Scale-dependent fractal dimensions of topographic surfaces: An empirical investigation, with applications in geomorphology and computer mapping

Fractional Brownian surfaces have been widely discussed as an appropriate model for the statistical behavior of topographic surfaces. The fractals model proposes that topographic surfaces are statistically self-similar, and that a single parameter, the fractal dimension, applies at all scales. This paper presents the results of empirical examinations of 17 topographic samples. Only one of these samples shows the statistical behavior predicted by the fractals model; however, in 15 of the 17 samples, the surfaces' variograms could be adequately described by ranges of scales having constant fractal dimension, separated by distinct scale breaks. For scale ranges between adjacent breaks, surface behavior should be that predicted by the fractals model; the breaks represent characteristic horizontal scales, at which surface behavior changes substantially. These scale breaks are especially important for cartographic representations and digital elevation models, since they represent scales at which there is a distinct change in the relation between sampling interval and the associated error.     

Digital topography of volcanoes from radar interferometry: an example from Mt Vesuvius,Italy

A new airborne radar technique can generate digital topographic data for volcanoes at a scale of 10 m spatial and 1–5 m vertical, with a swath width of 6.4 km. Called TOPSAR, the intrument is an interferometric radar flown on the NASA DC-8 aircraft. TOPSAR data permit the quantification of volcano slopes, volumes, and heights, and as such will be valuable for the analysis of lava flows, domes, and lahar channels. This instrument will be flown over several volcanoes in the near future, providing volcanologists with valuable data sets for the analysis of high-resolution topography. We briefly illustrate the potential use of TOPSAR data through examples from Mt Somma and Vesuvius, Italy.     

Unilateral ARMA processes on a square net by the herringbone method

Because multidimensional ARMA processes have great potential for the simulation of geological parameters such as aquifer permeability, it was important to resolve which of two proposed alternative methods should be used for determining the two-dimensional weighting parameter, , for a unilateral ARMA (1, 0) process on a square net. Practical simulations demonstrates that the correct formulation is: =₁₀/(1+ ₁₀ ² where _r,s is the correlation between lattice points at lagsr and s. When the simulations are performed with correlations of 0.8 or more a residual bias was detected which was found to be caused by a difference in the variance between the one- and two-dimensional models. This can be rectified by modifying the two- dimensional model as follows: z_ij=(z_{i–1, j} + z_{i, j–1}) + a_ij where ²=1/(1 + ₁₀ ² ).     

Shallow landslides in pyroclastic soils: a distributed modelling approach for hazard assessment

An effective assessment of shallow landslide hazard requires spatially distributed modelling of triggering processes. This is possible by using physically based models that allow us to simulate the transient hydrological and geotechnical processes responsible for slope instability. Some simplifications are needed to address the lack of data and the difficulty of calibration over complex terrain at the catchment's scale. We applied two simple hydrological models, coupled with the infinite slope stability analysis, to the May 1998 landslide event in Sarno, Southern Italy. A quasi-dynamic model (Barling et al., 1994) was used to model the contribution to instability of lateral flow by simulating the time-dependent formation of a groundwater table in response to rainfall. A diffusion model [Water Resour. Res. 36 (2000) 1897] was used to model the role of vertical flux by simulating groundwater pressures that develop in response to heavy rainstorms. The quasi-dynamic model overestimated the slope instability over the whole area (more than 16%) but was able to predict correctly slope instability within zero order basins where landslides occurred and developed into large debris flows. The diffusion model simulated correctly the triggering time of more than 70% of landslides within an unstable area amounting to 7.3% of the study area. These results support the hypothesis that both vertical and lateral fluxes were responsible for landslide triggering during the Sarno event, and confirm the utility of such models as tools for hazard planning and land management.     

