Evidence for ammonium-bearing minerals on ceres

Spectra obtained from recent telescopic observation of 1-Ceres and laboratory measurements and theoretical calculations of three component mixtures of Ceres analog material suggest that an ammoniated phyllosilicate is present on the surface of the asteroid, rather than H(2)O frost as had been previously reported. The presence of an ammoniated phyllosilicate, most likely ammoniated saponite, on the surface of Ceres implies that secondary temperatures could not have exceeded 400 kelvin.     

Radiative absorption enhancements due to the mixing state of atmospheric black carbon

Atmospheric black carbon (BC) warms Earth's climate, and its reduction has been targeted for near-term climate change mitigation. Models that include forcing by BC assume internal mixing with non-BC aerosol components that enhance BC absorption, often by a factor of ~2; such model estimates have yet to be clearly validated through atmospheric observations. Here, direct in situ measurements of BC absorption enhancements (E(abs)) and mixing state are reported for two California regions. The observed E(abs) is small-6% on average at 532 nm-and increases weakly with photochemical aging. The E(abs) is less than predicted from observationally constrained theoretical calculations, suggesting that many climate models may overestimate warming by BC. These ambient observations stand in contrast to laboratory measurements that show substantial E(abs) for BC are possible.     

Erosion of galilean satellite surfaces by jovian magnetosphere particles

The Galilean satellites of Jupiter-Io (J1), Europa (J2), Ganymede (J3), and Callisto (J4)-are embedded in the intense ion and electron fluxes of the Jovian magnetosphere. The effect of these particles on the icy surfaces of the outer three satellites depends on the fluxes and the efficiency of the sputtering of water ice by such particles. Recent laboratory measurements provided data on the erosion of water ice by energetic particles and showed that it occurs much faster than would be expected from normal sputtering theory. The Voyager spacecraft encounters with Jupiter provided the first measurements of ion fluxes (energies greater, similar 30 kiloelectron volts) in the vicinity of the Galilean satellites. Using the laboratory sputtering data together with particle measurements from the Voyager 1 low-energy charged particle experiment, the effects of erosion on the surfaces of J2 to J4 are estimated. It is shown that the surface of Europa could be eroded by as much as 100 meters over an eon (10(9) years). Column densities of water vapor that could be produced around the three satellites from particle bombardment of their surfaces are also calculated, and the sources and losses of oxygen in the gravitationally bound gas produced by sputtering or sublimation are estimated.     

Absorption of sunlight in the atmosphere of venus

In this report the fluxes measured by the solar flux radiometer (LSFR) of the Pioneer Venus large probe are compared with calculations for model atmospheres. If the large particles of the middle and lower clouds are assumed to be sulfur, strong, short-wavelength absorption results in a net flux profile significantly different from the LSFR net flux measurements. Models in which the smallest particles are assumed to be sulfur gave flux profiles consistent with the measurements if an additional source of absorption is included in the upper cloud. The narrowband data from 0.590 to 0.665 micrometer indicate an absorption optical depth of about 0.05 below the cloud bottom. The broadband data imply that either this absorption extends over a considerable wavelength interval (as might be the case for dust) or that a very strong absorption band lies on one side of the narrowband filter (as suggested by early Venera 11 and Venera 12 reports). Thermal balance calculations based on the measured visible fluxes indicate high surface temperature for reasonable assumptions of cloud opacity and water vapor abundance. The lapse rate becomes convective within the middle cloud. For water mixing ratios of 2.0 x 10(-4) below the clouds we find a subadiabatic region extending from the cloud bottom to altitudes near 35 kilometers.     

Small interannual variability of global atmospheric hydroxyl

The oxidizing capacity of the global atmosphere is largely determined by hydroxyl (OH) radicals and is diagnosed by analyzing methyl chloroform (CH(3)CCl(3)) measurements. Previously, large year-to-year changes in global mean OH concentrations have been inferred from such measurements, suggesting that the atmospheric oxidizing capacity is sensitive to perturbations by widespread air pollution and natural influences. We show how the interannual variability in OH has been more precisely estimated from CH(3)CCl(3) measurements since 1998, when atmospheric gradients of CH(3)CCl(3) had diminished as a result of the Montreal Protocol. We infer a small interannual OH variability as a result, indicating that global OH is generally well buffered against perturbations. This small variability is consistent with measurements of methane and other trace gases oxidized primarily by OH, as well as global photochemical model calculations.     

Decomposition of calcium carbonate and organic carbon in the deep oceans

Simple mass-balance calculations indicate that in seawater the calcium variation (DeltaCa) correlates with the variation in the titration alkalinity (DeltaTA) and the variation in the total carbon dioxide (DeltasigmaCO(2)) or nitrate (DeltaNO(3)) according to the equations DeltaCa = 0.46288 DeltaTA + 0.074236 DeltasigmaCO(2) and DeltaCa = 0.5 DeltaTA + 0.53125 DeltaNO(3). The estimated values for DeltaCa from these equations, which agree with the values obtained from direct measurements, have been used to estimate the ratio of the in situ inorganic to organic carbon fluxes in the oceans. The precise vertical distribution of this ratio is shown for the first time.     

