Elemental composition of 433 Eros: New calibration of the NEAR-Shoemaker XRS data

We present a new calibration of the elemental-abundance data for Asteroid 433 Eros taken by the X-ray spectrometer (XRS) aboard the NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft. (NEAR is an acronym for “Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous.”) Quantification of the asteroid surface elemental abundance ratios depends critically on accurate knowledge of the incident solar X-ray spectrum, which was monitored simultaneously with asteroid observations. Previously published results suffered from incompletely characterized systematic uncertainties due to an imperfect ground calibration of the NEAR gas solar monitor. The solar monitor response function and associated uncertainties have now been characterized by cross-calibration of a large sample of NEAR solar monitor flight data against contemporary broadband solar X-ray data from the Earth-orbiting GOES-8 (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite). The results have been used to analyze XRS spectra acquired from Eros during eight major solar flares (including three that have not previously been reported). The end product of this analysis is a revised set of Eros surface elemental abundance ratios with new error estimates that more accurately reflect the remaining uncertainties in the solar flare spectra: Mg/Si=0.753+0.078/−0.055, Al/Si=0.069±0.055, S/Si=0.005±0.008, Ca/Si=0.060+0.023/−0.024, and Fe/Si=1.678+0.338/−0.320. These revised abundance ratios are consistent within cited uncertainties with the results of Nittler et al. [Nittler, L.R., and 14 colleagues, 2001. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 36, 1673-1695] and thus support the prior conclusions that 433 Eros has a major-element composition similar to ordinary chondrites with the exception of a strong depletion in sulfur, most likely caused by space weathering.     

Wildfire occurrence patterns in ecoregions of New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory,Australia

Natural Hazards - Wildfire occurrence is regulated by many factors such as climate, vegetation, topography and ignition source. The effects of these factors vary across space. In this study,...     

Pyrosequencing reveals specific associations of bacterial clades Roseobacter and Flavobacterium with the harmful dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides growing in culture

Harmful algal blooms of the dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides are of worldwide environmental concern. Previous field studies have demonstrated the association of such algal blooms with free‐living bacteria (FLB) and particle‐associated bacteria (PAB). In the present study, we report evidence for bacterial association with C. polykrikoides in laboratory culture. Sampling was performed at different growth stages (lag, exponential and stationary) and pyrosequencing was used to identify taxa. As a result, the community structures of FLB and PAB were elucidated and significant differences between FLB and PAB were identified by hierarchical cluster analysis and the similarity profiles test (p = .05). The relative abundances of bacterial operational taxonomic units distinctly changed in response to the different phases of C. polykrikoides growth. The Roseobacter genus Marivita and the Flavobacterium genus Winogradskyella were dominant in the FLB and PAB associated with C. polykrikoides, respectively. The Roseobacter clade, which has also exhibited associations with C. polykrikoides blooms in field samples, may influence host cell growth through the provision of vitamins.     

The effects of orography in indochina on wind, cloud, and rainfall patterns during Typhoon Ketsana (2009)

The objective of this study is to i) investigate the effects of orography on the rainfall, wind, and cloud systems of the Typhoon Ketsana (2009) in Indochina, ii) determine rainfall distribution patterns and which parts of Indochina were most affected during Typhoon Ketsana, iii) identify trends in the cloud and rainfall distribution patterns and wind flow patterns in the synoptic scale on orographic effects during Typhoon Ketsana. Remote sensing techniques have been used to study the impacts of TCs. Using data from the remote sensing data such as Fengyun 2D (FY-2D) satellite, Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) satellite, wind information from the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS), and radiosonde data were applied in this study to determine the relationship of the typhoon with the orographic effect. This study provides examples of how the orographic effect is important to weather forecasters, as high mountain ranges were able to influence the distribution of the cloud, rainfall and even wind flow patterns during the typhoon season. This remote sensing technique allows tropical cyclones to be forecasted and their impacts to be defined, and it allows disaster zones to be determined.     

Tracing the origin of Pb using stable Pb isotopes in surface sediments along the Korean Yellow Sea coast

