Second Tesseral Harmonic Torque Due to the DynamicS of the Oceanic Surface Layer as Detected by TOPEX/POSEIDON Altimetry 1993-2000

Estimates of the second tesseral torque due to the variations in the radial space position of the mean ocean surface as monitored by TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter system are derived. The magnitude of the studied torque may be compared to the tidal torque and to the tesseral torque caused by deformations due to the Earths rotation. However, such torque estimates strongly depend on the thickness of the ocean surface layer adopted in the spherical model of which the dynamics is believed to be responsible for the derived torque. The dependence on the thickness is discussed.     

The eruptive history of the Tequila volcanic field, western Mexico: ages, volumes, and relative proportions of lava types

The eruptive history of the Tequila volcanic field (1600 km²) in the western Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt is based on ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar chronology and volume estimates for eruptive units younger than 1 Ma. Ages are reported for 49 volcanic units, including Volcán Tequila (an andesitic stratovolcano) and peripheral domes, flows, and scoria cones. Volumes of volcanic units 1 Ma were obtained with the aid of field mapping, ortho aerial photographs, digital elevation models (DEMs), and ArcGIS software. Between 1120 and 200 kyrs ago, a bimodal distribution of rhyolite (~35 km³) and high-Ti basalt (~39 km³) dominated the volcanic field. Between 685 and 225 kyrs ago, less than 3 km³ of andesite and dacite erupted from more than 15 isolated vents; these lavas are crystal-poor and show little evidence of storage in an upper crustal chamber. Approximately 200 kyr ago, ~31 km³ of andesite erupted to form the stratocone of Volcán Tequila. The phenocryst assemblage of these lavas suggests storage within a chamber at ~2–3 km depth. After a hiatus of ~110 kyrs, ~15 km³ of andesite erupted along the W and SE flanks of Volcán Tequila at ~90 ka, most likely from a second, discrete magma chamber located at ~5–6 km depth. The youngest volcanic feature (~60 ka) is the small andesitic volcano Cerro Tomasillo (~2 km³). Over the last 1 Myr, a total of 128±22 km³ of lava erupted in the Tequila volcanic field, leading to an average eruption rate of ~0.13 km³/kyr. This volume erupted over ~1600 km², leading to an average lava accumulation rate of ~8 cm/kyr. The relative proportions of lava types are ~22–43% basalt, ~0.4–1% basaltic andesite, ~29–54% andesite, ~2–3% dacite, and ~18–40% rhyolite. On the basis of eruptive sequence, proportions of lava types, phenocryst assemblages, textures, and chemical composition, the lavas do not reflect the differentiation of a single (or only a few) parental liquids in a long-lived magma chamber. The rhyolites are geochemically diverse and were likely formed by episodic partial melting of upper crustal rocks in response to emplacement of basalts. There are no examples of mingled rhyolitic and basaltic magmas. Whatever mechanism is invoked to explain the generation of andesite at the Tequila volcanic field, it must be consistent with a dominantly bimodal distribution of high-Ti basalt and rhyolite for an 800 kyr interval beginning ~1 Ma, which abruptly switched to punctuated bursts of predominantly andesitic volcanism over the last 200 kyrs.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at Editorial responsility: J. Donnelly-NolanThis revised version was published online in January 2005 with corrections to Tables 1 and 3.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Outgassing-induced effects in the rotational state of comet 67P/Churyumov—Gerasimenko during the Rosetta mission

The new target of the Rosetta mission is comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (hereafter 67P/C-G). In order to support the planning of the mission, in particular the strategy during the mapping and landing phases, we have performed numerical simulations of the rotational evolution of a comet in the orbit of 67P/C-G. In these simulations, the currently known observational constraints have been taken into account and a large set of initial conditions were considered. For most of the simulations, we observe that the sublimation-induced torques produce significant changes in the rotational parameters of a 67P/C-G-like comet. Typical rates of change for the spin period from the rendezvous up to the end of the nominal mission range from 0.001 to depending on different circumstances as described in the text. At perihelion, rates of change of the orientation of the angular momentum vector amount to about 0.01-. These simulations suggest that a specific strategy should be defined in order to monitor likely variations of the rotational parameters. As an example we show a possible optimized schedule for observations with the OSIRIS instrument to determine the rotational parameters of comet 67P/C-G and their possible evolution.     

