Late Holocene estuarine–inner shelf interactions; is there evidence of an estuarine retreat path for Tampa Bay, Florida?

The purpose of this study was to determine if and how a large, modern estuarine system, situated in the middle of an ancient carbonate platform, has affected its adjacent inner shelf both in the past during the last, post-glacial sea-level rise and during the present. An additional purpose was to determine if and how this inner shelf seaward of a major estuary differed from the inner shelves located just to the north and south but seaward of barrier-island shorelines. Through side-scan sonar mosaicking, bathymetric studies, and ground-truthing using surface grab samples as well as diver observations, two large submarine sand plains were mapped – one being the modern ebb-tidal delta and the other interpreted to be a relict ebb-tidal delta formed earlier in the Holocene. The most seaward portion of the inner shelf studied consists of a field of lobate, bathymetrically elevated, fine-sand accumulations, which were interpreted to be sediment-starved 3D dunes surrounded by small 2D dunes composed of coarse molluscan shell gravel. Additionally, exposed limestone hardbottoms supporting living benthic communities were found as well. This modern shelf sedimentary environment is situated on a large, buried shelf valley, which extends eastward beneath the modern Tampa Bay estuary. These observations plus the absence of an incised shelf valley having surficial bathymetric expression, and the absence of sand bodies normally associated with back-tracking estuarine systems indicate that there was no cross-shelf estuarine retreat path formed during the last rise in sea level. Instead, the modern Tampa Bay formed within a mid-platform, low-relief depression, which was flooded by rising marine waters late in the Holocene. With continued sea-level rise in the late Holocene, this early embayment was translated eastward or landward to its present position, whereby a larger ebb-tidal delta prograded out onto the inner shelf. Extensive linear sand ridges, common to the inner shelves to the north and south, did not form in this shelf province because it was a low-energy, open embayment lacking the wave climate and nearshore zone necessary to create such sand bodies. The distribution of bedforms on the inner shelf and the absence of seaward-oriented 2D dunes on the modern ebb-tidal delta indicate that the modern estuarine system has had little effect on its adjacent inner shelf.     

Detection of free gas and gas hydrate based on 3D seismic data and cone penetration testing: An example from the Nigerian Continental Slope

We present a new method to characterize free gas, gas hydrates and carbonate concretions occurrence which are considered as high-risk factors for sub-sea developments in the Niger delta. This method is based on the combination of 3D seismic data to the geotechnical site characterizations using piezocone CPTU tests (Cone Penetration Test with additional measurement of the pore water pressure). A special processing of the 3D seismic data has enabled the determination of the interval compressional velocity. Using the effective-medium theory, velocity anomalies (negative and positive) within the first 15 m were translated in gas hydrate and free gas distribution. The calibration of the P wave velocity anomalies was done thanks to in-situ geotechnical testing carried out during two oceanographic surveys (2003 and 2004). Comparison between in-situ testing, recovered cores and the prediction of the gas and the gas hydrate distribution based on the compressional wave velocity have shown that 3D seismic data is a valuable tool to identify heterogeneous areas but the use of the piezocone was essential to discriminate between gas hydrate occurrences and carbonate concretions' presence. Furthermore, in-situ compressional wave velocity (V_p) measurements have clearly demonstrated what it was suspected from the 3D seismic data, the co-existence in the study area between gas hydrate and free gas.     

渭河下游河道调整过程中的复杂响应现象

应用系统复杂响应的原理研究三门峡水库上游渭河河道调整过程,表明上游河道河床形态对基面上升所作出的响应是复杂的,弯曲系数的变化为先减小而后增大,宽深比的变化是先增大后减小,比降由先减小而后增大,最后均趋于稳定.     

BP神经网络模型在澜沧江流域径流量模拟中的应用

河川径流等水文时间序列属于复杂的非线性系统,使用回归分析等传统的分析方法,难以获取和描述其内在关联和变化规律。利用现有的相关站点的径流量历史数据和输沙量、降水量数据,在进行规格化处理和主成分分析的基础上,利用三层BP人工神经网络模型,对澜沧江流域上游昌都站径流量与各关联因子之间复杂的非线性映射关系进行模拟,采用拟牛顿算法对模型进行训练,模拟结果达到期望精度要求,并利用1982年~1985年实测数据进行模型验证。结果证明利用BP神经网络模型对澜沧江流域站点的月径流量序列进行模拟、预测和数据补缺处理具有可行性。     

鄂尔多斯坳陷湖盆缓坡型三角洲前缘沉积微相分带及成因分析——以定边-安边地区延长组长6油组为例

运用沉积相分析理论对鄂尔多斯盆地定边-安边地区晚三叠世延长组坳陷湖盆缓坡型三角洲前缘沉积微相组合进行系统研究,共识别出其组合形式有:水下分流河道叠加组合、河口坝叠加组合、水下分流河道与河口坝叠加组合以及河口坝与远砂坝、席状砂的叠加组合等4大类9种类型。并深入研究三角洲前缘沉积微相组合的时空分布规律,以三角洲前缘坡折带为界,将三角洲前缘分为"台型前缘"、"坡型前缘"和"盆型前缘"三部分,各部分有独特的沉积微相组合形式。高分辨率层序地层学的基准面旋回原理和沉积物体积分配原理表明:短期基准面的规律性变化影响着储层砂体的成因类型、叠加组合形式和空间分布规律,据此建立坳陷湖盆三角洲前缘不同沉积微相组合的成因分布模式。     

生态水文研究前沿问题及生态水文观测试验

自1987年Ingram HAP提出生态水文学概念以来,生态水文学得到了快速的发展。2007年,“生态水文学与环境可持续性”已成为UNESCO/IHP第7阶段计划的主题之一。回顾了生态水文学概念的变迁,综述了有关术语及其科学内涵,简要分析了水循环与生物地球化学循环、水文与生态系统相互作用、水文过程与生命过程耦合、绿水及其生态作用等方面关注的科学问题及其观测研究进展;介绍了黑河流域生态水文学研究的初步认识。     

内陆河流域山区水文与生态研究

以河西走廊黑河干流山区流域为例,从山区水文循环、水文与生态系统以及径流形成和预测等方面讨论山区流域水文和生态相互作用研究的有关问题。山区降水的空间和时间分布规律和固态、液态降水组成变化主要受制于海拔和地形的影响,而不同海拔和地形条件下的下垫面不同土地覆被和复杂的空间异质性则主要影响蒸散发量。对内陆河山区流域的水文小循环的研究,有助于进一步研究和认识内陆河流域上、中、下游水文和生态系统的相互联系问题。至今,对山区水文过程与生态系统的相互作用问题的研究还非常薄弱,需要研究山区森林草地生态系统在山区水文循环中的作用以及在维持和保护山区生态和环境中的作用和意义。内陆河流域山区水文过程复杂而综合性强,须加强对山区径流形成机理的多学科交叉研究,不断改善出山径流对气候变化和人类活动响应过程的模拟和预测水平。     

黑河中下游荒漠区植物多样性分布对土壤水分变化的响应

基于对黑河流域中下游荒漠区植被和土壤生境的调查分析,以土壤水分在各调查样地中的差异来反映研究区的生态水文特征,采用种的丰富度和多度来代表荒漠植物多样性研究了荒漠植物,包括隐花植物多样性分布对土壤水分变化的响应。土壤水分变化不仅直接影响着荒漠植物的多样性,而通过影响其它生境因子又间接地影响着多样性的维持。因此,如何维持中下游相对稳定的土壤水分来源是该区荒漠植物多样性保育今后所要面临的挑战。