Properties of iron alloys under the Earth's core conditions

The Earth's core is constituted of iron and nickel alloyed with lighter elements. In view of their affinity with the metallic phase, their relative high abundance in the solar system and their moderate volatility, a list of potential light elements have been established, including sulfur, silicon and oxygen. We will review the effects of these elements on different aspects of Fe–X high pressure phase diagrams under Earth's core conditions, such as melting temperature depression, solid–liquid partitioning during crystallization, and crystalline structure of the solid phases. Once extrapolated to the inner–outer core boundary, these petrological properties can be used to constrain the Earth's core properties.     

YZX130型液动锤研究及其在WFSD-4孔中的应用

对YZX130型液动锤的结构和工作原理进行了介绍,通过室内调试和测试总结出其主要特点。在WFSD-4孔中的应用证实,YZX130型液动锤可大幅度提高机械效率和回次进尺,尤其在坚硬破碎地层效果更佳,而在塑性较高的软弱松散地层效果则相对较差。     

太行山东麓构造岩浆带在豫北安林地区的活动特点及控矿特征

安林地区的构造活动,对剖析太行山东麓构造岩浆带成生、演化具有一定的代表性。本区自燕山运动开始就受到了变质核杂岩和伸展拆离构造控制,区内主要构造有NNE向和NW向两组,其中NNE向构造在区内等间距形成了五条规模大的深断裂,均具高角度正断层性质。NW向构造形成了天喜镇-磊口北西向构造岩浆岩带,包括了塔山穹窿式背斜和白玉村-宝山墙状岩体,两组构造均对燕山晚期中-碱性岩浆上侵和安林式矽卡岩型铁矿的形成具重要控制作用。     

非对称四极无力场的磁能释放

本文采用二维三分量耗散ＭＨＤ模型，对带高电流层的局地非对称的四极无力场的磁能释放过程进行数值模拟，结果表明，磁能释放过程大体可以分为两个阶段：高电流层引起的异常电阻耗散使该层等离子体加热至３×１０６Ｋ的高温，形成一高温环；在高电流层耗散的触发下，磁分隔面的电流急剧增长并爆发异常电阻耗散和磁场重联，导致耀斑发生，主要的能量释放发生在磁分隔线和高剪切无力场中的磁分隔面上，等离子体温度可以达到１．９×１０７Ｋ。上述无力场的触发释能过程可能是太阳耀斑的一种重要的释能机制。     

Three‐dimensional finite element analysis of the interaction between tunneling and pile foundations

This paper concerns analysis of the impact of construction of urban tunnels on adjacent pile foundations. It is carried out using an elastoplastic three‐dimensional finite element modelling. Numerical simulations are performed in two stages, which concern, respectively, the application of the pile axial loading and the construction of the tunnel in presence of the pile foundations. Analysis is carried out for both single piles and groups of piles. Results of numerical simulations show that tunneling induces significant internal forces in adjacent piles. The distribution of internal forces depends mainly on the position of the pile tip regarding the tunnel horizontal axis and the distance of the pile axis from the centre of the tunnel. Analysis of the interaction between tunneling and a group of piles reveals a positive group effect with a high reduction of the internal forces in rear piles. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution of free electrons in the galactic plane

A method is proposed for constructing a map of the electron density distribution in the galactic plane. Data on the dispersion measures DM of more than 1500 pulsars and their distances, found by an independent method, are used. The independent distances of the pulsars are estimated using an empirical relation of the form L=γP ^α Ṗ ^β W ^δ between the radio luminosity L of the pulsars and their periods P, the rate of change Ṗ. of their periods, and the half width W of their pulses. A map of the electron density distribution in the galactic plane within a ±400 pc layer is provided. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 277–287 (May 2006).     

Estimation of net accumulation rate at a Patagonian glacier by ice core analyses using snow algae

Snow algae in a 45.97-m-long ice core from the Tyndall Glacier (50°59′05″S, 73°31′12″W, 1756 m a.s.l.) in the Southern Patagonian Icefield were examined for potential use in ice core dating and estimation of the net accumulation rate. The core was subjected to visual stratigraphic observation and bulk density measurements in the field, and later to analyses of snow algal biomass, water isotopes (¹⁸O, D), and major dissolved ions. The ice core contained many algal cells that belonged to two species of snow algae growing in the snow near the surface: Chloromonas sp. and an unknown green algal species. Algal biomass and major dissolved ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻) exhibited rapid decreases in the upper 3 m, probably owing to melt water elution and/or decomposition of algal cells. However, seasonal cycles were still found for the snow algal biomass, ¹⁸O, D-excess, and major ions, although the amplitudes of the cycles decreased with depth. Supposing that the layers with almost no snow algae were the winter layers without the melt water essential to algal growth, we estimated that the net accumulation rate at this location was 12.9 m a^− 1 from winter 1998 to winter 1999, and 5.1 m from the beginning of winter to December 1999. These estimates are similar to the values estimated from the peaks of ¹⁸O (17.8 m a^− 1 from summer 1998 to summer 1999 and 11.0 m from summer to December 1999) and those of D-excess (14.7 m a^− 1 from fall 1998 to fall 1999 and 8.6 m a^− 1 from fall to December 1999). These values are much higher than those obtained by past ice core studies in Patagonia, but are of the same order of magnitude as those predicted from various observations at ablation areas of Patagonian glaciers.     

