In this thesis we examine the generation mechanisms of Pc 5 ULF waves during geomagnetic storms. Also, we study the interaction between Pc 5 ULF waves and energetic particles in the radiation belts and the observed energetic particle flux modulation by Pc 5 ULF waves is verified using particle simulations. Firstly, we present case studies of Pc 5 pulsations using ground-based magnetometer and satellite data during geomagnetic storm times, specifically we selecting three storm time events which show a brief increase in Dst in the main phase of the storms. By studying these events, we attempt to identify the generation mechanisms responsible for the geomagnetic pulsations. The observed pulsations exhibit the characteristic features of a Field Line Resonance. Our results also show evidence for the penetration of ULF wave power in the Pc 5 band to much lower L-shells than normal, suggesting significant reduction of the local Alfven eigenfrequency continuum as compared to non-storm times. This may have considerable significance for the interaction between ULF waves and MeV electrons in the outer radiation belt during storms. Secondly, based on the hypothesis that Pc 5 ULF waves may play an important role in energetic particle dynamics in the radiation belt and ring current, we investigated the relationship between Pc 5 pulsations and energetic particle flux oscillations. We observed very strong Pc 5 oscillations during the great magnetic storm of March 24, 1991 [Lee et al., 2007] and electron flux simultaneously oscillating with the same frequencies in the time domain. We also characterize two more events and present an examination of the relationship between the electron flux modulation and Pc 5 ULF pulsations. Based on our observations, the modulation of energetic particles might be associated with a drift-resonance interaction, or the advection of an energetic particle density gradient. Finally, we numerically calculate the trajectories and energy change of charged particles under the influence of model ULF wave electric fields. This modeling work is used to help to explain the observations and provides evidence which supports the modulation mechanisms such as advection of a flux gradient and drift resonance.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--Missouri State University, 2008. / "May 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-163). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Johns Hopkins University, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-150).

The contribution of this thesis is twofold: 1) the development of a hydrodynamic landscape evolution model for use on high-performance computing systems and 2) assessing the sensitivity of hydrogeomorphic processes to high-resolution rainfall input data and erosional parameterisation using the model. The thesis addresses a limitation in numerical landscape evolution models regarding how spatial variation in rainfall is represented or parameterised within such models. Typically, landscape evolution models forsake a realistic representation of rainfall patterns in favour of a simpler treatment of rainfall as being spatially homogeneous across the model domain. This simplification of rainfall spatial variability is still made despite the fact that many geomorphological processes are sensitive to thresholds of sediment entrainment and transport, driven by the distribution and movement of water within the landscape. The thesis starts by exploring current limitations in rainfall representation in landscape evolution models, and assesses various precipitation data sources that could be potentially used as more realistic rainfall inputs to landscape evolution models. A numerical model of landscape evolution is developed for deployment on high-performance parallel computing systems, based on the established CAESAR-Lisflood model (Coulthard et al., 2013). The new model code is benchmarked, showing performance benefits compared with the original CAESAR-Lisflood model it is based on. The model is applied to assessing the sensitivity of flood-inundation predictions, sediment flux, and erosion distribution within river catchments to spatial variation in rainfall during extreme storm events. Two real storm events that caused localised flash flooding in the UK are used as test cases: the Boscastle storm of 2004 and the North York Moors storm of 2005. Flood extent predictions and river discharges are found to be sensitive to the use of spatially variable input rainfall data, with high-resolution rainfall data leading to larger peak flood discharges. However, the differences are less pronounced in smaller catchments. The role of sediment erosion during large floods is also assessed, but it is found to play a minor role relative to spatially variable rainfall data. In contrast, the geomorphological response of catchments to single storm events is shown to be less sensitive to the spatial heterogeneity of rainfall input and controlled more strongly by the choice of erosional process parameterisation within the model. Nonetheless, spatial variability in rainfall data is shown to increase sediment yields during flash flood simulations.

