Search

Sedation Practice in Intensive Care Evaluation (SPICE-III) trial reported significant heterogeneity in mortality with dexmedetomidine treatment. Supplemental propofol was commonly used to achieve desirable sedation.to quantify the association of different infusion rates of dexmedetomidine or propofol, given in combination, with mortality and if this is modified by age.We included 1177 patients randomized in SPICE-III to receive dexmedetomidine and given supplemental propofol, stratified by age (65 or ≤65 years). We used double stratification analysis to produce quartiles of steady infusion rates of dexmedetomidine, while escalating propofol dose and vice versa. We used Cox proportional hazard and multivariable regression, adjusted for relevant clinical variable to evaluate the association of sedative dose with 90-day mortality.Younger patients 598/1177(50.8%) received a significantly higher dose of both sedatives compared with older patients, to achieve comparable sedation depth. On double stratification analysis, escalating infusion rates of propofol to 1.27 mg/kg/h at a steady dexmedetomidine infusion rate (0.54 mcg/kg/h) was associated with reduced adjusted mortality in younger, but not older patients. This was consistent with multivariable regression modelling [hazard ratio: 0.59(95% Confidence Interval 0.43-0.78),P0.0001], adjusted for baseline risk and interaction with dexmedetomidine dose. In contrast, among younger patients using multivariable regression, escalating dexmedetomidine infusion rate was associated with increased adjusted mortality [HR:1.30(95%CI 1.03-1.65), P=0.029].In patients ≤ 65 years sedated with dexmedetomidine and propofol combination, preferentially increasing the dose of propofol was associated with decreased adjusted 90-day mortality. Conversely, increasing dexmedetomidine may be associated with increased mortality. Clinical trial registration available at www.gov, ID: NCT01728558.

Building heat consumption is affected by factors such as building characteristics, surrounding non-heating users, and outdoor temperature. Therefore, in order to achieve precise and efficient heating, it is of great importance to study the effects of building characteristics and the existence of non-heating users on the building heat consumption. This paper proposed two factors to evaluate the influences of the building characteristics and the non-heating users on heat consumption in a multi-storey heating residential building. Based on the heat consumption without non-heating adjacent users, the top-side users, top-middle users, middle-side users, middle-middle users, bottom-side users and bottom-middle users are identified as six types of typical-location users. Taking the heat consumption of middle-middle users as the benchmark, location factors (LFs) are introduced to consider the influence of building characteristics on the heat consumption of different typical-location users. For each typical-location user, non-heating user factors (NHFs) are introduced to consider the influences of different distributed non-heating adjacent users on the heat consumption of each typical-location user. The results show that, for low-temperature hot water floor radiant heating system, the impact of upstairs adjacent non-heating users is greater than that of same-floor adjacent non-heating users, and the impact of downstairs adjacent non-heating users is minimal. Besides, it can be considered the non-heating user factors vary slightly with the outdoor temperature when the outdoor temperature is below 0 °C. The results provide a guide for heating operation regulation of residential buildings with non-heating users.

Waves, current, and sediment transport processes in major storms on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland were simulated using integrated wave, three-dimensional tide and circulation, and combined-flow sediment transport models. While the tidal and nontidal currents are generally low and cause little sediment transport, storm-induced waves and currents enhance bed shear velocity by more than 5 times and cause significant sediment transport over the entire Grand Banks. The impact of storms on shear stress and transport strongly depends on water depths and the greatest impact occurs over the bathymetric highs on southeastern Grand Bank where the maximum shear velocity reaches 15 cm s−1 and the maximum transport rates are >5 kg m−1 s−1. The direction of sediment transport rotates clockwise progressively through nearly 360° during the passage of a storm. Although peak transport typically occurs on central and southeastern Grand Bank with a southeastward direction, the magnitude, direction, and timing of peak transport show strong spatial and temporal variability. The variability of the peak transport largely depends on the timing and relative intensity of the waves and the total bottom currents which in turn depends on the addition of the storm-induced and tidal currents. The calculation of the maximum transport potential suggests that sediments as coarse as small pebbles are mobile in water depths

Using the particle data measured by Van Allen Probe A from October 2012 to March 2016, we investigate in detail the radiation belt seed population and its association with the relativistic electron dynamics during 74 geomagnetic storms. The period of the storm recovery phase was limited to 72 h. The statistical study shows that geomagnetic storms and substorms play important roles in the radiation belt seed population (336 keV electrons) dynamics. Based on the flux changes of 1 MeV electrons before and after the storm peak, these storm events are divided into two groups of “large flux enhancement” and “small flux enhancement.” For large flux enhancement storm events, the correlation coefficients between the peak flux location of the seed population and those of relativistic electrons (592 keV, 1 MeV, 1.8 MeV, and 2.1 MeV) during the storm recovery phase decrease with electron kinetic energy, being 0.92, 0.68, 0.49, and 0.39, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the peak flux of the seed population and those of relativistic electrons are 0.92, 0.81, 0.75, and 0.73. For small flux enhancement storm events, the correlation coefficients between the peak flux location of the seed population and those of relativistic electrons are relatively smaller, while the peak flux of the seed population is well correlated with those of relativistic electrons (correlation coefficients >0.84). It is suggested that during geomagnetic storms there is a good correlation between the seed population and ≤1 MeV electrons and the seed population is important to the relativistic electron dynamics.

