Observations of the structure and evolution of solar flares with a soft X-ray telescope

132 soft X-ray flare events have been observed with The Aerospace Corporation/Marshall Space Flight Center S-056 X-ray telescope that was part of the ATM complement of instruments aboard Skylab. Analyses of these data are reported in this paper. The observations are summarized and a detailed discussion of the X-ray flare structures is presented. The data indicated that soft X-rays emitted by a flare come primarily from an intense well-defined core surrounded by a region of fainter, more diffuse emission. Loop structures are found to constitute a fundamental characteristic of flare cores and arcades of loops are found to play a more important role in the flare phenomena than previously thought. Size distributions of these core features are presented and a classification scheme describing the brightest flare X-ray features is proposed. The data show no correlations between the size of core features and: (1) the peak X-ray intensity, as indicated by detectors on the SOLRAD satellite; (2) the rise time of the X-ray flare event, or (3) the presence of a nonthermal X-ray component. An analysis of flare evolution indicates evidence for preliminary heating and energy release prior to the main phase of the flare. Core features are found to be remarkably stable and retain their shape throughout a flare. Most changes in the overall configuration seem to be the result of the appearance, disappearance or change in brightness of individual features, rather than the restructuring or re-orientation of these features. Brief comparisons with several theories are presented.     

Salinivibrio sp.YH4胞外丝氨酸蛋白酶EYHS耐盐性及生物信息学分析

摘要：目的 探讨菌株Salinivibrio sp.YH4分泌的丝氨酸蛋白酶EYHS的耐盐性及结构特征。方法 明胶底物酶谱法分析EYHS的耐盐性。应用生物信息学手段对EYHS及6种耐盐的S8家族丝氨酸蛋白酶结构特征进行分析。结果 EYHS在4 mol/L的NaCl溶液中仍具有活性,属于耐盐蛋白酶。EYHS及6种S8家族丝氨酸蛋白酶分子表面的loop区等无规则卷曲所占比例较高,α-螺旋与β-片层则主要位于酶分子内部。EYHS分子表面酸性氨基酸含量较高,且具有弱疏水内核。多序列比对发现蛋白酶的催化三联体两侧存在高度保守的基序和保守的极性氨基酸及芳香族氨基酸,并存在多个保守的Gly与Ala。同源模建和表面电荷分布显示,α螺旋和β片层围成了蛋白酶的催化腔,EYHS活性中心包含由Asp32、His65与Ser215组成的催化三联体,且催化位点区域表面静电势为负。结论 上述结构特征可能有助于耐盐丝氨酸蛋白酶EYHS在高盐环境下维持其稳定性和适度柔性,并有助于其催化功能的发挥,为深入研究耐盐丝氨酸蛋白酶的高盐环境适应性提供了一定的理论依据。     

Martian rampart crater ejecta: Experiments and analysis of melt-water interaction

Viking images of Martian craters with rampart-bordered ejecta deposits reveal distinct impact ejecta morphology when compared to that associated with similar-sized craters on the Moon and Mercury. Topographic control of distribution, lobate and terraced margins, cross-cutting relationships, and multiple stratigraphic units are evidence for ejecta emplacement by surface flowage. It is suggested that target water explosively vaporized during impact alters initial ballistic trajectories of ejecta and produces surging flow emplacement. The dispersal of particulates during a series of controlled steam explosions generated by interaction of a thermite melt with water has been experimentally modeled. Preliminary results indicate that the mass ratio of water to melt and confining pressure control the degree of melt fragmentation (ejecta particle size) and the energy and mode of melt-ejecta dispersal. Study of terrestrial, lobate, volcanic ejecta produced by steam-blast explosions reveals that particle size and vapor to clast volume ratio are primary parameters characterizing the emplacement mechanism and deposit morphology. Martian crater ramparts are formed when ejecta surges lose fluidizing vapors and transported particles are deposited en masse. This deposition results from flow yield strength increasing above shear stress due to interparticle friction.     

青藏高原古人类的艺术创作——基于中更新世手脚印形态分析

在第二次青藏科考过程中,作者在西藏自治区拉萨市邱桑村的古泉华沉积上新发现了由5个手印和5个脚印组成 “岩面艺术” （parietal art）。对这一“岩面艺术”进行解剖学测量、3D 模型模拟、铀系测年和手脚印形态分析后,得到以下认识：① “岩面艺术”是在泉华没有成岩之前由古人类有意压上去的;② “岩面艺术”所在岩层的U/Th年代为226~169 ka B.P.,这其中包含一个手指印岩层的表面直接年龄（207~188 ka B.P.）;③ 这一发现是迄今为止发表的古人类在青藏高原上活动的最早记录之一,也为古人类适应高寒、低氧环境提供了新的证据;④ 此岩面艺术是目前世界上已知的最古老的艺术,上面的手印也是古人类留下的最早的手印;⑤ 这一原始的岩面艺术表明,创作它的古老人种可能具有一定的认知和空间感知能力,此岩面艺术的发现也将有可能改写人类艺术史,并且加深我们对已消失的古人类认知水平的认识。     

Estimation of uncertainties in eigenspectral estimates from decaying geophysical time series

