Laboratory experiments of sediment transport from bare soil with a rill

Abstract

Mathematical models developed for quantification of sediment transport in hydrological watersheds require data collected through field or laboratory experiments, but these are still very rare in the literature. This study aims to collect such data at the laboratory scale. To this end, a rainfall simulator equipped with nozzles to spray rainfall was constructed, together with an erosion flume that can be given longitudinal and lateral slopes. Eighty experiments were performed, considering microtopographical features by pre-forming a rill on the soil surface before the start of each experiment. Medium and fine sands were used as soil, and four rainfall intensities (45, 65, 85 and 105 mm h^-1) were applied in the experiments. Rainfall characteristics such as uniformity, granulometry, drop velocity and kinetic energy were evaluated; flow and sediment discharge data were collected and analysed. The analysis shows that the sediment transport rate is directly proportional to rainfall intensity and slope. In contrast, the volumetric sediment concentration stays constant and does not change with rainfall intensity unless the slope changes. These conclusions are restricted to the conditions of experiments performed under rainfall intensities between and 105 mm h^-1 for medium and fine sands in a 136-cm-wide, 650-cm-long and 17-cm-deep erosion flume with longitudinal and lateral slopes varying between 5 and 20%.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor G. Mahé

Citation Aksoy, H., Unal, N.E., Cokgor, S., Gedikli, A., Yoon, J., Koca, K., Inci, S.B., Eris, E., and Pak, G., 2013. Laboratory experiments of sediment transport from bare soil with a rill. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (7), 1505–1518.     

Can satellite land surface temperature data be used similarly to river discharge measurements for distributed hydrological model calibration?

Abstract

A new methodology is proposed for the calibration of distributed hydrological models at the basin scale by constraining an internal model variable using satellite data of land surface temperature (LST). The model algorithm solves the system of energy and mass balances in terms of a representative equilibrium temperature that governs the fluxes of energy and mass over the basin domain. This equilibrium surface temperature, which is a critical model state variable, is compared to operational satellite LST, while calibrating soil hydraulic parameters and vegetation variables differently in each pixel, minimizing the errors. This procedure is compared to the traditional calibration using only discharge measurements. The distributed energy water balance model, Flash-flood Event-based Spatially-distributed rainfall–runoff Transformation – Energy Water Balance model (FEST-EWB), is used to test this approach. This methodology is applied to the Upper Yangtze River basin (China) using MODIS LST retrieved from satellite data in the framework of the NRSCC-ESA DRAGON-2 Programme. The calibration procedure based on LST seems to outperform the calibration based on discharge, with lower relative error and higher Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency index on cumulated volume.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor C. Perrin     

Evaluation of Bioavailability and Partitioning of Aluminum in Sediment Samples of Different Ecosystems by Modified Sequential Extraction Methods

Sequential extraction procedures are widely used to characterize the different operational fractions with different potential toxicity of metals in environmental solid samples. The present work describes the application of different analytical approaches for sequential extraction of aluminum to evaluate its mobility, availability, and persistent chemical forms in sediment samples of different fresh water ecosystems (lake, canal, and river). The conventional BCR three‐stage sequential extraction procedure (C‐BCR) was modified at each stage, by applying ultrasonic device (U‐BCR), in order to shorten the required shaking time of 16 h for each three steps (excluding the hydrogen peroxide digestion in step 3, which was not performed with ultrasonic bath), could be completed in 40, 50, and 45 min, respectively. The aluminum in all extracts were determination by atomic absorption spectrometry using nitrous oxide – acetylene flame. The accuracy of results obtained from C‐BCR and proposed U‐BCR was verified with literature reported values of certified sediment sample (BCR 701). The overall recoveries of aluminum obtained by proposed U‐BCR were found in the range of 96.7–113% of those values obtained with C‐BCR for all fractions. Use of ultrasonic device, provided a large saving in extraction time relative to conventional shaking. It was observed that major part of Al in real sediment samples (80–83% of total Al) were bound to residual fraction. The acid soluble fraction of aluminum extracted by 0.11 mol/L CH₃COOH has good correlation with aluminum content in corresponding water samples of each ecosystem.     

