Modelling the effects of UV radiation on the survival of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba Dana) in the face of limited data

Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, is a keystone species of the Antarctic ecosystem. A fishery for krill may compete with land-based predators (penguins and seals), particularly during the breeding season. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is moving towards management in small scale units. The management models specify predation and fishing mortality as space and time dependent but do not yet include non-predation natural mortality. Krill are known to be highly susceptible to ultraviolet radiation (UV) but there are limited empirical data. We develop a model for krill mortality caused by UV and parameterize and assess it by comparison with experimental data. The analysis allows us to identify key parameters that should be measured in future experiments and also leads to suggestions about modification of experimental procedure. We illustrate the method for krill found in the Livingston Island area and show that (a) it is possible to estimate the component of natural mortality due to UV-induced damage and (b) that cohorts born in 1979, 1984, or 1997 have different survival in the first 5 years of life, associated with differential UV exposure. In particular, those born in 1997 may have experienced as much as 10% lower survival than those born in 1979. The method developed here allows a potentially important source of krill mortality to be incorporated into the management models and suggests key experiments and field work in the future.     

Simulation of thermodynamic transmission in green roof ecosystem

Green roofs entail the creation of vegetated space on the top of artificial structures. They can modify the thermal properties of buildings to bring cooling energy conservation and improve human comfort. This study evaluates the thermodynamic transmission in the green roof ecosystem under different vegetation treatments. Our model simulation is based on the traditional Bowen ratio energy balance model (BREBM) and a proposed solar radiation shield effectiveness model (SEM). The BREBM investigates energy absorption of different components of radiation, and the SEM evaluates the radiation shield effects. The proposed model is tested and validated to be efficient to simulate solar energy transmission in green roofs, with some major findings. Firstly, the solar radiation transmission processes might be considered as free vibration motion. Daytime positive heat storage of the green roof is 350-520 W·m⁻² on an hourly basis. Nighttime or afternoon negative value registers a rather constant magnitude of −60 W·m⁻². Daily net average is positive around 155-210 W·m⁻². Secondly, solar radiation vibration is highly correlated with plant structure. The canopy reflectance and transmittance are strongly correlated (R² = 0.87). The multi-layer shrub treatment has the highest shield effectiveness (0.34), followed by two-layer groundcover (0.27), and single-layer grass (0.16). Green roof vegetation absorbs and stores large amounts of heat to form an effective thermal buffer against daily temperature fluctuation. Vegetated roofs drastically depress air temperature in comparison with bare ground (control treatment). Finally, the thermodynamic model is relatively simple and efficient for investigating thermodynamic transmission in green roof ecosystem, and it could be developed into a broad solar radiant land cover model.     

藻红外测试多元有机毒物急性毒性的初步分析

藻红外测试法是利用毒物引起敏感藻红外辐射变化可被测试的一种急性毒性分析方法。敏感藻是指急性毒性藻红外测试中对毒害物质响应温差大、时间快、药品多、剂量低的特殊藻种。在藻红外测试多元有机毒物时,由于毒物毒性的联合作用将直接影响敏感藻的敏感性,因此敏感藻对多元有机毒物浓度的敏感性在联合毒性测试分析时需要首先认知。实验通过测试敏感藻对5种有机毒物不同组合的响应,为联合毒性测试分析时敏感藻敏感性不变提供了多元有机毒物浓度设计依据。实验用羊角月牙藻（Selenastrum capricornutum）作敏感藻,苯（C6H6）、甲苯（C7H8）、二甲苯（C8H10）、氯苯（C6H5Cl）、三氯甲烷（CHCl3）为实验药品。结果表明：有机毒物混合后确实产生了温差的变化,的确有联合作用存在。5种有机毒物的一元、二元、三元、四元、五元组合,其藻液中多元有机毒物质量浓度为100~500 mg.L-1时,敏感藻均有温度响应且可被测试出,表明该质量浓度范围内敏感藻具有敏感性,可作有机毒物联合毒性分析的参照质量浓度,但100~200 mg.L-1为宜。     

环境自动监测站固定式辐射监测仪性能测试与评价

参考计量技术规范《固定式环境γ辐射空气比释动能(率)仪现场校准规范》(JJF 1733—2018),对辐射环境空气自动监测站78台高气压电离室开展辐射特性测试。现场校准方面,仅88%的电离室满足1±0.2的响应范围要求;78台电离室的重复性均不超过1%,响应的非线性均不超过6.5%,符合规范要求。针对电离室开展辐射性能测试,发现电离室在9.0×10^-2~1.0×10⁹ μGy/h范围内的响应均不超过1±0.2;电离室对164 keV以上的光子的能量响应趋于1.0,对60 keV以下的光子无响应能力,而当光子能量在60~164 keV范围内时,响应曲线会因γ光子与电离室内部惰性气体的光电效应出现"鼓包";电离室不具备对核临界事故脉冲辐射的监测与警示能力;电离室能够在2 s内给出测量范围内的准确示值,但在分段电压的交界处,响应时间会延长至180~360 s;电离室的响应受环境温度、湿度变化的影响大小不足±0.01,表明电离室的环境适应性优良。     

