A prediction model for horizontal run-out distance of landslides triggered by Wenchuan earthquake

The peak ground acceleration (PGA), the volume of a sliding mass V, the height of a mountain H _L and the slope angle θ of a mountain are four important parameters affecting the horizontal run-out distance of a landslide L. Correlations among them are studied statistically based on field investigations from 67 landslides triggered by the ground shaking and other factors during the Wenchuan earthquake, and then a prediction model for horizontal run-out distance L is developed in this study. This model gives due consideration to the implications of the above four parameters on the horizontal run-out distance L and the validity of the model is verified by the Donghekou and Magong Woqian landslides. At the same time, the advantages of the model are shown by comparing it with two other common prediction methods. The major findings drawn from the analyses and comparisons are: (1) an exponential relationship exists between L and log V, L and log H _L, L and log PGA separately, but a negative exponential relationship exists between L and log tanθ, which agrees with the statistical results; and (2) according to the analysis results of the relative relationship between the height of a mountain (H) and the place where the landslides occur, the probabilities at distances of 2H/3-H, H/3-2H/3, and 0-H/3 are 70.8%, 15.4%, and 13.8%, respectively, revealing that most landslides occurred at a distance of H/2-H. This prediction model can provide an effective technical support for the prevention and mitigation of landslide hazards.     

Limits on the validity of infinite length assumptions for modelling shallow landslides

The infinite slope method is widely used as the geotechnical component of geomorphic and landscape evolution models. Its assumption that shallow landslides are infinitely long (in a downslope direction) is usually considered valid for natural landslides on the basis that they are generally long relative to their depth. However, this is rarely justified, because the critical length/depth (L/H) ratio below which edge effects become important is unknown. We establish this critical L/H ratio by benchmarking infinite slope stability predictions against finite element predictions for a set of synthetic two‐dimensional slopes, assuming that the difference between the predictions is due to error in the infinite slope method. We test the infinite slope method for six different L/H ratios to find the critical ratio at which its predictions fall within 5% of those from the finite element method. We repeat these tests for 5000 synthetic slopes with a range of failure plane depths, pore water pressures, friction angles, soil cohesions, soil unit weights and slope angles characteristic of natural slopes. We find that: (1) infinite slope stability predictions are consistently too conservative for small L/H ratios; (2) the predictions always converge to within 5% of the finite element benchmarks by a L/H ratio of 25 (i.e. the infinite slope assumption is reasonable for landslides 25 times longer than they are deep); but (3) they can converge at much lower ratios depending on slope properties, particularly for low cohesion soils. The implication for catchment scale stability models is that the infinite length assumption is reasonable if their grid resolution is coarse (e.g. >25 m). However, it may also be valid even at much finer grid resolutions (e.g. 1 m), because spatial organization in the predicted pore water pressure field reduces the probability of short landslides and minimizes the risk that predicted landslides will have L/H ratios less than 25. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

太湖底泥垂向构成类型及底泥-水界面组成物质

针对太湖中底泥-水界面上物质的状态、性质及其对水质的影响问题,本文通过对太湖8个湖区39个采样点的现场调查取样和实验室检测,分析太湖底泥状态和垂向上的构成、不同区域底泥-水界面物质的差异及底泥与磷释放和湖泛之间的关系.结果表明:太湖底泥-水界面上存在3种物质:粉质硬黏土、淤泥质粉土和悬浊水层.粉质硬黏土(硬底板)是太湖...     

Predicting catchment sediment yield in Mediterranean environments: the importance of sediment sources and connectivity in Italian drainage basins

Predicting sediment yield at the catchment scale is one of the main challenges in geomorphologic research. The application of both physics‐based models and regression models has until now not provided very satisfying results for prediction of sediment yield for medium to large sized catchments (c. >50 km²). The explanation for this lies in a combination of the large data requirements of most models and a lack of knowledge to describe all processes and process interactions at the catchment scale. In particular, point sources of sediment (e.g. gullies, mass movements), connectivity and sediment transport remain difficult to describe in most models. From reservoir sedimentation data of 44 Italian catchments, it appeared that there was a (non‐significant) positive relation between catchment area and sediment yield. This is in contrast to what is generally expected from the theory of decreasing sediment delivery rates with increasing catchment area. Furthermore, this positive relation suggests that processes other than upland erosion are responsible for catchment sediment yield. Here we explore the potential of the Factorial Scoring Model (FSM) and the Pacific Southwest Interagency Committee (PSIAC) model to predict sediment yield, and indicate the most important sediment sources. In these models different factors are used to characterize a drainage basin in terms of sensitivity to erosion and connectivity. In both models an index is calculated that is related to sediment yield. The FSM explained between 36 and 61 per cent of the variation in sediment yield, and the PSIAC model between 57 and 62 per cent, depending on the factors used to characterize the catchments. The FSM model performed best based on a factor to describe gullies, lithology, landslides, catchment shape and vegetation. Topography and catchment area did not explain additional variance. In particular, the addition of the landslide factor resulted in a significantly increased model performance. The FSM and PSIAC model both performed better than a spatially distributed model describing water erosion and sediment transport, which was applied to the same catchments but explained only between 20 and 51 per cent of the variation in sediment yield. Model results confirmed the hypothesis that processes other than upland erosion are probably responsible for sediment yield in the Italian catchments. A promising future development of the models is by the use of detailed spatially distributed data to determine the scores, decrease model subjectivity and provide spatially distributed output. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of Lake Lugano sediment composition

