Dynamical evolution of comets and the problem of cometary fading

Possibilities to explain the observed 1/a-distribution are discussed in the light of improved understanding of the dynamical evolution of long-period comets. It appears that the fading problem applies both to single-injection and continuous-injection models. Although uncertainties due to nongravitational effects do not allow detailed results to be drawn from the observed 1/a-distribution at small perihelion distance q, that for q 1.5 AU shows that a constant fading probability cannot explain all the features of the observed distribution. Assuming that comets can reappear following a period of fading, values for the assumed constant fading and renewal probabilities, and the total cometary flux have been estimated for q > 1.5 AU.     

The solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated chromospheric fluxes

Disk-integrated solar chromospheric Caii K-line (3933.68 ) fluxes have been measured almost daily at Sacramento Peak Observatory since 1977. Using observing windows selected to mimic seasonal windows for chromospheric measurements of lower Main-Sequence stars such as those observed by Mount Wilson Observatory's HK Project, we have measured the solar rotation from the modulation of the Caii K-line flux. We track the change of rotation period from the decline of cycle 21 through the maximum of cycle 22. This variation in rotation period is shown to behave as expected from the migration of active regions in latitude according to Maunder's butterfly diagram, including an abrupt change in rotation period at the transition from cycle 21 to cycle 22. These results indicate the successful detection of solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated observations. We argue that the success of our study compared to previous investigations of the solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated fluxes lies primarily with the choice of the length of the time-series window. Our selection of 200 days is shorter than in previous studies whose windows are typically on the order of one year. The 200-day window is long enough to permit an accurate determination of the rotation period, yet short enough to avoid complications arising from active region evolution. Thus, measurements of the variation of rotation period in lower Main-Sequence stars, especially those that appear to be correlated with long-term changes in chromospheric activity (i.e., cycles), are probably evidence for stellar surface differential rotation.     

Dynamical evolution of NEAs: Close encounters, secular perturbations and resonances

We discuss the main mechanisms affecting the dynamical evolution of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) by analyzing the results of three numerical integrations over 1 Myr of the NEA (4179) Toutatis. In the first integration the only perturbing planet is the Earth. So the evolution is dominated by close encounters and looks like a random walk in semimajor axis and a correlated random walk in eccentricity, keeping almost constant the perihelion distance and the Tisserand invariant. In the second integration Jupiter and Saturn are present instead of the Earth, and the 3/1 (mean motion) and v ₆ (secular) resonances substantially change the eccentricity but not the semimajor axis. The third, most realistic, integration including all the three planets together shows a complex interplay of effects, with close encounters switching the orbit between different resonant states and no approximate conservation of the Tisserand invariant. This shows that simplified 3-body or 4-body models cannot be used to predict the typical evolution patterns and time scales of NEAs, and in particular that resonances provide some fast-track dynamical routes from low-eccentricity to very eccentric, planet-crossing orbits.On leave from the Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Via Buonarroti 2, 56127 Pisa, Italy, thanks to the G. Colombo fellowships of the European Space Agency.     

Fitting matrix-valued variogram models by simultaneous diagonalization (Part I: Theory)

Suppose that ¯(x₁),...,¯Z(x_n). are observations of vector-valued random function ¯(x). In the isotropic situation, the sample variogram γ^*(h) for a given lag h is $$\bar \gamma ^ * (h) = \frac{1}{{2N(h)}}\mathop \sum \limits_{s(h)} (\overline Z (x_1 ) - \overline Z (x_1 )) \overline {(Z} (x_1 ) - \overline Z (x_1 ))^T $$ where s(h) is a set of paired points with distance h and N(h) is the number of pairs in s(h).. For a selection of lags h₁, h₂, .... h_k such that N (h₁) > O. we obtain a ktuple of (semi) positive definite matrices $\bar \gamma ^ * (h_{ 1} ),. . . ., \bar \gamma ^ * (h_{ k} )$ . We want to determine an orthonormal matrix B which simultaneously diagonalizes the $\bar \gamma ^ * (h_{ 1} ),. . . ., \bar \gamma ^ * (h_{ k} )$ or nearly diagonalizes them in the sense that the sum of squares of offdiagonal elements is small compared to the sum of squares of diagonal elements. If such a B exists, we linearly transform $\overline Z (x)$ by $\overline Y (x) = B\overline Z (x)$ . Then, the resulting vector function $\overline Y (x)$ has less spatial correlation among its components than $\overline Z (x)$ does. The components of $\overline Y (x)$ with little contribution to the variogram structure may be dropped, and small crossvariograms fitted by straightlines. Variogram models obtained by this scheme preserve the negative definiteness property of variograms (in the matrix-valued function sense). A simplified analysis and computation in cokriging can be carried out. The principles of this scheme arc presented in this paper.     

