武威市初、终霜日气候特征

为了因地制宜,合理调整种植结构和布局,有效利用农业气候资源。利用1961—2014年武威市4个气象站点初、终霜日(最低地温≤0℃)观测资料,采用现代气候诊断分析方法,系统分析了该市年初、终霜日的时空变化特征。结果表明:受海拔高度、地形地势以及植被覆盖情况的影响,在空间分布上,武威市初霜日为山区早于荒漠区早于绿洲平原区,终霜日为山区晚于荒漠区晚于绿洲平原区,各地初、终霜日存在一定的异常性,正常初、终霜日均在60%左右,对农业生产造成危害的偏早和特早初霜日、偏晚和特晚终霜日的概率均在20%左右。在时间变化上,武威市初霜日呈显著推迟趋势,终霜日呈显著提早趋势,霜期呈显著缩短趋势,终霜日提早的幅度比初霜日推迟的幅度更大。初霜日和终霜日的时间序列均分别存在着8~10年和9~11年的准周期变化。初霜日在1998年发生了气候突变,终霜日在1996年发生了气候突变。     

Anomalous optical variations in the grossular garnet from the Eden Mills,Belvidere Mountain (Vermont,USA)

The optical anomalies, and surface and lamellar textures of a birefringent grossular garnet crystal from the Eden Mills, Belvidere Mountain, Vermont, USA, have been investigated by optical polarizing microscope, electron-probe micro-analyzer, back-scattered electron imaging, infrared spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffractometer from the standpoint of crystal growth. This grossular shows one-to-one correlation between natural surface features and its internal textures under crossed polarizers. Electron-probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) gave average chemical composition in (110) thin section, of bright lamella {Ca_2.97Mn_0.06}_∑3.03 [Al_1.59Fe_0.37Ti_0.01]_∑1.97(Si_3.00)_∑3.00 (Gros_79.5And_18.9Sps_1.6) and of dark host {Ca_2.99Mn _0.06}_∑3.05 [Al_1.73Fe_0.26 Ti_0.01]_∑2.00(Si_2.97OH_0.03)_∑3.00 (Gros_85.4And₁₃Sps_1.6). The correspondence of surface features and the internal textures with spiral or pyramidal growth mechanism suggest that the internal textures of the Eden Mills grossular are formed during growth process. The optical vibrational orientations and the growth steps inclination along [001] and \( \left[\overset{-}{1}10\right] \) directions predict monoclinic symmetry. With X-ray diffractometer (XRD) method, pseudocubic parameters are a = 11.839(2) Å, b = 11.855(1) Å, and c = 11.868(2) Å with interaxial angles α = 90.00(1)°, β = 89.99(1)°, and γ = 90.02(2)° that show orthorhombic symmetry of this crystal. Lamellar texture of Al³⁺-rich host with Fe³⁺-rich lamella infers cation ordering at octahedral site of the garnet structure. IR data favors the non-cubic orientation of [(OH) ₄] at tetrahedral position in this grossular structure.     

Synthesis of biochar from sugarcane filter-cake and its impacts on physiological performance of lettuce (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lettuce sativa</Emphasis>) grown on cadmium contaminated soil

Soil contamination with cadmium has become major concern all over the world because of its adverse impacts on ecosystem health and agricultural land. Soil amendment with biochar may have varied effects on physical and chemical properties of soil. The objective of the study was to explore the impact of sugarcane filter-cake biochar on physiological performance and growth of lettuce in an aged soil. Four different doses (0, 1.5%, 3%, and 5%) of biochar were used in the soil and conditioned for 1 month. After this, lettuce seedlings were grown in the soil. The results showed that the biochar treatment improved the fresh and dry biomass of leaves and roots as well as plant height while diminished the bioavailability of cadmium from the soil. As compared to control, biochar significantly enhanced the chlorophyll content in lettuce leaves. Due to the biochar amendment, the oxidative stress decreased in lettuce shoots over the control. As compared to control, concentration of cadmium in lettuce significantly decreased after the application of biochar. It was concluded that biochar could mitigate the toxicity of cadmium in lettuce by altering the biochemical and physiological processes in cadmium contaminated soil.     

Intermediate and deep earthquakes in Spain

Recent improvements in the seismological networks on the Ibero-Maghrebian region have permitted estimation of hypocentral location and focal mechanisms for earthquakes which occurred at South Spain, Alboran Sea and northern Morocco of deep and intermediate depth, with magnitudes between 3.5 and 4.5. Intermediate depth shocks, range from 60 to 100 km, with greater concentration located between Granada and Málaga. Fault-plane solutions of 5 intermediate shocks have been determined; they present a vertical plane in NE-SW or E-W direction. Seismic moments of about 10¹⁵ Nm and dimensions of about 1 km have been determined from digital records of Spanish stations.P-wave forms are complex. This may be explained by the crustal structure near the station, discontinuities in the upper mantle and inhomogeneities near the source. Deep activity at about 650 km has only 3 shocks since 1954 (1954, 1973, 1990). Shocks are located at a very small region. Fault-plane solutions show a consistent direction of the pressure axis dipping 45° in E direction. For the 1990 shock seismic moment is 10¹⁶ Nm and dimensions 2.6 km. TheP-waves are of simpler form with a single pulse. The intermediate and deep activities are not connected and no activity has been detected between 100 and 650 km. The intermediate shocks may be explained in terms of a recent subduction from Africa under Iberia in SE direction. The very deep activity must be related to a sunk detached block of lithospheric material still sufficiently cold and rigid to generate earthquakes.     

