Long‐term landscape evolution: linking tectonics and surface processes

Research in landscape evolution over millions to tens of millions of years slowed considerably in the mid‐20th century, when Davisian and other approaches to geomorphology were replaced by functional, morphometric and ultimately process‐based approaches. Hack's scheme of dynamic equilibrium in landscape evolution was perhaps the major theoretical contribution to long‐term landscape evolution between the 1950s and about 1990, but it essentially ‘looked back’ to Davis for its springboard to a viewpoint contrary to that of Davis, as did less widely known schemes, such as Crickmay's hypothesis of unequal activity. Since about 1990, the field of long‐term landscape evolution has blossomed again, stimulated by the plate tectonics revolution and its re‐forging of the link between tectonics and topography, and by the development of numerical models that explore the links between tectonic processes and surface processes. This numerical modelling of landscape evolution has been built around formulation of bedrock river processes and slope processes, and has mostly focused on high‐elevation passive continental margins and convergent zones; these models now routinely include flexural and denudational isostasy. Major breakthroughs in analytical and geochronological techniques have been of profound relevance to all of the above. Low‐temperature thermochronology, and in particular apatite fission track analysis and (U–Th)/He analysis in apatite, have enabled rates of rock uplift and denudational exhumation from relatively shallow crustal depths (up to about 4 km) to be determined directly from, in effect, rock hand specimens. In a few situations, (U–Th)/He analysis has been used to determine the antiquity of major, long‐wavelength topography. Cosmogenic isotope analysis has enabled the determination of the ‘ages’ of bedrock and sedimentary surfaces, and/or the rates of denudation of these surfaces. These latter advances represent in some ways a ‘holy grail’ in geomorphology in that they enable determination of ‘dates and rates’ of geomorphological processes directly from rock surfaces. The increasing availability of analytical techniques such as cosmogenic isotope analysis should mean that much larger data sets become possible and lead to more sophisticated analyses, such as probability density functions (PDFs) of cosmogenic ages and even of cosmogenic isotope concentrations (CICs). PDFs of isotope concentrations must be a function of catchment area geomorphology (including tectonics) and it is at least theoretically possible to infer aspects of source area geomorphology and geomorphological processes from PDFs of CICs in sediments (‘detrital CICs’). Thus it may be possible to use PDFs of detrital CICs in basin sediments as a tool to infer aspects of the sediments' source area geomorphology and tectonics, complementing the standard sedimentological textural and compositional approaches to such issues. One of the most stimulating of recent conceptual advances has followed the considerations of the relationships between tectonics, climate and surface processes and especially the recognition of the importance of denudational isostasy in driving rock uplift (i.e. in driving tectonics and crustal processes). Attention has been focused very directly on surface processes and on the ways in which they may ‘drive’ rock uplift and thus even influence sub‐surface crustal conditions, such as pressure and temperature. Consequently, the broader geoscience communities are looking to geomorphologists to provide more detailed information on rates and processes of bedrock channel incision, as well as on catchment responses to such bedrock channel processes. More sophisticated numerical models of processes in bedrock channels and on their flanking hillslopes are required. In current numerical models of long‐term evolution of hillslopes and interfluves, for example, the simple dependency on slope of both the fluvial and hillslope components of these models means that a Davisian‐type of landscape evolution characterized by slope lowering is inevitably ‘confirmed’ by the models. In numerical modelling, the next advances will require better parameterized algorithms for hillslope processes, and more sophisticated formulations of bedrock channel incision processes, incorporating, for example, the effects of sediment shielding of the bed. Such increasing sophistication must be matched by careful assessment and testing of model outputs using pre‐established criteria and tests. Confirmation by these more sophisticated Davisian‐type numerical models of slope lowering under conditions of tectonic stability (no active rock uplift), and of constant slope angle and steady‐state landscape under conditions of ongoing rock uplift, will indicate that the Davis and Hack models are not mutually exclusive. A Hack‐type model (or a variant of it, incorporating slope adjustment to rock strength rather than to regolith strength) will apply to active settings where there is sufficient stream power and/or sediment flux for channels to incise at the rate of rock uplift. Post‐orogenic settings of decreased (or zero) active rock uplift would be characterized by a Davisian scheme of declining slope angles and non‐steady‐state (or transient) landscapes. Such post‐orogenic landscapes deserve much more attention than they have received of late, not least because the intriguing questions they pose about the preservation of ancient landscapes were hinted at in passing in the 1960s and have recently re‐surfaced. As we begin to ask again some of the grand questions that lay at the heart of geomorphology in its earliest days, large‐scale geomorphology is on the threshold of another ‘golden’ era to match that of the first half of the 20th century, when cyclical approaches underpinned virtually all geomorphological work. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Energy demands for seismic design against low‐cycle fatigue

