日本超低频地磁场测量及关于1998年Iwateken Nairiku Hokubu地震的近期研究成果

过去对Spitak,Loma Prieta和Guam地震的研究表明,大地震发生之前都会有相应的磁场异常。为了确认这一事实并详细研究超低频（ULF）现象,日本建立了一个超低频磁力仪的监测网络,开展了包括小型台阵在内的网络观测工作。文中同时介绍了在Matsukawa台站观测到的与Iwateken Nairiku Hokubu地震（震级M6．1级,发生在1998年9月3日,震源深度为10km）相关的地磁资料。分析了4．5年的资料,并对获得的结果进行了讨论。在地震前两个星期,水平和垂直分量之间的谱密度比的（极化）变化表现出异常情况。这是在相当长的数据分析中发现的一次独特的变化,它暗示了这种异常变化可能是大地震孕育期间的一个信号。     

龙门山彭县－灌县断裂的活动构造于地表破裂

2008年5月12日在龙门山发生了8.0级特大地震,彭县－灌县断裂亦发生了同震地表破裂。在前期对龙门山活动构造研究的基础上,汶川特大地震发生后,在灾区进行了多次的野外调查和国际合作考察,重点对汶川地震的地表破裂和地质灾害开展了详细的详细野外地质填图,利用全站仪和GPS对地表破裂进行了精确的测量,研究了的地表破裂地貌错位、构造组合和运动学,已实地测得地表破裂数据70余组(其中彭县－灌县断裂地表破裂数据20余组)。文章以彭县－灌县断裂地表破裂为切入点,在彭县－灌县断裂的关键部位开展了详细的野外地貌测量,主要测量了彭州磁峰、白鹿、绵竹金花和汉旺等地的地表破裂,标定了彭县－灌县断裂破裂带的垂向断距和水平断距,结果表明该地表破裂南西起于彭州磁峰,向北东延伸经白鹿、绵竹金花至绵竹汉旺,全长约 40～50km。地表破裂带沿彭县－灌县断裂带的走向断续分布,单个破裂长度在几米到500余米不等,破裂带切割了多种类型的地貌单元,包括山脉基岩、河流阶地、冲洪积扇、公路、桥梁等,同时也使道路发生拱曲、破坏和桥梁垮塌或移位。其以脆性破裂为特征,以逆冲－右旋走滑为特点,断面倾角较陡,北西盘为上升盘,南东盘为下降盘,垂直位错介于 0.39～2.70m之间,水平位错介于 0.20～0.70m,平均垂直位错为1.6m,平均水平位错为0.6m; 地表最大错动量的地点位于彭州白鹿镇,其中最大垂直断错为 2.7±0.2m,最大水平断错为 0.7±0.2m。垂直位错与水平位错量之间的比值为2 ∶1,表明该地震地表破裂带不仅存在逆冲运动分量和右旋走滑运动分量,而且逆冲运动分量大于右旋走滑运动分量,显示了彭县－灌县断裂破裂带具有以逆冲和缩短作用为主、右旋走滑作用为辅的破裂性质。其与映秀－北川断裂带的地表破裂相比较,该断裂的地表破裂程度远小于映秀－北川断裂带的地表破裂程度,主要表现在地表破裂的长度较短,垂直位错和水平位错也相对较小,而且为以逆冲作用为主。初步研究结果表明,彭县－灌县断裂与映秀－北川断裂地表破裂的平面组合样式显示为两条在平面上近于平行的北东向地表破裂带,其间由一条南北向的次级地表破裂带(小鱼洞断裂)将它们相连结,地下破裂面的剖面组合样式显示为叠瓦状,并在汶川地震震源附近或震源的上方相连的,是同“根”的。     

Coral reef recovery status in south Andaman Islands after the bleaching event 2010

