Interacting Ricci-like holographic dark energy

In a flat Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker background, a scheme of dark matter–dark energy interaction is studied considering a holographic Ricci-like model for the dark energy. Without giving a priori some specific model for the interaction function, we show that this function can experience a change of sign during the cosmic evolution. The parameters involved in the holographic model are adjusted with Supernova data and we obtained results compatible with the observable universe.     

小型激光天文动力学空间计划概念

小型激光天文动力学空间计划是 :使用在太阳轨道上无拖曳航天器和地面站以激光干涉和脉冲测距的方法 ,精确地探讨天文动力学 ,检测相对论与时空基本定律 ,改进探测引力波的灵敏度以及更准确地测定太阳、行星和小行星的参数。 1 969年开始的月球激光 (反射 )测距 ,对地球物理、参考坐标的选定、相对论的检验均有重要的贡献。 3 0年来 ,激光技术的长足进步 ,使现在正是适合于开始进行研究空间有源 (主动 )测距和光波空间通讯的时候。激光天文动力学的兴起是必然的趋势 ,其精确度将比现在提高 3到 6个数量级 ,将是天文动力学革命性的发展。小型激光天文动力学空间计划可以起到带头作用。它的关键技术有三 ,即 :弱光锁相、极精确无拖曳航天和高衰减日冕仪。弱光锁相已有长足的进步。对高衰减日冕仪的研究 ,也有了初步的方案。LISA空间计划将于 2 0 0 6年 8月发射SMART -2 ,研究测试极精确无拖曳航天。小型激光天文动力学空间计划的关键技术已日趋成熟。在第一届国际激光天文动力学研讨会 ( 2 0 0 1 ,9.1 3 -2 3 )中介绍了各相关学科背景及前沿研究 ,讨论了激光天文动力学空间计划科学目标及相关技术 ,并召开了两次小型激光天文动力学空间计划预研究筹备会 ,建立了和欧洲的合作关系。会后着手进行此项对基础     

A statistical study of environmental factors controlling concentrations of heavy metals in the burrowing bivalve Scrobicularia plana and the polychaete Nereis diversicolor

Multiple regression analyses indicate that the most important factors controlling Ag, Cd, Co, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations in the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana and the polychaete Nereis diversicolor are the concentrations of these metals in surface sediments and the partitioning of sediment-bound metals between different sediment constituents. Extraction of the sediments with 1-n HCl provides more information about the bioavailability of the metals than do extractions with five other techniques. Biologically available Cd and Co in solution contribute significantly to Cd and Co concentrations in both Scrobicularia and Nereis. Concentrations of Ag in Scrobicularia are reduced where Cu concentrations in sediments are high. An unexplained increase in concentrations of Cu in Scrobicularia at specific stations in six estuaries suggests that under certain very anoxic conditions the availability of copper may be exceptionally high.     

Fast solar electrons,interplanetary plasma and km-wave type-III radio bursts observed from the IMP-6 spacecraft

IMP-6 spacecraft observations of low frequency radio emission, fast electrons, and solar wind plasma are used to examine the dynamics of the fast electron streams which generate solar type-III radio bursts. Of twenty solar electron events observed between April, 1971 and August, 1972, four were found to be amenable to detailed analysis. Observations of the direction of arrival of the radio emission at different frequencies were combined with the solar wind density and velocity measurements at 1 AU to define an Archimedean spiral trajectory for the radio burst exciter. The propagation characteristics of the exciter and of the fast electrons observed at 1 AU were then conpared. We find that: (1) the fast electrons excite the radio emission at the second harmonic; (2) the total distance travelled by the electrons was between 30 and 70% longer than the length of the smooth spiral defined by the radio observations; (3) this additional distance travelled is the result of scattering of the electrons in the interplanetary medium; (4) the observations are consistent with negligible true energy loss by the fast electrons.     

Soil feedback drives the mid-Holocene North African monsoon northward in fully coupled CCSM2 simulations with a dynamic vegetation model

We explore climate-vegetation interactions in mid-Holocene North Africa with a suite of community climate system model (CCSM2) simulations. The CCSM includes synchronously coupled atmosphere, ocean, sea ice, land, and vegetation models. The CCSMs present-day precipitation for North Africa compares well with simulations of other models and observations. Mid-Holocene data reveal a wetter and greener Sahara compared to the present. The CCSM exhibits a greater, closer to the expected, precipitation increase than other models, and in response, grasses advance from 18.75° to 22.5°N in much of North Africa. Precipitation is enhanced locally by the northward advance of grasses, but suppressed regionally mainly due to an insufficient albedo decrease with the expansion of vegetation. Prior studies have always lowered the surface albedo with the expansion of vegetation in North Africa. In the CCSMs mid-Holocene simulations, the albedo decreases more because wetter soils are simulated darker than drier soils than due to expanding vegetation. These results isolate albedo as the key ingredient in obtaining a positive precipitation-vegetation feedback in North Africa. Two additional simulations support this conclusion. In the first simulation, the deserts sandy soil textures are changed to loam to represent increased organic matter. Soil water retention and grass cover increase; albedo decreases somewhat. Precipitation responds with a small, yet widespread, increase. In the second simulation, a darker soil color is prescribed for this region. Now the monsoon advances north about 4°. These results illustrate a North African monsoon highly sensitive to changes in surface albedo and less sensitive to changes in evapotranspiration.     

