Prevailing Wind Regime Research Articles

Вулкан Иван Грозный (остров Итуруп, Курильские острова): вещественный состав продуктов извержений и современная активность

The paper presents summary data on the historical activity of Ivan Grozny volcano (Iturup Island, Kuril Islands), including the results of our own studies of solfatar-hydrothermal and eruptive activity of the volcano since 2004. Using modern analytical methods, we obtained data on the chemical composition of the volcano rocks and pyroclastics of the explosive eruption in 2012–2013. The composition of the volcano rocks varies from andesites to daciandesites of medium potassium series. Pyroclastics of the 2012–2013 eruption corresponds to andesites with medium potassium content in terms of bulk chemical composition. The material composition of glasses according to microprobe data is much more acidic. The obtained values are similar to the geochemical compositions of the products of the 1973 and 1989 eruptions. Taking into account the prevailing wind regime dominating in the central part of Iturup Island, the hazard from ash fall of probable future eruptions of Ivan Grozny volcano was assessed, indicating the predominant spread of ash in the north-western, western and south-western directions.

Littoral landforms of Lake Hulun and Lake Buir (China and Mongolia): Wind-driven hydro-sedimentary dynamics and resulting clastics distribution

Two rectangular-shaped lakes, Lake Hulun and Lake Buir, located at the boundary between China and Mongolia, only c. 75 km apart and therefore experiencing similar wind fields, have been studied based on satellite images and field surveys in order to compare their geomorphological and sedimentological characteristics. The wind-driven hydrodynamics, which have a significant effect on the development of littoral landforms and on sediment distribution, have been discussed for the two similar lakes that experienced a prevailing wind perpendicular to their long axis. A conceptual model related to wind-driven water bodies and sediment distribution is proposed. Wave-influenced to wave-dominated deltas, beaches, spits, and eolian dune deposits develop around these two lakes, with a strikingly similar distribution pattern. These features locally inform the longshore drift and help reconstruct the water circulation induced by wind forcing. Under the NW prevailing wind regime, the spits developed on the SW coast with a NW–SE extension, which was influenced by the NW–SE longshore currents. The same influence was observed in the delta extension in the NE area. The differences lie in the presence of fan deltas in the NW region of Lake Hulun, but not in Lake Buir. Additionally, the width of the beach and eolian deposits on the downwind coast of Lake Hulun is three times greater than that of Lake Buir which were caused by the differences in sediment supply and wind fetch between the two lakes. Lake Hulun and Lake Buir provide two reliable examples to understand the relationship among the wind field, provenance, hydrodynamics, landforms, and asymmetrical distribution of clastics in elongated lakes. They also represent relevant modern analogs, which may also be of guiding significance to wind-driven sand body prediction in lacustrine basins.

Aeolian dunes morphodynamics and wind regime reconstruction in mid-latitudes of the Gondwana during Early Permian, Aracaré Formation, Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, Brazil

Aeolian systems play an important role in palaeoclimatic studies, allowing the inference of arid regions in different geological periods, in addition to being the best records for acquiring palaeowind data. Morphodynamic reconstruction of ancient aeolian dunes is extremely important for understanding the local wind regime. This study aims to contribute to the morphodynamic reconstruction of aeolian deposits of the Aracaré Formation in response to Gondwana's palaeoclimatic variations and to indicate the prevailing wind regime. Permian Aracaré Formation is located in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, northeast region of Brazil, and exhibits sand accumulation of successive sets of aeolian cross-strata which are interpreted as dry aeolian system. Aracaré Formation is characterized by smaller cross-bedded sets of barchanoid dunes at the base that are overlaid by larger cross-bedded sets of transverse dunes. Aeolian cross-strata show a repetitive alternation of grainflow and wind-ripple packages, separated by reactivation surfaces indicating seasonal variations in wind direction. Cross-strata mean vectors dip consistently towards ESE when corrected for the palaeogeographic position of the Lower Permian. Cyclic stratification pattern suggests an alternation of westerly transverse winds responsible for dune migration, followed by reverse winds that caused dune reworking and led to the formation of reactivation surfaces and the related deposition of wind-ripple. Sometimes, reverse winds are more intense (storms?), strongly eroding the lee face of the aeolian dunes, generating master reactivation surfaces. The comparison between the wind patterns of Aracaré Formation and Sakmarian climate models showed good correlation with disposition of westerlies wind regime in mid-latitude in Gondwana landmass.

