Measurement of undisturbed di-nitrogen emissions from aquatic ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Shuping, Clough, Timothy, Lou, Jiafa; Hu, Chunsheng; Oenema, Oene; Wrage-Mönnig, Nicole; Zhang, Yuming

2016-04-01

Increased production of reactive nitrogen (Nr) from atmospheric di-nitrogen (N2) during the last century has greatly contributed to increased food production1-4. However, enriching the biosphere with Nr through N fertilizer production, combustion, and biological N2 fixation has also caused a series of negative effects on global ecosystems 5,6, especially aquatic ecosystems7. The main pathway converting Nr back into the atmospheric N2 pool is the last step of the denitrification process, i.e., the reduction of nitrous oxide (N2O) into N2 by micro-organisms7,8. Despite several attempts9,10, there is not yet an accurate, fast and direct method for measuring undisturbed N2 fluxes from denitrification in aquatic sediments at the field scale11-14. Such a method is essential to study the feedback of aquatic ecosystems to Nr inputs1,2,7. Here we show that the measurement of both N2O emission and its isotope signature can be used to infer the undisturbed N2 fluxes from aquatic ecosystems. The microbial reduction of N2O increases the natural abundance of 15N-N2O relative to 14N-N2O (δ15N-N2O). We observed linear relationships between δ15N-N2O and the logarithmic transformed N2O/(N2+N2O) emission ratios. Through independent measurements, we verified that the undisturbed N2 flux from aquatic ecosystems can be inferred from measurements of N2O emissions and the δ15N-N2O signature. Our method allows the determination of field-scale N2 fluxes from undisturbed aquatic ecosystems, and thereby allows model predictions of denitrification rates to be tested. The undisturbed N2 fluxes observed are almost one order of magnitude higher than those estimated by the traditional method, where perturbation of the system occurs, indicating that the ability of aquatic ecosystems to remove Nr may have been severely underestimated.

Thermal bifurcation in the upper photosphere inferred from heterodyne spectroscopy of OH rotational lines

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, D.; Kostiuk, T.; Mumma, M. J.; Hillman, J. J.; Zipoy, D. M.

1984-01-01

Low-noise (S/N greater than 100), high spectral resolution observations of two pure rotation transitions of OH from the solar photosphere are used to make inferences concerning the thermal structure and inhomogeneity of the upper photosphere. It is found that the v = O R22(24.5)e line strengthens at the solar limb, in contradiction to the predictions of current one-dimensional photospheric models. The results for this line support a two-dimensional model in which horizontal thermal fluctuations in the upper photosphere are of the order plus or minus 800 K. This thermal bifurcation may be maintained by the presence of magnetic flux tubes and may be related to the solar limb extensions observed in the 30-200-micron region.

LBA-ECO TG-07 Trace Gas Fluxes, Undisturbed and Logged Sites, Para, Brazil: 2000-2002

Science.gov (United States)

M.M. Keller; R.K. Varner; J.D. Dias; H.S. Silva; P.M. Crill; Jr. de Oliveira; G.P. Asner

2009-01-01

Trace gas fluxes of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and nitric oxide were measured manually at undisturbed and logged forest sites in the Tapajos National Forest, near Santarem, Para, Brazil. Manual measurements were made approximately weekly at both the undisturbed and logged sites. Fluxes from clay and sand soils were completed at the undisturbed sites....

RATES OF PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FLUX CANCELLATION MEASURED WITH HINODE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Soyoung; Chae, Jongchul; Litvinenko, Yuri E.

2009-01-01

Photospheric magnetic flux cancellation on the Sun is generally believed to be caused by magnetic reconnection occurring in the low solar atmosphere. Individual canceling magnetic features are observationally characterized by the rate of flux cancellation. The specific cancellation rate, defined as the rate of flux cancellation divided by the interface length, gives an accurate estimate of the electric field in the reconnecting current sheet. We have determined the specific cancellation rate using the magnetograms taken by the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) aboard the Hinode satellite. The specific rates determined with SOT turned out to be systematically higher than those based on the data taken by the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. The median value of the specific cancellation rate was found to be 8 x 10 6 G cm s -1 -a value four times that obtained from the MDI data. This big difference is mainly due to a higher angular resolution and better sensitivity of the SOT, resulting in magnetic fluxes up to five times larger than those obtained from the MDI. The higher rates of flux cancellation correspond to either faster inflows or stronger magnetic fields of the reconnection inflow region, which may have important consequences for the physics of photospheric magnetic reconnection.

PHOTOSPHERIC EMISSION FROM STRATIFIED JETS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Hirotaka; Nagataki, Shigehiro; Ono, Masaomi; Lee, Shiu-Hang; Mao, Jirong; Yamada, Shoichi; Pe'er, Asaf; Mizuta, Akira; Harikae, Seiji

2013-01-01

We explore photospheric emissions from stratified two-component jets, wherein a highly relativistic spine outflow is surrounded by a wider and less relativistic sheath outflow. Thermal photons are injected in regions of high optical depth and propagated until the photons escape at the photosphere. Because of the presence of shear in velocity (Lorentz factor) at the boundary of the spine and sheath region, a fraction of the injected photons are accelerated using a Fermi-like acceleration mechanism such that a high-energy power-law tail is formed in the resultant spectrum. We show, in particular, that if a velocity shear with a considerable variance in the bulk Lorentz factor is present, the high-energy part of observed gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) photon spectrum can be explained by this photon acceleration mechanism. We also show that the accelerated photons might also account for the origin of the extra-hard power-law component above the bump of the thermal-like peak seen in some peculiar bursts (e.g., GRB 090510, 090902B, 090926A). We demonstrate that time-integrated spectra can also reproduce the low-energy spectrum of GRBs consistently using a multi-temperature effect when time evolution of the outflow is considered. Last, we show that the empirical E p -L p relation can be explained by differences in the outflow properties of individual sources

Photospheric Origin of Three-minute Oscillations in a Sunspot

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chae, Jongchul; Lee, Jeongwoo; Cho, Kyuhyoun; Song, Donguk [Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Kyungsuk; Yurchyshyn, Vasyl [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, 776 Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-10

The origin of the three-minute oscillations of intensity and velocity observed in the chromosphere of sunspot umbrae is still unclear. We investigated the spatio-spectral properties of the 3 minute oscillations of velocity in the photosphere of a sunspot umbra as well as those in the low chromosphere using the spectral data of the Ni i λ 5436, Fe i λ 5435, and Na i D{sub 2} λ 5890 lines taken by the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph of the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory. As a result, we found a local enhancement of the 3 minute oscillation power in the vicinities of a light bridge (LB) and numerous umbral dots (UDs) in the photosphere. These 3 minute oscillations occurred independently of the 5 minute oscillations. Through wavelet analysis, we determined the amplitudes and phases of the 3 minute oscillations at the formation heights of the spectral lines, and they were found to be consistent with the upwardly propagating slow magnetoacoustic waves in the photosphere with energy flux large enough to explain the chromospheric oscillations. Our results suggest that the 3 minute chromospheric oscillations in this sunspot may have been generated by magnetoconvection occurring in the LB and UDs.

Automated Segmentation of High-Resolution Photospheric Images of Active Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Meng; Tian, Yu; Rao, Changhui

2018-02-01

Due to the development of ground-based, large-aperture solar telescopes with adaptive optics (AO) resulting in increasing resolving ability, more accurate sunspot identifications and characterizations are required. In this article, we have developed a set of automated segmentation methods for high-resolution solar photospheric images. Firstly, a local-intensity-clustering level-set method is applied to roughly separate solar granulation and sunspots. Then reinitialization-free level-set evolution is adopted to adjust the boundaries of the photospheric patch; an adaptive intensity threshold is used to discriminate between umbra and penumbra; light bridges are selected according to their regional properties from candidates produced by morphological operations. The proposed method is applied to the solar high-resolution TiO 705.7-nm images taken by the 151-element AO system and Ground-Layer Adaptive Optics prototype system at the 1-m New Vacuum Solar Telescope of the Yunnan Observatory. Experimental results show that the method achieves satisfactory robustness and efficiency with low computational cost on high-resolution images. The method could also be applied to full-disk images, and the calculated sunspot areas correlate well with the data given by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Low energy spectral index and Ep evolution of quasi-thermal photosphere emission of gamma-ray bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Wei; Zhang, Bing

2014-01-01

Recent observations by the Fermi satellite suggest that a photosphere emission component is contributing to the observed spectrum of many gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). One important question is whether the photosphere component can interpret the typical 'Band' function of GRBs with a typical low energy photon spectral index α ∼ –1. We perform a detailed study of the photosphere emission spectrum by progressively introducing several physical ingredients previously not fully incorporated, including the probability distribution of the location of a dynamically evolving photosphere, superposition of emission from an equal arrival time 'volume' in a continuous wind, the evolution of optical depth of a wind with finite but evolving outer boundary, as well as the effect of different top-hat wind luminosity (L w ) profiles. By assuming a comoving blackbody spectrum emerging from the photosphere, we find that for an outflow with a constant or increasing L w , the low-energy spectrum below the peak energy (E p ), can be modified to F ν ∼ ν 1.5 (α ∼ +0.5). A softer (–1 < α < +0.5) or flat (α = –1) spectrum can be obtained during the L w decreasing phase or high-latitude-emission-dominated phase. We also study the evolution of E p as a function of wind and photosphere luminosity in this photosphere model. An E p – L tracking pattern can be reproduced if a certain positive dependence between the dimensionless entropy η and L w is introduced. However, the hard-to-soft evolution pattern cannot be reproduced unless a contrived condition is invoked. In order to interpret the Band spectrum, a more complicated photosphere model or a different energy dissipation and radiation mechanism is needed.

Evaluating equilibrium and non-equilibrium transport of bromide and isoproturon in disturbed and undisturbed soil columns

Science.gov (United States)

Dousset, S.; Thevenot, M.; Pot, V.; Šimunek, J.; Andreux, F.

2007-12-01

In this study, displacement experiments of isoproturon were conducted in disturbed and undisturbed columns of a silty clay loam soil under similar rainfall intensities. Solute transport occurred under saturated conditions in the undisturbed soil and under unsaturated conditions in the sieved soil because of a greater bulk density of the compacted undisturbed soil compared to the sieved soil. The objective of this work was to determine transport characteristics of isoproturon relative to bromide tracer. Triplicate column experiments were performed with sieved (structure partially destroyed to simulate conventional tillage) and undisturbed (structure preserved) soils. Bromide experimental breakthrough curves were analyzed using convective-dispersive and dual-permeability (DP) models (HYDRUS-1D). Isoproturon breakthrough curves (BTCs) were analyzed using the DP model that considered either chemical equilibrium or non-equilibrium transport. The DP model described the bromide elution curves of the sieved soil columns well, whereas it overestimated the tailing of the bromide BTCs of the undisturbed soil columns. A higher degree of physical non-equilibrium was found in the undisturbed soil, where 56% of total water was contained in the slow-flow matrix, compared to 26% in the sieved soil. Isoproturon BTCs were best described in both sieved and undisturbed soil columns using the DP model combined with the chemical non-equilibrium. Higher degradation rates were obtained in the transport experiments than in batch studies, for both soils. This was likely caused by hysteresis in sorption of isoproturon. However, it cannot be ruled out that higher degradation rates were due, at least in part, to the adopted first-order model. Results showed that for similar rainfall intensity, physical and chemical non-equilibrium were greater in the saturated undisturbed soil than in the unsaturated sieved soil. Results also suggested faster transport of isoproturon in the undisturbed soil due

Flare Prediction Using Photospheric and Coronal Image Data

Science.gov (United States)

Jonas, Eric; Bobra, Monica; Shankar, Vaishaal; Todd Hoeksema, J.; Recht, Benjamin

2018-03-01

The precise physical process that triggers solar flares is not currently understood. Here we attempt to capture the signature of this mechanism in solar-image data of various wavelengths and use these signatures to predict flaring activity. We do this by developing an algorithm that i) automatically generates features in 5.5 TB of image data taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory of the solar photosphere, chromosphere, transition region, and corona during the time period between May 2010 and May 2014, ii) combines these features with other features based on flaring history and a physical understanding of putative flaring processes, and iii) classifies these features to predict whether a solar active region will flare within a time period of T hours, where T = 2 and 24. Such an approach may be useful since, at the present time, there are no physical models of flares available for real-time prediction. We find that when optimizing for the True Skill Score (TSS), photospheric vector-magnetic-field data combined with flaring history yields the best performance, and when optimizing for the area under the precision-recall curve, all of the data are helpful. Our model performance yields a TSS of 0.84 ±0.03 and 0.81 ±0.03 in the T = 2- and 24-hour cases, respectively, and a value of 0.13 ±0.07 and 0.43 ±0.08 for the area under the precision-recall curve in the T=2- and 24-hour cases, respectively. These relatively high scores are competitive with previous attempts at solar prediction, but our different methodology and extreme care in task design and experimental setup provide an independent confirmation of these results. Given the similar values of algorithm performance across various types of models reported in the literature, we conclude that we can expect a certain baseline predictive capacity using these data. We believe that this is the first attempt to predict solar flares using photospheric vector-magnetic field data as well as multiple wavelengths of image

Low-frequency photospheric and wind variability in the early-B supergiant HD2905

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simon-Diaz, S.; Aerts, C.; Urbaneja, M. A.

2018-01-01

to the lack of adequate observations for a proper characterization of the complex spectroscopic and photometric variability occurring in these stars. Aims. Our goal is to detect, analyze, and interpret variability in the early-B-type supergiant HD2905 (kappa Cas, B1 Ia) using long-term, ground-based, high...... snapshot and time-dependent information about the stellar parameters and abundances by means of the FASTWIND stellar atmosphere code. Results. HD2905 is a spectroscopic variable with peak-to-peak amplitudes in the zero and first moments of the photospheric lines of up to 15% and 30 km s(-1), respectively....... Conclusions. Combined long-term uninterrupted space photometry with high-precision spectroscopy is the best strategy to unravel the complex low-frequency photospheric and wind variability of B supergiants. Three-dimensional (3D) simulations of waves and of convective motions in the sub-surface layers can shed...

Analyses of the Photospheric Magnetic Dynamics in Solar Active Region 11117 Using an Advanced CESE-MHD Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Chaowei [SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory for Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL (United States); Wu, Shi T. [Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL (United States); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, AL (United States); Feng, Xueshang, E-mail: cwjiang@spaceweather.ac.cn [SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory for Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)

2016-05-10

In this study, the photospheric vector magnetograms obtained by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on-board the Solar Dynamics Observatory are used as boundary conditions for a CESE-MHD model to investigate some photosphere characteristics around the time of a confined flare in solar active region NOAA AR 11117. We report our attempt of characterizing a more realistic solar atmosphere by including a plasma with temperature stratified from the photosphere to the corona in the CESE-MHD model. The resulted photospheric transverse flow is comparable to the apparent movements of the magnetic flux features that demonstrates shearing and rotations. We calculated the relevant parameters such as the magnetic energy flux and helicity flux, and with analysis of these parameters, we find that magnetic non-potentiality is transported across the photosphere into the corona in the simulated time interval, which might provide a favorable condition for producing the flare.

TRACING p -MODE WAVES FROM THE PHOTOSPHERE TO THE CORONA IN ACTIVE REGIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Junwei; Chen, Ruizhu [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4085 (United States); Felipe, Tobías; Khomenko, Elena [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38025 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

2016-10-10

Atmosphere above sunspots is abundant with different types of waves. Among these waves are running penumbral waves in the chromosphere, quasi-periodic oscillations in the lower coronal loops, and recently reported running waves in sunspots’ photosphere, all of which were interpreted as magnetoacoustic waves by some authors. Are these waves in different atmospheric layers related to each other, what is the nature of these waves, and where are the ultimate sources of these waves? Applying a time–distance helioseismic analysis over a suite of multi-wavelength observations above a sunspot, we demonstrate that the helioseismic p -mode waves are able to channel up from the photosphere through the chromosphere and transition region into the corona, and that the magnetoacoustic waves observed in different atmospheric layers are a same wave originating from the photosphere but exhibiting differently under different physical conditions. We also show waves of different frequencies travel along different paths, which can be used to derive the physical properties of the atmosphere above sunspots. Our numerical simulation of traveling of waves from a subphotospheric source qualitatively resembles the observed properties of the waves and offers an interpretation of the shapes of the wavefronts above the photosphere.

Comparison of Shear Strength Properties for Undisturbed and Reconstituted Parit Nipah Peat, Johor

Science.gov (United States)

Azhar, A. T. S.; Norhaliza, W.; Ismail, B.; Abdullah, M. E.; Zakaria, M. N.

2016-11-01

Shear strength of soil is required to determine the soil stability and design the foundations. Peat is known as a soil with complex natural formations which also contributes problems to the researchers, developers, engineers and contractors in constructions and infrastructures. Most researchers conducted experiment and investigation of shear strength on peat using shear box test and simple shear test, but only a few had discovered the behavior of peat using triaxial consolidated undrained test. The aim of this paper is to determine the undrained shear strength properties of reconstituted peat and undisturbed peat of Parit Nipah, Johor for comparison purposes. All the reconstituted peat samples were formed with the size that passed opening sieve 3.35 mm and preconsolidation pressure at 100 kPa. The result of undrained shear strength of reconstituted peat was 21kPa for cohesion with the angle of friction, 41° compare to the undisturbed peat with cohesion 10 kPa and angle of friction, 16°. The undrained shear strength properties result obtained shows that the reconstituted peat has higher strength than undisturbed peat. For relationship deviator stress-strain, σd max and excess pore pressure, Δu, it shows that both of undisturbed and reconstituted gradually increased when σ’ increased, but at the end of the test, the values are slightly dropped. The physical properties of undisturbed and reconstituted peat were also investigated to correlate with the undrained shear strength results.

New measurements of photospheric magnetic fields in late-type stars and emerging trends

Science.gov (United States)

Saar, S. H.; Linsky, J. L.

1986-01-01

The magnetic fields of late-type stars are measured using the method of Saar et al. (1986). The method includes radiative transfer effects and compensation for line blending; the photospheric magnetic field parameters are derived by comparing observed and theoretical line profiles using an LTE code that includes line saturation and full Zeeman pattern. The preliminary mean active region magnetic field strengths (B) and surface area coverages for 20 stars are discussed. It is observed that there is a trend of increasing B towards the cooler dwarfs stars, and the linear correlation between B and the equipartition value of the magnetic field strength suggests that the photospheric gas pressure determines the photospheric magnetic field strengths. A tendency toward larger filling factors at larger stellar angular velocities is also detected.

Evidence of small-scale magnetic concentrations dragged by vortex motion of solar photospheric plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Balmaceda, L.; Vargas Domínguez, S.; Palacios, J.; Cabello, I.; Domingo, V.

2010-04-01

Vortex-type motions have been measured by tracking bright points in high-resolution observations of the solar photosphere. These small-scale motions are thought to be determinant in the evolution of magnetic footpoints and their interaction with plasma and therefore likely to play a role in heating the upper solar atmosphere by twisting magnetic flux tubes. We report the observation of magnetic concentrations being dragged towards the center of a convective vortex motion in the solar photosphere from high-resolution ground-based and space-borne data. We describe this event by analyzing a series of images at different solar atmospheric layers. By computing horizontal proper motions, we detect a vortex whose center appears to be the draining point for the magnetic concentrations detected in magnetograms and well-correlated with the locations of bright points seen in G-band and CN images.

An extensive VLT/X-shooter library of photospheric templates of pre-main sequence stars

Science.gov (United States)

Manara, C. F.; Frasca, A.; Alcalá, J. M.; Natta, A.; Stelzer, B.; Testi, L.

2017-09-01

Context. Studies of the formation and evolution of young stars and their disks rely on knowledge of the stellar parameters of the young stars. The derivation of these parameters is commonly based on comparison with photospheric template spectra. Furthermore, chromospheric emission in young active stars impacts the measurement of mass accretion rates, a key quantity for studying disk evolution. Aims: Here we derive stellar properties of low-mass (M⋆≲ 2 M⊙) pre-main sequence stars without disks, which represent ideal photospheric templates for studies of young stars. We also use these spectra to constrain the impact of chromospheric emission on the measurements of mass accretion rates. The spectra are reduced, flux-calibrated, and corrected for telluric absorption, and are made available to the community. Methods: We derive the spectral type for our targets by analyzing the photospheric molecular features present in their VLT/X-shooter spectra by means of spectral indices and comparison of the relative strength of photospheric absorption features. We also measure effective temperature, gravity, projected rotational velocity, and radial velocity from our spectra by fitting them with synthetic spectra with the ROTFIT tool. The targets have negligible extinction (AVpresented in our previous publication. We perform synthetic photometry on the spectra to derive the typical colors of young stars in different filters. We measure the luminosity of the emission lines present in the spectra and estimate the noise due to chromospheric emission in the measurements of accretion luminosity in accreting stars. Results: We provide a calibration of the photospheric colors of young pre-main sequence stars as a function of their spectral type in a set of standard broad-band optical and near-infrared filters. The logarithm of the noise on the accretion luminosity normalized to the stellar luminosity is roughly constant and equal to -2.3 for targets with masses larger than 1 solar

Driving of the solar p-modes by radiative pumping in the upper photosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Fontenla, Juan M.; Emslie, A. G.; Moore, Ronald L.

1989-01-01

It is shown that one viable driver of the solar p-modes is radiative pumping in the upper photosphere where the opacity is dominated by the negative hydrogen ion. This new option is suggested by the similar magnitudes of two energy flows that have been evaluated by independent empirical methods. The similarity indicates that the p-modes are radiatively pumped in the upper photosphere and therefore provide the required nonradiative cooling.

Analytical description of transfer of Pu-239 in undisturbed soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tianshan, Ren; Linsalata, P; Cohen, N

1986-04-01

The paper reports on an analytical model for describing the horizontal and down-ward transfer of /sup 239/Pu in undisturbed soil based on observed data. The model has been developed to predict how the depth distribution of /sup 239/Pu in soil would change with time. This information is essential for estimation of the quantities of /sup 239/Pu that have entered surface water body via erosion and runoff processes and for estimation of the long-term impact of /sup 239/Pu isice the commencement of nuclear fallout deposition.

Temporal Changes of the Photospheric Velocity Fields

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klvaňa, Miroslav; Švanda, Michal; Bumba, Václav

2005-01-01

Roč. 29, č. 1 (2005), s. 89-98 ISSN 0351-2657. [Hvar astrophysical colloquium /7./: Solar activity cycle and global phenomena. Hvar, 20.09.2004-24.09.2004] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/04/2129 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : Solar photosphere * velocity fields * tidal waves Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

Elsaesser variable analysis of fluctuations in the ion foreshock and undisturbed solar wind

Science.gov (United States)

Labelle, James; Treumann, Rudolf A.; Marsch, Eckart

1994-01-01

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) fluctuations in the solar wind have been investigated previously by use of Elsaesser variables. In this paper, we present a comparison of the spectra of Elsaesser variables in the undisturbed solar wind at 1 AU and in the ion foreshock in front of the Earth. Both observations take place under relatively strong solar wind flow speed conditions (approximately equal 600 km/s). In the undisturbed solar wind we find that outward propagating Alfven waves dominate, as reported by other observers. In the ion foreshock the situation is more complex, with neither outward nor inward propagation dominating over the entire range investigated (1-10 mHz). Measurements of the Poynting vectors associated with the fluctuations are consistent with the Elsaesser variable analysis. These results generally support interpretations of the Elsaesser variables which have been made based strictly on solar wind data and provide additional insight into the nature of the ion foreshock turbulence.

An active region filament studied simultaneously in the chromosphere and photosphere. I. Magnetic structure

Science.gov (United States)

Kuckein, C.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Centeno, R.

2012-03-01

Aims: A thorough multiwavelength, multiheight study of the vector magnetic field in a compact active region filament (NOAA 10781) on 2005 July 3 and 5 is presented. We suggest an evolutionary scenario for this filament. Methods: Two different inversion codes were used to analyze the full Stokes vectors acquired with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter (TIP-II) in a spectral range that comprises the chromospheric He i 10 830 Å multiplet and the photospheric Si i 10 827 Å line. In addition, we used SOHO/MDI magnetograms, as well as BBSO and TRACE images, to study the evolution of the filament and its active region (AR). High-resolution images of the Dutch Open Telescope were also used. Results: An active region filament (formed before our observing run) was detected in the chromospheric helium absorption images on July 3. The chromospheric vector magnetic field in this portion of the filament was strongly sheared (parallel to the filament axis), whereas the photospheric field lines underneath had an inverse polarity configuration. From July 3 to July 5, an opening and closing of the polarities on either side of the polarity inversion line (PIL) was recorded, resembling the recently discovered process of the sliding door effect seen by Hinode. This is confirmed with both TIP-II and SOHO/MDI data. During this time, a newly created region that contained pores and orphan penumbrae at the PIL was observed. On July 5, a normal polarity configuration was inferred from the chromospheric spectra, while strongly sheared field lines aligned with the PIL were found in the photosphere. In this same data set, the spine of the filament is also observed in a different portion of the field of view and is clearly mapped by the silicon line core. Conclusions: The inferred vector magnetic fields of the filament suggest a flux rope topology. Furthermore, the observations indicate that the filament is divided in two parts, one which lies in the chromosphere and another one that stays

MODELING THE SUN’S SMALL-SCALE GLOBAL PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FIELD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, K. A. [Division of Computing and Mathematics, Abertay University, Kydd Building, Dundee, Bell Street, DD1 1HG, Scotland (United Kingdom); Mackay, D. H., E-mail: k.meyer@abertay.ac.uk [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, Scotland (United Kingdom)

2016-10-20

We present a new model for the Sun’s global photospheric magnetic field during a deep minimum of activity, in which no active regions emerge. The emergence and subsequent evolution of small-scale magnetic features across the full solar surface is simulated, subject to the influence of a global supergranular flow pattern. Visually, the resulting simulated magnetograms reproduce the typical structure and scale observed in quiet Sun magnetograms. Quantitatively, the simulation quickly reaches a steady state, resulting in a mean field and flux distribution that are in good agreement with those determined from observations. A potential coronal magnetic field is extrapolated from the simulated full Sun magnetograms to consider the implications of such a quiet photospheric magnetic field on the corona and inner heliosphere. The bulk of the coronal magnetic field closes very low down, in short connections between small-scale features in the simulated magnetic network. Just 0.1% of the photospheric magnetic flux is found to be open at 2.5 R {sub ⊙}, around 10–100 times less than that determined for typical Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager synoptic map observations. If such conditions were to exist on the Sun, this would lead to a significantly weaker interplanetary magnetic field than is currently observed, and hence a much higher cosmic ray flux at Earth.

A STUDY OF SOLAR PHOTOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE GRADIENT VARIATION USING LIMB DARKENING MEASUREMENTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Criscuoli, Serena [National Solar Observatory, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Foukal, Peter [192 Willow Road, Nahant, MA 01908 (United States)

2017-01-20

The variation in area of quiet magnetic network measured over the sunspot cycle should modulate the spatially averaged photospheric temperature gradient, since temperature declines with optical depth more gradually in magnetic flux tube atmospheres. Yet, limb darkening measurements show no dependence upon activity level, even at an rms precision of 0.04%. We study the sensitivity of limb darkening to changes in area filling factor using a 3D MHD model of the magnetized photosphere. The limb darkening change expected from the measured 11-year area variation lies below the level of measured limb darkening variations, for a reasonable range of magnetic flux in quiet network and internetwork regions. So the remarkably constant limb darkening observed over the solar activity cycle is not inconsistent with the measured 11-year change in area of quiet magnetic network. Our findings offer an independent constraint on photospheric temperature gradient changes reported from measurements of the solar spectral irradiance from the Spectral Irradiance Monitor, and recently, from wavelength-differential spectrophotometry using the Solar Optical Telescope aboard the HINODE spacecraft.

PIXEL ANALYSIS OF PHOTOSPHERIC SPECTRAL DATA. I. PLASMA DYNAMICS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rasca, Anthony P.; Chen, James [Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Pevtsov, Alexei A., E-mail: anthony.rasca.ctr@nrl.navy.mil [National Solar Observatory, Sunspot, NM 88349 (United States)

2016-11-20

Recent observations of the photosphere using high spatial and temporal resolution show small dynamic features at or below the current resolving limits. A new pixel dynamics method has been developed to analyze spectral profiles and quantify changes in line displacement, width, asymmetry, and peakedness of photospheric absorption lines. The algorithm evaluates variations of line profile properties in each pixel and determines the statistics of such fluctuations averaged over all pixels in a given region. The method has been used to derive statistical characteristics of pixel fluctuations in observed quiet-Sun regions, an active region with no eruption, and an active region with an ongoing eruption. Using Stokes I images from the Vector Spectromagnetograph (VSM) of the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS) telescope on 2012 March 13, variations in line width and peakedness of Fe i 6301.5 Å are shown to have a distinct spatial and temporal relationship with an M7.9 X-ray flare in NOAA 11429. This relationship is observed as stationary and contiguous patches of pixels adjacent to a sunspot exhibiting intense flattening in the line profile and line-center displacement as the X-ray flare approaches peak intensity, which is not present in area scans of the non-eruptive active region. The analysis of pixel dynamics allows one to extract quantitative information on differences in plasma dynamics on sub-pixel scales in these photospheric regions. The analysis can be extended to include the Stokes parameters and study signatures of vector components of magnetic fields and coupled plasma properties.

Stellar photospheric abundances as a probe of discs and planets

Science.gov (United States)

Jermyn, Adam S.; Kama, Mihkel

2018-06-01

Protoplanetary discs, debris discs, and disrupted or evaporating planets can all feed accretion on to stars. The photospheric abundances of such stars may then reveal the composition of the accreted material. This is especially likely in B to mid-F type stars, which have radiative envelopes and hence less bulk-photosphere mixing. We present a theoretical framework (CAM), considering diffusion, rotation, and other stellar mixing mechanisms to describe how the accreted material interacts with the bulk of the star. This allows the abundance pattern of the circumstellar material to be calculated from measured stellar abundances and parameters (vrot, Teff). We discuss the λ Boötis phenomenon and the application of CAM on stars hosting protoplanetary discs (HD 100546, HD 163296), debris discs (HD 141569, HD 21997), and evaporating planets (HD 195689/KELT-9).

THE BUILDUP OF A SCALE-FREE PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC NETWORK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thibault, K.; Charbonneau, P. [Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7 (Canada); Crouch, A. D., E-mail: kim@astro.umontreal.ca-a, E-mail: paulchar@astro.umontreal.ca-b, E-mail: ash@cora.nwra.com-c [CORA/NWRA, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)

2012-10-01

We use a global Monte Carlo simulation of the formation of the solar photospheric magnetic network to investigate the origin of the scale invariance characterizing magnetic flux concentrations visible on high-resolution magnetograms. The simulations include spatially and temporally homogeneous injection of small-scale magnetic elements over the whole photosphere, as well as localized episodic injection associated with the emergence and decay of active regions. Network elements form in response to cumulative pairwise aggregation or cancellation of magnetic elements, undergoing a random walk on the sphere and advected on large spatial scales by differential rotation and a poleward meridional flow. The resulting size distribution of simulated network elements is in very good agreement with observational inferences. We find that the fractal index and size distribution of network elements are determined primarily by these post-emergence surface mechanisms, and carry little or no memory of the scales at which magnetic flux is injected in the simulation. Implications for models of dynamo action in the Sun are briefly discussed.

THE BUILDUP OF A SCALE-FREE PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC NETWORK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thibault, K.; Charbonneau, P.; Crouch, A. D.

2012-01-01

We use a global Monte Carlo simulation of the formation of the solar photospheric magnetic network to investigate the origin of the scale invariance characterizing magnetic flux concentrations visible on high-resolution magnetograms. The simulations include spatially and temporally homogeneous injection of small-scale magnetic elements over the whole photosphere, as well as localized episodic injection associated with the emergence and decay of active regions. Network elements form in response to cumulative pairwise aggregation or cancellation of magnetic elements, undergoing a random walk on the sphere and advected on large spatial scales by differential rotation and a poleward meridional flow. The resulting size distribution of simulated network elements is in very good agreement with observational inferences. We find that the fractal index and size distribution of network elements are determined primarily by these post-emergence surface mechanisms, and carry little or no memory of the scales at which magnetic flux is injected in the simulation. Implications for models of dynamo action in the Sun are briefly discussed.

The Buildup of a Scale-free Photospheric Magnetic Network

Science.gov (United States)

Thibault, K.; Charbonneau, P.; Crouch, A. D.

2012-10-01

We use a global Monte Carlo simulation of the formation of the solar photospheric magnetic network to investigate the origin of the scale invariance characterizing magnetic flux concentrations visible on high-resolution magnetograms. The simulations include spatially and temporally homogeneous injection of small-scale magnetic elements over the whole photosphere, as well as localized episodic injection associated with the emergence and decay of active regions. Network elements form in response to cumulative pairwise aggregation or cancellation of magnetic elements, undergoing a random walk on the sphere and advected on large spatial scales by differential rotation and a poleward meridional flow. The resulting size distribution of simulated network elements is in very good agreement with observational inferences. We find that the fractal index and size distribution of network elements are determined primarily by these post-emergence surface mechanisms, and carry little or no memory of the scales at which magnetic flux is injected in the simulation. Implications for models of dynamo action in the Sun are briefly discussed.

Optimization of Photospheric Electric Field Estimates for Accurate Retrieval of Total Magnetic Energy Injection

Science.gov (United States)

Lumme, E.; Pomoell, J.; Kilpua, E. K. J.

2017-12-01

Estimates of the photospheric magnetic, electric, and plasma velocity fields are essential for studying the dynamics of the solar atmosphere, for example through the derivative quantities of Poynting and relative helicity flux and using the fields to obtain the lower boundary condition for data-driven coronal simulations. In this paper we study the performance of a data processing and electric field inversion approach that requires only high-resolution and high-cadence line-of-sight or vector magnetograms, which we obtain from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The approach does not require any photospheric velocity estimates, and the lacking velocity information is compensated for using ad hoc assumptions. We show that the free parameters of these assumptions can be optimized to reproduce the time evolution of the total magnetic energy injection through the photosphere in NOAA AR 11158, when compared to recent state-of-the-art estimates for this active region. However, we find that the relative magnetic helicity injection is reproduced poorly, reaching at best a modest underestimation. We also discuss the effect of some of the data processing details on the results, including the masking of the noise-dominated pixels and the tracking method of the active region, neither of which has received much attention in the literature so far. In most cases the effect of these details is small, but when the optimization of the free parameters of the ad hoc assumptions is considered, a consistent use of the noise mask is required. The results found in this paper imply that the data processing and electric field inversion approach that uses only the photospheric magnetic field information offers a flexible and straightforward way to obtain photospheric magnetic and electric field estimates suitable for practical applications such as coronal modeling studies.

Latitudinal variation of the solar photospheric intensity

OpenAIRE

Rast, Mark P.; Ortiz, Ada; Meisner, Randle W.

2007-01-01

We have examined images from the Precision Solar Photometric Telescope (PSPT) at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) in search of latitudinal variation in the solar photospheric intensity. Along with the expected brightening of the solar activity belts, we have found a weak enhancement of the mean continuum intensity at polar latitudes (continuum intensity enhancement $\\sim0.1 - 0.2%$ corresponding to a brightness temperature enhancement of $\\sim2.5{\\rm K}$). This appears to be thermal in ...

Detection of photospheric calcium in a DBA white dwarf

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenyon, S.J.; Shipman, H.L.; Sion, E.M.; Aannestad, P.A.

1988-01-01

The detection of photospheric calcium absorption lines in the white dwarf star G200-39 (DBAZ4) is reported. The abundance of calcium relative to that of hydrogen is approximately solar, a result which lends support to the hypothesis that accretion of interstellar matter is responsible for hybrid composition white dwarfs. 21 references

On the Structure of the Solar Photosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Secchi A.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Mary Posani (Department of French and Italian, The Ohio State University, Colum- bus, Ohio, 43221 and Eileen Reeves (Department of Comparative Literature, Prince- ton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08544 provide a translation of Father Pietro Angelo Secchi’s classic work “ Sulla Struttura della Fotosfera Solare ” as it appeared in Bullettino Meteorologico dell’ Osservatorio del Collegio Romano , 30 November 1864, v.3(11, 1–3. Secchi’s paper was immediately translated into French by l’Abb ́ e Franc ̧ois Moigno appearing on December 22nd, 1864 ( Sur la structure de la photosph`ere du soleil. Les Mondes , 1864, v.6, 703–707. Moigno’s translation prompted significant interest in the nature of the Sun throughout Europe, with rapid claims of simultaneous discovery by Harv ́ e Faye (Faye H. Sur la constitution physique du soleil — premiere parti . Les Mondes, v.7, 293–306 and others. In this article, Secchi reiterated that the photosphere was composed of solid corpuscles floating on the transparent atmosphere of the Sun. Secchi concluded that the body of the Sun was gaseous based on his vi- sualization of solar granules or “ willow leaves ” described by Nasmyth (Nasmyth J. On the Structure of the Luminous Envelope of the Sun — In a letter to Joseph Sidebotham . Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester , 1862, 3rd Series, v.I, 407–411. Secchi also referred to Magnus’ work on solid particles in the gaseous flame (Magnus G. Notiz ̈uber die Bescha enheit der Sonne. Poggendorff’s Annalen der Physik und Chemie , 1864, v.121, 510–512; also in French Notice sur la constitution du soleil . Archives des science physique et naturelles (Gen`eve , 1864, v.20, 171–175. The works by Sechhi, Nasmyth, Magnus, and Faye would dominate astrophysical thought for the next 50 years.

MAGNETIC AND DYNAMICAL PHOTOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES OBSERVED DURING AN M3.2 SOLAR FLARE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuckein, C. [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482, Potsdam (Germany); Collados, M.; Sainz, R. Manso, E-mail: ckuckein@aip.de [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Vía Láctea s/n, E-38205, La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

2015-02-01

This Letter reports on a set of full-Stokes spectropolarimetric observations in the near-infrared He i 10830 Å spectral region covering the pre-flare, flare, and post-flare phases of an M3.2 class solar flare. The flare originated on 2013 May 17 and belonged to active region NOAA 11748. We detected strong He i 10830 Å emission in the flare. The red component of the He i triplet peaks at an intensity ratio to the continuum of about 1.86. During the flare, He i Stokes V is substantially larger and appears reversed compared to the usually larger Si i Stokes V profile. The photospheric Si i inversions of the four Stokes profiles reveal the following: (1) the magnetic field strength in the photosphere decreases or is even absent during the flare phase, as compared to the pre-flare phase. However, this decrease is not permanent. After the flare, the magnetic field recovers its pre-flare configuration in a short time (i.e., 30 minutes after the flare). (2) In the photosphere, the line of sight velocities show a regular granular up- and downflow pattern before the flare erupts. During the flare, upflows (blueshifts) dominate the area where the flare is produced. Evaporation rates of ∼10{sup −3} and ∼10{sup −4} g cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} have been derived in the deep and high photosphere, respectively, capable of increasing the chromospheric density by a factor of two in about 400 s.

THE EFFECTS OF TRANSIENTS ON PHOTOSPHERIC AND CHROMOSPHERIC POWER DISTRIBUTIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samanta, T.; Banerjee, D.; Pant, V. [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Koramangala, Bangalore 560034 (India); Henriques, V. M. J.; Prasad, S. Krishna; Mathioudakis, M.; Jess, D., E-mail: tsamanta@iiap.res.in, E-mail: v.henriques@qub.ac.uk [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)

2016-09-01

We have observed a quiet-Sun region with the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope equipped with the CRISP Imaging SpectroPolarimeter. High-resolution, high-cadence, H α line scanning images were taken to observe different layers of the solar atmosphere from the photosphere to upper chromosphere. We study the distribution of power in different period bands at different heights. Power maps of the upper photosphere and the lower chromosphere show suppressed power surrounding the magnetic-network elements, known as “magnetic shadows.” These also show enhanced power close to the photosphere, traditionally referred to as “power halos.” The interaction between acoustic waves and inclined magnetic fields is generally believed to be responsible for these two effects. In this study we explore whether small-scale transients can influence the distribution of power at different heights. We show that the presence of transients, like mottles, Rapid Blueshifted Excursions (RBEs), and Rapid Redshifted Excursions (RREs), can strongly influence the power maps. The short and finite lifetime of these events strongly affects all power maps, potentially influencing the observed power distribution. We show that Doppler-shifted transients like RBEs and RREs that occur ubiquitously can have a dominant effect on the formation of the power halos in the quiet Sun. For magnetic shadows, transients like mottles do not seem to have a significant effect on the power suppression around 3 minutes, and wave interaction may play a key role here. Our high-cadence observations reveal that flows, waves, and shocks manifest in the presence of magnetic fields to form a nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic system.

Do tidal waves exist in the solar photosphere?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klvaňa, Miroslav; Švanda, M.; Krivtsov, A.; Bumba, Václav

2004-01-01

Roč. 28, č. 1 (2004), s. 157-164 ISSN 0351-2657. [Central European Solar Physics Meeting /1./. Bairisch Kölldorf, 23.10.2003-25.10.2003] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/01/0658; GA AV ČR IAA3003903; GA AV ČR KSK2043105 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1003909 Keywords : solar photosphere * tidal waves * planets Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

Necromass production: studies in undisturbed and logged Amazon Forests

Science.gov (United States)

MICHAEL PALACE; MICHAEL KELLER; HUDSON SILVA

2008-01-01

Necromass stocks account for up to 20% of carbon stored in tropical forests and have been estimated to be 14–19% of the annual aboveground carbon flux. Both stocks and fluxes of necromass are infrequently measured. In this study, we directly measured the production of fallen coarse necromass (>2 cm diameter) during 4.5 years using repeated surveys in undisturbed...

Thermal bifurcation in the upper solar photosphere inferred from heterodyne spectroscopy of OH rotational lines

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, D.; Hillman, J. J.; Kostiuk, T.; Mumma, M. J.; Zipoy, D. M.

1984-01-01

Low noise high spectral resolution observations of two pure rotation transitions of OH from the solar photosphere were obtained. The observations were obtained using the technique of optically null-balanced infrared heterodyne spectroscopy, and consist of center-to-limb line profiles of a v=1 and a v=0 transition near 12 microns. These lines should be formed in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE), and are diagnostics of the thermal structure of the upper photosphere. The v=0 R22 (24.5)e line strengthens at the solar limb, in contradiction to the predictions of current one dimensional photospheric models. Data for this line support a two dimensional model in which horizontal thermal fluctuations of order + or - 800K occur in the region Tau (sub 5000) approximately .001 to .01. This thermal bifurcation may be maintained by the presence of magnetic flux tubes, and may be related to the solar limb extensions observed in the 30 to 200 micron region.

Modeling long-term suspended-sediment export from an undisturbed forest catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Alexander; Francke, Till; Elsenbeer, Helmut

2013-04-01

Most estimates of suspended sediment yields from humid, undisturbed, and geologically stable forest environments fall within a range of 5 - 30 t km-2 a-1. These low natural erosion rates in small headwater catchments (≤ 1 km2) support the common impression that a well-developed forest cover prevents surface erosion. Interestingly, those estimates originate exclusively from areas with prevailing vertical hydrological flow paths. Forest environments dominated by (near-) surface flow paths (overland flow, pipe flow, and return flow) and a fast response to rainfall, however, are not an exceptional phenomenon, yet only very few sediment yields have been estimated for these areas. Not surprisingly, even fewer long-term (≥ 10 years) records exist. In this contribution we present our latest research which aims at quantifying long-term suspended-sediment export from an undisturbed rainforest catchment prone to frequent overland flow. A key aspect of our approach is the application of machine-learning techniques (Random Forest, Quantile Regression Forest) which allows not only the handling of non-Gaussian data, non-linear relations between predictors and response, and correlations between predictors, but also the assessment of prediction uncertainty. For the current study we provided the machine-learning algorithms exclusively with information from a high-resolution rainfall time series to reconstruct discharge and suspended sediment dynamics for a 21-year period. The significance of our results is threefold. First, our estimates clearly show that forest cover does not necessarily prevent erosion if wet antecedent conditions and large rainfalls coincide. During these situations, overland flow is widespread and sediment fluxes increase in a non-linear fashion due to the mobilization of new sediment sources. Second, our estimates indicate that annual suspended sediment yields of the undisturbed forest catchment show large fluctuations. Depending on the frequency of large

A Novel Approach to Fast SOLIS Stokes Inversion for Photospheric Vector Magnetography.

Science.gov (United States)

Harker, Brian; Mighell, K.

2009-05-01

The SOLIS (Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun) Vector Spectromagnetograph (VSM) is a full-disc spectropolarimeter, located at Kitt Peak National Observatory, which records Zeeman-induced polarization in the magnetically-sensitive FeI spectral lines at 630.15 nm and 630.25 nm. A SOLIS VSM full-disc dataset consists of 2048 scanlines, with each scanline containing the Stokes I, Q, U, and V spectral line profiles in 128 unique wavelength bins for all 2048 pixels in the scanline. These Stokes polarization profiles are inverted to obtain the magnetic and thermodynamic structure of the observations, based on a model Milne-Eddington plane-parallel atmosphere. Until recently, this has been a compute-intensive, relatively slow process. This poster presents a novel method of producing such model-based characterizations of the photospheric magnetic field by utilizing an inversion engine based on a genetic algorithm. The algorithm executes in a heterogeneous compute environment composed of both a CPU and a graphics processing unit (GPU). Using the cutting-edge NVIDIA CUDA platform, we are able to offload the compute-intensive portions of the inversion code to the GPU, which results in significant speedup. This speedup provides the impetus which has driven the development of this strategy. Currently, SOLIS vector magnetic field products are generated with a modified version of the HAO ASP inversion code developed by Skumanich & Lites (1987), and these data products are made available to the scientific community 24 hours after the actual observation(s). With this work, we aim to drastically reduce this waiting period to allow near real-time characterizations of the photospheric vector magnetic field. Here, we here detail the inversion method we have pioneered, present preliminary results on the derived full-disc magnetic field as well as timing/speedup considerations, and finally offer some outlooks on the future direction of this work.

Low-frequency photospheric and wind variability in the early-B supergiant HD 2905

Science.gov (United States)

Simón-Díaz, S.; Aerts, C.; Urbaneja, M. A.; Camacho, I.; Antoci, V.; Fredslund Andersen, M.; Grundahl, F.; Pallé, P. L.

2018-04-01

Context. Despite important advances in space asteroseismology during the last decade, the early phases of evolution of stars with masses above 15 M⊙ (including the O stars and their evolved descendants, the B supergiants) have been only vaguely explored up to now. This is due to the lack of adequate observations for a proper characterization of the complex spectroscopic and photometric variability occurring in these stars. Aim. Our goal is to detect, analyze, and interpret variability in the early-B-type supergiant HD 2905 (κ Cas, B1 Ia) using long-term, ground-based, high-resolution spectroscopy. Methods: We gather a total of 1141 high-resolution spectra covering some 2900 days with three different high-performance spectrographs attached to 1-2.6m telescopes at the Canary Islands observatories. We complement these observations with the hipparcos light curve, which includes 160 data points obtained during a time span of 1200 days. We investigate spectroscopic variability of up to 12 diagnostic lines by using the zero and first moments of the line profiles. We perform a frequency analysis of both the spectroscopic and photometric dataset using Scargle periodograms. We obtain single snapshot and time-dependent information about the stellar parameters and abundances by means of the FASTWIND stellar atmosphere code. Results: HD 2905 is a spectroscopic variable with peak-to-peak amplitudes in the zero and first moments of the photospheric lines of up to 15% and 30 km s-1, respectively. The amplitude of the line-profile variability is correlated with the line formation depth in the photosphere and wind. All investigated lines present complex temporal behavior indicative of multi-periodic variability with timescales of a few days to several weeks. No short-period (hourly) variations are detected. The Scargle periodograms of the hipparcos light curve and the first moment of purely photospheric lines reveal a low-frequency amplitude excess and a clear dominant frequency

Mobility of radionuclides and trace elements in soil from legacy NORM and undisturbed naturally 232Th-rich sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Mrdakovic Popic, Jelena; Meland, Sondre; Salbu, Brit; Skipperud, Lindis

2014-05-01

Investigation of radionuclides (232Th and 238U) and trace elements (Cr, As and Pb) in soil from two legacy NORM (former mining sites) and one undisturbed naturally 232Th-rich site was conducted as a part of the ongoing environmental impact assessment in the Fen Complex area (Norway). The major objectives were to determine the radionuclide and trace element distribution and mobility in soils as well as to analyze possible differences between legacy NORM and surrounding undisturbed naturally 232Th-rich soils. Inhomogeneous soil distribution of radionuclides and trace elements was observed for each of the investigated sites. The concentration of 232Th was high (up to 1685 mg kg(-1), i.e., ∼7000 Bq kg(-1)) and exceeded the screening value for the radioactive waste material in Norway (1 Bq g(-1)). Based on the sequential extraction results, the majority of 232Th and trace elements were rather inert, irreversibly bound to soil. Uranium was found to be potentially more mobile, as it was associated with pH-sensitive soil phases, redox-sensitive amorphous soil phases and soil organic compounds. Comparison of the sequential extraction datasets from the three investigated sites revealed increased mobility of all analyzed elements at the legacy NORM sites in comparison with the undisturbed 232Th-rich site. Similarly, the distribution coefficients Kd (232Th) and Kd (238U) suggested elevated dissolution, mobility and transportation at the legacy NORM sites, especially at the decommissioned Nb-mining site (346 and 100 L kg(-1) for 232Th and 238U, respectively), while the higher sorption of radionuclides was demonstrated at the undisturbed 232Th-rich site (10,672 and 506 L kg(-1) for 232Th and 238U, respectively). In general, although the concentration ranges of radionuclides and trace elements were similarly wide both at the legacy NORM and at the undisturbed 232Th-rich sites, the results of soil sequential extractions together with Kd values supported the expected differences

The isotopic abundance ratio 12C/13C in the solar atmosphere determined from CH-lines in the photospheric spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iversen, Oe.

1976-01-01

The R-branch of the (0,0) vibrational band of the violet electronic transition A 2 Δ-X 2 PI of CH is analysed. Isotope wavelength shifts were measured on laboratory spectrograms. The method of synthesising the spectrum was used, and the molecular dissociation equilibrium through the photosphere was computed. 13 CH is not definitely identified in the photospheric spectrum and only upper limits of the 13 C abundance are deduced. The upper limits are sensitive to the local continuum level. A photospheric abundance ratio 12 C/ 13 C greater than the terrestrial value of 90 seems highly probable. (Auth.)

A simplified 137Cs transport model for estimating erosion rates in undisturbed soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xinbao; Long Yi; He Xiubin; Fu Jiexiong; Zhang Yunqi

2008-01-01

137 Cs is an artificial radionuclide with a half-life of 30.12 years which released into the environment as a result of atmospheric testing of thermo-nuclear weapons primarily during the period of 1950s-1970s with the maximum rate of 137 Cs fallout from atmosphere in 1963. 137 Cs fallout is strongly and rapidly adsorbed by fine particles in the surface horizons of the soil, when it falls down on the ground mostly with precipitation. Its subsequent redistribution is associated with movements of the soil or sediment particles. The 137 Cs nuclide tracing technique has been used for assessment of soil losses for both undisturbed and cultivated soils. For undisturbed soils, a simple profile-shape model was developed in 1990 to describe the 137 Cs depth distribution in profile, where the maximum 137 Cs occurs in the surface horizon and it exponentially decreases with depth. The model implied that the total 137 Cs fallout amount deposited on the earth surface in 1963 and the 137 Cs profile shape has not changed with time. The model has been widely used for assessment of soil losses on undisturbed land. However, temporal variations of 137 Cs depth distribution in undisturbed soils after its deposition on the ground due to downward transport processes are not considered in the previous simple profile-shape model. Thus, the soil losses are overestimated by the model. On the base of the erosion assessment model developed by Walling, D.E., He, Q. [1999. Improved models for estimating soil erosion rates from cesium-137 measurements. Journal of Environmental Quality 28, 611-622], we discuss the 137 Cs transport process in the eroded soil profile and make some simplification to the model, develop a method to estimate the soil erosion rate more expediently. To compare the soil erosion rates calculated by the simple profile-shape model and the simple transport model, the soil losses related to different 137 Cs loss proportions of the reference inventory at the Kaixian site of the

Nonlinear Propagation of Alfven Waves Driven by Observed Photospheric Motions: Application to the Coronal Heating and Spicule Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Takuma; Shibata, Kazunari

We have performed MHD simulations of Alfven wave propagation along an open ux tube in the solar atmosphere. In our numerical model, Alfven waves are generated by the photospheric granular motion. As the wave generator, we used a derived temporal spectrum of the photo-spheric granular motion from G-band movies of Hinode/SOT. It is shown that the total energy ux at the corona becomes larger and the transition region height becomes higher in the case when we use the observed spectrum rather than white/pink noise spectrum as the wave gener-ator. This difference can be explained by the Alfven wave resonance between the photosphere and the transition region. After performing Fourier analysis on our numerical results, we have found that the region between the photosphere and the transition region becomes an Alfven wave resonant cavity. We have conrmed that there are at least three resonant frequencies, 1, 3 and 5 mHz, in our numerical model. Alfven wave resonance is one of the most effective mechanisms to explain the dynamics of the spicules and the sufficient energy ux to heat the corona.

Photospheric Spots and Flare on the Active Dwarf Star FR Cnc

Science.gov (United States)

Kozhevnikova, A. V.; Kozhevnikov, V. P.; Alekseev, I. Yu.

2018-03-01

We perform analysis of new BVRI photometry of young active dwarf star FR Cnc (K7V), obtained at Kourovka astronomical observatory of Ural Federal University with the help of multichannel electrophotometer in February 2010. The lightcurve displays sinusoidal rotation modulation with the amplitude of 0m.15 in V band. Reddening of the brightness at the photometric minimum confirms that this modulation is caused by cold photospheric spots. An analysis of the spottedness distribution in terms of a zonal model based on our own and published data shows that the spots are localized at lower and middle latitudes from 47° to 56°, occupy 10-21% of the star's area, and are colder than the photosphere by 1650 K. A flare was detected on February 3, 2010, at a time corresponding to HJD=2455231. 3136. A maximum amplitude of 0m.11 was observed in the B band, the amplitudes in the V, R, and I bands were 0m.04, 0m.03, and 0m.02, respectively, and the duration of the flare was 32.5 min. It was noted that the flare occurred near the maximum spottedness of the star. The calculated total energy of the flare was 2.4·1033 and 1.3·1033 erg in the B and V bands, respectively. The flare was found to have an afterglow, with an overall increase in the star's brightness by 0m.02 in the B band after the flare compared to the pre-flare level.

Three-dimensional structure of the coronal magnetic field and the solar wind speed distribution projected on the photosphere in 1974

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakamada, K.

1987-01-01

Since the solar wind and coronal holes were relatively steady in 1974, the average distribution of the solar wind speed on the source surface and that of the line-of-sight component of the photospheric magnetic fields (B 1 ) can be constructed, with fair accuracy, by the superposed epoch analysis. The three-dimensional structure of the coronal magnetic fields is then computed from this average map of B 1 based on the potential model. The average distribution of the solar wind speed on the source surface, obtained from interplanetary scintillation observations, is then projected onto the photosphere along the open field lines in the corona. The high-speed regions thus projected are compared with the He I (1083 nm) coronal holes and are found to have a similar geometry. The results are also suggestive that the solar wind does not blow out uniformly from the vicinity of a coronal hole and that the speed is higher at the east side in that region than at the west side. The slower speed regions on the source surface have a sinusoidal structure in heliographic latitude-longitude coordinates and are similar to the brightness distribution of the K corona and the structure of closed field line regions projected onto the photosphere. copyrightAmerican Geophysical Union 1987

Runoff and soil erosion for an undisturbed tropical woodland in the Brazilian Cerrado

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Paulo Tarso S.; Nearing, Mark; Wendland, Edson

2015-04-01

The Brazilian Cerrado is a large and important economic and environmental region that is experiencing major loss of its natural landscapes due to pressures of food and energy production, which has caused large increases in soil erosion. However the magnitude of the soil erosion increases in this region is not well understood, in part because scientific studies of surface runoff and soil erosion are scarce or nonexistent in undisturbed Cerrado vegetation. In this study we measured natural rainfall-driven rates of runoff and soil erosion for an undisturbed tropical woodland classified as "cerrado sensu stricto denso" and bare soil to compute the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) cover and management factor (C-factor) to help evaluate the likely effects of land use change on soil erosion rates. Replicated data on precipitation, runoff, and soil loss on plots (5 x 20 m) under bare soil and cerrado were collected for 55 erosive storms occurring in 2012 and 2013. The measured annual precipitation was 1247.4 mm and 1113.0 mm for 2012 and 2013, resulting in a rainfall erosivity index of 4337.1 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 and 3546.2 MJ mm ha-1 h-1, for each year respectively. The erosive rainfall represented 80concentrated in the wet season, which generally runs from October through March. In the plots on bare soil, the runoff coefficient for individual rainfall events (total runoff divided by total rainfall) ranged from 0.003 to 0.860 with an average value and standard deviation of 0.212 ± 0.187. Moreover, the runoff coefficient found for the bare soil plots (~20infiltration capacity. In forest areas the leaf litter and the more porous soil tend to promote the increase of infiltration and water storage, rather than rapid overland flow. Indeed, runoff coefficients ranged from 0.001 to 0.030 with an average of less than 1under undisturbed cerrado. The soil losses measured under bare soil and cerrado were 15.68 t ha-1yr-1 and 0.24 t ha-1 yr-1 in 2012, and 14.82 t ha-1 yr-1, 0.11 t ha-1

Three-Dimensional View of Transient Horizontal Magnetic Fields in the Photosphere

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ishikawa, R.; Tsuneta, S.; Jurčák, Jan

2010-01-01

Roč. 713, č. 2 (2010), s. 1310-1321 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA300030808 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : magnetic fields * Sun * photosphere * granulation * surface magnetism Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 7.436, year: 2010

Necromass in undisturbed and logged forests in the Brazilian Amazon.

Science.gov (United States)

Michael Palace; Michael Keller; Gregory P. Asner; Jose Natalino M. Silva; Carlos. Passos

2007-01-01

Necromass is an important stock of carbon in tropical forests. We estimated volume, density, and mass of fallen and standing necromass in undisturbed and selectively logged forests at Juruena, Mato Grosso, Brazil (10.488S, 58.478W). We also measured standing dead trees at the Tapajos National Forest, Para, Brazil (3.088S, 54.948W) complementing our earlier study there...

The Polarization Signature of Photospheric Magnetic Fields in 3D MHD Simulations and Observations at Disk Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beck, C. [National Solar Observatory, 3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Fabbian, D. [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensytemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany); Rezaei, R. [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, C/Vía Láctea S/N, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Puschmann, K. G., E-mail: cbeck@nso.edu [Alzenau (Germany)

2017-06-10

Before using three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) simulations of the solar photosphere in the determination of elemental abundances, one has to ensure that the correct amount of magnetic flux is present in the simulations. The presence of magnetic flux modifies the thermal structure of the solar photosphere, which affects abundance determinations and the solar spectral irradiance. The amount of magnetic flux in the solar photosphere also constrains any possible heating in the outer solar atmosphere through magnetic reconnection. We compare the polarization signals in disk-center observations of the solar photosphere in quiet-Sun regions with those in Stokes spectra computed on the basis of 3D MHD simulations having average magnetic flux densities of about 20, 56, 112, and 224 G. This approach allows us to find the simulation run that best matches the observations. The observations were taken with the Hinode SpectroPolarimeter (SP), the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter (TIP), the Polarimetric Littrow Spectrograph (POLIS), and the GREGOR Fabry–Pèrot Interferometer (GFPI), respectively. We determine characteristic quantities of full Stokes profiles in a few photospheric spectral lines in the visible (630 nm) and near-infrared (1083 and 1565 nm). We find that the appearance of abnormal granulation in intensity maps of degraded simulations can be traced back to an initially regular granulation pattern with numerous bright points in the intergranular lanes before the spatial degradation. The linear polarization signals in the simulations are almost exclusively related to canopies of strong magnetic flux concentrations and not to transient events of magnetic flux emergence. We find that the average vertical magnetic flux density in the simulation should be less than 50 G to reproduce the observed polarization signals in the quiet-Sun internetwork. A value of about 35 G gives the best match across the SP, TIP, POLIS, and GFPI observations.

Hot mantles, moderate photospheres for Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Underhill, A.B.

1982-01-01

The amount of continuous energy from Wolf-Rayet stars and the shape of the continuous spectrum from the ultraviolet to the near infrared correspond to effective temperatures in the range 25000 to 30000 K. The value of log g is of the order of 4.0 +- 0.5. Thus the photospheres of Wolf-Rayet stars correspond to those of moderately hot stars. The line spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars, however, indicate that electron temperatures greater than 30000 K occur in the outer atmospheres or mantles of these stars. Here outflow is important. (Auth.)

Observations of photospheric magnetic fields and shear flows in flaring active regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarbell, T.; Ferguson, S.; Frank, Z.; Title, A.; Topka, K.

1988-01-01

Horizontal flows in the photosphere and subsurface convection zone move the footpoints of coronal magnetic field lines. Magnetic energy to power flares can be stored in the corona if the flows drive the fields far from the potential configuration. Videodisk movies were shown with 0.5 to 1 arcsecond resolution of the following simultaneous observations: green continuum, longitudinal magnetogram, Fe I 5576 A line center (mid-photosphere), H alpha wings, and H alpha line center. The movies show a 90 x 90 arcsecond field of view of an active region at S29, W11. When viewed at speeds of a few thousand times real-time, the photospheric movies clearly show the active region fields being distorted by a remarkable combination of systematic flows and small eruptions of new flux. Magnetic bipoles are emerging over a large area, and the polarities are systematically flowing apart. The horizontal flows were mapped in detail from the continuum movies, and these may be used to predict the future evolution of the region. The horizontal flows are not discernable in H alpha. The H alpha movies strongly suggest reconnection processes in the fibrils joining opposite polarities. When viewed in combination with the magnetic movies, the cause for this evolution is apparent: opposite polarity fields collide and partially cancel, and the fibrils reconnect above the surface. This type of reconnection, driven by subphotospheric flows, complicates the chromospheric and coronal fields, causing visible braiding and twisting of the fibrils. Some of the transient emission events in the fibrils and adjacent plage may also be related

PHOTOSPHERIC PROPERTIES OF WARM EUV LOOPS AND HOT X-RAY LOOPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kano, R. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Ueda, K. [Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Tsuneta, S., E-mail: ryouhei.kano@nao.ac.jp [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan)

2014-02-20

We investigate the photospheric properties (vector magnetic fields and horizontal velocity) of a well-developed active region, NOAA AR 10978, using the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope specifically to determine what gives rise to the temperature difference between ''warm loops'' (1-2 MK), which are coronal loops observed in EUV wavelengths, and ''hot loops'' (>3 MK), coronal loops observed in X-rays. We found that outside sunspots, the magnetic filling factor in the solar network varies with location and is anti-correlated with the horizontal random velocity. If we accept that the observed magnetic features consist of unresolved magnetic flux tubes, this anti-correlation can be explained by the ensemble average of flux-tube motion driven by small-scale random flows. The observed data are consistent with a flux tube width of ∼77 km and horizontal flow at ∼2.6 km s{sup –1} with a spatial scale of ∼120 km. We also found that outside sunspots, there is no significant difference between warm and hot loops either in the magnetic properties (except for the inclination) or in the horizontal random velocity at their footpoints, which are identified with the Hinode X-Ray Telescope and the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer. The energy flux injected into the coronal loops by the observed photospheric motion of the magnetic fields is estimated to be 2 × 10{sup 6} erg s{sup –1} cm{sup –2}, which is the same for both warm and hot loops. This suggests that coronal properties (e.g., loop length) play a more important role in giving rise to temperature differences of active-region coronal loops than photospheric parameters.

Large zero-tension plate lysimeters for soil water and solute collection in undisturbed soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Peters

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Water collection from undisturbed unsaturated soils to estimate in situ water and solute fluxes in the field is a challenge, in particular if soils are heterogeneous. Large sampling devices are required if preferential flow paths are present. We present a modular plate system that allows installation of large zero-tension lysimeter plates under undisturbed soils in the field. To investigate the influence of the lysimeter on the water flow field in the soil, a numerical 2-D simulation study was conducted for homogeneous soils with uni- and bimodal pore-size distributions and stochastic Miller-Miller heterogeneity. The collection efficiency was found to be highly dependent on the hydraulic functions, infiltration rate, and lysimeter size, and was furthermore affected by the degree of heterogeneity. In homogeneous soils with high saturated conductivities the devices perform poorly and even large lysimeters (width 250 cm can be bypassed by the soil water. Heterogeneities of soil hydraulic properties result into a network of flow channels that enhance the sampling efficiency of the lysimeter plates. Solute breakthrough into zero-tension lysimeter occurs slightly retarded as compared to the free soil, but concentrations in the collected water are similar to the mean flux concentration in the undisturbed soil. To validate the results from the numerical study, a dual tracer study with seven lysimeters of 1.25×1.25 m area was conducted in the field. Three lysimeters were installed underneath a 1.2 m filling of contaminated silty sand, the others deeper in the undisturbed soil. The lysimeters directly underneath the filled soil material collected water with a collection efficiency of 45%. The deeper lysimeters did not collect any water. The arrival of the tracers showed that almost all collected water came from preferential flow paths.

Solar photospheric network properties and their cycle variation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thibault, K.; Charbonneau, P.; Béland, M., E-mail: kim@astro.umontreal.ca-a, E-mail: paulchar@astro.umontreal.ca-b, E-mail: michel.beland@calculquebec.ca-c [Département de Physique et Calcul Québec, Université de Montréal, 2900 Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4 (Canada)

2014-11-20

We present a numerical simulation of the formation and evolution of the solar photospheric magnetic network over a full solar cycle. The model exhibits realistic behavior as it produces large, unipolar concentrations of flux in the polar caps, a power-law flux distribution with index –1.69, a flux replacement timescale of 19.3 hr, and supergranule diameters of 20 Mm. The polar behavior is especially telling of model accuracy, as it results from lower-latitude activity, and accumulates the residues of any potential modeling inaccuracy and oversimplification. In this case, the main oversimplification is the absence of a polar sink for the flux, causing an amount of polar cap unsigned flux larger than expected by almost one order of magnitude. Nonetheless, our simulated polar caps carry the proper signed flux and dipole moment, and also show a spatial distribution of flux in good qualitative agreement with recent high-latitude magnetographic observations by Hinode. After the last cycle emergence, the simulation is extended until the network has recovered its quiet Sun initial condition. This permits an estimate of the network relaxation time toward the baseline state characterizing extended periods of suppressed activity, such as the Maunder Grand Minimum. Our simulation results indicate a network relaxation time of 2.9 yr, setting 2011 October as the soonest the time after which the last solar activity minimum could have qualified as a Maunder-type Minimum. This suggests that photospheric magnetism did not reach its baseline state during the recent extended minimum between cycles 23 and 24.

Acid-base buffering of soils in transitional and transitional-accumulative positions of undisturbed southern-taiga landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Rusakova, E. S.; Ishkova, I. V.; Tolpeshta, I. I.; Sokolova, T. A.

2012-05-01

The method of continuous potentiometric titration (CPT) of soil water suspensions was used to evaluate the acid-base buffering of samples from the major genetic horizons of podzolic soils on a slope and soddy gley soils on the adjacent floodplain of a rivulet. In the soils of the slope, the buffering to acid upon titration from the pH of the initial titration point (ITP) to pH 3 in all the horizons was 1.5-2.0 times lower than that in the podzolic soils of the leveled interfluve, which could be due to the active leaching of exchangeable bases and oxalate-soluble aluminum and iron compounds with the later soil flows. In the soddy gley soils, the buffering to acid in the mineral horizons was 2-10 times higher than that in the podzolic soils. A direct dependence of the soil buffering to acid on the total content of exchangeable bases and on the content of oxalate-soluble aluminum compounds was found. A direct dependence of the buffering to basic upon titration from the ITP to pH 10 on the contents of the oxalate-soluble aluminum and organic matter was observed in the mineral horizons of all the studied soils. The soil treatment with Tamm's reagent resulted in the decrease of the buffering to acid in the soddy gley soils of the floodplain, as well as in the decrease of the buffering to basic in the soils on the slopes and in the soddy gley soils. It was also found that the redistribution of the mobile aluminum compounds between the eluvial, transitional, and transitional-accumulative positions in the undisturbed southern taiga landscapes leads to significant spatial differentiation of the acid-base buffering of the mineral soil horizons with a considerable increase in the buffer capacity of the soils within the transitional-accumulative terrain positions.

Global and photospheric physical parameters of active dwarf stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettersen, B.R.

1983-01-01

Physical parameters (temperature, luminosity, radius, mass and chemical abundance) of the photospheres of red dwarf flare stars and spotted stars are determined for quiescent conditions. The interrelations between these quantities are compared to the results of theoretical investigation for low mass stars. The evolutionary state of flare stars is discussed. Observational results from spectroscopic and photometric methods to determine the rotation of active dwarfs are reviewed. The possibilities of global oscillations in dwarf stars are considered and preliminary results of a photometric search for oscillation in red dwarf luminosities are presented. (orig.)

Determining the solar-flare photospheric scale height from SMM gamma-ray measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Lingenfelter, Richard E.

1991-01-01

A connected series of Monte Carlo programs was developed to make systematic calculations of the energy, temporal and angular dependences of the gamma-ray line and neutron emission resulting from such accelerated ion interactions. Comparing the results of these calculations with the Solar Maximum Mission/Gamma Ray Spectrometer (SMM/GRS) measurements of gamma-ray line and neutron fluxes, the total number and energy spectrum of the flare-accelerated ions trapped on magnetic loops at the Sun were determined and the angular distribution, pitch angle scattering, and mirroring of the ions on loop fields were constrained. Comparing the calculations with measurements of the time dependence of the neutron capture line emission, a determination of the He-3/H ratio in the photosphere was also made. The diagnostic capabilities of the SMM/GRS measurements were extended by developing a new technique to directly determine the effective photospheric scale height in solar flares from the neutron capture gamma-ray line measurements, and critically test current atmospheric models in the flare region.

Dominance of the multicoloured Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis in an undisturbed wild meadow ecosystem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Élise Bélanger

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Fifteen years after its arrival in Quebec (Canada, the multicoloured Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis (Pallas 1773 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae has become one of the dominant coccinellid species in agricultural, forested and urban areas. Several studies conducted in North American agricultural ecosystems show that the arrival of H. axyridis and other exotic coccinellid species was followed by decreases in the populations of native coccinellid species. In this study, the abundances of H. axyridis and other native and exotic species were determined in an undisturbed wild meadow located in a protected area. In 2009 and 2010, mainly Solidago canadensis L. (Asteraceae and Asclepias syriaca L. (Asclepiadaceae infested with aphids were surveyed. A total of 1522 individuals, belonging to seven different species, were recorded. In 2009, on all the plants monitored, H. axyridis was clearly the dominant species (69% of the coccinellid assemblage. In addition, this exotic species constituted 84% of the coccinellid assemblage, including Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L. and Coccinella septempunctata (L. It is likely the dominance of the eurytopic Asian lady beetle in agricultural, forested, urban and undisturbed open ecosystems, poses a threat to native lady beetles. These results also provide evidence that undisturbed wild meadow ecosystems will not constitute a natural refuge from Harmonia axyridis for native species of lady beetles.

MONTE CARLO RADIATION TRANSFER SIMULATIONS OF PHOTOSPHERIC EMISSION IN LONG-DURATION GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazzati, Davide [Department of Physics, Oregon State University, 301 Weniger Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States)

2016-10-01

We present MCRaT, a Monte Carlo Radiation Transfer code for self-consistently computing the light curves and spectra of the photospheric emission from relativistic, unmagnetized jets. We apply MCRaT to a relativistic hydrodynamic simulation of a long-duration gamma-ray burst jet, and present the resulting light curves and time-dependent spectra for observers at various angles from the jet axis. We compare our results to observational results and find that photospheric emission is a viable model to explain the prompt phase of long-duration gamma-ray bursts at the peak frequency and above, but faces challenges when reproducing the flat spectrum below the peak frequency. We finally discuss possible limitations of these results both in terms of the hydrodynamics and the radiation transfer and how these limitations could affect the conclusions that we present.

