Development of High-Pressure Multigrain X-Ray Diffraction for Exploring the Earth’s Interior

The lower mantle makes up more than a half of our planet’s volume. Mineralogical and petrological experiments on realistic bulk compositions under high pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions are essential for understanding deep mantle processes. Such high P–T experiments are commonly conducted in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell, producing a multiphase assemblage consisting of 100 nm to submicron crystallite grains. The structures of these lower mantle phases often cannot be preserved upon pressure quenching;thus, in situ characterization is needed. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of such a multiphase assemblage usually displays a mixture of diffraction spots and rings as a result of the coarse grain size relative to the small X-ray beam size (3–5 lm) available at the synchrotron facilities. Severe peak overlapping from multiple phases renders the powder XRD method inadequate for indexing new phases and minor phases. Consequently, structure determination of new phases in a high P–T multiphase assemblage has been extremely difficult using conventional XRD techniques. Our recent development of multigrain XRD in high-pressure research has enabled the indexation of hundreds of individual crystallite grains simultaneously through the determination of crystallographic orientations for these individual grains. Once indexation is achieved, each grain can be treated as a single crystal. The combined crystallographic information from individual grains can be used to determine the crystal structures of new phases and minor phases simultaneously in a multiphase system. With this new development, we have opened up a new area of crystallography under the high P–T conditions of the deep lower mantle. This paper explains key challenges in studying multiphase systems and demonstrates the unique capabilities of high-pressure multigrain XRD through successful examples of its applications.

Anomalous Nuclear Reaction in Earth’s Interior:a New Field in Physics Science?

Tritium （3^H） in excess of the atmospheric values was found at volcanic Lakes Pavin （France）, Laacher （Germany） and Nemrut （Turkey）, as well as Kilauea Volcano at Hawaii （USA） and other volcanoes. Because 3^H has a short half-life of 12.3 years, the tritium and the resulting 3^He must have formed recently in the Earth. The result suggests that nuclear reactions may generate a significant amount of tritium in the interior of the Earth, although we have not yet learned what the reaction mechanism may be responsible. The nuclear reaction that can be responsible for tritium production in the Earth is probably a new research field in physics science. Nuclear reactions that generate tritium might be a source of ＂missing＂ energy （heat） in the interior of the Earth. Finding in-situ 3^H in the mantle may exhibit an alternative explanation of 3^He origin in the deep Earth.

“In Space” or “As Space”?: Spatial Autocorrelation Properties of the Earth’s Interior

In this analysis, natural systems are posed to subsystemize in a manner facilitating both structured information/energy sharing and an entropy maximization process projecting a three-dimensional, spatial outcome. Numerical simulations were first carried out to determine whether n × n input-output matrices could, once entropy-maximized, project a three-dimensional Euclidean metric. Only 4 × 4 matrices could;a small proportion passed the test. Larger proportions passed when grouped random patterns on and within two- and three-dimensional forms were tested. The pattern of structural zonation within the earth was then tested in analogous fashion using spatial autocorrelation measures, and for three time periods: current, 95 million years b.p. and 200 million years b.p. All expected results were obtained;not only do the geometries of zonation project a three-dimensional structure as anticipated, but also do secondary statistical measures reveal levels of equilibrium among the zones in all three cases that are nearly total, distinguishing them from simulations that do not incorporate a varying-surface zone-width element.

Interrelationships between Length of the Day, Moon Distance, Phanerozoic Geodynamic Cycles, Tidal Dissipation and Earth’s Core: Review and Analysis

The rotation of the Earth and the related length of the day (LOD) are predominantly affected by tidal dissipation through the Moon and the growth of the Earth’s core. Due to the increased concentration of mass around the rotation axis of the spinning Earth during the growth of the core the rotation should have been accelerated. Controversially the tidal dissipation by the Moon, which is mainly dependent on the availability of open shallow seas and the kind of Moon escape from a nearby position, acts towards a deceleration of the rotating Earth. Measurements of LOD for Phanerozoic and Precambrian times open ways to solve questions concerning the geodynamical history of the Earth. These measurements encompass investigations of growth patterns in fossils and depositional patterns in sediments (Cyclostratigraphy, Tidalites, Stromatolites, Rhythmites). These patterns contain information on the LOD and on the changing distance between Earth and Moon and can be used as well for a discussion about the growth of the Earth’s core. By updating an older paper with its simple approach as well as incorporating newly published results provided by the geoscientific community, a moderate to fast growth of the core in a hot early Earth will be favored controversially to the assumption of a delayed development of the core in an originally cold Earth. Core development with acceleration of Earth’s rotation and the contemporaneous slowing down due to tidal dissipation during the filling of the ocean may significantly interrelate.

