Prediction of salinity intrusion in the sheltered estuary of Terengganu River in Malaysia using 1-D empirical intrusion model

Generally one dimensional(1-D) empirical salinity intrusion model is limited to natural alluvial estuary. However,this study attempts to investigate its ability to model a sheltered alluvial estuary of the Terengganu River in Malaysia. The constructed breakwater at the mouth of the river shelters the estuary from direct influence of the open sea. The salinity density along the estuary was collected during the wet and dry seasons for scenarios before and after the constructed breakwater. Moreover, the freshwater discharges, tidal elevations and bathymetry data were also measured as model inputs. A good fit was demonstrated between simulated and observed variables,namely salinity distribution and intrusion length for both scenarios. Thus, the results show that 1-D empirical salinity model can be utilized for sheltered estuarine condition at the Terengganu Estuary, but with an appropriate determination of an initial point. Furthermore, it was observed that the salinity intrusion in the study area is largely dependent on the freshwater discharge rather than tidal elevation fluctuations. The scale of the salinity intrusion length in the study area is proportional to the river discharge of the –1/2 power. It was appeared that the two lines of the 1-D empirical salinity model and discharge power based equation fitted well to each other, with the average predicted minimum freshwater discharge of 150 m3/s is going to be required to maintain acceptable salinity levels during high water slack(HWS) near the water intake station, which is located at 10.63 km from river mouth.     

Characteristics and Nonlinear Growth of the Singular Vector Related to a Heavy Rainfall Case over the Korean Peninsula

In this study,singular vectors related to a heavy rainfall case over the Korean Peninsula were calculated using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University-National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) adjoint modeling system.Tangent linear and adjoint models include moist physical processes,and a moist basic state and a moist total energy norm were used for the singular-vector calculations.The characteristics and nonlinear growth of the first singular vector were analyzed,focusing on the relationship between the basic state and the singular vector.The horizontal distribution of the initial singular vector was closely related to the baroclinicity index and the moisture availability of the basic state.The temperature-component energy at a lower level was dominant at the initial time,and the kinetic energy at upper levels became dominant at the final time in the energy profile of the singular vector.The nonlinear growth of the singular vector appropriately reflects the temporal variations in the basic state.The moisture-component energy at lower levels was dominant at earlier times,indicating continuous moisture transport in the basic state.There were a large amount of precipitation and corresponding latent heat release after that period because the continuous moisture transport created favorable conditions for both convective and nonconvective precipitation.The vertical propagation of the singular-vector energy was caused by precipitation and the corresponding latent heating in the basic state.     

Late Quaternary glaciation in the Tianshan and implications for palaeoclimatic change: a review

Xu, X., Kleidon, A., Miller, L., Wang, S., Wang, L. & Dong, G. 2009: Late Quaternary glaciation in the Tianshan and implications for palaeoclimatic change: a review. Boreas, 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2009.00118.x. ISSN 0300‐9483. The Tianshan mountain range has been extensively and repeatedly glaciated during the late Quaternary. Multiple moraines in this region record the extent and timing of late Quaternary glacier fluctuations. The moraines and their ages are described in three sub‐regions: eastern, central and western Tianshan. Notable glacial advances occurred during marine oxygen isotope stages (MIS) 6, 4, 3, 2, the Neoglacial and the Little Ice Age (LIA) in these sub‐regions. Glaciers in western Tianshan advanced significantly also during MIS 5, but not in eastern and central Tianshan. The local last glacial maximum (llgm) of the three sub‐regions pre‐dated the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and occurred during MIS 4 in eastern and central Tianshan, but during MIS 3 in western Tianshan. The spatial and temporal distribution of the glaciers suggests that precipitation (as snow at high altitude) is the main factor controlling glacial advance in the Tianshan. The late Quaternary climate in the Tianshan has been generally cold–dry during glacial times and warm–humid during interglacial times. Between neighbouring glacial times, the climate has had a more arid tendency in eastern and central Tianshan. These palaeoclimatic conditions inferred from glacial landforms indicate important relationships between the mid‐latitude westerly, the Siberian High and the Asian monsoon.     

