Infrared heater arrays for warming ecosystem field plots

There is a need for methodology to warm open-field plots in order to study the likely effects of global warming on ecosystems in the future. Herein, we describe the development of arrays of more powerful and efficient infrared heaters with ceramic heating elements. By tilting the heaters at 45 degrees from horizontal and combining six of them in a hexagonal array, good uniformity of warming was achieved across 3-m-diameter plots. Moreover, there do not appear to be obstacles (other than financial) to scaling to larger plots. The efficiency [eta(h) (%); thermal radiation out per electrical energy in] of these heaters was higher than that of the heaters used in most previous infrared heater experiments and can be described by: eta(h) = 10 + 25exp(-0.17 u), where u is wind speed at 2 m height (m s(-1)). Graphs are presented to estimate operating costs from degrees of warming, two types of plant canopy, and site windiness. Four such arrays were deployed over plots of grass at Haibei, Qinghai, China and another at Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA, along with corresponding reference plots with dummy heaters. Proportional integral derivative systems with infrared thermometers to sense canopy temperatures of the heated and reference plots were used to control the heater outputs. Over month-long periods at both sites, about 75% of canopy temperature observations were within 0.5 degrees C of the set-point temperature differences between heated and reference plots. Electrical power consumption per 3-m-diameter plot averaged 58 and 80 kW h day(-1) for Haibei and Cheyenne, respectively. However, the desired temperature differences were set lower at Haibei (1.2 degrees C daytime, 1.7 degrees C night) than Cheyenne (1.5 degrees C daytime, 3.0 degrees C night), and Cheyenne is a windier site. Thus, we conclude that these hexagonal arrays of ceramic infrared heaters can be a successful temperature free-air-controlled enhancement (T-FACE) system for warming ecosystem field plots.

基于模拟退火算法的挤出模参数优化

建立了塑料熔体在异型材挤出机头流道中的流动均匀性模型 ,阐明了模具结构参数与流动均匀性间的关系,确定了塑料挤出模优化设计的目标函数和设计变量 ,并将一种改进的模拟退火算法用于流线型塑料异型材挤出机头的优化设计。实例表明所用方法对挤出模优化设计的适用性,该方法在利用经验的同时 ,优化了模具结构参数 ,提高了模具设计的智能化

激光拼焊错边产生与预测建模方法

错边是评定激光拼焊质量的一个非常重要的指标,薄板构件错边的控制是激光拼焊中一个难题。针对国内首条全自动激光拼焊设备,对错边的产生以及控制方法进行了深入研究,经过大量试验确定了影响错边大小的几个主要因素,板材自身物理变形、压紧力大小与均匀性、压紧横梁变形、支撑底板平面度误差以及焊接变形的影响。通过分析以上因素对错边的影响以及各个因素之间相互关系,建立了错边预测的数学模型。试验验证了模型的正确性,从而为确定错边产生原因,提高焊接质量提供了一个有效的理论指导。

复杂断块油气藏成藏机理和剩余油预测

Complex fault block reservoir is very important type in chinese oilfield.The reservoir have for many years and it has been the important issue of oil-gas exploration and development in china that how to increase reserves and production. Therefore,taking the Pucheng-oil field as an example, the article intensive study the geologic feature of oil pool, correctly recognize the rule of oil-gas accumulation and based on the fine representation of the characteristic of reservoir, research the remaining oil in high developed area,which is important for progressive exploratioon and development and taping the remaining oil. The article multipurpose uses the data of geology,drilling,wellloging, analysis and assay and so on, under the guidance multi-disciplinary theory, intensify the comprehension of the geologic feature of oil pool in high developed oil field. Based on the high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework ,the article points out that Es_2 upper 2+3 reservoir in the south area of Pucheng oilfield is in the depositional environment of Terminal Fan, which has constant supply of sedimentary source ,and build the sedimentation model. Studies have shown that the major reservoir in work area is the distributary channel sandbody in central Sub-facies of Terminal Fan，secondary is both lateral accretion sandbodies of channel sands，nearby and far away from the channel overflowing sandbodies in front of the fan. The article analyze the effect of depth of burial of the reservoir, sandstone structure, strata pressure and bioturbate structure on control action of physical property for reservoir and indicate that deposition and diagenesis are major controlling factors.By building the model of reservoir heterogeneity, the article show the magnitude of reservoir heterogeneity ,the genesis and identification mark of Interlayer and build the the model of interlayer. in this area the vertical distribution of interlayer is complicated,but the intraed interlayer distribute steady. Thick interlayer is steady and the thin is relatively spreaded. By building models of fault sealing,stress field and fluid potential field of the south of the pucheng oil field, the regular pattern of fluid migration and accumulation runs out. By researching the elements of oil accumulation, migration pathway and accumulation period with quantification and semiquantitative methods,we bulit the oil-gas reservoir-forming mode of the south of the pucheng oil field,which will be the foundation of the rolling exploratory development in the future. We promulgated the master control element and the rule of distribution of the remaining oil with the upside 2+3 oil layer in shaer in the south of the pucheng oil field as an example.In this area, the formation and the distribution of the remaining oil is controled by the sedimentary microfacies, reservoir heterogeneity,fault and reservoir engineering. The remaining oil is concentrated in the vicinity of the gas cap, updip of the fault block and the area with incomplete flooding. Remaining oil saturation in some area can get 50%, so there are many places in which we can enhance oil recovery.

