The effect of random recharge on uniform steady free-surface flow in heterogeneous porous formations

The effect of parametric uncertainty in recharge rate and spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity upon free-surface flow is investigated in a stochastic framework. We examine the three-dimensional free-surface gravitational flow problem for sloped mean uniform flow in a randomly heterogeneous porous medium under the influence of random recharge. We develop analytic solutions for the variance of free-surface position, head, and specific discharge on the free surface. Additionally, we obtain semi-analytic solutions for the statistical moments of head and specific discharge beneath the free-surface. Statistical moments are derived using a first-order approximation and then compared with their parallel in an unbounded medium. The effect of recharge mean and variability on the statistical moments is analyzed. Results can be applied to more complex flows, slowly varying in the mean.     

含油多孔介质二维弥散特性初步研究

为了研究含油多孔介质的二维水动力弥散特性,控制砂土中柴油和机油含油率为0、1%、2%,作为供试的含油多孔介质,采用自己设计的二维水动力弥散试验装置测定示踪剂(氯化钙)的穿透曲线,并定量确定了含油砂土的有效孔隙度、纵向弥散度、横向弥散度以及砂土中孔隙水的流速。试验结果表明,有效孔隙度随石油含量的增加而减小,而且含柴油砂土的有效孔隙度减小比含机油砂土更加显著;在纵向上,示踪剂浓度峰值的到达时间和峰值浓度的大小主要取决于孔隙水流速的大小,孔隙水流速越大,示踪剂达到浓度峰值的时间越短,且峰值浓度越大;含机油砂土的纵向弥散度小于清洁砂土,而含柴油砂土的纵向弥散度大于清洁砂土;不同含油率砂土的纵向弥散度变化范围为0.133～0.370cm,横向弥散度变化范围为9.83×10-3～4.64×10-2 cm,纵向弥散度均大于其横向弥散度。     

Formation and evolution of elliptical galaxies and QSO activity

We present the results of a numerical code that combines multi-zone chemical evolution with 1D hydrodynamics to follow in detail the evolution and radial behaviour of gas and stars during the formation of elliptical galaxies. We use the model to explore the links between the evolution and formation of elliptical galaxies and QSO activity. The knowledge of the radial gas flows in the galaxy allows us to trace metallicity gradients, and, in particular, the formation of a high-metallicity core in ellipticals. The high-metallicity core is formed soon enough to explain the metal abundances inferred in high-redshift quasars. The star formation rate and the subsequent feedback regulate the episodes of wind, outflow and cooling flow, thus affecting the recycling of the gas and the chemical enrichment of the intergalactic medium. The evolution of the galaxy shows several stages, some of which are characterized by a complex flow pattern, with inflow in some regions and outflow in other regions. All models, however, exhibit during their late evolution a galactic wind at the outer boundary and, during their early evolution, an inflow towards the galactic nucleus. The characteristics of the inner inflow could explain the bolometric luminosity of a quasar lodged at the galactic centre as well as the evolution of the optical luminosity of quasars.     

The brightest OH maser in the sky: A flare of emission in W75 N

A flare of maser radio emission in the 1665-MHz OH line with a flux density of about 1000 Jy was discovered in the star-forming region W75 N in 2003. At the time of its observations, it was the strongest OH maser in the entire history of research since the discovery of cosmic OH masers in 1965. The linear polarization of the flare emission reached 100%. A weaker flare with a flux density of 145 Jy was observed in this source in 2000–2001; this was probably a precursor of the intense flare. The intensity of two other spectral features decreased when the flare emerged. This change in the intensity of the emission from maser condensations (a brightening of some of them and a weakening of others) can be explained by the passage of a magnetohydrodynamic shock through regions of enhanced gas concentration.     

H I distribution in the region of the supernova remnant G78.2+2.1

Based on RATAN-600 21-cm line observations with an angular resolution of 2.4′ over a wide range of radial velocities, we analyze the neutral-hydrogen distribution in the region of the SNR G78.2+2.1. In addition to an H I shell at low radial velocities immediately surrounding the radio remnant, we detected an extended expanding H I shell, ≈3° in diameter, at a radial velocity of ?25 km s^?1, which closely coincides in coordinates and angular sizes with the outer X-ray shell discovered by Lozinskaya et al. (2000). The Hα emission studied by these authors in the SNR region also has a secondary peak at radial velocities from ?45 to ?20 km s^?1. Since the radial velocities of these two objects differ significantly, their distances can be assumed to differ as well; i.e., a chance projection of two distinct objects is observed.