A verification framework for interannual-to-decadal predictions experiments

Decadal predictions have a high profile in the climate science community and beyond, yet very little is known about their skill. Nor is there any agreed protocol for estimating their skill. This paper proposes a sound and coordinated framework for verification of decadal hindcast experiments. The framework is illustrated for decadal hindcasts tailored to meet the requirements and specifications of CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5). The chosen metrics address key questions about the information content in initialized decadal hindcasts. These questions are: (1) Do the initial conditions in the hindcasts lead to more accurate predictions of the climate, compared to un-initialized climate change projections? and (2) Is the prediction model’s ensemble spread an appropriate representation of forecast uncertainty on average? The first question is addressed through deterministic metrics that compare the initialized and uninitialized hindcasts. The second question is addressed through a probabilistic metric applied to the initialized hindcasts and comparing different ways to ascribe forecast uncertainty. Verification is advocated at smoothed regional scales that can illuminate broad areas of predictability, as well as at the grid scale, since many users of the decadal prediction experiments who feed the climate data into applications or decision models will use the data at grid scale, or downscale it to even higher resolution. An overall statement on skill of CMIP5 decadal hindcasts is not the aim of this paper. The results presented are only illustrative of the framework, which would enable such studies. However, broad conclusions that are beginning to emerge from the CMIP5 results include (1) Most predictability at the interannual-to-decadal scale, relative to climatological averages, comes from external forcing, particularly for temperature; (2) though moderate, additional skill is added by the initial conditions over what is imparted by external forcing alone; however, the impact of initialization may result in overall worse predictions in some regions than provided by uninitialized climate change projections; (3) limited hindcast records and the dearth of climate-quality observational data impede our ability to quantify expected skill as well as model biases; and (4) as is common to seasonal-to-interannual model predictions, the spread of the ensemble members is not necessarily a good representation of forecast uncertainty. The authors recommend that this framework be adopted to serve as a starting point to compare prediction quality across prediction systems. The framework can provide a baseline against which future improvements can be quantified. The framework also provides guidance on the use of these model predictions, which differ in fundamental ways from the climate change projections that much of the community has become familiar with, including adjustment of mean and conditional biases, and consideration of how to best approach forecast uncertainty.     

塔里木盆地塔中地区奥陶系古岩溶包裹体特征及古环境意义

碳酸盐岩古岩溶型储层是油气勘探开发的重点领域,具有极强的非均质性,是世界级难题。古岩溶发育期次的确定一直都是古岩溶储层地质建模的技术难题。现有判别古岩溶发育期次的方法多以地表裸露古岩溶充填物特征为依据。在塔里木盆地塔中地区地质构造复杂,具有多期次古岩溶作用的叠加改造。本次利用古岩溶充填方解石流体包裹体均一温度法,研究塔中地区奥陶系碳酸盐岩古岩溶作用期次与古环境条件,揭示了4期古岩溶作用环境：加里东期古岩溶作用、海西晚期古岩溶作用、印支-燕山期古岩溶作用、喜马拉雅期古岩溶作用。该研究成果对后期岩溶储层预测具有重要意义。     

Lake sedimentary processes and vegetation changes over the last 45k cal a bp in the uplands of south-eastern Amazonia

This study addresses paleoclimate influences in a southern Amazonia ecotone based on multiproxy records from lakes of the Carajás region during the last 45k cal a bp. Wet and cool environmental conditions marked the initial deposition in shallow depressions with detrital sediments and high weathering rates until 40k cal a bp. Concomitantly, forest and C3 canga plants, along with cool-adapted taxa, developed; however, short drier episodes enabled expansion of C4 plants and diagenetic formation of siderite. A massive event of siderite formation occurred approximately 30k cal a bp under strong drier conditions. Afterwards, wet and cool environmental conditions returned and persisted until the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The LGM was marked by lake-level lowstands and subaerial exposure. The transition from the LGM to the Holocene is marked by the onset of oscillations in temperature and humidity, with an expansion of forest and canga plants. Cool taxa were present for the last time in the Carajás region ~ 9.5–9k cal a bp. After 10k cal a bp , shallow lakes became upland swamps due to natural infilling processes, but the current vegetation types and structures of the plateaus were acquired only after 3k cal a bp under wetter climatic conditions.     

