The role and significance of extracellular polymers in activated sludge. Part I: Literature review

In biological wastewater treatment, bacteria tend to aggregate by forming flocs, biofilms and even granules. A large part of the floc structure in activated sludge is composed of extracellular polymers. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are mainly responsible for the structural and functional integrity of biofilms/flocs and they are considered to be important for the physico‐chemical properties of activated sludge. This review considers the composition of EPS and proportion between the constituents. Moreover it includes the relationship between the EPS constituents and sludge properties such as sludge retention time, hydrophobicity and surface charge.     

Method for correction of the prestack migration amplitude of converted waves

The paper presents a method for correction of amplitude of prestack migration using the reflectivity function. The solution of wave equations for heterogeneous media expressed in the form of Neumann series for converted waves was used to find the reflectivity function. The performance of the proposed method was verified using synthetic models of wavefields. The synthetic models of wavefields were also used to compare amplitude correction levels required by the presented method and the standard amplitude correction methods, i.e., the methods using the spherical divergence and extention factor.     

Aqueous volatiles in hydrothermal fluids from the Main Endeavour Field, northern Juan de Fuca Ridge: temporal variability following earthquake activity

The Main Endeavour Field, northern Juan de Fuca Ridge, experienced intense seismic activity in June 1999. Hydrothermal vent fluids were collected from sulfide structures in September 1999 and July 2000 and analyzed for the abundance of H₂, H₂S, CH₄, CO₂, NH₃, Mg and Cl to document temporal and spatial changes following the earthquakes. Dissolved concentrations of CO₂, H₂, and H₂S increased dramatically in the September 1999 samples relative to pre-earthquake abundances, and subsequently decreased during the following year. In contrast, dissolved NH₃ and CH₄ concentrations in 1999 and 2000 were similar to or less than pre-earthquake values. Aqueous Cl abundances showed large decreases immediately following the earthquakes followed by increases to near pre-earthquake values. The abundances of volatile species at the Main Endeavour Field were characterized by strong inverse correlations with chlorinity. Phase separation can account for 20-50% enrichments of CO₂, CH₄, and NH₃ in low-chlorinity fluids, while temperature- and pressure-dependent fluid-mineral equilibria at near-critical conditions are responsible for order of magnitude greater enrichments in dissolved H₂S and H₂. The systematic variation of dissolved gas concentrations with chlorinity likely reflects mixing of a low-chlorinity volatile-enriched vapor generated by supercritical phase separation with a cooler gas-poor hydrothermal fluid of seawater chlorinity. Decreased abundances of sediment-derived NH₃ and CH₄ in 1999 indicate an earthquake-induced change in subsurface hydrology. Elevated CO₂ abundances in vent fluids collected in September 1999 provide evidence that supports a magmatic origin for the earthquakes. Temperature-salinity relationships are consistent with intrusion of a shallow dike and suggest that the earthquakes were associated with movement of magma beneath the ridge crest. These data demonstrate the large and rapid response of chemical fluxes at mid-ocean ridges to magmatic activity and associated changes in subsurface temperature and pressure.     

Transport of Temperature and Humidity Variance and Covariance in the Marine Surface Layer

In this paper we address the budget of potential temperature T and moisture mixing ratio q variances as well as the q-T covariance budget. We focus on the vertical transport and study the quantities contained in these terms. Estimates of transport terms are rare and to the best of our knowledge they have never been shown together in the literature. For this purpose an extensive set of humidity and temperature turbulence data from two heights in a marine environment has been analysed. We discuss and compare our results with results from earlier studies for a range of stability from near-neutral to unstable. Similarity and differences between T and q behaviour in the surface layer over water are presented.     

地磁场总强度空间线性相关在预报武定,丽江强震中的应用及机理

介绍了地磁场空间线性相关的计算方法。详细阐述了利用此方法在预报武定地震 (1 995年 1 0月 2 4日 ,MS6.5)及丽江地震 (1 996年 2月 3日 MS7.0 )中的应用。笔者对此方法进行了理论推导 ,结果表明相关参量与台站经纬度的选择有关 ,而地磁场的空间线性相关的规律与台站的经纬度选择无关。该结果对台组的选择起到了指导作用     

Extinction versus backscatter relationships for lidar applications at 351 nm: maritime and desert aerosol simulations and comparison with observations

Functional relationships linking at λ₀=351 nm aerosol extinction α_λ0^aer and backscatter coefficient β_λ0^aer of maritime and desert type aerosols are determined to allow for inversion of the single-wavelength lidar signals. Such relationships are derived as mean behavior of 20,000 extinction versus backscatter computations, performed for aerosol size distributions and compositions whose describing parameters are randomly chosen within the naturally observed variability. For desert-type aerosols, the effect of the particle non-sphericity is considered and it is shown that the extinction to backscatter ratio of non-spherical dust particles can be up to 60% larger than the values obtained for spherical particles. Aerosol extinction and backscatter coefficient profiles obtained inverting the single-wavelength lidar signal with the modeled relationships are then compared to the same profiles measured by a combined elastic-Raman lidar operating at 351 nm. Analytical back trajectories and satellite images are used to characterize advection patterns during lidar measurements and to properly choose the modeled functional relationship. A good accordance between the two techniques is found for advection patterns over the lidar site typical of maritime and dust conditions. Maximum differences between the model-based α_λ0^aer and β_λ0^aer vertical profiles and the corresponding ones measured by the combined elastic-Raman lidar technique are of 30% and 40% in maritime and desert dust conditions, respectively. The comparison of elastic-Raman lidar measurements and model-based results also reveals that particle non-sphericity must be taken into account when mineral dust-type aerosols are directly advected over the measurement site.     

