On the Links between Microwave and Solar Wavelength Interactions with Snow-Covered First-Year Sea Ice

Electromagnetic (EM) energy at solar and microwavelengths will interact with a snow-covered sea ice volume as a function of its geophysical properties. The seasonal metamorphosis of the snow cover modulates the relative distribution of the three main interaction mechanisms of EM energy: reflection, transmission, and absorption. We use a combination of modeling and observational data to illustrate how the total relative scattering cross section (Sigma 0) at microwavelengths can be used to estimate the surface climatological shortwave albedo and the transmitted Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) for a snow-covered, first-year sea ice volume typical of the Canadian Arctic. Modeling results indicate that both 5.3 and 9.25 GHz frequencies, at HH polarization and incidence angles of 20 degrees, 30 degrees, and 40 degrees can be used to estimate the daily averaged integrated climatological albedo (Alpha). The models at 5.3 GHz, HH polarization, at 20 degree, 30 degree, and 40 degree incidence angles were equally precise in predications of Alpha. The models at 9.25 GHz were slightly less precise, particularly at the 40 degree incidence angle. The reduction in precision at the 40 degree incidence angle was attributed to the increased sensitivity at both 5.3 and 9.25 GHz to the snow surface scattering term (Sigma 0 ss) used in computation of the total relative scattering cross section (Sigma 0). Prediction of subsnow PAR was also possible using the same combination of microwave sensor variables utilized in prediction of Alpha, but because subice algal communities have evolved to be low light sensitive, the majority of the growth cycle occurs prior to significant changes in Sigma 0. A method of remote estimation of snow thickness is required to be scientifically useful. Observational data from the European ERS-1 SAR were used to confirm the appropriateness of the modeled relationships between Sigma 0, Alpha, and PAR. Over a time series spanning all conditions used in the modeled relationships, the same general patterns were observed between Sigma, Alpha, and PAR.Key words: microwave scattering models, snow, sea ice, climatological shortwave radiation, photosynthetically active radiation, microwave remote sensingL'énergie électromagnétique à des ondes ultra-courtes et solaires va interagir avec un volume de glace de mer couverte de neige, en fonction de ses propriétés géophysiques. La métamorphose saisonnière du couvert nival module la distribution relative des trois grands mécanismes d'interaction de l'énergie électromagnétique: réflexion, transmission et absorption. On utilise une combinaison de résultats de modélisation et de données d'observation pour illustrer la façon dont la coupe transversale totale de diffusion relative (sigma-zero) à des longueurs d'onde ultra-courtes peut être utilisée pour estimer l'albédo climatologique en ondes courtes de la surface et le rayonnement photosynthétiquement utilisable (RPU) pour un volume de glace de mer nouvelle couverte de neige, typique de l'Arctique canadien. Les résultats de modélisation indiquent qu'on peut utiliser les deux fréquences de 5,3 et 9,25 GHz, ayant une polarisation HH et des angles d'incidence de 20, 30 et 40° pour estimer la moyenne quotidienne de l'albédo climatologique intégré (alpha). Les modèles à 5,3 GHz, ayant une polarisation HH et des angles d'incidence de 20, 30 et 40° prédisaient alpha avec le même degré de précision. Les modèles à 9,25 GHz étaient légèrement moins précis, surtout en ce qui concerne l'angle d'incidence de 40°. La réduction de précision à l'angle d'incidence de 40° était attribuée à une augmentation de sensibilité, aux deux fréquences de 5,3 et 9,25 GHz, au terme de diffusion de la surface nivale (sigma-zero-ss) utilisé dans le calcul de la coupe transversale totale de diffusion relative (sigma-zero). Pour prédire le RPU sous la couche nivale, on a également pu utiliser la même combinaison de variables de capteurs d'ondes ultra-courtes que celle utilisée pour prédire alpha. Mais parce que les communautés d'algues vivant sous la glace ont développé un niveau de photosensibilité élevé, la plupart du cycle de croissance se produit avant que des changements importants n'aient lieu dans sigma-zero. Il faut développer une méthode d'estimation de l'épaisseur nivale par la télédétection pour que cette méthode soit utilisable du point de vue scientifique. On a utilisé des données d'observation prises au RALS dans le cadre du ERS-1 européen pour confirmer la pertinence des rapports de modélisation entre sigma-zero, alpha et le RPU. Dans une série chronologique couvrant toutes les conditions utilisées dans les rapports de modélisation, on a observé les mêmes grandes tendances entre sigma-zero, alpha et le RPU.Mots clés: modèles de diffusion d’hyperfréquences, neige, glace de mer, rayonnement climatologique de courtes longueurs d’onde, rayonnement photosynthétiquement utilisable, télédétection des ondes ultra-courte

