Investigating soil thermodynamic parameters of the active layer on the northern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The soil thermodynamic parameters, including thermal conductivity, diffusivity and volumetric capacity within the active layer on the northern Tibetan Plateau, were calculated using the measured data of soil temperature gradient, heat flux, and moisture at four stations from October 2003 to September 2004. The results showed that the soil thermodynamic parameters exhibited clear seasonal fluctuation. The thermal conductivity and diffusivity in summer and autumn at Beiluhe, Kexinling, and Tongtianhe were larger than those in winter. The volumetric thermal capacity causes an opposite change; it was larger in autumn and winter than in summer. In spring, the soil thermal conductivity at the Kekexili station was larger than that in summer. Generally, fine-grained soils and lower saturation degrees in the topsoil might be a reason for the lower soil thermal conductivity in winter. For a given soil, soil moisture was the main factor influencing the thermodynamic parameters. The unfrozen water content that existed in frozen soils greatly affected the soil thermal conductivity, whose contribution rate was estimated to be 55 %. The thermodynamic parameters of frozen soils could be expressed as a function of soil temperature, volumetric ice content and soil salinity, while for the unfrozen ground the soil moisture content is the dominant factor for those thermal parameters. As for the soil thermal diffusivity, there exists a critical value of soil moisture content. When the soil moisture content becomes less than a critical value, the soil thermal diffusivity increases as the soil moisture content rises.     

Dynamic Brazilian Tests of Granite Under Coupled Static and Dynamic Loads

Rocks in underground projects at great depth, which are under high static stresses, may be subjected to dynamic disturbance at the same time. In our previous work (Li et al. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 45(5):739–748, 2008), the dynamic compressive behaviour of pre-stressed rocks was investigated using coupled-load equipment. The current work is devoted to the investigation of the dynamic tensile behaviour of granite rocks under coupled loads using the Brazilian disc (BD) method with the aid of a high-speed camera. Through wave analyses, stress measurements and crack photography, the fundamental problems of BD tests, such as stress equilibrium and crack initiation, were investigated by the consideration of different loading stresses with abruptly or slowly rising stress waves. The specially shaped striker method was used for the coupled-load test; this generates a slowly rising stress wave, which allows gradual stress accumulation in the specimen, whilst maintaining the load at both ends of the specimen in an equilibrium state. The test results showed that the tensile strength of the granite under coupled loads decreases with increases in the static pre-stresses, which might lead to modifications of the blasting design or support design in deep underground projects. Furthermore, the failure patterns of specimens under coupled loads have been investigated.     

雅鲁藏布江流域降水时空变化特征

雅鲁藏布江流域是全球气候变化的敏感区,该流域降水变化对青藏高原的水系统、生态系统和山地灾害系统的演变具有重要影响。本文通过流域水文分析,将雅鲁藏布江流域的三大水资源区细分为9个分区。基于雅鲁藏布江流域1979—2018年降水数据,综合分析了雅鲁藏布江流域及9个分区的年、干湿季、月降水量以及日、小时尺度极端降水的时空变化特征,探讨了降水和典型大尺度大气环流因子的相关性。结果表明：① 1979—2018年间,在流域尺度上,各时间尺度降水整体上均呈上升趋势。其中,年降水量上升趋势最大,为2.5 mm·a^-1;年、干湿季降水量以及典型小时尺度极端降水（Rx3hour、Rx12hour）均在95%信度水平下显著上升。在水资源分区尺度上,各分区不同时间尺度降水的变化趋势呈现更明显的非一致性,所有分区除小时尺度极端降水均呈上升趋势外,其余时间尺度降水的趋势变化方向各异。② 雅鲁藏布江流域降水存在明显的空间分异性,且降水空间分异性会随着降水指标时间尺度的缩短而增强。各时间尺度降水整体上均呈现出自东部向西部逐渐减少的趋势,流域东南部（分区Ⅲ-2）始终是高值中心,流域中西部（分区Ⅰ-2、Ⅱ-1）存在区域性高值中心。③ 北半球副热带高压和北半球极涡对雅鲁藏布江流域降水变化具有显著影响。研究结果有助于掌握当地降水的多尺度变化特征,可为雅鲁藏布江流域和青藏高原地区的水循环研究、水资源开发利用和山洪灾害防治等提供科学基础。     

聚焦“协调”,增进对人地协调观的理解

人地协调观因突出强调“协调”而不等同于人地观(念)。溯源人地关系原理,“协调”主要体现在人与地之间物质、能量的流通量和流通程度都需要控制在合理的“极限值”以内,依靠科学的行动与调适,确保人地交互状况运行在合理区间当中。本文聚焦“协调”,将以往用“地对人的影响”“人对地的影响”和“人地和谐发展”来解构人地协调观素养表现的方法,进一步调适、概括为:“辩证看待地理环境对人类的影响”“懂得人类活动需尊重自然规律”“综合评判人地关系问题和举措”,通过协调认识、协调应对和协调评价三个方面充分突出“协调”意蕴。     

