Dating martian climate change

Geological evidence indicates that low-latitude polygonally-patterned grounds on Mars, generally thought to be the product of flood volcanism, are periglacial in nature and record a complex signal of changing climate. By studying the martian surface stratigraphically (in terms of the geometrical relations between surface landforms and the substrate) rather than genetically (by form analogy with Earth), we have identified dynamic surfaces across one-fifth of martian longitude. New stratigraphical observations in the Elysium-Amazonis plains have revealed a progressive surface polygonisation that is destructive of impact craters across the region. This activity is comparable to the climatically-driven degradation of periglacial landscapes on Earth, but because it affects impact craters—the martian chronometer—it can be dated. Here, we show that it is possible to directly date this activity based on the fraction of impact craters affected by polygon formation. Nearly 100% of craters (of all diameters) are superposed by polygonal sculpture: considering the few-100 Ma age of the substrate, this suggests that the process of polygon formation was active within the last few million years. Surface polygonisation in this region, often considered to be one of the signs of young, ‘plains-forming’ volcanism on Mars, is instead shown to postdate the majority of impact craters seen. We therefore conclude that it is post-depositional in origin and an artefact of thermal cycling of near-surface ground ice. Stratigraphically-controlled crater counts present the first way of dating climate change on a planet other than Earth: a record that may tell us something about climate change on our own planet. Parallel climate change on these two worlds—an ice age Mars coincident with Earth’s glacial Quaternary period—might suggest a coupled system linking both. We have previously been unable to generalise about the causes of long-term climate change based on a single terrestrial example—with the beginnings of a chronology for climate change on our nearest planetary neighbour, we can.     

New constraints on the delivery of cometary water and nitrogen to Earth from the N/N isotopic ratio

New independent constraints on the amount of water delivered to Earth by comets are derived using the ¹⁵N/¹⁴N isotopic ratio, measured to be roughly twice as high in cometary CN and HCN as in the present Earth. Under reasonable assumptions, we find that no more than a few percent of Earth’s water can be attributed to comets, in agreement with the constraints derived from D/H. Our results also suggest that a significant part of Earth’s atmospheric nitrogen might come from comets. Since the ¹⁵N/¹⁴N isotopic ratio is not different in Oort-cloud and Kuiper-belt comets, our estimates apply to the contribution of both types of objects.     

On the IAU 2000/2006 precession–nutation and comparison with other models and VLBI observations

In this paper, we discuss the fundamental aspects of the semi-analytical precession–nutation models that were adopted by IAU Resolutions in 2000 and 2006. We show that no significant discrepancies appear between those models (Mathews et al., J Geophys Res 107:B4, ETG 3-1–3-26, 2002, Capitaine et al., Astron Astrophys 412:567– 586, 2003) and other semi-analytical solutions or the INPOP06 numerical integration (Fienga et al., Astron Astrophys 477:315–327, 2008), especially for the quadratic terms. We also report on the most recent comparisons of the models with VLBI observations. We have employed different empirical models to fit the residuals, in attempting to characterize the nature of the observed curvature. The efficiencies of those empirical models are compared and their interpretations in terms of physical mechanisms are discussed. We show that a combination of linear and 18.6-year corrections is the most credible model for explaining the currently observed residuals, but that a longer span of observations is required before the true character of the effect can be determined. We note that the predictions from the ERA-2005 theory (Krasinsky, Celest Mech Dyn Astron 96:169–217, 2006) have diverged from recent VLBI results and suggest that the empirical nature of the ERA model is responsible.     

Did the moon form as a result of a thermonuclear explosion?

The proposed model explains the Moon formation as a result of a thermo-nuclear explosion due to which a big land mass was torn off from the Earth. Within the model framework, on the one hand, the data on the Moon’s physical and chemical parameters are in good agreement. On the other hand, this model corresponds to modern ideas about the dynamism of the Earth’s geological structure which presupposes the presence of a powerful energy source in the Earth’s core, which might have thermonuclear origin.     

