Climatological observations and predicted sublimation rates at Lake Hoare, Antarctica

In December 1985, an automated meteorological station was established at Lake Hoare in the dry valley region of Antarctica. Here, we report on the first year-round observations available for any site in Taylor Valley. This dataset augments the year-round data obtained at Lake Vanda (Wright Valley) by winter-over crews during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The mean annual solar flux at Lake Hoare was 92 W m-2 during 1986, the mean air temperature -17.3 degrees C, and the mean 3-m wind speed 3.3 m s-1. The local climate is controlled by the wind regime during the 4-month sunless winter and by seasonal and diurnal variations in the incident solar flux during the remainder of the year. Temperature increases of 20 degrees-30 degrees C are frequently observed during the winter due to strong f?hn winds descending from the Polar Plateau. A model incorporating nonsteady molecular diffusion into Kolmogorov-scale eddies in the interfacial layer and similarity-theory flux-profiles in the surface sublayer, is used to determine the rate of ice sublimation from the acquired meteorological data. Despite the frequent occurrence of strong winter f?hns, the bulk of the annual ablation occurs during the summer due to elevated temperatures and persistent moderate winds. The annual ablation from Lake Hoare is estimated to have been 35.0 +/- 6.3 cm for 1986.     

Supply and Removal of Sediment in a Landslide-Dominated Mountain Belt: Central Range, Taiwan

A strong coupling between hillslope and valley systems is often inferred for mountain landscapes dominated by bedrock landsliding. We reveal the nature of this link using data sets on landsliding and sediment transport from two montane catchments draining the eastern Central Range of Taiwan. Here, the magnitude-frequency distribution of landslides can be modeled by a robust power law, but this scale invariance is not mirrored in the sediment discharge at the mountain front. Instead, downstream sediment loads reflect a complex response to both sediment supply and ambient hydraulic conditions. The rivers do not transport significant amounts of sediment unless it is provided by hillslope mass wasting in the catchment. Removal of landslide debris is a function of the transport capacity of the stream at the site of entry; thus, there is a dual supply and transport control on sediment loads in bedrock-floored streams. Over a monitoring period of >25 yr, the bulk of the sediment leaving the mountain belt was supplied by climate-triggered mass wasting. Peaks in water discharge were always closely followed by sediment load maxima, and the rapid decay of the latter indicates an effective removal of most supply. Where an important part of a catchment's sediment yield is derived from interfluves, sediment transport cannot simply be estimated from known water discharge time series, using a sediment rating curve, but requires instead a detailed knowledge of the spatial and temporal patterns of hillslope mass wasting and sediment transfer into the fluvial system.     

化学气相沉积法再生钻石的实验室检测特征研究

再生钻石是使用化学气相沉积法(CVD)以天然钻石为基底再生长合成钻石层,得到具有整体外观的钻石产品。由于再生钻石含有天然钻石的氮杂质信息,传统的合成钻石排查方法和检测流程已不再适用于再生钻石的检测。本文对实验室检出的一颗再生钻石进行了详尽的宝石学测试分析,以建立再生钻石的最佳检测方案。结果显示:常规的显微观察、钻石仪器排查以及红外光谱测试都不能将再生钻石检出。DiamondViewTM多方位发光图像观察该样品呈现清晰的发光分层现象,上层为红色荧光与蓝绿色磷光,下层为深蓝色荧光与惰性磷光;红外透射光谱分区域定点扫描样品上层为IIa型钻石,下层为Ia型钻石;紫外可见吸收光谱分析和光致发光光谱测试显示样品同时具有N3和高浓度[Si-V]-缺陷。综合判定该样品亭部的下半部分为天然钻石,亭部的上半部分和冠部为CVD合成钻石,CVD层厚度约740μm。作为我国首例报道的再生钻石,与国外已报道的同类型样品相比,该样品中分层界限不可见,且合成层厚度呈现明显增长。研究认为,应用多方位发光图像分析及光谱测试技术是再生钻石检测的关键。     

Geochemical tracers to evaluate hydrogeologic controls on river salinization

The salinization of rivers, as indicated by salinity increases in the downstream direction, is characteristic of arid and semiarid regions throughout the world. Historically, salinity increases have been attributed to various mechanisms, including (1) evaporation and concentration during reservoir storage, irrigation, and subsequent reuse; (2) displacement of shallow saline ground water during irrigation; (3) erosion and dissolution of natural deposits; and/or (4) inflow of deep saline and/or geothermal ground water (ground water with elevated water temperature). In this study, investigation of salinity issues focused on identification of relative salinity contributions from anthropogenic and natural sources in the Lower Rio Grande in the New Mexico-Texas border region. Based on the conceptual model of the system, the various sources of water and, therefore, salinity to the Lower Rio Grande were identified, and a sampling plan was designed to characterize these sources. Analysis results for boron (delta(11)B), sulfur (delta(34)S), oxygen (delta(18)O), hydrogen (delta(2)H), and strontium ((87)Sr/(86)Sr) isotopes, as well as basic chemical data, confirmed the hypothesis that the dominant salinity contributions are from deep ground water inflow to the Rio Grande. The stable isotopic ratios identified the deep ground water inflow as distinctive, with characteristic isotopic signatures. These analyses indicate that it is not possible to reproduce the observed salinization by evapotranspiration and agricultural processes alone. This investigation further confirms that proper application of multiple isotopic and geochemical tracers can be used to identify and constrain multiple sources of solutes in complex river systems.     

