Hardening of Titan's aerosols by their charging

Titan's haze consists of long chain polymers of pure and N-mixed hydrocarbons (Coustenis et al., 1989, Icarus 80, 54-76, 1991, Icarus 89, 152-167). These polymers have regularly alternating (i.e., conjugated) double/single and triple/single bonds, which open either spontaneously (free aging) or under the action of some external factors (forced aging), the latter being very diverse, e.g., charging, photolysis, radiolysis, thermolysis, chemical effect of environment, etc. An essential of free aging was examined previously (Dimitrov and Bar-Nun, 2002, Icarus 156, 530-538). The main distinction between free and any forced aging is that both of them possess the same thermodynamics while different kinetics, the forced aging in any case being faster, proceeding in different pathways than the free aging. The more extensive is the list of the external effects and the more intensive they are, the faster and more variably the forced aging proceeds. In this paper we quantified the kinetics of forced aging, considering charging of Titan's aerosol population. It was found that forced aging proceeds approximately hundred times faster as compared to the free aging. Various physico-chemical properties of Titan's aerosol material, including coagulation coefficients, depending on particle size and medium conditions, were defined. The comparison of the aging rate, rate of sedimentation and rate of the particle increase proves that Titan's aerosol domain can be subdivided conditionally into two big subdomains. The upper one contains minor portion (<5%) of the total aerosol bulk, unannealed aerosol particles being fine and sticky. The lower subdomain contains the major portion (>95%) of aerosol bulk, which is completely aged, coarsely dispersed particles. We established the border between these subdomains at the altitude Z∼620 km.     

The activities of comets related to their aging and origin

Two indices have been developed for the purpose of comparing the natures of various classes of comets. The first is the Activity Index (AI), measuring the inherent magnitude increase in brightness from great solar distances to maximum near perihelion. The second, or Volatility Index (VI), measures the variation in magnitude near perihelion. Tentative determinations of these two indices are derived from observations by Max Beyer over more than 30 years for long-period (L-P) and short-period (S-P) comets near perihelion and from other homogeneous sources. AI determinations are made for 32 long-period (L-P) comets and for 14 short-period (S-P). The range of values of AI is of the order of 3 to 10 magnitudes with a median about 6. An expected strong correlation with perihelion distance q, is found to vary as q ^–2.3. Residuals from a least-square solution (AI) are used for comparing comets of different orbital classes, the standard deviation of a single value of AI is only ±1^m.1 for L-P comets and ±1^m.2 for S-P comets.Among the L-P comets, 19 of period P larger than 10⁴ years yield AI = 0^m.27 ± 0^m.25 compared to 0^m.39 ± 0^m.26 for 13 of period between 10² years and 10⁴ years. This denies any fading with aging among the L-P comets. Also no systematic change with period occurs for the VI index, leading to the same conclusions. Weak correlations are found with the Gas/Dust ratio of comets. No correlations are found between the two indices, nor of either index with near-perihelion magnitudes or orbital inclination.The various data are consistent with a uniform origin for all types of comets, the nuclei being homogeneous on the large scale but quite diverse on a small scale (the order of a fraction of kilometer in extent). Small comets thus may sublimate away entirely, leaving no solid core, while huge comets may develop a less volatile core by radioactive heating and possibly become inactive like asteroids after many S-P revolutions about the Sun. When relatively new, huge comets may be quite active at great solar distances because of volatiles from the core that have refrozen in the outer layers.     

Stratigraphic evolution of Eocene clinoforms from northern Santos Basin,offshore Brazil: Evaluating controlling factors on shelf-margin growth and deep-water sedimentation

