Multichannel reflectance spectral assaying of zinc and copper flotation slurries

This article extends the earlier work (Haavisto et al. 2008. Optical spectrum based measurement of flotation slurry contents. Int. J. Miner. Process. 88 (3–4), 80–88), where visible and near-infrared (VNIR) reflectance spectroscopy was used together with an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to improve the assaying of zinc flotation concentrate. Especially the sampling interval of the assay could be drastically reduced by the presented approach. In this study, a multichannel VNIR spectrum analyzer is utilized to measure the spectrum of the seven most important slurry lines in copper and zinc flotation circuits. Recursive data-based modeling is applied to the VNIR spectrum data and XRF assays to calculate and adaptively maintain the calibration model. The accuracy of the VNIR assays is evaluated in all the lines, and the benefits of the obtained high frequency assays in detecting oscillations and sudden grade changes are demonstrated.     

CMIP5模式对冬季北极涛动的模拟和预估

基于NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和CMIP5的19个模式结果,从异常模态、年代际趋势和周期特征等方面评估了CMIP5耦合模式对冬季北极涛动(Arctic Oscillation,AO)的模拟能力,并对未来RCP4.5、RCP8.5两种浓度路径下AO的可能变化趋势给出了定性的预估。CMIP5模式历史试验结果显示,大多数模式都能够模拟出AO模态的基本结构,但是对中心位置、强度的模拟存在较大的偏差,其中MPI-ESM-LR和Had GEM2-AO能较好地模拟出AO整体模态来。在历史演变和周期特征的刻画方面,模式的冬季海平面气压经验正交函数分解第一模态时间序列(Principal Component,PC1)基本能够反映出1950~1970年以来的减弱趋势,但对1970年以后的增长趋势模拟并不明显,而北半球环状模指数(Zonal Index,ZI)序列对两个阶段的趋势均可模拟出来,模式的PC1和ZI序列总体表现为正的变化趋势。有一半以上的模式对2~3 a高频周期模拟较好,但对20 a左右的周期模拟较差,其中仅有Can ESM2、CNRM-CM5、GFDL-ESM2G这3个模式对ZI指数的两个周期变化模拟较好。在RCP4.5和RCP8.5两种浓度路径下,ZI序列有显著的上升趋势,从长期趋势系数看RCP4.5路径下有14个模式呈现正的变化趋势,其中有10个模式通过了检验。RCP8.5浓度路径下,16个模式为正变化趋势,有11个模式通过了检验,集合平均结果正变化趋势较为显著。两种浓度路径下不同时段的海平面气压变化趋势表明,ZI序列的年代际变化明显,存在3个不同的变化阶段——2006~2039年、2070~2100年为两个上升阶段,2040~2069年为缓慢下降阶段。     

2012-2013年中国西南地区秋、冬、春季持续干旱的成因

利用多种资料从大尺度大气环流、水汽输送、热带海表温度、北极涛动、平流层极涡等方面分析了2012-2013年中国西南地区秋、冬、春季持续干旱的成因。结果表明, 西南水汽输送偏弱、高纬度地区南下冷空气路径偏东、冷暖空气难以在西南地区上空交汇, 是此次持续干旱的直接原因。这段时间西南地区大都受平直西风气流控制, 孟加拉湾和中南半岛地区位势高度较常年偏高, 不利于这些地区气旋性环流的发展;热带海表温度异常变化,特别是冬春季印度洋海表温度的持续偏高, 使得菲律宾地区上空低层反气旋异常环流增强。这些都导致了西南向水汽输送偏弱。此外, 北极涛动异常变化对西南地区的干旱也有重要影响, 北极涛动持续处于负位相, 不仅使南支槽减弱变浅, 西南水汽输送减少, 还导致贝加尔湖高压脊偏弱, 使北方南下冷空气主体偏东。冬季平流层极涡强度的变化在各个高度的位势高度场和位势涡度场上都有体现, 其变化对冷空气的强度及路径有明显影响。     

Impacts of El Nino-Southern Oscillation events on China’s rice production

This paper aims to demonstrate the relationships between ENSO and rice production of Jiangxi province in order to identify the reason that ENSO might have little effect on Chinese rice production. Using a data set with measures of Jiangxi’s climate and rice production, we find the reason that during 1985 and 2004 ENSO’s well correlated with rainfall did not promote Chinese rice production. First, the largest effects of ENSO mostly occur in the months when there is no rice in the field. Second, there is almost no temperature effect. Finally, the monthly distribution of rainfall is almost the same in ENSO and neutral years because the largest effects are during months when there is the least rain. In addition, due to the high irrigation share and reliable and effective irrigation facilities of cultivated land, China’s rice production is less climate-sensitive.     