Influence of Tropical Cyclone Landfalls on Spatiotemporal Variations in Typhoon Season Rainfall over South China

This study examined the impact of tropical cyclone (TC) landfalls on the spatiotemporal variations in the rainfall over South China for the period 1957–2005. The target region was selected to show the noteworthy contribution of TC landfalls to the total rainfall during the typhoon season (July–October). Two prevailing spatial variations in the rainfall were obtained from an EOF analysis. The first EOF mode displays singlesign variability over South China with an explained variance of 23.4%. The associated t...     

Past and Future Changes in the Climate of Hong Kong

Over the years, the Hong Kong Observatory has carried out scientific studies to evaluate the observed climate trends and project the future climate in Hong Kong. Analysis of the meteorological observations at the observatory's headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui since 1885 reveals that the temperature rise in Hong Kong during the past 124 years is in accord with the global rising trend. The accelerated rising trend in the mean temperature in last few decades may be attributed to the anthropogenic influences, especially urbanization. A similar increasing trend is also observed for rainfall. Other observations such as increasing cloud amount and decreasing total global solar radiation are all consistent with the global trend. Studies of past occurrences of extreme temperature and rainfall have also been carried out. The results indicate that cold episodes have become rarer while very hot days and heavy rain events are becoming more frequent. The observatory also makes use of the data from the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and employs statistical downscaling techniques to carry out projections of temperature and precipitation in the 21st century. It is found that the rise in temperature in Hong Kong will be slightly higher than the global mean in the 21st century. The annual rainfall in Hong Kong is also expected to rise by the end of the 21st century, so is its year-to-year variability.     

A seasonally ''dry'' interglacial climate in eastern England during the early Middle Pleistocene: palaeopedological and stable isotopic evidence from Pakefield, UK

The pedology and the isotope geochemistry of the early Middle Pleistocene interglacial 'rootlet bed' at Pakefield, eastern England, record the climate when this unit accumulated. Horizons of nodular pedogenic calcrete indicate the existence of a strongly seasonal precipitation regime that produced a pronounced net soil moisture deficit during which secondary carbonate was precipitated. The isotopic composition of these nodules confirms the seasonality of annual precipitation, as this indicates that intense soil moisture evaporation was a major mechanism in secondary carbonate formation. The climatic interpretation is enhanced by the palaeoecology of the unit that indicates average summer temperatures significantly warmer than those of the present. The climate of this period was, therefore, different from that of the present day in terms of both temperature and the seasonality of precipitation. Although it has previously been shown that certain interglacial periods in northwest Europe were warmer than the Holocene, this is the first study to show that the precipitation regime of one such episode may also have been significantly different.     

Effects of late Pleistocene permafrost on the landscape of Wisconsin, USA

Pleistocene permafrost had a major but generally unappreciated effect on the landscape of Wisconsin, second only to glaciation. Evidence for continuous permafrost during the last part of the Wisconsin Glaciation includes ice-wedge casts seen both in outcrop (generally in gravel pits) and as polygonal networks (on aerial photographs). Other important evidence includes fossil tundra organisms. Other features that are probably the result of permafrost in Wisconsin include talus cones, block streams, solifluction rubble at the base of most hillslopes, fluvial cobble gravel, gullies that are today inactive, lake-ice collapse trenches, and ice-walled-lake plains. Permafrost caused accelerated regional erosion of the landscape; most topographic features formed before the last permafrost melted have been highly modified or even destroyed, whereas those formed after are much better preserved. In addition, the presence of permafrost influenced many glacial processes and landforms. Permafrost was present until about 14000 yr BP in the southern part of the state to about 10000 yr BP in the northern part.     

