Effects of detailed soil spatial information on watershed modeling across different model scales

Hydro-ecological modelers often use spatial variation of soil information derived from conventional soil surveys in simulation of hydro-ecological processes over watersheds at mesoscale (10–100 km²). Conventional soil surveys are not designed to provide the same level of spatial detail as terrain and vegetation inputs derived from digital terrain analysis and remote sensing techniques. Soil property layers derived from conventional soil surveys are often incompatible with detailed terrain and remotely sensed data due to their difference in scales. The objective of this research is to examine the effect of scale incompatibility between soil information and the detailed digital terrain data and remotely sensed information by comparing simulations of watershed processes based on the conventional soil map and those simulations based on detailed soil information across different simulation scales. The detailed soil spatial information was derived using a GIS (geographical information system), expert knowledge, and fuzzy logic based predictive mapping approach (Soil Land Inference Model, SoLIM). The Regional Hydro-Ecological Simulation System (RHESSys) is used to simulate two watershed processes: net photosynthesis and stream flow. The difference between simulation based on the conventional soil map and that based on the detailed predictive soil map at a given simulation scale is perceived to be the effect of scale incompatibility between conventional soil data and the rest of the (more detailed) data layers at that scale. Two modeling approaches were taken in this study: the lumped parameter approach and the distributed parameter approach. The results over two small watersheds indicate that the effect does not necessarily always increase or decrease as the simulation scale becomes finer or coarser. For a given watershed there seems to be a fixed scale at which the effect is consistently low for the simulated processes with both the lumped parameter approach and the distributed parameter approach.     

东亚南亚夏季降水对海温异常响应的数值模拟

利用IAP AGCM-Ⅱ大气环流模式，模拟了赤道中太平洋地区海温异常对东亚和南亚夏季（6～8月）降水的影响。结果表明：当1～4月该海温呈正异常时，中南半岛和我国东部降水将明显偏多，孟加拉湾附近降水偏少；而该海温呈负异常时，则我国华中和孟加拉湾附近降水偏多；对以上海温异常最敏感处为中南半岛和孟加拉湾附近地区，其中前者降水与该海温异常呈正相关，后者则呈负相关；该海温异常还会在中高纬地区激发出强迫波列。     

登陆台风Winnie(1997)的数值模拟研究Ⅱ:结构演变特征分析

利用“登陆台风Winnie(1997)的数值模拟研究Ⅰ”的数值模拟结果 ,讨论了Winnie(1997)台风在登陆后变性阶段和重新加强阶段的环流、动力和热力结构特征以及演变过程。在结构上 ,变性阶段主要完成了从基本对称的垂直分布到斜压非对称分布的转换。在变性阶段的初期 ,热力和动力以及环流结构上都还留有一些热带气旋的影子 ,但是在强度和空间分布上已经发生了明显的变化 ,同时也反映了台风登陆后由于下垫面的变化 ,使来自海面的暖湿水汽输送呈明显的不对称分布 ,导致热力结构上的不对称分布。到变性阶段的后期 ,无论从环流结构还是动力结构上 ,都形成了和冷暖锋相对应的倾斜分布特征 ,并且和冷空气对应的锋区在低层侵入到气旋中心 ,使热带气旋经过变性阶段最终演变为锋面气旋。在重新发展阶段 ,通过与西风带低槽的结合 ,变性后的气旋获得了重新发展的机会。并且在此过程中得到了一次来自附近洋面的高暖湿能量的输送 ,也为发展提供了有利的条件 ,使变性后的气旋进一步加强为成熟的温带气旋。     

西北区东部一次暴雨的数值模拟试验

运用双向嵌套的中尺度数值预报模式MM5，对1998年7月上旬西北区东部一次暴雨过程进行了高分辨率数值模拟和敏感性试验。结果表明，该模式能较好地模拟这次暴雨过程，对这次暴雨过程相关的中尺度系统的发生发展也作出了较成功的模拟；大尺度及积云对流尺度的凝结潜热在降水过程中是一个主要因子，潜热释放将加热中高层大气，促使高层大气辐散，低层辐合，垂直运动加强，导致较大的降水；初始时刻不同地区低层大气水汽含量的多寡直接对本次暴雨产生影响，并为这次暴雨提供了水汽源；地面水汽和感热的垂直输送为暴雨的发生发展补充了能量。     

