Rapid screening of Zr-containing particles from Chang’e-5 lunar soil samples for isotope geochronology: Technical roadmap for future study

New samples returned by China Chang’e-5 (CE-5) mission offer an opportunity for studying the lunar geologic longevity, space weathering, and regolith evolution. The age determination of the CE-5 samples was among the first scientific questions to be answered. However, the precious samples, most in the micrometer size range, challenge many traditional analyses on large single crystals of zircon developed for massive bulk samples. Here, we developed a non-destructive rapid screening of individual zirconium-containing particle for isotope geochronology based on a Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis (µXRF). The selected particles were verified via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 3D X-ray microscopy (XRM), and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) techniques, which showed that zirconium-bearing minerals with several microns were precisely positioned and readily suitable for site-specific isotopic dating by second ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Such protocol could be also applicable in non-destructively screening other types of particles for different scientific purposes. We therefore proposed a correlative workflow for comprehensively studying the CE-5 lunar samples from single particles on nanometer to atomic scales. Linking various microscopic and spectromicroscopic instruments together, this workflow consists of six steps: (1) single-particle selection with non-destructive µXRF technique, (2) 2D/3D morphological and structural characterization with a correlative submicron 3D XRM and nanoscale resolution FIB-SEM imaging methods, (3) SEM analysis of the surface morphology and chemistry of the selected particle, (4) a series of microscopic and microbeam analyses (e.g., SEM, electron probe microanalysis, and SIMS) on the cross-section of the selected particle to obtain structural, mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic features from the micron to nanometer scale, (5) advanced 2D/3D characterization and site-specific sample preparation of thin foil/tip specimens on a microregion of interest in the selected particle with FIB-SEM technique, and (6) comprehensive analyses on the FIB-milled specimens at nanometer to atomic scale with synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, analytic transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography. Following this technical roadmap, one can integrate multiple modalities into a uniform frame of multimodal and multiscale correlated datasets to acquire high-throughput information on the limited or precious terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples.     

The Energy Relationship between Ions and Soil Particles based on Wien Effect and Its Application in Soil Science

The interaction between ions and soil particles plays an important role in the mobilization and bioavailability of ions in soils, which is one of the main research areas of soil chemistry. The new method based on suspension Wien effect has been developed recently to determine the binding energy and adsorption energy between ions and soil particles. Compared with other methods on the basis of adsorption isotherm or ions activity, Wien effect method has more advantages including convenience and direct measurement. The term suspension Wien effect refers to the increase of electrical conductivity of suspension with increasing applied electrical field. In this review paper, we introduced the fundamentals of suspension Wien effect, the apparatus about the Wien effect measurement, and along with demonstrating their application to quantifying the particles-ions interactions for several systems of soils. Our studies indicated that divalent cations have larger binding energies and adsorption energies on soil particles than monovalent because of the electrostatic interaction. However, few studies about the interaction between Cr³⁺ and La³⁺ on soil particles showed that the binding energy and adsorption energy of trivalent cations are lower than those of divalent cations because of hydrolysis. Soil properties such as soil organic matter, soil pH, and iron oxides significantly affected the binding energy and adsorption energy of ions. Our results deepened our understanding about the non specific adsorption of ions in soil chemistry, and enlarged the research area of soil chemistry in fundamental and methodology.     

羌塘角木日地区中二叠统龙格组泥岩地球化学特征及其地质意义

沉积岩物源分析对揭示盆地物质组成、储集岩性质及古环境恢复等研究具有重要指示意义。文中对藏北羌塘盆地角木日地区中二叠统龙格组的钙质泥岩样品进行了微量元素地球化学测试分析,系统地研究了微量元素含量、特征比值及稀土元素配分方式。结果表明研究区龙格组钙质泥岩样品具有中等轻稀土元素分异((La/Sm)N=2.50~5.41),重稀土元素比较平坦((Gd/Yb)N=1.32~2.47),具有微弱的Eu负异常;Sr/Ba,V/Cr,Ni/Co,Ceanom及δEu等相关参数综合显示,研究区中二叠纪时期整体表现为海相氧化环境;样品Rb/Sr比值及La/Th-Hf,La/Sc-Co/Th,Th/Sc-Zr/Sc关系图解综合说明龙格组钙质泥岩物源区风化作用较弱,源岩主要为安山岩;通过对沉积岩La/Sc-Ti/Zr,La-Th-Sc和Th-Sc-Zr/10等构造环境判别图解分析,综合表明区钙质泥岩物源区的构造背景主要为大洋岛弧型。     

