The carbon isotope composition of C<Superscript>3</Superscript> herbaceous plants in loess area of northern China

¹³C of 367 C₃ herbaceous plants was measured in loess area in northern China. Their δ¹³C values vary between −21.7%. and −30.0%., with a mean of −26.7%.. In the center of Loess Plateau (semimoist area) with annual precipitation of 400–600 mm, the δ¹³ C values of C₃ herbaceous plants range from −24.4%. to −28.5%., with a mean of −27.5%.. In the west of Loess Plateau (semiarid and arid area) with annual precipitation less than 400 mm, they range between −21.7%. and −30.0%., with a mean of −26.2%.. Annual precipitation is the main factor that makes δ¹³C values of C₃ herbaceous plants in the west greater than those in the central Loess Plateau. The composition of δ¹³C in C₃ plants increases with deceasing annual precipitation, and the mean change is −49%./100 mm.     

鲜水河下游泥石流发育分布特征研究

鲜水河下游流域处于鲜水河断裂带之南西,总体呈南北走向.受地层岩性、地质构造、新构造活动、河谷地貌演化及气候条件等的控制,流域内泥石流较发育,属泥石流中等发育区.泥石流以暴雨沟谷型泥石流为主,可见少量暴雨坡面型泥石流及古冰川泥石流.泥石流多集中发育于岩性相对软弱的板岩、千枚岩及砂岩与板岩互层的相对宽谷段,多为粘性泥石流.泥石流一般具有多期次发育特征,且规模逐次减小.流域内绝大部分泥石流处于停歇或衰退状态,现代活动性不活跃,现代活动泥石流频度低、规模小,且多发育于植被破坏较严重区域.流域内泥石流活动具有退化的特征,对当地人民生命安全及两河口水库的淤积等影响不大.     

Complex system approach to interpretation of monitoring time series: two case histories from NW Bohemia

Ever wider implementation of information technologies is flooding us by monitoring data. To an efficient risk management, those data have to be processed and assessed in the same rate as they are recorded and transported. Paper demonstrates some methods dealing with intrinsic, nonlinear dynamics of slope system for computerized safety assessment of monitoring time series, their modeling and early warning launching. Analysis and modeling of phase changes – i.e. specific transient states between different developmental stages of dynamics of unstable slope systems, enabled to fix new types of precursors for rock fall warning and to enhance time prediction of rock fall occurrence. Mathematically well based, novel numerical and topological methods from the toolbox of complex system theory were successfully implemented to that challenge. Their pattern-recognition ability, i.e., diagnostic sensitivity, and more realistic results of modeling of time series relevant patterns have reached beyond ranges of regularly used—both the idea- and the data-driven—methods. Moreover, results yielded by phase space analyses are in good agreement with the ones by numerical fractal analyses. Obtained results have strengthened the primary, mainly theoretically based hypothesis; the dynamics of an unstable rock slope has to be considered as behavior of nonlinear, dissipative, non-equilibrium, self-organizing complex system. Correspondingly to the theoretical assumptions, two qualitatively different types of slope system dynamics—near to equilibrium and far from equilibrium states, were identified. All field monitoring data used originated in practice of highly automated, integrated IT system of monitoring assessment, and management of rock fall hazard at sandstone rock walls in the NW Bohemia.     

鄂尔多斯盆地三叠系延长组长7段物源区分析

随着鄂尔多斯盆地长7段油藏勘探的不断突破,对其物源方向和母岩区性质的分析尤显重要.三叠世延长期鄂尔多斯盆地周缘存在多个古陆,包括北缘的阴山古陆、西北缘的阿拉善古陆、西南缘的陇西古陆及南缘的祁连-秦岭古陆等,它们都是盆地碎屑沉积物的主要供给源.通过碎屑组分、岩屑组分、重矿物、微量元素和稀土元素分析等研究,认为研究区长7段存在东北、西北、西及西南、南部4个方向的物源.轻、重矿物组合综合分析认为,盆地北部母岩主要为太古宙—古生代中—深变质岩和中基性火成岩,西南及南部母岩主要为元古宙—古生代浅变质岩、碳酸盐岩和碎屑岩.微量及稀土元素分析表明母岩以大陆上地壳的长英质岩石为主,并混有一定数量的含长石较高的中—基性岩浆岩如安山岩、碱性玄武岩,母岩中太古代古老地层占有相当大的比重.     

Study of the Cosmic-Ray Modulation During the Passage of ICMEs and CIRs

We compare the cosmic-ray response to interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and corotating interaction regions (CIRs) during their passage in near-Earth space. We study the relative importance of various structures/features identified during the passage of the ICMEs and CIRs observed during Cycle 23 (1995?–?2009). The identified ICME structures are the shock front, the sheath, and the CME ejecta. We isolate the shock arrival time, the passage of the sheath region, the arrival of ejecta, and the end time of their passage. Similarly, we isolate the CIR arrival, the associated forward shock, the stream interface, and the reverse shock during the passage of a CIR. For the cosmic-ray intensity, we utilize the data from high counting rate neutron monitors. In addition to neutron monitor data, we utilize near-simultaneous and same time-resolution data of interplanetary plasma and field, namely the solar-wind velocity, the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) vector, and its variance. Further, we also utilize some derived interplanetary parameters. We apply the method of the superposed-epoch analysis. As the plasma and field properties are different during the passage of different structures, both in ICMEs and CIRs, we systematically vary the epoch time in our superposed-epoch analysis one by one. In this way, we study the role and effects of each of the identified individual structures/features during the passage of the ICMEs and CIRs. Relating the properties of various structures and the corresponding variations in plasma and field parameters with changes of the cosmic-ray intensity, we identify the relative importance of the plasma/field parameters in influencing the amplitude and time profiles of the cosmic-ray intensity variations during the passage of the ICMEs and CIRs.     

