Solar-planetary cycles in Jupiter's great red spot darkness

The change in the darkness of the Great Red Spot (GRS) of Jupiter (1894–1974) has been analysed with Fourier (FFT), Maximum Entropy and Power spectrum (Blackman-Tukey window) (PSA) methods of spectrum analysis. Significance, non-randomness and stationarity tests assigned high variance to periodicities of 33 ± 4, 13–15, about 11, 9 and 3 yrs. The highest correlation between solar activity and GRS darkness was found for the 14th and 16th solar cycle. The periodicities obtained are interpreted as the combined eftects of solar activity, planetary resonances and internal jovian mechanisms.     

Observations of flux rope – associated particle bursts with GEOTAIL in the distant tail

Geotail energetic particle, magnetic field data and plasma observations (EPIC, MGF and CPI experiments) have been examined for a number of energetic particle bursts in the distant tail (120Re < |X_GSM| < 130 Re), associated with moving magnetic field structures, following substorm onsets. The features obtained from this data analysis are consistent with the distant magnetotail dynamics determined first by ISEE3 observations and explained in terms of the neutral line model. At the onset of the bursts, before plasma sheet entrance, energetic electrons appear as a field-aligned beam flowing in the tailward direction, followed by anisotro-pic ions. Within the flux rope region, suprathermal ions exhibit a convective anisotropy, which allows determination of the plasma flow velocity, assuming that the anisotropy arises from the Compton-Getting effect. The velocities thus determined in the plasma sheet are estimated to be 200–650 km/s, and compare favourably with the velocities derived from the CPI electron and proton experiment. The estimated length of magnetic field structures varies between 28 and 56 Re and depends on the strength of the westward electrojet intensification. Finally, the three structures reported here show clear magnetic field signatures of flux rope topology. The existence of a strong magnetic field aligned approximately along the Y-axis and centred on the north-to-south excursion of the field, and the bipolar signature in both By and/or Bz components, is consistent with the existence of closed field lines extending from Earth and wrapping around the core of the flux rope structure.     

Geochemical characteristics of mineral air particles emitted inside a clay atomisation plant which introduces waste recycling processes

The objective of this work is to assess the concentrations of three factions of air particles (settable particles, TSP and PM10) and the levels of several toxic elements in a clay atomisation industry through aerosol sampling at several points inside an industrial plant. Mechanical activities, which produce diffuse emissions, are the main process of discharge of particles in both indoor and outdoor workplace environments in the atomisation plant. The levels of As, Cd, Pb, Zn, Ba and Ni increase in the zones with higher concentrations of particles and lower ventilation. The concentrations of As and F are not influenced by the recycling processes. The levels of Cd and Pb do not show great enrichment in air particles collected inside the atomisation plant although the content of both elements is associated with ceramic muck recycling. Finally, the content of B in waste water is mainly transferred in gaseous phase to the atmosphere during the process of drying by atomisation.     

Quiet-time Pc 5 pulsations in the Earth’s magnetotail: IMP-8, ISEE-1 and ISEE-3 simultaneous observations

Quasi-periodic Pc 5 pulsations have been reported inside and just outside the Earth’s magnetotail during intervals of low geomagnetic activity. In order to further define their characteristics and spatial extent, we present three case studies of simultaneous magnetic field and plasma observations by IMP-8, ISEE-1 (and ISEE-2 in one case) in the Earth’s magnetotail and ISEE-3 far upstream of the bow shock, during intervals in which the spacecraft were widely separated. In the first case study, similar pulsations are observed by IMP-8 at the dawn flank of the plasma sheet and by ISEE-1 near the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) near midnight local time. In the second case study, simultaneous pulsations are observed by IMP-8 in the dusk magnetosheath and by ISEE-1 and 2 in the dawn plasma sheet. In the third case study, simultaneous pulsations are observed in the north plasma sheet boundary layer and the south plasma sheet. We conclude that the pulsations occur simultaneously throughout much of the nightside magnetosphere and the surrounding magnetosheath, i.e. that they have a global character. Some additional findings are the following: (a) the observed pulsations are mixed mode compressional and transverse, where the compressional character is more apparent in the close vicinity of the plane Z_GSM=0; (b) the compressional pulsations of the magnetic field in the dusk magnetosheath show peaks that coincide (almost one-to-one) with similar peaks observed inside the dawn plasma sheet; (c) in the second case study the polarization sense of the magnetic field and the recurrent left-hand plasma vortices observed in the dawn plasma sheet are consistent with antisunward moving waves on the magneto-pause; (d) pulsation amplitudes are weaker in the PSBL(or lobe) as compared with those in the magneto-tail’s flanks, suggesting a decay with distance from the magnetopause; (e) the thickness of the plasma sheet (under extremely quiet conditions) is estimated to be \sim22 R_E at an average location of (X, Y)_GSM=(16, 17) R_E, whereas at midnight local time the thickness is \sim14 R_E. The detected pulsations are probably due to the pressure variations (recorded by ISEE-3) in the solar wind, and/or the Kelvin Helmholtz instability in the low-latitude boundary layer or the magnetopause due to a strongly northward IMF.     

