Coronal X-ray holes and the quiet radio Sun at 2800 MHz

Radio cool regions observed on strip scans of the Sun made at 2800 MHz with a 1.5 min arc fan beam are associated with X-ray coronal holes and are used to derive lower envelopes which are similar to spotless Sun drift curves. Fluxes are evaluated from the Ottawa-ARO solar patrol;. e.g. that of Coronal Hole 1 observed during the Skylab Mission with central meridian passage on July 25, 1973 is 66.5 s.f.u. ± 0.6%. This level is identified as that observed during sunspot minimum by comparison with the flux of 67.2 observed in July, 1964, and with the low daily values of 67.5 and 67.1 observed in April, 1975 and January, 1976. The enhancement of the quiet Sun of 3.0 s.f.u. for the optically inactive hemisphere of May 20, 1974 suggests that the radio quiet Sun may vary during the sunspot cycle.     

Simultaneous ground-satellite observations of Pi 2 magnetic pulsations and their high frequency enhancement

Pi 2 magnetic pulsations are a frequent occurrence at the earth's surface and have been shown to be clearly correlated with substorm expansion onset. These pulsations are also observed in space at synchronous orbit at the same time as they are seen on the ground at the satellite conjugate point. In this brief report we describe three days in 1969 on which Pi 2 magnetic pulsations were simultaneously observed at the synchronous satellite ATS 1 and at Tungsten, N.W.T., Canada, near the foot of the ATS 1 magnetic field line. These Pi 2 bursts all exhibit the characteristic waveform and frequency, as well as an ～0.3 Hz enhancement, at both locations. This high frequency enhancement appears to be an integral part of Pi 2 bursts both on the surface and at synchronous orbit and should be considered in the development of models of generation mechanisms.     

Two-dimensional stresses in a saturated poro-elastic foundation beneath a rigid structure—part. I. An impervious dam in a river

The problem of an impervious dam on a poro-elastic foundation is solved analytically. Using the known solution for the fluid pressure in the pores, the elastostatic stress field in the solid skeleton is analysed by reduction to two simpler problems whose solutions can be obtained by complex variable techniques. For welded contact, the rotation of the dam base is then found along with the stresses and strains in the ground. Modification for finite friction along the base is outlined in the appendix.     

The composition of the Martian atmosphere: Minor constituents

The Mariner 6 and 7 infrared spectrometers provided data which, in principle, determine upper limits on the possible atmospheric abundance of every gaseous substance that was undetected but which has recognized absorptions in the accessible spectral region, 1.9 to 14.4 μ. Through supporting laboratory determinations of curves of growth under pressure broadening conditions appropriate to Mars, upper limits can be specified (expressed first in cm-atm, STP, for a vertical column and then in parts per million) for the following gases: NO₂ (<0.0016, 0.23); NH₃ (<0.0031, 0.44); C₃O₂ (<0.0032, 0.45); SO₂ (?0.0037, 0.52); OCS (<0.0040, 0.56); NO (<0.0050, 0.70); O₃ (<0.0061, 0.86); CH₄ (<0.026, 3.7); N₂O (<0.13, 18); HCl (<3.7, 520); HBr (?8.2, 1150); H₂S (<27, 3800). In addition, considerations of band contours, moments of inertia, and experimental absorption coefficients permit us to place useful upper limits on twenty-seven additional substances that were not detected and for which curves of growth have not been measured: less than 1.0ppm (or, <0.0071cm-atm); SF₆, NF₃, Cl₂CO, CF₄, CHF₃, Br₂CO, SiF₄; less than 6.0ppm (or, <0.035 cm-atm); C₂F₆, CO₃, F₂CO, C₂H₄, BF₃, CS₂, CHCl₃, C₂H₆, H₂CO, CH₃F, C₆H₆, CH₂I₂; less than 50ppm (or, <0.35 cm-atm): C₂H₂, HCN, CH₂Br₂, CH₂Cl₂, CH₃Br, PH₃, CH₃I, and CH₃Cl. These upper limits are compared to earlier limits based upon terrestrial measurements. The present limits placed upon the possible atmospheric content of the molecules C₃O₂ and CO₃ are of particular interest because of their relevance to the photochemistry of the Martian atmosphere.     

Interaction of the solar wind with the outer planets

The hypersonic analog for the interaction of the solar wind with Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto is used to provide estimates of shock shapes and locations as well as average magnetosheath and/or ionosheath properties for these planets. Several representative spacecraft flyby trajectories (designed for outer-planet Grand Tour simulations) are superimposed upon a series of figures in order to provide estimates of potential plasma and field parameters which may be encountered. Consideration is given first to the possibility that several of these planets have intrinsic magnetic fields and, secondly, to the interaction of the solar wind directly on the ionosphere should there actually be no intrinsic field. Saturn and Pluto are chosen as examples of this latter case.     

