Reducing model complexity for explanation and prediction

Numerical models can be useful for explaining poorly understood phenomena or for reliable quantitative predictions. When modeling a multi-scale system, a ‘top-down’ approach—basing models on emergent variables and interactions, rather than explicitly on the much faster and smaller scale processes that give rise to them—facilitates both goals. Parameterizations representing emergent interactions range from highly simplified and abstracted to more quantitatively accurate. Empirically based large-scale parameterizations lead more reliably to accurate large-scale behavior than do parameterizations of much smaller scale processes. Conversely, purposefully simplified representations of model interactions can enhance a model's utility for explanation, clarifying the key feedbacks leading to an enigmatic behavior. For such potential insights to be relevant, the interactions in the model need to correspond to those in the ‘real’ system in some straightforward way. Such a correspondence usually holds for models constructed for predictive purposes, although this is not a requirement. The goals motivating a modeling endeavor help determine the most appropriate modeling strategies, as well as the most appropriate criteria for judging model usefulness.     

∼3,850 Ma tonalites in the Nuuk region,Greenland: geochemistry and their reworking within an Eoarchaean gneiss complex

The Eoarchaean (>3,600 Ma) Itsaq Gneiss Complex of southern West Greenland is dominated by polyphase orthogneisses with a complex Archaean tectonothermal history. Some of the orthogneisses have c. 3,850 Ma zircons, and they vary from rare single phase metatonalites to more common complexly banded migmatites. This is due to heterogeneous strain, in situ anatexis and granitic veining superimposed during younger tectonothermal events. In the single-phase tonalites with c. 3,850 Ma zircon, oscillatory-zoned prismatic zircon is all 3,850 Ma old, but shows patchy ancient loss of radiogenic Pb. SHRIMP spot analyses and laser ablation ICP-MS depth profiling show that thin (usually < 10 μm) younger (3,660–3,590 Ma and Neoarchaean) shells of lower Th/U metamorphic zircon are present on these 3,850 Ma zircons. Several samples with this simple zircon population occur on islands near Akilia. In contrast, migmatites usually contain more complex zircon populations, with often more than one generation of igneous zircon present. Additional zircon dating of banded gneisses across the Complex shows that samples with c. 3,850 Ma igneous zircon are not just a phenomenon restricted to Akilia and adjacent islands. For example, migmatites from Itilleq (c. 65 km from Akilia) contain variable amounts of oscillatory-zoned 3,850 Ma and 3,650 Ma zircon, interpreted, respectively, as the rock age and the time of crustal melting under Eoarchaean metamorphism. With only 110–140 ppm Zr in the tonalites and likely magmatic temperatures of >850°C, zircon solubility–melt composition relationships show that they were only one-third saturated in zircon. Any zircon entrained in the precursor magmas would thus have been highly soluble. Combined with the cathodoluminesence imaging, this demonstrates that the c. 3,850 Ma oscillatory zoned zircon crystallised out of the melt and hence gives a magmatic age. Thus the rare well-preserved tonalites and palaeosome in migmatites testify that c. 3,850 Ma quartzo–feldspathic rocks are a widespread (but probably minor) component in the Itsaq Gneiss Complex. C. 3,850 Ma zircon with negative Eu anomalies (showing growth in felsic systems) also occurs as detrital grains in rare c. 3,800 Ma metaquartzites and as inherited grains in some 3,660 Ma granites (sensu stricto). These demonstrate that still more c. 3,850 Ma rocks were present, but were recycled into Eoarchaean sediments and crustally derived granites. The major and trace element characteristics (e.g. LREE enrichment, HREE depletion, low MgO) of the best-preserved c. 3,850 Ma rocks are typical of Archaean TTG suites, and thus argue for crust formation processes involving important contributions from melting of hydrated mafic crust to the earliest Archaean. Five c. 3,850 Ma tonalites were selected as the best preserved on the basis of field criteria and zircon petrology. Four of these samples have overlapping initial ɛ_Nd (3,850 Ma) values from +2.9 to +3.6± 0.5, with the fourth having a slightly lower value of +0.6. These data provide additional evidence for a markedly LREE-depleted early terrestrial mantle reservoir. The role of c. 3,850 Ma crust should be considered in interpreting isotope signatures of the younger (3,800–3,600 Ma) rocks of the Itsaq Gneiss Complex. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The radio frequency dielectric properties of the stratified UG1–UG2 geological unit in the Bushveld Complex

