Television spectra of meteors

The first results of the television observations of meteors at the Ondejov Observatory are presented. It is shown that three spectral components may be distinguished in meteors: cool meteoric, hot meteoric and hot atmospheric. The intensity ratio of these components varies strongly even in meteors of the same velocity and within the records of single meteors. This is evidence for variations in the ablation process and in the formation of the shock wave. The so called calcium anomaly is in fact only a demonstration of these variations.     

European Observation Network: Ground - Based Support for Gamma-Ray Satellites

We present first preliminary results obtained with the European Observation Network consisting of 9 observatories in the Czech Republic, Germany and Bulgaria. We also discuss related problems such as the background of unknown variable stars and suggest a strategy for work in this area.     

Grid point surface air temperature calculations with a fast turnaround: Combining the results of IMAGE and a GCM

This paper describes a methodology that combines the outputs of (1) the Integrated Model to Assess the Greenhouse Effect (IMAGE Version 1.0) of the Netherlands National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection (RIVM) (given a greenhouse gas emission policy, this model can estimate the effects such as global mean surface air temperature change for a wide variety of policies) and (2) ECHAM-1/LSG, the Global Circulation Model (GCM) of the Max-Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg, Germany. The combination enables one to calculate grid point surface air temperature changes for different scenarios with a turnaround time that is much quicker than that for a GCM. The methodology is based upon a geographical pattern of the ratio of grid point temperature change to global mean values during a certain period of the simulation, as calculated by ECHAM-1/LSG for the 1990 Scenarios A and D of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). A procedure, based upon signal-to noise ratios in the outputs, enabled us to estimate where we have confidence in the methodology; this is at about 23% to 83% of the total of 2,048 grid points, depending upon the scenario and the decade in the simulation. It was found that the methodology enabled IMAGE to provide useful estimates of the GCM-predicted grid point temperature changes. These estimates were within 0.5K (0.25K) throughout the 100 years of a given simulation for at least 79% (74%) of the grid points where we are confident in applying the methodology. The temperature ratio pattern from Scenario A enabled IMAGE to provide useful estimates of temperature change within 0.5K (0.25K) in Scenario D for at least 88% (68%) of the grid points where we have confidence; indicating that the methodology is transferable to other scenarios. Tests with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory GCM indicated, however, that a temperature ratio pattern may have to be developed for each GCM. The methodology, using a temperature ratio pattern from the 1990 IPCC Scenario A and involving IMAGE, gave gridded surface air temperature patterns for the 1992 IPCC radiative-forcing Scenarios C and E and the RIVM emission Scenario B; none of these scenarios has been simulated by ECHAM-1/LSG. The simulations reflect the uncertainty range of a future warming.The work reported by the authors was carried out during their stay at the project Forestry and Climate Change of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria.     

A New GIS-based Solar Radiation Model and Its Application to Photovoltaic Assessments

The solar radiation model r.sun is a flexible and efficient tool for the estimation of solar radiation for clear‐sky and overcast atmospheric conditions. In contrast to other models, r.sun considers all relevant input parameters as spatially distributed entities to enable computations for large areas with complex terrain. Conceptually the model is based on equations published in the European Solar Radiation Atlas (ESRA). The r.sun model was applied to estimate the solar potential for photovoltaic systems in Central and Eastern Europe. The overcast radiation was computed from clear‐sky values and a clear‐sky index. The raster map of the clear‐sky index was computed using a multivariate interpolation method to account for terrain effects, with interpolation parameters optimized using a cross‐validation technique. The incorporation of terrain data improved the radiation estimates in terms of the model's predictive error and the spatial pattern of the model outputs. Comparing the results of r.sun with the ESRA database demonstrates that integration of the solar radiation model and the spatial interpolation tools in a GIS can be especially helpful for data at higher resolutions and in regions with a lack of ground measurements.     

Experimental determination of ventilation coefficient for 1-hexanol drops in air

Two experimental techniques have been used for study of mass transfer from a drop of 1-hexanol evaporating into air. In the first technique, liquid is added to the drop by a supporting capillary. When the rate of liquid adding counterbalances the evaporation rate, the drop size remains constant and the evaporation takes place at steady state. In the second case with drop suspended from a thermocouple, the rate of evaporation is determined from variation of drop diameter with time. Since the combination of both methods should allow to measure at the broader range of experimental conditions, the differences and their impact on experimental determination of mass transfer are discussed. The results are compared with results of previous experimental and theoretical works reported in the literature.     

Spectral analysis of geomagneticPc3 pulsations recorded at Budkov and Niemegk

Summary The dependence of the individual parameters of geomagnetic Pc3 pulsations, of their frequencies, amplitudes, phases, flattening of their polarization ellipses, the orientation of their major axis and the sense of rotation of the disturbance vector, are determined from the records made at the Budkov and Niemegk Observatories. Also their diurnal variations at both stations and the correlation of the numerical values between both stations are given.     

Additional estimates of continental surface Precambrian shield composition in Canada

New trace element analyses have been made on the composite Canadian Precambrian shield samples reported in 1967.The overall mean abundance of Cr has been revised to 35 ppm (from 99). New abundances similar to 1967 values are (in ppm): Ni, 19; Co, 12; Cu, 14; Zr, 300; Sr, 315; Ba, 1070; Rb, 110: individual 1967 Rb values were erroneous.Elements not previously determined have the following overall mean values (in ppm): Zn, 52; Sc, 7.0; Nb, 26; Hf, 6.9; La, 32; Ce, 65; Nd, 26; Sm, 4.5; Eu, 0.94; Gd, 2.8; Tb, 0.48; Ho, 0.62; Yb, 1.5; Lu, 0.23; Y, 21; Pb, 17; values in ppb are: Ir, 0.02; Au, 1.8; Tl, 520.Clear positive correlations among Mg-Cr-Ni-Ir-Au appear for all rock-types, marble and quartzite as well as mafic igneous. Regional differences are apparent for several elements: e.g. higher Au, Ir, Cr, Ni in Baffin Island and Northern Quebec composites, compared with Saskatchewan and Southwestern Quebec; high Ti, Zn, Nb, Zr, Hf, REE, Y, Sr, K/T1 abundances and negative Eu anomalies in Southwestern Quebec.The overall REE abundances (omitting Southwestern Quebec) differ from other surface continental crustal rock estimates.     

The stability constant of the UO22+ -humic acid complex

Between pH 3.5 and 7, humic acids form a water-soluble uranyl-humic acid complex with the uranyl ion, UO₂²⁺ (log β₁ = 7.8 ± 0.4 at μ = 0.1). The stability constant of the complex is practically independent of the ionic strength (μ). Experimental results can be explained by the formation of a complex in which every uranyl ion is simultaneously bonded to one phenolic oxygen and one dissociated carboxyl group. The bonding through the phenolic group is considerably stronger than that through carboxylic groups.     

Three-component spectral analysis of geomagnetic pulsations

nua m¶rt; nma aaua a, umua m nma, m n¶rt;um umau nuau un nmam. m¶rt; annua aaum nauu Pi2 u Pc3 u amu u u ¶rt;. ¶rt;a ma m ¶rt; nmam nuau aamumu u u auum m aum amumu.