Sea surface wind and Sea ice in the Barents Sea using microwave sensing data from Meteor-M N1 and GCOM-W1 satellites in January–March 2013

Application of satellite passive microwave sensing for the retrieval of key climatic parameters in the Barents Sea is considered. Fields of surface wind, atmosphere water vapor content and cloud liquid water content were found from MTVZA-GY radiometer onboard the Meteor-M N1 satellite and AMSR2 onboard the GCOM-W1 satellite with the use of original algorithms. The fields are in a good agreement with the ancillary remote and in situ measurements, which follows from the analysis of the evolution of the extra tropical and polar cyclones and cold air outbreaks with storm winds leading to intense air-sea interaction, and the formation and drift of sea ice.     

Aliphatic hydrocarbons in coastal sediments of the Northern Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean)

The sources and spatial distributions of aliphatic hydrocarbon concentrations were investigated in surficial sediments of the Northern Cyprus (Gemi Konagi, Girne and Gazi Magusa Areas). Aliphatic hydrocarbon levels were determined with a gas chromatography–mass spectrometer. Total aliphatic hydrocarbon (n-alkanes, Σ25; isoprenoids, Σ2) concentrations in the sediments were found in the range of 1107–6360 ng/g. Results indicated that the sediments were mainly dominated by odd numbered n-alkanes (n-C10–n-C34), maximizing at n-C17, n-C29 and n-C31. Statistical analyses and diagnostic ratios have been used to determine the possible sources and origins of aliphatic hydrocarbons. Aliphatic hydrocarbons were showed biogenic character at all sampling areas and were found mainly originated from terrestrial, marine and both terrestrial-marine plants at Gemi Konagi, Gazi Magusa and Girne, respectively.     

Holocene environmental change and the accumulation–erosion balance of sheltered river-mouth sediments, Göteborg, SW Sweden

Holocene sedimentological change was investigated in 15 sediment piston cores (250 cm long) from the mouth of the Göta älv River, outside of Göteborg, which is sheltered by an archipelago. The main objective was to interpret recent, natural and human-induced influences upon the accumulation–erosion balance and the sedimentary environment from Holocene sediment units. The five main units are: consolidated glaciomarine clay (Facies gC) lowermost, consolidated estuarine clay (Facies dC), soft sub-recent sediment (Facies omC and Facies C) uppermost and dumped sediment (Facies D) in some parts of the study area. The sediment facies are divided by two major hiatuses: (a) the early Holocene hiatus between Facies gC and dC involves a time gap of at least 7000 years, ending at ca. 4000 BP and (b) the late Holocene hiatus between the consolidated clays (Facies gC and dC) and Facies omC spans 1000 years and ends ca. 50 BP (i.e. 100 years ago). Both hiatuses probably relate to the effects of isostatic land uplift. Surface sediments consist mainly of an organic-matter-rich clay facies, suggesting changes in the trophic state of the estuary during the last 100 years. Together with human-induced increased river erosion and loss of accommodation space in the estuary, this caused the onset of sedimentation in the estuary. The recent sediments are contaminated with heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Hg), with highest concentrations in the lower part of Facies omC.     

A review of advances in China’s flash flood early-warning system

This paper summarizes the main flash flood early-warning systems of America, Europe, Japan, and Taiwan China and discusses their advantages and disadvantages. The latest development in flash flood prevention is also presented. China’s flash flood prevention system involves three stages. Herein, the warning methods and achievements in the first two stages are introduced in detail. Based on the worldwide experience of flash flood early-warning systems, the general research idea of the third stage is proposed from the viewpoint of requirements for flash flood prevention and construction progress of the next stage in China. Real-time dynamic warning systems can be applied to the early-warning platform at four levels (central level, provincial level, municipal level, and county level) . Through this, soil moisture, peak flow, and water level can be calculated in real-time using distributed hydrological models, and then flash flood warning indexes can be computed based on defined thresholds of runoff and water level. A compound warning index (CWI) can be applied to regions where rainfall and water level are measured by simple equipment. In this manner, flash-flood-related factors such as rainfall intensity and antecedent and cumulative rainfall depths can be determined using the CWI method. The proposed methodology for the third stage could support flash flood prevention measures in the 13th 5-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China (2016–2020). The research achievements will serve as a guidance for flash flood monitoring and warning as well as flood warning in medium and small rivers.     

