The probability distribution of cluster formation times and implied Einstein radii     

Sharon Sadeh  Yoel Rephaeli 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2008,388(4):1759-1765

We provide a quantitative assessment of the probability distribution function of the concentration parameter of galaxy clusters. We do so by using the probability distribution function of halo formation times, calculated by means of the excursion set formalism, and a formation redshift-concentration scaling derived from results of N -body simulations. Our results suggest that the observed high concentrations of several clusters are quite unlikely in the standard Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmological model, but that due to various inherent uncertainties, the statistical range of the predicted distribution may be significantly wider than commonly acknowledged. In addition, the probability distribution function of the Einstein radius of A1689 is evaluated, confirming that the observed value of  ∼45 ± 5 arcsec  is very improbable in the currently favoured cosmological model. If, however, a variance of ∼20 per cent in the theoretically predicted value of the virial radius is assumed, then the discrepancy is much weaker. The measurement of similarly large Einstein radii in several other clusters would pose a difficulty to the standard model. If so, earlier formation of the large-scale structure would be required, in accord with predictions of some quintessence models. We have indeed verified that in a viable early dark energy model large Einstein radii are predicted in as many as a few tens of high-mass clusters.  相似文献   

A revised picture of the structure of the “monsoon” and land ITCZ over West Africa   总被引：1，自引：1，他引：0  

Sharon E. Nicholson 《Climate Dynamics》2009,32(7-8):1155-1171

This article presents an overview of the land ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) over West Africa, based on analysis of NCAR–NCEP Reanalysis data. The picture that emerges is much different than the classic one. The most important feature is that the ITCZ is effectively independent of the system that produces most of the rainfall. Rainfall linked directly to this zone of surface convergence generally affects only the southern Sahara and the northern-most Sahel, and only in abnormally wet years in the region. A second feature is that the rainbelt normally assumed to represent the ITCZ is instead produced by a large core of ascent lying between the African Easterly Jet and the Tropical Easterly Jet. This region corresponds to the southern track of African Easterly Waves, which distribute the rainfall. This finding underscores the need to distinguish between the ITCZ and the feature better termed the “tropical rainbelt”. The latter is conventionally but improperly used in remote sensing studies to denote the surface ITCZ over West Africa. The new picture also suggests that the moisture available for convection is strongly coupled to the strength of the uplift, which in turn is controlled by the characteristics of the African Easterly Jet and Tropical Easterly Jet, rather than by moisture convergence. This new picture also includes a circulation feature not generally considered in most analyses of the region. This feature, a low-level westerly jet termed the African Westerly Jet, plays a significant role in interannual and multidecadal variability in the Sahel region of West Africa. Included are discussions of the how this new view relates to other aspects of West Africa meteorology, such as moisture sources, rainfall production and forecasting, desertification, climate monitoring, hurricanes and interannual variability. The West African monsoon is also related to a new paradigm for examining the interannual variability of rainfall over West Africa, one that relates changes in annual rainfall to changes in either the intensity of the rainbelt or north–south displacements of this feature. The new view presented here is consistent with a plethora of research on the synoptic and dynamic aspects of the African Easterly Waves, the disturbances that are linked to rainfall over West Africa and spawn hurricanes over the Atlantic, and with our knowledge of the prevailing synoptic and dynamic features. This article demonstrate a new aspect of the West Africa monsoon, a bimodal state, with one mode linked to dry conditions in the Sahel and the other linked to wet conditions. The switch between modes appears to be linked to an inertial instability mechanism, with the cross-equatorial pressure gradient being a critical factor. The biomodal state has been shown for the month of August only, but this month contributes most of the interannual variability. This new picture of the monsoon and interannual variability shown here appears to be relevant not only to interannual variability, but also to the multidecadal variability evidenced in the region between the 1950s and 1980s.  相似文献   

Field validation of antioxidant enzyme biomarkers in mussels (Perna viridis) and clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) transplanted in Hong Kong coastal waters   总被引：1，自引：1，他引：1  

