Variations in the near-ground electric field at high latitudes and the potential drop across the polar cap during morning polar substorms

This paper studies time variations in the near-ground atmospheric electric field (Ez) at the geomagnetic latitude of 74° (Hornsund observatory) during polar substorms. Ez variations are compared with those in the potential drop across the polar cap (Up), according to SuperDARN radar observations. It is found that in the morning sector, time variations in Ez are strongly driven by time variations in the electrojet and almost do not depend on time variations in Up, which is presumably due to the penetration of the electric field of the electrojet into tropospheric altitudes.     

Can Brans-Dicke universes in five dimensions be interpreted as 4-dimensional general relativity cosmologies?

The 5-dimensional Jordan-Brans-Dicke cosmologies in vacuum are found for the Bianchi type I metric, their relation with general relativity cosmologies is studied. Two solutions are possible, both produce effective pressure and energy density in the 4-dimensional G.R.-universes. One is a power-law relation, with two cases, the first one is forp _eff=_eff and the other forp _eff=_eff(– 1 < < 1) has a behaviour as the open flat universe. The second solution is an exponential only valid forp _eff=–_eff. In all cases the three-space expansion reaches infinity ast and the fifth dimension can be made to decrease approaching zero. The scalar field can increase or decrease with time.     

Developing coastal adaptation to climate change in the New York City infrastructure-shed: process, approach, tools, and strategies

While current rates of sea level rise and associated coastal flooding in the New York City region appear to be manageable by stakeholders responsible for communications, energy, transportation, and water infrastructure, projections for sea level rise and associated flooding in the future, especially those associated with rapid icemelt of the Greenland and West Antarctic Icesheets, may be outside the range of current capacity because extreme events might cause flooding beyond today??s planning and preparedness regimes. This paper describes the comprehensive process, approach, and tools for adaptation developed by the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC) in conjunction with the region??s stakeholders who manage its critical infrastructure, much of which lies near the coast. It presents the adaptation framework and the sea-level rise and storm projections related to coastal risks developed through the stakeholder process. Climate change adaptation planning in New York City is characterized by a multi-jurisdictional stakeholder?Cscientist process, state-of-the-art scientific projections and mapping, and development of adaptation strategies based on a risk-management approach.     

Fundamental physics and absolute positioning metrology with the MAGIA lunar orbiter

MAGIA is a mission approved by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) for Phase A study. Using a single large-diameter laser retroreflector, a large laser retroreflector array and an atomic clock onboard MAGIA we propose to perform several fundamental physics and absolute positioning metrology experiments: VESPUCCI, an improved test of the gravitational redshift in the Earth?CMoon system predicted by General Relativity; MoonLIGHT-P, a precursor test of a second generation Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) payload for precision gravity and lunar science measurements under development for NASA, ASI and robotic missions of the proposed International Lunar Network (ILN); Selenocenter (the center of mass of the Moon), the determination of the position of the Moon center of mass with respect to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame/System (ITRF/ITRS); this will be compared to the one from Apollo and Lunokhod retroreflectors on the surface; MapRef, the absolute referencing of MAGIA??s lunar altimetry, gravity and geochemical maps with respect to the ITRF/ITRS. The absolute positioning of MAGIA will be achieved thanks to: (1) the laboratory characterization of the retroreflector performance at INFN-LNF; (2) the precision tracking by the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), which gives two fundamental contributions to the ITRF/ITRS, i.e. the metrological definition of the geocenter (the Earth center of mass) and of the scale of length; (3) the radio science and accelerometer payloads; (4) support by the ASI Space Geodesy Center in Matera, Italy. Future ILN geodetic nodes equipped with MoonLIGHT and the Apollo/Lunokhod retroreflectors will become the first realization of the International Moon Reference Frame (IMRF), the lunar analog of the ITRF.     

Surface water quality evaluation in Odukpani, Calabar Flank, south-eastern Nigeria

 The present article is the second in a series of baseline water quality evaluation studies in parts of south-eastern Nigeria. Study results indicate that the water samples from the study are generally acidic, soft and fresh in addition to low sodium and salinity hazard. Regression equations indicate a good positive correlation between conductivity and Na, Ca, Mg and SO₄. Ca-SO₄ and Ca-Cl constitute the major facies in the area. Generally the waters in the area are good for most domestic and agricultural purposes. Received: 14 April 1997 · Accepted: 3 February 1998     

Geomagnetic Storm Effects at <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>1 Layer Altitudes in Various Periods of Solar Activity (Irkutsk Station)

The influence of geomagnetic disturbances on electron density Ne at F1 layer altitudes in different conditions of solar activity during the autumnal and vernal seasons of 2003–2015, according to the data from the Irkutsk digital ionospheric station (52° N, 104° Е) is examined. Variations of Ne at heights of 150–190 km during the periods of twenty medium-scale and strong geomagnetic storms have been analyzed. At these specified heights, a vernal–autumn asymmetry of geomagnetic storm effects is discovered in all periods of solar activity of 2003–2015: a considerable Ne decrease at a height of 190 km and a weaker effect at lower levels during the autumnal storms. During vernal storms, no significant Ne decrease as compared with quiet conditions was registered over the entire analyzed interval of 150?190 km.     

