Spectral analyses of solar photospheric fluctuations

Successful subtraction of instrumental background variations has permitted spectral analyses of two-dimensional measurement arrays of granulation brightness fluctuations at the center of the disk, arrays obtained from Stratoscope I, 1959B-flight, high-resolution frames B1551 and B3241.

1. RMS's, uncorrected for instrumental blurring, are 0.0850 of mean intensity for B1551 and 0.0736 for B3241, somewhat higher than other determinations. These between-frame and between-investigation differences probably result from a combination of calibration errors, frame resolution differences, and, most likely, granulation pattern differences.
2. Significant variations over each array of mean intensities and RMS's, determined for sub-arrays with dimensions in the 2500–10000 km range, indicate spatial brightness and RMS variations larger than the ‘scale’ of the granulation pattern, supporting a turbulent interpretation of photospheric convection.
3. One-dimensional power-spectra shapes provide objective and discriminating criteria for determining granulation pattern differences and, possibly, frame resolution.
4. Two-dimensional power spectra show small, essentially random deviations from axial symmetry which lie almost entirely within the 50% confidence limits.
5. Spectral densities and fluctuation power spectra, computed from the two-dimensional power spectra and corrected for instrumental blurring, noise, and blemishes, have a useable radial wavenumber range nearly double that of earlier Stratoscope I analyses.
6. Corrected RMS's obtained from the corrected fluctuation power spectra, 0.145 ± 0.046 for B1551 and 0.136 ± 0.048 for B3241, depend critically on the accuracy of the correction.
7. The spectra's wavenumber range includes the granulation-fluctuation-producing domain but not the Kolmogoroff domain of turbulence spectra.

     

Advances in the fatigue assessment of wire ropes

This paper presents the findings from an in-depth analysis of the (axial) stiffness data recorded during tension–tension fatigue tests on wire ropes, particularly in relation to how changes in stiffness during testing relate to changes in rope strength. A linear relationship between stiffness and strength is shown to exist and a methodology presented for quantifying residual strength with applied cycles. New lower bound fatigue lines for six-strand rope and spiral strand are presented which are based on a 10% loss of strength. These new lines have the advantage of having been established using a common discard criterion for wire ropes.     

Streambank dewatering for increased stability

Streambank erosion is often the dominant source of sediment leaving modified watersheds. Mass failure of high, steep banks is one of the most serious forms of streambank erosion. The risk of a given bank experiencing mass failure is a function of bank height, angle, and soil strength, which is governed by soil moisture. Two methods for bank dewatering were tested in adjacent sections of streambank bordering a deeply incised channel in northern Mississippi: a low‐cost pump system and subsurface horizontal drains. Pore water pressures (both positive and negative pressures, or matric suction) were continuously monitored for 2 years at the pumped site, at an adjacent untreated control section, and for 1 year at the site stabilized with horizontal drains. Resulting data were used to calculate a time series of the factor of safety using a computer model. Over the course of two wet seasons, average bank retreats for the control and pumped plots were 0·43 and 0·21 m, respectively. More limited monitoring revealed that the site with passive drains retreated about 0·23 m. At the pumped site pore water pressure was 3–4 kPa lower than at the control site during the most critical periods. Accordingly, computed factors of safety were above the failure threshold at the pumped site, but fell below unity at the control site on 11 occasions over the period of observation. Similarly, the drained site displayed generally lower pore water pressure and higher safety factors except for two events when drains were evidently overwhelmed with the volume of local surface and subsurface flows. These results suggest, but do not prove, that bank dewatering promoted lower rates of bank retreat and higher levels of stability since the three sites had slight differences in soils, geometry and boundary conditions. Initial cost of the dewatering treatments were significantly less than orthodox bank stabilization measures, but operation and maintenance requirements may be greater. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Land cover change detection in West Jilin using ETM ＋ images

In order to assess the information content and accuracy of Landsat ETM digital images in land cover change detection,change-detection techniques of image differencing, normalized difference vegetation index,principal components analysis and tasseled-cap transformation were applied to yield 13 images. These images were thresholded into change and no change areas. The thresholded images were then checked in terms of various accuracies. The experiment results show that kappa coefficients of the 13 images range from 48.05-78.09. Different images do detect different types of changes. Images associated with changes in the near-inflared-reflectance or greenness detects crop-type changes and changes between vegetative and non-vegetative features. A unique means of using only Landsat imagery without reference data for the assessment of change in arid land are presented. Images of 12t June, 2000 and 2‘d June, 2002 are used to validate the means. Analyses of standard accuracy and spatial agreement are performed to compare the new images (hereafter called “change images” ) representing the change between the two dates. Spatial agreement evaluates the conformity in the classified “change pixels” and “no-change pixels” at the same location on different change images and comprehensively examines the different techniques. This method would enable authorities to monitor land degradation efficiently and aeculately.     