Spatio-temporal rainfall patterns around Atlanta, Georgia and possible relationships to urban land cover

Spatio-temporal patterns in mean and extreme rainfall are examined around the city of Atlanta, Georgia using the Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates (MPE) and ERA-Interim reanalysis datasets. The analysis spans the period 2002 to 2015 and employs a 9-cell gridded framework centered on downtown Atlanta. Statistically significant anomalies in daily precipitation were found over and downwind (predominately east to northeast) of Atlanta. The pattern of rainfall anomalies is most evident in the early evening hours of the day and is hypothesized to be related to the evolution of the skin or surface urban heat island (UHI), rather than the canopy layer UHI. The study formally proposes the term “flow regime dependent” downwind anomaly regions. Like previous results, the study reveals that downwind anomaly regions can vary as a function of prevailing wind regime. Using a metric called the Wet Millimeter Day (WMD), the study also finds that there is a tendency for extreme rainfall to cluster in the climatological downwind area of Atlanta. The work builds upon previous findings while employing different datasets to provide novel additional contributions related to the temporal evolution of the “urban rainfall effect” and the patterns of extreme rainfall.

Migration strategies and annual space‐use in an Afro‐Palaearctic aerial insectivore – the European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus

Obligate insectivorous birds breeding in high latitudes travel thousands of kilometres during annual movements to track the local seasonal peaks of food abundance in a continuously fluctuating resource landscape. Avian migrants use an array of strategies when conducting these movements depending on e.g. morphology, life history traits and environmental factors encountered en route. Here we used geolocators to derive data on the annual space‐use, temporal pattern and migratory strategies in an Afro‐Palaearctic aerial insectivorous bird species – the European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus. More specifically, we aimed to test a set of hypothesises pertaining to the migration of a population of nightjars breeding in south‐eastern Sweden. We found that the birds wintered across the central and western parts of the southern tropical Africa almost entirely outside the currently described wintering range of the species. The nightjars performed a narrow loop migration across Sahara, with spring Sahel stopovers significantly to the west of autumn stops indicative to an adaptive response to winds during migration. To our surprise, the migration speed was faster in the autumn (119 km d− 1) than in the spring (99 km d− 1), possibly due to the prevailing wind regimes over the Sahara. The estimated flight fraction in both autumn (14%) and spring (12%) was almost exactly as the theoretically predicted 1:7 time relationship between flights and stopovers for small birds. The temporal patterns within the annual cycle indicate that individuals follow alternative spatiotemporal schedules that converge towards the breeding season. The positive relationship between the spatially and temporally distant winter departure and breeding arrival suggests that individuals´ temporal fine‐tuning to breeding may be constrained, leading to potential negative fitness consequences.

Characterizing the surface circulation in Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean) with HF radar and modeled current data

Quality-controlled current observations from a High Frequency radar (HFR) network deployed in the Ebro River Delta (NW Mediterranean) were combined with outputs from IBI operational ocean forecasting system in order to comprehensively portray the ocean state and its variability during 2014. Accurate HFR data were used as benchmark for a rigorous validation of the Iberia-Biscay-Ireland (IBI) regional system, routinely operated in the frame of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS). The analysis of skill metrics and monthly averaged current maps showed that IBI reasonably captured the prevailing dynamic features of the coastal circulation previously observed by the HFR, according to the moderate resemblance found in circulation patterns and the spatial distribution of eddy kinetic energy. The model skill assessment was completed with an exploration of dominant modes of spatiotemporal variability. The EOF analysis confirmed that the modeled surface current field evolved both in space and time according to three significantly dominant modes of variability which accounted for the 49.2% of the total variance, in close agreement with the results obtained for HFR (46.1%). The response of the subtidal surface current field to prevailing wind regime in the study area was examined in terms of induced circulation structures and immediacy of reaction by performing a conditional averaging approach and a time-lagged vector correlation analysis, respectively. This observations-model synergistic strategy has proved to be valid to operationally monitor the complex coastal circulation in Ebro Delta despite the observed model drawbacks in terms of reduced energy content in surface currents and some inaccuracies in the wind-driven low frequency response. This integrated methodology aids to improve the prognostic capabilities of IBI ocean forecasting system and also to facilitate high-stakes decision-making for coastal management in the Ebro River Delta marine protected area.

