New limits on the orbital parameters of 1E 1048.1–5937 and 1E 2259+586 from RXTE observations

We report on two Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer ( RXTE ) observations of the anomalous X-ray pulsars 1E 1048.1–5937 and 1E 2259+586. Both sources have continued their almost constant spin-down during 1995/96. We carried out a search for orbital Doppler shifts, in their observed spin frequencies, deriving stringent limits on the projected semi-axis. Unless these systems have unlikely small inclinations, main-sequence companions can be excluded. If 1E 1048.1–5937 and 1E 2259+586 are indeed binary systems, their companion stars must be either white dwarfs, or helium-burning stars with M ≲ 0.8 M⊙, possibly underfilling their Roche lobe.     

Effects of the Soil Heat Flux Estimates on Surface Energy BalanceClosure over a Semi-Arid Grassland

Soil heat flux is important for surface energy balance (SEB), and inaccurate estimation of soil heat flux often leads to surface energy imbalance. In this paper, by using observations of surface radiation fluxes and soil temperature gradients at a semi-arid grassland in Xilingguole, Inner Mongolia, China from June to September 2008, the characters of the SEB for the semi-arid grassland were analyzed. Firstly, monthly averaged diurnal variations of SEB components were revealed. A 30-min forward phase displacement of soil heat flux (G) observed by a fluxplate at the depth of 5-cm below the soil surface was conducted and its effect on the SEB was studied. Secondly, the surface soil heat flux (Gs) was computed by using harmonic analysis and the effect of the soil heat storage between the surface and the fluxplate on the SEB was examined. The results show that with the 30-min forward phase displacement of observed G, the slope of the ordinary linear regression (OLR) of turbulent fluxes (H+LE) against available energy (Rn–G) increased from 0.835 to 0.842, i.e., the closure ratio of SEB increased by 0.7%, yet energy imclosure of 15.8% still existed in the SEB. When Gs, instead of G was used in the SEB equation, the slope of corresponding OLR of (H+LE) against (Rn–Gs) reached 0.979, thereby the imclosure ratio of SEB was reduced to only 2.1%.     

Extreme value modelling of daily areal rainfall over Mediterranean catchments in a changing climate

Heavy rainfall events during the fall season are causing extended damages in Mediterranean catchments. A peaks‐over‐threshold model is developed for the extreme daily areal rainfall occurrence and magnitude in fall over six catchments in Southern France. The main driver of the heavy rainfall events observed in this region is the humidity flux (FHUM) from the Mediterranean Sea. Reanalysis data are used to compute the daily FHUM during the period 1958–2008, to be included as a covariate in the model parameters. Results indicate that the introduction of FHUM as a covariate can improve the modelling of extreme areal precipitation. The seasonal average of FHUM can improve the modelling of the seasonal occurrences of heavy rainfall events, whereas daily FHUM values can improve the modelling of the events magnitudes. In addition, an ensemble of simulations produced by five different general circulation models are considered to compute FHUM in future climate with the emission scenario A1B and hence to evaluate the effect of climate change on the heavy rainfall distribution in the selected catchments. This ensemble of climate models allows the evaluation of the uncertainties in climate projections. By comparison to the reference period 1960–1990, all models project an amplification of the mean seasonal FHUM from the Mediterranean Sea for the projection period 2070–2099, on average by +22%. This increase in FHUM leads to an increase in the number of heavy rainfall events, from an average of 2.55 events during the fall season in present climate to 3.57 events projected for the period 2070–2099. However, the projected changes have limited effects on the magnitude of extreme events, with only a 5% increase in the median of the 100‐year quantiles. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The response of CO2 flux to rain pulses at a saline desert

As the substantial component of the ecosystem respiration, soil CO₂ flux is strongly influenced by infrequent and unpredictable precipitation in arid region. In the current study, we investigated the response of soil CO₂ flux to rain pulses at a saline desert in western China. Soil CO₂ flux was measured continuously during the whole growing season of 2009 at six sites. We found that there were remarkable changes in amplitude or diurnal patterns of soil CO₂ flux induced by rainfall events: from bimodal before rain to a single peak after that. Further analysis indicated that there is a significant linear relationship (P < 0.001) between soil CO₂ flux and soil temperature (T_soil). However, a hysteresis between the waveform of diurnal course of CO₂ flux and T_soil was observed: with soil CO₂ flux always peaked earlier than T_soil. Furthermore, a double exponential decay function was fitted to the soil CO₂ flux after rainfall, and total carbon (C) releases were estimated by numerical integration for rainfall events. The relative enhancement and total C release, in association with the rain pulses, was linearly related to the amount of precipitation. According to the size and frequency of rainfall events, the total amount of C release induced by rain pulses was computed as much as 7.88 g C·m^–2 in 2009, equivalent to 10.25% of gross primary production. These results indicated that rain pulses played a significant role in the carbon budget of this saline desert ecosystem, and the size of them was a good indicator of rain‐induced flux enhancement. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulation of evapotranspiration and carbon dioxide flux in the wheat‐maize rotation croplands of the North China Plain using the Simple Biosphere Model

