Predicting the visualization intensity for interactive spatio-temporal visual analytics: a data-driven view-dependent approach

The continually increasing size of geospatial data sets poses a computational challenge when conducting interactive visual analytics using conventional desktop-based visualization tools. In recent decades, improvements in parallel visualization using state-of-the-art computing techniques have significantly enhanced our capacity to analyse massive geospatial data sets. However, only a few strategies have been developed to maximize the utilization of parallel computing resources to support interactive visualization. In particular, an efficient visualization intensity prediction component is lacking from most existing parallel visualization frameworks. In this study, we propose a data-driven view-dependent visualization intensity prediction method, which can dynamically predict the visualization intensity based on the distribution patterns of spatio-temporal data. The predicted results are used to schedule the allocation of visualization tasks. We integrated this strategy with a parallel visualization system deployed in a compute unified device architecture (CUDA)-enabled graphical processing units (GPUs) cloud. To evaluate the flexibility of this strategy, we performed experiments using dust storm data sets produced from a regional climate model. The results of the experiments showed that the proposed method yields stable and accurate prediction results with acceptable computational overheads under different types of interactive visualization operations. The results also showed that our strategy improves the overall visualization efficiency by incorporating intensity-based scheduling.     

海水声速剖面基函数的重构性能分析

海水声速剖面通常使用经验正交函数（Empirical Orthogonal Function,EOF）进行稀疏表示,然而基函数会受到数据完备性和数据测量时间的制约,其代表性误差会导致声速剖面重构精度受限。为了提高声速剖面的重构精度,本文利用模糊C均值聚类对BOA_Argo历史数据集进行聚类分析,探讨不同聚类空间的训练集数据对实测声速剖面重构精度的影响。研究表明,声速剖面具有明显的时空聚集特性,聚类后的历史声速剖面集生成的基函数和平均声速剖面具有最优的重构性能。本文研究结果有助于为历史声速剖面训练集的选取提供实际指导意义,进而提高声速剖面重构精度乃至反演精度。     

The atmospheric circulation patterns influencing the frequency of spring sand-dust storms in the Tarim Basin

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the sand-storm frequency data fi＇om 37 weather stations in the Tarim Basin for the period 1961-2009, the relationship between the frequency of spring sandstorms in the Tafim Basin and the associated atmospheric circu- lation pattems is analyzed in this study. We found significantly negative correlations between sandstorm frequency and the 500-hPa geopotential height over the Paris Basin and midwestem Mongolia, while there were positive correlations over the Ural River region. The rising of the 500-hPa geopotential height in midwestem Mongolia and its falling over the Ural region corre- spond to a weakening of the large-scale wave patterns in the Eurasian region, which directly causes the frequency of the sand-dust storms in the Tarim Basin to decline. Also, the abrupt decline in the spring sandstorm frequency in the Tarim Basin observed in the last half-century is associated with profound changes in the atmospheric circulation in these key regions. At the interannual scale, the strengthened cyclonic atmospheric circulation patterns in the western part of Mongolia and the anticyclonic patterns over the East European plains at 500-hPa geopotential height, are responsible for frequent sandstorm occurrences in the Tarim Basin.     

Causes and effects of spatial and temporal variations of cold period in Chinese oases between 1960 and 2014

Based on daily average temperatures and observation data from 74 meteorological stations in Chinese oases, we calculate five-day (pentad) average temperature ≤0°C for the start and end pentad as well as pentads of cold period using linear regression analysis, nonparametric Mann-Kendall tests, the Morlet wavelet power spectrum, and correlation analysis. We also analyze spatial and temporal variations and their effects on the start and end pentad as well as pentads of cold period in Chinese oases. Results show that over the last 55 years, the start pentad of cold period has been postponed while the end pentad has been advanced. Overall, the pentads have gradually shortened over time at trend rates that are 0.3 p/10a,–0.27 p/10a, and–0.58 p/10a, respectively. Spatial differences are significant, especially for the Qaidam Basin oasis where the start pentad is the earliest, the end pentad is the latest, and the trend of change is most obvious. Mutation points for the start and end pentad as well as pentads of cold period were observed in 1990, 1998, and 1994, respectively. Of these, the start pentad and pentads of cold period show a periodic cycle, related to atmospheric circulation and El Nino events, while the end pentad exhibits a periodic cycle, related to solar activity. The Tibetan Plateau index (TPI), the Asian polar vortex area index (APVAI), and carbon dioxide emissions (CDE) are the main factors affecting cold period in the study area, whereas the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM) index exerts the greatest effect on the Qaidam Basin oasis. The start and end pentad as well as pentads of cold period increase in concert with latitude, longitude, and altitude; in response to these changes, the start pentad is advanced, the end pentad is postponed, and pentads of cold period are gradually extended. Results show that change in latitude is most significant. Overall, the start and end pentad as well as pentads of cold period show clear responses to regional warming, but there are different effects on each.     

