Determination of Supermassive Black Hole Spins Based on the Standard Shakura–Sunyaev Accretion Disk Model and Polarimetric Observations     

V.?L.?Afanasiev  Yu.N.?GnedinEmail author  M.Yu.?Piotrovich  S.?D.?Buliga  T.?M.?Natsvlishvili 《Astronomy Letters》2018,44(6):362-369

Based on spectropolarimetry for 47 type 1 active galactic nuclei observed with the 6-m BTA telescope, we have estimated the spins of the supermassive black holes at the centers of these galaxies. We have determined the spins based on the standard Shakura–Sunyaev accretion disk model. About 70% of the investigated active galactic nuclei are shown to have Kerr supermassive black holes with a dimensionless spin greater than 0.9.  相似文献   

Assessment of alternative adsorption models and global sensitivity analysis to characterize hexavalent chromium loss from soil to surface runoff          下载免费PDF全文

Chuan‐An Xia  Juxiu Tong  Bill X. Hu  Xiujie Wu  Alberto Guadagnini 《水文研究》2018,32(20):3140-3157

We investigate our ability to assess transfer of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), from the soil to surface runoff by considering the effect of coupling diverse adsorption models with a two‐layer solute transfer model. Our analyses are grounded on a set of two experiments associated with soils characterized by diverse particle size distributions. Our study is motivated by the observation that Cr(VI) is receiving much attention for the assessment of environmental risks due to its high solubility, mobility, and toxicological significance. Adsorption of Cr(VI) is considered to be at equilibrium in the mixing layer under our experimental conditions. Four adsorption models, that is, the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and linear models, constitute our set of alternative (competing) mathematical formulations. Experimental results reveal that the soil samples characterized by the finest grain sizes are associated with the highest release of Cr(VI) to runoff. We compare the relative abilities of the four models to interpret experimental results through maximum likelihood model calibration and four model identification criteria (i.e., the Akaike information criteria [AIC and AIC_C] and the Bayesian and Kashyap information criteria). Our study results enable us to rank the tested models on the basis of a set of posterior weights assigned to each of them. A classical variance‐based global sensitivity analysis is then performed to assess the relative importance of the uncertain parameters associated with each of the models considered, within subregions of the parameter space. In this context, the modelling strategy resulting from coupling the Langmuir isotherm with a two‐layer solute transfer model is then evaluated as the most skilful for the overall interpretation of both sets of experiments. Our results document that (a) the depth of the mixing layer is the most influential factor for all models tested, with the exception of the Freundlich isotherm, and (b) the total sensitivity of the adsorption parameters varies in time, with a trend to increase as time progresses for all of the models. These results suggest that adsorption has a significant effect on the uncertainty associated with the release of Cr(VI) from the soil to the surface runoff component.  相似文献   

Sedimentogenesis in the White Sea: Vertical Fluxes of Suspended Particulate Matter and Absolute Masses of Bottom Sediments     

Novigatsky  A. N.  Lisitzin  A. P.  Shevchenko  V. P.  Klyuvitkin  A. A.  Kravchishina  M. D.  Politova  N. V. 《Oceanology》2020,60(3):372-383

Oceanology - A new approach has been applied to studying marine sedimentation using dispersed sedimentary material in sediment traps compared to the surface layer of bottom sediments. Based on...  相似文献   

Critical Latitude in Tidal Dynamics Using the Kara Sea as an Example     

B.?A.?KaganEmail author  E.?V.?Sofina  A.?A.?Timofeev 《Izvestiya Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics》2018,54(2):206-212

It is well known that, within the linear nonviscous equations of tidal dynamics, the amplitudes of oscillations of the barotropic and baroclinic tidal velocity components unlimitedly increase when approaching the critical latitude. It is also known that the linear equations of tidal dynamics with a constant and specified vertical eddy viscosity indicate the occurrence of significant tidal velocity shears in the near-bottom layer, which are responsible for increasing the baroclinic tidal energy dissipation, the turbulent kinetic energy, and the thickness of the bottom boundary layer. The first circumstance—the growth of the amplitudes of oscillations of the barotropic and baroclinic tidal velocity components—is due to the elimination in the original equations of small terms, which are small everywhere except for the critical latitude zone. The second circumstance—the occurrence of significant tidal velocity shears—is due to the fact that internal tidal waves, which induce the dissipation of the baroclinic tidal energy and the diapycnal diffusion, are either not taken into account or described inadequately. It is suggested that diapycnal diffusion can lead to the degeneration (complete or partial) of tidal velocity shears, with all the ensuing consequences. The aforesaid is confirmed by simulation results obtained using the QUODDY-4 high-resolution three-dimensional finite-element hydrostatic model along the 66.25° E section, which passes in the Kara Sea across the critical latitude.  相似文献   

Predicting quantiles of water quality from catchment characteristics     

Danlu Guo  Shuci Liu  Dhananjay Singh  Andrew W. Western 《水文研究》2021,35(1):e13996

Water quality is often highly variable both in space and time, which poses challenges for modelling the more extreme concentrations. This study developed an alternative approach to predicting water quality quantiles at individual locations. We focused on river water quality data that were collected over 25 years, at 102 catchments across the State of Victoria, Australia. We analysed and modelled spatial patterns of the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles of the concentrations of sediments, nutrients and salt, with six common constituents: total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP), filterable reactive phosphorus (FRP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), nitrate-nitrite (NO_x), and electrical conductivity (EC). To predict the spatial variation of each quantile for each constituent, we developed statistical regression models and exhaustively searched through 50 catchment characteristics to identify the best set of predictors for that quantile. The models predict the spatial variation in individual quantiles of TSS, TKN and EC well (66%–96% spatial variation explained), while those for TP, FRP and NO_x have lower performance (37%–73% spatial variation explained). The most common factors that influence the spatial variations of the different constituents and quantiles are: annual temperature, percentage of cropping land area in catchment and channel slope. The statistical models developed can be used to predict how low- and high-concentration quantiles change with landscape characteristics, and thus provide a useful tool for catchment managers to inform planning and policy making with changing climate and land use conditions.  相似文献   

