Modelling dispersion in complex open channel flows: Fuzzy calibration (2)

Part 1 of this study assessed the effectiveness of dispersion models based around random particle tracking (RPT) applied an overbank flow in the Flood Channel Facility at HR Wallingford. Several of the RPT models that were used predicted the mixing behaviour of the tracer in the complex channel flow to within an acceptable accuracy. If there is no uniqueness in the model structure which can be used to represent the true system to within the limitations of the available observations, then this implies an inherent degree of ambiguity in our knowledge of the physically based model structure. This suggests that we should be less forthright in the optimisation of each individual model structure, and perhaps investigate more of the parameter combinations for each model which yield feasible simulations of the system. An alternative fuzzy calibration technique is introduced which avoids the optimisation process and takes account of uncertainties in the model structure, parameter sets and observed data in prediction.     

Measurements of the direction of the solar wind using interplanetary scintillation

EISCAT observations of the interplanetary scintillation of a single source were made over an extended period of time, during which the orientation of the baselines between the two observing sites changed significantly. Assuming that maximum correlation between the scintillations observed at the two sites occurs when the projected baseline is parallel to the direction of plasma flow, this technique can be used to make a unique determination of the direction of the solar wind. In the past it has usually been assumed that the plasma flow is radial, but measurements of eleven sources using this technique have indicated conclusively that in at least six cases observed at mid or high heliocentric latitude there is a significant non-radial component directed in four cases towards the heliocentric equator and in two cases towards the pole.     

Lagrangian meshfree particles method (SPH) for large deformation and failure flows of geomaterial using elastic–plastic soil constitutive model

Simulation of large deformation and post‐failure of geomaterial in the framework of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) are presented in this study. The Drucker–Prager model with associated and non‐associated plastic flow rules is implemented into the SPH code to describe elastic–plastic soil behavior. In contrast to previous work on SPH for solids, where the hydrostatic pressure is often estimated from density by an equation of state, this study proposes to calculate the hydrostatic pressure of soil directly from constitutive models. Results obtained in this paper show that the original SPH method, which has been successfully applied to a vast range of problems, is unable to directly solve elastic–plastic flows of soil because of the so‐called SPH tensile instability. This numerical instability may result in unrealistic fracture and particles clustering in SPH simulation. For non‐cohesive soil, the instability is not serious and can be completely removed by using a tension cracking treatment from soil constitutive model and thereby give realistic soil behavior. However, the serious tensile instability that is found in SPH application for cohesive soil requires a special treatment to overcome this problem. In this paper, an artificial stress method is applied to remove the SPH numerical instability in cohesive soil. A number of numerical tests are carried out to check the capability of SPH in the current application. Numerical results are then compared with experimental and finite element method solutions. The good agreement obtained from these comparisons suggests that SPH can be extended to general geotechnical problems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamics of a particle in a gravitational field of a homogeneous annulus disk

We formulate the problem of an infinitesimal particle moving in the space under the influence of the gravitational force induced by a homogeneous annulus disk fixed on a plane. We compute using different coordinates and in terms of an elliptic integral the potential associated to this problem. Also we study the symmetries of the associated potential. After that, we look at the dynamics in some particular cases, namely: in the line perpendicular to the plane that contains the annulus disk and passes through the center of the ring and on the plane that contains the massive annulus.      

A discrete particle representation of hillslope hydrology: hypothesis testing in reproducing a tracer experiment at Gårdsjön,Sweden

Despite the long history of the continuum equation approach in hydrology, it is not a necessary approach to the formulation of a physically based representation of hillslope hydrology. The Multiple Interacting Pathways (MIPs) model is a discrete realization that allows hillslope response and transport to be simultaneously explored in a way that reflects the potential occurrence of preferential flows and lengths of pathways. The MIPs model uses random particle tracking methods to represent the flow of water within the subsurface alongside velocity distributions that acknowledge preferential flows and transition probability matrices, which control flow pathways. An initial realization of this model is presented here in application to a tracer experiment carried out in Gårdsjön, Sweden. The model is used as an exploratory tool, testing several hypotheses in relation to this experiment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development dynamics of intense solar proton flares

We consider the relationship of electromagnetic radiation in the three most intense flares of solar cycle 23, more specifically, those of October 28, 2003, January 20, 2005, and September 7, 2005, to the acceleration and release of protons into interplanetary space. The impulsive phase of these flares lasted ～ 20 min and consisted of at least three energy release episodes, which differed by their manifestation in the soft (1–8 Å, GOES) and hard (>150 keV, INTEGRAL) X-ray ranges as well as at radio frequencies of 245 MHz and 8.8 GHz. The protons and electrons were accelerated in each episode, but with a different efficiency; the relativistic protons were accelerated only after 5–6min of impulsive-phase development after the onset of a coronal mass ejection. It is at this time that maximum hard X-ray fluxes were observed in the September 7, 2005 event, which exceeded severalfold those for the other two flares considered. We associate the record fluxes of protons with energies > 200MeV observed in the heliosphere in the September 7, 2005 event with the dynamics of the impulsive phase. The extreme intensities of the microwave emission in the October 28, 2003 and January 20, 2005 events were probably attributable to the high-energy electron trapping conditions and did not reflect the acceleration process.     

