We have produced 22 VLBI images of the TeV blazar Markarian 421 at 11 epochs, including a Space VLBI observation with the HALCA satellite. We measure the speeds of the three innermost jet components to be 0.64±0.33, 0.48±0.09, and 0.06±0.09c (H0=65 km s−1 Mpc−1). Interpretation of these subluminal speeds in terms of the high Doppler factor demanded by the TeV observations is discussed. 相似文献
The primary objectives of coral transplantation are to improve reef ‘quality' in terms of live coral cover, biodiversity and topographic complexity. Stated reasons for transplanting corals have been to: (1) accelerate reef recovery after ship groundings, (2) replace corals killed by sewage, thermal effluents or other pollutants, (3) save coral communities or locally rare species threatened by pollution, land reclamation or pier construction, (4) accelerate recovery of reefs after damage by Crown-of-thorns starfish or red tides, (5) aid recovery of reefs following dynamite fishing or coral quarrying, (6) mitigate damage caused by tourists engaged in water-based recreational activities, and (7) enhance the attractiveness of underwater habitat in tourism areas. Whether coral transplantation is likely to be effective from a biological standpoint depends on, among other factors, the water quality, exposure, and degree of substrate consolidation of the receiving area. Whether it is necessary (apart from cases related to reason 3 above), depends primarily on whether the receiving area is failing to recruit naturally.
The potential benefits and dis-benefits of coral transplantation are examined in the light of the results of research on both coral transplantation and recruitment with particular reference to a 4.5 year study in the Maldives. We suggest that in general, unless receiving areas are failing to recruit juvenile corals, natural recovery processes are likely to be sufficient in the medium to long term and that transplantation should be viewed as a tool of last resort. We argue that there has been too much focus on transplanting fast-growing branching corals, which in general naturally recruit well but tend to survive transplantation and re-location relatively poorly, to create short-term increases in live coral cover, at the expense of slow-growing massive corals, which generally survive transplantation well but often recruit slowly. In those cases where transplantation is justified, we advocate that a reversed stance, which focuses on early addition of slowly recruiting massive species to the recovering community, rather than a short-term and sometimes short-lived increase in coral cover, may be more appropriate in many cases. 相似文献
A simple, unifying approach to classifying quantitatively the susceptibility of catchment soils and surface waters to acidification is suggested. In areas subject to a strong maritime influence, such as the UK and substantial parts of NW Europe, wherever soil mineral weathering rates are low and soils are unfertilised, atmospherically derived base cations of maritime origins have a greater effect than those derived from biogeochemical weathering on the exchangeable soil base cations. This is directly reflected in the relative base cation concentrations of the associated drainage waters, which become increasingly Na-dominated. Using 10 sub-catchments of the River Dee in north-eastern Scotland, it is shown here that the extent of Na dominance, the ratio of Na+ to ΣNa++Ca2++Mg2+, at any point in a river provides a quantitative index of the upstream weathering rate and thus of the susceptibility of the river concerned to acidification under diverse flow conditions. Data from a further 58 sub-catchments from the same river system, and from 4 other catchments from around Scotland, were used to validate this theory. 相似文献
Rock falls represent a large percentage of landslide-related hazards reported by Canadian railways in mountainous terrain. A 54.7?km-long section of railway through the Canadian Cordillera is examined that experiences, on average, 18 rock falls each year. An approach for rock fall hazard management is developed based on quantified risk. The approach focuses on defining railway operation procedures (freight train operations and track maintenance) that comply with quantified risks. Weather-based criteria that define periods when rock falls are more likely to occur along the study area are examined. These criteria are used herein to reduce exposure to rock falls and reduce their consequences. Several freight train operation strategies are proposed that comply with a tolerable level of risk adopted in this study for illustrative purposes. The approach provides a simple, flexible and practical strategy for railway operations that can be regularly adopted by the operators, and that is based on a more comprehensive assessment of quantified risk. 相似文献
The level of Kluane Lake in southwest Yukon Territory, Canada, has fluctuated tens of metres during the late Holocene. Contributions
of sediment from different watersheds in the basin over the past 5,000 years were inferred from the elemental geochemistry
of Kluane Lake sediment cores. Elements associated with organic material and oxyhydroxides were used to reconstruct redox
fluctuations in the hypolimnion of the lake. The data reveal complex relationships between climate and river discharge during
the late Holocene. A period of influx of Duke River sediment coincides with a relatively warm climate around 1,300 years BP.
