Scaling of the Vertical Spreading of a Plume of a Passive Tracer in a Rough-Wall Neutral Boundary Layer

The influence of surface roughness on the dispersion of a passive scalar in a rough wall turbulent boundary layer has been studied using wind-tunnel experiments. The surface roughness was varied using different sizes of roughness elements, and different spacings between the elements. Vertical profiles of average concentration were measured at different distances downwind of the source, and the vertical spread of the plume was computed by fitting a double Gaussian profile to the data. An estimate of the integral length scale is derived from the turbulence characteristics of the boundary layer and is then used to scale the measured values of plume spread. This scaling reduces the variability in the data, confirming the validity of the model for the Lagrangian integral time scale, but does not remove it entirely. The scaled plume spreading shows significant differences from predictions of theoretical models both in the near and in the far field. In the region immediately downwind of the source this is due to the influence of the wake of the injector for which we have developed a simple model. In the far field we explain that the differences are mainly due to the absence of large-scale motions. Finally, further downwind of the source the scaled values of plume spread fall into two distinct groups. It is suggested that the difference between the two groups may be related to the lack of dynamical similarity between the boundary-layer flows for varying surface roughness or to biased estimates of the plume spread.     

The effect of climatic variations on agricultural risk

The thesis of this paper is that impacts from climatic change can be evaluated effectively as changes in the frequency of short-term, anomalous climatic events. These can then be expressed as changes in the level of risk of impact from climatic extremes. To evaluate this approach, the risk of crop failure resulting from low levels of accumulated temperature is assessed for oats farming in southern Scotland. Annual accumulated temperatures are calculated for the 323-year-long temperature record compiled by Manley for Central England. These are bridged across to southern Scotland and, by calculating mean levels of risk for different elevations, an average risk surface is constructed. One-in-10 and 1-in-50 frequencies of crop failure are assumed to delineate a high-risk zone, which is mapped for the 323-year period by constructing isopleths of these risk levels. By redrawing the risk isopleths for warm and cool 50-year periods, the geographical shift of the high-risk zone is delineated. The conclusion is that relatively recent and apparently minor climatic variations in the United Kingdom have in fact induced substantial spatial changes in levels of agricultural risk. An advantage of expressing climatic change as a change in agricultural risk is that support programs for agriculture can be retuned to accommodate acceptable frequencies of impact by adjusting support levels to match new risk levels.     

The logarithmic profile in wind erosion: An algebraic solution

This paper presents a simple algebraic approach to the interpretation of wind erosion data that allows for density variation close to the surface due to the presence of large amounts of saltating material. The effect explains nonlinearities in the logarithmic velocity profile near the surface and extends the profile into the saltating layer.     

Turbulent Transfer Between Street Canyons and the Overlying Atmospheric Boundary Layer

The turbulent exchange of momentum between a two-dimensional cavity and the overlying boundary layer has been studied experimentally, using hot-wire anemometry and particle image velocimetry (PIV). Conditions within the boundary layer were varied by changing the width of the canyons upstream of the test canyon, whilst maintaining the square geometry of the test canyon. The results show that turbulent transfer is due to the coupling between the instabilities generated in the shear layer above the canyons and the turbulent structures in the oncoming boundary layer. As a result, there is no single, unique velocity scale that correctly characterizes all the processes involved in the turbulent exchange of momentum across the boundary layer. Similarly, there is no single velocity scale that can characterize the different properties of the turbulent flow within the canyon, which depends strongly on the way in which turbulence from the outer flow is entrained into the cavity and carried round by the mean flow. The results from this study will be useful in developing simple parametrizations for momentum exchange in the urban canopy, in situations where the street geometry consists principally of relatively long, uniform streets arranged in grid-like patterns; they are unlikely to be applicable to sparse geometries composed of isolated three-dimensional obstacles.     

