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Journal articleBelmonte MT, Pickering JC, Ruffoni MP, et al., 2017,
Fe I Oscillator Strengths for Transitions from High-lying Odd-parity Levels
, Astrophysical Journal, Vol: 848, ISSN: 0004-637XWe report new experimental Fe I oscillator strengths obtained by combining measurements of branching fractionsmeasured with a Fourier Transform spectrometer and time-resolved, laser-induced fluorescence lifetimes. Thisstudy covers the spectral region ranging from 213 to 1033 nm. A total of 120 experimental log( ) gf -values comingfrom 15 odd-parity energy levels are provided, 22 of which have not been reported previously and 63 of whichhave values with lower uncertainty than the existing data. The radiative lifetimes for 60 upper energy levels arepresented, 39 of which have no previous measurements.
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Journal articleBall WT, Alsing J, Mortlock DJ, et al., 2017,
Reconciling differences in stratospheric ozone composites
, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol: 17, Pages: 12269-12302, ISSN: 1680-7316Observations of stratospheric ozone from multipleinstruments now span three decades; combining these intocomposite datasets allows long-term ozone trends to be estimated.Recently, several ozone composites have been published,but trends disagree by latitude and altitude, even betweencomposites built upon the same instrument data. Weconfirm that the main causes of differences in decadal trendestimates lie in (i) steps in the composite time series when theinstrument source data changes and (ii) artificial sub-decadaltrends in the underlying instrument data. These artefacts introducefeatures that can alias with regressors in multiple linearregression (MLR) analysis; both can lead to inaccuratetrend estimates. Here, we aim to remove these artefacts usingBayesian methods to infer the underlying ozone time seriesfrom a set of composites by building a joint-likelihoodfunction using a Gaussian-mixture density to model outliersintroduced by data artefacts, together with a data-driven prioron ozone variability that incorporates knowledge of problemsduring instrument operation. We apply this Bayesianself-calibration approach to stratospheric ozone in 10◦ bandsfrom 60◦ S to 60◦ N and from 46 to 1 hPa (∼ 21–48 km) for1985–2012. There are two main outcomes: (i) we independentlyidentify and confirm many of the data problems previouslyidentified, but which remain unaccounted for in existingcomposites; (ii) we construct an ozone composite, withuncertainties, that is free from most of these problems – wecall this the BAyeSian Integrated and Consolidated (BASIC)composite. To analyse the new BASIC composite, we usedynamical linear modelling (DLM), which provides a morerobust estimate of long-term changes through Bayesian inferencethan MLR. BASIC and DLM, together, provide astep forward in improving estimates of decadal trends. Ourresults indicate a significant recovery of ozone since 1998 inthe upper stratosphere, of both northern and southern midlatitudes,in all f
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Journal articleShawki D, Field RD, Tippett MK, et al., 2017,
Long-Lead Prediction of the 2015 Fire and Haze Episode in Indonesia
, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol: 44, Pages: 9996-10005, ISSN: 0094-8276We conducted a case study of National Centers for Environmental Prediction Climate Forecast System version 2 seasonal model forecast performance over Indonesia in predicting the dry conditions in 2015 that led to severe fire, in comparison to the non-El Niño dry season conditions of 2016. Forecasts of the Drought Code (DC) component of Indonesia's Fire Danger Rating System were examined across the entire equatorial Asia region and for the primary burning regions within it. Our results show that early warning lead times of high observed DC in September and October 2015 varied considerably for different regions. High DC over Southern Kalimantan and Southern New Guinea were predicted with 180 day lead times, whereas Southern Sumatra had lead times of up to only 60 days, which we attribute to the absence in the forecasts of an eastward decrease in Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures. This case study provides the starting point for longer-term evaluation of seasonal fire danger rating forecasts over Indonesia.