鄂尔多斯盆地东部地区奥陶系马家沟组沉积相与储层特征研究

Ordos Basin is one of the primary bases for petroleum exploration in our country. A series of Ordovician large gas fields were discovered, which suggest that the Lower Paleozoic carbonate, especiallly for Ordovician carbonate rocks, preserve plenty of hydrocarbon resources. Well Longtong 1 is studied as the typical exploration well. Acorrding to the specific research on the type of lithology, texture, structure and sedimentary sequence in Ordovician Majiagou Formation as well as additional data from another 20 wells, the sedimentary model has been built in Majiagou Formation. The sedimentary characteristics for each Member in Majiagou Formaiton and the feature of distribution are well understood as below: It suggests that period of Member 1, Member 3 and Member 5 in Majiagou Formation characterize with dry and hot climate as well as drop of the sea level. The area of Well Longtan 1 in the eastern basin is abundant of platform evaporite lithofacies with the depositional anhyrock and salt rock, whereas yield a suite of dolomite intercalated by the thin layers of anhyrock from the anhyrcok-dolomite platform sediment. It deposits muddy dolomite, dolomitic limestone and fine-grain dolomite in limestone-dolomite platform and restricted sea. During the stage of Member 2 and Member 4 in Majiagou Formation, the climate is wet and hot with increasing sea level. The study region occurs limestone with little dolomite in the open sea environment; but the margin area is the restricted sea settings with interbeding dolomite and limestone. Based on the thin section identification, element and isotope analysis as well as the study of texture and structure, it sugguests that the main reserviors are dolomite while the gypsum are major cap rocks. The Member 2 in Majiagou Formation is both the source rocks and the resveroirs; gypsum rocks widely occur in Member 3 as the better cap; similar to the Member 2, the Member 4 in Majiagou Formation is both the source rocks and the resveroirs; there are two source-reservoir-cap assemblages in the Member 5 alone and the cap is gypsum with high quality and great thickness, which is a favorite source-reservoir-cap assemblage.