Deep submarine pyroclastic eruptions: theory and predicted landforms and deposits

Submarine pyroclastic eruptions at depths greater than a few hundred meters are generally considered to be rare or absent because the pressure of the overlying water column is sufficient to suppress juvenile gas exsolution so that magmatic disruption and pyroclastic activity do not occur. Consideration of detailed models of the ascent and eruption of magma in a range of sea floor environments shows, however, that significant pyroclastic activity can occur even at depths in excess of 3000 m. In order to document and illustrate the full range of submarine eruption styles, we model several possible scenarios for the ascent and eruption of magma feeding submarine eruptions: (1) no gas exsolution; (2) gas exsolution but no magma disruption; (3) gas exsolution, magma disruption, and hawaiian-style fountaining; (4) volatile content builds up in the magma reservoir leading to hawaiian eruptions resulting from foam collapse; (5) magma volatile content insufficient to cause fragmentation normally but low rise speed results in strombolian activity; and (6) volatile content builds up in the top of a dike leading to vulcanian eruptions. We also examine the role of bulk-interaction steam explosivity and contact-surface steam explosivity as processes contributing to volcaniclastic formation in these environments. We concur with most earlier workers that for magma compositions typical of spreading centers and their vicinities, the most likely circumstance is the quiet effusion of magma with minor gas exsolution, and the production of somewhat vesicular pillow lavas or sheet flows, depending on effusion rate. The amounts by which magma would overshoot the vent in these types of eruptions would be insufficient to cause any magma disruption. The most likely mechanism of production of pyroclastic deposits in this environment is strombolian activity, due to the localized concentration of volatiles in magma that has a low rise rate; magmatic gas collects by bubble coalescence, and ascends in large isolated bubbles which disrupt the magma surface in the vent, producing localized blocks, bombs, and pyroclastic deposits. Another possible mode of occurrence of pyroclastic deposits results from vulcanian eruptions; these deposits, being characterized by the dominance of angular blocks of country rocks deposited in the vicinity of a crater, should be easily distinguishable from strombolian and hawaiian eruptions. However, we stress that a special case of the hawaiian eruption style is likely to occur in the submarine environment if magmatic gas buildup occurs in a magma reservoir by the upward drift of gas bubbles. In this case, a layer of foam will build up at the top of the reservoir in a sufficient concentration to exceed the volatile content necessary for disruption and hawaiian-style activity; the deposits and landforms are predicted to be somewhat different from those of a typical primary magmatic volatile-induced hawaiian eruption. Specifically, typical pyroclast sizes might be smaller; fountain heights may exceed those expected for the purely magmatic hawaiian case; cooling of descending pyroclasts would be more efficient, leading to different types of proximal deposits; and runout distances for density flows would be greater, potentially leading to submarine pyroclastic deposits surrounding vents out to distances of tens of meters to a kilometer. In addition, flows emerging after the evacuation of the foam layer would tend to be very depleted in volatiles, and thus extremely poor in vesicles relative to typical flows associated with hawaiian-style eruptions in the primary magmatic gas case. We examine several cases of reported submarine volcaniclastic deposits found at depths as great as 3000 m and conclude that submarine hawaiian and strombolian eruptions are much more common than previously suspected at mid-ocean ridges. Furthermore, the latter stages of development of volcanic edifices (seamounts) formed in submarine environments are excellent candidates for a wide range of submarine pyroclastic activity due not just to the effects of decreasing water depth, but also to: (1) the presence of a summit magma reservoir, which favors the buildup of magmatic foams (enhancing hawaiian-style activity) and episodic dike emplacement (which favors strombolian-style eruptions); and (2) the common occurrence of alkalic basalts, the CO₂ contents of which favor submarine explosive eruptions at depths greater than tholeiitic basalts. These models and predictions can be tested with future sampling and analysis programs and we provide a checklist of key observations to help distinguish among the eruption styles.     

Tarawera 1886, New Zealand — A basaltic plinian fissure eruption

New Zealand's biggest and most destructive volcanic eruption of historical times was that of Tarawera in 1886. The resulting scoria fall has a dispersal very similar in extent to that of the Vesuvius A.D. 79 pumice fall and is one of the few known examples of a basaltic deposit of plinian type. A new estimate of the volume (2 km³) is significantly greater than previous estimates. The basalt came mainly from a 7-km length of fissure, and emission and exit velocity were fairly uniform along at least 4 km of it, this is one of the few documented examples of a plinian eruption from a fissure vent. Primary welding of the scoria fall resulted where the accumulation rate exceeded about 250 mm min⁻¹. A model of the eruption dynamics is proposed which leads to an estimate of 28 km for the height of the eruption cloud and implies a magma volatile fraction of 1.5–3%. Violent phreatic explosions occurred in the southwestern extension of the fissure across the Rotomahana geothermal field, and it is thought that some of the water responsible for the power of the plinian eruption came from this source, though its amount was not sufficient to turn the eruption into a phreatoplinian one.     

