Near-infrared spectrophotometry of the satellites and rings of Uranus

New spectrophotometry from 1.5 to 2.5 μm is reported for the Uranian satellites Titania, Oberon, and Umbriel. A spectrum of the rings of Uranus from 2.0 to 2.4 μm is also reported. No evidence is found for frost covering the surface of the ring material, consistent with the low albedo of the rings (P_K = 0.03) previously reported by Nicholson and Jones (1980). The surfaces of the satellites are found to be covered by dirty water frost. Assuming albedos of the frost and gray components covering the Uranian satellites to be the same as the light and dark faces of Iapetus, radii are derived that are roughly twice those inferred from the assumption of a visual albedo of 0.5.     

Run-up from impact tsunami

We report on calculations of the on-shore run-up of waves that might be generated by the impact of subkilometre asteroids into the deep ocean. The calculations were done with the COULWAVE code, which models the propagation and shore-interaction of non-linear moderate- to long-wavelength waves  ( kh < π)  using the extended Boussinesq approximation. We carried out run-up calculations for several different situations: (1) laboratory-scale monochromatic wave trains onto simple slopes; (2) 10–100 m monochromatic wave trains onto simple slopes; (3) 10–100 m monochromatic wave trains onto a compound slope representing a typical bathymetric profile of the Pacific coast of North America; (4) time-variable scaled trains generated by the collapse of an impact cavity in deep water onto simple slopes and (5) full-amplitude trains onto the Pacific coast profile. For the last case, we also investigated the effects of bottom friction on the run-up. For all cases, we compare our results with the so-called 'Irribaren scaling': The relative run-up   R / H ₀=ξ= s ( H ₀/ L ₀)^−1/2  , where the run-up is   R , H ₀  is the deep-water waveheight, L ₀ is the deep-water wavelength, s is the slope and ξ is a dimensionless quantity known as the Irribaren number. Our results suggest that Irribaren scaling breaks down for shallow slopes   s ≤ 0.01  when  ξ < 0.1 − 0.2  , below which   R / H ₀  is approximately constant. This regime corresponds to steep waves and very shallow slopes, which are the most relevant for impact tsunami, but also the most difficult to access experimentally.     

Derivation of density and temperature from the Cassini–Huygens CAPS electron spectrometer

In this paper we present two methods to derive electron fluid parameters from the CAPS–ELS spectrometer on board the Cassini spacecraft currently in orbit around Saturn. In the first part of the paper we give a basic overview of the instrument and describe the challenges inherent in the derivation of density and temperature values using these techniques. We then describe a method to calculate electron moments by integrating the particle distribution function. We also describe a second technique in which we fit the electron energy spectrum with a Gaussian curve and use the peak energy of this curve to derive density and temperature values. We then compare the two methods with particular emphasis on their application to Cassini SOI observations in the saturnian environment and point out the limitations of the two techniques. We will show that results from the two very different methods are in agreement when the physical properties of the environment and of the observed electron populations have been inferred from inspection of the raw data. Finally we will suggest future developments that will remove these limitations.     

State of stress in the northern Tabas block, east-central Iran, as inferred from focal mechanisms of the 1978 Tabas earthquake sequence

In this paper, the state of stress in the northern Tabas block in east-central Iran is analyzed based on the systematic inversion of aftershock focal mechanisms from the 1978.09.16 Tabas earthquake, to characterise the stress regime that controls most earthquakes in this area. Here, stress inversions of double-couple focal mechanisms of earthquakes recorded during the 30 days following the main shock have been carried out. The calculated average stress regime indicates dominant major 226° to 237° trending compression for the Tabas region. The dominating regime in east-central Iran is thrusting with a minimum stress axis, σ ₃, close to vertical. The reconstruction of the main seismotectonic stress in east-central Iran with a NE-SW compression is consistent with independent information of the active plate convergence related to Arabia-Eurasia convergence. Most earthquakes in the mentioned area occur near or around concealed Quaternary thrust faults with their activity being controlled by the NE-SW compression. Where ?, the ratio of principal stress differences, is 0.5, a small difference between σ ₂; σ ₃ and σ ₁ and small amounts of deviatoric stress is indicated. Therefore, for small deviatoric horizontal σ ₁ it is not possible to increase and reactivate small sections of basement thrust faults and create secondary basement aftershocks. Reconstructed stress regimes in this study for sedimentary cover (237) and basement (226) of Tabas are similar. Therefore, it seems that the basement and cover were coupled together, possibly along the 2–4 km of upper Precambrian low-grade metamorphic rocks. Then these segments of the fold-and-thrust belt were involved in similar seismic activity under a similar stress regime.     

