Multiple sulfur isotope chemostratigraphy across the Permian–Triassic boundary at Chaotian,China: Implications for a shoaling model of toxic deep-waters

Previous studies on multiple sulfur isotopes (³²S, ³³S, and ³⁴S) in sedimentary pyrite at the end-Permian suggested a shoaling of anoxic/sulfidic deep-water contributing to the extinction. This scenario is based on an assumption that the sedimentary sulfur cycle was largely controlled by benthos activity, though a stratigraphic correlation between the sulfur records and ichnofabrics of the sediments at the end-Permian has not yet been examined. We report the multiple sulfur isotopic composition of pyrite in the Permian–Triassic boundary interval at Chaotian, South China. Our data can be generally explained by a mixing of sulfur in sulfide from two different sources: one produced via sulfate reduction in an open system with respect to sulfate and the other produced in a closed system. In particular, the former with the substantially low δ³⁴S (<−40 ‰) and high ∆³³S (up to +0.100 ‰) values was likely produced via water-mass sulfate reduction or via sulfate reduction in oxic sediments with common burrows. The frequent occurrence of small pyrite framboids (mostly <5 μm in diameter) in the Lopingian (Late Permian) Dalong Formation of deep-water facies supports the enhanced water-mass sulfate reduction in an anoxic deep-water mass. The negative ∆³³S values are observed only in the oxic limestones, and no substantial ∆³³S change is observed across the extinction horizon despite of the disappearance of bioturbation. Our results are apparently inconsistent with the previous shoaling model. We expand the model and infer that, when the deep-water was sulfidic and its shoaling rate was high, a substantial amount of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) was supplied onto the shelf via the shoaling; that resulted in the positive ∆³³S value of the bulk sediments. The observed ∆³³S variation on a global scale suggests a substantial variation in H₂S concentration and/or in upwelling rate of shoaling deep-waters during the Permian–Triassic transition.     

Spatiotemporal characteristics of precipitation and extreme events on the Loess Plateau of China between 1957 and 2009

Spatiotemporal trends in precipitation may influence vegetation restoration, and extreme precipitation events profoundly affect soil erosion processes on the Loess Plateau. Daily data collected at 89 meteorological stations in the area between 1957 and 2009 were used to analyze the spatiotemporal trends of precipitation on the Loess Plateau and the return periods of different types of precipitation events classified in the study. Nonparametric methods were employed for temporal analysis, and the Kriging interpolation method was employed for spatial analysis. The results indicate a small decrease in precipitation over the Loess Plateau in last 53 years (although a Mann–Kendall test did not show this decrease to be significant), a southward shift in precipitation isohyets, a slightly delayed rainy season, and prolonged return periods, especially for rainstorm and heavy rainstorm events. Regional responses to global climate change have varied greatly. A slightly increasing trend in precipitation in annual and sub‐annual series, with no obvious shift of isohyets, and an evident decreasing trend in extreme precipitation events were detected in the northwest. In the southeast, correspondingly, a more seriously decreasing trend occurred, with clear shifts of isohyets and a slightly decreasing trend in extreme precipitation events. The result suggests that a negative trend in annual precipitation may have led to decreased soil erosion but an increase in sediment yield during several extreme events. These changes in the precipitation over the Loess Plateau should be noted, and countermeasures should be taken to reduce their adverse impacts on the sustainable development of the region. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中强地震随机有限断层模型应力降参数的确定方法

