The electrification of dust-lofting gust fronts (‘haboobs’) in the Sahel

Two Doppler radars and a suite of auxiliary surface observations are used to document the electrical, aerosol and aerodynamic properties of dust-lofting gust fronts near Niamey, Niger during the AMMA (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis). Electrification with dominant negative polarity is a common behavior, consistent with earlier studies on dust devils and the Harmattan wind in dry environments.     

不同投喂率对细鳞鲑(Brachymystax lenok)幼鱼生长及体成分的影响

选取同一种进口鳟鱼标准饲料,设1.0%、2.0%、3.0%、4.0%和5.0%共5个投喂率水平,在溶解氧为8.0—8.5mg/L、水温为(16±0.5)℃的流水条件下,对初始体重为5.32—6.43g的细鳞鲑幼鱼进行为期35d的生长实验。结果表明,随着投喂率的增加,相对增重率(WGR)和特定生长率(SGR)先升高后降低,4.0%处理组的这两项指标显著高于其它各处理组(P<0.05),分别为289.82和3.89;饲料转化率(FCE)则呈现逐渐降低趋势,2.0%组的FCE最低,5.0%组最高。随着投饲率的增加,细鳞鲑幼鱼鱼体水分含量呈下降趋势;灰分含量无规律性变化;粗蛋白含量保持在相近水平(除1.0%处理组);粗脂肪含量无规律性变化,但3.0%组显著高于其它各处理组,4.0%组鱼体粗脂肪含量最低。综合衡量WGR、SGR和FCE等指标,认为细鳞鲑幼鱼(5—25g体重)在密度为300尾/m3、水温为(16±0.5)℃流水条件下,最适宜的投饲率为3.0%—4.0%。     

通过碎屑低温年龄恢复西南天山古高度

目前使用低温年代学来恢复造山带古地形,主要是采用在造山带内部采样来做原地高度的恢复。本文提出用碎屑颗粒低温年代学来恢复造山带平均古高度变化率的方法,即通过山间盆地或山前堆积碎屑物大量的单颗粒年龄,获取蚀源区大面积的、区域性的平均剥露速率,进而通过均衡校正计算出蚀源区的平均古高度变化率,为造山带古地形恢复提供了新的途径。本文以西南天山为例进行尝试,通过已发表的339个碎屑颗粒裂变径迹年龄,获得西南天山的68 Ma(年龄峰期)的剥露速率为0.740.60km/Ma,平均古高度变化率为0.150.23km/Ma、0.120.19km/Ma(降低率)。显示西南天山在68 Ma以来发生了比较快速的剥露,如果不考虑构造抬升等因素,平均古高度也发生了比较快速的降低,如果按8 Ma以来计算,则正好降低了1 0001 500m。     

Polarimetry Of Comet Hale-Bopp: Linear And Circular Polarization, Stellar Occultation

Comet Hale-Bopp was observed with the 2.6-m and 1.25-m telescopes of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory on March 9 and 11, 1997. We determined the linear and circular polarization in the coma. For the dust coma, the linear polarization varied from 7.8% to 12.4%. The degree of circular polarization was always negative and did not exceed 0.3% with an accuracy of ±0.04% on average. The passage of a bright star through the cometary coma was monitored with polarimetry and photometry. The wavelength dependence and spatial variations of optical thickness of dust are obtained from the stellar occultation. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

天气雷达接收功率标定的检验方法探讨

通过把测试信号输入功率换算到雷达天线喷口处接收功率的计算，由雷达气象方程可计算出其雷达反射率z值，和经雷达接收功率定标后，此测试输入功率在雷达正常观测模式显示的雷达反射率z值相比较，以检验天气雷达接收功率标定的误差是否满足技术要求。     

用Monte Carlo方法模拟砂土的自然堆积过程

用MonteCarlo随机模拟方法模拟砂土颗粒在重力作用下,在圆柱与长方体容器中的自然堆积过程。首先用参考网格法生成一个砂土颗粒的松散结构,松散结构中粒子与粒子、粒子与边界间不存在任何接触;然后启动MonteCarlo随机模拟算法,即给处于松散结构中的每个粒子施加随机位移,得到新构形,如果新构形中粒子间或粒子与边界间发生重叠,则放弃这个构形;如果没有重叠存在,则判别粒子体系的势能变化,运用Metropolis准则来判别这个构形是否被接受,重复这个过程可以得到砂土的密集堆积结构。采用Schinner建议的接触发现算法判别粒子间是否存在重叠,同时详细介绍了粒子与边界间的接触发现算法。模拟结果表明,用MonteCarlo方法模拟砂土的自然堆积结构是非常有效的,可以为砂土的流动、压实等的数值模拟工作提供初始构形。     

Productivity, management and development problems in the arid rangelands of the central Mendoza plains (Argentina)

