Vorticity analysis of the Palmi shear zone mylonites: new insights for the Alpine tectonic evolution of the Calabria–Peloritani terrane (southern Italy)

New microstructural data on the mylonites from the well‐exposed Palmi shear zone (southern Calabria) are presented with the aim to shed light on both the kinematics and the geometry of the southwestern branch of the Alpine belt during Eocene. In the study area, located between the Sardinia–Corsica block and the Calabria–Peloritani terrane, previous large‐scale geodynamic reconstructions suggest the presence of strike–slip or transform fault zones dissecting the southwestern branch of the Alpine belt. However, there are no field data supporting the occurrence of these structures. This paper uses vorticity analysis technique based on the aspect ratio and the long axis orientation of rigid porphyroclasts in mylonitic marbles and mylonitic granitoids, to estimate the contribution of pure and simple shear of deformation during the movement of the Palmi shear zone. Porphyroclasts aspect ratio and orientation were measured on thin sections using image analysis. Estimates of the vorticity number, W_m, indicate that the Palmi shear zone recorded general shear with a contribution of pure shear of c. 65%. Then, the Palmi shear zone can be interpreted as a segment of a left‐lateral transpressive bend along the southern termination of the Eocene Alpine front. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ensemble flood risk assessment in Europe under high end climate scenarios

At the current rate of global warming, the target of limiting it within 2 degrees by the end of the century seems more and more unrealistic. Policymakers, businesses and organizations leading international negotiations urge the scientific community to provide realistic and accurate assessments of the possible consequences of so called “high end” climate scenarios.This study illustrates a novel procedure to assess the future flood risk in Europe under high levels of warming. It combines ensemble projections of extreme streamflow for the current century based on EURO-CORDEX RCP 8.5 climate scenarios with recent advances in European flood hazard mapping. Further novelties include a threshold-based evaluation of extreme event magnitude and frequency, an alternative method to removing bias in climate projections, the latest pan-European exposure maps, and an improved flood vulnerability estimation.Estimates of population affected and direct flood damages indicate that by the end of the century the socio-economic impact of river floods in Europe is projected to increase by an average 220% due to climate change only. When coherent socio-economic development pathways are included in the assessment, central estimates of population annually affected by floods range between 500,000 and 640,000 in 2050, and between 540,000 and 950,000 in 2080, as compared to 216,000 in the current climate. A larger range is foreseen in the annual flood damage, currently of 5.3 B€, which is projected to rise at 20–40 B€ in 2050 and 30–100 B€ in 2080, depending on the future economic growth.     

挖深不同情况下基坑支护结构性状研究

崩塌是黄土高原地区最常见、致灾最为严重的地质灾害之一。本文通过野外钻探,采用原位地震波测试的方法,详细分析了离石黄土崩塌隐患体内部的波速结构特征。结果发现,在竖直方向上,地震波速整体随深度增加而增大;水平方向上,地震波速自边坡坡面向坡体内部逐渐增大。结合数值模拟,发现崩塌隐患体由于受到卸荷回弹作用的影响,产生了指向坡外的形变。形变增量的大小与距离边坡坡面的远近有关,距离坡面越近形变增量越大,致使对应土体的密实度减小。密实度的减小是隐患体内部波速存在差异的重要原因。研究表明,利用地震波速的变化规律可以宏观反映崩塌隐患体内部结构特征,进而指导黄土崩塌地质灾害的防治研究。     

生态干扰度:一种评价植被天然性程度的方法

地球上现存的植物或森林群落都是植被与其环境长期适应及人类长期干扰影响的结果 ,因此 ,现实的植被反映着历史上人类对它们不同程度的影响。‘生态干扰’的概念常常被用来描述历史上人类对植被或森林影响的大小 ,即‘生态干扰度’;或用来表示现实植被离开它的‘天然植被’的距离 ,即现实植被的‘天然性程度’。如此的‘天然植被’可以是 :( 1 )历史上从未受过人类任何干扰的‘原始植被’;( 2 )基于当前立地的‘潜在的自然植被’。然而 ,成百上千年以来人类对自然的利用干扰 ,致使真正的‘原始植被’现在几乎无处可寻。因此 ,‘潜在的自然植被’被用来作为生态干扰度估计或植被天然性程度评价的参照系。作为一种很实用的生态分析手段 ,生态干扰度的方法已被广泛地应用在农、林、水、景观、城市及自然保护等诸多领域的生态评价上。为此 ,本文论述了生态干扰度的概念、原理、方法和应用实例。     

