Velocity and turbulence variations at the edge of saltmarshes

Saltmarsh vegetation significantly influences tidal currents and sediment deposition by decelerating the water velocity in the canopy. In order to complement previous field results, detailed profiles of velocity and turbulence were measured in a laboratory flume. Natural Spartina anglica plants were installed in a 3 m length test section in a straight, recirculating flume. Different vegetation densities, water depths and surface velocities were investigated. The logarithmic velocity profile, which existed in front of the vegetation, was altered gradually to a skimming-flow profile, typical for submerged saltmarsh vegetation. The flow reduction in the denser part of the canopy also induced an upward flow (the current was partially deflected by the canopy). The skimming flow was accompanied by a zone of high turbulence co-located with the strongest velocity gradient. This gradient moved upward and the turbulence increased with distance from the edge of the vegetation. Below the skimming flow, the velocity and the turbulence were low. The structure of the flow in the canopy was relatively stable 2 m into the vegetation. The roughness length (z₀) of the vegetation depends only on the vegetation characteristics, and is not sensitive to the current velocity or the water depth. Both the reduced turbulence in the dense canopy and the high turbulence at the top of the canopy should increase sediment deposition. On the other hand, the high turbulence zone just beyond the vegetation edge and the oblique upward flow may produce reduced sedimentation; a phenomenon that was observed near the vegetation edge in the field.     

Velocity profiles and incipient motion of frazil particles under ice cover

A series of experiments for the incipient motion of frazil particles under ice cover have been carried out in laboratory under different flow and boundary conditions.Measurements on flow velocities across the measuring cross-section at different water depths have been conducted.Based on these experiments under both ice-covered and open flow conditions,the impacts of solid boundary(such as ice cover and flume sidewall) on the distribution of flow velocity profiles have been discussed.The criteria for the inc...     

Semiannual velocity variations around the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan Earthquake fault zone revealed by ambient noise and ACROSS active source data

We continuously monitor the long-term seismic velocity variation of one of the major ruptured faults of the devastating 2008 Mw7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in China from July 2009 to January 2012,jointly using accurately controlled routinely operated signal system active source and seismic noise-based monitoring technique.Our measurements show that the temporal velocity change is not homogeneous and highly localized in the damaged fault zone and the adjacent areas.Velocity variations from the active and passive methods are quite consistent,which both are characterized by ±0.2 % seasonal variation,with peak and trough at winter and summer,respectively.The periodic velocity variation within fault zone exhibits remarkably positive correlation with barometric pressure with stress sensitivity in the order of 10-6Pa-1,suggesting that the plausible mechanism might be the crack density variation of the shallow subsurface medium of the damaged fault zone in response to the cyclic barometric pressure loading.     

大同阳高震区及其邻区壳幔速度结构与深部构造

利用通过本区６条宽角反射／折射剖面资料对大同阳高震区及邻区地壳上地幔速度结构与构造进行了详细的研究。结果表明,地壳上地幔速度结构与构造在纵向和横向上具有明显的不均一性。浅部基底断裂发育,而在其深部,根据波组特征、壳内界面及速度等值线起伏变化和低速异常体的边界等推测有３处地壳深断裂带。本区最明显的上地壳低速体位于大同—阳原附近,其南界存在地壳深断裂,大同阳高地震群与该低速异常体和深断裂有关。     

Characterisation of the 1997 Vulcanian explosions of Soufrière Hills Volcano,Montserrat, by video analysis

The activity of Convention at Montserrat Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, during the period 1995–1999 included numerous violent explosions. Two major cycles of Vulcanian explosions occurred in 1997: a first of 13 explosions between 4 and 12 August and a second of 75 between 22 September and 21 October. The explosions were short-lived events lasting a few tens of seconds during which partial fountain collapse generated pyroclastic surges and pyroclastic flows, and buoyant plumes ascended 3–15 km into the atmosphere. Each explosion discharged on average 3×10⁵ m³ (dense-rock equivalent, DRE) of magma, draining the conduit to depths of 1–2 km. The paper focuses on the first few seconds of three explosions of the 75 that occurred in September/October 1997: 6 October 1997 at 17:50, 7 October 1997 at 16:02 and 9 October 1997 at 12:32. Physical parameters such as exit velocities, magmatic water contents and magma pressures at fragmentation are estimated by following and modelling the ascent of individual momentum-dominated finger jets visible on videos during the initial stages of each explosion. The model treats each finger jet as an incompressible flow sustained by a steady flux of gas and particles during the few seconds of ascent, and produces results that compare favourably with those using a multiphase compressible code run using similar eruptive parameters. Each explosion reveals a progressive increase in eruptive intensity with time, jet exit velocities increasing from 40 m s^–1 at the beginning of the explosion up to 140 m s^–1 after a few seconds. Modelling suggests that the first magma to exit was largely degassed, whereas that discharged after a few seconds contained up to 2 wt% water. Magma overpressures up to ~10 MPa are estimated to have existed in the conduit immediately prior to each explosion. Progressive increases in jet exit velocity with time over the first few seconds of each explosion provide direct evidence for strong pre-eruptive gradients in water content and magma pressure in the upper reaches (probably 100–500 m) of the conduit. Fountain collapse occurred during the first 10–20 s of each explosion because the discharging jets had bulk densities up to 100 times that of the atmosphere and were unable to entrain enough air to become buoyant. Such high eruptive densities were due to the presence of partially degassed magma in the conduit.Editorial responsibility: A. Woods     

