Process‐based modeling of kilometer‐scale alongshore sandbar variability

Subtidal nearshore sandbars may exhibit cyclic net offshore migration during their multi‐annual lifetime along many sandy coasts. Although this type of behavior can extend continuously for several kilometers, alongshore variations in cross‐shore bar position and bar amplitude are commonly observed. Alongshore variability is greatest when bars display km‐scale disruptions, indicative of a distinct alongshore phase shift in the bar cycle. An outer bar is then attached to an inner bar, forming a phenomenon known as a bar switch. Here, we investigate such large‐scale alongshore variability using a process‐based numerical profile model and observations at 24 transects along a 6 km section of the barred beach at Noordwijk, The Netherlands. When alongshore variability is limited, the model predicts that the bars migrate offshore at approximately the same rate (i.e. the bars remain in phase). Only under specific bar configurations with high wave‐energy levels is an increase in the alongshore variability predicted. This suggests that cross‐shore processes may trigger a switch in the case of specific antecedent morphological configurations combined with storm conditions. It is expected that three‐dimensional (3D) flow patterns augment the alongshore variability in such instances. In contrast to the observed bar behaviour, predicted bar morphologies on either side of a switch remain in different phases, even though the bars are occasionally located at a similar cross‐shore position. In short, the 1D model is not able to remove a bar switch. This data‐model mismatch suggests that 3D flow patterns are key to the dissipation of bar switches. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Petrogenetic modeling of rock variety in the Khalkhab–Neshveh pluton,NW of Saveh,Iran

The Khalkhab–Neshveh (KN) pluton is a part of Urumieh–Dokhtar Magmatic Arc and was intruded into a covering of basalt and andesite of Eocene to early Miocene age. It is a medium to high‐K, metaluminous and I‐type pluton ranging in composition from quartz monzogabbro, through quartz monzodiorite, granodiorite, and granite. The KN rocks show subtle differentiation trends strongly controlled by clinopyroxene, plagioclase, hornblende, apatite, and titanite, where most major elements (except K₂O) are negatively correlated with SiO₂; and Al₂O₃, Na₂O, Sr, Eu, and Y define curvilinear trends. Considering three processes of magmatic differentiation including mixing and/or mingling between basaltic and dacitic magmas, gravitational fractional crystallization and in situ crystallization revealed that the latter is the most likely process for the evolution of KN magma. This is supported by the occurrence of all rock types at the same level, the lack of mafic enclaves in the granitoid rocks, the curvilinear trends of Na₂O, Sr, and Eu, and the constant ratios of (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i from quartz monzodiorite to granite (0.70475 and 0.70471, respectively). In situ crystallization took place via accumulation of plagioclase and clinopyroxene phenocrysts and concentration of these phases in the quartz monzogabbro and quartz monzodiorite at the margins of the intrusion at T ≥ 1050°C, and by filter pressing and fractionation of hornblende, plagioclase, and later biotite in the granitoids at T = ～880°C.     

Geometric characteristics and evolution of a tidal channel network in experimental setting

This paper reports on a laboratory study that aims to reproduce a tidal channel network, in order to enhance the understanding of the morphodynamic evolution of the channel characteristics as the network expands and finally reaches equilibrium. A high‐resolution laser system scanned the bed topography at different time steps creating multiple digital elevation models of the channel network. Two hundred and seventy individual channel segments are analyzed and cross‐correlated in terms of their width, depth and length. The laboratory results show positive linear correlations between depth and width as well as between length and width of channel segments of the network configuration at final equilibrium. In a downstream direction, channels appear to widen more than they deepen, indirectly a sign that discharge has a stronger control on channel width than on depth. In contrast to fluvial drainage networks that commonly display fractal and scale‐invariant behavior, the geometric properties of the experimental tidal creek network shows scale dependence. Channel attributes exhibit consistent patterns of exponentially decreasing abundance, with increasing creek length, depth and width. The nature of the observed exponential distributions within creek attributes (width, depth, length) allows for statistical predictability of relative creek attribute dimensions downstream and through time. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A simple model accounting for the uptake,transport, and deposition of wind‐eroded mineral particles in the hyperarid coastal Atacama Desert of northern Chile

As previously observed in marine sediments collected downwind of African or South American continental sources, recent studies of sediment cores collected at the bottom of Mejillones Bay in north Chile (23°S) show a laminated structure in which the amount of particles of aeolian origin and their size create significant differences between the layers. This suggests inter‐annual to inter‐decadal variations in the strength of the local southerly winds responsible for (1) the erosion of the adjacent hyperarid surface of the Mejillones Pampa, and (2) the subsequent transport of the eroded particles towards the bay. A simple model accounting for the vertical uptake, transport, and deposition of the particles initially set into motion by wind at the surface of the pampa is proposed. This model, which could be adapted to other locations, assumes that the initial rate of (vertical) uptake is proportional to the (horizontal) saltation flux quantified by means of White's equation, that particles are lifted to a height (H), increasing with the magnitude of turbulence, and that sedimentation progressively removes the coarsest particles from the air column as it moves towards the bay. In this model, the proportionality constant (A) linking the vertical flux of particles with the horizontal flux, and the injection height (H) control the magnitude and size distribution of the deposition flux in the bay. Their values are determined using the wind speed measured over the pampa and the size distribution of particles collected in sediment traps deployed in the bay as constraints. After calibration, the model is used to assess the sensitivity of the deposition flux to the wind intensity variations. The possibility of performing such quantitative studies is necessary for interpreting precisely the variability of the aeolian material in the sediment cores collected at the bottom of Mejillones Bay. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling of RC columns strengthened with RC jackets