Redox geodynamics in Earth’s interior

Redox state is an important parameter in describing the thermodynamic state of the Earth’s interior.In contrast to the considerable efforts in early studies that have been expended on the redox state of Earth’s different spheres,much attention in the recent about 10 years has been paid to the effects of redox state on the various geodynamical aspects of Earth’s interior,or more commonly the redox geodynamics.Redox geodynamics plays a critical role in driving many processes that are involved in the accretion,differentiation,and re-shaping of the Earth from its early birth to modern periods and from its surface to the deep interior,including the structure,composition,nature,and evolution of the Earth and the significant effects on many important issues such as the climate change and habitability of the planet.This field has blossomed in these years around the chemical and physical properties of the Earth.In this review,a brief summary is provided for the basic concepts,general background and applications relevant to redox geodynamics.The redox state of the crust and mantle and its evolution have received particular attention in the past years,however,there are still fundamental issues remaining ambiguous,poorly quantified and/or even controversial.At the same time,significant progress has been made,mostly through experimental studies,on the redox geodynamics of the Earth’s interior,including(but are not limited to)the early oxidation of the shallow mantle,the rapid growth of the early continental crust,the redox freezing and melting associated with carbon or hydrogen,the transfer of metal elements and formation of ore deposits,the low seismic velocity and high attenuation of the asthenosphere,the aerobic processes around the core-mantle boundary,and the magma degassing and released gases.Redox geodynamics is becoming increasingly important in renewing the understanding of the chemical evolution,physical properties,and dynamical processes of the Earth.

甘肃积石山 M_(s)6.2级地震的震害特征与启示

2023年12月18日,甘肃省临夏回族自治州积石山保安族东乡族撒拉族自治县(35.70°N,102.79°E)发生了6.2级地震,震中烈度为VIII度。地震发生后,通过实地烈度评估与科学考察,对震区VI~VIII度区不同建(构)筑物与生命线工程的震害特点进行了统计分析;从抗震设计与施工管理、场地放大效应与地震次生灾害对建筑结构抗震性能的影响等角度,提出了此次地震的震害启示。结果表明:1)严重破坏和毁坏的建筑结构主要集中在老旧的土木结构、砖木结构和无设防或设防不规范的砖混结构。2)造成建筑结构破坏的主要原因是少量自建房抗震设计和施工的不规范、场地放大效应和地震次生灾害。3)优化和改良生土砌筑材料,改进纵横墙间的拉结措施,强化结构整体性是提高土木结构抗震的有效方法;普及“上下圈梁与构造柱”等基本抗震设防措施,规范水泥砂浆强度,提升农村工匠的施工水平,可有效提高砌体结构的整体性,避免房屋出现整体性垮塌;室内洗手间的墙体应该与房顶、纵横墙间建立有效联接,提高结构的抗震性能。4)孤突斜坡、河流高阶地与岸边为抗震不利地带。当建造用地极为匮乏,不得不选址在这些场地之上时,应该综合考虑场地的地形地貌特征、岩土体物理力学特性、水文地质条件、抗震设防目标、建筑结构类型等影响因素,做好地震灾害风险评估,根据评估结果进行科学设防。灾后重建过程中,应由政府统一规划选址、统一设计,规范施工。

O、S、Ce含量对U71MnG钢中Ce_(2)O_(3)和Ce_(2)O_(2)S夹杂物的影响

我国稀土钢未实现大规模的生产,其主要原因是对稀土与钢中O、S等杂质元素的相互作用规律认识不足。考虑到Ce、O、S含量对钢中稀土夹杂物的影响缺少定量分析,使用FactSage 7.1软件计算U71MnG钢中不同含量O、S、Ce之间的相互作用关系及其对Ce_(2)O_(2)S、Ce_(2)O_(3)夹杂物析出量的影响。热力学计算结果表明,在U71MnG钢的成分体系下,随着Ce含量的增多,Ce_(2)O_(3)的析出量呈先增多后减少的趋势,m_(O)/m_(Ce)约为1/7.4时,Ce_(2)O_(3)的析出量最大;Ce_(2)O_(2)S的生成需要O、S、Ce共同作用,m_(O+S)/m_(Ce)约为1/3.7时,Ce_(2)O_(2)S析出量最大。试验钢夹杂物的SEM图像以及夹杂物颗粒数量统计结果显示,Ce含量为0.024%的试验钢中Ce_(2)O_(3)、Ce_(2)O_(2)S的个数大于Ce含量为0.016%的试验钢,钢中夹杂物析出规律与热力学计算结果一致。

