Low-cost high performance distributed data storage for multi-channel observations

The New Vacuum Solar Telescope (NVST) is a 1-m solar telescope that aims to observe the fine structures in both the photosphere and the chromosphere of the Sun. The observational data acquired simultaneously from one channel for the chromosphere and two channels for the photosphere bring great challenges to the data storage of NVST. The multi-channel instruments of NVST, including scientific cameras and multi-band spectrometers, generate at least 3 terabytes data per day and require high access performance while storing massive short-exposure images. It is worth studying and implementing a storage system for NVST which would balance the data availability, access performance and the cost of development. In this paper, we build a distributed data storage system (DDSS) for NVST and then deeply evaluate the availability of real-time data storage on a distributed computing environment. The experimental results show that two factors, i.e., the number of concurrent read/write and the file size, are critically important for improving the performance of data access on a distributed environment. Referring to these two factors, three strategies for storing FITS files are presented and implemented to ensure the access performance of the DDSS under conditions of multi-host write and read simultaneously. The real applications of the DDSS proves that the system is capable of meeting the requirements of NVST real-time high performance observational data storage. Our study on the DDSS is the first attempt for modern astronomical telescope systems to store real-time observational data on a low-cost distributed system. The research results and corresponding techniques of the DDSS provide a new option for designing real-time massive astronomical data storage system and will be a reference for future astronomical data storage.     

GRAPES NOAH-LSM陆面模式水文过程的改进及试验研究

土壤含水量的计算影响着陆面过程的能量平衡和水量平衡,是陆面模式的核心计算要素之一。目前,GRAPES_Meso模式采用的NOAH-LSM(Noah-Land Surface Model)陆面模式既不能有效地表达径流产源面积的变动情况,也不能完整描述水文循环过程。本次试验针对以上问题对其进行了改进:(1)加入蓄水容量曲线,考虑网格内产流面积的变化及土壤含水量的不均匀性;(2)加入汇流模式,以考虑水平二维水分再分配,提高模式对径流和流量模拟能力。选取2008年8月至9月降水进行模拟试验,研究陆面水循环过程对近地面气象要素的影响。结果表明:改进后的模式模拟土壤湿度、2 m温度等近地面气象要素更接近观测值,并最终对降水量以及降水落区也产生了一定的影响。     

The public perception of carbon dioxide capture and storage in the UK: results from focus groups and a survey

Abstract

A series of meetings of two ‘Citizen Panels’ were held to explore public perceptions of off-shore carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture and storage (CCS). In addition, a face-to-face survey of 212 randomly selected individuals was conducted. We found that, on first hearing about CCS in the absence of any information on its purpose, the majority of people either do not have an opinion at all or have a somewhat negative perspective. However, when (even limited) information is provided on the role of CO₂ storage in reducing CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere, opinion shifts towards expressing slight support for the concept.

Support depends, however, upon concern about human-caused climate change, plus recognition of the need for major reductions in CO₂ emissions. It also depends upon CCS being seen as just one part of a wider strategy for achieving significant cuts in CO₂ emissions. A portfolio including renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, and lifestyle change to reduce demand was generally favoured. CCS can be part of such a portfolio, but wind, wave, tidal, solar and energy efficiency were preferred. It was felt that uncertainties concerning the potential risks of CCS had to be better addressed and reduced; in particular the risks of accidents and leakage (including the potential environmental, ecosystem and human health impacts which might result from leakage).     

Seasonal evolution of meltwater generation,storage and discharge at a non‐temperate glacier in Svalbard

In glacierized catchments, meteorological inputs driving surface melting are translated into runoff outputs mediated by the glacier hydrological system: analysis of the relationship between meteorology and diurnal and seasonal patterns of runoff should reflect the functioning of that system, with the role of meltwater storage likely to be of particular importance. Daily meltwater storage is determined for a glacier at 78 °N in the Svalbard archipelago, by comparing inputs calculated from a surface energy balance model with measured outputs (proglacial discharge). Solar radiation, air temperature, wind speed and proglacial discharge are then analysed by regression and time‐series methods, in order to assess the meteorology–discharge relationship and its variation at diurnal and seasonal time‐scales. The recorded discharge time‐series can be divided into two contrasting intervals: up to early August, proglacial discharge was high and variable, mean hydrographs showed little indication of diurnal cycling, ARIMA models of discharge indicated a non‐seasonal, moving‐average generating process, and there was a net loss of meltwater from storage; from early August, proglacial discharge was low and relatively invariable, but with clearer diurnal cycles, regression models of discharge showed substantially improved correlations with air temperature and solar radiation, ARIMA models indicated a non‐seasonal, autoregressive generating process, and eventually a seasonal component, and there was a net gain in meltwater storage. The transition between the two periods is brief compared with the duration of the melt season. The runoff response to meteorology therefore lacks the strongly progressive element previously identified in mid‐latitude glacierized catchments. In particular, the glacier hydrological system only appears responsive to diurnal forcing following the depletion of the seasonal snowpack meltwater store. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rainfall interception by trees of Pinus radiata,and Eucalyptus viminalis,in a 1300 mm rainfall area of southeastern New South Wales: I. Gross losses and their variability

