On the origin of inhomogeneity of anomalous birefringence in mixed crystals: an example of alums

 Optical anomalies (deviations of the symmetry of optical properties from the ideal symmetry of the crystal) occur in many minerals and synthetic compounds and have been under investigation since the last century. An important feature of optically anomalous mixed crystals is a high degree of optical inhomogeneity, whereas the optical patterns of mixed crystals without anomalies are usually rather uniform. This work is devoted to the study of this phenomenon. As a model object we have chosen mixed alum crystals, which were known for their anomalous birefringence and which revealed the following types of optical inhomogeneities: (1) sector zoning; (2) concentric zoning; (3) subsector zoning; (4) stripes normal to growth front. The inhomogeneity of anomalous birefringence of mixed crystals of alums can be explained by superposition of several effects: mismatch strain, strain along dislocations and growth ordering of isomorphous components. Optical inhomogeneities due to the sector zoning of crystals and their dislocation structure arise even under stationary growth conditions and stationary micromorphology of the growing face. Both variable growth conditions and the relief of the growing face strongly intensify the optical inhomogeneity due to three interrelated factors: (1) a significantly inhomogeneous mismatch strain; (2) a variable degree of ordering of isomorphous components due to the compositional inhomogeneities; (3) different degrees of ordering of isomorphous atoms caused by different orientations, heights and velocities of growth steps. These effects lead to the formation of subsector zoning and zoning superimposed on the optical sector zoning. These optical structures are crossed by birefringent stripes arising from dislocations. Received: 29 March 2000 / Accepted: 11 March 2001     

Fish assemblage structure in relation to environmental variation in a Texas Gulf coastal wetland

We described seasonal fish-assemblages in an estuarine marsh fringing Matagorda Bay, Gulf of Mexico. Habitat zones were identified by patterns of fish species abundance and indicator species optima along gradients in salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and depth in our samples. Indicators of the lower brackish zone (lower lake and tidal bayou closest to the bay) were gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus), bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli), silver perch (Bairdiella chrysoura), and spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) at salinity >15‰, DO 7–10 mg l⁻¹, and depth <0.5 m. Indicators of the upper brackish zone (lake and fringing salt marsh) were pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) and spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) at salinity 10–20‰, DO >10 mg l⁻¹, and depth <0.5 m. In the freshwater wetland zone (diked wetland, ephemeral pool, and perennial scour pool), indicators were sheepshed minnow (Cyprinod on variegatus), rainwater killifish (Lucania parva), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), and sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna) at salinity <5‰, DO <5 mg l⁻¹, and depth ≥1 m. In the freshwater channelized zone (slough and irrigation canal), indicators were three sunfish species (Lepomis), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), and gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) at salinity <5‰, DO <5 mg l⁻¹, and depth >1.5 m. In brackish zones, seasonal variation in species diversity among sites was positively correlated with temperature, but assemblage structure also was influenced by depth and DO. In the freshwater zones, seasonal variation in species diversity among sites was positively correlated with depth, DO, and salinity, but assemblage structure was weakly associated with temperature. Species diversity and assemblage structure were strongly affected by the connectivity between freshwater wetland and brackish zones. Uncommon species in diked wetlands, such as tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) and fat sleeper (Dormitator maculatus), indicated movement of fishes from the brackish zone as the water level rose during natural flooding and scheduled (July) releases from the diked wetland. From September to July, diversity in the freshwater wetland zone decreased as receding waters left small isolated pools, and fish movement became blocked by a water-control structure. Subsequently, diversity was reduced to a few species with opportunistic life histories and tolerance to anoxic conditions that developed as flooded vegetation decayed.     

用于县级规划管理的微机系统设计

论述了研制适于县级规划管理的微机系统的必要性，主要设计思想和关键技术，介绍了目前研制的成果。     

Wet tropospheric effects on precise relative GPS height determination

Summary Considerable interest has been generated recently in the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for precise height determination. A major error source in these measurements is the propagation delay due to atmospheric water vapour. In order to achieve the high precisions required for such applications as absolute sea-level monitoring improvement of wet delay modelling is necessary. Results from a GPS campaign show a significant correlation (0.91) between the variability of the wet delay measured using a water vapour radiometer (WVR) at the Onsala site and the absolute value of the residual error in the height determination of a 134 km baseline from Onsala to Jönköping. This correlation indicates that the atmosphericvariability as inferred from the WVR data includes information on the quality of the GPS height estimate. During periods of high atmospheric activity, e.g., during the passage of a weather front, the use of a six-parameter gradient model reduces the spread for the vertical coordinate from 40 mm to 20 mm (with standard deviations of 17 mm and 9 mm respectively) over the 134 km baseline (less than 1 × 10^–7) using 8 hour data spans on 11 different days over a six month period.     

A Review of Catalogues of Chinese Earthquakes

In the past decade, the most authoritative catalogues of Chinese earthquakes and the most popular with seismologists in China are the following:(1) Gu Gongxu, 1983, Catalogue of Chinese Earthquakes;(2) Min Ziqun, 1988, Concise Catalogue of Chinese Earthquakes;(3) Xie Yusuou, 1989, Catalogue of Chinese Earthquakes (M≥ 4.7) from 1900-1980 with Uniform Magnitudes; and(4) Min Ziqun, 1995, Catalogue of Chinese Historical Strong Earthquakes. Earthquakes that occurred before 1900 are mainly documented in historical records.Since 1950s, more recent earthquakes were documented in two major compilations of historical records finished in 1956 and 1983-1987. Separately this effort resulted in two chronicles: two volumes for the first one and five volumes for the second one. The magnitudes are converted from the maximum intensity. These magnitudes, by convention, are connected with surface wave magnitudes. However, it is clear that they do not have any strict seismological definition.The period of 1900-1962 documen     

Stochastic sketching of infiltration-advance isochrones

A technique has been developed for predicting the irregular advance pattern often observed as water spreads on the surface of the ground. The technique is a combination of stochastic sketching, potential theory, probability theory, and a mass balance equation in the form of an advance equation. The technique can be used on flat as well as sloping terrain and addresses any form of obstructions or constraints to the flow of the water. The stochastic sketching portion of the technique uses cellular automata with transition probability movement rules to sketch the dynamics of small volume water elements in the defined environment. Randomly selected small volume flow path segments are computed and plotted. The envelope of these segments defines the wetted area and the advance front. Several examples are presented showing the patterns produced for various situations.     

Planning of Soil-Pore Water Sampling Campaigns Using Pesticide Transport Modeling

Soil-pore water sampling by suction lysimeters monitors the fate of soil contaminants as a function of depth and time. However, sampling campaigns must be planned to most effectively monitor the migration of contaminants with a minimum expenditure of resources. The vertical migration of pesticides was studied at two sites treated with systemic s-triazine herbicides and equipped with suction lysimeters. The measured concentrations were compared with those calculated by a simulation model. This modeling was based on the processes that control the transport and fate of pesticide within the soil. The usefulness of such a tool was demonstrated by the good approximation obtained for pesticide concentrations and arrival times. Moreover, the significant spatial variability of concentrations observed justifies the use of a stochastic approach in modeling that takes into account the spatial variability of soil parameters. Also, the rapid transformation of herbicides observed in unsaturated soil zones demonstrates the importance of taking into account the sum of the toxic residues when evaluating the fate of s-triazines in soil.