简论人类圈(Anthroposphere)在地球系统中的作用

工业革命后, 人类活动影响地球环境达到了空前的程度。近年提出的人类世 (anthropocene) 概念就是为表征地球系统演变进入了这一特殊的新纪元。然而, 人类活动并非单向地影响自然, 它在改变自然环境的同时, 环境变化也影响着人类行为, 迫使人类去适应自然变化, 改变生存方式。为更深入地表征人类活动与地球环境相互作用的这种特征, 作者讨论了在地球系统模式里引入“人类圈 (anthroposphere)” 的必要性以及由此带来的新的科学挑战, 并提出了构建包含人类圈的地球系统模式的一些思路。     

Enhanced alignment of plate ice crystals in a non-uniform electric field

An atmospheric electric field exerts a torque on both column and plate ice crystals. Columns tend to align along the direction of the field. One diameter of plate crystals also aligns parallel to a field, while a non-uniform diverging field leads to further orientation and proscribes a secondary orientation along the direction of least divergence. A laboratory investigation treats the electrical orientation of thin plate ice crystals in a non-uniform field as a two-step process. In the model, the average field provides the primary torque and aligns one diameter of the plate crystal while simultaneously a spatially varying component of the field aligns the perpendicular diameter. The first element of the process, the primary torque, has been investigated previously. The complete reorientation, caused by a secondary torque, is investigated herein. Experimentally a stronger field with sufficient non-uniformity is required to demonstrate the secondary torque. The realignment caused by this torque depends also on the strength of the aerodynamic torques on the falling ice crystals. Experiments in a laboratory cold chamber with small thin plate crystals in an electric field provided by a charged rod demonstrate crystal reorientation by changing the reflections of a beam of white light. A model incorporating electrical torques is applied to the laboratory observation and used to investigate the possibility of the effects occurring in the atmosphere. Fields near lightning strokes, which are strong but of short duration, may reorient small crystals. Larger crystal aggregates like planar snowflakes are governed by the same electrical torques. It is suggested that the secondary torque realignment might be observable for aggregates large enough to be detected by radar in cases pertaining to weaker but longer duration fields associated with cloud electrification. A simplification of the model is used to investigate electrically caused crystal motion and linear aggregation, with applications to the atmosphere and to lightning initiation.     

从科学文献计量看中国国际地球科学研究队伍现状与科研影响力

对科研成果产出的定量科学评价,可以了解科研队伍的现状和科研的影响力。利用文献计量学方法,采集了2000—2004年SCI数据库中中国学者发表的地球科学论文,统计分析中国地球科学SCI论文的产出和被引用情况,以了解中国当前具有国际学术交流能力和SCI论文发表能力的地球科学研究队伍的现状和科研成果的国际影响力。分析结果表明,2000—2004年中国的国际地学研究论文数量以年均21.87%的速度递增,5年的论文篇均被引频次为2.57。地球科学二级学科领域SCI论文产出数量从高到低依次为：地质科学、地理科学、空间物理学、环境科学、地球物理学、大气科学、海洋科学、地球化学。在中国地学研究队伍中,中国科学院系统和教育部系统发表的论文数量最多,论文数量合计占中国国际地学论文总数的83.58%。中国当前具有国际学术交流能力和SCI论文发表能力的地球科学研究队伍人数在8 000人左右。     

中国未来地球计划的协同推广机制建设初探

本文在回顾科学成果传播方式与模式的基础上,以科学成果集成、网络传播和公众科学素养提升为出发点分析了当前科学传播面临的挑战与时代需求。基于对未来地球计划科学组织模式的解读,分析了未来地球计划成果传播模式的特点,并从科学研究、社会认知和科学决策层面探讨了科学成果推广和普及机制。有针对性地提出了充分引入利益相关者参与、推进创新科学成果推广机制与平台建设等科学传播相关政策建议。     

汶川地震前的地磁场日变化特征分析

近来很多学者报道强地震前地磁日变化异常现象.本文利用地面地磁观测台站分析了2008年5月12日汶川ML=8地震前约37天的地磁场的日变化特征,探讨了地震前地下电磁感应磁场的相对变化.分析结果表明:1)在地震之前,成都台(CDP)观测到地磁日变化的形态与其他台站相似,未见与地震相关变化;2)CDP的Z/H高于周边台站,在4月20日Z/H出现一个最大峰值(2.5);3)以4月20日为分界点,成都CDP台站的Z/H与恩施ENS台的Z/H的比值RCDP/ENS先增加后降低,周期越短变化趋势越明显.这些结果间接反映了震前CDP台地球内部电导率的变化信息.