Lightning evolution related to radar-derived microphysics in the 21 July 1998 EULINOX supercell storm

Results of a combined analysis of data from a C-band polarimetric Doppler radar and a 3D VHF interferometric lightning mapping system, as obtained during the European Lightning Nitrogen Oxides project (EULINOX) field campaign, are presented. For 21 July 1998, the lightning data from a supercell thunderstorm weakly indicate a tendency for a bi-level vertical distribution of lightning VHF emissions around the −15°C and −30°C temperature levels. Also, in some parts of the clouds, evidence is found for the presence of a lower positive charge center near the freezing level. However, where strong vertical motions prevail, VHF emissions are not organized in horizontal layers but in oblique or vertical regions. Correlation of VHF signals with radar quantities shows that in the growing storm, peak VHF activity is low and related to reflectivity factors around 30 dBZ, while after the mature stage, the peak VHF activity is about three times larger. The highest density of VHF signals is now found near reflectivity factors of 45 dBZ. A polarimetric hydrometeor classification indicates that during storm development, most lightning activity occurs where graupel and, secondarily, snow and small dry hail are present. In the decaying phase of the supercell hailstorm, however, most lightning VHF emissions stem from the region with hail and heavy rain. Furthermore, while the VHF signal frequency per cubic kilometer in the graupel and rain regions remains nearly constant throughout the supercell life cycle, the signal frequency in the hail region rises during storm decay.     

A modern analogue of the Pleistocene steppe‐tundra ecosystem in southern Siberia

Steppe‐tundra is considered to have been a dominant ecosystem across northern Eurasia during the Last Glacial Maximum. As the fossil record is insufficient for understanding the ecology of this vanished ecosystem, modern analogues have been sought, especially in Beringia. However, Beringian ecosystems are probably not the best analogues for more southern variants of the full‐glacial steppe‐tundra because they lack many plant and animal species of temperate steppes found in the full‐glacial fossil record from various areas of Europe and Siberia. We present new data on flora, land snails and mammals and characterize the ecology of a close modern analogue of the full‐glacial steppe‐tundra ecosystem in the southeastern Russian Altai Mountains, southern Siberia. The Altaian steppe‐tundra is a landscape mosaic of different habitat types including steppe, mesic and wet grasslands, shrubby tundra, riparian scrub, and patches of open woodland at moister sites. Habitat distribution, species diversity, primary productivity and nutrient content in plant biomass reflect precipitation patterns across a broader area and the topography‐dependent distribution of soil moisture across smaller landscape sections. Plant and snail species considered as glacial relicts occur in most habitats of the Altaian steppe‐tundra, but snails avoid the driest types of steppe. A diverse community of mammals, including many species typical of the full‐glacial ecosystems, also occurs there. Insights from the Altaian steppe‐tundra suggest that the full‐glacial steppe‐tundra was a heterogeneous mosaic of different habitats depending on landscape‐scale moisture gradients. Primary productivity of this habitat mosaic combined with shallow snow cover that facilitated winter grazing was sufficient to sustain rich communities of large herbivores.     

Removal of topographic effects from lunar images using Kaguya (LALT) and Earth-based observations

Lunar images acquired at non-zero phase angles show brightness variations caused by both albedo heterogeneities and local topographic slopes of the surface. To distinguish between these two factors, altimetry measurements or photoclinometry data can be used. The distinction is especially important for imagery of phase-function parameters of the Moon. The imagery is a new tool that can be used to study structural anomalies of the lunar surface. To illustrate the removal of the topographic effects from photometric images, we used Earth-based telescopic observations, altimetry measurements carried out with the Kaguya (JAXA) LALT instrument, and a new photoclinometry technique that includes analysis of several images of the same scenes acquired at different phase angles. Using this technique we have mapped the longitudinal component of lunar topography slopes (the component measured along the lines of constant latitude). We have found good correlations when comparing our map with the corresponding data from Kaguya altimetry. The removal of the topographic surface properties allows for the study of the phase-function parameters of the lunar surface, not only for flat mare regions, but for highlands as well.     

Monitoring volcanoes using seismic noise correlations

In this article, we summarize some recent results of measurements of temporal changes of active volcanoes using seismic noise cross-correlations. We first present a novel approach to estimate volcano interior temporal seismic velocity changes. The proposed method allows to measure very small velocity changes (≈ 0.1%) with a time resolution as small as one day. The application of that method to Piton de la Fournaise Volcano (La Réunion Island) shows velocity decreases preceding eruptions. Moreover, velocity changes from noise cross-correlations over 10 years allow to detect transient velocity changes that could be due to long-lasting intrusions of magma without eruptive activity or to pressure buildup associated to the replenishing of the magma reservoir. We also present preliminary results of noise cross-correlation waveform perturbation associated with the occurrence of dike injection and volcanic eruption. We show that such an analysis leads us to locate the areas of dike injection and eruptive fissures at Piton de la Fournaise Volcano. These recent results suggest that monitoring volcanoes using seismic noise correlations should improve our ability to forecast eruptions, their intensity and thus potential environmental impact.     