Bien qu'appartenant à la zone « tempérée », la France et les îles Britanniques connaissent pourtant de nombreux excès climatiques. Parmi ceux-ci, les tempêtes hivernales font partie des aléas les plus destructeurs, en même temps qu'elles assurent un transfert d'énergie thermique de la zone tropicale vers les plus hautes latitudes. Pour mieux comprendre la climatologie de ce météore, une chronologie des tempêtes a été établie à partir des cartes des bulletins météorologiques quotidiens disponibles depuis la fin de l'année 1864. Plus de 2400 cas ont été identifiés, ce qui a permis d'évaluer la variabilité interannuelle et intra-annuelle de l'aléa. Les données de pression recueillies sur les cartes et leur analyse mettent en évidence le creusement des tempêtes au cours de la période. Les directions de vent figurées sur les cartes ont par ailleurs permis de réaliser des roses des vents pour une série de stations irlandaises, britanniques et françaises. La cartographie des minima de pression permet de faire apparaître des trajectoires privilégiées. L'étude climatologique s'achève par la recherche d'une cyclicité des tempêtes et par l'étude de leur lien avec l'ONA. Ce travail s'intéresse ensuite aux tempêtes qui ont fait événement pour les météorologues et/ou pour l'ensemble de la société du pays concerné. Ainsi sont mises en lumière les étapes de la compréhension de la météorologie des tempêtes. D'autre part, les tempêtes-événements retenues illustrent des évolutions économiques et sociales ainsi que les changements de gestion du risque tempête. Elles montrent aussi comment la culture du risque tempête s'est forgée et comment la mémoire du risque a parfois été réactivée. / Through France and the British Isles belong to the « temperate » zone, they both experience a lot of weather hazards. Among those hazards, winter storms are some of the most destructive ones, but in the same time they contribute to the thermal energy transfer from the tropical zone to the mid-latitudes. As a result, they play a major role in the world's thermal balance. In order to better understand the climatology of these meteors, a storm chronology has been established from the daily weather maps that are available since the end of 1864. More than 2400 cases have been identified which has allowed to measure the year-to-year and seasonal variability. Pressure data collected from the maps and their analysis show a deepening trend of their core pressures over the period. Wind directions displayed on the maps for different weather stations have been used to generate wind roses for a selection of Irish, British and French weather stations. The climatological study ends up in the calculation of the periodicity of storms as well as their link with the NAO. This study focuses then on a few storms that have been considered has events, either for the meteorologists or for the entire population of the country hit by the storm. Thus is highlighted the different stages of the meteorological understanding of wind storms in Europe. Moreover, the selected storms as social events underline economic and social evolutions as well as changes in the risk management of storms. These storms also show how a risk culture has emerged and how the risk memory has been re-activated.

Global climate change is predicted to affect timing and severity of disturbance events (e.g., fire, drought, hurricanes, wind storms, and inundation), but the extent of these disturbance events and their impacts on natural ecosystems may vary regionally. Rising sea level, increased frequency and intensity of tropical storms, and altered inundation regimes are likely to create changing environmental conditions in low-lying coastal ecosystems. These large scale disturbances may increase resource availability and regeneration spaces, reduce competition, and possibly increase community vulnerability to invasion. Shifting disturbance regimes and invasion together are predicted to drive long-term shifts in coastal plant community structure and ecosystem processes. However, impacts of altered environmental conditions on native and invasive plant species and the species responses to changed environmental conditions are poorly understood. The aims of this study were: (i) to assess the probability of occurrence of juveniles of the invasive exotic Triadica sebifera and co-occurring native species, Baccharis halimifolia, Ilex