Transmission electron microscopy applied to fluid inclusion investigations

The transmission electron microscope (TEM) allows a detailed characterization of textural and chemical features of fluid inclusions (shape, inner compositions and inner textures), at a resolution higher than that attainable with an optical microscope (OM). TEM investigation indicates that most fluid inclusions appear as perfectly euhedral negative crystals, with variable shape (from prismatic to equant) and size (typically from <0.02 to 0.15 μm). Inner texture (fluid phase/melt distribution) and composition are variable as well. Different kinds of negative crystals may coexist in the same trail of inclusions, possibly indicating locally variable trapping conditions.

A critical feature, revealed by TEM, is that inclusions are often connected to structural defects (in particular, to dislocation arrays), which are undetected by optical microscopy. The identification of these hidden nanostructures should be taken into account for the correct petrological interpretation of microthermometric results, particularly when controversial data have been obtained. In fact, these nanostructures may represent a possible path for fluid phase leakage, thus modifying the original composition and/or density of the inclusions.     

On the efficiency with which aerosol particles of radius larger than 0.1 μm are collected by simple ice crystal plates

A theoretical model is presented which allows computing the efficiency with which aerosol particles of radius 0.1r10 m are collected by simple ice crystal plates of radius 50a _c 640 m in air of various relative humidities, temperatures and pressures. Particle capture due to thermophoresis, diffusiophoresis and inertial impaction are considered. It is shown that the capture efficiency of an ice crystal in considerably affected by phoretic effects in the range 0.1r1 m. For aerosol particles ofr>1 m the efficiency is strongly controlled by the flow field around the crystal and the density of the aerosol material. Trajectory analysis also predicts that aerosol particles are preferentially captured by the ice crystal rim. Our theoretica results are found to agree satisfactorily with the laboratory studies presently available. Comparison shows that for the same pressure, temperature and relative humidity of the ambient air ice crystal plates are better aerosol particle scavengers than water drops.     

甘肃省秋季层状云冰雪晶粒子特征个例分析

利用安装有PMS探头、温湿仪和GPS的飞机 ,对 2 0 0 1年 10月 12日甘肃河西地区降水性层状云进行了探测。根据获取的资料分析了此次降水性层状云的冰雪晶特征 ,包括不同粒子的分布特性 ,给出不同温度下的冰雪晶粒子谱 ,还分析了粒子谱型随温度的变化及其包含的微物理机制。与我国其它地区的冰雪晶浓度比较认为 ,在一定的云水条件下 ,甘肃秋季层状云有较大的增雨催化潜力     

Nanoscience and technology: the next revolution in the Earth sciences

Nanoscience and technology are not exactly new, but nevertheless rapidly expanding fields that are providing revolutions in all sciences on the scale of what genomics and proteomics have done in recent years for the biological sciences. Nanoscience is based on the fact that properties of materials change as a function of the physical dimension of that material, and nanotechnology takes advantage of this by applying selected property modifications of this nature to some beneficial endeavor. The prefix ‘nano’ is used because the property dependence on physical size is generally observed close to the nanoscale, somewhere around 10⁻⁹ m. The dimensions at which changes are observed depend on the specific material and the property in question, as well as which of the three dimensions are restricted in real space (e.g. small particles vs. thin films vs. ‘one-dimensional’ phases). Properties change in these confined spaces because the electronic structure (i.e. the distribution of electron energies) of the material is modified here in the gray area between the bulk and atomistic/molecular realms, or equivalently between the continuum and strictly quantum domains. Earth materials with at least one dimension in the nanorange are essentially ubiquitous. Many have been known for several decades and more are being discovered all the time. But the scientific emphasis has now shifted to that of measuring, understanding and ultimately predicting the property changes from the bulk to nanodomains, and to the understanding of the significant ways that Earth processes are affected by these changes. In addition, where possible, Earth scientists are using nanoscience to develop nanotechnology that should play important roles in Earth sustainability issues of the future.     

冻结过程中单孔冰结晶变形机制研究

孔隙水在冻结过程中产生的冰结晶压力导致了多孔材料的冻胀及破坏。本文通过理论分析分别给出了不同形状晶体的结晶压力计算模型,并分析了经典结晶压力计算公式的使用条件。建立了降温过程中孔隙冰晶生长模型,实现冰晶生长过程中的孔隙变形计算,分析了晶核密度、孔径大小、荷载和冰晶体积对孔隙冻胀变形的影响机制。结果表明：起始孔隙直径和长宽比的增大对结晶变形抑制作用的机理在于减少了冰晶体积中膨胀结晶的比例。荷载对孔隙变形的抑制机制在于,荷载的增大迫使冰晶更多地横向生长（长宽比增大）,导致膨胀结晶所占比例减小。孔隙中的晶体生长有完全填充模式和部分填充模式,在部分填充模式下,晶核密度、荷载和孔径的增大都会导致晶体在孔隙中的填充率增大,从而对孔隙结晶变形产生影响。本模型揭示了单个孔隙中冻胀变形机制,为解决多孔介质的冻胀变形与破坏问题提供了新的思路。     