Cutting of Phragmites australis as a lake restoration technique: Productivity calculation and nutrient removal in Wuliangsuhai Lake, northern China

Reed is one of the most frequent and dominant species in wetlands all over the world, with common reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.) as the most widely distributed species. In many wetlands, P. australis plays a highly ambivalent role. On the one hand, in many wetlands it purifies wastewater, provides habitat for numerous species, and is a potentially valuable raw material, while on the other hand it is an invasive species which expands aggressively, prevents fishing, blocks ditches and waterways, and builds monospecies stands. This paper uses the eutrophic reed-swamp of Wuliangsuhai Lake in Inner Mongolia, northern China, as a case to present the multiple benefits of regular reed cutting. The reed area and aboveground biomass production are calculated based on field data. Combined with data about water and reed nutrient content, the impact of reed cutting on the lake nutrient budget (N and P) is investigated. Currently, at this lake around 100,000 tons of reed are harvested in winter annually, removing 16% and 8% of the total nitrogen and phosphorus influx, respectively. Harvesting all available winter reed could increase the nutrient removal rates to 48% and 24%, respectively. We also consider the effects of summer harvesting, in which reed biomass removal could overcompensate for the nutrient influx but could potentially reduce reed regrowth.     

2015—2018年海南省臭氧污染特征及其天气类型

根据2015—2018年海南省18个市县32个空气质量监测站O₃浓度资料,分析了区域性O₃污染（O₃-8h浓度超标市县≥3个）时空变化特征,并对造成O₃污染的天气系统进行主观分型。结果表明：2015—2018年海南省共有40 d发生了区域性O₃污染,发生概率为2.73%。其中2015年和2017年达到了13 d,发生概率为3.56%,2018年为11 d（3.01%）,2016年仅为3 d（0.82%）。发生区域性O₃污染主要有4种天气类型：冷空气偏西下型、冷空气偏东下型、变暖高压脊型和热带系统型。其中冷空气偏西下型是最主要的天气类型,共出现了14 d,占所有天数的35%,且污染较重。不同天气类型下海南省O₃污染表现出不同的分布特征。500 hPa有下沉气流、低层受东北风控制,有相对湿度低值区从中国东部向海南省延伸,地面位于冷高压底部或热带气旋西北侧,温度露点差在5 ℃以上等条件均有利于海南省区域性O₃污染天气出现。     

IN SITU MEASUREMENTS OF BASAL WATER QUALITY AND PRESSURE AS AN INDICATOR OF THE CHARACTER OF SUBGLACIAL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

Continuous subglacial measurements of turbidity and electrical conductivity — two indicators of basal water quality — can be used to help characterize subglacial drainage systems. These indicators of water quality yield information that complements that provided by water pressure measurements. Quantitative attributes of subglacial drainage systems, such as water velocity and subglacial residence time, as well as qualitative behaviour — for example, spatial and temporal variations in system morphology — can be deduced using water quality measurements. Interpretation is complicated by the many potential influences on turbidity and electrical conductivity, but when these complications are appreciated a richer interpretation results. To demonstrate the utility of basal water quality measurements, observations from Trapridge Glacier, Yukon Territory, Canada were examined. The data reveal complex behaviour of the drainage system, but constraints imposed by basal water quality measurements help to clarify the nature of the subglacial flow system. The measurement and interpretation methods described and demonstrated are applicable to other glaciers. As such, they should prove useful for characterizing different subglacial drainage configurations and behaviours, thereby improving our general understanding of the hydrology and dynamics of wet-based glaciers.     

基于全球分布的地震观测数据估计0S0模态的特征频率及品质因子

选取2011-03-11日本MW9.3地震后全球地震台站记录的约220 h波形数据,基于一定的判断准则,筛选出质量较高的448个垂向观测数据,采用频域AR方法对0S0模态的特征频率和品质因子进行估值,并以信噪比为权重进行加权平均,得到特征频率f=0.814 658 4±5.3×10-7,品质因子Q=5 586±12。该结果与已有研究成果相比精度更高,有助于约束现有地球介质密度和衰减模型,使其更接近真实地球。     

Introduction: Interaction between environment and fisheries—The role of stakeholder participation

This paper is an introduction to the special issue on a role of participation in dealing with the interactions between environment and fisheries. In this introduction, we explore the recent discussion on the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management (EBAFM) and extract important points for implementation of EBAFM from the social science literature on participation and participatory processes in environmental management. The introduction finishes by describing the analytical framework for studying participatory processes.