Signal processing strategies for a bathymetric sidescan sonar

A dominant source of errors in swath bathymetry is acoustic interference. In 1989 the author published an analysis of these errors and predicted depth accuracies for a system which reduced their effect by averaging. This present paper shows how a considerable improvement in performance may be obtained by a variety of signal processing strategies that include the use of several widely spaced receivers and the elimination of the most unsatisfactory measurements before averaging. Simulations show how impressive sea bed profiles can be produced with a single ping, even at low signal-to-interference ratios     

Fractal space-time and black-body radiation

We discuss the possibility of setting upper limits to deviations of the dimensionD of space from the standard integer value of 3. The method we suggest — a reanalysis of the Planck law for the black-body radiation in aD-dimensional space — is less sensitive than other methods previously suggested. It offers, however, the possibility of probing the fractal dimension of space-time over cosmological distances.     

HIGH POSSIL AND STRATHMORE—A STUDY OF TWO L6 CHONDRITES

High Possil and Strathmore are the first (1804) and last (1917) meteorite falls, respectively, of the three recorded in Scotland. Olivine compositions and total Fe contents in High Possil (Fa_25.2; 21.35 wt %) and Strathmore (Fa_25.3; 20.6 wt %) confirm their classification as L-group chondrites (Mason, 1963), and the presence of abundant plagioclase feldspar shows that both chondrites belong to petrologic type 6. Both chondrites display thermal and mechanical alteration attributable to moderate shock-loading appropriate to facies c (High Possil) and c-d (Strathmore) (Dodd and Jarosewich, 1979). Incipient shock-melting of metal and troilite in both chondrites is the first described from Lc chondrites, and differences in the responses of metallic and silicate minerals to shock-loading are discussed.     

The response of the mid-latitude thermospheric wind to magnetic activity

Observations of the thermospheric wind at a mid-latitude station have been made using a Fabry-Perot interferometer to measure the Doppler shift of the nighttime OI emission at 630 nm. The results from 12 summer nights show that the zonal wind has a distinct feature associated with magnetic activity. The zonal wind first reverses and becomes westward. The maximum strength of the westward wind, its duration, and the maximum strength of the subsequent eastward wind all increase with increasing magnetic activity. The meridional wind is less consistent in its behaviour. It is normally equatorward but during magnetic activity it can increase, decrease, or even reverse, although it is consistently equatorward and of increased strength after 02.00 L.T. The initial reversal of the zonal wind is consistent with changes in the wind expected as a result of convective electric fields penetrating to mid-latitudes indicating that these electric fields modify the mid-latitude wind pattern before effects due to auroral heating reach mid-latitudes. The reversal of the zonal wind back to eastward may also be the result of electric field effects. The large variability of the meridional wind, to the extent that it becomes poleward at times, indicates the importance of wind sources equatorward of the observatory.     

A 20‐ka climate record from Central Himalayan loess deposits

The southwest monsoon that dominated Central Himalaya has preserved loessic silt deposits preserved in patches that are proximal to periglacial areas. The occurrence of such silts suggests contemporary prevalence of cold and dry northwesterly winds. Field stratigraphy, geochemistry, mineral magnetism, infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and radiocarbon dating has enabled reconstruction of an event chronology during the past 20 ka. Three events of loess accretion could be identified. The first two events of loess deposition occurred betweem 20 and 9 ka and were separated by a phase of moderate weathering. Pedogenesis at the end of this event gave rise to a well‐developed soil that was bracketed around 9 to > 4 ka. This was followed by the third phase of loess accretion that occurred around 4 to > 1 ka. Episodes of loess deposition and soil formation are interpreted in terms of changes in the strength of the Indian southwest monsoon. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bounded motion in a generalized two-body problem

In this paper we prove the existence of ring-type bounded motion in an isolated system consisting of a massive point particle and a homogeneous cube. We study the case of planar motion where the particle moves in a symmetry plane of the cube and we use a rotating frame of reference with its center at the mass center of the cube and its axes coinciding with the symmetry axes of the cube. We prove that, for negative values of the total energy and properly chosen values of the total angular momentum, the relative distance of the bodies has an upper and a lower bound-i.e., the regions of possible motion lie inside an annulus around the cube (motion inside a ring or an island).     

Lumped geopotential harmonics of order 14, from the orbit of 1967-11G

The satellite 1967-11G, which had an orbital inclination of 40°, passed through the 14th-order resonance with the Earth's gravitational field in 1974. The changes in its orbital inclination at resonance have been analysed to obtain values for four lumped 14th-order harmonics in the geopotential, with accuracies equivalent to about 5 cm in geoid height. Analysis of the eccentricity was also attempted, but did not yield useful results.As no previous satellite analysed at 14th-order resonance has had an inclination near 40°, the results have proved to be valuable in determining individual 14th-order harmonics in the geopotential.