Shear heating as the origin of the plumes and heat flux on Enceladus

Enceladus, a small icy satellite of Saturn, has active plumes jetting from localized fractures ('tiger stripes') within an area of high heat flux near the south pole. The plume characteristics and local high heat flux have been ascribed either to the presence of liquid water within a few tens of metres of the surface, or the decomposition of clathrates. Neither model addresses how delivery of internal heat to the near-surface is sustained. Here we show that the most likely explanation for the heat and vapour production is shear heating by tidally driven lateral (strike-slip) fault motion with displacement of approximately 0.5 m over a tidal period. Vapour produced by this heating may escape as plumes through cracks reopened by the tidal stresses. The ice shell thickness needed to produce the observed heat flux is at least 5 km. The tidal displacements required imply a Love number of h2 > 0.01, suggesting that the ice shell is decoupled from the silicate interior by a subsurface ocean. We predict that the tiger-stripe regions with highest relative temperatures will be the lower-latitude branch of Damascus, Cairo around 60 degrees W longitude and Alexandria around 150 degrees W longitude.     

Three-dimensional magnetic field topology in a region of solar coronal heating

Flares and X-ray jets on the Sun arise in active regions where magnetic flux emerges from the solar interior amd interacts with the ambient magnetic field. The interactions are believed to occur in electric current sheets separating regions of opposite magnetic polarity. The current sheets located in the corona or upper chromosphere have long been thought to act as an important source of coronal heating, requiring their location in the corona or upper chromosphere. The dynamics and energetics of these sheets are governed by a complex magnetic field structure that, until now, has been difficult to measure. Here we report the determination of the full magnetic vector in an interaction region near the base of the solar corona. The observations reveal two magnetic features that characterize young active regions on the Sun: a set of rising magnetic loops and a tangential discontinuity of the magnetic field direction, the latter being the observational signature of an electric current sheet. This provides strong support for coronal heating models based on the dissipation of magnetic energy at current sheets.     

A satellite geodetic survey of large-scale deformation of volcanic centres in the central Andes

Surface deformation in volcanic areas usually indicates movement of magma or hydrothermal fluids at depth. Stratovolcanoes tend to exhibit a complex relationship between deformation and eruptive behaviour. The characteristically long time spans between such eruptions requires a long time series of observations to determine whether deformation without an eruption is common at a given edifice. Such studies, however, are logistically difficult to carry out in most volcanic arcs, as these tend to be remote regions with large numbers of volcanoes (hundreds to even thousands). Here we present a satellite-based interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) survey of the remote central Andes volcanic arc, a region formed by subduction of the Nazca oceanic plate beneath continental South America. Spanning the years 1992 to 2000, our survey reveals the background level of activity of about 900 volcanoes, 50 of which have been classified as potentially active. We find four centres of broad (tens of kilometres wide), roughly axisymmetric surface deformation. None of these centres are at volcanoes currently classified as potentially active, although two lie within about 10 km of volcanoes with known activity. Source depths inferred from the patterns of deformation lie between 5 and 17 km. In contrast to the four new sources found, we do not observe any deformation associated with recent eruptions of Lascar, Chile.     

吐哈盆地北部凹陷低渗透砂岩储层裂缝发育特征及成因

吐哈盆地北部凹陷低渗透砂岩储层发育有4组高角度裂缝和一组近水平裂缝.高角度裂缝主要为构造成因的剪切裂缝,低角度裂缝包括成岩裂缝、顺层滑脱裂缝和近水平剪切裂缝3类.裂缝的发育程度受岩性、岩层厚度、构造部位等因素的控制.裂缝是低渗透储层的主要渗流通道,是控制其油气产能高低的主要因素.通过地质和数值模拟研究,该区NE和NW向高角度裂缝为在燕山早期近SN向水平挤压作用下形成的共轭剪切裂缝,近EW向高角度裂缝和近水平剪切裂缝为燕山晚期近SN向逆冲推覆作用下形成的共轭剪切裂缝,近SN向裂缝主要与晚期的近SN向不均匀挤压作用有关.     