XPer的新发射相：光谱与红外观测

ＸＰｅｒ的新发射相：光谱与红外观测杭恒荣，夏剑萍中国科学院紫金山天文台，南京２１０００８中国科学院光学天文联合实验室关键词Ｂｅ星／Ｘ射线双星，发射线，ＪＨＫ测光１引言ＸＰｅｒ是一颗Ｂｅ／Ｘ射线双星（４Ｕ０３５２＋３０）的光学对应体［１－３］，中子星的...     

Pliocene—pleistocene boundary in the Kleszczów Graben at Belchatów,central Poland

The Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary, defined using pollen analysis, has been recorded in sections at the Belchatów outcrop, Kleszczów Graben, central Poland. The boundary is located at the top of the green clay subunit of the Tertiary Clayey-sandy unit. A pollen flora of Reuverian C type, dominated by pine, 10–20% of ‘Reuverian elements’ and scarce thermophilous Tertiary trees, was found directly below this subunit. Cold stage floras of Praetiglian type were, in turn, recorded in the ?ekińsko Formation, lying directly on the green clays. The Pliocene—Pleistocene transition at Belchatów demonstrates the characteristic features of this boundary in western Europe, that is, the disappearance of Tertiary thermophilous tree pollen taxa, followed by a cooling to open-forest or forest-steppe conditions. Both pollen analysis and geological data suggest continuous sedimentation at least from the Upper Pliocene to the Prae-Tiglian, with no change of sediment sources and no marked hiatuses. The fluvial deposits of the Praetiglian ?ekińsko Formation, although Pleistocene in age, mark a final period in the Tertiary evolution of the Kleszczów Graben. Later, there is a hiatus to the deposition of the first glacigenic sediments in the region possibly of Elsterian age.     

甘肃省森林、草原火灾定量判识方法研究

利用EOS/MODIS资料分析了2002年12月到2003年5月发生在甘肃省的6次草原、森林火灾的火区、火灾影响区及环境的亮温关系,结果表明:火区、火灾影响区及正常环境区在20通道与31通道的亮温存在近似的临界值,即(T20-T31)/T20<0.08的区域为正常环境区;0.08<(T20-T31)/T20<0.093的区域为火灾影响区;(T20-T31)/T20>0.093的区域为火区。同时此方法对"4.15"迭部森林火灾进行定量分析表明:此方法对火灾不同区域的判识及火灾面积的估算有很好的效果,为火灾监测及火灾面积的估算提供了一定的参考依据。     

Community preparedness for lava flows from Mauna Loa and Hualālai volcanoes,Kona, Hawai‘i

Lava flows from Mauna Loa and Huallai volcanoes are a major volcanic hazard that could impact the western portion of the island of Hawaii (e.g., Kona). The most recent eruptions of these two volcanoes to affect Kona occurred in a.d. 1950 and ca. 1800, respectively. In contrast, in eastern Hawaii, eruptions of neighboring Klauea volcano have occurred frequently since 1955, and therefore have been the focus for hazard mitigation. Official preparedness and response measures are therefore modeled on typical eruptions of Klauea.The combinations of short-lived precursory activity (e.g., volcanic tremor) at Mauna Loa, the potential for fast-moving lava flows, and the proximity of Kona communities to potential vents represent significant emergency management concerns in Kona. Less is known about past eruptions of Huallai, but similar concerns exist. Future lava flows present an increased threat to personal safety because of the short times that may be available for responding.Mitigation must address not only the specific characteristics of volcanic hazards in Kona, but also the manner in which the hazards relate to the communities likely to be affected. This paper describes the first steps in developing effective mitigation plans: measuring the current state of peoples knowledge of eruption parameters and the implications for their safety. We present results of a questionnaire survey administered to 462 high school students and adults in Kona. The rationale for this study was the long lapsed time since the last Kona eruption, and the high population growth and expansion of infrastructure over this time interval. Anticipated future growth in social and economic infrastructure in this area provides additional justification for this work.The residents of Kona have received little or no specific information about how to react to future volcanic eruptions or warnings, and short-term preparedness levels are low. Respondents appear uncertain about how to respond to threatening lava flows and overestimate the minimum time available to react, suggesting that personal risk levels are unnecessarily high. A successful volcanic warning plan in Kona must be tailored to meet the unique situation there.     

