Observations of Acoustic Aurora in the 1–16 Hz Range

Summary Acoustic aurora have been heard by long-term residents of the artic. They have also been recorded on microbarographs. Acoustic events associated with aurora are now reported in the near infrasonic range (1–16 Hz) at Barrow, Alaska. These observations were made with the aid of a resonant detector achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio similar to that used in extending the rocket-grenade technique to 109km. Over 100 impulsive events of a quasi-repetitive nature were recorded on a patrol basis during January 1970. Acoustic events were correlated with disturbed magnetic conditions and optical aurora but uncorrelated with lower-frequency auroral microbarograph events at College or Inuvik.
It is hoped that these initial observations will persuade interested parties to a more complete study of this phenomena and encourage an explanation of the generation mechanism for auroral infrasonic waves.     

基于北极黄河站观测的日侧极光研究新进展

回顾了基于中国黄河站全天空极光观测对日侧弥散极光与喉区极光研究的最新进展。首先,利用黄河站极光观测,对日侧弥散极光展开系统性分类与统计研究,对这一重要空间物理现象取得新认识,指出日侧弥散极光对研究日侧外磁层冷等离子体的分布、形成及磁鞘粒子进入磁层都具有重要启示作用;同时发现并定义了一种新型分立极光结构——喉区极光,并推断其可能对应磁层顶的局地变形。喉区极光是指发生在电离层对流喉区附近、从极光卵赤道侧向低纬方向延伸出来的分立极光结构。全天空极光观测表明喉区极光走向大致与电离层对流方向一致。之后,观测验证了喉区极光对应磁层顶局地内陷式变形的推测;统计发现喉区极光是一种非常高发的现象,对应的磁层顶变形尺度可达2—3 Re,并指出这种变形最可能由磁鞘高速流冲击磁层顶产生;发现在喉区极光产生过程中还可能触发磁重联;证实伴随喉区极光的产生,磁鞘粒子会进入磁层并诱发产生一种新型弥散极光。通过喉区极光研究,可以将已有的磁鞘瞬态过程研究和触发式磁重联研究有机地结合在一起,对太阳风-磁层耦合过程形成一种新的认识,即:在磁鞘中局地产生(而不是存在于太阳风中)的瞬态过程可以在日下点附近频繁地导致磁层顶局地变形、触发重联、引发系列地球空间效应,可能对太阳风-磁层耦合具有不可忽略的重要性。以此为基础,讨论了日侧极光研究引出的新课题。     

Sedimentary DNA versus morphology in the analysis of diatom-environment relationships

The Arctic treeline ecotone is characterised by a steep vegetation gradient from arctic tundra to northern taiga forests, which is thought to influence the water chemistry of thermokarst lakes in this region. Environmentally sensitive diatoms respond to such ecological changes in terms of variation in diatom diversity and richness, which so far has only been documented by microscopic surveys. We applied next-generation sequencing to analyse the diatom composition of lake sediment DNA extracted from 32 lakes across the treeline in the Khatanga region, Siberia, using a short fragment of the rbcL chloroplast gene as a genetic barcode. We compared diatom richness and diversity obtained from the genetic approach with diatom counts from traditional microscopic analysis. Both datasets were employed to investigate diversity and relationships with environmental variables, using ordination methods. After effective filtering of the raw data, the two methods gave similar results for diatom richness and composition at the genus level (DNA 12 taxa; morphology 19 taxa), even though there was a much higher absolute number of sequences obtained per genetic sample (median 50,278), compared with microscopic counts (median 426). Dissolved organic carbon explained the highest percentage of variance in both datasets (14.2 % DNA; 18.7 % morphology), reflecting the compositional turnover of diatom assemblages along the tundra-taiga transition. Differences between the two approaches are mostly a consequence of the filtering process of genetic data and limitations of genetic references in the database, which restricted the determination of genetically identified sequence types to the genus level. The morphological approach, however, allowed identifications mostly to species level, which permits better ecological interpretation of the diatom data. Nevertheless, because of a rapidly increasing reference database, the genetic approach with sediment DNA will, in the future, enable reliable investigations of diatom composition from lake sediments that will have potential applications in both paleoecology and environmental monitoring.     

