Upper-ocean hydrodynamics along meridional sections in the southwest Indian sector of the Southern Ocean during austral summer 2007

This paper addresses analysis of surface meteorological and hydrographic data collected along the transects Durban–India Bay, Antarctica (Track-1) and Prydz Bay–Mauritius (Track-2) during February–March 2007 as part of the International Polar Year project (IPY#70). Strong winds (>12 m s⁻¹) resulted in enhanced turbulent heat loss north of 45°S. Whereas a highly stable marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) and strong winds facilitated the release of latent heat of condensation along Track-1, a highly unstable MABL and strong winds resulted in large turbulent heat loss from the sea surface along Track-2, in the 40–45°S belt. The northern and southern branches of Subantarctic Front on both tracks coalesce, while the Agulhas Retroflection Front (AF) and South Subtropical Front (SSTF) merge between 43° and 44°S on Track-2. The southern branch of the Polar Front (PF2) meanders 550 km southward towards the east. The Subtropical Surface Water, Central Water, and Mode Water are located north of 43.5°S, while the Subantarctic Surface Water, Antarctic Surface Water, Antarctic Intermediate Water, and Circumpolar Deep Water are encountered in the region of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Baroclinic transport relative to 1000 db reveals that the ACC is enhanced by 10 × 10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ eastward, and a four-fold increase in transport occurs south of the ACC. Nearly 50% of the ACC transport occurs in the 100–500 m slab. We discuss the effects of the feedback of AC and hydrological fronts on the MABL.     

南大洋及相邻温带海域夏季小型浮游动物的摄食作用

小型浮游动物在海洋食物网中扮演着重要的角色。2012年12月—2013年3月,利用稀释培养方法开展了南大洋及温带海域小型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食实验研究。结果表明,浮游植物的生长率为0.04—0.89 d~(–1),小型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食率为0.07—1.29 d~(–1)。浮游动物日摄食量占浮游植物现存量的6.4%—72.5%,对浮游植物初级生产力的摄食压力也较大,为14%—776.9%。尽管本实验中浮游动物的摄食率可能被高估,但在南大洋及温带海域生态系统中,小型浮游动物对浮游植物仍具有重要的调控作用。     

南极海洋保护区建设及法律政治争论

《南极海洋生物资源养护公约》框架下的海洋保护区建设备受国际社会关注。2009年,南极海洋生物资源养护委员会建立了第一个海洋保护区,但2012年以来,罗斯海海洋保护区提案以及东南极海洋保护区代表体系提案却一直没有进展,其中涉及了南极条约体系解读与海洋保护区定义等法律争论、保护区建设与地缘政治控制以及排斥其他国家渔业活动等政治争论。研究表明,虽然委员会有权建立海洋保护区,以实现养护南极生物资源的目标,但两个提案一定程度上超越了委员会的职责范围;且这两个提案一定程度上都与提案国的南极领土主权以及渔业活动相关联,无法排除其他国家的政治关切;提案每年变化,也体现了政治妥协。因此,为真正实现按公约养护南极生物资源的目标,应切实解决相关的法律与政治关切,提高程序的透明度,扩大参与度,并认真实施对已建立的海洋保护区的研究与监测。     

藏北青南高原地表风蚀粗化特征

藏北青南高原长期受风蚀影响,地表粗化现象明显。本研究系统采集该区东西向调查样带内表层（0~1 cm）与浅层（1~10 cm）土壤样品,通过粒度测定、构建能够表征土壤风蚀粗化程度的风蚀粗化指数（WECI）,分析该区地表风蚀粗化特征。结果表明：藏北青南高原土壤中砾石、极粗砂、粗砂等粗颗粒组分在表层土壤中含量较浅层土壤有所增加,自西向东逐渐减少;黏土与粉砂等细颗粒组分相反,表层较浅层土壤中含量明显下降,自西向东逐渐增加。从样带东部的高寒草甸区到中部高寒草原区和西部高寒草原与荒漠草原过渡区,表层土壤环境敏感组分逐渐变粗,各区域平均风蚀粗化指数依次为1.05、1.47和1.77,地表风蚀粗化趋于加剧。现有文献常用的土壤粒度分形维数与土壤质地粗化度是刻画土壤质地粗细程度的静态指标,无法衡量风蚀导致的地表颗粒组成变化,本文构建的风蚀粗化指数克服了上述不足,且具有风蚀动力学依据。     

Depositional processes and particle characteristics on fans in the Southern Alps, New Zealand

Characteristics of surface particles on four fans dominated by different depositional processes are investigated in the sedimentary ranges of the Aoraki–Mount Cook area, Southern Alps, New Zealand. Statistical testing shows that on three of the fans all indices of particle size and roundness differ significantly according to the depositional process: snow avalanches produce the largest and most angular particles, streamflows the smallest and most rounded, with debris flows in between. On the fourth fan affected by all of these depositional processes, particle size and roundness indicate that snow avalanches are presently dominant with streamflow playing a secondary role. The results also show that all indices of particle size are strongly correlated with each other and suggest that the principal (a-) or intermediate (b-) axis length may provide a satisfactory substitute for more complex indices of size. Indices of particle shape generally do not differ significantly between the fans, reflecting both the strong control exerted on particle shape by source area lithology and structure and the geologic similarity of the four basins. Changes in particle size and roundness occur with down-fan distance on the snow avalanche, debris flow, and hybrid fans but not on the streamflow fan.     

