Constraining Brans–Dicke Cosmology with the CSST Galaxy Clustering Spectroscopic Survey

The Brans-Dicke(BD) theory is the simplest Scalar-Tensor theory of gravity,which can be considered as a candidate of modified Einstein’s theory of general relativity.In this work,we forecast the constraints on BD theory in the CSST galaxy clustering spectroscopic survey with a magnitude limit ～23 AB mag for point-source 5_σdetection.We generate mock data based on the zCOSMOS catalog and consider the observational and instrumental effects of the CSST spectroscopic survey.We predict galaxy power s...     

Local high-temperature phenomena within magnetic clouds

In this study,three methods were used to analyze 17 large-scale local high-temperature regions with durations exceeding 2 h within magnetic clouds(MCs)observed by advanced composition explorer from 1998 to 2008.Results show that five of these large-scale regions may have been caused by flare heating;seven of the regions may have been caused by nonuniform expansion when MCs propagated in the solar-terrestrial space;four large-scale high temperature regions may likely result from combined non-uniform expansion and flare heating;and only one large-scale local high-temperature region was not related to either flare heating nor non-uniform expansion.No evidence indicated that magnetic reconnection occurred or had occurred within the high-temperature regions.Based on our results,we infer that such local high-temperature phenomena within MCs are caused primarily as a result of flare heating and non-uniform expansion,either separately or jointly,and that magnetic reconnection plays only a minor role in the formation of high-temperature regions.     

Intensification of the East Asian Monsoon in Southern China at about 300–400 kaBP Inferred from Eolian Deposits in the Middle-lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

In the East Asian monsoon region,eolian deposits widely distributed in the middle-lower reaches of the Yantgze River are among the best materials available for studies on Quaternary climate change in the subtropical zone of Southern China.Typical eolian deposits in this region include upper Xiashu Loess(XL) and underlying Vermiculated Red Soil(VRS) layers.In this paper,chronological and paleoclimatic studies are conducted on an eolian deposit sequence near Jiujiang(JJ) city in northern Jiangxi province.A magnetostratigraphic study,combined with optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) dating,is conducted on the JJ section and provides further evidence that eolian deposits in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River have been formed since the late Early Pleistocene,and that the boundary age between the XL and VRS layers is about 300-400 kaBP.In grain-size records of the JJ section,the median grain-size and content of the 30 μm size fraction increase sharply after 300-400 kaBP,representing an East Asian winter monsoon intensification event.Further pollen analysis reveals differing pollen assemblages before and after 300-400 kaBP:there is an evident increase in plants adapted to grow in a warm humid environment after 300-400 kaBP,implying an increase in precipitation caused by intensification of the East Asian summer monsoon.Global ice volume and uplift of the Tibet Plateau(TP) are regarded as crucial factors influencing variations of the East Asian monsoon on a long-term scale.The deep-sea δ~(18)O record,which reflects variations in global ice volume,shows no obvious change after 300-400 kaBP.Moreover,the influence of global ice volume changes on the East Asian summer and winter monsoons is inverse;the global ice volume increase(decrease) implies a strengthened(weakened) winter monsoon and weakened(strengthened) summer monsoon.We therefore interpret the coupled intensifications of the East Asian summer and winter monsoons at about 300-400 kaBP to the uplift of the TP in the Middle Pleistocene.This climate event is also documented in eolian deposits from the southern margin of the Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP) and from the desert-loess transitional belt.However,it is not recorded in the loess-paleosol sequences from the central part of the CLP,thereby indicating differing climate responses to TP uplift in different regions,which requires further study.     

Semiconducting Mineralogical Characteristics of Natural Sphalerite Gestating Visible-light Photocatalysis

Abstract: Natural sphalerite as a natural cost-effective photocatalyst was characterized and its visible light photocatalytic activity was investigated in terms of substituting ions, impurity phases and surface defects. The substitutions of metal ions for Zn2+ alter the band structure and result in the visible light response. The coexistence of impurity semiconductors and nanosized particles in natural sphalerite samples help to prolong the lifetime of electron-hole pairs. The cleavage planes and fracture surfaces improve the photocatalytic activity of natural sphalerite by providing more active sites than perfect faces. Both the negative charge defects from the non-isoelectronic substitutions and surface elements with variable chemical valence suppressed the recombination of electron-hole pairs by their possible role of capturing photogenerated holes.     

