Lagrangian approach to geostrophic adjustment of frontal anomalies in a stratified fluid

Geostrophic adjustment of frontal anomalies in a rotating continuously stratified fluid is studied in the standard framework of strictly rectilinear fronts and jets. Lagrangian approach to this problem is developed allowing to analyze, in a conceptually and technically simple way, both major problems of the nonlinear adjustment: the existence of a smooth adjusted state for a given set of initial conditions and the attainability of the adjusted state during the adjustment process. Dynamical splitting into balanced (adjusted state) and unbalanced (inertia-gravity waves) motions becomes transparent in the Lagrangian approach. Conditions of existence of the balanced state in the unbounded domain are established. It is shown that nonexistence of a smooth adjusted state in the vertically bounded domains is generic and a parallel with the classical scenario of deformation frontogenesis is developed. Small perturbations around smooth adjusted states are then studied with special emphasis on the wave-trapping inside the jet/front. Trapped modes with horizontal scales comparable to the width of the jet are explicitly constructed for a barotropic jet and their evolution is studied with the help of the WKB-approximation for weakly baroclinic jets. Modifications of the standard scenario of adjustment due to subinertial (quasi-) trapped modes and implications for data analysis are discussed.     

Three-dimensional analysis of gravity anomalies of sedimentary basins by polygonal prismatic model with a quadratic density function

The decrease of density contrast in sedimentary strata may be approximated by a quadratic function. A sedimentary basin may be considered as a number of horizontal polygonal prisms of finite thickness placed one over the other. Equations for the gravity anomaly of ann-sided polygon prism have been derived using a quadratic density function. A method has been developed for inversion of the gravity anomalies using a polygonal prismatic model. An analytical method has been employed for evaluating the necessary derivatives as the computing time by this method is much slower than by a numerical method. Approximate equations have been derived for rapid calculation of the anomalies and derivatives. Efficient computer programs have been developed for calculation of the anomalies and derivatives by an appropriate use of the exact and approximate equations. The depths to the polygon prisms constituting the basin are iteratively adjusted by minimizing the sum of the squares of the differences between the observed and calculated anomalies. These methods have been applied to analyze the Bouguer anomaly map of the Los Angeles basin, California.     

孕震过程中重力位、重力、重力梯度变化的数值模拟研究

简要介绍了为探索和解释地震前后重力变化的各种孕震模式,推导了由孕震引起的密度变化和位移与地面重力位、重力、重力梯度之间的变化关系。摸拟计算了孕震位移和密度变化引起的重力位、重力、重力梯度变化的空间分布并分析了重力位、重力、重力梯度变化的空间分布特征。与此同时,采用广义司托克斯云积分和有限差分方法对云南丽江7. 0级地震前重力位、重力、重力水平梯度进行了计算。结果表明,强震前重力位、重力、重力梯度有其自身的变化特征,这对预测强震有实际意义。     

Upper mantle convection beneath northwest China and its adjacent region driven by density anomaly

Introduction The northwest of China includes Tarim, Junggar and Qaidam basins, and Kunlun, Tianshan, Altun and Qilian mountains, as well as the north part of the Tibetan Plateau. For a long time, the study of lithosphere structures and dynamics in this area has been a popular topic in geoscience, and has yielded many results. For example, TANG (1994) and LI et al (1998) suppose that the tectonic structure of Tarim Basin is various with geological periods, which changes many times betwee…     

用钻孔应变数据探测2011年日本Tohoku大地震激发的低频地球环型自由振荡及其谱峰分裂

地震激发的地球自由振荡中, 环型自由振荡(特别是低频环型自由振荡)的精确探测相比于球型自由振荡更加困难. 环型自由振荡对SH波速度结构更加敏感, 能更好地监测走滑断层运动, 因此精确估算环型自由振荡的谱峰参数可为地球内部大尺度SH波速度结构和大地震的震源机制提供更强约束. 本研究利用2011年日本Tohoku地震后四分量钻孔应变仪的观测资料, 提取了该地震激发的1.3 mHz以下低频环型和球型自由振荡信号, 与STS-1宽频带地震仪的结果相比较, 发现四分量钻孔应变仪对1 mHz以下的环型自由振荡具有更强的探测能力. 本研究还采用频率域自回归方法精确估计了₀T₂—₀T₆的简并频率, 结果与PREM模型理论值相差非常小, 平均相对误差仅为2.52×10^-4.此外还用钻孔应变仪观测资料探测到了₀T₂谱峰分裂现象. 研究结果表明, 钻孔应变仪能有效探测到大地震激发的低频地球环型自由振荡信号, 可为地幔大尺度各向异性结构研究提供高质量的基础数据.