A new measurement technique enables the complex dielectric properties of the geological strata comprising the UG1–UG2 (Upper Group 1–Upper Group 2) unit of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa to be determined with unprecedented detail at radio frequencies (RF). Results of non-destructive laboratory measurements of representative diamond drill core samples from the UG1–UG2 unit are presented at 25 MHz. These data establish that the UG1 and UG2 chromitite layers are embedded in rock strata (norite, pyroxenite and anorthosite) which are translucent in the HF spectral band, whereas the chromitite layers themselves exhibit significant velocity contrast, making them good radar reflectors. The data presented here is useful for calibration of the radar system, and for predicting the range and resolution performance of borehole radars operating in both the hanging and footwalls of the economically important platiniferous UG2 reef.     

厦门台地倾斜年变畸变现象与1994年东山海外7.3级地震

1994年 9月 1 6日东山海外 7 3级地震前一年左右 ,厦门台地倾斜E -W分量年变发生严重畸变 ,正常年变规律图象明显被破坏 ,异常出现后 1 1个月 ,东山海外发生强震。该现象可以作为闽粤近海强震的一个重要前兆指标     

宁芜盆地凹山和东山铁矿床流体包裹体和氢氧同位素研究

本文对宁芜地区凹山和东山铁矿床中的磷灰石流体包襄体进行了较为系统的测温研究,并测定了不同时期形成的磁铁矿、阳起石和石英的 H、O 同位素组成。凹山和东山铁矿磷灰石含有丰富的流体包裹体,原生气液包裹体包括早期细长管状、针状包裹体(类型Ⅱ)和晚期不规则状包襄体(类型Ⅰ);早期包裹体又可分为单一液相包裹体(类型Ⅱ-a)、气液两相(富气相)包襄体(类型Ⅱ-b)、气液两相(富液相)包裹体(类型Ⅱ-c)和气相、液相及固相多相包裹体(类型Ⅱ-d)四种亚类。包襄体中至少含有五种不同的子矿物。磷灰石包裹体记录了多个峰值温度,从600℃～800℃到～410℃和～270℃,分别对应于磷灰石(磁铁矿 透辉石)、阳起石和石英的形成。流体的盐度随温度的降低而逐渐减小,从高达～80%NaCl equiv。到<20%NaCl equiv。磷灰石形成时流体处于不均匀的状态,流体包裹体为非均一捕获。H、O 同位素研究显示成矿流体早期为演化的初始岩浆(水),在高温下形成了铁矿石;此后,成矿流体有可能与蒸发盆地卤水或大气降水发生混合;晚期则可能有较显著的大气降水加入。     

Air flow analysis in the upper Río Negro Valley (Argentina)

The so called Upper Río Negro Valley in Argentina is one of the most important fruit and vegetable production regions of the country. It comprises the lower valleys of the Limay and Neuquén rivers and the upper Negro river valley. Out of the 41,671 cultivated hectares, 84.6% are cultivated with fruit trees, especially apple, pear and stone fruit trees. Late frosts occurring when trees are sensitive to low temperatures have a significant impact on the regional production. This study presents an analysis of air flow characteristics in the Upper Río Negro Valley and its relationship with ambient air flow. To such effect, observations made when synoptic-scale weather patterns were favorable for radiative frosts (light wind and clear sky) or nocturnal temperature inversion in the lower layer were used. In the Negro river valley, both wind channeling and downward horizontal momentum transport from ambient wind were observed; in nighttime, very light wind events occurred, possibly associated with drainage winds from the nearby higher levels of the barda. In the Neuquén river valley, the prevailing effect appeared to be forced channeling, consistent with the results obtained in valleys where the synoptic scale wind crossed the axis of the valley. In the Limay river valley, the flow was observed to blow parallel to the longitudinal valley axis, possibly influenced by pressure gradient and forced channeling.     

Wavefield continuation datuming using a near surface model

When topography and low velocity zone differences vary greatly, conventional vertical static time shifts will cause wavefield distortion and influence wave equation seismic imaging for seismic data acquired on a complex near surface. In this paper, we propose an approach to datum correction that combines a joint tomography inversion with wavefield continuation to solve the static problem for seismic data on rugged acquisition topography. First, the near surface model is obtained by refracted wave tomography inversion. Second, the wavefield of sources and receivers are continued downward and upward to accomplish datum correction starting from a flat surface and locating the datum above topography. Based on the reciprocal theorem, Huygens＇ and Fresnel principles, the location of sources and receivers, and regarding the recorded data on the surface as a secondary emission, the sources and receivers are upward-continued to the datum above topography respectively. Thus, the datum correction using joint tomography inversion and wavefield continuation with the condition of a complex near surface is accomplished.     

