Meridional propagation of large-scale monsoon convective zones

Observational studies indicate that the convective activity of the monsoon systems undergo intraseasonal variations with multi-week time scales. The zone of maximum monsoon convection exhibits substantial transient behavior with successive propagating from the North Indian Ocean to the heated continent. Over South Asia the zone achieves its maximum intensity. These propagations may extend over 3000 km in latitude and perhaps twice the distance in longitude and remain as coherent entities for periods greater than 2-3 weeks. Attempts to explain this phenomena using simple ocean-atmosphere models of the monsoon system had concluded that the interactive ground hydrology so modifies the total heating of the atmosphere that a steady state solution is not possible, thus promoting lateral propagation. That is, the ground hydrology forces the total heating of the atmosphere and the vertical velocity to be slightly out of phase, causing a migration of the convection towards the region of maximum heating. Whereas the lateral scale of the variations produced by the Webster (1983) model were essentially correct, they occurred at twice the frequency of the observed events and were formed near the coastal margin, rather than over the ocean. Webster's (1983) model used to pose the theories was deficient in a number of aspects. Particularly, both the ground moisture content and the thermal inertia of the model were severely underestimated. At the same time, the sea surface temperatures produced by the model between the equator and the model's land-sea boundary were far too cool. Both the atmosphere and the ocean model were modified to include a better hydrological cycle and ocean structure. The convective events produced by the modified model possessed the observed frequency and were generated well south of the coastline. The improved simulation of monsoon variability allowed the hydrological cycle feedback to be generalized. It was found that monsoon variability was constrained to lie within the bounds of a positive gradient of a convective intensity potential (I). The function depends primarily on the surface temperature, the availability of moisture and the stability of the lower atmosphere which varies very slowly on the time scale of months. The oscillations of the monsoon perturb the mean convective intensity potential causing local enhancements of the gradient. These perturbations are caused by the hydrological feedbacks, discussed above, or by the modification of the air-sea fluxes caused by variations of the low level wind during convective events. The final result is the slow northward propagation of convection within an even slower convective regime. The ECMWF analyses show very similar behavior of the convective intensity potential. Although it is considered premature to use the model to conduct simulations of the African monsoon system, the ECMWF analysis indicates similar behavior in the convective intensity potential suggesting, at least, that the same processes control the low frequency structure of the African monsoon. The implications of the hypotheses on numerical weather prediction of monsoon phenomenon are discussed.

The shear dynamo problem for small magnetic Reynolds numbers

We study large-scale kinematic dynamo action due to turbulence in the presence of a linear shear flow in the low-conductivity limit. Our treatment is non-perturbative in the shear strength and makes systematic use of both the shearing coordinate transformation and the Galilean invariance of the linear shear flow. The velocity fluctuations are assumed to have low magnetic Reynolds number (Re-m), but could have arbitrary fluid Reynolds number. The equation for the magnetic fluctuations is expanded perturbatively in the small quantity, Re-m. Our principal results are as follows: (i) the magnetic fluctuations are determined to the lowest order in Rem by explicit calculation of the resistive Green's function for the linear shear flow; (ii) the mean electromotive force is then calculated and an integro-differential equation is derived for the time evolution of the mean magnetic field. In this equation, velocity fluctuations contribute to two different kinds of terms, the 'C' and 'D' terms, respectively, in which first and second spatial derivatives of the mean magnetic field, respectively, appear inside the space-time integrals; (iii) the contribution of the D term is such that its contribution to the time evolution of the cross-shear components of the mean field does not depend on any other components except itself. Therefore, to the lowest order in Re-m, but to all orders in the shear strength, the D term cannot give rise to a shear-current-assisted dynamo effect; (iv) casting the integro-differential equation in Fourier space, we show that the normal modes of the theory are a set of shearing waves, labelled by their sheared wavevectors; (v) the integral kernels are expressed in terms of the velocity-spectrum tensor, which is the fundamental dynamical quantity that needs to be specified to complete the integro-differential equation description of the time evolution of the mean magnetic field; (vi) the C term couples different components of the mean magnetic field, so they can, in principle, give rise to a shear-current-type effect. We discuss the application to a slowly varying magnetic field, where it can be shown that forced non-helical velocity dynamics at low fluid Reynolds number does not result in a shear-current-assisted dynamo effect.

