A search for a problem free cosmology

We explore features of a nonminimally coupled theory of scalar fields with an effective potential that supports non topological soliton solutions. It is suggested that a problem free cosmology results.     

Sensitive response of desert vegetation to moisture change based on a near-annual resolution pollen record from Gahai Lake in the Qaidam Basin, northwest China

We present a 50-year pollen record at near-annual resolution from Gahai Lake in the Qaidam Basin on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Chronology of a 22-cm short core was established by ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs analysis. The pollen results at 0.5 cm intervals show large changes in Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C) ratios from < 0.2 to 0.95 in the last 50 years. High (low) A/C ratios represent increase (decrease) in steppe pollen production, which correspond to high (low) relative humidity observed at nearby Delingha weather station. On the basis of good correspondence with instrumental records and carbonate content from Gahai Lake, we conclude that A/C ratio is sensitive to moisture change and can be a very useful index in reconstructing paleoclimate of arid regions. Comparison with pollen and snow accumulation data from Dunde ice core suggests that effective moisture at low and high elevations shows the opposite relationship when mountain precipitation was extremely high, possibly due to topography-induced uplifting and subsiding air dynamics.     

人为因素导致的地面沉降

天然气、石油、地下水、地热热水和卤水等流体运移出地下储存地层时,地层耗尽了流体而产生压缩变形,这些变形传递到地表表面就形成了人为的地面沉降。在本文中:(1)列举了世界上主要的地面沉降区域;(2)论述了引发地面沉降的力学机制,这些可以量测的地面沉降发生在地下含水层体系、天然气气田和石油油田之上;(3)描述了目前可以用于地面沉降测量和岩石变形原位测试的技术手段;(4)简要介绍了几个地面沉降预测的数值模型;(5)说明了用于控制地面沉降发展和减轻相关环境影响的几种防治措施。     

小五台山亚高山景观尺度水热条件与植被关系

以河北省小五台山为研究区,通过转化糖方法获取亚高山不同景观部位效应温度,结合DEM模型模拟研究区内太阳直接辐射以及土壤湿润度系数,进而构建生境干燥度指数。以此为基础,在景观尺度上定量分析研究区内亚高山带水热条件与森林和亚高山草甸植被分布格局的关系。结果表明,① 研究区域中森林分布地段生境的太阳直接辐射,效应温度和干燥度指数都显著低于草甸分布地段,土壤水分系数则恰恰相反;② 综合太阳直接辐射或效应温度与土壤湿润度系数的干燥度指数统计分析结果,优于分别以各个因子单独进行分析的结果;③ 在植被格局的形成中,干燥度起着至关重要的作用,这与在水平地带中,森林与草原植被的分布格局受干燥度控制的规律相一致。     

Force–displacement response of in‐plane‐loaded URM walls with a dominating flexural mode

This article presents a new mechanical model for the non‐linear force–displacement response of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls developing a flexural rocking mode including their displacement capacity. The model is based on the plane‐section hypothesis and a constitutive law for the masonry with zero tensile strength and linear elastic behaviour in compression. It is assumed that only the compressed part of the wall contributes to the stiffness of the wall and therefore the model accounts for a softening of the response due the reduction of the effective area. Stress conditions for limit states are proposed that characterise the flexural failure. The new model allows therefore linking local performance levels to global displacement capacities. The limit states criteria describe the behaviour of modern URM walls with cement mortar of normal thickness and clay bricks. The model is validated through comparison of local and global engineering demand parameters with experimental results. It provides good prediction of the effective stiffness, the force capacity and the displacement capacity of URM walls at different limit states. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic Behaviour of a Caisson Quaywall Under Strong Earthquake

—Effective stress analysis is performed to evaluate the residual displacement of a caissonquaywall during 1994 Hokkaido-Toho-Oki Earthquake and 1993 Kushiro-Oki Earthquake.Theconstitutive model used in this study is a multiple shear mechanism type defined in strain space and cantake into account the effect of rotation of principal stress axis.The earthquake accelerations recorded atthe outcropping rock during the earthquake are used as input bedrock motion.The results of finite ele-ment analysis are in good agreement with the observed behaviour of the quaywall.The analysis also indi-cates that liquefaction and high excess pore water pressure have a significant effect on the deformation ofthe caisson.Soil improvement is speculated as the most reliable measures against liquefaction.The influ-ence of soil improvement and the reasonable improved area are discussed in the paper.     

Comparison of ten notable meteorological drought indices on tracking the effect of drought on streamflow

ABSTRACT

Ten notable meteorological drought indices were compared on tracking the effect of drought on streamflow. A 730-month dataset of precipitation, temperature and evapotranspiration for 88 catchments in Oregon, USA, representing pristine conditions, was used to compute the drought indices. These indices were correlated with the monthly streamflow datasets of the minimum, maximum and mean discharge, and the discharge monthly fluctuation; it was revealed that the 3-month Z-score drought index (Z3) has the best association with the four streamflow variables. The Mann-Kendall trend detection test applied to the latter index time series mainly highlighted a downward trend in the autumn and winter drought magnitude (DM) and an upward trend in the spring and summer DM (p = 0.05). Finally, the Pettitt test indicated an abrupt decline in the annual and autumn DM, which began in 1984 and 1986, respectively.     

荆江三口分流变化及三峡水库蓄水影响

长江中游荆江的水沙通过三口洪道分流入洞庭湖,三口分流是荆江-洞庭湖关系调整的驱动因子,为揭示其变化特征及三峡工程运用的影响,基于大量的原观数据,系统研究了近60年三口分流比的变化过程,提出其显著调整特征及诱发因素,引入径流还原计算方法,量化了三峡水库不同运用方式对三口分流量的影响幅度。结果表明:①特大洪水及重大人类活动等诱发因素作用下,三口分流比出现4~5年持续性减小的趋势调整期,之后进入分流比稳定恢复的平衡调整期;②2003-2014年,三峡水库汛前枯水补偿调度使得三口分流量年均增加8.000亿m3,汛后蓄水使得三口分流量年均减小29.00亿m3,对三口分流综合影响量为年均减少21.00亿m3,占同期三口年均分流量的4.29%。     

从全波段太阳直射辐射确定大气气溶胶光学厚度 II：实验研究

本文通过比较太阳直射表和太阳光度计探测的大气柱气溶胶光学厚度，分析了从太阳直射表探测的全波段太阳直射光强信息确定大气柱气溶胶光学厚度的误差，并应用北京观象台的太阳直射表观测资料，反演得到了 1990—1993年北京大气柱气溶胶光学厚度，分析了该光学厚度月与年变化规律以及1991年菲律宾皮纳图博火山爆发对北京大气气溶胶含量的影响。本文还提出了关于有效水汽含量的一个经验关系式，用于确定水汽对太阳辐射的吸收率。