A structural synthesis of the Proterozoic Arabian-Nubian Shield in Egypt

Detailed structural geological and related studies were carried out in a number of critical areas in the Proterozoic basement of eastern Egypt to resolve the structural pattern at a regional scale and to assess the general characteristics of tectonic evolution, orogeny and terrane boundaries. Following a brief account of the tectonostratigraphy and timing of the orogenic evolution, the major structural characteristics of the critical areas are presented. Collisional deformation of the terranes ended about 615-600 Ma ago. Subsequent extensional collapse probably occurred within a relatively narrow time span of about 20 Ma (575 – 595 Ma ago) over the Eastern Desert and was followed by a further period of about 50 Ma of late to post-tectonic activity. The regional structures originated mainly during post-collisional events, starting with those related to extensional collapse (molasse basin formation, normal faulting, generation of metamorphic core complexes). Subsequent NNW-SSE shortening is documented by large-scale thrusting (towards the NNW) and folding, distributed over the Eastern Desert, although with variable intensity. Thrusts are overprinted by transpression, which was localized to particular shear zones. Early transpression produced, for example, the Allaqi shear zone and final transpression is documented in the Najd and Wadi Kharit-Wadi Hodein zones. Two terrane boundaries can be defined, the Allaqi and South Hafafit Sutures, which are apparently linked by the high angle sinistral strike-slip Wadi Kharit-Wadi Hodein shear zone with a tectonic transport of about 300 km towards the W/NW. In general, the tectonic evolution shows that extensional collapse is not necessarily the final stage of orogeny, but may be followed by further compressional and transpressional tectonism. The late Pan-African high angle faults were reactivated during Red Sea tectonics both as Riedel shears and normal faults, where they were oriented favourably with respect to the actual stress regime.     

Accumulation of heavy metals by cultured oysters from Merbok Estuary, Malaysia

The Merbok Estuary in Malaysia has a good potential of developing into a rich bivalve culture area. However, there is some concern on the likelihood of bio-accumulation of heavy metals by the oysters cultured there, since Merbok River is classified as very polluted. The accumulation of Cu and Zn in oysters (Crassostrea iredalei and Crassostrea belcheri) cultured at two locations in the estuary was studied. The results indicated that the Cu levels in oysters reaching marketable size are within the limit of 40 ppm specified in the Malaysian Food Regulations 1985, whereas Zn levels exceeded the limit of 100 ppm. The metal concentration data were fitted to a first-order kinetic model, and good agreement was found between the predicted and observed Cu concentrations using the x² test. The Zn data, however, did not fit the model. The Cu bioconcentration factors (BCF) for C. belcheri cultured at the two locations were found to be about 4.5 × 10³, which is close to that for C. iredalei. The results suggests that BCF value is site-specific.     

The earthquake sequence of May 1951 at Jucuapa, El Salvador

Three earthquakes that happened over two days in May 1951 caused extensive damage to villages in a small area of eastern El Salvador (Central America). Contemporary hypocentral solutions indicated focal depths, confirmed by re-calculations using available seismic data, of the order of 90 km, suggesting events associated with the subducted Cocos plate. Macroseismic observations strongly indicate that the earthquakes were of very shallow focus and this is supported by wave-form modeling and the appearance of seismograms recorded in Guatemala. A re-evaluation of the location and source characteristics for these events is presented, together with a fault plane solution and additional macroseismic evidence. The implications for seismic hazard and risk assessment in Central America, where shallow earthquakes of moderate magnitude, frequently occurring in clusters, pose the greatest threat to settlements which, like the area affected by these events, are concentrated along the axis of Quaternary volcanoes.     

华北断块区地震幕与气温异常

本文利用1951-1980年期间中国气温资料研究了1966-1976年间华北断块区地震幕活动与1960年2月-1977年1月气温异常之间的关系。主要结论如下:1.华北断块及其邻近地区1960年2月天气异常增温到1977年1月天气异常降温过程与地震幕活动开始和结束的时间相关联;1967年5月、1973年1月、1975年9月和1976年2月的气温异常与该地震幕中1969年7月18日渤海7.4、1975年2月4日海城7.3和1976年7月28日唐山7.8级三次地震密切相关。2.气温异常时问和异常范围之间以及它们与地震能量之间都有较高的可信度,表明气温异常与地震幕之间有成因上的联系。3.从1960年2月气温异常开始到1976年7月28日唐山7.8级地震发生时的16.5年可按0.618~N划分为18个时段,4次7.0级以上地震和5次气温异常发生的时间恰好位于某几个时间段上。     

Fractionation of sulfur isotopes by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Growing and resting cell suspensions of Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were permitted to metabolize sulfite and sulfate under a variety of environmental conditions. Enrichment of S³² in the H₂S released during reduction of sulfate under growing conditions was consistently lower (δS³⁴ < ?25%.) than enrichment during reduction of sulfite under similar conditions (δS³⁴ ~ ?30 to ?50%.). Yeast cells harvested from a sulfite medium released small quantities of H₂S when suspended in glucose-sulfate solution; cells from a sulfate growth medium did not. The enrichment of H₂S in S³² by sulfite-grown resting cells suspended in either SO^2?₄ or SO^2?₃ solutions was about 10%.in less than the maximum obtained during growth on sulfite. Isotopic fractionation was always significantly less in assimilated, than in dissimilated sulfur.