Gravity recovery using COSMIC GPS data: application of orbital perturbation theory

 COSMIC is a joint Taiwan–US mission to study the atmosphere using the Global Positioning System (GPS) occultation technique. Improved formulas are developed for the radial, along-track, and cross-track perturbations, which are more accurate than the commonly used order-zero formulas. The formulas are used to simulate gravity recovery using the geodetic GPS data of COSMIC in the operational phase. Results show that the EGM96 model can be improved up to degree 26 using 1 year of COSMIC data. TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data are used to derive a temporal gravity variation. COSMIC cannot reproduce this gravity variation perfectly because of data noise and orbital configuration, but the recovered field clearly shows the gravity signature due to mass movement in an El Ni?o. Received: 3 March 2000 / Accepted: 10 November 2000     

Extrinsic and intrinsic mode of hydrogen occurrence in natural olivines: FTIR and TEM investigation

Olivine crystals from two mantle nodules in kimberlites (pipe Udachnaya and pipe Obnazennaya, Yakutiya, Siberia) were investigated using EMP, TEM, AEM and FTIR techniques to determine the mode of hydrogen occurrence in olivine. Olivine contains three types of nanometer-sized inclusions: “large” inclusions of hexagonal-like shape up to several hundred nm in size (1), lamellar defects (2) and small inclusions of hexagon-like shape up to several 10?nm in size (3). Lamellar defects and small inclusions are considered to be a “hydrous” olivine. All three types of inclusions contain OH^? or water, but they are different with respect to their phase composition. In “large” inclusions (1) hydrous magnesium silicates, such as serpentine?+?talc (“kerolite”?) and 10-Å phase?+?talc were identified. Lamellar defects (2) and small inclusions (3) are depleted in Mg and Fe compared to the olivine matrix, while the silica content is the same as that of olivine. Modulations in the periodicity of the olivine structure are observed in SAED patterns and HREM images of (2) and (3). The superperiodicity can be referred to OH^?-bearing point defect ordering in the olivine structure. If this is the case, the material of both lamellar defects and small inclusions can be assumed to be a “hydrous olivine” Mg_{2– x} v _x SiO₄H_{2 x} with a cation-deficient olivine crystal structure. Thus, both an extrinsic mode of hydrogen occurrence in olivine, such as nanometer-sized inclusions of OH^?-bearing magnesium silicates, and an intrinsic mode of hydrogen incorporation into the olivine structure, such as “hydrous olivine” in itself, were found. The data obtained here show that the OH absorption bands observed in olivine spectra at 3704(3717) and 3683(3688) cm^?1 can be unambiguously identified with serpentine; the band at 3677(3676) cm^?1 can be associated with talc. The absorption bands observed at 3591 and 3660?cm^?1 in olivine match those of the 10-Å phase at 3594, 3662 and 3666?cm^?1.     

Palaeoseismology of the Havran-Balıkesir Fault Zone: evidence for past earthquakes in the strike-slip-dominated contractional deformation along the southern branches of the North Anatolian fault in northwest Turkey

The Havran-Bal?kesir Fault Zone (HBFZ) is one of the major active structures of the Southern Marmara Region, which has been shaped by the southern branch of North Anatolian fault since the Pliocene. HBFZ is a 10–12 km wide, 120 km long, right-lateral strike-slip fault zone that consists of two ENE-striking main faults, namely, the Havran-Balya and Bal?kesir faults. The 90-km-long Havran-Balya fault exhibits right-stepping en echelon geometry and is made up of (1) Havran, (2) Osmanlar, (3) Turplu and (4) Ovac?k fault segments. On the eastern part, the 70-km-long Bal?kesir fault is divided into two fault segments; (1) Gökçeyaz? and (2) Kepsut. We estimated the long-term slip rate between 3.59 and 3.78 mm/yr using river offset. The Kepsut, Gökçeyaz? and Ovac?k fault segments are capable of generating an earthquake with a moment magnitude of up to 7.2. Detailed palaeoseismological studies show that the HBFZ is responsible for some surface faulting earthquakes with an average recurrence interval of 1000–2000 years during the late Holocene. Considering the fact that there was no evidence of a surface-ruptured earthquake for 2000 years, it can be stated that there is a seismic gap on the Gökçeyaz? fault segment.     

