Photoelectric monitoring of a shell star in perseus

We report on the 3-colour photoelectric monitoring of the shell star in Perseus, discovered in 1978, [1]. On the night of 1983 Feb 4–5, this star still showed obvious light variations, though the amplitude was less than in 1979. On the next night, the light variation was close to the observing error. We surmise that the shell activity is now at a stable phase for a few years.     

Kokchetavite: a new potassium-feldspar polymorph from the Kokchetav ultrahigh-pressure terrane

Kokchetavite, a new polymorph of K-feldspar (KAlSi₃O₈), has been identified as micrometer-size inclusions in clinopyroxene and garnet in a garnet-pyroxene rock from the Kokchetav ultrahigh-pressure terrane, Kazakhstan. Kokchetavite has a hexagonal structure with a =5.27(1) Å, c=7.82(1) Å, V=188.09 ų, Z=1, and is found to be associated with phengite + /-cristobalite (or quartz) + siliceous glass ± phlogopite/titanite/calcite/zircon, occurring as multi-phase inclusions in clinopyroxene and garnet. It is concluded that kokchetavite could not be an exsolution phase in host minerals. Instead, it might be metastably precipitated from an infiltrated K-rich melt during rock exhumation. Alternatively, although less likely, kokchetavite might be derived from dehydration of K-cymrite, which, in turn, was formed at high pressures. In either case, kokchetavite is a metastable polymorph of K-feldspar.     

A Note on Reviving the Goddard Satellite-Based Surface Turbulent Fluxes （GSSTF） Dataset

Accurate sea surface flux measurements are crucial for understanding the global water and energy cycles. The oceanic evaporation, which is a major component of the global oceanic fresh water flux, is useful for predicting oceanic circulation and transport. The global Goddard Satellite-based Surface Turbulent Fluxes Version-2 (GSSTF2; July 1987--December 2000) dateset that was officially released in 2001 has been widely used by scientific community for global energy and water cycle research, and regional and short period data analyses. We have recently been funded by NASA to resume processing the GSSTF dataset with an objective of continually producing a uniform dataset of sea surface turbulent fluxes, derived from remote sensing data. The dataset is to be reprocessed and brought up-to-date (GSSTF2b) using improved input datasets such as a recently upgraded NCEP/DOE sea surface temperature reanalysis, and an upgraded surface wind and microwave brightness temperature V6 dataset (Version 6) from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) produced by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS). A second new product (GSSTF3) is further proposed with a finer temporal (12-h) and spatial (0.25^ox0.25^o) resolution. GSSTF2b (July 1987--December 2008) and GSSTF3 (July 1999--December 2009) will be released for the research community to use by late 2009 and early 2011, respectively.     

清洁发展机制（CDM）造林再造林项目碳汇成本研究——以CDM广西珠江流域治理再造林项目为例

以清洁发展机制（CDM）广西珠江流域治理再造林项目为例,对项目及其5种造林模式临时核证减排量（temporary certified emission reduction,缩写为tCER）和长期核证减排量（long-term certified emission reduction,缩写为lCER）成本的动态变化进行了初步研究。结果表明：从项目期初到期末,整个项目及5种造林模式人工林的tCER成本均逐渐降低,其中项目成本由第一承诺期末的40.33 ￥/t CO₂降至最后承诺期末的13.34 ￥/t CO₂;lCER成本先降低后升高,在第一承诺期末均降至最小值,项目成本由第一承诺期末的40.33 ￥/t CO₂增加至最后承诺期末的105.27 ￥/t CO₂;各造林模式tCER和lCER成本均以枫香+杉木、枫香+马尾松较高,马尾松+荷木、马尾松+栎类较低,桉树最低;贴现率对项目tCER和lCER、桉树tCER、枫香+杉木lCER成本影响均较大,而对马尾松+栎类tCER和lCER成本影响均较小;对桉树一个轮伐期内的tCER成本进行了敏感性分析,单位面积碳贮量的变化对其影响较大;考虑木材收益时,项目期末tCER净现值为13.11 ￥/t CO₂,从中反映了该CDM项目实施是可行的。     

Correlation between local structure and molar ratio of Au (III) complexes in aqueous solution: An XAS investigation

The local and geometrical structure around gold (III) e.g., Au³⁺ ions in aqueous solution with different OH⁻/Cl⁻ molar ratios, has been investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of [AuCl_n(OH)_4−n]⁻ solutions have been calculated and the multiple-scattering spectral features have been attributed to Cl d-states, axial water molecules and the replacement of Cl⁻ ligands by OH⁻ ligands. A square–planar geometry for [AuCl_n(OH)_4−n]⁻ with two axial water molecules has been identified. Moreover, a spectral correlation between XANES features and the type of planar atoms has been identified. By extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra (EXAFS), the planar Au bond distances in the solutions have also been determined, e.g., 2.28 Å for Au–Cl and 1.98 Å for Au–O, respectively. The same EXAFS analysis provides evidence that the peak at about 4.0 Å in solutions with the lowest OH⁻/Cl⁻ molar ratio arises from collinear Cl–Au–Cl multiple-scattering contributions. For the first time, a complete detailed reconstruction of the hydration structure of an Au ion at different pH values has been achieved.     

