Venus upper atmospheric CO, temperature, and winds across the afternoon/evening terminator from June 2007 JCMT sub-millimeter line observations

The Venus mesosphere constitutes a highly variable transition region between the zonal rotation of the lower atmosphere and the diurnal circulation of the upper atmosphere. It further serves as the primary photochemical region of the Venus atmosphere. We obtained James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT, Mauna Kea Hawaii) sub-millimeter line observations of mesospheric ¹²CO and ¹³CO during coordinated space (MESSENGER and Venus Express) and ground-based observations of Venus in June of 2007. Such CO spectra line measurements support temperature, CO mixing ratio, and wind retrievals over the 80-110 km altitude range, encompassing the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere of Venus. Five-point beam integrations were obtained across the observed Venus disk, allowing distinction of afternoon (noon to 6 p.m.) versus evening (6 p.m. to midnight) local times and northern (0-60N) versus southern (0-60S) latitudes. Distinctive diurnal variations (noon to midnight) are retrieved for both temperatures above 95 km and CO mixing ratios above 85 km altitudes. Separate CO line maps obtained on (UT) June 2, 3, 6, and 11 indicate moderate daily variability in afternoon and evening CO mixing ratios (20-50%) and temperatures (5-10 K). Average Venus mesospheric temperatures over this period were 10 K warmer than returned from 1978 to 1979 Pioneer Venus or 2000-01 sub-millimeter measurements, without evidence for the very large temperature inversions indicated by Venus Express SPICAV measurements at 90-100 km altitudes (Bertaux, J.L., Vandaele, A.-C., Korablev, O., Villard, E., Fedorova, A., Fussen, D., Quémerais, E., Belyaev, D., Mahieux, A., Montmessin, F., Muller, C., Neefs, E., Nevejans, D., Wilquet, V., Dubois, J.P. Hauchecorne, A., Stepanov, A., Vinogradov, I., Rodin, A., Bertaux, J.-L., Nevejans, D., Korablev, O., Montmessin, F., Vandaele, A.-C., Fedorova, A., Cabane, M., Chassefière, E., Chaufray, J.Y., Dimarellis, E., Dubois, J.P., Hauchecorne, A., Leblanc, F., Lefèvre, F., Rannou, P., Quémerais, E., Villard, E., Fussen, D., Muller, C., Neefs, E., Van Ransbeeck, E., Wilquet, V., Rodin, A., Stepanov, A., Vinogradov, I., Zasova, L., Forget, F., Lebonnois, S., Titov, D., Rafkin, S., Durry, G., Gérard, J.C., Sandel, B., 2007. A warm layer in Venus’ cryosphere and high-altitude measurements of HF, HCl, H₂O and HDO. Nature 450, 646-649). Measured Doppler shifts associated with June 2 and 11 ¹²CO line center absorptions indicate nearly supersonic (200 m/s, Mach 1) afternoon-to-evening (retrograde) circulation; composed of additive subsolar-to-antisolar (SSAS) and zonal retrograde wind components, which are not separable due to the particular observational geometry.     

Exchange of global mean angular momentum between an atmosphere and its underlying planet

This paper investigates the exchange of global mean angular momentum between an atmosphere and its underlying planet by a simple model. The model parameterizes four processes that are responsible for zonal mean momentum budget in the atmospheric boundary layer for a rotating planet: (i) meridional circulation that redistributes the relative angular momentum, (ii) horizontal diffusion that smoothes the prograde and retrograde winds, (iii) frictional drag that exchanges atmospheric angular momentum with the underlying planet, and (iv) internal redistribution of the zonal mean momentum by wave drag. It is shown that under a steady-state or a long-term average condition, the global relative angular momentum in the boundary layer vanishes unless there exists a preferred frictional drag for either the prograde or the retrograde zonal wind. We further show quantitatively that one cannot have either a predominant steady prograde or retrograde wind in the boundary layer of a planetary atmosphere. The parameter dependencies of the global relative angular momentum and the strength of the atmospheric circulation in the boundary layer are derived explicitly and used to explain the observational differences between the atmospheres of Earth and Venus.     

The High-Resolution Solar Reference Spectrum between 250 and 550 nm and its Application to Measurements with the Ozone Monitoring Instrument

We have constructed a new high resolution solar reference spectrum in the spectral range between 250 and 550 nm. The primary use of this spectrum is for the calibration of the Dutch – Finnish Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), but other applications are mentioned. The incentive for deriving a new high resolution solar reference spectrum is that available spectra do not meet our requirements on radiometric accuracy or spectral resolution. In this paper we explain the steps involved in constructing the new spectrum, based on available low and high resolution spectra and discuss the main sources of uncertainty. We compare the result with solar measurements obtained with the OMI as well as with other UV-VIS space-borne spectrometers with a similar spectral resolution. We obtain excellent agreement with the OMI measurements, which indicates that both the newly derived solar reference spectrum and our characterization of the OMI instrument are well understood. We also find good agreement with previously published low resolution spectra. The absolute intensity scale, wavelength calibration and representation of the strength of the Fraunhofer lines have been investigated and optimized to obtain the resulting high resolution solar reference spectrum.     

