Ground‐based thermal imagery as a simple,practical tool for mapping saturated area connectivity and dynamics

The hillslope‐riparian‐stream system is a key functional unit of catchments, yet very difficult to measure and monitor due to its tremendous complexity and high spatio‐temporal variability. Here, we present a simple and practical tool for imaging directly these hillslope‐riparian‐area connections. We used a FLIR b50 infrared camera to produce thermal images at the scale of 140 × 140 pixels over the spectral range 7·5–13 µm. Our IR imaging technique is sensitive to the upper 0·1 mm of the water column. Images were obtained from a constant position on the right bank of the Weierbach catchment in Luxembourg, at an incidence angle of approximately 45° over a 5‐week period. The study site measured 5 × 3 m. Our results show that ground‐based IR imagery can discriminate between areas with snow cover, snow melt, soil seepage, and stream water. More importantly, it can detect when and where variably saturated areas are active and when connectivity exists between the hillslope–riparian–stream system. Our proof of concept suggests that this is a simple, inexpensive technology for sequential mapping and characterisation of surface saturated areas and a useful complement to conventional tracer techniques. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Brown dwarf candidates in the Serpens cloud core

The Serpens cloud core is populated by a young, low‐mass stellar cluster with members in many different evolutionary stages. We revisit the near‐IR properties of the cluster in this contribution. A total of 188 near‐IR sources are identified, including new members suggested in this work. Near‐IR colour‐magnitude and colour‐colour diagrams allow us to suggest 42 objects among the cluster members as brown dwarf candidates. A considerable fraction of them present near‐IR excesses which indicates that many of these very low mass objects are still surrounded by prominent dust accretion disks. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

2010年新西兰M7.1地震前的长波辐射变化特征

以2001—2011年美国NOAA长波辐射数据为背景数据,利用涡度背景场法研究2010年9月3日新西兰南岛M7.1级地震前后卫星长波辐射数据变化特征。结果表明,地震当月在震中西南侧出现显著的长波辐射异常变化,这种变化在全年各月及2001—2011年11年历年同月变化中都是最为显著的,认为其是本次地震的1次映震表现。用同样方法对区内2001—2011年11年间发生6次7.0级以上地震的长波辐射数据进行分析,结果在3次陆地地震发震前都检测到了长波辐射异常变化,而海域地震前则未发现这种现象。检索前人的相关研究结果,发现仅有2次海域地震(2004年12月26日印度尼西亚苏门答腊西北海域8.7级地震和2010年1月12日海地7.0级地震)前有长波辐射异常变化的报道,而根据全球云量分布资料显示,这2个地震所发生的区域是全球洋面云量分布最少的2个区域,而新西兰地震发生的区域位于全球洋面云量分布最多的区域。因此,认为由于水汽和云层对地表红外辐射的强吸收作用,长波辐射捕捉陆地地震红外辐射异常变化更加灵敏,对陆地地震的映震效能要强于海洋地震。     

加拿大卡西碧玉宝石学性质与特征研究

对中国碧玉市场上销售的加拿大卡西碧玉样品进行了电子探针成分分析(EPMA).卡西碧玉的矿物成分主要为透闪石.碧玉的常规宝石学性质与特征与GB/T16553-2011国标数据一致.显微硬度测试其维氏硬度在813.6～605.7 N/mm²之间.利用压片法和粉末法分别测试获得了卡西碧玉的红外光谱特征,KBr压片法相比较压片法可以揭示碧玉更多的结构特征.     

埃塞俄比亚染色欧泊的研究

目前,埃塞俄比亚染色欧泊在我国市场上屡见不鲜.本文采用常规宝石学测试手段、光谱分析、吸水实验、浸泡褪色实验和浸泡染色实验等方法对市场上常见的3种颜色的埃塞俄比亚染色欧泊进行了研究.结果表明,这些埃塞俄比亚染色欧泊主要通过浸泡于不同颜色的化学颜料溶液中上色,浸泡过程中往往添加含有羧酸根离子的表面活性剂或颜料超分散剂(如邻苯二甲酸酯),以使颜料颗粒分布更加均匀,这主要是由于埃塞俄比亚欧泊的孔隙度相对较大,对染料的吸附性相对较强.这些埃塞俄比亚染色欧泊的主要特征如下: ① 亚透明至微透明,染橙色和染蓝色样品具有弱至强的变彩,染黑色样品体色以灰蓝色或黄灰色为主,具有强烈的红色、黄色、绿色和蓝色变彩;透射光下照射,染黑色欧泊具有强至弱的红色调以及明显的染剂不均匀富集现象. ② 埃塞俄比亚染色欧泊和其天然欧泊一样吸水性强,吸水后密度、质量均有所增加,透明度增强,变彩可能会有所增强,也可能会有所减弱,染色欧泊密度范围为1.63～1.86 g/cm³,折射率在1.40(点测)左右,与天然欧泊一致,均低于澳大利亚和墨西哥的欧泊. ③ 在高倍显微镜下观察,染色样品颜色分布不均,内部常见色点、色斑、色块或色团分布,在表面部位染剂富集现象更为明显,常见染剂沿着边缘、刮痕或凹坑处富集. ④ 染色欧泊浸泡在不同的溶剂中会使溶剂变色. ⑤ 拉曼光谱表明,染色欧泊出现了很强的荧光背景及弱的热效应峰3 362 cm^-1,拉曼散射峰很弱. ⑥ 紫外可见光分光光谱表明,埃塞俄比亚染色欧泊与天然欧泊的吸收光谱不同.     