闽西南古田-小陶花岗质杂岩体的形成时代和成因

古田-小陶花岗质杂岩体是由小陶、古田、华家、蛟洋和姑田等单元组成。小陶、古田和华家单元为含黑云母二长花岗岩,蛟洋和姑田单元是含角闪石黑云母石英二长岩。小陶和古田花岗岩以高 SiO_2(>71.77%)、K_2O(>4.67%)和低 CaO(<1.71%)为特征,属于弱过铝-强过铝花岗岩;它们含高的 Rb、Nh、Ta、Th、U 和低的 Sr、Ba 含量;稀土(REE)含量和轻重稀土分异((La/Yb)_N)变化大,分别变化于143×10~(-6)～548×10~(-6),和3.3～26.5,Eu 亏损中等到强。姑田和蛟洋单元都以低SiO_2(62.88%～66.38%)和高 Al_2O_3(15.44%～16.51%)为特征。姑田单元的 REE 总量低而蛟洋单元的 REE 总量高,但两者的 Eu 负异常都不明显。华家单元花岗岩的地球化学特征介于上述两组花岗岩之间。LA-ICPMS 锆石 U-Pb 定年显示小陶花岗岩形成于222±3Ma,而古田花岗岩形成于161±1Ma。小陶、古田和姑田花岗岩具有相似的~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr 初始比值(0.7089～0.7099)和ε_(Nd)(t)值(-11.1～-11.5),而且古田和小陶花岗岩的锆石 Hf 同位素组成也相似,表明它们起源于相同的源区。地球化学和 Sr-Nd-Hf 同位素指示它们的源区物质是具有1.73～1.5Ga 平均地壳存留年龄的变质沉积岩。而位于杂岩体南部的华家花岗岩显示明显高的~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr 初始比值(0.7310)和更低的ε_(Nd)(t)值(-16.4),指示它的母岩浆起源于古元古代壳源物质,暗示杂岩体南北基底组成可能不同。古田花岗岩形成于燕山早期的板内伸展构造背景,而小陶花岗岩形成于印支晚期,地球化学特征以及同时代岩石组合以及构造应力场分析表明其最可能形成于后造山构造背景。     

Tilt corrections over complex terrain and their implication for CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> transport

Observational data from sonic anemometers are commonly rotated from sonic to streamline coordinates, a procedure that is called tilt correction. Tilt corrections are often used to post-process air velocity data collected from sonic anemometers to allow objective interpretation of air flow data relative to the Earth. Since streamline coordinates depend on dynamical characteristics of the flow, the tilt correction depends not only on temporal and spatial variations of the flow, but also on local circulations. We found that ensemble- averaged slope flows are approximately parallel to the terrain slope close to the ground within the canopy layer, but not above, due to the influence of the diurnal variation of local vertical circulations. As a result, the diurnal variation of the observed vertical velocity in streamline coordinates at 21.5 m above the ground over 11-m tall forest canopies can be opposite to that calculated from the continuity equation. To estimate CO₂ transport over sloping terrain, a workable reference coordinate system is needed such that multiple sonic anemometers have a common reference relative to the Earth. Streamline coordinate systems can be the choice of the common reference coordinate system only if flow, at least ensemble-averaged flow, is parallel to terrain slopes. The choice of the reference coordinate system and its implication in investigation of CO₂ transport are discussed. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

非洲"铜带"铜钴工业地域综合体初步研究

非洲“铜带”是世界上最大的铜钴工业综合体之一。通过实地调查和资料分析,揭示了“铜带”铜钴工业的地域组合特征及空间布局的内在联系规律;剖析了“铜带”铜钴工业地域综合体形成的主要地理条件,尤其是制约冶金工业生产布局的矿物资源、电力和交通运输条件;探讨了主导工业部门在工业地域综合形体形成和区域经济社会发展过程中“联动”和“极化”作用。这对我国在矿山开发过程澡,充分发挥矿业的主导作用带动区域经济社会发展,