Hydrocarbon nucleation and aerosol formation in Neptune's atmosphere

Photodissociation of methane at high altitude levels in Neptune's atmosphere leads to the production of complex hydrocarbon species such as acetylene (C2H2), ethane (C2H6), methylacetylene (CH3C2H), propane (C3H8), diacetylene (C4H2), and butane (C4H8). These gases diffuse to the lower stratosphere where temperatures are low enough to initiate condensation. Particle formation may not occur readily, however, as the vapor species become supersaturated. We present a theoretical analysis of particle formation mechanisms at conditions relevant to Neptune's troposphere and stratosphere and show that hydrocarbon nucleation is very inefficient under Neptunian conditions: saturation ratios much greater than unity are required for aerosol formation by either homogeneous, heterogeneous, or ion-induced nucleation. Homogeneous nucleation will not be important for any of the hydrocarbon species considered; however, both heterogeneous and ion-induced nucleation should be possible on Neptune for most of the above species. The relative effectiveness of heterogeneous and ion-induced nucleation depends on the physical and thermodynamic properties of the particular species, the abundance of the condensable species, the temperature at which the vapor becomes supersaturated, and the number and type of condensation nuclei or ions available. Typical saturation ratios required for observable particle formation rates on Neptune range from approximately 3 for heterogeneous nucleation of methane in the upper troposphere to greater than 1000 for heterogeneous nucleation of methylacetylene, diacetylene, and butane in the lower stratosphere. Thus, methane clouds may form slightly above, and stratospheric hazes far below, their saturation levels. When used in conjunction with the results of detailed models of atmospheric photochemistry, our nucleation models place realistic constraints on the altitude levels at which we expect hydrocarbon hazes or clouds to form on Neptune.     

Photochemistry of the atmosphere of Titan: comparison between model and observations

The photochemistry of simple molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms in the atmosphere of Titan has been investigated using updated chemical schemes and our own estimates of a number of key rate coefficients. Proper exospheric boundary conditions, vertical transport, and condensation processes at the tropopause have been incorporated into the model. It is argued that he composition, climatology, and evolution of Titan's atmosphere are controlled by five major processes: (a) photolysis and photosensitized dissociation of CH4; (b) conversion of H to H2 and escape of hydrogen; (c) synthesis of higher hydrocarbons; (d) coupling between nitrogen and hydrocarbons; (e) coupling between oxygen and hydrocarbons. Starting with N2, CH4, and H2O, and invoking interactions with ultraviolet sunlight, energetic electrons, and cosmic rays, the model satisfactorily accounts for the concentrations of minor species observed by the Voyager IRIS and UVS instruments. Photochemistry is responsible for converting the simpler atmospheric species into more complex organic compounds, which are subsequently condensed at the tropopause and deposited on the surface. Titan might have lost 5.6 x 10(4), 1.8 x 10(3), and 4.0 g cm-2, or the equivalent of 8, 0.25, and 5 x 10(-4) bars of CH4, N2, and CO, respectively, over geologic time. Implications of abiotic organic synthesis on Titan for the origin of life on Earth are briefly discussed.     

Chemical pathway analysis of the Martian atmosphere: CO2-formation pathways

The chemical composition of a planetary atmosphere plays an important role for atmospheric structure, stability, and evolution. Potentially complex interactions between chemical species do not often allow for an easy understanding of the underlying chemical mechanisms governing the atmospheric composition. In particular, trace species can affect the abundance of major species by acting in catalytic cycles. On Mars, such cycles even control the abundance of its main atmospheric constituent CO₂. The identification of catalytic cycles (or more generally chemical pathways) by hand is quite demanding. Hence, the application of computer algorithms is beneficial in order to analyze complex chemical reaction networks. Here, we have performed the first automated quantified chemical pathways analysis of the Martian atmosphere with respect to CO₂-production in a given reaction system. For this, we applied the Pathway Analysis Program (PAP) to output data from the Caltech/JPL photochemical Mars model. All dominant chemical pathways directly related to the global CO₂-production have been quantified as a function of height up to 86 km. We quantitatively show that CO₂-production is dominated by chemical pathways involving HO_x and O_x. In addition, we find that NO_x in combination with HO_x and O_x exhibits a non-negligible contribution to CO₂-production, especially in Mars’ lower atmosphere. This study reveals that only a small number of chemical pathways contribute significantly to the atmospheric abundance of CO₂ on Mars; their contributions to CO₂-production vary considerably with altitude. This analysis also endorses the importance of transport processes in governing CO₂-stability in the Martian atmosphere. Lastly, we identify a previously unknown chemical pathway involving HO_x, O_x, and HO₂-photodissociation, contributing 8% towards global CO₂-production by chemical pathways using recommended up-to-date values for reaction rate coefficients.     

Effect of Sludge Retention Time on Nitrifiers' Biomass and Kinetics in an Anaerobic/Oxic Process

In this study, the effect of sludge retention time on ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in an anaerobic/oxic (AO) process, was explored. The results indicated that the growth rate constants of AOB were 0.97, 0.88, and 0.79 d^–1, respectively, meanwhile, those of NOB were 1.22, 1.03, and 0.93 d^–1, respectively, when the sludge retention time (SRT) was 15 days, 10 days and 5 days. The relation between the growth rate constant and the SRT could be best described using a simple exponential curve and a second type hyperbolic curve. The lysis rate constants for AOB and NOB were 0.13 and 0.18 d^–1, respectively. The yield coefficients values of AOB and NOB were 0.22 and 0.21, respectively. The percentage of AOB to mixed liquid suspended solids (MLSS) was 0.64%, 0.53%, and 0.35%, respectively. Meanwhile, the percentage of NOB was 2.24%, 1.87%, and 1.11%, respectively, at SRT values of 15 days, 10 days and 5 days. When the SRT value decreased, the AOB and NOB biomass levels decreased by 12.75 and 47.01 mg L^–1, respectively. Meanwhile the removal efficiency of NH₄⁺‐N decreased from 90 to 26%, while the removal efficiency of total nitrogen (TN) decreased from 14 to 8%.     

