Stable isotopic signatures of the modern land snail Eremina desertorum from a low-latitude (hot) dry desert—A study from the Petrified Forest,New Cairo,Egypt

This study was conducted on recent desert samples—including (1) soils, (2) plants, (3) the shell, and (4) organic matter from modern specimens of the land snail Eremina desertorum—which were collected at several altitudes (316–360 m above sea level) from a site in the New Cairo Petrified Forest. The soils and shell_{E. desertorum} were analyzed for carbonate composition and isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C). The plants and organic matter_{E. desertorum} were analyzed for organic carbon content and δ¹³C. The soil carbonate, consisting of calcite plus minor dolomite, has δ¹⁸O values from −3.19 to −1.78‰ and δ¹³C values −1.79 to −0.27‰; covariance between the two values accords with arid climatic conditions. The local plants include C3 and C4 types, with the latter being dominant. Each type has distinctive bulk organic carbon δ¹³C values: −26.51 to −25.36‰ for C3-type, and −13.74 to −12.43‰ for C4-type plants.The carbonate of the shell_{E. desertorum} is composed of aragonite plus minor calcite, with relatively homogenous isotopic compositions (δ¹⁸O_mean = −0.28 ± 0.22‰; δ¹³C_mean = −4.46 ± 0.58‰). Most of the δ¹⁸O values (based on a model for oxygen isotope fractionation in an aragonite-water system) are consistent with evaporated water signatures. The organic matter_{E. desertorum} varies only slightly in bulk organic carbon δ¹³C values (−21.78 ± 1.20‰) and these values suggest that the snail consumed more of C3-type than C4-type plants. The overall offset in δ¹³C values (−17.32‰) observed between shell_{E. desertorum} carbonate and organic matter_{E. desertorum} exceeds the value expected for vegetation input, and implies that 30% of carbon in the shell_{E. desertorum} carbonate comes from the consumption of limestone material.     

Networking,context and firm-level innovation: Cooperation through the regional filter in Norway

The paper assesses the role for innovation of one aspect which has been generally overlooked by evolutionary economic geography: context. It analyses how context shapes the impact of collaboration on firm-level innovation for 1604 firms located in the five largest city regions of Norway. Specifically, the analysis shows how the benefits to firms of collaborating within regional, national, and international innovation networks are affected by the knowledge endowments of the region within which the firm is located. Using a logit regression analysis, we find, first, that only national and international networking have a significant positive impact on the likelihood of innovation (the former only for process innovation), whereas the regional knowledge endowments have no direct effect. Second, regional cooperation is particularly effective in regions with high investments in R&D, whereas international cooperation is important in regions with an educated workforce – and regional and national collaboration may be ineffective in such cases. We conclude that, in the case of Norway, context is essential in determining the capacity of firms to set up networks and innovate. Regions with an educated workforce can use the resulting absorptive capacity to successfully assimilate knowledge being diffused through global pipelines from faraway places. However, this absorptive capacity is likely to be heavily filtered if regional firms mainly rely on internal connections within Norway.     

Evaluation of the relative roles of global versus local sedimentary controls on Middle to Late Pleistocene formation of continental margin strata,Canterbury Basin,New Zealand

Determining the relative influence of eustasy versus local sedimentary processes on strata formation is a fundamental challenge in the study of continental margin stratigraphy. In this paper, the relative contribution of these factors on continental margin evolution during the Middle to Late Pleistocene is evaluated using samples from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 317. Core‐logging, biostratigraphy and quantitative X‐ray diffraction mineralogy are used to delineate continental shelf sedimentary systems. Major lithological unconformities bound stratigraphic sequences that contain recurring compositional patterns and that resemble other examples of Middle to Upper Pleistocene sequences. However, a preliminary chronology suggests that sequence boundary formation cannot be linked ‘one to one’ with eustatic cycles and therefore these sequences can contain multiple ca 100 ka eustatic cycles. Smaller amplitude, higher frequency transitions in sediment composition are interpreted as stratigraphic sequences driven by more rapid perturbations in the interplay of accommodation and sediment supply; their stratigraphy is variable in time and across the shelf, suggesting a strong influence of local sedimentary forcing in their formation. Changes in sediment composition after the Middle Pleistocene Transition indicate that sediment transfer from onshore sources in the glaciated Southern Alps to the middle‐shelf occurred over a single 100 ka glacio‐eustatic cycle, with an additional 100 ka lag before the mineralogical signal was preserved on the outer‐shelf. This phenomenon is coincident with rapid shelf progradation in this basin, suggesting a causal relation between across‐shelf sediment transport and margin progradation. This is one of very few studies that provide insights at the core scale into the processes driving continental margin evolution during the Middle to Late Pleistocene. This work shows that compositional changes in mud‐dominated successions can lead to a sequence stratigraphic interpretation and the identification of high‐frequency sequences, which may not be possible using a conventional stratigraphic approach.     