vomitoria, and Morella cerifera in the field in relation to surrounding environmental factors, (ii) to assess the effects of elevated salinity across a typical coastal transition on germination of T. sebifera, B. halimifolia and M. cerifera, using controlled growth chamber and greenhouse experiments, (iii) to assess the effects of climate change and shifting inundation and tropical storms regimes on T. sebifera, B. halimifolia and M. cerifera, and (iv) to evaluate the role of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) on spread of invasive T. sebifera in coastal transition ecosystems at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR), Coastal Mississippi, southeastern USA. Results from assessing the probability of occurrence of juveniles of invasive and co-occurring native species showed that soil water conductivity (i.e., salinity) was the major factor related to the occurrence of invasive T. sebifera and native B. halimifolia, I. vomitoria and M. cerifera along the coastal transitions. Probability of occurrence of the invasive T. sebifera was significantly related to landscape factors and occurrence was highest in close proximity to roads, trails, power lines, and recreational sites, and water bodies. These results imply that future increases in salinity will negatively impact I. vomitoria, M. cerifera, and T. sebifera, leading to range contraction of these species away from the coast. However, natural and anthropogenic disturbances that often increase resource pulses and reduce competition, likely increase the dominance of T. sebifera in already invaded areas. Positive effects of landscape structures on T. sebifera occupancy highlight the role of landscape variables in promoting new invasions in coastal forests of the southeastern USA. Controlled growth chamber and greenhouse germination experiments demonstrated that germination of all species (i.e., T. sebifera, B. halimifolia, and M. cerifera) decreased with elevated salinity and that the reduction was most pronounced in soils from the most seaward zones along the coastal transition. Although native B. halimifolia was least sensitive to elevated salinity, invasive T. sebifera displayed plasticity of germination trait across different salinity levels in most inland soils. These results suggest that the phenotypic plasticity may facilitate spread of Triadica sebifera under some degree of salinity stress in more inland section of the coastal transition. A manipulative greenhouse experiment demonstrated that simulated canopy damage from intense hurricane winds and associated storm surge produced differential effects on survival and growth of native (B. halimifolia and M. cerifera) and invasive (T. sebifera) species at simulated different forest conditions common in the GBNERR. Invasive T. sebifera was by far the most shade tolerant of the three species and seedling survival under highly shaded conditions may provide it with a competitive edge over native species during community reassembly following tropical storms. T. sebifera may better utilize post-hurricane conditions (e.g., resource-rich empty spaces) and potentially increase its dominance in coastal forested ecosystems. The last experimental study revealed that invasive T. sebifera had higher VAM colonization compared to co-occurring native species both in controlled greenhouse and field experiments, and that the higher colonization leads to significant increases in aboveground biomass, supporting the hypothesis that VAM fungi strongly benefit the invasive species. These results suggest that the VAM colonization may be necessary for the initial establishment of T. sebifera along the coastal transitions. Furthermore, my research also suggested that T. sebifera was not allelopathic and did not interfere with growth of native species. Overall, the findings of this research provide insight into the impacts of climate change related shifts on performance of invasive and co-occurring native species across coastal transitions of the southeastern USA. Variation in invasive and co-occurring native species' performances under changed environmental conditions (e.g., elevated salinity and increased light availability) and improved mutualistic association between invasive T. sebifera and VAM fungi may drive increased invasion with frequent community reassembly of low-lying coastal ecosystems undergoing rapid climate change.

