Impact of precursor levels and global warming on peak ozone concentration in the Pearl River Delta Region of China

The relationship between the emission of ozone precursors and the chemical production of tropospheric ozone(O3) in the Pearl River Delta Region(PRD) was studied using numerical simulation.The aim of this study was to examine the volatile organic compound(VOC)-or nitrogen oxide(NOx =NO+NO2)limited conditions at present and when surface temperature is increasing due to global warming,thus to make recommendations for future ozone abatement policies for the PRD region.The model used for this application is the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency’s(EPA’s) third-generation air-quality modeling system;it consists of the mesoscale meteorological model MM5 and the chemical transport model named Community Multi-scale Air Quality(CMAQ).A series of sensitivity tests were conducted to assess the influence of VOC and NOx variations on ozone production.Tropical cyclone was shown to be one of the important synoptic weather patterns leading to ozone pollution.The simulations were based on a tropicalcyclone-related episode that occurred during 14-16 September 2004.The results show that,in the future,the control strategy for emissions should be tightened.To reduce the current level of ozone to meet the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department(EPD) air-quality objective(hourly average of 120 ppb),emphasis should be put on restricting the increase of NOx emissions.Furthermore,for a wide range of possible changes in precursor emissions,temperature increase will increase the ozone peak in the PRD region;the areas affected by photochemical smog are growing wider,but the locations of the ozone plume are rather invariant.     

非测绘专业摄影测量学教学方法探讨

摄影测量学是测绘专业的一门核心课程,也是土地资源管理、GIS等非测绘专业的一门重要选修课.但由于其理论极为抽象、逻辑非常严密,且涉及大量的数学公式推导,学生容易产生畏难心理.本文主要针对非测绘专业的摄影测量学教学方法问题,从教学内容的优化、教学方法的改进和教学实践的强化等方面进行了探讨.     

利用几何矩和叠置分析进行多尺度面要素自动匹配

针对地图中重要的面要素的自动匹配问题进行了研究。由于在实际情况中,多尺度同名面要素在位置上可能偏差较大,又存在非一对一的匹配关系,现有的方法均难以进行有效匹配。为解决这个问题,首先提取面要素的全局形状特征,并给出了一种快速获取候选匹配面要素组合的方法,然后利用几何矩获取面要素组合的质心,在将待匹配面要素与组合面要素的质心相互重合后,通过计算重叠相似度来判定多尺度面要素之间的匹配关系。实验表明,本文方法即使在同名面要素存在较大位置偏差,甚至非均匀位置偏差时,仍可有效地处理面要素的一对一和一对多两种匹配关系,从而拓展了面要素匹配方法的适用范围,降低了对外界条件的要求和限制。     

Seasonal variations of imposex indices and butyltin concentrations in the rock shell Thais clavigera collected from Hong Kong waters

This study investigated butyltin contamination in Hong Kong waters using the rock shell Thais clavigera as a biomonitor. We collected rock shells from nine coastal sites in both winter 2005 and summer 2006 to examine the spatial and seasonal patterns. The relative penis size index (RPSI) and vas deferens sequence index (VDSI) were determined following a standard protocol, while the tissue concentrations of butyltins (i.e., mono-, di- and tri-butyltin) were measured using gas chromatography. The results showed that imposex was particularly severe in T. clavigera collected from Victoria Harbour, Pak Sha Wan and Sai Kung Pier where shipping activities were frequent. Both imposex indices had a positive correlation with tissue concentration of tributyltin in T. clavigera. While VDSI exhibited little seasonal variation, RPSI of winter specimens was significantly higher than that of summer specimens. Thus, sampling season should be standardised when using RPSI as a biomarker.     

Radiological characterization of granitoid outcrops and dimension stones of the Variscan Corsica-Sardinia Batholith

This study focuses on the radiological characterization of granitoid outcrops and dimension stones using in situ gamma-ray spectrometry. Extensive measurements were performed on 210 granitoid outcrops of the Corsica-Sardinia Batholith. The large statistical sample allowed us to improve the analysis by considering a log-normal distribution of radioelements and propagating the uncertainties using Monte Carlo method. The activity concentrations of ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra (²³⁸U) and ²³²Th in C-SB area were 1,177 _?304 ⁺⁴⁰⁸ , 60 _?23 ⁺³⁶ and 69 _?25 ⁺³⁸  Bq/kg (at 1σ uncertainty). The median abundance of K, U and Th on the Variscan C-SB was higher than the average values of the upper continental crust and was comparable with Variscan belt. This corresponds to an outdoor absorbed dose rate of 124 _?26 ⁺³³  nGy/h at 1σ uncertainty which is 3σ higher than the population-weighted average absorbed dose rate (60 nGy/h). Seven commercial granites (Rosa Beta, Ghiandone, Giallo San Giacomo, Rosa Cinzia, Grigio Malaga, Bianco Sardo and Grigio Perla) were investigated to characterize their radiological hazard through 147 measurements taken in 73 extractive quarries. All of the commercial granites were categorized as A2 material based on their activity concentration indices, excluding (at the 3σ level) any restriction on their utilization as superficial materials. Rosa Beta, Grigio Malaga, Grigio Perla and Bianco Sardo can also be used as bulk materials as they can be included in the A1 category. In the case of Ghiandone, Giallo San Giacomo and Rosa Cinzia, we are confident of an A1 classification only at the 1σ level.     