FLAC数值模拟软件及其在地学中的应用

FLAC是以拉格朗日差分法为基础的一种数值模拟应用软件,主要用于岩土力学工程。近年地质学家将其应用到地质构造和块体运动学、动力学研究中,以证实或证伪地球学家们提出的相关地球动力学模型。本文初步介绍了FLAC应用软件的基本原理、使用方法以及它在国内外地质学上的几个应用实例。     

离散裂隙渗流方法与裂隙化渗透介质建模

流体渗流模拟的连续介质方法通常适用于多孔地质体，并不一定适用于裂隙岩体，由于裂隙分布及其特征与孔隙差异较大。若流体渗流主要受裂隙的控制，对于一定尺寸的裂隙岩体，多孔介质假设则较难刻划裂隙岩体的渗流特征。离散裂隙渗流方法不但可直接用于模拟裂隙岩体非均质性和各向异性等渗流特征，而且可用其确定所研究的裂隙岩体典型单元体及其水力传导（渗透）张量大小。主要讨论了以下问题：（1）饱和裂隙介质中一般的离散流体渗流模拟；（2）裂隙岩体中的REV（典型单元体）及其水力传导（渗透）张量的确定；（3）利用离散裂隙网络流体渗流模型研究裂隙方向几何参数对水力传导系数和REV的影响；（4）在二维和三维离散裂隙流体渗流模型中对区域大裂隙和局部小裂隙的处理方法。调查结果显示离散裂隙流体渗流数学模型可用来评价不同尺度上的裂隙岩体的水力特征，以及裂隙方向对裂隙化岩体的水力特征有着不可忽视的影响。同时，局部小裂隙、区域大裂隙应当区别对待，以便据其所起的作用及水力特征，建立裂隙化岩体相应的流体渗流模型。     

Groundwater-flow modeling in the Yucatan karstic aquifer, Mexico

The current conceptual model of the unconfined karstic aquifer in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, is that a fresh-water lens floats above denser saline water that penetrates more than 40 km inland. The transmissivity of the aquifer is very high so the hydraulic gradient is very low, ranging from 7–10 mm/km through most of the northern part of the peninsula. The computer modeling program AQUIFER was used to investigate the regional groundwater flow in the aquifer. The karstified zone was modeled using the assumption that it acts hydraulically similar to a granular, porous medium. As part of the calibration, the following hypotheses were tested: (1) karstic features play an important role in the groundwater-flow system; (2) a ring or belt of sinkholes in the area is a manifestation of a zone of high transmissivity that facilitates the channeling of groundwater toward the Gulf of Mexico; and (3) the geologic features in the southern part of Yucatan influence the groundwater-flow system. The model shows that the Sierrita de Ticul fault, in the southwestern part of the study area, acts as a flow barrier and head values decline toward the northeast. The modeling also shows that the regional flow-system dynamics have not been altered despite the large number of pumping wells because the volume of water pumped is small compared with the volume of recharge, and the well-developed karst system of the region has a very high hydraulic conductivity. Electronic Publication     

