Past 100 ky surface salinity-gradient response in the Eastern Arabian Sea to the summer monsoon variation recorded by δO of G. sacculifer

Northward flowing coastal currents along the western margin of India during winter–spring advect low-salinity Bay of Bengal water in to the Eastern Arabian Sea producing a distinct low-salinity tongue, the strength of which is largely governed by the freshwater flux to the bay during summer monsoons. Utilizing the sedimentary records of δ¹⁸O_{G. sacculifer}, we reconstructed the past salinity-gradient within that low-salinity tongue, which serves as a proxy for the variation in freshwater flux to the Bay of Bengal and hence summer monsoon intensity.The north–south contrast in the sea level corrected (residual)-δ¹⁸O_{G. sacculifer} can be interpreted as a measure of surface salinity-contrast between those two locations because the modern sea surface temperature and its past variation in the study region is nearly uniform. The core-top residual-δ¹⁸O_{G. sacculifer} contrast of 0.45‰ between the two cores is assumed to reflect the modern surface salinity difference of 1 psu and serves as a calibration for past variations.The residual-δ¹⁸O_{G. sacculifer} contrast varies between 0.2‰ at 75 ky B.P. (i.e., late-Marine Isotope Stage 5) and 0.7‰ at 20 ky B.P. (i.e., Last Glacial Maximum), suggesting that the overall salinity difference between the northern- and southern-end of the low-salinity tongue has varied between 0.6 and 1.6 psu. Considerably reduced difference during the former period than the modern suggests substantially intensified and northward-extended low-salinity tongue due to intense summer monsoons than today. On the other hand, larger difference (1.6 psu) during the latter period indicates that the low-salinity tongue was significantly weakened or withdrawn due to weaker summer monsoons. Thus, the salinity-gradient in the eastern Arabian Sea low-salinity tongue can be used to understand the past variations in the Indian summer monsoons.     

Near Infrared Spectra of two Asteroids with low Tisserand Invariant

We present near infrared reflectance spectra from 0.8 to 2.5 μm of two asteroids with low Tisserand invariant, 1373 Cincinnati and 2906 Caltech. We compare our spectra with cometary nuclei and other asteroids in their class. Asteroids Cincinnati and Caltech have Tisserand invariant values of 2.72 and 2.97, respectively, values less than 3 are considered suggestive of cometary origin. The observed spectral slopes in the near-infrared are consistent with both the spectra of cometary nuclei and of primitive asteroids. However, both asteroids have features in the near-infrared that are not seen in cometary nuclei, but are present in other X-type asteroids. 1373 Cincinnati has a sharp slope change between 0.75 and 1.0 μm and 2906 Caltech has a broad and shallow absorption between 1.35 and 2.2 μm. Our attempts to model the visible and near-infrared spectrum of these two objects, with the components successfully used by Emery and Brown (2004, Icarus 164, 104–121) to fit Trojan asteroids, did not yield acceptable fits.Visiting Astronomer at the Infrared Telescope Facility, which is operated by the University of Hawaii under contract to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.     

Estimating evapotranspiration for a temperate salt marsh,Newcastle, Australia

Evapotranspiration was studied at a salt marsh site in the Hunter River estuary, NSW, Australia, during 1996–8. Estimates of actual evapotranspiration (E_a) were obtained for three sites using the eddy correlation method. These values were compared with results obtained with the Penman and Penman–Monteith equations, and with pan evaporation. The Penman–Monteith method was found to be most reliable in estimating daily and hourly evapotranspiration. Surface resistance values averaging 12 s m^?1 were derived from the eddy correlation estimates. Recent tidal flooding and rainfall were found to decrease surface resistance and increase E_a/E_p ratios. Estimates of evapotranspiration obtained using the Penman–Monteith method were shown to be sensitive to changes in surface resistance, canopy height and the method used to estimate net radiation from incoming solar radiation. These results underline the importance of accurately estimating such parameters based on site‐specific data rather than relying on empirical equations, which are derived primarily for crops and forests. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A middle surface concept (MSC) model for saturated sands in general stress space