Possible Evolutionary Models in the Initially Hydride Earth Theory

A modern view of the properties of chemical elements has confirmed the theory of the hot origin of the Earth. The next step in developing this theory was the hypothesis of the initial hydride Earth. In this work, we attempted to find additional evidence for this hypothesis and show additional effects that flow from it. The effect of the physical properties of atoms and ions on their behavior during the formation of the Earth was studied. The maximum contribution to the distribution of elements was made by those elements whose content in the original protoplanets of the disk was the maximum. Correlation dependence is obtained, which allows one to calculate the distribution of elements in the protoplanetary disk. It was shown that hydrogen was the main element in the proto substance located in the zone of the Earth’s formation. In this case, various chemical compounds formed, most represented by hydrogen compounds—hydrides. Since the pressure inside the Earth is 375 GPa, this factor forces the chemical compounds to adopt stoichiometry and structure that would not be available in atmospheric conditions. It is shown that many chemical elements at high pressure in a hydrogen medium form simple hydrides and super hydrides—polyhydrides with high hydrogen content. Pressure leads to a higher density of matter inside the planet. Given the possibility of forming polyhydrides, there is the possibility of binding the initially available hydrogen in an amount that can reach 49.3 mole%. Young Earth could contain about 10.7 mass% of hydrogen in hydrides, polyhydrides, and adsorbed form is almost twice higher than previous estimates. This fact additionally confirms the theory of the original hydride Earth. In hydrides, the occurrence of the phenomenon of superconductivity was discovered. Polyhydrides were shown as potential superconductors with a high critical temperature above 200 K. We, based on these data, hypothesized the presence of superconducting properties in the Earth’s core, which explains the presence of a magnetic field in the Earth, as well as the unevenness and instability of this field and the possibility of migration of the Earth’s poles. The fact that the Earth has a hydroid core causes its change in time due to the instability of hydrides. Arranged several possible models of the destruction of the Earth’s core. The calculations showed that both models give close results. These results give predictions that can be measured. The proposed models also made it possible to estimate the initial size of the Earth. Possible ways of further testing the hypothesis of the initial hydride Earth is shown.

Mapping the Child’s Grey Interior:Authenticity of Plague Narrative in The Great Plague

The Great Plague:The Diary of Alice Paynton,London 1665-1666 adopts the realistic painting style and direct writing to the painful experience,describes the situation of the Great Plague in London truly from the perspective of children,and breaks people’s cognitive expectation of children’s literature,the construction of children’s Gray inner world is completed behind the true description of the Great Plague in London with the true brushwork,which presents a different world of childlike innocence.Despite the importance of epidemics writing in literature,the child’s diary perspective of them is one of the least developed of Plague Narrative.Only when authenticity and the child’s grey interior are integrated will we reveal a true picture of society as it was.

Structure and physical properties of the Earth's interior

The studies on the structure and physical properties of the Earths interior done by Chinese geophysicists from 1999 to 2002 were reviewed in this paper. It includes several research areas: the structure of the Earths interiors using seismic tomography, anisotropy of the upper mantle in China and its adjacent areas, quality factor Qb for S waves, subduction zone, mantle discontinuities, physical properties of Earths materials and others. The review concerns mainly the contents, the methods and the results of the studies. It can be seen that new progress in the study on the structure and physical properties of the Earths interior has been made in the last 4 years in China. It is shown on three aspects: advancement made on some preexistent areas; pioneering on some new fields and new methods adopted.

Remarks about External Forces Acting on Earth’s Rotation Axis

It is well known that a variation in the direction of Earth’s rotation axis is a real astronomical phenomenon, named nutation. It is interesting if a variation of this axis can take place only in intensity, in the simplest theoretical case of only two rigid body dynamics. This paper presents two positions of the Moon during its monthly orbit, where a sudden variation of Earth’s rotation axis in intensity can take place. The duration of this phenomenon is limited in time, maybe an instant or a day, and then a vortex can appear.

