Paleoproterozoic Extensional Structure and Its Controlling on Mineralization in the East of Liaoning Province

IntroductionThe area of eastern Liaoning is an importantmetal and nonmetal metallogenetic district in China,and the Liaohe group is one of the most importantstrata that hosts Pb, Zn, Au, B and Mg etcstratabound deposits. Up to now many geo1ogistssuch as Z…     

The stellar content of a spiral arm of NGC 4321

The effects of the passage of a spiral arm through the disc of the giant Virgo Sc galaxy NGC 4321 are investigated with Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 images in two colours. Concentrating on a portion of the southern spiral arm of NGC 4321, we have applied a new program to solve for the star formation histories in the arm and interarm regions separately. The observational uncertainties and the variable crowding across the spiral arm are taken into account using the results of artificial star tests. In the interarm regions the data are consistent with a constant star formation rate for the last 50 Myr while the stars in the arm region show a star formation rate four times larger than in the interarm regions in the last 5 Myr.     

Constraining the cosmological baryon density with X-ray clusters

We study the properties of X-ray galaxy clusters in four cold dark matter models with different baryon fractions Ω_BM, ranging from 5 to 20 per cent. By using an original three-dimensional hydrodynamic code based on the piecewise parabolic method, we run simulations on a box with a size of 64  h ⁻¹ Mpc and we identify the clusters by selecting the peaks in the X-ray luminosity field. We analyse these mock catalogues by computing the mass function, the luminosity function, the temperature distribution and the luminosity–temperature relation. By comparing the predictions of the different models to a series of recent observational results, we find that only the models with low baryonic content agree with the data, while models with larger baryon fraction are well outside the 1σ error bars. In particular, the analysis of the luminosity functions, both bolometric and in the energy band [0.5–2] keV, requires Ω_BM ≲ 0.05 when we fix the values h  = 0.5 and n  = 0.8 for the Hubble parameter and the primordial spectral index, respectively. Moreover we find that, independently of the cosmological scenario, all the considered quantities have very little redshift evolution, particularly between z  = 0.5 and 0.     

Small-scale heterogeneities below the Gräfenberg array, Germany from seismic wavefield fluctuations of Hindu Kush events

Small-scale elastic heterogeneities (<5  km) are found in the upper lithosphere underneath the Gräfenberg array, southeast Germany. The results are based on the analysis of broadband recordings of 17 intermediate-depth (201–272  km) events from the Hindu Kush region. The wavefront of the first P arrival and the following 40  s coda are separated into coherent and incoherent (scattered) parts in the frequency range from 0.05 to 5  Hz. The frequency-dependent intensities of the mean and fluctuation wavefields are used to describe the scattering characteristics of the lithosphere underneath the receivers. It is possible to discriminate a weak-fluctuation regime of the wavefield in the frequency range below approximately 1.5–2.5  Hz and a strong-fluctuation regime starting at 2.0–2.5  Hz and continuing to higher frequencies. In order to explain the observed wavefield fluctuations, an approach with seismic scattering at random media-type structures is proposed. The preferred model contains heterogeneities with 3–7 per cent perturbations in seismic velocity and correlation lengths of 0.6–4.8  km in the crust. This is compatible with models from active seismic experiments. Scattering in the lithospheric mantle is not required, but cannot be excluded at weak velocity contrasts (<3 per cent).     

Redshifted 21-cm observations of high-redshift quasar proximity zones

The introduction of low-frequency radio arrays is expected to revolutionize the study of the reionization epoch. Observation of the contrast in redshifted 21-cm emission between a large H  ii region and the surrounding neutral intergalactic medium (IGM) will be the simplest and most easily interpreted signature. However, the highest redshift quasars known are thought to reside in an ionized IGM. Using a semi-analytic model we describe the redshifted 21-cm signal from the IGM surrounding quasars discovered using the i -drop-out technique (i.e. quasars at   z ∼ 6  ). We argue that while quasars at   z < 6.5  seem to reside in the post-overlap IGM, they will still provide valuable probes of the late stages of the overlap era because the light-travel time across a quasar proximity zone should be comparable to the duration of overlap. For redshifted 21-cm observations within a 32-MHz bandpass, we find that the subtraction of a spectrally smooth foreground will not remove spectral features due to the proximity zone. These features could be used to measure the neutral hydrogen content of the IGM during the late stages of reionization. The density of quasars at   z ∼ 6  is now well constrained. We use the measured quasar luminosity function to estimate the prospects for discovery of high-redshift quasars in fields that will be observed by the Murchison Widefield Array.     

南洞庭湖湿地景观文化的结构与特征研究

洞庭湖是我国传统的风景名胜区,也是世界上唯一一个由三个国际重要湿地组成的湖泊。作为洞庭湖的最重要组成部分,南洞庭湖国际重要湿地蕴藏着独特的景观文化资源,在长江文明、中华文明乃至世界文明的发展中占有重要地位。根据1999～2005年的调查结果,系统地分析了南洞庭湖湿地景观文化资源的结构特征：①物质文化（稻耕文化、船文化、建筑文化、生产文化、工程文化等）;②精神文化（端午节、民俗艺术、湖乡忌禁、饮食文化、抗洪抢险、植物文化等）;③制度文化（傩文化、楚文化、历史遗迹、湿地文物等）;阐述了湿地文化的起源及地位,重点研究了15种景观文化内容。研究结果表明,南洞庭湖景观文化的本质特征（湿地文化与水文化）具有国际重要湿地背景,典型的湘楚文化特点,突出的湿地特色,独特的世界遗产特点,同时具有高度的真实性及完整性。     

The mass distribution in the innermost regions of spiral galaxies

We use high-spatial resolution (100 pc) rotation curves of 83 spiral galaxies to investigate the mass distribution of their innermost kpc. We show that, in this region, the luminous matter completely accounts for the gravitational potential and no dark component is required. The derived I-band disk mass-to-light ratios agree well with those obtained from population synthesis models and correlate with color in a similar way. We find strict upper limits of 10⁷ M for the masses of compact bodies at the center of spirals, ruling out that these systems host the remnants of the quasar activity.     

A Statistical Analysis of Trends for Warm and Cold Spells in Uppsala by Means of Counts

Statistical studies of extremes are of interest in the climatic sciences, in particular trends of periods of unusually warm or cold weather, which could be labelled warm and cold spells, respectively. We study the yearly number of spells in Uppsala, Sweden which from a data‐analytic point of view truly are counts, and employ theory and methods from the field of regression models for counts. A possible trend for the period 1840–2012 was investigated. The trend for warm spells is positive and demonstrated to be larger in magnitude compared with the one for cold spells, and is found to be statistically significant. The methodology could be extended to analyse other climate indicators.