A região amazônica desempenha papel fundamental na regulação do clima, tanto em escala regional quanto em escala global. A precipitação na região é bastante heterogênea, sobretudo devido à vasta extensão territorial da Amazônia. Dentre os sistemas responsáveis pela precipitação, alguns se destacam como eventos extremos de tempestades, como pode ser verificado em diversos estudos anteriores. Contudo, diferentemente das latitudes médias, na região tropical não há um conjunto de definições amplamente conhecido e difundido para identificação de tempo severo. O presente estudo busca identificar um critério para identificação de tempo severo na região amazônica a partir da base de dados Precipitation Features (PF) 1998 a 2012 - gerados e armazenados pela Universidade de Utah, com base nos dados do satélite TRMM. Além disso, identificar características sinóticas associadas ao ambiente de ocorrência destes eventos, através de composições com dados da reanálise CFSR-NCEP, bem como parâmetros importantes na identificação de tempestades. Utilizando o subconjunto PCTF do Nível 2 da base de dados PF, o critério estabelecido para identificação de casos severos compreende sistemas com: 80 pixels ou mais PCT85 GHz <250 K; 1 pixel ou mais com PCT85 GHz < 100 K; volume de chuva convectiva maior do que 1000 mm/h km2 e pelo menos um registro de raio. Comparando os sistemas selecionados pelo critério com os Sistemas Convectivos de Mesoescala já catalogados é possível notar que a distribuição sazonal é semelhante, embora as estações com maior número de casos sejam as estações de transição (primavera e outono, 429 e 223 casos respectivamente). Analisando as altas taxas de raios destes sistemas, fica evidente que o critério realmente seleciona casos severos. Com a região amazônica dividida em seis sub-regiões e os casos acumulados por trimestre (JFM, AMJ, JAS, OND) sub-região Southern Amazonia (SA) contabiliza o maior número de casos, com um total de 271 para o período do estudo, sendo OND o trimestre com maior ocorrência (135), o menor AMJ (29). O mês de outubro chama atenção para esta sub-região como o mês com maior número de casos, totalizando 59, dos quais 83% ocorrem a partir das 12 horas local. Estes casos foram investigados nas composições de reanálise, assim como os casos a partir de 12 horas local de outubro da sub-região Central Amazonia (CA). De forma geral: 1) SA tem maior área com cisalhamento médio mais intenso (8 m/s) do que CA, principalmente para 00Z, 06Z e 12Z; 2) valores médios de divergência positiva do vento em 200 hPa mostram-se mais significativos para CA do que para SA; 3) convergência do vento em 950 hPa é mais evidente para SA do que para CA e 4) CA é predominantemente mais úmida em baixos níveis do que SA. Histogramas com valores pontuais para cada um destes casos, em ambas as sub-regiões, são apresentados no intuito de auxiliar a identificação destes casos por previsores. O critério de identificação de tempo severo na Amazônia mostra-se eficiente, sendo o cisalhamento do vento entre 500-850 hPa e a convergência do vento em 950 hPa os como parâmetros mais importantes na região SA, onde há maior ocorrência de tempestades severas. / The Amazon region plays a key role in climate regulation, both at the regional scale and on a global scale. Rainfall in the region is very heterogeneous, mainly because of the vast size of the Amazon. Among the systems responsible for rainfall, some stand out as extreme storm events, as can be seen in many previous studies. However, unlike the mid-latitudes, in the tropical region there is no widely acknowledged set of conditions for severe weather identification. This study seeks to identify a criterion for identifying severe weather in the Amazon region from the database Precipitation Features (PF) - 1998-2012 - generated and stored by the University of Utah, based on the TRMM satellite data. This study will also attempt to identify synoptic features associated with the occurrence of these events through compositions using the reanalysis NCEP CFSR data. Using the PCTF subset of Level 2 of PF database, the criteria established for identifying severe cases include: 1) systems with 80 or more pixels PCT85 GHz <250 K; 2) systems with one or more pixel with PCT85 GHz <100 K; 3) systems with convective rain volume greater than 1000 km2 mm/h and 4) at least one record of lightning. Comparing the systems selected by this criterion with the Mesoscale Convective Systems already cataloged it can be seen that the seasonal distribution is similar, although the stations with the highest number of cases are the transition seasons (spring and fall, 429 and 223 cases, respectively). Analyzing high rates of rays found in these systems, it is clear that the criterion truly selects severe cases. With the Amazon region divided into six sub-regions and cases accumulated by quarter (JFM, AMJ, JAS, OND) South of the Amazon sub region (SA) accounts for the largest number of cases, with a total of 271 for the period of study, OND quarter with higher occurrence (135), the lowest AMJ (29). The month of October draws attention to this sub-region as the month with the highest number of cases, totaling 59, of which 83% occur after 12 local time. These cases have been investigated in compositions, as well as cases observed after 12 local time in October for Amazon Central subregion (CA). In general: 1) SA has larger area with average stronger shear (8 m/s) than AC, especially for 00Z, 06Z and 12Z; 2) average wind positive divergence values at 200 hPa were more significant for CA than for SA; 3) Wind convergence at 950 hPa is more obvious for SA than at CA and 4) is predominantly CA moster at low levels than SA. Histograms with specific values for each of these cases, both sub regions are presented in order to help identify predictors for these cases. The severe weather identification criterion in the Amazon proves efficient, while the wind shear between 500-850 hPa and wind convergence in 950 hPa stand out as important parameters in the SA region, where there is greater occurrence of severe storms.

