Dynamic properties and liquefaction resistance of two soil materials in an earthfill dam—Laboratory test results

Results are presented of laboratory resonant column and cyclic triaxial tests on specimens of two compacted soils (a sandy–silty clay and a sand–gravel mixture), planned to be used in the core and the shells, respectively, of a proposed earthfill dam. The values of low-amplitude shear modulus of the clayey material were found to increase with increasing confining pressure and decreasing water content, with deviations of ±20% from the predictions of the “Hardin equation”. On the other hand, the low-amplitude damping ratio was found to be at least four times higher than the values corresponding to natural undisturbed cohesive soils. The proposed G/G₀−γ_c curve for the compacted cohesive soil was found to be independent of confining pressure and small variations of the water content on either side of the optimum value and showed a remarkable agreement with recently published similar curves for natural cohesive soils. For the case of the sand–gravel mixture, normalized G/G₀–γ_c and D–γ_c curves are proposed, based on recently published results for gravelly soils and the limited data of the present study. The liquefaction resistance of the saturated sand–gravel mixture was found to be strongly dependent on its relative density, especially for high values of cyclic stress ratio. A relative density of at least 55% was found to be necessary to assure safety against earthquake-induced liquefaction of the material. The results presented herein may be used (directly or as guide) in the seismic analysis of (new or existing) earth dams constructed from similar soil materials and in addition they provide insight into the dynamic behavior of compacted soils.     

OCTS mission overview

The Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (OCTS) on board the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) observed the chlorophyll-a concentration in the surface layer and sea surface temperature in global oceans from October 1996 to June 1997. The OCTS team was formed in the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) Earth Observation Research Center (EORC) to develop algorithm, calibrate and validate OCTS products and promote OCTS data usage. Intensive efforts to improve the quality of the OCTS products were made after the launch of ADEOS. Much sea-truth data was collected, and the algorithms to retrieve the ocean parameters have been revised several times. The OCTS data were distributed to the user community through the Internet while OCTS was functioning. An overview of the OCTS mission is presented in this paper. The OCTS Team is formed by NASDA personnel and supporting scientists listed in Appendix 1.     

The continental tectosphere and Earth's long-wavelength gravity field

To estimate the average density contrast associated with the continental tectosphere, we separately project the degree 2–36 non-hydrostatic geoid and free-air gravity anomalies onto several tectonic regionalizations. Because both the regionalizations and the geoid have distinctly red spectra, we do not use conventional statistical analysis, which is based on the assumption of white spectra. Rather, we utilize a Monte Carlo approach that incorporates the spectral properties of these fields. These simulations reveal that the undulations of Earth's geoid correlate with surface tectonics no better than they would were it randomly oriented with respect to the surface. However, our simulations indicate that free-air gravity anomalies correlate with surface tectonics better than almost 98% of our trials in which the free-air gravity anomalies were randomly oriented with respect to Earth's surface. The average geoid anomaly and free-air gravity anomaly over platforms and shields are significant at slightly better than the one-standard-deviation level: −11±8 m and −4±3 mgal, respectively. After removing from the geoid estimated contributions associated with (1) a simple model of the continental crust and oceanic lithosphere, (2) the lower mantle, (3) subducted slabs, and (4) remnant glacial isostatic disequilibrium, we estimate a platform and shield signal of −8±4 m. We conclude that there is little contribution of platforms and shields to the gravity field, consistent with their keels having small density contrasts. Using this estimate of the platform and shield signal, and previous estimates of upper-mantle shear-wave travel-time perturbations, we find that the average value of ∂lnρ/∂lnν_s within the 140–440 km depth range is 0.04±0.02. A continental tectosphere with an isopycnic (equal-density) structure (∂lnρ/∂lnν_s=0) enforced by compositional variations is consistent with this result at the 2.0σ level. Without compositional buoyancy, the continental tectosphere would have an average ∂lnρ/∂lnν_s≈0.25, exceeding our estimate by 10σ.     

Analytical versus semi-analytical determinations of the Oppolzer terms for a non-rigid Earth

Estimations of the Oppolzer terms for the angular momentum and rotation axes of a non-rigid Earth are obtained from two different approaches and compared. The first approach is an analytical method which relies on the solutions of the Liouville equations for a two-layer Earth model. The Oppolzer terms are evaluated from analytical expressions. The results are then compared to those calculated from Wahr's theory of nutation for a non-rigid Earth, which is the second approach used. Results are obtained for the main nutation frequencies and for the precession case. The differences between the two solutions are generally quite small (the relative error is most of the time under 8%) and are, for a large part, due to successive approximations and truncation effects during their determination. Departures of the results from the two methods are significantly larger for frequencies near the Free Core Nutation (FCN) resonance. This is particularly true for the Oppolzer terms of the angular momentum axis. The Earth model adopted is a little bit different in each case: for the Liouville system solution, we have limited the model to a homogeneous elastic mantle and a homogeneous liquid core. Another source of some of the small differences in the results is the presence of a solid inner core in Wahr's theory. We confirm through the analytical calculation the strong effect of the core on the Oppolzer terms of the angular momentum axis for a non-rigid Earth at the precession frequency. Finally, an application is given in the determination of the axes' position at J2000 for a non-rigid Earth. Received: 23 February 1998 /Accepted: 18 November 1998     