Hybrid fracture and the transition from extension fracture to shear fracture

Fracture is a fundamental mechanism of material failure. Two basic types of brittle fractures are commonly observed in rock deformation experiments--extension (opening mode) fractures and shear fractures. For nearly half a century it has been hypothesized that extension and shear fractures represent end-members of a continuous spectrum of brittle fracture types. However, observations of transitional fractures that display both opening and shear modes (hybrids) in naturally deformed rock have often remained ambiguous, and a clear demonstration of hybrid fracture formation has not been provided by experiments. Here we present the results of triaxial extension experiments on Carrara marble that show a continuous transition from extension fracture to shear fracture with an increase in compressive stress. Hybrid fractures form under mixed tensile and compressive stress states at acute angles to the maximum principal compressive stress. Fracture angles are greater than those observed for extension fractures and less than those observed for shear fractures. Fracture surfaces also display a progressive change from an extension to shear fracture morphology.     

分子云NGC7538中心源的红外辐射及成协气体的热平衡

本文根据NGC7538的红外和分子谱线观测结果,对红外源的热结构及成协气体的热平衡进行了计算和分析。得出尘埃温度随半径的分布T_d a r~(-0.36)其峰值温度略高于已有观测结果,并发现除中心源附近区域外,大部分区域内不再满足尘埃通过碰撞向气体输入能量的基本条件。本文计算了NGC7538气体的冷却串及多种机制的加热作用,结果表明宇宙线、坍缩及双极扩散等机制的加热率相对较小,而尘埃通过光电作用对气体的加热可能是气体的重要热源。     

延长油田志丹西区延长组天然裂缝发育规律研究

为确定天然裂缝对志丹新区注水开发的影响,通过野外露头地质调查、岩心观察,结合实验分析研究了天然裂缝发育规律.结果表明,延长油田志丹西区延长组天然裂缝发育燕山期E-W向、NW-SE向和喜山期S-N向、NE60°四组区域构造裂缝,其中以E-W、S-N向最为发育,NE60°较为发育.地下裂缝与野外露头裂缝发育规律基本一致.天然裂缝类型主要为直立、近直立大型剪切裂缝,微裂缝不发育.天然裂缝主要在砂岩中发育,泥岩中发育较少;岩性一致时,裂缝密度与层厚呈负乘幂关系,裂缝发育程度随埋深加大而降低.     

岩石张拉及剪切破裂声发射震源机制分析

选取花岗岩,开展三点弯曲和剪切加载条件下声发射试验,采用单纯形算法与矩张量理论分析了不同破裂类型微裂纹的时空分布特征.研究结果表明:在加载过程中,三点弯曲试样总体上以张拉型破裂为主,岩石最终破坏时,张拉型裂纹所占比例超过50%;剪切试样以剪切型破裂为主,最终剪切型裂纹所占比例超过60%.声发射事件的群集区域和矩张量分析结果与最终的岩石破裂结果相一致,说明矩张量理论能够定量描述岩石在加载过程中张拉应力、剪切应力的分布和迁移规律,这为岩石破裂过程中微裂纹的相互作用和贯通机制提供了良好的分析手段.     

苏南地区(包括上海市)新构造运动基本特征的探讨

本文通过对苏南地区(包括上海市)的地貌第四纪、历史文物、升降运动、河道和湖泊变迁、历史地震、地形变化、断裂及岩浆活动的资料和野外查证,将本区分为四个分区,最后指出茅山山体及茅东至宜溧地区是活动性较强、地震相对较活动的地区。     

In situ detection of collisionless reconnection in the Earth's magnetotail

Magnetic reconnection is the process by which magnetic field lines of opposite polarity reconfigure to a lower-energy state, with the release of magnetic energy to the surroundings. Reconnection at the Earth's dayside magnetopause and in the magnetotail allows the solar wind into the magnetosphere. It begins in a small 'diffusion region', where a kink in the newly reconnected lines produces jets of plasma away from the region. Although plasma jets from reconnection have previously been reported, the physical processes that underlie jet formation have remained poorly understood because of the scarcity of in situ observations of the minuscule diffusion region. Theoretically, both resistive and collisionless processes can initiate reconnection, but which process dominates in the magnetosphere is still debated. Here we report the serendipitous encounter of the Wind spacecraft with an active reconnection diffusion region, in which are detected key processes predicted by models of collisionless reconnection. The data therefore demonstrate that collisionless reconnection occurs in the magnetotail.     

