Evolution of Magnetic Flux Rope in the Active Region NOAA 9077 on 14 July 2000

The finite energy force-free magnetic fields of the active region NOAA 9077 on 14 July 2000 above the photosphere were reconstructed. We study the evolution of the 3D magnetic field structures in AR 9077 and compare the reconstructed field lines with TRACE EUV 171 Å flare loops during the flare maximum, which confirms the process that flaring loops extended from lower sheared level to higher arcades. We also demonstrate the 3D magnetic field evolution before the 3B/X5.7 flare on 14 July and the magnetic structure after the flare on 15 July. This shows that the helical magnetic structures were significantly changed, suggesting that the flux rope was indeed erupted during the energetic flare at 10:24 UT on 14 July.     

Measurements of meteor smoke particles during the ECOMA-2006 campaign: 2. Results

The first sounding rocket of the European ECOMA-project (ECOMA, Existence and Charge state Of Meteoric smoke particles in the middle Atmosphere) was launched on 8 September 2006. Measurements with a new particle detector described in the companion paper by Rapp and Strelnikova [2008. Measurements of meteor smoke particles during the ECOMA-2006 campaign: 1. Particle detection by active photoionization. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, this issue, doi:10.1016/j.jastp.2008.06.002] clearly showed meteor smoke particle (MSP) signatures in both data channels. The data channels measure particles directly impacting on the detector electrode and photoelectrons from the particles actively created using ionization by the UV-photons of a xenon-flashlamp. Measured photoelectron currents resemble model expectations of the shape of the MSP layer almost perfectly, whereas derived number densities in the altitude range 60–90 km are larger than model results by about a factor of 5. Given the large uncertainties inherent to both model and the analysis of our measurements (e.g., the composition of the particles is not known and must be assumed) we consider this a satisfactory agreement and proof that MSPs do extend throughout the entire mesosphere as predicted by models. The measurements of direct particle impacts revealed a confined layer of negative charge between 80 and 90 km. This limited altitude range, however, is quantitatively shown to be the consequence of the aerodynamics of the rocket flight and does not have any geophysical origin. Measured charge signatures are consistent with expectations of particle charging given our own measurements of the background ionization. Unfortunately, however, a contamination of these measurements from triboelectric charging cannot be excluded at this stage.     

The European Commission proposal for a marine strategy: lacking substance

The European Commission's proposed Marine Strategy constitutes a highly inadequate approach to long-term protection of the European Seas. The main problem with the strategy is the restriction to a proposed directive in which only EU Member States are placed under obligation to develop their own environmental objectives and marine protection activity programmes. This 'renationalisation' results in the exclusion of key policy areas like Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Common Fishery Policy in which the EU has centralised powers. Furthermore, there is no plan to refine EU environmental law relevant to marine protection and nor are there any provisions for the linking of EU-level action with the international conventions for the protection of the oceans.     

DuneXpress

The DuneXpress observatory will characterize interstellar and interplanetary dust in-situ, in order to provide crucial information not achievable with remote sensing astronomical methods. Galactic interstellar dust constitutes the solid phase of matter from which stars and planetary systems form. Interplanetary dust, from comets and asteroids, represents remnant material from bodies at different stages of early solar system evolution. Thus, studies of interstellar and interplanetary dust with DuneXpress in Earth orbit will provide a comparison between the composition of the interstellar medium and primitive planetary objects. Hence DuneXpress will provide insights into the physical conditions during planetary system formation. This comparison of interstellar and interplanetary dust addresses directly themes of highest priority in astrophysics and solar system science, which are described in ESA’s Cosmic Vision. The discoveries of interstellar dust in the outer and inner solar system during the last decade suggest an innovative approach to the characterization of cosmic dust. DuneXpress establishes the next logical step beyond NASA’s Stardust mission, with four major advancements in cosmic dust research: (1) analysis of the elemental and isotopic composition of individual interstellar grains passing through the solar system, (2) determination of the size distribution of interstellar dust at 1 AU from 10^− 14 to 10^− 9 g, (3) characterization of the interstellar dust flow through the planetary system, (4) establish the interrelation of interplanetary dust with comets and asteroids. Additionally, in supporting the dust science objectives, DuneXpress will characterize dust charging in the solar wind and in the Earth’s magnetotail. The science payload consists of two dust telescopes of a total of 0.1 m² sensitive area, three dust cameras totaling 0.4 m² sensitive area, and a nano-dust detector. The dust telescopes measure high-resolution mass spectra of both positive and negative ions released upon impact of dust particles. The dust cameras employ different detection methods and are optimized for (1) large area impact detection and trajectory analysis of submicron sized and larger dust grains, (2) the determination of physical properties, such as flux, mass, speed, and electrical charge. A nano-dust detector searches for nanometer-sized dust particles in interplanetary space. A plasma monitor supports the dust charge measurements, thereby, providing additional information on the dust particles. About 1,000 grains are expected to be recorded by this payload every year, with 20% of these grains providing elemental composition. During the mission submicron to micron-sized interstellar grains are expected to be recorded in statistically significant numbers. DuneXpress will open a new window to dusty universe that will provide unprecedented information on cosmic dust and on the objects from which it is derived.     