Background The relationship between postprandial hyperglycaemia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), whether painful or painless, has yet to be determined. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in adults with T2D between January and October 2013. Blood samples were collected after overnight fasting every 3 months prior to enrolment. For this study, increased postprandial glycaemic exposure was defined as high glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and near-normal mean fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels. Both painless and painful DPN were evaluated using two validated tools, the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) and Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire. Results This study included 1040 participants with mean FPG levels Conclusion This study is the first to reveal that increased postprandial glycaemic exposure, as assessed by high HbA1c and near-normal FPG levels, is associated with an increased risk of painful DPN in adults with T2D.

Using the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) observations, we study electron acceleration (

The concentration of total suspended matter (TSM) at the sea surface is derived from satellite data using a complex proxy TSM model in East China Sea from 1997 to 2008. The structure of the mean TSM image is similar to that of the topography, indicating that the distribution of the surface concentration is strongly related to the water depth. A dynamic sediment model (DSM) is constructed to relate the TSM concentration at the sea surface with suspended sediment at the benthic boundary layer, the Rouse number, and the water depth. The DSM model is improved through iteration with a convergence identified by the mean relative difference between two adjacent bottom TSM images which becomes smaller with the more iterations and the value is less than 1% after 50 iterations. The performance of the DSM model is validated by satellite-measured concentration with a mean relative error of 5.2% for the monthly mean images. The DSM model is used to deduce the bottom TSM concentration at the benthic boundary layer and the distribution of the Rouse number. The spatial distribution of the sea surface TSM concentration is determined predominately by both the bottom suspended sediment concentration and water depth. The temporal variation of the sea surface concentration mainly depends upon the Rouse number in the water column. Our result shows that the discharge of the Changjiang River can change the distribution of the Rouse number to form a band-shaped region in the Changjiang Estuary. The DSM model provides a framework for understanding some of the mechanisms of the formation and variation of the primary TSM plume and the secondary plume in the ECS. The primary TSM plume corresponds approximately to the region with depth shallower than 20 m and the secondary plume corresponds to the region with depths between 20 and 50 m.

Magnetic holes with relatively small scale sizes, detected by Cluster and TC-1 in the magnetotail plasma sheet, are studied in this paper. It is found that these magnetic holes are spatial structures and they are not magnetic depressions generated by the flapping movement of the magnetotail current sheet. Most of the magnetic holes (93%) were observed during intervals with Bz larger than Bx, i.e. they are more likely to occur in a dipolarized magnetic field topology. Our results also suggest that the occurrence of these magnetic holes might have a close relationship with the dipolarization process. The magnetic holes typically have a scale size comparable to the local proton Larmor radius and are accompanied by an electron energy flux enhancement at a 90° pitch angle, which is quite different from the previously observed isotropic electron distributions inside magnetic holes in the plasma sheet. It is also shown that most of the magnetic holes occur in marginally mirror-stable environments. Whether the plasma sheet magnetic holes are generated by the mirror instability related to ions or not, however, is unknown. Comparison of ratios, scale sizes and propagation direction of magnetic holes detected by Cluster and TC-1, suggests that magnetic holes observed in the vicinity of the TC-1 orbit (~7–12 RE) are likely to be further developed than those observed by Cluster (~7–18 RE).

We presented a large-scale plasma flow vortex event that occurred on 1 March 2009 observed by Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) satellites. During the interval, THEMIS satellites were located in the premidnight region between 11 and 16 RE downtail. Dawnward-earthward plasma flows were seen initially in the magnetotail, followed by duskward-tailward flows. This suggests that a clockwise plasma flow vortex (seen from above the equatorial plane) was observed on the dawn side of the plasma sheet. Furthermore, high energy (>1 keV) electrons were observed. Auroral images at 427.8 nm and THEMIS white light all-sky imager (ASI) at Fort Smith showed a discrete auroral patch formed at the poleward of the auroral oval, it then intensified. It extended eastward and equatorward first and followed by westward motion to form the clockwise auroral vortex. The auroral feature corresponded to the ionospheric signatures of the plasma flow vortex in the magnetotail when the Alfvén transit time between the magnetotail and the ionosphere was taken into account. We suggest that the large-scale clockwise plasma flow vortex in association with the high energy (>1 keV) electrons on the dawn side of the plasma sheet generated a downward field-aligned current (FAC) that caused the related ionospheric signatures. The plasma flow vortex had rotational flow speeds of up to 300 km s−1. The current density associated with the plasma flow vortex was estimated at 2.0 μA m−2, mapped to the ionosphere.

