Saturn's variable magnetosphere

Since the Cassini spacecraft reached Saturn's orbit in 2004, its instruments have been sending back a wealth of data on the planet's magnetosphere (the region dominated by the magnetic field of the planet). In this Viewpoint, we discuss some of these results, which are reported in a collection of reports in this issue. The magnetosphere is shown to be highly variable and influenced by the planet's rotation, sources of plasma within the planetary system, and the solar wind. New insights are also gained into the chemical composition of the magnetosphere, with surprising results. These early results from Cassini's first orbit around Saturn bode well for the future as the spacecraft continues to orbit the planet.     

Energetic neutral atom emissions from Titan interaction with Saturn's magnetosphere

The Cassini Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI) observed the interaction of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, with Saturn's magnetosphere during two close flybys of Titan on 26 October and 13 December 2004. The MIMI Ion and Neutral Camera (INCA) continuously imaged the energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) generated by charge exchange reactions between the energetic, singly ionized trapped magnetospheric ions and the outer atmosphere, or exosphere, of Titan. The images reveal a halo of variable ENA emission about Titan's nearly collisionless outer atmosphere that fades at larger distances as the exospheric density decays exponentially. The altitude of the emissions varies, and they are not symmetrical about the moon, reflecting the complexity of the interactions between Titan's upper atmosphere and Saturn's space environment.     

Composition and dynamics of plasma in Saturn's magnetosphere

During Cassini's initial orbit, we observed a dynamic magnetosphere composed primarily of a complex mixture of water-derived atomic and molecular ions. We have identified four distinct regions characterized by differences in both bulk plasma properties and ion composition. Protons are the dominant species outside about 9 RS (where RS is the radial distance from the center of Saturn), whereas inside, the plasma consists primarily of a corotating comet-like mix of water-derived ions with approximately 3% N+. Over the A and B rings, we found an ionosphere in which O2+ and O+ are dominant, which suggests the possible existence of a layer of O2 gas similar to the atmospheres of Europa and Ganymede.     

Dynamics of Saturn's south polar vortex

The camera onboard the Cassini spacecraft has allowed us to observe many of Saturn's cloud features. We present observations of Saturn's south polar vortex (SPV) showing that it shares some properties with terrestrial hurricanes: cyclonic circulation, warm central region (the eye) surrounded by a ring of high clouds (the eye wall), and convective clouds outside the eye. The polar location and the absence of an ocean are major differences. It also shares properties with the polar vortices on Venus, such as polar location, cyclonic circulation, warm center, and long lifetime, but the Venus vortices have cold collars and are not associated with convective clouds. The SPV's combination of properties is unique among vortices in the solar system.     

Thickness of Saturn's Rings Inferred from Voyager 1 Observations of Microwave Scatter

Earth-based telescopic observations indicate that Saturn's rings are about 1 kilometer thick, while spacecraft measurements and theoretical considerations give an upper bound of about 100 meters. Analysis of a shielding effect present in radio occultation provides a sensitive new measure of the ring thickness. On the basis of this effect, Voyager 1 microwave measurements of near-forward scatter imply a thickness ranging from less than 10 meters in ring C to about 20 and 50 meters in the Cassini division and ring A, respectively. Monolayer models do not fit the observations in the latter two regions. The discrepancy between the Earth-based and spacecraft measurements may be due to warps in the ring plane or effects of tenuous material outside the primary ring system.     

Ground-Based Observations of Saturn's North Polar Spot and Hexagon

Ground-based observations of two conspicuous features near the north pole of Saturn, the polar vortex and the hexagonal wave structure, were made from July 1990 to October 1991, 10 years after their discovery. During this period the polar spot drifted in longitude, relative to system III, by -0.0353 degrees per day on average. Superimposed on this mean motion, the spot also underwent short-term rapid excursions in longitude of up to approximately 14 degrees at rates of up to approximately 1 degrees per day. The spot also exhibited irregular variations in its latitude location. A combination of these data together with those obtained by Voyager 1 and 2 in 1980 and 1981 shows that the spot drifted -0.0577 degrees per day for the 11-year interval from 1980 to 1991. The large lifetime of both features indicates that they are insensitive to the strong variations in the seasonal heating of the cloud layers in the upper polar atmosphere.     