Sharon B. De Luca-Abbott  Bruce J. Richardson  Katherine E. McClellan  Gene J. Zheng  Michael Martin  Paul K.S. Lam 《Marine pollution bulletin》2005,51(8-12):694

Green-lipped mussels, Perna viridis, and Manila clams, Ruditapes philippinarum were sourced from “clean” sites in the Hong Kong region, depurated in a laboratory using uncontaminated filtered seawater for 8 days, and transplanted to a suspected gradient of chemically polluted sites in Hong Kong. After 14- and 28-days of field exposure, several antioxidant parameters including glutathione S transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione (GSH) were quantified in gill and hepatopancreas tissues. Whole body tissue concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCs) were determined in pooled site samples. Chemical analyses indicated that: (a) clams had higher levels of PAHs, PHCs, DDTs and PCBs, whereas mussels had higher hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs) and there was no difference between species for dieldrin and remaining OCs; (b) Kat O should not be continued as a “clean” reference site for Hong Kong, because of the levels of contaminants measured and (c) PAH concentrations in the current survey were similar to those previously measured. Toxicological conclusions were: (a) antioxidant responses were different between species; (b) CAT and GST have highest utility in clams for field use in Hong Kong, whereas CAT in both gill and hepatopancreas tissue showed most potential in mussels; (c) significant induction of antioxidant responses over day 0 (excluding GPx in both tissues, and GST in mussel hepatic tissue); (d) groups of contaminants do not consistently induce antioxidant responses and (e) organochlorines and PCBs correlated significantly with CAT and GST in clam hepatopancreas and with CAT in mussel gill and hepatic tissue. Multivariate statistical techniques indicated little relationship between the site patterns for antioxidant responses and the contaminant gradients identified in body burden analysis.  相似文献   

Uptake and depuration of PAHs and chlorinated pesticides by semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and green-lipped mussels (Perna viridis)     

Richardson BJ  Tse ES  De Luca-Abbott SB  Martin M  Lam PK 《Marine pollution bulletin》2005,51(8-12):975-993

Semi-batch seawater experiments were conducted to follow the uptake and release of selected PAHs (anthracene, fluorathene, pyrene and B[a]P) and organochlorine pesticides (-HCH, aldrin, dieldrin, p,p′-DDT) in semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and green-lipped mussels (Perna viridis). Mathematical models were applied to describe the uptake and elimination curves of the contaminants for SPMDs, and kinetic parameters, such as uptake rate constants, and equilibrium triolein/water partitioning coefficients were calculated. SPMD data showed a good fit to estimate rate constant and partition coefficient equations, but only those contaminants which partitioned mainly in the dissolved phase (-HCH and dieldrin) were well explained for mussels. Poor conformity of the other contaminants indicated mussels uptake by routes other than diffusion, such as ingestion of algae. An apparent equilibrium state was only noted for -HCH in mussels. Aldrin was not detected in mussels in the first few days of exposure, indicating potential metabolism of this compound. B[a]P was not detected in the triolein of SPMDs, which suggests that the membrane may act as a reservoir. Loss of spiked B[a]P from the triolein was evident in a depuration experiment, which may indicate transfer to the membrane. Rate constants for mussels were higher than those for SPMDs, but the reverse was true for partition coefficients. Overall, mussels and SPMDs had similar uptake rates for all compounds in this study, excluding p,p′-DDT and dieldrin. Contaminant elimination took place more rapidly in mussels, implying that SPMDs are better candidates for detecting episodic discharge of organic contaminants.  相似文献   

A mid-winter, tropical extreme flood-producing storm in southern Israel: Synoptic scale analysis     

