Multi-scale variability of beach profiles at Duck: A wavelet analysis

Beach profiles have been observed to change over a range of spatial and temporal scales; however techniques for quantifying this variability have not been fully established. In this paper, a wavelet technique is introduced as a method to study the multi-scale variability of beach profiles. The beach profile data comprising a 22-year time series surveyed at the US Army Corps of Civil Engineers Field Research Facility (FRF) at Duck are analysed using the adapted maximal overlap discrete wavelet transform (AMODWT). The analysis successfully identifies strong local features in the variability of beach profiles in time and space separately that cannot be isolated by traditional statistical methods. The analysis of spatial wavelet variances provides a new means of investigating the depth of closure. Analysis of variances by temporal scales shows that the combined effects of several temporal scales with one or two dominant scales can be seen at particular points across profiles whilst the dominant temporal scales are different at different portions of the profiles. The method allows for the extremely nonstationary behaviour of beach profile to be analysed into separate frequency bands that can facilitate the interpretation of morphological changes in terms of physical processes.     

Temporal change of clustered distribution of planktonic ciliates in Toyama Bay in summers of 1989 and 1990

Temporal change of clustered distribution in vertical profiles of three nutritional groups of planktonic ciliates, e.g. heterotrophic naked ciliates, mixotrophic naked ciliates and heterotrophic loricated ciliates, was investigated by following a drifting buoy in Toyama Bay on the Japan Sea coast of central Japan in summers of 1989 and 1990. Clustered distribution, represented as the mode of population density in the vertical plane, occurred mainly in the oligotrophic upper layer (0–50 m depth) above the subsurface chlorophyll-a maximum layer. Its clustered degree was stronger when the mode of population density in the vertical plane was formed at shallower depth, while its longevity was shorter as mentioned above. Vertical distribution of ciliates during summer in Toyama Bay is characterized by ephemeral clustered distribution, or in other wards, by rapid alternations of appearance and disappearance of the clustered distribution.     

任意曲线曲面上重磁位场转换的B样条函数法

提出用B样条函数求解曲线、曲面上重磁位场的向上延拓,水平、垂向导数计算,磁异常分量互换的方法。该方法的特点是:原理简明,程序通用性强,计算精度高。     

Reduction of sand demand for shore protection

Beach nourishment is an environmentally preferred method of shore protection, but the annual sand requirement may lead to substantial maintenance costs. The shoreline processes, involving the surf zone, beach and dune, are reviewed with the aim of reducing the annual sand requirement of eroding shorelines. It is shown that surf zones with equilibrium profiles, on which the wave energy conversion is evenly distributed across the surf zone, from experience for given conditions indicate least loss of sand. On steep, eroding shorelines it may be difficult to establish an equilibrium profile. For such cases, the use of perched surf zones is recommended, which are supported at the seaward limit by an underwater sill. For reduction of littoral transport, the use of pervious pile groynes is recommended. These are arguably more efficient than impervious groynes. The sand loss from a usually dry beach by raised water levels is shown to be a function of the beach slope and is least when the storm waves at raised water levels do not cut an erosion escarpment. The loss of sand from a dune by infrequent severe storm tides can be prevented with the aid of a built-in membrane. These sand losses are usually large and constitute an uneconomic use of this sand resource. The proposed concepts and measures are linked to existing knowledge, augmented by data from the large wave flume (LWF) in Germany and field data from the North and Baltic Sea coasts.     

海州湾淤泥质海滩剖面堆积过程的计算模式

分别于1986年12月和1985年3月1日—1987年3月1日在海州湾进行了波浪和含沙量观测，运用所获资料以及本区长期水文、地形资料，采用流体力学、沉积学和泥沙运动力学相结合的研究方法，建立了海州湾淤泥质海滩剖面堆积过程的二维计算模式。结果表明，在堆积型淤泥质海滩，由于浮泥的经常性存在，使波浪急剧衰减，其对岸滩的作用甚为微弱，潮流成为塑造淤泥质海滩的主要动力，岸滩在淤涨过程中，在平均高潮位厂沿和平均低潮位附近出现两个凸点，上一个凸点外推速率大于下一个凸点，潮下带变化缓慢。     

山西临汾盆地黄土剖面重金属分布特征及其影响因素

山西临汾盆地2条黄土剖面重金属分布特征及其影响因素研究表明,Pb、Cu和Zn的垂向变化特征非常相似,而As、Cd和Hg在剖面中的分布特征与前三者不同。各重金属元素在黄土剖面中的变化特征首先均受到黄土源区物质成分的控制,其次不同程度地受到古气候变化的影响。依据Pb、Cu、Zn与各古气候替代性指标(例如磁化率,w(SiO2)/w(Al2O3)等)均呈显著相关,As、Cd和Hg与古气候替代性指标的相关性较差,推断剖面中Cu、Pb、Zn的分布特征受古气候变化的影响,其原因可能主要是这3个金属元素易以类质同象形式赋存在磁性矿物中;而As、Cd和Hg在剖面中的分布特征与古气候无关。但各重金属元素与源区指示元素的相关性表明其在剖面中的分布特征均受黄土源区物质成分的影响和控制。     

