Correction to: Assessing real options in urban surface water flood risk management under climate change

Windblown dust originating in China and Mongolia causes health effects and agricultural damage in its source areas and causes Asian dust events in Japan. An early warning system that could be combined with weather forecasts would be helpful in preventing serious damage. However, it is difficult to specify source areas of dust with current dust modeling systems because land surface information, including vegetation coverage and land surface soil water content, is inadequate. To find and monitor dust source regions, a semi-real-time dust erodibility map was developed based on MODIS satellite data that focuses particularly on the threshold wind speed in a target area of northeast Asia including China and Mongolia (35°–50°N, 75°–120°E). The mapping system incorporates satellite data on snow cover, areas of frozen soil, surface soil water content, and vegetation cover.     

Influence of soil moisture content on surface albedo and soil thermal parameters at a tropical station

Half hourly data of soil moisture content, soil temperature, solar irradiance, and reflectance are measured during April 2010 to March 2011 at a tropical station, viz., Astronomical Observatory, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India (76°59’E longitude and 8°29’N latitude). The monthly, seasonal and seasonal mean diurnal variation of soil moisture content is analyzed in detail and is correlated with the rainfall measured at the same site during the period of study. The large variability in the soil moisture content is attributed to the rainfall during all the seasons and also to the evaporation/movement of water to deeper layers. The relationship of surface albedo on soil moisture content on different time scales are studied and the influence of solar elevation angle and cloud cover are also investigated. Surface albedo is found to fall exponentially with increase in soil moisture content. Soil thermal diffusivity and soil thermal conductivity are also estimated from the subsoil temperature profile. Log normal dependence of thermal diffusivity and power law dependence of thermal conductivity on soil moisture content are confirmed.     

Variability of soil moisture and its relationship with surface albedo and soil thermal diffusivity at Astronomical Observatory,Thiruvananthapuram, south Kerala

Continuous observation data collected over the year 2008 at Astronomical Observatory, Thiruvananthapuram in south Kerala (76°59′E longitude and 8°30′N latitude) are used to study the diurnal, monthly and seasonal soil moisture variations. The effect of rainfall on diurnal and seasonal soil moisture is discussed. We have investigated relationships of soil moisture with surface albedo and soil thermal diffusivity. The diurnal variation of surface albedo appears as a U-shaped curve on sunny days. Surface albedo decreases with the increase of solar elevation angle, and it tends to be a constant when solar elevation angle is greater than 40°. So the daily average surface albedo was calculated using the data when solar elevation angle is greater than 40°. The results indicate that the mean daily surface albedo decreases with increases in soil moisture content, showing a typical exponential relation between the surface albedo and the soil moisture. Soil thermal diffusivity increases firstly and then decreases with the increase of soil moisture.     

A wind tunnel study of the parameters for aeolian sand transport above a wetted sand surface using sands from a tropical humid coastal region of southern China

In this study, wind tunnel tests were performed to determine the relationships between sediment transport, the surface moisture content, and wind velocity using beach sands from a tropical humid coastal area of China. The variation in the properties of the creep proportion, relative decay rate as a function of height, and average saltation height in the flux profile were determined. Sand transport was measured using a standard vertical sand trap. The creep proportion (i.e., the proportion of the particles that move along the surface rather than undergoing saltation) and relative decay rate decreased and more particles were ejected to higher positions as moisture content and wind velocity increased. The creep proportion ranged between 0.12 and 0.33, and averaged 0.22. The creep proportion and relative decay rate decreased abruptly at moisture contents between 0.587 and 1.448%; the latter value was close to 1.591%, the moisture content at a matric potential of ?1.5 MPa. This moisture content limit may indicate a change in the form of soil water from adsorbed films on particle surfaces to capillary forces created by inter-particle water bridges. The surface moisture content therefore appears to decisively determine the degree of the restraint on particle entrainment by the wind. The average heights, below which 25, 50, 75, and 90% of sand transport occurred, increased with increasing moisture content (except at 0.231% moisture content) and wind velocity. The mean saltation height at various wind velocities increased linearly with increasing moisture content.     

