A closure study of sub-micrometer aerosol particle hygroscopic behaviour

The hygroscopic properties of sub-micrometer aerosol particles were studied in connection with a ground-based cloud experiment at Great Dun Fell, in northern England in 1995. Hygroscopic diameter growth factors were measured with a Tandem Differential Mobility Analyser (TDMA) for dry particle diameters between 35 and 265 nm at one of the sites upwind of the orographic cloud. An external mixture consisting of three groups of particles, each with different hygroscopic properties, was observed. These particle groups were denoted less-hygroscopic, more-hygroscopic and sea spray particles and had average diameter growth factors of 1.11–1.15, 1.38–1.69 and 2.08–2.21 respectively when taken from a dry state to a relative humidity of 90%. Average growth factors increased with dry particle size. A bimodal hygroscopic behaviour was observed for 74–87% of the cases depending on particle size. Parallel measurements of dry sub-micrometer particle number size distributions were performed with a Differential Mobility Particle Sizer (DMPS). The inorganic ion aerosol composition was determined by means of ion chromatography analysis of samples collected with Berner-type low pressure cascade impactors at ambient conditions. The number of ions collected on each impactor stage was predicted from the size distribution and hygroscopic growth data by means of a model of hygroscopic behaviour assuming that only the inorganic substances interacted with the ambient water vapour. The predicted ion number concentration was compared with the actual number of all positive and negative ions collected on the various impactor stages. For the impactor stage which collected particles with aerodynamic diameters between 0.17–0.53 μm at ambient relative humidity, and for which all pertinent data was available for the hygroscopic closure study, the predicted ion concentrations agreed with the measured values within the combined measurement and model uncertainties for all cases but one. For this impactor sampling occasion, the predicted ion concentration was significantly higher than the measured. The air mass in which this sample was taken had undergone extensive photochemical activity which had probably produced hygroscopically active material other than inorganic ions, such as organic oxygenated substances.     

3D reconstruction from a single image using geometric constraints

Photogrammetry has many advantages as a technique for the acquisition of three-dimensional models for virtual reality. But the traditional photogrammetric process to extract 3D geometry from multiple images is often considered too labour-intensive. In this paper a method is presented with which a polyhedral object model can be efficiently derived from measurements in a single image combined with geometric knowledge on the object. Man-made objects can often be described by a polyhedral model and usually many geometric constraints are valid. These constraints are inferred during image interpretation or may even be extracted automatically. In this paper different types of geometric constraints and their use for object reconstruction are discussed. Applying more constraints than needed for reconstruction will lead to redundancy and thereby to the need for an adjustment. The redundancy is the basis for reliability that is introduced by testing for possible measurement errors. The adjusted observations are used for object reconstruction in a separate step. Of course the model that is obtained from a single image will not be complete, for instance due to occlusion. An arbitrary number of models can be combined using similarity transformations based on the coordinates of common points. The information gathered allows for a bundle adjustment if highest accuracy is strived for. In virtual reality applications this is generally not the case, as quality is mainly determined by visual perception. A visual aspect of major importance is the photo-realistic texture mapped to the faces of the object. This texture is extracted from the same (single) image. In this paper the measurement process, the different types of constraints, their adjustment and the object model reconstruction are treated. A practical application of the proposed method is discussed in which a texture mapped model of a historic building is constructed and the repeatability of the method is assessed. The application shows the feasibility of the method and the potential of photogrammetry as an efficient tool for the production of 3D models for virtual reality applications.     

A continuous seismic profile survey of Windermere

Continuous seismic profile devices, modified for use in freshwater have been used on Windermere to determine the total thickness of lakebed sediments and the morphology of the underlying bedrock. The survey detected two overdeepened irregularly shaped rock basins. The northerly one approaches 110 feet (34 m) below sea level and contains 70 feet (21 m) of sediment. The corresponding dimensions of the Southern basin are 120 feet (37 m) and 130 feet (40 m) respectively. Glacial scouring is postulated as the origin of the rock basins. Some profiles show two types of sediment; the higher parts of which are known to be Post Glacial.     

