Tidal pattern instabilities on multi-moon planets     

Joanna Furno 《Icarus》2007,189(1):246-255

The equilibrium tide-generating forces in the lunar orbital plane of a planet of radius R are calculated for the case of N moons of mass Mi orbiting the planet at instantaneous polar coordinates (Di, αi). For the case of a single moon, there are only two high tides. For the case of two moons, it is found that there can exist a critical lunar orbital distance at which two high tides become unstable with respect to formation of three high tides. Bifurcation diagrams are presented which depict how the angular positions of the high and low tides on the planet vary with the lunar distances and lunar separation angle. Tidal stability diagrams, which illustrate the stability regions for various tidal patterns as a function of lunar distances and lunar separation angle, are presented for various values of D₂/D₁ and M₂/M₁. Generally speaking, the aforementioned tidal instability, and hence the propensity for formation of three high tides on a two-moon planet, exists over a significant range of lunar distances and separation angles provided that M₂/M₁∼³(D₂/D₁). For the case of N>2 moons, the tidal stability diagram becomes more complex, revealing a diversity of potential tidal patterns.  相似文献   

Assimilation of thermal emission spectrometer atmospheric data during the Mars Global Surveyor aerobraking period     

Stephen R. Lewis  Peter L. Read  Barney J. Conrath  John C. Pearl  Michael D. Smith 《Icarus》2007,192(2):327-347

The Thermal Emission Spectrometer aboard the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft has produced an extensive atmospheric data set, beginning during aerobraking and continuing throughout the extended scientific mapping phase. Temperature profiles for the atmosphere below about 40 km, surface temperatures and total dust and water ice opacities, can be retrieved from infrared spectra in nadir viewing mode. This paper describes assimilation of nadir retrievals from the spacecraft aerobraking period, L_S=190°–260°, northern hemisphere autumn to winter, into a Mars general circulation model. The assimilation scheme is able to combine information from temperature and dust optical depth retrievals, making use of a model forecast containing information from the assimilation of earlier observations, to obtain a global, time-dependent analysis. Given sufficient temperature retrievals, the assimilation procedure indicates errors in the a priori dust distribution assumptions even when lacking dust observations; in this case there are relatively cold regions above the poles compared to a model which assumes a horizontally-uniform dust distribution. One major reason for using assimilation techniques is in order to investigate the transient wave behavior on Mars. Whilst the data from the 2-h spacecraft mapping orbit phase is much more suitable for assimilation, even the longer (45–24 h) period aerobraking orbit data contain useful information about the three-dimensional synoptic-scale martian circulation which the assimilation procedure can reconstruct in a consistent way. Assimilations from the period of the Noachis regional dust storm demonstrate that the combined assimilation of temperature and dust retrievals has a beneficial impact on the atmospheric analysis.  相似文献   

The effects of vigorous mixing in a convective model of zonal flow on the ice giants     

Jonathan Aurnou  Moritz Heimpel 《Icarus》2007,190(1):110-126

Previous studies have used models of three-dimensional (3D) Boussinesq convection in a rotating spherical shell to explain the zonal flows on the gas giants, Jupiter and Saturn. In this paper we demonstrate that this approach can also generate flow patterns similar to those observed on the ice giants, Uranus and Neptune. The equatorial jets of Uranus and Neptune are often assumed to result from baroclinic cloud layer processes and have been simulated with shallow layer models. Here we show that vigorous, 3D convection in a spherical shell can produce the retrograde (westward) equatorial flows that occur on the ice giants as well as the prograde (eastward) equatorial flows of the gas giants. In our models, the direction of the equatorial jet depends on the ratio of buoyancy to Coriolis forces in the system. In cases where Coriolis forces dominate buoyancy, cylindrical Reynolds stresses drive prograde equatorial jets. However, as buoyancy forces approach and exceed Coriolis forces, the cylindrical nature of the flow is lost and 3D mixing homogenizes the fluid's angular momentum; the equatorial jet reverses direction, while strong prograde jets form in the polar regions. Although the results suggest that conditions involving strong atmospheric mixing are responsible for generating the zonal flows on the ice giants, our present models require roughly 100 and 10 times the internal heat fluxes observed on Uranus and Neptune, respectively.  相似文献   

Towards a new standard model for black hole accretion     

Zdenka Kuncic  Geoffrey V. Bicknell 《Astrophysics and Space Science》2007,311(1-3):127-135

