Preservation of Re‐Os isotope signatures in pyrite throughout low‐T,high‐P eclogite facies metamorphism

Pyrite in LT–HP eclogites from the western Tianshan orogenic belt yields a Re‐Os age of 378.1 ± 8.9 Ma, which is 30–70 Ma older than ages previously obtained for the same rocks using the Rb–Sr, Sm–Nd, Ar–Ar, U–Pb, and Lu–Hf isotope systems. The Tianshan LT–HP eclogite experienced temperatures of up to ~570 °C combined with pressures of up to 2.1 GPa during metamorphism. These conditions are below the transition of pyrite to pyrrhotite, which defines both pyrite stability and possibly its closure temperature for Re‐Os. Pyrite can preserve Re‐Os signatures through eclogite facies peak metamorphic conditions, and thus allow determination of the formation age of pyrite in the protolith.     

Influence of heterogeneity on unsaturated hydraulic properties: (1) local heterogeneity and scale effect

Spatial heterogeneity is ubiquitous in nature, which may significantly affect the soil hydraulic property curves. The models of a closed‐form functional relationship of soil hydraulic property curves (e.g. VG model or exponential model) are valid at point or local scale based on a point‐scale hydrological process, but how do scale effects of heterogeneity have an influence on the parameters of these models when the models are used in a larger scale process? This paper uses a two‐dimensional variably saturated flow and solute transport finite element model (VSAFT2) to simulate variations of pressure and moisture content in the soil flume under a constant head boundary condition. By changing different numerical simulation block sizes, a quantitative evaluation of parameter variations in the VG model, resulting from the scale effects, is presented. Results show that the parameters of soil hydraulic properties are independent of scale in homogeneous media. Parameters of α and n in homogeneous media, which are estimated by using the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity curve (UHC) or the soil water retention curve (WRC), are identical. Variations of local heterogeneities strongly affect the soil hydraulic properties, and the scale affects the results of the parameter estimations when numerical experiments are conducted. Furthermore, the discrepancy of each curve becomes considerable when moisture content becomes closer to a dry situation. Parameters estimated by UHC are totally different from the ones estimated by WRC. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Possible sources of forecast errors generated by the global/regional assimilation and prediction system for landfalling tropical cyclones. Part I: Initial uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone (TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System (GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions (“initials”, hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

含AgI焰剂成冰性能与物化特征的实验研究

利用CAMS的1 m~3等温云室系统筛选出新型高效AgI焰剂WMC-IN-001和WMG-IN-002。检测结果表明,它们具有较高的成核率,在-15℃时达到10~(15)g~(-1)AgI量级,尤其在-7℃时WMC-IN-001的成核率仍可达到10~(14)g~(-1)AgI量级。同时给出对节银剂配方和2011年市场上主要的几种催化剂的检测结果进行对比。WMC-IN-001和WMC-IN-002的成冰速率较慢,在各检测温度的成冰速率差异较小,均在40~55 min。利用冷场发射扫描电镜和能谱仪对WMC-IN-001燃烧产生的气溶胶粒子作了物化特征分析,粒子分布在0.02~0.60μm,具有两个典型的模态:0.02~0.10μm的较小的粒子和0.20~0.55μm的较大的粒子,均立方直径为0.2472μm。WMC-IN-001气溶胶粒子明显偏大,小粒子相对较少,这可能是其成冰速率偏慢的原因之一。     

基于改进综合气象干旱指数的2011年和2013年长江中下游干旱低频振荡特征分析

利用NCEP/NCAR逐日再分析资料和地面观测资料,基于改进的综合气象干旱指数（I_C）对长江中下游地区2011年春季和2013年夏季干旱过程的低频振荡特征进行了分析。结果表明：2011年春季干旱过程的主要低频I_C周期为30~60 d,西太平洋500 hPa正异常低频高度场系统的西移、南支锋区上游500 hPa正异常低频高度场系统的东移和北扩、西北地区东部低层低频反气旋的向南移动可能是低频I_C传播变化特征的重要原因。2013年夏季干旱过程的主要低频I_C周期也为30~60 d,西亚和西北太平洋500 hPa正异常低频高度场向我国南方地区移动、孟加拉湾和西北太平洋的低层低频反气旋向西和向北移动与低频I_C传播变化特征有重要联系。