Structural style in a young flexure-induced oblique extensional system,north-western Bonaparte Basin,Australia

In the north-western Bonaparte Basin (North West Shelf of Australia) Neogene to Recent flexure-induced extension superimposed obliquely over the Mesozoic rift structures. Thus, the area offers a good opportunity to investigate the dynamics and architecture of oblique extension fault systems. Analysis of basin-scale 2D and 3D seismic data along the Vulcan sub-basin shows that Neogene deformation produced a new set of extensional, en échelon faults, at places accompanied by the reactivation of the Mesozoic faults. The pre-existing Mesozoic structures strongly control the distribution of the Neogene-Recent deformation, both at regional and local scales. Main controls on the Neogene-Recent fault style, density and segmentation/linkage include: (1) the orientation of the underlying Mesozoic structures, (2) the obliqueness of the younger extension relative to the rift-inherited faults, and (3) the proximity to the Timor Trough. Three types of vertical relationships have been observed between Mesozoic and Neogene-Recent faults. Hard linkages seems to develop when both fault systems trend parallel, therefore increasing risks for trap integrity. It is suggested that the orientation of maximum horizontal stress (S_Hmax) relative to the Mesozoic faults, forming hydrocarbon traps, is critical for their potential seal/leak behaviour. Stratigraphic growth across the faults indicates that main fault activity occurred during the Plio-Pleistocene, which corresponds to the timing of tectonic loading on Timor Island and the development of lithospheric flexure. Synchronism of normal faulting with flexural bending suggests that extensional deformation on the descending Australian margin accompanied the formation of the Timor Trough.     

3XMM J185246.6+003317 as transient neutron star

We performed an X‐ray timing and spectral analysis of the variable source 3XMM J185246.6+003317 to investigate its physical nature. The data from all observations of 3XMMJ185246.6+003317 conducted by XMM‐Newton EPIC MOS1 and MOS2 with the same instrumental setup in 2004–2009 were reprocessed to form a homogenous data set of solar barycenter corrected photon arrival times and high S/N spectra of 3XMM J185246.6+003317. A Bayesian method for the search, detection, and estimation of the parameters of a periodic signal of unknown shape was employed, as developed by Gregory & Loredo (1992, 1993). The results show that 3XMM J185246.6+003317 is a transient neutron star with the genuine spin‐period of 23.11722 (23.11711–23.11727) s and its derivative of 5.3(0.3–5.5)×10^–11 s s^–1, implying a characteristic age of 7 (6–104) kyr, if the period derivative can be ascribed to the genuine spin‐down rate of the neutron star. The rotational‐phase averaged X‐ray spectra at the different brightness periods can be fitted with a highly absorbed blackbody model with different temperatures. The phase‐folded light curves in different energy bands with high S/N ratio show a double‐peaked profile; the variations depend on time and energy, indicating that radiation emerges from at least two emitting areas. The spectra at the phases corresponding to the maxima in the phase‐folded light curve show different spectral parameters of absorbed blackbody radiation, i.e. the hotter one has a smaller size. The source is detected only from September 2008 to April 2009 with persistently decreasing brightness, but not before, even though it was observed by XMM. Hence, it is a transient neutron star or a binary system hosting it. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

SVOM数据档案库软件原型系统的设计与实现

作为中法天文卫星(Space multi-band Variable Object Monitor,SVOM)中方科学中心的重要组成部分,中法天文卫星数据档案库承担了中方科学数据产品本地存储和管理的任务,提供统一的数据产品管理平台,实现中法天文卫星科学数据产品的归档、检索、检出、维护与管理等功能。作为中法天文卫星科学中心预研的一部分,对中法天文卫星数据档案库原型系统进行了需求分析、系统设计,实现能够运行的原型系统,以演示中法天文卫星数据档案库的基本功能和工作流程,验证设计方案的可行性。档案库原型系统具有开放性和低耦合的特点,能够适应中法天文卫星中方数据产品结构的不断变化,在项目早期即可投入试用并不断完善,满足中法天文卫星的任务需求。     

“Pilot chimney” on the waterloo campus

A brief survey is given of the sources, the methods of injection into the atmosphere, and the mechanisms of deposition into bodies of water for various atmospheric pollutants which contribute significantly to the pollution of large bodies of water. Specific examples of the relative importance of atmospheric sources are included where data are available. Programs of the Canadian Atmospheric Environment Service in this field of research are outlined.     

红外高光谱资料近地面通道应用

由于下垫面的复杂性,卫星近地面通道的辐射率资料没有得到充分开发和利用。就我国自主研发的GRAPES 3DVar而言,红外高光谱近地面通道资料还没有应用于陆地,即使在下垫面相对简单的海洋,由于背景场海表温度估计不够准确,红外高光谱资料的使用效果也不甚理想。针对GRAPES模式的背景场海表温度估计不够准确这一问题,本文利用大气红外探测仪器AIRS(The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder)辐射率观测资料通过一维变分（1DVar）方法对其晴空视场点内的背景场海表温度进行调整,再运用GRAPES全球分析预报系统进行同化分析,研究了海表温度调整后对分析场的影响。结果表明,利用一维变分调整后的海表温度不仅使得低层通道的模拟亮温与观测亮温更加匹配,而且有效地改进了分析场,对位势高度场高、中、低层均有不错的改进,对低层湿度场以及风场的改进也较为明显。     

对流云盐粉催化的数值模拟研究

利用三维对流云盐粉催化模式对一次对流云降水进行了盐粉催化模拟试验。模式中考虑了盐粉与云雨滴和冰相粒子间的相互作用。模拟结果显示,当采用20μm粒径的盐粉进行单次催化时,催化效果较好,地面总雨量可增加20%,催化次数的增多会导致降水的减少。霰融化成雨是雨滴增长的主要机制,霰碰并过冷云水是霰增长的主要机制,催化后霰融化成雨和霰碰并过冷云水的速率均有提高。催化会引起水成物云滴、冰晶、霰和雨滴的比质量变化。霰和云滴的粒径也在催化后出现了明显的增大。催化后短时间内动力过程出现了变化。