Pyroclast/snow interactions and thermally driven slurry formation. Part 1: Theory for monodisperse grain beds

Received: 15 March 1999 / Accepted: 9 December 1999     

Interannual and decadal variations of snow cover over Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and their relationships to summer monsoon rainfall in China

Interannual and decadal variations of winter snow cover over the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (QXP) are analyzed by using monthly mean snow depth data set of 60 stations over QXP for the period of 1958 through 1992. It is found that the winter snow cover over QXP bears a pronounced quasi-biennial oscillation, and it underwent an obvious decadal transition from a poor snow cover period to a rich snow cover period in the late 1970’s during the last 40 years.It is shown that the summer rainfall in the eastern China is closely associated with the winter snow cover over QXP not only in the interannual variation but also in the decadal variation. A clear relationship exists in the quasi-biennial oscillation between the summer rainfall in the northern part of North China and the southern China and the winter snow cover over QXP. Furthermore, the summer rainfall in the four climate divisions of Qinling-Daba Mountains, the Yangtze-Huaihe River Plain, the upper and lower reaches of the Yangtze River showed a remarkable transition from drought period to rainy period in the end of 1970’s, in good correspondence with the decadal transition of the winter snow cover over QXP.     

Assimilating snow observations to snow interception process simulations

Snow interception is a crucial hydrological process in cold regions needleleaf forests, but is rarely measured directly. Indirect estimates of snow interception can be made by measuring the difference in the increase in snow accumulation between the forest floor and a nearby clearing over the course of a storm. Pairs of automatic weather stations with acoustic snow depth sensors provide an opportunity to estimate this, if snow density can be estimated reliably. Three approaches for estimating fresh snow density were investigated: weighted post-storm density increments from the physically based Snobal model, fresh snow density estimated empirically from air temperature (Hedstrom, N. R., et al. [1998]. Hydrological Processes, 12, 1611–1625), and fresh snow density estimated empirically from air temperature and wind speed (Jordan, R. E., et al. [1999]. Journal of Geophysical Research, 104, 7785–7806). Automated snow depth observations from adjacent forest and clearing sites and estimated snow densities were used to determine snowstorm snow interception in a subalpine forest in the Canadian Rockies, Alberta, Canada. Then the estimated snow interception and measured interception information from a weighed, suspended tree and a time-lapse camera were assimilated into a model, which was created using the Cold Regions Hydrological Modelling platform (CRHM), using Ensemble Kalman Filter or a simple rule-based direct insertion method. Interception determined using density estimates from the Hedstrom-Pomeroy fresh snow density equation agreed best with observations. Assimilating snow interception information from automatic snow depth measurements improved modelled snow interception timing by 7% and magnitude by 13%, compared to an open loop simulation driven by a numerical weather model; its accuracy was close to that simulated using locally observed meteorological data. Assimilation of tree-measured snow interception improved the snow interception simulation timing and magnitude by 18 and 19%, respectively. Time-lapse camera snow interception information assimilation improved the snow interception simulation timing by 32% and magnitude by 7%. The benefits of assimilation were greatly influenced by assimilation frequency and quality of the forcing data.     

An analysis of snow cover patterns in a small alpine catchment

Snow cover patterns in a 9.4 km² basin in the Austrian Alps are examined during spring and summer 1989. Digital mono-plotting from oblique aerophotographs is used for mapping. on the basis of a square grid with 25 m spacing, snow cover as mapped during nine surveys is analysed as a function of elevation and slope. During winter conditions the snow cover is found to be much better related to these terrain features than during the late ablation period.     

Hydrological and hydrochemical response of mountainous basins to snow accumulation and melting in northern slovakia

Hydrological and hydrochemical parameters for two mountain basins are presented and compared. The analysis focuses on the hydrology during the winter, the cumulative outflow of sulphate and nitrate from the basin and a mass balance. An integrated model for the simulation of the amount and quality of snowmelt from seasonal snow cover is briefly described. The possible application of the model to other basins is considered.     

Master of the Obscure—Automated Geostatistical Classification in Presence of Complex Geophysical Processes

The topic of this paper is the retrieval of hidden or secondary information on complex spatial variables from geophysical data. Typical situations of obscured geological or geophysical information are the following: (1) Noise may disturb the signal for a variable for which measurements have been collected. (2) The variable of interest may be obscured by other geophysical processes. (3) The information of interest may formally be captured in a secondary variable, whereas data may have been collected for a primary variable only, that is related to the geophysical process of interest. Examples discussed here include mapping of marine-geologic provinces from bathymetric data, identification of sea-ice properties from snow-depth data, analysis of snow surface data in an Alpine environment and association of deformation types in fast-moving glaciers from airborne video material or satellite imagery. Data types include geophysical profile or trackline data, image data, grid or matrix-type data, and more generally, any two-dimensional or three-dimensional discrete or discretizable data sets. The framework for a solution is geostatistical characterization and classification, which typically involves the following steps: (1) calculation of vario functions (which may be of higher order or residual type, or combinations of both), (2) derivation of classification parameters from vario functions, and (3) characterization, classification or segmentation, depending on the applied problem. In some situations, spatial surface roughness is utilized as an auxiliary variable, for instance, roughness of the seafloor may be derived from bathymetric data and be indicative of geological provinces. The objective of this paper is to present components of the geostatistical classification method in a summarizing and synoptical manner, motivated by applied examples and integrating principal and generalized concepts, such as hyperparameters and parameters that relate to the same physical processes and work for data in oversampled and undersampled situations, parameters that facilitate comparison among different data types, data sets and across scales, variograms and vario functions of higher order, and deterministic and connectionist classification algorithms.     