Multixenobiotic resistance, acetyl-choline esterase activity and total oxyradical scavenging capacity of the Arctic spider crab, Hyasaraneus, following exposure to bisphenol A, tetra bromo diphenyl ether and diallyl phthalate

The Arctic has become a sink for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) originating from lower latitudes, and relatively high levels have been found in different biota. Recent studies have identified detrimental effects on wildlife including endocrine disruption, impairment of enzyme activity, and reduced immune function. The Arctic spider crab, Hyas araneus, shown interesting potential for its use as sentinel organism in polar ecosystems. This study investigated the effect of 2,2',4,4'-tetra bromo diphenyl ether (BPDE), bisphenol A (BPA), and diallyl phthalte (DPA) on H. araneus in a three weeks exposure study. Expression of multixenibiotic resistance (MXR) proteins has been studied using the C219 monoclonal antibody which allows identifying an immunoreactive protein of 40 kDa in the digestive gland while no such protein could be observed in the gills. Expression of this protein was increased by exposure to DPA (+75%; p<0.05, n=10). All compounds significantly affected muscle acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity (p<0.05, n=10) with 50 microg/L DPA having the strongest effect by lowering the value to 37% of control. The total oxyradical scavenging capacity measured in the digestive gland toward peroxyl, hydroxyl and peroxynitrite was also significantly reduced indicating a decreased resistance to oxidative stress generated by DPA (p<0.05, n=5). These results thus suggest the potential detrimental effects of DPA even at concentration as low as 50 microg/L on H. araneus.     

Relative stress variations as determined by b-values from earthquakes in circum-pacific subduction zones

Assuming a relation of “b” to stress state, the possibility of globe-wide stress variation and transmission was investigated. The NOAA earthquake data file served to determine the temporal change in “b” of log N = a − bM from 1963 to 1975.Periods of six to eight years are observed in the b-values (stress pattern) for most circum-Pacific areas (South America, Tonga, Kermadec, New Hebrides, Kamchatka and Eastern Aleutians).In the Kurils, fore- and aftershock sequences of large earthquakes seem to mask any characteristic global pattern that might exist. These sequences exhibit low b-values (high stress) through the time of foreshocks and early stages of aftershocks, followed by rapid increase in b-values (decrease in stress).Use of a worldwide earthquake data file clearly yields less resolution of the temporal “b” variation than the use of local network studies published by other authors.Incidental to the study, 1124 earthquakes of the NOAA data file yield the M_s − m_b relations: M_s = 1.16m_b − 0.835 for 4.5 m_b 6 and: log₁₀M_s = 0.1432m_b − 0.0629 form_b > 6 with correlative coefficients of 0.994 and 0.992 respectively.     

Erosive flood events on the surface of Mars: Application to Mangala and Athabasca Valles

We address key factors involved in determining water flow conditions in outflow channels on Mars, including the temperature of the sub-surface water being released and the environmental conditions of low temperature, low atmospheric pressure, and low acceleration due to gravity. We suggest how some of the assumptions made in previous work may be improved. Our model considers the thermodynamic effects of simultaneous evaporation and freezing of water, and fluid dynamical processes including changes in flow rheology caused by assimilation of cold rock and ice eroded at the channel bed, and ice crystal growth due to water freezing. We model how far initially turbulent water could flow in a channel before it erodes and entrains enough material to become laminar, and subsequently ceases to erode the bed. An ice raft will begin to form on the flood while transition occurs between turbulent and laminar flow. Estimates are given for water transit times, ～17–19 h, initial water depths, 50–62 m, and average flow speeds, 5–12 m s^?1, in the Mangala and Athabasca Valles. We show that these two outflow channels, and by implication others like them, could plausibly have been formed in single water release events. Resulting mean erosion rates are approximately 0.7 mm s^?1, a factor of three greater than previous estimates based on combinations of estimates of flood duration and required water volumes. This is explained by the consideration of the effects of eroded ice and the physics of thermal erosion in the present study.