     

Monitoring and predicting channel change in a free‐evolving,small Alpine river: Ridanna Creek (North East Italy)

The recent (25 years) morphodynamics of a proglacial reach of the Ridanna Creek, North‐East Italy, evolving in the absence of human constraints, has been investigated by means of an intensive field activity and of the analysis of aerial photographs. The study reach mostly displays a braided morphology, with sharp downstream variations of valley gradient, sediment size and formative conditions within the main channel. These discontinuities are associated with different processes of channel adjustment at different timescales, which have been quantified by coupling hydrological with morphological information. Several processes of channel change and variations in braiding intensity have been documented along the whole reach and highlight how a regular, weakly meandering main channel may significantly affect the morphodynamics of the braided network. A first attempt to predict the morphological instability of this main channel at the observed spatial scales through existing linear theories of curved river channels shows a good agreement with field observations. Finally, the complete hydro‐morphodynamical characterization of such an undisturbed alpine river reach can provide a relevant contribution to the definition of reference conditions for Alpine rivers required by the EU Water Framework Directive. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Check of Earth’s free oscillations excited by Sumatra-Andaman Large Earthquake and discussions on the anisotropy of inner core

Sumatra-Andaman Large Earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004 generated not only the Indian Ocean Tsunami but also the Earth’s free oscillations (EFO). The signals of Earth’s free oscillations were perfectly recorded by the superconducting gravimeter C0-32 at Wuhan station in China. After the pre-treatment and spectral analysis on the observational data from Wuhan station, we obtained more than ninety EFO modes including 42 fundamental modes, 2 radial modes and 49 harmonic modes. On the basis of the discussions on some observed harmonic modes and abnormal splitting phenomena, we considered that the real rigidity might be lower than the theoretical prediction of PREM model in the inner core and however the anisotropy of compressive wave was brightly higher than the present estimations in the inner core. This suggested that the anisotropy of the inner core could be much more complicated than our present understanding, and there might be some new geophysical phenomena in the formation process of the inner core. Supported jointly by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40404005 and 40374029) and the Excellent Prize of President Scholarship and Hundred Talents Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences     

Hydrological change driven by human activities and climate variation and its spatial variability in Huaihe Basin,China

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impacts of human activities, especially water resources development, and climate variation on the runoff reduction and its spatial variability in the Huaihe Basin, the sixth largest river basin in China, which is also an important agricultural area in Eastern China. The annual runoff had statistically negative trends at all hydrological stations located on the main river and the major tributaries, which ranges from ?0.13 to ?1.99 mm year^-1. The Budyko-based approach was employed to quantitatively differentiate the runoff reduction driven by human activities and climate variation. Results showed that the precipitation decrease contributed to the runoff reduction in all study sub-catchments. However, significant reductions of the annual runoff in some sub-catchments were mainly caused by the human activities rather than the precipitation decrease. Spatial variability of hydrological changes were closely related to different types of human activities especially irrigation and water diversion. In the southern sub-catchments, water diversion played a significant role in runoff reduction, while agriculture irrigation was the relatively dominant driving factor in the northern sub-catchments. The results show the complexity in the catchment hydrological response to the changes in climate forcing and human water resources development and the effectiveness of the Budyko-based approach for attribution analysis.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor C. Cudennec     

Mode coupling analysis and differential rotation in a flow driven by a precessing cylindrical container

We present a theoretical weakly nonlinear analysis of the dynamics of an inviscid flow submitted to both rotation and precession of an unbounded cylindrical container, by considering the coupling of two Kelvin (inertial) waves. The parametric centrifugal instability known for this system is shown to saturate when one expands the Navier–Stokes equation to higher order in the assumed small precession parameter (ratio of precession to rotation frequencies) with the derivation of two coupled Landau equations suitable to describe the dynamics of the modes. It is shown that an azimuthal mean flow with differential rotation is generated by this modes coupling. The time evolution of the associated dynamical system is studied. These theoretical results can be compared with water experiments and also to some numerical simulations where viscosity and finite length effects cannot be neglected.     

