Climate changing characteristics of Zhangye City in Heihe River basin during 1968–2005

At present, researches on climate change of the Heihe River basin mainly focus on the relationship between basin climate change and regional water resources, regional desertification and dynamic climatic seasons of sandstorm, but less on climate change of oasis region, where there are more intense and frequent human activities. Based on data of precipitation, temperature, strong wind and dust events frequencies obtained from the six meteorological stations of Zhangye region in Heihe River basin, the features of climate change during 1968–2005 were carefully studied. Results show that the regional temperature rise rate exceeded the average level of China. The annual precipitation changed a little, but the precipitation had a slowly increasing trend in spring and winter. Frequencies of strong wind and sandstorm days show obviously descending trends, which had a close correlation with the regional temperature rise and the precipitation increase in spring and winter. Meanwhile, further human economic activities and exploitations to the oasis in the inland valley of arid regions also affected the climate change of this region, which has a sensitive and fragile eco-environment. __________ Translated from Journal of Desert Research, 2007, 27(6): 1048–1054 [译自: 中国沙漠]     

Issues concerning global warming today

The global weather of today is growing significantly warmer; this is an indisputable fact. However, the scientific community has not yet reached consensus on the causes of global warming and its possible consequences. This paper introduces the causes of global warming and summarizes its results, which both involve a series of huge and complex system issues. Our top priority is to pinpoint the main reason and the interrelated links between causative factors by adopting a macro-approach, or comprehensive comparison analysis. Its physical mechanism was then determined and its digital model established after quantitative study. __________ Translated from Green Leaf, 2007, (8): 34–35 [译自: 绿叶]     

黑龙江省鸡西盆地南、北两带城子河组精细对比

鸡西盆地被平麻断裂分割成南、北两个条带,多数研究者将南带1煤之下的海相层叠伏于北带海相层或底砾岩之下,称为“城子河组下段”或“石河北组”。利用事件地层学的原理,分析盆地内城子河组早期盆地裂陷、海侵、火山喷发、聚煤等重大事件在地层精细对比方面的意义,甄别出了盆地中重大事件的地层记录．以等时层为基础建立对比框架。通过大量钻井资料追溯对比,认为盆地中坳陷部位的渴湖海湾沉积是南北两带的沉积过渡类型,根据微体古生物研究,南北两带海相层中的沟鞭藻类化石面貌基本一致,南北带的海相层应是同一层位,初步实现了盆地内南、北两个条带城子河组的精细对比,为恢复盆地古地理环境奠定了可靠的基础。     

Extreme value analysis of diamond-size distributions

Extreme value analysis provides a semiparametric method for analyzing the extreme long tails of skew distributions which may be observed when handling mining data. The estimation of important tail characteristics, such as the extreme value index, allows for a discrimination between competing distribution models. It measures the thickness of such long tailed distributions, if only a limited sample is available. This paper stresses the practical implementation of extreme value theory, which is used to discriminate a lognormal from a mixed lognormal distribution in a case study of size distributions for alluvial diamonds.     

CSU－RAMS模式在区域气侯模拟中的应用

将ＣＳＵ－ＲＡＭＳ（中尺度）数值模式改造成“区域气候数值模式”以及进行区域气候数值模拟的试验研究。说明将有限区域中尺度数值模式与ＧＣＭ模式嵌套应用到区域气候数值模拟研究上能够取得有意义的结果。它能在一定程度上改善ＧＣＭ模式的不足。可以更为细致地描述大气环流的变化特征,是了解区域气候变化的有效方法之一。     

Influence of dimethylsulfide produced by marine algae on the global climate

DMS (dimethylsulfide), a breakdown product of cellular solutes of many species of macroalgae andphytoplankton plays an important role in regulating global climate and counteracting partly the "greenhouse" effect.In this paper, the advance and prospects of DMS study are reviewed and discussed with respectto DMS sample storage, measurement and importance in regulating global climate and the acidity ofrain and aerosol.     

Formation of the mid-fifteenth century Kuwae caldera (Vanuatu) by an initial hydroclastic and subsequent ignimbritic eruption

