ENSO indices from sea surface salinity observed by Aquarius and Argo

Analysis of the first 26 months of data from the Aquarius satellite confirms the existence of a sharp sea surface salinity (SSS) front along the equator in the western equatorial Pacific. Following several earlier studies, we use the longitudinal location of the 34.8-psu isohaline as an index, termed Niño-S34.8, to measure the zonal displacement of the SSS front and consequently the eastern edge of the western Pacific warm pool. The on-going collection of the Array for Real-time Geostrophic Oceanography (ARGO) program data shows high correlations between Niño-S34.8 and the existing indices of El Niño, suggesting its potential important role in ENSO evolution. Further analysis of the ARGO data reveals that SSS variability in the southeastern tropical Pacific is crucial to identify the type of El Niño. A new SSS index, termed the southeastern Pacific SSS index (SEPSI), is defined based on the SSS variability in the region (0°–10°S, 150°–90°W). The SEPSI is highly correlated with the El Niño Modoki index, as well as the Trans-Niño index, introduced by previous studies. It has large positive anomalies during central Pacific El Niño or El Niño Modoki events, as a result of enhanced zonal sea surface temperature gradients between the central and eastern tropical Pacific, and can be used to characterize the type of El Niño. The processes that possibly control these SSS indices are also discussed.     

Geological characteristics and tectonic signifcance of unconformities in Mesoproterozoic successions in the northern margin of the North China Block

Several stratigraphic breaks and unconformities exist in the Mesoproterozoic successions in the northern margin of the North China Block.Geologic characters and spatial distributions of fve of these unconformities,which have resulted from different geological processes,have been studied.The unconformity beneath the Dahongyu Formation is interpreted as a breakup unconformity,representing the time of transition from continental rift to passive continental margin.The unconformities beneath the Gaoyuzhuang and the Yangzhuang formations are considered to be the consequence of regional eustatic fuctuations,leading to the exposure of highlands in passive margins during low sea-level stands and transgressive deposition on coastal regions during high sea-level stands.The unconformity atop the Tieling Formation might be caused by uplift due to contractional deformation in a back-arc setting,whereas the uplift after the deposition of the Xiamaling Formation might be attributed to a continental collision event.It is assumed that the occurrences of these unconformities in the Mesoproterozoic successions in the northern margin of the North China Block had a close bearing on the assemblage and breakup of the Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents.     

Analysis of the microclimate and CO2 flux characteristics in arid desert wetland ecosystem in summer: A case study in Xihu desert wetland,Dunhuang, China

Xihu desert wetland is an important and unusual environment in China or even in the world. However, until now, little research has been focused on the microclimate and CO₂ flux characteristics in this area. This paper reports the characteristics of daily variations of microclimate and CO₂ flux in the Dunhuang Xihu desert wetland, based on data observed in the desert wetland during a period of continuous fine weather in summer 2012. Results indicate that the characteristics of the micrometeorology were significantly affected by the land–lake breeze during the study period, and updrafts were prevalent in this region. The friction wind speed and the vertical velocity were much greater than those in the Maqu grasslands. The energy budget was strongly imbalanced: the latent heat flux was significantly higher than the sensible flux. The daily mean values of total solar radiation and net radiation were larger than those in Maqu grasslands and Jinta oasis. There was a temperature inversion and inverse humidity gradient in the atmospheric surface layer at night. The desert wetland ecosystem was a carbon sink during the whole of the observation period, and the maximum rate of carbon absorption usually occurred at about 11:00 hr each day in this region.     

干涸尾闾湖盆区泥漠地表磨蚀释尘特征

沙粒的表面磨蚀效应是地表产尘、释尘的重要机制,针对干湖盆泥漠地表开展磨蚀释尘实验研究,对理解干湖盆地表风蚀过程及盐碱尘暴形成机理具有重要意义。对采自西居延海干涸湖盆泥漠地表土样进行室内磨蚀模拟实验,研究了不同粒级（细、中、粗）沙粒不同落沙角度（30°,45°,60°）的磨蚀效应。结果表明：（1）泥漠地表磨蚀实验中能够产生明显释尘效应的沙粒粒级阈值为中沙（0.25 mm<M_d<0.50 mm）;（2）磨蚀粒径粒级相同时,磨蚀角度会对泥漠地表磨蚀释尘速率产生影响,磨蚀量的角度排序为60°>30°>45°,但同一粒级3种角度下的磨蚀释尘率差异不显著。（3）磨蚀角度为45°时,计算了泥漠地表的质量磨蚀率与能量磨蚀率,其中中沙为0.04 g·kg^-1、0.43 g·J^-1,粗沙为0.08 g·kg^-1、0.74 g·J^-1,极粗沙为0.26 g·kg^-1、2.54 g·J^-1;在磨蚀沙粒粒级倍增而磨蚀角度不变情况下,泥漠地表磨蚀释尘率与能量磨蚀率未发生正比例线性增长变化。     