Seasonal variation of the total electron content, maximum electron density and equivalent slab thickness at a South-American station

Total electron content (TEC) and foF2 ionosonde data obtained at Tucumán (26.9°S; 65.4°W) from April 1982 to March 1983 (high solar activity period) are analyzed to show the seasonal variation of TEC, NmF2 (proportional to square of foF2) and the equivalent slab thickness EST. Bimonthly averages of the monthly median for January–February, April–May, July–August and October–November have been considered to represent summer, autumn, winter and spring seasons, respectively. The results show that the higher values of TEC and maximum electron density of F2-layer NmF2 are observed during the equinoxes (semiannual anomaly). During daytime, both in TEC and in NmF2 the seasonal or winter anomaly can be seen. At nighttime, this effect is not observed. Also, the observed NmF2 values are used to check the validity of International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) to predict the seasonal variability of this parameter. In general, it is found that averaged monthly medians (obtained with the IRI model) overestimate averaged monthly median data for some hours of the day and underestimate for the other hours.     

Upper mantle convection driving by density anomaly and a test model

Introduction Richter and Mckenzie (1978) supposed that there is a small-scale convection system in the mantle. For a long time lots of research provides observational data to infer the possibility of a small-scale convection in the upper mantle. For example, Haxby and Weissel (1986) discussed the relationship between SEASAT map and small-scale convection. Baudry and Kroenke (1991), Maia and Diament (1991) found that the geoid and bathymetry exhibit peaks in the 400~650 km range in the Pa…     

Near-inertial motions in and around the Palamós submarine canyon (NW Mediterranean) generated by a severe storm

During 9–16 November 2001 the western Mediterranean Sea was lashed by one of the most extreme storms of the last decades. Current meter data from seven moorings in the Palamós submarine canyon (northwestern Mediterranean) are analyzed to understand the vertical propagation of near-inertial energy generated by the storm. The daily inertial rotary components are examined for evidence of free and forced near-inertial oscillations. Free near-inertial motions are increased during the storm, although they are larger outside the canyon than inside. Conversely, forced near-inertial motions are relatively large inside the canyon but are almost negligible outside. Based on the results of a three-dimensional ocean circulation model, these differences are shown to be caused by the presence of a storm-generated alongshore front. The mechanisms by which near-inertial energy propagates are distinct at each side of the front. On the onshore side of the front (inside the canyon), free near-inertial motions are rapidly carried away by normal inertial waves, and wave reflection off canyon wall is responsible for the dissipation of free near-inertial motions and enhancement of forced near-inertial motions. On the offshore side of the front (outside the canyon), on the other hand, free near-inertial motions propagates first downward with anomalously low frequency internal waves and are then advected southward and offshore by the mean flow.     

A general analytical solution for flow to a single horizontal well by Fourier and Laplace transforms

The objective of this paper is to present an analytical solution for describing the head distribution in an unconfined aquifer with a single pumping horizontal well parallel to a fully penetrating stream. The Laplace-domain solution is developed by applying Fourier sine, Fourier and Laplace transforms to the governing equation as well as the associated initial and boundary conditions. The time-domain solution is obtained after taking the inverse Laplace transform along with the Bromwich integral method and inverse Fourier and Fourier sine transforms. The upper boundary condition of the aquifer is represented by the free surface equation in which the second-order slope terms are neglected. Based on the solution and Darcy’s law, the equation representing the stream depletion rate is then derived. The solution can simulate head distributions in an aquifer infinitely extending in horizontal direction if the well is located far away from the stream. In addition, the solution can also simulate head distributions in confined aquifers if specific yield is set zero. It is shown that the solution can be applied practically to evaluate flow to a horizontal well.     