HPHT合成钻石在首饰中的鉴别特征

国家黄金钻石制品质量监督检验中心收到待检的百余件群镶钻石首饰中发现混有大量HPHT合成黄色钻石.采用宝石显微镜、红外光谱仪、X射线荧光光谱仪、紫外可见光分光光谱仪、紫外荧光灯、DiamondView^TM等对HPHT合成钻石样品做了详细地测试与分析.结果表明,这些HPHT合成钻石样品具有较为统一的黄色,放大检查可见合成钻石内部含有大量棒状、柱状、细小微粒状的铁镍合金包裹体,且几乎都有磁性,有些磁性甚至较强;样品的红外反射光谱非常特征,均具有明显的1 131 cm^-1处的吸收峰,为Ⅰb型钻石,而Ⅰb型钻石在天然钻石中极少见到;X射线荧光光谱测试显示有强烈的铁峰和镍峰,且在短波紫外线下多数具有绿黄色荧光.HPHT合成钻石在DiamondView^TM下具有不同程度的黄绿色荧光,部分具有黑十字现象.     

拼合珊瑚的鉴定特征

珠宝市场上见到的大尺寸珊瑚有增多趋势,这类珊瑚多为珊瑚小料和胶结物拼合而成,前人研究未对其鉴定特征进行系统总结.笔者结合长期宝石检测工作认识,对目前市场上常见的两类拼合珊瑚的鉴定特征进行了系统研究和阐述.其中,一类拼合珊瑚由珊瑚小料和胶结物组成,另一类拼合珊瑚由珊瑚小料、人工胎体材料和胶结物组成.放大检查和紫外荧光观察发现,拼合部位的胶结物、胎体材料与主体红珊瑚在外观及发光性特征上存在差异明显;红外光谱测试结果进一步确定胶结物的主要成分为甲基丙烯酸甲酯和环氧树脂,部分拼合珊瑚依附的胎体材料主要为醇酸树脂（掺有碳酸盐粉末）和氰基丙烯酸乙酯.结果表明,放大检查、紫外荧光观察和红外光谱测试的综合运用,能够快速、准确、有效地鉴别拼合珊瑚.     

卫星热红外地震短临预测方法研究

文章扼要介绍卫星热红外亮温异常的基本原理,分析建立地震短临预测遥感信息模型,通过11 a试验性预报实践和几个地震的案例,如南海东沙地震,台湾集集大地震,震例还有内蒙包头地震,美国华盛顿州奥林匹亚地震及印尼苏门答腊巨震等。从作为震兆的亮温异常提升到热应力场,对预测地震震中更加可靠和更有说服力,说明此项技术具有实际应用前景。     

Estimated energy balance in the jovian upper atmosphere during an auroral heating event

We present an analysis of a series of observations of the auroral/polar regions of Jupiter, carried out between September 8 and 11, 1998, making use of the high-resolution spectrometer, CSHELL, on the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF), Mauna Kea, Hawaii; these observations spanned an “auroral heating event.” This analysis combines the measured line intensities and ion velocities with a one-dimensional model vertical profile of the jovian thermosphere/ionosphere. We compute the model line intensities both assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and, relaxing this condition (non-LTE), through detailed balance calculations, in order to compare with the observations. Taking the model parameters derived, we calculate the changes in heating rate required to account for the modelled temperature profiles that are consistent with the measured line intensities. We compute the electron precipitation rates required to give the modelled ion densities that are consistent with the measured line intensities, and derive the corresponding Pedersen conductivities. We compute the changes in heating due to Joule heating and ion drag derived from the measured ion velocities, and modelled conductivities, making use of ion-neutral coupling coefficients derived from a 3-D global circulation model. Finally, we compute the cooling due to the downward conduction of heat and the radiation-to-space from the molecular ion and hydrocarbons. Comparison of the various heating and cooling terms enables us to investigate the balance of energy inputs into the auroral/polar atmosphere. Increases in Joule heating and ion drag are sufficient to explain the observed heating of the atmosphere; increased particle precipitation makes only a minor heating contribution. But local cooling effects—predominantly radiation-to-space—are shown to be too inefficient to allow the atmosphere to relax back to pre-event thermal conditions. Thus we conclude that this event provides observational, i.e. empirical, evidence that heat must be transported away from the auroral/polar regions by thermally or mechanically driven winds.     

Thermal imaging of sedimentary features on alluvial fans

Aerial thermal imaging is used to study grain-size distributions and induration on a wide variety of alluvial fans in the desert southwest of the United States. High-resolution aerial thermal images reveal evidence of sedimentary processes that rework and build alluvial fans, as preserved in the grain-size distributions and surface induration those processes leave behind. A catalog of constituent sedimentary features that can be identified using aerial thermal and visible imaging is provided. These features include clast-rich and clast-poor debris flows, incised channel deposits, headward-eroding gullies, sheetflood, lag surfaces, active/inactive lobes, distal sand-skirts and basin-related salt pans. Ground-based field observations of surface grain-size distributions, as well as morphologic, cross-cutting and topographic relationships were used to confirm the identifications of these feature types in remotely acquired thermal and visible images. Thermal images can also reveal trends in grain sizes between neighboring alluvial fans on a regional scale. Although inferences can be made using thermal images alone, the results from this study demonstrate that a more thorough geological interpretation of sedimentary features on an alluvial fan can be made using a combination of thermal and visible images. The results of this study have potential applications for Mars, where orbital thermal imaging might be used as a tool for evaluating constituent sedimentary processes on proposed alluvial fans.