Application of integrated methods in mapping waste disposal areas

An integrated suite of environmental methods was used to characterize the hydrogeological, geological and tectonic regime of the largest waste disposal landfill of Crete Island, the Fodele municipal solid waste site (MSW), to determine the geometry of the landfill (depth and spatial extent of electrically conductive anomalies), to define the anisotropy caused by bedrock fabric fractures and to locate potential zones of electrically conductive contamination. A combination of geophysical methods and chemical analysis was implemented for the characterization and management of the landfill. Five different types of geophysical surveys were performed: (1) 2D electrical resistance tomography (ERT), (2) electromagnetic measurements using very low frequencies (VLF), (3) electromagnetic conductivity (EM31), (4) seismic refraction measurements (SR), and (5) ambient noise measurements (HVSR). The above geophysical methods were used with the aim of studying the subsurface properties of the landfill and to define the exact geometrical characteristics of the site under investigation.     

NOUVELLE METHODE DE RESTITUTION D'UN HORIZON REFRAGTEUR PAR SISMIQUE REFRACTION*

The purpose of this report is to show a method of determining the top of a refractor departing from the times and slopes of the direct and inverse dromocrones. The method does not need topographical correction and can be applied without knowledge of the distance between the geophone and the shot point. These results having been obtained, the commonly accepted point of view is upset: instead of looking for two points on the surface corresponding to one point of the refractor, we try to etablish, starting with only one point from the surface, the two corresponding points from the top of the refractor. This method can be applied to isolated points and does not demand interpretative hypotheses of any kind, excluding the velocity evaluation of the overburden and of the refractor. The necessary calculations can be easily executed by means of a digital computer to which the dromocrone times and the distances between the geophones must be given. These calculations can also be executed by a person having no knowledge of refraction seismology. This report also examines the validity of the approximations involved in the method proposed.     

Characteristics of electron and high-energy proton flares

High-energy proton (E _p > 55 MeV) and electron (E _e > 50 keV) events were observed by University of Iowa experiments on the satellites Explorer 33 and 35. The solar X-ray (2–12 Å) flares associated with the energetic proton events were found to have in general higher peak fluxes, considerably longer decay times (t) and smaller rise to decay time ratios (r) than the X-ray flares associated with the electron events. The most common decay times and rise to decay time ratios are: 80 t 100 min, 0.1 r 0.2 for the proton X-ray flares and t 20 min, 0.3 r 0.7 for the electron ones.     

CARTOGRAPHIE DES “PSEUDO-RESISTIVITES APPARENTES’ PAR PROFILAGE TELLURIQUE-TELLURIQUE ASSOCIE A LA MAGNETO-TELLURIQUE *

The magneto-telluric and telluric-telluric profiling techniques are presented, and then a new method which combines these two techniques for mapping a parameter defined as the “apparent pseudo-resistivity”. The results obtained for the uranium structures in the Cluff Lake district (Saskatchewan Canada) indicate the use of these different techniques in the detection of zones of conduction for surface zones and for deeper zones, and demonstrate the advantages of these methods over the usual electrical methods in problems of structural research.     

Short time periodicities of the atmospheric activity of Jupiter

Short time periodicities of 3, 6, and 12 months have been found by analysis of the coefficient of atmospheric activity of Jupiter for the time period 1963–1967.These periodicities have been attributed to seasonal variations of the Jovian atmosphere, and could be related to similar periodicities observed in solar flares and in the high velocity solar wind streamers.     

Geo-Characterization at selected accelerometric stations in Crete (Greece) and comparison of earthquake data recordings with EC8 elastic spectra

To estimate the seismic response according to Eurocode (EC8) and almost all other national codes, site conditions have to be properly characterized so that soil amplification and the corresponding peak ground motion can be calculated. In this work, different geophysical and geotechnical methods are combined in order to define the detailed ground conditions in selected sites of the Hellenic Accelerometric Network (HAN) in Crete. For this purpose, the geological information of the sites and shear wave velocity, calculated from surface wave measurements, is used. Additionally, ground acceleration data recorded through HAN have been utilized from intermediate depth earthquakes in the broader area of South Aegean Sea. Using the recorded ground motion data and the procedure defined in EC8, the corresponding elastic response spectrum is calculated for the selected sites. The resulting information is compared to the values defined in the corresponding EC8 spectrum for the seismic zone that includes the island of Crete. The comparison shows that accurate definition of ground type through geological, geotechnical and geophysical investigations is important. However, our current comparison focuses on the distribution of values rather than the absolute values of EC8-prescribed spectra, and the results should be considered in this context.