Local orbital forcing of antarctic climate change during the last interglacial

During the last interglacial, Antarctic climate changed before that of the Northern Hemisphere. Large local changes in precession forcing could have produced this pattern if there were a rectified response in sea ice cover. Results from a coupled sea ice-ocean general circulation model supported this hypothesis when it was tested for three intervals around the last interglacial. Such a mechanism may play an important role in contributing to phase offsets between Northern and Southern Hemisphere climate change for other time intervals.     

Temperature and composition of Saturn's polar hot spots and hexagon

Saturn's poles exhibit an unexpected symmetry in hot, cyclonic polar vortices, despite huge seasonal differences in solar flux. The cores of both vortices are depleted in phosphine gas, probably resulting from subsidence of air into the troposphere. The warm cores are present throughout the upper troposphere and stratosphere at both poles. The thermal structure associated with the marked hexagonal polar jet at 77 degrees N has been observed for the first time. Both the warm cyclonic belt at 79 degrees N and the cold anticyclonic zone at 75 degrees N exhibit the hexagonal structure.     

The global magnetic field of Mercury from MESSENGER orbital observations

Magnetometer data acquired by the MESSENGER spacecraft in orbit about Mercury permit the separation of internal and external magnetic field contributions. The global planetary field is represented as a southward-directed, spin-aligned, offset dipole centered on the spin axis. Positions where the cylindrical radial magnetic field component vanishes were used to map the magnetic equator and reveal an offset of 484 ± 11 kilometers northward of the geographic equator. The magnetic axis is tilted by less than 3° from the rotation axis. A magnetopause and tail-current model was defined by using 332 magnetopause crossing locations. Residuals of the net external and offset-dipole fields from observations north of 30°N yield a best-fit planetary moment of 195 ± 10 nanotesla-R(M)(3), where R(M) is Mercury's mean radius.     

Dynamics of microbial diversity during the composting of agricultural straw

The dynamic changes in microbial diversity during the aerobic composting of agricultural crop straw with additives were evaluated using high-throughput sequencing at four phases of composting (mesophilic,thermophilic,cooling and maturation phases).In addition,the physicochemical parameters of the composting system were determined in this study.The fermentation time of the thermophilic period was prolonged with the addition of urea or urea combined with a microbial agent.The ratio of C/N and germination index variation indicated that the additives were favorable for composting,because the additives directly changed the physicochemical properties of the compost and had effects on the diversity and abundance of bacteria and fungi.The abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs),diversity index (Shannon) and richness index(Chao1) of fungi and bacteria were found to significantly increase when urea+microbial agents were added to straw in the thermophilic phase.The relative abundance of the predominant bacteria and fungi at the phylum and genus levels differed during different composting phases.The abundance of the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria declined in the order of treatments SNWSNS (S is straw only compost;SN is straw+5 kg t~(–1) urea compost;and SNW is straw+5 kg t~(–1) urea+1 kg t~(–1) microbial agent compost) in the thermophilic phase.The abundance of the genera Staphylococcus,Bacillus and Thermobifida followed the same order in the mesophilic phase.Ascomycota accounted for more than 92%of the total fungal sequences.With the progression of the composting process,the abundance of Ascomycota decreased gradually.The abundance of Ascomycota followed the order of SSNSNW during the thermophilic phase.The abundance of Aspergillus accounted for 4–59%of the total abundance of fungi and increased during the first two sampling periods.Aspergillus abundance followed the order of SNWSNS.Additionally,principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the community compositions in the straw and straw+urea treatments were similar,and that the bacterial communities in treatments S,SN and SNW in the mesophilic phase (at day 1) were different from those observed in three other phases (at days 5,11,and19,respectively),while the fungal communities showed only slight variations in their structure in response to changes in the composting process.Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that total carbon(TC),NO_3~–-N (NN),electrical conductivity (EC) and p H were highly correlated with community composition.Therefore,this study highlights that the additives are beneficial to straw composting and result in good quality compost.     

