Dynamical studies of cluster pairs in the Magellanic Clouds

We performed N -body simulations of star cluster encounters with Hernquist's TREECODE in a CRAY YMP-2E computer under different initial conditions (relative positions and velocities, cluster sizes, masses and concentration degrees). The total number of particles per simulation ranged from 1024 to 20480. These models are compared with a series of isodensity maps of cluster pairs in the Magellanic Clouds. Evidence is found that during the interactions, transient morphological effects such as an expanded halo, isophotal deformation and isophotal twisting can occur as a result of tidal effects and dynamical friction. The simulations also show that different outcomes are possible depending on the initial parameters: (i) long-standing changes of concentration degree can occur after the collision; (ii) one member can disaggregate; or (iii) the pair can coalesce into a single cluster with a distinct structure compared with the original ones. These simulations can reproduce a wide range of morphological structures in observed cluster pairs.     

Climatic and geographic factors affect ecosystem multifunctionality through biodiversity in the Tibetan alpine grasslands

Ecosystem multifunctionality(EMF), the simultaneous provision of multiple ecosystem functions, is often affected by biodiversity and environmental factors. We know little about how the interactions between biodiversity and environmental factors affect EMF. In this case study, a structural equation model was used to clarify climatic and geographic pathways that affect EMF by varying biodiversity in the Tibetan alpine grasslands. In addition to services related to carbon, nitrogen, and water cycling, forage supply, which is related to plantproductivity and palatability, was included in the EMF index. The results showed that 72% of the variation in EMF could be explained by biodiversity and other environmental factors. The ratio of palatable richness to all species richness explained 8.3% of the EMF variation. We found that air temperature, elevation, and latitude all affected EMF, but in different ways. Air temperature and elevation impacted the aboveground parts of the ecosystem, which included plant height, aboveground biomass, richness of palatable species, and ratio of palatable richness to all species richness. Latitude affected EMF by varying both aboveground and belowground parts of the ecosystem, which included palatable speciesrichness and belowground biomass. Our results indicated that there are still uncertainties in the biodiversity–EMF relationships related to the variable components of EMF, and climatic and geographic factors. Clarification of pathways that affect EMF using structural equation modeling techniques could elucidate the mechanisms by which environmental changes affect EMF.     

On the cool skin of the ocean

Previous data relating sea-surface temperature to heat flux across the air-sea interface were reanalyzed with a common formula for the wind-stress coefficient. An expression is proposed for the nondimensional thickness of the thermal sublayer: the expression increases with wind velocity at light winds and has a value of 7 when the wind velocity reaches 7 m s^–1.     

南极普里兹湾附近海域表层海流特征分析

利用第29次南极科考期间在普里兹湾海区释放的8个Argos漂流浮标所获的总计662 d的数据,对普里兹湾及其邻近海域的表层海流特征进行了分析,并和以前的研究结果进行对比,结果表明:普里兹湾西部和北部表层海流基本呈现向西的流动,说明此地区的表层海流以沿南极大陆的逆时针沿岸流为主。普里兹湾东部海流呈现先向南再向西或先向南再向北的流动,普里兹湾西北部海流呈现向南的流动。8个浮标平均流速在0.02—0.20 m·s~(-1)之间,最大流速为1.57 m·s~(-1),流速1.0 m·s~(-1)的大流速区主要集中在普里兹湾、克洛斯角外侧、达恩利角外侧海域,流速1.5 m·s~(-1)的大流速区只出现在普里兹湾、克洛斯角外侧两处海域。     

