Using fossil spring deposits in the Death Valley region,USA to evaluate palaeoflowpaths

Spring deposits reveal the timing and environment of past groundwater discharge. Herein, however, the potential for fossil spring deposits to infer water sources and palaeoflowpaths through trace elements and stable and radiogenic isotopes is examined. Past discharge (70 to 285 ka) in the Tecopa Basin in the Death Valley region of southeastern California is represented by tufa deposits, including mounds, pools, cemented ledges and rare calcite feeder veins. δ¹⁸O values indicate that spring discharge was a mixture of far‐travelled (regional) water with a significant, and perhaps dominant contribution of local recharge on a nearby range front and alluvial pediment, rather than simply representing an elevated regional water table. δ¹³C values indicate regional water had a high TDS, whereas solute data imply low overall solute contents, consistent with dilution by a large component of local recharge. Radiogenic isotope data (U‐series, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) for tufa indicate that siliciclastic rocks (a regional aquitard) interacted with discharging water. To access this aquitard, regional flow was probably partitioned into a permeable north–south damage zone of a north–south range‐bounding fault along the foot of the Resting Spring Range, which ultimately controlled the location of groundwater discharge. Existing models for modern discharge in the Tecopa Basin, by contrast, call upon westward interbasin flow in carbonate rocks from the Spring Mountains through the intervening (and nearly perpendicular) Nopah and Resting Spring Ranges. Understanding the controls on regional groundwater flow is critical in this and other arid regions where water is, by definition, a scarce resource. Thus, although it is a case study, this report highlights a fruitful approach to palaeohydrology that can be widely applied. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于MODIS的大田县均溪谷地NPP与NDVI相关性的时空变化特征

本研究应用MODIS卫星遥感资料,分析2000—2010年大田县均溪谷地植被净初级生产NPP与NDVI相关性的时空变化特征,运用Arc GIS软件对大田县均溪河做不同距离的缓冲区分析,结合土地利用状况,研究年植被净初级生产力a NPP与年均归一化植被指数ANDVI的相关性,并建立线性回归分析模型进一步分析NPP随NDVI的变化情况。可以看出,ANDVI与a NPP的空间分布特征与距河流的距离远近有着密切关系,河流不同缓冲区ANDVI与a NPP的相关性系值为0.80~0.96。研究区域3年回归模型均通过α=0.01的显著性F值相关检测,表明利用NDVI可以有效地对NPP进行实时监测。     

舟曲三眼峪沟泥石流松散物质补给特征与稳定性探讨

基于对舟曲三眼峪沟流域固体松散物质的调查勘测,阐述该沟"8.8"特大泥石流形成过程中松散物质的补给特征,对沟内固体松散物质的稳定性及可转化数量进行分析评价。分析认为,三眼峪沟泥石流的形成具有以主沟冲蚀再搬运为主的显著特点,以崩塌及沟床松散物质补给为主。沟内极不稳定易转化为泥石流的固体松散物质540×104m3,不稳定的松散物质1 730×104m3,较不稳定的423×104m3,稳定而难以转化的松散物质1 450×104m3。泥石流的主要补给沟段集中于大眼峪沟的竹塔沟—罐子坪沟段、大峪口段,小眼峪沟的滴水崖—峪支沟沟段、小峪口段,控制了上述沟段固体松散物质,将有效控制该沟泥石流的形成。     

大九寨核心景区旅游气候资源研究

通过几寨沟、红原、松潘和若尔盖以及九寨沟内几个自动气象站的温、压、湿、风、太阳辐射等气象观测资料的统计计算,分析了大九寨核心旅游景区的光照、热量、水分、气压和风速等旅游气候资源.分析表明,大几寨旅游景区海拔1407～3493m,年平均气温为1.1℃～12.7℃,年平均降水量551.6～769.2mm,日照充足,干、湿季节分明,适宜旅游期可达8个月,加上丰寓的气候旅游景观,足世界上最佳的生态旅游目的地.提出了如何保持大九寨最佳生态旅游资源的可持续开发和利用是有待进一步研究的问题.     

An object-based image analysis approach to assess irrigation-water consumption from MODIS products in Ethiopia

Efficient water-resource management is essential with regard to food security, growing populations and climate change. This is especially important for low- and middle-income (LMC) countries where food is often locally produced by traditional smallholder farming. Detailed knowledge of the spatio-temporal distribution of irrigation-water consumption provides valuable information to anticipate local food shortages and water scarcity as a result of climate variability. Yet, adequate techniques to quantify irrigation-water consumption at field level over large areas are lacking. Irrigation estimates generally have a coarse resolution making them inadequate for field-level assessments.This study developed a remote-sensing-based approach to quantify spatio-temporal patterns of irrigation-water consumption at field level using the MODIS evapotranspiration product (MOD16A2) and existing land-use maps on the spatio-temporal distribution of irrigated agriculture. Object-based image analysis was used to establish local evapotranspiration differences between irrigated and rainfed fields on a monthly basis, which are the irrigation-water consumption rates of the irrigated fields. This novel method was applied to a study area in the Central Rift Valley in Ethiopia where smallholder farming is dominant and only a few large-scale farms are present. Comparison with irrigation-water-consumption values of a local irrigation scheme showed that the monthly temporal dynamics were captured quite well, but lower values were calculated compared to the scheme's field data. Comparison with two validated remote-sensing based studies in Africa showed good agreement as irrigation-water-consumption estimates were in the same order of magnitude. Irrigation-water consumption follows the temporal rainfall pattern, i.e. irrigation practices intensify with increased water availability. Surface water is commonly used for irrigation in the study area.Our study shows that smallholder practices have a lower irrigation-water consumption compared to modern large-scale farms by approximately a factor 3. Irrigation-water consumption in the area is considerable, especially during the dry season. On average 32 % of excess water (precipitation – evapotranspiration) is consumed for irrigation. For smallholder irrigation and large-scale irrigation specifically this is 28 % and 63 % respectively.The object-based approach presented here is an operational mapping method for field-level irrigation-water-consumption over large areas. MOD16A2 is a global open-source readily-available evapotranspiration product used here although an evapotranspiration product with a higher spatial resolution might be preferred. Our approach can provide irrigation-water-consumption estimates over large areas in data-poor regions, which will increase the understanding of spatio-temporal patterns of smallholder irrigation and provide information to optimize water use.     

