Global Energetics Research Articles

GLOBAL ENERGETICS OF SOLAR FLARES. I. MAGNETIC ENERGIES

We present the first part of a project on the global energetics of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that includes about 400 M- and X-class flares observed with AIA and HMI onboard SDO. We calculate the potential energy, free energy, and the flare-dissipated magnetic energy. We calculate these magnetic parameters using two different NLFFF codes: The COR-NLFFF code uses the line-of-sight magnetic field component $B_z$ from HMI to define the potential field, and the 2D coordinates of automatically detected coronal loops in 6 coronal wavelengths from AIA to measure the helical twist of coronal loops caused by vertical currents, while the PHOT-NLFFF code extrapolates the photospheric 3D vector fields. We find agreement between the two codes in the measurement of free energies and dissipated energies within a factor of $ \approx 3$. The size distributions of magnetic parameters exhibit powerlaw slopes that are approximately consistent with the fractal-diffusive self-organized criticality model. The magnetic parameters exhibit scaling laws for the nonpotential energy, $E_{np} \propto E_p^{1.02}$, for the free energy, $E_{free} \propto E_p^{1.7}$ and $E_{free} \propto B_{\varphi}^{1.0} L^{1.5}$, for the dissipated energy, $E_{diss} \propto E_p^{1.6}$ and $E_{diss} \propto E_{free}^{0.9}$, and the energy dissipation volume, $V \propto E_{diss}^{1.2}$. The potential energies vary in the range of $E_p = 1 \times 10^{31} - 4 \times 10^{33}$ erg, while the free energy has a ratio of $E_{free}/E_p \approx 1%-25%$. The Poynting flux amounts to $F_{flare} \approx 5 \times 10^{8} - 10^{10}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ during flares, which averages to $F_{AR} \approx 6 \times 10^6$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ during the entire observation period and is comparable with the coronal heating rate requirement in active regions.

A Global and Hemispherical Analysis of the Lorenz Energetics Based on the Representative Concentration Pathways Used in CMIP5

So far, only a few studies have evaluated the impact of greenhouse gases emissions on the global and limited area energetics. Furthermore, all of them have concentrated on the increasing of CO2. As new climate projections are now available from a number of climate models under the MPI-ESR-MR experiment, the present study analyses the global and hemispherical energetics under the increase of greenhouse gas forcings that follow Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP26, RCP45, and RCP85). The results have shown a reduction in theLECintensity as the concentration of greenhouse gases increases, with the RCP85 scenario generating the strongest decrease. For both global and hemispherical domains, zonal kinetic energy is the only energy reservoir which increases in a warmer environment, whereas the conversion between eddy kinetic energy and zonal kinetic energy (CK) is the only energy flux also experiencing an increase. A quantitative analysis of the inner processes involved in the conversion terms shows important changes in the horizontal and vertical eddy-transport of momentum and sensible heat. In the case ofCKboth vertical and horizontal eddy-transports of momentum play an important role in the increase of zonal kinetic energy for the global domain.

A Space Domain Energetics Study for CO2Increasing Based on SRES-A2 Emission Scenario

This work presents a detailed investigation of the changes in the global pattern of energetics under a prescribed temporal evolution of CO2concentration as proposed by the A2 IPCC forcing scenario (SRES-A2) using a combination of reanalysis and climate models. A validation climatology is computed using the classic Lorenz energetic formulation, with generation and dissipation components estimated as residuals. The results show a good agreement overall between models and reanalysis for the present day climate, noting that the models generally give more zonal energy and less eddy energy when compared to the reanalysis. Spatial analysis translates the above results as models depicting greater energy associated with the subtropical jet streams than effectively observed. This pattern is observed regardless of season or hemisphere. The projections for future climate scenarios suggest a further increase in the zonal kinetic energy, with a slight average reduction in all other terms. This pattern is seen in association with a substantial decrease in the conversion term mainly associated with sensible heat transport (CA) under a warmer climate. In agreement with recent work in the literature, our results suggest an overall reduction of the global energetics under increasing CO2.

