Gas cooling by dust during dynamical fragmentation

We suggest that the abrupt switch, from hierarchical clustering on scales ≳ 0.04 pc, to binary (and occasionally higher multiple) systems on smaller scales, which Larson has deduced from his analysis of the grouping of pre-main-sequence stars in Taurus, arises because pre-protostellar gas becomes thermally coupled to dust at sufficiently high densities. The resulting change — from gas cooling by molecular lines at low densities to gas cooling by dust at high densities — enables the matter to radiate much more efficiently, and hence to undergo dynamical fragmentation. We derive the domain in which gas cooling by dust facilitates dynamical fragmentation. Low-mass (∼ M⊙) clumps — those supported mainly by thermal pressure — can probably access this domain spontaneously, albeit rather quasi-statically, provided that they exist in a region in which external perturbations are few and far between. More massive clumps probably require an impulsive external perturbation, for instance a supersonic collision with another clump, in order for the gas to reach sufficiently high density to couple thermally to the dust. Impulsive external perturbations should promote fragmentation, by generating highly non-linear substructures which can then be amplified by gravity during the subsequent collapse.     

柴达木盆地东部尕海短钻岩芯记录的过去近400 a区域环境变化

干旱区湖泊沉积可以有效记录区域湿度变化及粉尘活动历史,位于柴达木盆地德令哈南部的咸水封闭湖泊尕海具有恢复区域环境变化的潜力.该地区的长序列环境演变研究已开展了较多的工作,但缺乏短尺度、高分辨率的近代以来的环境变化湖泊记录.通过对尕海深水区短钻岩芯放射性核素210Pb和137Cs的年代测定和沉积物各指标分析,认为尕海沉积物碳酸盐含量可以反映区域湿度变化;而粗颗粒组分(66.9μm)主要由风力搬运入湖,其含量可以指示区域粉尘活动历史.区域近400 a的环境变化可划分为3个阶段:1633 1750 AD:各指标出现大幅度波动,表现出该时期气候环境的不稳定和干湿交替,其中1650 1720 AD的变化波动尤为显著,这与太阳活动进入Maunder极小期存在一定的联系.1750 1950 AD:区域气候环境无明显波动,碳酸盐含量逐渐降低,湿度增加.1950 2010 AD:各指标变动剧烈,区域虽降水增多,但由于蒸发加强,湿度降低;1974 AD以后粗颗粒组分含量急剧上升,表现出高强度尘暴事件.     

激波在磁盔－电流片位场中的传播：（Ⅰ）激波与磁盔间的相互作用

利用新近获得的子午面磁盔－电流片背景太阳风稳态解,对激波从盔底沿电流片方向往外传播时与磁盔间的相互作用进行了数值模拟研究,重要新结果是：１．磁盔的存在使受扰介质速度跃变中央出现下凹,随着激波传出磁盔区并沿电流片方向传播,速度下凹逐渐减弱以致消失;２．激波将磁盔拉长并把盔顶的环形（垂直赤道面）磁场带到行星际空间,成为行星际磁场南向分量的来源之一;３．５个太阳半径（Ｒ⊙）内的磁盔部分将出现精细结构,沿盔外边界形成两条高速带,以及马蹄形密度（亮）环形结构等．这些结果表明,太阳附近高速等离子体与磁盔间存在重要的动力学相互作用过程,对行星际空间的太阳风三维结构有重要影响．     

1998年“4.18”强沙尘暴分析及数值模拟

对1998年4月18－19日发生在新疆、甘肃、宁夏、内蒙古等地的一次强沙尘暴天气过程从天气事实、天气学成因等方面进行了分析和诊断，然后利用非静力MM5模式对这次沙尘暴天气进行了数值模拟。结果表明，西西伯利亚强冷空气迅速东移，在新疆西部上空形成强锋区，对应的地面冷锋东移至前期增暖显著的新疆、内蒙古、甘肃、宁夏等地形成了本次大风、强沙尘暴天气。用非静力MM5模式较好地模拟出了此次强沙尘暴天气过程的地面强风系统、高空锋区的发生发展。     

IMP 8 magnetosheath field comparisons with models

This study presents cross-sectional vector maps of the magnetic field derived from IMP 8 magnetometer in the magnetosheath at 30 R_e behind the Earth. In addition the vector patterns of the magnetosheath field for northward, southward, and east-west interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) directions are qualitatively compared with those obtained from the Spreiter-Stahara gas dynamic (GD) and Fedder-Lyon magnetohydrodynamic models (MHD). The main purpose is to display the cross-sectional differences in relation to the dayside merging with different IMF directions, allowing the reader to make direct visual comparisons of the vector patterns. It is seen that for east-west IMF directions, the data-based and MHD-based patterns differ noticeably in a similar way from the GD model, presumably reflecting the influence of dayside magnetic merging of the Earths magnetic field with the y-component of the interplanetary magnetic field. All three northward IMF cross sections show comparable field draping patterns as expected for a closed magnetosphere. For southward IMF case, on the other hand, differences between the three cross-sectional patterns are greater as seen in the field vector sizes and directions, especially closer to the magnetopause where more disturbed magneto-spheric conditions are known to be exist. The data comparisons with the MHD and GD models show that the differences result from the magnetic field-flow coupling and that the effects of dayside reconnection are present in IMP 8 magnetic field measurements.     

