Size-Resolved Aerosol Characterization for a Polluted Episode at the IfT Research Station Melpitz in Autumn 1997

Inorganic ions, organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and a variety of organic single species in airborne particles have been determined at the research station of the Leibniz – Institut für Troposphärenforschung (IfT) in Melpitz (Germany) in autumn 1997.Samples of eight selected measurement events were divided in two groups in order to investigate differences in the chemical composition of particles originating from southwesterly (SW – developed EU countries) or from easterly directions (E – less developed eastern countries). Differences between these two groups were tested statistically by Student's t-test.Five stage cascade impactor samples show nitrate as most abundant in the accumulation mode in the SW group. EC and sulphate show the most abundant mass fractions in the E group. That can be considered as a consequence of domestic coal heating and coal-fired power plant emissions in the region of westerly Poland, northern Czech Republic and easterly Germany. Higher nitrate concentrations in the SW group can be explained by stronger NO _x emissions caused by the leeward plume of the conurbation of Leipzig, as well as by the still higher traffic density in western Germany.The methane sulphonic acid (MSA) mass fraction was higher for SW air masses in accumulation mode particles, probably indicating marine origin. Succinic acid also showed higher mass fractions for the SW group. This could be caused by primary emission in automobile exhaust gases and photochemical formation during transport from SW. Indeed, during SW sampling, solar radiation intensity was higher than during E sampling.The observed differences in the particle composition are an expression of the still existing technology gradient in Europe. Future campaigns could show the development to a joint economy with smaller differences in anthropogenic emissions.     

Particle clusters in gravel‐bed rivers: an experimental morphological approach to bed material transport and stability concepts

Structured gravel river beds clearly exert a major influence on bed stability. Indexing structural stability by field measurements of bed strength neglects the processes operating to entrain and transport bed material in different parts of each structure. This study takes a morphological approach to interpreting the critical processes, using particle tracing to determine the movement of individual cluster particles over a range of flood event magnitudes and durations. The experiment was carried out on the River South Tyne, UK; it uses flow hydrographs measured nearby and also benefits from previous studies of historical development, channel morphology and sediment transport at the same site. More than 30 clusters were monitored over a seven‐month period during which clusters occupied 7–16 per cent of the bed. Threshold flows delimiting three apparently contrasting bed sediment process regimes for cluster particles are tentatively set at 100 m³ s^?1 and 183 m³ s^?1; durations of flow at these levels are critical for cluster development, rather than flow peak values. Wake particles are transported most easily. Flow straightening in the wandering channel planform reduces the stability of clusters, since mechanical strength is markedly reduced by this change of direction. The overall area covered by clusters between significant transport events varies little, implying a dynamic equilibrium condition. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

2002年北京风沙季节颗粒物测值分析

为了了解风沙季节的颗粒物浓度特征,特别是在风沙天气来临前后颗粒物浓度的变化,2002年春季分别在北京的延庆和观象台进行了连续的颗粒物观测,并对观测资料进行了较为详细的统计分析。结果表明:在风沙季节,沙尘天气出现前后的颗粒物浓度变化幅度非常显著,对环境质量的影响明显增大;TSP与PM10,PM10与PM2.5的相关性非常显著,线性关系好。沙尘天气对不同粒径颗粒物浓度贡献的增加在33%~86%之间。     