从多系统年代学(Multi-System Geochronology)透视云开地块古生代-中生代的构造演化

云开地块位于华南板块南缘,经历了麻粒岩-高角闪岩相的高级变质作用,是华南地区为数不多的高级变质地体。研究表明,云开地块在古生代到中生代经历了复杂的构造演化过程,分别记录了早古生代末期、早中生代、晚中生代早期和晚中生代晚期的构造影响。这些构造事件在多系统年代学图上具有很好的表现,系统地揭示了云开地块的地质演化历史。     

Microbially induced calcite precipitation along a circular flow channel under a constant flow condition

Biogrouting is a new ground improvement method that has been studied in recent years. This method involves mainly the use of a microbially induced calcite precipitation process to bind soil particles to increase the strength or to fill in the pores of soil or joints of rock for seepage control. There are two major challenges in the use of biogrout for seepage control through rock joints. The first is how to inject the biogrout solutions, and the second is to understand the mechanisms for the formation of calcite under seepage flow. In this paper, a study on the injection of biogrout solution and the formation of precipitates along a circular 1D flow channel is presented. To minimize the influence of flow, a new one-phase injection method to inject bacterial solution and cementation agents simultaneously was adopted in this study. Factors affecting the formation and distribution of precipitates along the flow channel such as flow velocity, flow rate, and aperture of flow channel were investigated. The experimental results indicated that less calcite was precipitated at locations further away from the injection point due to depletion of the reactants’ concentrations along the flow path. Using the one-phase injection method, the bacterial activity had a major effect on the accumulation of the calcite on the inner surface of the flow channel. The total calcite precipitated on the surface of the flow channel increased slightly with increasing bacterial activity or flow rate. An equation to predict the distance travelled by the biosolution has been derived based on the testing results.

     

Effect of particle shape of glass beads on the strength and deformation of cemented sands

Acta Geotechnica - Few studies have focused on the influence of particle shape on the mechanical properties of cemented sand. To address this lack of information, this study investigated the...     

Rutile inclusions in garnet from a dissolution‐reprecipitation mechanism

Metamorphic garnet commonly contains needle‐like rutile inclusions as well as equant rutile inclusions that surround quartz inclusions and range in size from submicrometer to nanometer. Although the origin of these equant rutile inclusions, that is, exsolution or non‐exsolution, has important implications for petrological and tectonic processes, the crystallographic characteristics of these inclusions have rarely been studied because of the small sizes and analytical difficulties involved. Here, we report the crystallographic characteristics pertinent to the genetic origin of minute equant rutile inclusions in cloudy, nearly spherically shaped garnet domains with Ti‐depleted compositions surrounding quartz inclusions in ultrahigh‐pressure garnet from several diamondiferous Erzgebirge quartzofeldspathic gneissic rock samples. TEM analyses show that the equant rutile crystals in cloudy garnet domains are partially bounded by the low‐energy {100}_rt ± {110}_rt ± {101}_rt facets and have rather random crystallographic orientation relationships (CORs) with the garnet host, with preferential alignment of low‐energy lattice planes, for example, {100}_rt//{112}_grt, for some rutile crystals. Although the rather random CORs are unlikely to be attributed to solid‐state exsolution subjected to the stringent topotactic garnet lattice constraints, the characteristic subhedral {100}_rt ± {110}_rt ± {101}_rt crystal forms of rutile can be rationalized by a metasomatic dissolution‐reprecipitation mechanism via a fluid phase. In this scenario, the quartz+fluid inclusions in garnet were first subjected to decompression microcracking during rock exhumation, followed by dissolution of Ti‐bearing garnet matrix at the crack tips or along the crack surfaces and subsequent reprecipitation of rutile, apatite, gahnite, akdalaite, and Ti‐depleted garnet. The rapid coalescence between rutile and garnet crystals in fluid or direct attachment of rutile crystals onto the dissolving crack surfaces would then yield the rather random CORs as reported here. These results, along with previous work on rutile needles, indicate rather diverse genesis of rutile inclusions in various crystal forms, thus shedding light on the controversial exsolution origin for other inclusion suite/microstructure in minerals.