Evidence of Self‐Organized Criticality in riverbank mass failures: a matter of perspective?

A growing body of field, theoretical and numerical modelling studies suggests that predicting river response to even major changes in input variables is difficult. Rivers are seen to adjust rapidly and variably through time and space as well as changing independently of major driving variables. Concepts such as Self‐Organized Criticality (SOC) are considered to better reflect the complex interactions and adjustments occurring in systems than traditional approaches of cause and effect. This study tests the hypothesis that riverbank mass failures which occurred both prior to, and during, an extreme flood event in southeast Queensland (SEQ) in 2011 are a manifestation of SOC. Each wet‐flow failure is somewhat analogous to the ‘avalanche’ described in the initial sand‐pile experiments of Bak et al. (Physical Review Letters, 1987, 59(4), 381–384) and, due to the use of multitemporal LiDAR, the time period of instability can be effectively constrained to that surrounding the flood event. The data is examined with respect to the key factors thought to be significant in evaluating the existence of SOC including; non‐linear temporal dynamics in the occurrence of disturbance events within the system; an inverse power‐law relation between the magnitude and frequency of the events; the existence of a critical state to which the system readjusts after a disturbance; the existence of a cascading processes mechanism by which the same process can initiate both low‐magnitude and high‐magnitude events. While there was a significant change in the frequency of mass failures pre‐ and post‐flood, suggesting non‐linear temporal dynamics in the occurrence of disturbance events, the data did not fit an inverse power‐law within acceptable probability and other models were found to fit the data better. Likewise, determining a single ‘critical’ state is problematic when a variety of feedbacks and multiple modes of adjustment are likely to have operated throughout this high magnitude event. Overall, the extent to which the data supports a self‐organized critical state is variable and highly dependent upon inferential arguments. Investigating the existence of SOC, however, provided results and insights that are useful to the management and future prediction of these features. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

近60 a来西秦岭及周边地区降水的分布格局

基于西秦岭及周边地区15个气象站点的降水、气温等月值、年值资料,采用相关统计分析及检验的方法,研究了1951年以来该区域近60 a干湿变化的时空特征。结果表明:西秦岭及周边地区1951年以来降水量呈下降趋势,秋季降水量减少趋势最明显,速率为-18.6 mm· (10 a)^-1;而近60 a年平均气温呈上升趋势,升温速率为0.28℃· (10 a)^-1。对比气温和降水要素,西秦岭及周边地区年平均温度每升高1℃,则年降水减少37 mm,表明该区近60 a由冷湿向暖干转变。同时将气候要素与Niño3.4指数进行相关分析,结果显示在厄尔尼诺事件发生当年该区降水少,气温高,容易发生干旱。利用改进的经验正交函数法分析西秦岭及其周边地区15个气象站点的气候要素,发现该区年降水距平百分率的第一模态解释方差为49.0%,整个区域呈同向变化,而年平均温度距平第一模态解释方差为78.8%,在整个区域内亦呈现同向变化。对比两个要素第一模态显示西秦岭近60 a东部地区与西部地区相比,呈现降水减少幅度大,气温升高速率小的分布格局。     

黄河三角洲滨海地区植物生长季大气氮沉降动态

利用SCJ-302型降水降尘自动采样器在植物生长季对黄河三角洲滨海湿地的大气氮沉降进行监测,对沉降物中水溶性离子、干、湿沉降氮输入量、铵态氮和硝态氮在总沉降量中的贡献率及月变化动态等分析表明：黄河三角洲植物生长季,大气干、湿沉降中SO₄^2-和NO₃^-占阴离子总量的92%以上,和Na⁺和Ca²⁺占阳离子总量的80%以上,总N沉降量约为2 264.24 mg/m²,且69%集中在降雨量较丰沛的6-8月。其中干沉降氮贡献率约为32.02%,主要集中在春季。N的湿沉降量与降雨量呈显著正线性相关（R²=0.82）,在降雨量丰沛的8月,达到最大值675.64 mg/m²。该地区大气干沉降的氮素形态以硝态氮为主,约占氮素输入量的57.21%,湿沉降中以铵态氮为主,约占氮素输入量的56.51%。植物生长季中,大气沉降中的硝态氮与铵态氮含量对表层10 cm土壤的月平均贡献率分别为约31.38%和20.50%,可见大气氮沉降是黄河三角洲滨海区域土壤主要氮素来源之一。     

Recycling of Coastal Dredged Sediments from the Northern Nile Delta,Egypt, for Heavy Minerals Exploitation

Mineralogical and textural analyses of 45 undisturbed short cores and 80 grab sediment samples, collected from five frequently dredged navigational areas within harbors and water pathways of the Nile delta littoral system, were utilized for evaluation of these sediments as potential source of economic heavy minerals (EHMs). Results of mineralogical characterization indicate that the average total heavy mineral (HM) concentrations are as follows: Abu Qir Bay (1.7%), Rosetta estuary (3.1%), Burullus fishing port (4.5%), Damietta Harbor (2.9%), and El Gamil lagoon inlet (1.9%). Assessment of HM grades indicates predominance of magnetite, ilmenite, hematite, leucoxene, garnet, zircon, and rutile. Results of the feasibility analysis indicate that dredged sediments at these study areas are considered as a potential source of EHMs and economically promising to be mined for HMs. The present study suggests a practical operative plan of two successive phases for HMs recycling: (1) in-situ initial separation of HMs on the dredger deck using wet-gravity spirals, then (2) transportation of the recovered HM concentrates to an onshore processing plant to selectively separate individual HMs via wet and dry magnetic and electrostatic separators. Alternatively, dredged sediments can be directly pumped to a nearby onshore area as stockpile to be recycled afterward in inland processing plant.     

