Analysis of the 2003 Varunawat Landslide,Uttarkashi, India using Earth Observation data

Mass movements such as landslides in mountainous terrains are natural degradation processes and one of the most important landscape-building factors. Varunawat Parbat overlooking Uttarkashi town witnessed a series of landslides on 23 September 2003 and the debris slides and rock falls continued for 2 weeks. This landslide complex was triggered due to the incessant rainfall prior to the event, and its occurrence led to the blockage of the pilgrim route to Gangotri (source of the Ganges river) and evacuation of thousands of people to safer places. Though there was no loss of lives due to timely evacuation, heavy losses to the property were reported. High-resolution stereoscopic earth observation data were acquired after the incidence to study the landslide in detail with emphasis on the cause of the landslide and mode of failure. Areas along the road and below the Varunawat foothill region are mapped for landslide risk. It was found that the foothill region of the Varunawat Parbat was highly disturbed by man-made activities and houses are dangerously located below steep slopes. The potential zones for landslides along with the existing active and old landslides are mapped. These areas are critical and their treatment with priority is required in order to minimise further landslide occurrences.     

Finite Element Modeling of Swelling Soil Pressures Using Joint/Interface Elements

There could be some discontinuities in a soil media such as layers, earth structures, cracks, and fissures so that estimation of stresses and deformations in these types of soil masses are somewhat different from continuous masses. The discontinuities in a soil mass could be considered as a special link between two blocks. Transmitted swelling pressures affected by the soil properties of the backfill especially at the interface between the backfill and retaining wall. In order to estimate the transmitted swelling pressure distribution behind a retaining wall, using with interface element, a new finite element model and a code (SWELPRES) have been developed. To evaluate the effect of backfill characteristics and interface element from the transmitted lateral swelling pressures, four cases of thickness of backfills with or without interface elements are investigated.     

Monitoring Large-Scale Tests for Nuclear Waste Disposal

Two large-scale “in situ” demonstration experiments and their instrumentation are described. The first test (FEBEX Experiment) involves the hydration of a compacted bentonite barrier under the combined effect of an inner source of heat and an outer water flow from the confining saturated granite rock. In the second case, the progressive de-saturation of Opalinus clay induced by maintained ventilation of an unlined tunnel is analyzed. The paper shows the performance of different sensors (capacitive cells, psychrometers, TDR’s) and a comparison of fill behaviour with modelling results. The long term performance of some instruments could also be evaluated specially in the case of FEBEX test. Capacitive sensors provide relative humidity data during long transient periods characterised by very large variations of suction within the bentonite.     

山东小清河的原生动物

本文根据对山东小清河多年的污染生态调整研究，报导了淡水原生动物１４种。     

东海冲绳海槽深海鱼类报告

冲绳海槽位于东海大陆架浅水区的外缘,是一北东一南西向延伸,在东南方向呈弧形突出的海槽。其北部水深在500-1000米间,南部最深达2000余米。1978年6,7月间我所“金星”号调查船在这一深水区及其附近进行了海洋综合考查。在进行底栖生物拖网时,获得一些深海鱼类标本。本文共报道深海鱼类14种,隶14属,12科,9目。     

Constraining the origin and evolution of confined turbidite systems: southern Cretan margin,Eastern Mediterranean Sea (34°30–36°N)

Bathymetric, 9.5-kHz long-range sidescan sonar (OKEAN), seismic reflection and sediment-core data are used in the analysis of two tectonic troughs south of Crete, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Here, up to 1.2 s two-way travel time (TWTT) of strata have accumulated since the Middle Miocene in association with extension in the South Aegean region. The study area comprises >100-km- long by >25-km-wide basins filled by sediments subdivided into two seismic units: (1) an upper Unit 1 deposited in sub-basins which follow the present-day configuration of the southern Cretan margin; (2) a basal Unit 2, more than 500 ms (TWTT) thick, accumulated in deeper half-graben/grabens distinct from the present-day depocentres. Both units overlap a locally stratified Unit 3 comprising the pre-Neogene core complex of Crete and Gavdos. In this work, the interpreted seismic units are correlated with the onshore stratigraphy, demonstrating that denudation processes occurring on Crete and Gavdos in response to major tectonic events have been responsible for high sedimentation rates along the proximal southern Cretan margin. Consequently, topographically confined sedimentary units have been deposited south of Crete in the last 12 Ma, including turbidites and other mass-flow deposits fed by evolving transverse and axial channel systems. Surface processes controlling facies distribution include the direct inflow of sediment from alluvial-fan systems and incising mountain rivers onto the Cretan slope, where significant sediment instability processes occur at present. In this setting, seismic profiles reveal eight different types of stratigraphic contacts on basin-margin highs, and basinal areas show evidence of halokinesis and/or fluid escape. The acquired data also show that significant changes to the margin’s configuration occurred in association with the post-Alpine tectonic and eustatic episodes affecting the Eastern Mediterranean.     

