Wind tunnel and field testing of a simple sand catcher for sampling inhomogeneously saltating sand in desertified environments

Problems of vertical alignment and vibrations of disposable coffee cups used in a modified version of the De Ploey saltating sand catcher were solved. The new version was tested in a sediment wind tunnel. Its catches appeared linearly related to amounts of eroded sand, largely independent of wind speed and wind direction, and depended logarithmically on height. The catch efficiency may therefore be taken to be approximately independent of wind speed and direction. The instrument performed well under conditions of inhomogeneously saltating sand in a strongly desertified environment in Central Sudan. Use and results show the improved simple catcher to be easy to assemble, reproducible and cheap, suitable for multipoint use to cover all inhomogeneities in outdoor saltating sand fields.     

SEISMIC INVERSION BY A RMS BORN APPROXIMATION IN THE SPACE-TIME DOMAIN1

A new approximate method to calculate the space-time acoustic wave motion generated by an impulsive point source in a horizontally layered configuration is presented. The configuration consists of a stack of fluid layers between two acoustic half-spaces where the source and the receiver are located in the upper half-space. A distorted-wave Born approximation is introduced; the important feature of the method is the assumption of a background medium with vertical varying root-mean-square acoustic wave speed. A closed-form expression for the scattered field in space and time as a function of the contrast parameters is deduced. The result agrees closely with rigorously calculated synthetic seismograms. In the inverse scheme the wave speed and mass density can be reconstructed within a single trace. Results of the inversion scheme applied to synthetic data are shown.     

An Archean(?) to Paleozoic Evolution for a Garnet Peridotite Lens with Sub-Baltic Shield Affinity within the Seve Nappe Complex of Jamtland, Sweden, Central Scandinavian Caledonides

Mineralogical, isotopic, geochemical and geochronological evidencedemonstrates that the Friningen body, a garnet peridotite bodycontaining garnet pyroxenite layers in the Seve Nappe Complex(SNC) of Northern Jämtland, Sweden, represents old, certainlyProterozoic and possibly Archean, lithosphere that became incorporatedinto the Caledonian tectonic edifice during crustal subductioninto the mantle at c. 450 Ma. Both garnet peridotite and pyroxenitecontain two (M₁ and M₂) generations of garnet-bearing assemblagesseparated by the formation of two-pyroxene, spinel symplectitearound the M₁ garnet and the crystallization of low-Cr spinel_1Cin the matrix. These textures suggest initial high-pressure(HP) crystallization of garnet peridotite and pyroxenite succeededby decompression into the spinel stability field, followed byrecompression into the garnet peridotite facies. Some pyroxenitelayers appear to be characterized solely by M₂ assemblages withstretched garnet as large as several centimeters. Laser ablationmicroprobe–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometryRe–Os analyses of single sulfide grains generally definemeaningless model ages suggesting more than one episode of Reand/or Os addition and/or loss to the body. Pentlandite grainsfrom a single polished slab of one garnet peridotite, however,define a linear array on an Re–Os isochron diagram that,if interpreted as an errorchron, suggests an Archean melt extractionevent that left behind the depleted dunite and harzburgite bodiesthat characterize the SNC. Refertilization of this mantle bymelts associated with the development of the pyroxenite layersis indicated by enriched clinopyroxene Sr–Nd isotope ratios,and by parallel large ion lithophile-enriched trace elementpatterns in clinopyroxene from pyroxenite and the immediatelyadjacent peridotite. Clinopyroxene and whole-rock model Sm–Ndages (T_DM = 1·1–2·2 Ga) indicate that fertilizationtook place in Proterozoic times. Sm–Nd garnet₂–clinopyroxene₂–wholerock ± orthopyroxene₂ mineral isochrons from three pyroxenitelayers define overlapping ages of 452·1 ± 7·5and 448 ± 13 Ma and 451 ± 43 Ma (2     

Structural and P-T Evolution of a Major Cross Fold in the Central Zone of the Limpopo High-Grade Terrain, South Africa

