New basis for the constitutive modelling of aggregated soils

Natural and compacted soils are usually characterized by aggregation of particles. The mechanical behaviour of these materials depends on soil structure. The oedometric compression tests performed on aggregated samples presented here showed that these materials exhibit a yield limit depending not only on stress history and stress state but also on soil structure. Evidence is provided using the neutron tomography technique. These results revealed that soil structure modification occurs together with plastic deformations. The experimental results are used to propose a new state parameter to quantify the soil structure. Based on pore-scale experimental observations, an evolution law for this parameter is proposed as a function of associated plastic strains. Considering both soil fabric and inter-particle bonding effects, a new yield limit depending on stress state, stress history and soil structure is introduced for the aggregated soils. Accordingly, a new constitutive framework consistent with strain hardening plasticity is proposed to consider soil structure effects in the modelling of aggregated soils.     

地震储层描述技术的应用效果

随着勘探程度的不断提高和油气勘探技术的不断发展,岩性油气藏勘探已成为主要的勘探目标,对三维地震储层描述新技术、新方法的要求越来越迫切.精细三维地震属性分析技术和储层识别标定技术以及测井约束反演技术的综合应用,形成了一套完善可行的技术系列,相继发现了辛154、王541、牛871等区块.地震储层描述技术的应用效果十分明鲜.     

中子活化分析在公路交通燧洞水文地质调查中的应用

利用中子活化测试结果,对岩石及泉水干涸残余物中常量及微量元素的进行分析对比,以了解深层岩体有关的地质与水文地质信息.     

Detection of solar neutron events and their theoretical approach

Solar neutron events provide important opportunities to explore particle acceleration mechanisms using data from ground-based detectors and spacecrafts. Energetic neutrons carry crucial physics information of the acceleration site, such as energy spectrum, atmospheric elements of solar flare, scale height, convergence of the magnetic field and magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. Here 12 representative solar neutron events observed on the Earth, together with X and γ-ray observations from spacecrafts are presented. Theoretical approaches on solar neutrons that are carried out mainly through the Monte Carlo simulation are compared with the observation data, and the constraints of different theoretical models on the observations are to be summarized.     

Ultraviolet emission from young and middle-aged pulsars

We present the UV spectroscopy and timing of three nearby pulsars (Vela, B0656+14 and Geminga) recently observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. We also review the optical and X-ray properties of these pulsars and establish their connection with the UV properties. We show that the multiwavelengths properties of neutron stars (NSs) vary significantly within the sample of middle-aged pulsars. Even larger differences are found between the thermal components of Geminga and B0656+14 as compared to those of radio-quiet isolated NSs. These differences could be attributed to different properties of the NS surface layers. This work was supported by STScI grants GO-9182 and GO-9797 and NASA grant NAG5-10865.     

Chandra observations of neutron stars: an overview

We present an overview of Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of neutron stars. The outstanding spatial and spectral resolution of this great observatory have allowed for observations of unprecedented clarity and accuracy. Many of these observations have provided new insights into neutron star physics. We present an admittedly biased and overly brief review of these observations, highlighting some new discoveries made possible by the Observatory’s unique capabilities. This includes our analysis of recent multiwavelength observations of the putative pulsar and its pulsar-wind nebula in the IC443 SNR.      

High frequency oscillations during magnetar flares

The recent discovery of high frequency oscillations during giant flares from the Soft Gamma Repeaters SGR 1806-20 and SGR 1900+14 may be the first direct detection of vibrations in a neutron star crust. If this interpretation is correct it offers a novel means of testing the neutron star equation of state, crustal breaking strain, and magnetic field configuration. We review the observational data on the magnetar oscillations, including new timing analysis of the SGR 1806-20 giant flare using data from the Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. We discuss the implications for the study of neutron star structure and crust thickness, and outline areas for future investigation.      

