Impact of the sampling duration on the uncertainty of averaged velocity measurements with acoustic instruments

Average velocity in streams is a key variable for the analysis and modelling of hydrological and hydraulic processes underpinning water resources science and practice. The present study evaluates the impact of the sampling duration on the quality of average velocity measurements acquired with contemporary instruments such as Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADV) an Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP). The evaluation combines considerations on turbulent flows and principles and configurations of acoustic instruments with practical experience in conducting customized analysis for uncertainty analysis purposes. The study sheds new insights on the spatial and temporal variability of the uncertainty in the measurement of average velocities due to variable sampling durations acting in isolation from other sources of uncertainties. Sampling durations of 90 and 150 s are found sufficient for ADV and ADCP, respectively, to obtain reliable average velocities in a flow affected only by natural turbulence and instrument noise. Larger sampling durations are needed for measurements in most of the natural streams exposed to additional sources of data variability.     

Effect of spatial variation characteristics on contouring of design storm depth

The ordinary kriging method, a geostatistical interpolation technique, was applied for developing contour maps of design storm depth in northern Taiwan using intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) data. Results of variogram modelling on design storm depths indicate that the design storms can be categorized into two distinct storm types: (i) storms of short duration and high spatial variation and (ii) storms of long duration and less spatial variation. For storms of the first category, the influence range of rainfall depth decreases when the recurrence interval increases, owing to the increasing degree of their spatial independence. However, for storms of the second category, the influence range of rainfall depth does not change significantly and has an average of approximately 72 km. For very extreme events, such as events of short duration and long recurrence interval, we do not recommend usage of the established design storm contours, because most of the interstation distances exceed the influence ranges. Our study concludes that the influence range of the design storm depth is dependent on the design duration and recurrence interval and is a key factor in developing design storm contours. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

暴雨时程方程在中吉乌铁路(中国段)暴雨估算中的应用

根据中吉乌铁路（中国段）沿线10多个气象水文观测站40多年（建站至2000年）各历时最大降水量资料，对中吉乌铁路（中国段）暴雨强度进行系统的研究。应用熵气象学导出的暴雨时程方程，预测了中吉乌铁路（中国段）各历时最大降水量。这对于中吉乌铁路（中国段）工程设计和施工及未来铁路客运等具有重要的科学意义和工程价值。     

Timing of Fracture Formation and Duration of Mineralization at the Hishikari Deposit, Southern Kyushu, Japan

Abstract. The Hishikari epithermal gold deposit consists of the Honko-Sanjin zone and Yamada zone. On the basis of observed crosscutting relationships of veins, vein system in the Hishikari deposit was classified into the early and late veins. They differ from orientation, width, control by unconformity, the amount of displacement and structural features, but have similarity in gold grade and Au/Ag ratios. K-Ar ages are presented for the classified veins to clarify timing of fracturing and duration of mineralization.
Age determination revealed that the early veins in the Honko-Sanjin zone range from 0.86 to 1.11 Ma and that the late veins range from 0.73 to 0. 84 Ma. The economically most important mineralization in the Hishikari deposit occurred around 0.90 Ma in a very short period (about 0.05 million years).
The distribution of mineralization age in the whole Hishikari deposit, occurrences of slickensides and ground water temperatures imply that mineralization lasted longer in the southern part of the deposit. As compared the early veins with late veins, structural changes including width, strike, dip and vein characteristics occurred at around 0.85 Ma.     

Relationships between climatic factors and flower and boll production in Egyptian cotton (Gossypium barbadense)

Fruiting of cotton plant is determined and influenced by cultivar, climatic conditions, management practices and pests. An understanding of the flowering and boll retention patterns of cotton cultivars can contribute to more efficient and economical crop management. The objective of this investigation was to study the effect of various climatic factors on flower and boll production of Egyptian cotton. This could be used in formulating advanced predictions of the effect of certain climatic conditions on the production of Egyptian cotton. Two uniform field trials, using cotton Gossypium barbadense cv. Giza 75 were carried out in 1992 and 1993 at the Agricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt, to investigate the relationships between climatic factors, flower and boll production. Climatic factors included maximum and minimum air temperatures along with their difference, evaporation, surface soil temperature (grass temperature or green cover temperature) at 0600 and 1800 h°C⁻¹, sunshine duration, maximum and minimum humidity and wind speed. The effects of climatic factors on flower and boll production were quantified in the absence of water and nutritional deficits and damage effects of insects. Results obtained indicate that evaporation, sunshine duration, humidity, surface soil temperature at 1800 h, and maximum air temperature, were the important climatic factors that significantly affect flower and boll production of Egyptian cotton. Consequently, applying appropriate specific cultural practices that minimize the deleterious effect of these factors will lead to an improvement in cotton yield.     

