Evaluation and Prediction of the Swelling Characteristics of Nigerian Black Clays

The swelling characteristics of black clays from two major areas of occurrence in Borno State, Nigeria, were investigated in the laboratory. Clay samples derived from lagoonal clay deposits showed high swelling tendencies while those samples derived from Olivine basalts showed medium to high swelling tendencies. Although interparticle swelling was the dominant swelling mechanism, soil samples with higher clay contents exhibited higher swelling tendencies. The developed predictive models show that the free swell percentage as well as the swelling pressure can be predicted from measured values of electrical conductivity, specific gravity, clay content and plasticity index. On the other hand, swell percent can be predicted from measured values of electrical conductivity and specific gravity only.     

Spatial patterns in thunderstorm rainfall events and their coupling with watershed hydrological response

Weather radar systems provide detailed information on spatial rainfall patterns known to play a significant role in runoff generation processes. In the current study, we present an innovative approach to exploit spatial rainfall information of air mass thunderstorms and link it with a watershed hydrological model. Observed radar data are decomposed into sets of rain cells conceptualized as circular Gaussian elements and the associated rain cell parameters, namely, location, maximal intensity and decay factor, are input into a hydrological model. Rain cells were retrieved from radar data for several thunderstorms over southern Arizona. Spatial characteristics of the resulting rain fields were evaluated using data from a dense rain gauge network. For an extreme case study in a semi-arid watershed, rain cells were derived and fed as input into a hydrological model to compute runoff response. A major factor in this event was found to be a single intense rain cell (out of the five cells decomposed from the storm). The path of this cell near watershed tributaries and toward the outlet enhanced generation of high flow. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis to cell characteristics indicated that peak discharge could be a factor of two higher if the cell was initiated just a few kilometers aside.     

近116年江淮梅雨异常及其环流特征分析

利用江淮地区1885—2000年近116a梅雨特征量资料和NCEP／NCAR逐日再分析资料，采用谐波分析、最大熵谱分析、小波分析、合成分析等方法讨论了江淮梅雨特征量的年际-年代际变化特征及梅雨异常的环流特征。结果表明；江淮梅雨特征量存在显著的年际和年代际变化特征。入梅日期、出梅日期、梅雨期长度呈显著上升的长期变化趋势，梅雨量和梅雨强度长期趋势变化不明显；梅雨特征量均存在多时间尺度的振荡周期，入梅日期具有准24a、准5a和准3a的显著周期；出梅日期具有准35a、准22a和准5a的显著周期；梅雨量具有准40a、准15a、准9a和准3a的显著周期。丰梅年南亚高压中心强度和西太平洋副热带高压增强。枯梅年则反之。     

2005年江淮流域入梅偏晚的成因分析

2005年是江淮流域入梅偏晚年。利用NCEP／NCAR再分析资料、OLR资料和江苏省气象台提供的2005年逐日降水资料，对2005年江淮流域入梅前的异常环流形势进行分析，探讨了西太平洋副热带高压和低层中高纬冷空气的活动异常与东亚大槽、中西太平洋ITCZ以及东亚副热带高空西风急流等活动异常的关系。结果表明，入梅前，东亚大槽发展强盛，ITCZ偏弱以及东亚副热带高空西风急流强劲少动导致西太平洋副热带高压北抬偏晚。同时，东亚副热带高空西风急流的强劲少动也使南下冷空气势力强劲，中低层副热带锋区偏南，抑制了暖湿的东亚夏季风向江淮流域推进。东亚副热带高空西风急流和西太平洋副热带高压向北突跳偏晚是江淮流域2005年入梅偏晚的主要原因。     

Osterberg法中荷载箱位置对测桩的影响分析

通过对比三颗桩现场Osterberg法实测结果,同时与预估极限承载力进行比较,分析了Osterberg法测桩技术中荷载箱位置的设置对于桩基极限承载力测试结果的影响,得出当荷载箱位置设置较高或较低时,所测极限承载力值均较低。给出了获取最佳荷载箱位置的模拟实验法,该方法以莫尔-库仑强度准则为理论依据,重点研究桩土接触面间的摩擦机制,所得结论较规范经验值和数值模拟分析法准确。     

