Uncertainties associated with Ra and Ra measurements in water via a Delayed Coincidence Counter (RaDeCC)

The short-lived radium isotopes, ²²³Ra (T_1/2 = 11.4 days) and ²²⁴Ra (T_1/2 = 3.66 days), have been successfully used as tracers of several environmental processes, e.g., submarine groundwater discharge, coastal mixing processes, and water residence times. In this paper, the uncertainties associated with ²²³Ra and ²²⁴Ra measurements using a Radium Delayed Coincidence Counter are determined on a detailed error propagation basis with a confidence interval of 1σ. From the data analyses of several groups of coastal water samples, the calculated relative uncertainties averaged 12% for the ²²³Ra and 7% for the ²²⁴Ra. These uncertainties can decrease for radium-enriched groundwater samples although asymptotic limits have been found at 7% relative uncertainty for ²²³Ra and 4% for ²²⁴Ra. In this paper, the influence of sampling and measurement parameters on the final radium uncertainties is evaluated in order to provide guidance to optimize these factors and obtain more reliable results.     

Crystallographic orientations of high-angle grain boundaries in dynamically recrystallized quartz: First results

The crystallography and geometry of high-angle grain boundaries from dynamically recrystallized quartz have been studied. On the basis of combined electron backscatter diffraction and universal stage measurements, the complete crystallographic orientation of the grain boundaries could be calculated. The u-stage rotation of the grain boundaries to a vertical position reveals that they are never curved but always consist of straight segments. Our results show that these segments preferentially occupy rhombohedral, trapezohedral and bipyramidal orientations, i.e., orientations in a  25–50° girdle to the c-axis. A specific, albeit low, number of segments with special crystallographic orientation, with respect to a neighbouring quartz grain, often shows another special orientation with respect to the other neighbouring grain. Preferred combinations of grain boundary orientations related to both neighbouring grains are (i) low-index rhombohedral and high index trapezohedral, (ii) low-index bipyramidal and low-index trapezohedral or high-index rhombohedral, and (iii) low-index trapezohedral and low or high index trapezohedral. In certain cases, such as at triple junctions, the boundaries occupy specific trapezohedral orientations with a constant angle to the c-axis. This argues for energy isotropy of trapezohedral planes with the same angle to the quartz c-axis. In general, good match coincidence site lattice (CSL) orientations are not preferentially occupied so that most of the studied grain boundaries represent general boundaries. The formation of straight segments in special crystallographic orientations indicates the crystallographic control and implies an energy reduction of certain general boundaries.     

Further considerations of cosmic ray modulation of infra-red radiation in the atmosphere

Understanding effects of ionisation in the lower atmosphere is a new interdisciplinary area, crossing the traditionally distinct scientific boundaries between astro-particle and atmospheric physics and also requiring understanding of both heliospheric and magnetospheric influences on cosmic rays. Following the paper of Erlykin et al. (2014) we develop further the interpretation of our observed changes in long-wave (LW) radiation, Aplin and Lockwood (2013) by taking account of both cosmic ray ionisation yields and atmospheric radiative transfer. To demonstrate this, we show that the thermal structure of the whole atmosphere needs to be considered along with the vertical profile of ionisation. Allowing for, in particular, ionisation by all components of a cosmic ray shower and not just by the muons, reveals that the effect we have detected is certainly not inconsistent with laboratory observations of the LW absorption cross section. The analysis presented here, although very different from that of Erlykin et al., does come to the same conclusion that the events detected by AL were not caused by individual cosmic ray primaries – not because it is impossible on energetic grounds, but because events of the required energy are too infrequent for the 12 h⁻¹ rate at which they were seen by the AL experiment. The present paper numerically models the effect of three different scenario changes to the primary GCR spectrum which all reproduce the required magnitude of the effect observed by AL. However, they cannot solely explain the observed delay in the peak effect which, if confirmed, would appear to open up a whole new and interesting area in the study of water oligomers and their effects on LW radiation. We argue that a technical artefact in the AL experiment is highly unlikely and that our initial observations merit both a wide-ranging follow-up experiment and more rigorous, self-consistent, three-dimensional radiative transfer modelling.     

1Bit极性重合相关器的研究

介绍一种应用于水声系统的接收电路：1Bit极性重合相关器。由于水下信号传输系统存在着：通道之间的频率间隔小、易受噪声干扰、用电池供电而要求长时间工作等问题，相应地，接受电路就必须具有窄带滤波能力，抗噪声性能良好，并且功耗极低。而普通的模拟滤波器或数字滤波器无法全面地满足这些要求。1Bit极性重合相关器极好地解决了这个问题，它不仅满足上述要求，而且有着结构简单、体积小、性能稳定等优点。作为水下信号传输系统的重要环节，1Bit极性重合相关器运行非常准确而且可靠，值得在水声系统中推广。     

基于ARCGIS平台利用高分辨率卫星影像实现耕地质量地球化学调查样点布设优化

目前,我国高分辨率卫星影像地图已走进普通百姓的日常生活中,其具有直观、详细、现势性强等优点。Arcgis软件平台可以在线直接加载我国最新的天地图影像数据,在设计和制图中充分利用其优势,以消除收集到的其他资料因现势性不足造成的影响。本文以贵州省××县耕地质量地球化学调查设计为例,基于Arcgis平台将天地图卫星影像数据与第二次国土资源调查图斑、采样设计点位图进行叠合,进行设计优化。     

城市空气污染二氧化硫数值预报中的背景值对比研究

利用ADMS在制作鞍山市空气污染二氧化硫数值预报研究工作中,根据对2007年1—5月逐日鞍山市6个监测点的监测资料,分别选用当天浓度监测值背景值,前一天浓度监测值背景值,按比例扩大ADMS模型的预测结果,考虑背景气象条件决定的背景值,将4种背景值的方案进行污染预测比较。结果表明：以背景气象条件决定的背景值为基础实施预报,其结果的相关系数和符合指数最为显著。4种预报方案中,以考虑背景气象条件的背景值方案预报效果为最好。