A New Tethered Balloon-Borne Payload for Fine-Scale Observations in the Cloudy Boundary Layer

A new scientific payload is introduced for fine-scale measurements of meteorological (wind vector, static air temperature, humidity, and air pressure) and microphysical (aerosol particles and cloud droplets) properties, suspended below a tethered balloon. The high resolution sensors and the tethered balloon are described. Measurements in a lifted fog layer from a first field campaign are presented.The detailed investigation of the fog/haze and the temperature inversion layer demonstrates the damping influence of the fog on temperature fluctuations, while thewind fluctuations are significantly decreased by theevolving temperature inversion, whichwas about 30 m above the fog layer.From spectral analysis the noise floors of the high-resolution sensors are determined to10^-6 kg m^-3 for the LWC (liquid water content) and 4 mK for the fast temperature sensor (UFT-B). The correlation betweentemperature and LWC structures in shallow haze layers is investigated. The release of latent heat and the corresponding warming in the haze of about 0.1 K could be quantified.     

A photoelectric detector for the measurement of photolysis frequencies of ozone and other atmospheric molecules

Photoelectric detectors for the measurement of photolysis frequencies of different trace gases in the atmosphere are described. They exhibit uniform response characteristics over one hemisphere (2 sr) and wavelength characteristics closely matched to those of the photolysis frequencies J _O1D, J _NO2, and J _NO3, respectively. Absolute calibration of the J _O1D detector was performed by chemical actinometry with an accuracy of ±16 percent. Simultaneous measurements of J _NO2 and J _O1D are presented.     

Shock waves—Phenomenology,experimental, and numerical simulation

Abstract— The purpose of this paper is to review the results of long‐term cooperation between Dieter Stöffler and the authors in the field of shock wave deformation of minerals and rocks. First, the principal phenomena of shock wave generation and propagation, predominantly in solid media, are presented, and then analytical and numerical mathematical treatment of shock wave processes on the basis of mass, momentum, and energy conservation laws will be described and discussed. Experimental methods of shock wave investigations by means of impact and explosive techniques are summarized, including hypervelocity acceleration facilities and high‐pressure explosive devices. Shock pressure barometry by means of mineralogical evidence of distinct material phase transitions and characteristic shock structures is also discussed.     

NOBLE GASES AND THE CLASSIFICATION OF BRACHINA

Noble-gas systematics show that Brachino is not a member of the SNC-group of meteorites. The whole-rock K-Ar gas retention age is (3.11 ± 0.07) AE as compared to the 1.3 AE solidification ages of SNCs; the content of radiogenic¹²⁹ Xe* of (3.47 ±. 15) × 10^?10 cm³ STP/g is about two orders of magnitude higher, and the¹²⁹ Xe/¹³² Xe ratio (11.0), the ratio of radiogenic¹²⁹ Xe* to fissiogenic¹³⁶ Xe_f (300), and the ratio³⁶ Ar/¹³² Xe in the trapped gases are about one order of magnitude higher than observed for SNCs. The same evidence argues strongly against any simple genetic relationship with eucrites. The noble-gas abundance pattern resembles closely that in silicate inclusions from the iron meteorites Campo del Cielo and Udei Station. Abundances of cosmic-ray produced³ He and²¹ Ne (5.7 and. 99 × 10^?8 cm³ STP/g, resp.) indicate an exposure age of ～ 2.4 Ma. Irradiation conditions appear to have been perfectly normal except for an unaccountably low content of spallogenic ³⁸Ar. Losses by diffusion of radiogenic⁴ He are severe; they must have occurred at or before the onset of the exposure of the meteoroid to the cosmic radiation.     

Future impacts of global warming and reforestation on drought patterns over West Africa

This study investigates how a large-scale reforestation in Savanna (8–12°N, 20°W–20°E) could affect drought patterns over West Africa in the future (2031–2060) under the RCP4.5 scenario. Simulations from two regional climate models (RegCM4 and WRF) were analyzed for the study. The study first evaluated the performance of both RCMs in simulating the present-day climate and then applied the models to investigate the future impacts of global warming and reforestation on the drought patterns. The simulated and observed droughts were characterized with the Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and the drought patterns were classified using a Self-organizing Map (SOM) technique. The models capture essential features in the seasonal rainfall and temperature fields (including the Saharan Heat Low), but struggle to reproduce the onset and retreat of the West African Monsoon as observed. Both RCMs project a warmer climate (about 1–2 °C) over West Africa in the future. They do not reach a consensus on future change in rainfall, but they agree on a future increase in frequency of severe droughts (by about 2 to 9 events per decade) over the region. They show that reforestation over the Savanna could reduce the future warming by 0.1 to 0.8 °C and increase the precipitation by 0.8 to 1.2 mm per day. However, the impact of reforestation on the frequency of severe droughts is twofold. While reforestation decreases the droughts frequency (by about 1–2 events per decade) over the Savanna and Guinea coast, it increases droughts frequency (by 1 event per decade) over the Sahel, especially in July to September. The results of this study have application in using reforestation to mitigate impacts of climate change in West Africa.     