Mapping rice-fallow cropland areas for short-season grain legumes intensification in South Asia using MODIS 250 m time-series data

The goal of this study was to map rainfed and irrigated rice-fallow cropland areas across South Asia, using MODIS 250?m time-series data and identify where the farming system may be intensified by the inclusion of a short-season crop during the fallow period. Rice-fallow cropland areas are those areas where rice is grown during the kharif growing season (June–October), followed by a fallow during the rabi season (November–February). These cropland areas are not suitable for growing rabi-season rice due to their high water needs, but are suitable for a short -season (≤3 months), low water-consuming grain legumes such as chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), black gram, green gram, and lentils. Intensification (double-cropping) in this manner can improve smallholder farmer’s incomes and soil health via rich nitrogen-fixation legume crops as well as address food security challenges of ballooning populations without having to expand croplands. Several grain legumes, primarily chickpea, are increasingly grown across Asia as a source of income for smallholder farmers and at the same time providing rich and cheap source of protein that can improve the nutritional quality of diets in the region. The suitability of rainfed and irrigated rice-fallow croplands for grain legume cultivation across South Asia were defined by these identifiers: (a) rice crop is grown during the primary (kharif) crop growing season or during the north-west monsoon season (June–October); (b) same croplands are left fallow during the second (rabi) season or during the south-east monsoon season (November–February); and (c) ability to support low water-consuming, short-growing season (≤3 months) grain legumes (chickpea, black gram, green gram, and lentils) during rabi season. Existing irrigated or rainfed crops such as rice or wheat that were grown during kharif were not considered suitable for growing during the rabi season, because the moisture/water demand of these crops is too high. The study established cropland classes based on the every 16-day 250?m normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series for one year (June 2010–May 2011) of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, using spectral matching techniques (SMTs), and extensive field knowledge. Map accuracy was evaluated based on independent ground survey data as well as compared with available sub-national level statistics. The producers’ and users’ accuracies of the cropland fallow classes were between 75% and 82%. The overall accuracy and the kappa coefficient estimated for rice classes were 82% and 0.79, respectively. The analysis estimated approximately 22.3?Mha of suitable rice-fallow areas in South Asia, with 88.3% in India, 0.5% in Pakistan, 1.1% in Sri Lanka, 8.7% in Bangladesh, 1.4% in Nepal, and 0.02% in Bhutan. Decision-makers can target these areas for sustainable intensification of short-duration grain legumes.     

房山周口店车厂北沟泥石流特征及防治

泥石流是北京地区危害性严重的地质灾害之一,作为北京"7·21"特大暴雨灾害受灾最为严重的区县,房山区近现代泥石流一直比较活跃,灾情严重。为了查清房山区"7·21"特大暴雨后典型泥石流灾害发育和运动特征,本文选取了车厂村北沟作为样本,通过采用现场调查、槽探、岩土测试等方法,对主沟整体流域进行了系统研究。从而查清了形成区的物源类型和可移动物源储量,掌握了全流域的沟道形态特征;通过对堆积区堆积形态和堆积物调查分析,论述了主沟水动力特征和冲淤特征;根据相关规范,计算得出了泥石流的动力学参数。分析了泥石流形成机理,进行了危险性评价,提出了防治对策。     

利用盐湖氯化镁-石灰制备硅热法炼镁用煅白的实验研究

以盐湖副产水氯镁石为原料,与一定比例的石灰反应得到氢氧化镁和氢氧化钙的混合沉淀物,该混合物经过滤、洗涤、烘干后在一定温度下煅烧得到符合皮江法炼镁用的合成煅白。实验结果表明,该工艺是可行的,在石灰/氯化镁摩尔比2.05~2.10：1,反应时间1.5,煅烧温度为800℃,煅烧时间为60min时,合成的煅白中钙镁摩尔比： 0.95~1.07：1,煅白的平均水活度达34%,符合硅热法炼镁用中间原料煅白的参数条件。该技术可为利用盐湖氯化镁制备金属镁新工艺开发提供了数据参考。     

Contrasting the Skills and Biases of Deterministic Predictions for the Two Types of El Nio

The tropical Pacific has begun to experience a new type of El Nio, which has occurred particularly frequently during the last decade, referred to as the central Pacific(CP) El Nio. Various coupled models with different degrees of complexity have been used to make real-time El Nio predictions, but high uncertainty still exists in their forecasts. It remains unknown as to how much of this uncertainty is specifically related to the new CP-type El Nio and how much is common to both this type and the conventional Eastern Pacific(EP)-type El Nio. In this study, the deterministic performance of an El Nio–Southern Oscillation(ENSO) ensemble prediction system is examined for the two types of El Nio. Ensemble hindcasts are run for the nine EP El Nio events and twelve CP El Nio events that have occurred since 1950. The results show that(1) the skill scores for the EP events are significantly better than those for the CP events, at all lead times;(2) the systematic forecast biases come mostly from the prediction of the CP events; and(3) the systematic error is characterized by an overly warm eastern Pacific during the spring season, indicating a stronger spring prediction barrier for the CP El Nio. Further improvements to coupled atmosphere–ocean models in terms of CP El Nio prediction should be recognized as a key and high-priority task for the climate prediction community.     

