Permeability Characteristics of Broken Coal and Rock Under Cyclic Loading and Unloading

Natural Resources Research - During longwall mining, the permeability evaluation in a caving zone is one of the most challenging risks for mine operators because it controls the behavior of gas...     

Spatial patch structure and adaptive strategy for desert shrub of Reaumuria soongorica in arid ecosystem of the Heihe River Basin

In many arid ecosystems, vegetation frequently occurs in high-cover patches interspersed in a matrix of low plant cover. However, theoretical explanations for shrub patch pattern dynamics along climate gradients remain unclear on a large scale. This context aimed to assess the variance of the Reaumuria soongorica patch structure along the precipitation gradient and the factors that affect patch structure formation in the middle and lower Heihe River Basin (HRB). Field investigations on vegetation patterns and heterogeneity in soil properties were conducted during 2014 and 2015. The results showed that patch height, size and plant-to-patch distance were smaller in high precipitation habitats than in low precipitation sites. Climate, soil and vegetation explained 82.5% of the variance in patch structure. Spatially, R. soongorica shifted from a clumped to a random pattern on the landscape towards the MAP gradient, and heterogeneity in the surface soil properties (the ratio of biological soil crust (BSC) to bare gravels (BG)) determined the R. soongorica population distribution pattern in the middle and lower HRB. A conceptual model, which integrated water availability and plant facilitation and competition effects, was revealed that R. soongorica changed from a flexible water use strategy in high precipitation regions to a consistent water use strategy in low precipitation areas. Our study provides a comprehensive quantification of the variance in shrub patch structure along a precipitation gradient and may improve our understanding of vegetation pattern dynamics in the Gobi Desert under future climate change.

     

Hydrological management strategies for the control of algal blooms in regulated lowland rivers

Reservoirs of lowland floodplain rivers with eutrophic backgrounds cause variations in the hydrological and hydraulic conditions of estuaries and low-dam reservoir areas, which can promote planktonic algae to proliferate and algal bloom outbreaks. Understanding the ecological effects of variations in hydrological and hydraulic processes in lowland rivers is important for algal bloom control. In this study, the middle and lower reaches of the Han River, China, a typical regulated lowland river with a eutrophic background, are selected. Based on the effect of hydrological and hydraulic variability on algal blooms, a hydrological management strategy for river algal bloom control is proposed. The results showed that (a) differences in river morphology and background nutrient levels cause significant differences in the critical threshold flow velocities for algal bloom outbreaks between natural river and low-dam reservoir sections; there is no uniform threshold flow velocity for algal bloom control. (b) There are significant differences in the river hydrological/hydraulic conditions between years with and without algal blooms. The average river flow, water level and velocity in years with algal blooms are significantly lower than those in years without algal blooms. (c) For different river sections where algal blooms occur and to meet the threshold flow velocities, the joint operation of cascade reservoirs and diversion projects is an effective method to prevent and control algal blooms in regulated lowland rivers. This study is expected to deepen our understanding of the ecological significance of special hydrological processes and guide algal bloom management in regulated lowland rivers.     

风和径流量对长江口缺氧影响的数值模拟

受自然和人类活动的影响，海洋缺氧现象日益严重，威胁着海洋生态环境，海洋缺氧问题已经引起了人们的广泛关注。本文应用区域海洋模式并耦合生态模式，对东海的生态系统进行了数值模拟和分析研究。与观测数据比较显示，该模型能较好地模拟长江口外生态变量的分布趋势。另外本文通过设置不同敏感性实验，探讨风和径流量对长江口底层缺氧现象的影响，结果分析表明，风和径流量对长江口外缺氧区的形成有显著的影响。径流量变化虽然对长江口外缺氧区的季节变化影响并不显著，但是对缺氧区域面积却存在显著的影响。径流量增加，水体层化增强，表层叶绿素浓度增加，最终导致缺氧区域范围扩展；径流量减小，水体层化减弱，表层叶绿素浓度减小，缺氧区域范围缩小。风向和风速的改变不仅影响长江口外缺氧区的季节变化，还影响缺氧区域面积。     

