Variations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">δ</Emphasis><Superscript>18</Superscript>O in precipitation from the Muztagata Glacier,East Pamirs

Expeditions to Muztagata (in the eastern Pamirs) during the summer seasons of 2002 and 2003 collected precipitation samples and measured their oxygen isotopes. The δ ¹⁸O in precipitation displays a wide range, varying from −17.40‰ to +1.33‰ in June-September 2002 and from −22.31‰ to +4.59‰ in May-August 2003. The δ ¹⁸O in precipitation correlates with the initial temperature of precipitation during the observing periods. The positive correlation between δ ¹⁸O and temperature suggests that δ ¹⁸O can be used as an indicator of temperature in this region. The δ ¹⁸O values in fresh-snow samples collected from two snow events at different elevations on the Muztagata Glacier show a strong “altitude effect”, with a ratio of nearly −0.40% per 100 m from 5500 m to 7450 m.     

Robust H∞ control for aseismic structures with uncertainties in model parameters

This paper presents a robust H∞ output feedback control approach for structural systems with uncertainties in model parameters by using available acceleration measurements and proposes conditions for the existence of such a robust output feedback controller. The uncertainties of structural stiffness, damping and mass parameters are assumed to be norm-bounded. The proposed control approach is formulated within the framework of linear matrix inequalities, for which existing convex optimization techniques, such as the LMI toolbox in MATLAB, can be used effectively and conveniently. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed robust H∞ strategy, a six-story building was subjected both to the 1940 El Centro earthquake record and to a suddenly applied Kanai-Tajimi filtered white noise random excitation. The results show that the proposed robust H∞ controller provides satisfactory results with or without variation of the structural stiffness, damping and mass parameters.     

<Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar ages of the<Emphasis Type="Italic"> AD</Emphasis> 79 eruption of Vesuvius,Italy

The Italian volcano, Vesuvius, erupted explosively in AD 79. Sanidine from pumice collected at Casti Amanti in Pompeii and Villa Poppea in Oplontis yielded a weighted-mean ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 1925±66 years in 2004 (1σ uncertainty) from incremental-heating experiments of eight aliquants of sanidine. This is the calendar age of the eruption. Our results together with the work of Renne et al. (1997) and Renne and Min (1998) demonstrate the validity of the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method to reconstruct the recent eruptive history of young, active volcanoes.     

Evolution of 3D velocity structure before Dayao <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>=6.2 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>=6.1 earthquakes in 2003

In this paper the crustal velocity structure are imaged at the annual scale for determining the evolution of 3D velocity structure before the Dayao earthquakes in 2003, and the relation between physical variation of medium and cause of earthquake occurrence is discussed. Checkerboard resolution tests show that the spatial resolution at 15 km depth is approximate 0.6 around Dayao. Error analyses show that the error (Approximate 0.02 km/s) at the focus area is far smaller than the magnitude (approximate 0.15 km/s) of velocity variation. Results of the studies show that a NNW-striking juncture zone of high-and low-velocity is formed before Dayao earthquake, whose strike is basically consistent with that of aftershock distribution of Dayao earthquakes and the focal mechanism, and the hypocenters lie on the high-velocity side of juncture zone. Furthermore, there is a low-velocity body under the hypocenters after Dayao earthquakes. The evolution of velocity structure provides restriction for discussing the circumstances of earthquake gestating and occurring.     

India-Eurasian collision <Emphasis Type="Italic">vs.</Emphasis> ocean-continent collision

Ample observational evidence shows that there is a northward crustal subduction zone underneath the Yarlung Zangbo suture between India and Eurasia. It penetrates Moho to a depth of about 100 km. There are probably multiple such crustal subductions under the Himalayas. They are different from lithosphere subduction during oceanic collisions. The detected slabs in the upper mantle north of the Yarlung Zangbo suture can be interpreted as remains of the Indian Plate’s mantle lithosphere. In contrary to ocean-continent subduction, the mantle lithosphere is delaminated from the crust as the Indian Plate subducts underneath Eurasia. Existing structural images of the crust and upper mantle of the Tibetan Plateau reveal that there were both northward and southward subductions over different geological periods, causing some seismic velocity anomalies around those subduction zones.     