Transient,seasonal and interannual variability of the Taiwan Strait current

We have constructed a fine-resolution model with realistic bathymetry to study the spatial and temporal variations of circulation in the Taiwan Strait (TS). The TS model with a resolution of 3～10 km derives its open boundary conditions from a larger-scale model. The QSCAT/NCEP winds and AVHRR SST provide forcing at the sea surface. Because of the high resolution in model grids and forcing, the model achieves a previously unavailable level of agreement with most observations. On biweekly time scales surface-trapped current reversals often lead to Strait transport reversals if the northeasterly wind bursts in winter are sufficiently strong. On seasonal time scales the northward current is the strongest in summer since both summer monsoon and pressure gradient force are northward. The summer northward current appears to be relatively unimpeded by the Changyun Rise (CYR) and bifurcates slightly near the surface. With the arrival of the northeast monsoon in fall, downwind movement of China Coastal Water (CCW) is blocked by the northward current near 25.5°N and 120°E. In winter, the northward current weakens even more as the northeasterly monsoon strengthens. The CCW moves downwind along the western boundary; the CYR blocks part of the CCW and forces a U-shaped flow pattern in the northern Strait. Past studies have failed to reveal an anticyclonic eddy that develops on the northern flank of CYR in winter. On interannual time scales a weakened northeast monsoon during El Niño reduces advection of the cold CCW from the north and enhances intrusion of warm water from the south, resulting in warming in the TS.     

An Assessment of Surface and Atmospheric Conditions Associated with the Extreme 2014 Wildfire Season in Canada’s Northwest Territories

Weather and climate are major factors influencing worldwide wildfire activity. This study assesses surface and atmospheric conditions associated with the 2014 extreme wildfires in the Northwest Territories (NWT) of Canada. Hot and dry conditions led to the NWT experiencing the most severe wildfire season in its recorded history. The season included a record number of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes and set a record for area burned. Lightning was the dominant ignition source and accounted for about 95% of the wildfires. Prolonged periods of smoke led to dramatic reductions in visibility, frequent road closures, and reduced air quality resulting in numerous health alerts. Temporal and spatial patterns of lightning characteristics in 2014, derived from Canadian Lightning Detection Network data, were different from those in other years with, for example, far more positive flashes from 0600 to 1200?utc (midnight to 6:00 am local time). The highest fraction of positive cloud-to-ground flashes (43.1%) occurred in the smoke-dominated North Slave region, which was more than in the Dehcho, South Slave, or Sahtu regions. Mid-tropospheric atmospheric circulation over a large region that included the NWT was classified into the six most common summer patterns. Results showed that ridging and ridge displacements occurred more frequently during 2014 although lightning was associated with all circulation patterns. This study has advanced the understanding of the roles of weather, lightning, and mid-tropospheric circulation patterns associated with extreme wildfires in northwestern Canada.     

鄂尔多斯盆地北部砂岩铀矿床粘土矿物与氧化带成因关系研究

对鄂尔多斯盆地北部铀成矿带产铀层位中侏罗统直罗组砂岩进行系统采样和分析,以探讨砂岩中粘土矿物特征与氧化带成因之间的关系。采用X?射线粉晶衍射、电子探针分析等现代分析手段,测定粘土矿物相对含量、微观形貌特征。结果表明:研究区古层间氧化的演变序列为砂体原始灰色→古氧化作用(红色或黄色)→碳酸盐化(残留了部分红色)→后期还原作用(绿色),对应的岩石蚀变期次为早期氧化酸性蚀变→氧化期后弱碱性蚀变→晚期还原弱碱性蚀变;早期氧化砂岩在还原性气体作用下,Fe³⁺还原转化为Fe²⁺,高岭石在有Fe2+存在的条件下会向绿泥石转化,这一反应在碎屑颗粒表面,形成许多极细小的针叶状绿泥石,从而使古层间氧化亚带呈现特征的绿色。