The properties of convective storms in central Mexico: A radar and lightning approach

Radar data from Cerro Catedral (a peak close to Mexico City) were used to investigate the properties of convective storms over central Mexico, a region with complex orography. The spatial distribution shows a preference for storms to form and move to the west of radar, over a narrow band of high terrain. However, the storms with the higher volumes and echo-top heights tend to be located southwestward over lower terrain. Each radar feature was matched with the number of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning produced inside it, as retrieved from the World Wide Lightning Location Network dataset. The storms in which lightning was detected, with an average of more than six lightning bolts, clearly outperform in size and intensity the group of storms in which lightning was not detected, and tend to lie over lower terrain. The sample of over 98 000 identified cells was divided into four elevation groups to look for elevation trends in the mean properties, as reported for other Mexican regions. While the number of storms per unit area increases with terrain height, the average values for properties related to both size (area, volume, echo-top height) and intensity (maximum reflectivity, number of CG bolts, height of maximum reflectivity, maximum height of 30 dBZ echo) decrease. These results could be related to the possible shallower warm-cloud depths over the higher elevations. The diurnal cycles of convection and lightning north of the radar show a nearly typical continental regime of precipitation in that zone, with maxima at 18:00 LT in both variables. However, south of the radar, a maximum in lightning activity occurs during late night and early morning, which is linked with the deeper nocturnal convection over the lower terrain in that zone.     

Vertical profile of aerosol single scattering albedo over west coast of India during W_ICARB

Altitude profile of aerosol Single Scattering Albedo (SSA), derived from simultaneous in-situ airborne measurements of the coefficients of aerosol absorption and scattering off the west coast of India over the Arabian Sea (AS), during January 2009 is presented. While both the absorption and scattering coefficients decreased with altitude, their vertical structure differed significantly. Consequently, the derived SSA, with a surface value of 0.94, decreased with altitude, illustrating increasing relative dominance of aerosol absorption at higher altitudes. Altitude profile of SSA, when examined in conjunction with that of hemispheric backscatter fraction, revealed that the continental influence on the aerosol properties was higher at higher altitude, rather than the effect of marine environment. During an east–west transect across the peninsular India at an altitude of ～2500 m (free troposphere), it was found that the aerosol scattering coefficients remained nearly the same over both east and west coasts.     

A Reliability Based Expert System for Assessment and Mitigation of Landslides Hazard Under Seismic Loading

Different models were developed for evaluating the probabilistic three-dimensional (3-D) stability analysis of earth slopes and embankments under earthquake loading using both the safety factor and the displacement criteria of slope failure.The probabilistic models evaluate the probability of failure under seismic loading considering the different sources of uncertainties involved in the problem. The models also take into consideration the spatial variabilities and correlations of soil properties. The developed models are incorporated in a computer program PTDDSSA.These analysis/design procedures are incorporated within a code named SARETL developed in this study for stability analysis and remediation of earthquake triggered landslides. In addition to the dynamic inertia forces, the system takes into consideration local site effects.The code is capable of assessing the landslide hazard affecting major transportation routes in the event of earthquakes and preparing earthquake induced landslide hazard maps (i.e., maps showing expected displacements and probability of slope/embankments failure) for different earthquake magnitudes and environmental conditions. It can also beused for proposing a mitigation strategy against landslides.     

Sediment storage and release from Himalayan piggyback basins and implications for downstream river morphology and evolution

Piggyback basins developed at the mountain fronts of collisional orogens can act as important, and transient, sediment stores along major river systems. It is not clear, however, how the storage and release of sediment in piggyback basins affects the sediment flux and evolution of downstream river reaches. Here, we investigate the timing and volumes of sediment storage and release in the Dehra Dun, a piggyback basin developed along the Himalayan mountain front in northwestern India. Based on OSL dating, we show evidence for three major phases of aggradation in the dun, bracketed at ca. 41–33 ka, 34–21 ka and 23–10 ka, each accompanied by progradation of sediment fans into the dun. Each of these phases was followed by backfilling and (apparently) rapid fan‐head incision, leading to abandonment of the depositional unit and a basinward shift of the active depocentre. Excavation of dun sediment after the second and third phases of aggradation produced time‐averaged sediment discharges that were ca. 1–2% of the modern suspended‐sediment discharges of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers that traverse the margins of the dun; this sediment was derived from catchment areas that together comprise 1.5% of the drainage area of these rivers. Comparison of the timing of dun storage and release with upstream and downstream records of incision and aggradation in the Ganga show that sediment storage in the dun generally coincides with periods of widespread hinterland aggradation but that late stages of dun aggradation, and especially times of dun sediment excavation, coincide with major periods of sediment export to the Ganga Basin. The dun thus acts to amplify temporal variations in hinterland sediment supply or transport capacity. This conceptual model appears to explain morphological features of other major river systems along the Himalayan front, including the Gandak and Kosi Rivers, and may be important for understanding sediment flux variations in other collisional mountain belts.     

