An experimental study of effect of pre‐existing fabric on deformation of foliated mylonite at high temperature and pressure

We performed deformation experiments on a foliated mylonite under high temperature and pressure conditions in this study. To investigate the effect of pre‐existing fabric on the rheology of rocks, our samples were drilled from natural mylonite with the cylinder axis parallel to the foliation (PAR) and perpendicular to the foliation (PER). We performed 25 tests on seven PAR samples and 21 tests on seven PER samples at temperatures ranging from 600 to 890 °C, confining pressures ranging from 800 to 1400 MPa, and steady‐state strain rates of 1 × 10⁻⁴, 1 × 10⁻⁵ and 2.5 × 10⁻⁶ s⁻¹. In the temperatures of 600–700 °C, the deformation is accommodated by semi‐brittle flow, with the average stress exponent being 6–7 assuming power law flow; in the temperature range of 800–890 °C, deformation is mainly by plastic flow, with an average stress exponent of n = 3 and activation energies of Q = 354 ± 52 kJ/mol (PER and PAR samples). The experimental results show that the strengths of PER samples are higher than those of PAR samples. Deformation microstructures have been studied by optical and electron microscopy. The original foliation of PER samples is destroyed by deformation and replaced by a new foliation, but the deformation of PAR samples followed the original foliation. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements show a strong lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of the quartz c axis fabrics of the starting samples and deformed PER and PAR samples. However, the c axis fabric of quartz in experimentally deformed PER and PAR samples varied with temperature and strain rate is different from that seen in the starting mylonite sample. The initial quartz c axis fabric of the starting mylonite sample has been transformed into a new fabric during experimental deformation. Dehydration melting of biotite and hornblende occurred in both PER and PAR samples at temperatures of 800–890 °C. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vorticity analysis of the Palmi shear zone mylonites: new insights for the Alpine tectonic evolution of the Calabria–Peloritani terrane (southern Italy)

New microstructural data on the mylonites from the well‐exposed Palmi shear zone (southern Calabria) are presented with the aim to shed light on both the kinematics and the geometry of the southwestern branch of the Alpine belt during Eocene. In the study area, located between the Sardinia–Corsica block and the Calabria–Peloritani terrane, previous large‐scale geodynamic reconstructions suggest the presence of strike–slip or transform fault zones dissecting the southwestern branch of the Alpine belt. However, there are no field data supporting the occurrence of these structures. This paper uses vorticity analysis technique based on the aspect ratio and the long axis orientation of rigid porphyroclasts in mylonitic marbles and mylonitic granitoids, to estimate the contribution of pure and simple shear of deformation during the movement of the Palmi shear zone. Porphyroclasts aspect ratio and orientation were measured on thin sections using image analysis. Estimates of the vorticity number, W_m, indicate that the Palmi shear zone recorded general shear with a contribution of pure shear of c. 65%. Then, the Palmi shear zone can be interpreted as a segment of a left‐lateral transpressive bend along the southern termination of the Eocene Alpine front. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Project Siberian High in CMIP5 Models

The Siberian high(SH)experienced a decline from the 1970s to 1990s and a recovery in recent years.The evolution of the SH under global warming is unclear.In this study,41 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5(CMIP5)climate models are evaluated in terms of their ability to simulate the temporal evolution of the SH in the 19th and 20th centuries and the spatial pattern of the SH during 1981–2005.The results show that 12models can capture the temporal evolution of the SH center intensity(SHCI)for 1872–2005.The linear correlation coefficient between the SHCI from the Twentieth Century Reanalysis and the simulated SHCI from the multi-model ensemble(MME)of the 12 models is 0.3 on annual and inter-annual scales(above the 99%confidence level).On decadal and multi-decadal time scales,the MME also captures the pronounced reduction(between 1981–2000and 1881–1900 period)and the recovery(during1991–2005)of the SH intensity.Finally,the future evolution of the SH is investigated using the MME of the 12models under the+4.5 and+8.5 W m-2 Representative Concentration Pathway(RCP)scenarios(RCP4.5 and RCP8.5).It is shown that the SHCI,similar to the SHCI in the 20th century,has no significant long-term trend in the 21st century under global warming(RCP8.5 scenario).At the end of 21st century(2081–2100),the SH shows stronger interannual variability than the SH at the end of20th century(1981–2000).The increased interannual variability likely favors the increased interannual variability in winter air temperature over midlatitude Eurasia at the end of 21st century.     

