Precambrian fluvial deposits: Enigmatic palaeohydrological data from the c. 2–1.9 Ga Waterberg Group, South Africa

Precambrian fluvial systems, lacking the influence of rooted vegetation, probably were characterised by flashy surface runoff, low bank stability, broad channels with abundant bedload, and faster rates of channel migration; consequently, a braided fluvial style is generally accepted. Pre-vegetational braided river systems, active under highly variable palaeoclimatic conditions, may have been more widespread than are modern, ephemeral dry-land braided systems. Aeolian deflation of fine fluvial detritus does not appear to have been prevalent. With the onset of large cratons by the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic, very large, perennial braided river systems became typical. The c. 2.06–1.88 Ga Waterberg Group, preserved within a Main and a smaller Middelburg basin on the Kaapvaal craton, was deposited largely by alluvial/braided-fluvial and subordinate palaeo-desert environments, within fault-bounded, possibly pull-apart type depositories.

Palaeohydrological data obtained from earlier work in the Middelburg basin (Wilgerivier Formation) are compared to such data derived from the correlated Blouberg Formation, situated along the NE margin of the Main basin. Within the preserved Blouberg depository, palaeohydrological parameters estimated from clast size and cross-bed set thickness data, exhibit rational changes in their values, either in a down-palaeocurrent direction, or from inferred basin margin to palaeo-basin centre. In both the Wilgerivier and Blouberg Formations, calculated palaeoslope values (derived from two separate formulae) plot within the gap separating typical alluvial fan gradients from those which characterise rivers (cf. [Blair, T.C., McPherson, J.G., 1994. Alluvial fans and their natural distinction from rivers based on morphology, hydraulic processes, sedimentary processes, and facies assemblages. J. Sediment. Res. A64, 450–489.]). Although it may be argued that such data support possibly unique fluvial styles within the Precambrian, perhaps related to a combination of major global-scale tectono-thermal and atmospheric–palaeoclimatic events, a simpler explanation of these apparently enigmatic palaeoslope values may be pertinent. Of the two possible palaeohydrological formulae for calculating palaeoslope, one provides results close to typical fluvial gradients; the other formula relies on preserved channel-width data. We suggest that the latter will not be reliable due to problematic preservation of original channel-widths within an active braided fluvial system. We thus find no unequivocal support for a unique fluvial style for the Precambrian, beyond that generally accepted for that period and discussed briefly in the first paragraph.     

Gender and voluntary work in late adulthood in rural communities in the Netherlands

This article discusses the involvement of older women and men in voluntary work in rural communities in the Netherlands. Gender, ageing and civil society form the core concepts in the article. Politicians and policy makers in the Netherlands are worried about the perceived decline of civil society and about the consequences of this decline for specific categories of older women in terms of well-being and social exclusion. The paper presents the results of two surveys of involvement of older women and men in civic organisations, voluntary work and local actions. The surveys indicate high levels of involvement of both women and men. No gender differences are found in activity level. However, the data demonstrate the gendered nature of civil society. Women are more engaged in informal voluntary work and informal local actions, while men are more active in formal organisations and functions. This gender segmentation is not absolute, however. Many older women and men transgress the traditional feminine–masculine boundaries. The surveys highlight the involvement of women and men in rural communities, but indicate lower activity levels in urban areas.     

藏北安多地区侏罗纪菊石动物群及其古地理意义

藏北安多地区新发现2套以黑色页岩、深灰色钙质泥岩和泥灰岩为主的舍菊石化石的侏罗纪地层，它们与羌塘地区广泛分布的雁石坪群无论在化石组合或沉积特征方面都明显不同．岗尼乡剖面地层中产太阳菊石科的菊石，主要有Sonninia，Dorsetensia，Witchellia等。、这套地层是双湖地区色哇组的东延部分，时代确定为中侏罗世早中巴柔期114道班剖面中羌姆勒曲组的菊石化石大多归属于Virgatosphinctinae科，计有Aulacosphinctes、Virgatosphinctes等，均为上侏罗统菊石化石的典型分子，产出层位应归于提塘阶中、上部。藏北安多-改则以北一线的侏罗系深水黑色岩系虽不十分连续，但从有化石证据的土阿辛阶到巴柔阶再到提塘阶都有零星出露，它们同属一个沉积相区。侏罗纪时羌塘南部可能存在一套大陆边缘型沉积地层，因此有必要对该区的构造属性和演化历史重新进行解释。     

预应力张拉引起的环吊轨道变形测量数据精度统计方法

运用测量数据精度统计方法，分析某核电站一号核岛核反应堆厂房环吊轨道的测量数据，从测量学角度提出预应力张拉引起环吊轨道变形的结论。这种以测量理论研究建设工程中实际问题的方法，可供借鉴。     

A mechanism for decadal changes of ENSO behavior: roles of background wind changes

This study explains why a number of El Nino properties (period, amplitude, structure, and propagation) have changed in a coherent manner since the late 1970s and why these changes had almost concurred with the Pacific decadal climate shift. Evidence is presented to show that from the pre-shift (1961-1975) to the post-shift (1981-1995) epoch, significant changes in the tropical Pacific are found in the surface winds and temperature, whereas changes in the thermocline are uncertain. Numerical experiments with the Cane and Zebiak model demonstrate that the decadal changes in the surface winds qualitatively reproduce the observed coherent changes in El Nino properties. The fundamental factor that altered the model's El Nino is the decadal changes of the background equatorial winds and associated upwelling. The annual cycle is also necessary for the mean state to modulate El Nino. From the pre- to post-shift epoch, the changes in the background winds and upwelling modify the structure of the coupled mode (eastward displacement of the equatorial westerly anomalies) by reallocating anomalous atmospheric heating and SST gradient along the equator. This structural change amplifies the ENSO cycle and prolongs the oscillation period by enhancing the coupled instability and delaying transitions from a warm to a cold state or vice versa. The changes in the mean currents and upwelling reduce the effect of the zonal temperature advection while enhance that of the vertical advection; thus, the prevailing westward propagation is replaced by eastward propagation or standing oscillation. Our results suggest a critical role of the atmospheric bridge that rapidly conveys the influences of extratropical decadal variations to the tropics, and the possibility that the Pacific climate shift might have affected El Nino properties in the late 1970s by changing the background tropical winds and the associated equatorial upwelling.     