BRITE-Constellation high-precision time-dependent photometry of the early O-type supergiant ζ Puppis unveils the photospheric drivers of its small- and large-scale wind structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ramiaramanantsoa, Tahina; Moffat, Anthony F. J.; Harmon, Robert; Ignace, Richard; St-Louis, Nicole; Vanbeveren, Dany; Shenar, Tomer; Pablo, Herbert; Richardson, Noel D.; Howarth, Ian D.; Stevens, Ian R.; Piaulet, Caroline; St-Jean, Lucas; Eversberg, Thomas; Pigulski, Andrzej; Popowicz, Adam; Kuschnig, Rainer; Zocłońska, Elżbieta; Buysschaert, Bram; Handler, Gerald; Weiss, Werner W.; Wade, Gregg A.; Rucinski, Slavek M.; Zwintz, Konstanze; Luckas, Paul; Heathcote, Bernard; Cacella, Paulo; Powles, Jonathan; Locke, Malcolm; Bohlsen, Terry; Chené, André-Nicolas; Miszalski, Brent; Waldron, Wayne L.; Kotze, Marissa M.; Kotze, Enrico J.; Böhm, Torsten

2018-02-01

From 5.5 months of dual-band optical photometric monitoring at the 1 mmag level, BRITE-Constellation has revealed two simultaneous types of variability in the O4I(n)fp star ζ Puppis: one single periodic non-sinusoidal component superimposed on a stochastic component. The monoperiodic component is the 1.78-d signal previously detected by Coriolis/Solar Mass Ejection Imager, but this time along with a prominent first harmonic. The shape of this signal changes over time, a behaviour that is incompatible with stellar oscillations but consistent with rotational modulation arising from evolving bright surface inhomogeneities. By means of a constrained non-linear light-curve inversion algorithm, we mapped the locations of the bright surface spots and traced their evolution. Our simultaneous ground-based multisite spectroscopic monitoring of the star unveiled cyclical modulation of its He II λ4686 wind emission line with the 1.78-d rotation period, showing signatures of corotating interaction regions that turn out to be driven by the bright photospheric spots observed by BRITE. Traces of wind clumps are also observed in the He II λ4686 line and are correlated with the amplitudes of the stochastic component of the light variations probed by BRITE at the photosphere, suggesting that the BRITE observations additionally unveiled the photospheric drivers of wind clumps in ζ Pup and that the clumping phenomenon starts at the very base of the wind. The origins of both the bright surface inhomogeneities and the stochastic light variations remain unknown, but a subsurface convective zone might play an important role in the generation of these two types of photospheric variability.

Availability of 99Tc in undisturbed soil cores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denys, Sebastien; Echevarria, Guillaume; Florentin, Louis; Leclerc-Cessac, Elisabeth; Morel, Jean-Louis

2003-01-01

Models for safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories need accurate values of the soil-to-plant transfer of radionuclides. In oxidizing environments, 99 Tc is expected to occur as pertechnetate ( 99 TcO 4 - ). Due to its high mobility, leaching of this element in the field might be important, potentially affecting the reliability of estimated transfer parameters of 99 Tc as measured in closed experimental systems such as hydroponics or pot experiments. The aim of this experiment was to measure the leaching of 99 Tc in undisturbed irrigated soil cores under cultivation as well as plant uptake and to study the possible competition between the two transfer pathways. Undisturbed soil cores (50x50 cm) were sampled from a Rendzic Leptosol (R), a colluvial Fluvic Cambisol (F) and a Dystric Cambisol (D) using PVC tubes (three cores sampled per soil type). Each core was equipped with a leachate collector at the bottom, allowing the monitoring of 99 Tc leaching through the cores. Cores were placed in a greenhouse and maize (Zea mays L., cv. DEA, Pioneer[reg]) was sown. After 135 d, maize was harvested and radioactivity determined in both plant and water samples. Results showed that during the growing period, leaching of 99 Tc was limited, due to the high evapotranspiration rate of maize. After harvest, leaching of 99 Tc went on because of the absence of evapotranspiration. Effective uptake (EU) of 99 Tc in leaves and grains was calculated. EU reached 70% of the input in the leaves and was not significantly different among soils. These results confirmed those obtained from pot experiments, even though leaching was allowed to occur in close-to-reality hydraulical conditions. As a consequence, it was concluded that pot experiments are an adequate surrogate for more complex 'close-to-reality' experimental systems for measuring transfer factors

The convective photosphere of the red supergiant CE Tauri. I. VLTI/PIONIER H-band interferometric imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Montargès, M.; Norris, R.; Chiavassa, A.; Tessore, B.; Lèbre, A.; Baron, F.

2018-06-01

Context. Red supergiant stars are one of the latest stages in the evolution of massive stars. Their photospheric convection may play an important role in the launching mechanism of their mass loss; however, its characteristics and dynamics are still poorly constrained. Aims: By observing red supergiant stars with near infrared interferometry at different epochs, we expect to reveal the evolution of bright convective features on their stellar surface. Methods: We observed the M2Iab-Ib red supergiant star CE Tau with the VLTI/PIONIER instrument in the H band at two different epochs separated by one month. Results: We derive the angular diameter of the star and basic stellar parameters, and reconstruct two reliable images of its H-band photosphere. The contrast of the convective pattern of the reconstructed images is 5 ± 1% and 6 ± 1% for our two epochs of observation. Conclusions: The stellar photosphere shows few changes between the two epochs. The contrast of the convective pattern is below the average contrast variations obtained on 30 randomly chosen snapshots of the best matching 3D radiative hydrodynamics simulation: 23 ± 1% for the original simulation images and 16 ± 1% for the maps degraded to the reconstruction resolution. We offer two hypotheses to explain this observation. CE Tau may be experiencing a quiet convective activity episode or it could be a consequence of its warmer effective temperature (hence its smaller radius) compared to the simulation. Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere under ESO programs 298.D-5005(A) and 298.D-5005(B).Reconstructed images as FITS files and basic stellar parameters are available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/614/A12Animated gif of the two epochs is available at http://https://www.aanda.org

Infiltration characteristics of non-aqueous phase liquids in undisturbed loessal soil cores.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yunqiang; Shao, Ming'an

2009-01-01

The widespread contamination of soils and aquifers by non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL), such as crude oil, poses serious environmental and health hazards globally. Understanding the infiltration characteristics of NAPL in soil is crucial in mitigating or remediating soil contamination. The infiltration characteristics of crude and diesel oils into undisturbed loessal soil cores, collected in polymethyl methacrylate cylindrical columns, were investigated under a constant fluid head (3 cm) of either crude oil or diesel oil. The infiltration rate of both crude and diesel oils decreased exponentially as wetting depth increased with time. Soil core size and bulk density both had significant effects on NAPL infiltration through the undisturbed soil cores; a smaller core size or a greater bulk density could reduce oil penetration to depth. Compacting soil in areas susceptible to oil spills may be an effective stratage to reduce contamination. The infiltration of NAPL into soil cores was spatially anisotropic and heterogeneous, thus recording the data at four points on the soil core is a good stratage to improve the accuracy of experimental results. Our results revealed that crude and diesel oils, rather than their components, have a practical value for remediation of contaminated loessal soils.

Nonlinear Force-free Field Extrapolation of a Coronal Magnetic Flux Rope Supporting a Large-scale Solar Filament from a Photospheric Vector Magnetogram

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Chaowei; Wu, S. T.; Feng, Xueshang; Hu, Qiang

2014-05-01

Solar filaments are commonly thought to be supported in magnetic dips, in particular, in those of magnetic flux ropes (FRs). In this Letter, based on the observed photospheric vector magnetogram, we implement a nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation of a coronal magnetic FR that supports a large-scale intermediate filament between an active region and a weak polarity region. This result is a first, in the sense that current NLFFF extrapolations including the presence of FRs are limited to relatively small-scale filaments that are close to sunspots and along main polarity inversion lines (PILs) with strong transverse field and magnetic shear, and the existence of an FR is usually predictable. In contrast, the present filament lies along the weak-field region (photospheric field strength barbs very well, which strongly supports the FR-dip model for filaments. The filament is stably sustained because the FR is weakly twisted and strongly confined by the overlying closed arcades.

The Light Source Problem: The Effect of Heterogeneous Stellar Photospheres on Searches for Transiting Exoplanet Biosignatures

Science.gov (United States)

Rackham, B. V.; Apai, D.; Giampapa, M. S.

2017-11-01

TESS will soon enable the study of terrestrial exoplanet atmospheres. However, spots and faculae in stellar photospheres can complicate these measurements by mimicking or masking atmospheric features. We detail our work to constrain this effect.

Probing the Quiet Solar Atmosphere from the Photosphere to the Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Kontogiannis, Ioannis; Gontikakis, Costis; Tsiropoula, Georgia; Tziotziou, Kostas

2018-04-01

We investigate the morphology and temporal variability of a quiet-Sun network region in different solar layers. The emission in several extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral lines through both raster and slot time-series, recorded by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board the Hinode spacecraft is studied along with Hα observations and high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of the photospheric magnetic field. The photospheric magnetic field is extrapolated up to the corona, showing a multitude of large- and small-scale structures. We show for the first time that the smallest magnetic structures at both the network and internetwork contribute significantly to the emission in EUV lines, with temperatures ranging from 8× 104 K to 6× 105 K. Two components of transition region emission are present, one associated with small-scale loops that do not reach coronal temperatures, and another component that acts as an interface between coronal and chromospheric plasma. Both components are associated with persistent chromospheric structures. The temporal variability of the EUV intensity at the network region is also associated with chromospheric motions, pointing to a connection between transition region and chromospheric features. Intensity enhancements in the EUV transition region lines are preferentially produced by Hα upflows. Examination of two individual chromospheric jets shows that their evolution is associated with intensity variations in transition region and coronal temperatures.

Photospheric Emission from Collapsar Jets in 3D Relativistic Hydrodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Hirotaka; Matsumoto, Jin; Nagataki, Shigehiro; Warren, Donald C.; Barkov, Maxim V.

2015-12-01

We explore the photospheric emission from a relativistic jet breaking out from a massive stellar envelope based on relativistic hydrodynamical simulations and post-process radiation transfer calculations in three dimensions. To investigate the impact of three-dimensional (3D) dynamics on the emission, two models of injection conditions are considered for the jet at the center of the progenitor star: one with periodic precession and another without precession. We show that structures developed within the jet due to the interaction with the stellar envelope, as well as due to the precession, have a significant imprint on the resulting emission. Particularly, we find that the signature of precession activity by the central engine is not smeared out and can be directly observed in the light curve as a periodic signal. We also show that non-thermal features, which can account for observations of gamma-ray bursts, are produced in the resulting spectra even though only thermal photons are injected initially and the effect of non-thermal particles is not considered.

Casting the Coronal Magnetic Field Reconstructions with Magnetic Field Constraints above the Photosphere in 3D Using MHD Bifrost Model

Science.gov (United States)

Fleishman, G. D.; Anfinogentov, S.; Loukitcheva, M.; Mysh'yakov, I.; Stupishin, A.

2017-12-01

Measuring and modeling coronal magnetic field, especially above active regions (ARs), remains one of the central problems of solar physics given that the solar coronal magnetism is the key driver of all solar activity. Nowadays the coronal magnetic field is often modelled using methods of nonlinear force-free field reconstruction, whose accuracy has not yet been comprehensively assessed. Given that the coronal magnetic probing is routinely unavailable, only morphological tests have been applied to evaluate performance of the reconstruction methods and a few direct tests using available semi-analytical force-free field solution. Here we report a detailed casting of various tools used for the nonlinear force-free field reconstruction, such as disambiguation methods, photospheric field preprocessing methods, and volume reconstruction methods in a 3D domain using a 3D snapshot of the publicly available full-fledged radiative MHD model. We take advantage of the fact that from the realistic MHD model we know the magnetic field vector distribution in the entire 3D domain, which enables us to perform "voxel-by-voxel" comparison of the restored magnetic field and the true magnetic field in the 3D model volume. Our tests show that the available disambiguation methods often fail at the quiet sun areas, where the magnetic structure is dominated by small-scale magnetic elements, while they work really well at the AR photosphere and (even better) chromosphere. The preprocessing of the photospheric magnetic field, although does produce a more force-free boundary condition, also results in some effective `elevation' of the magnetic field components. The effective `elevation' height turns out to be different for the longitudinal and transverse components of the magnetic field, which results in a systematic error in absolute heights in the reconstructed magnetic data cube. The extrapolation performed starting from actual AR photospheric magnetogram (i.e., without preprocessing) are

Infiltration characteristics of non-aqueous phase liquids in undisturbed loessal soil cores

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Yunqiang; SHAO Ming'an

2009-01-01

The widespread contamination of soils and aquifers by non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL), such as crude oil, poses serious environmental and health hazards globally. Understanding the infiltration characteristics of NAPL in soil is crucial in mitigating or remediating soil contamination. The infiltration characteristics of crude and diesel oils into undisturbed loessal soil cores, collected in polymethyl methacrylate cylindrical columns, were investigated under a constant fluid head (3 cm) of either crude oil or diesel oil. The infiltration rate of both crude and diesel oils decreased exponentially as wetting depth increased with time. Soil core size and bulk density both had a significant effect on NAPL infiltration through the undisturbed soil cores; a smaller core size or a greater bulk density both reduced oil penetration to depth. Compacting soil in areas susceptible to oil spills may be an effective way to reduce contamination. The infiltration of NAPL into soil cores was spatially anisotropic and heterogeneous, thus recording the data at four points on the soil core is a good way to improve the accuracy of experimental results. Our results provided information about crude and diesel oils, rather than their components, and may have practical value for remediation of contaminated loessal soils.

Coarse woody debris in undisturbed and logged forests in the eastern Brazilian Amazon.

Science.gov (United States)

Michael Keller; Michael Palace; Gregory P. Asner; Rodrigo Jr. Pereira; Jose Natalino M. Silva

2004-01-01

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important component of the carbon cycle in tropical forests. We measured the volume and density of fallen CWD at two sites, Cauaxi and Tapajós in the Eastern Amazon. At both sites we studied undisturbed forests (UFs) and logged forests 1 year after harvest. Conventional logging (CL) and reduced impact logging (RIL) were...

Concrete - Opalinus clay interaction: in-situ experiment and technique for coring undisturbed interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeder, U.; Dolder, F.; Jenni, A.; Schwyn, B.; Frieg, B.; Eul, A.

2012-01-01

undisturbed samples of the different interfaces with concrete. A first sampling campaign in 2009 used a simple stabilisation technique with a central anchor rod that was glued in before coring. It was impossible to retrieve completely undisturbed samples. A new technique was developed for the drilling campaign during February 2012, and it was successfully applied in all four sampling boreholes carried out, retrieving a total of 150 kg of core and 10 physically and chemically undisturbed interface samples. The technique comprised intersection drilling at 45 deg. inclination and 220 mm OD to within 50 cm of the vertical concrete pile. The base was reamed planar, and templates were installed to drill a circular arrangement of 6 boreholes with 46 mm OD, three at a time. These small boreholes extended across the entire pile (1.4-1.6 m), and anchor rods made of fibre glass and filled with cement were embedded with epoxy resin. A different template was subsequently used to over-core (131 mm OD / 101 mm core DM, double-barrel, acrylic liner) cutting through the reinforcements. Stabilized composite cores of 1.4-1.6 m length could be retrieved in this manner. (authors)

Radio Photosphere and Mass-Loss Envelope of VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Lipscy, S. J.; Jura, M.; Reid, M. J.

2005-06-01

We have used the VLA to detect emission from the supergiant VY CMa at radio wavelengths and have constructed 3000-4500 K isothermal outer atmospheres constrained by the data. These models produce a radio photosphere at 1.5-2 R*. An extrapolation of the model can account for the observed total mass-loss rate of the star. We also present mid-infrared imaging of the supergiant which suggests that warm dust is extended in the same direction as the near-infrared reflection nebula around VY CMa. The origin of the asymmetries in the outflow remains an unsolved problem.

The Evolution of Open Magnetic Flux Driven by Photospheric Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Linker, Jon A.; Lionello, Roberto; Mikic, Zoran; Titov, Viacheslav S.; Antiochos, Spiro K.

2010-01-01

The coronal magnetic field is of paramount importance in solar and heliospheric physics. Two profoundly different views of the coronal magnetic field have emerged. In quasi-steady models, the predominant source of open magnetic field is in coronal holes. In contrast, in the interchange model, the open magnetic flux is conserved, and the coronal magnetic field can only respond to the photospheric evolution via interchange reconnection. In this view the open magnetic flux diffuses through the closed, streamer belt fields, and substantial open flux is present in the streamer belt during solar minimum. However, Antiochos and co-workers, in the form of a conjecture, argued that truly isolated open flux cannot exist in a configuration with one heliospheric current sheet (HCS) - it will connect via narrow corridors to the polar coronal hole of the same polarity. This contradicts the requirements of the interchange model. We have performed an MHD simulation of the solar corona up to 20R solar to test both the interchange model and the Antiochos conjecture. We use a synoptic map for Carrington Rotation 1913 as the boundary condition for the model, with two small bipoles introduced into the region where a positive polarity extended coronal hole forms. We introduce flows at the photospheric boundary surface to see if open flux associated with the bipoles can be moved into the closed-field region. Interchange reconnection does occur in response to these motions. However, we find that the open magnetic flux cannot be simply injected into closed-field regions - the flux eventually closes down and disconnected flux is created. Flux either opens or closes, as required, to maintain topologically distinct open and closed field regions, with no indiscriminate mixing of the two. The early evolution conforms to the Antiochos conjecture in that a narrow corridor of open flux connects the portion of the coronal hole that is nearly detached by one of the bipoles. In the later evolution, a

THE EVOLUTION OF OPEN MAGNETIC FLUX DRIVEN BY PHOTOSPHERIC DYNAMICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linker, Jon A.; Lionello, Roberto; Mikic, Zoran; Titov, Viacheslav S.; Antiochos, Spiro K.

2011-01-01

The coronal magnetic field is of paramount importance in solar and heliospheric physics. Two profoundly different views of the coronal magnetic field have emerged. In quasi-steady models, the predominant source of open magnetic field is in coronal holes. In contrast, in the interchange model, the open magnetic flux is conserved, and the coronal magnetic field can only respond to the photospheric evolution via interchange reconnection. In this view, the open magnetic flux diffuses through the closed, streamer belt fields, and substantial open flux is present in the streamer belt during solar minimum. However, Antiochos and coworkers, in the form of a conjecture, argued that truly isolated open flux cannot exist in a configuration with one heliospheric current sheet-it will connect via narrow corridors to the polar coronal hole of the same polarity. This contradicts the requirements of the interchange model. We have performed an MHD simulation of the solar corona up to 20 R sun to test both the interchange model and the Antiochos conjecture. We use a synoptic map for Carrington rotation 1913 as the boundary condition for the model, with two small bipoles introduced into the region where a positive polarity extended coronal hole forms. We introduce flows at the photospheric boundary surface to see if open flux associated with the bipoles can be moved into the closed-field region. Interchange reconnection does occur in response to these motions. However, we find that the open magnetic flux cannot be simply injected into closed-field regions-the flux eventually closes down and disconnected flux is created. Flux either opens or closes, as required, to maintain topologically distinct open- and closed-field regions, with no indiscriminate mixing of the two. The early evolution conforms to the Antiochos conjecture in that a narrow corridor of open flux connects the portion of the coronal hole that is nearly detached by one of the bipoles. In the later evolution, a detached

Investigation of Relationship between High-energy X-Ray Sources and Photospheric and Helioseismic Impacts of X1.8 Solar Flare of 2012 October 23

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharykin, I. N.; Zimovets, I. V. [Space Research Institute (IKI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Kosovichev, A. G.; Sadykov, V. M. [New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ (United States); Myshyakov, I. I., E-mail: ivan.sharykin@phystech.edu [Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Research (ISTP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, Irkutsk (Russian Federation)

2017-07-01

The X-class solar flare of 2012 October 23 generated continuum photospheric emission and a strong helioseismic wave (“sunquake”) that points to an intensive energy release in the dense part of the solar atmosphere. We study properties of the energy release with high temporal and spatial resolutions, using photospheric data from the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board Solar Dynamics Observatory , and hard X-ray observations made by RHESSI . For this analysis we use level-1 HMI data (filtergrams), obtained by scanning the Fe i line (6731 Å) with the time cadence of ∼3.6 s and spatial resolution of ∼0.″5 per pixel. It is found that the photospheric disturbances caused by the flare spatially coincide with the region of hard X-ray emission but are delayed by ≲4 s. This delay is consistent with predictions of the flare hydrodynamics RADYN models. However, the models fail to explain the magnitude of variations observed by the HMI. The data indicate that the photospheric impact and helioseismic wave might be caused by the electron energy flux, which is substantially higher than that in the current flare radiative hydrodynamic models.

Estimate of biomass and carbon pools in disturbed and undisturbed oak forests in Tunisia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zribi, L.; Chaar, H.; Khaldi, A.; Henchi, B.; Mouillot, F.; Gharbi, F.

2016-07-01

Aim of the study. To estimate biomass and carbon accumulation in a young and disturbed forest (regenerated after a tornado) and an aged cork oak forest (undisturbed forest) as well as its distribution among the different pools (tree, litter and soil). Area of study. The north west of Tunisia. Material and methods. Carbon stocks were evaluated in the above and belowground cork oak trees, the litter and the 150 cm of the soil. Tree biomass was estimated in both young and aged forests using allometric biomass equations developed for wood stem, cork stem, wood branch, cork branch, leaves, roots and total tree biomass based on combinations of diameter at breast height, total height and crown length as independent variables. Main results. Total tree biomass in forests was 240.58 Mg ha-1 in the young forest and 411.30 Mg ha-1 in the aged forest with a low root/shoot ratio (0.41 for young forest and 0.31 for aged forest). Total stored carbon was 419.46 Mg C ha-1 in the young forest and 658.09 Mg C ha-1 in the aged forest. Carbon stock (Mg C ha-1) was estimated to be113.61(27.08%) and 194.08 (29.49%) in trees, 3.55 (0.85%) and 5.73 (0.87%) in litter and 302.30 (72.07%) and 458.27 (69.64%) in soil in the young and aged forests, respectively. Research highlights. Aged undisturbed forest had the largest tree biomass but a lower potential for accumulation of carbon in the future; in contrast, young disturbed forest had both higher growth and carbon storage potential. (Author)

Transport of Internetwork Magnetic Flux Elements in the Solar Photosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Agrawal, Piyush; Rast, Mark P.; Gošić, Milan; Bellot Rubio, Luis R.; Rempel, Matthias

2018-02-01

The motions of small-scale magnetic flux elements in the solar photosphere can provide some measure of the Lagrangian properties of the convective flow. Measurements of these motions have been critical in estimating the turbulent diffusion coefficient in flux-transport dynamo models and in determining the Alfvén wave excitation spectrum for coronal heating models. We examine the motions of internetwork flux elements in Hinode/Narrowband Filter Imager magnetograms and study the scaling of their mean squared displacement and the shape of their displacement probability distribution as a function of time. We find that the mean squared displacement scales super-diffusively with a slope of about 1.48. Super-diffusive scaling has been observed in other studies for temporal increments as small as 5 s, increments over which ballistic scaling would be expected. Using high-cadence MURaM simulations, we show that the observed super-diffusive scaling at short increments is a consequence of random changes in barycenter positions due to flux evolution. We also find that for long temporal increments, beyond granular lifetimes, the observed displacement distribution deviates from that expected for a diffusive process, evolving from Rayleigh to Gaussian. This change in distribution can be modeled analytically by accounting for supergranular advection along with granular motions. These results complicate the interpretation of magnetic element motions as strictly advective or diffusive on short and long timescales and suggest that measurements of magnetic element motions must be used with caution in turbulent diffusion or wave excitation models. We propose that passive tracer motions in measured photospheric flows may yield more robust transport statistics.

Clustering of gamma-ray burst types in the Fermi GBM catalogue: indications of photosphere and synchrotron emissions during the prompt phase

Science.gov (United States)

Acuner, Zeynep; Ryde, Felix

2018-04-01

Many different physical processes have been suggested to explain the prompt gamma-ray emission in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Although there are examples of both bursts with photospheric and synchrotron emission origins, these distinct spectral appearances have not been generalized to large samples of GRBs. Here, we search for signatures of the different emission mechanisms in the full Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope/GBM (Gamma-ray Burst Monitor) catalogue. We use Gaussian Mixture Models to cluster bursts according to their parameters from the Band function (α, β, and Epk) as well as their fluence and T90. We find five distinct clusters. We further argue that these clusters can be divided into bursts of photospheric origin (2/3 of all bursts, divided into three clusters) and bursts of synchrotron origin (1/3 of all bursts, divided into two clusters). For instance, the cluster that contains predominantly short bursts is consistent of photospheric emission origin. We discuss several reasons that can determine which cluster a burst belongs to: jet dissipation pattern and/or the jet content, or viewing angle.

The magnetic field of active region 11158 during the 2011 February 12-17 flares: Differences between photospheric extrapolation and coronal forward-fitting methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.; Sun, Xudong; Liu, Yang

2014-01-01

We developed a coronal nonlinear force-free field (COR-NLFFF) forward-fitting code that fits an approximate nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) solution to the observed geometry of automatically traced coronal loops. In contrast to photospheric NLFFF codes, which calculate a magnetic field solution from the constraints of the transverse photospheric field, this new code uses coronal constraints instead, and this way provides important information on systematic errors of each magnetic field calculation method, as well as on the non-force-freeness in the lower chromosphere. In this study we applied the COR-NLFFF code to NOAA Active Region 11158, during the time interval of 2011 February 12-17, which includes an X2.2 GOES-class flare plus 35 M- and C-class flares. We calculated the free magnetic energy with a 6 minute cadence over 5 days. We find good agreement between the two types of codes for the total nonpotential E N and potential energy E P but find up to a factor of 4 discrepancy in the free energy E free = E N – E P and up to a factor of 10 discrepancy in the decrease of the free energy ΔE free during flares. The coronal NLFFF code exhibits a larger time variability and yields a decrease of free energy during the flare that is sufficient to satisfy the flare energy budget, while the photospheric NLFFF code shows much less time variability and an order of magnitude less free-energy decrease during flares. The discrepancy may partly be due to the preprocessing of photospheric vector data but more likely is due to the non-force-freeness in the lower chromosphere. We conclude that the coronal field cannot be correctly calculated on the basis of photospheric data alone and requires additional information on coronal loop geometries.

NICER Detection of Strong Photospheric Expansion during a Thermonuclear X-Ray Burst from 4U 1820–30

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keek, L.; Arzoumanian, Z.; Chakrabarty, D.

2018-01-01

. Radiation pressure pushed the photosphere out to ∼200 km, while the blackbody temperature dropped to 0.45 keV. Previous observations of similar bursts were performed with instruments that are sensitive only above 3 keV, and the burst signal was weak at low temperatures. NICER's 0.2–12 keV passband enables...... the first complete detailed observation of strong expansion bursts. The strong expansion lasted only 0.6 s, and was followed by moderate expansion with a 20 km apparent radius, before the photosphere finally settled back down at 3 s after the burst onset. In addition to thermal emission from the neutron...

Availability of {sup 99}Tc in undisturbed soil cores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denys, Sebastien; Echevarria, Guillaume E-mail: guillaume.echevarria@ensaia.inpl-nancy.fr; Florentin, Louis; Leclerc-Cessac, Elisabeth; Morel, Jean-Louis

2003-07-01

Models for safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories need accurate values of the soil-to-plant transfer of radionuclides. In oxidizing environments, {sup 99}Tc is expected to occur as pertechnetate ({sup 99}TcO{sub 4}{sup -}). Due to its high mobility, leaching of this element in the field might be important, potentially affecting the reliability of estimated transfer parameters of {sup 99}Tc as measured in closed experimental systems such as hydroponics or pot experiments. The aim of this experiment was to measure the leaching of {sup 99}Tc in undisturbed irrigated soil cores under cultivation as well as plant uptake and to study the possible competition between the two transfer pathways. Undisturbed soil cores (50x50 cm) were sampled from a Rendzic Leptosol (R), a colluvial Fluvic Cambisol (F) and a Dystric Cambisol (D) using PVC tubes (three cores sampled per soil type). Each core was equipped with a leachate collector at the bottom, allowing the monitoring of {sup 99}Tc leaching through the cores. Cores were placed in a greenhouse and maize (Zea mays L., cv. DEA, Pioneer[reg]) was sown. After 135 d, maize was harvested and radioactivity determined in both plant and water samples. Results showed that during the growing period, leaching of {sup 99}Tc was limited, due to the high evapotranspiration rate of maize. After harvest, leaching of {sup 99}Tc went on because of the absence of evapotranspiration. Effective uptake (EU) of {sup 99}Tc in leaves and grains was calculated. EU reached 70% of the input in the leaves and was not significantly different among soils. These results confirmed those obtained from pot experiments, even though leaching was allowed to occur in close-to-reality hydraulical conditions. As a consequence, it was concluded that pot experiments are an adequate surrogate for more complex 'close-to-reality' experimental systems for measuring transfer factors.

Variable jet properties in GRB 110721A: time resolved observations of the jet photosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Iyyani, S.; Ryde, F.; Axelsson, M.; Burgess, J. M.; Guiriec, S.; Larsson, J.; Lundman, C.; Moretti, E.; McGlynn, S.; Nymark, T.; Rosquist, K.

2013-08-01

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope observations of GRB 110721A have revealed two emission components from the relativistic jet: emission from the photosphere, peaking at ˜100 keV, and a non-thermal component, which peaks at ˜1000 keV. We use the photospheric component to calculate the properties of the relativistic outflow. We find a strong evolution in the flow properties: the Lorentz factor decreases with time during the bursts from Γ ˜ 1000 to ˜150 (assuming a redshift z = 2; the values are only weakly dependent on unknown efficiency parameters). Such a decrease is contrary to the expectations from the internal shocks and the isolated magnetar birth models. Moreover, the position of the flow nozzle measured from the central engine, r0, increases by more than two orders of magnitude. Assuming a moderately magnetized outflow we estimate that r0 varies from 106 to ˜109 cm during the burst. We suggest that the maximal value reflects the size of the progenitor core. Finally, we show that these jet properties naturally explain the observed broken power-law decay of the temperature which has been reported as a characteristic for gamma-ray burst pulses.

Gamma ray transmission for hydraulic conductivity measurement of undisturbed soil columns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anderson Camargo Moreira

2007-03-01

Full Text Available This work had the objective to determine the Hydraulic Conductivity K(theta function for different depth levels z, of columns of undisturbed soil, using the gamma ray transmission technique applied to the Sisson method. The results indicated a growing behavior for K(theta and a homogeneous soil density, both in relation to the increase of the depth. The methodology of gamma ray transmission showed satisfactory results on the determination of the hydraulic conductivity in columns of undisturbed soil, besides being very reliable and a nondestructive method.O estudo da condutividade hidráulica para solos não saturados é essencial quando aplicado às situações relacionadas à irrigação, drenagem e transporte de nutrientes no solo, é uma importante propriedade para desenvolvimentos de culturas agrícolas. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de determinar a função Condutividade Hidráulica K(teta, em diferentes níveis z de profundidade, em colunas de solo indeformado, utilizando a transmissão de raios gama aplicada ao método de Sisson. Os resultados indicam um comportamento crescente para K(teta e uma densidade de solo homogênea, ambos em relação ao aumento da profundidade. A metodologia de transmissão de raios gama mostrou resultados bastante satisfatórios na determinação da condutividade hidráulica em colunas de solo indeformado, além de ser muito confiável e não destrutivo.

A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE PHOTOSPHERIC DRIVING OF NON-POTENTIAL SOLAR CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD SIMULATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weinzierl, Marion; Yeates, Anthony R. [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Mackay, Duncan H. [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Henney, Carl J.; Arge, C. Nick, E-mail: marion.weinzierl@durham.ac.uk [Air Force Research Lab/Space Vehicles Directorate, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, NM (United States)

2016-05-20

In this paper, we develop a new technique for driving global non-potential simulations of the Sun’s coronal magnetic field solely from sequences of radial magnetic maps of the solar photosphere. A primary challenge to driving such global simulations is that the required horizontal electric field cannot be uniquely determined from such maps. We show that an “inductive” electric field solution similar to that used by previous authors successfully reproduces specific features of the coronal field evolution in both single and multiple bipole simulations. For these cases, the true solution is known because the electric field was generated from a surface flux-transport model. The match for these cases is further improved by including the non-inductive electric field contribution from surface differential rotation. Then, using this reconstruction method for the electric field, we show that a coronal non-potential simulation can be successfully driven from a sequence of ADAPT maps of the photospheric radial field, without including additional physical observations which are not routinely available.

Observations of the longitudinal magnetic field in the transition region and photosphere of a sunspot

Science.gov (United States)

Henze, W., Jr.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E.; Hagyard, M. J.; West, E. A.; Woodgate, B. E.; Shine, R. A.; Beckers, J. M.; Bruner, M.; Hyder, C. L.; West, E. A.

1982-01-01

The Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission spacraft has observed for the first time the longitudinal component of the magnetic field by means of the Zeeman effect in the transition region above a sunspot. The data presented here were obtained on three days in one sunspot, have spatial resolutions of 10 arcsec and 3 arcsec, and yield maximum field strengths greater than 1000 G above the umbrae in the spot. The method of analysis, including a line-width calibration feature used during some of the observations, is described in some detail in an appendix; the line width is required for the determination of the longitudinal magnetic field from the observed circular polarization. The transition region data for one day are compared with photospheric magnetograms from the Marshall Space Flight Center. Vertical gradients of the magnetic field are compared from the two sets of data; the maximum gradients of 0.41 to 0.62 G/km occur above the umbra and agree with or are smaller than values observed previously in the photosphere and low chromosphere.

New View on Quiet-Sun Photospheric Dynamics Offered by NST Data

Science.gov (United States)

Abramenko, Valentyna; Yurchyshyn, V.; Goode, P. R.

2011-05-01

Recent observations of the quiet sun photosphere obtained with the 1.6 meter New Solar telescope (NST) of Big Bear Solar observatory (BBSO) delivered new information about photospheric fine structures and their dynamics, as well as posing new questions. The 2-hour uninterrupted data set of solar granulation obtained under excellent seeing conditions on August 3, 2010 (with cadence of 10 sec) was the basis for the study. Statistical analysis of automatically detected and tracked magnetic bright points (MBPs) showed that the MBPs population monotonically increases as their size decreases, down to 60-70 km. Our analysis shows that if the smallest magnetic flux tubes exist, their size is still smaller that 60-70 km, which impose strong restrictions on the modeling of these structures. We also found that the distributions of the MBP's size and lifetime do not follow a traditional Gaussian distribution, typical for random processes. Instead, it follows a log-normal distribution, typical for avalanches, catastrophes, stock market data, etc. Our data set also demonstrated that a majority (98.6 %) of MBPs are short live (<2 min). This remarkable fact was not obvious from previous studies because an extremely high time cadence was required. The fact indicates that the majority of MBPs appear for a very short time (tens of seconds), similar to other transient features, for example, chromospheric jets. The most important point here is that these small and short living MBPs significantly increase dynamics (flux emergence, collapse into MBPs, and magnetic flux recycling) of the solar surface magnetic fields.

Flare Prediction Using Photospheric and Coronal Image Data

Science.gov (United States)

Jonas, E.; Shankar, V.; Bobra, M.; Recht, B.

2016-12-01

We attempt to forecast M-and X-class solar flares using a machine-learning algorithm and five years of image data from both the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) and Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instruments aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. HMI is the first instrument to continuously map the full-disk photospheric vector magnetic field from space (Schou et al., 2012). The AIA instrument maps the transition region and corona using various ultraviolet wavelengths (Lemen et al., 2012). HMI and AIA data are taken nearly simultaneously, providing an opportunity to study the entire solar atmosphere at a rapid cadence. Most flare forecasting efforts described in the literature use some parameterization of solar data - typically of the photospheric magnetic field within active regions. These numbers are considered to capture the information in any given image relevant to predicting solar flares. In our approach, we use HMI and AIA images of solar active regions and a deep convolutional kernel network to predict solar flares. This is effectively a series of shallow-but-wide random convolutional neural networks stacked and then trained with a large-scale block-weighted least squares solver. This algorithm automatically determines which patterns in the image data are most correlated with flaring activity and then uses these patterns to predict solar flares. Using the recently-developed KeystoneML machine learning framework, we construct a pipeline to process millions of images in a few hours on commodity cloud computing infrastructure. This is the first time vector magnetic field images have been combined with coronal imagery to forecast solar flares. This is also the first time such a large dataset of solar images, some 8.5 terabytes of images that together capture over 3000 active regions, has been used to forecast solar flares. We evaluate our method using various flare prediction windows defined in the literature (e.g. Ahmed et al., 2013) and a novel per

Surface evolution and carbon sequestration in disturbed and undisturbed wetland soils of the Hunter estuary, southeast Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, A. J.; Rodríguez, J. F.; Saco, P. M.

2009-08-01

The aim of this work was to quantify the soil carbon storage and sequestration rates of undisturbed natural wetlands and disturbed wetlands subject to restriction of tidal flow and subsequent rehabilitation in an Australian estuary. Disturbed and undisturbed estuarine wetlands of the Hunter estuary, New South Wales, Australia were selected as the study sites for this research. Vertical accretion rates of estuarine substrates were combined with soil carbon concentrations and bulk densities to determine the carbon store and carbon sequestration rates of the substrates tested. Relationships between estuary water level, soil evolution and vertical accretion were also examined. The carbon sequestration rate of undisturbed wetlands was lower (15% for mangrove and 55% for saltmarsh) than disturbed wetlands, but the carbon store was higher (65% for mangrove and 60% for saltmarsh). The increased carbon sequestration rate of the disturbed wetlands was driven by substantially higher rates of vertical accretion (95% for mangrove and 345% for saltmarsh). Estuarine wetland carbon stores were estimated at 700-1000 Gg C for the Hunter estuary and 3900-5600 Gg C for New South Wales. Vertical accretion and carbon sequestration rates of estuarine wetlands in the Hunter are at the lower end of the range reported in the literature. The comparatively high carbon sequestration rates reported for the disturbed wetlands in this study indicate that wetland rehabilitation has positive benefits for regulation of atmospheric carbon concentrations, in addition to more broadly accepted ecosystem services.

Photospheric, circumstellar, and interstellar features of HE, C, N. O, and Si in the HST spectra of four hot white dwarf stars

Science.gov (United States)

Shipman, Harry L.; Provencal, Judi; Roby, Scott W.; Barstow, Martin; Bond, Howard; Bruhweiler, Fred; Finley, David; Fontaine, Gilles; Holberg, Jay; Nousek, John

1995-01-01

This paper reports on the observations of four hot white dwarf stars with the spectrographs on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The higher resolving power and higher signal/noise, in comparison with IUE, reveals a very rich phenomomenology, including photospheric features from heavy elements, circumstellar features, and the first direct detection of accretion onto the white dwarf component of a binary system. Specific results include the following: Our observations of the ultrahot degenerate H1504+65 confirm that it has a photosphere which is depleted in both H and He, and reveals features of C IV and O VI. The spectrum fits previously published models extremely well. The intermediate-temperature DO star PG 1034+001 has an ultraviolet spectrum showing complex profiles of the well-known resonance doublets of C IV, N v, and Si IV. The O V 1371 line shows a clear separation into a photospheric and a circumstellar component, and it is likely that the same two components can explain the other lines as well. The cooler DA star GD 394 has an extensive system of heavy-element features, but their radial velocity is such that it is highly unlikely that they are formed in the stellar photosphere. Time-resolved spectra of the accreting white dwarf in the V 471 Tau binary system are briefly presented here; they do show the presence of C IV, Si IV, and He II. However, the C IV and He II lines are in emission, rather than in aborption as had been expected.

Community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in undisturbed vegetation revealed by analyses of LSU rdna sequences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosendahl, Søren; Holtgrewe-Stukenbrock, Eva

2004-01-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form a mutualistic symbiosis with plant roots and are found in most ecosystems. In this study the community structure of AMF in a clade of the genus Glomus was examined in undisturbed costal grassland using LSU rDNA sequences amplified from roots of Hieracium...

OBSERVATIONAL SIGNATURES OF SUB-PHOTOSPHERIC RADIATION-MEDIATED SHOCKS IN THE PROMPT PHASE OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levinson, Amir

2012-01-01

A shock that forms below the photosphere of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) outflow is mediated by Compton scattering of radiation advected into the shock by the upstream fluid. The characteristic scale of such a shock, a few Thomson depths, is larger than any kinetic scale involved by several orders of magnitude. Hence, unlike collisionless shocks, radiation-mediated shocks cannot accelerate particles to nonthermal energies. The spectrum emitted by a shock that emerges from the photosphere of a GRB jet reflects the temperature profile downstream of the shock, with a possible contribution at the highest energies from the shock transition layer itself. We study the properties of radiation-mediated shocks that form during the prompt phase of GRBs and compute the time-integrated spectrum emitted by the shocked fluid following shock breakout. We show that the time-integrated emission from a single shock exhibits a prominent thermal peak, with the location of the peak depending on the shock velocity profile. We also point out that multiple shock emission can produce a spectrum that mimics a Band spectrum.

On the time-dependent radiative transfer in photospheric plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, A.L.; Schweizer, M.A.

1987-01-01

The paper is the second of a series investigating time-dependent radiative transfer processes of x-rays in photospheric plasmas. A quantitative discussion is presented of analytical results derived earlier along with a comparison with Monte Carlo simulations. The geometry considered is a homogeneous plasma ball with radius R. The source is concentrated on a concentric shell with radius r 0 < R. Point sources at the centre of the ball or semi-infinite geometries are discussed as limiting cases. Diffusion profiles are given for every scattering order and the total profile appears as the sum over these individual profiles. The comparison with Monte Carlo results is used to test the accuracy of the analytical approach and to adjust the time profiles of the first few scattering orders. The analytical theory yields good results over a wide range of situations. (author)

Photospheric Magnetic Field Properties of Flaring versus Flare-quiet Active Regions. II. Discriminant Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Leka, K. D.; Barnes, G.

2003-10-01

We apply statistical tests based on discriminant analysis to the wide range of photospheric magnetic parameters described in a companion paper by Leka & Barnes, with the goal of identifying those properties that are important for the production of energetic events such as solar flares. The photospheric vector magnetic field data from the University of Hawai'i Imaging Vector Magnetograph are well sampled both temporally and spatially, and we include here data covering 24 flare-event and flare-quiet epochs taken from seven active regions. The mean value and rate of change of each magnetic parameter are treated as separate variables, thus evaluating both the parameter's state and its evolution, to determine which properties are associated with flaring. Considering single variables first, Hotelling's T2-tests show small statistical differences between flare-producing and flare-quiet epochs. Even pairs of variables considered simultaneously, which do show a statistical difference for a number of properties, have high error rates, implying a large degree of overlap of the samples. To better distinguish between flare-producing and flare-quiet populations, larger numbers of variables are simultaneously considered; lower error rates result, but no unique combination of variables is clearly the best discriminator. The sample size is too small to directly compare the predictive power of large numbers of variables simultaneously. Instead, we rank all possible four-variable permutations based on Hotelling's T2-test and look for the most frequently appearing variables in the best permutations, with the interpretation that they are most likely to be associated with flaring. These variables include an increasing kurtosis of the twist parameter and a larger standard deviation of the twist parameter, but a smaller standard deviation of the distribution of the horizontal shear angle and a horizontal field that has a smaller standard deviation but a larger kurtosis. To support the

Occurrence of an exotic earthworm (Amynthas agrestis) in undisturbed soils of the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Mac. A. Callaham; Paul F. Hendrix; Ross J. Phillips

2003-01-01

This study documents the occurrence of an aggressive invasive earthworm species in undisturbed forest soils of the southern Appalachian Mountains of northern Georgia, USA. Earthworms were sorted from samples collected in pitfall traps that had been set in mature, mesic oak-hickory forests in remote, high elevation, locations across northern Georgia. Specimens were...

Synchronized observations of bright points from the solar photosphere to the corona

Science.gov (United States)

Tavabi, Ehsan

2018-05-01

One of the most important features in the solar atmosphere is the magnetic network and its relationship to the transition region (TR) and coronal brightness. It is important to understand how energy is transported into the corona and how it travels along the magnetic field lines between the deep photosphere and chromosphere through the TR and corona. An excellent proxy for transportation is the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) raster scans and imaging observations in near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) emission channels, which have high time, spectral and spatial resolutions. In this study, we focus on the quiet Sun as observed with IRIS. The data with a high signal-to-noise ratio in the Si IV, C II and Mg II k lines and with strong emission intensities show a high correlation with TR bright network points. The results of the IRIS intensity maps and dopplergrams are compared with those of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instruments onboard the Solar Dynamical Observatory (SDO). The average network intensity profiles show a strong correlation with AIA coronal channels. Furthermore, we applied simultaneous observations of the magnetic network from HMI and found a strong relationship between the network bright points in all levels of the solar atmosphere. These features in the network elements exhibited regions of high Doppler velocity and strong magnetic signatures. Plenty of corona bright points emission, accompanied by the magnetic origins in the photosphere, suggest that magnetic field concentrations in the network rosettes could help to couple the inner and outer solar atmosphere.

NICER Detection of Strong Photospheric Expansion during a Thermonuclear X-Ray Burst from 4U 1820–30

Science.gov (United States)

Keek, L.; Arzoumanian, Z.; Chakrabarty, D.; Chenevez, J.; Gendreau, K. C.; Guillot, S.; Güver, T.; Homan, J.; Jaisawal, G. K.; LaMarr, B.; Lamb, F. K.; Mahmoodifar, S.; Markwardt, C. B.; Okajima, T.; Strohmayer, T. E.; in ’t Zand, J. J. M.

2018-04-01

The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) on the International Space Station (ISS) observed strong photospheric expansion of the neutron star in 4U 1820–30 during a Type I X-ray burst. A thermonuclear helium flash in the star’s envelope powered a burst that reached the Eddington limit. Radiation pressure pushed the photosphere out to ∼200 km, while the blackbody temperature dropped to 0.45 keV. Previous observations of similar bursts were performed with instruments that are sensitive only above 3 keV, and the burst signal was weak at low temperatures. NICER's 0.2–12 keV passband enables the first complete detailed observation of strong expansion bursts. The strong expansion lasted only 0.6 s, and was followed by moderate expansion with a 20 km apparent radius, before the photosphere finally settled back down at 3 s after the burst onset. In addition to thermal emission from the neutron star, the NICER spectra reveal a second component that is well fit by optically thick Comptonization. During the strong expansion, this component is six times brighter than prior to the burst, and it accounts for 71% of the flux. In the moderate expansion phase, the Comptonization flux drops, while the thermal component brightens, and the total flux remains constant at the Eddington limit. We speculate that the thermal emission is reprocessed in the accretion environment to form the Comptonization component, and that changes in the covering fraction of the star explain the evolution of the relative contributions to the total flux.

Temporal comparison and predictors of fish species abundance and richness on undisturbed coral reef patches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena L.E.S. Wagner

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Large disturbances can cause rapid degradation of coral reef communities, but what baseline changes in species assemblages occur on undisturbed reefs through time? We surveyed live coral cover, reef fish abundance and fish species richness in 1997 and again in 2007 on 47 fringing patch reefs of varying size and depth at Mersa Bareika, Ras Mohammed National Park, Egypt. No major human or natural disturbance event occurred between these two survey periods in this remote protected area. In the absence of large disturbances, we found that live coral cover, reef fish abundance and fish species richness did not differ in 1997 compared to 2007. Fish abundance and species richness on patches was largely related to the presence of shelters (caves and/or holes, live coral cover and patch size (volume. The presence of the ectoparasite-eating cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, was also positively related to fish species richness. Our results underscore the importance of physical reef characteristics, such as patch size and shelter availability, in addition to biotic characteristics, such as live coral cover and cleaner wrasse abundance, in supporting reef fish species richness and abundance through time in a relatively undisturbed and understudied region.

The 7Be profiles in the undisturbed soil used for reference site to estimate the soil erosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raksawong, S; Bhongsuwan, T; Krmar, M

2017-01-01

The cosmogenic radionuclide 7 Be is increasingly used to obtain information on event-related soil erosion rates within agricultural landscapes. In this study, we select two undisturbed and flat areas to calculate the reference inventory and relaxation mass depth by using 7 Be technique to document short-term erosion. Our results showed that the depth distribution of 7 Be in undisturbed soil profiles was 1.0 cm in sites S02 and S03; the initial activities were 31.6 and 38.8 Bq.kg -1 , respectively. The relaxation mass depths were 5.4 and 7.2 kg.m -2 and the measured reference 7 Be inventories were 71 and 110 Bq.m -2 for sites S02 and S03, respectively. The difference values of the relaxation mass depth and the reference inventory of both sites implied that for determining a short term soil erosion using 7 Be, the reference site was suggested to be selected as close as possible to the study site. (paper)

Status of the undisturbed mangroves at Brunei Bay, East Malaysia: a preliminary assessment based on remote sensing and ground-truth observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behara Satyanarayana

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Brunei Bay, which receives freshwater discharge from four major rivers, namely Limbang, Sundar, Weston and Menumbok, hosts a luxuriant mangrove cover in East Malaysia. However, this relatively undisturbed mangrove forest has been less scientifically explored, especially in terms of vegetation structure, ecosystem services and functioning, and land-use/cover changes. In the present study, mangrove areal extent together with species composition and distribution at the four notified estuaries was evaluated through remote sensing (Advanced Land Observation Satellite—ALOS and ground-truth (Point-Centred Quarter Method—PCQM observations. As of 2010, the total mangrove cover was found to be ca. 35,183.74 ha, of which Weston and Menumbok occupied more than two-folds (58%, followed by Sundar (27% and Limbang (15%. The medium resolution ALOS data were efficient for mapping dominant mangrove species such as Nypa fruticans, Rhizophora apiculata, Sonneratia caseolaris, S. alba and Xylocarpus granatum in the vicinity (accuracy: 80%. The PCQM estimates found a higher basal area at Limbang and Menumbok—suggestive of more mature vegetation, compared to Sundar and Weston. Mangrove stand structural complexity (derived from the complexity index was also high in the order of Limbang > Menumbok > Sundar > Weston and supporting the perspective of less/undisturbed vegetation at two former locations. Both remote sensing and ground-truth observations have complementarily represented the distribution of Sonneratia spp. as pioneer vegetation at shallow river mouths, N. fruticans in the areas of strong freshwater discharge, R. apiculata in the areas of strong neritic incursion and X. granatum at interior/elevated grounds. The results from this study would be able to serve as strong baseline data for future mangrove investigations at Brunei Bay, including for monitoring and management purposes locally at present.

Status of the undisturbed mangroves at Brunei Bay, East Malaysia: a preliminary assessment based on remote sensing and ground-truth observations

Science.gov (United States)

Izzaty Horsali, Nurul Amira; Mat Zauki, Nurul Ashikin; Otero, Viviana; Nadzri, Muhammad Izuan; Ibrahim, Sulong; Husain, Mohd-Lokman; Dahdouh-Guebas, Farid

2018-01-01

Brunei Bay, which receives freshwater discharge from four major rivers, namely Limbang, Sundar, Weston and Menumbok, hosts a luxuriant mangrove cover in East Malaysia. However, this relatively undisturbed mangrove forest has been less scientifically explored, especially in terms of vegetation structure, ecosystem services and functioning, and land-use/cover changes. In the present study, mangrove areal extent together with species composition and distribution at the four notified estuaries was evaluated through remote sensing (Advanced Land Observation Satellite—ALOS) and ground-truth (Point-Centred Quarter Method—PCQM) observations. As of 2010, the total mangrove cover was found to be ca. 35,183.74 ha, of which Weston and Menumbok occupied more than two-folds (58%), followed by Sundar (27%) and Limbang (15%). The medium resolution ALOS data were efficient for mapping dominant mangrove species such as Nypa fruticans, Rhizophora apiculata, Sonneratia caseolaris, S. alba and Xylocarpus granatum in the vicinity (accuracy: 80%). The PCQM estimates found a higher basal area at Limbang and Menumbok—suggestive of more mature vegetation, compared to Sundar and Weston. Mangrove stand structural complexity (derived from the complexity index) was also high in the order of Limbang > Menumbok > Sundar > Weston and supporting the perspective of less/undisturbed vegetation at two former locations. Both remote sensing and ground-truth observations have complementarily represented the distribution of Sonneratia spp. as pioneer vegetation at shallow river mouths, N. fruticans in the areas of strong freshwater discharge, R. apiculata in the areas of strong neritic incursion and X. granatum at interior/elevated grounds. The results from this study would be able to serve as strong baseline data for future mangrove investigations at Brunei Bay, including for monitoring and management purposes locally at present. PMID:29479500

Status of the undisturbed mangroves at Brunei Bay, East Malaysia: a preliminary assessment based on remote sensing and ground-truth observations.

Science.gov (United States)

Satyanarayana, Behara; M Muslim, Aidy; Izzaty Horsali, Nurul Amira; Mat Zauki, Nurul Ashikin; Otero, Viviana; Nadzri, Muhammad Izuan; Ibrahim, Sulong; Husain, Mohd-Lokman; Dahdouh-Guebas, Farid

2018-01-01

Brunei Bay, which receives freshwater discharge from four major rivers, namely Limbang, Sundar, Weston and Menumbok, hosts a luxuriant mangrove cover in East Malaysia. However, this relatively undisturbed mangrove forest has been less scientifically explored, especially in terms of vegetation structure, ecosystem services and functioning, and land-use/cover changes. In the present study, mangrove areal extent together with species composition and distribution at the four notified estuaries was evaluated through remote sensing (Advanced Land Observation Satellite-ALOS) and ground-truth (Point-Centred Quarter Method-PCQM) observations. As of 2010, the total mangrove cover was found to be ca. 35,183.74 ha, of which Weston and Menumbok occupied more than two-folds (58%), followed by Sundar (27%) and Limbang (15%). The medium resolution ALOS data were efficient for mapping dominant mangrove species such as Nypa fruticans , Rhizophora apiculata , Sonneratia caseolaris , S. alba and Xylocarpus granatum in the vicinity (accuracy: 80%). The PCQM estimates found a higher basal area at Limbang and Menumbok-suggestive of more mature vegetation, compared to Sundar and Weston. Mangrove stand structural complexity (derived from the complexity index) was also high in the order of Limbang > Menumbok > Sundar > Weston and supporting the perspective of less/undisturbed vegetation at two former locations. Both remote sensing and ground-truth observations have complementarily represented the distribution of Sonneratia spp. as pioneer vegetation at shallow river mouths, N. fruticans in the areas of strong freshwater discharge, R. apiculata in the areas of strong neritic incursion and X. granatum at interior/elevated grounds. The results from this study would be able to serve as strong baseline data for future mangrove investigations at Brunei Bay, including for monitoring and management purposes locally at present.

Radionuclide migration test using undisturbed aerated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Tadatoshi; Ohtsuka, Yoshiro; Ogawa, Hiromichi; Wadachi, Yoshiki

1988-01-01

As one of the most important part of safety assessment on the shallow land disposal of lowlevel radioactive waste, the radionuclide migration was studied using undisturbed soil samples, in order to evaluate an exact radionuclide migration in an aerated soil layer. Soil samples used in the migration test were coastal sand and loamy soil which form typical surface soil layers in Japan. The aqueous solution containing 60 CoCl 2 , 85 SrCl 2 and 137 CsCl was fed into the soil column and concentration of each radionuclide both in effluent and in soil was measured. Large amount of radionuclides was adsorbed on the surface of soil column and small amount of radionuclides moved deep into the soil column. Difference in the radionuclide profile was observed in the low concentration portion particularly. It is that some fractions of 60 Co and 137 Cs are stable in non-ionic form and move downward through the soil column together with water. The radionuclide distribution in the surface of soil column can be fairly predicted with a conventional migration equation for ionic radionuclides. As a result of radionuclide adsorption, both aerated soil layers of coastal sand and loamy soil have large barrier ability on the radionuclide migration through the ground. (author)

LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS OF WHITE DWARF PHOTOSPHERIC SPECTRAL LINES: Hβ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falcon, Ross E.; Gomez, T. A.; Montgomery, M. H.; Winget, D. E.; Rochau, G. A.; Bailey, J. E.; Nagayama, T.

2015-01-01

We spectroscopically measure multiple hydrogen Balmer line profiles from laboratory plasmas to investigate the theoretical line profiles used in white dwarf (WD) atmosphere models. X-ray radiation produced at the Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratories initiates plasma formation in a hydrogen-filled gas cell, replicating WD photospheric conditions. Here we present time-resolved measurements of Hβ and fit this line using different theoretical line profiles to diagnose electron density, n e , and n = 2 level population, n 2 . Aided by synthetic tests, we characterize the validity of our diagnostic method for this experimental platform. During a single experiment, we infer a continuous range of electron densities increasing from n e ∼ 4 to ∼30 × 10 16 cm −3 throughout a 120-ns evolution of our plasma. Also, we observe n 2 to be initially elevated with respect to local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE); it then equilibrates within ∼55 ns to become consistent with LTE. This supports our electron-temperature determination of T e ∼ 1.3 eV (∼15,000 K) after this time. At n e ≳ 10 17 cm −3 , we find that computer-simulation-based line-profile calculations provide better fits (lower reduced χ 2 ) than the line profiles currently used in the WD astronomy community. The inferred conditions, however, are in good quantitative agreement. This work establishes an experimental foundation for the future investigation of relative shapes and strengths between different hydrogen Balmer lines

Unsaturated transport of inorganic cations in undisturbed soil columns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jardine, P.M.; Jacobs, G.K.

1990-01-01

The unsaturated transport of Sr, Co, and Ca were studied in undisturbed soil columns (14 x 40 cm) of saprolitic shale to evaluate the significance of time dependent mass transfer and multispecies competitive exchange during transport. Observed breakthrough curves (BTCs) for Sr and Co were delayed relative to nonreactive Br BTC indicating that the former tracers were adsorbed by the soil. Effluent concentrations of Sr and Co were modeled with the classical convective dispersive (CD) equation and nonequilibrium mass transfer considerations did not appear necessary. Cation exchange equilibria relationships obtained from both shake batch and miscible displacement methods adequately described the thermodynamic processes which were prevalent during transport. These results suggest that the preferential transport of a reactive tracer is negligible for the realistic unsaturated conditions used in the study, and that the massive saprolite within the soil is a chemically active constituent during transport of reactive solutes. The implications of these findings for modeling in-situ subsurface contaminant transport are discussed. 7 refs., 9 figs

Propagation of Torsional Alfvén Waves from the Photosphere to the Corona: Reflection, Transmission, and Heating in Expanding Flux Tubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soler, Roberto; Terradas, Jaume; Oliver, Ramón; Ballester, José Luis, E-mail: roberto.soler@uib.es [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2017-05-01

It has been proposed that Alfvén waves play an important role in the energy propagation through the solar atmospheric plasma and its heating. Here we theoretically investigate the propagation of torsional Alfvén waves in magnetic flux tubes expanding from the photosphere up to the low corona and explore the reflection, transmission, and dissipation of wave energy. We use a realistic variation of the plasma properties and the magnetic field strength with height. Dissipation by ion–neutral collisions in the chromosphere is included using a multifluid partially ionized plasma model. Considering the stationary state, we assume that the waves are driven below the photosphere and propagate to the corona, while they are partially reflected and damped in the chromosphere and transition region. The results reveal the existence of three different propagation regimes depending on the wave frequency: low frequencies are reflected back to the photosphere, intermediate frequencies are transmitted to the corona, and high frequencies are completely damped in the chromosphere. The frequency of maximum transmissivity depends on the magnetic field expansion rate and the atmospheric model, but is typically in the range of 0.04–0.3 Hz. Magnetic field expansion favors the transmission of waves to the corona and lowers the reflectivity of the chromosphere and transition region compared to the case with a straight field. As a consequence, the chromospheric heating due to ion–neutral dissipation systematically decreases when the expansion rate of the magnetic flux tube increases.

An optical spectroscopic study of T Tauri stars. I. Photospheric properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herczeg, Gregory J. [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Yi He Yuan Lu 5, Haidian Qu, Beijing 100871 (China); Hillenbrand, Lynne A. [Caltech, MC105-24, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2014-05-10

Estimates of the mass and age of young stars from their location in the H-R diagram are limited by not only the typical observational uncertainties that apply to field stars, but also by large systematic uncertainties related to circumstellar phenomena. In this paper, we analyze flux-calibrated optical spectra to measure accurate spectral types and extinctions of 281 nearby T Tauri stars (TTSs). The primary advances in this paper are (1) the incorporation of a simplistic accretion continuum in optical spectral type and extinction measurements calculated over the full optical wavelength range and (2) the uniform analysis of a large sample of stars, many of which are well known and can serve as benchmarks. Comparisons between the non-accreting TTS photospheric templates and stellar photosphere models are used to derive conversions from spectral type to temperature. Differences between spectral types can be subtle and difficult to discern, especially when accounting for accretion and extinction. The spectral types measured here are mostly consistent with spectral types measured over the past decade. However, our new spectral types are one to two subclasses later than literature spectral types for the original members of the TW Hya Association (TWA) and are discrepant with literature values for some well-known members of the Taurus Molecular Cloud. Our extinction measurements are consistent with other optical extinction measurements but are typically 1 mag lower than near-IR measurements, likely the result of methodological differences and the presence of near-IR excesses in most CTTSs. As an illustration of the impact of accretion, spectral type, and extinction uncertainties on the H-R diagrams of young clusters, we find that the resulting luminosity spread of stars in the TWA is 15%-30%. The luminosity spread in the TWA and previously measured for binary stars in Taurus suggests that for a majority of stars, protostellar accretion rates are not large enough to

The importance of the riparian zone and in-stream processes in nitrate attenuation in undisturbed and agricultural watersheds – a review of the scientific literature

Science.gov (United States)

Ranalli, Anthony J.; Macalady, Donald L.

2010-01-01

We reviewed published studies from primarily glaciated regions in the United States, Canada, and Europe of the (1) transport of nitrate from terrestrial ecosystems to aquatic ecosystems, (2) attenuation of nitrate in the riparian zone of undisturbed and agricultural watersheds, (3) processes contributing to nitrate attenuation in riparian zones, (4) variation in the attenuation of nitrate in the riparian zone, and (5) importance of in-stream and hyporheic processes for nitrate attenuation in the stream channel. Our objectives were to synthesize the results of these studies and suggest methodologies to (1) monitor regional trends in nitrate concentration in undisturbed 1st order watersheds and (2) reduce nitrate loads in streams draining agricultural watersheds. Our review reveals that undisturbed headwater watersheds have been shown to be very retentive of nitrogen, but the importance of biogeochemical and hydrological riparian zone processes in retaining nitrogen in these watersheds has not been demonstrated as it has for agricultural watersheds. An understanding of the role of the riparian zone in nitrate attenuation in undisturbed watersheds is crucial because these watersheds are increasingly subject to stressors, such as changes in land use and climate, wildfire, and increases in atmospheric nitrogen deposition. In general, understanding processes controlling the concentration and flux of nitrate is critical to identifying and mapping the vulnerability of watersheds to water quality changes due to a variety of stressors. In undisturbed and agricultural watersheds we propose that understanding the importance of riparian zone processes in 2nd order and larger watersheds is critical. Research is needed that addresses the relative importance of how the following sources of nitrate along any given stream reach might change as watersheds increase in size and with flow: (1) inputs upstream from the reach, (2) tributary inflow, (3) water derived from the riparian zone

Solar magnetic field - 1976 through 1985: an atlas of photospheric magnetic field observations and computed coronal magnetic fields from the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford, 1976-1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeksema, J.T.; Scherrer, P.H.

1986-01-01

Daily magnetogram observations of the large-scale photospheric magnetic field have been made at the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford since May of 1976. These measurements provide a homogeneous record of the changing solar field through most of Solar Cycle 21. Using the photospheric data, the configuration of the coronal and heliospheric fields can be calculated using a Potential Field -- Source Surface model. This provides a 3-dimensional picture of the heliospheric field-evolution during the solar cycle. In this report the authors present the complete set of synoptic charts of the measured photospheric magnetic field, the computed field at the source surface, and the coefficients of the multipole expansion of the coronal field. The general underlying structure of the solar and heliospheric fields, which determine the environment for solar - terrestrial relations and provide the context within which solar-activity-related events occur, can be approximated from these data

Genetic and epigenetic divergence between disturbed and undisturbed subpopulations of a Mediterranean shrub: a 20-year field experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Carlos M; Bazaga, Pilar

2016-06-01

Little is known on the potential of ecological disturbance to cause genetic and epigenetic changes in plant populations. We take advantage of a long-term field experiment initiated in 1986 to study the demography of the shrub Lavandula latifolia , and compare genetic and epigenetic characteristics of plants in two adjacent subplots, one experimentally disturbed and one left undisturbed, 20 years after disturbance. Experimental setup was comparable to an unreplicated 'Before-After-Control-Impact' (BACI) design where a single pair of perturbed and control areas were compared. When sampled in 2005, plants in the two subplots had roughly similar ages, but they had established in contrasting environments: dense conspecific population ('Undisturbed' subpopulation) versus open area with all conspecifics removed ('Disturbed' subpopulation). Plants were characterized genetically and epigenetically using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and two classes of methylation-sensitive AFLP (MSAP) markers. Subpopulations were similar in genetic diversity but differed in epigenetic diversity and multilocus genetic and epigenetic characteristics. Epigenetic divergence between subpopulations was statistically unrelated to genetic divergence. Bayesian clustering revealed an abrupt linear boundary between subpopulations closely coincident with the arbitrary demarcation line between subplots drawn 20 years back, which supports that genetic and epigenetic divergence between subpopulations was caused by artificial disturbance. There was significant fine-scale spatial structuring of MSAP markers in both subpopulations, which in the Undisturbed one was indistinguishable from that of AFLP markers. Genetic differences between subpopulations could be explained by divergent selection alone, while the concerted action of divergent selection and disturbance-driven appearance of new methylation variants in the Disturbed subpopulation is proposed to explain epigenetic differences. This

Far-field sorption data bases for performance assessment of a L/ILW repository in an undisturbed Palfris marl host rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradbury, M.H.; Baeyens, B.

1997-12-01

A Palfris marl formation at Wellenberg (Gemeinde Wolfenschiessen, NW) has been chosen by NAGRA as a potential repository site for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, L/ILW. In the coming years a series of performance assessment studies will be performed for this site. One set of key data required for such safety analysis calculations is sorption data bases (SDB) for safety relevant radionuclides in the far-field. The purpose of this report is to describe the procedures used to generate sorption data bases appropriate for the in situ conditions existing along the different potential flow paths in an undisturbed marl host rock formation. An important aim was to document the sources of sorption data used and, in particular, the processes by which data selections were mad.e. The main guiding principles here were 'transparency' and 'traceability'. Inherent within this whole process is also the justification for, and defensibility of, the selected values. Much of the sorption data used to generate the SDB for marl came from the open literature. A major part of this report is concerned with describing the procedures whereby these initial literature values are modified so that they apply to the actual marl mineralogies and groundwater chemistries. The resulting 'reference R d values' are then further modified using so called Lab -> Field transfer factors to produce sorption values which are appropriate to the in situ bulk rock conditions. The Lab -> Field transfer factors attempt to correct for the differences in sorption site availability between the crushed rock state used in batch tests and the intact rock state existing in reality in the host rock. There are two main groundwater chemistries and five characteristic mineralogical compositions which cover the three broad types of flow paths which have been identified in the Palfris marl formation. In principle the methodology described here to construct sorption data bases for marl is applicable to any type of

Far-field sorption data bases for performance assessment of a L/ILW repository in an undisturbed Palfris marl host rock

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bradbury, M.H.; Baeyens, B. [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1997-12-01

A Palfris marl formation at Wellenberg (Gemeinde Wolfenschiessen, NW) has been chosen by NAGRA as a potential repository site for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, L/ILW. In the coming years a series of performance assessment studies will be performed for this site. One set of key data required for such safety analysis calculations is sorption data bases (SDB) for safety relevant radionuclides in the far-field. The purpose of this report is to describe the procedures used to generate sorption data bases appropriate for the in situ conditions existing along the different potential flow paths in an undisturbed marl host rock formation. An important aim was to document the sources of sorption data used and, in particular, the processes by which data selections were mad.e. The main guiding principles here were `transparency` and `traceability`. Inherent within this whole process is also the justification for, and defensibility of, the selected values. Much of the sorption data used to generate the SDB for marl came from the open literature. A major part of this report is concerned with describing the procedures whereby these initial literature values are modified so that they apply to the actual marl mineralogies and groundwater chemistries. The resulting `reference R{sub d} values` are then further modified using so called Lab -> Field transfer factors to produce sorption values which are appropriate to the in situ bulk rock conditions. The Lab -> Field transfer factors attempt to correct for the differences in sorption site availability between the crushed rock state used in batch tests and the intact rock state existing in reality in the host rock. There are two main groundwater chemistries and five characteristic mineralogical compositions which cover the three broad types of flow paths which have been identified in the Palfris marl formation. In principle the methodology described here to construct sorption data bases for marl is applicable to any

The I.A.G. / A.I.G. SEDIBUD Book Project: Source-to-Sink Fluxes in Undisturbed Cold Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Beylich, Achim A.; Dixon, John C.; Zwolinski, Zbigniew

2015-04-01

The currently prepared SEDIBUD Book on "Source-to-Sink Fluxes in Undisturbed Cold Environments" (edited by Achim A. Beylich, John C. Dixon and Zbigniew Zwolinski and published by Cambridge University Press) is summarizing and synthesizing the achievements of the International Association of Geomorphologists` (I.A.G./A.I.G.) Working Group SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments), which has been active since 2005 (http://www.geomorph.org/wg/wgsb.html). Amplified climate change and ecological sensitivity of largely undisturbed polar and high-altitude cold climate environments have been highlighted as key global environmental issues. The effects of projected climate change will change surface environments in cold regions and will alter the fluxes of sediments, nutrients and solutes, but the absence of quantitative data and coordinated geomorphic process monitoring and analysis to understand the sensitivity of the Earth surface environment in these largely undisturbed environments is acute. Our book addresses this existing key knowledge gap. The applied approach of integrating comparable and longer-term field datasets on contemporary solute and sedimentary fluxes from a number of different defined cold climate catchment geosystems for better understanding (i) the environmental drivers and rates of contemporary denudational surface processes and (ii) possible effects of projected climate change in cold regions is unique in the field of geomorphology. Largely undisturbed cold climate environments can provide baseline data for modeling the effects of environmental change. The book synthesizes work carried out by numerous SEDIBUD Members over the last decade in numerous cold climate catchment geosystems worldwide. For reaching a global cover of different cold climate environments the book is - after providing an introduction part and a basic part on climate change in cold environments and general implications for solute and sedimentary fluxes - dealing in different

Cylindrical prominences and the magnetic influence of the photospheric boundary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lerche, I.; Chicago Univ., IL; Low, B.C.

1980-01-01

We construct exact, non-linear, solutions for an horizontal, cylindrical, current-carrying, prominence supported against solar gravity by the action of a Lorentz force. The solutions incorporate the photosphere boundary condition, proposed by van Tend and Kuperus (1978), and analyzed by them for line filaments. Our solutions have finite radius for the prominence material and, as well as satisfying the equations of magnetostatic equilibrium, they allow for the continuity of gas pressure, and of the normal and tangential components of magnetic field across the circular prominence boundary. We show that an infinity of solutions is possible and we illustrate the basic behavior by investigation of a special case. We also give a prescription for constructing equilibrium fields for any horizontal prominence with arbitrary cross-section and with an arbitrary external magnetic field. The prescription is ideally suited for numerical codes and we suggest that both the equilibrium of such shapes can easily be accomplished numerically together with their evolutionary history. (orig.)

Normal and counter Evershed flows in the photospheric penumbra of a sunspot SPINOR 2D inversions of Hinode-SOT/SP observations

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Siu-Tapia, A.; Lagg, A.; Solanki, S.K.; van Noort, M.; Jurčák, Jan

2017-01-01

Roč. 607, November (2017), A36/1-A36/17 E-ISSN 1432-0746 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : sunspots * photosphere * magnetic fields Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 5.014, year: 2016

Quantitative imaging of cation adsorption site densities in undisturbed soil

Science.gov (United States)

Keck, Hannes; Strobel, Bjarne W.; Gustafsson, Jon-Petter; Koestel, John

2017-04-01

The vast majority of present soil system models assume a homogeneous distribution and accessibility of cation adsorption sites (CAS) within soil structural units like e.g. soil horizons. This is however in conflict with several recent studies finding that CAS in soils are not uniformly but patchily distributed at and below the cm-scale. It is likely that the small-scale distribution of CAS has significant impact on the performance of these models. However, systematic approaches to map CAS densities in undisturbed soil with 3-D resolution that could lead to respective model improvements are still lacking. We therefore investigated the 3-D distribution of the CAS in undisturbed soils using X-ray scanning and barium ions as a contrast agent. We appraised the validity of the approach by comparing X-ray image-derived cation exchange coefficients (CEC) with ones obtained using the ammonium acetate method. In the process, we evaluated whether there were larger CAS concentrations at aggregate and biopore boundaries as it is often hypothesized. We sampled eight small soil cores (approx. 10 ccm) from different locations with contrasting soil texture and organic matter contents. The samples were first saturated with a potassium chloride solution (0.1 mol per liter), whereupon a 3-D X-ray image was taken. Then, the potassium chloride solution was flushed out with a barium chloride solution (0.3 mol per liter) with barium replacing the potassium from the CAS due to its larger exchange affinity. After X-ray images as well as electrical conductivity in the effluent indicated that the entire sample had been saturated with the barium chloride, the sample was again rinsed using the potassium chloride solution. When the rinsing was complete a final 3-D X-ray image was acquired. The difference images between final and initial 3-D X-ray images were interpreted as depicting the adsorbed barium as the density of barium exceeds the one of potassium by more than 2 times. The X-ray image

NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE FIELD EXTRAPOLATION OF A CORONAL MAGNETIC FLUX ROPE SUPPORTING A LARGE-SCALE SOLAR FILAMENT FROM A PHOTOSPHERIC VECTOR MAGNETOGRAM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Chaowei; Wu, S. T.; Hu, Qiang [Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); Feng, Xueshang, E-mail: cwjiang@spaceweather.ac.cn, E-mail: wus@uah.edu, E-mail: qh0001@uah.edu, E-mail: fengx@spaceweather.ac.cn [SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory for Space Weather, Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2014-05-10

Solar filaments are commonly thought to be supported in magnetic dips, in particular, in those of magnetic flux ropes (FRs). In this Letter, based on the observed photospheric vector magnetogram, we implement a nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation of a coronal magnetic FR that supports a large-scale intermediate filament between an active region and a weak polarity region. This result is a first, in the sense that current NLFFF extrapolations including the presence of FRs are limited to relatively small-scale filaments that are close to sunspots and along main polarity inversion lines (PILs) with strong transverse field and magnetic shear, and the existence of an FR is usually predictable. In contrast, the present filament lies along the weak-field region (photospheric field strength ≲ 100 G), where the PIL is very fragmented due to small parasitic polarities on both sides of the PIL and the transverse field has a low signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, extrapolating a large-scale FR in such a case represents a far more difficult challenge. We demonstrate that our CESE-MHD-NLFFF code is sufficient for the challenge. The numerically reproduced magnetic dips of the extrapolated FR match observations of the filament and its barbs very well, which strongly supports the FR-dip model for filaments. The filament is stably sustained because the FR is weakly twisted and strongly confined by the overlying closed arcades.