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Journal articleWhite B, Gryspeerdt E, Stier P, et al., 2017,
Uncertainty from the choice of microphysics scheme in convection-permitting models significantly exceeds aerosol effects
, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions, Vol: 17, Pages: 12145-12175, ISSN: 1680-7367This study investigates the hydrometeor development and response to cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) perturbations in convection-permitting model configurations. We present results from a real-data simulation of deep convection in the Congo basin, an idealised supercell case, and a warm-rain large-eddy simulation (LES). In each case we compare two frequently used double-moment bulk microphysics schemes and investigate the response to CDNC perturbations. In the Congo basin simulations both microphysics schemes have large positive biases in surface precipitation, frequency of high radar reflectivities and frequency of cold cloud compared to observations. In all cases, differences in the simulated cloud morphology and precipitation are found to be significantly greater between the microphysics schemes than due to CDNC perturbations within each scheme. Further, we show that the response of the hydrometeors to CDNC perturbations strongly differs not just between microphysics schemes but also between different cases of convection. Sensitivity tests show that the representation of autoconversion is the dominant factor that drives differences in rain production between the microphysics schemes in the idealised precipitating shallow cumulus case and in a sub-region of the Congo basin simulations dominated by liquid-phase processes. In this region, rain mass is also shown to be relatively insensitive to the radiative effects of an overlying layer of ice-phase cloud. In the idealised supercell case, thermodynamic impacts on the storm system using different microphysics parameterisations can equal those due to aerosol effects. These results highlight the large uncertainty in cloud and precipitation responses to aerosol in convection-permitting simulations and have important implications not just for modelling studies of aerosol-convection interaction. These results indicate the continuing need for tighter observational constraints of cloud processes and response to aer
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Journal articleLacombe C, Alexandrova O, Matteini L, 2017,
Anisotropies of the Magnetic Field Fluctuations at Kinetic Scales in the Solar Wind: Cluster Observations
, ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, Vol: 848, ISSN: 0004-637XWe present the first statistical study of the anisotropy of the magnetic field turbulence in the solar wind between 1 and 200 Hz, i.e., from proton to sub-electron scales. We consider 93 ten-minute intervals of the Cluster/STAFF measurements. We find that the fluctuations $\delta {B}_{\perp }^{2}$ are not gyrotropic at a given frequency f, a property already observed at larger scales ($\parallel /\perp $ means parallel/perpendicular to the average magnetic ${{\boldsymbol{B}}}_{0}$). This non-gyrotropy gives indications of the angular distribution of the wave vectors ${\boldsymbol{k}}$: at $f\lt $ 10 Hz, we find that ${k}_{\perp }\gg {k}_{\parallel }$, mainly in the fast wind; at $f\,\gt $ 10 Hz, fluctuations with a non-negligible k ∥ are also present. We then consider the anisotropy ratio $\delta {B}_{\parallel }^{2}/\delta {B}_{\perp }^{2}$, which is a measure of the magnetic compressibility of the fluctuations. This ratio, always smaller than 1, increases with f. It reaches a value showing that the fluctuations are more or less isotropic at electron scales, for $f\geqslant 50\,\mathrm{Hz}$. From 1 to 15–20 Hz, there is a strong correlation between the observed compressibility and the one expected for the kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs), which only depends on the total plasma β. For $f\gt 15\mbox{--}20\,\mathrm{Hz}$, the observed compressibility is larger than expected for KAWs, and it is stronger in the slow wind: this could be an indication of the presence of a slow-ion acoustic mode of fluctuations, which is more compressive and is favored by the larger values of the electron to proton temperature ratio generally observed in the slow wind.
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Journal articleFarrugia CJ, Lugaz N, Alm L, et al., 2017,
MMS Observations of Reconnection at Dayside Magnetopause Crossings During Transitions of the Solar Wind to Sub-Alfvénic Flow
, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 122, Pages: 9934-9951, ISSN: 2169-9380We present MMS observations during two dayside magnetopause crossings under hithertounexamined conditions: (i) when the bow shock is weakening and the solar wind transitioning tosub-Alfvénic flow and (ii) when it is reforming. Interplanetary conditions consist of a magnetic cloud with (i)a strongB(∼20 nT) pointing south and (ii) a density profile with episodic decreases to values of∼0.3 cm−3followed by moderate recovery. During the crossings the magnetosheath magnetic field is stronger thanthe magnetosphere field by a factor of∼2.2. As a result, during the outbound crossing through the iondiffusion region, MMS observed an inversion of the relative positions of the X and stagnation (S) lines fromthat typically the case: the S line was closer to the magnetosheath side. The S line appears in the form of aslow expansion fan near which most of the energy dissipation is taking place. While in the magnetospherebetween the crossings, MMS observed strong field and flow perturbations, which we argue to be due tokinetic Alfvén waves. During the reconnection interval, whistler mode waves generated by an electrontemperature anisotropy (Te⟂>Te∥) were observed. Another aim of the paper is to distinguish bowshock-induced field and flow perturbations from reconnection-related signatures. The high-resolutionMMS data together with 2-D hybrid simulations of bow shock dynamics helped us to distinguish betweenthe two sources. We show examples of bow shock-related effects (such as heating) and reconnectioneffects such as accelerated flows satisfying the Walén relation.
