Basal‐topographic control of stationary ponds on a continuously moving landslide

The Slumgullion landslide in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado has been moving for at least the last few hundred years and has multiple ponds on its surface. We have studied eight ponds during 30 trips to the landslide between July 1998 and July 2007. During each trip, we have made observations on the variability in pond locations and water levels, taken ground‐based photographs to document pond water with respect to moving landslide material and vegetation, conducted Global Positioning System surveys of the elevations of water levels and mapped pond sediments on the landslide surface. Additionally, we have used stereo aerial photographs taken in October 1939, October 1940 and July 2000 to measure topographic profiles of the eight pond locations, as well as a longitudinal profile along the approximate centerline of the landslide, to examine topographic changes over a 60‐ to 61‐year period of time. Results from field observations, analyses of photographs, mapping and measurements indicate that all pond locations have remained spatially stationary for 60–300 years while landslide material moves through these locations. Water levels during the observation period were sensitive to changes in the local, spring‐fed, stream network, and to periodic filling of pond locations by sediment from floods, hyperconcentrated flows, mud flows and debris flows. For pond locations to remain stationary, the locations must mimic depressions along the basal surface of the landslide. The existence of such depressions indicates that the topography of the basal landslide surface is irregular. These results suggest that, for translational landslides that have moved distances larger than the dimensions of the largest basal topographic irregularities (about 200 m at Slumgullion), landslide surface morphology can be used as a guide to the morphology of the basal slip surface. Because basal slip surface morphology can affect landslide stability, kinematic models and stability analyses of translational landslides should attempt to incorporate irregular basal surface topography. Additional implications for moving landslides where basal topography controls surface morphology include the following: dateable sediments or organic material from basal layers of stationary ponds will yield ages that are younger than the date of landslide initiation, and it is probable that other landslide surface features such as faults, streams, springs and sinks are also controlled by basal topography. The longitudinal topographic profile indicated that the upper part of the Slumgullion landslide was depleted at a mean vertical lowering rate of 5.6 cm/yr between 1939 and 2000, while the toe advanced at an average rate of 1.5 m/yr during the same period. Therefore, during this 61‐year period, neither the depletion of material at the head of the landslide nor continued growth of the landslide toe has decreased the overall movement rate of the landslide. Continued depletion of the upper part of the landslide, and growth of the toe, should eventually result in stabilization of the landslide. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

太行山山前断裂西南段地壳介质各向异性特征浅析

根据太行山山前断裂西南端, 包括石家庄及其周边地区的位于太行隆起与华北盆地两大地质构造单元交汇处的构造环境复杂情况。 该文应用SAM分析方法与首都圈近4年(2002年1月至2005年8月)的观测数据, 分析该区地壳介质各向异性特征。 研究结果表明, 太行山山前断裂西南端快剪切波平均偏振方向与华北区域最大主压应力场方向一致, 是区域应力环境的较好描述。 该区慢剪切波平均时间延迟比较首都圈西北部和东南部均较小。 区内台站的快剪切偏振方向既受到区域构造背景应力环境的作用, 又受到局部的NNE向构造带的制约, 是两者共同作用的结果。 井径(JNX)台站的剪切波分裂参数与紧邻台站有明显不同, 其原因有待更多数据加以补充并做细致讨论。     

The microtine distribution and its environmental significance since the Middle Pleistocene in Zhangping Caves of the Qinling Mountains

Three microtine species are recovered from the Zhangping Caves of the Qingling Mountains, namely Microtus oeconomus, Caryomys inez and Caryomys eva. They are climate-sensitive ones with different ecological habits, therefore their distribution well corresponds to environmental variations. Statistical comparison of the distribution of fossil microtines and their counterparts nowadays displays that the climate variation of the studied area and its contiguity since the middle Pleistocene are: warm and humid at 493 ka ago, cool and humid at 259 ka ago―cold and humid at 205 ka ago―cool and humid at 28 ka ago, and warm and dry at present.     