A method has been developed for extracting magnetospheric ion distributions from Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) measurements made by the NUADU instrument on the TC-2 spacecraft. Based on a constrained linear inversion, this iterative technique is suitable for use in the case of an ENA image measurement, featuring a sharply peaked spatial distribution. The method allows for magnetospheric ion distributions to be extracted from a low-count ENA image recorded over a short integration time (5 min). The technique is demonstrated through its application to a set of representative ENA images recorded in energy Channel~2 (hydrogen: 50–81 keV, oxygen: 138–185 keV) of the NUADU instrument during a geomagnetic storm. It is demonstrated that this inversion method provides a useful tool for extracting ion distribution information from ENA data that are characterized by high temporal and spatial resolution. The recovered ENA images obtained from inverted ion fluxes match most effectively the measurements made at maximum ENA intensity.

Information about seabed stability and sediment dynamics is part of the fundamental geoscience knowledge required for the extraction of tidal energy in the Bay of Fundy and for the integrated management of the Bay. Waves, tidal currents, and wind-driven and circulation currents were obtained from oceanographic models to assess the wave and current processes for the broader Bay of Fundy. The wave and current outputs were coupled with observed grain size in a sediment transport model to predict, for the first time, the seabed shear stresses, sediment mobility, and sediment transport patterns for the entire Bay. The root mean square tidal current, highest in the upper Bay (>1.4 m·s−1), is reduced to moderate in the central Bay (0.5–0.8 m·s−1) and decreases further in the outer Bay (0.2–0.5 m·s−1). The maximum tidal current occurs in the Minas Passage and is >5 m·s−1. The mean significant wave height, in contrast, is the greatest in the outer Bay (∼1.3 m) and gradually decreases to the northeast in the central and upper Bay (−1occurs in the Minas Passage area. Strong shear velocity of 4–5 cm·s−1also occurs in Minas Basin, in the central Bay, and in the narrows around Grand Manan Island. Sediment mobilization in the Bay of Fundy is predominantly by tidal current. Mobilization frequency is >30% of the time over most of the Bay and reaches 100% of the time in some areas. The maximum total-load sediment transport rate under spring tide can reach ∼5 kg·m−1·s−1and is to the northeast during flood and to the southwest during ebb. Net sediment transport flux, however, is dominantly to the northeast and reaches 2 kg·m−1·s−1. Eddies of net transport are found to occur around headlands and at the narrows of Grand Manan Island, largely due to the occurrence of eddies of residual tidal flows. The regional distribution of substrate types and bedform fields and patterns of seabed erosion and deposition are well correlated with tidal current strength and sediment transport patterns.

Waves and current processes, both surface and near-bed were simulated for major storms on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland using integrated wave, 3-D tidal and ocean current models. Most storms track southwest to northeast and pass to the north or northwest of the Grand Banks. Significant wave heights can reach up to ∼14 m and are predominantly to the northeast at the peak of storms. Extreme surface currents reach approximately 1 m s−1 and are largely to the southeast. The strongest bottom currents, up to 0.8 m s−1, occur on St. Pierre Bank and are dominantly to the south and southeast. While wave height and wind-driven current generally increase with wind speed, factors such as storm paths, the relative location of the storm center at the storm peak, and storm translation speed also affect waves and currents. Surface and near-bed wind-driven currents both rotate clockwise and decrease in strength as the storm traverses the Grand Banks. While the spatial variability of the storm impact on surface currents is relatively small, bottom currents show significant spatial variation of magnitude and direction as well as timing of peak current conditions. These spatial variations are controlled by the changes of bathymetry and mixed layer depth over the model domain. The storm-generated currents can be 7 to 10 times stronger than the background mean currents. These strong currents interact with wave oscillatory flows to produce shear velocities up to 15 cm s−1 and cause wide occurrences of strong sediment transport over nearly the entire Grand Banks.

Mobile apps development has become new trends to promote various services to the user. The development of Sarawak Traditional Food Locator mobile application intended to improve mobile seller socio-economy by provide marketing, advertising and point of sales for the local community. Apart from that it, boost tourism sector in Sarawak which focus on food based product. The mobile apps help to guide tourist to locate and find unique cuisine and trying local food delicacies when travelling to Sarawak.

