Analysis of mesoscale convective systems in Catalonia using meteorological radar for the period 1996–2000

The aim of this paper is to show a climatology of Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS) in the NE of the Iberian Peninsula, on the basis of meteorological radar observations. Special attention was paid to those cases that have produced heavy rainfalls during the period 1996–2000. Identification of the MCS was undertaken using two procedures. Firstly, the precipitation structures at the lowest level were recognised by means of a 2D algorithm that distinguishes between convective and non-convective contribution. Secondly, the convective cells were identified using a 3D procedure quite similar to the SCIT (Storm Cell Identification and Tracking) algorithm that looks for the reflectivity cores in each radar volume. Finally, the convective cells (3D) were associated with the 2D structures (convective rainfall areas), in order to characterize the complete MCS. Once this methodology was presented the paper offers a proposal for classifying the precipitation systems, and particularly the MCS. 57 MCS structures were classified: 49% of them were identified as linearly well-organised systems, called TS (39%), LS (18%) and NS (43%). In addition to the classification, the following items were analysed for each MCS found: duration, season, time of day, area affected and direction of movement, and main radar parameters related with convection. The average features of those MCS show an area of about 25000 km², Z_max values of 47 dBz, an echotop of 12 km, the maximum frequency at 12 UTC and early afternoon and a displacement towards E-NE. The study was completed by analysing the field at surface, the presence of a mesoscale low near the system and the quasi-stationary features of three cases related with heavy rainfalls. Maximum rainfall (more then 200 mm in 6 h) was related with the presence of a cyclone in combination with the production of a convective train effect.     

Episodic accretion in magnetically layered protoplanetary discs

We study protoplanetary disc evolution assuming that angular momentum transport is driven by gravitational instability at large radii, and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in the hot inner regions. At radii of the order of 1 au such discs develop a magnetically layered structure, with accretion occurring in an ionized surface layer overlying quiescent gas that is too cool to sustain MHD turbulence. We show that layered discs are subject to a limit cycle instability, in which accretion on to the protostar occurs in ∼10⁴-yr bursts with ̇ ∼10⁻⁵ M_⊙ yr⁻¹, separated by quiescent intervals lasting ∼10⁵ yr where ̇ ≈10⁻⁸ M_⊙ yr⁻¹. Such bursts could lead to repeated episodes of strong mass outflow in young stellar objects. The transition to this episodic mode of accretion occurs at an early epoch ( t ≪1 Myr), and the model therefore predicts that many young pre-main-sequence stars should have low rates of accretion through the inner disc. At ages of a few Myr, the discs are up to an order of magnitude more massive than the minimum-mass solar nebula, with most of the mass locked up in the quiescent layer of the disc at r ∼1 au. The predicted rate of low-mass planetary migration is reduced at the outer edge of the layered disc, which could lead to an enhanced probability of giant planet formation at radii of 1–3 au.     

Significance of strain localization and fracturing in relation to hydrothermal mineralization at Mount Isa, Australia

The rheology of layered meta-sedimentary rocks, and their orientation and position relative to major fault systems were the key controls on Proterozoic hydrothermal copper mineralization at Mount Isa, Australia. Compositional layering in the host rock partitioned mechanical behavior and strain, leading to selective permeability generation and the focusing of fluid flow. Shale layers preferentially failed by plastic shearing, whereas meta-siltstones remained elastic or failed in tension depending on magnitude of deformation and fluid pressure. Numerical simulations support the hypothesis that the orientation of layering and the proximity to major fault systems controlled fracturing and permeability increase in the Urquhart shale. The dilating shale provided a pathway for an upward-flowing, reduced basement fluid, from which quartz was precipitated during cooling. During a later event, the reactivation of steep structures provided access to surface derived oxidized metal-bearing brine, causing the precipitation of dolomite followed by chalcopyrite ore in the brecciated silicified shale.     

On Integrable Hamiltonians with Velocity Dependent Potentials

We study strongly and weakly integrable 2-dimensional Hamiltonian systems with velocity dependent potentials. We determine the set of conditions which must be satisfied in order to allow the existence of an independent second invariant polynomial in the momenta. We then investigate the linear case for which a complete solution of the problem can be obtained. We recover the classical set of linear strongly integrable systems and provide several new examples of weakly integrable systems whose equations of motion can be explicitly solved at a fixed value of the energy.     

A white dwarf in the state of an ejector

We analyze the possibility of observational identification of white dwarfs in the state of an ejector. Among the distinctive features of this class of objects are a high rate of rotational energy loss comparable to or higher than the observed luminosity of the object and nonthermal gamma-ray and/or radio spectra. The manifestations of the white dwarf in the close binary system AE Aquarii closely match these criteria. We show that most of the peculiar manifestations of this object in the hard spectral range and the observed pattern of mass transfer in the system can be explained in terms of a model in which the state of the white dwarf is classified as an ejector.