Upper mantle structure of the Apulian plate from Rayleigh waves

Phase velocities of Rayleigh waves for the Adriatic Sea area are obtained in the period range 25–190 sec along the path (l'Aquila-Trieste) AQU-TRI and 20–167 sec along the path (Trieste-Bari) TRI-BAI.The phase velocities are systematically higher than the known values for the surrounding regions. The data inversion indicates the presence of a lithosphere typical of stable continental areas with clear high-velocity lid (V _s 4.6 km/sec) overlying a well developed low velocity zone (V _s 4.2 km/sec).P. F. Geodinamica C.N.R., Roma Pubbl. N. 189.     

Soil water residence times and solute uptake on a dolomite bedrock—preliminary results

Calcium and magnesium levels have been monitored in slope foot drainage waters on a dolomite bedrock. Both calcium and magnesium rich pulses occur. Short term dissolution experiments demonstrate high calcium levels in solution while other authors have suggested that long residence time groundwater has relatively high levels of magnesium due to calcite precipitation. Patterns of field fluctuations in Ca: Mg ratios can thus be tentatively interpreted in terms of short residence time water of high calcium content mixing with long residence time water of high magnesium content. Fluorometric dye tracing has been used to indicate the orders of magnitude of soil water residence times, suggesting that quickflow components are resident in the system for a few hours to a few days. Further work is in progress.     

A Lagrangian stochastic model for the trajectories of particle pairs and its application to the prediction of concentration variance within plant canopies

A simple Lagrangian stochastic model for the trajectories of particle pairs in high Reynolds-number turbulent flows is presented. In this model, the velocities of particle pairs are initially correlated but subsequently each particle moves independently. The independent single-particle trajectories are simulated using Thomson's model [J. Fluid Mech. 180, 529–556, 1987]. This two-particle model exactly satisfies the well-mixed condition for Gaussian turbulence when length scales, characterizing the two-point Eulerian velocity correlation function, vanish. Temperature variances, due to heat released as a passive scalar from an elevated plane source, within a model plant canopy (Coppin et al. Boundary Layer Meteorol. 35, 167–191, 1986) are shown to be well predicted by the model. It is suggested that for strongly inhomogeneous flows, the two-point Eulerian velocity function is of secondary importance in determining the simulated trajectories of particle pairs compared to the importance of ensuring satisfaction of the two-to-one constraint (Borgas and Sawford. J. Fluid Mech. 279, 69–99, 1994); i.e ensuring that one-particle statistics obtained from the two-particle model are the same as those obtained from the corresponding one-particle model. Limitations of this modelling approach are discussed.     

长江中下游盛夏持续性高温干旱对短期降水影响的数值试验

应用IAP 2-L AGCM模式,并考虑了下垫面异常,模拟了长江中下游盛夏不同强度的持续性地表高温干旱对短期天气的影响。结果表明,这种持续性高温干旱对长江中下游及我国东南沿海短期降水有十分明显的影响,持续高温干旱的强度不同,其影响结果不同。持续性适度高温和严重干旱造成短期降水减少,高温干旱仍继续维持达1个月的正反馈过程。在此持续过程中,土壤湿度变化起主导作用,而土壤热力状况的影响相对较小。     

Lateral translocation of soil plasma through a small valley basin in the Northaw Great Wood,Hertfordshire

The paper looks at the process of lateral translocation in a small valley basin from the Northaw Great Wood, Hertfordshire. The valley basin comprises four lithostratigraphic units (London Clay and Pebble Gravel, and the others a mixture of these two), which were initially established in the field by a rough assessment of texture. Particle size analysis validated the lithostratigraphic units as delineated in the field; it was found unnecessary to alter the boundaries of the units. Patterns of lateral translocation of silt and clay (measured by the hydrometer method) and the amorphous colloidal hydrous oxides and hydroxides of Al, Fe, Mn and Si (measured in oxalate solution by atomic absorption spectrophotometry) are inferred from balance sheets of the relative gains and losses of the materials. Materials from horizons formed in lithostratigraphic units derived from London Clay are balanced against a clay dilution factor; those from the lithostratigraphic unit of Pebble Gravel against the dilution of sand on a clay-free basis. The results lead to the following conclusions about the process of lateral translocation: it has been a significant contributor to soil development; larger amounts of material have moved down-slope towards the hollow than over the nose because there has, theoretically, been more throughflow in the hollow; for some materials there has been less down-slope transport in lower horizons owing to less throughflow in them.     