Dental implants have been widely accepted as a predictable and reliable tool for dental reconstruction with the development of the economy. The design of implant-abutment connections has influence on mechanical properties and biological characteristics of implants. There are two types of implant-abutment connections, the external and the internal connections. Morse taper connection is one of the internal connections and its conical shape creates significant friction via the high propensity of parallelism between the two structures within the joint space. Several studies showed that Morse taper connection performed well in terms of survival rate, stability, bacterial seal and marginal bone loss. Recently, clinical studies indicate implants combining Morse taper connection with platform switching are helpful in reducing marginal bone absorption. This review aims at analyzing the features and advantages of Morse taper connection.

Inter-annual variability in the timing of phytoplankton spring bloom and phytoplankton community structure in the central North Atlantic Ocean was quantified using ocean color data and continuous plankton recorder (CPR) data. This variability was related to the North Atlantic Oscillation using correlation analysis and multivariate auto-regression models. The initiation of the spring bloom derived from CPR phytoplankton color index data is similar to that derived from satellite chlorophyll, and exhibits a nominal correlation with the sea surface temperature (SST) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The extrapolated spring bloom timing suggested later initiation of blooms in the mid-1980s and earlier initiation of blooms in the 1990s. The climatological phytoplankton community structure in the central North Atlantic is dominated by diatoms, except for a shift in community composition favoring dinoflagellates in August. The ratio of diatoms to total phytoplankton abundance and the ratio of dinoflagellates to total phytoplankton abundance are both closely correlated with the NAO and SST. The extended time series of phytoplankton community structure between 1985 and 2009, deduced from the time series of SST and NAO over the same interval, showed a decadal shift away from diatoms towards dinoflagellates. The linkages between the NAO, and changes in stratification and phytoplankton processes occur over a larger scale than previously observed.

[1] We present the evolution of dipolarizations in the near-Earth tail during a substorm on 15 March 2009, based on the two-point measurements in the nightside plasma sheet at X ~ −8.0 RE. The earthward-moving dipolarization, the magnetic flux pileup, and the tailward-moving dipolarization were observed. For the 30–200 keV electrons, betatron acceleration was the dominant process, which was caused by the much larger gradient of the magnetic field there during the earthward-moving dipolarization or by a local compression of the magnetic field during the magnetic flux pileup and tailward-moving dipolarization. These near-perpendicular distributions for the 30–200 keV electrons are interpreted as produced by a two-step acceleration: Electrons were first accelerated in the dipolarization fronts in the midtail or the near-Earth tail and then were further accelerated near the tail current disruption region. For the more than 200 keV electrons, Fermi acceleration was the dominant process, which was caused by the shrinking length of magnetic field line during the tailward-moving dipolarization. The source region of the more than 200 keV electrons may be near the tail current disruption region, but these electrons were accelerated locally. These field-aligned electrons can precipitate into the ionosphere and form the discrete auroral arcs. Two parallel arcs were clearly observed around the substorm onset: one propagated equatorward, another propagated poleward. We suggest that the earthward-moving dipolarization, the magnetic flux pileup, and the tailward-moving dipolarization near the tail current disruption region can well explain the auroral evolution around the substorm onset.

Fast plasma flows are believed to play important roles in transporting mass, momentum, and energy in the magnetotail during active periods, such as the magnetospheric substorms. In this paper, we present Cluster observations of a plasma-depleted flux tube, i.e., a plasma bubble associated with fast plasma flow before the onset of a substorm in the near-Earth tail around X = -18 R-E. The bubble is bounded by both sharp leading (partial derivative b(z)/partial derivative x 0) edges. The two edges are thin current layers (approximately ion inertial length) that carry not only intense perpendicular current but also field-aligned current. The leading edge is a dipolarization front (DF) within a slow plasma flow, while the trailing edge is embedded in a super-Alfvenic convective ion jet. The electron jet speed exceeds the ion flow speed thus producing a large tangential current at the trailing edge. The electron drift is primarily given by the E x B drift. Interestingly, the trailing edge moves faster than the leading edge, which causes shrinking of the bubble and local flux pileup inside the bubble. This resulted in a further intensification of B-z, or a secondary dipolarization. Both the leading and trailing edges are tangential discontinuities that confine the electrons inside the bubble. Strong electron acceleration occurred corresponding to the secondary dipolarization, with perpendicular fluxes dominating the field-aligned fluxes. We suggest that betatron acceleration is responsible for the electron energization. Whistler waves and lower hybrid drift waves were identified inside the bubble. Their generation mechanisms and potential roles in electron dynamics are discussed. Citation: Zhou, M., X. Deng, M. Ashour-Abdalla, R. Walker, Y. Pang, C. Tang, S. Huang, M. El-Alaoui, Z. Yuan and H. Li (2013), Cluster observations of kinetic structures and electron acceleration within a dynamic plasma bubble, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 118, 674-684, doi:10.1029/2012JA018323.

