Do accretion discs regulate the rotation of young stars?

We present a photometric study of I -band variability in the young cluster IC 348. The main purpose of the study was to identify periodic stars. In all, we find 50 periodic stars, of which 32 were previously unknown. For the first time in IC 348, we discover periods in significant numbers of lower-mass stars  ( M < 0.25 M_⊙)  and classical T Tauri stars. This increased sensitivity to periodicities is a result of the enhanced depth and temporal density of our observations, compared with previous studies. The period distribution is at first glance similar to that seen in the Orion nebula cluster (ONC), with the higher-mass stars  ( M > 0.25 M_⊙)  showing a bi-modal period distribution concentrated around periods of 2 and 8 d, and the lower-mass stars showing a uni-modal distribution, heavily biased towards fast rotators. Closer inspection of the period distribution shows that the higher-mass stars show a significant dearth of fast rotators, compared to the ONC, whilst the low-mass stars are rotating significantly faster than those in Orion. We find no correlation between rotation period and K – L colour or Hα equivalent width.
We also present a discussion of our own IC 348 data in the context of previously published period distributions for the ONC, the Orion flanking fields and NGC 2264. We find that the previously claimed correlation between infrared excess and rotation period in the ONC might, in fact, result from a correlation between infrared excess and mass. We also find a marked difference in period distributions between NGC 2264 and IC 348, which presents a serious challenge to the disc-locking paradigm, given the similarity in ages and disc fractions between the two clusters.     

Assessment and Management Flash Flood in Najran Wady Using GIS and Remote Sensing

Flash flood assessment and management are necessary for municipal, urban growth planning and emergency action plans. By using the Hydrologic Engineering Centers River Analysis System software, we can model flash flood events and calculate water surface profiles over the length of the modeled stream. After collecting elevation points by using GPS method, the digital elevation model can be calculated for the study area. Najran city has main flood stream passes beside King Abdullah Road based on facts and previous works. A small study area including the mainstream of Wady Najran and King Abdullah Road has chosen as test site. The used methodology has also been proved efficiently for identifying flood inundation maps. Water extent area overlapped by 52–86% for both used methods. At discharge Q = 15 m³/s, the road needs to be protected from the flood.     

Dimensionality Reduction and Classification of Hyperspectral Images Using Object-Based Image Analysis

Object-based image analysis (OBIA) has attained great importance for the delineation of landscape features, particularly with the accessibility to satellite images with high spatial resolution acquired by recent sensors. Statistical parametric classifiers have become ineffective mainly due to their assumption of normal distribution, vast increase in the dimensions of the data and availability of limited ground sample data. Despite pixel-based approaches, OBIA takes semantic information of extracted image objects into consideration, and thus provides more comprehensive image analysis. In this study, Indian Pines hyperspectral data set, which was recorded by the AVIRIS hyperspectral sensor, was used to analyse the effects of high dimensional data with limited ground reference data. To avoid the dimensionality curse, principal component analysis (PCA) and feature selection based on Jeffries–Matusita (JM) distance were utilized. First 19 principal components representing 98.5% of the image were selected using the PCA technique whilst 30 spectral bands of the image were determined using JM distance. Nearest neighbour (NN) and random forest (RF) classifiers were employed to test the performances of pixel- and object-based classification using conventional accuracy metrics. It was found that object-based approach outperformed the traditional pixel-based approach for all cases (up to 18% improvement). Also, the RF classifier produced significantly more accurate results (up to 10%) than the NN classifier.     

A comparative analysis of pre- and post-industrial spatiotemporal drought trends and patterns of Tibet Plateau using Sen slope estimator and steady-state probabilities of Markov Chain

Natural Hazards - The increase of frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change gives evidence of severe challenges faced by infrastructure systems. Among them, the...     

Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Geochemical Characteristics of the Volcanic Host Rocks from the Tongyu VHMS Copper Deposit in the Western North Qinling Orogen and Their Geological Significance

Precise in situ zircon U-Pb dating and Lu–Hf isotopic measurement using an LA-ICP-MS system, whole-rock major and trace element geochemistry and Sr–Nd isotope geochemistry were conducted on the volcanic host rocks of the Tongyu copper deposit on the basis of further understanding of its geological characteristics. Three zircon samples from the volcanic host rocks yielded 206Pb/238 U weighted average ages ranging from 436±4 Ma to 440±5 Ma, which are statistically indistinguishable and coeval with the ca. 440 Ma northward subduction event of the Paleo-Qinling oceanic slab. The volcanic host rocks were products of magmatic differentiation that evolved from basalt to andesite to dacite to rhyolite, forming an integrated tholeiitic island arc volcanic rock suite. The primitive mantle-normalized trace element patterns for most samples show characteristics of island arc volcanic rocks, such as relative enrichment of LILE(e.g. Th, U, Pb and La) and depletion of HFSE(e.g. Nb, Ta, Ti, Zr and Hf). Discrimination diagrams of Ta/Yb vs Th/Yb, Ta vs Th, Yb vs Th/Ta, Ta/Hf vs Th/Hf, Hf/3 vs Th vs Nb/16, La vs La/Nb and Nb vs Nb/Th all suggest that both the volcanic host rocks from the Tongyu copper deposit and the volcanic rocks from the regional Xieyuguan Group were formed in an island arc environment related to subduction of an oceanic slab. Values of ISr(0.703457 to 0.708218) and εNd(t)(-2 to 5.8) indicate that the source materials of volcanic rocks from the Tongyu copper deposit and the Xieyuguan Group originated from the metasomatised mantle wedge with possible crustal material assimilation. Most of the volcanic rock samples show good agreement with the values of typical island arc volcanic rocks in the ISr-εNd(t) diagram. The involvement of crustal-derived material in the magma of the volcanic rocks from the Tongyu copper deposit was also reflected in the zircon εHf(t) values, which range from-3.08 to 10.7, and the existence of inherited ancient xenocrystic zircon cores(2616±39 Ma and 1297±22 Ma). The mineralization of the Tongyu copper deposit shows syn-volcanic characteristics such as layered orebodies interbedded with the volcanic rock strata, thus, the zircon U-Pb age of the volcanic host rocks can approximately represent the mineralization age of the Tongyu copper deposit. Both the Meigou pluton and the volcanic host rocks were formed during the ca. 440 Ma northward subduction of the Paleo-Qinling Ocean when high oxygen fugacity aqueous hydrothermal fluid released by dehydration of the slab and the overlying sediments fluxed into the mantle wedge, triggered partial melting of the mantle wedge, and activated and extracted Cu and other ore-forming elements. The magma and ore-bearing fluid upwelled and erupted, and consequently formed the island arc volcanic rock suite and the Tongyu VHMS-type copper deposit.     