In order to assess the controlling factors on the evolution of a shelf margin and the timing of sediment transfer to deep waters, a seismic stratigraphic investigation was carried out in the Eocene interval of northern Santos Basin, offshore Brazil. The studied succession configures a complex of prograding slope clinoforms formed in a passive margin and encompasses five seismic facies and their respective depositional settings: shelf-margin deltas/shorefaces, oblique slope clinoforms, sigmoidal slope clinoforms, continental to shelfal deposits and mass-transport deposits. These are stratigraphically arranged as seven depositional sequences recording a total shelf-edge progradation of about 35 km and a progradation rate of 1,75 km/My. Two main types of sequences can be recognized, the first one (type A) being dominated by oblique slope clinoforms and shelf-margin deltas/shorefaces in which shelf-edge trajectories were essentially flat to descending and extensive sandy turbidites were deposited on the foreset to bottomset zones. Sequences of this type are dominated by forced-regressive units deposited during extensive periods of relative sea-level fall. Type B comprises an upper part represented by aggradational shelfal deposits and a lower part composed of mass-transport deposits and high-relief sigmoidal clinoforms with descending shelf-edge trajectory. Steep slump scars deeply cut the shelfal strata and constitutes the boundary between the two intervals observed in type B sequences. Sandy turbidites occur at the same frequency in both forced- and normal-regressive units but are more voluminous within forced-regressive clinoforms associated with shelf-margin deltas/shorefaces. Major slope failures and mass-transport deposits, by the other hand, occurred exclusively in type B sequences during the onset of sea-level fall and their volume are directly related to the thickness of the shelfal sediments formed during the pre-failure normal regressions.     

中国老龄事业发展水平时空演化及其与经济发展水平的空间匹配

基于“积极老龄化”理论框架,从健康、参与和保障三大维度构建中国老龄事业发展水平评价指标体系。以中国大陆31个省（自治区、直辖市）为研究对象,运用数理统计、重心和空间重叠性、空间错位分析和计量经济模型等方法,分析了2004—2016年中国老龄事业发展水平的时序变化、空间格局、错位特征及其影响机制。结果表明：① 2004—2016年,中国老龄事业发展水平整体快速增长,区域差异逐渐缩小,但区域失衡特征不容忽视。东部地区整体水平高于中部、西部及东北地区,并伴有“西部崛起,中部及东北地区塌陷”特征。东部地区呈现“两极化”现象。② 中国老龄事业基本处于低水平发展阶段,空间分布由西南-东北辐射递减模式转变为显著的“中部塌陷”式,形成一条由北向南的低值集聚带,纵贯中国中部,与区域经济发展存在错位关系。③ 负向错位区主要分布在黄河、长江中上游地区,正向错位区主要集中在东部沿海、长城以北等地区。空间错位强度存在显著的地域差异性,其中西部地区尤为显著。④ 老龄事业发展水平的动态变化是多因素交互作用的结果。经济发展水平、政府政策和行政导向及产业结构的时空分异对其产生正向影响。市场经济规模扩大和人口老龄化未对老龄事业发展起推动作用,与理论预期不符。家庭规模小型化的倒逼作用不显著。     

1990～2010年中国人口收缩区分布的时空格局演变——基于不同测度指标的分析

在人口收缩内涵界定的基础上,采用总人口和劳动力等直接指标结合出生率、老龄化率等间接指标进行综合测度,在地级尺度和县市尺度上分析了1990~2010年中国人口收缩区的数量变化、空间分布及演化特征（由于获取限制,未包含港澳台地区数据）,并对比了不同测度指标和方法之间的差异。主要的研究发现如下：①人口收缩区在数量上有明显的增长,收缩程度呈现出明显加剧趋势;②人口收缩区在中部和西部偏东地区快速扩张,川黔渝地区、长江中游地区、东北地区最为严重;③单一指标在识别人口绝对收缩方面效果较好,而且总人口指标往往比劳动力指标更早的反映一个区域的人口状况;④综合指标测度的方法能够更加全面的判断一个区域的人口发展状况,进而识别出人口处于相对收缩状态的区域;⑤人口收缩在县市尺度上比在地级尺度上表现更为明显,但两者的差异呈缩小趋势。基于以上研究发现,建议政府更加重视区域人口收缩问题及其对社会经济发展的影响。     

健康视角下城市建成环境对老年人日常步行活动的影响研究

“健康老龄化”背景下,促进身体活动是提升老年人健康水平的重要方式,也是当前多学科交叉研究的热点。依托南京市居民身体活动调查数据,选择老年人日常生活中最普遍且有益健康的步行活动作为研究主题,探究建成环境的影响,以期为相关理论与实践提供有益探索。研究表明：① 老年人日常步行空间范围可作为步行所涉及建成环境边界,不同类型的主要活动场所则可识别建成环境要素需求差异。② 日常生活所涉及的公共开放空间、商业及公共服务设施的密集性,以及主观建成环境感知对老年人交通性/休闲性步行活动具有显著影响。③ 基于老年人日常步行活动习惯及建成环境对步行活动的影响,可从有效供给日常步行生活空间、积极引导健康生活方式方面提出相应规划策略。     

