Abstract: Abstract   Radio emissions of electron beams in the solar corona and interplanetary space are tracers of the underlying magnetic configuration and of its evolution. We analyse radio observations from the Culgoora and WIND/WAVES spectrographs, in combination with SOHO/LASCO and SOHO/MDI data, to understand the origin of a type N burst originating from NOAA AR 10540 on January 20, 2004, and its relationship with type II and type III emissions. All bursts are related to the flares and the CME analysed in a previous paper (Goff et al., 2007). A very unusual feature of this event was a decametric type N burst, where a type III-like burst, drifting towards low frequencies (negative drift), changes drift first to positive, then again to negative. At metre wavelengths, i.e., heliocentric distances ?1.5R ?, these bursts are ascribed to electron beams bouncing in a closed loop. Neither U nor N bursts are expected at decametric wavelengths because closed quasi-static loops are not thought to extend to distances ?1.5R ?. We take the opportunity of the good multi-instrument coverage of this event to analyse the origin of type N bursts in the high corona. Reconnection of the expanding ejecta with the magnetic structure of a previous CME, launched about 8 hours earlier, injects electrons in the same manner as with type III bursts but into open field lines having a local dip and apex. The latter shape was created by magnetic reconnection between the expanding CME and neighbouring (open) streamer field lines. This particular flux tube shape in the high corona, between 5R ? and 10R ?, explains the observed type N burst. Since the required magnetic configuration is only a transient phenomenon formed by reconnection, severe timing and topological constraints are present to form the observed decametric N burst. They are therefore expected to be rare features.

Abstract: The primordial B-mode polarisation of the Cosmic Microwave Background is the imprints of the gravitational wave background generated by inflation. Observing the B-mode is up to now the most direct way to constrain the physics of the primordial Universe, especially inflation. To detect these B-modes, high sensitivity is required as well as an exquisite control of systematics effects. To comply with these requirements, we propose a new instrument called QUBIC (Q and U Bolometric Interferometer for Cosmology) based on bolometric interferometry. The control of systematics is obtained with a close-packed interferometer while bolometers cooled to very low temperature allow for high sensitivity. We present the architecture of this new instrument, the status of the project and the self-calibration technique which allows accurate measurement of the instrumental systematic effects.

Abstract: An extensive meteorological observational dataset at Dome C, East Antarctic Plateau, enabled estimation of the sensitivity of surface momentum and sensible heat fluxes to aerodynamic roughness length and atmospheric stability in this region. Our study reveals that (1) because of the preferential orientation of snow micro-reliefs (sastrugi), the aerodynamic roughness length z0z0z{0} varies by more than two orders of magnitude depending on the wind direction; consequently, estimating the turbulent fluxes with a realistic but constant z0z0z{0} of 1 mm leads to a mean friction velocity bias of 24%24%24\,\% in near-neutral conditions; (2) the dependence of the ratio of the roughness length for heat z0tz0tz{0t} to z0z0z{0} on the roughness Reynolds number is shown to be in reasonable agreement with previous models; (3) the wide range of atmospheric stability at Dome C makes the flux very sensitive to the choice of the stability functions; stability function models presumed to be suitable for stable conditions were evaluated and shown to generally underestimate the dimensionless vertical temperature gradient; as these models differ increasingly with increases in the stability parameter z / L, heat flux and friction velocity relative differences reached 100%100%100\,\% when z/L>1z/L>1z/L > 1; (4) the shallowness of the stable boundary layer is responsible for significant sensitivity to the height of the observed temperature and wind data used to estimate the fluxes. Consistent flux results were obtained with atmospheric measurements at heights up to 2 m. Our sensitivity study revealed the need to include a dynamical parametrization of roughness length over Antarctica in climate models and to develop new parametrizations of the surface fluxes in very stable conditions, accounting, for instance, for the divergence in both radiative and turbulent fluxes in the first few metres of the boundary layer.

Abstract: The reduced species richness typical of oceanic islands provides an interesting environmental setup to examine in natura the epidemiological dynamics of infectious agents with potential implications for public health and/or conservation. On Amsterdam Island (Indian Ocean), recurrent die-offs of Indian yellow-nosed albatross (Thalassarche carteri) nestlings have been attributed to avian cholera, caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida. In order to help implementing efficient measures for the control of this disease, it is critical to better understand the local epidemiology of P. multocida and to examine its inter- and intra-annual infection dynamics. We evaluated the infection status of 264 yellow-nosed albatrosses over four successive breeding seasons using a real-time PCR targeting P. multocida DNA from cloacal swabs. Infection prevalence patterns revealed an intense circulation of P. multocida throughout the survey, with a steady but variable increase in infection prevalence within each breeding season. These epizootics were associated with massive nestling dies-offs, inducing very low fledging successes (≤ 20%). These results suggest important variations in the transmission dynamics of this pathogen. These findings and the developed PCR protocol have direct applications to guide future research and refine conservation plans aiming at controlling the disease.