Unveiling the chemistry of hot protostellar cores with ALMA

High angular resolution mm-wave observations of the Orion-KL region, made with the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer (PdBI), reveal the presence of several cores of size 10³ AU, which have distinct spectral signatures. Complex molecules such as ethanol, vinyl cyanide and dimethyl ether show different distributions and their relative abundance varies from core to core by orders of magnitude. The molecular column densities derived in the cores also differ widely from the beam-averaged column densities observed with large single-dish telescopes. Obviously, the predictions of hot core chemistry models must be checked against high resolution observations. ALMA, which allies sensitivity and high angular resolution, will be a key instrument for this type of studies. The PdBI observations were part of a search for interstellar glycine, also carried out with the IRAM 30-m telescope and the Green Bank Telescope. We derive a 3σ upper limit on the column density of glycine of 1×10¹⁵ cm⁻² per 2″×3″ beam in the Orion Hot Core and Compact Ridge. Based on observations made with the IRAM PdB Interferometer, the IRAM 30-m telescope and the NRAO Green-Bank telescope. IRAM is supported by CNRS, MPG and IGN.     

利用区域辐射特性优化获取光学遥感数据

通过分析成像过程及其影响因素,提出了对成像积分时间进行控制的优化成像方法。首先建立成像参数模型,探讨了模型参数计算、成像过程中模型参数的选择,分析了图像后处理问题,并利用北京一号小卫星进行了遥感数据优化获取实验。实验结果表明,根据地物特性进行成像参数优化后获取的图像具有更宽的动态范围和更高的辐射分辨率,信息量和信噪比也大幅增强。     

LOLAS: an optical turbulence profiler in the atmospheric boundary layer with extreme altitude resolution

We report the development and first results of an instrument called Low Layer SCIDAR (Scintillation Detection and Ranging) (LOLAS) which is aimed at the measurement of optical-turbulence profiles in the atmospheric boundary layer with high altitude resolution. The method is based on the Generalized SCIDAR (GS) concept, but unlike the GS instruments which need a 1-m or larger telescope, LOLAS is implemented on a dedicated 40-cm telescope, making it an independent instrument. The system is designed for widely separated double-star targets, which enables the high altitude resolution. Using a 200-arcsec-separation double star, we have obtained turbulence profiles with unprecedented 12-m resolution. The system incorporates necessary novel algorithms for autoguiding, autofocus and image stabilization. The results presented here were obtained at Mauna Kea Observatory. They show LOLAS capabilities but cannot be considered as representative of the site. A forthcoming paper will be devoted to the site characterization. The instrument was built as part of the Ground Layer Turbulence Monitoring Campaign on Mauna Kea for Gemini Observatory.     

Radio imaging of the Subaru/XMM–Newton Deep Field – II. The 37 brightest radio sources

We study the 37 brightest radio sources in the Subaru/ XMM–Newton Deep Field. We have spectroscopic redshifts for 24 of 37 objects and photometric redshifts for the remainder, yielding a median redshift z _med for the whole sample of   z _med≃ 1.1  and a median radio luminosity close to the 'Fanaroff–Riley type I/type II (FR I/FR II)' luminosity divide. Using mid-infrared (mid-IR) ( Spitzer MIPS 24 μm) data we expect to trace nuclear accretion activity, even if it is obscured at optical wavelengths, unless the obscuring column is extreme. Our results suggest that above the FR I/FR II radio luminosity break most of the radio sources are associated with objects that have excess mid-IR emission, only some of which are broad-line objects, although there is one clear low-accretion-rate object with an FR I radio structure. For extended steep-spectrum radio sources, the fraction of objects with mid-IR excess drops dramatically below the FR I/FR II luminosity break, although there exists at least one high-accretion-rate 'radio-quiet' QSO. We have therefore shown that the strong link between radio luminosity (or radio structure) and accretion properties, well known at z ∼ 0.1, persists to z ∼ 1. Investigation of mid-IR and blue excesses shows that they are correlated as predicted by a model in which, when significant accretion exists, a torus of dust absorbs ∼30 per cent of the light, and the dust above and below the torus scatters ≳1 per cent of the light.     

Snow cover monitoring in the Northern Patagonia Icefield using MODIS satellite images (2000–2006)

The snow cover of the Northern Patagonia Icefield (NPI) was monitored after applying the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) and the Red/NIR band ratio to 134 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images captured between 2000 and 2006. The final results show that the snow cover extent of the NPI fluctuates a lot in winter, in addition to its seasonal behaviour. The minimum snow cover extent of the period (3600 km²) was observed in March 2000 and the maximum (11,623 km²) in August 2001. We found that temperature accounts for approximately 76% of the variation of the snow cover extent over the entire icefield. We also show two different regimes of winter snow cover fluctuations corresponding to the eastern and the western sides of the icefield. The seasonality of the snow cover on the western side was determined by temperature rather than precipitation, while on the east side the seasonality of the snow cover was influenced by the seasonal behaviour of both temperature and precipitation. This difference can be explained by the two distinct climates: coastal and continental. The fluctuations in the winter snow cover extent were more pronounced and less controlled by temperature on the western side than on the eastern side of the icefield. Snow cover extent was correlated with temperature R² = 0.75 and R² = 0.74 for the western and eastern sides, respectively. Since limited meteorological data are available in this region, our investigation confirmed that the change in snow cover is an interesting climatic indicator over the NPI providing important insights in mass balance comprehension. Since snow and ice were distinguished snow cover fluctuations can be associated to fluctuations in the snow accumulation area of the NPI. In addition, days with minimum snow covers of summer season can be associated to the period in which Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA) is the highest.     

