Effects of fluid displacement pattern on complex electrical impedance in Berea sandstone over frequency range 104–106 Hz

To better understand the effect of fluid distribution on the electric response of rocks saturated with oil and brine, we conducted experimental studies on the complex electrical impedance in a Berea sandstone, together with in situ acquisitions of oil distribution images employing a high‐resolution medical X‐ray computed tomography. We performed two tests of brine displacement by oil under high (10 MPa) and low (5 MPa) pressures, which were accompanied by fingering and stable displacement patterns, respectively. The measured complex impedance data were fitted to the Cole model to obtain the resistance, capacitance, peak frequency of the imaginary impedance, and the exponent α of the rock–fluid system. With increasing oil saturation, the resistance showed an increasing trend, whereas the other three parameters decreased. The fingering displacement exhibited lower resistance and capacitance than the stable displacement. The analysis of the resistance changes using a simple parallel connection model indicates that there are more components of residual brine in parallel connections in the fingering pattern than in the stable displacement pattern at the same saturation. We also interpreted the normalised changes in the capacitance (or apparent dielectric constant) with respect to the oil saturation via an analysis of the shape factor of fluid distribution based on the Maxwell–Wagner–Brugermann–Hanai model. The changes in the shape factor suggest that the pinch‐off of the brine in parallel connection by the oil is a dominant mechanism reducing the capacitance. In the stable displacement, most of the connections in the brine phase are immediately pinched off by oil displacement front at a local oil saturation of 65%. Conversely, in the fingering displacement, there is a transition from the bulk or layered brine to the pinched‐off at a local oil saturation below 60%. The analyses indicate that the difference in the fluid distribution under different fluid conditions is responsible for the non‐Archie behaviour.     

The petrogenesis and implications of deformed late Caledonian–early Hercynian granites in the Wuyi area,South China

Precambrian basement rocks have been affected by Caledonian thermal metamorphism. Caledonian‐aged zircon grains from Precambrian basement rocks may have resulted from thermal metamorphism. However, Hercynian ages are rarely recorded. Zircon U–Pb Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) dating reveals that zircon ages from the Huyan, Lingdou, and Pengkou granitic plutons can be divided into two groups: one group with ages of 398.9 ±5.3 Ma, 399 ±5 Ma, and 410.2 ±5.4 Ma; and a second group with ages of 354 ±11 Ma, 364.6 ±6.7 Ma, and 368 ±14 Ma. The group of zircon U–Pb ages dated at 410–400 Ma represent Caledonian magmatism, whereas the 368–354 Ma ages represent the age of deformation, which produced gneissosity. The three plutons share geochemical characteristics with S‐type granites and belong to the high‐K calc‐alkaline series of peraluminous rocks. They have (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i ratios of 0.710 45–0.724 68 and εNd(t) values of ?7.33 to ?10.74, with two‐stage Nd model ages (T_DM2) ranging from 1.84 Ga to 2.10 Ga. Magmatic zircon εHf(t) values range from ?3.79 to ?8.44, and have T_DMC ages of 1.65–1.93 Ga. The data suggest that these granites formed by partial melting of Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic continental crust. A collision occurred between the Wuyi and Minyue microcontinents within the Cathaysia Block and formed S‐type granite in the southwest Fujian province. The ca 360 Ma zircon U–Pb ages can represent a newly recognized period of deformation which coincided with the formation of the unified Cathaysia Block.     

Aerosol properties over an urban site in central East China derived from ground sun-photometer measurements

Sun-photometer measurements at Hefei, an urban site located in central East China, were examined to investigate the variations of aerosol loading and optical properties. It is found that aerosol optical thickness (AOT) keeps higher in winter/spring and gets relatively lower in summer/autumn. The large AOT in winter is caused by anthropogenic sulfate/nitrate aerosols, while in spring dust particles elevate the background aerosol loading and the excessive fine-mode particles eventually lead to severe pollution. There is a dramatic decline of AOT during summer, with monthly averaged AOT reaching the maximum in June and soon the minimum in August. Meanwhile, aerosol size decreases consistently and single scattering albedo (SSA) reaches its minimum in July. During summertime large-sized particles play a key role to change the air from clean to mild-pollution situation, while the presence of massive small-sized particles makes the air being even more polluted. These complicated summer patterns are possibly related to the three key processes that are active in the high temperature/humidity environment concentrating on sulfate/nitrate aerosols, i.e., gas-to-particle transformation, hygroscopic growth, and wet scavenging. Regardless of season, the increase of SSA with increasing AOT occurs across the visible and near-infrared bands, suggesting the dominant negative/cooling effect with the elevated aerosol loading. The SSA spectra under varying AOT monotonically decrease with wavelength. The relatively large slope arises in summer, reinforcing the dominance of sulfate/nitrate aerosols that induce severe pollution in summer season around this city.     

