On turbulence in the quasi-perpendicular bow shock

In this paper we propose to review the fundamental aspects of turbulence theories and their relevance to particle distribution functions observed by the cluster satellites in the quasi-perpendicular shock. The paper focusses on the hierarchical model describing the different levels of plasma turbulence; from the linear theory, through the quasi-linear remedy, to strong turbulence theories in the context of the earth's bow shock. We will discuss very briefly the validity of these approximations, and their relevance as far as satellite observations are concerned. In particular, we will discuss the development of non-Gaussian features in the ion distribution functions through the evaluation of higher order moments such as the kurtosis or flatness and the skewness. We have found that the profile of the kurtosis versus skewness tends to collapse to a parabolic line. This in turn allows us to draw analogies with neutral fluid turbulence where such a collapse of the kurtosis-skewness profile has been observed.     

Formation of one-dimensional waves for resonant flow in a channel

When a forcing moves in a shallow channel at a velocity near the phase velocity for linear long waves, energy cannot escape from the forcing at the linear group velocity and nonlinear effects become important in describing the resulting flow. This flow is termed resonant or transcritical. It has been found both experimentally and numerically that large amplitude upstream propagating waves are generated by the forcing. These waves are straight crested, even though the forcing is two-dimensional. It is shown that these upstream waves become straight crested due to geometrical effects aided by the presence of side walls. Using energy conservation, approximate values of the amplitude of the upstream waves are obtained which are compared with recent experimental and numerical results.     

Expression of heat shock protein 70 in a permanent cell line (EPC) exposed to sediment extracts from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Heat shock proteins 70 (hsp70) are known to be induced by a great variety of chemical stressors. The effects of different environmental contaminants, which were identified in sediments of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as main contaminants or as contaminants of special toxicological interest, on the extent of expression of hsp70 in a permanent cell line Epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) were investigated. Concentrations of the single contaminants leading to elevated hsp70 levels were compared to the respective concentrations of these contaminants encountered in the sediment extracts thus allowing an assessment of their contribution to the toxicity of these sediments. Analysis of hsp70 was performed using western blotting techniques with subsequent comparative quantification by densitometry. Eleven of thirteen contaminants have shown a dose-dependent increase in hsp70 levels. An expression of hsp70 was observed in most cases between 0.1 and 10 microg/mL test solution. Some of the investigated stressors led to extremely high hsp70 contents even at low concentrations. However, in most cases contaminant concentrations in sediments were too low to cause an effect. For this reason, effects of the tested sediments are attributed to other contaminants or rather to mixtures of stressors.     

Ion acceleration and Alfvén wave generation at the Earth’s bow shock

The processes of ion acceleration and Alfvén wave generation by accelerated particles at the Earth’s bow shock are studied within a quasi-linear approach. Steady-state ion and wave spectra are shown to be established in a time of 0.3–4 h, depending on the background level of Alfvénic turbulence in the solar wind. The Alfvén waves produced by accelerated ions are confined within the frequency range 10^?2–1 Hz and their spectral peak with a wave amplitude βB ～ B comparable to the interplanetary magnetic field strength B corresponds to the frequency v = (2–3) × 10^?2 Hz. The high-frequency part of the wave spectrum (v > 0.2 Hz) undergoes damping by thermal ions. The calculated spectra of the accelerated ions and the Alfvén waves generated by them reproduce the main features observed in experiments.     

深层水漏斗区开采量组成变化特征与机制

为阐明强烈开采条件下华北平原深层水的开采水量来源及组成问题,以德州地区深层水漏斗分布区为重点研究区,通过基于大量钻孔资料对含水层组及其粘性土夹层或透镜体的分析和野外地下水采样、动态监测及地面沉降测量资料等分析,采用分层、分区计算方法对漏斗中心至外围的各分区弹性释水量、粘性土压密释水量、侧向流入和越流补给量进行均衡计算。结果表明:在强烈开采条件下,深层水开采量中弹性释水量和压密释水量所占比率不是常量,随着深层水位下降的幅度和深度增大、超采释压持续时间愈长、开采层中粘性土夹层或透镜体愈多,则区内弹性释水和压密释水的强度及累积地面沉降量愈大;愈靠近漏斗中心,弹性和压密释水强度愈大,相同降深下平均单位降深的地面沉降量愈小。在深层水开采量中粘性土压密释水占35.5%~61.9%,与地面沉降密切相关。     

