From planetesimals to terrestrial planets: N-body simulations including the effects of nebular gas and giant planets

We present results from a suite of N-body simulations that follow the formation and accretion history of the terrestrial planets using a new parallel treecode that we have developed. We initially place 2000 equal size planetesimals between 0.5 and 4.0 AU and the collisional growth is followed until the completion of planetary accretion (>100 Myr). A total of 64 simulations were carried out to explore sensitivity to the key parameters and initial conditions. All the important effect of gas in laminar disks are taken into account: the aerodynamic gas drag, the disk-planet interaction including Type I migration, and the global disk potential which causes inward migration of secular resonances as the gas dissipates. We vary the initial total mass and spatial distribution of the planetesimals, the time scale of dissipation of nebular gas (which dissipates uniformly in space and exponentially in time), and orbits of Jupiter and Saturn. We end up with 1-5 planets in the terrestrial region. In order to maintain sufficient mass in this region in the presence of Type I migration, the time scale of gas dissipation needs to be 1-2 Myr. The final configurations and collisional histories strongly depend on the orbital eccentricity of Jupiter. If today’s eccentricity of Jupiter is used, then most of bodies in the asteroidal region are swept up within the terrestrial region owing to the inward migration of the secular resonance, and giant impacts between protoplanets occur most commonly around 10 Myr. If the orbital eccentricity of Jupiter is close to zero, as suggested in the Nice model, the effect of the secular resonance is negligible and a large amount of mass stays for a long period of time in the asteroidal region. With a circular orbit for Jupiter, giant impacts usually occur around 100 Myr, consistent with the accretion time scale indicated from isotope records. However, we inevitably have an Earth size planet at around 2 AU in this case. It is very difficult to obtain spatially concentrated terrestrial planets together with very late giant impacts, as long as we include all the above effects of gas and assume initial disks similar to the minimum mass solar nebular.     

A trophic model for the Danshuei River Estuary, a hypoxic estuary in northern Taiwan

The estuary of the Danshuei River, a hypoxic subtropical estuary, receives a high rate of untreated sewage effluent. The Ecopath with Ecosim software system was used to construct a mass-balanced trophic model for the estuary, and network analysis was used to characterize the structure and matter flow in the food web. The estuary model was comprised of 16 compartments, and the trophic levels varied from 1.0 for primary producers and detritus to 3.0 for carnivorous and piscivorous fishes. The large organic nutrient loading from the upper reaches has resulted in detritivory being more important than herbivory in the food web. The food-chain length of the estuary was relatively short when compared with other tropical/subtropical coastal systems. The shortness of food-chain length in the estuary could be attributed to the low biomass of the top predators. Consequently, the trophic efficiencies declined sharply for higher trophic levels due to low fractions of flows to the top predators and then high fractions to detritus. The low biomass of the top predators in the estuary was likely subject to over-exploitation and/or hypoxic water. Summation of individual rate measurements for primary production and respiration yielded an estimate of −1791 g WW m⁻² year⁻¹, or −95 g C m⁻² year⁻¹, suggesting a heterotrophic ecosystem, which implies that more organic matter was consumed than was produced in the estuary.     

Resonance sticking in the scattered disk

We investigate the dynamical evolution of trans-neptunian objects (TNOs) in typical scattered disk orbits (scattered TNOs) by performing simulations using several thousand particles lying initially on Neptune-encountering orbits. We explore the role of resonance sticking in the scattered disk, a phenomenon characterized by multiple temporary resonance captures (‘resonances’ refers to external mean motion resonances with Neptune, which can be described in the form r:s, where the arguments r and s are integers). First, all scattered TNOs evolve through intermittent temporary resonance capture events and gravitational scattering by Neptune. Each scattered TNO experiences tens to hundreds of resonance captures over a period of 4 Gyr, which represents about 38% of the object's lifetime (mean value). Second, resonance sticking plays an important role at semimajor axes , where the great majority of such captures occurred. It is noteworthy that the stickiest (i.e., dominant) resonances in the scattered disk are located within this distance range and are those possessing the lowest argument s. This was evinced by r:1, r:2 and r:3 resonances, which played the greatest role during resonance sticking evolution, often leading to captures in several of their neighboring resonances. Finally, the timescales and likelihood of temporary resonance captures are roughly proportional to resonance strength. The dominance of low s resonances is also related to the latter. In sum, resonance sticking has an important impact on the evolution of scattered TNOs, contributing significantly to the longevity of these objects.     