Coastal and inland karst morphologies driven by sea level stands: a GIS based method for their evaluation

Sea level is the base level for groundwater circulation in coastal aquifers. The evolution of karst surface landforms and subsurface drainage systems in these aquifers has been conditioned in geological time by tectonics and glacio‐eustatic sea‐level changes. Present morpho‐structural settings and the type/distribution of karst surface and subsurface forms have developed in different carbonate formations according to differences in lithology, climate and exposure time, all driving the intensity of morphologic and karst processes. The repeated and significant changes of groundwater level linked to ‘sea‐level changes’ have had the most important role in driving the continuous evolution of karstic drainage systems, and has resulted in most cases in a multiphase karst. This study aims at defining a general method for identifying, in karst coastal settings, the elevations of flat or low topographic gradient surfaces (using morphometric analysis of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and geographical information systems (GISs), and their comparison with elevations of distinctive karstic levels (passages, lateral solution cavities) observed in vertical shafts and horizontal caves. Of the elevations of flat or low topographic gradient surfaces only those agreeing, within ±10 m or ±20 m, with elevation ranges marked by the high frequency of distinctive karst levels were considered as representative of the more probable past sea‐level stands. The method is applied to a regional coastal carbonate formation in southern Italy, by using a 10 m DEM and information on 140 complex caves and 85 shafts. Of the 15 elevations indicated by DEM analysis [620, 600, 470, 450, 425, 385, 355, 315, 270, 250, 205, 180, 150, 110, and 70 m above sea level (a.s.l.)], 13 match clearly those highlighted by significant frequencies of distinctive karstic levels. These elevations are validated by comparison to the elevation of terraces and karst plains indicated in the literature. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

封闭地热系统水平井采热储层内渗流与传热的有限元模拟

地热能是储量巨大、分布广泛且供给稳定的清洁能源.地热发电对经济发展和环境保护都具有重要意义.然而, 现有地热电站广泛采用的开放性采热模式易导致发电设备结垢与腐蚀、循环水流量不足与波动、自耗功率高等问题.采用传热工质与地热储层分离的封闭性采热模式, 不但能根治上述问题, 而且提升了选择传热工质和设计传热循环的灵活性.本研究采用有限元方法数值模拟水平井采热的封闭地热系统中自然对流强化储层内渗流与传热的动力学过程, 系统分析了水平井温度、水平井位置、储层渗透率、水平井周围渗透率强化改造范围及储层厚度-宽度比等关键因素对采热热流和采热年限的影响, 从而为适用于地热发电的大型封闭地热系统设计和工程实践提供理论指导和基础数据.模拟结果表明, 在水平井周围半径10 m区域内进行渗透率强化改造就能够启动和强化自然对流, 大幅提高未强化改造区域的地热开采; 水平井从储层采热的先后次序由自然对流区域逐渐拓展控制, 开发厚地热储层并将水平井设置在储层高处能够提高采热效率并延长采热年限; 驱动自然对流的水平井-储层温差与采热热流不成正比但正相关; 地热储层内存在的稳态背景自然对流对水平井采热有显著贡献.

     

Influence of water saturation on horizontal and vertical motion at a porous soil interface induced by incident SV wave

Recent field observations have indicated that water saturation of soils may strongly affect the vertical ground motion. A study is therefore carried out to investigate the effect of saturation on horizontal and vertical motion at an interface of porous soils with potential contributions directed to site evaluation based on field observations of both the horizontal and vertical motion. The problem described in this paper corresponds to an SV wave incident at the interface between the overlying soil and the underlying rock formation. The soils are modeled as partially water-saturated porous material with a small amount of air inclusions, while the rock are approximately regarded as ordinary one-phase solid. Theoretical formulation is developed for the computation of amplitudes of horizontal and vertical interface motion, which are expressed as functions of the degree of saturation, the angle of incidence as well as the frequency. Numerical results are given for a typical sand to illustrate the influence of saturation on the interface motion in two directions and their ratios. The present study demonstrates that the effect of water saturation may be substantial on both the horizontal and vertical motion as well as on their ratios, implying the importance of such effects in the interpretation of field observations.     

