汶川Ms8．0地震驱动的同震及震后地质灾害空间分布

汶川大地震驱动了大量的同震崩塌、滑坡等地质灾害,这些地质灾害同时造成了山谷中大量的松散堆积物堆积,并将以泥石流的形式进入河流系统,造成震后大规模的泥石流地质灾害,这也是地震灾区在震后面临的最为严峻的问题。根据本项目组的卫星影像处理和实地观测工作,以及前人对同震地质灾害研究获得的数量资料,对同震地质灾害数量在平行于断裂方...     

Field observations of SPM using ADV, ADP, and OBS in a shallow estuarine system with low SPM concentration—Vitória Bay, SE Brazil

The present study investigated direct and indirect methods using optical and acoustic instruments for the acquisition of information required to estimate the concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in Vitória Bay, a shallow estuarine system in SE Brazil. The aim was to calibrate and compare the use of different instruments (OBS, ADP, and ADV) to estimate SPM concentration in the water column and near the bed. Concentration was determined by correlating filtered water samples with the optical and acoustic measurements. In general, the methodology proved tenable for the chosen shallow estuarine environment with low SPM concentration (<60?mg/L). Pearson’s coefficient ranged from 0.75 to 0.85, when correlating measurements taken at three sampled depths. Differences in the correlation coefficient values showed that calibration at three depths (near the bed, mid-water column, and near the surface) was more effective than for surface samples alone, even in shallow (???m deep) water. When calibration was attempted for concentration in the entire water column with samples at just one elevation, the correlation value was very low, thus increasing the error in estimating the SPM concentration.     

D/H variation in terrestrial lipids from Santa Barbara Basin over the past 1400 years: A preliminary assessment of paleoclimatic relevance

We analyzed D/H ratios of common terrestrial leaf wax lipids in a 1400 year sediment core from the Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) to test whether they accurately record terrestrial climate in Southern California. The D/H ratios of long chain n-alkanes vary substantially with depth, but are poorly correlated with other terrestrial climate proxies. Interference from fossil hydrocarbons may be at least partly responsible. Long chain n-alkanoic acids exhibit nearly constant downcore D/H ratio values. This constancy in the face of known climatic shifts presumably reflects a substantial residence time for leaf wax compounds in terrestrial soil and/or on the basin flanks. Alternatively, the isotopic composition of meteoric waters in Southern California may not covary with climate, particularly aridity. However, the δD values of n-C₂₂ and n-C₂₄ fatty acids, commonly attributed to terrestrial aquatic sources, are partially correlated with Southern California winter Palmer Drought Severity Index, a tree ring-based climatic proxy (R² 0.25; p < 0.01) on multi-centennial scales with an inferred ca. 215 year time lag. The improved correlation of these biomarkers can be explained by the fact that they are not stored in terrestrial soil nor are subject to interference from fossil hydrocarbons. Our study indicates that the SBB is unlikely to preserve high resolution leaf wax D/H records that can serve as quantitative paleoclimate proxies, though some qualitative information may be retained. More generally, the sources of lipids in marginal marine basins need to be carefully evaluated prior to attempting paleoclimate reconstruction based on the leaf wax D/H proxy.     

Modelled and measured concentrations of peroxy radicals and nitrate radical in the U.S. Gulf Coast region during TexAQS 2006

Measurements of total peroxy radicals (HO₂?+?RO₂) and nitrate radical (NO₃) were made on the NOAA research vessel R/V?Brown along the U.S. Gulf Coast during the TexAQS 2006 field campaign. The measurements were modelled using a constrained box-model based upon the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM). The agreement between modelled and measured HO₂?+?RO₂ was typically within ??40% and, in the unpolluted regions, within 30%. The analysis of the model results suggests that the MCM might underestimate the concentrations of some acyl peroxy radicals and other small peroxy radicals. The model underestimated the measurements of NO₃ by 60?C70%, possibly because of rapid heterogeneous uptake of N₂O₅. The MCM model results were used to estimate the composition of the peroxy radical pool and to quantify the role of DMS, isoprene and alkenes in the formation of RO₂ in the different regions. The measurements of HO₂?+?RO₂ and NO₃ were also used to calculate the gas-phase budget of NO₃ and quantify the importance of organic peroxy radicals as NO₃ sinks. RO₂ accounted, on average, for 12?C28% of the total gas-phase NO₃ losses in the unpolluted regions and for 1?C2% of the total gas-phase NO₃ losses in the polluted regions.     

Nearshore Tsunami Inundation Model Validation: Toward Sediment Transport Applications

Model predictions from a numerical model, Delft3D, based on the nonlinear shallow water equations are compared with analytical results and laboratory observations from seven tsunami-like benchmark experiments, and with field observations from the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The model accurately predicts the magnitude and timing of the measured water levels and flow velocities, as well as the magnitude of the maximum inundation distance and run-up, for both breaking and non-breaking waves. The shock-capturing numerical scheme employed describes well the total decrease in wave height due to breaking, but does not reproduce the observed shoaling near the break point. The maximum water levels observed onshore near Kuala Meurisi, Sumatra, following the 26 December 2004 tsunami are well predicted given the uncertainty in the model setup. The good agreement between the model predictions and the analytical results and observations demonstrates that the numerical solution and wetting and drying methods employed are appropriate for modeling tsunami inundation for breaking and non-breaking long waves. Extension of the model to include sediment transport may be appropriate for long, non-breaking tsunami waves. Using available sediment transport formulations, the sediment deposit thickness at Kuala Meurisi is predicted generally within a factor of 2.     