Squeezed states, photon-number distributions, and U(l) invariance

We study the photon-number distribution in squeezed states of a single-mode radiation field. A U(l)-invariant squeezing criterion is compared and contrasted with a more restrictive criterion, with the help of suggestive geometric representations. The U(l) invariance of the photon-number distribution in a squeezed coherent state, with arbitrary complex squeeze and displacement parameters, is explicitly demonstrated. The behavior of the photon-number distribution for a representative value of the displacement and various values of the squeeze parameter is numerically investigated. A new kind of giant oscillation riding as an envelope over more rapid oscillations in this distribution is demonstrated.

Piezoelectrically actuated insect scale flapping wing

An energy method is used in order to derive the non-linear equations of motion of a smart flapping wing. Flapping wing is actuated from the root by a PZT unimorph in the piezofan configuration. Dynamic characteristics of the wing, having the same size as dragonfly Aeshna Multicolor, are analyzed using numerical simulations. It is shown that flapping angle variations of the smart flapping wing are similar to the actual dragonfly wing for a specific feasible voltage. An unsteady aerodynamic model based on modified strip theory is used to obtain the aerodynamic forces. It is found that the smart wing generates sufficient lift to support its own weight and carry a small payload. It is therefore a potential candidate for flapping wing of micro air vehicles.

Strong nonlocalization induced by small scale parameter on terahertz flexural wave dispersion characteristics of a monolayer graphene

This paper presents the strong nonlocal scale effect on the flexural wave propagation in a monolayer graphene sheet. The graphene is modeled as an isotropic plate of one atom thick. Nonlocal governing equation of motion is derived and wave propagation analysis is performed using spectral analysis. The present analysis shows that the flexural wave dispersion in graphene obtained by local and nonlocal elasticity theories is quite different. The nonlocal elasticity calculation shows that the wavenumber escapes to infinite at certain frequency and the corresponding wave velocity tends to zero at that frequency indicating localization and stationary behavior. This behavior is captured in the spectrum and dispersion curves. The cut-off frequency of flexural wave not only depend on the axial wavenumber but also on the nonlocal scaling parameter. The effect of axial wavenumber on the wave behavior in graphene is also discussed in the present manuscript. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Length-scale-dependent ensemble-averaged conductance of a 1D disordered conductor: Conductance minimum

An exact numerical calculation of ensemble-averaged length-scale-dependent conductance for the one-dimensional Anderson model is shown to support an earlier conjecture for a conductance minimum. The numerical results can be understood in terms of the Thouless expression for the conductance and the Wigner level-spacing statistics.

On the out of phase appearance of large-scale diffuse magnetic field of the sun with respect to sunspots

We assume the large-scale diffuse magnetic field of the Sun to originate from the poloidal component of a dynamo operating at the base of the convection zone, whereas the sunspots are due to the toroidal component. The evolution of the poloidal component is studied to model the poleward migration of the diffuse field seen on the solar surface and the polar reversal at the time of sunspot maxima (Dikpati and Choudhuri 1994, 1995).

On the Large-Scale Diffuse Magnetic Field of the Sun

Although the sunspots migrate towards the equator, the large-scale weak diffuse magnetic fields of the Sun migrate poleward with the solar cycle, the polar field reversing at the time of the sunspot maxima. We apply the vector model of Dikpati and Choudhuri (1994, Paper I) to fit these observations. The dynamo layer at the base of the convection zone is taken to be the source of the diffuse field, which is then evolved in the convection zone subject to meridional circulation and turbulent diffusion. We find that the longitudinally averaged observational data can be fitted reasonably well both for positive and negative values of the alpha-effect by adjusting the subsurface meridional flow suitably. The model will be extended in a future paper to include the decay of active regions as an extra source of the diffuse field, which may be necessary to explain the probable phase lag between B-tau and B-phi at lower latitudes.

