Gamma-Hadron Separation using Čerenkov Photon Density Fluctuations

In the atmospheric Čerenkov technique γ-rays are detected against the abundant background produced by hadronic showers. In order to improve the signal to noise ratio of theexperiment, it is necessary to reject a significant fraction of hadronic showers. Traditional background rejection methods based on image shape parameters have been extensively used for the data from imaging telescopes. However, non-imaging Čerenkov telescopes have to develop very different means of statistically identifying and removing cosmic ray events. Some of the parameters, which could be potentially important for non-imaging arrays, are the temporal and spectral differences, the lateral distributions and density fluctuations of Čerenkov photons generated by γ-ray and hadron primaries. Here we study the differences in fluctuations of Čerenkov photon density in the light pool at the observation level from showers initiated by photons and those initiated by protons or heavier nuclei. The database of simulated events for the PACT array has been used to evaluate the efficiency of the new technique. Various types of density fluctuations like the short range and medium range fluctuations as well as flatness parameter are studied. The estimated quality factors reflect the efficiencies with which the hadrons can be rejected from the data. Since some of these parameters are independent, the cuts may be applied in tandem and we demonstrate that the proton rejection efficiency of ∼90% can be achieved. Use of density fluctuations is particularly suited for wavefront sampling observations and it seems to be a good technique to improve the signal to noise ratio. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Tidal Breakup of Comets

In the context of the survival of periodic comets of different origins, rotational breakup and tidal disruption could be important, especially of the short period comets injected from the Kuiper belt. This is because long-period comets from the distant Oort cloud tend to be subject to thermal stress and volatile 'explosion' far more severely. A simple calculation using the Öpik method of random planetary close encounters was performed to estimate the probability of tidal disruption of comets and scattered Kuiper belt objects (SKBOs) during their orbital migration. It was found that a large fraction of the short period comets and SKBOs might have been internally fragmented by single or multiple close encounters with the outer planets.     

引潮位展开的不同规格化形式及其转换

在引潮位展开过程中,为使大地系数的数值在不同阶次中保持相对稳定,对其进行规格化处理。从引潮位的基本理论公式出发,在分析缔合勒让德函数及其完全规格化的基础上,给出了引潮位展开中3类不同规格化(Doodson规格化、Cartwright & Tayler规格化、Hartmann & Wenzel规格化)公式的具体形式,得到3者之间的转换关系与转换系数。同时给出Doodson规格化中2~6阶规格化因子的具体数值,指出并改正Doodson、Roosbeek文献和IERS 2003、2010规范中的3处错误。     

近30年苏北滨海滩涂湿地演变特征与空间格局

苏北滨海滩涂湿地位于现代长江口与废黄河口之间,是最典型的淤泥质平原海岸,其演变特征及空间格局具有鲜明的特征。本文选用1980年、1992年、2008年的TM 和ALOS影像为主要数据源,构建了基于空间分割和转移矩阵分析模型,研究了近30年来苏北滨海滩涂湿地的演变特征及其空间格局。结果表明： ①苏北滨海滩涂发生了巨大变化,近30年间滩涂总面积减少了1273.11 km²,平均每年减少45.47 km²;滩涂湿地侵蚀/淤积面积约965.14 km²,0 m等深线冲刷后退减少的面积约为307.97 km²。②苏北滨海滩涂湿地区域差异性明显。南北方向上可划分为6个自然地理单元,东西方向上可划分为3个区域。③苏北滨海滩涂湿地演变中,湿地转型、湿地丧失和湿地演替分别占总面积的38.39%、14.80%、20.51%;其中天然湿地减少354.1 km²,人工湿地增加1061.45 km²,非湿地增加253.09 km²。④滩涂湿地主要植被群落演替特征和空间分布也呈现出差异性。湿地演替主要发生在净变区,与对应岸段的海岸侵蚀/淤积类型基本吻合。     

三种验潮方法水位观测性能比较与统计分析

水尺、压力式验潮仪与验潮井验潮仪是海道测量水位控制和水位观测的主要手段。通过6日6个时间段的同步比对试验,计算了三种方法获取水位观测数据之间的潮时差和潮高差,分析了三种观测手段的水位观测性能以及产生差值的可能原因,提出了使用方法的建议。     

夏季长江口外海区域上升流现象的数值研究

基于Blumberg等(1996)的ECOMSED模式,对长江口外海区域夏季的上升流现象进行了数值模拟.模式综合考虑径流,风应力,环流,热通量和M_2,S_2,K_1,O_1四个主要分潮的作用,从而提高长江口外海区域上升流模拟的准确性和可靠性,并通过各种控制实验分析了其动力机制,进一步说明本区域影响上升流的主要因子.数值实验表明,长江口外水下河谷的南边(杭州湾口门中心东侧),上升流主要是由向北流动的台湾暖流通过底Ekman效应和陆坡的抬升共同作用产生的.夏季偏南风对长江口外水下河谷西侧上升流的产生有一定影响,但作用不大.此外,潮汐潮流对上升流的产生也起着一定的作用,但在本文关注的上升流区潮作用影响不大.     

Fluctuations in contracting objects

By a general relativistic fluctuation theory developed recently following ideas by LANDAU and LIFSHITZ, hydrodynamical fluctuations in a simple model of a contracting star are considered. It can be shown that there are always regions in which the fluctuations and mean square values of basic physical quantities are increasing.     

The gravitational perturbation spectrum in linear satellite theory

A new method for calculating the perturbation spectrum in the framework of Kaula's linear satellite theory (LST) is introduced. The novelty of this approach consists in using recent results on the spectral decomposition of the perturbation frequencies in LST to provide a closed formulation for the amplitude and the phase of each line in the perturbation spectrum. The theory presented here can be applied to perturbations in the elements or in the radial and transverse directions due to the geopotential or to the tides. Separate algorithms are developed for application to orbits with circulating or frozen perigee.     

The mobilization and deposition of mud deposits in a coastal plain estuary

Muddy sediments with their potential for containing contaminants are commonly deposited and remobilized by tidal currents in estuarine environments. We examined the mobilization and subsequent redeposition of mud in a coastal plain estuary located in the southeastern United States. Time-series data for salinity, suspended sediment concentrations and quality (percent organic matter and pigment concentrations) were obtained over a 13-hour tidal cycle. We found that fast-settling mud particles are found during the highest tidal current speeds. Particle quality analyses suggest that all the material is of similar origin, and that phaeopigment can be used as a tracer of particles in this system. These particles settle onto the bed when current speeds approach slack conditions. We speculate that the quantity of mud mobilized during neap tide is less than during spring tide resulting in an opportunity for the mud to partially consolidate on the bottom and be removed from resuspension. We further speculate that the muddy sediments are mainly derived from fringing marshes in this estuary.