To investigate the anti-inflammation effects by activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and its mechanisms in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model mice.6-week-old male C57BL/6J (B6) mice were randomly divided into four groups: the first group was normal mice, injected with saline; the second group was normal mice, injected with nicotine; the third group was NASH model mice, injected with saline; the fourth group was NASH model mice, injected with nicotine. The experimental mice were fed with either standard chow (SC) or high-fat and high-fructose (HFHF) for 17 weeks to generate an NASH model mice. The mice received injection once daily for 3 weeks [nicotine dose, 400 μg/kg]. Then, their pathological characteristics and function of the liver were assessed. The expressions of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum were analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR), Toll-like receptors-4 (TLR-4) and nuclear factor κB of phosphory-lation (p-NF-κB) in Kupffer cells were determined by Western blot and immunofluorescence assays.We successfully generated NASH model mice by imitating the high-fat and high-fructose dietary style of NASH patients. The results of our investigation demonstrated that nicotine could reduce significantly the levels of IL-6, and TNF-α in serum (P0.05). The expression of p-NF-κB protein in the group which was NASH model mice injected with nicotine declined significantly as compared with the group which was NASH model mice injected with saline (P0.05). And the expression of α7nAChR protein elevated significantly conversely (P0.05).Activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway could inhibit the release of inflammatory factors as TNF-α and IL-6 in NASH model mice, and the mechanism for the inhibition of inflammatory was mediated by NF-κB pathway.

The satellite-based operational sea surface temperature (SST) was compared to the ship-based in-situ SSTs established by the Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program (AZMP) over the eastern Canadian shelf (ECS) for a 3-year anal-ysis period (2005–2007). Two sets of operational SST analyses were considered in this study, with one set produced by the Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) and the other produced by the National Centers for Environmental Predic-tion (NCEP). The comparative study indicated that there was no appreciable systematic difference between the CMC and NCEP SST analyses over the ECS. The root mean squared difference (RMSD) between the AZMP ship-based in-situ SSTs and the satellite-based STT analyses over the ECS was about 1.0°C, without any obvious seasonal or geo-graphic trend. The RMSDs were relatively larger over the outer flank of the Grand Banks than the other regions of the ECS, mainly due to dynamically complicated circulation and hydrographic conditions over this shelf break area associated with the Labrador Current.

Sulfonated crosslinked chitosan resins (SCCRs) were prepared by firstly crosslinking chitosan to crosslinked chitosan resins (CCRs) using a reverse emulsion crosslinking method, followed by sulfonating CCRs with concentrated H 2 SO 4 as the sulfonation agent. The properties and application of SCCRs as solid acid catalysts were studied. The acidic sites in SCCRs, including C 6 –O and C 2 –N sulfate groups, are all weak acidic sites. SCCRs of higher crosslinking degrees have a higher sulfonation rate of the C 6 primary hydroxyl groups, thus more C 6 –O sulfate groups. High-temperature treatment and TG analysis verified that the crosslinking can improve the thermostability of both SCCR backbone and its acidic groups, and a higher crosslinking degree leads to better thermostability. Catalytic esterification of citric acid with butanol and propionic acid with n-butyl alcohol demonstrated that SCCRs have good catalytic activity and can be repetitively used as efficient solid acid catalysts.

The eastern Canadian seas including Baffin Bay, the Labrador Sea and shelf, the N.E. Newfoundland Shelf, the Scotian Shelf and the Gulf of St. Lawrence form an integrated hydro-dynamical system. The circulation is investigated using current meter data and a high resolution three dimensional coupled ice-ocean circulation model, CECOM (Canadian East Coast Ocean Model) covering the entire area. The model is forced with realistic atmosphere fluxes and the results are compared to the current meter data collected in four selected periods between 1987 and 2008. Many features of the model current fields are similar to those from the previous regional circulation models for the shelves. New findings from CECOM include seasonal differences of the circulation around Davis Strait, the detailed structure of the Labrador Current re-circulation, two cross-shelf currents on the Scotian Shelf, and strong currents in Halibut Channel which connects the waters of the western Grand Banks and Scotian Shelf. The annual variation of the circulation is investigated. Both the model and data show the Labrador Current is strong in fall and weak in spring. The outflow from the Gulf of St. Lawrence through Cabot Strait and the currents on the inner Scotian Shelf are strong in winter and fall and weak in spring, and are in phase with the Labrador Current. The model currents are compared to observations using a qualitative method of visual comparison, and a quantitative method based on statistical analysis. The comparisons indicate that the main features of the current fields from the observations are successfully reproduced by the model. The quantitative analysis indicates that the model currents are in reasonable agreement with the observations. Specifically, a good agreement is found in the Labrador shelf, Newfoundland Shelf and Flemish Pass, a fair agreement is found in Davis Strait, the inner Scotian Shelf and Sable Bank. However, the agreement for Cabot Strait and the Scotian Shelf break is less satisfactory. An analysis of the spatial variability of the current field suggests that the degree of agreement is closely related to the spatial variability of the current field. The regions with low spatial variability generally have good agreements. The volume and freshwater transports through several sections from the model are in good agreement with available estimates based on data.