To investigate the factors controlling lead (Pb) concentration and identify the sources of Pb in Yellow Sea sediments along the Korean coast, the concentration of Pb and Pb isotopes in 87 surface and 6 core sediment samples were analyzed. The 1 M HCl leached Pb concentrations had a similar geographic distribution to those of fine-grained sediments, while the distribution of residual Pb concentrations resembled that of coarse-grained sediments. Leached Pb was presumed to be associated with manganese (Mn) oxide and iron (Fe) oxy/hydroxide, while residual Pb was associated with potassium (K)-feldspar, based on good linear relationships between the leached Pb and the Fe/Mn concentrations, and the residual Pb and K concentrations. Based on a ratio–ratio plot with three isotopes (²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb) and the geographic location of each sediment, sediments were categorized into two groups of samples as group1 and group2. Group 1 sediments, which were distributed in Gyeonggi Bay and offshore (north of 36.5°N), were determined to be a mixture of anthropogenic and natural Pb originating from the Han River, based on a ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb against a Cs/Pb_leached mixing plot of core and surface sediments. Group 2 sediments, which were distributed in the south of 36.5°N, also showed a two endmembers mixing relationship between materials from the Geum River and offshore materials, which had very different Pb concentrations and isotope ratios. Based on the isotopes and their concentrations in core and surface sediments, this mixing relationship was interpreted as materials from two geographically different origins being mixed, rather than anthropogenic or natural mixing of materials with the same origin. Therefore, the relative percentage of materials supplied from the Geum River was calculated using a two endmembers mixing model and estimated to be as much as about 50% at 35°N. The spatial distribution of materials derived from the Geum River represented that of fine-grained sediments originating from the Geum River. It was concluded that Pb isotopes in sediments could be used as a tracer in studies of the origin of fine-grained sediments along the Korean Yellow Sea coast.     

黄河、长江与韩国Keum、Yeongsan江沉积物常量元素地球化学特征

运用同样的样品采集和测试方法比较分析了我国的长江和黄河以及韩国的Keum和Yeongsan江的常量元素地球化学特征。韩国河流沉积物中Ca及碳酸盐含量显著低于长江和黄河,而其他元素含量则在二者之间;黄河沉积物以总无机碳(TIC)、Na和Ca含量高为特征,而长江沉积物则显著富集Ti和P。Keum和Yeongsan江沉积物中P、Ca、Fe和Mg在酸溶相中比例可达30％～66％,而K、Al和Ti则富集在残渣相中。韩国河流沉积物极低的Ca含量同流域缺乏碳酸盐源岩密切相关,其沉积物主要由侏罗一晚白垩纪的花岗岩经过中等程度的化学风化而成。虽然Ca在中韩河流沉积物之间含量差异显著,但必须谨慎运用全钙含量来识别海区物源。而沉积物中非碳酸盐态钙(Ca^*)及相应的K／Ca^*和Al／Ca^*比更适合用来示踪黄河及Keum和Yeongsan江沉积物;Ti则可以用来区分长江与其他河流沉积物。     

A stochastic model for active fire detection using the thermal bands of MODIS data

Active fire detection using satellite thermal sensors usually involves thresholding the detected brightness temperature in several bands. Most frequently used features for fire detection are the brightness temperature in the 4-/spl mu/m wavelength band (T/sub 4/) and the brightness temperature difference between 4- and 11-/spl mu/m bands (/spl Delta/T=T/sub 4/-T/sub 11/). In this letter, the task of active fire detection is examined in the context of a stochastic model for target detection. The proposed fire detection method consists of applying a decorrelation transform in the (T/sub 4/,/spl Delta/T) space. Probability density functions for the fire and background pixels are then computed in the transformed variable space using simulated Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) thermal data under different atmospheric humidity conditions and for cases of flaming and smoldering fires. The Pareto curve for each detection case is constructed. Optimal thresholds are derived by minimizing a cost function, which is a weighted sum of the omission and commission errors. The method has also been tested on a MODIS reference dataset validated using high-resolution SPOT images. The results show that the detection errors are comparable with the expected values, and the proposed method performs slightly better than the standard MODIS absolute detection method in terms of the lower cost function.     

House types and their spatial patterns in Singapore

Four major groups of residential houses coexist in Singapore. They are: (a) bungalows, semi-detached and terrace houses; (b) public flats; (c) private flats; (c) shophouses; and (d) attap and zinc-roofed houses. Each group of houses has its own features and specific locations. The share of each group of houses in the total housing stock as well as in a census unit varies with time. The aim of this paper is three-fold. Firstly, it gives an overview of the house types, their features, growth and spatial spread; secondly, it examines the spatial patterns of housing as in 1980; and finally, it outlines the future trends of housing development. The present composition and the spatial pattern of housing in Singapore are very much a result of government planning since 1960. Having solved the problem of housing, the Singapore government now aims at improving the quality of public housing which presently accomodates some 88% of the total population of 2.7 million to a level close to that of the private housing.     

Real‐time hybrid experiments with Newmark integration,MCSmd outer‐loop control and multi‐tasking strategies

Real‐time hybrid testing is a promising technique for experimental structural dynamics, in which the structure under consideration is split into a physical test of key components and a numerical model of the remainder. The physical test and numerical analysis proceed in parallel, in real time, enabling testing of critical elements at large scale and at the correct loading rate. To date most real‐time hybrid tests have been restricted to simple configurations and have used approximate delay compensation schemes. This paper describes a real‐time hybrid testing approach in which non‐linearity is permitted in both the physical and numerical models, and in which multiple interfaces between physical and numerical substructures can be accommodated, even when this results in very stiff coupling between actuators. This is achieved using a Newmark explicit numerical solver, an advanced adaptive controller known as MCSmd and a multi‐tasking strategy. The approach is evaluated through a series of experiments on discrete mass–spring systems. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.