Determination of subcatchment and watershed boundaries in a complex and highly urbanized landscape          下载免费PDF全文

Aimé Kayembe  Carl P. J. Mitchell 《水文研究》2018,32(18):2845-2855

Urban development significantly alters the landscape by introducing widespread impervious surfaces, which quickly convey surface run‐off to streams via stormwater sewer networks, resulting in “flashy” hydrological responses. Here, we present the inadequacies of using raster‐based digital elevation models and flow‐direction algorithms to delineate large and highly urbanized watersheds and propose an alternative approach that accounts for the influence of anthropogenically modified land cover. We use a semi‐automated approach that incorporates conventional drainage networks into overland flow paths and define the maximal run‐off contributing area. In this approach, stormwater pipes are clustered according to their slope attributes, which define flow direction. Land areas drained by each cluster and contributing (or exporting) flow to a topographically delineated catchment were determined. These land masses were subsequently added or removed from the catchment, modifying both the shape and the size. Our results in a highly urbanized Toronto, Canada, area watershed indicate a moderate net increase in the directly connected watershed area by 3% relative to a topographically forced method; however, differences across three smaller scale subcatchments are greater. Compared to topographic delineation, the directly connected watershed areas of both the upper and middle subcatchments decrease by 5% and 8%, respectively, whereas the lower subcatchment area increases by 15%. This is directly related to subsurface storm sewer pipes that cross topographic boundaries. When directly connected subcatchment area is plotted against total streamflow and flashiness indices using this method, the coefficients of variation are greater (0.93 to 0.97) compared to the use of digital elevation model‐derived subcatchment areas (0.78 to 0.85). The accurate identification of watershed and subcatchment boundaries should incorporate ancillary data such as stormwater sewer networks and retention basin drainage areas to reduce water budget errors in urban systems.  相似文献   

HP special issue: Canadian geophysical union 2016          下载免费PDF全文

William Quinton  Daniel L. Peters 《水文研究》2018,32(4):459-461

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Classifying GRB 170817A/GW170817 in a Fermi duration–hardness plane     

I. Horváth  B. G. Tóth  J. Hakkila  L. V. Tóth  L. G. Balázs  I. I. Rácz  S. Pintér  Z. Bagoly 《Astrophysics and Space Science》2018,363(3):53

GRB 170817A, associated with the LIGO-Virgo GW170817 neutron-star merger event, lacks the short duration and hard spectrum of a Short gamma-ray burst (GRB) expected from long-standing classification models. Correctly identifying the class to which this burst belongs requires comparison with other GRBs detected by the Fermi GBM. The aim of our analysis is to classify Fermi GRBs and to test whether or not GRB 170817A belongs—as suggested—to the Short GRB class. The Fermi GBM catalog provides a large database with many measured variables that can be used to explore gamma-ray burst classification. We use statistical techniques to look for clustering in a sample of 1298 gamma-ray bursts described by duration and spectral hardness. Classification of the detected bursts shows that GRB 170817A most likely belongs to the Intermediate, rather than the Short GRB class. We discuss this result in light of theoretical neutron-star merger models and existing GRB classification schemes. It appears that GRB classification schemes may not yet be linked to appropriate theoretical models, and that theoretical models may not yet adequately account for known GRB class properties. We conclude that GRB 170817A may not fit into a simple phenomenological classification scheme.  相似文献   

Analytical study of ground motion caused by seismic wave propagation across faulted rock masses          下载免费PDF全文

J.C. Li  N.N. Li  S.B. Chai  H.B. Li 《国际地质力学数值与分析法杂志》2018,42(1):95-109

Studying seismic wave propagation across rock masses and the induced ground motion is an important topic, which receives considerable attention in design and construction of underground cavern/tunnel constructions and mining activities. The current study investigates wave propagation across a rock mass with one fault and the induced ground motion using a recursive approach. The rocks beside the fault are assumed as viscoelastic media with seismic quality factors, Q_p and Q_s. Two kinds of interactions between stress waves and a discontinuity and between stress waves and a free surface are analyzed, respectively. As the result of the wave superposition, the mathematical expressions for induced ground vibration are deduced. The proposed approach is then compared with the existing analysis for special cases. Finally, parametric studies are carried out, which includes the influences of fault stiffness, incident angle, and frequency of incident waves on the peak particle velocities of the ground motions.  相似文献   

Geography Deserts: State and Regional Variation in the Formal Opportunity to Learn Geography in the United States, 2005–2015     

Mark C. Jones  Marcos Luna 《The Journal of geography》2019,118(2):88-100

The formal opportunity to learn geography in the United States is unevenly distributed across space, creating possible geography deserts. Data on the number of exams taken in Advanced Placement Human Geography (APHG) and bachelor’s degrees earned in geography are mapped at the state and regional scales. Normalized rates are ranked and grouped into quintiles. For APHG exams, states in the southeastern region of the United States are in the uppermost quintiles while states in the northeastern region are in the lowermost quintiles. The pattern for bachelor’s degrees in geography is somewhat the spatial inverse of that for APHG.  相似文献