Mirror mode waves in the solar wind are typically observed not as quasi-periodic sinusoidal signatures, but as trains of nonperiodic structures of two types: magnetic “peaks” and magnetic “dips.” Some trains of long durations have been called mirror mode storms. In this work we report mirror mode waves downstream of a stream interaction region (SIR) forward shock observed near 1 AU on 7 May 2007 with Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) and Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) data. The high-resolution magnetic-field data (0.125-second resolution) from STEREO are scanned to search for magnetic dips and peaks (or upgoing magnetic “mesas”) in the solar wind. STEREO-A observes a mirror mode storm: the appearance of mirror mode waves (mainly magnetic peaks and upgoing mesas) is simultaneous with the entry into a high-density, high-temperature, and high plasma β accompanied by a depressed field region; the magnetic dips survive in the lower plasma-β region. STEREO-B observes mirror mode waves (mainly magnetic peaks) with different amplitudes and asymmetric forms, which can survive in a low plasma β region. THEMIS-D, which was located in the solar wind, also observes mirror mode waves (mainly magnetic peaks and upgoing mesas) as well as an enhanced ion temperature anisotropy (T ⊥≈3T ∥). The enhanced ion temperature anisotropy and high plasma β satisfy the mirror-instability criterion. These observations of STEREO and THEMIS-D show that mirror mode waves can be excited downstream of a SIR forward shock near 1 AU.

The authors investigate the interannual variations of freshwater content (FWC) and sea surface height (SSH) in the Beaufort Sea, particularly their increases during 2004–09, using a coupled ice–ocean model (CIOM), adapted for the Arctic Ocean to simulate the interannual variations. The CIOM simulation exhibits a (relative) salinity minimum in the Beaufort Sea and a warm Atlantic water layer in the Arctic Ocean, which is similar to the Polar Hydrographic Climatology (PHC), and captures the observed FWC maximum in the central Beaufort Sea, and the observed variation and rapid decline of total ice concentration, over the last 30 years. The model simulations of SSH and FWC suggest a significant increase in the central Beaufort Sea during 2004–09. The simulated SSH increase is about 8 cm, while the FWC increase is about 2.5 m, with most of these increases occurring in the center of the Beaufort gyre. The authors show that these increases are due to an increased surface wind stress curl during 2004–09, which increased the FWC in the Beaufort Sea by about 0.63 m yr−1 through Ekman pumping. Moreover, the increased surface wind is related to the interannual variation of the Arctic polar vortex at 500 hPa. During 2004–09, the polar vortex had significant weakness, which enhanced the Beaufort Sea high by affecting the frequency of synoptic weather systems in the region. In addition to the impacts of the polar vortex, enhanced melting of sea ice also contributes to the FWC increase by about 0.3 m yr−1 during 2004–09.

The presence of phytoplankton affects the attenuation of the visible range of solar radiation in the upper ocean. An optically-coupled circulation model is used to examine the impact of phytoplankton on sea-surface temperature, stratification, circulation and air–sea non-solar heat fluxes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The attenuation coefficients are calculated by a spectral model of irradiance in the visible range, using the SeaWiFS chlorophyll concentration as input. The circulation model is forced by climatological atmospheric fields and sea-ice distribution. The impact of phytoplankton is examined by comparing model results from two numerical experiments using a phytoplankton-dependent attenuation of solar radiation and a constant attenuation corresponding to clear seawater, respectively. The presence of phytoplankton increases the sea-surface temperature by up to 2 °C, and thus enhances the heat loss from the ocean to the air by up to 40 W m− 2. Phytoplankton cools the subsurface temperature by up to 2 °C. The associated increase of the vertical gradient of temperature leads to higher density stratification by up to 0.4 kg m− 3. Phytoplankton also enhance the general cyclonic circulation, causing upwelling in the central Gulf of St. Lawrence. These oceanographic changes and their feedback to the atmosphere indicate that the optical effects of phytoplankton can be significant, and should be included in models of ocean dynamics, especially those developed in the context of climate change. The negative feedback on sea-surface temperature by non-solar air–sea heat fluxes is investigated using a 1-d analytical model. An analysis of the model results shows that the feedback mechanism limits the effect of bio-optical heating to a short period and thus significantly reduces the impact of heating by the absorption of the solar radiation by phytoplankton. The net temperature increase is determined by the total absorption of light in the mixed layer, accumulated over a period of a few weeks.

