S2O, polysulfuroxide and sulfur polymer on Io's surface?

To settle the question of disulfur monoxide and sulfur monoxide deposition and occurrence on Io's surface, we performed series of laboratory experiments reproducing the condensation of S₂O at low temperature. Its polymerization has been monitored by recording infrared spectra under conditions of temperature, pressure, mixing with SO₂ and UV-visible radiation simulating that of Io's surface. Our experiments show that S₂O condensates are not chemically stable under ionian conditions. We also demonstrate that SO and S₂O outgassed by Io's volcanoes and condensing on Io's surface should lead to yellow polysulfuroxide deposits or to white deposits of S₂O diluted in sulfur dioxide frost (i.e., S₂O/SO₂ < 0.1%). Thus S₂O condensation cannot be responsible for the red volcanic deposits on Io. Comparison of the laboratory infrared spectra of S₂O and polysulfuroxide with NIMS/Galileo infrared spectra of Io's surface leads us to discuss the possible identification of polysulfuroxide. We also recorded the visible transmission spectra of sulfur samples resulting from polysulfuroxide decomposition. These samples consist in a mixture of sulfur polymer and orthorhombic sulfur. Using the optical constants extracted from these measurements, we show that a linear combination of the reflectance spectra of our samples, the reflectance spectrum of orthorhombic S₈ sulfur and SO₂ reflectance spectrum, leads to a very good matching of Io's visible spectrum between 330 and 520 nm. We conclude then that Io's surface is probably mainly composed of sulfur dioxide and a mixture of sulfur S₈ and sulfur polymer. Some polysulfuroxide could also co-exist with these dominant components, but is probably restricted to some volcanic areas.     

Detection of a dry-frozen boundary inside Martian regolith

The present work investigates the time oscillations of the temperature at several depths of a Martian soil analogue made of two layers of different physical properties. The maximum temperature-time oscillation inside the Martian soil analogue, DT, and its derivative with depth, d(DT)/dz or DDT, can be analysed to understand the presence of a boundary between dry and frozen soil. The maximum temperature-time oscillation, DT, reduces by about one order of magnitude at the boundary between dry and frozen soil if a frozen layer is present. The reduction of DT at the boundary between two dry soils with different porosity is much smaller. DDT decreases by more than one order of magnitude at the boundary between dry and frozen soil if a frozen layer is present. The reduction of DDT at the boundary between two dry soils with different porosity is much smaller.     

The GREGOR polarimetric calibration unit

The new Solar telescope GREGOR is designed to observe small‐scale dynamic magnetic structures below a size of 70 km on the Sun with high spectral resolution and polarimetric accuracy. For this purpose, the polarimetric concept of GREGOR is based on a combination of post‐focus polarimeters with pre‐focus equipment for high precision calibration. The Leibniz‐Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam developed the GREGOR calibration unit which is an integral part of the telescope. We give an overview of the function and design of the calibration unit and present the results of extensive testing series done in the Solar Observatory “Einsteinturm” and at GREGOR (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The Basic Shape Classification of Space Debris with Light Curves

We study the machine learning method for classifying the basic shape of space debris in both simulated and observed data experiments, where light curves are used as the input features. In the dataset for training and testing, simulated light curves are derived from four types of debris within different shapes and materials. Observed light curves are extracted from Mini-Mega TORTORA (MMT) database which is a publicly accessible source of space object photometric records. The experiments employ the deep convolutional neural network, make comparisons with other machine learning algorithms, and the results show CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) is better. In simulational experiments, both types of cylinder can be distinguished perfectly, and two other types of satellite have around 90% probability to be classified. Rockets and defunct satellites can achieve 99% success rate in binary classification, but in further sub-classes classifications, the rate becomes relatively lower.     

Traveling wavefront ray tracing and its applications

The current discussion of whether marine geodesy is something entirely new or part of oceanography or geodesy can be clarified by re‐examining our notions about the basic business of geodesy. This paper contends that the same basic geodetic services, which were needed for millenia to chart and control new territory, are being adapted now to the marine environment to suit modern accuracy standards. In a brief historical review it is shown that conceptually, the oceanic regions were always an integral part of geodetic concern. The oceans were certainly part of the world for the ancient map makers and for Pythagoras’ spherical earth model. Notions connected with the marine geoid were implied in ancient speculations. Distances and directions at sea, even depths, were determined to meet the requirements of the times. With the modern sophistication in geodetic theory and measuring techniques, these ideas became more refined and demanding in turn, but they were there all the time. For obvious reasons, land geodesy developed faster; marine geodesy will catch up now, because only now there is the technical capability and also an urgent economic motivation.     

