Analysis and characterization of the synergistic AIRS and MODIS cloud-cleared radiances

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and MODerate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua spacecraft measure the upwelling infrared radiance used for numerous remote-sensing- and climate-related applications. AIRS provides high spectral resolution infrared radiances, while MODIS provides collocated high spatial resolution radiances at 16 broad infrared bands. An optimal algorithm for cloud-clearing has been developed for AIRS cloudy soundings at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where the spatially and spectrally collocated AIRS and MODIS data has been used to analyze the characteristic of this algorithm. An analysis and characterization of the global AIRS cloud-cleared radiances using the bias and the standard deviation between the cloud-cleared and the nearby clear measurements are studied. Scene inhomogeneity for both land- and water-surface types has been estimated to account for the assessed error. Both monthly and seasonal changes of global AIRS/MODIS cloud-clearing performance also have been analyzed.     

乌兰陶勒盖水源地地下水开采的植被生态风险研究

乌兰陶勒盖水源地位于毛乌素沙漠腹地,地表水体不发育,植被生态相对脆弱。水源地大规模开采引发的地下水位下降将会对区内的植被生态造成一定的破坏。采用样方调查方法,对区内植被生态现状进行了调查,将区内植被分为荒漠、低湿和沙地三种植被类型;对植被覆盖度与地下水位的关系进行了探讨,得出植被生存的最佳水位是1.1～3.0m;运用GIS软件对区内植物现状与地下水位埋深进行了敏感性分区研究。试探性的建立开采条件下的植被生态风险指数,并根据指数值的大小进行风险性分区,结果表明,在选定的开采方案下,高风险区和中风险区的分布面积较小,而低风险区的面积最大,从而说明在乌兰陶勒盖水源地新增地下水开采量11.82万m3/d的情况下,不会对生态植被造成大的影响。     

府谷矿区矿井涌水实例及突水因素分析

在分析矿区地质及水文地质条件的基础上,以冯家塔煤矿1201工作面为例,论述了府谷矿区矿井突水因素,认为大气降水、岩溶水和地表水是矿井充水的主要水源,断层、采煤形成的裂隙带是矿井充水的通道,小煤矿采空区是未来煤矿安全生产的重大隐患。运用突水系数和水文地质实验法,对矿区的突水危险区域进行了评价,指出井田西北部突水系数大于0.6,可能存在突水危险;清水川地堑断裂带内富水性及导水性弱,对煤层开采不会造成威胁。最后提出了加强矿井水文地质勘查、做好矿井涌水量观测等矿井防治水建议。     

Heavy metal contamination of cultivated wetland soils along a typical plateau lake from southwest China

Topsoil (0–20 cm) samples were collected from four cultivated wetlands including Northern and Western Fields (about 30-year tillage), and Southern and Western Fields (about 20-year tillage) along the Yilong Lake of China in October, 2005. Total concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn were determined using the inductively coupled plasma atomic absorption spectrometry in order to assess contamination status in four sampling plots. Results showed that the average concentrations of these heavy metals in Northern and Western Fields were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than those in reference soils, while they were generally lower in Southern and Eastern Fields. All the mean concentrations of heavy metals were lower, except that the average concentrations of As and Cr in Northern Field slightly exceeded the soil quality guidelines. The contamination indices showed low-contamination levels for As, Cu, Pb, and Zn in Northern and Western Fields, while no contamination levels could be observed in Southern and Eastern Fields. As for Cr, they showed moderate-contamination levels in Northern Field, but low or no contamination levels in other three Fields. The integrated contamination index values indicated Northern and Western Fields were moderately contaminated, while Southern and Eastern Fields were less contaminated. The same contamination sources of these heavy metals were identified in these fields using factor- and cluster analysis.     

