Using entropy theory to improve the definition of homogeneous regions in the semi-arid region of Brazil

ABSTRACT

Although the semi-arid region of Brazil appears to be homogeneous due to drought conditions, there is a great deal of variability in climatic elements in the region, so that the definition of homogeneous regions will provide the deployment of measures appropriate for each locality. However, the limited information on climatic parameters in the region makes it difficult to define these regions. This problem can, however, be alleviated by the use of entropy theory. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential of the theory to identify hydrologically homogeneous regions for conditions of the semi-arid region of Brazil. Entropy-based Disorder Index (DI) data were computed, based on monthly precipitation and monthly water balance (precipitation – reference evapotranspiration) for 290 gauge stations. For defining homogeneous regions, cluster analysis was utilized, using the data on geographical information about rain gauges (latitude and longitude), annual precipitation, annual water balance, coefficient of skewness, coefficient of kurtosis and DI. The identification of homogeneous regions in the Brazilian semi-arid region was only possible when the grouping of stations was performed, based on DI for precipitation and latitude. Results showed the definition of seven homogeneous regions in the semi-arid region of Brazil.     

Titan haze distribution and optical properties retrieved from recent observations

The VIMS instrument onboard Cassini observed the north polar region of Titan at 113° phase angle, 28 December 2006. On this spectral image, a vast polar cloud can be seen northward to 62°N, and elsewhere, the haze appears as the dominant source of scattering. Because the surface does not appear in the wavelength range between 0.3 and , this spectro-image is ideal to study airborn scatterers both in methane bands and windows. In this work, we study this image, along with another image taken at 13° phase angle. This image probe both the atmosphere and the surface from pole to pole. First, we characterise the spatial distribution of the haze layer above 100 km between 80°S and 70°N. We find a north south asymmetry with a haze opacity increasing by a factor 3 from the south pole to the equator, then a constant value up to about 30°N and a decrease of a factor 2 between 30°N and about 60°N. Beyond 60°N, we can see the influence of the north polar cloud, even in the band, but no polar haze accumulation. The fact that the north polar region is still in the polar night is a possible explanation. No haze accumulation is observed in the southern polar region. Secondly, we partly identify the origin of spectral features in the 2.8-μm methane window, which are found to be due to deuterated methane (CH₃D). This allows the analyse of this window and to retrieve the opacity of scatterers layer below 80 km (presumably made of aerosols and condensate droplets) between 35°N and 60°N. Finally, we constrained the values and the spectral behaviour of the imaginary part of the aerosol refractive index in the range between 0.3 and . To do so, we studied the 2.8-μm window with the image taken at 113° phase angle. To complete the analysis, we studied the transmission through the haze layer in the 3.4-μm band observed in solar occultation mode with VIMS, and we analysed the single scattering albedo retrieved with DISR instrument between 0.4 and . The imaginary part of the refractive index that we find for Titan aerosols follows Khare et al. (Khare, B.N. et al. [1984]. Icarus 60, 127-137) optical constant up to and becomes constant beyond this wavelength at least up to . It also has a prominent peak at and a secondary peak at , which indicates material rich in C-H bonds, with much less N-H bonds than in Khare et al. (1984) tholins.     

Volcanic and structural evolution of Pico do Fogo,Cape Verde

In recent months the media have drawn attention to the Cape Verde archipelago, with particular focus on the island of Fogo, the only island presently active and with an eruption that began on 23 November 2014, finally ceasing on 7 February 2015. The Monte Amarelo conical shield forms most of the 476 km² almost circular island of Fogo. After attaining a critical elevation of about 3500 m, the Monte Amarelo shield volcano was decapitated by a giant landslide that formed a caldera‐like depression (Cha das Caldeiras), which was subsequently partially filled by basaltic nested volcanism. This younger eruptive activity culminated in the construction of the 2829 m‐high Pico do Fogo stratocone, apparently entirely made of layers of basaltic lapilli. Continued growth of the Pico do Fogo summit eruptions was interrupted in 1750, most likely after the stratocone reached a critical height. Since then, at least eight eruptions have taken place inside the landslide depression at the periphery of the Pico do Fogo cone, including the 2014–2015 eruptive event. Strong geological similarities with the Canary Islands, 1400 km to the north, have been frequently noted, probably as a consequence of a common process of origin and evolution associated with a mantle hot‐spot. These similarities are particularly evident when comparing Fogo with the Teide Volcanic Complex on Tenerife, where a lateral collapse of the Las Cañadas stratovolcano also formed a large depression (the Caldera de Las Cañadas), now partially filled with the 3718 m‐high Teide stratocone. However, important geological differences also exist and probably relate to the contrasting evolutionary stages of both islands. The Las Cañadas volcano on Tenerife formed at a late post‐erosional stage, with predominantly evolved (trachyte and phonolite) magmas, while at Fogo basaltic volcanism is still dominant.     

