ALBERT

Description: Recently the two-spacecraft mission BepiColombo launched to explore the plasma and magnetic field environment of Mercury. Both spacecraft, the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO, also referred to as Mio), are equipped with fluxgate magnetometers, which have proven to be well-suited to measure the magnetic field in space with high precision. Nevertheless, accurate magnetic field measurements require proper in-flight calibration. In particular the magnetometer offset, which relates relative fluxgate readings into an absolute value, needs to be determined with high accuracy. Usually, the offsets are evaluated from observations of Alfvénic fluctuations in the pristine solar wind, if those are available. An alternative offset determination method, which is based on the observation of highly compressional fluctuations instead of incompressible Alfvénic fluctuations, is the so-called mirror mode technique. To evaluate the method performance in the Hermean environment, we analyze four years of MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEophysics and Ranging) magnetometer data, which are calibrated by the Alfvénic fluctuation method, and compare it with the accuracy and error of the offsets determined by the mirror mode method in different plasma environments around Mercury. We show that the mirror mode method yields the same offset estimates and thereby confirms its applicability. Furthermore, we evaluate the spacecraft observation time within different regions necessary to obtain reliable offset estimates. Although the lowest percentage of strong compressional fluctuations are observed in the solar wind, this region is most suitable for an accurate offset determination with the mirror mode method. 132 h of solar wind data are sufficient to determine the offset to within 0.5 nT, while thousands of hours are necessary to reach this accuracy in the magnetosheath or within the magnetosphere. We conclude that in the solar wind the mirror mode method might be a good complementary approach to the Alfvénic fluctuation method to determine the (spin-axis) offset of the Mio magnetometer.

Description: Elevation gradients of meteorological variables in mountains are of interest to a number of scientific disciplines and often required as parameters in modeling frameworks. Measurements of such gradients on glaciers, however, are particularly scarce and strongly skewed towards the midlatitudes and valley glaciers. This article adds a tropical perspective and presents 4 years of overlapping measurements at 5603 and 5873 m on Kersten Glacier, Kilimanjaro (East Africa), between 2009 and 2013. Mean gradients in near-surface air temperature (T), water vapor pressure (VP), and snow accumulation (ACC) per 100 m elevation are −0.75 ∘C, −0.16 hPa, and -114±16 mm w.e. yr−1, respectively. An intriguing feature is a strong diurnal cycle of the T and VP gradients, which are (depending on season) 2–4 times larger between early and late morning than in the hours of weak gradients. The ACC decrease with elevation, furthermore, is mostly the result of a lower recorded frequency of ACC events at the upper measurement site and not due to contrasting amounts at the two altitudes during events. A novel facet of our study is the linking of measured on-glacier gradients to a high-resolution atmospheric modeling data set, which reveals the importance of the mesoscale atmospheric circulation. A thermally direct circulation is established over the mountain in response to diabatic surface heating or cooling with upslope flow during the day and downslope flow in the night. This persistent circulation communicates heat and moisture changes in the lowlands to the higher elevations during morning and early afternoon, which is evident in the advection patterns of potential temperature and VP, and shapes the time variability in gradients as recorded by our weather stations on the glacier. A few local processes seem to matter as well (glacier sublimation, turbulent heat fluxes), yet they show a secondary influence only during limited time windows. Atmospheric model data also demonstrate that declining moist entropy and water vapor fluxes in the summit zone favor formation of the negative ACC gradient. The results extend the empirical basis of elevation gradients in high mountains, in particular over glacier surfaces, by the unusual case of a slope glacier on an equatorial, free-standing massif. Our measurement–model link, moreover, demonstrates an approach for future studies to put observations of elevation gradients more systematically in a multiscale process context.

Description: Mirror-mode structures widely exist in various space plasma environments. Here, we investigate a train of mirror-mode structures in the terrestrial plasma sheet on 11 August 2017 based on the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. We find that bipolar current densities exist in the cross section of two hole-like mirror-mode structures, referred to as magnetic dips. The bipolar current density in the magnetic dip with a size of ∼2.2 ρi (the ion gyro radius) is mainly contributed by variations of the electron velocity, which is mainly formed by the magnetic gradient–curvature drift. For another magnetic dip with a size of ∼6.6 ρi, the bipolar current density is mainly caused by an ion bipolar velocity, which can be explained by the collective behaviors of the ion drift motions. The current density inside the mirror dip contributes to the maintenance of the hole-like structure's stable. Our observations suggest that the electrons and ions play different roles in the formation of currents in magnetic dips with different sizes.

