Pacific subsurface ocean temperature as a long-rangepredictor of South China tropical cyclone landfall

Seasonal forecasts of the tropical cyclones which frequently make landfall along the densely populated South China coast are highly desirable. Here, we analyse observations of landfalling tropical cyclones in South China and of subsurface ocean temperatures in the Pacific warm pool region, and identify the possibility of forecasts of South China tropical cyclone landfall a year ahead. Specifically, we define a subsurface temperature index, subNiño4, and build a predictive model based on subNiño4 anomalies with a robust double cross-validated forecast skill against climatology of 23%, similar in skill to existing forecasts issued much later in the spring. We suggest that subNiño4 ocean temperatures precede the surface El Niño/Southern Oscillation state by about 12 months, and that the zonal shifts in atmospheric heating then change mid-level winds to steer tropical cyclones towards landfall in South China. We note that regional subsurface ocean temperature anomalies may permit atmospheric predictions in other locations at a longer range than is currently thought possible

Polarization Diagnostics for Cool Core Cluster Emission Lines

The nature of the interaction between low-excitation gas filaments at ~104 K, seen in optical line emission, and diffuse X-ray emitting coronal gas at ~107 K in the centers of galaxy clusters remains a puzzle. The presence of a strong, empirical correlation between the two gas phases is indicative of a fundamental relationship between them, though as yet of undetermined cause. The cooler filaments, originally thought to have condensed from the hot gas, could also arise from a merger or the disturbance of cool circumnuclear gas by nuclear activity. Here, we have searched for intrinsic line emission polarization in cool core galaxy clusters as a diagnostic of fundamental transport processes. Drawing on developments in solar astrophysics, direct energetic particle impact induced polarization holds the promise to definitively determine the role of collisional processes such as thermal conduction in the ISM physics of galaxy clusters, while providing insight into other highly anisotropic excitation mechanisms such as shocks, intense radiation fields, and suprathermal particles. Under certain physical conditions, theoretical calculations predict of the order of 10% polarization. Our observations of the filaments in four nearby cool core clusters place stringent upper limits ( 0.1%) on the presence of emission line polarization, requiring that if thermal conduction is operative, the thermal gradients are not in the saturated regime. This limit is consistent with theoretical models of the thermal structure of filament interfacesPeer reviewe

Mid-infrared transmission properties of step index and large mode area ZnSe microstructured optical fibers

ZnSe microstructured fibers have been designed and fabricated using silica capillaries and an air-silica photonic band-gap optical fiber as high-pressure microfluidic templates for semiconductor growth via chemical fluid deposition. We examine their transmission properties over a wide spectral range

Cloning and expression of a human kinesin heavy chain gene: interaction of the COOH-terminal domain with cytoplasmic microtubules in transfected CV-1 cells.

To understand the interactions between the microtubule-based motor protein kinesin and intracellular components, we have expressed the kinesin heavy chain and its different domains in CV-1 monkey kidney epithelial cells and examined their distributions by immunofluorescence microscopy. For this study, we cloned and sequenced cDNAs encoding a kinesin heavy chain from a human placental library. The human kinesin heavy chain exhibits a high level of sequence identity to the previously cloned invertebrate kinesin heavy chains; homologies between the COOH-terminal domain of human and invertebrate kinesins and the nonmotor domain of the Aspergillus kinesin-like protein bimC were also found. The gene encoding the human kinesin heavy chain also contains a small upstream open reading frame in a G-C rich 5' untranslated region, features that are associated with translational regulation in certain mRNAs. After transient expression in CV-1 cells, the kinesin heavy chain showed both a diffuse distribution and a filamentous staining pattern that coaligned with microtubules but not vimentin intermediate filaments. Altering the number and distribution of microtubules with taxol or nocodazole produced corresponding changes in the localization of the expressed kinesin heavy chain. The expressed NH2-terminal motor and the COOH-terminal tail domains, but not the alpha-helical coiled coil rod domain, also colocalized with microtubules. The finding that both the kinesin motor and tail domains can interact with cytoplasmic microtubules raises the possibility that kinesin could crossbridge and induce sliding between microtubules under certain circumstances

Structure and Isopach Maps of the Mississippian Big Lime (Newman Limestone/Slade Formation), Eastern Kentucky

The maps included in this publication were made using stratigraphic data collected by us from almost 8,000 wells as part of a regional stratigraphic study of the Mississippian Slade Formation in eastern Kentucky. The data extend from the Mississippian outcrop belt along the northwestern edge of the map area to the state borders on the northeast. The southeastern border of the map area is marked by the Pine Mountain Fault. Formation tops data for these wells were collected from geophysical (electric) logs and drillers\u27 logs, and are available in electronic format from the Kentucky Geological Survey (Harris and Sparks, 1997). In the subsurface this stratigraphic interval is commonly referred to as the Big Lime by drillers. Because this term is widely used in the oil and gas industry, it will be used in this publication. Regional geologic cross sections for the mapped area by Harris and Sparks (2000) were previously published. These structural and stratigraphic cross sections were constructed from geophysical well logs and provide additional data (lithology, porosity) for the Big Lime. These structure and isopach maps illustrate the structural configuration and thickness, respectively, of the Mississippian Slade Formation (Newman Limestone or Big Lime). Data points used to make the maps are shown. The maps include both color shading and labeled contours. The structure map is contoured with a 50-ft interval, and the isopach with a 15-ft interval

HST and Spitzer point source detection and optical extinction in powerful narrow-line radio galaxies

We present the analysis of infrared HST and Spitzer data for a sample of 13 FRII radio galaxies at 0.03<z<0.11 that are classified as narrow-line radio galaxies (NLRG). In the context of the unified schemes for active galactic nuclei (AGN), our direct view of the AGN in NLRG is impeded by a parsec-scale dusty torus structure. Our high resolution infrared observations provide new information about the degree of extinction induced by the torus, and the incidence of obscured AGN in NLRG. We find that the point-like nucleus detection rate increases from 25 per cent at 1.025$\mu$m, to 80 per cent at 2.05$\mu$m, and to 100 per cent at 8.0$\mu$m. This supports the idea that most NLRG host an obscured AGN in their centre. We estimate the extinction from the obscuring structures using X-ray, near-IR and mid-IR data. We find that the optical extinction derived from the 9.7$\mu$m silicate absorption feature is consistently lower than the extinction derived using other techniques. This discrepancy challenges the assumption that all the mid-infrared emission of NLRG is extinguished by a simple screen of dust at larger radii. This disagreement can be explained in terms of either weakening of the silicate absorption feature by (i) thermal mid-IR emission from the narrow-line region, (ii) non-thermal emission from the base of the radio jets, or (iii) by direct warm dust emission that leaks through a clumpy torus without suffering major attenuation.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, 8 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA

Paretroplus maromandia, a new cichlid fish from the northwest of Madagascar

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57163/1/OP727.pd

Mines and Minerals of the Western Kentucky Fluorspar District

This map shows all the known and identified mines, mineral prospects, and igneous intrusions (dikes or sills) in the Western Kentucky Fluorspar District, compiled from thousands of maps and files, creating an up-to-date, comprehensive catalog for the district. The district has been extensively mined for more than 120 years and was once the largest producer of fluorspar (fluorite) in the United States. Millions of tons of vein ore minerals (fluorite, zinc, lead, and barite) has been produced from these mines, and substantial reserves still remain. New mining and exploration activity has renewed interest in the district, and the industry will benefit from the use of this new map. Historic iron ore mines are also included because of their immediate proximity to this mapped area