Definition of the core zone of the “westerlies-dominated climatic regime”, and its controlling factors during the instrumental period

The term "westerlies-dominated climatic regime" describes the pattern of precipitation/moisture variations between westerliesdominated arid Central Asia(ACA) and mid-latitude monsoon-dominated Asia on decadal to multi-millennial time scales. However, no attempts have been made to define its core region and the possible physical mechanisms responsible during the period of instrumental observations. The present study investigates the spatiotemporal variations of summer and winter precipitation on interannual to decadal time scales over mid-latitudes of the Eurasian continent using Empirical Orthogonal Function(EOF) analysis. Our results suggest the existence of an opposing pattern of summer precipitation variations between ACA and mid-latitude monsoon-dominated Asia and Mediterranean on decadal time scales. Based on these results, the core region influenced by the westerlies is outlined, including arid central Asia and Xinjiang in China(36°–54°N, 50°–90°E). By using monthly NCEP-NCAR reanalysis, the relationship between the "westerlies-dominated climatic regime" and atmospheric circulation were also analyzed. The combination of the zonal climatic teleconnection pattern and anomalous Indian Summer Monsoon Precipitation(ISMP) causes the precipitation characteristics of the "westerlies-dominated climatic regime" precipitation pattern. In addition, the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation(AMO) may also have an important effect on the "westerlies-dominated climatic regime".     

Seismic Hazard Assessment in the Boundary Region of Indo-China:First Phase of Implementation of the Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP) in Continental Asia

The primary goal of the demonstration project endorsed by the Scientific and Technical Committee for IDNDR in 1992 is to ensure that national agencies are able to assess seismic hazard in a regionally coordinated fashion by using advanced methods.China,as a Regional Center of Central Southern Asia,has contacted with countries of the region to realistically practice seismic hazard assessments of Continental Asia.A test area located in the collision boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates was chosen to examine the seismic hazard assessment approach in the regional coordinates.The seismotectonics and three versions of seismic sources of the test area are described in this paper and under the Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program(GSHAP),guidelines an earthquake catalogue of the test area was assembled.Because of the incompleteness of earthquake data in different countries,we adopt different time windows for different magnitude intervals in order to obtain the seismicity parameters of sources.By u     

A projection of future changes in summer precipitation and monsoon in East Asia

The future potential changes in precipitation and monsoon circulation in the summer in East Asia are projected using the latest generation of coupled climate models under Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A1B scenario (a medium emission scenario).The multi-model ensemble means show that during the period of 2010-2099,the summer precipitation in East Asia will increase and experience a prominent change around the 2040s,with a small increase (～1%) before the end of the 2040s and a large increase (～9%) afterward.This kind of two-stage evolution characteristic of precipitation change can be seen most clearly in North China,and then in South China and in the mid and lower Yangtze River Valley.In 2010-2099,the projected precipitation pattern will be dominated by a pattern of "wet East China" that explains 33.6% of EOF total variance.The corresponded time coefficient will markedly increase after the 2040s,indicating a great contribution from this mode to the enhanced precipitation across all East China.Other precipitation patterns that prevail in the current climate only contribute a small proportion to the total variance,with no prominent liner trend in the future.By the late 21st century,the monsoon circulation will be stronger in East Asia.At low level,this is due to the intensification of southwesterly airflow north of the anticyclone over the western Pacific and the SCS,and at high level,it is caused by the increased northeasterly airflow east of the anticyclone over South Asia.The enhanced monsoon circulation will also experience a two-stage evolution in 2010-2099,with a prominent increase (by ～0.6 m s-1) after the 2040s.The atmospheric water vapor content over East Asia will greatly increase (by ～9%) at the end of 21st century.The water vapor transported northward into East China will be intensified and display a prominent increase around the 2040s similar to other examined variables.These indicate that the enhanced precipitation over East Asia is caused by the increases in both monsoon circulation and water vapor,which is greatly different from South Asia.Both the dynamical and thermal dynamic variables will evolve consistently in response to the global warming in East Asia,i.e.,the intensified southwesterly monsoon airflow corresponding to the increased water vapor and southwesterly moisture transport.     