Macroregional economic integration in Southeast Asia: AFTA and the automobile industry from a Thai perspective

Cross‐border automobile production and trade is still subject to regulations and restrictions in developed as well as developing political economic spaces. Although global production networks are within this industrial sector are significantly underpinned by political economies at national scales, macro‐scale regulation increasingly influences how and where lead firms operate within the global economy. Within this changing context, this paper outlines the recent regulatory changes in the regional political economy of Southeast Asia with the introduction of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). Drawing on empirical evidence from the Thai industry, and how macroregional automobile production networks are established, the paper focuses on the changes of this free trade policy for component as well as vehicle trade.     

A Model to Estimate Global Radiation in Complex Terrain

Global radiation is an important parameter necessary for most ecological models. However, in situ data barely meets the needs of modelling mountainous ecosystems since most field stations are located in flat areas. Consequently, it is usually necessary to extrapolate radiation measurements obtained from an adjacent flat area to the complex terrain of concern. The distribution of radiation in complex terrain depends upon two factors: the local atmospheric conditions, which determine the radiation potentially available to a supposed flat surface in a given location, and the topographic effects on this possible radiation. The latter have been included in detail in most radiation models for complex terrain, but the former are often only simply treated as constant or estimated by over-simplified empirical algorithms. In this paper we propose a novel model that uses a parametric atmospheric model to calculate the potential radiation for a supposed flat surface in a given location, and then account for topographic effects. Direct radiation, diffuse radiation and reflected radiation are calculated separately in the model due to the distinctive characteristics of and the effects by topography. Based on the parametric model, this paper has investigated the relationship between radiation transmittance, clearness indices and altitude under a series of water vapour content and turbidity conditions. This combines three ratios, R _b, R _d, and R _r, defined as the direct radiation, diffuse radiation and reflected radiation received by the arbitrary surface, respectively, to their counterparts in the horizontal surface, to estimate the global radiation for any given location. The model has been validated with data from measurements in National Park Berchtesgaden, Germany, where six measurement sites with various altitudes and topographic characteristics have been deployed. The r ² of modelled and measured hourly global radiation are greater than 0.90 in all six sites, with RMSE varies from 16 to 100 W m⁻². Sensitivity analysis revealed that the model was not sensitive to change in water vapour content, which suggests the possibility to use an exponential algorithm of water vapour content when there is no in situ water vapour content information in complex terrains. The NRMSE was only reduced by 0.04, on average, in five of the six sites when water vapour content information was calculated from the in situ air temperature and relative humidity measurements.     

Classification of Collapsed Buildings for Fast Damage and Loss Assessment

Fast and reliable identification of collapsed buildings is essential in case of earthquake disasters in urban areas. Airborne laserscanning offers the possibility to fulfil this task. Based on height measurements, geometrical surface models of buildings can be generated with this technology. Comparing the undamaged pre-event models with those recorded after an earthquake, the location of collapsed buildings and the dimension and characteristic of their damage can be obtained. The knowledge about typical damage types of collapsed buildings is necessary to interpret the changes found between the pre- and post-event building models. As existing building damage classifications don’t meet the requirements of this novel technique, observations and reports of building collapses were analysed. This leads to a new classification system of collapsed buildings and the definition of the so-called “damage catalogue”.The damage catalogue is a composition of different damage types of entire buildings typically occurring after earthquakes and it contains the observed dimensions of the geometrical features such as volume reduction or inclination change for each damage type. Besides the detectability of these geometrical features in airborne laserscanning data, the differentiation of the damage types takes effects on casualty numbers and on different search and rescue needs into account. The damage catalogue was developed by evaluating the associated database, which contains the characterisation of real damaged buildings by the defined geometrical features.The paper includes the conception of the damage catalogue and of the associated database, their use for the described reconnaissance technique and their further application possibilities.     

Baltic Sea climate in the late twenty-first century: a dynamical downscaling approach using two global models and two emission scenarios

A regional ocean circulation model was used to project Baltic Sea climate at the end of the twenty-first century. A set of four scenario simulations was performed utilizing two global models and two forcing scenarios. To reduce model biases and to spin up future salinity the so-called Δ-change approach was applied. Using a regional coupled atmosphere–ocean model 30-year climatological monthly mean changes of atmospheric surface data and river discharge into the Baltic Sea were calculated from previously conducted time slice experiments. These changes were added to reconstructed atmospheric surface fields and runoff for the period 1903–1998. The total freshwater supply (runoff and net precipitation) is projected to increase between 0 and 21%. Due to increased westerlies in winter the annual mean wind speed will be between 2 and 13% larger compared to present climate. Both changes will cause a reduction of the average salinity of the Baltic Sea between 8 and 50%. Although salinity in the entire Baltic might be significantly lower at the end of the twenty-first century, deep water ventilation will very likely only slightly change. The largest change is projected for the secondary maximum of sea water age within the halocline. Further, the average temperature will increase between 1.9 and 3.2°C. The temperature response to atmospheric changes lags several months. Future annual maximum sea ice extent will decrease between 46 and 77% in accordance to earlier studies. However, in contrast to earlier results in the warmest scenario simulation one ice-free winter out of 96 seasons was found. Although wind speed changes are uniform, extreme sea levels may increase more than the mean sea level. In two out of four projections significant changes of 100-year surge heights were found.