A complementary depiction of the interannual variation of atmospheric circulation associated with ENSO events: Research note

Abstract

A simple diagnostic scheme, which combines a low‐pass temporal filter (with an 18‐month cutoff time) with a regular empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, is used to delineate the synchronous evolution of El Nino‐Southern Oscillation‐related (ENSO‐related) modes in various variables of the ocean‐atmosphere system. Based on the causal relation chain of diabatic heating, divergent circulation and rotational flow, the diagnostic scheme extracts ENSO modes from the following data sources: the Pacific sea surface temperature (SST), the past 14‐years (1979–1992) of data generated by the Global Data Assimilation System of the National Meteorological Center, and a 10‐year (1979–1988) general circulation model climate simulation made at the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres. The analysis reveals the following: (a) the eigencoefficient time series of the first eigenmodes of selected filtered variables, which explain about 40–50% of their total variance, synchronize with the filtered SST averaged over Area NINO‐3; (b) the spatial structures of the first eigenmodes resemble the ensemble departures associated with ENSO events of these variables from their long term means; and (c) the results show that the proposed scheme can be easily applied to isolate and illustrate the time evolution of ENSO modes which exist in the long term observational database as well as in climate simulations.     

Assessing vulnerability due to sea-level rise in Maui, Hawai‘i using LiDAR remote sensing and GIS

Sea-level rise (SLR) threatens islands and coastal communities due to vulnerable infrastructure and populations concentrated in low-lying areas. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data were used to produce high-resolution DEMs (Digital Elevation Model) for Kahului and Lahaina, Maui, to assess the potential impacts of future SLR. Two existing LiDAR datasets from USACE (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) were compared and calibrated using the Kahului Harbor tide station. Using tidal benchmarks is a valuable approach for referencing LiDAR in areas lacking an established vertical datum, such as in Hawai‘i and other Pacific Islands. Exploratory analysis of the USACE LiDAR ground returns (point data classified as ground after the removal of vegetation and buildings) indicated that another round of filtering could reduce commission errors. Two SLR scenarios of 0.75 (best-case) to 1.9 m (worst-case) (Vermeer and Rahmstorf Proc Natl Acad Sci 106:21527–21532, 2009) were considered, and the DEMs were used to identify areas vulnerable to flooding. Our results indicate that if no adaptive strategies are taken, a loss ranging from $18.7 million under the best-case SLR scenario to $296 million under the worst-case SLR scenario for Hydrologically Connected (HC; marine inundation) and Hydrologically Disconnected (HD; drainage problems due to a higher water table) areas combined is possible for Kahului; a loss ranging from $57.5 million under the best-case SLR scenario to $394 million under the worst-case SLR scenario for HC and HD areas combined is possible for Lahaina towards the end of the century. This loss would be attributable to inundation between 0.55 km² to 2.13 km² of area for Kahului, and 0.04 km² to 0.37 km² of area for Lahaina.     

Solar cycle distribution of strong solar proton events and the related solar-terrestrial phenomena

We investigated the solar cycle distribution of strong solar proton events (SPEs, peak flux ≥1000 pfu) and the solar-terrestrial phenomena associated with the strong SPEs during solar cycles 21–23. The results show that 37 strong SPEs were registered over this period of time, where 20 strong SPEs were originated from the super active regions (SARs) and 28 strong SPEs were accompanied by the X-class flares. Most strong SPEs were not associated with the ground level enhancement (GLE) event. Most strong SPEs occurred in the descending phases of the solar cycles. The weaker the solar cycle, the higher the proportion of strong SPES occurred in the descending phase of the cycle. The number of the strong SPEs that occurred within a solar cycle is poorly associated with the solar cycle size. The intensity of the SPEs is highly dependent of the location of their source regions, with the super SPEs (≥20000 pfu) distributed around solar disk center. A super SPE was always accompanied by a fast shock driven by the associated coronal mass ejection and a great geomagnetic storm. The source location of strongest GLE event is distributed in the well-connected region. The SPEs associated with super GLE events (peak increase rate ≥100%) which have their peak flux much lower than 10000 pfu were not accompanied by an intense geomagnetic storm.     

疫情背景下契入思维导图的初中地理在线翻转课堂

新冠疫情背景下,为激发学生在线学习的兴趣,创建更加高效的在线课堂,本文基于钉钉直播平台和iMindMap软件,契入思维导图教学工具构建初中地理在线翻转课堂,为后疫情时代的初中地理在线教学模式提供实践参考。     

南海大气温室效应纬向地带性的遥感观测

本文选取位于入射太阳辐射能量峰值所在的绿光通道(MODIS卫星4通道), 以及位于可太阳耀光探测长波辐射区间的中红外通道(MODIS卫星21通道)为观测窗口对, 遥感测量2000~2010年间南海研究区和东海对照区内, 不同纬度带的大气典型短波与长波通道的太阳耀光辐射比参数(引入晴空辐射平衡的描述性指标CSRR, 即Calibrated Sunglint Radiation Ratio)时间序列。 据此大气双程透射率比及太阳分谱辐照度比的相关函数CSRR, 了解南海大气温室效应纬向地带性的演变特征。经验模态分解方法分析结果表明, 南海的大气温室效应包含3个相对重要的分量:1)由低纬往中纬逐渐增大的, 受具有明显纬向地带性的水汽大储库与纬向地带性较弱的CO2小储库联合影响的长期变化趋势; 2)受 CO2、CH4、O3和气溶胶共同调控的准十年尺度分量; 3)从低纬往中纬逐渐由双峰转变为单峰分布的年尺度分量。由此可见, 关于地球-大气系统辐射平衡物理学参数地带性分布规律的观测, 有助于理解从辐射强迫到温度变化的气候响应机制, 对如何筛选简洁合理的第四纪气候评估模型具有参考价值。     

