青藏高原中部色林错湖泊沉积物色度反映末次冰盛期以来区域古气候演化

色林错湖位于青藏高原内部,是西藏第一大咸水内陆湖。研究区剖面选自色林错第三湖泊阶地,利用常用气候替代指标色度,结合粒度、碳酸盐含量［CaCO³（%）］、矿物分析和全有机质（TOC）等进行对比分析,同时采用¹⁴C测年方法对剖面进行准确的年代划分,初步探讨了末次冰盛期以来色林错湖泊沉积物色度增强机制的差异性。研究表明： a^*、b^*与中粗粒砂、磁化率具有较好的相关性;亮度L^*与CaCO³（%）具较好相关性;因而沉积物色度变化可反应区域古气候变化。同时对湖泊沉积物矿物分析发现,影响色度变化的制色矿物主要是针铁矿,且以还原环境为主。红度a^*高值与亮度L^*低值对应气候暖湿气候环境,沉积物粒度较粗,碳酸盐含量低,有机质含量高,磁化率较高值;反之,红度a^*低值,L^*高值,粒度较细,碳酸盐含量高,有机质含量低,磁化率低值,对应干冷气候。在17.4～15.5 cal ka BP阶段,对应干冷的气候特点;在15.5～10.4 cal ka BP阶段,对应温暖湿润的气候;在10.4～5.2 cal ka BP阶段,整体属于温暖湿润的气候特点;其中,在9.7～9.4 cal ka BP和8.75～8.5 cal ka BP为两个重要的冷事件,属于干湿的气候特点;在5.2～1.2 cal ka BP阶段,反映了干冷的气候特征;在4.3～4.0 cal ka BP,3.3～3.0 cal ka BP和2.4～1.75 cal ka BP,反映了干旱温暖的气候特点;在1.2 cal ka BP以后,色林错湖湖水迅速下降。     

巴基斯坦国日本金线鱼（Nemipterus japonicus）种群动力学的研究

Japanese threadfin bream Nemipterus japonicus(Bloch, 1791) is among the most abundant and commercially important species in Pakistan. From the coast of Pakistan, four demersal trawl surveys in October–November 2009 and May–June, August, October and November in 2010 were carried out. The purpose of this study is to estimate the population dynamics and status of the stock of the N. japonicus from Pakistani waters based on the research trawl surveys from the research area. The data consist of n=784 length-weight pairs and n=7 530 length frequency with the maximum length and weight of 29 cm and 358 g respectively. The length frequency data were analyzed using ELEFAN method in FiSAT computer package. The parameters of length and weight relationship were b=2.778, a=0.032 and R2=0.973. The estimated von Bertalanffy growth function parameters were L∞=30.45 cm, K=0.270 year-1. Based on length-converted catch curve analysis the total mortality(Z) during this study was estimated at 0.960 year-1. The natural mortality coefficient(M) was 0.74 year-1 using Pauly's equation(the annual average sea surface temperature was 27°C), therefore, the fishing mortality coefficients(F) were 0.22 year-1. The yield per recruit analysis indicated that when tc was 2, Fmax was estimated at 1.2 and F0.1 at 1.1. When tc was 1, Fmax was estimated at 0.95 and F0.1 at 0.8. Because current age at first capture is about 1 year and Fcurrent was 0.22, Fcurrent is smaller than F0.1 and Fmax, which indicated that the fishery is about in a safe condition. When using Gulland(1971) biological reference point, Fopt was equals to M(0.74). The current fishing mortality rate of 0.22 was smaller than the target biological reference point.     

A wavelet analysis of the spectra of quasi-stellar objects

The temperature of the intergalactic medium (IGM) is an important factor in determining the linewidths of the absorption lines in the Ly α forest. We present a method to characterize the linewidth distribution using a decomposition of an Ly α spectrum in terms of discrete wavelets. Such wavelets form an orthogonal basis, so the decomposition is unique. We demonstrate using hydrodynamic simulations that the mean and dispersion of the wavelet amplitudes are strongly correlated with both the temperature of the absorbing gas and its dependence on the gas density. Since wavelets are also localized in space, we are able to analyse the temperature distribution as a function of position along the spectrum. We illustrate how this method could be used to identify fluctuations in the IGM temperature that might result from late reionization or local effects.     

Investigating soil moisture feedbacks on precipitation with tests of Granger causality

Granger causality (GC) is used in the econometrics literature to identify the presence of one- and two-way coupling between terms in noisy multivariate dynamical systems. Here we test for the presence of GC to identify a soil moisture (S) feedback on precipitation (P) using data from Illinois. In this framework S is said to Granger cause P if F(P_t|Ω_t−Δt)≠F(P_t|Ω_t−Δt−S_t−Δt) where F denotes the conditional distribution of P, Ω_t−Δt represents the set of all knowledge available at time t−Δt, and Ω_t−Δt−S_t−Δt represents all knowledge except S. Critical for land–atmosphere interaction research is that Ω_t−Δt includes all past information on P as well as S. Therefore that part of the relation between past soil moisture and current precipitation which results from precipitation autocorrelation and soil water balance will be accounted for and not attributed to causality. Tests for GC usually specify all relevant variables in a coupled vector autoregressive (VAR) model and then calculate the significance level of decreased predictability as various coupling coefficients are omitted. But because the data (daily precipitation and soil moisture) are distinctly non-Gaussian, we avoid using a VAR and instead express the daily precipitation events as a Markov model. We then test whether the probability of storm occurrence, conditioned on past information on precipitation, changes with information on soil moisture. Past information on precipitation is expressed both as the occurrence of previous day precipitation (to account for storm-scale persistence) and as a simple soil moisture-like precipitation-wetness index derived solely from precipitation (to account for seasonal-scale persistence). In this way only those fluctuations in moisture not attributable to past fluctuations in precipitation (e.g., those due to temperature) can influence the outcome of the test. The null hypothesis (no moisture influence) is evaluated by comparing observed changes in storm probability to Monte-Carlo simulated differences generated with unconditional occurrence probabilities. The null hypothesis is not rejected (p>0.5) suggesting that contrary to recently published results, insufficient evidence exists to support an influence of soil moisture on precipitation in Illinois.     

