Construction ages of the Upton Stone Chamber: Preliminary findings and suggestions for future luminescence research

The Upton Chamber in Massachusetts, an earth-covered stone structure 3.4 meters (m) in diameter, with a corbelled stone dome, and a 4.3 m long entrance passageway, is studied with the aim of determining whether optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating methods can be used to establish the approximate construction date of the entranceway. Three samples, taken from soil behind the lowest stones in the wall of the entrance passageway, returned OSL ages between 385 and 660 years ago (or from 1625 A.D. to 1350 A.D.; using the year 2011 as the 0 year). One sample, taken below the bottom of the artifact layers in an archeological test pit in front of the chamber entrance, returned OSL ages between 650 and 880 years ago. A modern sample collected from a nearby fluvial channel returned an age between 55 and 175 years. The Upton Chamber OSL sampling results are challenging to interpret because there are mixtures in the samples of both younger and older grains that likely result from human modification, root or soil processes, animal bioturbation (i.e. ants and worms), and/or partial bleaching. The ages were determined using the lowest component of the finite mixture model as applied to a distribution of quartz grains. Further research may enable us to determine whether older components are of anthropomorphic or geological origin.     

基于Logistic回归的CA模型改进方法——以广州市为例

基于Logistic回归的CA模型因其结构简单和数据要求相对较小的优势,被广泛应用于城市模拟领域,但数据的空间自相关性影响了模型机制挖掘与模拟精度。通过将影响城市发展演变的各种约束条件划分为强制和普通约束条件,以及运用主成分分析降低普通约束条件的数据相关性,构建了改进型Logistic回归CA模型,并在2000~2008年广州市城市增长模拟研究中进行应用。结果表明:与传统型Logistic回归CA模型相比,改进型Logistic回归CA模型在模型拟合度和精度上均有4%左右的提高。其中约束条件划分对非城市像元模拟精度约有6%的提高,对整体精度有3%的提高。更为重要的是,降低数据相关性后,Logistic回归CA模型对于城市扩展机制的解释更符合实际。本研究旨在寻求一种简单可行且易于构建的CA模型,探求城市发展机理,为城市规划管理提供更为准确的科学依据。     

Scale dependency in rock strength

It has long been recognised that the size of a rock sample can have a significant impact on the strength recorded of the sample. In this paper the scale dependence caused by the presence of larger weaknesses when the sample volume increases is investigated. An approach based on linear elastic fracture mechanics is proposed to define the behaviour and results are presented.     

The Role of Multiphase Chemistry in the Oxidation of Dimethylsulphide (DMS). A Latitude Dependent Analysis

A kinetic model for the OH-initiated homogeneous gas phase oxidation of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in the atmosphere (Saltelli and Hjorth, 1995), has been extended here to include the liquid phase chemistry. The updated model has then been employed to predict the temperature dependency of the MSA/nss-SO42- ratio. Model predictions have been compared with observational data reported in Bates et al. (1992). Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis has been performed in a Monte Carlo fashion to identify which are the important uncertainties on the input parameters and which are the possible combinations of parameter values that could explain the field observations. Results of the analysis have indicated that the temperature dependencies of the interactions between gas phase and liquid phase chemistry may to a large extent explain the observed T-dependence of the MSA/nss- SO42- ratio. The potential role of multi-phase atmospheric chemistry, not only in the case of SO2 but also of other oxidation products of DMS and, particularly, of DMS itself, has been highlighted.     

On the spectral peaks of volcanic tremor at Stromboli

Seismic activity at Stromboli Volcano is characterized by a variety of signals, emanating from three vents. For a long time, the northwest vent has been in constant activity. Periodically, large explosions occur and material is ejected beyond the crater walls. These large explosions are accompanied by sonic and infrasonic pressure waves in the atmosphere, and explosion quakes. Apart from large explosions, there is constant activity in the form of continuous gas bursts which are related to low infrasonic pulses in the atmosphere and volcanic tremor. We assume that volcanic tremor and low pressure infrasonics are generated by gas bubbles inside the volcanic conduit, and accordingly, we compute synthetic tremor by modeling the source function as a pressure variation in a spherical cavity that propagates through a finely layered medium, by means of Haskell's formalism. To simulate a tremor, we superpose in time domain a large number of such pulses of varying amplitudes and time delays, according to the observed infrasonic series. In addition to the spectral similarity, the observed and synthetic tremor display the same autocorrelation and Hurst exponents, implying similar long-term correlation. We present strong evidence in favour of an interpretation of the spectral peaks of the volcanic tremor at Stromboli in terms of resonances of the layered structure, hence, as a path effect rather than a source effect.     