In the mid-fifteenth century, one of the largest eruptions of the last 10 000 years occurred in the Central New Hebrides arc, forming the Kuwae caldera (12x6 km). This eruption followed a late maar phase in the pre-caldera edifice, responsible for a series of alternating hydromagmatic deposits and airfall lapilli layers. Tuffs related to caldera formation ( 120 m of deposits on a composite section from the caldera wall) were emitted during two main ignimbritic phases associated with two additional hydromagmatic episodes. The lower hydromagmatic tuffs from the precaldera maar phase are mainly basaltic andesite in composition, but clasts show compositions ranging from 48 to 60% SiO₂. The unwelded and welded ashflow deposits from the ignimbritic phases and the associated intermediate and upper hydromagmatic deposits also show a wide compositional range (60–73% SiO₂), but are dominantly dacitic. This broad compositional range is thought to be due to crystal fractionation. The striking evolution from one eruptive style (hydromagmatic) to the other (magmatic with emission of a large volume of ignimbrites) which occurred either over the tuff series as a whole, or at the beginning of each ignimbritic phase, is the most impressive characteristic of the caldera-forming event. This strongly suggests triggering of the main eruptive phases by magma-water interaction. A three-step model of caldera formation is presented: (1) moderate hydromagmatic (sequences HD 1–4) and magmatic (fallout deposits) activity from a central vent, probably over a period of months or years, affected an area slightly wider than the present caldera. At the end of this stage, intense seismic activity and extrusion of differentiated magma outside the caldera area occurred; (2) unhomogenized dacite was released during a hydromagmatic episode (HD 5). This was immediately followed by two major pyroclastic flows (PFD 1 and 2). The vents spread and intense magma-water interaction at the beginning of this stage decreased rapidly as magma discharge increased. Subsequent collapse of the caldera probably commenced in the southeastern sector of the caldera; (3) dacitic welded tuffs were emplaced during a second main phase (WFD 1–5). At the beginning of this phase, magma-water interaction continued, producing typical hydromagmatic deposits (HD 6). Caldera collapse extended to the northern part of the caldera. Previous C¹⁴ dates and records of explosive volcanism in ice from the south Pole show that the climactic phase of this event occurred in 1452 A.D.     

Rate constants for the reactions of the NO3 radical with HCOOH/HCOO− and CH3COOH/CH3COO− in aqueous solution between 278 and 328 K

The kinetics of the aqueous phase reactions of NO₃ radicals with HCOOH/HCOO^– and CH₃COOH/CH₃COO^– have been investigated using a laser photolysis/long-path laser absorption technique. NO₃ was produced via excimer laser photolysis of peroxodisulfate anions (S₂O ₈ ^2– ) at 351 nm followed by the reactions of sulfate radicals (SO ₄ ^– ) with excess nitrate. The time-resolved detection of NO₃ was achieved by long-path laser absorption at 632.8 nm. For the reactions of NO₃ with formic acid (1) and formate (2) rate coefficients ofk ₁=(3.3±1.0)×10⁵ l mol^–1 s^–1 andk ₂=(5.0±0.4)×10⁷ l mol^–1 s^–1 were found atT=298 K andI=0.19 mol/l. The following Arrhenius expressions were derived:k ₁(T)=(3.4±0.3)×10¹⁰ exp[–(3400±600)/T] l mol^–1 s^–1 andk ₂(T)=(8.2±0.8)×10¹⁰ exp[–(2200±700)/T] l mol^–1 s^–1. The rate coefficients for the reactions of NO₃ with acetic acid (3) and acetate (4) atT=298 K andI=0.19 mol/l were determined as:k ₃=(1.3±0.3)×10⁴ l mol^–1 s^–1 andk ₄=(2.3±0.4)×10⁶ l mol^–1 s^–1. The temperature dependences for these reactions are described by:k ₃(T)=(4.9±0.5)×10⁹ exp[–(3800±700)/T] l mol^–1 s^–1 andk ₄(T)=(1.0±0.2)×10¹² exp[–(3800±1200)/T] l mol^–1 s^–1. The differences in reactivity of the anions HCOO^– and CH₃COO^– compared to their corresponding acids HCOOH and CH₃COOH are explained by the higher reactivity of NO₃ in charge transfer processes compared to H atom abstraction. From a comparison of NO₃ reactions with various droplets constituents it is concluded that the reaction of NO₃ with HCOO^– may present a dominant loss reaction of NO₃ in atmospheric droplets.     

Subarcsec 10μm imaging of bipolar flow sources

We have started a program of high-resolution (0.4/pixel) 10m imaging of bipolar outflow sources using the 10m camera CAMIRAS. We present recent results obtained at the Canada France Hawaii Telescope which reveal extended emission or IR companions in several luminous objects. The extended emission we detected probably arises from transiently heated very small grains, while the newly discovered companions could contribute significantly to the outflow activity and extended far-IR emission usually attributed to the main optical source.     

Sub-arcsec 10 μm imaging of β pictoris and other star disk candidates

We have used the ESO 10 m camera, TIMMI, to image with a very high angular resolution (PFoV: 0.3; FWHM:0.9) several main-sequence star disk candidates. Information on the -Pictoris dust disk has been obtained in a region largely inaccessible to previous observations: 0–80 AU, with a resolution of about 5 AU after deconvolution. Another promising target for 10 m imaging, 51 Ophiuchi, appears point-like.based on data collected at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), La Silla, Chile