Data Analysis of Chang’E-1 Gamma-Ray Spectrometer and Global Distribution of U, K, and Th Elemental Abundances

Gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS) is one of the main payloads on the Chang’E-1 (CE-1) lunar probe, mainly aimed to detect the elemental abundances and distributions on the lunar surface. At 03:58 on 28 November 2007, it performed the first observation of the lunar gamma rays. As of 24 October 2008, 2105?h of effective gamma rays spectra had been acquired by CE-1 GRS, which covers the whole surface of the moon. This paper mainly describes the data processing procedures and methods of deriving the elemental abundances by using the CE-1 GRS time series corrected spectra: first, to bin data into pixels for mapping; then, to perform a background deduction of the cumulative spectra and obtain a peak area of the elements; and finally, to use the elemental abundances inversion model to produce the elemental abundances. Based on these processing methods, the global abundance maps of U, K, and Th at a 5°×5° equal-area pixel are acquired by CE-1 GRS data. The paper gives a preliminary analysis of the uncertainties of the elemental abundances     

The South China Sea Monsoon Experiment(SCSMEX) Implementation Plan

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The Dynamical Influence of Land－Sea Contrast and Sea Surface Temperature on Intraseasonal Oscillation in Tropical Atmosphere

An equatorial β-plane model which includes realistic non-uniform land-sea contrast and the underlying surface temperature distribution is used to simulate the 30-60 day oscillation (LFO) processes in tropical atmosphere, with emphasis on its longitude-dependent evolution and convective seesaw between Indian and the western Pacific oceans.The model simulated the twice-amplification of the disturbances over Indian and the western Pacific oceans while they are travelling eastward. It reproduced the dipole structure caused by the out-of-phase oscillation of the active centres in these two areas and the periodical transition between the phases of LFO. It is suggested that the convective seesaw is the result of interaction of the internal dynamics of tropical atmosphere with the zonally non-uniform thermal forcing from underlying surface. The convective activities are suppressed over Indonesia mari-time continents whilst they are favoured over the Indian Ocean and western Pacific warm waters, so there formed two active oscillation centres. The feedback of convection with large-scale flow slows down the propagation of disturb-ances when they are intensifying over these two areas, therefore they manifest a kind of quasi-stationary component to favor the ‘dipole’ structure. Whereas the disturbances weaken and speed up over the eastern Pacific cold water re-gion due to the interaction of sensible heating and evaporation with perturbational wind. Therefore the two major centers just show out-of-phase oscillation during onecycle around the latitudinal beltBy introducing the SST anomalies in El Ni?o and La Ni?a years into the surface temperature, we also show that they have significant influence on LFO processes. In an anomalously warm year, the LFO disturbances dissipate more slowly over the central-eastern Pacific region and can travel farther eastward; whilst in an anomalously cold year, the opposite is true.     

Record Arctic Ozone Loss in Spring 2020 is Likely Caused by North Pacific Warm Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies

Record ozone loss was observed in the Arctic stratosphere in spring 2020. This study aims to determine what caused the extreme Arctic ozone loss. Observations and simulation results are examined in order to show that the extreme Arctic ozone loss was likely caused by record-high sea surface temperatures(SSTs) in the North Pacific. It is found that the record Arctic ozone loss was associated with the extremely cold and persistent stratospheric polar vortex over February–April, and the extremely cold vortex was a result of anomalously weak planetary wave activity. Further analysis reveals that the weak wave activity can be traced to anomalously warm SSTs in the North Pacific. Both observations and simulations show that warm SST anomalies in the North Pacific could have caused the weakening of wavenumber-1 wave activity, colder Arctic vortex, and lower Arctic ozone. These results suggest that for the present-day level of ozone-depleting substances, severe Arctic ozone loss could form again, as long as certain dynamic conditions are satisfied.     

Centrifuge modelling of ground-borne vibrations induced by railway traffic in underground tunnels

Increased attention has been given to ground-borne vibrations induced by railway vehicles and to the effects of these vibrations as they propagate through the ground into nearby buildings.Various studies,mainly based on numerical methods as well as physical modelling,have been carried out to investigate this problem.To study the dynamic response of tunnels and the surrounding soil due to train-induced vibration loads,a centrifuge te st was conducted with a small-scale model in 1 g and 50 g stres...