How to obtain alert velocity thresholds for large rockslides

A reliable forecast of the failure stage of large rockslides is difficult, because of non-linear time dependency of displacements and seasonal effects. Aim of this paper is to suggest a practical method to prepare alert thresholds for large rockslides, assessing critical values of velocity for carrying out civil protection actions using monitoring data. Adopted data concern the 20 Mm³ Ruinon rockslide (Valfurva, Central Alps, Italy), still evolving and suitable to originate a fast moving rock avalanche. Multitemporal analysis of aerial photos, LIDAR-ALTM laser topography, field survey and geomechanical analyses allowed to infer the rockslide kinematics and better understand data provided by a monitoring network including distometers, extensometers, GPS benchmarks and inclinometers. The analysis of displacement and rainfall data over five years (1997–2001) allowed to recognise three different evolutionary patterns of displacements, showing a continuously increasing rate since 1997. Data representing large-scale behaviour of the rock mass were fitted by power-law curves, according to the “accelerating creep” model by Voight, in order to evaluate a suitable failure time. This was hampered by the large seasonal deviations, which can significantly delay the occurrence of failure. Data were fitted using the Voight’s equation, expressed in terms of displacement, through non-linear estimation techniques, in order to find values of the controlling parameters (A, α and t_f) suitable to represent the mechanical behaviour of the rock mass approaching the failure. This allowed to compute velocity–time theoretical curves and to define different velocity threshold values (pre-alert, alert and emergency) to be used for emergency management.     

基于两种数据传输途径的国家级地面自动站逐小时数据差异分析

对2006-2009年两种途径（A文件和Z文件）上传的2400多国家级自动站观测的小时常规六要素资料进行了对比分析。结果表明：两种途径得到的小时数据中,2 min风和10 min风的不一致率较高,主要由两种文件对于风速为零时风向的规定不同造成,其他要素的不一致率相对较低;在不一致数据中,各要素在仪器误差允许范围内的比率分别为气温23.27 %、气压5.4 %、相对湿度23.19 %、降水65.42 %、2 min风12.93 %、10 min风14.16 %。     

Turbulent Kinetic Energy Dissipation in the Surface Layer

We estimated the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate for thirty-two 1-h intervals of unstable stratification covering the stability range 0.12 ≤ −z/L ≤ 43 (z/L is the ratio of instrument height to the Obukhov length), by fitting Kolmogorov’s inertial subrange spectrum to streamwise spectra observed over a desert flat. Estimated values are compatible with the existence of local equilibrium, in that the TKE dissipation rate approximately equalled the sum of shear and buoyant production rates. Only in the neutral limit was the turbulent transport term in the TKE budget measured to be small.     

利用断裂带首波分析甘孜—玉树断裂带拉张盆地结构特征

对断裂带及附近区域地层精细结构的描述是理解地震孕育和发生过程的基础.不同板块或块体边界在构造或区域应力作用下,常常会形成速度间断面和低速的断裂带,间断面和低速带的存在会产生特殊的断裂带地震波,比如断裂带首波和围陷波,并会影响地震的物理过程、破裂速度和破裂方向等.本文主要利用2010年4月14日M_W6.9玉树地震后布设的流动地震台站,对沿着甘孜—玉树断裂带传播的断裂带首波进行识别和分析.分析结果表明,在甘孜—玉树断裂带的不同区域均观测到了断裂带首波,在西段的结隆拉张盆地附近的3个台站沿断裂带界面的平均纵波速度差异值在5%～8%,而其他区域的平均速度差异为1%～3%.通过台站位置分布和断裂带首波特征关系,初步分析了断裂带拉张盆地的结构,结果显示结隆盆地的长度为～40km,宽度为5.35～5.97km,深度不超过5km,在地表浅层形成了一个低速区,分别与巴颜喀拉块体(NE)和羌塘块体(SW)产生了两个物性差异界面,但没有延伸到主震和余震区震源深度.我们的结果表明结合密集台阵资料,通过断裂带首波特征分析可以为断裂带精细结构及几何特征提供一种新的技术方法和途径.     

傅利叶重建法的数值模拟研究

运用ＣＴ技术中的傅利叶重建法，根据任意所给的两个初始速度模型，用几组平行射线束进行扫描，采集走时数据，并利用走时数据反演速度图象．反演结果与初始模型比较两者基本相符合。由此证明，傅利叶重建法在一定条件下可以用来反演地壳速度结构，并可得到较好的结果．这种方法是ＣＴ技术应用于地学研究的一种新的尝试．