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At least 1,693 records · Page 94

MAGSAT and aeromagnetic data of the continental US

The MAGSAT data were used to produce a scalar anomaly map of the U.S. In order to remove the east-west striping anomalies, which are believed to be caused by the low-order polynomials used to reduce the orbital bias errors, a 2-D spectral filtering using the Fourier transform method was applied. The resultant low-pass filtered map, with the east-west stripings removed, resembles much closer the surface aeromagnetic map based on the U.S. MAGNET data. The spectral filtering was also applied to the MAGSAT vector data. Department of Defense gravity data was processed to produce a filtered U.S. gravity map whose spectral contents are comparable to those of the MAGSAT magnetic map.

Won, I. J.↗

Seismicity and active tectonics of the Andes and the origin of the Altiplano

Large earthquakes and active deformation on the Andes were studied. Earthquakes on the east side of the Andes were generally found to reflect east-west crustal shortening. These earthquakes seem to occur throughout the crust and do not reflect a detachment and low angle thrusting of the sedimentary cover onto the Brazilian shield. Instead they imply deformation of the basement. The rate of shortening is compatible with construction of the Andes by crustal shortening since the late Cretaceous, and the surface geology, at least qualitatively, is considered to reflect this process. Andean margins are considered to be a result of crustal shortening. The crustal shortening in the sub-Andes occurs concurrently with normal faulting at high elevations in parts of the Andes. The normal faulting is associated with the buoyancy of the thick crust. Crustal shortening thickens the crust and work is done against gravity. When the crustal thickness and elevation reach limiting values, the range grows laterally by further thrusting on the margins.

Molnar, P.↗

Equatorial ionospheric currents derived from MAGSAT data

The MAGSAT data on the three component's of the geomagnetic field are subjected to ring current correction and crustal anomaly elimination near the dip equator. The evidence of a strong west east electrojet current below the satellite height (approximately 350 km) is confirmed. Strong evidence of east-west component of the field suggests the existence of a vertical current originating at the jet level and extending upwards. A model calculation shows that such a current system can explain the satellite data as well as the ground data.

Roy, M.↗

Comparison of phase and amplitude structures of Pc 5 pulsations in the morning and afternoon sectors

North American IMS magnetometer network data are used in comparisons of the spatial phase and amplitude structures of the morning and afternoon Pc 5 pulsations, using cross spectral analysis of phase and amplitude readings between different stations. The spatial phase structures are found to be very similar in the morning and afternoon sectors for each of the three components. Amplitudes are larger in the magnetic north than in the magnetic east components for both sectors. Latitudinal amplitude and phase difference variations between the magnetic north and east components exhibit dissimilarities in the morning and afternoon sectors. These results suggest that compressional mode magnetic field oscillations are not observable on the ground in this time sector. The pulsations in both time sectors are instead seen as caused by transverse mode magnetospheric field oscillations.

Saka, O.↗

Speculation on Martian north polar wind circulation and the resultant orientations of polar sand dunes

When seen at frost cap minimum, Martian north polar erg dunes north of 80 deg N record east winds, while those south of that latitude record west winds. Many of the transverse dunes are considered to be reversing dunes, and dunes in the two fields may have reversed at least once during the lifetime of the Viking Orbiters. It is proposed that the average polar winds are strong, off-pole northwest winds in the fall, moderate west winds in winter, latitude-dependent weak-to-strong off-pole northeast winds in spring, and weak west winds in summer, as has been largely confirmed by Viking images of near polar clouds. Over millenia, the combination of reversing west and east winds could produce the biomodal distributions of dune orientations observed at the north pole.

