Initiation and early development of barchan dunes: A case study of the Moroccan Atlantic Sahara desert

This paper describes field measurements that document the formation of barchan dunes in the Moroccan Atlantic Sahara desert. The first mechanism described is the transformation of patches and proto-dunes at Cap Juby beach to barchan dunes of elementary size. This transformation is discussed in relation to the wind speed and saturation length. The second mechanism is the ejection of small barchans of elementary size by other small barchans in response to the perturbation of the target barchan by two other impacting small barchans. This remote initiation is discussed in relation to the bulk flux transported by the barchan dunes involved in this interaction and to their morphology. Other modes of barchan initiation observed in the field are also presented.     

基于PS-VF-TBD的地波雷达船只目标航迹起始方法

针对地波雷达低信噪比目标信号"闪烁"导致的航迹起始困难问题,本文提出了一种基于PS-VF-TBD的航迹起始方法.该方法综合利用了地波雷达回波谱中目标信号的展宽特征和运动特性,利用PS-VF-TBD方法对运动目标能量有效积累的特点,提高对疑似目标多帧信号间的关联概率,进而提高对真实目标的搜索概率和航迹起始成功率.通过地波...     

Horton's slope function

An error is pointed out in Robert Horton's (1945) presentation of his ‘slope function’. The history of its apparent non-detection provides an interesting perspective on the development of geomorphology as a science.     

Tectonic mechanisms associated with P–T paths of regional metamorphism: alternatives to single-cycle thrusting and heating

Metamorphic pressure (P)–temperature (T) paths are commonly used as tools to interpret the tectonic history of orogenic belts, those deformed belts of rocks that record past activity along active plate margins. Many studies and reviews relating P–T path development to tectonics have focused on thrusting–thermal relaxation cycles, with special emphasis on collisional processes. Other studies have assumed that P–T paths resulted from a single tectono-metamorphic event that accounted for the entire burial–exhumation history of the rocks. In many cases, such assumptions may prove invalid.This paper speculates on the relationship of tectonic processes other than thrusting–heating to P–T path development. The processes discussed herein include subduction initiation, triple-junction interactions, initiation and shut off of arc volcanism, subcontinental delamination, and hot spot migration. All of these processes may leave a signature in the metamorphic rock record. Examples are presented from a number of localities, most of which are from the Pacific Rim. Although thrusting–heating cycles have influenced metamorphic evolution in many orogenic belts, the potential impact of other types of tectonic mechanisms should not be overlooked.     

Crack propagation trajectories for rocks under mixed mode I-II fracture

Propagation of a crack in engineering materials including rocks can cause failure. Knowledge of the stress state under which a crack can propagate, and the trajectory it may follow during its growth are thus very important for the stability of rock masses/materials and for the safe design of structures in/on rocks. In this paper, the crack initiation angle and subsequent crack propagation path are experimentally investigated for limestone rock specimens. This investigation was conducted under various mixed mode I-II loading conditions, including pure mode-I and pure mode-II.This study includes conducting diametrical compression tests on notched Brazilian disk specimens. Moreover, the effect of confining pressure and temperature on crack initiation and propagation were also studied. The experimental results were compared with theoretical predictions of crack initiation angle. The results showed that limestone behaves in brittle fashion, and the effects of confining pressure and temperature on failure trajectories were not significant. Generally, the crack initiation angle can be predicted by the maximum tangential stress criterion. However, for notched Brazilian disk with high value of crack orientation with respect to loading direction, crack does not propagate from the tip of the crack. This important observation indicated that the tensile-strength failure can become more critical than the fracture-toughness failure.     

40Ar/ 39Ar and K–Ar geochronological age constraints for the inception and early evolution of the Izu–Bonin – Mariana arc system

K–Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dates are presented for locations in the Izu–Bonin – Mariana (IBM) forearc (Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) sites 786 & 782, Chichijima, Deep Sea Drilling Program (DSDP) sites 458 & 459, Saipan), and Palau on the remnant arc of the Kyushu–Palau Ridge. For a number of these locations, the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau and ³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar versus ³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar isochrons give older ages than the K–Ar results. The most important results are: (i) at site 786, initial construction of the proto-IBM (now forearc) basement occurred at least by ca 47–45 Ma, consistent with the age of the immediately overlying sediments (middle Eocene nannofossil Zone CP13c); the younger pulse of construction dated at ca 35 Ma by K–Ar could not be confirmed by ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar analysis; (ii) ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages for the initial construction of the Mariana portion of the IBM system are as old as those of the Izu–Bonin portion, for example at site 458, initial construction commenced at least by ca 49 Ma and at ca 47 Ma at Saipan (Sankakayuma Formation); and (iii) a combination of K–Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages indicate continued boninite magmatism in the Izu–Bonin forearc (and remnant arc at Palau) until ca 35 Ma. Subduction inception including boninite series rocks along most of the exposed length of the IBM system, clearly preceded by some 5 million years the Middle Eocene (ca 43.5 Ma) change in Pacific plate motion. Boninitic series magmatism persisted at locations now exposed in the forearc for ～ 15 million years after arc inception concurrently with low-K tholeiitic series eruptions from a subaerial arc system, established at ≥ 40 Ma, on the Kyushu–Palau Ridge. For the Mariana portion of the IBM system, reconstruction of the proto-arc places this activity adjacent to the concurrent but orthogonally spreading Central Basin Ridge of the West Philippine Basin. It is possible that a combination of subduction of a young North New Guinea Plate beneath newly created back-arc basin crust may account for some of the features of the Mariana system. It is clear, however, that the understanding of the processes of subduction initiation and early IBM arc development is incomplete.     

