ESR diagram: a method to distinguish vitrinite macerals

It has been found that samples consisting of a homogeneous vitrinite show a good ESR correlation of spin concentration with geothermal parameters and that a graph of ESR line width vs g-value can be useful in the identification of the maceral and the determination of the coalification rank.     

The theory of the nutation for the rigid earth model at the second order

We perform a complete reconstruction of the series of the nutation for a rigid Earth model with the use of the very accurate theories ELP2000 and VSOP82 for the motion of the Moon and the planets respectively, in such a way that all the individual contributions up to 0.005 mas should be taken. This implies the introduction of the planetary effects, of the influence of second-order parts of the potential of the Earth (J3, triaxiality), and some improvements due to an extension of the theory at the second order. All this increase notably the number of coefficients to be taken in account, and modifies also in a significant way the value of some of them.     

High-resolution observations of dissolved isoprene in surface seawater in the Southern Ocean during austral summer 2010–2011

We measured dissolved isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene; C₅H₈) concentrations in a broad area of the southern Indian Ocean and in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean from 35°S to 64°S and from 37°E to 111°E during austral summer 2010–2011. Isoprene concentrations were continuously measured by use of a proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer combined with a bubbling-type equilibrator. Concentrations of isoprene and its emission flux throughout the study period ranged from 0.2 to 395 pmol L^?1 and from 181 to 313 nmol m^?2 day^?1, respectively, the averages being generally higher than those of previous studies. Although we found a significant linear positive relationship between isoprene and chlorophyll-a concentrations (r ² = 0.37, n = 36, P < 0.001), the correlation coefficient was lower than previously reported. In contrast, in the high-latitude area (>53°S) we identified a significant negative correlation (r ² = 0.59, n = 1263, P < 0.001) between isoprene and the temperature-normalized partial pressure of carbon dioxide (n-pCO₂), used as an indicator of net community production in this study. This suggests that residence times and factors controlling variations in isoprene and n-pCO₂ are similar within a physically stable water column.     

Large-Eddy Simulation of Pollutant Removal from a Three-Dimensional Street Canyon

Large-eddy simulations were conducted to investigate the mechanism of pollutant removal from a three-dimensional street canyon. Five block configurations with aspect ratios (building height to length) of 1, 2, 4, 8 and $\infty $ were used to create an urban-like array. A pollutant was released from a ground-level line source at the centre of the target canyon floor. For smaller aspect ratios, the relative contribution of the turbulent mass flux to net mass flux at the roof level, which was spatially averaged along the roof-level ventilation area, was closer to unity, indicating that turbulent motions mainly affected pollutant removal from the top of the canyon. As aspect ratio increased, the relative contribution became smaller, owing to strong upwind motions. However, the relative contribution again reached near unity for the infinite aspect ratio (i.e. a two-dimensional street canyon) because of lowered lateral flow convergence. At least 75 % of total emissions from the three-dimensional street canyon were attributable to turbulent motions. Pollutant removal by turbulent motions was related to the coherent structures of low-momentum fluid above the canyons. Though the coherent structure size of the low-momentum fluid differed, the positions of low-momentum fluid largely corresponded to instantaneous high concentrations of pollutant above the target canyon, irrespective of canyon geometry.     

Standing stocks and production rates of phytoplankton and planktonic copepods in the Inland Sea of Japan

Standing stocks and production rates of phytoplankton and planktonic copepods were investigated at 15 stations in the Inland Sea of Japan during four cruises in October–November 1979, January, April and June 1980. The overall mean of phytoplankton biomass was relatively constant during the study period, ranging from 2.3 mg chl.a m^–3 in April to 3.6 mg chl.a m^–3 in October–November. Primary production was low in January (mean: 90 mg C m^–2 d^–1), but higher than 375 mg C m^–2 d^–1 on the other occasions. Integrated annual primary production was 122 g C m^–2 yr^–1. In terms of carbon weight,Paracalanus parvus was the most important copepod species. The variation of the mean copepod biomass (range: 7.6 mg C m^–3 in April to 20.2 mg C m^–3 in June) was smaller than that of copepod production, which was estimated by the Ikeda-Motoda's physiological method. Copepod producion was low in cold seasons (0.6 and 0.9 mg C m^–3 d^–1 in January and April, respectively), and increased, following the elevation of primary production, to 4.9 mg C m^–3 d^–1 in June. Annual copepod production was 33.7 g C m^–2 yr^–1, of which herbivore (secondary) production was 26.4 g C m^–2 yr^–1 (21.7% of primary production). The ratios of pelagic planktivorous fish catch and total fish catch to the primary production were 0.82 and 1.8%, respectively, indicating very high efficiency in exploiting fishery resources in the Inland Sea of Japan.     