柴达木北缘发现大型韧性剪切带

<正>柴达木北缘韧性剪切带发育于元古界达肯大坂群中深变质岩以及上奥陶统浅变质火山岩中。是本次研究工作中首次发现并厘定。该韧性剪切带北起苏干湖,经赛什腾山、绿梁山、锡铁山至沙柳河,总体呈北西向展布,全长约600km。带内变形强度并不均一,形成     

格尔木—额济纳旗断面走廊域火成岩－构造组合与大地构造演化

摘要：主要基于火成岩组合讨论了大地构造演化。提出碰撞型蓝片岩是大洋闭合与陆－陆碰撞作用的产物和标志,白云母／二云母花岗岩是陆内俯冲作用的岩石学记录,以钾玄岩系列为主的火成岩组合是水平缩短式陆内造山带边界的标志,造山末期Ａ型花岗岩是造山带崩塌的标志。重建了祁连山—柴达木地区与北山地区的构造演化和造山过程。讨论了新生代陆内造山－岩浆作用,提出了青藏－喜马拉雅陆内造山火成岩的成对性,由此探索了陆内造山过程     

Simulations of Titan's brightness by a two-dimensional haze model

We have used a 2-D microphysics model to study the effects of atmospheric motions on the albedo of Titan's thick haze layer. We compare our results to the observed variations of Titan's brightness with season and latitude. We use two wind fields; the first is a simple pole-to-pole Hadley cell that reverses twice a year. The second is based on the results of a preliminary Titan GCM. Seasonally varying wind fields, with horizontal velocities of about 1 cm sec-1 at optical depth unity, are capable of producing the observed change in geometric albedo of about 10% over the Titan year. Neither of the two wind fields can adequately reproduce the latitudinal distribution of reflectivity seen by Voyager. At visible wavelengths, where only haze opacity is important, upwelling produces darkening by increasing the particle size at optical depth unity. This is due to the suspension of larger particles as well as the lateral removal of smaller particles from the top of the atmosphere. At UV wavelengths and at 0.89 micrometers the albedo is determined by the competing effects of the gas the haze material. Gas is bright in the UV and dark at 0.89 micrometers. Haze transport at high altitudes controls the UV albedo and transport at low altitude controls the 0.89 micrometers albedo. Comparisons between the hemispheric contrast at UV, visible, and IR wavelengths can be diagnostic of the vertical structure of the wind field on Titan.     

A sophisticated lander for scientific exploration of Mars: scientific objectives and implementation of the Mars-96 Small Station

A mission to Mars including two Small Stations, two Penetrators and an Orbiter was launched at Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on 16 November 1996. This was called the Mars-96 mission. The Small Stations were expected to land in September 1997 (Ls approximately 178 degrees), nominally to Amazonis-Arcadia region on locations (33 N, 169.4 W) and (37.6 N, 161.9 W). The fourth stage of the Mars-96 launcher malfunctioned and hence the mission was lost. However, the state of the art concept of the Small Station can be applied to future Martian lander missions. Also, from the manufacturing and performance point of view, the Mars-96 Small Station could be built as such at low cost, and be fairly easily accommodated on almost any forthcoming Martian mission. This is primarily due to the very simple interface between the Small Station and the spacecraft. The Small Station is a sophisticated piece of equipment. With the total available power of approximately 400 mW the Station successfully supports an ambitious scientific program. The Station accommodates a panoramic camera, an alpha-proton-x-ray spectrometer, a seismometer, a magnetometer, an oxidant instrument, equipment for meteorological observations, and sensors for atmospheric measurement during the descent phase, including images taken by a descent phase camera. The total mass of the Small Station with payload on the Martian surface, including the airbags, is only 32 kg. Lander observations on the surface of Mars combined with data from Orbiter instruments will shed light on the contemporary Mars and its evolution. As in the Mars-96 mission, specific science goals could be exploration of the interior and surface of Mars, investigation of the structure and dynamics of the atmosphere, the role of water and other materials containing volatiles and in situ studies of the atmospheric boundary layer processes. To achieve the scientific goals of the mission the lander should carry a versatile set of instruments. The Small Station accommodates devices for atmospheric measurements, geophysical and geochemical studies of the Martian surface and interior, and cameras for descent phase and panoramic views. These instruments would be able to contribute remarkably to the process of solving some of the scientific puzzles of Mars.     

Terraforming: making an Earth of Mars

As we understand more about life on Earth and about the chemical and biological potential of other planets and objects in our solar system, it's not too much of a leap to consider creating a habitable environment on another planet. Scientists have begun to ponder the possibility of transforming Mars, the most Earthlike of the nearby planets. Various scenarios have been proposed, and in many ways these scenarios duplicate the processes that transformed the early Earth. Here we look at some of the possibilities.