Sky Noise Limited Snapshot Imaging in the Presence of RFI with Lofar’s Initial Test Station

The initial test station (ITS) is the first full scale prototype of a low frequency array (LOFAR) station. It operates in the 10–40 MHz range and consists of 60 sky noise limited dipoles arranged in a five-armed spiral structure offering an instantaneous synthesized aperture of almost 200 m diameter. We will present all sky snapshot images demonstrating sky-noise limited imaging capability in the presence of a strong RFI source that exceeds the all sky power by 27 dB. This result is obtained with a two stage self-calibration procedure. First, the RFI source near the horizon is used as calibrator and then subtracted, after which Cas A shows up at a level that is a factor 2000 lower and then dominates the picture with its side lobes. A second self calibration on Cas A then reveals the same extended galactic emission as found in a RFI free adjacent spectral channel. This demonstrates that a single 10 kHz channel of a 6.7 s snapshot of a single LOFAR station already provides a dynamic range of over 10⁴.     

Airborne and groundbased spectrophotometry of comet P/Halley from 5-13 micrometers

Spectrophotometry from 5-10 micrometers (delta lambda/lambda approximately 0.02) of comet Halley was obtained from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory on 1985 December 12.1 and 1986 April 8.6 and 10.5, UT. 8-13 micrometers data were obtained on 17.2 December 1985 from the Nickel Telescope at Lick Observatory. The spectra show a strong broad emission band at 10 micrometers and a weak feature at 6.8 micrometers. We do not confirm the strong 7.5 micrometers emission feature observed by the Vega 1 spacecraft. The 10 micrometers band, identified with silicate materials, has substructure indicative of crystalline material. The band can be fitted by combining spectra data from a sample of interplanetary dust particles. The primary component of the silicate emission is due to olivine. The 6.8 micrometers emission feature can be due either to carbonates or the C-H deformation mode in organic molecules. The lack of other emission bands is used to place limits on the types of organic molecules responsible for the emission observed by others at 3.4 micrometers. Color temperatures significantly higher than the equilibrium blackbody temperature indicate that small particles are abundant in the coma. Significant spatial and temporal variations in the spectrum have been observed and show trends similar to those observed by the spacecraft and from the ground. Temporal variability of the silicate emission relative to the 5-8 micrometers continuum suggests that there are at least two physically separated components of the dust.     

Willingness to pay for marine-based tourism in the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve,Mozambique

Marine and coastal ecosystems face widespread degradation largely because market failure hides the economic value of the goods and services they provide. Marine protected areas (MPAs) can serve as structures that ensure the continued functioning of marine and coastal ecosystem goods and services. Yet, to be effective and sustainable, MPAs must be able to prove their economic worth and generate revenue. User-fee systems are used commonly to partially finance multi-use MPAs. This study applies contingent valuation as a method of economic valuation within an MPA in southern Mozambique. Using a payment card and questionnaire from November 2012 to April 2013, this study determined the willingness to pay (WTP) of three user groups for access to the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve. The study also investigated the potential for the reserve to increase revenues for conservation through the implementation of a user fee for marine-based activities. Probit and ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions were used to determine the effects of various independent variables on WTP. The OLS model found income, African residency and environmental awareness to be significant factors that influenced visitors' WTP for access to the reserve. The mean WTP was R 43.75 (South African rands) per person per day. Using data supplied by the reserve management, conservative estimated annual revenues based on the implementation of this fee amount ranged between R 1.46 million and R 3.3 million.     