We briefly review recent developments in black hole accretion disk theory, emphasizing the vital role played by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stresses in transporting angular momentum. The apparent universality of accretion-related outflow phenomena is a strong indicator that large-scale MHD torques facilitate vertical transport of angular momentum. This leads to an enhanced overall rate of angular momentum transport and allows accretion of matter to proceed at an interesting rate. Furthermore, we argue that when vertical transport is important, the radial structure of the accretion disk is modified at small radii and this affects the disk emission spectrum. We present a simple model demonstrating how energetic, magnetically-driven outflows modify the emergent disk emission spectrum with respect to that predicted by standard accretion disk theory. A comparison of the predicted spectra against observations of quasar spectral energy distributions suggests that mass accretion rates inferred using the standard disk model may be severely underestimated.  相似文献   

Valley formation on martian volcanoes in the Hesperian: Evidence for melting of summit snowpack, caldera lake formation, drainage and erosion on Ceraunius Tholus     

Caleb I. Fassett 《Icarus》2007,189(1):118-135

Ceraunius Tholus, a Hesperian-aged volcano in the Tharsis region, is characterized by small radial valleys on its flanks, and several larger valleys originating near its summit caldera. All of these large valleys drain from near the lowest present portion of the caldera rim and down the flanks of the volcano. The largest valley debauches into Rahe Crater (an oblique impact crater), forming a depositional fan. Recent study of climate change on Mars suggests that many low-latitude regions (especially large volcanic edifices) were periodically the sites of snow accumulation, likely triggered by variations in spin orbital parameters. We apply a conductive heat flow model to Ceraunius Tholus that suggests that following magmatic intrusion, sufficient heating would be available to cause basal melting of any accumulated summit snowpack and produce sufficient meltwater to cause the radial valleys. The geometry of the volcano summit caldera suggests that meltwater would also accumulate in a volumetrically significant caldera lake. Analysis of the morphology and volumes of the largest valley, as well as depositional features at its base, suggest that fluvial erosion due to drainage of this summit caldera lake formed the large valleys, in a manner analogous to how valleys were formed catastrophically from a lake in Aniakchak caldera in Alaska. Moreover, the event which carved the largest valley on Ceraunius Tholus appears to have led to the formation of a temporary lake within Rahe Crater, at its base. The more abundant, small valleys on the flanks are interpreted to form by radial drainage of melted ice or snow from the outside of the caldera rim. Comparison of Ceraunius Tholus with the volcano-capping Icelandic ice sheet Myrdalsjokull provides insight into the detailed mechanisms of summit heating, ice-cap accumulation and melting, and meltwater drainage. These observations further underline the importance of a combination of circumstances (i.e., climate change to produce summit snowpack and an active period of magmatism to produce melting) to form the valley systems on some martian volcanoes and not on others.  相似文献   

Searching for the Deep Impact crater on Comet 9P/Tempel 1 using image processing techniques     

I. Busko  D. Lindler  R.L. White 《Icarus》2007,187(1):56-68

In this work we attempt to obtain direct images of the crater associated with the impact of the Deep Impact impactor spacecraft on the nucleus of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 on July 4, 2005. The impact generated a large and bright ejecta cloud that hampers the clear view of the post-impact nucleus surface. We used image restoration techniques to enhance spatial resolution and contrast on a subset of selected post-impact high resolution images. No unambiguous evidence for the crater can be found; however, indirect evidence is consistent with a crater size in the 150-200 m range.  相似文献   

Oxygen compounds in Titan's stratosphere as observed by Cassini CIRS     

R. de Kok  P.G.J. Irwin  E. Lellouch  B. Bézard  S. Vinatier  C.A. Nixon  C. Howett  N.E. Bowles  F.W. Taylor 《Icarus》2007,186(2):354-363

We have investigated the abundances of Titan's stratospheric oxygen compounds using 0.5 cm⁻¹ resolution spectra from the Composite Infrared Spectrometer on the Cassini orbiter. The CO abundance was derived for several observations of far-infrared nadir spectra, taken at a range of latitudes (75° S-35° N) and emission angles (0°-60°), using rotational lines that have not been analysed before the arrival of Cassini at Saturn. The derived volume mixing ratios for the different observations are mutually consistent regardless of latitude. The weighted mean CO volume mixing ratio is 47±8 ppm if CO is assumed to be uniform with latitude. H₂O could not be detected and an upper limit of 0.9 ppb was determined. CO₂ abundances derived from mid-infrared nadir spectra show no significant latitudinal variations, with typical values of 16±2 ppb. Mid-infrared limb spectra at 55° S were used to constrain the vertical profile of CO₂ for the first time. A vertical CO₂ profile that is constant above the condensation level at a volume mixing ratio of 15 ppb reproduces the limb spectra very well below 200 km. This is consistent with the long chemical lifetime of CO₂ in Titan's stratosphere. Above 200 km the CO₂ volume mixing ratio is not well constrained and an increase with altitude cannot be ruled out there.  相似文献   