Termites: a potentially large source of atmospheric methane, carbon dioxide, and molecular hydrogen

Termites may emit large quantities of methane, carbon dioxide, and molecular hydrogen into the atmosphere. Global annual emissions calculated from laboratory measurements could reach 1.5 x 10(14) grams of methane and 5 x 10(16) grams of carbon dioxide. As much as 2 x 10(14) grams of molecular hydrogen may also be produced. Field measurements of methane emissions from two termite nests in Guatemala corroborated the laboratory results. The largest emissions should occur in tropical areas disturbed by human activities.     

Weed Detection Using Canopy Reflection

For site-specific application of herbicides, automatic detection and evaluation of weeds is desirable. Since reflectance of crop, weeds and soil differs in the visual and near infrared wavelengths, there is potential for using reflection measurements at different wavelengths to distinguish between them. Reflectance spectra of crop and weed canopies were used to evaluate the possibilities of weed detection with reflection measurements in laboratory circumstances. Sugarbeet and maize and 7 weed species were included in the measurements. Classification into crop and weeds was possible in laboratory tests, using a limited number of wavelength band ratios. Crop and weed spectra could be separated with more than 97% correct classification. Field measurements of crop and weed reflection were conducted for testing spectral weed detection. Canopy reflection was measured with a line spectrograph in the wavelength range from 480 to 820 nm (visual to near infrared) with ambient light. The discriminant model uses a limited number of narrow wavelength bands. Over 90% of crop and weed spectra can be identified correctly, when the discriminant model is specific to the prevailing light conditions.     

A three-dimensional synthetic metallic crystal composed of single-component molecules

Molecular metals normally require charge transfer between two different chemical species. We prepared crystals of [Ni(tmdt)2] (tmdt, trimethylenetetrathiafulvalenedithiolate) and carried out crystal structure analyses and resistivity measurements. The analyses and measurements revealed that these single-component molecular crystals are metallic from room temperature down to 0.6 kelvin. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations suggested that pi molecular orbitals form conduction bands. The compact molecular arrangement, intermolecular overlap integrals of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals, and tight-binding electronic band structure calculation revealed that [Ni(tmdt)2] is a three-dimensional synthetic metal composed of planar molecules.     

Positron emission tomography: human brain function and biochemistry

Positron emission tomography (PET) is an analytical imaging technique that provides a way of making in vivo measurements of the anatomical distribution and rates of specific biochemical reactions. This ability of PET to measure and image dynamic biochemistry builds a bridge between the basic and clinical neurosciences founded on the commonality of the types of measurements made. Clinical findings with PET in humans are suggesting hypotheses that can be tested rigorously in the basic science laboratory.     

Migration of ruthenium-106 in a nevada test site aquifer: discrepancy between field and laboratory results

Ruthenium-106 has been observed to migrate in ground water at about the same velocity as tritium from the site of an underground nuclear explosion to a pumped satellite well 91 meters distant. This finding contradicts the prediction, based on laboratory batch sorption measurements, that ruthenium-106 should migrate at a much lower rate than tritium. To predict migration of radionuclides in ground water, more relevant laboratory measurements are required.     

Multiple ion association in supercritical aqueous solutions of single electrolytes

Solute speciation in supercritical aqueous alkali metal halide solutions plays an important role in various industrial and natural processes, for example, corrosion of metals, solvent extraction, crystal growth, metamorphism, and the formation of hydrothermal ore deposits. To better characterize such speciation, degrees of formation of polyatomic clusters of sodium and chlorine ions have been computed with the aid of dissociation constants generated from Monte Carlo calculations which are consistent with both supercritical conductance measurements and electrostatic theory. The calculations indicate that the solute in alkali-halide solutions is successively dominated by increasingly complex polyatomic clusters as the solute molality increases at pressures and temperatures where the dielectric constant of water is 15.     

Agitated soil measurement method for integrated on-the-go mapping of soil pH, potassium and nitrate contents

