Redefining active volcanoes: a discussion

The analysis of the current definitions of active volcanoes indicates that they are empirical, conventional, inaccurate, nongeological, and arbitrarily constraining. Redefinition is therefore needed. One possible approach is to refine the current empirical definitions. A statistically reasonable and practical redefinition using a geologically based time convention-Holocene or 10000 years-is suggested. A set of time conditions according to volcano typology-i.e. 1000; 10000 and 100000 years for high-frequency basaltic shields, andesitic-dacitic composite volcanoes and low-frequency large silicic calderas, respectively-as further refinement of the empirical definition is also envisaged. Devising a phenomenological definition as a theoretical approach is another possibility, but in practice extant diagnostic means are still unsatisfactory to discriminate accurately between dormant and extinct volcanoes. As a consequence of the redefinition, a classification of volcanoes according to their eruptive status is proposed. Redefinition of active volcanoes might increase accuracy in the usage of basic terms in volcanology and influence volcanic hazard assessment and risk mitigation projects.     

Large eddy simulation of hydrocyclone—prediction of air-core diameter and shape

Hydrocyclones are widely used in the mining and chemical industries. An attempt has been made in this study, to develop a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model, which is capable of predicting the flow patterns inside the hydrocyclone, including accurate prediction of flow split as well as the size of the air-core. The flow velocities and air-core diameters are predicted by DRSM (differential Reynolds stress model) and LES (large eddy simulations) models were compared to experimental results. The predicted water splits and air-core diameter with LES and RSM turbulence models along with VOF (volume of fluid) model for the air phase, through the outlets for various inlet pressures were also analyzed. The LES turbulence model led to an improved turbulence field prediction and thereby to more accurate prediction of pressure and velocity fields. This improvement was distinctive for the axial profile of pressure, indicating that air-core development is principally a transport effect rather than a pressure effect.     

铜官山矿田深部构造的三维计算模拟及其找矿意义

计算模拟已成为研究矿田深部三维构造重要可行手段,对深部找矿具有重要意义。基于铜官山矿田地质背景及所获勘查数据特征,我们采用知识驱动下多级约束和多源数据融合建模方法模拟矿田范围内–2000 m以上主要地质界面。以逆冲推覆导致断展–断弯褶皱理论模式解释大地测深的电阻率数据,推断地质界面位置,在Micromine-GOCAD耦合平台上在多级约束下融合多源的界面位置数据,以离散光滑插值算法和Delaunay三角网剖分法重构主要地质界面,在计算机虚拟空间再现矿田三维构造格架。结果显示:铜官山岩体和天鹅抱蛋岩体三维形态变化复杂,总体上向西倾,向深部岩体规模快速变小。位于铜官山岩体东接触带的铜官山铜矿田深部无找矿潜力,原因是接触带产状变陡,并且是岩体直接与上泥盆统砂岩接触;矿田深部主要构造为走向NE并沿倾向弯曲的逆冲推覆断层;铜官山背斜东翼含矿的中–上石炭统层位向深部倒转后又在–1200 m至–1500 m深度返转成向东南缓倾的正常层位,其底部与逆冲推覆断层重合,是深部找矿的有利靶区。     

Numerical modeling of toxic nonaqueous phase liquid removal from contaminated groundwater systems: mesh effect and discretization error estimation

Numerical modeling has now become an indispensable tool for investigating the fundamental mechanisms of toxic nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) removal from contaminated groundwater systems. Because the domain of a contaminated groundwater system may involve irregular shapes in geometry, it is necessary to use general quadrilateral elements, in which two neighbor sides are no longer perpendicular to each other. This can cause numerical errors on the computational simulation results due to mesh discretization effect. After the dimensionless governing equations of NAPL dissolution problems are briefly described, the propagation theory of the mesh discretization error associated with a NAPL dissolution system is first presented for a rectangular domain and then extended to a trapezoidal domain. This leads to the establishment of the finger‐amplitude growing theory that is associated with both the corner effect that takes place just at the entrance of the flow in a trapezoidal domain and the mesh discretization effect that occurs in the whole NAPL dissolution system of the trapezoidal domain. This theory can be used to make the approximate error estimation of the corresponding computational simulation results. The related theoretical analysis and numerical results have demonstrated the following: (1) both the corner effect and the mesh discretization effect can be quantitatively viewed as a kind of small perturbation, which can grow in unstable NAPL dissolution systems, so that they can have some considerable effects on the computational results of such systems; (2) the proposed finger‐amplitude growing theory associated with the corner effect at the entrance of a trapezoidal domain is useful for correctly explaining why the finger at either the top or bottom boundary grows much faster than that within the interior of the trapezoidal domain; (3) the proposed finger‐amplitude growing theory associated with the mesh discretization error in the NAPL dissolution system of a trapezoidal domain can be used for quantitatively assessing the correctness of computational simulations of NAPL dissolution front instability problems in trapezoidal domains, so that we can ensure that the computational simulation results are controlled by the physics of the NAPL dissolution system, rather than by the numerical artifacts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Efficient DEM‐based overland flow routing using integrated recursive algorithms