Hydraulic concentration of magnetic fields in the solar photosphere. I - Turbulent pumping

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, E. N.

1974-01-01

Observations suggest that most of the magnetic flux through the solar photosphere is concentrated in vertical filaments in the supergranule boundaries. Each filament appears to contain about 3 times 10 to the 18-th power maxwells, in the form of a field of 500 gauss or more, over a diameter of 700 km or less. The magnetic energy density in the filaments is 100 times the observed kinetic energy density of the observed supergranule motions, but comparable to the kinetic energy density of the granules. Force-free field configurations cannot duplicate the observational numbers, nor can such cooling effects as are believed responsible for the intense fields in sunspot umbrae. We point out a simple hydraulic mechanism (turbulent pumping) that appears to account for the observed concentration of fields.

Continuous arterial PO2 profiles in unrestrained, undisturbed aquatic turtles during routine behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, James W.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Mammals and birds maintain high arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) values in order to preserve near-complete hemoglobin (Hb) oxygen (O2) saturation. In diving mammals and birds, arterial O2 follows a primarily monotonic decline and then recovers quickly after dives. In laboratory studies of submerged freshwater turtles, arterial O2 depletion typically follows a similar pattern. However, in these studies, turtles were disturbed, frequently tethered to external equipment and confined either to small tanks or breathing holes. Aquatic turtles can alter cardiac shunting patterns, which will affect arterial PO2 values. Consequently, little is known about arterial O2 regulation and use in undisturbed turtles. We conducted the first study to continuously measure arterial PO2 using implanted microelectrodes and a backpack logger in undisturbed red-eared sliders during routine activities. Arterial PO2 profiles during submergences varied dramatically, with no consistent patterns. Arterial PO2 was also lower than previously reported during all activities, with values rarely above 50 mmHg (85% Hb saturation). There was no difference in mean PO2 between five different activities: submerged resting, swimming, basking, resting at the surface and when a person was present. These results suggest significant cardiac shunting occurs during routine activities as well as submergences. However, the lack of relationship between PO2 and any activity suggests that cardiac shunts are not regulated to maintain high arterial PO2 values. These data support the idea that cardiac shunting is the passive by-product of regulation of vascular resistances by the autonomic nervous system. PMID:27618860

The type IIP supernova 2012aw in M95: Hydrodynamical modeling of the photospheric phase from accurate spectrophotometric monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dall' Ora, M.; Botticella, M. T.; Della Valle, M. [INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Napoli (Italy); Pumo, M. L.; Zampieri, L.; Tomasella, L.; Cappellaro, E.; Benetti, S. [INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Pignata, G.; Bufano, F. [Departamento de Ciencias Fisicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Avda. Republica 252, Santiago (Chile); Bayless, A. J. [Southwest Research Institute, Department of Space Science, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238 (United States); Pritchard, T. A. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Penn State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Taubenberger, S.; Benitez, S. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, D-85741 Garching (Germany); Kotak, R.; Inserra, C.; Fraser, M. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Elias-Rosa, N. [Institut de Ciències de l' Espai (CSIC-IEEC) Campus UAB, Torre C5, Za plata, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Haislip, J. B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 E. Cameron Ave., Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (United States); Harutyunyan, A. [Fundación Galileo Galilei - Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, Rambla José Ana Fernández Pérez 7, E-38712 Breña Baja, TF - Spain (Spain); and others

2014-06-01

We present an extensive optical and near-infrared photometric and spectroscopic campaign of the Type IIP supernova SN 2012aw. The data set densely covers the evolution of SN 2012aw shortly after the explosion through the end of the photospheric phase, with two additional photometric observations collected during the nebular phase, to fit the radioactive tail and estimate the {sup 56}Ni mass. Also included in our analysis is the previously published Swift UV data, therefore providing a complete view of the ultraviolet-optical-infrared evolution of the photospheric phase. On the basis of our data set, we estimate all the relevant physical parameters of SN 2012aw with our radiation-hydrodynamics code: envelope mass M {sub env} ∼ 20 M {sub ☉}, progenitor radius R ∼ 3 × 10{sup 13} cm (∼430 R {sub ☉}), explosion energy E ∼ 1.5 foe, and initial {sup 56}Ni mass ∼0.06 M {sub ☉}. These mass and radius values are reasonably well supported by independent evolutionary models of the progenitor, and may suggest a progenitor mass higher than the observational limit of 16.5 ± 1.5 M {sub ☉} of the Type IIP events.

Cesium-137 inventories in undisturbed areas in different regions of Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrello, Avacir C.; Appoloni, Carlos R., E-mail: acandrello@uel.b [Universidade Estadual de Londrina, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica; Araujo, Ednaldo S. [EMBRAPA Agrobiologia, Seropedica, RJ (Brazil); Thomaz, Edivaldo L. [Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - UNICENTRO, Guarapuava, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Geografia; Medeiros, Pedro Henrique Augusto [Universidade Federal do Ceara (UFC), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Agricola; Macedo, Iris L. [Universidade de Brasilia (UnB), DF (Brazil). Faculdade de Tecnologia. Dept. de Engenharia Civil e Ambiental

2009-07-01

Cesium-137 is an anthropogenic radionuclide introduced in the environment in the early of 1960s to the end of 1970s. The Cesium-137 has very used to assess soil redistribution in the landscape because this is very tight in the fine soil particles and its movement in the landscape is due to soil redistribution. To use Cesium-137 to assess soil redistribution is need to known the Cesium-137 inventory in an area that not has experimented soil erosion neither soil deposition. So, this work present Cesium-137 inventories in undisturbed areas in different regions of Brazil, from South to Northeast of Brazil. The inventories in these areas represent the variational deposition of Cesium-137 in the whole national territory of Brazil. The inventories of Cesium-137 varied from 200 +- 15 Bq.m{sup -2} for South region to 15 +- 2 Bq.m{sup -2} for Northeast region. Moreover, was verified that the Cesium- 137 inventories depend on latitude and altitude of the area. (author)

Cesium-137 inventories in undisturbed areas in different regions of Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrello, Avacir C.; Appoloni, Carlos R.; Thomaz, Edivaldo L.; Medeiros, Pedro Henrique Augusto; Macedo, Iris L.

2009-01-01

Cesium-137 is an anthropogenic radionuclide introduced in the environment in the early of 1960s to the end of 1970s. The Cesium-137 has very used to assess soil redistribution in the landscape because this is very tight in the fine soil particles and its movement in the landscape is due to soil redistribution. To use Cesium-137 to assess soil redistribution is need to known the Cesium-137 inventory in an area that not has experimented soil erosion neither soil deposition. So, this work present Cesium-137 inventories in undisturbed areas in different regions of Brazil, from South to Northeast of Brazil. The inventories in these areas represent the variational deposition of Cesium-137 in the whole national territory of Brazil. The inventories of Cesium-137 varied from 200 ± 15 Bq.m -2 for South region to 15 ± 2 Bq.m -2 for Northeast region. Moreover, was verified that the Cesium- 137 inventories depend on latitude and altitude of the area. (author)

Prompt Neutrino Emission of Gamma-ray Bursts in the Dissipative Photospheric Scenario Revisited: Possible Contributions from Cocoons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Di; Dai, Zi-Gao [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Mészáros, Peter, E-mail: dzg@nju.edu.cn [Center for Particle and Gravitational Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2017-07-01

High-energy neutrinos are expected to originate from different stages in a gamma-ray burst (GRB) event. In this work, we revisit the dissipative photospheric scenario, in which the GRB prompt emission is produced around the photospheric radius. Meanwhile, possible dissipation mechanisms (e.g., internal shocks or magnetic reconnection) could accelerate cosmic-rays (CRs) to ultra-high energies and then produce neutrinos via hadronuclear and photohadronic processes, which are referred to as prompt neutrinos . In this paper, we obtain the prompt neutrino spectrum of a single GRB within a self-consistent analytical framework, in which the jet-cocoon structure and possible collimation effects are included. We investigate a possible neutrino signal from the cocoon, which has been ignored in the previous studies. We show that if a GRB event happens at a distance of the order of Mpc, there is a great chance to observe the neutrino emission from the cocoon by IceCube, which is even more promising than jet neutrinos, as the opening angle of the cocoon is much larger. We also determine the diffuse neutrino flux of GRB cocoons and find that it could be comparable with that of the jets. Our results are consistent with the latest result reported by the IceCube collaboration that no significant correlation between neutrino events and observed GRBs is seen in the new data.

3D-printing of undisturbed soil imaged by X-ray

Science.gov (United States)

Bacher, Matthias; Koestel, John; Schwen, Andreas

2014-05-01

The unique pore structures in Soils are altered easily by water flow. Each sample has a different morphology and the results of repetitions vary as well. Soil macropores in 3D-printed durable material avoid erosion and have a known morphology. Therefore potential and limitations of reproducing an undisturbed soil sample by 3D-printing was evaluated. We scanned an undisturbed soil column of Ultuna clay soil with a diameter of 7 cm by micro X-ray computer tomography at a resolution of 51 micron. A subsample cube of 2.03 cm length with connected macropores was cut out from this 3D-image and printed in five different materials by a 3D-printing service provider. The materials were ABS, Alumide, High Detail Resin, Polyamide and Prime Grey. The five print-outs of the subsample were tested on their hydraulic conductivity by using the falling head method. The hydrophobicity was tested by an adapted sessile drop method. To determine the morphology of the print-outs and compare it to the real soil also the print-outs were scanned by X-ray. The images were analysed with the open source program ImageJ. The five 3D-image print-outs copied from the subsample of the soil column were compared by means of their macropore network connectivity, porosity, surface volume, tortuosity and skeleton. The comparison of pore morphology between the real soil and the print-outs showed that Polyamide reproduced the soil macropore structure best while Alumide print-out was the least detailed. Only the largest macropore was represented in all five print-outs. Printing residual material or printing aid material remained in and clogged the pores of all print-out materials apart from Prime Grey. Therefore infiltration was blocked in these print-outs and the materials are not suitable even though the 3D-printed pore shapes were well reproduced. All of the investigated materials were insoluble. The sessile drop method showed angles between 53 and 85 degrees. Prime Grey had the fastest flow rate; the

Generation of magnetic structures on the solar photosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gangadhara, R. T.; Krishan, V. [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore-560034 (India); Bhowmick, A. K.; Chitre, S. M., E-mail: ganga@iiap.res.in [Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences, University of Mumbai, Mumbai-400098 (India)

2014-06-20

The lower solar atmosphere is a partially ionized plasma consisting of electrons, ions, and neutral atoms. In this, which is essentially a three-fluid system, the Hall effect arises from the treatment of the electrons and ions as two separate fluids and the ambipolar diffusion arises from the inclusion of neutrals as the third fluid. The Hall effect and ambipolar diffusion have been shown to be operational in a region beginning from near the photosphere up to the chromosphere. In a partially ionized plasma, the magnetic induction is subjected to ambipolar diffusion and the Hall drift in addition to the usual resistive dissipation. These nonlinear effects create sharp magnetic structures which then submit themselves to various relaxation mechanisms. A first-principles derivation of these effects in a three-fluid system and an analytic solution to the magnetic induction equation in a stationary state are presented, which in the general case includes the Hall effect, ambipolar diffusion, and ohmic dissipation. The temporal evolution of the magnetic field is then investigated under the combined as well as the individual effects of the Hall drift and ambipolar diffusion to demonstrate the formation of steep magnetic structures and the resultant current sheet formation. These structures have just the right features for the release of magnetic energy into the solar atmosphere.

Monitoring of Gasoline-ethanol Degradation In Undisturbed Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Österreicher-Cunha, P.; Nunes, C. M. F.; Vargas, E. A.; Guimarães, J. R. D.; Costa, A.

Environmental contamination problems are greatly emphasised nowadays because of the direct threat they represent for human health. Traditional remediation methods fre- quently present low efficiency and high costs; therefore, biological treatment is being considered as an accessible and efficient alternative for soil and water remediation. Bioventing, commonly used to remediate petroleum hydrocarbon spills, stimulates the degradation capacity of indigenous microorganisms by providing better subsur- face oxygenation. In Brazil, gasoline and ethanol are mixed (78:22 v/v); some authors indicate that despite gasoline high degradability, its degradation in subsurface is hin- dered by the presence of much more rapidly degrading ethanol. Contaminant distribu- tion and degradation in the subsurface can be monitored by several physical, chemical and microbiological methodologies. This study aims to evaluate and follow the degra- dation of a gasoline-ethanol mixture in a residual undisturbed tropical soil from Rio de Janeiro. Bioventing was used to enhance microbial degradation. Shifts in bacte- rial culturable populations due to contamination and treatment effects were followed by conventional microbiology methods. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) measure- ments, which consist of the emission of electro-magnetic waves into the soil, yield a visualisation of contaminant degradation because of changes in soil conductivity due to microbial action on the pollutants. Chemical analyses will measure contaminant residue in soil. Our results disclosed contamination impact as well as bioventing stim- ulation on soil culturable heterotrophic bacterial populations. This multidisciplinary approach allows for a wider evaluation of processes occurring in soil.

Continuous arterial PO2 profiles in unrestrained, undisturbed aquatic turtles during routine behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Cassondra L; Hicks, James W

2016-11-15

Mammals and birds maintain high arterial partial pressure of oxygen (P O 2 ) values in order to preserve near-complete hemoglobin (Hb) oxygen (O 2 ) saturation. In diving mammals and birds, arterial O 2 follows a primarily monotonic decline and then recovers quickly after dives. In laboratory studies of submerged freshwater turtles, arterial O 2 depletion typically follows a similar pattern. However, in these studies, turtles were disturbed, frequently tethered to external equipment and confined either to small tanks or breathing holes. Aquatic turtles can alter cardiac shunting patterns, which will affect arterial P O 2  values. Consequently, little is known about arterial O 2 regulation and use in undisturbed turtles. We conducted the first study to continuously measure arterial P O 2  using implanted microelectrodes and a backpack logger in undisturbed red-eared sliders during routine activities. Arterial P O 2  profiles during submergences varied dramatically, with no consistent patterns. Arterial P O 2  was also lower than previously reported during all activities, with values rarely above 50 mmHg (85% Hb saturation). There was no difference in mean P O 2  between five different activities: submerged resting, swimming, basking, resting at the surface and when a person was present. These results suggest significant cardiac shunting occurs during routine activities as well as submergences. However, the lack of relationship between P O 2  and any activity suggests that cardiac shunts are not regulated to maintain high arterial P O 2  values. These data support the idea that cardiac shunting is the passive by-product of regulation of vascular resistances by the autonomic nervous system. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

An Empirical Fitting Method to Type Ia Supernova Light Curves. III. A Three-parameter Relationship: Peak Magnitude, Rise Time, and Photospheric Velocity

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, WeiKang; Kelly, Patrick L.; Filippenko, Alexei V.

2018-05-01

We examine the relationship between three parameters of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia): peak magnitude, rise time, and photospheric velocity at the time of peak brightness. The peak magnitude is corrected for extinction using an estimate determined from MLCS2k2 fitting. The rise time is measured from the well-observed B-band light curve with the first detection at least 1 mag fainter than the peak magnitude, and the photospheric velocity is measured from the strong absorption feature of Si II λ6355 at the time of peak brightness. We model the relationship among these three parameters using an expanding fireball with two assumptions: (a) the optical emission is approximately that of a blackbody, and (b) the photospheric temperatures of all SNe Ia are the same at the time of peak brightness. We compare the precision of the distance residuals inferred using this physically motivated model against those from the empirical Phillips relation and the MLCS2k2 method for 47 low-redshift SNe Ia (0.005 Ia in our sample with higher velocities are inferred to be intrinsically fainter. Eliminating the high-velocity SNe and applying a more stringent extinction cut to obtain a “low-v golden sample” of 22 SNe, we obtain significantly reduced scatter of 0.108 ± 0.018 mag in the new relation, better than those of the Phillips relation and the MLCS2k2 method. For 250 km s‑1 of residual peculiar motions, we find 68% and 95% upper limits on the intrinsic scatter of 0.07 and 0.10 mag, respectively.

Detailed analysis of dynamic evolution of three Active Regions at the photospheric level before flare and CME occurrence

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Yudong; Korsós, M. B.; Erdélyi, R.

2018-01-01

We present a combined analysis of the applications of the weighted horizontal magnetic gradient (denoted as WGM in Korsós et al. (2015)) method and the magnetic helicity tool (Berger and Field, 1984) employed for three active regions (ARs), namely NOAA AR 11261, AR 11283 and AR 11429. We analysed the time series of photospheric data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory taken between August 2011 and March 2012. During this period the three ARs produced a series of flares (eight M- and six X-class) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). AR 11261 had four M-class flares and one of them was accompanied by a fast CME. AR 11283 had similar activities with two M- and two X-class flares, but only with a slow CME. Finally, AR 11429 was the most powerful of the three ARs as it hosted five compact and large solar flare and CME eruptions. For applying the WGM method we employed the Debrecen sunspot data catalogue, and, for estimating the magnetic helicity at photospheric level we used the Space-weather HMI Active Region Patches (SHARP's) vector magnetograms from SDO/HMI (Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager). We followed the evolution of the components of the WGM and the magnetic helicity before the flare and CME occurrences. We found a unique and mutually shared behaviour, called the U-shaped pattern, of the weighted distance component of WGM and of the shearing component of the helicity flux before the flare and CME eruptions. This common pattern is associated with the decreasing-receding phases yet reported only known to be a necessary feature prior to solar flare eruption(s) but found now at the same time in the evolution of the shearing helicity flux. This result leads to the conclusions that (i) the shearing motion of photospheric magnetic field may be a key driver for solar eruption in addition to the flux emerging process, and that (ii) the found decreasing-approaching pattern in the evolution of shearing helicity flux may be another precursor

Far Field Sorption Data Bases for Performance Assessment of a High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository in an Undisturbed Opalinus Clay Host Rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradburry, M.; Baeyens, B.

2003-08-01

An Opalinus Clay formation in the Zuercher Weinland is under consideration by Nagra as a potential location for a high-level and long-Iived intermediate-level radioactive waste repository. Performance assessment studies will be performed for this site and the purpose of this report is to describe the procedures used to develop sorption data bases appropriate for an undisturbed Opalinus Clay host rock which are required for such safety analysis calculations. In tight, low water content argillaceous rock formations such as Opalinus Clay, there is uncertainty concerning the in situ pH/P CO 2 . In order to take this intrinsic uncertainty into account porewater chemistries were calculated for a reference case, pH = 7.24, and for two other pH values, 6.3 and 7.8. Sorption data bases are given for the three cases. The basis for the sorption data bases is 'in-house' sorption measurements for Cs(I), Sr(II), Ni(II), Eu(III), Sn(IV), Se(IV), Th(IV) and I(-I) carried out on Opalinus Clay samples from Mont Terri (Canton Jura) since at the time the experiments were performed no core samples from the Benken borehole (Zuercher Weinland) were available. The Opalinus Clay at Mont Terri and Benken are part of the same geological formation . Despite having directly measured data for the above key radionuclides, some of the required distribution ratios (Rd) used to generate the sorption data bases still came from the open literature. An important part of this report is concerned with describing the procedures whereby these selected literature Rd values were modified so as to apply to the Benken Opalinus Clay mineralogy and groundwater chemistries calculated at the three pH values given above. The resulting Rd values were then further modified using so-called Lab→Field transfer factors to produce sorption values which were appropriate to the in situ bulk rock for the selected range of water chemistry conditions. Finally, it is important to have some appreciation of the uncertainties

The ecological half-life of 137Cs in undisturbed silt soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drosg, M.

2012-01-01

The time necessary to safely cultivate agricultural areas after they have been contaminated by radioactivity (e.g. after the Chernobyl accident) is not determined by the physical half-life of the radioactive isotopes in question but by their (usually much shorter) ecological half-life (). This half-life not only depends on the type of soil but also on whether the soil was fertilized or not. Therefore it is not possible to determine an ecological half-life that is universally valid. However, the value for undisturbed, unfertilized soil should provide a general indication for the duration of ecological half-life. In a silt soil in Vienna, Austria, the ecological half-life of 137 Cs was determined to be 0.8 years, which is much shorter than the physical half-life of 30 years. - Highlights: ► Absolute measurements of 137 Cs radioactivity in leaves of perennial plants. ► The natural 40 K radioactivity served as reference. ► The ecological half-life of 137 Cs in loamy soil was determined.

On the Temperature of the Photosphere: Energy Partition in the Sun

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available In this note, energy partition within the Sun is briefly addressed. It is argued that the laws of thermal emission cannot be directly applied to the Sun, as the continuous solar spectrum ( T app 6 ; 000K reveals but a small fraction of the true solar energy profile. Without considering the energy linked to fusion itself, it is hypothesized that most of the photospheric energy remains trapped in the Sun’s translational degrees of freedom and associated convection currents. The Sun is known to support both convective granules and differential rotation on its surface. The emission of X-rays in association with eruptive flares and the elevated temperatures of the corona might provide some measure of these energies. At the same time, it is expected that a fraction of the solar energy remains tied to the filling of conduction bands by electrons especially within sunspots. This constitutes a degree of freedom whose importance cannot be easily assessed. The discussion highlights how little is truly understood about energy partition in the Sun.

Far Field Sorption Data Bases for Performance Assessment of a High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository in an Undisturbed Opalinus Clay Host Rock

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bradburry, M.; Baeyens, B

2003-08-01

An Opalinus Clay formation in the Zuercher Weinland is under consideration by Nagra as a potential location for a high-level and long-Iived intermediate-level radioactive waste repository. Performance assessment studies will be performed for this site and the purpose of this report is to describe the procedures used to develop sorption data bases appropriate for an undisturbed Opalinus Clay host rock which are required for such safety analysis calculations. In tight, low water content argillaceous rock formations such as Opalinus Clay, there is uncertainty concerning the in situ pH/P{sub CO{sub 2}}. In order to take this intrinsic uncertainty into account porewater chemistries were calculated for a reference case, pH = 7.24, and for two other pH values, 6.3 and 7.8. Sorption data bases are given for the three cases. The basis for the sorption data bases is 'in-house' sorption measurements for Cs(I), Sr(II), Ni(II), Eu(III), Sn(IV), Se(IV), Th(IV) and I(-I) carried out on Opalinus Clay samples from Mont Terri (Canton Jura) since at the time the experiments were performed no core samples from the Benken borehole (Zuercher Weinland) were available. The Opalinus Clay at Mont Terri and Benken are part of the same geological formation . Despite having directly measured data for the above key radionuclides, some of the required distribution ratios (Rd) used to generate the sorption data bases still came from the open literature. An important part of this report is concerned with describing the procedures whereby these selected literature Rd values were modified so as to apply to the Benken Opalinus Clay mineralogy and groundwater chemistries calculated at the three pH values given above. The resulting Rd values were then further modified using so-called Lab{yields}Field transfer factors to produce sorption values which were appropriate to the in situ bulk rock for the selected range of water chemistry conditions. Finally, it is important to have some

Vertical migration of 85Sr, 137Cs and 131I in various arable and undisturbed soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palagyi, S.; Palagyiova, J.

2003-01-01

The vertical migration of 85 Sr, 137 Cs and 131 I in some arable and undisturbed single-contaminated soils was studied by gamma-spectrometry measurements under lysimetric laboratory conditions during irrigation of the soil profiles with wet atmospheric precipitation for about one year, except 131 I. A new simple exponential compartment (box) model was derived, which makes it possible to calculate the migration rate constants and migration rates in the individual soil layers (vertical sections) as well as the total vertical migration rate constants and total vertical migration rates of radionuclides in the bulk soil horizon. The relaxation times of radionuclides in respective soil horizons can also be evaluated. (author)

Observations and analysis of the photospheric magnetic fields on dwarf G, K, and M stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saar, S.H.

1987-01-01

An improved technique was developed for the analysis of magnetic broadening in stellar absorption-line profiles. Unlike previous methods, the new technique is based on a model that includes radiative-transfer effects and the full Zeeman patterns. The effects of weak blends on the profiles can be reduced by comparing identical lines in two stars of the same spectral type, one of which is chromospheric inactive. After adjusting for differences in line strength and doppler broadening, the difference profile can be modeled to determine both the fraction of the stellar surface covered by magnetic regions (f) and the mean field strength in these regions (B). Accuracies of about 20% in B and f are possible. It was found that previous Zeeman-analysis methods systematically overestimate f, especially for cooler stars, due to their neglect of line saturation and blends. The new technique were applied to two sets of high-resolution, how-noise spectra. The first set consists of 29 stars, spanning spectral types from GO to M4.5 and a broad range of rotational rates and ages. The first-ever detection was made of photospheric magnetic fields on a BY Draconis variable (EQ Vir) and a dMe flare star (AD Leo).

Colloid and phosphorus leaching from undisturbed soil cores sampled along a natural clay gradient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vendelboe, Anders Lindblad; Møldrup, Per; Heckrath, Goswin Johann

2011-01-01

correlated to the accumulated outflow and was described as a diffusion controlled process, using ¾(accumulated outflow). The mass of leached particles was positively correlated to the clay content as well as to water-dispersible colloids. Particulate phosphorus (P) was linearly correlated to concentration......The presence of strongly sorbing compounds in groundwater and tile drains can be a result of colloid-facilitated transport. Colloid and phosphorus leaching from macropores in undisturbed soil cores sampled across a natural clay gradient at Aarup, Denmark, were studied. The aim of the study...... was to correlate easily measurable soil properties, such as clay content and water-dispersible colloids, to colloid and phosphorus leaching. The clay contents across the gradient ranged from 0.11 to 0.23 kg kgj1. Irrigating with artificial rainwater, all samples showed a high first flush of colloids and phosphorus...

Photospheric Velocity Structures during the Emergence of Small Active Regions on the Sun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khlystova, Anna; Toriumi, Shin

2017-01-01

We study the plasma flows in the solar photosphere during the emergence of two small active regions, NOAA 9021 and 10768. Using Solar and Heliospheric Observatory /Michelson Doppler Imager data, we find that the strong plasma upflows appear at the initial stage of active region formation, with maximum upflow velocities of −1650 and −1320 m s −1 . The structures with enhanced upflows have size ∼8 Mm in diameter, and they exist for 1–2 hr. The parameters of the enhanced upflows are consistent with those of the large active region NOAA 10488, which may suggest the possibility that the elementary emerging magnetic loops that appear at the earliest phase of active region formation have similar properties, irrespective of scales of active regions. Comparison between the observations and a numerical simulation of magnetic flux emergence shows a striking consistency. We find that the driving force of the plasma upflow is at first the gas pressure gradient and later the magnetic pressure gradient.

Photospheric Velocity Structures during the Emergence of Small Active Regions on the Sun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khlystova, Anna [Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics SB RAS, Lermontov St., 126a, 664033 Irkutsk (Russian Federation); Toriumi, Shin, E-mail: hlystova@iszf.irk.ru, E-mail: shin.toriumi@nao.ac.jp [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

2017-04-10

We study the plasma flows in the solar photosphere during the emergence of two small active regions, NOAA 9021 and 10768. Using Solar and Heliospheric Observatory /Michelson Doppler Imager data, we find that the strong plasma upflows appear at the initial stage of active region formation, with maximum upflow velocities of −1650 and −1320 m s{sup −1}. The structures with enhanced upflows have size ∼8 Mm in diameter, and they exist for 1–2 hr. The parameters of the enhanced upflows are consistent with those of the large active region NOAA 10488, which may suggest the possibility that the elementary emerging magnetic loops that appear at the earliest phase of active region formation have similar properties, irrespective of scales of active regions. Comparison between the observations and a numerical simulation of magnetic flux emergence shows a striking consistency. We find that the driving force of the plasma upflow is at first the gas pressure gradient and later the magnetic pressure gradient.

Evidence for non-radial fields in the Sun's photosphere and a possible explanation of the polar magnetic signal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pope, T.

1975-01-01

The appearance of the Hα fibrils suggests the presence of magnetic fields inclined at noticeably non-radial angles in the Sun's chromosphere. Evidence is presented to suggest that these angles continue into the photosphere. The presence even of small non-radial inclinations can significantly affect the appearance of regions observed by a longitudinal mangetograph. In particular, a simple bipolar loop can appear unbalanced when viewed near the limb. It is suggested that the observed polar signal may be nothing more than a geometric effect arising when a balanced but systematically aligned array of bipolar pairs is viewed at an angle. (Auth.)

A method for measuring element fluxes in an undisturbed soil: nitrogen and carbon from earthworms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouche, M.B.

1984-01-01

Data on chemical cycles, as nitrogen or carbon cycles, are extrapolated to the fields or ecosystems without the possibility for checking conclusions; i.e. from scientific knowledge (para-ecology). A new method, by natural introduction of an earthworm compartment into an undisturbed soil, with earthworms labelled both by isotopes ( 15 N, 14 C) and by staining is described. This method allows us to measure fluxes of chemicals. The first results, gathered during the improvement of the method in partly artificial conditions, are cross-checked with other data given by direct observation in the field. Measured flux (2.2 mg N/g fresh mass empty gut/day/15 0 C) is far more important than para-ecological estimations; animal metabolism plays directly an important role in nitrogen and carbon cycles. (author)

Comparison of absolute biochemical parameters of undisturbed soils in Mediterranean environments (NE Spain) with corresponding parameters relative to soil organic carbon

OpenAIRE

Jiménez de Ridder, Patrícia; Marando, Graciela; Josa March, Ramon; Ginovart Gisbert, Marta; Ras Sabido, Antoni; Bonmati Pont, Manuel

2017-01-01

The study of soil quality requires the establishment of quality standards. To this end, several authors have highlighted the need to create databases of quality indicators, such as biochemical properties, for different types of undisturbed soils under various climates and to establish standardised methodologies for their development. In Spain, studies of the quality of native soils were initiated > 15 years ago by several groups of authors from differing locations, but little is known regardi...

The density of feral honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in South East Australia is greater in undisturbed than in disturbed habitats

OpenAIRE

Hinson , Eloise M.; Duncan , Michael; Lim , Julianne; Arundel , Jonathan; Oldroyd , Benjamin P.

2015-01-01

International audience; AbstractApis mellifera is an important pollinator but is sometimes associated with adverse effects on natural ecosystems. We surveyed pairs of disturbed and undisturbed sites across three biomes in South East Australia. We used pheromone lures to trap drones, genotyped the drones to infer the number of colonies within flight range and then estimated colony densities using synthetic sampling distributions. Estimated colony densities ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 colonies km−2 ...

Evidence of discontinuous and continuous gas migration through undisturbed and self-sealed Cox clay-stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davy, C. A.; M'Jahad, S.; Skoczylas, F.; Talandier, J.; Ghayaza, M.

2012-01-01

it is a long-lasting procedure, it allows to assess both gas migration modes at the sample outlet (i.e. discontinuous or continuous). In our laboratory, by using the step-by-step method under in situ confining stresses (5 to 12 MPa), and argon as gas, former studies have mainly investigated discontinuous gas passage for vertical, horizontal or inclined cores from the Bure site. A number of samples was self-sealed, mainly those from horizontal or inclined cores. Variations by one order of magnitude have been recorded between results on horizontal and inclined cores or vertical cores. While GBP values range from 1.26 MPa and up to 3 MPa for the first test series on vertical cores, it is almost an order of magnitude lower for the second test series (horizontal or inclined cores), with values ranging from 0.2 to 1.3 MPa. This difference is mainly associated to gas passage through self-sealed fractures, in relation with clay transverse anisotropy. Indeed, COx clay-stone is a sedimentary indurated clay, composed of sub-horizontal diagenetic bedding planes: whenever GBP tests are performed along the bedding planes, lower values may be expected (due to a greater number of sealed cracks, created during sample preparation) rather than when performing GBP experiments perpendicularly to the bedding planes. Despite this extensive research, which was backed by numerical simulations of homogeneous media with LML and EDF-ASTER codes, several scientific questions remain. In particular, argillite self-sealing or undisturbed states may display different gas migration properties: it is expected that undisturbed matter will let gas pass at higher pressure than if self-sealed. Also, the discontinuous gas migration mode may be related to diffusion or capillary snap off, or to both phenomena. And discontinuous breakthrough does not suffice to describe fully the gas migration phenomena through undisturbed or self-sealed argillite, for it occurs distinctly from continuous passage and gas

Comparison of photospheric electric current and ultraviolet and x-ray emission in a solar active region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haisch, B.M.; Bruner, M.E.; Hagyard, M.J.; Bonnet, R.M.; NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL; ESA, Paris, France)

1986-01-01

This paper presents an extensive set of coordinated observations of a solar active region, taking into account spectroheliograms obtained with the aid of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) Ultraviolet Spectrometer Polarimeter (UVSP) instrument, SMM soft x-ray polychromator (XRP) raster maps, and high spatial resolution ultraviolet images of the sun in Lyman-alpha and in the 1600 A continuum. These data span together the upper solar atmosphere from the temperature minimum to the corona. The data are compared to maps of the inferred photospheric electric current derived from the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) vector magnetograph observations. Some empirical correlation is found between regions of inferred electric current density and the brightest features in the ultraviolet continuum and to a lesser extent those seen in Lyman-alpha within an active region. 29 references

Recommendations for computer code selection of a flow and transport code to be used in undisturbed vadose zone calculations for TWRS immobilized wastes environmental analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

VOOGD, J.A.

1999-01-01

An analysis of three software proposals is performed to recommend a computer code for immobilized low activity waste flow and transport modeling. The document uses criteria restablished in HNF-1839, ''Computer Code Selection Criteria for Flow and Transport Codes to be Used in Undisturbed Vadose Zone Calculation for TWRS Environmental Analyses'' as the basis for this analysis

Monte Carlo Simulations of Photospheric Emission in Relativistic Outflows

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Mukul; Lu, Wenbin; Kumar, Pawan; Santana, Rodolfo

2018-01-01

We study the spectra of photospheric emission from highly relativistic gamma-ray burst outflows using a Monte Carlo code. We consider the Comptonization of photons with a fast-cooled synchrotron spectrum in a relativistic jet with a realistic photon-to-electron number ratio {N}γ /{N}{{e}}={10}5, using mono-energetic protons that interact with thermalized electrons through Coulomb interaction. The photons, electrons, and protons are cooled adiabatically as the jet expands outward. We find that the initial energy distributions of the protons and electrons do not have any appreciable effect on the photon peak energy {E}γ ,{peak} and the power-law spectrum above {E}γ ,{peak}. The Coulomb interaction between the electrons and the protons does not affect the output photon spectrum significantly as the energy of the electrons is elevated only marginally. {E}γ ,{peak} and the spectral indices for the low- and high-energy power-law tails of the photon spectrum remain practically unchanged even with electron-proton coupling. Increasing the initial optical depth {τ }{in} results in a slightly shallower photon spectrum below {E}γ ,{peak} and fewer photons at the high-energy tail, although {f}ν \\propto {ν }-0.5 above {E}γ ,{peak} and up to ∼1 MeV, independent of {τ }{in}. We find that {E}γ ,{peak} determines the peak energy and the shape of the output photon spectrum. Finally, we find that our simulation results are quite sensitive to {N}γ /{N}{{e}}, for {N}{{e}}=3× {10}3. For almost all our simulations, we obtain an output photon spectrum with a power-law tail above {E}γ ,{peak} extending up to ∼1 MeV.

Comparison of solar photospheric bright points between Sunrise observations and MHD simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Berdyugina, S. V.; Schüssler, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Feller, A.; Gandorfer, A.; Hirzberger, J.

2014-08-01

Bright points (BPs) in the solar photosphere are thought to be the radiative signatures (small-scale brightness enhancements) of magnetic elements described by slender flux tubes or sheets located in the darker intergranular lanes in the solar photosphere. They contribute to the ultraviolet (UV) flux variations over the solar cycle and hence may play a role in influencing the Earth's climate. Here we aim to obtain a better insight into their properties by combining high-resolution UV and spectro-polarimetric observations of BPs by the Sunrise Observatory with 3D compressible radiation magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) simulations. To this end, full spectral line syntheses are performed with the MHD data and a careful degradation is applied to take into account all relevant instrumental effects of the observations. In a first step it is demonstrated that the selected MHD simulations reproduce the measured distributions of intensity at multiple wavelengths, line-of-sight velocity, spectral line width, and polarization degree rather well. The simulated line width also displays the correct mean, but a scatter that is too small. In the second step, the properties of observed BPs are compared with synthetic ones. Again, these are found to match relatively well, except that the observations display a tail of large BPs with strong polarization signals (most likely network elements) not found in the simulations, possibly due to the small size of the simulation box. The higher spatial resolution of the simulations has a significant effect, leading to smaller and more numerous BPs. The observation that most BPs are weakly polarized is explained mainly by the spatial degradation, the stray light contamination, and the temperature sensitivity of the Fe i line at 5250.2 Å. Finally, given that the MHD simulations are highly consistent with the observations, we used the simulations to explore the properties of BPs further. The Stokes V asymmetries increase with the distance to the

Preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, December 1992. Volume 5, Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of gas and brine migration for undisturbed performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-08-01

Before disposing of transuranic radioactive waste in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the United States Department of Energy (DOE) must evaluate compliance with applicable long-term regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sandia National Laboratories is conducting iterative performance assessments (PAs) of the WIPP for the DOE to provide interim guidance while preparing for a final compliance evaluation. This volume of the 1992 PA contains results of uncertainty and sensitivity analyses with respect to migration of gas and brine from the undisturbed repository. Additional information about the 1992 PA is provided in other volumes. Volume 1 contains an overview of WIPP PA and results of a preliminary comparison with 40 CFR 191, Subpart B. Volume 2 describes the technical basis for the performance assessment, including descriptions of the linked computational models used in the Monte Carlo analyses. Volume 3 contains the reference data base and values for input parameters used in consequence and probability modeling. Volume 4 contains uncertainty and sensitivity analyses with respect to the EPA`s Environmental Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191, Subpart B). Finally, guidance derived from the entire 1992 PA is presented in Volume 6. Results of the 1992 uncertainty and sensitivity analyses indicate that, conditional on the modeling assumptions and the assigned parameter-value distributions, the most important parameters for which uncertainty has the potential to affect gas and brine migration from the undisturbed repository are: initial liquid saturation in the waste, anhydrite permeability, biodegradation-reaction stoichiometry, gas-generation rates for both corrosion and biodegradation under inundated conditions, and the permeability of the long-term shaft seal.

Relationship between Hard X-Ray Footpoint Sources and Photospheric Electric Currents in Solar Flares: a Statistical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Zimovets, I. V.; Sharykin, I. N.; Wang, R.; Liu, Y. D.; Kosovichev, A. G.

2017-12-01

It is believed that solar flares are a result of release of free magnetic energy contained in electric currents (ECs) flowing in active regions (ARs). However, there are still debates whether the primary energy release and acceleration of electrons take place in coronal current sheets or in chromospheric footpoints of current-carrying magnetic flux tubes (loops). We present results of an observational statistical study of spatial relationship between hard X-ray (HXR; EHXR≥50keV) footpoint sources detected by RHESSI and vertical photospheric ECs calculated using vector magnetograms obtained from the SDO/HMI data. We found that for a sample of 47 flares (from C3.0 to X3.1 class) observed on the solar disk by both instruments in 2010-2016, at least one HXR source was in a region of strong (within 20% of the maximum EC density in the corresponding ARs) vertical ECs having the form of a ribbon (79%) or an island (21%). The total vertical ECs in such HXR sources are in the range of 1010-1013 A. The EC density is in the range of 0.01-1.0 A/m2. We found no correlation between intensity of the HXR sources and the EC density. By comparing pre-flare and post-flare EC maps we did not find evidences of significant dissipation of vertical ECs in the regions corresponding to the HXR sources. In some cases, we found amplification of ECs during flares. We discuss effects of sensitivity and angular resolution of RHESSI and SDO/HMI. In general, the results indicate that there is a link between the flare HXR footpoint sources and enhanced vertical ECs in the photosphere. However, the results do not support a concept of electron acceleration by the electric field excited in footpoints of current-carrying loops due to some (e.g. Rayleigh-Taylor) instabilities (Zaitsev et al., 2016), since strong correlation between the HXR intensity and the EC density is expected in such concept.

Derivation of 137Cs deposition density from measurement of 137Cs inventories in undisturbed soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hien, P.D.; Hiep, H.T.; Quang, N.H.; Huy, N.Q.; Binh, N.T.; Hai, P.S.; Long, N.Q.; Bac, V.T

2012-01-01

The 137 Cs inventories in undisturbed soils were measured for 292 locations across the territory of Vietnam. the logarithmic inventory values were regressed against characteristics of sampling sites, such as geographical coordinates, annual rainfall and physico-chemical parameters of soil. The regression model containing latitude and annual rainfall as determinants could explain 76% of the variations in logarithmic inventory values across the territory. The model part was interpreted as the logarithmic 137 Cs deposition density. At the 95% confidence level, 137 Cs deposition density could be predicted be the model ± 7% relative uncertainty. the latitude mean 137 Cs deposition density increases northward from 237 Bq m -2 to 1097 Bq m -2 , while the corresponding values derived from the UNSCEAR (1969) global pattern are 300 Bq m -2 and 600 Bq m -2 . High 137 Cs inputs were found in high-rainfall areas in northern and central parts of the territory. (author)

Distribution of electric currents in sunspots from photosphere to corona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gosain, Sanjay [National Solar Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Démoulin, Pascal [Observatoire de Paris, LESIA, UMR 8109 (CNRS), F-92195 Meudon Principal Cedex (France); López Fuentes, Marcelo [Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE), UBA-CONICET, CC. 67, Suc. 28 Buenos Aires 1428 (Argentina)

2014-09-20

We present a study of two regular sunspots that exhibit nearly uniform twist from the photosphere to the corona. We derive the twist parameter in the corona and in the chromosphere by minimizing the difference between the extrapolated linear force-free field model field lines and the observed intensity structures in the extreme-ultraviolet images of the Sun. The chromospheric structures appear more twisted than the coronal structures by a factor of two. Further, we derive the vertical component of electric current density, j{sub z} , using vector magnetograms from the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT). The spatial distribution of j{sub z} has a zebra pattern of strong positive and negative values owing to the penumbral fibril structure resolved by Hinode/SOT. This zebra pattern is due to the derivative of the horizontal magnetic field across the thin fibrils; therefore, it is strong and masks weaker currents that might be present, for example, as a result of the twist of the sunspot. We decompose j{sub z} into the contribution due to the derivatives along and across the direction of the horizontal field, which follows the fibril orientation closely. The map of the tangential component has more distributed currents that are coherent with the chromospheric and coronal twisted structures. Moreover, it allows us to map and identify the direct and return currents in the sunspots. Finally, this decomposition of j{sub z} is general and can be applied to any vector magnetogram in order to better identify the weaker large-scale currents that are associated with coronal twisted/sheared structures.

A comparison of photospheric electric current and ultraviolet and X-ray emission in a solar active region

Science.gov (United States)

Haisch, B. M.; Bruner, M. E.; Hagyard, M. J.; Bonnet, R. M.

1986-01-01

This paper presents an extensive set of coordinated observations of a solar active region, taking into account spectroheliograms obtained with the aid of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) Ultraviolet Spectrometer Polarimeter (UVSP) instrument, SMM soft X-ray polychromator (XRP) raster maps, and high spatial resolution ultraviolet images of the sun in Lyman-alpha and in the 1600 A continuum. These data span together the upper solar atmosphere from the temperature minimum to the corona. The data are compared to maps of the inferred photospheric electric current derived from the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) vector magnetograph observations. Some empirical correlation is found between regions of inferred electric current density and the brightest features in the ultraviolet continuum and to a lesser extent those seen in Lyman-alpha within an active region.

Longitudinal variation in suspended sediment and turbidity of two undisturbed streams in northwestern California in relation to the monitoring of water quality above and below a land disturbance

Science.gov (United States)

Steve G. Markman

1990-01-01

Abstract - In-stream water quality regulations of California state that silvicultural disturbances must not increase turbidity levels more than 20 percent above naturally occurring background levels. These regulations fail to take into account the natural variation of turbidity and suspended sediment concentration along a short stretch of an undisturbed stream. At...

Comparison of diffusion from a small island and an undisturbed ocean site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raynor, G.S.; Brown, R.M.; SethuRaman, S.

1978-01-01

Experiments were conducted to investigate the differences in diffusion from an obstacle to free air flow in the ocean and from an undisturbed ocean site. A small island was used as the obstacle and simultaneous releases of oil-fog smoke were made from the island and from a nearby boat. The widths of the plumes and their concentrations distributions were measured quantitatively during traverses across the plumes by a second boat. Extensive series of photographs were taken of the plumes from the surface and from the air. Meteorological measurements were made at two locations on the island, from the boats and from an aircraft. One test series was conducted during unstable conditions and a second series with neutral and stable conditions.Width of the island plume over short periods was from 1.5 to 4 times that of the boat plume with the greatest difference during stable periods. Over longer periods, the differences were somewhat greater and much of the dispersion was caused by plume meander. Height of the island plume averaged about twice that of the boat plume. Normalized maximum centerline concentrations from the boat plume were 1.4 times those of the island plume during unstable periods but about twice during stable and neutral conditions. Averaged over all tests, dispersion from the island was about twice as great as from the boat

Analysis of morphological variability and heritability in the head of the Argentine Black and White Tegu (Salvator merianae): undisturbed vs. disturbed environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Imhoff, Carolina; Giri, Federico; Siroski, Pablo; Amavet, Patricia

2018-04-01

The heterogeneity of biotic and abiotic factors influencing fitness produce selective pressures that promote local adaptation and divergence among different populations of the same species. In order for adaptations to be maintained through evolutionary time, heritable genetic variation controlling the expression of the morphological features under selection is necessary. Here we compare morphological shape variability and size of the cephalic region of Salvator merianae specimens from undisturbed environments to those of individuals from disturbed environments, and estimated heritability for shape and size using geometric morphometric and quantitative genetics tools. The results of these analyzes indicated that there are statistically significant differences in shape and size between populations from the two environments. Possibly, one of the main determinants of cephalic shape and size is adaptation to the characteristics of the environment and to the trophic niche. Individuals from disturbed environments have a cephalic region with less shape variation and also have a larger centroid size when compared to individuals from undisturbed environments. The high heritability values obtained for shape and size in dorsal view and right side view indicate that these phenotypic characters have a great capacity to respond to the selection pressures to which they are subjected. Data obtained here could be used as an important tool when establishing guidelines for plans for the sustainable use and conservation of S. merianae and other species living in disturbed areas. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

HARD X-RAY EMISSION DURING FLARES AND PHOTOSPHERIC FIELD CHANGES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burtseva, O.; Petrie, G. J. D.; Pevtsov, A. A.; Martínez-Oliveros, J. C.

2015-01-01

We study the correlation between abrupt permanent changes of magnetic field during X-class flares observed by the Global Oscillation Network Group and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instruments, and the hard X-ray (HXR) emission observed by RHESSI, to relate the photospheric field changes to the coronal restructuring and investigate the origin of the field changes. We find that spatially the early RHESSI emission corresponds well to locations of the strong field changes. The field changes occur predominantly in the regions of strong magnetic field near the polarity inversion line (PIL). The later RHESSI emission does not correspond to significant field changes as the flare footpoints are moving away from the PIL. Most of the field changes start before or around the start time of the detectable HXR signal, and they end at about the same time or later than the detectable HXR flare emission. Some of the field changes propagate with speed close to that of the HXR footpoint at a later phase of the flare. The propagation of the field changes often takes place after the strongest peak in the HXR signal when the footpoints start moving away from the PIL, i.e., the field changes follow the same trajectory as the HXR footpoint, but at an earlier time. Thus, the field changes and HXR emission are spatio-temporally related but not co-spatial nor simultaneous. We also find that in the strongest X-class flares the amplitudes of the field changes peak a few minutes earlier than the peak of the HXR signal. We briefly discuss this observed time delay in terms of the formation of current sheets during eruptions

SIMULTANEOUS OBSERVATION OF SOLAR OSCILLATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CORONAL LOOPS FROM THE PHOTOSPHERE TO THE CORONA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, J. T.; Liu, S.; Zhang, Y. Z.; Zhao, H.; Xu, H. Q.; Xie, W. B. [Key Laboratory of Solar Activity, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100012 (China); Liu, Y. [National Astronomical Observatories/Yunnan Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650011 (China)

2013-01-01

The solar oscillations along one coronal loop in AR 11504 are observed simultaneously in white light emission and Doppler velocity by SDO/HMI, and in UV and EUV emissions by SDO/AIA. The technique of the time-distance diagram is used to detect the propagating oscillations of the emission intensities along the loop. We find that although all the oscillation signals were intercorrelated, the low chromospheric oscillation correlated more closely to the oscillations of the transition region and corona than to those of the photosphere. Situated above the sunspot, the oscillation periods were {approx}3 minutes in the UV/EUV emissions; however, moving away from the sunspot and into the quiet Sun, the periods became longer, e.g., up to {approx}5 minutes or more. In addition, along another loop we observe both the high-speed outflows and oscillations, which roughly had a one-to-one corresponding relationship. This indicates that the solar periodic oscillations may modulate the magnetic reconnections between the loops of the high and low altitudes that drive the high-speed outflows along the loop.

Photospheric Emission in the Joint GBM and Konus Prompt Spectra of GRB 120323A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guiriec, S.; Kouveliotou, C. [Department of Physics, The George Washington University, 725 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052 (United States); Gehrels, N.; McEnery, J. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Hartmann, D. H., E-mail: sylvain.guiriec@nasa.gov [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Kinard Lab of Physics (United States)

2017-09-10

GRB 120323A is a very intense short gamma -ray burst (GRB) detected simultaneously during its prompt γ -ray emission phase with the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the Konus experiment on board the Wind satellite. GBM and Konus operate in the keV–MeV regime; however, the GBM range is broader toward both the low and the high parts of the γ -ray spectrum. Analyses of such bright events provide a unique opportunity to check the consistency of the data analysis as well as cross-calibrate the two instruments. We performed time-integrated and coarse time-resolved spectral analysis of GRB 120323A prompt emission. We conclude that the analyses of GBM and Konus data are only consistent when using a double-hump spectral shape for both data sets; in contrast, the single hump of the empirical Band function, traditionally used to fit GRB prompt emission spectra, leads to significant discrepancies between GBM and Konus analysis results. Our two-hump model is a combination of a thermal-like and a non-thermal component. We interpret the first component as a natural manifestation of the jet photospheric emission.

FIRST SIMULTANEOUS DETECTION OF MOVING MAGNETIC FEATURES IN PHOTOSPHERIC INTENSITY AND MAGNETIC FIELD DATA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Eun-Kyung; Yurchyshyn, Vasyl; Goode, Philip

2012-01-01

The formation and the temporal evolution of a bipolar moving magnetic feature (MMF) was studied with high-spatial and temporal resolution. The photometric properties were observed with the New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory using a broadband TiO filter (705.7 nm), while the magnetic field was analyzed using the spectropolarimetric data obtained by Hinode. For the first time, we observed a bipolar MMF simultaneously in intensity images and magnetic field data, and studied the details of its structure. The vector magnetic field and the Doppler velocity of the MMF were also studied. A bipolar MMF with its positive polarity closer to the negative penumbra formed, accompanied by a bright, filamentary structure in the TiO data connecting the MMF and a dark penumbral filament. A fast downflow (≤2 km s –1 ) was detected at the positive polarity. The vector magnetic field obtained from the full Stokes inversion revealed that a bipolar MMF has a U-shaped magnetic field configuration. Our observations provide a clear intensity counterpart of the observed MMF in the photosphere, and strong evidence of the connection between the MMF and the penumbral filament as a serpentine field.

Nitrogen transformations and greenhouse gas emissions from a riparian wetland soil: An undisturbed soil column study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munoz-Leoz, Borja [Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, E-48013 Bilbao (Spain); Antigueedad, Inaki [Department of Geodynamic, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, E-48940 Leioa (Spain); Garbisu, Carlos [Department of Ecosystems, NEIKER-Tecnalia, E-48160 Derio (Spain); Ruiz-Romera, Estilita, E-mail: estilita.ruiz@ehu.es [Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, E-48013 Bilbao (Spain)

2011-01-15

Riparian wetlands bordering intensively managed agricultural fields can act as biological filters that retain and transform agrochemicals such as nitrate and pesticides. Nitrate removal in wetlands has usually been attributed to denitrification processes which in turn imply the production of greenhouse gases (CO{sub 2} and N{sub 2}O). Denitrification processes were studied in the Salburua wetland (northern Spain) by using undisturbed soil columns which were subsequently divided into three sections corresponding to A-, Bg- and B2g-soil horizons. Soil horizons were subjected to leaching with a 200 mg NO{sub 3}{sup -} L{sup -1} solution (rate: 90 mL day{sup -1}) for 125 days at two different temperatures (10 and 20 {sup o}C), using a new experimental design for leaching assays which enabled not only to evaluate leachate composition but also to measure gas emissions during the leaching process. Column leachate samples were analyzed for NO{sub 3}{sup -} concentration, NH{sub 4}{sup +} concentration, and dissolved organic carbon. Emissions of greenhouse gases (CO{sub 2} and N{sub 2}O) were determined in the undisturbed soil columns. The A horizon at 20 {sup o}C showed the highest rates of NO{sub 3}{sup -} removal (1.56 mg N-NO{sub 3}{sup -} kg{sup -1} DW soil day{sup -1}) and CO{sub 2} and N{sub 2}O production (5.89 mg CO{sub 2} kg{sup -1} DW soil day{sup -1} and 55.71 {mu}g N-N{sub 2}O kg{sup -1} DW soil day{sup -1}). For the Salburua wetland riparian soil, we estimated a potential nitrate removal capacity of 1012 kg N-NO{sub 3}{sup -} ha{sup -1} year{sup -1}, and potential greenhouse gas emissions of 5620 kg CO{sub 2} ha{sup -1} year{sup -1} and 240 kg N-N{sub 2}O ha{sup -1} year{sup -1}. - Research Highlights: {yields}A new experimental design is proposed for leaching assays to simulate nitrogen transformations in riparian wetland soil. {yields}Denitrification is the main process responsible for nitrate removal in the riparian zone of Salburua wetland. {yields

Vertical migration of 85Sr, 137Cs and 131I in various arable and undisturbed soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palagyi, S.; Palagyiova, J.

2002-01-01

Vertical migration of 85 Sr, 137 Cs and 131 I in some arable and undisturbed single-contaminated soils was studied by gamma-spectrometry measurements in lysimetric laboratory conditions applying irrigation of the soil profiles with wet atmospheric precipitation for about one year (except radioiodine). A new simple exponential compartment (box) model was derived, allowing us to calculate the migration rate constants and migration rates in the individual soil layers (vertical sections) as well as the total vertical migration rate constants and total vertical migration rates of radionuclides in the bulk soil horizon. The data from the time dependence of the depth activity distribution (radionuclide concentration along the vertical soil profile) were used to test the model. The migration rate constants and migration rates were found to be affected by the contaminating radionuclides as well as by the site, type and depth of the soil. The relaxation times of the radionuclides in the soil horizons were calculated. The effects on the rate parameters of the permanent grass cover and the zeolite applied onto the arable soil surfaces were also investigated

On the dependence of centre-to-limb contrast function of the photospheric faculae on their brightness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimov, L.A.; Belkina, I.L.; Dyatel, N.P.

1988-01-01

The photometric aspect of the facular model with horizontal inhomogeneities is considered. The modeling of such inhomogeneities can be represented by a relative shift along the sun radius of neighbouring in heliocentric angle Θ photospheric regions by the value of the optical depth Δτ. It is found that the calculated faculae contrast curve in continuum (λ ≅ 5000 A) depends sensitively on the size ratio of rising and sinking elements and on their relative shift in the optical depth. This causes the change of the peak in the contrast curve and in its intensity. The size of elements influences th contrast curve but slightly. The calculated contrast curve for Δτ=0,8 and for the size ratio of rising and sinking elements equal to 1 is in a good agreement with the observed contrast curve for strong faculae. The observed contrast curve for faint faculae gives a good fit to the calculated contrast curve for Δτ=0,4 and for the size ratio of rising and sinking structures equal to 1/5

Comparison of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in plants from disturbed and adjacent undisturbed regions of a coastal salt marsh in Clinton, Connecticut, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Cooke, John C.; Lefor, Michael W.

1990-01-01

Roots of salt marsh plant species Spartina alterniflora, S. patens, Distichlis spicata, and others were examined for the presence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi. Samples were taken from introduced planted material in a salt marsh restoration project and from native material in adjacent marsh areas along the Indian River, Clinton, Connecticut, USA. After ten years the replanted area still has sites devoid of vegetation. The salt marsh plants introduced there were devoid of VAM fungi, while high marsh species from the adjacent undisturbed region showed consistent infection, leading the authors to suggest that VAM fungal infection of planting stocks may be a factor in the success of marsh restoration.

Nitrate Leaching from Winter Cereal Cover Crops Using Undisturbed Soil-Column Lysimeters.

Science.gov (United States)

Meisinger, John J; Ricigliano, Kristin A

2017-05-01

Cover crops are important management practices for reducing nitrogen (N) leaching, especially in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which is under total maximum daily load (TMDL) restraints. Winter cereals are common cool-season crops in the Bay watershed, but studies have not directly compared nitrate-N (NO-N) leaching losses from these species. A 3-yr cover crop lysimeter study was conducted in Beltsville, MD, to directly compare NO-N leaching from a commonly grown cultivar of barley ( L.), rye ( L.), and wheat ( L.), along with a no-cover control, using eight tension-drained undisturbed soil column lysimeters in a completely randomized design with two replicates. The lysimeters were configured to exclude runoff and to estimate NO-N leaching and flow-weighted NO-N concentration (FWNC). The temporal pattern of NO-N leaching showed a consistent highly significant ( leaching with cover crops compared with no cover but showed only small and periodically significant ( leaching was more affected by the quantity of establishment-season (mid-October to mid-December) precipitation than by cover crop species. For example, compared with no cover, winter cereal covers reduced NO-N leaching 95% in a dry year and 50% in wet years, with corresponding reductions in FWNC of 92 and 43%, respectively. These results are important for scientists, nutrient managers, and policymakers because they directly compare NO-N leaching from winter cereal covers and expand knowledge for developing management practices for winter cereals that can improve water quality and increase N efficiency in cropping systems. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

The height variation of supergranular velocity fields determined from simultaneous OSO 8 satellite and ground-based observations

Science.gov (United States)

November, L. J.; Toomre, J.; Gebbie, K. B.; Simon, G. W.

1979-01-01

Results are reported for simultaneous satellite and ground-based observations of supergranular velocities in the sun, which were made using a UV spectrometer aboard OSO 8 and a diode-array instrument operating at the exit slit of an echelle spectrograph attached to a vacuum tower telescope. Observations of the steady Doppler velocities seen toward the limb in the middle chromosphere and the photosphere are compared; the observed spectral lines of Si II at 1817 A and Fe I at 5576 A are found to differ in height of formation by about 1400 km. The results show that supergranular motions are able to penetrate at least 11 density scale heights into the middle chromosphere, that the patterns of motion correlate well with the cellular structure seen in the photosphere, and that the motion increases from about 800 m/s in the photosphere to at least 3000 m/s in the middle chromosphere. These observations imply that supergranular velocities should be evident in the transition region and that strong horizontal shear layers in supergranulation should produce turbulence and internal gravity waves.

ON ESTIMATING FORCE-FREENESS BASED ON OBSERVED MAGNETOGRAMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, X. M.; Zhang, M.; Su, J. T.

2017-01-01

It is a common practice in the solar physics community to test whether or not measured photospheric or chromospheric vector magnetograms are force-free, using the Maxwell stress as a measure. Some previous studies have suggested that magnetic fields of active regions in the solar chromosphere are close to being force-free whereas there is no consistency among previous studies on whether magnetic fields of active regions in the solar photosphere are force-free or not. Here we use three kinds of representative magnetic fields (analytical force-free solutions, modeled solar-like force-free fields, and observed non-force-free fields) to discuss how measurement issues such as limited field of view (FOV), instrument sensitivity, and measurement error could affect the estimation of force-freeness based on observed magnetograms. Unlike previous studies that focus on discussing the effect of limited FOV or instrument sensitivity, our calculation shows that just measurement error alone can significantly influence the results of estimates of force-freeness, due to the fact that measurement errors in horizontal magnetic fields are usually ten times larger than those in vertical fields. This property of measurement errors, interacting with the particular form of a formula for estimating force-freeness, would result in wrong judgments of the force-freeness: a truly force-free field may be mistakenly estimated as being non-force-free and a truly non-force-free field may be estimated as being force-free. Our analysis calls for caution when interpreting estimates of force-freeness based on measured magnetograms, and also suggests that the true photospheric magnetic field may be further away from being force-free than it currently appears to be.

Comparative study of methods to estimate hydraulic parameters in the hydraulically undisturbed Opalinus Clay (Switzerland)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, C.; Matray, J.-M. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, Fontenay-aux-Roses, (France); Yu, C.; Gonçalvès, J. [Aix Marseille Université UMR 6635 CEREGE Technopôle Environnement Arbois-Méditerranée Aix-en-Provence, Cedex 4 (France); and others

2017-04-15

The deep borehole (DB) experiment gave the opportunity to acquire hydraulic parameters in a hydraulically undisturbed zone of the Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland). Three methods were used to estimate hydraulic conductivity and specific storage values of the Opalinus Clay formation and its bounding formations through the 248 m deep borehole BDB-1: application of a Poiseuille-type law involving petrophysical measurements, spectral analysis of pressure time series and in situ hydraulic tests. The hydraulic conductivity range in the Opalinus Clay given by the first method is 2 × 10{sup -14}-6 × 10{sup -13} m s{sup -1} for a cementation factor ranging between 2 and 3. These results show low vertical variability whereas in situ hydraulic tests suggest higher values up to 7 × 10{sup -12} m s{sup -1}. Core analysis provides economical estimates of the homogeneous matrix hydraulic properties but do not account for heterogeneities at larger scale such as potential tectonic conductive features. Specific storage values obtained by spectral analysis are consistent and in the order of 10{sup -6} m{sup -1}, while formulations using phase shift and gain between pore pressure signals were found to be inappropriate to evaluate hydraulic conductivity in the Opalinus Clay. The values obtained are globally in good agreement with the ones obtained previously at the rock laboratory. (authors)

Influence of organic amendments on diuron leaching through an acidic and a calcareous vineyard soil using undisturbed lysimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thevenot, M.; Dousset, S.; Rousseaux, S.; Andreux, F.

2008-01-01

The influence of different organic amendments on diuron leaching was studied through undisturbed vineyard soil columns. Two composts (A and D), the second at two stages of maturity, and two soils (VR and Bj) were sampled. After 1 year, the amount of residues (diuron + metabolites) in the leachates of the VR soil (0.19-0.71%) was lower than in the Bj soil (4.27-8.23%), which could be explained by stronger diuron adsorption on VR. An increase in the amount of diuron leached through the amended soil columns, compared to the blank, was observed for the Bj soil only. This result may be explained by the formation of mobile complexes between diuron and water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) through the Bj soil, or by competition between diuron and WEOM for the adsorption sites in the soil. For both soils, the nature of the composts and their degree of maturity did not significantly influence diuron leaching. - The application of organic amendments increased diuron leaching through a sandy-loam soil, in contrast to a clay-loam soil

Influence of organic amendments on diuron leaching through an acidic and a calcareous vineyard soil using undisturbed lysimeters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thevenot, M. [UMR 1229 Microbiologie et Geochimie des Sols, CMSE, INRA - Universite de Bourgogne, UFR des Sciences de la Terre et de l' Environnement, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon (France)], E-mail: mathieu.thevenot@u-bourgogne.fr; Dousset, S. [UMR 5561 Biogeosciences, CNRS - Universite de Bourgogne, UFR des Sciences de la Terre et de l' Environnement, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon (France); Rousseaux, S. [EA 4149 Laboratoire de Recherche en Vigne et Vin, Institut Universitaire de la Vigne et du Vin, rue Claude Ladrey, 21000 Dijon (France); Andreux, F. [UMR 1229 Microbiologie et Geochimie des Sols, CMSE, INRA - Universite de Bourgogne, UFR des Sciences de la Terre et de l' Environnement, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon (France)

2008-05-15

The influence of different organic amendments on diuron leaching was studied through undisturbed vineyard soil columns. Two composts (A and D), the second at two stages of maturity, and two soils (VR and Bj) were sampled. After 1 year, the amount of residues (diuron + metabolites) in the leachates of the VR soil (0.19-0.71%) was lower than in the Bj soil (4.27-8.23%), which could be explained by stronger diuron adsorption on VR. An increase in the amount of diuron leached through the amended soil columns, compared to the blank, was observed for the Bj soil only. This result may be explained by the formation of mobile complexes between diuron and water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) through the Bj soil, or by competition between diuron and WEOM for the adsorption sites in the soil. For both soils, the nature of the composts and their degree of maturity did not significantly influence diuron leaching. - The application of organic amendments increased diuron leaching through a sandy-loam soil, in contrast to a clay-loam soil.

What is the Relationship Between the Properties of Photospheric Flows and Flares?

Science.gov (United States)

Welsch, Brian; Li, Y.; Schuck, P. W.; Fisher, G. H.

2009-05-01

We estimated photospheric velocities by separately applying the Fourier Local Correlation Tracking (FLCT) and Differential Affine Velocity Estimator (DAVE) methods to 2708 co-registered pairs of SOHO/MDI magnetograms, with nominal 96-minute cadence, from 46 active regions (ARs) from 1996-1998 over the time interval κ45 when each AR was within 45° of disk center. For each magnetogram pair, we computed the average estimated radial magnetic field, BR and each tracking method produced an independently estimated flow field, u. We then quantitatively characterized these magnetic and flow fields by computing several extrinsic and intrinsic properties of each; extrinsic properties scale with AR size, while intrinsic properties do not depend directly on AR size. Intrinsic flow properties included moments of speeds, horizontal divergences, and radial curls; extrinsic flow properties included included sums of these properties, and a crude proxy for the ideal Poynting flux, ∑ |u| BR2. Several quantities derived from BR were also computed, including: total unsigned flux, Φ a measure of the amount of unsigned flux near strong-field polarity inversion lines (SPILs), R and ∑ BR2. Next, using correlation and discriminant analysis, we investigated the associations between derived properties and average flare flux determined from the GOES flare catalog, when averaged over both κ45 and shorter time windows, of 6 and 24 hours. Our AR sample included both flaring and flare-quiet ARs; the latter did not flare above GOES C1.0 level during κ45. Among magnetic properties, we found R to be most strongly associated with flare flux. Among extrinsic flow properties, the proxy Poynting flux, ∑ |u| BR2, was most strongly associated with flux, at a level comparable to that of R. All intrinsic flow properties studied were more poorly associated with flare flux than these magnetic properties.

MODELING THE ROSSITER–MCLAUGHLIN EFFECT: IMPACT OF THE CONVECTIVE CENTER-TO-LIMB VARIATIONS IN THE STELLAR PHOTOSPHERE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cegla, H. M.; Watson, C. A. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen’s University Belfast, University Road, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Oshagh, M.; Figueira, P.; Santos, N. C. [Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciências do Espaço, Universidade do Porto, CAUP, Rua das Estrelas, PT4150-762 Porto (Portugal); Shelyag, S., E-mail: h.cegla@qub.ac.uk [Monash Centre for Astrophysics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800 (Australia)

2016-03-01

Observations of the Rossiter–McLaughlin (RM) effect provide information on star–planet alignments, which can inform planetary migration and evolution theories. Here, we go beyond the classical RM modeling and explore the impact of a convective blueshift that varies across the stellar disk and non-Gaussian stellar photospheric profiles. We simulated an aligned hot Jupiter with a four-day orbit about a Sun-like star and injected center-to-limb velocity (and profile shape) variations based on radiative 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations of solar surface convection. The residuals between our modeling and classical RM modeling were dependent on the intrinsic profile width and v sin i; the amplitude of the residuals increased with increasing v sin i and with decreasing intrinsic profile width. For slowly rotating stars the center-to-limb convective variation dominated the residuals (with amplitudes of 10 s of cm s{sup −1} to ∼1 m s{sup −1}); however, for faster rotating stars the dominant residual signature was due a non-Gaussian intrinsic profile (with amplitudes from 0.5 to 9 m s{sup −1}). When the impact factor was 0, neglecting to account for the convective center-to-limb variation led to an uncertainty in the obliquity of ∼10°–20°, even though the true v sin i was known. Additionally, neglecting to properly model an asymmetric intrinsic profile had a greater impact for more rapidly rotating stars (e.g., v sin i = 6 km s{sup −1}) and caused systematic errors on the order of ∼20° in the measured obliquities. Hence, neglecting the impact of stellar surface convection may bias star–planet alignment measurements and consequently theories on planetary migration and evolution.

Rapid phenotyping of crop root systems in undisturbed field soils using X-ray computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeifer, Johannes; Kirchgessner, Norbert; Colombi, Tino; Walter, Achim

2015-01-01

X-ray computed tomography (CT) has become a powerful tool for root phenotyping. Compared to rather classical, destructive methods, CT encompasses various advantages. In pot experiments the growth and development of the same individual root can be followed over time and in addition the unaltered configuration of the 3D root system architecture (RSA) interacting with a real field soil matrix can be studied. Yet, the throughput, which is essential for a more widespread application of CT for basic research or breeding programs, suffers from the bottleneck of rapid and standardized segmentation methods to extract root structures. Using available methods, root segmentation is done to a large extent manually, as it requires a lot of interactive parameter optimization and interpretation and therefore needs a lot of time. Based on commercially available software, this paper presents a protocol that is faster, more standardized and more versatile compared to existing segmentation methods, particularly if used to analyse field samples collected in situ. To the knowledge of the authors this is the first study approaching to develop a comprehensive segmentation method suitable for comparatively large columns sampled in situ which contain complex, not necessarily connected root systems from multiple plants grown in undisturbed field soil. Root systems from several crops were sampled in situ and CT-volumes determined with the presented method were compared to root dry matter of washed root samples. A highly significant (P < 0.01) and strong correlation (R(2) = 0.84) was found, demonstrating the value of the presented method in the context of field research. Subsequent to segmentation, a method for the measurement of root thickness distribution has been used. Root thickness is a central RSA trait for various physiological research questions such as root growth in compacted soil or under oxygen deficient soil conditions, but hardly assessable in high throughput until today, due

On the presence of electric currents in the solar atmosphere. I - A theoretical framework

Science.gov (United States)

Hagyard, M.; Low, B. C.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E.

1981-01-01

The general magnetic field above the solar photosphere is divided by an elementary analysis based on Ampere's law into two parts: a potential field due to electric currents below the photosphere and a field produced by electric currents above the photosphere combined with the induced mirror currents. The latter, by symmetry, has a set of field lines lying in the plane taken to be the photosphere which may be constructed from given vector magnetograph measurements. These field lines also represent all the information on the electric currents above the photosphere that a magnetograph can provide. Theoretical illustrations are given, and implications for data analysis are discussed.

Very high flux steady state reactor and accelerator based sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ludewig, H.; Todosow, M.; Simos, N.; Shapiro, S.; Hastings, J.