Arsenic in sediments, groundwater, and streamwater of a glauconitic Coastal Plain terrain, New Jersey, USA—Chemical “fingerprints” for geogenic and anthropogenic sources

Glauconite-bearing deposits are found worldwide, but As levels have been determined for relatively few. The As content of glauconites in sediments of the Inner Coastal Plain of New Jersey can exceed 100 mg/kg, and total As concentrations (up to 5.95 μg/L) found historically and recently in streamwaters exceed the State standard. In a major watershed of the Inner Coastal Plain, chemical “fingerprints” were developed for streambed sediments and groundwater to identify contributions of As to the watershed from geologic and anthropogenic sources. The fingerprint for streambed sediments, which included Be, Cr, Fe and V, indicated that As was predominantly of geologic origin. High concentrations of dissolved organic C, nutrients (and Cl⁻) in shallow groundwater indicated anthropogenic inputs that provided an environment where microbial activity released As from minerals to groundwater discharging to the stream. Particulates in streamwater during high flow constituted most of the As load; the chemical patterns for these particulates resembled the geologic fingerprint of the streambed sediments. The As/Cr ratio of these suspended particles likely indicates they derived not only from runoff, but from groundwater inputs, because As contributed by groundwater is sequestered on streambed sediments. Agricultural inputs of As were not clearly identified, although chemical characteristics of some sediments indicated vehicle-related inputs of metals. Sediment sampling during dry and wet years showed that, under differing hydrologic conditions, local anthropogenic fingerprints could be obscured but the geologic fingerprint, indicating glauconitic sediments as an As source, was robust.     

Macro benthic community assemblage before and after the 2007 tsunami and earthquake at Paracas Bay,Peru

Macrobenthic soft bottom community assemblages were studied from December 2006 to December 2007 at Paracas Bay (Atenas Beach, 13°45' S, 76°17' W, Peru), including the period of the tsunami of 15 August 2007, providing a unique opportunity to assess the effects of this type of natural disturbance in soft bottom marine ecosystems. The results show that the tsunami affected the soft bottom community assemblage by changing the sediment granulometry, the biomass and abundance of epifaunal species, and by increasing the silt proportion. The event affected all functional groups, resulting in an increased numbers and biomass of filter feeder and grazers that were followed soon after by predators during the post-tsunami period. A similar pattern was observed for biomass and the abundance of infaunal species without changing the functional groups. The slow recovery observed after four months was likely related to the loss of sediment stability. In summary, there were differences in the structure and composition of soft bottom macrofaunal assemblages before and after the earthquake and posterior tsunami disturbance, forcing benthic communities to initiate re-colonisation processes.     

Impacts of diverted freshwater on dissolved organic matter and microbial communities in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, U.S.A

Here we present results of an initial assessment of the impacts of a water diversion event on the concentrations and chemical composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and bacterioplankton community composition in Barataria Bay, Louisiana U.S.A, an important estuary within the Mississippi River Delta complex. Concentrations and spectral properties of DOM, as reflected by UV/visible absorbance and fluorescence, were strikingly similar at 26 sites sampled along transects near two western and two eastern areas of Barataria Bay in July and September 2010. In September 2010, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was significantly higher (568.1-1043 μM C, x=755.6+/-117.7 μM C, n=14) than in July 2010 (249.1-577.1 μM C, x=383.7+/-98.31 μM C, n=14); conversely, Abs254 was consistently higher at every site in July (0.105-0.314) than in September (0.080-0.221), averaging 0.24±0.06 in July and 0.15±0.04 in September. Fluorescence data via the fluorescence index (FI450/500) revealed that only 30% (8 of 26) of the July samples had an FI450/500 above 1.36, compared to 96% (25 of 26) for the September samples. This indicates a more terrestrial origin for the July DOM. Bacterioplankton from eastern sites differed in composition from bacterioplankon in western sites in July. These differences appeared to result from reduced salinities caused by the freshwater diversion. Bacterioplankton communities in September differed from those in July, but no spatial structure was observed. Thus, the trends in bacterioplankton and DOM were likely due to changes in water masses (e.g., input of Mississippi River water in July and a return to estuarine waters in September). Discharge of water from the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion (DPFD) through Barataria Bay may have partially mitigated some adverse effects of the oil spill, inasmuch as DOM is concerned.     

Determining meteoroid bulk densities using a plasma scattering model with high-power large-aperture radar data

We present an improved technique for calculating bulk densities of low-mass (<1 g) meteoroids using a scattering model applied to the high-density plasma formed around the meteoroid as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. These plasmas, referred to as head echoes, travel at or near the speed of the meteoroid, thereby allowing the determination of the ballistic coefficient (mass divided by physical cross-section), which depends upon speed and deceleration. Concurrently, we apply a scattering model to the returned signal strength of the head echo in order to correlate radar-cross-section (RCS) to plasma density and meteoroid mass. In this way, we can uniquely solve for the meteoroid mass, radius and bulk density independently. We have applied this new technique to head echo data collected in 2007 and 2008 simultaneously at VHF (160 MHz) and UHF (422 MHz) at ALTAIR, which is a high-power large-aperture radar located on the Kwajalein Atoll. These data include approximately 20,000 detections with dual-frequency, dual-polarization, and monopulse (i.e. angle) returns. From 2000 detections with the smallest monopulse errors, we find a mean meteoroid bulk density of 0.9 g/cm³ with observations spanning almost three orders of magnitude from 0.01 g/cm³ to 8 g/cm³. Our results show a clear dependence between meteoroid bulk density and altitude of head echo formation, as well as dependence between meteoroid bulk density and 3D speed. The highest bulk densities are detected at the lowest altitudes and lowest speeds. Additionally, we stipulate that the approximations used to derive the ballistic parameter, in addition to neglecting fragmentation, suggest that the traditional ballistic parameter must be used with caution when determining meteoroid parameters.