An approximate energy cycle for inter-member variability in ensemble simulations of a regional climate model

The presence of internal variability (IV) in ensembles of nested regional climate model (RCM) simulations is now widely acknowledged in the community working on dynamical downscaling. IV is defined as the inter-member spread between members in an ensemble of simulations performed by a given RCM driven by identical lateral boundary conditions (LBC), where different members are being initialised at different times. The physical mechanisms responsible for the time variations and structure of such IV have only recently begun to receive attention. Recent studies have shown empirical evidence of a close parallel between the energy conversions associated with the time fluctuations of IV in ensemble simulations of RCM and the energy conversions taking place in weather systems. Inspired by the classical work on global energetics of weather systems, we sought a formulation of an energy cycle for IV that would be applicable for limited-area domain. We develop here a novel formalism based on local energetics that can be applied to further our understanding IV. Prognostic equations for ensemble-mean kinetic energy and available enthalpy are decomposed into contributions due to ensemble-mean variables (EM) and those due to deviations from the ensemble mean (IV). Together these equations constitute an energy cycle for IV in ensemble simulations of RCM. Although the energy cycle for IV was developed in a context entirely different from that of energetics of weather systems, the exchange terms between the various reservoirs have a rather similar mathematical form, which facilitates some interpretations of their physical meaning.

Climate sensitivity: should the climate tail wag the policy dog?

The small but stubbornly unyielding possibility of a very large long-term response of global temperature to increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide can be termed the fat tail of high climate sensitivity. Recent economic analyses suggest that the fat tail should dominate a rational policy strategy if the damages associated with such high temperatures are large enough. The conclusions of such analyses, however, depend on how economic growth, temperature changes, and climate damages unfold and interact over time. In this paper we focus on the role of two robust physical properties of the climate system: the enormous thermal inertia of the ocean, and the long timescales associated with high climate sensitivity. Economic models that include a climate component, and particularly those that focus on the tails of the probability distributions, should properly represent the physics of this slow response to high climate sensitivity, including the correlated uncertainty between present forcing and climate sensitivity, and the global energetics of the present climate state. If climate sensitivity in fact proves to be high, these considerations prevent the high temperatures in the fat tail from being reached for many centuries. A failure to include these factors risks distorting the resulting economic analyses. For example, we conclude that fat-tail considerations will not strongly influence economic analyses when these analyses follow the common—albeit controversial—practices of assigning large damages only to outcomes with very high temperature changes and of assuming a significant baseline level of economic growth.

Impact of the Warming Pattern on Global Energetics

Abstract The warming pattern due to higher greenhouse gas concentrations is expected to affect the global atmospheric energetics mainly via changes in the (i) meridional temperature gradient and (ii) mean static stability. Changes in surface meridional temperature gradients have been previously regarded as the determining feature for the energetics response, but recent studies suggest that changes in mean static stability may be more relevant than previously thought. This study aims to determine the relative importance of these two effects by comparing the energetics responses due to different warming patterns using a fully coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model. By means of an additional diabatic forcing, experiments with different warming patterns are obtained: one with a 2xCO2-like pattern that validates the method, one with only the tropical upper-tropospheric warming, and one with only the high-latitude surface warming. The study’s findings suggest that the dominant aspect of the warming pattern that alters the global atmospheric energetics is not its associated meridional temperature gradient changes, but the mean static stability changes. The tropical upper warming weakens the energetics by increasing the mean static stability, whereas the surface warming strengthens it by reducing the mean static stability. The combined 2xCO2-like response is dominated by the tropical upper-tropospheric warming effect, hence the weaker energetic activity. Eddy kinetic energy changes consistently, but the two opposite responses nearly cancel each other in the 2xCO2 case. Therefore, estimates of future changes in storminess may be particularly sensitive to the relative magnitude of the main features of the simulated warming pattern.

Impact of the Vertical Resolution of Analysis Data on the Estimates of Large-Scale Inertio-Gravity Energy

AbstractThis paper deals with the large-scale inertio-gravity (IG) wave energy in the operational ECMWF analyses in July 2007. Energy percentages of the IG waves obtained from the standard-pressure-level data are compared to those derived from various discretizations of the model-level data. The results show a small albeit systematic increase of the IG energy percentage as the vertical level density increases from the standard-pressure levels toward the model-level density; the small relative change is explained by the sufficient vertical resolution to resolve the large-scale IG waves in the tropics that make the majority of the global IG energy on large scales. A relatively larger increase of the IG energy is obtained when the mesospheric model levels are included; however, the analyses at these levels in July 2007 are less reliable. Furthermore, two numerical methods for the normal-mode function (NMF) decomposition are shown to provide similar results. The decomposition of atmospheric analyses into the NMF series is proposed as a tool to analyze the spatial and temporal variations of the large-scale equatorial waves and their role in global energetics.