Mass Fractions of S,Cu, Se,Mo, Ag,Cd, In,Te, Ba,Sm, W,Tl and Bi in Geological Reference Materials and Selected Carbonaceous Chondrites Determined by Isotope Dilution ICP‐MS

Mass fractions of S, Cu, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Te, Ba, Sm, W and Tl were determined by isotope dilution sector field ICP‐MS in the same sample aliquot of reference materials using HF‐HNO₃ digestion in PFA beakers in pressure bombs and glassy carbon vessels in a high‐pressure asher (HPA‐S) for comparison. Additionally, Bi was determined by internal standardisation relative to Tl. Because isobaric and oxide interferences pose problems for many of these elements, efficient chromatographic separation methods in combination with an Aridus desolvator were employed to minimise interference effects. Repeated digestion and measurement of geological reference materials (BHVO‐1, BHVO‐2, SCo‐1, MAG‐1, MRG‐1 and UB‐N) gave results with < 5% relative intermediate precision (1s) for most elements, except Bi. Replicates of NIST SRM 612 glass digested on a hot plate were analysed by the same methods, and the results agree with reference values mostly within 2% relative deviation. Data for the carbonaceous chondrites Allende, Murchison, Orgueil and Ivuna are also reported. Digestion in a HPA‐S was as efficient as in pressure bombs, but some elements displayed higher blank levels following HPA‐S treatment. Pressure bomb digestion yielded precise data for volatile S, Se and Te, but may result in high blanks for W.     

The Cherenkov Telescope Array potential for the study of young supernova remnants

Supernova remnants (SNRs) are among the most important targets for γ-ray observatories. Being prominent non-thermal sources, they are very likely responsible for the acceleration of the bulk of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs). To firmly establish the SNR paradigm for the origin of cosmic rays, it should be confirmed that protons are indeed accelerated in, and released from, SNRs with the appropriate flux and spectrum. This can be done by detailed theoretical models which account for microphysics of acceleration and various radiation processes of hadrons and leptons. The current generation of Cherenkov telescopes has insufficient sensitivity to constrain theoretical models. A new facility, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), will have superior capabilities and may finally resolve this long standing issue of high-energy astrophysics. We want to assess the capabilities of CTA to reveal the physics of various types of SNRs in the initial 2000 years of their evolution. During this time, the efficiency to accelerate cosmic rays is highest. We perform time-dependent simulations of the hydrodynamics, the magnetic fields, the cosmic-ray acceleration, and the non-thermal emission for type Ia, Ic and IIP SNRs. We calculate the CTA response to the γ-ray emission from these SNRs for various ages and distances, and we perform a realistic analysis of the simulated data. We derive distance limits for the detectability and resolvability of these SNR types at several ages. We test the ability of CTA to reconstruct their morphological and spectral parameters as a function of their distance. Finally, we estimate how well CTA data will constrain the theoretical models.     

