Mega-blowouts in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: Morphology,distribution and initiation

Blowouts are wind-eroded landforms that are widely distributed in the north-eastern part in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), China. These blowouts are thought to form in response to climate change and/or human activity but little is known about their morphodynamics. Using field surveys, remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis, the distribution and morphology of blowouts are analysed and their initiation considered. Results show the QTP mega-blowouts are some of the largest in the world. The orientations of the trough shaped blowouts are parallel with the prevailing wind, but the saucer and bowl-shaped blowouts are influenced by bi-directional transport. Whilst regional patterns of blowout shape and size were observed to reflect the extent of aeolian sediments and wind regimes, the relationship between the different morphological parameters showed consistency. During initial stages of development, the length to width ratios of blowouts increase rapidly with area but after they reach a mega size this relationship stabilizes as blowouts widen. Initial luminescence dating shows that blowouts appear to have initiated ~100 to 500 years ago, coinciding with the Little Ice Age (LIA) climate event when northwest winds are known to have intensified. Further work is required to confirm this initiation period and establish the significance of mega blowouts for landscape degradation and human activities. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

南海北部陆架和陆坡区小型底栖动物群落的比较研究

为了解南海北部陆架与陆坡区小型底栖动物的群落特征,以及影响群落特征的环境因素,2015年6月对南海北部海域(19.3°—21.4°N, 112.4°—115.1°E)7个站位的小型底栖动物及环境因子进行了采样,并对陆架和陆坡区小型底栖动物群落的丰度、生物量、类群组成和群落结构进行比较。结果表明,在陆架站位,小型底栖动物由13个类群组成,平均丰度为(132±130)ind./10cm2,平均生物量为(169±79)μgdwt/10cm2;在陆坡站位由8个类群组成,平均丰度为(33±14)ind./10cm2,平均生物量为(56±35)μgdwt/10cm2。单因素方差分析结果表明,陆坡区小型底栖动物的总丰度和总生物量以及线虫和多毛类的丰度均显著低于陆架区,但优势类群的相对丰度组成没有显著不同,海洋线虫占总丰度的83%,其次为多毛类和桡足类,分别占7%和3%。环境因子的主成分分析(Principal ComponentsAnalysis,PCA)将陆架和陆坡站位沿第一主分量轴分开,小型底栖生物丰度和生物量与沉积物叶绿素a和脱镁叶绿酸含量以及底层水温呈最大正相关,与水深呈负相关;聚类(Cluster)和排序(non-metric Multidimensional Scaling, MDS),以相似性系数65%将7个站位划分为2组,与按照水深划分的陆架和陆坡组基本吻合;单因素相似性分析(one-way ANOSIM)显示陆架和陆坡区小型底栖动物群落结构差异显著;生物-环境分析(Biota-Environment,BIOENV)表明影响群落结构的最佳环境因子组合为叶绿素a和底层水温。综上可知,随水深增加的食物减少和底层水温的下降是限制南海北部研究海域小型底栖动物丰度和生物量及影响群落组成和结构的主要因素。     

Developing a 150 ka luminescence chronology for the barrier dunes of the southern Cape, South Africa

The southern coastline of South Africa exhibits extensive aeolianites and spectacular barrier dunes; the ages and palaeoenvironmental significance of which have, until recently, received limited attention. We present preliminary results for samples taken from a single 6.5 m section in the seaward barrier dune near to the town of Wilderness. The reliability of these ages has been investigated using a series of dose recovery and pulsed irradiation experiments, as well as through analyses of single aliquot and single grain D_e distributions. Results indicate that the SAR protocol is providing accurate and precise D_e determinations and that adequate sensitivity correction is being made. The application of pulsed irradiations does not result in significant changes in the dose–response curves or averaged D_e's. Single grain D_e distributions are broad, with significant levels of overdispersion, which may reflect beta dose heterogeneity effects.

Peaks in aeolian activity date to 157–154 and 140–125 ka, with a slower rate of deposition recorded from 115 to 85 ka. Brief phases at 40 and 21 ka are also identified. Some ages, notably those from OIS 3 and OIS 2, are surprising from a geomorphological perspective, given the likely distance of the dune from the shoreline at such times, although they are not inconsistent with evidence from the east coast of South Africa. The results reveal multiple phases of Late Quaternary barrier dune accumulation, and suggest that aeolian activity in this region has been episodic and potentially more complex than previously thought.     

Screened triple-alpha reaction rate to produce carbon in stellar interiors

Recent experimental data for radiative width and resonance energy are used to find reaction rates and mean lives for triple-alpha reaction affecting screening effect. The reaction rates are found to be drastically altered. Plots of various dimensionless parameters in temperature-density plane are given. The red-giant sttage will be of short duration. The mean lives for gravitationally collapsing stars are insignificantly small. Our results at ?=10⁵ g cm^?3 greatly differ fro those of Burbidgeet al. (1957).     

