Magnetically-Driven Planetary Radio Emissions and Application to Extrasolar Planets

At least six intense nonthermal planetary radio emissions are known in our solar system: the auroral radio emissions from the Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, and the radio bursts from the Io-Jupiter flux tube. The former are thought to be driven by the solar wind flow pressure or energy flux on the magnetospheric cross-section, while the latter is a consequence of the Io-Jupiter electrodynamic interaction. Although in the solar wind, the flow ram pressure largely dominates the magnetic one, we suggest that the incident magnetic energy flux is the driving factor for all these six radio emissions, and that it can be estimated in the same way in all cases. Consequences for the possible radio emission from extrasolar planets are examined. ‘Hot Jupiters’, if they are magnetized, might possess a radio emission several orders of magnitude stronger than the Jovian one, detectable with large ground-based low-frequency arrays. On the other hand, `giants' analogous to the Io-Jupiter interaction in the form of a pair star/hot-Jupiter are unlikely to produce intense radio emissions, unless the star is very strongly magnetized. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Detrital input and early diagenesis in sediments from Lake Baikal revealed by rock magnetism

A rock magnetic study was performed on sediment cores from six locations in Lake Baikal. For a comprehensive approach of the processes influencing the rock magnetic signal, additional data are presented such as total organic carbon (TOC), total sulphur (TS), opal, water content and relative variations in iron and titanium measured on selected intervals. In glacial sediments, the magnetic signal is dominated by magnetite, which is considered to be of detrital origin. This predominance of magnetite is interrupted by distinct horizons of authigenic greigite, probably confined to reductive microenvironments. In interglacial stages, besides dilution by biogenic silica and a decreasing detrital input, the weakness of the rock magnetic signal is also due to a reductive dissolution of magnetic particles. The magnetic assemblage is strongly linked to the redox history of interglacial sediment. In the oxidised bottom sediments of Lake Baikal, a biogenic magnetite is observed [Peck, J.A., King, J.W., 1996. Magnetofossils in the sediments of lake Baikal, Siberia. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 140 (1–4), 159–172]. After burial under the redox front, the magnetite is preferentially dissolved, and detrital hematite remains dominant when the sedimentation rate is low and when the residence time of the magnetite close to the redox boundary is long. During these low sedimentation rate conditions, the redox front is preserved [Granina, L., Müller, B. and Wehrli, B., 2004. Origin and dynamics of Fe and Mn sedimentary layers in Lake Baikal. Chem. Geol. 205 (1-2), 55-72]. At constant sedimentation rate and fast burial, the magnetite is preserved or transformed into greigite when sulphate-reducing conditions are reached in the sediment. In interglacial sediments, the magnetic assemblages depict changes in the sedimentation rate, which are traced using the ratio of magnetite over hematite (S-ratio). At the beginning of interglacials, the sedimentation rate is constant with an assemblage magnetite+greigite (high S-ratio), and at the end of some interglacials, the sedimentation rate decreases with a predominance of hematite (low S-ratio).     

Long term evolution of comet Halleys orbit

The aim of the paper is to study the long term evolution of comet Halleys orbit taking into account small errors in the initial conditions. Recent papers deal with mapping methods to model cometary dynamics; (e.g. Petrosky and Broucke, 1987 and Chirikov and Vecheslavov, 1986). They will be discussed critically and compared with our own results. We then tested the model using numerical integration methods. For the moment we limited our calculation to 2.10⁵ years, but a 10⁶ year integration is still in progress. We show the expected dynamical evolution of Hallyes orbit taking into account also smaller and larger errors of the initial conditions (nongravitational effects are only roughly estimated). Finally we discuss alsothe controversal opinions concerning the role of the planets (especially the earth).     

