Comparison of single- and dual-permeability models in simulating the unsaturated hydro-mechanical behavior in a rainfall-triggered landslide

Landslide-prone slopes in earthquake-affected areas commonly feature heterogeneity and high permeability due to the presence of cracks and fissures that were caused by ground shaking. Landslide reactivation in heterogeneous slope may be affected by preferential flow that was commonly occurred under heavy rainfall. Current hydro-mechanical models that are based on a single-permeability model consider soil as a homogeneous continuum, which, however, cannot explicitly represent the hydraulic properties of heterogeneous soil. The present study adopted a dual-permeability model, using two Darcy-Richards equations to simulate the infiltration processes in both matrix and preferential flow domains. The hydrological results were integrated with an infinite slope stability approach, attempting to investigate the hydro-mechanical behavior. A coarse-textured unstable slope in an earthquake-affected area was chosen for conducting artificial rainfall experiment, and in the experiment slope, failure was triggered several times under heavy rainfall. The simulated hydro-mechanical results of both single- and dual-permeability model were compared with the measurements, including soil moisture content, pore water pressure, and slope stability conditions. Under high-intensity rainfall, the measured soil moisture and pore water pressure at 1-m depth showed faster hydrological response than its simulations, which can be regarded as a typical evidence of preferential flow. We found the dual-permeability model substantially improved the quantification of hydro-mechanical processes. Such improvement could assist in obtaining more reliable landslide-triggering predication. In the light of the implementation of a dual-permeability model for slope stability analysis, a more flexible and robust early warning system for shallow landslides hazard in coarse-textured slopes could be provided.     

Characterization of the mechanical properties of a claystone by nano-indentation and homogenization

Based on the analyses of mineralogical compositions by X-ray diffraction and microstructure by optical microscopy, the Young’ modulus and hardness of a claystone were characterized by the nano-indentation technique and homogenization method. Three distinct microstructural zones are identified in the claystone: clay matrix, a composite matrix of clay and small mineral grains and imbedded quartz grains. The elastic modulus and hardness of different zones were determined by nano-indentation testing. Based on the statistical analysis of nano-indentation results, the spatial mappings and frequency distributions of elastic modulus and hardness of the different zones were obtained. The elastic moduli of main constituent phases of the claystone are then estimated from the nano-indentation tests. These values were further used for the determination of the macroscopic elastic modulus of the claystone using two different homogenization schemes: the dilute scheme and Mori–Tanaka scheme. The predicted values by the homogenization schemes are compared with experimental data obtained from conventional uniaxial compression tests.     

Up-to-date urban rainstorm intensity formulas considering spatial diversity in China

With accelerating urbanization in China, urban waterlogging has had a serious impact on urban sustainable development and citizen welfare. Simple urban rainstorm intensity formulas with a monotonous frequency distribution type cannot meet the practical needs of urban drainage planning and design. This study focuses on the development of urban rainstorm intensity formulas based on spatial diversity in China. Using the annual maximum sampling method, rainstorm data of 607 cities throughout China were collected into a database, with a total of 24,933 rainfall samples (annual observations) under various specified precipitation durations. The database was used to verify that integrating the Pearson III and Gumbel distributions would constitute an optimal theoretical distribution type, owing to its small error and increased fitting precision. Modification and coordination of four important parameters in the rainstorm intensity formula were done using a digital elevation model, which improved the accuracy of the formula. In addition, precipitation distributions in China were treated from the perspective of topographic features to validate the calculations from up-to-date formulas. Accuracy assessment was accomplished using a national code (GB-50014-2006), GIS-based isograms, and authoritative results from the Hydrological Bureau of the Ministry of Water Resources. This work provides a comprehensive foundation for the establishment of an up-to-date rainstorm intensity formula for China, which can be used widely in different cities.     

东太湖浮游植物与浮游动物群落的嵌套性及其互作网络的季节特征

浮游生物主要由浮游植物和浮游动物组成,是湖泊生态系统的重要组分.嵌套性结构及物种间的互作关系对群落的分布格局、功能乃至稳定性都具有重要意义,然而到目前为止,我们对此仍知之甚少.为此,本研究以东太湖为研究区域,在2019-2020年期间进行了春、夏、秋、冬季的观测调查,根据浮游生物群落的组成和多样性特征,结合群落分布矩阵和二分网模型研究浮游生物的嵌套性格局及其互作关系,并探讨其驱动机制.结果显示:(1)在时间上,春、秋、冬季水体的理化特征较为相似,但与夏季的水质差异显著.在空间上,西南部区域的综合污染指数显著高于东北部;(2)环境异质性使得浮游植物呈现出明显的嵌套性分布,即秋、冬季群落是春、夏季群落的子集.然而,浮游动物并未呈现该分布特征;(3)浮游生物的互作关系具有明显的季节特征:冬季的互作网络组成最简单,物种竞争最激烈,物种的特异性关系、物种脆弱性和一般性最小,说明浮游生物群落的稳定性在冬季最弱.综上所述,水环境的时空差异性造成的生态位分离可能是造成浮游生物嵌套性及其互作网络季节性变化的主要机制.     