TeV γ-ray fluxes from the long campaigns on Mrk 421 as constraints on the emission of TeV–PeV neutrinos and UHECRs

Long TeV γ-ray campaigns have been carried out to study the spectrum, variability and duty cycle of the BL Lac object Markarian 421. These campaigns have given some evidence of the presence of protons in the jet: (i) Its spectral energy distribution which shows two main peaks; one at low energies (∼1 keV) and the other at high energies (hundreds of GeV), has been described by using synchrotron proton blazar model. (ii) The study of the variability at GeV γ-rays and X-rays has indicated no significant correlation. (iii) TeV γ-ray detections without activity in X-rays, called “orphan flares” have been observed in this object.Recently, The Telescope Array Collaboration reported the arrival of 72 ultra-high-energy cosmic rays with some of them possibly related to the direction of Markarian 421. The IceCube Collaboration reported the detection of 37 extraterrestrial neutrinos in the TeV–PeV energy range collected during three consecutive years. In particular, no neutrino track events were associated with this source. In this paper, we consider the proton–photon interactions to correlate the TeV γ-ray fluxes reported by long campaigns with the neutrino and ultra-high-energy cosmic ray observations around this blazar. Considering the results reported by The IceCube and Telescope Array Collaborations, we found that only from ∼25% to 70% of TeV fluxes described with a power law function with exponential cutoff can come from the proton–photon interactions.     

青岛市秋冬季霾期PM1及其含碳组分理化特征及来源研究

对2017年11月1日—2018年1月31日与2018年11月1日—2019年1月31日连续两年青岛市大气PM₁进行监测,获取了PM₁中含碳组分的变化趋势,结合国控站点监测数据和气象条件,分析了秋冬季PM₁来源.结果表明：2017、2018年秋冬季观测期间PM₁日均质量浓度分别为40.58±25.98、42.55±25.05 μg/m³;霾日质量浓度分别为84.71±16.70、81.52±18.39 μg/m³.与2017年相比,2018年同期PM₁质量浓度增长4.85%,霾日下降3.76%.2017年霾日PM₁中OC、EC质量浓度分别为13.67±3.95、3.95±1.02 μg/m³,2018年分别为16.48±6.34、3.34±1.16 μg/m³.与2017年相比,2018年霾日OC质量浓度增长20.56%,EC下降15.44%.2017、2018年霾日SOC质量浓度分别是非霾日的1.28和2.15倍,表明霾污染发生时易发生有机碳二次转化.含碳组分主成分分析均解析出3个因子.因子1解释变量均最大,分别为58.98%、67.14%,其表征含碳组分主要源于生物质燃烧、燃煤、道路扬尘及汽油车尾气等排放源.由后向气流轨迹分析得出,2017、2018年秋冬季气团轨迹多起源于内蒙古,经河北、天津、山东等省市抵达青岛.     

Effects of continuous flow centrifugation on measurements of trace elements in river water: intrinsic contamination and particle fragmentation

Continuous flow centrifugation (CFC) is a well‐established technique used in natural surface water studies to collect large amounts of suspended solids, thus allowing a broad spectrum of measurements. However, a potential contamination or changes in the particle size distribution during the centrifugation may restrain the use of CFC effluents for element analysis in the colloidal and dissolved fractions. In this paper we evaluate the possibility of using the effluent of a Westfalia centrifuge (type KA2‐06‐075, 9700 rpm) for such analysis. This evaluation is based on two laboratory experiments with deionized and tap water and two field experiments in rivers. Elemental concentration changes across the CFC were assessed from the CFC influent and effluent after a filtration at 0·45 µm. Significant increases were found, mainly in the field experiments at a high suspended solids level and a slightly acid pH. A hypothesis was made on the origin of these increases as a superposition of a centrifuge intrinsic contamination and a particle fragmentation effect. A numerical model based on elemental concentration measurements (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) gave a particle fragmentation level of 0·55% (mass percentage of particles broken up into smaller fragments during centrifugation). In another experiment, a direct particle counting (single particle counter) shows an excess of particles smaller than 500 nm in the CFC effluent, corresponding to a fragmentation level of 0·11%. In consequence, the use of CFC effluent for element analysis is possible in low‐turbidity river or lake waters, but should be carefully considered in waters with high suspended matter contents. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The interaction of cosmic rays and magnetized plasma

A large flux of cosmic rays streaming through a magnetized plasma creates cavities of low plasma density and low magnetic field. The magnetic field focuses the cosmic ray trajectories into the cavities with the possible formation of filaments or beams of high-energy cosmic rays.