大数据视角下的地矿工作发展与变革研究

本文提出了地矿大数据应用需要考虑地球系统和社会系统两个方面的内部规律,分析了地矿大数据的三类组成,给出了地矿大数据的四层应用架构;重点就大数据下地矿工作发展和变革提出了四项建议,包括重视数据,转变地矿工作决策模式;收集数据,夯实地矿工作决策基础;分析数据,提高地矿工作科学决策水平;开放数据,提高地矿工作服务能力和水平。     

Effects of mixing on the subduction of South Pacific waters identified by a simulated passive tracer and its adjoint

Effects of mixing on water mass subduction are analyzed in the South Pacific Ocean. Model simulations using a passive tracer and its adjoint are employed in conjunction with a particle tracking method to distinguish effects of mixing from those of advection. The results show that mixing processes can contribute to as much as 20% of the overall subduction rate in the South Pacific. Of this mixing contribution, about 30% can be attributed to meso-scale eddies, including their associated bolus transport, while the major part (70%) is due to other diabatic processes. The impact of mixing reaches its maximum near the Sub-Antarctic Front, accounting for nearly 30% of the total subduction rate. Consequently, estimates based on tracing particles or on advection alone may significantly underestimate the subduction rate in the South Pacific Ocean.     

Research on acceleration signal of granular column collapse under dry and wet conditions

Landslides - The blockage of rivers and reservoirs caused by disasters such as landslides and collapses has always been a troublesome problem. How to quickly capture this disaster information and...     

Experimental and numerical investigation of groundwater head losses on and nearby short intersections between disc-shaped fractures

Discrete fracture models are used for investigating precise processes of groundwater flow in fractured rocks,while a disc-shaped parallel-plates model for a single fracture is more reasonable and efficient for computational treatments.The flow velocity has a large spatial differentiation which is more likely to produce non-linear flow and additional head losses on and nearby intersections in such shaped fractures,therefore it is necessary to understand and quantify them.In this study,both laboratory experiments and numerical simulations were performed to investigate the total head loss on and nearby the intersections as well as the local head loss exactly on the intersections,which were not usually paid sufficient attention or even ignored.The investigation results show that these two losses account for 29.17%-84.97%and 0-73.57%of the entire total head loss in a fracture,respectively.As a result,they should be necessarily considered for groundwater modeling in fractured rocks.Furthermore,both head losses become larger when aperture and flow rate increase and intersection length decreases.Particularly,the ratios of these two head losses to the entire total head loss in a fracture could be well statistically explained by power regression equations with variables of aperture,intersection length,and flow rates,both of which achieved high coefficients of determination.It could be feasible through this type of study to provide a way on how to adjust the groundwater head from those obtained by numerical simulations based on the traditional linear flow model.Finally,it is practicable and effective to implement the investigation approach combining laboratory experiments with numerical simulations for quantifying the head losses on and nearby the intersections between disc-shaped fractures.     

Shaking table test of subgrade slope reinforced by gravity retaining wall with geogrids

Gravity retaining wall with geogrids has showed excellent seismic performance from Wenchuan great earthquake. However, seismic damage mechanism of this kind of wall is not sufficiently clear. In view of this, a large shaking table test of the gravity retaining wall with geogrids to reinforce the subgrade slope was carried out, and based on the Hilbert-Huang transform and the marginal spectrum theory, the energy identification method of the slope dynamic failure mode was studied. The results show that the geogrids can effectively reduce displacement and rotation of the retaining wall, and it can effectively absorb the energy of the ground movement when combined with the surrounding soil. In addition, it also reveals the failure development of the gravity retaining wall with geogrids to reinforce the subgrade slope. The damage started in the deep zone near the geogrids, and then gradually extended to the surface of the subgrade slope and other zones, finally formed a continuous failure surface along the geogrids. The analysis results of the failure mode identified by the Hilbert marginal spectrum are in good consistency with the experimental results, which prove that the Hilbert marginal spectrum can be applied to obtain the seismic damage mechanism of slope.

     

Design of optimal sand fences around a desert solar park—a case study from Phase IV of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park

Natural Hazards - Solar energy parks in desert areas must resist the encroachment of moving sand and burial by migrating dunes. It is therefore important to design economical, effective sand fences...