The concentrations of eighteen elements (Al, C, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, N, Ni, P, Pb, S, Si, Ti, and Zn) in 76 sediment samples collected in Lake Lugano in 1973 and in 83 samples collected in 1985 were measured and used to draw distribution maps. The chemical compositions of sediments from the three lake subbasins were statistically compared, and used to describe the state of the lake at two time-points twelve years apart. The results obtained seem to be consistent with the available information about the recent evolution of Lake Lugano; both phosphorus and nitrogen are statistically higher in the 1985 samples than in those of 1973, confirming the reported tendency of the lake to evolve towards higher trophic conditions in this period of time. For both metals and mobile elements, the differences between the two sampling years and the literature data reflect fluctuations in the normal geochemical supply from the catchment basin, rather than significant contamination phenomena. However, elements like Ni, Cr, Zn, Pb and Cu tend to be more abundant in the most recent layers of the sediments, so further studies are needed to assess whether potentially hazardous conditions will evolve in the future.The work was performed at the EEC — Environment Institute, Joint Research Centre, I-21020 Ispra (Varese) Italy     

乌梁素海沉积物腐殖质的组成及分布特征

以乌梁素海为研究对象,应用化学方法对乌梁素海湖泊表层沉积物有机质含量、腐殖质组成、影响腐殖质的环境因子及腐殖化程度进行了研究,结果表明:乌梁素海表层沉积物有机质含量变化范围为1.06%~5.38%.有机质分布特征与表层沉积物所处的水力条件、水生植物分布、人为活动有关;腐殖质组成中,胡敏酸含量为0.65~2.78 g/kg,富里酸含量为2.19~8.72 g/kg,胡敏素是主体,含量在3.28~20.92 g/kg之间;腐殖质与环境因子的相关性分析中,各组分含量与有机质含量呈极显著相关.pH值与胡敏素含量呈显著负相关.溶解氧与富里酸、胡敏素含量分别呈极显著正相关、显著正相关.腐殖化程度分析中,随着有机质含量的上升,可提取腐殖质的相对含量下降.PQ值介于9.50%~27.06%之间,平均值为21.47%,变异较大,且腐殖化程度较低.     

Distribution and species composition of macroinvertebrates in the hyporheic zone of bed sediment

The hyporheic zone is a layer of substrate on a river bed where benthic animals normally live,grow,feed,reproduce,and exist for any portion of their life cycle.The hyporheic zone was studied by samplin...     

Multigene genetic programming for sediment transport modeling in sewers for conditions of non-deposition with a bed deposit

It is known that construction of large sewers based on consideration of flow with non-deposition without a bed deposit is not economical. Sewer design based on consideration of flow with non-deposition with a bed deposit reduces channel bed slope and construction cost in which the presence of a small depth of sediment deposition on the bed increases the sediment transport capacity of the flow. This paper suggests a new Pareto-optimal model developed by the multigene genetic programming (MGGP) technique to estimate particle Froude number (Fr_p) in large sewers with conditions of sediment deposition on the bed. To this end, four data sets including wide ranges of sediment size and concentration, deposit thickness, and pipe size are used. On the basis of different statistical performance indices, the efficiency of the proposed Pareto-optimal MGGP model is compared to those of the best MGGP model developed in the current study as well as the conventional regression models available in the literature. The results indicate the higher efficiency of the MGGP-based models for Fr_p estimation in the case of no additional deposition onto a bed with a sediment deposit. Inasmuch as the Pareto-optimal MGGP model utilizes a lower number of input parameters to yield comparatively higher performance than the conventional regression models, it can be used as a parsimonious model for self-cleansing design of large sewers in practice.     

