Paleomagnetic age and palaeobiological significance of hominoid fossil strata of Yuanmou Basin in Yunnan

The Yuanmou area in Yunnan Province is a fa-mous place for origin of mankind. Qian Fang et al. found tooth fossils of Yuanmou man in Shangnabang Village of Yuanmou in 1965. Jiang Nengren et al. identified the hominoid teeth from animal fossils un-earthed near Zhupeng Village in the Xiaohe Basin which were delivered by the local peasants. Hominoid fossils were also found in Leilao Village of Yuanmou afterward. These great discoveries have aroused ex-tensive concern in academic circle[1,2…     

Chemical studies of L chondrites. VI: variations with petrographic type and shock-loading among equilibrated falls

To study compositional trends associated with open and closed system metamorphism and/or shock-induced heating of the L4-6 chondrite parent(s), we used ICPMS and RNAA to quantify 51 trace elements in 48 chemically representative fall samples. With these data, we used graphic and two multivariate statistical methods for examining evidence for compositional differences with respect to petrographic type and degree of shock loading. Comparisons of mildly shocked (S1-S3) L5 and L6 suites (9 and 8 chondrites, respectively) yield no convincing statistical evidence for a difference in trace element content. Our multivariate comparisons show a difference on a model-dependent basis, but yield indeterminate results on a model-independent basis. Compositionally, suites of strongly shocked (S4-S6) and mildly shocked L4-6 chondrites (26 and 19 samples, respectively) can be distinguished at statistically significant levels on both model-dependent and -independent bases. In the strongly shocked suite, contents of refractory lithophiles are higher, and siderophiles and volatiles are lower than those of the mildly shocked suite at moderately (p ≤ 0.05) to highly significant (p ≤ 0.01) levels. Our studies suggest that chemical differences from vaporization and loss of volatiles along with metal/silicate partitioning are present from extended cooling of shock-heated bodies produced by intermittent impacts, especially the massive impact(s) that disrupted the L chondrite parent(s) ∼500 Ma ago.     

GEO-REFERENCING WITHOUT GROUND CONTROL

A geo-reference is a global or regional geographical or geodetic coor-dinate system to which sensors or spatial object data are related.Hence,geo-ref-erencing is close to the well known photogrammetric concept of exterior or abso-lute orientation,the common execution of which is indirect,via the use of groundcontrol point.GPS and INS technologies have changed the situation,permittingdirect measurement of position and attitude parameters and making exterior orien-tation feasible without ground control at all,in principle.The analysis of accuracyand reliability performance discloses,however,that especially INS does not yetmeet the high demands of photogrammetry.Moreover,control of systematic er-rors,the problem of datum transformation,and reliability conditions make theuse of some ground control points still mandatory,at least for any high perfor-mance geo-referencing.     

Riyadh and its development

After World War II Saudi Arabia has experienced spectacular changes. Based on huge oil and gas revenues a particularly rapid growth of population and a spectacular urbanization took place. One of the most booming cities in the desert environment of the arabian peninsula is the Kingdoms capital city of Riyadh. With a built-up area of 3.5 km² only before 1950 the city's present-day expansion reaches more than 500 km². During the same period of time the population of Riyadh grew from less than 50,000 in 1945 to more than 1.4 Mio. in 1985. Such an explosive development can be documented best by a satellite image. In this paper the process of urbanization of Riyadh is presented by the interpretation of a MOMS image taken in 1984, documenting the geographic situation, urban structures, and the city's development.     

Shock effects in melilite

Shock recovery experiments on melilite samples in the pressure range from 11 to 50.5 GPa have been performed in order to examine the effects of shock waves on this material. The shocked samples were subsequently studied in the transmission electron microscope. All samples displayed the shock-induced amorphous areas, known as diaplectic glass. The amount of diaplectic melilite glass increased from a few percent at 11 GPa to about 85 percent at 50.5 GPa shock pressure. The shock waves also caused deformational effects as planar faults parallel to (001) and dislocations with a density in the order of 10¹⁰ cm^?2. Regarding the present discussion on the origin and nature of diaplectic glass, diaplectic melilite glass is assumed to be the reversion product of a high-density phase produced in the shock front. Deformed melilites in Ca-Al-rich inclusions from chondritic meteorites studied so far do not contain diaplectic glass. It is assumed that the meteoritic melilites were hot (>1,000° C) and thus plastically deformable by shock waves of rather low amplitudes.     