Virtual Coast Guard: An Open and Crowdsourced GIS Portal for Stewardship of India's Coast

India's coastline is under tremendous pressure. The current processes of development are becoming a threat to the ecology and livelihoods housed on the coast. If left unchecked, there will not be much of a coast left for our future generations. GIS provides tremendous opportunities to map spatial information for better decision‐making. Government agencies generate maps, but they are localized and inaccessible, preventing an actual assessment of the damage that is already happening to our coast. The Coastal Area Mapping Project (CAMP) envisions creating a collaborative GIS platform using open source technologies. CAMP's vision is to use Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) for collaboration and cocreation and collective problem solving. CAMP foresees a vision for India's coastline where power is equalized among all constituencies (Government, corporations, media, communities, civil societies, etc.), by capturing the big picture and patterns, thus enabling the creation of strategies for stewardship of India's coastline for human wellbeing, coastal protection and sustainable coastal development.     

Triangulation-to-GPS and GPS-to-GPS geodesy in Trinidad, West Indies: Neotectonics, seismic risk, and geologic implications

We estimated horizontal velocities at 25 sites first surveyed in a 1901-1903 British Ordnance Survey triangulation and then resurveyed with GPS in 1994-1995 to identify Trinidad's principal active on-land faults, quantify fault-slip-rates, and test for elastic locking. Our best-fit single-fault elastic dislocation model put 12 ± 3 mm/yr of dextral strike-slip on the Central Range Fault (1-2 km locking depth), an apparently aseismic active fault. The estimated motions also showed statistically insignificant horizontal motion (2.2 ± 1.8 mm/yr of right-slip; 2.7 ± 2.0 mm/yr of N-S shortening) on the eastward on-strike extension of the El Pilar Fault, known to be the active transform fault in Venezuela. Repeat GPS measurements made between 1994 and 2005 at two sites spanning the island north to south showed a 14 ± 3 mm/yr eastward (plate-motion-parallel) dextral velocity differential, consistent with our best-fit historic (1901-1995) fault-slip-rate. Paleoseismology trenching demonstrates that the Central Range Fault cuts <5000-year-old sediment and is capped by ∼550-year-old sediment, suggesting that it may be locked and may have ruptured at least once during this time interval. About ∼5 mm/yr of slip could be taken up on the Los Bajos Fault and additional faults in the offshore south of Trinidad. The existing 1901-1995 and 1994-2005 geodetic data alone cannot resolve whether the Central Range Fault is essentially creeping (≤1-2 km locking depth) or locked to a more standard depth of 10 km.     

A Search for Pulsating, Mass-Accreting Components in Algol-Type Eclipsing Binaries

We present a status report on the search for pulsations in primary componants of Algols systems (oEA stars). Analysis of 21 systems with A0-F2 spectral type primaries revealed pulsations in two systems suggesting that of the order of ten persent of Algols primaries in this range are actually pulsators.     