The Central Zone (CZ) of the Limpopo Complex of southern Africais characterized by a complex deformational pattern dominatedby two types of fold geometries: large sheath folds and crossfolds. The sheath folds are steeply SSW-plunging closed structureswhereas the cross folds are north–south-oriented withnear-horizontal fold axes. In the area south of Messina thiscomplexly folded terrain grades continuously towards the southinto a crustal-scale ENE–WSW-trending ductile shear zonewith moderate dip towards the WSW. All sheath folds documentconsistent top-to-the-NE thrust movement of high-grade material.The timing of this shear deformational event (D₂) and thus ofthe gneissic fabric (S₂) is constrained (at     

初论湖南省主要有色金属、贵金属矿床成矿谱系

在确立湖南境内区域地质事件发生、发展和结果的基础上，建立了8个矿床成矿系列，2个亚系列，反映了一个完整的四维体系中形成一组矿床的自然组合和矿床成矿系列形成一定阶段内的地质环境，从而揭示出本区成矿物质在区域地质构造不断演化过程中的行为，即成矿物质组成的变化分散或富集的规律，以及区域成矿的继承性或突发性等。     

CLIMATE-CONTROLLED GLACIAL EROSION IN THE UNCONSOLIDATED SEDIMENTS OF NORTHWESTERN EUROPE,BASED ON A GENETIC MODEL FOR TUNNEL VALLEY FORMATION

The development of large erosive subglacial forms in unconsolidated sediments is generally attributed to the eroding power of subglacial meltwater flowing under high pressure conditions. Most explanations, however, differ in the source of meltwater and the speed at which it erodes the subglacial bed. Based on the geometry of deep tunnel valleys and glacial basins in northwestern Europe, a reconstruction of subglacial hydrological conditions during the development of subglacial depressions is made. It is demonstrated that the flow of subglacial meltwater in subglacial channels under high glaciostatic pressures is only capable of eroding large volumes of sediment as long as there is imminent glaciohydrological instability. For the thick aquifers in northwestern Europe, this instability is achieved when large quantities of supraglacial meltwater are available. Furthermore, a theoretical definition is given for maximum depression depth to be reached by subglacial erosion. It is shown that this maximum depth is strongly related to average air temperatures during deglaciation and that glacier bed lowering is to be expected during any final phase of glaciations. The theoretical framework presented enables a tentative comparison between large-scale glacial morphology of different glaciations in northwestern Europe.     

SURFACE ROUGHNESS EVOLUTION OF SOILS CONTAINING ROCK FRAGMENTS

Soil surface roughness is a dynamic property which determines, to a large extent, erosion and infiltration rates. Although soils containing rock fragments are widespread in the Mediterranean region, the effect of the latter on surface roughness evolution is yet poorly understood. Therefore, laboratory experiments were conducted in order to investigate the effect of rock fragment content, rock fragment size and initial moisture content of the fine earth on the evolution of interrill surface roughness during simulated rainfall. Surface elevations of simulated plough layers along transects of 50 cm length were measured before and after simulated rainfall (totalling 192.5 mm, I = 70 mm h⁻¹) with a laser microreliefmeter. The results were used to investigate whether systematic variations in interrill surface roughness along stony hillslopes in southeastern Spain could be attributed to rock fragment cover and rock fragment size. Soil surface elevations were measured along the contour lines (50 cm long transects) with a contact microreliefmeter. Roughness was expressed by two parameters related to the height and frequency of roughness elements, respectively: standard deviation of de-trended surface elevations (random roughness: RR), and correlation length (L) derived from exponential fits of the autocorrelation functions. The frequently used assumption that surface roughness (RR) of cultivated topsoils decreases exponentially with cumulative rain is not valid for soil surfaces covered by rock fragments. The RR of soils containing small rock fragments (1.7–2.7 cm) increased with cumulative rainfall after an initial decrease during the first 17.5 mm of rainfall. For soils containing large rock fragments (7.7 cm), RR increased with rainfall above a threshold rock fragment content by mass of 52 per cent. For a given rainfall application, RR increased non-linearly with rock fragment content. The correlation length for soils containing small rock fragments decreases with rock fragment content and is significantly lower than for soils with large rock fragments. Soils covered with small rock fragments (large RR and small L) are thus well protected against raindrop impact by a water film in the depressions between the rock fragments. On abandoned agricultural fields along hillslopes in southeastern Spain, rock fragments cover increases non-linearly with slope owing to selective erosion of finer particles on steep slopes. The increase of surface cover by large rock fragments (>25 mm) is even more pronounced. The simultaneous increase of rock fragment cover and rock fragment size with slope explains the non-linear increase of RR with slope. These relationships differ for soils covered by platy misaschists and those covered with cubic andesites. The variations in correlation length along the hillslopes are not clear, probably owing to a simultaneous increase in rock fragment cover and rock fragment size. These findings may provide a better prediction of soil surface roughness of interrill areas covered by rock fragments using slope angle and lithology.     

