Influence of positive and negative Indian Ocean Dipoles on ENSO via the Indonesian Throughflow: Results from sensitivity experiments

The role of the Indonesian Throughflow(ITF) in the influence of the Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) on ENSO is investigated using version 2 of the Parallel Ocean Program(POP2) ocean general circulation model. We demonstrate the results through sensitivity experiments on both positive and negative IOD events from observations and coupled general circulation model simulations. By shutting down the atmospheric bridge while maintaining the tropical oceanic channel, the IOD forcing is shown to influence the ENSO event in the following year, and the role of the ITF is emphasized. During positive IOD events,negative sea surface height anomalies(SSHAs) occur in the eastern Indian Ocean, indicating the existence of upwelling.These upwelling anomalies pass through the Indonesian seas and enter the western tropical Pacific, resulting in cold anomalies there. These cold temperature anomalies further propagate to the eastern equatorial Pacific, and ultimately induce a La Nia-like mode in the following year. In contrast, during negative IOD events, positive SSHAs are established in the eastern Indian Ocean, leading to downwelling anomalies that can also propagate into the subsurface of the western Pacific Ocean and travel further eastward. These downwelling anomalies induce negative ITF transport anomalies, and an El Nio-like mode in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean that persists into the following year. The effects of negative and positive IOD events on ENSO via the ITF are symmetric. Finally, we also estimate the contribution of IOD forcing in explaining the Pacific variability associated with ENSO via ITF.     

A systematic cross-search for radio/infrared counterparts of XMM-<Emphasis Type="Italic">Newton</Emphasis> sources

We present a catalog of cross-correlated radio, infrared and X-ray sources using a very restrictive selection criteria with an IDL-based code developed by us. The significance of the observed coincidences was evaluated through Monte Carlo simulations of synthetic sources following a well-tested protocol. We found 3320 coincident radio/X-ray sources with a high statistical significance characterized by the sum of error-weighted coordinate differences. For 997 of them, 2MASS counterparts were found. The percentage of chance coincidences is less than 1%. X-ray hardness ratios of well-known populations of objects were used to provide a crude representation of their X-ray spectrum and to make a preliminary diagnosis of the possible nature of unidentified X-ray sources. The results support the fact that the X-ray sky is largely dominated by Active Galactic Nuclei at high galactic latitudes (|b|≥10°). At low galactic latitudes (|b|≤10°) most of unidentified X-ray sources (∼94%) lie at |b|≤2°. This result suggests that most of the unidentified sources found toward the Milky Way plane are galactic objects. Well-known and unidentified sources were classified in different tables with their corresponding radio/infrared and X-ray properties. These tables are intended as a useful tool for researchers interested in particular identifications.     

Extracting information from the gravitational redshift of compact rotating objects

Essential macroscopic internal properties of compact objects can be related to each other with the help of General Relativity. A somewhat familiar example is the relationship between the compactness M/R and the gravitational redshift for nonrotating bodies. Rotation poses new challenges when trying to relate observed or potentially observed quantities such as the graviational redshift, mass, radius, and angular velocity. Using a perturbative approach, we present an analytical approximation whose purpose is to relate these quantities. Two main results are highlighted: Derivation of a new maximal angular velocity depending only on the mass of the object and a possible estimate of the radius from a measurement of the gravitational redshift.     

Enhanced groundwater vulnerability assessment in geological homogeneous areas: a case study from the Argentine Pampas

The southeast area of the Argentine Pampas is characterized by the presence of an unconfined aquifer in a wide plain. A methodology is proposed that deals with the aquifer vulnerability where the homogeneity of the hydrogeological variables used by traditional methods (in this case, DRASTIC-P) causes vulnerability maps to show more than 80% of the territory under the same class. This absence of discrimination renders vulnerability maps of little use to decision-makers. In addition, the proposed methodology avoids the traditional vague classification (high, low, and moderate vulnerability) which is highly dependent on subjectivity in its association of each class with hydrogeological considerations. That traditional vulnerability assessment methodology was adapted using a geographic information system to reclassify classes, based on the Natural Breaks (Jenks) method. The pixel-to-pixel comparison between the result obtained by the DRASTIC-P and the reclassified classes generates the so-called operational vulnerability index (OVI), which shows four classes, associating each with different hydrogeological requirements to make decisions.     

