Acute toxicity of bis(tributyltin) oxide to a marine copepod

A static renewal toxicity test was conducted to evaluate the response of the copepod Acartia tonsa to bis(tributyltin) oxide (TBTO), the active compound of recently developed antifouling paints. Copepods were individually placed in test tubes containing 4 ml of 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 1.7 or 3.0 μg l^?1 TBTO with acetone and seawater. Thirty copepods were used for each treatment and control condition and all solutions were renewed daily. The 96-h LC₅₀ was 1.0 μg l^?1 with a 95% confidence interval between 0.8 and 1.2 μg l^?1 TBTO. The 144-h EC₅₀ was 0.4 μg l^?1 TBTO which approaches concentrations recently measured in San Diego Bay. Some copepods exposed to 0.3 μg l^?1 TBTO became moribund after six days.     

Petrophysical and geochemical constraints on alteration processes in granites

The hydrothermal alteration of granites has large influence on their petrophysical properties. To reveal the impact of alteration on magnetic and porosity properties of granites we have conducted a complex study of effects of two largely independent alteration processes, related to chemically different fluids, in granites of the Vysoký Kámen stock (the Krudum granite body, Czech Republic). It includes the whole-rock geochemical, magnetic and pore-space characterization. The alkali feldspathization resulted in decomposition of Li-mica, quartz removal, depletion in mafic cations and growth of new alkali feldspars (albite, K-feldspar), decreasing the overall magnetic susceptibility and disrupting the pore space by its discontinuation. The preservation of the orientation of the principal susceptibility axes is likely related to insignificant influence of the feldspathization process on the paramagnetic and diamagnetic phases orientation acquired during the magma emplacement. The greisenization, on the other hand had considerably more significant effects on microstructure and physical properties of the granite. The microstructure was modified by the growth of large amounts of new phases (Li-mica, quartz and topaz). This changed the mineral density of the rock, the porosity, size and character of pores to larger, flatter and probably more connected. This led also to the complete reworking of the original anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility during the greisenization.     

Tectonics of the offshore Red River Fault recorded in the junction of the Yinggehai and Qiongdongnan Basins

Science China Earth Sciences - The Red River Fault, which originated from the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, has a great significance for obtaining a further understanding of the...     

Quantifying the effects of climate variability and human activities on runoff from the Laohahe basin in northern China using three different methods

Much attention has recently been focused on the effects that climate variability and human activities have had on runoff. In this study, these effects are quantified using three methods, namely, multi‐regression, hydrologic sensitivity analysis, and hydrologic model simulation. A conceptual framework is defined to separate the effects. As an example, the change in annual runoff from the semiarid Laohahe basin (18 112 km²) in northern China was investigated. Non‐parametric Mann‐Kendall test, Pettitt test, and precipitation‐runoff double cumulative curve method were adopted to identify the trends and change‐points in the annual runoff from 1964 to 2008 by first dividing the long‐term runoff series into a natural period (1964–1979) and a human‐induced period (1980–2008). Then the three quantifying methods were calibrated and calculated, and they provided consistent estimates of the percentage change in mean annual runoff for the human‐induced period. In 1980–2008, human activities were the main factors that reduced runoff with contributions of 89–93%, while the reduction percentages due to changes in precipitation and potential evapotranspiration only ranged from 7 to 11%. For the various effects at different durations, human activities were the main reasons runoff decreased during the two drier periods of 1980–1989 and 2000–2008. Increased runoff during the wetter period of 1990–1999 is mainly attributed to climate variability. This study quantitatively separates the effects of climate variability and human activities on runoff, which can serve as a reference for regional water resources assessment and management. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new standardized Palmer drought index for hydro‐meteorological use

Accepting the concept of standardization introduced by the standardized precipitation index, similar methodologies have been developed to construct some other standardized drought indices such as the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). In this study, the authors provided deep insight into the SPEI and recognized potential deficiencies/limitations in relating to the climatic water balance it used. By coupling another well‐known Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), we proposed a new standardized Palmer drought index (SPDI) through a moisture departure probabilistic approach, which allows multi‐scalar calculation for accurate temporal and spatial comparison of the hydro‐meteorological conditions of different locations. Using datasets of monthly precipitation, temperature and soil available water capacity, the moisture deficit/surplus was calculated at multiple temporal scales, and a couple of techniques were adopted to adjust corresponding time series to a generalized extreme value distribution out of several candidates. Results of the historical records (1900–2012) for diverse climates by multiple indices showed that the SPDI was highly consistent and correlated with the SPEI and self‐calibrated PDSI at most analysed time scales. Furthermore, a simple experiment of hypothetical temperature and/or precipitation change scenarios also verified the effectiveness of this newly derived SPDI in response to climate change impacts. Being more robust and preferable in spatial consistency and comparability as well as combining the simplicity of calculation with sufficient accounting of the physical nature of water supply and demand relating to droughts, the SPDI is promising to serve as a competent reference and an alternative for drought assessment and monitoring. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