Salinivibrio sp.YH4胞外丝氨酸蛋白酶EYHS耐盐性及生物信息学分析

摘要：目的 探讨菌株Salinivibrio sp.YH4分泌的丝氨酸蛋白酶EYHS的耐盐性及结构特征。方法 明胶底物酶谱法分析EYHS的耐盐性。应用生物信息学手段对EYHS及6种耐盐的S8家族丝氨酸蛋白酶结构特征进行分析。结果 EYHS在4 mol/L的NaCl溶液中仍具有活性,属于耐盐蛋白酶。EYHS及6种S8家族丝氨酸蛋白酶分子表面的loop区等无规则卷曲所占比例较高,α-螺旋与β-片层则主要位于酶分子内部。EYHS分子表面酸性氨基酸含量较高,且具有弱疏水内核。多序列比对发现蛋白酶的催化三联体两侧存在高度保守的基序和保守的极性氨基酸及芳香族氨基酸,并存在多个保守的Gly与Ala。同源模建和表面电荷分布显示,α螺旋和β片层围成了蛋白酶的催化腔,EYHS活性中心包含由Asp32、His65与Ser215组成的催化三联体,且催化位点区域表面静电势为负。结论 上述结构特征可能有助于耐盐丝氨酸蛋白酶EYHS在高盐环境下维持其稳定性和适度柔性,并有助于其催化功能的发挥,为深入研究耐盐丝氨酸蛋白酶的高盐环境适应性提供了一定的理论依据。     

1961-2008年中国西南地区极端气候变化幅度的海拔效应(英文)

A total of 12 indices of temperature extremes and 11 indices of precipitation ex-tremes at 111 stations in southwestern China at altitudes of 285-4700 m were examined for the period 1961-2008. Significant correlations of temperature extremes and elevation in-cluded the trends of diurnal temperature range, frost days, ice days, cold night frequency and cold day frequency. Regional trends of growing season length, warm night frequency, coldest night and warmest night displayed a statistically significant positive correlation with altitude. These characteristics indicated the obvious warming with altitude. For precipitation extreme indices, only the trends of consecutive dry days, consecutive wet days, wet day precipitation and the number of heavy precipitation days had significant correlations with increasing alti-tude owing to the complex influence of atmospheric circulation. It also indicated the increased precipitation mainly at higher altitude areas, whereas the increase of extreme precipitation events mainly at lowers altitude. In addition, the clearly local influences are also crucial on climate extremes. The analysis revealed an enhanced sensitivity of climate extremes to ele-vation in southwestern China in the context of recent warming.     

硫酸镁对硼酸介稳区性质的影响

通过浊度法测定10℃～45℃范围内MgSO4-H3BO3-H2O体系中硼酸的溶解度及介稳区宽度,得到硼酸的成核方程,并计算其表观成核级数。实验结果表明,硫酸镁的存在降低了硼酸的溶解度;随着硫酸镁浓度的升高,硼酸的介稳区宽度先变宽后变窄;硫酸镁的加入使硼酸的表观成核级数增加。     

Dark energy model in anisotropic Bianchi type-III space-time with variable EoS parameter

A new dark energy model in anisotropic Bianchi type-III space-time with variable equation of state (EoS) parameter has been investigated in the present paper. To get the deterministic model, we consider that the expansion θ in the model is proportional to the eigen value s² ₂\sigma^{2}_{~2} of the shear tensor s^j _i\sigma^{j}_{~i}. The EoS parameter ω is found to be time dependent and its existing range for this model is in good agreement with the recent observations of SNe Ia data (Knop et al. in Astrophys. J. 598:102, 2003) and SNe Ia data with CMBR anisotropy and galaxy clustering statistics (Tegmark et al. in Astrophys. J. 606:702, 2004). It has been suggested that the dark energy that explains the observed accelerating expansion of the universe may arise due to the contribution to the vacuum energy of the EoS in a time dependent background. Some physical aspects of dark energy model are also discussed.     

许昌古城景观的特色与重建

在回顾许昌古城历史渊源的基础上,归纳了许昌古城的景观特色:绿地与水面交错,生态景观齐备;居住与商业功能区明晰,街区格局完整;历史沉淀久远,文化底蕴深厚;受中原文明熏陶,社会风俗古朴。从城市景观的社会、文化、生态和经济价值出发,结合许昌古城景观特色,提出了许昌古城景观的重建建议:以护城河景观带为切入点,建设自然与人文因素和谐共生的生态景观;从复兴和保护角度,构建汉魏风格的古城街区景观;从发掘和弘扬角度,突出许昌古城的汉魏文化景观;从明晰现代城市功能角度,开发旅游产业景观。