Diurnal evolution and distribution of warm-season convective storms in different prevailing wind regimes over contiguous North China

The diurnal evolution and distribution of warm-season convective storms in different prevailing wind regimes at the 925 hPa and 500 hPa levels over contiguous North China have been studied using a climatology based on radar reflectivity mosaics, soundings, and reanalysis data from 15 May to 15 September, in 2008–2011. In the wind regimes at the 925 hPa level, the frequency of occurrence of convection is highest for south-southwesterly flows, followed by that for south-southeasterly flows. The low-level southerly warm and moist flow over the foothills and plains favors initiation and intensification of convection resulting from topographic forcing. Among the wind regimes at the 500 hPa level, the frequency of occurrence of convection shows a pronounced maximum for west-southwesterly flows, and most of these storms initiate and develop over the foothills and plains. Convection in the wind regime shows the morphology and slowly east-southeastward moving characteristics of well-organized, longer-lived systems, with environmental conditions conducive to vertical wind shear and instability. At the 500 hPa level, the high frequency of occurrence of convection for west-southwesterly flows is followed by that for west-northwesterly flows. Under west-northwesterly flows, convective storms initiated over mountains located to the northwest in the early afternoon move rapidly to the plains in the southeast of the study region. These storms show the primary formation characteristics of shorter-lived convection and intensify noticeably as they move from the mountains to the foothills and plains.

Constraints on Mars’ recent equatorial wind regimes from layered deposits and comparison with general circulation model results

Aeolian modification has been a fundamental surface process on Mars throughout the Amazonian. Orientations of aeolian features such as bedforms and yardangs are controlled by the prevailing wind regime during the feature’s formation. Therefore, observation of recently formed bedform orientations provides a way to probe Mars’ recent wind regime and constrain/test general circulation models (GCMs). We collect statistical distributions of transverse bedform and yardang azimuths at nine sites on Mars, and compare measured feature orientations to those predicted by using vector wind field output from the MarsWRF GCM.We focus on layered deposits because their erodible nature makes them applicable to determination of Mars’ modern wind regime. Our methods of mapping from the long-term wind field to predicted feature orientations include consideration of wind stress thresholds for sand movement to occur, sand flux equations, and the direction of maximum gross bedform-normal transport. We find that all methods examined typically agree with each other to within ∼15°, though there are some exceptions using high order wind stress weightings with multi-directional annual wind fields. Generally, use of higher wind stress thresholds produces improved matches to bedform orientations.Comparison of multiple yardang orientations to annually variable wind fields is accomplished by inspection of directional maxima in modelled wind vector frequency distributions. Yardangs match well to model predictions and sub-populations in close proximity to each other are shown to match individual directional maxima in GCM output for a single site, implying that topographic effects may produce very localised unidirectional wind fields unresolved by the GCM.

Depositional history and archaeology of the central Lake Mungo lunette, Willandra Lakes, southeast Australia

