The thermal structure of the upper atmosphere of Mars has been theoretically investigated. The exospheric temperature, for a pure CO(2) model atmosphere, lies between 400 degrees and 700 degrees K. The origin of the Martian atmosphere is discussed in the light of these results.

Looking at the solar photosphere, we see the top of the convection zone in the form of granulation: Hot gas rising from the solar interior as part of the energy transport process reaches a position where the opacity is no longer sufficient to prevent the escape of radiation. The gas expands, radiates, and cools and in so doing loses its buoyancy and descends. These motions, ultimately driven by...

For the nearby dwarf star αCen B (K1V), we present limb darkening predictions from a 3D hydrodynamical radiative transfer model of its atmosphere. We first compare the results of this model to a standard Kurucz’s atmosphere. Then we use both predictions to fit the new interferometric visibility measurements of αCen B obtained with the VINCI instrument of the VLT Interferometer. Part of these ne...

It was a huge honour to be asked to give the Marshall Rosenbluth Memorial Lecture. Having never worked on plasma physics, though, I also feel some diffidence! The closest I’ve ever come has been involvement in some peculiar MHD problems that promise an improved understanding of the solar tachocline — more about confining a magnetic field within a plasma than a plasma within a magnetic field. Be...

Stomatal conductance (gs) affects the fluxes of carbon, energy and water between the vegetated land surface and the atmosphere. We test an implementation of an optimal stomatal conductance model within the Community Atmosphere Biosphere Land Exchange (CABLE) land surface model (LSM). In common with many LSMs, CABLE does not differentiate between gs model parameters in relation to plant function...

We use observations from the April 2008 NASA ARCTAS aircraft campaign to the North American Arctic, interpreted with a global 3-D chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem), to better understand the sources and cycling of hydrogen oxide radicals (HOx≡H+OH+peroxy radicals) and their reservoirs (HOy≡HOx+peroxides) in the springtime Arctic atmosphere. We find that a standard gas-phase chemical mechanism...

BACKGROUND Alternatives to traditional in-patient services may be associated with a better experience of admission. AIMS To compare patient satisfaction, ward atmosphere and perceived coercion in the two types of service, using validated measures. METHOD The experience of 314 patients in four residential alternatives and four standard services were compared using the Client Satisfaction Que...

The solar atmosphere is a hot (~1MK), magnetised plasma of great interest to physicists. There have been many previous studies of the temperature of the Sun’s atmosphere ([Plowman2012], [Wit2012], [Hannah2012], [Aschwanden2013], etc.). Almost all of these studies use the SolarSoft software package written in the commercial Interactive Data Language (IDL), which has been the standard language fo...

The Department of Defense (DoD) is spending millions of dollars on many Directed Energy (DE) programs. One of the programs, known as the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL), requires the use of a high-energy laser in order to destroy ground targets from a standard C-130H aircraft. The ATL, which is still not fully operational and battle field ready, presents a great amount of potential for maintainin...