Digital mapping of coastal boulders – high-resolution data acquisition to infer past and recent transport dynamics

Coastal boulder fields provide clues to long-term frequency-magnitude patterns of coastal flooding events and have the potential to play an important role in coastal hazard assessment. Mapping boulders in the field is time and labour-intensive, and work on intertidal reef platforms, as in the present study, is physically challenging. By addressing coastal scientists who are not specialists in remote sensing, this contribution reports on the possibilities and limitations of digital applications in boulder mapping in Eastern Samar, Philippines, where recent supertyphoons Haiyan and Hagupit induced high waves, coastal flooding and boulder transport. It is demonstrated how satellite imagery of sub-metre resolution (from Pléiades and WorldView-3 imagery) enables efficient analysis of transport vectors and distances of larger boulders, reflecting variation in latitudes of both typhoon tracks and approaching angles of typhoon-generated waves. During the investigated events, boulders with a-axes of up to 8 m were clearly identified to have been shifted for up to 32 m, mostly along the seaward margin of the boulder field. It is, however, hard to keep track of smaller boulders, and the length of a-axes and b-axes including their orientation is often impossible to map with sufficient accuracy. Orthophotographs and digital surface models created through the application of an unmanned aerial vehicle and the ‘Structure from Motion’ technique provide ultra-high-resolution data, and have the potential to not only improve the results of satellite image analysis, but also those from field mapping and may significantly reduce overall time in the field. Orthophotographs permit unequivocal mapping of a-axes and b-axes including their orientation, while precise values for c-axes can be derived from the respective digital surface models. Volume of boulders is best inferred from boulder-specific Structure from Motion-based three-dimensional models. Battery power, flight speed and altitude determine the limits of the area covered, while patches shielded by the boulders are difficult to resolve. For some tasks, field mapping remains mandatory and cannot be replaced by currently available remote sensing tools: for example, sampling for rock type, density and age dating, recording of lithological separation of boulders from the underlying geological unit and of geomorphic features on a millimetre to decimetre-scale, or documentation of fine-grained sediment transport in between the boulders in supratidal settings. In terms of future events, the digital products presented here will provide a valuable reference to track boulder transport on a centimetre to decimetre-scale and to better understand the hydrodynamics of extreme-wave events on a fringing reef coastline.     

南水北调与山东水资源可持续利用

山东省水资源不足,且分布不均,对经济和生态环境已产生严重影响。南水北调工程是缓解山东水资源紧缺,维持山东水资源可持续利用的根本性措施。建议调整一期一步工程路线,并合理解决污染、南四湖东平湖调蓄、胶东应急工程及资金问题。     

Using visibility analysis to improve point density and processing time of SfM-MVS techniques for 3D reconstruction of landforms

Image network geometry, including the number and orientation of images, impacts the error, coverage, and processing time of 3D terrain mapping performed using structure-from-motion and multiview-stereo (SfM-MVS). Few studies have quantified trade-offs in error and processing time or ways to optimize image acquisition in diverse topographic conditions. Here, we determine suitable camera locations for image acquisition by minimizing the occlusion produced by topography. Viewshed analysis is used to select the suitable images, which requires a preliminary digital elevation model (DEM), potential camera locations, and sensor parameters. One aerial and two ground-based image collections were used to analyse differences between SfM-MVS models produced using: (1) all available images (ALL); (2) images selected using conventional methods (CON); and (3) images selected using the viewshed analysis (VIEW). The resulting models were compared with benchmark point clouds acquired by a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) and TLS-derived DEMs. The VIEW datasets produced denser point clouds (28–32% more points) and DEMs with up to 66% reduction in error compared with CON datasets due to reduction of gaps in the DEM. VIEW datasets reduced processing time by 37–76% compared with ALL, with no reduction in coverage or increase in error. DEMs produced with ALL and VIEW datasets had similar slope and roughness, while slight differences that may be locally important were observed for the CON dataset. The new method helps optimize SfM-MVS image collection strategies that significantly reduce the number of images required with minimal loss in coverage or accuracy over complex surfaces. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Talus slope geomorphology investigated at multiple time scales from high-resolution topographic surveys and historical aerial photographs (Sanetsch Pass,Switzerland)

