Distinct groundwater recharge sources and geochemical evolution of two adjacent sub-basins in the lower Shule River Basin,northwest China

Based on analysis of groundwater hydrogeochemical and isotopic data, this study aims to identify the recharge sources and understand geochemical evolution of groundwater along the downstream section of the Shule River, northwest China, including two sub-basins. Groundwater samples from the Tashi sub-basin show markedly depleted stable isotopes compared to those in the Guazhou sub-basin. This difference suggests that groundwater in the Tashi sub-basin mainly originates from meltwater in the Qilian Mountains, while the groundwater in the Guazhou sub-basin may be recharged by seepage of the Shule River water. During the groundwater flow process in the Tashi sub-basin, minerals within the aquifer material (e.g., halite, calcite, dolomite, gypsum) dissolve in groundwater. Mineral dissolution leads to strongly linear relationships between Na⁺ and Cl^? and between Mg²⁺+ Ca²⁺ and SO₄ ^2??+?HCO₃ ^?, with stoichiometry ratios of approximately 1:1 in both cases. The ion-exchange reaction plays a dominant role in hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater in the Guazhou sub-basin and causes a good linear relationship between (Mg²⁺+ Ca²⁺)–(SO₄ ^2??+?HCO₃ ^?) and (Na⁺+ K⁺)–Cl^? with a slope of ?0.89 and also results in positive chloroalkaline indices CAI 1 and CAI 2. The scientific results have implications for groundwater management in the downstream section of Shule River. As an important irrigation district in Hexi Corridor, groundwater in the Guazhou sub-basin should be used sustainably and rationally because its recharge source is not as abundant as expected. It is recommended that the surface water should be used efficiently and routinely, while groundwater exploitation should be limited as much as possible.     

海洋生态文明建设对海域使用论证工作的具体指导

海洋生态文明建设是我国生态文明建设的重要组成部分。海域使用论证作为各类用海项目用海可行性分析的技术性分析工作,在论证工作中引导用海项目贯彻海洋生态文明建设理念,落实海洋生态文明建设具体方案,极具现实意义。文章按照海域使用论证工作流程,依据海洋生态文明建设具体方案,按阶段分析了海域使用论证工作的具体工作内容,以求通过海域使用论证工作落实海洋生态文明建设对用海项目的具体指导。     

A late Holocene winter monsoon record inferred from the palaeo-aeolian sand dune in the southeastern Mu Us Desert, northern China

The variation of the Asian winter monsoonal strength has seriously affected the climate and environmental conditions in the Asian monsoonal region, and even in marginal islands and the ocean in the East Asian region. However, relevant understanding remains unclear due to the lack of suitable geological materials and effective proxies in the key study areas. Here, we present a grain-size record derived from the palaeo-aeolian sand dune in the southeastern Mu Us Desert, together with other proxies and OSL dating, which reflect a relatively detailed history of the winter monsoon and abrupt environmental events during the past 4.2 ka. Our grain-size standard deviation model indicated that >224 μm content can be considered as an indicator of the intensity of Asian winter monsoon, and it shows declined around 4.2-2.1 ka, enhanced but unstable in 2.1-0.9 ka, and obviously stronger since then. In addition, several typical climate events were also documented, forced by the periodic variation of winter monsoonal intensity. These include the cold intervals of 4.2, 2.8, 1.4 ka, and the Little Ice Age (LIA), and relatively warm sub-phases around 3.0, 2.1, 1.8 ka, and the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), which were roughly accordant with the records of the aeolian materials, peat, stalagmites, ice cores, and sea sediments in various latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Combined with the previous progresses of the Asian summer monsoon, we preliminarily confirmed a millennial-scale anti-correlation of Asian winter and summer monsoons in the Late Holocene epoch. This study suggests that the evolution of the palaeo-aeolian sand dune has the potential for comprehending the history of Asian monsoon across the desert regions of the modern Asian monsoonal margin in northern China.     

Mass-front velocity of dry granular flows influenced by the angle of the slope to the runout plane and particle size gradation

The mass-front velocities of granular flows results from the joint action of particle size gradations and the underlying surfaces.However,because of the complexity of friction during flow movement,details such as the slope-toe impedance effects and momentum-transfer mechanisms have not been completely explained by theoretical analyses,numerical simulations,or field investigations.To study the mass-front velocity of dry granular flows influenced by the angle of the slope to the runout plane and particle size gradations we conducted model experiments that recorded the motion of rapid and long-runout rockslides or avalanches.Flume tests were conducted using slope angles of 25°,35°,45°,and 55° and three particle size gradations.The resulting mass-front motions consisted of three stages:acceleration,velocity maintenance,and deceleration.The existing methods of velocity prediction could not explain the slowing effect of the slope toe or the momentum-transfer steady velocity stage.When the slope angle increased from 25° to 55°,the mass-front velocities dropped significantly to between 44.4% and59.6% of the peak velocities and energy lossesincreased from 69.1% to 83.7% of the initial,respectively.The velocity maintenance stages occurred after the slope-toe and mass-front velocity fluctuations.During this stage,travel distances increased as the angles increased,but the average velocity was greatest at 45°.At a slope angle of 45°,as the median particle size increased,energy loss around the slope toe decreased,the efficiency of momentum transfer increased,and the distance of the velocity maintenance stage increased.We presented an improved average velocity formula for granular flow and a geometrical model of the energy along the flow line.     