Extreme storm-induced currents over the Grand Banks are investigated using a three-dimensional (3-D) ocean circulation model forced by 22 storms selected from the past 50 years with return intervals ranging from 1 to 34 years. Wind data for the storms are historical atmospheric data. The modelled currents are compared with current meter measurements made during a storm in March 1983. The results indicate good agreement between the model and measurements. In the surface layer of the Grand Banks, the model extreme current speeds are approximately 80 cm s−1 over a large portion of the Grand Banks, and some areas have extreme current speeds higher than 120 cm s−1. The highest extreme current speeds occur at St. Pierre Bank, where the speed reaches 140 cm s−1. In the bottom layer, the region with high extreme current speeds is mainly in the periphery of the Grand Banks, with magnitudes over 40 cm s−1. The results also show that the response of the water to storm forcing in the Grand Banks area varies from plac...

Zhai, L., Platt, T., Tang, C., Sathyendranath, S., and Hernández Walls, R. 2011. Phytoplankton phenology on the Scotian Shelf. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: . The impact of physical forcing on seasonal and interannual phytoplankton dynamics was examined using SeaWiFS chlorophyll, AVHRR sea surface temperature (SST), nitrate, and other hydrographic measurements for the Scotian Shelf and Scotian Slope. The spring bloom was characterized by a shifted Gaussian function fitted to seasonal chlorophyll time-series. The background chlorophyll (a constant term in the Gaussian function) is a joint property of the stratification and bio-optics of the mixed layer. Rapid shoaling of the mixed-layer depth in spring promoted the early spring bloom on the middle Scotian Shelf and Slope, triggered when averaged light in the mixed layer reached 15 W m−2. The duration of the spring bloom was prolonged in slope water, resulting in a discontinuity in duration between the shelf and slope water masses. The position of the latitudinal discontinuity in duration was correlated with that of the shelf–slope front in SST. The amplitude of the spring bloom was correlated with the nitrate inventory in the surface layer at the end of winter. The rate of decrease (increase) in chlorophyll after the spring bloom was related to the depletion (resupply) of nitrate in summer. The position of the shelf–slope front influenced the interannual variability of bloom characteristics.

Sea surface temperature (SST) from a near real-time data set produced from satellites data has been assimilated into a coupled ice–ocean forecasting model (Canadian East Coast Ocean Model) using an efficient data assimilation method. The method is based on an optimal interpolation scheme by which SST is melded into the model through the adjustment of surface heat flux. The magnitude and space–time variation of the adjustment depend on the depth of heat diffusion into the water column in response to changes in surface flux, the correlation time scale of the data, and model and data errors. The diffusion depth is scaled by the eddy diffusivity for temperature. The ratio of the model and data errors is treated as an adjustable parameter. To evaluate the quality of the assimilation, the results from the model with and without assimilation are compared to independent ship data from the Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program and the World Ocean Circulation Experiment. It is shown that the assimilation has a significant impact on the modeled SST, reducing the root mean square difference (RMSD) between the model SST and the ship SST by 0.63°C or 37%. The RMSD of the assimilated SST is smaller than that of the satellite SST by 0.23°C. This suggests that model simulations or predictions with data assimilation can provide the best estimate of the true SST. A sensitivity study is performed to examine the change of the model RMSD with the adjustable parameter in the assimilation equation. The results show that there is an optimal value of the parameter and the model SST is not very sensitive to the parameter.

The total daily phytoplankton loss from the mixed layer is estimated as the difference between the primary production and the realized change of phytoplankton carbon biomass. A Monte Carlo procedure is used to recover the total loss rates for ten geographic locations on the Northwest Atlantic continental shelf. The strong seasonal and geographic variations in mixed-layer loss rates of phytoplankton are tied closely to the primary production. The daily, mixed-layer, total loss ranges from 50 to 1000 mg C m − 2 d − 1 , which is compared with the output of process models, the closure error being generally less than 10% of the total loss. The model results show that the annual respiration is generally greater than losses due to zooplankton grazing and sinking, except that zooplankton grazing dominates other loss terms on the west Greenland shelf.

We analyze the magnetic structures in the near-tail at XGSM = -17.5 RE on September 19, 2003 by Cluster. During the course of a substorm event, the earthward propagating plasmoid and flux ropes in the near-tail are observed. The earthward propagating plasmoid is associated with the bipolar Bz and By signatures. The two flux ropes are embedded within the earthward plasma flows, which might be referred to the population as "BBF-type" flux ropes. The first flux rope diameter is about 0.7 RE and duration based upon the Bz signature is similar to 20 s, while the second one diameter is about 1.4 RE and duration is similar to 30 s. The earthward propagating plasmoid and flux ropes could have influence upon the dipolarization and injection in inner magnetosphere. The Cluster observations of earthward propagating plasmoids on flux ropes are formed repeatedly and ejected tailward in the course of geomagnetically active time.