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the Union Territories of India, located in the eastern part of the Bay of Bengal. In 2010 summer, the increment in sea surface water temperature (up to 34℃) resulted in the bleaching of about 74% to 77% of corals in the South Andaman. During this event, coral species such as Acropora cerealis, A. humilis, Montipora sp., Favia pallida, Diploastrea sp., Goniopora sp. Fungia concinna, Gardineroseries sp., Porites sp., Favites abdita and Lobophyllia robusta were severely affected. This study is to assess the recovery status of the reef ecosystem by estimating the percentage of Live Coral cover, Bleached coral cover, Dead coral with algae, Rubble, Sandy flat, Algal assemblage and other associated organisms. The sedimentation rate (mg cm-2 d-1) and coral coverage (%) were assessed during this study period. The average sedimentation rate was ranged between 0.27 and 0.89 mg cm-2 d-1 . The observed post bleaching recovery of coral cover was 21.1% at Port Blair Bay and 13.29% at Havelock Island. The mortality rate of coral cover due to this bleaching was estimated as 2.05% at Port Blair Bay and 9.82% at Havelock Island. Once the sea water temperature resumed back to the normal condition, most of the corals were found recovered.     

A Paddock to reef monitoring and modelling framework for the Great Barrier Reef: Paddock and catchment component

Targets for improvements in water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) have been set through the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan). To measure and report on progress towards the targets set a program has been established that combines monitoring and modelling at paddock through to catchment and reef scales; the Paddock to Reef Integrated Monitoring, Modelling and Reporting Program (Paddock to Reef Program). This program aims to provide evidence of links between land management activities, water quality and reef health. Five lines of evidence are used: the effectiveness of management practices to improve water quality; the prevalence of management practice adoption and change in catchment indicators; long-term monitoring of catchment water quality; paddock & catchment modelling to provide a relative assessment of progress towards meeting targets; and finally marine monitoring of GBR water quality and reef ecosystem health. This paper outlines the first four lines of evidence.     

Toxic metal (Pb, Cd and Hg) levels in the nearshore surface sediments from the European and Anotolian Shores of Bosphorus, Turkey

In this study, some toxic metal such as Pb, Cd and Hg analyzes have been done in the nearshore surface sediments. Sediment samples have been collected from five parts from the European and Anotolian Shores of the Bosphorus during 2003-2004. Total Pb, Cd and Hg contents vary between <0.01μgg(-1) and 238μgg(-1); <0.01μgg(-1) and 0.92μgg(-1); 0.001μgg(-1) and 0.45μgg(-1), respectively. Contamination Factor (CF) values of Pb and Cd range between 1 and 3 whilst CF values of Hg are lower than 1 in all the stations. It means that there are no Hg metal enrichment by natural or anthropogenic inputs contrary to moderately contamination for Pb and Cd metals throughout the Bosphorus sediments.     

Pathways of marine debris derived from trajectories of Lagrangian drifters

Global set of trajectories of satellite-tracked Lagrangian drifters is used to study the dynamics of marine debris. A probabilistic model is developed to eliminate the bias in spatial distribution of drifter data due to heterogeneous deployments. Model experiments, simulating long-term evolution of initially homogeneous drifter array, reveal five main sites of drifter aggregation, located in the subtropics and maintained by converging Ekman currents. The paper characterizes the geography and structure of the collection regions and discusses factors that determine their dynamics. A new scale R(c)=(4k/|D|)(?) is introduced to characterize tracer distribution under competing effects of horizontal divergence D and diffusion k. Existence and locations of all five accumulation zones have been recently confirmed by direct measurements of microplastic at the sea surface.     

Prevalence and diversity of norovirus genogroups I and II in Hong Kong marine waters and detection by real-time PCR

Marine waters from six sites around Hong Kong with varying levels of sewage pollution were examined for noroviruses (NoVs) by PCR cloning and sequencing of a highly-variable N-terminal region of the VP1 capsid gene, at the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoV. Phylogenetic analysis of genogroups GI- and GII-specific PCR clones obtained from different marine sites indicated that human NoV GI.1 and GII.4 strains are the most prevalent genotypes circulating in Hong Kong waters. GI- and GII-specific TaqMan-based real-time PCR assays targeting the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoVs were used to quantify NoV particles in marine water samples in parallel with total Escherichia coli counts which were enumerated on TBX medium. No correlation of any significance between NoV and E. coli counts was observed which highlighted the inadequacy in using E. coli as a fecal indicator to predict the level of NoVs in marine waters to protect public health.     