The SIMMS Program: A Study of Change and Variability within the Marine Cryosphere

This paper describes the scientific context of an experimental program for an eight year study of change and variability within the marine cryosphere in the Canadian Arctic and summarizes the field program since its inception in 1990. The focus is on understanding the process linkages between the atmosphere, cryosphere and ocean at the sea ice interface and in establishing a method by which these processes can be modeled numerically. Remote sensing plays a significant role as a major source of temporally and spatially consistent data in this relatively inaccessible region. In this program, we combine in situ measurement of geophysical characteristics of the sea ice interface, electromagnetic radiation interactions with the interface, and numerical modeling of marine cryosphere processes operating across this interface. Our primary objective is to observe and simulate the mechanisms that may contribute to change and variability. We conclude by proposing a conceptual spatial signature of an icescape as the basis for integration of these processes and illustrate how remote sensing data can be used to identify these functional signatures.Key words: Canadian Arctic, marine cryosphere, remote sensing, atmosphere-cryosphere interactions, snow and sea iceCet article décrit le contexte scientifique d'un programme expérimental consistant en une étude portant sur une période de huit ans des changements et de la variabilité au sein de la cryosphère marine dans l'Arctique canadien, et il résume le programme de terrain depuis sa création en 1990. On se concentre sur la compréhension des liens entre les processus à l'oeuvre, à l'interface de la glace de mer, qui impliquent l'atmosphère, la cryosphère et l'océan, ainsi que sur l'élaboration d'une méthode permettant de faire une modélisation numérique de ces processus. La télédétection joue un rôle important comme source principale de données cohérentes sur les plans temporel et spatial provenant de cette région relativement inaccessible. Dans ce programme on combine les mesures in situ des caractéristiques géophysiques de l'interface de la glace de mer, les interactions du rayonnement électromagnétique avec l'interface et la modélisation numérique des processus de la cryosphère agissant à cette interface. Notre objectif premier est d'observer et de simuler les mécanismes qui peuvent contribuer au changement et à la variabilité. On conclut en proposant sur le plan conceptuel une signature spatiale d'un panorama glaciaire comme base d'intégration de ces processus, et on illustre la façon dont les données obtenues par la télédétection peuvent servir à identifier ces signatures fonctionnelles.Mots clés: Arctique canadien, cryosphère marine, télédétection, interactions atmosphère-cryosphère, neige et glace de me

The critical current of YBa2Cu3O7-d Low Angle Grain Boundaries

Transport critical current measurements have been performed on 5 degree [001]-tilt thin film YBa2Cu3O7-delta single grain boundaries with magnetic field rotated in the plane of the film, phi. The variation of the critical current has been determined as a function of the angle between the magnetic field and the grain boundary plane. In applied fields above 1 T the critical current, j_c, is found to be strongly suppressed only when the magnetic field is within an angle phi_k of the grain boundary. Outside this angular range the behavior of the artificial grain boundary is dominated by the critical current of the grains. We show that the phi dependence of j_c in the suppressed region is well described by a flux cutting model.Comment: To be published in PRL, new version with minor changes following referees report

Bubble Shape Oscillations and the Onset of Sonoluminescence

An air bubble trapped in water by an oscillating acoustic field undergoes either radial or nonspherical pulsations depending on the strength of the forcing pressure. Two different instability mechanisms (the Rayleigh--Taylor instability and parametric instability) cause deviations from sphericity. Distinguishing these mechanisms allows explanation of many features of recent experiments on sonoluminescence, and suggests methods for finding sonoluminescence in different parameter regimes.Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett., in pres

Gauge Theories with Cayley-Klein SO(2;j)SO(2;j) and SO(3;j)SO(3;j) Gauge Groups

Gauge theories with the orthogonal Cayley-Klein gauge groups $SO(2;j)$ and $SO(3;{\bf j})$ are regarded. For nilpotent values of the contraction parameters ${\bf j}$ these groups are isomorphic to the non-semisimple Euclid, Newton, Galilei groups and corresponding matter spaces are fiber spaces with degenerate metrics. It is shown that the contracted gauge field theories describe the same set of fields and particle mass as $SO(2), SO(3)$ gauge theories, if Lagrangians in the base and in the fibers all are taken into account. Such theories based on non-semisimple contracted group provide more simple field interactions as compared with the initial ones.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