柴西南区下干柴沟组下段层序地层格架内沉积相展布及有利储集砂体分布研究

Lower member of the lower Ganchaigou Formation in the southwestern of Qaidam Basin is one of the main targeted exploration zones. With the advancement of exploration, the targets are gradually switching into the lithologic reservoirs and it is urgent to gain the more precise research results in distribution of sedimentary facies and sandstones. Guided by the theory of sequence stratigraphy and sedimentology as well as on the basis of many logging data, drillings, seismic data and chemical tests, the paper comprehensively analyzes the sedimentary facies and sandstones in the lower member of lower Ganchaigou Formation in the southern of Chaixi. According to the identification marks of the key interface in sequence stratigraphy, the key interfaces in lower member of lower Ganchaigou Formation in the southwestern of Qaidam Basin are identified as two third-order sequences SQ1、SQ2. By calibrating the synthetic seismogram, the seismic sequence, well drilling and logging sequences are united. Based on the works above, this paper chooses seven primary cross-sections and builds connecting-well stratigraphic correlation of seven main connecting-well sections. Ultimately, the high-resolution sequence stratigraphic frameworks in the lower member of the lower Ganchaigou Formation, which are uniform to logging and seismic data, are figured out. In terms of study on each sequence features, the main style of the base-level cycle overlay which forms the third-order sequence is confirmed. It contains asymmetric “becoming deep upward” style and symmetry style. Researching on the spreading characters of sequence stratigraphy indicates that SQ1 and SQ2 are rather thicker near northwest well Shashen 20 and Shaxin1 while they are quite thiner near Hongcan 1, Yuejin, Qie 4 and Dong8-Wu3, and the thickness of SQ1 is thicker than SQ2.Based on the deep analysis of the marks for depositional facies, it is proposed that the lake facies and braid river deltas facies mainly occurred in study areas. Besides, the sorts of sub-facies and micro-facies model are divided and described. Under the control of high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework, three source directions from Arlarer Mountain、Qimantage Mountain and Dongchai Mountain are identified by using the features of heavy mineral assemblage and paleogeomorphy. In addition, regularities of distribution sedimentary facies in sequence stratigraphic framework are studied in accordance with research thinking of the "point" (single well) "line" (section) "face" (plane). In the stage of lower member in the lower Ganchaigou Formation in the southwestern of Qaidam Basin, it is at the early phrase of evolution of the lake basin with the gradual outspread and the rise of the lake level. Combined with physical analysis of reservoir sands formed in different sedimentary environment, the paper studies the style of favorable sandstone bodies that are underwater distributary channel of braided rive delta front, coarse sand in mouth bar and the sand body in sand flat of shore-shallow lacustrine facies. Finally, this article comprehensively analyzes the distribution relationship between sedimentary facies and favorable sandstone body and proposes the ideas that sequence SQ1 Yuejin area, well east 8-wu3 area, well qie4-qie1 area and well hongcan2 area are distributed areas of favorable sandstone.

松辽盆地南部岩性油藏成藏模式与分布规律

According to the basic geologic conditions, the paper is directed by the modem oil-gas accumulation theory and petroleum system in which typical oil pools are analyzed and the shape of lithologic trap and geologic factors are pointed out. The process during which oil and gas migrate from source rock to lithologic trap is rebuilt, and the accumulation model of oil pool is set up. With the comprehensive application of seismic geologic and log data and paying attention to the method and technology which is used to distinguish lithologic accumulation. Promising structural-lithofacies zones are got and the distribution rule of various lithologic accumulation is concluded. With making use of the biologic mark compound, different reservoirs are compared. As a result, the oil and gas in HeiDimiao come from Nenjiang Group's source rocks; in SaErTu from QingShenkou Group's and Nenjiang Group's, and in PuTaohua. GaoTaizi and FuYang from QingShankou Group's. According to the development and distribution of effective source rock, oil distribution and the comparison in the south of SongLiao basin, the characteristic of basin structure and reservoir distribution is considered, and then the middle-upper reservoir of SongLiao basin south are divided into two petroleum system and a complex petroleum system. Because of the characteristic of migration and accumulation, two petroleum systems can furtherly be divided into 6-7 sub-petroleum systems,20 sub-petroleum systems in all. As a result of the difference of the migration characteristic, accumulation conditions and the place in the petroleum system, the accumulation degree and accumulation model are different. So three accumulation mechanism and six basic accumulation model of lithologic trap are concluded. The distribution of lithologic pools is highly regular oil and gas around the generation sag distribute on favorable structural-lithofacies zones, the type of lithological pool vary regularly from the core of sandstone block to the upper zone. On the basic of regional structure and sedimentary evolution, main factors which control the form of trap are discovered, and it is the critical factor method which is used to discern the lithologic trap. After lots of exploration, 700km~2 potential trap is distinguished and 18391.86 * 10~4 tons geologic reserves is calculated. Oil-water distribution rule of pinch-out oil pool is put up on plane which is the reservoirs can be divided into four sections. This paper presented the law of distribution of oil and water in updip pinch-out reservoir, that is, hydrocarbon-bearing formation in plane can be divided into four zones: bottom edge water zone, underside oil and water zone, middle pure oil zone and above residual water zone. The site of the first well should be assigned to be middle or above pure oil zone, thus the exploration value of this type of reservoir can be recognized correctly. In accordance with the characteristics of seism and geology of low permeability thin sandstone and mudstone alternation layer, the paper applied a set of reservoir prediction technology, that is: (1)seism multi-parameter model identification; (2) using stratum's absorbing and depleting information to predict reservoir's abnormal hydrocarbon-bearing range. With the analysis of the residual resource potential and the research of two petroleum system and the accumulation model, promising objective zones are predicted scientifically. And main exploration aim is the DaRngZi bore in the west of ChangLin basin, and YingTai-SiFangZi middle-upper assembly in Honggang terrace.