Study of the flood control scheduling scheme for the Three Gorges Reservoir in a catastrophic flood

The Three Gorges Project is the world's largest water conservancy project. According to the design standards for the 1,000‐year flood, flood diversion areas in the Jingjiang reach of the Yangtze River must be utilized to ensure the safety of the Jingjiang area and the city of Wuhan. However, once these areas are used, the economic and life loss in these areas may be very great. Therefore, it is vital to reduce this loss by developing a scheme that reduces the use of the flood diversion areas through flood regulation by the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), under the premise of ensuring the safety of the Three Gorges Dam. For a 1,000‐year flood on the basis of a highly destructive flood in 1954, this paper evaluates scheduling schemes in which flood diversion areas are or are not used. The schemes are simulated based on 2.5‐m resolution reservoir topography and an optimized model of dynamic capacity flood regulation. The simulation results show the following. (a) In accord with the normal flood‐control regulation discharge, the maximum water level above the dam should be not more than 175 m, which ensures the safety of the dam and reservoir area. However, it is necessary to utilize the flood diversion areas within the Jingjiang area, and flood discharge can reach 2.81 billion m³. (b) In the case of relying on the TGR to impound floodwaters independently rather than using the flood diversion areas, the maximum water level above the dam reaches 177.35 m, which is less than the flood check level of 180.4 m to ensure the safety of the Three Gorges Dam. The average increase of the TGR water level in the Chongqing area is not more than 0.11 m, which indicates no significant effect on the upstream reservoir area. Comparing the various scheduling schemes, when the flood diversion areas are not used, it is believed that the TGR can execute safe flood control for a 1,000‐year flood, thereby greatly reducing flood damage.     

Analytical study of ground motion caused by seismic wave propagation across faulted rock masses

Studying seismic wave propagation across rock masses and the induced ground motion is an important topic, which receives considerable attention in design and construction of underground cavern/tunnel constructions and mining activities. The current study investigates wave propagation across a rock mass with one fault and the induced ground motion using a recursive approach. The rocks beside the fault are assumed as viscoelastic media with seismic quality factors, Q_p and Q_s. Two kinds of interactions between stress waves and a discontinuity and between stress waves and a free surface are analyzed, respectively. As the result of the wave superposition, the mathematical expressions for induced ground vibration are deduced. The proposed approach is then compared with the existing analysis for special cases. Finally, parametric studies are carried out, which includes the influences of fault stiffness, incident angle, and frequency of incident waves on the peak particle velocities of the ground motions.     

珠江口淇澳岛滨海湿地沉积环境演化及其对人类活动的响应

滨海湿地作为人类活动和全球变化反应最为敏感的区域，其沉积记录可以反映出周边地区环境变化及人类活动信息。珠江口淇澳岛滨海湿地钻孔分析结果表明，在中全新世期间淇澳岛附近海域为河口湾环境，在风化层以上开始出现淤积，但在4 200 a BP前后受极冷气候的影响，沉积物粗化；自2 500 a BP以来，沉积环境相对稳定，在小冰期期间略有变化。沉积速率计算结果显示:淇澳岛附近海域自中全新世高海面以来的平均沉积速率为0.29 cm/a，4 160~2 500 a BP、2 500 a BP-1488年、1488-1893年、1893-1986年、1990-2007年期间的平均沉积速率分别为:0.17 cm/a、0.23 cm/a、0.35 cm/a、1.37 cm/a和5.94 cm/a，沉积速率逐渐增大，反映了珠江三角洲演化过程中沉积相与沉积环境的变化；1986-1990年期间的海堤建造极大地扰动了该钻孔上部的沉积过程，在工程施工期间共沉积了厚度约112 cm的沉积层，而在海堤建成后，沉积速率也显著增大。沉积物总有机碳、总氮和C/N值的垂向分布表明，在4 160~2 500 a BP期间受海洋环境影响较大，沉积物中有机碳以海源为主，2 500 a BP以来沉积物中碳、氮含量明显增大，C/N也相应变大，有机碳主要来源于陆源输入，但在小冰期期间海源有机碳贡献略有所增大；近百年来由于受人类活动影响显著，陆源有机碳的贡献快速增加。     