THE POSITION VARIATION OF THE WEST PACIFIC SUBTROPICAL HIGH AND ITS POSSIBLE MECHANISM

Using NCEP/NCAR daily reanalysis data and SCSMEX data, an investigation is carried out of the relationship between the position variation of the west Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and the apparent heating in June 1998 based on the complete vertical vorticity equation. It is found that the non-adiabatic heating plays an important role in the position variation of WPSH. In comparison with climatic mean status, the vertical change of non-adiabatic heating is stronger in the north side of WPSH in June 1998, but weaker in the south side of WPSH. The anomalous non-uniform heating induces anomalous cyclonic vorticity in South China, areas to the south of the Yangtze and its mid-lower valleys, but anomalous anticyclonic vorticity in the Indo-China Peninsula and South China Sea areas lead to the more southward position of WPSH than the mean.     

A DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH OF THE SEASONAL NORTHWARD BEATING OF THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH

Diagnostic techniques of CEOF, power spectrum and bandpass filter wave are applied in this paper to analyze the seasonal northward beating of the northern subtropical high using day to day geopotential fields of 2.5 × 2.5 at 500 hPa May through July in 1988 and 1991. It is concluded that it is globally observed that the subtropical high has northward beats that propagate westward; the source of beating mainly lies in the region of Arabian Sea and central Pacific and the sink in eastern Pacific; the seasonal beating is dominated by effects of the disturbance field; low frequency oscillation plays a key role in the beating and the westward propagation so that the difference in the latter in individual years is caused by the varying source of disturbance and the low frequency waves it excites.     

北半球海-冰-气系统的10年振荡及其振源初探

采用最大熵谱方法分析了1953～1990年间冬季喀拉海、巴伦支海海冰面积指数、西伯利亚高压强度指数、东亚冬季风强度指数的变化周期,并把冬季喀拉海、巴伦支海海冰面积变化与春夏各季节副热带高压的特征量指数（包括面积指数、强度指数）变化进行了比较。研究发现在海冰-大气气候系统中,明显存在10年尺度周期性变化;冬季喀拉海、巴伦支海海冰面积变化与西伯利亚高压强度指数、东亚冬季风强度指数均呈现相反的变化趋势,海冰偏多（少）则西伯利亚高压偏弱（强）、东亚冬季风也偏弱（强）;冬季海冰面积变化与春夏各季节副热带高压的范围、强度均呈现相同的变化趋势,并且海冰变化要超前0～1年;复经验正交分析表明大气10年尺度周期性变化的振荡源分布均与某一海区（洋区）有关,大气10年尺度变化是对海洋（海冰）变化的响应。     

A diagnostic study on the relationship between the assembling of low frequency waves in the pacific ocean and the abnormality of the subtropical high

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Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Fire Regimes in the Tropics Based on Magicc and a GISS GCM-Derived Lightning Model

Investigations of the ecological, atmospheric chemical, and climatic impacts of contemporary fires in tropical vegetation have received increasing attention during the last 10 years. Little is known, however, about the impacts of climate changes on tropical vegetation and wildland fires. This paper summarizes the main known interactions of fire, vegetation, and atmosphere. Examples of predictive models on the impacts of climate change on the boreal and temperate zones are given in order to highlight the possible impacts on the tropical forest and savanna biomes and to demonstrate parameters that need to be involved in this process. Response of tropical vegetation to fire is characterized by degradation towards xerophytic and pyrophytic plant communities dominated by grasses and fire-tolerant tree and bush invaders. The potential impacts of climate change on tropical fire regimes are investigated using a GISS GCM-based lightning and fire model and the Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse Gas-Induced Climate Change (MAGICC).