Predicting quantiles of water quality from catchment characteristics

Water quality is often highly variable both in space and time, which poses challenges for modelling the more extreme concentrations. This study developed an alternative approach to predicting water quality quantiles at individual locations. We focused on river water quality data that were collected over 25 years, at 102 catchments across the State of Victoria, Australia. We analysed and modelled spatial patterns of the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles of the concentrations of sediments, nutrients and salt, with six common constituents: total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP), filterable reactive phosphorus (FRP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), nitrate-nitrite (NO_x), and electrical conductivity (EC). To predict the spatial variation of each quantile for each constituent, we developed statistical regression models and exhaustively searched through 50 catchment characteristics to identify the best set of predictors for that quantile. The models predict the spatial variation in individual quantiles of TSS, TKN and EC well (66%–96% spatial variation explained), while those for TP, FRP and NO_x have lower performance (37%–73% spatial variation explained). The most common factors that influence the spatial variations of the different constituents and quantiles are: annual temperature, percentage of cropping land area in catchment and channel slope. The statistical models developed can be used to predict how low- and high-concentration quantiles change with landscape characteristics, and thus provide a useful tool for catchment managers to inform planning and policy making with changing climate and land use conditions.     

A multiscaling‐based intensity–duration–frequency model for extreme precipitation

Rainfall intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves are a standard tool in urban water resources engineering and management. They express how return levels of extreme rainfall intensity vary with duration. The simple scaling property of extreme rainfall intensity, with respect to duration, determines the form of IDF relationships. It is supposed that the annual maximum intensity follows the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution. As well known, for simple scaling processes, the location parameter and scale parameter of the GEV distribution obey a power law with the same exponent. Although, the simple scaling hypothesis is commonly used as a suitable working assumption, the multiscaling approach provides a more general framework. We present a new IDF relationship that has been formulated on the basis of the multiscaling property. It turns out that the GEV parameters (location and scale) have a different scaling exponent. Next, we apply a Bayesian framework to estimate the multiscaling GEV model and to choose the most appropriate model. It is shown that the model performance increases when using the multiscaling approach. The new model for IDF curves reproduces the data very well and has a reasonable degree of complexity without overfitting on the data.     

近30 a甘肃省河东地区极端气温指数时空变化特征及趋势预测

基于甘肃省河东地区61个气象站点1988—2017年逐日气温数据，利用Mann-Kendall检验，Sen’s斜率估计方法分析甘肃省河东地区极端气温指数的时空变化趋势，并探讨极端气温指数与其影响因素之间的关系，最后利用NAR神经网络结合Hurst指数对甘肃省河东地区极端气温指数变化进行预测分析。结果表明：(1)从时间上看，冷极值相对指数呈下降趋势，冷极值绝对指数、暖极值以及气温日较差、作物生长期呈上升趋势。(2)从空间上看，对冷极值变化反应最为敏感的是高寒湿润区，对暖极值变化反应最为敏感的是温带半湿润区和北亚热带湿润区，除北亚热带湿润区外各区域作物生长期的变化都达到了显著水平，而气温日较差仅在温带半湿润区达到了显著水平。(3)多数极端气温指数与经纬度、海拔之间有显著相关性，但受区域自然特点影响，经度与海拔对其影响实为一类。(4)亚洲区极涡强度、北半球极涡强度以及青藏高原指数B与极端气温指数变化有密切关系，而太阳黑子等只与个别指数之间存在显著的相关性。(5)预测出的极端气温指数冷极值相对指数仍呈现下降趋势，冷极值的绝对指数、暖极值以及气温日较差、作物生长期仍然呈现增加趋势，但大多数指数与1988—2017年相比变化幅度有所降低。（6）与其他区域相比甘肃省河东地区大多数气温指数变化幅度处于中间水平，表现出其为多种不同气候区、自然区交界地带的特色。     

