Geochemical evidence for enhanced upwelling and organic productivity during the late Quaternary on the continental margin of northern California

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Laminated sediments are preserved in upper Pleistocene sections of cores collected on the continental slope at water depths within the present oxygen-minimum zone from at least as far north as the Klamath River and as far south as Point Sur. Comparison of sediment components in the laminae with those delivered to sediment traps as pelagic marine "snow" show the dark/light lamination couplets are indeed annual (varves). ... The presence of carbon-, sulfur-, and metal-rich sediments, as well as lack of bioturbation, all support the theory that the oxygen-minimum zone in the northeastern Pacific Ocean was more intense - in fact, anoxic - during the late Pleistocene in response to greater coastal upwelling and higher organic productivity.

Regional context of the climate of H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon

H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest is a 6400 ha forest of Douglas fir, western hemlock, and Pacific silver fir located in, and typical of, the central portion of the western slope of the Cascade mountain range of Oregon. The forest is one of 19 sites in the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. ... Because of the scientific significance of Andrews Forest, it is important to investigate the temporal variability of annual and seasonal temperature and precipitation values at the site and identify past times of anomalous climatic conditions. It is also important to establish quantitatively the relationships between the climate of Andrews Forest and that of its surrounding area and, hence, place the climate of Andrews Forest into its regional context.

新疆天山中段北坡地区现代孢粉学研究

新疆中部地区位于西北内陆干旱一半干旱区，是欧亚大陆的地理中心，是中纬度内陆干旱区代表性区域，也是全球变化敏感区域之一，基本特点是气候干旱、水资源匮乏、植被稀少、荒漠广布，生态系统脆弱。在研究区域内，天山山脉海拔高度差异5 000 m左右，随海拔梯度下降依次出现高山冰雪带、高山亚高山草甸带、森林带、草原带、荒漠带、沙漠带等明显完整的植被垂直带，是开展现代孢粉学和植被变化研究的理想地点。本报告在立足于该区前人工作的基础上，从表土花粉、空气花粉和现代植被之间的关系入手开展现代孢粉学研究，探讨了花粉与植被的关系。 在研究区内，选择新疆阜康市和吉木萨尔县为研究地点，设计了一条从天山博格达峰附近雪线开始直至古尔班通古特沙漠长约100 km、宽约20 km的样带。沿样带，从高山座垫植被和草甸带开始，经过中海拔地带的云杉林，置到低海拔的荒漠，在山地海拔每下降20～100 m采集一个表土花粉样品，平原每间隔10～20 km采集一个表土花粉样品，同时做现代植被调查，共采集80个表土花粉样品和调查了86个现代植被样方;在天山乌鲁木齐河河源区的大西沟，从一号冰川前缘开始，沿山谷向下直到谷口，按海拔100 m间隔采集了14个表土样品，对表土花粉与植被之间的关系进行了探讨。为了弄清空气花粉传播、散布与气象因子和植被的关系，沿样带从高山到沙漠分别在天池气象站、中国科学院阜康荒漠生态系统定位研究站和北沙窝草炭试验地设置了三个风标式空气花粉收集器，从2001年7月至2002年7月连续收集空气花粉雨，收集了跨2个年度1周年的1 14个空气花粉样品，依据分析结果研究了空气花粉的传播和散布规律以及与表土花粉和植被之间的关系，这在新疆地区乃至全国尚属首次。 根据表土花粉分析结果和现代植被样方资料的分析以及天山中段主要植物种类沿海拔高度的分布特征，天山中段北坡垂直植被带谱为：高山座垫植被(>3 400 m)、高山亚高山草甸(3 400-2 700 m)、山地云杉林(2 700-1 720 m)、森林草原过渡带(1 720-1 300 m)、蒿类荒漠(1 300-700 m)和典型荒漠(<700 m)。表土花粉谱基本上反映了相同海拔高度的现代植被带，特别是在云杉林带，表土中雪岭云杉(Picea schrenkiana)花粉占优势;在蒿类荒漠植被带表土中蒿属（Artemisia）植物花粉非常丰富;在典型荒漠植被带的表土中藜科(Chenopodiaceae)植物花粉占绝对优势，因此可依据这些建群种植物花粉含量峰值的位置划分植物群落。 空气花粉样品分析结果表明：空气中花粉主要是现生植物当年生长产出的花粉，盛花期的花粉数量能较好地反映当地的植被状况。空气中的乔木植物花粉主要有云杉(Picea)，其次是柳属（Salix）;灌木草本植物花粉主要是藜科和蒿属，其次是菊科(Compositae)、禾本科(Gramineae)、柽柳科(Tamaricaceae)和麻黄属(Ephedra);空气中的花粉数量与植物的花期相对应，云杉等乔木植物盛花期在夏季5月末至7月初，灌木草本植物盛花期在夏秋季节。气温、降水、风速和风向等气象条件对空气中花粉数量有很大影响，其中风速和风向影响最大。从空气花粉和表土花粉的分析结果与现生植被对比，新疆中部地区的山谷上升气流是导致花粉“爬坡”现象的主要动力，在一定条件下，上升气流搬运花粉的数量和能力是十分可观的。 空气中的花粉是现生植物当年生长产出的花粉，表土中的花粉是多年花粉落地沉积的积累，植物盖度大，该植物的花粉在空气中和表土中数量相对就大。在新疆中部地区，空气花粉能反映当地和附近周边方圆约50 km的植被状况，其花粉组合特征与表土花粉和当地现生植被分布的对比研究，可以较好地寻找花粉与植被的关系。本研究报告的研究成果不仅为新疆地区的孢粉学研究增添新的内容，而且将有助于合理解释新疆地层中、尤其是第四纪以来的地层孢粉，较客观地恢复过去的植被景观，同时可为本地区的大气环境检测提供有重要价值的参考资料。

