Glacial conditions that contribute to the regeneration of Fountain Glacier proglacial icing,Bylot Island,Canada

Proglacial icings are one of the most common forms of extrusive ice found in the Canadian Arctic. However, the icing adjacent to Fountain Glacier, Bylot Island, is unique due to its annual cycle of growth and decay, and perennial existence without involving freezing point depression of water due to chemical characteristics. Its regeneration depends on the availability of subglacial water and on the balance between ice accretion and hydro‐thermal erosion. The storage and conduction of the glacial meltwater involved in the accretion of the icing were analyzed by conducting topographic and ground penetrating radar surveys in addition to the modelling of the subglacial drainage network and the thermal characteristics of the glacier base. The reflection power analysis of the geophysical data shows that some areas of the lower ablation zone have a high accumulation of liquid water, particularly beneath the centre part of the glacier along the main supraglacial stream. A dielectric permittivity model of the glacier – sediment interface suggests that a considerable portion of the glacier is warm based; allowing water to flow through unfrozen subglacial sediments towards the proglacial outwash plain. All these glacier‐related characteristics contribute to the annual regeneration of the proglacial icing and allow for portions of the icing to be perennial. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analytical modeling on consolidation of stiffened deep mixed column-reinforced soft soil under embankment

Stiffened deep mixed (SDM) column is a new ground improvement technique to improve soft soil, which can be used to increase bearing capacity, reduce deformation, and enhance stability of soft soil. This technique has been successfully adopted to support the highway and railway embankments over soft soils in China and other countries. However, there have been limited investigations on its consolidation under embankment loading. This paper developed an analytical solution for the consolidation of embankment over soft soil with SDM column in which core pile is equal to or shorter than outer DM column. The consolidation problem was simplified as a consolidation of composite soil considering the load shear effect of core pile. The developed solution was verified by a comparison with the results computed by three-dimensional (3-D) finite element analysis. A parametric study based on the derived solution was conducted to investigate influence factors—length of core pile, diameter of core pile, diameter of SDM column, modulus of DM column, and permeability coefficient of DM column—on the consolidation behavior of SDM column-supported embankment over soft soil. The developed solution was applied to a case history of SDM column-supported embankment, and a good agreement was found between the predictions and the field measurements.     

Distinguishing streamflow trends caused by changes in climate,forest cover,and permafrost in a large watershed in northeastern China

Understanding how rivers respond to changes in land cover, climate, and subsurface conditions is critical for sustainably managing water resources and ecosystems. In this study, long‐term hydrologic, climate, and satellite data (1973–2012) from the Upper Tahe River watershed (2359 km²) in the Da Hinggan Mountains of northeast China were analysed to quantify the relative hydrologic effects of climate variability (system input) and the combined influences of forest cover change and permafrost thaw (system characteristics) on average annual streamflow (system response) using 2 methods: the sensitivity‐based method and the Kendall–Theil robust line method. The study period was subdivided into a forest harvesting period (1973–1987), a forest stability period (1988–2001), and a forest recovery period (2002–2012). The results indicated that the combined effects of forest harvesting and permafrost thaw on streamflow (+ 47.0 mm) from the forest harvesting period to the forest stability period was approximately twice as large as the effect associated with climate variability (+20.2 mm). Similarly, from the forest stability period to the forest recovery period, the decrease in average annual streamflow attributed to the combined effects of forest recovery and permafrost thaw (?38.0 mm) was much greater than the decrease due to climate variability (?22.2 mm). A simple method was used to separate the distinct impacts of forest cover change and permafrost thaw, but distinguishing these influences is difficult due to changes in surface and subsurface hydrologic connectivity associated with permafrost thaw. The results highlight the need to consider multiple streamflow drivers in future watershed and aquatic ecosystem management. Due to the ecological and hydrological susceptibility to disturbances in the Da Hinggan Mountains, forest harvesting will likely negatively impact ecohydrological processes in this region, and the effects of forest species transition in the forest recovery process should be further investigated.     

