Comet nuclei: Morphology and implied processes of surface modification

Surface morphology and related issues for nuclei of three comets: Halley, Borrelly and Wild 2, are considered in the paper. Joint consideration of publications and results of our analysis of the comets’ images led to conclusions, partly new, partly repeating conclusions published by other researchers. It was found that typical for all three nuclei is the presence of rather flat areas: floors of craters and other depressions, mesas and terraces. This implies that flattening surfaces or planation is a process typical for the comet nuclei. Planation seems to work through the sublimation-driven slope collapse and retreat. This requires effective sublimation so this process should work only when a comet is close to the Sun and if on the nucleus there are starting slopes, steep and high enough to support the “long-distance” avalanching of the collapsing material. If the surface had no starting slopes, then instead of planation, the formation of pitted-and-hilly surfaces should occur. An example of this could be the mottled terrain of the Borelly nucleus. Both ways of the sublimational evolution on the nucleus surface should lead to accumulation of cometary regolith. The thickness of the degassed regolith is not known, but it is obvious that in surface depressions, including the flat-floor ones, it should be larger compared with nondepression areas. This may have implications for the in situ study of comets by the Deep Impact and Rosetta missions.Our morphological analysis puts constraints on the applicability of the popular “rubble-pile comet nucleus” hypothesis (Weissman, 1986. Are cometery nuclei primordial rubble piles? Nature 320, 242-244.). We believe that the rubble pile hypothesis can be applicable to the blocky Halley nucleus. The Borelly and Wild 2 nuclei also could be rubble piles. But in these cases the “rubbles” have to be either smaller than 30-50 m (a requirement to keep lineament geometry close to ideal), or larger than 1-2 km (a requirement to form the rather extended smooth, flat surfaces of mesa tops and crater floors). Another option is that the Borelly and Wild 2 nuclei are not rubble piles.In relation to surface morphology we suggest that three end-member types of the comet nuclei may exist: (1) impact cratered “pristine” bodies, (2) non-cratered fragments of catastrophic disruption, and (3) highly Sun-ablated bodies. In this threefold classification, the Wild 2 nucleus is partially ablated primarily cratered body. Borrelly is significantly ablated and could be either primarily cratered or not-cratered fragment. Halley is certainly partially ablated but with the available images it is difficult to say if remnants of impact craters do exist on it.Recently published observations and early results of analysis of the Tempel 1 nucleus images taken by Deep Impact mission are in agreement with our conclusions on the processes responsible for the Halley, Borrelly and Wild 2 nuclei morphologies. In particular, we have now more grounds to suggest that decrease in crater numbers and increase of the role of smooth flat surfaces in the sequence Wild 2?Tempel 1?Borelli reflects a progress in the sublimational degradation of the nucleus surface during comet passages close to the Sun.     

Raindrop Size Distribution Parameters Retrieved from Xinfeng C-Band Polarimetric Radar Observations

The objective of this research was to acquire a raindrop size distribution (DSDs) retrieved from C-band polarimetric radar observations scheme for the first time in south China.An observation period of the precipitation process was selected,and the shape-slope (μ-Λ) relationship of this region was statistically analyzed using the raindrop sample observations from the two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) at Xinfeng Station,Guangdong Province.Simulated data of the C-band polarimetric radar reflectivity Z_(HH)and differential reflectivity Z_(DR)were obtained through scattering simulation.The simulation data were combined with DSD fitting to determine the Z_(DR)-Λand log_(10)(Z_(HH)/N_0)-Λrelationships.Using Xinfeng C-band polarimetric radar observations Z_(DR)and Z_(HH),the raindrop Gamma size distribution parametersμ,Λ,and N_0were retrieved.A scheme for using C-band polarimetric radar to retrieve the DSDs was developed.This research revealed that during precipitation process,the DSDs obtained using the C-band polarimetric radar retrieval scheme are similar to the 2DVD observations,the precipitation characteristics of rainfall intensity (R),mass-weighted mean diameter (D_m) and intercept parameter (N_w) with time obtained by radar retrieval are basically consistent with the observational results of the 2DVD.This scheme establishes the relationship between the observations of the C-band polarimetric radar and the physical quantities of the numerical model.This method not only can test the prediction of the model data assimilation system on the convective scale and determine error sources,but also can improve the microphysical precipitation processes analysis and radar quantitative precipitation estimation.The present research will facilitate radar data assimilation in the future.     

