Binaries with Total Eclipses in the LMC: Potential Targets for Spectroscopy

35 Eclipsing binaries presenting unambiguous total eclipses were selected from a subsample of the list of Wyrzykowski et al. (2003). The photometric elements are given for the I curve in DiA photometry, as well as approximate teff and masses of the components. The interest of these systems is stressed in view of future spectroscopic observations.     

Trophic Links in the Plankton in the Low Salinity Zone of a Large Temperate Estuary: Top-down Effects of Introduced Copepods

We investigated trophic relationships involving microzooplankton in the low salinity zone of the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) as part of a larger effort aimed at understanding the dynamics of the food web supporting the endangered delta smelt, Hypomesus transpacificus. We performed 14 cascade experiments in which we manipulated the biomass of a copepod (Limnoithona tetraspina, Pseudodiaptomus forbesi, or Acartiella sinensis) and quantified responses of lower trophic levels including bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, and microzooplankton. Microzooplankton comprised a major food source for copepods; 9 out of 14 experiments showed removal of at least one group of microzooplankton by copepods. In contrast, the impact of copepods on phytoplankton was indirect; increased copepod biomass led to greater growth of phytoplankton in 3 of 14 experiments. Estimated clearance rates on microzooplankton were 4 mL day^?1 for L. tetraspina and 2–6 mL day^?1 for P. forbesi, whereas A. sinensis consumed mainly copepod nauplii. Complex trophic interactions, including omnivory, among copepods, microzooplankton, and different components of the phytoplankton likely obscured clear trends. The food web of the SFE is probably less efficient than previously thought, providing poor support to higher trophic levels; this inefficient food web is almost certainly implicated in the continuing low abundance of fishes, including the delta smelt that use the low salinity zone of the San Francisco Estuary.     

Methodological Advances in the Spatial Analysis of Land Fragmentation

This article evaluates the effect of moving window (MW) size on observed fragmentation spatial patterns and proposes a method to identify an effective MW size using Simpson's diversity index. To test the robustness of the proposed method, we demonstrate its use in six cities in the Phoenix metropolitan area that have substantial variation in land composition and configuration. Next we explore the effects of gradient observation scale and the role of scale in removing noise. We compare and discuss two popular approaches to measuring urban-to-rural fragmentation gradients—concentric ring- and transect-based approaches—highlighting the usefulness of each approach in an extensive and rapidly urbanizing region. This study provides a new method for selecting window size, offers insights on scale effects, and provides guidance on gradient scale selection to achieve the best representation of land fragmentation patterns for urban analysis.     

The chemical compositions of 10 new sub-DLAs and strong Lyman-limit systems at z≲ 1.5

We present chemical abundance measurements from medium-resolution observations of eight subdamped Lyα (sub-DLA) absorber and two strong Lyman-limit systems at   z ≲ 1.5  observed with the Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle (MIKE) spectrograph on the 6.5-m Magellan II Clay telescope. These observations were taken as part of an ongoing project to determine abundances in   z _abs≲ 1.5  quasar absorption line systems focusing on sub-DLA systems. These observations increase the sample of Zn measurements in   z _abs≲ 1.5  sub-DLAs by ∼50 per cent. Lines of Mg  i , Mg  ii , Al  ii , Al  iii , Ca  ii , Mn  ii , Fe  ii and Zn  ii were detected and column densities were determined. Zn  ii , a relatively undepleted element and tracer of the gas-phase metallicity is detected in two of these systems, with  [Zn/H]=−0.05 ± 0.12  and  [Zn/H] > +0.86  . The latter one is however a weak system with   N _{H  I} < 18.8  , and therefore may need significant ionization corrections to the abundances. Fe  ii lines were detected in all systems, with an average Fe abundance of  〈[Fe/H]〉=−0.68  , higher than typical Fe abundances for DLA systems at these redshifts. This high mean [Fe/H] could be due to less depletion of Fe on to dust grains, or to higher abundances in these systems. We also discuss the relative abundances in these absorbers. The systems with high metallicity show high ratios of [Mn/Fe] and [Zn/Fe], as seen previously in another sub-DLA. These higher values of [Mn/Fe] could be a result of heavy depletion of Fe on to grains, unmixed gas, or an intrinsically non-solar abundance pattern. Based on cloudy modelling, we do not expect ionization effects to cause this phenomenon.     

