Boreal temperature variability inferred from maximum latewood density and tree-ring width data, Wrangell Mountain region, Alaska

Variations in both width and density of annual rings from a network of tree chronologies were used to develop high-resolution proxies to extend the climate record in the Wrangell Mountain region of Alaska. We developed a warm-season (July–September) temperature reconstruction that spans A.D. 1593–1992 based on the first eigenvector from principal component analysis of six maximum latewood density (MXD) chronologies. The climate/tree-growth model accounts for 51% of the temperature variance from 1958 to 1992 and shows cold in the late 1600s–early 1700s followed by a warmer period, cooling in the late 1700s–early 1800s, and warming in the 20th century. The 20th century is the warmest of the past four centuries. Several severely cold warm-seasons coincide with major volcanic eruptions. The first eigenvector from a ring-width (RW) network, based on nine chronologies from the Wrangell Mountain region (A.D. 1550–1970), is correlated positively with both reconstructed and recorded Northern Hemisphere temperatures. RW shows a temporal history similar to that of MXD by increased growth (warmer) and decreased growth (cooler) intervals and trends. After around 1970 the RW series show a decrease in growth, while station data show continued warming, which may be related to increasing moisture stress or other factors. Both the temperature history based on MXD and the growth trends from the RW series are consistent with well-dated glacier fluctuations in the Wrangell Mountains and some of the temperature variations also correspond to variations in solar activity.     

Seismic noise at the international gravity point in Prague-Ruzyně (Czechoslovakia)

Summary The vertical component of ground displacement was measured at the Prague - Ruzyn International Gravity Point in the frequency range of 1–300 Hz. The permanent noise, the vibrations caused by the observers during gravimetric observations and by the wind, as well as those due to normal operations at the airport, display maximum peak-to-peak amplitudes of 0.06 µm in the frequency range of 1–50 Hz; with a CG-2 gravimeter this is not detrimental to the accuracy of the observations. The taxiing of turbo-jet and jet aircraft and engine tests of aircraft generate vibrations in frequency ranges of 75–90 and 190–270 Hz. Their amplitudes, according to the results of laboratory tests published for various types of gravity meters (CG-2, GAK-PT, GVP-3, KVG), are of magnitudes which generate errors in tenths of mgl.     

Spatial drought reconstructions for central High Asia based on tree rings

Spatial reconstructions of drought for central High Asia based on a tree-ring network are presented. Drought patterns for central High Asia are classified into western and eastern modes of variability. Tree-ring based reconstructions of the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) are presented for both the western central High Asia drought mode (1587–2005), and for the eastern central High Asia mode (1660–2005). Both reconstructions, generated using a principal component regression method, show an increased variability in recent decades. The wettest epoch for both reconstructions occurred from the 1940s to the 1950s. The most extreme reconstructed drought for western central High Asia was from the 1640s to the 1650s, coinciding with the collapse of the Chinese Ming Dynasty. The eastern central High Asia reconstruction has shown a distinct tendency towards drier conditions since the 1980s. Our spatial reconstructions agree well with previous reconstructions that fall within each mode, while there is no significant correlation between the two spatial reconstructions.     

Tourism impacts on benthic communities of sandy beaches

This study evaluated the effect of human trampling on the benthic macrofauna of two beaches in Southeast Brazil with different levels of intensity of tourism, Grussaí (more impacted) and Manguinhos (less impacted), during periods of high and low tourism activity. The macrofauna of urbanized (U) and non‐urbanized (NU) sectors of the inter‐tidal zone was sampled and the number of visitors was recorded. General linear models revealed a decreasing in abundance of macrofauna species in the urbanized sectors of analyzed beaches, which are exposed to higher trampling impact than in non‐urbanized areas. At Manguinhos Beach, trampling did not affect the macrofauna (<1 visitors ? m^?²), except for the polychaete Scolelepis sp., which was less abundant in the U sector. Considering the benthic community, Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis, Hemipodia californiensis and Scolelepis sp. were more sensitive to human trampling pressure and may be used as potential bioindicators of tourism impact. Management plans should consider mitigation of the effects of tourism, such as the control of the visitor number and their decentralization.     

Reconstructed droughts for the southeastern Tibetan Plateau over the past 568 years and its linkages to the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean climate variability

We present a Palmer Drought Severity Index reconstruction (r = 0.61, P < 0.01) from 1440 to 2007 for the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on tree rings of the forest fir (Abies forrestii). Persistent decadal dry intervals were found in the 1440s–1460s, 1560s–1580s, 1700s, 1770s, 1810s, 1860s and 1980s, and the extreme wet epochs were the 1480s–1490s, 1510s–1520s, 1590s, 1610s–1630s, 1720s–1730s, 1800s, 1830s, 1870s, 1930s, 1950s and after the 1990s. Comparisons of our record with those identified in other moisture related reconstructions for nearby regions showed that our reconstructed droughts were relatively consistent with those found in other regions of Indochina, suggesting similar drought regimes. Spectral peaks of 2.3–5.5 years may be indicative of ENSO activity, as also suggested by negative correlations with SSTs in the eastern equatorial and southeastern Pacific Ocean. Significant multidecadal spectral peaks of 29.2–40.9 and 56.8–60.2 years were identified. As indicated by the spatial correlation patterns, the decadal-scale variability may be linked to SST variations in the northern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.     

北美非常规油气超长水平井优快钻井技术及实例分析

非常规油气田开发中,超长水平井应用广泛。近几年中国国内各油气田在超长水平井钻井技术上相继有重大突破,但在优快钻井方面,有待进一步提高技术的有效性和可重复性。北美非常规油气开发较早,优快钻井技术已经非常成熟,超过3000 m的超长水平井也相当普遍,而且钻井效率明显高于国内同类型井。本文针对北美超长水平井先进的钻井设备、钻井设计、井下工具、施工参数以及施工操作和管理等方面,结合美国二叠纪盆地2口水平井的实钻数据,概要介绍北美超长水平井优快钻井技术及效果,供借鉴与参考。