Lake Mungo, presently a dry lake in the semi-arid zone of southeastern Australia, preserves a unique record of human settlement and past environmental change within the transverse lunette that built up on its downwind margin. The lunette is >30 km long and the variable morphology along its length suggests spatial variability in deposition over time. Consequently this presents differential potential for the preservation of past activity traces of different ages along the lunette. Earlier work at Lake Mungo focused primarily on the southern section of the lunette, where two ritual burials of considerable antiquity were found. Here we describe the depositional history of the central section of the Lake Mungo lunette, together with the first single grain optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) chronology of the full stratigraphic sequence and of three hearths. We thereby lay the foundation for systematic investigation of the distribution of archaeological traces through the sedimentary record.The older depositional units (Lower and Upper Mungo) were deposited ca. 50–40 ka and ∼34 ka respectively, and are substantially thinner in the central section of the lunette compared with the south. By contrast, the overlying unit of interbedded sands and clayey sands (Arumpo–Zanci units), deposited ca. 25–14 ka, is markedly thicker and dominates the stratigraphic sequence in the central portion of the lunette. Although the sequence broadly reflects previous models of the lunette's depositional history and changing hydrological conditions, our results indicate spatially variable deposition of sediments, possibly as a result of changes in prevailing wind regimes. Archaeological traces are exposed in all stratigraphic units deposited after ca. 50 ka, including sediments deposited after the final lake drying ca. 15 ka, indicating human occupation of the area under a range of palaeoenvironmental conditions. Dating and stratigraphical examination of individual hearth features demonstrates that even within individual stratigraphic units, human occupation persisted under variable conditions. Mid-Holocene occupation of the area following the final lake retreat took place during a period of relatively humid climate.

Tracking sand dune migration in the Rub Al-Khali with ICESat laser altimetry

Sand dune migration poses serious environmental and social problems for both the infrastructure and communities in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula. In order to monitor and better understand dune migration, a new method is proposed to estimate sand dune displacement/migration by using satellite laser altimetry data from the ICESat mission in the Rub Al-Khali. This method will exploit not only the differences in the observed ICESat elevation profiles, but also the phase differences between two co-located tracks when observed at different times. By using the phase differences, the proposed method will be able to estimate dune displacement vectors with an accuracy of 5 m root mean square. This accuracy has been validated using synthetic data with known displacements. The major causes for dune migration are the wind regime and the type of dunes (e.g. grain size and vegetation cover). A comparison of estimated dune displacement correlated well with the prevailing wind regime during the observation time period. A comparison with satellite imagery revealed that the dune shape and direction (i.e. the representative parameters of dune migration) are in agreement with the estimated displacement vectors. This method represents one of the first attempts to monitor dune migration using space observations only.

Why does the Late Pleistocene archaeology of Sahul look so different from that of the Americas?

Lake Mungo, presently a dry lake in the semi-arid zone of southeastern Australia, preserves a unique record of human settlement and past environmental change within the transverse lunette that built up on its downwind margin. The lunette is >30 km long and the variable morphology along its length suggests spatial variability in deposition over time. Consequently this presents differential potential for the preservation of past activity traces of different ages along the lunette. Earlier work at Lake Mungo focused primarily on the southern section of the lunette, where two ritual burials of considerable antiquity were found. Here we describe the depositional history of the central section of the Lake Mungo lunette, together with the first single grain optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) chronology of the full stratigraphic sequence and of three hearths. We thereby lay the foundation for systematic investigation of the distribution of archaeological traces through the sedimentary record.The older depositional units (Lower and Upper Mungo) were deposited ca. 50–40 ka and ∼34 ka respectively, and are substantially thinner in the central section of the lunette compared with the south. By contrast, the overlying unit of interbedded sands and clayey sands (Arumpo–Zanci units), deposited ca. 25–14 ka, is markedly thicker and dominates the stratigraphic sequence in the central portion of the lunette. Although the sequence broadly reflects previous models of the lunette's depositional history and changing hydrological conditions, our results indicate spatially variable deposition of sediments, possibly as a result of changes in prevailing wind regimes. Archaeological traces are exposed in all stratigraphic units deposited after ca. 50 ka, including sediments deposited after the final lake drying ca. 15 ka, indicating human occupation of the area under a range of palaeoenvironmental conditions. Dating and stratigraphical examination of individual hearth features demonstrates that even within individual stratigraphic units, human occupation persisted under variable conditions. Mid-Holocene occupation of the area following the final lake retreat took place during a period of relatively humid climate.