Petrological and geochemical characteristics of Plio-Pleistocene Volcanics from Ponza Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

Summary Volcanic rocks on Ponza Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, central Italy) consist of Pliocene submarine rhyolites and Pleistocene subaerial trachyte and comendite lavas. Chemical variations and the homogeneous Sr and Nd isotopic signatures within the analyzed Pliocene rocks are ascribed to crystal fractionation. The absolute isotopic values, however, indicate the important role of a crustal component in the origin of these magmas. The very high-silica rocks were probably derived from a superimposed mechanism which may have been connected to the ascent of hydrothermal magmatic fluids. Compositional and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr variations at constant ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd values in the Pleistocene rocks are likely due to fractionation of the observed phenocryst assemblage, possibly coupled with minor crustal interaction. These processes, however, cannot account for the extreme enrichment of many incompatible trace elements in the comendites. Some evidence suggests the influence of a halogen- and/or CO₂-rich volatile phase. Received February 17, 2000; revised version accepted November 29, 2000     

Paleomagnetic Excursions Recorded in the Yanchi Playa in Middle Hexi Corridor, NW China Since the Last Interglacial

Paleomagnetic determinations on lithologieal profiles of two paralleled long drillin gcores covering the past 130 kyr B.P., GT40 and GT60,from the Yanchi Playa in the arid Northwestern China indicate that a series of pronounced paleomagnetic excursions have been documented. By correlating our results with published regional and worldwide reports 4 excursion events out of 10 apparent reversal signals (labeled from GT-1 to GT-10) were identified as excursion events coeval with the Mono Lake Event (28.4 kyr-25.8 kyr), Laschamp Event (43.3 kyr-40.5kyr), Gaotai Event (82.8 kyr-72.4 kyr) and the Blake Event (127.4 kyr-113.3 kyr), respectively. GT-9 correlates with the above-mentioned Gaotai Event,GT-7 and GT-6 correspond to two stages of the Laschamp Event and GT-5 to the Mono Lake Event. It is noteworthy that the so-called Gaotai Event has not been reported as a pronounced paleomagnetic excursion in the Northwestern China. Every magnetic excursion event corresponds to paleointensity minima, anteceding those established abrupt paleoclimatic change events, such as the Younger Drays and the Heinrich Events (H1-H6). Here, we tentatively propose that these geomagnetic excursions/reversals can be viewed as precursors to climate abruptness. During the transitional stages when the earth‘s magnetic field shifted between a temporal normal and a negative period, the earth‘s magnetic paleointensity fell correspondingly to a pair of minima. Although more precise chronology and more convincing rock magnetic parameter determinations are essentially required for further interpretation of their intricate coupling mechanism, these results may have revealed, to some extent, that the earth‘s incessantly changing magnetic field exerts an strong influence on the onset of saw-tooth shaped abrupt climate oscillations through certain feedback chains in arid Central Asia or even North Hemispheric high latitude regions.     

Magnetization properties of intrusive/extrusive rocks from East Maio (Republic of Cape Verde) and their geological implications

Summary. The remanent magnetization of intrusive/extrusive rocks of the 'basement' complex of East Maio constitutes four components that define two different axes of magnetization, at around dec. 328, inc. 12 and dec. 007, inc. 14 respectively. In general, two or more components co-exist in separate specimens or sites but both axes are present most frequently in the normal sense. The NNW-striking axis, the B-axis, fits very well with the Upper Cretaceous polar wander path for Africa. It is consequently inferred that the major phase of sheet intrusions in Maio dates from this time, probably from the interval 90–70 Myr bp. Comparisons of the directional dispersions in the folded and unfolded states suggest that this injection phase post-dates the uplift of the Central Igneous Complex of the island. The second axis of magnetization, the A -axis, agrees very well with late Teritary—Quaternary palaeomagnetic data for Africa and the Canary Islands. The A -axis is therefore regarded as of secondary origin, being the consequence of a thermal/ chemical overprint during the Miocene—Pliocene volcanism on the island. The occurrence of a 50–70 Myr long period of volcanic quiescence and erosion, between the termination of the early igneous activity (Upper Cretaceous) and the rejuvenated magmatism in Miocene/Pliocene time, is compatible with similar observations in the Canary Islands. In contrast to the palaeomagnetic conclusions, the K/Ar data only give ages around 10 Myr. The unusually young isotope dates are regarded as being due to an almost complete age resetting and are seen in conjuction with the overprinted magnetization. This explanation is further supported by the fact that K/Ar results of pillow lavas underlying Upper Jurassic limestones only give Tertiary ages.     

Effects of nonlinear model response on allocation of streamflow depletion: exemplified by the case of Beaver Creek,USA

Anomalies found when apportioning responsibility for streamflow depletion are examined. The anomalies arise when responsibility is assigned to the two states that contribute to depletion of Beaver Creek in the Republican River Basin in the United States. The apportioning procedure for this basin presumes that the sum of streamflow depletions, computed by comparing simulation model runs with and without groundwater pumping from individual states, approximates the streamflow depletion when both states are pumping. In the case study presented here, this presumed superposition fails dramatically. The stream drying and aquifer-storage depletion, as represented in the simulation model used for allocation, are examined in detail to understand the hydrologic and numerical basis for the severe nonlinear response. Users of apportioning procedures that rely on superposition should be aware of the presence and likely magnitude of nonlinear responses in modeling tools.     

生态服务价值与方法研究

1Ecosystemservicesandtheirvalueoftheworld1.1EcosystemservicesHuman societies derive many essential goods from natural ecosystems, including seafood, game animals, fodder, fuelwood, timber, and pharmaceutical products (Constanza, 1997). These goods represent important and familiar parts of the economy. What has been less appreciated until recently is that natural ecosystems also perform fundamental life-support services without which human civilizations would cease to thrive. These include the…