Modeling the morphology of gully cross sections in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley

Abstract

Characterizing gully cross sections (GCs) is essential for calculating the volume and erosion rate of the gully. However, little research has focused on modeling the morphology of GCs. This study investigated 456 GCs with a laser distance meter located at the mouth, middle, and head of 152 gullies in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley of China; mapped them with AutoCAD software; fitted them with 2nd–6th degree polynomial functions, and discussed the correlation between the coefficients and the morphology of GCs. The results showed that: (1) using a 2nd-degree polynomial function (y = ax² + bx + c) to describe the morphology of GCs produced a better result than other polynomial functions; (2) the coefficient a of 2nd-degree polynomial function was correlated with depth (r = ?0.226, p < 0.01), gradient (r = 0.545, p < 0.01), and activities; and (3) the symmetry axis (?b/2a) of 2nd-degree polynomial function increased with gully change from left-deflection to right-skewed, and the absolute value showed the asymmetrical degree (r = 0.216, p < 0.01). This study will not only help to understand the morphology and evolution of gullies, but will also provide a scientific basis for prevention of gully erosion.     

渤海湾西岸全新世地层的分段与划组

本文以岩性地层、气候地层(CaCO3含量、古温度和Rb/Sr比值等)、年代地层、沉积化学地层和生物组合地层等资料为基础,根据地层规范以及建组要求将渤海湾西岸全新世地层划分为3个组:独流镇组( Qh3 dl)、大黄洼组(Qh2dh)和西翟庄组(Qh1xz).其地层埋深界线及测年界线分别为:晚全新世独流镇组(Qh3dl)与...     

Hydrogeochemistry of fluoride in the Quequen river basin: natural pollutants distribution in the argentine pampa

Fluoride pollution is a widespread problem in Argentina, as it is in many areas of the World. Former investigations have demonstrated that the dissolution of volcanic glass disseminated in the loess-like sediments is the main source of fluoride in the Argentine pampas. Nevertheless, fluoride distribution is erratic and the factors controlling it are not yet well-known. A large amount of hydrochemical data collected in the Quequen Grande river catchment is used in order to contribute to the understanding of fluoride distribution and mobility in groundwater in the Argentine pampas. The Quequen Grande river catchment is 10,000 km². It extends between two low hills ranges of Precambrian metamorphic rocks and sedimentary Paleozoic rocks, filled by a thick sequence of Cenozoic sediments, mainly silts and silt-clayed, with sand layers. These sediments form a multilayer phreatic aquifer, which is recharged from precipitation infiltration, discharging through streams directly into the sea. Fluoride concentration in surface water (n = 353) ranges between 0 and 6.5 mg/l, with an average value of 2.14 mg/l. Groundwater concentration (n = 135) is from 0 up to 5.7 mg/l, with an average of 1.84 mg/l. Considering the statistic distribution of fluoride, two groups of samples can be determined. A dominant group between 0 and 3 mg/l, with a mean value around 1.5 mg/l, corresponding to samples widely distributed in the catchment; and a second one group with fluoride contents between 3 and 6 mg/l, corresponding to a smaller area in the central-west border. Two different sources are proposed. Volcanic glass dissolution is responsible for dominant values in the catchment, while the weathering of biotite from the Paleozoic bedrock can be assumed to account for the higher concentrations in the second group.     

Sources and behavior of arsenic and trace elements in groundwater and surface water in the Poopó Lake Basin,Bolivian Altiplano