Modeling the morphology of gully cross sections in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley

Abstract

Characterizing gully cross sections (GCs) is essential for calculating the volume and erosion rate of the gully. However, little research has focused on modeling the morphology of GCs. This study investigated 456 GCs with a laser distance meter located at the mouth, middle, and head of 152 gullies in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley of China; mapped them with AutoCAD software; fitted them with 2nd–6th degree polynomial functions, and discussed the correlation between the coefficients and the morphology of GCs. The results showed that: (1) using a 2nd-degree polynomial function (y = ax² + bx + c) to describe the morphology of GCs produced a better result than other polynomial functions; (2) the coefficient a of 2nd-degree polynomial function was correlated with depth (r = ?0.226, p < 0.01), gradient (r = 0.545, p < 0.01), and activities; and (3) the symmetry axis (?b/2a) of 2nd-degree polynomial function increased with gully change from left-deflection to right-skewed, and the absolute value showed the asymmetrical degree (r = 0.216, p < 0.01). This study will not only help to understand the morphology and evolution of gullies, but will also provide a scientific basis for prevention of gully erosion.     

Evolution of the oxbow morphology of the Caloosahatchee River in South Florida

The Caloosahatchee River, located in Southern Florida, was originally a meandering and relatively shallow river. During the 1920s, the Caloosahatchee River was channelized and became the C-43 canal. The channelization has significantly impacted the river ecosystem, particularly the oxbows. The oxbows are the U-shaped water bodies on each side of the river channel, which are the remnant bends of the original river. To understand how anthropogenic influence affects hydrologic systems, the study was designed to assess the geomorphic changes of 37 oxbows of the Caloosahatchee River, Florida. The study presented trends in the evolution of oxbow morphology by comparing the data collected in 2011 with a cross-sectional survey collected by the South Florida Water Management District in 1978. In both 1978 and 2011, oxbows in Lee County were significantly larger, wider and deeper than in Hendry County. Exterior limb cross-sections were significantly larger, wider and deeper than interior cross-sections in both 1978 and 2011. Finally, an attempt to determine trends in the evolution of the morphology of the oxbows demonstrated that the overall maximum depth is significantly decreasing in the interior of the oxbow and that the mean depth is significantly increasing in the exterior cross-sections. This analysis also showed that the width is significantly increasing throughout the oxbow. Factors responsible for such differences may include natural geomorphic processes, pattern changes due to channelization, land use and anthropogenic activities.     

Fluvial process and morphology of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India

The Brahmaputra River finds its origin in the Chema Yundung glacier of Tibet and flows through India and Bangladesh. The slope of the river decreases suddenly in front of the Himalayas and results in the deposition of sediment and a braided channel pattern. It flows through Assam, India, along a valley comprising its own Recent alluvium. In Assam the basin receives 300 cm mean annual rainfall, 66–85% of which occurs in the monsoon period from June through September. Mean annual discharge at Pandu for 1955–1990 is 16,682.24 m³ s^{− 1}. Average monthly discharge is highest in July (19%) and lowest in February (2%). Most hydrographs exhibit multiple flood peaks occurring at different times from June to September. The mean annual suspended sediment load is 402 million tons and average monthly sediment discharge is highest in June (19.05%) and lowest in January (1.02%). The bed load at Pandu was found to be 5–15% of the total load of the river. Three kinds of major geomorphic units are found in the basin. The river bed of the Brahmaputra shows four topographic levels, with increasing height and vegetation. The single first order primary channels of this braided river split into two or more smaller second order channels separated by bars and islands. The second order channels are of three kinds. The maximum length and width of the bars in the area under study are 18.43 km and 6.17 km, respectively. The Brahmaputra channel is characterised by mid-channel bars, side bars, tributary mouth bars and unit bars. The geometry of meandering tributary rivers shows that the relationship between meander wavelength and bend radius is most linear. The Brahmaputra had been undergoing overall aggradation by about 16 cm during 1971 to 1979. The channel of the Brahmaputra River has been migrating because of channel widening and avulsion. The meandering tributaries change because of neck cut-off and progressive shifting at the meander bends. The braiding index of the Brahmaputra has been increasing from 6.11 in 1912–1928 to 8.33 in 1996. During the twentieth century, the total amount of bank area lost from erosion was 868 km². Maximum rate of shift of the north bank to south resulting in erosion was 227.5 m/year and maximum rate of shift of the south bank to north resulting in accretion was 331.56 m/year. Shear failure of upper bank and liquefaction of clayey-silt materials are two main causes of bank erosion.     