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Journal articleGingell IL, Schwartz SJ, Burgess D, et al., 2017,
MMS observations and hybrid simulations of surface ripples at a marginally quasi-parallel shock
, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 122, Pages: 11003-11017, ISSN: 2169-9380Simulations and observations of collisionless shocks have shown that deviations of the nominal local shock normal orientation, i.e. surface waves or ripples, are expected to propagate in the ramp and overshoot of quasi-perpendicular shocks. Here, we identify signatures of a surface ripple propagating during a crossing of Earth's marginally quasi-parallel (θBn∼45∘) or quasi-parallel bow shock shock on 2015-11-27 06:01:44 UTC by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, and determine the ripple's properties using multi-spacecraft methods. Using two-dimensional hybrid simulations, we confirm that surface ripples are a feature of marginally quasi-parallel and quasi-parallel shocks under the observed solar wind conditions. In addition, since these marginally quasi-parallel and quasi-parallel shocks are expected to undergo a cyclic reformation of the shock front, we discuss the impact of multiple sources of non-stationarity on shock structure. Importantly, ripples are shown to be transient phenomena, developing faster than an ion gyroperiod and only during the period of the reformation cycle when a newly developed shock ramp is unaffected by turbulence in the foot. We conclude that the change in properties of the ripple observed by MMS is consistent with the reformation of the shock front over a timescale of an ion gyro-period.
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Journal articleMorimoto S, Fujita R, Aoki S, et al., 2017,
Long-term variations of the mole fraction and carbon isotope ratio of atmospheric methane observed at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard from 1996 to 2013
, Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology, Vol: 69, Pages: 1380497-1380497 -
Journal articleWestphal A, Riedl KM, Cooperstone JL, et al., 2017,
High-Pressure Processing of Broccoli Sprouts: Influence on Bioactivation of Glucosinolates to Isothiocyanates
, JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY, Vol: 65, Pages: 8578-8585, ISSN: 0021-8561- Cite
- Citations: 39
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Journal articleDesai RT, Cowee MM, Wei H, et al., 2017,
Hybrid simulations of positively and negatively charged pickup Ions and cyclotron wave generation at Europa
, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 122, Pages: 10408-10420, ISSN: 2169-9380In the vicinity of Europa, Galileo observed bursty Alfvén-cyclotron wave power at the gyrofrequencies of a number of species including K+, O urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra53834:jgra53834-math-0001, Na+, and Cl+, indicating the localized pickup of these species. Additional evidence for the presence of chlorine was the occurrence of both left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) polarized transverse wave power near the Cl+ gyrofrequency, thought to be due to the pickup of both Cl+ and the easily formed chlorine anion, Cl−. To test this hypothesis, we use one-dimensional hybrid (kinetic ion, massless fluid electron) simulations for both positive and negative pickup ions and self-consistently reproduce the growth of both LH and RH Alfvén-cyclotron waves in agreement with linear theory. We show how the simultaneous generation of LH and RH waves can result in nongyrotropic ion distributions and increased wave amplitudes, and how even trace quantities of negative pickup ions are able to generate an observable RH signal. Through comparing simulated and observed wave amplitudes, we are able to place the first constraints on the densities of Chlorine pickup ions in localized regions at Europa.
