Beach Wizard: Nearshore bathymetry estimation through assimilation of model computations and remote observations

A data–model assimilation method (called “Beach Wizard”) is presented with which the nearshore subtidal bathymetry can be accurately estimated based on video-derived observations of wave roller dissipation and variation of the intertidal shoreline, and/or radar-derived observations of wave celerity. Using many consecutive images, these observed properties are compared with numerical model results, and through a simple, optimal least-squares estimator approach the estimated bathymetry is adjusted gradually for each image in order to improve the fit between model output and observations. The key advantages of the technique are that it is based on multiple sources of information (i.e., different remote sensors and/or data products), depends on only a few free parameters (to which the model results are insensitive), and shows good skill. Herein, the technique is applied to a synthetic case and two sets of field data from sites at Duck, NC (USA) and Egmond (The Netherlands). The method, which may be extended with observations of other properties from other sources than the three described in this paper, can deliver coastal state information (i.e., simultaneous updates of bathymetry, waves, and currents) with high temporal and spatial resolution and can be used in conjunction with or instead of in-situ measured data.     

Two-dimensional time dependent hurricane overwash and erosion modeling at Santa Rosa Island

A 2DH numerical, model which is capable of computing nearshore circulation and morphodynamics, including dune erosion, breaching and overwash, is used to simulate overwash caused by Hurricane Ivan (2004) on a barrier island. The model is forced using parametric wave and surge time series based on field data and large-scale numerical model results. The model predicted beach face and dune erosion reasonably well as well as the development of washover fans. Furthermore, the model demonstrated considerable quantitative skill (upwards of 66% of variance explained, maximum bias − 0.21 m) in hindcasting the post-storm shape and elevation of the subaerial barrier island when a sheet flow sediment transport limiter was applied. The prediction skill ranged between 0.66 and 0.77 in a series of sensitivity tests in which several hydraulic forcing parameters were varied. The sensitivity studies showed that the variations in the incident wave height and wave period affected the entire simulated island morphology while variations in the surge level gradient between the ocean and back barrier bay affected the amount of deposition on the back barrier and in the back barrier bay. The model sensitivity to the sheet flow sediment transport limiter, which served as a proxy for unknown factors controlling the resistance to erosion, was significantly greater than the sensitivity to the hydraulic forcing parameters. If no limiter was applied the simulated morphological response of the barrier island was an order of magnitude greater than the measured morphological response.     

Testing the utility of structure‐from‐motion photogrammetry reconstructions using small unmanned aerial vehicles and ground photography to estimate the extent of upland soil erosion

Quantifying the extent of soil erosion at a fine spatial resolution can be time consuming and costly; however, proximal remote sensing approaches to collect topographic data present an emerging alternative for quantifying soil volumes lost via erosion. Herein we compare terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), and both unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and ground photography (GP) structure‐from‐motion (SfM) derived topography. We compare the cost‐effectiveness and accuracy of both SfM techniques to TLS for erosion gully surveying in upland landscapes, treating TLS as a benchmark. Further, we quantify volumetric soil loss estimates from upland gullies using digital surface models derived by each technique and subtracted from an interpolated pre‐erosion surface. Soil loss estimates from UAV and GP SfM reconstructions were comparable to those from TLS, whereby the slopes of the relationship between all three techniques were not significantly different from 1:1 line. Only for the TLS to GP comparison was the intercept significantly different from zero, showing that GP is more capable of measuring the volumes of very small erosion features. In terms of cost‐effectiveness in data collection and processing time, both UAV and GP were comparable with the TLS on a per‐site basis (13.4 and 8.2 person‐hours versus 13.4 for TLS); however, GP was less suitable for surveying larger areas (127 person‐hours per ha^?1 versus 4.5 for UAV and 3.9 for TLS). Annual repeat surveys using GP were capable of detecting mean vertical erosion change on peaty soils. These first published estimates of whole gully erosion rates (0.077 m a^?1) suggest that combined erosion rates on gully floors and walls are around three times the value of previous estimates, which largely characterize wind and rainsplash erosion of gully walls. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

全球重要农业文化遗产(GIAHS)保护与适应性管理(英文)

世界各地世代居住的农牧民,以多样化的自然资源为基础,通过因地制宜的生产实践活动,创造、形成并保持着许多独具特色的农业系统和景观。这些在本土知识和传统经验基础上所建立起来的农业文化遗产巧夺天工,充分反映了人类及其文化多样性和与自然环境之间深刻关系的演进历程。这些系统不仅维持并适应了具有全球重要意义的农业生物多样性,形成了丰富的本土知识体系,而且更为重要的是,还为人类持续提供了多样化的产品和服务,保障了食物安全和生计安全,提高了人们的生活质量。但是,许多这样的农业生产系统正面临着包括全球化在内的多种影响因素的威胁。2002年,联合国粮农组织发起了一个国际合作计划"全球重要农业文化遗产(GIAHS)保护与适应性管理"。这一全球性倡议旨在建立这些农业文化遗产及其有关的生物多样性、食物与生计安全、景观与文化的保护体系,并在世界范围内得到认可,实现动态保护和可持续管理。     

