Modeling thermal deformation of VLBI antennas with a new temperature model

Temperature variations at very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) sites cause thermal deformations of the VLBI antennas and corresponding displacements of the VLBI reference points. The thermal deformation effects typically contain seasonal and daily signatures. The amplitudes of the annual vertical motion of the antenna reference point can reach several millimeters, depending on the design of the antenna structure, on the material, and on the environmental effects such as global station position, station height and climatology effects. Simple methods to correct this effect use the difference of the environmental temperature with respect to a defined reference temperature, the antenna dimensions, the elevation of the antenna, the material of antenna structure. Applying these simple models for thermal deformation in the VLBI data analysis improves the baseline length repeatability by 3.5%. A comparison of these simple models with local thermal deformation measurements at the antennas in Onsala and Wettzell show that the local measurements and the modeled corrections agree well when the temperature of the antenna structure is used, but agree less good when the surrounding air temperatures are used. To overcome this problem we present a method to model temperature penetration into the antenna structures, that allows to model thermal deformation effects that agree with the observed vertical deformation of the Onsala and Wettzell radio telescopes with a root mean square deviation of 0.07 and 0.13 mm, respectively. Possible implementations in the VLBI analysis are presented, and the definition of an adequate reference temperature is discussed.     

A microscale three-dimensional urban energy balance model for studying surface temperatures

A microscale three-dimensional (3-D) urban energy balance model, Temperatures of Urban Facets in 3-D (TUF-3D), is developed to predict urban surface temperatures for a variety of surface geometries and properties, weather conditions, and solar angles. The surface is composed of plane-parallel facets: roofs, walls, and streets, which are further sub-divided into identical square patches, resulting in a 3-D raster-type model geometry. The model code is structured into radiation, conduction and convection sub-models. The radiation sub-model uses the radiosity approach and accounts for multiple reflections and shading of direct solar radiation. Conduction is solved by finite differencing of the heat conduction equation, and convection is modelled by empirically relating patch heat transfer coefficients to the momentum forcing and the building morphology. The radiation and conduction sub-models are tested individually against measurements, and the complete model is tested against full-scale urban surface temperature and energy balance observations. Modelled surface temperatures perform well at both the facet-average and the sub-facet scales given the precision of the observations and the uncertainties in the model inputs. The model has several potential applications, such as the calculation of radiative loads, and the investigation of effective thermal anisotropy (when combined with a sensor-view model).     

塔克拉玛干沙漠石油公路沿线风沙活动的气候环境

塔克拉玛干沙漠石油公路沿线风沙活动是由塔木盆地内热能释放与冷空气入侵相互作用的结果。冷期,盆地内冷高压逆温作用较强,地面热能不足,使得风力和风沙活动强度弱;暖期,盆地内热源剧增,每当热能源饱和遇到冷空气入侵诱导,导致了强风及强风沙活动天气。可见,区内风沙活动及风成景观的塑造过程,主要是在暖干期进行的。     

Heat flow in the Basin and Range province and thermal effects of tectonic extension

In regions of tectonic extension, vertical convective transport of heat in the lithosphere is inevitable. The resulting departure of lithosphere temperature and thickness from conduction-model estimates depends upon the mechanical mode of extension and upon how rapidly extension is (and has been) taking place. Present knowledge of these processes is insufficient to provide adequate constraints on thermal models. The high and variable regional heat flow and the intense local heat discharge at volcanic centers in the Basin and Range province of the United States could be accounted for by regional and local variations in extensional strain rate without invoking anomalous conductive heat flow from the asthenosphere. Anomalous surface heat flow typical of the province could be generated by distributed extension at average rates of about 1/2 to 1%/m.y., similar to rates estimated from structural evidence. To account for higher heat flow in subregions like the Battle mountain High, these rates would be increased by a factor of about 3, and locally at active bimodal volcanic centers, by an order of magnitude more.     

A discussion on models of thermals

For a thermal starting from rest, the scales of motion consistent with the initial conditions are given. An alternative time scale based on the motion of the thermal is derived. The anticipated similarity solutions for thermals are summarised and possible qualitative differences between solutions are given. Within this consistent framework previously published laboratory and numerical models of thermals are discussed. Reasons why numerical models have not rigorously demonstrated the existence of a self-similarity solution are considered. Comparisons of all available results show that a single similarity solution valid for all thermals does not exist.     