合肥温泉之乡半汤地热成因模式及其外围地热前景探讨

本文在前人勘查与研究的基础上,进一步分析研究半汤地热的热源,地热成因机制及成因模式等,进而提出了“基底隆起（正向构造）聚热型地热成因模式”形成有开发利用价值的半汤外围前景地热资源新学术观点为半汤地热外围前景地热资源勘查与评价提出指导方向靶区。利用新学术观点,试图突破就热找热原则的瓶颈和禁锢,变被动找热为主动找热,扩大地热资源勘查的视野。为加快绿色、环保,可再生的地热能源勘查步伐,开辟新途径。     

团体粒子群与最大能量串行融合算法转换波静校正

估计转换波的静校正量是一个复杂的非线性问题,常规的线性静校正方法无法取得好的效果.粒子群算法是一种很好的非线性全局最优化方法,但其缺点是"早熟"现象严重.最大能量法是一种常规求取静校正量的方法,局部寻优能力强且收敛速度快是其优点,但是当地震记录含有大的静校正量时易收敛于局部极值.本文在标准粒子群算法的基础上发展出了一种改进的粒子群算法:团体粒子群算法.并且通过对Rastrigin函数的寻优实验证明了其全局寻优能力优于标准粒子群算法.同时为了解决转换波静校正问题串行融合了团体粒子群算法和最大能量法.最后,建立了含一个水平反射层的模型并合成地震记录,加入随机值作为检波点静校正量.对合成的地震数据分别利用团体粒子群和最大能量的串行融合算法、标准粒子群算法和最大能量法求取静校正量并进行静校正.结果证明串行融合算法得到的静校正量与理论值误差很小,静校正后的叠加剖面连续性较好.     

TOPOGRAPHIC EFFECTS ON VENTIFACT DEVELOPMENT,MOJAVE DESERT,CALIFORNIA

I nvestigations into processes of ventifact formation in the east-central Mojave Desert, California confirm the importance of topography as a control in the location, orientation, and intensity of ventifact abrasion. Ventifacts in the region appear to be relict in nature and probably formed during a period that ended several thousand years ago. Comparison of groove orientations with available wind data shows that regional flow direction has not changed in the recent past. Although west to northwest winds are the most frequent and intense, and therefore dictate the regional erosion pattern, low to moderate southeasterly flow is recorded on ventifacts near the crests of hills owing to the effects of velocity acceleration. Two conditions that affect ventifact development are considered in this paper: (1) wind acceleration through topographic constrictions; and (2) wind acceleration up the windward flanks of hills. Constrictions in the Barstow-Bristol trough allowed velocity increases that resulted in ventifaction on 70–90 percent of all exposed cobbles and boulders. Velocity acceleration towards the crests of hills caused a marked increase in sand transport and resultant abrasion, as expressed by increases in groove and pit dimensions. [Key words: Aeolian geomorphology, ventifacts, Mojave Desert, California.]     

Automatic techniques for 3D reconstruction of critical workplace body postures from range imaging data

The paper shows techniques for the determination of structured motion parameters from range camera image sequences. The core contribution of the work presented here is the development of an integrated least squares 3D tracking approach based on amplitude and range image sequences to calculate dense 3D motion vector fields. Geometric primitives of a human body model are fitted to time series of range camera point clouds using these vector fields as additional information. Body poses and motion information for individual body parts are derived from the model fit. On the basis of these pose and motion parameters, critical body postures are detected. The primary aim of the study is to automate ergonomic studies for risk assessments regulated by law, identifying harmful movements and awkward body postures in a workplace.     

Biophysical factors of remote sensing approach in urban green analysis

Greenery in an urban environment is an important consideration when studying temperature, and such enquiry can benefit human health. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how ambient temperature in urban areas is affected by forests and parks. The focus is on biophysical parameters related to these green areas, such as impervious surface percentages, albedo, areal coverage, elevation, and leaf area index (LAI). Geographic information systems and remote sensing were used to quantify green spaces using a pixel-based method. It was found that coverage area has little correlation with temperature. Factor analysis was used to determine the minimum number of independent factors, which explained 63% of the variance of that temperature. Only elevation, LAI and albedo were significant biophysical factors. Guidelines for greenery programmes should include these significant data-sets to understand the influence of green areas on heat reduction.     

Seeking a handle on climate change: Examining the comparative effectiveness of energy efficiency improvement and renewable energy production in the United States

This study examines the comparative effectiveness of two important proposed solutions to climate change—energy efficiency improvement and the development and use of renewable energy sources. We focus specifically on their impacts on carbon dioxide emissions by conducting fixed effects regression analysis of panel data pertaining to U.S. states. The analysis reveals a negative relationship between both remedies and carbon dioxide emissions. Although the effects of these potential solutions are statistically equivalent, renewable energy production has a slight edge. Reflecting upon these findings and the larger environmental problem, we caution against exclusive reliance on efficiency improvement and renewable energy to the neglect of other important actions, such as lifestyle modifications. A broad range of social changes, which incorporate the remedies investigated in this paper, are needed to limit long-term global temperature increases to the desired level.     

大力推广浅层地热能开发利用 促进崇明生态建设与环境保护

浅层地热能开发利用是崇明生态岛建设的重要工作内容。结合崇明县经济社会发展规划,充分发挥绿色能源示范县建设的作用,推进浅层地热能开发利用管理机制建设,将促进崇明生态岛建设与环境保护。