Massive stars exploding in a He-rich circumstellar medium – I. Type Ibn (SN 2006jc-like) events

We present new spectroscopic and photometric data of the Type Ibn supernovae 2006jc, 2000er and 2002ao. We discuss the general properties of this recently proposed supernova family, which also includes SN 1999cq. The early-time monitoring of SN 2000er traces the evolution of this class of objects during the first few days after the shock breakout. An overall similarity in the photometric and spectroscopic evolution is found among the members of this group, which would be unexpected if the energy in these core-collapse events was dominated by the interaction between supernova ejecta and circumstellar medium. Type Ibn supernovae appear to be rather normal Type Ib/c supernova explosions which occur within a He-rich circumstellar environment. SNe Ibn are therefore likely produced by the explosion of Wolf–Rayet progenitors still embedded in the He-rich material lost by the star in recent mass-loss episodes, which resemble known luminous blue variable eruptions. The evolved Wolf–Rayet star could either result from the evolution of a very massive star or be the more evolved member of a massive binary system. We also suggest that there are a number of arguments in favour of a Type Ibn classification for the historical SN 1885A (S-Andromedae), previously considered as an anomalous Type Ia event with some resemblance to SN 1991bg.     

Bed forms and bend-arc spacings of some coarse-bedload channels in Upland Britain

Seventy-eight riffle to riffle and 80 bend spacings along eleven coarse-bedload, low sinuosity stream channels in upland Britain have been surveyed. Frequency distributions of these spacings are notably right-skewed. The most common repeating distances between riffles and bend inflections are between 4 and 6 channel widths although spacings up to 20 widths are also present. Riffle and pool locations around bends at different stages of planform development indicate that change is largely through increased sinuosity between two consecutive riffles of an original straight reach. Observed straight segments exhibit alternating riffles and pools evenly spaced at 4-6 widths, and most bends have similarly spaced riffles at their inflections in plan, with the intermediate pool at their apex. However angular deflections between axial lines joining inflections indicate existing sequences of bends did not develop from a single straight reach. Bends which are significantly longer than 4-6 widths are of low sinuosity and represent variability in naturally irregular planforms rather than arcs in advanced stages of meander growth. Adjusted bed topography around such long bends takes two forms. Either a single riffle-pool cycle is present with one or both bed forms being longer than average, or a 4-6 widths spacing is maintained by more than one riffle-pool sequence. Locally, the cross-section characteristics of riffles and pools are also influenced by planform location.     

Variation in cross-sectional asymmetry of coarse bedload river channels

Alternative indices of cross-section asymmetry are compared. Observed values of two preferred indices for 567 natural sections across eleven confined upland channels are predictably low along such low sinuosity reaches. Variation in asymmetry of sections located around confined, unconfined but stable, and freely-migrating bends is evaluated. Consideration of the influence of bed topography emphasizes local plan curvature of bed forms as an important control on degree of asymmetry. Variation in indices for bed forms in similar planform locations indicates the levels of asymmetry at different stages of the transformation of channel geometry over time.     

Water loss and canopy resistance of a young Sitka spruce plantation

Transpiration of a 7 m-high Stika spruce forest was investigated using measurments of net radiation, sensible heat and ground heat fluxes in an energy balance to give latent heat flux, and hence canopy resistance from the Penman-Monteith equation. Sensible heat flux was measured by the eddy-correlation method using a Fluxatron circuit.During six consecutive days of measurement in July/August, canopy resistance typically followed a decreasing trend from high values (150 s m-) at dawn to around 40 s m^–1 at midday and then returning steadily to > 100 s m^–1 at sunset. Transpiration was 3 mm day^–1 on average over the period studied and changes in the rate within the day were significantly correlated with changes in net radiation.Comparisons are drawn with published data from other forest sites and the conclusion is reached that it is imprudent to generalise about transpiration rates and canopy resistances of different species at different sites from results gathered at one or two places.