ON THE PHYSICS OF FLOW-DRIVEN SEDIMENTS (BED-LOAD)

l PROBLEMS AND AlMSSediments may be transported close to the bed, rolling and sliding, as we1l as susPended in the flow. Forvarious reasons the theoretical treatment of the bed-load problem has been exceptionally difficult. Noanalytical solution had been fOund uP to now, beginning with Du Buat (l786), Huebbe (l86l) and DuBoys (I 879). Since the aPProach of Du Boys numerous new attemPts have been catried out, mostly of anempirical nature. Consequently they are not generally valid an…     

Visualization of tectonic structures in shallow-depth high-resolution ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is applied to detect subsurface tectonic structures and to map the geometry of faulted blocks. Tectonic interpretations from a profile crossing the graben fault and a grid in a second-order graben structure providing a 3D data set are correlated to the structural inventory of the outcrop. Folded layers of the roll-over anticline are identified by continuous curved reflectors and an increasing dip towards the main graben fault. Faults are indicated by arrays of reflector terminations. Variations in the water and clay content caused by karstification and brecciation on fault planes are displayed by changing amplitudes of the detected signal. The 3D visualization of the second-order graben structure with a grid of GPR profiles illustrates the local stress pattern which coincides with structural observations in the outcrop and photo lineations.     

Access and Assimilation: Pivotal environmental information challenges

The world-wide environmental exchange of information is hampered by difficulties bridging terminologies and languages so that trans-cultural, cross-sectoral, and multi-dimensional information can be made available in a usable form at low cost. The alternative concepts and elements described are planned to contribute to HEMIS, UNEP-HEMs world-wide information and reference system. The potential content includes: environmentally relevant organizations, activities, systems, methods, data sources, qualities, and access methods. The key design element is a multi-lingual thesaurus which has harmonization effect resulting from the structuring and strategic access to information. Documentation and retrieval is another concern beside the provision of tools to ease identification, dissemination, and validation of information. The maintenance of validated source data and documents will reduce the volumes of requested information and thereby counteract the present information overkill.     

Mapping mountains: Vegetation in the Himalaya

The author deals with the vegetation of the Himalayas taking his 1957 map as basis of the presentation. This map by way of vegetation first opened insigh into the hitherto unknown landscape structure of the mountain system, thereby revealing, for instance, the phenomeon of the inner valleys and the climatically dry valleys, in particular as well as the areas vegetationwise still unknown. Progress in our knowledge of the vegetation in the Himalayas since publication of the 1957 map is carefully recorded showing, above all, the advancement of our knowledge in Nepal since. In contrast to expectations, research was unable to concentrate on all the gaps in our knowledge as demonstrated on the 1957 map owing to political conditions prevailing.     

Phase transitions in leucite: Order parameter behaviour and the Landau potential deduced from Raman spectroscopy and birefringence studies

Hard mode Raman Spectroscopy and optical birefringence studies have been used to evaluate the temperature behaviour of order parameters for the cubictetragonal phase transition in leucite. There is a strong temperature-dependence of Raman line frequencies near 498 cm^–1 and 529 cm^–1, and the optical birefringence decreases towards zero on heating. Above the transition temperature leucite still shows slight birefringence, which correlates with the persistence of the 200 X-ray reflexion at these temperatures, and is not compatible with the ideal cubic symmetry. Quantitative observations of the temperature evolution of Raman line-frequencies and the birefringence are consistent with an order parameter showing T _1g symmetry, and a nearly-tricritical phase transition behaviour. The results of earlier X-ray and DSC studies imply the operation of an additional order parameter, with E _g symmetry; this is observed, but its influence on the transition behaviour is significant only at temperatures close to T _c. The two order parameters are related via linear-quadratic or biquadratic coupling. We develop the form of the Landau Potential for leucite — including both order parameters and their couplings — to discuss the present observations and previous structural data.