Size Fractionation (Dissolved, Colloidal and Particulate) of Trace Metals in the Thur River, Switzerland

The distribution of some trace metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Co,Fe, Mn) and of DOC over a particulate (> 1 m),a colloidal (size < 0.45 m and molecular weight > 10 kD) and an ultrafiltered fraction (< 10 kD)was determined at several sites on the Thur River,Switzerland, at various times of the year. Thecomplexation of Cu by strong ligands in theultrafiltrate and in the conventional filtrate (<0.45 m) was compared using a ligand-exchange/CSV method.The <0.45 m concentrations of Cu (from anaverage of 7 nM to 24 nM), Zn (<5–23 nM), Ni (5–13 nM),Co (1.5–3 nM) and Mn (7–92 nM)increased downstream. The major part of Cu, Zn, Niand Co usually occurred in the ultrafiltratefraction at all sites, whereas Fe and Mn were mostlyin the particulate fraction, under conditions of lowsuspended matter content (< 10 mg L^-1) in theriver. The percentage of metal in the colloidalfraction, with respect to the 0.45-m filtrate,decreased in the order: Cu (median 11%) > Zn Ni(median 5–6%) > Mn Co (median < 5%). DOCalso consisted mostly of molecules in the < 10 kDrange.Cu was strongly complexed by natural organic ligandsin all filtrate and ultrafiltrate samples. A largepart of the strong Cu binding ligands consisted ofcompounds in the < 10 kD range, but colloidalligands with similar properties also occurred. Cu wasdistributed among the dissolved and the colloidalligands, roughly in proportion to organic carbon.The colloidal fraction (as defined here) did notincrease in its proportional amount downstream and wasonly of limited significance in transporting traceelements in the Thur River under low discharge conditions.     

Volcanic ash forecast during the June 2011 Cordón Caulle eruption

We modelled the transport and deposition of ash from the June 2011 eruption from Cordón Caulle volcanic complex, Chile. The modelling strategy, currently under development at the Argentinean Naval Hydrographic Service and National Meteorological Service, couples the weather research and forecasting (WRF/ARW) meteorological model with the FALL3D ash dispersal model. The strategy uses volcanological inputs inferred from satellite imagery, eruption reports and preliminary grain-size data obtained during the first days of the eruption from an Argentinean ash sample collection network. In this sense, the results shown here can be regarded as a quasi-syn-eruptive forecast for the first 16 days of the eruption. Although this article describes the modelling process in the aftermath of the crisis, the strategy was implemented from the beginning of the eruption, and results were made available to the Buenos Aires Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers and other end users. The model predicts ash cloud trajectories, concentration of ash at relevant flight levels, expected deposit thickness and ash accumulation rates at relevant localities. Here, we validate the modelling strategy by comparing results with satellite retrievals and syn-eruptive ground deposit measurements. Results highlight the goodness of the combined WRF/ARW-FALL3D forecasting system and point out the usefulness of coupling both models for short-term forecast of volcanic ash clouds.     

Mixture of populations

A simple example simulating a mixture of two normal populations results in some important observations, nonnormality and nonsymmetry of the mixture conditional pdf, nonlinearity of the conditional mean as a function of the conditioning data, heteroscedasticity of the conditional variance and its nonmonotonicity as a function of distance of the unknown to the conditioning data. A comparison of the mixture statistics with those predicted by traditional models ignoring the mixture reveals the inadequacy and inappropriateness of these traditional approaches. A mixture of two multivariate normal populations is illustrated through the analytical expressions of its conditional distribution and moments.     

Paleoecology and radiocarbon dating of the Pleistocene megafauna of the Brazilian Intertropical Region

During the Pleistocene a fauna composed of large (biomass > 44 kg) and giant mammals (biomass > 1000 kg) that are usually associated with open environments lived in the Brazilian Intertropical Region. We present here new information concerning the paleoecology and chronology of some species of this megafauna. Carbon isotope analyses were performed for a better understanding of the paleoecology of the species Eremotherium laurillardi (Lund, 1842), Notiomastodon platensis (Ameghino, 1888) and Toxodon platensis (Owen, 1849). The δ¹³C data allow attributing a generalist diet to these species, which varied according to the kind of habitat in which they lived. In more open habitats all species were grazers; in mixed habitats E. laurillardi and T. platensis were mixed feeders, and N. platensis was grazer; and in more closed habitats all species were mixed feeders.     