苏北盆地古近系页岩油储层有效裂缝识别

为了查明苏北盆地古近系阜宁组四段（E1 f 4）裂缝型页岩油资源的富集规律,对钻孔岩芯所含裂缝进行了精细 地观察与描述,对区内E1 f 4 页岩基质和裂缝充填方解石进行了碳氧同位素测试、结合区域埋藏史、生烃史,总结了区 内油页岩储层裂缝成因类型与特征,划分了裂缝形成期次并识别了有效裂缝。结果表明：研究区E1 f 4 页岩裂缝可分 为4 种成因类型：平移式剪裂缝、正向剪切缝、逆向剪切缝和顺层缝;构造裂缝可分为5 期次,其中,第I 期为平移式 剪切缝,未见原油显示,形成于吴堡运动;第II 期为正向剪切缝,未见原油显示,形成于真武运动早期;第III 期为顺层 缝,原油显示丰富,形成于三垛运动中期;第IV 期为正向剪切缝,原油显示丰富,形成于三垛运动晚期;第V 期为逆向 剪切缝,属压性缝,形成于三垛运动末期。第III 期和第IV 期裂缝原油显示丰富,气测异常明显,为有效裂缝。     

多源热模型与高能质子-质子对撞中喷注的能谱和碎裂函数

评述了笔者和合作者以前提出和发展的多源热模型(或称多源理想气体模型),阐述了该模型的基本图像,针对几种物理量的分布规律讨论了发射源的空间分布.在此基础上,用该模型得到的多组分厄兰( Erlang)分布分析了高能质子-质子对撞中形成的喷注的能谱和碎裂函数,模型计算结果与相对论性重离子对撞机上质心系能量为200 GeV的质子-质子对撞的实验结果近似符合,表明高能质子-质子对撞中形成的喷注的能谱和碎裂函数服从组分数为1或2的多组分厄兰分布.     

Materials: carbon nanotubes in an ancient Damascus sabre

The steel of Damascus blades, which were first encountered by the Crusaders when fighting against Muslims, had features not found in European steels--a characteristic wavy banding pattern known as damask, extraordinary mechanical properties, and an exceptionally sharp cutting edge. Here we use high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to examine a sample of Damascus sabre steel from the seventeenth century and find that it contains carbon nanotubes as well as cementite nanowires. This microstructure may offer insight into the beautiful banding pattern of the ultrahigh-carbon steel created from an ancient recipe that was lost long ago.     

室内空气流动过程的模型实验研究

为了分析在不同的进风位置、射流方向以及进风温度条件下,房间壁温对室内空气流动的影响,在缩小模型实验的基础上,利用流动可视化和定量测量相结合的办法测量了不同工况下室内的空气流动形态、速度以及模型整体换热情况。结果表明:壁温恒定时,进风温度的降低引起水平进风方式的自由射流区缩短;垂直进风方式下射流形成的涡的中心位置向壁面靠近;中间垂直进风方式下射流向左侧偏转;右侧垂直进风方式下射流向右侧壁面偏转;同时浮升力引起的自然对流作用增强,换热温差加大,提高了围护结构漏热量。     

横波在各向异性复合介质中的传播

横波在各向异性介质中传播时将发生横波的分裂。把玻璃和水泥组成的复合介质看做是对裂缝简单而合理的近似,对裂缝引起的各向异性介质中横波的分裂进行了较详细的观察,当横波沿着平行于层面的方向传播时,可以观察到明显的横波分裂。裂缝引起的各向异性与裂缝参数和声源之间有密切的关系。在一定范围内,介质的横波速度各向异性程度随裂缝密度及裂缝宽度的增加而变大,且较高频率的探头对介质的各向异性更敏感。     

A magnetically collimated jet from an evolved star

Planetary nebulae often have asymmetric shapes, even though their progenitor stars were symmetric; this structure could be the result of collimated jets from the evolved stars before they enter the planetary nebula phase. Theoretical models have shown that magnetic fields could be the dominant source of jet-collimation in evolved stars, just as these fields are thought to collimate outflows in other astrophysical sources, such as active galactic nuclei and proto-stars. But hitherto there have been no direct observations of both the magnetic field direction and strength in any collimated jet. Here we report measurements of the polarization of water vapour masers that trace the precessing jet emanating from the asymptotic giant branch star W43A (at a distance of 2.6 kpc from the Sun), which is undergoing rapid evolution into a planetary nebula. The masers occur in two clusters at opposing tips of the jets, approximately 1,000 au from the star. We conclude from the data that the magnetic field is indeed collimating the jet.     

