Lateral coherence in isotropic turbulence and in the natural wind

A short review of experimental findings is given, followed by a theoretical derivation, based on Taylor's hypothesis, of formulas for lateral coherences. It is assumed that the flow is stationary and homogeneous. Explicit formulas are derived assuming an energy spectrum pertaining to the inertial subrange. Even when the last assumption is not fulfilled, there are only four different types of non-zero velocity coherences. These four coherences correspond to the combinations uu, vv, ww, and uv, where u, v, and w are the longitudinal, the transversal, and the vertical component of the turbulent velocity with respect to the direction of the horizontal mean wind velocity U. In the case of small displacements relative to the scale of turbulence, the coherences are shown to be universal functions of the non-dimensional frequency nD/¦U¦, where n is the frequency and D the lateral displacement. It is shown that these theoretical formulas for spectral coherences are in good agreement with atmospheric data. Finally, the role of the scale of the turbulence is discussed.     

The spectral velocity tensor for homogeneous boundary-layer turbulence

We have postulated a simple model for the spectral tensor _ij (k) of an anisotropic, but homogeneous turbulent velocity field. It is a simple generalization of the spectral tensor _inf ^{ij piso}(k) for isotropic turbulence and we show how in the limit of isotropy, _ij (k) becomes equal to _inf ^{ij piso}(k). Whereas _inf ^{ij piso}(k) is determined entirely by one scalar function of k = ¦k¦, namely the energy spectrum, we need three independent scalar functions of k to specify _ij (k). We show how it is possible by means of the three stream-wise velocity component spectra to determine the three scalar functions in _ij (k) by solving two uncoupled, ordinary linear differential equations of first and second order. The analytic form of the component spectra each has a set of three parameters: the variance and the integral length scale of the velocity component and a dimensionless parameter, which governs the curvature of the spectrum in the transition domain from the inertial subrange towards lower wave numbers. When the three sets of parameters are the same, the three spectra correspond to isotropic turbulence and they are all interrelated and related to the energy spectrum. We show how it is possible to obtain these spectral forms in the neutral surface layer and in the convective boundary layer from data reported in the literature. The spectral tensor is used to predict the lateral coherences for all three velocity components and these predictions are compared with coherences obtained in two experiments, one using three masts at a horizontally homogeneous site in Denmark and one employing two aircraft flying in formation over eastern Colorado. Comparison shows reasonable agreement although with considerable experimental scatter.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

The structure of benthic environments and the paleochemical record of foraminifera

Benthic foraminiferal shell geochemistry has been extensively used to develop paleoceanographic tracers. Many of these proxies are sensitive to the geochemical conditions of the microhabitats selected by particular foraminiferal species. Understanding these microhabitats, then, is essential for proper interpretation of the proxies. A simple, broadly accepted, view is that foraminiferal species’ habitats are vertically stratified in the sediments due to general pore-water chemical gradients, which develop in response to the seabed organic carbon flux. Species are categorized into epifaunal, shallow infaunal and deep infaunal habitats, and are supposed to acquire the geochemical characteristics of these. However, this view is at odds with species’ distributional data and foraminiferal geochemical properties. We present an alternate model in which foraminifera select for habitats within the bio-irrigation system of the sediments created by the activities of macro-/meio-fauna. Our distributional and geochemical data indicate that foraminiferal species seek particular biotic associations and geochemical conditions within the complex bio-architecture of the sediments and are not tied to particular sediment depths, or the general pore-water chemistry of their apparent habitation zone. Instead, foraminifera inhabit micro-environments with steep oxic to anoxic gradients. This might account for disparities among geochemical tracers.     

Follow-up Ephemerides and the Accuracy of Preliminary Orbits

The accuracy of follow-up ephemerides and orbits of asteroids based on a short arc is investigated. The geocentric distance and its time derivative are the essential parameters determining the accuracy of predicted positions. The consequences for the optimal observing strategies are discussed. The node and inclination of the orbital plane are restricted enough to be useful for a preliminary sorting of candidates for linking.     

Movements,failure and climatic control of the Veslemannen rockslide,Western Norway