Two types of summertime heating over Asian large-scale orography and excitation of potential-vorticity forcing II. Sensible heating over Tibetan-Iranian Plateau

Based on analysis and simulation, the interaction of thermal forcing between the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and Iranian Plateau (IP) in summer is investigated. Associated influences on water vapor transport in the Asian subtropical monsoon region and the formation of a cold center in the lower stratosphere over Eurasia are also investigated. Results show that surface sensible heating (SH) over the two plateaus not only have mutual influences but also feedback to each other. SH over the IP can reduce the SH and increase the LH over the TP, whereas the SH over the TP can increase surface heating over the IP, thereby reaching quasi-equilibrium among the SH and LH over the TP, IP SH and atmosphere vertical motion. Therefore, the so-called Tibetan-Iranian Plateau coupling system (TIPS) is constructed, which influences atmosphere circulation. In the TIPS system, interaction between surface SH and LH over the TP plays a leading role. SH of the IP and TP influences on other regions not only have superimposed effects but also mutually offset. Accounting for contributions to the convergence of water vapor transport in the Asian subtropical monsoon region, TP SH contributes more than twice that of the IP. The combined influence of SH over TP and IP represents the major contribution to the convergence of water vapor transport in that region. In addition, the heating effect of TIPS increases the upper tropospheric temperature maximum and lifts the tropopause, cooling the lower stratosphere. Combined with large-scale thermal forcing of the Eurasian continent, the TIPS produces a strong anticyclonic circulation and the South Asian High that warms the upper troposphere and cools the lower stratosphere, thereby affecting regional and global weather and climate.     

景泰M_S4.7地震前的定点形变异常

2014年11月15日,在甘肃省白银市景泰县发生MS4.7地震,震源深度10km。在震中附近200km以内,甘肃省地震局共安装架设有14台各类形变观测仪器。本文通过对这些形变观测仪产出的分钟值观测资料做小波分析发现,在地震前1个月内共有11台(套)形变观测仪记录到了异常变化。其中:SSY、TJ、DSQ、SSQ型观测仪记录到异常的同步性非常好;CZB型观测仪记录到的异常比较乱,没有固定的规律。通过对这些异常变化的总结能够为地震预测提供一定的判断依据。     

云计算在地震行业信息网络服务中的框架研究与设计

云计算是当前信息网络服务技术研究的重要领域。很多机构、企业开始关注云计算,并评估自身建设云计算平台的可能性。本文通过对云计算技术发展及应用产品的研究,讨论云计算在地震行业信息网络服务中的作用和定位。结合地震行业信息网络服务应用现状,提出中国地震台网中心数据中心私有云平台的简要设计设想,为地震行业建设自有云计算服务平台提供参考模型。     

Comparison of daily and sub-daily SWAT models for daily streamflow simulation in the Upper Huai River Basin of China

Despite the significant role of precipitation in the hydrological cycle, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the impacts of the temporal resolution of rainfall inputs on the performance of SWAT (soil and water assessment tool) models in large-sized river basins. In this study, both daily and hourly rainfall observations at 28 rainfall stations were used as inputs to SWAT for daily streamflow simulation in the Upper Huai River Basin. Study results have demonstrated that the SWAT model with hourly rainfall inputs performed better than the model with daily rainfall inputs in daily streamflow simulation, primarily due to its better capability of simulating peak flows during the flood season. The sub-daily SWAT model estimated that 58 % of streamflow was contributed by baseflow compared to 34 % estimated by the daily model. Using the future daily and 3-h precipitation projections under the RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways) 4.5 scenario as inputs, the sub-daily SWAT model predicted a larger amount of monthly maximum daily flow during the wet years than the daily model. The differences between the daily and sub-daily SWAT model simulation results indicated that temporal rainfall resolution could have much impact on the simulation of hydrological process, streamflow, and consequently pollutant transport by SWAT models. There is an imperative need for more studies to examine the effects of temporal rainfall resolution on the simulation of hydrological and water pollutant transport processes by SWAT in river basins of different environmental conditions.     

Present-Day Crustal Vertical Motion Around the Ordos Block Constrained by Precise Leveling and GPS Data

Precise leveling data observed in the period of 1970–2014 around the Ordos block were collected and processed to estimate present-day crustal vertical movement. Vertical rates of 6 GPS sites were employed as a priori constraints to define the reference frame. The velocity field shows that the interior of the Ordos block moves upward at a rate of 3 mm/a as a stable block. With respect to the central Ordos, the grabens and rifts around the Ordos block are undergoing subsidence, while the northeastern and southwestern Ordos uplift at the average rates of 2 and 1 mm/a, respectively. To the southeastern margin of the Ordos block, the Weihe and southern Shanxi grabens are subsiding at the rates of 4–6 mm/a. The subsidence of the Shanxi graben indicates that the graben is experiencing extensional movement on a long timescale. To the northwestern margin of the Ordos block, the Hetao and Yinchuan rifts are subsiding at the rates of 2–3 mm/a. A 2-D buried faulting model is used to infer the normal or reverse dip-slip rates. Our solution shows that most of the normal slip rates along the faults in the grabens and rifts are ~2 mm/a.     

Heterogeneity in supraglacial debris thickness and its role in glacier mass changes of the Mount Gongga

In the Tibetan Plateau, many glaciers have extensive covers of supraglacial debris in their ablation zones, which affects glacier response to climate change by altering ice melting and spatial patterns of mass loss. Insufficient debris thickness data make it difficult to analyze regional debris-cover effects. Maritime glaciers of the Mount Gongga have been characterized by a substantial reduction in glacier area and ice mass in recent decades. The thermal property of the debris layer estimated from remotely sensed data reveals that debris-covered glaciers are dominant in this region, on which the proportion of debris cover to total glacier area varies from 1.74% to 53.0%. Using a physically-based debris-cover effect assessment model, we found that although the presence of supraglacial debris has a significant insulating effect on heavily debris-covered glaciers, it accelerates ice melting on ~10.2% of total ablation zone and produces rapid wastage of ~25% of the debris-covered glaciers, leading to the similar mass losses between the debris-covered and debris-free glaciers. Widespread debris cover also facilitates the development of active terminus regions. Regional differences in debris-cover effects are apparent, highlighting the importance of debris cover for understanding glacier mass changes in the Tibetan Plateau and other mountain ranges around the world.