Mode identification of terrestrial ULF waves observed by Cluster: A case study

Using multipoint measurements from the Cluster mission wave identification techniques are applied to observations of ULF waves made in the terrestrial foreshock with the aim of identifying the modes and properties of the waves taking into account the effects of a high beta plasma. The wave properties in the spacecraft and plasma rest frames are experimentally derived using minimum variance analysis. Two waves with periods of 30 and 3 s dominate the dynamic frequency spectrum. The results indicate that these waves propagate in the fast magnetosonic and Alfvén/Ion Cyclotron modes, respectively. Both waves propagate in the upstream direction in the plasma rest frame but are convected downstream in the spacecraft frame. The measured wave properties in the plasma rest frame are in good agreement with those obtained from the theoretical kinetic dispersion relation taking into account the effects of different plasma beta. The dispersion results show a rather significant deviation from fluid model, especially when high beta plasma conditions occur. These experimentally derived foreshock ULF wave properties are in good agreement with previous results but when the effects of a high beta plasma are considered it is not as straight forward to choose the correct wave mode branch.     

The impact of the nitrogen carryover effect on economic activity and the environment

 The economic and environmental consequences of soil nitrogen tests can have significant impacts on agricultural production. Some of these are explored here. The pre-side-dress soil N-test is evaluated for a hypothetical farmer growing corn at the ARS Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Farm site in southern Maryland. For a farmer not currently using a soil N-test, adoption of this technology can lead to the enhancement of net farm income and the reduction in nitrogen loss to the environment. This will transpire only if the farmer is currently underestimating nitrogen carryover by more than 25% or applying nitrogen fertilizer based solely on an expected plateau-yield goal. Received: 13 February 1997 · Accepted: 13 May 1997     

陆面过程模型中垂直非均匀土壤的水分传输及相变的模拟

土壤湿度在陆气相互作用中的重要性体现在它既能影响陆地和大气之间水循环的速率, 又能改变地表的能量分配。本文针对陆面过程模型中描述土壤湿度变化的方程进行了理论分析, 指出在非均匀土壤和冻土中采用土壤水势梯度描述垂直非均匀土壤水分流动的合理性。基于描述土壤内部水热传输的统一土壤模型, 并利用推广的表征土壤水分特征的Clapp-Hornberger关系式, 研究了非冻结和冻结的土壤湿度对于垂直非均匀土壤的敏感性。结果表明, 由土壤质地决定的土壤水势和导水率对土壤湿度的模拟有重要的影响。具体地, 在决定土壤性质的Clapp-Hornberger关系式中, 与土壤质地有关的饱和水势、饱和导水率以及土壤孔隙大小分布指数B, 对土壤湿度的模拟起到了关键作用。参数B的重要性尤为突出, 它的增加会引起导水率的大大下降, 从而对水分在土壤中的垂直分布产生重要影响。饱和水势的绝对值和参数B的增加会使得土壤水势绝对值增加明显, 使土壤的结冰(融化)过程延迟, 土壤温度因为没有结冰(融化)释放(吸收)的潜热加热(冷却)而持续下降(上升), 因此在冻融时期土壤温度会比观测值振幅偏大。上述结果揭示了考虑土壤垂直非均匀性并采用有效的土壤特性参数对于陆面过程模型的重要性。     

Tropical Cyclone Energy Dispersion and Possible Self Maintenance Mechanism of the Synoptic Scale Wave Trains

The interaction between tropical cyclone (TC) and the large-scale mean flows such as the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is investigated using a three-dimensional primitive equation model. Once a TC develops in the vicinity of the ITCZ region where satisfies both barotropic and baroclinic instabilities, the southeastward energy dispersion from the TC may disturb the ITCZ and thus help its breakdown. Cumulus convection can be organized in the region of cyclonic circulation, and the interaction between convective heating and the perturbation circulation may enhance the development of the waves, leading to the generation of a new tropical cyclone to the east. While the TC moves to the high latitude, the ITCZ will reform. Though repeating of this process, a synoptic-scale wave train oriented in the northwest-southeast direction can be generated and self-maintained. The results suggest that the mutual interaction among the low-frequency background flow, wave train pattern and TCs provides a possible mechanism for the origin of the summer synoptic scale wave train pattern over the western North Pacific.