Mean Earth'S Equipotential Surface From Topex/Poseidon Altimetry

The geopotential value of W ₀ = (62 636 855.611 ± 0.008) m ² s ^–2 which specifies the equipotential surface fitting the mean ocean surface best, was obtained from four years (1993 - 1996) of TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data (AVISO, 1995). The altimeter calibration error limits the actual accuracy of W ₀ to about (0.2 - 0.5) m ² s ^–2 (2 - 5) cm. The same accuracy limits also apply to the corresponding semimajor axis of the mean Earth's level ellipsoid a = 6 378 136.72 m (mean tide system), a = 6 378 136.62 m (zero tide system), a = 6 378 136.59 m (tide-free). The variations in the yearly mean values of the geopotential did not exceed ±0.025 m ² s ^–2 (±2.5 mm).     

The reflection and transmission of elastic waves at a interface between a transversely isotropic elastic soils and saturated soils

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Seasonal Variability of Adsorption and Exchange Equilibria in Soil Waters

Chemical analyses for major ions have been conducted on waters,collected on an approximately weekly basis over the period April, 1993 toNovember, 1996, that drain three small experimental ecosystems(sandboxes) at Hubbard Brook, New Hampshire. One sandbox is planted withpine trees, another with grass, and the third is left bare (actually itis covered sporadically by bryophytes and lichens). Results show linearcorrelations, independent of discharge, between the concentrations ofdissolved Na⁺ and K⁺ on the one hand andCa⁺⁺ and Mg⁺⁺ on the other for all threesandboxes. No correlations between singly charged and doubly chargedcations were found. These correlations are interpreted to represent cationexchange equilibria between soil waters and clay minerals plus soil organicmatter. The correlation slope, representing the exchange constant, for Na vsK is different for the pine-covered sandbox than for the other two whereasfor Ca vs Mg the correlation is independent of the presence or absence oftrees. We interpret this as representing a shift of cation exchangeequilibria in the pine sandbox by the activities of growing trees.Concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg, and H₄SiO₄from the barren and grass-lined sandboxes were found to vary seasonally witha marked sinusoidal pattern which was independent of the discharge from eachsandbox. (The discernment of a similar pattern in the tree lined sandbox wasdifficult due to a lack of discharge over much of the year.) Concentrationmaxima occurred in August and minima in February, and there is a closeparallelism with soil temperature. We interpret this as representingtemperature induced variations in cation exchange equilibria and silicaadsorption. Independence from highly varying water discharge, e.g.,. thataccompanying severe rainstorms, indicates rapidly re-attained equilibrium.Variations in the concentrations of cations are likely due to exchange withunmeasured cations, probably H⁺ or dissolved Al species, as aresult of possible seasonal changes in internal acid production and externalinput of acid rain to the sandboxes. Internal production may represent aresponse to seasonal changes in respiration rate as it responds toseasonally varying temperature. Added to this is the effect of temperatureon exchange equilibrium. Seasonal variations in dissolved silica are mostlikely due to the dependence of adsorption/desorption equilibria ontemperature. The temperature dependence of a number of silica-consumingreactions are consistent with the measured values.     

An Optical Intermediate Dispersion Spectrograph for the GTC

ODIN is an international consortium constituted to design and build a first-light multi-purpose optical intermediate dispersion spectrograph for the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC, 10-m) to be installed at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma). This instrument should fulfill an important fraction of the needs of the Spanish astronomical community in optical spectroscopy performed at large telescopes, and must be highly competitive in a variety of research fields. We are proposing a spectrograph that will be capable of providing multi-object observations by means of optical fibers, integral field spectroscopy, and also multi-integral fields. It will be mounted at the Nasmyth focus of the GTC. One of the main drivers of our proposal is to cover the whole visible range allowed by the atmospheric cut-off with the highest efficiency, particularly at the UV end. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

水泥粉体深层喷射搅拌桩复合地基处理及其效果

水泥粉体深层喷射搅拌桩与干振碎石桩〔１〕、干振灰土桩等一样,也是处理松软地基土的一种有效方法。但与干振碎石桩等其他挤密型复合地基处理方法不同,水泥粉体深层喷射搅拌桩属于摩擦桩型。由于天然地基土对桩体的侧摩擦力和端阻力的共同作用,使复合地基的承载力大幅度提高。然而人们普遍认为,水泥粉体深层喷射搅拌桩法复合地基处理不能解决场地土的液化问题。本文通过工程实例和瑞雷波检测结果,证实了该方法处理的复合地基,除了承载力有较大幅度的提高外,地基土的抗液化能力也可以得到相应的加强。     

Intelligence-Aided Seismic Zonation System IASHES

In this paper,the structure of the intelligence-aided seismic zonation system IASHES and its validation are briefly introduced.Emphasis is placed on the two rank scheme of potential seismic source areas; an expert subsystem for estimating the seismicity trends of rank A source areas; an expert subsystem for delineation of rank B source areas; an expert subsystem for judgment of upper limit of magnitude of rank B source areas,and an improved procedure for determination of weighting factors of rank B source areas,which is specially suitable to ES(Expert systems).     

Decrease in the mechanical energy of the solar system due to tidal friction

Summary The total decrease in the mechanical energy of the Solar System due to the tidal friction during its whole history has been estimated at 1·7 × 10³³ kg m² s^–2 which is about 0·85% of its present energy integral. The main contributions come from Sun-Jupiter (63·4%), Sun-Saturn (26·6%), Sun-Neptune (5·9%), Sun-Uranus (3·7%), all satellite systems (0·2%), Sun-Venus (0·1%).     

中国大陆上地幔顶部地震波平均速度分布特征及中新生代陆相盆地成因模式探讨

由中国大陆地震级三维速度图象求取中国大陆上地幔顶部(50—200km深度内)平均速度图,通过它的分布特征分析,结合中国大陆1°×1°平均布格重力异常图,把中国大陆地幔顶部分为5个不同特征的构造域,并探讨了各域内中新生代陆相盆地的成因模式及其动力学原因。     

Poets and narrators from Mendoza and their local perceptions

This article outlines three modalities of relation between literature and geography: the literary work as demonstrative element, the literary work as collective image, and the literary work as analogous process. The verification of the three modalities takes place through an approachment to the local literature using a geographical concept, namely region, and a particular area: the province of Mendoza, in western Argentina. Ten literary works of different genre were selected to which content analysis was applied. First the relevance of these representations at the initiation of geographical research is verified and then the way in which they stimulate the definition of problems and the formulation of hypotheses is addressed.