Homochirality as the signature of life: the SETH Cigar

A characteristic hallmark of life is its homochirality: all biomolecules are usually of one hand, e.g. on Earth life uses only L-amino acids for protein synthesis and not their D mirror images. It is therefore suggested that a search for extra-terrestrial life can be approached as a Search for Extra-Terrestrial Homochirality (SETH). A novel miniaturized space polarimeter, called the SETH Cigar, is described which could he used to detect optical rotation as the homochiral signature of life on other planets. Moving parts are avoided by replacing the normal rotating polarizer by multiple fixed polarizers at different angles as in the eye of the bee. It is believed that homochirality will be found in the subsurface layers on Mars as a relic of extinct life.     

一次雷害事故的成因分析

１９９７年４月２２日,安顺军分区干休所遭雷电袭击,一栋二层楼房被击中,分析了此次雷电形成及造成雷害的原因,并从防雷环境的角度提出了预防雷害的措施。     

主观概率法算法与程序

在矿产资源评价中,Harris等人倡导的主观概率法曾经有过重大的影响。在七十年代发表的一些文章中,Harris(1973)Whitney(1975)等人,曾对北美的斑岩铜矿进行过系统的评价。据Clark等人1981在联合国教科文组织应我国地质矿产部邀请在北京举办的矿产资源评价专题讨论会上介绍,这种主观概率法也曾成功地用于美国的“阿拉斯加矿产资源评价计划”。该方法的优点是能充分利用对一个地区有经验的地质专家们的经验和判断,能集中许多人的智慧。伴随这些优点而来的缺点是对矿产资源     

川西坳陷中段上三叠统须家河组须五段层序格架与沉积相北大核心CSCD

随着四川盆地非常规天然气勘探开发的进展,在实践中长期被视作烃源岩与盖层的上三叠统须家河组五段的勘探潜力逐渐受到重视。综合研究野外露头、岩芯、测井、地震等地质资料,结合前人对四川盆地须家河组的认识成果,依据高分辨率层序地层学理论,建立了川西坳陷须五段层序格架:将须家河组确定为一个巨旋回,须四段—须六段确定为一个超长期旋回,须五段确定为一个长期旋回,并将其细分为三个极不对称的中期旋回。通过野外露头与岩芯观察认为,须五段沉积时研究区处于三角洲前缘远端—滨浅湖的低能环境,特征为水体浅、河流能量弱、供砂不足,使得三角洲砂体以河口坝、远砂坝为主,水下分流河道常在短暂推进后快速退缩,三角洲末端常被波浪作用改造为滩坝沉积。须五段沉积相带的展布受层序演化的控制,6个中期基准面半旋回中,MSC1上升半旋回、MSC2上升半旋回和MSC3下降半旋回的三角洲砂体较为发育。     

新疆塔西河地区8Ma以来沉积环境演化及其构造意义

天山南北麓巨厚的新生代地层记录着天山构造隆升与沉积环境演化的历史。在对新疆塔西河剖面进行磁性地层研究的基础上,通过沉积学分析,确定自8.1M a以来塔西河剖面存在4个沉积相组合,对应的沉积环境演化分为4个阶段:1)在8.10⁵.75M aB.P.之前为浅湖沉积环境;2)在5.75⁴.27M aB.P.为扇三角洲沉积环境;3)在4.27³.44M aB.P.为滨浅湖沉积环境;4)在3.44M aB.P.之后为冲积扇沉积旋回期。塔西河剖面沉积环境演化、岩相与沉积速率的变化等共同揭示出天山自8.1M aB.P.以来先后经历了构造活动稳定期（>5.75M aB.P.）、过渡期（5.75³.44M aB.P.）以及快速强烈间歇性隆升期（<3.44M aB.P.）等3个构造活动阶段,并且自3.44M aB.P.,构造活动有增强的趋势。     

Applications of a total dissolved gas pressure probe in ground water studies

Measurements of dissolved gases have numerous applications in ground water hydrology, and it is now possible to measure the total dissolved gas pressure in situ using a probe. Dissolved gas pressure is measured by submerging a headspace volume with a gas-permeable membrane, allowing dissolved gases in the water to equilibrate with gases in the headspace, then measuring the pressure in the headspace with a pressure transducer. Total dissolved gas pressure (TGP) probes have many potential uses in ground water studies employing dissolved gases, including: (1) determining approximate excess air levels, which may provide information about the time and location of recharge; (2) screening wells for air contamination, which can compromise the accuracy of dissolved gas tracer techniques: (3) detecting a trapped gas phase, which can significantly reduce hydraulic conductivity and impede the transport of dissolved solutes and gases; (4) enabling the use of gas-filled passive diffusion samplers for determining accurate dissolved gas concentrations; and (5) determining relative concentrations of CH4 and CO2 when they are known to be highly abundant. Although TGP probes designed for surface water have been available for several years, TGP probes suitable for ground water applications have only recently become available. Herein we present what are, to our knowledge, the first reported ground water dissolved gas data collected using a TGP probe. We also explain the basic operating principles of these probes and discuss the potential applications listed.