青藏高原中南部岩石圈扩张应力场与羊八井地热异常形成机制

青藏高原中南部地区有着丰富的地热资源,其中羊八井地区存在着温度高达93℃以上,热流值高达364mW/m2的地热奇观.本文利用国际以及中国地震台网资料,详细分析了青藏高原中南部地震活动性和岩石圈脆性破裂深度范围,进而讨论了高地热异常区的岩石圈应力场背景及其动力学机制.研究结果表明,青藏高原地热异常区有高于高原内部平均活动水平的震级为6级左右的中强地震活动,其震中分布呈现出与地热活动相似的、沿近南北向断陷带的带状特征;并且在高热流区域内有高原内部罕见的中深地震活动,地震震源从100km左右深处到地表呈现柱状地震群活动的空间分布等特征.震源机制与应力场研究结果表明,虽然高原中南部应力场主压、主张应力方向与青藏高原的整体特征相符,但是地震发生类型与青藏高原周缘的挤压逆断层型地震完全不同,均属于东西向扩张力作用下的正断层型地震活动,特别是在羊八井高热流区域附近,东西向扩张应力场在岩石圈应力场中起到主导性作用,推测其控制深度可达岩石圈底部100多公里处.青藏高原地热异常区在强烈的近东西向扩张应力场作用下,岩石圈东西向扩张并发生一系列的大规模正断层活动,致使深部软流圈高温热流可以沿着活动正断层及其形成的深裂隙上涌,穿过岩石圈到达地表面,形成了高地热异常区.     

Trace Element Composition and Classification of the Chinga Iron Meteorite

A complete microelement analysis of the Chinga meteorite was performed, and the possibility of attributing it together with a number of other iron meteorites into the IVC subgroup, which is transition between IVA and IVB is proposed.     

Simulation of Formation and Spreading of Salinity Minimum Associated with NPIW Using a High-Resolution Model

A series of numerical experiments were conducted with a high-resolution (eddy-permitting) North Pacific model to simulate the formation and spreading of the salinity minimum associated with the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW). It was found that two factors are required to simulate a realistic configuration of the salinity minimum: a realistic wind stress field and small-scale disturbances. The NCEP reanalyzed wind stress data lead to better results than the Hellerman and Rosenstein wind stress data, due to the closer location of the simulated Oyashio and Kuroshio at the western boundary. Small-scale disturbances formed by relaxing computational diffusivity included in the advection scheme promote the large-scale isopycnal mixing between the Oyashio and Kuroshio waters, simulating a realistic configuration of the salinity minimum. A detailed analysis of the Oyashio water transport was carried out on the final three-year data of the experiment with reduced computational diffusivity. Simulated transport of the Kuroshio Extension in the intermediate layer is generally smaller than the observed value, while those of the Oyashio and the flow at the subarctic front are comparable to the observed levels. In the Oyashio-Kuroshio interfrontal zone the zonally integrated southward transport of the Oyashio water (140-155°E) is borne by the eddy activity, though the time-mean flow reveals the existence of a coastal Oyashio intrusion. In the eastern part (155°E-180°) the zonally integrated transport of the Oyashio water indicates a southward peak at the southern edge of the Kuroshio Extension, which corresponds to the branching of the recirculating flow from the Kuroshio Extension.     

Dilution of North Pacific Intermediate Water studied with chlorofluorocarbons

Assessment was made of residual ratio of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) produced in subpolar region of the North Pacific using chlorofluorocarbons, CFC-11 and CFC-12 (CCl₃F and CCl₂F₂), along 175°E. NPIW on density horizons less than 26.80 remained more than 80% north of 30°N. It was suggested that new NPIW laterally spreads over the northern North Pacific without hardly being diluted by the surroundings. For density horizons greater than 26.80 north of 30°N, NPIW remained less than 60%. The difference in the residual ratio between <26.80 and >26.80 north of 30°N suggests that NPIW is produced on density horizons less than 26.80, which contacts the atmosphere in the subpolar region, and that NPIW is diluted by upwelling deep water on density horizons greater than 26.80 in high latitude of the North Pacific. NPIW on a density horizon of 26.80 remained about 50% south of 30°N. The decrease in the horizontal distribution of the residual ratio of NPIW suggests that half the new NPIW produced in the subpolar region is laterally spread over the North Pacific with the southward movement of NPIW.     

Pi-SAR极化数据与K分布指数估算森林生物量与实验验证

用2002年和2003年日本Pi-SAR全极化数据,研究日本北海道苫小牧森林地区的森林生物量.雷达后向散射系数随森林生物量的增大而增大并迅速达到饱和,L波段雷达数据饱和点约为40t/hm2,X波段仅约为20t/hm2.在SAR数据统计分布中,K分布的指数参数在饱和点以上仍随生物量的增大而增大,并且HV极化方式时相关性最高.根据交叉极化数据K分布的指数参数与森林生物量的关系,本文估算了23个观测点的森林生物量,结果表明平均准确率为85%.因此该算法可以作为一种新的估算森林生物量的手段.     

