A model with rigid rotations and slip deficits for the GPS-derived velocity field in Southwest Japan

We interpret the GPS-derived velocity field in southwest Japan by a superposition of the elastic deformation caused by fault interactions (slips or slip deficits) on the rigid motion of tectonic blocks (or plates). Based on the strain rate field and crustal seismicity, we apply a model with three blocks (Inner Arc, Outer Arc, and the northern Ryukyu block) and slip deficits along the block boundaries.Several characteristics of the synthesized contributions are found:

(1) Westward motion of the outer arc relative to the Amurian plate and the inner arc,

(2) southeastward motion of the northern Ryukyu block relative to the Amurian plate,

(3) 2−4 mm/yr deficits of left lateral slip rates along the boundary at 32°N in southern Kyushu,

(4) 0−8 mm/yr deficits of right lateral slip rates along the Median Tectonic Line and the Beppu-Shimabara Graben,

(5) slip deficit rates on the plate interface smaller than those in the case without any consideration for rigid block motions,

(6) clockwise deflection of slip deficit rate vector on the plate interface from that estimated when not taking rigid block motions into consideration.

Effects of the number of stations and time resolution on derivation

For at least 30 years now it has been well known that the Dst index can be modelled using the solar wind as input. Since then, many attempts have been made to improve the predictability of Dst using different approaches. These attempts are useful, for instance, to understand which features of the solar wind–magnetosphere interactions are most important in producing magnetospheric activity and how the Dst index would improve the space weather forecast. The Dst index is by far the most reliable and simple indication that a magnetic storm is in progress. In this work, the effect of using more than four magnetic stations and shorter time intervals than the hourly averages used in Sugiura's procedures is evaluated. The discussion is based on the results presented by Burton in 1975 and Feldstein in 1984 considering 4 or 12 magnetic stations and time averages of 2.5 min for a magnetic disturbed period that occurred from February 7–28, 1967, including two geomagnetic storms. The analysis has shown that the global representation of a magnetic storm by the standard Dst (Sugiura) is well preserved either using 4, 6, 12 magnetic stations or using 1 h, 2.5 min 1 min averages. A brief review of the current understanding of Dst has been included to support the discussions. The analysis performed has shown that a more refined Dst index (time and number of stations>4) would be useful to investigate the intrinsic processes and the different current systems involved in the ring current development during magnetic storms; the standard Dst, as it is conceived, is quite adequate to monitor geomagnetic storms and identify their overall features; concerning the magnetic stations normally considered, the inclusion of higher magnetic latitude stations (>35) may underestimate the observed Dst.     

一次缓慢东移的黄河气旋暴雨的诊断分析

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和常规气象资料,对2001年6月28-29日发生在河南的一次黄河气旋暴雨过程进行了诊断分析。结果表明：黄河气旋的稳定少动是造成这次暴雨的直接原因,高层辐散与中层正涡度平流对黄河气旋形成和发展起了重要作用。这次过程的水汽主要来自副高东南侧的海上,孟加拉湾的水汽也有一定的贡献。暴雨区的中低层对称不稳定的存在,导致上升运动和水汽输送的加强,造成降水的增幅。     

“天绘一号”卫星热控设计及飞行验证

本文介绍了“天绘一号”卫星的任务特点, 热控设计技术及关键问题的解决方法, 并对在轨飞行结果进行了详细分析。在轨飞行数据充分表明“天绘一号”卫星热控设计正确、合理。     

GLDAS和CMIP5产品的中国土壤湿度-降水耦合分析及变化趋势

利用GLDAS同化产品和12个CMIP5模式的输出结果,从土壤湿度对降水影响的两个中间环节出发,通过分析陆面耦合指数ILH、潜热通量—抬升凝结高度耦合指数ILCL以及抬升凝结高度ZLCL间接研究中国区域土壤湿度与降水间耦合特征,并对1958~2013年及RCP4.5辐射强迫情景下50年(2006~2055年)的4个代表性区域夏季耦合强度的年代际变化特征进行分析。研究发现:1958~2013年期间,内蒙古阴山山脉附近、新疆和青海的部分地区为夏季中国土壤湿度与降水耦合的最强区域;陆面耦合指数ILH变化幅度从高到低依次出现在华北、华南、内蒙古中部和西北地区,并在20世纪70年代中到80年代中发生转折。2006~2055年的平均而言,预估内蒙古阴山山脉附近仍为耦合最强区;与历史时期(1958~2005年)比较,新疆中部和内蒙古阴山山脉附近的耦合指数ILH增大,而广西和广东地区的则减小;对于耦合指数ILH的年代际变化(2006~2055年),2026~2035年间华北最大而华南最小,西北地区变化不大,而内蒙古中部地区的耦合强度逐渐增大。     

