Causal Analysis of a Migration of the Snout Butterfly, Libytheana bachmanii Iarvata (Strecker) (Libytheidae)

Observation of a massive migration of the snout butterfly, Libytheana bachmanii larvata (Strecker), in central Texas in 1971 is described. An association of peak migration periods and periodic precipitation episodes is believed to be causal in nature.Waller Creek Working Grou

The Phase Shifts of the Paired Wings of Butterfly Diagrams

Sunspot groups observed by Royal Greenwich Observatory/US Air Force/NOAA from May 1874 to November 2008 and the Carte Synoptique solar filaments from March 1919 to December 1989 are used to investigate the relative phase shift of the paired wings of butterfly diagrams of sunspot and filament activities. Latitudinal migration of sunspot groups (or filaments) does asynchronously occur in the northern and southern hemispheres, and there is a relative phase shift between the paired wings of their butterfly diagrams in a cycle, making the paired wings spatially asymmetrical on the solar equator. It is inferred that hemispherical solar activity strength should evolve in a similar way within the paired wings of a butterfly diagram in a cycle, making the paired wings just and only keep the phase relationship between the northern and southern hemispherical solar activity strengths, but a relative phase shift between the paired wings of a butterfly diagram should bring about an almost same relative phase shift of hemispheric solar activity strength

Does the butterfly diagram indicate asolar flux-transport dynamo?

We address the question whether the properties of the observed latitude-time diagram of sunspot occurence (the butterfly diagram) provide evidence for the operation of a flux-transport dynamo, which explains the migration of the sunspot zones and the period of the solar cycle in terms of a deep equatorward meridional flow. We show that the properties of the butterfly diagram are equally well reproduced by a conventional dynamo model with migrating dynamo waves, but without transport of magnetic flux by a flow. These properties seem to be generic for an oscillatory and migratory field of dipole parity and thus do not permit an observational distinction between different dynamo approaches.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Polar branches of stellar activity waves: dynamo models and observations

[Abridged abstract:] Stellar activity data provide evidence of activity wave branches propagating polewards rather than equatorwards (the solar case). Stellar dynamo theory allows polewards propagating dynamo waves for certain governing parameters. We try to unite observations and theory, restricting our investigation to the simplest mean-field dynamo models. We suggest a crude preliminary systematization of the reported cases of polar activity branches. Then we present results of dynamo model simulations which contain magnetic structures with polar dynamo waves, and identify the models which look most promising for explaining the latitudinal distribution of spots in dwarf stars. Those models require specific features of stellar rotation laws, and so observations of polar activity branches may constrain internal stellar rotation. Specifically, we find it unlikely that a pronounced poleward branch can be associated with a solar-like internal rotation profile, while it can be more readily reproduced in the case of a cylindrical rotation law appropriate for fast rotators. We stress the case of the subgiant component of the active close binary HR 1099 which, being best investigated, presents the most severe problems for a dynamo interpretation. Our best model requires dynamo action in two layers separated in radius. Observations of polar activity branches provide valuable information for understanding stellar activity mechanisms and internal rotation, and thus deserve intensive observational and theoretical investigation. Current stellar dynamo theory seems sufficiently robust to accommodate the phenomenology.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables, accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic

Solar dynamo models with alpha-effect and turbulent pumping from local 3D convection calculations

(abridged) Results from kinematic solar dynamo models employing alpha-effect and turbulent pumping from local convection calculations are presented. We estimate the magnitude of these effects to be around 2-3 m/s. The rotation profile of the Sun as obtained from helioseismology is applied. We obtain an estimate of the ratio of the two induction effects, C_alpha/C_Omega \approx 10^-3, which we keep fixed in all models. We also include a one-cell meridional circulation pattern having a magnitude of 10-20 m/s near the surface and 1-2 m/s at the bottom of the convection zone. The model essentially represents a distributed turbulent dynamo, as the alpha-effect is nonzero throughout the convection zone, although it concentrates near the bottom of the convection zone obtaining a maximum around 30 degrees of latitude. Turbulent pumping of the mean fields is predominantly down- and equatorward. We find that, when all these effects are included in the model, it is possible to correctly reproduce many features of the solar activity cycle, namely the correct equatorward migration at low latitudes and the polar branch at high latitudes, and the observed negative sign of B_r B_phi. Although the activity clearly shifts towards the equator in comparison to previous models due to the combined action of the alpha-effect peaking at midlatitudes, meridional circulation and latitudinal pumping, most of the activity still occurs at too high latitudes (between 5-60 degrees). Other problems include the relatively narrow parameter space within which the preferred solution is dipolar (A0), and the somewhat too short cycle lengths of the solar-type solutions. The role of the surface shear layer is found to be important only in the case where the alpha-effect has an appreciable magnitude near the surface.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomische Nachrichte