Evolution of the composition of seawater through geologic time, and its influence on the evolution of life

The redox state of the surface environment of the early Earth is still controversial, and a detailed and quantitative estimate is still lacking. We carried out in-situ analyses of major, trace, and rare-earth elements of carbonate minerals in rocks with primary sedimentary structures in shallow and deep sea-deposits, in order to eliminate secondary carbonate and contamination of detrital materials, and to estimate the redox condition of seawater through time. Based on the Ce content and anomalies of the carbonate minerals at given parameters of atmospheric CO₂ content (pCO₂) and Ca content of seawater, we calculated the oxygen contents of shallow and deep seawater, respectively. The results show that the oxygen content of the deep sea was low and constant until at least 1.9 Ga. The oxygen content of shallow seawater increased after 2.7 Ga, but fluctuated. It became quite high at 2.5 and 2.3 Ga, but eventually increased after the Phanerozoic. In addition, the calculation of a high pCO₂ condition shows that seawater was more oxic even in the Archean than at present, suggesting a relatively low pCO₂ through geologic time.Our detailed calculations from compositions of carbonate minerals in Three Gorge area, south China show a low oxygen content of seawater after the Snowball Earth until the late Ediacaran, an increase in the late Ediacaran, and a significant decrease around the Precambrian–Cambrian and Nemakit/Daldynian–Tommotian boundaries. These variations were possibly caused by global regression and dissolution of methane hydrates.     

Water flux and sediment transport within a forested landscape: the role of connectivity,subsurface flow,and slope length scale on transport mechanism

The connectivity and upscaling of overland runoff and sediment transport are important issues in hillslope hydrology to identify water flux and sediment transport within landscape. These processes are highly variable in time and space with regard to their interactions with vegetation and soil surface conditions. The generation of overland runoff and its spatial connectivity were examined along a slope to determine the variations in the transport mechanism of runoff and soil particles by rain splash and overland runoff. Field experiments were conducted by erosion plots on a steep hillslope at lengths of 5, 10, and 15 m. The overland runoff connectivity and flow transport distance decreased with the slope length, while spatial variability of infiltration increased significantly with the slope length. Observation of subsurface flow revealed that surface soil and litter layer could have important role in water transport. However, the surface soil water content and water flux transport along the slope was highly variable for different storm events; the variability was related to the complexity of the system, mainly by way of the initial wetness conditions and infiltration characteristics. Only net rain‐splashed soil was measurable, but examination of the water flux, overland runoff and sediment transport connectivity, characteristics of sheetwash, and the variability in spatial infiltration indicated an increase in the contribution of the rain splash transport mechanism along the slope. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synoptic features and environmental conditions of the tornado outbreak on March 22, 2013 at Brahmanbaria in the east-central region of Bangladesh

This study evaluates the synoptic features and environmental conditions of Brahmanbaria tornado event that caused 36 fatalities, 388 injuries and huge damages of properties on 22 March, 2013. Various factors for initiation of that terrific event are investigated through analysis JRA-55 reanalysis (50 km horizontal resolution) data and Multi-functional Transport Satellite images by Japan Meteorological Agency. In addition, radar images, radiosonde data and three hourly synoptic data of Bangladesh Meteorological Department are used to verify the reanalysis data. The genesis of the tornadic storm is identifiable in the most unstable part of the study region. The satellite observations are found to useful to identify the location of convection occurrence region. The half hourly satellite images identify that the convection initiation started at the convergence area and the systems intensify and organize by the continuous moisture supply from the Bay of Bengal. Lower-level convergence coupled with strong wind shear and humidity gradient lift moist air aloft to trigger deep convection and the severe storm occurred. Energy Helicity Index seems a good predictor parameter for this specific case study.     

Evaluation of SEBS for estimation of actual evapotranspiration using ASTER satellite data for irrigation areas of Australia

Spatial knowledge of land surface evapotranspiration (ET) is of prime interest for environmental applications, such as optimizing irrigation water use, irrigation system performance, crop water deficit, drought mitigation strategies, and accurate initialization of climate prediction models especially in arid and semiarid catchments where water shortage is a critical problem. The recent drought in Australia and concerns about climate change have highlighted the need to manage water resources more sustainably especially in the Murrumbidgee catchment which utilizes bulk water for food production. This study deals with the application of a Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) algorithm based on Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER) data and field observations has been proposed and tested for deriving ET over Coleambally Irrigation Area, located in the southwest of NSW, Australia. We have used 12 ASTER scenes covering the time period of 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2009 for estimating the actual ET over the study area. To validate the proposed methodology, the ground-measured ET was compared to the ASTER-derived actual ET values for the study area. The derived ET value over the study area is much closer to the field measurement. From the remote sensing results and observations, the root mean square error is 0.89 and the mean absolute percentage difference is 2.87 %, which demonstrate the reasonability of SEBS ET estimation for the study area.     

Study of a Bistatic Radar System Using VLBI Technologies for Detecting Space Debris and the Experimental Verification of its Validity

Space debris are increasing around the Earth. The observation of space debris is a key issue for the investigation and monitoring of space environment. But the observation opportunities and the detection ability are limited in existing monostatic radar systems. This paper proposes a bistatic radar which is composed of a transmitting station and a receiving-only station. A carrier wave modulated by PN-PSK signals is used in combination with a VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) recorder for range measurement between space debris and stations. The receiving radio wave is processed on the basis of VLBI techniques. Accordingly, the system is shown to have significant advantages over a monostatic radar. We actually formed a bistatic radar system, and observed a satellite in order to experimentally verify the validity. The configuration of the system, data analysis and the experimental results are described.