巴西Paraná和Bahia地区滑石矿床的地质特征与成因模式

本文总结了巴西两个最重要的滑石产地,Parana和Bahia区中滑石矿床的地质特征,并探讨了这些矿床的可能成因。巴西的滑石在世界滑石储量与产量中占有十分重要的地位。巴西Parana和Bahia区的滑石矿主要产于前寒武纪地体中。尽管该区的滑石具有不同的地质产状,与变质火山岩和变质沉积岩共生的滑石最为重要。其他类型的滑石,如与镁铁质-超镁铁质岩共生的、在花岗岩与白云质大理岩接触带的、在花岗岩体中呈包体或顶垂体状的、则相对不重要。在巴西与岩浆活动有关的滑石矿化主要发生在前寒武纪(Bahia区)和白垩纪(Parana区)。滑石的成因模式主要有两类:一为与岩浆热液有关的热液交代成矿模式,另一是起源于盆地热卤水的变质流体交代成矿模式。其中后一种成因模式可用来解释巴西的大多数大型滑石矿床,同时也适用于其他地区,如中国辽宁和乌拉尔南部的滑石成矿。     

DEM中线性信息提取方法研究

DEM中线性信息提取方法按照提取时使用信息范围的广度可分为全局方法和局部方法。其中全局方法包括确定水流模型方法和随机水流模型方法,局部方法包括垂向截面方法、水平截面方法和曲面拟合方法。并对各方法及其改进方法进行了研究。     

瞬变电磁法对地下不同位置多个三维薄板探测能力的研究

以层状地层中多个位于不同位置和不同埋深的三维导电薄板为例,对瞬变电磁(TEM)法分辨地下多个三维异常体的能力进行了详细的分析和讨论.模型计算的结果表明,无论异常体与源的距离远近,TEM法对近地表的多个异常体分辨能力总是很好.当多个异常体在垂直方向排列时,TEM法对它们的探测能力最差;当它们以不同埋深沿测线方向排列时,埋深最浅和最近源的异常体最容易探测到;当夹在中间的异常体规模较小、埋深较大时,它的异常场容易被其它异常体所掩盖.总体上讲,无论在源下方还是在接收器下方,TEM法对水平方向多个异常体分辨能力优于垂向上的.     

不同应力路径下砂土的神经网络弹塑性本构模型研究

基于多种应力路径下砂土的加载、卸载和再加载过程的三轴排水试验数据，研究了三种应力路径对屈服面的影响，其结果表明，不同应力路径对砂土的本构模型有着不可忽视的作用。在此基础上，建立了砂土的弹塑性神经网络模型，对相应路径下的本构关系进行了学习。实例分析表明，该模型能够很好地描述具体应力路径下的本构关系，神经网络建模方法具有方便、容错性强的特点，对岩土力学快速、高效数值方法的进一步发展具有重要的参考价值。同时，在这种弹塑性应力-应变关系中，笔者并没有使用塑性势函数，这在目前的弹塑性本构关系的建模中是一种新的尝试。     

InSAR系列讲座5:InSAR系统中的误差传播

作为InSAR系列讲座的第五篇，本文介绍InSAR高程与形变测量中的误差来源，对主要误差源（干涉相位、基线参数和地形数据）推导出误差传播模型。此外，还将讨论地形数据误差对干涉形变测量的影响。     

一次特大暴雨形成中天气尺度和次天气尺度系统的作用

采用中尺度数值模式MM5V2对1998年6月下旬发生在长江流域持续的暴雨过程进行分析研究。通过尺度分离与数值模拟对比试验，着重分析了暴雨过程中天气尺度与次天气尺度各物理量场的结构特征，提出本次暴雨过程形成的物理机制:天气尺度流场与水汽场为降水提供持续的远距离水汽输送通道，次天气尺度流场形成稳定的经向强辐合，为水汽的抬升与凝结提供动力条件；在有利的高、低空急流的配置下，暴雨区落在高空急流轴以南、低空急流轴以北；次天气尺度温度场下暖上冷的热力不稳定层结促进了热力不稳定的发展，促使暴雨增幅；特大暴雨发生地区上空的次天气尺度湿度的高值中心，有利于湿空气在上升运动中释放潜热，形成暴雨的反馈机制。数值试验分离模式初始场不同尺度系统信息，揭示了不同尺度系统在暴雨发生过程中的动力作用，没有中尺度系统的配合，仅有天气尺度系统信息，或只有次天气尺度系统信息，没有大尺度系统的配合，暴雨的强度及范围都将有所消减。分析及数值试验结果表明大暴雨是在天气尺度和次天气尺度系统的共同作用下才得以产生和维持的。