Sexual reproduction and early life‐history traits of the Mediterranean soft coral Alcyonium acaule

Understanding processes that contribute to a better comprehension of the population dynamics of long‐lived species is critical for the maintenance and potential recovery of such species. Despite the abundance of soft corals in Mediterranean rocky reefs, little information exists on their life histories and reproductive patterns. In this study, we assessed the main reproductive characteristics and early life‐history traits of the long‐lived soft coral Alcyonium acaule. The sex ratio was 1:1; the smallest fertile colonies were one finger in size (2.1 ± 0.6 cm in height), and both colony and polyp fertility increased with colony size. Likewise, the number of eggs and spermary sacs per polyp increased significantly with colony size, whereas the diameter of the female and male sexual products did not. Over 6 years of observations (2007–2012), spawning occurred primarily in July, after the seawater reached 20 °C, in a single spawning episode per year. Approximately 80% of female colonies released eggs, which were retained on the surface of the mother colony by mucous strings for up to a few days. High fertilization rates were observed during spawning in 2008 and 2009 (94.9% and 87.0%, respectively). The timing of development was ~24 h for the blastulae, ~48–72 h for the planulae and 8–22 days for metamorphosis into primary polyps. Survivorship of planulae was relatively high (~50% at 45 days after release), but only 24% of larvae metamorphosed into primary polyps, and their survivorship was moderate after 2 months (65% in 2008 and 74% in 2009). Asexual reproduction was negligible, indicating that sexual reproduction is the main mechanism supporting the maintenance and recovery of populations.     

青藏高原东部大气探空廓线的气候特征分析

通过对青藏高原东部地区近几年部分探空资料的分析,得出了一些有意义的结论。结果表明:冬季,青藏高原东侧地区在对流层下部存在明显的逆温现象,在逆温层之下,大气相对湿度大,水汽随高度减小的幅度小,大气处于中性层结状况;在此逆温层之上,大气相对湿度小。在逆温层底部有大量的水汽堆积,在空中形成明显的逆湿层,而在高原主体上并没有此逆温层的存在,高原东侧各站逆温层底的高度差别不大。夏季,青藏高原东侧地区20时可以存在明显的混合层,混合层的高度在成都站最小,重庆站最大,而高原主体混合层高度大于东侧地区。旱年混合层高度大于涝年。8时和20时,冬季大气温、湿垂直特性变化不明显,而夏季具有明显的变化。夏季,降水过程明显抑制混合层的发展,在暴雨过程及其前后,混合层有明显的成熟、消亡、重新建立的特征。     

Ground truth seismic events and location capability at Degelen mountain, Kazakhstan

We utilized nuclear explosions from the Degelen Mountain sub-region of the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS), Kazakhstan, to assess seismic location capability directly. Excellent ground truth information for these events was either known or was estimated from maps of the Degelen Mountain adit complex. Origin times were refined for events for which absolute origin time information was unknown using catalog arrival times, our ground truth location estimates, and a time baseline provided by fixing known origin times during a joint hypocenter determination (JHD). Precise arrival time picks were determined using a waveform cross-correlation process applied to the available digital data. These data were used in a JHD analysis. We found that very accurate locations were possible when high precision, waveform cross-correlation arrival times were combined with JHD. Relocation with our full digital data set resulted in a mean mislocation of 2 km and a mean 95% confidence ellipse (CE) area of 6.6 km² (90% CE: 5.1 km²), however, only 5 of the 18 computed error ellipses actually covered the associated ground truth location estimate. To test a more realistic nuclear test monitoring scenario, we applied our JHD analysis to a set of seven events (one fixed) using data only from seismic stations within 40° epicentral distance. Relocation with these data resulted in a mean mislocation of 7.4 km, with four of the 95% error ellipses covering less than 570 km² (90% CE: 438 km²), and the other two covering 1730 and 8869 km² (90% CE: 1331 and 6822 km²). Location uncertainties calculated using JHD often underestimated the true error, but a circular region with a radius equal to the mislocation covered less than 1000 km² for all events having more than three observations.     

Fermat's principle for seismic rays in elastic media

We prove that rays in linearly elastic anisotropic nonuniform media obey Fermat's principle of stationary traveltime. First, we formulate the concept of rays, which emerges from the Hamilton equations. Then, we show that these rays are solutions of the variational problem stated by Fermat's principle. This proof is valid for all rays except the ones associated with infection points on the phase-slowness surface.     