The central Mendoza plains (56,000 km²), located in the eastern foothills of the Andes, belong to the vast phytogeographic province of ‘Monte’ (c.500,000 km²) in Argentina. This area is a typical warm arid zone and vegetation is typically a shrubland. Perennial grasses are predominantly C₄species. Land-use is for livestock grazing; the average stocking rate is 28 ha per large stock unit (LSU), year-long. Ecological and range research have been actively pursued in the region by IADIZA over the past 25 years. Two experiment stations were established 25 and 10 years ago, respectively: The Ñacuñán Biosphere Reserve and the El Divisadero Cattle and Range Station. Primary production and its relationship to climatic and edaphic parameters were analysed and compared in the two stations. Rain-use efficiency (RUE, kg DM ha⁻¹year⁻¹mm⁻¹) and useful rains efficiency (URE, P −0·1 PETp) were similar in both cases (RUE = 1·7 and 2·0; URE = 3·0 and 2·9, respectively), when herbs are concerned. However, the variability of annual production was much higher on the silty soils of Ñacuñán than on the coarse sands of El Divisadero; PRVR (Production to Rain Variability Ratio) was 2·5 and 0·53, respectively. Utilization of such experimental figures allows for the prediction of primary production and carrying capacity for a given year, based on rainfall probabilities and, therefore, to determine stocking rates in a rational manner. Basing stocking rates on annual dependable rains (f 0·8) and on useful rains probability (P − 0·1 PETp) proved to be a sound and realistic assessment, validated by long-term experiments and experience. The results of the studies on brush control, cattle diet composition, animal productivity and feed value of forage species were analysed. Current and future research programmes in IADIZA for the Mendoza plains are mentioned. Although research on resource inventory and basic ecological processes in the Mendoza plains should carry on, the emphasis and therefore the resources should henceforth be devoted to the consequences of resource management alternatives on overall arid land productivity, i.e. research for development. A better integration of applied ecology for management and investigations on basic arid land ecological processes should appear in IADIZA programmes.     

Chemical textures on quartz grains: An experimental approach using salts

Two groups of fresh crushed Brazilian quartz grains (0.4–0.6 mm) were placed in 10 ml of various saturated salt solutions (sodium sulphate, sodium chloride, magnesium sulphate, sodium carbonate, and sodium carbonate and soil). One group was placed in an environmental cabinet programmed to simulate summer diurnal temperature and relative humidity values recorded in Wheeler Valley, a dry valley in southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. The other group was allowed to remain at normal laboratory conditions. Quartz grains from both groups were removed at pre-selected intervals for examination using the scanning electron microscope. After 50 hours chemical surface textures were formed on the quartz grains in all but the sodium sulphate solution. At the 140 hour interval all the salt solutions used were producing chemical surface textures on the quartz grains. This paper demonstrates that chemical surface textures can be produced on quartz grain surfaces by saturated salt solutions in a short period of time and may prove to be representative of chemical surface textures produced in a saturated saline environment.     

Variable190Os/184Os ratio in acid residues of iron meteorites

In residual materials obtained on dissolution of iron meteorites in 2M H₂SO₄, the ratio of¹⁹⁰Os/¹⁸⁴Os has been measured by radiochemical neutron activation analysis. Most residues have a normal isotopic ratio (to within ±2%). However, in some residues both positive and negative deviations in the isotopic ratio are seen. The most spectacular deviations are in the insoluble fragments (nuggets) from Sikhote Alin iron meteorite where the¹⁹⁰Os/¹⁸⁴Os ratio is about 50% of the normal value. The new results confirm our earlier observations that iron meteorites contain pre-solar grains.     

Simulation on sand grain/bed collision mechanism: Cascade collision and ejection (1)

Ejection of sand grains from a sand surface is assumed to result from cascade collision caused by the impact of a saltating particle. Allowing for only two-body cascade collision and introducing new quantities such as the cross-section for sand grain–grain collisions and sand surface binding energy, the theoretical model for the cascade collision of ion particles is applied to simulate sand grain/bed collision processes. The results of simulations indicate that the collision cascade events caused by impacting particles can eventually lead to the ejection of grains taking place from the sand surface. The number of ejected grains at any surface point is found to be proportional to the fractional energy deposited at that point and inversely proportional to the sand surface binding energy. This cascade collision model also confirms that the peak in the spatial distribution of ejected grains does not appear at the impact point but is located downwind, and that the speed distribution of ejected grains at a fixed angle exhibits a peak having a value directly related to the ratio of surface binding energy to the mass of the ejected grain. The angular distribution at a certain ejection speed also exhibits a maximum at an ejection angle near 90°. The model also offers a new interpretation for the observed variability in the number of ejected grains under constant impact velocity; this variability is directly related to the wide distribution of the energy deposition in the surface layer of the sand bed.