Phase transitions in the ISM a source of dissipative behaviour

By considering a simple fluid model, we investigate the role of phase transitions in the ISM on the galaxy- scale gas dynamics. Cooling and heating timescales in the ISM are typically shorter than typical galactic rotation timescales, so the individual phases in the ISM can be assumed to be in temperature equilibrium with the radiation field. Using this approximation we can construct an equation of state which depends upon the average density and mass fractions in the individual phases. Previous studies suggest that there is an equilibrium phase fraction as a function of pressure. We incorporate evolution towards this equilibrium state as a relaxation term with a time to obtain equilibrium . We derive a condition in terms of a critical Mach number when one dimensional shocks should be continuous. For small values of the relaxation time we show that the relaxation term acts like a viscosity. We show with one dimensional simulations that increasing causes shocks to become smoother. This work suggests that phase changes can strongly effect the gas dynamics of the ISM across spiral arms and bars.     

The origin of polygonal troughs on the Northern Plains of Mars

Viking photographs have revealed extraordinary systems of crudely polygonal troughs in three different areas of the northern plains of Mars. Trough widths average 200–800 m and average trough spacing is 5–10 km. The widest troughs have flat floors and steep sides which suggest that they are either grabens or tension cracks which have been partially filled. The following three arguments support the garben interpretation: (1) Two clear examples of vertical offsets along trough walls indicate that the troughs formed by downdropping of the floors. (2) Troughs similar in scale and morphology to those of the Martian northern plains form concentric and radial patterns in the Caloris Basin on Mercury. Most likely, they are extensional fractures or grabens resulting from uplift of the basin floor (Strom et al., 1975). The Caloris analogy suggests that the troughs on Mars are similar tectonic features related either to uplift or expansion of the planet. Fourteen rose diagrams of trough azimuths in southeastern Acidalia Planita show that locally they exhibit preferred orientations roughly parallel to the topographic contours, but overall there is no strong regional pattern. (3) The scale of tension crack systems is limited by the depth of fracturing because the extent of stress relief perpendicular to a crack is proportional to the crack depth. Observations of terrestrial tension cracks suggest a lower limit on crack depths of about one-tenth of the average spacing. Thus, if the Martian troughs are tension cracks, they would be expected to have depths of at least 500–1000 m. Mechanical considerations indicate that it is difficult to generate such deep cracks by surficial tension due to thermal cooling and contraction in permafrost, desiccation, or cooling of lava flows. Deep-seated tension of tectonic origin generally results in normal faults and not tension cracks.     

Heat flow near obstacles in the solar convection zone

Disturbances in the heat flow in the solar convection zone are calculated with a turbulent thermal diffusion coefficient based on a mixing length approximation. As a consequence of the radiative boundary condition at the surface and the strong increase of the diffusion coefficient with depth, the convection zone resembles a thermally superconducting shell enclosed between a thin surface layer and an interior core of low thermal conductivity. Thermal disturbances originating in the convection zone do not penetrate into the interior, and penetrate only weakly through the solar surface. A thermally isolating obstacle buried entirely in the convection zone casts a shadow of reduced temperature at the solar surface; the brightening surrounding this shadow is undetectable. The shadow is weak unless the object is located close to the surface (less than 2000 km). Assuming a sunspot to be an area of reduced thermal conductivity which extends a finite depth into the convection zone, the heat flow around this obstacle is calculated. The heat flux blocked below the spot (missing flux) spreads over a very extended area surrounding the spot. The brightening corresponding to this missing flux is undetectable if the reduction of the thermal conductivity extends to a depth greater than 1000 km. It is concluded that no effect other than a decrease of the convective efficiency is needed to explain the temperature change observed at the solar surface in and around a sunspot. The energy balance is calculated between magnetic flux tubes, oriented vertically in the solar surface, (magnetic elements in active regions and the quiet network) and their surroundings. Near the visible surface radiation enters the tube laterally from the surrounding convection zone. The heating effect of this influx is important for small tubes (less than a few arcseconds). Due to this influx tubes less than about 1 in diameter can appear as bright structures irrespective of the amount of heat conveyed along the tube itself. Through the lateral influx, small tubes such as are found in the quiet network act as little leaks in the solar surface through which an excess heat flux escapes from the convection zone.     

Deep drilling at the Siljan Ring impact structure: oxygen-isotope geochemistry of granite

The Siljan Ring is a 362-Ma-old impact structure formed in 1700-Ma-old I-type granites. A 6.8-km-deep borehole provides a vertical profile through granites and isolated horizontal diabase sills. Fluid-inclusion thermometry, and oxygen-isotope compositions of vein quartz, granite, diabase, impact melt, and pseudotachylite, reveal a complex history of fluid activity in the Siljan Ring, much of which can be related to the meteorite impact. In granites from the deep borehole, ¹⁸O values of matrix quartz increase with depth from near 8.0 at the surface to 9.5 at 5760 m depth. In contrast, feldspar ¹⁸O values decrease with depth from near 10 at the surface to 7.1 at 5760 m, forming a pattern opposite to the one defined by quartz isotopic compositions. Values of ¹⁸O for surface granites outside the impact structure are distinct from those in near-surface samples from the deep borehole. In the deep borehole, feldspar coloration varies from brick-red at the surface to white at 5760 m, and the abundances of crack-healing calcite and other secondary minerals decrease over the same interval. Superimposed on the overall decrease in alteration intensity with depth are localized fracture zones at 4662, 5415, and 6044 m depth that contain altered granites, and which provided pathways for deep penetration of surface water. The antithetic variation of quartz and feldspar ¹⁸O values, which can be correlated with mineralogical evidence of alteration, provides evidence for interaction between rocks and impact-heated fluids (100–300° C) in the upper 2 km of the pluton. Penetration of water to depths below 2 km was restricted by a general decrease in impact-fracturing with depth, and by a 60-m-thick diabase sill at 1500 m depth that may have been an aquitard. At depths below 4 km in the pluton, where water/rock ratios were low, oxygen isotopic compositions preserve evidence for limited high-temperature (>500° C) exchange between alkali feldspar and fluids. The high-temperature exchange may have been a post-impact event involving impact-heated fluids, or a post-magmatic event.     