L'océan Austral aux moyennes latitudes est l'un des endroits les plus tempétueux sur Terre. On peut donc supposer que le passage de ces tempêtes intenses sur cette variabilité océanique intense peut avoir un impact fort sur la variabilité intra-saisonnière des couches de surface où vit le phytoplancton. Pour autant, cet impact sur le taux de croissance du phytoplancton et sa variabilité reste encore très méconnu. C'est à cette question que s'efforce de répondre ce travail de thèse visant à faire progresser la compréhension de la variabilité intra-saisonnière de la production primaire de l'océan Austral. Nos expériences de modélisation suggèrent que les apports en Fer dissous (DFe) dans les eaux de surface à l'échelle intra-saisonnière par les tempêtes jouent un rôle bien plus actif et déterminant qu'on ne le pensait pour expliquer la productivité estivale importante de l'océan Austral. Deux idées importantes ressortent: 1. Les interactions tempête-tourbillon peuvent fortement augmenter l'amplitude et l'extension du mélange vertical agissant sur des couches traditionnellement considérées comme superficielles, mais également en subsurface. Ces deux régimes de mélange possèdent des dynamiques différentes mais agissent de concert pour augmenter les flux de DFe à la surface des océans. 2. Les tempêtes génèrent des courants inertiels qui peuvent considérablement renforcer les vitesses verticales w par interaction avec les tourbillons. Cela favorise l'advection verticale de DFe à la surface de l'océan, et avoir un effet plusieurs jours après la tempête. Ces interactions entre les tempêtes et les tourbillons peuvent considérablement intensifier la variabilité production primaire. / The Southern Ocean is one of the stormiest places on earth; here strong mid-latitude storms frequently traverse large distances of this ocean. The presence of the passage of intense storms and meso to sub-mesoscale eddy variability has the potential to strongly impact the intra-seasonal variability of the upper ocean environment where phytoplankton live. Yet, exactly how phytoplankton growth rates and its variability are impacted by the dominance of such features is not clear. Herein, lies the problem addressed by the core of this thesis, which seeks to advance the understanding of intra-seasonal variability of Southern Ocean primary production. Model experiments have suggested that intra-seasonal storm-linked physical supplies of dissolved iron (DFe) during the summer played a considerably more active and influential role in explaining the sustained summer productivity in the surface waters of the Southern Ocean than what was thought previously. This was through two important insights: 1. Storm-eddy interactions may strongly enhance the magnitude and extent of upper-ocean vertical mixing in both the surface mixed layer as traditionally understood as well as in the subsurface ocean. These two mixing regimes have different dynamics but act in concert to amplify the DFe fluxes to the surface ocean. 2. Storm initiated inertial motions may, through interaction with eddies, greatly reinforce w and thus, enhance the vertical advection of DFe to the surface ocean, an effect that may last several days after the storm. Such storm-eddy dynamics may greatly increase the intra-seasonal variability of primary production.