新疆东天山觉罗塔格地区花岗岩类年代学、构造背景及其成矿作用研究

东天山觉罗塔格地区岩浆岩非常发育,以花岗岩类分布最为广泛,对其研究还较为薄弱。本文对觉罗塔格地区主要的花岗岩类岩体系统开展了地质特征研究并进行了同位素精确测年,报道了区内16个主要花岗岩类岩体的锆石LA-ICPMS U-Pb年龄：镜儿泉岩体376.9±3.1Ma、西凤山岩体349.0±3.4Ma、石英滩岩体342±11Ma、长条山岩体337.4±2.8Ma、天目岩体320.2±3.1Ma、百灵山岩体317.7±3.7Ma、白石泉岩体303±18Ma、迪坎岩体288.0±2.5Ma、黄山岩体288±17Ma、白山东岩体284.5±4.5Ma、管道岩体284.1±5.8Ma、红石岩体282.7±4.2Ma、陇东岩体276.2±2.5Ma、多头山岩体271.7±5.5Ma、双岔沟岩体252.4±2.9Ma、土墩岩体246.2±2.6Ma,上述定年结果为研究区岩浆活动与区域构造演化及深部过程的关系研究提供了可靠的年代学支持。结合前人已有的部分年代学成果认为,觉罗塔格地区花岗岩类的形成年龄分布在386~230Ma之间,岩浆活动可分为晚泥盆世(386.5~369.5Ma)、早石炭世(349~330Ma)、晚石炭世-晚二叠世(320~252Ma)、早中三叠世(246~230Ma)等4个阶段。前3个阶段岩浆活动具有持续时间逐渐变长、岩浆活动逐渐加剧的特点,并在第三阶段达到顶峰,而第四阶段岩浆活动则明显变弱。花岗岩类岩浆活动在时空分布上表现为,自哈尔里克-大南湖岛弧带→阿奇山-雅满岛弧带→康古尔-黄山韧性剪切带,岩体侵位由早到晚; 自研究区东部→中西部→沿韧性剪切带,岩体侵位由老到新。结合区域构造演化研究成果认为,觉罗塔格地区花岗质岩浆活动与区域构造演化具有很强的耦合关系,花岗岩类在前碰撞阶段、主碰撞阶段、后碰撞阶段、板内阶段等4个构造演化阶段均有发育,与花岗岩类在时间分布上的4个阶段完全对应,其中尤以后碰撞构造演化阶段花岗岩类的分布最广泛、岩浆活动最强烈。觉罗塔格地区与4个阶段花岗岩类有关的成矿作用由早到晚具有无明显矿化→斑岩型铜矿、火山岩型铁矿→韧性剪切带型金矿、夕卡岩型银(铜)矿→斑岩-石英脉型钼矿的演化特点,其中以对应于主碰撞阶段的斑岩型铜矿和后碰撞阶段的韧性剪切带型金矿最为发育。本文系统阐述了东天山觉罗塔格地区中酸性岩体的时空格架、与区域构造演化的耦合、与成矿作用的关系,为北疆地区晚古生代特别是后碰撞背景下的岩浆演化及其成矿关系的研究提供了有力支持。     

东天山自然铜矿化带玄武岩的起源、演化及成岩构造背景

新疆东天山地区与玄武岩有关的自然铜矿化带位于东天山觉罗塔格构造带内,自西向东有十里坡、黑龙峰、长城山、东尖峰等主要矿(化)点,自然铜矿化主要发育在玄武岩、杏仁状玄武岩及凝灰岩夹层中。本文基于玄武岩的地球化学特征,研究东天山自然铜矿化带玄武岩是否与地幔柱有关、岩浆源区性质、岩浆演化、成岩构造背景等问题。研究显示,东天山自然铜矿化带玄武岩与地幔柱岩浆活动无直接关系,整个天山地区是否存在石炭-二叠纪地幔柱岩浆活动也需要进一步的研究; 玄武岩起源于亏损岩石圈地幔,是演化岩浆的产物; 演化的玄武质岩浆形成后,在岩浆房中或上升至地表的过程中没有发生明显的分离结晶作用,也没有受到明显的地壳物质混染; 与玄武岩对应的地幔橄榄岩平衡原生岩浆演化的高镁岩浆的产物,可能为东天山地区与铜镍硫化物成矿有关的基性-超基性岩,指示这些铜镍硫化物矿床可能与地幔柱岩浆活动也没有关系; 玄武岩形成于新疆北部后碰撞构造阶段的伸展期,是在拉张应力体制下,由于软流圈上涌导致岩石圈地幔部分熔融而形成。     

In Situ Trace Gas and Particle Measurements in the Summer Lower Stratosphere during STREAM II: Implications for O3 Production

In situ aircraft measurements of O₃, CO,HNO₃, and aerosol particles are presented,performed over the North Sea region in the summerlower stratosphere during the STREAM II campaign(Stratosphere Troposphere Experiments by AircraftMeasurements) in July 1994. Occasionally, high COconcentrations of 200-300 pbbv were measured in thelowermost stratosphere, together with relatively highHNO₃ concentrations up to 1.6 ppbv. The particlenumber concentration (at standard pressure andtemperature) between 0.018-1 m decreased acrossthe tropopause, from >1000 cm^-3 in the uppertroposphere to <500 cm^-3 in the lowermoststratosphere. Since the CO sources are found in thetroposphere, the elevated CO mixing ratios areattributed to mixing of polluted tropospheric air intothe lowermost extratropical stratosphere. Further wehave used a chemical model to illustrate that nitrogenoxide reservoir species (mainly HNO₃) determinethe availability of NO_x (=NO + NO₂) andtherefore largely control the total net O₃production in the lower kilometers of thestratosphere. Model simulations, applying additionalNO_x perturbations from aircraft, show that theO₃ production efficiency of NO_x is smallerthan previously assumed, under conditions withrelatively high HNO₃ mixing ratios, as observedduring STREAM II. The model simulations furthersuggest a relatively high O₃ productionefficiency from CO oxidation, as a result of therelatively high ambient HNO₃ and NO_xconcentrations, implying that upward transport of COrich air enhances O₃ production in the lowermoststratosphere. Analysis of the measurements and themodel calculations suggest that the lowermoststratosphere is a transition region in which thechemistry deviates from both the upper troposphere andlower stratosphere.