Effects of a large convective storm on Saturn's equatorial jet

Hubble Space Telescope observations revealed that Saturn's equatorial jet at the cloud level blows at ∼275 m s⁻¹ today, approximately half the ∼470 m s⁻¹ wind during the Voyager flybys in 1980-1981. Radiative transfer calculations estimate the clouds to be significantly higher today than in 1980. The higher clouds make it difficult to observationally isolate any true slowdown from the vertical wind shear because Voyager and Cassini observations show that the winds become slower with altitude. Here, we test the hypothesis that the large equatorial storm in 1990 called the Great White Spot (GWS) decelerated the equatorial jet. We first use order of magnitude estimates to show: (1) if the GWS triggers vertical momentum redistribution, a minor speed change in the troposphere can lead to a substantial stratospheric wind speed change; (2) storm-triggered turbulent mixing slows a prograde equatorial jet; and (3) a prograde equatorial jet inhibits turbulent mixing in latitude. To test whether a GWS-like large storm decelerates the equatorial jet, we perform numerical experiments using the Explicit Planetary Isentropic Coordinate (EPIC) atmosphere model. Our simulation results are consistent with our order of magnitude predictions. We show that the storm excites waves, and the waves transport westward momentum from the troposphere to the stratosphere and decelerate the equatorial jet by as much as ∼40 m s⁻¹ at the 10-mbar level. However, our results show that the storm's effect is too weak at the cloud levels to halve the jet's speed from ∼470 m s⁻¹. Our results suggest that a combination of higher clouds and a true slowdown is necessary to explain the apparent equatorial jet slowdown. We also analyze the effect of waves on the apparent cloud motions, and show that waves can influence cloud-tracking wind speed measurements.     

Hydrodynamic instability of convectively unstable atmospheres in shear flow

Results are presented concerning the interaction between regions of convectively unstable fluid, bounded above and below by stable fluid, with a basic horizontal flow field, sheared in a vertical direction. The analysis is conveniently based on the definition of the mechanical energy flux associated with wave motion in a stratified compressible fluid, and enables bounds to be placed on the real and complex phase velocities of overstable modes, in addition to some general results on the net upward wave energy flux. It is shown that purely exponentially growing modes (with horizontal wavevectors spanwise to the shear) do not exist. A known sufficient condition for the stability of stable atmospheres is reproduced here with an interesting modification, and details of energy-flux discontinuities at certain singular points of the equations are given. The work is relevant to any astrophysical and geophysical situations in which convectively unstable regions and shear flows are likely to be together present, but the special motivation here is that of describing some aspects of the interaction between supergranular flow and granular convection.     

Non-explosive,constructional evolution of the ice-filled caldera at Volcán Sollipulli,Chile

 A radar and gravity survey of the ice-filled caldera at Volcán Sollipulli, Chile, indicates that the intra-caldera ice has a thickness of up to 650 m in its central part and that the caldera harbours a minimum of 6 km³ of ice. Reconnaissance geological observations show that the volcano has erupted compositions ranging from olivine basalt to dacite and have identified five distinct volcanic units in the caldera walls. Pre- or syn-caldera collapse deposits (the Sharkfin pyroclastic unit) comprise a sequence which evolved from subglacial to subaerial facies. Post-caldera collapse products, which crop out along 17 of the 20 km length of the caldera wall, were erupted almost exclusively along the caldera margins in the presence of a large body of intra-caldera ice. The Alpehué crater, formed by an explosive eruption between 2960 and 2780 a. BP, in the southwest part of the caldera is shown to post date formation of the caldera. Sollipulli lacks voluminous silicic pyroclastic rocks associated with caldera formation and the collapse structure does not appear to be a consequence of a large-magnitude explosive eruption. Instead, lateral magma movement at depth resulting in emptying of the magma chamber may have generated the caldera. The radar and gravity data show that the central part of the caldera floor is flat but, within a few hundred metres of the caldera walls, the floor has a stepped topography with relatively low-density rock bodies beneath the ice in this region. This, coupled with the fact that most of the post-caldera eruptions have taken place along the caldera walls, implies that the caldera has been substantially modified by subglacial marginal eruptions. Sollipulli caldera has evolved from a collapse to a constructional feature with intra-caldera ice playing a major role. The post-caldera eruptions have resulted in an increase in height of the walls and concomitant deepening of the caldera with time. Received: 12 June 1995 / Accepted: 7 December 1995     

