δ~(18)O, δD and d-excess signatures of ground ice in permafrost in the Beiluhe Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

In this paper, stable isotope(δ~(18)O, δD) investigations were completed in ground ice from a deep borehole in the Beiluhe Basin on northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to unravel the isotopic variations of ground ice and their possible source water. The δ~(18)O and δD of ground ice show distinctive characteristics compared with precipitation and surface water. The near-surface ground ice is highly enriched in heavier isotopes(δ~(18)O and δD), which were gradually depleted from top to bottom along the profile. It is suggestive of different origin and ice formation process. According to isotopic variations, the ice profile was divided into three sections: the near-surface ground ice at 2.5 m is frozen by the active-layer water which suffered evaporation. It is possible that ground ice between 3 and 4.2 m is recharged by the infiltration of snowmelt. From 5 to 6 m, the ground ice show complex origin and formation processes. Isotopic variations from 6 to 11.1 m and 20.55 m indicate different replenishment water. The calculated slope of freezing line(S=6.4) is larger than the experimental value(5.76), and is suggestive of complex origin and formation process of ground ice.     

Further examples of ventifacts and unusual patterned ground from the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic

Abstract Examples of ventifacts and forms of unusual patterned ground that differ in situation, characteristics and/or origin to types reported previously are described from the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic. The ventifacts, represented by clasts projecting from an eroding tillite shore platform, have been grooved by the passage of windblown sand. The patterned ground forms comprise stone polygons on clay loam regolith, stone polygons on peat, peat‐filled desiccation cracks on peat, and clusters of on‐edge clasts (stone packings) on a gravel beach. Aeolian transport of particles is considered responsible for the infill of the polygonal cracks. The clusters of on‐edge clasts are thought to have developed as a result of wave action, in particular backwash and/or undertow. Although these features occupy small surface areas they provide useful information about local geomorphic processes and testify to the marked diversity of such features in nature.     

杭州地区大气水分特征及相关问题的初步探讨

用1951年1月至2003年12月NCEP/NCAR再分析格点比湿、垂直速度资料,以及杭州站降水量资料,分析了杭州地区对流层整层可降水量、低层空气垂直上升运动强度以及地面降水量的演变特点。结果发现,可降水量与低层空气垂直上升运动具有显著的年代际变化,且这两者均利于降水的时段,降水量不一定偏多,这说明空中水资源具有很大的开发空间。对杭州6月大气可降水量的长期变化特征与全球同纬度地区作了对比,发现近53年来,杭州地区6月份降水量处于下降趋势。     

Evaluation of current statistical approaches for predictive geomorphological mapping

Predictive models are increasingly used in geomorphology, but systematic evaluations of novel statistical techniques are still limited. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of generalized linear models (GLM), generalized additive models (GAM), classification tree analysis (CTA), neural networks (ANN) and multiple adaptive regression splines (MARS) in predictive geomorphological modelling. Five different distribution models both for non-sorted and sorted patterned ground were constructed on the basis of four terrain parameters and four soil variables. To evaluate the models, the original data set of 9997 squares of 1 ha in size was randomly divided into model training (70%, n=6998) and model evaluation sets (30%, n=2999).In general, active sorted patterned ground is clearly defined in upper fell areas with high slope angle and till soils. Active non-sorted patterned ground is more common in valleys with higher soil moisture and fine-scale concave topography. The predictive performance of each model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the Kappa value. The relatively high discrimination capacity of all models, AUC=0.85–0.88 and Kappa=0.49–0.56, implies that the model's predictions provide an acceptable index of sorted and non-sorted patterned ground occurrence. The best performance for model calibration data for both data sets was achieved by the CTA. However, when the predictive mapping ability was explored through the evaluation data set, the model accuracies of CTA decreased clearly compared to the other modelling techniques. For model evaluation data MARS performed marginally best.Our results show that the digital elevation model and soil data can be used to predict relatively robustly the activity of patterned ground in fine scale in a subarctic landscape. This indicates that predictive geomorphological modelling has the advantage of providing relevant and useful information on earth surface processes over extensive areas, such data being unavailable through more conventional survey methods.     

黄土不同指标的古环境意义探讨

在确认“黄土也是古土壤”的前提下,对新近发现的位于黄土高原西北部沙漠黄土边界带的彭阳剖面进行了烧失量、色度、磁化率、粒度、CaCO3等环境变化代用指标的系统测试。通过建立土壤发育指数和红化指数,探讨了各指标与古土壤发育强度之间的关系。根据古土壤的发育强度,初步建立了800 ka BP生态脆弱区的高分辨率环境图谱。此图谱与公认的海洋氧同位素曲线、洛川剖面可以进行良好的对比,并揭示出更多的环境变化信息。     

夏季晴空金塔绿洲温度场的初步分析

 利用2004年6~8月在甘肃省酒泉金塔地区开展的“绿洲—沙漠能量和水分循环的野外观测试验(JTEX)”的温度场资料,分析了该地区的温度场结构。结果表明:绿洲在白天（夜晚）相比周围环境是冷（暖）中心。沙漠和绿洲的相互影响同沙漠与绿洲的边缘和形状有关。由于各观测点所处的位置和站点的土壤特性不同,地表温度的量值有较大差别,但总体来说,绿洲的地表温度比沙漠的低;土壤温度的垂直变化一直可活跃到大约20 cm深处,40 cm深土壤温度基本无日变化,不同层间的土壤温度在一天内有两次相交。深度越深,出现的时间越靠后,沙漠上出现不同深度间温度交叉的时间比绿洲靠后。沙漠上各层的温度都始终高于绿洲上的,沙漠的日变化也大于绿洲上的。     

Determination of the fault plane using a single near-field seismic station with a finite-dimension source model

We explore the possibility of determining the actual fault plane of an earthquake from the inversion of near-source displacement seismograms of one station when a finite-dimension source is used instead of a point source model and when the complete displacement is taken into account, including near-field waves. Tests on synthetic seismograms and real data recorded at local distances show that this is possible even with a single, three-component station. A single accelerogram available for the Erzincan, Turkey, 1992 March 13, M _s = 6.8 earthquake is inverted and the solution found is compatible with other seismological studies and with the mechanism expected for the North Anatolian Fault.