Research of the morphology of Zhejiang coastal port cities

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New typologies for estuarine morphology

New theories to explain how tides and river flow determine estuarine bathymetries have been developed. The range of validity of these theories has been subsequently assessed against a recently available observational data set.Success in reproducing the evolution of estuarine bathymetries that has occurred over the last 10 000 years provides the basis for the translation, here, of these theories into new typologies. These then provide reference frameworks to enhance our perspective on existing morphologies and identify ‘anomalous’ estuaries. Further refinement of these new theories requires analyses of causal factors responsible for such anomalies drawing on classical morphological experience. These frameworks can also be used for calculating likely future bathymetric adjustments for prescribed changes in mean sea level, tidal amplitudes, river flow and sediment supply.     

珠江三角洲城市空间形态及其演化机制对比

改革开放以来,珠江三角洲地区的经济增长和城市空间形态的演变引人注目。利用RS与GIS技术方法,并结合经济、政治、规划等因素,对比回顾了改革开放30年来珠江三角洲六大城市——广州、深圳、佛山、东莞、中山和珠海城市形态的时空演化。研究发现,1979-2008年间,各主要城市在各自的地理条件和制度实践的基础上,演变出不同的空间形态。广州、深圳和珠海是自上而下的发展管治模式,其城市用地随着产业发展和优化而扩张并调整,但不同的城市发展政策造成了各异的空间形态;佛山、东莞和中山是自下而上的发展管治模式,空间形态总体上较为分散破碎,并在不同地理区位呈现不同程度的空间联系。     

黄河中游流域地貌形态对流域产沙量的影响

在黄河中游地区 ,选择了 5 0多个面积约 5 0 0～ 2 5 0 0平方公里的水文测站流域 ,分别代表 6种不同自然地理类型 ,在流域沟壑密度、沟间地坡度小于 15°面积百分比等地貌形态指标量计的基础上 ,进行了流域产沙量与地貌形态指标相关分析。结果表明 ,对于不同类型流域 ,流域产沙量随流域地貌的变化遵循不同的响应规律 ,而且视流域其它下垫面环境条件的均一程度 ,其相关程度和响应速率各不相同。受地面物质、植被、地貌发育阶段等流域其它下垫面环境条件的制约 ,除沟壑密度外 ,流域产沙量与流域地貌形态的关系都没有人们以前所预期的好。     

Scaling in river corridor widths depicts organization in valley morphology

Landscapes have been shown to exhibit numerous scaling laws from Horton's laws to more sophisticated scaling in topography heights, river network topology and power laws in several geomorphic attributes. In this paper, we propose a different way of examining landscape organization by introducing the “river corridor width” (lateral distance from the centerline of the river to the left and right valley walls at a fixed height above the water surface) as one moves downstream. We establish that the river corridor width series, extracted from 1 m LIDAR topography of a mountainous river, exhibit a rich multiscale statistical structure (anomalous scaling) which varies distinctly across physical boundaries, e.g., bedrock versus alluvial valleys. We postulate that such an analysis, in conjunction with field observations and physical modeling, has the potential to quantitatively relate mechanistic laws of valley formation to the statistical signature that underlying processes leave on the landscape. Such relations can be useful in guiding field work (by identifying physically distinct regimes from statistically distinct regimes) and advancing process understanding and hypothesis testing.     