The formation of Ganymede's grooved terrain: Numerical modeling of extensional necking instabilities     

Michael T. Bland  Adam P. Showman 《Icarus》2007,189(2):439-456

Ganymede's grooved terrain likely formed during an epoch of global expansion, when unstable extension of the lithosphere resulted in the development of periodic necking instabilities. Linear, infinitesimal-strain models of extensional necking support this model of groove formation, finding that the fastest growing modes of an instability have wavelengths and growth rates consistent with Ganymede's grooves. However, several questions remain unanswered, including how nonlinearities affect instability growth at large strains, and what role instabilities play in tectonically resurfacing preexisting terrain. To address these questions we numerically model the extension of an icy lithosphere to examine the growth of periodic necking instabilities over a broad range of strain rates and temperature gradients. We explored thermal gradients up to 45 K km⁻¹ and found that, at infinitesimal strain, maximum growth rates occur at high temperature gradients (45 K km⁻¹) and moderate strain rates (10⁻¹³ s⁻¹). Dominant wavelengths range from 1.8 to 16.4 km (post extension). Our infinitesimal growth rates are qualitatively consistent with, but an order of magnitude lower than, previous linearized calculations. When strain exceeds ∼10% growth rates decrease, limiting the total amount of amplification that can result from unstable extension. This fall-off in growth occurs at lower groove amplitudes for high-temperature-gradient, thin-lithosphere simulations than for low-temperature-gradient, thick-lithosphere simulations. At large strains, this shifts the ideal conditions for producing large amplitude grooves from high temperature gradients to more moderate temperature gradients (15 K km⁻¹). We find that the formation of periodic necking instabilities can modify preexisting terrain, replacing semi-random topography up to 100 m in amplitude with periodic ridges and troughs, assisting the tectonic resurfacing process. Despite this success, the small topographic amplification produced by our model presents a formidable challenge to the necking instability mechanism for groove formation. Success of the necking instability mechanism may require rheological weakening or strain localization by faulting, effects not included in our analysis.  相似文献   

The organic composition of C/2001 A2 (LINEAR): II. Search for heterogeneity within a comet nucleus     

Erika L. Gibb  Michael A. DiSanti  Neil Dello Russo  Michael J. Mumma 《Icarus》2007,188(1):224-232

The nucleus of Comet C/2001 A2 (LINEAR) split several times during its recent apparition, presenting an unusual opportunity to search for chemical differences in freshly exposed material. We conducted this search using NIRSPEC at the W.M. Keck Observatory on four dates in 2001: 9.5 and 10.5 July and 4.4 and 10.5 August. We detected the R0 and R1 lines of the ν₃ vibrational band of CH₄ near 3.3 μm on all dates. The R2 line was detected on 4.4 and 10.5 August. When we compare production rates of CH₄ to H₂O, we find evidence of a significant enhancement in August relative to that found in July. H₂CO was securely detected via its ν₁ and ν₅ bands on 9.5 July. On 10.5 July, H₂CO emission was much weaker, and its mixing ratio had dropped by a factor of about four. The mixing ratios for other detected volatile species did not change significantly over the course of the observations. We discuss the implications of this evidence for chemical heterogeneity in the nucleus of Comet C/2001 A2.  相似文献   

Local and landscape effects on spatial patterns of mangrove forest during wetter and drier periods: Moreton Bay,Southeast Queensland,Australia     

L. Eslami-Andargoli  P.E.R. Dale  N. Sipe  J. Chaseling 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2010

Land use/cover and mangrove spatial changes were assessed for ten sites and their sub-catchments in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Two time periods were involved: 1972–1990, a period of relatively high rainfall, and 1990–2004, which was significantly drier. Aerial photographs and Landsat satellite imagery were used to map the inter-tidal wetlands and classify the land use/cover in the sub-catchments. A Maximum Likelihood Classification was used to map three types of land cover: agriculture, built-up and plantation forest. Mangroves (mainly Avicennia marina) were the focus as they have been recorded over recent decades encroaching into salt marsh. The Mangrove-Salt marsh Interface (MSI) Index was developed to quantify the relative opportunity for mangroves to expand into salt marshes, based on the shared boundary between them. The index showed a consistent relationship with mangrove expansion and change. To address problems of high dimensionality and multi-collinearity of predictor variables, a Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) model was used. A key finding of this research was that the contribution of environmental variables to spatial changes in the mangroves was altered following a reduction in rainfall. For example, agriculture had more influence on mangrove expansion and change during the wet period than during the dry period.  相似文献