2004-01-01

With the number of steady state neutron sources in the US declining (including the demise of the Bnl HFBR) the remaining intense sources are now in Europe (i.e. reactors - ILL and FMR, accelerator - PSI). The intensity of the undisturbed thermal flux for sources currently in operation ranges from 10 14 n/cm 2 *s to 10 15 n/cm 2 *s. The proposed Advanced Neutron Source (ANS) was to be a high power reactor (about 350 MW) with a projected undisturbed thermal flux of 7*10 15 n/cm 2 *s but never materialized. The objective of the current study is to explore the requirements and implications of two source concepts with an undisturbed flux of 10 16 n/cm 2 *s. The first is a reactor based concept operating at high power density (10 MW/l - 15 MW/l) and a total power of 100 MW - 250 MW, depending on fissile enrichment. The second is an accelerator based concept relying on a 1 GeV - 1.5 GeV proton Linac with a total beam power of 40 MW and a liquid lead-bismuth eutectic target. In the reactor source study, the effects of fissile material enrichment, coolant temperature and pressure drop, and estimates of pressure vessel stress levels will be investigated. The fuel form for the reactor will be different from all other operating source reactors in that it is proposed to use an infiltrated graphitic structure, which has been developed for nuclear thermal propulsion reactor applications. In the accelerator based source the generation of spallation products and their activation levels, and the material damage sustained by the beam window will be investigated. (authors)

The Coincident Coherence of Extreme Doppler Velocity Events with p-mode Patches in the Solar Photosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

McClure, Rachel Lee

2018-06-01

Observations of the solar photosphere show many spatially compact Doppler velocity events with short life spans and extreme values. In the IMaX spectropolarimetric inversion data of the first flight of the SUNRISE balloon in 2009 these striking flashes in the intergranule lanes and complementary outstanding values in the centers of granules have line of sight Doppler velocity values in excess of 4 sigma from the mean. We conclude that values outside 4 sigma are a result from the superposition of the granulation flows and the p-modes.To determine how granulation and p-modes contribute to these outstanding Doppler events, I separate the two components using the Fast Fourier Transform. I produce the power spectrum of the spatial wave frequencies and their corresponding frequency in time for each image, and create a k-omega filter to separate the two components. Using the filtered data, test the hypothesis that extreme events occur because of strict superposition between the p-mode Doppler velocities and the granular velocities. I compare event counts from the observational data to those produced by random superposition of the two flow components and find that the observational event counts are consistent with the model event counts in the limit of small number statistics. Poisson count probabilities of event numbers observed are consistent with expected model count probability distributions.

The Small-scale Structure of Photospheric Convection Retrieved by a Deconvolution Technique Applied to Hinode /SP Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oba, T. [SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252–5210 (Japan); Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K. [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (MPS), Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany); Iida, Y. [Department of Science and Technology/Kwansei Gakuin University, Gakuen 2-1, Sanda, Hyogo, 669–1337 Japan (Japan); Quintero Noda, C.; Shimizu, T. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252–5210 (Japan)

2017-11-01

Solar granules are bright patterns surrounded by dark channels, called intergranular lanes, in the solar photosphere and are a manifestation of overshooting convection. Observational studies generally find stronger upflows in granules and weaker downflows in intergranular lanes. This trend is, however, inconsistent with the results of numerical simulations in which downflows are stronger than upflows through the joint action of gravitational acceleration/deceleration and pressure gradients. One cause of this discrepancy is the image degradation caused by optical distortion and light diffraction and scattering that takes place in an imaging instrument. We apply a deconvolution technique to Hinode /SP data in an attempt to recover the original solar scene. Our results show a significant enhancement in both the convective upflows and downflows but particularly for the latter. After deconvolution, the up- and downflows reach maximum amplitudes of −3.0 km s{sup −1} and +3.0 km s{sup −1} at an average geometrical height of roughly 50 km, respectively. We found that the velocity distributions after deconvolution match those derived from numerical simulations. After deconvolution, the net LOS velocity averaged over the whole field of view lies close to zero as expected in a rough sense from mass balance.

Undisturbed dust as a metric of long-term indoor insecticide exposure: Residential DDT contamination from indoor residual spraying and its association with serum levels in the VHEMBE cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaspar, Fraser W; Chevrier, Jonathan; Bornman, Riana; Crause, Madelein; Obida, Muvhulawa; Barr, Dana Boyd; Bradman, Asa; Bouwman, Henk; Eskenazi, Brenda

2015-12-01

Although approximately 123 million people may be exposed to high levels of insecticides through the use of indoor residual spraying (IRS) for malaria control, few studies exist on indoor insecticide contamination due to IRS and its relationship with human exposure. In the present study, we developed a sampling method to collect undisturbed dust from 50 homes in Limpopo, South Africa, a region where dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has been used in IRS programs to prevent malaria for ~70years. We quantified DDT and its degradation products, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) in dust samples to determine dust loading levels and compared these levels to paired serum concentrations of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE in women residents. p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE had the highest detection frequencies in both dust (58% and 34% detection, respectively) and serum samples (98% and 100% detection, respectively). Significantly higher detection frequencies for o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDD were observed in dust samples collected in buildings that had been previously sprayed for malaria control. We also observed a significant, positive association between dust loading and serum concentrations of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE (Spearman's rho=0.68 and 0.54, respectively). Despite the low detection frequency in dust, our results indicate that undisturbed dust may be a good metric to quantify long-term home exposure to DDT-related compounds and that contamination of the home environment may be an important determinant/source of DDT and DDE exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creation of the CMB spectrum: precise analytic solutions for the blackbody photosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khatri, Rishi; Sunyaev, Rashid A., E-mail: khatri@mpa-garching.mpg.de, E-mail: sunyaev@mpa-Garching.mpg.de [Max Planck Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, 85741 Garching (Germany)

2012-06-01

The blackbody spectrum of CMB was created in the blackbody photosphere at redshifts z∼>2 × 10{sup 6}. At these early times, the Universe was dense and hot enough that complete thermal equilibrium between baryonic matter (electrons and ions) and photons could be established on time scales much shorter than the age of the Universe. Any perturbation away from the blackbody spectrum was suppressed exponentially. New physics, for example annihilation and decay of dark matter, can add energy and photons to CMB at redshifts z∼>10{sup 5} and result in a Bose-Einstein spectrum with a non-zero chemical potential (μ). Precise evolution of the CMB spectrum around the critical redshift of z ≅ 2 × 10{sup 6} is required in order to calculate the μ-type spectral distortion and constrain the underlying new physics. Although numerical calculation of important processes involved (double Compton process, comptonization and bremsstrahlung) is not difficult with present day computers, analytic solutions are much faster and easier to calculate and provide valuable physical insights. We provide precise (better than 1%) analytic solutions for the decay of μ, created at an earlier epoch, including all three processes, double Compton, Compton scattering on thermal electrons and bremsstrahlung in the limit of small distortions. This is a significant improvement over the existing solutions with accuracy ∼ 10% or worse. We also give a census of important sources of energy injection into CMB in standard cosmology. In particular, calculations of distortions from electron-positron annihilation and primordial nucleosynthesis illustrate in a dramatic way the strength of the equilibrium restoring processes in the early Universe. Finally, we point out the triple degeneracy in standard cosmology, i.e., the μ and y distortions from adiabatic cooling of baryons and electrons, Silk damping and annihilation of thermally produced WIMP dark matter are of similar order of magnitude ( ∼ 10{sup

Small scale temporal distribution of radiocesium in undisturbed coniferous forest soil: Radiocesium depth distribution profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Teramage, Mengistu T; Onda, Yuichi; Kato, Hiroaki

2016-04-01

The depth distribution of pre-Fukushima and Fukushima-derived (137)Cs in undisturbed coniferous forest soil was investigated at four sampling dates from nine months to 18 months after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. The migration rate and short-term temporal variability among the sampling profiles were evaluated. Taking the time elapsed since the peak deposition of pre-Fukushima (137)Cs and the median depth of the peaks, its downward displacement rates ranged from 0.15 to 0.67 mm yr(-1) with a mean of 0.46 ± 0.25 mm yr(-1). On the other hand, in each examined profile considerable amount of the Fukushima-derived (137)Cs was found in the organic layer (51%-92%). At this moment, the effect of time-distance on the downward distribution of Fukushima-derived (137)Cs seems invisible as its large portion is still found in layers where organic matter is maximal. This indicates that organic matter seems the primary and preferential sorbent of radiocesium that could be associated with the physical blockage of the exchanging sites by organic-rich dusts that act as a buffer against downward propagation of radiocesium, implying radiocesium to be remained in the root zone for considerable time period. As a result, this soil section can be a potential source of radiation dose largely due to high radiocesium concentration coupled with its low density. Generally, such kind of information will be useful to establish a dynamic safety-focused decision support system to ease and assist management actions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of grass cover on water and pesticide transport through undisturbed soil columns, comparison with field study (Morcille watershed, Beaujolais).

Science.gov (United States)

Dousset, S; Thévenot, M; Schrack, D; Gouy, V; Carluer, N

2010-07-01

The purpose of this work is to assess the effectiveness of two grass covers (buffer zone and grass-covered inter-row), to reduce pesticide leaching, and subsequently to preserve groundwater quality. Lower amounts of pesticides leached through grass-cover soil columns (2.7-24.3% of the initial amount) than the bare soil columns (8.0-55.1%), in correspondence with their sorption coefficients. Diuron was recovered in higher amounts in leachates (8.9-32.2%) than tebuconazole (2.7-12.9%), in agreement with their sorption coefficients. However, despite having a sorption coefficient similar to that of diuron, more procymidone was recovered in the leachates (10.2-55.1%), probably due to its facilitated transport by dissolved organic matter. Thus even in this very permeable soil, higher organic matter contents associated with grass-cover reduce the amount of pesticide leaching and limit the risk of groundwater contamination by the pesticides. The results of diuron and tebuconazole transfer through undisturbed buffer zone soil columns are in agreement with field observations on the buffer zone. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formation and Initiation of Erupting Flux Rope and Embedded Filament Driven by Photospheric Converging Motion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao Xiaozhou; Gan, Weiqun [Key Laboratory of Dark Matter and Space Astronomy, Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 210008 Nanjing (China); Xia, Chun; Keppens, Rony, E-mail: zhaoxz@pmo.ac.cn, E-mail: wqgan@pmo.ac.cn, E-mail: chun.xia@kuleuven.be, E-mail: rony.keppens@kuleuven.be [Centre for mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Department of Mathematics, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200B, 3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2017-06-01

In this paper, we study how a flux rope (FR) is formed and evolves into the corresponding structure of a coronal mass ejection (CME) numerically driven by photospheric converging motion. A two-and-a-half-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulation is conducted in a chromosphere-transition-corona setup. The initial arcade-like linear force-free magnetic field is driven by an imposed slow motion converging toward the magnetic inversion line at the bottom boundary. The convergence brings opposite-polarity magnetic flux to the polarity inversion, giving rise to the formation of an FR by magnetic reconnection and eventually to the eruption of a CME. During the FR formation, an embedded prominence gets formed by the levitation of chromospheric material. We confirm that the converging flow is a potential mechanism for the formation of FRs and a possible triggering mechanism for CMEs. We investigate the thermal, dynamical, and magnetic properties of the FR and its embedded prominence by tracking their thermal evolution, analyzing their force balance, and measuring their kinematic quantities. The phase transition from the initiation phase to the acceleration phase of the kinematic evolution of the FR was observed in our simulation. The FR undergoes a series of quasi-static equilibrium states in the initiation phase; while in the acceleration phase the FR is driven by Lorentz force and the impulsive acceleration occurs. The underlying physical reason for the phase transition is the change of the reconnection mechanism from the Sweet–Parker to the unsteady bursty regime of reconnection in the evolving current sheet underneath the FR.

Effect of grass cover on water and pesticide transport through undisturbed soil columns, comparison with field study (Morcille watershed, Beaujolais)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dousset, S., E-mail: sylvie.dousset@limos.uhp-nancy.f [Nancy-Universite, CNRS, LIMOS, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Thevenot, M. [Universite de Lille 1, CNRS, Geosystemes, 59655 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Schrack, D. [INRA-SAD ASTER, 88500 Mirecourt (France); AFSSA, Laboratoire d' Etudes et de Recherches en Hydrologie, 54000 Nancy (France); Gouy, V.; Carluer, N. [UR Milieux Aquatiques, Ecologie et Pollution, Cemagref, 69336 Lyon Cedex (France)

2010-07-15

The purpose of this work is to assess the effectiveness of two grass covers (buffer zone and grass-covered inter-row), to reduce pesticide leaching, and subsequently to preserve groundwater quality. Lower amounts of pesticides leached through grass-cover soil columns (2.7-24.3% of the initial amount) than the bare soil columns (8.0-55.1%), in correspondence with their sorption coefficients. Diuron was recovered in higher amounts in leachates (8.9-32.2%) than tebuconazole (2.7-12.9%), in agreement with their sorption coefficients. However, despite having a sorption coefficient similar to that of diuron, more procymidone was recovered in the leachates (10.2-55.1%), probably due to its facilitated transport by dissolved organic matter. Thus even in this very permeable soil, higher organic matter contents associated with grass-cover reduce the amount of pesticide leaching and limit the risk of groundwater contamination by the pesticides. The results of diuron and tebuconazole transfer through undisturbed buffer zone soil columns are in agreement with field observations on the buffer zone. - Grass-covered soils reduce the amount of pesticide leaching, due mainly to their higher organic matter contents, thereby reducing the risk of groundwater contamination.

Effect of grass cover on water and pesticide transport through undisturbed soil columns, comparison with field study (Morcille watershed, Beaujolais)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dousset, S.; Thevenot, M.; Schrack, D.; Gouy, V.; Carluer, N.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this work is to assess the effectiveness of two grass covers (buffer zone and grass-covered inter-row), to reduce pesticide leaching, and subsequently to preserve groundwater quality. Lower amounts of pesticides leached through grass-cover soil columns (2.7-24.3% of the initial amount) than the bare soil columns (8.0-55.1%), in correspondence with their sorption coefficients. Diuron was recovered in higher amounts in leachates (8.9-32.2%) than tebuconazole (2.7-12.9%), in agreement with their sorption coefficients. However, despite having a sorption coefficient similar to that of diuron, more procymidone was recovered in the leachates (10.2-55.1%), probably due to its facilitated transport by dissolved organic matter. Thus even in this very permeable soil, higher organic matter contents associated with grass-cover reduce the amount of pesticide leaching and limit the risk of groundwater contamination by the pesticides. The results of diuron and tebuconazole transfer through undisturbed buffer zone soil columns are in agreement with field observations on the buffer zone. - Grass-covered soils reduce the amount of pesticide leaching, due mainly to their higher organic matter contents, thereby reducing the risk of groundwater contamination.

Evolution and dynamics of orphan penumbrae in the solar photosphere: Analysis from multi-instrument observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuccarello, Francesca; Guglielmino, Salvo L.; Romano, Paolo

2014-01-01

We investigate the dynamics and magnetic properties of orphan penumbrae observed in the solar photosphere to understand the formation process of such structures. We observed two orphan penumbrae in active region NOAA 11089 during a coordinated observing campaign carried out in 2010 July, involving the Hinode/Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) and Dutch Open Telescope (DOT), benefiting also from continuous observations acquired by the SDO satellite. We follow their evolution during about three days. The two structures form in different ways: one seems to break off the penumbra of a nearby sunspot, the other is formed through the emergence of new flux. Then they fragment while evolving. The SDO Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager measurements indicate the presence of strong line-of-sight motions in the regions occupied by these orphan penumbrae, lasting for several hours and decreasing with time. This is confirmed by SOT spectro-polarimetric measurements of the Fe I 630.2 nm pair. The latter also show that Stokes parameters exhibit significant asymmetries in the orphan penumbral regions, typical of an uncombed filamentary structure. The orphan penumbrae lie above polarity inversion lines, where peculiar plasma motions take place with velocities larger than ±3 km s –1 . The vector magnetic field in these regions is highly inclined, with the average magnetic field strength decreasing with time. The DOT observations in the Hα line and SDO Atmospheric Imaging Assembly measurements in the He II 30.4 nm line indicate that there is no counterpart for the orphan penumbrae at midchromospheric heights or above. Our findings suggest that in at least one of the features investigated the emerging flux may be trapped in the low atmospheric layers by the overlying pre-existing fields, forming these filamentary structures.

Evolution and dynamics of orphan penumbrae in the solar photosphere: Analysis from multi-instrument observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zuccarello, Francesca [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, I-95123 Catania (Italy); Guglielmino, Salvo L.; Romano, Paolo, E-mail: fzu@oact.inaf.it [INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, I-95123 Catania (Italy)

2014-05-20

We investigate the dynamics and magnetic properties of orphan penumbrae observed in the solar photosphere to understand the formation process of such structures. We observed two orphan penumbrae in active region NOAA 11089 during a coordinated observing campaign carried out in 2010 July, involving the Hinode/Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) and Dutch Open Telescope (DOT), benefiting also from continuous observations acquired by the SDO satellite. We follow their evolution during about three days. The two structures form in different ways: one seems to break off the penumbra of a nearby sunspot, the other is formed through the emergence of new flux. Then they fragment while evolving. The SDO Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager measurements indicate the presence of strong line-of-sight motions in the regions occupied by these orphan penumbrae, lasting for several hours and decreasing with time. This is confirmed by SOT spectro-polarimetric measurements of the Fe I 630.2 nm pair. The latter also show that Stokes parameters exhibit significant asymmetries in the orphan penumbral regions, typical of an uncombed filamentary structure. The orphan penumbrae lie above polarity inversion lines, where peculiar plasma motions take place with velocities larger than ±3 km s{sup –1}. The vector magnetic field in these regions is highly inclined, with the average magnetic field strength decreasing with time. The DOT observations in the Hα line and SDO Atmospheric Imaging Assembly measurements in the He II 30.4 nm line indicate that there is no counterpart for the orphan penumbrae at midchromospheric heights or above. Our findings suggest that in at least one of the features investigated the emerging flux may be trapped in the low atmospheric layers by the overlying pre-existing fields, forming these filamentary structures.

Evolution and Dynamics of Orphan Penumbrae in the Solar Photosphere: Analysis from Multi-instrument Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Zuccarello, Francesca; Guglielmino, Salvo L.; Romano, Paolo

2014-05-01

We investigate the dynamics and magnetic properties of orphan penumbrae observed in the solar photosphere to understand the formation process of such structures. We observed two orphan penumbrae in active region NOAA 11089 during a coordinated observing campaign carried out in 2010 July, involving the Hinode/Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) and Dutch Open Telescope (DOT), benefiting also from continuous observations acquired by the SDO satellite. We follow their evolution during about three days. The two structures form in different ways: one seems to break off the penumbra of a nearby sunspot, the other is formed through the emergence of new flux. Then they fragment while evolving. The SDO Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager measurements indicate the presence of strong line-of-sight motions in the regions occupied by these orphan penumbrae, lasting for several hours and decreasing with time. This is confirmed by SOT spectro-polarimetric measurements of the Fe I 630.2 nm pair. The latter also show that Stokes parameters exhibit significant asymmetries in the orphan penumbral regions, typical of an uncombed filamentary structure. The orphan penumbrae lie above polarity inversion lines, where peculiar plasma motions take place with velocities larger than ±3 km s-1. The vector magnetic field in these regions is highly inclined, with the average magnetic field strength decreasing with time. The DOT observations in the Hα line and SDO Atmospheric Imaging Assembly measurements in the He II 30.4 nm line indicate that there is no counterpart for the orphan penumbrae at midchromospheric heights or above. Our findings suggest that in at least one of the features investigated the emerging flux may be trapped in the low atmospheric layers by the overlying pre-existing fields, forming these filamentary structures.

Magnetic field configurations associated with polarity intrusion in a solar active region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Low, B.C.

1982-01-01

This paper presents a new class of exact solutions describing the non-linear force-free-field above a spatially localized photospheric bipolar magnetic region. An essential feature is the variation in all three Cartesian directions and this could not be modelled adequately with previously known symmetric force-free fields. Sequences of force-free fields are constructed and analyzed to simulate the slow growth of a pair of spots on the photosphere. The acis connecting the spots executes roational motion, distorting the photospheric neutral line separating fluxes of opposite signs. We show directly from the analytic solutions that the resulting reversal of the positions of the spots relative to the background field is associated with (i) the creation of magnetic free energy, (ii) the severe shearing of localized low-lying loops in the vicinity where the photospheric transverse field aligns with the photospheric neutral line, and (iii) the emergence and disappearance of flux from the photosphere at these highly stressed regions. The model relates theoretically for the first time these different magnetic field features that have been suggested by observation and theoretical considerations to be flare precursors. A general formula, based on the virial theorem, is also given for the free energy of a force-free field, strictly in terms of the field value at the photosphere. This formula has obvious practical application. (orig.)

Quantitative imaging of the 3-D distribution of cation adsorption sites in undisturbed soil

Science.gov (United States)

Keck, Hannes; Strobel, Bjarne W.; Petter Gustafsson, Jon; Koestel, John

2017-10-01

Several studies have shown that the distribution of cation adsorption sites (CASs) is patchy at a millimetre to centimetre scale. Often, larger concentrations of CASs in biopores or aggregate coatings have been reported in the literature. This heterogeneity has implications on the accessibility of CASs and may influence the performance of soil system models that assume a spatially homogeneous distribution of CASs. In this study, we present a new method to quantify the abundance and 3-D distribution of CASs in undisturbed soil that allows for investigating CAS densities with distance to the soil macropores. We used X-ray imaging with Ba2+ as a contrast agent. Ba2+ has a high adsorption affinity to CASs and is widely used as an index cation to measure the cation exchange capacity (CEC). Eight soil cores (approx. 10 cm3) were sampled from three locations with contrasting texture and organic matter contents. The CASs of our samples were saturated with Ba2+ in the laboratory using BaCl2 (0.3 mol L-1). Afterwards, KCl (0.1 mol L-1) was used to rinse out Ba2+ ions that were not bound to CASs. Before and after this process the samples were scanned using an industrial X-ray scanner. Ba2+ bound to CASs was then visualized in 3-D by the difference image technique. The resulting difference images were interpreted as depicting the Ba2+ bound to CASs only. The X-ray image-derived CEC correlated significantly with results of the commonly used ammonium acetate method to determine CEC in well-mixed samples. The CEC of organic-matter-rich samples seemed to be systematically overestimated and in the case of the clay-rich samples with less organic matter the CEC seemed to be systematically underestimated. The results showed that the distribution of the CASs varied spatially within most of our samples down to a millimetre scale. There was no systematic relation between the location of CASs and the soil macropore structure. We are convinced that the approach proposed here will strongly

The behavior of radioactive 137Cs and stable Cs at the isolated undisturbed mountain pond in Fukui, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwamoto, Kazumi; Kimura, Makio; Ando, Kenji; Amano, Hikaru

2003-01-01

The behavior of radioactive 137 Cs and stable Cs at the isolated undisturbed mountain pond in Fukui, Japan was studied for the pond water, the sedimentary grains and the soil near the pond. The concentrations of 137 Cs and stable Cs in the pond water ranged from 0.23 to 0.85 Bq/m 3 and from 0.005 to 0.018 mg/m 3 , respectively. The sedimentary grains were sorted by sieving into fractions with diameter from 2 mm to less than 38 μm. The concentrations of 137 Cs and stable Cs in the sorted grains were measured, and those of the adsorbed state were determined by subtracting the concentration of the grain matrix. The adsorbed concentrations increased with decrease in particle diameter and depended less on the kind of samples. The in-situ distribution coefficient Kd depended largely on particle diameter and increased with the decrease in diameter. The values of Kd ranged from about 20 to 1200 m 3 /kg for stable Cs and about 15 to 1000 m 3 /kg for 137 Cs, and the Kd of 137 Cs seemed to be slightly smaller than that of stable Cs. The concentration of stable Cs in the sedimentary mud was found to be close to that of the fine grains. The concentrations of stable Cs in the soil near the pond was about 7.7 mg/kg, and that of 137 Cs was about 0.6 kBq/kg for the surface layer soil and decreased with increase in soil depth. (author)

Radiocesium storage in soil microbial biomass of undisturbed alpine meadow soils and its relation to 137Cs soil-plant transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stemmer, Michael; Hromatka, Angelika; Lettner, Herbert; Strebl, Friederike

2005-01-01

This study focuses on radiocesium storage in soil microbial biomass of undisturbed alpine meadow sites and its relation to the soil-to-plant transfer. Soil and plant samples were taken in August 1999 from an altitude transect (800-1600 m.a.s.l.) at Gastein valley, Austria. Soil samples were subdivided into 3-cm layers for analyses of total, K 2 SO 4 -extractable and microbially stored 137 Cs. Microbial biomass was measured by the fumigation extraction method, and fungal biomass was quantified using ergosterol as biomarker molecule. In general, the quantity of 137 Cs stored in the living soil microbial biomass was relatively small. At the high-altitude meadows, showing high amounts of fungal biomass, microbially stored 137 Cs amounted to 0.64 ± 0.14 kBq m -2 which corresponds to about 1.2-2.7% of the total 137 Cs soil inventory. At lower altitudes, microbial 137 Cs content was distinctly smaller and in most cases not measurable at all using the fumigation extraction method. However, a positive correlation between the observed soil-to-plant aggregated transfer factor, microbially stored 137 Cs and fungal biomass was found, which indicates a possible role of fungal biomass in the storage and turnover of 137 Cs in soils and in the 137 Cs uptake by plants

Intercomparison of ground based and satellite pictures of the sun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, R.D.; Epstein, G.L.; Hobbs, R.W.; Neupert, W.M.; Thomas, R.J.

1975-01-01

Using NASA facilities in space (OSO-7) and on the ground (Goddard Multi-Channel Spectrophotometer at Sacramento Peak, New Mexico) an active region has been mapped and by combining these ultraviolet, X-ray and visible data, a physical picture of this structured region has been constructed from the photosphere to the corona, corresponding to temperature regimes over the range 4500 K to 4 000 000 K. The morphology of the active region was then studied by comparing grey-shaded images in which fine details stand out more clearly than in the contour plots. One result of the study is that gross similarities persist from the low photosphere up to high in the transition region while some changes occur in the corona. (Auth.)

Cesium-137 inventory of the undisturbed soil areas in the Londrina Region, Parana, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrello, Avacir C.; Appoloni, Carlos Roberto

2005-01-01

Cesium-137 is an artificial radionuclide introduced in the environment through the radioactive fallout of the superficial tests of nuclear weapons. The cesium-137 deposition occurred to middles of the 1980-decade and, due to the Chernobyl accident, great part of Europe had a additional fallout of cesium-137. The contaminations of this accident do not have reached Southern Hemisphere. Cesium-137 is an alkaline metal, high electropositive, that in contact with the soil is strongly adsorbed to the clay in the FES (Frayed Edge Sites) and RES (Regular Edge Sites) positions, and it movement by chemical processes in the soil is insignificant. Because of this, cesium-137 became a good soil marker, and its movement is related to the soil movement particles, so that the cesium-137 have been used in the study of the soil redistribution processes, as a tool of quantifying the rates of soil losses and gain. To use this methodology, it is necessary the knowledge of the reference inventory of cesium-137, that is given as function of the total concentration of cesium-137 deposited in an area by the radioactive fallout. If a sampling point presents less cesium-137 than the reference inventory, this point is considered a point with soil loss; otherwise, the point is considered a point with soil deposition. To evaluate the cesium-137 inventory in the Londrina region, four areas of the undisturbed soil were sampling in grid of 3x3, with a distance of 9 meters among the points. Of these four sampling areas, three areas were of native forest (labeled Mata1, Mata2 and Mata UEL), and one was a pasture area. Cesium-137 inventory was 223 ± 41 Bq m -2 , 240 ± 65 Bq m -2 and 305 ± 36 Bq m -2 for Mata UEL, Mata1 and Mata2, respectively, and of 211 ± 28 Bq m -2 for the native pasture. Considering the deviation in each value, it is not possible to conclude that there are differences among the values of cesium-137 inventory, so that the average reference inventory of cesium-137 for the

Transport and modeling of estrogenic hormones in a dairy farm effluent through undisturbed soil lysimeters.

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner, Laure D; Bidwell, Vincent J; Di, Hong J; Cameron, Keith C; Northcott, Grant L

2010-04-01

The presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including estrone (E1) and 17beta-estradiol (E2), in surface waters has been associated with physiological dysfunction in a number of aquatic organisms. One source of surface and groundwater contamination with E1 and E2 is the land application of animal wastes. The processes involved in the transport of these hormones in the soil, when applied with animal wastes, are still unclear. Therefore, a field-transport experiment was carried out, where a dairy farm effluent spiked with E1 and E2 was applied on large (50 cm diameter and 70 cm depth) undisturbed soil lysimeters. The concentrations of E1 and E2 in the leachate were monitored over a 3-month period, during which irrigation was applied. The experimental data suggest that E1 and E2 were transported through preferential/macropore flow pathways. The data from the experiment also show that E1 and E2 are leached earlier than the inert tracer (bromide). This observation can be explained either by the presence of antecedent concentrations in the soil or by an enhanced transport of E1 and E2 through the soil. A state-space mixing-cell model was further developed in order to describe the transport of E1 and E2 by three transport processes in parallel. The inverse modeling of the leaching data did not support the hypothesis that antecedent concentrations of estrogens could be responsible for the observed breakthrough curves but confirmed that estrogens were transported mainly via preferential/macropore flow and also via an enhanced transport. The parameter values that characterized this enhanced transport strongly suggest that this enhanced transport is mediated by colloids. For the first time, the simultaneous transport of E1 and E2 was modeled under transient conditions, taking into account the advection-dispersion, preferential/macropore flow, and colloidal-enhanced transport processes as well as E1 and E2 dissipation in the soil. These findings have major implications in

Migration of 137Cs and 90Sr in undisturbed soil profiles under controlled and close-to-real conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsberg, S.; Rosen, K.; Fernandez, V.; Juhan, H.

2000-01-01

Migration of 137 Cs and 90 Sr in undisturbed soil was studied in large lysimeters three and four years after contamination, as part of a larger European project studying radionuclide soil-plant interactions. The lysimeters were installed in greenhouses with climate control and contaminated with radionuclides in an aerosol mixture, simulating fallout from a nuclear accident. The soil types studied were loam, silt loam, sandy loam and loamy sand. The soils were sampled to 30-40 cm depth in 1997 and 1998. The total deposition of 137 Cs ranged from 24 to 45 MBq/m 2 , and of 90 Sr from 23 to 52 MBq/m 2 . It was shown that migration of 137 Cs was fastest in sandy loam, and of 90 Sr fastest in sandy loam and loam. The slowest migration of both nuclides was found in loamy sand. Retention within the upper 5 cm was 60% for both 137 Cs and 90 Sr in sandy loam, while in loamy sand it was 97 and 96%, respectively. In 1998, migration rates, calculated as radionuclide weighted median depth (migration centre) divided by time since deposition were 1.1 cm/year for both 137 Cs and 90 Sr in sandy loam, 0.8 and 1.0 cm/year, respectively, in loam, 0.6 and 0.8 cm/year in silt loam, and 0.4 and 0.6 cm/year for 137 Cs and 90 Sr, respectively, in loamy sand. A distinction is made between short-term migration, caused by events soon after deposition and less affected by soil type, and long-term migration, more affected by e.g. soil texture. Three to four years after deposition, effects of short-term migration is still dominant in the studied soils

Brown dwarf photospheres are patchy: A Hubble space telescope near-infrared spectroscopic survey finds frequent low-level variability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buenzli, Esther; Apai, Dániel; Radigan, Jacqueline; Reid, I. Neill; Flateau, Davin

2014-01-01

Condensate clouds strongly impact the spectra of brown dwarfs and exoplanets. Recent discoveries of variable L/T transition dwarfs argued for patchy clouds in at least some ultracool atmospheres. This study aims to measure the frequency and level of spectral variability in brown dwarfs and to search for correlations with spectral type. We used Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 to obtain spectroscopic time series for 22 brown dwarfs of spectral types ranging from L5 to T6 at 1.1-1.7 μm for ≈40 minutes per object. Using Bayesian analysis, we find six brown dwarfs with confident (p > 95%) variability in the relative flux in at least one wavelength region at sub-percent precision, and five brown dwarfs with tentative (p > 68%) variability. We derive a minimum variability fraction f min =27 −7 +11 % over all covered spectral types. The fraction of variables is equal within errors for mid-L, late-L, and mid-T spectral types; for early-T dwarfs we do not find any confident variable but the sample is too small to derive meaningful limits. For some objects, the variability occurs primarily in the flux peak in the J or H band, others are variable throughout the spectrum or only in specific absorption regions. Four sources may have broadband peak-to-peak amplitudes exceeding 1%. Our measurements are not sensitive to very long periods, inclinations near pole-on and rotationally symmetric heterogeneity. The detection statistics are consistent with most brown dwarf photospheres being patchy. While multiple-percent near-infrared variability may be rare and confined to the L/T transition, low-level heterogeneities are a frequent characteristic of brown dwarf atmospheres.

How Dusty Is Alpha Centauri? Excess or Non-excess over the Infrared Photospheres of Main-sequence Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Wiegert, J.; Liseau, R.; Thebault, P.; Olofsson, G.; Mora, A.; Bryden, G.; Marshall, J. P.; Eiroa, C.; Montesinos, B.; Ardila, D.;

Generation of Novel Traj18-Deficient Mice Lacking Vα14 Natural Killer T Cells with an Undisturbed T Cell Receptor α-Chain Repertoire.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nyambayar Dashtsoodol

Full Text Available Invariant Vα14 natural killer T (NKT cells, characterized by the expression of a single invariant T cell receptor (TCR α chain encoded by rearranged Trav11 (Vα14-Traj18 (Jα18 gene segments in mice, and TRAV10 (Vα24-TRAJ18 (Jα18 in humans, mediate adjuvant effects to activate various effector cell types in both innate and adaptive immune systems that facilitates the potent antitumor effects. It was recently reported that the Jα18-deficient mouse described by our group in 1997 harbors perturbed TCRα repertoire, which raised concerns regarding the validity of some of the experimental conclusions that have been made using this mouse line. To resolve this concern, we generated a novel Traj18-deficient mouse line by specifically targeting the Traj18 gene segment using Cre-Lox approach. Here we showed the newly generated Traj18-deficient mouse has, apart from the absence of Traj18, an undisturbed TCRα chain repertoire by using next generation sequencing and by detecting normal generation of Vα19Jα33 expressing mucosal associated invariant T cells, whose development was abrogated in the originally described Jα18-KO mice. We also demonstrated here the definitive requirement for NKT cells in the protection against tumors and their potent adjuvant effects on antigen-specific CD8 T cells.

An alternative origin for extraterrestrial biomolecules from the hot and ionized photosphere of the protosolar nebula.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekaert, D. V.; Derenne, S.; Tissandier, L.; Marrocchi, Y.; Anquetil, C.; Marty, B.

2017-12-01

Organic matter (OM) synthesized from plasma experiments (so-called Nebulotron) can provide an insight into the processes of organosynthesis within the ionized gas phase of the protosolar nebula (PSN). Organic materials recovered from Nebulotron experiments have a record of success in reproducing key features of chondritic insoluble organic matter (IOM), including the aromatic/aliphatic and soluble/insoluble ratios [1], the occurrence of D/H hot and cold spots [2], spectral features as well as elementary and isotopic patterns observed in trapped noble gases [3]. However, up until now little attention has been paid to the soluble fraction of the recovered OM (SOM). In this study, a high-vacuum plasma setting was designed to produce organic condensates from a CO-N2-H2 gas mixture reminiscent of the PSN. The chemical diversity of the synthetized SOM has been investigated by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. Our results show that a large range of biomolecules detected in meteorites and comets could have been directly synthetized from the gas phase of the PSN under high ionization rates and temperatures > 800 K. Among other molecules, urea, formamide, glycerol, hydantoin, carboxylic acids, as well as amino acid and nucleobase derivatives are reported. While photochemical processing of interstellar icy grains or asteroidal aqueous alteration are often advocated for the origin of biomolecules in extraterrestrial samples, our results suggest that biomolecule production was also effective in the hot and ionized photosphere of the PSN. Interestingly, solid-state 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectra of the Nebulotron IOM, indicates that they are very low in aromatics relative to extraterrestrial samples. Given that aromatic units in meteoritic IOM likely result from the cyclization/aromatization of aliphatic chains in the gas [1], Nebulotron-like aliphatic materials could represent the initial precursors of meteoritic OM [4]. These materials would be widespread in the

STIS observations of five hot white dwarfs

OpenAIRE

Bannister, N. P.; Barstow, M. A.; Holberg, J. B.; Bruhweiler, F. C.

2000-01-01

We present some early results from a study of five hot DA white dwarf stars, based on spectra obtained using STIS. All show multiple components in one or more of the strong resonance absorption lines typically associated with the stellar photosphere (e.g. C IV, Si IV, N V and O V). Possible relationships between the non-photospheric velocity components and the interstellar medium or local stellar environment, are investigated, including contributions from gravitational redshifting.

Noninferiority, randomized, controlled trial comparing embryo development using media developed for sequential or undisturbed culture in a time-lapse setup.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardarson, Thorir; Bungum, Mona; Conaghan, Joe; Meintjes, Marius; Chantilis, Samuel J; Molnar, Laszlo; Gunnarsson, Kristina; Wikland, Matts

2015-12-01

To study whether a culture medium that allows undisturbed culture supports human embryo development to the blastocyst stage equivalently to a well-established sequential media. Randomized, double-blinded sibling trial. Independent in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics. One hundred twenty-eight patients, with 1,356 zygotes randomized into two study arms. Embryos randomly allocated into two study arms to compare embryo development on a time-lapse system using a single-step medium or sequential media. Percentage of good-quality blastocysts on day 5. Percentage of day 5 good-quality blastocysts was 21.1% (standard deviation [SD] ± 21.6%) and 22.2% (SD ± 22.1%) in the single-step time-lapse medium (G-TL) and the sequential media (G-1/G-2) groups, respectively. The mean difference (-1.2; 95% CI, -6.0; 3.6) between the two media systems for the primary end point was less than the noninferiority margin of -8%. There was a statistically significantly lower number of good-quality embryos on day 3 in the G-TL group [50.7% (SD ± 30.6%) vs. 60.8% (SD ± 30.7%)]. Four out of the 11 measured morphokinetic parameters were statistically significantly different for the two media used. The mean levels of ammonium concentration in the media at the end of the culture period was statistically significantly lower in the G-TL group as compared with the G-2 group. We have shown that a single-step culture medium supports blastocyst development equivalently to established sequential media. The ammonium concentrations were lower in the single-step media, and the measured morphokinetic parameters were modified somewhat. NCT01939626. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurement of Kr-85 and Xe-133 as undisturbed tracers for the representing of atmospheric transport after disposal of radioactivity from nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frank, G.; Steinkopff, T.; Salvamoser, J.

2016-01-01

The Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD, German Meteorological Service) operates since 1996 a sampling and measurement device for the radioactive rare gases Kr-85 and Xe-133 in Offenbach. These measurements are embedded in the German Measurement and Information System for Monitoring Environmental Radioactivity (Integriertes Mess- und Informationssystem zur Ueberwachung der Radioaktivitaet in der Umwelt, IMIS) [1]. In addition to these measurements the DWD is sampling rare gases in Potsdam and since 2014 in Trier in cooperation with the Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz (Federal Office for Radiation Protection, BfS). In the frame of the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW)-program of the WMO the DWD operated a sampling station at the Zugspitze (Schneefernerhaus) from 1999 to 2005. This location at the Zugspitze is well suited for the observation of long distance transport of Kr-85 in the higher atmosphere. The DWD in Offenbach operates a complex analytical system for the measurement of Kr-85 and Xe-133 since 1998. This system consists of sampling with first enrichment, second enrichment, gas chromatographic separation and preparation of Krypton and Xenon and measurement of Kr-85 and Xe-133. Using the example Fukushima, it is shown, that the radioactive rare gases Kr-85 and Xe-133 are well undisturbed tracers for atmospheric transport in case of a nuclear accident or routine nuclear reprocessing plants. Measurements of Xe-133, I-131, Cs-137 and Kr-85 are correlated with source and atmospheric transport to the sampling sites at Offenbach and Potsdam.

Effect of wind turbine wakes on summer-time wind profiles in the US Great Plains

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, M. E.; Lundquist, J. K.; Aitken, M.

2011-12-01

Wind energy is steadily becoming a significant source of grid electricity in the United States, and the Midwestern United States provides one of the nation's richest wind resources. This study examines the effect of wind turbine wakes on the wind profile in central Iowa. Data were collected using a coherent Doppler LiDAR system located approximately 2.5 rotor diameters north of a row of modern multi-MW wind turbine generators. The prevailing wind direction was from the South allowing the LiDAR to capture wind turbine wake properties; however, a number of periods existed where the LiDAR captured undisturbed flow. The LiDAR system reliably obtained readings up to 200 m above ground level (AGL), spanning the entire rotor disk (~40 m to 120 m AGL) which far surpasses the information provided by traditional wind resource assessment instrumentation. We extract several relevant parameters from the lidar data including: horizontal wind speed, vertical velocity, horizontal turbulence intensity, wind shear, and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Each time period at a particular LiDAR measurement height was labeled "wake" or "undisturbed" based on the wind direction at that height. Wake and undisturbed data were averaged separately to create a time-height cross-section averaged day for each parameter. Significant differences between wake and undisturbed data emerge. During the day, wake conditions experience larger values of TKE within the altitudes of the turbine rotor disk while TKE values above the rotor disk are similar between waked and undisturbed conditions. Furthermore, the morning transition of TKE in the atmospheric boundary layer commences earlier during wake conditions than in undisturbed conditions, and the evening decay of TKE persists longer during wake conditions. Waked wind shear is consistently greater than undisturbed periods at the edges of the wind turbine rotor disk (40m & 120m AGL), but especially so during the night where wind shear values during wake

Coronagraphy at Pic du Midi: Present state and future projects

Science.gov (United States)

Koechlin, L.

2012-12-01

The Pic du Midi coronagraph (CLIMSO) is a group of four instruments in parallel, taking images of the whole solar photosphere and low corona. It provides series of 2048*2048 pixels images taken nominally at 1 minute time intervals, all year long, weather permitting. A team of ≃q 60 persons, by groups of 2 or 3 each week, operate the instruments. Their work is programmed in collaboration with Institut de Recherches en astrophysique et planétologie (IRAP) of Observatoire Midi Pyrénées (OMP), and with Programme National Soleil Terre (PNST). The four instruments of CLIMSO (L1, C1, L2 and C2) collect images of the Sun as following: 1) L1 : photosphere in H-α (656.28 nm) ; 2) L2 : photosphere in Ca-II (393.37 nm) ; 3) C1 : prominences in H-α ; 4) C2 : prominences in He-I (1083.0 nm). The data taken are stored in fits format images and mpeg films. They are available publicly on data bases such as BASS 2000 Meudon ({http://bass2000.obspm.fr/home.php?lang=en} and BASS2000 Tarbes ({http://bass2000.bagn.obs-mip.fr/base/sun/index.php}). Several solar studies are carried in relation with these data. In addition to the raw fits images, new images will soon be sent to the data bases: they will be calibrated in solar surface emittance, expressed in W/m^2/nm/steradian. Series of mpeg films for each day are presented in superposed color layers, so as to visualize the multispectral information better. New instrumental developments are planned for the next years and already financed. They will use spectropolarimetry to measure the magnetic field and radial velocities in the photosphere and corona. The data will cover the entire solar disc and have a sample rate of one map per minute.

First observation of bald patches in a filament channel and at a barb endpoint

Science.gov (United States)

López Ariste, A.; Aulanier, G.; Schmieder, B.; Sainz Dalda, A.

2006-09-01

The 3D magnetic field topology of solar filaments/prominences is strongly debated, because it is not directly measureable in the corona. Among various prominence models, several are consistent with many observations, but their related topologies are very different. We conduct observations to address this paradigm. We measure the photospheric vector magnetic field in several small flux concentrations surrounding a filament observed far from disc center. Our objective is to test for the presence/absence of magnetic dips around/below the filament body/barb, which is a strong constraint on prominence models, and that is still untested by observations. Our observations are performed with the THEMIS/MTR instrument. The four Stokes parameters are extracted, from which the vector magnetic fields are calculated using a PCA inversion. The resulting vector fields are then deprojected onto the photospheric plane. The 180° ambiguity is then solved by selecting the only solution that matches filament chirality rules. Considering the weakness of the resulting magnetic fields, a careful analysis of the inversion procedure and its error bars was performed, to avoid over-interpretation of noisy or ambiguous Stokes profiles. Thanks to the simultaneous multi-wavelength THEMIS observations, the vector field maps are coaligned with the Hα image of the filament. By definition, photospheric dips are identifiable where the horizontal component of the magnetic field points from a negative toward a positive polarity. Among six bipolar regions analyzed in the filament channel, four at least display photospheric magnetic dips, i.e. bald patches. For barbs, the topology of the endpoint is that of a bald patch located next to a parasitic polarity, not of an arcade pointing within the polarity. The observed magnetic field topology in the photosphere tends to support models of prominence based on magnetic dips located within weakly twisted flux tubes. Their underlying and lateral extensions form

EFFECTS OF FIELD-LINE TOPOLOGY ON ENERGY PROPAGATION IN THE CORONA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Candelaresi, S.; Pontin, D. I.; Hornig, G. [Division of Mathematics, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN (United Kingdom)

2016-12-01

We study the effect of photospheric footpoint motions on magnetic field structures containing magnetic nulls. The footpoint motions are prescribed on the photospheric boundary as a velocity field that entangles the magnetic field. We investigate the propagation of the injected energy, the conversion of energy, emergence of current layers, and other consequences of the nontrivial magnetic field topology in this situation. These boundary motions lead initially to an increase in magnetic and kinetic energy. Following this, the energy input from the photosphere is partially dissipated and partially transported out of the domain through the Poynting flux. The presence of separatrix layers and magnetic null points fundamentally alters the propagation behavior of disturbances from the photosphere into the corona. Depending on the field-line topology close to the photosphere, the energy is either trapped or free to propagate into the corona.

Testing the Accuracy of Data-driven MHD Simulations of Active Region Evolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leake, James E.; Linton, Mark G. [U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Schuck, Peter W., E-mail: james.e.leake@nasa.gov [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2017-04-01

Models for the evolution of the solar coronal magnetic field are vital for understanding solar activity, yet the best measurements of the magnetic field lie at the photosphere, necessitating the development of coronal models which are “data-driven” at the photosphere. We present an investigation to determine the feasibility and accuracy of such methods. Our validation framework uses a simulation of active region (AR) formation, modeling the emergence of magnetic flux from the convection zone to the corona, as a ground-truth data set, to supply both the photospheric information and to perform the validation of the data-driven method. We focus our investigation on how the accuracy of the data-driven model depends on the temporal frequency of the driving data. The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory produces full-disk vector magnetic field measurements at a 12-minute cadence. Using our framework we show that ARs that emerge over 25 hr can be modeled by the data-driving method with only ∼1% error in the free magnetic energy, assuming the photospheric information is specified every 12 minutes. However, for rapidly evolving features, under-sampling of the dynamics at this cadence leads to a strobe effect, generating large electric currents and incorrect coronal morphology and energies. We derive a sampling condition for the driving cadence based on the evolution of these small-scale features, and show that higher-cadence driving can lead to acceptable errors. Future work will investigate the source of errors associated with deriving plasma variables from the photospheric magnetograms as well as other sources of errors, such as reduced resolution, instrument bias, and noise.

Possibilities for Estimating Horizontal Electrical Currents in Active Regions on the Sun

Science.gov (United States)

Fursyak, Yu. A.; Abramenko, V. I.

2017-12-01

Part of the "free" magnetic energy associated with electrical current systems in the active region (AR) is released during solar flares. This proposition is widely accepted and it has stimulated interest in detecting electrical currents in active regions. The vertical component of an electric current in the photosphere can be found by observing the transverse magnetic field. At present, however, there are no direct methods for calculating transverse electric currents based on these observations. These calculations require information on the field vector measured simultaneously at several levels in the photosphere, which has not yet been done with solar instrumentation. In this paper we examine an approach to calculating the structure of the square of the density of a transverse electrical current based on a magnetogram of the vertical component of the magnetic field in the AR. Data obtained with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) for the AR of NOAA AR 11283 are used. It is shown that (1) the observed variations in the magnetic field of a sunspot and the proposed estimate of the density of an annular horizontal current around the spot are consistent with Faraday's law and (2) the resulting estimates of the magnitude of the square of the density of the horizontal current {j}_{\\perp}^2 = (0.002- 0.004) A2/m4 are consistent with previously obtained values of the density of a vertical current in the photosphere. Thus, the proposed estimate is physically significant and this method can be used to estimate the density and structure of transverse electrical currents in the photosphere.

Fundamental properties and atmospheric structure of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris based on VLTI/AMBER spectro-interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Wittkowski, M.; Hauschildt, P. H.; Arroyo-Torres, B.; Marcaide, J. M.

2012-04-01

Aims: We investigate the atmospheric structure and fundamental properties of the red supergiant VY CMa. Methods: We obtained near-infrared spectro-interferometric observations of VY CMa with spectral resolutions of 35 and 1500 using the AMBER instrument at the VLTI. Results: The visibility data indicate the presence of molecular layers of water vapor and CO in the extended atmosphere with an asymmetric morphology. The uniform disk diameter in the water band around 2.0 μm is increased by ~20% compared to the near-continuum bandpass at 2.20-2.25 μm, and in the CO band at 2.3-2.5 μm it is increased by up to ~50%. The closure phases indicate relatively small deviations from point symmetry close to the photospheric layer, and stronger deviations in the extended H2O and CO layers. Making use of the high spatial and spectral resolution, a near-continuum bandpass can be isolated from contamination by molecular and dusty layers, and the Rosseland-mean photospheric angular diameter is estimated to 11.3 ± 0.3 mas based on a PHOENIX atmosphere model. Together with recent high-precision estimates of the distance and spectro-photometry, this estimate corresponds to a radius of 1420 ± 120 R⊙ and an effective temperature of 3490 ± 90 K. Conclusions: VY CMa exhibits asymmetric, possibly clumpy, atmospheric layers of H2O and CO, which are not co-spatial, within a larger elongated dusty envelope. Our revised fundamental parameters put VY CMa close to the Hayashi limit of recent evolutionary tracks of initial mass 25 M⊙ with rotation or 32 M⊙ without rotation, shortly before evolving blueward in the HR-diagram. Based on observations made with the VLT Interferometer (VLTI) at Paranal Observatory under programme ID 386.D-0012.Figures 2, 3 and 5 are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Environmental geochemical study of Red Mountain--an undisturbed volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in the Bonnifield District, Alaska range, east-central Alaska: Chapter I in Recent U.S. Geological Survey studies in the Tintina Gold Province, Alaska, United States, and Yukon, Canada--results of a 5-year project

Science.gov (United States)

Eppinger, Robert G.; Briggs, Paul H.; Dusel-Bacon, Cynthia; Giles, Stuart A.; Gough, Larry P.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Hubbard, Bernard E.

2007-01-01

The Red Mountain volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit exhibits well-constrained examples of acid-generating, metal-leaching, metal-precipitation, and self-mitigation (via co-precipitation, dilution, and neutralization) processes that occur in an undisturbed natural setting, a rare occurrence in North America. The unmined pyrite-rich deposit displays a remarkable environmental footprint of natural acid generation, high metal concentrations, and exceedingly high rare-earth-element (REE) concentrations in surface waters. Dissolution of pyrite and associated secondary reactions under near-surface, oxidizing conditions are the primary causes for the acid generation and metal leaching. The deposit is hosted in Devonian to Mississippian felsic metavolcanic rocks of the Mystic Creek Member of the Totatlanika Schist.

A computational model of pile vertical vibration in saturated soil based on the radial disturbed zone of pile driving

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Qiang; Shi Qian; Wang Kuihua

2010-01-01

In this study, a simplified computational model of pile vertical vibration was developed. The model was based on the inhomogeneous radial disturbed zone of soil in the vicinity of a pile disturbed by pile driving. The model contained two regions: the disturbed zone, which was located in the immediate vicinity of the pile, and the undisturbed region, external to the disturbed zone. In the model, excess pore pressure in the disturbed zone caused by pile driving was assumed to follow a logarithmic distribution. The relationships of stress and strain in the disturbed zone were based on the principle of effective stress under plain strain conditions. The external zone was governed by the poroelastic theory proposed by Biot. With the use of a variable separation method, an analytical solution in the frequency domain was obtained. Furthermore, a semi-analytical solution was attained by employing a numerical convolution method. Numerical results from the frequency and time domain indicated that the equivalent radius of the disturbed zone and the ratio of excess pore pressure had a significant effect on pile dynamic response. However, actual interactions between pile and soil will be weaker due to the presence of the radial disturbed zone, which is caused by pile driving. Consequently, the ideal undisturbed model overestimates the interaction between pile and soil; however, the proposed model reflects the interaction of pile and soil better than the perfect contact model. Numerical results indicate that the model can account for the time effect of pile dynamic tests.

A NEW CODE FOR NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE FIELD EXTRAPOLATION OF THE GLOBAL CORONA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Chaowei; Feng Xueshang; Xiang Changqing

2012-01-01

Reliable measurements of the solar magnetic field are still restricted to the photosphere, and our present knowledge of the three-dimensional coronal magnetic field is largely based on extrapolations from photospheric magnetograms using physical models, e.g., the nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) model that is usually adopted. Most of the currently available NLFFF codes have been developed with computational volume such as a Cartesian box or a spherical wedge, while a global full-sphere extrapolation is still under development. A high-performance global extrapolation code is in particular urgently needed considering that the Solar Dynamics Observatory can provide a full-disk magnetogram with resolution up to 4096 × 4096. In this work, we present a new parallelized code for global NLFFF extrapolation with the photosphere magnetogram as input. The method is based on the magnetohydrodynamics relaxation approach, the CESE-MHD numerical scheme, and a Yin-Yang spherical grid that is used to overcome the polar problems of the standard spherical grid. The code is validated by two full-sphere force-free solutions from Low and Lou's semi-analytic force-free field model. The code shows high accuracy and fast convergence, and can be ready for future practical application if combined with an adaptive mesh refinement technique.

Solute diffusivity in undisturbed soil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lægdsmand, Mette; Møldrup, Per; Schjønning, Per

2012-01-01

Solute diffusivity in soil plays a major role in many important processes with relation to plant growth and environmental issues. Soil solute diffusivity is affected by the volumetric water content as well as the morphological characteristics of water-filled pores. The solute diffusivity in intact...

Insights on the Spectral Signatures of Stellar Activity and Planets from PCA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, Allen B.; Fischer, Debra A. [Department of Astronomy, Yale University, 52 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511 (United States); Cisewski, Jessi [Department of Statistics, Yale University, 24 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511 (United States); Dumusque, Xavier [Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 ch. des Maillettes, 1290 Versoix (Switzerland); Ford, Eric B., E-mail: allen.b.davis@yale.edu [Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2017-09-01

Photospheric velocities and stellar activity features such as spots and faculae produce measurable radial velocity signals that currently obscure the detection of sub-meter-per-second planetary signals. However, photospheric velocities are imprinted differently in a high-resolution spectrum than are Keplerian Doppler shifts. Photospheric activity produces subtle differences in the shapes of absorption lines due to differences in how temperature or pressure affects the atomic transitions. In contrast, Keplerian Doppler shifts affect every spectral line in the same way. With a high enough signal-to-noise (S/N) and resolution, statistical techniques can exploit differences in spectra to disentangle the photospheric velocities and detect lower-amplitude exoplanet signals. We use simulated disk-integrated time-series spectra and principal component analysis (PCA) to show that photospheric signals introduce spectral line variability that is distinct from that of Doppler shifts. We quantify the impact of instrumental resolution and S/N for this work.

Where are the forests in the United States "not disturbed" over a quarter century?

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, C.; Zhao, F. A.; Goward, S. N.; Schleeweis, K.; Michaelis, A.; Masek, J. G.; Dungan, J. L.; Cohen, W. B.; Moisen, G.; Rishmawi, K.

2015-12-01

Forests provide many important ecosystem services. Logging, fire, and other disturbances can disrupt or even diminish the provision of these services. Although many map products and inventory data can be used to estimate the total forested area in the United States, it is not clear how much of the country's forest remained undisturbed in recent decades. Through the North American Forest Dynamics (NAFD) study, we have mapped both disturbed and undisturbed forests over the conterminous United States (CONUS) using sub-annual time series of Landsat observations. The results revealed that 33.6% of the land area of CONUS had forest cover during some or all of the years between 1986 and 2010. About two thirds of the nation's forests remained undisturbed during the 25-year period. Most of these undisturbed forests were distributed in western and northern parts of the eastern US. The percentage of undisturbed forest in the southeastern states were lower, about 50% or less. In these states, much of the undisturbed forest was distributed along riparian zones or in protected areas, including national parks and national forests. In the northeastern and western US, riparian zones did not have a significantly higher proportion of undisturbed forests than non-riparian areas. While most protected areas had a high percentage of undisturbed forests, some of them had lower percentages than the average values of their surrounding regions. Topography may also have played a role in keeping forests "undisturbed". Many ecoregions in the western and northern US had a substantially higher percentage of undisturbed forests at high elevations than at low elevations.

Photospheric oscillations. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fossat, E.; Ricort, G.

1975-01-01

Intensity fluctuations in the wings of the Fraunhofer line Na D 1 5896 have been recorded for about two hundred hours at the focus of the Nice coude refractor, using a sodium optical resonance device. Because of the large beam aperture available, records have been made on circular apertures from 22'' up to 32' diameter (the whole sun). The principal results from the analysis of these date are: As shown by White and Cha, the five-minute oscillation has a gaussian random character with a mean lifetime of about 20 min. Its two-dimensional spatial power spectrum is roughly gaussian for every temporal frequency between 2 and 6 MHz. The width of this gaussian spectrum is near 5 x 10 -5 km -1 (i.e. π = 20,000 km). (orig./BJ) [de

Modelling 137Cs uptake in plants from undisturbed soil monoliths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waegeneers, Nadia; Smolders, Erik; Merckx, Roel

2005-01-01

A model predicting 137 Cs uptake in plants was applied on data from artificially contaminated lysimeters. The lysimeter data involve three different crops (beans, ryegrass and lettuce) grown on five different soils between 3 and 5 years after contamination and where soil solution composition was monitored. The mechanistic model predicts plant uptake of 137 Cs from soil solution composition. Predicted K concentrations in the rhizosphere were up to 50-fold below that in the bulk soil solution whereas corresponding 137 Cs concentration gradients were always less pronounced. Predictions of crop 137 Cs content based on rhizosphere soil solution compositions were generally closer to observations than those based on bulk soil solution composition. The model explained 17% (beans) to 91% (lettuce) of the variation in 137 Cs activity concentrations in the plants. The model failed to predict the 137 Cs activity concentration in ryegrass where uptake of the 5-year-old 137 Cs from 3 soils was about 40-fold larger than predicted. The model generally underpredicted crop 137 Cs concentrations at soil solution K concentration below about 1.0 mM. It is concluded that 137 Cs uptake can be predicted from the soil solution composition at adequate K nutrition but that significant uncertainties remain when soil solution K is below 1 mM

MULTISCALE DYNAMICS OF SOLAR MAGNETIC STRUCTURES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uritsky, Vadim M.; Davila, Joseph M.

2012-01-01

Multiscale topological complexity of the solar magnetic field is among the primary factors controlling energy release in the corona, including associated processes in the photospheric and chromospheric boundaries. We present a new approach for analyzing multiscale behavior of the photospheric magnetic flux underlying these dynamics as depicted by a sequence of high-resolution solar magnetograms. The approach involves two basic processing steps: (1) identification of timing and location of magnetic flux origin and demise events (as defined by DeForest et al.) by tracking spatiotemporal evolution of unipolar and bipolar photospheric regions, and (2) analysis of collective behavior of the detected magnetic events using a generalized version of the Grassberger-Procaccia correlation integral algorithm. The scale-free nature of the developed algorithms makes it possible to characterize the dynamics of the photospheric network across a wide range of distances and relaxation times. Three types of photospheric conditions are considered to test the method: a quiet photosphere, a solar active region (NOAA 10365) in a quiescent non-flaring state, and the same active region during a period of M-class flares. The results obtained show (1) the presence of a topologically complex asymmetrically fragmented magnetic network in the quiet photosphere driven by meso- and supergranulation, (2) the formation of non-potential magnetic structures with complex polarity separation lines inside the active region, and (3) statistical signatures of canceling bipolar magnetic structures coinciding with flaring activity in the active region. Each of these effects can represent an unstable magnetic configuration acting as an energy source for coronal dissipation and heating.

Study on offshore wind farm wakes based on Envisat ASAR, Radarsat-2 and Sentinel-1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasager, Charlotte Bay; Badger, Merete; Badger, Jake

energy production in clustered wind farms. Envisat ASAR, Radarsat-2 and Sentinel-1 are used in the study covering wind farms in the North Sea and Kattegat Strait. Three types of analysis are performed. The first is a case based on a Radarsat-2 Scan-SAR wide VV scene (30th April 2013 at 17:41 UTC...... is rotation of the data such that all scenes are aligned with inflow and downstream (wake region) based on the wind direction in the wind field maps. The rotation is done at 1 degree intervals. The data from rotated circles (not geo-collocated) are normalized with the winds at the side-lobes. Side......-lobes are regions expected to be undisturbed by the wind farm wake. The key result of the analysis is the significant wind wake deficit at the inner circle, decreasing at outer circles, as expected. The SAR-based results strongly support the wake model results based on PARK and WRF (Hasager et al. 2015b). The third...

THE EVOLUTION OF THE ELECTRIC CURRENT DURING THE FORMATION AND ERUPTION OF ACTIVE-REGION FILAMENTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Jincheng; Yan, Xiaoli; Qu, Zhongquan; Xue, Zhike; Xiang, Yongyuan; Li, Hao, E-mail: egnever@ynao.ac.cn [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650011 (China)

2016-02-01

We present a comprehensive study of the electric current related to the formation and eruption of active region filaments in NOAA AR 11884. The vertical current on the solar surface was investigated by using vector magnetograms (VMs) observed by HMI on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. To obtain the electric current along the filament's axis, we reconstructed the magnetic fields above the photosphere by using nonlinear force-free field extrapolation based on photospheric VMs. Spatio-temporal evolutions of the vertical current on the photospheric surface and the horizontal current along the filament's axis were studied during the long-term evolution and eruption-related period, respectively. The results show that the vertical currents of the entire active region behaved with a decreasing trend and the magnetic fields also kept decreasing during the long-term evolution. For the eruption-related evolution, the mean transverse field strengths decreased before two eruptions and increased sharply after two eruptions in the vicinity of the polarity inversion lines underneath the filament. The related vertical current showed different behaviors in two of the eruptions. On the other hand, a very interesting feature was found: opposite horizontal currents with respect to the current of the filament's axis appeared and increased under the filament before the eruptions and disappeared after the eruptions. We suggest that these opposite currents were carried by the new flux emerging from the photosphere bottom and might be the trigger mechanism for these filament eruptions.

PROPERTIES OF UMBRAL DOTS AS MEASURED FROM THE NEW SOLAR TELESCOPE DATA AND MHD SIMULATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilcik, A.; Yurchyshyn, V. B.; Abramenko, V.; Goode, P. R.; Cao, W.; Rempel, M.; Kitai, R.; Watanabe, H.

2012-01-01

We studied bright umbral dots (UDs) detected in a moderate size sunspot and compared their statistical properties to recent MHD models. The study is based on high-resolution data recorded by the New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory and three-dimensional (3D) MHD simulations of sunspots. Observed UDs, living longer than 150 s, were detected and tracked in a 46 minute long data set, using an automatic detection code. A total of 1553 (620) UDs were detected in the photospheric (low chromospheric) data. Our main findings are (1) none of the analyzed UDs is precisely circular, (2) the diameter-intensity relationship only holds in bright umbral areas, and (3) UD velocities are inversely related to their lifetime. While nearly all photospheric UDs can be identified in the low chromospheric images, some small closely spaced UDs appear in the low chromosphere as a single cluster. Slow-moving and long-living UDs seem to exist in both the low chromosphere and photosphere, while fast-moving and short-living UDs are mainly detected in the photospheric images. Comparison to the 3D MHD simulations showed that both types of UDs display, on average, very similar statistical characteristics. However, (1) the average number of observed UDs per unit area is smaller than that of the model UDs, and (2) on average, the diameter of model UDs is slightly larger than that of observed ones.

On the Generation of Hydrodynamic Shocks by Mixed Beams and Occurrence of Sunquakes in Flares

Science.gov (United States)

Zharkova, Valentina; Zharkov, Sergei

2015-11-01

Observations of solar flares with sunquakes by space- and ground-based instruments reveal essentially different dynamics of seismic events in different flares. Some sunquakes are found to be closely associated with the locations of hard X-ray (HXR) and white-light (WL) emission, while others are located outside either of them. In this article we investigate possible sources causing a seismic response in a form of hydrodynamic shocks produced by the injection of mixed (electron plus proton) beams, discuss the velocities of these shocks, and the depths where they deposit the bulk of their energy and momentum. The simulation of hydrodynamic shocks in flaring atmospheres induced by electron-rich and proton-rich beams reveals that the linear depth of the shock termination is shifted beneath the level of the quiet solar photosphere on a distance from 200 to 5000 km. The parameters of these atmospheric hydrodynamic shocks are used as initial condition for another hydrodynamic model developed for acoustic-wave propagation in the solar interior (Zharkov, Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. 431, 3414, 2013). The model reveals that the depth of energy and momentum deposition by the atmospheric shocks strongly affects the propagation velocity of the acoustic-wave packet in the interior. The locations of the first bounces from the photosphere of acoustic waves generated in the vicinity of a flare are seen as ripples on the solar surface, or sunquakes. Mixed proton-dominated beams are found to produce a strong supersonic shock at depths 200 - 300 km under the level of the quiet-Sun photosphere and in this way produce well-observable acoustic waves, while electron-dominated beams create a slightly supersonic shock propagating down to 5000 km under the photosphere. This shock can only generate acoustic waves at the top layers beneath the photosphere since the shock velocity very quickly drops below the local sound speed. The distance Δ of the first bounce of the generated acoustic waves

UV spectra, bombs, and the solar atmosphere

OpenAIRE

Judge, Philip G.

2015-01-01

A recent analysis of UV data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph {\\em IRIS} reports plasma "bombs" with temperatures near \\hot{} within the solar photosphere. This is a curious result, firstly because most bomb plasma pressures $p$ (the largest reported case exceeds $10^3$ dyn~cm$^{-2}$) fall well below photospheric pressures ($> 7\\times10^3$), and secondly, UV radiation cannot easily escape from the photosphere. In the present paper the {\\em IRIS} data is independently analyzed. I...

Determination of gas diffusion coefficients in undisturbed Boom clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacops, E.; Volckaert, G.; Maes, N.; Govaerts, J.; Weetjens, E.

2012-01-01

more precisely the gas diffusion coefficient for dissolved gases in Boom Clay. The methodology was demonstrated for He and CH 4 and the estimated D eff values were resp. 4.51 10 -10 and 0.90 10 -10 m 2 /s. The method is based on the counter-diffusion of two dissolved gasses under (quasi-)constant concentration gradients, yielding two gas diffusion coefficients in a single test. In practice a clay core is sealed in a stainless steel cell and connected at both sides with water vessels that are pressurized with 2 different gasses at the same pressure. Gas dissolves into the water and because of the gas concentration gradient, these dissolved gasses diffuse through the clay. The dissolved gas that diffuses into the other water vessel will equilibrate with the gas atmosphere and the changes in the gas composition is determined by gas chromatography. In the current experimental phase, we focussed first on reproducibility, then on the effect of the bedding planes in the clay sample to determine the anisotropy in the gas diffusion parameters. Furthermore we noticed that the size of the diffusing gas molecule leads to different formation factor values. The latter is further investigated by performing gas diffusion experiments with gasses of different size (He, Xe, CH 4 , C 2 H 6 ). Based on observed relationships D 0 vs. the gas kinetic diameter, and formation factor vs. gas kinetic diameter, we investigate the possibility to estimate D eff for other gasses as H 2 and Xe. The tests are interpreted with a simple diffusive transport model. The model solves the diffusive transport equation in a 1D geometry and is based on the second law of Fick for diffusive transport in porous media. As output, fluxes at both faces are calculated with the first law of Fick, as well as concentration profiles at regular time intervals and concentration. All calculations are performed with COMSOL Multiphysics 3.5a, Earth science module. The diffusion coefficients are obtained by using a least

The hydrodynamics of Type II supernove

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, R.A.

1976-01-01

Observations of Type II supernovae indicate the presence of a moderately cool expanding photosphere. This situation can result from an explosion in a star with an extended envelope. The evolutionary phases of an explosion are described. Information on the propagation of the shock wave through the star can be obtained from γ=4/3 blast wave solutions. If the photon mean free path becomes large compared to the length scales of the flow, a thermal wave moves out from the shock wave and a dense shell is formed behind the shock. The arrival of the shock wave at the photosphere is accompanied by ultraviolet and X-ray burst. As the star expands, a rarefaction wave converts internal energy into kinetic energy. Detailed hydrodynamic models have been calculated, assuming an initial radius compatible with stellar evolution and an energy compatible with the observed velocities. The observed values of photospheric radius and temperature near maximum light are reproduced. Features of the models which are consistent with observation are: the ejection of a detached shell; the cooling of the photosphere from 10,000 K to 6000 K in tens of days after maximum visual light; the shape of the light curve around maximum; the decrease in the velocity of the gas at the photosphere in tens of days after maximum; and a photospheric radius of about 10/sup 14/ cm after several hundred days

Inferring Lower Boundary Driving Conditions Using Vector Magnetic Field Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Schuck, Peter W.; Linton, Mark; Leake, James; MacNeice, Peter; Allred, Joel

2012-01-01

Low-beta coronal MHD simulations of realistic CME events require the detailed specification of the magnetic fields, velocities, densities, temperatures, etc., in the low corona. Presently, the most accurate estimates of solar vector magnetic fields are made in the high-beta photosphere. Several techniques have been developed that provide accurate estimates of the associated photospheric plasma velocities such as the Differential Affine Velocity Estimator for Vector Magnetograms and the Poloidal/Toroidal Decomposition. Nominally, these velocities are consistent with the evolution of the radial magnetic field. To evolve the tangential magnetic field radial gradients must be specified. In addition to estimating the photospheric vector magnetic and velocity fields, a further challenge involves incorporating these fields into an MHD simulation. The simulation boundary must be driven, consistent with the numerical boundary equations, with the goal of accurately reproducing the observed magnetic fields and estimated velocities at some height within the simulation. Even if this goal is achieved, many unanswered questions remain. How can the photospheric magnetic fields and velocities be propagated to the low corona through the transition region? At what cadence must we observe the photosphere to realistically simulate the corona? How do we model the magnetic fields and plasma velocities in the quiet Sun? How sensitive are the solutions to other unknowns that must be specified, such as the global solar magnetic field, and the photospheric temperature and density?

Analysis of soil whole- and inner-microaggregate bacterial communities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mummey, D L; Stahl, P D [University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Renewable Resources

2004-07-01

Although soil structure largely determines energy flows and the distribution and composition of soil microhabitats, little is known about how microbial community composition is influenced by soil structural characteristics and organic matter compartmentalization dynamics. A UV irradiation-based procedure was developed to specifically isolate inner-microaggregate microbial communities, thus providing the means to analyze these communities in relation to their environment. Whole- and inner-microaggregate fractions of undisturbed soil and soils reclaimed after disturbance by surface coal mining were analyzed using 16S rDNA terminal restriction fragment polymorphism (T-RFLP) and sequence analyses to determine salient bacterial community structural characteristics. We hypothesized that inner-microaggregate environments select for definable microbial communities and that, due to their sequestered environment, inner-microaggregate communities would not be significantly impacted by disturbance. However, T-RFLP analysis indicated distinct differences between bacterial populations of inner-microaggregates of undisturbed and reclaimed soils. While both undisturbed and reclaimed inner-microaggregate bacterial communities were dominated by Actinobacteria, undisturbed soils contained only Actinobacteridae, while in inner-microaggregates of reclaimed soils Rubrobacteridae predominate. Spatial stratification of division-level lineages within microaggregates was also seen. The fractionation methods employed in this study therefore represent a valuable tool for defining relationships between biodiversity and soil structure.

Simulating solar MHD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Schüssler

Full Text Available Two aspects of solar MHD are discussed in relation to the work of the MHD simulation group at KIS. Photospheric magneto-convection, the nonlinear interaction of magnetic field and convection in a strongly stratified, radiating fluid, is a key process of general astrophysical relevance. Comprehensive numerical simulations including radiative transfer have significantly improved our understanding of the processes and have become an important tool for the interpretation of observational data. Examples of field intensification in the solar photosphere ('convective collapse' are shown. The second line of research is concerned with the dynamics of flux tubes in the convection zone, which has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the solar dynamo. Simulations indicate that the field strength in the region where the flux is stored before erupting to form sunspot groups is of the order of 10⁵ G, an order of magnitude larger than previous estimates based on equipartition with the kinetic energy of convective flows.

Key words. Solar physics · astrophysics and astronomy (photosphere and chromosphere; stellar interiors and dynamo theory; numerical simulation studies.

The high-resolution spectrum of the pulsating, pre-white dwarf star PG 1159-035 (GW VIR)

Science.gov (United States)

Liebert, James; Wesemael, F.; Husfeld, D.; Wehrse, R.; Starrfield, S. G.

1989-01-01

High-resolution and low-resolution UV spectra and a high-resolution optical spectrum were obtained for PG 1159-035, revealing apparent photospheric absorption features with defined cores from N V 1240 A, N IV 1270 A, O V 1371 A, and C IV 1550 A. The photospheric velocity derived using all of these lines except for C IV is about +35 km/s. Equivalent-width measurements determined for all of the features may provide a tighter constraint on the photospheric temperature in a detailed model atmosphere analysis treating the CNO ions.