卷丹百合珠芽发育进程中矢车菊素的积累动态

[目的]了解珠芽发育进程中矢车菊素的积累动态,为卷丹百合珠芽中花青素的开发利用提供理论依据。[方法]以卷丹百合珠芽为材料,采用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)测定珠芽不同发育时期的矢车菊素-3-O-葡萄糖苷含量。[结果]卷丹百合珠芽发育从肉眼可见(2 mm)到成熟脱落大致经历91 d,在此期间大致可分成"鱼雷期""胎儿期"和"球形期"3个时期。测定矢车菊素-3-O-葡萄糖苷的最佳色谱条件为Agilent ZORBAX SB-C_(18)柱、流动相A(0.04%甲酸水溶液)∶B(乙腈)=95∶5、流速0.5 mL/min、检测波长520 nm、自动进样10μL、柱温35℃,采用梯度洗脱。珠芽中矢车菊素的积累伴随珠芽发育呈"双峰"递增趋势。第21天矢车菊素-3-O-葡萄糖苷含量达到第1个高峰;在91 d时达到第2个高峰,之后缓慢下降。[结论]91 d是采集珠芽提取矢车菊素的最佳时间,此时珠芽中矢车菊素-3-O-葡萄糖苷含量达344.76 mg/kg。     

1973 - 2003年中国森林生态系统服务功能变化研究

利用1973 - 2003年间中国6次森林资源清查资料,以及中国生态系统研究网络长期定位观测资料,建立中国森林生态系统评估指标体系及其定量化方法,并对中国森林生态系统服务功能价值及其动态变化进行评价与分析。结果表明:1973 - 2003年,中国森林生态系统服务功能总价值变动范围为1.940 ～ 2.870万亿元·a－1,单位面积价值变动范围为1.936 ～ 2.028万元·hm－2·a－1。20世纪70年代末期以前,中国的森林经营以木材利用为主,森林生态系统服务功能总价值减少,之后随着国家开始重视生态建设而呈逐步增加的趋势;而20世纪70年代末期中国森林生态系统服务功能单位面积价值最大,之后开始下降,直到90年代末期才开始恢复增长。图1表4参15     

1973-2003年中国森林生态系统服务功能变化研究

利用1973-2003年间中国6次森林资源清查资料,以及中国生态系统研究网络长期定位观测资料,建立中国森林生态系统评估指标体系及其定量化方法,并对中国森林生态系统服务功能价值及其动态变化进行评价与分析。结果表明：1973-2003年,中国森林生态系统服务功能总价值变动范围为1.940～2.870万亿元·a^-1,单位面积价值变动范围为1.936～2.028万元·hm^-2·a^-1。20世纪70年代末期以前,中国的森林经营以木材利用为主,森林生态系统服务功能总价值减少,之后随着国家开始重视生态建设而呈逐步增加的趋势;而20世纪70年代末期中国森林生态系统服务功能单位面积价值最大,之后开始下降,直到90年代末期才开始恢复增长。     

Dynamics of the hippocampus during encoding and retrieval of face-name pairs

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is critical in forming new memories, but how subregions within the MTL carry out encoding and retrieval processes in humans is unknown. Using new high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) acquisition and analysis methods, we identified mnemonic properties of different subregions within the hippocampal circuitry as human subjects learned to associate names with faces. The cornu ammonis (CA) fields 2 and 3 and the dentate gyrus were active relative to baseline only during encoding, and this activity decreased as associations were learned. Activity in the subiculum showed the same temporal decline, but primarily during retrieval. Our results demonstrate that subdivisions within the hippocampus make distinct contributions to new memory formation.     

Dynamics of soil carbon during deglaciation of the laurentide ice sheet

Deglaciation of the Laurentide Ice Sheet in North America was accompanied by sequestration of organic carbon in newly exposed soils. The greatest rate of land exposure occurred around 12,000 to 8,000 years ago, and the greatest increase in the rate of carbon sequestration by soils occurred from 8,000 to 4,000 years ago. Sequestration of carbon in deglaciated peat lands continues today, and a steady state has not been reached. The natural rate of carbon sequestration in soils, however, is small relative to the rate of anthropogenic carbon dioxide production.     