国外第二居所研究特征、阶段与热点——基于CiteSpace的可视化分析

基于CiteSpace的可视化分析,并结合高被引文献的阅读,总结了国外第二居所研究的特征、阶段与热点;国外第二居所研究呈现出总量上波动上升、学科上呈交叉融合、区域上由发达国家向发展中国家扩散的趋势,欧洲、北美与南非是第二居所研究的核心区域,该领域的研究已形成两个核心学术共同体;第二居所的研究可以划分为3个阶段:初始复兴期(1996年~2003年),研究成果较少;快速复兴期(2004年~2012年),研究成果迅速增加,研究视角趋于多元化;全面复兴期(2013年~2018年),研究区域不断向欠发达地区扩张,新的热点不断出现。主要研究热点包括第二居所的概念体系与理论辨析,第二居所旅游影响,第二居所业主行为特征与情感依恋。     

A Global Reliability Assessment Method on Aging Offshore Platforms with Corrosion and Cracks

Corrosion and fatigue cracks are major threats to the structural integrity of aging offshore platforms. For the rational estimation of the safety levels of aging platforms, a global reliability assessment approach for aging offshore platforms with corrosion and fatigue cracks is presented in this paper. The base shear capacity is taken as the global ultimate strength of the offshore platforms. It is modeled as a random process that decreases with time in the presence of corrosion and fatigue crack propagati...     

强迫耗散非线性系统的局域阻塞流型

本文将正压涡度方程约化为强迫耗散的KdV方程,求得了该方程的一个定常解.这个定常解描述了非绝热加热、耗散、非线性平流和线性频散共同作用所形成的阻塞流型.在确定性初条件、随机性初条件和随机热源扰动的情况下,积分时间大于60天的三组试验表明:该阻塞流型闭合高压中心位置维持定常,而阻高中心强度的演变显示出清晰的准两周或一个月左右的低频振荡现象.     

Relationships between land-use and forced-pool characteristics in the Colorado Front Range

Land use practices in Colorado during the last two centuries altered the supply of sediment and water to many channels in the upper South Platte Basin. As a result of increased supply of sediment and mobility and reduced peak flows, the characteristics of pools associated with channel constrictions, referred to as forced pools, may have been altered. Increased supply of sediment and reduced transport capacity of high flows could lead to aggradation in forced pools. Channel confined by road corridors could lead to high velocities at normal flows, increased energy dissipation from riprap, or even increased pool frequency resulting from failed riprap. To assess potential alterations, four hypotheses were tested: (1) impacted streams will show significantly different mean volume of pools than a control stream; (2) mean volume of pools on streams where land-use activities increased the supply of sediment will be significantly different from streams solely affected by flow regulation; (3) the strongest change in characteristics of pools of impacted streams will be a reduced volume of pools; (4) streams affected by road corridors will show statistically lower spacing of pools than streams unaffected by roads. The downstream spacing and residual volume of twenty consecutive forced pools were surveyed on five streams in the Colorado Front Range that varied from no contemporary impact to multiple historical and contemporary impacts. ANCOVA with stepwise model selection indicated that degree of land-use (categorical), bankfull spacing of pools, upstream riffle slope and expansion ratio were all significant (α = 0.1) predictors of volume of pools (R² = 0.73). Simple linear regression of mean volume of pools and stream specific variables (gradient, drainage area and discharge) and least square means comparison of mean volume of pools indicated a need to standardize volumes of pools by slope and discharge so that the volumes of pools could be compared among different levels of land-use. Significant correlations between drainage area and volume of pools allowed volume of pools to be standardized by drainage area and thereby discharge. This dimensionless variable was also significantly correlated with channel slope, which permitted the construction of a new variable, PV_QS (volume of pools standardized by discharge and slope). Least square means comparison of mean PV_QS revealed that the control reach was significantly different from road-impacted reaches. Mean volume of pools was significantly larger in the control reach compared to all but one road-impacted stream. This was likely a function of higher wood loading in the control reach and the competence of high flows in the road-impacted reach. Streams affected by road corridors did not have significantly different bankfull spacing of pools from streams not impacted by roads. The multiple interactions among control and response variables explored in this study indicate the need to identify the most constrained and sensitive response variables when attempting to assess channel response to land use.