Environmental variables related to wheat yields in the semiarid pampa region of Argentina

The current paper analyses various environmental parameters in relation to wheat yields in Bordenave, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The variables used are: precipitation (ppt), maximum (Tx) and minimum temperature (Tmi) as well as those obtained by applying the Palmer model. Decadic and phenological scales are used for data corresponding to the period 1977–2000. The stepwise method is used to obtain a multi-variate equation to calculate yield taking into account environmental variables only. For a five variates model the coefficient of determination, R² equals 95.79% and the standard error of estimation is 129.0 kg ha⁻¹. In the sample yields, the incidence of total variability for thermal variables is 42.7% and for hydrological variables, 53%. The value and sign of the correlation coefficients were analysed throughout the cultivation cycle. The α coefficient is mainly responsible for yield variance during tillering and stem elongation. There is good correlation with the values of Palmer's Drought Severity Index (PDSI) for the flowering and grain filling stages.     

Karst database development in Minnesota: design and data assembly

The Karst Feature Database (KFD) of Minnesota is a relational GIS-based Database Management System (DBMS). Previous karst feature datasets used inconsistent attributes to describe karst features in different areas of Minnesota. Existing metadata were modified and standardized to represent a comprehensive metadata for all the karst features in Minnesota. Microsoft Access 2000 and ArcView 3.2 were used to develop this working database. Existing county and sub-county karst feature datasets have been assembled into the KFD, which is capable of visualizing and analyzing the entire data set. By November 17 2002, 11,682 karst features were stored in the KFD of Minnesota. Data tables are stored in a Microsoft Access 2000 DBMS and linked to corresponding ArcView applications. The current KFD of Minnesota has been moved from a Windows NT server to a Windows 2000 Citrix server accessible to researchers and planners through networked interfaces.     

High-T phase transition of synthetic ANaB(LiMg)CMg5Si8O22(OH)2 amphibole: an X-ray synchrotron powder diffraction and FTIR spectroscopic study

The synthetic amphibole Na_0.95(Li_0.95Mg_1.05)Mg₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂ was studied in situ at high-T, using IR OH-stretching spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. At room-T the sample has P2₁ /m symmetry, as shown by the FTIR spectrum. It shows in the OH region two well-defined and intense absorptions at 3,748 and 3,712 cm⁻¹, respectively, and two minor bands at 3,667 and 3,687 cm⁻¹. The main bands are assigned to the two independent O–H groups in the primitive structure. The two minor bands evidencing the presence of small amount of vacant A-site (^A□_0.05). With increasing T, these bands shift continuously and merge into a unique absorption at high temperature. A change as a function of increasing T is revealed by the evolution of the refined unit-cell parameters, whose trend shows a transition to C2/m at about 320–330°C. The spontaneous scalar strain, fitted with a tricritical 2–6 Landau potential, gives a T _c of 325(10)°C (β parameter = 0.27). Comparison with the second-order P2₁ /m ⇔ C2/m phase transition at 255°C for synthetic amphibole ^ANa_0.8^B(Na_0.8Mg_1.2)^CMg₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂ indicates that the substitution of Na with Li at the B-sites strongly affects the thermodynamic character and the T _c of the phase transition. The comparison of LNMSH amphiboles with cummingtonitic ones shows that the high-T thermodynamic behaviour is affected by A-site occupancy.     

Low-temperature alteration of oceanic island basalts and their contribution to transition metal circulation of the ocean

The major elements, rare earth elements （REE） and trace elements of four basalt samples from central and western Pacific ferro- manganese crust provinces have been analyzed using chemical methods and ICP - MS, respectively. The results indicate that the samples have been extensively altered and that the contents of their major elements have changed significantly. However, the similarity of REE partition patterns and trace element contents of basalt samples to those of fresh oceanic island basalts （OIB） indicate that the basalt samples originated as OIB. Because of low-temperature alteration, the contents of A1203 , Fe203 , MnO, K20 and P205 increased, while MgO and FeO decreased. Active components, such as magnesium and iron, were leached from OIB resulting in the relative enrichment of SiO2. The leaching of active components can cause the relative enrichment of REE, while the precipitation of LREE-rich ferromanganese oxides in vesicles and fissures not only causes an increase of REE contents, but also induces ＂fractionation＂ of LREE and HREE. Based on the enrichment mechanism of REE contents, the theoretical quantities of precipitated ferromanganese oxides and the depleted quantities of active components are calculated ： the depleted quantities of active components for the unit mass of fresh basalts vary in the range of 0.15 ～ 0. 657, and the precipitated quantities of ferromanganese oxides for the unit mass of fresh basahs vary in the range of 0. 006 ～ 0. 042. Of the major elements, the two most depleted are iron, and magnesium, with 18.28% ～ 70.95% of iron and 44.50% ～ 93.94% of magnesium in the fresh basalts was leached out. Theoretical calculation and geochemistry results both indicate that low-temperature alteration of basalts can supply abundant amount of metals to seawater, and may play an important role in ocean metal circulation.     

