Local level rainfall and temperature variability in drought-prone districts of rural Sidama,central rift valley region of Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to examine local level spatiotemporal rainfall and temperature variability in drought-prone districts of rural Sidama, Central Rift Valley region of Ethiopia. The study used 129 gridded monthly rainfall and temperature data of 32 years (1983–2014). The gridded rainfall and temperature records were encoded into GIS software and evaluated through different statistical and geospatial techniques. Mann-Kendal rank test and F distribution tests were used to test temporal and spatial statistical significance, respectively, of the data. The analysis revealed that Belg and Kiremt are the main rainfall seasons, constituting 81% of the annual rainfall. Although annual, Kiremt, and Belg rainfall amounts appear to have decreased over time, the decreasing trend is statistically significant only for Belg rainfall records. On the other hand, rainfall standard anomaly results indicated seven droughts of different magnitudes: one extreme, two severe, and four moderate. The study also revealed increasing temperature trends over the years under consideration that are statistically significant. The findings of this study on rainfall contradict other findings obtained around the study area. Thus, climate change adaptations need to focus on location-specific climate data analysis so that the intended adaptive interventions can be successful.     

新疆绿洲城镇组群内部经济联系及空间差异测度研究

绿洲城镇组群是新疆特殊区域形成的规模相对较小的单一中心空间自组织模式。运用城市中心性指数、城市经济联系模型和Theil系数对新疆八大绿洲城镇组群内部城镇中心性、经济联系及空间差异测度。结果显示：绿洲城镇组群内部的中心城市的中心性职能较强，周边城镇的中心性职能相对较弱，形成了单中心的空间自组织模式；绿洲城镇组群内部经济联系量和经济联系隶属度大小的排序一致，离中心城市的距离越近、经济发展水平越高，经济联系隶属度越高；近10 a年来绿洲城镇组群的整体空间差异一直在扩大，且呈现出继续扩大趋势。在此基础上，提出了建立区域合作协调机制、明确城镇组群发展方向、增强中心城市的辐射带动作用、实现产业合理分工以及构建制度保障体系促进绿洲城镇组群的协同发展。     

基于圆柱多段拟合的隧道中轴线提取方法研究

提出基于圆柱多段拟合的隧道中轴线提取方法。首先对隧道点云数据进行预处理，并将点云按隧道走向分成不同区段；然后对各区段依据轴线与表面点云法线垂直关系，提取精度较低的中轴线；最后对各区段利用圆柱多段拟合，提取精度较高的中轴线。实验表明，隧道中轴线的提取在一定的采样区间具有较高的稳定性，对直线和弯曲的圆形隧道有良好的适用性，算法可靠，精度较高。     

Tephrochronology and tephrostratigraphy of two Pleistocene continental fossiliferous successions from central Italy

The stratigraphical context of two Middle Pleistocene fossiliferous palaeosols from Central Italy (Abruzzo and Tuscany) have been studied. Small mammals and molluscs occur in both palaeosols, which are covered by tephra layers that were analysed using an interdisciplinary approach. Application of fission‐track dating to apatites separated from the Case Picconetto tephra (Pescara, Abruzzo), yielded an age of 0.48 ± 0.04 Ma, indistinguishable from those previously determined for the Campani Quarry (Lower Valdarno, Tuscany) (0.46 ± 0.05 Ma and 0.48 ± 0.05 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic investigations indicate that these tephra originated from different volcanoes, the Alban Hills Volcanic Complex and the Vico Volcano (Latium) respectively. Small mammal and mollusc assemblages indicate different palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental conditions for the Case Picconetto and Campani Quarry palaeosols. Warm and humid conditions can be inferred for the Campani Quarry site, whereas open and cold conditions can be inferred for Case Picconetto. On the basis of faunal data, fission‐track dates and attribution of tephra to specific volcanic eruptions, we suggest a correlation of these faunas with marine oxygen isotope stage 14 (Case Picconetto) and with marine oxygen isotope stage 11 (Campani Quarry), respectively. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO AIR MASS CLASSIFICATION IN THE NORTH CENTRAL UNITED STATES

Both subjective and objective schemes for air mass classification offer advantages to climatological studies. An integrated approach is developed and applied to 850 mb level data in the north central United States. Each air mass type was initially delimited by a subjective analysis. Final limits were then determined with an objective technique that separates temperature curves into normal components based on interpretation from the subjective method. Continental air was most frequent in all seasons except summer. The methodology also allows estimation of classification error.     

Vulnerability and fate of a coastal sand dune complex,Rosetta-Idku,northwestern Nile Delta,Egypt

Types, distribution, and origin of recent sand dunes between Rosetta and Idku, in the western sector of the Nile Delta, Egypt were investigated. Sand samples from the dunes, beach, and seafloor were studied for grain size distribution and mineralogical composition. It has been found that most of the dunes in the study area have been subjected to deterioration and removal due to the construction of buildings and the International Coastal Highway. The remnant constitutes a damaged belt of foredunes that extends from El Bouseily village to the west of Idku town. The dune’s origin is interpreted to be the result of coastal drifting and the subsequent transport of sediments of the former Canopic Nile branch eastward by the predominant longshore current and by aeolian processes. The blown sand grains accumulated to form a belt of coastal sand dunes of original longitudinal and crescentic forms. Urbanization of the coast has severely altered the landscape. The study area is considered vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and the expected rise in sea level. The outcome of potential sea level rise is serious; erosion problems are expected to be exacerbated and vast areas from land and property would be lost. Thus, protection and preservation the remaining dunes in the study area are vital requirements for shore protection.     