Talus slopes are common places for debris storage in high-mountain environments and form an important step in the alpine sediment cascade. To understand slope instabilities and sediment transfers, detailed investigations of talus slope geomorphology are needed. Therefore, this study presents a detailed analysis of a talus slope on Col du Sanetsch (Swiss Alps), which is investigated at multiple time scales using high-resolution topographic (HRT) surveys and historical aerial photographs. HRT surveys were collected during three consecutive summers (2017–2019), using uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) measurements. To date, very few studies exist that use HRT methods on talus slopes, especially to the extent of our study area (2 km²). Data acquisition from ground control and in situ field observations is challenging on a talus slope due to the steep terrain (30–37°) and high surface roughness. This results in a poor spatial distribution of ground control points (GCPs), causing unwanted deformation of up to 2 m in the gathered UAV-derived HRT data. The co-alignment of UAV imagery from different survey dates improved this deformation significantly, as validated by the TLS data. Sediment transfer is dominated by small-scale but widespread snow push processes. Pre-existing debris flow channels are prone to erosion and redeposition of material within the channel. A debris flow event of high magnitude occurred in the summer of 2019, as a result of several convective thunderstorms. While low-magnitude (<5,000 m³) debris flow events are frequent throughout the historical record with a return period of 10–20 years, this 2019 event exceeded all historical debris flow events since 1946 in both extent and volume. Future climate predictions show an increase of such intense precipitation events in the region, potentially altering the frequency of debris flows in the study area and changing the dominant geomorphic process which are active on such talus slopes. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

夏季短期调水对太湖贡湖湾湖区水质及藻类的影响

贡湖湾作为"引江济太"工程长江来水进入太湖的第一站,湖湾水体生态环境的变化是对调水工程净水效果的最好响应,因此本文针对贡湖湾一次夏季短期调水展开调查研究,分别取2013年7月24日(调水前)和2013年8月18日(短期调水后)两次监测水样的水体理化指标和浮游藻类群落数据进行了对比分析,并对浮游藻类群落与环境因子做了相关性分析.结果表明:受来水影响,短期调水后监测区水体的p H略有下降,溶解氧、浊度、硝态氮、总氮、总磷以及高锰酸盐指数等水体理化指标浓度均较调水前有所升高;其中受调水影响最为显著的区域为望虞河的入湖口区、湾心区.两次监测调水前后湖区水体优势藻种属未发生变化,仍以微囊藻为主,但蓝藻种属比例有所下降,绿藻和硅藻等种属比例则有所上升.望虞河入湖口区和贡湖湾湾心区的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数受调水的影响升高.同时,浮游藻类群落结构与受水水体理化参数的冗余分析结果表明,此次监测的短期调水后,太湖贡湖湾监测湖区水体p H、溶解氧、硝态氮、总氮、总磷、高锰酸盐指数等环境因子与浮游藻类的群落分布呈显著相关,是影响受水水体中藻类群落的主要环境因子.     

THE ACTIVITY OF WESTERN LISHAN FAULT SINCE THE LATE PLEISTOCENE

Along the northern piedmont of Mt. Lishan, the characteristics and locations of the active normal Lishan fault in west of Huaqing Pool provide important evidences for determining the seismotectonic environment, seismic stability evaluation of engineering in the eastern Weihe Basin. After reviewing the results from high-density resistivity method, seismic profile data, geological drillhole section and trenching in west of the Huaqing Pool, it is found that the strike of western normal Lishan Fault changes from EW direction at the eastern part to the direction of N60°W, and the fault consists of two branches, dipping NE with a high dip angle of~75°. The artificial shallow seismic profile data reveals that the attitude of strata near Lishan Fault mainly dips to south, which is presumed to be related to the southward tilt movement of Mt. Lishan since the Cenozoic. The section of geological drillhole reveals that since the late middle Pleistocene, the displacement of the paleo-soil layer S₂ is about 10m. And the maximum displacement of western Lishan Fault recorded in the paleo-soil layer S₁ reaches 7.8m since the late Pleistocene. In addition, evidences from trench profile show that the western Lishan Fault was active at least 3 times since Malan loess deposition with ¹⁴ C dating age(32 170±530)Cal a BP. The multiple activities of the Lishan Fault result in a total displacement about 3.0m in the Malan loess layer L₁. The latest activity of the western Lishan Fault produced a displacement of about 0.9m in the early Holocene loess layer L₀((8 630±20)Cal a BP)and caused obvious tensile cracks in the Holocene dark leoss layer S₀((4 390±20)Cal a BP). Briefly, we have obtained a vertical movement rate of about 0.11~0.19mm/a since the Holocene((8 630±20)Cal a BP)in the western extension of the Lishan Fault, the recurrence interval of earthquakes on the fault is about(10.7±0.5)ka, and the co-seismic surface rupture in a single event is inferred to be about 0.9m.     

