Some models of the geomagnetic field in western Europe from 1960 to 1980

Achache et al.'s averages over 10 west European observatories of the annual mean magnetic components X, Y, Z are studied from 1953 to 1979. A 1970 jerk is fitted to the data by least squares, and the fit is quantitatively compared with that of a polynomial having the same number of free parameters as the jerk (a quintic). A crude correction for the 11-y sunspot cycle is also attempted. The jerk and quintic are equally good fits to X, the jerk is clearly better for Y, and the quintic is modestly better for Z. The jerk amplitudes of X and Z but not Y depend heavily on whether a sunspot correction is made, and such a correction may be required to estimate the energy of the internal part of the jerk in the manner of Malin and Hodder. The sunspot correction to Y probably cannot be brought above the noise because it is small and highly correlated with both the jerk and the quintic. The sunspot corrections to X and Z are statistically significant but depend on whether the core signal is taken as a jerk or a quintic. Courtillot and Le Mouël's physical model for the jerk predicts that the jerk amplitudes of X, Y, Z will be proportional to the longitudinal derivatives of X, Y and Z. This prediction is roughly verified for the magnitudes but not the signs; it is just possible that the signs in X and Z are not statistically significant.     

北喀斯喀特边缘IODP 311航次断面的地震结构、天然气水合物含量和滑塌构造

北喀斯喀特活动边缘的增生楔沉积物中含有分布广泛的天然气水合物一直延伸到海底下几百米的深度。为了评估天然气水合物的长期能源潜力和它在全球气候变化及边坡稳定性中的作用,2005年9月IODP311航次建立了一个详细的地质模型来解释水合物的形成与分解以及它与穿过大陆边缘流体流的伴生关系。在考察前,先在大陆坡上进行地震试验以提供支持钻井的地球物理信息。     

On motions in steady,layered, geostrophic models

The interior motions in steady, layered, geostrophic models of large scale wind-driven phenomena are severely constrained if there is no stress transfer across the interfaces. In particular, there will be no motion in the subsurface layers except in regions where the layers rise to the surface and are exposed to the wind-stress or unless the layers are in contact with lateral boundary layers with which they exchange fluid. These results follow directly from quite general considerations that are outlined in this paper.     

Apparent counter-gradient heat fluxes generated by atmospheric waves

In studies of turbulence, tower data are used to measure vertical fluxes of momentum and heat generated by correlations in the fluctuating fields. Similar time averages of wu and w may be computed for an interval of wave activity observed at an instrumented tower. However, it is shown that such measurements do not necessarily correspond to the conventional Reynold's stresses or vertical heat fluxes. And waves can appear to have non-zero and even countergradient fluxes when proper averages show no fluxes at all.These spurious fluxes are generated by the method of analysis, a Fourier series performed on a finite time interval. Any background disturbance that is not strictly confined to the interval will generate a spurious wave spectrum. In particular, long-period waves will generate terms that interfere with the true high frequency waves to give false wave fluxes. The theoretical findings of this paper provide a ready explanation of tower data that would otherwise appear to conflict with conventional wave theory.     

Tensor time domain electromagnetic resistivity measurements at Ngatamariki geothermal field, New Zealand

Experimental measurements in the Ngatamariki geothermal field, North Island, New Zealand were made to test the applicability of the time domain electromagnetic method for detailed investigation of the resistivity structure within a geothermal field. Low-frequency square wave signals were transmitted through three grounded bipole current sources sited about 8 km from the measurement lines. Despite high levels of electrical noise, transient electric field vectors could be determined reliably for times between 0.02 and 3.3 s after each step in the source current. Instantaneous apparent resistivity tensors were then calculated. Apparent resistivity pseudosections along the two measurement lines show smooth variations of resistivity from site to site. Over most of the field the images consistently show a three-layer resistivity structure with a conductive middle layer (3–10 Ωm) representing the conductive upper part of the thermal reservoir. A deep-seated region of low resistivity in the northwest of the field may indicate a conductive structure at about 1 km associated with a deeper diorite intrusion. Measurements sited closer than about 100 m to drillholes appear to have been disturbed by metallic casing in the holes. A change in resistivity structure in the east of the field may indicate a major geological or hydrothermal boundary.     

Characterization of permineralized kerogen from an Eocene fossil fern

The processes of organic maturation that occur during the permineralization of fossils and the detailed chemistry of the resulting products are incompletely understood. Primary among such processes is the geochemical alteration of biological matter to produce kerogen, such as that which comprises the cell walls of the fossils studied here: essentially unmetamorphosed, Eocene plant axes (specimens of the fossil fern Dennstaedtiopsis aerenchymata cellularly permineralized in cherts of the Clarno Formation of Oregon and the Allenby Formation of British Columbia). The composition and molecular structure of the kerogen that comprises the cell walls of such axes were analyzed using ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy (UV–Raman), solid state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C NMR) and pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (py–GC–MS).Cellularly well-preserved fern axes from both geologic units exhibit similar overall molecular structure, being composed primarily of networks of aromatic rings and polyene chains that, unlike more mature kerogens, lack large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) constituents. The cell walls of the Allenby Formation specimens are, however, less altered than those of the Clarno chert, exhibiting more prevalent oxygen-containing and alkyl functional groups and comprising a greater fraction of rock mass.The study represents the first demonstration of the effectiveness (and limitations) of the combined use of UV–Raman, ¹³C NMR and py–GC–MS for the analysis of the kerogenous cell walls of chert-permineralized vascular plants.