Quantifying flow resistance in mountain streams using computational fluid dynamics modeling over structure-from-motion photogrammetry-derived microtopography

Flow resistance in mountain streams is important for assessing flooding hazard and quantifying sediment transport and bedrock incision in upland landscapes. In such settings, flow resistance is sensitive to grain-scale roughness, which has traditionally been characterized by particle size distributions derived from laborious point counts of streambed sediment. Developing a general framework for rapid quantification of resistance in mountain streams is still a challenge. Here we present a semi-automated workflow that combines millimeter- to centimeter-scale structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry surveys of bed topography and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to better evaluate surface roughness and rapidly quantify flow resistance in mountain streams. The workflow was applied to three field sites of gravel, cobble, and boulder-bedded channels with a wide range of grain size, sorting, and shape. Large-eddy simulations with body-fitted meshes generated from SfM photogrammetry-derived surfaces were performed to quantify flow resistance. The analysis of bed microtopography using a second-order structure function identified three scaling regimes that corresponded to important roughness length scales and surface complexity contributing to flow resistance. The standard deviation σ_z of detrended streambed elevation normalized by water depth, as a proxy for the vertical roughness length scale, emerges as the primary control on flow resistance and is furthermore tied to the characteristic length scale of rough surface-generated vortices. Horizontal length scales and surface complexity are secondary controls on flow resistance. A new resistance predictor linking water depth and vertical roughness scale, i.e.  H/σ_z, is proposed based on the comparison between σ_z and the characteristic length scale of vortex shedding. In addition, representing streambeds using digital elevation models (DEM) is appropriate for well-sorted streambeds, but not for poorly sorted ones under shallow and medium flow depth conditions due to the missing local overhanging features captured by fully 3D meshes which modulate local pressure gradient and thus bulk flow separation and pressure distribution. An appraisal of the mesh resolution effect on flow resistance shows that the SfM photogrammetry data resolution and the optimal CFD mesh size should be about 1/7 to 1/14 of the standard deviation of bed elevation. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Field observations on hyperconcentrated flows in mountain torrents

Field observations on hydraulics and sediment dynamics during extreme floods in two mountain torrents show the influence of man-made constructions such as bridges and check dams, in addition to the sediment supplied naturally by the basin and the channel network, on the formation of hyperconcentrated flows. In the Pyrenean Arás basin, hyperconcentrated flow occurred after collapse of a bridge, which in turn mobilized large volumes of sediment from the stream channel and, subsequently, destroyed a series of check dams. Boulders up to several metres in size were transported in a mixture of sand and fine material. A minimum of 100000 tonnes of sediment were deposited on the alluvial fan during the event. Prior to bridge destruction, mean bedload transport rates had reached 0.4t m⁻¹ s⁻¹ upstream. In the alpine Lainbach basin, the flood was characterized by transportation of large amounts of slope material, including debris flows. Along its main tributary an intensive hyperconcentrated flow occurred during the rising stage, whereas in the main valley smaller flows occurred after failure of check dams. The depth of coarse material deposited reached 80 cm. The effectiveness of the Aràs and Lainbach floods was attained due to exceptional rates of energy expediture. Flood power ranged from 20000 W m⁻² to 40000 W m⁻² on average. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatially distributed hydrotope‐based modelling of evapotranspiration and runoff in mountainous basins

River basins in mountainous regions are characterized by strong variations in topography, vegetation, soils, climatic conditions and snow cover conditions, and all are strongly related to altitude. The high spatial variation needs to be considered when modelling hydrological processes in such catchments. A complex hydrological model, with a great potential to account for spatial variability, was developed and applied for the hourly simulation of evapotranspiration, soil moisture, water balance and the runoff components for the period 1993 and 1994 in 12 subcatchments of the alpine/pre‐alpine basin of the River Thur (area 1703 km²). The basin is located in the north‐east of the Swiss part of the Rhine Basin and has an elevation range from 350 to 2500 m a.s.l. A considerable part of the Thur Basin is high mountain area, some of it above the tree‐line and a great part of the basin is snow covered during the winter season. In the distributed hydrological model, the 12 sub‐basins of the Thur catchment were spatially subdivided into sub‐areas (hydrologically similar response units—HRUs or hydrotopes) using a GIS. Within the HRUs a hydrologically similar behaviour was assumed. Spatial interpolations of the meteorological input variables wereemployed for each altitudinal zone. The structure of the model components for snow accumulation and melt, interception, soil water storage and uptake by evapotranspiration, runoff generation and flow routing are briefly outlined. The results of the simulated potential evapotranspiration reflect the dominant role of altitudinal change in radiation and albedo of exposure, followed by the influence of slope. The actual evapotranspiration shows, in comparison with the potential evapotranspiration, a greater variability in the lower and medium altitudinal zones and a smaller variability in the upper elevation zones, which was associated with limitations of available moisture in soil and surface depression storages as well as with the evaporative demand of the local vegetation. The higher altitudinal dependency and variability of runoff results from the strong increase in precipitation and the decrease in evaporation with increased altitude. An increasing influence of snow cover on runoff as well as evapotranspiration with altitude is obvious. The computed actual evapotranspiration and runoff were evaluated against the observed values of a weighting lysimeter and against runoff hydrographs. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

北京稳定天气条件下城市边界层环流特征数值研究

采用科罗拉多大学和MRC／ASTER共同开发的区域大气模拟系统（RAMS）对北京地区稳定天气条件下的个例进行数值模拟,通过对数值模拟结果与观测事实的比较以及敏感性试验,分析了北京城市边界层环流特征和环流影响因子在环流发展过程中的作用。结果表明：①在山谷风环流和热岛环流相互作用下形成了北京城市边界层流场特有的局地环流。②热岛中心在决定边界层环流的辐合区位置上起相对较大的作用,边界层环流的强度和发展高度由山谷风强度和热岛强度共同决定。     

