Numerical methods of star formation history measurement and applications to seven dwarf spheroidals

A comprehensive study of the measurement of star formation histories from colour–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) is presented, with an emphasis on a variety of subtle issues involved in the generation of model CMDs and maximum likelihood solution. Among these are the need for a complete sampling of the synthetic CMD, the use of proper statistics for dealing with Poisson-distributed data (and a demonstration of why χ ² must not be used), measuring full uncertainties in all reported parameters, quantifying the goodness-of-fit, and questions of binning the CMD and incorporating outside information. Several example star formation history measurements are given. Two examples involve synthetic data, in which the input and recovered parameters can be compared to locate possible flaws in the methodology (none were apparent) and measure the accuracy with which ages, metallicities and star formation rates can be recovered. Solutions of the histories of seven Galactic dwarf spheroidal companions (Carina, Draco, Leo I, Leo II, Sagittarius, Sculptor and Ursa Minor) illustrate the ability to measure star formation histories given a variety of conditions – numbers of stars, complexity of star formation history and amount of foreground contamination. Significant measurements of ancient >8 Gyr star formation are made in all seven galaxies. Sculptor, Draco and Ursa Minor appear entirely ancient, while the other systems show varying amounts of younger stars.     

Radial scalelengths of the galactic thin and thick disc with 2MASS data

This paper presents a global analysis of the 2MASS (Two Micron All Sky Survey) data as observed in seven fields at different galactic latitudes in our Galaxy. The data allow the preliminary determination of the scale parameters, which lead to strong constraints on the radial and vertical structure of the galactic thin and thick disc. The interpretation of star counts and colour distributions of stars in the near-infrared with the synthetic stellar population model gives strong evidence that the galactic thin disc density scalelength ( h _R ) is rather short (2.8±0.3 kpc). The galactic thick disc population is revisited in the light of new data. We find the thick disc to have a local density of 3.5±2.0 per cent of the thin disc, exponential scaleheight ( h _z ) of 860±200 pc and exponential scalelength ( h _R ) of 3.7±_0.5^0.8 kpc.     

FAUST observations of ultraviolet sources in the directions of NGC 4038–39 and 6752

Analysis of ultraviolet (UV) observations with the FAUST shuttle-borne telescope toward the Antennae and NGC 6752 celestial regions resulted in the detection of 46 and 221 candidate sources respectively, for a signal-to-noise ratio of 8. We discuss the source detection process and the identification of UV sources with optical counterparts. Using correlations with existing catalogues, we present reliable identifications for approximately 60 per cent of the sources. We find that most identified objects are B, A and F stars. The remaining identified objects are galaxies, a white dwarf in a binary system, and two K-type stars. Nearly all of the remaining unidentified objects have assigned optical counterparts but, lacking additional information, we give these only as best estimates. With help from new diagnostic diagrams, we suggest that these unclassified objects are main-sequence (or giant) stars within the local spiral arm or halo; or other hot evolved objects within the local spiral arm. We discuss the nature of the objects found and compare our results with those predicted from spectral and Galactic models.     

Desiccation of a Clay by Grass,Bushes and Trees

After reviewing the past 60 years of research into the desiccation of clay soils by grass, bushes and trees as it affects shallow building foundations and roads pavements, it was concluded that most past research has been opportunistic and unplanned. Also, no attempt has been made to relate changes of soil water content to rainfall and rates of evapotranspiration. The paper reports the second stage of a sustained programme to observe and understand seasonal and annual changes of soil water content under grass and adjacent to bushes and trees. A 12 months set of two-monthly soil water content contours is presented together with the associated soil water balance, and a method is described for assessing evapotranspiration by bushes and trees by means of a solar energy balance.     

A Local Least-Squares Modification of Stokes’ Formula

The combination of Stokes formula and an Earth Gravity Model (EGM) for geoid determination has become a standard procedure. However, the way of modifying Stokes formula vary from author to author, and numerous methods of modification exist. Most methods are deterministic, with the primary goal of reducing the truncation bias committed by limiting the area of Stokes integration around the computation point, but there are also some stochastic methods with the explicit goal to reduce the global mean square error of the geoid height estimator stemming from the truncation bias as well as the random errors of the EGM and the gravity data. The latter estimators are thus, at least from a theoretical point of view, optimal in a global mean sense, but in a local sense they may be far from optimality.Here we take advantage of the error variance-covariance matrices of the EGM and the terrestrial gravity data to derive the modification parameters of Stokes kernel in a local least-squares sense. The solution is given for the unbiased type of modification of Stokes formula of Sjöberg (1991).     

