Dynamical History of the Earth–Moon System

Differential equations describing the tidal evolution of the earth's rotation and of the lunar orbital motion are presented in a simple close form. The equations differ in form for orbits fixed to the terrestrial equator and for orbits with the nodes precessing along the ecliptic due to solar perturbations. Analytical considerations show that if the contemporary lunar orbit were equatorial the evolution would develop from an unstable geosynchronous orbit of the period about 4.42 h (in the past) to a stable geosynchronous orbit of the period about 44.8 days (in the future). It is also demonstrated that at the contemporary epoch the orbital plane of the fictitious equatorial moon would be unstable in the Liapunov's sense, being asymptotically stable at early stages of the evolution. Evolution of the currently near-ecliptical lunar orbit and of the terrestrial rotation is traced backward in time by numerical integration of the evolutional equations. It is confirmed that about 1.8 billion years ago a critical phase of the evolution took place when the equatorial inclination of the moon reached small values and the moon was in a near vicinity of the earth. Before the critical epoch t _cr two types of the evolution are possible, which at present cannot be unambiguously distinguished with the help of the purely dynamical considerations. In the scenario that seems to be the most realistic from the physical point of view, the evolution also has started from a geosynchronous equatorial lunar orbit of the period 4.19 h. At t < t _cr the lunar orbit has been fixed to the precessing terrestrial equator by strong perturbations from the earth's flattening and by tidal effects; at the critical epoch the solar perturbations begin to dominate and transfer the moon to its contemporary near-ecliptical orbit which evolves now to the stable geosynchronous state. Probably this scenario is in favour of the Darwin's hypothesis about originating the moon by its separation from the earth. Too much short time scale of the evolution in this model might be enlarged if the dissipative Q factor had somewhat larger values in the past than in the present epoch. Values of the length of day and the length of month, estimated from paleontological data, are confronted with the results of the developed model.     

The origin of the correlation between the spin parameter and the baryon fraction of galactic disks

The puzzling correlation between the spin parameter λ of galactic disks and the disk-to-halo mass fraction f _disk is investigated. It is shown that such a correlation arises naturally from large uncertainties in determining the virial masses of dark matter halos. This result indicates that halo properties derived from fits to observed rotation curves are still very uncertain. An analysis of λ versus f _disk as function of the adopted halo virial mass shows that for reasonable halo concentrations f _disk ≈ 0.01 - 0.07 which is significantly smaller than the universal baryon fraction. Most of the available gas either never settled into the galactic disks or was ejected subsequently. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Researches in China on the Effects of Tides on the Earth Rotation

In this paper the tidal phenomena on the Earth are concisely specified, including solid tides, ocean tides and atmospheric tides due to the luni-solar tide-generating force, and the Earth pole tide due to the motion of the Earth's rotation axis (polar motion); as well as their effects on the Earth rotation. The outcomes of scientific researches of Chinese astronomers on these topics are described in some detail. These researches deal with the mechanisms responsible for tidal effects on the earth rotation, and on the measurements of the Earth rotation parameters. Finally, the effects discovered by Chinese researchers on the measurements of the period and change in period of pulsars are discussed. These effects are very small in magnitude but not negligible.     

Influence of the Atmospheric Tides on the Earth Rotation

Spectral analysis of the components of the relative atmospheric angular momentum vector is performed based on the series of these components for the 6 h intervals within the period of 1958–2000. These series have been computed in the Subbureau of the Atmospheric Angular Momentum of the International Earth Rotation Service using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis of atmospheric observations. The basic harmonics of diurnal tides are determined. New results on the fortnight's and week's duration oscillations of the equatorial components of the atmospheric angular momentum are obtained. The zonal tides transformation mechanisms in the atmosphere are discussed. It is shown that the main mechanism of the zonal tides effect on the atmospheric variability is the amplitude modulation of daily oscillations of the relative atmospheric angular momentum. The effects of the atmospheric tides on the Earth rotation are discussed.     

