Ion and neutral sources and sinks within Saturn's inner magnetosphere: Cassini results

Using ion-electron fluid parameters derived from Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) observations within Saturn's inner magnetosphere as presented in Sittler et al. [2006a. Cassini observations of Saturn's inner plasmasphere: Saturn orbit insertion results. Planet. Space Sci., 54, 1197-1210], one can estimate the ion total flux tube content, N_IONL², for protons, H⁺, and water group ions, W⁺, as a function of radial distance or dipole L shell. In Sittler et al. [2005. Preliminary results on Saturn's inner plasmasphere as observed by Cassini: comparison with Voyager. Geophys. Res. Lett. 32(14), L14S04), it was shown that protons and water group ions dominated the plasmasphere composition. Using the ion-electron fluid parameters as boundary condition for each L shell traversed by the Cassini spacecraft, we self-consistently solve for the ambipolar electric field and the ion distribution along each of those field lines. Temperature anisotropies from Voyager plasma observations are used with (T_⊥/T_∥)_W⁺∼5 and (T_⊥/T_∥)_H⁺∼2. The radio and plasma wave science (RPWS) electron density observations from previous publications are used to indirectly confirm usage of the above temperature anisotropies for water group ions and protons. In the case of electrons we assume they are isotropic due to their short scattering time scales. When the above is done, our calculation show N_IONL² for H⁺ and W⁺ peaking near Dione's L shell with values similar to that found from Voyager plasma observations. We are able to show that water molecules are the dominant source of ions within Saturn's inner magnetosphere. We estimate the ion production rate S_ION∼10²⁷ ions/s as function of dipole L using N_H⁺, N_W⁺ and the time scale for ion loss due to radial transport τ_D and ion-electron recombination τ_REC. The ion production shows localized peaks near the L shells of Tethys, Dione and Rhea, but not Enceladus. We then estimate the neutral production rate, S_W, from our ion production rate, S_ION, and the time scale for loss of neutrals by ionization, τ_ION, and charge exchange, τ_CH. The estimated source rate for water molecules shows a pronounced peak near Enceladus’ L shell L∼4, with a value S_W∼2×10²⁸ mol/s.     

Progress in the Research on the Impact of Wind Farms on Climate and Environment

Wind power has become one of the fastest growing renewable energy. With the large-scale deployment of wind farms in the world, people have started to pay attention to the impact of wind farms on the ecological environment and climate. This paper summarized the impact of wind farms on climate and ecological environment by investigating relevant literature: In the areas of wind farms, on the one hand, the set-up of wind turbines changes original aerodynamic roughness height and strengthens the dragging of the land surface against turbulence, directly affecting the turbulent motion of the boundary layer, resulting in the changes of intensity and pattern of material energy and water vapor exchange between land surface and near-surface atmosphere, further affecting the atmospheric circulation and climate. On the other hand, wind turbines convert the majority of the wind kinetic energy into electric energy, which produces the wake effect of the wind turbine. The budget patterns and spatial and temporal distribution of large-scale kinetic energy in the boundary layer are changed correspondingly, generating changes in various fluxes (heat flux, water vapor flux, etc.) in the atmosphere, which affect temperature, precipitation, and wind speed. Generally, the warming or cooling effect of wind farms on the near-surface is related to the stability of atmosphere. However, simulations in the global climate model showed that the average impact of wind farms on global climate is small, much smaller than the expected changes in greenhouse gas emissions and the interannual changes in natural climate.Wind power emits almost no carbon dioxide and pollutants. Compared with other traditional energy sources, it reduces water consumption but may generate some negative ecological impacts such as animal habitats, bird collisions, and noise, vision impact. However, some measures can be taken to mitigate these adverse effects.     

山东省昌乐县新生代火山口新发现及旅游地质意义

昌乐蓝宝石闻名遐尔，但蕴藏蓝宝石的火山岩及火山群却少有人知。昌乐县境内几十个由新近纪临胸群牛山组尧山组玄武岩构成的山包，大都是古火山口(颈)。近期，在北岩镇南开出的古火山口(颈)，其玄武岩柱状节理的扇状展布和罕见的两次熔岩喷发交切遗迹，比以往已开发的乔官镇团山子古火山口更为奇特和壮观。火山地貌景观区历来是人们向往的旅游胜地，对昌乐古火山群旅游资源，应加大开发和保护力度，使其尽快成为人们观赏地质奇观、增长科学知识的基地。发展地质旅游将促进当地经济的腾飞。     

