Analysis of the 2003 Varunawat Landslide,Uttarkashi, India using Earth Observation data

Mass movements such as landslides in mountainous terrains are natural degradation processes and one of the most important landscape-building factors. Varunawat Parbat overlooking Uttarkashi town witnessed a series of landslides on 23 September 2003 and the debris slides and rock falls continued for 2 weeks. This landslide complex was triggered due to the incessant rainfall prior to the event, and its occurrence led to the blockage of the pilgrim route to Gangotri (source of the Ganges river) and evacuation of thousands of people to safer places. Though there was no loss of lives due to timely evacuation, heavy losses to the property were reported. High-resolution stereoscopic earth observation data were acquired after the incidence to study the landslide in detail with emphasis on the cause of the landslide and mode of failure. Areas along the road and below the Varunawat foothill region are mapped for landslide risk. It was found that the foothill region of the Varunawat Parbat was highly disturbed by man-made activities and houses are dangerously located below steep slopes. The potential zones for landslides along with the existing active and old landslides are mapped. These areas are critical and their treatment with priority is required in order to minimise further landslide occurrences.     

Finite Element Modeling of Swelling Soil Pressures Using Joint/Interface Elements

There could be some discontinuities in a soil media such as layers, earth structures, cracks, and fissures so that estimation of stresses and deformations in these types of soil masses are somewhat different from continuous masses. The discontinuities in a soil mass could be considered as a special link between two blocks. Transmitted swelling pressures affected by the soil properties of the backfill especially at the interface between the backfill and retaining wall. In order to estimate the transmitted swelling pressure distribution behind a retaining wall, using with interface element, a new finite element model and a code (SWELPRES) have been developed. To evaluate the effect of backfill characteristics and interface element from the transmitted lateral swelling pressures, four cases of thickness of backfills with or without interface elements are investigated.     

Monitoring Large-Scale Tests for Nuclear Waste Disposal

Two large-scale “in situ” demonstration experiments and their instrumentation are described. The first test (FEBEX Experiment) involves the hydration of a compacted bentonite barrier under the combined effect of an inner source of heat and an outer water flow from the confining saturated granite rock. In the second case, the progressive de-saturation of Opalinus clay induced by maintained ventilation of an unlined tunnel is analyzed. The paper shows the performance of different sensors (capacitive cells, psychrometers, TDR’s) and a comparison of fill behaviour with modelling results. The long term performance of some instruments could also be evaluated specially in the case of FEBEX test. Capacitive sensors provide relative humidity data during long transient periods characterised by very large variations of suction within the bentonite.     

基于贡献权重叠加法的滑坡风险区划

贡献权重叠加法是对滑坡本底因子和承灾体因子在滑坡发育中的贡献率进行统计后,通过贡献率均值化、规一化处理,利用权重转换模型计算出每一个因子内部的权重——自权重和因子相互之间的权重——互权重。将滑坡因子、承灾体因子和两者的自权重、互权重分别相乘叠加,得到滑坡危险度和易损度区划结果,再将2项结果相乘得出滑坡风险区划结果。     

多传感器观测下带乘性噪声系统的逆向滤波与反褶积融合算法

针对多传感器观测环境下带乘性噪声系统的逆向最优滤波与反褶积融合估计问题 ,本文提出了 1种基于极大似然准则的最优融合算法。该算法中各单传感器间并行计算 ,并且融合中心与单传感器处理中心间无反向通讯 ,因而执行效率较高。仿真表明 ,该融合算法产生的逆向滤波与反褶积比单传感器处理结果有较明显提高     

A study on the exchange additivity of zinc in solid mixtures in seawater——Ⅱ.Stepwise exchange in δ-MnO2/montmorrillonite mixture

In this study the zinc exchange process and the reason for the non-additive exchange of δ-MnO2/montmorrillonite have been investigated. The results suggest that with pH increasing from 2 to 8, the stepwise exchange of zinc occurs on δ-MnO. and montmorrillonite in their mixture.At low pH zinc ions are bound on δ-MnO2, while at high pH, the exchange on montmorrillonite dominates the surface interaction in the mixture. The study demonstrates that the stepwise exchange and the heterogeneity of the binding sites on δ-MnO2 surface are the reason for the non-additive exchange. It is also shown that when δ-MnO2 amounts to 5 %, zinc exchange on sea sediments is controlled by 8-MnO2.     

