Modelling spatial variations in dissolved oxygen in fine‐grained streams under uncertainty

This paper presents a novel triple‐layer model, called VART DO‐3L, for simulation of spatial variations in dissolved oxygen (DO) in fine‐grained streams, characterized by a fluid mud (fluff or flocculent) layer (an advection‐dominated storage zone) as the interface between overlying stream water and relatively consolidated streambed sediment (a diffusion‐dominated storage zone). A global sensitivity analysis is conducted to investigate the sensitivity of VART DO‐3L model input parameters. Results of the sensitivity analysis indicate that the most sensitive parameter is the relative size of the advection‐dominated storage zones (A_s/A), followed by a lumped reaction term (R) for the flocculent layer, biological reaction rate (μ_o) in diffusive layer and biochemical oxygen demand concentration (L) in water column. In order to address uncertainty in model input parameters, Monte Carlo simulations are performed to sample parameter values and to produce various parameter combinations or cases. The VART DO‐3L model is applied to the Lower Amite River in Louisiana, USA, to simulate vertical and longitudinal variations in DO under the cases. In terms of longitudinal variation, the DO level decreases from 7.9 mg l at the Denham Springs station to about 2.89 mg l^?1 at the Port Vincent station. In terms of vertical variation, the DO level drops rapidly from the overlying water column to the advection‐dominated storage zone and further to the diffusive layer. The DO level (C_F) in the advective layer (flocculent layer) can reach as high as 40% of DO concentration (C) in the water column. The VART DO‐3L model may be applied to similar rivers for simulation of spatial variations in DO level. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Composition and flux of suspended organic matter in the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) — impact of the Three Gorges Dam and the role of tributaries and channel erosion

To investigate the sources of particulate organic matter (POM) and the impact of Three Gorges Dam (TGD), two large lakes and erosion processes on determining the composition and flux of POM in low water discharge periods along the middle and lower Changjiang, suspended particulate samples were collected along the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) in January 2008. Organic geochemistry of bulk sediment (particulate organic carbon, organic carbon to nitrogen molar ratio (C/N), stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) and grain size) and biomarker of bulk sediment (lignin phenols) were measured to trace the sources of POM. The range of C/N ratios (6.4–8.9), δ¹³C (?24.3‰ – ?26.2‰) and lignin phenols concentration Λ8 (0.45 mg/100 mg OC‐2.00 mg/100 mg OC) of POM suggested that POM originated from the mixture of soil, plant tissue and autochthonous organic matter (OM) during the dry season. POM from lakes contained a higher portion of terrestrial OM than the mainstream, which was related to sand mining and hydropower erosion processes. A three end‐member model based on δ¹³C and Λ8 was performed. The results indicated that soil contributed approximately 50% of OM to the POM, which is the dominant OM source in most stations. POM composition was affected by total suspended matter (TSM) and grain size composition, and the direct OM input from two lakes and channel erosion induced OM. The lower TSM concentration in January 2008 was mainly caused by seasonal variations; the impact from the TGD in the dry season was relatively small. A box model indicated that more than 90% of the terrestrial OM transported by the Changjiang in January 2008 was from the middle and lower drainage basins. Channel erosion induced OM, and contributions from Poyang Lake were the major terrestrial OM sources in the dry season. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impacts of confining pressure and safety thickness on water and mud inrush in weathered granite

Abstract

Due to the strong disintegration and water erosion of completely weathered granite, water and mud inrush disasters are apt to take place in this zone during underwater tunnel construction. The pore, compactness, seepage path length, fracture geometries and their interconnections for water and mud transfer are strongly influenced by confining pressure and waterproof-resistant slab safety thickness. In order to inspect the influence, a series of experiments based on a self-designed testing system and non-Darcy testing method were performed. The results indicated that the water and mud inrush evolution increased with the increase of confining pressure and decreased with the increase of safety thickness. In particular, the confining pressure mainly influences the initial evolution stage, and a critical safety thickness to prevent water and mud inrush is obtained. Besides, the non-Darcy testing method results shows that the water and mud inrush evolution affects the influence of non-Darcy flow. For example, while the safety thickness was smaller than the critical value, the evolution was large and unstable and its behavior transferred into nonlinear. In this case, the flow changed to non-Darcy flow.     

Study on Nonlinear Characteristics of Freak-Wave Forces with Different Wave Steepness

The nonlinear wave forces on vertical cylinders induced by freak wave trains were experimentally investigated. A series of freak wave trains with different wave steepness were modeled in a wave flume. The corresponding wave forces on vertical cylinders of different diameters were measured. The experimental wave forces were also compared with the predicted results based on Morison formula. Particular attentions were paid to the effects of wave steepness on the dimensionless peak forces, asymmetry characteristics of the impact forces and high-frequency force components. Wavelet-based analysis methods were employed in revealing the local energy structures and quadratic phase coupling in the freak wave forces.     