Reconstructing early Eocene(～55 Ma) paleogeographic boundary conditions for use in paleoclimate modelling

The early Eocene is a period with very high atmospheric CO_2 levels, which receives many interests from climate modelling aspects. To simulate the early Eocene paleoclimate, a realistic reconstruction for land-sea distribution, paleotopography and paleobathymetry is the fundamental step. Here, we present global paleogeographic reconstructions for the early Eocene(～55 Ma), based on integrated paleogeographic data set, the plate-tectonic reconstruction software(GPlates) and geographic information system software(ArcGIS). Comparing with previous paleogeographic reconstructions, we improve the reconstructions by incorporating many recent geologic data and data set, including:(1) Better representations of the Tethys Sea,some marginal or inland seas in the East and Southeast Asia, Atlantic and Arctic region, and the Drake Passage and Tasmanian Gateway;(2) integrated paleoelevation data of global high plateaus and mountains, especially the paleotopography of East Asia,and adopting the latest paleotopographic reconstruction data of the Antarctica; and(3) using the latest data set of oceanic crust paleo-age and oceanic sediment thickness to reconstruct the paleobathymetry.     

Zonal propagation of kinetic energy and convection in the South China Sea and Indian monsoon regions in boreal summer

As early as in the 1980s, Chinese scientists hadfirst proposed that there exits two summer monsoonsystems in Asia, namely the East Asian summer mon-soon (EASM) and the Indian summer monsoon(ISM)[1-4]. The two monsoon systems are quite dif-ferent in characteristics. Since then, such issue andconclusion had been documented and approved by alot of studies in the past two decades, and was appliedin the guideline of the South China Sea summer mon-soon experiment (SCSMEX), which was undertak…     

Development trends of the national secure PNT system based on BDS

Satellite navigation systems are vulnerable.To guarantee the positioning,navigation and timing(PNT)safety of core infrastructure,it is necessary to establish a secure PNT system with hybrid physical principles.In this paper,the augmentations of the BeiDou satellite system(BDS)itself are analysed,namely augmentations through the BDS inter-satellite link,BDS geostationary orbit(GEO)and inclined geostationary orbit(IGSO)satellites,and BDS PNT services supported by low earth orbit(LEO)satellites.The...     

Features and trends of the environmental change in the arid areas in Central Asia

RS-monitoring index systems of ecological environment changes at a large scale, based on empirical data and trends in environmental change in Central Asia, are developed using NOAA and MODIS data. Moreover, with the help of mathematical statistics and GIS spatial analysis, the degrees, hazards and distribution extent of various possible ecological problems are discussed, environmental changes in Central Asia in 1990 and 2005 are separately evaluated, and dynamic changes in the environment in Central Asia over a 15-year period are analyzed. The results reveal that during the 15-year period from 1990 to 2005, areas of degenerated vegetation in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kirghizstan and Tadzhikistan were enlarged by 0.069×105 km2, 0.081×105 km2, 0.296×105 km2, 0.022×105 km2 and 0.112×105 km2, respectively. The ecological environment in Central Asia was in the state of significant degeneration and even deterioration. This study proves that NOAA and MODIS data can be used to successfully monitor the environment and provide useful results.     

Impact of El Nio on atmospheric circulations over East Asia and rainfall in China: Role of the anomalous western North Pacific anticyclone

This paper presents a review on the impact of El Nio on the interannual variability of atmospheric circulations over East Asia and rainfall in China through the anomalous anticyclone over western North Pacific(WNPAC). It explains the formation mechanisms of the WNPAC and physical processes by which the WNPAC affects the rainfall in China. During the mature phase of El Nio, the convective cooling anomalies over western tropical Pacific caused by the weakened convections trigger up an atmospheric Rossby wave response, resulting in the generation of the WNPAC. The WNPAC can persist from the winter when the El Nio is in its peak to subsequent summer, which is maintained by multiple factors including the sustained presence of convective cooling anomalies and the local air-sea interaction over western tropical Pacific, and the persistence of sea surface temperature anomalies(SSTA) in tropical Indian and tropical North Atlantic. The WNPAC can influence the atmospheric circulations over East Asia and rainfall in China not only simultaneously, but also in the subsequent summer after an El Nio year, leading to more rainfall over southern China. The current paper also points out that significant anomalies of atmospheric circulations over East Asia and rainfall over southern China occur in El Nio winter but not in La Nio winter, suggesting that El Nio and La Nio have an asymmetric effect. Other issues, including the impact of El Nio diversity and its impact as well as the relations of the factors affecting the persistence of the WNPAC with summer rainfall anomalies in China, are also discussed. At the end of this paper some issues calling for further investigation are discussed.     