Development of Emission Models and Improvement of Emission Data for Germany

Measurements and model developments with the objective to improve the quality and resolution of estimations of anthropogenic emissions are described. Measurement results on a chassis dynamometer were used to determine VOC profiles for exhaust gas emissions of passenger cars for different vehicle and fuel types and different driving modes. Further measurements resulted in emission factors and VOC profiles for lignite burning in residential stoves. Using remote sensing techniques benzene emission factors of gas stations and the efficiency of gasoline vapour recovery systems were measured.To improve the quality and the spatial and temporal resolution of emission data, emission models were improved or modified. This was done by elaborating and applying new methods for important emission source categories (e.g., solvent use, road traffic, small combustion) as well as including new data sources in the calculation routines (e.g. emission statements, land use data, import/export indices of solvents). Simultaneously considerable progress was made improving temporal and spatial allocation functions and VOC profiles. With these improvements a large number of anthropogenic emission data sets for 14 different grid projections in Germany and Europe have been generated. An emission scenario for Germany for 2010 suggests that considering air quality directives from the EU and Germany which are in force or in pipeline, German emissions of VOC and NO_x will decrease, but still exceed the national emission ceilings of the EU-NEC directive.     

Cation ordering in omphacite and effect on deformation mechanism and lattice preferred orientation (LPO)

We present microstructural data and lattice preferred orientations (LPOs) of omphacites from a suite of eclogites, from the Adula/Cima Lunga nappe (Central Alps). Our work shows a surprisingly strong correlation between the measured LPO and the ordering state of cations in omphacite. Estimates of deformation temperature from metamorphic petrology, together with measured omphacite compositions and LPOs, determine the field (ordering state), on the omphacite phase diagram, into which each sample falls. LPOs dominated by L-type and S-type signatures are developed in samples that fall in the P2/n field (ordered structure) and C2/c field (disordered structure), respectively.Dislocations with b=1/2−110 or b=[001] are observed in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) in all samples. The former change from a perfect dislocation in the C2/c structure to a partial in P2/n. Any movement of a partial dislocation requires the formation or growth of a stacking fault. Furthermore, in order to pass an obstacle a partial dislocation has to constrict to a unit dislocation. The energy to form a constriction is high in omphacite due to the large separation width. Thus, the activity of the b=1/2−110 dislocation is hindered in the P2/n structure relative to the C2/c structure, which change the balance between the two and might give rise to the different LPOs.     

Introduction to the special issue of the 13th International Symposium on River Sedimentation,Stuttgart, Germany: Experimental and measuring/monitoring research related to sediment issues

正The papers in this issue stem from the 13th International Symposium on River Sedimentation held in September 2016 at the University of Stuttgart,Germany.The Symposiums on River Sedimentation aim to provide a platform for scientists and engineers for fruitful and in-depth knowledge exchange.The objectives are to develop sustainable revitalization and management strategies that address the ongoing negative effects of anthropogenic activities,whilst improving river systems toward a healthy ecological status.The fundamental research and understanding of interactive     

Experimental Study of Small-Scale Mineral Particles in the Atmosphere of Central Asia

An experimental study of small-scale mineral particles in the atmosphere over Kyrgyzstan is carried out. It is shown that the substance of the studied particles corresponds to quartz-enriched minerals, feldspars, layered silicates, minerals containing lime carbonate, etc. Overall, there is a definite correspondence between the mineral particle compositions in the atmosphere of Kyrgyzstan and in the other regions of Central Asia. The constructed size-distribution functions of the particles agree with the results of studying the dust aerosol properties in the deserts of Central Asia obtained in the southwestern part of Tajikistan in 1989.