Problems of core correlation,sediment source ascription and yield estimation in Ponsonby Tarn,West Cumbria,UK

A suite of 27 short cores, 10 of which have been used for magnetic measurements and four for radiometric dating, provides a framework for reconstructing the processes, patterns and rates of sedimentation in Ponsonby Tarn, a small artificial impoundment created towards the end of the 19th century, close to the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in NW England. Spatial and temporal changes in sedimentation are reconstructed and evidence presented for non-synchroneity in magnetic property changes from core to core in the upper part of the sequence, as a result of sorting and selective deposition at different distances from the inflow to the Tarn. Magnetic measurements alone are therefore not a secure basis upon which to quantify sediment yield for defined time intervals at this site. The chronology, established mainly from ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁴Cs analyses, allows estimates of mean sediment yield per annum for four periods: prior to AD 1940, 1940–1964, 1964–1986 and 1986–1991. The rates of sediment accumulation have increased in recent times, especially since 1964, with evidence for input from both magnetically enhanced soils and gleyed alluvial and/or podsolized subsoil sources. Pre-1940 mean annual deposition within the present area of the lake is calculated as 19·5 t a⁻¹ and for the period since 1986 (the period of maximum sedimentation rates), as 111·3 t a⁻¹. These represent yields of 7·0 t km⁻² a⁻¹ and 39·8 t km⁻² a⁻¹, respectively, for the catchment as a whole. Rock magnetic evidence, based on measurements of both bulk samples and the finest particle size separates, suggests that bacterial magnetite, formed within the lake, contributes to the magnetic properties of the sediments, thus modifying the signatures relating to allochthonous sediment input. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of magnetic and radiometric measurements to investigate erosion and sedimentation in a British upland catchment

In response to the potential shortcomings of single-technique strategies in the investigation of erosion and sedimentation, a combined magnetic and radiometric (¹³Cs and ²¹⁰Pb) approach has been undertaken in the upland, watershed-lake system of Howden Reservoir, Derbyshire. By combining these techniques, some assessment of sediment sources and the erosion status of the catchment has been achieved. Alone, each approach would have been unable to determine unequivocally sediment provenance. Furthermore, the parallel use of these measurements has highlighted limitations and/or uncertainties in both the magnetic and ¹³⁷Cs techniques. These problems reflect the particular soil characteristics and drainage conditions of this upland catchment. Despite the documented severity of peat erosion in the region, Howden Reservoir has a mixture of sediment sources and a relatively moderate rate of sedimentation. Sediment yields (total 127·7 t km^?2 yr^?1 including organic fraction 31·3 t km^?2 yr^?1) are, however, higher than in other British upland areas.     

Use of caesium-137 measurements to investigate erosion and sediment sources within a small drainage basin in the loess plateau of China

The contributions of sediment from different geomorpholigical units within a small basin in the Loess Plateau have been determined using caesium-137 as a tracer. The mean caesium-137 content of sediment originating from the hill area, where sheet and rill erosion are predominant, was 3–37 Bq kg-1, whereas no caesium-137 was detected in the sediment originating from the gully area where gullying and gravitational erosion are predominant. The mean caesium-137 content of sediment from two flood deposits was 0–23 Bq kg-1 and 0–89 Bq kg-1. The relative contribution from the hill area in the two floods was 7 per cent and 26 per cent, whilst that from the gully area was 93 per cent and 74 per cent.     

Sediment sources and transport pathways in a rural catchment,Herefordshire, UK

The relative significance of primary and secondary suspended sediment sources has been identified in a small (15 km²) agricultural catchment through the application of a linear unmixing model using mineral magnetic, geochemical and radionuclide signatures of fine sediments. Roads appear to be important as a secondary source of suspended sediment and in the conveyance of topsoils to the river channel. Roads also alter the source signatures of sediment in transport, especially that derived from agricultural topsoils. Modelling suggests that c. 30% of the suspended sediment collected from suspended sediment traps in the River Leadon were derived from, or transported via, roads. Relative contributions from primary sources of c. 43% and c. 27% were estimated from a combined (subsoil and channel bank) subsurface source, and a combined (arable and grassland) topsoil source, respectively. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Archaeomagnetic secular variation in the UK during the past 4000 years and its application to archaeomagnetic dating