Large earthquakes in the macquarie ridge complex: Transitional tectonics and subduction initiation

While most aspects of subduction have been extensively studied, the process of subduction initiation lacks an observational foundation. The Macquarie Ridge complex (MRC) forms the Pacific-Australia plate boundary between New Zealand to the north and the Pacific-Australia-Antarctica triple junction to the south. The MRC consists of alternating troughs and rises and is characterized by a transitional tectonic environment in which subduction initiation presently occurs. There is a high seismicity level with 15 large earthquakes (M>7) in this century. Our seismological investigation is centered on the largest event since 1943: the 25 MAY 1981 earthquake. Love, Rayleigh, andP waves are inverted to find: a faulting geometry of right-lateral strike-slip along the local trend of the Macquarie Ridge (N30°E); a seismic moment of 5×10²⁷ dyn cm (M _w=7.7) a double event rupture process with a fault length of less than 100km to the southwest of the epicenter and a fault depth of less than 20km. Three smaller thrust earthquakes occurred previous to the 1981 event along the 1981 rupture zone; their shallow-dipping thrust planes are virtually adjacent to the 1981 vertical fault plane. Oblique convergence in this region is thus accommodated by a dual rupture mode of several small thrust events and a large strike-slip event. Our study of other large MRC earthquakes, plus those of other investigators, produces focal mechanisms for 15 earthquakes distributed along the entire MRC; thrust and right-lateral strike-slip events are scattered throughout the MRC. Thus, all of the MRC is characterized by oblique convergence and the dual rupture mode. The true best-fit rotation pole for the Pacific-Australia motion is close to the Minster & Jordan RM2 pole for the Pacific-India motion. Southward migration of the rotation pole has caused the recent transition to oblique convergence in the northern MRC. We propose a subduction initiation process that is akin to crack propagation; the 1981 earthquake rupture area is identified as the crack-tip region that separates a disconnected mosaic of small thrust faults to the south from a horizontally continuous thrust interface to the north along the Puysegur trench. A different mechanism of subduction initiation occurs in the southernmost Hjort trench region at the triple junction. newly created oceanic lithosphere has been subducted just to the north of the triple junction. The entire MRC is a soft plate boundary that must accommodate the plate motion mismatch between two major spreading centers (Antarctica-Australia and Pacific-Antarctica). The persistence of spreading motion at the two major spreading centers and the consequent evolution of the three-plate system cause the present-day oblique convergence and subduction initiation in the Macquarie Ridge complex.     

The elastic properties of the lithosphere beneath Scotian basin

To assess the possibility that the North Atlantic Ocean may subduct at Scotian basin east of Canada, we investigate the present compensation state of this deep basin. A Fourier domain analysis of the bathymetry, depth to basement and observed gravity anomalies over the oceanic area east of Nova Scotia indicates that the basin is not isostatically compensated. Moreover, the analysis emphasizes that in addition to the sediments, density perturbations exist beneath the basin. The load produced by the sediments and these density perturbations must have been supported by the lithosphere. We simulate the flexure of the lithosphere under this load by that of a thin elastic plate overlying an inviscid interior. It is shown that a plate with a uniform rigidity does not adequately represent the lithosphere beneath the basin as well as the oceanic lithosphere far from the basin, rather the rigidity of the lithosphere directly beneath the basin is about one to two orders of magnitude smaller than elsewhere. We relate this weakening to the thermal blanketing effects of the thick sediments and the fact that the lithosphere has a temperature-dependent rheology. We suggest that this weak zone would have a controlling effect on the reactivation of normal faults at the hinge zone of the basin, that were formed during the break-up of Africa and North America and were locked in the early stages after the break-up. The weak zone would facilitate reactivation of the faults if tensional stresses were produced by possible reorientation of the spreading direction of the North Atlantic Ocean in the future. The reactivation of the faults would create a free boundary condition at the hinge zone, allowing further bending of the lithosphere beneath the basin and juxtaposition of this lithosphere to the mantle beneath the continent. This may provide a favorable situation for initiation of slow subduction due to subsequent compressional forces.     

Drainage density on progressively tilted surfaces with different gradients,Wheeler Ridge,California

Wheeler Ridge in the Southern San Joaquin Valley, California, is an anticlinal fold which has been progressively uplifted during the last 250 ka. Drainage networks on the ridge become younger as the anticline's eastern tip is approached. Because of the fold's asymmetric shape, surfaces on opposite flanks of the ridge have similar ages but very different gradients. The ridge provides important insights into drainage development on progressively tilted surfaces, as existing studies are restricted to static topography. A surface gradient of between 4·8° and c.10° is needed to initiate channel networks. This gradient threshold is consistent with previous studies of the gradient and upslope area needed to incise a channel through overland flow. Comparison of coeval drainage networks on opposite flanks of the ridge allows the controversial relationship between drainage density and gradient to be investigated. A lower valley density is observed on the higher gradient flank of Wheeler Ridge. Field observations from the ridge indicate that this inverse relationship is associated with hillslope erosion by shallow mass-wasting, the rate of which increases rapidly as a threshold gradient is approached. Comparison of data from Wheeler Ridge with other field studies and numerical models, shows that the form of the relationship between gradient and drainage density is process-dependent. A positive correlation occurs when erosion is a result of overland flow, whilst a negative correlation occurs where erosion is dominated by shallow mass-wasting. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大气对流初生的研究进展与展望

大气中的对流初生(Convective Initiation,CI)是强对流天气发生的重要征兆,是强对流天气预报预警的重点所在,近些年越来越被关注。本文回顾了国内外CI的研究进展,主要包括CI的定义、基于雷达数据和卫星数据的CI成熟算法、CI局地时空分布特征、影响CI的主要因子等方面。在此基础上,对CI未来研究作一展望,以期加深对CI的认识,为强对流天气短临预报预警提供参考依据。