Constructing concrete jackets is a common technique when strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) columns, particularly in seismic regions. However, there are many uncertainties concerning the behavior of the composite specimen, particularly at the interface between the old and new concrete. In this paper, monotonic finite element (FE) analyses are performed to examine the behavior of strengthened columns under monotonic and cyclic loading. Through investigating two independent series of experimental results, it is demonstrated that monotonic FE analysis with appropriate assumptions can simulate both monotonic and cyclic loading conditions to a reasonable degree of accuracy. According to the results of this study, it is found that a simulation of the interface between the old and the new concrete is vital and cannot be ignored by simply considering a perfect bond at the interface. In the case of strengthened RC columns subjected to cyclic loading, strength degradation at the interface has to be included and can be effectively modeled by reducing the coefficients of friction and adhesion by using a proposed formula. Finally, the effect of jacket concrete shrinkage is simulated that leads to a reduced maximum load and stiffness of strengthened columns. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于辛格式奇异核褶积微分算子的地震标量波场模拟

本文在对地震波场进行模拟时,采用辛差分格式对波动方程进行时间离散,采用奇异核褶积微分算子对波动方程进行空间离散.该方法尽管增加了一些计算量,但提高了计算精度和稳定性;相对于其他非辛算法,它是全局保结构的,并且具有较强的长时间跟踪能力.该方法为解决大尺度、长时程地震波场的高精度模拟问题提供了一种新的、有效的选择.     

极区电离层对流速度的浅层神经网络建模与分析

电离层对流是太阳风与地球磁场相互作用下驱动的磁层大尺度对流循环与对流电场在极区电离层的映射, 与行星际磁场-地球磁场耦合系统息息相关.本文基于SuperDARN(Super Dual Aurora Radar Network)分布在北半球的23部高频相干散射雷达获取到的二维电离层对流速度对其进行建模研究.模型输入为行星际磁场三分量、太阳风速度、太阳风密度和地磁指数六个空间物理参数, 模型输出为二维对流速度.模型选择两种广泛应用于空间物理建模的浅层神经网络即广义回归神经网络(General Regression Neural Network, GRNN)和误差反向传播(Back Propagation, BP)神经网络.实验结果显示, GRNN模型和BP模型的速度幅值均方根误差分别为174.96 m·s^-1和234.21 m·s^-1, 速度方向角均方根误差分别达到62.30°和88.07°, 相比于对流速度最大值2000 m·s^-1和360°的方向角范围来说, 其误差是可以接受的.外推性实验结果显示, 在第24个太阳周期时, GRNN模型和BP模型的速度幅值均方根误差分别为305.35 m·s^-1和738.15 m·s^-1, 速度方向角均方根误差分别为82.01°和90.56°.实验结果表明, GRNN在时间外推性上的效果优于BP神经网络, 更适用于预测对流速度.我们发现在四种典型空间环境条件下, 利用GRNN模型预测的瞬时对流速度来构建的全域对流模式与现有统计模型构建的对流模式相似, 从而验证预测的对流速度可以用于分析瞬时极区电离层对流.

     

基于谱元法的广域电磁法三维正演模拟

为了提高广域电磁法三维正演精度和效率, 本文提出采用基于Gauss-Lobatto-Legendre(GLL)多项式的谱元法进行广域电磁法三维正演模拟.首先从麦克斯韦方程组出发, 推导了二次场满足的电场双旋度控制方程, 利用伽辽金加权残差法将微分形式的边值问题转换为积分弱形式, 再通过单元剖分和高阶正交基函数插值对全域问题进行离散, 最后通过求解大型线性方程组得到全局的数值解.层状介质模型验证了算法的正确性和精度, 三维地电模型分析了算法稳定性以及广域电磁法响应特征.研究表明谱元法是进行广域电磁法三维正演模拟的有效方法, 具有高精度、低网格依赖性等优势.

     

Spatiotemporal analysis of precipitation trends in the Yangtze River catchment

Precipitation trends in the Yangtze River catchment (PR China) have been analyzed for the past 50 years by applying the Mann-Kendall trend test and geospatial analyses. Monthly precipitation trends of 36 stations have been calculated. Significant positive trends at many stations can be observed for the summer months, which naturally show precipitation maxima. They were preceded and/or followed by negative trends. This observation points towards a concentration of summer precipitation within a shorter period of time. The analysis of a second data set on a gridded basis with 0.5° resolution reveals trends with distinct spatial patterns. The combination of classic trend tests and spatially interpolated precipitation data sets allows the spatiotemporal visualization of detected trends. Months with positive trends emphasize the aggravation of severe situation in a region, which is particularly prone to flood disasters during summer. Reasons for the observed trends were found in variations in the meridional wind pattern at the 850 hPa level, which account for an increased transport of warm moist air to the Yangtze River catchment during the summer months.