Atmospheric Surface-Layer Processes During the Total Solar Eclipse Of 11 August 1999

The central path of the total solar eclipse (TSE) of 11 August 1999 mostly passedthrough a region of active monsoon in India, with the eclipse ending around localsunset. Measurements in the surface layer (SL) were carried out close to the eclipseaxis at Akola (20°42' N, 77°2' E) in central India. The globalradiation flux reaching the surface vanishes around totality at 1803:24 (LT), followedby a small recovery before again dipping to zero at sunset. The temperatures in the SL, and subsoil at 50-mm depth, show a local minimum with a lag of about 10 min after the second contact, whereas the lag appears to vanish when the temperature series is detrended. The SL exhibits near-neutral, though generally stable, conditions from about 1500 hr itself due to heavy cloud cover followed by the eclipse-induced cooling of the surface. The wind component across the eclipse axis vanishes at totality, the wind vector aligning with the azimuth of the traversing moon shadow. The deceleration of the mean flow can be due to the combined effect of the colder surface and downward heat flux, where the locally altered horizontal temperature gradients may cause, as in this instance, the cessation of the cross flow.The oscillations in temperature and wind that show significant peaks, around 90–100 min as well as the semi-period of the eclipse near 60 min, persist for several hours past the eclipse event. A fresh analysis of the published data on the TSE of 7 March 1970 shows spectral peaks in the temperature nearly coincident with those already reported from the surface pressure records. The oscillations in the SL fields during the two TSE events are very similar implying that the source mechanism is also likely to be the same in both the cases.     

Counting chronology and climate records with about 1000 annual layers of a Holocene stalagmite from the Water Cave in Liaoning Province, China

One active stalagmite from the Water Cave in Liaoning Province contains growth layers of three sizes. Based on thermal ionization mass spectrometry 230Th dating, we found that middle size layers are annual layers, with each middle layer consisting of one narrow dark layer and a wide bright layer. The small layers within middle layers are sub-annual layers and the large layers are multi-year layers. Based on the layer-counting method, we established a high-resolution time scale for layer thickness. Our results reveal two dramatic century-scale climate cycles over the past 1000 years in this region.     

论上海软土地基⑦⑧⑨层压缩模量Es的定值问题

上海地区深部土层⑦⑧⑨层埋深在30～70m。对其压缩模量Es的定值问题,现行《上海市地基基础设计规范》(DGJ08 11 1999)(后文中简称《规范》)长期以来确定室内试验E0 1～0 2值为沉降计算值,导致沉降计算值与建(构)筑物实际沉降量之间相差2～8倍。为符合规范的变形要求,设计人员不得不采取桩加粗、加长、加密的办法,从而造成桩基投资的极大浪费。为了正确认识深部土层的Es值,上海岩土工程界进行了多种形式的试验研究。近年来,笔者结合上海高、大、深、重建(构)筑物的工程实践,深入进行上海深部⑦⑧⑨层压缩模量Es的试验研究,获得许多新的认识,对其定值问题作了研究,提出⑦⑧⑨层的建议值,供同行参考研讨。     

Explosion seismic reflections from the Earth’s core

Recent seismological studies have presented evidence for the existence of a layer with ultra-low seismic velocities at the core-mantle boundary at ca. 2900 km depth. We report high-amplitude, high-frequency, and laterally coherent seismic arrivals from three nuclear explosions in Siberia. With recording station intervals of 15 km, the seismic phases are readily correlated and show the presence of a thin, ultra-low velocity zone in a region where it was not previously reported. The duration and complexity of the arrivals are inconsistent with a simple core-mantle boundary and require a hitherto unidentified, kilometre-scale, fine structure in the ultra-low velocity zone. The observations may be explained by a ca. 7 km thick, two-layer, ultra-low velocity zone with exceptional low velocities, which indicate the presence of high percentages of melt (>15%), in particular in the lower part of the zone. Waveform variation implies lateral change in the thickness and physical properties of the ultra-low velocity zone with a wavelength of less than 100 km.     