基于地理学科核心素养的高中地理教材活动栏目比较--以人教版和中图版必修《地理二》为例

本文选取新版人教版与中图版高中必修《地理二》的活动栏目作为研究对象,在划分活动考察的核心素养内容和水平的基础上,对比活动栏目的编排方式和问题设置方式。中图版教材活动栏目中核心素养的渗透面向课堂教学各个环节,且活动考察核心素养的难度水平呈现阶梯上升的趋势,略高于课标要求;问题设置形式丰富,既有独立设问的活动,随知识点设计以夯实基础,也有问题链形式的活动以激发学生学习潜能,提升能力。人教版教材活动栏目中核心素养考察多设计在节中,辅助课堂教学,帮助学生内化核心素养,考察水平满足课标要求,减轻学生学习负担;问题设置以问题链形式为主,在单个活动栏目中呈现从较低水平到较高水平递进的趋势。     

不均衡的跨国人口流动：对美墨移民历程与政策的思考

美国是全球最大的移民接收国,墨西哥是美国最大的移民来源国,特殊的地缘关系和巨大的发展差距使众多墨西哥人移民美国。墨裔移民为美国提供了充足的劳动力,在美墨边境地区,移民集聚带动了两国边境地区的发展。但族裔矛盾始终是美国主要社会问题之一,特别是“9·11”事件后,少数族裔和非法移民问题加剧美国社会分裂和对立,成为美国国内政治博弈的焦点。基于区域地缘关系的视角来看,美国与墨西哥之间长期不对等的国际关系决定了跨国移民的流入状态和生存境遇,也是美国族群矛盾的主要原因之一。移民问题政治化将持续强化墨裔移民政策的不确定性,使移民个人与家庭面临更大的融入困难。     

Mapping Wetland Areas Using Landsat-Derived NDVI and LSWI: A Case Study of West Songnen Plain,Northeast China

Increasing interest in wetlands for environmental management requires an understanding of the location, spatial extent, and configuration of the resource. The National Wetlands Inventory is the most commonly used data source for this information. However, its accuracy is limited in some contexts, such as agricultural and forested wetlands. An large number of studies have mapped wetlands worldwide from the perspective of land use and land cover change. However, information on the actual wetland planting areas annually is limited, which greatly impacts ongoing research. In this case study of the West Songnen Plain, we developed a simple algorithm for the quick mapping of wetlands by utilizing their unique physical features, such as annual display of phenological land-cover change of exposed soils, shallow flooding water, and plants from multi-temporal Landsat images. Temporal variations of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Water Index (LSWI) derived from Landsat images in 2010 for wetlands at different growth stages were analyzed. Results show that during the ante-tillering phase, the NDVI value (above zero) is lower than the LSWI value of paddies because of flooding of shallow water; during the reproductive and ripening phases, the NDVI value is higher than the LSWI value (above zero); and during the post-harvest wetland planting phase, the NDVI value is still higher than the LSWI value, but the LSWI value is negative. Wetland areas can be detected using one or two images in the optimum time window. The algorithm based on the difference of NDVI and LSWI values derived from Landsat images was used to extract the actual wetland planting area. Validated alongside statistical data, the algorithm showed high accuracy. Therefore, this algorithm highlights the unique features of wetlands and can help in mapping the actual wetland area annually on a regional scale. Results further indicate that the new method has a classification accuracy of 92 %. In comparison, two traditional methods based on Landsat-7/ETM registered accuracy rates of only 83 % and 87 % respectively.     

Low-velocity structure beneath Africa from forward modeling

Seismic waveforms observed in South Africa containing the first arrival crossover of S to SKS (70° to 110°) are analyzed. The data consist of analog records from the World Wide Seismographic Station Network (WWSSN) of deep events beneath South America. The S-waves arrive 2 to 3 s early relative to PREM at ranges from 70° to 95° and then become increasingly delayed, becoming 5 to 6 s late at 110°. The SKS phase is late by 3 to 5 s over the entire range. This pushes crossover between S and SKS, normally observed at about 81°, out about 2° to 3°, which is the most anomalous shift ever reported. To model such features, we modified Grand's tomography model [Grand et al., GSA Today 7 (1997) 1–7], and generated 2D synthetics to match the data. The overall shape and position of the lower mantle low-velocity anomaly proposed by Grand predicts good results if lower mantle anomalies are enhanced to a level of about 4%. This results in a complex tabular structure extending upward from the core–mantle boundary about 1500 km into the mantle. These features appear to be consistent with a large young plume which is erupting off the CMB.     

Rocking vibrations of a rigid embedded foundation in a poroelastic half‐space

This paper presents an analysis of the rocking vibrations of a rigid cylindrical foundation embedded in poroelastic soil. The foundation is subjected to time‐harmonic rocking excitation and is perfectly bonded to the surrounding soil. The soil underlying the foundation base is represented by a homogeneous poroelastic half‐space, whereas the soil along the side of the foundation is modeled as an independent poroelastic stratum composed of a series of infinitesimally thin layers. The behavior of the soil is governed by Biot's poroelastodynamic theory. The contact surface between the foundation base and the poroelastic soil is assumed to be smooth and either fully permeable or impermeable. The dynamic interaction problem is solved by employing a simplified analytical method. Some numerical results for the nondimensional rocking dynamic impedance and nondimensional angular displacement amplitude of the foundation are presented to show the effect of nondimensional frequency of excitation, poroelastic material parameters, hydraulic boundary condition, depth ratio and mass ratio of the foundation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.