Continuous zircon growth during long-lived granulite facies metamorphism: a microtextural,U–Pb,Lu–Hf and trace element study of Caledonian rocks from the Arctic

Microtextural, U–Pb, trace element and Lu–Hf analyses of zircons from gneisses dredged from the Chukchi Borderland indicate a long-lived, Cambrian–Ordovician, granulite facies metamorphism. These results reveal a complete prograde, peak and cooling history of zircon growth during anatexis. Early increasing temperatures caused modification and Pb-loss of Precambrian zircons by recrystallization and dissolution/re-precipitation of existing grains. Small variations in initial ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf results (0.282325–0.282042) and flat HREE patterns of these zircons indicate that they grew by dissolution/re-precipitation in the presence of garnet. Zircons subsequently crystallized from a partial melt during peak to post-peak metamorphism from 530 to 485 Ma. A broad range of initial ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios (0.282693–0.282050) and mineral inclusions within zircons suggest that this phase of growth incorporated Zr and Hf obtained from the breakdown of Zr-enriched phases. Microtextural evidence along with trace element and isotopic data suggests that final growth of metamorphic rims on zircon occurred during slow cooling and crystallization of residual partial melts during the early Ordovician (485–470 Ma). Younger, late Ordovician–Silurian (420–450 Ma) euhedral, oscillatory-zoned, trace element-enriched zircons crystallized within leucocratic veins that intrude the gneisses. Their age corresponds to granitoids dated from this same dredge. The intrusives and veins provide evidence that the Chukchi Borderland rifted from a position near Pearya and northwest Svalbard, which represent the northern continuation of the Caledonian orogen. Evidence for earlier Cambrian metamorphism has not been reported from this region. The age of granulite facies metamorphism reported here represents the earliest phase of deformation in the Arctic Caledonides.     

Über die Mischungsarbeit von stabil geschichteten Wassermassen

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, daß — entgegen der bisherigen Ansicht — die Mischungsarbeit von verschieden temperierten Wassermassen nicht unbegrenzt mit der Größe des Temperaturunterschiedes der Wassermassen anwächst, sondern daß sie für einen bestimmten Temperaturunterschied (bzw. bestimmten Temperaturgradienten) ein Maximum erreicht, für größere Temperaturunterschiede aber wieder auf wesentlich kleinere Beträge abnimmt.

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Summary It is shown that — in contradiction to the hitherto existing view — the energy resulting from the mixture of water-masses with different temperatures does not increase infinitely with the value of the temperature-difference of the water-masses, but that it reaches a maximum for a determined temperature-difference (respectively a determined temperature lapse rate), whereas it decreases to much smaller amounts for greater temperature-differences.

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Résumé On montre que, contrairement aux vues admises jusqu'ici, l'énergie résultant du mélange de masses d'eau à températures différentes ne croît pas sans limite avec l'écart de température, mais qu'elle atteint un maximum pour un écart déterminé (ou pour un gradient de température déterminé) et décroît de nouveau notablement pour des écarts plus grands.

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Mit 1 Textabbildung.     

Model for the formation of arsenic contamination in groundwater. 1. Datong Basin,China

Mineral equilibria were analyzed in the system As-bearing rock-meteoric water. It was shown that carbonate rocks are the most probable source of As and Sr in the waters of the Datong Basin (People's Republic of China). The reason for groundwater enrichment in As is the shift of the equilibrium FeCO₃ (siderite) + H₂O = FeOOH(goethite) + CO₂(g) + H₂(g) to the left (toward siderite formation) owing to organic matter oxidation by atmospheric oxygen and an increase in the equilibrium partial pressure of CO₂, while the Eh of the system remains below ?0.30 ± 0.06 V.     

Textural-structural,mineralogical, isotopic,and age characteristics of Jurassic terrigenous rocks of the northwestern Caucasus (the Belaya River section)

Results of the comprehensive study of structural, lithological, mineralogical, and isotopic characteristics of Lower Jurassic rocks exposed in the Belaya River valley (Adygeya) in meganticlinorium of the Greater Caucasus are presented. Deformation microstructures were studied. Lithological and textural-structural changes in sequences related to intense secondary transformations should affect the state of isotopic systems of rocks. To reveal basic trends in the evolution of isotopic systems, investigation using the K-Ar method was carried out. Clay fraction (less than 1 μm) separated from rocks and bulk samples were analyzed. Cleavage development, approximate value of rock contraction, and isotopic characteristics are compared with the available data on alteration of clay mineral assemblages. Relationship between the degree of rock deformation at the microlevel and calculated K-Ar ages has been established. K-Ar systems of clayey rocks indicate the age of cleavage formation and correspond to the Bajocian-Bathonian contraction period.