The effect of surface moisture on the entrainment of dune sand by wind: an evaluation of selected models

Abstract Reliable predictions of wind erosion depend on the accuracy of determining whether erosion occurs or not. Among the several factors that govern the initiation of soil movement by wind, surface moisture is one of the most significant. Some widely used models that predict the threshold shear velocity for particle detachment of wet soils by wind were critically reviewed and evaluated. Wind‐tunnel experiments were conducted on pre‐wetted dune sand with moisture contents ranging from 0·00 to 0·04 kg kg^?1. Sand samples were exposed to different wind speeds for 2 min. Moisture content was determined gravimetrically before and after each experiment, and the saltation of sand particles was recorded electronically with a saltiphone. Shear velocities were deduced from the wind speed profiles. For each moisture content, the experiments were repeated at different shear velocities, with the threshold shear velocity being determined by least‐squares analysis of the relationships between particle number rates and shear velocity. Within the 2‐min test runs, temporal changes in particle number rates and moisture contents were detected. A steep increase in the threshold shear velocity with moisture content was observed. When comparing the models, large differences between the predicted results became apparent. At a moisture content of 0·007 kg kg^?1, which is half the moisture content retained to the soil matrix at a water tension (or matric potential) of ?1·5 MPa, the increase in ‘wet’ threshold shear velocity predicted with the different models relative to the dry threshold shear velocity ranged from 117% to 171%. The highest care should therefore be taken when using current models to predict the threshold shear velocity of wet sediment. Nevertheless, the models of Chepil (1956; Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Am., 20, 288–292) and Saleh & Fryrear (1995; Soil Sci., 160, 304–309) are the best alternatives available.     

Statistical analysis of the temporal stability of soil moisture in three desert regions of northwestern China

Soil moisture and its variations are key factors for understanding hydrological processes, which are characterized by a high temporal variability at different scales. The study was conducted at three field stations in the desert regions of northwestern China, where soil moisture measurements with gravimetric method were used to characterize the temporal stability of soil moisture using various statistical parameters and an index of temporal stability (ITS). The soils are a gray–brown desert soil at the Linze station, an aeolian sandy soil at the Fukang station, and a brown desert soil at the Cele station. Soil textures are accordingly sandy loam at Linze and Cele, and loamy sand at Fukang. The dynamic variation in soil moisture depends strongly on the rainfall pattern (amount and frequency) in these desert ecosystems. Soil moisture content is low and significantly different among the three desert ecosystems, with the maximum at the Linze station (6.61 ± 2.08 %), followed by the Cele (4.83 ± 0.81 %) and Fukang (3.46 ± 0.47 %) stations. The temporal pattern exhibits high variability because soil moisture is characterized by low temporal stability and a high coefficient of variation (CV). The standard deviation, CV, and ITS increase significantly with increasing soil moisture. Soil moisture displays a skewed frequency distribution that follows a logarithmic function at lower soil moisture but a log-normal distribution at higher values.     

Managing crop stubble during fallow period for soil water conservation: field experiment and modelling

In the arid and semi-arid environments where the rainfall is limited and variable, fallow period soil moisture conservation using stubble is one of the ways of increasing the soil moisture required for crop sowing and development. However, the effectiveness of moisture conservation using stubble depends on the paddock management, soil water content, and rainfall characteristics. To assess the effect of stubble rate and amount of rainfall on the soil moisture conservation, a two-season field experiment was conducted using four stubble rates (0, 2, 4, 6 t/ha) and two water supply amounts. The soil water dynamics was also analysed using a validated Agricultural Production System Simulator (APSIM). In the relatively wet summer season with a high initial soil water content, the amount of water stored in the 2, 4, and 6 t/ha stubble rate treatment plots was higher than that of the bare plots by 10.4, 15.9, and 17.8 mm, respectively. However, in the summer season with a relatively high amount of in-season water input and low initial soil water content, the soil water storage was increased by 29.4, 35.6, and 43.0 mm, respectively. Comparing the results of the two seasons, the highest increase was observed for the 2 t/ha stubble rate. The amount of conserved soil moisture was found to be the highest when the soil profile water content at the start of the summer-fallow period is low and the amount of rain during the summer season is high. The good agreement between the measured and APSIM-simulated soil water contents (R ² = 0.812), indicates that the model can be used to assess the soil water dynamics under a fallow condition. The APSIM-simulated soil water balance using the weather data of the past 100 years indicated that in a year with low start-of-fallow period soil water content, a 6 t/ha stubble rate can increase the end-of-fallow period soil moisture by up to 60 %.     

