Characteristics of Quasi-Periodic Oscillations During Sea Fog Events

Based on the high-resolution datasets collected in a sea fog field experiment at the northern coast of South China Sea, the variations of liquid water content (LWC) and net longwave radiation flux (NLRF) during two sea fog events on 16th-17th and 18th-19th March, 2008 are exaimeed by wavelet analysis, and the cooling mechanisms for fog formation and persistence are also investigated. The main results are shown as follows. (1) Sea fog may develop and persist whether it is cloudy or not aloft. However, when there is cloud aloft the LWC is less and wind speed in sea fog is higher than that in the clear sky. (2) The quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) of NLRF are observed in the formation stage of the two fogs. QPOs of LWC are only found in the developing stage no matter with cloudless or cloudy condition. (3) It is likely that sea fog forms by the cooling effects of longwave radiation and develops through the vertical mixing induced by the radiative cooling at the upper level. (4) During sea fog development and persistence, other mechanisms could also play important roles in fog-layer cooling, such as turbulent heat transport and radiation transport between air-sea interfaces.     

For whom the disc tolls

Report on the Nordita Workdays on Quasi‐Peridic Oscillations (QPOs). (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

海雾的准周期振荡特征

根据南海北部海雾外场观测获取的高分辨率液态含水量、长波辐射通量数据,采用小波分析方法分析了2008年3月16—17日和18—19日两次海雾中的液态水含量、净长波辐射通量的变化特征,讨论南海北部海雾发展和维持的冷却机制。结果显示:(1)无论在有云或无云条件下,海雾都可发展和维持;但前者的液态含水量明显小于后者,而风速大于后者;(2)在地面海雾的生成之前和生成初期,净辐射通量都存在准周期振荡现象,无论无云/有云,地面海雾液态水的大幅度发展的阶段都存在含水量的准周期振荡现象;(3)含水量的准周期振荡现象与振荡发生时段的长波辐射通量关系不大,而主要通过湍流对液态水的混合作用与高空海雾液态水大量生成阶段的雾顶长波辐射间接相关。(4)海雾的生成都与雾顶长波辐射冷却密切相关,但发展和维持可通过不同的冷却机制,既可通过海气间湍流热量输送和辐射传输,也可通过雾顶长波辐射冷却。     

Difficulties with the QPOs resonance model

High frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (HFQPOs) have been detected in microquasars and neutron star systems. The resonance model suggested by Kluźniak and Abramowicz (2000, 2001) explains twin QPOs as two weakly coupled nonlinear resonant epicyclic modes in the accretion disk. Although this model successfully explains many features of the observed QPOs, it still faces difficulties and shortcomings. Here we summarize the aspects of the theory that remain a puzzle and we briefly discuss likely developments.     

kHz QPOs in LMXBs, relations between different frequencies and compactness of stars

We suggest that the mass of four compact stars SAX J1808.4-3658, KS 1731-260, SAX J1750.8-2900 and IGR J17191-2821 can be determined from the difference in the observed kiloHertz quasi periodic oscillations (kHz QPO-s) of these stars. The stellar radius is very close to the marginally stable orbit R_ms as predicted by Einstein’s general relativity. It may be noted that the first of these stars was suggested to be a strange star more than a decade back by Li et al. (1999a) from the unique millisecond X-ray pulsations with an accurate determination of its rotation period. It showed kHz QPO-s eight years back and so far it is the only set that has been observed. This is the first time we give an estimate of the mass of the star and of three other compact stars in low-mass X-ray binaries using their observed kHz QPO-s.