Grain-size dependence of sediment composition and environmental bias in provenance studies

This article investigates both experimentally and theoretically the compositional changes associated with textural effects and hydraulic sorting during sediment transport and deposition, which cause systematic distortion in quantitative provenance analysis (“environmental bias”). Traditional procedures aimed at eliminating textural noise find limited success. The Gazzi–Dickinson method cannot remove hydrodynamic-related modal variability. Multiple size-window strategies are time-consuming. Narrow or moving size-window strategies represent misleading or impractical short cuts, being less convenient options than simply analysing each sample in bulk. New concepts introduced here unravel the superposed causes of compositional variability in modern sediments. Intrasample modal variability, fundamentally explained by settling-equivalence relationships, can be accurately modelled mathematically. Intersample modal variability, principally resulting from selective entrainment, can be assessed and removed by a simple principle. In absence of provenance changes and environmental bias, the weighted average density of terrigenous grains (SRD index) should be equal, for each sample and each grain-size class of each sample, to the weighted average density of source rocks. By correcting relative abundances of detrital minerals in proportion to their densities, we can restore the appropriate SRD index for any provenance and subprovenance type in each sample or grain-size class. Modal variability is effectively reduced by this procedure, which can be applied confidently to modern sediments deposited by tractive currents in any environment. Good results are obtained even for placer sands and finest classes where heavy-mineral concentration is strongest. Such “SRD correction” also successfully compensates for biased narrow-window modes, thus providing a numerical solution of general validity to the problem of environmental bias in sedimentary petrology. After compensating for settling-equivalence and selective-entrainment effects, residual size-dependent compositional variability may be provenance-related. Minor in Ganga–Brahmaputra sediments, provenance-related effects are spectacularly displayed in the Nile basin, where volcaniclastic silt mixes with basement-derived quartzofeldspathic sand and wind-blown Saharan quartz.     

Controls on the aerodynamic roughness length and the grain‐size dependence of aeolian sediment transport

Estimates of the wind shear stress exerted on Earth's surface using the fully rough form of the law‐of‐the‐wall are a function of the aerodynamic roughness length, z₀. Accurate prediction of aeolian sediment transport rates, therefore, often requires accurate estimates of z₀. The value of z₀ is determined by the surface roughness and the saltation intensity, both of which can be highly dynamic. Here we report field measurements of z₀ values derived from velocity profiles measured over an evolving topography (i.e. sand ripples). The topography was measured by terrestrial laser scanning and the saltation intensity was measured using a disdrometer. By measuring the topographic evolution and saltation intensity simultaneously and using available formulae to estimate the topographic contribution to z₀, we isolated the contribution of saltation intensity to z₀ and document that this component dominates over the topographic component for all but the lowest shear velocities. Our measurements indicate that the increase in z₀ during periods of saltation is approximately one to two orders of magnitude greater than the increase attributed to microtopography (i.e. evolving sand ripples). Our results also reveal differences in transport as a function of grain size. Each grain‐size fraction exhibited a different dependence on shear velocity, with the saltation intensity of fine particles (diameters ranging from 0.125 to 0.25 mm) saturating and eventually decreasing at high shear velocities, which we interpret to be the result of a limitation in the supply of fine particles from the bed at high shear velocities due to bed armoring. Our findings improve knowledge of the controls on the aerodynamic roughness length and the grain‐size dependence of aeolian sediment transport. The results should contribute to the development of improved sediment transport and dust emission models. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantity, composition, and source of sediment collected in sediment traps along the fringing coral reef off Molokai, Hawaii

Sediment traps were used to evaluate the frequency, cause, and relative intensity of sediment mobility/resuspension along the fringing coral reef off southern Molokai (February 2000-May 2002). Two storms with high rainfall, floods, and exceptionally high waves resulted in sediment collection rates>1000 times higher than during non-storm periods, primarily because of sediment resuspension by waves. Based on quantity and composition of trapped sediment, floods recharged the reef flat with land-derived sediment, but had a low potential for burying coral on the fore reef when accompanied by high waves. The trapped sediments have low concentrations of anthropogenic metals. The magnetic properties of trapped sediment may provide information about the sources of land-derived sediment reaching the fore reef. The high trapping rate and low sediment cover indicate that coral surfaces on the fore reef are exposed to transient resuspended sediment, and that the traps do not measure net sediment accumulation on the reef surface.     