Changes in precipitation extremes over arid to semiarid and subhumid Punjab,Pakistan

Asymmetrical monsoons during the recent past have resulted into spatially variable and devastating floods in South Asia. Analysis of historic precipitation extremes record may help in formulating mitigation strategies at local level. Eleven indices of precipitation extremes were evaluated using RClimDex and daily time series data for analysis period of 1981–2010 from five representative cities across Punjab province of Pakistan. The indices include consecutive dry days, consecutive wet days, number of days above daily average precipitation, number of days with precipitation ≥10 mm, number of days with precipitation ≥20 mm, very wet days, extremely wet days, simple daily intensity index, maximum 1-day precipitation quantity, maximum 5 consecutive day precipitation quantity, and annual total wet-day precipitation. Mann-Kendall test and Sen’s slope extremes were used to detect trends in indices. Droughts and excessive precipitation were dictated by elevation from mean sea level with prolonged dry spells in southern Punjab and vice versa confirming spatial trends for precipitation extremes. However, no temporal trend was observed for any of the indices. Summer in the region is the wettest season depicting contribution of monsoons during June through August toward devastating floods in the region.     

Using Cooperative Water Quality Data for a Holistic Understanding of Rivers and Streams: A Study of the Neponset River,Massachusetts

Water quality studies seeking to identify modes or processes of river systems often use targeted, research-designed, high-frequency data, whereas most water quality data today are collected for monitoring and reporting requirements are of low frequency and are collected through cooperative and volunteer programs. There exists in this situation an information gap between the science of understanding river system dynamics and the collection of data in most of these systems. Using data collected by volunteers in the Neponset Watershed (Massachusetts, U.S.), we demonstrate that multivariate analysis is a viable option for enhancing the use and information of spatially distributed, long-term monitoring data sets common in the United States. Additionally, the geographic, environmental, and time line information inherent in these community-maintained data leads to a more complete picture of river and stream dynamics. Principal component analyses of three distinct reaches with different channel characteristics and surrounding environments demonstrate differences in dominant modes, with undeveloped stretches driven by seasonal processes, and other stretches exhibiting organic or nutrient sources. This type of information can bridge gaps from problem identification or monitoring to a more complete understanding of river system processes influencing water quality, thereby leading to better stewardship of resources.     

An efficient method of generating random permeability fields by the source point method

Aquifer properties, for example permeability and porosity, vary in space and may be characterized by their distributions. The property distribution is not totally random but shows some correlation structure. Because most of the values are not known, some rational method is required to generate credible aquifer distribution properties for inclusion in fluid transport models. This paper presents a numerically efficient method of generating geostatistical random fields, by the source Point Method (SPM). The SPM is a very efficient method and requires little computer time and relatively small data storage, as compared to other methods of generating random fields. In addition, the SPM is modified to include any desired amount of anisotropy in the property distribution of a system. By using conditional covariances, a formula for a two-dimensional anisotropic field is derived to prespecify the desired correlation length in any direction. Results show that for an anisotropic medium the correlation length can be pre-specified in any specific direction.     

High diffraction efficiency, broadband, diffraction crystals for use in crystal diffraction lenses

A major goal of the MAX program is to detect and measure gamma rays produced following the nuclear reactions that take place in a supernova explosion. To detect a reasonable number of supernovae, sensitivities of the order of a few times 10-7 γ cm-2sec-1 are needed – much better than possible with current instruments. The approach in the MAX program is to use a crystal diffraction lens to collect photons over a large area and concentrate them on a small well-shielded detector, greatly improving the signal to noise ratio. The crystals need to have both high diffraction efficiency and a relatively broad energy bandwidth. With mosaic crystals there is a trade-off between bandwidth and diffraction efficiency – one can have either high efficiency or large bandwidth, but not both without losing too much intensity through atomic absorption. A recent breakthrough in our understanding of crystal diffraction for high-energy gamma rays has made it possible to develop crystals that have both high diffraction efficiency and a relatively broad energy bandwidth. These crystals have near perfect crystal structure, but the crystalline planes are slightly curved. Such curved planes can be obtained in 3 different ways, by using mixed crystals with a composition gradient, by applying a thermal gradient, and by mechanically bending a near perfect crystal. A series of experiments have been performed on all three types of crystals using high-energy x-ray beams from the Advanced Photon Source at the Argonne National Laboratory. Experiments performed at 3 energies, 93 keV, 123 keV and 153 keV, with both the thermal gradient Si crystals and with the mechanically bent Si crystals, demonstrated that one can achieve diffraction efficiencies approaching 100% with moderate energy bandwidths (ΔE/E = 1.4%) and low atomic absorption (transmission = 0.65), in excellent agreement with theory. The use of this type of diffraction crystal is expected to increase the sensitivity of gamma ray telescopes by a factor of 5 over that possible with normal mosaic crystals.