Le but de cette étude était de développer une méthodologie pour évaluer la résilience des littoraux aux évènements de tempêtes, à des échelles de temps différentes pour une plage située à une latitude moyenne (Biscarrosse, France). Un site pilote des tropiques, la plage de Jamestown (Ghana), non soumis aux tempêtes, a également été analysé. 6 ans (2007-2012) de données sur la position du trait de côte,obtenues quotidiennement par imagerie vidéo, ainsi que les prévisions hydrodynamiques (ECMWF EraInterim) ont été analysées. Le climat de vagues est dominé par les tempêtes (Hs> 5% de seuil de dépassement) et leurs fluctuations saisonnières; 75% des tempêtes se produisent en hiver, et plus de 60tempêtes ont été identifiées au cours de la période d'étude. Une régression multiple, montre qu’alors que les intensités des tempêtes actuelle et précédente ont un rôle majeur sur l'impact de la tempête, la marée et les barres sableuses jouent un rôle majeur sur la récupération de plage. La position moyenne du trait de côte calculée sur la période de récupération post-tempête montre que la plage de Biscarrosse se reconstruit rapidement (9 jours) après un évènement isolé et que les séries de tempêtes (clusters) ont un effet cumulatif diminué. Les résultats indiquent que le récurrence individuelle des tempêtes est clé. Si l'intervalle entre deux tempêtes est faible par rapport à la période de récupération, la plage devient plus résistante aux tempêtes suivantes; par conséquent, la première tempête d’une série a un impact plus important que les suivantes. Le trait de côte répond, par ordre décroissant, aux évènements saisonniers,à la fréquence des tempête et aux d’échelle annuelle. La méthode EOF montre de bonnes capacité à séparer la dynamique « uniforme » et « non-uniforme » du littoral et décrit différentes variabilités temporelles: les échelles saisonnières et à court terme dominent, respectivement, la première EOF (2D)et le second mode (3D). Le littoral de Jamestown a été étudié comme base d’un projet pilote entre 2013-2014. Les fluctuations du niveau de l'eau jouent un rôle prédominant sur l’évolution de la position du trait de côte. Les vagues et les estimations des marées obtenues par l’exploitation d’images vidéo sont corrélées avec les données de prévisions. Cette étude pionnière montre que cette technique peut être généralisée à toute l’Afrique de l'Ouest en tenant compte des multiples diversités et de la variabilité du climat régional, à travers un réseau d'observations. / The aim of this study was to develop a methodology to statistically assess the shorelineresilience to storms at different time scales for a storm-dominated mid-latitude beach(Biscarrosse, France). On a pilot base, storm-free tropical Jamestown beach (Ghana) was alsoanalysed. 6-years (2007-2012) of continuous video-derived shoreline data and hindcastedhydrodynamics were analysed. Wave climate is dominated by storms (Hs>5% exceedancelimit) and their seasonal fluctuations; 75% of storms occur in winter with more than 60identified storms during the study period. A multiple regression on 36 storms shows thatwhereas current and previous storm intensity have predominant role on current storm impact,tide and sandbar play a major role on the post-storm recovery. An ensemble average on poststormrecovery period shows that Biscarrosse beach recovers rapidly (9 days) to individualstorms, and sequences of storms (clusters) have a weak cumulative effect. The results point outthat individual storm recurrence frequency is key. If the interval between two storms is lowcompared to the recovery period, the beach becomes more resilient to the next storms; and thefirst storm in clusters has larger impact than following ones. Shoreline responds in decreasingorder at seasonal, storm frequency and annual timescales at Biscarrosse. The EOF methodshows good skills in separating uniform and non-uniform shoreline dynamics, showing theirdifferent temporal variability: seasonal and short-term scales dominate first EOF (2D) andsecond (3D) modes, respectively.The shoreline at Jamestown was studied on pilot base from 2013-2014. Water level channgesplay a major role on shoreline changes. Waves estimates from video are in good agreement withhindcasts. This study shows the potential of the technique, to be replicated elsewhere in WestAfrica with all its diversity and regional climate variability through a coastal observationnetwork.

HURDAT is the main historical archive of all tropical storms and hurricanes in the North Atlantic Basin, which includes the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, from 1851 to the present. HURDAT is maintained and updated annually by the National Hurricane Center at Miami, Florida. Today, HURDAT is widely used by research scientists, operational hurricane forecasters, insurance companies, emergency managers and others. HURDAT contains both systematic biases and random errors. Thus, the reanalysis of HURDAT is vital. For this thesis, HURDAT is reanalyzed for the period of 1954-1963. The track and intensity of each existing tropical cyclone in HURDAT is assessed in the light of 21st century understanding and previously unrecognized tropical cyclones are detected and analyzed. The resulting changes will be recommended to the National Hurricane Center Best Track Change Committee for inclusion in HURDAT.