scholarly journals The Stability of Mars’s Annular Polar Vortex

2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 1533-1547 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. M. Seviour ◽  
Darryn W. Waugh ◽  
Richard K. Scott

Abstract The Martian polar atmosphere is known to have a persistent local minimum in potential vorticity (PV) near the winter pole, with a region of high PV encircling it. This finding is surprising, since an isolated band of PV is barotropically unstable, a result going back to Rayleigh. Here the stability of a Mars-like annular vortex is investigated using numerical integrations of the rotating shallow-water equations. The mode of instability and its growth rate is shown to depend upon the latitude and width of the annulus. By introducing thermal relaxation toward an annular equilibrium profile with a time scale similar to that of the instability, a persistent annular vortex with similar characteristics as that observed in the Martian atmosphere can be simulated. This time scale, typically 0.5–2 sols, is similar to radiative relaxation time scales for Mars’s polar atmosphere. The persistence of an annular vortex is also shown to be robust to topographic forcing, as long as it is below a certain amplitude. It is therefore proposed that the persistence of this barotropically unstable annular vortex is permitted owing to the combination of short radiative relaxation time scales and relatively weak topographic forcing in the Martian polar atmosphere.

2019 ◽  
Vol 490 (1) ◽  
pp. 359-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Ji-lin Zhou ◽  
Fu-yao Liu ◽  
Wei Sun ◽  
Hui-Gen Liu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A type of compactly spaced and comparably sized multi-exoplanet system similar to TRAPPIST-1 has been discovered recently. The stability of these systems is an important issue, requiring further study. We examined how the initial inclinations influence the stability of multi-planet systems and derived an empirical formula describing the dependence of the instability time-scale on planetary mass, space separation and initial inclination. We find the following. (i) If space separations between planets are greater than 12RH (mutual Hill radius), coplanar multi-planet systems with 10−6 ≤ μ ≤ 10−3 (reduced planetary mass μ = m/M*) will remain stable within 1010Tin (the innermost orbital period). (ii) If initial inclinations of planets are smaller than 10° and space separations are greater than 10RH, multi-planet systems consisting of ≥5 planets with μ ≥ 10−5 will remain stable within 1010Tin. (iii) Initial inclinations in [0°, 10°] have inconsequential effects on the instability time-scales of massive multi-planet systems (μ ≥ 10−5), because eccentricities (excited during evolution) dominate the stability of these systems. (iv) If the initial inclinations are large enough (≥10°), sharp increases of instability time-scales in groups with 10−3 ≥ μ ≥ 10−5 will be moderated. This article presents a comprehensive study of the influence of inclination on the stability of multi-planet systems and discusses critical space separations for a multi-planet system becoming unstable.


2019 ◽  
Vol 491 (4) ◽  
pp. 5951-5965 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Hobbs ◽  
L Guo ◽  
R N Caballero ◽  
W Coles ◽  
K J Lee ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We have constructed a new time-scale, TT(IPTA16), based on observations of radio pulsars presented in the first data release from the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA). We used two analysis techniques with independent estimates of the noise models for the pulsar observations and different algorithms for obtaining the pulsar time-scale. The two analyses agree within the estimated uncertainties and both agree with TT(BIPM17), a post-corrected time-scale produced by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM). We show that both methods could detect significant errors in TT(BIPM17) if they were present. We estimate the stability of the atomic clocks from which TT(BIPM17) is derived using observations of four rubidium fountain clocks at the US Naval Observatory. Comparing the power spectrum of TT(IPTA16) with that of these fountain clocks suggests that pulsar-based time-scales are unlikely to contribute to the stability of the best time-scales over the next decade, but they will remain a valuable independent check on atomic time-scales. We also find that the stability of the pulsar-based time-scale is likely to be limited by our knowledge of solar-system dynamics, and that errors in TT(BIPM17) will not be a limiting factor for the primary goal of the IPTA, which is to search for the signatures of nano-Hertz gravitational waves.


2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (H16) ◽  
pp. 209-210
Author(s):  
G. Petit ◽  
F. Arias

AbstractWe review the stability and accuracy achieved by the reference atomic time scales TAI and TT(BIPM). We show that they presently are in the low 10−16 in relative value, based on the performance of primary standards, of the ensemble time scale and of the time transfer techniques. We consider how the 1 × 10−16 value could be reached or superseded and which are the present limitations to attain this goal.


1969 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 254-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Radhakrishnan

Towards the end of February 1968 the astronomical world was staggered by a paper from the Milliard Radio Observatory at Cambridge announcing the discovery of an astonishing periodic phenomenon. The characteristics of the pulsating radio source—or pulsar as it came to be called—involved a fantastic multiplicity of time-scales. The duration of the individual events was measured in tens of milliseconds, the repetition rate was of the order of a second, the pulse amplitude showed drastic variations over times of seconds, minutes, hours and even months and, lastly, the stability of the basic periodicity indicated a time-scale of millions of years. A series of pulses from CP 1919, the first pulsar, is shown in Figure 1, and one notices here both the regularity of the pulses and the variation in their amplitude with time. When the individual pulses were observed on an expanded time-scale it was found that the pulses were made up of sub-pulses (Figure 2) and that there was considerable structure even down to a millisecond time-scale.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saikat Saha ◽  
Francis Pagaud ◽  
Bernard P. Binks ◽  
Valeria Garbin