Vegetation patterns and diversity along an altitudinal and a grazing gradient in the Jabal al Akhdar mountain range of northern Oman

Little is known about the effects of grazing on vegetation composition on the Arabian Peninsula. The aim of this study therefore was to analyse the vegetation response to environmental conditions of open woodlands along an altitudinal and a grazing gradient in the Jabal al Akhdar mountain range of Oman. The species composition, vegetation structure, grazing damage and several environmental variables were investigated for 62 samples using a nested plot design. Classification analysis and a Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) were used to define vegetation types and to identify underlying environmental gradients. The relationship between environmental variables and diversity was analysed using correlation coefficients and a main-effects ANOVA. The plant species richness followed a unimodal distribution along the altitudinal gradient with the highest number of species at the intermediate altitudinal belt. The cluster analysis led to five vegetation groups: The Sideroxylon mascatense–Dodonaea viscosa group on grazed and the Olea europaea–Fingerhuthia africana group on ungrazed plateau sites at 2000 m a.s.l., the Ziziphus spina-christi–Nerium oleander group at wadi sites and the Moringa peregrina–Pteropyrum scoparium group at 1200 m a.s.l, and the Acacia gerrardii–Leucas inflata group at 1700 m a.s.l. The CVA indicated a clear distinction of the groups obtained by the agglomerative cluster analysis. The landform, altitude and grazing intensity were found to be the most important variables distinguishing between clusters. Overgrazing of the studied rangeland is an increasing environmental problem, whereas the plant composition at ungrazed sites pointed to a relatively fast and high regeneration potential of the local vegetation.     

西部山区县级土地利用制图的尺度选择——以四川省甘孜州为例

针对西部山区县级土地利用总体规划修编工作中暴露出的制图尺度问题,以四川省甘孜州为例,在土地利用制图成果的基础上分析了该区内石渠、甘孜、乡城不同尺度的县级土地利用制图效果。通过对比,探讨了西部山区土地利用制图适宜尺度的选择。结果表明：（1）不同尺度下县级土地利用制图在保持精度前提下,更注重经费和人力投入来合理选择尺度。（2）西部山区土地详细规划制图宜采用大比例尺（1∶5万或更大）;县级重点城镇的土地详细规划,以1∶500或1∶1 000为主。土地利用总体规划制图,州级重点县可以考虑1∶1万-1∶5万尺度,重点城镇采用1∶1 000和1∶500;一般县宜采用1∶5万-1∶10万的尺度;而其他如位于高寒牧区的县可以采取1∶10万-1∶25万的数据。     

长白山区泥炭沼泽磁化率特征及其环境意义

以长白山区泥炭沼泽为研究对象,沿不同海拔选择赤池、锦北、大牛沟、金川和哈尔巴岭5个代表性采样点。通过对沼泽垂直剖面的精细采样,利用210Pb和137Cs方法对5个剖面进行高精度定年,综合研究和分析泥炭沉积物质量磁化率沿深度垂直分布特征,进而揭示其环境意义。结果表明,长白山区泥炭沼泽磁化率在表层具有明显的富集规律,富集时间始于20世纪初,并在20世纪后期达到峰值,且其富集含量可达以下层位富集平均值的5～10倍;长白山区泥炭磁化率的表聚性特征反映了在盛行西风等自然因素作用下,大气降尘和城市扩张等多种人类活动对区域环境的影响,很好地指示了区域磁性颗粒物污染扩大和加剧趋势。     

近30年来天山托木尔峰东侧分水岭处冰川变化

利用1978年出版的航测地形图与1976年MSS影像(地形图于20世纪70年代初期测绘)、1990年landsatTM影像、2002年CBERS影像对西天山托木尔峰以东分水岭处的5条冰川近30年来的动态变化进行了研究。研究结果表明,这5条冰川在1970年代初-2002年近30年来整体上处于退缩状态,这与该地区20世纪80、90年代气温升高导致冰雪消融加速而冬季降水量基本稳定即补给来源基本不变的趋势是相符合的。这也表明,在气候变暖的趋势下,该地区冰川的补给-消融动态平衡关系被打破,冰川总体上处于退缩状态。     