长白山自然保护区北坡森林结构、植物多样性与碳储量40余年的变化

长白山自然保护区始建于1960年，位于北坡的红松针阔叶混交林森林生态系统是我国东北地区典型温带地带性森林植被之一，面临着全球气候变化和人类干扰的双重影响。 本研究以间隔43年的野外调查数据为基础，对1963年和2006年的长白山自然保护区北坡海拔800~1700m的森林植物群落进行对比分析，得到该区域的森林结构、植物多样性与碳储量的变化特点，讨论森林动态变化与人类活动、气候变化的关系，评价长白山自然保护区的保护效果： 对长白山北坡森林沿海拔梯度的森林结构和植物多样性的分析表明：群落的整体空间格局保存完好，植物种类变化不大，乔木层的建群种的种类基本不变，植物多样性与海拔高度呈负相关关系;林下层植物多样性受小环境影响，与海拔高度无明显相关。 以红松（Pinus koraiensis）针阔混交林、红松针叶混交林和云冷杉暗针叶林三种类型为单元分别研究各森林类型的多样性变化：α多样测度选择物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener和Pielou均匀度指数，较好体现了样地内发生的多样性变化，灌木层和草本层多样性明显下降，一些稀有种和药用物种消失，红松等原优势物种有衰退趋势，阔叶树比例增大;β多样性测度选取Cody指数，体现出海拔梯度上的植被空间格局细节变化，演替层特别是阔叶树的物种更替变化有向高海拔移动的趋势。 对森林生态系统各层次碳储量进行估算：乔木层和灌木层采用维量法，对灌木层自建生长回归方程;草本层、枯枝落叶层采取收获法;植物细根采取根钻法;土壤采取土壤深度加权法。碳密度估算结果都与前人研究结果相似。各类型植被碳库总碳密度都达到170 t/hm2，远远高于国内平均森林植被碳库密度值44.9 t/hm2。 乔木层43年来的碳储量变化都无显著性差异，但仍表现出：阔叶树种碳储量上升，特别在高海拔类型这种变化更加明显;针叶树种碳储量在暗针叶林内大幅下降;树干的碳库分配比例都有所减少，表明植被碳库正存在向不稳定性方向发展的趋势。针阔混交林和暗针叶林的土壤碳储量，与植被碳库出现相反的变化趋势，整体碳库保持在一个相对平衡的状态。 推测造成这种变化的原因是：禁止砍伐等保护措施的实施，基本保存了乔木层垂直分布格局，而气候变暖使阔叶树种比例大幅增加，采集松籽等人类生产及旅游活动对林下层植被影响破坏较大。提议加强保护区内管理力度和规划，以减缓长白山北坡森林群落的不稳定变化趋势。

Marine fisheries development in India, 2000 AD: a perspective

The status of marine fisheries research and development in India is discussed and the need for a high power national body to coordinate these activities is stressed. Priority areas for research and development have been outlined. It has been stressed that the strategy should be to achieve a production target of 3 million tonnes on the capture fisheries front (2.5 million tonnes from the inner shelf and 0.5 million tonnes from the outer shelf and slope areas) and 1 million tonne through aquaculture by 2000 AD.

