A frost “buzzsaw” mechanism for erosion of the eastern Southern Alps, New Zealand

In the Southern Alps, New Zealand, large gradients in precipitation (< 1 to 12 m year^− 1) and rock uplift (< 1 to 10 mm year^− 1) produce distinct post-glacial geomorphic domains in which landslide-driven sediment production dominates in the wet, rapid-uplift western region, and rockfall controls erosion in the drier, low-uplift eastern region. Because the western region accounts for < 25% of the active orogen, the dynamics of erosion in the extensive eastern region are of equal importance in estimating the relative balance of uplift and erosion across the Southern Alps. Here, we assess the efficacy of frost cracking as the primary rockfall mechanism in the eastern Southern Alps using air photo and topographic analysis of scree slopes, cosmogenic radionuclide dating of headwalls, paleo-climate data, and a numerical model of headwall temperature. Currently, active scree slopes occur at a relatively uniform mean elevation ( 1450 m) and their distribution is independent of hillslope aspect and rock type, consistent with the notion that frost cracking (which is maximized between − 3 and − 8 °C) may control rockfall erosion. Headwall erosion rates of 0.3 to 0.9 mm year^− 1, measured using in-situ ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al in the Cragieburn Range, confirm that rockfall erosion is active in the late Holocene at rates that roughly balance rock uplift. Models of the predicted depth of frost activity are consistent with the scale of fractures and scree blocks in our field sites. Also, vegetated, paleo-scree slopes are ubiquitous at elevations lower than active scree slopes, consistent with the notion that lower temperatures during the last glacial advance induced pervasive rockfall erosion due to frost cracking. Our modeling suggests temporally-averaged peak frost cracking intensity occurs at 2300 m a.s.l., the approximate elevation of the highest peaks in the central Southern Alps, suggesting that the height of these peaks may be limited by a “frost buzzsaw.”     

Frost weathering and rockwall erosion in the southeastern Swiss Alps: Long-term (1994–2006) observations

Rates and processes of frost weathering in the Alps were investigated by visual observations of intensively shattered rocks, continuous monitoring of frost wedging and rock temperatures in bedrock and measurements of rockfall activity. Rapid frost weathering of hard-intact rocks occurs along lakes and streams where seasonal freezing promotes ice segregation in the rock. Otherwise, rocks require pre-existing weakness or a long exposure period for intensively shattered. Automated monitoring shows that crack opening occurs at three scales, including small opening accompanying short-term frost cycles, slightly larger movements during seasonal freezing and occasional large opening originating from refreezing of snow-melt water during seasonal thawing. The opening events require at least partial water saturation in the crack. The repetition of crack opening (frost wedging) results in permanent opening and finally debris dislocation. Debris collections below fractured rockwalls show that pebble falls occur at an average rate of about 0.1 mm a^− 1 with significant spatial and inter-annual variations. Occasional large boulder falls significantly raise the rockwall erosion rates, controlled by such factors as the joint distribution in the bedrock, repetition of annual freeze–thaw cycles and extraordinary summer thaw.     

中国北方地区几种农业气象灾害指标研究综述

针对我国北方地区常见的几种农业气象灾害:干旱、低温冷害、霜冻和干热风,对其各类指标进行了归纳和描述。干旱指标是从监测、防御、经济损失评估、社会经济发展水平和科技进步5个方面来分别描述;冷害指标就目前常见的几类进行了简要介绍;霜冻指标多针对不同作物给出具体判别标准;干热风指标从气象、判别、危害和防御4个方面进行了描述。总结了不同指标的优缺点,同时也对这些灾害指标目前存在的问题和今后改进的方向提出了看法,为形成北方地区农业气象灾害指标体系奠定基础,同时为今后该地区各类农业气象灾害的监测、评估及防灾减灾工作提供参考与支撑。     

