Paragenesis of fluids under evaporates in the Volga-Ural Basin

To unravel the mystery of the relationship between evaporates, Ca–Cl brines and accumulations of oil and N₂ in the basins of ancient cratons, their N₂, CH₄ and He concentration ratios, as well as the isotopic composition (δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C and ³He/⁴He) were compared within the Volga-Ural basin. The study allowed subsalt fluids from Volga-Ural Basin to divide into two genetic groups. The first one is found within the basin's platform area. It includes Ca–Cl brines, high-viscosity heavy oil, bitumen and N₂, which has concentrations higher than that of CH₄ and positive values of δ¹⁵N. The second one is tied to the edge of the platform, the Ural Foredeep and Peri-Caspian Depression. In this group, only the oil and gas reservoirs, which have more CH₄ than N₂, and possibly negative values of δ¹⁵N, were discovered. Interaction of gas components in compared fluids indicates great role of degassing in the formation of their composition. It is suggested that the fluids of the first group (N₂ > CH₄) is what remains, and the second group (N₂ < CH₄) is what is disappears from the rocks during their metamorphism and degassing.     

Megaplume bubble process visualization by 3D multibeam sonar mapping

MultiBeam echosounder data were collected during a surface-ship survey of the 22/4b well site in the North Sea in September 2011 using a Teledyne-Reson 7125. Modern multibeam echosounders are instrumental in providing detection and accurate localization of weak to strong bubble plumes. Two survey profiles effectively insonified the bubble plumes rising from the main crater at the well site, providing snapshot data of bubble plume processes. Additionally, three profiles insonified bubble plumes rising from, in, and to the south of a secondary crater, 1.2 km southeast of the main crater. Data processing included a simple algorithm that muted mislocated echoes from incomplete sidelobe suppression. The data processing produced a Cartesian volume of echo intensity from the water column and seabed.Plume geometry was analyzed to investigate a number of important large-scale plume processes, including plume bubble detrainment due to currents and stratification, downwelling flows, sea surface interaction, plume heterogeneity, and other fluid transport processes. The data showed strong upwelling flows, with bubble vertical motions generally much faster than currents. One important finding was that megaplumes create intrusions above the general thermocline, in part because their extensive upwelling flow lifts the thermocline locally. As a result, the intrusion layer deposits dissolved gases in the upper wave-mixed layer of the water column where it is not isolated from the atmosphere, unlike dissolved gases in the lower water column.The analysis shows that high fidelity multibeam echosounder data can provide a wealth of remote sensing information on bubble plume characteristics and processes, with important applications, including blowout monitoring and response, better understanding of megaplumes such as used in lake destratification, and improved characterization of natural seep emission processes.     

Continuous inline mapping of a dissolved methane plume at a blowout site in the Central North Sea UK using a membrane inlet mass spectrometer – Water column stratification impedes immediate methane release into the atmosphere

The dissolved methane (CH₄) plume rising from the crater of the blowout well 22/4b in the Central North Sea was mapped during stratified water column conditions. Geochemical surveys were conducted close to the seafloor at 80.3 m water depth, below the thermocline (61.1 m), and in the mixed surface layer (13.2 m) using membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS) in combination with a towed CTD. Seawater was continuously transferred from the respective depth levels of the CTD to the MIMS by using an inline submersible pump. Close to the seafloor a well-defined CH₄ plume extended from the bubble release site ∼460 m towards the southwest. Along this distance CH₄ concentrations decreased from a maximum of 7872 nmol l⁻¹ to less than 250 nmol l⁻¹. Below the thermocline the well-defined CH₄ plume shape encountered at the seafloor was distorted and filaments were observed that extended towards the west and southwest in relation to current direction. Where the core of the bubble plume intersected this depth layer, footprints of high CH₄ concentrations of up to 17,900 nmol l⁻¹ were observed. In the mixed surface layer the CH₄ distribution with a maximum of up to 3654 nmol l⁻¹ was confined to a small patch of ∼60 m in diameter. The determination of the water column CH₄ inventories revealed that CH₄ transfer across the thermocline was strongly impeded as only ∼3% of the total water column inventory was located in the mixed surface layer. Best estimate of the CH₄ seabed release from the blowout was 1751 tons yr⁻¹. The fate of the trapped CH₄ (∼97%) that does not immediately reach the atmosphere remains speculative. In wintertime, when the water column becomes well mixed as well as during storm events newly released CH₄ and the trapped CH₄ pool can be transported rapidly to the sea surface and emitted into the atmosphere.     

物理海洋传感器现状及未来发展趋势

文中对目前我国物理海洋要素观测传感器技术发展现状进行了分析。在国家科技计划支持下,我国的物理海洋观测传感器技术取得了快速发展,但与国际上先进的传感器技术水平相比,国内具有自主知识产权的传感器仍有较大差距。随着未来海洋观测需求的不断发展,小型、轻重量、低功耗、高精度、高灵敏、智能化新型传感器必将是今后5~10年研究与开发的重点。     

海洋生态环境监测传感器的应用与发展

受人类活动的影响,海洋污染日益严重。我国海岸带、河口和海湾生态系统均受到了不同程度的破坏。海洋生态环境监测传感器的应用可实现实时海洋环境的监测和快速预警,对于预防海洋灾害、调节海洋经济发展与环境之间的矛盾有重要意义。文中归纳了海洋生态环境类传感器所应用的分析检测技术,总结了目前所研发的各类海洋生态环境传感器,预测了传感器的发展趋势,并对我国未来传感器的研究工作提出了建议。     