Validation of Galileo orbits using SLR with a focus on satellites launched into incorrect orbital planes

The space segment of the European Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Galileo consists of In-Orbit Validation (IOV) and Full Operational Capability (FOC) spacecraft. The first pair of FOC satellites was launched into an incorrect, highly eccentric orbital plane with a lower than nominal inclination angle. All Galileo satellites are equipped with satellite laser ranging (SLR) retroreflectors which allow, for example, for the assessment of the orbit quality or for the SLR–GNSS co-location in space. The number of SLR observations to Galileo satellites has been continuously increasing thanks to a series of intensive campaigns devoted to SLR tracking of GNSS satellites initiated by the International Laser Ranging Service. This paper assesses systematic effects and quality of Galileo orbits using SLR data with a main focus on Galileo satellites launched into incorrect orbits. We compare the SLR observations with respect to microwave-based Galileo orbits generated by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) in the framework of the International GNSS Service Multi-GNSS Experiment for the period 2014.0–2016.5. We analyze the SLR signature effect, which is characterized by the dependency of SLR residuals with respect to various incidence angles of laser beams for stations equipped with single-photon and multi-photon detectors. Surprisingly, the CODE orbit quality of satellites in the incorrect orbital planes is not worse than that of nominal FOC and IOV orbits. The RMS of SLR residuals is even lower by 5.0 and 1.5 mm for satellites in the incorrect orbital planes than for FOC and IOV satellites, respectively. The mean SLR offsets equal \(-44.9, -35.0\), and \(-22.4\) mm for IOV, FOC, and satellites in the incorrect orbital plane. Finally, we found that the empirical orbit models, which were originally designed for precise orbit determination of GNSS satellites in circular orbits, provide fully appropriate results also for highly eccentric orbits with variable linear and angular velocities.     

A new approximation in determination of zonation boundaries of ignimbrite by ground penetrating radar: Kayseri,Central Anatolia,Turkey

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) method is used as a tool to identify the zonation boundaries in ignimbrite series through their columnar section. Ignimbrites can be classified in terms of welding degree, colour, texture and mineralogical compositions. The research area comprises a part of İncesu (Kayseri) ignimbrite at Central Anatolia, Turkey. This ignimbrite is divided into three levels and each level has clear differences in terms of macroscopic and microscopic views. This paper presents the results of an application of GPR for the determination of zonation boundary within the ignimbrite flow unit in the view of their textural and petrological features. RAMAC CU II equipment was used with 250 MHz shielded antenna on parallel ten profiles to observe the physical difference among the ignimbrite levels of the study area. Two levels out of three have been defined at the İncesu ignimbrite and supported by field geology and petrographical studies. The first level, which is extremely fractured structure, is about 1.5 m thick and matches with middle level of the İncesu ignimbrite. The second level has an average 50–75 cm thickness and matches with lower level of the ignimbrite. In this manner, vertical lithological variations should be taken into consideration during petrological investigation of the ignimbrites.     

Dr. František Fiala's Eightieth Birthday

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Multi-Wavelength Analysis of High-Energy Electrons in Solar Flares: A Case Study of the August 20, 2002 Flare

A multi-wavelength spatial and temporal analysis of solar high-energy electrons is conducted using the August 20, 2002 flare of an unusually flat (γ₁ = 1.8) hard X-ray spectrum. The flare is studied using RHESSI, Hα, radio, TRACE, and MDI observations with advanced methods and techniques never previously applied in the solar flare context. A new method to account for X-ray Compton backscattering in the photosphere (photospheric albedo) has been used to deduce the primary X-ray flare spectra. The mean electron flux distribution has been analysed using both forward fitting and model-independent inversion methods of spectral analysis. We show that the contribution of the photospheric albedo to the photon spectrum modifies the calculated mean electron flux distribution, mainly at energies below ∼100 keV. The positions of the Hα emission and hard X-ray sources with respect to the current-free extrapolation of the MDI photospheric magnetic field and the characteristics of the radio emission provide evidence of the closed geometry of the magnetic field structure and the flare process in low altitude magnetic loops. In agreement with the predictions of some solar flare models, the hard X-ray sources are located on the external edges of the Hα emission and show chromospheric plasma heated by the non-thermal electrons. The fast changes of Hα intensities are located not only inside the hard X-ray sources, as expected if they are the signatures of the chromospheric response to the electron bombardment, but also away from them.