Interception loss, I, was determined by continuous concurrent measurements of the canopy precipitation balances of a mature seed orchard tree of Pinus radiata, and a dominant tree of Eucalyptus viminalis at a mountainous high rainfall site (900 m a.s.l.) in Tallaganda State Forest of the Upper Shoalhaven Catchment. Approximate canopy storage capacity (Sc) of the pine was 54 l, and that of the eucalypt was 11·3 l. Gross pine I was 26·5 per cent and eucalypt I was 8·3 per cent of total incident rainfall over a period of 18 months, from June 1975 to December 1976. The exponential model that provided the best fit to overall data relating I to gross rainfall (P_g) was of good precision for the pine (r² = 0·73) but rather poor precision for the eucalypt (r² = 0·27). A consistent pattern in interception data of the two canopy types suggested that variation in I was related to change in pervasive conditions influencing rates of evaporation from wet canopies during rainfall. Multiple regression analyses confirmed that factors such as rainfall intensity and windspeed explained some of the variation in eucalypt I but little in pine I. Negative eucalypt I and corresponding low values of pine I over a wide range of P_g (up to 20 mm) suggest that capture of wind-borne precipitation (cloud, mist, or fog) had also complicated the canopy precipitation balances.     

CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Air–Sea Exchange due to Calcium Carbonate and Organic Matter Storage,and its Implications for the Global Carbon Cycle

Release of CO₂ from surface ocean water owing to precipitation of CaCO₃ and the imbalance between biological production of organic matter and its respiration, and their net removal from surface water to sedimentary storage was studied by means of a quotient θ = (CO₂ flux to the atmosphere)/(CaCO₃ precipitated). θ depends not only on water temperature and atmospheric CO₂ concentration but also on the CaCO₃ and organic carbon masses formed. In CO₂ generation by CaCO₃ precipitation, θ varies from a fraction of 0.44 to 0.79, increasing with decreasing temperature (25 to 5°C), increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration (195–375 ppmv), and increasing CaCO₃ precipitated mass (up to 45% of the initial DIC concentration in surface water). Primary production and net storage of organic carbon counteracts the CO₂ production by carbonate precipitation and it results in lower CO₂ emissions from the surface layer. When atmospheric CO₂ increases due to the ocean-to-atmosphere flux rather than remaining constant, the amount of CO₂ transferred is a non-linear function of the surface layer thickness because of the back-pressure of the rising atmospheric CO₂. For a surface ocean layer approximated by a 50-m-thick euphotic zone that receives input of inorganic and organic carbon from land, the calculated CO₂ flux to the atmosphere is a function of the CaCO₃ and C_org net storage rates. In general, the carbonate storage rate has been greater than that of organic carbon. The CO₂ flux near the Last Glacial Maximum is 17 to 7×10¹² mol/yr (0.2–0.08 Gt C/yr), reflecting the range of organic carbon storage rates in sediments, and for pre-industrial time it is 38–42×10¹² mol/yr (0.46–0.50 Gt C/yr). Within the imbalanced global carbon cycle, our estimates indicate that prior to anthropogenic emissions of CO₂ to the atmosphere the land organic reservoir was gaining carbon and the surface ocean was losing carbon, calcium, and total alkalinity owing to the CaCO₃ storage and consequent emission of CO₂. These results are in agreement with the conclusions of a number of other investigators. As the CO₂ uptake in mineral weathering is a major flux in the global carbon cycle, the CO₂ weathering pathway that originates in the CO₂ produced by remineralization of soil humus rather than by direct uptake from the atmosphere may reduce the relatively large imbalances of the atmosphere and land organic reservoir at 10²–10⁴-year time scales.     

城市交通综合信息平台GIS-T数据组织关键技术

交通综合信息平台的建设已经成为各大城市信息化建设的重点,而平台建设的核心又在于交通地理信息(GIS-T)数据库。根据GIS-T数据库在整个信息平台中所起到的作用,详细讨论了在支持数据可视化、各类数据的组织与管理以及数据存储模型等方面的关键技术和实现方法,对整个交通综合信息平台的建设具有指导意义和参考价值。     

湿地土壤水源涵养功能研究进展

湿地土壤依靠孔隙而发挥水源涵养功能,广义的湿地土壤水源涵养功能是指湿地土壤内多个水文过程及其水文效应的综合表现,而狭义的湿地土壤水源涵养功能仅指湿地土壤蓄水。主要从土壤水源涵养的机制、计算方法、土壤蓄水量及其对径流调节、影响土壤蓄水的因素等几个方面对当前湿地土壤水源涵养功能的研究进行了综述。土壤涵养水源是由于水分能在土壤孔隙中的存储、持留和运转。从力学的角度看,水分主要依赖于吸附力、毛管力和重力作用而持留。湿地土壤蓄水能力的3种计算方法各有优缺点,计算时应结合湿地水文波动的实际情况而选择。不同类型湿地的土壤蓄水能力因土壤本身性质而异。湿地土壤蓄水能力受土壤粒径组成、结构、孔隙、有机质和含水量等因素的影响,同时受自然及人为因素的调控。针对当前湿地土壤蓄水能力研究的不足,指出应加强对湿地蓄水能力的定量研究及计算方法的探讨;同时,土地利用对湿地土壤水源涵养功能影响的研究也需进一步加强。     

测绘单位文书档案管理与应用系统开发研究

数字化、信息化是当今档案事业发展趋势,本文详细介绍我院档案信息化建设过程中关于文书档案管理系统的建设背景、设计开发过程、使用情况等;系统提供了入库、查询服务、查阅、打印等功能,设计的多条件模糊检索充分考虑了用户特点和需求,具有很强的实用性。本文同时提出个人关于档案建设的发展方向与趋势等看法。