Assessing the effects of catchment‐scale urban green infrastructure retrofits on hydrograph characteristics

Run‐off from impervious surfaces has pervasive and serious consequences for urban streams, but the detrimental effects of urban stormwater can be lessened by disconnecting impervious surfaces and redirecting run‐off to decentralized green infrastructure. This study used a before–after‐control‐impact design, in which streets served as subcatchments, to quantify hydrologic effectiveness of street‐scale investments in green infrastructure, such as street‐connected bioretention cells, rain gardens and rain barrels. On the two residential treatment streets, voluntary participation resulted in 32.2% and 13.5% of parcels having green infrastructure installed over a 2‐year period. Storm sewer discharge was measured before and after green infrastructure implementation, and peak discharge, total run‐off volume and hydrograph lags were analysed. On the street with smaller lots and lower participation, green infrastructure installation succeeded in reducing peak discharge by up to 33% and total storm run‐off by up to 40%. On the street with larger lots and higher participation, there was no significant reduction in peak or total stormflows, but on this street, contemporaneous street repairs may have offset improvements. On the street with smaller lots, lag times increased following the first phase of green infrastructure construction, in which streetside bioretention cells were built with underdrains. In the second phase, lag times did not change further, because bioretention cells were built without underdrains and water was removed from the system, rather than just delayed. We conclude that voluntary green infrastructure retrofits that include treatment of street run‐off can be effective for substantially reducing stormwater but that small differences in design and construction can be important for determining the level of the benefit. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于ACCRBF网络的多层砖房震害预测

针对传统震害预测方法逐栋抽样计算建筑物抗震性能的不足,本文提出了一种基于蚁群聚类径向基(ACCRBF)网络模型的建筑物震害预测方法。依据不同地震动峰值加速度下多层砖房的实际震害资料,对模型进行训练,在模型的输入和输出之间建立映射关系,并利用这种映射关系对未知样本进行分类,实现对多层砖房的震害分析和预测。模型的输入为反映结构的震害影响因子,输出为给定的地震动峰值加速度下结构震害等级。研究表明,基于ACCRBF网络模型的多层砖房震害预测结果与震害实例基本吻合,具有推广应用价值。     

Two‐dimensional physically based finite element runoff model for small agricultural watersheds: I. Model development

Soil erosion by water is the root cause of ecological degradation in the Shiwalik foothills of Northern India. Simulation of runoff and its component processes is a pre‐requisite to develop the management strategies to tackle the problem, successfully. A two‐dimensional physically based distributed numerical model, ROMO2D has been developed to simulate runoff from small agricultural watersheds on an event basis. The model employs the 2‐D Richards equation with sink term to simulate infiltration and soil moisture dynamics in the vadoze zone under variable rainfall conditions, and 2‐D Saint‐Venant equations under the kinematic wave approximation along with Manning's equation as the stage‐discharge equation for runoff routing. The various flow‐governing equations have been solved numerically by employing a Galerkin finite element method for spatial discretization using quadrilateral elements and finite difference techniques for temporal solutions. The ROMO2D computer program has been developed as a class‐based program, coded in C + + in such a way that with minor modifications, the model can be used to simulate runoff on a continuous basis. The model writes output for a runoff hydrograph of each storm. Model development is described in this paper and the results of model testing and field application are to be presented in a subsequent paper. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Developing constitutive models from EPR‐based self‐learning finite element analysis

A constitutive model that captures the material behavior under a wide range of loading conditions is essential for simulating complex boundary value problems. In recent years, some attempts have been made to develop constitutive models for finite element analysis using self‐learning simulation (SelfSim). Self‐learning simulation is an inverse analysis technique that extracts material behavior from some boundary measurements (eg, load and displacement). In the heart of the self‐learning framework is a neural network which is used to train and develop a constitutive model that represents the material behavior. It is generally known that neural networks suffer from a number of drawbacks. This paper utilizes evolutionary polynomial regression (EPR) in the framework of SelfSim within an automation process which is coded in Matlab environment. EPR is a hybrid data mining technique that uses a combination of a genetic algorithm and the least square method to search for mathematical equations to represent the behavior of a system. Two strategies of material modeling have been considered in the SelfSim‐based finite element analysis. These include a total stress‐strain strategy applied to analysis of a truss structure using synthetic measurement data and an incremental stress‐strain strategy applied to simulation of triaxial tests using experimental data. The results show that effective and accurate constitutive models can be developed from the proposed EPR‐based self‐learning finite element method. The EPR‐based self‐learning FEM can provide accurate predictions to engineering problems. The main advantages of using EPR over neural network are highlighted.     

高密度电阻率法在三星堆壕沟考古勘探中应用研究

三星堆遗址文化从新石器时代晚期延续发展至商末周初,延续时间近2000年,是迄今在西南地区发现的范围最大、延续时间最长、文化内涵最丰富的古城、古国、古蜀文化遗址,对三星堆遗址文明的溯源、遗址的发掘研究都具有重要意义.本文是利用高密度电阻率法勘探三星堆壕沟,其研究成果与壕沟情况十分吻合.     

2010年10月24日周口太康MS4．6地震的震源机制解

利用河南省区域地震台网的近震波形资料,采用近震时间域方法,反演2010年10月24日16点58分太康 MS 4．6地震的地震矩张量,结果显示,该地震为走滑型地震。结合震后灾害考察,认为太康地震发生在周口-太康断裂上。