Possible ancient giant basin and related water enrichment in the Arabia Terra province, Mars

A circular albedo feature in the Arabia Terra province was first hypothesized as an ancient impact basin using Viking-era information. To test this unpublished hypothesis, we have analyzed the Viking era-information together with layers of new data derived from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Odyssey (MO) missions. Our analysis indicates that Arabia Terra is an ancient geologic province of Mars with many distinct characteristics, including predominantly Noachian materials, a unique part of the highland-lowland boundary, a prominent paleotectonic history, the largest region of fretted terrain on the planet, outflow channels with no obvious origins, extensive exposures of eroded layered sedimentary deposits, and notable structural, albedo, thermal inertia, gravity, magnetic, and elemental signatures. The province also is marked by special impact crater morphologies, which suggest a persistent volatile-rich substrate. No one characteristic provides definitive answers to the dominant event(s) that shaped this unique province. Collectively the characteristics reported here support the following hypothesized sequence of events in Arabia Terra: (1) an enormous basin, possibly of impact origin, formed early in martian history when the magnetic dynamo was active and the lithosphere was relatively thin, (2) sediments and other materials were deposited in the basin during high erosion rates while maintaining isostatic equilibrium, (3) sediments became water enriched during the Noachian Period, and (4) basin materials were uplifted in response to the growth of the Tharsis Bulge, resulting in differential erosion exposing ancient stratigraphic sequences. Parts of the ancient basin remain water-enriched to the present day.     

The Garzón Massif, Colombia-a new ultrahigh-temperature metamorphic complex in the Early Neoproterozoic of northern South America

The Garzón Complex of the Garzón Massif in SW Colombia is composed of the Vergel Granulite Unit (VG) and the Las Margaritas Migmatite Unit (LMM). Previous studies reveal peak temperature conditions for the VG of about 740?°C. The present study considers the remarkable exsolution phenomena in feldspars and pyroxenes and titanium-in-quartz thermometry. Recalculated ternary feldspar compositions indicate temperatures around 900–1,000?°C just at or above the ultra-high temperature–metamorphism (UHTM) boundary of granulites. The calculated temperatures range of exsolved ortho- and clinopyroxenes also supports the existence of an UHTM event. In addition, titanium-in-quartz thermometry points towards ultra-high temperatures. It is the first known UHTM crustal segment in the northern part of South America. Although a mean geothermal gradient of ca 38?°C?km^?1 could imply additional heat supply in the lower crust controlling this extreme of peak metamorphism, an alternative model is suggested. The formation of the Vergel Granulite Unit is supposed to be formed in a continental back-arc environment with a thinned and weakened crust behind a magmatic arc (Guapotón-Mancagua Gneiss) followed by collision. In contrast, rocks of the adjacent Las Margaritas Migmatite Unit display “normal” granulite facies temperatures and are formed in a colder lower crust outside the arc, preserved by the Guapotón-Mancagu Gneiss. Back-arc formation was followed by inversion and thickening of the basin. The three units that form the modern-day Garzón Massif, were juxtaposed upon each other during collision (at ca. 1,000?Ma) and exhumation. The collision leading to the deformation of the studied area is part of the Grenville orogeny leading to the amalgamation of Rodinia.     

Estimating Travel Times of Coronal Mass Ejections to 1 AU Using Multi-spacecraft Coronagraph Data

We study the relationship between the speeds of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) obtained close to the Sun and in the interplanetary medium during the low solar-activity period from 2008 to 2010. We use a multi-spacecraft forward-modeling technique to fit a flux-rope-like model to white-light coronagraph images from the STEREO and SOHO spacecraft to estimate the geometrical configuration, propagation in three-dimensions (3D), and the radial speeds of the observed CMEs. The 3D speeds obtained in this way are used in existing CME travel-time prediction models. The results are compared to the actual CME transit times from the Sun to STEREO, ACE, and Wind spacecraft as well as to the transit times calculated using projected CME speeds. CME 3D speeds give slightly better predictions than projected CME speeds, but a large scatter is observed between the predicted and observed travel times, even when 3D speeds are used. We estimate the possible sources of errors and find a weak tendency for large interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs) with high magnetic fields to arrive faster than predicted and small, low-magnetic-field ICMEs to arrive later than predicted. The observed CME transit times from the Sun to 1?AU show a particularly good correlation with the upstream solar-wind speed. Similar trends have not been observed in previous studies using data sets near solar maximum. We suggest that near solar minimum a relatively narrow range of CME initial speeds, sizes, and magnetic-field magnitudes led to a situation where aerodynamic drag between CMEs and ambient solar wind was the primary cause of variations in CME arrival times from the Sun to 1?AU.