天山奎屯河哈希勒根51号冰川变化监测结果分析

哈希勒根51号冰川位于新疆奎屯市以南的天山依连哈比尔尕山北坡,即奎屯河上游支流哈希勒根河源区。1999年8月,在该冰川上布设了用于冰川变化观测研究的测杆18根;同时,在冰川外围测定了2个基本控制点和3个冰川末端变化观测控制点,运用GPS和全站仪等观测技术及测杆实测等方法,对该冰川进行了末端和运动速度变化的首次观测。嗣后,每年的8月底～9月初进行了重复观测;并在2000年和2006年对该冰川进行了测量制图。通过实测资料分析并对比20世纪60年代冰川状况,结果表明:42年来冰川末端累计退缩了84.51 m,其中,1964-1999年间退缩了49.00 m,年平均退缩量为1.40 m/a;1999-2006年间退缩了35.51 m,年平均退缩量5.07m/a。冰川面积减少了0.123 km~2或8.3%,其中,1964-2000年间减少了0.083 km~2;2000-2006年间减少了0.040 km~2。明显地反映出冰川末端退缩加剧和冰川面积减少增大的趋势。冰川年平均运动速度在1.53～3.05 m/a之间,并有逐年减小的趋势。     

Present and Late Pleistocene equilibrium line altitudes in Changbai Mountains, Northeast China

According to the glacial landforms and deposits with the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating results, two glacial stages of the last glacial cycle (LGC) and Late Glacial were identified. The Late Glacial stage (Meteorological Station glacier advance) took place about 11 ka (11.3±1.2 ka), and the last glacial maximum (LGM), named Black Wind Mouth glacier advance, occurred at 20 ka (20.0±2.1 ka). Based on the Ohmura’s formula in which there is a relationship between summer (JJA) atmospheric temperature (T) and the annual precipitation (P) at ELA, the present theoretical equilibrium line altitude (ELAt) in Changbai Mountains was 3380±100 m. Six methods of accumulation–area ratio (AAR), maximum elevation of lateral moraines (MELM), toe–to headwall altitude ratios (THAR), the terminal to summit altitudinal (TSAM), the altitude of cirque floor (CF), and the terminal to average elevation of the catchment area (Hofer) were used for calculation of the former ELAs in different stages. These methods provided the ELA for a range of 2250–2383 m with an average value of 2320±20 m during the LGM, which is 200 m higher than the value of previous investigation. The snowlines during the Late Glacial are 2490 m on northern slope, and 2440 m on western slope. The results show that the snowline on northern slope is 50 m higher than that on western slope during the Late Glacial, and the average snowline is 2465m. The ELA △ values were more than 1000 m during the LGM, and about 920 m lower than now during the Late Glacial stage respectively. Compared with Taiwanese and Japanese mountains in East Asia during the LGM, the effect of the uplift on ELA in Changbai Mountains during the glaciations (i.e. 20 m uplift in the LGM and 11 m in the Late Glacial) is not obvious.     

中国南极陨石研究新进展

本文对我国南极陨石的收集、分类和研究工作进行了回顾和阶段性的总结。4次格罗夫山考察共发现陨石样品9834块,其中已完成和计划2008年完成分类的陨石共2431块。在正式公布的684块已分类陨石中,鉴定出2块火星陨石、2块灶神星陨石、6块橄辉无球粒陨石、5块中铁陨石、1块橄榄陨铁、1块铁陨石以及10块碳质球粒陨石等特殊样品,并对其中的部分样品开展了深入的研究。建议拓展南极陨石的收集,持续开展陨石的分类工作,并提出我国南极陨石研究的重点方向。