This paper examines the limitations and deficiencies of the current British archaeomagnetic calibration curve and applies several mathematical approaches in an attempt to produce an improved secular variation curve for the UK for use in archaeomagnetic dating. The dataset compiled is the most complete available in the UK, incorporating published results, PhD theses and unpublished laboratory reports. It comprises 620 archaeomagnetic (directional) data and 238 direct observations of the geomagnetic field, and includes all relevant information available about the site, the archaeomagnetic direction and the archaeological age. A thorough examination of the data was performed to assess their quality and reliability. Various techniques were employed in order to use the data to construct a secular variation (SV) record: moving window with averaging and median, as well as Bayesian statistical modelling. The SV reference curve obtained for the past 4000 years is very similar to that from France, most differences occurring during the early medieval period (or Dark Ages). Two examples of dating of archaeological structures, medieval and pre-Roman, are presented based on the new SV curve for the UK and the implications for archaeomagnetic dating are discussed.     

The eruptive rate and history of Kuju volcano in Japan during the past 15,000 years

The eruptive history of Kuju volcano on Kyushu, Japan, during the past 15,000 years has been determined by tephrochronology and ¹⁴C dating. Kuju volcano comprises isolated lava domes and cones of hornblende andesite together with aprons of pyroclastic-flow deposits on its flanks. Kuju volcano produced tephras at roughly 1000-yr intervals during the past 5000 years and 70% of the domes and cones have formed during the past 15,000 years. The youngest magmatic activity of Kuju volcano was the 1.6 km³ andesite eruption about 1600 years ago which emplaced a lava dome and block-and-ash flow. Kuju volcano shows a nearly constant long-term eruption rate (0.7–0.4 km³ for 1000 years) during the past 15,000 years. This rate is within the range of estimated average eruption rates of late Quaternary volcanoes in the Japanese Arc, but is about one order of magnitude higher than the eruption rate of Unzen volcano. Kuju volcano has been in phreatic eruption since October 1995. The late Quaternary history of Kuju indicates that it poses a significant volcanic hazard, primarily due to block-and-ash flows from collapsing lava domes.     

福州盆地全新世沉积物的磁学性质及其对环境变化的响应

福州盆地位于海陆过渡地带,在海陆变迁过程中,沉积物记录了高分辨率的环境信息,是揭示沉积特征对环境变化响应过程及模式的理想区域.本文选择位于福州盆地的FZ5钻孔进行岩石磁学、环境磁学和古地磁学方面的研究,以期阐明该区域沉积物磁学性质对陆源碎屑输入、海平面变化和成岩作用的响应.岩石磁学结果表明钻孔沉积物以低矫顽力的亚铁磁性矿物为主体,但是在不同的环境变化阶段,磁性矿物的类型有较大变化.在9~3 cal. ka BP的海侵过程中,沉积物中以磁铁矿为主体,存在菱铁矿和铁硫化物等还原性矿物.硫化作用使细粒磁铁矿溶解形成胶黄铁矿和黄铁矿,其峰面随碎屑磁性矿物的浓度变化而迁移.但硫化作用没有完全消除磁铁矿携带的特征剩磁和陆源碎屑输入量以及海平面升降对该阶段沉积物磁性的控制.在~3 cal. ka BP以来随着海平面下降、沉积环境向陆相氧化环境转化,虽然早期还原作用仍然存在,但后期氧化作用使磁性矿物向高矫顽力的赤铁矿等矿物转变,氧化作用基本扰乱了磁铁矿携带的剩磁.沉积及其后期成岩作用过程中,发生在约~8.2、~7.7、~7.5、~2.7、~1.5、~0.5 cal. ka BP六次强烈的古氧化界面反映了福州盆地当时异常干旱或湿热的气候事件.     