南京降水氢氧同位素监测特征

基于2018年7月—2019年6月南京降水同位素观测数据和中国气象局气象观测数据,研究南京降水稳定同位素组成的变化特征,对比热带气旋降水、梅雨降水和其他降水的降水同位素组成特征,研究降水同位素组成与热带气旋移动路径关系。结果表明：南京降水氧同位素组成(δ18O)和氢同位素组成(δ2H)的变化范围分别为-16.3‰~4.0‰和-103.0‰~32.9‰,雨季降水氢氧同位素组成相对贫化,非雨季相对富集;降水氘盈余的降水加权平均值为15.5‰,表明南京降水受陆面过程影响大。从降水量权重看,热带气旋降水和梅雨降水强度大,降水氢氧同位素组成严重贫化;其他降水的强度相对较弱,降水氢氧同位素组成比较富集;受水汽源地和陆面循环等过程的综合影响,热带气旋降水氘盈余小于全球平均值(10‰),梅雨降水氘盈余略高于全球平均值,其他降水氘盈余远高于全球平均值。登陆前仅在海洋上移动的热带气旋,降水氘盈余维持在7.5‰~8.6‰,但二次登陆的热带气旋降水氘盈余远大于10‰,可能是受到陆地蒸散过程的影响。     

云南兰坪-思茅盆地脉状铜矿床铅、硫同位素地球化学与成矿物质来源研究

云南兰坪-思茅盆地中一新生代砂页岩中赋存有许多脉状铜矿床。本文对盆地内从北至南三个典型脉状铜矿床(金满、水泄和白龙厂)进行了详细的铅、硫同位素研究，探讨了该类型矿床的成矿物质来源。分析表明。该类型矿床的铅同位素组成总体变化较小，且均位于上地壳铅演化线附近，说明成矿流体中铅具有稳定的上地壳来源。各矿床由于赋矿层位不同，矿石铅同位素组成表现出一定差异，如由兰坪盆地侏罗纪地层中的金满矿床到思茅盆地二叠纪地层中的白龙厂矿床，铅同位素比值(^207Pb/^204Pb)呈增高趋势，这表明这类矿床的铅主要来源于围岩地层，且地层越老，提供的铅就相对富含放射成因铅。矿床中脉石矿物重晶石、铁白云石等的锶同位素组成也表明，金满矿床成矿流体的^87Sr／^86Sr比值较高(0．70874—0．71232)，而白龙厂矿床的^87Sr／^86Sr比值较低(0．70829—0．70938)，接近于围岩灰岩的值(0．70755)。硫同位素研究表明，金满矿床中硫化物的δ^34S值变化最大，为-20．5‰- 7．0‰。水泄矿床中硫化物的δ^34S值变化最小，为-0．1‰- 4．2‰。而白龙厂矿床中硫化物的δ^34S值为-14．3‰--3．6‰。水泄和白龙厂矿床中重晶石的δ^34S值分别为 12．3‰- 19．0‰和 13．1‰，它们与盆地中蒸发岩层中石膏的δ^34S值( 10．8‰- 15．7‰)相近。分析表明，兰坪-思茅盆地中脉状铜矿的硫源主要来源于盆地热卤水萃取的地层中蒸发岩硫酸盐，它们通过有机质的热分解反应还原为沉淀硫化物所必需的低价硫。各矿床独特的硫同位素组成还表明它们的硫源受局部地层硫源和成矿流体物理化学性质所控制。本文提出大气降水起源的盆地热卤水通过对围岩中新生代地层的淋滤和萃取，获得了成矿所需的金属和硫，并在构造薄弱部位沉淀形成了本区的脉状铜矿床。     

腾格里沙漠东南缘降尘粒度特征和沉积速率

从多年降尘实测资料入手，分析了粉尘粒度特征、沉积速率和时变过程。提出了气象要素相关估测模型．确定０．２５ｍｍ为本区粉尘沉积粒径上限。周围沙漠是粉尘沉积细砂部分的尘源，粉砂和粘土部分沉积来自一个较大的时空范围，二者几乎各占降尘量的１／２。研究区年平均粉尘沉积速率４３５８ｋｇ／ｈｍ２，每年５月的季风转期具有年内最大沉积速率。     

Iodine budget in surface waters from Atacama: Natural and anthropogenic iodine sources revealed by halogen geochemistry and iodine-129 isotopes