Strength of Higher-Order Spin-Orbit Resonances

When polarized particles are accelerated in a synchrotron, the spin precession can be periodically driven by Fourier components of the electromagnetic fields through which the particles travel. This leads to resonant perturbations when the spin-precession frequency is close to a linear combination of the orbital frequencies. When such resonance conditions are crossed, partial depolarization or spin flip can occur. The amount of polarization that survives after resonance crossing is a function of the resonance strength and the crossing speed. This function is commonly called the Froissart-Stora formula. It is very useful for predicting the amount of polarization after an acceleration cycle of a synchrotron or for computing the required speed of the acceleration cycle to maintain a required amount of polarization. However, the resonance strength could in general only be computed for first-order resonances and for synchrotron sidebands. When Siberian Snakes adjust the spin tune to be 1/2, as is required for high energy accelerators, first-order resonances do not appear and higher-order resonances become dominant. Here we will introduce the strength of a higher-order spin-orbit resonance, and also present an efficient method of computing it. Several tracking examples will show that the so computed resonance strength can indeed be used in the Froissart-Stora formula. HERA-p is used for these examples which demonstrate that our results are very relevant for existing accelerators.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Critical currents in vicinal YBa2_2Cu3_3O7−δ_{7-\delta} films

Most measurements of critical current densities in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ thin films to date have been performed on films where the \textit{c}-axis is grown normal to the film surface. With such films, the analysis of the dependence of $j_c$ on the magnetic field angle is complex. The effects of extrinsic contributions to the angular field dependence of $j_c$, such as the measurement geometry and disposition of pinning centres, are convoluted with those intrinsically due to the anisotropy of the material. As a consequence of this, it is difficult to distinguish between proposed FLL structure models on the basis of angular critical current density measurements on \textit{c}-axis films. Films grown on mis-cut (vicinal) substrates have a reduced measurement symmetry and thus provide a greater insight into the critical current anisotropy. In this paper previous descriptions of the magnetic field angle dependence of $j_c$ in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ are reviewed. Measurements on YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ thin films grown on a range of vicinal substrates are presented and the results interpreted in terms of the structure and dimensionality of the FLL in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$. There is strong evidence for a transition in the structure of the flux line lattice depending on magnetic field magnitude, orientation and temperature. As a consequence, a simple scaling law can not, by itself, describe the observed critical current anisotropy in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$. The experimentally obtained $j_c(\theta)$ behaviour of YBCO is successfully described in terms of a kinked vortex structure for fields applied near parallel to the \textit{a-b} planes.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, Submitted to PR

Beam Based Alignment of Interaction Region Magnets

In conventional beam based alignment (BBA) procedures, the relative alignment of a quadrupole to a nearby beam position monitor is determined by finding a beam position in the quadrupole at which the closed orbit does not change when the quadrupole field is varied. The final focus magnets of the interaction regions (IR) of circular colliders often have some specialized properties that make it difficult to perform conventional beam based alignment procedures. At the HERA interaction points, for example, these properties are: (a) The quadrupoles are quite strong and long. Therefore a thin lens approximation is quite imprecise. (b) The effects of angular magnet offsets become significant. (c) The possibilities to steer the beam are limited as long as the alignment is not within specifications. (d) The beam orbit has design offsets and design angles with respect to the axis of the low-beta quadrupoles. (e) Often quadrupoles do not have a beam position monitor in their vicinity. Here we present a beam based alignment procedure that determines the relative offset of the closed orbit from a quadrupole center without requiring large orbit changes or monitors next to the quadrupole. Taking into account the alignment angle allows us to reduce the sensitivity to optical errors by one to two orders of magnitude. We also show how the BBA measurements of all IR quadrupoles can be used to determine the global position of the magnets. The sensitivity to errors of this method is evaluated and its applicability to HERA is shown

Mechanistic Insights into the Modulation of Voltage-Gated Ion Channels by Inhalational Anesthetics

AbstractGeneral anesthesia is a relatively safe medical procedure, which for nearly 170 years has allowed life saving surgical interventions in animals and people. However, the molecular mechanism of general anesthesia continues to be a matter of importance and debate. A favored hypothesis proposes that general anesthesia results from direct multisite interactions with multiple and diverse ion channels in the brain. Neurotransmitter-gated ion channels and two-pore K+ channels are key players in the mechanism of anesthesia; however, new studies have also implicated voltage-gated ion channels. Recent biophysical and structural studies of Na+ and K+ channels strongly suggest that halogenated inhalational general anesthetics interact with gates and pore regions of these ion channels to modulate function. Here, we review these studies and provide a perspective to stimulate further advances