Diploptene: an indicator of terrigenous organic carbon in Washington coastal sediments

The pentacyclic triterpene 17 beta(H),21 beta(H)-hop-22(29)-ene (diploptene) occurs in sediments throughout the Columbia River drainage basin and off the southern coast of Washington state in concentrations comparable to long-chain plantwax n-alkanes. The same relationship is evident for diploptene and long-chain n-alkanes in soils from the Willamette Valley. Microorganisms indigenous to soils and soil erosion are indicated as the biological source and physical process, respectively, for diploptene in coastal sediments. Similarity between the stable carbon isotopic composition (delta 13CPDB) of diploptene isolated from soil in the Willamette Valley (-31.2 +/- 0.3%) and from sediments deposited throughout the Washington coastal environment (-31.2 +/- 0.5%) supports this argument. Values of delta for diploptene in river sediments are variable and 8-17% lighter, indicating that an additional biological source such as methane-oxidizing bacteria makes a significant contribution to the diploptene record in river sediments. Selective biodegradation resulting from a difference in the physicochemical association within eroded particles can explain the absence of the more-13C-depleted form of diploptene in Washington coastal sediments, but this mechanism remains unproven.     

地电台址大范围介质条件的数值模拟研究

本文取两类震源模型,即“闭锁”模型和“膨胀”模型进行数值模拟,计算了大范围层状介质在多种不同组合情况下,其应力、应变场的分布,并进而计算了由附加应力、应变产生的视电阻率变化量。结果表明,不同介质组合对地电阻率前兆异常观测的影响不同,有利于发现前兆异常的大范围介质条件是:(1)坚硬层孕震;(2)孕育地震的高强度坚硬层要薄;(3)地表疏松覆盖层不能太厚。此外,计算结果还表明,地电台站探测范围内的介质力学,电性条件对前兆异常观测也有重大影响。     

Characteristics of afferent activity of ampullary electroreceptors in catfish Parasilurus asotus

The spontaneous and evoked activity of electroreceptors were electrophysiologically studied. The results are:

井下记录的PP和SS震相

本文在系统分析静海台井下地震记录图的基础上,发现并解决了具有一定实际和理论意义的两个问题:其一是证明了最初误认为是干扰的“双脉冲”图形实际上均是微地震。从而指出研究静海周围地区的地震活动性应考虑微震活动问题。其二确认静海周围地区微震波形的4个主要震相是P、PP、S和SS,并对地面反射波PP和SS能够观测到的条件作了初步分析,其结果进一步说明井下地震记录较之地面记录更为“逼真”,复杂和丰富。     

冀西北长城纪宣龙式铁矿层中微体植物化石的发现及其意义

本文研究的是笔者等在冀西北长城系串岭沟组宣龙式铁矿层中发现的微体植物化石,这些化石都保存在铁质叠层石(肾状赤铁矿)和铁质核形石(鲕状赤铁矿)的基本层中。微化石以丝状体为主,部分为球状体。归属于原核生物蓝藻门颤藻科的两个属和色球藻科的一个属。化石层同位素年龄约在1800—1757Ma。这些化石与北美冈弗林特组微化石比较,既有些相似,又有些区别。该化石的发现为研究铁矿的成因,指示沉积环境及层位对比都很有意义。     

Two methods of orthogonally stepwise discrimination and their applications

In this paper, we describe two methods of discrimination based on MSE ratio and regression, respectively, and an algorithm of orthogonally stepwise discrimination. The method is not limited by the assumption that the sample covariance matrix is not ill-conditioned or singular, and by any assumption about the distribution of each population as well. So, it has wide range of application to various problems, particularly, to the problem of discrimination with both quantitative and qualitative variables. After variables are selected in the procedure of stepwise discrimination, they need not be rejected. Several examples have been calculated by using the method, and the results are quite satisfying.