Mechanodestruction of minerals at the crack tip (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Overview</Emphasis>): 1. Experiment

The kinetics of the amount of volatiles emitted from synthetic and natural calcite single crystals while cleaving and grinding are determined using time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It is revealed that the CO₂ emission is a product of mechano destruction rather than the release of impurities trapped in the crystal. Irradiation of calcite increases the CO₂ emission. A diffusion–desorption model is suggested to explain the kinetics of volatile emission from cleaved surfaces and experimental results on the emission of volatile products during the mechano destruction of various single crystals are summarized. The effects of several sources of systematic errors are discussed. The yield of volatiles is correlated with the speed of the brittle crack propagation and the physicochemical properties of minerals.     

Fabric and crystal characteristics of Bohai and Arctic sea ice

1　ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＢｏｈａｉｏｎｅ ｙｅａｒｉｃｅａｎｄＡｎｔａｒｃｔｉｃｏｎｅｈａｖｅｔｈｅｓｉｍｉｌａｒｓｕｒｆａｃｅ ｆｅａｔｕｒｅｓａｎｄｃｏｒｒｅ ｓｐｏｎｄｉｎｇｆａｂｒｉｃａｎｄｃｒｙｓｔａｌｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｓｔｉｃｓ (Ａｌｌｉｓｏｎ 1 997;Ｌｉｅｔａｌ.1 997;Ｑｉｎ 1 991 ) .ＤｕｒｉｎｇｔｈｅＣｈｉｎａＦｉｒｓｔＡｒｃｔｉｃＥｘｐｅｄｉｔｉｏｎ ,ｔｈｅｒｅｓｕｌｔｓｉｎｔｈｅｓｔｕｄｙｏｆｏｎｅ ｙｅａｒｉｃｅｆｒｏｍＢｏｈａｉａｎｄＡｎｔａｒｃｔｉｃｗｅｒｅｕｓｅｄｆｏ…     

察尔汗盐湖地区盐渍土微观结构及其力学与强度表现

为探明察尔汗盐湖区盐渍土的微观结构特征及其力学与强度表现,从盐湖区采集9组不同含盐量的盐渍土样品,对盐渍土进行电镜扫描、直接剪切试验和抗压强度试验,从微观结构上分析了盐渍土的力学与强度表现,提出了察尔汗盐湖区盐渍土颗粒骨架的连结形式。研究结果表明,不同含盐量的盐渍土微观结构形式不同,盐渍土颗粒骨架之间的连结有3种形式:1)点式接触、2)堆叠接触、3)盐晶体胶结;微观结构越密实,盐晶体胶结作用越强,盐渍土表现出越高力学与强度特性;盐晶体的胶结作用是影响盐溃土力学与强度特性的显著因素;无侧限抗压强度显著变化的含盐量拐点为45.74%。     

冰云光学特性与等效球Mie理论的误差分析

用改进的射线光学理论和等效球Ｍｉｅ理论，计算了若干冰晶和冰晶尺度分布在太阳光谱区中一系列波长上的光学特性和散射特性，详细分析了Ｍｉｅ散射计算的误差，并假定冰云光学特性有１０％误差的情况下，用Ｄｅｌｔａ－Ｅｄｄｉｎｇｔｏｎ近似对所引起的冰云辐射特性的误差进行了数值试验。结果表明，沿用已久的等效球Ｍｉｅ理论因计算冰云光学特性在波长小于２．６μｍ波段误差过大，将引起冰云辐射特性有显著误差，最后提出了计算冰云光学特性的新方案。     

Study and suppression of anomalous fast events in inorganic scintillators for dark matter searches

The status of dark matter searches with inorganic scintillator detectors at Boulby mine is reviewed and the results of tests with a CsI(Tl) crystal are presented. The objectives of the latter experiment were to study anomalous fast events previously observed and to identify ways to remove this background. Clear indications were found that these events were due to surface contamination of crystals by alphas, probably from radon decay. A new array of unencapsulated NaI(Tl) crystals immersed either in liquid paraffin or pure nitrogen atmosphere is under construction at Boulby. Such an approach allows complete control of the surface of the crystals and the ability to remove any surface contamination. First data from the unencapsulated NaI(Tl) do not show the presence of anomalous fast events.