Bursts of type N in Jupiter's decametric radio spectra

Dynamic spectra of Jupiter's decametric emission often display narrow-band features, referred to as events of type N (Carr et al., 1983). The average bandwidth of these emissions is in the vicinity of 200 kHz, their durations are typically in the decasecond range, and their f-t slopes are small and random. Although the N-bursts can be described as narrow-band L-bursts, it seems that they are realted to S-bursts in their area of occurrence in the Io-B region, the durations of the emission envelopes, and their bandwidths. Possible implications are discussed.     

Interaction of S- and L-bursts in Jupiter's decametric radio spectra

Dynamic spectra of Jupiter's decametric emission are observed with a high-resolution radio spectrograph. Certain events observed in region Io-B display interaction effects between the S- and L-emissions. The effect appears as a gap in the L-emission after a passage of an S-burst. In a typical case the L-emission has a relatively narrow bandwidth, the S-burst appears as a sloping line crossing it, and the duration of the emission gap is a substantial fraction of a second. The gap has sharp, sloped edges; its leading edge has anf-t slope which is the same as that of the S-burst while the slope of the trailing edge is lower. A kind of tilted V-pattern is thus formed. It is suggested that some more complicated spectral patterns may also be produced this way. It seems that an emission model consisting of S-bursts from bunches of gyrofrequency-emitting electrons ascending a flux tube and interacting with L-emitting bunches of electrons having more stationary guiding centers is inadequate to explain the complex S-L interactions.Contribution of No. 36 of the Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, U.S.A.     

Solar energy cycle and its relation to geomagnetic activity

It is suggested that recurrent and nonrecurrent geomagnetic disturbances which are related to the release of solar magnetic energy in the form of unipolar and bipolar magnetic regions respectively, are connected with the variations in the solar energy source. The true beginning of the solar cycle takes place when unipolar magnetic regions start to develop, i.e, when nuclear energy generation becomes dominant over the neutrino energy loss according to the photon-neutrino coupling theory.     

Nonstationary pearl pulsations as a signature of magnetospheric disturbances

We analyse long-lasting (several hours) Pc1 pearl pulsations with decreasing, increasing or constant central frequencies. We show that nonstationary pearl events (those with either decreasing or increasing central frequency) are observed simultaneously with increasing auroral magnetic activity at the nightside magnetosphere while the stationary events (constant central frequency) correspond to quiet magnetic conditions. Events with decreasing central frequency are observed mostly in the late morning and daytime whereas events with increasing central frequency appear either early in the morning or in the afternoon. We explain the diurnal distribution of the nonstationary pearl pulsations in terms of proton drifts depending on magnetic activity, and evaluate the magnetospheric electric field based on the variation of the central frequency of pearl pulsations.     

Beaming of Jupiter's decametric emission

Dynamic spectra of a Jovian non-Io-A storm recorded simultaneously by the Voyager 1 spacecraft and by the Kiiminki radio spectrograph are compared. It seems that the emission beam of the storm co-rotates with the planet and has a sloped leading edge, in accordance with the result of Maeda and Carr (1984).     

Recent observations of meteotsunamis on the Finnish coast

We present four case studies of exceptional wave events of meteorological origin, observed on the Finnish coast in the summers of 2010 and 2011. Eyewitnesses report unusually rapid and strong sea-level variations (up to 1 m in 5–15 min) and strong oscillating currents during these events. High-resolution sea-level measurements confirm the eyewitness observations, but the oscillations recorded by tide gauges mostly have a considerably smaller amplitude. The oscillations coincide with sudden jumps in surface air pressure at coastal observation stations, related to the passage of squall lines or gust fronts. These fronts propagate above the sea at a resonant speed, allowing efficient energy transfer between the atmospheric disturbance and the sea wave that it generates. Thus, we interpret the observed sea-level oscillations as small meteotsunamis, long tsunami-like waves generated by meteorological processes and resonance effects.     

Night-time reception of solar radio bursts over wide bandwidths

Spectra of night-time solar radio bursts observed over wide bandwiths are described. The bursts covered frequency ranges of 20–30 and 24–33 MHz without displaying any abrupt frequency structures. It seems that a scatter mechanism of some kind is involved in the night-time propagation.     

Summary results from a pilot study conducted around an oil production platform on the Northwest Shelf of Australia

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) conducted a pilot study around the Harriet A oil production platform on the Northwest Shelf of Australia. We evaluated hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, fluorescent aromatic compounds (FACs) in bile and immunodetection of CYP1A-like proteins in two Australian tropical fish species, Gold-Spotted Trevally (Carangoides fulvoguttatus) and Bar-Cheeked Coral Trout (Plectropomus maculatus) to assess exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons associated with produced formation water (PFW). Additionally, the incidence of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria isolated from the liver and bile of all fish captured was examined. Low EROD activity was found in both species, with EROD activity in C. fulvoguttatus showing significant site differences. FACs and CYP1A protein levels in C. fulvoguttatus showed a clear trend in hydrocarbon exposure consistent with hydrocarbon chemistry data: Harriet A>Harriet C>reference site. P. maculatus showed elevated levels of FACs at Harriet A as compared to the reference site and demonstrated detectable levels of CYP1A-like proteins at these two sites. Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were found in the liver and bile of both species, yet there was no correlation by sites. Our results demonstrate that C. fulvoguttatus and P. maculatus have potential as indicator species for assessing the effects from exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons. Both FACs and CYP1A are providing warning signs that there is potential for biological effects on fish populations exposed to PFW around the Harriet A production platform.     

Metabolic activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by fish liver cytochrome P-450

The incidence of hepatoma, epidermal and other forms of cancerous growths in fish is well documented (Halver, 1967; Matsushima & Sugimura, 1976; Dawe et al., 1964). In fish, as in mammals, cancer may be a result of metabolically activated carcinogens. In mammals the primary enzyme system involved in the activation of environmental carcinogens is the cytochrome P-450 linked mixed-function oxidase (MFO). The hepatic microsomes of the species offish studied contain variable levels of cytochrome P-450. Liver microsomes of the trout Salmo trutta lacustris are surprisingly active in metabolising benzo-[a]pyrene (BP) and other compounds preferentially metabolised by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-specific cytochrome P-450. This finding may be significant, because it is apparent that the detrimental effects of PAHs require metabolic activation.We have studied the production of reactive intermediates of BP by following their binding to DNA and by measuring the specific nucleotide-BP metabolite complexes by chromatography. Untreated S. trutta liver microsomes catalyse the production of reactive intermediates of BP which bind to nucleotides of DNA at a rate that is 3–4 times higher than that catalysed by control rat liver microsomes. The most prominent DNA-BP metabolite adducts produced by trout liver microsomes are the nucleoside adduct of BP-7, 8-diol-9,10-epoxide and 9-OH-BP-4,5-oxide and other phenol oxides. In contrast to the trout, another fish species, roach (Rutilus rutilus), has extremely low activity. Although the in vitro binding of BP to DNA is not strictly correlated to in vivo binding or biological effects, our results show that reactive intermediates are formed by trout liver and thus the prerequisite for chemical carcinogenesis or mutagenesis is ful filled. This is further supported by the fact that in Ames's test, trout liver preparations produce mutagenic products from promutagens.