盐藻多糖提取工艺的研究

探讨盐藻D.peircei多糖的提取工艺.采用正交实验确定了提取盐藻粗多糖的最佳工艺条件,通过酶解方法脱除其蛋白.实验结果表明,提取盐藻粗多糖的最佳工艺条件为100℃,提取10h,固液比1∶16,pH=9,通过中性蛋白酶对其酶解,可脱除其部分蛋白,使糖含量达到29.01%,初步确定此多糖为含有硫酸基和己糖醛酸的蛋白多糖.     

广西大瑶山地区加里东期石英脉型金矿：上木水金矿白云母Ar-Ar年龄约束

石英脉型金矿是广西大瑶山地区主要的金矿床类型之一,但一直没有高精度的年龄数据约束其成矿时代。论文首次 对大瑶山南部广西苍梧县上木水石英脉型金矿中的热液白云母进行39Ar/40Ar年龄法测年,获得坪年龄为（432.6 ± 3.2）Ma,相应 的等时线年龄为（428.2 ± 7.2）Ma,反等时线年龄为（425.3 ± 6.6）Ma,表明其成矿时代为加里东期。这一数据进一步证明 大瑶山南部的古龙-夏郢环形成矿区主要以加里东期矿化为主,除了与加里东期岩浆岩有关的斑岩-矽卡岩型钨多金属矿化 外,还存在石英脉型金矿。同时,位于大瑶山中部沿区域性大黎断裂分布的六岑-桃花-古袍金矿田的石英脉型金矿时代仍 然不明确,还需要进一步的高精度测年数据来约束。     

The discard ban policy,economic trends and opportunities for the Portuguese fisheries sector

In this paper the discard ban policy within the Portuguese fisheries sector is discussed and the opportunities and impact in the fisheries economy that arise from sales of unwanted fish under the new landing obligation are evaluated. The decadal mean price of fish (€/kg, adjusted for inflation) rose from the 1940s until the 1970s, dropping thereafter. The yearly averaged economic income estimated for discards sales between 1969 and 2009 ranged from 419345€ to 2164379€. Discard ban sales could contribute from 10% to 53% of the total landed value and 9–34% of the total catches (landings + discards). Under a discard ban policy, the fishing sector with the largest economic contribution for total discards sales would be multispecies (54%), followed by trawl (26%) and seine (20%). On average, fishing sales contributed with 0.63% to gross domestic production (GDP) between 1938 and 2009. Discard sales can increase 1.07–1.46 times more than the fish landing contribution to GDP. After 1983 the average landings/imports economic ratio was 0.28:1, which means that fish imports surpassed landings economic value 3.57 fold. The discard ban policy can create economic opportunities in the national context thus helping to revitalize some specific fisheries sectors.     

Reconstructing historic Glacial Lake Outburst Floods through numerical modelling and geomorphological assessment: Extreme events in the Himalaya

Recession of high‐mountain glaciers in response to climatic change frequently results in the development of moraine‐dammed glacial lakes. Moraine dam failure is often accompanied by the release of large volumes of water and sediment, termed a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). Chukhung Glacier is a small (~3 km²) receding valley glacier in Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha) National Park, Nepal. Unlike many Himalayan glaciers, which possess a thick mantle of supraglacial debris, its surface is relatively clean. The glacier terminus has receded 1.3 km from its maximum Holocene position, and in doing so provided the space for an ice‐contact moraine‐dammed lake to develop. The lake had a maximum volume of 5.5 × 10⁵ m³ and drained as a result of breaching of the terminal moraine. An estimated 1.3 × 10⁵ m³ of material was removed from the terminal moraine during breach development. Numerical dam‐breach modelling, implemented within a Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) framework, was used to investigate a range of moraine‐dam failure scenarios. Reconstructed outflow peak discharges, including failure via overtopping and piping mechanisms, are in the range 146–2200 m³ s^‐1. Results from two‐dimensional hydrodynamic GLOF modelling indicate that maximum local flow depths may have exceeded 9 m, with maximum flow velocities exceeding 20 m s^‐1 within 700 m of the breach. The floodwaters mobilised a significant amount of material, sourced mostly from the expanding breach, forming a 300 m long and 100 m wide debris fan originating at the breach exit. moraine‐dam. These results also suggest that inundation of the entire floodplain may have been achieved within ten minutes of initial breach development, suggesting that debris fan development was rapid. We discuss the key glaciological and geomorphological factors that have determined the evolution of a hazardous moraine‐dammed lake complex and the subsequent generation of a GLOF and its geomorphological impact. © 2014 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.