Tensile stresses around boreholes due to transient fluid flow

We present solutions for the effective stress induced by gas flow through a porous solid into a borehole resulting from sudden pressure reduction. Tensile effective stress that exceeds the strength of the solid will lead to borehole failure. This has applications to the intentional creation of cavities, relevant to the efficient recovery of coalbed methane, and the avoidance of borehole stability problems in conventional gas production.     

Transforming observational data and theoretical isochrones into the ACS/WFC Vega-mag system

We propose a zero-point photometric calibration of the data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) Wide Field Channel (WFC) on board the Hubble Space Telescope , based on a spectrum of Vega and the most up-to-date in-flight transmission curves of the camera. This calibration is accurate at the level of a few hundredths of a magnitude. The main purpose of this effort is to transform the entire set of evolutionary models into a simple observational photometric system for ACS/WFC data, and to make them available to the astronomical community. We provide the zero-points for the most used ACS/WFC bands, and give basic recipes for calibrating both the observed data and the models. We also present the colour–magnitude diagram from ACS data of five Galactic globular clusters, spanning the metallicity range  −2.2 <[Fe/H] < −0.04  , and we provide fiducial points representing their sequences from several magnitudes below the turn-off to the red giant branch tip. The observed sequences are compared with the models in the newly defined photometric system.     

Strain localization in sandstone during embryonic stages of shear-zone evolution

Geometric analysis of nested Riedel structures was used to identify and quantify strain localization processes within faulted Navajo sandstone. The analysis shows systematic deviation from the basic Riedel geometry complying with the Mohr–Coulomb criterion. Using cross-cutting relations amongst deformation bands within the Riedel structures, and comparing the orientations of the deformation bands to theoretical strain calculations, we identify two coupling deformation mechanisms involved in the early stages of shear-zone evolution, namely, granular flow and discrete faulting. Both mechanisms localize during strain accumulation, and the granular flow facilitates considerable change in the initial geometry of the Riedel structures. The analysis demonstrates a systematic sequence, by which new Riedel structures form after a constant amount of shear strain takes place in the sandstone. Analysis further indicates that granular flow is the major deformation mechanism during early stages of shear-zone evolution and discrete faulting is the dominant mechanism during later deformation stages.     

Cosmic-ray propagation in compressible turbulent media

The influence of compressibility of media on both the statistical acceleration and the turbulent diffusion of cosmic-ray particles is investigated. The averaging over an ensemble of random velocity fields of the medium was performed in the kinetic equation. The kinetic coefficients, which are responsible for the particle acceleration, were obtained in the cases of weak and strong scattering due inhomogeneous magnetic fields.     

Optical observations of the interstellar absorption lines towards the M8 Nebula

High resolution optical observations (FWHM ～ 10–13 km s^?1) of the I-S gas towards the early-type stars HD 164 794, HD 164816, and HD 165052 in the M8 Nebula are presented. A high velocity componentV _LSR=?26 km s^?1 has been detected in all 3 stars' spectra. A line profile fitting analysis has been carried out on the observed Caii and Nai absorption lines to determine cloud component column densities and to subsequently determine the physical and chemical conditions of the associated I-S gas.     

Propagation of Love waves in surface layers of varying thickness

Summary A study is made of the scattered field which results when a Love wave is incident on a layer having an irregular surface. To obtain this solution a perturbation method is used. It is shown that the scattered field may be described by a superposition of Love waves and non-propagating disturbances. As an illustrative example, the result is applied to obtain the scattering by a triangular trough.     

Control strategies for the Clam Wave Energy Device

A promising wave energy device being currently investigated is the ‘clam’. The clam extracts energy by pumping air through a specially designed (Wells) turbine. Although operation of the Wells turbine does not require a rectified air flow, some additional control will be necessary to optimize the phase of the clam motion for good efficiencies. An examination of the equation of motion in the time domain suggests the possibility of phase control by mechanical, power take-off, or pneumatic latching. Latching can be shown to increase the efficiency of the device in the longer wavelengths of the wave spectrum, i.e. those of high incident wave power. Equivalently latching could be used to keep the device efficiency high while reducing its size, possibly resulting in cheaper power extraction.     

Diffusion of seawater ions. Part II. The role of activity coefficients and ion pairing

A theoretical evaluation of basic thermodynamic relationships reveals that variation of activity coefficients, ion pairing and electrical interactions must be considered when modelling ionic diffusion in seawater. The contributions of ion-pair formation and change in activity coefficient along the diffusion path were studied experimentally by conducting diffusion experiments in which solutions of KCl, NaCl, MgCl₂, Li₂SO₄, K₂SO₄, Na₂SO₄ and MgSO₄, at an ionic strength of 0.7, were allowed to diffuse into distilled water. The study reveals that the thermodynamic factor, required to correct for changes in the activity coefficient along the diffusion path, is significant for all the salts studied. Agreement between a simple diffusion model, which does not include ion pairing, and observed data was good for completely dissociated salts, but poor for salts which are known to form ion pairs at the concentration levels studied. The diffusion of MgSO₄, 0.425 of which is associated at I = 0.7, was successfully modelled by assuming that the diffusion coefficient of the MgSO₄⁰ ion pair is different from the diffusion coefficient of the dissociated salt. The diffusion coefficient of this ion pair is estimated to be 1.9 × 10⁻⁵ cm² s⁻¹ at 30°C, as compared to 0.49 × 10⁻⁵ cm² s⁻¹ for the dissociated salt. It is suggested that the high mobility of this ion pair could cause magnesium enrichment in pore water of sulfate depleted sediments.     

Effects of benzene and dimethylnaphthalene on homeostatic processes in two species of crabs

Long-term exposure of animals to sub-lethal doses of toxicants such as benzene (B) and dimethylnaphthalene (DMN) may result in subtle changes in their physiology and biochemistry. In crustaceans such changes include decreased rate of limb regeneration, extended time to molt and decreased growth increment at molt.^1,2 These processes depend upon an adequate supply of stored nutrients in the tissues and appropriate release of neuroendocrine substances from the central nervous system.^3,4 We are examining the effects of sub-lethal doses of B and DMN on osmotic and ionic regulation and on nutrient storage in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, and the green crab, Carcinus maenas. Disturbances in these physiological processes may reflect alterations in neuroendocrine functions brought about by the presence of toxicants. We find that exposure of C. maenas to B or DMN, followed by transfer to a dilute medium, results in impaired osmoregulatory capacity, while addition of these compounds to a dilute medium to which the animal is already acclimated does not affect their regulatory ability. Storage of carbohydrate in the midgut gland (hepatopancreas) is decreased by B or DMN, while the accessory storage tissues (gill, muscle) are not significantly affected.