The Seismic Structure of the Sun

Global Oscillation Network Group data reveal that the internal structure of the sun can be well represented by a calibrated standard model. However, immediately beneath the convection zone and at the edge of the energy-generating core, the sound-speed variation is somewhat smoother in the sun than it is in the model. This could be a consequence of chemical inhomogeneity that is too severe in the model, perhaps owing to inaccurate modeling of gravitational settling or to neglected macroscopic motion that may be present in the sun. Accurate knowledge of the sun's structure enables inferences to be made about the physics that controls the sun; for example, through the opacity, the equation of state, or wave motion. Those inferences can then be used elsewhere in astrophysics.     

Al-khwarizmi: a new-found basin on the lunar far side

Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 photographs of the far side of the moon reveal a double-ringed basin 500 kilometers in diameter centered at 1 degrees N, 112 degrees E. The structure is very old and subdued; it is probably Pre-Nectarian in age and appears to have been filled and modified by younger events. The heights of the basin's rings are based on laser altimeter data from Apollo missions 15 through 17; these data suggest a third outer ring, approximately 1000 kilometers in diameter. Laser measurements also indicate that the filled basin separates the relatively low terrain on the eastern limb of the moon from the higher, more rugged highlands to the east.     

Lunar impact basins and crustal heterogeneity: new Western limb and far side data from galileo

Multispectral images of the lunar western limb and far side obtained from Galileo reveal the compositional nature of several prominent lunar features and provide new information on lunar evolution. The data reveal that the ejecta from the Orientale impact basin (900 kilometers in diameter) lying outside the Cordillera Mountains was excavated from the crust, not the mantle, and covers pre-Orientale terrain that consisted of both highland materials and relatively large expanses of ancient mare basalts. The inside of the far side South Pole-Aitken basin (>2000 kilometers in diameter) has low albedo, red color, and a relatively high abundance of iron- and magnesium-rich materials. These features suggest that the impact may have penetrated into the deep crust or lunar mantle or that the basin contains ancient mare basalts that were later covered by highlands ejecta.     

Seismic images of crust and upper mantle beneath Tibet: evidence for Eurasian plate subduction

Seismic data from central Tibet have been combined to image the subsurface structure and understand the evolution of the collision of India and Eurasia. The 410- and 660-kilometer mantle discontinuities are sharply defined, implying a lack of a subducting slab beneath the plateau. The discontinuities appear slightly deeper beneath northern Tibet, implying that the average temperature of the mantle above the transition zone is about 300 degrees C hotter in the north than in the south. There is a prominent south-dipping converter in the uppermost mantle beneath northern Tibet that might represent the top of the Eurasian mantle lithosphere underthrusting the northern margin of the plateau.     

Comparison of segmentation algorithms for cow contour extraction from natural barn background in side view images

Computer vision techniques are a means to extract individual animal information such as weight, activity and calving time in intensive farming. Automatic detection requires adequate image pre-processing such as segmentation to precisely distinguish the animal from its background. For some analyses such as gait analysis, a side view perspective is recommended. When using a side view angle however, the background is more difficult to control – moving objects, such as other animals may negatively impact successful image segmentation. The objective of this research was to evaluate five different background segmentation algorithms on side view images when taken against a static background (a solid transportable wall) and a dynamic background (open air, without a wall).The experiments were conducted on a commercial robotic-milking dairy farm in Israel with a herd size of 70 Israeli Holstein cows. A side view image of cow’s gait was recorded after milking when the cows exited the milking area and returned to the cowshed. From the recording database, a random selection was made of 35 frames containing a static background (solid wall) and 20 frames containing a dynamic background (natural barn environment with other cows).Five segmentation algorithms were chosen and adapted from literature to extract the cow shape from the image. The output of three algorithms gave the cow’s full body shape two identified only the contour of the cow’s body. The algorithms were compared on their ability to correctly identify the cow’s back contour line. The performance of each algorithm was quantified by comparing its outputs to a golden standard of manually labelled cow pixels in the image.The introduction of a physical wall behind the cows (static background) significantly improved the foreground segmentation results (Mean Absolute Error (MAE) = 6.7 ± 5.7 pixels vs. 19.7 ± 9.1 pixels). The fourth algorithm, based on an edge detection on the background difference frame, gave the best cow back contour line segmentation results (b₀ = −0.4 ± 15.5 and b₁ = 1.00 ± 0.07). The fifth algorithm which is based on consecutive frame differences was less accurate than the other four methods which are based on the background frame differences (MAE = 16.0 ± 5.9 pixels vs. 4.1 ± 2.2 pixels, 4.3 ± 2.2 pixels, 5.6 ± 2.8 pixels and 3.7 ± 1.4 pixels respectively for the other four algorithms). The results show that the applied algorithms were not robust enough to work on side view images with dynamic backgrounds.     

