Flow splitting at the bifurcation between two valleys: idealized simulations in comparison with Mesoscale Alpine Programme observations

Summary This paper investigates the characteristics of channelled airflow in the vicinity of a junction of three idealized valleys (one valley carrying the incoming flow and two tributaries carrying the outflow), using a two-dimensional single-layer shallow water model. Particular attention is given to the flow splitting occurring at the junction. Nondimensionalized, the model depends on the valley geometry, the Reynolds number, which is related to the eddy viscosity, and on the difference of the hydrostatic pressure imposed at the exit of the tributaries. At the spatial scale considered in this study, the Rossby number relating the inertial and Coriolis forces is always larger than 1, implying that the effect of earth rotation can be neglected to a first approximation. The analysis of the flow structure within the three valleys as well as the calculation of the split ratio (fraction of the air flow diverted into one of the two downstream valleys with respect to the total mass flux in the upstream valley) show that (i) the flow pattern depends strongly on the Reynolds number while the split ratio is comparatively insensitive; (ii) the valley geometry and the difference between the upstream and downstream hydrostatic pressures affect the flow pattern, the location of the split point and the split ratio; (iii) the relative contribution of flow deflection by the sidewalls and the blocking/splitting mechanism differs between the settings of a “Y-shape” valley and a “T-shape” valley. Quantitative comparison of the present results with numerical simulations of realistic cases and with observations collected in the region of the Rhine and Seez valleys (Switzerland) (“Y-shape” valley) and in the region of the Inn and Wipp valleys (Austria) (“T-shape” valley) during the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP) field experiment shows good agreement provided that the normalized valley depth NΔH/U_u significantly exceeds 1, i.e., when “flow around” is expected. A structural disagreement between the idealized simulations and the observed wind field is found only when NΔH/U_u ≃ 1, that is, in the “flow over” regime. This shows that the dimensionless valley depth is indeed a good indicator for flow splitting, implying that the stratification is a key player in reality.     

Identification of a new outflow channel on Mars in Syrtis Major Planum using HRSC/MEx data

Syrtis Major Planum is a volcanic plain dominated by lava flows. High resolution stereo camera (HRSC) images of the northern Syrtis Major region display erosional features such as grooves, teardrop-shaped islands and valleys. These landforms are characteristics of outflow channels seen on Mars, therefore implying that a flood event took place in this region. The flow of 100 km long and a few kilometer wide followed the local slopes in most locations. Maximum flood discharges estimated from images and topography vary from about 0.3×10⁶ to 8×10⁶ m³/s, and therefore are in the range of terrestrial mega-floods in the Scablands or Lake Bonneville. In North Syrtis Major, the relationships with surrounding lava flows and the timing of the flood coeval to Syrtis Major volcanic activity suggest that it could be related to the subsurface water discharge mobilized by the volcanic activity. The proximity of Noachian age basement rocks 20 km away from the flood and below lava flows might have played a role in its formation and water presence.     

The statistical structure of the field of surface soil layer moisture from ground-based and satellite observations

The following data was used: the archives of measurements of available water capacity carried out at Roshydromet network of stations and satellite measurements of relative humidity of the upper soil layer from ASCAT data (from the MetOp satellites). The statistical structure of the field of available water capacity in the upper 10- and 20-cm soil layers is assessed. The correlations between the Earth remote sensing data and data from agrometeorological stations are revealed. The procedure of automatic data checking from ground-based observations is developed. The algorithm is suggested for statistically optimal conversion of the Earth remote sensing data to the estimate of moisture content in the upper soil layer.     

真核生物mRNA折叠结构与生物功能的理论研究

简要介绍和评述了预测ＲＮＡ折叠结构（主要是ＲＮＡ二级结构）的理论方法,对以ＲＮＡ二级结构为基础的ＲＮＡ三级结构的构建方法和分子力学进行了初步探索和研究。真核细胞前体ｍＲＮＡ中内含子的剪接过程涉及剪接位点（内含子的５′、３′剪接位点和分枝点）的核苷序列与一些小蛋白质分子之间特定的专一相互作用。对大量内含子、外显子－内含子－外显子以及外显子－外显子的核苷酸片段二级结构的分析表明,剪接位点大多位于二级结构的环区。剪接位点的这种结构分布特征与剪接过程的化学反应机制相符合,并可以作为识别剪接位点的一种结构信号。对ｍＲＮＡ和由其编码的蛋白质折叠结构进行比较研究后发现,两者之间存在着相关性：两者的二级结构单元（即ｍＲＮＡ二级结构的发夹,蛋白质中α－螺旋和β－折叠片）数基本上相同;蛋白质转角区域与ｍＲＮＡ二级结构的环区对应;两者的结构元素在空间上的排布相一致等。详细分析密码子在ｍＲＮＡ二级结构中的分布还发现,密码子在ＲＮＡ二级结构中的分布规律与氨基酸的构象性质有一定联系。这些结果提示,ｍＲＮＡ与蛋白质之间除了存在一维线性遗传关系外,很可能还存在着某种三维结构的遗传关系     

类星体光度函数

对前人在类星体光度函数研究中的工作作了详细的介绍。在前人工作的基础上,提出两个新的研究方法和一个新的统计方法。第一为分类研究法。将类星体分作若干子类,每一子类的光度演化形式可以通过相关分析求出,而数密度则可由简单计数求得。第二为平均星等法,定义平均星等Ｍ。研究表明,对于纯密度演化模型,Ｍ与红移ｚ无关;而对于纯光度演化模型,Ｍ与光度演化形式（Ｍｚ－Ｍ）成线性关系。提出的新的统计方法为ｎ／ｎｍａｘ检验法,它是传统的Ｖ／Ｖｍａｘ和Ｖ′／Ｖ′ｍａｘ检验法的推广。与传统方法不同,它能适用于任何光度函数模型。若所采用的光度函数正确,则样品的ｎ／ｎｍａｘ值应均匀分布于数域［０,１］     

A Probabilistic Model for Fatigue Crack Propagation Analysis

A simple probabilistic model for predicting crack growth behavior under random loading is pre-sented.In the model,the parameters c and m in the Paris-Erdogan Equation are taken as random variables,and their stochastic characteristic values are obtained through fatigue crack propagation tests on an offshorestructural steel under constant amplitude loading.Furthermore,by using the Monte Carlo simulation tech-nique,the fatigue crack propagation life to reach a given crack length is predicted.The tests are conducted toverify the applicability of the theoretical prediction of the fatigue crack propagation.