Polarimetry of Pluto

The polarization of Pluto has been measured for a range of solar phase angles from 0.8 to 1.8°. A mean linear polarization of 0.29 ± 0.01% (error of the mean) was found. No dependence of both the amount of polarization and position angles with rotational phase or solar phase angle could be detected. The positional angles of polarization agree with calculated position angles of the defect of illumination and are therefore parallel to the scattering plane. The observed polarization cannot be explained as resulting purely from a surface material which is similar to asteroidal surfaces. A hypothesis of polarization from a thin atmosphere, in addition to the surface polarization, is advanced.     

Environmental changes on Yugorski Peninsula, Kara Sea, Russia, during the last 12,800 radiocarbon years

New pollen and radiocarbon data from an 8.6-m coastal section, Cape Shpindler (69°43′N; 62°48′E), Yugorski Peninsula, document the latest Pleistocene and Holocene environmental history of this low Arctic region. Twelve AMS ¹⁴C dates indicate that the deposits accumulated since about 13,000 until 2000 radiocarbon years BP. A thermokarst lake formed ca. 13,000–12,800 years BP, when scarce arctic tundra vegetation dominated the area. By 12,500 years BP, a shallow lake existed at the site, and Arctic tundra with Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Salix, Saxifraga, and Artemisia dominated nearby vegetation. Climate was colder than today. Betula nana became dominant during the Early Preboreal period about 9500 years BP, responding to a warm event, which was one of the warmest during the Holocene. Decline in B. nana and Salix after 9500 years BP reflects a brief event of Preboreal cooling. A subsequent increase in Betula and Alnus fruticosa pollen percentages reflects amelioration of environmental conditions at the end of Preboreal period (ca. 9300 years BP). A decline in arboreal taxa later, with a dramatic increase in herb taxa, reflects a short cold event at about 9200 years BP. The pollen data reflect a northward movement of tree birch, peaking at the middle Boreal period, around 8500 years BP. Open Betula forest existed on the Kara Sea coast of the Yugorski Peninsula during the Atlantic period (8000–4500 years BP), indicating that climate was significantly warmer than today. Deteriorating climate around the Atlantic–Subboreal boundary (ca. 4500 years BP) is recorded by a decline in Betula percentages. Sedimentation slowed at the site, and processes of denudation and/or soil formation started at the beginning of the Subatlantic period, when vegetation cover on Yugorski Peninsula shifted to near-modern assemblages.     

Pre-perihelion CCD photometry of Comet 1995 01 (Hale-Bopp)

Systematic CCD photometry of Comet 1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) began in early August 1995 shortly after its discovery (IAU Circular 6187) and continued until mid-November 1996. The light curve derived from a 34″ square centered on the nucleus shows clearly and objectively how the inner regions of the comet brightened during this 15 month period. Possible connections between sudden brightenings and reported outbursts are investigated. During the interval August–December 1995, the magnitude of the comet showed strong evidence of a periodicity of 20±5 days with a full amplitude of approximately 0.20 mag. It is noteworthy that this result spans both the period of 18 days suggested by Sekanina (1995, 1996) and the “superperiod” of 22±2 days reported by Jorda et al. (1997). However, in 1996 neither this periodicity nor any other could be detected with certainty in the photometric data.     

Unit cell parameters,compositions and 2V measurements of selected lunar plagioclases

Unit cell parameters of 12 selected lunar plagioclase specimens have been obtained using least-squares refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data. Compositions of splits of 11 of these plagioclase specimens were determined using the electron microprobe. Optical axial angles were measured on analyzed spots for nine of the probed specimens. Analyses cluster about An 96.5 ± 1.0 and unit cell parameters and 2V _x fit the values for this composition obtained in other studies.     

A Mariner 9 atlas of the moons of Mars

This paper contains a complete set of the best enhancements of Mariner 9 high resolution television pictures of Phobos and Deimos, consisting of 27 different views of Phobos, and 9 of Deimos. Pertinent data about the pictures are arranged in convenient tabular and graphical form.