Humidity Measurements in Cold and Humid Environments

Recent studies have shed new light on humidity conditions in the polar atmospheric boundary layer, and cast doubt on the reliability of humidity measurements above the frost point humidity. These issues are addressed herein by considering the processes that affect humidity and its measurement in cold climate conditions and by analyzing observations from two sites, at which the relative humidity is frequently above 100% at sub-freezing temperatures, as shown by repeatedly observed in-cloud icing events. Humidity measurements were made at these two sites by the commonly used Vaisala HMP35 probe and HMP233 capacitance probes respectively and simultaneously by the same manufacturer’s HMP243 probe that determines the frost point by a heated capacitance sensor. The results confirm that the relative humidity is frequently well above the frost point, both due to radiative cooling and to the advection of moist air, and that the conventional humidity measurements are unable to detect these events. Furthermore, after such events, the iced sensors show too high a humidity. The false values occur due to ice growth on the probe and cannot be corrected by any algorithm. Our results indicate that these problems, inherent to conventional humidity measurements in cold and humid environments, are avoided by the use of HMP243, which has a heated humidity probe.     

解冻速率对作物霜冻害的影响

用人工霜箱研究霜冻危害.霜箱温度控制在-1—1℃，分别模拟解冻速率为0.3℃/10min和1.6℃/10min时的辐射霜夜缓慢降温过程.结果表明霜冻危害程度受作物种类、冻结温度、结冰进程和解冻速率的影响。在某些条件下，缓慢解冻可能使受冻组织恢复，但在另一些条件下则不能.对于不同耐霜性的作物，防霜的着眼点应该是不相同的。     

精河枸杞展叶期霜冻气象指标室内模拟研究

以3年生宁杞7号为试验材料,在枸杞展叶期利用人工气候室开展进行低温模拟试验,设置常温(CK)、0℃、-2℃、-4℃、-6℃、-8℃共6个处理温度,每个处理分别持续3h、6h、9h条件下测定枝条叶绿素荧光、相对电导率、叶片叶绿素含量并观察枸杞枝条、叶片形态特征变化。结果表明：随着温度的下降和持续时间的延长,枸杞枝条基础荧光和相对电导率呈上升趋势,光能转化率和叶绿素含量下降明显。枸杞展叶期当温度在-4℃至-2℃,持续时间3小时内,会出现轻度霜冻。当温度在-4℃至-2℃,持续时间超过3小时或温度在-4℃至-2℃,超过6小时会出现中度霜冻。当温度在-6℃至-4℃,持续时间超过6小时或低于-6℃,超过3小时会出现重度霜冻。     

不同气候背景下北疆霜期的时空变化特征

利用新疆气象信息中心提供的1961—2021年逐日最低气温资料，基于常规气象统计方法，对不同气候背景下北疆地区初、终霜日和霜期的变化特征进行分析，结果表明：（1）初霜日在背景I下呈较快推迟趋势，速率达0.36 d/a，背景II下变化趋势很小；终霜日在背景I下反呈推迟趋势，速率达0.15 d/a，在背景II下呈较快提前趋势，速率达0.28 d/a；霜期在背景I、II下均呈缩短趋势，缩短速率分别为0.24 d/a、0.35 d/a。（2）在气候背景I下霜期的缩短主要由初霜日推迟而导致，在气候背景II下霜期的缩短主要由终霜日提前所导致。（3）北疆地区平均初霜日在背景II下变化趋势很小是因为此时段下北疆初霜日西部在提前，东部在推迟，且推迟与提前的变化趋势相差较小；平均终霜日在背景I下反呈推迟趋势的气候条件是此时段下北疆春季气温变化趋势为-0.357 ℃/10 a，空间变化上则是因为此时段下北疆终霜日整体呈推迟趋势，仅阿勒泰地区东部、哈密地区东部呈提前趋势，且推迟速率较大，提前速率较小。（4）由气候背景I转为II，北疆初霜日等级出现由低向高移动的趋势，终霜日和霜期则与其相反。（5）相关季节北大西洋涛动指数对于北疆地区初、终霜日的影响较为显著，初霜日与夏季北大西洋涛动指数呈显著负相关，终霜日与秋季北大西洋涛动指数呈显著正相关。