Global distribution of summer chlorophyll blooms in the oligotrophic gyres

Chlorophyll blooms consistently develop in the oligotrophic NE Pacific in late summer, isolated from land masses and sources of higher chlorophyll waters. These blooms are potentially driven by nitrogen fixation, or by vertically migrating phytoplankton, and a better understanding of their ubiquity could improve our estimate of the global nitrogen fixation rate. Here, global SeaWiFS chlorophyll data from 1997 to 2007 are examined to determine if similar blooms occur in other oligotrophic gyres. Our analysis revealed blooms in five other areas. Two of these are regions where blooms have been previously identified: the SW Pacific and off the southern tip of Madagascar. Previously, unnoticed summer blooms were also identified in the NE and SW Atlantic and in a band along 10°S in the Indian Ocean. There is considerable variation in the intensity and frequency of blooms in the different regions, occurring the least frequently in the Atlantic Ocean. The blooms that develop along 10°S in the Indian Ocean are unique in that they are clearly associated with a hydrographic feature, the 10°S thermocline ridge, which explains the bloom within a conventional upwelling scenario. The environment and timing of the blooms, developing in oligotrophic waters in late summer, are conducive to both nitrogen fixers and vertically migrating phytoplankton, which require a relatively stable water column. However, the specific locations of the chlorophyll blooms generally do not coincide with areas of maximum levels of nitrogen fixation or Trichodesmium. The NE Pacific chlorophyll blooms develop in a region with a very high SiO₄/NO₃ ratio, where silicate will not be a limiting nutrient for diatoms. The blooms often develop between eddies, wrapping around the periphery of anti-cyclonic features. However, none of the areas where the blooms develop have particularly high eddy kinetic energy, from either a basin-scale or a mesoscale perspective, suggesting that other factors, such as interactions with a front or dynamics associated with the critical latitude, operate in conjunction with the eddy field to produce the observed blooms.     

Comparative oxygen radical formation and toxicity of BDE 47 in rainbow trout cell lines

The polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) constitute a class of flame retardants whose residues have markedly increased in fish and human tissues during the last decade. In particular, the levels of certain PBDE congeners in salmon have raised concern regarding potential risks associated with dietary PBDE exposures. However, little is known regarding PBDE-mediated cell injury in relevant in vitro cell models. We conducted a comparative study of oxyradical production and cell injury in rainbow trout gill (RTgill-W1) and trout liver cells (RTL-W1) exposed to 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 47), a predominant BDE residue found in fish tissues such as salmonids. Exposure to low micromolar concentrations of BDE 47 elicited a significant loss in RTgill-W1 and RTL-W1 cell viability as measured by alamarBlue assay. The dose-response of BDE toxicity differed among the two cell lines, with the RTL-W1 liver cells showing greater resistance to toxicity at lower BDE 47 doses, but a more dramatic loss of viability relative to gill cells when challenged with higher (50 microM) doses. The sensitivity of the trout liver cells at higher BDE 47 exposures was reflected by a higher basal production of oxygen radical production by 6-carboxy-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) fluorescence that was markedly enhanced in the presence of BDE 47, suggesting an overwhelming of trout liver cell antioxidant defense pathways. Collectively, our data indicate that RTgill-W1 and RTL-W1 liver cells are sensitive to BDE 47-mediated cell injury through a mechanism that may involve oxidative stress. Our data also provide an in vitro basis for potential tissue differences in BDE 47-mediated cell injury.     

A numerical scheme for morphological bed level calculations

The typical equation for bed level change in sediment transport in river, estuary and near shore systems is based on conservation of sediment mass. It is generally a nonlinear conservation equation for bed level. The physics here are similar to shallow water wave equations and gas dynamics equation which will develop shock waves in many circumstances. Many state-of-art morphological models use classical lower order Lax–Wendroff or modified Lax–Wendroff schemes for morphology which are not very stable for long time sediment transport processes simulation. Filtering or artificial diffusion are often added to achieve stability. In this paper, several shock capturing schemes are discussed for simulating bed level change with different accuracy and stability behaviors. The conclusion is in favor of a fifth order Euler-WENO scheme which is introduced to sediment transport simulations here over other schemes. The Euler-WENO scheme is shown to have significant advantages over schemes with artificial viscosity and filtering processes, hence is highly recommended especially for phase-resolving sediment transport models.     

几种大型珍珠贝人工苗网箱式中间培育的研究

采用网箱式和传统式2种方法,在3个不同类型的海区(内湾性的陵水县黎安港、半开放性的雷州市流沙港、开放性的三亚市六道湾),进行几种大型珍珠贝人工苗的中间培育.经90d的中间培育后,结果表明:网箱式培育与传统式培育相比较,几种珍珠贝的生长速率和成活率都有较大幅度的提高.其壳高生长速率的增幅分别为:珠母贝18.9%、18.2%、19.9%;大珠母贝22.8%、20.6%、23.5%;企鹅珍珠贝21.8%、20.7%、21.7%;均为差异显著(P＜0.05)或差异极显著(P＜0.01).成活率的增幅分别为:珠母贝175.0%、147.9%、133.9%;大珠母贝172.8%、159.0%、127.4%;企鹅珍珠贝122.5%、118.2%、102.2%,均为差异显著(P＜0.05)或差异极显著(P＜ 0.01).     

Karyological analysis of the sea cicada Blepharipoda liberate Shen from the Rizhao intertidal zone,China

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - Blepharipoda liberate Shen is a commercially valuable seafood species that has important ecological significance in Shandong Province, China. Although B....     

Preface to the special issue “Tectonics and depositional infilling of western Pacific marginal sea”

Marine Geophysical Research -