CLAIRE: First light for a gamma-ray lens

The objective of the R&D project CLAIRE was to prove the principle of a gamma-ray lens for nuclear astrophysics. CLAIRE's Laue diffraction lens has a diameter of 45 cm and a focal length of 277 cm; 556 germanium-silicon crystals are tuned to focus 170 keV photons onto a 1.5 cm diameter focal spot. Laboratory measurements of the individual crystals and the entire lens have been used to validate a numerical model that we use to estimate the lens performance for a source at infinity. During a stratospheric balloon flight on 2001 June 14, CLAIRE was directed at the Crab nebula by a pointing system able to stabilize the lens to within a few arcseconds of the target. In 72 min of valid pointing time, 33 photons from the Crab were detected in the 3 keV bandpass of the lens: CLAIRE's first light! The performance of CLAIRE's gamma-ray lens, namely the peak reflectivity for a polychromatic source (9±1%), has been confirmed by ground data obtained on a 205 meter long test range. CLAIRE's measured performance validates the principle of a Laue lens for nuclear astrophysics, opening the way for a space-borne gamma-ray lens telescope that will achieve one to two orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over present technologies.     

Measurements of coastal suspended sediment concentrations

Three of the methods available for measurement of suspended sediment concentration were chosen and tested in natural conditions. The equipment included sand traps, a radioisotopic probe and a long-action sampler (bathometer).The working conditions of the equipment were studied and the reliability of data obtained was analyzed. Sources of possible errors have been defined together with requirements for the techniques, and optimum technical parameters have been found. Averaging times, necessary with regard to the reliability of data, have also been determined for the measurements. Calibration and cross-calibration of the measuring devices was carried out. Technological requirements, advantages and areas of applicability are discussed for the techniques. Although they require some modifications, the techniques can already be used in measurements of concentration profiles. The data obtained, and partly shown in this paper, shed light on complex phenomena of sediment suspension.     

西天山造山带构造单元划分及古生代洋陆转换过程

西天山造山带位于哈萨克斯坦—准噶尔板块与卡拉库姆—塔里木板块的结合部,是由一系列前寒武纪微陆块、古生代洋壳残片及陆缘弧相互拼贴而成的多聚合带、多成矿带,其独特的造山-成矿过程受到了国内外的广泛关注。本文通过构造单元划分与编图,建立了古生代西天山造山带的构造格架,认为古生代西天山造山带的构造演化依次经历了:罗迪尼亚大陆裂解与北天山早古生代多岛洋盆形成阶段(Z-O_2),北天山早古生代多岛洋盆闭合与南天山洋盆开始形成阶段(O_3-S),南、北天山洋晚古生代洋盆形成与发展阶段(D-C_1),南、北天山晚古生代洋盆全面闭合与天山碰撞造山带形成阶段(C1-C_2)和碰撞后板内演化阶段(C_2-P)。     

Grid computing for atmospheric composition studies in Bulgaria

Three Grid applications from the SEE-GRID-SCI Environmental VO are developed by the Bulgarian project team: Climate Change Impact on Air Quality (CCIAQ); Multi-scale atmospheric composition modeling (MSACM); Modeling System for Emergency Response to the Release of Harmful Substances in the Atmosphere (MSERRHSA). The three applications concern problems of significant socio-economic significance. They are all dedicated to air pollution studies, but address different goals and so face different problems and requirements. The applications are briefly presented in the paper. Examples of the different applications validations are given. Some application results are shown and commented.     

Short-term temporal variability of atmospheric surface pressure and wind speed in the Canadian Arctic

In this study, the spatial differences and interannual fluctuations in temporal variability of surface pressure and wind speed on different timescales at 12 locations in the Canadian Arctic are documented. Temporal variability is defined as the mean-squared value of time tendencies smoothed by running means over different intervals. It is shown that variability on timescales of up to 1 month is itself highly variable, both in space and time. Due to the significant impacts from the immediate geographical environment, for surface wind speed, these variations show no spatial pattern on a continental scale, and only a few persistent trends over periods of more than 10 years. Also, spatial and temporal anomalies do not significantly depend on timescale. Contrary to this, spatial and temporal variations in the variability of surface pressure and its changes with time show well-defined regional similarities, as well as a strong spatial and temporal dependence on timescale. As a result, variability of surface pressure on timescales between 1 and 3 days increases from the northeast region of the domain towards the southwest. On longer timescales, this spatial gradient is reversed. The consistent spatial pattern across the study domain suggests that variability of surface pressure is primarily governed by large-scale atmospheric processes, and is to a large extent independent of the exact geographical setting.     

Comparing state-of the art near-surface models of a seismic test line from Saudi Arabia

We present a seismic Test Line, provided by Saudi Aramco for various research teams, to highlight a few major challenges in land data processing due to near‐surface anomalies. We discuss state‐of‐the‐art methods used to compensate for shallow distortions, including single‐layer, multilayer, plus/minus, refraction and tomostatics methods. They are a starting point for the new technologies presented in other papers, all dealing with the same challenging data described here. The difficulties on the Test Line are mostly due to the assumption of vertical raypaths, inherent in classical applications of near‐surface correction statics. Even the most detailed velocity/depth model presents difficulties, due to the compleX‐raypath. There is a need for methods which are based on more complex models andtheories.