A Study of DMS Oxidation in the Tropics: Comparison of Christmas Island Field Observations of DMS, SO2, and DMSO with Model Simulations

This study reports comparisonsbetween model simulations, based on current sulfurmechanisms, with the DMS, SO₂ and DMSOobservational data reported by Bandy et al.(1996) in their 1994 Christmas Island field study. For both DMS and SO₂, the model results werefound to be in excellent agreement with theobservations when the observations were filtered so asto establish a common meteorological environment. Thisfiltered DMS and SO₂ data encompassedapproximately half of the total sampled days. Basedon these composite profiles, it was shown thatoxidation of DMS via OH was the dominant pathway withno more than 5 to 15% proceeding through Cl atoms andless than 3% through NO₃. This analysis wasbased on an estimated DMS sea-to-air flux of 3.4 ×10⁹ molecs cm^-2 s^-1. The dominant sourceof BL SO₂ was oxidation of DMS, the overallconversion efficiency being evaluated at 0.65 ± 0.15. The major loss of SO₂ was deposition to theocean's surface and scavenging by aerosol. Theresulting combined first order k value was estimated at 1.6 × 10^-5 s^-1. In contrast to the DMSand SO₂ simulations, the model under-predictedthe observed DMSO levels by nearly a factor of 50. Although DMSO instrument measurement problems can notbe totally ruled out, the possibility of DMSO sourcesother than gas phase oxidation of DMS must beseriously considered and should be explored in futurestudies.     

南海北部莺歌海盆地壳源型非生物CO2运聚成藏特征与资源潜力

南海北部莺歌海盆地壳源型非生物(无机)成因CO2运聚成藏机制独特、分布规律复杂、资源规模及潜力巨大,根据目前勘探及研究程度,其CO2资源量逾万亿立方米,勘探所获地质储量超过2000亿m3,居中国探明CO2地质储量之首,在世界范围亦是罕见的,故具有颇大的资源潜力与综合开发利用前景。CO2具明显的多重性,其不仅能广泛应用于国民经济及工农业生产中,而且是导致"厄尔尼诺"现象,严重影响生态环境的主要温室气体,因此,如何综合开发利用这种储量规模巨大的CO2资源,充分发挥其市场经济价值,促进国家经济建设,这是目前该区天然气勘探开发面临的重大科技攻关课题。     

冕宁-德昌稀土成矿带碳酸岩流体研究

通过对四川冕宁-德昌稀土矿带主要矿物中包裹体岩相学、显微测温分析与包裹体成分分析,指出由岩浆碳酸岩分异出的成矿流体为富含高密度CO2、K、Na、SO42-和多种成矿元素的超临界流体,流体以高温、高压、超高盐度、富CO2为特征,从早期到晚期流体中CO2含量增加。结合前人对碳酸岩流体、稀土矿带周边新生代盆地中无机成因CO2气藏、富钾卤水、稳定同位素和隋性气体同位素研究成果,从碳酸岩流体的性质、流体体系、碳、氦同位素组成,初步探讨了碳酸岩流体与周边新生代盆地中CO2气藏、富钾卤水的成因联系。     

二维横向各向同性介质中人为边界反射的吸收——差分法弹性波场模拟

本文对有限差分法弹性波场三分量正演模拟中遇到的人为边界反射问题进行了研究,分别获得2-D横向各向同性介质中U_x,U_z,与U_y位移分量模拟时的边界吸收条件.从吸收边界上反射系数与入射角之间的关系可以说明,本文提出的边界吸收条件的吸收能力比较强.     

Characterization of tar-like material and producible oil in Misoa C2 and C3 reservoir sands of the Area 2 South (Ceuta Field,Venezuela)

Here we characterized asphaltic oil occurrences in the Misoa C2 and C3 reservoirs within Area 2 South of the Ceuta Field (Lake Maracaibo Basin, NW Venezuela). To perform the geochemical and petrological characterization of the C2 and C3 sub-units, which cover an interval in which tar-like material was detected, we analyzed core (18) and cutting (123) samples using the Rock-Eval 6 technique in reservoir mode. Samples were studied under fluorescence light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showing the presence of two charges of oils and the relationships within silica cements and clay minerals. To evaluate vertical inter-reservoir communication and lateral intra-reservoir continuity, we also studied 12 oil samples from wells in Area 2 South. Biomarkers and isotopic signatures were examined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). The results suggest that oil and core extracts belongs to a single family derived from two pulses of hydrocarbon generation from the La Luna source rock, which was deposited in a marine reducing environment. The oil samples are a mixture of a paleobiodegraded oil charge and a later fresh, more mature oil recharge. The geochemical analyses also evidence that the formation of heavy oil tar zones can be related to biodegradation and in-reservoir oil mixing, though other formation mechanisms for the tar are also feasible. Finally, the GC fingerprints of the oils are indicative of lateral reservoir continuities across the F-1 and F-2 faults and vertical communication between the Misoa C2 and C3 sub-units in Area 2 South, suggesting that tar occurrences do not act as permeability barriers within the two reservoirs studied.     