Internal Structure and Permafrost Characteristics of the Rock Glaciers of Southern Carpathians (Romania) Assessed by Geoelectrical Soundings and Thermal Monitoring

Six rock glaciers in the Southern Carpathians have been investigated by means of geoelectrical soundings in order to detect their internal stratigraphy and the existence of frozen sediments. In the case of three relict rock glaciers, the electrical resistivity measurements indicated a typical internal structure. Low resistivity values (<10 kΩm) which are typical of unfrozen fine‐grained materials were obtained, but high resistivity values (25–240 kΩm) measured in the Pietroasa, Ie?u and Pietrele rock glaciers denote the presence of sediments cemented by interstitial ice and ice lenses. Based on the moderate resistivity values, the ice content is probably low to medium in the upper portion of these rock glaciers, that is, above 2040 m. At two sites (Pietroasa and V?iuga rock glaciers), ground surface temperature (GST) evolution was monitored using digital dataloggers. Mean annual ground surface temperature and GST regime throughout the winter were extracted from the recordings and confirmed the probability of permafrost occurrence in Pietroasa rock glacier. In the Ie?u and Pietrele rock glaciers, measurements of bottom temperatures of the winter snow cover were performed in March 2012. Considering the thick active layer, the reduced ice content and the presence of scarce vegetation on their surface it could be assumed that the permafrost exists in marginal conditions in the Southern Carpathians. The ground ice in permafrost is produced by the groundwater freezing or by snow banks buried by coarse angular boulders following large rockfalls.     

基于个体生命历程视角的苏南城镇化路径转变与市民化进程

本文通过对个体生命历程的考察,从微观视角探讨苏南20世纪80年代以来的城镇化路径转变以及转型中的农民市民化进程。地方政府在中国行政和经济分权、土地、住房等一系列改革中不断追求地方利益最大化,从而促使苏南从早期的以乡村工业化为动力、以小城镇为载体的“自下而上”式城镇化,转向由开发区建设和土地财政所推动的快速城镇化。城镇化路径转变也影响了苏南农民的生命历程,文中个案就经历了从乡镇企业家、私营企业主到失地农民的身份变迁。在苏南农民的市民化进程中,个体经历了不同“行动地位”的转变：乡镇企业时期,农民参与乡村工业,主动进行就业的非农化;但到了征地拆迁时期,农民在政府推动下,通过户籍改革和安置上楼进行了身份的城镇化,这个阶段的市民化,更多源于政府的主动推动,农民带有“被动接受”的成分。另外,早期的就业非农化成为后期村民顺利实现身份城镇化的基础,解决了村民失去土地、安置“上楼”后的经济来源问题,这对当前新型城镇化所倡导的“人的城镇化”具有一定启示。     

Sinuosity of tropical cyclone tracks in the South West Indian Ocean: Spatio-temporal patterns and relationships with fundamental storm attributes

The shapes of 268 tropical cyclone tracks in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) basin are investigated over the period 1977 to 2011 using an established metric for track sinuosity. Original cyclone position data from the RSMC La Réunion area of responsibility were accessed from the IBTrACS archive maintained by NOAA. Cyclone track sinuosity was measured within a GIS environment and the filtered results were normalised with a cube-root transformation function to reduce positive skew in the output sinuosity distribution. Several key findings from spatial and temporal analysis of sinuosity results may be highlighted. To assess geographical patterns, mapping tracks within designated quartile categories (straight, quasi-straight, curving and sinuous tracks) indicates which land areas in the SWIO are more likely to be affected by cyclones following sinuous tracks that are more difficult to forecast, in particular Madagascar and the islands of Réunion and Mauritius. Over the past three decades, the temporal sinuosity pattern shows a high degree of variability that will probably continue into the future. Yet crucially, a number of conspicuous episodes of relatively magnified or subdued sinuosity are recognised compared to long-term averages. This may present opportunities for identifying major climatic controls on regional anomalous cyclone migration behaviour. Within the average yearly cyclone season, the early months (September–December) have a tendency to produce more predictable straighter-moving cyclones, whereas January stands out as the singular month marking an abrupt swing towards a greater proportion (64%) of curving and sinuously-moving storms. This finding is of importance for vulnerability assessment, because a strong positive correlation is also identified between track sinuosity and cyclone longevity, such that storms steering less predictable sinuous courses are also those that tend to survive for longer durations.