Beryllium-10 from the Sun

Beryllium-10 (10Be) in excess of that expected from in situ cosmic ray spallation reactions is present in lunar surface soil 78481; its presence was revealed with a sequential leaching technique. This excess 10Be, representing only 0.7 to 1.1% of the total 10Be inventory, is associated with surface layers (<1 micrometer) of the mineral grains composing 78481. This excess 10Be and its association with surficial layers corresponds to (1.9 +/- 0.8) x 10(8) atoms per square centimeter, requiring a 10Be implantation rate of (2.9 +/- 1.2) x 10(-6) atoms per square centimeter per second on the surface of the Moon. The most likely site for the production of this excess (10)Be is the Sun's atmosphere. The 10Be is entrained into the solar wind and transported to the lunar surface.     

Absorption of proteins and peptides in the far ultraviolet

An absorption peak for the peptide bond at 187 nanometers has been confirmed; a protein assay at this wavelength allows quantitation of proteins in aqueous solution at concentrations between 0.1 and 25 micrograms per milliliter. Assays are conducted at 6 degrees C to take advantage of the reduction of end-absorption of water with temperature.     

中低设防烈度地区全无缝桥梁抗震性能分析

为了准确地模拟接线路面特性，对其荷载-变形和损伤进行了分析，提出了接线路面板集中弹簧简化模型.基于此，采用SAP2000建立了某座全无缝桥梁动力计算模型.对该桥进行了模态分析和地震时程分析，并与对应连续梁桥进行了对比分析；同时还进行了桥长和接线路面刚度敏感性分析.研究结果表明：中低设防烈度地区，全无缝桥梁的地震响应只有连续梁桥的24%～35%，主桥处于弹性无损状态.可见，全无缝桥梁能大幅提升中低烈度地区公路中小桥梁的抗震性能.     

高层建筑模态抗震设计中的多模态静力推覆分析

将模态推覆分析方法与用自适应的加载方式相结合,提出了一种改进的多模态静力推覆分析方法.运用模态推覆分析将多自由度体系解耦成每阶模态对应的单自由度体系,对于每阶模态下的推覆分析,当结构进入塑性阶段后,采用自适应的加载方式,得到每阶模态下结构的反应.将结构推至每阶振型下的目标位移,采用SRSS组合的方式得到结构的响应.对应每阶振型下推覆分析的目标位移采用非弹性能力谱方法来计算.对不同高度的多高层钢框架-混凝土核心筒混合结构在8度罕遇地震下抗震性能进行了评估.结果显示,本文的静力推覆分析所得的结构响应同非线性动力时程分析所得的结果吻合较好.     

中国地区太阳分光辐射观测网的建立与仪器标定

大规模的太阳分光地基联网观测不但能够直接为该项研究提供基础数据,同时也可为卫星遥感提供地表订正.利用性能优越的LED型太阳光度计,依托中国生态研究网络(CERN)分布在中国各地的观测站,建立了标准的太阳分光辐射观测网.利用Langley定标法结合量值传递定标法对观测网所有光度计的标定方法及误差分析表明,不同光度计间的同步观测结果(相对标准偏差小于3%)以及与CIMEL光度计的观测结果间(相对偏差小于5%)有很好的一致性,证实了观测结果的准确性以及该类型光度计及其观测网的稳定性和可靠性.     

Seismic detection of the lunar core

Despite recent insight regarding the history and current state of the Moon from satellite sensing and analyses of limited Apollo-era seismic data, deficiencies remain in our understanding of the deep lunar interior. We reanalyzed Apollo lunar seismograms using array-processing methods to search for the presence of reflected and converted seismic energy from the core. Our results suggest the presence of a solid inner and fluid outer core, overlain by a partially molten boundary layer. The relative sizes of the inner and outer core suggest that the core is ~60% liquid by volume. Based on phase diagrams of iron alloys and the presence of partial melt, the core probably contains less than 6 weight % of lighter alloying components, which is consistent with a volatile-depleted interior.