Modified bentonite (Sodium Smectite) sealant membrane

A smectite-coated polypropylene membrane has strength, ease of placement and inspection, plus strong resistance to leakage of hazardous waste liquids or slurries. Natural smectite must be modified by chemical additives to develop resistance to contamination.     

CLASSIFICATION OF EIGHT ORDINARY CHONDRITES FROM TEXAS

Based on optical microscopy and electron microprobe analyses, eight previously undescribed or poorly known chondrites were classified into compositional groups, petrologic types, and degree of shock alteration. These chondrites are: Leander, L4b; Nazareth(a), L6d; La Villa, H4b; Mereta, H4c; Gail, H4d; Shafter Lake, H5a; Uvalde, H5d; and Howe, H5d.     

The satellite reversion of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) based on the analysis of the mixing behavior of DOC and colored dissolved organic matter: the East China Sea as an example

The retrieval of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) distribution by remote sensing is mainly based on the empirical relationship of DOC concentration and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) concentration in many literatures. To investigate the nature of this relationship, the distributions and mixing behaviors of DOC and CDOM are reviewed in the world’s major estuaries and bays. It is found that, generally, the CDOM concentration is well correlated with the salinity in most estuaries, while DOC usually shows a nonconservative behavior which leads to a weak correlation between the DOC concentration and the CDOM concentration. To establish a good satellite reversion of the DOC concentration, the East China Sea(ECS) was taken as an example, and the mixing behavior of DOC and CDOM as well as the influence of biogeochemical processes were analyzed except for the physical mixing process with the data from late autumn (November, 2010) and winter (December, 2009) cruises. In the two ECS cruises, the CDOM concentration was found to be tightly correlated with the salinity, influenced little by the photochemical or biological processes. The data from the winter cruise show that DOC followed a conservative mixing along the salinity gradient, while in the late autumn cruise it was significantly affected by the biological activities, resulting in a poor correlation between the DOC and the CDOM. Accordingly, an improved DOC algorithm (CSDM) was proposed: when the biological influence was significant (Chl a greater than 0.8 μg/dm3 ), DOC was retrieved by the conservative and biological model, and if the conservative mixing was dominant (Chl a less than 0.8 μg/dm3 ), the direct DOC concentration and CDOM concentration relationship was used. Based on the proposed algorithm, a reasonable DOC distribution for the ECS from satellite was obtained in this study, and the proposed method can be applied to the other large river-dominant marginal sea.     

Areas of the global major river plumes

River plumes are the regions where the most intense river-sea-land interaction occurs, and they are characterized by complex material transport and biogeochemical processes. However, due to their highly dynamic nature, global river plume areas have not yet been determined for use in synthetic studies of global oceanography. Based on global climatological monthly averaged salinity data from the NOAA World Ocean Atlas 2009 (WOA09), and monthly averaged salinity contour maps of the East and South China Seas from the Chinese Marine Atlas, we extract the monthly plume areas of major global rivers using a geographic information system (GIS) technique. Only areas with salinities that are three salinity units lower than the average salinity in each ocean are counted. This conservative estimate shows that the minimum and maximum monthly values of the total plume area of the world’s 19 largest rivers are 1.72 × 10 6 km 2 in May and 5.38 × 10 6 km 2 in August. The annual mean area of these river plumes (3.72 × 10 6 km 2 ) takes up approximately 14.2% of the total continental shelves area worldwide (26.15 × 10 6 km 2 ). This paper also presents river plume areas for different oceans and latitude zones, and analyzes seasonal variations of the plume areas and their relationships with river discharge. These statistics describing the major global river plume areas can now provide the basic data for the various flux calculations in the marginal seas, and therefore will be of useful for many oceanographic studies.     

Innovating the IPCC review process—the potential of young talent

There is significant potential in young talent for enhancing the credibility of the scientific assessments such as the IPCC’s by contributing to quality assurance and quality control. In this essay, we reflect on an experiment that was done by the Dutch government as part of its government review of a contribution to the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). In an effort to review the entire Working Group II contribution to the AR5 within the official review period for the Second Order Draft (SOD), the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency turned to PhD students. This article shows that a systematic review focusing on transparency and errors of a large scientific assessment document using young talented scientists can be successful if certain conditions are met. The reviewers need to have intrinsic motivation to conduct the review. There needs to be a communication plan that fosters engagement and a clear methodology to guide the reviewers through their task. Based on this experiment in review, we reflect on the wider potential for openness and crowdsourcing in scientific assessment processes such as the IPCC’s.