Simulation of land use change using GIS-based stochastic model: the case study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Shiqian</Emphasis> County,Southwestern China

This paper presents the GIS-based stochastic model and its application to simulate land use change in Shiqian County, Southwestern China. Transition probability of land use change with biophysical factors such as elevation, slope, distance to stream, distance to road and adjacent cells with the same land use are calculated and integrated into this model. Then the model simulated 2001 land use pattern based on 1988 land use pattern and the results are satisfactory. Finally, three different land use scenarios are simulated using this model. This study provides a new tool to predict land use pattern.     

Distribution of<Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis><Subscript>g</Subscript> coda<Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis> in the Chinese continent and its adjacent regions

785 traces of vertical components from shallow earthquakes recorded by 10 CDSN (Chinese Digital Seismographic Network) stations and 5 GSN (Global Seismographic Network) stations were collected to study the attenuation characteristics ofL _g coda in the Chinese continent and its adjacent regions. The records were processed first using the stack spectral ratio method to obtain the average values ofQ ₀ (Q at 1Hz) and η, the frequency dependence, ofL _g coda in the ellipses corresponding to the paths. The back-projection technique was then employed to obtain the tomographic maps ofQ ₀ and η values, and the distribution of their errors. Results indicate that in the studied areaQ ₀ varies between 200 and 500. The lowest value ofQ ₀ exists in the Yun-nan-Tibetan region, while the highest value ofQ ₀ occurs in the southern edge of Siberian platform. η varies between 0.3 and 0.8. For most part of the studied area η varies inversely withQ ₀.     

Dimorphism in Calceola sandalina (Linneé, 1771)

Based on studying the ontogenetic development of Calceola sandalina in the Early Devonian Yukiang Formation from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, South China, it is for the first time to issue the evidence indicating the existence of sexual dimorphism in Calceola sandalina. The new discovery will add important data on sexual dimorphism throughout the non-colonial fossil metazoan, and it also may throw lights on studying the taxonomy and phylogeny of Calceola sandalina and its relevant taxa.     

Microbial and molecular fossils from the Permian Zoophycos in South China

The trace fossil Zoophycos was enriched in the lower part of the Guadalupian Maokou Formation of Permian in Laibin, Guangxi of South China, and characterized by observable lamellae within its spreiten. Associated with these lamellae are the prolific coccus- and spirillum-shaped microbe fossils. These microbes morphologically identified are 0.4―3.0 μm in diameter or length. Molecular fossils, including normal alkanes (dominated by C18, without an odd-over-even predominance), acyclic isoprenoids (such as pristane (Pr) and phytane (Ph)), extended tricyclic terpanes, pentacyclic triterpanes, steranes, al-kylcyclohexanes, dibenzothiophenes, benzonaphthothiophenes, benzobisbenzothiophenes, were in-strumentally identified in the wackestone characterized by the occurrence of abundant Zoophycos (composite ichnofabric indices are 4) and crowded microbial fossils. The value of the Pr/Ph ratio is less than 1, indicative of a dysoxic condition. The identification of abundant sulfur compounds (the thio-phene series) related to the contribution of reductive sulfur favors the occurrence of sulphate-reducing bacteria. The association of abundant microbial colonies with microbial molecular fossils within the spreiten suggests that trace fossils Zoophycos would be a multifunctional garden carefully constructed by the Zoophycos-producer, where different microbial colonies were orderly and carefully planted and cultured in different minor lamellae within spreiten. Hence, it is proposed that the Zoophycos-producer symbiosed with microbial colonies on the mutual basis of food supply and the redox conditions.     