沉积物金属元素变化的粒度效应--以太湖沉积岩芯为例

水体沉积物中金属元素含量变化除了与人为污染有关之外,在很大程度上受沉积物粒度、矿物组成等沉积物性质的影响．在进行沉积物金属元素研究中,要充分考虑沉积物金属元素含量变化的粒度效应．本文通过对太湖MS岩芯中17种金属元素、沉积物粒度、矿物组成等指标的分析,研究了金属元素变化特征以及与沉积物粒度组成的关系．MS岩芯金属元素变化可分为两类,第一类主要为Al、Fe、K等,该类元素在沉积岩芯中下部含量较高,岩芯上部含量较低;第二类为Na元素,在沉积岩芯中下部含量较低,岩芯上部含量升高．MS岩芯中金属元素与粘土含量之间具有显著相关关系,经沉积物粒度(粘土含量)校正后,沉积岩芯中金属元素含量趋于稳定．因此,沉积物粒度组成(粘土含量)是影响金属元素含量的主要因素,在研究太湖沉积物金属元素变化规律及进行金属污染评价时,应对金属元素含量进行粒度校正．     

On the importance of advection in determining the local isotopic composition of the mantle

The equations for isotopic evolution in a deforming medium are derived and used to show that the local isotopic composition of the mantle depends primarily on the advection of heterogeneities by the flow field. Various examples of the role of advection are given using a two-scale model of mantle convection. The effect of small-scale flows, which have dimensions smaller than the plates themselves, is to convert any initially localized heterogeneity into thin spiral sheets. The isotopic properties of erupted lavas will depend on the relative size of the zone of partial melt to the spacing between such sheets. An idealized model for⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr variations from Pacific islands and the covariation of¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd-⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr is based on the combined effect of isotopic fluxes at subduction zones and advection by the return flow under the moving lithospheric plates.     

The impact of slope length on the discharge of sediment by rain impact induced saltation and suspension

Simulations using a mechanistic model of raindrop driven erosion in rain‐impacted flow were performed with particles travelling by suspension, raindrop induced saltation and flow driven saltation. Results generated by both a high intensity storm, and a less intense one, indicate that, because of the effect of flow depth on the delivery of raindrop energy to the bed, there is a decline in sediment concentration, and hence soil loss per unit area, with slope length when particles are transported by raindrop induced saltation. However, that decline is reversed when the critical velocities that lead to flow driven saltation are episodically exceeded during an event. The simulations were performed on smooth surfaces and a single drop size but the general relationships are likely to apply for rain made up of a wide range of drop size. Although runoff is not always produced uniformly, as a general rule, flow velocities increase with slope length so that, typically, the distance particles travel before being discharged during an event increase with slope length. The effect of slope length on soil loss per unit area is often considered to vary with slope length to a power greater than zero and less that 1·0. The simulations show that effect of slope length on sediment discharge is highly dependent on the variations in runoff response resulting from variations in rainfall duration‐intensity‐infiltration conditions rather than plot length per se. Consequently, predicting soil loss per unit area using slope length with positive powers close to zero when sheet erosion occurs may not be as effective as commonly expected. Erosion by rain‐impacted flow is a complex process and that complexity needs to be considered when analysing the results of experiments associated with rain‐impacted flow under both natural and artificial conditions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

岱海水体及沉积物细菌多样性及群落组成特征

采用高通量测序技术,研究了内蒙古岱海流域入湖河流、湖水及沉积物细菌多样性及群落组成.结果显示,细菌多样性从高到低依次为：沉积物>河流>湖泊.聚类分析表明入湖河流、湖水和沉积物细菌群落可分为明显不同的3支,说明这3种生境中细菌群落结构有较大差异.物种注释结果表明,河流中优势细菌菌群为髌骨细菌(Patescibacteria)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria);湖水中优势细菌菌群为放线菌门(Actinobacteria);而沉积物中优势细菌菌群为变形菌门和绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi).典范对应分析及Monte Carlo检验表明,电导率和悬浮物含量对水体中(河流与湖泊)细菌群落影响显著,二者共解释了细菌群落变化的86.5%;而冗余分析及Monte Carlo检验表明,泥深、磁化率和总有机碳对沉积物中细菌群落影响显著,三者共解释了细菌群落变化的47.9%.近30年来,岱海地区气候变化和人类活动导致湖水咸化,沉积物碳氮指标显著增长.岱海水体及沉积物细菌多样性及群落组成的差异及其主要驱动因...     