A late Holocene paleo-productivity record in the western Gulf of Maine,USA, inferred from growth histories of the long-lived ocean quahog (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arctica islandica</Emphasis>)

To investigate environmental variability during the late Holocene in the western Gulf of Maine, USA, we collected a 142-year-old living bivalve (Arctica islandica) in 2004, and three fossil A. islandica shells of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and late MWP / Little Ice Age (LIA) period (corrected ¹⁴C_AMS = 1030 ± 78 ad; 1320 ± 45 ad; 1357 ± 40 ad) in 1996. We compared the growth record of the modern shell with continuous plankton recorder (CPR) time-series (1961–2003) from the Gulf of Maine. A significant correlation (r ² = 0.55; p < 0.0001) exists between the standardized annual growth index (SGI) of the modern shell and the relative abundance of zooplankton species Calanus finmarchicus. We therefore propose that SGI data from A. islandica is a valid proxy for paleo-productivity of at least one major zooplankton taxa. SGIs from these shells reveal significant periods of 2–6 years (NAO-like) based on wavelet analysis, multitaper method (MTM) analysis and singular spectrum analysis (SSA) during the late Holocene. Based on established physical oceanographic observation in the Gulf of Maine, we suggest that slope water variability coupled with North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) dynamics is primarily responsible for the observed SGI variability. Special Issue: AGU OS06 special issue “Ocean’s role in climate change—a paleo perspective”.     

Medium timescale stability of tidal mudflats in Bridgwater Bay,Bristol Channel,UK: Influence of tides,waves and climate

This paper presents the results of an 11-year study into mudflat elevation changes within the intertidal zone at Stert Flats in Bridgwater Bay, Somerset. This site is located in the outer Severn Estuary/inner Bristol Channel which is a macro-hypertidal regime dominated by physical processes, characterized by strong tidal currents, high turbidity and a significant degree of exposure to wind generated waves. Two transects of stakes were installed perpendicular to the coast, extending seawards 300 m from the edge of the saltmarsh onto the mudflats, against which variations in accretion or erosion could be measured. The mudflats themselves consisted of an underlying consolidated clay of Holocene age and a surface veneer of fluid mud and/or mobile sand patches which varied both spatially and temporally. Mudflat development was recorded over both short-term (monthly/seasonal) and medium-term (inter-annual) timescales. The results display a significant degree of scatter over all timescales. Such variability in response may be expected in such a dynamic system where noise can be attributed to a combination of factors such as the mobility of surface fluid mud and sand patches and the migration of the underlying ridge–runnel drainage network. Despite this, the expected short-term variations related to neap–spring tidal conditions and seasonal influences were observed at a number of locations on the transects although these were weakly expressed. The over-riding feature of the profiles is a consistent long-term trend of erosion which appears to be masking shorter term trends within the dataset. Viewed over the 11-year period, the changes in mudflat elevation closely match the pattern of the index of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during the 1990s, suggesting a strong climatic control over mudflat development on a medium-term/decadal scale. Most profiles display a strong erosional trend during the early 1990s when the NAO index was positive. The erosional trend peaked in 1995 at a time during which the values for monthly winter mean significant wave height were notably high. Between 1996 and 2001 the profiles generally record accretion and the data display significant variability. This corresponds with a shift to a strongly negative and then weakly positive NAO index phase. The fact that such a general atmospheric factor correlates so closely with medium timescale elevation change is attributed to relative weakness of biological binding and burrowing at this site, and more-so to the overwhelming dominance of the physical regime, especially the tidal current and the wind–wave regime. Both the background erosional trend and the influence of the index of the NAO in controlling mudflat evolution have important implications relating to coastal management. These are discussed in relation to coastal defence measures, morphological response to major civil engineering projects (e.g. Severn Tidal Power Barrage) and the prospect of climate change, sea-level rise and a possible increase in strength of NAO conditions in the future.     

全球变暖减速与郭增建的“海震调温假说”

数值计算表明,潮汐形变和潮汐震荡是海流循环和季节性厄尔尼诺现象发生的原因.2004年12月26日印尼地震海啸后,全球低温冻害和暴雪灾害频繁发生.气候潮汐循环说和"深海巨震降温说"是一种合理的解释,2005～2008年全球气温因为强潮汐和地震海啸而降低.西方科学家也承认了这一客观事实:过去两年里,自然气候的变化抵消了全球气候变暖效应并将继续促使气温在2008年保持缓慢变化的趋势.气候潮汐循环说和海震调温说,阐明了冷气候、强潮汐和强震相互对应的物理机制,对2000年地球进入拉马德雷冷位相后的气候预测有重大科学意义.中国连续18年暖冬的终结是2000年地球进入拉马德雷冷位相和印尼发生地震海啸的合理结果.规律表明,在拉马德雷冷位相时期,全球强震、低温、飓风伴随拉尼那、全球性流感伴随厄尔尼诺将越来越强烈.地球自转、最强潮汐和特大地震都有准四年周期.特大地震可能发生在2000～2030年拉马德雷冷位相时期中的前18年左右.     

Southern Oscillation forced by heat source and topography

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