Christopher Johnson

Lightning-induced intensification of the ionospheric sporadic E layer

A connection between thunderstorms and the ionosphere has been hypothesized since the mid-1920s. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this connection, and evidence from modelling as well as various types of measurements demonstrate that lightning can interact with the lower ionosphere. It has been proposed, on the basis of a few observed events, that the ionospheric ‘sporadic E’ layer—transient, localized patches of relatively high electron density in the mid-ionosphere E layer, which significantly affect radio-wave propagation—can be modulated by thunderstorms, but a more formal statistical analysis is still needed. Here we identify a statistically significant intensification and descent in altitude of the mid-latitude sporadic E layer directly above thunderstorms. Because no ionospheric response to low-pressure systems without lightning is detected, we conclude that this localized intensification of the sporadic E layer can be attributed to lightning. We suggest that the co-location of lightning and ionospheric enhancement can be explained by either vertically propagating gravity waves that transfer energy from the site of lightning into the ionosphere, or vertical electrical discharge, or by a combination of these two mechanisms.

Granular jets and hydraulic jumps on an inclined plane

A jet of granular material impinging on an inclined plane produces a diverse range of flows, from steady hydraulic jumps to periodic avalanches, self-channelised flows and pile collapse behaviour. We describe the various flow regimes and study in detail a steady-state flow, in which the jet generates a closed teardrop-shaped hydraulic jump on the plane, enclosing a region of fast-moving radial flow. On shallower slopes, a second steady regime exists in which the shock is not teardrop-shaped, but exhibits a more complex ‘blunted’ shape with a steadily breaking wave. We explain these regimes by consideration of the supercritical or subcritical nature of the flow surrounding the shock. A model is developed in which the impact of the jet on the inclined plane is treated as an inviscid flow, which is then coupled to a depth-integrated model for the resulting thin granular avalanche on the inclined plane. Numerical simulations produce a flow regime diagram strikingly similar to that obtained in experiments, with the model correctly reproducing the regimes and their dependence on the jet velocity and slope angle. The size and shape of the steady experimental shocks and the location of sub- and supercritical flow regions are also both accurately predicted. We find that the physics underlying the rapid flow inside the shock is dominated by depth-averaged mass and momentum transport, with granular friction, pressure gradients and three-dimensional aspects of the flow having comparatively little effect. Further downstream, the flow is governed by a friction–gravity balance, and some flow features, such as a persistent indentation in the free surface, are not reproduced in the numerical solutions. On planes inclined at a shallow angle, the effect of stationary granular material becomes important in the flow evolution, and oscillatory and more general time-dependent flows are observed. The hysteretic transition between static and dynamic friction leads to two phenomena observed in the flows: unsteady avalanching behaviour, and the feedback from static grains on the flowing region, leading to lev´ eed, self-channelised flows.

The location of lightning affecting the ionospheric sporadic‐E layer as evidence for multiple enhancement mechanisms

We present a study of the geographic location of lightning affecting the ionospheric sporadic-E (Es) layer over the ionospheric monitoring station at Chilton, UK. Data from the UK Met Offices Arrival Time Difference (ATD) lightning detection system were used to locate lightning strokes in the vicinity of the ionospheric monitoring station. A superposed epoch study of this data has previously revealed an enhancement in the Es layer caused by lightning within 200km of Chilton. In the current paper, we use the same data to investigate the location of the lightning strokes which have the largest effect on the Es layer above Chilton. We find that there are several locations where the effect of lightning on the ionosphere is most significant statistically, each producing different ionospheric responses. We interpret this as evidence that there is more than one mechanism combining to produce the previously observed enhancement in the ionosphere.

Interpretation of umbrella cloud growth and morphology: implications for flow regimes of short-lived and long-lived eruptions

New numerical and analytical modeling shows that the growth of a volcanic umbrella cloud, expressed as the increase of radius with time, proceeds through regimes, dominated by different force balances. Four regimes are identified: Regime Ia is the long-time behavior of continuously-supplied intrusions in the buoyancy-inertial regime; regime IIa is the long-time behavior of continuously-supplied, turbulent drag-dominated intrusions; regime Ib is the long-time behavior of buoyancy-inertial intrusions of constant volume; and regime IIb that of turbulent drag-dominated intrusions of constant volume. Power-law exponents for spreading time in each regime are 3/4 (Ia), 5/9 (IIa), 1/3 (Ib), and 2/9 (IIb). Both numerical modeling and observations indicate that transition periods between the regimes can be long-lasting, and during these transitions, the spreading rate does not follow a simple power law. Predictions of the new model are consistent with satellite data from seven eruptions and, together with observations of umbrella cloud structure and morphological evolution, support the existence of multiple spreading regimes.

Uniaxial single shot autocorrelator

An optical pulse autocorrelator for single or multiple pulses is described that has the novel feature of being essentially uniaxial and offers a number of distinct benefits over traditional designs. The uniaxial nature of the device, coupled with a small number of degrees of freedom means that there is an inherent simplicity of alignment. A fixed and equal group delay in each arm guarantees the necessary temporal overlap of the optical pulses. Calibration is fixed and easily determined and it is extremely compact and transportable. We have verified its performance over three time ranges and have demonstrated that it is capable of measuring pulse lengths ranging from 100 fs to tens of picoseconds.

On the Buckling of an Elastic Holey Column

We report the results of a numerical and theoretical study of buckling in elastic columns containing a line of holes. Buckling is a common failure mode of elastic columns under compression, found over scales ranging from metres in buildings and aircraft to tens of nanometers in DNA. This failure usually occurs through lateral buckling, described for slender columns by Euler’s theory. When the column is perforated with a regular line of holes, a new buckling mode arises, in which adjacent holes collapse in orthogonal directions. In this paper, we firstly elucidate how this alternate hole buckling mode coexists and interacts with classical Euler buckling modes, using finite-element numerical calculations with bifurcation tracking. We show how the preferred buckling mode is selected by the geometry, and discuss the roles of localized (hole-scale) and global (column-scale) buckling. Secondly, we develop a novel predictive model for the buckling of columns perforated with large holes. This model is derived without arbitrary fitting parameters, and quantitatively predicts the critical strain for buckling. We extend the model to sheets perforated with a regular array of circular holes and use it to provide quantitative predictions of their buckling.

New software protocols for enabling laboratory based temporal CT

Temporal micro-computed tomography (CT) allows the non-destructive quantification of processes that are evolving over time in 3D. Despite the increasing popularity of temporal CT, the practical implementation and optimisation can be difficult. Here, we present new software protocols that enable temporal CT using commercial laboratory CT systems. The first protocol drastically reduces the need for periodic intervention when making time-lapse experiments, allowing a large number of tomograms to be collected automatically. The automated scanning at regular intervals needed for uninterrupted time-lapse CT is demonstrated by analysing the germination of a mung bean (vigna radiata), whilst the synchronisation with an in situ rig required for interrupted time-lapse CT is highlighted using a shear cell to observe granular segregation. The second protocol uses golden-ratio angular sampling with an iterative reconstruction scheme and allows the number of projections in a reconstruction to be changed as sample evolution occurs. This overcomes the limitation of the need to know a priori what the best time window for each scan is. The protocol is evaluated by studying barite precipitation within a porous column, allowing a comparison of spatial and temporal resolution of reconstructions with different numbers of projections. Both of the protocols presented here have great potential for wider application, including, but not limited to, in situ mechanical testing, following battery degradation and chemical reactions.