Fate of river Tiber discharge investigated through numerical simulation and satellite monitoring

Abstract. The aim of this study was to determine the dispersion of passive pollutants associated with the Tiber discharge into the Tyrrhenian Sea using numerical marine dispersion models and satellite data. Numerical results obtained in the simulation of realistic discharge episodes were compared with the corresponding evolution of the spatial distributions of MODIS diffuse light attenuation coefficient at 490 nm (K490), and the results were discussed with reference to the local climate and the seasonal sub-regional circulation regime. The numerical model used for the simulation of the sub-tidal circulation was a Mediterranean sub-regional scale implementation of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM), nested in the large-scale Mediterranean Forecasting System. The nesting method enabled the model to be applied to almost every area in the Mediterranean Sea and also to be used in seasons for which imposing climatological boundary conditions would have been questionable. Dynamical effects on coastal circulation and on water density due to the Tiber discharge were additionally accounted for in the oceanographic model by implementing the river estuary as a point source of a buoyant jet. A Lagrangian particle dispersion model fed with the POM current fields was then run in order to reproduce the effect of the turbulent transport of passive tracers mixed in the plume with the coastal flow. Two significant episodes of river discharge in both winter and summer conditions were discussed in this paper. It was found that the winter regime was characterized by the presence of a strong coastal jet flowing with the ambient current. In summer the prevailing wind regime induced coastal downwelling conditions, which tended to confine the riverine waters close to the shore. In such conditions sudden wind reversals due to local weather perturbations, causing moderate local upwelling, proved to be the only effective way to disperse the tracers offshore, moving the plume from the coast and detaching large pools of freshwater.

To fly or not to fly depending on winds: shorebird migration in different seasonal wind regimes

Migratory birds are predicted to adapt their departure to wind, changing their threshold of departure and selectivity of the most favourable winds in relation to the mean, scatter and skewness of the wind regime. The optimal departure behaviour depends also on the importance of time and energy minimization during migration and on the ratio of cost of flight to cost of resting and waiting for more favourable winds. We compared departure and flight activity of shorebirds migrating in contrasting wind regimes during autumn (high probability of wind resistance) and spring (high probability of wind assistance) in southern Scandinavia, using data obtained by radiotelemetry, radar tracking and visual observations. The shorebirds changed their threshold for departure in relation to wind between the two seasons, flying almost exclusively with wind assistance in spring but regularly with wind resistance during autumn. The degree of wind selectivity in relation to the distributions of available wind effects was similar during autumn and spring indicating that reducing time and energy costs for migration was important during both seasons. These results demonstrate that migratory birds change departure behaviour in relation to the prevailing wind regime. It remains unknown whether they change behaviour not only seasonally but also in different zones along the migration route and whether they respond to differences not only in mean wind conditions but also in scatter and skewness between wind regimes. Our study indicates the possible existence of an adaptive flexibility in responses to wind regimes among migratory birds. (c) 2012 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric pathways of phosphorous to the Bay of Bengal: contribution from anthropogenic sources and mineral dust

ABSTRACTThe continental outflow from the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Southeast Asia, during the late NE monsoon (January–March), dominates the transport of chemical constituents to the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) of the Bay of Bengal (BoB). During the rest of the year, prevailing wind regimes and meteorological conditions do not favour the atmospheric transport of continental products. Here we report on the spatio-temporal variability of inorganic phosphorous (PInorg= ) in the MABL and its dry-deposition flux to the surface BoB. On the basis of the abundance of PInorg in PM2.5 (0.1–0.8 nmol m−3) and PM10 (0.3–2.8 nmol m−3), we document its dominant occurrence in the coarse mode (Da≥2.5 µm). The analytical data also provide evidence for the chemical processing of mineral dust by acidic species and mobilisation of PInorg during the long-range atmospheric transport. However, significantly high PInorg/non-sea-salt Ca2+ ratios over the BoB suggest dominant contribution from anthropogenic sources (fertilisers and biomass burning emissions). PInorg concentration over the Arabian Sea is about 4 to 5 times lower and is primarily associated with the mineral dust from desert regions. The dry-deposition flux of PInorg to the BoB varies by one order of magnitude (0.5–5.0 µmol P m−2 d−1; Av: 0.02 Tg P yr−1). These results have implications to the air-sea deposition of phosphorous over oceanic regions downwind of the pollution sources and impact on the biogeochemistry of surface waters.