Visualization experiments of iron precipitates: Application for in-situ arsenic remediation

Laboratory experiments were carried out to acquire more insight and understanding of the phenomena associated with the in-situ arsenic remediation. Visualization techniques are the most informative for the detection of Fe(II) while flowing in soils. Green Rust (GR) was considered as representative of in-situ iron precipitates. In a visualization flat cell, the change in color of GR to orange, due to oxidation, was monitored by a digital camera and the images were analyzed giving the spatial and temporal distribution of Fe(II). Moreover, both oxygen and pH changes in time were recorded in two sections along the flow direction in the cell. The measured and calculated concentration profiles were compared and the actual reaction rates were predicted. The reaction rate constants measured in this study, under flowing conditions, are in a good agreement with the values obtained from batch experiments reported in the literature.     

三山岛断裂在海域北延位置的确定及成矿预测

胶东金矿集中区是中国最重要的黄金基地,三山岛金矿带位于该金矿集中区之胶西北成矿区的西部,近年来深部和海域隐伏区找矿取得重大突破。作为该区域重要的赋矿构造,三山岛断裂带进入海域后向两端延伸位置未能确定。为了查明三山岛断裂在南北两端进入海域后的延展位置,使用海底重力仪开展了海上大比例尺重力测量工作,对其位置进行了推断。在布伽重力异常图上,三山岛断裂表现为规模大、水平变化率大的重力梯级带,在平面上呈"S"形,向北由三山岛金矿延伸入海,向南从新立西延入渤海,跨海后经仓上、潘家屋子东延入渤海。为了确定三山岛断裂带向北东方向穿过三山岛北部海域超大型金矿床后的延展位置,根据重力异常推断的三山岛断裂北延位置,结合该金成矿带地质矿产特征,部署钻孔进行验证。钻孔内主要岩性有中细粒(含黑云母)二长花岗岩、钾化二长花岗岩、碎裂状二长花岗岩、绢英岩化花岗岩等,暗色脉岩有辉长岩及少量黑云母闪长岩、闪长玢岩等,其中暗色矿物黑云母等略具定向排列,脉岩均发生不同程度的蚀变。构造蚀变(矿化)带宽206.25m(876.59~1082.84m),与上盘围岩分界较为清楚,与下盘围岩呈渐变关系,圈定7层矿体,累计厚度28.3m,最厚的单层矿体视厚度16.06m。钻孔位置位于重力梯度变化宽缓的"鼻状区",且空间位置符合等距分布、对应产出、分段富集等分布规律,钻孔中见到多为黄铜矿化、方铅矿、黄铁矿等多金属硫化物矿化,为典型的第一矿集群特征,可以确定该地区继三山岛北部海域470吨超大型金矿发现之后,其北部区域又出现一个很有找矿前景的靶区。     

人为因素导致的地面沉降

天然气、石油、地下水、地热热水和卤水等流体运移出地下储存地层时,地层耗尽了流体而产生压缩变形,这些变形传递到地表表面就形成了人为的地面沉降。在本文中:(1)列举了世界上主要的地面沉降区域;(2)论述了引发地面沉降的力学机制,这些可以量测的地面沉降发生在地下含水层体系、天然气气田和石油油田之上;(3)描述了目前可以用于地面沉降测量和岩石变形原位测试的技术手段;(4)简要介绍了几个地面沉降预测的数值模型;(5)说明了用于控制地面沉降发展和减轻相关环境影响的几种防治措施。     

Determination of the distribution of size of irregularly shaped particles from laser diffractometer measurements

The formal stereological transformation equation for particle sieve size distribution from measurements in lower dimensional spaces is applied to laser diffractometer measurements. The transformation function for iron ore particles is measured experimentally, and modeled. The solution is tested against the measured transformation function data as well as synthetic composite distributions of the original sample. The natural size distribution of a sample taken from a grinding circuit stream was measured by a combination of standard sieving and cyclosizer, and the result is compared to the transformed size distribution calculated from laser diffractometer measurements. The stereological transformation technique performed well in all cases.