Observations of several characteristics of aeolian sand movement in the Taklimakan Desert

With both sides of the Taklimakan Desert highway line as the study area, three typical aeolian sand landforms, i.e. complex dune ridge, barchan dune and flat sand land, were selected as sand beds for the observation, analysis and research of the characteristics of aeolian sand movement such as aeolian sand stream structure, sand transport intensity, etc. in the Taklimakan Desert. The results show that there is a linear relation between the height and the log of sand transport rate over transverse dune chain, longitudinal dune ridge and flat sand land, i.e. the sand transport percentage decreases exponentially with increasing height. Sand transport rate within the 10 cm height above the bed surface accounts for 80%-95% of the total sand transport rate of the observed height (40 cm), while the sand transport rate in 20 cm occupies 98% of the total amount. Sand transport rate (g·cm-1·min-1) differs greatly with respect to different landform types and different topographic positions. Based on the investig     

利用GPS反射信号遥感全球海态

最近几年，迅速发展一种新的空基海洋遥感技术。它在低轨卫星上接收经海面或地面反射的GPS信号，通过分析C／A或P码的相关函数波形及其后沿，荻得全球海面平均高度、浪高、海面风场以及土壤湿度等，提供海洋中尺度涡旋发展、演变信息，监测和分析高纬地区冰层厚度。它采用无源探测方法，具有成本低、荻取数据量多和快速等突出特点，是传统卫星高度计探测的重要补充和发展。该文讨论了这项技术发展现状、反射信号的时间延迟以及海态参数计算等关键技术；也给出作者利用掩星观测资料分析得到的海面反射回波一些重要结果。     

Subsurface structure under a basaltic monogenetic volcano near the active Atera fault

In this study, we examined the subsurface structure in the vicinity of the active Atera fault beneath at least one monogenetic volcano that forms the Sakashita body of the Ueno basalts, central Japan. Microgravity and seismic reflection surveys over an area of about 3×3 km (horizontal)×1 km (vertical from surface) revealed that (1) a low-density body interpreted as the damaged zone of the Atera fault reaches a depth more than 200 m below sea level; and (2) a weak zone of crust that may exist about 1.5 km southwest of the Atera fault in a direction parallel to it. By combining the shape of the Sakashita body and (2), we propose that a dyke extending in a NW–SE direction with several vent alignments in the same direction may exist along this weak zone. This suggests that the studied area was governed in the NW–SE compressional and NE–SW extensional stress field when the Sakashita body formed.     

Refinement Indicators for Optimal Selection of Geostatistical Realizations Using the Gradual Deformation Method

In the analysis of petroleum reservoirs, one of the most challenging problems is to use inverse theory in the search for an optimal parameterization of the reservoir. Generally, scientists approach this problem by computing a sensitivity matrix and then perform a singular value decomposition in order to determine the number of degrees of freedom i.e. the number of independent parameters necessary to specify the configuration of the system. Here we propose a complementary approach: it uses the concept of refinement indicators to select those degrees which have the greatest sensitivity to an objective function quantifying the mismatch between measured and simulated data. We apply this approach to the problem of data integration for petrophysical reservoir charaterization where geoscientists are currently working with multimillion cell geological models. Data integration may be performed by gradually deforming (by a linear combination) a set of these multimillion grid geostatistical realizations during the optimization process. The inversion parameters are then reduced to the number of coefficients of this linear combination. However, there is an infinity of geostatistical realizations to choose from which may not be efficient regarding operational constraints. Following our new approach, we are able through a single objective function evaluation to compute refinement indicators that indicate which realizations might improve the iterative geological model in a significant way. This computation is extremely fast as it implies a single gradient computation through the adjoint state approach and dot products. Using only the most sensitive realizations from a given set, we are able to resolve quicker the optimization problem case. We applied this methodology to the integration of interference test data into 3D geostatistical models.     

To the market and back: Housing policy and state housing in New Zealand

Housing policy in New Zealand has traditionally been characterised by significant market intervention in support of home ownership and a residual state housing rental sector. Within the context of dramatic social welfare reforms in the 1990s, a set of radical housing reforms was introduced that profoundly transformed the role of the state in the housing system. Key elements of the reforms included the creation of a profit-oriented company to manage state rentals, a move to market rents in the state sector and the introduction of an accommodation supplement. This paper examines the underlying rationale and impacts of the reforms focusing on issues of privatisation, tenant turnover, affordability and tenant protest. Having examined the ongoing problems engendered by these reforms the paper reviews more recent political and legislative reforms that were sought to reassert the state's traditional position within the New Zealand housing market. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

软土初始应力各向异性弹塑性模型

自然土体处于初始应力状态,其强度和应力-应变关系都呈现出各向异性,而以往广泛使用的剑桥模型是建立在重塑土试验结果的基础上的,因此,计算实际问题时有一定缺陷.在总结了一些在修正剑桥模型基础上进行扩展而得到的各向异性模型,尤其是S-CLAY1模型.然后,假定了初始屈服面的倾角为K0线,这样使S-CLAY1的计算更加简单.此外,还编制了相关程序,进行了比较计算.结果表明,该模型简单合理,参数正确,可以在实际工程中应用.     