轨道扣件病害自动化检测研究及应用

传统扣件检查基本采用人工检查方式,不仅工作效率低、劳动强度大,而且人为干扰因素多、检查采样率低。针对以上问题,本文提出了一种基于线结构光传感器的轨道扣件损伤和松动检测方法,并开发了轨道扣件智能监测系统以实现扣件病害自动检测。最终将研究成果应用于徐州市某地铁区间轨道扣件检测,验证了该方法的可行性和准确率,为地铁轨道扣件检查提供了新方法。     

气象无线传感网观测节点的设计与实现

针对传统自动气象站对电力和通讯基础设施依赖性强,应用环境受到限制的问题,设计并实现了一种基于无线传感器网络的气象观测节点。气象观测节点的硬件系统以CC2530芯片为核心,使用锂电池供电,通过模拟和数字接口连接气象传感器,射频部分工作在2.4 GHz。软件系统以TinyOS操作系统为基础,开发了基于LEPS协议的多跳路由协议和气象传感器驱动程序。在野外环境中对气象观测节点的功耗、通信距离、传感器及组网性能进行了测试。测试结果表明,气象观测节点在没有电力和通信基础设施的环境中能够形成一个稳定的多跳自组织数据采集与传输网络,适合在高山、海岛、沙漠等艰苦地区进行部署和应用。     

太阳目标哈特曼波前探测研究

分别对Hinode光学望远镜SOT观测太阳黑子的本影和半影图像以及太阳米粒组织图像进行了空间频谱计算和相关计算,分析了太阳不同结构区域图像的时域和空域特性对哈特曼波前探测精度的影响。计算和分析结果表明,在子孔径波面倾斜小于0.25″情况下,米粒组织图像采样时间在2 min内、本影和半影采样时间在4 min内,对子孔径波面倾斜探测精度的影响极小;并且由太阳目标特性引起的哈特曼波面探测误差随波面畸变量的增大而增大。这些研究结果可为太阳望远镜哈特曼波前探测器研制和应用提供依据和参考。     

Sheath effects on DEMETER ion drift measurements

The “Instrument d’Analyse du Plasma” on DEMETER includes an ion drift meter used to measure the direction of the incoming ram plasma ( [Berthelier et al., 2006a] and [Berthelier et al., 2006b]). Given the velocity of the satellite, and expected flow velocities of plasma along DEMETER's orbit, it is estimated that at mid latitudes, the direction of incident plasma as measured by IAP should be within approximately 2° of the ram direction. Yet, significantly larger angular deviations are measured routinely. An important assumption made in the interpretation of onboard instruments, such as IAP, is that neither the spacecraft nor the instrument significantly perturb the plasma that is being measured. In view of the large observed angular deviations, this paper examines the possible effect of the electrostatic sheath surrounding IAP. This is done with the 3D PIC simulation code PTetra. The model uses a full 3D particle in cell code with unstructured tetrahedral mesh capable of accurately representing the satellite geometry. The mesh is also adaptive so as to provide a fine spatial resolution in the vicinity of the particle sensor where it is needed, and a coarse resolution in regions where plasma parameters vary over a longer scale length. Calculation results show that while particle deflection associated with the electrostatic sheath near IAP can account for appreciable angular deflections for representative ionospheric plasmas, they are typically smaller than the ones observed. Additionally, the model is unable to reproduce the latitudinal dependence of the observed large deflection angles. It is concluded that sheath effects may cause appreciable distortions on the IAP type of ion flow meter instruments, and on other particle sensors in general. The larger observed deviations and their latitudinal dependence, however, must be attributable to other physical processes not accounted for in the model.     

Combined experimental and theoretical studies on methane photolysis at 121.6 and 248 nm—implications on a program of laboratory simulations of Titan’s atmosphere

Methane is, together with N₂, the main precursor of Titan’s atmospheric chemistry. In our laboratory, we are currently developing a program of laboratory simulations of Titan’s atmosphere, where methane is intended to be dissociated by multiphotonic photolysis at 248 nm. A preliminary study has shown that multiphotonic absorption of methane at 248 nm is efficient and leads to the production of hydrocarbons such as C₂H₂ (Romanzin et al., 2008). Yet, at this wavelength, little is known about the branching ratios of the hydrocarbon radicals (CH₃, CH₂ and CH) and their following photochemistry. This paper thus aims at investigating methane photochemistry at 248 nm by comparing the chemical evolution observed after irradiation of CH₄ at 248 and at 121.6 nm (Ly-α). It is indeed important to see if the chemistry is driven the same way at both wavelengths in particular because, on Titan, methane photolysis mainly involves Ly-α photons. An approach combining experiments and theoretical analysis by means of a specifically adapted 0-D model has thus been developed and is presented in this paper. The results obtained clearly indicate that the chemistry is different depending on the wavelength. They also suggest that at 248 nm, methane dissociation is in competition with ionisation, which could occur through a three-photon absorption process. As a consequence, 248 nm photolysis appears to be unsuitable to study methane neutral photochemistry alone. The implications of this result on our laboratory simulation program and new experimental developments are discussed. Additional information on methane photochemistry at 121.6 nm are also obtained.