Ward, A. W.↗

Short-term planetary-scale interactions over the tropics and midlatitudes. II - Winter-MONEX period

The FGGE/winter-Monex wind data from 850 and 200 mb are used to analyze the short-term teleconnections over the tropical and midlatitude Pacific and monsoonal surges in the winter of 1978-79. The data were taken twice a day, and included the total wind field, the computed rotational and divergent winds, the velocity potential, and the streamfunction. Cold surges were identified from shipboard data over the South China Sea and characterized an increase in the surface northerly wind and a surface pressure differential between Hong Kong and 30 deg N, 115 deg E. Midlatitude baroclinic disturbances triggered the cold surges, which displayed intensities dependent on the strength of the midlatitude anticyclogenesis and the intensity of the East Asia local Hadley cell. Fluctuations in the 200 mb jet streak over Japan indicated changes in eddy behavior over the North Pacific and the intensity of the East Asia local Hadley cell circulation and tropical convection. It was concluded that midlatitude synoptic systems could force equatorial convection that produces remote midlatitude responses.

Lau, K.-M.↗

On gravity from SST, geoid from SEASAT, and plate age and fracture zones in the Pacific

Data from an additional 50 satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) passes were combined with earlier measurements of the high degree and order (n, m, 12) gravity in the central Pacific. A composite map was produced which shows good agreement with conventional GEM models. Data from the SEASAT altimeter was reduced and found to agree well with both the SST and the GEM fields. The maps are dominated especially in the east, by a pattern of roughly east-west anomalies with a transverse wavelength of about 2000 km. Further comparison with regional bathymetric data shows a remarkably close correlation with plate age. Each anomaly band is framed by those major fracture zones having large offsets. The regular spacing of these fractures seems to account for the fabric in the gravity fields. Other anomalies are accounted for by hot spots. The source of part of these anomalies is in the lithosphere itself. The possible plume size and ascent velocity necessary to supply deep mantle material to the upper mantel without complete thermal equilibration is considered.

Marsh, B. D.↗

Geoid anomalies and fracture zones in the Pacific Ocean

The high degree and order geoid field in the Pacific is a superposition of fracture zone anomalies and hot-spot swell anomalies. A two-dimensional spectral analysis of this field reveals a very strong north-south wavenumber contribution with a dominant wavelength of about 2000 km, a much smaller contribution from east-west wavenumbers, and negligible contributions from other directions. One dimensional profiles were taken in order to appreciate the magnitudes of the north-south and east-west components. A calculated geoid anomaly using an idealized fracture zone model contains just about the same amount of power in the 2350 km band wavelength as does the north-south profile of the SEASAT geoid field. In an attempt to correlate plate age with geoid anomalies, a digitized age map of the Pacific was used to generate a synthetic geoid, which was subtracted from SEASAT. This procedure produces a residual geoid in which the fracture zone anomalies appear to be diminished, if not removed.

Source record↗

The delineation and interpretation of the Earth's gravity field

The observed changes in velocity with time are reduced relative to the well-determined low degree and order GEM field model and accelerations are found by analytical differentiation of the range rates. This new map is essentially identical to the first map and we have produced a composite map by combining all 90 passes of SST data. The resolution of the map is at worst about 5 deg and much better in most places. A comparison of this map with conventional GEM models shows very good agreement. A reduction of the SEASAT altimeter data has also been carried out for an additional comparison. Although the SEASAT geoid contains much more high frequency information, it agrees very well with both the SST and GEM fields. The maps are dominated (especially in the east) by a pattern of roughly east-west anomalies with a transverse wavelength of about 2000 km. A further comparison with regional bathymetric data shows a remarkably close correlation with plate age.

Marsh, B. D.↗

New maps of Lakshmi Planum and eastern Aphrodite, Venus

Interest on Venus has centered on three regions; (1) Aphrodite Terra, especially east of the main uplant portion, (2) Ishtar Terra, especially Lakshmi Planum and its bounding scarp and massifs, and (3) Beta Regio-Phoebe Regio. The last region is topographically similar to the East African rift system, and has been inferred to have a similar tectonic origin. The Aphrodite region is part of a 21,000 km long tectonic zone that seems best explained as due to extension, and that may represent hot spots clustered along an incipient divergent plate boundary. The most interesting and complex portion of this tectonic zone is that part of eastern Aphrodite between Thetis Regio and Atla Regio. In contrast, the Lakshmi Planum region has many topographic characteristics suggesting that it is a true continent, and thus indicative of convergence and a thick crust. Detailed topographic contour maps of eastern Aphrodite Terra and of Lakshmi Planum are included.

