional phase around 3.5-3.6 Ga producing wrinkle ridges and lobate scarps. These derived absolute model ages of the grabens exhibit the age ca. 100 Ma younger than the previously documented end of the global extensional phase. The following compressional activity corresponds to the peak of global contraction period in Early Hesperian. Therefore, we conclude that the planet wide heat loss mechanism, involving crustal stretching coupled with gravitationally driven relaxation(i.e.,lithospheric mobility) resulted in the extensional structures around Late Noachian(around 3.8 Ga). Lately cooling related global contraction generated compressional stress ensuing shortening of the upper crust of the southern highlands at the Early Hesperian period(around 3.5-3.6 Ga).     

植物挥发性有机物的初步研究

2000年1～6月期间,美国国家大气研究中心(NCAR)和中国科学院大气物理研究所的科学家发展了一套自动的气相色谱系统和分析方法,用于分析大气中的挥发性有机物.此系统性能稳定,重复性好,对美国大气研究中心附近的大气进行了采样分析.作者简单介绍了此自动系统以及采样分析结果.     

In situ measurements of wind‐driven salt fluxes through constructed channels in a coastal wetland ecosystem

A suite of instruments was deployed in a coastal wetland ecosystem in the Albemarle estuarine system, North Carolina (USA), to characterize wind‐driven transport of saltwater through a constructed (man‐made) channel. Flow velocity, electrical conductivity, and stage were measured in a representative channel over a 2‐month period from May to July 2014, during which 4 wind tides were observed. Collected data show that thousands of metric tons of salt were advected through the channel into coastal wetlands during each event, which lasted up to 4 days. The results reveal that as much as 36% of advected salts accumulated in the wetlands, suggesting that the cumulative effects of these events on the health of coastal wetlands in the Albemarle system may be substantial due to the abundance of constructed channels and the frequency of wind‐driven tidal events. This study is the first to quantify wind‐driven salt fluxes through constructed channels in coastal wetland settings.