Density gradients in Galactic ultra-compact H ii regions

We have used recent radiative transfer solutions for cavity-centred shells to investigate the prevalence of density gradients in Galactic ultra-compact H  ii regions. We find that an analysis of 5 and 1.4 GHz data, taken from the recent compilation of Giveon et al., implies that ∼76 per cent of sources may have appreciable density gradients. It would also seem that the central cavities of these sources must be relatively small, with radii no greater than ∼20 per cent of those of the outer shells. The remainder of these sources are presumably homogenous, have much larger cavities, or possess reverse density gradients (densities which increase with increasing radius). A good fraction of the H  ii regions also appear to have high brightness temperatures, implying mean electron temperatures  〈 T _e〉  of the order of  ≈1.3 × 10⁴ K  . This value is higher than has been determined for other such sources.     

An observational constraint on the existence of proto-superclusters at z =3.3

Observations have been conducted using the Ooty Radio Telescope in order to place constraints on the evolutionary scenario leading to the formation of the present day superclusters. The experiment attempted to detect 21 cm emission from massive neutral hydrogen condensates at a redshift ofz = 3.3. In an Einstein de-Sitter universe with baryon density Ω = 0.05, about ten condensates were expected in the volume surveyed if superclusters, having H I masses ≃5 × 10₁₅ M _⊙, were the first objects to separate out of the Hubble expansion. The sensitivity of our experiment rules out the existence of these condensates atz = 3.3 unless their lifetimes are less than one-tenth the dispersion in their epoch of formation or the proto-superclusters subtend angles greater than 6 arcmin. The result indicates that superclusters form at z > 3.3 if indeed they were the first objects to condense out of the Hubble flow. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Chemical spots on the surface of the strongly magnetic Herbig Ae star HD 101412

Due to the knowledge of the rotation period and the presence of a rather strong surface magnetic field, the sharp‐lined young Herbig Ae star HD 101412 with a rotation period of 42 d has become one of the most well‐studied targets among the Herbig Ae stars. High‐resolution HARPS polarimetric spectra of HD 101412 were recently obtained on seven different epochs. Our study of the spectral variability over the part of the rotation cycle covered by HARPS observations reveals that the line profiles of the elements Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Sr are clearly variable while He exhibits variability that is opposite to the behaviour of the other elements studied. Since classical Ap stars usually show a relationship between the magnetic field geometry and the distribution of element spots, we used in our magnetic field measurements different line samples belonging to the three elements with the most numerous spectral lines, Ti, Cr, and Fe. Over the time interval covered by the available spectra, the longitudinal magnetic field changes sign from negative to positive polarity. The distribution of field values obtained using Ti, Cr, and Fe lines is, however, completely different compared to the magnetic field values determined in previous low‐resolution FORS 2 measurements, where hydrogen Balmer lines are the main contributors to the magnetic field measurements, indicating the presence of concentration of the studied iron‐peak elements in the region of the magnetic equator. Further, we discuss the potential role of contamination by the surrounding warm circumstellar matter in the appearance of Zeeman features obtained using Ti lines. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Finding the most variable stars in the Orion Belt with the All Sky Automated Survey

We look for high‐amplitude variable young stars in the open clusters and associations of the Orion Belt. We use public data from the ASAS‐3 Photometric V ‐band Catalogue of the All Sky Automated Survey, infrared photometry from the 2MASS and IRAS catalogues, proper motions, and the Aladin sky atlas to obtain a list of the most variable stars in a survey area of side 5° centred on the bright star Alnilam (ε Ori) in the centre of the Orion Belt. We identify 32 highly variable stars, of which 16 had not been reported to vary before. They are mostly variable young stars and candidates (16) and background giants (8), but there are also field cataclysmic variables, contact binaries, and eclipsing binary candidates. Of the young stars, which typically are active Herbig Ae/Be and T Tauri stars with Hα emission and infrared flux excess, we discover four new variables and confirm the variability status of another two. Some of them belong to the well known σ Orionis cluster. Besides, six of the eight giants are new variables, and three are new periodic variables (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

寒区对研究设计施工的影响——第14届寒区工程学术会议综述

由美国土木工程师协会(ASCE)组织召开的寒区工程学术会议是北美寒区岩土工程界最为重要的学术交流会议之一.近年来,参加该会议的北美以外的寒区科研技术人员日渐增多.第14届寒区工程会议于2009年9月在美国Minnesota州Duluth市成功举行.根据本次会议的论文主题,从冻结作用、路面工程、铁路及公路工程以及其它一些方面对会议展示的主要研究进展进行了总结.     