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Journal articleSouthwood D, Brekke P, 2017,
Norway's most celebrated scientist
, Astronomy and Geophysics, Vol: 58, Pages: 5.28-5.31, ISSN: 1366-8781 -
Journal articlePlaschke F, Karlsson T, Hietala H, et al., 2017,
Magnetosheath high-speed jets: internal structure and interaction with ambient plasma
, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 122, Pages: 10157-10175, ISSN: 2169-9380For the first time, we have studied the rich internal structure of a magnetosheath high‐speed jet. Measurements by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft reveal large‐amplitude density, temperature, and magnetic field variations inside the jet. The propagation velocity and normal direction of planar magnetic field structures (i.e., current sheets and waves) are investigated via four‐spacecraft timing. We find structures to mainly convect with the jet plasma. There are indications of the presence of a tangential discontinuity. At other times, there are small cross‐structure flows. Where this is the case, current sheets and waves overtake the plasma in the jet's core region; ahead and behind that core region, along the jet's path, current sheets are overtaken by the plasma; that is, they move in opposite direction to the jet in the plasma rest frame. Jet structures are found to be mainly thermal and magnetic pressure balance structures, notwithstanding that the dynamic pressure dominates by far. Although the jet is supermagnetosonic in the Earth's frame of reference, it is submagnetosonic with respect to the plasma ahead. Consequently, we find no fast shock. Instead, we find some evidence for (a series of) jets pushing ambient plasma out of their way, thereby stirring the magnetosheath and causing anomalous sunward flows in the subsolar magnetosheath. Furthermore, we find that jets modify the magnetic field in the magnetosheath, aligning it with their propagation direction.
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Journal articleBalogh A, Falanga M, 2017,
Foreword: A Conclusion to the ISSI Series on Astrophysical Magnetic Fields
, SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS, Vol: 212, Pages: 519-521, ISSN: 0038-6308 -
Journal articlePlaschke F, Goetz C, Volwerk M, et al., 2017,
Fluxgate magnetometer offset vector determination by the 3D mirror mode method
, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol: 469, Pages: S675-S684, ISSN: 0035-8711Fluxgate magnetometers on-board spacecraft need to be regularly calibrated in flight. In low fields, the most important calibration parameters are the three offset vector components, which represent the magnetometer measurements in vanishing ambient magnetic fields. In case of three-axis stabilized spacecraft, a few methods exist to determine offsets: (i) by analysis of Alfvénic fluctuations present in the pristine interplanetary magnetic field, (ii) by rolling the spacecraft around at least two axes, (iii) by cross-calibration against measurements from electron drift instruments or absolute magnetometers, and (iv) by taking measurements in regions of well-known magnetic fields, e.g. cometary diamagnetic cavities. In this paper, we introduce a fifth option, the 3-dimensional (3D) mirror mode method, by which 3D offset vectors can be determined using magnetic field measurements of highly compressional waves, e.g. mirror modes in the Earth’s magnetosheath. We test the method by applying it to magnetic field data measured by the following: the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms-C spacecraft in the terrestrial magnetosheath, the Cassini spacecraft in the Jovian magnetosheath and the Rosetta spacecraft in the vicinity of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. The tests reveal that the achievable offset accuracies depend on the ambient magnetic field strength (lower strength meaning higher accuracy), on the length of the underlying data interval (more data meaning higher accuracy) and on the stability of the offset that is to be determined.
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Journal articleKeeling RF, Graven HD, Welp LR, et al., 2017,
Atmospheric evidence for a global secular increase in carbon isotopic discrimination of land photosynthesis
, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol: 114, Pages: 10361-10366, ISSN: 0027-8424A decrease in the 13C/12C ratio of atmospheric CO2 has been documented by direct observations since 1978 and from ice core measurements since the industrial revolution. This decrease, known as the 13C-Suess effect, is driven primarily by the input of fossil fuel-derived CO2 but is also sensitive to land and ocean carbon cycling and uptake. Using updated records, we show that no plausible combination of sources and sinks of CO2 from fossil fuel, land, and oceans can explain the observed 13C-Suess effect unless an increase has occurred in the 13C/12C isotopic discrimination of land photosynthesis. A trend toward greater discrimination under higher CO2 levels is broadly consistent with tree ring studies over the past century, with field and chamber experiments, and with geological records of C3 plants at times of altered atmospheric CO2, but increasing discrimination has not previously been included in studies of long-term atmospheric 13C/12C measurements. We further show that the inferred discrimination increase of 0.014 ± 0.007‰ ppm−1 is largely explained by photorespiratory and mesophyll effects. This result implies that, at the global scale, land plants have regulated their stomatal conductance so as to allow the CO2 partial pressure within stomatal cavities and their intrinsic water use efficiency to increase in nearly constant proportion to the rise in atmospheric CO2 concentration.