单窗算法的大气参数估计方法

根据地表热辐射传导方程,提出了一个简单可行且精度较高的专门用于从TM6数据中演算地表温度的方法——单窗算法.这一算法把大气和地表状态对地表热传导的影响直接包括在演算公式中.该方法需要两个大气参数进行地表温度的演算,即大气平均作用温度和大气透射率.本文论述这两个大气参数的估计方法:根据大气水分含量或地表附近空气湿度来估计大气透射率;通过分析标准大气剖面资料,尤其是大气水分和气温随高程的变化规律,根据地表温度推算大气平均作用温度.     

基于拓扑网络研究海州湾食物网结构与复杂性

针对食物网结构与复杂性的研究有助于深入解析食物网的功能、营养动力和能量转化过程。本文根据2011年3−12月在海州湾及其邻近海域进行的5个航次的渔业资源底拖网调查资料以及胃含物分析数据,基于11个拓扑网络指数,构建了海州湾拓扑网络,研究海州湾食物网的结构与复杂性。结果表明,本文分析的海州湾食物网物种数S为93,连接数L为1 021,每个物种的相互作用数量L/S为10.98,连接性L/S²为0.12;顶级物种、中间物种、基础物种的比例分别为29%、69%和2%;食物网的杂食性指数为87%,连接复杂性指数SC为22.20,特征路径长度ChPath为2.11,聚类系数CC为0.23。通过每个物种的相互作用数量和连接性的研究显示,L/S和L/S²的值都处在正常范围内,所以海州湾食物网的复杂性仍保持较高水平。通过物种比例、杂食性指数、连接复杂性指数、特征路径长度、聚类系数对食物网结构分析,发现海州湾食物网结构处于稳定状态,能够在一定程度上抵御外界环境的扰动,保证生态系统功能的正常运行。通过对海州湾食物网结构与复杂性的研究,将为今后海州湾食物网功能的深入研究以及海州湾渔业资源的科学管理提供重要依据。     

The First Solar Seeing Profile Measurement with Two Apertures and Multiple Guide Regions

The sky brightness is a critical parameter for estimating the coronal observation conditions for a solar observatory. As part of a site-survey project in Western China, we measured the sky brightness continuously at the Lijiang Observatory in Yunnan province in 2011. A sky brightness monitor (SBM) was adopted to measure the sky brightness in a region extending from 4.5 to 7.0 apparent solar radii based on the experience of the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) site survey. Every month, the data were collected manually for at least one week. We collected statistics of the sky brightness at four bandpasses located at 450, 530, 890, and 940 nm. The results indicate that aerosol scattering is of great importance for the diurnal variation of the sky brightness. For most of the year, the sky brightness remains under 20 millionths per airmass before local Noon. On average, the sky brightness is less than 20 millionths, which accounts for 40.41% of the total observing time on a clear day. The best observation time is from 9:00 to 13:00 (Beijing time). The Lijiang Observatory is therefore suitable for coronagraphs investigating the structures and dynamics of the corona.     

Cotton Fiber/ZrO2, A New Material for Adsorption of Cr(VI) Ions in Water

The natural cotton fiber was used to synthesize an anion exchange, containing ZrO₂ film on its surface, NCFZC (natural cotton fiber/ZrO₂ composite). This anion exchanger was produced by the reaction of the zirconium oxychloride and hydroxyl groups on surface of the natural cotton fiber. The material was used for Cr(VI) ions adsorption studies. Adsorption equilibrium time and optimum pH for Cr(VI) adsorption were found to be 6 h and 4.0, respectively. The Langmuir and Temkin isotherms were used to models adsorption equilibrium data. The adsorption capacity of NCFZC was found to be 1.33 mmol/g. Kinetic studies showed that the rate of adsorption of Cr(VI) on NCFZC obeyed a pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model.