西北地区近期地壳水平运动与构造变形特征

利用截止2004年的西北地区GPS和跨祁连-龙首山构造带的红外测距观测资料，借助最小二乘配置、弹性块体边界负位错模型及单一力源反演，研究昆仑山口西8．1级大震前后西北地区水平形变应变场的动态演化特征；尤其是大震3年后，即当前的构造形变与应力场态势；获取活动块体及其边界断裂上可能反映中强以上孕震背景的高应变能积累区、段，以及可能的潜在震源。结果表明：青藏块体北缘地区经8．1级大震后的短期松弛和调整，目前正在恢复印度板块北东向碰撞推挤背景场的主控作用。而北天山构造带中段及其与西段的交汇区、南天山构造带中西段及其与西昆仑构造带的交汇区、阿尔金断裂中段、祁连山构造带中东段及其与海原断裂的交汇区、西秦岭北缘断裂与庄浪河断裂东南延伸线的交汇区域等具有相对高应变能积累背景；临泽与海原这两个地区也反映一定程度的应变能积累状态。     

The Gravity Module Assembly used in airborne full tensor gradiometry surveys

In airborne gravity gradiometry, the Gravity Module Assembly is an optional gravimeter unit that is mounted on the same stabilized platform as the Full Tensor Gradiometer. Direct measurements of the gravity field are needed from this device to constrain the long wavelengths when gradient data are integrated mathematically to form high-resolution gravity fields. The Gravity Module Assembly is, however, capable of providing independent gravity data with a specification approaching that expected from a dedicated airborne gravity system. Presented here is an error analysis of data from this instrument collected alongside the Full Tensor Gradiometer during an airborne survey. By having both gradiometry and gravity datasets, comparisons of the information content in these two types of measurement are made.     

EFFECTS OF TROPOPAUSE AND POTENTIAL VORTICITY ANOMALY ON FRONTOGENESIS*

A two-dimensional,semi-geostrophic numerical model incorporating the tropopause and stratosphere is used to investigate the effects of a positive potential vorticity anomaly and latent heat release on the frontogenetic process and the structure of the resulting frontal zone.It is demonstrated that(1) the inclusion of tropopause and stratosphere significantly changes the frontal structure only in the upper levels;(2) a clearly defined quasi-equivalent barotropic structure and a region of upward motion of finite width appear when a positive potential vorticity anomaly exists on the warm side of the maximum baroclinity in the lower troposphere,especially when it is located on the south edge of the baroclinic zone;(3) the above mentioned structure deteriorates as the frontogenesis proceeds in a dry atmosphere but can be maintained in a moist frontogenetic process with condensational heating;(4) the combination of a positive potential vorticity anomaly and the latent heat release is able to accelerate the frontogenesis significantly with the time needed to form an intense frontal zone reduced to less than 15 h.The results have significant theoretical importance in understanding the complex nature of frontal structure and frontogenesis,especially in understanding the dynamic structure of the subtropical frontal zone observed during early summer over East Asia.     

电磁成像正演仿真与传感器参数优化设计

应用有限元方法对电磁层析成像测量进行正演模拟,计算不同测量组合下各种典型流型的电势实部和虚部分布,考察电极个数、电极张角以及电极厚度对模拟测量响应的影响,并采用神经网络方法对传感器各结构参数进行优化设计.研究结果表明,介质分布对电势影响起主要作用,其中虚部分布特征更加明显;传感器各参数中电极数目对测量值影响较大,电极张角和电极厚度有一定影响.     

大洋环流的通风温跃层研究进展

介绍了大洋环流理论中通风温跃层研究的主要进展。给出了温跃层研究的发展过程、有关通风温跃层的基本概念、通风温跃层内环流的基本特征以及环流通风的计算结果。突出强调了在给出大洋的表面边界条件的情况下,如风应力旋度、背景层化、混合层深度、混合层密度分布以及侧边界条件,如何由通风温跃层理论得到大洋在三维尺度上水体运动的特征。     

A formula for computing the gravity disturbance from the second radial derivative of the disturbing potential

 A formula for computing the gravity disturbance and gravity anomaly from the second radial derivative of the disturbing potential is derived in detail using the basic differential equation with spherical approximation in physical geodesy and the modified Poisson integral formula. The derived integral in the space domain, expressed by a spherical geometric quantity, is then converted to a convolution form in the local planar rectangular coordinate system tangent to the geoid at the computing point, and the corresponding spectral formulae of 1-D FFT and 2-D FFT are presented for numerical computation. Received: 27 December 2000 / Accepted: 3 September 2001