A preliminary account and review of the simple methods for determining the operational parameters of fishing gear, underwater, with notes on its application

An account and review of the simple methods for determining the operational parameters of fishing gear, underwater, such a tilt of otter boards (outwards or inwards, forwards or afterwards), vertical height of net, its horizontal spread, angle of divergence at bosom, spread between wing tips, angle of inclination of danlenos, butterfly, slope of legs and sweep-line has been given. The relationship of distance between the otter boards spread and the vertical height of net has been obtained as generally linear. The possibilities of regulating the vertical height of net (dependent variate) and spread of otter boards (independent variate) for increasing the fishing efficiency has been discussed. The angle of attack of oval shaped otter boards used during the operations still remain undetermined, however, it has been explained how the best angle of attack for increasing the efficiency of gear can be obtained by regulating the ratio of depth to warp for a given net. The inadequacy of the mere indices of catch per hour of trawling in comparing the relative efficiency of trawls in gear research studies has been indicated. The importance of estimating the operational parameters and its application to commercial fisheries depending upon the distribution pattern of fish and in gear research has been discussed. The efficiency of the jelly bottle method has been compared statistically with the observations made on the trawl gear underwater with instruments.

SUB-BAND CODING TECHNIQUES FOR ROBUST 4. 8 TO 8 kb/s SPEECH CODERS.

This paper describes a speech coding technique that has been developed in order to provide a method of digitising speech at bit rates in the range 4. 8 to 8 kb/s, that is insensitive to the effects of acoustic background noise and bit errors on the digital link. The main aim has been to develop a coding scheme which provides speech quality and robustness against noise and errors that is similar to a 16000 b/s continuously variable slope delta (CVSD) coder, but which operates at half its data rate or less. A desirable aim was to keep the complexity of the coding scheme within the scope of what could reasonably be handled by current signal processing chips or by a single custom integrated circuit. Applications areas include mobile radio and small Satcomms terminals.

The deep crab - Geryon quinquedens: first notes on its biology off Mozambique

The deep crab Geryon quinquedens was the objective of an exploratory fishing operation with long lines of baited traps along the slope of southern Mozambique and was caught between 250 and 850 m. Data were analysed from the start of the operation in May, 1979 until March, 1980. The availability of the resource is discussed on the basis of catch rates. Size composition of the catches shows the bigger size of the males and suggests a stratification of the resource by area. Females dominate in shallower waters whereas the interval at which the sex-ratio equals one is identified at 400-450 m. Reproduction is discussed in connection with recruitment and an hypothesis is advanced for an exponential growth rate of about 10 mm per month.

CALCULATIONS OF INLET DISTORTION INDUCED COMPRESSOR FLOWFIELD INSTABILITY.

Calculations are presented predicting the onset of flow instability for a multistage low speed axial compressor operating in circumferentially distorted inlet flow. The most important feature of the model used is that it attempts to properly account for the fluid dynamic interaction between the spoiled and unspoiled sectors of the compressor. The calculations show that there is an approximate stability criterion, the annulus averaged slope of the compressor pressure rise characteristic equal to zero, that is valid whenever the dynamics of the compressor distorted flowfield can be considered independent of the compressor environment. This approximate criterion is used to investigate the relationship between the present model and the 'parallel compressor' model. Further calculations are performed to investigate cases of interest when the dynamics of the compressor flowfield are coupled to the environment. Resonant cases and cases when the distortion is unsteady are studied.

Secondary flow near an undulatory surface induced by wall blocking effect

Prandtl's secondary mean motions of the second kind near an undulating surface were explained in terms of turbulent blocking effect and kinematic boundary conditions at the surface, and its order of magnitude was estimated. Isotropic turbulence is distorted by the undulating surface of wavelength λ and amplitude h with a low slope, so that h « λ. The prime mechanism for generating the mean flow is that the far-field Isotropic turbulence is distorted by the non-local blocking effect of the surface to become anisotropic axisymmetric turbulence near the surface with principal axis that is not aligned with the local curvature of the undulation. Then the local analysis can be applied and the mechanism is similar to the mean flow generation mechanism for homogeneous axisymmetric turbulence over a planer surface, i.e. gradients of the Reynolds stress caused by the turbulent blocking effect generate the mean motions. The results from this simple analysis are consistent with previous exact analysis in which the effects of curvature are strictly taken into account. The results also qualitatively agree with flow visualization over an undulating surface in a mixing-box.