Cotidal charts and tidal power input atlases of the global ocean from TOPEX/Poseidon and JASON-1 altimetry

The global distributions of eight principal tidal constituents, M2, S2, K1, O1, N2, K2, P1, and Q1, are derived using TOPEX/Poseidon and JASON-1(T/P-J) satellite altimeter data for 16 a. The intercomparison of the derived harmonics at 7000 subsatellite track crossover points shows that the root mean square (RMS) values of the tidal height differences of the above eight constituents range from 1.19 cm to 2.67 cm, with an average of about 2 cm. The RMS values of the tidal height differences between T/P-J solutions and the harmonics from ground measurements at 152 tidal gauge stations for the above constituents range from 0.34 cm to 1.08 cm, and the relative deviations range from 0.031 to 0.211. The root sum square of the RMS differences of these eight constituents is 2.12 cm, showing the improvement of the present model over the existing global ocean tidal models. Based on the obtained tidal model the global ocean tidal energetics is studied and the global distribution of the tidal power input density by tide-generating force of each constituent is calculated, showing that the power input source regions of semidiurnal tides are mainly concentrated in the tropical belt between 30°S and 30°N, while the power input source regions of diurnal tides are mainly concentrated off the tropic oceans. The global energy dissipation rates of the M2, S2, K1, O1, N2, P1, K2 and Q1 tides are 2.424, 0.401, 0.334, 0.160, 0.113, 0.035, 0.030 and 0.006 TW, respectively. The total global tidal dissipation rate of these eight constituents amounts to 3.5 TW.

The energetics response to a warmer climate: relative contributions from the transient and stationary eddies

Abstract. We use the Lorenz Energy Cycle (LEC) to evaluate changes in global energetic activity due to CO2-doubling in the coupled atmosphere-ocean ECHAM5/MPI-OM model. Globally, the energetic activity – measured as the total conversion rate of available potential energy into kinetic energy – decreases by about 4 %. This weakening results from a dual response that consists of a strengthening of the LEC in the upper-troposphere and a weakening in the lower and middle troposphere. This is fully consistent with results from a coarser resolution version of the same coupled model. We further use our experiments to investigate the individual contributions of the transient and stationary eddy components to the main energetics response. The transient eddy terms have a larger contribution to the total energetic activity than the stationary ones. We find that this is also true in terms of their 2 × CO2-response. Changes in the transient eddy components determine the main energetics response, whereas the stationary eddy components have very small contributions. Hence, the dual response – strengthening in the upper troposphere and weakening below – concerns mainly the transient eddy terms. We can relate qualitatively this response to the two main features of the 2 × CO2 warming pattern: (a) the tropical upper-tropospheric warming increases the pole-to-equator temperature gradient – strengthening the energetic activity above – and enhances static stability – weakening the energetic activity below; and (b) the high-latitude surface warming decreases the pole-to-equator temperature gradient in the lower troposphere – weakening the energetic activity below. Despite the small contribution from the stationary eddies to the main energetics response, changes in stationary eddy available potential energy (Pse) reflect some features of the warming pattern: stronger land-sea contrasts at the subtropics and weaker land-sea contrasts at the high northern latitudes affect Pse regionally, but do not affect the global energetics response.