A linear scattering problem in magnetohydrodynamics: Transmission resonances in a magnetic slab

The reduced linearized equations of ideal magnetohydrodynamics which are highly nonlinear in the eigenvalue parameter, are linearized about a prescribed value of that parameter, enabling the equation to be expressed as a Schrödinger equation with piecewise uniform coefficients. Reflection and transmission coefficients are obtained using standard techniques, and in addition to the possibility of total transmission of an incident wave occurring (together with complex-valued resonance energies), the magnetic field introduces other total transmission energy levels which have no counterpart in the absence of a magnetic field.     

Simultaneous inversion for 3-D variations in shear and bulk velocity in the mantle

Until recently, most of the seismic tomographic modeling has been addressing the question of lateral heterogeneity either in P- or S-wave velocities. The S-wave velocity variations are larger and hence provide stronger signal on long-period waveforms. The direct P travel times, being the first arrivals, on the other hand, are most frequently reported in the International Seismological Centre (ISC) Bulletins. In mineral physics experiments, the variation in bulk velocity is more often measured. To better understand the differences between δv_P and δv_P patterns and better link the results from mineral physics to those of seismic tomography, we formulate the inverse problem in terms of relative perturbations in the shear velocity v_S = (μ/)^1/2 and bulk sound velocity v_Φ = (K/)^1/2. We use a large data set which consists of waveforms, waveform-derived travel times and travel times from the ISC Bulletins. The earthquakes are relocated using corrections for lateral heterogeneity. The events which cannot be reliably determined are discarded. The model is defined as spherical harmonics to Degree 12 horizontally and as Chebyshev polynomials to order 13 radially, for both shear and bulk sound velocity. The inversion is performed under smoothness constraint. The resolution tests and bootstrapping analysis indicate that the model is well recovered, particularly at long wavelength.

The results indicate a much larger variability of shear than bulk sound velocity. The model explains observations well. The most intriguing result obtained in this study is that the variations in shear velocity and bulk sound velocity are negatively correlated in the lowermost mantle. The explanation is not very clear. From the mineral physics point of view, it is not unlikely that this could be explained in terms of thermal variation, even though we are unwilling to rule out the possibility of large wavelength compositional variations.     

A note on σ-stability in hydromagnetics

The concept of -stability is reviewed and applied to the case of aligned magnetoatmospheric flow. A sufficient condition for -stability is derived, and the upper bound arising from this condition is investigated as a function of .     

A porosity mapping survey in Hecate Strait using a seafloor electro-magnetic profiling system

A newly developed marine electromagnetic (E-M) system was used to create apparent porosity maps of the uppermost 20 m of sediments on the seafloor. Measurements of electrical conductivity were interpreted to give the porosity of the bottom sediments and underlying units. The data were collected continuously in a surveying mode using two receivers at different spacings to improve the resolution of porosity as a function of depth. The variations in apparent porosity over the area correlate well with information obtained from cores and acoustic profiles.

Acoustic profiles indicated the presence of biogenic gas in the central region of the survey area. The absence of distinct changes in apparent porosity over regions of gas allows us to conclude that the concentration of gas trapped within the Queen Charlotte muds does not exceed about 4% of the sediment by volume if we assume that the gas displaces fluid in the sediment.

A buried, lower porosity layer was detected, its position reflecting changes in the depth to the glaciomarine layer. Mapped variations in apparent porosity are well correlated with features on the acoustic record. This illustrates the system's ability to obtain continuous profiles of apparent porosity over seafloor features. The marine E-M survey provided rapid areal coverage, and, combined with the acoustic profiles, information on the porosity of deeper units.     