Estimation of the Maximum Earthquake Magnitude, <Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis><Subscript>max</Subscript>

This paper provides a generic equation for the evaluation of the maximum earthquake magnitude m_max for a given seismogenic zone or entire region. The equation is capable of generating solutions in different forms, depending on the assumptions of the statistical distribution model and/or the available information regarding past seismicity. It includes the cases (i) when earthquake magnitudes are distributed according to the doubly-truncated Gutenberg-Richter relation, (ii) when the empirical magnitude distribution deviates moderately from the Gutenberg-Richter relation, and (iii) when no specific type of magnitude distribution is assumed. Both synthetic, Monte-Carlo simulated seismic event catalogues, and actual data from Southern California, are used to demonstrate the procedures given for the evaluation of m_max.The three estimates of m_max for Southern California, obtained by the three procedures mentioned above, are respectively: 8.32 ± 0.43, 8.31 ± 0.42 and 8.34 ± 0.45. All three estimates are nearly identical, although higher than the value 7.99 obtained by Field et al. (1999). In general, since the third procedure is non-parametric and does not require specification of the functional form of the magnitude distribution, its estimate of the maximum earthquake magnitude m_max is considered more reliable than the other two which are based on the Gutenberg-Richter relation.     

Estimation of Site Response in Kachchh,Gujarat, India,Region Using H/V Spectral Ratios of Aftershocks of the 2001 <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">w</Emphasis></Subscript> 7.7 Bhuj Earthquake

Site response in the aftershock zone of 2001 Bhuj M_w 7.7 earthquake has been studied using the H/V spectral ratio method using 454 aftershocks (M_w 2.5–4.7) recorded at twelve three-component digital strong motion and eight three-component digital seismograph sites. The mean amplification factor obtained for soft sediment sites (Quaternary/Tertiary) varies from 0.75–6.03 times for 1–3 Hz and 0.49–3.27 times for 3–10 Hz. The mean amplification factors obtained for hard sediment sites (hard Jurassic/Mesozoic sediments) range from 0.32–3.24 times for 1–3 Hz and 0.37–2.18 times for 310 Hz. The upper bounds of the larger mean amplification factors for 1–3 Hz are found to be of the order of 3.13–6.03 at Chopadwa, Vadawa, Kavada, Vondh, Adhoi, Jahwarnagar and Gadhada, whereas, the upper bounds of the higher mean amplification factors at 3–10 Hz are estimated to be of the order of 2.00–3.27° at Tapar, Chopadwa, Adhoi, Jahwarnagar, Gandhidham and Khingarpur. The site response estimated at Bhuj suggests a typical hard-rock site behavior. Preliminary site response maps for 1–3 Hz and 310 Hz frequency ranges have been prepared for the area extending from 23–23.85 °N and 69.65–70.85°E. These frequency ranges are considered on the basis of the fact that the natural frequencies of multi-story buildings (3 to 10 floor) range between 1–3 Hz, while the natural frequencies for 1 to 3 story buildings vary from 3–10 Hz. The 1–3 Hz map delineates two distinct zones of maximum site amplification (>3 times): one lying in the NW quadrant of the study area covering Jahwarnagar, Kavada and Gadadha and the other in the SE quadrant of the study area with a peak of 6.03 at Chopadwa covering an area of 70 km × 50 km. While the 3–10 Hz map shows more than 2 times site amplification value over the entire study area except, NE quadrant, two patches in the southwest corner covering Bhuj and Anjar, and one patch at the center covering Vondh, Manfara and Sikara. The zones for large site amplification values (∼3 times) are found at Tapar, Chopadwa, Adhoi and Chobari. The estimated site response values show a good correlation with the distribution of geological formations as well as observed ground deformation in the epicentral zone.     

Multi-scale heterogeneity of soil moisture following snow thawing in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haloxylon ammodendron</Emphasis> shrubland