An elastoplastic constitutive model is proposed for saturated sands in general stress space using the middle surface concept (MSC). In MSC, different features of stress–strain response of a material are divided into different pseudo‐yield surfaces. The true‐yield surface representing the true response is established by using various links between the yield surfaces. In this MSC sand model, several well‐known features of sand response are represented by three different pseudo‐yield surfaces, which are developed in a simple and straightforward way. These features include the critical state behaviour, the effects of state parameter, unloading and reloading plastic deformation, the influence of fabric anisotropy, and phase transformation line related behaviour. Finally, the model predictions and test results are compared for two different types of sands under a variety of loading conditions and good comparisons are obtained. The application of MSC to saturated sand modelling shows the versatility of MSC as a general concept for modelling stress–strain response of materials. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

MOC observations of the 2001 Mars planet-encircling dust storm

From 15 September 1997 through 21 January 2006, only a single planet-encircling martian dust storm was observed by MGS-MOC. The onset of the storm occurred on 26 June 2001 (Ls=184.7°), earliest recorded to date. It was initiated in the southern mid-to-low latitudes by a series of local dust storm pulses that developed along the seasonal cap edge in Malea and in Hellas basin (Ls=176.2°-184.4°). The initial expansion of the storm, though asymmetric, was very rapid in all directions (3-32 m s⁻¹). The main direction of propagation, however, was to the east, with the storm becoming planet encircling in the southern hemisphere on Ls=192.3°. Several distinct centers of active dust lifting were associated with the storm, with the longest persisting for 86 sols (Syria-Claritas). These regional storms helped generate and sustain a dust cloud (“haze”), which reached an altitude of about 60 km and a peak opacity of τdust∼5.0. By Ls=197.0°, the cloud had encircled the entire planet between 59.0° S and 60.0° N, obscuring all but the largest volcanoes. The decay phase began around Ls∼200.4° with atmospheric dust concentrations returning to nominal seasonal low-levels at Ls∼304.0°. Exponential decay time constants ranged from 30-117 sols. The storm caused substantial regional albedo changes (darkening and brightening) as a result of the redistribution (removal and deposition) of a thin veneer of surface dust at least 0.1-11.1 μm thick. It also caused changes in meteorological phenomena (i.e., dust storms, dust devils, clouds, recession of the polar caps, and possibly surface temperatures) that persisted for just a few weeks to more than a single Mars year. The redistribution of dust by large annual regional storms might help explain the long period (∼30 years) between the largest planet-encircling dust storms events.     

MULTIVARIATE RESPONSE SURFACE MODELLING BY PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS ANALYSIS

Analysis of multivariate response data by modelling the principal components of the response has beenapplied to two sets of data. In both cases principal components analysis revealed the relationships amongthe response variables and exploited them to simplify the problem of modelling and optimizing themultivariate response. The models and optima obtained from the principal components comparedfavourably with the individual models and simultaneous optima.     

长期天气变化与地球自转速度的若干关系

本文应用1820—1983年的地球自转变化率资料,分析出地球自转变化存在准44个月、准11年、准24年和准49年的周期。南方涛动指数的变化,大气活动中心位置的移动,赤道东太平洋海温的异常等,都能从地球自转速度变化思期中找到关系。已经发现,在地转长期(准24年和准49年周期)加(减)速时,南方涛动指数减弱(增强),大气活动中心向西北(东南)移动,非洲干旱区降水偏多(偏少);同时发现:在地转短期(准44个月周期)加(减)速时,赤道东太平洋海温降低(升高)。本文讨论微机在地理学上的应用,介绍可以从英美市场获得的地理软件,并检讨微机在英美地理教学和研究上的一些限制,以促进其在国内地理学上的应用。现存的软件和硬件基本上可以满足地理教学和研究上的大部分需要。随着微机价格的降低,体积的缩小,计算速度、内外存储器容量以及可携带性的增加,其实际应用将会更广。微机已逐渐成为地理教学和研究中不可缺少的工具。     

自然构造分离面与饰面板石材的自然块度

本文运用构造地质学中有关节理裂隙、层理和断层等构造面的概念,论述了饰面板石材矿床的地质研究与评价方法,并指出岩石的自然块度、自然块度分级及其计算方法是该项研究的重要内容。此外,该文还论述了矿床开采阶段中各种自然构造分离面的合理应用。