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF SOIL SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND THE APPLICATION IN HYDROLOGICAL AND SOIL EROSION MODELLING

Accurate estimations of water retention and detention are needed to simulate surface runoff and soil erosion following a rainfall event in a catchment. Several equations to estimate the amount of surface depressional storage, the fraction of the soil surface covered by water and the amount of rainfall excess needed to start surface runoff have been developed by Onstad (1984). The random roughness and slope gradient are needed for those estimations. Surface micro-elevation data have been gathered by a photographic method. The random roughness was determined from those elevation measurements. Several factors which have an impact on the soil surface roughness were taken into account. The main sources of influence are the type of land use, the crop stage within the growing period and tillage direction. Analyses of variance indicated that the variation in the RR-index could be explained mainly by type of land use, orientation and field type. The temporal variation was relatively small. Gradient data have been determined from a digital elevation model, constructed by digitizing contours. Combining the random roughness and the steepness of slope, the amounts of surface water retention and detention could be estimated. Knowledge of water retention and detention will improve the estimations of runoff and soil erosion modelling in catchments, such as those made with the LISEM model. The agricultural systems examined in this study have similar random roughness values in summer. Different soil erosion rates for several types of land use can not therefore be explained by the random roughness.     

ESTIMATING INFILTRATION PARAMETERS FROM BASIC SOIL PROPERTIES

Infiltration data were collected on two rectangular grids with 25 sampling points each. Both experimental grids were located in tropical rain forest (Guyana), the first in an Arenosol area and the second in a Ferralsol field. Four different infiltration models were evaluated based on their performance in describing the infiltration data. The model parameters were estimated using non-linear optimization techniques. The infiltration behaviour in the Ferralsol was equally well described by the equations of Philip, Green–Ampt, Kostiakov and Horton. For the Arenosol, the equations of Philip, Green–Ampt and Horton were significantly better than the Kostiakov model. Basic soil properties such as textural composition (percentage sand, silt and clay), organic carbon content, dry bulk density, porosity, initial soil water content and root content were also determined for each sampling point of the two grids. The fitted infiltration parameters were then estimated based on other soil properties using multiple regression. Prior to the regression analysis, all predictor variables were transformed to normality. The regression analysis was performed using two information levels. The first information level contained only three texture fractions for the Ferralsol (sand, silt and clay) and four fractions for the Arenosol (coarse, medium and fine sand, and silt and clay). At the first information level the regression models explained up to 60% of the variability of some of the infiltration parameters for the Ferralsol field plot. At the second information level the complete textural analysis was used (nine fractions for the Ferralsol and six for the Arenosol). At the second information level a principal components analysis (PCA) was performed prior to the regression analysis to overcome the problem of multicollinearity among the predictor variables. Regression analysis was then carried out using the orthogonally transformed soil properties as the independent variables. Results for the Ferralsol data show that the parameters of the Green–Ampt and Kostiakov model were estimated relatively accurately (maximum R² = 0.76). For the Arenosol, use of the second information level together with PCA produced regression models with an R² value ranging from 0.38 to 0.68. For the Ferralsol, most of the variance was explained by the root content and organic matter content. In the Arenosol plot, the fractions medium and fine sand explained most of the observed variance.