Local disappearance of bivalves in the Azores during the last glaciation

The Pleistocene (Eemian) outcrops of Lagoinhas and Prainha, located at Santa Maria Island (Azores), were investigated and their fossil mollusc content reported. These studies revealed that the last glaciation affected two groups of molluscs: the ‘warm‐guest’ gastropods with West African or Caribbean affinities (e.g. Conus spp., Cantharus variegatus, Bulla amygdala, Trachypollia nodulosa) and shallow bivalve species mainly associated with sandy habitats (Ensis minor, Lucinella divaricata, and probably Laevicardium crassum). In this paper we focus on this group of bivalves, which has since locally disappeared from the Azores. We relate the local disappearance of these bivalves in the Azores with the lack of sand in the shelf. The specific characteristics of the Santa Maria shelf combined with the sea‐level drop during the Weichselian prevented deposition of the lowstand deposits and permitted erosion of the previous ones, leaving the shelf without a sediment cover. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

广东汕头湾表层沉积物重金属含量分布及风险评价

汕头湾地处汕头东部,是珠三角经济区和海峡西岸经济区重要的海上交通枢纽。因受周边城镇、养殖区排污等影响,汕头湾的海洋环境已受污染,生态健康问题不容忽视。沉积物中重金属是反映区域环境质量的重要因子,本研究通过测定汕头湾海域29个表层沉积物样品中重金属Zn、Cu、Cr、Cd、Pb、Hg、As含量,分析了各元素的平面分布特征,并运用主成分分析法(PCA)、地累积指数法和潜在生态风险指数法对该区域沉积物中重金属的来源及潜在生态风险进行了探讨。结果表明:汕头湾海域表层沉积物的金属含量变化范围为CZn(15. 3～280. 4 mg/kg)、CCu(2. 0～84. 6mg/kg)、CCr(3. 0～130. 8 mg/kg)、CCd(0. 05～1. 07 mg/kg)、CPb(12. 97～39. 31 mg/kg)、CHg(0. 008～0. 171 mg/kg)、CAs(1. 60～16. 50 mg/kg),榕江入海口处为重金属元素的高值区,在拦沙堤的两侧,元素Zn、Cu、Cr、Cd的含量差别较大。相关性分析和主成分分析结果显示,重金属具有相同污染来源,工业废水和城市排污等人类活动输入是主要途径,其分布特征受有机碳、硫化物及细粒级组分等环境因子的影响。地累积指数法和潜在生态风险指数法的结果表明,在榕江入海口附近区域,重金属表现出强的生态风险,而拦沙堤东侧海域为轻微生态风险,Hg、Cu、Cd是主要污染元素。     

非量测数码相机单像空间后方交会的辅助分步像主距与像主点的简单测定

近年来,非量测的中、高端普通数码相机越来越多的应用到航空、近景等摄影测量领域[3]。影响摄影测量成果精度的重要因素之一是相机的技术参数,因此相机技术参数的检校是保证成果质量能否满足精度要求的关键问题之一。本文着重讲述了在以单像空间后方交会为基础的相机检校中,受制于实践环境,当控制场各控制点的几何分布通常被布置离一个平面不大的范围内,则会使未知数的解极不稳定,甚至有不定解得可能。为防止出现错解以及不定解,先通过试验场检校给出像主距f和像主点(x0,y0)初始值,从而避免上述情况发生,文中给出了方法、原理及实践数据、结果。     

A comparative study of the stellar content in normal and active nuclei of spiral galaxies

We present spectrophotometry andUBV photometry of the central region of spiral galaxies. The sample consists of the Seyfert galaxies NGC 1566, 3783 and IC 4329A; NGC 1097, 2997, and 5236 containing peculiar nucleus and NGC 5530, 5643, and 6699 with normal nucleus.The stellar composition of the nuclei was derived by treating the equivalent widths of a sample of absorption lines with the method of constrained nonlinear optimization. The observed continua and theUBV colours were compared with the theoretical results in order to obtain the internal reddening and the contribution of the hot gas or non-thermal radiation. The age of the last cycle of star formation, the internal absorption and the theoretical relations M/L and H/K Caii present differences among the three types of nuclei.     