基于一维综合孔径微波辐射计的海面温度反演研究

Due to the low spatial resolution of sea surface temperature(T_S) retrieval by real aperture microwave radiometers,in this study, an iterative retrieval method that minimizes the differences between brightness temperature(T_B)measured and modeled was used to retrieve sea surface temperature with a one-dimensional synthetic aperture microwave radiometer, temporarily named 1 D-SAMR. Regarding the configuration of the radiometer, an angular resolution of 0.43° was reached by theoretical calculation. Experiments on sea surface temperature retrieval were carried out with ideal parameters; the results show that the main factors affecting the retrieval accuracy of sea surface temperature are the accuracy of radiometer calibration and the precision of auxiliary geophysical parameters. In the case of no auxiliary parameter errors, the greatest error in retrieved sea surface temperature is obtained at low T_S scene(i.e., 0.710 6 K for the incidence angle of 35° under the radiometer calibration accuracy of0.5 K). While errors on auxiliary parameters are assumed to follow a Gaussian distribution, the greatest error on retrieved sea surface temperature was 1.330 5 K at an incidence angle of 65° in poorly known sea surface wind speed(W)(the error on W of 1.0 m/s) over high W scene, for the radiometer calibration accuracy of 0.5 K.     

Changes in potential evapotranspiration and surface runoff in 1981–2010 and the driving factors in Upper Heihe River Basin in Northwest China

Changes in potential evapotranspiration and surface runoff can have profound implications for hydrological processes in arid and semiarid regions. In this study, we investigated the response of hydrological processes to climate change in Upper Heihe River Basin in Northwest China for the period from 1981 to 2010. We used agronomic, climatic and hydrological data to drive the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model for changes in potential evapotranspiration (ET₀) and surface runoff and the driving factors in the study area. The results showed that increasing autumn temperature increased snow melt, resulting in increased surface runoff, especially in September and October. The spatial distribution of annual runoff was different from that of seasonal runoff, with the highest runoff in Yeniugou River, followed by Babaohe River and then the tributaries in the northern of the basin. There was no evaporation paradox at annual and seasonal time scales, and annual ET₀ was driven mainly by wind speed. ET₀ was driven by relative humidity in spring, sunshine hour duration in autumn and both sunshine hour duration and relative humility in summer. Surface runoff was controlled by temperature in spring and winter and by precipitation in summer (flood season). Although surface runoff increased in autumn with increasing temperature, it depended on rainfall in September and on temperature in October and November. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geophysical constraints on mesozoic disruption of North China Craton by underplating‐triggered lower‐crust flow of the Archaean lithosphere

The mechanism of the disruption, both lithospheric thinning and oceanization of the commonly accepted long‐term‐stable Archaean craton, is still an open question. The available models, all imply a bottom to top process. With the construction of a 1660‐km‐long transect across the eastern North China Craton (NCC), we demonstrate that both the P‐wave velocity and density in the lowermost crust beneath the central section are significantly higher than in the corresponding parts of the south and north sections on the transect. These features are interpreted as geophysical signature of lower crustal underplating, which supplies sufficiently high gravitational potential energy to trigger lateral flow of the lower crust. This magma underplating‐triggered bilateral lower crust flow may facilitate the lithospheric thinning by means of asthenosphere upwelling and decompression melting, which infill the gap produced by the lower crust flow. The underplating‐triggered lower crustal flow can provide an alternative mechanism to explain the NCC lithosphere disruption, which highlights the crustal feedback to Archaean lithosphere disruption, from top to bottom.     

广西隆安下石炭统都结微生物岩微相特征与沉积环境研究

广西隆安县都结乡发育的微生物岩产于下石炭统都安组中—上部地层,分布广、厚度大,是中国南方早石炭世报道较少的碳酸盐岩建造类型,具有较高的研究价值。该微生物岩以颗粒灰岩和粘结岩为主,生物含量丰富,包括微生物、有孔虫、棘皮类、钙球、腕足等。通过岩相分析,可识别出以下8种微相类型:MF1含亮晶胶结物的泥晶包壳生屑灰岩、MF2含腕足似球粒灰岩、MF3无纹层似球粒颗粒灰岩、MF4集合颗粒灰岩、MF5细密纹层状粘结岩、MF6内碎屑鲕粒灰岩、MF7鲕粒灰岩、MF8白云质鲕粒灰岩。伴随海平面升降变化,都结微生物岩沉积环境先后经历了FZ1台地边缘浅滩相、FZ2开阔台地相与FZ3局限台地相这三种沉积相带之间往复变化的沉积相模式。结合前人基础地质资料,该沉积相模式表明该微生物岩发育于低纬度孤立碳酸盐岩台地浅水环境,并经历了初期、主体时期和消亡期3个发育阶段,海平面虽伴有小幅波动,但整体呈下降趋势。微生物岩发育于晚古生代冰期与谢尔普霍夫生物灭绝事件前夕,该时期南盘江盆地微生物岩的富集与后生动物礁的缺失相耦合,海洋生态系统中生物组成发生显著变化。在此基础上,本文从微生物岩的角度初步探讨了冈瓦纳大陆冰川作用对北半球低纬度地区的影响。     

Factors controlling the interannual variations of MJO intensity

The interannual variations of intensity of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) during boreal winter are investigated by using the observed outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and the reanalysis data of ECMWF and NCEP. The standard deviation of 20-80-day filtered OLR anomaly is used to measure the MJO intensity. The dominant spatial structure of the interannual variability is revealed by an EOF analysis of the MJO intensity field. It is found that the leading mode is associated with eastern Pacific type ENSO, whereas the second mode is related to central Pacific type ENSO. A simple atmospheric model is used to investigate the relative roles of background moisture and wind changes in affecting the overall strength of MJO. The numerical experiments indicate that the background moisture effect is dominant while the background wind change has a minor effect.