Numerical study of the oxidation process of dimethylsulfide in the marine atmosphere

A box model, involving simple heterogeneous reaction processes associated with the production of non-sea-salt sulfate (nss-SO ₄ ^2– ) particles, is used to investigate the oxidation processes of dimethylsulfide (DMS or CH₃SCH₃) in the marine atmosphere. The model is applied to chemical reactions in the atmospheric surface mixing layer, at intervals of 15 degrees latitude between 60° N and 60° S. Given that the addition reaction of the hydroxyl radical (OH) to the sulfur atom in the DMS molecule is faster at lower temperature than at higher temperature and that it is the predominant pathway for the production of methanesulfonic acid (MSA or CH₃SO₃H), the results can well explain both the increasing tendency of the molar ratio of MSA to nss-SO ₄ ^2– toward higher latitudes and the uniform distribution with latitude of sulfur dioxide (SO₂). The predicted production rate of MSA increases with increasing latitude due to the elevated rate constant of the addition reaction at lower temperature. Since latitudinal distributions of OH concentration and DMS reaction rate with OH are opposite, a uniform production rate of SO₂ is realized over the globe. The primary sink of DMS in unpolluted air is caused by the reaction with OH. Reaction of DMS with the nitrate radical (NO₃) also reduces DMS concentration but it is less important compared with that of OH. Concentrations of SO₂, MSA, and nss-SO ₄ ^2– are almost independent of NO _x concentration and radiation field. If dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO or CH₃S(O)CH₃) is produced by the addition reaction and further converted to sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) in an aqueous solution of cloud droplets, the oxidation process of DMSO might be important for the production of aerosol particles containing nss-SO ₄ ^2– at high latitudes.     

Simulations of seasonal variations of sulfur compounds in the remote marine atmosphere

A photochemical box model is used to simulate seasonal variations in concentrations of sulfur compounds at latitude 40° S. It is assumed that the hydroxyl radical (OH) addition reaction to sulfur in the dimethyl sulfide (DMS) molecule is the predominant pathway for methanesulfonic acid (MSA) production, and that the rate constant increases as the air temperature decreases. Concentration of the nitrate radical (NO₃) is a function of the DMS flux, because the reaction of DMS with NO₃ is the most important loss mechanism of NO₃. While the diurnally averaged concentration of OH in winter is a factor of about 8 smaller than in summer, due to the weak photolysis process, the diurnally averaged concentration of NO₃ in winter is a factor of about 4–5 larger than in summer, due to the decrease of DMS flux. Therefore, at middle and high latitudes in winter, atmospheric DMS is mainly oxidized by the reaction with NO₃. The calculated ratio of the MSA to SO₂ production rates is smaller in winter than in summer, and the MSA to non-sea-salt sulfate (nssSO₄ ^2-) molar ratio varies seasonally. This result agrees with data on the seasonal variation of the MSA/nssSO₄ ^2- molar ratio obtained at middle and high latitudes. The calculations indicate that during winter the reaction of DMS with NO₃ is likely to be a more important sink of NO_x (NO+NO₂) than the reaction of NO₂ with OH, and to serve as a significant pathway of the HNO₃ production. If dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is produced through the OH addition reaction and is heterogeneously oxidized in aqueous solutions, half of the nssSO₄ ^2- produced in summer may be through the oxidation process of DMSO. It is necessary to further investigate the oxidation products by the reaction of DMS with OH, and the possibility of the reaction of DMS with NO₃ during winter.     