Two Improvements on Numerical Simulation of 2-DOF Vortex-Induced Vibration with Low Mass Ratio

Till now, there have been lots of researches on numerical simulation of vortex-induced vibration. Acceptable results have been obtained for fixed cylinders with low Reynolds number. However, for responses of 2-DOF vortex-induced vibration with low mass ratio, the accuracy is not satisfactory, especially for the maximum amplitudes. In Jauvtis and Williamson''s work, the maximum amplitude of the cylinder with low mass ratio m*=2.6 can reach as large as 1.5D to be called as the “super-upper branch”, but from current literatures, few simulation results can achieve such value, even fail to capture the upper branch. Besides, it is found that the amplitude decays too fast in the lower branch with the RANS-based turbulence model. The reason is likely to be the defects of the turbulence model itself in the prediction of unsteady separated flows as well as the unreasonable setting of the numerical simulation parameters. Aiming at above issues, a modified turbulence model is proposed in this paper, and the effect of the acceleration of flow field on the response of vortex-induced vibration is studied based on OpenFOAM. By analyzing the responses of amplitude, phase and trajectory, frequency and vortex mode, it is proved that the vortex-induced vibration can be predicted accurately with the modified turbulence model under appropriate flow field acceleration.     

Possible change in distribution of seaweed, Sargassum horneri, in northeast Asia under A2 scenario of global warming and consequent effect on some fish

Global warming effects on seaweed beds are already perceptible. Their geographical distributions greatly depend on water temperatures. To predict future geographical distributions of brown alga, Sargassum horneri, forming large beds in the northwestern Pacific, we referred to future monthly surface water temperatures at about 1.1° of longitude and 0.6° of latitude in February and August in 2050 and 2100 simulated by 12 organizations under an A2 scenario of global warming. The southern limit of S. horneri distribution is expected to keep moving northward such that it may broadly disappear from Honshu Island, the Chinese coast, and Korean Peninsula in 2100, when tropical Sargassum species such as Sargassum tenuifolium may not completely replace S. horneri. Thus, their forests in 2100 do not substitute those of S. horneri in 2000. Fishes using the beds and seaweed rafts consisting of S. horneri in East China Sea suffer these disappearances.     

断层土壤气CO2含量快速测定法关键问题探讨

为了提高断层土壤气CO2含量观测数据的映震效能,从测点选择、装置布设、观测方法、辅助测项4个方面对断层土壤气CO2含量快速测定法的关键问题做了全面研究,得出结论：（1）断层土壤气CO2含量测点应选择在活动断层破裂带上或紧邻破裂带的敏感地带,在测点选择时应结合地质资料和钻孔资料对预选址的地下岩石结构及其破裂程度进行研究或有效探测,不宜仅为了观测方便在现有地震台站随便选址;（2）断层土壤气CO2含量快速测定法的装置要尽可能布设得深人地下,至少应使测定孔深度超过地表以下0．5m,最好能够选择深人地表以下2．0m以上的深度,以尽量减少或不受地表生物层的影响,但在装置布设时也要充分考虑地下水位的变化情况;（3）在使用断层土壤气CO2含量快速测定法观测CO2含量变化的过程中应努力消除人为因素的影响,避免主观随意性,特别是应将CO2含量快速测定管放置到靠近测定孔的孔底位置,快速测定管底部开口应尽量保持一致且要使开口口径最大化,避免快速测定管触底;（4）测定孔内温度与断层土壤气CO2含量变化呈正相关,降雨量对断层土壤气CO2含量测值有负面的影响,同步进行测定孔内温度和降雨量辅助观测是必须的。鉴于气压变化与断层土壤气CO2含量变化有较强的负相关,建议在机理上进一步研究其影响,同时还应引入湿度作为断层土壤气CO2含量观测的辅助测项。