The lower solar atmosphere

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rutten, R.J.

1998-01-01

This "rapporteur" report discusses the solar photosphere and low chromosphere in the context of chemical composition studies. The highly dynamical nature of the photosphere does not seem to jeopardize precise determination of solar abundances in classical fashion. It is still an open question how

Stellar model chromospheres. IX - Chromospheric activity in dwarf stars

Science.gov (United States)

Kelch, W. L.; Worden, S. P.; Linsky, J. L.

1979-01-01

High-resolution Ca II K line profiles are used to model the upper photospheres and lower chromospheres of eight main-sequence stars ranging in spectral type from F0 to M0 and exhibiting different degrees of chromospheric activity. The model chromospheres are studied as a function of spectral type and activity for stars of similar spectral type in order to obtain evidence of enhanced nonradiative heating in the upper-photospheric models and in the ratio of minimum temperature at the base of the chromosphere to effective temperature, a correlation between activity and temperature in the lower chromospheres, and a correlation of the width at the base of the K-line emission core and at the K2 features with activity. Chromospheric radiative losses are estimated for the modelled stars and other previously analyzed main-sequence stars. The results obtained strengthen the argument that dMe flare stars exhibit fundamentally solar-type activity but on an increased scale.

On the Time Variation of Dust Extinction and Gas Absorption for Type Ia Supernovae Observed Through Non-uniform Interstellar Medium

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xiaosheng; Aldering, Gregory; Biederman, Moriah; Herger, Brendan

2018-01-01

For Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) observed through a non-uniform interstellar medium (ISM) in its host galaxy, we investigate whether the non-uniformity can cause observable time variations in dust extinction and in gas absorption due to the expansion of the SN photosphere with time. We show that, owing to the steep spectral index of the ISM density power spectrum, sizable density fluctuation amplitudes at the length scale of typical ISM structures (>~ 10 pc) will translate to much smaller fluctuations on the scales of a SN photosphere. Therefore the typical amplitude of time variation due to non-uniform ISM, of absorption equivalent widths and of extinction, would be small. As a result, we conclude that non-uniform ISM density should not impact cosmology measurements based on SNe Ia. We apply our predictions based on the ISM density power law power spectrum to the observations of two highly reddened SNe Ia, SN 2012cu and SN 2014J.

On the Time Variation of Dust Extinction and Gas Absorption for Type Ia Supernovae Observed through a Nonuniform Interstellar Medium

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, X.; Aldering, G.; Biederman, M.; Herger, B.

2017-11-01

For Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) observed through a nonuniform interstellar medium (ISM) in its host galaxy, we investigate whether the nonuniformity can cause observable time variations in dust extinction and in gas absorption due to the expansion of the SN photosphere with time. We show that, owing to the steep spectral index of the ISM density power spectrum, sizable density fluctuation amplitudes at the length scale of typical ISM structures (≳ 10 {pc}) will translate to much smaller fluctuations on the scales of an SN photosphere. Therefore, the typical amplitude of time variation due to a nonuniform ISM, of absorption equivalent widths, and of extinction, would be small. As a result, we conclude that nonuniform ISM density should not impact cosmology measurements based on SNe Ia. We apply our predictions based on the ISM density power-law power spectrum to the observations of two highly reddened SNe Ia, SN 2012cu and SN 2014J.

Coronal magnetic fields inferred from IR wavelength and comparison with EUV observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Liu

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Spectropolarimetry using IR wavelength of 1075 nm has been proved to be a powerful tool for directly mapping solar coronal magnetic fields including transverse component directions and line-of-sight component intensities. Solar tomography, or stereoscopy based on EUV observations, can supply 3-D information for some magnetic field lines in bright EUV loops. In a previous paper \\citep{liu08} the locations of the IR emission sources in the 3-D coordinate system were inferred from the comparison between the polarization data and the potential-field-source-surface (PFSS model, for one of five west limb regions in the corona (Lin et al., 2004. The paper shows that the region with the loop system in the active region over the photospheric area with strong magnetic field intensity is the region with a dominant contribution to the observed Stokes signals. So, the inversion of the measured Stokes parameters could be done assuming that most of the signals come from a relatively thin layer over the area with a large photospheric magnetic field strength. Here, the five limb coronal regions are studied together in order to study the spatial correlation between the bright EUV loop features and the inferred IR emission sources. It is found that, for the coronal regions above the stronger photospheric magnetic fields, the locations of the IR emission sources are closer to or more consistent with the bright EUV loop locations than those above weaker photospheric fields. This result suggests that the structures of the coronal magnetic fields observed at IR and EUV wavelengths may be different when weak magnetic fields present there.

Convection and mass loss through the chromosphere of Betelgeuse

Science.gov (United States)

Ridgway, Stephen

2011-10-01

Betelgeuse is well suited for detailed study of the mass loss process in a massive red supergiant. We have engaged in a multi-scale, multi-color study to trace the ejected material from the photosphere to the interstellar medium, and understand its chemical evolution {formation of molecules and dust}. Infrared interferometry already gave us a detailed image of the photosphere, compatible with large convective cells. Adaptive optics spectro-imaging {1.0-2.2 microns} allowed us to detect the presence of the CN molecule and mass loss plume structures up to at least 6 R*. At larger distances, we observed silicate-rich dust in thermal IR {8-20 microns}. From the surface to 100 R*, we therefore have a continuous coverage with multicolor imagery. The chromosphere lies at a key location, between the photosphere and the molecular envelope. As shown by STIS spatially resolved spectroscopy {Lobel & Dupree 2001}, it contains rising and falling gases. Such structure is supported by our 3D modeling of the convection. In order to probe the dynamics of the envelope and its relation to photospheric spots and mass loss plumes, we propose to obtain UV imaging with STIS at 3 epochs to complement our coordinated ground-based effort as well as the earlier HST UV snapshots. We will use this imagery to correlate structures at different radii and temperatures, and to explore the time-scales of evolution. With the support of our 3D models, this information will answer specific questions including deciding between convective and polar explanations for bright spots and plumes. Our infrared imaging observations will be repeated contemporaneously with the requested HST/STIS images.

ANATOMY OF A SOLAR FLARE: MEASUREMENTS OF THE 2006 DECEMBER 14 X-CLASS FLARE WITH GONG, HINODE, AND RHESSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, S. A.; Zharkov, S.; Zharkova, V. V.

2011-01-01

Some of the most challenging observations to explain in the context of existing flare models are those related to the lower atmosphere and below the solar surface. Such observations, including changes in the photospheric magnetic field and seismic emission, indicate the poorly understood connections between energy release in the corona and its impact in the photosphere and the solar interior. Using data from Hinode, TRACE, RHESSI, and GONG we study the temporal and spatial evolution of the 2006 December 14 X-class flare in the chromosphere, photosphere, and the solar interior. We investigate the connections between the emission at various atmospheric depths, including acoustic signatures obtained by time-distance and holography methods from the GONG data. We report the horizontal displacements observed in the photosphere linked to the timing and locations of the acoustic signatures we believe to be associated with this flare, their vertical and horizontal displacement velocities, and their potential implications for current models of flare dynamics.

Structure and evolution of magnetic fields associated with solar eruptions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Haimin; Liu Chang

2015-01-01

This paper reviews the studies of solar photospheric magnetic field evolution in active regions and its relationship to solar flares. It is divided into two topics, the magnetic structure and evolution leading to solar eruptions and rapid changes in the photospheric magnetic field associated with eruptions. For the first topic, we describe the magnetic complexity, new flux emergence, flux cancelation, shear motions, sunspot rotation and magnetic helicity injection, which may all contribute to the storage and buildup of energy that trigger solar eruptions. For the second topic, we concentrate on the observations of rapid and irreversible changes of the photospheric magnetic field associated with flares, and the implication on the restructuring of the three-dimensional magnetic field. In particular, we emphasize the recent advances in observations of the photospheric magnetic field, as state-of-the-art observing facilities (such as Hinode and Solar Dynamics Observatory) have become available. The linkages between observations, theories and future prospectives in this research area are also discussed. (invited reviews)

Umbral oscillations as a probe of sunspot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelatif, T.E.H.

1985-01-01

The interaction of the solar five-minute oscillations with a sunspot is thoroughly explored, both on observational and theoretical grounds. Simple theoretical models are developed in order to understand the observations of umbral oscillations. Observations made at the National Solar Observatory detected both the three-minute and five-minute umbral oscillations at photospheric heights. The three-minute oscillations were found to have a kinetic energy density six times higher in the photosphere than in the chromosphere and to be concentrated in the central part of the umbra, supporting the photospheric resonance theory for the three-minute umbral oscillations. The five-minute oscillations are attenuated in the umbra, which appears to act as a filter in selecting some of the peaks in the power spectrum of five-minute oscillations in the surrounding photosphere. The k-omega power spectrum of the umbral oscillations shows a shift of power to longer wavelengths. Theoretical models of the transmission of acoustic waves into a magnetic region explain both observed effects

Automated flare forecasting using a statistical learning technique

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Yuan; Shih, Frank Y.; Jing, Ju; Wang, Hai-Min

2010-08-01

We present a new method for automatically forecasting the occurrence of solar flares based on photospheric magnetic measurements. The method is a cascading combination of an ordinal logistic regression model and a support vector machine classifier. The predictive variables are three photospheric magnetic parameters, i.e., the total unsigned magnetic flux, length of the strong-gradient magnetic polarity inversion line, and total magnetic energy dissipation. The output is true or false for the occurrence of a certain level of flares within 24 hours. Experimental results, from a sample of 230 active regions between 1996 and 2005, show the accuracies of a 24-hour flare forecast to be 0.86, 0.72, 0.65 and 0.84 respectively for the four different levels. Comparison shows an improvement in the accuracy of X-class flare forecasting.

Simultaneous Constraints on the Mass and Radius of Aql X–1 from Quiescence and X-Ray Burst Observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Zhaosheng [Department of Physics, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105 (China); Falanga, Maurizio [International Space Science Institute, Hallerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern (Switzerland); Chen, Li [Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Qu, Jinlu [Laboratory for Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS, Beijing 100049 (China); Xu, Renxin, E-mail: lizhaosheng@xtu.edu.cn [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2017-08-10

The measurement of neutron star mass and radius is one of the most direct ways to distinguish between various dense matter equations of state. The mass and radius of accreting neutron stars hosted in low-mass X-ray binaries can be constrained by several methods, including photospheric radius expansion from type I X-ray bursts and from quiescent spectra. In this paper, we apply for the first time these two methods simultaneously to constrain the mass and radius of Aql X–1. The quiescent spectra from Chandra and XMM-Newton , and photospheric radius expansion bursts from RXTE are used. The determination of the mass and radius of Aql X–1 is also used to verify the consistency between the two methods and to narrow down the uncertainties of the neutron star mass and radius. It is found that the distance to Aql X–1 should be in the range of 4.0–5.75 kpc, based on the overlapping confidence regions between photospheric radius expansion burst and quiescent spectra methods. In addition, we show that the mass and radius determined for the compact star in Aql X–1 are compatible with strange star equations of state and conventional neutron star models.

UTILIZATION OF MULTIPLE MEASUREMENTS FOR GLOBAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, A. H.; Wu, S. T.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E.; Hill, Frank

2011-01-01

Magnetic field measurements, line of sight (LOS) and/or vector magnetograms, have been used in a variety of solar physics studies. Currently, the global transverse velocity measurements near the photosphere from the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) are available. We have utilized these multiple observational data, for the first time, to present a data-driven global three-dimensional and resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation, and to investigate the energy transport across the photosphere to the corona. The measurements of the LOS magnetic field and transverse velocity reflect the effects of convective zone dynamics and provide information from the sub-photosphere to the corona. In order to self-consistently include the observables on the lower boundary as the inputs to drive the model, a set of time-dependent boundary conditions is derived by using the method of characteristics. We selected GONG's global transverse velocity measurements of synoptic chart CR2009 near the photosphere and SOLIS full-resolution LOS magnetic field maps of synoptic chart CR2009 on the photosphere to simulate the equilibrium state and compute the energy transport across the photosphere. To show the advantage of using both observed magnetic field and transverse velocity data, we have studied two cases: (1) with the inputs of the LOS magnetic field and transverse velocity measurements, and (2) with the input of the LOS magnetic field and without the input of transverse velocity measurements. For these two cases, the simulation results presented here are a three-dimensional coronal magnetic field configuration, density distributions on the photosphere and at 1.5 solar radii, and the solar wind in the corona. The deduced physical characteristics are the total current helicity and the synthetic emission. By comparing all the physical parameters of case 1 and case 2 and their synthetic emission images with the EIT image, we find that using both the measured magnetic field and the

Physico-empirical approach for mapping soil hydraulic behaviour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. D'Urso

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Pedo-transfer functions are largely used in soil hydraulic characterisation of large areas. The use of physico-empirical approaches for the derivation of soil hydraulic parameters from disturbed samples data can be greatly enhanced if a characterisation performed on undisturbed cores of the same type of soil is available. In this study, an experimental procedure for deriving maps of soil hydraulic behaviour is discussed with reference to its application in an irrigation district (30 km2 in southern Italy. The main steps of the proposed procedure are: i the precise identification of soil hydraulic functions from undisturbed sampling of main horizons in representative profiles for each soil map unit; ii the determination of pore-size distribution curves from larger disturbed sampling data sets within the same soil map unit. iii the calibration of physical-empirical methods for retrieving soil hydraulic parameters from particle-size data and undisturbed soil sample analysis; iv the definition of functional hydraulic properties from water balance output; and v the delimitation of soil hydraulic map units based on functional properties.

Casting the Coronal Magnetic Field Reconstruction Tools in 3D Using the MHD Bifrost Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fleishman, Gregory D.; Loukitcheva, Maria [Physics Department, Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research, New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ, 07102-1982 (United States); Anfinogentov, Sergey; Mysh’yakov, Ivan [Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISZF), Lermontov st., 126a, Irkutsk, 664033 (Russian Federation); Stupishin, Alexey [Saint Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya nab., St. Petersburg, 199034 (Russian Federation)

2017-04-10

Quantifying the coronal magnetic field remains a central problem in solar physics. Nowadays, the coronal magnetic field is often modeled using nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) reconstructions, whose accuracy has not yet been comprehensively assessed. Here we perform a detailed casting of the NLFFF reconstruction tools, such as π -disambiguation, photospheric field preprocessing, and volume reconstruction methods, using a 3D snapshot of the publicly available full-fledged radiative MHD model. Specifically, from the MHD model, we know the magnetic field vector in the entire 3D domain, which enables us to perform a “voxel-by-voxel” comparison of the restored and the true magnetic fields in the 3D model volume. Our tests show that the available π -disambiguation methods often fail in the quiet-Sun areas dominated by small-scale magnetic elements, while they work well in the active region (AR) photosphere and (even better) chromosphere. The preprocessing of the photospheric magnetic field, although it does produce a more force-free boundary condition, also results in some effective “elevation” of the magnetic field components. This “elevation” height is different for the longitudinal and transverse components, which results in a systematic error in absolute heights in the reconstructed magnetic data cube. The extrapolations performed starting from the actual AR photospheric magnetogram are free from this systematic error, while other metrics are comparable with those for extrapolations from the preprocessed magnetograms. This finding favors the use of extrapolations from the original photospheric magnetogram without preprocessing. Our tests further suggest that extrapolations from a force-free chromospheric boundary produce measurably better results than those from a photospheric boundary.

Leaching of radiostrontium in undisturbed columns of calcareous alluvial soil as affected by level of activity applied and rate of high calcium water of Tigris river

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fahad, A.A.; Razaq, I.B.; Ali, A.W.

1986-01-01

Leaching of 85 Sr in calcareous alluvial medium textured soil was undertaken for 126 days. Radiostrontium in three levels of 4.62(L1), 9.25(L2), and 18.50(L3) MBq column -1 was applied to undisturbed soil columns, 110cm long and 12cm inner diameter. Irrigation water of Tigris river was used as a leaching solution supplied automatically in 1.4, 2.0, and 3.0cm day -1 by rain simulator systems. Gamma radiation along the soil columns was scanned periodically during the course of leaching. Leaching of Sr from the surface layer was in two stages. The first stage covered the first 22 days and the second included the following 104 days. Strontium retained (y) as a function of time (x) fitted reasonably well (r>0.96) to the equations y=a+mlnx and lny=a+mx for the first and the second stage, respectively. Tigris river irrigation water was found as effective as the dilute Ca solution (proposed by some investigators) in displacing Sr. The leaching with 3.0cm day -1 for 126 days resulted in 23, 23, and 21 per cent of total Sr remaining in the upper 5 cm of soil columns under L1, L2 and L3, respectively. However, the area under the distribution curves followed the ratio 1.0:2.4:3.7 under L1, L2, and L3, respectively. The pattern of Sr distribution in calcareous alluvial soil depended not only on the rate and amount of water application but also on the level of Sr applied. Although the soil columns were leached with 378 cm of water for 126 days, the Sr front did not pass the 30 cm depth. This finding indicates the high retention of this soil for Sr and the potential hazard of radiostrontium arising from its existence in the layer of maximum root density. (author). 18 refs., 2 figures, 2 tables

Wave Disturbance Reduction of a Floating Wind Turbine Using a Reference Model-based Predictive Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Søren; Tabatabaeipour, Seyed Mojtaba; Bak, Thomas

2013-01-01

pitch such that the state trajectories of the controlled system tracks the reference trajectories. The framework is demonstrated with a reference model of the desired closed-loop system undisturbed by the incident waves. This allows the wave-induced motion of the platform to be damped significantly...... compared to a baseline floating wind turbine controller at the cost of more pitch action....

The Effect of Stellar Contamination on Transmission Spectra of Low-mass Exoplanets

Science.gov (United States)

Rackham, Benjamin V.; Apai, Daniel; Giampapa, Mark S.

2017-10-01

Transmission spectroscopy offers the exciting possibility of studying terrestrial exoplanet atmospheres in the near-term future. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), scheduled for launch next year, is expected to discover thousands of transiting exoplanets around bright host stars, including an estimated twenty habitable zone super-Earths. The brightness of the TESS host stars, combined with refined observational strategies and near-future facilities, will enable searches for atmospheric signatures from smaller and cooler exoplanets. These observations, however, will be increasingly subject to noise introduced by heterogeneities in the host star photospheres, such as star spots and faculae. In short, the transmission spectroscopy method relies on the assumption that the spectrum of the transit chord does not differ from that of the integrated stellar disk or, if it does, the contribution of photospheric heterogeneities to the transmission spectrum can be constrained by variability monitoring. However, any axisymmetric populations of spots and faculae will strongly affect transmission spectra, and their presence cannot be deduced from monitoring efforts. A clear need exists for a more robust understanding of stellar contamination on transmission spectra. Here we summarize our work on the impact of heterogeneous stellar photospheres on transmission spectra and detail implications for atmospheric characterization efforts. By modeling spot and faculae distributions in stellar photospheres, we find that spot-covering fractions extrapolated from observed variability amplitudes are significantly underestimated. Likewise, corrections based on variability monitoring likely fall short of the actual stellar spectral contamination. We provide examples of contamination spectra for typical levels of stellar activity across a range of spectral types. For M dwarfs, molecular absorption features in spots and faculae can imprint apparent features in transmission spectra

Automated flare forecasting using a statistical learning technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Yuan; Shih, Frank Y.; Jing Ju; Wang Haimin

2010-01-01

We present a new method for automatically forecasting the occurrence of solar flares based on photospheric magnetic measurements. The method is a cascading combination of an ordinal logistic regression model and a support vector machine classifier. The predictive variables are three photospheric magnetic parameters, i.e., the total unsigned magnetic flux, length of the strong-gradient magnetic polarity inversion line, and total magnetic energy dissipation. The output is true or false for the occurrence of a certain level of flares within 24 hours. Experimental results, from a sample of 230 active regions between 1996 and 2005, show the accuracies of a 24-hour flare forecast to be 0.86, 0.72, 0.65 and 0.84 respectively for the four different levels. Comparison shows an improvement in the accuracy of X-class flare forecasting. (research papers)

Bright point study. [of solar corona

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, F.; Harvey, K.; Bruner, M.; Kent, B.; Antonucci, E.

1982-01-01

Transition region and coronal observations of bright points by instruments aboard the Solar Maximum Mission and high resolution photospheric magnetograph observations on September 11, 1980 are presented. A total of 31 bipolar ephemeral regions were found in the photosphere from birth in 9.3 hours of combined magnetograph observations from three observatories. Two of the three ephemeral regions present in the field of view of the Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Polarimeter were observed in the C IV 1548 line. The unobserved ephemeral region was determined to be the shortest-lived (2.5 hr) and lowest in magnetic flux density (13G) of the three regions. The Flat Crystal Spectrometer observed only low level signals in the O VIII 18.969 A line, which were not statistically significant to be positively identified with any of the 16 ephemeral regions detected in the photosphere. In addition, the data indicate that at any given time there lacked a one-to-one correspondence between observable bright points and photospheric ephemeral regions, while more ephemeral regions were observed than their counterparts in the transition region and the corona.

Bright point study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, F.; Harvey, K.; Bruner, M.; Kent, B.; Antonucci, E.

1982-01-01

Transition region and coronal observations of bright points by instruments aboard the Solar Maximum Mission and high resolution photospheric magnetograph observations on September 11, 1980 are presented. A total of 31 bipolar ephemeral regions were found in the photosphere from birth in 9.3 hours of combined magnetograph observations from three observatories. Two of the three ephemeral regions present in the field of view of the Ultraviolet Spectrometer-Polarimeter were observed in the C IV 1548 line. The unobserved ephemeral region was determined to be the shortest-lived (2.5 hr) and lowest in magnetic flux density (13G) of the three regions. The Flat Crystal Spectrometer observed only low level signals in the O VIII 18.969 A line, which were not statistically significant to be positively identified with any of the 16 ephemeral regions detected in the photosphere. In addition, the data indicate that at any given time there lacked a one-to-one correspondence between observable bright points and photospheric ephemeral regions, while more ephemeral regions were observed than their counterparts in the transition region and the corona

Solar Twins and the Barium Puzzle

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Arumalla B. S.; Lambert, David L.

2017-08-01

Several abundance analyses of Galactic open clusters (OCs) have shown a tendency for Ba but not for other heavy elements (La-Sm) to increase sharply with decreasing age such that Ba was claimed to reach [Ba/Fe] ≃ +0.6 in the youngest clusters (ages measured the heavy elements Ba, La, Ce, Nd, and Sm with a precision of 0.03 dex. We demonstrate that the enhanced Ba II relative to La-Sm seen among solar twins, stellar associations, and OCs at young ages (LTE abundance analysis in which the microturbulence derived from the Fe lines formed deep in the photosphere is insufficient to represent the true line broadening imposed on Ba II lines by the upper photospheric layers from where the Ba II lines emerge. Because the young stars have relatively active photospheres, Ba overabundances most likely result from the adoption of a too low value of microturbulence in the spectrum synthesis of the strong Ba II lines but the change of microturbulence in the upper photosphere has only a minor affect on La-Sm abundances measured from the weak lines.

Aquatic food production modules in bioregenerative life support systems based on higher plants

Science.gov (United States)

Bluem, V.; Paris, F.

Most bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) are based on gravitropic higher plants which exhibit growth and seed generation disturbances in microgravity. Even when used for a lunar or martian base the reduced gravity may induce a decreased productivity in comparison to Earth. Therefore, the implementation of aquatic biomass production modules in higher plant and/or hybrid BLSS may compensate for this and offer, in addition, the possibility to produce animal protein for human nutrition. It was shown on the SLS-89 and SLS-90 space shuttle missions with the C.E.B.A.S.-MINI MODULE that the edible non gravitropic rootless higher aquatic plant Ceratophyllum demeresum exhibits an undisturbed high biomass production rate in space and that the teleost fish species, Xiphophorus helleri, adapts rapidly to space conditions without loss of its normal reproductive functions. Based on these findings a series of ground-based aquatic food production systems were developed which are disposed for utilization in space. These are plant production bioreactors for the species mentioned above and another suitable candidate, the lemnacean (duckweed) species, Wolffia arrhiza. Moreover, combined intensive aquaculture systems with a closed food loop between herbivorous fishes and aquatic and land plants are being developed which may be suitable for integration into a BLSS of higher complexity.

Solar Field Mapping and Dynamo Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenneth H. Schatten

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We discuss the importance of the Sun’s large-scale magnetic field to the Sun-Planetary environment. This paper narrows its focus down to the motion and evolution of the photospheric large-scale magnetic field which affects many environments throughout this region. For this purpose we utilize a newly developed Netlogo cellular automata model. The domain of this algorithmic model is the Sun’s photosphere. Within this computational space are placed two types of entities or agents; one may refer to them as bluebirds and cardinals; the former carries outward magnetic flux and the latter carries out inward magnetic flux. One may simply call them blue and red agents. The agents provide a granularity with discrete changes not present in smooth MHD models; they undergo three processes: birth, motion, and death within the photospheric domain. We discuss these processes, as well as how we are able to develop a model that restricts its domain to the photosphere and allows the deeper layers to be considered only through boundary conditions. We show the model’s ability to mimic a number of photospheric magnetic phenomena: the solar cycle (11-year oscillations, the Waldmeier effect, unipolar magnetic regions (e.g. sectors and coronal holes, Maunder minima, and the march/rush to the poles involving the geometry of magnetic field reversals. We also discuss why the Sun sometimes appears as a magnetic monopole, which of course requires no alteration of Maxwell’s equations.

Abundance analysis of neodymium in the solar atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelkawy, Ali G. A.; Shaltout, Abdelrazek M. K.; Beheary, M. M.; Bakry, A.

2017-10-01

Based on non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (NLTE) calculations, the solar neodymium (Nd) content was found based on a model atom of singly ionized neodymium (Nd II) containing 153 energy levels and 42 line transitions plus the ground state of Nd III. Here, we re-derive the solar Nd abundance using the model of the solar photosphere of Holweger & Müller.We succeed in selecting a good sample line list, relying on 20 Nd II solar lines together with the most accurate transition probabilities measured experimentally and available observational data. With damping parameters obtained from the literature, we find a mean NLTE solar photospheric Nd abundance of log ɛNd(1D) = 1.43 ± 0.16, which is in excellent agreement with the meteoritic value (log ɛNd = 1.45 ± 0.02). For a set of selected Nd II lines, the NLTE abundance correction is found to be +0.01 dex compared with the standard LTE effect. The influence of collisional interactions with electrons and neutral hydrogen atoms is investigated in detail.

How do land-based salmonid farms affect stream ecology?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tello, A.; Corner, R.A.; Telfer, T.C.

2010-01-01

Increasing research is highlighting the fact that streams provide crucial ecosystem services through the biogeochemical and ecological processes they sustain. Freshwater land-based salmonid farms commonly discharge their effluents into low order, headwater streams, partly due to the fact that adequate freshwater resources for production are commonly found in undisturbed areas. We review the effects of salmonid farm effluents on different biological components of stream ecosystems. Relevant considerations related to the temporal and spatial scales of effluent discharge and ecological effects are discussed. These highlight the need to characterize the patterns of stressor discharge when assessing environmental impacts and designing ecological effects studies. The potential role of multiple stressors in disrupting ecosystem structure and function is discussed with an emphasis on aquaculture veterinary medicines. Further research on the effects of veterinary medicines using relevant exposure scenarios would significantly contribute to our understanding of their impact in relation to other effluent stressors. - This article reviews the effects of aquaculture effluents on stream ecosystems with an emphasis on veterinary medicines and the temporal patterns of effluent discharge.

Data base for a site-specific migration analysis radioactive elements out of a waste repository

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadermann, J

1981-11-01

Migration analysis is of considerable importance in long-term safety analysis of radioactive waste repositories. In a first step our plans are to calculate transport of radionuclides using data - as far as possible - for an undisturbed hydrogeology. Thereby a reference case is defined. In a later step, possible events and processes can be considered leading to a deviation from the reference case. The present work gives the data base for a selected part of a comprehensive geosphere transport calculation. We restrict ourselves to a critical evaluation of parameters pertinent to the migration analysis of the /sup 245/Cm chain. This includes the important nuclide /sup 237/Np. For the first time we are able to perform a site specific calculation for repositories planned in deep geologic formations in Switzerland. The well-known fact that the data basis is extremely sparse is pointed out once more and concretized in detail.

Far-Infrared and Millimeter Continuum Studies of K-Giants: Alpha Boo and Alpha Tau

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Martin; Carbon, Duane F.; Welch, William J.; Lim, Tanya; Forster, James R.; Goorvitch, David; Thigpen, William (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We have imaged two normal, non-coronal, infrared-bright K-giants, alpha Boo and alpha Tau, in the 1.4-millimeter and 2.8-millimeter continuum using BIMA. These stars have been used as important absolute calibrators for several infrared satellites. Our goals are: (1) to probe the structure of their upper photospheres; (2) to establish whether these stars radiate as simple photospheres or possess long-wavelength chromospheres; and (3) to make a connection between millimeter-wave and far-infrared absolute flux calibrations. To accomplish these goals we also present ISO Long Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS) measurements of both these K-giants. The far-infrared and millimeter continuum radiation is produced in the vicinity of the temperature minimum in a Boo and a Tau, offering a direct test of the model photospheres and chromospheres for these two cool giants. We find that current photospheric models predict fluxes in reasonable agreement with those observed for those wavelengths which sample the upper photosphere, namely less than or equal to 170 micrometers in alpha Tau and less than or equal to 125 micrometers in alpha Boo. It is possible that alpha Tau is still radiative as far as 0.9 - 1.4 millimeters. We detect chromospheric radiation from both stars by 2.8 millimeters (by 1.4 millimeters in alpha Boo), and are able to establish useful bounds on the location of the temperature minimum. An attempt to interpret the chromospheric fluxes using the two-component "bifurcation model" proposed by Wiedemann et al. (1994) appears to lead to a significant contradiction.

GPU-Based Simulation of Ultrasound Imaging Artifacts for Cryosurgery Training

Science.gov (United States)

Keelan, Robert; Shimada, Kenji

2016-01-01

This study presents an efficient computational technique for the simulation of ultrasound imaging artifacts associated with cryosurgery based on nonlinear ray tracing. This study is part of an ongoing effort to develop computerized training tools for cryosurgery, with prostate cryosurgery as a development model. The capability of performing virtual cryosurgical procedures on a variety of test cases is essential for effective surgical training. Simulated ultrasound imaging artifacts include reverberation and reflection of the cryoprobes in the unfrozen tissue, reflections caused by the freezing front, shadowing caused by the frozen region, and tissue property changes in repeated freeze–thaw cycles procedures. The simulated artifacts appear to preserve the key features observed in a clinical setting. This study displays an example of how training may benefit from toggling between the undisturbed ultrasound image, the simulated temperature field, the simulated imaging artifacts, and an augmented hybrid presentation of the temperature field superimposed on the ultrasound image. The proposed method is demonstrated on a graphic processing unit at 100 frames per second, on a mid-range personal workstation, at two orders of magnitude faster than a typical cryoprocedure. This performance is based on computation with C++ accelerated massive parallelism and its interoperability with the DirectX-rendering application programming interface. PMID:26818026

The photosphere of T. Tauri Stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calvet, Nuria; Marin, Zaida

1987-01-01

We have calculated the absorption spectrum in the wavelength interval 4880-5025A for a set of models with Teff = 4000K and log g = 3.5 and a chromospheric temperature rise. These models are considered as representative of the atmosphere of T Tauri stars. The position of the temperature minimum goes from 0.1 to 2 gr cm -2 in the models. Populations are in LTE and the two level plus continuum approximation is used for the source function. We have compared the calculated spectra with those observed in the program of rotational velocity determination by Vogel and Kuhi (1981). Differences between the spectrum of T Tauri stars can be understood in first approximation in terms of differences in the position of the temperature minimum. In particular, we find that at the moment of the observation, the minimum in BP Tau was located between 1 and 2 cm -2 and in AA Tau between 0.3 and 0.6 gr cm -2 . (Author)

Vertical gradients of sunspot magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Hagyard, M. J.; Teuber, D.; West, E. A.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E.; Henze, W., Jr.; Beckers, J. M.; Bruner, M.; Hyder, C. L.; Woodgate, B. E.

1983-01-01

The results of a Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) guest investigation to determine the vertical gradients of sunspot magnetic fields for the first time from coordinated observations of photospheric and transition-region fields are described. Descriptions are given of both the photospheric vector field of a sunspot, derived from observations using the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center vector magnetograph, and of the line-of-sight component in the transition region, obtained from the SMM Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter instrument. On the basis of these data, vertical gradients of the line-of-sight magnetic field component are calculated using three methods. It is found that the vertical gradient of Bz is lower than values from previous studies and that the transition-region field occurs at a height of approximately 4000-6000 km above the photosphere.

Cyber Security of Industrial Control Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luiijf, H.A.M.; Paske, B.J. te

2015-01-01

Our society and its citizens depend on the undisturbed functioning of (critical) infrastructures and their services. Crucial processes in most critical infrastructures, and in many other organisations, rely on the correct and undisturbed functioning of Industrial Control Systems (ICS). A failure of

Solar magnetic field studies using the 12 micron emission lines. I - Quiet sun time series and sunspot slices

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, Drake; Boyle, Robert J.; Jennings, Donald E.; Wiedemann, Gunter

1988-01-01

The use of the extremely Zeeman-sensitive IR emission line Mg I, at 12.32 microns, to study solar magnetic fields. Time series observations of the line in the quiet sun were obtained in order to determine the response time of the line to the five-minute oscillations. Based upon the velocity amplitude and average period measured in the line, it is concluded that it is formed in the temperature minimum region. The magnetic structure of sunspots is investigated by stepping a small field of view in linear 'slices' through the spots. The region of penumbral line formation does not show the Evershed outflow common in photospheric lines. The line intensity is a factor of two greater in sunspot penumbrae than in the photosphere, and at the limb the penumbral emission begins to depart from optical thinness, the line source function increasing with height. For a spot near disk center, the radial decrease in absolute magnetic field strength is steeper than the generally accepted dependence.

Multi-wavelength Observations of Solar Active Region NOAA 7154

Science.gov (United States)

Bruner, M. E.; Nitta, N. V.; Frank. Z. A.; Dame, L.; Suematsu, Y.

2000-01-01

We report on observations of a solar active region in May 1992 by the Solar Plasma Diagnostic Experiment (SPDE) in coordination with the Yohkoh satellite (producing soft X-ray images) and ground-based observatories (producing photospheric magnetograms and various filtergrams including those at the CN 3883 A line). The main focus is a study of the physical conditions of hot (T is approximately greater than 3 MK) coronal loops at their foot-points. The coronal part of the loops is fuzzy but what appear to be their footpoints in the transition region down to the photosphere are compact. Despite the morphological similarities, the footpoint emission at 10(exp 5) K is not quantitatively correlated with that at approximately 300 km above the tau (sub 5000) = 1 level, suggesting that the heat transport and therefore magnetic field topology in the intermediate layer is complicated. High resolution imaging observations with continuous temperature coverage are crucially needed.

MAGNETIC FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF T TAURI STARS IN THE ORION NEBULA CLUSTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao Yang; Johns-Krull, Christopher M.

2011-01-01

We present an analysis of high-resolution (R ∼ 50, 000) infrared K-band echelle spectra of 14 T Tauri stars (TTSs) in the Orion Nebula Cluster. We model Zeeman broadening in three magnetically sensitive Ti I lines near 2.2 μm and consistently detect kilogauss-level magnetic fields in the stellar photospheres. The data are consistent in each case with the entire stellar surface being covered with magnetic fields, suggesting that magnetic pressure likely dominates over gas pressure in the photospheres of these stars. These very strong magnetic fields might themselves be responsible for the underproduction of X-ray emission of TTSs relative to what is expected based on main-sequence star calibrations. We combine these results with previous measurements of 14 stars in Taurus and 5 stars in the TW Hydrae association to study the potential variation of magnetic field properties during the first 10 million years of stellar evolution, finding a steady decline in total magnetic flux with age.

Nutrient Release from Disturbance of Infiltration System Soils during Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel P. Treese

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Subsurface infiltration and surface bioretention systems composed of engineered and/or native soils are preferred tools for stormwater management. However, the disturbance of native soils, especially during the process of adding amendments to improve infiltration rates and pollutant removal, may result in releases of nutrients in the early life of these systems. This project investigated the nutrient release from two soils, one disturbed and one undisturbed. The disturbed soil was collected intact, but had to be air-dried, and the columns repacked when soil shrinkage caused bypassing of water along the walls of the column. The undisturbed soil was collected and used intact, with no repacking. The disturbed soil showed elevated releases of nitrogen and phosphorus compared to the undisturbed soil for approximately 0.4 and 0.8 m of runoff loading, respectively. For the undisturbed soil, the nitrogen release was delayed, indicating that the soil disturbance accelerated the release of nitrogen into a very short time period. Leaving the soil undisturbed resulted in lower but still elevated effluent nitrogen concentrations over a longer period of time. For phosphorus, these results confirm prior research which demonstrated that the soil, if shown to be phosphorus-deficient during fertility testing, can remove phosphorus from runoff even when disturbed.

Determination of solar flare accelerated ion angular distributions from SMM gamma ray and neutron measurements and determination of the He-3/H ratio in the solar photosphere from SMM gamma ray measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Lingenfelter, Richard E.

1989-01-01

Comparisons of Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) observations of gamma-ray line and neutron emission with theoretical calculation of their expected production by flare accelerated ion interactions in the solar atmosphere have led to significant advances in the understanding of solar flare particle acceleration and interaction, as well as the flare process itself. These comparisons have enabled the determination of, not only the total number and energy spectrum of accelerated ions trapped at the sun, but also the ion angular distribution as they interact in the solar atmosphere. The Monte Carlo program was modified to include in the calculations of ion trajectories the effects of both mirroring in converging magnetic fields and of pitch angle scattering. Comparing the results of these calculations with the SMM observations, not only the angular distribution of the interacting ions can be determined, but also the initial angular distribution of the ions at acceleration. The reliable determination of the solar photospheric He-3 abundance is of great importance for understanding nucleosynthesis in the early universe and its implications for cosmology, as well as for the study of the evolution of the sun. It is also essential for the determinations of the spectrum and total number of flare accelerated ions from the SMM/GRS gamma-ray line measurements. Systematic Monte Carlo calculations of the time dependence were made as a function of the He-3 abundance and other variables. A new series of calculations were compared for the time-dependent flux of 2.223 MeV neutron capture line emission and the ratio of the time-integrated flux in the 2.223 MeV line to that in the 4.1 to 6.4 MeV nuclear deexcitation band.

Magnetic Characteristics of Active Region Heating Observed with TRACE, SOHO/EIT, and Yohkoh/SXT

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, J. G.; Falconer, D. A.; Moore, R. L.; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Over the past several years, we have reported results from studies that have compared the magnetic structure and heating of the transition region and corona (both in active regions and in the quiet Sun) by combining X-ray and EUV images from Yohkoh and Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) with photospheric magnetograms from ground-based observatories. Our findings have led us to the hypothesis that most heating throughout the corona is driven from near and below the base of the corona by eruptive microflares occurring in compact low-lying "core magnetic fields (i.e., fields rooted along and closely enveloping polarity inversion lines in the photospheric magnetic flux). We now extend these studies, comparing sequences of UV images from Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) with longitudinal magnetograms from Kitt Peak and vector magnetograms from MUSIC. These comparisons confirm the previous results regarding the importance of core-field activity to active region heating. Activity in fields associated with satellite polarity inclusions and/or magnetically sheared configurations is especially prominent. This work is funded by NASA's Office of Space Science through the Sun-Earth Connection Guest Investigator Program and the Solar Physics Supporting Research and Technology Program.

Water balances of two Piedmont headwater catchments: implications for regional hydrologic landscape classification

Science.gov (United States)

C. Dreps; G. Sun; J. Boggs

2014-01-01

In the Piedmont of North Carolina, a traditionally water-rich region, reservoirs that serve over 1 million people are under increasing pressure due to naturally occurring droughts and increasing land development. Innovative development approaches aim to maintain hydrologic conditions of the undisturbed landscape, but are based on insufficient target information. This...

Reservoir Characterization and CO2 Plume Migration Modeling Based on Bottom-hole Pressure Data: An Example from the AEP Mountaineer Geological Storage Project

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Srikanta; Kelley, Mark; Oruganti, YagnaDeepika; Bhattacharya, Indra; Spitznogle, Gary

2014-05-01

We present an integrated approach for formation permeability estimation, front tracking, reservoir model calibration, and plume migration modeling based on injection rate and down-hole pressure data from CO2 geologic sequestration projects. The data are taken from the 20 MW CO2 capture and storage project at American Electric Power's Mountaineer Plant in West Virginia, USA. The Mountaineer CO2 injection system consists of two injection wells - one in the Copper Ridge Dolomite formation and one in the Rose Run sandstone formation, and three deep observation wells that were operational between October 2009 and May 2011. Approximately 27000 MT and 10000 MT were injected into the Copper Ridge dolomite formation and Rose Run sandstone formation, respectively. A wealth of pressure and rate data from injection and observation wells is available covering a series of injection and pressure falloff events. The methodology developed and applied for interpreting and integrating the data during reservoir analysis and modeling from the Rose Run formation is the subject of this paper. For the analysis of transient pressure data at the injection and observation wells, the CO2 storage reservoir is conceptualized as a radial composite system, where the inner (invaded) zone consists of both supercritical CO2 and brine, and the outer (uninvaded) zone consists of undisturbed brine. Using established analytical solutions for analyzing fluid injection problems in the petroleum reservoir engineering literature, we show how the late-time pressure derivative response from both injection and observation wells will be identical - reflecting the permeability-thickness product of the undisturbed brine-filled formation. We also show how the expanding CO2 plume affects the "effective" compressibility that can be estimated by history matching injection-falloff data and how this can be used to develop a relationship between the plume radius and "effective" compressibility. This provides a novel non

In-Situ Observation of Undisturbed Surface Layer Scaler Profiles for Characterizing Evaporative Duct Properties

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

9 Figure 4. Prototype RHIB-based tethered balloon MAPS used in CASPER Pilot. The...profile measurements over the ocean. The system is designed to make profiling measurements with multiple up/downs using an instrumented tethered balloon ...temperature profiles with high vertical resolution. With the ultimate goal of improving evaporative duct prediction, we use a tethered 2 balloon

Solar and Stellar Active Regions:Cosmic laboratories for the study of Complexity

OpenAIRE

Vlahos, Loukas

2008-01-01

Solar active regions are driven dissipative dynamical systems. The turbulent convection zone forces new magnetic flux tubes to rise above the photosphere and shuffles the magnetic fields which are already above the photosphere. The driven 3D active region responds to the driver with the formation of Thin Current Sheets in all scales and releases impulsively energy, when special thresholds are met, on the form of nano-, micro-, flares and large scale coronal mass ejections. It has been documen...

Quantifying small-scale spatio-temporal variability of snow stratigraphy in forests based on high-resolution snow penetrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Teich, M.; Hagenmuller, P.; Bebi, P.; Jenkins, M. J.; Giunta, A. D.; Schneebeli, M.

2017-12-01

Snow stratigraphy, the characteristic layering within a seasonal snowpack, has important implications for snow remote sensing, hydrology and avalanches. Forests modify snowpack properties through interception, wind speed reduction, and changes to the energy balance. The lack of snowpack observations in forests limits our ability to understand the evolution of snow stratigraphy and its spatio-temporal variability as a function of forest structure and to observe snowpack response to changes in forest cover. We examined the snowpack under canopies of a spruce forest in the central Rocky Mountains, USA, using the SnowMicroPen (SMP), a high resolution digital penetrometer. Weekly-repeated penetration force measurements were recorded along 10 m transects every 0.3 m in winter 2015 and bi-weekly along 20 m transects every 0.5 m in 2016 in three study plots beneath canopies of undisturbed, bark beetle-disturbed and harvested forest stands, and an open meadow. To disentangle information about layer hardness and depth variabilities, and to quantitatively compare the different SMP profiles, we applied a matching algorithm to our dataset, which combines several profiles by automatically adjusting their layer thicknesses. We linked spatial and temporal variabilities of penetration force and depth, and thus snow stratigraphy to forest and meteorological conditions. Throughout the season, snow stratigraphy was more heterogeneous in undisturbed but also beneath bark beetle-disturbed forests. In contrast, and despite remaining small diameter trees and woody debris, snow stratigraphy was rather homogenous at the harvested plot. As expected, layering at the non-forested plot varied only slightly over the small spatial extent sampled. At the open and harvested plots, persistent crusts and ice lenses were clearly present in the snowpack, while such hard layers barely occurred beneath undisturbed and disturbed canopies. Due to settling, hardness significantly increased with depth at

The Liquid Metallic Hydrogen Model of the Sun and the Solar Atmosphere II. Continuous Emission and Condensed Matter Within the Corona

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The K-corona, a significant portion of the solar atmosphere, displays a continuous spectrum which closely parallels photospheric emission, though without the presence of overlying Fraunhofer lines. The E-corona exists in the same region and is characterized by weak emission lines from highly ionized atoms. For instance, the famous green emission line from coronium (FeXIV is part of the E-corona. The F-corona exists beyond the K/E-corona and, like the photospheric spectrum, is characterized by Fraunhofer lines. The F-corona represents photospheric light scattered by dust particles in the interplanetary medium. Within the gaseous models of the Sun, the K-corona is viewed as photospheric radiation which has been scattered by relativistic electrons. This scattering is thought to broaden the Fraunhofer lines of the solar spectrum such that they can no longer be detected in the K-corona. Thus, the gaseous models of the Sun account for the appearance of the K-corona by distorting photospheric light, since they are unable to have recourse to condensed matter to directly produce such radiation. Conversely, it is now advanced that the continuous emission of the K-corona and associated emission lines from the E-corona must be interpreted as manifestations of the same phenomenon: condensed matter exists in the corona. It is well-known that the Sun expels large amounts of material from its surface in the form of flares and coronal mass ejections. Given a liquid metallic hydrogen model of the Sun, it is logical to assume that such matter, which exists in the condensed state on the solar surface, continues to manifest its nature once expelled into the corona. Therefore, the continuous spectrum of the K-corona provides the twenty-seventh line of evidence that the Sun is composed of condensed matter.

Solar atmosphere wave dynamics generated by solar global oscillating eigenmodes

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, M. K.; Fedun, V.; Erdélyi, R.; Zheng, R.

2018-01-01

The solar atmosphere exhibits a diverse range of wave phenomena, where one of the earliest discovered was the five-minute global acoustic oscillation, also referred to as the p-mode. The analysis of wave propagation in the solar atmosphere may be used as a diagnostic tool to estimate accurately the physical characteristics of the Sun's atmospheric layers. In this paper, we investigate the dynamics and upward propagation of waves which are generated by the solar global eigenmodes. We report on a series of hydrodynamic simulations of a realistically stratified model of the solar atmosphere representing its lower region from the photosphere to low corona. With the objective of modelling atmospheric perturbations, propagating from the photosphere into the chromosphere, transition region and low corona, generated by the photospheric global oscillations the simulations use photospheric drivers mimicking the solar p-modes. The drivers are spatially structured harmonics across the computational box parallel to the solar surface. The drivers perturb the atmosphere at 0.5 Mm above the bottom boundary of the model and are placed coincident with the location of the temperature minimum. A combination of the VALIIIC and McWhirter solar atmospheres are used as the background equilibrium model. We report how synthetic photospheric oscillations may manifest in a magnetic field free model of the quiet Sun. To carry out the simulations, we employed the magnetohydrodynamics code, SMAUG (Sheffield MHD Accelerated Using GPUs). Our results show that the amount of energy propagating into the solar atmosphere is consistent with a model of solar global oscillations described by Taroyan and Erdélyi (2008) using the Klein-Gordon equation. The computed results indicate a power law which is compared to observations reported by Ireland et al. (2015) using data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly.

The chromospheric structure of cool carbon stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luttermoser, D.G.

1988-01-01

The temperature-density structure of the outer atmospheres of the N-type carbon stars are investigated through computer generated synthetic spectra from model atmospheres. The synthetic spectra are compared to spectra obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) spacecraft and ground-based photometry. The nature of the severe violet flux falloff seen in cool carbon stars is investigated through photospheric synthetic flux calculations with the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). A new candidate for the unknown opacity source that causes this flux falloff is proposed-a preponderance of neutral metal bound-bound and bound-free transitions from low energy states. The chromospheric structure of these stars is also investigated through a semi-empirical modeling technique. Such a technique involves attaching a chromospheric temperature rise to a radiative equilibrium model photosphere and generating a synthetic spectrum of chromospheric spectral lines using non-LTE radiative transfer. The chromospheric temperature-density structure is then altered until the synthetic spectrum matches the IUE observations of the singly ionized magnesium resonance lines and the intercombination lines of singly ionized carbon. Through the above mentioned non-LTE analysis of the atmospheric structure of these stars, the excitation and ionization equilibria are investigated. The excited levels of H I, C I, Na I, Mg I, and Ca I are over-populated with respect to LTE in the middle and upper photosphere of these stars, and all are over-ionized with respect to LTE. Photons from the chromosphere greatly influence the excitation and ionization of H I, C I, and Mg I

A STATISTICAL STUDY OF FLARE PRODUCTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH SUNSPOT PROPERTIES IN DIFFERENT MAGNETIC TYPES OF ACTIVE REGIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Ya-Hui [Institute of Space Science, National Central University, Jhongli 32001, Taiwan (China); Hsieh, Min-Shiu [Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK 99775-7320 (United States); Yu, Hsiu-Shan [Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California San Diego, CA 92093 (United States); Chen, P. F., E-mail: yhyang@jupiter.ss.ncu.edu.tw, E-mail: mhsieh2@alaska.edu, E-mail: hsyu@ucsd.edu, E-mail: chenpf@nju.edu.cn [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China)

2017-01-10

It is often believed that intense flares preferentially originate from the large-size active regions (ARs) with strong magnetic fields and complex magnetic configurations. This work investigates the dependence of flare activity on the AR properties and clarifies the influence of AR magnetic parameters on the flare productivity, based on two data sets of daily sunspot and flare information as well as the GOES soft X-ray measurements and HMI vector magnetograms. By considering the evolution of magnetic complexity, we find that flare behaviors are quite different in the short- and long-lived complex ARs and the ARs with more complex magnetic configurations are likely to host more impulsive and intense flares. Furthermore, we investigate several magnetic quantities and perform the two-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov test to examine the similarity/difference between two populations in different types of ARs. Our results demonstrate that the total source field strength on the photosphere has a good correlation with the flare activity in complex ARs. It is noted that intense flares tend to occur at the regions of strong source field in combination with an intermediate field-weighted shear angle. This result implies that the magnetic free energy provided by a complex AR could be high enough to trigger a flare eruption even with a moderate magnetic shear on the photosphere. We thus suggest that the magnetic free energy represented by the source field rather than the photospheric magnetic complexity is a better quantity to characterize the flare productivity of an AR, especially for the occurrence of intense flares.

The variable Herbig Ae star HR 5999: VIII. Spectroscopic observations 1975 - 1985 and correlations with simulataneous photometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tjin, A.; Djie, H.R.E.; The, P.S.; Andersen, J.; Nordstroem, B.; Finkenzeller, U.; Jankovics, I.

1989-01-01

Visual spectroscopy of the irregularly variable Herbig Ae star HR 5999 over the past 15 years is summarised. The general features of the spectrum indicate that HR 5999 is an A5-7 III-IVe star with an extended circumstellar atmosphere. Typical lines have a rotationally broadened photospheric component and one or two blue-shifted ''shell'' components. The average radial velocity of the photospheric components, together with the common proper motions of the stars strongly suggest that HR 5999 and the peculiar B6 star HR 6000 from a physical pair, with common age. In order to study the relation between variations in the spectrum and in the brightness of the star, three sequences of simultaneous spectroscopic and photometric observations have been obtained during the past decade. From these and other (isolated) simultaneous observations we concluded that: (a) the photospheric radial velocity component is variable, possibly with a period of about 14 days, which could point to the presence of a close companion, (b) occasionally, sudden variations may occur (within one night) either in the photospheric line components,or in the shell (absorption or emission) components or both; (c) a decreasing brightness is correlated with increasing Hα-emission flux and a decreasing wind velocity in the shell region. An interpretation of these correlations in terms of magnetic activity is proposed

Sedimentation rate in Trombay bay, west coast of India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borkar, M.D.; Pillai, K.C.

1991-01-01

The sedimentation rate plays a significant role in the distribution of pollutants discharged into the water bodies. Of the several methods available for determining the sedimentation rate in the shallow water environment, the one based on exponential profile of excess 210 Pb in undisturbed sediment core, has been widely used. Based on this, the sedimentation rate in the Trombay bay ranges between 3 and 4 mm.y -1 . (author). 13 refs

The transport of fallout 137Cs within undisturbed soils in Nigeria based on measured soil concentration profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ajayi, I.R.

2007-12-01

The transport of fallout 137 Cs within the Nigerian soil has been studied in this paper by the compartment and the diffusion-convection models. The measured concentrations of the radionuclide in the soil layers were examined by the models in order to estimate the transport parameters of residence half-time, migration velocity, diffusion coefficient and the convective velocities of the radionuclide within the soils. The residence half-times were observed to be short and decreased with soil depth with a mean ranging from 0.3 years at 0 - 2cm soil depth in the Akure site to 1.4 years at 10-15cm depth in the Igbeti site. The migration velocity ν, calculated from the residence times with the consideration of the different thicknesses of layers were observed to decrease slowly with depth at all the sampling sites with a range from 3.62 cm y -1 at the Igbeti site to 8.21 cm.y -1 at the Ikogosi site. The migration velocities obtained are quite higher than those reported in literature for global fallout. The range of the diffusion coefficient was 0.72 - 1.02 cm 2 per year while that of the convective velocity was from 0.07 to 0.16 cm per year. Diffusion coefficients were observed to be higher than the convective velocities at all sampling points. (author)

Assessing the impact of deforestation of the Atlantic rainforest on ant-fruit interactions: a field experiment using synthetic fruits.

Science.gov (United States)

Bieber, Ana Gabriela D; Silva, Paulo S D; Sendoya, Sebastián F; Oliveira, Paulo S

2014-01-01

Ants frequently interact with fleshy fruits on the ground of tropical forests. This interaction is regarded as mutualistic because seeds benefit from enhanced germination and dispersal to nutrient-rich microsites, whereas ants benefit from consuming the nutritious pulp/aril. Considering that the process of deforestation affects many attributes of the ecosystem such as species abundance and composition, and interspecific interactions, we asked whether the interaction between ants and fallen fleshy fruits in the Brazilian Atlantic forest differs between human-created fragments and undisturbed forests. We controlled diaspore type and quantity by using synthetic fruits (a plastic 'seed' covered by a lipid-rich 'pulp'), which were comparable to lipid-rich fruits. Eight independent areas (four undisturbed forests, and four disturbed forest fragments) were used in the field experiment, in which we recorded the attracted ant species, ant behaviour, and fruit removal distance. Fruits in undisturbed forest sites attracted a higher number of species than those in disturbed forests. Moreover, the occurrence of large, fruit-carrying ponerine ants (Pachycondyla, Odontomachus; 1.1 to 1.4 cm) was higher in undisturbed forests. Large species (≥3 mm) of Pheidole (Myrmicinae), also able to remove fruits, did not differ between forest types. Following these changes in species occurrence, fruit displacement was more frequent in undisturbed than in disturbed forests. Moreover, displacement distances were also greater in the undisturbed forests. Our data suggest that fallen fleshy fruits interacting with ants face different fates depending on the conservation status of the forest. Together with the severe loss of their primary dispersers in human-disturbed tropical forest sites, vertebrate-dispersed fruits may also be deprived of potential ant-derived benefits in these habitats due to shifts in the composition of interacting ant species. Our data illustrate the use of synthetic fruits

The sun and solar flares

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenna-Lawlor, S.

1982-01-01

The subject is discussed under the headings: the sun's core (thermonuclear reactions, energy transfer from core through radiation zone, convection zone, photosphere, chromosphere and corona); the photosphere (convection, granulation, sunspots, magnetic fields, solar cycle, rotation of the sun); solar variability and paleoclimatic records (correlation of low solar activity with increased 14 C production in atmosphere); the chromosphere and corona (turbulence, temperature, coronal streamers, energy transfer); solar flares (cosmic rays, aurorae, spectra, velocity of flares, prominences, mechanisms of flares); the solar wind. (U.K.)

Assessment of the impact of anthropic activities on carbon storage in soils of high montane ecosystems in Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orlando Zúñiga-Escobar

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The organic carbon in the soil was quantified to assess the impact of anthropic activities on montane ecosystems in Colombia in Chingaza Parque Nacional Natural (PNN and Los Nevados Parque Nacional Natural (PNN . For the development of the soil samples, a detailed in situ description of the edaphological profile of four ecosystems of paramo and high Andean forest areas, of both disturbed and undisturbed zones, was taken as the base. The calculation of the amount of total carbon stored by the soil profile shows that, in Colombia, undisturbed high montane ecosystems (520.9 t ha-1 in paramos and 323.6 t ha-1 in high Andean forests of Chingaza PNN , and 373.0 t ha-1 in paramos and 254.6 t ha-1 in high Andean forests of Los Nevados PNN currently have more carbon than disturbed ecosystems (135.1 t ha-1 in paramos and 141.5 t ha-1 in high Andean forests of Chingaza PNN , and 356.3 t ha-1 in paramos and 217.1 t ha-1 in high Andean forests of Los Nevados PNN . It is clear that the disturbance of high montane ecosystems decreases the amount of carbon in the soil, a situation that is more concerning in Chingaza PNN where the difference between the disturbed and undisturbed ecosystems is much more marked than in Los Nevados PNN

Ground-based observation of emission lines from the corona of a red-dwarf star.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, J H; Wichmann, R

2001-08-02

All 'solar-like' stars are surrounded by coronae, which contain magnetically confined plasma at temperatures above 106 K. (Until now, only the Sun's corona could be observed in the optical-as a shimmering envelope during a total solar eclipse.) As the underlying stellar 'surfaces'-the photospheres-are much cooler, some non-radiative process must be responsible for heating the coronae. The heating mechanism is generally thought to be magnetic in origin, but is not yet understood even for the case of the Sun. Ultraviolet emission lines first led to the discovery of the enormous temperature of the Sun's corona, but thermal emission from the coronae of other stars has hitherto been detectable only from space, at X-ray wavelengths. Here we report the detection of emission from highly ionized iron (Fe XIII at 3,388.1 A) in the corona of the red-dwarf star CN Leonis, using a ground-based telescope. The X-ray flux inferred from our data is consistent with previously measured X-ray fluxes, and the non-thermal line width of 18.4 km s-1 indicates great similarities between solar and stellar coronal heating mechanisms. The accessibility and spectral resolution (45,000) of the ground-based instrument are much better than those of X-ray satellites, so a new window to the study of stellar coronae has been opened.

Diffusion probe for gas sampling in undisturbed soil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Søren O

2014-01-01

Soil-atmosphere fluxes of trace gases such as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are determined by complex interactions between biological activity and soil conditions. Soil gas concentration profiles may, in combination with other information about soil conditions, help to understand emission...... controls. This note describes a simple and robust diffusion probe for soil gas sampling as part of flux monitoring programs. It can be deployed with minimum disturbance of in-situ conditions, also at sites with a high or fluctuating water table. Separate probes are used for each sampling depth...... on peat soils used for grazing showed soil gas concentrations of CH4 and N2O as influenced by topography, site conditions, and season. The applicability of the diffusion probe for trace gas monitoring is discussed....

Radionuclide diffusion into undisturbed and altered crystalline rocks

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Havlová, V.; Večerník, P.; Najser, J.; Sosna, K.; Breiter, Karel

2012-01-01

Roč. 76, Dec. 2012 (2012), s. 3191-3201 ISSN 0026-461X Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : disposal * granite * radionuclide diffus * ion * sampling protocols Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 2.212, year: 2012

The normal acid-base status of mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Iversen, Nina K; Malte, Hans; Baatrup, Erik; Wang, Tobias

2012-03-15

Rodent models are commonly used for various physiological studies including acid-base regulation. Despite the widespread use of especially genetic modified mice, little attention have been made to characterise the normal acid-base status in these animals in order to reveal proper control values. Furthermore, several studies report blood gas values obtained in anaesthetised animals. We, therefore, decided to characterise blood CO(2) binding characteristic of mouse blood in vitro and to characterise normal acid-base status in conscious BALBc mice. In vitro CO(2) dissociation curves, performed on whole blood equilibrated to various PCO₂ levels in rotating tonometers, revealed a typical mammalian pK' (pK'=7.816-0.234 × pH (r=0.34)) and a non-bicarbonate buffer capacity (16.1 ± 2.6 slyke). To measure arterial acid-base status, small blood samples were taken from undisturbed mice with indwelling catheters in the carotid artery. In these animals, pH was 7.391 ± 0.026, plasma [HCO(3)(-)] 18.4 ± 0.83 mM, PCO₂ 30.3 ± 2.1 mm Hg and lactate concentration 4.6 ± 0.7 mM. Our study, therefore, shows that mice have an arterial pH that resembles other mammals, although arterial PCO₂ tends to be lower than in larger mammals. However, pH from arterial blood sampled from mice anaesthetised with isoflurane was significantly lower (pH 7.239 ± 0.021), while plasma [HCO(3)(-)] was 18.5 ± 1.4 mM, PCO₂ 41.9 ± 2.9 mm Hg and lactate concentration 4.48 ± 0.67 mM. Furthermore, we measured metabolism and ventilation (V(E)) in order to determine the ventilation requirements (VE/VO₂) to answer whether small mammals tend to hyperventilate. We recommend, therefore, that studies on acid-base regulation in mice should be based on samples taken for indwelling catheters rather than cardiac puncture of terminally anaesthetised mice. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SPECTROPOLARIMETRICALLY ACCURATE MAGNETOHYDROSTATIC SUNSPOT MODEL FOR FORWARD MODELING IN HELIOSEISMOLOGY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Przybylski, D.; Shelyag, S.; Cally, P. S. [Monash Center for Astrophysics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 (Australia)

2015-07-01

We present a technique to construct a spectropolarimetrically accurate magnetohydrostatic model of a large-scale solar magnetic field concentration, mimicking a sunspot. Using the constructed model we perform a simulation of acoustic wave propagation, conversion, and absorption in the solar interior and photosphere with the sunspot embedded into it. With the 6173 Å magnetically sensitive photospheric absorption line of neutral iron, we calculate observable quantities such as continuum intensities, Doppler velocities, as well as the full Stokes vector for the simulation at various positions at the solar disk, and analyze the influence of non-locality of radiative transport in the solar photosphere on helioseismic measurements. Bisector shapes were used to perform multi-height observations. The differences in acoustic power at different heights within the line formation region at different positions at the solar disk were simulated and characterized. An increase in acoustic power in the simulated observations of the sunspot umbra away from the solar disk center was confirmed as the slow magnetoacoustic wave.

SPECTROPOLARIMETRICALLY ACCURATE MAGNETOHYDROSTATIC SUNSPOT MODEL FOR FORWARD MODELING IN HELIOSEISMOLOGY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Przybylski, D.; Shelyag, S.; Cally, P. S.

2015-01-01

We present a technique to construct a spectropolarimetrically accurate magnetohydrostatic model of a large-scale solar magnetic field concentration, mimicking a sunspot. Using the constructed model we perform a simulation of acoustic wave propagation, conversion, and absorption in the solar interior and photosphere with the sunspot embedded into it. With the 6173 Å magnetically sensitive photospheric absorption line of neutral iron, we calculate observable quantities such as continuum intensities, Doppler velocities, as well as the full Stokes vector for the simulation at various positions at the solar disk, and analyze the influence of non-locality of radiative transport in the solar photosphere on helioseismic measurements. Bisector shapes were used to perform multi-height observations. The differences in acoustic power at different heights within the line formation region at different positions at the solar disk were simulated and characterized. An increase in acoustic power in the simulated observations of the sunspot umbra away from the solar disk center was confirmed as the slow magnetoacoustic wave

Morphology and Dynamics of Solar Prominences from 3D MHD Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Terradas, J.; Soler, R.; Luna, M.; Oliver, R.; Ballester, J. L.

2015-01-01

In this paper we present a numerical study of the time evolution of solar prominences embedded in sheared magnetic arcades. The prominence is represented by a density enhancement in a background-stratified atmosphere and is connected to the photosphere through the magnetic field. By solving the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations in three dimensions, we study the dynamics for a range of parameters representative of real prominences. Depending on the parameters considered, we find prominences that are suspended above the photosphere, i.e., detached prominences, but also configurations resembling curtain or hedgerow prominences whose material continuously connects to the photosphere. The plasma-β is an important parameter that determines the shape of the structure. In many cases magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities and oscillatory phenomena develop. Fingers and plumes are generated, affecting the whole prominence body and producing vertical structures in an essentially horizontal magnetic field. However, magnetic shear is able to reduce or even to suppress this instability.

MORPHOLOGY AND DYNAMICS OF SOLAR PROMINENCES FROM 3D MHD SIMULATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terradas, J.; Soler, R.; Oliver, R.; Ballester, J. L. [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Luna, M., E-mail: jaume.terradas@uib.es [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

2015-01-20

In this paper we present a numerical study of the time evolution of solar prominences embedded in sheared magnetic arcades. The prominence is represented by a density enhancement in a background-stratified atmosphere and is connected to the photosphere through the magnetic field. By solving the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations in three dimensions, we study the dynamics for a range of parameters representative of real prominences. Depending on the parameters considered, we find prominences that are suspended above the photosphere, i.e., detached prominences, but also configurations resembling curtain or hedgerow prominences whose material continuously connects to the photosphere. The plasma-β is an important parameter that determines the shape of the structure. In many cases magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities and oscillatory phenomena develop. Fingers and plumes are generated, affecting the whole prominence body and producing vertical structures in an essentially horizontal magnetic field. However, magnetic shear is able to reduce or even to suppress this instability.

Landscape variation in species diversity and succession as related to topography, soils and human disturbance

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffery N. Pearcy; David M. Hix; Stacy A. Drury

1995-01-01

Three hundred and thirty-two plots have been sampled on the Wayne National Forest of southeastern Ohio, for the purpose of developing an ecological classification system (ECS). The ECS will be based on the herbaceous and woody vegetation, soils and topography of mature (80-140 year-old), relatively-undisturbed forests. Species diversity changes little across this...

Shifting stream planform state decreases stream productivity yet increases riparian animal production

Science.gov (United States)

Venarsky, Michael P.; Walters, David M.; Hall, Robert O.; Livers, Bridget; Wohl, Ellen

2018-01-01

In the Colorado Front Range (USA), disturbance history dictates stream planform. Undisturbed, old-growth streams have multiple channels and large amounts of wood and depositional habitat. Disturbed streams (wildfires and logging production, emerging aquatic insect flux, and riparian spider biomass. Organic matter and macroinvertebrate production did not differ among sites per unit area (m−2), but values were 2 ×–21 × higher in undisturbed reaches per unit of stream valley (m−1 valley) because total stream area was higher in undisturbed reaches. Insect emergence was similar among streams at the per unit area and per unit of stream valley. However, rescaling insect emergence to per meter of stream bank showed that the emerging insect biomass reaching the stream bank was lower in undisturbed sites because multi-channel reaches had 3 × more stream bank than single-channel reaches. Riparian spider biomass followed the same pattern as emerging aquatic insects, and we attribute this to bottom-up limitation caused by the multi-channeled undisturbed sites diluting prey quantity (emerging insects) reaching the stream bank (riparian spider habitat). These results show that historic landscape disturbances continue to influence stream and riparian communities in the Colorado Front Range. However, these legacy effects are only weakly influencing habitat-specific function and instead are primarily influencing stream–riparian community productivity by dictating both stream planform (total stream area, total stream bank length) and the proportional distribution of specific habitat types (pools vs riffles).

From Emergence to Eruption: The Physics and Diagnostics of Solar Active Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Mark

2017-08-01

The solar photosphere is continuously seeded by the emergence of magnetic fields from the solar interior. In turn, photospheric evolution shapes the magnetic terrain in the overlying corona. Magnetic fields in the corona store the energy needed to power coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares. In this talk, we recount a physics-based narrative of solar eruptive events from cradle to grave, from emergence to eruption, from evaporation to condensation. We review the physical processes which are understood to transport magnetic flux from the interior to the surface, inject free energy and twist into the corona, disentangle the coronal field to permit explosive energy release, and subsequently convert the released energy into observable signatures. Along the way, we review observational diagnostics used to constrain theories of active region evolution and eruption. Finally, we discuss the opportunities and challenges enabled by the large existing repository of solar observations. We argue that the synthesis of physics and diagnostics embodied in (1) data-driven modeling and (2) machine learning efforts will be an accelerating agent for scientific discovery.

Determination of the Alfvén Speed and Plasma-beta Using the Seismology of Sunspot Umbra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, I.-H.; Moon, Y.-J.; Nakariakov, V. M.; Park, J.; Choi, S. [Department of Astronomy and Space Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, K.-S.; Bong, S.-C.; Baek, J.-H.; Kim, Y.-H.; Lee, J., E-mail: ihjo@khu.ac.kr [Space Science Division, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon 305-348 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-01

For 478 centrally located sunspots observed in the optical continuum with Solar Dynamics Observatory /Helioseismic Magnetic Imager, we perform seismological diagnostics of the physical parameters of umbral photospheres. The new technique is based on the theory of slow magnetoacoustic waves in a non-isothermally stratified photosphere with a uniform vertical magnetic field. We construct a map of the weighted frequency of three-minute oscillations inside the umbra and use it for the estimation of the Alfvén speed, plasma-beta, and mass density within the umbra. We find the umbral mean Alfvén speed ranges between 10.5 and 7.5 km s{sup −1} and is negatively correlated with magnetic field strength. The umbral mean plasma-beta is found to range approximately between 0.65 and 1.15 and does not vary significantly from pores to mature sunspots. The mean density ranges between (1–6) × 10{sup −4} kg m{sup −3} and shows a strong positive correlation with magnetic field strength.

ON THE NEUTRINO NON-DETECTION OF GRB 130427A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao Shan; Kashiyama, Kazumi; Meszaros, Peter, E-mail: sxg324@psu.edu, E-mail: kzk15@psu.edu, E-mail: pmeszaros@astro.psu.edu [Department of Physics, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Center for Particle Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2013-07-20

The recent gamma-ray burst GRB 130427A has an isotropic electromagnetic energy E{sup iso} {approx} 10{sup 54} erg, suggesting an ample supply of target photons for photo-hadronic interactions, which at its low redshift of z {approx} 0.34 would appear to make it a promising candidate for neutrino detection. However, the IceCube collaboration has reported a null result based on a search during the prompt emission phase. We show that this neutrino non-detection can provide valuable information about this gamma-ray burst's (GRB's) key physical parameters such as the emission radius R{sub d} , the bulk Lorentz factor {Gamma}, and the energy fraction converted into cosmic rays {epsilon}{sub p}. The results are discussed both in a model-independent way and in the specific scenarios of an internal shock (IS) model, a baryonic photospheric (BPH) model, and a magnetic photospheric (MPH) model. We find that the constraints are most stringent for the MPH model considered, but the constraints on the IS and the BPH models are fairly modest.

Sun and solar flares

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKenna-Lawlor, S. (Saint Patrick' s Coll., Maynooth (Ireland))

1982-07-01

The subject is discussed under the headings: the sun's core (thermonuclear reactions, energy transfer from core through radiation zone, convection zone, photosphere, chromosphere and corona); the photosphere (convection, granulation, sunspots, magnetic fields, solar cycle, rotation of the sun); solar variability and paleoclimatic records (correlation of low solar activity with increased /sup 14/C production in atmosphere); the chromosphere and corona (turbulence, temperature, coronal streamers, energy transfer); solar flares (cosmic rays, aurorae, spectra, velocity of flares, prominences, mechanisms of flares); the solar wind.

The DKIST Data Center: Meeting the Data Challenges for Next-Generation, Ground-Based Solar Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Davey, A. R.; Reardon, K.; Berukoff, S. J.; Hays, T.; Spiess, D.; Watson, F. T.; Wiant, S.

2016-12-01

The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) is under construction on the summit of Haleakalā in Maui, and scheduled to start science operations in 2020. The DKIST design includes a four-meter primary mirror coupled to an adaptive optics system, and a flexible instrumentation suite capable of delivering high-resolution optical and infrared observations of the solar chromosphere, photosphere, and corona. Through investigator-driven science proposals, the facility will generate an average of 8 TB of data daily, comprised of millions of images and hundreds of millions of metadata elements. The DKIST Data Center is responsible for the long-term curation and calibration of data received from the DKIST, and for distributing it to the user community for scientific use. Two key elements necessary to meet the inherent big data challenge are the development of flexible public/private cloud computing and coupled relational and non-relational data storage mechanisms. We discuss how this infrastructure is being designed to meet the significant expectation of automatic and manual calibration of ground-based solar physics data, and the maximization the data's utility through efficient, long-term data management practices implemented with prudent process definition and technology exploitation.

Photospheric, Chromospheric and Helioseismic Signatures of a ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2003-10-26

Oct 26, 2003 ... Udaipur Solar Observatory, Physical Research Laboratory, Udaipur 313 001, India. e-mail: ... the 3-D power spectra and search for helioseismic response of this large flare on the ... The total solar irradiance (TSI) due.