新疆S214公路台特玛湖干涸湖盆段风沙危害及防治

新疆S214（考干-米兰，考米线）公路位于库鲁克塔格沙漠东南缘，穿越台特玛湖干涸湖盆。由于该区气候干旱，风力强劲，沙源丰富，流动沙丘广布且快速移动，风沙危害对公路运输构成严重威胁。通过对风沙环境和风沙危害定位观测和土壤水盐特征系统调查，确定了风沙危害极为严重的公路区段，提出了合理的风沙防护措施及防沙体系结构。结果表明：该区具有明显的单风向风况，主要盛行ENE和NE风，偶有反向风沙活动，起沙风频率、输沙势、输沙率极高，属于高能-大比率风能环境；受土壤水分、盐分含量影响，地表紧实度差异较大，部分地段为极疏松的沙层，部分地段为紧实的盐壳；S214公路风沙危害防护区段为K4+900~K18+200，设计建造的阻-固-输相结合的机械-植物复合防沙体系，防沙效果明显，保障了道路安全运营。这一强风沙、高盐区公路防沙体系建设模式可为类似环境地区工程防沙提供借鉴。     

地面稠密观测资料在强对流天气监测预警中的研究进展

综述国内外数篇论文,从强对流天气监测、预报预警、模式同化3个方面总结分析了近年来地面稠密观测资料的应用与优劣之处。综述表明:地面加密自动站、风廓线雷达、地基GPS、雨滴谱仪等多种观测仪器组成的地面稠密观测网具有时间尺度密集、覆盖面积广泛、能捕捉较多细微变化的优势,通过该观测网所得数据总结出的一系列指示性指标在强对流监测预警中具有重要的指示意义。但因中国地形天气情况复杂多变、数据缺失、仪器造价昂贵等问题,导致该观测网所得指示性指标不能适用于中国全境,应根据该观测网数据分析总结适应本地的预报指标。     

中国主要经济区的近期气候变化特征评估

论文在中国《第三次气候变化国家评估报告》基础上,根据2012年以来的最新研究成果和中国气候公报,综合评估了环渤海经济区、长江经济带、华南经济圈和东北经济区的近期气候变化特征。主要结论有：① 1961—2018年,环渤海经济区、长江经济带、华南经济圈和东北经济区的平均气温上升趋势分别达0.35 ℃/10 a、0.20 ℃/10 a、0.20 ℃/10 a和0.33 ℃/10 a;尽管在1998—2014年间这些区域均出现了增暖趋缓特征,但除东北经济区外,环渤海经济区、长江经济带和华南经济圈均在2014年之后突破了其前最暖年的年均气温记录。② 1961—2018年各经济区(圈、带)的降水趋势变化虽均低于1 mm/10 a,但其间年际和年代际波动显著;2012—2018年降水虽总体偏多,但时空差异较大,其中东北经济区2013年和长江经济带2016年降水为1961年以来最多,而辽宁2014年降水却为1961年以来最少。③ 2014—2018年,各经济区(圈、带)最高气温超历史极值或极端阈值(发生概率≤10%的分位值)的极端高温事件频发,同时环渤海和东北经济区的区域性跨季连旱和极端特大暴雨等事件的发生频率增多,长江经济带暴雨日数偏多,华南经济区受台风影响呈加重态势;长江经济带和东北经济区在增暖同时也出现了多次大范围的极端低温事件。     

The Upper Devonian Kellwasser event recorded in a regressive sequence from inner shelf to lagoonal pond,Catalan Coastal Ranges,Spain

This study, conducted in the Catalan Coastal Ranges, north‐east Spain, describes the Upper Devonian Kellwasser event in a shallowing‐upward sequence of black shales, siltstones and quartz arenites. This sequence was deposited in a progradational and regressive coastal system where the sedimentary environment evolved from the inner shelf to a lagoonal pond located landward of the shoreline. Three anomalous succeeding steps have been identified by geochemical analysis. The first one, detected on the inner shelf, was characterized by oxygen depletion and high organic productivity. The second, detected in the nearshore, was caused by hydrothermal activity occurring under normal oxic conditions. The third and most intense step was identified in the muds of the lagoonal pond and has been linked to strong anoxic conditions, elevated clastic input derived from changes in the weathering regime at the source area and moderate hydrothermal activity. The Kellwasser event is thus defined in the study area as stepwise and multi‐causal. This is the first time that the Kellwasser event has been identified in a sedimentary environment behind the shoreline. It is also the first time that it has been reported in the Catalan Coastal Ranges.     