Experimental study on unfrozen water content and soil matric potential of Qinghai-Tibetan silty clay

A new soil moisture content sensor coupled with a new matric potential sensor that can operate in the subfreezing environment was used to measure the moisture content and soil matric potential dynamics of Qinghai-Tibetan silty clay. Combined with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique and thermal resistor temperature probe, the characteristics of unfrozen water content and soil matric potential, and their relationships with temperature were analyzed. The results show that initial water content has an impact on the freezing point and unfrozen water content. The decrease in the initial water content results in a depression in the freezing point. The Qinghai-Tibetan silty clay has more similar unfrozen water content characteristic to clay than to silt. There is approximately 3% of unfrozen water content retained when the soil temperature drops to −15°C. The change of soil matric potential with temperature is similar to that of the unfrozen water content. The matric potential value of the saturated silty clay is approximately −200 kPa when the soil temperature drops to −20°C. The measured matric potentials are significantly lower than the calculated theoretical values based on the freezing point depression. Moisture migration experiment indicates that soil matric potential controls the direction of moisture movement and moisture redistribution (including ice and liquid water) during the soil freezing.     

Treatment of water-repellent petroleum-contaminated soil from Bemidji,Minnesota, by alkaline desorption

A pipeline right-of-way contaminated with light crude in 1979 and subsequently burned shows severe hydrophobicity, poor infiltration rates, and loss of vegetative cover. To evaluate alkaline desorption as a treatment method, surface soil samples were collected and analyzed pre- and post-treatment. Samples had total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations of 2800–63,100 mg/kg, severe water repellency, critical moisture 2–5 times above the in situ moisture content, but no acute toxicity. Thus, water repellency, rather than toxicity, is causing the loss of vegetation. Samples were treated with 0.1 N NaOH in two doses (1:3; soil/solution), with complete drainage between doses. Finally, each soil sample was washed with an equal volume or water and allowed to drain completely. For more hydrophobic samples, repeated treatments, without rinsing between each treatment, were made. Post-treatment, the samples were re-analyzed for water repellency and critical moisture content. In samples with initial water repellency values in the range of 5.0–6.7 M, the repellency was reduced 94–100 % and below critical levels to avoid soil hydrophobicity in field conditions. The other samples with initial water repellency values in the range of 10–13 M could not be recovered with single treatment, but sequential treatments reduced the hydrocarbon content up to 87 % and reduced the hydrophobicity to levels low enough or nearly low enough to avoid severe water repellency in the field. Currently, field studies are being carried out to evaluate this treatment method at the site, as a stand-alone method and in combination with organic amendment.     

Optimization approach to retrieve soil surface parameters from single-acquisition single-configuration SAR data

This study suggests a novel approach to the retrieval of soil surface parameters using a single-acquisition single-configuration synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) system. Soil surface parameters such as soil moisture and surface roughness are key elements for many environmental studies, including Earth surface water cycles, energy exchange, agriculture, and geology. Remote sensing techniques, especially SAR data, are commonly used to retrieve such soil surface parameters over large areas. Several backscattering models have been proposed for soil surface parameters retrieval from SAR data. However, commonly, these backscattering models require multi configuration SAR data, including multi-polarization, multi-frequency, and multi-incidence angle. Here we propose a methodology that employs single-acquisition single-configuration SAR data for the retrieval of soil surface parameters. The originality is to use single-acquisition single-configuration SAR data to retrieve the soil surface parameters using an optimization approach by the genetic algorithm (GA); we have used the modified Dubois model (MDM) in HH polarization as the backscattering model. Three HH polarization and C band data sets from Quebec (Radarsat-1), Ontario (SIR-C), and Oklahoma (AIRSAR) were analyzed. The retrieved values of soil moisture and soil surface roughness were then compared to ground truth measurements with corresponding parameters. We employed diverse criteria, including the mean absolute error (MAE), the root mean square error (RMSE), the coefficient of performance (CP), and the correlation coefficient to investigate the performance of the proposed methodology. This analysis suggests the capability of the GA for the retrieval of soil surface parameters. Based on our findings, this method presents a viable alternative approach to the retrieval of soil surface parameters when only single-acquisition single-configuration SAR data is available.     