火成岩储层裂缝识别、预测理论与方法研究－以济阳坳陷火成岩油藏为例

Since 1970s, igneous reservoirs such as Shang741, Bin674 and Luol51 have been found in Jiyang depression, which are enrichment and heavy-producing. Showing good prospect of exploration and development, igneous reservoirs have been the main part of increasing reserves and production in Shengli oilfield. As fracture igneous reservoir being an extraordinary complex concealed reservoir and showing heavy heterogeneity in spatial distribution, the study of recognition, prediction, formation mechanism and the law of distribution of fracture is essential to develop the reservoir. Guided by multiple discipline theory such as sedimentology, geophysics, mineralogy, petroleum geology, structural geology and reservoir engineering, a set of theories and methods of recognition and prediction of fractured igneous rock reservoir are formed in this paper. Rock data, three-dimensional seismic data, log data, borehole log data, testing data and production data are combined in these methods by the means of computer. Based on the research of igneous rock petrography and reservoir formation mechanism, emphasized on the assessment and forecast of igneous rock reservoir, aimed at establishing a nonhomogeneity quantification model of fractured igneous rock reservoir, the creativity on the fracture recognition, prediction and formation mechanism are achieved. The research result is applied to Jiyang depression, suggestion of exploration and development for fractured igneous rock reservoir is supplied and some great achievement and favourable economic effect are achieved. The main achievements are gained as follows: 1. The main facies models of igneous rock reservoir in JiYang depression are summarized. Based on data and techniques of seism, well log and logging,started from the research of single well rock facies, proceeded by seismic and log facies research, from point to line and line to face, the regional igneous facies models are established. And hypabyssal intrusion allgovite facies model, explosion volcaniclastic rock facies model and overfall basaltic rocks facies model are the main facies models of igneous rock reservoir in JiYang depression. 2. Four nonhomogenous reservoir models of igneous reservoirs are established, which is the base of fracture prediction and recognition. According to characteristics of igneous petrology and spatial types of reservoir, igneous reservoirs of Jiyang depression are divided into four categories: fractured irruptive rock reservoir, fracture-pore thermocontact metamorphic rock and irruptive rock compound reservoir, pore volcanic debris cone reservoir and fracture-pore overfall basaltic rock reservoir. The spatial distribution of each model's reservoir has its features. And reservoirs can be divided into primary ones and secondary ones, whose mechanism of formation and laws of distribution are studied in this paper. 3. Eight geologic factors which dominate igneous reservoirs are presented. The eight geologic factors which dominates igneous reservoirs are igneous facies, epigenetic tectonics deformation, fracture motion, intensity of intrusive effect and adjoining-rock characters, thermo-contact metamorphic rock facies, specific volcano-tectonic position, magmatic cyclicity and epigenetic diagenetic evolution. The interaction of the eight factors forms the four types nonhomogenous reservoir models of igneous reservoirs in Jiyang depression. And igneous facies and fracture motion are the most important and primary factors. 4. Identification patterns of seismic, well log and logging facies of igneous rocks are established. Igneous rocks of Jiyang depression show typical reflecting features on seismic profile. Tabular reflection seismic facies, arc reflection seismic facies and hummocky or mushroom reflection seismic facies are the three main facies. Logging response features of basic basalt and diabase are shown as typical "three low and two high", which means low natural gamma value, low interval transit-time, low neutron porosity, high resistivity and high density. Volcaniclastic rocks show "two high and three low"-high neutron porosity, high interval transit-time, low density, low-resistance and low natural gamma value. Thermo-contact metamorphic rocks surrounding to diabase show "four high and two low" on log data, which is high natural gamma value, high self-potential anomaly, high neutron porosity, high interval transit-time and low density and low-resistance. Based on seismic, well log and logging data, spatial shape of Shang 741 igneous rock is described. 5. The methods of fracture prediction and recognition for fractured igneous reservoir are summarized. Adopting FMI image log and nuclear magnetic resonance log to quantitative analysis of fractured igneous reservoir and according to formation mechanism and shape of fracture, various fractures are recognized, such as high-angle fracture, low-angle fracture, vertical fracture, reticulated fracture, induced fracture, infilling fracture and corrosion vug. Shang 741 intrusive rock reservoir can be divided into pore-vug compound type, pore fracture type, micro-pore and micro-fracture type. Physical properties parameters of the reservoir are computed and single-well fracture model and reservoir parameters model are established. 6. Various comprehensive methods of fracture prediction and recognition for fractured igneous reservoir are put forward. Adopting three-element (igneous facies, fracture motion and rock bending) geologic comprehensive reservoir evaluation technique and deep-shallow unconventional laterolog constrained inversion technique, lateral prediction of fractured reservoir such as Shang 741 is taken and nonhomogeneity quantification models of reservoirs are established.