An assessment of the predictability of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet based on TIGGE data

The predictability of the position, spatial coverage and intensity of the East Asian subtropical westerly jet(EASWJ) in the summers of 2010 to 2012 was examined for ensemble prediction systems(EPSs) from four representative TIGGE centers,including the ECMWF, the NCEP, the CMA, and the JMA. Results showed that each EPS predicted all EASWJ properties well, while the levels of skill of all EPSs declined as the lead time extended. Overall, improvements from the control to the ensemble mean forecasts for predicting the EASWJ were apparent. For the deterministic forecasts of all EPSs, the prediction of the average axis was better than the prediction of the spatial coverage and intensity of the EASWJ. ECMWF performed best, with a lead of approximately 0.5–1 day in predictability over the second-best EPS for all EASWJ properties throughout the forecast range. For probabilistic forecasts, differences in skills among the different EPSs were more evident in the earlier part of the forecast for the EASWJ axis and spatial coverage, while they departed obviously throughout the forecast range for the intensity. ECMWF led JMA by about 0.5–1 day for the EASWJ axis, and by about 1–2 days for the spatial coverage and intensity at almost all lead times. The largest lead of ECMWF over the relatively worse EPSs, such as NCEP and CMA, was approximately 3–4 days for all EASWJ properties. In summary, ECMWF showed the highest level of skill for predicting the EASWJ, followed by JMA.     

影响夏季西北太平洋副热带高压年际变率的关键海区及影响机制

西北太平洋副热带高压(西太副高)是影响东亚夏季气候的主要环流系统,其年际变率受热带多个海区的海-气相互作用过程的调控。为明确影响夏季西太副高的关键海区及其影响机制,在总结最近十余年来相关研究进展的基础上,归纳出影响夏季西太副高年际变率的5个关键海区,包括赤道中东太平洋、热带印度洋、副热带西北太平洋、海洋大陆附近海区以及热带大西洋。阐述了这5个关键海区的海温异常影响西太副高年际变率的机制,并探讨了5个关键海区海温异常的形成机制。围绕夏季西太副高的年际变率,回顾了当前气候模式的模拟和预测研究的现状。最后,提出了本领域亟待解决的关键科学问题,展望未来可能的研究热点。     

2013年7月1日河北宁晋极端短时强降水成因研究

2013年7月1日午后至夜间,华北出现一次区域性暴雨和局地大暴雨过程。局地极端降水出现在河北省邢台市宁晋县四芝兰镇,过程雨量409 mm,其中当日17—19时连续2 h雨量超过100 mm。利用常规高空和地面观测资料、NCEP再分析资料和石家庄新一代天气雷达资料,探讨了宁晋极端短时强降水的形成原因。主要结论是:(1)低槽、冷锋、副热带高压及其外围低涡切变线为其主要影响系统,海南附近台风远距离影响加强了水汽自南向北的输送,半定常的地面辐合切变线对新生对流的触发和已有对流的维持及加强起到重要作用;(2)宁晋最强降水期间,其上空具有较强的垂直风切变,有利于高度组织化的对流系统发展;(3)对流系统的后向传播使回波主体移动缓慢、持续时间长,而回波强度大和雨强很强,则导致四芝兰镇极端强降水,此外,具有弱中气旋的超级单体相对较长时间的影响使其对四芝兰镇强降水具有重要贡献;(4)产生极端降水的对流系统属于高质心发展强烈的大陆强对流型,而非更易导致强降水的低质心系统。同时,针对众多学者研究北京"7.21"特大暴雨得到的一些结论进行了进一步探讨和验证。     

