Karst database development in Minnesota: design and data assembly

The Karst Feature Database (KFD) of Minnesota is a relational GIS-based Database Management System (DBMS). Previous karst feature datasets used inconsistent attributes to describe karst features in different areas of Minnesota. Existing metadata were modified and standardized to represent a comprehensive metadata for all the karst features in Minnesota. Microsoft Access 2000 and ArcView 3.2 were used to develop this working database. Existing county and sub-county karst feature datasets have been assembled into the KFD, which is capable of visualizing and analyzing the entire data set. By November 17 2002, 11,682 karst features were stored in the KFD of Minnesota. Data tables are stored in a Microsoft Access 2000 DBMS and linked to corresponding ArcView applications. The current KFD of Minnesota has been moved from a Windows NT server to a Windows 2000 Citrix server accessible to researchers and planners through networked interfaces.     

葛洲坝至胭脂坝长江干流段江豚活动规律

长江江豚是我国一级保护野生动物,也是长江生态系统的指示性物种,其种群数量恢复情况及活动规律一直备受关注。本文选择长江宜昌段江豚活动频繁的葛洲坝下游至胭脂坝江段为研究区域,于2021年6月-2022年5月采用定点目测、水上流动监测与无人机监测相结合的方法分区监测长江江豚的游泳行为,分析长江江豚的活动规律,构建了长江江豚出水头次的零膨胀泊松回归模型,识别影响长江江豚出水头次的关键因素,建立长江江豚出水头次与各因素间的相关关系。结果表明:(1)葛洲坝至胭脂坝长江干流段监测到最大江豚出水头次为19头次,长江江豚集群规模以2~3头最为常见,占比达58.1%;长江江豚主要表现出4种行为特征,各行为占比从大到小依次为:玩耍＞休息＞摄食＞抚幼。(2)长江江豚在葛洲坝下游近坝区(A区,葛洲坝至至喜长江大桥)出水头次最多,且在秋冬季节累计出水头次多于春夏季节,冬季累计出水头次最高,达252头次。(3)长江江豚出水头次与电站下泄流量呈显著负相关;浊度增大,长江江豚出水的概率减小。本文研究结果对长江江豚生态保护策略及长江十年禁渔效果评估具有重要参考价值。     

相控阵天气雷达监测预警龙卷风的过程剖析

天气雷达作为龙卷风监测预警的重要手段之一,应用具有超高时空分辨率的X波段双极化相控阵天气雷达系统,较好地捕获并提前预警龙卷风。以2022年6月19日07时发生在广东佛山南海的一次龙卷风为例,详细剖析龙卷生消及雷达监测预警过程。借助雷达智能预警软件,利用X波段双极化相控阵天气雷达的双偏振量和超高时空分辨率数据,实时反演三维风场和分析龙卷碎片(TVS)特征,能够显著提高龙卷风监测预警水平。实例表明,本次成功地提前18分钟预警龙卷,进一步说明了X波段双极化相控阵天气雷达在强对流天气探测方面具有较强的生命力。     

Fe3+ in shocked olivine crystals of the ALHA 77005 meteorite

ALHA 77005, a shocked achondrite of the shergottite group, is unique in containing cumulus olivine crystals which display a brownish color in thin section. Mössbauer, EPR, and optical spectroscopic studies show the presence of Fe³⁺ in the olivine. Approximately 4.5 wt.% of the total iron in the olivine (24 wt.% as FeO) is in the trivalent state. The Fe³⁺ ions preferentially occupy M2 lattice positions. Charge transfer between Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ as well as between Fe³⁺ and oxygen ligands causes a broad absorption band in the optical spectrum at high energies which is the reason for the olivine color. It is concluded that the color of the ALHA 77005 olivine is preterrestrial and may be the result of shock-induced oxidation of the olivine crystals on the meteorite parent body.     

Thermal stability of red giants

The thermal stability of stars with a condensed core and an extended convective envelope (red giants) is discussed. It is shown that the thernal stability is determined by the way the opacity of the photosphere depends on density and temperature. In particular, the H^? opacity in red giants' photospheres ensures their stability.     

Heavy metal pollution in sediments of a typical mariculture zone in South China

The heavy metal inventory and the ecological risk of the estuarine sediments in Hailing Bay, an important maricultural zone along the southern coast of China, were investigated. Results show that the surface sediments were mainly polluted by As (2.17-20.34 mg/kg), Ni (1.37-42.50mg/kg), Cu (1.21-58.84 mg/kg) and Zn (11.69-219.22 mg/kg). Furthermore, the aquafarming zone was significantly more polluted than the non-aquafarming zone, and cluster analysis suggested additional sources of heavy metal input in the aquafarming zone. As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were mainly present in the non-bioavailable residual form in the surface sediments, whereas Cd was predominantly in the highly mobile acid soluble and reducible fractions. The ecological risk of the polluted sediments stemmed mainly from Cd, and from As, Cu and Pb to less degrees. The highest potential risks occurred near the aquaculture base, indicating the need to control heavy metal inputs from aquafarming activities.     

Distinct metamorphic evolution of alternating silica-saturated and silica-deficient microdomains within garnet in ultrahigh-temperature granulites: An example from Sri Lanka

Here we report the occurrence of garnet porphyroblasts that have overgrown alternating silica-saturated and silica deficient microdomains via different mineral reactions. The samples were collected from ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) metapelites in the Highland Complex, Sri Lanka. In some of the metapelites, garnet crystals have cores formed via a dehydration reaction, which had taken place at silica-saturated microdomains and mantle to rim areas formed via a dehydration reaction at silica-deficient microdomains. In contrast, some other garnets in the same rock cores had formed via a dehydration reaction which occurred at silica-deficient microdomains while mantle to rim areas formed via a dehydration reaction at silica-saturated microdomains. Based on the textural observations, we conclude that the studied garnets have grown across different effective bulk compositional microdomains during the prograde evolution. These microdomains could represent heterogeneous compositional layers (paleobedding/laminations) in the precursor sediments or differentiated crenulation cleavages that existed during prograde metamorphism. UHT metamorphism associated with strong ductile deformation, metamorphic differentiation and crystallization of locally produced melt may have obliterated the evidence for such microdomains in the matrix. The lack of significant compositional zoning in garnet probably due to self-diffusion during UHT metamorphism had left mineral inclusions as the sole evidence for earlier microdomains with contrasting chemistry.     

The development of three-dimensional current system during a magnetospheric substorm

It is suggested that the pattern of three-dimensional substorm current circuit varies significantly even during the lifetime of a single substorm. This gives rise to quite complex time variations of the magnetic field at low latitude stations even for relatively isolated substorms. To verify this, three-dimensional current models with time dependent spatial variations are used to simulate one type of complex low-latitude “substorm signature”. It is shown that the utmost care should be exercised in determining different substorm phases on the basis of such a signature. The results indicate also that, in certain longitudes in the evening sector, one should expect distinct differences in characteristics between positive bays observed on the ground and at the synchronous distance.