Nitrogen loads to estuaries from waste water plumes: modeling and isotopic approaches

We developed, and applied in two sites, novel methods to measure ground water-borne nitrogen loads to receiving estuaries from plumes resulting from land disposal of waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. In addition, we quantified nitrogen losses from WWTP effluent during transport through watersheds. WWTP load to receiving water was estimated as the difference between total measured ground water-transported nitrogen load and modeled load from major nitrogen sources other than the WWTP. To test estimated WWTP loads, we applied two additional methods. First, we quantified total annual waste water nitrogen load from watersheds based on nitrogen stable isotopic signatures of primary producers in receiving water. Second, we used published data on ground water nitrogen concentrations in an array of wells to estimate dimensions of the plume and quantify the annual mass of nitrogen transported within the plume. Loss of nitrogen during transport through the watershed was estimated as the difference between the annual mass of nitrogen applied to watersheds as treatment plant effluent and the estimated nitrogen load reaching receiving water. In one plume, we corroborated our estimated nitrogen loss in watersheds using data from multiple-level sampling wells to calculate the loss of nitrogen relative to a conservative tracer. The results suggest that nitrogen from the plumes is discharging to the estuaries but that substantial nitrogen loss occurs during transport through the watersheds. The measured vs. modeled and stable isotopic approaches, in comparison to the plume mapping approach, may more reliably quantify ground water-transported WWTP loads to estuaries.     

Experimental Research on Shear Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Composite Beams Under Uniformly Distributed Load

An experimental program was carried out to study the shear behavior of the reinforced con-crete composite beam(RCCB)subjected to two-phase uniformly distributed load.A total of 12 reinforcedconcrete composite beams were tested:10 of them were the RCCB subjected to two-phase uniformly dis-tributed load,the other 2 were the comparative reinforced concrete beams cast at the same time as theRCCB subjected to one-phase uniformly distributed load.The interface of precast unit and recast concretewas natural and rough.The test range of the main composite factors:the ratio of precast section depth tocomposite section depth was from 0.35 to 0.65,the ratio of first-phase load moment to precast section ulti-mate bearing moment was from 0.25 to 0.65.Based on the test results,the stresses of the longitudinal rein-forcements and stirrups,the load-bearing properties of the interface,the crack state and the failure charac-teristics of the RCCB under uniformly distributed load are discussed.The effects of the stirrups,the     

渤海湾盆地南堡凹陷新近系馆陶组沉积特征

南堡凹陷位于渤海湾盆地黄骅坳陷北部，新近系馆陶组是该凹陷的重要勘探层段。馆陶组以辫状河沉积为主，中段发育曲流河沉积。其油气勘探的首要问题是优质储集砂体的精确对比及有利盖层分布预测。根据高分辨率层序地层学理论以及录井和测井资料，对馆陶组的层序地层样式、沉积特征和储盖组合进行了分析。研究结果表明，该地层具有两种短期旋回和四个中期旋回。在两种短期旋回中，一种是低可容纳空间的非对称旋回，另一种是高可容纳空间的对称旋回。四个中期旋回中，两个以上升半旋回为主体(MSC1、MSC2)，一个是对称旋回(MSC3)，一个以下降半旋回为主体(MSC4)。短、中期旋回均以非对称旋回为主。该地层的长期基准面具有缓慢上升而后快速下降的特点。从MSC1到MSC4旋回，沉积相呈现出冲积扇-辫状河→辫状河-曲流河→曲流河-辫状河相组合的演化过程。自北向南，各中期旋回的可容纳空间增大，沉积主体由砾质河道渐变为砂质河道。由于受基准面中期旋回格架控制，南堡凹陷馆陶组发育上、中、下三套储盖组合。上部储盖组合，因其储、盖层条件最好，应是馆陶组最重要的油气勘探层系。     

Thermochronometry and palaeomagnetism of the Archaean Nelshoogte Pluton, South Africa

²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb single-grain zircon, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar single-grain hornblende and biotite, and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar bulk-sample muscovite and biotite ages from the Nelshoogte trondhjemite pluton located in eastern Transvaal, South Africa, show that this granitoid had a protracted thermal history spanning 3213±4  Ma to about 3000  Ma. Whole-rock ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages from cross-cutting dolerite dykes indicate that these were intruded at about 1900  Ma. There is no evidence of this or other, later events significantly affecting the argon systematics of the minerals from the pluton dated by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method.
  The pluton has a well-defined palaeomagnetic pole which is dated at 3179±18 (2 σ ) Ma by ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of hornblende. This pole (18°N, 310°E, A ₉₅=9°) yields a palaeolatitude of 0°, significantly different from other Archaean poles from the Kaapvaal Craton. The palaeolatitude difference implies that there was significant apparent polar wander during the Archaean. A second, overprinting magnetization seen in the pluton is also seen in the lower-Proterozoic dolerite dykes, and is consistent with other lower-Proterozoic (2150–1950  Ma) poles for southern Africa.