Speciation and behavior of arsenic in evaporation basins,California, USA

Disposal of saline subsurface drainage waters from croplands into evaporation basins (or ponds) in the San Joaquin Valley of California causes excessive accumulation of salts and elevated concentrations of arsenic (As), a potentially high risk element with little information about its fate, in the agricultural evaporation ponds. We examined dissolved As concentration, speciation, and distribution in waters as well as As fractionation in sediments in the 10-cell South Evaporation Basin for better understanding of processes and conditions affecting As transformations and fate in a specific drainage disposal facility. The increase of total dissolved As concentrations were observed with higher Cl⁻ and electric conductivity along flow path indicating that evaporation was an important factor regulating total dissolved As concentration. The increases of reduced As species such as arsenite [As(III)] and organic As (monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid) were found towards the terminal flow pathway. However, arsenate [As(V)], the oxidized species remained greater than 67% of total dissolved As in all cell waters. Sequential extractions of sediments indicated that reducing conditions may influence As behavior in sediments to be more soluble and exchangeable. Arsenic association with oxides was appreciable only under oxidizing condition. Carbonate minerals played an important role in immobilizing As into the sediments under alkaline condition and a broad range of redox conditions. However, these sink mechanisms did not significantly reduce As concentrations in the cell waters. The reducing condition facilitated by high concentration of organic matter might be a major factor for the increase in As mobility.     

Submarine groundwater discharge and benthic biogeochemical zonation in the Huanghe River Estuary

Submarine groundwater discharge(SGD) has received increasing attention by studies on coastal areas; however,its effects on biogeochemical zonation have not been investigated to date. The Huanghe River Estuary(HRE) is a world class river estuary with high turbidity, and heavy human regulation. This study investigated how SGD is related to the benthic biogeochemistry of the HRE. Based on the distribution of several parameters(e.g., salinity,temperature, dissolved oxygen(DO) levels, p H, radium iso...     

Simulating the influence of various nutrient sources on hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary

Hypoxia is increasingly reported off the Changjiang River Estuary with the confluence of multiple high volume nutrient sources. The Regional Ocean Modeling System coupled with a biological model was used to analyze the effect of different nutrient sources on the development of hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary. By comparing to observed data, our model suitably captured the regional dynamics of chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient concentration. A series of sensitivity experiments were conducted to investigate the hypoxia response to the various nutrient sources, such as loading from the Changjiang River, Kuroshio and Taiwan Warm Current. Our model results indicated that nutrients from different sources significantly influenced the hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary, and it was mostly affected by nutrients sourced from the Kuroshio. The nutrients input from the Changjiang River had larger impacts on the hypoxia in the north of 30°N than that in the south of 30°N. The nutrients sourced from the Taiwan Strait had a least influence on the hypoxia off the Changjiang River Estuary.     

Genetic variation of the small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) inferred from mitochondrial DNA provides novel insight into the fluctuation of resources

The small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) belongs to the family Sciaenidae, which is an offshore warm fish species and widely distributed in the western Pacific. In this study, the variation of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation among L. polyactis populations was analyzed by mitochondrial DNA control region. A total of 110 polymorphic sites were checked, which defined 134 haplotypes. High level of haplotype diversity (h=0.993±0.002) was detected in the examined range. Population genetic structure analyse (analysis of molecular variance, F_st) showed there were high gene flow among L. polyactis populations. The result showed that there were relatively high genetic diversity and low genetic differentiation among the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea populations, which can be attributed to diverse habitats, wide distribution range and high mutation rate of control region. Using phylogenetic methods, coalescent analyses (neutrality tests, mismatch distribution analysis, Bayesian skyline analyses) and molecular dating interpreted in conjunction with paleoclimatic and physiographic evidence, we inferred that the genetic make-up of extant populations of L. polyactis was shaped by Pleistocene environmental impacts on the historical demography of this species. Besides, relatively constant genetic diversity and larger effective population size were detected in recent L. polyactis population. The result showed that the fishing policy certainly, such as the summer closed fishing, played a role in protecting resources of L. polyactis. This study can offer a wealth of biological novelties which indicates genetic structure of L. polyactis population and provides the foundation for resources protection and policy setting.     

Dynamic Response Analysis and Vibration Control for A Fixed-Bottom Offshore Wind Turbine Subjected to Multiple External Excitations

For the offshore wind turbines installed in earthquake areas, their operation is affected by seismic loads in addition to wind and wave loads. Therefore, it is necessary to study the dynamic responses and vibration control of the wind turbines. In previous studies, the structural responses of offshore wind turbines are usually investigated in the parked case, while the blade rotation effect is usually not considered. The evaluation on the structural responses may be inaccurate under this conditi...