Higher tritium concentrations measured in permafrost thaw lakes in northern Alberta

Tritium concentrations were measured in a survey of 24 lakes, 15 wetlands, and 133 groundwaters in the oil sands region of northeastern Alberta and compared with both recent precipitation and precipitation sampled during the 1960s tritium peak caused by atmospheric thermonuclear weapons testing. Water samples from lakes included a group of 14 thaw lakes that had higher runoff attributed to melting of permafrost in peat plateaus within their watersheds. While tritium in all lakes was found to be intermediate between recent and 1960s concentrations, the thaw lakes were found to be significantly enriched in tritium compared with other lakes, as were unfrozen wetlands characterized by a thick sequence of low‐hydraulic conductivity peat. The results provide further evidence of different water sources to the thaw lakes and may indicate that melting of modern permafrost in part formed since the 1950s is occurring in these systems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rainfall–runoff responses on Arctic hillslopes underlain by continuous permafrost,North Slope,Alaska, USA

The Arctic hydrologic cycle is intensifying, as evidenced by increased rates of precipitation, evapotranspiration, and riverine discharge. However, the controls on water fluxes from terrestrial to aquatic systems in upland Arctic landscapes are poorly understood. Upland landscapes account for one third of the Arctic land surface and are often drained by zero‐order geomorphic flowpath features called water tracks. Previous work in the region attributed rapid runoff response at larger stream orders to water tracks, but models suggest water tracks are hydrologically disconnected from the surrounding hillslope. To better understand the role of water tracks in upland landscapes, we investigated the surface and subsurface hydrologic responses of 6 water tracks and their hillslope watersheds to natural patterns of rainfall, soil thaw, and drainage. Between storms, both water track discharge and the water table in the hillslope watersheds exhibited diel fluctuations that, when lagged by 5 hr, were temporally correlated with peak evapotranspiration rate. Water track soils remained saturated for more of the summer season than soils in their surrounding hillslope watersheds. When rainfall occurred, the subsurface response was nearly instantaneous, but the water tracks took significantly longer than the hillslopes to respond to rainfall, and longer than the responses previously observed in nearby larger order Arctic streams. There was also evidence for antecedent soil water storage conditions controlling the magnitude of runoff response. Based on these observations, we used a broken stick model to test the hypothesis that runoff production in response to individual storms was primarily controlled by rainfall amount and antecedent water storage conditions near the water track outlet. We found that the relative importance of the two factors varied by site, and that water tracks with similar watershed geometries and at similar landscape positions had similar rainfall–runoff model relationships. Thus, the response of terrestrial water fluxes in the upland Arctic to climate change depends on the non‐linear interactions between rainfall patterns and subsurface water storage capacity on hillslopes. Predicting these interactions across the landscape remains an important challenge.     

东北地区春季首场透雨的变化特征及与青藏高原地面加热场强度的关系

利用1958—2012年4—5月东北地区(39°~55°N、118°~135°E)101个站点逐日降水资料、青藏高原地区(25°~40°N、73.75°~103.75°E)JRA-55的地面感热和潜热通量月平均再分析资料以及NCEP/NCAR-I大气环流场的月平均再分析资料,分析了春播期首场透雨出现日期的时空变化特征及其与透雨量和播种期降水量间的关系,以及对青藏高原地面加热场强度异常的响应及其可能机制。结果表明:透雨日期自1958年以来在东北地区的西北和东南大部分区域呈现略微偏晚的趋势;中部有略微偏早的趋势。春播期首场透雨出现时间偏早(晚)的地方,首场透雨量小(大),春播期总降水量多(少)。同时,4月青藏高原地面加热场强度增强(减弱),有利于(不利于)来自北方的冷空气和南方的暖湿气流在东北上空交汇,且上升气流增强(减弱),水汽输送充沛(减少),导致该地区春季首场透雨出现的时间偏早(晚)。     