《计算机网络》课程教学研究

对计算机网络课程教学进行深入研究的基础上,分析了《计算机网络》在人才培养中的地位、作用和目的;分析了在计算机网络课程教学中存在的问题;提出了为提高《计算机网络》课程教学质量采取的措施：包括精选教学内容,突出重点分类要求,借鉴国外教学方法,提供习题集和参考答案,合理使用CAI课件,加强实验环节、作业和考试环节。     

Discriminating Bio-Induced and Detrital Sedimentary Processes from Particle Size Distribution of Carbonates and Non-Carbonates in Hard Water Lake Sediments

Particle size distribution (PSD) and carbonate content are two of the most frequently used parameters for describing lake sediments. This paper presents a method for rapidly measuring both these parameters using a laser particle-sizer, as well as an original way in which to separately interpret the PSD of the carbonate and non-carbonate fractions. Differential particle size analyses are produced by measuring the PSD of each sample twice. The first PSD is measured using the bulk sample. The second PSD is measured after the carbonate fraction has been completely dissolved by adding hydrochloric acid to the sample. As well as particle size analyses, laser particle-sizers automatically give obscuration values for the samples being analysed. By comparing the obscuration value for the bulk sample with the value for the de-carbonated fraction, the carbonate content of the sediment can be determined. In order to test the accuracy of the method, the results were compared with chemical analyses of carbonate content. This comparison showed that when applied to diatom-rich samples the method underestimates the carbonate content. This is due to the fact that the differential particle size method measures the volume concentrations of the carbonate and non-carbonate fractions, whereas chemical analysis measures the weight concentrations. As diatoms are hollow and have relatively low-densities, differential particle size analyses of diatom-rich samples overestimate the non-carbonate fraction. Despite this limitation, and bearing in mind that laser particle-sizer distributions are expressed in terms of volume percent for each size class and not weight percent, PSDs can provide useful data for interpreting sedimentary processes. One of the main advantages of this method is that it can be used to separate the PSDs of the carbonate (autochthonous) fraction and the non-carbonate (allochthonous) fraction from the PSD of the bulk sample. The value of such an approach was demonstrated by the analysis and interpretation of a 9 m-long core from Lake Bourget in France. An analysis of the bulk sample PSDs plotted as a function of depth showed the consistency of sedimentary processes over the last 7200 years. Amongst these processes, it was possible to identify two modes of clastic material deposition: river-borne fine sedimentation during major floods and gravity reworking of sandy sediment from the lakeshore.     

On Transpiration and Soil Moisture Content Sensitivity to Soil Hydrophysical Data

Sensitivity of evapotranspiration E and root zone soil moisture content θ to the parameterization of soil water retention Ψ(θ) and soil water conductivity K(Ψ), as well as to the definition of field capacity soil moisture content, is investigated by comparing Psi1-PMSURF and Theta-PMSURF models. The core of PMSURF (Penman–Monteith Surface Fluxes) consists of a 3-layer soil moisture prediction module based on Richard’s equation in combination with the Penman–Monteith concept for estimating turbulent heat fluxes. Psi1- PMSURF and Theta-PMSURF differ only in the parameterization of the moisture availability function F_ma. In Psi1,F_ma is parameterized by using Ψ(θ) and K(Ψ) hydrophysical functions; in Theta, F_ma is parameterized by using hydrophysical parameters: the field capacity θ_f and wilting point θ_w soil moisture contents. Both Psi1 and Theta are based on using soil hydrophysical data, that is, there is no conceptual difference between them in the parameterization of E even if in Psi1F_ma depends on 12 parameters, while in Theta only on two soil/vegetation parameters. Sensitivity tests are performed using the Cabauw dataset. Three soil datasets are used: the vG (van Genuchten), CH/vG (Clapp and Hornberger/van Genuchten) and CH/PILPS (Clapp and Hornberger/Project for Intercomparison of Land-surface Parameterization Schemes) datasets. The vG dataset is used in van Genuchten’s parameterization, while in Clapp and Hornberger’s the CH/vG and CH/PILPS datasets are used. It is found that the consistency of soil hydrophysical data in the simulation of transpiration is quite important. The annual sum of E obtained by Psi1E^Psi1, differs from the annual sum of E obtained by Theta, E^Theta, because of the inconsistency between the fitting parameters of Ψ(θ) and K(Ψ) and the θ_f, and not because of the differencies in the parameterization of F_ma. Further, θ_f can be estimated not only on the basis of using soil hydrophysical functions (the θ_f so obtained is θ^Soil_f) but also on the basis of analysing the transpiration process (the θ_fso obtained is θ^tr_f). θ^tr_f values estimated from the condition E^Theta ≈ E^Psi1 are in acceptable accordance with the θ^Soil_f values proposed by Wösten and co-workers. The results are useful in optimizing the parameterization of transpiration in land-surface schemes.