Simulations of Annual Cycle of Phytoplankton Production and the Utilization of Nitrogen in the Yellow Sea

A nutrient dynamic model coupled with a 3D physical model has been developed to study the annual cycle of phytoplankton production in the Yellow Sea. The biological model involves interactions between inorganic nitrogen (nitrate and ammonium), phosphate and phytoplankton biomass. The model successfully reproduces the main features of phytoplankton-nutrient variation and dynamics of production. 1. The well-mixed coastal water is characterized by high primary production, as well as high new production. 2. In summer, the convergence of tidal front is an important hydrodynamic process, which contributes to high biomass at frontal areas. 3. The evolution of phytoplankton blooms and thermocline in the central region demonstrate that mixing is a dominant factor to the production in the Yellow Sea. In this simulation, nitrate- and ammonium-based productions are estimated regionally and temporally. The northern Yellow Sea is one of the highly ranked regions in the Yellow Sea for the capability of fixing carbon and nitrogen. The annual averaged f-ratio of 0.37 indicates that regenerated production prevails over the Yellow Sea. The result also shows that phosphate is the major nutrient, limiting phytoplankton growth throughout the year and it can be an indicator to predict the bloom magnitude. Finally, the relative roles of external nutrient sources have been evaluated, and benthic fluxes might play a significant role in compensating 54.6% of new nitrogen for new production consumption.     

中国鱼类名录Ⅺ--隆头鱼亚目、尤鰧鱼亚目、绵鳚亚目、玉筋鱼亚目

隆头鱼亚目5科63属316种，鰧鱼亚目8科19属53种，绵鳚亚日3科7属8种，玉筋鱼亚目1科3属3种。     

Current status of bacteriological parameters and DOC/POC in Xiamen coastal waters

The surface and bottom waters samples were collected from six locations in Xiamen western sea. The quantified estimation of bacterial production (3H-thymidine method) and observation of bacterial heterotrophic activity (14C-glucose method) have been made in order to have a better understanding of the role of marine bacteria and their activities. The results showed that the mean value of bacterial heterotrophic activity was 9×108 cells/(L.h) in the surface waters and 2.6×108 cells/(L.h) in the bottom waters. The mean value of bacterial production was 38×108 cells/(L.h) in the surface waters and 7.1×108 cells/(L.h) in the bottom waters. The relationship between bacterial production, heterotrophic activity, POC and DOC measured during this survey were discussed. The good understanding of the relationship between bacteria activity and total coliform was addressed.     

东太平洋地区DSDP573孔始新世末期的微玻璃陨石

通过研究 DSDP5 73孔的岩心样品 ,首次在该孔始新世与渐新世的界线地层含金属粘土层中发现了微玻璃陨石 ,且主要富集在其底部。一个样品 (5 g)中最多可达 12粒。这些微玻璃陨石主要呈球形、椭球形。用电子探针测试了其化学成分 ,Si O2 含量为 2 9.6 4%～ 5 8.93%,Al2 O3 为 3.42 %～ 2 0 .96 %,Fe O为 9.98%～ 2 9.5 5 %,Mg O为 4.32 %～ 16 .0 5 %,Ir为 0 .0 6 %～ 0 .81%。总体来说 ,微玻璃陨石的化学成分变化较大 ,可能与靶岩的成分变化较大有关。始新世末期北美微玻璃陨石场的展布方向约为 2 5 0°,这与太平洋板块运动方向改变所需要的矢量变化(2 45°)仅相差 5°,推测很可能是始新世末期陨星的撞击引起了太平洋板块在该时期的运动方向由 NNW突然变为NWW。