Updates to the MSFC Meteoroid Stream Model

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Meteoroid Stream Model simulates particle ejection and subsequent evolution from comets in order to provide meteor shower forecasts to spacecraft operators for hazard mitigation and planning purposes. The model, previously detailed in Moser and Cooke (Earth Moon Planets 95, 141 (2004)), has recently been updated; the changes include the implementation of the RADAU integrator, an improved planetary treatment, and the inclusion of general relativistic effects in the force function. The results of these updates are investigated with respect to various meteoroid streams and the outcome presented.     

Reanalysis of the Historic AFTAC Bolide Infrasound Database

We have recently digitized and partially reanalyzed the historic bolide infrasonic database. These 10 events were originally detected by the U.S. Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) from ∼1960 to 1974. In this paper we present the first preliminary reanalysis results for two of the 10 bolide events, namely the Revelstoke bolide of 3/31/1965 as well as the Prince Edward Islands (P.E.I). S. African bolide of 8/03/1963, which were among the largest bolides detected during this time period. These bolides have been investigated initially since they are most likely to have had a significant effect on the computed global influx rate of ReVelle (Global Infrasonic Monitoring of Large Bolides, pp 483–490, 2001) as indicated in Brown et al. (Nature, 420:314–316, 2002). We are in the process of recomputing all relevant infrasonic propagation quantities such as plane wave back azimuth, signal velocities, power spectra, spectrograms, as well as energy estimates using multiple techniques. In a future paper we will present a complete digital reanalysis of the AFTAC bolide infrasonic data and its final resulting global bolide influx implications.     

Acoustic-Gravity Waves from Bolide Sources

We have developed a new approach to modeling the acoustic-gravity wave (AGW) radiation from bolide sources. This first effort involves entry modeling of bolide sources that have available satellite data through procedures developed in ReVelle (Earth Moon Planets 95, 441–476, 2004a; in: A. Milani, G. Valsecchi, D. Vokrouhlicky (eds) NEO Fireball Diversity: Energetics-based Entry Modeling and Analysis Techniques, Near-earth Objects: Our Celestial Neighbors (IAU S236), 2007b). Results from the entry modeling are directly coupled to AGW production through line source blast wave theory for the initial wave amplitude and period at (at 10 blast wave radii and perpendicular to the trajectory). The second effort involves the prediction of the formation and or dominance of the propagation of the atmospheric Lamb, edge-wave composite mode in a viscous fluid (Pierce, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 35, 1798–1807, 1963) as a function of the source energy, horizontal range and source altitude using the Lamb wave frequency that was deduced directly during the entry modeling and that is used as a surrogate for the source energy. We have also determined that Lamb wave production by bolides at close range decreases dramatically as either the source energy decreases or the source altitude increases. Finally using procedures in Gill (Atmospheric-Ocean Dynamics, 1982) and in Tolstoy (Wave Propagation, 1973), we have analyzed two simple dispersion relationships and have calculated the expected dispersion for the Lamb edge-wave mode and for the excited, propagating internal acoustic waves. Finally, we have used the above formalism to fully evaluate these techniques for four large bolides, namely: the Tunguska bolide of June 30, 1908; the Revelstoke bolide of March 31, 1965; the Crete bolide of June 6, 2002 and the Antarctic bolide of September 3, 2004. Due to page limitations, we will only present results in detail for the Revelstoke bolide.     

气溶胶吸收及气候效应研究的新进展

最新研究结果表明仅关注气溶胶大气顶辐射强迫是不够的,特别是对于在短波辐射区域存在较强吸收的气溶胶类型,如烟尘、沙尘气溶胶。INDOEX实验表明来自印度次大陆的吸收性气溶胶产生的地表辐射强迫在量值上是大气顶辐射强迫的3倍左右,二者的差额以大气辐射加热的形式出现。气溶胶吸收通过加热气溶胶层所在大气,减少地表太阳辐射,影响地面蒸发,改变大气稳定度,从而影响水分循环。另外气溶胶的吸收对云产生“燃烧效应”,从而可能导致云量下降。鉴于气溶胶吸收的重要性,气溶胶吸收问题是当前气溶胶气候效应研究的一个热点问题。尽管关于气溶胶的吸收问题以及与之有关的气候效应还存在很大不确定性,根据观测事实或模拟结果得出的结论差别明显,但勿庸置疑的是气溶胶吸收是一个急需深入探讨的课题。由于我国北方地区春季沙尘活动十分频繁,而东部地区由于能源结构以及能源利用效率等问题致使气溶胶中吸收性成分（碳黑）含量偏高,一些资料分析以及模式研究结果均表明我国发生了一些有别于全球或其他地区的独特气候变化现象,初步分析表明气溶胶吸收在其中可能发挥了一定作用,因此加强我国气溶胶吸收特性的观测和理论研究,结合全球或区域气候模式,深入认识我国气溶胶辐射强迫、气候效应具有重要的科学意义,另外对于评估我国近年来采取的一些卓有成效的污染控制措施的环境和气候效应也是必不可少的。     

