Electron-driven excitation of O2 under night-time auroral conditions: Excited state densities and band emissions

Electron impact excitation of vibrational levels in the ground electronic state and seven excited electronic states in O₂ have been simulated for an International Brightness Coefficient-Category 2+ (IBC II+) night-time aurora, in order to predict O₂ excited state number densities and volume emission rates (VERs). These number densities and VERs are determined as a function of altitude (in the range 80-350 km) in the present study. Recent electron impact excitation cross-sections for O₂ were combined with appropriate altitude dependent IBC II+ auroral secondary electron distributions and the vibrational populations of the eight O₂ electronic states were determined under conditions of statistical equilibrium. Pre-dissociation, atmospheric chemistry involving atomic and molecular oxygen, radiative decay and quenching of excited states were included in this study. This model predicts relatively high number densities for the metastable electronic states and could represent a significant source of stored energy in O₂* for subsequent thermospheric chemical reactions. Particular attention is directed towards the emission intensities of the infrared (IR) atmospheric (1.27 μm), Atmospheric (0.76 μm) and the atomic oxygen ¹S→¹D transition (5577 Å) lines and the role of electron-driven processes in their origin. Aircraft, rocket and satellite observations have shown both the IR atmospheric and Atmospheric lines are dramatically enhanced under auroral conditions and, where possible, we compare our results to these measurements. Our calculated 5577 Å intensity is found to be in good agreement with values independently measured for a medium strength IBC II+ aurora.     

Beta gyres in global analysis fields

A three-component decomposition is applied to global analysis data to show the existence of a beta gyre, which causes Tropical Cyclone (TC) to drift from a large-scale environmental steering current. Analyses from the Global Data Assimilation and Prediction System (GDAPS) of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the Global Forecast System (GFS) of NCEP, and the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) are used in this study. The structure of the beta gyre obtained in our analyses is in good agreement with the theoretical structure, with a cyclonic circulation to the southwest of the TC center, an anticyclonic circulation to the northeast, and a ventilation flow directed northwestward near the center. The circulation of the beta gyre is strongest at the 850-hPa level where the cyclonically swirling primary circulation is strongest, and decreases with height, in a pyramid shape similar to the primary circulation. The individual structure of the beta gyre is case- and model-dependent. At a certain analysis time, one model may clearly reveal a well-defined beta gyre, but the other models may not. Within one model, the beta gyre may be well defined at some analysis times, but not at other times. The structure of the beta gyre in the analysis field is determined by the nature of the vortex initialization scheme and the model behavior during the 6-h forecast in the operational data assimilation cycle.     

Energy Balance Closure Using Eddy Covariance Above Two Different Land Surfaces and Implications for CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Flux Measurements

Components of the surface energy balance of a mature boreal jack pine forest and a jack pine clearcut were analysed to determine the causes of the imbalance that is commonly observed in micrometeorological measurements. At the clearcut site (HJP02), a significant portion of the imbalance was caused by: (i) the overestimation of net radiation (R _n ) due to the inclusion of the tower in the field of view of the downward facing radiometers, and (ii) the underestimation of the latent heat flux (λE) due to the damping of high frequency fluctuations in the water vapour mixing ratio by the sample tube of the closed-path infrared gas analyzer. Loss of low-frequency covariance induced by insufficient averaging time as well as systematic advection of fluxes away from the eddy-covariance (EC) tower were discounted as significant issues. Spatial and temporal distributions of the total surface-layer heat flux (T), i.e. the sum of sensible heat flux (H) and λE, were well behaved and differences between the relative magnitudes of the turbulent fluxes for several investigated energy balance closure (C) classes were observed. Therefore, it can be assumed that micrometeorological processes that affected all turbulent fluxes similarly did not cause the variation in C. Turbulent fluxes measured at the clearcut site should not be forced to close the energy balance. However, at the mature forest site (OJP), loss of low-frequency covariance contributed significantly to the systematic imbalance when a 30-min averaging time was used, but the application of averaging times that were long enough to capture all of the low-frequency covariance was inadequate to resolve all of the high-frequency covariance. Although we found qualitative similarity between T and the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide (CO₂), forcing T to closure while retaining the Bowen ratio and applying the same factor to CO₂ fluxes (F _C ) cannot be generally recommended since it remains uncertain to what extent long wavelength contributions affect the relationship between T, F _C and C.     