随机有限断层模型是模拟地震动加速度时程的一个重要工具.但将其应用于中强地震时,由于震源信息的准确性较差从而使模型参数具有较大的不确定性.尤其针对其中最为关键的应力降参数,目前相关研究较为缺乏且尚未形成系统的确定方法.本文基于美国Little Skull Mountain Mw5.6级地震2个近场台站记录的地震动模拟,详细研究了采用随机有限断层法拟合中强地震地震动伪加速度反应谱（PSA）来确定应力降参数值的方法,并在计算应力降时引入了其它震源参数的不确定性,随后对此方法的可行性进行了验证.研究表明：采用不同频段反应谱残差和计算得到的应力降值差别较大,确定中强地震应力降较为合适的反应谱频段是中高频,采用该频段确定的应力降参数值模拟的反应谱和峰值加速度与实际记录较为符合;脉冲子断层百分比、断层长宽、倾角和深度等震源参数按截断的正态分布或均匀分布随机抽样,拟合得到的应力降参数值与通过实际震源模型参数得到的值相近.以上研究结果对确定一个区域中强地震应力降或中强地震近场强震动模拟研究提供了更进一步的研究方法和研究方向.     

基于Matlab的震中分布图绘制软件应用

基于Matlab可视化图形用户界面程序,编制基于Mapinfo地理信息和双差地震精定位结果的地图及地震震中分布绘制软件,为地震预报研究提供高精度的震中分布图.运用该软件绘制重庆荣昌地区地震震中分布,可较好反映区域范围内构造展布情况,对地震研究起到积极作用.     

Seismic reliability assessment of urban water networks

We present a framework for the seismic risk assessment of water supply networks, operating in either normal or abnormal conditions. We propose a methodology for assessing the reliability of water pipe networks combining data of past non‐seismic damage and the vulnerability of the network components against seismic loading. Historical data are obtained using records of damages that occur on a daily basis throughout the network and are processed to produce‘survival curves’, depicting their estimated survival rate over time. The fragility of the network components is assessed using the approach suggested in the American Lifelines Alliance guidelines. The network reliability is assessed using graph theory, whereas the system network reliability is calculated using Monte Carlo simulation. The methodology proposed is demonstrated both on a simple, small‐scale, network and also on a real‐scale district metered area from the water network of the city of Limassol, Cyprus. The proposed approach allows the estimation of the probability that the network fails to provide the desired level of service and allows the prioritization of retrofit interventions and of capacity‐upgrade actions pertaining to existing water pipe networks. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

油页岩勘探开发现状及进展

油页岩是当今世界热门的非常规油气资源。受石油危机的影响,全球寻找替代能源的脚步不断加快。继美国凭借页岩气革命逆转其天然气长期依赖进口的局面之后,多个国家包括中国越来越重视油页岩这一清洁型的接替能源。本文对油页岩勘探开发现状及进展进行了详细阐述：1油页岩是一种高灰分、有机质含量丰富的未成熟烃源岩,沉积环境有陆相、湖相以及海相三种,其矿床类型可分为近海型和内陆湖泊型;2油页岩在世界范围内储量丰富,美国是油页岩储量最多的国家,中国的油页岩资源也十分丰富,但可采储量明显低于探明储量;3在测井响应方面,油页岩具有低密度、高电阻率、高声波时差及高自然伽玛的特点,主要识别方法有log R重叠法、电阻率法、密度测井法等;4油页岩地震识别方法主要包括甜点属性预测法以及基于岩石物理模型的正反演有机质含量预测法;5油页岩主要对含油率进行评价,可使用的方法包括干馏法、测井评价法和岩石热解法;6页岩油开采是油页岩勘探开发的难点,主要技术包括干馏、原位开采和热转换加工技术等。研究结果对了解油页岩的特征、发展动态、关键技术以及进一步推动油页岩勘探开发具有一定的借鉴作用。     

Assessment of chemical dispersant effectiveness in a wave tank under regular non-breaking and breaking wave conditions

Current chemical dispersant effectiveness tests for product selection are commonly performed with bench-scale testing apparatus. However, for the assessment of oil dispersant effectiveness under real sea state conditions, test protocols are required to have hydrodynamic conditions closer to the natural environment, including transport and dilution effects. To achieve this goal, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed and constructed a wave tank system to study chemical dispersant effectiveness under controlled mixing energy conditions (regular non-breaking, spilling breaking, and plunging breaking waves). Quantification of oil dispersant effectiveness was based on observed changes in dispersed oil concentrations and oil-droplet size distribution. The study results quantitatively demonstrated that total dispersed oil concentration and breakup kinetics of oil droplets in the water column were strongly dependent on the presence of chemical dispersants and the influence of breaking waves. These data on the effectiveness of dispersants as a function of sea state will have significant implications in the drafting of future operational guidelines for dispersant use at sea.     