Theory of Basin Scale Dynamics of a Stratified Rotating Fluid

The dynamics of a stratified fluid contained in a rotating rectangular box is described in terms of the evolution of the lowest moments of its density and momentum fields. The first moment of the density field also gives the position of the fluids centre-of-mass. The resulting low-order model allows for fast assessment both of adopted parameterisations, as well as of particular values of parameters. In the ideal fluid limit (neglect of viscous and diffusive effects), in the absence of wind, the equations have a Hamiltonian structure that is integrable (non-integrable) in the absence (presence) of differential heating. In a non-rotating convective regime, dynamically rich behaviour and strong dependence on the single (lumped) parameter are established. For small values of this parameter, in a self-similar regime, further reduction to an explicit map is discussed in an Appendix. Introducing rotation in a nearly geostrophic regime leads through a Hopf bifurcation to a limit cycle, and under the influence of wind and salt to multiple equilibria and chaos, respectively.     

Emplacement mechanisms of the South Kona slide complex,Hawaii Island: sampling and observations by remotely operated vehicle Kaiko

Emplacement of a giant submarine slide complex, offshore of South Kona, Hawaii Island, was investigated in 2001 by visual observation and in-situ sampling on the bench scarp and a megablock, during two dives utilizing the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Kaiko and its mother ship R/V Kairei. Topography of the bench scarp and megablocks were defined in 3-D perspective, using high-resolution digital bathymetric data acquired during the cruise. Compositions of 34 rock samples provide constraints on the landslide source regions and emplacement mechanisms. The bench scarp consists mainly of highly fractured, vesiculated, and oxidized aa lavas that slumped from the subaerial flank of ancestral Mauna Loa. The megablock contains three units: block facies, matrix facies, and draped sediment. The block facies contains hyaloclastite interbedded with massive lava, which slid from the shallow submarine flank of ancestral Mauna Loa, as indicated by glassy groundmass of the hyaloclastite, low oxidation state, and low sulfur content. The matrix facies, which directly overlies the block facies and is similar to a lahar deposit, is thought to have been deposited from the water column immediately after the South Kona slide event. The draped sediment is a thin high-density turbidite layer that may be a distal facies of the Alika-2 debris-avalanche deposit; its composition overlaps with rocks from subaerial Mauna Loa. The deposits generated by the South Kona slide vary from debris avalanche deposit to turbidite. Spatial distribution of the deposits is consistent with deposits related to large landslides adjacent to other Hawaiian volcanoes and the Canary Islands.     

Geochemistry of coral from Papua New Guinea as a proxy for ENSO ocean–atmosphere interactions in the Pacific Warm Pool

A Porites sp. coral growing offshore from the Sepik and Ramu Rivers in equatorial northern Papua New Guinea has yielded an accurate 20-year history (1977–1996) of sea surface temperature (SST), river discharge, and wind-induced mixing of the upper water column. Depressions in average SSTs of about 0.5–1.0 °C (indicated by coral Sr/Ca) and markedly diminished freshwater runoff to the coastal ocean (indicated by coral δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C and UV fluorescence) are evident during the El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events of 1982–1983, 1987 and 1991-1993. The perturbations recorded by the coral are in good agreement with changes in instrumental SST and river discharge/precipitation records, which are known to be diagnostic of the response of the Pacific Warm Pool ocean–atmosphere system to El Niño. Consideration of coastal ocean dynamics indicates that the establishment of northwest monsoon winds promotes mixing of near-surface waters to greater depths in the first quarter of most years, making the coral record sensitive to changes in the Asian–Australian monsoon cycle. Sudden cooling of SSTs by 1°C following westerly wind episodes, as indicated by the coral Sr/Ca, is consistent with greater mixing in the upper water column at these times. Furthermore, the coral UV fluorescence and oxygen isotope data indicate minimal contribution of river runoff to surface ocean waters at the beginning of most years, during the time of maximum discharge. This abrupt shift in flood-plume behaviour appears to reflect the duration and magnitude of northwest monsoon winds, which tend to disperse flood plume waters to a greater extent in the water column when wind-mixing is enhanced. Our results suggest that a multi-proxy geochemical approach to the production of long coral records should provide comprehensive reconstructions of tropical paleoclimate processes operating on interannual timescales.