Climate change, adaptation and economic growth

This paper explores the links between economic growth and the impacts of climate change. Inclusive, pro-poor growth is central to the development of low-income countries. There is also a broad consensus that growth and development are important to reduce vulnerability to climate change. Growth does not automatically reduce vulnerability, only the right kind of growth does. The paper aims to develop a better understanding of what the ??right kind of growth?? may be. We find that many growth policies, such as investment in skills and access to finance, indeed reduce vulnerability to climate change. However, climate change calls for some adjustments in growth policy. In particular, investment in infrastructure and efforts to stimulate entrepreneurship and competitive markets must take more of a risk management perspective and recognise climate risks.     

Floods in the Sahel: an analysis of anomalies, memory, and anticipatory learning

This study explores the implications of recent extreme rainfall and flood events in the Sahel and the wider West African region for climate change adaptation. Are these events merely a temporal nuisance as suggested by the lingering desertification discourse or will more climatic extremes characterize the region over the next century? After reviewing incidences of severe rainfall and projected future climate variability, the paper examines local flood knowledge and decision-making, drawing upon a case study in Ghana. The data demonstrate that a variety of response strategies to flooding exist; yet, knowledge of and access to climate forecasts and other learning tools are essentially absent. So far, floods have not triggered mass displacement although cumulative environmental deterioration is likely to cause environmental refugees. The paper recommends to lay to rest the desertification narrative, consider the possibility of both floods and droughts, and mobilize local memory for anticipatory learning and practical adaptation.     

Lambda-universe in scalar-tensor gravity

We present a lambda-Universe, in scalar-tensor gravity, reviewing Berman and Trevisan’s inflationary case (Berman and Trevisan in Int. J. Theor. Phys., 2009) and then we find a solution for an accelerating power-law scale-factor. The negativity of cosmic pressure implies acceleration of the expansion, even with Λ<0. The cosmological term, and the coupling “constant”, are in fact, time-varying.      

Lander radioscience for obtaining the rotation and orientation of Mars

The paper presents the concept, the objectives, the approach used, and the expected performances and accuracies of a radioscience experiment based on a radio link between the Earth and the surface of Mars. This experiment involves radioscience equipment installed on a lander at the surface of Mars. The experiment with the generic name lander radioscience (LaRa) consists of an X-band transponder that has been designed to obtain, over at least one Martian year, two-way Doppler measurements from the radio link between the ExoMars lander and the Earth (ExoMars is an ESA mission to Mars due to launch in 2013). These Doppler measurements will be used to obtain Mars’ orientation in space and rotation (precession and nutations, and length-of-day variations). More specifically, the relative position of the lander on the surface of Mars with respect to the Earth ground stations allows reconstructing Mars’ time varying orientation and rotation in space.Precession will be determined with an accuracy better by a factor of 4 (better than the 0.1% level) with respect to the present-day accuracy after only a few months at the Martian surface. This precession determination will, in turn, improve the determination of the moment of inertia of the whole planet (mantle plus core) and the radius of the core: for a specific interior composition or even for a range of possible compositions, the core radius is expected to be determined with a precision decreasing to a few tens of kilometers.A fairly precise measurement of variations in the orientation of Mars’ spin axis will enable, in addition to the determination of the moment of inertia of the core, an even better determination of the size of the core via the core resonance in the nutation amplitudes. When the core is liquid, the free core nutation (FCN) resonance induces a change in the nutation amplitudes, with respect to their values for a solid planet, at the percent level in the large semi-annual prograde nutation amplitude and even more (a few percent, a few tens of percent or more, depending on the FCN period) for the retrograde ter-annual nutation amplitude. The resonance amplification depends on the size, moment of inertia, and flattening of the core. For a large core, the amplification can be very large, ensuring the detection of the FCN, and determination of the core moment of inertia.The measurement of variations in Mars’ rotation also determines variations of the angular momentum due to seasonal mass transfer between the atmosphere and ice caps. Observations even for a short period of 180 days at the surface of Mars will decrease the uncertainty by a factor of two with respect to the present knowledge of these quantities (at the 10% level).The ultimate objectives of the proposed experiment are to obtain information on Mars’ interior and on the sublimation/condensation of CO₂ in Mars’ atmosphere. Improved knowledge of the interior will help us to better understand the formation and evolution of Mars. Improved knowledge of the CO₂ sublimation/condensation cycle will enable better understanding of the circulation and dynamics of Mars’ atmosphere.