利用超快速精密星历约束的北斗卫星实时精密定轨

以广播星历为起算轨道的北斗卫星实时滤波精密定轨往往需要较长收敛时间，针对此，提出利用超快速精密星历约束的实时精密定轨方法。通过MGEX跟踪网全球分布的51个测站连续7 d的实测数据，利用平方根信息滤波对北斗卫星实时精密轨道进行确定，并以3 d解事后轨道作为参考，评估北斗卫星实时滤波轨道精度。结果表明，利用广播星历作起算轨道时，北斗实时滤波轨道平均需要经过15 h收敛才能达到稳定，而新方法在这段时间内轨道变化较为平稳，未出现明显的收敛现象，并且7 d时间内GEO卫星在切向、法向和径向上RMS分别优于2.5 m、20 cm和30 cm，IGSO和MEO卫星在3个方向上分别优于30 cm、15 cm和10 cm。
     

基于“DEM-NDVI-土地覆盖分类”的天山博格达自然遗产地山地垂直带提取与变化分析

本文基于Landsat影像数据获取天山博格达自然遗产地土地覆盖分类,结合归一化植被指数（NDVI）和数字高程模型（DEM）构建“DEM-NDVI-土地覆盖分类”散点图分析研究区植被受海拔和坡向的水热空间变化影响的分布特征,通过概率统计分析提取博格达遗产地山地垂直带,并结合研究区的气温、降水数据和NDVI变化特征分析垂直带变化的原因。研究结果表明：① 本文利用“DEM-NDVI-土地覆盖分类”散点图,揭示了研究区1989年和2016年的NDVI值和分类类别随着海拔上升的变化特征,其中NDVI值随着海拔上升呈现“倒U形”变化,而不同分类类别在一定的海拔区间内呈现出聚集效应,且不同分类类别有明显的高程界限。② 1989年和2016年博格达遗产地山地垂直带分带上限分别为：1278 m和1185 m（温带荒漠草原带）、1784 m和1759 m（山地草原带）、2706 m和2730 m（山地针叶林带）、3272 m和3293 m（高山草甸带）、3636 m和3690 m（高山垫状植被带）。③ 博格达遗产地1989年和2016年山地垂直带受区域气温升高和降雨增加的影响有较为明显的改变,其中温带荒漠草原带最为敏感,其上限变化最大,向下收缩93 m;山地针叶林带的分布范围则向两侧扩张49 m;山地草甸带带宽基本保持不变,但整体上移了约20 m;冰雪带则受到全球气候变暖的影响向上退缩54 m。     

基于分布式控制力矩陀螺的水下航行器轨迹跟踪控制

基于控制力矩陀螺群(CMGs)的水下航行器具有低速或零速机动的能力。采用基于分布式CMGs的水下航行器方案,并研究其水平面的轨迹跟踪控制问题。通过全局微分同胚变换将非完全对称的动力学模型解耦成标准欠驱动控制模型,并根据简化的模型构建其轨迹跟踪的误差动力学模型,将轨迹跟踪控制问题转化为误差模型镇定问题。基于一种分流神经元模型和反步法设计了系统的轨迹跟踪控制律,该控制器不需要对任何虚拟控制输入进行求导计算,且能确保跟踪误差的最终一致有界性。仿真结果表明该控制器能够实现在不依赖动力学参数先验知识的情况下对光滑轨迹的有效跟踪。