洁净煤技术应用现状综述

我国是煤炭生产和消费大国 ,大力开发应用适合我国国情的煤炭地下气化技术、工业型煤技术、水煤浆气化技术、煤液化技术、洁净煤联合循环发电技术、煤系废弃物的综合利用技术等洁净煤技术 ,对提高煤炭利用率 ,改善环境状况 ,实现能源工业 (也包括化工及其它相关行业 )的可持续发展 ,有重要意义并具有广阔的发展前景。     

Origin and distribution of tonsteins in late permian coal seams of Southwestern China

We have surveyed the areal and stratigraphic distribution of tonsteins in Late Permian coalfields of southwestern China over an area of several hundred thousand square kilometers. We studied the relationship between tonstein distribution and sedimentary environment. Based on mineralogical and petrographic data, we have concluded that these tonsteins originated as air-fall volcanic ashes. Following accumulation in the peat swamps, in situ alteration of the vitric and lithic components took place under acidic conditions, leading to the formation of kaolinite.Based on petrologic, mineralogic, and chemical analytical data, we have determined that the application of mineralogic and geochemical criteria for tonsteins may be useful in correlating coal beds, predicting coal qualities and reconstructing related sedimentary paleoenvironmental conditions.     

北秦岭板山坪岩体锆石U-Pb年代学及岩石成因研究

板山坪岩体是北秦岭二郎坪群中的侵入岩。为了查明该岩体的成因,对该岩体进行了锆石U-Pb年代学、锆石原位Hf同位素研究以及矿物化学分析等方面的研究。研究结果表明,板山坪岩体岩性组成主要为石英闪长岩和花岗闪长岩,花岗闪长岩内部存在暗色包体。本次研究获得板山坪石英闪长岩锆石U-Pb年龄为442.7～432.2 Ma,花岗闪长岩锆石U-Pb年龄为436.8～432.7 Ma,暗色包体锆石U-Pb年龄为437.6 Ma。锆石176Hf/177Hf值为0.282 737～0.282 736,εHf（t）值集中分布在8.4～9.4之间,二阶段Hf模式年龄（TDM2）在876～832 Ma之间。石英闪长岩结晶温压分别为673 ℃～745 ℃和0.19～0.54 GPa,花岗闪长岩结晶温压分别为657 ℃～730 ℃和0.48～0.96 GPa,暗色包体结晶温压分别为680 ℃～734 ℃和0.69～1.65 GPa。综合分析认为板山坪岩体为复式岩体,两期结晶年龄分别为496～487 Ma和442～432 Ma。岩石来源于地幔分离出来的新生下地壳。     

时间域航空电磁系统探测深度研究

时间域航空电磁系统探测深度与采样时间、发射磁矩、大地电导率、仪器背景噪声和灵敏度等诸多因素相关。本文基于时间域航空电磁一维正演对时间域航空电磁系统探测深度进行研究。正演算法从麦克斯韦方程出发,结合准静态近似条件,得到一维层状介质上空中心回线频率域电磁场响应的垂直分量,并采用汉克尔积分进行计算,进而通过时-频变换获得时间域电磁场响应。探测深度研究参考仪器背景噪声水平,通过设定最小可识别信号阈值（本文设定为系统背景噪声三倍）获取最大可探测分离时间,进而利用该分离时间结合平均电导率求取最大探测深度。最后本文以VTEM系统为例,对不同层状介质模型以及不同发射磁矩、背景噪声、发射脉宽和飞行高度下的时间域航空电磁系统最大探测深度进行分析和讨论。     

冻土三轴剪切过程中细观损伤演化CT动态试验

对冻结粉质粘土在三轴剪切过程中的结构损伤进行了CT技术动态测试。通过对CT图像及CT数的分析发现：在受载之前冻土结构已经存在孔隙、管状孔隙和低密度区等初始缺陷;变形过程中冻土结构的弹性损伤只占总损伤的比例很小,而结构粘塑性损伤的比例则很大;在三轴剪切过程中和蠕变过程一样存在结构损伤的弱化和强化现象,孔洞几何特征的改变和孔洞的长大、联合,颗粒之间的相互错动及滑移是冻土结构粘塑性损伤发展的重要特征。冻土的结构损伤主要发生在冻土屈服之后,这部分损伤不能用CT数的变化来定量计算。