青藏高原东部雪灾的奇异谱分析

利用奇异谱分析等方法，分析了青藏高原东部冬半年1967－1996年雪灾的气候特征。结果表明：雪灾的总趋势是增加的，特别是后冬，这可能是对全球气候变暖的响应。雪灾指数周期集中在2．0－3．6a和5．4－7．5a两个时段。后冬雪灾在1985／1986年前后存在着由偏少向偏多的突变。利用SSA－MEM方法可以预报雪灾冬半年未来2a趋势，后冬未来1a趋势。     

Cretaceous amber inclusions of Spain and Myanmar demonstrate early diversification and wide dispersal of Cephenniitae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae)

The taxonomic status of previously misplaced species of an ant-like stone beetle from Spanish amber (Albian) is clarified. Specimens of Kachinus magnificus (originally placed as incertae sedis within Scydmaenitae) were re-examined and their characters were found different from those of the type species of Kachinus from Myanmar amber. Consequently, Archeutheia gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the Spanish species, resulting in Archeutheia magnifica comb. nov. Moreover, in a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis Archeutheia was placed as a sister group to extant Eutheia, within the tribe Eutheiini of Cephenniitae. A specimen of an undetermined genus from Myanmar amber clearly belonging in Cephenniini is also recorded. Both taxa represent the first definite Cretaceous Cephenniitae, a supertribe whose recent members are distributed on all continents but are especially diverse in the Oriental and East Palaearctic regions. This finding demonstrates a diversification of two presently most species-rich tribes of Cephenniitae already in Early Cretaceous. Archeutheia is strikingly similar to the extant species of Eutheia and Veraphis, showing male dimorphic characters (modified protrochanters) and antennal cavities characteristic of Palaearctic Eutheiini. This fact suggests a long morphological stability in the supertribe. A previously proposed hypothesis of an early presence of the Cephenniitae in the Northern Hemisphere is for the first time supported by the fossil record, and the palaeolocalities (western Europe and Southeast Asia) demonstrate a wide distribution of Cephenniitae in the Cretaceous and an early split of its ancestral lineage.     

Plowing paradise: snow clearing and urban solar radiation absorption

Abstract

Urban heat islands result from human modification of land surfaces. Snow cover reduces heating due to its reflectivity; however, urban snow is quickly plowed, thus altering surface radiative properties. The goal of this study was to evaluate the extent to which municipal snow removal affects the magnitude of solar input associated with changes in the radiation balance. Incoming and reflected shortwave radiation, surface radiating temperature, air temperature, and snow depth were measured with portable devices at eight sites in Syracuse, New York. Sites were classified as cleared, undisturbed, or snow piles. Measurements were taken following fresh snowfall, and continuing until snow had melted. A HOBO weather station provided hourly baseline conditions. Longevity of snow varied across snow site types, with greater persistence when in piles and on open areas. Albedo was reduced and surface temperatures were higher over cleared areas. The difference between absorbed energy due to clearing was quantified using an albedo regression model for undisturbed sites and comparing these to average reflectivity of cleared surfaces. The magnitude difference over the study period ranged from 841 million to 1670 million MJ. Snow plowing is therefore a significant source of additional energy that enhances the winter urban heat island.     

Hyper-spectral data based investigations for snow wetness mapping

Spatial information on snow wetness content (SWC) is important for hydrology, climatology applications. Limited work is available on estimation of SWC using optical sensors. In present work, spectral signature characteristics of snow (~145 samples) acquired in winters of three years, using field spectral-radiometer (350–2500 nm) were correlated with synchronized SWC measurements. Correlation is found stronger in Near-Infra-Red (NIR) and Short-Wave-Infrared (SWIR) regions than Visible (VIS). Spectral peak width at 905 and 1240 nm is found negatively correlated with SWC, while positively correlated at 1025 nm. Asymmetry tends towards right as SWC increases and has stable positive correlations as compared to other characteristics. Sensitivity of widely used snow-related indices to SWC is also analyzed. Based on analysis, new ratio method at selected wavelengths is proposed to discriminate dry and wet snow zones using air/ground borne sensors. Proposed methodology is evaluated on air-borne hyper-spectral (AVIRIS-NG) data and 88% overall accuracy with kappa coefficient 77.6 observed after validation with reference observations.