The Yanshan orogeny and late Mesozoic multi-plate convergence in East Asia—Commemorating 90th years of the “Yanshan Orogeny”

The Yanshan movement/orogeny has been proposed for 90 years, which is of special significance in the history of geological research in China. This study conducted a review by synthesizing major achievements regarding episodic deformation features, sedimentary and magmatic records of the Yanshan orogeny in China, and clarified the episodic tectono-magmatism and its geodynamic origins. The tectonic implications of the Yanshan orogeny are discussed in the context of global plate tectonics and supercontinent reconstruction. Lines of evidence from structural, sedimentary and magmatic data suggest that the Yanshan orogeny represents a regional-scale tectonic event that affected the entire China continent in late Mesozoic period. Numerous age and structural constraints consistently indicate that the Yanshan orogeny was initiated in the Jurassic(at ～170±5 Ma). and was characterized by alternating stages of crustal shortening at ～170–136 Ma, crustal extension at ～135–90 Ma, and weak shortening at ～80 Ma. The 170–136 Ma crustal shortening was reflected in the generation of two regional stratigraphic unconformities(the Tiaojishan and Zhangjiakou unconformities), which were initially named the A and B episodes of "the Yanshan Orogeny" by Mr.Wong Wenhao in 1928. Geodynamically, the Yanshan orogeny in East Asia was associated with nearly coeval oceanic subduction and continental convergence in the Paleo-Pacific, Neo-Tethys, and Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic domains. As a consequence, three giant accretionary-collisional tectonic systems were formed along the continental margins of East Asia, i.e., the Mongol-Okhotsk, Bangonghu-Nujiang, and SE China subduction-and collision-related accretionary systems. The Yanshan orogeny induced widespread crustal-scale folding and thrusting, tectonic reactivation of long-lived zones of crustal weakness,and extensive magmatism and mineralization in intraplate regions. Based on the time principle of supercontinent assembly and break-up, we propose that the mid-Late Jurassic multi-plate convergence in East Asia might represent the initiation of the assembly of the Amasia supercontinent, and the Yanshan orogeny might be the first "stirrings" that is a prerequisite for the birth of the Amasia supercontinent.     

The 23rd General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), Sapporo, June 30~July 11

The 23rd General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) was held in Sapporo from June 30 to July 11, 2003. Titled by The State of the Planet, the General Assembly is highlighted by the multi-disciplinary study on Earth system processes and the application of new technologies to geodesy and geophysics. International Association of Geodesy (IAG), International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA), International Association of Hydrological Sc…     

由APRGP97～APRGP99的GPS联测资料确定的亚太地区地壳形变

使用伪无基准（pseudo nonfiducial）算法、利用GIPSY软件，归算了APRGP97、APRGP98 和APRGP99的GPS资料．对大多数站所得解的站座标的精度:南北分量是1～2mm，东西分量是2～5mm，垂直分量是5～10mm；并初步获得亚太地区84个站在ITRF97中的运动速度，其水平方向的精度约为1～4mm/a．基于ITRF97速度场建立一个新的现今全球板块运动模型ITRF97VEL，由此获得这些站相对于该模型的现今形变速度，并对这些站相对欧亚板块的运动情况作了初步分析．      