大别山黄石-六安反射地震剖面新的地质解释

在大别山黄石至六安反射地震剖面上有很多近水平的反射体,表明大别山中心部位的中、下地壳内也有近水平的分层性。反映有流变性和动力学方面的差异,与大型薄皮构造理论对岩石圈性质的认识一致,因而在其运动过程中应服从薄皮构造的运动规律。结合以往对大别山区划分的岩石一构造组合,在前人对此反射地震剖面所作的地质解释的基础上,对反射地震剖面作了较为详细的地质解释,并建立了大别山造山带在此剖面上的两维几何结构。剖面南部为造山过程中形成的背斜构造。地表15km深度内为由碰撞混杂岩组成的扬子与中一朝大陆之间的主滑脱带。剖面中部为造山期后的侵入体。剖面北部为主滑脱带的根带（通常认为的缝合带）,根带被中生代形成的晓天磨子潭断裂带切割。剖面最北端为变质复理石中略晚于主滑脱带的反向冲断带。推溺l下地壳的断开距离在扬子大陆俯冲时（三叠纪前）规模较大,然后逐渐缩小,直至保留到今天的规模。     

Strength and stability of frictional sliding of gabbro gouge at elevated temperatures

To investigate the strength of frictional sliding and stability of mafic lower crust, we conducted experiments on oven-dried gabbro gouge of 1 mm thick sandwiched between country rock pieces (with gouge inclined 35° to the sample axis) at slip rates of 1.22 × 10^− 3 mm/s and 1.22 × 10^− 4 mm/s and elevated temperatures up to 615 °C. Special attention has been paid to whether transition from velocity weakening to velocity strengthening occurs due to the elevation of temperature.Two series of experiments were conducted with normal stresses of 200 MPa and 300 MPa, respectively. For both normal stresses, the friction strengths are comparable at least up to 510 °C, with no significant weakening effect of increasing temperature. Comparison of our results with Byerlee's rule on a strike slip fault with a specific temperature profile in the Zhangbei region of North China shows that the strength given by experiments are around that given by Byerlee's rule and a little greater in the high temperature range.At 200 MPa normal stress, the steady-state rate dependence a − b shows only positive values, probably still in the “run-in” process where velocity strengthening is a common feature. With a normal stress of 300 MPa, the values of steady-state rate dependence decreases systematically with increasing temperature, and stick-slip occurred at 615 °C. Considering the limited displacement, limited normal stress applied and the effect of normal stress for the temperatures above 420 °C, it is inferred here that velocity weakening may be the typical behaviour at higher normal stress for temperature above 420 °C and at least up to 615 °C, which covers most of the temperature range in the lower crust of geologically stable continental interior. For a dry mafic lower crust in cool continental interiors where frictional sliding prevails over plastic flow, unstable slip nucleation may occur to generate earthquakes.     

Airborne gamma-ray spectrometry to quantify chemical erosion processes

Airborne gamma-ray spectrometry data (uranium, potassium and thorium contents) reveal geochemical heterogeneities within the monolithological Hyrôme watershed (ca. 150 km²) in the Armorican massif (western France). Our observations and computations provide important constraints on the spatial distribution and the associated magnitudes of chemical erosion processes at the scale of a small watershed. Two distinct, partially preserved, weathering profiles exhibit a strong correlation between regolith evolution and airborne-derived K/Th ratios, suggesting that the variability is linked to supergene processes. Using both airborne data and laboratory measurements on rock samples, the total net export of potassium has been estimated at 422 ± 50 kg/m² and the chemical weathering rate of potassium at 17 ± 2 kg/km²/a.     

Retrieval of stratospheric O3 and NO2 vertical profiles using zenith scattered light observations

Daily zenith scattered light intensity observations were carried out in the morning twilight hours using home-made UV-visible spectrometer over the tropical station Pune (18‡31′, 73‡51′) for the years 2000–2003. These observations are obtained in the spectral range 462–498 nm for the solar zenith angles (SZAs) varying from 87‡ to 91.5‡. An algorithm has been developed to retrieve vertical profiles of ozone (O₃) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) from ground-based measurements using the Chahine iteration method. This retrieval method has been checked using measured and recalculated slant column densities (SCDs) and they are found to be well matching. O₃ and NO₂ vertical profiles have been retrieved using a set of their air mass factors (AMFs) and SCDs measured over a range of 87–91.5‡ SZA during the morning. The vertical profiles obtained by this method are compared with Umkehr profiles and ozonesondes and they are found to be in good agreement. The bulk of the column density is found near layer 20–25 km. Daily total column densities (TCDs) of O₃ and NO₂ along with their stratospheric and tropospheric counterparts are derived using their vertical profiles for the period 2000–2003. The total column, stratospheric column and tropospheric column amounts of both trace gases are found to be maximum in summer and minimum in the winter season. Increasing trend is found in column density of NO₂ in stratospheric, tropospheric and surface layers, but no trend is observed in O₃ columns for above layers during the period 2000–2003