A Production Simulation Tool for Systems With Integrated Wind Energy Resources

The rapid increase in wind power capacity over the past decade has resulted from the adoption of policies that encourage the wider use of renewable energy sources in order to reduce CO2 and the dramatic cost reductions due to technology advancements. The high variability in wind speeds poses major difficulties in power system planning and operations, leading to an acute need for practical planning and operations tools to study the effects of the integration of wind resources into the grid. This paper addresses the need in the planning domain through the development of a computationally efficient probabilistic production simulation approach with the capability to quantify the variable effects of systems for varying levels of wind penetration with the uncertainty in the variability/intermittency effects of wind generation at multiple sites together with the other sources of uncertainty explicitly represented. The simulation approach is based on the identification of the prevailing wind regimes in the regions where wind resources are located and the judicious application of conditional probability concepts in incorporating the wind regime representation. The regimes-based approach described in the paper effectively captures both the seasonal and the diurnal variations of renewable resources and their correlation with the load seasonal and diurnal changes. Additionally, the proposed approach explicitly quantifies the impacts of wind on the additional reserve requirements on the controllable resources. The paper illustrates the effectiveness of the approach by its application to large-scale test systems using historical data.

Variability of Significant Wave Height over the Indian Ocean Using Empirical Orthogonal Function Analysis

Spatial-temporal variability of significant wave height (SWH) over the Indian Ocean has been explored in the study. The SWH have been generated for the period 2000–08 using WAM-4C forced by six hourly QSCAT/NCEP blended winds. After a preliminary validation of the model generated SWH, the two dimensional fields of the same have been subjected to empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. Analysis has been carried out separately in four regions, which are oceanographically distinct because of the prevailing wind regimes. These are namely Bay of Bengal (BOB), Arabian Sea (AS), equatorial and off-equatorial southern Indian Ocean (EOESIO) and Southern Indian Ocean (SIO). The first eigenmode accounts for 75%, 83%, 40% and 23% of the total variability for the BOB, AS, EOESIO and SIO respectively. In the BOB the maximum loading is in the northeast corner of the basin due to the predominant northeastward propagation of the waves due to the prevailing strong southwesterly monsoon winds, while in the AS there is an alignment of the maximum loading along the Findlater jet. As regards the other two regions, it can be inferred that there is a trend of increasing loading as one move gradually southwards due to the increase in the strength of the winds.

Wind Effects on Past and Future Regional Sea Level Trends in the Southern Indo-Pacific*

Abstract Global sea level rise due to the thermal expansion of the warming oceans and freshwater input from melting glaciers and ice sheets is threatening to inundate low-lying islands and coastlines worldwide. At present the global mean sea level rises at 3.1 ± 0.7 mm yr−1 with an accelerating tendency. However, the magnitude of recent decadal sea level trends varies greatly spatially, attaining values of up to 10 mm yr−1 in some areas of the western tropical Pacific. Identifying the causes of recent regional sea level trends and understanding the patterns of future projected sea level change is of crucial importance. Using a wind-forced simplified dynamical ocean model, the study shows that the regional features of recent decadal and multidecadal sea level trends in the tropical Indo-Pacific can be attributed to changes in the prevailing wind regimes. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that within an ensemble of 10 state-of-the-art coupled general circulation models, forced by increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations over the next century, wind-induced redistributions of upper-ocean water play a key role in establishing the spatial characteristics of projected regional sea level rise. Wind-related changes in near-surface mass and heat convergence near the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Cook Islands, and French Polynesia oppose—but cannot cancel—the regional signal of global mean sea level rise.

