On bromine, nitrogen oxides and ozone depletion in the tropospheric plume of Erebus volcano (Antarctica)

International audienceSince the discovery of bromine oxide (BrO) in volcanic emissions, there has been speculation concerning its role in chemical evolution and notably ozone depletion in volcanic plumes. We report the first measurements using Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) of BrO in the tropospheric plume of the persistently degassing Erebus volcano (Antarctica). These are the first observations pertaining to emissions from an alkaline phonolitic magma. The observed BrO/SO2 ratio of 2.5 x 10-4 is similar to that measured at andesitic arc volcanoes. The high abundance of BrO is consistent with high abundances of F and Cl relative to sulfur in the Erebus plume. Our estimations of HBr flux and BrO production rate suggest that reactive bromine chemistry can explain a 35% loss of tropospheric O3 observed in the Erebus plume at approximately 30 km from source (Oppenheimer et al., 2010). Erebus also has a permanent lava lake, which could result in generation of NOx by thermal fixation of atmospheric N2 at the hot lava surface. Any NOx emission could play a potent role in reactive bromine chemistry. However, the presence of NO2 could not be detected in the plume, about 400 m above the lake, in our DOAS observations of 2005. Nor could we reproduce spectroscopic retrievals that reportedly identified NO2 in DOAS observations from 2003 made of the Erebus plume (Oppenheimer et al., 2005). Based on the NO2 detection limit of our analysis, we can state an upper limit of the NO2/SO2 ratio of ≤ 0.012, an order of magnitude lower than previously reported. Our new result supports a rapid oxidation of NOx in the young plume and is more consistent with measurements of NOy species measured using an instrumented aircraft flying in the plume. Model simulations, tuned for Erebus, were performed to reproduce the BrO/SO2 observed in the young plume and to investigate the impact of NOx emissions at source on the subsequent formation of BrO in the plume. They support our hypothesis of rapid conversion of NOx to NOy in the vicinity of the lava lake. This study thus places new constraints on the interaction between reactive nitrogen and bromine species in volcanic plumes, and its effects on ozone

Magneto-Acoustic Wave Oscillations in Solar Spicules

Some observations suggest that solar spicules show small amplitude and high frequency oscillations of magneto-acoustic waves, which arise from photospheric granular forcing. We apply the method of MHD seismology to determine the period of kink waves. For this purposes, the oscillations of a magnetic cylinder embedded in a field-free environment is investigated. Finally, diagnostic diagrams displaying the oscillatory period in terms of some equilibrium parameters are provided to allow a comparison between theoretical results and those coming from observations.Comment: 10 pages, 4 fig

Finite temperature scaling theory for the collapse of Bose-Einstein condensate

We show how to apply the scaling theory in an inhomogeneous system like harmonically trapped Bose condensate at finite temperatures. We calculate the temperature dependence of the critical number of particles by a scaling theory within the Hartree-Fock approximation and find that there is a dramatic increase in the critical number of particles as the condensation point is approached.Comment: Published online [6 pages, 3 figures

Analysis of Collectivism and Egoism Phenomena within the Context of Social Welfare

Comparative benefits provided by the basic social strategies including collectivism and egoism are investigated within the framework of democratic decision-making. In particular, we study the mechanism of growing "snowball" of cooperation.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures. Translated from Russian. Original Russian Text published in Problemy Upravleniya, 2008, No. 4, pp. 30-3

Propagation of Long-Wavelength Nonlinear Slow Sausage Waves in Stratified Magnetic Flux Tubes

The propagation of nonlinear, long-wavelength, slow sausage waves in an expanding magnetic flux tube, embedded in a non-magnetic stratified environment, is discussed. The governing equation for surface waves, which is akin to the Leibovich–Roberts equation, is derived using the method of multiple scales. The solitary wave solution of the equation is obtained numerically. The results obtained are illustrative of a solitary wave whose properties are highly dependent on the degree of stratification

Oscillations and waves in solar spicules

Since their discovery, spicules have attracted increased attention as energy/mass bridges between the dense and dynamic photosphere and the tenuous hot solar corona. Mechanical energy of photospheric random and coherent motions can be guided by magnetic field lines, spanning from the interior to the upper parts of the solar atmosphere, in the form of waves and oscillations. Since spicules are one of the most pronounced features of the chromosphere, the energy transport they participate in can be traced by the observations of their oscillatory motions. Oscillations in spicules have been observed for a long time. However the recent high-resolutions and high-cadence space and ground based facilities with superb spatial, temporal and spectral capacities brought new aspects in the research of spicule dynamics. Here we review the progress made in imaging and spectroscopic observations of waves and oscillations in spicules. The observations are accompanied by a discussion on theoretical modelling and interpretations of these oscillations. Finally, we embark on the recent developments made on the presence and role of Alfven and kink waves in spicules. We also address the extensive debate made on the Alfven versus kink waves in the context of the explanation of the observed transverse oscillations of spicule axes

Stability of Attractive Bose-Einstein Condensates in a Periodic Potential

Using a standing light wave trap, a stable quasi-one-dimensional attractive dilute-gas Bose-Einstein condensate can be realized. In a mean-field approximation, this phenomenon is modeled by the cubic nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with attractive nonlinearity and an elliptic function potential of which a standing light wave is a special case. New families of stationary solutions are presented. Some of these solutions have neither an analog in the linear Schr\"odinger equation nor in the integrable nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation. Their stability is examined using analytic and numerical methods. Trivial-phase solutions are experimentally stable provided they have nodes and their density is localized in the troughs of the potential. Stable time-periodic solutions are also examined.Comment: 12 pages, 18 figure

Study of KS KL Coupled Decays and KL -Be Interactions with the CMD-2 Detector at VEPP-2M Collider

The integrated luminosity about 4000 inverse nanobarn of around phi meson mass ( 5 millions of phi mesons) has been collected with the CMD-2 detector at the VEPP-2M collider. A latest analysis of the KS KL coupled decays based on 30 % of available data is presented in this paper. The KS KL pairs from phi meson decays were reconstructed in the drift chamber when both kaons decayed into two charged particles. From a sample of 1423 coupled decays a selection of candidates to the CP violating KL into pi+ pi- decay was performed. CP violating decays were not identified because of the domination of events with a KL regenerating at the Be beam pipe into KS and a background from KL semileptonic decays. The regeneration cross section of 110 MeV/c KL mesons was found to be 53 +- 17 mb in agreement with theoretical expectations. The angular distribution of KS mesons after regeneration and the total cross section of KL for Be have been measured.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure