Frequency analysis of a dynamical system

Frequency analysis is a new method for analyzing the stability of orbits in a conservative dynamical system. It was first devised in order to study the stability of the solar system (Laskar, Icarus, 88, 1990). It is a powerful method for analyzing weakly chaotic motion in hamiltonian systems or symplectic maps. For regular motions, it yields an analytical representation of the solutions. In cases of 2 degrees of freedom system with monotonous torsion, precise numerical criterions for the destruction of KAM tori can be found. For a 4D symplectic map, plotting the frequency map in the frequency plane provides a clear representation of the global dynamics and describes the actual Arnold web of the system.     

A Seeing Monitor for Solar and Other Extended Object Observations

In this article I describe a site survey facility, which measures the signals of the solar equivalent of a Differential Image Motion Monitor (S-DIMM) and of a six element linear array of solar scintillometers. Combining the S-DIMM r _o andscintillometer _I observations allows the determination of the fractions of the seeing in the free atmosphere and in the ground/lake layer. From the scintillometer array observations C _n ² (h) is determined for heights corresponding to the first 500 m along the line-of-sight. With minor changes this seeing monitor can also be used for other extended objects like the Moon and planets.     

ISIS IR: The first infrared fibre-fed spectrograph

ISIS IR is the first attempt to use fibre optics for near infrared spectroscopy (1.8m). It is a field spectrograph (2D spectroscopy), and can work at various resolving powers (up to 25000). It can be transported anywhere, and soon it will be used at CFHT with one NICMOS 3-based camera.Département d'Astrophysique Extragalactique et de Cosmologie     

Cultural and economic residential sorting of Auckland’s population, 1991–2013: an entropy approach

Journal of Geographical Systems - Auckland, the largest city of New Zealand, is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with more than 40% of its population born abroad, more than 200...     

利用小波方法处理2004年苏门答腊大地震后的超导重力数据检测低于1.5 mHz自由振荡信号的耦合和分裂

新型超导重力仪已被证实在频率低于1 mHz的情况下优于最好的地震仪STS-1, 因而新型超导重力仪可作为极低噪音的地震仪, 观测长周期地球自由振荡. 具有良好窄带频率响应的小波滤波器非常有助于消除大气压波动对重力变化的影响. 用小波滤波器处理2004年12月26日苏门答腊大地震后的超导重力仪的观测数据, 清楚地检测到了1.5 mHz以下, 除₀T₅, ₀T₇, ₁T₁外所有的环形自由振荡的耦合现象, 并检测到了环形自由振荡₁T₂, ₁T₃的耦合现象. 此外, 还利用单台超导重力仪的观测数据清楚地检测到了球形自由振荡₂S₁的3个分裂谱峰.     

Cenozoic post-collisional brittle tectonic history and stress reorientation in the High Zagros Belt (Iran, Fars Province)

The Zagros fold-and-thrust belt of SW-Iran is among the youngest continental collision zones on Earth. Collision is thought to have occurred in the late Oligocene–early Miocene, followed by continental shortening. The High Zagros Belt (HZB) presents a Neogene imbricate structure that has affected the thick sedimentary cover of the former Arabian continental passive margin. The HZB of interior Fars marks the innermost part of SE-Zagros, trending NW–SE, that is characterised by higher elevation, lack of seismicity, and no evident active crustal shortening with respect to the outer (SW) parts. This study examines the brittle structures that developed during the mountain building process to decipher the history of polyphase deformation and variations in compressive tectonic fields since the onset of collision. Analytic inversion techniques enabled us to determine and separate different brittle tectonic regimes in terms of stress tensors. Various strike–slip, compressional, and tensional stress regimes are thus identified with different stress fields. Brittle tectonic analyses were carried out to reconstruct possible geometrical relationships between different structures and to establish relative chronologies of corresponding stress fields, considering the folding process. Results indicate that in the studied area, the main fold and thrust structure developed in a general compressional stress regime with an average N032° direction of σ₁ stress axis during the Miocene. Strike–slip structures were generated under three successive strike–slip stress regimes with different σ₁ directions in the early Miocene (N053°), late Miocene–early Pliocene (N026°), and post-Pliocene (N002°), evolving from pre-fold to post-fold faulting. Tensional structures also developed as a function of the evolving stress regimes. Our reconstruction of stress fields suggests an anticlockwise reorientation of the horizontal σ₁ axis since the onset of collision and a significant change in vertical stress from σ₃ to σ₂ since the late stage of folding and thrusting. A late right-lateral reactivation was also observed on some pre-existing belt-parallel brittle structures, especially along the reverse fault systems, consistent with the recent N–S plate convergence. However, this feature was not reflected by large structures in the HZB of interior Fars. The results should not be extrapolated to the entire Zagros belt, where the deformation front has propagated from inner to outer zones during the younger events.     

New chitinozoans from the historical type area of the Hirnantian Stage and additional key sections in the Wye Valley,Wales, UK

The type locality for several core elements of the Hirnantia brachiopod fauna is a small disused quarry on the western slopes of Cwm Hirnant. There, the Hirnant Limestone Member of the Foel‐y‐Ddinas Mudstone Formation yields a new, well‐preserved chitinozoan assemblage, attributed to the Spinachitina taugourdeaui Biozone. This allows tight correlation with the Hirnantian of Baltica and Laurentia and neatly ties the chitinozoan zonation with the classical brachiopod fauna. Nearby, the chitinozoan assemblage from the Caradoc Cymerig Limestone Member at Gelli‐grîn belongs to the Spinachitina cervicornis Biozone?, and is identical to that recovered from the Burrellian in the Onny Valley, Welsh Borderland. A Silurian assemblage higher up section, discovered in the Cwm‐yr‐Aethnen Formation, is attributed to the globally recognized Eisenackitina dolioliformis Biozone. Attempts to integrate the chitinozoan and graptolite biozonation, in the central Welsh Rhayader area, were less successful. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.