Aeolian processes and dune morphology in Gale Crater

Datasets at resolutions many times greater than previously available were used to study aeolian features within Gale Crater. High resolution thermal inertia data allowed for detailed particle size estimation, with the data sufficient to resolve dunefields. A wide range of grain sizes have now been identified in the Gale Crater dunefields, ranging from medium to very coarse sand. High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) and THEMIS VIS data allowed for detailed analysis of the dune morphology and slip-faces, which shows that the dunes have responded to topographic influences on prevailing wind directions under a present day wind regime. This result was corroborated by a regional mesoscale model for the crater under dust storm conditions. The central mound and smaller scale crater floor topography has altered the prevailing wind regime and dune patterns. Aeolian activity has thus played, and continues to play, an important role in shaping many of the present surface features of Gale Crater. The arrival of a future lander mission such as the Mars Science Laboratory would be able to sample these surface features directly and add a wealth of data to the understanding of Gale Crater.

Gusev photometric variability as seen from orbit by HRSC/Mars-express

Minnaert and two-term phase function Hapke models are used to describe the photometric properties of the martian surface using HRSC (High Resolution Stereo Camera) multi-angular observations acquired along the ongoing Mars-Express mission. These observations can be pieced together to derive integrated phase functions over a wide range of phase angles. The photometric diversity at 675 nm, as seen from orbit, of the martian surface properties across Gusev is depicted with seven units. Three photometric units widespread across the flanks of Apollinaris Patera flank and the floor of Gusev Crater are identified as having high single scattering albedo with rather forward scattering properties, low to intermediate macroscopic roughness and porous or not compacted powdered surface state as indicated by the opposition parameters. Another unit has the highest single scattering albedo, the smoothest surface in terms of macroscopic roughness, associated with an extremely forward scattering behavior. The opposition parameters are consistent with the presence of transparent particles in the surface powder layer. The distribution of this unit appears quite intermittent across the crater and does not seem to indicate any relationship with a given morphological structure. It may correspond to sparse areas where the structure of the surface dust layer is the most preserved. The most pronounced photometric changes are observed in three units associated with the low-albedo features corresponding to dark wind streaks. These units have a low single scattering albedo, are the most backscattering surfaces across Gusev, have a high surface roughness and present variable surface states as shown by the opposition parameters estimates, consistent with the occurrence of large grains organized in more or less packed layers. Clear differences are seen among these units in terms of opposition effect. While one exhibits typical characteristics for the opposition effect, another appears more unusual in terms of lobe width and the third suggests the occurrence of a packed/compressed/narrow size distribution powder surface. The opposition effect thus appears to play a significant role suggesting that the surface state optical properties across Gusev are strongly influenced by the porosity and packing characteristics or grain size distribution of the upper layer of the martian soil. The mapping aspect of the investigation is quite useful to get a better sense of the meaning of the observed photometric variations. Indeed, the Hapke modeling suggests that surface organization (surface roughness, packing state) is more important than the simple physical characterization of the intrinsic optical properties of the constitutive particles. Given the overall spatial patterns derived from the photometric analysis, the variations, at least for the western and central part of Gusev Crater, are likely partly driven by the prevailing wind regimes, considered to be oriented north-northwest/south-southeast and disturbing the very upper surface layer. The present photometric results agree with independent investigations based on thermal inertia, reflectance spectroscopy, in situ photometric and microscopic imaging and support the idea of a thin layer of fine-grained dust, being stripped off in the low albedo units to reveal a dark basaltic substrate comprising coarse-grained materials.

A study of aerosol particle sizes in the atmosphere of Athens, Greece, retrieved from solar spectral measurements

This work aims at determining the aerosol particle radii in the atmosphere of Athens. Such a work is carried out in Athens for the first time. For this purpose, solar spectral direct-beam irradiance measurements were used in the spectral range 310–575 nm. To estimate the particle radius from aerosol optical depth retrieval, a minimization technique was employed based on the golden-section search of the difference between experimental and theoretical values of the aerosol optical depth. The necessary Mie computations were performed based on the algorithm LVEC. In this study, the mean particle radius of a given distribution was calculated every 30 min during cloudless days in the period November 1996 to September 1997. The largest particles were observed in the summer and the smallest during winter. The result was verified by the increased values of the aerosol optical depth and the turbidity factors calculated in the summer. The differences in the diurnal variation from season to season are attributed to the prevailing wind regime, pollutant emission and sink rates in the atmosphere of Athens.