Deconstructing geomorphology: an appreciation of the contributions of Barbara A. Kennedy (1943–2014)

Barbara Kennedy has left only a small body of work, consisting principally of eight research papers, nine commentaries and two books. Its extent belies its importance. Read systematically, the work represents a sustained and important critique of the direction taken by mainstream geomorphology since the process‐focused reorientation of the mid‐twentieth century. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The structure of blue supergiant winds and the accretion in supergiant high-mass X-ray binaries

We have developed a stellar wind model for OB supergiants to investigate the effects of accretion from a clumpy wind on the luminosity and variability properties of high-mass X-ray binaries. Assuming that the clumps are confined by ram pressure of the ambient gas and exploring different distributions for their mass and radii, we computed the expected X-ray light curves in the framework of the Bondi–Hoyle accretion theory, modified to take into account the presence of clumps. The resulting variability properties are found to depend not only on the assumed orbital parameters but also on the wind characteristics. We have then applied this model to reproduce the X-ray light curves of three representative high-mass X-ray binaries: two persistent supergiant systems (Vela X−1 and 4U 1700−377) and the supergiant fast X-ray transient IGR J11215−5952. The model can reproduce the observed light curves well, but requiring in all cases an overall mass loss from the supergiant about a factor of 3–10 smaller than the values inferred from ultraviolet lines studies that assume a homogeneous wind.     

S 235 B explained: an accreting Herbig Be star surrounded by reflection nebulosity

The intent of this study is to determine the nature of the star and associated nebulosity S 235 B, which are located in a region of active star formation still heavily obscured by the parent molecular cloud. Low-resolution  ( R = 400)  long-slit spectra of the star and nebulosity, and medium-  ( R = 1800)  and high-resolution  ( R = 60 000)  spectra of the central star are presented along with the results of Fabry–Perot interferometric imaging of the entire region. Based on the long-slit and Fabry–Perot observations, the nebulosity appears to be entirely reflective in nature, with the stellar component S 235 B★ providing most of the illuminating flux. The stellar source itself is classified here as a B1V star, with emission-line profiles indicative of an accretion disc. S 235 B★ thus belongs to the relatively rare class of early-type Hebrig Be stars. Based on the intensity of the reflected component, it is concluded that the accretion disc must be viewed nearly edge-on. Estimates of the accretion rate of S 235 B★ from the width of the Hα profile at 10 per cent of maximum intensity, a method which has been used lately for T Tauri stars and Brown Dwarfs, appear to be inconsistent with the mass outflow rate and accretion rate implied from previous infrared observations by Felli et al., suggesting this empirical law does not extend to higher masses.     

Variations in extratropical cyclone activity in northern East Asia

Based on an improved objective cyclone detection and tracking algorithm, decadal variations in extratropical cyclones in northern East Asia are studied by using the ECMWF 40 Year Reanalysis (ERA-40) sea-level pressure data during 1958-2001. The results reveal that extratropical cyclone activity has displayed clear seasonal, interannual, and decadal variability in northern East Asia. Spring is the season when cyclones occur most frequently. The spatial distribution of extratropical cyclones shows that cyclon...     

Influence of the boundary layer height on the global air–sea surface fluxes

Results from large-eddy simulations and field measurements have previously shown that the velocity field is influenced by the boundary layer height, z _i , during close to neutral, slightly unstable, atmospheric stratification. During such conditions the non-dimensional wind profile, φ _m , has been found to be a function of both z/L and z _i /L. At constant z/L, φ _m decreases with decreasing boundary layer height. Since φ _m is directly related to the parameterizations of the air–sea surface fluxes, these results will have an influence when calculating the surface fluxes in weather and climate models. The global impact of this was estimated using re-analysis data from 1979 to 2001 and bulk parameterizations. The results show that the sum of the global latent and sensible mean heat fluxes increase by 0.77 W m⁻² or about 1% and the mean surface stress increase by 1.4 mN m⁻² or 1.8% when including the effects of the boundary layer height in the parameterizations. However, some regions show a larger response. The greatest impact is found over the tropical oceans between 30°S and 30°N. In this region the boundary layer height influences the non-dimensional wind profile during extended periods of time. In the mid Indian Ocean this results in an increase of the mean annual heat fluxes by 2.0 W m⁻² and an increase of the mean annual surface stress by 2.6 mN m⁻².     

RBAC技术在奥运气象服务信息发布系统中的应用

结合2008年北京奥运会气象服务信息发布系统的研发,对比分析了目前数据传输业务系统中几种常用的监控方式,提出了针对奥运气象服务信息发布系统运行状态进行安全、有效、便捷监控问题的解决方案,详细论述了应用基于B/S结构的RBAC技术实现分布式监控功能的原理和方法.     

