Forest carbon stocks and fluxes in physiographic zones of India

Background  

Reducing carbon Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) is of central importance to combat climate change. Foremost among the challenges is quantifying nation's carbon emissions from deforestation and degradation, which requires information on forest carbon storage. Here we estimated carbon storage in India's forest biomass for the years 2003, 2005 and 2007 and the net flux caused by deforestation and degradation, between two assessment periods i.e., Assessment Period first (ASP I), 2003-2005 and Assessment Period second (ASP II), 2005-2007.     

青海省天峻县木里地区天然气水合物发现区 浅表地球化学特征

在青海木里天然气水合物发现区分别采集50件浅表土壤样品和顶空气样品,采用顶空间轻烃法、酸解烃法和蚀变碳酸盐法研究其浅表地球化学特征。结果表明,顶空气中可检测出C1—C3,土壤中检测出C1—C5,酸解烃各指标之间具有显著的相关性,碳酸盐指标与酸解烃也呈显著的正相关。地表烃类气体来源为原油伴生气、凝析油伴生气和煤型气,与水合物同源,显示出深部热解成因气的特征。     

Porosity and permeability in sediment mixtures

Porosity in sediments that contain a mix of coarser- and finer-grained components varies as a function of the porosity and volume fraction of each component. We considered sediment mixtures representing poorly sorted sands and gravely sands. We expanded an existing fractional-packing model for porosity to represent mixtures in which finer grains approach the size of the pores that would exist among the coarser grains alone. The model well represents the porosity measured in laboratory experiments in which grain sizes and volume fractions were systematically changed within sediment mixtures. Permeability values were determined for these sediment mixtures using a model based on grain-size statistics and the expanded fractional-packing porosity model. The permeability model well represents permeability measured in laboratory experiments using air- and water-based permeametry on the model sediment mixtures.     

Thomson Thick X-Ray Absorption in a Broad Absorption Line Quasar, PG 0946+301

We present results of new ASCA observations of the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (LLAGN) NGC 4579 obtained on 1998 December 18 and 28, and we report on the detection of variability of an iron K emission line. The X-ray luminosities in the 2-10 keV band for the two observations are nearly identical (LX approximately 2x1041 ergs s(-1)), but they are approximately 35% larger than that measured in 1995 July by Terashima et al. An Fe K emission line is detected at 6.39+/-0.09 keV (source rest frame), which is lower than the line energy 6.73+0.13-0.12 keV in the 1995 observation. If we fit the Fe lines with a blend of two Gaussians centered at 6.39 and 6.73 keV, the intensity of the 6.7 keV line decreases, while the intensity of the 6.4 keV line increases, within an interval of 3.5 yr. This variability rules out thermal plasmas in the host galaxy as the origin of the ionized Fe line in this LLAGN. The detection and variability of the 6.4 keV line indicates that cold matter subtends a large solid angle viewed from the nucleus and that it is located within approximately 1 pc from the nucleus. It could be identified with an optically thick standard accretion disk. If this is the case, a standard accretion disk is present at the Eddington ratio of Lbol/LEdd approximately 2x10-3. A broad disk-line profile is not clearly seen, and the structure of the innermost part of accretion disk remains unclear.     

Modeling multiscale heterogeneity and aquifer interconnectivity

A number of methods involving indicator geostatistics were combined in a methodology for characterizing and modeling multiscale heterogeneity. The methodology circumvents sources of bias common in data from borehole logs. We applied this methodology to the complex heterogeneity within a regional system of buried valley aquifers, which occurs in the western glaciated plains of North America and includes the Spiritwood Aquifer. The region is conceptualized as having a hierarchical organization with three facies assemblage types (large-scale heterogeneity) and two facies types within each assemblage (small-scale heterogeneity). We statistically characterized the sedimentary architecture at both scales, formulated indicator correlation models from those characterizations, and used the models to simulate the architecture in a multiscale realization. We focused on the interconnectivity of units creating higher-permeability pathways. Higher-permeability pathways span the realization even though the proportion of higher-permeability facies is less than the percolation threshold. Thus, geologic structures as represented in the indicator correlation models create interconnectivity above that which would occur if the higher-permeability facies were randomly placed. This amount of interconnection among higher-permeability facies within the multiscale realization is consistent with that suggested in prior hydraulic and geochemical studies of the regional system.