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Journal articleSaunois M, Bousquet P, Poulter B, et al., 2017,
Variability and quasi-decadal changes in the methane budget over the period 2000-2012
, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol: 17, Pages: 11135-11161, ISSN: 1680-7316Following the recent Global Carbon Project (GCP) synthesis of the decadal methane (CH4) budget over 2000–2012 (Saunois et al., 2016), we analyse here the same dataset with a focus on quasi-decadal and inter-annual variability in CH4 emissions. The GCP dataset integrates results from top-down studies (exploiting atmospheric observations within an atmospheric inverse-modelling framework) and bottom-up models (including process-based models for estimating land surface emissions and atmospheric chemistry), inventories of anthropogenic emissions, and data-driven approaches. The annual global methane emissions from top-down studies, which by construction match the observed methane growth rate within their uncertainties, all show an increase in total methane emissions over the period 2000–2012, but this increase is not linear over the 13 years. Despite differences between individual studies, the mean emission anomaly of the top-down ensemble shows no significant trend in total methane emissions over the period 2000–2006, during the plateau of atmospheric methane mole fractions, and also over the period 2008–2012, during the renewed atmospheric methane increase. However, the top-down ensemble mean produces an emission shift between 2006 and 2008, leading to 22 [16–32] Tg CH4 yr−1 higher methane emissions over the period 2008–2012 compared to 2002–2006. This emission increase mostly originated from the tropics, with a smaller contribution from mid-latitudes and no significant change from boreal regions. The regional contributions remain uncertain in top-down studies. Tropical South America and South and East Asia seem to contribute the most to the emission increase in the tropics. However, these two regions have only limited atmospheric measurements and remain therefore poorly constrained. The sectorial partitioning of this emission increase between the periods 2002–2006 and 2008–2012 differs from one atmospheric in
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Journal articleMendillo M, Narvaez C, Vogt MF, et al., 2017,
Sources of ionospheric variability at Mars
, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 122, Pages: 9670-9684, ISSN: 2169-9380During the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission's deep-dip #2 campaign of 17–22 April 2015, spacecraft instruments observed all of the physical parameters needed to assess the photo-chemical-equilibrium (PCE) explanation for ionospheric variability at a fixed altitude (135 km) near the peak of the Martian ionosphere. MAVEN measurements of electron density, electron temperature, neutral CO2 density, and solar irradiance were collected during 28 orbits. When inserted into the PCE equation, the measurements of varying PCE drivers correlated with the observed electron density variations to within instrumental uncertainty levels. The dominant source of this positive correlation was the variability of CO2 densities associated with the longitudinal wave-2 component of nonmigrating tides in the Martian thermosphere.
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Journal articleYao ZH, Coates AJ, Ray LC, et al., 2017,
Corotating Magnetic Reconnection Site in Saturn's Magnetosphere
, ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS, Vol: 846, ISSN: 2041-8205Using measurements from theCassinispacecraft in Saturn’s magnetosphere, we propose a 3D physical picture of acorotating reconnection site, which can only be driven by an internally generated source. Our results demonstratethat the corotating magnetic reconnection can drive an expansion of the current sheet in Saturn’s magnetosphereand, consequently, can produce Fermi acceleration of electrons. This reconnection site lasted for longer than one ofSaturn’s rotation period. The long-lasting and corotating natures of the magnetic reconnection site at Saturnsuggest fundamentally different roles of magnetic reconnection in driving magnetospheric dynamics(e.g., theauroral precipitation)from the Earth. Our corotating reconnection picture could also potentially shed light on thefast rotating magnetized plasma environments in the solar system and beyond.