Crucial physical characteristics of sea ice in the Arctic section of 143°–180°W during August and early September 2008

Sea-ice physical characteristics were investigated in the Arctic section of 143°-180°W during August and early September 2008. Ship-based observations show that both the sea-ice thickness and concentration recorded during southward navigation from 30 August to 6 September were remarkably less than those recorded during northward navigation from 3 to 30 August, especially at low latitudes. Accordingly, the marginal ice zone moved from about 74.0°N to about 79.5°N from mid-August to early September. Melt-pond coverage increased with increasing latitude, peaking at 84.4°N, where about 27% of ice was covered by melt ponds. Above this latitude, melt-pond coverage decreased evidently as the ice at high latitudes experienced a relatively short melt season and commenced its growth stage by the end of August. Regional mean ice thickness increased from 0.8 (±0.5) m at 75.0°N to 1.5 (±0.4) m at 85.0°N along the northward navigation while it decreased rapidly to 0.6 (±0.3) m at 78.0°N along the southward navigation. Because of relatively low ice concentration and thin ice in the investigated Arctic sector, both the short-term ice stations and ice camp could only be set up over multiyear sea ice. Observations of ice properties based on ice cores collected at the short-term ice stations and the ice camp show that all investigated floes were essentially isothermal with high temperature and porosity, and low density and salinity. Most ices had salinity below 2 and mean density of 800-860 kg/m~3 . Significant ice loss in the investigated Arctic sector during the last 15 a can be identified by comparison with the previous observations.     

Landform instability and land-use dynamics in tropical high mountains, Central Mexico

This investigation is an analysis of the influence of landform instability on the distribution of land-use dynamics in a hydrographical basin, located in the Mexican Volcanic Belt mountain range (central Mexico), currently affected by substantial changes in land use and deforestation. A landform map was produced, in addition to seven attribute maps - altimetry, drainage density, slope, relief energy, potential erosion, geology and tectonics - which were considered as factors for determining landform instability through Multi-criteria Evaluation Analysis. Likewise, the direction and rhythm of land-use dynamics were analyzed in four dates - between 1976 and 2000 - and cross tabulations were made between them, in order to analyze the trends and processes of land-use dynamics. Afterwards, the databases obtained were cross tabulated with the landform variables to derive areas, percentages and correlation indices. In the study area, high-instability landforms are associated with most ancient volcanic and sedimentary landforms, where high altitude, drainage density, slope and potential to develop gravitational and fluvial processes are the major factors favouring a land-use pattern, dominated by the conservation of extensive forest land, abandonment of human land use and regeneration of disturbed areas. In contrast, low-instability landforms correspond to alluvial plains and lava hills covered by pyroclasts, where low potential erosion to develop fluvial processes, added to water and soil availability and accessibility, have favoured a land-use pattern dominated by the expansion of agroforestry plantations and human settlements, showing a marked trend towards either intensification or permanence of the current land use and with little abandonment and regeneration.     

阿拉斯加三月冻土和积雪的大气响应

从当年10月至翌年5月中旬,在北极和亚北极地区,冻土层和积雪层是最常见的陆地表面条件。积雪融冻和积雪深度通过对土壤的水分状况分布、过冬植物的生长及土壤水分向大气蒸发的影响从而控制着土壤的冻结过程。积雪可以使大气边界层（ABL）较为稳定,使痕量气体的纵向变化降低。被积雪覆盖的孤立土壤表面会产生大量的热交换、对流,特别是在太阳辐射显著时,会增强大气边界层的垂直交换混合。积雪覆盖区和无雪地区在能量收支方面的强烈空间反差,会产生湿气与热量的水平对流。因此,季节性积雪的存在时间和期限显著影响了大气候和小气候条件和空气质量。