The photochemical model of Titan’s atmosphere and ionosphere: A version without hydrodynamic escape

There are observational and theoretical evidences both in favor of and against hydrodynamic escape (HDE) on Titan, and the problem remains unsolved. A test presented here for a static thermosphere does not support HDE on Titan and Triton but favors HDE on Pluto. Cooling of the atmosphere by the HCN rotational lines is limited by rotational relaxation above 1100 km and self-absorption below 900 km on Titan. HDE can affect the structure and composition of the atmosphere and its evolution. Hydrocarbon, nitrile, and ion chemistries are strongly coupled on Titan, and attempts to calculate them separately may result in significant errors. Here we apply our photochemical model of Titan’s atmosphere and ionosphere to the case of no hydrodynamic escape. Our model is still the only after-Cassini self-consistent model of coupled neutral and ion chemistry. The lack of HDE is a distinct possibility, and comparing models with and without HDE is of practical interest. The mean difference between the models and the neutral and ion compositions observed by INMS are somewhat better for the model with HDE. A reaction of NH₂ with H₂CN suggested by Yelle et al. (2009) reduces but does not remove a significant difference between the ammonia abundances in the models and INMS observations. Losses of methane and nitrogen and production and deposition to the surface of hydrocarbons and nitriles are evaluated in the model, along with lifetimes and evolutionary aspects.     

Tectonic Characteristics and Evolution of Bohai Bay Basin,China

Synthetical analyzing the deep geophysical data within Bohai bay basin the authors detect the deep crustal struc-ture presenting high geothermal flux, thinned crust and arched Moho discontinuity, and the basin basement belongs to rigid continental crust. The development of the basin was controlled by two - dimensional faults in NNE and NWW directions. The tectonic units of the basin can be subdivided into three structural divisions: the east, middle and west division. The basin is considered as a continental rift. The tectonic background and regional right條ateral stress field during the late Cretaceous and Paleogene were a compound result of the Kula Plate W-directional subducting under Eurasia Continental Plate in 80-74Ma and the Philippine sea Plate W-directional subducting under the Eurasia Continental Plate since 60Ma, the long -rang effect of the India Continental Plate wedging into the Eurasia Continental Plate and of the Siberia Plate SE梔irectional relatively moving.     

The photochemical formation of a titan haze analog. Structural analysis by x-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopy

The photochemical flow reactor (D.W. Clarke et al., 2000, Icarus 147, 282-291) has been modified to minimize the incorporation of oxygen and other impurities in the photoproducts. A mixture of gases that approximate their mixing ratios on Titan (N₂, CH₄, H₂, C₂H₂, C₂H₄, and HC₃N) (0.98, 0.018, 0.002, 3.5 × 10⁻⁴, 3 × 10⁻⁴, 1.7 × 10⁻⁵, respectively) was irradiated in the flow photochemical reactor using a 185-nm source to give a Titan haze analog as a solid product. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) gave a composition of 93.3% C, 5.3% N, and 1.4% O. Of the 93.3% carbon, high-resolution XPS revealed that 81.2% was present as CH, CC, and CC groups, 12.1% may be CO, CN, CN, CN, and/or CN groups, 5.3% as a CN group. The peak for N was symmetrical and was assigned to the CN while that for oxygen was assigned to the CO and/or the CO group. Some of these assignments were confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The polymeric product had a C:N ratio of 17.6, which is significantly greater than that for Titan haze analogs prepared in discharge reactions. When the polymer was exposed to air for seven days the oxygen content increased by 6% along with an increase in the infrared absorption at 1710 cm⁻¹ assigned to the CO group of a ketone. The oxidation is attributed to the reaction of oxygen with free radicals trapped in the polymer matrix. It is proposed that the photochemical initiation of Titan haze formation from compounds formed from starting materials formed high in Titan’s atmosphere is a more plausible model than haze formed in reactions initiated by solely by discharges. These data will be helpful in the interpretation of the data returned from the Huygens probe of the Cassini mission.     

Evolution of planetary ringmoon systems

The last few decades have seen an avalanche of observations of planetary ring systems, both from spacecraft and from Earth. Meanwhile, we have seen steady progress in our understanding of these systems as our intuition (and our computers) catch up with the myriad ways in which gravity, fluid and statistical mechanics, and electromagnetism can combine to shape the distribution of the submicron-to-several-meter size particles which comprise ring systems [1–5]. The now-complete reconnaissance of the gas giant planets by spacecraft has revealed that ring systems are invariably found in association with families of regular satellites, and there is an emerging perspective that they are not only physically but causally linked. There is also mounting evidence that many features or aspects of all planetary ring systems, if not the ring systems themselves, are considerably younger than the solar system.     

