The Galactic magnetic field as spectrograph for ultra-high energy cosmic rays

We study the influence of the regular component of the Galactic magnetic field (GMF) on the arrival directions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). We find that, if the angular resolution of current experiments has to be fully exploited, deflections in the GMF cannot be neglected even for E = 10²⁰ eV protons, especially for trajectories along the Galactic plane or crossing the Galactic center region. On the other hand, the GMF could be used as a spectrograph to discriminate among different source models and/or primaries of UHECRs, if its structure would be known with sufficient precision. We compare several GMF models introduced in the literature and discuss for the example of the AGASA data set how the significance of small-scale clustering or correlations with given astrophysical sources are affected by the GMF. We point out that the non-uniform exposure to the extragalactic sky induced by the GMF should be taken into account estimating the significance of potential (auto-) correlation signals.     

Damped Oscillations of Coronal Loops

A mechanism of damped oscillations of a coronal loop is investigated. The loop is treated as a thin toroidal flux rope with two stationary photospheric footpoints, carrying both toroidal and poloidal currents. The forces and the flux-rope dynamics are described within the framework of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The main features of the theory are the following: i) Oscillatory motions are determined by the Lorentz force that acts on curved current-carrying plasma structures and ii) damping is caused by drag that provides the momentum coupling between the flux rope and the ambient coronal plasma. The oscillation is restricted to the vertical plane of the flux rope. The initial equilibrium flux rope is set into oscillation by a pulse of upflow of the ambient plasma. The theory is applied to two events of oscillating loops observed by the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE). It is shown that the Lorentz force and drag with a reasonable value of the coupling coefficient (c _d ) and without anomalous dissipation are able to accurately account for the observed damped oscillations. The analysis shows that the variations in the observed intensity can be explained by the minor radial expansion and contraction. For the two events, the values of the drag coefficient consistent with the observed damping times are in the range c _d ≈2 – 5, with specific values being dependent on parameters such as the loop density, ambient magnetic field, and the loop geometry. This range is consistent with a previous MHD simulation study and with values used to reproduce the observed trajectories of coronal mass ejections (CMEs).     

Correspondence analysis of water quality data: Implications for fauna deaths at Stillwater Lakes, Nevada

Over the last 2 years, more than seven million fish and 16,000 birds have died from drought-induced disease and suspected poisoning at Stillwater Lakes, Nevada. Correspondence analysis of water samples taken in June and September 1986, from lakes and reservoirs near Stillwater Lakes and four background lakes/reservoirs (not associated with fauna disease and death), is attempted to investigate the correlation among sites associated with fauna deaths. This analysis identifies high correlation between some Stillwater Lakes sites and boron. A correlation between boron and arsenic is also identified. Leaching and transport of toxins to the Stillwater Lakes system is one hypothesis to explain the wildlife deaths. Other hypotheses include the direct introduction of toxins by groundwater associated with geothermal activity. A natural cause for the wildlife deaths is also suggested, a cause not associated with the introduction of toxins.     

Nodes and Field of Tourist Origins to Ancient Village——A Case Study of Huangcheng Village in Shanxi Province of China

Based on Hagget's theory of spatial structure,researches on the nodes and field of tourist origins to Huang-cheng Village in Shanxi Province of China have been explored.Nodal hierarchy structure of tourist origins is analyzed with cluster analysis and the gravity model.And field of tourist origins is analyzed with attraction radius index(R)and geography concentration index(G).In the field analysis,R and G of Huangcheng Village are compared with Xidi Village that is a world heritage located in Huangshan City of Anhui Province in China.According to comparison of loca-tions of two areas,influential factors for field area of Huangcheng Village are identified.It is concluded that:1)cluster analysis and gravity model can be complementary methods to each other for nodal hierarchy structure analysis of tour-ist origins;and 2)as far as location is concerned,the weak intensity effect of tourism resources in the tourist region is a major cause for explaining why tourist origins to Huangcheng Village are mainly its neighboring areas.Moreover,it is suggested that the regional effect of tourist resources should be regarded as a component of destination attractiveness when applying gravity model.     

Effect of parallel electric field on electrostatic ion-cyclotron instability in anisotropic plasma in the presence of ion beam and general distribution function—Particle aspect analysis

Dispersion relation, resonant energy transferred, growth rate and marginal instability criteria for the electrostatic ion-cyclotron wave with general loss-cone distribution in low-β anisotropic, homogeneous plasma in the auroral acceleration region are discussed by investigating the trajectories of the charged particles. Effects of the parallel electric field, ion beam velocity, steepness of the loss-cone distribution and temperature anisotropy on resonant energy transferred and growth rate of the instability are discussed. It is found that the effect of the parallel electric field is to stabilize the wave and enhance the transverse acceleration of ions whereas the effect of steepness of loss-cone, ion beam velocity and the temperature anisotropy is to enhance the growth rate and decrease the transverse acceleration of ions. The steepness of the loss-cone also introduces a peak in the growth rate which shifts towards the lower side of the perpendicular wave number with the increasing steepness of the loss-cone.     