南中国海成因:右行拉分作用与左行转换挤压作用交替

总结分析了南中国海各次级盆地及其周缘有关盆地的裂谷作用序列 ,认为它们的裂谷作用序列是相似的 ,虽然存在局部差异。古近纪 (—早中新世 )和新近纪分别为一级裂谷阶段和后裂谷阶段 ,并可进一步划分次一级裂谷和后裂谷阶段。南中国海总体几何学特征及其次级盆地和周缘盆地的几何学特征表明 ,它们的裂谷作用是以近南北向主断裂为主剪切的右行拉分作用。在右行拉分过程中 ,东越南断裂的南延 (翼他陆架部分 )可能没有发生巨大脆性平移而表现为巨大的右行韧性牵引 ;印支—苏门答腊地块是被东越南断裂、东安达曼海断裂、红河断裂和苏门答腊断裂等四条断裂围限的呈菱形的右行走滑双重构造。深海盆的洋壳在许多方面与概念化大洋洋壳不同 ,相互矛盾的各种磁异常条带年龄并不可信。它的洋壳是右行拉分作用形成的洋壳。它们的后裂谷作用是以近南北向主断裂为主剪切的左行转换挤压反转变形为特征。联系到裂谷作用序列 ,南中国海成因具有右行拉分作用、裂谷作用和左行转换挤压作用交替出现的特征 ,表现了具有转换性质的“开”与“合”的更迭     

Granitoids and Their Magnetic Susceptibility in South Korea

Abstract: Magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements were carried out for 1,120 samples in the Middle Proterozoic to Early Tertiary granitoids so far recognized in South Korea, and the lateral and spatial variation of their magnetic susceptibility, i.e., content of magnetite, is studied. The Middle Proterozoic two mica granitoids related to cassiterite (Sn) deposits in northeastern part of the Sobaegsan Massif show very low MS (less than 0.3 A‐ 10^‐3 SI unit), and the Permo‐Triassic tonalitic to granodioritic and monzonitic rocks which are barren in mineralization, distributed in the middle part of South Korea also show low MS (less than 1 A‐ 10^‐3 SI unit). On the contrary the Late Triassic to Jurassic granitoids (= Daebo granitoids) which were evolved from tonalite through granodiorite to granite, and are most widely distributed in South Korea, show a wide variation on MS. Particularly in the Andong, Igsan, Gimcheon and Geochang areas, the granitoids which are barren in mineralization, are characterized by high MS (more than 10 A‐ 10^‐3 SI unit). The Chuncheon, Jecheon, Namyang and Geumsan plutons related to molybdenite (Mo) and/or wolframite or scheelite (W), and fluorite (F) mineralizations show a little high MS (more than 3 A‐ 10^‐3 SI unit). However, more than 60% of the Daebo granitoids show low MS (less than 3 A‐ 10^‐3 SI unit) and the rest show a little high MS (more than 3 A‐ 10^‐3 SI unit). Heterogeneous distribution of magnetite content in the Daebo granitoids is considered to reflect heterogeneity of redox state of the source materials for these granitoids. The Cretaceous to Early Tertiary granitoids (= Bulgugsa granitoids) in the Gyeongsang Basin had been generally evolved in the order of tonalite, diorite, granodiorite, granite and alkali‐feldspar granites, which are closely related to base metal ore deposits, and mostly show higher MS (more than 3 A‐ 10^‐3 SI unit) than other granitoids mentioned above, although some exceptions are recognized in highly evolved alkali‐feldspar granites (SiO₂ > 76%). In contrast, as most of the highly oxidized or evolved Cretaceous granitoids distributed in areas other than the Gyeongsang Basin show lower MS than those of the Gyeongsang Basin, and appear to be magnetite free, ilmenite‐series granites, but they might be hematite bearing magnetite‐series granitoids. Highly oxidized nature of the Bulgugsa granitoids may be due to high Fe₂O₃/FeO ratio of the source materials and also high level intrusion style of the granitic magma activities. Most of the granitic rocks of the Middle Proterozoic, Permo‐Triassic and more than 60% of the Late Triassic to Jurassic (Daebo granitoids) belong to ilmenite–series, however less than 40% of the Daebo granitoids and most Cretaceous ones are magnetite–series. Thus, the granitic magma intruded in Korean Peninsula became oxidized while the intrusive ages become younger.