DISSIPATION AND VERTICAL ENERGY TRANSPORT IN RADIATION-DOMINATED ACCRETION DISKS

Standard models of radiation supported accretion disks generally assume that diffusive radiation flux is solely responsible for vertical heat transport. This requires that heat must be generated at a critical rate per unit volume if the disk is to be in hydrostatic and thermal equilibrium. This raises the question of how heat is generated and how energy is transported in MHD turbulence. By analysis of a number of radiation/MHD stratified shearing-box simulations, we show that the divergence of the diffusive radiation flux is indeed capped at the critical rate, but deep inside the disk, substantial vertical energy flux is also carried by advection of radiation. Work done by radiation pressure is a significant part of the energy budget, and much of this work is dissipated later through damping by radiative diffusion. We show how this damping can be measured in the simulations, and identify its physical origins. Radiative damping accounts for as much as tens of percent of the total dissipation, and is the only realistic physical mechanism for dissipation of turbulence that can actually be resolved in numerical simulations of accretion disks. Buoyancy associated with dynamo-driven, highly magnetized, nearly-isobaric nonlinear slow magnetosonic fluctuations is responsible for the radiation advection flux, and also explains the persistent periodic magnetic upwelling seen at all values of the radiation to gas pressure ratio. The intimate connection between radiation advection and magnetic buoyancy is the first example we know of in astrophysics in which a dynamo has direct impact on the global energetics of a system.

Climate commitment in an uncertain world

[1] Climate commitment—the warming that would still occur given no further human influence—is a fundamental metric for both science and policy. It informs us of the minimum climate change we face and, moreover, depends only on our knowledge of the natural climate system. Studies of the climate commitment due to CO2 find that global temperature would remain near current levels, or even decrease slightly, in the millennium following the cessation of emissions. However, this result overlooks the important role of the non-CO2 greenhouse gases and aerosols. This paper shows that global energetics require an immediate and significant warming following the cessation of emissions as aerosols are quickly washed from the atmosphere, and the large uncertainty in current aerosol radiative forcing implies a large uncertainty in the climate commitment. Fundamental constraints preclude Earth returning to pre-industrial temperatures for the indefinite future. These same constraints mean that observations are currently unable to eliminate the possibility that we are already beyond the point where the ultimate warming will exceed dangerous levels. Models produce a narrower range of climate commitment, but undersample observed forcing constraints.

Global diagnostic energetics of five state-of-the-art climate models

In this study, the global energy cycle of five state-of-the-art climate models is evaluated in the wave number domain for all seasons. The energy cycle estimates are based on 30 years of 6-hourly data obtained at pressure levels of all models. The models energetics are compared to those obtained from three reanalysis datasets (ERA-40, JRA-25 and NCEP-R2). The results show that the distributions of the energetics integrands and the shape of the various wave number spectra are reasonably well simulated. Many important features can be found in most models, namely both the upscale and downscale energy cascade for the wave–wave interactions of kinetic energy, the downscale energy cascade for the wave–wave interactions of available potential energy and the downscale energy transfer for the zonal–wave interactions of kinetic energy. However, the magnitude in the integrands distributions is generally excessive, yielding too much energy and an overactive energy cycle in the models. Accordingly, this energy excess is also reflected in the various spectra, specially but not exclusively, at the synoptic scale wave numbers for the energy conversion/transfer rates. The well known cold pole bias and the too strong tropospheric jets, along with their dislocation in some cases, still persist in the climate models. These are some of the deficiencies in the models directly implicated in the energy cycle. Apparently, simply increasing the horizontal and vertical resolutions is not enough to eliminate these deficiencies due to somewhat opposite effects achieved by refining both spatial resolutions. Therefore, more accurate physics parameterisations as well as improved numerical schemes and resolution dependence of parameterisations seem to be essential for a significant improvement in the models energetics. Moreover, efforts should be made to improve the physical processes controlling the generation of zonal available potential energy and dissipation of eddy kinetic energy, in which the synoptic scale should be fundamental, as inferred from the excessive energy conversion/transfer rates in the models spectra.

Comparative energetics of ERA-40, JRA-25 and NCEP-R2 reanalysis, in the wave number domain

