Cyclic tests on large‐scale models of existing bridge piers with rectangular hollow cross‐section

Cyclic tests on two large‐scale models of existing bridge piers with rectangular hollow cross‐section were performed in the ELSA laboratory. The prototype structure is an existing reinforced concrete highway bridge constructed in Austria in 1975. The piers presented several seismic deficiencies and consequently they showed poor hysteretic behaviour and limited deformation capacity as well as undesirable failure modes that do not comply with the requirements of modern codes for seismic‐resistant structures. Experimental data are compared to numerical and empirical predictions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Northward Shift of Climatic Belts in China During the Last 50 Years and the Corresponding Seasonal Responses

Along the meridian of 105°E, the Chinese region are divided into two parts, east and west. The results show that in the east part of China the temperate extratropical belt, the warm extratropical belt,and the northern subtropical belt shift northward significantly, whereas the middle subtropical belt and the southern subtropical belt have less or no change. As for the northern subtropical belt, the maximal northward shift can reach 3.7 degrees of latitude. As for the warm extratropical belt, along the meridian of 120°-125°E, the maximal northward shift can reach 3-4 degrees. In the west part of China, each climatic belt changes little. Only in the Xinjiang area are the significant northward shifts. Correspondingly, it is found that in the last 50 years the traditional seasons have changed. For Beijing, Hailar, and Lanzhou, in general, summer becomes longer and winter shorter over the last 50 years. Summer begins early and ends late with respect to early 1950s. Contrary to the summer, winter begins la     

Entropy Analysis of Multiple Scale Causality and Qualitative Causal Shifts in Spatial Systems*

Spatial systems are typically characterized by multiple controlling factors and processes operating at different spatial and temporal scales (multiple scale causality [MSC]). An entropy decomposition‐based approach to MSC is presented here in two contexts. First, given maps or distributions of an observed phenomenon at two or more scales, the contribution at more local or global (relative to the primary scale of observation) controls to the observed entropy can be estimated. Second, a theoretical treatment of the entropy decomposition equations shows that as the range of scale is increased by broadening or narrowing resolutions or by incorporating more controls, the influence of larger or smaller‐scale influences not only changes, but may change qualitatively, e.g., in terms of having positive (entropy‐increasing) or negative (information‐increasing) effects. Such qualitative causal shifts have implications for efforts to use any single causal explanation across the molecular to planetary spatial and instantaneous to geological range of scales relevant to physical geography. The entropy decomposition method is illustrated with an application to soil landscapes in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas.     

CINRAD-SA双偏振雷达资料在降水估测中的应用初探

对基于水平反射率ZH和差分传播相移率K_(DP)的降水估测综合法R(C)进行了改进,并对广州S波段双偏振雷达2016年2次飑线和2次台风降水过程的Φ_(DP)使用小波分析进行滤波处理,在此基础上使用变距最小二乘法拟合得到K_(DP)的值。分别使用R(C)和R(Z_H)法对2次飑线和2次台风降水过程进行降水估算,将估算结果和雨量计小时雨量进行了对比,并将两种方法的评估结果进行了对比。结果表明:(1)对于飑线类型降水,R(C)法对5 mm·h~(-1)以上的降水估测精度要好于R(Z_H)法,且降水率越大,R(C)法优势越明显,当降水率≥20 mm·h~(-1)时,两次过程R(C)法比R(Z_H)法的平均相对误差(RE)降低了17. 2%,平均绝对误差(AE)减少了1.89 mm,平均均方根误差(RMSE)减少了1.66 mm;(2)对于台风类型降水,R(C)法对5 mm·h~(-1)以上的降水估测精度也好于R(Z_H)法,当降水率≥20 mm·h~(-1)时,两次过程R(C)法比R(Z_H)法的平均RE降低了33. 19%,平均AE减少了3. 95 mm,平均RMSE减少了4.05 mm;(3)对于飑线和台风两种类型降水R(C)法都明显改善了降水率较大时的R(Z_H)法低估问题,但R(C)法在降水率10 mm·h~(-1)时也存在低估,可能是由雨滴谱资料观测误差导致拟合的系数偏小或雷达硬件造成的观测偏差等造成的。     

Microbial photosynthesis in coral reef sediments (Heron Reef, Australia)

