Multivariate adaptive regression splines for estimating riverine constituent concentrations

Regression-based methods are commonly used for riverine constituent concentration/flux estimation, which is essential for guiding water quality protection practices and environmental decision making. This paper developed a multivariate adaptive regression splines model for estimating riverine constituent concentrations (MARS-EC). The process, interpretability and flexibility of the MARS-EC modelling approach, was demonstrated for total nitrogen in the Patuxent River, a major river input to Chesapeake Bay. Model accuracy and uncertainty of the MARS-EC approach was further analysed using nitrate plus nitrite datasets from eight tributary rivers to Chesapeake Bay. Results showed that the MARS-EC approach integrated the advantages of both parametric and nonparametric regression methods, and model accuracy was demonstrated to be superior to the traditionally used ESTIMATOR model. MARS-EC is flexible and allows consideration of auxiliary variables; the variables and interactions can be selected automatically. MARS-EC does not constrain concentration-predictor curves to be constant but rather is able to identify shifts in these curves from mathematical expressions and visual graphics. The MARS-EC approach provides an effective and complementary tool along with existing approaches for estimating riverine constituent concentrations

Observations of enhanced nonlinear instability in the surface reflection of internal tides

Enhanced vertically standing waves formed by the superposition of two upward and downward going near-diurnal (D1) waves are observed during one semidiurnal (D2) spring tide in an approximately 75day long velocity record from the northeastern South China Sea. Bicoherence estimates suggest that the enhanced D1 waves are likely due to nonlinear parametric subharmonic instability of D2 internal tides. The timescale for energy growth by an order of magnitude is about 2.5days for these waves. In addition to subharmonics, higher harmonics D4 (=D2+D2) and a mean flow are generated by a different nonlinear interaction during the same D2 spring tide. The separation of coherent from incoherent internal tidal signals and a rotary spectral decomposition in the vertical direction reveal that D2 waves with opposite vertical propagation directions in the region of internal tide reflection from the surface may be responsible for the pronounced nonlinear instability

Phase-reference VLBI Observations of the Compact Steep-Spectrum Source 3C 138

We investigate a phase-reference VLBI observation that was conducted at 15.4 GHz by fast switching VLBA antennas between the compact steep-spectrum radio source 3C 138 and the quasar PKS 0528+134 which are about 4$^\circ$ away on the sky. By comparing the phase-reference mapping with the conventional hybrid mapping, we demonstrate the feasibility of high precision astrometric measurements for sources separated by 4$^\circ$. VLBI phase-reference mapping preserves the relative phase information, and thus provides an accurate relative position between 3C 138 and PKS 0528+134 of $\Delta\alpha=-9^m46^s.531000\pm0^s.000003$ and $\Delta\delta=3^\circ6^\prime26^{\prime\prime}.90311\pm0^{\prime\prime}.00007$ (J2000.0) in right ascension and declination, respectively. This gives an improved position of the nucleus (component A) of 3C 138 in J2000.0 to be RA=$05^h 21^m 9^s.885748$ and Dec=$16^\circ 38' 22''.05261$ under the assumption that the position of calibrator PKS 0528+134 is correct. We further made a hybrid map by performing several iterations of CLEAN and self-calibration on the phase-referenced data with the phase-reference map as an input model for the first phase self-calibration. Compared with the hybrid map from the limited visibility data directly obtained from fringe fitting 3C 138 data, this map has a similar dynamic range, but a higher angular resolution. Therefore, phase-reference technique is not only a means of phase connection, but also a means of increasing phase coherence time allowing self-calibration technique to be applied to much weaker sources.Comment: 9 pages plus 2 figures, accepted by PASJ (Vol.58 No.6

Two years of measurements of atmospheric total gaseous mercury (TGM) at a remote site in Mt. Changbai area, Northeastern China

