Effects of light exposure on the TL dating of pottery

Bleaching experiments on Chinese pottery fine grains were conducted under sunlight and laboratory light conditions. It is found that the thermoluminescence (TL) at high temperatures can be bleached significantly, but no effects were observed on TL signals used for the pre-dose dating technique. It is concluded that the pre-dose dating technique can be applied to samples even after light exposures. Pottery samples of Tang Dynasty and New Stone Age were studied. Modifications to routine pre-dose dating technique are proposed with adding preheat procedures and using saturation exponential fitting for the sensitivity change data. The modified technique can extend the dating range to New Stone Age.     

Two deterministic and three stochastic modifications of Stokes’s formula: a case study for the Baltic countries

In regional gravimetric geoid determination, it is customary to use the modified Stokes formula that combines local terrestrial data with a global geopotential model. This study compares two deterministic and three stochastic modification methods for computing a regional geoid over the Baltic countries. The final selection of the best modification method is made by means of two accuracy estimates: the expected global mean square error of the geoid estimator, and the statistics of the post-fit residuals between the computed geoid models and precise GPS-levelling data. Numerical results show that the modification methods tested do not provide substantially different results, although the stochastic approaches appear formally better in the selected study area. The 2.8–5.3 cm (RMS) post-fit residuals to the GPS-levelling points indicate the suitability of the new geoid model for many practical applications. Moreover, the numerical comparisons reveal a one-dimensional offset between the regional vertical datum and the geoid models based upon the new GRACE-only geopotential model GGM01s. This gives an impression of a greater reliability of the new model compared to the earlier, EGM96-based and somewhat tilted regional geoid models for the same study area.     

湖北郧西黄龙洞骨化石表面改造痕迹研究

湖北黄龙洞遗址出土有距今约10万年的7枚晚期智人牙齿化石,以及大量哺乳动物化石,并发掘出石制品和骨制品等。本研究使用光学显微镜、超景深数码显微镜以及三维扫描仪等对该遗址骨化石表面具有明显改造痕迹的标本进行形态学观察,并参考国内外关于标本表面改造痕迹的认识,对痕迹性质(种类)进行鉴定。然后以鉴定工作为基础,对痕迹在骨骼表面的分布组合特征进行量化分析。痕迹研究结果支持了发掘者此前提出的关于黄龙洞骨骼堆积属于原地埋藏的研究结论,并表明:黄龙洞内古人类的狩猎与屠宰等活动,是造成洞穴内骨骼堆积的主要原因;当时古人类可能在居址附近猎获动物后,将动物集中到洞穴内进行过较细致的屠宰。居住在黄龙洞的古人类屠宰技术行为主要有:切割、刮切、砍斫和砸击等。大多数切割痕迹主要是为了剥取肉食,部分位于骨骺端的切割痕迹以及砍斫痕迹是肢解行为的结果,而砸击痕迹则与取食骨髓以及骨器制作的行为有关。与人工痕迹同时出现的动物改造痕迹还反映出食肉动物和啮齿动物对人类遗留在洞穴内的骨骼有一定程度的再利用。     

建筑物上侧击雷电的三维数值模拟

基于三维近地面闪电先导发展随机模式,通过改变先导初始电位和建筑物几何特性,分析各种情况下的侧击雷电发生概率,探讨侧击雷电产生原因及影响因素。结果发现:建筑物尖端电场畸变值是影响侧击雷电产生的重要参量,当下行先导靠近建筑物且传播位置低于建筑物的高度时,建筑侧面电场畸变值达到触发阈值,侧击雷电易产生;下行先导的初始电位以及建筑物几何特性（高度和宽度）是影响侧击雷电发生概率的重要因素,当下行先导初始电位在-9~-3 MV范围内,侧击雷电发生概率呈先增加后降低的趋势,当初始电位为-4.5 MV时,侧击雷电的发生概率达到峰值;当建筑物高度在50~150 m范围内,侧击雷电发生概率随着高度增加呈先增加后减少的趋势;当建筑物高度为100 m时,侧击雷电发生概率达到峰值;当建筑物宽度在30~70 m范围内,侧击雷电发生概率随建筑物宽度呈递减趋势;当建筑物宽度为30 m时,侧击雷电的发生概率达到峰值。     

Experimental Study of Dissolution Rates of Fluorite in HCl–H2O Solutions

The experiments of the dissolution kinetics of fluorite were performed in aqueous HCl solutions over the temperature range of 25–100 °C using a flow-through experimental apparatus. With a constant input of aqueous HCl solution through the reactor, output concentrations of the dissolved species Ca, F, Cl vary with flow rate, as well as with the surface compositions. Measured output concentrations of dissolved species and the pH can be used to determine a rate law for fluorite dissolution. Fluorite dissolution rates are found to be pH dependent. Usually, dissolution rates of fluorite decreases with increasing dissolved Ca in the output solution at 25 and 100 °C. Dissolution rate can be expressed as

Manmade Vulnerability of the Cancun Beach System: The Case of Hurricane Wilma

Climate change and resultant coastal erosion and flooding have been the focus of many recent analyses. Often these studies overlook the effects of manmade modifications to the coastline which have reduced its resilience to storm events. In this investigation, we integrate previous reports, historical photo analysis, field work, and the application of numerical models to better understand the effects of Wilma, the most destructive hurricane to affect Cancun, Mexico. Huge waves (of significant height, >12 m), long mean wave periods (>12 s), devastating winds (>250 km/h), and powerful currents (>2 m/s) removed >7 million cubic meters of sand from the Cancun beach system, leaving 68% of the sub‐aerial beach as bedrock, and the rest considerably eroded. Numerical simulations show that the modifications to the barrier island imposed by tourist infrastructure have considerably increased the rigidity of the system, increasing the potential erosion of the beach under extreme conditions. If there were no structural barriers, a series of breaches could occur along the beach, allowing exchange of water and alleviating storm surge on other sections of the beach. If the effects caused by anthropogenic changes to Cancun are ignored, the analysis is inaccurate and misleading.     

Episodic Performance and Sensitivity of the Urbanized MM5 (uMM5) to Perturbations in Surface Properties in Houston Texas

We present an application of a fine-resolution, meso-urban meteorological model (urbanized MM5; uMM5) to a multi-day episode in August 2000 in the Houston-Galveston Texas, USA region. The model’s episodic performance and its response to small changes in land-cover and surface physical properties in the area, e.g., scenarios of urban heat island mitigation, are evaluated. The model formulation is reviewed along with its parameterizations, data needs, and fine-resolution geometrical input. Development of scenarios of increased urban albedo and vegetative cover is also discussed. This initial application of the uMM5 to the Houston-Galveston region serves as a basis for future model improvements, evaluation of newer data and parameterization applications, testing more aggressive surface modification scenarios, and performing fine-resolution photochemical modelling. It also provides data for comparison of model results with those from previous studies of this region.     

Deformation of laminated silt loam due to repeated freezing and thawing cycles

The effect of repeated freezing and thawing cycles on an experimentally-produced laminated silt loam was studied with the purpose of obtaining more insight into the genesis of macro- and microstructures observed in the loessic formations of Northwestern Europe. The laminated silt loam was subsequently subjected to 18 cycles of alternate freezing and thawing. The minimum temperature recorded after 11 days of frost was ? 7°C at a depth of 5 cm and ? 4°C at 29 cm. The underlying sediments, compact loam (except its upper part) and sand, always remained unfrozen. The experiment reproduced a seasonal superficially frozen ground. New structures and microfabrics in the form of vesicles, platy structures, shear planes, and micro-undulations were created by ice segregation and thawing, mechanical stress and subsequent frost-creep. The impact of the freezing and thawing cycles is very strong, all the laminae being deformed or broken. Judging by the abundance and the diversity of the structures created, freezing is a more important process than simple drying without frost. As is evidenced by the range in temperature chosen for the experiment and the low number of cycles, these structures do not necessarily require severe climatic conditions to develop, unlike frost cracks or ice wedge casts. They could develop in winter conditions similar to those present today in the French Southern Alps.     

Urban Surface Modification as a Potential Ozone Air-quality Improvement Strategy in California: A Mesoscale Modelling Study

Two of several surface modification (heat-island reduction) strategies, increased surface albedo and urban reforestation, are evaluated via mesoscale meteorological and photochemical modelling of regulatory episodes in central and southern California. The simulations suggest that these strategies can have beneficial impacts on air quality, with increased albedo being relatively more effective than urban reforestation. The simulations also show that air quality indices, such as regional 1-h peaks, area peaks, 8-h relative reduction factors, 24-h averages, etc., improve for both central and southern California and that for the range of strategies evaluated here, the improvements in air quality can be significant. The simulations of southern California suggest that there may be a threshold beyond which further surface modifications tend to produce smaller net improvements in ozone air quality.