中国省级以上开发区产业集聚的多尺度分析

从"区域-省域-地(市)"3个空间尺度入手,分析中国开发区产业集聚特征,结果表明:①中国开发区总体上以技术密集型为主导,装备制造、电子信息、生物医药产业优势明显.但东中西部差异巨大,技术密集型、劳动密集型、资本密集型产业分别占据地区主导地位.②开发区产业集聚度随尺度缩小而扩大,城市群、中心城市是其最重要的空间载体.同时...     

2008年初上海冰雪天气与冷空气路径的相关性研究

2008年1月10日至2月2日,中国南方地区出现了自1951a以来最为严重的连续低温冰雪灾害天气。研究表明,冰雪天气是北方强冷空气与南方暖湿气流共同作用的结果。进一步研究得到,低空冰点以下温度是下雪的基本条件,但上海冬季降水性质还与冷空气路径有关,当冷高压中心位于蒙古东部,冷空气从中路偏东南下时,上海受到东北海风的暖海面调节,近地面气温升高,使雪花在降落过程中融为雨水,上海以雨为主偶有小雪;当冷高压中心位于蒙古西部,冷空气从中路南下,上海吹西北来陆风时,脱离了冬季暖海面调节,雪花保持固态着地,上海同内陆地区一样下雪。     

基于量子蒙特卡罗的地球物理反演方法

本文将量子蒙特卡罗全局优化方法引入地球物理反问题,进而发展了一类新的地球物理非线性反演方法.量子蒙特卡罗方法是基于量子力学机制的随机方法,包括变分蒙特卡罗方法、格林函数蒙特卡罗方法、扩散蒙特卡罗方法、路径积分蒙特卡罗方法.本文简要回顾了量子蒙特卡罗方法的发展,阐述了其方法理论;随后的数值试验结果表明,量子蒙特卡罗方法应用于地球物理反问题的求解是成功的,它适合于非线性、多极值的地球物理反演问题,在收敛速度和避免陷入局部极小等方面有着一定的优势,且该方法也适用于其他领域非线性最优化问题的求解,其算法具有较强的通用性;最后就量子蒙特卡罗方法在地球物理反问题中的应用前景以及存在的问题做了简要概述.     

Geomorphic considerations for erosion prediction

 Current soil-erosion prediction technology addresses processes of rainsplash, overland-flow sediment transport, and rill erosion in small watersheds. The effects of factors determining sediment yield from larger-scale drainage basins, in which sediment movement is controlled by the combined small-scale processes and a complex set of channel and other basin-scale sediment-delivery processes, such as soil creep, bioturbation, and accelerated erosion due to denudation of vegetation, have been poorly evaluated. General suggestions are provided for the development of erosion-prediction technology at the geomorphic or drainage-basin scale based on the separation of sediment-yield data for channel and geomorphic processes from those of field-scale soil loss. An emerging technology must consider: (1) the effects on sediment yield of climate, geology and soils, topography, biotic interactions with other soil processes, and land-use practices; (2) all processes of sediment delivery to a channel system; and (3) the general tendency in most drainage basins for progressively greater sediment storage in the downstream direction. Received: 8 November 1995 · Accepted: 20 November 1995     

Numerical modeling of dynamic rock fracture with a combined 3D continuum viscodamage‐embedded discontinuity model

This paper deals with numerical modeling of dynamic failure phenomena in rate‐sensitive quasi‐brittle materials, such as rocks, with initial microcrack populations. To this end, a continuum viscodamage‐embedded discontinuity model is developed and tested in full 3D setting. The model describes the pre‐peak nonlinear and rate‐sensitive hardening response of the material behavior, representing the fracture‐process zone creation, by a rate‐dependent continuum damage model. The post‐peak response, involving the macrocrack creation accompanied by exponential softening, is formulated by using an embedded displacement discontinuity model. The finite element implementation of this model relies upon the linear tetrahedral element, which seems appropriate for explicit dynamic analyses involving stress wave propagation. The problems of crack locking and spreading typical of embedded discontinuity models are addressed in this paper. A combination of two remedies, the inclusion of viscosity in the spirit of Wang's viscoplastic consistency approach and introduction of isotropic damaging into the embedded discontinuity model, is shown to be effective in the present explicit dynamics setting. The model performance is illustrated by several numerical simulations. In particular, the dynamic Brazilian disc test and the Kalthoff–Winkler experiment show that the present model provides realistic predictions with the correct failure modes and rate‐dependent tensile strengths of rock at different loading rates. The ability of initial embedded discontinuity populations to model the initial microcrack populations in rocks is also successfully tested. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.