Impact of forest fires on regional air quality in Southeast Asia

Biomass burning, the burning of living and dead vegetation for land-clearing and land-use change, has been in practice in many tropical countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Mexico. Intense forest fires can also ignite subsurface organic soil components （e.g. peat）, which can continue to smolder long after the original surface fires are put out. Combustion of vegetation and peat has only recently been recognized as a major source of atmospheric pollution. The immediate effect of burning is the production and release of gases and particles into the atmosphere, in quantities that in some cases can be significant not only locally and regionally but also on a global scale. Vegetation fire emissions account for roughly half of the atmospheric constituents of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and precursors of tropospheric ozone and may be the second largest source of anthropogenic aerosols after the production of sulfates from SO2. As a result, there has been considerable interest in studying the contribution of forest fires to the production of air pollutants. In recent years, Southeast Asian countries have been affected repeatedly by episodes of smoke haze from forest fires in Indonesia. During 1997-1998, the region was again shrouded in a haze worsened by prolonged drought linked to the E1 Nino weather phenomenon. Satellite pictures confirmed that air pollutants, originating from fires covering an estimated 800000 hectares of southern Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Java, have been transported by southwesterly monsoon winds across neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore to as far as Thailand and the Philippines. The impact of these extensive fires on the health of the residents and ecology in the affected areas was substantial, costly, and possibly long lasting. Most of the research on the environmental aspects of biomass burning has been directed towards the tropics in Africa and America, specifically to the tropical rain forests of Brazil and to the savannas of Africa and South America.     

Factors influencing determination of shale classification indices and their correlation to mechanical properties

The influence of sample preparation procedure on the measured classification indices such as clay-size fraction, liquid limit, and plastic limit of shales was investigated. Shale samples covering a wide range of composition and plasticity were tested using standard and modified preparation procedures to yield quantitative data required for this investigation. The study specifies the range of shale plasticity in which the measured values of clay-size fraction and liquid limit are sensitive to hydrometer specimen size and rehydration time, respectively. The study also revealed that the degree of shale particle disaggregation has an important influence on the measured clay-size fraction and liquid limit. This influence is maximized for shales with intermediate plasticity and can be interpreted in terms of particle size and shape. Correlations were established between classification indices derived from standard and modified sample preparation procedures. It is recommended to use these correlations to adjust shale classification indices derived from standard sample preparation procedures usually utilized by commercial laboratories. Such correlations help in creating a universally followed procedure for better estimation of shale engineering properties and reliable interpretation of case histories involving shale formations.     

Variability in sediment supply,transfer and deposition in an upland torrent system: Iron Crag,northern England

Research into torrent erosion has focused on bedload transport dynamics, debris flow propagation during flood events, and fan sedimentation. Studies have frequently been biased towards specific events and have not considered sediment delivery in the catchment as a whole. The aim of this study is to examine spatial variations and process controls on sediment transfer in an upland torrent system (hillslopes, channel and fan). The study site is Iron Crag, a small torrent system (catchment area 2·4 ha) situated in the northern Lake District, UK. Particle size analysis of hillslope sediments trapped during transport suggests sediment calibre is controlled primarily by sediment source. Freeze–thaw and rainfall processes impart a weak but recognizable size sorting signature on the trapped sediments. However, these variations are less significant in determining sediment supply to the basal fan, than those operating in the channel system. Channel sediment movement is strongly influenced by storm events, the type of flow process (debris flow or fluvial flow), the sediment characteristics, and the local channel topography. The importance of the channel–fan coupling is clearly demonstrated in that more than 90 per cent of fan sedimentation is derived from channel sediment sources. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New aerosol particle formation via certain ion driven processes

Ions can speed up the formation of aerosol particles. The former studies have mainly concerned on the role of the ion charge itself. We have studied the possible (additional) role of the actual small air ion spectrum shape, and the quantitative role of ion–ion recombination pathway. By means of our ion evolution model, formation of new species (H₂SO₄)_n(NH₃)_m(HNO₃)_k via ion–ion recombination was investigated. The model shows how the generation rate of the new species depends on the concentrations of H₂SO₄ and NH₃, and how it depends on the tropospheric background aerosol situation. The rate can be up to a few new neutral complexes per cubic centimeter and per second. New particle generation via ion–ion recombination provides an extra channel, especially for the clean atmosphere. Former results have shown that such situations are often present in Antarctica. Our aerosol spectrum measurements reveal a number of similar non-Antarctic results. Sometimes, such situations are followed by aerosol bursts, which may be (partly) due to an ion–ion recombination channel.     