岩性油藏地震描述技术在准噶尔盆地春光油田的应用

准噶尔盆地春光油田新近系沙湾组岩性油藏埋藏浅、厚度薄、成岩作用差,勘探效果不理想。利用层拉平切片技术确定有利储集相带、分频技术雕刻砂体、"类亮点"特征检测流体、进一步采用拟声波+电阻率反演两步法鉴别流体,这一技术方法系列在春光油田的实际应用效果良好。用拟声波+电阻率反演两步法可以检测出无亮点特征的含油砂体或含水砂体。对于不具备"类亮点"特征的滩坝砂油藏的勘探,可由原来的应用"类亮点"特征直接找油转为寻找有效圈闭,并在此基础上应用合适的流体检测技术,这同样可以发现有利的滩坝砂油藏。     

Construction of deep tunnel shafts in Mexico city soft clays by the flotation method

The drainage system of Mexico City, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, is formed by a large network of interceptors and collectors leading to the main outlet: a 49.3-km-long tunnel with a 6.5 m diameter. To build the access shafts to the tunnels of the system and the deep sumps of the pumping stations in the very soft clays of the lacustrine area of Mexico valley, a technique known as “flotation method” has been commonly used since 1969. The paper presents the main construction steps followed and some aspects of the analysis and design of shafts constructed by this technique. The experience gained obtained after more than 30 shafts have been constructed by this method, and the actual trends in its application are also discussed.     

Contamination levels assessment of potential toxic metals in road dust deposited in different types of urban environment

A total of 42 samples of road dust were collected along ring road, city centre, city side, and freeway in Urumqi, China. Total concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Mn, Be, Co, Zn, and U were determined by using the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry in order to assess and to compare road dust contamination levels of metals among the four roads. The results show that, among the four categories of roads, mean concentrations of Co and U vary little. City centre locations show strong enrichments of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Be. Along the ring road, the highest mean concentrations were found for Cr, Ni, Mn, and Co. However, the highest concentrations of Zn and U were found along the freeway. The cluster analysis shows that three main groups can be distinguished. Every group may be associated with different main sources and concentrations of the metals. The results of contamination assessment reveal that, among all of the potential toxic metals, Cd, Cu, and Zn pollution were obviously heavier with moderate or high contamination indices for most road dust samples, while Cr, Ni, and Pb contamination were lower along the four categories of roads. Compared with the city side, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn contamination were heavier along the ring road, the city centre, and the freeway with high traffic density. Low Pb contamination or no contamination in all the road dust samples may be related to the increasing usage of lead-free petrol.     

XX核电厂附近海域生态环境及潜在致灾生物研究

为了了解XX核电厂周边海域的生态环境状况,筛选潜在威胁核电厂冷源安全的致灾生物,分析影响致灾生物时空分布的主要环境因素,本研究于2018年进行了四个季节的生态调查。结果表明,研究海域浮游植物密度秋季最高,春季优势种为东海原甲藻,其他季节优势种为中肋骨条藻等硅藻。浮游动物密度夏季最高,以桡足类为主,春、夏季优势种还包括球型侧腕水母和薮枝螅水母。底栖动物的密度和生物量在秋季最高,优势种主要为豆形短眼蟹、长吻沙蚕和丝异须虫。浮游植物、浮游动物和底栖动物群落均在夏季最为稳定,群落多样性水平和物种丰度较高,且分布较为均匀。浮游植物群落的细胞丰度与悬浮物和磷酸盐的浓度正相关性最高。浮游动物的密度受温度和盐度的影响较大。底栖动物的群落分布主要受悬浮物和无机营养盐的浓度影响。本研究共筛选出17种威胁XX核电厂冷源安全的潜在致灾生物。海地瓜、棘刺锚参、海葵和球型侧腕水母的风险等级较高,其分布主要受温度和盐度的影响。后续工作中,XX核电厂应根据潜在致灾生物与环境因子的关系加强暴发机制研究、提升监测预警能力,并优化驱赶消杀技术和干扰体系,为核电厂冷源安全提供理论和技术保障。     

Soil and vegetation seasonal changes in the grazing Andean Mountain grasslands

Andean grasslands ecosystems are fragile environments with rigorous climatologic conditions and low and variable food for the grazing. The Apolobamba area is located in the Bolivian Andean Mountains. Its high grasslands provide a natural habitat for wild and domestic camelids such as vicuna（Vicugna vicugna） and alpaca（Lama pacos）. The botanical diversity plays an essential role in maintaining vital ecosystem functions. The objectives of this research were to determine the seasonal changes in soil properties, to study the vegetation changes during the wet and dry seasons and the influence of soil properties and camelid densities on the vegetation in the Apolobamba grasslands. Four zones with different vicuna populations were selected to be studied. The following soil parameters were determined： total organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable cations, pH and texture. The vegetation season changes were studied through botanical identification, above-ground biomass, plant cover and species richness. Results showed that some soil properties such as C/N ratio, CEC, silt and clay percentages kept stable against the seasonal changes. Generally, soil nutrients were relatively higher during the dry season in the surface and subsurface. The results did not point out the predominant vegetation growth during the wet season. The seasonal vegetation growth depended on each species. Thegood soil fertility corresponded to the highest plant cover. Soil fertility presented no influence on the above-ground biomass of the collected species. The negative influence of camelid grazing on soil properties could not be assessed. However, overgrazing could affect some plant species. Therefore, protection is needed in order to preserve the biodiversity in the Andean mountain grasslands.