用宽频带远震体波波形研究中国及邻近地区地壳构造及地质意义初探

The theory and approach of the broadband teleseismic body waveform inversion are expatiated in this paper, and the defining the crust structure's methods are developed. Based on the teleseismic P-wave data, the theoretic image of the P-wave radical component is calculated via the convolution of the teleseismic P-wave vertical component and the transform function, and thereby a P-wavefrom inversion method is built. The applied results show the approach effective, stable and its resolution high. The exact and reliable teleseismic P waveforms recorded by CDSN and IRIS and its geodynamics are utilized to obtain China and its vicinage lithospheric transfer functions, this region ithospheric structure is inverted through the inversion of reliable transfer functions, the new knowledge about the deep structure of China and its vicinage is obtained, and the reliable seismological evidence is provided to reveal the geodynamic evolution processes and set up the continental collisional theory. The major studies are as follows: Two important methods to study crustal and upper mantle structure -- body wave travel-time inversion and waveform modeling are reviewed systematically. Based on ray theory, travel-time inversion is characterized by simplicity, crustal and upper mantle velocity model can be obtained by using 1-D travel-time inversion preliminary, which introduces the reference model for studying focal location, focal mechanism, and fine structure of crustal and upper mantle. The large-scale lateral inhomogeneity of crustal and upper mantle can be obtained by three-dimensional t ravel-time seismic tomography. Based on elastic dynamics, through the fitting between theoretical seismogram and observed seismogram, waveform modeling can interpret the detail waveform and further uncover one-dimensional fine structure and lateral variation of crustal and upper mantle, especially the media characteristics of singular zones of ray. Whatever travel-time inversion and waveform modeling is supposed under certain approximate conditions, with respective advantages and disadvantages, and provide convincing structure information for elucidating physical and chemical features and geodynamic processes of crustal and upper mantle. Because the direct wave, surface wave, and refraction wave have lower resolution in investigating seismic velocity transitional zone, which is inadequate to study seismic discontinuities. On the contrary, both the converse and reflected wave, which sample the discontinuities directly, must be carefully picked up from seismogram to constrain the velocity transitional zones. Not only can the converse wave and reflected wave study the crustal structure, but also investigate the upper mantle discontinuities. There are a number of global and regional seismic discontinuities in the crustal and upper mantle, which plays a significant role in understanding physical and chemical properties and geodynamic processes of crustal and upper mantle. The broadband teleseismic P waveform inversion is studied particularly. The teleseismic P waveforms contain a lot of information related to source time function, near-source structure, propagation effect through the mantle, receiver structure, and instrument response, receiver function is isolated form teleseismic P waveform through the vector rotation of horizontal components into ray direction and the deconvolution of vertical component from the radial and tangential components of ground motion, the resulting time series is dominated by local receiver structure effect, and is hardly irrelevant to source and deep mantle effects. Receiver function is horizontal response, which eliminate multiple P wave reflection and retain direct wave and P-S converted waves, and is sensitive to the vertical variation of S wave velocity. Velocity structure beneath a seismic station has different response to radial and vertical component of an accident teleseismic P wave. To avoid the limits caused by a simplified assumption on the vertical response, the receiver function method is mended. In the frequency domain, the transfer function is showed by the ratio of radical response and vertical response of the media to P wave. In the time domain, the radial synthetic waveform can be obtained by the convolution of the transfer function with the vertical wave. In order to overcome the numerical instability, generalized reflection and transmission coefficient matrix method is applied to calculate the synthetic waveform so that all multi-reflection and phase conversion response can be included. A new inversion method, VFSA-LM method, is used in this study, which successfully combines very fast simulated annealing method (VFSA) with damped least square inversion method (LM). Synthetic waveform inversion test confirms its effectiveness and efficiency. Broadband teleseismic P waveform inversion is applied in lithospheric velocity study of China and its vicinage. According to the data of high quality CDSN and IRIS, we obtained an outline map showing the distribution of Asian continental crustal thickness. Based on these results gained, the features of distribution of the crustal thickness and outline of crustal structure under the Asian continent have been analyzed and studied. Finally, this paper advances the principal characteristics of the Asian continental crust. There exist four vast areas of relatively minor variations in the crustal thickness, namely, northern, eastern southern and central areas of Asian crust. As a byproduct, the earthquake location is discussed, Which is a basic issue in seismology. Because of the strong trade-off between the assumed initial time and focal depth and the nonlinear of the inversion problems, this issue is not settled at all. Aimed at the problem, a new earthquake location method named SAMS method is presented, In which, the objective function is the absolute value of the remnants of travel times together with the arrival times and use the Fast Simulated Annealing method is used to inverse. Applied in the Chi-Chi event relocation of Taiwan occurred on Sep 21, 2000, the results show that the SAMS method not only can reduce the effects of the trade-off between the initial time and focal depth, but can get better stability and resolving power. At the end of the paper, the inverse Q filtering method for compensating attenuation and frequency dispersion used in the seismic section of depth domain is discussed. According to the forward and inverse results of synthesized seismic records, our Q filtrating operator of the depth domain is consistent with the seismic laws in the absorbing media, which not only considers the effect of the media absorbing of the waves, but also fits the deformation laws, namely the frequency dispersion of the body wave. Two post stacked profiles about 60KM, a neritic area of China processed, the result shows that after the forward Q filtering of the depth domain, the wide of the wavelet of the middle and deep layers is compressed, the resolution and signal noise ratio are enhanced, and the primary sharp and energy distribution of the profile are retained.