江陵凹陷北部高速玄武岩下二维广角地震初探

江汉油田江陵凹陷北部高速玄武岩发育,利用常规地震资料很难得到高速玄武岩下的地震反射。分析研究表明,广角地震有利于玄武岩下的地震成像。通过综合正演和实际地震数据完成了广角地震资料的处理,获得了江陵凹陷北部高速玄武岩下的反射地震信息。在开展广角地震波场的识别和利用研究过程中,从正演模型出发,探讨了在不同地质条件下高速层对地震波场的影响,并针对靶区资料讨论了如何识别广角地震信息。在上述基础上,通过对实际地震资料做精细的分析和处理,最终完成了高速玄武岩下地震资料的成像。     

综合物探方法在广西柳州隐伏断裂探测中的应用

据野外地震地质调查研究,柳州市柳北区存在多条隐伏断裂带,这些断裂带的具体位置尚未确定,这对柳北区的建设发展存在极大隐患。为此,在地质调查的基础上,本文采用高密度电法和地震映像综合方法来探测柳北区隐伏断裂带的具体位置,通过钻探验证和地质调查研究,确定了隐伏断裂带的具体位置,为柳州市柳北区的建设发展提供安全保障。     

合成锂皂石用作钻井液造浆材料实验研究

高温下水基钻井液中膨润土颗粒会发生高温分散或高温聚结作用,从而导致钻井液性能发生剧变,针对这一问题,开展了合成锂皂石用作钻井液造浆材料实验研究。采用X射线粉晶衍射、扫描电镜及红外光谱对合成锂皂石H-6样进行了结构表征,对其分散性、抗盐性及抗温性能等进行了评价,并分析了合成锂皂石抗高温增稠机理。试验结果发现:合成锂皂石H-6样层间存在Na+与Li+两种阳离子,其阳离子交换容量(CEC)为149. 1mmol/100g,而且远高于钠膨润土的CEC值;合成锂皂石极易分散在水中,能明显提高水相的黏度,而且不受水化时间及水化温度影响。例如,当H-6加量从0. 5%增加至4%时,其分散体系的表观黏度从1. 5mPa·s增加至63. 5mPa·s;随着温度增加,合成锂皂石分散体系的表观黏度呈先增加后基本不变趋势,未出现高温明显增稠或高温减稠现象。例如,2%H-6分散体系在180～240℃高温老化后,其表观黏度在22～24mPa·s变化;合成锂皂石H-6样与其它处理剂配伍性好,采用其作为造浆材料配制的超高温水基钻井液具有优良的抗高温稳定性及高温流变性能,无需添加抗高温增黏剂及抗高温稀释剂来调整钻井液的流变性能。研究结果表明,合成锂皂石具有优良的抗高温分散性能,适合用作抗高温造浆材料,用于配制超高温水基钻井液。     

葡萄石的热膨胀性与压缩性及其地质意义

利用同步辐射X射线衍射及拉曼光谱技术对葡萄石分别进行了原位高温及原位高压实验。原位高温实验结果表明葡萄石的热膨胀系数为K=1. 77(3)×10~(-5)K~(-1),轴向热膨胀系数具有各向异性(α_aα_bα_c),葡萄石在1073K时开始发生脱水反应,分解为钙长石及硅灰石。原位高压X射线衍射实验结果表明,在大于12. 4GPa时,葡萄石的晶胞参数发生不连续变化,可能发生了相变;在24. 0GPa左右,葡萄石发生不可逆的非晶化转变。原位高压拉曼光谱表明,葡萄石在12. 6GPa左右发生相变,这一相变很可能与其[(Si,Al)O_4]四面体中的Si发生有序排列有关。结合葡萄石的热膨胀性及压缩性,我们确定了葡萄石在高温高压下的稳定范围,这一结果对认识上地幔中含水矿物的状态以及地幔中水的来源有重要意义。     

冈底斯岩浆弧东端石榴斜长角闪岩的晚白垩世岩浆与变质作用记录及构造意义

冈底斯岩浆弧位于青藏高原拉萨地体南部,形成在新特提斯洋向北俯冲的安第斯型造山和印度与欧亚大陆碰撞的喜马拉雅型造山过程中,是研究青藏高原中-新生代构造演化的理想地区。本文对冈底斯岩浆弧东端石榴斜长角闪岩进行了岩石学、相平衡模拟以及锆石U-Pb年代学研究。石榴斜长角闪岩主要由石榴石、角闪石、斜长石、绿帘石、白云母和石英组成,含少量金红石和钛铁矿,具有基性岩浆岩的化学成分。相平衡模拟结果表明,石榴斜长角闪岩经历了高压麻粒岩相变质作用和部分熔融,峰期变质作用的温度和压力条件为～820℃和～1.67GPa,形成深度相当于55km。石榴斜长角闪岩中的锆石具有继承的岩浆核和变质边。锆石岩浆核具有条带状环带,相对高的HREE含量(平均值为1150×10~(-6))和高的Th/U比值(0.51～0.95),给出了90.4±1.7Ma(MSWD=0.32)的原岩结晶年龄。锆石的变质边不具环带,具有较低的HREE含量(平均值为58.5×10~(-6))和低的Th/U比值(0.29～0.40),给出了86.7±5.7Ma(MSWD=0.15)的变质年龄。本文研究结果表明,冈底斯岩浆弧东端晚白垩世辉长岩经历了近侵入同期的高压高温变质作用和部分熔融,大体积幔源岩浆的底垫和增生导致岩浆弧发生了显著的新生地壳生长和加厚。