Comparison of wind-stress algorithms and their influence on wind-stress curl using buoy measurements over the shelf off Bodega Bay, California

The main objectives of this study were to compare three wind-stress algorithms of varying intricacy and estimate the extent to which each method altered computed wind-stress curl. The algorithms included (1) a simple bulk formula for neutral conditions that is dependent only on wind velocity components; (2) a formula that in addition to dependence on wind components includes a simplified effect of thermal stability through differences in air and sea temperatures; and (3) an algorithm that includes full treatment of dynamics and atmospheric stability. Data for the analysis were from a field program that used a special buoy network off Bodega Bay during 28 June–4 August 2001.A diamond-shaped setup of five closely separated buoys in Bodega Bay allowed for one of the first attempts to compute wind-stress curl over the ocean using buoy measurements. Based on an analysis of the available dataset, the marine layer over Bodega Bay is characterized by positive wind-stress curl with a median value around 0.2 Pa (100 km)⁻¹ and maximum values reaching 2.5 Pa (100 km)⁻¹. Positive wind-stress curl was observed for all wind speed conditions, whereas negative wind-stress curl episodes were associated mostly with low-wind conditions.Comparison of wind-stress curl computed using the three algorithms showed that differences among them can be significant. The first and third algorithms indicated similar stress curl (difference around 10%), but the differences between these two and the second algorithm were much higher (approximately 40%). The reason for the difference is the stability correction, which in the third algorithm strongly decreases with an increase in wind speeds, but stays at a similar level for all wind speeds in the second algorithm. Consequently, for higher wind speeds the variability of wind stress calculated using the second algorithm is greater than for the other two algorithms, causing significant differences in computed wind-stress curl (root mean-square error equal to 0.19 Pa (100 km)⁻¹).Despite the apparent biases in computed wind stress and wind-stress curl among the algorithms, all of them show a significant trend of decreasing sea-surface temperature (SST) with increasing wind-stress curl. The bootstrapping analysis has revealed that both the along-shore wind stress and wind-stress curl have noticeable correlation with the changes in the sea-surface temperature as an indirect indication of the upwelling. An additional analysis, based on the low-pass filtered data, showed also significant agreement between the measured divergence in the cross-shore surface transport and the wind-stress curl computed for all three algorithms.     

Observations and measurements of wave-induced drift of surface inextensible film in deep and shallow waters

The present study investigates the drift of two-dimensional floating surface films by both deep and shallow water waves in the laboratory. The focus is on the observations and measurements on the drift behavior and to clarify some outstanding issues. Thin polyethylene sheets with reflective markers were attached to simulate the inextensible surface films. Upon the initiation of a wave train, two infrared cameras recorded continuously the instantaneous position of the markers at 50 Hz. The temporal variation of the drift velocity was then determined by processing the recorded data. In all experiments, the drift velocity increased quickly in the beginning and reached a quasi-steady mean value. The magnitude of the surface drift typically increased with the longitudinal length of the polyethylene sheet until the sheet length was approximately the same as the wavelength. Lengthening the sheet length further did not lead to significant changes in the drift velocity. Under the shallow water condition, the wave-induced drift velocity increased linearly with the Ursell number and with a lower water depth.     

Computer simulated versus observed NO2 and SO2 emitted from elevated point source complex

ISC-AERMOD dispersion model was used to predict air dispersion plumes from an diesel power plant complex. Emissions of NO₂and SO₂from stacks (5 numbers) and a waste oil incinerator were studied to evaluate the pollutant dispersion patterns and the risk of nearby population. Emission source strengths from the individual point sources were also evaluated to determine the sources of significant attribution. Results demonstrated the dispersions of pollutants were influenced by the dominant easterly wind direction with the cumulative maximum ground level concentrations of 589.86 μg/m³ (1 h TWA NO₂) and 479.26 μg/m³ (1 h TWA SO₂). Model performance evaluation by comparing the predicted concentrations with observed values at ten locations for the individual air pollutants using rigorous statistical procedures were found to be in good agreement. Among all the emission sources within the facility complex, SESB-Power (diesel power plant) had been singled out as a significant source of emission that contributed >85% of the total pollutants emitted.