油气流线模拟方法研究与系统研制

The modeling of petroleum flow path (petroleum charging) and the detail of corresponding software development are presented in this paper, containing principle of petroleum charging, quantitative method, and practical modeling in two oil fields. The Modeling of Petroleum Flow Path is based on the result of basin modeling, according to the principle of petroleum migrating along the shortest path from the source to trap, Petroleum System Dynamics (Prof. Wu Chonglong, 1998), the concept of Petroleum Migration and Dynamic Accumulation (Zhou Donyan, Li Honhui, 2002), etc. The simulation is done combing with all parameters of basin, and considering the flow potential, non-uniformity of source and porous layer. It's the extending of basin modeling, but not belong to it. It is a powerful simulating tool of petroleum system, and can express quantitatively every kind of geology elements of a petroleum basin, and can recuperate dynamically the geology processes with 3D graphics. At result, we can give a result that the petroleum flow shows itself the phenomena of main path, and without using the special theory such as deflection flow in fractures(Tian Kaiming, 1989, 1994, Zhang Fawang, Hou Xingwei, 1998), and flow potential(England, 1987). The contour map of petroleum flow quantitative show clearly where the coteau - dividing slot is, and which convergence region are the main flow path of petroleum, and where is the favorable play of petroleum. The farsighted trap can be determined if there are enough information about structural diagram and can be evaluated, such as the entrapment extent, spill point, area, oil column thickness, etc. Making full use of the result of basin modeling with this new tool, the critical moment and scheme of the petroleum generation and expulsion can be showed clearly. It's powerful analysis tool for geologist.

