The irregular galaxy Cassiopeia 1 – a new member of the Local group

A photometry in the V, R, I (Cousins) system has been performed for stars in the galaxy Cassiopeia 1. The resulting colour-agnitude (CM) diagram of Cas 1 reveals the existence of blue stars and the absence of red ones. From an analysis of the CM diagram of the galaxy it is concluded that A_v = 4.0 mag, and the distance modulus (m – M)_o = 24.5 mag, corresponding to a distance of 790 kpc. The visual magnitude of the galaxy is V = 14^m.62 (M_v = −13^m.8) and the colour index (V – R) = 0.89 mag. From the distance determination the galaxy Cassiopeia 1 is a member of the Local group.     

单环刺螠soxb基因的克隆及其在幼虫发育中的表达特征

SOXB作为重要的转录因子,参与了动物内胚层分化、消化道形成、神经细胞和感官细胞分化的调控。本研究利用RACE技术克隆了单环刺螠(Urechis unicinctus)2个soxb亚族基因soxb1(Uu-soxb1)和soxb2(Uu-soxb2)的cDNA全长序列,大小分别是1871 bp和2906 bp。在两个推导的氨基酸序列中均包含SOX家族的HMG-box结构和SOXB亚族蛋白特有的Group B homology序列,进化树分析它们分别与SOXB1和SOXB2聚类。原位杂交结果显示,Uu-soxb1和Uu-soxb2为母源表达基因;二者在担轮幼虫中的表达图式存在差异,其中早期担轮幼虫中Uu-soxb1 mRNA广泛分布于虫体中,Uu-soxb2 mRNA则集中于顶纤毛束基部和虫体后部(口后纤毛环之后),中期担轮幼虫中,Uu-soxb2阳性信号主要位于纤毛环及虫体的下半球;而Uu-soxb1 mRNA主要位于虫体下半球;之后的发育中二者的表达位点基本一致,即:晚期担轮幼虫中主要位于虫体后部,体节幼虫和蠕虫状幼虫中主要分布于消化道和体壁处。本研究结果表明,单环刺螠soxb在消化道发育过程中的表达模式与其他已报道动物类似,提示其在消化道发育中具有保守的功能。     

海洋光合有效辐射分布的计算模式

针对一类海水，采用美国标准大气模型和一类水体海洋生物-光学特性的半分析方法，建立了海洋光合有效辐射计算模式。模式比较全面地考虑了大气、海-气界面和水体的光辐射传输过程，能较好地用于分析叶绿素浓度以及光辐射场的角分布对光俣有效辐射分布的影响。对模拟结果的分析以及与实测结果的比较表明，该模式能较好地应用于计算衰减系数、光谱辐照度随深度的分布、光合有效辐射随深度的分布和真光层深度，在海洋生态系统的光动力学研究和水色遥感方面有效好的应用前景。     

中巴地球资源卫星应用及其发展

介绍了中巴地球资源卫星应用系统中 7个分系统的基本概况和数据处理系统的基本特点 ,还对星上三种传感器和高密度磁记录器的特点以及产品的生产能力和类型等进行了简单的描述。重点探索了中巴地球资源卫星遥感数据在资源、环境、灾害监测、各种数据库的建立与更新、遥感定量化等方面的应用前景展望。     

Contrasting patterns of precipitation seasonality during the Holocene in the south‐ and north‐central Mediterranean

Pollen‐based quantitative estimates of seasonal precipitation from Lake Pergusa and lake‐level data from Lake Preola in Sicily (southern Italy) allow three successive periods to be distinguished within the Holocene: an early Holocene period before ca. 9800 cal a BP with rather dry climate conditions in winter and summer, a mid‐Holocene period between ca. 9800 and 4500 cal a BP with maximum winter and summer wetness, and a late Holocene period after 4500 cal a BP with declining winter and summer wetness. This evolution observed in the south‐central Mediterranean shows strong similarities to that recognized in the eastern Mediterranean. But, it contrasts with that reconstructed in north‐central Italy, where the mid‐Holocene appears to be characterized by a winter (summer) precipitation maximum (minimum), while the late Holocene coincided with a decrease (increase) in winter (summer) precipitation. Maximum precipitation at ca. 10 000–4500 cal a BP may have resulted from (i) increased local convection in response to a Holocene insolation maximum at 10 000 cal a BP and then (ii) the gradual weakening of the Hadley cell activity, which allowed the winter rainy westerlies to reach the Mediterranean area more frequently. After 4500 cal a BP, changes in precipitation seasonality may reflect non‐linear responses to orbitally driven insolation decrease in addition to seasonal and inter‐hemispheric changes of insolation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chandra observations of neutron stars: an overview

