Observational Constraints on Cosmological Models with the Updated Long Gamma-Ray Bursts

In the present work, by the help of the newly released Union2 compilation which consists of 557 Type Ia supernovae (SNIa), we calibrate 109 long Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) with the well-known Amati relation, using the cosmology-independent calibration method proposed by Liang {\it et al.}. We have obtained 59 calibrated high-redshift GRBs which can be used to constrain cosmological models without the circularity problem (we call them ``Hymnium'' GRBs sample for convenience). Then, we consider the joint constraints on 7 cosmological models from the latest observational data, namely, the combination of 557 Union2 SNIa dataset, 59 calibrated Hymnium GRBs dataset (obtained in this work), the shift parameter $R$ from the WMAP 7-year data, and the distance parameter $A$ of the measurement of the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) peak in the distribution of SDSS luminous red galaxies. We also briefly consider the comparison of these 7 cosmological models.Comment: 19 pages, 3 tables, 10 figures, revtex4; v2: accepted for publication in JCAP; v3: published versio

Simulating rewetting events in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams: A global analysis of leached nutrients and organic matter

Climate change and human pressures are changing the global distribution and the extent of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES), which comprise half of the global river network area. IRES are characterized by periods of flow cessation, during which channel substrates accumulate and undergo physico-chemical changes (preconditioning), and periods of flow resumption, when these substrates are rewetted and release pulses of dissolved nutrients and organic matter (OM). However, there are no estimates of the amounts and quality of leached substances, nor is there information on the underlying environmental constraints operating at the global scale. We experimentally simulated, under standard laboratory conditions, rewetting of leaves, riverbed sediments, and epilithic biofilms collected during the dry phase across 205 IRES from five major climate zones. We determined the amounts and qualitative characteristics of the leached nutrients and OM, and estimated their areal fluxes from riverbeds. In addition, we evaluated the variance in leachate characteristics in relation to selected environmental variables and substrate characteristics. We found that sediments, due to their large quantities within riverbeds, contribute most to the overall flux of dissolved substances during rewetting events (56% 98%), and that flux rates distinctly differ among climate zones. Dissolved organic carbon, phenolics, and nitrate contributed most to the areal fluxes. The largest amounts of leached substances were found in the continental climate zone, coinciding with the lowest potential bioavailability of the leached OM. The opposite pattern was found in the arid zone. Environmental variables expected to be modified under climate change (i.e. potential evapotranspiration, aridity, dry period duration, land use) were correlated with the amount of leached substances, with the strongest relationship found for sediments. These results show that the role of IRES should be accounted for in global biogeochemical cycles, especially because prevalence of IRES will increase due to increasing severity of drying events. © 2019 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley and Sons LtdThis work was carried out within the SMART Joint Doctorate Programme “Science for the MAnagement of Rivers and their Tidal systems” funded by the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate Programme of the European Union (http://www.riverscience.it). O.S. was also supported by a grant for a short‐term scientific mission to the University of the Basque Country, Spain, within the COST Action CA15113 (SMIRES, Science and Management of Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams, www.smires.eu). O.S. is thankful for a partial support from IGB equal opportunity fund for young female scientists and DFG (SU 405/10‐1). F.A. was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation grants no PP00P3_179089 and PP00P3_150698 and the URPP Global Change and Biodiversity, University of Zurich. S.D.L. has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska‐Curie grant agreement no. 748625. R.F. acknowledges support of the CONICYT/FONDAP/15130015 Chile

Mechanical Properties of Oxides Formed by Anaerobic Corrosion of Steel

ABSTRACTIn Sweden, it is proposed that spent nuclear fuel should be encapsulated in sealed cylindrical canisters for disposal in a geologic repository. The canisters would consist of a thick ferrous inner container and a copper overpack. If mechanical failure of the copper overpack occurred, allowing water to enter, there would be a build up of ferrous corrosion product, which could induce stresses in the outer copper canister. This paper describes an apparatus, the ‘stress cell’, which was designed to measure the expansion caused by the anaerobic corrosion of steel under compressive loads. The apparatus consisted of a stack of steel and copper discs, which were immersed in simulated anoxic groundwater. A system of levers amplified the change in height of the stack, and the displacement was measured using sensitive transducers. Three cells were set up; two contained alternate mild steel and copper discs, and the third, a control cell, consisted of alternate stainless steel and copper discs. A slight contraction of the control cell was observed but no expansion was measured in the mild steel - copper cells.In parallel, coupons of mild steel and cast iron were corroded in anoxic, artificial groundwater at 50°C and 80°C for several months. The coupons were examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) to determine the mechanical properties and the structure of the corrosion product films, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to identify the chemical composition of the film.</jats:p