河西走廊昌马灌区土壤水盐动态及脱盐过程

昌马灌区处于西北内陆典型的干旱区，由于自然环境差，蒸发作用强烈，平原区土壤含盐量较高。拟建的“疏勒河农业灌溉工程”实施区80．9％的开垦土地为盐渍土，其改良方式以及现状，水盐平衡的变化对环境特别是下游溶泄区的影响引起了各界的关注。文章在分析土壤盐份动态影响因素基础上，根据昌马灌区水土盐动态观测资料，将土壤盐分动态分为脱盐型、灌期脱盐型、灌期积盐型、平稳型、灌期解盐型、降水积盐型等6种类型。同时发现在疏勒河流域这样的干旱环境中，难溶盐CaCO3的稳定带不在中游，而在下游安西-敦煌盆地及花海盆地。从而为中游盆地土壤可溶盐含量计算和排盐设计找到了理论依据。对比3组典型的原位淋滤试验资料，认为当工程排盐时土壤含盐量达1％—1．5％(0-100cm平均含盐量)，以后洗盐效果不明显；对于不同的淋洗方式，深排系统效果明显，浅排系统毛排间距大者较小者效果更为明显。这些结论可作为工程设计和地方政府制定排水管理的直接依据。最后利用试验中原盐剩余率与累计入田间的淋洗水量建立了相关关系式，决策者可以根据土壤原始含盐量计算出所需淋洗水量，并根据河源来水量决定改造规模，从而达到水土资源的优化利用。     

Where and why do large shallow intraslab earthquakes occur?

We try to find how often, and in what regions large earthquakes (M≥7.0) occur within the shallow portion (20-60 km depth) of a subducting slab. Searching for events in published individual studies and the Harvard University centroid moment tensor catalogue, we find twenty such events in E. Hokkaido, Kyushu-SW, Japan, S. Mariana, Manila, Sumatra, Vanuatu, N. Chile, C. Peru, El Salvador, Mexico, N. Cascadia and Alaska. Slab stresses revealed from the mechanism solutions of these large intraslab events and nearby smaller events are almost always down-dip tensional. Except for E. Hokkaido, Manila, and Sumatra, the upper plate shows horizontal stress gradient in the arc-perpendicular direction. We infer that shear tractions are operating at the base of the upper plate in this direction to produce the observed gradient and compression in the outer fore-arc, balancing the down-dip tensional stress of the slab. This tectonic situation in the subduction zone might be realized as part of the convection system with some conditions, as shown by previous numerical simulations.     

长距离输油管线震后功能状态分析

分析了长距离输油管线工程的震害特点，给出了长距离输油管线工程震后功能状态分级划分标准。在管道、储油罐抗震分析的基础上，建立了一种长输管线工程震后功能状态分析方法，并进行了算例分析。     

Thermal equation of state of majorite with MORB composition

In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments were conducted using the SPEED-1500 multi-anvil press at SPring-8 on majoritic garnet synthesized from natural mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), whose chemical composition is close to the average of oceanic crust, at 19 GPa and 2200 K. Pressure-volume-temperature data were collected using a newly developed high-pressure cell assembly to 21 GPa and 1273 K. Data were fit to the high-temperature Birch-Murnaghan equation of state, with fixed values for the ambient cell volume (V₀ = 1574.14(4) Å³) and the pressure derivative of the isothermal bulk modulus (K^′T = 4). This yielded an isothermal bulk modulus of K_T0 = 173(1) GPa, a temperature derivative of the bulk modulus (∂K_T/∂T)_P = −0.022(5) GPa K⁻¹, and a volumetric coefficient of thermal expansivity α = a + bT with values of a = 2.0(3) × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹ and b = 1.0(5) × 10⁻⁸ K⁻². The derived thermoelastic parameters are very similar to those of pyrope. The density of subducted oceanic crust compared to pyrolitic mantle at the conditions in Earth's transition zone (410-660 km depth) was calculated using these results and previously reported thermoelastic parameters for MORB and pyrolite mineral assembledges. These calculations show that oceanic crust is denser than pyrolitic mantle throughout the mantle transition zone along a normal geotherm, and the density difference is insensitive to temperature at the pressures in lower part of the transition zone.