We present an overview of Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of neutron stars. The outstanding spatial and spectral resolution of this great observatory have allowed for observations of unprecedented clarity and accuracy. Many of these observations have provided new insights into neutron star physics. We present an admittedly biased and overly brief review of these observations, highlighting some new discoveries made possible by the Observatory’s unique capabilities. This includes our analysis of recent multiwavelength observations of the putative pulsar and its pulsar-wind nebula in the IC443 SNR.      

A new soil freeze/thaw discriminant algorithm using AMSR‐E passive microwave imagery

The soil freeze–thaw controls the hydrological and carbon cycling and thus affects water and energy exchanges at land surface. This article reported a newly developed algorithm for distinguishing the freeze/thaw status of surface soil. The algorithm was based on information from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer Enhanced (AMSR‐E) which records brightness temperature (Tb) in the afternoon and after midnight. The criteria and discriminant functions were obtained from both radiometer observations and model simulations. First of all, the microwave radiation from freeze–thaw soil was examined by carrying out experimental measurements at 18·7 and 36·5 GHz using a Truck‐mounted Multi‐frequency Microwave Radiometer (TMMR) in the Heihe River of China. The experimental results showed that the soil moisture is a key component that differentiates the microwave radiation behaviours during the freeze–thaw process, and the differences in soil temperature and emissivity between frozen and thawed soils were found to be the most important criteria. Secondly, a combined model was developed to consider the impacts of complex ground surface conditions on the discrimination. The model simulations quite followed the trend of in situ observations with an overall relation coefficient (R) of approximately 0·88. Finally, the ratio of Tb18·7H (horizontally polarized Tb at 18·7 GHz) to Tb36·5V was considered primarily as the quasi‐emissivity, which is more reasonable and explicit in measuring the microwave radiation changes in soil freezing and thawing than the spectral gradient. By combining Tb36·5V to indicate the soil temperature variety, a Fisher linear discrimination analysis was used to establish the discriminant functions. After being corrected by TMMR measurements, the new discriminant algorithm had an overall accuracy of 86% when validated by 4‐cm soil temperature. The multi‐year discriminant results also provided a good agreement with the classification map of frozen ground in China. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial variability of snowmelt timing from AMSR‐E and SSM/I passive microwave sensors,Pelly River,Yukon Territory,Canada

Spring snow melt run‐off in high latitude and snow‐dominated drainage basins is generally the most significant annual hydrological event. Melt timing, duration, and flow magnitude are highly variable and influence regional climate, geomorphology, and hydrology. Arctic and sub‐arctic regions have sparse long‐term ground observations and these snow‐dominated hydrologic regimes are sensitive to the rapidly warming climate trends that characterize much of the northern latitudes. Passive microwave brightness temperatures are sensitive to changes in the liquid water content of the snow pack and make it possible to detect incipient melt, diurnal melt‐refreeze cycles, and the approximate end of snow cover on the ground over large regions. Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR‐E) passive microwave brightness temperatures (T_b) and diurnal amplitude variations (DAV) are used to investigate the spatial variability of snowmelt onset timing (in two stages, ‘DAV onset’ and ‘melt onset’) and duration for a complex sub‐arctic landscape during 2005. The satellites are sensitive to small percentages of liquid water, and therefore represent ‘incipient melt’, a condition somewhat earlier than a traditional definition of a melting snowpack. Incipient melt dates and duration are compared to topography, land cover, and hydrology to investigate the strength and significance of melt timing in heterogeneous landscapes in the Pelly River, a major tributary to the Yukon River. Microwave‐derived melt onset in this region in 2005 occurred from late February to late April. Upland areas melt 1–2 weeks later than lowland areas and have shorter transition periods. Melt timing and duration appear to be influenced by pixel elevation, aspect, and uniformity as well as other factors such as weather and snow mass distribution. The end of the transition season is uniform across sensors and across the basin in spite of a wide variety of pixel characteristics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.