Solar–terrestrial effects possibly stronger in biblical times

Paleomagnetic studies have shown that, moving backwards in time, the geomagnetic dipole moment increased to a peak nearly 50% greater than at present ca. 2500 years ago. Attempts to model how changes in dipole moment affect solar–terrestrial relations have hitherto invoked a scaling relation for the size of the magnetosphere based on finding where the magnetic pressure of the dipole field balances the ram pressure of the solar wind. This approach predicts that, following a solar storm, the strength of the terrestrial response represented by the electrical potential across the auroral zones in the ionosphere should vary as the 1/3 power of dipole moment. Such a weak dependence suggests that a 50% increase in dipole moment would minimally effect (14%) terrestrial manifestations of solar storms. Recent work, however, based on a feedback mechanism involving electrical currents coupling the magnetosphere and ionosphere has identified a stronger 4/3, power scaling relation applicable to storm conditions. Here we use a global MHD simulation to calculate for a 50% increased dipole moment the correspondingly increased auroral-zone potential and its extension to low latitudes.     

Mapping the Land Cover of Mexico Using AVHRR Time‐Series Data Sets

Abstract

An important methodological and analytical requirement for analyzing spatial relationships between regional habitats and species distributions in Mexico is the development of standard methods for mapping the country's land cover/land use formations. This necessarily involves the use of global data such as that produced by the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). We created a nine‐band time‐series composite image from AVHRR Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) bi‐weekly data. Each band represented the maximum NDVI for a particular month of either 1992 or 1993. We carried out a supervised classification approach, using the latest comprehensive land cover/vegetation map created by the Mexican National Institute of Geography (INEGI) as reference data. Training areas for 26 land cover/vegetation types were selected and digitized on the computer's screen by overlaying the INEGI vector coverage on the NDVI image. To obtain specific spectral responses for each vegetation type, as determined by its characteristic phenology and geographic location, the statistics of the spectral signatures were subjected to a cluster analysis. A total of 104 classes distributed among the 26 land cover types were used to perform the classification. Elevation data were used to direct classification output for pine‐oak and coastal vegetation types. The overall correspondence value of the classification proposed in this paper was 54%; however, for main vegetation formations correspondence values were higher (60‐80%). In order to obtain refinements in the proposed classification we recommend further analysis of the signature statistics and adding topographic data into the classification algorithm.     

珠江口磨刀门整治前后水动力数值模拟

磨刀门是珠江的主要泄洪通道之一,径流分配居珠江三角洲八大口门之首。利用磨刀门1977年地形(大规模整治前)和2003年的地形,通过ECOMSED模型模拟了磨刀门海域洪枯季节水动力场,对潮流、余流、潮能通量特性进行了对比,发现整治后磨刀门水动力强度加大,而且流速滩槽分异明显,余流场与落潮流方向一致。20世纪70年代,余流自口门出来后在内海区右偏,现在磨刀门水道余流偏向西部浅滩;潮能通量密度加大,滩槽分布差异明显。     

Geological structure of the Curonian Spit (of the Baltic Sea) and its evolution history (revised)

The origin and evolution history of the Curonian Spit in the Baltic Sea are discussed based on geological and geomorphologic data. Evidence of the correlation between the spit formation stages and the Holocene sea level oscillations is presented. The ledges of moraine basement and marine accumulative features formed a single barrier. Its subsequent transformation occurred under the influence of the wave-related lithodynamic and eolian processes.     

Neutron stars in the bimetric Scalar-Tensor theory of gravitation. I. new solutions of the field equations

New solutions of the equations of the bimetric scalar-tensor theory of gravitation for neutron stars are found. In these solutions the scalar field is constant, φ = φ_φ, while the metric space-time tensor is determined by the equations of the general theory of relativity. The problem was to find a background metric corresponding to φ_φ. Solutions with a variable φ were studied earlier [M. R. Avakian, L. Sh. Grigorian, and A. A. Saharian, Astrofizika, 35, 121 (1991)] and are determined by the dimensionless parameter ζ of the theory. Differences between solutions with constant and variable ? are considerable for ¦ζ¦ ≤ 1.     

Spectroscopic observations of red dwarfs. III. Observations of red stars in the solar neighborhood

This list is based on 20 stars in the solar neighborhood for which there are 52 spectra. Twelve of them are known as UV Ceti flare stars. The others behave like flare stars, but are not known to be such. Among the 20 there are many binary and triple flare stars. They all belong to the disk population of the Galaxy. Red dwarfs comprise one of the numerous populations of the system. Flare stars either continue to flare or have ceased flare activity. Three diagrams are given that show satisfactory agreement with the expected ones. A cluster analysis is carried out, which is in agreement with the original proposition and confirms the foregoing.