Application of wavelet‐based multi‐model Kalman filters to real‐time flood forecasting

This paper presents the application of a multimodel method using a wavelet‐based Kalman filter (WKF) bank to simultaneously estimate decomposed state variables and unknown parameters for real‐time flood forecasting. Applying the Haar wavelet transform alters the state vector and input vector of the state space. In this way, an overall detail plus approximation describes each new state vector and input vector, which allows the WKF to simultaneously estimate and decompose state variables. The wavelet‐based multimodel Kalman filter (WMKF) is a multimodel Kalman filter (MKF), in which the Kalman filter has been substituted for a WKF. The WMKF then obtains M estimated state vectors. Next, the M state‐estimates, each of which is weighted by its possibility that is also determined on‐line, are combined to form an optimal estimate. Validations conducted for the Wu‐Tu watershed, a small watershed in Taiwan, have demonstrated that the method is effective because of the decomposition of wavelet transform, the adaptation of the time‐varying Kalman filter and the characteristics of the multimodel method. Validation results also reveal that the resulting method enhances the accuracy of the runoff prediction of the rainfall–runoff process in the Wu‐Tu watershed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measuring the orbital periods of low mass X-ray binaries in the X-ray band

A low mass X-ray binary(LMXB) contains either a neutron star or a black hole accreting materials from its low mass companion star. It is one of the primary astrophysical sources for studying stellar-mass compact objects and accreting phenomena. As with other binary systems, the most important parameter of an LMXB is the orbital period, which allows us to learn about the nature of the binary system and constrain the properties of the system's components, including the compact object. As a result, measuring the orbital periods of LMXBs is essential for investigating these systems even though fewer than half of them have known orbital periods. This article introduces the different methods for measuring the orbital periods in the X-ray band and reviews their application to various types of LMXBs, such as eclipsing and dipping sources, as well as pulsar LMXBs.     

Interannual variation of rare earth element abundances in corals from northern coast of the South China Sea and its relation with sea-level change and human activities

Here we present interannual rare earth element (REE) records spanning the last two decades of the 20th century in two living Porites corals, collected from Longwan Bay, close to the estuarine zones off Wanquan River of Hainan Island and Hong Kong off the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong Province in the northern South China Sea. The results show that both coral REE contents (0.5-40 ng g?1 in Longwan Bay and 2-250 ng g?1 in Hong Kong for La-Lu) are characterized with a declining trend, which are significantly negative correlated with regional sea-level rise (9.4 mm a?1) from 1981 to 1996 in Longwan Bay, 13.7 mm a?1 from 1991 to 2001 in Hong Kong). The REE features are proposed to be resulted from seawater intrusion into the estuaries in response to contemporary sea-level rise. However, the tendency for the coral Er/Nd time series at Hong Kong site is absent and there is no significant relation between Er/Nd and total REEs as found for the coral at Longwan Bay site. The observations are likely attributed to changes of the water discharge and sediment load of Pearl River, which have been significantly affected by intense human activities, such as the construction of dams/reservoirs and riverbed sediment mining, in past decades. The riverine sediment load/discharge ratio of the Pearl River decreased sharply with a rate of 0.02 kg m?3 a?1, which could make significant contribution to the declining trend of coral REE. We propose that coastal corals in Longwan Bay and similar unexplored sites with little influences of river discharge and anthropogenic disruption are ideal candidates to investigate the influence of sea-level change on seawater/coral REE.     

Late Triassic sauropodomorph and Middle Jurassic theropod tracks from the Xichang Basin,Sichuan Province,southwestern China:First report of the ichnogenus Carmelopodus

Upper Triassic and Middle Jurassic strata of the Xichang Basin in Sichuan Province, southwestern China, yielded important dinosaur ichnofossils. From the Xujiahe Formation of the Yiguojiao tracksite, we report a Late Triassic footprint assemblage in China and the first discovery of diagnostic Triassic sauropodomorph tracks in this region. The tracks share a number of features in common with the ichnogenera Eosauropus(Late Triassic) and Liujianpus(Early Jurassic). The neighboring Bingtu tracksite is stratigraphically younger(Shaximiao Formation, Middle Jurassic) and preserves small tridactyl theropod tracks that represent the first occurrence of the ichnotaxon Carmelopodus in China and Asia. While these tracks are morphologically comparable to those from the Middle Jurassic type locality in North America, the specimens from China show the proximal margin of the digit IV impression in a more cranial position, which may indicate a trackmaker with a relatively short metatarsal IV. In addition to the skeletal record, the Carmelopodus footprints document the presence of small theropods in the dinosaur fauna of the Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation.     

Abundances and isotopic compositions of rhenium and osmium in pyrite samples from the Huaibei coalfield,Anhui, China

Two pyrite samples from the Shihezi Formation (Lower Permian), Huaibei coalfield, Anhui, China, have been analyzed for abundances and isotopic compositions of rhenium and osmium using negative thermal ion mass spectrometry. The Re–Os ages of the pyrites are 64.4 and 226 Ma, which are younger than the formation age of the coal seam. The pyrite samples may consist of pyrite formed at various stages during the history of coal formation. The γ_Os values of the two pyrite samples are + 17 and + 18, respectively. Such high γ_Os values are reported for the first time for recycles crustal materials from a sedimentary basin.     

罗布泊“大耳朵”成因的体散射特性模拟与分析

根据SAR信号对干燥地表的穿透性能,在对罗布泊湖盆区域复杂散射机制深入分析的基础上,结合野外考察和实验室测量的数据,利用双层散射结构模型对湖盆区域的微波散射特性进行描述,并对次地表稳定沉积物的体散射分量进行模拟.为了对模型进行验证,本文利用Cloude极化分解方法将ALOS PALSAR数据进行散射机制的分解,并以体散射贡献量作为标准数据,与模型模拟的结果进行对比,得到的水平和垂直极化方式的均方根误差分别为1.62%和1.68%,证明了模型的可用性和有效性.同时,对模型的相关参数进行扩展分析,结果表明,次地表稳定沉积物是罗布泊古湖盆演化结果的直接反映,沉积物的含盐量是罗布泊"大耳朵"特征形成的根本原因.     

Eco-environmental impact assessment of pre-leisure beach nourishment on the benthic invertebrate community at Anping coast

In recent years,owing to global warming and the rising sea levels,beach nourishment and groin building have been increasingly employed to protect coastal land from shoreline erosion.These actions may degrade beach habitats and reduce biomass and invertebrate density at sites where they were employed.We conducted an eco-environmental evaluation at the Anping artificial beach-nourishment project area.At this site,sand piles within a semi-enclosed spur groin have been enforced by use of eco-engineering concepts since 2003.Four sampling sites were monitored during the study period from July 2002 to September 2008.The environmental impact assessment and biological investigations that we conducted are presented here.The results from this study indicate that both biotic(number of species,number of individual organisms,and Shannon-Wiener diversity) and abiotic parameters(suspended solids,biological oxygen demand,chemical oxygen demand,dissolved inorganic nitrogen,dissolved inorganic phosphorus,total phosphorus,total organic carbon,median diameter,and water content) showed significant differences before and after beach engineering construction.Biological conditions became worse in the beginning stages of the engineering but improved after the restoration work completion.This study reveals that the composition of benthic invertebrates changed over the study period,and two groups of organisms,Bivalvia and Gastropoda,seemed to be particularly suitable to this habitat after the semi-enclosed artificial structures completion.     

Coupling Earth System Model and Integrated Assessment Model

According to the guideline of National Key Research and Development Project, this project aims at developing a world-class Integrated Assessment Model (IAM) in China, which will be used to assess the impacts of climate change on economy system. The objects of this project are to ① Improve the spatial resolution of Earth System Model (ESM); ② Modify the Integrated Assessment Model; ③ Couple the ESM and IAM; ④ Evaluate the impacts of climate change on society and economy. This project will solve two key scientific questions: how to identify the impacts of climate change in the IAM; How much the impacts of climate change on economy in China. Meanwhile, two techniques will be developed to complete the mission of this project: Simulate of small-scale human activities in the EAM and spatial and temporal resolution match of ESM and IAM.     

依据月平均资料作月预报——利用自然相似的探讨

本文利用1956年1月—1972年12月的月平均1000,500,100 hPa位势高度和太平洋、大西洋、印度洋的海表温度资料中存在的自然相似,对依据月平均资料作的海洋—大气变量月平均值的预报可能达到的水平进行了分析研究。结果表明在一个海—气耦合系统中,大气变量的预报是比海温预报更为困难的一环。根据月平均海表温度决定相应的月平均位势高度场的准确度较低,但在考虑了过去的海温和高度场资料后能有所改进。