Prediction of the field strength fading forms by means of weather situations

Summary In this study the different forms of the electromagnetic field strength recordings at the Thera-Crete microwave line of link are examined, in comparison with the corresponding weather situations prevailing over that area. According to the amplitude of fluctuations, the different forms of recordings have been classified in three basic typesA, B, C and the annual frequency of the appearance of these types has been observed. Finally, the influence of weather situations on radio wave propagation was examined and it has been found that in most cases a close relationship exists between weather situations and the different fading forms of the electromagnetic field so that a prediction of the fading form be possible by means of the weather forecast.This study was sponsored by a research grant from NATO's Scientific Committee.     

Galactic dynamics in the light of meteorological theory

Summary Equations for the motions in a galaxy which is controlled by gravitational forces and inertial effects are formulated. It is found that for the motions relative to the rotating system formulae analogous, and of similar form, to the geostrophic wind equations may be written. From these formulae and from the distribution of the relative gravitational potential in the disc of the galaxy, it is found that a spiral tendency in the mass distribution carries the implication of an inward flux of angular momentum by advective processes. This is to be compared with an outward flux through gravitational torques obtained in previous studies in which the writer participated.     

A sidelight on long range forecasting

Summary A gradually cumulative error due to the use of the hydrostatic approximation is examined through consideration of a simple mathematical model taken from the classical theory of gravity waves. Two cases are chosen which differ solely in the circumstance that in one the hydrostatic assumption is made while in the other it is not. A large divergence of the results present in the later stages is then to be referred to the neglect of terms contained in the exact equation of motion for the vertical direction in one of the solutions. The inference is drawn that comparable phenomena might arise in the integration of the atmospheric equations over long time periods.     

Carbon dioxide partial pressures in North Pacific surface waters — Time variations

Observations were made of time variations of the carbon dioxide partial pressures (Pco₂) of the atmosphere and surface sea waters in the Pacific subarctic region. Data were obtained on a cruise of the USC & GSSSURVEYOR in October, 1968 and on the TRANSPAC expedition of the CNAVENDEAVOUR in March–April, 1969. A rise in surface water Pco₂ of 18×10^–6 atm occurred in a period of 30–45 days in March–April due principally to spring warming of surface waters. An average increase of 60×10^–6 atm occurred between October, 1968 and March, 1969 as a result mainly of cessation of summer phytoplankton production and the onset of winter-storm-driven vertical mixing. Because the air-sea Pco₂ gradient not only changed appreciably in magnitude but also changed sign, there are important implications for calculations of air-sea exchange of carbon dioxide on the ocean wide scale.Data contained in this paper comprise part of a dissertation to be submitted by Louis I. Gordon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph. D. at Oregon State University.     

The estimation of acid dissociation constants in seawater media from potentionmetric titrations with strong base. I. The ionic product of water — Kw

The various assumptions implicit in the calculation of acid dissociation constants (based on ionic medium standard states) from potentiometric titrations using a cell with liquid junction (i.e. a pH measuring cell) have been examined. It was concluded that results can be obtained having an accuracy commensurate with the experimental precision. It has been shown that although the precise composition of the medium is a function of the hydrogen ion concentration (because of the protolytic nature of some of the ions in the media, e.g., sulphate and fluoride), the effect of such variations in the medium composition can be compensated for when defining the activity of hydrogen ion on an ionic medium standard state by defining the concentration of hydrogen ion as:

where β_HSO4 and β_HF are the relevant association constants and S_T and F_T are the total concentrations of sulphate and fluoride, respectively.This approach was used to obtain values for the ionic product of water (K_W) in artificial seawater media at various temperatures and ionic strengths. These were fitted to give the equation (molal concentration units):

$\text{pK}{}_{\mathrm{w}}\text{=}\text{3441.0}\text{T}\text{+2.256-0.7091}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{rms deviation 0.01}\text{)}$

where I is the formal ionic strength of the artificial seawater medium and T is the absolute temperature. The values obtained are in reasonable agreement with those found by previous workers.     

Assessment of imposex in the common whelk, Buccinum undatum (L.) from the Eastern Scheldt, The Netherlands

Several cruises were carried out on the Eastern Scheldt between September 1992 and March 1995 to study the frequency and appearance of imposex in the common whelk, Buccinum undatum L. Incidences of imposex were always > 90%. For the first time several stages of imposex in Buccinum undatum are reported. The evolution of imposex in the whelk seems to follow a similar route as in Hinia reticulata belonging to the same superfamily (Buccinacea). Tissue organotin concentrations of animals collected in February 1995 showed the highest organotin concentrations in the digestive gland and lowest in the foot of the animals. Concentrations of phenyltin compounds (up to 625 ngSn/g DW) were much higher than those of butyltin compounds (up to 40 ngSn/g DW).     

Deep tow studies of the Tamayo transform fault

The Tamayo transform fault occurs at the north end of the East Pacific Rise where it enters the Gulf of California. The two deep-tow surveys reported here show that the transform fault zone changes significantly as a function of distance from the spreading center intersections. At site 1, near the intersection, one side of the fault is young and the fault zone is narrow and well-defined. Strike slip occurs in a zone approximately 1-km wide suggesting a correspondingly narrow zone of decoupling between the Pacific and North American plates. On the young side of the strike-slip zone, normal faults occur along shear zones which are 45°–50° oblique to the transform strike. They occur parallel to the short axis of the strain ellipse for transform fault strain here, i.e., perpendicular to the least compressive stress. The transform walls are formed by normal faulting as has been pointed out in previous detailed surveys. Here, however, the age contrast of 2.5 m.y. across the transform valley is apparent in the morphology of the normal fault scarps. While the scarps are steep and well-defined on the young side, the scarps on the older side have gradual 10°–30° slopes and appear to be primarily talus ramps. Apparently, the scarps have been tectonically eroded by continued strike slip activity after the initial stages of normal faulting. Thus, transform valleys should be quite asymmetric in cross-section where there is a significant age contrast and one side is less than approximately 0.5 m.y. old. Also, along older sections of the transform valley walls, normal faulting may not be at all obvious due to degradation of the scarps by tectonic erosion. This phenomenon makes the likelihood of transform faults providing windows into the oceanic crust most unlikely except in special cases.The picture of transform deformation is more complex at site 2 in the central portion of the fault where both sides of the fault are greater than 1 m.y. old. Here the transform valley is wider (25–30 km as opposed to 2–5 km). There is no clear simple zone of strike slip tectonics. In fact, the only clear evidence for deformation is the intrusion of magmatic or serpentinite diapirs through the sediments of the transform valley floor. The diapirs have deformed the turbidite layers flooring the valley and in one carefully studied case the turbidite sequence has been uplifted, perched atop the diapir. The pattern of deformation on this outcropping diapir shows radial and concentric fractures which can be modeled by a vertical intrusion circular in plan view. Magnetic studies limit the possible composition to basalt or serpentinite. A 60-km-long median ridge is also likely to be the product of intrusion along the transform fault. The survey at site 2 pointed out the importance of vertical tectonics in the transform valley floor and in particular the importance of diapiric intrusions of either basaltic or serpentinite composition.Based on initial boundary conditions and present tectonic elements in the Tamayo fault zone, a possible history of the mouth of the Gulf of California is outlined. The median ridge was emplaced starting approximately 0.8 m.y. ago by regional extension across the transform fault, the result of leaky transform faulting. The diapirs occur along a possible relay zone of extension midway along the fault which began approximately 0.15 m.y. ago. The extension in this case is parallel to the trend of the transform fault, is still occurring at present, and may evolve into a true spreading center.Contribution of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, new series.