GPS监测的中国及其周边现时地壳形变

利用多个全国性的GPS监测网、中国地壳运动主要活动带的区域性GPS监测网以及亚太地区大地测量计划(APRGP)的GPS监测网自1991年以来近10年的GPS资料,通过旋转变换将不同方法得出的各个子网的速度解进行统一,给出一个自恰的、完整的ITR一7框架下的速度场综合解.为了研究中国现时地壳运动在欧亚板块内形变的特征,基于一个现时板块运动模型ITRF97VEL,给出了3类网共260多个站的形变速度场.结果表明中国地壳运动有明显的不均匀性,以南北地震带为界,西强东弱;中国西部受印度板块强烈的冲挤,地壳运动由南向北逐渐减慢,呈现南北向缩短,东西向伸展,有明显的块体特征;喜马拉雅和天山西部分别提供了约15mm/a和9-13mm/a的汇聚速率;拉萨块体有(20.2±1.2)mm/a的伸长;喀喇昆仑一嘉黎断裂的右旋走滑速率和阿尔金断裂的左旋走滑速率分别为2-3mm/a和4-6mm/a,穿过龙门山断裂带的缩短速率小于7mm/a,这些都支持地壳增厚学说;沿阿尔金断裂带到喜马拉雅存在一个NNE弥散带,它是形变速度有东和西分量的分界线,是一个有特殊意义的动力学带.中国东部以走滑为主,东北块体是中国最稳定的地区,华北块体具有较大走滑性,是东部较易变形区.     

亚太网三期GPS观测数据处理结果及地壳形变特征分析

本文对亚洲太平洋地区地球动力学计划(APRGP,简称亚太网)在1999-2001年采集的三期GPS观测数据,利用GAMIT/GLOBK软件进行了分析处理,得出各期的观测站在ITRF97框架下的三维直角坐标,并根据三期观测数据中的重复观测站进行了速度场计算和地壳形变特征分析。结果表明亚洲大陆板块具有明显的顺时针旋转运动特征;印度板块和澳大利亚板块从西南方向对亚洲大陆板块进行挤压;而西太平洋地区各观测站则向西北方向运动。这些特征与国内GPS区域网观测数据处理得出的结论是一致的,而本文则揭示了更大范围的亚洲太平洋地区地壳形变信息。     

关于全球板块运动模型ITRF2000VEL若干问题探讨

利用最新的国际地球自转服务（IERS）发布的国际地球参考架ITRF2000速度场，建立了一个独立于任何其它模型、安全基于现代空间大地测量实测结果的现今全球板块运动模型ITRF2000VEL，较百万年平均地质模型NNR－NUVELIA更能真正反映全球板块现今运动特征，相比ITRF96,晚接近于百万年地质模型NNR－NUVELIA，而且ITRF2000参考架在定向、原点和尺度的定义较ITRF96和ITRF97参考架有了改进，但ITRF200VEL模型存在诸多问题：总角动量|L|=0.127，即不为零，与协议参考架（CTRF）不符，存在整体旋转，并建立无旋转NNR－ITRF2000VEL模型，台站不均匀分布全球板块、部分板块界线不明确以及有的板块不满足刚性特征等，这些对ITRF2000的高精度应用和长期维持、地球自转参数的长期变化都将产生一定的影响。     

中国l地壳运动观测网络首期观测数据处理

介绍了中国地壳运动观测网络的布设、基准站和基本站首期观测情况。利用GAMIT和GLOBK软件对首期观测数据进行了处理，计算结果归算到ITRF97框架上。单天整体解结果表明：基线重复性NS向分量为2.28+0.87×10-9×S，EW向分量为3.67+0.82×10-9×S，高程分量为6.84+1.29×10-9×S(S为GPS站间距离，以mm为单位)。对基准网和基本网的整体平差结果表明：点位精度水平分量为2～3 mm，高程分量为3～5 mm，基准网和基本网首期观测达到了设计要求。     

NNR constraint in ITRF2000 and the new global plate motion model NNR-ITRF2000VEL

There are 54 sites employed by ITRF2000 for ITRF2000 orientation. The deficiencies are obvious. First, these sites cannot well represent the rotation rate of the earth crust because there is no selected site in five out of fourteen tectonic plates and three of fourteen plates only have one site each. Second, the total angular momentum of the crust is non-vanishing in ITRF2000, even though it is declared that No Net Rotation (NNR) with respect to NNR-NUVEL1A is imposed on ITRF2000 construction according to the documentations of ITRF2000. So the NNR condition in conventional terrestrial reference system (CTRS) realization cannot be satisfied in ITRF2000. In this paper, the criteria of site selection for estimating the Euler vectors are suggested; the Tisserand system constraint equation in ITRF construction is derived; and as a product, the global plate motions can be obtained from the ITRF2000 construction.     