20世纪40年代初以来中国大陆沿海主要海湾形态变化

受气候变化和人类活动的影响,中国海岸带正在经历各种剧烈的变化,海湾形态变化是其中的一个重要方面.基于地形图资料与遥感影像提取20世纪40年代初至2014年7个时相的中国大陆沿海主要海湾的空间信息,进而分析海湾岸线类型结构,开发利用程度和空间位置的变化特征,以及海湾面积,形状和重心分布的变化特征.结果表明,20世纪40年代初以来,中国大陆沿海主要海湾的形态变化显著且复杂,主要体现为:海湾岸线的结构变化显著,自然岸线的长度和比例急剧减少;海湾岸线的开发利用程度持续增强;海湾岸线普遍背陆向海运动;海湾面积普遍大幅萎缩;海湾形状总体趋向复杂但个体间的差异在缩小;海湾重心分布位置普遍背陆向海迁移;海湾变化具有显著的时空差异性等.总的来说,以围填海为主的人类活动是导致海湾发生上述变化特征的主要原因.通过研究,指出应该对中国的海湾进行功能定位划分和分类管理,通过强化以海湾为基本单元的管理,促进中国海岸带综合管理能力的提高和管理目标的实现.     

基于无人船的大洋中尺度涡观测系统展望

中尺度涡在大洋中普遍存在,研究发现其能量比大尺度海洋环流的能量大一个量级,在海洋物质能量输运和全球气候变化中起着重要的作用。受观测条件限制,目前对中尺度涡的观测主要通过卫星高度计实现,只能从海面高度来推算中尺度涡大小、分布、强度及其伴随的水体和能量输送,而卫星高度计对中尺度涡垂直结构特征认识不足,也导致了对中尺度涡所引起的上层海洋能量、热量输送估计误差偏大。目前对中尺度涡三维结构观测认识不足,展望未来将会出现基于无人船平台的大洋中尺度涡三维结构自动观测系统,该平台将集成自动水下剖面观测功能等先进技术,以便观测中尺度涡的垂直结构特征及其时空变化特征,进而可对中尺度涡带来的物质和能量输送进行系统认识。     

Seasonal variation and principle of cyanobacterial biomass and forms in the water source area of Chaohu City,China

We investigated seasonal variations in cyanobacterial biomass and the forms of its dominant population(M. aeruginosa) and their correlation with environmental factors in the water source area of Chaohu City,China from December 2011 to October 2012. The results show that species belonging to the phylum Cyanophyta occupied the maximum proportion of phytoplankton biomass,and that the dominant population in the water source area of Chaohu City was M. aeruginosa. The variation in cyanobacterial biomass from March to August 2012 was well fitted to the logistic growth model. The growth rate of cyanobacteria was the highest in June,and the biomass of cyanobacteria reached a maximum in August. From February to March 2012,the main form of M.aeruginosa was the single-cell form; M.aeruginosa colonies began to appear from April,and blooms appeared on the water surface in May. The maximum diameter of the colonies was recorded in July,and then gradually decreased from August. The diameter range of M. aeruginosa colonies was 18.37–237.77 μm,and most of the colonies were distributed in the range 20–200 μm,comprising 95.5% of the total number of samples. Temperature and photosynthetically active radiation may be the most important factors that influenced the annual variation in M. aeruginosa biomass and forms. The suitable temperature for cyanobacterial growth was in the range of 15–30°C. In natural water bodies,photosynthetically active radiation had a significant positive influence on the colonial diameter of M.aeruginosa(P0.01).     

From sequential to parallel growth of cities: Theory and evidence from Canada

This paper examines city growth patterns and the corresponding city size distribution evolution over long periods of time using a simple New Economic Geography(NEG) model and urban population data from Canada. The main findings are twofold. First, there is a transition from sequential to parallel growth of cities over long periods of time: city growth shows a sequential mode in the stage of rapid urbanization, i.e., the cities with the best development conditions will take the lead in growth, after which the cities with higher ranks will become the fastest-growing cities; in the late stage of urbanization, city growth converges according to Gibrat′s law, and exhibits a parallel growth pattern. Second, city size distribution is found to have persistent structural characteristics: the city system is self-organized into multiple discrete size groups; city growth shows club convergence characteristics, and the cities with similar development conditions eventually converge to a similar size. The results will not only enhance our understanding of urbanization process, but will also provide a timely and clear policy reference for promoting the healthy urbanization of developing countries.     

Subduction/obduction rate in the North Pacific diagnosed by an eddy-resolving model

Ventilation in the North Pacifi c is examined using data from the eddy-resolving 1/12° global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model(HYCOM) and Quik SCAT wind stress data. For the period January 2004 to December 2006 and area 20°–40°N, the total annual subduction rate is estimated at 79 Sv, and the obduction rate 41 Sv. Resolving the small-scale and high-frequency components of the eddy fi eld can increase the subduction rate by 42 Sv, and obduction by 31 Sv. Lateral induction is the dominant contributor to enhancement of subduction/obduction, and temporal change of mixed layer depth has a secondary role. Further analysis indicates that the high-frequency components of the eddy fi eld, especially those with timescale shorter than 10 days, are the most critical factor enhancing subduction/obduction.