Photospheric network from study of manganese lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elste, G; Teske, R G [Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor (USA). Dept. of Astronomy

1978-10-01

Area scans with the multi-channel magnetograph at the Kitt Peak McMath Telescope provided simultaneous measures of equivalent widths in two Mn lines, continuum intensity and longitudinal magnetic field component. Observations were carried out with apertures of 2.5 X 3.5 seconds arc and 1 X 1 seconds arc. For the network elements, which were identified using the magnetic field as tracer, the authors developed relationships between Isub(continuum), Wsub(lambda), Vsub(Doppler) and longitudinal field strength. With a minimum of assumptions it is possible to write from these observed relations an expression connecting true temperature perturbation in the line forming layers of the network to true longitudinal field strength. The results provide some constraints upon possible network models.

PHOTOSPHERIC VARIATIONS OF THE SUPERGIANT γ Cyg

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, David F.

2010-01-01

New high-resolution spectroscopic observations of the supergiant γ Cyg (F8 Iab) taken between 2000 and 2008 consistently show strongly reversed-C-shaped bisectors for all unblended spectral lines. Small-amplitude variations in radial velocity and line shapes occur in an irregular manner with time scales ∼100 days and longer. The radial velocities occasionally show changes as large as 2 km s -1 , but much smaller changes are going on continuously. Differential line bisectors show shape changes and Doppler displacement characteristic of radial expansion and contraction. These might arise from non-periodic radial pulsation-like motions or from the appearance of giant convection cells that occupy most of the visible hemisphere of the star. Line-depth ratios are correlated with the line shifts on a seasonal basis and indicate temperature changes ranging up to ∼15 K, with larger temperature occurring during times of most rapid contraction.

Remote Sensing-based Models of Soil Vulnerability to Compaction and Erosion from Off-highway Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Villarreal, M. L.; Webb, R. H.; Norman, L.; Psillas, J.; Rosenberg, A.; Carmichael, S.; Petrakis, R.; Sparks, P.

2014-12-01

Intensive off-road vehicle use for immigration, smuggling, and security of the United States-Mexico border has prompted concerns about long-term human impacts on sensitive desert ecosystems. To help managers identify areas susceptible to soil erosion from vehicle disturbances, we developed a series of erosion potential models based on factors from the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), with particular focus on the management factor (P-factor) and vegetation cover (C-factor). To better express the vulnerability of soils to human disturbances, a soil compaction index (applied as the P-factor) was calculated as the difference in saturated hydrologic conductivity (Ks) between disturbed and undisturbed soils, which was then scaled up to remote sensing-based maps of vehicle tracks and digital soils maps. The C-factor was improved using a satellite-based vegetation index, which was better correlated with estimated ground cover (r2 = 0.77) than data derived from regional land cover maps (r2 = 0.06). RUSLE factors were normalized to give equal weight to all contributing factors, which provided more management-specific information on vulnerable areas where vehicle compaction of sensitive soils intersects with steep slopes and low vegetation cover. Resulting spatial data on vulnerability and erosion potential provide land managers with information to identify critically disturbed areas and potential restoration sites where off-road driving should be restricted to reduce further degradation.

Branching Fractions and log(gf)s for Weak Lines of Co II connected to the Ground and Low Metastable Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Lawler, James Edward; Feigenson, Thomas; Sneden, Chris; Cowan, John J.

2018-01-01

New branching fraction (BF) measurements and log(gf)s of Highly Reliable Lines (HRLs) of Co II are reported. Our measurements test and confirm earlier work by Salih et al. [1985] and Mullman et al. [1998] and expand the earlier BF measurements to include more weak and very weak HRLs. HRLs are UV lines that connect to the population reservoir levels including the ground and low metastable levels of Co+. Such levels contain most of the cobalt in the photospheres of typical F, G, and K stars used in abundance studies. HRLs are essentially immune to departures from Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) because they connect to the primary reservoir levels. Lightly-populated high-lying levels of the ion and essentially all levels of the neutral atom have some possibility of being pulled out of LTE through various reactions. Weak and very weak HRLs are needed to determine Co abundances in higher metallicity stars while dominant branches are useful in low metallicity stars of abundance surveys. A large set of HRLs with reliable log(gf)s is desired to avoid blending and saturation problems in photospheric studies. The relative abundance of Fe-peak elements changes as a function of metallicity [e.g. Henry et al. 2010, Sneden et al. 2016] but contributions to the trends from nuclear physics effects in early stars need to be cleanly separated from effect due to limitations of classic photospheric models based on One Dimensional (1D) and LTE approximations. The 1D/LTE approximations of classic photospheric models, which work in well in metal rich dwarf stars such as the Sun, are a source of some concern in Metal Poor (MP) giant stars due to much lower electron and atom pressures. Our new measurements on HRLS of Co II are applied to determine stellar abundances in MP stars.Henry, R. B. C., Cowan, J. J., & Sobeck, J, 2010, ApJ 709, 715Mullman, K. L., Cooper, J. C., & Lawler, J. E. 1998, ApJ, 495, 503Salih, S., Lawler, J. E., & Whaling, W. 1985, PhRvA, 31, 744Sneden et al. 2016

Aparecimento de plantas espontâneas com e sem perturbação do solo em condições mediterrânicas Appearance of spontaneous plants from disturbed and undisturbed soil under mediterranean conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Manuel Godinho Calado

2008-12-01

Full Text Available A diminuição da perturbação do solo é de extrema importância para a manutenção e preservação dos sistemas agrícolas. Por isso, o estudo realizado neste trabalho tinha como objectivo verificar o aparecimento das plantas espontâneas a partir do solo com e sem perturbação. A população de plantas emergidas inicialmente, no Outono, foi controlada com perturbação do solo através da simulação da mobilização realizada pelo escarificador e sem perturbação do solo em que se aplicou um herbicida total e não residual. A experimentação foi efectuada em solos Mediterrâneos durante quatro anos, com um delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados e oito repetições. De acordo com os resultados, verifica-se que a perturbação do solo efectuada para controlar a flora espontânea no Outono influencia significativamente o aparecimento das plantas em condições mediterrânicas e permite obter maior densidade populacional, que aumenta com o acréscimo da precipitação acumulada. Daqui conclui-se que em sistemas com diminuição da perturbação do solo, como por exemplo, de sementeira directa, é possível decrescer a infestação nas culturas de Outono-Inverno.The reduction of soil disturbance is extremely important for the conservation of soil and thus for the sustainability of agricultural systems. Soil disturbance interferes with a number of soil parameters including its fauna and flora. This paper deals with the comparison of the appearance of spontaneous plants from disturbed and undisturbed soil. A study was conducted to compare the appearance of spontaneous flora in autumn after the simulation of soil tillage by a tine cultivator with the control of the already emerged plants through the application of a total herbicide and without any soil disturbance. The trials were realized on typical Mediterranean soils (Luvisol over a period of four years in a completely randomized block design and with eight replications. The

On Collisionless Damping of Ion Acoustic Waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Vagn Orla; Petersen, P.I.

1973-01-01

Exact theoretical treatments show that the damping of ion acoustic waves in collisionless plasmas does not vanish when the derivative of the undisturbed distribution function at the phase velocity equals zero.......Exact theoretical treatments show that the damping of ion acoustic waves in collisionless plasmas does not vanish when the derivative of the undisturbed distribution function at the phase velocity equals zero....

Ellerman bombs and UV bursts: reconnection at different atmospheric layers?

Science.gov (United States)

Hansteen, V. H.; Ortiz-Carbonell, A. N.; Rouppe van der Voort, L.

2017-12-01

The emergence of magnetic flux through the photosphere and into the outer solar atmosphere produces, amongst many other phenomena, the appearance of Ellerman bombs (EBs) in the photosphere. EBs are observed in the wings of H(alpha) and are highly likely to be due to reconnection in the photosphere, below the chromospheric canopy. However, signs of the reconnection process are also observed in several other spectral lines, typical of the chromosphere or transition region. An example are the UV bursts observed in the transition region lines of Si IV. In this work we analyze high cadence coordinated observations between the 1-m Swedish Solar Telescope and the IRIS spacecraft in order to study the possible relationship between reconnection events at different layers in the atmosphere, and in particular, the timing history between them. High cadence, high resolution H-alpha images from the SST provide us with the positions, timings and trajectories of Ellerman bombs in an emerging flux region. Simultaneous co-aligned IRIS slit-jaw images at 1400 and 1330 A and detailed Si IV spectra from the fast spectrograph raster allow us to study the transition region counterparts of those photospheric Ellerman bombs. Our main goal is to study whether there is a temporal relationship between the appearance of an EB and the appearance of a UV burst. Eventually we would like to investigate whether reconnection happens at discrete heights, or as a reconnection sheet spanning several layers at the same time.

Modeling the Global Coronal Field with Simulated Synoptic Magnetograms from Earth and the Lagrange Points L3, L4, and L5

Science.gov (United States)

Petrie, Gordon; Pevtsov, Alexei; Schwarz, Andrew; DeRosa, Marc

2018-06-01

The solar photospheric magnetic flux distribution is key to structuring the global solar corona and heliosphere. Regular full-disk photospheric magnetogram data are therefore essential to our ability to model and forecast heliospheric phenomena such as space weather. However, our spatio-temporal coverage of the photospheric field is currently limited by our single vantage point at/near Earth. In particular, the polar fields play a leading role in structuring the large-scale corona and heliosphere, but each pole is unobservable for {>} 6 months per year. Here we model the possible effect of full-disk magnetogram data from the Lagrange points L4 and L5, each extending longitude coverage by 60°. Adding data also from the more distant point L3 extends the longitudinal coverage much further. The additional vantage points also improve the visibility of the globally influential polar fields. Using a flux-transport model for the solar photospheric field, we model full-disk observations from Earth/L1, L3, L4, and L5 over a solar cycle, construct synoptic maps using a novel weighting scheme adapted for merging magnetogram data from multiple viewpoints, and compute potential-field models for the global coronal field. Each additional viewpoint brings the maps and models into closer agreement with the reference field from the flux-transport simulation, with particular improvement at polar latitudes, the main source of the fast solar wind.

Physics of the infrared spectrum

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, Drake; Jennings, Donald E.; Jefferies, John; Lindsey, Charles

1991-01-01

The IR bandpass is attractive for solar magnetic field studies in virtue of the proportionality to wavelength of the ratio of Zeeman splitting to line width. The large Zeeman splitting and optical thinness of the 12-micron observations render them especially useful for vector magnetic field derivations. The IR continuum, and many IR spectral lines, are formed in LTE and are useful in studies of the temperature structure of the solar atmosphere from the deepest observable photospheric layers to chromospheric altitudes. The far-IR continuum is an excellent thermometer for the upper photosphere and chromosphere.

Examining the peat-accumulating potential of fen vegetation in the context of fed restoration of harvested peatlands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Graf, M.; Rochefort, L. [Laval Univ., Quebec City, PQ (Canada). Dept. de Phytologie, Peatland Ecology and Research Group

2009-07-01

The return of peat-accumulating function is an important long-term goal in peatland restoration. However, researchers do not yet know which vegetation groups increase the ability of ecosystems to accumulate peat in fens. This study assessed the decomposition rates of 3 vegetation species typical to undisturbed fen regions, and 3 species that spontaneously colonize harvested fens. All species were incubated in a harvest fen restoration site as well as at an undisturbed fen in order to compare decomposition rates according to different environmental conditions. The study showed that the average exponential decay coefficient for all species was higher at the harvested fen site. The decay coefficient varied only slightly between undisturbed and harvested fens, despite wide variations in hydrological conditions. Litter type had the most significant impact on decomposition rates. Annual primary production of the species was also measured in order to estimate the peat accumulating capacity of each species. Results showed that Scirpus cyperinus primary annual production rates were 3 times higher than the other studied species. It was concluded that the harvested fen sites have a higher peat-accumulating potential than undisturbed fens. 60 refs., 2 tabs., 2 figs.

Runoff, sediment transport, and landform modifications near Sheffield, Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, J.R.; deVries, M.P.

1984-01-01

Relations among precipitation, runoff, sediment transport, and landform modifications are being evaluated at an 8.1-hectare, low-level radioactive waste disposal site near Sheffield, IL. Rainfall, runoff, and sediment discharge are measured in three basins comprising two-thirds of the site area and in a 1.10-hectare basin in undisturbed terrain 0.5 kilometer south of the site. The effects of slope, land use, and the physical characteristics of surficial material on runoff and sediment transport are evaluated at four 0.001-hectare plots - two on site and two on the undisturbed watershed. Preliminary results indicate that 890 millimeters of precipitation from July 1, 1982, through June 30, 1983, produced 230 millimeters of runoff from the site, compared to 50 millimeters of runoff from the undisturbed basin. Storm-sediment yields from the site consistently exceed yields from the undisturbed area. Runoff and sediment yields from burial-trench covers are consistently lower than yields from the site. Over 110 collapse holes were documented at the site from December 1978 through December 1982. More than 70% of these collapses formed along the periphery of trenches

Runoff, sediment transport, and landform modifications near Sheffield, Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, J.R.

1984-01-01

Relations among runoff, sediment transport, landform modifications, and precipitation are being evaluated at a 20-acre, low-level radioactive-waste disposal site near Sheffield, Ill. Rainfall, runoff, and sediment discharge are measured in three basins comprising two-thirds of the site area and in a 3.5-acre basin in undisturbed terrain 0.3 mile south of the site. The effects of slope, land use, and the physical characteristics of surficial material on runoff and sediment transport are evaluated at four 110-square-foot plots - two on site and two on the undisturbed basin. Preliminary results indicate the mean annual precipitation of 35 in. from July 1, 1982, through June 30, 1984, produced a mean of 8 in. of runoff annually from the site, compared to less than 2 in. of runoff annually from the undisturbed basin. Storm-sediment yields from the site consistently exceed yields from the undisturbed basin. Runoff and sediment yields from burial-trench covers are consistently lower than yields from the site. Two hundred and forty-four collapse holes were documented at the site from November 7, 1978, through June 7, 1984. More than 70% of these collapses formed along the periphery of trenches

Changes in soil hydraulic properties caused by construction of a simulated waste trench at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shakofsky, S.

1995-03-01

In order to assess the effect of filled waste disposal trenches on transport-governing soil properties, comparisons were made between profiles of undisturbed soil and disturbed soil in a simulated waste trench. The changes in soil properties induced by the construction of a simulated waste trench were measured near the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in the semiarid southeast region of Idaho. The soil samples were collected, using a hydraulically-driven sampler to minimize sample disruption, from both a simulated waste trench and an undisturbed area nearby. Results show that the undisturbed profile has distinct layers whose properties differ significantly, whereas the soil profile in the simulated waste trench is, by comparison, homogeneous. Porosity was increased in the disturbed cores, and, correspondingly, saturated hydraulic conductivities were on average three times higher. With higher soil-moisture contents (greater than 0.32), unsaturated hydraulic conductivities for the undisturbed cores were typically greater than those for the disturbed cores. With lower moisture contents, most of the disturbed cores had greater hydraulic conductivities. The observed differences in hydraulic conductivities are interpreted and discussed as changes in the soil pore geometry

The Role Of Torsional Alfvén Waves in Coronal Heating

Science.gov (United States)

Antolin, P.; Shibata, K.

2010-03-01

In the context of coronal heating, among the zoo of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves that exist in the solar atmosphere, Alfvén waves receive special attention. Indeed, these waves constitute an attractive heating agent due to their ability to carry over the many different layers of the solar atmosphere sufficient energy to heat and maintain a corona. However, due to their incompressible nature these waves need a mechanism such as mode conversion (leading to shock heating), phase mixing, resonant absorption, or turbulent cascade in order to heat the plasma. Furthermore, their incompressibility makes their detection in the solar atmosphere very difficult. New observations with polarimetric, spectroscopic, and imaging instruments such as those on board the Japanese satellite Hinode, or the Crisp spectropolarimeter of the Swedish Solar Telescope or the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter, are bringing strong evidence for the existence of energetic Alfvén waves in the solar corona. In order to assess the role of Alfvén waves in coronal heating, in this work we model a magnetic flux tube being subject to Alfvén wave heating through the mode conversion mechanism. Using a 1.5 dimensional MHD code, we carry out a parameter survey varying the magnetic flux tube geometry (length and expansion), the photospheric magnetic field, the photospheric velocity amplitudes, and the nature of the waves (monochromatic or white-noise spectrum). The regimes under which Alfvén wave heating produces hot and stable coronae are found to be rather narrow. Independently of the photospheric wave amplitude and magnetic field, a corona can be produced and maintained only for long (>80 Mm) and thick (area ratio between the photosphere and corona >500) loops. Above a critical value of the photospheric velocity amplitude (generally a few km s-1) the corona can no longer be maintained over extended periods of time and collapses due to the large momentum of the waves. These results establish several

Motions and magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krat, V A [AN SSSR, Leningrad. Glavnaya Astronomicheskaya Observatoriya

1977-09-01

The measured magnetic fields generally cannot be regarded as ''mean'' values of the magnetic field intensity H due to depolarization effects in the sum of the Zeeman components of small elements. A picture of smallest magnetic elements in the photosphere can be identified with the photospheric network of the granulation. A relatively long lifetime of the elements of this network and characteristics of its evolution show that a magnetic field of H > or approximately = 10/sup 2/ Oe is concentrated in the dark network between granules near to the solar disc center. Direct measurements of H in solar prominences give values of H ranging from 10 to 10/sup 2/ Oe. At their boundary they cannot be smaller than 10/sup 2/ Oe. The chromospheric elements seen in the center of H/sub a/ (spectrograms obtained on the solar stratospheric observatory (SSO) in 1970-1973) are about four times wider than photospheric elements. The growth in size of the structure elements from the photosphere to the chromosphere results from the magnetic expansion of elements floating up in the atmosphere. On the basis of the stratospheric and best filter observations it is shown that typical configurations of the field are magnetic arcs. Sunspots are considered as stationary processes dissipating due to magnetohydrodynamic instabilities. They have (observations on the SSO) considerable regions of a homogeneous magnetic field inside the umbra. The complicated system of twisted magnetic ropes in outer parts of the umbra and penumbra results from the dissipation of the main configuration. The most plausible model of a sunspot seems to be a twisted toroid with a steady magnetic field directed along the axis of symmetry inside the toroid. This model explains the fact of appearance of a secondary sunspot group inside the primary main group. The axis of the sunspot toroid always remains in the photosphere. Some properties of ''super-granules'' and ''giant granules'' are discussed.

The design of photoelectric signal processing system for a nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope based on FPGA

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xian; Zhou, Binquan; Li, Hong; Zhao, Xinghua; Mu, Weiwei; Wu, Wenfeng

2017-10-01

Navigation technology is crucial to the national defense and military, which can realize the measurement of orientation, positioning, attitude and speed for moving object. Inertial navigation is not only autonomous, real-time, continuous, hidden, undisturbed but also no time-limited and environment-limited. The gyroscope is the core component of the inertial navigation system, whose precision and size are the bottleneck of the performance. However, nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope is characteristic of the advantage of high precision and small size. Nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope can meet the urgent needs of high-tech weapons and equipment development of new generation. This paper mainly designs a set of photoelectric signal processing system for nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope based on FPGA, which process and control the information of detecting laser .The photoelectric signal with high frequency carrier is demodulated by in-phase and quadrature demodulation method. Finally, the processing system of photoelectric signal can compensate the residual magnetism of the shielding barrel and provide the information of nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope angular velocity.

Enzyme activities in reclaimed coal mine spoils and soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fresquez, P R; Aldon, E F; Lindemann, W C

1987-11-01

The segregation and stockpiling of topsoil material may reduce enzymatic activities that may hinder normal nutrient cycling processes in reclaimed minelands. The effects of topsoiling and reclamation age on dehydrogenase, nitrogenase, phosphatase, arylsulphatase, amylase, cellulase, invertase and urease activities were evaluated on three reclaimed non-top-soiled and five reclaimed topsoiled areas and compared with an indisturbed reference soil. Three months after topsoiling and revegetation, activities of the enzymes in the reclaimed areas, with the exception of dehydrogenase, were statistically equal to activities of the undisturbed soil. Most enzymes, including dehydrogenase, peaked in the next 1 or 2 years after reclamation with topsoiling and declined thereafter. A 4-year-old topsoiled site (revegetated in 1978) was statistically similar to the undisturbed soil. Amylase activity, however, was significantly lower after the fourth year compared to the undisturbed soil. The non-topsoiled areas, even after 6, 7 and 8 years, appeared to have lower enzyme activities than the younger topsoiled areas or the undisturbed soil. This trend was supported by the finding that the 4-year-old topsoiled site was more enzymatically similar to the undisturbed soil than was the 8-year-old non-topsoiled site (revegetated in 1974). The low enzyme acitivities found in the non-topsoiled areas may be a result of their adverse chemical and physical properties, as well as the low diversity of microorganisms. These studies demonstrate the value of topsoil use for early establishment of soil processes in reclaimed areas. 3 figs., 19 refs., 8 tabs.

Shifting stream planform state decreases stream productivity yet increases riparian animal production

Science.gov (United States)

Venarsky, Michael P.; Walters, David M.; Hall, Robert O.; Livers, Bridget; Wohl, Ellen

2018-01-01

In the Colorado Front Range (USA), disturbance history dictates stream planform. Undisturbed, old-growth streams have multiple channels and large amounts of wood and depositional habitat. Disturbed streams (wildfires and logging tested how these opposing stream states influenced organic matter, benthic macroinvertebrate secondary production, emerging aquatic insect flux, and riparian spider biomass. Organic matter and macroinvertebrate production did not differ among sites per unit area (m−2), but values were 2 ×–21 × higher in undisturbed reaches per unit of stream valley (m−1 valley) because total stream area was higher in undisturbed reaches. Insect emergence was similar among streams at the per unit area and per unit of stream valley. However, rescaling insect emergence to per meter of stream bank showed that the emerging insect biomass reaching the stream bank was lower in undisturbed sites because multi-channel reaches had 3 × more stream bank than single-channel reaches. Riparian spider biomass followed the same pattern as emerging aquatic insects, and we attribute this to bottom-up limitation caused by the multi-channeled undisturbed sites diluting prey quantity (emerging insects) reaching the stream bank (riparian spider habitat). These results show that historic landscape disturbances continue to influence stream and riparian communities in the Colorado Front Range. However, these legacy effects are only weakly influencing habitat-specific function and instead are primarily influencing stream–riparian community productivity by dictating both stream planform (total stream area, total stream bank length) and the proportional distribution of specific habitat types (pools vs riffles).

Seed banks in a degraded desert shrubland: Influence of soil surface condition and harvester ant activity on seed abundance

Science.gov (United States)

DeFalco, L.A.; Esque, T.C.; Kane, J.M.; Nicklas, M.B.

2009-01-01

We compared seed banks between two contrasting anthropogenic surface disturbances (compacted, trenched) and adjacent undisturbed controls to determine whether site condition influences viable seed densities of perennial and annual Mojave Desert species. Viable seeds of perennials were rare in undisturbed areas (3-4 seeds/m2) and declined to importance of litter as an indicator of site degradation and recovery potential in arid lands.

[Dynamic changes of landscape pattern and hemeroby in Ximen Island wetland, Zhejiang Province, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Cui; Xie, Xue-Fen; Wu, Tao; Jiang, Guo-Jun; Bian, Hua-Jing; Xu, Wei

2014-11-01

Abstract: The hemeroby type classification system of Ximen Island wetland of Zhejiang Province was established based on the multiple datasets: SOPT-5 image data with a spatial resolution of 5 m in 2007 and 2010, its wetland land cover and land use status, the National Land Use Classification (on trail), and sea area use classification of marine industry standards as well as remote sensing data features. Meanwhile, the dynamic relationship between the landscape pattern and the degree of hemeroby in Ximen Island was investigated with the landscape indices and hemeroby index (HI) derived from the landscape pattern index and GIS spatial analysis. The results showed that the wetland landscape spatial heterogeneity, fragmentation and dominance index dropped, and the landscape shape index complexity was low. The human disturbance center developed from a dispersion type to a concentration type. The landscape type of the disturbance center was bare land and settlement. The HI rose up from the sea to the land. Settlement, wharf and traffic land had the highest HI. The HI of the mudflat cultivation, mudflats and raft-cultivation dramatically changed. Marine-terrestrial interlaced zone showed a low total HI with unstable characteristics. The number of patches declined of undisturbed, partially disturbed and completely disturbed landscapes. Mean patch areas of partially disturbed and completely disturbed landscapes increased, and that of the undisturbed decreased. Mean shape index of the undisturbed landscape decreased, while the partially disturbed and completely disturbed landscapes showed a trend of shape complication.

Assessing the impact of deforestation of the Atlantic rainforest on ant-fruit interactions: a field experiment using synthetic fruits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Gabriela D Bieber

Full Text Available Ants frequently interact with fleshy fruits on the ground of tropical forests. This interaction is regarded as mutualistic because seeds benefit from enhanced germination and dispersal to nutrient-rich microsites, whereas ants benefit from consuming the nutritious pulp/aril. Considering that the process of deforestation affects many attributes of the ecosystem such as species abundance and composition, and interspecific interactions, we asked whether the interaction between ants and fallen fleshy fruits in the Brazilian Atlantic forest differs between human-created fragments and undisturbed forests. We controlled diaspore type and quantity by using synthetic fruits (a plastic 'seed' covered by a lipid-rich 'pulp', which were comparable to lipid-rich fruits. Eight independent areas (four undisturbed forests, and four disturbed forest fragments were used in the field experiment, in which we recorded the attracted ant species, ant behaviour, and fruit removal distance. Fruits in undisturbed forest sites attracted a higher number of species than those in disturbed forests. Moreover, the occurrence of large, fruit-carrying ponerine ants (Pachycondyla, Odontomachus; 1.1 to 1.4 cm was higher in undisturbed forests. Large species (≥3 mm of Pheidole (Myrmicinae, also able to remove fruits, did not differ between forest types. Following these changes in species occurrence, fruit displacement was more frequent in undisturbed than in disturbed forests. Moreover, displacement distances were also greater in the undisturbed forests. Our data suggest that fallen fleshy fruits interacting with ants face different fates depending on the conservation status of the forest. Together with the severe loss of their primary dispersers in human-disturbed tropical forest sites, vertebrate-dispersed fruits may also be deprived of potential ant-derived benefits in these habitats due to shifts in the composition of interacting ant species. Our data illustrate the use of

Mass accumulation rate and monsoon records from Xifeng, Chinese Loess Plateau, based on a luminescence age model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stevens, Thomas; Buylaert, Jan-Pieter; Lu, Huayu

2016-01-01

common than previously realized. MARs from undisturbed portions of Xifeng vary dramatically, with peaks potentially matching the timing of Heinrich events. The last glacial maximum peak MAR (22–27 ka) matches the Pacific and Greenland dust flux records, although appears earlier than peak MARs seen...... in many other OSL‐dated Loess Plateau sites. East Asian monsoon grain‐size and magnetic susceptibility records also show several differences between independently dated loess sites. This complicates our understanding of any lag between insolation forcing and monsoon response. Nevertheless, the Xifeng...

Mercury in lichens of Nahuel Huapi National Park, Patagonia, Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribeiro Guevara, S.; Bubach, D.; Arribere, M.; Nacional de Cuyo Universidad, Bariloche

2004-01-01

Mercury and other elements of interest are determined in lichens collected in Nahuel Huapi National Park, Northern Patagonia, Argentina. Pooled samples are analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Mercury contents in Usnea sp. collected from undisturbed sites range from 0.0558 ± 0.0083 to 1.38 ± 0.18 μg x g -1 . Other potential pollutants are identified by the analysis of Usnea sp. samples, namely Sb, As, Br, Zn, and Se. Previous experiments with foliose and fruticose lichens are also discussed. The analysis of mercury contents of foliose lichens sampled from urban and periurban sites of Bariloche city, and from undisturbed regions, demonstrate that the atmosphere of Bariloche city is enriched in mercury compared to the surroundings. The result is confirmed by transplantation experiments from undisturbed zones to urban sites. (author)

A mechanism for solar ultraviolet flux variability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schatten, K.H.; Heath, D.F.

1981-01-01

Solar UV emission observed by a filter photometer on Nimbus IV from 1969 to 1973 is examined in an attempt to understand the short term (27 day) and secular variability. Two models are discussed to explain the variations - a calcium plage model and a chromospheric network (faculae and spicule) structure model. Both relate to the remnant magnetic fields of active regions. An association between UV brightenings and the large scale magnetic field has been found consistent with the network model. An increase in UV emittance can be achieved by raising the effective chromospheric temperature closer to a photospheric level. If the Sun's luminosity is constant on these time intervals the enhanced UV radiation could be partially offset by an overall decrease in photospheric temperature as measured by Livingston in visible photospheric profiles. Total solar luminosity may then show less variability, however, the UV to visible luminosity variation may have significant planetary influences. Lockwood and Thompson (1979) report a relation between solar activity and planetary albedos, and Schatten (1979) discussed a long-suspected relationship between solar activity and the Great Red Spot appearance. (orig.)

Data base for a site specific migration analysis of radioactive elements from a final repository. Datenbasis fuer eine standortspezifische Ausbreitungsanalyse radioaktiver Elemente aus einem Endlager

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadermann, J

1981-11-01

Migration analysis is of considerable importance in long-term safety analysis of radioactive waste repositories. In a first step our plans are to calculate transport of radionuclides using data - as far as possible - for an undisturbed hydrogeology. Thereby a reference case is defined. In a later step, possible events and processes can be considered leading to a deviation from the reference case. The present work gives the data base for a selected part of a comprehensive geosphere transport calculation. We restrict ourselves to a critical evaluation of parameters pertinent to the migration analysis of the /sup 245/Cm chain. This includes the important nuclide /sup 237/Np. For the first time we are able to perform a site specific calculation for repositories planned in deep geologic formations in Switzerland. The well known fact that the data basis is extremely sparse is pointed out once more and concretized in detail.

Radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the formation of hot accretion disk coronae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Yan-Fei [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Stone, James M. [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Davis, Shane W. [Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics. Toronto, ON M5S3H4 (Canada)

2014-04-01

A new mechanism to form a magnetic pressure supported, high temperature corona above the photosphere of an accretion disk is explored using three dimensional radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The thermal properties of the disk are calculated self-consistently by balancing radiative cooling through the surfaces of the disk with heating due to dissipation of turbulence driven by magneto-rotational instability (MRI). As has been noted in previous work, we find the dissipation rate per unit mass increases dramatically with height above the mid-plane, in stark contrast to the α-disk model which assumes this quantity is a constant. Thus, we find that in simulations with a low surface density (and therefore a shallow photosphere), the fraction of energy dissipated above the photosphere is significant (about 3.4% in our lowest surface density model), and this fraction increases as surface density decreases. When a significant fraction of the accretion energy is dissipated in the optically thin photosphere, the gas temperature increases substantially and a high temperature, magnetic pressure supported corona is formed. The volume-averaged temperature in the disk corona is more than 10 times larger than at the disk mid-plane. Moreover, gas temperature in the corona is strongly anti-correlated with gas density, which implies the corona formed by MRI turbulence is patchy. This mechanism to form an accretion disk corona may help explain the observed relation between the spectral index and luminosity from active galactic nucleus (AGNs), and the soft X-ray excess from some AGNs. It may also be relevant to spectral state changes in X-ray binaries.

An essay on sunspots and solar flares

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akasofu, S.-I.

1984-01-01

The presently prevailing theories of sunspots and solar flares rely on the hypothetical presence of magnetic flux tubes beneath the photosphere and the two subsequent hypotheses, their emergence above the photosphere and explosive magnetic reconnection, converting magnetic energy carried by the flux tubes for solar flare energy. In this paper, attention is paid to the fact that there are large-scale magnetic fields which divide the photosphere into positive and negative (line-of-sight) polarity regions and that they are likely to be more fundamental than sunspot fields, as emphasized most recently by McIntosh. A new phenomenological model of the sunspot pair formation is then constructed by considering an amplification process of these large-scale fields near their boundaries by shear flows, including localized vortex motions. The amplification results from a dynamo process associated with such vortex flows and the associated convergence flow in the large-scale fields. This dynamo process generates also some of the familiar ''force-free'' fields or the ''sheared'' magnetic fields in which the magnetic field-aligned currents are essential. Upward field-aligned currents generated by the dynamo process are carried by downward streaming electrons which are expected to be accelerated by an electric potential structure; a similar structure is responsible for accelerating auroral electrons in the magnetosphere. Depending on the magnetic field configuration and the shear flows, the current-carrying electrons precipitate into different geometrical patterns, causing circular flares, umbral flares, two-ribbon flares, etc. Thus, it is suggested that ''low temperature flares'' are directly driven by the photospheric dynamo process. (author)

Regional Sediment Management Studies of Matagorda Ship Channel and Matagorda Bay System, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

undisturbed free water surface.” The USACE presently has no standardized method to measure the fluid mud to determine nautical depth. The Engineer Manual...structural member in the bottom of the hull and channel bottom) is used to account for parameters such as ship motion from waves, squat , safety...distance between the nautical bottom and undisturbed free water surface. To complete the definition of nautical bottom, the physical characteristic(s) on

A source of methane from upland forests in the Brazilian Amazon.

Science.gov (United States)

Janaina Braga do Carmo; Michael Keller; Jadson Dezincourt Dias; Plinio Barbosa de Camargo; Patrick Crill

2006-01-01

We sampled air in the canopy layer of undisturbed upland forests during wet and dry seasons at three sites in the Brazilian Amazon region and found that both methane(CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) mixing ratios increased at night. Such increases were consistent across sites and seasons. A canopy layer budget model based on measured soil-atmosphere fluxes of CO2 was...

ROSAT EUV and soft X-ray studies of atmospheric composition and structure in G191-B2B

Science.gov (United States)

Barstow, M. A.; Fleming, T. A.; Finley, D. S.; Koester, D.; Diamond, C. J.

1993-01-01

Previous studies of the hot DA white dwarf GI91-B2B have been unable to determine whether the observed soft X-ray and EUV opacity arises from a stratified hydrogen and helium atmosphere or from the presence of trace metals in the photosphere. New EUV and soft X-ray photometry of this star, made with the ROSAT observatory, when analyzed in conjunction with the earlier data, shows that the stratified models cannot account for the observed fluxes. Consequently, we conclude that trace metals must be a substantial source of opacity in the photosphere of G191-B2B.

Extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy of G191-B2B - Direct observation of ionization edges

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, Erik; Green, James C.; Cash, Webster

1992-01-01

We present the first spectrum of the hot, DA white dwarf G191-B2B (wd 0501 + 527) between 200 and 330 A. The spectrum, which has about 2 A resolution, was obtained with a sounding rocket-borne, grazing incidence spectrograph. The spectrum shows no evidence of He II, the expected primary opacity source in this wavelength region. Three ionization edges and one absorption feature were observed and are suggestive of O III existing in the photosphere of G191-B2B. Also noted is a broad spectral depression that may result from Fe VI in the photosphere.

Mangrove removal in the belize cays: effects on mangrove-associated fish assemblages in the intertidal and subtidal

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, D.S.; Reyier, E.A.; Davis, W.P.; McIvor, C.C.

2007-01-01

We investigated the effects of mangrove cutting on fish assemblages in Twin Cays, Belize, in two habitat types. We conducted visual censuses at two sites in adjoining undisturbed/disturbed (30%–70% of shoreline fringe removed) sub-tidal fringing Rhizophora mangle Linnaeus, 1753. Observers recorded significantly more species and individuals in undisturbed sites, especially among smaller, schooling species (e.g., atherinids, clupeids), where densities were up to 200 times greater in undisturbed habitat. Multivariate analyses showed distinct species assemblages between habitats at both sites. In addition, extensive trapping with wire minnow traps within the intertidal zone in both undisturbed and disturbed fringing and transition (landward) mangrove forests was conducted. Catch rates were low: 638 individuals from 24 species over 563 trap-nights. Trap data, however, indicated that mangrove disturbance had minimal effect on species composition in either forest type (fringe/transition). Different results from the two methods (and habitat types) may be explained by two factors: (1) a larger and more detectable species pool in the subtidal habitat, with visual "access" to all species, and (2) the selective nature of trapping. Our data indicate that even partial clearing of shoreline and more landward mangroves can have a significant impact on local fish assemblages.

Extreme late-summer drought causes neutral annual carbon balance in southwestern ponderosa pine forests and grasslands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolb, Thomas; Dore, Sabina; Montes-Helu, Mario

2013-01-01

We assessed the impacts of extreme late-summer drought on carbon balance in a semi-arid forest region in Arizona. To understand drought impacts over extremes of forest cover, we measured net ecosystem production (NEP), gross primary production (GPP), and total ecosystem respiration (TER) with eddy covariance over five years (2006–10) at an undisturbed ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest and at a former forest converted to grassland by intense burning. Drought shifted annual NEP from a weak source of carbon to the atmosphere to a neutral carbon balance at the burned site and from a carbon sink to neutral at the undisturbed site. Carbon fluxes were particularly sensitive to drought in August. Drought shifted August NEP at the undisturbed site from sink to source because the reduction of GPP (70%) exceeded the reduction of TER (35%). At the burned site drought shifted August NEP from weak source to neutral because the reduction of TER (40%) exceeded the reduction of GPP (20%). These results show that the lack of forest recovery after burning and the exposure of undisturbed forests to late-summer drought reduce carbon sink strength and illustrate the high vulnerability of forest carbon sink strength in the southwest US to predicted increases in intense burning and precipitation variability. (letter)

[Effect of trampling disturbance on soil infiltration of biological soil crusts].

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Ya Fang; Zhao, Yun Ge; Li, Chen Hui; Wang, Shan Shan; Yang, Qiao Yun; Xie, Shen Qi

2017-10-01

The effect of trampling disturbance on soil infiltration of biological soil crusts was investigated by using simulated rainfall. The results showed that the trampling disturbance significantly increased soil surface roughness. The increasing extent depended on the disturbance intensity. Soil surface roughness values at 50% disturbance increased by 91% compared with the undisturbed treatment. The runoff was delayed by trampling disturbance. A linear increase in the time of runoff yield was observed along with the increasing disturbance intensity within 20%-50%. The time of runoff yield at 50% disturbance increased by 169.7% compared with the undisturbed treatment. Trampling disturbance increased soil infiltration and consequently decreased the runoff coefficient. The cumulative infiltration amount at 50% disturbance increased by 12.6% compared with the undisturbed treatment. Soil infiltration significant decreased when biocrusts were removed. The cumulative infiltration of the treatment of biocrusts removal decreased by 30.2% compared with the undisturbed treatment. Trampling disturbance did not significantly increase the soil loss when the distur bance intensity was lower than 50%, while the biocrusts removal resulted in 10 times higher in soil erosion modulus. The trampling disturbance of lower than 50% on biocrusts might improve soil infiltration and reduce the risk of runoff, thus might improve the soil moisture without obviously increa sing the soil loss.

Limited transport of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes in two natural soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasel, Daniela; Bradford, Scott A.; Šimůnek, Jiří; Pütz, Thomas; Vereecken, Harry; Klumpp, Erwin

2013-01-01

Column experiments were conducted in undisturbed and in repacked soil columns at water contents close to saturation (85–96%) to investigate the transport and retention of functionalized 14 C-labeled multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in two natural soils. Additionally, a field lysimeter experiment was performed to provide long-term information at a larger scale. In all experiments, no breakthrough of MWCNTs was detectable and more than 85% of the applied radioactivity was recovered in the soil profiles. The retention profiles exhibited a hyper-exponential shape with greater retention near the column or lysimeter inlet and were successfully simulated using a numerical model that accounted for depth-dependent retention. In conclusion, results indicated that the soils acted as a strong sink for MWCNTs. Little transport of MWCNTs is therefore likely to occur in the vadose zone, and this implies limited potential for groundwater contamination in the investigated soils. -- Highlights: •Investigation of undisturbed soil columns and lysimeter. •Transport experiments under water-unsaturated conditions. •Retention profiles were measured and numerically modeled. •Complete retention of MWCNT in undisturbed and repacked soil columns. -- In undisturbed columns and a lysimeter study, complete retention of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes was found in two soils at environmentally relevant conditions

Extreme late-summer drought causes neutral annual carbon balance in southwestern ponderosa pine forests and grasslands

Science.gov (United States)

Kolb, Thomas; Dore, Sabina; Montes-Helu, Mario

2013-03-01

We assessed the impacts of extreme late-summer drought on carbon balance in a semi-arid forest region in Arizona. To understand drought impacts over extremes of forest cover, we measured net ecosystem production (NEP), gross primary production (GPP), and total ecosystem respiration (TER) with eddy covariance over five years (2006-10) at an undisturbed ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest and at a former forest converted to grassland by intense burning. Drought shifted annual NEP from a weak source of carbon to the atmosphere to a neutral carbon balance at the burned site and from a carbon sink to neutral at the undisturbed site. Carbon fluxes were particularly sensitive to drought in August. Drought shifted August NEP at the undisturbed site from sink to source because the reduction of GPP (70%) exceeded the reduction of TER (35%). At the burned site drought shifted August NEP from weak source to neutral because the reduction of TER (40%) exceeded the reduction of GPP (20%). These results show that the lack of forest recovery after burning and the exposure of undisturbed forests to late-summer drought reduce carbon sink strength and illustrate the high vulnerability of forest carbon sink strength in the southwest US to predicted increases in intense burning and precipitation variability.

SPECTROPOLARIMETRY OF THE CLASSICAL T TAURI STAR BP TAU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Wei; Johns-Krull, Christopher M.

2013-01-01

We implement a least-squares deconvolution (LSD) code to study magnetic fields on cool stars. We first apply our code to high-resolution optical echelle spectra of 53 Cam (a magnetic Ap star) and three well-studied cool stars (Arcturus, 61 Cyg A, and ξ Boo A) as well as the Sun (by observing the asteroid Vesta) as tests of the code and the instrumentation. Our analysis is based on several hundred photospheric lines spanning the wavelength range 5000 Å to 9000 Å. We then apply our LSD code to six nights of data on the Classical T Tauri Star BP Tau. A maximum longitudinal field of 370 ± 80 G is detected from the photospheric lines on BP Tau. A 1.8 kG dipole tilted at 129° with respect to the rotation axis and a 1.4 kG octupole tilted at 104° with respect to the rotation axis, both with a filling factor of 0.25, best fit our LSD Stokes V profiles. Measurements of several emission lines (He I 5876 Å, Ca II 8498 Å, and 8542 Å) show the presence of strong magnetic fields in the line formation regions of these lines, which are believed to be the base of the accretion footpoints. The field strength measured from these lines shows night-to-night variability consistent with rotation of the star

SPECTROPOLARIMETRY OF THE CLASSICAL T TAURI STAR BP TAU

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Wei; Johns-Krull, Christopher M., E-mail: wc2@rice.edu, E-mail: cmj@rice.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005 (United States)

2013-10-20

We implement a least-squares deconvolution (LSD) code to study magnetic fields on cool stars. We first apply our code to high-resolution optical echelle spectra of 53 Cam (a magnetic Ap star) and three well-studied cool stars (Arcturus, 61 Cyg A, and ξ Boo A) as well as the Sun (by observing the asteroid Vesta) as tests of the code and the instrumentation. Our analysis is based on several hundred photospheric lines spanning the wavelength range 5000 Å to 9000 Å. We then apply our LSD code to six nights of data on the Classical T Tauri Star BP Tau. A maximum longitudinal field of 370 ± 80 G is detected from the photospheric lines on BP Tau. A 1.8 kG dipole tilted at 129° with respect to the rotation axis and a 1.4 kG octupole tilted at 104° with respect to the rotation axis, both with a filling factor of 0.25, best fit our LSD Stokes V profiles. Measurements of several emission lines (He I 5876 Å, Ca II 8498 Å, and 8542 Å) show the presence of strong magnetic fields in the line formation regions of these lines, which are believed to be the base of the accretion footpoints. The field strength measured from these lines shows night-to-night variability consistent with rotation of the star.

Diffusion in the matrix of granitic rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birgersson, L.; Neretnieks, I.

1982-07-01

A migration experiment in the rock matrix is presented. The experiment has been carried out in undisturbed rock, that is rock under its natural stress environment. Since the experiment was performed at the 360 m-level (in the Stripa mine), the rock had nearly the same conditions as the rock surrounding a nuclear waste storage. The results show that all three tracers (Uranine, Cr-EDTA and I - ) have passed the disturbed zone from the injection hole and migrated into undisturbed rock. At the distance of 11 cm from the injection hole 5-10 percent of the injection concentration was found. The results also indicate that the tracer have passed through fissure filling material. These results indicate that it is possible for tracers (and therefore radionuclides) to migrate from a fissure, through fissure filling material, and into the undisturbed rock matrix. (Authors)

Contributions of separate reactions to the acid-base buffering of soils in brook floodplains (Central Forest State Reserve)

Science.gov (United States)

Sokolova, T. A.; Tolpeshta, I. I.; Rusakova, E. S.

2016-04-01

The acid-base buffering of gleyic gray-humus soils developed in brook floodplains and undisturbed southern-taiga landscapes has been characterized by the continuous potentiometric titration of soil water suspensions. During the interaction with an acid, the major amount of protons (>80%) is consumed for the displacement of exchangeable bases and the dissolution of Ca oxalates. In the O and AY horizons, Mn compounds make the major contribution (2-15%) to the acid buffering. The buffer reactions with the participation of Al compounds make up from 0.5 to 1-2% of the total buffering capacity, and the protonation of the surface OH groups of kaolinite consumes 2-3% of the total buffering capacity. The deprotonation of OH groups on the surface of Fe hydroxides (9-43%), the deprotonation of OH groups on the surface of illite crystals (3-19%), and the dissolution of unidentified aluminosilicates (9-14%) are the most significant buffer reactions whose contributions have been quantified during the interaction with a base. The contribution of the deprotonation of OH groups on the surface of kaolinite particles is lower (1-5%) because of the small specific surface area of this mineral, and that of the dissolution of Fe compounds is insignificant. In the AY horizon, the acid and base buffering of soil in the rhizosphere is higher than beyond the rhizosphere because of the higher contents of organic matter and nonsilicate Fe and Al compounds.

Detection of 12 micron Mg I and OH lines in stellar spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Jennings, D. E.; Deming, D.; Wiedemann, G. R.; Keady, J. J.

1986-01-01

Infrared lines of Mg I and OH have been detected in stellar spectra near 12.3 microns. The Mg I 7i-6h transition was seen in Alpha Ori and Alpha Tau, and the R2e(23.5) and R1f(24.5) transitions of OH were seen in Alpha Ori. All lines appear in absorption, in contrast to the solar spectrum where the Mg I line shows a prominent emission core. The lack of emission in these low surface gravity stars is due to a greatly reduced volume recombination rate for the high-n states of Mg I, which is not fully compensated by the increased chromospheric scale height. The OH equivalent widths are sensitive to the temperature structure of the upper photosphere of Alpha Ori, and they indicate that the photosphere near tau 5000 of about 10 to the -5th is approximately 100 K hotter than is given by flux constant models. The OH measurements agree more closely with the 1981 semiemprical model of Basri, Linsky, and Eriksson (1981), which is based on Ca II and Mg II ultraviolet features.

GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE OBSERVATIONS MAY CONSTRAIN GAMMA-RAY BURST MODELS: THE CASE OF GW150914–GBM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veres, P. [CSPAR, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805 (United States); Preece, R. D. [Dept. of Space Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805 (United States); Goldstein, A.; Connaughton, V. [Universities Space Research Association, 320 Sparkman Dr. Huntsville, AL 35806 (United States); Mészáros, P. [Dept. of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Burns, E., E-mail: peter.veres@uah.edu [Physics Dept., University of Alabama in Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805 (United States)

2016-08-20

The possible short gamma-ray burst (GRB) observed by Fermi /GBM in coincidence with the first gravitational-wave (GW) detection offers new ways to test GRB prompt emission models. GW observations provide previously inaccessible physical parameters for the black hole central engine such as its horizon radius and rotation parameter. Using a minimum jet launching radius from the Advanced LIGO measurement of GW 150914, we calculate photospheric and internal shock models and find that they are marginally inconsistent with the GBM data, but cannot be definitely ruled out. Dissipative photosphere models, however, have no problem explaining the observations. Based on the peak energy and the observed flux, we find that the external shock model gives a natural explanation, suggesting a low interstellar density (∼10{sup −3} cm{sup −3}) and a high Lorentz factor (∼2000). We only speculate on the exact nature of the system producing the gamma-rays, and study the parameter space of a generic Blandford–Znajek model. If future joint observations confirm the GW–short-GRB association we can provide similar but more detailed tests for prompt emission models.

Climatic and biotic controls on annual carbon storage in Amazonian ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, H.; Melillo, J.M.; Kicklighter, D.W.; McGuire, A.D.; Helfrich, J.; Moore, B.; Vorosmarty, C.J.

2000-01-01

1 The role of undisturbed tropical land ecosystems in the global carbon budget is not well understood. It has been suggested that inter-annual climate variability can affect the capacity of these ecosystems to store carbon in the short term. In this paper, we use a transient version of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM) to estimate annual carbon storage in undisturbed Amazonian ecosystems during the period 1980-94, and to understand the underlying causes of the year-to-year variations in net carbon storage for this region. 2 We estimate that the total carbon storage in the undisturbed ecosystems of the Amazon Basin in 1980 was 127.6 Pg C, with about 94.3 Pg C in vegetation and 33.3 Pg C in the reactive pool of soil organic carbon. About 83% of the total carbon storage occurred in tropical evergreen forests. Based on our model's results, we estimate that, over the past 15 years, the total carbon storage has increased by 3.1 Pg C (+ 2%), with a 1.9-Pg C (+2%) increase in vegetation carbon and a 1.2-Pg C (+4%) increase in reactive soil organic carbon. The modelled results indicate that the largest relative changes in net carbon storage have occurred in tropical deciduous forests, but that the largest absolute changes in net carbon storage have occurred in the moist and wet forests of the Basin. 3 Our results show that the strength of interannual variations in net carbon storage of undisturbed ecosystems in the Amazon Basin varies from a carbon source of 0.2 Pg C/year to a carbon sink of 0.7 Pg C/year. Precipitation, especially the amount received during the drier months, appears to be a major controller of annual net carbon storage in the Amazon Basin. Our analysis indicates further that changes in precipitation combine with changes in temperature to affect net carbon storage through influencing soil moisture and nutrient availability. 4 On average, our results suggest that the undisturbed Amazonian ecosystems accumulated 0.2 Pg C/year as a result of climate

Origin of the Sheared Magnetic Fields that Erupt in Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ronald L.; Sterling, Alphonse C.

2006-01-01

From a search of the Yohkoh/SXT whole-Sun movie in the years 2000 and 2001, we found 37 flare-arcade events for which there were full-disk magnetograms from SOHO/MDI, coronagraph movies from SOHO/LASCO, and before and after full-disk chromospheric images from SOHOBIT and/or from ground-based observatories. For each event, the observations show or strongly imply that the flare arcade was produced in the usual way by the eruption of sheared core field (as a flux rope) from along the neutral line inside a mature bipolar magnetic arcade. Two-thirds (25) of these arcades had the normal leading-trailing magnetic polarity arrangement of the active regions in the hemisphere of the arcade, but the other third (12) had reversed polarity, their leading flux being the trailing-polarity remnant of one or more old active regions and their trailing flux being the leading-polarity remnant of one or more other old active regions. From these observations, we conclude: (1) The sheared core field in a reversed-polarity arcade must be formed by processes in and above the photosphere, not by the emergence of a twisted flux rope bodily from below the photosphere. (2) The sheared core fields in the normal-polarity arcades were basically the same as those in the reversed-polarity arcades: both showed similar sigmoidal form and produced similar explosions (similar flares and CMEs). (3) Hence, the sheared core fields in normal-polarity mature arcades are likely formed mainly by the same processes as in reversed-polarity arcades. (4) These processes should be discernible in high-resolution magnetogram sequences and movies of the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona such those to come from Solar-B

Light and Color Curve Properties of Type Ia Supernovae: Theory Versus Observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoeflich, P.; Hsiao, E. Y. [Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 (United States); Ashall, C. [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moore University, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF (United Kingdom); Burns, C. R. [Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 813 Santa Barbara St., Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Diamond, T. R. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Phillips, M. M. [Carnegie Observatories, Las Campanas Observatory, Casilla 601 La Serena (Chile); Sand, D. [Physics and Astronomy Department, Texas Tech University, Box 41051, Lubbock, TX 79409-1051 (United States); Stritzinger, M. D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, DK-8000, Aarhus (Denmark); Suntzeff, N.; Krisciunas, K.; Wang, L. [The G.P. and C. Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Texas A and M University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 4242 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Contreras, C.; Morrell, N., E-mail: phoeflich77@gmail.com [Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria, Ava España 1680, Casilla 110-V, Valparaiso (Chile)

2017-09-01

We study the optical light curve (LC) relations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) for their use in cosmology using high-quality photometry published by the Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP-I). We revisit the classical luminosity decline rate (Δ m {sub 15}) relation and the Lira relation, as well as investigate the time evolution of the ( B − V ) color and B ( B − V ), which serves as the basis of the color–stretch relation and Color–MAgnitude Intercept Calibrations (CMAGIC). Our analysis is based on explosion and radiation transport simulations for spherically symmetric delayed-detonation models (DDT) producing normal-bright and subluminous SNe Ia. Empirical LC relations can be understood as having the same physical underpinnings, i.e., opacities, ionization balances in the photosphere, and radioactive energy deposition changing with time from below to above the photosphere. Some three to four weeks past maximum, the photosphere recedes to {sup 56}Ni-rich layers of similar density structure, leading to a similar color evolution. An important secondary parameter is the central density ρ {sub c} of the WD because at higher densities, more electron-capture elements are produced at the expense of {sup 56}Ni production. This results in a Δ m {sub 15} spread of 0.1 mag in normal-bright and 0.7 mag in subluminous SNe Ia and ≈0.2 mag in the Lira relation. We show why color–magnitude diagrams emphasize the transition between physical regimes and enable the construction of templates that depend mostly on Δ m {sub 15} with little dispersion in both the CSP-I sample and our DDT models. This allows intrinsic SN Ia variations to be separated from the interstellar reddening characterized by E ( B − V ) and R {sub B}. Invoking different scenarios causes a wide spread in empirical relations, which may suggest one dominant scenario.

A GLOBAL MODEL OF THE LIGHT CURVES AND EXPANSION VELOCITIES OF TYPE II-PLATEAU SUPERNOVAE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pejcha, Ondřej [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 4 Ivy Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540 (United States); Prieto, Jose L., E-mail: pejcha@astro.princeton.edu [Núcleo de Astronomía de la Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército 441 Santiago (Chile)

2015-02-01

We present a new self-consistent and versatile method that derives photospheric radius and temperature variations of Type II-Plateau supernovae based on their expansion velocities and photometric measurements. We apply the method to a sample of 26 well-observed, nearby supernovae with published light curves and velocities. We simultaneously fit ∼230 velocity and ∼6800 mag measurements distributed over 21 photometric passbands spanning wavelengths from 0.19 to 2.2 μm. The light-curve differences among the Type II-Plateau supernovae are well modeled by assuming different rates of photospheric radius expansion, which we explain as different density profiles of the ejecta, and we argue that steeper density profiles result in flatter plateaus, if everything else remains unchanged. The steep luminosity decline of Type II-Linear supernovae is due to fast evolution of the photospheric temperature, which we verify with a successful fit of SN 1980K. Eliminating the need for theoretical supernova atmosphere models, we obtain self-consistent relative distances, reddenings, and nickel masses fully accounting for all internal model uncertainties and covariances. We use our global fit to estimate the time evolution of any missing band tailored specifically for each supernova, and we construct spectral energy distributions and bolometric light curves. We produce bolometric corrections for all filter combinations in our sample. We compare our model to the theoretical dilution factors and find good agreement for the B and V filters. Our results differ from the theory when the I, J, H, or K bands are included. We investigate the reddening law toward our supernovae and find reasonable agreement with standard R{sub V}∼3.1 reddening law in UBVRI bands. Results for other bands are inconclusive. We make our fitting code publicly available.

Light and Color Curve Properties of Type Ia Supernovae: Theory Versus Observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeflich, P.; Hsiao, E. Y.; Ashall, C.; Burns, C. R.; Diamond, T. R.; Phillips, M. M.; Sand, D.; Stritzinger, M. D.; Suntzeff, N.; Krisciunas, K.; Wang, L.; Contreras, C.; Morrell, N.

2017-01-01

We study the optical light curve (LC) relations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) for their use in cosmology using high-quality photometry published by the Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP-I). We revisit the classical luminosity decline rate (Δ m 15 ) relation and the Lira relation, as well as investigate the time evolution of the ( B − V ) color and B ( B − V ), which serves as the basis of the color–stretch relation and Color–MAgnitude Intercept Calibrations (CMAGIC). Our analysis is based on explosion and radiation transport simulations for spherically symmetric delayed-detonation models (DDT) producing normal-bright and subluminous SNe Ia. Empirical LC relations can be understood as having the same physical underpinnings, i.e., opacities, ionization balances in the photosphere, and radioactive energy deposition changing with time from below to above the photosphere. Some three to four weeks past maximum, the photosphere recedes to 56 Ni-rich layers of similar density structure, leading to a similar color evolution. An important secondary parameter is the central density ρ c of the WD because at higher densities, more electron-capture elements are produced at the expense of 56 Ni production. This results in a Δ m 15 spread of 0.1 mag in normal-bright and 0.7 mag in subluminous SNe Ia and ≈0.2 mag in the Lira relation. We show why color–magnitude diagrams emphasize the transition between physical regimes and enable the construction of templates that depend mostly on Δ m 15 with little dispersion in both the CSP-I sample and our DDT models. This allows intrinsic SN Ia variations to be separated from the interstellar reddening characterized by E ( B − V ) and R B . Invoking different scenarios causes a wide spread in empirical relations, which may suggest one dominant scenario.

An isotope approach based on C-13 pulse-chase labelling vs. the root trenching method to separate heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration in cultivated peatlands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biasi, C.; Pitkamaki, A. S.; Tavi, N. M.; Koponen, H. T.; Martikainen, P. J. [Univ.of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (Finland). Dept. of Environmental Science], e-mail: christina.biasi@uef.fi

2012-11-01

We tested an isotope method based on C-13 pulse-chase labelling for determining the fractional contribution of soil microbial respiration to overall soil respiration in an organic soil (cutaway peatland, eastern Finland), cultivated with the bioenergy crop, reed canary grass. The plants were exposed to CO{sub 2}-13 for five hours and the label was thereafter determined in CO{sub 2} derived from the soil-root system. A two-pool isotope mixing model was used to separate sources of respiration. The isotopic approach showed that a minimum of 50% of the total CO{sub 2} originated from soil-microbial respiration. Even though the method uses undisturbed soil-plant systems, it has limitations concerning the experimental determination of the true isotopic signal of all components contributing to autotrophic respiration. A trenching experiment which was comparatively conducted resulted in a 71% fractional contribution of soil-microbial respiration. This value was likely overestimated. Further studies are needed to evaluate critically the output from these two partitioning approaches. (orig.)

Flow evolution of a turbulent submerged two-dimensional rectangular free jet of air. Average Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) visualizations and measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gori, Fabio; Petracci, Ivano; Angelino, Matteo

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Zone of flow establishment contains a newly identified undisturbed region of flow. • In the undisturbed region of flow the velocity profile is similar to the exit one. • In undisturbed region of flow the height of average PIV visualizations is constant. • In the undisturbed region of flow the turbulence on the centerline is equal to exit. • Length of undisturbed region of flow decreases with Reynolds number increase. -- Abstract: The paper presents average flow visualizations and measurements, obtained with the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique, of a submerged rectangular free jet of air in the range of Reynolds numbers from Re = 35,300 to Re = 2200, where the Reynolds number is defined according to the hydraulic diameter of a rectangular slot of height H. According to the literature, just after the exit of the jet there is a zone of flow, called zone of flow establishment, containing the region of mixing fluid, at the border with the stagnant fluid, and the potential core, where velocity on the centerline maintains a value almost equal to the exit one. After this zone is present the zone of established flow or fully developed region. The goal of the paper is to show, with average PIV visualizations and measurements, that, before the zone of flow establishment is present a region of flow, never mentioned by the literature and called undisturbed region of flow, with a length, L U , which decreases with the increase of the Reynolds number. The main characteristics of the undisturbed region is the fact that the velocity profile maintains almost equal to the exit one, and can also be identified by a constant height of the average PIV visualizations, with length, L CH , or by a constant turbulence on the centerline, with length L CT . The average PIV velocity and turbulence measurements are compared to those performed with the Hot Film Anemometry (HFA) technique. The average PIV visualizations show that the region of constant height has

Succession change of microorganisms on plant waste decomposition in simulation modelling field experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Vinogradova, Julia; Perminova, Evgenia; Khabibullina, Fluza; Kovaleva, Vera; Lapteva, Elena

2016-04-01

Plant waste decomposition processes are closely associated with living activity of soil microbiota in aboveground ecosystems. Functional activity of microorganisms and soil invertebrates determines plant material transformation rate whereby changes in plant material chemical composition during destruction - succession change of soil biota. The purpose of the work was revealing the mechanism of microorganisms succession change during plant waste decomposition in middle-taiga green-moss spruce forests and coniferous-deciduous secondary stands formed after earlier cut bilberry spruce forests. The study materials were undisturbed bilberry spruce forest (Sample Plot 1 - SP1) and coniferous-deciduous secondary stands which were formed after tree cutting activities of 2001-2002 (SP2) and 1969 and 1970 (SP3). Plant material decomposition intensity was determined in microcosms isolated into kapron bags with cell size of 1 mm. At SP1 and SP2, test material was living mosses and at SP3 - fallen birch and aspen leaves. Every test material was exposed for 2 years. Destruction rate was calculated as a weight loss for a particular time period. Composition of micromycetes which participated in plant material decomposition was assessed by the method of inoculation of soil extract to Getchinson's medium and acidified Czapek's medium (pH=4.5). Microbe number and biomass was analyzed by the method of luminescent microscopy. Chemical analysis of plant material was done in the certified Ecoanalytical Laboratory of the Institute of Biology Komi SC UrD RAS. Finally, plant material destruction intensity was similar for study plots and comprised 40-44 % weight loss for 2 years. The strongest differences in plant material decomposition rate between undisturbed spruce forests and secondary after-cut stands were observed at first stages of destruction process. In the first exposition year, mineralizing processes were most active in undisturbed spruce forest. Decomposition rate in cuts at that

Measurement of Kr-85 and Xe-133 as undisturbed tracers for the representing of atmospheric transport after disposal of radioactivity from nuclear facilities; Messungen von Kr-85 und Xe-133 als ungestoerte Tracer zur Darstellung atmosphaerischer Transportvorgaenge nach Freisetzung von Radioaktivitaet aus kerntechnischen Anlagen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frank, G.; Steinkopff, T. [Deutscher Wetterdienst (Germany); Salvamoser, J. [Institut fuer Angewandte Isotopen-, Gas- und Umweltuntersuchungen (IGU), Woerthsee (Germany)

2016-07-01

The Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD, German Meteorological Service) operates since 1996 a sampling and measurement device for the radioactive rare gases Kr-85 and Xe-133 in Offenbach. These measurements are embedded in the German Measurement and Information System for Monitoring Environmental Radioactivity (Integriertes Mess- und Informationssystem zur Ueberwachung der Radioaktivitaet in der Umwelt, IMIS) [1]. In addition to these measurements the DWD is sampling rare gases in Potsdam and since 2014 in Trier in cooperation with the Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz (Federal Office for Radiation Protection, BfS). In the frame of the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW)-program of the WMO the DWD operated a sampling station at the Zugspitze (Schneefernerhaus) from 1999 to 2005. This location at the Zugspitze is well suited for the observation of long distance transport of Kr-85 in the higher atmosphere. The DWD in Offenbach operates a complex analytical system for the measurement of Kr-85 and Xe-133 since 1998. This system consists of sampling with first enrichment, second enrichment, gas chromatographic separation and preparation of Krypton and Xenon and measurement of Kr-85 and Xe-133. Using the example Fukushima, it is shown, that the radioactive rare gases Kr-85 and Xe-133 are well undisturbed tracers for atmospheric transport in case of a nuclear accident or routine nuclear reprocessing plants. Measurements of Xe-133, I-131, Cs-137 and Kr-85 are correlated with source and atmospheric transport to the sampling sites at Offenbach and Potsdam.

Forecasting Solar Flares Using Magnetogram-based Predictors and Machine Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Florios, Kostas; Kontogiannis, Ioannis; Park, Sung-Hong; Guerra, Jordan A.; Benvenuto, Federico; Bloomfield, D. Shaun; Georgoulis, Manolis K.

2018-02-01

We propose a forecasting approach for solar flares based on data from Solar Cycle 24, taken by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission. In particular, we use the Space-weather HMI Active Region Patches (SHARP) product that facilitates cut-out magnetograms of solar active regions (AR) in the Sun in near-realtime (NRT), taken over a five-year interval (2012 - 2016). Our approach utilizes a set of thirteen predictors, which are not included in the SHARP metadata, extracted from line-of-sight and vector photospheric magnetograms. We exploit several machine learning (ML) and conventional statistics techniques to predict flares of peak magnitude {>} M1 and {>} C1 within a 24 h forecast window. The ML methods used are multi-layer perceptrons (MLP), support vector machines (SVM), and random forests (RF). We conclude that random forests could be the prediction technique of choice for our sample, with the second-best method being multi-layer perceptrons, subject to an entropy objective function. A Monte Carlo simulation showed that the best-performing method gives accuracy ACC=0.93(0.00), true skill statistic TSS=0.74(0.02), and Heidke skill score HSS=0.49(0.01) for {>} M1 flare prediction with probability threshold 15% and ACC=0.84(0.00), TSS=0.60(0.01), and HSS=0.59(0.01) for {>} C1 flare prediction with probability threshold 35%.

An assessment of microbial communities associated with surface mining-disturbed overburden.

Science.gov (United States)

Poncelet, Dominique M; Cavender, Nicole; Cutright, Teresa J; Senko, John M

2014-03-01

To assess the microbiological changes that occur during the maturation of overburden that has been disturbed by surface mining of coal, a surface mining-disturbed overburden unit in southeastern Ohio, USA was characterized. Overburden from the same unit that had been disturbed for 37 and 16 years were compared to undisturbed soil from the same region. Overburden and soil samples were collected as shallow subsurface cores from each subregion of the mined area (i.e., land 16 years and 37 years post-mining, and unmined land). Chemical and mineralogical characteristics of overburden samples were determined, as were microbial respiration rates. The composition of microbial communities associated with overburden and soil were determined using culture-independent, nucleic acid-based approaches. Chemical and mineralogical evaluation of overburden suggested that weathering of disturbed overburden gave rise to a setting with lower pH and more oxidized chemical constituents. Overburden-associated microbial biomass and respiration rates increased with time after overburden disturbance. Evaluation of 16S rRNA gene libraries that were produced by "next-generation" sequencing technology revealed that recently disturbed overburden contained an abundance of phylotypes attributable to sulfur-oxidizing Limnobacter spp., but with increasing time post-disturbance, overburden-associated microbial communities developed a structure similar to that of undisturbed soil, but retained characteristics of more recently disturbed overburden. Our results indicate that over time, the biogeochemical weathering of disturbed overburden leads to the development of geochemical conditions and microbial communities that approximate those of undisturbed soil, but that this transition is incomplete after 37 years of overburden maturation.

Relationship between raindrops and ultrasonic energy on the disruption of a Haplic Cambisol Relação entre energia de gotas de chuva e energia ultra-sônica na desagregação de um Cambissolo Háplico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno Teixeira Ribeiro

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to compare aggregate disruption of undisturbed soil samples by ultrasonic energy to aggregate disruption caused by the energy of simulated raindrops, to provide equations that can describe this relationship, and to evaluate whether aggregate stability, expressed by sonication method, may be used to estimate the effect that raindrops have on undisturbed soil samples. Undisturbed soil samples from A, Bi and C horizons of a Cambisol were submitted to different levels of ultrasonic energy and simulated raindrops. Sieved samples (aggregates were also submitted to different levels of ultrasonic energy so that both disturbed and undisturbed conditions of samples could be compared. The results showed that the method using ultrasonic energy on undisturbed soil samples can simulate the amount of aggregate disruption of soil due to raindrop impact. Dispersion curves of disturbed samples may not be used to estimate the effect of raindrops on undisturbed soil samples.Objetivou-se neste trabalho comparar a desagregação de amostras de solo indeformadas pela energia ultra-sônica com a desagregação causada pela energia cinética de gotas de chuva simulada, estabelecer equações para descrever essa relação e avaliar se a estabilidade de agregados determinada pelas curvas de desagregação por ultra-som pode ser usada para estimar o efeito que as gotas de chuva têm sobre amostras indeformadas. Amostras indeformadas dos horizontes A, Bi e C de um Cambissolo Háplico foram submetidas a diferentes níveis de energia ultra-sônica e gotas de chuva simulada. Amostras peneiradas (agregados também foram submetidas a diferentes níveis de energia ultra-sônica para obtenção de curvas de desagregação. Os resultados mostraram que a quantidade de solo desagregado pelo impacto das gotas de chuva pode ser simulada pela aplicação de energia ultra-sônica sobre amostras indeformadas de solo. Curvas de desagregação de amostras deformadas

Faraday rotation by the undisturbed bulk and by photoinduced giant polarons in EuTe

Science.gov (United States)

Henriques, A. B.; Usachev, P. A.

2017-11-01

A quantum mechanical model is developed for the Faraday effect in europium telluride, for photons of energy within the transparency gap. The model is based on the well known band edge electronic energy states in EuTe. A concise expression for the Verdet constant is obtained, determined by few parameters already available in the literature. The Verdet constant adopted here, defined by the ratio between the Faraday rotation angle and the magnetization, is in effect temperature independent. Its dependence on the photon energy and applied magnetic field is in excellent agreement with published results. Below 3 T the Verdet constant is also nearly independent on field, but above 3 T at low temperatures it increases due to the band gap redshift. The model is used to calculate the photoinduced Faraday rotation associated with photoinduced giant magnetic polarons in EuTe. The theoretical photoinduced Faraday rotation excitation describes quite well the main features seen experimentally. Due to the common band-edge electronic energy structure, the model reported here could be extended to all other europium chalcogenides.

Solar Twins and the Barium Puzzle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, Arumalla B. S.; Lambert, David L.

2017-01-01

Several abundance analyses of Galactic open clusters (OCs) have shown a tendency for Ba but not for other heavy elements (La−Sm) to increase sharply with decreasing age such that Ba was claimed to reach [Ba/Fe] ≃ +0.6 in the youngest clusters (ages < 100 Myr) rising from [Ba/Fe] = 0.00 dex in solar-age clusters. Within the formulation of the s -process, the difficulty to replicate higher Ba abundance and normal La−Sm abundances in young clusters is known as the barium puzzle. Here, we investigate the barium puzzle using extremely high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra of 24 solar twins and measured the heavy elements Ba, La, Ce, Nd, and Sm with a precision of 0.03 dex. We demonstrate that the enhanced Ba ii relative to La−Sm seen among solar twins, stellar associations, and OCs at young ages (<100 Myr) is unrelated to aspects of stellar nucleosynthesis but has resulted from overestimation of Ba by standard methods of LTE abundance analysis in which the microturbulence derived from the Fe lines formed deep in the photosphere is insufficient to represent the true line broadening imposed on Ba ii lines by the upper photospheric layers from where the Ba ii lines emerge. Because the young stars have relatively active photospheres, Ba overabundances most likely result from the adoption of a too low value of microturbulence in the spectrum synthesis of the strong Ba ii lines but the change of microturbulence in the upper photosphere has only a minor affect on La−Sm abundances measured from the weak lines.

Magneto-static Modeling from Sunrise/IMaX: Application to an Active Region Observed with Sunrise II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiegelmann, T.; Solanki, S. K.; Barthol, P.; Gandorfer, A.; Gizon, L.; Hirzberger, J.; Riethmüller, T. L.; Noort, M. van [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany); Neukirch, T. [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Nickeler, D. H. [Astronomical Institute, AV CR, Fricova 298, 25165 Ondrejov (Czech Republic); Rodríguez, J. Blanco [Grupo de Astronomía y Ciencias del Espacio, Universidad de Valencia, E-46980 Paterna, Valencia (Spain); Iniesta, J. C. Del Toro; Suárez, D. Orozco [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Apartado de Correos 3004, E-18080 Granada (Spain); Schmidt, W. [Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik, Schöneckstr. 6, D-79104 Freiburg (Germany); Pillet, V. Martínez [National Solar Observatory, 3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Knölker, M., E-mail: wiegelmann@mps.mpg.de [High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 (United States)

2017-03-01

Magneto-static models may overcome some of the issues facing force-free magnetic field extrapolations. So far they have seen limited use and have faced problems when applied to quiet-Sun data. Here we present a first application to an active region. We use solar vector magnetic field measurements gathered by the IMaX polarimeter during the flight of the Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory in 2013 June as boundary conditions for a magneto-static model of the higher solar atmosphere above an active region. The IMaX data are embedded in active region vector magnetograms observed with SDO /HMI. This work continues our magneto-static extrapolation approach, which was applied earlier to a quiet-Sun region observed with Sunrise I. In an active region the signal-to-noise-ratio in the measured Stokes parameters is considerably higher than in the quiet-Sun and consequently the IMaX measurements of the horizontal photospheric magnetic field allow us to specify the free parameters of the model in a special class of linear magneto-static equilibria. The high spatial resolution of IMaX (110–130 km, pixel size 40 km) enables us to model the non-force-free layer between the photosphere and the mid-chromosphere vertically by about 50 grid points. In our approach we can incorporate some aspects of the mixed beta layer of photosphere and chromosphere, e.g., taking a finite Lorentz force into account, which was not possible with lower-resolution photospheric measurements in the past. The linear model does not, however, permit us to model intrinsic nonlinear structures like strongly localized electric currents.