Remote sensing provides our only window into the phytoplankton community on synoptic scales, permitting the construction of spatially distributed time series of biomass indexed as chlorophyll concentration. Data from the SeaWiFS mission have accumulated to the point where they meet the criterion of a 10-year series. The seasonal phytoplankton cycle is the dominant mode of temporal variability. The time series can be used to construct a variety of ecological indicators of the pelagic system useful in ecosystem-based management. These are reviewed and examples of their implementation are presented. Phenology of phytoplankton blooms is given particular attention. Interannual variation in some of the indicators is strong, presumably a response to variation in large-scale forcing. Examination of the results in the context of a simple phytoplankton-nutrient model enhances the interpretation. Remote sensing imagery also lends itself to the retrieval of information on community structure, in addition to biomass. More information will be recovered from satellite imagery if the remote-sensing program is coupled closely to a ship program on which appropriate bio-optical observations are made. The data series can be distilled to yield concise descriptions of the unfolding of ecosystem characteristics through time.

A method is presented for retrieving the magnetospheric ion distribution from Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) measurements made by the NUADU instrument on the TC-2 spacecraft. Based on the already well-established method of constrained linear inversion, an iterance technique suitable for the low count ENA measurements has been developed which is tolerant of the noise background. By the iterance technique, it is possible for the first time to simultaneously retrieve the magnetospheric ion distribution and the exospheric neutral density, and further to recover global ENA emissions in three dimensions. The technique is applied to a representative ENA image recorded in energy channel 2 (protons: 50–81 keV) of the NUADU instrument during a major geomagnetic storm and it is, thereby, shown that the retrieval method developed provides a useful tool for extracting ion distribution information from ENA data.

The environmental factors that control the timing of the spring bloom in the Labrador Sea were investigated using ocean color data from satellites, historical oceanographic data and a pri- mary production model. From the satellite data, the onset of the spring bloom was found to progress with the season from south to north, with the exception of the northern Labrador Sea. The onset for the northern Labrador Sea occurred at approximately the same time as in the southern Labrador Sea. Two possible factors for the regional differences were examined from the data: irradiance and mixed- layer depth (MLD). The early bloom in the northern Labrador Sea is related to the very shallow mixed layer associated with low-salinity water. The temporal variations of the mean chlorophyll concentra- tion in 4 regions of the Labrador Sea (the Grand Banks, southern, central and northern Labrador Sea) during the growth phase of the spring bloom were modeled using a primary production model with MLD derived from historical temperature-salinity data. The temporal variations, in particular the early bloom in the northern Labrador Sea, were well reproduced by the model. A model sensitivity study showed that the onset of the spring bloom is highly sensitive to MLD. This confirms the finding from the data that MLD is a critical environmental factor for the spring bloom. The availability of the photosynthetically-active radiation plays an important role, but is not a determining factor of the early bloom in the northern Labrador Sea. The sensitivity study also showed that pre-bloom oceano- graphic conditions and attenuation of light in water have a greater effect on the timing in a shallow mixed layer than in a deeper mixed layer.

The sensitivity of the annual cycle of ice cover in Baffin Bay to short‐wave radiation is investigated. The Princeton Ocean Model (POM) is used and is coupled with a multi‐category, dynamic‐thermodynamic sea‐ice model in which the surface energy balance governs the growth rates of ice of varying thickness. During spring and summer the short‐wave radiation flux dominates other surface heat fluxes and thus has the greatest effect on the ice melt. The sensitivity of model results to short‐wave radiation is tested using several, commonly used, shortwave parameterizations under climatological, as well as short‐term, atmospheric forcing. The focus of this paper is short‐term and annual variability. It is shown that simulated ice cover is sensitive to the short‐wave radiation formulation during the melting phase. For the Baffin Bay simulation, the differences in the resulting ice area and volume, integrated from May to November, can be as large as 45% and 70%, respectively. The parameterization of the e...

We analyse the vertical structure of the magnetotail current sheet during 2011~2030 UT on 19 August 2001, during which the Cluster spacecrafts crossed the current sheet in a quiet time. In the intervals, the current sheet moved slowly, and the value of the AE index was relatively small, about 40~130 nT. In the quiet time, without fast plasma flow and without significant flapping motion, we also directly observed the bifurcated current sheet. Ion density, velocity and temperature, measured by Cluster spacecrafts in the current sheet during 2011~2030 UT 19 August 2001 are discussed. It is shown that ion density was comparatively bigger near the neutral line, presented non-symmetry distribution, but the distribution of temperature was uniform. And it is observed that in the y direction, the proton bulk velocity is opposite on both sides of the neutral line. Finally we discuss a possible mechanism for the bifurcated current sheet in a quiet time, which is nonlinear evolution of the lower-hybrid drift instability in the current sheet. These may be important for perfecting the formation mechanism of current sheet bifurcation.