Water management in semiarid and arid catchments such as the Poopó Lake Basin requires improved understanding of the complex behavior of the various contaminants, which affect the drinking water quality and considered as crucial for sustainable development of the region. Mechanisms of arsenic (As) release in the surface and groundwater were studied. Hydrochemical data for surface water (4 samples) and groundwater (28 samples) were collected in a small watershed in the Poopó catchment at the highland of the Bolivian Andes (Altiplano). All of them show high electrical conductivity values and moderately oxidizing conditions. The surface water contains high concentration of sulfate and the trace elements As, Zn and Pb in the zone affected by acid mine drainage. There is a large variability of the concentration of As and of the trace elements in the groundwater in the five different regions within the Poopó catchment. The metal concentrations sensitive to changes of redox state and results of speciation modeling suggest that As (V) is a predominant aqueous species, which conforms to the prevailing oxidizing conditions in the shallow groundwater environment. Two generalized trends for As distribution were identified in groundwater: (a) high concentrations are found in the arid zone (100–250 μg/L) in the southern (region III) and in the northwestern (region V) regions, and (b) low concentrations (<50 μg/L) are found in the remaining part of the basin (region I, II and IV). However, the spatial distribution within these regions needs to be investigated further. A conclusion from the present study is that there are multiple sources of As as well as other trace elements (such as Cd, Mn and Zn) in the Poopó Lake Basin. Among the sources and the processes which led to the mobility of As and other trace metals in the region are: (a) weathering of sulfide minerals, (b) oxidation of pyrite and/or arsenopyrite in mineralized areas and (c) desorption from hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) surfaces. In non-mining areas, volcanic ash is suggested to be a significant source of As.     

Optimal Perturbations Triggering Weather Regime Transitions: Onset of Blocking and Strong Zonal Flow

In this paper, the approach proposed by Mu and Jiang (2008) to obtain the optimal perturbations for triggering blocking (BL) onset is generalized to seek the optimal perturbations triggering onset of the strong zonal flow (SZF) regime. The BL and SZF regimes are characterized by the same dipole-like anomaly pattern superposed on the climatological flow, but with opposite sign. The results show that this method is also superior at finding the initial optimal perturbations triggering onset of the SZF regime, especially in the medium range. Furthermore, by comparing the two kinds of conditional nonlinear optimal perturbations (CNOPs) trig-gering onset of BL and SZF regimes, we find that in the linear approximation, there is symmetry in the sensitivities for BL and SZF onset, and the perturbations that optimally trigger onset of BL and SZF regimes at times when linear approximation is valid are also characterized by the same spatial pattern but with opposite sign. Whereas when the optimization time is extended to 6 days, the two kinds of CNOPs lose their out-of-phase behavior. The nonlinearity results in an asymmetry between the sensitivity for BL and SZF onset. Additionally, we find that the optimal perturbations have one common property, which is that the second baroclinic mode contributes more to the initial perturbations while the barotropic mode dominates the final structures.     

基于VAD技术的迭代法在实测多普勒速度缺测区域的填补研究

多普勒天气雷达径向速度场缺测区域的存在是影响速度二次产品算法精确度的重要因素,在实际风场为线性分布的假设条件下,文中详细介绍了一种基于VAD技术的迭代填补技术.在合理考虑迭代约束条件的情况下,应用实测多普勒速度数据,根据缺测区域类型随机制造非连续累积10°-180°缺口的缺测区域和连续累积10°-180°缺口的缺测区域...     

Estrogen pollution in a highly productive ecosystem off central-south Chile

While the presence of steroid estrogens in the environment has become a major environmental and health concern, their occurrence in coastal sediments remains poorly characterized. In this study, we measured the levels of three natural (estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol) and one synthetic (17α-ethinylestradiol) estrogens in 54 coastal sediment samples collected from nine locations off central-southern Chile. Steroid estrogens were found in every sample. Remarkably high levels of 17α-ethinylestradiol were detected, reaching up to 48.14 ng/g dry weight. As a result, the global estrogenic loads were estimated to be high at all sites. Interestingly, they were found to correlate with the size of human populations served by sewage plants. Our study indicates that 17α-ethinylestradiol may accumulate in coastal sediments. The possible impact of this highly potent synthetic estrogen on the biota of the marine ecosystem off central-south Chile and on human health remains an open question.     