FY-3微波成像仪10.6 GHz通道超分辨率图像重建

为改善风云三号 (FY-3) 微波成像仪10.6 GHz通道空间分辨率,提出利用超分辨率图像重建算法进行图像重建。分析并指出FY-3微波成像仪10.6 GHz通道具有过采样特征,具备重建得到高于瞬时视场图像的潜力;基于超分辨率图像重建理论,根据FY-3气象卫星轨道、姿态,微波成像仪性能参数以及工作模式等物理约束,建立微波成像仪的超分辨率成像模型,并推导计算出超分辨率成像模型参数;采用POCS算法重建得到10.6 GHz通道的超分辨率图像,采用目视比较分析、图像统计分析对重建图像进行质量评价:重建图像像元平均梯度提高26.5%,功率谱分量和提高5.7%,重建图像具有更高的空间分辨率;台风亮温分析应用显示了从重建图像可发现更微小的景物细节目标。采用超分辨率图像重建算法对FY-3微波成像仪10.6 GHz通道进行重建处理,结果有效且正确,可为数据用户提供更多可用的遥感数据,对微波遥感数据应用具有提升作用。     

Calculation method for thickness of discontinuous boundary layer of engineering pavement

The boundary layer is a buffer layer of water and heat exchange between the atmosphere and permafrost.Based on the atmospheric boundary layer and heat transfer theory,we established a method for determining the boundary layer thickness of engineering pavement(asphalt and sand pavement)in permafrost region.The boundary layer can be divided into the Boundary Layer Above Surface(BLAS)and the Boundary Layer Below Surface(BLBS).From in-situ monitoring data,the thickness of BLAS was determined through the laminar thickness,and the thickness of BLBS was determined through ground temperature,the heat conduction function,and the mean attenuation function(α).For asphalt pavement,the BLAS thickness varied between 2.90 and 4.31 mm and that of BLBS varied between 28.00 and 45.38 cm.For sand pavement,the BLAS thickness varied between 2.55 and 3.29 mm and that of BLBS varied between 15.00 and 46.44 cm.The thickness varied with freezing and thawing processes.The boundary layer calculation method described in this paper can provide a relatively stable boundary for temperature field analysis.     

Geotechnical Hybrid Simulation to Investigate the Effects of the Hydraulic Conductivity on One-Dimensional Consolidation Settlement

Difficulties in the prediction of time-distribution of consolidation settlement will be introduced by using the Murayama test embankment case of Japan. In particular, it will be discussed why the prediction of consolidation rate is difficult in multi-layered soil with complex and variable mechanical properties like organic soil or peat. It can be inferred that uncertainties, which are embedded intricately in the consolidation problem as well as given ground condition, would be major causes for consolidation settlement. After that, the author focused on the movement of pore water under the various conditions of hydraulic conductivity in the soils, and how it can affect the time-distribution of the consolidation settlement. For the applied key methodology on the consolidation settlement problem, we propose the hybrid consolidation simulation controlling the movement of pore water with high accuracy and, finally, the aim of this article is to discuss the methodological approaches obtained by the study, including the basic concept and accurate movement of pore water under various conditions of soil layers and hydraulic conductivity.     

漠河盆地多年冻土区天然气水合物地球化学调查及远景评价

漠河盆地是我国冻土发育的主要地区之一,发育良好的天然气水合物成藏系统,具有天然气水合物形成的良好条件。为了圈定天然气水合物远景区,识别油气聚集体,判别天然气水合物成因,在漠河盆地冻土较发育地区开展了1∶5万天然气水合物地球化学资源调查。结果表明：(1)在森林沼泽景观区,顶空气和荧光光谱指标是天然气水合物勘查的主要指标,借鉴青海木里冻土区天然气水合物地球化学勘查成功的经验,结合AMT、地质等资料分析,元宝山凹陷是天然气水合物较为有利的远景区;(2)岩心样品甲烷碳同位素分析显示,烃类气体分异明显,浅层烃类气体基本为生物气,深部烃类气源主要为混合成因气,个别解吸气为微生物气和热解气;(3)试验性应用了分形-GIS技术,可以细致可靠地进行异常区范围划定,消除干扰因素,有效地圈定水合物远景区。