Model of the W3(OH) Environment Based on Data for Both Maser and “Quasi-Thermal” Methanol Lines

In studies of the environment of massive young stellar objects, recent progress in both observations and theory allows a unified treatment of data for maser and quasi-thermal lines. Interferometric maser images provide information on the distribution and kinematics of masing gas on small spatial scales. Observations of multiple masing transitions provide constraints on the physical parameters.Interferometric data on quasi-thermal molecular lines permits an investigation of the overall distribution and kinematics of the molecular gas in the vicinity of young stellar objects, including those which are deeply embedded. Using multiple transitions of different molecules, one can obtain good constraints on the physical and chemical parameters. Combining these data enables the construction of unified models, which take into account spatial scales differing by orders of magnitude.Here, we present such a combined analysis of the environment around the ultracompact HII region in W3(OH). This includes the structure of the methanol masing region, physical structure of the near vicinity of W3(OH), detection of new masers in the large-scale shock front and embedded sources in the vicinity of the TW young stellar object.     

Relationships between chlorophyll a, bacteria, ATP, POC and respiration rates in the Changjiang Estuary and the plume

Bacteria abundance, chlorophyll a, ATP and POC concentrations and respiration rates of microorganisms in the Changjiang Estuary and the plume were determined in July 1986. The high values of bacteria abundance occurred in the river mouth in association with suspended matter. It is assumed that bacteria were the major contributor to ATP and the main consumer of dissolved oxygen, and that the relationship between ATP and POC was present in that area. In the dilution zone (salinity; 25-30), instead of bacteria, phytoplankton was the major contributor to ATP and respiration rates, due to diatom bloom. Close relationships between Chi a and ATP, and ATP and POC were observed. Contribution of microbial carbon to POC was also estimated.     

Bedrock morphology and structures within overlying sediments,Start Bay,Southwest England,determined by continuous seismic profiling,side-scan sonar,and core sampling

The bedrock morphology of Start Bay, Southwest England, and the Structures within overlying sediments have been determined by a combined geophysical and geological survey. It has been established that the Skerries Bank consists of a drape of possibly coarse, unconsolidated material (bank deposits) overlying medium- to fine-grained silty sand (bay deposits). A break of slope in the bedrock surface, traced along the entire length of the Bay, and a step profile in the southern part of the Bay, may be either a legacy of submerged topography produced by vigorous tidal action, or alternatively the product of subaerial and marine processes. Other significant geological features in the Bay include infilled valleys, and “terraces” possibly pertaining to relict barrier beaches.     

Observations of Coronal Mass Ejections with the Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter

The Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP) measures not only the polarization of coronal emission, but also the full radiance profiles of coronal emission lines. For the first time, CoMP observations provide high-cadence image sequences of the coronal line intensity, Doppler shift, and line width simultaneously over a large field of view. By studying the Doppler shift and line width we may explore more of the physical processes of the initiation and propagation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Here we identify a list of CMEs observed by CoMP and present the first results of these observations. Our preliminary analysis shows that CMEs are usually associated with greatly increased Doppler shift and enhanced line width. These new observations provide not only valuable information to constrain CME models and probe various processes during the initial propagation of CMEs in the low corona, but also offer a possible cost-effective and low-risk means of space-weather monitoring.     

Nutrient mediated stress on the marine communities of a coastal lagoon (Puerto Galera, Philippines)

Puerto Galera Bay is a coastal lagoon with a variety of marine habitats and high species diversity. It is an area in the Phillippines where the growing influence of human activities is affecting the quality of its marine resources. This study examined the distribution and behaviour of nutrients and the physical hydrography of Puerto Galera Bay and determined how its physico-chemical nature affected the condition of biotic components in the bay. The relative importance of the nitrogen and phosphorus signals were used as indicators to implicate the influence of sewage and run-off into the bay. A nutrient pool accumulated in the bay as a result of low flushing rates. The interaction of hydrodynamic forcing with the biota have implications on the phytoplankton production and coral communities in the area.     

Quantification of the amplitude variability of the ground motion in Argostoli,Greece. Variability of linear and non-linear structural response of a single degree of freedom system.

