Cause of winter gravity wave spectrum saturation

Gravity waves play a significant role in establishing the large-scale circulation and structure of the middle atmosphere. Through gravity wave saturation proc-esses, such motions are believed to cause turbulence, resulting in divergence of momentum flux and the diffusion of heat and constituents in the meso-sphere[1,2]. The mechanisms that contribute signifi-cantly to the gravity wave saturation are thought to be the dynamical and convective instabilities[3]. However, it is difficult to distin…     

Study on simulating strong ground motion by fractal stochastic method

The time history of strong ground motion can be synthesized by empirical Green's function (EGF) method.Firstly a large seismic event is discretized into a series of subevents; secondly recordings of earthquakes with proper size and spatial distribution are chosen as time history (EGF) of those subevents; finally the EGFs are summated to get the time history of ground motion caused by the large event.     

Desert vegetation and timing of solar radiation

Timing and amount of solar radiation were examined as factors influencing the distribution of seven perennial plants on a small mountain located in the Chihuahuan Desert. Average direct beam solar radiation fluxes at differing times throughout the day and year were estimated with computer calculations. Principal components analysis was used to reduce the number of solar radiation parameters and include the maximum available information with a manageable number of variables. The remaining solar radiation parameters were compared to plant distributions using redundancy analysis and generalized additive models. Unimodal, bimodal, and monotonic responses were all found depending upon the species and solar radiation parameter. Niche separation at this location depends upon the timing as well as the amount of solar radiation.     

Polymorphic phase transition in Superhydrous Phase B

We synthesized superhydrous phase B (shy-B) at 22 GPa and two different temperatures: 1200°C (LT) and 1400°C (HT) using a multi-anvil apparatus. The samples were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), single crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman and IR spectroscopy. The IR spectra were collected on polycrystalline thin-films and single crystals using synchrotron radiation, as well as a conventional IR source at ambient conditions and in situ at various pressures (up to 15 GPa) and temperatures (down to −180°C). Our studies show that shy-B exists in two polymorphic forms. As expected from crystal chemistry, the LT polymorph crystallizes in a lower symmetry space group (Pnn2), whereas the HT polymorph assumes a higher symmetry space group (Pnnm). TEM shows that both modifications consist of nearly perfect crystals with almost no lattice defects or inclusions of additional phases. IR spectra taken on polycrystalline thin films exhibit just one symmetric OH band and 29 lattice modes for the HT polymorph in contrast to two intense but asymmetric OH stretching bands and at least 48 lattice modes for the LT sample. The IR spectra differ not only in the number of bands, but also in the response of the bands to changes in pressure. The pressure derivatives for the IR bands are higher for the HT polymorph indicating that the high symmetry form is more compressible than the low symmetry form. Polarized, low-temperature single-crystal IR spectra indicate that in the LT-polymorph extensive ordering occurs not only at the Mg sites but also at the hydrogen sites.     

固沙林庇护区内降尘特征的初步观测

采用野外定位实测法,连续两年对科尔沁沙地24龄人工固沙杨树(Populussimonii)林庇护区内4～6月份及强沙尘暴事件中的降尘特征进行了观测研究。结果表明:(1)林地庇护区内4、5月份的降尘量较多,分别为273和437kg/hm2,6月份的降尘量较少,为171kg/hm2。(2)林地中央的滞尘效应在风蚀季节和强沙尘暴天气过程中十分显著。(3)林地庇护区内的降尘中粒径<0.02mm颗粒含量占60.7%,降尘中的全C、全N和速效P含量分别高达1.676%、0.163%和210.66mg/kg,这对风沙土表层土壤的细化和养分的积累具有重要的生态学意义。     

Three dimensional numerical simulation of residential building on shrink–swell soils in response to climatic conditions

Shrink–swell soils can cause distresses in buildings, and every year, the economic loss associated with this problem is huge. This paper presents a comprehensive system for simulating the soil–foundation–building system and its response to daily weather conditions. Weather data include rainfall, solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed, all of which are readily available from a local weather station or the Internet. These data are used to determine simulation flux boundary conditions. Different methods are proposed to simulate different boundary conditions: bare soil, trees, and vegetation. A coupled hydro‐mechanical stress analysis is used to simulate the volume change of shrink–swell soils due to both mechanical stress and water content variations. Coupled hydro‐mechanical stress‐jointed elements are used to simulate the interaction between the soil and the slab, and general shell elements are used to simulate structural behavior. All the models are combined into one finite element program to predict the entire system's behavior. This paper first described the theory for the simulations. A site in Arlington, Texas, is then selected to demonstrate the application of the proposed system. Simulation results are shown, and a comparison between measured and predicted movements for four footings in Arlington, Texas, over a 2‐year period is presented. Finally, a three‐dimensional simulation is made for a virtual residential building on shrink–swell soils to identify the influence of various factors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Are peatlands in different states with respect to their thermodynamic behaviour? A simple test of peatland energy and entropy budgets