Miscellaneous information

Miscellaneous information     

Cereal harvest dates in the Czech Republic between 1501 and 2008 as a proxy for March–June temperature reconstruction

Cereal crop harvests reflect the weather patterns of the period immediately preceding them, and thus the dates at which they begin may be used as a source of proxy data on regional climate. Using systematic phenological observations in the Czech Lands (now known as the Czech Republic) after 1845, together with exploration of further surviving documentary evidence (chronicles, diaries, financial accounts etc.), it has proved possible to create series of winter wheat harvest dates for the period 1501–2008. Employing linear regression, the harvesting dates of the main cereal species (wheat, rye, barley, oats) were first converted to winter wheat harvest days and then normalised to the same altitude above sea level. The next step consisted of using series of winter wheat harvest dates to reconstruct mean March–June temperatures in the Czech Republic, applying standard palaeoclimatological methods. Series reconstructed by linear regression explain 70% of temperature variability. A profound cold period corresponding with late winter wheat harvests was noted between 1659 and 1705. In contrast, warm periods (i.e. early winter wheat harvests) were found for the periods of 1517–1542, 1788–1834 and 1946–2008. The period after 1951 is the warmest of all throughout the entire 1501–2008 period. Comparisons with other European temperature reconstructions derived from documentary sources (including grape harvest dates), tree-rings and instrumental data reveal generally close agreement, with significant correlations. Lower correlations around A.D. 1650 and 1750 may be partly related to deterioration of socio-economic conditions in the Czech Lands resulting from prolonged wars. The results obtained demonstrate that it is possible to use widely-available cereal harvest data for climate analysis and also that such data constitute an independent proxy data series for the region of Central Europe crucial to further studies of the potential impact of climatic variability and climate change on agriculture.     

A ~180,000 years sedimentation history of a perialpine overdeepened glacial trough (Wehntal, N-Switzerland)

A 30 m-deep drill core from a glacially overdeepened trough in Northern Switzerland recovered a ~180 ka old sedimentary succession that provides new insights into the timing and nature of erosion–sedimentation processes in the Swiss lowlands. The luminescence-dated stratigraphic succession starts at the bottom of the core with laminated carbonate-rich lake sediments reflecting deposition in a proglacial lake between ~180 and 130 ka ago (Marine Isotope Stage MIS 6). Anomalies in geotechnical properties and the occurrence of deformation structures suggest temporary ice contact around 140 ka. Up-core, organic content increases in the lake deposits indicating a warming of climate. These sediments are overlain by a peat deposit characterised by pollen assemblages typical of the late Eemian (MIS 5e). An abrupt transition following this interglacial encompasses a likely hiatus and probably marks a sudden lowering of the water level. The peat unit is overlain by deposits of a cold unproductive lake dated to late MIS 5 and MIS 4, which do not show any direct influence from glaciers. An upper peat unit, the so-called «Mammoth peat», previously encountered in construction pits, interrupts this cold lacustrine phase and marks more temperate climatic conditions between 60 and 45 ka (MIS 3). In the upper part of the core, a succession of fluvial and alluvial deposits documents the Late Glacial and Holocene sedimentation in the basin. The sedimentary succession at Wehntal confirms that the glaciation during MIS 6 did not apparently cause the overdeepening of the valley, as the lacustrine basin fill covering most of MIS 6 is still preserved. Consequently, erosion of the basin is most likely linked to an older glaciation. This study shows that new dating techniques combined with palaeoenvironmental interpretations of sediments from such overdeepened troughs provide valuable insights into the past glacial history.     

Okadaic acid, a causative toxin of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, in green-lipped mussels Perna viridis from Hong Kong fish culture zones: Method development and monitoring

Green-lipped mussels (Perna viridis) were collected from seven fish culture zones (FCZs) in Hong Kong and analyzed for okadaic acid (OA). A conventional HPLC method was modified by incorporating a proteinase K digestion step. Results suggest that a higher recovery (2.5 times higher) of OA was obtained from spiked samples after the addition of 1.08 mg proteinase K in comparison with samples incubated without the proteolytic enzyme. For the hepatopancreas (HP) of individual field-collected mussels, the additional digestion step can enhance OA extraction by 3.1 times. Spatial and temporal variations in OA concentrations in the mussels from various FCZs were investigated. The highest concentration of OA in mussel HP samples was 1164.9 ng/g HP wet wt. With respect to OA concentrations in whole mussel tissues from seven sites and four seasonal samplings, the concentrations were between 70.0 and 131.0 ng/g wet wt., which did not exceed the generally recognized international regulatory criteria (>200 ng/g) for OA.