区域气候模式侧边界的处理对东亚夏季风降水模拟的影响

在区域气候模式模拟中,侧边界的作用是引入大尺度强迫场。如何处理好侧边界,即大尺度强迫场和区域气候模式本身之间的关系问题,对于区域气候模式模拟和预报东亚夏季风降水具有重要意义。本文利用美国纽约州立大学Albany分校的区域气候模式（SUNYA-ReCM）,设计了两种不同的侧边界处理方法,来探讨侧边界对东亚夏季风降水模拟的影响。驱动区域模式的大尺度强迫场来自欧洲中期天气预报中心（ECMWF）及热带海洋大气研究计划（TOGA）的分析资料场。试验结果表明:（1）当模式的区域较大时,采用较小的侧边界缓冲区会在缓冲区与模式内部的交界处产生不连续;扩大缓冲区并且考虑不同尺度强迫在垂直方向上的不同作用,可以避免这一缺陷。（2）更重要的是采用后一种方案,即减少了区域气候模式在模拟大尺度环流场方面所起的作用,使得模式更多地依赖侧边界来得到更真实的、对东亚夏季风降水起重大影响的一些气流,如副高、西南季风和南海季风,对东亚夏季风降水无论是在大小上还是在雨带位置的演变上都能进行更好的模拟。     

Piešt'any–thermal H2S water and mud

 Slovakia has very rich sources of mineral and thermal waters. One of the warmest is located in Piešt'any. Its discharge rate is 40 l/s; it is Ca-Mg-SO₄-HCO₃-Cl type with T.D.S. 1.4 g/l, H₂S 10 mg/l and temperature 68  °C. The waters seep on the spa island, which lies between the river Váh and its branch. The characteristics of the water and mud predestine the existence of this great spa in Slovakia. Its reputation is based on the treatment of rheumatic and neurological disesases. Received: 15 November 1996 · Accepted: 13 January 1998     

Effects of mass loss for highly-irradiated giant planets

We present calculations for the evolution and surviving mass of highly-irradiated extrasolar giant planets (EGPs) at orbital semimajor axes ranging from 0.023 to 0.057 AU using a generalized scaled theory for mass loss, together with new surface-condition grids for hot EGPs and a consistent treatment of tidal truncation. Theoretical estimates for the rate of energy-limited hydrogen escape from giant-planet atmospheres differ by two orders of magnitude, when one holds planetary mass, composition, and irradiation constant. Baraffe et al. [Baraffe, I., Selsis, F., Chabrier, G., Barman, T.S., Allard, F., Hauschildt, P.H., Lammer, H., 2004. Astron. Astrophys. 419, L13-L16] predict the highest rate, based on the theory of Lammer et al. [Lammer, H., Selsis, F., Ribas, I., Guinan, E.F., Bauer, S.J., Weiss, W.W., 2003. Astrophys. J. 598, L121-L124]. Scaling the theory of Watson et al. [Watson, A.J., Donahue, T.M., Walker, J.C.G., 1981. Icarus 48, 150-166] to parameters for a highly-irradiated exoplanet, we find an escape rate ∼¹⁰² lower than Baraffe's. With the scaled Watson theory we find modest mass loss, occurring early in the history of a hot EGP. In this theory, mass loss including the effect of Roche-lobe overflow becomes significant primarily for masses below a Saturn mass, for semimajor axes ?0.023 AU. This contrasts with the Baraffe model, where hot EGPs are claimed to be remnants of much more massive bodies, originally several times Jupiter and still losing substantial mass fractions at present.     

Degree-one convection and the origin of Enceladus' dichotomy

Recently, the Cassini spacecraft has detected ongoing geologic activity near the south pole of Saturn's moon Enceladus. In contrast, the satellite's north-polar region is heavily cratered and appears to have been geologically inactive for a long time. We propose that this hemispheric dichotomy is caused by interior dynamics with degree-one convection driving the south-polar activity. We investigate a number of core sizes and internal heating rates for which degree-one convection occurs. The numerical simulations imply that a core radius of less than 100±20 km and an energy input at a rate of 3.0 to 5.5 GW would be required for degree-one convection to prevail. This is within the range of the observed thermal power release near Enceladus' south pole. Provided that Enceladus is not fully differentiated, degree-one convection is found to be a viable mechanism to explain Enceladus' hemispheric dichotomy.     

Nature and role of CO2 in some hot and cold HCO3/Na/CO2-rich Portuguese mineral waters: a review and reinterpretation

 At the northern part of the Portuguese mainland, the upflow zone of several hot and cold HCO₃/Na/CO₂-rich mineral waters is mainly associated with important NNE–SSW faults. Several geochemical studies have been carried out on thermal and non-thermal hydromineral manifestations that occur along or near these long tectonic alignments. The slight chemical differences that exist between these meteoric hot and cold HCO₃/Na/CO₂-rich mineral waters seem to be mainly caused by CO₂. δ¹³C_(TIDC) values observed in these groundwaters range between –6.00 and –1.00‰ versus V-PDB (V denotes Vienna, the site of the International Atomic Energy Agency; PDB originates from the CaCO₃ of the rostrum of a Cretaceous belemnite, Belemnitella americana, collected in the Peedee formation of South Carolina, USA) indicating a deep-seated (mantle) origin for most of the CO₂. Nevertheless, in the case of the heavier δ¹³C_(TIDC) values, the contribution of metamorphic CO₂ or the dissolution of carbonate rock levels at depth cannot be excluded. Concerning the hot waters, the lack of a positive ¹⁸O-shift should be attributed to water-rock interaction in a low temperature environment, rather than to the isotopic influence of CO₂ on the δ¹⁸O-value of the waters. Received: 9 August 1999 · Accepted: 8 March 2000