Hydrothermal pattern of frozen soil in Nam Co lake basin,the Tibetan Plateau

Hydrothermal processes and the regimes of frozen soil formed in alpine regions with glaciers and lake area are complex and important for ecological environment but have not been studied in Tibet. Based on soil temperature and moisture data from October 2005 to September 2006 collected in the Nam Co lake basin, Tibetan Plateau (TP), those questions were discussed. The mean annual air temperature was −3.4°C with 8 months below 0°C. Air and soil temperature varied between −25.3~13.1°C and −10.3~8.8°C, respectively. Soil moisture variations in the active layer were small with the minimum value of 1.4%, but were influenced greatly by snowmelt, rainfall and evaporation, varying up to 53.8%. The active layer froze later, thawed earlier and was thinner, however, the lower altitude limit of permafrost is higher than that in most areas of TP. The effects of soil moisture (unfrozen water content) on soil temperature, which were estimated through proposed models, were more significant near ground surface than the other layers. The surface soil temperature decreased with snowcover, the effect of cold snow meltwater infiltration on soil thermal conditions was negligible, however, the effect of rainfall infiltration was evident causing thermal disruptions.     

陆面模式CLM4.5在青藏高原土壤冻融期的偏差特征及其原因

利用中国区域地面气象要素数据集制作的大气强迫场驱动通用陆面模式CLM4.5（Community Land Model version 4.5）对青藏高原区域进行离线模拟试验,模拟结果与D66、沱沱河（TTH）和玛曲（Maqu）3个站点的观测资料以及GLDAS（Global Land Data Assimilation System）-CLM2模拟结果进行了对比,并分析了陆面模式对冻融过程中土壤温度和湿度模拟的偏差及其可能原因。结果表明：CLM4.5对土壤温度模拟较好（平均RMSE≈3℃）,而GLDAS-CLM2计算的土壤温度偏高,偏差较大（平均RMSE>6℃）,且其偏差大于CLM4.5,尤其在冻融期;CLM4.5能较好地模拟出冻融过程中土壤湿度季节变化,但土壤湿度的模拟值与观测值存在一定偏差（平均RMSE≈0.1 mm³·mm^-3）,GLDAS-CLM2不能反映出土壤湿度在冻融过程中的变化特征。CLM4.5的模拟偏差主要来自大气强迫场,而GLDAS-CLM2的偏差除了大气强迫场的不确定性外,还来自于模式冻融参数化方案的不完善。大气强迫场中的气温和降水对土壤温度和湿度的影响在冻融期和非冻融期表现不同。在非冻融期,土壤温度的模拟主要受气温的影响（r>0.6）,气温偏差对土壤温度偏差的贡献率大于50%;土壤湿度的变化则主要受降水的影响,降水偏差对土壤湿度偏差的贡献率为20%~40%。在冻融期,受土壤水热相互作用的影响,气温和降水对土壤温度和湿度的作用效果减弱;土壤湿度的变化受气温影响显著,其贡献率为10%~20%。陆面模式中冻融参数方案的不完善是冻融过程中土壤温度和湿度偏差的重要来源之一。     

微波炉法测定遗址土含水率的可靠性研究

古代土遗址病害发展与土的含水率变化密切相关,但土遗址保护现场快速准确测定土的含水率不是一件容易的事。选择遗址土、含盐土、黄土等进行对比试验,研究分析微波炉烘干法（简称微波炉法）测遗址土含水率结果的可靠性。在测定试验土样界限含水率和易溶盐含量的基础上,对比分析微波炉法、烘箱法两种方法测定土含水率的误差来源。试验结果表明,土的塑性对微波炉法的测定有一定影响,但测定误差均在2%以内;土的含盐量影响水分的蒸发速度,不影响微波炉法的测定结果;微波法测定遗址土含水率准确,且具有快速、便捷等优势,值得在土遗址保护工程中推广使用。     

