413 research outputs found
Selective attention in schizophrenic and manic psychoses: The effect of distraction on information processing.
Increased Greenland melt triggered by large-scale, year-round cyclonic moisture intrusions
Surface melting is a major
driver of Greenland's mass loss. Yet, the mechanisms that trigger melt are
still insufficiently understood because seasonally based studies blend
processes initiating melt with positive feedbacks. Here, we focus on the
triggers of melt by examining the synoptic atmospheric conditions associated
with 313 rapid melt increases, detected in a satellite-derived melt extent
product, equally distributed throughout the year over the period 1979–2012.
By combining reanalysis and weather station data, we show that melt is
initiated by a cyclone-driven, southerly flow of warm, moist air, which gives
rise to large-scale precipitation. A decomposition of the synoptic
atmospheric variability over Greenland suggests that the identified,
melt-triggering weather pattern accounts for ∼40 % of the net
precipitation, but increases in the frequency, duration and areal extent of
the initiated melting have shifted the line between mass gain and mass loss
as more melt and rainwater run off or accumulate in the snowpack. Using a
regional climate model, we estimate that the initiated melting more than
doubled over the investigated period, amounting to ∼28 % of the
overall surface melt and revealing that, despite the involved mass gain,
year-round precipitation events are participating in the ice sheet's decline.</p
The role of wave dynamics and small-scale topography for downslope wind events in Southeast Greenland
In Ammassalik, in southeast Greenland, downslope winds can reach hurricane intensity and represent a hazard for the local population and environment. They advect cold air down the ice sheet and over the Irminger Sea, where they drive large ocean–atmosphere heat fluxes over an important ocean convection region. Earlier studies have found them to be associated with a strong katabatic acceleration over the steep coastal slopes, flow convergence inside the valley of Ammassalik, and—in one instance—mountain wave breaking. Yet, for the general occurrence of strong downslope wind events, the importance of mesoscale processes is largely unknown. Here, two wind events—one weak and one strong—are simulated with the atmospheric Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model with different model and topography resolutions, ranging from 1.67 to 60 km. For both events, but especially for the strong one, it is found that lower resolutions underestimate the wind speed because they misrepresent the steepness of the topography and do not account for the underlying wave dynamics. If a 5-km model instead of a 60-km model resolution in Ammassalik is used, the flow associated with the strong wind event is faster by up to 20 m s−1. The effects extend far downstream over the Irminger Sea, resulting in a diverging spatial distribution and temporal evolution of the heat fluxes. Local differences in the heat fluxes amount to 20%, with potential implications for ocean convection
Strong downslope wind events in Ammassalik, Southeast Greenland
Ammassalik in southeast Greenland is known for strong wind events that can reach hurricane intensity and cause severe destruction in the local town. Yet, these winds and their impact on the nearby fjord and shelf region have not been studied in detail.
Here, data from two meteorological stations and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Interim Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) are used to identify and characterize these strong downslope wind events, which are especially pronounced at a major east Greenland fjord, Sermilik Fjord, within Ammassalik. Their local and regional characteristics, their dynamics and their impacts on the regional sea ice cover, and air–sea fluxes are described. Based on a composite of the events it is concluded that wind events last for approximately a day, and seven to eight events occur each winter. Downslope wind events are associated with a deep synoptic-scale cyclone between Iceland and Greenland. During the events, cold dry air is advected down the ice sheet. The downslope flow is accelerated by gravitational acceleration, flow convergence inside the Ammassalik valley, and near the coast by an additional thermal and synoptic-scale pressure gradient acceleration. Wind events are associated with a large buoyancy loss over the Irminger Sea, and it is estimated that they drive one-fifth of the net wintertime loss. Also, the extreme winds drive sea ice out of the fjord and away from the shelf
Damping mechanisms of the Delta resonance in nuclei
The damping mechanisms of the Delta(1232) resonance in nuclei are studied by
analyzing the quasi-free decay reactions 12C(pi+,pi+ p)11B and 12C(3He,t pi+
p)11B and the 2p emission reactions 12C(pi+,pp)10B and 12C(3He,t pp)10B. The
coincidence cross sections are calculated within the framework of the
isobar-hole model. It is found that the 2p emission process induced by the
decay of the Delta resonance in the nucleus can be consistently described by a
pi+rho+g' model for the Delta+N -> N+N decay interaction.Comment: 9 pages, 5 Postscript figures, uses RevTex, psfig.sty. Accepted by
Physical Review
Trend and interannual variability in southeast Greenland sea ice: Impacts on coastal Greenland climate variability
We describe the recent occurrence of a region of diminished sea ice cover or “notch” offshore of the Kangerdlugssuaq Fiord, the site of the largest tidewater glacier along Greenland's southeast coast. The notch's location is consistent with a topographically forced flux of warm water toward the fiord, and the decrease of the sea ice cover is shown to be associated with a regional warming of the upper ocean that began in the mid‐1990s. Sea ice in the vicinity of the notch also exhibits interannual variability that is shown to be associated with a seesaw in surface temperature and sea ice between southeast and northeast Greenland that is not describable solely in terms of the North Atlantic Oscillation. We therefore argue that other modes of atmospheric variability, including the Lofoten Low, are required to fully document the changes to the climate that are occurring along Greenland's east coast
Delta excitation in K^+-nucleus collisions
We present calculations for \Delta excitation in the (K^+,K^+) reaction in
nuclei. The background from quasielastic K^+ scattering in the \Delta region is
also evaluated and shown to be quite small in some kinematical regions, so as
to allow for a clean identification of the \Delta excitation strength. Nuclear
effects tied to the \Delta renormalization in the nucleus are considered and
the reaction is shown to provide new elements to enrich our knowledge of the
\Delta properties in a nuclear medium.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, LaTe
Coherent pion production in neutrino nucleus collision in the 1 GeV region
We calculate cross sections for coherent pion production in nuclei induced by
neutrinos and antineutrinos of the electron and muon type. The analogies and
differences between this process and the related ones of coherent pion
production induced by photons, or the (p,n) and reactions are
discussed. The process is one of the several ones occurring for intermediate
energy neutrinos, to be considered when detecting atmospheric neutrinos. For
this purpose the results shown here can be easily extrapolated to other
energies and other nuclei.Comment: 13 pages, LaTex, 8 post-script figures available at
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