Axial convergence in a well-mixed estuary

Transverse secondary circulations involving surface convergence, observed in a well-mixed estuary in North Wales, are made visible by the collection of surface material along an axial line which extends continuously for many kilometres through the estuary. The circulation and axial convergence, however, are seen only during the flood phase of the tide and no similar behaviour has been observed during the ebb phase.Convergent circulations in the estuary are associated with small but steady transverse density gradients in the cross-section, produced by non-uniform advection of the longitudinal gradient through the channel. A diagnostic model, using measured mean distributions of cross-sectional density, indicates surface transverse velocities (～0.1 ms^?1) similar to those observed in the estuary. The model further predicts appreciable transverse divergent currents at a fractional depth of 0.75: a prediction which has been tested in the estuary using a vertical array of accurately resolving current direction indicators.     

Porphyroblast inclusion-trail orientation data: eppure non son girate*!

Extensive examination of large numbers of spatially orientated thin sections of orientated samples from orogens of all ages around the world has demonstrated that porphyroblasts do not rotate relative to geographical coordinates during highly non-coaxial ductile deformation of the matrix subsequent to their growth. This has been demonstrated for all tectonic environments so far investigated. The work also has provided new insights and data on metamorphic, structural and tectonic processes including: (1) the intimate control of deformation partitioning on metamorphic reactions; (2) solutions to the lack of correlation between lineations that indicate the direction of movement within thrusts and shear zones, and relative plate motion; and (3) a possible technique for determining the direction of relative plate motion that caused orogenesis in ancient orogens.     

On salinity regimes and the vertical structure of residual flows in narrow tidal estuaries

An examination is made of the circulation in narrow estuaries subject to a predominant tidal forcing. Velocity structures are derived separately for residual flow components associated with (a) river flow, (b) wind stress, (c) a well-mixed longitudinal density gradient and (d) a fully stratified saline wedge. Dimensionless parameters are introduced to indicate the magnitude of each component and these parameters are evaluated for 9 major estuaries, thereby revealing their sensitivity to each component.For a channel of constant breadth and depth, formulae are deduced for the length of saline intrusion, L. Comparisons with observed data show that such formulae may be used with confidence to predict changes in L arising from variations in river flow, tidal range or channel depths.The level of stratification is shown to be related to a product of two parameters, one associated with velocity structure and a second involving the square of the ‘flow ratio’ $\text{u}\text{u}\text{?}$ (i.e. residual velocity/amplitude of the tidal velocity). This relationship provides a simple classification system for estuarine stratification which can be used to indicate the sensitivity of any particular estuary to changing conditions.     

The Upper Pleistocene to Holocene sediments on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa (Italy)

The island of Lampedusa lies on the northern edge of the African continental shelf, but during some Quaternary marine lowstands it was joined to the African continent. The study and dating of the aeolian, alluvial, detrital sediments, calcareous crusts and speleothems have established that the climatic–environmental variations recorded on the island can be related chronologically to those known for northern Libya, Tunisia and the Italian peninsula. During the Last Glacial Maximum, phases of Saharan dust accumulation on Lampedusa occurred, and were coeval with dust accumulation in crater lakes and on high mountains in central‐southern Italy, and with phases of glacial advance in the Apennines and in the Alps. During the late Holocene, accumulation of Saharan dust on Lampedusa occurred but there was little accumulation of dust on the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea. With the new data from Lampedusa, it is possible to envisage two different scenarios of atmospheric circulation relating to the Last Glacial Maximum and to the late Holocene. During the Last Glacial Maximum, southerly atmospheric circulation brought rainfall to the southern slopes of the Alps and to the Apennines. During the late Holocene, a prevalent westerly atmospheric circulation became established in the northern Mediterranean. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subtidal sea level and current variations in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay

Analyses of sea level and current-meter data using digital filters and a variety of statistical methods show a variety of phenomena related to non-local coastal forcing and local tidal forcing in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay, a partially mixed estuary. Low-frequency variations in sea level are dominated by non-local variations in coastal sea level and also show a smaller influence from tidally induced fortnightly sea level variations. Low-frequency currents demonstrate a gravitational circulation which is modified by changes in tidal-current speed over the spring-neap tidal cycle. Transients in gravitational circulation induce internal oscillations with periods of two to four days.     

9711号北上台风演变及暴雨过程的位涡诊断分析

通过对 971 1号台风登陆北上穿过山东造成山东特大暴雨过程的湿位涡的分析 ,并从湿位涡的角度研究了台风演变及山东特大暴雨的形成机制 ,揭示了冷空气在台风演变及暴雨过程中的重要作用。结果表明 :倾斜涡度发展是暴雨产生和台风加强的重要机制之一 ,暴雨产生在 θe线陡立密集区内 ;湿位涡在这次暴雨过程中对流层低层具有 MPV1 <0 ,MPV2 >0的特征 ,此次暴雨产生在负的MPV1等值线密集区中 ;对流层上部及平流层下部高位涡的下传使得低层斜压性增大 ,引起低层的对流稳定度减小 ,促使气旋性涡度发展 ,有利于位势不稳定能量的释放 ,使得暴雨增幅 ,导致台风的加强并演变为温带气旋。     

东营城区高精度三维地震采集方法研究

根据东营城区内建筑物较多，环境干扰较大，地下构造复杂，断裂非常发育，目的层埋藏深，资料信噪比较低的特点，以地震老资料和钻井资料为基础，建立地震地质模型，利用射线追踪技术选取合适的观测系统参数。充分利用卫星数字地图，没计了灵活多变的观测系统，采用可控震源与炸药震源配合使用方法，及时对城区内地下面元的覆盖次数、方位角和炮检距的分布进行质量监控，利用现场处理系统对资料进行及时分析，提高了地震资料品质。所获得的东营城区高精度三维地震采集资料显示，其浅中层分辨率和中深层信噪比都有了明显改善，取得了良好的地质效果。     

To afforest the desert with the technology of peat composed of rotten mosses and the sustainable development of the oases

Only by providing the good conditions for the growth of plants can a favorable ecologicalenvironment on which human beings rely for existence be created. The upside-down-T dou-ble-layer water-conserving afforestation way is developed according to the situation of the short-age of water resources, low soil fertility and vast land in the arid areas. The characteristics of theafforestation way are to change the microenvironment in the root area of the plants, provide thefavorable conditions for the growth of plants, and reduce the necessary conditions for the growth ofplants in large areas in the arid regions. Meanwhile, the size of its water-conserving layer can bechanged according to the size of the planted trees. The different ways of the bottom wa-ter-conserving layer can be used according to the requirements. The afforestation way is suitablefor planting trees on a small scale and also for afforesting on a large scale under the adverse cir-cumstances in the arid areas, and has been effectively used in the afforestation in the hinterland ofTaklamakan Desert and the southern marginal zone of Gurbantonggut Desert. The prospects ofthe afforestation way are broad in afforestation and desertification control in the desert regions.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF ATMOSPHERIC HEAT SOURCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUMMER MONSOON ONSET OVER THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND THE POSSIBLE MECHANISM RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS LATE OR EARLY ONSET

The characteristics of atmospheric heat source associated with the summer monsoon onset in the South China Sea (SCS) are studied using ECMWF reanalysis data from 1979 to 1993. A criterion of the SCS summer monsoon onset is defined by the atmospheric hea…