A study of Mg and K isotopes in Allende CAIs: Implications to the time scale for the multiple heating processes

Abstract— The measurements of magnesium and potassium isotopic compositions of refractory minerals in Allende calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions (CAIs), 7R‐19–1, HN3–1, and EGG3 were taken by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The 7R‐19–1 contains ¹⁶O‐rich and ¹⁶O‐poor melilite grains and define a single isochron corresponding to an initial ²⁶Al/²⁷Al ratio of (6.6 ± 1.3) × 10^?5. The Al‐Mg isochron, O isotope measurements and petrography of melilite in 7R‐19–1 indicate that ¹⁶O‐poor melilite crystallized within 0.4 Myr after crystallization of ¹⁶O‐rich melilite, suggesting that oxygen isotopic composition of the CAI‐forming region changed from ¹⁶O‐rich to ¹⁶O‐poor within this time interval. The ¹⁶O‐poor melilite is highly depleted in K compared to the adjacent ¹⁶O‐rich melilite, indicating evaporation during remelting of 7R‐19–1. We determined the isochron for ⁴¹Ca‐⁴¹K isotopic systematics in EGG3 pyroxene with (4.1 ± 2.0) × 10^?9 (2s?) as an initial ratio of ⁴¹Ca/⁴⁰Ca, which is at least two times smaller than the previous result (Sahijipal et al. 2000). The ratio of ⁴¹Ca/⁴⁰Ca in the EGG3 pyroxene grain agrees within error with the value obtained by Hutcheon et al. (1984). No evidence for the presence of ⁴¹K excess (decay product of a short‐lived radionuclide ⁴¹Ca) was found in 7R‐19–1 and HN3–1. We infer that the CAI had at least an order of magnitude lower than canonical ⁴¹Ca/⁴⁰Ca ratio at the time of the CAI formation.     

Response analysis of the Higashi–Kobe Bridge and surrounding soil in the 1995 Hyogoken–Nanbu Earthquake

This paper presents results of observation and analysis of the response of one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world to the Hyogoken–Nanbu (Kobe) Earthquake of 17 January 1995. It is determined that interaction of the foundations of the bridge towers with the supporting soil plays a decisive role in the overall structural behaviour. The key factor governing the changes of the soil properties at this site is pore-water pressure buildup, which results in liquefaction of the saturated surface soil layers under large dynamic loads. Models of the soil and structure are created and initially validated by accurately simulating the system response to a small earthquake. Soil parameters reflecting the pore-water pressure buildup in the strong earthquake are determined by an advanced non-linear effective stress analysis, combining the Ramberg–Osgood model of stress–strain dependence with a pore pressure model based on shear work concept. They are utilized to investigate and simulate the interaction of the foundation and the supporting soil using the program SASSI with the flexible volume substructuring approach. The results show a good agreement with the observations and have useful implications to the scientific and engineering practice. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Turbulent structure in water under laboratory wind waves

The structure of the turbulent boundary layer underneath laboratory wind waves was studied by using a combination of a high-sensitivity thermometer array with a two-component sonic flowmeter. The temperature fluctuations are used to detect movements of water parcels, with temperature as a passive quantity. The turbulence energy was dominant in the frequency range (0.01 0.1 Hz), which was much smaller than the wind-wave frequency (2 5 Hz), and in which the turbulence was anisotropic. There was a frequency range (0.2 2 Hz for velocity, 0.2 5 Hz for temperature fluctuation) where the turbulence was isotropic and had a –5/3 slope in the energy spectrum. These points are the same as those in previous works. However, by analyses of the time series by using a variable-interval time-averaging technique (VITA), it has been found that conspicuous events in this main turbulence energy band are the downward bursting from the vicinity of the water surface. Thus the structure of the water layer underneath the wind waves has characters which are similar to the familiar turbulent boundary layer over a rough solid wall, as already conceived. It has been found that, at the same time, the turbulence energy can be related to quantities of the wind waves (the root mean squared water level fluctuation and the wave peak frequency), for different wind and wave conditions. That is, the turbulence underneath the wind waves develops under a close coupling with the wind waves.