Mcgill, G. E.↗

Variations in surface current off the coasts of Canada as inferred from infrared satellite imagery

Infrared satellite images of sea surface temperature are used to infer changes in the surface currents off both the east and west coasts of Canada. Off the east coast, summer infrared temperature patterns suggest a close connection between the location of the continental slope and the path of the Labrador Current as marked by a strong change in the shape of the continental slope. In winter both infrared and visible imagery reveal the southward propagation of wavelike features in the ice patterns along the Labrador coast. A large number of images from the Canadian west coast were used to depict the evolution of surface temperature features. In winter and spring 150 km current meanders are fed energy by the baroclinic instability of the uniformly directed current which flows northwest in winter and southeast in spring. In summer the surface current is directed southeastward while below it an undercurrent flows to the northeast. Initiated by an interaction with the irregularities of the local continental slope 75 km current meanders begin to form. Energy is then fed non-linearly by baroclinic instability into longer scale 150 km meander which eventually shed to form separate eddies.

Emery, W. J.↗

Doppler-radar observation of the evolution of downdrafts in convective clouds

A detailed analysis of the 20 July 1977 thunderstorm complex which formed and evolve over the South Park region in Central Colorado is presented. The storm was extensively analyzed using multiple Doppler radar and surface mesonet data, developed within an environment having very weak wind shear. The storm owed its intensification to the strength of the downdraft, which was nearly coincident with the region where the cloud had grown. The noteworthy features of this storm were its motion to the right of the cloud-level winds, its multicellular nature and discrete propagation, its north-south orientation, and its relatively large storm size and high reflectivity factor (55 dBZ). This scenario accounts for the observed mesoscale and cloud-scale event. A line of convergence was generated at the interface between the easterly upslope winds and westerly winds. During stage II, the convergence line subsequently propagated down the slopes of the Mosquito Range, and was the main forcing mechanism for the development of updraft on the west flank of the storm. The formation of downdraft on the eastern side of updraft blacked surface inflow, and created a detectable gust front. As the original downdraft intensified, the accumulation of evaporatively-chilled air caused the intensification of the mesohigh, which likely destroyed the earlier convergence line and created a stronger convergence line to the east, which forced up-lifting of the moist, westerly inflow and caused the formation of updraft to the east. An organized downdraft circulation, apparently maintained by precipitation drag and evaporational cooling, was responsible in sustaining a well-defined gust front. The storm attained its highest intensity as a consequence of merging with a neighboring cloud. The interaction of downdrafts or gust fronts from two intense cells appeared to be the primary mechanism of this merging process as suggested by Simpson et al. (1980). The merging process coincided with more rain than occurred in unmerged echoes.

Motallebi, N.↗

A satellite stereoscopic technique to estimate tropical cyclone intensity

The techniques used to obtain the mean equivalent temperature of the eye wall for Hurricanes Frederic (1979) and Allen (1980) using GOES satellite IR and stereoscopic observations are described. The eye wall is the area of greatest convection near the center of the storm, and is bounded by the inner radius around the eye and the outer radius bounding the area of inner core convection. The stereoscopic capability afforded by the GOES West and East spacecraft permits simultaneous, two-view imagery of a tropical cyclone, yielding height measurement accuracies of 0.5 km and horizontal accuracies as small as 1 km. An airborne lidar unit was used to verify the height measurements made of Hurricane Frederic. At the same time, the GOES East Visible IR Spin Scan Radiometer (VISSR) provided the mean wall temperatures from the release of latent heat. The trials aided in identifying the assumptions and consequent inaccuracies introduced into the temperature sounding data during analysis. The satellite data is concluded useful for monitoring changes in storm intensity.