Influence of water saturation on horizontal and vertical motion at a porous soil interface induced by incident P wave

This paper describes a study on the influence of water saturation on horizontal and vertical motion at the interface between porous soil and rock formation due to an incident P wave. The soil is modeled as a partially water-saturated porous material with a small amount of air inclusions, while the underlying rock is approximately regarded as an ordinary one-phase solid. Theoretical formulation is developed for the computation of motion amplitudes in both horizontal and vertical components, which are considered as functions of the degree of saturation, the angle of incidence as well as the frequency. Numerical results are provided to illustrate the effect of saturation on displacement amplitudes in both components and their ratios. The results show that even a slight decrease of complete saturation may lead to a substantial change in the motion amplitudes in both horizontal and vertical components. In general, partial saturation may cause lower horizontal-to-vertical ratios over the entire range of incident angles except the normal incidence, implying the potential importance of saturation effects in the interpretation of field observations.     

Effusive eruption of viscous silicic magma triggered and driven by recharge: a case study of the Cerro Chascon-Runtu Jarita Dome Complex in Southwest Bolivia

 The Cerro Chascon-Runtu Jarita Complex is a group of ten Late Pleistocene (∼85 ka) lava domes located in the Andean Central Volcanic Zone of Bolivia. These domes display considerable macroscopic and microscopic evidence of magma mixing. Two groups of domes are defined chemically and geographically. A northern group, the Chascon, consists of four lava bodies of dominantly rhyodacite composition. These bodies contain 43–48% phenocrysts of plagioclase, quartz, sanidine, biotite, and amphibole in a microlite-poor, rhyolitic glass. Rare mafic enclaves and selvages are present. Mineral equilibria yield temperatures from 640 to 750  °C and log ƒO₂ of –16. Geochemical data indicate that the pre-eruption magma chamber was zoned from a dominant volume of 68% to minor amounts of 76% SiO₂. This zonation is best explained by fractional crystallization and some mixing between rhyodacite and more evolved compositions. The mafic enclaves represent magma that intruded but did not chemically interact much with the evolved magmas. A southern group, the Runtu Jarita, is a linear chain of six small domes (<1 km³ total volume) that probably is the surface expression of a dike. The five most northerly domes are composites of dacitic and rhyolitic compositions. The southernmost dome is dominantly rhyolite with rare mafic enclaves. The composite domes have lower flanks of porphyritic dacite with ∼35 vol.% phenocrysts of plagioclase, orthopyroxene, and hornblende in a microlite-rich, rhyodacitic glass. Sieve-textured plagioclase, mixed populations of disequilibrium plagioclase compositions, xenocrystic quartz, and sanidine with ternary composition reaction rims indicate that the dacite is a hybrid. The central cores of the composite domes are rhyolitic and contain up to 48 vol.% phenocrysts of plagioclase, quartz, sanidine, biotite, and amphibole. This is separated from the dacitic flanks by a banded zone of mingled lava. Macroscopic, microscopic, and petrologic evidence suggest scavenging of phenocrysts from the silicic lava. Mineral equilibria yield temperatures of 625–727  °C and log ƒO₂ of –16 for the rhyolite and 926–1000  °C and log ƒO₂ of –9.5 for the dacite. The rhyolite is zoned from 73 to 76% SiO₂, and fractionation within the rhyolite composition produced this variation. Most of the 63–73% SiO₂ compositional range of the lava in this group is the result of mixing between the hybrid dacite and the rhyolite. Eruption of both groups of lavas apparently was triggered by mafic recharge. A paucity of explosive activity suggests that volatile and thermal exchanges between reservoir and recharge magmas were less important than volume increase and the lubricating effects of recharge by mafic magmas. For the Runtu Jarita group, the eruption is best explained by intrusion of a dike of dacite into a chamber of crystal-rich rhyolite close to its solidus. The rhyolite was encapsulated and transported to the surface by the less-viscous dacite magma, which also acted as a lubricant. Simultaneous effusion of the lavas produced the composite domes, and their zonation reflects the subsurface zonation. The role of recharge by hotter, more fluid mafic magma appears to be critical to the eruption of some highly viscous silicic magmas. Received: 23 August 1998 / Accepted: 10 March 1999