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts 40-year Reanalysis (ERA-40), the Japan Meteorological Agency and Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry 25-year Reanalysis (JRA-25), and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and Department of Energy AMIP-II Reanalysis (NCEP-R2) are intercompared through a global energetics analysis for all seasons. Overall, the Lorenz energy cycle is consistent among the three datasets. The flow of energy and the peaks and slopes in the spectra of the various components agree between the three reanalysis. Additionally, the temporal variability of the energy cycle terms shows consistency between the three reanalysis. Most differences between the three reanalysis are related to the magnitudes of energy forms and energy conversion/transfer rates at each wave number, generally following the relation ERA − 40 > JRA − 25 > NCEP − R 2 , and mainly located in the Southern Hemisphere. The best agreement between the three datasets is found for northern winter. Differences between the three datasets are greater for the other seasons, being greatest for northern summer. In general, these discrepancies are fairly modest, being likely due to the different model biases and resolutions, and the different data assimilation methods used by the respective reanalysis systems. The energetics of the three reanalysis become closer to each other in more recent years, which is likely due to the increase in the number of observations assimilated in the reanalysis. The NCEP-R2 reanalysis spectrum is smoother than those of ERA-40 and JRA-25, likely due to filtering and to its lower resolution model. The spectra show a rapid decrease for short waves in NCEP-R2 ( n = 36 ) and ERA-40 ( n = 63 ), as a consequence of filtering. The energy source in the nonlinear wave–wave interactions of kinetic energy, L ( n ) , has a narrower spectral range in NCEP-R2 than in the other datasets. Energetics from the newer JRA-25 reanalysis is generally closer to that of ERA-40, with some exceptions as is the case of zonal–wave interactions of kinetic energy, M ( n ) , for synoptic waves, or for eddy available potential energy, A E , in the lower troposphere, for which JRA-25 is closer to NCEP-R2.

Energetics of Allosteric Negative Coupling in the Zinc Sensor S. aureus CzrA

The linked equilibria of an allosterically regulated protein are defined by the structures, residue-specific dynamics and global energetics of interconversion among all relevant allosteric states. Here, we use isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to probe the global thermodynamics of allosteric negative regulation of the binding of the paradigm ArsR-family zinc sensing repressor Staphylococcus aureus CzrA to the czr DNA operator (CzrO) by Zn(2+). Zn(2+) binds to the two identical binding sites on the free CzrA homodimer in two discernible steps. A larger entropic driving force Delta(-TDeltaS) of -4.7 kcal mol(-1) and a more negative DeltaC(p) characterize the binding of the first Zn(2+) relative to the second. These features suggest a modest structural transition in forming the Zn(1) state followed by a quenching of the internal dynamics on filling the second zinc site, which collectively drive homotropic negative cooperativity of Zn(2+) binding (Delta(DeltaG) = 1.8 kcal mol(-1)). Negative homotropic cooperativity also characterizes Zn(2+) binding to the CzrA*CzrO complex (Delta(DeltaG) = 1.3 kcal mol(-1)), although the underlying energetics are vastly different, with homotropic Delta(DeltaH) and Delta(-TDeltaS) values both small and slightly positive. In short, Zn(2+) binding to the complex fails to induce a large structural or dynamical change in the CzrA bound to the operator. The strong heterotropic negative linkage in this system (DeltaG(c)(t) = 6.3 kcal mol(-1)) therefore derives from the vastly different structures of the apo-CzrA and CzrA*CzrO reference states (DeltaH(c)(t) = 9.4 kcal mol(-1)) in a way that is reinforced by a global rigidification of the allosterically inhibited Zn(2) state off the DNA (TDeltaS(c)(t) = -3.1 kcal mol(-1), i.e., DeltaS(c)(t) > 0). The implications of these findings for other metalloregulatory proteins are discussed.

Uncertainties of Estimates of Inertia–Gravity Energy in the Atmosphere. Part I: Intercomparison of Four Analysis Systems

Abstract This paper presents the application of the normal-mode functions to diagnose the atmospheric energy spectra in terms of balanced and inertia–gravity (IG) contributions. A set of three-dimensional orthogonal normal modes is applied to four analysis datasets from July 2007. The datasets are the operational analysis systems of NCEP and ECMWF, the NCEP–NCAR reanalyses, and the Data Assimilation Research Testbed–Community Atmospheric Model (DART–CAM), an ensemble analysis system developed at NCAR. The differences between the datasets can be considered as a measure of uncertainty of the IG contribution to the global energetics. The results show that the percentage of IG motion in the present NCEP, ECMWF, and DART–CAM analysis systems is between 1% and 2% of the total energy field. In the wave part of the flow (zonal wavenumber k ≠ 0), the IG energy contribution is between 9% and 15%. On the contrary, the NCEP–NCAR reanalyses contain more IG motion, especially in the Southern Hemisphere extratropics. Each analysis contains more energy in the eastward IG motion than in its westward counterpart. The difference is about 2%–3% of the total wave energy and it is associated with the motions projected onto the Kelvin wave in the tropics. The selected truncation parameters of the expansion (zonal, meridional, and vertical truncation) ensure that the projection provides the optimal fit to the input data on model levels. This approach is different from previous applications of the normal modes and under the linearity assumption it allows the application of the inverse projection to obtain details of circulation associated with a selected type of motion. The bulk of the IG motion is confined to the tropics. For the successful reproduction of three-dimensional circulations by the normal modes it is important that the expansion includes a number of vertical modes.