Focused ion beam etching of GaN

We have investigated the use of focused ion beam (FIB) etching for the fabrication of GaN-based devices. Although work has shown that conventional reactive ion etching (RIE) is in most cases appropriate for the GaN device fabrication, the direct write facility of FIB etching - a well-established technique for optical mask repair and for IC failure analysis and repair - without the requirement for depositing an etch mask is invaluable. A gallium ion beam of about 20nm diameter was used to sputter GaN material. The etching rate depends linearly on the ion dose per area with a slope of 3.5×10 -4μm3/pC. At a current of 3nA, for example, this corresponds to an etch rate of 1.05μm3/s. Good etching qualities have been achieved with a side wall roughness significantly below 0.1μm. Changes in the roughness of the etched surface plane stay below 8nm.

Waveguide lasers in Er:Yb-doped phosphate glass fabricated by femtosecond laser writing

Advanced waveguide lasers, operating both in continuous wave and pulsed regimes, have been realized in an active phosphate glass by direct writing with femtosecond laser pulses. Stable single mode operation was obtained; the laser provided more than 50 m W in single longitudinal and transverse mode operation with 21% slope efficiency. Furthermore, by combining a high gain waveguide and an innovated fiber-pigtailed saturable absorber based on carbon nanotubes, a mode-locked ring laser providing transform limited 1.6 ps pulses was demonstrated. © 2007 IEEE.

Fibre optics monitoring of clay cuttings and embankments along London's ring motorway

Although a wide range of techniques exist for slope monitoring, the task of monitoring slopes is sometimes complicated by the extensive nature and unpredictability of slope movements. The Brillouin optical time-domain reflectometer (BOTDR) is a distributed optical fiber strain measurement technology utilising Brillouin scattering. This method measures continuous strain along a standard optical fibre over a distance up to 10 km and hence has potential to detect deformations and diagnose problems along large sections of slopes and embankments. This paper reports the demonstration of BOTDR method for monitoring surface ground movements of clay cuttings and embankments along London's ring M25 motorway. A field trial investigating varying methods of onsite fibre optic installations was conducted. The surrounding ground was artificially moved by excavating a 3 m deep trench perpendicular to the instrumented sections. Results obtained from onsite installations after slope movement demonstrate a half-pipe covered fibre optic installed on wide (200mm) Tensar ™SS20 geogrid gives the most consistent recorded strain change profile. Initial conclusions suggest this method best represents induced ground motion at the surface and hence is recommended for implementation in future sitework. Copyright ASCE 2008.

Red-Green-Blue 2D tuneable liquid crystal laser devices

In this paper, we review our recent experimental work on coherent and blue phase liquid crystal lasers.We will present results on thin-film photonic band edge lasing devices using dye-doped low molar mass liquid crystals in self-organised chiral nematic and blue phases. We show that high Q-factor lasers can be achieved in these materials and demonstrate that a single mode output with a very narrow line width can be readily achievable in well-aligned mono-domain samples. Further, we have found that the performance of the laser, i.e. the slope efficiency and the excitation threshold, are dependent upon the physical parameters of the low molar mass chiral nematic liquid crystals. Specifically, slope efficiencies greater than 60% could be achieved depending upon the materials used and the device geometry employed. We will discuss the important parameters of the liquid crystal host/dye guest materials and device configuration that are needed to achieve such high slope efficiencies. Further we demonstrate how the wavelength of the laser can be tuned using an in-plane electric field in a direction perpendicular to the helix axis via a flexoelectric mechanism as well as thermally using thermochromic effects. We will then briefly outline data on room temperature blue phase lasers and further show how liquid crystal/lenslet arrays have been used to demonstrate 2D laser emission of any desired wavelength. Finally, we present preliminary data on LED/incoherent pumping of RG liquid crystal lasers leading to a continuous wave output. © 2009 SPIE.

Ultrafast switching liquid crystals for electro-optic transmissive and reflective displays and microscopic lasers

We have used novel liquid crystals with extremely large flexoelectric coefficients in a range of ultra-fast photonic/display modes, namely 1) the uniform lying helix, that leads to in-plain switching, birefringence based displays with 100 μs switching times at low fields, i.e.2-5 V/μm, wide viewing angle and analogue or grey scale capability, 2) the uniform standing helix, using planar surface alignment and in-plane fields, with sub ms response times and optical contrasts in excess of 5000:1 with a perfect black "off state", 3) the wide temperature range blue phase that leads to field controlled reflective color and 4) high slope efficiency, wide wavelength range tunable narrow linewidth microscopic liquid crystal lasers.