Towards a climate event stratigraphy for New Zealand over the past 30 000 years (NZ‐INTIMATE project)

It is widely recognised that the acquisition of high‐resolution palaeoclimate records from southern mid‐latitude sites is essential for establishing a coherent picture of inter‐hemispheric climate change and for better understanding of the role of Antarctic climate dynamics in the global climate system. New Zealand is considered to be a sensitive monitor of climate change because it is one of a few sizeable landmasses in the Southern Hemisphere westerly circulation zone, a critical transition zone between subtropical and Antarctic influences. New Zealand has mountainous axial ranges that amplify the climate signals and, consequently, the environmental gradients are highly sensitive to subtle changes in atmospheric and oceanic conditions. Since 1995, INTIMATE has, through a series of international workshops, sought ways to improve procedures for establishing the precise ages of climate events, and to correlate them with high precision, for the last 30 000 calendar years. The NZ‐INTIMATE project commenced in late 2003, and has involved virtually the entire New Zealand palaeoclimate community. Its aim is to develop an event stratigraphy for the New Zealand region over the past 30 000 years, and to reconcile these events against the established climatostratigraphy of the last glacial cycle which has largely been developed from Northern Hemisphere records (e.g. Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Termination I, Younger Dryas). An initial outcome of NZ‐INTIMATE has been the identification of a series of well‐dated, high‐resolution onshore and offshore proxy records from a variety of latitudes and elevations on a common calendar timescale from 30 000 cal. yr BP to the present day. High‐resolution records for the last glacial coldest period (LGCP) (including the LGM sensu stricto) and last glacial–interglacial transition (LGIT) from Auckland maars, Kaipo and Otamangakau wetlands on eastern and central North Island, marine core MD97‐2121 east of southern North Island, speleothems on northwest South Island, Okarito wetland on southwestern South Island, are presented. Discontinuous (fragmentary) records comprising compilations of glacial sequences, fluvial sequences, loess accumulation, and aeolian quartz accumulation in an andesitic terrain are described. Comparisons with ice‐core records from Antarctica (EPICA Dome C) and Greenland (GISP2) are discussed. A major advantage immediately evident from these records apart from the speleothem record, is that they are linked precisely by one or more tephra layers. Based on these New Zealand terrestrial and marine records, a reasonably coherent, regionally applicable, sequence of climatically linked stratigraphic events over the past 30 000 cal. yr is emerging. Three major climate events are recognised: (1) LGCP beginning at ca. 28 000 cal. yr BP, ending at Termination I, ca. 18 000 cal. yr BP, and including a warmer and more variable phase between ca. 27 000 and 21 000 cal. yr BP, (2) LGIT between ca. 18 000 and 11 600 cal. yr BP, including a Lateglacial warm period from ca. 14 800 to 13 500 cal. yr BP and a Lateglacial climate reversal between ca. 13 500 and 11 600 cal. yr BP, and (3) Holocene interglacial conditions, with two phases of greatest warmth between ca. 11 600 and 10 800 cal. yr BP and from ca. 6 800 to 6 500 cal. yr BP. Some key boundaries coincide with volcanic tephras. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical Modeling of Natural Fracture Distributions in Shale

The production efficiency of shale gas is affected by the interaction between hydraulic and natural fractures. This study presents a simulation of natural fractures in shale reservoirs, based on a discrete fracture network (DFN) method for hydraulic fracturing engineering. Fracture properties of the model are calculated from core fracture data, according to statistical mathematical analysis. The calculation results make full use of the quantitative information of core fracture orientation, density, opening and length, which constitute the direct and extensive data of mining engineering. The reliability and applicability of the model are analyzed with regard to model size and density, a calculation method for dominant size and density being proposed. Then, finite element analysis is applied to a hydraulic fracturing numerical simulation of a shale fractured reservoir in southeastern Chongqing. The hydraulic pressure distribution, fracture propagation, acoustic emission information and in situ stress changes during fracturing are analyzed. The results show the application of fracture statistics in fracture modeling and the influence of fracture distribution on hydraulic fracturing engineering. The present analysis may provide a reference for shale gas exploitation.     

天然气水合物样品带压转移装置的抓捕机构设计

在天然气水合物岩心样品的带压转移过程中,岩心衬管抓捕装置是实现样品转移的关键。岩心抓取是在岩心管内进行,属于非可视化操作过程,同时岩心样品和抓捕器都处于高压液体中,岩心衬管与岩心管之间的间隙非常小,要保证岩心样品的原位状态,对岩心抓捕装置的结构设计、精准定位、快速抓取和释放都有很高的要求。根据该装置所需实现的抓取、拖动、定位和释放功能,设计挂盘自锁和触碰解锁机构,探针抓取衬管,经过室内抓捕实验,该机构可以顺利抓捕和解卡,其结构简单,能在压力状态下进行岩心转移,加快了天然气水合物样品的带压转移装置的研究进展。