Trends in fog frequencies in the Los Angeles Basin

Data from throughout the Los Angeles area were examined to determine the horizontal distribution of dense fog (visibility < 400 m) in the region and trends over time. The relationship between the occurrence of dense fog to the phase of two atmosphere–ocean cycles: the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) measured by the PDO Index and the Southern Oscillation measured by the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) was investigated. In addition, the influence of the urban heat island and the amount of suspended particulate matter were assessed. For the three stations that had 22 or more years of data, we examined trends and the relation to atmosphere–ocean cycles. Results show a decrease in the occurrence of very low visibilities (< 400 m) at the stations in close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Long Beach International Airport (LGB). Occurrence of the frequency of low visibilities at these two locations was also highly correlated with the phase of the PDO. Only a weak, non-statistically significant relationship was seen with the SOI. At Burbank, a reporting station about 30 km from the ocean, no trends were noted, and there was no evidence of a correlation with either the PDO Index or the SOI. In the Los Angeles Central Business District (CBD) when comparing dense fog occurrence in the early 1960s to a similar period in the early 2000s we saw a decrease in dense fog from a mean of 10 h per year to a mean of 3 h per year. Also contributing to the decrease was decreasing particulate pollution and increased urban warming. A downward trend in particulate concentrations coupled with an upward trend in urban temperatures were associated with a decrease in dense fog occurrence at both LAX and LGB. These trends were evident for the period 1966–1997, but appear to have ended by the late 1990s.     

地浸砂岩型铀矿弹塑性致密泥岩钻头的研究与应用

针对北方地浸砂岩型铀矿超过400m钻孔钻进中弹塑性致密泥岩钻进效率低的问题,研究试验了钻头,提高了钻进效率,总结了操作技术。用φ104mm中八角阶梯肋骨钻头钻进较软弹塑性致密的光滑的红褐色、浅绿色“打滑”泥岩;用φ104mm中八角阶梯肋骨钻头钻进较软弹塑性致密的灰色致密泥岩;用φ104mm交错式圆片状复合片钻头钻进脆性较大的黑灰色弹塑性致密泥岩;用φ104mm交错式圆片状复合片钻头钻进灰白色脆性较大的弹塑性致密泥岩;用φ104mm双环式齿形复合片钻头钻进弹塑性致密硬泥岩。     

kHz quasi-periodic oscillations in the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 0614+09

We report on a comprehensive analysis of the kilohertz (≥300 Hz) quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) detected from the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 0614+09 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. With a much larger data set than previously analysed (all archival data from 1996 February up to 2007 October), we first investigate the reality of the 1330 Hz QPO reported by van-Straaten et al. This QPO would be of particular interest since it has the highest frequency reported for any source. A thorough analysis of the same observation fails to confirm the detection. On the other hand, over our extended data set, the highest QPO frequency we measure for the upper kHz QPO is at ∼1224 Hz; a value which is fully consistent with the maximum values observed in similar systems. Secondly, we demonstrate that the frequency dependence of the quality factor  ( Q =ν/Δν)  and amplitude of the lower and upper kHz QPOs follow the systematic trends seen in similar systems. In particular, 4U 0614+09 shows a drop of the quality factor of the lower kHz QPO above ∼700 Hz. If this is due to an approach to the innermost stable circular orbit, it implies a neutron star mass of  ∼1.9 M_⊙  . Finally, when analysing the data over fixed durations, we have found a gap in the frequency distribution of the upper QPO, associated with a local minimum of its amplitude. A similar gap is not present in the distribution of the lower QPO frequencies, suggesting some cautions when interpreting frequency ratio distributions, based on the occurrence of the lower QPO only.     

Simulations of glitches in isolated pulsars

Many radio pulsars exhibit glitches wherein the star's spin rate increases fractionally by ∼10⁻¹⁰–10⁻⁶. Glitches are ascribed to variable coupling between the neutron star crust and its superfluid interior. With the aim of distinguishing among different theoretical explanations for the glitch phenomenon, we study the response of a neutron star to two types of perturbations to the vortex array that exists in the superfluid interior: (1) thermal motion of vortices pinned to inner crust nuclei, initiated by sudden heating of the crust, (e.g., a starquake), and (2) mechanical motion of vortices (e.g., from crust cracking by superfluid stresses). Both mechanisms produce acceptable fits to glitch observations in four pulsars, with the exception of the 1989 glitch in the Crab pulsar, which is best fitted by the thermal excitation model. The two models make different predictions for the generation of internal heat and subsequent enhancement of surface emission. The mechanical glitch model predicts a negligible temperature increase. For a pure and highly conductive crust, the thermal glitch model predicts a surface temperature increase of as much as ∼2 per cent, occurring several weeks after the glitch. If the thermal conductivity of the crust is lowered by a high concentration of impurities, however, the surface temperature increases by ∼10 per cent about a decade after a thermal glitch. A thermal glitch in an impure crust is consistent with the surface emission limits following the 2000 January glitch in the Vela pulsar. Future surface emission measurements coordinated with radio observations will constrain glitch mechanisms and the conductivity of the crust.     