Functional morphology and evolution of stem succulence in cacti

We explored, using a mathematical model, the changes in areole arrangement that have occurred during the evolution of stem succulence in different cactus life-forms. The study was based on field data. The model used two parameters: (a) areole density in the stem and (b) the divergence angle between successive areoles. The stem morphology in different cactus subfamilies is correlated to changes in one or both parameters. Gradual changes in stem compaction and in the divergence angle can explain the apparently complex evolutionary transition from primitive woody and leafy plants to the more evolved, stem-succulent morphologies of cacti.     

Relationship between energy dissipation rate and channel morphology in the development of the model braided channel

1 IntroductionA certain pattern of channel is the product of its self-adjustment under given boundary, discharge and sediment conditions[1]. A lot of experiments have been performed in flumes, usually with an initially-regulated straight channel being constructed in the flume, to determine the impact of these conditions on channel morphologies and patterns[2-6]. Schumm's experiments[3] demonstrated that when the bed-load channels transport only sand at constant discharge, channels develop from…     

Relationship between energy dissipation rate and channel morphology in the development of the model braided channel

A certain pattern of channel is the product of its self-adjustment under given boundary, discharge and sediment conditions. Based upon the principle of process-response model, an experimental study with 18 runs is carried out in LESRC. This paper is focused on the variation of the energy dissipation versus the channel morphology during and after the bedmaking process of braided channel. The results show that there exists a good empirical relationship between the energy dissipation rate and channel morphology. According to this relationship and the theory of minimum rate of energy dissipation, the authors explain the metamorphosis of the model channel with the development of the braided river.     

日侧极光卵的可见光多波段观测特征——中国北极黄河站首次极光观测初步分析

中国在斯瓦尔巴特(Svalbard)群岛新奥尔松(Ny-Alesund)地区建立了一个永久性科学考察站--北极黄河站。北极黄河站(78．92°N,11．93 °E)的修正磁纬为76．24°。2003年11月黄河站建立了一套多波段(427．8nm,557．7nm,630．0nm)单色极光全天空CCD成像观测系统,并于2003年12月11日-2004年2月25日极夜期开展了首次极光越冬观测,获得了1200多小时的连续观测数据。利用这1200多小时观测数据制作了以时间为横轴的南北向极光活动图,对日侧极光卵的极光活动特征进行了研究。初步分析发现,沿日侧极光卵不论磁静日还是磁扰日,在三个波段上都同时观测到了四个重复出现的极光活动区,即0900MLT(磁地方时)附近的 A区、1330MLT的B区和1630MLT的C区以及1200MLT附近的G区。A区内的极光活动由低纬向高纬运动,强度逐渐变弱,形态由较宽的弧状极光向冕状极光演变;B区内的极光活动由高纬向低纬方向运动,形态呈现为冕状极光向较窄的极光弧的演变,极光强度逐渐增强;C区极光活动向高纬方向展宽,强度逐渐变弱,极光由单弧向多重弧演化;而在A与B之间存在一个纬度范围相对较窄的极光活动区G区,该区的极光呈现暗弱的冕状极光。日侧极光活动随时间从午前、正午到午后呈现出一个系统的光谱变化:绿色-红色-绿色。A区的位置出现在卫星探测的午前极光峰之中;而正午附近极光强度暗弱的G区,可部分地解释卫星观测的所谓“正午极光空白区”;卫星观测到的1500MLT附近的“极光热点”区在地面观测中可以区分为以红色极光为主的B区和以绿色极光为主的C区。