便携式高频地波雷达台湾海峡浪高观测

As an important equipment for sea state remote sensing, high frequency surface wave radar(HFSWR) has received more and more attention. The conventional method for wave height inversion is based on the ratio of the integration of the second-order spectral continuum to that of the first-order region, where the strong external noise and the incorrect delineation of the first- and second-order Doppler spectral regions due to spectral aliasing are two major sources of errors in the wave height. To account for these factors, two more indices are introduced to the wave height estimation, i.e., the ratio of the maximum power of the second-order continuum to that of the Bragg spectral region(RSCB) and the ratio of the power of the second harmonic peak to that of the Bragg peak(RSHB). Both indices also have a strong correlation with the underlying wave height. On the basis of all these indices an empirical model is proposed to estimate the wave height. This method has been used in a three-months long experiment of the ocean state measuring and analyzing radar, type S(OSMAR-S), which is a portable HFSWR with compact cross-loop/monopole receive antennas developed by Wuhan University since 2006. During the experiment in the Taiwan Strait, the significant wave height varied from 0 to 5 m. The significant wave heights estimated by the OSMAR-S correlate well with the data provided by the Oceanweather Inc. for comparison, with a correlation coefficient of 0.74 and a root mean square error(RMSE) of 0.77 m. The proposed method has made an effective improvement to the wave height estimation and thus a further step toward operational use of the OSMAR-S in the wave height extraction.     

应用实时定量PCR技术检测秦皇岛近岸海域褐潮原因种——抑食金球藻(Aureococcus anophagefferens)

Aureococcus anophagefferens, a small pelagophyte algae, has caused brown tide blooms in coastal waters of Qinhuangdao in recent years, presenting significant negative impacts on the shellfish mariculture industry. Under standard light microscopy, it is visually indistinguishable from other small algae in field samples due to its extremely small size. In this study, quantitative polymerase chain reaction(q PCR) based on 18 S r DNA sequences was developed and used to detect and enumerate A. anophagefferens. A linear regression(R2 = 0.91) was generated based on cycle thresholds value(Ct) versus known concentrations of A. anophagefferens. Twenty-two field samples collected in coastal waters of Qinhuangdao were subjected to DNA extraction and then analyzed using q PCR. Results showed that A. anophagefferens had a wide distribution in coastal waters along Qinhuangdao. Elevated A. anophagefferens abundance, category 3 brown tide blooms(200 000 cells/m L) occurred at Dongshan Beach and Tiger-stone Beach in August in 2013. In shellfish mariculture areas along coastal waters of Qinhuangdao, 4 stations had category 3 blooms, and 6 stations had category 2 blooms(35 000–200 000 cells/m L) in August and all stations had category 1 blooms(0 to ≤35 000 cells/m L) in October. Quantitative PCR allows for detection of A. anophagefferens cells at low levels in filed samples, which is essential to effective management and prediction of brown tide blooms.     

围海造陆工程泄水口悬浮物扩散规律分析

掌握围海造陆工程泄水口悬浮物扩散规律,对保护海洋水环境质量具有重要意义。选取围海造陆工程泄水口为研究对象,基于泥沙对流扩散方程,推求出泄水口悬浮物扩散平面二维分析解表达式。开展现场观测,确定泄水口源强取值,并对泄水口悬浮物扩散进行理论计算和分析。研究结果显示,围海造陆工程施工后期,泄水口悬浮物流失非常严重。泄水口附近水域出现的最大悬浮物浓度主要由源强的大小来决定,悬浮物扩散范围主要由流速的大小来控制。     

西太平洋夏季三类声速环境下的会聚区特性比较

利用Argo剖面数据和水声学数值模型,分析了西太平洋夏季在热带海区(I型)、亚热带南部海区(II型)和亚热带北部海区(III型)三类典型声速环境下的会聚区特性。声场计算结果表明,声速环境的区域性差异及声源深度的变化对会聚区声场特性有明显影响。当声源深度为20m时,热带海区会聚区距离较远,第一会聚区约为65km,超出亚热带海区约5km;当声源深度为200m时,亚热带北部海区会聚区距离较远,第一会聚区约为60km,亚热带南部海区、热带海区依次递减约5km。I型和III型剖面在特定的声源深度条件下出现波导型声场,当声源位于表层时热带海区产生表面波导,当声源位于次表层时亚热带北部海区产生次表层波导,对于1kHz的声波,波导深度范围内的传播损失比波导深度以外高出10~20dB。