“重庆雾”动力统计预报模型

本文首先对重庆雾1981～1987年159个例进行500hPa、700hPa、850hPa各气象要素的相关和合成分析,得到了影响重庆雾的主要因子和主要关键区以及雾发生时24小时以前各层要素场的异常特征。在此基础上,对重庆雾进行了分类,用关键区的因子作为自变量,利用逐步回归残差订正和模型集成,建立起重庆雾24小时预报模型,并设计成软件系统,在IBM机上自动预报。     

长江三峡坝区的大雾分析

利用宜昌站长年资料序列，分析了三峡坝区大雾的基本特征，并讨论了三峡大坝流期的最佳保证率，为三峡大坝工程提供参考资料。     

云南安宁市辐射雾大气扩散参数研究

利用三向风标探测资料，分析了安宁县辐射雾中的扩散参数，结果表明：平均风速对水平风向脉动标准差起着重要作用，是影响水平湍流扩散的关键因子；雾中的横向和铅直方向扩散参数分别相当于ＰａｓｑｕｉｌｌＢ类和Ｄ类稳定度下的扩散参数，表明在辐射雾出现期间，虽然铅直方向上的扩散能力不强，但有较强的水平扩散能力。     

城市化对西双版纳辐射雾的影响

利用景洪气象站和大勐龙气象站的资料，对西双版纳辐射雾减少的原因进行了分析。结果表明：1960－1984年，地形地质条件相近的景洪站与大勐龙站的年雾日数、年均气温、年均湿度、年均最高气温、年均最低气温等气象要素的变化一致，可以认为两站的自然气候变化是一致的。而1985年以后，两站年雾日数和年平均湿度的变化出现较大差异。通过对人文条件的对比发现，景洪市的城市化进程远远大于大勐龙站。因此，我们初步认为城市化对西双版纳辐射雾减少所起的作用远远大于自然气候变化和森林砍伐的作用。     

The role of dew as a moisture source for sand microbiotic crusts in the Negev Desert, Israel

Dew and fog were measured periodically during the years 1992–1995 at the Hallamish dune field, western Negev Desert (average annual rain precipitation ca. 95 mm). A major portion of the dunes are covered by cyanobacterial and moss-dominated microbiotic crusts. Chlorophyll- a measurements and microscopic examination were carried out in order to detect the possible changes in crust biomass and phenological changes of the mosses following the occurrence of dew and fog. Dew and/or fog were present in over 50% of the late summer and fall mornings with an average yield of 0·1 mm on cloth attached to glass plates. This corresponds to ca. 0·03 mm for the upper 0·5 cm of the crust, and is less than the 0·1 mm threshold which implies liquid water and which was also found necessary for net photosynthesis of the cyanobacterial crust. This threshold was met only during heavy dew or fog events, during which 10–40% of the crust surface area was moistened. It was estimated that dew and fog could account for upto 3·2–9·4% of the total annual time of crust wetness and consequently activity due to liquid water. Nevertheless, microscopic examination of the dominant moss species at Nizzana, Bryum dunense, disclosed phenological changes, mainly resulting in growth of vegetative reproduction organs (bulbils), and sexual organs, gametangia (antheridia and archegonia). B.dunense may thus be adapted to the utilization of dew and fog precipitation for the production of nearly mature sexual organs. The moss may thus be capable of already utilizing the first winter rains for fertilization and sporophyte formation.     

1989年东海陆架水团及高密水环流的季节变化

本文利用１９８９年的观测资料，分析了水团及高密水环流的季节演变特征。结果表明：东海高密水在陆架上存在一个季节性的变化过程，核心区有一个气旋型的密度环流；这个环流秋、冬季较弱，春、夏季较强；在该环流的产生过程中，它可以影响邻近水团的分布；在春季，邻近水团在东海高密水周围形成一个环状分布