The North China Plain, which is critical for food production in China, is encountering serious water shortage due to heavy agricultural water requirement. The accurate modelling of carbon dioxide flux and evapotranspiration (ET) in croplands is thus essential for yield prediction and water resources management. The land surface model is powerful in simulating energy and carbon dioxide fluxes between land and atmosphere. Some key processes in the Simple Biosphere Model (Version 2, SiB2) were parameterized based on the observations. The simulated fluxes were tested against the eddy covariance flux measurements over two typical winter wheat/maize double cropping fields. A simple diagnostic parameterisation of soil respiration, not included in SiB2, was added and calibrated using the observations to model the carbon budget. The Ball‐Berry stomatal conductance model was calibrated using observed leaf gas exchange rate, showing that the original SiB2 could significantly underpredict the ET in the wheat field. SiB2 significantly underpredicted soil resistance at the Weishan site, leading to overpredict the ET. Overall, there was a close agreement between the simulated and observed latent heat fluxes and net CO₂ exchange using the re‐parameterized SiB2. These findings are important when the model is used for the regional simulation in the North China Plain. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the possibility of investigation of the magnetic field structure in subphotospheric layers of the Sun according to observations of sunspot torsional oscillations

A method of investigation of the magnetic field structure in subphotospheric layers of the Sun has been developed. The method is based on observations of the torisonal oscillations of single sunspots. Characteristics of the torsional oscillations have been obtained from observations of the longitudinal magnetic field and radial velocities of seven single sunspots in the photospheric line Fe I λ5253 Å. The parameters of the torsional oscillations and magnetic tubes in the deep layers have been determined. The radius of the cross section of a magnetic flux tube forming a sunspot is greatest near the Sun’s surface and is approximately equal to the radius of a sunspot umbra. Down to the deeper layers, it decreases quite quickly. The longitudinal electric current appearing in the magnetic tube changes direction. The typical time of the current changes is determined by the period of the torsional oscillations. The intensity of the longitudinal magnetic field in the tube increases with depth. The Alfven wave velocity averaged over the length of a magnetic tube is tens or hundreds of times less than this velocity in a sunspot umbra. It decreases with an increase in the period of oscillations. A decrease in the Alfven wave velocity leads to an increase in the twisting angle of magnetic field lines.     

The characteristics of motion of thin magnetic tubes

Starting from the equations of motion of a thin magnetic tube, the characteristic curves and velocities and compatibility relations are derived as basis for investigating its motion and for correctly formulating the problem of stationary solution. It is shown that the characteristic velocity of transverse waves is related to the Alfvén Mach number of the flow in the tube. When the flow velocity exceeds the critical value for the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, transverse waves cease to exist.     

Abiotic Methane Reservoirs in the Western Tianshan HP–UHP Metamorphic Belt,China

Natural gas, consisting primarily of methane(CH₄), has become a major source of clean energy in modern society in many parts of the globe. Recent experimental observations and discoveries of deep-sourced abiotic CH₄ in cold subduction zones indicate the important ability of cold subducted slabs to generate natural gas reservoirs. However, most CH₄ flux and reservoirs remain unknown and their potential is overlooked in global carbon flux estimations. Massive abiot...     

长江口沉积物-水界面砷的迁移转化机制与微生物调控分析

为探析长江口沉积物-水界面砷的迁移转化机制,本文分析了2019年夏季长江口4个站位上覆水和间隙水中总As浓度及形态的剖面变化特征,耦合氧化还原敏感元素(Fe、Mn和S)的剖面变化剖析了沉积物-水界面砷循环的Fe-Mn-S控制机制,同时结合砷相关功能基因探讨了沉积物-水界面砷迁移转化的微生物调控过程,估算了沉积物-水界面总As的扩散通量。结果表明,除A7-4站位外,长江口其他3个站位间隙水总As以As³⁺为主要存在形态,且总As浓度均在上覆水中为最低值(0.748~1.57 μg·L^-1),而在间隙水中随着深度增加而逐渐增加并在6~9 cm深度达到峰值(7.14~26.9 μg·L^-1)。间隙水总As及As³⁺浓度的剖面变化趋势与溶解态Fe²⁺、Mn²⁺相似,其均在中间层出现高值,说明沉积物Fe/Mn还原带砷的释放可能是随固相Fe(Ⅲ)或Mn(Ⅳ)的还原而转移到间隙水中的。氧化层和Fe/Mn还原带过渡区间隙水砷浓度与砷异化还原菌功能基因arrA和arsC丰度存在对应关系(除A1-3站外),说明砷异化还原菌将溶解As⁵⁺或固相As⁵⁺还原为溶解As³⁺可能是该过渡层砷迁移转化的另一重要过程。硫酸盐还原带的间隙水总As和As³⁺浓度降低,但由于间隙水的低S^2-浓度不利于砷硫化物生成,因此深层间隙水砷可能与铁硫矿物结合而被移除。底层环境氧化还原条件是影响沉积物-水界面砷迁移转化的重要因素,随底层水DO浓度的降低,砷迁移转化更倾向于微生物还原控制。长江口沉积物-水界面总As的扩散通量为1.18×10^-7~2.07×10^-7 μmol·cm^-2·s^-1,均表现为沉积物间隙水中总As向上覆水释放,即沉积物是研究区域水体总As的来源之一。