Description: Although atmospheric 222radon (222Rn) activity concentration measurements are currently performed worldwide, they are being made by many different laboratories and with fundamentally different measurement principles, so compatibility issues can limit their utility for regional-to-global applications. Consequently, we conducted a European-wide 222Rn ∕ 222Rn progeny comparison study in order to evaluate the different measurement systems in use, determine potential systematic biases between them, and estimate correction factors that could be applied to harmonize data for their use as a tracer in atmospheric applications. Two compact portable Heidelberg radon monitors (HRM) were moved around to run for at least 1 month at each of the nine European measurement stations included in this comparison. Linear regressions between parallel data sets were calculated, yielding correction factors relative to the HRM ranging from 0.68 to 1.45. A calibration bias between ANSTO (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) two-filter radon monitors and the HRM of ANSTO ∕ HRM  =  1.11 ± 0.05 was found. Moreover, for the continental stations using one-filter systems that derive atmospheric 222Rn activity concentrations from measured atmospheric progeny activity concentrations, preliminary 214Po ∕ 222Rn disequilibrium values were also estimated. Mean station-specific disequilibrium values between 0.8 at mountain sites (e.g. Schauinsland) and 0.9 at non-mountain sites for sampling heights around 20 to 30 m above ground level were determined. The respective corrections for calibration biases and disequilibrium derived in this study need to be applied to obtain a compatible European atmospheric 222Rn data set for use in quantitative applications, such as regional model intercomparison and validation or trace gas flux estimates with the radon tracer method.

Description: We investigate the occurrence rate of dipolarization fronts (DFs) in the plasma sheet by taking full advantage of all four Cluster satellites (C1–4) from years 2001 to 2009. In total, we select 466 joint-observation DF events, in which 318, 282, 254, and 236 DFs are observed by C1, C2, C3, and C4, respectively. Our findings are as follows: (1) the maximum occurrence rate is ∼ 15.3 events per day at X ∼ 15 RE in the XY plane, and the average occurrence rate is ∼ 5.4 events per day over the whole observation period; (2) the occurrence rate on the dusk side of the plasma sheet is larger and decreases with increasing BXY∕BLobe; (3) the occurrence rate within |Y|   200 nT is much larger than that when AE 

Description: Brazil Current transports from observations and a model are analyzed to improve our understanding of its structure and variability. The observed transports are derived from a three-dimensional field of the velocity in the South Atlantic covering the years 1993 to 2015 (hereinafter called Argo & SSH). The mean transport of the Brazil Current from 3.8 ± 2.2 Sv (1 Sv is 106 m3s−1) at 25° S to 13.9 ± 2.6 Sv at 32° S, which corresponds to a mean slope of 1.4 ± 0.4 Sv per degree. The Hybrid Coordinate Model (HYCOM) has somewhat higher transports than Argo & SSH (5.2 ± 2.7 Sv and 18.7 ± 7.1 Sv at 25° S and 32° S), but these differences are small when compared with the standard deviations. Overall, the observed latitude dependence of the transport of the Brazil Current is in agreement with the wind-driven circulation in the super gyre of the subtropical South Atlantic. A mean annual cycle with highest (lowest) transports in austral summer (winter) is found to exist at selected latitudes (24° S, 35° S and 38° S). The significance of this signal shrinks with increasing latitude, mainly due to the mesoscale and interannual variability. In addition, it is found that the interannual variability at 24° S is correlated with the Southern Annular Mode and the Niño 3.4 index. A coupled EOF of the meridional transport and the sea level pressure is used to improve the understanding of the impact of these ocean indexes.

Description: The Benguela Current forms the eastern limb of the subtropical gyre in the South Atlantic and transports a blend of relatively fresh and cool Atlantic water as well as relatively warm and salty Indian Ocean water northward. Therefore, it plays an important role not only for the local freshwater and heat budgets but for the overall meridional heat and freshwater transports in the South Atlantic. Historically, the Benguela Current region is relatively data sparse, especially with respect to long-term observations. A new three dimensional data set of the horizontal velocity in the upper 2000 m that covers the years 1993 to 2015 is used to analyze the variability of the Benguela Current. This data set was derived using observations from Argo floats, satellite sea surface height and wind fields. The main features of the horizontal circulation observed in this data set are in good agreement with those from earlier observations based on more limited data sets. Therefore, it can be used for a more detailed study the flow pattern as well as the variability of the circulation in this region. It is found that the mean meridional transport in the upper 800 m between the continental shelf of Africa and 3° E, decreases from 23 ± 3 Sv at 31° S to 11 ± 3 Sv at 28° S. In terms of variability, the 23-year long timeseries at 30° S and 35° S reveal phases with large energy densities at periods of 3 to 7 months, which can be attributed to the occurrence of Agulhas rings in this region. The prevalence of these rings is also behind the fact that the energy density at 35° S at the annual period is smaller than at 30° S, because the former latitude is closer to Agulhas retroflection and therefore more likely to be impacted by the Agulhas rings. In agreement with this, the energy density associated with mesoscale variability at 30° S is weaker than at 35° S. With respect to the forcing, the significant correlation between the Sverdrup balance derived from the wind stress and the observed transports at 30° S is 0.7. No significant correlation between these parameters was found at 35° S.