The term “spatial variability of seismic ground motions” denotes the differences in the amplitude and phase content of seismic motions. The effect of such spatial variability on the structural response is still an open issue. In-situ experiments may be helpful in order to answer the questions regarding both the quantification of the spatial variability of the ground motion within the dimensions of a structure as well as the effect on its dynamic response. The goal of the present study is to quantify the variability of the seismic ground motion accelerations in the shallow sedimentary basin of Argostoli, Greece, and thereafter to identify its effect on the linear and non-linear elasto-plastic response of a single degree of freedom system in terms of spectral displacements. Around 400 earthquakes are used, recorded by the 21-element very dense seismological array deployed in Argostoli with inter-station spacing ranging from 5 to 160 meters. The seismic motion variability, evaluated in terms of spectral accelerations, is found to be significant and to increase with inter-station distance and frequency. Thereafter, the amplitude variability in terms of spectral displacements, which is indeed the linear response of a single degree of freedom (SDOF) system with various fundamental periods, is compared with the amplitude variability of a SDOF with non-linear elasto-plastic response. The variability of the maximum top displacement of the linear single degree of freedom system is estimated to be on average 12% with larger variabilities to be observed within two narrow frequency ranges (between 1.5 and 1.7 Hz and between 3 and 4 Hz). Such high variabilities are caused by locally edge-generated diffracted surface waves. The non-linear perfectly elasto-platic structural response of the SDOF system shows that although the variability has the same trends as in the case of linear response, it is almost constantly increased by 5%.     

长江中下游成矿带陆内斑岩型矿床的成岩成矿作用

陆内环境斑岩型矿床的发现对斑岩成矿理论的完善具有重要意义。长江中下游成矿带作为中国东部重要的陆内成矿带之一,成矿带内发育多个重要的斑岩型矿床,如铜山口Cu-Mo矿床、鸡冠嘴Cu-Au矿床、白云山Cu矿、城门山Cu-Mo矿床、武山Cu-Mo矿床、丰山洞Cu-Au矿床、丁家山Cu矿、洋鸡山Au矿、沙溪Cu-Au矿床、冬瓜山Cu-Au矿床、舒家店Cu矿床和安基山Cu矿床等。本文选取成矿带内典型的、具有代表性的斑岩型矿床,对其地质特征(地层、构造、含矿斑岩、脉体特征和围岩蚀变)、成岩成矿年代、成矿岩体的岩石化学和成岩成矿地球化学等方面的研究资料和成果进行了系统总结,讨论和试图阐明长江中下游成矿带陆内斑岩型矿床的成岩成矿作用与成矿模式。研究显示,长江中下游成矿带形成于燕山期陆内造山过程,成矿斑岩岩浆活动和成矿作用主要发生于149~105Ma之间,进一步可以分为早、中、晚三阶段:149~135Ma、133~125Ma和123~105Ma,三阶段岩浆活动和成矿作用主要发生于成矿带中的断隆区,早阶段(149~135Ma)和晚阶段(123~105Ma)多为斑岩-矽卡岩型矿化,中阶段(133~125Ma)矿化为典型的斑岩型矿化。长江中下游成矿带内斑岩型矿床的含矿斑岩为高钾钙碱性-钙碱性系列岩石,大部分具有埃达克岩的地球化学特征,可能为源自富集地幔的岩浆和加厚下地壳部分熔融的岩浆混合的产物,源自富集地幔的基性岩浆对成矿具有至关重要的作用,它的混入使得混合岩浆富水、硫和金属(Cu、Au)等。进一步通过与岩浆弧环境的斑岩型矿床对比研究发现,长江中下游成矿带斑岩型矿床一般不发育高级泥化岩帽(advanced argillic liithocaps)以及浅部的高-中硫矿化蚀变系统,含矿岩浆源区性质和成矿物质来源等与岩浆弧环境的斑岩型矿床明显不同。     

Short chain ladderanes: Oxic biodegradation products of anammox lipids

Anammox, the microbial anaerobic oxidation of ammonium by nitrite to produce dinitrogen gas, has been recognized as a key process in both the marine and freshwater nitrogen cycles, and found to be a major sink for fixed inorganic nitrogen in the oceans. Ladderane lipids are unique anammox bacterial membrane lipids that have been used as biomarkers for anammox bacteria in recent and past environmental settings. However, the fate of ladderane lipids during diagenesis is as of yet unknown. In this study, we performed oxic degradation experiments (at 20-100 °C) with anammox bacterial biomass to simulate early diagenetic processes occurring in the water column and at the sediment-water interface. Abundances of C₁₈ and C₂₀ ladderane lipids decreased with increasing temperatures, testifying to their labile nature. The most abundant products formed were ladderane lipids with a shorter alkyl side chain (C₁₄ and C₁₆ ladderane fatty acids), which was unambiguously established using two-dimensional NMR techniques on an isolated C₁₄-[3]-ladderane fatty acid. The most pronounced production of these short-chain lipids was at 40 °C, suggesting that degradation of ladderane lipids was microbially mediated, likely through a β-oxidation pathway. An HPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the detection of these ladderane alteration products in environmental samples and positively tested on various sediments. This showed that the ladderanes formed during degradation experiments also naturally occur in the marine environment. Thus, short-chain ladderane lipids may complement the original longer-chain ladderane lipids as suitable biomarkers for the detection of anammox processes in past depositional environments.