Turning points in black holes astrophysics

Black hole astrophysics is expected to have a major breakthrough any day. Theoretical understanding is well advanced, so the breakthrough has to come from observers. Conclusive and direct evidence of event horizons, signatures of tidal deformation of gas clouds (and eventual disappearance of matter behind horizons) could be obtained in matter of months. At this juncture, we wish to summarize how the subject came to this stage and what is the state-of-the-art flow solution around a black hole. We touch upon the most crucial issue of (un)predictability of this subject. We believe that if viscosity is roughly what MRI simulations are pointing to us, we still require very detailed knowledge of properties of the companion, especially time dependent mass transfer from the companion to the black hole.     

Progressive failure leading to the 3 December 2013 rockfall at Puigcercós scarp (Catalonia,Spain)

A detailed analysis of the pre-failure behavior of the 3 December 2013 rockfall (1,012 m³) occurred on Puigcercós pilot study area (Catalonia, Spain) is presented. The exact date of failure was obtained based on a photographic monitoring performed every 4 h. The long-term monitoring (2,217 days) of the rock slope carried out by a Terrestrial LiDAR allowed the early detection of both pre-failure deformation and precursory rockfalls preceding the final failure. By means of the analysis of the pre-failure deformation, four different deformed areas were detected and the tertiary creep phase was observed in three of them. An attempt to predict the time to failure was performed using the Fukuzono’s (1985) method. Furthermore, the temporal evolution of the precursory rockfalls occurred in those four areas during the progressive failure showed a close resemblance with the exponential pattern of the cumulated displacements at tertiary creep stage. Finally, the study of the meteorological conditions did not show any single triggering factor associated with the final failure. Reversely, the increase in the occurrence of precursory rockfalls on several areas of the slope together with the observed acceleration on the deformation pattern reinforce the role of a progressive degradation of the stability conditions, which ultimately leaded to the 3 December rockfall event.     

Towards More Snow Days in Summer since 2001 at the Great Wall Station,Antarctic Peninsula:The Role of the Amundsen Sea Low

The variation in the precipitation phase in polar regions represents an important indicator of climate change and variability.We studied the precipitation phase at the Great Wall Station and Antarctic Peninsula(AP)region,based on daily precipitation,synoptic records and ERA-Interim data during the austral summers of 1985?2014.Overall,there was no trend in the total precipitation amount or days,but the phase of summer precipitation(rainfall days versus snowfall days)showed opposite trends before and after 2001 at the AP.The total summer rain days/snow days increased/decreased during 1985?2001 and significantly decreased at a rate of?14.13 d(10 yr)?1/increased at a rate of 14.31 d(10 yr)?1 during 2001?2014,agreeing well with corresponding variations in the surface air temperature.Further,we found that the longitudinal location of the Amundsen Sea low(ASL)should account for the change in the precipitation phase since 2001,as it has shown a westward drift after 2001[?41.1°(10 yr)?1],leading to stronger cold southerly winds,colder water vapor flux,and more snow over the AP region during summertime.This study points out a supplementary factor for the climate variation on the AP.     

Refractory Black Carbon Results and a Method Comparison between Solid-state Cutting and Continuous Melting Sampling of a West Antarctic Snow and Firn Core

This work presents the refractory black carbon(rBC)results of a snow and firn core drilled in West Antarctica(79°55'34.6"S,94°21'13.3"W)during the 2014?15 austral summer,collected by Brazilian researchers as part of the First Brazilian West Antarctic Ice Sheet Traverse.The core was drilled to a depth of 20 m,and we present the results of the first 8 m by comparing two subsampling methods—solid-state cutting and continuous melting—both with discrete sampling.The core was analyzed at the Department of Geological Sciences,Central Washington University(CWU),WA,USA,using a single particle soot photometer(SP2)coupled to a CETAC Marin-5 nebulizer.The continuous melting system was recently assembled at CWU and these are its first results.We also present experimental results regarding SP2 reproducibility,indicating that sample concentration has a greater influence than the analysis time on the reproducibility for low rBC concentrations,like those found in the Antarctic core.Dating was carried out using mainly the rBC variation and sulfur,sodium and strontium as secondary parameters,giving the core 17 years(1998?2014).The data show a well-defined seasonality of rBC concentrations for these first meters,with geometric mean summer/fall concentrations of 0.016μg L^?1 and geometric mean winter/spring concentrations of 0.063μg L^?1.The annual rBC concentration geometric mean was 0.029μg L^?1(the lowest of all rBC cores in Antarctica referenced in this work),while the annual rBC flux was 6.1μg m^?2 yr^?1(the lowest flux in West Antarctica records so far).     