1961—2012年中国冬半年霾日数的变化特征及气候成因分析

利用全国664站1961—2012年逐日霾观测资料、降水量、平均风速和最大风速资料,分析中国霾日数变化特征及其气候成因。结果表明：我国年霾日数分布呈明显东多西少特征,中东部大部地区年霾日数在5～30 d,部分地区超过30 d,西部地区基本在5 d以下。霾日数主要集中在冬半年,冬季最多,秋季和春季次之,夏季最少,12月是霾日数最多的月份,约占全年霾日数的2成。我国中东部地区冬半年平均霾日数呈显著的增加趋势（1.7 d/10a）,霾日数显著增加时段主要在1960年代、1970年代和21世纪初,在1970年代初和21世纪初发生了明显均值突变。从区域分布来看,华南、长江中下游、华北等地霾日数呈增加趋势,而东北、西北东部、西南东部霾日数呈减少趋势。持续性霾过程增加,持续时间越长的霾过程比持续时间短的霾过程增加更为明显。不利的气候条件加剧了霾的出现。霾日数与降水日数在中东部地区基本以负相关为主,中东部冬半年降水日数呈减少趋势（-4 d/10a）,表明降水日数的减少导致大气对污染物的沉降能力减弱。另一方面,霾日数与平均风速和大风日数以负相关为主,而与静风日数则以正相关为主,冬半年平均风速和大风日数减小,静风日数增加,表明风速减小导致空气中污染物不易扩散,从而更易形成霾天气。     

西北地区东部季节干旱的时空变化特征分析

干旱作为我国西北地区东部影响最大的气象灾害, 可引起农业减产、水资源短缺、土地荒漠化和生态环境恶化等严重问题.在国家新一轮西部大开发战略实施之初, 在全球气候变暖背景下, 有必要对干旱发展的最新特征和演变趋势进行详细分析研究, 为加强防旱、抗旱,促进经济发展提供科学决策依据和参考.采用国家干旱标准综合干旱指数(CI指数), 利用西北地区东部74个气象代表站逐日气温、降水资料, 分析了西北地区东部不同级别干旱日数在各个季节的时空分布和变化趋势. 结果表明: 在气候变暖背景下, 西北地区东部从长期趋势看, 春、夏、秋季干旱呈加剧趋势, 冬季干旱呈减轻趋势. 21世纪以来春、夏季干旱进一步加剧, 尤其是夏季加剧更显著, 而秋、冬季干旱出现了减弱的新趋势. 在西北地区东部主降水期3-11月重-特旱加剧趋势比轻-中旱加剧显著, 南部干旱化趋势比北部更加明显. 尤其是宁夏同心地区春旱加剧非常显著, 已成为西北地区东部重-特旱最严重的地区.对于干旱发展的这一新动态, 必须引起有关部门的高度重视, 采取科学、有效手段加强防旱、抗旱.     

2010年2月辽宁地区冻雨天气诊断分析

应用常规天气资料,从天气、气候及大气物理量场等方面,对2010年2月下旬发生在辽宁地区历史罕见的冰冻雨雪灾害性天气发生发展的成因、主要特征以及造成严重灾害的主要原因进行诊断分析。结果表明：500 hPa低涡分裂的小槽东移是冻雨天气的环流背景;700 hPa源源不断的水汽输送和低层辐合作用是降水产生的基本条件。地面强冷空气是冻雨天气的触发机制;高层为冷的冰晶层,对流层中低层有温度t>0℃的暖的融化层,近地面1-2 km为气温t<0℃的冷层,同时地面达到 0℃以下,这种复杂的逆温层是冻雨产生的天气条件。高层暖平流是维持中空暖层结构的重要条件之一,对暖层的建立和破坏起较大作用,暖层消失冻雨天气也随之结束。中低空水汽饱和度、地面温度和中低空上升、下沉运动与冻雨的强度有密切关系。     

青海玉树7.1级大震的预测讨论

讨论了2010年4月14日青海玉树大震的震源组合模式。用临界慢化的观点讨论了玉树大震的前震。以异年倍九律与磁暴二倍法相配讨论了玉树大震的发生日期。     

广东沿海夏季降水年代际变化成因分析

利用零降水日对广东沿海夏季降水的年代际变化成因进行统计相关分析,结果表明:南海表层海温(SST)对次年夏季广东沿海地区降水有明显影响,并且这种影响作用在20世纪70年代有一个明显的年代际变异;南海SST影响广东省夏季降水的敏感区域在不同的年代际阶段都非常靠近广东省,局地性非常明显。局地的海气相互作用对广东沿海夏季降水的短期气候预测有显著的意义。     

GPS气象预报的可行性分析

基于中国区域5个IGS跟踪站的实测GPS数据,利用Bernese 4.2软件反演了部分典型测站上空的可降水量,并分析了该降水量变化与降雨之间的关系,探讨了将GPS应用于气象预报的可行性.