阿拉善宗乃山岩体东南缘花岗岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄与地球化学特征

阿拉善宗乃山岩体东南缘分布多种类型的花岗岩,本文主要采用岩相学、激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)锆石U-Pb定年、岩石地球化学等技术手段,对宗乃山岩体东南缘岩石类型、年代学、源岩特征以及构造背景进行了研究。结果表明:岩石类型主要为碱性-钙碱性准铝质花岗岩和闪长岩;单颗粒锆石分析获得黑云母斜长花岗岩年龄为236.8±1.9 Ma~249.7±2.6 Ma,片麻状花岗岩年龄为268.1±1.1 Ma,岩体成岩时期主要为华力西晚期和印支期早期,具有多期侵入的特征。该岩体岩石源岩为I型花岗岩,源于地壳火山弧区和同碰撞区,表明由于洋壳俯冲作用,在宗乃山东南缘形成了岛弧花岗岩侵入体。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年技术为洋壳俯冲提供了年代学约束,确定了研究区碰撞时间为早于236.8±1.9 Ma。     

辐射沙脊主要水道的演变特征及其水动力机制研究

近四十年来的水下地形资料对比显示：南黄海辐射沙洲区水道普遍存在逐渐向南偏移的趋势（西洋主槽冲深、南延,南翼烂沙洋水道、小庙洪水道向南逼进）。有关辐射沙洲整体南移的原因及机理虽有诸多猜想,但至今没有统一可靠的认识,这种趋势性过程的驱动力成为辐射沙洲区海岸冲淤动态研究及港口建设过程中亟待解决的问题。在恢复黄河北归以来苏北黄河三角洲海岸不同发育阶段的岸线位置和水下地形的基础之上,通过所建立的潮波数学模型,研究了在苏北黄河三角洲不同演变阶段南黄海潮波系统的特征及水动力变化。研究表明,随着岸线后退和水下三角洲的夷平,辐射沙洲地区潮差不断增大;水动力不断加强,而且加强的区域逐渐向南偏移,这种大范围区域性水动力主轴的向南偏移就有可能是导致辐射沙洲整体南移的主导因素之一。     

祁连山干旱山地草地生物量对水分条件的响应

以祁连山排露沟流域干旱山地为研究对象,对海拔2 700~3 000 m典型草地群落的草本种类、高度和生物量等进行调查,并同步测定样地内的土壤水分,分析草地生物量随海拔高度的季节性变化特征以及草本生物量和土壤水分的关系。结果表明：（1）草地地上生物量平均值为135.36 g·m^-2,并随海拔升高呈先增加后降低的"单峰"变化模式,在海拔2 900 m时最高,为176.79±28.37 g·m^-2。地下生物量平均值为946.13 g·m^-2,并随海拔升高生物量呈递增趋势,在海拔3 000 m时最高,为1 301.19 ±68.24 g·m^-2。（2）草地地上、地下生物量在不同海拔高度间差异性显著（P<0.05）;该流域干旱山地草地根冠比在4.14~11.95之间变化。（3）在生长季5~9月份,干旱山地草地土壤含水量在9.23%~31.31%之间波动,平均值为14.94%。（4）草本地上、地下生物量与土壤平均含水量均呈显著正相关（P<0.05）,相关性系数分别为0.7784和0.7843。在不同海拔草地群落中,不同土层含水量对草地生物量的贡献不尽相同,但60 cm以上根系主要分布层内的水分对草地生物量具有重要的意义。     

运用SDM方法研究2001年昆仑山口西MS8.1地震破裂分布:GPS和InSAR联合反演的结果

2001 年11月14日昆仑山口西M_S8.1地震是有现代仪器记录以来发生在青藏高原区域最大地震之一,对研究青藏高原的运动学模式具有重要意义.从地震发生至今,不同研究者运用不同资料和方法获取的地震破裂分布还存在一定差异.基于此,本文采用GPS和InSAR资料数据,参考最新研究成果,构建更为合理的断层几何模型,运用SDM方法反演本次地震的破裂分布.在反演中充分考虑不同数据权重的影响及InSAR数据中存在的整体偏移.结果显示本次地震断层性质以左旋走滑为主,最大破裂位错为~6.9 m,分布在35.76°N、93.40°E附近,地震较大破裂区域主要分布在地下20 km以内.同时,反演的位错分布在断层浅部与地质考察得到的地表破裂分布较为吻合.在与前人相关研究的对比中,显示本文结果的可靠性是较高的,例如,近地表破裂包络线与地表考察结果相近,地下破裂分布特征与前人提出的3次子地震事件相一致等,再一次佐证了此次地震由多次子地震事件组成的研究结论.     

南黄海太阳沙西侧潮流脊槽的沉积物分布特征和沉积环境演变

对南黄海太阳沙西侧潮流脊槽区进行了底质调查,采用密集站位的振动活塞柱状沉积物采样器取样。根据粒度分析结果,比较精细地研究了厚度约2～3 m浅表层沉积物的空间分布特征。结果表明:表层沉积物中,细砂主要分布在潮流脊和岸滩上,其它较细的沉积类型主要分布于潮流槽内,呈显“脊砂槽泥”的沉积地貌基本特征。同时,沙脊上的表层细砂的分布范围明显与沙脊至海岸的距离有关,除了潮流的影响外,主要与外侧沙脊的消浪作用有关。另外,根据表层沉积物分布的沉积地貌特征,探讨了潮流脊槽的沉积环境演变。