Seismic rays in an ellipsoidal earth model: theoretical analysis and estimation of deviations due to the ellipticity

Summary. A first-order form of the Euler's equations for rays in an ellipsoidal model of the Earth is obtained. The conditions affecting the velocity law for a monotonic increase, with respect to the arc length, in the angular distance to the epicentre, and in the angle of incidence, are the same in the ellipsoidal and spherical models. It is therefore possible to trace rays and to compute travel times directly in an ellipsoidal earth as in the spherical model. Thus comparison with the rays of the same coordinates in a spherical earth provides an estimate of the various deviations of these rays due to the Earth's flattening, and the corresponding travel-time differences, for mantle P -waves and for shallow earthquakes. All these deviations are functions both of the latitude and of the epicentral distance. The difference in the distance to the Earth's centre at points with the same geocentric latitude on rays in the ellipsoidal and in the spherical model may reach several kilometres. Directly related to the deformation of the isovelocity surfaces, this difference is the only cause of significant perturbation in travel times. Other differences, such as that corresponding to the ray torsion, are of the first order in ellipticity, and may exceed 1 km. They induce only small differences in travel time, less than 0.01s. Thus, we show that the ellipticity correction obtained by Jeffreys (1935) and Bullen (1937) by a perturbational method can be recovered by a direct evaluation of the travel times in an ellipsoidal model of the Earth. Moreover, as stated by Dziewonski & Gilbert (1976), we verify the non-dependence of this correction on the choice of the velocity law.     

Desert methane: Implications for life detection on Mars

Methane, a potential biosignature, has recently been detected in the martian atmosphere. This Note focuses on field investigations/operational simulations and laboratory studies which resulted in successful detection of methane within arid terrestrial soils, as distinct from the usual methanogen environment, but in at least partial analogy to martian conditions.     

鄂尔多斯地块构造演化的古地磁学研究

鄂尔多斯地块与中朝地台其它地区相同时代地层的古地磁结果基本一致表明:晚二叠世以来,中朝地台经历了从低纬度(19°左右)向中纬度的北移过程,并伴有50°左右的逆时针旋转;晚二叠世—中三叠世地台北移10°(1000km)左右,而方位基本未变;中三叠世—中侏罗世主要发生50°左右的逆时针旋转,而北向位移不明显,这一旋转可能与杨子地台和中朝地台碰撞拼合有关,或者说是印支运动在该地区的反应,中侏罗世—早白垩世地块已基本和现代位置一致     

Dynamic recrystallization near the brittle-plastic transition in naturally and experimentally deformed quartz aggregates

The electron backscattering diffraction technique (EBSD) was used to analyze bulging recrystallization microstructures from naturally and experimentally deformed quartz aggregates, both of which are characterized by porphyroclasts with finely serrated grain boundaries and grain boundary bulges set in a matrix of very fine recrystallized grains. For the Tonale mylonites we investigated, a temperature range of 300–380 °C, 0.25 GPa confining pressure, a flow stress range of ~ 0.1–0.2 GPa, and a strain rate of ~ 10^− 13 s^− 1 were estimated. Experimental samples of Black Hills quartzite were analyzed, which had been deformed in axial compression at 700 °C, 1.2–1.5 GPa confining pressure, a flow stress of ~ 0.3–0.4 GPa, a strain rate of ~ 10^− 6 s^− 1, and to 44% to 73% axial shortening. Using orientation imaging we investigated the dynamic recrystallization microstructures and discuss which processes may contribute to their development. Our results suggest that several deformation processes are important for the dismantling of the porphyroclasts and the formation of recrystallized grains. Grain boundary bulges are not only formed by local grain boundary migration, but they also display a lattice misorientation indicative of subgrain rotation. Dynamic recrystallization affects especially the rims of host porphyroclasts with a hard orientation, i.e. with an orientation unsuitable for easy basal slip. In addition, Dauphiné twins within porphyroclasts are preferred sites for recrystallization. We interpret large misorientation angles in the experimental samples, which increase with increasing strain, as formed by the activity of fluid-assisted grain boundary sliding.     

Risk assessment strategies for the reactivation of earth flows in the Northern Apennines (Italy)

The aim of this paper is to analyze the reactivation mechanism of ancient earth flows, with a view to gleaning information that can subsequently be utilized to formulate a risk-reduction strategy. All considerations made herein are the result of direct experience and observation of actual events which have occurred over the past few decades in the Northern Apennines. Particular attention has been paid to the analysis of the evolution of landslides during actual reactivation, acknowledging a typical, recurring succession of events that precede the failure of the slope. The hazard assessment of these large landslide bodies, which are of slope scale, constitutes a thorny problem, especially in view of the inapplicability of traditional deterministic models such as limit equilibrium stability analysis. Nevertheless, a site-specific assessment of probability of reactivation of these large and ancient earth flows is fundamental to effective land-use planning.