A comparison of two models to predict soil moisture from remote sensing data of RADARSAT II

This study investigates the performance of empirical and semiempirical models to predict soil moisture from the data of RADARSAT II synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for the Yarmouk basin in Jordan. Data of SAR were obtained for May and June 2010 and were processed to obtain backscatter (σ ^o ) data for the study area. Results showed significant correlations between soil moisture content (m _v ) and horizontally polarized σ ^o , with coefficient of determination (R ²) of 0.64. The root mean square error for the SAR volumetric soil moisture content was 0.09 and 0.06 m³/m³ for the empirical and semiempirical regression models, respectively. Both models had different clustering patterns in the soil moisture maps in the study area. The spatial agreement between maps of soil moisture was in the range of 55 to 65 % when the maps were reclassified based on intervals of 5 % m _v for both models. In terms of soil moisture interval, both models showed that most of soil moisture changes between the two images (dates) were in the range of ±5 %. Some high differences in ?m _v were observed between the two models. These were mainly attributed to the non-inverted pixels in the soil moisture maps produced by the semiempirical model. Therefore, this model may be applied for a limited range of soil moisture prediction. The use of regression model could predict a wider range for soil moisture when compared with the semiempirical model. However, more work might be needed to improve the empirical model before scaling it up to the whole study area.     

漓江流域表层土壤水分物理性质空间异质性

为了解漓江流域土壤水分空间变化特征及其影响因素,基于2'经纬网格,采用地统计学方法对该流域表层（0~10 cm）土壤水分物理性质的空间变异进行分析。结果表明:从空间结构比上,漓江流域表层土壤含水量、容重、最大和最小持水量均具有高度的空间自相关性（各指标空间结构比均大于0.87）,且其空间分布趋势基本一致,由流域上游向中下游逐渐变化。土地利用对流域表层土壤水分物理性质及其空间变异具有显著影响。受时间尺度和土地利用类型等因素的影响,漓江流域表层土壤含水量相比其他土壤水分物理性质,其空间异质性由随机引起的空间变异增加,空间自相关减小,为0.87;而土壤容重最大,为0.92。相关结果对于漓江流域土壤水分动态模拟与预测研究具有一定参考价值。     

Annual variations in the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in the Upper Yellow River area

Measurements taken between July 2006 to May 2007 at the Maqu station in the Upper Yellow River area were used to study the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in this area. These data revealed distinct seasonal variations in downward shortwave radiation, downward longwave radiation, upward longwave radiation and net radiation, with larger values in the summer than in winter because of solar altitudinal angle. The upward shortwave radiation factor is not obvious because of albedo (or snow). Surface albedo in the summer was lower than in the winter and was directly associated with soil moisture and solar altitudinal angle. The annual averaged albedo was 0.26. Soil heat flux, soil temperature and soil water content changed substantially with time and depth. The soil temperature gradient was positive from August to February and was related to the surface net radiation and the heat condition of the soil itself. There was a negative correlation between soil temperature gradient and net radiation, and the correlation coefficient achieved a significance level of 0.01. Because of frozen state of the soil, the maximum soil thermal conductivity value was 1.21 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹ in January 2007. In May 2007, soil thermal conductivity was 0.23 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, which is the lowest value measured in the study, likely due to the fact that the soil was drier then than in other months. The soil thermal conductivity values for the four seasons were 0.27, 0.38, 0.55 and 0.83 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, respectively.     

Desiccation-Induced Volumetric Shrinkage of Compacted Foundry Sand Treated with Cement Kiln Dust

