ALBERT

Description: The ice floe speed variations were monitored at the research camp North Pole 35 established on the Arctic ice pack in 2008. A three-month time series of measured speed values was used for determining changes in the kinetic energy of the drifting ice floe. The constructed energy distributions were analyzed by methods of nonextensive statistical mechanics based on the Tsallis statistics for open nonequilibrium systems, such as tectonic formations and drifting sea ice. The nonextensivity means the nonadditivity of externally induced energy changes in multicomponent systems due to dynamic interrelation of components having no structural links. The Tsallis formalism gives one an opportunity to assess the correlation between ice floe motions through a specific parameter, the so-called parameter of nonextensivity. This formalistic assessment of the actual state of drifting pack allows one to forecast some important trends in sea ice behavior, because the level of correlated dynamics determines conditions for extended mechanical perturbations in ice pack. In this work, we revealed temporal fluctuations of the parameter of nonextensivity and observed its maximum value before a large-scale sea ice fragmentation (faulting) of consolidated sea ice. The correlation was not detected in fragmented sea ice where long-range interactions are weakened.

Description: Faint undetected sources of radio-frequency interference (RFI) might become visible in long radio observations when they are consistently present over time. Thereby, they might obstruct the detection of the weak astronomical signals of interest. This issue is especially important for Epoch of Reionization (EoR) projects that try to detect the faint redshifted H  i signals from the time of the earliest structures in the Universe. We explore the RFI situation at 30–163 MHz by studying brightness histograms of visibility data observed with Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), similar to radio-source-count analyses that are used in cosmology. An empirical RFI distribution model is derived that allows the simulation of RFI in radio observations. The brightness histograms show an RFI distribution that follows a power-law distribution with an estimated exponent around –1.5. With several assumptions, this can be explained with a uniform distribution of terrestrial radio sources whose radiation follows existing propagation models. Extrapolation of the power law implies that the current LOFAR EoR observations should be severely RFI limited if the strength of RFI sources remains strong after time integration. This is in contrast with actual observations, which almost reach the thermal noise and are thought not to be limited by RFI. Therefore, we conclude that it is unlikely that there are undetected RFI sources that will become visible in long observations. Consequently, there is no indication that RFI will prevent an EoR detection with LOFAR.

Description: The European Nucleotide Archive (ENA; http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/ ) collects, maintains and presents comprehensive nucleic acid sequence and related information as part of the permanent public scientific record. Here, we provide brief updates on ENA content developments and major service enhancements in 2012 and describe in more detail two important areas of development and policy that are driven by ongoing growth in sequencing technologies. First, we describe the ENA data warehouse, a resource for which we provide a programmatic entry point to integrated content across the breadth of ENA. Second, we detail our plans for the deployment of CRAM data compression technology in ENA.

Description: We focus on the Arctic Ocean between Svalbard and Franz Joseph Land in order to elucidate the possible role of Atlantic water (AW) inflow in shaping ice conditions. Ice conditions substantially affect the temperature regime of the Spitsbergen archipelago, particularly in winter. We test the hypothesis that intensive vertical mixing at the upper AW boundary releases substantial heat upwards that eventually reaches the under-ice water layer, thinning the ice cover. We examine spatial and temporal variation of ice concentration against time series of wind, air temperature, and AW temperature. Analysis of 1979–2011 ice properties revealed a general tendency of decreasing ice concentration that commenced after the mid-1990s. AW temperature time series in Fram Strait feature a monotonic increase after the mid-1990s, consistent with shrinking ice cover. Ice thins due to increased sensible heat flux from AW; ice erosion from below allows wind and local currents to more effectively break ice. The winter spatial pattern of sea ice concentration is collocated with patterns of surface heat flux anomalies. Winter minimum sea ice thickness occurs in the ice pack interior above the AW path, clearly indicating AW influence on ice thickness. Our study indicates that in the AW inflow region heat flux from the ocean reduces the ice thickness.

Description: SUMMARY We describe a new algorithm for robust principal component analysis (PCA) of electromagnetic (EM) array data, extending previously developed multivariate methods to include arrays with large data gaps, and only partial overlap between site occupations. Our approach is based on a criss-cross regression scheme in which polarization parameters and spatial modes are alternately estimated with robust regression procedures. The basic scheme can be viewed as an expectation robust (ER) algorithm, of the sort that has been widely discussed in the statistical literature in the context of robust PCA, but with details of the scheme tailored to the physical specifics of EM array observations. We have tested our algorithm with synthetic and real data, including data denial experiments where we have created artificial gaps, and compared results obtained with full and incomplete data arrays. These tests reveal that for modest amounts of missing data (up to 20 per cent or so) the algorithm performs well, reproducing essentially the same dominant spatial modes that would be obtained from analysis of the complete array. The algorithm thus makes multivariate analysis practical for the first time for large heterogeneous arrays, as we illustrate by application to two different EM arrays.