Remote sensing and geophysical survey applications for delineating near-surface palaeochannels and shallow aquifer in the United Arab Emirates

This study integrates remote sensing data and geoelectrical dipole–dipole resistivity to delineate near-surface palaeochannels and shallow aquifer in the northern part of Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates. The shuttle imaging radar images and shuttle radar topographic mission DEM were used to delineate near-surface palaeochannels visually based on the contrast between bright and dark tone and automatically using the eight-direction flow model. The delineated palaeochannels were validated by comparing the textural features evident from advanced land observing satellite-phased array type L-band synthetic aperture radar images and determining whether these patterns were different. Field observation and geoelectrical dipole–dipole resistivity method was used to define the depth of palaeochannels and lithology of the shallow aquifer. The remote sensing and geophysical investigations in the UAE, including the study area, indicate the presence of buried palaeochannels with south-west and north-west flow directions from Oman Mountain. The study area can be of economic importance to the local population.     

近30a台湾非台风暴雨研究回顾

从1987年开始,台湾暴雨研究进入一个新纪元,由早期定性描述分析进入定量计算与模拟,其中包括新观测设施的建设与数值天气预报系统的建立。近年来,随着全球气候变暖,台湾极端降雨事件有所增加,其中不少极端降雨事件是由非台风暴雨所致,往往给当地社会经济和人民生命财产造成严重影响,这就迫切需要不断提高强降雨定量预报业务水平。本文通过对近30 a台湾在非台风暴雨研究发展方面取得的主要进展的回顾,重点介绍了台湾气象部门为了提高强降雨定量预报业务水平所做出的努力,同时对未来台湾非台风暴雨研究规划与方向作了简要介绍。     

Real-time multi-model decadal climate predictions

We present the first climate prediction of the coming decade made with multiple models, initialized with prior observations. This prediction accrues from an international activity to exchange decadal predictions in near real-time, in order to assess differences and similarities, provide a consensus view to prevent over-confidence in forecasts from any single model, and establish current collective capability. We stress that the forecast is experimental, since the skill of the multi-model system is as yet unknown. Nevertheless, the forecast systems used here are based on models that have undergone rigorous evaluation and individually have been evaluated for forecast skill. Moreover, it is important to publish forecasts to enable open evaluation, and to provide a focus on climate change in the coming decade. Initialized forecasts of the year 2011 agree well with observations, with a pattern correlation of 0.62 compared to 0.31 for uninitialized projections. In particular, the forecast correctly predicted La Niña in the Pacific, and warm conditions in the north Atlantic and USA. A similar pattern is predicted for 2012 but with a weaker La Niña. Indices of Atlantic multi-decadal variability and Pacific decadal variability show no signal beyond climatology after 2015, while temperature in the Niño3 region is predicted to warm slightly by about 0.5 °C over the coming decade. However, uncertainties are large for individual years and initialization has little impact beyond the first 4 years in most regions. Relative to uninitialized forecasts, initialized forecasts are significantly warmer in the north Atlantic sub-polar gyre and cooler in the north Pacific throughout the decade. They are also significantly cooler in the global average and over most land and ocean regions out to several years ahead. However, in the absence of volcanic eruptions, global temperature is predicted to continue to rise, with each year from 2013 onwards having a 50 % chance of exceeding the current observed record. Verification of these forecasts will provide an important opportunity to test the performance of models and our understanding and knowledge of the drivers of climate change.     

组合压气机中尾迹与势流同频/异频干涉的叠加特性

为揭示多级压气机中上下游叶轮对中间叶片叠加气动影响特性,阐述不同叠加干涉情况下下游叶轮进气角度变化,采用数值方法模拟了一级轴流和一级离心组成的组合压气机非定常流场。详细讨论了上游动叶尾迹和下游动叶势流对中间导流叶栅段气流非定常流动的异频和同频叠加干涉特性,依据计算结果,直观地展示了静叶通道中两种干涉间相互激励和抑制作用的位置和时间,与数学公式的推导结果相互印证。研究结果表明:当上下游动叶对中间静叶段异频干涉时,干涉的激励、抑制区域的轴向位置随时间发生变化;当上下游动叶对中间静叶干涉频率相同时,干涉的相互激励、抑制区域的轴向位置不随时间发生变化,但干涉的激励、抑制区域的轴向位置受时序位置影响。另外,上游动叶尾迹与下游离心叶轮势流的不同叠加情况,决定着下游离心叶轮进口相对气流角的大小及波动幅值。 