The actor-critic algorithm as multi-time-scale stochastic approximation

The actor-critic algorithm of Barto and others for simulation-based optimization of Markov decision processes is cast as a two time Scale stochastic approximation. Convergence analysis, approximation issues and an example are studied.

A Dual Scale Model for Macrosegregation in Alloy Solidification

A numerical approach for coupling the temperature and concentration fields using a micro/macro dual scale model for a solidification problem is presented. The dual scale modeling framework is implemented on a hybrid explicit-implicit solidification scheme. The advantage of this model lies in more accurate consideration of microsegregation occurring at micro-scale using a subgrid model. The model is applied to the case of solidification of a Pb-40% Sn alloy in a rectangular cavity. The present simulation results are compared with the corresponding experimental results reported in the literature, showing improvement in macrosegregation predictions. Subsequently, a comparison of macrosegregation prediction between the results of the present method with those of a parameter model is performed, showing similar trends.

On the large-scale diffuse magnetic field of the sun - II. The contribution of active regions

Dikpati and Choudhuri (1993, 1995) developed a model for the poleward migration of the weak diffuse magnetic field on the Sun's surface. This field was identified with the poloidal component produced by the solar dynamo operating at the base of the convection zone, and its evolution was studied by considering the effects of meridional circulation and turbulent diffusion. The earlier model is extended in this paper by incorporating the flux from, the decay of tilted active regions near the solar surface as an additional source of the poloidal field. This extended model can now explain various low-latitude features in the time-latitude diagram of the weak diffuse fields. These low-latitude features could not be accounted for in the earlier model, which was very successful in modeling the behavior at high latitudes. The time-latitude diagrams show that regions of a particular polarity often have 'tongues' of opposite polarity. Such tongues can be produced in the theoretical model by incorporating fluctuations in the source term arising out of the decaying active regions.

Comparison of the ultrafast to slow time scale dynamics of three liquid crystals in the isotropic phase

The dynamics of three liquid crystals, 4'(pentyloxy)-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (5-OCB), 4'-pentyl-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (5-CB), and 1-isothiocyanato-(4-propylcyclohexyl)benzene (3-CHBT), are investigated from very short time (similar to1 ps) to very long time (>100 ns) as a function of temperature using optical heterodyne detected optical Kerr effect experiments. For all three liquid crystals, the data decay exponentially only on the longest time scale (> several ns). The temperature dependence of the long time scale exponential decays is described well by the Landau-de Gennes theory of the randomization of pseudonematic domains that exist in the isotropic phase of liquid crystals near the isotropic to nematic phase transition. At short time, all three liquid crystals display power law decays. Over the full range of times, the data for all three liquid crystals are fit with a model function that contains a short time power law. The power law exponents for the three liquid crystals range between 0.63 and 0.76, and the power law exponents are temperature independent over a wide range of temperatures. Integration of the fitting function gives the empirical polarizability-polarizability (orientational) correlation function. A preliminary theoretical treatment of collective motions yields a correlation function that indicates that the data can decay as a power law at short times. The power law component of the decay reflects intradomain dynamics. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.