以环境质量为核心构建电磁环境标准体系的建议

结合当前我国电磁环境管理的需求,分析了现有电磁环境标准的制定情况及存在的问题,提出以环境质量为核心,构建具有5个不同层次的电磁环境标准体系,包括电磁环境质量标准、电磁辐射排放（控制）标准、电磁环境监测标准、电磁环境基础标准和电磁环境管理技术规范。根据标准的定位、作用、特征及相互关系,提出了电磁环境标准制修订的相关建议。     

中国辐射环境监测法规标准问题分析

随着辐射环境复杂程度的不断提升,国内外良好实践和先进技术的出现,以及中国持续改善环境质量总目标的确立,中国的辐射环境监测法规标准体系面临新的挑战。通过对中国辐射环境监测法规标准进行梳理和研究,指出现有法规标准中存在的问题,提出解决问题的对策,建议加快制修订《中华人民共和国放射性污染防治法》、《环境监测管理条例》、《环境监测管理办法》以及辐射环境监测工作系列导则和相关行业标准,以保证辐射安全工作规范开展,全方位保证中国辐射环境质量提升。     

基于客流结构的高铁经济辐射效应研究——以武汉市为例

立足对高铁经济辐射理论模式的认识,运用行为地理学的微观分析方法,以实地调查问卷为主要数据来源,以武汉市为案例,通过客流结构的系统解析透视高铁经济的辐射效应。研究表明:高铁经济的辐射效应与城市经济结构高度相关。在空间上,呈现出中心城区较强、外围城区较弱的总体态势,倾向于强化武昌、江汉和东湖高新区等核心地区的空间增长;在产业上,呈现以促进第三产业发展为主,有利于推动现代服务业和高新技术产业等主导部门的优化发展。研究结论能够为类似城市的高铁经济发展和武汉市的经济结构调整提供借鉴和启示。     

Global solar radiation and energy yield estimation from photovoltaic power plants for small loads

Daily global solar radiation on a horizontal surface and duration of sunshine hours have been determined experimentally for five meteorological stations in Saudi Arabia, namely, Abha, Al-Ahsa, Al-Jouf, Al-Qaisumah, and Wadi Al-Dawaser sites. Five-years of data covering 1998–2002 period have been used. Suitable Angstrom models have been developed for the global solar radiation estimation as a function of the sunshine duration for each respective sites. Daily averages of monthly solar PV power outputs have been determined using the Angstrom models developed. The effect of the PV cell temperature on the PV efficiency has been considered in calculating the PV power output. The annual average PV output energy has been discussed in all five sites for small loads. The minimum and maximum monthly average values of the daily global solar radiation are found to be 12.09 MJ/m²/d and 30.42 MJ/m²/d for Al-Qaisumah and Al-Jouf in the months of December June, respectively. Minimum monthly average sunshine hours of 5.89 hr were observed in Al-Qaisumah in December while a maximum of 12.92 hr in Al-Jouf in the month of June. Shortest range of sunshine hours of 7.33–10.12 hr was recorded at Abha station. Minimum monthly average Solar PV power of 1.59 MJ/m²/day was obtained at Al-Qaisumah in the month of December and a maximum of 3.39 MJ/m²/day at Al-Jouf in June. The annual PV energy output was found to be 276.04 kWh/m², 257.36 kWh/m², 256.75 kWh/m², 245.44 kWh/m², and 270.95 kWh/m² at Abha, Al-Ahsa, Al-Jouf, Al-Qaisumah, and Wadi Al-Dawaser stations, respectively. It is found that the Abha site yields the highest solar PV energy among the five sites considered.     

Gaseous mercury emissions from unsterilized and sterilized soils: The effect of temperature and UV radiation

Mercury (Hg) emissions from the soils taken from two different sites (deciduous and coniferous forests) in the Adirondacks were measured in outdoor and laboratory experiments. Some of the soil samples were irradiated to eliminate biological activity. The result from the outdoor measurements with different soils suggests the Hg emission from the soils is partly limited by fallen leaves covering the soils which helps maintain relatively high soil moisture and limits the amount of heat and solar radiation reaching the soil surface. In laboratory experiments exposure to UV-A (365 nm) had no significant effect on the Hg emissions while the Hg emissions increased dramatically during exposure to UV-B (302 nm) light suggesting UV-B directly reduced soil-associated Hg. Overall these results indicate that for these soils biotic processes have a relatively constant and smaller influence on the Hg emission from the soil than the more variable abiotic processes.     

Assessment of indoor radiation level in the environs of the uranium deposit area of West Khasi Hills District,Meghalaya, India

An estimation of the indoor background radiation dose distribution was carried out in dwellings of eleven villages located within and around the uranium mineralization area of Kylleng-Pyndensohiong, Mawthabah in West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya, India. The ambient indoor gamma radiation level was monitored using Thermo Luminescence Dosimeters (TLDs) while the indoor radon and thoron concentration was measured using twin-cup dosimeters employing Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs). Results obtained from the study reveals that the local inhabitants of villages located close to the mining site receive higher doses than those inhabitants of villages located at a much farther distance from the mining site. The average total annual effective dose was found to be varying from 1.2 mSv y⁻¹ in the village of Langpa to 3.4 mSv y⁻¹ in the village of Nongbah Jynrin. The data obtained will serve as a reference in documenting changes to environmental radioactivity if mining is to be carried out in the future.