Discharge of Slims River into Kluane Lake occurred when Kaskawulsh Glacier advanced to the present drainage divide separating
flow to the Pacific Ocean via Kaskawulsh and Alsek rivers from flow to Bering Sea via tributaries of Yukon River. During periods
when neither Duke nor Slims river discharged into Kluane Lake, the level of the lake was low and stable thermal stratification
developed, with anoxic and eventually euxinic conditions in the hypolimnion. 相似文献
Quantifying spatial and temporal dynamics of organic matter (OM) is critical both for understanding ecosystem functioning and for predicting impacts of landscape change. To determine the influence of different habitats and coarse particulate OM (CPOM) types upon floodplain OM dynamics, we quantified aerial input, lateral surface transfer, and surface storage of CPOM over an annual cycle on the near-natural floodplain of the River Tagliamento in NE-Italy. Using these data, we modelled floodplain leaf dynamics, taking account of the spatial distribution and hydrologic connectivity of habitats, and using leaf storage as a response variable. Mean aerial CPOM input to the floodplain was similar from riparian forest and islands, but surface transfer was greater from islands, supporting the suggestion that these habitats act as “islands of fertility” along braided rivers. Leaves were the lateral conveyor of energy to more open parts of the floodplain, whereas CPOM was mainly stored as small wood in vegetated islands and riparian forest. Simulating the loss of habitat diversity (islands, ponds) decreased leaf storage on the whole floodplain, on exposed gravel and in large wood accumulations. In contrast, damming (loss of islands, ponds and floods plus floodplain overgrowth) greatly increased storage on exposed gravel. A random shuffle of habitats led to a storage increase on exposed gravel, while that in large wood accumulations and ponds declined. These results disentangle some of the complexities of CPOM dynamics in floodplain ecosystems, illustrate the value of models in understanding ecosystem functioning at a landscape level, and directly inform river management practice. 相似文献
Gas hydrates are a potential energy resource, a possible factor in climate change and an exploration geohazard. The University of Toronto has deployed a permanent seafloor time‐domain controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) system offshore Vancouver Island, within the framework of the NEPTUNE Canada underwater cabled observatory. Hydrates are known to be present in the area and due to their electrically resistive nature can be monitored by 5 permanent electric field receivers. However, two cased boreholes may be drilled near the CSEM site in the near future. To understand any potential distortions of the electric fields due to the metal, we model the marine electromagnetic response of a conductive steel borehole casing. First, we consider the commonly used canonical model consisting of a 100 Ωm, 100 m thick resistive hydrocarbon layer embedded at a depth of 1000 m in a 1 Ωm conductive host medium, with the addition of a typical steel production casing extending from the seafloor to the resistive zone. Results show that in both the frequency and time domains the distortion produced by the casing occurs at smaller transmitter‐receiver offsets than the offsets required to detect the resistive layer. Second, we consider the experimentally determined model of the offshore Vancouver Island hydrate zone, consisting of a 5.5 Ωm, 36 m thick hydrate layer overlying a 0.7 Ωm sedimentary half‐space, with the addition of two borehole casings extending 300 m into the seafloor. In this case, results show that the distortion produced by casings located within a 100 m safety zone of the CSEM system will be measured at 4 of the 5 receivers. We conclude that the boreholes must be positioned at least 200 m away from the CSEM array so as to minimize the effects of the casings. 相似文献
Calculated hypolimnetic oxygen depletion (HOD) rates depend not only on environmental factors but also logistical ones. In
particular, lack of understanding of the effects of weather in addition to how sampling effort determines calculated HOD rates
complicates ecological understanding and environmental management of lake ecosystems. To better determine the roles of weather
and sampling effort, we combined (1) weekly measurements of temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations from seven
stations in the Sandusky subbasin of Lake Erie’s central basin during 2005, (2) contemporaneous measures of storm activity
and tributary discharge, and (3) a two-dimensional coupled hydrodynamic, chemical, and biological model of Lake Erie to investigate
(1) how increased storm activity and tributary discharge affected short- (daily) and long-term (seasonal) dynamics of hypolimnetic
hypoxia, and (2) how spatial (number of sites sampled) and temporal (sampling frequency) sampling effort affected calculated
HOD rates. Our model closely replicated field-observed DO dynamics. When comparing baseline modeled dynamics to those in a
second simulation with twice the number of days with high winds, however, we found that with more storm activity (1) periods
of entrainment became more frequent, (2) the hypolimnion was warmer, (3) thermal stratification occurred 1 month later, whereas
autumnal turnover occurred at least 1 week earlier shortening the duration of stratification by 1–2 months, and (4) HOD rates
increased 12%. Further, spatial and temporal sampling intensity also affected calculated HOD rates. Consequently, adequately
quantifying actual HOD rates requires sufficient sampling effort and the particular role of weather should be assessed with
rigorous field and simulation studies, especially if HOD rates are used to indicate management success. 相似文献