We investigated microphytobenthic photosynthesis at four stations in the coral reef sediments at Heron Reef, Australia. The microphytobenthos was dominated by diatoms, dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria, as indicated by biomarker pigment analysis. Conspicuous algae firmly attached to the sand grains (ca. 100 μm in diameter, surrounded by a hard transparent wall) were rich in peridinin, a marker pigment for dinoflagellates, but also showed a high diversity based on cyanobacterial 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Specimens of these algae that were buried below the photic zone exhibited an unexpected stimulation of respiration by light, resulting in an increase of local oxygen concentrations upon darkening. Net photosynthesis of the sediments varied between 1.9 and 8.5 mmol O₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ and was strongly correlated with Chl a content, which lay between 31 and 84 mg m⁻². An estimate based on our spatially limited dataset indicates that the microphytobenthic production for the entire reef is in the order of magnitude of the production estimated for corals. Photosynthesis stimulated calcification at all investigated sites (0.2–1.0 mmol Ca²⁺ m⁻² h⁻¹). The sediments of at least three stations were net calcifying. Sedimentary N₂-fixation rates (measured by acetylene reduction assays at two sites) ranged between 0.9 to 3.9 mmol N₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ and were highest in the light, indicating the importance of heterocystous cyanobacteria. In coral fingers no N₂-fixation was measurable, which stresses the importance of the sediment compartment for reef nitrogen cycling.     

Spatial and temporal patterns of seagrass habitat use by fishes at the Ryukyu Islands,Japan

To investigate whether or not regional–temporal patterns of seagrass habitat use by fishes existed at the Ryukyu Islands (southern Japan), visual surveys were conducted in seagrass beds and adjacent coral reefs in northern, central, and southern Ryukyu Islands, in November 2004, and May, August, and November 2005, the northern region having less extensive seagrass beds compared with the central and southern regions. During the study period, the seagrass beds were utilized primarily by 31 species, the densities of some of the latter differing significantly among regions. With the exception of Apogonidae and Holocentridae, all species were diurnal and could be divided into 6 groups based on seagrass habitat use patterns; (1) permanent residents A (10 species, e.g. Stethojulis strigiventer), juveniles and adults living in seagrass beds as well as other habitats; (2) permanent residents B (5 species, e.g. Calotomus spinidens), juveniles and adults living only or mainly in seagrass beds; (3) seasonal residents A (4 species, e.g. Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus), juveniles living in seagrass beds as well as other habitats; (4) seasonal residents B (6 species, e.g. Lethrinus atkinsoni), juveniles living only or mainly in seagrass beds; (5) transients (5 species, e.g. Parupeneus indicus), occurring in seagrass beds in the course of foraging over a variety of habitats; and (6) casual species (1 species, Acanthurus blochii), occurring only occasionally in seagrass beds. Regarding temporal differences, juvenile densities in each group were high in May and August compared with November in each region, whereas adult densities did not differ drastically in each month. For regional differences, juvenile and adult densities of permanent residents A and B were higher in the southern and central regions than in the northern region. Moreover, some seasonal residents showed possible ontogenetic habitat shift from seagrass beds to coral reefs in each region. These results indicated that seagrass habitat use patterns by fishes changed temporally and regionally and there may be habitat connectivity between seagrass beds and coral reefs via ontogenetic migration in the Ryukyu Islands.     

长江三角洲蓝图重绘的基础科学问题:进展与未来研究

在全球气候变化和人类活动影响加剧的背景下,作为河口海岸重要子系统的三角洲正在发生快速变化。长江三角洲地处长江入东海交汇处,是中国最重要的经济核心区之一,对邻近区域乃至整个长江经济带经济社会发展都起着重要作用。由于全球变暖、海面上升和强烈人类活动引发了三角洲系统状态转换,因此以往基于恒定系统状态而获得的有关长江三角洲的认识已不能满足未来需求,迫切需要对未来海面变化、极端事件、流域与河口工程影响下的三角洲物质循环条件、物理过程、地貌冲淤演化、源-汇格局调整等科学问题进行深入研究。在三角洲系统行为、未来演化趋势的预测能力建设中,应重视从海面到海底的综合立体观测系统的发展,以获取关键数据;基于三角洲系统的时、空演化特征,建立三角洲本征态和衍生态的谱系理论。未来需针对系统状态转换而调整原先的经济社会发展模式,以便保护自然资源、重建生态系统,更好地支撑长江经济带发展,重绘长江三角洲发展蓝图。     