‘Unionising’ the new spaces of the new economy? Alternative labour organising in India’s IT Enabled Services-Business Process Outsourcing industry

This paper explores the lived experiences and aspirational social constructions of call centre work and employment in India’s high profile IT Enabled Services-Business Process Outsourcing (ITES-BPO) industry; the ways in which they differ from those previously documented amongst call centre workers in the Global North (specifically the UK); and the consequences of that geographical reconfiguration of offshored call centre work for the replicability in India of workplace collective bargaining strategies successfully developed in some UK call centres. These issues are analysed using new empirical evidence from a regional survey of 511 non-unionised ITES-BPO workers and 42 in-depth interviews in India’s National Capital Region. Based on this analysis, the paper then discusses the operation, outcomes and ongoing challenges faced by the newly formed ‘Union for ITES Professionals’ (UNITES Pro) in developing an alternative occupational organising model better suited to the particular needs, motivations and preferences of India’s young, mobile, call centre workers. The empirical analysis presented in the paper is located, therefore, within wider debates on the role of geographical context in shaping possibilities for organising white-collar service workers at different ends of global service chains in the new economy.     

地球系统动力学模式和模拟研究的进展

概述地球系统动力学模式的由来及国内外目前的研究和模拟进展。地球系统动力学模式是描述全球气候以及生态和环境系统的整体耦合演变的数学表达。利用他作大规模数值模拟,以便认识和预测全球和区域的气候和生态环境变化,有效应对防灾减灾和规划可持续发展等。目前国内外尚未完全研制出可供实用的地球系统模式,还须二三年时间。     

国外农情遥感监测系统现状与启示

大范围的可靠农情信息对粮食市场及相关政策的制定至关重要,是保障区域及全球粮食安全的重要依据,在全球气候变化、人口增长、土地利用/覆盖变化剧烈的背景下,对这一信息的需求也更加迫切.传统农情信息的获取依赖于庞大的调查队伍和大量的调查工作,信息的获取存在成本高、时效性差和结果受主观影响大的缺点.伴随着近30年遥感技术本身及其在农情信息获取领域能力的提升,一些国家与国际组织建设了各自的农情遥感监测系统,并开展了运行化的监测.对美国、欧盟、FAO、加拿大、巴西、阿根廷、俄罗斯、印度等主要的农情遥感监测系统进展进行了详细的介绍,并通过对这些系统的分析得到一些农情监测系统建设的启示.指出作物种植面积估算、单产预测、长势监测、旱情监测是农情遥感监测中最主要的4个主题.在面积估算方面,各个系统在遥感技术不断发展的同时对地面调查的依赖并没有减少,甚至得到了强化,这与遥感降低地面调查的初衷相违背,导致遥感技术在大范围农情监测中的潜力没有得到充分发挥,在单产预测方面,需要发展独立的遥感预测方法.提升遥感的作用是未来一段时间内农情遥感监测系统建设的主要方向.     

东亚区域能量和水分循环对我国极端气候影响研究的一些初步进展

介绍了2009年项目"全球变暖背景下东亚能量和水分循环变异及其对我国极端气候的影响"的主要研究目标和内容,着重叙述了项目实施以来的主要科研进展,包括西北敦煌和临泽区陆气交换加强观测试验、我国极端气候的变化分析和模拟研究以及气候预测新方法和新系统的研制等方面.最后概要介绍了项目未来几年的主要研究工作计划.     

首钢京唐钢铁厂压缩空气供气系统的优化设计

通过首钢京唐钢铁厂的压缩空气供气系统的设计,探讨了在设计中所采用的优化及余热再生等节能技术,和所能达到的良好的经济效益。     

我国城市规划中的公众参与研究

公众参与是随着政治文明和法制建设不断成熟、发展而产生的一种民主理念,已经成为城市规划工作中一项必不可少的内容。文章就我国城市规划中公众参与的现状提出我国城市规划过程中公众参与的必要性和紧迫性,总结出我国现阶段公众参与的现状与问题,并提出对策和合理化建议,从而把公众参与真正落实到我国的城市规划过程当中。     

建立常州市工程地质数据库智能系统框架的探讨

基于ArcGIS信息集成平台和Oracle数据库,构建了常州市工程地质数据库智能系统框架,对长期分散积累的工程地质数据进行收集整理、挖掘利用,开发了工程地质数据科学管理和辅助决策功能,集工程地质数据管理与发布、工程地质数据处理、工程地质数据分析、地下空间规划分析、地下工程可视化与分析子系统于一体,可为城市规划、城市建设和决策,提供工程地质依据。