Lu-Hf同位素体系对若干基础地质问题的新制约(之一)--地球早期演化

Ｌｕ－Ｈｆ同位素方法已趋成熟,主要得益于其化学方法的极大改进和与之配套的高电离率质谱仪的使用。Ｌｕ－Ｈｆ同位素方法在地球的早期性质研究中表明,部分古太古代片麻岩Ｓｍ－Ｎｄ同位素体系所记录的早期地幔的“极度”亏损,实际是对其同位素体系热扰动的反映;关于大陆地壳的生长模式,石英岩锆石Ｌｕ－Ｈｆ同位素特征支持了幕式增生的观点     

Oxygen in the Earth's core: a first-principles study

First-principles electronic structure calculations based on DFT have been used to study the thermodynamic, structural and transport properties of solid solutions and liquid alloys of iron and oxygen at Earth's core conditions. Aims of the work are to determine the oxygen concentration needed to account for the inferred density in the outer core, to probe the stability of the liquid against phase separation, to interpret the bonding in the liquid, and to find out whether the viscosity differs significantly from that of pure liquid iron at the same conditions. It is shown that the required concentration of oxygen is in the region 25–30 mol%, and evidence is presented for phase stability at these conditions. The Fe/O bonding is partly ionic, but with a strong covalent component. The viscosity is lower than that of pure liquid iron at Earth's core conditions. It is shown that earlier first-principles calculations indicating very large enthalpies of formation of solid solutions may need reinterpretation, since the assumed crystal structures are not the most stable at the oxygen concentration of interest.     

Optimum observing strategies

The distribution of observations giving the smallest errors for specific purposes is found in the general case by a numerical procedure. Examples consider the minimum error ellipse for the recovery of a distant asteroid, a main belt object and the position in the target plane for a close approach to the Earth. The observations should be performed only on a few critical nights and inefficient times avoided. The methods are of interest for the optimum strategies for surveys and the determination of initial orbits.     

数值预报AI气象大模型国际发展动态研究

数值预报是研究地球系统的重要工具,有助于加深科学家对大气、海洋、气候和环境等复杂系统之间相互作用和变化过程的理解,在防灾减灾、气候变化和环境治理等方面发挥着不可或缺的作用。随着模式复杂度和分辨率的提高,传统数值模式在气候变化研究和气候预测方面取得了迅速的进展,但也面临一些挑战,需要得到数据同化、集合耦合、高性能计算和不确定性分析等多方面的支持。而近年来,“AI+气象”的交叉研究在气象领域引起了广泛关注。基于多种深度学习架构的人工智能大模型,依托强大的计算资源和海量的数据进行训练,能够以新的科学范式进行高效数值预报。气象大模型不断涌现,一些科技公司如华为、英伟达、DeepMind、谷歌、微软等,以及国内外高校如清华大学、复旦大学、密歇根大学、莱斯大学等发布了多个涵盖临近预报、短时预报、中期预报和延伸期预报等不同领域的气象大模型。这标志着人工智能与气象领域的交叉融合已经达到新的高度。尽管气象大模型在现阶段取得了较大突破,但其发展仍然面临弱可解释性、泛化能力不足、极端事件预报强度偏低、智能预报结果过平滑、深度学习框架能力需要拓展等诸多挑战。     

多系统集成的全球地球观测系统与全球海洋观测系统

多系统集成的全球地球观测系统(GEOO S)是一个新概念,它从更高层次上规划全球的地球观测,国际社会十分重视这一系统的建设,其关键是综合、协调、持续的地球观测系统。全球海洋观测系统(GOO S)是GEO SS的重要组成部分,是它的一个子系统。文中阐述了GEO SS的基本概念及与GOO S的关系,综述了海洋环境基本要素观测技术特别是遥感观测技术的最新进展,它也是GEOO S的基本观测手段。     

JCZ-1T超宽频带地震计作为综合观测仪器的拓展应用

JCZ-1T超宽频带地震计具有全频带覆盖特性,其低频端输出延伸到固体潮汐,提出了获取稳定的低频端数据的观测条件.利用地震计LP通道连续观测数据中的垂直分向数据经过处理获得的重力资料,以及水平分向数据经过处理获得的倾斜资料做了Venedikov调和分析.对印尼8.7级大地震数据进行处理,获得地球自由振荡的功率谱密度.仪器可获取与地震事件密切相关的综合观测数据.