An inverse method for reconstructing the density and sound speed profiles of a layered ocean bottom

A standard inverse problem in underwater acoustics is the reconstruction of the ocean subbottom structure (e.g., the density and sound speed profiles) from an aperture- and bandlimited knowledge of the reflection coefficient. In this paper we describe an inverse solution method due to Candel et al. [12] which is based on the scattering of acoustic plane waves by a one-dimensional inhomogeneous medium. As a consequence of applying the forward scattering approximation to a local wave representation of the acoustic field, they obtain an expression for the reflection coefficient in the form of a nonlinear Fourier transform of the logarithmic derivative of the local admittance. Inversion of this integral transform enables the recovery of the admittance profile via the numerical integration of two first-order differential equations which require as reflection data a single impulse response of the medium. Separate recovery of both the density and sound speed profiles requires two impulse responses for two different grazing angles. In this case, four differential equations need to be integrated instead of two. To illustrate the capability of the method, we present numerical reconstructions which are based on synthetic reflection data for a geoacoustic model that represents the acoustic properties of the surficial sediments for a site in the Hatteras Abyssal Plain.     

Stable regions in the Earth's liquid core

Summary. Slow cooling of the whole Earth can be responsible for the convection in the core that is required to generate the magnetic field. Previous studies have assumed the cooling rate to be high enough for the whole core to convect. Here we study the effects of a low rate of cooling by assuming the temperature at the base of the mantle to remain constant with an initially entirely molten, adiabatic core. We argue that, in such a situation, convection would stop at the top of the core, and calculate the consequent thermal evolution. A stable, density stratified layer grows downwards from the core mantle boundary reaching a thickness of 100–1000 km in a few thousands of millions of years. There is some geomagnetic evidence to support belief in the existence of such a stable layer.     

Die Braunkohlenmoore des Jüngeren Tertiärs und Ihre Ablagerungen

Zusammenfassung Das Hauptflöz der rheinischen Braunkohle erreicht eine Mächtigkeit von nahezu 100 m. Wir haben hier die Möglichkeit Vegetationsänderungen während eines Zeitraumes zu verfolgen, der etwa größenordnungsgemäß der Dauer des Gesamtquartärs entsprechen dürfte. Auf Grund der neuesten Daten ist dieses Kohlenlager im älteren Neogen entstanden (H.Breddin, H. W.Quitzow). Die fossile Pflanzenwelt besteht aus Arten, deren nächste Verwandte zum großen Teil in Nordamerika und Ostasien lebend angetroffen werden. Die botanische Analyse (von der die Pollenanalyse nur einen Teil darstellt) erlaubt eine Rekonstruktion der Pflanzenvereine und Moortypen.     

Currents along the pacific coast of Canada

Abstract

A powerful storm passed over the coastal waters of eastern Canada on the 21 and 22 January 2000 causing significant damage to coastal infrastructure. The storm generated a large (>1.4 m) storm surge in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence that unfortunately coincided with a high spring tide. This resulted in record high water levels in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (e.g., the highest level at Charlottetown since records began in 1911) and severe flooding around Prince Edward Island and along the eastern shore of New Brunswick.

During January 2000, a recently developed storm surge forecast system was running in pre‐operational mode at Dalhousie University. The core of the forecast system is a depth‐averaged, non‐linear, barotropic ocean model driven by forecast winds and air pressures produced by the Canadian Meteorological Centre's regional atmospheric forecast model. In this study we assess the forecast skill of the surge model for the 21 January storm by comparing its 24‐hour forecasts with two independent hourly dataseis: (i) sea levels recorded by 12 tide gauges located in eastern Canada and the north‐eastern United States, and (ii) depth‐mean currents recorded by an acoustic Doppler current profiler deployed on the outer Scotian Shelf. Overall, the forecasts of coastal sea level and depth‐mean currents are reasonable and have forecast errors below about 0.1 m and 0.1 m s^?1 respectively.