Spatial variation of soil moisture after snow thawing in South Gurbantunggut was quantitatively studied using ANOVA and geostatistics at various scales. The results show that the soil moisture heterogeneity varies along with spatial scales. At the shrub individual scale, there is a gradient in soil moisture from shrub-canopied area to canopy margin and to the interspaces between shrubs. At the community scale, soil moisture is highly autocorrelated and the semivariogram is fitted as spherical model, with an 89.6% structural variance and a range of 4.02 m. In addition, Kringing map indicates that the soil moisture distribution pattern after snow thawing is highly consistent with the shrub patch pattern. At the typical inter-dune transect scale, soil moisture presents a pattern of high value at inter-dune depression and low value at dune, and this variation is fitted as Gaussian model with a structural variance of 95.8% and a range of 66.16 m. The range is comparable with the scale of topography zoning, suggesting that the topography pattern controls the pattern of snowmelt at this scale. The evidence indicates that the heterogeneity of soil moisture at various scales is controlled by various land surface processes after snow thawing. For Gurbantunggut Desert, the spatial heterogeneity of snowmelt at various scales is ecologically valuable, because it promotes the utilization efficiency of the snowmelt for the desert vegetation.     

Estimation of velocity in the uppermost crust in a part of the western Gulf of Corinth,Greece, from the inversion of <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> arrival times using the neighbourhood algorithm

We determine the velocities in an upper crustal model, composed of three homogeneous layers, for one subregion of the western part of the Gulf of Corinth, NE of the town of Aigion, Greece. We have used local events that occurred there in the year 2001 and were recorded by the Corinth Rift Laboratory Network. Weighted P and S arrival time residuals are minimized using the Neighbourhood Algorithm of Sambridge (1999), combined with the grid search for source locations. The resolution of the inversion is tested by delete-one jackknifing. The model obtained is compared with some other models derived or applied to the subregion. A fast velocity increase between depths of 5 and 7 km is confirmed as the major structural element.     

Stable carbon isotope evidence for tracing the diet of the host <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hepialus</Emphasis> larva of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cordyceps sinensis</Emphasis> in the Tibetan Plateau

Two types of Hepialus larvae with different diets were distinguished in the Sejila Mountain, Tibetan Plateau based on the stable carbon isotope data of the host Hepialus larva of Cordyceps sinensis and its closely adjacent tender plant roots and humus fractions. Type I is the larva chiefly fed by soil humus, and characterized by the δ ¹³C values of −22.6‰ to −23.4‰, and more than −23.4‰ in its heads. Type II is the larva chiefly fed by tender plant roots, and characterized by the δ ¹³C values of −24.6‰ to −27.6‰, and less than −24.6‰ in its heads. Our result has exceeded the traditional understanding that their food sources only come from the tender plant roots, and may provide evidence for choosing cheap and high-quality foods and further establishing artificial habitats in their large-scale reproduction. Supported by the National Key Technology R & D Program (Grant No. 2007BAI32B05)     

Climatic significance of the stable carbon isotope composition of tree-ring cellulose: Comparison of Chinese hemlock (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tsuga chinensis</Emphasis> Pritz) and alpine pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus densata</Emphasis> Mast) in a temperate-moist region of China

In the reconstruction of past climate using stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) in tree ring, the responses of the stable carbon composition (δ13C) of multiple tree species to environmental factors must be known detailedly. This study presented two δ13C series in annual tree rings for Chinese hemlock (Tsuga chinensis Pritz) and alpine pine (Pinus densata Mast), and investigated the relationships between climatic parameters and stable carbon discrimination (Δ13C) series, and evaluated the potential of climatic reconstruction using Δ13C in both species, in a temperate-moist region of Chuanxi Plateau, China. The raw δ13C series of the two species was inconsistent, which may be a result of different responses caused by tree's inherent physiological differences. After removing the low-frequency effects of CO2 concentration, the high-frequency (year-to-year) inter-series correlation of Δ13C was strong, indicating that Δ13C of the two tree species were controlled by common environmental conditions. The Δ13C series of the species were most significantly correlated with temperature and moisture stress, but in different periods and intensity between the species. During the physiological year, the impacts of temperature and moisture stress on Δ13C occur earlier for Chinese hemlock (previous December to February for moisture stress and February to April for temperature, respectively) than for alpine pine (March to May for moisture stress and April to July for temperature, respectively). In addition, in temperatemoist regions, the control on Δ13C of single climatic parameter was not strongly dominant and the optimal multiple regressions functions just explained the 38.5% variance of the total. Therefore, there is limited potential for using δ13C alone to identify clear, reliable climatic signals from two species.