A seismic design procedure that does not take into account the maximum and cumulative plastic deformation demands that a structure is likely to undergo during severe ground motion could lead to unsatisfactory performance. In spite of this, current design procedures do not take into account explicitly the effect of low‐cycle fatigue. Based on the high correlation that exists between the strength reduction factor and the energy demand in earthquake‐resistant structures, simple procedures can be formulated to estimate the cumulative plastic deformation demands for design purposes. Several issues should be addressed during the use of plastic energy within a practical performance‐based seismic design methodology. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1991年夏季长江中下游降水和风场的低频振荡特征分析

对 1 991长江中下游地区夏季降水和风场进行 Morlet小波分析 ,结果表明 :这些要素有明显的低频特征 ,其变化具有阶段性的特点。 6月中旬之前主要表现为准双周振荡 ,6月中旬之后 3 0～ 60 d振荡逐渐明显 ;低频西风峰值超前降水峰值 2～ 4d。通过对散度场及流场的分析发现 ,7月份以后 ,低纬低频系统北传 ,同时中纬 40～50°N低频系统南传 ,两者交汇在 3 0～ 3 5°N,低频气流在长江中下游地区的辐合造成了两次大的降水过程     

洪泽湖枯水年比较及与ENSO事件关系

本文利用1954－1999年洪泽湖水文资料，总结出1999年干旱年汛期湖水入不敷出属历史旱年罕见。同时对湖区的干旱年与ENSO事件关系作了初步研究，得出拉尼娜事件结束的当年和次年洪泽湖都不会出现干旱年。     

大气环流的变化与南海夏季风活动的关系

通过对近20年观测资料的计算分析表明，在南海夏季风活跃与中断期，南北半球副热带西风急流和热带东风急流以及青藏高压和墨西哥高压有明显的差异。从南半球向北传播的散度场低频振荡以及从北半球高纬向南传播的西风场低频振荡等的有利位相同时传入南海并共同作用可引起南海夏季风的活跃或中断。各种低频振荡的有利位相传播到南海并发生锁相的时间决定着南海夏季风明显的活跃或中断发生的时间。     

贵州高原喀斯特景观及其旅游形象

本文通过贵州喀斯特旅游景观类型、特点及优势分析，提出高原、峡谷、峰林、峰丛、瀑布、溶洞是贵州最有代表性的喀斯特景观，它们在空间结上层次丰富的组合，即构成贵州高原绚丽多姿的喀斯特旅游形象，从而展示出贵州喀斯特旅游资源开发的巨大潜力和良好前景。     

青藏高原北缘深部地壳结构特征及其形成机制探讨

柴达木盆地－祁连山地区位于青藏高原北缘，同青藏高原主体一样，该区具有多层地壳结构特征，并普遍出现壳内低速层，地壳厚度是华北及华南地区的2倍以上。其形成可能与地壳的横向挤压缩短及幔源物质的底侵作用有关。随着底侵作用增强，地壳厚度加大，岩石圈厚度则越趋于减薄，地壳上部表现为拉张，下部发生壳幔深熔及幔源流体的交代作用，从而导致了地壳低速层，地热和浅源地震的发育。同时，这也是青藏高原出现热壳冷幔的原因之一。     

低渗透油藏储层沉积微相研究--以松辽盆地乾安油田高台子油层Ⅶ砂组为例

针对低渗透油藏储层的特征，以岩心资料和大量的测井，录井数字化资料为基础，应用沉积微相制图软件系统实现了乾安油田高台子油层Ⅶ砂组低渗透储层的沉积微相自动识别，本区储层沉积微相为水下分流河道，席状砂、远砂坝和水下扇等类型，绘制出VII砂组3个小层的平面沉积微相图，沉积微相的研究对本区主力油层及剩余油分布具有指导意义。     

青藏高原中部北北东向深部负磁异常带的成因及其意义

根据最新测量获得的青藏高原中西部航磁异常图 ,经不同高度向上延拓后 ,发现在测区东部 ,即青藏高原中部自柴达木向西南延伸的广大地区 ,出现一条极为明显的北北东向负磁异常带。从对航磁区域场的分析 ,并结合人工地震、重力计算莫霍面深度、热水活动、最新火山岩活动、地貌特征和天然地震活动等多种资料的解释 ,认为负异常带是由于深部热流沿北北东向上升引起局部岩浆熔融 ,使上地壳下部具有较高的地温 ,导致磁性层底部消磁作用的结果。与此同时也加快了青藏高原隆升的幅度 ,为高原形成和演化的研究提供了新的证据     

甚低频电磁法在某萤石矿勘查中的应用

内蒙古海力敏萤石矿属热液脉型,萤石—石英矿受花岗岩体内NW向断裂破碎带控制。矿区开展了甚低频电磁法找矿勘查研究,在已知矿体上测得明显的甚低频电磁异常,证实了该方法对寻找此类萤石矿床的有效性。在不易识别开采的掩盖区,所测甚低频电磁异常显示控矿断裂带仍存在,极可能赋存萤石矿体。