Iodine enrichment in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile is widespread and varies significantly between reservoirs, including nitrate-rich “caliche” soils, supergene Cu deposits and marine sedimentary rocks. Recent studies have suggested that groundwater has played a key role in the remobilization, transport and deposition of iodine in Atacama over scales of millions-of-years. However, and considering that natural waters are also anomalously enriched in iodine in the region, the relative source contributions of iodine in the waters and its extent of mixing remain unconstrained. In this study we provide new halogen data and isotopic ratios of iodine (¹²⁹I/I) in shallow seawater, rivers, salt lakes, cold and thermal spring water, rainwater and groundwater that help to constrain the relative influence of meteoric, marine and crustal sources in the Atacama waters. Iodine concentrations in surface and ground waters range between 0.35 μM and 26 μM in the Tarapacá region and between 0.25 μM and 48 μM in the Antofagasta region, and show strong enrichment when compared with seawater concentrations (I = ∼0.4 μM). In contrast, no bromine enrichment is detected (1.3–45.7 μM for Tarapacá and 1.7–87.4 μM for Antofagasta) relative to seawater (Br = ∼600 μM). These data, coupled to the high I/Cl and low Br/Cl ratios are indicative of an organic-rich sedimentary source (related with an “initial” fluid) that interacted with meteoric water to produce a mixed fluid, and preclude an exclusively seawater origin for iodine in Atacama natural waters. Iodine isotopic ratios (¹²⁹I/I) are consistent with halogen chemistry and confirm that most of the iodine present in natural waters derives from a deep initial fluid source (i.e., groundwater which has interacted with Jurassic marine basement), with variable influence of at least one atmospheric or meteoric source. Samples with the lowest isotopic ratios (¹²⁹I/I from ∼215 to ∼1000 × 10⁻¹⁵) strongly suggest mixing between the groundwater and iodine storage in organic-rich rocks (with variable influence of volcanic fluids) and pre-anthropogenic meteoric water, while samples with higher values (∼2000–93,700 × 10⁻¹⁵) indicate the input of anthropogenic meteoric fluid. Taking into account the geological, hydrologic and climatic features of the Atacama region, we propose that the mean contribution of anthropogenic ¹²⁹I is associated with ¹²⁹I releases during nuclear weapon tests carried out in the central Pacific Ocean until the mid 1990's (¹²⁹I/I = ∼12,000 × 10⁻¹⁵). This source reflects rapid redistribution of this radioisotope on a global scale. Our results support the notion of a long-lived continental iodine cycle in the hyperarid margin of western South America, which is driven by local hydrological and climate conditions, and confirm that groundwater was a key agent for iodine remobilization and formation of the extensive iodine-rich soils of Atacama.     

Sea state estimation using multiple ships simultaneously as sailing wave buoys

The article presents initial ideas towards a network-based approach for sea state estimation used for marine operations and other maritime applications. In principle, all available means, ranging from in situ buoys, fleet of ships to remote sensing by satellite and aircraft, could be considered, emphasising that each means and any combinations among may act simultaneously. This study focuses on just one of the means; the use of ships as sailing wave buoys. The article introduces the wave buoy analogy, i.e. ship-as-a-wave-buoy, and it makes a proposal on how to impose (different) weights to the single ship-specific wave spectrum estimates obtained from multiple ships. Moreover, the work includes a discussion about the importance to associate a measure to reflect the (un)certainty of the wave spectrum estimate. The article presents a numerical case study, where multiple ships act simultaneously as wave spectrum-estimators. The case study relies on numerical motion simulations, as appropriate full-scale data is not yet available. In the analysis, it is shown that the use of simultaneous data from multiple ships leads to more accurate wave spectrum estimations.     

Establishment and application of an intelligent treating method for oil spill identification

In the identifying process of an oil spill accident, manual integral and artificial visual comparison are commonly used at present to determine the oil spill sources, these methods are time-consuming and easily affected by human factors. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve the purpose of rapid identification of an oil spill accident. In this paper, an intelligent method of automatic recognition, integration and calculation of diagnostic ratio of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS) spectrum are established. Firstly, four hundreds of samples collected around the world were analyzed using a standard method and Retention time locking technology (RTL) was applied to reduce the change of retention time of GC/MS spectrum. Secondly, the automatic identification, integration of n-alkanes, biomarker compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and calculation of the diagnostic ratios were realized by MATLAB software. Finally, a database of oil fingerprints were established and applied successfully in a spill oil accident. Based on the new method and database, we could acquire the diagnostic ratios of an oil sample and find out the suspected oil within a few minutes. This method and database can improve the efficiency in spilled oil identification.