Foundry sand, an industrial waste, was treated with up to 12 % cement kiln dust content at comparative energy levels of British standard light, West African standard or “intermediate” (WAS) and British standard heavy (BSH) efforts at molding water contents ?2, 0, 2, 4 and 6 % of optimum moisture content. Samples were extruded from the compaction molds and allowed to air dry in the laboratory in order to assess the effect of desiccation-induced shrinkage on the material for use as a hydraulic barrier in waste containment application. Results recorded show that volumetric shrinkage strain (VSS) values were large within the first 5 days of drying; VSS values increased with higher molding water content, water content relative to the optimum moisture content. VSS generally increased with higher initial degree of saturation for all compactive efforts, irrespective of the level of cement kiln dust (CKD) treatment. A compaction plane of acceptable zones for VSS based on the regulatory value is ≤4 %. The influence of CKD treatment generally showed a decrease in the desiccation-induced volumetric shrinkage strain with increasing CKD content. This is largely due to the pozzolanic input of CKD. Finally, only the BSH compactive effort gave successful results of volumetric shrinkage strain at CKD treatment content of between 4 and 8 %, while 12 % CKD content produced successful volumetric shrinkage strain results at WAS and BSH compactive effort, respectively.     

Forecasting vertical ground surface movement from shrinking/swelling soils with artificial neural networks

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are used to estimate vertical ground surface movement when soils expand and contract due to changes in soil moisture content caused by changing climate conditions. Several counterpropagation ANN test cases were investigated to map climate data (i.e. temperature and rainfall) to vertical ground surface movement at field sites in Texas and Australia. Three of the four ANN test cases use a historical time series of climate data to forecast ground surface elevation relative to a specified datum. The fourth ANN test case predicts the rate of ground surface movement, and requires post‐processing of the predicted rates to calculate ground surface elevation relative to a specified datum. The counterpropagation network has demonstrated a successful mapping of temperature and rainfall data to vertical ground surface movement at a field site when it is trained with a subset of data from the same field site (test cases 1 and 2). The results of training an ANN on one field site and testing it on another field site (test cases 3 and 4) demonstrate the ability of the ANN to capture trends in vertical ground surface movement. When compared with the predictions from a physics‐based method (shrink test‐water content method) that requires measurements/estimates of changes in soil water content, the ANN‐based predictions (based on climatic changes) captured the trends in the field measurements of shrinking–swelling soil surface movements equally well. These findings are promising and merit further investigation with data from additional field sites. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

频域反射分析法测定土壤含水率标定试验研究

对滑坡体土壤含水率进行长期和连续的监测,有利于对滑坡体的变形分析和安全预警。为了提高频域反射分析法（FDR法）测量土壤含水率的精度,通过室内标定和现场标定相结合的方式,对使用FDR法测定野外现场滑坡土壤含水率进行了标定。通过对比分析FDR法和烘干法测得的土壤含水率数据,探讨电压信号、含水率、绝对误差和相对误差之间的对应关系,并建立函数模型。试验结果表明:FDR法测定的土壤含水率较烘干法偏高;通过线性、多次曲线及指数形式对试验数据进行拟合和回归分析,最终确定四次曲线作为标定方式,标定后测得的土壤含水率精度明显提高,平均绝对误差可控制在2%以内。该方法可用于类似条件下FDR法测定土壤含水率的标定。     

Adjoint retrieval of prognostic land surface model variables for an NWP model: Assimilation of ground surface temperature

Based on a 2-layer land surface model, a rather general variational data assimilation framework for estimating model state variables is developed. The method minimizes the error of surface soil temperature predictions subject to constraints imposed by the prediction model. Retrieval experiments for soil prognostic variables are performed and the results verified against model simulated data as well as real observations for the Oklahoma Atmospheric Surface layer Instrumentation System (OASIS). The optimization scheme is robust with respect to a wide range of initial guess errors in surface soil temperature (as large as 30 K) and deep soil moisture (within the range between wilting point and saturation). When assimilating OASIS data, the scheme can reduce the initial guess error by more than 90%, while for Observing Simulation System Experiments (OSSEs), the initial guess error is usually reduced by over four orders of magnitude. Using synthetic data, the robustness of the retrieval scheme as related to information content of the data and the physical meaning of the adjoint variables and their use in sensitivity studies are investigated. Through sensitivity analysis, it is confirmed that the vegetation coverage and growth condition determine whether or not the optimally estimated initial soil moisture condition leads to an optimal estimation of the surface fluxes. This reconciles two recent studies. With the real data experiments, it is shown that observations during the daytime period are the most effective for the retrieval. Longer assimilation windows result in more accurate initial condition retrieval, underlining the importance of information quantity, especially for schemes assimilating noisy observations.