壳幔混染作用——下扬子区早中生代玄武岩同位素地质特征

下扬子区中生代（231Ma）玄武质火山岩全岩εNd（t）值-8.62～1.92,87Sr/86Sr 值0.7074～0.7179，206Pb/204Pb值为17.786～18.323。岩石中含有前寒武纪捕虏晶锆石。研究表明玄武质岩石可能是由亏损地幔与元古宙地壳岩石混染作用的结果。     

扬子地台钾镁煌斑岩 Nd、Sr、Pb 同位素特征

扬子地台周缘钾镁煌斑岩 Nd、Sr同位素特征介于南非Ⅰ、Ⅱ型金伯利岩和西澳与北美钾镁煌斑岩两种变化趋势之间，不同岩区间同位素组成差异反映地台周边构造性质不同，Pb同位素特征表明晚太古代地幔岩石圈具U亏损特征。     

近1800年以来内蒙古达里湖浮游植物群落演变及驱动因素

湖泊是地质历史上区域生态环境演变的重要载体,其沉积物中包含了丰富的环境演变信息。达里湖是典型的草原内陆封闭型湖泊,位于东亚夏季风的北部边缘,地理位置关键。本研究基于在达里湖采集的约238 cm沉积物岩芯 (GDL-1),通过²¹⁰Pb和¹³⁷Cs (岩芯上部20 cm)、AMS¹⁴C测年,以及沉积物样品中甾醇等生物标志物含量分析,重建了近1800年以来达里湖硅藻、蓝藻等典型藻类含量的演化历史,并结合总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、盐度(Sr/Ba)和温度(T)等环境代用指标,分析藻类群落的主要影响因素。结果显示达里湖典型藻类总量平均为2.03 ng/g(最高6.69 ng/g,最小0.53 ng/g),其中蓝藻占比平均为60%,绿藻和硅藻占比平均为20%;环境因子对硅藻、蓝藻和典型藻类生物量的解释率分别为47.7%、55.20%和48.10%,T、TN和Sr/Ba是影响浮游植物群落的主要影响因素;硅藻占比与温度呈显著负相关,小冰期硅藻占比最高,中世纪暖期占比最低;在达里湖的高盐环境下,湖泊营养盐浓度对藻类的影响受到限制,成为藻类等生长的限制因素;Sr/Ba小于0.9时,硅藻含量与典型藻类总量随着Sr/Ba值的升高而增加,Sr/Ba大于0.9时,典型藻类总量与Sr/Ba值呈负相关关系,而硅藻则表现出对盐度具有一定的耐受性;整体上,近1800年以来,区域或全球性气候事件通过改变达里湖盐度、营养元素浓度和温度来影响典型藻类群落结构。在暖期阶段,蒸发作用增强等导致的湖泊盐度增加成为达里湖典型藻类群落结构演变的主要影响因素;在冷期,营养元素浓度和温度的降低成为湖泊水体浮游植物生物量的主要影响因素。     

人地复合生态系统韧性研究进展及其对海岸带生态系统韧性研究的启示

在全球气候变化与人类高强度开发的双重影响下,人地复合生态系统和受陆海系统交互影响的海岸带地区生态脆弱性更加明显。如何有效把握人地复合生态系统发展动向,合理规划与调控社会经济活动、促进人地关系协调发展一直是可持续发展领域研究的重点课题。韧性作为系统的内在特征,在防范化解灾害风险、维护区域生态安全中发挥着重要作用,是人地复合生态系统可持续发展能力的重要表现。然而,目前关于人地复合生态系统韧性的内涵、评估方法等方面尚未形成统一的范式,韧性的量化评估方法存在较大差异。通过梳理和归纳现有研究成果认为,韧性经历了从工程韧性、生态韧性到演进韧性的转变,其概念及内涵仍在不断拓展与深化;总结对比了基于过程形成性和状态总结性的韧性评估方法发现,将韧性作为过程与结果的综合评估研究仍较为缺乏;在抵抗扰动、维持稳定和协调发展的韧性理念下,生态系统的保护与修复等将是区域可持续发展应用中人地复合生态系统安全的重要保障。根据人地复合生态系统韧性研究进展的分析结果,结合海岸带生态系统韧性研究的现状及不足,认为未来需要在加强海岸带生态系统韧性内涵挖掘、完善海岸带生态系统韧性评价体系、提高海岸带生态系统韧性监测精度、促进学...