陆相盆地中的海侵层序特征:中欧盆地三叠系与松辽盆地白垩系对比研究

中欧盆地三叠系是典型的海陆过渡相沉积，松辽盆地白垩系是含有海侵事件记录的陆相河湖盆地。两盆地的共同特点是：①大陆克拉通上长期发育的大型坳陷盆地；②靠近古大洋和（或）有向海通道；③主要由互层状泥岩、粉砂岩、碳酸盐岩和膏盐层组成；④无典型海相化石，可能发育有半咸水和（或）高盐度生物；⑤海侵层中自生矿物的δ^34S,δ^13C,δ^18O同位素比值及介质盐度指数（Sr/Ba）、碱度指数（Ca Mg)／（Si Al）、还原性指标（Zn Ni)/Ga、硫沉积通量指数（归一化硫含量）等显著高于相邻层位背景值。     

江汉平原长湖近代沉积物磁性测量及其气候意义

根据１９９２年长湖所取代表性９２－５ 面沉积物磁性测量结果并结合化学分析和孢粉分析,研究长湖近代沉积物磁性参数变化与气候变化的关系,指出该地区最近４００ａ来气候变化总趋势是一个由冷变暖的过程。     

A GCM study of future climate response to aerosol pollution reductions

We use the global atmospheric GCM aerosol model ECHAM5-HAM to asses possible impacts of future air pollution mitigation strategies on climate. Air quality control strategies focus on the reduction of aerosol emissions. Here we investigate the extreme case of a maximum feasible end-of-pipe abatement of aerosols in the near term future (2030) in combination with increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. The temperature response of increasing GHG concentrations and reduced aerosol emissions leads to a global annual mean equilibrium temperature response of 2.18 K. When aerosols are maximally abated only in the Industry and Powerplant sector, while other sectors stay with currently enforced regulations, the temperature response is 1.89 K. A maximum feasible abatement applied in the Domestic and Transport sector, while other sectors remain with the current legislation, leads to a temperature response of 1.39 K. Increasing GHG concentrations alone lead to a temperature response of 1.20 K. We also simulate 2–5% increases in global mean precipitation among all scenarios considered, and the hydrological sensitivity is found to be significantly higher for aerosols than for GHGs. Our study, thus highlights the huge potential impact of future air pollution mitigation strategies on climate and supports the need for urgent GHG emission reductions. GHG and aerosol forcings are not independent as both affect and are influenced by changes in the hydrological cycle. However, within the given range of changes in aerosol emissions and GHG concentrations considered in this study, the climate response towards increasing GHG concentrations and decreasing aerosols emissions is additive.     

Progressive oxidation of pyrite in five bituminous coal samples: An As XANES and Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic study

Naturally occurring pyrite commonly contains minor substituted metals and metalloids (As, Se, Hg, Cu, Ni, etc.) that can be released to the environment as a result of its weathering. Arsenic, often the most abundant minor constituent in pyrite, is a sensitive monitor of progressive pyrite oxidation in coal. To test the effect of pyrite composition and environmental parameters on the rate and extent of pyrite oxidation in coal, splits of five bituminous coal samples having differing amounts of pyrite and extents of As substitution in the pyrite, were exposed to a range of simulated weathering conditions over a period of 17 months. Samples investigated include a Springfield coal from Indiana (whole coal pyritic S = 2.13 wt.%; As in pyrite = detection limit (d.l.) to 0.06 wt.%), two Pittsburgh coal samples from West Virginia (pyritic S = 1.32–1.58 wt.%; As in pyrite = d.l. to 0.34 wt.%), and two samples from the Warrior Basin, Alabama (pyritic S = 0.26–0.27 wt.%; As in pyrite = d.l. to 2.72 wt.%). Samples were collected from active mine faces, and expected differences in the concentration of As in pyrite were confirmed by electron microprobe analysis. Experimental weathering conditions in test chambers were maintained as follows: (1) dry Ar atmosphere; (2) dry O₂ atmosphere; (3) room atmosphere (relative humidity ∼20–60%); and (4) room atmosphere with samples wetted periodically with double-distilled water. Sample splits were removed after one month, nine months, and 17 months to monitor the extent of As and Fe oxidation using As X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, respectively. Arsenic XANES spectroscopy shows progressive oxidation of pyritic As to arsenate, with wetted samples showing the most rapid oxidation. ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy also shows a much greater proportion of Fe³⁺ forms (jarosite, Fe³⁺ sulfate, FeOOH) for samples stored under wet conditions, but much less difference among samples stored under dry conditions in different atmospheres. The air-wet experiments show evidence of pyrite re-precipitation from soluble ferric sulfates, with As retention in the jarosite phase. Extents of As and Fe oxidation were similar for samples having differing As substitution in pyrite, suggesting that environmental conditions outweigh the composition and amount of pyrite as factors influencing the oxidation rate of Fe sulfides in coal.     

