Beiträge zu einer elektrischen Tornadotheorie

Zusammenfassung Ein VorschlagB. Vonneguts, elektrische Tornadotheorien wieder in Betracht zu ziehen, wird aufgegriffen und es wird gezeigt, daß die Gewittertheorie mit der elektromagnetischen Induktion als Grundlage auch auf das Tornadoproblem anwendbar ist. Dadurch finden nicht nur mehrere Eigenschaften des Tornados eine zwanglose Erklärung, vielmehr wird darüber hinaus auch die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Brauchbarkeit der Gewittertheorie bedeutend erhöht. Das beste Argument für die Wirksamkeit der elektromagnetischen Induktion dürfte in der Beobachtung einer rhombusförmigen, mehrere Tornados erzeugenden Gewitterwolke zu sehen sein, die durch das Raumgitter einer Dipolwolke befriedigend erklärt werden kann.Summary Following a suggestion byB. Vonnegut to reconsider electrical torando theories, the author shows that the thunderstorm theory based on electromagnetic induction is also applicable to the tornado problem. Several characteristics of the tornado are easily explained, adding evidence of the validity of the thunderstorm theory. The strongest argument in favour of the effectiveness of electromagnetic induction may be considered the observation of a rhomb-shaped thunderstorm cloud which generated several tornadoes. Such a cloud can be explained by the spacial distribution of its dipole elements.

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Résumé L'auteur se réfère à la proposition deB. Vonnegut de reconsidérer la théorie électrique des tornades. Il démontre que la théorie des orages, basée sur l'induction électro-magnétique, est également applicable au problème des tornades. Non seulement on explique aisément par ce moyen plusieurs propriétés des tornades, mais encore la probabilité de la valeur d'application de la théorie des orages en est sensiblement renforcée. Le meilleur argument en faveur de l'activité de l'induction électro-magnétique est certes l'observation d'un nuage d'orage en losange qui engendra plusieurs tornades. Cette formation peut s'expliquer de façon satisfaisante par la grille spaciale d'un nuage en dipole.

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Mit 6 Textabbildungen

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Dem Gedenken an Priv.-Doz. Dr.Fritz Rossmann gewidmet.     

Electric sector investments under technological and policy-related uncertainties: a stochastic programming approach

Although emerging technologies like carbon capture and storage and advanced nuclear are expected to play leading roles in greenhouse gas mitigation efforts, many engineering and policy-related uncertainties will influence their deployment. Capital-intensive infrastructure decisions depend on understanding the likelihoods and impacts of uncertainties such as the timing and stringency of climate policy as well as the technological availability of carbon capture systems. This paper demonstrates the utility of stochastic programming approaches to uncertainty analysis within a practical policy setting, using uncertainties in the US electric sector as motivating examples. We describe the potential utility of this framework for energy-environmental decision making and use a modeling example to reinforce these points and to stress the need for new tools to better exploit the full range of benefits the stochastic programming approach can provide. Model results illustrate how this framework can give important insights about hedging strategies to reduce risks associated with high compliance costs for tight CO₂ caps and low CCS availability. Metrics for evaluating uncertainties like the expected value of perfect information and the value of the stochastic solution quantify the importance of including uncertainties in capacity planning, of making precautionary low-carbon investments, and of conducting research and gathering information to reduce risk.     

Institutional Adaptation of Water Resource Infrastructures to Climate Change in Eastern Ontario

Institutional barriers and bridges to local climate change impacts adaptation affecting small rural municipalities and Conservation Authorities (CAs are watershed agencies) in Eastern Ontario (Canada) are examined, and elements of a community-based adaptation strategy related to water infrastructures are proposed as a case-study in community adaptation to climate change. No general water scarcity is expected for the region even under unusually dry weather scenarios. Localized quantity and quality problems are likely to occur especially in groundwater recharge areas. Some existing institutions can be relied on by municipalities to build an effective adaptation strategy based on a watershed/region perspective, on their credibility, and on their expertise. Windows of opportunity or framing issues are offered at the provincial level, the most relevant one in a federal state, by municipal emergency plan requirements and pending watershed source water protection legislation. Voluntary and soon to be mandated climate change mitigation programs at the federal level are other ones.     

Revaluation of the natural-resource potential of Ukraine

We provide a rationale for the technique of revaluating the natural-resource potential which is built upon the natural crop yield of Ukrainian lands obtained, with the observance of rotation cropping and by implementing the complex of mechanical tillage operations without fertilizer application. An assessment is made of Ukraine’s natural-resource potential within the context of three physical-geographical countries, four zones, three subzones, and 14 krais.     

Temperature variation in the mesosphere during solar eclipse

Rocket-borne observations of the extinction of solar hydrogen Lyman-alpha radiation made during the solar eclipses of 20 May 1966 at Karistos for normal and 44% visibility and of 7 March 1970 at East Quoddy for normal, 10% and 0.6% visibility have been used to study the variation of temperature in the mesosphere during these events. It is seen that near the mesopause the decrease of temperature at Karistos is by 20° K for 44% visibility and at East Quoddy by 100° K for 0.6% visibility. Possible causes of these temperature variationsvis-a-vis molecular oxygen and pressure variations have been briefly discussed.     

Mudbank regime off the Kerala coast during monsoon and non-monsoon seasons

Field experiments conducted in the nearshore ocean to understand the dynamics of mudbank off Kerala, south-west coast of India, are highlighted. Real time monitoring of the nearshore ocean off Purakkad, Kerala was accomplished using pressure transducers for nearshore surface wave measurements, and current sensors for nearshore velocity measurements. Comprehensive information on the spatial structure of mudbank was obtained from aerial surveys. Extensive data collected on surface waves and currents in the nearshore ocean, indicate that the infra-gravity (IG) waves (leaky modes and trapped edge wave modes), and far infra-gravity (FIG) waves coupled with strong shoreline reflections and undertow play an important role in the dynamics associated with the mudbanks off Kerala during the monsoon season. During the non-monsoon season evidence for progressive edge waves in the infragravity frequency band, an energetic gravity wave band and a strong undertow with weak reflections was observed.     

The influence of pulp density on the selective grinding of ores

The size distributions of the products from laboratory-scale batch grinds, of a leadzinc ore and a tin ore, were measured as a function of pulp density. A reduction in the overall grinding rate at high pulp densities correlated well with the increase in pulp viscosity. Enhanced fines production, apparent at the higher pulp densities, was however controlled largely by the particle packing and less by viscosity effects. The individual mineral distributions themselves responded differently to changes in pulp density. In particular, the extra fines generated at the high pulp densities consisted primarily of gangue material, with the softer ore minerals actually showing a drop in production. The addition of grinding aids, essentially viscosity modifiers, increased the grinding rate under certain conditions without producing any pronounced change in the selective grinding characteristics.