Rodgers, E. B.↗

Solar limb brightening at 820 microns

The sun in 820 micron radiation is mapped, and strong radial brightening of the intensity profile is found. The east and west limbs show an intensity excess of about twice that of the quiet north and south limbs. This may be attributable to active regions near the east and west limbs. The radial brightening observed is as strong as that observed by others at 1.3 mm, and much stronger than that observed at 350 microns by still others. A strong general increase in gradual radial brightening with wavelength longward of 350 microns is thus indicated, and this is attributed to variations in the character of chromospheric fine structure above the temperature minimum region.

Lindsey, C.↗

The appearance of sustained equatorial surface westerlies during the 1982 Pacific warm event

In June 1982 a band of anomalous southerly surface wind, extending from the equator as far south as the Tasman Sea, formed east of Australia (150 deg E to 160 deg E). This flow crossed the equator just before the appearance of sustained westerly winds on the equator somewhat west of the date line. Because these westerly winds induced the initial strong equatorial warming of the ocean east of the date line during the 1982 El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event, the southerly jet appears to be an important atmospheric component leading to the onset of the vigorous phase of this event. Some historical evidence suggests that anomalous southerly winds in the same region occurred prior to the appearance of sustained equatorial westerly winds in the major ENSO events of 1957, 1965, and 1972.

Harrison, D. E.↗

Aspherical heterogeneity of the mantle from phase velocities of mantle waves

Long-period surface waves are used to map the lateral heterogeneity of the upper 100-600 km of the mantle. There is good correlation of velocity with surface tectonics and heat flow. Convergence regions are generally slow for Love waves and fast for Rayleigh waves. Back arc basins have slower than average shallow mantle. Some island arcs show evidence of fast material at greater depth. Deep-seated slow anomalies underlie the Red Sea-Afar region of north-east Africa, western North American-northern East Pacific Rise, Indian Ocean triple junction and the Tasman Sea-Campbell Plateau regions. The fastest regions are in the north central Australia-New Guinea and the South Atlantic.

Nakanishi, I.↗

On gravity from SST, geoid from Seasat, and plate age and fracture zones in the Pacific

Data from an additional 50 satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) passes were combined with earlier measurements of the high degree and order (n, m, 12) gravity in the central Pacific. A composite map was produced which shows good agreement with conventional GEM models. Data from the Seasat altimeter was reduced and found to agree well with both the SST and the GEM fields. The maps are dominated especially in the east, by a pattern of roughly east-west anomalies with a transverse wavelength of about 2000 km. Further comparison with regional bathymetric data shows a remarkably close correlation with plate age. Each anomaly band is framed by those major fracture zones having large offsets. The regular spacing of these fractures seems to account for the fabric in the gravity fields. Other anomalies are accounted for by hot spots. The source of part of these anomalies is in the lithosphere itself. The possible plume size and ascent velocity necessary to supply deep mantle material to the upper mantle without complete thermal equilibration is considered. Previously announced in STAR as N84-11559

Marsh, B. D.↗

Hypothesis on the origin of lineaments in the LANDSAT and SLAR images of precambrian soil in the low Contas River Valley (southern Bahia)

Examination of LANDSAT and SLAR images in southern Bahia reveals numerous linear features, which are grouped in five sets, based on their trends: N65 degrees E, N70 degrees W, N45 degrees E and NS/N15 degrees E. Owing to their topographic expressions, distributive patterns, spacing between individual lineaments and their mutual relationships, the lineament sets of N65 degrees E and N70 degrees W, as well as the sets of N40 degrees E and N45 degrees W, are considered as two groups of conjugate shear fractures and the former is older and is always cut by the latter. Their conjugate shear angles are 45 degrees and 85 degrees and their bisector lines are approximately in east-west and north-south directions, respectively. According to Badgeley's argumentation on the conjugate shear angles, the former conjugate shear fractures would be caused by: (1) vertical movements, and the bisector of their conjugate angle would be parallel to the long axis of horsting or folding, or (2) by a compressive force in the east-west direction and under a condition of low confining pressure and temperature.

Liu, C. C.↗