Composite suspended sediment particles in river systems: their incidence,dynamics and physical characteristics

Most of the existing data on the effective particle size characteristics of fluvial suspended sediment derive from instantaneous sampling methods that may not be representative of the overall suspended sediment loads. This presents difficulties when there is a need to incorporate effective particle size data into numerical models of floodplain sedimentation and sediment‐associated contaminant transfer. We have used a field‐based water elutriation apparatus (WEA) to assemble a large (36 flood) database on the time‐integrated nature of the effective and absolute particle size characteristics of suspended sediment in four subcatchments of the River Exe basin of southwest England. These catchments encompass a wide range of terrains and fluvial environments that are broadly representative of much of the UK and temperate, low relief northwest Europe. The WEA provides important data on the physical characteristics of composite particles that are not attainable using other methods. This dataset has allowed, for the first time, detailed interbasin comparisons of the time‐integrated particle size characteristics of suspended sediment and reliable estimates of the contribution of five effective size classes to the mean annual suspended sediment load of the study catchments. The suspended sediment load of each river is dominated by composite rather than primary particles, with, for example, almost 60% (by mass) of the sediment load of the River Exe at Thorverton transported as composite particles > 16 µm in size. All the effective size classes contain significant clay components. A key outcome of this study is the recognition that each catchment has a distinctive time‐integrated effective particle size signature. In addition, the time‐integrated effective particle size characteristics of the suspended loads in each of the catchments display much greater spatial variability than the equivalent absolute particle size distributions. This indicates that the processes producing composite particles vary significantly between these catchments, and this has important implications for our understanding of the dynamics of suspended sediment properties. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

2009-2013年普里兹湾表层水体中生物硅含量的年际变化及其与全球气候事件的关系

利用中国南极科学考察期间获得的颗粒物样品,对南大洋普里兹湾海域水体中生物硅的含量分布及年际变化情况进行了分析。研究结果显示:在2013年夏季普里兹湾表层水体中生物硅含量在0.38—8.62μmol/dm3之间变化,平均为1.55±1.86μmol/dm3。生物硅在67°S以南湾内区域表层水体中的含量明显高于67°S以北的湾外区域,最大值出现在普里兹湾陆架区,生物因子是表层水体生物硅含量分布的主控因子。根据不同年份即25、26、27、28、29次南极科学考察期间获取的数据研究显示,普里兹湾表层水体中生物硅含量存在明显的年际差异。历史数据分析结果表明,气候事件对普里兹湾海冰变化有明显的影响,因而对相应年份该海域浮游植物数量和种群结构也会产生一定的影响,从而导致表层水体中生物硅含量的年际差异。     

Numerical predictions of water–air wave slam using incompressible–compressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics

The high-speed impact between a body and water is an important practical problem, whether due to wave impact on a structural deck or wall, or due to a moving body such as a ship or aircraft hitting water. The very high pressures exerted are difficult to predict and the role of air may be significant. In this paper, numerical simulations are undertaken to investigate the impact of a rigid horizontal plate onto a wave crest and, in the limit, onto a flat water surface. A two-phase incompressible–compressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method for water and air, respectively, is applied where the water phase imposes kinematics on the air phase at the air–water interface and the air phase imposes pressures on the water at the interface. Results are compared with experimental measurements undertaken using a drop rig positioned over a wave flume so that a horizontal plate impacts the water surface in free flight. Numerical predictions of impact pressure are quite accurate; air is shown to have a significant cushioning effect for impact on to flat water and this reduces for waves as the ratio of wave height to wavelength increases.     

河北省近海有害藻华灾害分级、时空分布和优势藻华生物变化特征

为研究1989—2013年河北省近海有害藻华灾害分级、时空分布和优势肇事生物变化特征,对河北省近海累计58次有害藻华记录的发生时间、位置与范围、面积和优势有害藻华生物种类进行了统计分析。结果表明:小型(面积0~100 km2)、中型(100~1 000 km2)、大型(≥1 000 km2)和面积不详的有害藻华中,小型藻华为多发性藻华,发生次数占全省海域累计发生次数的60.35%;5-8月份是藻华多发期,发生次数占累计发生次数的86.21%;2000年后藻华发生频率大增,由原来年均发生1次演变为年均发生4次;秦皇岛海域发生藻华次数最多,占全省海域累计发生次数的57.14%,沧州海域次之,唐山海域最少;秦皇岛海域发生藻华累计面积最大,占全省海域累计发生面积的64.25%,沧州海域次之,唐山海域最小。河北省优势海洋有害藻华生物共计15种,易发性藻华生物夜光藻Noctiluca scintillans引发藻华次数最多,占全省海域累计发生次数的44.83%,2009年前是河北省近海最主要的藻华肇事生物;高发性藻华生物抑食金球藻Aureococcus anophagefferens引发有害藻华累计面积最大,占全省海域累计发生面积的55.57%,2009年后该藻和夜光藻共同成为河北省近海优势藻华肇事生物。