Zoosporic aquatic fungi growing on dead specimens of 29 freshwater crustacean species

The authors investigated aquatic fungi growing on the carapaces of 29 species of dead crustaceans (13 species of Copepoda, 13 species of Cladocera and 3 species of Ostracoda) in the water from six limnological and trophical different water bodies (two springs, one river, one lake and two ponds). All of these waterbodies are strongly loaded. 146 species of aquatic fungi were found on the carapaces: 40 Chytridiomycetes, 1 Hyphochytriomycete and 105 Oomycetes. The most common fungus species were Karlingia chitinophila, Myzocytium microsporum, Myzocytium zoophthorum, Pythium acanthicum, Pythium butleri and Pythium myriotylum. Most zoosporic fungus species were observed on the specimens of Daphnia pulex (50 fungus species), Daphnia magna (48) and Cyclocypris laevis (44), fewest on Cyclops fuscus and Cyclops vicinus (each 10).The most fungi were growing in the water from River Supraśl (86), the fewest in the water from Pond Fosa (53). Cluster analysis of the investigated parameters carried out in water bodies during the experiment on zoosporic fungus species has revealed that in the water from springs and Pond Fosa the number of fungus species is closely associated with the concentration of sulphates, in water from River Supraśl and Lake Komosa with calcium and in the water from Pond Dojlidy with chlorides. Out of these 146 species, 21 are known as parasites or necrotrophs of fish. Some dead specimens of crustacean species are a new substrate for some fungus species.     

Paleo-environmental and volcano-tectonic evolution of the southeastern flank of Mt. Etna during the last 225 ka inferred from the volcanic succession of the ‘Timpe’, Acireale, Sicily

The tectonic escarpments locally known as ‘Timpe’ cut a large sector of the eastern flank of Etna, and allow an ancient volcanic succession dating back to 225 ka to be exposed. Geological and volcanological investigations carried out on this succession have allowed us to recognize relevant angular unconformities and volcanic features which are the remnants of eruptive fissures, as well as important changes in the nature, composition and magmatic affinity of the exposed volcanics. In particular, the recognition in the lower part of the succession of important and unequivocal evidence of ancient eruptive fissures led us to propose a local origin for these volcanics and to revise previous interpretations which attributed their westward-dipping to the progressive tectonic tilting of strata. These elements led us to reinterpret the main features of the volcanic activity occurring since 250 ka BP and their relationship with tectonic structures active in the eastern flank of Etna. We propose a complex paleo-environmental and volcano-tectonic evolution of the southeastern flank of Mt. Etna, in which the Timpe fault system played the role of the crustal structure that allowed the rise and eruption of magmas in the above considered time span.     

Peat-forming environments of Westphalian A coal seams from the Lower Silesian Coal Basin of SW Poland based on petrographic and palynologic data

The petrographic and palynologic compositions of coal seams of the acler formation (Upper Carboniferous, Westphalian A) from northwestern and southeastern part of the Lower Silesian Coal Basin (LSCB) were examined. Coals studied are highly volatile bituminous coal, where R_o ranges from 0.91% to 1.09%. Seam 430 from the northwestern part of the basin contains high vitrinite percentage with rather low inertinite and liptinite contents, while percentage of mineral matter is variable. This petrographic composition is associated either with a predominance of Lycospora in miospore assemblage, or with a miospore assemblage of mixed character. The abundance of Lycospora reflects vegetation composed of the arborescent lycopsids while the mixed miospore assemblage is connected with diverse palaeoplant communities, namely, arborescent lycopsids, calamites and ferns. Seams 409 and 412/413 from the southeastern part of the LSCB are rich in inertinite and liptinite, while the vitrinite content is moderate. Their characteristic feature is the occurrence of a diagnostic crassisporinite (densosporinite). Amount of the mineral components in these coals is very low. Densosporites and related crassicingulate genera are main components of these miospore assemblages and were produced by herbaceous and/or sub-arborescent lycopsids. These petrographic and palynologic features were the basis for distinguishing three maceral–miospore associations: an arborescent lycopsid and mixed associations, occurring in the seam 430 and a herbaceous and/or sub-arborescent lycopsid association which was recorded in seams 409 and 412/413. The first two assemblages are interpreted as having been deposited in a planar rheotrophic mire, whereas the herbaceous and/or sub-arborescent lycopsid association is thought to have developed in an ombrotrophic, domed mire.