The ionospheric eclipse factor method (IEFM) and its application to determining the ionospheric delay for GPS

A new method for modeling the ionospheric delay using global positioning system (GPS) data is proposed, called the ionospheric eclipse factor method (IEFM). It is based on establishing a concept referred to as the ionospheric eclipse factor (IEF) λ of the ionospheric pierce point (IPP) and the IEF’s influence factor (IFF) . The IEF can be used to make a relatively precise distinction between ionospheric daytime and nighttime, whereas the IFF is advantageous for describing the IEF’s variations with day, month, season and year, associated with seasonal variations of total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere. By combining λ and with the local time t of IPP, the IEFM has the ability to precisely distinguish between ionospheric daytime and nighttime, as well as efficiently combine them during different seasons or months over a year at the IPP. The IEFM-based ionospheric delay estimates are validated by combining an absolute positioning mode with several ionospheric delay correction models or algorithms, using GPS data at an international Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) service (IGS) station (WTZR). Our results indicate that the IEFM may further improve ionospheric delay modeling using GPS data.     

山西霍山植物群落主要层LAI垂直分布规律

在山西霍山七里峪林场，采用间接的光学测量方法对沿着海拔分布的植物群落主要层叶面积指数（LAI）进行了测量，从不同的角度对LAI的垂直分布规律进行分析。结果表明：1．海拔不同，LAI表现出很大的差异，海拔1750m左右的LAI值大于较高与较低海拔的；对LAI和海拔之间的关系进行回归，得到LAI分布的拟合方程：y=b0＋b1x＋b2x^2＋b3x^3（R=0．712，P〈0．01）。2．同一海拔样带，阴坡LAI均大于阳坡，但对同种种群来说，阴坡树种平均胸径并不一定均大于阳坡。3．植被类型LAI比较表现为：低山针叶林〈低山灌丛〈落叶阔叶林〈落叶针叶林〈常绿针叶林；而主要群系LAI比较表现为：油松林（0．38）〈落叶松林（0．78）〈山杨林及其混交林（1．09）〈白桦林（2．00）〈辽东栎林及其混交林（3．73）。4．典型群落LAI值变化分析和人工林与天然林以，比较表明，LAI值在一定海拔达到最大值，这对于山西霍山人工林栽培和丰产林培育等具有重要意义。     

Ammonium regeneration in intertidal sediments of the Yangtze estuary during air-exposure

The influences of exposure to the atmosphere on ammonium cycle in the intertidal surface sediments were in situ studied with a geochemical approach at a typical station in the Yangtze Estuary during three tidal cycles in September 2003. During an about 8-h emersion period of each diurnal tide, six high-resolution vertical profiles of adsorbed and dissolved ammonium were measured. It was observed that both adsorbed and dissolved ammonium generally had an increasing trend in sediment cores during the exposure. The rate of ammonium regeneration in sediments was estimated using the accumulation amount of ammonium including adsorbed and soluble fractions during the daytime emersion. The calculation result showed that there was relatively high ammonification rate (˜500 nmol N cm⁻³ day⁻¹), which reflected that organic nitrogen in sediments was quickly decomposed with a residence time of ˜52.7 days. Due to the dramatic temperature difference observed in sediment profiles, free convection was considered an important mechanism of regulating the efflux of produced ammonium into overlying waters. The total estimated amount of regenerated ammonium was ˜1.35×10⁵ t N year⁻¹ in the intertidal flat of the Yangtze Estuary, which occupied 7.6% of the total inorganic nitrogen annually transported to the estuarine ecosystem.     

上姚井田主要构造特征及其控煤规律探讨

在野外地质工作及收集前人工作资料的基础上,分析了该井田成煤的地质背景,研究了井田的构造形态、产状及规模,探讨了缓倾角断裂展布规律、形成机制及控煤规律,并对下一步主要勘探区段的选择提出了建议.     

中国西南部强震带大震复发机制

我国西南部鲜水河断裂带、红河断裂带、安宁河断理解带和龙门山断裂带四个测区内，用Ｘ射线法 得的宏观残余应力场和用震源机制解Ｐ轴显示的发震时现今应力场的水平最大主压应力方向基本吻合。这种叠加应力场的水平最大主压力分布方向与发震断裂带总体走 交角约为４０－５５°左右，使断裂带易于发生剪切错动。宏观残余水平最大剪应 值区的分布，也与区内大震震中的分布基本吻合，岩石裂面在３００℃和３００ＭＰａ围压下经１０天     

Stability and accuracy analysis of the central difference method for real‐time substructure testing