Heavy metal flows in aquatic systems of the Don and Kuban river deltas

This paper presents the calculated heavy metal (Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr, Co, Cd, and Pb) flows in suspended and dissolved forms in the main navigable branches of the Don and Kuban river deltas during the low-water period of 2013–2014. This work is based on the data of field studies in which water and suspended matter samples were collected and the turbidity and water discharge in deltas were measured. A quantitative estimate of heavy metal inflows into the deltas of the Don and Kuban rivers is provided. Transformation of flows of suspended and dissolved metal forms from the delta top to the sea edge is discussed. The influence of localities (Rostov-on-Don, Temryuk) on the increase in heavy metal flows downstream is shown, and the heavy metal flows in the deltas of the Don and Kuban rivers are compared.

     

Ecology of the bottom fauna and bioaccumulation of trace metals along the Lena River–Laptev Sea transect

The first data on ecology and trace metal (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb) bioaccumulation by macrozoobenthic organisms in area along the 130°E meridional transect from shallow water near the Lena River’s delta till the 78°N are presented. At the newly discovered methane seeps in the shallow Laptev Sea areas (72 m depth), a higher total abundance and biomass compared with background stations were recorded. In carbonate shells and soft tissues of Bivalvia Portlandia arctica and Astarte borealis, the high concentrations of Mn, Fe, Pb, Ni and Co were detected that varied in dependence from sampling site. In the dominating taxa of brittle stars (Ophiuroidea), there were found no significant differences between majority of trace metal content in organisms inhabiting the seeps area and background ones. An elevated content of some metals was detected in the Asteroidea bodies that may be attributed to its trophic behavior (deposit feeder).     

226Ra behavior in the Pee Dee River-Winyah Bay estuary

Concentrations of dissolved²²⁶Ra in Winyah Bay, South Carolina, and in the adjacent Atlantic Ocean are augmented by the desorption of radium from sediments in the low-salinity area of the estuary and diffusion from bottom sediments. Desorption of²²⁶Ra is reflected by lower concentrations in suspended sediments from higher-salinity regions of the estuary. Bottom sediments from the high-salinity region have lower²²⁶Ra/²³⁰Th activity ratios than those from the low-salinity end.The shape of the dissolved²²⁶Ra vs. salinity profile is influenced by the river discharge. During average-discharge conditions, desorption of²²⁶Ra from suspended and bottom sediments increases the dissolved²²⁶Ra concentrations by a factor of 3.5 as the water passes through Winyah Bay. High river discharge produces an initial increase of dissolved²²⁶Ra by a factor of 2 to 3 and apparently reflects only desorption from suspended sediments. By driving the salt wedge down the estuary and reducing the zone of contact of salt water with bottom sediments, the high-flow conditions sharply reduce the flux of²²⁶Ra from bottom sediments.     

IAP GCM模式大气背景环流在厄尔尼诺年的异常

本文分析了中国科学院大气物理研究所大气环流模式(IAP GCM)模式大气5～9月平均环流(本文称为背景环流)。结果表明;厄尔尼诺年一系列重要系统(南方涛动、瓦克环流、哈德莱环流、西太平洋副热带高压和热带辐合带)及大范围降水均发生明显异常;北半球西太平洋热带、副热带是环流异常的主要区域。它们与观测资料的分析结果基本一致,从而论证了该模式在低纬环流研究中的应用前景。     

Application of sugar foam to red soils in a semiarid Mediterranean environment

The study described here involved evaluating the effects that the application of one by-product (sugar foam waste) has upon red soils in the region of La Mancha (Central Spain). In view of the fact that this is a location where this type of soil abounds, this technique has been a common practice for many years. The principal goal was to investigate the impact of this approach on some of the soil properties and, secondly, on its level of fertility. As a result, this represents an investigation into the effects that this type of waste has on some soil quality parameters. The results showed that, after the addition of by-products over 25 years, sugar foam waste is of agricultural interest mainly due to the increase in organic matter concentration (about 2%) and, to a lesser extent, by increases in calcium carbonate (more than 30%) and P (four times more). The soil pH was also found to increase slightly (1.4), while the electrical conductivity almost did not change. The properties associated with these pedological qualities therefore had a positive effect by improving nutrient availability. As a result, foams arising from sugar industries have a positive effect on soil quality and the application of such foams to soils is beneficial since the need to dispose this residue is also removed.