Lithospheric Origin of Oligocene-Miocene Magmatism in Central Chile: U-Pb Ages and Sr-Pb-Hf Isotope Composition of Minerals

Establishing the petrogenesis of volcanic and plutonic rocksis a key issue in unraveling the evolution of distinct subduction-relatedtectonic phases occurring along the South American margin. Thisis particularly true for Cenozoic times when large volumes ofmagma were produced in the Andean belt. In this study we havefocused on Oligo-Miocene magmatism in central Chile at 33°S.Our data include field and petrographic observations, whole-rockmajor and trace element analyses, U–Pb zircon dating,and Pb, Sr, and Hf isotope analyses of plagioclase, clinopyroxene,and zircon mineral separates. Combined with earlier dating resultsthe new zircon ages define a 28·8–5·2 Maperiod of plutonic and volcanic activity that ceased as a consequenceof flattening subduction of the Nazca–Farallon plate.Rare earth elements patterns are variable, with up to 92 timeschondrite concentrations for light rare earth elements yielding(La/Yb)_N between 3·6 and 7·0, and an absence ofEu anomalies. Initial Pb isotope signatures are in the rangeof 18·358–19·023 for ²⁰⁶Pb/ ²⁰⁴Pb, 15·567–15·700for ²⁰⁷Pb/ ²⁰⁴Pb and 38·249–39·084 for ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr are mostly in the range of 0·70369–0·70505,with two more radiogenic values at 0·7066. Initial Hfisotopic compositions of zircons yield exclusively positiveHf_i ranging between + 6·9 and + 9·6. The newlydetermined initial isotope characteristics of the Oligo-Miocenemagmas suggest that the mantle source lithologies are differentfrom both those of Pacific mid-ocean ridge basalt and oceanisland basalt, plotting in the field of reference values forsubcontinental lithospheric mantle, characterized by moderatelarge ion lithophile element–high field strengh elementdepletion and high ²³⁸U/ ²⁰⁴Pb. A Hf model age of 2 Ga is estimatedfor the formation of the subcontinental mantle–continentalcrust assemblage in the region, suggesting that the initialSr and Pb isotope ratios inferred for the source of the Oligo-Mioceneparental magmas are the result of later Rb and U enrichmentcaused by mantle metasomatism. A time-integrated model Rb/Srof 0·039 and µ 16 are estimated for the sourceof the parental magmas, consistent with ratios measured in peridotitexenoliths from continental areas. Evolution from predominant(>90%) basaltic–gabbroic to andesitic–dioriticmagmas seems to involve a combination of (1) original traceelement differences in the metasomatized subcontinental mantle,(2) different degrees of partial melting and (3) fractionalcrystallization in the garnet- and spinel-peridotite stabilityfields. The genesis of more differentiated magmas reaching rhyolitic–graniticcompositions most probably also includes additional crystalfractionation at both shallow mantle depths and within the crust,possibly leading to some very minor assimilation of crustalmaterial. KEY WORDS: calc-alkaline magmatism; Oligo-Miocene; U–Pb dating; Sr–Pb–Hf isotopes; central Chile     

赣中周潭群变质沉积岩的微量元素地球化学研究

对赣中周潭群变质沉积岩及其石榴子石等造岩矿物的稀土元素地球化学进行了详细研究.结果表明:造岩矿物只携载了岩石中少部分稀土元素,而大部分稀土元素赋存在副矿物的晶格中;变质过程中稀土元素在石榴子石变斑晶与岩石间达到了分配平衡,石榴子石/岩石间的稀土元素分配明显受体系化学组成所制约;变质岩脉及其矿物的稀土元素组成显示清楚的四重效应,其Zr-Hf,U-Th和Y-Ho等元素对也与变质岩发生了一定程度的分异,它们可作为周潭群在变质过程中流体作用存在的判别标志.     

采用碳氮稳定同位素技术对黄海中南部鳗鱼食性的研究

根据2005年4～5月在黄海和长江口海域进行的春季底拖网调查，应用稳定同位素方法研究了黄海中南部鯷鱼（Engraulis　japonicus）及其可能摄食饵料的碳氮稳定同位素比值，结果表明：（1）黄海中南部鯷鱼的食物组成为不同粒径的浮游动物、太平洋磷虾（Euphausia pacifuca）和仔稚鱼，其中以粒径为500-900μm的浮游动物为主，贡献比例占61％～84％；仔稚鱼贡献比例占16％～21％，较传统胃含物方法分析的结果小；（2）黄海中部海域鯷鱼的碳氮稳定同位素比值平均值较南部海域高，原因可能与各海域的能量来源不同或存在微食物环有关，也可能与不同海域鯷鱼的能量转换途径不一样，即与食物链长短不一有关．     

标志沉积层磁组构特征及其古环境意义研究

通过对长江三角洲及其邻近区域埋藏古土壤、潮坪、长江下游河道浸滩、舟山滨岸风成沙丘、南京黄土古土壤序列沉积体的磁组构测量统计分析，取得了各自的标志特征。该２特征揭示出，舟山滨岸风成沙丘与南京黄土吉土壤序列沉积的搬运介质能量位相基本一致，其物源来向却显示出巨大差异；上述两类沉积体与上述现今潮坪、河道漫滩沉积体地搬运介质能量位相及物源来向均显示出绝然不同的标志特征。然而浸滩物源来民南京黄土的物尖兵为向却