The central difference method (CDM) that is explicit for pseudo‐dynamic testing is also believed to be explicit for real‐time substructure testing (RST). However, to obtain the correct velocity dependent restoring force of the physical substructure being tested, the target velocity is required to be calculated as well as the displacement. The standard CDM provides only explicit target displacement but not explicit target velocity. This paper investigates the required modification of the standard central difference method when applied to RST and analyzes the stability and accuracy of the modified CDM for RST. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New graphical methods for estimating aquifer hydraulic parameters using pumping tests with exponentially decreasing rates

Actual pumping tests may involve continuously decreasing rates over a certain period of time, and the hydraulic conductivity (K) and specific storage (S_s) of the tested confined aquifer cannot be interpreted from the classical constant‐rate test model. In this study, we revisit the aquifer drawdown characteristics of a pumping test with an exponentially decreasing rate using the dimensionless analytical solution for such a variable‐rate model. The drawdown may decrease with time for a short period of time at intermediate pumping times for such pumping tests. A larger ratio of initial to final pumping rate and a smaller radial distance of the observation well will enhance the decreasing feature. A larger decay constant results in an earlier decrease, but it weakens the extent of such a decrease. Based on the proposed dimensionless transformation, we have proposed two graphical methods for estimating K and S_s of the tested aquifer. The first is a new type curve method that does not employ the well function as commonly done in standard type curve analysis. Another is a new analytic method that takes advantage of the decreasing features of aquifer drawdown during the intermediate pumping stage. We have demonstrated the applicability and robustness of the two new graphical methods for aquifer characterization through a synthetic pumping test.     

Late Quaternary climate and environmental change derived from glacial deposits in the Parlung Zangbo Valley,southeastern Tibetan Plateau

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the late Quaternary climate and environmental characteristics of two tributary valleys (Xingmu and Depu Valleys) in the Parlung Zangbo Valley, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples collected from moraines at the mouth of Xingmu Valley produce a wide age range from 13.9 ka to 76 ka. The ages measured from the lenticular sand are consistent with the relative geomorphic sequence of the landforms. Lenticular sand layers below the moraine were dated to 37.9 ka and 44.7 ka, indicating that fluvial processes were likely dominant in the valley during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. The outer moraine ridges at the valley mouth were formed during 13.9 ka and 26.5 ka, corresponding to MIS2. At Depu Valley, OSL samples from two sets of lateral and terminal moraines close to the modern glacier, provide ages from 1.4 ka to 29.2 ka. The paleosol layer widely developed during 2.6 cal ka BP and 8.7 cal ka BP in the study area, reflecting a relatively warm condition during the mid-Holocene.     

Internal Microanatomy and Zoological Affinity of the Early Cambrian Olivooides

The early Cambrian pentamerous microfossil Olivooides/Punctatus in South China, which is characterized by a diagnostic stellate tubular apex, has been well-known for its almost complete development sequence that can be confidently traced from embryos and hatched juveniles, to conical adults. However, its zoological affinity remains highly controversial. Here we describe the internal microanatomic structures of the soft-body inside the peridermal theca of Olivooides multisulcatus Qian, 1977, including interradial pairs of tentacles, adradial and perradial frenula, perradial oral marginal lappets and twins of perradial gastric saccule-like humps as well as a circular velarium with striated coronal muscles. Particularly, one specimen shows bifurcated velarial canals along the bell aperture. Both the components of the soft-body and the external theca (or cyst) are arranged in perfect pentaradial symmetry. These characteristics are more compatible with those of living cubomedusans and co-occurring Cambrian athecate embryonic cubozoans. Concerning the presence of peridermal theca, Olivooides most likely represents an extinct thecate stem-group cubomedusae but devoid of both perradial eyes and specialized pedalia. The well-grown soft body inside the peridermal tube displays a set of mixed features of both polyp and medusa.     

Semi-analytical solutions for vertically and laterally loaded piles in multilayered soil deposits

In geotechnical practice, it is of considerable importance to assess the behavior of vertical–lateral coupled loading piles in multilayered soil deposits. This study deals with a semi-analytical formulation for the performance of a pile suffering from combined vertical and lateral loads. The emphasis is on quantifying the mobilization of the subgrade reaction provided by the layered soil stratums. In the proposed method, subgrade reactions, correlated with both the accumulative axial load transfer and side resistances depending upon the pile–soil interaction, are abstracted as a series of nonlinear springs in both vertical and lateral directions. On account of this, an alternative transfer matrix method is applied to characterize the pile reaction along the depth under the identified boundary conditions atop the pile; meanwhile, the condition of static equilibrium, between two specific pile segments located at the border of soil layers, is also essential. On this basis, validation of the solution is conducted by comparing with observations from experiments and predictions obtained from other existing methods. In addition, the influence of properties in shallow soil layer and the vertical load on the lateral response of the pile is also discussed. The results indicate a reduction in the lateral displacement and the maximum bending moment within the pile with the increase in the shallow soil stiffness, but a growth with the increase in vertical load due to the “P-Δ effect.”