Granulation deformation near and in sunspot regions

High-resolution white-light pictures are analyzed to study the differences between the granular size near sunspot penumbrae and in light-bridges presenting granular structure and that of the quiet photosphere. No difference is found between the mean granular diameter in light-bridges and the quiet photosphere. The dispersion found in the results corresponding to different zones around the sunspots indicates that the size of the granulation may vary from place to place near the sunspots, its mean value not differing significantly from that of the quiet photosphere. A possible systematic bias in the selection of the granules by Macris (1979) is found.     

CPLat: first operational experimental processing center for SIRGAS in Argentina

The SIRGAS permanent GPS network which is in fact the IGS network densification for the American continent, consists today of more than 200 stations covering the continent and islands. It is currently processed by the IGS RNAAC SIR centre at Deutsches Geodätisches Forschungsinstitut producing weekly free solutions relying on IGS final orbits and EOP that contribute to the ITRF through IGS. By August 2006, the SIRGAS Working Group I had accepted five proposals for experimental processing centers within the region that would collaborate with IGS RNAAC SIR. One of them, Centro de Procesamiento La Plata (CPLat) in Argentina, began processing 60 stations on October 2006. By January 2007 CPLat reached operational capability, delivering weekly free solution SINEX files, with an internal consistency of 1.5 mm average for the horizontal components, and 3 mm in the vertical. Comparisons with IGS global and IGS RNAAC SIR weekly solutions were taken as external consistency indications, showing average RMS residuals of 1.8, 2.4 and 5 mm for the north, east, and vertical component, respectively. Analysis and comparison of adjusted solution time series from CPLat and other processing centers has proved to be highly valuable for solution QC, namely detection and identification of station anomalous behavior or modelling problems. These procedures will ensure the maintenance of the performance specifications for CPLat solutions. Action is being taken in order to guarantee the continuity of this effort beyond the experimental phase.     

Modelling the non‐linear hydrological behaviour of a small Mediterranean forested catchment

A progressive perceptual understanding approach was used to identify a model structure able to represent the non‐linear behaviour of the hydrological cycle in a small intermittent Mediterranean stream. The initial lumped model structure consisting of a series of four connected water tanks (LU3) progressed to a model with five tanks (LU4), and finally to a semidistributed model structure (SD4) in which spatial variability of the evapotranspiration according to the vegetation cover and to the local aspect was considered. In the final model structure, which gave the best fit (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency index = 0·78), an additional tank representing the riparian zone was included (SD4‐R). Results showed that the abrupt changes of the riparian water table during summer and the formation of a perched water table during the transition from dry to wet conditions were the main mechanisms leading to the non‐linear hydrological behaviour. The transpiration process from the saturated zone and the spatial variability of evapotranspiration resulted in key factors successfully representing the annual water balance. The spatial and temporal validations carried out for each of the four model structures considered in this study supported the hypothesis adopted during the calibration process. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modelling of the potential effects of a dam on a coastal aquifer in S. Spain

This study presents the results of a three‐dimensional variable‐density numerical modelling of the Motril‐Salobreña coastal aquifer and the possible effects of the entry into service in May 2005 of the Rules Dam, located just 17 km from the coast. Present parameters of the Motril‐Salobreña aquifer show that the system's conditions are very similar to a natural regime. The dam will substantially alter aquifer recharge, as the entry flow through the alluvial sediments of the Guadalfeo River will be entirely cut off or drastically reduced. Different scenarios reproducing the possible evolution of the aquifer under operation of the Rules Dam have been modelled. In most cases, results indicate that the conditions of the aquifer would worsen, with a general advance of the freshwater–saltwater interface. The area with most risk of saltwater intrusion is the old mouth of the Guadalfeo River, where the mixing zone could advance 1200 m inland. It is proposed that maintaining a 5–6 Mm³ year^?1 ‘ecological flow’ in the Guadalfeo River could prevent this saline advance. This application demonstrates that variable‐density models are potentially useful tools for estimating the effects of dams on the hydrodynamic and hydrochemical conditions of a coastal aquifer. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A special-relativistic approach to gravitation and its astrophysical consequences

In the framework of Rastall's conservative program for the construction of gravitation theory we present a variant of modified classical gravitation theory based on Einstein's energy-mass equivalence principle. We pursue further the special-relativistic arguments and obtain a theory for the static spherically-symmetric gravitation field that is based only on the well-established physical principles and accounts for all experimental tests known in gravitation. Some astrophysical consequences of the modified classical gravitation theory (e.g., the non-existence of black holes, the creation of real particles in a strong gravitation field) are also discussed.