Diffractive Optics Based Four-Wave, Six-Wave, ..., ν-Wave Nonlinear Spectroscopy

A detailed understanding of chemical processes requires information about both structure and dynamics. By definition, a reaction involves nonstationary states and is a dynamic process. Structure describes the atomic positions at global minima in the nuclear potential energy surface. Dynamics are related to the anharmonicities in this potential that couple different minima and lead to changes in atomic positions (reactions) and correlations. Studies of molecular dynamics can be configured to directly access information on the anharmonic interactions that lead to chemical reactions and are as central to chemistry as structural information. In this regard, nonlinear spectroscopies have distinct advantages over more conventional linear spectroscopies. Because of this potential, nonlinear spectroscopies could eventually attain a comparable level of importance for studying dynamics on the relevant time scales to barrier crossings and reactive processes as NMR has for determining structure. Despite this potential, nonlinear spectroscopy has not attained the same degree of utility as linear spectroscopy largely because nonlinear studies are more technically challenging. For example, unlike the linear spectrometers that exist in almost all chemistry departments, there are no "black box" four-wave mixing spectrometers. This Account describes recent advances in the application of diffractive optics (DOs) to nonlinear spectroscopy, which reduces the complexity level of this technology to be closer to that of linear spectroscopy. The combination of recent advances in femtosecond laser technology and this single optic approach could bring this form of spectroscopy out of the exclusive realm of specialists and into the general user community. However, the real driving force for this research is the pursuit of higher sensitivity limits, which would enable new forms of nonlinear spectroscopy. This Account chronicles the research that has now extended nonlinear spectroscopy to six-wave processes and to a completely generalized "nu-wave" mixing form to fully control state preparation and coherences. For example, direct observation of global protein motions and energetics has led to the collective mode coupling model to understand structure-function correlations in biological systems. Direct studies of the hydrogen bond network of liquid H(2)O have recently shown that both intramolecular and intermolecular degrees of freedom are strongly coupled so that the primary excitations of water have an excitonic-like character. This fundamentally different view of liquid water has now resolved a 100-year-old problem of homogeneous versus inhomogeneous broadening of the vibrational line shapes. By adding programmable pulse shaping, we can access new information about the many-body interactions directly relevant to chemical reaction dynamics. We can also steer the course of the reaction along multidimensional surfaces to provide information about fluctuations far from the equilibrium, which are most relevant to chemical reactivity.

Pacing-Induced Cardiac Gap Junction Remodeling: Modulation of Connexin43 Phosphorylation State

Altered myocardial distribution of gap junctions and intercellular coupling have been implicated in nonuniform conduction of the depolarization wave and repolarization asynchrony in the mammalian heart. We tested the hypothesis that short-term cardiac pacing is associated with structural remodeling of gap junctions and their altered spatial distribution in cardiac myocytes in the immediate vicinity of the pacing site. Isolated adult male rat hearts (n = 8) were perfused using a Langendorff apparatus. A multimicroelectrode array pacing catheter was positioned in the endocardial apical region of the right ventricle. Pacing (330 bpm; stimulus: 1.5 V, 5 milliseconds) was applied for 3 hours. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemical assays [using serine specific (Ser368) anti-connexin43 and anti-phosphoserine antibody] were used to determine the phosphorylation state of connexin43 (Cx43) and to determine its spatial distribution. Pacing was associated with a consistent, increased dephosphorylation state of Cx43 at the pacing site when compared to remote regions. In control hearts, Cx43 manifested a predominantly phosphorylated state; Western blotting analysis showed that dephosphorylated Cx43 was more abundant (1.5 +/- 0.33-fold) in the paced hearts than in controls (P < 0.02). Global cardiac function parameters, such as developed left ventricular pressure and oxygen demand index (rate-pressure product), did not differ significantly in paced hearts compared with controls (P > 0.05). A relatively short period of cardiac asynchronous pacing is associated with remodeling of gap junctions as manifested in the altered phosphorylation state of their constituent Cx43. This effect is confined to the myocardial tissue surrounding the pacing electrodes and does not alter global cardiac mechanics and energetics. These results, considered together with the known involvement of Ser368 in the gating of Cx43 and the putative role of Cx43 in the intercellular conductance, suggest that pacing-induced localized gap junctional remodeling could contribute to the creation of a reentrant substrate.