阿尔金新近纪红黏土粒度特征及古气候记录

为反演阿尔金新近纪红黏土记录的古气候、古环境信息,在已有的磁性地层学约束基础之上对剖面的粒度指标进行了系统的分析,并利用粒度端元模型(EMM)进行分解。结果表明,可分为三个粒度端元:端元1(众数粒径5.2μm)众数粒径集中分布于2～6μm,与北太平洋西风带粒度分布和中国黄土细粒组分的粒度分布相似;端元2(众数粒径20μm)呈负偏态非对称分布,众数粒径在32～16μm之间,为低空西风所搬运短距离做跃移运动的粉尘物质;端元3为双主峰分布,众数粒径57μm和2.5μm,代表着尘暴事件中风动力近源变化强度,反映混合沉积特征。其中在10.8～10.3 Ma、8～6 Ma、5.2～4.3 Ma、3.6～2.8 Ma端元1粒度含量呈减小趋势,端元2粒度百分含量呈逐渐增加趋势,中值粒径增大。13～2.6 Ma阿尔金红黏土记录显示内陆干旱化加剧事件经历了10.8～10.3 Ma、8～6 Ma、5.2～4.3 Ma、3.6～2.8 Ma四个阶段,结合前人对该剖面及邻区其他地质环境记录研究表明,亚洲内陆干旱化可能的起始时间为11 Ma左右,西风环流在本区占主导地位。全球变冷是内陆干旱化加剧的主导要素,青藏高原的阶段性隆升起着推动作用。     

Atmospheric Reactive Nitrogen Cycle and Stable Nitrogen Isotope Processes: Progresses and Perspectives

Oxidized reactive nitrogen in the atmosphere mainly consists of nitrogen oxides (NO _X =NO+NO₂, NO₃) and nitric acid. The atmospheric cycling of NO _X influences the formation of ozone and hydroxyl radicals that are important for atmospheric oxidation capacity. Nitric acid, the final product of NO _X oxidation, not only is an important component of particulate pollutants, but also has a direct impact on the ecosystem through dry and wet deposition. The stable nitrogen isotope (δ¹⁵N) shows the potential to study reactive nitrogen cycle, and to trace the emission, transport and deposition of reactive nitrogen from local to global scales. Here, we reviewed previous studies using δ¹⁵N to investigate NO _X emission and atmospheric reactive nitrogen cycle, and discuss the uncertainties of δ¹⁵N signatures of different NO _X sources from two aspects: NO _X generation mechanism and NO _X collection methods. We also discussed the nitrogen isotope fractionation and the consequences during the conversions of NO _y molecules. We ended up with discussions on the possibility of using δ¹⁵N to trace NO _X emissions. Although there are still large uncertainties in quantifying and tracing NO _X emissions using nitrogen stable isotopes, such isotope tool is efficient enough to trace reactive nitrogen cycles in the atmosphere. On the basis of this, we proposed that we can combine atmospheric chemistry transmission models with isotope tracers to improve our understanding of regional and global atmospheric reactive nitrogen cycle regarding the fluxes of different emission sources, their atmospheric transformation, etc.     

丹江口水库老灌河流域地下水水化学特征

作为南水北调中线工程的水源地,丹江口水库地下水的水质是影响南水北调工程建设的重要因素。为了确保丹江口水库一库清水送北京,对水库老灌河流域进行地下水采样、统计和分析,研究地下水的水化学特征,结果表明: 丹江口老灌河流域地下水偏弱碱性,属于低矿化水,Ca²⁺为优势阳离子,$HCO_3^-$为优势阴离子; 除$NO_3^-$外,该区主要离子浓度均符合我国及世界卫生组织推荐的饮用水标准; 丰水期和枯水期地下水的水化学类型均为Ca-Mg-HCO₃型和Ca-HCO₃型,水化学过程以风化-溶滤作用为主; 地下水$NO_3^-$超标13%~17%,丰水期部分区域出现Cl^-型水化学类型。季节变化对老灌河流域地下水的水化学类型空间分布影响较小,地下水水质受农业、养殖业、工业遗留废渣及生活污水等影响。