考虑固体颗粒的自由喷流噪声的数值研究

研究固体颗粒对喷流流场和声场的影响.选取6种不同的湍流模型，对自由喷流进行稳态计算分析，对比发现RNG k-ε模型最适合用于稳态喷流数值模拟；采用LES模型计算喷流的非稳态结果，并结合FW-H方程进行了喷流声场分析，与试验数据进行对比，验证了数值模型的正确性；在此模型的基础上，添加固体颗粒研究其对自由喷流流场和声场的影响，仿真结果表明固体颗粒的存在减小了喷流流场的超音速段长度，显著提高了喷流温度；增大了喷流下游区域噪声，减小了中上游区域噪声.      

Evolution of the polarization of the optical afterglow of the gamma-ray burst GRB030329

The association of a supernova with GRB030329 strongly supports the 'collapsar' model of gamma-ray bursts, where a relativistic jet forms after the progenitor star collapses. Such jets cannot be spatially resolved because gamma-ray bursts lie at cosmological distances; their existence is instead inferred from 'breaks' in the light curves of the afterglows, and from the theoretical desire to reduce the estimated total energy of the burst by proposing that most of it comes out in narrow beams. Temporal evolution of the polarization of the afterglows may provide independent evidence for the jet structure of the relativistic outflow. Small-level polarization ( approximately 1-3 per cent) has been reported for a few bursts, but its temporal evolution has yet to be established. Here we report polarimetric observations of the afterglow of GRB030329. We establish the polarization light curve, detect sustained polarization at the per cent level, and find significant variability. The data imply that the afterglow magnetic field has a small coherence length and is mostly random, probably generated by turbulence, in contrast with the picture arising from the high polarization detected in the prompt gamma-rays from GRB021206 (ref. 18).     

Filamentary structure on the Sun from the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Magnetic flux emerges from the solar surface as dark filaments connecting small sunspots with opposite polarities. The regions around the dark filaments are often bright in X-rays and are associated with jets. This implies plasma heating and acceleration, which are important for coronal heating. Previous two-dimensional simulations of such regions showed that magnetic reconnection between the coronal magnetic field and the emerging flux produced X-ray jets and flares, but left unresolved the origin of filamentary structure and the intermittent nature of the heating. Here we report three-dimensional simulations of emerging flux showing that the filamentary structure arises spontaneously from the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability, contrary to the previous view that the dark filaments are isolated bundles of magnetic field that rise from the photosphere carrying the dense gas. As a result of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability, thin current sheets are formed in the emerging flux, and magnetic reconnection occurs between emerging flux and the pre-existing coronal field in a spatially intermittent way. This explains naturally the intermittent nature of coronal heating and the patchy brightenings in solar flares.     

The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-gamma-ray outburst

Blazars are the most extreme active galactic nuclei. They possess oppositely directed plasma jets emanating at near light speeds from accreting supermassive black holes. According to theoretical models, such jets are propelled by magnetic fields twisted by differential rotation of the black hole's accretion disk or inertial-frame-dragging ergosphere. The flow velocity increases outward along the jet in an acceleration and collimation zone containing a coiled magnetic field. Detailed observations of outbursts of electromagnetic radiation, for which blazars are famous, can potentially probe the zone. It has hitherto not been possible to either specify the location of the outbursts or verify the general picture of jet formation. Here we report sequences of high-resolution radio images and optical polarization measurements of the blazar BL Lacertae. The data reveal a bright feature in the jet that causes a double flare of radiation from optical frequencies to TeV gamma-ray energies, as well as a delayed outburst at radio wavelengths. We conclude that the event starts in a region with a helical magnetic field that we identify with the acceleration and collimation zone predicted by the theories. The feature brightens again when it crosses a standing shock wave corresponding to the bright 'core' seen on the images.