页岩孔隙演化及其与残留烃量的耦合关系：来自地质过程约束模拟实验的证据

加强页岩孔隙演化规律研究,特别是定量评价其与残留烃之间的关系对页岩油的勘探具有重要意义。采集鄂尔多斯盆地低成熟度湖相Ⅰ型富有机质页岩,通过地质条件约束(埋藏史、地层压力、地层水矿化度等)成岩物理模拟实验模拟页岩演化,利用压汞法、氮气吸附法和二氧化碳吸附法获得不同温压段页岩的比孔容、比表面积和孔径分布,结合氯仿沥青A抽提定量结果,确定孔隙演化规律及其与残留烃的关系。结果表明页岩大孔比孔容与残留烃含量先增加后减小,微孔和中孔的比孔容随着模拟实验温度的增加呈现先减小后增大。XRD分析显示黄铁矿含量控制大孔,有机质丰度和粘土含量控制微孔和中孔。微孔和中孔的比孔容增加为高—过成熟度阶段页岩气提供储集空间,大孔比孔容与残留烃含量变化一致,生油窗阶段大孔增加是页岩油的有利储集带。     

青藏高原中部新生代伦坡拉盆地沉降史分析

新生代伦坡拉盆地位于青藏高原中部,拉萨地体与羌塘地体间班公湖-怒江缝合带之上.伦坡拉盆地及缝合带上其他陆相盆地的形成反映了班怒带缝合之后的再活化过程.盆地内部主要沉积了始新世-中新世牛堡组与丁青湖组两套地层,虽然后期的风化剥蚀和地表第四纪覆盖对获取野外露头资料造成了一定影响,但20世纪50年代以来大规模的钻井勘探为研究区域大地构造和沉积盆地演化提供了重要依据.为重建伦坡拉盆地的沉降史,本文对盆地中11条钻井剖面和1条实测剖面进行了回剥分析.沉降曲线显示盆地经历了两个明显不同的沉降阶段和一个缓慢抬升阶段.初始的快速沉降开始于始新世,在区域伸展作用下上地壳破裂形成半地堑型盆地,并开始在滨浅湖环境中沉积牛堡组地层.这一过程中伴有左行走滑.渐新世早期,受构造活动之后热量传导的影响,前期快速沉降被缓慢热沉降取代,沉降中心向北东方向迁移,并在半深湖-深湖环境下沉积丁青湖组地层.与此同时印度板块不断向北俯冲,在挤压作用下热沉降逐渐减弱并提前结束.中新世波尔多阶基底开始构造抬升,盆地不断发生挤压变形,并最终形成了现今的构造格局.     

地域结构的演变和预测

本文对地域结构进行了动态化研究,从整体上把握了宏观地域结内的演化规律。其中贯穿了各种区位理论、相互作用理论和扩散理论等。作者认为相互作用理论和扩散理论是关于地域结构形成和发展的机制和过程的理论,而区位理论则是关于地域系统中各元素和子系的位置和分布的理论。     

2010年青海玉树地震同震-震后形变场特征及演化过程

基于星载合成孔径雷达差分干涉测量技术(DInSAR)和4期ENVISAT/ASAR雷达数据,获得了不同时间基线的三个同震干涉形变场和两个震后干涉形变场,并对这五个在时段上互有重叠的形变场进行了综合分析.结果表明,玉树地震同震形变场为围绕发震断层NW展布的椭圆形干涉条纹,覆盖范围约89 km×59 km.断层运动性质为左旋走滑.两盘最大视线向相对形变量至少达45 cm,最大形变出现在结古镇附近.时间基线不同的同震形变场总体上基本一致,但两盘最大相对形变量和局部形变存在差异.震后时间较长的干涉对反映的最大形变量反而减小;在震后时间较短的干涉对上于结古镇西南侧观测到的局部形变,在震后时间较长的干涉对上却没有出现.分析认为在形变量最大的结古镇附近可能出现了震后快速弹性回弹,导致随震后时间延续,形变量反而减小的现象.玉树地震震后形变主要出现在断层附近、震后不久的时段内,形变量在8 cm以下,具有与同震方向一致和相反的两种震后形变方式.在结古镇西南观测到一个与同震形变相反的局部沉降,应为震后弹性回弹.在微观震中处的断层附近观测到与同震方向一致的震后形变,可能是震后余滑.通过对地震前后不同时间基线的多个干涉对的联合对比分析,可以在一定程度上区分同震形变与震后形变,更好地研究地震引起的变形过程,特别是地震断层附近短期震后形变场的演化过程,为进一步研究断层带的岩性特征、物理力学及运动特性提供约束.