A multichannel detector array with 768 pixels developed for electron spectroscopy

Langstaff, David; Chase, T., (2007) 'A multichannel detector array with 768 pixels developed for electron spectroscopy', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 573(1-2) pp.169-171 RAE2008

Avaliação da Qualidade de Serviço Percebida e da Satisfação dos Clientes

Tese apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Doutor em Ciências Empresariais, especialidade em Gestão

Narratives in early Irish law tracts

This thesis presents a study of the 112 narratives collected from the Corpus Iuris Hibernici. The selection of narratives is based on criteria informed by modern narratological theories. The significant presence of narratives in early Irish law tracts appears at odds with the normal conception of law texts as consisting solely of provisions, and therefore needs to be accounted for. Since no systematic study has been conducted of these legal narratives, this thesis serves as an introduction by giving firstly an index of narratives and secondly a categorisation of them in terms of distribution, dates and functions. It then carries out a general analysis of the relationship between legal narratives and early Irish literature, and a selected case study of the relationship between legal narratives and the legal institutions in the context of which the narratives are located. It has become clearer, with the progress of argument, that the use of narratives was an integral part of legal writing in medieval Ireland; and the narratives, though having many idiosyncratic features of themselves, are profoundly connected with the learned tradition at large. The legal narratives reveal the intellectual background and compositional concerns of medieval Irish jurists, and they formed a crucial part of the effort to accommodate law tracts into the dynamic tradition of senchas. Two appendices are included at the end: one consists of translations of 34 narratives from the index, and the other is a critical edition of one of the narratives discussed in detail, together with translations of some relevant passages.

Nematode diversity in different microhabitats in a mangrove region

Mangroves are highly productive environments that play important ecological and socioeconomic roles; however, they have been impacted to different degrees in most countries worldwide. The knowledge of which organisms inhabit this environment and their ecological interactions is the first step towards its conservation. The natural variability of environmental factors in mangroves provides numerous niches available to different species. Meiofauna have patchy patterns of distribution that are related to the availability of resources. Hence, meiofauna are expected to present a high diversity of different taxa occupying the different microhabitats offered by mangroves. This work aims to test the hypothesis that the assemblage structure of Nematoda varies significantly among mangrove microhabitats and to contribute knowledge on the meiofauna diversity in mangrove environments. This work was carried out in a mangrove region at Pernambuco state, Northeastern Brazil. Qualitative samples were collected in nine microhabitats which show different characteristics mainly in terms of presence of vegetation or another organism and sediment grain size. Univariate and multivariate analysis were applied to Nematoda genera abundance data. Our results demonstrate the existence of significant differences among microhabitats regarding nematode assemblage structure corroborating the hypothesis. Different Nematoda assemblages are present in at least seven microhabitats. These assemblages are composed of nematode genera with different trophic and morphological features, demonstrating a strong relationship between morphological diversity and ecological plasticity. Furthermore, this study also demonstrates the importance of the conservation of this ecosystem and its attributes.

Living in warmer, more acidic oceans retards physiological recovery from tidal emersion in the velvet swimming crab, Necora puber

The distribution patterns of many species in the intertidal zone are partly determined by their ability to survive and recover from tidal emersion. During emersion, most crustaceans experience gill collapse, impairing gas exchange. Such collapse generates a state of hypoxemia and a hypercapnia-induced respiratory acidosis, leading to hyperlactaemia and metabolic acidosis. However, how such physiological responses to emersion are modified by prior exposure to elevated CO2 and temperature combinations, indicative of future climate change scenarios, is not known. We therefore investigated key physiological responses of velvet swimming crabs, Necora puber, kept for 14 days at one of four pCO(2)/temperature treatments (400 mu atm/10 degrees C, 1000 mu atm/10 degrees C, 400 mu atm/15 degrees C or 1000 mu atm/15 degrees C) to experimental emersion and recovery. Pre-exposure to elevated pCO(2) and temperature increased pre-emersion bicarbonate ion concentrations [HCO3-], increasing resistance to short periods of emersion (90 min). However, there was still a significant acidosis following 180 min emersion in all treatments. The recovery of extracellular acid-base via the removal of extracellular pCO(2) and lactate after emersion was significantly retarded by exposure to both elevated temperature and pCO(2). If elevated environmental pCO(2) and temperature lead to slower recovery after emersion, then some predominantly subtidal species that also inhabit the low to mid shore, such as N. puber, may have a reduced physiological capacity to retain their presence in the low intertidal zone, ultimately affecting their bathymetric range of distribution, as well as the structure and diversity of intertidal assemblages.