Preliminary results on VLT K-band imaging observations of GRB host galaxies

We have obtainedK-band imaging observations of Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) host galaxies with the near-infrared spectro-imager ISAAC installed on the Very Large Telescope at Paranal (Chile). The derivedK magnitudes, combined with other photometric data taken from the literature, are used to investigate theR-K colors of GRB hosts. We do not find any extremely reddened starbursts in our sample, despite the capability of GRBs to trace star formation even in dusty regions. The observedR-K colors are on the contrary typical of irregular and spiral blue galaxies at high redshift.     

改进Canny算法的图像边缘增强方法

边缘检测是图像特征提取的关键技术之一.为强化所提取的边缘特征,设计一种联合Otsu算法和多尺度细节增强的策略对传统Canny算法进行改进.首先针对高斯滤波模糊图像细节的不足,利用多尺度细节增强算法对遥感图像进行处理,增强图像的细节信息,降低高斯算法的影响;然后针对传统Canny算法的人为选择阈值带来的不足,利用Otsu算法进行自适应阈值选择,以提高算法的适应性.实验证明,在主观视觉效果以及客观评价指标下,所设计的改进方法对于不同场景的图像边缘特征增强都具备良好的效果.     

Influence of synoptic processes on the vietnamese current (the South China Sea) Dynamics during the Winter–Summer 1999 transition period

Demonstrated is an influence of synoptic processes on the seasonal dynamics of the Vietnamese Current in the South China Sea varying its direction under the influence of the monsoon. The spring season of 1999 is used as an example of the transition from the winter to summer. In winter, under the influence of the northeastern monsoon, the current is directed from north to south and in the summer, at the southwestern monsoon, in the opposite direction. In the spring, two zones of different water modification are formed: an impact is observed of both the leaving winter monsoon and the coming summer monsoon. Considered is an atmospheric process of low-gradient field type, when the pressure field is characterized by the low pressure gradient over the whole South China Sea. It is revealed that the Vietnamese Current moves in the summer regime (from south to north) in the northern and southern parts and keeps the winter regime (from north to south) in the central part.     

Optimal growth with adaptation to climate change

We find that approximately a quarter of the world’s productive capital could be sensitive to climate; therefore, this capital faces the risk of accelerated obsolescence in a world warming by an average of 0.2 °C per decade. We examine the question of optimal adaptation to climate change in a vintage capital growth model without uncertainty. Along the optimal pathway, adaptation is proactive with an anticipation period of approximately twenty years. While there is additional investment in this scenario compared with a no-climate-change baseline, the overall cost to adapt is low relative to the potential losses from maladaptation. Over-investment in protection capital allows the economy to be consistently well-adapted to climate; thus, such a policy prevents transient maladaptation costs. Sensitivity analysis with an integrated assessment model suggests that costs could be ten times larger if adaptation only begins after vulnerable sectors are impacted.     

The amino acid and hydrocarbon contents of the Paris meteorite: Insights into the most primitive CM chondrite

The Paris meteorite is one of the most primitive carbonaceous chondrites. It is reported to be the least aqueously altered CM chondrite, and to have experienced only weak thermal metamorphism. We have analyzed for the first time the amino acid and hydrocarbon contents of this pristine meteorite by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). When plotting the relative amino acids abundances of several CM chondrites according to the increasing hydrothermal scale (petrologic subtypes), from the CM2.7/2.8 Paris to the CM2.0 MET 01070, Paris has the lowest relative abundance of β‐alanine/glycine (0.15), which fits with the relative abundances of β‐alanine/glycine increasing with increasing aqueous alteration for CM chondrites. These results confirm the influence of aqueous alteration on the amino acid abundances and distribution. The amino acid analysis shows that the isovaline detected in this meteorite is racemic (d /l  = 0.99 ± 0.08; l ‐enantiomer excess = 0.35 ± 0.5%; corrected d /l  = 1.03; corrected l ‐enantiomer excess = ?1.4 ± 2.6%). The identified hydrocarbons show that Paris has n‐alkanes ranging from C₁₆ to C₂₅ and 3‐ to 5‐ring nonalkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The lack of alkylated PAHs in Paris seems to be also related to this low degree of aqueous alteration on its parent body. The extraterrestrial hydrocarbon content, suggested by the absence of any biomarker, may well have a presolar origin. The chemistry of the Paris meteorite may thus be closely related to the early stages of the solar nebula with a contribution from interstellar (molecular cloud) precursors.     

Distribution of Olivine and Pyroxene Derived from Clementine Data in Crater Copernicus

In order to derive the distribution of olivine and pyroxene in Crater Copernicus,we compute two band ratios(950/750 and 2 000/1 500 nm) ,percent content of elements(Al%,Ca%,Mg%,FeO%) and maturity(Is/FeO) based on Clementine UVVIS and NIR image data.The central peaks of Copernicus,which are known to be olivine-rich or pyroxene-rich,are chosen as ground truth and ROIs used to derive the distribution of olivine and pyroxene with a decision tree and spectral angle mapper(SAM) .Additionally,we compared previous ...     

Seasonality of European warming: Influence of the tropics

This paper describes seasonal peculiarities of modern climate warming in the European region. It is shown that warming scenarios considerably differ in cold and warm periods of the year. The warming is accompanied with growth and considerable change in the phase of the yearly cycle in solarity data. A strong half-year cycle is recognized in seasonal variation of long-term trends over the last few years. Peculiarities of climate change in Europe and the increased influence of the tropics are discussed in view of the results obtained.     

Surface texture analysis of southern Tuli Basin sediments: Implications for Limpopo Valley geoarchaeological contexts

The Hackthorne 1 site (southern Tuli Basin, South Africa) is situated on a sand-covered plateau adjacent to the Limpopo River Valley. Although the site is well known for its Stone Age archaeology, the past environmental contexts (particularly sedimentological/geomorphological) are not well known. We examine the Hackthorne sand grain surface textures, so as to provide some insight on the site specific and regional depositional history. Quartz sands at Hackthorne were collected from surface sands and from underlying weathered calcrete. SEM analysis was performed on sand grains, through which several mechanical and chemical microtextures were identified. Microtextures typical of fluvial environments were found only on grains derived from the plateau calcrete host sediment, whilst the surface sands exhibited only textures associated with aeolian environments. The results indicate that the calcrete host sediment is composed of alluvium, and that the surface sands mantling the Hackthorne Plateau are not deflated from the alluvial deposits in the Limpopo Valley, but may rather be derived from distant aeolian sources. The deposition of aeolian sands is consistent with OSL dates which place sand deposition, or remobilization, at 23 and 15 kya, periods in southern Africa associated with increased aridity.