桃脆片加工过程中3种农药残留动态

采用田间喷药和室内模拟加工方式,研究变温压差膨化法和真空冷冻干燥法加工桃脆片过程中,毒死蜱、多菌灵和吡虫啉的残留动态,为桃脆片膳食暴露风险评估以及加工过程中农药残留消减提供科学指导.结果表明:去皮是去除桃果实中毒死蜱残留的关键步骤,去除率高达84.7％;清洗和去皮是去除桃果实中多菌灵残留的关键步骤,去除率分别为48.8...     

茶树生长过程中土壤磷变化动态

[目的]为三峡库区生态环境建设和退耕还林工程提供理论参考和科学依据。[方法]选择秭归不同生长年限的茶树地的土壤样品,分析测定土壤速效磷及微生物磷随生长时间及土壤深度的变化。[结果]结果表明:随着茶树生长年限延长,土壤速效磷含量呈逐渐增加的趋势,土壤微生物量磷无明显的变化趋势。随土壤深度的增加,速效磷和微生物磷都呈逐渐降低的趋势。[结论]茶树生长有利于土壤表层磷的积累。     

秸秆腐解过程中土壤热值与有机养分动态

研究玉米秸秆在3种长期试验地(葡萄园、桃园、农田)腐解过程中土壤热值和养分动态变化情况,为秸秆资源的合理利用和土壤培肥提供科学依据。于2011年10月至2012年10月在陕西杨凌进行,采用尼龙网袋法进行玉米秸秆腐解试验,定期取样测定秸秆的腐解残留率,研究紧贴尼龙网袋土壤的热值及其养分变化。结果表明:随着腐解时间的增加,秸秆在0～270d腐解迅速,残留率基本为50%左右,在270～360d腐解速度减慢,最终玉米秸秆在农田、桃园、葡萄园的腐解残留率分别为41.73%、36.11%、46.14%。3个试验地对秸秆腐解过程中土壤热值的影响差异不显著。土壤温度与秸秆腐解的残留率变化呈极显著负相关,影响秸秆在土壤中的腐解速度。整个腐解期间,除了秸秆腐解过程中土壤有机碳的变化不大,农田土壤pH基本不变,果园土壤pH下降了2.06%～2.32%;农田和桃园土壤速效磷分别增加了14.2%和67.5%,而葡萄园土壤速效磷降低了26.9%;农田、桃园和葡萄园的土壤速效钾分别增加了49.9%,43.0%和89.2%。3个试验地土壤易氧化有机碳、稳定性有机碳和碱解氮质量分数之间差异不显著。秸秆腐解在前、中期降解较快,后期趋缓。土壤温度、易氧化有机碳、稳定性有机碳、速效钾影响玉米秸秆在土壤中的腐解速度。果园土壤的有机碳和速效钾质量分数极显著高于农田土壤,说明生草可以提高果园土壤的部分养分质量分数,提高秸秆还田效果,农田土壤在秸秆还田时可调控因素比果园土壤多。可见,植物秸秆在腐解过程中会不同程度影响土壤养分质量分数的变化,提高部分有效养分质量分数,对土壤肥力和质量的提升起到一定的作用。     

Dynamics of slow-moving landslides from permanent scatterer analysis

High-resolution interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) permanent scatterer data allow us to resolve the rates and variations in the rates of slow-moving landslides. Satellite-to-ground distances (range changes) on landslides increase at rates of 5 to 7 millimeters per year, indicating average downslope sliding velocities from 27 to 38 millimeters per year. Time-series analysis shows that displacement occurs mainly during the high-precipitation season; during the 1997-1998 El Ni?o event, rates of range change increased to as much as 11 millimeters per year. The observed nonlinear relationship of creep and precipitation rates suggests that increased pore fluid pressures within the shallow subsurface may initiate and accelerate these features. Changes in the slope of a hill resulting from increases in the pore pressure and lithostatic stress gradients may then lead to landslides.