Mapping of large scale 158 mu m [CII] line emission: Orion A

We present the first results of an observational programme undertaken to map the fine structure line emission of singly ionized carbon ([ CII] 157 : 7409 mum) over extended regions using a Fabry Perot spectrometer newly installed at the focal plane of a 100 cm balloon- borne far- infrared telescope. This new combination of instruments has a velocity resolution of similar to 200 km s(-1) and an angular resolution of 1.'5. During the first flight, an area of 30' x 15' in Orion A was mapped. These observations extend over a larger area than previous observations, the map is fully sampled and the spectral scanning method used enables reliable estimation of the continuum emission at frequencies adjacent to the [ CII] line. The total [ CII] line luminosity, calculated by considering up to 20% of the maximum line intensity is 0.04% of the luminosity of the far- infrared continuum. We have compared the [ CII] intensity distribution with the velocity- integrated intensity distributions of (CO)-C-13(1- 0), CI(1- 0) and CO( 3- 2) from the literature. Comparison of the [ CII], [ CI] and the radio continuum intensity distributions indicates that the largescale [ CII] emission originates mainly from the neutral gas, except at the position of M 43, where no [ CI] emission corresponding to the [ CII] emission is seen. Substantial part of the [ CII] emission from here originates from the ionized gas. The observed line intensities and ratios have been analyzed using the PDR models by Kaufman et al. ( 1999) to derive the incident UV flux and volume density at a few selected positions. The models reproduce the observations reasonably well at most positions excepting the [ CII] peak ( which coincides with the position of theta(1) Ori C). Possible reason for the failure could be the simplifying assumption of a homogeneous plane parallel slab in place of a more complicated geometry.

Theoretical determination of HI vertical scale heights in the dwarf galaxies DDO 154, Ho II, IC 2574 and NGC 2366

In this paper, we model dwarf galaxies as a two-component system of gravitationally coupled stars and atomic hydrogen gas in the external force field of a pseudo-isothermal dark matter halo, and numerically obtain the radial distribution of HI vertical scale heights. This is done for a group of four dwarf galaxies (DDO 154, Ho II, IC 2574 and NGC 2366) for which most necessary input parameters are available from observations. The formulation of the equations takes into account the rising rotation curves generally observed in dwarf galaxies. The inclusion of self-gravity of the gas into the model at par with that of the stars results in scale heights that are smaller than what was obtained by previous authors. This is important as the gas scale height is often used for deriving other physical quantities. The inclusion of gas self-gravity is particularly relevant in the case of dwarf galaxies where the gas cannot be considered a minor perturbation to the mass distribution of the stars. We find that three out of four galaxies studied show a flaring of their HI discs with increasing radius, by a factor of a few within several disc scale lengths. The fourth galaxy has a thick HI disc throughout. This flaring arises as a result of the gas velocity dispersion remaining constant or decreasing only slightly while the disc mass distribution declines exponentially as a function of radius.

Regionalization of precipitation in data sparse areas using large scale atmospheric variables - A fuzzy clustering approach

Delineation of homogeneous precipitation regions (regionalization) is necessary for investigating frequency and spatial distribution of meteorological droughts. The conventional methods of regionalization use statistics of precipitation as attributes to establish homogeneous regions. Therefore they cannot be used to form regions in ungauged areas, and they may not be useful to form meaningful regions in areas having sparse rain gauge density. Further, validation of the regions for homogeneity in precipitation is not possible, since the use of the precipitation statistics to form regions and subsequently to test the regional homogeneity is not appropriate. To alleviate this problem, an approach based on fuzzy cluster analysis is presented. It allows delineation of homogeneous precipitation regions in data sparse areas using large scale atmospheric variables (LSAV), which influence precipitation in the study area, as attributes. The LSAV, location parameters (latitude, longitude and altitude) and seasonality of precipitation are suggested as features for regionalization. The approach allows independent validation of the identified regions for homogeneity using statistics computed from the observed precipitation. Further it has the ability to form regions even in ungauged areas, owing to the use of attributes that can be reliably estimated even when no at-site precipitation data are available. The approach was applied to delineate homogeneous annual rainfall regions in India, and its effectiveness is illustrated by comparing the results with those obtained using rainfall statistics, regionalization based on hard cluster analysis, and meteorological sub-divisions in India. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.