A SEM-based method to determine the mineralogical composition and the particle size distribution of suspended sediment

A robust method for characterizing the mineralogy of suspended sediment in continental rivers is introduced. It encompasses 3 steps: the filtration of a few milliliters of water, measurements of X-ray energy dispersive spectra using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and robust machine learning tools of classification. The method is applied to suspended particles collected from various Amazonian rivers. A total of more than 204,000 particles were analyzed by SEM-EDXS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), i.e. about 15,700 particles per sampling station, which lead to the identification of 15 distinct groups of mineralogical phases. The size distribution of particles collected on the filters was derived from the SEM micrographs taken in the backscattered electron imaging mode and analyzed with ImageJ freeware. The determination of the main mineralogical groups composing the bulk sediment associated with physical parameters such as particle size distribution or aspect ratio allows a precise characterization of the load of the terrigenous particles in rivers or lakes. In the case of the Amazonian rivers investigated, the results show that the identified mineralogies are consistent with previous studies as well as between the different samples collected. The method enabled the evolution of grain size distribution from fine to coarse material to be described in the water column. Implications about hydrodynamic sorting of mineral particles in the water column are also briefly discussed. The proposed method appears well suited for intensive routine monitoring of suspended sediment in river systems.     

The importance of energetic particle precipitation on the chemical composition of the middle atmosphere

An assessment is made of the relative contribution of certain classes of energetic particle precipitation to the chemical composition of the middle atmosphere with emphasis placed on the production of odd nitrogen and odd hydrogen species and their subsequent role in the catalytic removal of ozone. Galactic cosmic radiation is an important source of odd nitrogen in the lower stratosphere but since the peak energy deposition occurs below the region where catalytic removal of O₃ is most effective, it is questionable whether this mechanism is important in the overall terrestrial ozone budget. The precipitation of energetic solar protons can periodically produce dramatic enhancement in upper stratospheric NO. The long residence time of NO in this region of the atmosphere, where catalytic interaction with O₃ is also most effective, mandates that this mechanism be included in future modelling of the global distribution of O₃. Throughout the mesosphere the precipitation of energetic electrons from the outer radiation belt (60°70°) can sporadically act as a major local source of odd hydrogen and odd nitrogen leading to observable O₃ depletion. Future satellite studies should be directed at simultaneously measuring the precipitation flux and the concomitant atmosphere modification, and these results should be employed to develop more sophisticated models of this important coupling.     

中国地区湖泊沉积物中137Cs分布特征和环境意义

137Cs是人为放射性核素,长期以来,它在沉积物岩芯剖面中的分布被用作近代沉积物定年的重要手段之一,本文全面收集了关于我同湖泊沉积物中137Cs分布的研究文献,对它们进行了综合分析和对比;试图揭示中国湖泊沉积物中137Cs剖面分布特征和环境意义;结合我同湖泊分区和特点,分别讨论了我国5大湖区137Cs的总体特征和主要影响因素,研究表明:影响137Cs沉积剖面分布的因素,除了纬度和海拔外,还应与当地的地貌特征、降雨量、植被状况和人类活动有关;全球核大气沉降是中同湖泊沉积物的137Cs剖面分布最主要的来源,同时我国早期的大气核试验和前苏联切尔诺贝利核泄漏事件对我国部分地区137Cs分布可能有一定的影响.     

Implications of dredging induced changes in sediment particle size composition for the structure and function of marine benthic macrofaunal communities

A meta-analysis approach was used to assess the effect of dredging induced changes in sediment composition, under different conditions of natural physical disturbance, for the structure and function of marine benthic macrofaunal communities. Results showed the sensitivity of macrofaunal communities increased as both the proportion of gravel increased and the level of natural physical disturbance decreased. These findings may be explained by the close association of certain taxa with the gravel fraction, and the influence of natural physical disturbance which, as it increases, tends to restrict the colonisation by these species. We conclude that maintaining the gravel content of surface sediments after dredging and, where practicable, locating extraction sites in areas of higher natural disturbance will minimise the potential for long-term negative impacts on the macrofauna.     

Effects of seagrass leaf litter decomposition on sediment organic carbon composition and the key transformation processes

Seagrass leaf litters are an important source of sediment organic carbon (SOC). However, the mechanisms of seagrass leaf litter decomposition influencing SOC composition and the key transformation processes remain unknown. We performed a laboratory chamber experiment to compare the labile organic carbon (OC) composition and the enzyme activities governing SOC transformation between the seagrass group (seagrass leaf litter addition) and the control group. The results showed that the seagrass leaf litter decomposition significantly elevated the salt-extractable carbon (SEC) content and the SEC/SOC. Additionally, the levels of invertase, polyphenol oxidase, and cellulase in the seagrass leaf litters addition group were generally higher than in the control group, which could elevate recalcitrant OC decomposition. Following 24 days incubation, addition of seagrass leaf litter increased the amount of CO2 released, but decreased the SOC content. Therefore, seagrass leaf litter decomposition leached abundant dissolved OC, which enhanced the activity and transformation of SOC.