Diffusion in silicate melts: II. Multicomponent diffusion in CaOAl2O3SiO2 at 1500°C and 1 GPa

Chemical diffusion profiles in molten CaO---Al₂O₃---SiO₂ have been measured over a large range of compositions at 1500°C and l GPa. The diffusion profiles have been inverted for effective binary diffusion coefficients (EBDCs) and for the chemical diffusion matrix. The EBDCs are shown to depend strongly on both composition and direction of diffusion in composition space. The dependence of EBDCs on direction in composition space, which for the system studied here can be as large as a factor of seven, severely limits the applicability of EBDCs to interdiffusion in any direction other than the one used to derive the EBDCs.

The chemical diffusion matrix for molten CaO---Al₂O₃---SiO₂ was determined using diffusion profiles from two or three mutually orthogonal diffusion couples in the ternary composition space. All features of the diffusion profiles shown in this work can be reproduced by representing the chemical fluxes in the three-component system as a linear combination of concentration gradients via a 2 × 2 diffusion matrix. Chemical diffusion in molten CaO---Al₂O₃---SiO₂ shows clear evidence of strong diffusive coupling among the components. This can be seen in the uphill diffusion profiles of components that were initially uniform, in the fact that the apparent rate of diffusion of some components is a strong function of direction in composition space, and most quantitatively in the magnitude of off-diagonal elements of the diffusion matrix relative to the magnitude of the diagonal elements. SiO₂ for example, is found to be strongly coupled with CaO in relatively silicic melts, whereas Al₂O₃ is strongly coupled with CaO in less silicic melts. Furthermore, the coupling of CaO with either Al₂O₃ or Si02 reverses sign between more and less polymerized compositions. Interdiffusion profiles in natural melts have numerous features that suggest similar coupling between Al₂O₃ and CaO and between SiO₂ and CaO.     

The effect of organic compounds in the oxidation kinetics of Cr(III) by H2O2

The oxidation of Cr(III) has been studied in NaCl solutions in the presence of two siderophore models, acetohydroxamic acid (Aha) and benzohydroxamic acid (Bha), the natural siderophore Desferal (DFOB) and the synthetic aminocarboxilate (ethylenedinitrilo)-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) as a function of pH (8-9), ionic strength (0.01-2 M) and temperature (10-50 °C), at different Cr(III)-organic compound ratios. The addition of Aha and Bha caused the rates to increase at low ligand/Cr(III) ratios and decrease at high ratios. The variation of the pseudo first order rate constant (k₁) as a function of the ligand concentration has been attributed to the formation of three Cr(III)-organo species (1:1, 1:2, 1:3), which can form in the presence of monohydroxamic acids. A kinetic model has been developed that gives a value of 600 (min⁻¹) for the pseudo first order rate constant k_1CrAha²⁺ and values approaching zero for and k_1CrAha3. These kinetic results demonstrate that these monohydroxamic acids are able to bind with Cr(III) under experimental conditions that may occur in natural waters and can increase the oxidation rates of Cr(III) with H₂O₂ by a factor of 3.5 at an Aha/Cr(III) ratio of about 50-100.The monohydroxamic acids also affect the rates on aged products of Cr(III), suggesting that these ligands are able to affect the oxidation rates by releasing reactive Cr(III). DFOB and EDTA do not have a great effect on the oxidation of Cr(III) with H₂O₂. This is thought to be due to the much longer times they need to form complexes with Cr(III) compared to Aha and Bha. The rates for the formation of DFOB and EDTA complexes with Cr(III) are not competitive with the rates of the formation of aged Cr(III). After allowing Cr(III) and DFOB to react for 5 days to form the complex, reaction rates of Cr(III) with H₂O₂ appear to be lowered probably because of steric hindrance of the chelated Cr(III).     

Trends in the solid phase partitioning of metals in the Thames Estuary sediments during recent decades

A sequential extraction method was employed to extract the metals Al, Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, and Zn from a 10-m sediment core taken from the Tilbury Basin on the Thames Estuary. Characteristics of the observed metal partitioning distributions were attributed primarily to the composition of the estuarine waters at the time of deposition. For some metals, a decrease in the bulk sediment metal concentrations from a depth of ?6.59 m ODN to the surface was also observed in one of the solid phases. This was the case for Cr, Cu, and Pb extracted from the organic phase and for Zn extracted from the carbonate phase. This decrease in sediment concentrations is thought to reflect reported improvements to water quality in this region of the Thames Estuary in the early 1960s, following updating of major sewage treatment works (STW) approximately 20 km upstream. These findings give an indication of the influence of estuarine inputs from STW on metal partitioning distributions. The order of mobility for the metals of environmental concern was Cd>Ag>Cr>Ni, Zn>Co, Cu, Pb. for Cd and Ag there was a tendency to partition towards the exchangeable phase, both at the surface and at depth, which indicates the potential for long-term leaching of these metals from the sediments.