Biological and granulometric controls on sedimentary organic matter of an intertidal mudflat

A variety of measures of organic matter concentration and quality were made on samples collected from the top few mm of intertidal mudflat sediment over the course of a year, in order to assess the relative importance of biological and sedimentological influences on sedimentary organic matter. Winter and summer were times of relatively fine-grained sediment accumulation, caused by biological deposition or stabilization processes and resulting in higher organic matter concentrations. Stable carbon isotope and Br:C ratios indicated a planktonic source of bulk organic matter. Ratios of organic carbon to specific surface area of the sediments were consistent with an organic monolayer coverage of sediment grains. Correction for changing grain size during the year showed no change in the organic concentration per unit surface area, in spite of organic matter inputs by in situ primary production, buildup of heterotroph biomass and mucus coatings, and biodeposition of organic-rich seston. There were also no indications of changes in bulk organic quality, measured as hydrolyzable carbohydrates and amino acids, in response to these biological processes. It is concluded that biological processes on a seasonal time scale affect the bulk organic matter of these sediments via a modulation of grain size rather than creation or decay of organic matter.     

Monte-Carlo simulation of Mercury's exosphere

Because of its proximity to the Sun and its small size, Mercury has not been able to retain its atmosphere and only a thin exosphere surrounds the planet. The exospheric pressure at the planetary surface is approximately 10⁻¹⁰ mbar, set by the Mariner 10 occultation experiment. The existence of gaseous species H, He, and O has been established by Mariner 10. In addition Na, K, and Ca have been observed by ground based instrumentation. Other elements are expected to be found in Mercury's exosphere since the total pressure of the known species is almost two orders of magnitude less than the exospheric pressure.It is intended to measure these exospheric particle densities in situ with an instrument on board of ESA's BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) spacecraft. Since the expected exospheric densities are very small we developed a Monte-Carlo computer model to investigate if such a measurement is feasible along the MPO spacecraft orbit. We model energy and ejection angle distributions of the particles at the surface, with the emission process determining the actual distribution functions. Our model follows the trajectory of each particle by numerical integration until the particle hits Mercury's surface again or escapes from the calculation domain. Using a large set of these trajectories bulk parameters of the exospheric gas are derived, e.g., particle densities for various atomic and molecular species. Our study suggests that a mass spectrometric measurement is feasible and, at least at MPO's periherm, all species that are released from the surface will be observed.     

Preparation,collisional decay and transfer of alignment in C2H2 21

Stimulated Raman scattering is used to prepare ensembles of aligned acetylene molecules in thev ₂=1 excited vibrational level. Decay and transfer of the alignment is followed by laser induced fluorescence. Measurements of the initially excited alignment agree well with theoretical calculations. The rate constants for decay decrease as the rotational quantum numberJ of the excited level increases.     

The responses of different ethnic groups in the Sudan to rural-urban migration

The ethnic identities of the various population groups in the Sudan are a product of their specific natural and social environments. The migration of these groups to the towns, especially to Greater Khartoum, involves a drastic change of cultural norms and values. However, the capability of change and the subsequent results are strongly conditioned by the specific background of each ethnic group and by the conditions in its area of origin. This is being proved by a comparative study on three ethnic groups in the Sudan: the Nuba, the Zaghawa and the Hadandawa.     

Zur Theorie einfacher und mehrfacher räumlicher Mittelbildungen

Zusammenfassung Die Arbeit stellt einen Beitrag zur Theorie der einfachen und mehrfachen räumlichen Mittelbildung einer Feldfunktion dar. Es werden Formeln für die verschiedenen Mittelbildungen angegeben. Ferner wird gezeigt, daß eine zweifache räumliche Mittelbildung durch eine einfache mit einer entsprechend anderen Gitterdistanz ersetzt werden kann. Weiter wird die Genauigkeit der Approximation des Differentialoperators der Mittelung durch einen Differenzenoperator an Hand von Rossby-Wellen diskutiert. Dabei wird nachgewiesen, daß nur, wenn die Gitterdistanz der räumlichen Mittelbildung gegenüber der Wellenlänge von Rossby-Wellen klein verbleibt, eine hinreichend genaue Näherung erzielt werden kann.

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Summary The paper is a contribution to the theory of single and multiple space means of a field function. Formulae for the derivation of various types of means are given. It is shown that a double space mean can be replaced by a single one, provided an appropriate grid distance is used. For the case ofRossby waves, the degree of approximation of the mean attained by using an operator with finite increments and the accurate differential operator is discussed. Sufficient approximation can only be obtained when the grid distance is small compared to the length of theRossby waves.

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Résumé Ce mémoire est une contribution à la théorie de l'établissement dans l'espace des moyennes simples et multiples d'une fonction de champ. On y indique des formules pour l'établissement des diverses moyennes. On montre ensuite qu'une moyenne spaciale double peut être remplacée par une moyenne simple par la seule modification de la distance séparant les mailles du réseau. On discute au moyen d'ondes deRossby la précision de l'approximation obtenue par les moyennes issues d'un opérateur différentiel et d'un opérateur de différences. On démontre ainsi que l'approximation ne peut être suffisante que si la grandeur des mailles du réseau servant à l'établissement des moyennes reste petite par rapport à la longueur des ondes deRossby.

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Mit 4 Textabbildungen     

Kriterien für die anwendung des ertelschen erhaltungssatzes in ionisierten bzw. viskosen medien

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, dass für ein Gasgemisch, das geladene Komponenten enthält und von einem divergenzfreien und stationären Magnetfeld durchsetzt wird, für eine geladene Komponente (Ionen oder freie Elektronen) näherungsweise der Ertelsche Erhaltungssatz gilt, falls unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen das Verhältnis der Reibungskraft (innere) zur magnetischen Feldkraft sehr klein verbleibt. Weiter wurde nachgewiesen, dass derselbe Erhaltungssatz näherungsweise auch für ein viskoses Medium gilt, falls die Reynoldszahl (Verhältnis der Trägheitskraft zur Reibungskraft (innere)) sehr gross ist. Dies ist bei einem turbulenten Medium der Fall.

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Summary It is shown that in a gas mixture containing charged constituents (ions and free electrons) the conservation theorem of Ertel is valid on certain conditions for one of the charged constituent if the ratio of the friction force between the neutral and charged constituents to the magnetic force is small. The same conservation theorem is also valid for a viscous fluid if the Reynoldsnumber (ratio of inertial force to the viscous force) is large.

     

A New Genus and Species of Rhynchonellid (Brachiopoda, Recent) from Submarine Caves in the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract. A new rhynchonellid brachiopod genus Tethyrhynchia , with type species Tethyrhynchia mediterranea n. sp., is described from specimens discovered in dark zones of submarine caves along the Mediterranean coast of France between Marseille and La Ciotat, and also at Zembra Island, off the Gulf of Tunis, Tunisia. Other brachiopods occurring with this diminutive rhynchonellid are also small and include the megathyridids Argyrotheca cistellula and Megathiris detruncata . This is the first recorded occurrence of a rhynchonellid from the Mediterranean Sea. The new form is apparently neotenous, in that the lophophore in adults never develops beyond the trocholophous stage. A new type of rhynchonellid crus, crescentic in profile and here named the lunifer type, is described. The new genus is assigned to the new family Tethyrhynchiidae , and comparisons are made with other extant rhynchonellid genera.