未来我国极端温度事件变化情景分析

基于Hadley气候预测与研究中心的区域气候模式系统PRECIS（Providing REgional Climates for Impacts Studies）单向嵌套该中心全球海-气耦合气候模式HadCM3高分辨率的大气部分HadAM3P, 检验PRECIS对我国气候基准时段（1961—1990年）极端温度事件的模拟能力, 分析IPCCSRES（Special Reporton Emission Scenarios）B2情景下未来2071—2100年相对于气候基准时段我国极端温度事件的变化响应。与观测资料的对比分析表明:PRECIS能够较好地模拟我国气候基准时段极端温度事件的局地分布特征。IPCC SRESB2情景下, 预估未来2071—2100年我国大部分地区高温日数出现频率均比气候基准时段高5倍以上; 霜冻日数将呈减少趋势, 我国南方地区的减少趋势大于北方地区; 暖期持续指数整体将呈增加趋势, 我国东北地区、西北地区中西部、华北地区和东南沿海地区增加显著; 冷期持续指数整体将呈减少趋势, 且东北地区、华北地区、西北地区及内蒙古、青藏高原大部地区的减少幅度将达到90%以上。     

Mesoproterozoic fluid events affecting Archean crust in the northern Olympic Cu–Au Province,Gawler Craton: insights from 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology

The Olympic Cu–Au Province, Gawler Craton, is host to the Olympic Dam and Prominent Hill iron oxide–copper–gold (IOCG) deposits. Both of these deposits and the region between the two are covered by Neoproterozoic to Cenozoic sediment, making inferences about prospectivity in this portion of the Olympic Domain reliant on geophysical interpretation and sparse drill hole information. We present new U–Pb zircon sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dates from two basement intersecting drill holes in the region between Olympic Dam and Prominent Hill that show bimodal volcanism occurred at 2555 ± 5 Ma, and was followed by intrusion of tonalite at 2529 ± 6 Ma. Laser ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of biotite and muscovite from the tonalite yields ages around ca 2000 Ma, consistent with slow cooling trends observed in Archean rocks elsewhere in the northern Gawler Craton. Step heating experiments on K-feldspar from the same tonalite yields an age spectrum with older ages around 1740 Ma from the highest temperature steps becoming progressively younger to a minimum of 1565 Ma in the lowest temperature heating steps; this is consistent with either Paleoproterozic cooling to final closure of K-feldspar by 1565 Ma or a reheating event at ca 1565 Ma, with the latter more likely, given the evidence for sub-solidus alteration of the K-feldspar. Sericite within hematite–sericite–chlorite altered portions of the tonalite yield a poorly defined age of ca 1.6 Ga. Taken together the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data providing evidence for a fluid event affecting this region between Olympic Dam and Prominent Hill during the early Mesoproterozoic. Low temperature quartz–carbonate–adularia veins occur in <10 cm wide fractures within basalt in one drill hole in this region. Adularia from these veins yields ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages that span from ca 1.3–1.1 Ga. This age range is interpreted to approximate either the timing of adularia formation during a hydrothermal event or the timing of resetting of the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar systematics within the adularia as a result of fluid flow in this sample. This is evidence for a mid-Mesoproterozoic fluid event in the Gawler Craton and necessitates a reconsideration of the long-term stability of the craton, as it appears to have been affected, at least locally, by fluid flow related to a much larger event within the Australian continent, the Musgrave Orogeny.     

庐枞盆地小包庄铁矿床地质特征及~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar同位素年代学研究

罗河铁矿床是20世纪80年代在长江中下游成矿带庐枞盆地中发现的规模最大的铁矿床。经深部找矿勘探工作,2013年在罗河铁矿床主矿体800~1000 m之下又发现了小包庄铁矿床,这是近年来在长江中下游成矿带深部找矿工作中的重大进展之一,对该矿床地质特征的总结和形成时代的精确厘定,是正确分析矿床成因机制,完善玢岩型铁矿床成矿理论的关键。文章在已有研究的基础上,通过详细的钻孔岩芯观察、系统的岩相学和矿相学及电子探针分析测试工作,查明了罗河铁矿和小包庄铁矿的矿化蚀变特征,厘定了矿化阶段,初步探讨了成矿作用过程;对小包庄铁矿床进行了高精度金云母~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar同位素年代学研究,获得坪年龄为(130.32±0.78)Ma,相应的等时线年龄为(130.5±1.5)Ma,反等时线年龄为(130.4±1.3)Ma。结合庐枞盆地及区域成岩成矿时代,认为盆地内玢岩型铁矿床集中形成于130 Ma左右,是长江中下游成矿带第二阶段(135~126 Ma)成矿作用的产物。