Knowledge of spatial variability of soil attributes within an agricultural field is critical for successful site-specific crop management. Soil sensing techniques to assess this variability on-the-go are being developed as an alternative to tedious manual soil sampling and laboratory testing. The goal of this study was to evaluate an Agitated Soil Measurement (ASM) method for integrated on-the-go mapping of soil pH, soluble potassium and residual nitrate contents using ion-selective electrodes. To implement ASM, an Integrated Agitation Chamber Module (IACM) was developed and attached to a commercial soil pH mapping implement. Precision of the tested electrodes was assessed through the root mean squared error (RMSE) and ranged from 0.10 for pK to 0.22 for pNO₃ (units represent the negative base 10 logarithm of the molar concentration of specified ions). The accuracy of the electrodes was assessed by comparing test results against reference measurements conducted in a commercial soil laboratory using the linear regression method. Average accuracy error ranged from 0.11 for pK to 0.23 for pNO₃. In a field simulation test, neither precision nor accuracy errors obtained with ASM were lower than for a previously investigated Direct Soil Measurement (DSM) method, which produced precision errors ranging from 0.11 for pH to 0.22 for pNO₃ and accuracy errors ranging from 0.12 for pNO₃ to 0.20 for pH. The coefficients of determination (r²) of linear regressions between individual field simulation measurements and corresponding average reference measurements were 0.85–0.89 (pH), 0.50–0.54 (pK), and 0.14–0.32 (pNO₃). However, laboratory evaluation of the ASM method revealed substantially lower measurement errors and increased r² values when compared to the field simulation, indicating that the proposed ASM method retains the potential for improving on-the-go field mapping. Except for reduced electrode abuse and the ability to use less expensive half-cell ion-selective electrodes, physical implementation of ASM through the IACM did not bring substantial improvement over conventionally available DSM. This could be attributed to the design of the IACM and use of half-cell electrodes. Further research is necessary to improve the design of the solution-based measuring equipment and to develop an algorithm integrating on-the-go measurements with other sources of spatial data for an improved decision-making process.     

网片水阻力的后流解析计算法

本文通过对网片中一个网目目脚的后流解析,由流体动量的变化导出了与流平行整个网片水阻力计算的理论式。即;用该理论式计算与本人在东京水产大学大型回流水槽的实测结果相当接近,故说明由后流解析建立的哩论式切实可行。     

Dipole moments of highly vibrationally excited water

The intensity of water absorption in the region of the solar spectrum plays a dominant role in atmospheric energy balance and hence strongly influences climate. Significant controversy exists over how to model this absorption accurately. We report dipole moment measurements of highly vibrationally excited water, which provide stringent tests of intensities determined by other means. Our measurements and accompanying calculations suggest that the best currently available potential and dipole surfaces do not accurately model intensities in the optical spectrum of water.     

河口稠油掺水降粘输送试验研究

由于胜利油田河口稠油粘度高、密度大,因此稠油的开采、输送和加工处理都比其它石蜡基原油困难得多.为了寻求更经济、有效、可靠的稠油输送方法,通过大量的室内环道试验和现场试验,研究分析了稠油掺水输送的技术条件及降粘效果,并通过优化得出了河口稠油的最佳输送工艺参数,表明了稠油掺水降粘输送是一种比较经济、有效的稠油输送方法.     

Insect control of the future: operational and policy aspects

uman and insect population control have several features in common, all of them indicating that the lag times in converting laboratory discoveries into practical agents are increasing greatly and that ROI calculations are becoming more and more significant in decisions related to the development of new agents. ROI calculations are particularly important in the field of insect control because, by being more specific, the agents of the future are likely to cover smaller markets. Several recommendations for stimulating the development of new methods of insect control are proposed which are addressed primarily to policy-makers. If they are not implemented, then our suggestions should at least stimulate others to make alternative proposals. If neither event occurs, then it is unlikely that there will be any fundamentally new approaches to practical insect control in this decade; a similar prediction (6) that was made 4 years ago in the field of human birth control is rapidly proving to be correct.     

油罐中幅板和边缘板搭接的应力分析

分析了大型油罐底边缘板和下节点的应力，对边缘板与中幅板搭接且罐基础具有环梁时的应力进行了精确的理论分析和应力计算，并将本文的计算方法与ＡＰＩ和中国科学院方法在罐底板假设边界条件的合理性方面进行了比较。对实测过的５００００ｍ＾３油罐进行的分析表明，是边缘板的应力大于本文理论的计算结果和吴天云方法的结果，与科学院方法的结果基本一致，ＡＰＩ方法的结果最偏离实测值，同时分析了计算应力偏小的原因。     

Quantitative measurement of short-range chemical bonding forces

We report direct force measurements of the formation of a chemical bond. The experiments were performed using a low-temperature atomic force microscope, a silicon tip, and a silicon (111) 7x7 surface. The measured site-dependent attractive short-range force, which attains a maximum value of 2.1 nanonewtons, is in good agreement with first-principles calculations of an incipient covalent bond in an analogous model system. The resolution was sufficient to distinguish differences in the interaction potential between inequivalent adatoms, demonstrating the ability of atomic force microscopy to provide quantitative, atomic-scale information on surface chemical reactivity.     

Quantifying hydrogen bond cooperativity in water: VRT spectroscopy of the water tetramer

Measurement of the far-infrared vibration-rotation tunneling spectrum of the perdeuterated water tetramer is described. Precisely determined rotational constants and relative intensity measurements indicate a cyclic quasi-planar minimum energy structure, which is in agreement with recent ab initio calculations. The O-O separation deduced from the data indicates a rapid exponential convergence to the ordered bulk value with increasing cluster size. Observed quantum tunneling splittings are interpreted in terms of hydrogen bond rearrangements connecting two degenerate structures.