Basin and crustal velocity structure models for the simulation of strong ground motions in the Kinki area,Japan

We constructed a prototype of the basin and crustal structure model for the Kinki area, southwest of Japan, for the simulation of strong ground motions of hypothetical crustal and subduction earthquakes. We collected results of the deep seismic velocity profiles obtained by the reflection experiments and seismic imaging results, which were conducted in the Kinki area. The obtained profiles give underground velocity structures of the crust, from the surface to the subducting slab. We also gather the basin velocity structure information of the Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Ohmi basins. To examine the applicability of the constructed velocity structure model to the ground motion simulation, we simulated waveforms of an intermediate size event occurred near the source area of the hypothetical subduction earthquakes. Simulated ground motions using the basin and crustal velocity structure model are fairly well reproducing the observations at most of stations, and the constructed basin and crustal velocity structure model is applicable for the long-period ground motion simulations.     

A cascade approach to continuous rainfall data generation at point locations

High-resolution temporal rainfall data sequences serve as inputs for a range of applications in planning, design and management of small (especially urban) water resources systems, including continuous flow simulation and evaluation of alternate policies for environmental impact assessment. However, such data are often not available, since their measurements are costly and time-consuming. One alternative to obtain high-resolution data is to try to derive them from available low-resolution information through a disaggregation procedure. This study evaluates a random cascade approach for generation of high-resolution rainfall data at a point location. The approach is based on the concept of scaling in rainfall, or, relating the properties associated with the rainfall process at one temporal scale to a finer-resolution scale. The procedure involves two steps: (1) identification of the presence of scaling behavior in the rainfall process; and (2) generation of synthetic data possessing same/similar scaling properties of the observed rainfall data. The scaling identification is made using a statistical moment scaling function, and the log–Poisson distribution is assumed to generate the synthetic rainfall data. The effectiveness of the approach is tested on the rainfall data observed at the Sydney Observatory Hill, Sydney, Australia. Rainfall data corresponding to four different successively doubled resolutions (daily, 12, 6, and 3 h) are studied, and disaggregation of data is attempted only between these successively doubled resolutions. The results indicate the presence of multi-scaling behavior in the rainfall data. The synthetic data generated using the log–Poisson distribution are found to exhibit scaling behaviors that match very well with that for the observed data. However, the results also indicate that fitting the scaling function alone does not necessarily mean reproducing the broader attributes that characterize the data. This observation clearly points out the extreme caution needed in the application of the existing methods for identification of scaling in rainfall, especially since such methods are also prevalent in studies of the emerging satellite observations and thus in the broader spectrum of hydrologic modeling.     

A seismological overview of long-period ground motion

Long-period ground motion has become an increasingly important consideration because of the recent rapid increase in the number of large-scale structures, such as high-rise buildings and oil storage tanks. Large subduction-zone earthquakes and moderate to large crustal earthquakes can generate far-source long-period ground motions in distant sedimentary basins with the help of path effects. Near-fault long-period ground motions are generated, for the most part, by the source effects of forward rupture directivity. Far-source long-period ground motions consist primarily of surface waves with longer durations than near-fault long-period ground motions. They were first recognized in the seismograms of the 1968 Tokachi-oki and 1966 Parkfield earthquakes, and their identification has been applied to the 1964 Niigata earthquake and earlier earthquakes. Even if there is no seismogram, we can identify far-source long-period ground motions through the investigation of tank damage by liquid sloshing.