Isoscaling as a Measure of Symmetry Energy in the Lattice Gas Model

The energetic properties of nuclear clusters inside a low-density, finite-temperature medium are studied with a lattice gas model including isospin dependence and Coulomb forces. Important deviations are observed with respect to the Fisher approximation of an ideal gas of noninteracting clusters, but a simple modified energy-density functional can still describe the global energetics. The multifragmentation regime is dominated by combinatorial effects, but the isoscaling of the largest fragment appears to be a promising observable for the experimental measurement of the symmetry energy.

Dynamics and Energetics: A Consensus Analysis of the Impact of Calcium on EF-CaM Protein Complex

We have studied the relationship between dynamical correlations and energetic contributions in an attempt to model the transmission of information inside protein-protein complexes. The complex formed between the edema factor (EF) of Bacillus anthracis and calmodulin (CaM) was taken as an example, as the formation and stability of the complex depend on the calcium complexation level. The effect of calcium through EF-CaM residue network has been investigated with various approaches: 1), the elastic network model; 2), the local feature analysis; 3), the generalized correlations; and 4), the energetic dependency maps (EDMs), on 15-ns molecular dynamics simulations of the complex loaded with 0, 2, or 4 Ca 2+ ions. The elastic network model correctly describes the basic architecture of the complex but is poorly sensitive to the level of calcium compared to the other methods. The local feature analysis allows us to characterize the local dynamics of the complex and the propagation of the calcium signal through CaM. The analyses of global dynamics and energetics—through generalized correlations and EDMs—provide a comprehensive picture of EF-CaM architecture and can be unified by using the concept of residue network connectedness. A medium connectedness, defined as the ability of each residue to communicate with all remaining parts of the complex, is observed for the 2Ca 2+ level, which was experimentally identified as the most stable form of EF-CaM. The hierarchy of relative stabilities given by the EDMs sheds a new light on the EF-CaM interaction mechanism described experimentally and supports an organization of the complex architecture centered around nucleation points.

Global atmospheric energetics from NCEP–Reanalysis 2 and ECMWF–ERA40 Reanalysis

AbstractThe global atmospheric energy cycle is estimated on an annual basis using Reanalysis 2 data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR), and ERA 40 Reanalyses from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for the period 1979–2001. A formalism to avoid belowground data on pressure levels intercepted by topography is adopted. No appreciable differences were found between the two datasets from the energetics point of view. The so‐called ωα and v·grad z formulations were both used for the conversions from zonal available potential energy into zonal kinetic energy (CZ) and from eddy available potential energy into eddy kinetic energy (CE). Results with both formulations are comparable only when using the formalism preventing belowground data to enter into the computations.Atmospheric energetics are also computed using ECMWF Reanalyses for the period 1958–1978. A significant increase was found in the eddy kinetic and eddy available potential energies from the early period to the later period, likely related to the assimilation in the reanalyses of satellite data after 1979. The conversion rate, CZ, was found to change its sign throughout the years.The atmospheric energy cycle using the ECMWF Reanalyses data is compared with five previous estimates. Differences in the direction of the conversion rate, CZ, between the various estimates may be explained by the different time periods chosen for averaging. Owing to the omission of belowground data, the conversion from zonal available potential energy into eddy available potential energy (CA) was somewhat smaller in ECMWF Reanalyses than in the previous estimates. Despite those differences, an overall agreement may be found between the various estimates for the atmospheric energy cycle. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society