Summary. The response of many dynamical systems to an impulse is a linear combination of decaying cosines. The frequencies of the cosines have generally been estimated in geophysics by periodogram analysis and little formal indication of uncertainty has been provided. This work presents an estimation procedure by the methods of complex demodulation and nonlinear regression that specifically incorporates in the basic model the decaying aspect of the cosines (periodogram analysis does not). The use of plots of the instantaneous phase as a function of time is shown to greatly enhance resolution. Expressions for the variances of eigenfrequencies, amplitudes, phases and damping constants Q are derived by non-linear least-squares. The results are illustrated, for the problem of the free oscillations of the Earth, by computations with the record made at Trieste of the Chilean earthquake of 1960 May 22. Sample values are periods and standard errors of 737.79 ± 0.13 s, 506.25 ± 0.13 s and 429.60 ± 0.14 s for ₀ T ₈, ₀ T ₁₃ and ₀ T ₁₆ with Q values and standard errors of 200 ± 14, 230 ± 28 and 215 ± 30, respectively.     

1961-2008年中国西南地区极端气候变化幅度的海拔效应(英文)

A total of 12 indices of temperature extremes and 11 indices of precipitation ex-tremes at 111 stations in southwestern China at altitudes of 285-4700 m were examined for the period 1961-2008. Significant correlations of temperature extremes and elevation in-cluded the trends of diurnal temperature range, frost days, ice days, cold night frequency and cold day frequency. Regional trends of growing season length, warm night frequency, coldest night and warmest night displayed a statistically significant positive correlation with altitude. These characteristics indicated the obvious warming with altitude. For precipitation extreme indices, only the trends of consecutive dry days, consecutive wet days, wet day precipitation and the number of heavy precipitation days had significant correlations with increasing alti-tude owing to the complex influence of atmospheric circulation. It also indicated the increased precipitation mainly at higher altitude areas, whereas the increase of extreme precipitation events mainly at lowers altitude. In addition, the clearly local influences are also crucial on climate extremes. The analysis revealed an enhanced sensitivity of climate extremes to ele-vation in southwestern China in the context of recent warming.     

Measurements of radio noise at 0.700 mc and 2.200 mc from a high-altitude rocket probe

Radio noise observations at frequencies of 0·700 Mc and 2·200 Mc were made at altitudes between 3000 and 11,000 km from a Blue Scout Jr. high-altitude rocket probe on 30 July 1963. A steady background flux of (7·5₋₃⁺⁶) × 10⁻¹⁹ W m⁻²)(c/s)⁻¹ at 0·700 Mc and (1·8^+1.0_−0.5 × 10⁻¹⁹ W m⁻² (c/s)⁻¹ at 2·200 Mc was observed. Assuming a galactic origin of the observed fluxes at both frequencies, the averaged sky brightnesses are b(0·700 Mc) = (6₋₃⁺⁵) × 10⁻²⁰ W m⁻² (c/s)⁻¹ sr⁻¹b(2·200 Mc) = (1.4^+1.0_−0.5 × 10⁻²⁰ W m⁻² (c/s)⁻¹ sr⁻¹ The observed brightness at 2·200 Mc is in reasonable agreement with the results of other observers. The apparent brightness at 0·700 Mc is, however, greater than was expected from previous observations. An alternative source of the 0·700 Mc flux in the terrestrial exosphere, as well as characteristics of several noise bursts observed during the flight, is briefly discussed.     

土地利用变化空间模拟的进展--CLUE-S模型及其应用

土地利用变化的空间模拟是进行土地利用情景分析的重要基础。本文在介绍了国际上常用的细胞自控模型(CA)、土地利用变化及效应模型(CLUE)的基础上,重点分析了小尺度土地利用变化及效应模型(CLUE-S)的方法,并以邯郸地区为例进行了案例研究。认为CLUE-S模型采取经验模型的方法,通过建立土地利用空间分配和驱动因子之间的统计关系模拟近期土地利用变化的情景。同时也考虑了不同土地利用方式之间的竞争关系,因此可以较好地模拟小尺度地区的近期土地利用变化情景;考虑到短期或近期土地利用变化的因子主要与人类的社会经济活动有关,而社会经济因子的空间化尚存在一定难度。因此,突破这一瓶颈成为CLUE-S模型发展和应用的关键;CLUE-S模型主要解决的是不同空间尺度上的土地利用空间分配问题,在土地生产潜力评价、土地利用规划等方面具有广阔的应用前景。     

The effect of cracks on the thermal expansion of rocks

Thermal expansion during the first heating cycle at atmospheric pressure was measured in several directions in seven igneous rocks between 25° and 400°C at slow heating rates. The coefficient of thermal expansion measured under these conditions increases more rapidly as temperature is increased than the average thermal expansion coefficient of the constituent minerals. The “extra” expansion is attributed to the formation of cracks by differential expansion of mineral grains. The presence of such cracks in the rocks during the cooling part of the cycle and during any subsequent heating and cooling cycles will result in a substantial decrease in the coefficient of thermal expansion as compared to that measured during the first heating cycles. The effect of cracks initially present in a rock was studied by measuring the full tensor of the coefficient of thermal expansion on two rocks with anisotropic crack distributions. In these two rocks the coefficient of thermal expansion is least in the direction perpendicular to the plane of greatest crack concentration. The implication of our data is that thermal expansion depends greatly on the fracture state of the rock. Both the fractures in the rock and the boundary conditions on the rock are significant for the interpretation of thermal expansion measurements and for their application to other problems.