Sediment transport and resuspension due to combined motion of wave and current in the northern Adriatic Sea during a Bora event in January 2001: A numerical modelling study

The Adriatic Sea general circulation model coupled to a third generation wave model SWAN and a sediment transport model was implemented in the Adriatic Sea to study the dynamics of the sediment transport and resuspension in the northern Adriatic Sea (NAS) during the Bora event in January 2001. The bottom boundary layer (BBL) was resolved by the coupled model with high vertical resolution, and the mechanism of the wave–current interaction in the BBL was also represented in the model. The study found that, during the Bora event of 13–17 January 2001, large waves with significant wave height 2 m and period of 5 s were generated by strong winds in the northwestern shelf of the Adriatic where the direction of wave propagation was orthogonal to the current. The combined motion of the wave and current in the BBL increased the bottom stress over the western Adriatic shelf, resulting in stronger sediment resuspension there. Combining stronger bottom resuspension and strong upward vertical flux of resuspended sediments due to turbulent mixing, the model predicted that sediment concentration near the Po River was much higher than that predicted by the model run without wave forcing. The study also shows that wave–current interaction in the BBL reduced the western Adriatic Coastal Currents (WACCs) in the shallower north. It is concluded that wave forcing significantly changed the sediment distributions and increased the total horizontal fluxes over the western shelf. These results signified wave effect on sediment flux and distribution in the NAS, and suggested that waves cannot be neglected in the study of dynamics of sediment transport and resuspension in the shallow coastal seas. By including the tidal forcing in the coupled model, we also examined the effect of tides on the sediment transport dynamics in the NAS.     

Modern (<100 years) sedimentation in the Taiwan Strait: Rates and source-to-sink pathways elucidated from radionuclides and particle size distribution

A large number of sediment cores collected during 2005-2010 from the Taiwan Strait were analyzed for radionuclides (²¹⁰Pb, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁷Be) to elucidate sedimentation dynamics in this all-important gateway linking two largest marginal seas in the western Pacific (namely, the South China Sea and the East China Sea). Apparent sediment accumulation rates derived from ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs profiles vary from <0.1 to >2 cm/yr, averaging ∼0.4 cm/yr and showing a spatial pattern closely related to hydrodynamics and sediment source-to-sink pathways. Spatial-temporal variation of ⁷Be activity in surface sediments off Taiwan’s west coast indicates episodic deposition of flood layers and their mobility from river estuaries toward the north. In conjunction with particle size distribution in surface sediments and the structure of sediment strata revealed by sub-bottom echo images; the radionuclide data can be used to outline three different sediment source-to-sink dispersal systems. Based on sediment loads of surrounding rivers and the distribution of sediment accumulation rates, lateral transport is required to account for the budget and size distribution of sediments in the strait.     

Effects of precipitation and landuse on runoff during the past 50 years in a typical watershed in the Loess Plateau, China

In the past century, great progress has been made worldwide in our understanding of forest-water relationship. The successful forestation programs implemented in China-which have improved the ecological environmental conditions-have gained the attention of many researchers and highlighted the relationship between forestation and water yields. The arid and semi-arid Loess Plateau has received attention from water engineers and eco-hydrological researchers in China because of a shortage in water resources. We selected one of the oldest stations conducting soil and water conservation experiments, the Xifeng soil and water conservation station, and chose the Nanxiaohe catchment and its paired catchments （Yangjiagou catchment and Dongzhuanggou catchment） as our research areas. Trends in precipitation, air temperature, streamflow over the past 50 years, and the effect of changing land use on streamflow were analyzed. The Mann-Kendall test showed that precipitation had a negative trend （downward trend）, whereas air temperature showed a positive trend （upward trend） from the past to present in the Nanxiaohe catchment. However, the trends seen in precipitation, air temperature did not contain any ＂jumping points.＂ The paired catchment approach is used to detect the effects of land cover change on hydrology in the Yangjiagou and the contrast catchment, i.e., Dongzhuanggou catchment in our study. The results showed a large change in land use in the Yangjiagou catchment from 1954 to 2008. An increase in forested land （from 0% to 40.08% from 1954 to 2008） and a reduction of bare land （from 51.26% to 5.50% from 1954 to 2008） accounted for a large part of the change in land use. However, the land use changed little in the contrast catchment. The comparison of streamfiow in the paired catchments showed that forestation reduced streamflow by 49.63% （or 6.5 mm） each year.     