Variations in dust event frequency over the past century reflected by ice-core and lacustrine records in north China

In this paper, we analyzed the variations of dust proxies in the Dunde, Malan and Chongce ice cores from the northern Tibetan Plateau and the Hongjiannao lacustrine sediment core from north Shaanxi Province, and found that they all showed a general decrease trend over the past century. Owing to the fact that all these ice cores and lacustrine core were retrieved from the margins and/or the leeward sides of the major areas of dust events in north China, their records could suggest that the dust event frequency in north China declined over the study period. This decrease trend might be attributed to increasing precipitation and weakening westerly. However, human activities have made the areal extent of desertification expand acceleratingly in north China. This status could make it possible that dust events would occur on a large spatial scale under the future climate change, which would be a big environmental issue we shall face.     

MODIS沙尘暴判识方法与业务系统

为了利用MODIS资料对沙尘暴的范围和强度进行定量判识,应用2002--2004年多次MODIS资料,通过对沙尘暴、云、雪和沙漠光谱特征的分析,构建了定量判识沙尘暴范围和强度的两个沙尘指数.利用2002-2007年数次沙尘暴过程对沙尘指数的判别效果进行检验,表明构建的两个M()DIS沙尘指数能够有效地监测沙尘暴的范围和强度,且方法简单,适用于业务应用.针对目前西北沙尘暴遥感监测业务服务以定性图像为主,服务产品较为单一的问题,对MODIS沙尘暴判识方法进行业务化,并结合GIS进行沙尘暴影响范围的分析,开发研制了自动运行的MODIS沙尘暴监测和影响评估业务系统.系统具生成沙尘暴MODIS影像图、沙尘暴范围和强度遥感监测图、沙尘暴影响土地类型图、全国各省(直辖市)沙尘面积统计表、全国不同土地类型沙尘暴影响面积统计表、甘肃省各县沙尘暴的影响面积统计表和甘肃省不同土地类型沙尘影响面积统计表等功能,为沙尘暴定量和精细服务提供了丰富的产品.     

利用热红外温差识别沙尘

沙尘识别是沙尘灾害监测和沙尘气溶胶特性研究的首要工作。利用辐射传输方程进行了沙尘气溶胶的辐射计算 ,对不同沙尘气溶胶光学厚度下的热红外通道温差ΔT(T11μm-T12 μm)的变化进行了分析。理论分析表明 ,利用热红外通道的温度差ΔT进行陆地沙尘识别是可行的。并利用NOAA AVHRR热红外通道的温度差ΔT进行了陆地沙尘识别的实验 ,经与地面气象站实测的沙尘天气现象相比较 ,结果一致。     

长江下游地区下蜀黄土堆积与成壤环境演变——以南京江北地区一典型剖面为例

通过对南京江北地区一个典型剖面（TZC剖面）进行野外调查、室内磁化率、粒度等替代性指标分析和光释光断代研究,探讨了该地区第一层古土壤形成时的粉尘堆积与成壤环境演变特点。结果表明:第一层古土壤（400⁵0cm）形成于全新世最适宜期（8500³100aBP）,是在末次冰期下蜀黄土堆积成壤基础上的再发育,与下伏黄土之间存在发生学联系。根据沉积年代和沉积厚度对沉积速率估算,该地区末次冰期沉积速率约为11.17cm/ka,而且可以推测古土壤顶部经历过强烈的水土侵蚀作用,侵蚀的厚度为98.67cm,侵蚀下来的黄土在地势低洼的地方形成次生黄土,这表明了次生黄土同为风尘成因,只是经过后期雨水的侵蚀、搬运和再堆积而已。全新世晚期3100年以来,季风转变,沙尘暴加剧,土壤退化,在南京江北地区堆积成厚约50cm左右的现代黄土层或表土层。     

UV Photopolarimetric Imaging of C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) with the Wide Field Imaging Survey Polarimeter (WISP)

We report on the reduction and analysis of UVpolarimetric images of CI (λ1657 Å) and dust continuum (2696 Å emissions from C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) taken using the Wide Field Imaging Survey Polarimeter (WISP) sounding rocket on 8 April, 1997. These observations represent the first imaging polarimetry of comets in the UV, and were performed in consort with ground based measurements of gas and dust polarization and distribution. The continuum results show 9% polarization across the image field with a polarization phase angle close to the 129° prediction. Comparison with ground based data implies minimal color dependence for Hale-Bopp in either the degree of polarization and in the position angle. The carbon polarimetry implies that most production occurs in the dense inner coma, and that it leaves that area in thermodynamic equilibrium. Its radial profile further constrains the carbon outflow speed to be sufficient to travel ≥5 × 10⁶ km without photoionization.