Whilst all ecosystems must obey the second law of thermodynamics, these physical bounds and controls on ecosystem evolution and development are largely ignored across the ecohydrological literature. To unravel the importance of these underlying restraints on ecosystem form and function, and their power to inform our scientific understanding, we have calculated the entropy budget of a range of peat ecosystems. We hypothesize that less disturbed peatlands are ‘near equilibrium’ with respect to the second law of thermodynamics and thus respond to change by minimizing entropy production. This ‘near equilibrium’ state is best achieved by limiting evaporative losses. Alternatively, peatlands ‘far-from-equilibrium’ respond to a change in energy inputs by maximizing entropy production which is best achieved by increasing evapotranspiration. To test these alternatives this study examined the energy balance time series from seven peatlands across a disturbance gradient. We estimate the entropy budgets for each and determine how a change in net radiation (ΔR_n) was transferred to a change in latent heat flux (ΔλE). The study showed that: (i) The transfer of net radiation to latent heat differed significantly between peatlands. One group transferred up to 64% of the change in net radiation to a change in latent heat flux, while the second transferred as little as 27%. (ii) Sites that transferred the most energy to latent heat flux were those that produced the greatest entropy. The study shows that an ecosystem could be ‘near equilibrium’ rather than ‘far from equilibrium’.     

The Upstream “Strong Signals” of the Water Vapor Transport over the Tibetan Plateau during a Heavy Rainfall Event in the Yangtze River Basin

A heavy rainfall event that occurred over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin(YRB) during July11–13 2000 is explored in this study. The potential/stream function is used to analyze the upstream "strong signals" of the water vapor transport in the Tibetan Plateau(TP). The studied time period covers from 2000 LST 5 July to 2000 LST 15 July(temporal resolution: 6 hours). By analyzing the three-dimensional structure of the water vapor flux, vorticity and divergence prior to and during the heavy rainfall event, the upstream "strong signals" related to this heavy rainfall event are revealed. A strong correlation exists between the heavy rainfall event in the YRB and the convective clouds over the TP. The "convergence zone" of the water vapor transport is also identified, based on correlation analysis of the water vapor flux two days and one day prior to, and on the day of, the heavy rainfall. And this "convergence zone" coincides with the migration of the maximum rainfall over the YRB. This specific coupled structure actually plays a key role in generating heavy rainfall over the YRB. The eastward movement of the coupled system with a divergence/convergence center of the potential function at the upper/lower level resembles the spatiotemporal evolution of the heavy rainfall event over the YRB. These upstream "strong signals" are clearly traced in this study through analyzing the three-dimensional structure of the potential/stream function of upstream water vapor transport.     

黄海海雾WRF数值模拟中垂直分辨率的敏感性研究

基于WRF模式探究不同垂直分辨率下模式对黄海海雾的模拟表现。将3种垂直分层方案（35η、44η与63η）和2种边界层方案（YSU、MYNN）组合,对10次海雾做模拟研究。统计分析了水平雾区与雾顶高度对垂直分辨率的敏感性,并利用1次典型个例剖析了雾顶长波辐射与雾体湍流的作用。统计结果显示,提高垂直分辨率能显著改进水平雾区的模拟效果,改善明显的个例在不同垂直分辨率试验下的雾顶高度差异也较大;YSU方案相比于MYNN方案更敏感,从35η层增至44η层其试验个例的击中率（POD）和公正预兆得分（ETS）的平均改进率分别提高了13.29%和10.22%。典型个例研究结果揭示,模式对雾顶长波辐射和雾体湍流作用的模拟程度强烈依赖垂直分辨率：粗垂直分辨率给出的湍流强度很弱,导致模拟失败;雾顶存在“云水含量增多→长波辐射增强→降温加大→云水含量增多”的正反馈过程,细垂直分辨率比粗垂直分辨率更容易维持与增强此反馈;只有细垂直分辨率才能模拟出雾顶长波辐射冷却产生的贯穿雾体直抵海面、强度不弱于近海面机械湍流的浮力湍流,它导致雾体降温而出现符合观测事实的海温高于气温的现象。     

京津冀地区中α尺度飑线过程中大风特征分析及成因初探

应用常规天气观测资料、地面加密自动气象站资料、大风灾情报资料、京津冀地区7部多普勒天气雷达组网观测资料及VDRAS资料,从多个角度对2013年8月4日京津冀地区一次飑线过程产生的大范围大风天气过程进行了分析,结果显示:此次过程是在高空冷空气南下、低层暖湿气流北上、系统前倾及位势不稳定的有利层结条件下,由多单体风暴演变为中α尺度的强飑线所致。飑线形成于低层垂直切变加强、冷池合并之后;大风主要发生在飑线主体回波中,其次是主体回波前和中前,主体回波后很少发生。大风发生的位置取决于飑线结构中气流的性质,气流的性质与冷池前进的程度和对流的强度关系密切。大风大部分由下沉冷气流产生,少数为近地面上升暖气流导致。大风发生的范围和强度与低层风垂直切变的强度呈正比,大范围低层风垂直切变的加强增强了飑线入流和出流的强度,是大范围大风、局部强风形成的重要原因。大风发生站次与冷池的强度和范围密切相关,冷池的加强和范围的扩大加强了后侧冷入流和前侧暖入流的强度和范围,也是大范围大风形成的重要因素。