Oil foams stabilized by crystallizing agents exhibit outstanding stability and show promise for applications in consumer products. The stability and mechanics imparted by the interfacial layer of crystals underpin product shelf-life, as well as optimal processing conditions and performance in applications. Shelf-life is affected by the stability against bubble dissolution over a long time scale, which leads to slow compression of the interfacial layer. In processing flow conditions, the imposed deformation is characterized by much shorter time scales. In practical situations, the crystal layer is therefore subjected to deformation on extremely different time scales. Despite its importance, our understanding of the behavior of such interfacial layers at different time scales remains limited. To address this gap, here we investigate the dynamics of single, crystal-coated bubbles isolated from an oleofoam, at two extreme timescales: the diffusion-limited timescale characteristic of bubble dissolution 10,000 s, and a fast time scale characteristic of processing flow conditions, 0.001 s. In our experiments, slow deformation is obtained by bubble dissolution, and fast deformation in controlled conditions with real-time imaging is obtained using ultrasound-induced bubble oscillations. The experiments reveal that the fate of the interfacial layer is dramatically affected by the dynamics of deformation: after complete bubble dissolution, a continuous solid layer remains; while after fast, oscillatory deformation of the layer, small crystals are expelled from the layer. This observation shows promise towards developing stimuli-responsive systems, with sensitivity to deformation rate, in addition to the already known thermo- and photo-responsiveness of oleofoams.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (H15) ◽  
pp. 220-221
Author(s):  
Gérard Petit

AbstractWe review the stability and accuracy achieved by the reference atomic time scales TAI and TT(BIPM). We show that they presently are at the level of a few 10−16 in relative value, based on the performance of primary standards, of the ensemble time scale and of the time transfer techniques. We consider how the 1 × 10−16 value could be reached or superseded and which are the present limitations to attain this goal.


2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (9) ◽  
pp. 1010-1015 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Herrera ◽  
A. Di Prisco ◽  
J. Ospino

We describe the transition of a gravitationally radiating, axially and reflection symmetric, dissipative fluid to a non-radiating state. It is shown that very shortly after the end of the radiating regime, at a time scale on the order of the thermal relaxation time, the thermal adjustment time, or the hydrostatic time (whichever is larger), the system reaches the equilibrium state. This result is at variance with all the studies carried out in the past on gravitational radiation outside the source, which strongly suggest that after a radiating period, the conditions for a return to a static case look rather forbidding. As we shall see, the reason for such a discrepancy resides in the fact that some elementary, but essential, physical properties of the source have been overlooked in these latter studies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1822-1842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuki Yasuda ◽  
Michael A. Spall

AbstractInfluences of time-dependent precipitation on water mass transformation and heat budgets in an idealized marginal sea are examined using theoretical and numerical models. The equations proposed by Spall in 2012 are extended to cases with time-dependent precipitation whose form is either a step function or a sinusoidal function. The theory predicts the differences in temperature and salinity between the convective water and the boundary current as well as the magnitudes of heat fluxes into the marginal sea and across the sea surface. Moreover, the theory reveals that there are three inherent time scales: relaxation time scales for temperature and salinity and a precipitation time scale. The relaxation time scales are determined by a steady solution of the theoretical model with steady precipitation. The relaxation time scale for temperature is always smaller than that for salinity as a result of not only the difference in the form of fluxes at the surface but also the variation in the eddy transport from the boundary current. These three time scales and the precipitation amplitude determine the strength of the ocean response to changes in precipitation and the phase relation between precipitation, changes in salinity and temperature, and changes in heat fluxes. It is demonstrated that the theoretical predictions agree qualitatively well with results from the eddy-resolving numerical model. This demonstrates the fundamental role of mesoscale eddies in the ocean response to time-dependent forcing and provides a framework with which to assess the extent to which observed variability in marginal sea convection and water mass transformation are consistent with an external forcing by variations in precipitation.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus J. Giansiracusa ◽  
Andreas Kostopoulos ◽  
George F. S. Whitehead ◽  
David Collison ◽  
Floriana Tuna ◽  
...  

We report a six coordinate DyIII single-molecule magnet<br>(SMM) with an energy barrier of 1110 K for thermal relaxation of<br>magnetization. The sample shows no retention of magnetization<br>even at 2 K and this led us to find a good correlation between the<br>blocking temperature and the Raman relaxation regime for SMMs.<br>The key parameter is the relaxation time (𝜏<sub>switch</sub>) at the point where<br>the Raman relaxation mechanism becomes more important than<br>Orbach.


Author(s):  
Dmitry Korzinin ◽  
Dmitry Korzinin ◽  
Igor Leontiev ◽  
Igor Leontiev

Modelling study of the equilibrium profiles formed on sandy coasts of different bed slopes and grain sizes under the various wave conditions was realized by using the CROSS-P and Xbeach morphodynamic models. A special criterion taking into account a total volume of bed deformations per one hour was suggested to determine the conditions of profile stabilization. For both models the time scales of equilibrium profile formation were found to be the same. However, the deformation magnitudes differed significantly. Bed deformations were computed on the whole profile length over the 200-hours duration of wave impact. It was concluded that both models predict a trend of the bed slope toward a stable value. CROSS-P model shows the widening of accumulative terrace during the profile evolution. The mean slope of the equilibrium profile was found to depend on the initial bed slope.


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