OTEC cold-water pipe research

Shelf-mounted Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) plants require installation of cold-water pipes (CWP) on slopes of40degto depths of 1000 m. In addition, tower platforms containing OTEC power systems may be located on lesser sloped terrain near shore and exposed to special environmental loading problems affecting foundation design. Shelf-mounted installations require careful attention to site selection and geotechnical considerations for foundation integrity on sloped surfaces. This paper primarily discusses research associated with cold-water pipe and foundation installations on steep slopes, although research continues on tower platforms located on the shelf. At least five nations are in various stages of development of OTEC systems for island applications. Each of their systems is either shelf mounted or land based and requires that a large diameter cold-water pipe be installed on a steep slope to provide cold water from 1000-m depths. In addition to the installation and deployment of the large cold-water pipe, the most significant problem is the design and installation of suitable foundations that will last for several decades. To date there is very little experience in the offshore industry for large installations on steep slopes. A major scale-model research project is underway on the slopes of the island of Hawaii. A section of pipe 2.4 m in diameter and 24 m long was installed using combination concrete foundations and joints. The pipe and foundations are fully instrumented to measure environmental loading forces due principally to currents and waves. Environmental measurements will also be taken in the test area. The measurement data will be used to validate available analytical models for subsequent use in aiding industry in providing more cost-effective designs for OTEC pipes and foundations.     

地壳对海洋潮汐的响应

应用三维动态有限元方法研究了中国北部地区的地壳对邻近的渤海与黄海海平面变化的响应。虽然此应力场过于微弱不足以引发地震，但发现应力集中的位置及应力场变化较大的位置恰好与某些现代地震的震中一致。这一结果表明研究地壳对广泛分布的载荷的响应对研究区域地震构造是有帮助的。     

Enzymatic synthesis of methyl-galactoaldehyde

Methyl-galactosides were oxidized at room temperature by galactose oxidase in a one-step reaction and afforded methyl-galactoaldehyde in excellent yield and high purity. The resulting galactoaldehyde as a useful intermediate can be directly used in glycopeptide synthesis.     

A comparison of theoretical Sv emission line strengths with extreme ultraviolet observations of a sunspot

Electron impact excitation rates for transitions in the S v ion, calculated with theR-matrix code, are used to derive the electron temperature sensitive emission line ratiosR ₁ =I(854.8 Å)/I(786.9 Å),R ₂ =I(852.2 Å)/I(786.9 Å),R ₃ =I(849.2 Å)/I(786.9 Å), andR ₄ =I(1199.1 Å)/I(786.9 Å), which are found to be significantly different from previous estimates. A comparison of the present results with observational data for a sunspot obtained with the Harvard S-055 spectrometer on boardSkylab reveals generally good agreement between theory and experiment, except in the case ofR ₁, which is probably due to blending in the 854.8 Å feature. The possible effects of Lyman continuum absorption on the observed line ratios is briefly discussed.     

Axial convergence in a well-mixed estuary

Transverse secondary circulations involving surface convergence, observed in a well-mixed estuary in North Wales, are made visible by the collection of surface material along an axial line which extends continuously for many kilometres through the estuary. The circulation and axial convergence, however, are seen only during the flood phase of the tide and no similar behaviour has been observed during the ebb phase.Convergent circulations in the estuary are associated with small but steady transverse density gradients in the cross-section, produced by non-uniform advection of the longitudinal gradient through the channel. A diagnostic model, using measured mean distributions of cross-sectional density, indicates surface transverse velocities (～0.1 ms^?1) similar to those observed in the estuary. The model further predicts appreciable transverse divergent currents at a fractional depth of 0.75: a prediction which has been tested in the estuary using a vertical array of accurately resolving current direction indicators.     

The dust coma of periodic comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko (1982 VIII)

The dust coma of Comet P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was monitored in the infrared (1–20 μm) from September 1982 to March 1983. Maximum dust production rate of ～2 × 10⁵ g/sec occured in December, 1 month postperihelion. The ratio of dust/gas production was higher than that in other short-period comets. No silicate feature was visible in the 8- to 13-μm spectrum on 23 October. The mean geometric albedo of the grains was ～0.04 at 1.25 μm and ～0.05 at 2.2 μm.     

An approximate method for evaluating the shear band thickness in saturated soils

A formula for the thickness of a shear band formed in saturated soils under a simple shear or a combined stress state has been proposed. It is shown that the shear band thickness is dependent on the pore pressure properties of the material and the dilatancy rate, but is independent of the details of the combined stress state. This is in accordance with some separate experimental observations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The geochemistry of lead in rivers,estuaries and the continental shelf of the Southeastern United States

Transport by southeastern rivers has insignificant influence on the lead concentration of southeastern shelf waters. If the rate of mobilization and transport of lead by these rivers is representative of uncontaminated fluvial transport during the Pleistocene, only about 5% of the prehistoric output of lead to the North Atlantic can be accounted for by river input.Lead concentrations in southeastern shelf waters are similar to those of North Atlantic Water from the upper 1000 m, which is probably similar to the intrusion source water for the shelf. Atmospheric inputs to the shelf of the same magnitude as observed for the Western North Atlantic are difficult to reconcile given the residence time of shelf waters and their lead concentration unless the rate of loss of lead to shelf sediments is about the same as the atmospheric flux.     

Age and early metamorphic history of the Sanbagawa belt: Lu–Hf and P–T constraints from the Western Iratsu eclogite

Two distinct age estimates for eclogite-facies metamorphism in the Sanbagawa belt have been proposed: (i) c.  120–110 Ma based on a zircon SHRIMP age for the Western Iratsu unit and (ii) c.  88–89 Ma based on a garnet–omphacite Lu–Hf isochron age from the Seba and Kotsu eclogite units. Despite the contrasting estimates of formation ages, petrological studies suggest the formation conditions of the Western Iratsu unit are indistinguishable from those of the other two units—all ∼20 kbar and 600–650 °C. Studies of the associated geological structures suggest the Seba and Western Iratsu units are parts of a larger semi-continuous eclogite unit. A combination of geochronological and petrological studies for the Western Iratsu eclogite offers a resolution to this discrepancy in age estimates. New Lu–Hf dating for the Western Iratsu eclogite yields an age of 115.9 ± 0.5 Ma that is compatible with the zircon SHRIMP age. However, petrological studies show that there was significant garnet growth in the Western Iratsu eclogite before eclogite facies metamorphism, and the early core growth is associated with a strong concentration of Lu. Pre-eclogite facies garnet (Grt1) includes epidote–amphibolite facies parageneses equilibrated at 550–650 °C and ∼10 kbar, and this is overgrown by prograde eclogite facies garnet (Grt2). The Lu–Hf age of c.  116 Ma is strongly skewed to the isotopic composition of Grt1 and is interpreted to reflect the age of the pre-eclogite phase. The considerable time gap ( c.  27 Myr) between the two Lu–Hf ages suggests they may be related to separate tectonic events or distinct phases in the evolution of the Sanbagawa subduction zone.