基于CMIP5模拟的中国区域陆气耦合强度评估及未来情景预估

基于第五次国际耦合模式比较计划(CMIP5)11个模式历史情景的模拟结果计算得到了中国区域夏季的陆气耦合强度并进行集合平均,结果表明,位于半干旱区的华北和内蒙古地区陆气耦合强度相对较强,西部干旱区的陆气耦合强度相对较弱,位于湿润区的中国东北地区东部、长江中下游和西南地区陆气耦合强度最弱。利用上述模式集合平均结果与由NCEP再分析资料和欧洲中心的中期气象预报40年再分析资料(ERA40)计算得到的陆气耦合强度相比较,结果显示这些模式的集合平均与再分析资料NCEP和ERA40的计算结果有较好的一致性。利用历史情景模拟和不同的典型排放路径(RCP),即低排放情景RCP2.6、中排放情景RCP4.5和高排放情景RCP8.5下的模拟结果预估陆气耦合强度未来变化。结果显示:与历史情景相比较,位于湿润区的中国南方地区蒸散发的主要控制因子是温度,在3种排放情景下随着温度上升引起蒸散发增加所导致陆气耦合强度升高;位于青藏高原以及半干旱区的内蒙古大部分地区蒸散发在未来的年际变化幅度减弱导致陆气耦合指数降低;位于西北干旱区陆气耦合强度在RCP2.6和RCP4.5情景上升,然而在RCP8.5情景下陆气耦合强度下降,其原因是在高排放情景下,水汽平流输送明显增强,局地蒸散发异常对空气湿度变化的贡献减弱,导致了陆气耦合强度降低。未来预估结果在中国南方可信度相对较高,从全国来看,在RCP4.5情景下可信度相对较高。     

Short-term earthquake prediction: Current status of seismo-electromagnetics

Loss of human lives as a result of earthquakes is caused overwhelmingly by the collapse of buildings within less than a few minutes of main shocks. The most urgent countermeasure consists of two key elements. One is strengthening of weak structures and the other is short-term earthquake prediction. Short-term prediction needs precursors. Although some promising precursors are reported, the prevailing views in Japan and elsewhere are overly pessimistic. The pessimism largely roots in the fact that short-term precursors are generally non-seismic and tools developed for seismology are not designed to detect them. Nonetheless, nationally funded large-scale earthquake prediction programs always emphasize the need to reinforce seismometer networks. They do not take into account the views of those in the science community who point to the importance of non-seismic precursors. While there are well-founded causes to be skeptical, the situation needs to be improved. One reason for skepticism is that the observations of precursors have not yet been perfect enough and another is that some important fundamental aspects of non-seismic precursors are still unresolved. We review some of these problems.     

浮基多体系统自激运动响应的时域分析方法

浮基多体系统上部机构作业时不仅存在多体系统内部各物体间的耦合作用 ,还存在浮基与流场间的耦合作用。本文将浮基在流场中引起的辐射势表示为浮基加速度与时域规范化速度势乘积的卷积形式 ,导出流体动压力及静水系泊恢复力与浮基运动的关系。使用多刚体力学的凯恩方法得到系统的动力学方程。最后给出了在时域中数值求解系统运动响应的具体步骤     

Observations on decadal sandbar behaviour along a large-scale curved shoreline

Nearshore sandbars are characteristic features of sandy surf zones and have been observed with a variety of geometries in cross-shore (e.g. location) and longshore direction (e.g. planform). Although the behaviour of sandbars has been studied extensively on spatial scales up to kilometres and timescales up to years, it remains challenging to observe and explain their behaviour on larger spatial and temporal scales, especially in locations where coastline curvature can be prominent. In this paper, we study a data set with 38 years of coastal profiles, collected with alongshore intervals of 50 m, along the 34 km-long curved sandy shoreline of Sylt island, Germany. Sylt's shoreline has an orientation difference of ~20° between the northern and southern half of the island. We found that the decadal coastal profiles on the southern half show features of a low-tide terrace and a sandbar located further from the shoreline (~441 m). On the nothern half, the sandbar was located closer to the shoreline (~267 m) and was less pronounced, while the profiles show transverse bar and rip features. The alongshore planform also differed systematically and significantly along the two island sides. The sandbar on the southern island half, with alongshore periodicity on a larger length scale (~2240 m), was coupled out-of-phase to the shoreline, while no phase coupling was observed for the sandbar with periodicity on a shorter length scale (~670 m) on the northern half. We related the observed geometric differences of the sandbars to the difference in the local wave climate along Sylt, imposed by the shoreline shape. Our observations imply that small alongshore variations in wave climate, due to the increasing shoreline curvature on larger spatial scales, can lead to significant alongshore differences in the decadal evolution of coastal profiles, sandbars and shorelines. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Modelling of sediment supply from torrent catchments in the Western Alps using the sediment contributing area (SCA) approach

The production of coarse sediment in mountain landscapes depends mainly on the type and activity of geomorphic processes and topographic and natural conditions (e.g. vegetation cover) of these catchments. The supply of sediment from these slopes to mountain streams and its subsequent transport lead to sediment connectivity, which describes the integrated coupled state of these systems. Studies from the Northern Calcareous Alps show that the size of the sediment contributing area (SCA), a subset of the drainage area that effectively delivers sediment to the channel network, can be used as a predictor of sediment delivery to mountain streams. The SCA concept is delineated on a digital elevation model (DEM) using a set of rules related to the steepness and length of slopes directly adjacent to the channel network, the gradient of the latter and the vegetation cover. The present study investigates the applicability of this concept to the Western Alps to identify geomorphologically active areas and to estimate mean annual sediment yield (SY) in mainly debris-flow-prone catchments. We use a statistical approach that shows a parameter optimisation and a linear regression of SY on SCA extent. We use a dataset of ~25 years of assessed coarse sediment accumulation in 35 sediment retention basins. In the investigated catchments, sediment transport is governed by several factors, mainly by the extent of vegetation-free areas with a minimum slope of 23° that is coupled to the channel network with a very low gradient of the latter. With our improved framework, we can show that the SCA approach can be applied to catchments that are widely distributed, in a large spatial scale (hectare area) and very heterogeneous in their properties. In general, the investigated catchments show high connectivity, resulting in significant correlations between long-term average yield and the size of the SCA.