Calibration of the parameters for a hardening–softening constitutive model using genetic algorithms

The present paper introduces a genetic algorithm-based optimization technique to calibrate a nonlinear strain hardening–softening constitutive model for soils using five material parameters. The efficiency of the proposed technique is analyzed through the use of different GA techniques. The effects of elitism, crossover, and mutation, as well as population size, on the performance of the conventional GAs for this problem are investigated. Micro-genetic algorithms (mGAs) are chosen and tested for different population sizes. The mGAs with a population size of five yields the optimal parameter values after fewer function evaluations and capture the overall simulated or experimental behavior at every point in stress–strain and strain paths in triaxial compression. The proposed calibration technique is validated through comparison with the traditional calibration technique.     

万米级深海陶瓷耐压结构水下内爆流场数值模拟

耐压结构是深海潜器的重要组成部分,但在深海的高压环境中却存在内爆的风险。为研究陶瓷耐压结构水下内爆的流场特性,使用针对可压缩多相流问题开发的开源代码,采用直接数值模拟,应用自适应直角网格,对两种压力条件下的耐压结构水下内爆进行了数值模拟。通过低压模拟结果与理论解和试验值比较,验证了模拟方法的有效性,进而开展万米级深海陶瓷耐压结构水下内爆模拟。分析发现：陶瓷耐压结构发生内爆后,其内部气腔存在多次压缩—反弹现象,深海环境压力越大则反弹越不明显;气腔反弹阶段,在结构外部将产生数倍于深海环境压力的冲击波,且传播速度接近声速;冲击波压力峰值与到球心距离呈负指数幂函数关系;在相同深海环境压力下,耐压结构外部监测点的冲击波压力与球体半径呈正比例关系。     

Intermediate school's trip to India: Preparing for competence

In November 2010, students from a Palmerston North intermediate school embarked on a 2‐week excursion to India. Qualitative research was carried out before, during and after the trip. Results discussed in this article focus primarily on the students' account of their trip, especially their perceived cultural competence and their explanation for it. Accounts of their competence are also offered by the parents and teachers, for example, they especially valued the students' extensive school‐based preparation. Insights gained from the experiences of this trip may be applied to other, including older, cohorts of students embarking on overseas school field trips.     

大量气象数据小文件自适应优化传输

为满足气象实时资料传输中大量气象数据小文件的高时效传输需求,对其中的数据传输服务进行优化,提出一种基于实时网络状况的自适应数据传输优化方法。该方法采用优化网络传输协议并使用文件压缩技术,通过获取网络传输线路上的实时参数,实时调整压缩参数和网络传输参数以优化传输性能。在自适应压缩时,通过试验分析和归纳,确立了气象数据小文件标准为文件小于50 KB;根据网络实时状况,设计了基于实时网络状况自适应调整压缩等级的算法。在自适应传输参数调优中,研究了TCP缓冲区大小和TCP并发连接数在GridFTP协议中的重要性,针对实时网络状况,分别设计了自适应调整TCP缓冲区大小和TCP并发连接数的算法,算法提升传输性能65%。对以上提出各自适应参数调整算法进行试验验证表明,融合压缩和网络传输的自适应调优方法能显著提升气象小数据文件的传输性能近500倍。     

Pore orientation of granular materials during biaxial compression

The local pore spaces in granular materials tend to be aligned parallel to the major principal stress direction upon particle mobilization. Manifestation of this response has been numerically validated in our previous studies with the aid of discrete element method modeling and image processing techniques during creep and shearing. We now extend the modeling of pore geometry, constructed with spherical particles, to assemblies of particle clumps. Two-dimensional simulations are performed for both loose and dense assemblies of spherical particles and particle clumps. Each particle packing is bound by rigid or flexible walls and subjected to biaxial compression and the particle mobilization effect on the evolution of pore orientation is explored. Randomly shaped pores surrounded by adjacent particles are geometrically quantified by Delaunay tessellation and fitted with ellipses. Results show that localization is apparent in dense assemblies, in particular for clumped particle packing, while loose assemblies exhibit diffusive failure. Small pores within well-defined shear bands tend to align either parallel to the direction of the shear band or perpendicular to the major principal stress. On the other hand, small pores within the blocks and large pores have a tendency to become elongate towards the major principal stress direction. This study reveals for the first time that pore orientation is dependent upon particle shape, pore size, and assembly conditions on the pore and global scales.