基于Denauit-Hartenbery的高分辨Kirkpatrick-Baez镜成像结构设计与控制方法研究

针对在高能等离子体X射线诊断中的Kirkpatrick-Baez （KB）高分辨显微控制较困难的问题,基于Denauit-Hartenbery （DH）原理,率先提出了双5自由度KB镜成像结构,分析了双机械手的各个连杆坐标系和位姿结构的运动学方程,从理论上分析双5自由度KB镜的像差.在此基础上搭建双5自由度KB镜光路系统,编制了KB镜控制流程,并获取了清晰的十字成像.实验结果表明,该方法设计的双5自由度机械手控制方法可以实现KB镜的精确控制,从而得到高精度分辨成像效果.     

两次华南飑线卫星亮温特征与强对流天气分析

利用Himawari-8高时空分辨率红外亮温资料和ERA-Interim再分析资料,对比冷锋型和暖区型飑线个例("4·13"和"5·6")亮温特征与雷暴大风、地面强降水的关系,结果表明:(1)两次过程的云顶最低亮温、冷云区平均亮温差异小,但两次过程初生阶段云型不同,"4·13"与"5·6"相比,冷云顶面积较小、持续时间较短、移动速度较快;(2)"4·13"("5·6")的亮温梯度大值区主要位于冷云区东南侧(西南侧),与云团移动方向平行(垂直);两次过程雷暴大风与亮温梯度均具有较好的空间对应关系,亮温梯度增大超前于雷暴大风增强,可作为提前预警指标;(3)"4·13"地面强降水集中分布在低亮温区西侧,原因为风暴顶前移导致强降水与冷云区具有空间位置差异;"5·6"地面强降水则与云顶低亮温具有较好的对应关系。     

极端气温和极端降水复合事件的气候特征

基于1961-2014年的中国台站资料,侧重探讨极端气温和极端降水复合事件的气候特征。结果表明,基于客观方法检测出四类极端复合事件：暖湿、暖干、冷湿和冷干。四类事件的频发区分别位于东北地区、华南地区、西藏及华南地区和长江以南及云贵高原一带。全国暖湿、暖干事件频数呈增加趋势,春夏季频发;冷湿事件频数在西藏东北一带呈增加趋势,而在长江流域呈减少趋势,夏秋冬季频发;冷干事件频数呈减少趋势,秋冬季频发。四类极端复合事件经验正交分解的时间序列主模态均表现为年代际信号。进一步分析四类复合事件与能源消费量的联系表明,极端湿事件与能源消费量呈正相关,而极端干事件则相反。     

低层偏南气流对一次暴雨过程的动力作用分析和数值模拟

利用常规观测资料和NCEP再分析资料,对2010年7月22-25日四川盆地西部出现的一次暴雨过程进行了诊断分析.结果表明:暴雨出现在对流层低层南海至四川盆地一直维持偏南气流的环流背景下,暴雨与这支偏南气流的风速演变密切相关,降雨强度随南风气流的增强而增强,南风气流增强所形成的风速辐合及正涡度平流是暴雨的主要动力触发因子,暴雨与低层辐合和正涡度平流区域有很好的对应关系.WRF数值模拟试验进一步表明:850 hPa层3h风速演变对中尺度对流系统的发展具有很好的指示意义,在3h风速增大区域的下风方,未来3h对流云团将迅速发展;盆地西部形成的气流辐合与其西侧的高原地形密切相关.     

西南区域中尺度数值模式预报性能及其与天气过程关系初探

本文以探空站和自动站实测资料为检验参考,通过主客观检验GRAPES和WRF模式在西南地区的初始分析场和预报场,一定程度揭示出模式在西南地区的初值质量、动力框架性能和降水参数化效果。GRAPES在西南地区的位势高度、风速、风向初值质量都不同程度好于WRF,但进入预报阶段,GRAPES位势高度、温度均方根误差以比WRF更高的斜率随时效增长,GRAPES对西南地区的500 hPa高度场预报呈现系统性偏低,而WRF对西南地区高度预报的正误差概率比较高;分类天气过程检验表明,GRAPES对低涡、切变过程的初始分析质量好于WRF,但进入预报阶段,WRF对低槽、低涡和切变三类天气过程的低值系统预报正确率都高于GRAPES,这一定程度反映出WRF的模式性能好于GRAPES;分类天气过程降水预报检验表明,低涡过程降水预报难于低槽过程。GRAPES对低涡过程的降水预报能力较低,WRF预报能力最低的是切变过程。这与模式对分类天气过程中低值系统预报能力一致,这一定程度表明两个模式的降水参数化效果水平相当。