B. Ziv  U. Dayan  D. Sharon 《Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics》2005,88(1-2):53-63

Summary An exceptional rainstorm affected the Negev Desert, the southern part of Israel, during 20–23 December 1993 as a result of an active Red Sea trough (ARST). The latter refers to a low pressure trough that extends from eastern Africa northward, along the Red Sea, accompanied by an upper-level cyclonic system. Rainfall totals in certain parts exceeded December averages by a factor of 5. Major precipitating systems had a typical Meso-scale Convective System structure accompanied by showers, with peak intensities of 60–80mmh^–1, and by hail and flash floods, resulting in loss of life and heavy damage.The origin of rainfall systems and of the moisture at lower latitudes, as well as the type of precipitation involved, indicate its tropical nature. The timing of the storm around the winter solstice is unusual, since these tropical-like storms are most frequent in the region in October–November.Unusual synoptic circumstances explain the development and intensity of this storm and this exceptional timing. In contrast to the normal situation in December the mid-level subtropical high over the Sahara was replaced by a cyclone, while the persistent high over the Arabian Peninsula intensified. As a result, a southerly flow persisted over the Red Sea several days prior to the storm initiation and transported tropical moisture and heat northward. The ascending air motion observed along the Red Sea enhanced convection there, which transported lower-level moisture from the water surface and transported it to the surrounding regions. Finally, a moving upper-trough that approached the region from the west transported the tropical moisture further to the Negev and supplied the lifting that transformed this moisture and instability into heavy showers.  相似文献   

Rainfall Conditions in Equatorial East Africa during the Nineteenth Century as Inferred from the Record of Lake Victoria     

Sharon E. Nicholson  Xungang Yin 《Climatic change》2001,48(2-3):387-398

The East African lakes have exhibited dramaticfluctuations on both historical and paleo-climatictime scales. Levels of these lakes, and otherhistorical indicators in Africa, suggested thatenvironmental conditions in the nineteenth centurywere much more extreme than anything evident in themodern record. In this study, a water balance modelis used to estimate the rainfall associated with theseconditions, based on the Lake Victoria record. Theresults suggest that the conditions were not unlikeanomalous periods found during the twentieth century,but they may have persisted for somewhat longerperiods of time. The paper also demonstrates ageneric tool that can be applied to interpretinghistorical and paleo-lake levels in quantitative termsof rainfall.  相似文献   

Low-frequency shear and structural relaxation in rhyolite melt     

Sharon L. Webb 《Physics and Chemistry of Minerals》1992,19(4):240-245

The frequency-dependence of the shear viscosity and modulus of rhyolite melt has been determined over a 10–14 log₁₀ Pa s viscosity range and a 0.03–63 rad s^–1 angular frequency range. The frequency-dependent viscosity determined at high frequencies is 5 orders of magnitude lower than the Newtonian viscosity. At lower frequencies, a frequency-independent viscosity identical with the Newtonian viscosity is observed. The measured shear modulus increases from zero to 30.5 ± 2.5 GPa with increasing frequency. The viscoelastic regime consists of a maximum in viscous loss centered on the Max-well relaxation time. The width and height of the loss modulus as a function of frequency is inconsistent with a single relaxation-time. The frequency-dependent shear modulus is best described by a distribution of relaxation-times with a sharp cutoff at times slightly longer than the Maxwell relaxation time, and a long tail at shorter times extending up to 5 orders of magnitude less than the Maxwell relaxation time. This distribution of relaxation-times is in contrast with the single-relaxation-time behavior observed in low viscosity silicate melts.  相似文献   

Thermal expansion coefficients for indialite,emerald, and beryl     

John L. Schlenker  G. V. Gibbs  Elizabeth G. Hill  Sharon S. Crews  R. H. Myers 《Physics and Chemistry of Minerals》1977,1(3):243-255

Thermal expansion coefficients ?₁ and ?₃ calculated for the hexagonal minerals indialite, emerald and beryl are, in general, small with ?₃ being negative near room temperature. This unusual behavior leads to low volume coefficients of thermal expansion (β=2?₁+?₃) making these materials ideal ceramic bodies for catalyst carriers in air-pollution control. The temperature at which the c-cell edge length of beryl is a minimum is strongly dependent upon the presence of trace amounts of impurity atoms. This effect is ascribed to changes in the Grüneisen parameters.  相似文献   

Diurnal variation of rainfall in Israel     

H. Kutiel  Prof. D. Sharon 《Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics》1980,29(4):387-395

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Fracturing characteristics of two granites     

Sharon Mosher  Richard L. Berger  David E. Anderson 《Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering》1975,7(3):167-176

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