东亚地区春冬季与夏季大气环流异常相互关系的研究

利用1951~2000年共50年的北半球500 hPa月平均高度距平场资料和奇异值分解技术（SVD），重点对东亚地区季节间大气环流异常的相互关系进行了初步探讨。结果表明，东亚地区季节间大气环流异常存在着较为密切的关联，并且这种明显的非同步联系具有时空相关显著的特点，尤其是夏季大气环流异常与其前冬和前春大气环流异常的联系更为密切。当前冬和前春北半球东亚大槽和北美大槽及蒙古高压偏强（或偏弱），极涡偏弱（或偏强），中高纬度盛行经向环流（或纬向环流），以及低纬和热带地区高度正距平（或负距平）明显时，则对应于夏季东亚地区西太平洋副高和鄂霍次克海阻高强度偏强（或偏弱），位置偏南（或偏北），贝加尔湖阻高强度也偏强（或偏弱），但位置偏西（或偏东）的大尺度环流形势出现。当春季北半球大气环流具有上述特点以及夏季鄂霍次克海阻高和西太平洋副高强度偏强（或偏弱），位置偏南（或偏北），且极涡较弱（较强）时，则东亚地区秋季大气环流对应于蒙古高压加强（或较弱），西太平洋副高减弱（或加强），并向南和向东移动（或移动较慢），极涡向南扩散（或扩散减弱），大气环流向冬季过渡加快（或减慢）。另外，大气环流异常还具有一定的持续性特征。     

青藏高原各拉丹冬地区冰川变化的遥感监测

以位于青藏高原长江源头的各拉丹冬地区冰川为例, 利用2000年的TM数字遥感影像资料、 1969年的航空相片遥感资料、地形图及数字地形模型, 通过遥感图像处理和分析提取研究区小冰期最盛期(LIA)、 1969年和2000年的冰川范围, 并在地理信息系统技术支持下分析该地区冰川的进退情况. 研究结果表明, 该地区1969年冰川面积比小冰期最盛期的冰川面积减少了5.2%, 2000年的冰川面积比1969年的冰川面积减少了1.7%. 从1969年到2000年最大冰川退缩速度为-41.5 m*a-1, 最大冰川前进速度为+21.9 m*a-1. 本区的冰川基本处于稳定状态, 冰川退缩的速度不是太大, 并有前进的冰川存在.     

神头泉流量变化规律研究--灰色系统理论的具体应用

在分析神头泉流量衰减特征的前提下，利用灰色系统理论建立了描述神头泉流量变化规律的数学模型。以1985年为界，神头泉的流量变化过程可分为两个阶段，GM（1，1）模型与灰色预测校正模型则分别用于对这两个阶段的流量变化特征进行刻画。神头泉2000－2004年的流量预测值表明，在神头泉域保证90年代中期的高降水量和朔州市各地下水用户对泉域内的地下水不进行超采的基础上，神头泉的流量在未来的一段时间内会维持1993年以来的增长趋势。     

西藏层序地层研究进展

迄今为止，西藏区内所开展的层序地层分析主要涉及到中生代的二级或三级层序。基于露头剖面的沉积相、古生物、磁性地层以及地质事件的综合研究，探讨了三叠纪、侏罗纪和白垩纪的层序地层模式及其形成机制。现今所取得的进展主要表现在3个方面：①初步建立了区内中生代层序地层年代格架；②不同时代、不同类型盆地中的层序数量、结构与层序类型具有较大的差异；③层序地层与磁性地层的结合研究，取得了重要的成果。未来区内的层序地层研究应在3个方面展开；①高分辨率层序地层研究，树立株罗纪－第三纪海平面变化曲线；②探索层序地层填图新方法；③多岛弧造山模式和多机制的隆升模式等大陆动力学问题也是层序地层所遇到的新挑战。     

Seismic buffer recognition using wavelet-based features and neural classification

One of the first operations in a seismic signal processing system applied to earthquake data is to distinguish between valid and invalid records. Since valid signals are characterized by a combination of their time and frequency properties, wavelets are natural candidates for describing seismic features in a compact way. This paper develops a seismic buffer pattern recognition technique, comprising wavelet-based feature extraction, feature selection based on the mutual information criterion, and neural classification based on feedforward networks. The ability of the wavelet transform to capture discriminating information from seismic data in a small number of features is compared with alternative feature reduction techniques, including statistical moments. Three different variations of the wavelet transform are used to extract features: the discrete wavelet transform, the single wavelet transform and the continuous wavelet transform. The mutual information criterion is employed to select a relatively small set of wavelets from the time–frequency grid. Firstly, it is determined whether wavelets can capture more informative data in an equal number of features compared with other features derived from raw data. Secondly, wavelet-based features are compared with features selected based on prior knowledge of class differences. Thirdly, a technique is developed to optimize wavelet features as part of the neural network training process, by using the wavelet neural network architecture. The automated classification techniques developed in this paper are shown to perform similarly to human operators trained for this function. Wavelet-based techniques are found to be useful, both for preprocessing of the raw data and for extracting features from the data. It is demonstrated that the definition of wavelet features can be optimized using the classification wavelet network architecture.