Oxygen isotopes in the martian atmosphere: Implications for the evolution of volatiles

Non-thermal escape of oxygen by recombination of exospheric O₂⁺ combined with diffusive separation of gases at lower altitude provides a mechanism through which the Martian atmosphere may be enriched in ¹⁸O relative to ¹⁶O. Measurement of the abundance of ¹⁸O relative to ¹⁶O together with a determination of the turbopause may be used to develop important constraints on the history of Martian volatiles. Models for the interpretation of these data are developed and discussed in light of present information.     

窗口环境中运行的质量管理系统

概述了题示系统的设计原理、软件功能和运行环境。系统是ＸＲＦＩＡＳＸ荧光集成分析系统的子系统，由数理统计和１：２０万化探样品质量管理模块组成，无需人工录入，即可使用Ｘ荧光分析结果，对化探样品进行日常监控、质量评估、绘制监控图、打印分析结果。设计了用户友好的汉化窗口界面，还能将分析结果数据转换成ＤＢＦ文件，供Ｄｂａｓｅ访问，由用户程序进一步处理数据。     

与侵入岩有关的金矿体系

与侵入岩有关的金矿体系的主要特点 :1.大地构造位置是会聚板块边缘的内侧。这种部位的大陆岩浆作用往往形成了同时代的碱性、偏铝钙碱性和过铝成分的侵入岩 ;2 .显生宙 ,尤其是海西期和燕山期形成的侵入岩是与侵入岩金矿床有关的最佳侵入岩 ,其中最有利的部位是已知钨、锡矿床产出部位 ;3.成矿母岩是中性到酸性成分的偏铝、次碱性侵入岩 ,介于钛铁矿系列与磁铁矿系列之间 ;4 .成矿流体是富碳的热流体 ;5 .金属组合是 Au与 Bi、W、As、Mo、Te或 Sb组合 ,贱金属含量低 ;6 .硫化物含量低 ,一般低于 5 % ,显示还原性质的矿石矿物组合 ,特征的矿物组成是毒砂和磁黄铁矿 ,缺失磁铁矿和赤铁矿 ;7.除了浅成条件下形成的金矿床 ,该金矿体系的热液蚀变较弱 ,常见的蚀变产物是白云母 -绢云母 -绿泥石 -碳酸盐集合体。     

A low-temperature kinetic study of the exsolution of pentlandite from the monosulfide solid solution using a refined Avrami method

A refined Avrami method, that assumes that the activation energy is a function of reaction extent y, was used to analyze the kinetics of the exsolution of pentlandite from mss/pyrrhotite (bulk composition, (Fe_0.77Ni_0.19)S) over the temperature range 473 to 573 K. The experimental results show the reaction rates vary from 1.6 × 10⁻⁵ to 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ s⁻¹ at 473 K and from 9.4 × 10⁻⁵ to 4.1 × 10⁻⁷ s⁻¹ at 573 K. Examination of exsolution textures indicated that the mechanism of exsolution did not change significantly over the temperature range investigated. The activation energy (E_a) decreases from 49.6 to 20.7 kJ mol⁻¹ over the course of the reaction. The decrease in E_a with y is related to the change in the dominant factor of pentlandite exsolution, from nucleation dominant at the beginning to metal ion diffusion dominant at the end. The classic Avrami method provides average values of kinetic parameters for the overall solid-state reaction while the refined Avrami method provides more a detailed indication of the variation of kinetic parameters over the course of the reaction. Previously published kinetic data for the exsolution of pentlandite from mss/pyrrhotite are reevaluated using the refined Avrami method.     

Numerical modeling of space-time wave extremes using WAVEWATCH III

A novel implementation of parameters estimating the space-time wave extremes within the spectral wave model WAVEWATCH III (WW3) is presented. The new output parameters, available in WW3 version 5.16, rely on the theoretical model of Fedele (J Phys Oceanogr 42(9):1601-1615, 2012) extended by Benetazzo et al. (J Phys Oceanogr 45(9):2261–2275, 2015) to estimate the maximum second-order nonlinear crest height over a given space-time region. In order to assess the wave height associated to the maximum crest height and the maximum wave height (generally different in a broad-band stormy sea state), the linear quasi-determinism theory of Boccotti (2000) is considered. The new WW3 implementation is tested by simulating sea states and space-time extremes over the Mediterranean Sea (forced by the wind fields produced by the COSMO-ME atmospheric model). Model simulations are compared to space-time wave maxima observed on March 10th, 2014, in the northern Adriatic Sea (Italy), by a stereo camera system installed on-board the “Acqua Alta” oceanographic tower. Results show that modeled space-time extremes are in general agreement with observations. Differences are mostly ascribed to the accuracy of the wind forcing and, to a lesser extent, to the approximations introduced in the space-time extremes parameterizations. Model estimates are expected to be even more accurate over areas larger than the mean wavelength (for instance, the model grid size).