Constraining the origin and evolution of confined turbidite systems: southern Cretan margin,Eastern Mediterranean Sea (34°30–36°N)

Bathymetric, 9.5-kHz long-range sidescan sonar (OKEAN), seismic reflection and sediment-core data are used in the analysis of two tectonic troughs south of Crete, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Here, up to 1.2 s two-way travel time (TWTT) of strata have accumulated since the Middle Miocene in association with extension in the South Aegean region. The study area comprises >100-km- long by >25-km-wide basins filled by sediments subdivided into two seismic units: (1) an upper Unit 1 deposited in sub-basins which follow the present-day configuration of the southern Cretan margin; (2) a basal Unit 2, more than 500 ms (TWTT) thick, accumulated in deeper half-graben/grabens distinct from the present-day depocentres. Both units overlap a locally stratified Unit 3 comprising the pre-Neogene core complex of Crete and Gavdos. In this work, the interpreted seismic units are correlated with the onshore stratigraphy, demonstrating that denudation processes occurring on Crete and Gavdos in response to major tectonic events have been responsible for high sedimentation rates along the proximal southern Cretan margin. Consequently, topographically confined sedimentary units have been deposited south of Crete in the last 12 Ma, including turbidites and other mass-flow deposits fed by evolving transverse and axial channel systems. Surface processes controlling facies distribution include the direct inflow of sediment from alluvial-fan systems and incising mountain rivers onto the Cretan slope, where significant sediment instability processes occur at present. In this setting, seismic profiles reveal eight different types of stratigraphic contacts on basin-margin highs, and basinal areas show evidence of halokinesis and/or fluid escape. The acquired data also show that significant changes to the margin’s configuration occurred in association with the post-Alpine tectonic and eustatic episodes affecting the Eastern Mediterranean.     

标志沉积层磁组构特征及其古环境意义研究

通过对长江三角洲及其邻近区域埋藏古土壤、潮坪、长江下游河道浸滩、舟山滨岸风成沙丘、南京黄土古土壤序列沉积体的磁组构测量统计分析，取得了各自的标志特征。该２特征揭示出，舟山滨岸风成沙丘与南京黄土吉土壤序列沉积的搬运介质能量位相基本一致，其物源来向却显示出巨大差异；上述两类沉积体与上述现今潮坪、河道漫滩沉积体地搬运介质能量位相及物源来向均显示出绝然不同的标志特征。然而浸滩物源来民南京黄土的物尖兵为向却     

浙江宁波地区第四纪自然环境变迁

第四纪自然环境的变迁,作为地球环境演変过程的最新一幕,对人类的生存和发展有着重要的意义。近年来,我们对中国东部沿海地区第四纪地质和海岸演化进行了研究,通过沉积物中孢粉和微体古生物等资料,对古气候及植被变化、海陆变迁等自然环境演变问题作了初步分析。宁波地区的研究是其中的一部分。 宁波滨海平原,地处东海之滨、杭州湾南岸,三面环山,一面临海,面积仅850平方公里。本区的第四纪地质调查主要是由浙江省地质局等有关单位进行的。我们利用浙江省地质局第六地质大队提供的钻探岩芯祥品,作了孢粉、微体古生物、软体动物化石分析,并委托中国科学院地球化学研究所C14实验室,作了部分样品的测年。本文总结已获得的资料,提出宁波地区第四纪自然环境演变的初步认识。     

Mechanisms controlling the temporal variation of the sea ice edge in the Southern Ocean

This paper examines the mechanism controlling the short time-scale variation of sea ice cover over the Southern Ocean. Sea ice concentration and ice velocity datasets derived from images of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) are employed to reveal this mechanism. The contribution of both dynamic and thermodynamic processes to the change in ice edge location is examined by comparing the meridional velocity of ice edge displacement and sea ice drift. In the winter expansion phase, the thermodynamic process of new ice production off the ice edge plays an important role in daily advances of ice cover, whereas daily retreats are mostly due to southward ice drift. On the other hand, both advance and retreat of ice edges in the spring contraction phase are mostly caused by the dynamic process of the ice drift. Based on the above mechanism and the linear relation between the degree of ice production at the ice edge and northward wind speed, the seasonal advance of ice cover can be roughly reproduced using the meridional velocity of ice drift at the ice edge.