The evolution of regional development concepts: some new trends

This paper traces the theoretical development of the regional concept and the use of regionalization techniques in Soviet geography and seeks to compare this history with comparable trends in Western geography. It is severely critical of the major and rapid paradigm shifts noticed in post-war Western geographical science and relates these to shifts in the approach to global development issues.     

2008年春季中国南方冰雪冻害林木折损分析

An abrupt ice and snow storm disaster which occurred in the spring of 2008 se-verely destroyed forests over a surprisingly large portion of southern China.A transect crossing Jinggang Mountain-Jitai Basin-Yushan Mountain-Wuyi Mountain was selected as the study area.The authors integrated field data collected in two field surveys to analyze the impacts of the disturbance on forests.The following results were obtained.(1) The extent of damage to plantations along the transect decreased in the order of slash pine > masson pine > mixed plantation > Chinese fir.Slash pine is an introduced species from southern America which is characterized by fast growth,low wood quality and rich oleoresin,and showed a damage rate of 61.3% of samples,of which 70.4% cannot recover naturally.Masson pine is the native pioneer species of forests with harder wood,and 52.5% were damaged due to turpentine,of which 60.9% cannot recovery naturally.Chinese fir is a local tree species and samples showed a rate of 46% and a relative rate of 32.5%,lower than the mixed plantation.(2) From west to east along the transect,we can see that evergreen broad-leaved forest of the western transect on Jinggang Mountain showed the lightest damage extent,and a Cryp-tomeria plantation at an altitude of 700 m was severely destroyed while Chinese fir showed light damage below 700 m and relatively severe damage above 900 m.Masson pine and slash pine in the central transect in Jitai Basin were damaged severely due to turpentine ac-tivities,and closed natural secondary deciduous broad-leaved forest was damaged severely due to high ice and snow accumulation on intertwined shrubs.Masson pine aerial-seeding plantations below 400 m along the eastern transect in Xingguo and Ningdu counties were nearly undamaged for small tree sizes,and Chinese fir at 500-900 m altitude showed a lighter damage extent.However,masson pine which was distributed above 400 m and planted in the 1960s,was severely damaged due to turpentine.     

The interpretation of body trace metal concentrations in neogastropods from Hong Kong.

Three species of neogastropods, i.e., Thais clavigera, Thais luteostoma and Morula musiva, were collected from 12 sites in the coastal waters of Hong Kong, including clean and known metal-enriched ones. Accordingly, body trace metal concentrations varied greatly. Copper and zinc body concentrations compared poorly with those of accepted biomonitors and presumed metal contamination profiles. Much is known about the feeding ecology of neogastropods on local shores and where direct observational data were not available, their diets could, nevertheless, be estimated reliably. Accumulated metal concentrations can be interpreted with regard to dietary history. T. luteostoma, for example, had body copper concentrations of 51.8 microg g(-1) on an exposed shore and a diet of mainly barnacles. In contrast, on a sheltered shore (but only some 250 m distant) where the diet consisted mainly of oysters, body copper concentrations were approximately 15 times greater at 833 microg g(-1). Similar results were obtained for T. clavigera. The results of this analysis suggest that neogastropods can play a significant role in trace metal trophic transfer studies, especially as their representatives are intertidally and subtidally ubiquitous and can be spatially separated into tropical specialists and temperate generalists.