新元古代末期高家山生物群的生态多样性

新元古代末期是生命演化的关键转折期,也是以微生物占主导的生态系统向显生宙以后生动物占主导的生态系统的转变期,埃迪卡拉纪大型软躯体生物以固着、底栖、食悬浮为特色,普遍缺乏运动能力。作为这一时期特殊代表的高家山生物群,是目前新元古代唯一一个以黄铁矿化三维保存的管状和锥管状化石为主导,兼有骨骼生物、原生动物、钙化蓝细菌类及遗迹化石的多门类生物组合,是研究埃迪卡拉纪末期生命演化和生态系统演变十分重要的载体。本文通过对高家山生物群古生态学的初步研究,揭示出在前寒武纪—寒武纪之交,生态系统已显示一定的多样性。为适应平底面上(level-bottom)微生物席的发育,高家山生物群的许多生物采取了适应性的生存策略,通过黏附或插入微生物席中,营底栖固着食悬浮(如Cloudina、Conotubus)或化学共生(可能的Shaanxilithes)或平躺(如Gaojiashania和Sinotubulites)食碎屑生活。底内遗迹化石表明存在可能的表栖和半内栖、可自由运动、食碎屑的造迹生物。Conotubus中常见的“回春”或“复苏”现象,Gaojiashania和Sinotubulites的身体扭转或生活姿态调整则是对频繁风暴事件的被动适应。     

An extreme wave event in eastern Yucatán,Mexico: Evidence of a palaeotsunami event during the Mayan times

The Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, has typically been considered a tectonically stable region with little significant seismic activity. The region though, is one that is regularly affected by hurricanes. A detailed survey of ca 100 km of the eastern Yucatán and Cozumel coast identified the presence of ridges containing individual boulders measuring >1 m in length. The boulder ridges reach 5 m in height and their origin is associated with extreme wave event activity. Previously modelled tsunami waves from known seismically active zones in the region (Muertos Thrust Belt and South Caribbean Deformed Belt) are not of sufficient scale in the area of the Yucatán Peninsula to have produced the boulder ridges recorded in this study. The occurrence of hurricanes in this region is more common, but two of the most destructive (Hurricane Gilbert 1988 and Hurricane Wilma 2005) produced coastal waves too small to have created the ridges recorded here. In this paper, a new tsunami model with a source area located on the Motagua/Swan Island Fault System has been generated that indicates a tsunami event may have caused the extreme wave events that resulted in the deposition of the boulder ridges.     

Monte-Carlo模拟与经验路径模型预测台风极值风速的对比

台风是我国东南沿海区域每年发生的严重自然灾害之一。本文分别采用传统的Monte-Carlo模拟方法以及较为先进的经验路径模拟方法预测中国东南沿海区域台风的极值风速(10 m高度处10 min平均值)，并对两种方法的预测结果进行了对比。本文将东南海岸线向内陆扩展约200 km的区域划分为0.25°×0.25°的网格，以每个网格点作为研究点。首先采用Monte-Carlo模拟方法产生每个研究点1 000年间的虚拟台风事件。然后采用经验路径模型方法构建了西北太平洋1 000年的热带气旋事件集，采用模拟圆方法从中提取对各个研究站点有影响的台风事件。接着采用Yan Meng风场模型计算每个研究点台风的最大风速，构成极值风速序列。最后采用极值分布模型预测每个研究点不同重现期的极值风速，并对两种不同方法预测的结果进行了对比。研究发现在研究区域的内陆侧经验路径方法预测的风速略高于Monte-Carlo模拟方法预测的结果，而在海岸沿线一带经验路径方法预测的结果略低，这主要是由两种方法构造的虚拟台风的中心压强存在差异以及模型本身的不确定性造成的。本文的研究结果可以为防灾减灾系统提供有益的参考。