Thermal and rheological structures of the Xisha Trough, South China Sea

The Xisha Trough, located in the northwest of the South China Sea (SCS) mainly rifted 30 Ma ago, has been a failed rift since the cessation of the seafloor spreading of the NW subbasin. Based on the velocity–depth model along Profile OBH-4 across the Xisha Trough, a seven-layer density–depth model is used to estimate density structure for the profile. The relationship between seismic velocity and radiogenic heat production is used to estimate the vertical distribution of heat sources in the lower crust. The 2-D temperature field is calculated by applying a 2-D numerical solution of the heat conduction equation and the thermal lithosphere thickness is obtained from the basalt dry solidus (BDS). The rheology of the profile is estimated on the basis of frictional failure in the brittle regime and power-law steady-state creep in the ductile regime. Rheological model is constructed for a three-layer model involving a granitic upper crust, a quartz diorite lower crust and an olivine upper mantle. Gravity modeling supports basically the velocity–depth model. The Moho along Profile OBH-4 is of relatively high heat flow ranging from 46 to 60 mW/m² and the Moho heat flow is higher in the trough than on the flanks. The depth of the “thermal” lithospheric lower boundary is about 54 km in the center, deepens toward two sides, and is about 75 km at the northern slope area and about 70 km at the southern Xisha–Zhongsha Block. Rheological calculation indicates that the two thinnest ductile layers in the crust and the thickest brittle layer in the uppermost mantle lie in the central region, showing that the Xisha Trough has been rheologically strengthened, which are mainly due to later thermal relaxation. In addition, the strengthening in rheology during rifting was not the main factor in hampering the breakup of the Xisha Trough.     

Strike-slip fault bridge fluid pumping mechanism: insights from field-based palaeostress analysis and numerical modelling

We present a finite-element study of stress perturbation in evolving compressive and extensional strike-slip fault bridges. The results are compared with a fracture study of a compressive bridge at St Donats, UK. Horizontally interbedded calcareous mudstone and bioclastic calcilutite at St Donats have a distinct vertical permeability anisotropy. This sedimentary sequence behaves as a set of horizontal aquifers. The fluid flow in these aquifers is sensitive to mean stress gradients. Paleostress analysis of field fracture data, verified by finite-element modelling, indicates a rotation of σ₁ towards parallelism with boundary faults inside the growing compressive bridge. Boundary faults and bridge faults recorded numerous fluid flow events. The modelled mean stress pattern shows a regional maximum within the bridge and local maxima/minima pairs at boundary fault tips.Finite-element modelling of an extensional bridge indicates that σ₃ rotates towards parallelism with boundary faults. The mean stress pattern is similar to the pattern in compressive bridge but with maxima and minima locations interchanged. The stress patterns are reestablished by each stress build-up preceding the rupturation of the boundary faults throughout the development stages of strike-slip fault bridges. Mean stress gradients developed pre-failure control the fluid flow in fractures of the strike-slip fault system at and after the end of each stress build-up and the fluid flow in boundary faults post-failure. Fracture reactivation and new fracture generation within an evolving bridge is a process consisting of multiple successive events that retain the storage capacity of the bridge. Rupture and sealing of the main bounding-faults is a step-wise process that opens and closes fluid conduits between areas with different pressures.     

Analysis and simulation of magma mixing processes in 3D

Magma mixing structures from the lava flow of Lesbos (Greece) are analyzed in three dimensions using a technique that, starting from the serial sections of rock cubes, allows the reconstruction of the spatial distribution of magmas inside rocks. Two main kinds of coexisting structures are observed: (i) “active regions” (AR) in which magmas mix intimately generating wide contact surfaces and (ii) “coherent regions” (CR) of more mafic magma that have a globular shape and do not show large deformations. The intensity of mingling is quantified by calculating both the interfacial area (IA) between interacting magmas and the fractal dimension of the reconstructed structures. Results show that the fractal dimension is linearly correlated with the logarithm of interfacial area allowing discrimination among different intensities of mingling.

The process of mingling of magmas is simulated using a three-dimensional chaotic dynamical system consisting of stretching and folding processes. The intensity of mingling is measured by calculating the interfacial area between interacting magmas and the fractal dimension, as for natural magma mixing structures. Results suggest that, as in the natural case, the fractal dimension is linearly correlated with the logarithm of the interfacial area allowing to conclude that magma mixing can be regarded as a chaotic process.

Since chemical exchange and physical dispersion of one magma inside another by stretching and folding are closely related, we performed coupled numerical simulations of chaotic advection and chemical diffusion in three dimensions. Our analysis reveals the occurrence in the same system of “active mixing regions” and “coherent regions” analogous to those observed in nature. We will show that the dynamic processes are able to generate magmas with wide spatial heterogeneity related to the occurrence of magmatic enclaves inside host rocks in both plutonic and volcanic environments.