High resolution remote sensing observations for missions to the Jovian system: Io as a case study

We present modeled images of Io at a variety of distances from the surface as a function of imager aperture size and wavelength. We consider the science objectives that could be achieved from missions engaged in long range remote-sensing of Io during the approach to the Jovian system and subsequently from orbit around Europa or Ganymede, in both the visible and near infrared wavelength ranges. We find that basic global mapping objectives in the visible can be met with a traditional 0.5 m telescope design. A more ambitious 1.5 m telescope could accomplish much more detailed objectives such as topographical measurements, and determination of flow patterns and thermal sources for individual active regions on Io.     

Ordovician high-grade metamorphism of a newly recognised late Neoproterozoic terrane in the northern Harts Range,central Australia

Granulite facies rocks from the northernmost Harts Range Complex (Arunta Inlier, central Australia) have previously been interpreted as recording a single clockwise cycle of presumed Palaeoproterozoic metamorphism (800–875 °C and >9–10 kbar) and subsequent decompression in a kilometre‐scale, E‐W striking zone of noncoaxial, high‐grade (c. 700–735 °C and 5.8–6.4 kbar) deformation. However, new SHRIMP U‐Pb age determinations of zircon, monazite and titanite from partially melted metabasites and metapelites indicate that granulite facies metamorphism occurred not in the Proterozoic, but in the Ordovician (c. 470 Ma). The youngest metamorphic zircon overgrowths from two metabasites (probably meta‐volcaniclastics) yield ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 478±4 Ma and 471±7 Ma, whereas those from two metapelites yield ages of 463±5 Ma and 461±4 Ma. Monazite from the two metapelites gave ages equal within error to those from metamorphic zircon rims in the same rock (457±5 Ma and 462±5 Ma, respectively). Zircon, and possibly monazite ages are interpreted as dating precipitation of these minerals from crystallizing melt within leucosomes. In contrast, titanite from the two metabasites yield ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages that are much younger (411±5 Ma & 417±7 Ma, respectively) than those of coexisting zircon, which might indicate that the terrane cooled slowly following final melt crystallization. One metabasite has a second titanite population with an age of 384±7 Ma, which reflects titanite growth and/or recrystallization during the 400–300 Ma Alice Springs Orogeny. The c. 380 Ma titanite age is indistinguishable from the age of magmatic zircon from a small, late and weakly deformed plug of biotite granite that intruded the granulites at 387±4 Ma. These data suggest that the northern Harts Range has been subject to at least two periods of reworking (475–460 Ma & 400–300 Ma) during the Palaeozoic. Detrital zircon from the metapelites and metabasites, and inherited zircon from the granite, yield similar ranges of Proterozoic ages, with distinct age clusters at c. 1300–1000 and c. 650 Ma. These data imply that the deposition ages of the protoliths to the Harts Range Complex are late Neoproterozoic or early Palaeozoic, not Palaeoproterozoic as previously assumed.     

Stable isotope geochemistry of Alpine ophiolites: a window to ocean-floor hydrothermal alteration and constraints on fluid–rock interaction during high-pressure metamorphism