Uptake and recovery of soil nitrogen by bryophytes and vascular plants in an alpine meadow

Due to their particular physiology and life history traits, bryophytes are critical in regulating biogeochemical cycles and functions in alpine ecosystem. Hence, it is crucial to investigate their nutrient utilization strategies in comparison with vascular plants and understand their responses to the variation of growing season caused by climate change. Firstly, this study testified whether or not bryophytes can absorb nitrogen(N) directly from soil through spiking three chemical forms of 15N stable isotope tracer. Secondly, with stronger ability of carbohydrates assimilation and photosynthesis, it is supposed that N utilization efficiency of vascular plants is significantly higher than that of bryophytes. However, the recovery of soil N by bryophytes can still compete with vascular plants due to their greater phytomass. Thirdly, resource acquisition may be varied from the change of growing season, during which N pulse can be manipulated with 15N tracer addition at different time. Both of bryophytes and vascular plants contain more N in a longer growing season, and prefer inorganic over organic N. Bryophytes assimilate more NH4+ than NO3– and amino acid, which can be indicated from the greater shoot excess 15N of bryophytes. However, vascular plants prefer to absorb NO3– for their developed root systems and vascular tissue. Concerning the uptake of three forms N by bryophytes, there is significant difference between two manipulated lengths of growing season. Furthermore, the capacity of bryophytes to tolerate N-pollution may be lower than currently appreciated, which indicates the effect of climate change on asynchronous variation of soil N pools with plant requirements.     

Vague cognitive regions in geography and geographic information science

Cognitive regions are regions in the mind, reflecting informal ways individuals and cultural groups organize their understanding of earth landscapes. Cognitive region boundaries are typically substantially vague and their membership functions are substantially variable – the transition from outside to inside the region is imprecise or vague, and different places within the region are not equally strong or clear as exemplars of the region. Methods for assessing and cartographically depicting cognitive regions, as with other vague geographic regions, have traditionally implied an inappropriate level of boundary sharpness and membership uniformity, such as when boundaries are mapped as precise lines. Research in recent decades has explored methods for assessing and depicting boundary vagueness and membership variability, either within or across individuals, but has still assumed homogeneity and regularity in the vagueness and variability. In this article, we present two studies that assess the cognitive regions of ‘Northern’ and ‘Southern’ California, and, for comparison, ‘Northern’ and ‘Southern’ Alberta. The first study uses a standard boundary-drawing task; the second uses a novel task in which participants rate cells of a high-resolution grid laid over an outline map. This technique allows us to assess and depict vagueness and nonuniformity that is heterogeneous and irregular across different areas. Differences in the conceptualization of ‘Northern’ and ‘Southern’ regions in California, as compared to those in Alberta, point to thematic influences on cognitive regions in California but not in Alberta. As is often true with cognitive regions, Northern and Southern California are about attitude, not just latitude.     

Go with the flow: geospatial analytics to quantify hydrologic landscape connectivity for passively dispersed microorganisms

Understanding the diverse ways that landscape connectivity influences the distribution of microbial species is central to managing the spread and persistence of numerous biological invasions. Here, we use geospatial analytics to examine the degree to which the hydrologic connectivity of landscapes influences the transport of passively dispersed microbes, using the invasive plant pathogen Phytophthora ramorum as a case study. Pathogen occurrence was analyzed at 280 stream baiting stations across a range of watersheds – exposed to variable inoculum pressure – in California over a 7-year period (2004–2010). Using logistic regression, we modeled the probability of pathogen occurrence at a baiting station based on nine environmental variables. We developed a novel geospatial approach to quantify the hydrologic connectivity of host vegetation and inoculum pressure derived from least cost distance analyses in each watershed. We also examined the influence of local environmental conditions within the immediate neighborhood of a baiting station. Over the course of the sampling period, the pathogen was detected at 67 baiting stations associated with coastal watersheds with mild climate conditions, steep slopes, and higher levels of inoculum pressure. At the watershed scale, hydrologic landscape connectivity was a key predictor of pathogen occurrence in streams after accounting for variation in climate and exposure to inoculum. This study illustrates a geospatial approach to modeling the degree to which hydrologic systems play a role in shaping landscape structures conducive for the transport of passively dispersed microbes in heterogeneous watersheds.     

平湖油气田主断裂西部烃源评价及油源对比

平湖油气田主力含油气区位于平湖主断裂以东区域,油源主要来源于东部生烃凹陷的半封闭海湾暗色泥岩和煤层.公司于2011年11月在主断裂西部钻了一口探井XY井,目的是为探测主断裂西部含油气情况,扩大油气储量.结果钻遇油气层12m,测试获日产气14.66×104m3,日产油107.8 m3,取得了一定突破.为进一步评价西部含油气规模,钻后进行了油源对比研究,认为西部的油气主要是东部运移聚集的结果,西部源岩也有一定贡献.西部有形成一定规模油气藏的潜力.     

Urban Economic Cluster Template and Its Dynamics of Beijing,China

Economic clusters have been a central focus of current urban and regional research, policies and practices. However, a meth- odology to identify and analyze policy-relevant economic cluster dynamics is still not well developed. Based on input-output （I-O） data of 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007 of Beijing, this article presents an adapted principle component analysis for identifying the evolu- tion of local economic cluster patterns. This research addresses the changes of economic interaction of industries with complementary and common activities over time. The identified clusters provide an insight into the reality of economic development in a diversifying urban economy： the increasing importance of services and the growing interaction between service and manufacturing industries. Our method therefore provides the analysts with a better understanding of the emergence, disappearance and development of economic clus- ters citywide. The results could be used to assist monitoring urban economic development and designing more practical urban economic strategies.