Quantification of Metals and Semimetals in Carbon‐Rich Rocks: A New Sequential Protocol Including Extraction from Humic Substances

We have developed a new sequential extraction technique that does not require complex procedures and is efficient in determining metal and semimetal contents of carbon‐rich rocks. Six geological reference materials (SBC‐1, SCHS‐1, SCo‐1, SDO‐1, SGR‐1b and SLg‐1) and an in‐house black shale (SH‐1) were selected to test the method, which consists of four main digestion steps involving: (a) dilute HCl acid; (b) NaOH; (c) aqua regia; and (d) hydrofluoric acid. Compared with traditional aqua regia + hydrofluoric acid attack, this new protocol recovers more of the moderately volatile elements during early extraction of humic substances. In addition when compared with reference values, those for most elements are in agreement within uncertainty. Furthermore, this new protocol reveals important information on the partitioning of elements; for instance, steps one and two indicate which elements are associated with carbonates and organic phases from fulvic and humic acid extractions, whereas step three provides results for which elements are associated with sulfide minerals and step four indicates which elements remained in the silicate and oxide phases.     

Oxygen sites in hydrous aluminosilicate glasses: the role of Al-O-Al and H2O

We describe here high-field ¹⁷O magic-angle-spinning (MAS) and triple-quantum MAS (3QMAS) NMR spectra for several alkali silicate and Na, K, and Ca aluminosilicate glasses containing up to 10 wt.% water. The H₂O site appears to have a large quadrupolar coupling constant, and its chemical shift increases from Na- to K- glasses, suggesting significant cation-H₂O interactions. In ¹⁷O one-pulse MAS and 3QMAS and ²⁷Al one-pulse NMR experiments, major differences were seen between spectra for anhydrous and hydrous calcium aluminosilicate glasses. The changes in the ¹⁷O MAS spectra can be explained by the addition of an H₂O peak and to the disappearance of an Al-O-Al peak from the ¹⁷O NMR spectrum for the hydrous glass. The ²⁷Al results are consistent with this interpretation.     

Direct application of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of leaf waxes to establish lacustrine sediment chronology

This study demonstrates use of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis (CSRA) for dating Holocene lacustrine sediments from carbonate-hosted Ordy Pond, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Long-chain odd-numbered normal alkanes (n-alkanes), biomarkers characteristic of terrestrial higher plants, were ubiquitous in Ordy Pond sediments. The δ¹³C of individual n-alkanes ranged from −29.9 to −25.5‰, within the expected range for n-alkanes synthesized by land plants using the C₃ or C₄ carbon fixation pathway. The ¹⁴C ages of n-alkanes determined by CSRA showed remarkably good agreement with ¹⁴C dates of rare plant macrofossils obtained from nearby sedimentary horizons. In general, CSRA of n-alkanes successfully refined the age-control of the sediments. The sum of n-alkanes in each sample produced 70–170 μg of carbon (C), however, greater age errors were confirmed for samples containing less than 80 μg of C. The ¹⁴C age of n-alkanes from one particular sedimentary horizon was 4,155 years older than the value expected from the refined age-control, resulting in an apparent and arguable age discrepancy. Several lines of evidence suggest that this particular sample was contaminated by introduction of ¹⁴C-free C during preparative capillary gas chromatography. This study simultaneously highlighted the promising potential of CSRA for paleo-applications and the risks of contamination associated with micro-scale ¹⁴C measurement of individual organic compounds.     

沙盖黄土丘陵坡地土壤理化特性随地形变化规律研究

在陕西神木县与内蒙古东胜市交界的饮马泉小流域,选择有代表性的坡面进行地形剖面和土壤层垂直方向的系统采样。每个样品进行了粒级、土壤质量含水量、土壤有机质测试。经数据的分析模拟,得以下结论:①土壤粒级构成和物理性粘粒含量特征,可以指示研究区土壤的沙化程度和演化趋向,其具有向西北更干旱粗化方向过渡的倾向。②土壤水分随地貌部位的变化规律比较明显,在峁坡顶部和上部,垂向上具有自上而下增加的趋势,而在峁坡下部和坡脚却正好相反。不论何种地貌部位都存在一个相近的土壤蒸发、渗漏、持水能力相对的平衡深度。③土壤的物理性粘粒含量与土壤的水肥关系密切,物理性粘粒含量相对高的土壤剖面,土壤的水肥组合效果较好。④土壤水肥质地的组合效果,丘陵顶部的最差,依次过渡到坡脚的组合效果最好。其进一步表明,地貌因素在土壤形成后的一系列熟化、退化、被侵蚀和沙化的演化过程中,地貌仍起着至关重要的作用。