Two primary concerns in performing watershed overland flow routing are the numerical instability and computational efficiency. The stability of executing an explicit scheme has to be maintained by observing the Courant–Friedrich–Lewy criterion, which is adopted to confirm that the numerical marching speed is larger than the wave celerity. Moreover, there is another criterion of time step devised in previous studies to avoid back‐and‐forth refluxing between adjacent grids. The situation of refluxing usually occurs on flat regions. In light of this, the selection of a small time increment to honor both restrictions simultaneously is believed to decrease the computational efficiency in performing overland flow routing. This study aims at creating a robust algorithm to relax both restrictions. The proposed algorithm was first implemented on a one‐dimensional overland plane to evaluate the accuracy of the numerical result by comparing it with an analytical solution. Then, the algorithm was further applied to a watershed for 2D runoff simulations. The results show that the proposed integrated algorithm can provide an accurate runoff simulation and achieve satisfactory performance in terms of computational speed.     

Computer-aided design of bus route maps

The bus route map is a diagram that aims to convey necessary information for map readers to find an appropriate way of moving from an origin to a destination. Design of bus route map is a complicated and time-consuming task that requires careful consideration of readability and aesthetics. This paper proposes a new computational method for designing bus route maps. The method helps us to reduce six types of undesirable elements in bus route maps, i.e., gap, shift, crossing, overlap, misalignment, and acute bend. The method consists of two phases: line layout phase determines the relative order of bus routes on each road segment and map layout phase calculates the actual position of bus routes drawn on a map. This paper applies the method to the design of bus route maps of Chiba City, Japan. The result supports the effectiveness of the method as well as reveals open topics for future research.     

河元背地区绳索取心钻进泵压计算模型的建立与应用

泵压是反映金刚石绳索取心钻进时井内作业是否正常的重要参数。为了进一步研究泵压波动变化与实际钻进作业之间的关系,指导钻进工作的快速、安全开展,结合江西相山河元背地区CUSD2井实际泵压波动数据及相关钻进资料,建立了适用于本井的循环系统压力损失计算模型。对比分析模型计算的理论泵压与实际泵压的波动变化趋势,将模型应用于实际钻进,在此基础上预测后续地层的泵压波动区域范围,发现7 MPa的泵压安全值不再适用于后续地层钻进,调整设置泵压安全值为10 MPa,并利用邻井泵压波动数据进一步验证其可靠性。适当调整修正理论模型,使其可应用于河元背以及相山地区绳索取心钻进中,指导该地区钻探工作。     

平面点集凸壳的一种快速算法

提出一种计算平面点集凸壳的快速算法———八方向极值快速凸壳算法。该算法首先对平面点集进行一次扫描,从而快速查找到东、南、西、北、东南、西南、东北、西北8个方向上的极值点,构造出一个更接近凸壳的初始凸壳,从而在后续的点集扫描中可以排除更多的内点,使该算法计算效率更高。该算法的空间复杂度为O(N);其时间复杂度虽然无法突破最坏情况下O(NlogN)的理论下限,但其期望时间复杂度已达到线性水平,并且可以容易地扩展到三维和高维空间。     

冲绳海槽热液柱动力过程的数值模拟

本文以冲绳海槽伊平屋北部热液区(126o53.80′,27o45.50′)的现场水文数据作为背景条件,使用k-ε湍流模型模拟热液柱的动力过程。模拟计算得到的羽流速度、温度和湍流耗散率等基本物理量展现了热液柱的时空演化过程。模拟结果显示,羽流最大上升高度及中性浮力面高度与海底的距离分别为83.62m和68.97m,和2014年先导专项在此附近热液区所观测的温度异常和盐度异常的深度位置(离海底约66—86m)接近。羽流的上升速度满足高斯分布,其半径b与距喷口高度z-H成正比:b=0.0985(z-H),其中z为距海底高度,H为热液烟囱体的高度。羽流的最大体积通量比喷口的初始值增加了878倍,达1.034m~3/s;在中性浮力面位置附近,动量通量达到最大值,为0.156m~4/s~2,比初始值增加了882倍;浮力通量在中性浮力面以下和BM2000(Bloomfield et al,2000)理论模型符合良好,在中性浮力面以上则呈现随高度先增加后减小的特征。本文计算得到的平均卷挟率为α≈0.0807,与背景流较弱的热液区的声学现场观测结果相符。