On September 5, 2019, the Veslemannen unstable rock slope (54,000 m³) in Romsdalen, Western Norway, failed catastrophically after 5 years of continuous monitoring. During this period, the rock slope weakened while the precursor movements increased progressively, in particular from 2017. Measured displacement prior to the failure was around 19 m in the upper parts of the instability and 4–5 m in the toe area. The pre-failure movements were usually associated with precipitation events, where peak velocities occurred 2–12 h after maximum precipitation. This indicates that the pore-water pressure in the sliding zones had a large influence on the slope stability. The sensitivity to rainfall increased greatly from spring to autumn suggesting a thermal control on the pore-water pressure. Transient modelling of temperatures suggests near permafrost conditions, and deep seasonal frost was certainly present. We propose that a frozen surface layer prevented water percolation to the sliding zone during spring snowmelt and early summer rainfalls. A transition from possible permafrost to a seasonal frost setting of the landslide body after 2000 was modelled, which may have affected the slope stability. Repeated rapid accelerations during late summers and autumns caused a total of 16 events of the red (high) hazard level and evacuation of the hazard zone. Threshold values for velocity were used in the risk management when increasing or decreasing hazard levels. The inverse velocity method was initially of little value. However, in the final phase before the failure, the inverse velocity method was useful for forecasting the time of failure. Risk communication was important for maintaining public trust in early-warning systems, and especially critical is the communication of the difference between issuing the red hazard level and predicting a landslide.

     

Mud aprons in front of Svalbard surge moraines: Evidence of subglacial deforming layers or proglacial glaciotectonics?

Large debris-flow units commonly occur on the distal sides of subaqueous end moraines deposited by surges of Svalbard tidewater glaciers, but have rarely been described in terrestrial settings. Some researchers have argued that these kinds of debris flows reflect processes unique to the subaqueous environment, such as the extrusion of subglacial deforming layers or extensive failure of oversteepened moraine fronts. In this paper, we describe terrestrial and subaqueous parts of a single late Holocene moraine system deposited by a major surge of the tidewater glacier Paulabreen in west Spitsbergen. The ice-marginal landforms on land closely resemble the corresponding landforms on the seabed as evidenced by geomorphic mapping and geophysical profiles from both environments. Both onland and offshore, extensive areas of hummocky moraine occur on the proximal side of the maximum glacier position, and large mud aprons (interpreted as debris flows) occur on the distal side. We show that the debris-flow sediments were pushed in front of the advancing glacier as a continuously failing, mobile push moraine. We propose that the mud aprons are end members of a proglacial landforms continuum that has thrust-block moraines as the opposite end member. Two clusters of dates (~ 8000 YBP and ~ 700 YBP) have previously been interpreted to indicate two separate surges responsible for the moraine formation. New dates suggest that the early cluster indicates a local extinction of the abounded species Chlamys islandica. Other changes corresponding to the widespread 8.2 ka event within the fjord, may suggest that the extinction of the C. islandica corresponds to that time.     

Managing Ontong Java: Social institutions for production and governance of atoll resources in Solomon Islands

This paper explores the changing nature of social institutions and organizations for resource management on Ontong Java and their central role in maintaining livelihoods. Using detailed field data for three time periods, 1970–72, 1986 and 2006–07, and drawing on earlier secondary data, a longitudinal analysis of changes in governance and livelihoods is undertaken. Increased exploitation of marine resources has widened the resource base and increased people's access to goods and services. Following the ban in 2005 on the bêche-de-mer trade, however, livelihoods have reverted to being more subsistence oriented. For almost two decades after 1978, a communal organization, the Area Council, succeeded in regulating exploitation of the atoll's marine resources to ensure sustainable use, but in the 1990s it collapsed. In addition there was a paralysis of institutions that had once settled land disputes. This failure of atoll governance is a greater threat to future 'sustainability' than the usual processes that are invoked for atolls and small islands generally. As the Solomon Islands state is also failing, we argue that local institutions and organizations have a vital role to play in managing access to resources and the future of livelihoods on Ontong Java atoll.     

Optimum observing strategies

The distribution of observations giving the smallest errors for specific purposes is found in the general case by a numerical procedure. Examples consider the minimum error ellipse for the recovery of a distant asteroid, a main belt object and the position in the target plane for a close approach to the Earth. The observations should be performed only on a few critical nights and inefficient times avoided. The methods are of interest for the optimum strategies for surveys and the determination of initial orbits.     

Photometric reductions and the lightcurve of (51) Nemausa

The lightcurve of (51) Nemausa is determined by 1779 photoelectric observations in B and V and reduction by a rigorous least-squares method is discussed. For the lost (1026) Ingrid is obtained B(1,0) = 14^m.7.     

Recurrence of high concentration values in a diffusing,fluctuating scalar field

We propose a simple model for esimating the average number of occurrences per unit time (c _o) that a threshold concentration c _o is exceeded. It is based on the joint probability density of the observed concentration c(t) and its time derivative (t) under the assumption that c(t) is a stationary time series; this assumption leads to the hypothesis that c(t) and (t) are statistically independent. Adopting plausible forms of the frequency distributions of c and , we apply the model to diffusion from an infinite area source and from an elevated point source, both in the neutral boundary layer, and obtain simple results for (c _o) and the average duration of one excursion above c _o as functions of c _o, the mean and the standard deviation of the concentration, and surface-layer variables.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.