Analysis of Winter and Summer Glacier Mass Balances

Seasonal mass balance components b_w (winter balance) and b_s (summer balance) as well as c_t (total accumulation) and a_t (total ablation), can be used directly to infer climate variables. In contrast, a_c (net balance of the accumulation area) and a_a (net balance of the ablation area), and b_a or b_n (annual or net balance) can not. The traditional Alpine system of observations of a_c and a_a , however, can be converted to true seasonal values b_w and b_s if both pairs of components are simultaneously observed for some years, because a correlation between the two pairs of components exists. We analyzed b_w and b_s data and their mean, standard deviations and ratios of these to the corresponding net or annual balances for 50 glaciers with relatively long records representing different regions in the northern hemisphere. We also investigated correlations between seasonal components. A negative correlation between b_w and b_s exists at many glaciers. About two-thirds of the glaciers show insignificant correlations (?0.3 < r < 0.3), implying independence of summer and winter balances. In a few unusual cases the correlations are positive. These different correlations, or lack thereof, may offer insight into feedback conditions that must exist in this climate-related system. The correspondence of the b_w and c_t , and b_s and a_t , appears to depend largely on the relative amounts of summer snowfall, a function of their climatic environment expressed as [α = (b_w+b_s)/2]. The contribution of variability of b_s to the net balance increases markedly with decreasing values of α. The variability of b_w and b_s , and therefore the net balance, has been increasing with time; whether this is due to an increase in climate variability or to other causes is not clear. It appears that b_w has been increasing with time at the highest altitudes, but b_s has been increasing more rapidly especially at low altitudes; the many-glacier average net balance is becoming more negative.     

Brown dwarfs and the cataclysmic variable period minimum

Using improved, up-to-date stellar input physics tested against observations of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, we calculate the secular evolution of low-mass donor cataclysmic variables (CVs), including those that form with a brown-dwarf donor. Our models confirm the mismatch between the calculated minimum period ( P _min70 min) and the observed short-period cut-off (80 min) in the CV period histogram. We find that tidal and rotational corrections applied to the one-dimensional stellar structure equations have no significant effect on the period minimum. Theoretical period distributions synthesized from our model sequences always show an accumulation of systems at the minimum period, a feature absent from the observed distribution. We suggest that non-magnetic CVs become unobservable as they are effectively trapped in permanent quiescence before they reach P _min, and that small-number statistics may hide the period spike for magnetic CVs.     

On the age calibration of the geomagnetic polarity timescale

Knowledge of the age of undated events is not null if a time-order relationship can be found among these events. The knowledge of such a time-ordered sequence can be formalized by using non-informative (uniform) prior probability densities for the ages of undated events and Bayes' theorem to introduce the time-order relationship condition. We show that the conditional probability densities of the ages of events of unknown age are given by various forms of Euler's beta distribution. These distributions yield an estimate of the probability for an undated event to occur in a given age interval.
  We use this method to propose appropriate probabilistic representations of our actual knowledge of the dating of the magnetic polarity reversals during the Cenozoic. These representations take into account the uncertainties arising from irregularities in accretion process and from the quality of a few calibration points. Both types of uncertainties generate large ambiguities in the age of magnetic reversals, which should be taken into consideration when the geomagnetic polarity timescale is used for dating purposes. We propose to use the entropy function to quantify these ambiguities.     

A New Method of Significance Testing for Correlation-Coefficient Fields and Its Application

Correlation-coefficient fields are widely used in short-term climate prediction research. The most frequently used significance test method for the correlation-coefficient field was proposed by Livezey, in which the number of significantcorrelation lattice(station) points on the correlation coherence map is used as the statistic. However, the method is based on two assumptions:(1) the spatial distribution of the lattice(station) points is uniform;and(2) there is no correlation between the physical quantities in the correlation-coefficient field. However, in reality, the above two assumptions are not valid.Therefore, we designed a more reasonable method for significance testing of the correlation-coefficient field. Specifically, a new statistic, the significant-correlation area, is introduced to eliminate the inhomogeneity of the grid(station)-point distribution, and an empirical Monte Carlo method is employed to eliminate the spatial correlation of the matrix.Subsequently, the new significance test was used for simultaneous correlation-coefficient fields between intensities of the atmospheric activity center in the Northern Hemisphere and temperature/precipitation in China. The results show that the new method is more reasonable than the Livezey method.     

两种显著性检验方法在海洋大数据序列主成分分析中的应用

介绍海洋大数据序列主成分分析的两种显著性检验方法,采用该两种方法可以辨别具有真实意义的主成分模与代表随机噪声信号的模态。此二法均能很好地应用于大数据序列主成分模的显著性检验。在进行海洋大数据序列时-空变化主成分分析中,为尽可能减少或避免数据中随机噪声的影响,建议对主成分模进行显著性检验。     

Full scale decay test of a tanker: field data and theoretical analysis

This paper presents results from a full scale decay test made with a tanker in a relatively protected area in the Brazilian coast. In at least two tests the environmental loads (wind, waves and current) were very small and the time history of the surge motion was well behaved, making it possible to check some proposed models for the damping in the hull and mooring lines. Field data seem to confirm that the damping is indeed of the fluid viscosity type and the theoretical models are able to recover roughly 75% of the observed damping, the energy dissipation in the mooring lines being, by far, the major contribution. The remaining 25% are likely due to non modeled effects, such as the environment influence, which although small and not measured certainly exists, and to the friction between the mooring lines and the seabed.     

The Statistical Distribution of the Horizontal Velocities of Water Particles at Wave Surface Maxima

On the basis of the linear model of random sea waves presented by Longuet-Higgins,the statis-tical distribution of the horizontal velocities of water particles at wave surface maxima is derivedtheoretically.The derived distribution is similar to that of wave surface maxima,and a new spectral widthε_u,which is defined as(1-(m_3~2/m_2m_4))~(1/2),is introduced in the distribution.When ε_u tends to zero,the distribu-tion is reduced to Rayleigh distribution and it is reduced to the normal distribution when ε_u tends to unity.For a narrow spectrum,it is proved that ε is equal to 1/2ε,where ε is(1-(m_2~2/m_0m_4))~(1/2)and is the commonlyused spectral width..     

05106型海洋风传感器简介

本文介绍了美国Ｒ．Ｍ．ＹＯＵＮＧ公司的新产品－０５１０６型海洋风传感器,并简单地分析了Ｒ．Ｍ．ＹＯＵＮＧ公司在该风传感器中采用的关键技术。     

承压水沿煤层底板递进导升突水机理的物理法研究

完整底板和非完整底板的注水试验发现底板深处的耗水早于浅部,显示底板的破裂发生在采前,相似材料模拟具一定导升高度的底板在采动中的变化揭示了同样的规律。底板的原位应力测试发现承压水在采前出现了向上入侵的现象,二次应力给导升的发展提供了条件,递进导升是突水机理之一。     

自组织网络在遥感土地覆盖分类中应用研究

设计完成和比较了自组织网络的几种算法在遥感土地覆盖分类中的应用,结果表明非监督和监督学习结合方法进行遥感土地覆盖分类,各算法在分类性能上无显著差异,因此可采用算法和较简单的单竞争学习网络,根据最邻近原则进行非参数分类。