Titanium- and water-rich metamorphic olivine in high-pressure serpentinites from the Voltri Massif (Ligurian Alps,Italy): evidence for deep subduction of high-field strength and fluid-mobile elements

Titanium- and water-rich metamorphic olivine (Fo 86–88) is reported from partially dehydrated serpentinites from the Voltri complex, Ligurian Alps. The rocks are composed of mostly antigorite and olivine in addition to magnetite, chlorite, clinopyroxene and Ti-clinohumite. In situ secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) data show that metamorphic olivine has very high and strongly correlated H₂O (up to 0.7 wt%) and TiO₂ contents (up to 0.85 wt%). Ti-rich olivine shows colourless to yellow pleochroism. Olivine associated with Ti-clinohumite contains low Ti, suggesting that Ti-rich olivine is not the breakdown product of Ti-clinohumite. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) absorption spectra show peaks of serpentine, Ti-clinohumite and OH-related Si vacancies. Combining FTIR and SIMS data, we suggest the presence of clustered planar defects or nanoscale exsolutions of Ti-clinohumite in olivine. These defects or exsolutions contain more H₂O (x ~ 0.1 in the formula 4Mg₂SiO₄·(1?x)Mg(OH,F)₂·xTiO₂) than Ti-clinohumite in the sample matrix (x = 0.34–0.46). In addition to TiO₂ and H₂O, secondary olivine contains significant Li (2–60 ppm), B (10–20 ppm), F (10–130 ppm) and Zr (0.9–2.1 ppm). It is enriched in ¹¹B (δ¹¹B = +17 to +23 ‰). Our data indicate that secondary olivine may play a significant role in transporting water, high-field strength and fluid-mobile elements into the deeper mantle as well as introduce significant B isotope anomalies. Release of hydrogen from H₂O-rich olivine subducted into the deep mantle may result in strongly reduced mantle domains.     

Dependence of Tropical Cyclone Intensification on the Latitude under Vertical Shear

The sensitivity of tropical cyclone (TC) intensification to the ambient rotation effect under vertical shear is investigated. The results show that the vortices develop more rapidly with intermediate planetary vorticity, which suggests an optimal latitude for the TC development in the presence of vertical shear. This is different from the previous studies in which no mean flow is considered. It is found that the ambient rotation has two main effects. On the one hand, the boundary layer imbalance is largely controlled by the Coriolis parameter. For TCs at lower latitudes, due to the weaker inertial instability, the boundary inflow is promptly established, which results in a stronger moisture convergence and thus greater diabatic heating in the inner core region. On the other hand, the Coriolis parameter modulates the vertical realignment of the vortex with a higher Coriolis parameter, favoring a quicker vertical realignment and thus a greater potential for TC development. The combination of these two effects results in an optimal latitude for TC intensification in the presence of a vertical shear investigated.     

Spatially controlled Fe and Si isotope variations: an alternative view on the formation of the Torres del Paine pluton

We present new Fe and Si isotope ratio data for the Torres del Paine igneous complex in southern Chile. The multi-composition pluton consists of an approximately 1 km vertical exposure of homogenous granite overlying a contemporaneous 250-m-thick mafic gabbro suite. This first-of-its-kind spatially dependent Fe and Si isotope investigation of a convergent margin-related pluton aims to understand the nature of granite and silicic igneous rock formation. Results collected by MC-ICP-MS show a trend of increasing δ⁵⁶Fe and δ³⁰Si with increasing silica content as well as a systematic increase in δ⁵⁶Fe away from the mafic base of the pluton. The marginal Torres del Paine granites have heavier Fe isotope signatures (δ⁵⁶Fe = +0.25 ± 0.02 2se) compared to granites found in the interior pluton (δ⁵⁶Fe = +0.17 ± 0.02 2se). Cerro Toro country rock values are isotopically light in both Fe and Si isotopic systems (δ⁵⁶Fe = +0.05 ± 0.02 ‰; δ³⁰Si = ?0.38 ± 0.07 ‰). The variations in the Fe and Si isotopic data cannot be accounted for by local assimilation of the wall rocks, in situ fractional crystallization, late-stage fluid exsolution or some combination of these processes. Instead, we conclude that thermal diffusion or source magma variation is the most likely process producing Fe isotope ratio variations in the Torres del Paine pluton.     

The Potential of Fuzzy Multi-objective Model for Rainfall Forecasting from Typhoons

This study applies the fuzzy multi-objective approach to forecast short-term (around 24 h) typhoon rainfall, which can be implemented without much background meteorological knowledge. The physical characteristics of 40 typhoons, including route, central pressure, central velocity and cyclonic radius, were used as the data set. The fuzzy multi-objective method mined information from the database to forecast both the depth and pattern of rainfall, which were then combined to estimate a cumulative rainfall curve. The results of calibration with reference to 40 historical typhoon events and the results of validation using another five typhoon events indicate that the proposed model has the potential to forecast short-term cumulative rainfall curves if more variables can be included and more historical typhoon events can be collected to enlarge the database.