NNR constraint in ITRF2000 and the new global plate motion model NNR-ITRF2000VEL

There are 54 sites employed by ITRF2000 for ITRF2000 orientation. The deficiencies are obvious. First, these sites cannot well represent the rotation rate of the earth crust because there is no selected site in five out of fourteen tectonic plates and three of fourteen plates only have one site each. Second, the total angular momentum of the crust is non-vanishing in ITRF2000, even though it is declared that No Net Rotation (NNR) with respect to NNR-NUVEL1A is imposed on ITRF2000 construction according to the documentations of ITRF2000. So the NNR condition in conventional terrestrial reference system (CTRS) realization cannot be satisfied in ITRF2000. In this paper, the criteria of site selection for estimating the Euler vectors are suggested; the Tisserand system constraint equation in ITRF construction is derived; and as a product, the global plate motions can be obtained from the ITRF2000 construction.     

利用中国地壳运动观测网络研究中国大陆相对于ITRF97板块模型形变

在建立全球ITRF97板块运动模型的基础上,利用"中国地壳运动观测网络"79个GPS基本站的数据,建立我国新的地壳运动方向图和块体运动模型.通过与NNR-NUVEL1A地质模型比较认为,ITRF97板块运动模型反映了现今十几年跨度的地壳运动,在研究我国现今几年到十几年时间跨度的地壳形变时,地壳运动背景场应采用基于ITRF97实测速度场建立欧亚板块运动模型.     

关于ITRF96参考架整体旋转性的探讨

利用国际地球自转服务IERS发布的国际地球参考架ITRF96的速度场 ,建立了一个基于现代空间大地测量实测结果的全球板块运动模型ITRF96VEL ,该模型与NNR -NUVEL1A模型有着较好的一致性 .利用该模型 ,本文对ITRF96参考架相对无整体旋转参考架是否存在一个整体旋转的问题进行了初步的探讨 ,结果表明ITRF96参考架相对无整体旋转参考架有一个整体旋转 ,旋转角速度为 0 1 61°/Ma ,旋转极指向南纬 50 5° ,东经 65 5°,这与要求ITRF96无整体旋转的定义不相符 ,这个整体旋转将会对国际地球参考架的高精度应用和长期维持 ,特别是对地球自转参数长期变化的研究产生一定的影响     

Geodetic constraints on active tectonics of the Western Mediterranean: Implications for the kinematics and dynamics of the Nubia-Eurasia plate boundary zone

We present GPS observations in Morocco and adjacent areas of Spain from 15 continuous (CGPS) and 31 survey-mode (SGPS) sites extending from the stable part of the Nubian plate to central Spain. We determine a robust velocity field for the W Mediterranean that we use to constrain models for the Iberia-Nubia plate boundary. South of the High Atlas Mountain system, GPS motions are consistent with Nubia plate motions from prior geodetic studies. We constrain shortening in the Atlas system to <1.5 mm/yr, 95% confidence level. North of the Atlas Mountains, the GPS velocities indicate Nubia motion with respect to Eurasia, but also a component of motion normal to the direction of Nubia-Eurasia motion, consisting of southward translation of the Rif Mountains in N Morocco at rates exceeding 5 mm/yr. This southward motion appears to be directly related to Miocene opening of the Alboran Sea. The Betic Mountain system north of the Alboran Sea is characterized by WNW motion with respect to Eurasia at ～1–2 mm/yr, paralleling Nubia-Eurasia relative motion. In addition, sites located in the Betics north of the southerly moving Rif Mountains also indicate a component of southerly motion with respect to Eurasia. We interpret this as indicating that deformation associated with Nubia-Eurasia plate motion extends into the southern Betics, but also that the Betic system may be affected by the same processes that are causing southward motion of the Rif Mountains south of the Alboran Sea. Kinematic modeling indicates that plate boundary geometries that include a boundary through the Straits of Gibraltar are most compatible with the component of motion in the direction of relative plate motion, but that two additional blocks (Alboran-Rif block, Betic Mountain block), independent of both Nubia and Eurasia are needed to account for the motions of the Rif and Betic Mountains normal to the direction of relative plate motion. We speculate that the southward motions of the Alboran-Rif and Betic blocks may be related to mantle flow, possibly induced by southward rollback of the subducted Nubian plate beneath the Alboran Sea and Rif Mountains.