中子星自洽的有限磁层大气模型

本文讨论的是中子星自洽的有限磁层大气模型,先用试探解方法得到一个解析解,它给出有限磁层大气的分布轮廓,然后用能量最小原理讨论了其特性,取得了有意义的结果。同时,通过对其等离子体与真空交界面的研究,得出其交界面也是稳定的。最后,我们对模型的发展作了展望,指出赤道区的超共转,可能与子脉冲漂移有关,从这个模型出发,我们将可能最终建立一个自洽的有辐射的模型。     

岩石内应力的X射线-中子散射测量方法

岩石内应力的储存和释放对深地资源和能源开发具有重要约束。矿物晶格间距的动态变化是揭示岩石内应力演化的重要指示。X射线衍射法是当前获取矿物晶体结构的主要手段,可以准确测定矿物的特征衍射峰。但是,对于具有复杂结构和矿物组成的岩石,X射线在穿透过程中携带的统计信息,难以反映矿物晶格间距的细节特征。中子射线的能量高、穿透深度大,且与原子核反应,因而能更准确地刻画矿物元素位置和结构细节,但中子的波长较长、校准困难,结果具有不确定性,导致中子射线在岩石内应力研究中未能发挥应有作用。在分析X射线、中子技术优势和固有局限的基础上,提出了岩石内应力的X射线-中子衍射测量方法,重点剖析了该方法的基本原理,提出了该方法的关键技术与研究前景。得出了如下结论:利用X射线在确定岩石矿物晶格参数的优势,结合加热处理等技术,可实现岩石矿物无应力条件下晶格间距的标定; 采用中子衍射技术可精确测量岩石矿物的衍射偏移峰,实现岩石内应力深度轮廓的精准刻画; 结合X射线与中子的优势,可实现岩石内应力绝对值的精确测量。提出的技术手段有利于揭示岩石内应力的微观储存和释放过程,以及长期存留的物质条件和物理力学机制,并有望为岩石矿物组成和微观结构研究提供一种新的技术方案。     

Three-dimensional petrographical investigations on borehole rock samples: a comparison between X-ray computed- and neutron tomography

Technical difficulties associated with excavation works in tectonized geological settings are frequent. They comprise instantaneous and/or delayed convergence, sudden collapse of gallery roof and/or walls, outpouring of fault-filling materials and water inflows. These phenomena have a negative impact on construction sites and their safety. In order to optimize project success, preliminary studies on the reliability of rock material found on site are needed. This implies in situ investigations (surface mapping, prospective drilling, waterflow survey, etc.) as well as laboratory investigations on rock samples (permeability determination, moisture and water content, mineralogy, petrography, geochemistry, mechanical deformation tests, etc.). A set of multiple parameters are then recorded which permit better insight on site conditions and probable behavior during excavation. Because rock formations are by nature heterogeneous, many uncertainties remain when extrapolating large-scale behavior of the rock mass from analyses of samples order of magnitudes smaller. Indirect large-scale field investigations (e.g. geophysical prospecting) could help to better constrain the relationships between lithologies at depth. At a much smaller scale, indirect analytical methods are becoming more widely used for material investigations. We discuss in this paper X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) and neutron tomography (NT), showing promising results for 3D petrographical investigations of the internal structure of opaque materials. Both techniques record contrasts inside a sample, which can be interpreted and quantified in terms of heterogeneity. This approach has the advantage of combining genetic parameters (physico-chemical rock composition) with geometric parameters resulting from alteration or deformation processes (texture and structure). A critical analysis of such 3D analyses together with the results of mechanical tests could improve predictions of short- and long-term behavior of a rock unit. Indirect methods have the advantage of being non-destructive. However, as it is the case with large-scale geophysical surveying, XRCT and NT are affected by several error factors inherent to the interaction of a radiation modality (X-ray or neutron beam) with the atomic structure of the investigated materials. Recorded signals are therefore in particular cases not artifact-free and need to be corrected in a subsequent stage of data processing.