Earth: Review Article

Every year on 22 April, we have celebrated Earth Day and the beautiful planet we call home. Earth Day, established in 1970, has been used to highlight our planet’s environmental challenges and raise awareness of the importance of protecting our world for future generations [1]. To provide the protection of our planet, we should explain Earth’s environmental challenges to the best of our knowledge in frames of contemporary Geophysics. This paper gives a short overview of the developed Hypersphere World-Universe Model (WUM) and pay particular attention to the principal role of Dark Matter (DM) in the Earth’s life. In this manuscript, we discuss different aspects of the Earth: a condition of Young Earth before the Beginning of life on It;Internal Structure;“The 660-km Boundary” that we named Geomagma;Random Variations of Earth’s Rotational Speed on a daily basis;Origin of Moon;Expanding Earth;Internal Heating;Faint Young Sun paradox;Geocorona and Planetary Coronas;High-Energy Atmospheric Physics. WUM proposed principally different ways to solve the problems of Internal Heating, Origin of the Moon, and Faint Young Sun paradox based on DM core of the Earth. The Model revealed the fact that the Sun Activity causes the Geomagma Activity and, as a consequence, Random Variations of Earth’s Rotational Speed by the varying Sun’s magnetic field.

Google Earth和3S技术在喀斯特示范农业规划中的应用初探

本文基于Google Earth平台并综合一系列的辅助分析工具,尝试建立Google Earth与3S技术综合应用于喀斯特示范农业规划的技术框架,提出了一套基于Google Earth的一般地理专题图的制图技术流程,并讨论其关键技术。最后以六盘水市米箩乡猕猴桃产学研基地进行了应用研究,旨在为部分缺乏基础资料的喀斯特地区农业规划、勘察设计提供有效指导,结果表明:Google Earth平台可成为喀斯特资料稀缺区农业规划的有效信息收集手段,文中所提出的技术框架流程具有较好的可操作性,研究区下载的高清遥感影像可满足1∶2 000比例尺的制图要求,大大节约了勘测成本,有利推动了工作效率。

Google Earth在“3S”技术课程实习中的应用

＂3S＂技术的教学内容广泛,涉及面广,为了使学生能够将所学的理论理解和掌握,在教师的指导下,学生在从Google Earth下载实习区的高精度影像的基础上,通过对影像的拼接、注册、信息提取和专题图的制作,探讨了该课程的实践教学方法,以提高＂3S＂技术课程的教学质量。

Effect of different inter-satellite range on measurement precision of Earth’s gravitational field from GRACE

The precision of Earth＇s gravitational field from GRACE up to degree and order 120 was studied for different inter-satellite ranges using the improved energy conservation principle. Our simulated result shows that： For long wavelength （L≤20） at degree 20, the cumulative geoid-height error gradually decreased with increasing range, from 0. 052 cm for 110 km to 1. 156 times and 1. 209 times as large for 220 km and 330 kin, respectively. For medium-wavelength （ 100 ≤ L ≤ 120） at degree 120, the cumulative geoid-height error de- creased from 13. 052 cm for 110 km, to 1. 327 times and 1. 970 times as large for the ranges of 220 km and 330 km, respectively; By adopting an optimal range of 220 ± 50 km, we can suppress considerably the loss of precision in the measurement of the Earth＇ s long-wavelength and medium-wavelength gravitational field.

Effect of Rare Earths on the Wear Resistance and High Temperature Oxidation Resistance of H13 Steel Surface-Treated with S-N-C Co-diffusion

Steel H13 was put in non toxic salt bath with addition of CeO 2 for co diffusion of sulfur, nitrogen and carbon and followed by oxidation treatment. The effect of rare earths on the improvement of wear resistance and high temperature oxidation resistance of steel H13 was studied using scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometry and X ray diffraction. The results show that compared to the surface treatment without rare earth addition, the treatment with addition of rare earths improves the wear resistance and high temperature resistance to oxidation of steel H13. Under the conditions of 30 N and 2 h, the wear weight loss was decreased by 40%, and the friction coefficient was reduced from 0 25 to 0 22; whereas for 150 N and 0 2 h, the wear weight loss was decreased by 24%, and the friction coefficient was reduced from 0 35 to 0 32. For the oxidation at 700 ℃ and 4 h, the rate of weight gain decreased to only about 1/30 of that without rare earths.