Debris-flow susceptibility analysis using fluvio-morphological parameters and data mining: application to the Central-Eastern Pyrenees

Based on debris-flow inventories and using a geographical information system, the susceptibility models presented here take into account fluvio-morphologic parameters, gathered for every first-order catchment. Data mining techniques on the morphometric parameters are used, to work out and test three different models. The first model is a logistic regression analysis based on weighting the parameters. The other two are classification trees, which are rather novel susceptibility models. These techniques enable gathering the necessary data to evaluate the performance of the models tested, with and without optimization. The analysis was performed in the Catalan Pyrenees and covered an area of more than 4,000 km². Results related to the training dataset show that the optimized models performance lie within former reported range, in terms of AUC, although closer to the lowest end (near 70 %). When the models are applied to the test set, the quality of most results decreases. However, out of the three different models, logistic regression seems to offer the best prediction, as training and test sets results are very similar, in terms of performance. Trees are better at extracting laws from a training set, but validation through a test set gives results unacceptable for a prediction at regional scale. Although omitting parameters in geology or vegetation, fluvio-morphologic models based on data mining, can be used in the framework of a regional debris-flow susceptibility assessment in areas where only a digital elevation model is available.     

RANK-ORDER ANALYSIS FOR ROBUST MULTIRESPONSE,MULTIBLOCK COMPARISONS:EVALUATION OF HERBICIDE INTERACTIONS

Studies of interactions among bioactive compounds are often difficult to interpret unambiguously.A priori assumptions about the nature of such interactions can seriously distort analysis of the data.Byapplying a rank order analysis appropriate to the naturally ordinal scale of response to xenobiotic insult,several co-herbicides were successfully identified from among numerous candidates in an experimentinvolving multiple blocks,rates and species.Moreover,underlying herbicide interactions weresubstantiated and identified which were not apparent by more traditional parametric analysis.     

Helium plasma: Pycnonuclear triple alpha reaction rates in stars

The plots of dimensionless parameters, for helium plasma are given, as they are of great importance for the study of physical conditions prevalent in stellar interiors consuming helium. The relevant temperature and density leading to weak and strong screening can be obtained from the plots to compute the effect of screening to enhance the thermonuclear reaction rates. To make a realistic approach, the pycnonuclear triple alpha reaction rates are found for the 7.66 (O⁺) MeV level for pair creation. The equation used here is suitable for white dwarfs satisfying 0<3/1. The rates are enhanced approximately 10⁴² times, which indicates that the mean life will be reduced by the same factor. The extent of the pycnonuclear regime is shown in diagram.     

Revision of the EU Bathing Water Directive: economic costs and benefits

The European Union (EU) Bathing Water Directive of 1976 ([Commission of the European Communities, 1976. Council Directive of 8th December 1975 Concerning the Quality of Bathing Water (76/160/EEC). Official Journal of the European Community. 5th February 1976, L31/1, Brussels]) sets out standards for designated bathing waters which should be complied with by all member states. Intervening advances in pollution science, related technology and managerial expertise have allowed the European Commission to consider revision of EU environmental legislation where appropriate. As a result, a number of revisions to the 1976 Directive have been proposed ([Commission of the European Communities, 1994. Commission Proposal for a Council Directive Concerning the Quality of Bathing Water. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council, COM (94) 36 Final, Brussels; Commission of the European Communities, 2000. Developing a New Bathing Water Policy, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council, COM (2000) 860 Final, 21/12/200, Brussels; Commission of the European Communities, 2002. Commission Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council Concerning the Quality of Bathing Water, COM (2002) 581 Final, 24/10/2002, Brussels]). This paper considers these revisions in terms of the economic costs and benefits associated with any change in policy. The focus is on the public's willingness to pay for a revised Directive and the consequent public health benefits afforded to individuals and society. These economic benefits are compared to the costs of implementing changes to bring bathing waters up to the required standard.     

Diversity and distribution of seagrasses in the Union of the Comoros

This study represents the first in situ assessment of seagrasses in the Union of the Comoros. The presence of the following 10 species (ranked in order of abundance) was confirmed: Thalassia hemprichii, Thalassodendron ciliatum, Syringodium isoetifolium, Halodule wrightii, Cymodocea rotundata, Cymodocea serrulata, Halodule uninervis, Halophila ovalis, Zostera capensis and Enhalus acoroides. Seagrasses occurred in large, continuous beds in the shallow waters at the northern and southern tips of Grande Comore Island and around the Bimbini Peninsula on western Anjouan Island, but were sparsely distributed throughout the shallow waters surrounding Mohéli Island.     

Development of flood hazard maps of Bangladesh using NOAA-AVHRR images with GIS

Abstract

Flood hazard maps were developed using remote sensing (RS) data for the historical event of the 1988 flood with data of elevation height, and geological and physiographic divisions. Flood damage depends on the hydraulic factors which include characteristics of the flood such as the depth of flooding, rate of the rise in water level, propagation of a flood wave, duration and frequency of flooding, sediment load, and timing. In this study flood depth and “flood-affected frequency” within one flood event were considered for the evaluation of flood hazard assessment, where the depth and frequency of the flooding were assumed to be the major determinant in estimating the total damage function. Different combinations of thematic maps among physiography, geology, land cover and elevation were evaluated for flood hazard maps and a best combination for the event of the 1988 flood was proposed. Finally, the flood hazard map for Bangladesh and a flood risk map for the administrative districts of Bangladesh were proposed.