Latitudinal variation in the aerial/aquatic ratio of oxygen consumption of a supratidal high rocky‐shore crab

The colonisation of the terrestrial environment by crustaceans is more apparent in tropical latitudes because of the high diversity of semi‐terrestrial and terrestrial crabs. However, in temperate regions there are also great numbers of crustaceans that inhabit ecological niches at the water–air interface. Grapsidae crabs (Decopoda) are especially important in studies of water‐to‐land transition as the family contains species occupying the intertidal and adjacent regions. A way to evaluate the ability of intertidal invertebrates to breathe air is to measure the aerial/aquatic oxygen consumption ratio. The objective of this study was to test the effect of thermal variation on the aquatic and aerial metabolism. We selected as study model the decopoda crab Cyclograpsus cinereus Dana and utilised five populations of the species spread over 2000 km along the Chilean coast. To determine the compensation capacity in respiration with respect to latitude, we evaluated metabolic rate at the same temperature in a common garden design in the laboratory, to examine the extent to which variation in crab physiology is environmentally determined. Whereas in our study, m_b (body mass) varied significantly with latitude, the difference in mass‐independent metabolism both in air and water persisted, indicating that observed differences in MR (Metabolic Rate) were not an effect of differences in body size. We demonstrated that C. cinereus is able to breath oxygen from air and water as expected for an amphibious crab. Almost all the studied populations of C. cinereus show a aerial/aquatic metabolism ratio near 1. The pattern found indicates an increase in metabolic rate, both aerial and aquatic, in low latitudes and therefore does not support the latitudinal compensation hypothesis for temperate habitats. Finally, these kinds of studies are required to make the necessary link between ecological physiology and macroecology and to help develop a global understanding of organismal function in marine systems.     

Barremian–Danian chemostratigraphic sequences of the Cauvery Basin,India: Implications on scales of stratigraphic correlation

Chemostratigraphic concepts postulate that distinct chemozones could be recognized from rock records to help correlate geographically separated strata. Many studies have upheld this view, but were limited to classic boundaries such as Cenomanian–Turonian or Cretaceous–Tertiary. Only a few elements and isotopic compositions were made use in such studies. An attempt to recognize chemozones of Barremian–Danian strata of the Cauvery Basin, South India through whole-rock chemistry had revealed many complex signals and depositional events as expressed by bulk geochemical profiles. The signals indicate major shift in sedimentation pattern from dynamic depocenter to stable depositional conditions during Santonian. Varying sensitivities of different elements towards prevalent depositional conditions are also inferred. Trends of geochemical composition indicated domination of single depositional control all through the depositional history, basinal configuration that limited terrestrial sediment source and episodic influx of detrital materials. Presence of distinct change in whole-rock geochemistry across geochronological and lithostratigraphic boundaries is deciphered through a statistical tool ANOVA. These results demonstrate that visual delineation of chemozones in a long ranging rock record would be tenuous and has to be exercised with caution.     

Trace elements in Holocene sediments of the southern Doñana National Park (SW Spain): historical pollution and applications

The multidisciplinary analysis of core sediments from Doñana National Park, south Spain, permits to delimitate both the paleoenvironmental changes and the geochemical evolution of this area during the Holocene. In a first phase (10–6.5 kyr cal), this area was occupied by freshwater/brackish marshes with periodical alternation of dry periods and humid intervals. In a second phase, these marshes were inundated during the Flandrian transgression (~6.5 kyr cal), with the deposition of bioclastic sands. The third phase (6.5–3.6 kyr cal) is characterized by the transition to an old lagoon, with unpolluted, bottom sediments. The geochemical concentrations of these clayey sediments can be used as a geochemical background for present-day and future environmental evaluations of this area. In the following 600 years approximately, two tsunamis caused the partial infilling of this area with bioclastic, marine sediments. In the interval comprised between these two tsunamis, this lagoon was polluted with heavy metals derived from historical mining activities. This environmental contamination represents one of the oldest evidences of mining pollution in the world (>3 kyr cal BP).