A contrastive study on the influences of radial and three-dimensional satellite gravity gradiometry on the accuracy of the Earth's gravitational field recovery

The accuracy of the Earth＇s gravitational field measured from the gravity field and steady-state ocean circulation explorer（GOCE）,up to 250 degrees,influenced by the radial gravity gradient V zz and three-dimensional gravity gradient V ij from the satellite gravity gradiometry（SGG） are contrastively demonstrated based on the analytical error model and numerical simulation,respectively.Firstly,the new analytical error model of the cumulative geoid height,influenced by the radial gravity gradient V zz and three-dimensional gravity gradient V ij are established,respectively.In 250 degrees,the GOCE cumulative geoid height error measured by the radial gravity gradient V zz is about 2 1/2 times higher than that measured by the three-dimensional gravity gradient V ij.Secondly,the Earth＇s gravitational field from GOCE completely up to 250 degrees is recovered using the radial gravity gradient V zz and three-dimensional gravity gradient V ij by numerical simulation,respectively.The study results show that when the measurement error of the gravity gradient is 3×10 12 /s 2,the cumulative geoid height errors using the radial gravity gradient V zz and three-dimensional gravity gradient V ij are 12.319 cm and 9.295 cm at 250 degrees,respectively.The accuracy of the cumulative geoid height using the three-dimensional gravity gradient V ij is improved by 30%-40% on average compared with that using the radial gravity gradient V zz in 250 degrees.Finally,by mutual verification of the analytical error model and numerical simulation,the orders of magnitude from the accuracies of the Earth＇s gravitational field recovery make no substantial differences based on the radial and three-dimensional gravity gradients,respectively.Therefore,it is feasible to develop in advance a radial cold-atom interferometric gradiometer with a measurement accuracy of 10 13 /s 2-10 15 /s 2 for precisely producing the next-generation GOCE Follow-On Earth gravity field model with a high spatial resolution.

Process Analysis of In-situ Strain during the M_s8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake—Data from the Stress Monitoring Station at Shandan

There were huge life and property losses during the Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. Strain fluctuation curves were completely recorded at stress observatory stations in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and its surroundings in the process of the earthquake. This paper introduces the geological background of the Wenchuan earthquake and the profile of in-situ stress monitoring stations. In particular, data of 174 earthquakes （Ms4.0-Ms8.5） were processed and analyzed with various methods, which were recorded at the Shandan station from August 2007 to December 2008. The results were compared with other seismic data, and further analyses were done for the recoded strain seismic waves, co-seismic strain stepovers, pre-earthquake strain valleys, Earth＇s free oscillations before and after the earthquake and their physical implications. During the Wenchuan earthquake, the strainmeter recorded a huge extensional strain of 70 seconds, which shows that the Wenchuan earthquake is a rupture process predominated by thrusting. Significant precursory strain anomalies were detected 48 hours, 30 hours, 8 hours and 37 minutes before the earthquake. The anomalies are very high and their forms are very similar to that of the main shock. Similar anomalies can also be found in strain curves of other shocks greater than Ms7.0, indicating that such anomalies are prevalent before a great earthquake. In this paper, it is shown that medium aftershocks （Ms5.5- 6.0） can also cause Earth＇s free oscillations. Study of free oscillations is of great significance to understand the internal structure of the Earth and focal mechanisms of earthquakes and to recognize slow shocks, thus providing a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of geological disasters and the prediction of future earthquakes.

Efficient and rapid accuracy estimation of the Earth's gravitational field from next-generation GOCE Follow-On by the analytical method

Firstly, a new analytical error model of the cumulative geoid height using the three-dimensional diagonal tensors of satellite gravity gradiometry （SGG） is introduced based on the variance-covariance matrix principle. Secondly, a study for the requirements demonstration on the next-generation GOCE Follow-On satellite gravity gradiometry system is developed using different satellite orbital altitudes and measurement accuracies of satellite gravity gradiometer by the new analytical error model of SGG. The research results show that it is preferable to design satellite orbital altitudes of 300 km–400km and choose the measurement accuracies of 10-13/s2 –10-15/s2 from satellite gravity gradiometer. Finally, the complementarity of the four-stage satellite gravity missions, including past CHAMP, current GRACE, and GOCE, and next-generation GOCE Follow-On, is contrastively demonstrated for precisely recovering the Earth’s full-frequency gravitational field with high spatial resolution.