Total gaseous mercury (TGM) was continuously monitored at a remote site (CBS) in Mt. Changbai area, Northeastern China from 24 October 2008 to 31 October 2010. The overall mean TGM concentration was 1.60±0.51 ng m<sup>−3</sup>, which is lower than those reported from remote sites in Eastern, Southwestern, and Western China, indicating a relatively lower regional anthropogenic mercury (Hg) emission intensity in Northeastern China. Measurements at a site in the vicinity (~1.2 km) of CBS station from August 2005 to July 2006 showed a significantly higher mean TGM concentration of 3.58±1.78 ng m<sup>−3</sup>. The divergent result was partially attributed to fluctuations in the relatively frequencies of surface winds during the two study periods and moreover an effect of local emission sources. The temporal variation of TGM at CBS was influenced by regional sources as well as long-range transported Hg. Regional sources frequently contributing to episodical high TGM concentrations were pin-pointed as a large iron mining district in Northern North Korea and two large power plants and urban areas to the southwest of the sampling site. Source areas in Beijing, Tianjin, southern Liaoning, Hebei, northwestern Shanxi, and northwestern Shandong were found to contribute to elevated TGM observations at CBS via long-range transport. Diurnal pattern of TGM at CBS was mainly controlled by regional sources, likely as well as intrusion of air masses from the free troposphere during summer season. There are no consistent seasonal pattern of TGM at CBS, and the monthly TGM variations showed links with the patterns of regional air movements and long-range transport

Theoretical Analysis of Pressure-Dependent K₀ for Normally Consolidated Clays Using Critical State Soil Models

The coefficient of earth pressure at rest (K0) for normally consolidated clays increases nonlinearly with increasing consolidation pressure toward a steady value under high pressure rather than remaining constant. Analytical expressions for evaluating pressure-dependent K0 were derived from three representative critical state soil models: modified Cam-clay model (MCC), original Cam-clay model (OCC), and clay and sand model (CASM). In formulations, the authors relaxed a well-adopted assumption that stress ratio is kept constant during one-dimensional (1D) compression. It is found that the constant stress ratio, corresponding to the well-adopted assumption, is essentially a limit value of the stress ratio as predicted by MCC and CASM under high pressure during 1D compression. The predicted relationship between K0 and consolidation pressure is significantly affected by the critical state stress ratio. Without considering the effect of high pressure, the value of K0 may be considerably underestimated. The results predicted by the proposed formula based on CASM agree well with experimental data, showing the capability of this formula for predicting pressure-dependent K0

Optimization of Tertiary Alkaloids Separation from Corydalis yanhusuo by Macroporous Resins

Corydalis yanhusuo is used widely for the treatment of gastralgia, costalgia and dysmenorrhea in Chinese medicine. The alkaloid is the main active ingredient of C. yanhusuo. Response surface methodology was applied to optimize the separation and purification process for alkaloids by AB-8 resin-packed chromatogram column. The optimal conditions were found to be as follows: height-diameter ratio of AB-8 resin-packed chromatogram column, 10.50; concentration and pH of feed sample solution, 1.12 mg mL–1 and 7.16, respectively. The gradient elution program was 30 % ethanol for 2 BV (bed volume) followed by 80 % of ethanol for 5 BV at flow rate of 3 mL min–1. After the AB-8 resin treatment, the contents of alkaloids and tetrahydropalmatine were increased respectively from 25.20 % and 2.12 % to 58.25 % and 6.58 %, the recovery of alkaloids and tetrahydropalmatine were 85.40 % and 65.21 %, respectively. The results indicated that the optimization of alkaloid separation from C. yanhusuo by macroporous resins is feasible and efficient

Bulk Rotational Symmetry Breaking in Kondo Insulator SmB6

Kondo insulator samarium hexaboride (SmB6) has been intensely studied in recent years as a potential candidate of a strongly correlated topological insulator. One of the most exciting phenomena observed in SmB6 is the clear quantum oscillations appearing in magnetic torque at a low temperature despite the insulating behavior in resistance. These quantum oscillations show multiple frequencies and varied effective masses. The origin of quantum oscillation is, however, still under debate with evidence of both two-dimensional Fermi surfaces and three-dimensional Fermi surfaces. Here, we carry out angle-resolved torque magnetometry measurements in a magnetic field up to 45 T and a temperature range down to 40 mK. With the magnetic field rotated in the (010) plane, the quantum oscillation frequency of the strongest oscillation branch shows a four-fold rotational symmetry. However, in the angular dependence of the amplitude of the same branch, this four-fold symmetry is broken and, instead, a twofold symmetry shows up, which is consistent with the prediction of a two-dimensional Lifshitz-Kosevich model. No deviation of Lifshitz-Kosevich behavior is observed down to 40 mK. Our results suggest the existence of multiple light-mass surface states in SmB6, with their mobility significantly depending on the surface disorder level.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure