Using InSAR to identify hydrological connectivity and barriers in a highly fragmented wetland

Hydrological connectivity is a critical determinant of wetland functions and health, especially in wetlands that have been heavily fragmented and regulated by human activities. However, investigating hydrological connectivity in these wetlands is challenging due to the costs of high-resolution and large-scale monitoring required in order to identify hydrological barriers within the wetlands. To overcome this challenge, we here propose an interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR)-based methodology to map hydrologic connectivity and identify hydrological barriers in fragmented wetlands. This methodology was applied along 70 transects across the Baiyangdian, the largest freshwater wetland in northern China, using Sentinel 1A and 1B data, covering the period 2016–2019. We generated 58 interferograms providing information on relative water level changes across the transects that showed the high coherence needed for the assessment of hydrological connectivity. We mapped the permanent and conditional (temporary) barriers affecting connectivity. In total, 11% of all transects are permanently disconnected by hydrological barriers across all interferograms and 58% of the transects are conditionally disconnected. Areas covered by reed grasslands show the most undisturbed hydrological connectivity while some of these barriers are the result of ditches and channels within the wetland and low water levels during different periods of the year. This study highlights the potential of the application of Wetland InSAR to determine hydrological connectivity and location of hydrological barriers in highly fragmented wetlands, and facilitates the study of hydrological processes from large spatial scales and long-time scales using remote sensing technique.     

The evolution of the Kuroshio Current over the last 5 million years since the Pliocene: Evidence from planktonic foraminiferal faunas

Meridional heat transport of the western Pacific boundary current (the Kuroshio Current) is one of the key factors in global climate change. This current is important because it controls the temperature gradient between low latitudes and the North Pacific and so significantly influences mid-latitude atmosphere-ocean interactions. Here we reconstruct changes in hydrological conditions within the mid-latitude mainstream of the Kuroshio Current based on faunal analysis of planktonic foraminifera in core DSDP 296 from the Northwest Pacific Ocean. This approach enabled us to deduce evolutionary processes within the Kuroshio Current since the Pliocene. A total of 57 species in the coarser section (>150 µim) were identified; results indicate that planktonic foraminiferal faunal evolution has mainly been characterized by three major stages, the first of which comprised mixed-layer warm-water species of Globigerinoides ruber which first appeared between 3.5 and 2.7 Ma and then gradually increased in content. Percentages of another warm-water species of G. conglobatus also gradually increased in number over this interval. Variations in warm-water species indicate a gradual rise in sea surface temperature (SST) and imply initiation of Kuroshio Current impact on the Northwest Pacific Ocean since at least 3.5 Ma. Secondly, over the period between 2.7 and 2.0 Ma, thermocline species of Globigerina calida, Neogloboquadrina humersa, Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, and Pulleniatina obliquiloculata started to appear in the section. This fauna was dominated by G. ruber as well as increasing G. conglobatus contents. These features imply a further rise in SST and its gradually enhanced influence on thermocline water, suggesting strengthening of the Kuroshio Current since 2.7 Ma. Thirdly, between 2.0 Ma and present, increasing contents of thermocline species (i.e., G. calida, N. dutertrei and P. obliquiloculata) indicate a gradual rise in seawater temperature at this depth and also imply more intensive Kuroshio Current during this period. On the basis of comparative records from cores ODP 806 and DSDP 292 from the low latitude Western Pacific, we propose that initiation of the impact of the Kuroshio Current in the Northwest Pacific and it subsequent stepwise intensifications since 3.5 Ma can be closely related to the closure and restriction of the Indonesian and Central American seaways as well as variations in the Western Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP) and equatorial Pacific region.

     

基于不同标准的四川强降温时空分布和区域特征

采用近56 a四川省156县（市）逐日平均气温和最低气温资料,按照不同的强降温标准,研究四川强降温过程的时空分布和区域特征。结果表明：强降温频次距平的逐年时间序列基本呈“增加—减少”的年代际变化特征,年际波动较大,整体呈弱减少趋势。强降温频次的突变点在1990年,且自2005年后单站强降温频次的减少十分显著。盆地、攀西和川西高原的区域性强降温过程发生时间存在不同步性,主要原因是冷空气路径、影响系统及四川特殊地形和气候特征存在差异。区域性强降温频次盆地最多,攀西和川西高原少,单站强降温频次川西高原北部最多。     

山东半岛冷流降雪中心位置对比分析

山东半岛的冷流降雪一般出现在烟台、威海地区,且同一次过程两地区降雪量往往有较大的差别.通过对几次强降雪过程的对比发现:低层风场的辐合是冷流降雪的主要触发机制,低层环境风场对辐合带的引导作用对降雪的中心位置起到了关键性的作用.辐合线移动方向取决于环境风场.在纬线方向上,西北风偏北分量多的时候烟台地区往往是降雪中心,西北风偏西分量多的时候降雪中心一般东移到威海地区;在经线方向上,风速偏小的时候北部沿海地区是降雪中心,风速相对较大时风场辐合线南伸到内陆地区,加上山脉迎风坡的气流抬升作用,内陆的牟平和文登地区成为冷流降雪的中心位置.     

High-resolution mesoscale analysis data from the South China heavy rainfall experiment (SCHeREX): Data generation and quality evaluation

In this study, the observational data acquired in the South China Heavy Rainfall Experiment (SCHeREX) from May to July 2008 and 2009 were integrated and assimilated with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Local Analysis and Prediction System (LAPS; information available online at ). A high-resolution mesoscale analysis dataset was then generated at a spatial resolution of 5 km and a temporal resolution of 3 h in four observational areas: South China, Central China, Jianghuai area, and Yangtze River Delta area. The quality of this dataset was evaluated as follows. First, the dataset was qualitatively compared with radar reflectivity and TBB image for specific heavy rainfall events so as to examine its capability in reproduction of mesoscale systems. The results show that the SCHeREX analysis dataset has a strong capability in capturing severe mesoscale convective systems. Second, the mean deviation and root mean square error of the SCHeREX mesoscale analysis fields were analyzed and compared with radiosonde data. The results reveal that the errors of geopotential height, temperature, relative humidity, and wind of the SCHeREX analysis were within the acceptable range of observation errors. In particular, the average error was 45 m for geopotential height between 700 and 925 hPa, 1.0–1.1°C for temperature, less than 20% for relative humidity, 1.5–2.0 m s⁻¹ for wind speed, and 20°–25° for wind direction. The above results clearly indicate that the SCHeREX mesoscale analysis dataset is of high quality and sufficient reliability, and it is applicable to refined mesoscale weather studies.     

贵阳台钻孔应变观测记震能力研究

使用2008～2011年Mw6.0以上地震目录资料,统计贵阳台钻孔应变观测资料记录同震效应情况,进行记震能力统计分析,给出了贵阳台钻孔应变观测的记震区域,创新性采用二元统计方法中的Logit模型对贵阳台钻孔应变记震能力进行统计预测.该方法可运用于其他形变观测项目记震能力(监测能力)的对比研究.     

A method to estimate concentrations of surface-level particulate matter using satellite-based aerosol optical thickness

We propose a new method to estimate surface-level particulate matter(PM)concentrations by using satellite-retrieved Aerosol Optical Thickness(AOT).This method considers the distribution and variation of Planetary Boundary Layer(PBL)height and relative humidity(RH)at the regional scale.The method estimates surface-level particulate matter concentrations using the data simulated by an atmospheric boundary layer model RAMS and satellite-retrieved AOT.By incorporation MODIS AOT,PBL height and RH simulated by RAMS,this method is applied to estimate the surface-level PM 2.5 concentrations in North China region.The result is evaluated by using 16 ground-based observations deployed in the research region,and the result shows a good agreement between estimated PM 2.5 concentrations and observations,and the coefficient of determination R2 is 0.61 between the estimated PM 2.5 concentrations and the observations.In addition,surface-level PM 2.5 concentrations are also estimated by using MODIS AOT,ground-based LIDAR observations and RH measurements.A comparison between the two estimated PM 2.5 concentrations shows that the new method proposed in this paper is better than the traditional method.The coefficient of determination R2 is improved from 0.32 to 0.62.     

起伏地表条件下复杂路径初至自动拾取（英文）

初至拾取是起伏地表地震资料处理的关键环节,直接影响近地表建模的精度及静校正效果,但起伏地表资料极低的信噪比使传统的自动初至拾取算法几乎失效,而手动拾取要耗费巨大的人工和时间成本。本文研究了改进超虚干涉法,结合多道多域初至质量监控技术,实现起伏地表资料初至波自动拾取。改进超虚干涉法首次将近地表散射波纳入干涉法提高信噪比的范围,并通过折射波和散射波的线性组合使干涉法适用于起伏地表条件下任意复杂射线路径的初至波类型;提出反向干涉和多域干涉的概念,显著增强了所估计的虚源信号;使用波形反褶积滤波器较好地抑制了干涉导致的"假事件"的形成;采用多道多域初至质量监控技术,实现错误"假事件"初至的自动归位,提高了拾取初至的稳定性。本文研究的初至波自动拾取理论与技术具有突出的鲁棒性和稳定批量处理大量实际三维地震数据的能力,在中国西部山区三维地震勘探数据处理的应用效果显著,质量优于某常用商业软件。     

Experimental analysis on the impact force of viscous debris flow

A miniaturized flume experiment was carried out to measure impact forces of viscous debris flow. The flow depth (7.2–11.2 cm), velocity (2.4–5.2 m/s) and impact force were recorded during the experiment. The impact process of debris flow can be divided into three phases by analyzing the variation of impact signals and flow regime. The three phases are the sudden strong impact of the debris flow head, continuous dynamic pressure of the body and slight static pressure of the tail. The variation of impact process is consistent with the change in the flow regime. The head has strong–rapid impact pressure, which is shown as a turbulent‐type flow; the body approximates to steady laminar flow. Accordingly, the process of debris flows hitting structures was simplified to a triangle shape, ignoring the pressure of the tail. In order to study the distribution of the debris flow impact force at different depths and variation of the impact process over time, the impact signals of slurry and coarse particles were separated from the original signals using wavelet analysis. The slurry's dynamic pressure signal appears to be a smooth curve, and the peak pressure is 12–34 kPa when the debris flow head hits the sensors, which is about 1.54 ± 0.36 times the continuous dynamic pressure of the debris flow body. The limit of application of the empirical parameter α in the hydraulic formula was also noted. We introduced the power function relationship of α and the Froude number of debris flows, and proposed a universal model for calculating dynamic pressure. The impact pressure of large particles has the characteristic of randomness. The mean frequency of large particles impacting the sensor is 210 ± 50–287 ± 29 times per second, and it is 336 ± 114–490 ± 69 times per second for the debris flow head, which is greater than that in the debris flow body. Peak impact pressure of particles at different flow depths is 40–160 kPa, which is 3.2 ± 1.5 times the impact pressure of the slurry at the bottom of the flow, 3.1 ± 0.9 times the flow in the middle, and 3.3 ± 0.9 times the flow at the surface. The differences in impact frequency indicate that most of the large particles concentrate in the debris flow head, and the number of particles in the debris flow head increases with height. This research supports the study of solid–liquid two phase flow mechanisms, and helps engineering design and risk assessment in debris flow prone areas. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shaking table test and numerical simulation of a 1/2‐scale self‐centering reinforced concrete frame

Self‐centering reinforced concrete frames are developed as an alternative of traditional seismic force‐resisting systems with better seismic performance and re‐centering capability. This paper presents an experimental and computational study on the seismic performance of self‐centering reinforced concrete frames. A 1/2‐scale model of a two‐story self‐centering reinforced concrete frame model was designed and tested on the shaking table in State Key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering at Tongji University to evaluate the seismic behavior of the structure. A structural analysis model, including detailed modeling of beam–column joints, column–base joints, and prestressed tendons, was constructed in the nonlinear dynamic modeling software OpenSEES. Agreements between test results and numerical solutions indicate that the designed reinforced concrete frame has satisfactory seismic performance and self‐centering capacity subjected to earthquakes; the self‐centering structures can undergo large rocking with minor residual displacement after the earthquake excitations; the proposed analysis procedure can be applied in simulating the seismic performance of self‐centering reinforced concrete frames. To achieve a more comprehensive evaluation on the performance of self‐centering structures, research on energy dissipation devices in the system is expected. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.