Synergistic contribution of precipitation anomalies over northwestern India and the South China Sea to high temperature over the Yangtze River Valley

This study explores the characteristics of high temperature anomalies over eastern China and associated influencing factors using observations and model outputs. Results show that more long-duration (over 8 days) high temperature events occur over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Valley (YRV) than over the surrounding regions, and control most of the interannual variation of summer mean temperature in situ. The synergistic effect of summer precipitation over the South China Sea (SCS) region (18°-27°N, 115°-124°E) and the northwestern India and Arabian Sea (IAS) region (18°-27°N, 60°-80°E) contributes more significantly to the variation of summer YRV temperature, relative to the respective SCS or IAS precipitation anomaly. More precipitation (enhanced condensational heating) over the SCS region strengthens the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and simultaneously weakens the westerly trough over the east coast of Asia, and accordingly results in associated high temperature anomalies over the YRV region through stimulating an East Asia-Pacific (EAP) pattern. More precipitation over the IAS region further adjusts the variations of the WPSH and westerly trough, and eventually reinforces high temperature anomalies over the YRV region. Furthermore, the condensational heating related to more IAS precipitation can adjust upper-tropospheric easterly anomalies over the YRV region by exciting a circumglobal teleconnection, inducing cold horizontal temperature advection and related anomalous descent, which is also conducive to the YRV high temperature anomalies. The reproduction of the above association in the model results indicates that the above results can be explained both statistically and dynamically.     

2015年4月大气环流和天气分析

2015年4月环流特征如下：极涡为偶极型环流,极涡主体位于格陵兰西侧与加拿大之间,另一中心位于亚洲的东北部;两个极涡中心较常年平均偏低4~8 dagpm,乌拉尔山高压脊偏高8~12 dagpm;副热带高压面积偏大、西脊点偏西,南支槽位置与强度接近常年平均;4月全国平均气温11.6℃,较常年同期（11℃）偏高0.6℃;全国平均降水量43 mm,接近常年同期（44.7 mm）,我国中东部长江以北地区降水偏多,江南、华南降水偏少。4月全国强对流天气过程频发,1—4、19—20和28—29日出现了范围较大的强对流天气。北方地区出现2次沙尘天气。     

低涡和副热带高压共同影响下的暴雨落区分析

应用常规观测资料和NCEP 1°×1°再分析资料,分析低涡和副热带高压共同影响下的暴雨过程,发现暴雨落区并不与低涡位置及路径一致,因而不能简单的按其位置和路径预报暴雨落区,应着眼于暴雨发生的物理机理,注意分析影响系统的空间结构、发展阶段和地面形势的演变特征。在有锋面系统影响时,初始对流往往由锋面触发,因此,暴雨的第一落区在锋面附近。冷锋触发的暖区暴雨随后出现,不需强的动力辐合条件,可能远离低涡中心,而是位于副热带高压边缘的高温湿舌内。另外,应密切关注周边初生的对流云团及其移入时造成的暴雨。     

海温异常对东亚夏季风强度先兆信号的影响

利用ERA-Interim再分析资料、NOAA海温资料、CMAP格点降水资料和中国气象站降水资料,通过合成、相关和回归分析等方法研究了1979—2012年东亚夏季风强度与其先兆信号的关系,并分析了热带海温异常的可能影响。研究表明:东亚夏季风先兆指数反映了2月200 hPa纬向风距平的主要模态特征 (EOF1),前冬热带中东太平洋海温偏低 (高),2月亚洲地区西风急流位置偏北 (偏南),东亚夏季风先兆指数偏强 (弱)。前期热带海温异常对东亚夏季风强度有明显影响,前冬热带中东太平洋海温偏低 (高) 有利于东亚夏季风偏强 (弱)。2月亚洲中纬度地区纬向风异常特征在春季不能持续,先兆信号与东亚夏季风强度的联系主要源自热带海洋。