Description: The flux of reduced substances, such as methane and ammonium, from the sediment to the bottom water (Fred) is one of the major factors contributing to the consumption of oxygen in the hypolimnia of lakes and thus crucial for lake oxygen management. This study presents fluxes based on sediment porewater measurements from different water depths of five deep lakes of differing trophic states. In meso- to eutrophic lakes Fred was directly proportional to the total organic carbon mass accumulation rate (TOC-MAR) of the sediments. TOC-MAR and thus Fred in eutrophic lakes decreased systematically with increasing mean hypolimnion depth (zH), suggesting that high oxygen concentrations in the deep waters of lakes were essential for the extent of organic matter mineralization leaving a smaller fraction for anaerobic degradation and thus formation of reduced compounds. Consequently, Fred was low in the 310 m deep meso-eutrophic Lake Geneva, with high O2 concentrations in the hypolimnion. By contrast, seasonal anoxic conditions enhanced Fred in the deep basin of oligotrophic Lake Aegeri. As TOC-MAR and zH are based on more readily available data, these relationships allow estimating the areal O2 consumption rate by reduced compounds from the sediments where no direct flux measurements are available.

Description: The flux of reduced substances from the sediment to the bottom water (Fred) is one of the major factors contributing to the consumption of oxygen in the hypolimnia of lakes and thus crucial for lake oxygen management. This study presents sediment porewater measurements at different water depths from five deep lakes of differing trophic states. Fred was directly proportional to the total organic carbon mass accumulation rate (TOC-MAR) measured in the sediments. In eutrophic lakes Fred decreased systematically with increasing mean hypolimnion depth (zH). In Lake Baldegg, both TOC-MAR and Fred increased with depth due to sediment focusing. Temporarily anoxic conditions increased Fred even in the oligotrophic Lake Aegeri, while Fred was surprisingly low in the 310 m deep but eutrophic Lake Geneva. As TOC-MAR and zH are based on more commonly available data sets, these relationships provide an estimate for the O2 consumption by Fred, where no direct flux measurements are available.

Description: The scattering and absorption of solar radiation by atmospheric aerosols is a key element of the Earth's radiative energy balance and climate. The optical properties of aerosol particles are, however, highly variable and not well characterized, especially near newly emerging mega-cities. In this study, aerosol optical properties were measured at a regional background site approximately 60 km northwest of the mega-city Guangzhou in southeast China. The measurements were part of the "Program of Regional Integrated Experiments of Air Quality over the Pearl River Delta" intensive campaign (PRIDE-PRD2006), covering the period of 1–30 July 2006. Scattering and absorption coefficients of dry aerosol particles with diameters up to 10 μm (PM10) were determined with a three-wavelength integrating nephelometer and with a photoacoustic spectrometer, respectively. Averaged over the measurement campaign (arithmetic mean ±standard deviation), the total scattering coefficients were 200±133 Mm−1 (450 nm), 151±103 Mm−1 (550 nm) and 104±72 Mm−1 (700 nm) and the absorption coefficient was 34.3±26.5 Mm−1 (532 nm). The average Ångström exponent was 1.46±0.21 (450 nm/700 nm) and the average single scattering albedo was 0.82±0.07 (532 nm) with minimum values as low as 0.5. The low single scattering albedo values indicate a high abundance of, as well as strong sources of light absorbing carbon (LAC). The ratio of LAC to CO concentration was highly variable throughout the campaign, indicating a complex mix of different combustion sources. The scattering and absorption coefficients, as well as the Ångström exponent and single scattering albedo, exhibited pronounced diurnal cycles, which can be attributed to boundary layer mixing effects and enhanced nighttime emissions of LAC (diesel soot from regulated truck traffic). The daytime average single scattering albedo of 0.87 appears to be more suitable for climate modeling purposes than the 24-h average of 0.82, as the latter value is strongly influenced by fresh emissions into a shallow nocturnal boundary layer. In spite of high photochemical activity during daytime, we found no evidence for strong local production of secondary aerosol mass. The relatively low average mass scattering efficiency with respect to PM10 (2.84±0.037 m2 g−1, λ=550 nm) indicates a high proportion of mass in the coarse particle fraction (diameter 〉1 μm). During high pollution episodes, however, the Ångström exponent exhibited a dependence on wavelength, which indicates an enhancement of the fine particle fraction during these periods. A negative correlation between single scattering albedo and backscatter fraction was observed and found to affect the impact that these parameters have on aerosol radiative forcing efficiency.