甘肃平凉地区正地闪特征分析

利用雷电定位和雷达观测资料对甘肃平凉地区正地闪特性进行了分析。结果表明：正、负地闪回击的上升时间分布范围基本一致，大约在3—20μs之间，其平均值负地闪为8．33μs，正地闪为10．7μs。负地闪回击后的过军时间分布范围较广，在10-130μs之间，其平均值为51μs；正地闪回击后的过军时间分布范围比负地闪要小得多，在10一50μs之间，其平均值为19．67μs。负地闪的反冲深度dp为32％，正地闪为55％。在正负地闪的日变化中，负地闪有两个峰值分别出现在01：00和13：00(北京时，下同)，而正地闪在下午18：00出现一个极大值，正负地闪数的分布呈反相关。降雹时间的峰值与正地闪峰值时间有比较好的一致性，正地闪的发生与云中固态水成物粒子的沉降有关。     

Early Estimation of Strong Aftershock Duration Time

In order to solve the problem of early estimation of moderately strong aftershock duration time in an earthquake sequence,this study has been conducted.First,the definition of the strong aftershock has been given.It is pointed out that there is a difference in the strong aftershock duration time between the main shock type sequence and the strong earthquake swarm sequence.After dividing the three cases,i.e.,a strong aftershock duration time larger than 1 day,smaller than 1 day,and no strong aftershock occurred in a main shock type sequence by using the pattern recognition method,we gave the rough correlation relation between strong aftershock duration time and first large shock magnitude for two types of sequences.Finally,the judgment index and method of estimating strong aftershock duration times for different sequence types have been given.     

近50年中国地面气候变化基本特征

采用国家基准气候站和基本气象站的地面资料,系统地分析了中国大陆地区1951年以来近地表主要气候要素演化的时间和空间特征。结果表明,中国近50 a来年平均地表气温变暖幅度约为1.1℃,增温速率接近0.22℃/(10 a),比全球或半球同期平均增温速率明显偏高。地表气温增暖主要发生在最近的20余年,其季节和空间特征与前人分析结论基本一致。降水量变化趋势对所取时间段和区域范围敏感。1951年以来全国平均降水量变化趋势不明显,但1956年以来略有增加。降水变化的空间特征明显而相对稳定,东北北部、包括长江中下游的东南部地区和西部广大地区降水增加,而华北地区以及东北东南部和西北东部地区降水明显减少。分析还发现,近50a来全国平均的日照时数、平均风速、水面蒸发等气候要素均呈显著下降趋势,但积雪地带的最大积雪深度却有所增加。中国日照时间和水面蒸发量变化的空间特征很相似,减少最明显的地区均发生在华北和华东,新疆次之。影响中国年代以上尺度气候变化的因子错综复杂,人类活动引起的大气中温室气体浓度增高可能在一定程度上影响了中国近50 a来的气候,但考虑到尚存的不确定性,目前仍不能给出明确结论。中国东部大部分地区日照时间和水面蒸发量减少可能均起源于人为排放的气溶胶影响,平均风速减弱也有利于水面蒸发量下降,而在西部地区云量和降水量的变化可能更重要。     

The effective number of cycles of earthquake ground motion

The seismic response of any system that accumulates damage under cyclic loading is dependent not only on the maximum amplitude of the motion but also its duration. This is explicitly recognized in methods for estimating the liquefaction potential of soil deposits. Many researchers have proposed that the effective number of cycles of the ground motion is a more robust indicator of the destructive capacity of the shaking than the duration. However, as is the case with strong‐motion duration, there is no universally accepted approach to determining the effective number of cycles of motion, and the different methods that have been proposed can give widely varying results for a particular accelerogram. Definitions of the effective number of cycles of motion are reviewed, classified and compared. Measurements are found to differ particularly for accelerograms with broad‐banded frequency content, which contain a significant number of non‐zero crossing peaks. The key seismological parameters influencing the number of cycles of motion and associated equations for predicting this quantity for future earthquakes are identified. Correlations between cycle counts and different duration measures are explored and found to be rather poor in the absence of additional parameters. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A review of paired catchment studies for determining changes in water yield resulting from alterations in vegetation

Paired catchment studies have been widely used as a means of determining the magnitude of water yield changes resulting from changes in vegetation. This review focuses on the use of paired catchment studies for determining the changes in water yield at various time scales resulting from permanent changes in vegetation. The review considers long term annual changes, adjustment time scales, the seasonal pattern of flows and changes in both annual and seasonal flow duration curves. The paired catchment studies reported in the literature have been divided into four broad categories: afforestation experiments, deforestation experiments, regrowth experiments and forest conversion experiments. Comparisons between paired catchment results and a mean annual water balance model are presented and show good agreement between the two methodologies. The results highlight the potential underestimation of water yield changes if regrowth experiments are used to predict the likely impact of permanent alterations to a catchment's vegetation. An analysis of annual water yield changes from afforestation, deforestation and regrowth experiments demonstrates that the time taken to reach a new equilibrium under permanent land use change varies considerably. Deforestation experiments reach a new equilibrium more quickly than afforestation experiments. The review of papers reporting seasonal changes in water yield highlights the proportionally larger impact on low flows. Flow duration curve comparison provides a potential means of gaining a greater understanding of the impact of vegetation on the distribution of daily flows.