地震动河谷场地效应研究

本文以梯形河谷场地为研究对象,采用二维显式有限差分和透射人工边界理论,根据设计的正交表建立计算模型,计算分析了梯形河谷场地对地震动的影响因素,对其影响程度进行了排名,并采用强震记录分析法对计算结果进行了初步验证。结果表明,4个因素对梯形河谷场地的地表地震动有重要的影响,但是其影响程度随着位置的变化表现也不同,不同位置的影响因素排名不同;距河谷谷坡40m以内的场地,各影响因素排位相同,首位是河谷坡角,其次是深宽比、覆盖层厚度,最后是输入地震动强度,因此,河谷场地距谷坡一定距离时各因素对地表地震动影响程度基本相同,该段场地河谷地形的几何参数对地震动影响起较大作用;随着场地距河谷谷坡越远,影响因素的排位也发生了变化,总体上是坡角排位后移,输入地震动和覆盖层厚度排位前移,河谷几何参数对地震动影响逐渐减弱,覆盖层厚度和输入地震强度2个因素的影响逐渐加大,该段场地对地震动影响与水平成层场地类似。对安宁河河谷场地强震记录分析验证的结果表明,河谷地形对地震动有显著的放大作用,同时也验证了本文的数值模拟结果是可信的。     

Estimating mean residence time of karst groundwater in mountainous catchments of Western Himalaya,India

The mean residence time (MRT) of karst groundwater in three mountainous catchments of the Western Himalaya was estimated using multiple approaches: the tritium method, the sine wave model and tracer tests. Water samples were collected from precipitation, glacier melt, streams and karst springs for δ²H and tritium analysis during 2012 and 2013. High tritium values were observed in winter precipitation and low values in summer precipitation. The variation of tritium in karst springs was similar to that of the streams, whereas glacier melt showed lower tritium values. The MRT of cold karst springs was shorter than that of warm karst springs. The tracer breakthrough curves (TBC) retrieved for different springs suggested a short travel time for groundwater and possibly conduit flow. Deterioration of water quality and variation in flux magnitude are the two main practical consequences of the short travel time of karst groundwater in the region.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis

ASSOCIATE EDITOR K. Heal     

A Study on the Influencing Factors on Ground Motion in a Valley Site

A trapezoid valley site is chosen as a research site, and according to numerical models based on orthogonal design, the factors influencing ground motion in the valley site are studied with two-dimensional finite difference method. The influencing factors are ranked, and then the calculation results are verified by ground motion analysis. The conclusions are as follows: there are four factors that have important effects on ground motion of trapezoid valley sites, but the effects are different as the location of sites changes, the influencing factors rank differently with different site locations;The ranking of the influencing factors is the same for all the sites located within a distance of 40m from the valley''s side, among them, the most effective one is the valley slope angle ranks,followed by depth-to-width ratio, overburden thickness, at last the input ground motion intensity. The impact of the factors on surface ground motion is roughly the same in the valley sites within a certain distance to the valley side,and the geometric parameters of the valley terrain play a greater part in influencing ground motion. With the increase of distance away from the valley''s side, the ranking of the influencing factors also changes, the rating of slope angle moves backward, the ranking of the input ground motion and overburden thickness move ahead. The effect of valley geometric parameters on ground motions is gradually weakened, but the effect of other two influence factors are gradually increased, similar to cases of a horizontal layered site. Strong motion records in Anning River valley site were analyzed,and the results show that the valley topography has a significant amplification effect on ground motion, and that the numerical results of this paper are credible.     

Local relief and the height of Mount Olympus

A three‐dimensional assessment of the net volume of rock differentially eroded from below mountain tops to form valleys yields a range‐wide constraint on feedback between valley development and the height of mountain peaks. The ‘superelevation’ of mountain peaks potentially attributable to differential removal of material from below peaks in the Olympic Mountains, Washington, was constrained by fitting a smoothed surface to the highest elevation points on a 30 m grid digital elevation model of the range. High elevation areas separate into two primary areas: one centred on Mount Olympus in the core of the range and the other at the eastern end of the range. The largest valleys, and hence areas with the greatest volume of differentially eroded material, surround Mount Olympus. In contrast, the highest mean elevations concentrate in the eastern end of the range. Calculation of the isostatic rebound at Mount Olympus attributable to valley development ranges from 500 to 750 m (21 to 32 per cent of its height) for a 5 to 10 km effective elastic thickness of the crust. Comparison of cross‐range trends in mean and maximum elevation reveals that this calculated rebound for Mount Olympus corresponds well with its ‘superelevation’ above the general cross‐range trend in mean elevation. It therefore appears that the location of the highest peak in the Olympics is controlled by the deep valleys excavated in the centre of the range. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.