 The subduction of hydrated oceanic lithosphere potentially transports large volumes of water into the upper mantle; however, despite its potential importance, fluid–rock interaction during high-pressure metamorphism is relatively poorly understood. The stable isotope and major element geochemistry of Pennine ophiolite rocks from Italy and Switzerland that were metamorphosed at high pressures are similar to that of unmetamorphosed ophiolites, suggesting that they interacted with little pervasive fluid during high-pressure metamorphism. Cover sediments also have oxygen isotope ratios within the expected range of their protoliths. In the rocks that escaped late greenschist-facies retrogression, different styles of sub-ocean-floor alteration may be identified using oxygen isotopes, petrology, and major or trace element geochemistry. Within the basalts, zones that have undergone high- and low-temperature sub-ocean-floor alteration as well as relatively unaltered rocks can be distinguished. Serpentinites have δ¹⁸O and δ²H values that suggest that they were formed by hydration on or below the ocean floor. The development of high-pressure metamorphic mineralogies in metagabbros occurred preferentially in zones that underwent sub-ocean-floor alteration and which contained hydrated, fine-grained, reactive assemblages. Given that the transformation of blueschist-facies metabasic rocks to eclogite-facies assemblages involves the breakdown of hydrous minerals (e.g. lawsonite, zoisite, and glaucophane), and will thus liberate considerable volumes of fluids, metamorphic fluid flow must have been strongly channelled. High-pressure (quartz+calcite±omphacite±glaucophane±titanoclinohumite) veins that cut the ophiolite rocks represent one possible channel; however, stable isotope and major element data suggest that they were not formed from large volumes of exotic fluids. Fluids were more likely channelled along faults and shear zones that were active during high-pressure metamorphism. Such strong fluid channelling may cause fluids to migrate toward the accretionary wedge, especially along the slab–mantle interface, which is probably a major shear zone. This may preclude all but a small fraction of the fluids entering the mantle wedge to flux melting. Additionally, because fluids probably interact with relatively small volumes of rock in the channels, they cannot "scavenge" elements from the subducting slab efficiently. Received: 28 January 1999 / Accepted: 2 February 1999     

Sapphirine-kornerupine rocks from the Reynolds Range,central Australia: constraints on the uplift history of a Proterozoic low pressure terrain

Sapphirine-kornerupine-bearing rocks from the Reynolds Range, Northern Territory, Australia preserve spectacular metamorphic reaction textures that provide valuable insights into the regional metamorphic uplift history. The rocks occur in pods that are several meters in diameter within high-temperature, low-pressure (750 to 800°C and 4 to 5 kbar) granulite facies exposures of the early Proterozoic Lander Rock beds, a laterally extensive sequence of folded pelitic and quartzose metasediments. The pods are not associated with large volumes of partial melts and are likely to have formed by metasomatism near the peak of M₂ metamorphism. The rocks in the pods consist of high-temperature Mg- and Al-rich minerals such as boron-free korneurpine, and are coarse-grained (0.5 to >15 cm), non-foliated, and locally nearly monomineralic. The growth of the coarse minerals in the pods largely post-dated the high-grade regional metamorphic D₂ fabric and completely reconstructed the precursor rocks. The retrograde metamorphic reaction textures show that the early retrogression from the M₂ granulite facies conditions was characterized not by isobaric cooling as previously proposed, but by nearly isthermal decompression. These data imply that the Reynolds Range did not follow a simple anticlockwise P-T-t path. Because rocks such as these preserve information from a only restricted portion of the metamorphic history and can preserve evidence of decompression reactions more clearly than many more ordinary lithologies, they can be especially important for discerning metamorphic P-T-t paths.This paper is a contribution to IGCP Project 304, Lower Crustal Processes.     

On shear-wave triplication in transversely isotropic media

The exact solution to the problem of qSV triplication in homogenous transversely isotropic media has been long known, but the result is algebraically complex and is seldom applied in practice. We present an appropriate approximation (not assuming weak qSV-anisotropy) that simplifies the conditions for the onset of off-axis triplication as anisotropy is increased, identifying the anisotropy parameter σ as the controlling parameter. It follows that commonly reported surface-seismic P-wave move-out measurements imply that many formations in the earth's sedimentary crust support off-axis qSV triplications. For typical Vp/Vs velocity ratios and a horizontally stratified earth, however, off-axis qSV triplications appear to only occur for shear-wave incidence angles too far from the vertical to be sampled by surface-seismic converted-wave survey geometries.