Effects of overcrowding on floating behaviour in the mud whelk cominella glandiformis (Mollusca: Gastropoda)

The mud whelk Cominella glandiformis (Reeve, 1874) was observed on a tidal flat “floating” upside down beneath the water surface. Study in the laboratory showed that, when C. glandiformis is “floating”, the foot is distended with blood to approximately twice its normal surface area. In the laboratory C. glandiformis “floated” only during daylight hours, and the incidence of “floating” increased markedly as specimens became more overcrowded. Possibly “floating” is a rapid dispersal mechanism in response to overcrowding; it may also assist respiration in the event of overcrowding producing anaerobic conditions. Its occurrence only during daylight hours suggests that a reaction to light may also be involved.     

基于改进的双线性旅行时插值的三维射线追踪

旅行时射线追踪的精度和效率一直是影响地震层析成像质量和效果的关键因素。这里在三维近地表速度结构层析成像应用中,结合旅行时插值算法与最短路径算法,提出了一种三维初至波射线追踪算法。通过对双线性旅行时插值算法进行改进,并运用判定条件与简化插值计算公式进行快速计算,减少了插值次数,降低了运算量,同时也保证了较高的射线精度,有效地解决了三维射线追踪算法的计算低效率,射线精度不高的问题。     

GPU accelerated marine data visualization method

The study of marine data visualization is of great value. Marine data, due to its large scale, random variation and multiresolution in nature, are hard to be visualized and analyzed. Nowadays, constructing an ocean model and visualizing model results have become some of the most important research topics of ‘Digital Ocean'. In this paper, a spherical ray casting method is developed to improve the traditional ray-casting algorithm and to make efficient use of GPUs. Aiming at the ocean current data, a 3D view-dependent line integral convolution method is used, in which the spatial frequency is adapted according to the distance from a camera. The study is based on a 3D virtual reality and visualization engine, namely the VV-Ocean. Some interactive operations are also provided to highlight the interesting structures and the characteristics of volumetric data. Finally, the marine data gathered in the East China Sea are displayed and analyzed. The results show that the method meets the requirements of real-time and interactive rendering.     

利用地震模拟技术研究逆断层的断点位置

在地震资料解释阶段,可根据解释结果进行正演模拟,以验证解释结果的可靠性,并通过模型正演方式了解地下波场的细微变化,提高解释精度。依据内蒙古鄂托克前旗沙章图矿区DF2逆断层的赋存形态,建立的地质模型,并围绕其逆断层的断点位置、埋深、地层速度等,对各种接收排列进行射线追踪实验。通过改变开动的道数、道距及偏移距,观察各种参数下射线追踪的分布情况及模拟时间剖面的面貌。正演结果表明利用射线模型追踪的模拟地震反射剖面与实际时间剖面完全吻合,其确定的逆断层断点位置及断面倾角合理。     

无射线追踪层析静校正技术及其应用研究

静校正技术在近地表条件复杂地区的地震资料处理中具有重要意义,其校正的准确性直接影响后续的处理和解释工作。在众多静校正方法中,无射线追踪层析静校正法兼具稳定性和灵活性的优点。这里对无射线追踪层析静校正的原理和主要参数进行了分析;而后将其应用于鄂尔多斯盆地某工区黄土塬地区地震资料的处理,把处理效果与其他几种不同静校正方法进行了对比。结果表明,该方法可使单炮记录和叠加剖面的质量得到较大改善,地震记录同相轴的连续性得到增强。     

The sensitivity of EGRET to gamma-ray polarization

A Monte Carlo simulation shows that the EGRET gamma-ray telescope aboard the GRO satellite does not have sufficient sensitivity to detect linear polarization, even for 100% polarized gamma-ray sources. This is confirmed by analysis of calibration data. Several data selection techniques suggested to enhance polarization sensitivity have been evaluated and found to not significantly improve sensitivity.NRC/NAS RESEARCH ASSOCIATE     

SCATTERING PHASE MATRICES OF ICE CRYSTALS WITH HEXAGONAL PRISM AND TRIANGULAR PYRAMID FORM—A VECTOR RAY TRACING METHOD

The work presented previously by the authors(Cai and Liou,1982)has been extended in this paper.By making use of our improved model the calculations on scattering phase matrices of hexagonal prismice crystals(HPIC)have been conducted for monodisperse and polydisperse systems.Compared with themodel of Cai and Liou,the required computational quantity is decreased by about two orders of magni-tude and the errors of results are less for the new model.Meanwhile,the scattering phase matrices of triangularpyramid ice crystals(TPIC)are also computed in the paper,and the comparison between the scatterings of thetwo forms of ice crystals is performed.     

Brief history of ground-based very high energy gamma-ray astrophysics with atmospheric air Cherenkov telescopes

The discovery of the Crab Nebula as the first source of TeV gamma rays in 1989, using the technique of ground-based imaging air Cherenkov telescope, has marked the birthday of observational gamma astronomy in very high energy range. The team led by Trevor Weekes, after twenty years of trial and error, success and misfortune, step-by-step improvements in both the technique and understanding of gamma shower discrimination methods, used the 10 m diameter telescope on Mount Hopkins in Arizona, and succeeded measuring a 9σ signal from the direction of Crab Nebula. As of today over 160 sources of gamma rays of very different types, of both galactic and extra-galactic origin, have been discovered due to this technique. This is a really fast evolving branch in science, rapidly improving our understanding of the most violent and energetic sources and processes in the sky.The study of these sources provides clues to many basic questions in astrophysics, astro-particle physics, physics of cosmic rays and cosmology. Today’s telescopes, despite the young age of the technique, offer a solid performance. The technique is still maturing, leading to the next generation large instrument. This article is devoted to outlining the milestones in a long history that step-by-step have made this technique emerge and have brought about today’s successful source hunting.     

The H.E.S.S. central data acquisition system

The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is a system of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) located in the Khomas Highland in Namibia. It measures cosmic gamma rays of very high energies (VHE; >100 GeV) using the Earth’s atmosphere as a calorimeter. The H.E.S.S. Array entered Phase II in September 2012 with the inauguration of a fifth telescope that is larger and more complex than the other four. This paper will give an overview of the current H.E.S.S. central data acquisition (DAQ) system with particular emphasis on the upgrades made to integrate the fifth telescope into the array. At first, the various requirements for the central DAQ are discussed then the general design principles employed to fulfil these requirements are described. Finally, the performance, stability and reliability of the H.E.S.S. central DAQ are presented. One of the major accomplishments is that less than 0.8% of observation time has been lost due to central DAQ problems since 2009.