长江三角洲人口分布演变、偏移增长及影响因素

在长江三角洲区域一体化上升为国家战略背景下,论文运用核密度、重心、集中指数和偏移—分享等方法,研究2000—2018年长江三角洲人口时空演变规律,并采用定量方法探讨人口偏移增长影响因素。结果表明：① 部分城市主导下的人口集散趋势转变,并未显著改变区域人口不均衡格局,且集中度呈现稳步增长态势。② 基于偏移—分享法的研究发现,人口增长格局转变主要表现为部分欠发达地区人口增速加快,如三省一市上安徽省转变为正偏移增长、城市尺度上核心发达城市为主的正偏移增长向部分欠发达城市为主的正偏移增长转变、县域尺度上正偏移市辖区由核心区向边缘区的转移,但人口向少数大城市、市辖区集聚的态势显著,而多样化的人口偏移增长态势表征了未来城市发展策略的差异化需求。③ 经济因素、社会发展和财政水平等是长江三角洲人口偏移增长的重要驱动力,而影响因素的时空演变表明,未来人口均衡化政策的制定不仅要因地制宜,更要与时俱进。     

1990s年代际转型前后南海季风系统的季节变化

利用多变量经验正交分解(MV-EOF)等方法,研究了在季节变化尺度上南海季风系统的时空分布特征。结果表明:南海夏季风的爆发时间在1993—1994年前后存在显著的年代际转型,由爆发偏晚转变成爆发偏早。第一模态表现为冬夏反位相的年周期变化,但爆发早年夏季风持续时间略长于爆发晚年,空间上都反映了南海中央海盆区的夏季强降水和850 hPa上南海北部的气旋性环流异常,但夏季风爆发早年中国华南沿海降水加强而南海南部降水偏少。相应的大范围环流场上主要反映了南海夏季风爆发后进入盛夏时节亚太地区大范围的环流特征,南海夏季风爆发偏早年索马里越赤道气流偏强,东亚季风槽位置偏北,爆发偏晚年则相反。第二模态反映了南海季风系统春秋反位相的季节变化,且秋季的振幅更强,空间降水场上对应着秋季华南沿海和南海北部与南海中南部北旱南涝的跷跷板式分布,850 hPa风场上则主要表现为异常的东北季风,该模态时空特征表明南海夏季风爆发偏早年的秋季,冬季风建立也偏早,越南及周边地区的降水偏多。相应的大范围环流场上则主要反映了冬季风的环流特征,在南海夏季风爆发偏早年的秋季,菲律宾以东的热带对流减弱,PJ波列增强,爆发晚年则相反。     

北极海冰的年代际转型与中国冻雨年代际变化的关系

基于1961-2013年HadISST海冰密集度资料,定义了北极海冰的季节性融冰指数,结果显示近几十年来北极季节性融冰范围呈显著的上升趋势,并分别在20世纪70年代末和90年代中期存在显著的年代际转型,相应地,中国冻雨发生频数总体上呈现出显著的减少趋势,但也存在显著的年代际转型。在20世纪70年代末之前,北极季节性融冰范围较小但显著增长,中国冻雨频数年际变化振幅较大,且主要受巴伦支海、喀拉海海冰的影响;20世纪70年代末至90年代中期北极季节性融冰范围维持振荡特征,没有显著的线性趋势,中国冻雨频数变化振幅减小,与北极海冰相关较弱,主要相关因子为北大西洋及北太平洋海表温度变化;而90年代中期以后,北极海冰融化加快,特别是2007年以后,季节性融冰范围大大增加,而中国冻雨频数处于低发时段,其变化与太平洋扇区海冰及堪察加半岛附近海温呈显著负相关,季节性融冰的显著区域也从东西伯利亚海逆时针旋转向波弗特海-加拿大群岛北部扩张,同时向北极中央区扩张。不同年代影响冻雨的海温或海冰关键海区不同,产生特定的大气环流异常响应,进而影响到我国冻雨。