腾格里沙漠东南缘4种灌木的生物量预测模型

灌木生物量模型是预测灌木生物量最有效的方法。选择腾格里沙漠南缘荒漠生态系统中常见的4种灌木（驼绒藜(Ceratoides latens)、盐爪爪(Kalidium foliatum)、珍珠猪毛菜(Salsola passerina)、红砂(Reaumuria soongarica)）为研究对象,以株高（H）和冠幅（C）的复合因子灌木体积（V）为自变量,通过回归分析,分别构建了4种灌木和混合物种的叶、新生枝、老龄枝、地上部分、地下部分和整株生物量的预测模型。通过决定系数（R2）、估计值的标准误（SEE）和回归检验显著水平（p＜0.05）筛选出了最优的生物量估测模型。结果显示:4种灌木的生物量模型主要以幂函数W=aVb为最优模型,少数以三次函数W=a+bV+cV2+dV3为最优模型。灌木生物量与V之间呈极显著的相关关系（p＜0.001）,决定系数较高,分别为:叶片（0.775＜R2＜0.866）,新生枝（0.694＜R2＜0.840）,老龄枝（0.819＜R2＜0.916）,地上部（0.832＜R2＜0.917）,地下部分（0.74＜R2＜0.808）,全株（0.811＜R2＜0.912）,说明预测模型可以应用于此4种灌木的生物量估算。不同物种之间及不同器官之间的生物量模型存在差异,在实际使用中,要根据物种来选择相应的模型。生物量模型的建立有助于全面估算荒漠生态系统的生物量,并进一步评估生态系统不同碳库的碳存储量与碳循环。为有效提高荒漠草地碳储量、合理实施生态系统管理和人为干预提供科学依据。     

风沙流中沙粒起跳初速度分布的探讨

风沙流结构中起跃沙粒的初速度分布,是连接微观研究和宏观研究的桥梁。笔者分析了已有的实验数据,就沙质地表起跃沙粒的速度分布、角度分布进行了计算;并运用碰撞理论建立了一个二维碰撞模型。考虑边界条件的影响,运用概率论统计的思想计算了风沙流结构中起跃沙粒初速度的概率分布,并和实验值进行了对比,得到了较好的结果,对风沙流中起跃沙粒的速度分布有了一个定性的认识。     

福建永安石林地貌的现代生物喀斯特侵蚀营力

本文以永安石林为例，阐述分析了石林地貌的现代生物喀斯特侵蚀现象的类型及形态特征。结果表明，地表及地下的生物喀斯特侵蚀营力是石林现代侵蚀过程的主要因素，石林表面的大部分均有微生物覆盖并起侵蚀作用，形成明显的微观及超微溶蚀形态，石林表面的溶蚀作用性质不同于传统认识。对石林地貌发育提出了新的思考。     

淮河流域水文随机方法的径流图化(英文)

Theoretical difficulties for mapping and for estimating river regime characteristics in a large-scale basin remain because of the nature of the variable under study: river flows are related to a specific area, i.e. the drainage basin, and are hierarchically organized in space through the river network with upstream-downstream dependencies. Another limitation is there are not enough gauge stations in developing countries. This presentation aims at de-veloping the hydro-stochastic approach for producing choropleth maps of average annual runoff and computing mean discharge along the main river network for a large-scale basin. The approach applied to mean annual runoff is based on geostatistical interpolation proce-dures coupled with water balance and data uncertainty analyses. It is proved by an applica-tion in the upstream at Bengbu in the Huaihe River Basin, a typical large-scale basin in China. Hydro-stochasitic approach in a first step interpolates to a regular grid net and in a second step the grid values are integrated along rivers. The interpolation scheme includes a con-straint to be able to account for the lateral water balance along the rivers. Grid runoff map with 10 km × 10 km resolution and the discharge map along the river with the 1 km basic length unit are the main results in this study. This kind of statistic approach can be widely used be-cause it avoids the complexity of hydrological models and does not depend on the meteoro-logical data.     

Focal Mechanism Solutions and Stress Field Inversion of Moderately Strong Earthquakes in the Northern Tianshan Area

Using the focal mechanism solutions of 24 moderately strong earthquakes in the northern Tianshan area, we carried out system cluster and stress field inversion analysis. The result indicates that, the focal mechanism solutions of moderately strong earthquakes are mainly dipslip reverse faulting in the northern Tianshan area. The principal rupture planes of earthquakes are NW-oriented. It is basically consistent with the strike of earthquake structure in its adjacent area. The direction of the principal compression stress P axis is nearly NS, and its inclination angle is small; while the inclination angle of the principal extensional stress T axis is large. It shows that the regional stress field is mainly controlled by the near-NS horizontal compressive stress. The direction of the maximum principal stress shows a gradation process of NNE-NS-NW from east to west.     

Effect of a thermokarst lake on soil physical properties and infiltration processes in the permafrost region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Changes in the hydrological processes in alpine soil constitute one of the several key problems encountered with studying watershed hydrology and ecosystem stability against the background of global warming. A typically developing thermokarst lake was chosen as a subject for a study using model simulation based on observations of soil physical properties, infiltration processes, and soil moisture. The results showed that the selected thermokarst lake imposed certain changes on the soil infiltration processes and, with the degree of impact intensifying, the initial infiltration rate decreased. The greatest reduction was achieved in the area of moderate impact. However, the stable infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration gradually increased in the surface layer at a depth of 10 and 20 cm, both decreasing initially and then increasing, which is correlated significantly with soil textures. Moreover, the cumulative infiltration changed in line with steady infiltration rate. Based on a comparative analysis, the Horton model helps better understand the effect on the soil infiltration processes of the cold alpine meadow close to the chosen thermokarst lake. In conclusion, the formation of the thermokarst lake reduced the water holding capacity of the alpine meadow soil and caused the hydraulic conductivity to increase, resulting in the reduction of runoff capacity in the area of the thermokarst lake.