Solar Twins and the Barium Puzzle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reddy, Arumalla B. S.; Lambert, David L., E-mail: bala@astro.as.utexas.edu [W.J. McDonald Observatory and Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-1205 (United States)

2017-08-20

Several abundance analyses of Galactic open clusters (OCs) have shown a tendency for Ba but not for other heavy elements (La−Sm) to increase sharply with decreasing age such that Ba was claimed to reach [Ba/Fe] ≃ +0.6 in the youngest clusters (ages < 100 Myr) rising from [Ba/Fe] = 0.00 dex in solar-age clusters. Within the formulation of the s -process, the difficulty to replicate higher Ba abundance and normal La−Sm abundances in young clusters is known as the barium puzzle. Here, we investigate the barium puzzle using extremely high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra of 24 solar twins and measured the heavy elements Ba, La, Ce, Nd, and Sm with a precision of 0.03 dex. We demonstrate that the enhanced Ba ii relative to La−Sm seen among solar twins, stellar associations, and OCs at young ages (<100 Myr) is unrelated to aspects of stellar nucleosynthesis but has resulted from overestimation of Ba by standard methods of LTE abundance analysis in which the microturbulence derived from the Fe lines formed deep in the photosphere is insufficient to represent the true line broadening imposed on Ba ii lines by the upper photospheric layers from where the Ba ii lines emerge. Because the young stars have relatively active photospheres, Ba overabundances most likely result from the adoption of a too low value of microturbulence in the spectrum synthesis of the strong Ba ii lines but the change of microturbulence in the upper photosphere has only a minor affect on La−Sm abundances measured from the weak lines.

Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: HawaI’I and Pacific Islands Region

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-01

of the prevalence index using the same data as in Table 3. ................................. 25 Table 5. Proportion of sample that is fibers visible...today by non-native or invasive plant species) and substrate type, which may include bedrock (limestone or basalt ), organic soils, or mineral soils...classified as sapric, hemic, or fibric based on the percentage of visible fibers observable with a hand lens in an undisturbed state and after rubbing

Observational Evidence of a Flux Rope within a Sunspot Umbra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guglielmino, Salvo L.; Zuccarello, Francesca [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia—Sezione Astrofisica, Università di Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, I-95125 Catania (Italy); Romano, Paolo, E-mail: salvo.guglielmino@oact.inaf.it [INAF—Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, I-95125 Catania (Italy)

2017-09-10

We observed an elongated filamentary bright structure inside the umbra of the big sunspot in active region NOAA 12529, which differs from the light bridges usually observed in sunspots for its morphology, magnetic configuration, and velocity field. We used observations taken with the Solar Dynamic Observatory satellite to characterize this feature. Its lifetime is 5 days, during which it reaches a maximum length of about 30″. In the maps of the vertical component of the photospheric magnetic field, a portion of the feature has a polarity opposite to that of the hosting sunspot. At the same time, in the entire feature the horizontal component of the magnetic field is about 2000 G, substantially stronger than in the surrounding penumbral filaments. Doppler velocity maps reveal the presence of both upward and downward plasma motions along the structure at the photospheric level. Moreover, looking at the chromospheric level, we noted that it is located in a region corresponding to the edge of a small filament that seems rooted in the sunspot umbra. Therefore, we interpreted the bright structure as the photospheric counterpart of a flux rope touching the sunspot and giving rise to penumbral-like filaments in the umbra.

Corona magnetic field over sunspots estimated by m-wave observation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurihara, Masahiro

1974-01-01

The shape of the magnetic field in corona was estimated from the observation of the type I storm occurred in the last decade of August, 1971. It was found from the observation with a 160 MHz interferometer at Mt. Nobeyama that at most three storm sources, which are called radio wave source, were produced. The radio wave sources were fixed above sunspots. The height of the radio wave sources was estimated to be 0.45 R from the photosphere. The sunspots under the radio wave sources can be classified to four sub-groups. Weakening of the magnetic field on the photosphere was found from the reduction of the area of some sub-group. The relation between the activity of type I storm and the intensity of the magnetic field of sunspots is qualitatively suggested. It is considered that the radio wave sources and the sunspots were connected by common magnetic force lines. The probable magnetic field in corona was presumed and is shown in a figure. An interesting point is that the direction of magnetic force lines inclined by about 30 0 outward to the vertical line to the photosphere surface. (Kato, T.)

The limb-darkened Arcturus: imaging with the IOTA/IONIC interferometer

Science.gov (United States)

Lacour, S.; Meimon, S.; Thiébaut, E.; Perrin, G.; Verhoelst, T.; Pedretti, E.; Schuller, P. A.; Mugnier, L.; Monnier, J.; Berger, J. P.; Haubois, X.; Poncelet, A.; Le Besnerais, G.; Eriksson, K.; Millan-Gabet, R.; Ragland, S.; Lacasse, M.; Traub, W.

2008-07-01

Aims: We undertook an H band interferometric examination of Arcturus, a star frequently used as a spatial and spectral calibrator. Methods: Using the IOTA 3 telescope interferometer, we performed spectro-interferometric observations (R≈35) of Arcturus. Atmospheric models and prescriptions were fitted to the data to derive the brightness distribution of the photosphere. Image reconstruction was performed using two software algorithms: Wisard and Mira. Results: An achromatic power law proved to be a good model of the brightness distribution, with a limb darkening compatible with the one derived from atmospheric model simulations using our marcs model. A Rosseland diameter of 21.05±0.21 was derived, corresponding to an effective temperature of Teff = 4295±26 K. No companion was detected from the closure phases, with an upper limit on the brightness ratio of 8×10-4 at 1 AU. The dynamic range at such distance from the photosphere was established as 1.5×10-4 (1σ rms). An upper limit of 1.7×10-3 was also derived for the level of brightness asymmetries present in the photosphere.

The Liquid Metallic Hydrogen Model of the Sun and the Solar Atmosphere I. Continuous Emission and Condensed Matter Within the Chromosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The continuous spectrum of the solar photosphere stands as the paramount observation with regard to the condensed nature of the solar body. Studies relative to Kirchhoff’s law of thermal emission (e.g. Robitaille P.-M. Kirchhoff’s law of thermal emission: 150 years. Progr. Phys., 2009, v. 4, 3–13. and a detailed analysis of the stellar opacity problem (Robitaille P.M. Stellar opacity: The Achilles’ heel of the gaseous Sun. Progr. Phys., 2011, v. 3, 93–99 have revealed that gaseous models remain unable to properly account for the generation of this spectrum. Therefore, it can be stated with certainty that the photosphere is comprised of condensed matter. Beyond the solar surface, the chromospheric layer of the Sun also generates a weak continuous spectrum in the visible region. This emission exposes the presence of material in the condensed state. As a result, above the level of the photosphere, matter exists in both gaseous and condensed forms, much like within the atmosphere of the Earth. The continuous visible spectrum associated with the chromosphere provides the twenty-sixth line of evidence that the Sun is condensed matter.

Potential ‘Ecological Traps’ of Restored Landscapes: Koalas Phascolarctos cinereus Re-Occupy a Rehabilitated Mine Site

Science.gov (United States)

Cristescu, Romane H.; Banks, Peter B.; Carrick, Frank N.; Frère, Céline

2013-01-01

With progressively increasing anthropogenic habitat disturbances, restoration of impacted landscapes is becoming a critical element of biodiversity conservation. Evaluation of success in restoration ecology rarely includes faunal components, usually only encompassing abiotic and floral components of the ecosystems. Even when fauna is explicitly included, it is usually only species presence/absence criteria that are considered. If restoration is to have a positive outcome, however, populations in restored habitats should exhibit comparable survival and reproductive rates to populations found in undisturbed surroundings. If a species recolonises restored areas but later experiences decreased fitness, restored areas could become ecological sinks or traps. We investigated this possibility in a case study of koalas Phascolarctos cinereus occupying rehabilitated mining areas on North Stradbroke Island, Australia. Our holistic approach compared rehabilitated and undisturbed areas on the basis of their vegetation characteristics, of koalas' body condition, roosting trees, diet, as well as predator index. Koalas using rehabilitated areas appeared to be able to access an adequate supply of roosting and fodder trees, were in good condition and had high reproductive output. We did not find any significant differences in predator density between rehabilitated areas and undisturbed surroundings. The results presented in this study showed there was no evidence that the post-mining rehabilitated areas constitute ecological sinks or traps. However, to reach a definitive conclusion as to whether areas rehabilitated post-mining provide at least equivalent habitat to undisturbed locations, additional research could be undertaken to assess foliar nutrient/water/toxin differences and predation risk in rehabilitated areas compared with undisturbed areas. More generally, the evaluation of whether restoration successfully produces a functional ecological community should include criteria

Potential 'ecological traps' of restored landscapes: koalas Phascolarctos cinereus re-occupy a rehabilitated mine site.

Science.gov (United States)

Cristescu, Romane H; Banks, Peter B; Carrick, Frank N; Frère, Céline

2013-01-01

With progressively increasing anthropogenic habitat disturbances, restoration of impacted landscapes is becoming a critical element of biodiversity conservation. Evaluation of success in restoration ecology rarely includes faunal components, usually only encompassing abiotic and floral components of the ecosystems. Even when fauna is explicitly included, it is usually only species presence/absence criteria that are considered. If restoration is to have a positive outcome, however, populations in restored habitats should exhibit comparable survival and reproductive rates to populations found in undisturbed surroundings. If a species recolonises restored areas but later experiences decreased fitness, restored areas could become ecological sinks or traps. We investigated this possibility in a case study of koalas Phascolarctos cinereus occupying rehabilitated mining areas on North Stradbroke Island, Australia. Our holistic approach compared rehabilitated and undisturbed areas on the basis of their vegetation characteristics, of koalas' body condition, roosting trees, diet, as well as predator index. Koalas using rehabilitated areas appeared to be able to access an adequate supply of roosting and fodder trees, were in good condition and had high reproductive output. We did not find any significant differences in predator density between rehabilitated areas and undisturbed surroundings. The results presented in this study showed there was no evidence that the post-mining rehabilitated areas constitute ecological sinks or traps. However, to reach a definitive conclusion as to whether areas rehabilitated post-mining provide at least equivalent habitat to undisturbed locations, additional research could be undertaken to assess foliar nutrient/water/toxin differences and predation risk in rehabilitated areas compared with undisturbed areas. More generally, the evaluation of whether restoration successfully produces a functional ecological community should include criteria

Potential 'ecological traps' of restored landscapes: koalas Phascolarctos cinereus re-occupy a rehabilitated mine site.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romane H Cristescu

Full Text Available With progressively increasing anthropogenic habitat disturbances, restoration of impacted landscapes is becoming a critical element of biodiversity conservation. Evaluation of success in restoration ecology rarely includes faunal components, usually only encompassing abiotic and floral components of the ecosystems. Even when fauna is explicitly included, it is usually only species presence/absence criteria that are considered. If restoration is to have a positive outcome, however, populations in restored habitats should exhibit comparable survival and reproductive rates to populations found in undisturbed surroundings. If a species recolonises restored areas but later experiences decreased fitness, restored areas could become ecological sinks or traps. We investigated this possibility in a case study of koalas Phascolarctos cinereus occupying rehabilitated mining areas on North Stradbroke Island, Australia. Our holistic approach compared rehabilitated and undisturbed areas on the basis of their vegetation characteristics, of koalas' body condition, roosting trees, diet, as well as predator index. Koalas using rehabilitated areas appeared to be able to access an adequate supply of roosting and fodder trees, were in good condition and had high reproductive output. We did not find any significant differences in predator density between rehabilitated areas and undisturbed surroundings. The results presented in this study showed there was no evidence that the post-mining rehabilitated areas constitute ecological sinks or traps. However, to reach a definitive conclusion as to whether areas rehabilitated post-mining provide at least equivalent habitat to undisturbed locations, additional research could be undertaken to assess foliar nutrient/water/toxin differences and predation risk in rehabilitated areas compared with undisturbed areas. More generally, the evaluation of whether restoration successfully produces a functional ecological community

NEW RARE EARTH ELEMENT ABUNDANCE DISTRIBUTIONS FOR THE SUN AND FIVE r-PROCESS-RICH VERY METAL-POOR STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sneden, Christopher; Lawler, James E.; Den Hartog, Elizabeth A.; Cowan, John J.; Ivans, Inese I.

2009-01-01

We have derived new abundances of the rare earth elements Pr, Dy, Tm, Yb, and Lu for the solar photosphere and for five very metal-poor, neutron-capture r-process-rich giant stars. The photospheric values for all five elements are in good agreement with meteoritic abundances. For the low-metallicity sample, these abundances have been combined with new Ce abundances from a companion paper, and reconsideration of a few other elements in individual stars, to produce internally consistent Ba, rare earth, and Hf (56 ≤ Z ≤ 72) element distributions. These have been used in a critical comparison between stellar and solar r-process abundance mixes.

CHROMOSPHERIC MASS MOTIONS AND INTRINSIC SUNSPOT ROTATIONS FOR NOAA ACTIVE REGIONS 10484, 10486, AND 10488 USING ISOON DATA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardersen, Paul S.; Balasubramaniam, K. S.; Shkolyar, Svetlana

2013-01-01

This work utilizes Improved Solar Observing Optical Network continuum (630.2 nm) and Hα (656.2 nm) data to: (1) detect and measure intrinsic sunspot rotations occurring in the photosphere and chromosphere, (2) identify and measure chromospheric filament mass motions, and (3) assess any large-scale photospheric and chromospheric mass couplings. Significant results from 2003 October 27-29, using the techniques of Brown et al., indicate significant counter-rotation between the two large sunspots in NOAA AR 10486 on October 29, as well as discrete filament mass motions in NOAA AR 10484 on October 27 that appear to be associated with at least one C-class solar flare

Normalized Rotational Multiple Yield Surface Framework (NRMYSF) stress-strain curve prediction method based on small strain triaxial test data on undisturbed Auckland residual clay soils

Science.gov (United States)

Noor, M. J. Md; Ibrahim, A.; Rahman, A. S. A.

2018-04-01

Small strain triaxial test measurement is considered to be significantly accurate compared to the external strain measurement using conventional method due to systematic errors normally associated with the test. Three submersible miniature linear variable differential transducer (LVDT) mounted on yokes which clamped directly onto the soil sample at equally 120° from the others. The device setup using 0.4 N resolution load cell and 16 bit AD converter was capable of consistently resolving displacement of less than 1µm and measuring axial strains ranging from less than 0.001% to 2.5%. Further analysis of small strain local measurement data was performed using new Normalized Multiple Yield Surface Framework (NRMYSF) method and compared with existing Rotational Multiple Yield Surface Framework (RMYSF) prediction method. The prediction of shear strength based on combined intrinsic curvilinear shear strength envelope using small strain triaxial test data confirmed the significant improvement and reliability of the measurement and analysis methods. Moreover, the NRMYSF method shows an excellent data prediction and significant improvement toward more reliable prediction of soil strength that can reduce the cost and time of experimental laboratory test.

Floristic and structural status of forests in permanent preservation areas of Moju river basin, Amazon region.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, J C; Vieira, I C G; Almeida, A S; Silva, C A

2016-01-01

The goal of this study is to analyze the floristic patterns and the structure of disturbed and undisturbed upland forests, in Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs) along the Moju river, in the Brazilian state of Pará. Trees with a diameter equal to or larger than 10cm at 1.30m from the ground (DBH) ≥10cm were analyzed for the upper stratum. For the middle stratum, individuals with DBH between 4.99 and 9.99cm were sampled. Forty-five families and 221 species were found in disturbed forests, and 43 families and 208 species in undisturbed forests. Floristic similarity was high between strata and between forest types, with values above 50%. Similarity was highest between middle strata. The most species-abundant families in undisturbed forests were Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Chrysobalanaceae and Myrtaceae; the species with the highest density there were Eschweilera grandiflora, Licania sclerophylla and Zygia cauliflora. In disturbed forests, the dominant families were Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Lecythidaceae and Melastomataceae. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was 3.21 for undisturbed forests and 2.85 for disturbed forests. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis did not group the forests by their floristic composition in both upper and middle strata. Overall, the PPA forests along the Moju river, even if disturbed, did not show major floristic changes but substantially change their structural characteristics.

Floristic and structural status of forests in permanent preservation areas of Moju river basin, Amazon region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. C. Oliveira

Full Text Available Abstract The goal of this study is to analyze the floristic patterns and the structure of disturbed and undisturbed upland forests, in Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs along the Moju river, in the Brazilian state of Pará. Trees with a diameter equal to or larger than 10cm at 1.30m from the ground (DBH ≥10cm were analyzed for the upper stratum. For the middle stratum, individuals with DBH between 4.99 and 9.99cm were sampled. Forty-five families and 221 species were found in disturbed forests, and 43 families and 208 species in undisturbed forests. Floristic similarity was high between strata and between forest types, with values above 50%. Similarity was highest between middle strata. The most species-abundant families in undisturbed forests were Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Chrysobalanaceae and Myrtaceae; the species with the highest density there were Eschweilera grandiflora, Licania sclerophylla and Zygia cauliflora. In disturbed forests, the dominant families were Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Lecythidaceae and Melastomataceae. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was 3.21 for undisturbed forests and 2.85 for disturbed forests. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS analysis did not group the forests by their floristic composition in both upper and middle strata. Overall, the PPA forests along the Moju river, even if disturbed, did not show major floristic changes but substantially change their structural characteristics.

[Monitoring and analysis on evolution process of rainfall runoff water quality in urban area].

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Wen; Li, Huai-En; Li, Jia-Ke

2013-02-01

In order to find the water quality evolution law and pollution characteristics of the rainfall runoff from undisturbed to the neighborhood exit, 6 times evolution process of rainfall runoff water quality were monitored and analyzed from July to October in 2011, and contrasted the clarification efficiency of the grassland to the roof runoff rudimentarily at the same time. The research showed: 1. the results of the comparison from "undisturbed, rainfall-roof, rainfall runoff-road, rainfall-runoff the neighborhood exit runoff " showed that the water quality of the undisturbed rain was better than that from the roof and the neighborhood exist, but the road rainfall runoff water quality was the worst; 2. the average concentrations of the parameters such as COD, ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen all exceeded the Fifth Class of the Surface Water Quality Standard except for the soluble total phosphorus from undisturbed rainfall to the neighborhood exit; 3. the runoff water quality of the short early fine days was better than that of long early fine days, and the last runoff water quality was better than that of the initial runoff in the same rainfall process; 4. the concentration reduction of the grassland was notable, and the reduction rate of the grassland which is 1.0 meter wide of the roof runoff pollutants such as COD and nitrogen reached 30%.

CCFpams: Atmospheric stellar parameters from cross-correlation functions

Science.gov (United States)

Malavolta, Luca; Lovis, Christophe; Pepe, Francesco; Sneden, Christopher; Udry, Stephane

2017-07-01

CCFpams allows the measurement of stellar temperature, metallicity and gravity within a few seconds and in a completely automated fashion. Rather than performing comparisons with spectral libraries, the technique is based on the determination of several cross-correlation functions (CCFs) obtained by including spectral features with different sensitivity to the photospheric parameters. Literature stellar parameters of high signal-to-noise (SNR) and high-resolution HARPS spectra of FGK Main Sequence stars are used to calibrate the stellar parameters as a function of CCF areas.

SEISMIC DISCRIMINATION OF THERMAL AND MAGNETIC ANOMALIES IN SUNSPOT UMBRAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindsey, C.; Cally, P. S.; Rempel, M.

2010-01-01

Efforts to model sunspots based on helioseismic signatures need to discriminate between the effects of (1) a strong magnetic field that introduces time-irreversible, vantage-dependent phase shifts, apparently connected to fast- and slow-mode coupling and wave absorption and (2) a thermal anomaly that includes cool gas extending an indefinite depth beneath the photosphere. Helioseismic observations of sunspots show travel times considerably reduced with respect to equivalent quiet-Sun signatures. Simulations by Moradi and Cally of waves skipping across sunspots with photospheric magnetic fields of order 3 kG show travel times that respond strongly to the magnetic field and relatively weakly to the thermal anomaly by itself. We note that waves propagating vertically in a vertical magnetic field are relatively insensitive to the magnetic field, while remaining highly responsive to the attendant thermal anomaly. Travel-time measurements for waves with large skip distances into the centers of axially symmetric sunspots are therefore a crucial resource for discrimination of the thermal anomaly beneath sunspot umbrae from the magnetic anomaly. One-dimensional models of sunspot umbrae based on compressible-radiative-magnetic-convective simulations such as by Rempel et al. can be fashioned to fit observed helioseismic travel-time spectra in the centers of sunspot umbrae. These models are based on cooling of the upper 2-4 Mm of the umbral subphotosphere with no significant anomaly beneath 4.5 Mm. The travel-time reductions characteristic of these models are primarily a consequence of a Wilson depression resulting from a strong downward buoyancy of the cooled umbral medium.

Hydraulic fracturing tests in anhydrite interbeds in the WIPP, Marker Beds 139 and 140

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howard, C L [RE/SPEC Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Wawersik, W. R.; Carlson, L. V.; Henfling, J. A.; Borns, D. J.; Beauheim, R. L.; Roberts, R. M.

1997-05-01

Hydraulic fracturing tests were integrated with hydrologic tests to estimate the conditions under which gas pressure in the disposal rooms in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad, NM (WIPP) will initiate and advance fracturing in nearby anhydrite interbeds. The measurements were made in two marker beds in the Salado formation, MB139 and MB140, to explore the consequences of existing excavations for the extrapolation of results to undisturbed ground. The interpretation of these measurements is based on the pressure-time records in two injection boreholes and several nearby hydrologic observation holes. Data interpretations were aided by post-test borehole video surveys of fracture traces that were made visible by ultraviolet illumination of fluorescent dye in the hydraulic fracturing fluid. The conclusions of this report relate to the upper- and lower-bound gas pressures in the WIPP, the paths of hydraulically and gas-driven fractures in MB139 and MB140, the stress states in MB139 and MB140, and the probable in situ stress states in these interbeds in undisturbed ground far away from the WIPP.

Tree species diversity in a seasonally-dry forest: the case of the Pinkaití site, in the Kayapó Indigenous Area, Southeastern limits of the Amazon

OpenAIRE

Salm,Rodolfo

2004-01-01

This study investigates patterns of forest structure and tree species diversity in an anthropogenic palm grove and undisturbed areas at the seasonally-dry Pinkaití research station, in the Kayapó Indigenous Area. This site, managed by the Conservation International do Brasil, is the most southeastern site floristically surveyed in the Amazon until now. The secondary and a nearby undisturbed forest were sampled in a group of 52 floristic plots of 0.0625-ha (25x25-m) where all trees with DBH > ...

Determination of solar flare accelerated ion angular distributions from SMM gamma ray and neutron measurements and determination of the He-3/H ratio in the solar photosphere from SMM gamma ray measurements. Final technical report, 1 July 1987-31 August 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lingenfelter, R.E.

1989-08-01

Comparisons of Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) observations of gamma-ray line and neutron emission with theoretical calculation of their expected production by flare accelerated ion interactions in the solar atmosphere have led to significant advances in the understanding of solar flare particle acceleration and interaction, as well as the flare process itself. These comparisons have enabled the determination of, not only the total number and energy spectrum of accelerated ions trapped at the sun, but also the ion angular distribution as they interact in the solar atmosphere. The Monte Carlo program was modified to include in the calculations of ion trajectories the effects of both mirroring in converging magnetic fields and of pitch angle scattering. Comparing the results of these calculations with the SMM observations, not only the angular distribution of the interacting ions can be determined, but also the initial angular distribution of the ions at acceleration. The reliable determination of the solar photospheric He-3 abundance is of great importance for understanding nucleosynthesis in the early universe and its implications for cosmology, as well as for the study of the evolution of the sun. It is also essential for the determinations of the spectrum and total number of flare accelerated ions from the SMM/GRS gamma-ray line measurements. Systematic Monte Carlo calculations of the time dependence were made as a function of the He-3 abundance and other variables. A new series of calculations were compared for the time-dependent flux of 2.223 MeV neutron capture line emission and the ratio of the time-integrated flux in the 2.223 MeV line to that in the 4.1 to 6.4 MeV nuclear deexcitation band

A study on the characteristics of upward air-water two-phase flow in a large pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Xiuzhong; Mishima, Kaichiro; Nakamura, Hideo

2003-01-01

Adiabatic upward air-water two-phase flow in a vertical large pipe (inner diameter, D: 0.2 m, ratio of pipe length to diameter, L/D: 60.5.) was experimentally investigated under various inlet conditions. Flow regime was observed and void fraction, bubble frequency, Sauter mean diameter, interfacial area concentration (IAC) and interfacial direction were measured with optical four-sensor probe. Characteristics of various flow regimes were analyzed carefully. Both the void fraction and the IAC demonstrated radial wall-peak and core-peak distributions in the undisturbed bubbly flow and the other flow regimes, respectively. The existence of bubbly secondary flow accounts for the core-peak distribution in the agitated bubbly, churn bubbly, churn slug and churn froth flow. The bubble frequency showed a wall-peak radial distribution only when the bubbles were small in diameter and the flow was in the undisturbed bubbly flow. The Sauter mean diameter of bubbles did not change much in the main flow of undisturbed bubbly, agitated bubbly and churn bubbly flow regimes and showed a core peak radial distribution in the churn slug flow. In the latter flow regime, the secondary flow disintegrated the bubbles, resulting in the decrease of the Sauter mean diameter. The measurements of the interfacial direction showed that the bubbly main flow and secondary flow can be displayed by the main flow peak and the secondary flow peak, respectively, in the PDF of the interfacial directional angle between the interfacial direction and the z-axis, η zi . The local average η zi at the bubble front hemispheres reflects the local bubble movement and is in direct connection with the flow regimes. Based on the analysis, the authors classified the flow regimes in the vertical large pipe quantitatively by the local average η zi . Bubbles in the liquid phase moved in a zigzag line with no inclination toward any direction in the plane vertical to z-axis in the pipe core. The axial differential

EMERGENCE OF GRANULAR-SIZED MAGNETIC BUBBLES THROUGH THE SOLAR ATMOSPHERE. III. THE PATH TO THE TRANSITION REGION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz, Ada; Hansteen, Viggo H.; Pontieu, Bart De; Carlsson, Mats; Voort, Luc Rouppe van der [Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029 Blindern, NO-0315 Oslo (Norway); Rubio, Luis Ramón Bellot [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Apdo. 3040, E-18080 Granada (Spain); Rodríguez, Jaime de la Cruz, E-mail: ada@astro.uio.no [Institute for Solar Physics, Dept. of Astronomy, Stockholm University, Albanova University Center, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden)

2016-07-10

We study, for the first time, the ascent of granular-sized magnetic bubbles from the solar photosphere through the chromosphere into the transition region and above. Such events occurred in a flux emerging region in NOAA 11850 on 2013 September 25. During that time, the first co-observing campaign between the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST) and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) spacecraft was carried out. Simultaneous observations of the chromospheric H α 656.28 nm and Ca ii 854.2 nm lines, plus the photospheric Fe i 630.25 nm line, were made with the CRISP spectropolarimeter at the Spitzer Space Telescope ( SST ) reaching a spatial resolution of 0.″14. At the same time, IRIS was performing a four-step dense raster of the emerging flux region, taking slit jaw images at 133 (C ii, transition region), 140 (Si iv, transition region), 279.6 (Mg ii k, core, upper chromosphere), and 283.2 nm (Mg ii k, wing, photosphere). Spectroscopy of several lines was performed by the IRIS spectrograph in the far- and near-ultraviolet, of which we have used the Si iv 140.3 and the Mg ii k 279.6 nm lines. Coronal images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly of the Solar Dynamics Observatory were used to investigate the possible coronal signatures of the flux emergence events. The photospheric and chromospheric properties of small-scale emerging magnetic bubbles have been described in detail in Ortiz et al. Here we are able to follow such structures up to the transition region. We describe the properties, including temporal delays, of the observed flux emergence in all layers. We believe this may be an important mechanism of transporting energy and magnetic flux from subsurface layers to the transition region and corona.

DIMMING OF THE MID-20TH CENTURY SUN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foukal, Peter

2015-01-01

Area changes of photospheric faculae associated with magnetic active regions are responsible for the bright contribution to variation in total solar irradiance (TSI). Yet, the 102-year white light (WL) facular record measured by the Royal Greenwich Observatory between 1874 and 1976 has been largely overlooked in past TSI reconstructions. We show that it may offer a better measure of the brightening than presently used chromospheric proxies or the sunspot number. These are, to varying degrees, based on magnetic structures that are dark at the photosphere even near the limb. The increased contribution of the dark component to these proxies at high activity leads to an overestimate of solar brightening around peaks of the large spot cycles 18 and 19. The WL facular areas measure only the bright contribution. Our reconstruction based on these facular areas indicates that TSI decreased by about 0.1% during these two cycles to a 20th century minimum, rather than brightening to some of the highest TSI levels in four centuries, as reported in previous reconstructions. This TSI decrease may have contributed more to climate cooling between the 1940s and 1960s than present modeling indicates. Our finding adds to previous evidence that such suppression of solar brightening by an increased area of dark flux tubes might explain why the Sun is anomalously quiet photometrically compared to other late-type stars. Our findings do not change the evidence against solar driving of climate warming since the 1970s

Hydrologic study of the unsaturated zone adjacent to a radioactive-waste disposal site at the Savannah River Plant, Aiken, South Carolina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruber, P.

1980-01-01

Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity as a function of soil-water content and soil-water pressure head of field soils in the vicinity of a low-level radioactive-waste disposal site was measured for a period of 28 days following steady-state infiltration. Tensiometer and a neutron probe measurements were replicated four times at various depth intervals of from 12.0 to 120.00 inches below land surface in two 12 foot square plots. Values of soil-water content, soil-water flux, and hydraulic conductivity at each depth were calculated during the period of drainage using a computer program called SOIL. After drainage of soil-water through the 120 inch profile ceased, duplicate undisturbed soil cores from opposite sides of each plot and from disturbed and undisturbed sites within the burial grounds were recovered and subjected to pressure-plate analysis for the calculation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Laboratory analyses also included the determination of soil bulk density, particle-size distribution, and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Calculation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity in the laboratory was made using a computer program called HYDRO, based upon the relationship of the soil-water content/soil-water pressure curve. Soils in the study area and the burial ground exhibited similar physical and hydrologic characteristics. Field derived hydraulic conductivity correlated well with laboratory derived conductivity. Variability of soil characteristics due to burial operations were minimal when compared to undisturbed natural soils in the study area. Two textural discontinuities were found to exist in the soil profile at depths of 12 to 24 inches and at 130 inches, which inhibit soil-water movement and thereby reduce the quantity and rate of recharge to the underlying water-table aquifer

Measurements of the Magnetic Field of the Upper Chromosphere with Polarimetry

Science.gov (United States)

Rachmeler, Laurel; Mckenzie, David; Winebarger, Amy; Kobayashi, Ken; Ishikawa, Ryohko; Kubo, Masahito; Narukage, Noriyuki; Bueno, Trujillo, Javier; Auchere, Frederic

2017-01-01

A major remaining challenge for heliophysics is to decipher the magnetic structure of the chromosphere. The chromosphere is the critical interface between the Sun's photosphere and corona: it contains more mass than the entire interplanetary heliosphere, requires a heating rate that is larger than that of the corona, and mediates all the energy driving the solar wind, solar atmospheric heating and solar eruptions. While measurements of the magnetic field in the photosphere are routine, the chromosphere poses several extra challenges. The magnetically sensitive lines formed in the upper chromosphere are in the ultraviolet, so space-based observations are required. The lines are often formed over a range of heights, sampling different plasma which complicates the inversion process. These lines are sensitive to the magnetic field via polarized light that is created or modified through the Hanle and Zeeman effects. There are a few observations of these lines, and a significant challenge remains in extracting the magnetic field from the polarization measurements, as detailed model atmospheres with advanced radiative transfer physics are needed. Real progress is obtained by a simultaneous improvement in both the observational side and the modeling side. We present information on the CLASP (Chromospheric LAyer Spectro-Polarimeter) sounding rocket program, and future prospects for these types of measurements.

ELLERMAN BOMBS AT HIGH RESOLUTION. II. TRIGGERING, VISIBILITY, AND EFFECT ON UPPER ATMOSPHERE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vissers, Gregal J. M.; Rouppe van der Voort, Luc H. M.; Rutten, Robert J., E-mail: g.j.m.vissers@astro.uio.no [Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029 Blindern, NO-0315 Oslo (Norway)

2013-09-01

We use high-resolution imaging spectroscopy with the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST) to study the transient brightenings of the wings of the Balmer H{alpha} line in emerging active regions that are called Ellerman bombs. Simultaneous sampling of Ca II 8542 A with the SST confirms that most Ellerman bombs also occur in the wings of this line, but with markedly different morphology. Simultaneous images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) show that Ellerman bombs are also detectable in the photospheric 1700 A continuum, again with differing morphology. They are also observable in 1600 A SDO images, but with much contamination from C IV emission in transition-region features. Simultaneous SST spectropolarimetry in Fe I 6301 A shows that Ellerman bombs occur at sites of strong-field magnetic flux cancellation between small bipolar strong-field patches that rapidly move together over the solar surface. Simultaneous SDO images in He II 304 A, Fe IX 171 A, and Fe XIV 211 A show no clear effect of the Ellerman bombs on the overlying transition region and corona. These results strengthen our earlier suggestion, based on H{alpha} morphology alone, that the Ellerman bomb phenomenon is a purely photospheric reconnection phenomenon.

Filament shape versus coronal potential magnetic field structure

Science.gov (United States)

Filippov, B.

2016-01-01

Solar filament shape in projection on disc depends on the structure of the coronal magnetic field. We calculate the position of polarity inversion lines (PILs) of coronal potential magnetic field at different heights above the photosphere, which compose the magnetic neutral surface, and compare with them the distribution of the filament material in Hα chromospheric images. We found that the most of the filament material is enclosed between two PILs, one at a lower height close to the chromosphere and one at a higher level, which can be considered as a height of the filament spine. Observations of the same filament on the limb by the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory spacecraft confirm that the height of the spine is really very close to the value obtained from the PIL and filament border matching. Such matching can be used for filament height estimations in on-disc observations. Filament barbs are housed within protruding sections of the low-level PIL. On the base of simple model, we show that the similarity of the neutral surfaces in potential and non-potential fields with the same sub-photospheric sources is the reason for the found tendency for the filament material to gather near the potential-field neutral surface.

NEW ATLAS9 AND MARCS MODEL ATMOSPHERE GRIDS FOR THE APACHE POINT OBSERVATORY GALACTIC EVOLUTION EXPERIMENT (APOGEE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mészáros, Sz.; Allende Prieto, C.; De Vicente, A.; Edvardsson, B.; Gustafsson, B.; Castelli, F.; García Pérez, A. E.; Majewski, S. R.; Plez, B.; Schiavon, R.; Shetrone, M.

2012-01-01

We present a new grid of model photospheres for the SDSS-III/APOGEE survey of stellar populations of the Galaxy, calculated using the ATLAS9 and MARCS codes. New opacity distribution functions were generated to calculate ATLAS9 model photospheres. MARCS models were calculated based on opacity sampling techniques. The metallicity ([M/H]) spans from –5 to 1.5 for ATLAS and –2.5 to 0.5 for MARCS models. There are three main differences with respect to previous ATLAS9 model grids: a new corrected H 2 O line list, a wide range of carbon ([C/M]) and α element [α/M] variations, and solar reference abundances from Asplund et al. The added range of varying carbon and α-element abundances also extends the previously calculated MARCS model grids. Altogether, 1980 chemical compositions were used for the ATLAS9 grid and 175 for the MARCS grid. Over 808,000 ATLAS9 models were computed spanning temperatures from 3500 K to 30,000 K and log g from 0 to 5, where larger temperatures only have high gravities. The MARCS models span from 3500 K to 5500 K, and log g from 0 to 5. All model atmospheres are publicly available online.

Entropy Production of Stars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonid M. Martyushev

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The entropy production (inside the volume bounded by a photosphere of main-sequence stars, subgiants, giants, and supergiants is calculated based on B–V photometry data. A non-linear inverse relationship of thermodynamic fluxes and forces as well as an almost constant specific (per volume entropy production of main-sequence stars (for 95% of stars, this quantity lies within 0.5 to 2.2 of the corresponding solar magnitude is found. The obtained results are discussed from the perspective of known extreme principles related to entropy production.

The 2013 February 17 Sunquake in the Context of the Active Region's Magnetic Field Configuration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Green, L. M.; Valori, G.; Zuccarello, F. P.; Matthews, S. A. [Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UCL, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT (United Kingdom); Zharkov, S. [Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX (United Kingdom); Guglielmino, S. L. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia—Sezione Astrofisica, Università degli Studi di Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, I-95123 Catania (Italy)

2017-11-01

Sunquakes are created by the hydrodynamic response of the lower atmosphere to a sudden deposition of energy and momentum. In this study, we investigate a sunquake that occurred in NOAA active region 11675 on 2013 February 17. Observations of the corona, chromosphere, and photosphere are brought together for the first time with a nonlinear force-free model of the active region’s magnetic field in order to probe the magnetic environment in which the sunquake was initiated. We find that the sunquake was associated with the destabilization of a flux rope and an associated M-class GOES flare. Active region 11675 was in its emergence phase at the time of the sunquake and photospheric motions caused by the emergence heavily modified the flux rope and its associated quasi-separatrix layers, eventually triggering the flux rope’s instability. The flux rope was surrounded by an extended envelope of field lines rooted in a small area at the approximate position of the sunquake. We argue that the configuration of the envelope, by interacting with the expanding flux rope, created a “magnetic lens” that may have focussed energy on one particular location of the photosphere, creating the necessary conditions for the initiation of the sunquake.

K2 photometry and HERMES spectroscopy of the blue supergiant ρ Leo: rotational wind modulation and low-frequency waves

Science.gov (United States)

Aerts, C.; Bowman, D. M.; Símon-Díaz, S.; Buysschaert, B.; Johnston, C.; Moravveji, E.; Beck, P. G.; De Cat, P.; Triana, S.; Aigrain, S.; Castro, N.; Huber, D.; White, T.

2018-05-01

We present an 80-d long uninterrupted high-cadence K2 light curve of the B1Iab supergiant ρ Leo (HD 91316), deduced with the method of halo photometry. This light curve reveals a dominant frequency of frot = 0.0373 d-1 and its harmonics. This dominant frequency corresponds with a rotation period of 26.8 d and is subject to amplitude and phase modulation. The K2 photometry additionally reveals multiperiodic low-frequency variability (<1.5 d-1) and is in full agreement with low-cadence high-resolution spectroscopy assembled during 1800 d. The spectroscopy reveals rotational modulation by a dynamic aspherical wind with an amplitude of about 20 km s-1 in the H α line, as well as photospheric velocity variations of a few km s-1 at frequencies in the range 0.2-0.6 d-1 in the Si III 4567 Å line. Given the large macroturbulence needed to explain the spectral line broadening of the star, we interpret the detected photospheric velocity as due to travelling superinertial low-degree large-scale gravity waves with dominant tangential amplitudes and discuss why ρ Leo is an excellent target to study how the observed photospheric variability propagates into the wind.

Tree species diversity in a seasonally-dry forest: the case of the Pinkaití site, in the Kayapó Indigenous Area, Southeastern limits of the Amazon Diversidade de espécies arbóreas em uma floresta sazonalmente seca: o caso da base de pesquisas do Pinkaití (PA, na Terra Indígena Kayapó, limite sudoeste da Amazônia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodolfo Salm

2004-09-01

Full Text Available This study investigates patterns of forest structure and tree species diversity in an anthropogenic palm grove and undisturbed areas at the seasonally-dry Pinkaití research station, in the Kayapó Indigenous Area. This site, managed by the Conservation International do Brasil, is the most southeastern site floristically surveyed in the Amazon until now. The secondary and a nearby undisturbed forest were sampled in a group of 52 floristic plots of 0.0625-ha (25x25-m where all trees with DBH > 10 cm were measured and identified. The analyses were complemented with other two floristic plots of 1-ha (10x1000-m. The present study has shown that the Pinkaití, like other seasonally-dry forests, have great heterogeneity in forest structure and composition, associated with biotic characteristics of the most important tree species, natural disturbance and history of land-use. The palm grove, moderately dominated by the arborescent palm Attalea maripa (Aubl. Mart., presented high tree species diversity and was floristically similar to undisturbed forests at the study site. It is discussed the importance of large arborescent palms for the seasonally-dry Amazon forests regeneration.Este estudo compara a florística e estrutura e a diversidade de espécies arbóreas de um palmeiral antropogênico e áreas não perturbadas na floresta sazonalmente seca da base de pesquisas ecológicas do Pinkaití, na Terra Indígena Kayapó. Esta base de estudos, administrada pela Conservation International do Brasil, é a área mais ao sudoeste até o momento floristicamente amostrada na Amazônia. Uma mancha de floresta secundária e uma floresta não perturbada adjacente foram amostradas com um grupo de 52 parcelas de 0,0625-ha (25x25-m onde todas as árvores com DAP > 10 cm foram medidas e identificadas. As análises foram complementadas com outras duas parcelas de 1-ha (10x1000-m. Este estudo mostrou que o Pinkaití, como outras florestas sazonalmente secas, tem grande

Ecological and human impact assessment in the legacy enhanced and naturally occurring radiation areas - human and ecological impact assessment in the legacy enhanced and naturally occurring radiation areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mrdakovic Popic, Jelena [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, P.O. Box 55, N-1332 Oesteraas (Norway); Salbu, Brit; Skipperud, Lindis [Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Centre for Environmental radioactivity CERAD, P.O. Box 5003, 1430 Aas (Norway)

2014-07-01

The Fen Complex in Norway is an area well-known with its specific magmatic bedrock rich in thorium (Th), iron (Fe), niobium (Nb) and rare earth elements (REE). During several past centuries, intensive mining was conducted at sites in the area, giving rise to enhanced radioactivity levels. Previous human health studies demonstrated exposure doses among the highest in Europe. In the current work, contamination status with respect to radionuclides ({sup 232}Th, uranium ({sup 238}U)) and trace elements (arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb)) and possible impact on humans and biota were investigated at legacy NORM and undisturbed surrounding NOR rich sites in the Fen Complex area. Significantly heterogeneous radionuclides ({sup 232}Th, {sup 238}U, and daughters) distribution was found in soil at both legacy NORM and undisturbed NOR rich sites. Thorium activity concentration levels exceeded screening levels for radioactive waste material given by Norwegian Pollution Control Act. Based on sequential extraction results, mobility of {sup 232}Th and trace elements were low, although higher at legacy NORM than at undisturbed NOR rich sites. Uranium was present at considerable levels (up to 50 %) in pH and redox sensitive soil fraction, as well as bound to soil organic compounds. However, no further transport towards biggest water source Norsjoe Lake was observed, as concentration levels of all investigated elements in water samples were extremely low. Long-term surveys of outdoor terrestrial gamma dose rates, thoron ({sup 220}Rn) and radon ({sup 222}Rn) concentrations in the air demonstrated elevated values (up to 9.2 μGy/h, 5000 Bq/m{sup 3} and 200 Bq/m{sup 3}, respectively) with significant seasonal variation. Calculated annual exposure doses to humans due to outdoor exposure could exceed 10 mSv, i.e., be higher than 1 mSv dose constraint given by ICRP. Roughly summarized with previously published data on indoor doses for Fen village population, total annual exposure

Solar Hα and white light telescope at Hvar Observatory

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Čalogovic, J.; Dumbovic, M.; Novak, S.; Vršnak, B.; Brajša, R.; Pötzi, W.; Hirtenfellner-Polanec, W.; Veronig, A.; Hanslmeier, A.; Klvaňa, Miroslav; Ambrož, Pavel

2012-01-01

Roč. 36, č. 2012 (2012), s. 83-88 ISSN 1845-8319 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : solar observations * telescope * photosphere Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

Effects of Consolidation Stress State on Normally Consolidated Clay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lade, Poul V.

2000-01-01

The effect of consolidation stress state on the stress-strain and strength characteristics has been studied from experiments on undisturbed block samples of a natural, normally consolidated clay known as San Francisco Bay Mud. The results of experiments on K0-consolidated, hollow cylinder specimens...... and on isotropically consolidated, cubical specimens, both tested in triaxial compression and extension, clearly showed the influence of the undisturbed fabric as well as the effect of the initial consolidation stress states. While the K0-consolidated specimens appeared to retain their original fabric and exhibit...

Bifurcation and chaos response of a cracked rotor with random disturbance

Science.gov (United States)

Leng, Xiaolei; Meng, Guang; Zhang, Tao; Fang, Tong

2007-01-01

The Monte-Carlo method is used to investigate the bifurcation and chaos characteristics of a cracked rotor with a white noise process as its random disturbance. Special attention is paid to the influence of the stiffness change ratio and the rotating speed ratio on the bifurcation and chaos response of the system. Numerical simulations show that the affect of the random disturbance is significant as the undisturbed response of the cracked rotor system is a quasi-periodic or chaos one, and such affect is smaller as the undisturbed response is a periodic one.

Towards an assessment of colloid transport in undisturbed clay stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durce, D.; Landesman, C.; Grambow, B.; Giffaut, E.

2010-01-01

Document available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: Colloids are known as a potentially important transport vector for sparingly soluble radionuclides in natural water environments. For assessing the mass transfer resistance of the Callovo-Oxfordian clay rock formation for colloid transport, a series of percolation experiments have been performed, using high pressure stainless steel advection cells of different diameters containing clay cores machined to about 50 μm of accuracy to the inner diameter of the cells. Synthetic clay pore water was pushed by a high pressure syringe pump across the clay core. In order to assess the cut-off size for colloid transport, molecules of different molecular weight were injected. C 14 labeled polymaleic acid (PMA) of sizes of 2 and 50 kDa were used. The effect of clay permeability, of water flow rate (injection pressure) and of ionic strength was studied. Low ionic strength experiments (I = 0.001) were realized by replacing the pore water by advective displacement with the required composition. Clay rock permeabilities were between 10 -12 and 10 -14 m/s. Hydrodynamic parameters were determined by HTO and 36 Cl injection. The results show already at 2 kDa and a permeability of 10 -12 m/s strong retention by partial filtration. The experimental results were modeled using simple chromatographic theory. (authors)

Distribution and behavior of {sup 137}Cs in undisturbed soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Satta, Naoya [Kyoto Univ., Kumatori, Osaka (Japan). Research Reactor Inst.

1996-04-01

The depth distribution of {sup 137}Cs in soils which has not been artificially disturbed for 100 years was compared to fallout history. The model of {sup 137}Cs distribution rate was established to estimate fallout history from soil samples. (J.P.N.)

Diagnostics of Coronal Heating in Solar Active Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Fludra, Andrzej; Hornsey, Christopher; Nakariakov, Valery

2015-04-01

We aim to develop a diagnostic method for the coronal heating mechanism in active region loops. Observational constraints on coronal heating models have been sought using measurements in the X-ray and EUV wavelengths. Statistical analysis, using EUV emission from many active regions, was done by Fludra and Ireland (2008) who studied power-law relationships between active region integrated magnetic flux and emission line intensities. A subsequent study by Fludra and Warren (2010) for the first time compared fully resolved images in an EUV spectral line of OV 63.0 nm with the photospheric magnetic field, leading to the identification of a dominant, ubiquitous variable component of the transition region EUV emission and a discovery of a steady basal heating, and deriving the dependence of the basal heating rate on the photospheric magnetic flux density. In this study, we compare models of single coronal loops with EUV observations. We assess to what degree observations of individual coronal loops made in the EUV range are capable of providing constraints on the heating mechanism. We model the coronal magnetic field in an active region using an NLFF extrapolation code applied to a photospheric vector magnetogram from SDO/HMI and select several loops that match an SDO/AIA 171 image of the same active region. We then model the plasma in these loops using a 1D hydrostatic code capable of applying an arbitrary heating rate as a function of magnetic field strength along the loop. From the plasma parameters derived from this model, we calculate the EUV emission along the loop in AIA 171 and 335 bands, and in pure spectral lines of Fe IX 17.1 nm and Fe XVI 33.5 nm. We use different spatial distributions of the heating function: concentrated near the loop top, uniform and concentrated near the footpoints, and investigate their effect on the modelled EUV intensities. We find a diagnostics based on the dependence of the total loop intensity on the shape of the heating function

Metal luminescence in a bright disintegrated prominence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakovkin, N.A.; Zel'dina, M.Yu.; Rakhubovskij, A.S.; AN Ukrainskoj SSR, Kiev. Glavnaya Astronomicheskaya Observatoriya)

1975-01-01

It is found that Na, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, Fe, Sr, and Ba contents in a protuberance relative to the hydrogen content is about the same as in photosphere and chromosphere (except for the Na abundance). The metals are in the state of single ionization with the exception of calcium [Ca ++ ] approximately [Ca + ], strontium [Sr ++ ] = 0.5 [Sr + ], and barium [Ba ++ ] = 6Ba + , whose secondary ionization occurs from metastable states by Lsub(α)-emission in the protuberance. The Lsub(α)-emission ionizes neutral iron as well. Primary ionization of remaining metals is performed by the solar near ultraviolet. Luminescence in metal lines is provided by the photosphere emission scattering, and only H and KCa + lines are excited by electron impacts

Frontier of solar observation. Solar activity observed by 'HINODE' mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Tetsuya

2008-01-01

After launched in September 2006, solar observation satellite 'HINODE' has been a solar observatory on orbit with the scientific instruments well operated and its continuous observation was conducted steadily on almost all solar atmospheres from photosphere to corona. 'HINODE' was equipped with the solar optical telescope, extreme-ultraviolet imaging spectrometer and x-ray telescope and aimed at clarifying the mystery of solar physics related with coronal heating and magnetic reconnection. Present state of 'HINODE' was described from observations made in initial observation results, which have made several discoveries, such as Alfven waves in the corona, unexpected dynamics in the chromosphere and photosphere, continuous outflowing plasma as a possible source of solar wind, and fine structures of magnetic field in sunspots and solar surface. (T. Tanaka)

Relaxational dissipation of magnetic field energy in a rarefied plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vekshtejn, G.E.

1987-01-01

A mechanism of solar corona plasma heating connected with relaxation of a magnetic configuration in the corona to the state of the magnetic energy minimum at restrictions imposed by high conductivity of a medium is considered. Photospheric plasma pulsations leading to generation of longitudinal currents in the corona are in this case energy sources. The excess magnetic energy of these currents is dissipated as a result of reclosing of force lines of the magnetic field in narrow current layers. Plasmaturbulence related to the process of magnetic reclosing is phenomenologically described in this case by introducing certain characteristic time of relaxation. Such an approach permits to relate the plasma heating energy with parameters of photospheric motions in the framework of a simple model of the magnetic field

Continuum emission in the 1980 July 1 solar flare

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zirin, H.; Neidig, D.F.

1981-01-01

Comparison of continuum measurements of the 1980 July 1 flare at Big Bear Solar Observatory and Sacramento Peak Observatory show strong blue emission kernels with the ratio of Balmer continuum (Bac):lambda3862 continuum:continuum above 4275 A to be about 10:5:1. The blue continuum at 3862 A is too strong to be explained by unresolved lines. The Bac intensity was 2.5 times the photosphere and the strongest lambda3862 continuum was 2 times the photosphere. The brightest continuum kernel occurred late in the flare, after the hard X-ray peak and related in time to an isolated peak in the 2.2 MeV line, suggesting that the continuum was excited by protons above 20 MeV

Self-limitation of impurity production by radiation cooling at the edge of a fusion plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neuhauser, J.; Lackner, K.; Wunderlich, R.

1982-04-01

The influence of radiation cooling at the edge of a fusion plasma on the plasma-wall interaction is numerically studied for parameters typical of the ZEPHYR ignition experiment. Various transport and impurity influx models and different external heating methods are studied using the 1D tokamak transport code BALDUR developed at Princeton. The results demonstrate the self-consistent formation of a radiating boundary layer (photosphere) for a wide range of parameters, limiting the impurity concentration in the plasma to a tolerable value. While the plasma behaviour is rather insensitive to model assumptions, the sputtering rate and the corresponding wall erosion depend on various parameters. Methods for external control of the photosphere and - more important - of the wall erosion are also discussed. (orig.)

IMPACT OF GEOTHERMAL GRADIENT ON GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP SYSTEM MODELING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomislav Kurevija

2014-07-01

Full Text Available ndisturbed ground temperature is one of the most crucial thermogeological parameters needed for shallow geothermal resources assessment. Energy considered to be geothermal is energy stored in the ground at depths where solar radiation has no effect. At depth where undisturbed ground temperature occurs there is no influence of seasonal variations in air temperature from surface. Exact temperature value, and depth where it occurs, is functionally dependent on surface climate parameters and thermogeologic properties of ground. After abovementioned depth, increase of ground temperature is solely dependent on geothermal gradient. Accurately determined value of undisturbed ground temperature is beneficial for proper sizing of borehole heat exchangers. On practical example of building which is being heated and cooled with shallow geothermal resource, influences of undisturbed ground temperature and geothermal gradient, on size of borehole heat exchanger are going to be presented. Sizing of borehole heat exchanger was calculated with commercial software Ground Loop Designer (GLD, which uses modified line source and cylinder source solutions of heat conduction in solids.

Site characterization and validation - hydrochemical investigations. Stage 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laaksoharju, M.

1990-02-01

The objective for the Stage 3 hydrochemical investigations was to classify groundwater and to determine the different flow paths within the investigated SCV-site by using water analyses from the C and D boreholes. The water was divided into three classes shallow (A), mixed (B) and deep groundwater (C) based on Cl and HCO 3 concentration. The local geohydrological situation in the SCV-site can be divided into a disturbed situation and an undisturbed situation. Opening of the boreholes and smapling causes a disturbance of hydrochemical conditions. Three water types were found in the important water conductors, the GB and the GH zones. Shallow water (A-type) is flowing downwards while deep groundwater (C-type) is flowing upwards driven by the pumping of the mine. Where the two water types meet a zone of approximately 30 m thickness with mixed (B-type) water is formed. The flow situation is revealed by the geohydrological measurements. At undisturbed conditions shallow water (A-type) is flowing down in the investigated zones. The B and C water types are then found at a deeper level than during disturbed conditions. A regional model can be constructed based on the described chemical and geohydrological investigations. Shallow water from the top and deep groundwater from below are drawn towards the mine by the pumping. Where these waters meet mixed water is formed. (orig./HP)

Model Predictive Control of a Wave Energy Converter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Palle; Pedersen, Tom Søndergård; Nielsen, Kirsten Mølgaard

2015-01-01

In this paper reactive control and Model Predictive Control (MPC) for a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) are compared. The analysis is based on a WEC from Wave Star A/S designed as a point absorber. The model predictive controller uses wave models based on the dominating sea states combined with a model...... connecting undisturbed wave sequences to sequences of torque. Losses in the conversion from mechanical to electrical power are taken into account in two ways. Conventional reactive controllers are tuned for each sea state with the assumption that the converter has the same efficiency back and forth. MPC...

Physical Research Laboratory

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Studies on star formation processes, active galaxies, BL Lac objects and ... photospheric and chromospheric studies and observations for the international GONG ... Research in computer science with focus on image processing and.

Calculation of cardiac pressures using left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) derived from radionuclide angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hommer, E.

1981-01-01

An attempt has been made to develop formulas to determine cardiac pressures in an undisturbed flow in patients without valvular or shunt diseases. These are based entirely on the results of left ventricular ejection fraction rates, permitting pressure analysis of several compartments at the same tine. According to BORER et al. they also enable determination of left ventricular 'Functional Reserve' after bycycle exercise as well as left ventricular 'Relaxation Reserve'. They support the views of NYHA in determining the grades of cardiac insufficiency proving the system- and low-pressure participation. A single formula for pulmonary flow can determine the pulmonary arterial pressure. The left ventricular enddiastolic pressure can also be exclusively calculated by values of left ventricular functions, thus both formulas may be used in disorders of the mitral valves. The possibility to calculate pressures of all the compartments of the heart from left ventricular ejection rate shows, that in undisturbed flow global heart function depends on left ventricular function. Therefore the mutual dependence of these formulas presents an intercompartimental pressure regulation of the heart through pulmonary flow and pulmonary vascular pressure, which leaves an aspect of autonomous cardiac regulation open to discussion. (orig.) [de

Assessment the effect of homogenized soil on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport

Science.gov (United States)

Mohawesh, O.; Janssen, M.; Maaitah, O.; Lennartz, B.

2017-09-01

Soil hydraulic properties play a crucial role in simulating water flow and contaminant transport. Soil hydraulic properties are commonly measured using homogenized soil samples. However, soil structure has a significant effect on the soil ability to retain and to conduct water, particularly in aggregated soils. In order to determine the effect of soil homogenization on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport, undisturbed soil samples were carefully collected. Five different soil structures were identified: Angular-blocky, Crumble, Angular-blocky (different soil texture), Granular, and subangular-blocky. The soil hydraulic properties were determined for undisturbed and homogenized soil samples for each soil structure. The soil hydraulic properties were used to model soil water transport using HYDRUS-1D.The homogenized soil samples showed a significant increase in wide pores (wCP) and a decrease in narrow pores (nCP). The wCP increased by 95.6, 141.2, 391.6, 3.9, 261.3%, and nCP decreased by 69.5, 10.5, 33.8, 72.7, and 39.3% for homogenized soil samples compared to undisturbed soil samples. The soil water retention curves exhibited a significant decrease in water holding capacity for homogenized soil samples compared with the undisturbed soil samples. The homogenized soil samples showed also a decrease in soil hydraulic conductivity. The simulated results showed that water movement and distribution were affected by soil homogenizing. Moreover, soil homogenizing affected soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport. However, field studies are being needed to find the effect of these differences on water, chemical, and pollutant transport under several scenarios.

Stability of Parental Care across Siblings from Undisturbed and Challenged Pregnancies: Intrinsic Maternal Dispositions of Female Rhesus Monkeys

Science.gov (United States)

Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A.; Phan, Jenny M.; Lubach, Gabriele R.; Crispen, Heather R.; Coe, Christopher L.

2013-01-01

The concept of fetal programming is based on the idea that the developmental trajectory of infants is adjusted in response to in utero conditions. In species with extended parental care, these prenatally derived tendencies are further substantiated by behavioral attributes of the mother during the postnatal period. We investigated the stability of…

Succession of Bacterial Community Structure and Diversity in Soil along a Chronosequence of Reclamation and Re-Vegetation on Coal Mine Spoils in China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuanyuan; Wen, Hongyu; Chen, Longqian; Yin, Tingting

2014-01-01

The growing concern about the effectiveness of reclamation strategies has motivated the evaluation of soil properties following reclamation. Recovery of belowground microbial community is important for reclamation success, however, the response of soil bacterial communities to reclamation has not been well understood. In this study, PCR-based 454 pyrosequencing was applied to compare bacterial communities in undisturbed soils with those in reclaimed soils using chronosequences ranging in time following reclamation from 1 to 20 year. Bacteria from the Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes and Bacteroidetes were abundant in all soils, while the composition of predominant phyla differed greatly across all sites. Long-term reclamation strongly affected microbial community structure and diversity. Initial effects of reclamation resulted in significant declines in bacterial diversity indices in younger reclaimed sites (1, 8-year-old) compared to the undisturbed site. However, bacterial diversity indices tended to be higher in older reclaimed sites (15, 20-year-old) as recovery time increased, and were more similar to predisturbance levels nearly 20 years after reclamation. Bacterial communities are highly responsive to soil physicochemical properties (pH, soil organic matter, Total N and P), in terms of both their diversity and community composition. Our results suggest that the response of soil microorganisms to reclamation is likely governed by soil characteristics and, indirectly, by the effects of vegetation restoration. Mixture sowing of gramineae and leguminosae herbage largely promoted soil geochemical conditions and bacterial diversity that recovered to those of undisturbed soil, representing an adequate solution for soil remediation and sustainable utilization for agriculture. These results confirm the positive impacts of reclamation and vegetation restoration on soil microbial diversity and suggest that the most important

Solar Imagery - Photosphere - Sunspot Drawings - McMath-Hulbert Observatory

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The McMath-Hulbert Observatory is a decommissioned solar observatory in Lake Angelus, Michigan, USA. It was established in 1929 as a private observatory by father...

Sampling and treatment of rock cores and groundwater under reducing environments of deep underground

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebashi, Katsuhiro; Yamaguchi, Tetsuji; Tanaka, Tadao

2005-01-01

A method of sampling and treatment of undisturbed rock cores and groundwater under maintained reducing environments of deep underground was developed and demonstrated in a Neogene's sandy mudstone layer at depth of GL-100 to -200 m. Undisturbed rock cores and groundwater were sampled and transferred into an Ar gas atmospheric glove box with minimized exposure to the atmosphere. The reducing conditions of the sampled groundwater and rock cores were examined in the Ar atmospheric glove box by measuring pH and Eh of the sampled groundwater and sampled groundwater contacting with disk type rock samples, respectively. (author)

CALCULATING ENERGY STORAGE DUE TO TOPOLOGICAL CHANGES IN EMERGING ACTIVE REGION NOAA AR 11112

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarr, Lucas; Longcope, Dana

2012-01-01

The minimum current corona model provides a way to estimate stored coronal energy using the number of field lines connecting regions of positive and negative photospheric flux. This information is quantified by the net flux connecting pairs of opposing regions in a connectivity matrix. Changes in the coronal magnetic field, due to processes such as magnetic reconnection, manifest themselves as changes in the connectivity matrix. However, the connectivity matrix will also change when flux sources emerge or submerge through the photosphere, as often happens in active regions. We have developed an algorithm to estimate the changes in flux due to emergence and submergence of magnetic flux sources. These estimated changes must be accounted for in order to quantify storage and release of magnetic energy in the corona. To perform this calculation over extended periods of time, we must additionally have a consistently labeled connectivity matrix over the entire observational time span. We have therefore developed an automated tracking algorithm to generate a consistent connectivity matrix as the photospheric source regions evolve over time. We have applied this method to NOAA Active Region 11112, which underwent a GOES M2.9 class flare around 19:00 on 2010 October 16th, and calculated a lower bound on the free magnetic energy buildup of ∼8.25 × 10 30 erg over 3 days.

SPECTROSCOPIC AND PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY IN THE A0 SUPERGIANT HR 1040

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corliss, David J.; Morrison, Nancy D.; Adelman, Saul J.

2015-01-01

A time-series analysis of spectroscopic and photometric observables of the A0 Ia supergiant HR 1040 has been performed, including equivalent widths, radial velocities, and Strömgren photometric indices. The data, obtained from 1993 through 2007, include 152 spectroscopic observations from the Ritter Observatory 1 m telescope and 269 Strömgren photometric observations from the Four College Automated Photoelectric Telescope. Typical of late B- and early A-type supergiants, HR 1040 has a highly variable Hα profile. The star was found to have an intermittent active phase marked by correlation between the Hα absorption equivalent width and blue-edge radial velocity and by photospheric connections observed in correlations to equivalent width, second moment and radial velocity in Si ii λλ6347, 6371. High-velocity absorption (HVA) events were observed only during this active phase. HVA events in the wind were preceded by photospheric activity, including Si ii radial velocity oscillations 19–42 days prior to onset of an HVA event and correlated increases in Si ii W λ and second moment from 13 to 23 days before the start of the HVA event. While increases in various line equivalent widths in the wind prior to HVA events have been reported in the past in other stars, our finding of precursors in enhanced radial velocity variations in the wind and at the photosphere is a new result

The First Ionization Potential Effect from the Ponderomotive Force: On the Polarization and Coronal Origin of Alfvén Waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laming, J. Martin, E-mail: laming@nrl.navy.mil [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7684, Washington, DC 20375 (United States)

2017-08-01

We investigate in more detail the origin of chromospheric Alfvén waves that give rise to the separation of ions and neutrals—the first ionization potential (FIP) effect—through the action of the ponderomotive force. In open field regions, we model the dependence of fractionation on the plasma upflow velocity through the chromosphere for both shear (or planar) and torsional Alfvén waves of photospheric origin. These differ mainly in their parametric coupling to slow mode waves. Shear Alfvén waves appear to reproduce observed fractionations for a wider range of model parameters and present less of a “fine-tuning” problem than do torsional waves. In closed field regions, we study the fractionations produced by Alfvén waves with photospheric and coronal origins. Waves with a coronal origin, at or close to resonance with the coronal loop, offer a significantly better match to observed abundances than do photospheric waves, with shear and torsional waves in such a case giving essentially indistinguishable fractionations. Such coronal waves are likely the result of a nanoflare coronal heating mechanism that, as well as heating coronal plasmas, releases Alfvén waves that can travel down to loop footpoints and cause FIP fractionation through the ponderomotive force as they reflect from the chromosphere back into the corona.

The First Ionization Potential Effect from the Ponderomotive Force: On the Polarization and Coronal Origin of Alfvén Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laming, J. Martin

2017-01-01

We investigate in more detail the origin of chromospheric Alfvén waves that give rise to the separation of ions and neutrals—the first ionization potential (FIP) effect—through the action of the ponderomotive force. In open field regions, we model the dependence of fractionation on the plasma upflow velocity through the chromosphere for both shear (or planar) and torsional Alfvén waves of photospheric origin. These differ mainly in their parametric coupling to slow mode waves. Shear Alfvén waves appear to reproduce observed fractionations for a wider range of model parameters and present less of a “fine-tuning” problem than do torsional waves. In closed field regions, we study the fractionations produced by Alfvén waves with photospheric and coronal origins. Waves with a coronal origin, at or close to resonance with the coronal loop, offer a significantly better match to observed abundances than do photospheric waves, with shear and torsional waves in such a case giving essentially indistinguishable fractionations. Such coronal waves are likely the result of a nanoflare coronal heating mechanism that, as well as heating coronal plasmas, releases Alfvén waves that can travel down to loop footpoints and cause FIP fractionation through the ponderomotive force as they reflect from the chromosphere back into the corona.

High-temperature Ionization-induced Synthesis of Biologically Relevant Molecules in the Protosolar Nebula

Science.gov (United States)

Bekaert, David V.; Derenne, Sylvie; Tissandier, Laurent; Marrocchi, Yves; Charnoz, Sebastien; Anquetil, Christelle; Marty, Bernard

2018-06-01

Biologically relevant molecules (hereafter biomolecules) have been commonly observed in extraterrestrial samples, but the mechanisms accounting for their synthesis in space are not well understood. While electron-driven production of organic solids from gas mixtures reminiscent of the photosphere of the protosolar nebula (PSN; i.e., dominated by CO–N2–H2) successfully reproduced key specific features of the chondritic insoluble organic matter (e.g., elementary and isotopic signatures of chondritic noble gases), the molecular diversity of organic materials has never been investigated. Here, we report that a large range of biomolecules detected in meteorites and comets can be synthesized under conditions typical of the irradiated gas phase of the PSN at temperatures = 800 K. Our results suggest that organic materials—including biomolecules—produced within the photosphere would have been widely dispersed in the protoplanetary disk through turbulent diffusion, providing a mechanism for the distribution of organic meteoritic precursors prior to any thermal/photoprocessing and subsequent modification by secondary parent body processes. Using a numerical model of dust transport in a turbulent disk, we propose that organic materials produced in the photosphere of the disk would likely be associated with small dust particles, which are coupled to the motion of gas within the disk and therefore preferentially lofted into the upper layers of the disk where organosynthesis occurs.

IRIS Observations of Magnetic Interactions in the Solar Atmosphere between Preexisting and Emerging Magnetic Fields. I. Overall Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Guglielmino, Salvo L.; Zuccarello, Francesca; Young, Peter R.; Murabito, Mariarita; Romano, Paolo

2018-04-01

We report multiwavelength ultraviolet observations taken with the IRIS satellite, concerning the emergence phase in the upper chromosphere and transition region of an emerging flux region (EFR) embedded in the preexisting field of active region NOAA 12529 in the Sun. IRIS data are complemented by full-disk observations of the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite, relevant to the photosphere and the corona. The photospheric configuration of the EFR is also analyzed by measurements taken with the spectropolarimeter on board the Hinode satellite, when the EFR was fully developed. Recurrent intense brightenings that resemble UV bursts, with counterparts in all coronal passbands, are identified at the edges of the EFR. Jet activity is also observed at chromospheric and coronal levels, near the observed brightenings. The analysis of the IRIS line profiles reveals the heating of dense plasma in the low solar atmosphere and the driving of bidirectional high-velocity flows with speed up to 100 km s‑1 at the same locations. Compared with previous observations and numerical models, these signatures suggest evidence of several long-lasting, small-scale magnetic reconnection episodes between the emerging bipole and the ambient field. This process leads to the cancellation of a preexisting photospheric flux concentration and appears to occur higher in the atmosphere than usually found in UV bursts, explaining the observed coronal counterparts.

EVIDENCE FOR ENHANCED {sup 3}HE IN FLARE-ACCELERATED PARTICLES BASED ON NEW CALCULATIONS OF THE GAMMA-RAY LINE SPECTRUM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murphy, R. J. [Code 7650, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Kozlovsky, B. [Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv (Israel); Share, G. H., E-mail: murphy@ssd5.nrl.navy.mil, E-mail: benz@wise.tau.ac.il, E-mail: share@astro.umd.edu [University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States)

2016-12-20

The {sup 3}He abundance in impulsive solar energetic particle (SEP) events is enhanced up to several orders of magnitude compared to its photospheric value of [{sup 3}He]/[{sup 4}He] = 1–3 × 10{sup −4}. Interplanetary magnetic field and timing observations suggest that these events are related to solar flares. Observations of {sup 3}He in flare-accelerated ions would clarify the relationship between these two phenomena. Energetic {sup 3}He interactions in the solar atmosphere produce gamma-ray nuclear-deexcitation lines, both lines that are also produced by protons and α particles and lines that are essentially unique to {sup 3}He. Gamma-ray spectroscopy can, therefore, reveal enhanced levels of accelerated {sup 3}He. In this paper, we identify all significant deexcitation lines produced by {sup 3}He interactions in the solar atmosphere. We evaluate their production cross sections and incorporate them into our nuclear deexcitation-line code. We find that enhanced {sup 3}He can affect the entire gamma-ray spectrum. We identify gamma-ray line features for which the yield ratios depend dramatically on the {sup 3}He abundance. We determine the accelerated {sup 3}He/ α ratio by comparing these ratios with flux ratios measured previously from the gamma-ray spectrum obtained by summing the 19 strongest flares observed with the Solar Maximum Mission Gamma-Ray Spectrometer. All six flux ratios investigated show enhanced {sup 3}He, confirming earlier suggestions. The {sup 3}He/ α weighted mean of these new measurements ranges from 0.05 to 0.3 (depending on the assumed accelerated α /proton ratio) and has a <1 × 10{sup −3} probability of being consistent with the photospheric value. With the improved code, we can now exploit the full potential of gamma-ray spectroscopy to establish the relationship between flare-accelerated ions and {sup 3}He-rich SEPs.

GUIDING NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE MODELING USING CORONAL OBSERVATIONS: FIRST RESULTS USING A QUASI-GRAD-RUBIN SCHEME

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malanushenko, A. [Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT (United States); Schrijver, C. J.; DeRosa, M. L. [Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA (United States); Wheatland, M. S.; Gilchrist, S. A. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney (Australia)

2012-09-10

At present, many models of the coronal magnetic field rely on photospheric vector magnetograms, but these data have been shown to be problematic as the sole boundary information for nonlinear force-free field extrapolations. Magnetic fields in the corona manifest themselves in high-energy images (X-rays and EUV) in the shapes of coronal loops, providing an additional constraint that is not at present used as constraints in the computational domain, directly influencing the evolution of the model. This is in part due to the mathematical complications of incorporating such input into numerical models. Projection effects, confusion due to overlapping loops (the coronal plasma is optically thin), and the limited number of usable loops further complicate the use of information from coronal images. We develop and test a new algorithm to use images of coronal loops in the modeling of the solar coronal magnetic field. We first fit projected field lines with those of constant-{alpha} force-free fields to approximate the three-dimensional distribution of currents in the corona along a sparse set of trajectories. We then apply a Grad-Rubin-like iterative technique, which uses these trajectories as volume constraints on the values of {alpha}, to obtain a volume-filling nonlinear force-free model of the magnetic field, modifying a code and method presented by Wheatland. We thoroughly test the technique on known analytical and solar-like model magnetic fields previously used for comparing different extrapolation techniques and compare the results with those obtained by currently available methods relying only on the photospheric data. We conclude that we have developed a functioning method of modeling the coronal magnetic field by combining the line-of-sight component of the photospheric magnetic field with information from coronal images. Whereas we focus on the use of coronal loop information in combination with line-of-sight magnetograms, the method is readily extended to

Recurrent flares in active region NOAA 11283

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, P.; Zuccarello, F.; Guglielmino, S. L.; Berrilli, F.; Bruno, R.; Carbone, V.; Consolini, G.; de Lauretis, M.; Del Moro, D.; Elmhamdi, A.; Ermolli, I.; Fineschi, S.; Francia, P.; Kordi, A. S.; Landi Degl'Innocenti, E.; Laurenza, M.; Lepreti, F.; Marcucci, M. F.; Pallocchia, G.; Pietropaolo, E.; Romoli, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vellante, M.; Villante, U.