Geomechanical model for the post-Variscan evolution of the Permocarboniferous–Mesozoic basins in Northeast Germany

The Permocarboniferous basins in Northeast Germany formed on the heterogeneous and eroded parts of the Variscan orogene and its deformed northern foreland. Transtensional tectonic movements and thermal re-equilibration lead to medium-scale crustal fragmentation, fast subsidence rates and regional emplacement of large amounts of mostly acidic volcanics. The later basin formation and differentiation was triggered by reversals of the large-scale stress field and reactivation of prominent zones of weakness like the Elbe Fault System and the Rhenohercynian/Saxothuringian boundary that separate different Variscan basement domains in the area. The geomechanical behaviour of the latter plays an important role for the geodynamic evolution of the medium to large-scale structural units, which we can observe today in three dimensions on structural maps, geophysical recordings and digital models. This study concentrates on an area that comprises the southern Northeast German Basin, the Saale Basin, the Flechtingen High, the Harz Mountains High and the Subhercynian Basin. The presented data include re-evaluations of special geological and structural maps, the most recent interpretation of the DEKORP BASIN 9601 seismic profile and observations of exposed rock sections in Northeast Germany. On the basis of different structural inventories and different basement properties, we distinguish two structural units to the south and one structural unit to the north of the Elbe Fault System. For each unit, we propose a geomechanical model of basin formation and basin inversion, and show that the Rhenohercynian Fold and Thrust Belt domain is deformed in a thin-skinned manner, while the Mid-German Crystalline Rise Domain, which is the western part of the Saxothuringian Zone, rather shows a thick-skinned deformation pattern. The geomechanical model for the unit north to the Elbe Fault System takes account to the fact that the base of the Zechstein beneath the present Northeast German basin shows hardly any evidence for brittle deformation, which indicates a relative stable basement. Our geomechanical model suggests that the Permocarboniferous deposits may have contributed to the structural stiffness by covering small to medium scale structures of the upper parts of the brittle basement. It is further suggested that the pre-Zechstein successions underneath the present Northeast German basin were possibly strengthening during the Cretaceous basin inversion, which resulted in stress transfer to the long-lived master faults, as indicated for example by the shape of the salt domes in the vicinity of the latter faults. Contrary to this, post-Zechstein successions deformed in a different and rather complex way that was strongly biased by intensive salt tectonic movements.     

Comparison of the Langrangian Footprint

We compare flux and concentration footprint estimates of athree-dimensional Lagrangian stochastic dispersion modelapplying backward trajectories with the results of ananalytical footprint model by Kormann and Meixner.The comparison is performed for varying stability regimesof the surface layer as well as for different measurementheights. In general, excellent correspondence is found.     

Distribution of vertical crustal movement rates in the Tohoku district, Japan, predicted by least-squares collocation

Least-squares prediction using an empirically deduced local covariance function was performed to investigate the temporal change in the rates of vertical crustal movements in the Tohoku district, Japan. Levelling data covering an area of approximately 450 × 275 km² observed between 1966 and 1995 were used and the results shown in the form of contour maps. Firstly we derived a covariance function of the rates of vertical crustal movement with a Gaussian form function. We used this function to estimate the spatial distribution of the rates of vertical crustal movements. By the present method, a steady tilt of the Tohoku district to the east, toward the Japan Trench and an areal uplift in the southwestern part were well reproduced. Moreover, a significant temporal change in vertical movement rates is clearly seen. Received: 15 July 1996      

The crustal fluid evolution and the causes of earthquakes(Ⅲ)

Ｔｈｅｃｒｕｓｔａｌｆｌｕｉｄｅｖｏｌｕｔｉｏｎａｎｄｔｈｅｃａｕｓｅｓｏｆｅａｒｔｈｑｕａｋｅｓ（Ⅲ）ＣＨＡＮＧ－ＦＡＮＧＸＵ（徐常芳）ＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＧｅｏｌｏｇｙ，ＳｔａｔｅＳｅｉｓｍｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌＢｕｒｅａｕ，Ｂｅｉｊｉｎｇ１０００...     

CLIMATIC RECORDS FROM ANNUAL LAYERS AND STABLE ISOTOPES OF A STALAGMITE IN BEIJING OVER THE LAST 2300 YEARS

Ｉ.ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＳｔａｌａｇｍｉｔｅｓｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎａｐｐｌｉｅｄｔｏｕｓｅａｓｈｉｇｈｒｅｓｏｌｕｔｉｏｎｐａｌｅｏｃｌｉｍａｔｉｃｉｎｄｉｃａｔｏｒｓｓｉｎｃｅｔｈｅａｎｎｕａｌｇｒｏｗｔｈｂａｎｄｉｎｇｗａｓｒｅｃｏｇｎｉｚｅｄｉｎｓｔａｌａｇｍｉｔｅｓ[1,2].Ａｎｎｕａｌｇｒｏｗｔｈｂａｎｄｉｎｇｃａｎｂｅｍａｎｉｆｅｓｔｅｄｉｎｓｅｖｅｒａｌｍａｎｎｅｒｓｄｅｆｉｎｅｄｂｙ1)ａｌｔｅｒｎａｔｉｎｇｆｌｕｏｒｅｓｃｅｎｔａｎｄｎｏｎ-ｆｌｕｏｒｅｓｃｅｎｔｃａｌｃｉｔｅ[3,4];2)…