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Journal articleBalogh A, von Steiger R, 2017,
Editorial: Measuring Solar Magnetic Fields-An Outline of History, Current Status and Challenges
, Space Science Reviews, Vol: 210, Pages: 1-3, ISSN: 0038-6308 -
Journal articleNave G, Sansonetti CJ, Townley-Smith K, et al., 2017,
Comprehensive atomic wavelengths, energy levels, and hyperfine structure for singly ionized iron-group elements
, CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICS, Vol: 95, Pages: 811-816, ISSN: 0008-4204 -
Journal articleDougherty MK, 2017,
CASSINI-HUYGENS Saturn in the infrared
, NATURE ASTRONOMY, Vol: 1, Pages: 579-579, ISSN: 2397-3366 -
Journal articleEriksson AI, Engelhardt IAD, Andre M, et al., 2017,
Cold and warm electrons at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol: 605, ISSN: 0004-6361Context. Strong electron cooling on the neutral gas in cometary comae has been predicted for a long time, but actual measurements of low electron temperature are scarce.Aims. Our aim is to demonstrate the existence of cold electrons in the inner coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and show filamentation of this plasma.Methods. In situ measurements of plasma density, electron temperature and spacecraft potential were carried out by the Rosetta Langmuir probe instrument, LAP. We also performed analytical modelling of the expanding two-temperature electron gas.Results. LAP data acquired within a few hundred km from the nucleus are dominated by a warm component with electron temperature typically 5–10 eV at all heliocentric distances covered (1.25 to 3.83 AU). A cold component, with temperature no higher than about 0.1 eV, appears in the data as short (few to few tens of seconds) pulses of high probe current, indicating local enhancement of plasma density as well as a decrease in electron temperature. These pulses first appeared around 3 AU and were seen for longer periods close to perihelion. The general pattern of pulse appearance follows that of neutral gas and plasma density. We have not identified any periods with only cold electrons present. The electron flux to Rosetta was always dominated by higher energies, driving the spacecraft potential to order − 10 V.Conclusions. The warm (5–10 eV) electron population observed throughout the mission is interpreted as electrons retaining the energy they obtained when released in the ionisation process. The sometimes observed cold populations with electron temperatures below 0.1 eV verify collisional cooling in the coma. The cold electrons were only observed together with the warm population. The general appearance of the cold population appears to be consistent with a Haser-like model, implicitly supporting also the coupling of ions to the neutral gas. The expanding cold plasma is unstable, forming fil
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Journal articleLimaye SS, Lebonnois S, Mahieux A, et al., 2017,
The thermal structure of the Venus atmosphere: Intercomparison of Venus Express and ground based observations of vertical temperature and density profiles
, ICARUS, Vol: 294, Pages: 124-155, ISSN: 0019-1035 -
Journal articleSun H, Guo J, Wu S, et al., 2017,
Development and validation of a simplified titration method for monitoring volatile fatty acids in anaerobic digestion
, Waste Management, Vol: 67, Pages: 43-50, ISSN: 0956-053X -
Journal articleJohnston CD, Hood AW, Cargill PJ, et al., 2017,
A new approach for modelling chromospheric evaporation in response to enhanced coronal heating
, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol: 605, Pages: A8-A8, ISSN: 0004-6361We proposed that the use of an approximate “jump condition” at the solar transition region permits fast and accurate numerical solutions of the one dimensional hydrodynamic equations when the corona undergoes impulsive heating. In particular, it eliminates the need for the very short timesteps imposed by a highly resolved numerical grid. This paper presents further examples of the applicability of the method for cases of non-uniform heating, in particular, nanoflare trains (uniform in space but non-uniform in time) and spatially localised impulsive heating, including at the loop apex and base of the transition region. In all cases the overall behaviour of the coronal density and temperature shows good agreement with a fully resolved one dimensional model and is significantly better than the equivalent results from a 1D code run without using the jump condition but with the same coarse grid. A detailed assessment of the errors introduced by the jump condition is presented showing that the causes of discrepancy with the fully resolved code are (i) the neglect of the terms corresponding to the rate of change of total energy in the unresolved atmosphere; (ii) mass motions at the base of the transition region and (iii) for some cases with footpoint heating, an over-estimation of the radiative losses in the transition region.
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Journal articleBao M, Tan X, Hartmann DL, et al., 2017,
Classifying the tropospheric precursor patterns of sudden stratospheric warmings
, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol: 44, Pages: 8011-8016, ISSN: 0094-8276Classifying the tropospheric precursor patterns of sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) may provide insight into the different physical mechanisms of SSWs. Based on 37 major SSWs during the 1958–2014 winters in the ERA reanalysis data sets, the self‐organizing maps method is used to classify the tropospheric precursor patterns of SSWs. The cluster analysis indicates that one of the precursor patterns appears as a mixed pattern consisting of the negative‐signed Western Hemisphere circulation pattern and the positive phase of the Pacific‐North America pattern. The mixed pattern exhibits higher statistical significance as a precursor pattern of SSWs than other previously identified precursors such as the subpolar North Pacific low, Atlantic blocking, and the western Pacific pattern. Other clusters confirm northern European blocking and Gulf of Alaska blocking as precursors of SSWs. Linear interference with the climatological planetary waves provides a simple interpretation for the precursors. The relationship between the classified precursor patterns of SSWs and ENSO phases as well as the types of SSWs is discussed.