2015-10-01

Context. Flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are solar phenomena that are not yet fully understood. Several investigations have been performed to single out their related physical parameters that can be used as indices of the magnetic complexity leading to their occurrence. Aims: In order to shed light on the occurrence of recurrent flares and subsequent associated CMEs, we studied the active region NOAA 11283 where recurrent M and X GOES-class flares and CMEs occurred. Methods: We use vector magnetograms taken by HMI/SDO to calculate the horizontal velocity fields of the photospheric magnetic structures, the shear and the dip angles of the magnetic field, the magnetic helicity flux distribution, and the Poynting fluxes across the photosphere due to the emergence and the shearing of the magnetic field. Results: Although we do not observe consistent emerging magnetic flux through the photosphere during the observation time interval, we detected a monotonic increase of the magnetic helicity accumulated in the corona. We found that both the shear and the dip angles have high values along the main polarity inversion line (PIL) before and after all the events. We also note that before the main flare of X2.1 GOES class, the shearing motions seem to inject a more significant energy than the energy injected by the emergence of the magnetic field. Conclusions: We conclude that the very long duration (about 4 days) of the horizontal displacement of the main photospheric magnetic structures along the PIL has a primary role in the energy release during the recurrent flares. This peculiar horizontal velocity field also contributes to the monotonic injection of magnetic helicity into the corona. This process, coupled with the high shear and dip angles along the main PIL, appears to be responsible for the consecutive events of loss of equilibrium leading to the recurrent flares and CMEs. A movie associated to Fig. 4 is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

GUIDING NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE MODELING USING CORONAL OBSERVATIONS: FIRST RESULTS USING A QUASI-GRAD-RUBIN SCHEME

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malanushenko, A.; Schrijver, C. J.; DeRosa, M. L.; Wheatland, M. S.; Gilchrist, S. A.

2012-01-01

At present, many models of the coronal magnetic field rely on photospheric vector magnetograms, but these data have been shown to be problematic as the sole boundary information for nonlinear force-free field extrapolations. Magnetic fields in the corona manifest themselves in high-energy images (X-rays and EUV) in the shapes of coronal loops, providing an additional constraint that is not at present used as constraints in the computational domain, directly influencing the evolution of the model. This is in part due to the mathematical complications of incorporating such input into numerical models. Projection effects, confusion due to overlapping loops (the coronal plasma is optically thin), and the limited number of usable loops further complicate the use of information from coronal images. We develop and test a new algorithm to use images of coronal loops in the modeling of the solar coronal magnetic field. We first fit projected field lines with those of constant-α force-free fields to approximate the three-dimensional distribution of currents in the corona along a sparse set of trajectories. We then apply a Grad-Rubin-like iterative technique, which uses these trajectories as volume constraints on the values of α, to obtain a volume-filling nonlinear force-free model of the magnetic field, modifying a code and method presented by Wheatland. We thoroughly test the technique on known analytical and solar-like model magnetic fields previously used for comparing different extrapolation techniques and compare the results with those obtained by currently available methods relying only on the photospheric data. We conclude that we have developed a functioning method of modeling the coronal magnetic field by combining the line-of-sight component of the photospheric magnetic field with information from coronal images. Whereas we focus on the use of coronal loop information in combination with line-of-sight magnetograms, the method is readily extended to incorporate

Periodicities in the X-ray Emission from the Solar Corona: SphinX and SOXS Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Steślicki, M.; Awasthi, A. K.; Gryciuk, M.; Jain, R.

The structure and evolution of the solar magnetic field is driven by a magnetohydrodynamic dynamo operating in the solar interior, which induces various solar activities that exhibit periodic variations on different timescales. Therefore, probing the periodic nature of emission originating from the solar corona may provide insights of the convection-zone-photosphere-corona coupling processes. We present the study of the mid-range periodicities, between rotation period (˜27 days) and the Schwabe cycle period (˜11 yr), in the solar soft X-ray emission, based on the data obtained by two instruments: SphinX and SOXS in various energy bands.

Aktivita ve spodních vrstvách sluneční atmosféry

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mészárosová, Hana; Sobotka, Michal; Kašparová, Jana; Karlický, Marian

2005-01-01

Roč. 50, č. 4 (2005), s. 286-293 ISSN 0032-2423 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : solar activity * solar flares * solar photosphere Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

Semi-quantum Secure Direct Communication Scheme Based on Bell States

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Chen; Li, Lvzhou; Situ, Haozhen; He, Jianhao

2018-06-01

Recently, the idea of semi-quantumness has been often used in designing quantum cryptographic schemes, which allows some of the participants of a quantum cryptographic scheme to remain classical. One of the reasons why this idea is popular is that it allows a quantum information processing task to be accomplished by using quantum resources as few as possible. In this paper, we extend the idea to quantum secure direct communication(QSDC) by proposing a semi-quantum secure direct communication scheme. In the scheme, the message sender, Alice, encodes each bit into a Bell state |φ+> = 1/{√2}(|00> +|11> ) or |{Ψ }+> = 1/{√ 2}(|01> +|10> ), and the message receiver, Bob, who is classical in the sense that he can either let the qubit he received reflect undisturbed, or measure the qubit in the computational basis |0>, |1> and then resend it in the state he found. Moreover, the security analysis of our scheme is also given.

A Survey For Planetary-mass Brown Dwarfs in the Taurus and Perseus Star-forming Regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esplin, T. L.; Luhman, K. L., E-mail: taran.esplin@psu.edu [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2017-10-01

We present the initial results from a survey for planetary-mass brown dwarfs in the Taurus star-forming region. We have identified brown dwarf candidates in Taurus using proper motions and photometry from several ground- and space-based facilities. Through spectroscopy of some of the more promising candidates, we have found 18 new members of Taurus. They have spectral types ranging from mid-M to early-L, and they include the four faintest known members in extinction-corrected K{sub s}, which should have masses as low as ∼4–5 M {sub Jup} according to evolutionary models. Two of the coolest new members (M9.25, M9.5) have mid-IR excesses that indicate the presence of disks. Two fainter objects with types of M9–L2 and M9–L3 also have red mid-IR colors relative to photospheres at ≤L0, but since the photospheric colors are poorly defined at >L0, it is unclear whether they have excesses from disks. We also have obtained spectra of candidate members of the IC 348 and NGC 1333 clusters in Perseus that were identified by Luhman et al. Eight candidates are found to be probable members, three of which are among the faintest and least-massive known members of the clusters (∼5 M{sub Jup}).

A Survey For Planetary-mass Brown Dwarfs in the Taurus and Perseus Star-forming Regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esplin, T. L.; Luhman, K. L.

2017-01-01

We present the initial results from a survey for planetary-mass brown dwarfs in the Taurus star-forming region. We have identified brown dwarf candidates in Taurus using proper motions and photometry from several ground- and space-based facilities. Through spectroscopy of some of the more promising candidates, we have found 18 new members of Taurus. They have spectral types ranging from mid-M to early-L, and they include the four faintest known members in extinction-corrected K s , which should have masses as low as ∼4–5 M Jup according to evolutionary models. Two of the coolest new members (M9.25, M9.5) have mid-IR excesses that indicate the presence of disks. Two fainter objects with types of M9–L2 and M9–L3 also have red mid-IR colors relative to photospheres at ≤L0, but since the photospheric colors are poorly defined at >L0, it is unclear whether they have excesses from disks. We also have obtained spectra of candidate members of the IC 348 and NGC 1333 clusters in Perseus that were identified by Luhman et al. Eight candidates are found to be probable members, three of which are among the faintest and least-massive known members of the clusters (∼5 M Jup ).

Stellar model chromospheres. III - Arcturus /K2 III/

Science.gov (United States)

Ayres, T. R.; Linsky, J. L.

1975-01-01

Models are constructed for the upper photosphere and chromosphere of Arcturus based on the H, K, and IR triplet lines of Ca II and the h and k lines of Mg II. The chromosphere model is derived from complete redistribution solutions for a five-level Ca II ion and a two-level Mg II ion. A photospheric model is derived from the Ca II wings using first the 'traditional' complete-redistribution limit and then the more realistic partial-redistribution approximation. The temperature and mass column densities for the temperature-minimum region and the chromosphere-transition region boundary are computed, and the pressure in the transition region and corona are estimated. It is found that the ratio of minimum temperature to effective temperature is approximately 0.77 for Arcturus, Procyon, and the sun, and that mass tends to increase at the temperature minimum with decreasing gravity. The pressure is found to be about 1 percent of the solar value, and the surface brightness of the Arcturus transition region and coronal spectrum is estimated to be much less than for the sun. The partial-redistribution calculation for the Ca II K line indicates that the emission width is at least partially determined by damping rather than Doppler broadening, suggesting a reexamination of previous explanations for the Wilson-Bappu effect.

ROTATION RATE DIFFERENCES OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SOLAR MAGNETIC FIELDS BETWEEN ±60° LATITUDES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, X. J.; Xie, J. L., E-mail: shixiangjun@ynao.ac.cn [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650011 (China)

2015-04-15

Based on a cross-correlation analysis of the Carrington synoptic maps of solar photospheric magnetic fields from Carrington Rotations Nos. 1625 to 2135 (from 1975 February to 2013 March), the sidereal rotation rates of the positive and negative magnetic fields in the latitude range of ±60° are obtained, and the rotation rate differences between them are investigated. The time–latitude distribution of the rate differences is shown, which looks like a butterfly diagram at the low and middle latitudes. For comparison, the time–latitude distribution of the longitudinally averaged photospheric magnetic fields is shown. We conclude that the magnetic fields having the same polarity as the leading sunspots at a given hemisphere rotate faster than those exhibiting the opposite polarity at low and middle latitudes. However, at higher latitudes, the magnetic fields having the same polarity as the leading sunspots at a given hemisphere do not always rotate faster than those with the opposite polarity. Furthermore, the relationship between the rotation rate differences and solar magnetic fields is studied through a correlation analysis. Our result shows that the correlation coefficients between them reach maximum values at 13° (14°) latitude in the northern (southern) hemisphere, and change sign at 28° latitude in both hemispheres, then reach their minimum values at 58° (53°) latitude in the northern (southern) hemisphere.

A Double Candle-Flame-Shaped Solar Flare Observed by SDO and STEREO

Science.gov (United States)

Gou, T.; Liu, R.; Wang, Y.; Liu, K.; Zhuang, B.; Zhang, Q.; Liu, J.

2015-12-01

We investigate an M1.4 flare occurring on 2011 January 28 near the northwest solar limb. The flare loop system exhibits a double candle-flame configuration in SDO/AIA's hot passbands, sharing a much larger cusp-shaped structure. The results of DEM analysis show that each candle flame has a similar temperature distribution as the famous Tsuneta flare. STEREO-A provides us a view from directly above the flare, and in SECCHI/EUVI 195 Å the post-flare loops are observed to propagate eastward. We performed a 3D reconstruction of the pos-flare loops with AIA and EUVI data. With the aid of the squashing factor Q based on a potential extrapolation of the photospheric field, we recognized that the footpoints of the post-flare loops were slipping along high-Q lines on the photosphere, and the reconstructed loops share similarity with the filed lines that are traced starting from the high-Q lines. The heights of the loops increase as they slip horizontally eastward, giving the loop-top a velocity of about 10 km/s. An extremely large EUV late phase in Fe XVI 33.5 nm observed by SDO/EVE is suggested to be related to the slipping magnetic reconnection occurring in the quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs) whose photosheric footprints are featured by the high-Q lines.

Atmospheric activity in red dwarf stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettersen, B.R.

1986-01-01

Active and inactive stars of similar mass and luminosity have similar physical conditions in their photospheres, outside of magnetically disturbed regions. Such field structures give rise to stellar activity, which manifests itself at all heights of the atmosphere. Observations of uneven distributions of flux across the stellar disc have led to the disovery of photospheric starspots, chromospheric plage areas, and coronal holes. Localized transient behavior has been identified in both thermal and non-thermal sources, such as flares, shock waves and particle acceleration. The common element to all active regions is the presence of strong magnetic field structures connecting the violently turbulent deep layers in the convection zones of stars with the tenuous outer atmospheres. Transport and dissipation of energy into the chromospheric and coronal regions are still much debated topics

Vulvar field resection: novel approach to the surgical treatment of vulvar cancer based on ontogenetic anatomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Höckel, Michael; Schmidt, Katja; Bornmann, Karoline; Horn, Lars-Christian; Dornhöfer, Nadja

2010-10-01

Current local treatment of vulvar cancer is wide tumor excision and radical vulvectomy based on functional anatomy established from the adult and on the view of radial progressive tumor permeation. Standard surgery is associated with a considerable local failure rate and severe disturbance of the patients' body image. Vulvar field resection (VFR) is based on ontogenetic anatomy and on the concept of local tumor spread within permissive compartments. VFR combined with anatomical reconstruction (AR) is proposed as a new surgical approach to the treatment of vulvar cancer. A prospective trial was launched to test the compartment theory for vulvar cancer and to assess safety and effectiveness of the new therapy. In 54 consecutive patients 46 tumors were locally confined to the tissue compartment differentiated from the vulvar anlage. The 8 tumors having transgressed into adjacent tissue compartments of different embryonic origins exhibited signs of advanced malignant progression. 38 patients with vulvar cancer, stages T1-3 were treated with VFR and AR. The perioperative complication rate was low. At 19 (3-50) months follow-up no patient failed locally. 33 patients estimated their body image as undisturbed. Vulvar cancer permeates within ontogenetic tissue compartments and surgical treatment with VFR and AR appears to be safe and effective. Patients should benefit from the new approach as local tumor control is high and the preserved tissue can be successfully used for restoration of vulvar form and function. Confirmatory trials with more patients and longer follow-up are suggested. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Active Return-to-Center Control Based on Torque and Angle Sensors for Electric Power Steering Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Pan-Pan; Su, Hao; Tang, Gong-You

2018-03-14

This paper presents a complete control strategy of the active return-to-center (RTC) control for electric power steering (EPS) systems. We first establish the mathematical model of the EPS system and analyze the source and influence of the self-aligning torque (SAT). Second, based on the feedback signals of steering column torque and steering wheel angle, we give the trigger conditions of a state switch between the steering assist state and the RTC state. In order to avoid the sudden change of the output torque for the driving motor when the state switches frequently between the steering assist state and the RTC state, we design an undisturbed state switching logic algorithm. This state switching logic algorithm ensures that the output value of the RTC controller is set to an initial value and increases in given steps up to a maximum value after entering the RTC state, and the output value of the RTC controller will reduce in given steps down to zero when exiting the RTC state. This therefore ensures smooth switch control between the two states and improves the driver's steering feeling. Third, we design the RTC controller, which depends upon the feedback signals of the steering wheel angle and the angular velocity. In addition, the controller increases the auxiliary control function of the RTC torque based on vehicle speed. The experimental results show that the active RTC control method does not affect the basic assist characteristics, which effectively reduces the residual angle of the steering wheel at low vehicle speed and improves the RTC performance of the vehicle.

Detecting fluid leakage of a reservoir dam based on streaming self-potential measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Seo Young; Kim, Bitnarae; Nam, Myung Jin; Lim, Sung Keun

2015-04-01

Between many reservoir dams for agriculture in suburban area of South Korea, water leakage has been reported several times. The dam under consideration in this study, which is located in Gyeong-buk, in the south-east of the Korean Peninsula, was reported to have a large leakage at the right foot of downstream side of the reservoir dam. For the detection of the leakage, not only geological survey but also geophysical explorations have been made for precision safety diagnosis, since the leakage can lead to dam failure. Geophysical exploration includes both electrical-resistivity and self-potential surveys, while geological surveys water permeability test, standard penetration test, and sampling for undisturbed sample during the course of the drilling investigation. The geophysical explorations were made not only along the top of dam but also transverse the heel of dam. The leakage of water installations can change the known-heterogeneous structure of the dam body but also cause streaming spontaneous (self) potential (SP) anomaly, which can be detected by electrical resistivity and SP measurements, respectively. For the interpretation of streaming SP, we used trial-and-error method by comparing synthetic SP data with field SP data for model update. For the computation, we first invert the resistivity data to obtain the distorted resistivity structure of the dam levee then make three-dimensional electrical-resistivity modeling for the streaming potential distribution of the dam levee. Our simulation algorithm of streaming SP distribution based on the integrated finite difference scheme computes two-dimensional (2D) SP distribution based on the distribution of calculated flow velocities of fluid for a given permeability structure together with physical properties. This permeability is repeatedly updated based on error between synthetic and field SP data, until the synthetic data match the field data. Through this trial-and-error-based SP interpretation, we locate the

Characterisation of the optimal hydric interval for a Yellow Argisol cultivated with sugarcane on the coastal plains of Alagoas, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismar Lima de Farias

Full Text Available This work had as its objective to study the optimum water range (OWR of a Yellow Argisol of the coastal plains, planted with sugarcane, when subjected to different levels of compaction. For the laboratory tests soil samples with a non-preserved structure were used, removed from depths of from 0.20 m to 0.40 m and 0.40 m to 0.60 m, representing the AB and Bt horizons respectively. The treatments consisted of different soil densities represented by specimens contained in volumetric rings. The critical densities of the AB and Bt horizons for samples of upturned soil, were 1.84 and 1.63 Mg m-3 respectively. In undisturbed soil a critical density of 1.63 and 1.64 Mg m-3 was observed for the same horizons. However, the soil density at which root development begins to be restricted was 1.61 Mg m-3 for samples of upturned soil, and 1.50 Mg m-3 for samples of undisturbed soil at a depth of from 0.20 to 0.40 m. From 0.40 to 0.60 m the critical density was 1.45 and 1.18 Mg m-3 for samples of upturned and undisturbed soil respectively. It can be concluded that upturning the soil increased the IHO of the AB and Bt horizons of the Yellow Argisol, compared to the undisturbed soil cultivated with sugarcane. The subsurface movement of the studied Argisol increases the IHO at higher densities, due to the increase in the critical density of the AB and Bt horizons, improving their hydro-mechanical behavior.

Estimates of soil erosion using cesium-137 tracer models.

Science.gov (United States)

Saç, M M; Uğur, A; Yener, G; Ozden, B

2008-01-01

The soil erosion was studied by 137Cs technique in Yatagan basin in Western Turkey, where there exist intensive agricultural activities. This region is subject to serious soil loss problems and yet there is not any erosion data towards soil management and control guidelines. During the soil survey studies, the soil profiles were examined carefully to select the reference points. The soil samples were collected from the slope facets in three different study areas (Kirtas, Peynirli and Kayisalan Hills). Three different models were applied for erosion rate calculations in undisturbed and cultivated sites. The profile distribution model (PDM) was used for undisturbed soils, while proportional model (PM) and simplified mass balance model (SMBM) were used for cultivated soils. The mean annual erosion rates found using PDM in undisturbed soils were 15 t ha(-1) year(-1) at the Peynirli Hill and 27 t ha(-1) year(-1) at the Kirtas Hill. With the PM and SMBM in cultivated soils at Kayişalan, the mean annual erosion rates were obtained to be 65 and 116 t ha(-1) year(-1), respectively. The results of 137Cs technique were compared with the results of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE).

Radiative and magnetic properties of solar active regions. II. Spatially resolved analysis of O V 62.97 nm transition region emission

Science.gov (United States)

Fludra, A.; Warren, H.

2010-11-01

Context. Global relationships between the photospheric magnetic flux and the extreme ultraviolet emission integrated over active region area have been studied in a previous paper by Fludra & Ireland (2008, A&A, 483, 609). Spatially integrated EUV line intensities are tightly correlated with the total unsigned magnetic flux, and yet these global power laws have been shown to be insufficient for accurately determining the coronal heating mechanism owing to the mathematical ill-conditioning of the inverse problem. Aims: Our aim is to establish a relationship between the EUV line intensities and the photospheric magnetic flux density on small spatial scales in active regions and investigate whether it provides a way of identifying the process that heats the coronal loops. Methods: We compare spatially resolved EUV transition region emission and the photospheric magnetic flux density. This analysis is based on the O V 62.97 nm line recorded by the SOHO Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) and SOHO MDI magnetograms for six solar active regions. The magnetic flux density ϕ is converted to a simulated O V intensity using a model relationship I(ϕ, L) = Cϕδ Lλ, where the loop length L is obtained from potential magnetic field extrapolations. This simulated spatial distribution of O V intensities is convolved with the CDS instrument's point spread function and compared pixel by pixel with the observed O V line intensity. Parameters δ and λ are derived to give the best fit for the observed and simulated intensities. Results: Spatially-resolved analysis of the transition region emission reveals the complex nature of the heating processes in active regions. In some active regions, particularly large, local intensity enhancements up to a factor of five are present. When areas with O V intensities above 3000 erg cm-2 s-1 sr-1 are ignored, a power law has been fitted to the relationship between the local O V line intensity and the photospheric magnetic flux density in each

Simulating nonlinear steady-state traveling waves on the falling liquid film entrained by a gas flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Tsvelodub, O

2016-01-01

The article is devoted to the simulation of nonlinear waves on a liquid film flowing under gravity in the known stress field at the interface. In the case of small Reynolds numbers the problem is reduced to the consideration of solutions of the nonlinear integral-differential equation for film thickness deviation from the undisturbed level. Weakly nonlinear steady-state traveling solutions of the equation with wave numbers in a vicinity of neutral wave numbers are constructed analytically. The nature of the wave branching from the undisturbed solution is investigated. Steady-state traveling solutions, whose wave numbers within the instability area are far from neutral wave numbers, are found numerically. (paper)

Using Pressure and Alteration Indicators to Assess River Morphological Quality: Case Study of the Prahova River (Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Ioana-Toroimac

2015-06-01

Full Text Available River morphological quality assessment, derived from quantification of human pressures as well as river channel alteration, is a demand of the Water Framework Directive (WFD in terms of integrating hydromorphological elements in defining ecological status. Our study’s aim is to contribute to the hydromorphological evaluation by proposing indicators and separating classes, based on a revisited Morphological Quality Index (rMQI protocol. The rMQI is based on 12 indicators of human pressures, 10 indicators of channel form adjustments, and 11 indicators of functionality. The rMQI scoring system allows for the quantification of changes when compared to reference conditions, be they undisturbed or nearly undisturbed by human interventions, with absent channel adjustments and a functioning natural river style. We used the lower, meandering sector of the Prahova River to demonstrate our assessment methodology. The Lower Prahova River suffers from a minor local intervention and a diminishing intensity of fluvial processes specific to a meandering style. Meanders geometry was affected by significant changes that included a decrease in the radius of curvature, width and width–to–mean–depth ratio. We concluded that the Lower Prahova River has a good morphological quality, which is rated as second class on a scale of five levels, from natural to severely modified. We recommend an improvement in the hydromorphological evaluation protocol in Romania by additional indicators for morphological alterations specific to each channel pattern.

DYNAMICS OF MULTI-CORED MAGNETIC STRUCTURES IN THE QUIET SUN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Requerey, Iker S.; Iniesta, Jose Carlos Del Toro; Rubio, Luis R. Bellot; Pillet, Valentín Martínez; Solanki, Sami K.; Schmidt, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

We report on the dynamical interaction of quiet-Sun magnetic fields and granular convection in the solar photosphere as seen by Sunrise. We use high spatial resolution (0.″15–0.″18) and temporal cadence (33 s) spectropolarimetric Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment data, together with simultaneous CN and Ca ii H filtergrams from Sunrise Filter Imager. We apply the SIR inversion code to the polarimetric data in order to infer the line of sight velocity and vector magnetic field in the photosphere. The analysis reveals bundles of individual flux tubes evolving as a single entity during the entire 23 minute data set. The group shares a common canopy in the upper photospheric layers, while the individual tubes continually intensify, fragment and merge in the same way that chains of bright points in photometric observations have been reported to do. The evolution of the tube cores are driven by the local granular convection flows. They intensify when they are “compressed” by surrounding granules and split when they are “squeezed” between two moving granules. The resulting fragments are usually later regrouped in intergranular lanes by the granular flows. The continual intensification, fragmentation and coalescence of flux results in magnetic field oscillations of the global entity. From the observations we conclude that the magnetic field oscillations first reported by Martínez González et al. correspond to the forcing by granular motions and not to characteristic oscillatory modes of thin flux tubes

Dynamics of Coronal Hole Boundaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Higginson, A. K.; Zurbuchen, T. H. [Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Antiochos, S. K.; DeVore, C. R. [Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Wyper, P. F. [Universities Space Research Association, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2017-03-10

Remote and in situ observations strongly imply that the slow solar wind consists of plasma from the hot, closed-field corona that is released onto open magnetic field lines. The Separatrix Web theory for the slow wind proposes that photospheric motions at the scale of supergranules are responsible for generating dynamics at coronal-hole boundaries, which result in the closed plasma release. We use three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations to determine the effect of photospheric flows on the open and closed magnetic flux of a model corona with a dipole magnetic field and an isothermal solar wind. A rotational surface motion is used to approximate photospheric supergranular driving and is applied at the boundary between the coronal hole and helmet streamer. The resulting dynamics consist primarily of prolific and efficient interchange reconnection between open and closed flux. The magnetic flux near the coronal-hole boundary experiences multiple interchange events, with some flux interchanging over 50 times in one day. Additionally, we find that the interchange reconnection occurs all along the coronal-hole boundary and even produces a lasting change in magnetic-field connectivity in regions that were not driven by the applied motions. Our results show that these dynamics should be ubiquitous in the Sun and heliosphere. We discuss the implications of our simulations for understanding the observed properties of the slow solar wind, with particular focus on the global-scale consequences of interchange reconnection.

Study of Three-dimensional Magnetic Structure and the Successive Eruptive Nature of Active Region 12371

Science.gov (United States)

Vemareddy, P.; Demóulin, P.

2018-04-01

We study the magnetic structure of a successively erupting sigmoid in active region 12371 by modeling the quasi-static coronal field evolution with nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) equilibria. Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager/Solar Dynamic Observatory vector magnetograms are used as input to the NLFFF model. In all eruption events, the modeled structure resembles the observed pre-eruptive coronal sigmoid and the NLFFF core field is a combination of double inverse-J-shaped and inverse-S field lines with dips touching the photosphere. Such field lines are formed by the flux cancellation reconnection of opposite-J field lines at bald-patch locations, which in turn implies the formation of a weakly twisted flux-rope (FR) from large-scale sheared arcade field lines. Later on, this FR undergoes coronal tether-cutting reconnection until a coronal mass ejection is triggered. The modeled structure captured these major features of sigmoid-to-arcade-to-sigmoid transformation, which is reoccuring under continuous photospheric flux motions. Calculations of the field line twist reveal a fractional increase followed by a decrease of the number of pixels having a range of twist. This traces the buildup process of a twisted core field by slow photospheric motions and the relaxation after eruption, respectively. Our study infers that the large eruptivity of this AR is due to a steep decrease of the background coronal field meeting the torus instability criteria at a low height (≈40 Mm) in contrast to noneruptive ARs.

Persistent magnetic vortex flow at a supergranular vertex

Science.gov (United States)

Requerey, Iker S.; Cobo, Basilio Ruiz; Gošić, Milan; Bellot Rubio, Luis R.

2018-03-01

Context. Photospheric vortex flows are thought to play a key role in the evolution of magnetic fields. Recent studies show that these swirling motions are ubiquitous in the solar surface convection and occur in a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. Their interplay with magnetic fields is poorly characterized, however. Aims: We study the relation between a persistent photospheric vortex flow and the evolution of a network magnetic element at a supergranular vertex. Methods: We used long-duration sequences of continuum intensity images acquired with Hinode and the local correlation-tracking method to derive the horizontal photospheric flows. Supergranular cells are detected as large-scale divergence structures in the flow maps. At their vertices, and cospatial with network magnetic elements, the velocity flows converge on a central point. Results: One of these converging flows is observed as a vortex during the whole 24 h time series. It consists of three consecutive vortices that appear nearly at the same location. At their core, a network magnetic element is also detected. Its evolution is strongly correlated to that of the vortices. The magnetic feature is concentrated and evacuated when it is caught by the vortices and is weakened and fragmented after the whirls disappear. Conclusions: This evolutionary behavior supports the picture presented previously, where a small flux tube becomes stable when it is surrounded by a vortex flow. A movie attached to Fig. 2 is available at http://https://www.aanda.org

Correlation of Coronal Plasma Properties and Solar Magnetic Field in a Decaying Active Region

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Yuan-Kuen; Young, Peter R.; Muglach, Karin; Warren, Harry P.; Ugarte-Urra, Ignacio

2016-01-01

We present the analysis of a decaying active region observed by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode during 2009 December 7-11. We investigated the temporal evolution of its structure exhibited by plasma at temperatures from 300,000 to 2.8 million degrees, and derived the electron density, differential emission measure, effective electron temperature, and elemental abundance ratios of Si/S and Fe/S (as a measure of the First Ionization Potential (FIP) Effect). We compared these coronal properties to the temporal evolution of the photospheric magnetic field strength obtained from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. We find that, while these coronal properties all decreased with time during this decay phase, the largest change was at plasma above 1.5 million degrees. The photospheric magnetic field strength also decreased with time but mainly for field strengths lower than about 70 Gauss. The effective electron temperature and the FIP bias seem to reach a basal state (at 1.5 x 10(exp 6) K and 1.5, respectively) into the quiet Sun when the mean photospheric magnetic field (excluding all areas correlated with each other and the correlation is the strongest in the high-temperature plasma. Such correlation properties should be considered in the quest for our understanding of how the corona is heated. The variations in the elemental abundance should especially be considered together with the electron temperature and density.

Near-infrared line identification in type Ia supernovae during the transitional phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Friesen, Brian; Baron, E.; Wisniewski, John P.; Miller, Timothy R. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, 440 West Brooks Street, Room 100, Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Parrent, Jerod T. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Thomas, R. C. [Computational Cosmology Center, Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road MS 50B-4206, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Marion, G. H. [University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station C1400, Austin, TX 78712-0259 (United States)

2014-09-10

We present near-infrared synthetic spectra of a delayed-detonation hydrodynamical model and compare them to observed spectra of four normal Type Ia supernovae ranging from day +56.5 to day +85. This is the epoch during which supernovae are believed to be undergoing the transition from the photospheric phase, where spectra are characterized by line scattering above an optically thick photosphere, to the nebular phase, where spectra consist of optically thin emission from forbidden lines. We find that most spectral features in the near-infrared can be accounted for by permitted lines of Fe II and Co II. In addition, we find that [Ni II] fits the emission feature near 1.98 μm, suggesting that a substantial mass of {sup 58}Ni exists near the center of the ejecta in these objects, arising from nuclear burning at high density.

Mg I absorption features in the solar spectrum near 9 and 12 microns

Science.gov (United States)

Glenar, David A.; Reuter, Dennis C.; Deming, Drake; Chang, Edward S.

1988-01-01

High-resolution FTS observations from the Kitt Peak National Solar Observatory and the Spacelab 3 ATMOS experiment have revealed additional infrared transitions due to Mg I in the spectra of both quiet sun and sunspot penumbra. In contrast to previous observations, these transitions are seen in absorption, not emission. Absorption intensities range from 1 to 7 percent of the continuum in the quiet sun. In the penumbra, the same features appear to show Zeeman splitting. Modeling of the line profiles in the photospheric spectrum shows evidence for a factor of three overabundance in the n = 5 or more levels of Mg I in the upper photosphere, but with no deviations from a Planck source function. It is concluded that whatever the process that produces the emission (including the Lemke and Holweger mechanism), it must occur well above the tau(5000) = 0.01 level.

Spectrophotometry of emission-line stars in the magellanic clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannan, Bruce

1990-01-01

The strong emission lines in the most luminous stars in the Magellanic Clouds indicate that these stars have such strong stellar winds that their photospheres are so masked that optical absorption lines do not provide an accurate measure of photospheric conditions. In the research funded by this grant, temperatures and gravities of emission-line stars both in the Large (LMC) and Small Magellanic Clouds (SMC) have been measured by fitting of continuum ultraviolet-optical fluxes observed with IUE with theoretical model atmospheres. Preliminary results from this work formed a major part of an invited review 'The Distribution of Types of Luminous Blue Variables'. Interpretation of the IUE observations obtained in this grant and archive data were also included in a talk at the First Boulder-Munich Hot Stars Workshop. Final results of these studies are now being completed for publication in refereed journals.

Power-Law Statistics of Driven Reconnection in the Magnetically Closed Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Klimchuk, J. A.; DeVore, C. R.; Knizhnik, K. J.; Uritskiy, V. M.

2018-01-01

Numerous observations have revealed that power-law distributions are ubiquitous in energetic solar processes. Hard X-rays, soft X-rays, extreme ultraviolet radiation, and radio waves all display power-law frequency distributions. Since magnetic reconnection is the driving mechanism for many energetic solar phenomena, it is likely that reconnection events themselves display such power-law distributions. In this work, we perform numerical simulations of the solar corona driven by simple convective motions at the photospheric level. Using temperature changes, current distributions, and Poynting fluxes as proxies for heating, we demonstrate that energetic events occurring in our simulation display power-law frequency distributions, with slopes in good agreement with observations. We suggest that the braiding-associated reconnection in the corona can be understood in terms of a self-organized criticality model driven by convective rotational motions similar to those observed at the photosphere.

Power-law Statistics of Driven Reconnection in the Magnetically Closed Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Knizhnik, K. J.; Uritsky, V. M.; Klimchuk, J. A.; DeVore, C. R.

2018-01-01

Numerous observations have revealed that power-law distributions are ubiquitous in energetic solar processes. Hard X-rays, soft X-rays, extreme ultraviolet radiation, and radio waves all display power-law frequency distributions. Since magnetic reconnection is the driving mechanism for many energetic solar phenomena, it is likely that reconnection events themselves display such power-law distributions. In this work, we perform numerical simulations of the solar corona driven by simple convective motions at the photospheric level. Using temperature changes, current distributions, and Poynting fluxes as proxies for heating, we demonstrate that energetic events occurring in our simulation display power-law frequency distributions, with slopes in good agreement with observations. We suggest that the braiding-associated reconnection in the corona can be understood in terms of a self-organized criticality model driven by convective rotational motions similar to those observed at the photosphere.

How to unveil a T Tauri star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartigan, P.; Hartmann, L.; Kenyon, S.; Hewett, R.; Stauffer, J.

1989-01-01

A method for separating the 'veiling' continuum often present in T Tauri stars from the underlying photospheric spectrum is described. Echelle observations from 5100 to 6800 A of the partially veiled T Tauri star BP Tau were analyzed to determine the shape of the veiling spectrum. The residuals of the fit indicate the deviation of the veiling spectrum from a simple continuum and identify the location and strength of any emission-line components. It is shown, by means of goodness-of-fit tests, that the spectrum of BP Tau can be decomposed into a normal stellar spectrum plus a smooth veiling continuum with only a few emission lines superposed. The continuum dominates the veiling spectrum in this spectral region; the veiling does not arise from numerous deep photospheric absorption lines that are filled in by weak emission. 36 refs

PERL-2 and LAVR-2 programs for Monte Carlo calculation of reactivity disturbances with trajectory correlation using random numbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamaeva, O.B.; Polevoj, V.B.

1983-01-01

Realization of BESM-6 computer of a technique is described for calculating a wide class of reactivity disturbances by plotting trajectories in undisturbed and disturbed systems using one sequence of random numbers. The technique was realized on the base of earlier created programs of calculation of widespreed (PERL) and local (LAVR) reactivity disturbances. The efficiency of the technique and programs is demonstrated by calculation of change of effective neutron-multiplication factor when absorber is substituted for fuel element in a BFS-40 critical assembly and by calculation of control drum characteristics

Controls of Ca/Mg/Fe activity ratios in pore water chemistry models of the Callovian-Oxfordian clay formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lerouge, C.; Grangeon, S.; Wille, G.; Flehoc, C.; Gailhanou, H.; Gaucher, E.C.; Tournassat, C.; Vinsot, A.; Made, B.; Altmann, S.

2013-01-01

In the pore water chemistry model of the Callovian-Oxfordian clay formation, the divalent cations Ca, Mg, and Fe are controlled by equilibrium reactions with pure carbonates: calcite for Ca, dolomite for Mg, and siderite for Fe. Results of a petrological study and computing of the Ca/Mg and Ca/Fe activity ratios based on natural pore water chemistry provide evidence that equilibrium with pure calcite and pure dolomite is a reasonable assumption for undisturbed pore waters; on the other hand, siderite cannot be considered at equilibrium with pore waters at the formation scale. (authors)

Controls of Ca/Mg/Fe activity ratios in pore water chemistry models of the Callovian-Oxfordian clay formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lerouge, C.; Grangeon, S.; Wille, G.; Flehoc, C.; Gailhanou, H.; Gaucher, E.C.; Tournassat, C. [BRGM av. Claude Guillemin BP6009 45060 Orleans cedex 2 (France); Vinsot, A. [ANDRA Meuse/Haute-Marne Underground research Laboratory (URL), RD 960, 55290 Bure (France); Made, B.; Altmann, S. [ANDRA - Parc de la Croix Blanche, 1-7 rue Jean Monnet, 92298 Chatenay-Malabry Cedex (France)

2013-07-01

In the pore water chemistry model of the Callovian-Oxfordian clay formation, the divalent cations Ca, Mg, and Fe are controlled by equilibrium reactions with pure carbonates: calcite for Ca, dolomite for Mg, and siderite for Fe. Results of a petrological study and computing of the Ca/Mg and Ca/Fe activity ratios based on natural pore water chemistry provide evidence that equilibrium with pure calcite and pure dolomite is a reasonable assumption for undisturbed pore waters; on the other hand, siderite cannot be considered at equilibrium with pore waters at the formation scale. (authors)

First report of Eutropis innovate (Blanford, 1870 (Reptilia: Scincidae from Nallamalai Hills, Andhra Pradesh, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.T. Rao

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We report the first record of Eutropis innotata (Blanford, 1870 based on a specimen collected in 2002 from Gundla Brahmeswaram Metta Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh, India. The habitat from where it was collected is relatively undisturbed patch of forest in the Nallamalai Hills of Eastern Ghats. This constitutes the range extension of this species from central India to Nallamalai Hills in Eastern Ghats in peninsular India. We provide details on its diagnosis, habits and habitat, and key to species belonging to the genus Eutropis Fitzinger, 1843.

Morphology of Pseudostreamers and Solar Wind Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Panasenco, Olga; Velli, Marco

2016-05-01

The solar dynamo and photospheric convection lead to three main types of structures extending from the solar surface into the corona - active regions, solar filaments (prominences when observed at the limb) and coronal holes. These structures exist over a wide range of scales, and are interlinked with each other in evolution and dynamics. Active regions can form clusters of magnetic activity and the strongest overlie sunspots. In the decay of active regions, the boundaries separating opposite magnetic polarities (neutral lines) develop the specific structures called filament channels above which filaments form. In the presence of flux imbalance decaying active regions can also give birth to lower latitude coronal holes. The accumulation of magnetic flux at coronal hole boundaries also creates the conditions for filament formation: polar crown filaments are permanently present at the boundaries of the polar coronal holes. Middle-latitude and equatorial coronal holes - the result of active region evolution - can create pseudostreamers (PSs) if other coronal holes of the same polarity are present. While helmet streamers form between open fields of opposite polarities, the pseudostreamer, characterized by a smaller coronal imprint, typically shows a more prominent straight ray or stalk extending from the corona. The pseudostreamer base at photospheric heights is multipolar; often one observes tripolar magnetic configurations with two neutral lines - where filaments can form - separating the coronal holes. Here we discuss the specific role of filament channels on pseudostreamer topology and on solar wind properties. 1D numerical analysis of PSs shows that the properties of the solar wind from around PSs depend on the presence/absence of filament channels, number of channels and chirality at the PS base low in the corona.

Vertical migration of some herbicides through undisturbed and homogenized soil columns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Wasim Aktar

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A laboratory experiment was conducted by using three herbicides, two from dinitroaniline group and one from thiocarbamate group to know their degree of downward movement (leachability through soil columns and their contribution in ground water contamination. Soil columns were loaded with Pendimethalin, Benthiocarb and Oryzalin @ 10.0, 10.0 and 7.7 kg a.i. ha-1, respectively. After 30 days soil samples were analyzed from each segments (i.e. 0-6, 6-12, 12-18, and 18-24 and 24-30 cm for Benthiocarb and Pendimethalin by GLC equipped with Ni63 electron capture detector (ECD and for Oryzalin by HPLC coupled with UV-VIS detector. The results obtained in the present study reveal that the residues of the three herbicides under investigation were predominantly confined to the upper soil layer (0-6 cm. Comparatively, low mobility of these herbicides in soils could be due to strong adsorption of these chemical to soil colloids.

Vertical migration of some herbicides through undisturbed and homogenized soil columns

Science.gov (United States)

Aktar, Md. Wasim; Sengupta, Dwaipayan; Purkait, Swarnali; Chowdhury, Ashim

2008-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted by using three herbicides, two from dinitroaniline group and one from thiocarbamate group to know their degree of downward movement (leachability) through soil columns and their contribution in ground water contamination. Soil columns were loaded with Pendimethalin, Benthiocarb and Oryzalin at doses of 10.0, 10.0 and 7.7 kg/ha, respectively. After 30 days soil samples were analyzed from each segments (i.e. 0–6, 6–12, 12–18, 18–24 and 24–30 cm) for Benthiocarb and Pendimethalin by GLC equipped with Ni63 electron capture detector (ECD) and for Oryzalin by HPLC coupled with UV-VIS detector. The results obtained in the present study reveal that the residues of the three herbicides under investigation were predominantly confined to the upper soil layer (0–6 cm). Comparatively, low mobility of these herbicides in soils could be due to strong adsorption of these chemical to soil colloids. PMID:21218121

Vertical migration of some herbicides through undisturbed and homogenized soil columns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Wasim Aktar

2008-12-01

Full Text Available A laboratory experiment was conducted by using three herbicides, two from dinitroaniline group and one from thiocarbamate group to know their degree of downward movement (leachability through soil columns and their contribution in ground water contamination. Soil columns were loaded with Pendimethalin, Benthiocarb and Oryzalin @ 10.0, 10.0 and 7.7 kg a.i. ha-1, respectively. After 30 days soil samples were analyzed from each segments (i.e. 0-6, 6-12, 12-18, and 18-24 and 24-30 cm for Benthiocarb and Pendimethalin by GLC equipped with Ni63 electron capture detector (ECD and for Oryzalin by HPLC coupled with UV-VIS detector. The results obtained in the present study reveal that the residues of the three herbicides under investigation were predominantly confined to the upper soil layer (0-6 cm. Comparatively, low mobility of these herbicides in soils could be due to strong adsorption of these chemical to soil colloids.

Effects of disturbance and climate change on ecosystem performance in the Yukon River Basin boreal forest

Science.gov (United States)

Wylie, Bruce K.; Rigge, Matthew B.; Brisco, Brian; Mrnaghan, Kevin; Rover, Jennifer R.; Long, Jordan

2014-01-01

A warming climate influences boreal forest productivity, dynamics, and disturbance regimes. We used ecosystem models and 250 m satellite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data averaged over the growing season (GSN) to model current, and estimate future, ecosystem performance. We modeled Expected Ecosystem Performance (EEP), or anticipated productivity, in undisturbed stands over the 2000–2008 period from a variety of abiotic data sources, using a rule-based piecewise regression tree. The EEP model was applied to a future climate ensemble A1B projection to quantify expected changes to mature boreal forest performance. Ecosystem Performance Anomalies (EPA), were identified as the residuals of the EEP and GSN relationship and represent performance departures from expected performance conditions. These performance data were used to monitor successional events following fire. Results suggested that maximum EPA occurs 30–40 years following fire, and deciduous stands generally have higher EPA than coniferous stands. Mean undisturbed EEP is projected to increase 5.6% by 2040 and 8.7% by 2070, suggesting an increased deciduous component in boreal forests. Our results contribute to the understanding of boreal forest successional dynamics and its response to climate change. This information enables informed decisions to prepare for, and adapt to, climate change in the Yukon River Basin forest.

Research Article Special Issue

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2018-01-15

Jan 15, 2018 ... that contain one or more neutral line (polarity dividing lines) in the photospheric magnetic ... driving the solar burst cannot be taken directly due to limited ... disk, which is close to the central meridian, got attention from space ...

Measurements of radiative material properties for astrophysical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, James E.

2010-01-01

The new generation of z-pinch, laser, and XFEL facilities opens the possibility to produce astrophysically-relevant laboratory plasmas with energy densities beyond what was previously possible. Furthermore, macroscopic plasmas with uniform conditions can now be created, enabling more accurate determination of the material properties. This presentation will provide an overview of our research at the Z facility investigating stellar interior opacities, AGN warm-absorber photoionized plasmas, and white dwarf photospheres. Atomic physics in plasmas heavily influence these topics. Stellar opacities are an essential ingredient of stellar models and they affect what we know about the structure and evolution of stars. Opacity models have become highly sophisticated, but laboratory tests have not been done at the conditions existing inside stars. Our research is presently focused on measuring Fe at conditions relevant to the base of the solar convection zone, where the electron temperature and density are believed to be 190 eV and 9 x 10 22 e/cc, respectively. The second project is aimed at testing atomic kinetics models for photoionized plasmas. Photoionization is an important process in many astrophysical plasmas and the spectral signatures are routinely used to infer astrophysical object's characteristics. However, the spectral synthesis models at the heart of these interpretations have been the subject of very limited experimental tests. Our current research examines photoionization of neon plasma subjected to radiation flux similar to the warm absorber that surrounds active galactic nuclei. The third project is a recent initiative aimed at producing a white dwarf photosphere in the laboratory. Emergent spectra from the photosphere are used to infer the star's effective temperature and surface gravity. The results depend on knowledge of H, He, and C spectral line profiles under conditions where complex physics such as quasi-molecule formation may be important. These

Short-term evolution and coexistence of spots, plages and flare activity on LQ Hydrae

Science.gov (United States)

Flores Soriano, M.; Strassmeier, K. G.

2017-01-01

Aims: We aim to study the short-term evolution of the chromospheric and photospheric activity of the young, single K2 dwarf LQ Hya. Methods: Four months of quasi-simultaneous spectroscopic and photometric observations were used to study the variations of the photometric light curve, the evolution of the chromospheric activity from the Hα and Hβ lines, and the distribution of cool spots from Doppler maps. Results: During our observations one side of the star was more active than the other. The equivalent width of the Hα line from the least active hemisphere increased from ≈0.7 Å at the beginning of the observation to 1.0 Å at the end. The basal emission of the most active hemisphere remained roughly constant at EWHαt1.0 Å. Intense flare activity was observed during the first twenty days, where at least four different events were detected. The line asymmetries of the Hα line suggest that one of the flares could have produced a mass ejection with a maximum projected speed of 70kms-1. The rotational modulation of the V-band photometry showed clear anti-correlation with the chromospheric activity. The difference in brightness between the opposite hemispheres decreased from 0.m16 to 0.m09 in two months. Three spots gradually moving apart from each other are dominating the photospheric Doppler maps. The comparison between the maps and the Hα line as the star rotates reveals the spatial coexistence of chromospheric Hα emission and photospheric spots. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the active regions of LQ Hya can live for at least four months. The detected changes in the photometric light curve and the spectroscopic Doppler images seem to be more a consequence of the spatial redistribution of the active regions rather than due to changes in their strength. Only one of the active regions shows significant changes in its chromospheric emission. Based on data obtained with the STELLA robotic telescope in Tenerife, an AIP facility jointly operated by AIP

BD-22deg3467, a DAO-type Star Exciting the Nebula Abell 35

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegler, M.; Rauch, T.; Werner, K.; Koppen, J.; Kruk, J. W.

2013-01-01

Spectral analyses of hot, compact stars with non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (NLTE) model-atmosphere techniques allow the precise determination of photospheric parameters such as the effective temperature (T(sub eff)), the surface gravity (log g), and the chemical composition. The derived photospheric metal abundances are crucial constraints for stellar evolutionary theory. Aims. Previous spectral analyses of the exciting star of the nebula A35, BD-22deg3467, were based on He+C+N+O+Si+Fe models only. For our analysis, we use state-of-the-art fully metal-line blanketed NLTE model atmospheres that consider opacities of 23 elements from hydrogen to nickel. We aim to identify all observed lines in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of BD-22deg3467 and to determine the abundances of the respective species precisely. Methods. For the analysis of high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) far-ultraviolet (FUSE) and UV (HST/STIS) observations, we combined stellar-atmosphere models and interstellar line-absorption models to fully reproduce the entire observed UV spectrum. Results. The best agreement with the UV observation of BD-22deg3467 is achieved at T(sub eff) = 80 +/- 10 kK and log g = 7.2 +/- 0.3. While T(sub eff) of previous analyses is verified, log g is significantly lower. We re-analyzed lines of silicon and iron (1/100 and about solar abundances, respectively) and for the first time in this star identified argon, chromium, manganese, cobalt, and nickel and determined abundances of 12, 70, 35, 150, and 5 times solar, respectively. Our results partially agree with predictions of diffusion models for DA-type white dwarfs. A combination of photospheric and interstellar line-absorption models reproduces more than 90% of the observed absorption features. The stellar mass is M approx. 0.48 Solar Mass. Conclusions. BD.22.3467 may not have been massive enough to ascend the asymptotic giant branch and may have evolved directly from the extended horizontal branch

Effects of dam-induced landscape fragmentation on amazonian ant-plant mutualistic networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Emer, Carine; Venticinque, Eduardo Martins; Fonseca, Carlos Roberto

2013-08-01

Mutualistic networks are critical to biological diversity maintenance; however, their structures and functionality may be threatened by a swiftly changing world. In the Amazon, the increasing number of dams poses a large threat to biological diversity because they greatly alter and fragment the surrounding landscape. Tight coevolutionary interactions typical of tropical forests, such as the ant-myrmecophyte mutualism, where the myrmecophyte plants provide domatia nesting space to their symbiotic ants, may be jeopardized by the landscape changes caused by dams. We analyzed 31 ant-myrmecophyte mutualistic networks in undisturbed and disturbed sites surrounding Balbina, the largest Central Amazonian dam. We tested how ant-myrmecophyte networks differ among dam-induced islands, lake edges, and undisturbed forests in terms of species richness, composition, structure, and robustness (number of species remaining in the network after partner extinctions). We also tested how landscape configuration in terms of area, isolation, shape, and neighborhood alters the structure of the ant-myrmecophyte networks on islands. Ant-myrmecophytic networks were highly compartmentalized in undisturbed forests, and the compartments had few strongly connected mutualistic partners. In contrast, networks at lake edges and on islands were not compartmentalized and were negatively affected by island area and isolation in terms of species richness, density, and composition. Habitat loss and fragmentation led to coextinction cascades that contributed to the elimination of entire ant-plant compartments. Furthermore, many myrmecophytic plants in disturbed sites lost their mutualistic ant partners or were colonized by opportunistic, nonspecialized ants. Robustness of ant-myrmecophyte networks on islands was lower than robustness near lake edges and in undisturbed forest and was particularly susceptible to the extinction of plants. Beyond the immediate habitat loss caused by the building of large dams

Brackish water for irrigation: IV. effects on yield of maize (zea mays l.) and saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abid, M.; Anwar-ur-Hassan; Ghafoor, A.

2003-01-01

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of brackish water irrigation on fresh biomass yield of maize variety Agati-72 and saturated hydraulic conductivity (HC) of silty clay loam soil. Total 20 treatment combinations having different EC/sub iw/ (0.65, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 7.35 dS m/sup -1/), SAR/sub iw/ (3.95, 9.65, 18.0, 26.35 and 32.04 (mmol L/sup -1)/sup 1/2/) and RSC (0.65, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 7.35 mmol/sub c/ L/sup -1/) were applied to 30 cm x 68 cm undisturbed and disturbed soil columns. Results indicated that biomass yield of maize decreased with an increase in EC/sub iw/ from 0.65 to 7.35 dS m/sup -1/ at coded 0 levels of SAR/sub iw/ and RSC in undisturbed soil. The maize tolerated EC/sub iw/ up to 2.0 dS m/sup-1/ at coded 0 levels of SAR/sub iw/ and RSC in disturbed soil. The SAR/sub iw/ up to 18.0 did not affect the yield of crop at coded 0 levels of EC/sub iw/ for the undisturbed and disturbed soils, respectively. The increase in HC was 48% in undisturbed and 54% in disturbed soils with EC/sub iw/ 7.35 dS m/sup -1/ over EC/sub iw/ 0.65 dS m/sup -1/ coded 0 levels of EC/sub iw/ and RSC. The HC decreased with SAR/sub iw/ and RSC at coded 0 levels of EC/sub iw/ and RSC; EC/sub iw/ and SAR/sub iw/ in both the soil columns. (author)

Stand, species, and individual traits impact transpiration in historically disturbed forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Blakely, B.; Rocha, A. V.; McLachlan, J. S.

2017-12-01

Historic logging disturbances have changed the structure and species composition of most Northern temperate forests. These changes impact the process of transpiration - which in turn impacts canopy surface temperature - but the links among structure, composition, and transpiration remain unclear. For this reason, ecosystem models typically use simplified structure and composition to simulate the impact of disturbances on forest transpiration. However, such simplifications ignore real variability among stands, species, and individual trees that may strongly influence transpiration across spatial and temporal scales. To capture this variability, we monitored transpiration in 48 individual trees of multiple species in both undisturbed (400+ yr) and historically logged (80 - 120 yr) forests. Using modern and historic forest surveys, we upscaled our observations to stand and regional scales to identify the key changes impacting transpiration. We extended these inferences by establishing a relationship between transpiration and measured surface temperature, linking disturbance-induced changes in structure and composition to local and regional climate. Despite greater potential evapotranspiration and basal area, undisturbed forest transpired less than disturbed (logged) forest. Transpiration was a strong predictor of surface temperature, and the canopy surface was warmer in undisturbed forest. Transpiration differences among disturbed and undisturbed forests resulted from (1) lesser transpiration and dampened seasonality in evergreen species (2) greater transpiration in younger individuals within a species, and (3) strong transpiration by large individuals. When transpiration was scaled to the stand or regional level in a simplified manner (e.g. a single transpiration rate for all deciduous individuals), the resulting estimates differed markedly from the original. Stand- species- and individual-level traits are therefore essential for understanding how transpiration and

Submersed Aquatic Vegetation Modeling Output Online

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Yin, Yao; Rogala, Jim; Sullivan, John; Rohweder, Jason

2005-01-01

.... Predictions for distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation beds can potentially increase hunter observance of voluntary avoidance zones where foraging birds are left alone to feed undisturbed...

The mean Evershed flow

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, W.-R.

1984-09-01

The paper gives a theoretical analysis of the overall characteristics of the Evershed flow (one of the main features of sunspots), with particular attention given to its outward flow from the umbra in the photosphere, reaching a maximum somewhere in the penumbra, and decreasing rapidly further out, and its inward flow of a comparable magnitude in chromosphere. Because the inertial force of the flow is small, the relevant dynamic process can be divided into a base state and a perturbation. The base-state solution yields the equilibrium relations between the pressure gradient, the Lorentz force, and gravity, and the flow law. The perturbation describes the force driving the Evershed flow. Since the pressure gradient in the base state is already in equilibrium with the Lorentz force and the gravity, the driving force of the mean Evershed flow is small.

On Solar Granulations, Limb Darkening, and Sunspots: Brief Insights in Remembrance of Father Angelo Secchi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Father Angelo Secchi used the existence of solar granulation as a central line of rea- soning when he advanced that the Sun was a gaseous body with a photosphere contain- ing incandescent particulate matter (Secchi A. Sulla Struttura della Fotosfera Solare. Bullettino Meteorologico dell’Osservatorio del Collegio Romano , 30 November 1864, v.3(11, 1–3. Secchi saw the granules as condensed matter emitting the photospheric spectrum, while the darkened intergranular lanes conveyed the presence of a gaseous solar interior. Secchi also considered the nature of sunspots and limb darkening. In the context of modern solar models, opacity arguments currently account for the emis- sive properties of the photosphere. Optical depth is thought to explain limb darkening. Both temperature variations and magnetic fields are invoked to justify the weakened emissivities of sunspots, even though the presence of static magnetic fields in materi- als is not usually associated with modified emissivity. Conversely, within the context of a liquid metallic hydrogen solar model, the appearance of granules, limb darkening, and sunspots can be elegantly understood through the varying directional emissivity of condensed matter. A single explanation is applicable to all three phenomena. Granular contrast can be directly associated with the generation of limb darkening. Depending on size, granules can be analyzed by considering Kolmogoroff’s formulations and B ́ enard convection, respectively, both of which were observed using incompressible liquids, not gases. Granules follow the 2-dimensional space filling laws of Aboav-Weiner and Lewis. Their adherence to these structural laws provides supportive evidence that the granular surface of the Sun represents elements which can only be constructed from condensed matter. A gaseous Sun cannot be confined to a 2-dimensional framework. Mesogranules, supergranules, and giant cells constitute additional entities which further

Contamination and migration of Chernobyl radiocaesium in upland soils of NE Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giovani, C.; Padovani, R.; Fadone, A.; Scruzzi, E.

1994-01-01

The behaviour of radiocaesium from Chernobyl fallout undisturbed soils of the mountain areas of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region (NE Italy) has been monitored by sampling surveys carried out in 1987, 1988 and 1990. About 800 soil samples were collected in 55 sites to estimate radiocaesium inventories the upper 10 cm layer of soil. Vertical profiles consisting of 4 to 7 samples were also collected to detect downward migration of radiocaesium. Surface activities are presented and discussed with regard to different ecosystems. The main features of the pattern of deposition on undisturbed fields and forests are outlined. The behaviour of radiocaesium in the environment is interpreted on the basis of results from the comparison of the three sets of samples

Active Return-to-Center Control Based on Torque and Angle Sensors for Electric Power Steering Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pan-Pan Du

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a complete control strategy of the active return-to-center (RTC control for electric power steering (EPS systems. We first establish the mathematical model of the EPS system and analyze the source and influence of the self-aligning torque (SAT. Second, based on the feedback signals of steering column torque and steering wheel angle, we give the trigger conditions of a state switch between the steering assist state and the RTC state. In order to avoid the sudden change of the output torque for the driving motor when the state switches frequently between the steering assist state and the RTC state, we design an undisturbed state switching logic algorithm. This state switching logic algorithm ensures that the output value of the RTC controller is set to an initial value and increases in given steps up to a maximum value after entering the RTC state, and the output value of the RTC controller will reduce in given steps down to zero when exiting the RTC state. This therefore ensures smooth switch control between the two states and improves the driver’s steering feeling. Third, we design the RTC controller, which depends upon the feedback signals of the steering wheel angle and the angular velocity. In addition, the controller increases the auxiliary control function of the RTC torque based on vehicle speed. The experimental results show that the active RTC control method does not affect the basic assist characteristics, which effectively reduces the residual angle of the steering wheel at low vehicle speed and improves the RTC performance of the vehicle.

Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Vehicles in Beijing, Baoding, and Shijiazhuang, China during CAREBEIJING Field Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez García-Pando, C.; Miller, R. L.; Perlwitz, J. P.; Kok, J. F.; Scanza, R.; Mahowald, N. M.

2014-12-01

Mineral dust created by wind erosion of soil particles is the dominant aerosol by mass in the atmosphere. It exerts significant effects on radiative fluxes, clouds, ocean biogeochemistry, and human health. Models that predict the lifecycle of mineral dust aerosols generally assume a globally uniform mineral composition. However, this simplification limits our understanding of the role of dust in the Earth system, since the effects of dust strongly depend on the particles' physical and chemical properties, which vary with their mineral composition. Hence, not only a detailed understanding of the processes determining the dust emission flux is needed, but also information about its size dependent mineral composition. Determining the mineral composition of dust aerosols is complicated. The largest uncertainty derives from the current atlases of soil mineral composition. These atlases provide global estimates of soil mineral fractions, but they are based upon massive extrapolation of a limited number of soil samples assuming that mineral composition is related to soil type. This disregards the potentially large variability of soil properties within each defined soil type. In addition, the analysis of these soil samples is based on wet sieving, a technique that breaks the aggregates found in the undisturbed parent soil. During wind erosion, these aggregates are subject to partial fragmentation, which generates differences on the size distribution and composition between the undisturbed parent soil and the emitted dust aerosols. We review recent progress on the representation of the mineral and chemical composition of dust in climate models. We discuss extensions of brittle fragmentation theory to prescribe the emitted size-resolved dust composition, and we identify key processes and uncertainties based upon model simulations and an unprecedented compilation of observations.

Dust Composition in Climate Models: Current Status and Prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez García-Pando, C.; Miller, R. L.; Perlwitz, J. P.; Kok, J. F.; Scanza, R.; Mahowald, N. M.

2015-12-01

Mineral dust created by wind erosion of soil particles is the dominant aerosol by mass in the atmosphere. It exerts significant effects on radiative fluxes, clouds, ocean biogeochemistry, and human health. Models that predict the lifecycle of mineral dust aerosols generally assume a globally uniform mineral composition. However, this simplification limits our understanding of the role of dust in the Earth system, since the effects of dust strongly depend on the particles' physical and chemical properties, which vary with their mineral composition. Hence, not only a detailed understanding of the processes determining the dust emission flux is needed, but also information about its size dependent mineral composition. Determining the mineral composition of dust aerosols is complicated. The largest uncertainty derives from the current atlases of soil mineral composition. These atlases provide global estimates of soil mineral fractions, but they are based upon massive extrapolation of a limited number of soil samples assuming that mineral composition is related to soil type. This disregards the potentially large variability of soil properties within each defined soil type. In addition, the analysis of these soil samples is based on wet sieving, a technique that breaks the aggregates found in the undisturbed parent soil. During wind erosion, these aggregates are subject to partial fragmentation, which generates differences on the size distribution and composition between the undisturbed parent soil and the emitted dust aerosols. We review recent progress on the representation of the mineral and chemical composition of dust in climate models. We discuss extensions of brittle fragmentation theory to prescribe the emitted size-resolved dust composition, and we identify key processes and uncertainties based upon model simulations and an unprecedented compilation of observations.

ESTIMATING ELECTRIC FIELDS FROM VECTOR MAGNETOGRAM SEQUENCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, G. H.; Welsch, B. T.; Abbett, W. P.; Bercik, D. J.

2010-01-01

Determining the electric field distribution on the Sun's photosphere is essential for quantitative studies of how energy flows from the Sun's photosphere, through the corona, and into the heliosphere. This electric field also provides valuable input for data-driven models of the solar atmosphere and the Sun-Earth system. We show how observed vector magnetogram time series can be used to estimate the photospheric electric field. Our method uses a 'poloidal-toroidal decomposition' (PTD) of the time derivative of the vector magnetic field. These solutions provide an electric field whose curl obeys all three components of Faraday's Law. The PTD solutions are not unique; the gradient of a scalar potential can be added to the PTD electric field without affecting consistency with Faraday's Law. We then present an iterative technique to determine a potential function consistent with ideal MHD evolution; but this field is also not a unique solution to Faraday's Law. Finally, we explore a variational approach that minimizes an energy functional to determine a unique electric field, a generalization of Longcope's 'Minimum Energy Fit'. The PTD technique, the iterative technique, and the variational technique are used to estimate electric fields from a pair of synthetic vector magnetograms taken from an MHD simulation; and these fields are compared with the simulation's known electric fields. The PTD and iteration techniques compare favorably to results from existing velocity inversion techniques. These three techniques are then applied to a pair of vector magnetograms of solar active region NOAA AR8210, to demonstrate the methods with real data. Careful examination of the results from all three methods indicates that evolution of the magnetic vector by itself does not provide enough information to determine the true electric field in the photosphere. Either more information from other measurements, or physical constraints other than those considered here are necessary to find

Observational Evidence of Shallow Origins for the Magnetic Fields of Solar Cycles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara F. Martin

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Observational evidence for the origin of active region magnetic fields has been sought from published information on extended solar cycles, statistical distributions of active regions and ephemeral regions, helioseismology results, positional relationships to supergranules, and fine-scale magnetic structure of active regions and their sunspots during their growth. Statistical distributions of areas of ephemeral and active regions blend together to reveal a single power law. The shape of the size distribution in latitude of all active regions is independent of time during the solar cycle, yielding further evidence that active regions of all sizes belong to the same population. Elementary bipoles, identified also by other names, appear to be the building blocks of active regions; sunspots form from elementary bipoles and are therefore deduced to develop from the photosphere downward, consistent with helioseismic detection of downflows to 3–4 Mm below sunspots as well as long-observed downflows from chromospheric/coronal arch filaments into sunspots from their earliest appearance. Time-distance helioseismology has been effective in revealing flows related to sunspots to depths of 20 Mm. Ring diagram analysis shows a statistically significant preference for upflows to precede major active region emergence and downflows after flux emergence but both are often observed together or not detected. From deep-focus helioseismic techniques for seeking magnetic flux below the photosphere prior major active regions, there is evidence of acoustic travel-time perturbation signatures rising in the limited range of depths of 42–75 Mm but these have not been verified or found at more shallow depths by helioseismic holographic techniques. The development of active regions from clusters of elementary bipoles appears to be the same irrespective of how much flux an active region eventually develops. This property would be consistent with the magnetic fields of

Influence of Disturbance on Soil Respiration in Biologically Crusted Soil during the Dry Season

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Feng

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Soil respiration (Rs is a major pathway for carbon cycling and is a complex process involving abiotic and biotic factors. Biological soil crusts (BSCs are a key biotic component of desert ecosystems worldwide. In desert ecosystems, soils are protected from surface disturbance by BSCs, but it is unknown whether Rs is affected by disturbance of this crust layer. We measured Rs in three types of disturbed and undisturbed crusted soils (algae, lichen, and moss, as well as bare land from April to August, 2010, in Mu Us desert, northwest China. Rs was similar among undisturbed soils but increased significantly in disturbed moss and algae crusted soils. The variation of Rs in undisturbed and disturbed soil was related to soil bulk density. Disturbance also led to changes in soil organic carbon and fine particles contents, including declines of 60–70% in surface soil C and N, relative to predisturbance values. Once BSCs were disturbed, Q10 increased. Our findings indicate that a loss of BSCs cover will lead to greater soil C loss through respiration. Given these results, understanding the disturbance sensitivity impact on Rs could be helpful to modify soil management practices which promote carbon sequestration.

The Suitable Geological Formations for Spent Fuel Disposal in Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marunteanu, C.; Ionita, G.; Durdun, I.

2007-01-01

Using the experience in the field of advanced countries and formerly Romanian program data, ANDRAD, the agency responsible for the disposal of radioactive wastes, started the program for spent fuel disposal in deep geological formations with a documentary analysis at the national scale. The potential geological formations properly characterized elsewhere in the world: salt, clay, volcanic tuff, granite and crystalline rocks,. are all present in Romania. Using general or specific selection criteria, we presently consider the following two areas for candidate geological formations: 1. Clay formations in two areas in the western part of Romania: (1) The Pannonian basin Socodor - Zarand, where the clay formation is 3000 m thick, with many bentonitic strata and undisturbed structure, and (2) The Eocene Red Clay on the Somes River, extending 1200 m below the surface. They both need a large investigation program in order to establish and select the required homogeneous, dry and undisturbed zones at a suitable depth. 2. Old platform green schist formations, low metamorphosed, quartz and feldspar rich rocks, in the Central Dobrogea structural unit, not far from Cernavoda NPP (30 km average distance), 3000 m thick and including many homogeneous, fine granular, undisturbed, up to 300 m thick layers. (authors)

Hydrocarbon and Carbon Dioxide Fluxes from Natural Gas Well Pad Soils and Surrounding Soils in Eastern Utah.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyman, Seth N; Watkins, Cody; Jones, Colleen P; Mansfield, Marc L; McKinley, Michael; Kenney, Donna; Evans, Jordan

2017-10-17

We measured fluxes of methane, nonmethane hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide from natural gas well pad soils and from nearby undisturbed soils in eastern Utah. Methane fluxes varied from less than zero to more than 38 g m -2 h -1 . Fluxes from well pad soils were almost always greater than from undisturbed soils. Fluxes were greater from locations with higher concentrations of total combustible gas in soil and were inversely correlated with distance from well heads. Several lines of evidence show that the majority of emission fluxes (about 70%) were primarily due to subsurface sources of raw gas that migrated to the atmosphere, with the remainder likely caused primarily by re-emission of spilled liquid hydrocarbons. Total hydrocarbon fluxes during summer were only 39 (16, 97)% as high as during winter, likely because soil bacteria consumed the majority of hydrocarbons during summer months. We estimate that natural gas well pad soils account for 4.6 × 10 -4 (1.6 × 10 -4 , 1.6 × 10 -3 )% of total emissions of hydrocarbons from the oil and gas industry in Utah's Uinta Basin. Our undisturbed soil flux measurements were not adequate to quantify rates of natural hydrocarbon seepage in the Uinta Basin.

Dual-band infrared capabilities for imaging buried object sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Del Grande, N.K.; Durbin, P.F.; Gorvad, M.R.; Perkins, D.E.; Clark, G.A.; Hernandez, J.E.; Sherwood, R.J.

1993-04-02

We discuss dual-band infrared (DBIR) capabilities for imaging buried object sizes. We identify physical features affecting thermal contrast needed to distinguish buried object sites from undisturbed sites or surface clutter. Apart from atmospheric transmission and system performance, these features include: object size, shape, and burial depth; ambient soil, disturbed soil and object site thermal diffusivity differences; surface temperature, emissivity, plant-cover, slope, albedo and roughness variations; weather conditions and measurement times. We use good instrumentation to measure the time-varying temperature differences between buried object sites and undisturbed soil sites. We compare near surface soil temperature differences with radiometric infrared (IR) surface temperature differences recorded at 4.7 {plus_minus} 0.4 {mu}m and at 10.6 {plus_minus} 1.0 {mu}m. By producing selective DBIR image ratio maps, we distinguish temperature-difference patterns from surface emissivity effects. We discuss temperature differences between buried object sites, filled hole site (without buried objects), cleared (undisturbed) soil sites, and grass-covered sites (with and without different types of surface clutter). We compare temperature, emissivity-ratio, visible and near-IR reflectance signatures of surface objects, leafy plants and sod. We discuss the physical aspects of environmental, surface and buried target features affecting interpretation of buried targets, surface objects and natural backgrounds.

A correction procedure for thermally two-way coupled point-particles

Science.gov (United States)

Horwitz, Jeremy; Ganguli, Swetava; Mani, Ali; Lele, Sanjiva

2017-11-01

Development of a robust procedure for the simulation of two-way coupled particle-laden flows remains a challenge. Such systems are characterized by O(1) or greater mass of particles relative to the fluid. The coupling of fluid and particle motion via a drag model means the undisturbed fluid velocity evaluated at the particle location (which is needed in the drag model) is no longer equal to the interpolated fluid velocity at the particle location. The same issue arises in problems of dispersed flows in the presence of heat transfer. The heat transfer rate to each particle depends on the difference between the particle's temperature and the undisturbed fluid temperature. We borrow ideas from the correction scheme we have developed for particle-fluid momentum coupling by developing a procedure to estimate the undisturbed fluid temperature given the disturbed temperature field created by a point-particle. The procedure is verified for the case of a particle settling under gravity and subject to radiation. The procedure is developed in the low Peclet, low Boussinesq number limit, but we will discuss the applicability of the same correction procedure outside of this regime when augmented by appropriate drag and heat exchange correlations. Supported by DOE, J. H. Supported by NSF GRF

Sulphur, zinc and carbon in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Skúladóttir, Ása

2016-01-01

The Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy is a Milky Way satellite with predominantly old stellar population, and therefore the ideal target to study early chemical evolution. The chemical abundances of photospheres of stars reveal the composition of their birth environment; studying stars of different

Report on the Dutch expedition to observe the 1973 June 30 solar eclipse. II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houtgast, J.; Namba, O.

1979-01-01

This paper continues to report the Dutch expedition to Atar, Mauritania, to observe the total solar eclipse of June 30, 1973. The purpose of this expedition was to obtain spectra from the transition region photosphere-chromosphere with high spectral and time resolution. (Auth.)

Evidence of Magnetoacoustic Oscillations above the Brightened and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A. K. SRIVASTAVA

2017-11-23

Nov 23, 2017 ... The plane-parallel and structured localized atmosphere from the photosphere ... In this paper, we study the chromospheric Ca II H. 3968 Å and near ... in the mag- netic field. 2www.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/solar/ssw/hinode/sot/.

The Photospheric Flow near the Flare Locations of Active Regions

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

tribpo

in the active regions along with few locations of upflows. The localised upflows are observed in the light bridges and emerging flux regions with different speeds (Beckers & Schroter 1969). The flow patterns of flare locations in the active regions are observed by using the tower vector magnetograph (TVM) of Marshall.