Description: The ice floe speed variations were monitored at the research camp North Pole 35 established on the Arctic ice pack in 2008. A three-month time series of measured speed values was used for determining changes in the kinetic energy of the drifting ice floe. The constructed energy distributions were analyzed by methods of nonextensive statistical mechanics based on the Tsallis statistics for open nonequilibrium systems, such as tectonic formations and drifting sea ice. The nonextensivity means the nonadditivity of externally induced energy changes in multicomponent systems due to dynamic interrelation of components having no structural links. The Tsallis formalism gives one an opportunity to assess the correlation between ice floe motions through a specific parameter, the so-called parameter of nonextensivity. This formalistic assessment of the actual state of drifting pack allows one to forecast some important trends in sea ice behavior, because the level of correlated dynamics determines conditions for extended mechanical perturbations in ice pack. In this work, we revealed temporal fluctuations of the parameter of nonextensivity and observed its maximum value before a large-scale sea ice fragmentation (faulting) of consolidated sea ice. The correlation was not detected in fragmented sea ice where long-range interactions are weakened.

Description: This work deals with numerical methods of parameter optimization for asymptotically stable systems. We formulate a special mathematical programming problem that allows us to determine optimal parameters of a stabilizer. This problem involves solutions to a differential equation. We show how to chose the mesh in order to obtain discrete problem guaranteeing the necessary accuracy. The developed methodology is illustrated by an example concerning optimization of parameters for a satellite stabilization system.

Description: SUMMARY The Archaean–Proterozoic collisional zone is a complex mixture of the Archaean complexes [e.g. Iisalmi Complex (IC)], Proterozoic supracrustal belts [e.g. Kainuu Belt (KB) and Savo Belt (SB)] and oceanic arc lithologies in the central Fennoscandian Shield. The zone was formed in the Savo orogeny when the Keitele microcontinent collided with the Archaean Karelian craton in the Palaeoproterozoic time. The crustal architecture of this palaeosuture is studied using new broad-band magnetotelluric data from 104 sites. 2-D conductivity models across the border zone between the Palaeoproterozoic Svecofennian Domain and the Archaean Karelian province are constrained using the recent, partly collocated reflection seismic data from the Finnish Reflection Experiment (FIRE). Dimensionality analyses, in particular the Q -function analysis, show that magnetotelluric data represent reasonably well regional 2-D structure at periods 〈100 s, which is the longest period used in this study. Strike determinations gave a stable strike of N15W. For the inversions, the data are projected into three parallel profiles with an azimuth of N75E. The determinant inversion is selected as the most suitable method for the data set. Especially the phase data are useable only from the determinant since one of the polarizations have the out-of-quadrant phase at several sites. The interpreted final, geological more appropriate models, where smoother thick conductive areas are replaced by thinner layers, are constructed from the results of the unconstrained smooth inversions with the help of forward modelling, synthetic and prior model inversions and reflection seismic models. The two major sets of crustal conductors are identified. They have an opposite dip and together they form a bowl-shaped conductor. In the west, the eastward dipping SB conductors are located at the bottom of the formation underlain by the Keitele microcontinent. The SB conductors extend to the east possibly cutting the westward dipping conductors of the KB. The conductive KB is flanked above and below by the resistive Archaean IC/Rautavaara and Eastern Finland Complexes and represents the remnants of a basin that was squeezed between two Archaean blocks in the collision. The crustal conductors revealed by the inversion extend to the surface, where they can be associated with the near-surface conductors mapped by airborne electromagnetic surveys. Geological mapping has shown that the near-surface conductors are caused by graphite and/or sulphide-bearing metasedimentary rocks. Thus the deep conductors related with the Proterozoic KB and SB were formed on the surface and transported into the upper and middle crustal levels in the Savo orogeny. The crust in the Karelian Craton is highly resistive having only minor resistivity variations in our research area. Also the Archaean lower crust is resistive on the contrary to the conductive lower crust of the Proterozoic SB and the Keitele microcontinent.

Description: Hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin film tandem solar cells (a-Si:H/a-Si:H) have been developed with focus on high open-circuit voltages for the direct application as photocathodes in photoelectrochemical water splitting devices. By temperature variation during deposition of the intrinsic a-Si:H absorber layers the band gap energy of a-Si:H absorber layers, correlating with the hydrogen content of the material, can be adjusted and combined in a way that a-Si:H/a-Si:H tandem solar cells provide open-circuit voltages up to 1.87 V. The applicability of the tandem solar cells as photocathodes was investigated in a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) measurement set-up. With platinum as a catalyst, the a-Si:H/a-Si:H based photocathodes exhibit a high photocurrent onset potential of 1.76 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a photocurrent of 5.3 mA/cm2 at 0 V versus RHE (under halogen lamp illumination). Our results provide evidence that a direct application of thin film silicon based photocathodes fulfills the main thermodynamic requirements to generate hydrogen. Furthermore, the presented approach may provide an efficient and low-cost route to solar hydrogen production.

Description: This work investigates a particular class of artefacts, or ghost sources, in radio interferometric images. Earlier observations with (and simulations of ) the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope suggested that these were due to calibration with incomplete sky models. A theoretical framework is derived that validates this suggestion, and provides predictions of ghost formation in a two-source scenario. The predictions are found to accurately match the result of simulations, and qualitatively reproduce the ghosts previously seen in observational data. The theory also provides explanations for many previously puzzling features of these artefacts (regular geometry, point spread function-like sidelobes, seeming independence on model flux) and shows that the observed phenomenon of flux suppression affecting unmodelled sources is due to the same mechanism. We demonstrate that this ghost formation mechanism is a fundamental feature of calibration, and exhibits a particularly strong and localized signature due to array redundancy. To some extent this mechanism will affect all observations (including those with non-redundant arrays), though in most cases the ghosts remain hidden below the noise or masked by other instrumental artefacts. The implications of such errors on future deep observations are discussed.