龙门山北东段山前断裂第四纪构造活动性与构造地貌特征

在Landsat遥感图像解译、ASTER GDEM数据处理、地形图分析、地质图分析和地貌剖面制作的基础之上,结合野外构造地貌考察与观测,对龙门山北东段山前区域内的构造地貌进行了定量、半定量分析,研究发现沿山前发育的水系及其演化、河道形态、河床高程、冲积扇展布均与大规模逆冲断裂有关,河流阶地不对称分布说明龙门山北东段山前断裂在扩展过程中存在着由北东向南西迁移的特征。通过宇宙核素成因埋藏年龄测试技术测定了古冲积扇的形成年龄,并利用古冲积扇的高程差异及扇根间距计算了龙门山北东段的第四纪活动速率,表明自1.73 Ma、0.54 Ma以来,龙门山北东段山前逆冲断裂的隆升速率分别为0.06 mm/a、0.09 mm/a;右旋走滑速率分别约为2.31 mm/a、1.48 mm/a。

     

利用拉分盆地和错断河流阶地定量评估康西瓦断裂晚第四纪平均左旋走滑速率

康西瓦断裂为青藏高原西北缘的一条大型左旋走滑断裂。目前,不同学者对康西瓦断裂晚第四纪的平均走滑速率仍存在较大争议。文章以青藏高原西北缘喀拉喀什河谷段一处冲洪积扇上发育的一个小型拉分盆地以及该冲洪积扇上发育的一个错断河流阶地为研究对象,基于拉分盆地演化的两种简单模式,分别利用拉分盆地的长边和斜边限定对应冲洪积扇的水平位错位量和错位量的上限值,而通过光释光定年技术约束该冲洪积扇的形成年代,结合相关数据,分别估算出康西瓦断裂晚第四纪以来的平均左旋走滑速率为小于或等于8.6±1.0 mm/a和小于约12.4 mm/a。与此同时,利用该冲洪积扇上发育的错断河流阶地的水平位错和对应阶地的放弃年龄,估算出康西瓦断裂晚第四纪以来的平均左旋走滑速率为8.4±1.0 mm/a。

     

中纬度造山带地区的长期化学风化——中亚和北美的对比研究

长期化学风化速率（LCWR）和化学风化剥蚀率（CDF）是表征区域化学风化程度和揭示地貌和气候系统演变的重要依据。全球尺度上,中纬度地区的长期化学风化研究远比低纬地区争议更多,原因之一是其风化机制在理论认识上仍存在不确定性,特别是造山带地区的长期化学风化与物理侵蚀、构造、气候之间的关系等。本文利用地球化学质量平衡方法,针对北半球中纬度典型造山带（中亚黑河流域和北美内华达山脉）开展了相关数据和资料的系统整理与再分析,估算了黑河流域的LCWR值和物理侵蚀速率（E）值并与内华达山脉进行了对比研究。分析结果表明,黑河流域、内华达山脉的LCWR分别为17. 4~895 t/km2/a、1~173 t/km2/a,CDF分别为0. 17~0. 81、0. 02~0. 61,LCWR与E均显著正相关,与海拔高度、年均温度、年均降水量等仅局部相关。研究区的长期化学风化主要表现为“供应受限型”风化,但黑河流域局部地区已处于“供应受限”与“动力学受限”过渡的风化阶段。结合回归分析结果和已有成果的综合分析,中纬度造山带地区的长期化学风化速率受到地质、气候等因素的协同影响,但主控因素为地质因素,而化学风化剥蚀率则主要受控于其他因素。     

东亚典型构造结的壳幔结构

笔者等在研究亚洲位于青藏高原的东、西构造结,和位于中国台湾和日本伊豆地区的构造结以后,发现这4个典型的构造结的地壳上地幔有共同结构：地壳和岩石圈地幔含有上涌的低速异常,而中—下软流圈有集中凸起的高速异常。对这种壳幔结构特征形成的动力学作用机制,提出了以下解释：两组洋—陆或者陆—陆俯冲带运动交叉处相互挤压和撞击,造成比较薄弱的块体的一端破碎。破碎的高的密度大洋岩石圈块体向软流圈下沉,同时使软流圈上层的热流体上涌,最后形成了构造结,同时产生了地震波速上低下高的壳幔结构特征。     

地震灾害风险防治协同机制研究

在大应急体制下,地震灾害风险防治迎来新的机遇,同时也面临诸多问题和挑战。通过研究14个省和2个自治区地震灾害风险防治协同文件与协同实践,聚焦政府内部,以综合部门与行业部门的关系为重点,对我国地震灾害风险防治协同情况进行梳理和审视,为进一步完善大应急体制下的地震灾害风险防治协同机制提供实践资料、理论分析和政策建议。