Impact of the sampling duration on the uncertainty of averaged velocity measurements with acoustic instruments

Average velocity in streams is a key variable for the analysis and modelling of hydrological and hydraulic processes underpinning water resources science and practice. The present study evaluates the impact of the sampling duration on the quality of average velocity measurements acquired with contemporary instruments such as Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADV) an Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP). The evaluation combines considerations on turbulent flows and principles and configurations of acoustic instruments with practical experience in conducting customized analysis for uncertainty analysis purposes. The study sheds new insights on the spatial and temporal variability of the uncertainty in the measurement of average velocities due to variable sampling durations acting in isolation from other sources of uncertainties. Sampling durations of 90 and 150 s are found sufficient for ADV and ADCP, respectively, to obtain reliable average velocities in a flow affected only by natural turbulence and instrument noise. Larger sampling durations are needed for measurements in most of the natural streams exposed to additional sources of data variability.     

Classification of inorganic natural fine-grained soils in Korea based on modified plasticity chart

Classification of fine-grained soils is typically conducted using plasticity charts. The typically used plasticity chart proposed by Casagrande was questioned by Polidori proposing different classification criterion in separating clayey and silty soils. Using natural clayey and silty soils sampled from four different coastal sites in Korea, applicability of both Casagrande’s and Polidori’s plasticity charts was evaluated. Classification results of Korean natural soils based on the Casagrande’s and Polidori’s plasticity charts did not match well with those based on the soils’ behavior reported in the previous publication. The disagreement in classification of Korean natural fine-grained soils may result from disregard of considerable silt fraction effect on plastic and liquid limits for Polidori’s chart. Consequently, revised proposal of Polidori’s plasticity chart was tentatively made for further classification of fine-grained soils suitable for Korean natural soils by accounting the effect of silt fraction on soil classification.     

Raman microspectrometry, FT-IR and inclusion characteristics of gem garnets from Tanzania and Madagascar

Chemical composition, Raman microspectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-1R) and SEM-CL (Cathodluminescence) analyses are carried out for Tanzania and Madagascar garnets for locality identification. Inclusion study was sustained after electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Needle-like illmenites, apatites and zircons were the most common solid inclusions in Tanzania garnets. Madagascar garnets revealed rutile needles and apatites were also observed, but differences in size, shape and distribution patterns were noticed compared to Tanzania garnets. Tanzania garnets exhibited all types of observable fluid inclusions such as ““ fingerprint““ pattern, called Type Ⅰ-A, liquid-only (L) single phase fluid inclusion, called Type Ⅰ-B and Type Ⅱ-A ( L S), Type Ⅱ-B ( L V) and Type Ⅲ-A (L Sylvite even if all examined garnets from three localities retained ““fingerprint““ features, so called, partially healed fractures, in common. Chemical composition, Raman microspectrometry and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis taken turned out to be useful methods for the purpose of this study. Using consequences of SEM-CL and inclusion study, accordingly, the locality identification of gem-quality garnets is capable of being available in further application for other kinds of gemstones.     

浅析宁波盆地膏盐地层的时代──兼对“宁波盆地北部的长河群”之时代质疑

宁波盆地地下揭示的一套包含暗色膏硝质泥岩、泥质白云岩在内的紫红、灰紫色泥岩、棕褐色砂砾岩、细砂岩和玻屑凝灰岩的地层，均称方岩组，内含膏盐并具油色显示。对其时代有早、晚白垩世和早第三纪之认识，笔者从70～90年代地质工作中所获化石分析认为，虽然宁波盆地这一层位含化石不丰，但从分布及数量上比较，相对占优势的应该是孢粉和植物化石，其时代意见也较为一致，指示为早白垩世。     

Some Problems with Slow Rotation of CP Stars

Some difficulties in explaining the slow rotation of CP stars are discussed. The most likely hypotheses are (1) a loss of angular momentum involving a magnetic field during “pre-main sequence” evolution and (2) the slow rotation existed from the very start of the creation of these stars. The braking hypothesis is supported by only one property of CP stars— the lower the mass of the star is, the greater the difference between its average rotation velocity vsini and that of normal stars. On the other hand, there is another property— the lower the rotation speeds of CP stars are, the greater their fraction among normal stars. The latter property supports the hypothesis that the lower the initial rotation speed of a star is when it is created, the greater the probability will become chemically peculiar. This property is inherent in chemically peculiar stars both with and without a magnetic field. It is proposed that the cause of the slow rotation of CP stars must be sought in the very earliest phases of their formation, as should the cause of the separation into chemically peculiar magnetic, chemically peculiar nonmagnetic, and normal stars.__________Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 229–245 (May 2005).     

Ice‐cover variability on shallow lakes at high latitudes: model simulations and observations

A one‐dimensional thermodynamic model for simulating lake‐ice phenology is presented and evaluated. The model can be driven with observed daily or hourly atmospheric forcing of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, cloud amount and snowfall. In addition to computing the energy balance components, key model output includes the temperature profile at an arbitrary number of levels within the ice/snow (or the water temperature if there is no ice) and ice thickness (clear ice and snow‐ice) on a daily basis, as well as freeze‐up and break‐up dates. The lake‐ice model is used to simulate ice‐growth processes on shallow lakes in arctic, sub‐arctic, and high‐boreal forest environments. Model output is compared with field and remote sensing observations gathered over several ice seasons. Simulated ice thickness, including snow‐ice formation, compares favourably with field measurements. Ice‐on and ice‐off dates are also well simulated when compared with field and satellite observations, with a mean absolute difference of 2 days. Model simulations and observations illustrate the key role that snow cover plays on the seasonal evolution of ice thickness and the timing of spring break‐up. It is also shown that lake morphometry, depth in particular, is a determinant of ice‐off dates for shallow lakes at high latitudes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.