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Journal articleSchutgens N, Tsyro S, Gryspeerdt E, et al., 2017,
On the spatio-temporal representativeness of observations
, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions, Vol: 17, Pages: 9761-9780, ISSN: 1680-7367The discontinuous spatio-temporal sampling ofobservations has an impact when using them to construct climatologiesor evaluate models. Here we provide estimates ofthis so-called representation error for a range of timescalesand length scales (semi-annually down to sub-daily, 300 to50 km) and show that even after substantial averaging of datasignificant representation errors may remain, larger than typicalmeasurement errors. Our study considers a variety ofobservations: ground-site or in situ remote sensing (PM2.5,black carbon mass or number concentrations), satellite remotesensing with imagers or lidar (extinction). We show thatobservational coverage (a measure of how dense the spatiotemporalsampling of the observations is) is not an effectivemetric to limit representation errors. Different strategiesto construct monthly gridded satellite L3 data are assessedand temporal averaging of spatially aggregated observations(super-observations) is found to be the best, although it stillallows for significant representation errors. However, temporalcollocation of data (possible when observations are comparedto model data or other observations), combined withtemporal averaging, can be very effective at reducing representationerrors. We also show that ground-based and wideswathimager satellite remote sensing data give rise to similarrepresentation errors, although their observational samplingis different. Finally, emission sources and orographycan lead to representation errors that are very hard to reduce,even with substantial temporal averaging.
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Conference paperSulaiman AH, Masters A, Burgess D, et al., 2017,
Cassini Observations of Saturn's High-Mach Number Bow Shock
, 32nd General Assembly and Scientific Symposium of the International-Union-of-Radio-Science (URSI GASS), Publisher: IEEE -
Journal articleEastwood J, Nakamura R, Turc L, et al., 2017,
The scientific foundations of forecasting magnetospheric space weather
, Space Science Reviews, Vol: 212, Pages: 1221-1252, ISSN: 1572-9672The magnetosphere is the lens through which solar space weather phenomena are focused and directed towards the Earth. In particular, the non-linear interaction of the solar wind with the Earth’s magnetic field leads to the formation of highly inhomogenous electrical currents in the ionosphere which can ultimately result in damage to and problems with the operation of power distribution networks. Since electric power is the fundamental cornerstone of modern life, the interruption of power is the primary pathway by which space weather has impact on human activity and technology. Consequently, in the context of space weather, it is the ability to predict geomagnetic activity that is of key importance. This is usually stated in terms of geomagnetic storms, but we argue that in fact it is the substorm phenomenon which contains the crucial physics, and therefore prediction of substorm occurrence, severity and duration, either within the context of a longer-lasting geomagnetic storm, but potentially also as an isolated event, is of critical importance. Here we review the physics of the magnetosphere in the frame of space weather forecasting, focusing on recent results, current understanding, and an assessment of probable future developments.
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Journal articleStawarz JE, Eastwood JP, Varsani A, et al., 2017,
Magnetospheric Multiscale analysis of intense field-aligned Poynting flux near the Earth's plasma sheet boundary
, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol: 44, Pages: 7106-7113, ISSN: 1944-8007The Magnetospheric Multiscale mission is employed to examine intense Poynting flux directed along the background magnetic field toward Earth, which reaches amplitudes of nearly 2 mW/m2. The event is located within the plasma sheet but likely near the boundary at a geocentric distance of 9 RE in association with bulk flow signatures. The fluctuations have wavelengths perpendicular to the magnetic field of 124–264 km (compared to an ion gyroradius of 280 km), consistent with highly kinetic Alfvén waves. While the wave vector remains highly perpendicular to the magnetic field, there is substantial variation of the direction in the perpendicular plane. The field-aligned Poynting flux may be associated with kinetic Alfvén waves released along the separatrix by magnetotail reconnection and/or the radiation of waves excited by bursty bulk flow braking and may provide a means through which energy released by magnetic reconnection is transferred to the auroral region.
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