Factors influencing the release of dissolved organic carbon and dissolved forms of nitrogen from a small upland headwater during autumn runoff events

We identify and assess the relative importance of the principal factors influencing the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved forms of nitrogen (N) from a small upland headwater dominated by podzolic soils during a sequence of autumn runoff events. We achieve this by subjecting high‐resolution hydrometeorological and hydrochemical data to an R‐mode principal component factor analysis and a stepwise multivariate regression analysis. We find that the release of DOC and N is influenced by four principal factors, namely event magnitude, soil water flow through the Bs horizon, the length of time since the soil profile was last flushed, and rewetting of the H horizon. The release of DOC and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is most strongly influenced by the combination of event magnitude and soil water flow through the Bs horizon, and to a lesser extent by the length of time since the soil profile was last flushed. Rewetting of the H horizon also influences the release of DOC, but this is not the case for DON. The release of nitrate (NO₃‐N) is most strongly influenced by the combination of the length of time since the soil profile was last flushed and rewetting of the H horizon, and to a lesser extent by event magnitude. Soil water flow through the Bs horizon does not influence the release of NO₃‐N. We argue that the mechanisms by which the above factors influence the release of DOC and N are probably strongly associated with moisture‐dependent biological activity, which governs the turnover of organic matter in the soil and limits the availability of NO₃‐N in the soil for leaching. We conclude that the release of DOC and N from upland headwaters dominated by podzolic soils is largely controlled by the variable interaction of hydrometeorological factors and moisture‐dependent biological processes, and that a shift in climate towards drier summers and wetter winters may result in the release of DOC and N becoming increasingly variable and more episodic in the future. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

从20年国际地学计划中看地震观测台网与现代数字地震仪的发展

本文简要介绍现今国际地球科学观测的现状和最新动向．最近20多年来由于地震台网、台阵理论的发展以及数字宽频带地震观测技术在一系列国际地学计划的广泛使用,使人类对地球的了解在深度、广度和精度上都取得巨大进步．并用大量统计数据说明了现代地震观测中数字地震仪器的使用情况、国际上主流地震检波器及采集器的性能及其相关问题,以期对我国未来各类地震台网的设计以及台网在观测能力和数据质量上与国际接轨提供有用的线索。     

基于连通性指数(IC)的近30年鄱阳湖流域水系结构与水文连通演变评估

由于气候变化和人类活动等多重影响,流域河湖水系格局与连通程度发生了显著变化,进而引发洪涝灾害等一系列水资源问题。本文以鄱阳湖流域为研究区,基于Google Earth Engine(GEE)提取1989—2020年5期水系数据,采用图论方法构建水系评价体系,定量分析该地区近30年来水系格局和结构连通性的时空演变特征,并结合该时期地形、土地利用和归一化植被指数(NDVI)等数据,利用连通性指数(index of connectivity,IC)评估功能连通性的动态变化,进而探讨水文连通与径流量和输沙量的联系。结果表明,近30年来鄱阳湖流域水系结构趋于复杂化,主要体现在流域北部。除干流外,其他等级河流的数量和长度均有所增加,其中Ⅲ级河流最为明显。河网密度、水面率、河网复杂度和发育系数均呈增加趋势,2000年后的变化率约为2000年前的两倍。水系连通环度、节点连接率和水系连通度总体增加,结构连通性呈好转趋势且变化幅度较小。功能连通分析表明,近30年来大部分流域IC减少,流域下游靠近主河道的平坦地区IC较高,上游远离河道的植被密集区域IC较低。此外,IC与年径流量和输沙量表现为显著的正相关性(...