Homogenization of the Daily Land Surface Temperature over the Mainland of China from 1960 through 2017

Land surface temperature(LST) is one of the most important factors in the land-atmosphere interaction process. Raw measured LSTs may contain biases due to instrument replacement, changes in recording procedures, and other non-climatic factors. This study attempts to reduce the above biases in raw daily measurements and achieves a homogenized daily LST dataset over China using 2360 stations from 1960 through 2017. The high-quality land surface air temperature(LSAT)dataset is used to correct the LST warming biases especially evident during cold months in regions north of 40°N due to the replacement of observation instruments around 2004. Subsequently, the Multiple Analysis of Series for Homogenization(MASH) method is adopted to detect and then adjust the daily observed LST records. In total, 3.68 × 103 effective breakpoints in 1.65 × 106 monthly records(about 20%) are detected. A large number of these effective breakpoints are located over large parts of the Sichuan Basin and southern China. After the MASH procedure, LSTs at more than 80% of the breakpoints are adjusted within +/– 0.5°C, and of the remaining breakpoints, only 10% are adjusted over 1.5°C.Compared to the raw LST dataset over the whole domain, the homogenization significantly reduces the mean LST magnitude and its interannual variability as well as its linear trend at most stations. Finally, we perform preliminary analysis upon the homogenized LST and find that the annual mean LST averaged across China shows a significant warming trend [0.22°C(10 yr)–1]. The homogenized LST dataset can be further adapted for a variety of applications(e.g.,model evaluation and extreme event characterization).     

玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚和重力测量——2001年诺贝尔物理学奖评介

介绍了2001年诺贝尔物理学奖获得者康奈尔，韦曼，克特勒的科学研究成果，实验玻色－爱因斯坦凝聚（BEC）及其在理论上的意义和应用前景，讨论了BEC在研制高精度重力仪方面的应用问题，为此回顾了重力测量现状，朱棣文等研制的原子干涉重力仪和ClauserJ提出的物质波干涉重力仪，分析表明，如果利用BEC，则重力仪的测量精度在朱棣文等工作基础上将会有很大的提高。     

GM（1,1）模型在铁路路基冻胀监测中的应用

通过对季节性冻土区铁路路基冻胀量与地层温度的监测,可以了解监测段的冻胀变化过程,但无法对未来的发展趋势作出有效预测。本文采用GM（1,1）模型对监测段落路基的冻胀变形及冻结深度的变化情况进行预测。结果表明,此预测方法可以在现有监测数据的基础上有效预测短期内路基冻胀的发展趋势。根据模型预测结果,可以提前采取有效整治措施,便于决策者对轨道检验周期、维修周期、限速周期等作出合理调整。     

湘西自治州北部铅锌矿找矿标志及找矿远景区

湘西自治州北部铅锌矿带,处于桑植复向斜西南段,长100km以上,宽50km左右,矿带内铅锌矿点广布,受地层、构造、岩性的控制。上寒武统耗子沱群至下奥陶统大湾组共有7个含矿层位,北东向背斜倾伏端及北东向断裂、层间裂隙以及次级北西向横跨背斜是矿床控矿构造,有矿体赋存的含矿层有明显的硅化作用,且硅化体中Pb,Zn,Cu明显富集,分别为地层的66、32、8倍,Sr/Ba比值为0.60,无矿存在的硅化体则Pb,Zn,Cu含量接近地层或稍高于地层,Sr/Ba比值高达1.15。在砂子坡背斜南翼、红岩溪背斜北东端和南西倾伏端、盐井背斜,下奥陶统红花园组顶部含矿层内为找矿远景区。     

内蒙古固阳福顺店渣尔泰山群增隆昌组的风暴沉积特征

本文着重叙述了渣尔泰山群增隆昌组的沉积特征和沉积相序特征 ,并对其成因进行了分析 ,区内的增隆昌组白云岩为一风暴沉积相序 ,该相序的发现对进一步研究渣尔泰山群的沉积环境及古地理特征具有一定意义。     

四川拉拉铁氧化物铜金矿床（IOCG）形成的矿相学证据

四川拉拉铜矿是我国西南重要的大型铜矿,并且共（伴）生丰富的金—钼—钴—稀土—铁可供综合利用。系统的矿相学研究表明,矿石矿物主要为热液磁铁矿、黄铜矿、黄铁矿、白铁矿和辉钼矿;矿床围岩蚀变种类较多,主要有黑云母化、硅化、碳酸盐化、钠长石化、钾长石化、磷灰石化、阳起石化、萤石化等;矿石结构包括自形- 半自形- 它形晶粒结构、交代残余结构、包含结构和枝状结构,矿石构造包括浸染状构造、条带状构造、脉状- 网脉状构造和角砾状构造;载铜矿物主要为黄铜矿,钴主要赋存于黄铁矿和白铁矿中,钼赋存于辉钼矿中,金主要以自然金或含银自然金形式赋存于黄铜矿、黄铁矿和叶碲铋矿中;磁铁矿中钛含量低,矿石中硫含量低,罕见铅锌硫化物矿物。因此,拉拉铜矿应属于典型的铁氧化物铜金矿床。