Temporal variations in English Populations of a forest insect pest, the green spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum), associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation and global warming

Based on an exceptionally long modern ecological dataset (41 years), it has been possible to show that warm weather in England associated with a positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index causes the spring migration of the green spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum), a pest species of spruce trees (Picea) to start earlier, continue for longer and contain more aphids. An upward trend in the NAO index during the period 1966-2006 is associated with an increasing population size of E. abietinum. It is important to understand the mechanisms behind the population fluctuations, because this aphid causes considerable damage to Picea plantations. Present day weather associated fluctuations in forest insect pests may be useful analogues in understanding past pest outbreaks in forests

Parity properties of an advection-dominated solar \alpha^2\Om-dynamo

We have developed a high-precision code which solves the kinematic dynamo problem both for given rotation law and meridional flow in the case of a low eddy diffusivity of the order of $10^{11}$ cm$^2$/s known from the sunspot decay. All our models work with an \alf-effect which is positive (negative) in the northern (southern) hemisphere. It is concentrated in radial layers located either at the top or at the bottom of the convection zone. We have also considered an \alf-effect uniformly distributed in all the convection zone. In the present paper the main attention is focused on i) the parity of the solution, ii) the form of the butterfly diagram and iii) the phase relation of the resulting field components. If the helioseismologically derived internal solar rotation law is considered, a model without meridional flow of high magnetic Reynolds number (corresponding to low eddy diffusivity) fails in all the three issues in comparison with the observations. However, a meridional flow with equatorial drift at the bottom of the convection zone of few meters by second can indeed enforce the equatorward migration of the toroidal magnetic field belts similar to the observed butterfly diagram but, the solution has only a dipolar parity if the (positive) \alf-effect is located at the base of the convection zone rather than at the top. We can, therefore, confirm the main results of a similar study by Dikpati & Gilman (2001).Comment: 9 pages, 16 figures, to appear on Astronomy and Astrophysic

Delayed Babcock-Leighton dynamos in the diffusion-dominated regime

Context. Solar dynamo models of Babcock-Leighton type typically assume the rise of magnetic flux tubes to be instantaneous. Solutions with high-magnetic-diffusivity have too short periods and a wrong migration of their active belts. Only the low-diffusivity regime with advective meridional flows is usually considered. Aims. In the present paper we discuss these assumptions and applied a time delay in the source term of the azimuthally averaged induction equation. This delay is set to be the rise time of magnetic flux tubes which supposedly form at the tachocline. We study the effect of the delay, which adds to the spacial non-locality a non-linear temporal one, in the advective but particularly in the diffusive regime. Methods. Fournier et al. (2017) obtained the rise time according to stellar parameters such as rotation, and the magnetic field strength at the bottom of the convection zone. These results allowed us to constrain the delay in the mean-field model used in a parameter study. Results. We identify an unknown family of solutions. These solutions self-quench, and exhibit longer periods than their non-delayed counterparts. Additionally, we demonstrate that the non-linear delay is responsible for the recover of the equatorward migration of the active belts at high turbulent diffusivities. Conclusions. By introducing a non-linear temporal non-locality (the delay) in a Babcock-Leighton dynamo model, we could obtain solutions quantitatively comparable to the solar butterfly diagram in the diffusion-dominated regime.Comment: 11 pages, 10 Figure