伊利石单元粒子及其研究意义

单元粒子是单晶体构成的细小的粘土颗粒,是由一种或多种层状结构的硅酸盐构成的混层粘土的基本单元。多数伊利石单元粒子以混层晶体的"建筑砌块"的形式产出,"砌块"与"砌块"之间,在 a、b方向通过"砌块"的边缘界面相"砌合"而连接,在 c轴方向通过平面界面相"砌合"而连接。还对伊利石单元粒子的生长机理及形成过程中的形态变化、利用伊利石单元粒子的厚度划分成岩作用阶段等方面的研究成果进行了综述。伊利石单元粒子的形成过程有三个阶段：蒙脱石伊利石化过程中2nm厚的伊利石粒子的成核作用阶段、成核作用与生长作用阶段和表面控制生长阶段。伊利石单元粒子生长过程中,伊利石单元粒子呈现从板状体到条状体的生长,而板状颗粒又呈现各种螺旋生长图案,有圆形、残缺的圆形、多边螺旋、平行阶梯状螺旋、交错螺旋等。伊利石单元粒子的厚度分布服从对数正态型,其峰值为10.5nm。单元粒子与纳米科技两者的主要研究内容和所采用的方法基本一致,建议今后将研究单元粒子与研究纳米粘土矿物学有机地结合起来。     

On the current-voltage relationship in fluid theory

The kinetic theory of precipitating electrons with Maxwellian source plasma yields the well-known current-voltage relationship (CV-relationship; Knight formula), which can in most cases be accurately approximated by a reduced linear formula. Our question is whether it is possible to obtain this CV-relationship from fluid theory, and if so, to what extent it is physically equivalent with the more accurate kinetic counterpart. An answer to this question is necessary before trying to understand how one could combine time-dependent and transient phenomena such as Alfvnic waves with a slowly evolving background described by the CV-relationship. We first compute the fluid quantity profiles (density, pressure etc.) along a flux tube based on kinetic theory solution. A parallel potential drop accumulates plasma (and pressure) below it, which explains why the current is linearly proportional to the potential drop in the kinetic theory even though the velocity of the accelerated particles is only proportional to the square root of the accelerating voltage. Electron fluid theory reveals that the kinetic theory results can be reproduced, except for different numerical constants, if and only if the polytropic index γ is equal to three, corresponding to one-dimensional motion. The convective derivative term v∇v provides the equivalent of the “mirror force” and is therefore important to include in a fluid theory trying to describe a CV-relationship. In one-fluid equations the parallel electric field, at least in its functional form, emerges self-consistently. We find that the electron density enhancement below the potential drop disappears because the magnetospheric ions would be unable to neutralize it, and a square root CV-relationship results, in disagreement with kinetic theory and observations. Also, the potential drop concentrates just above the ionosphere, which is at odds with observations as well. To resolve this puzzle, we show that considering outflowing ionospheric ions restores the possibility of having the acceleration region well above the ionosphere, and thus the electron kinetic (and fluid, if γ=3) theory results are reproduced in a self-consistent manner. Thus the inclusion of ionospheric ions is crucial for a feasible CV-relationship in fluid theory. Constructing a quantitative fluid model (possibly one-fluid) which reproduces this property would be an interesting task for a future study.     

Modelling dispersion in complex open channel flows: Fuzzy calibration (2)

In a special opportunity, detailed measurements of the flow in an overbank flow in the Flood Channel Facility at HR Wallingford were used in conjunction with tracer test data to assess the effectiveness of dispersion models based around random particle tracking (RPT). Ten different RPT models based on different assumptions and levels of information about the nature of the Lagrangian velocity field were investigated. Multiple simulations were used to calibrate variable parameters controlling the average magnitude of the perturbations for each model by comparison with observed concentrations at one cross-section. The calibrated models were then used to predict concentration distributions further downstream. Several of the calibrated models showed close agreement between observed and predicted concentration distributions. The most complex models using the most information about the velocity distributions were no better (and in some cases worse) in prediction than the simplest models investigated. It would appear that our knowledge of the system, despite the quality of the experiments, is too uncertain to infer a precise model structure.