Dynamics of multiple intertidal bars over semi‐diurnal and lunar tidal cycles,North Lincolnshire,England

Multiple intertidal bars are common features of wave‐dominated sandy beaches, yet their short‐term (<1 month) and small‐scale (<1 km) morphology and dynamics remain poorly understood. This study describes the morphodynamics of multiple intertidal bars in North Lincolnshire, England, during single and lunar tidal cycles under two contrasting conditions – first when significant wave height was <0·5 m and second when significant wave height frequently exceeded 1 m. The relative importance of swash, surf and shoaling processes in determining morphological change was examined using detailed field observations and a numerical model. The beach featured four intertidal bars and both cross‐shore and longshore bar morphology evolved during the field investigation, particularly under medium to high wave‐energy conditions. Numerical modelling suggests shoaling processes are most common on the seaward two bars under calm wave conditions (H_s < 0·5 m) and that surf zone processes become more common during neap tides and under more energetic (H_s < 0·5 m) conditions. Surf processes dominate the inner two bars, though swash influence increases in a landward direction. The numerical modelling results combined with low tide survey data and high‐resolution morphological measurements strongly suggest changes in the intertidal bar morphology are accomplished by surf zone processes rather than by shoaling wave or swash processes. This is because shoaling waves do not induce significant sediment transport to have any morphological effect, whereas swash action generally does not have enough scope to act as the swash zone is much narrower than the surf zone. It was found, however, that the absolute rate of morphological change under swash action and surfzone processes are of similar magnitudes and that swash action may induce a significant amount of local morphological change when the high tide mark is located on the upper bar, making this process important for bar morphodynamics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

库姆塔格沙漠大尺度风场特征分析

利用美国NCEP/NCAR1979—2006年27 a地面10 m高度的日平均风场再分析-2资料以及46 a的地面常规气象站观测资料和1 a的沙漠中自动气象站观测资料,对库姆塔格沙漠地区风场进行了统计与诊断分析。结果表明：沙漠地区,一年四季北风和东北风为近地面主要存在的风向,春季风速最强,夏季次之,秋冬季最弱;在夏秋冬季节,由于北风的逐渐减弱,加上受到南侧阿尔金山和青藏高原风场的影响,南下的气流在沙漠南侧分为三支,分别流入新疆、青海和甘肃。春夏季节在沙漠北侧基本都是以东北风或者西北风吹向库姆塔格沙漠,秋冬季节,沙漠地区出现西南风。根据沙漠周围6个气象站风场风速显示,库姆塔格沙漠地区风速存在明显的周期变化,在过去的10多年中库姆塔格沙漠周围风场风速处于一个低谷期,但最近几年风速有不断加强的趋势。     

应用卫星影像系列海图叠合法分析沙洲动态变化——以江苏东沙为例

利用1973~2000年9个时相的卫片、海图,提出了卫星影像系列——海图叠合分析法来分析辐射沙洲中大沙洲的动态变化,并将之运用到东沙的动态趋势分析中。研究结果表明:(1)通过卫星影像系列——海图叠合分析法,可避开了不同时相卫片的潮位校正难点,揭示了沙洲的冲蚀淤长变化。(2)东沙北缘向南移动;沙洲东缘向东移动;在沙洲西部遭受侵蚀,边缘东移,但幅度不大。     

西南印度洋中脊斜向扩张分段特征及构造成因探讨

斜向扩张是超慢速扩张洋中脊独特的构造特征,其地形分段特征明显区别于经典的快速-慢速端元洋中脊模型,是理解超慢速扩张洋中脊地质过程的重要切入点.基于西南印度洋中脊Indomed-Gallieni和Shaka-DuToit段多波束地形数据,分析了不同斜向扩张角度(α)洋中脊的地形分段样式.其中,46.5°～47.5°E(α...     

Contrasting morphodynamics in alluvial fans and fan deltas: effect of the downstream boundary

Alluvial fans and fan deltas can, in principle, have exactly the same upstream conditions, but fan deltas by definition have ponding water at their downstream boundary. This ponding creates effects on the autogenic behaviour of fan deltas, such as backwater adaptation, mouth bars and backward sedimentation, whereas alluvial fans may lack these effects. Hence the present authors hypothesize that morphodynamics on alluvial fans are determined primarily by upstream boundary conditions, whereas morphodynamics on fan deltas are determined by both the upstream and the downstream boundary condition and changes therein. To isolate the effects of the upstream and downstream boundaries, five new alluvial fan experiments are compared with the details of three fan deltas published earlier that were formed under very similar and simple conditions. Similar to the fan deltas, the alluvial fans build up by sheet flow, whilst quasi‐regular periods of incision cause temporary channelized flow. Incision is followed by channel backfilling, after which the fan returns to sheet flow. The channelization and backfilling in alluvial fans is markedly less pronounced and more prone to autogenic disturbance than in fan deltas. The difference is caused by morphodynamics at the downstream boundary. In a fan delta, the flow expansion of the channel causes deposition of all the sediment, which forms a mouth bar and causes strong backfilling. In an alluvial fan, on the other hand, the slope break at the fan perimeter causes some deposition, but transport is not reduced to zero. Consequently, the backfilling in alluvial fans is less pronounced than in fan deltas. Other published experiments support this trend: removal of the mouth bar by a river leads to permanent channelization, whilst pronounced mouth‐bar formation in highly channelized deltas promotes backward sedimentation. The experimental results for this study predict that, when alluvial fans prograde into lakes or deep rivers, they transition to fan deltas with increasingly deeper channels and thicker backfill deposits.     

Formation of arcs and backarc basins inferred from the tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia since the Late Cretaceous

Results of the geological and geophysical surveys in the Daito ridges and basin in the northern West Philippine Basin suggest that the Daito Ridge was an arc facing toward the south from the Late Cretaceous to the Early Tertiary. The Late Cretaceous and Tertiary history of Southeast Asia is evaluated based on these data in the Daito ridges and basins and reconstructed based on overall plate kinematics that have operated in this area. During the Late Cretaceous, the Daito Ridge and the East Philippine Islands were positioned along the boundary between the Indian and Pacific Plates. The western half of the Philippines setting on the Indian Plate approached from the south and collided with the East Philippine–Daito Arc either during the latest Paleocene or the earliest Eocene. It is inferred that the bulk of the Philippine archipelago rotated clockwise and Borneo spun counterclockwise during the Tertiary.From the reconstruction, the formation of backarc basins and their spreading direction are assessed. As a result, some primary causes and significant characteristics are suggested for the opening of backarc basins in Southeast Asia. First, opening of some backarc basins commenced with or was triggered by collisions. Second, backarc basins opened approximately parallel to oceanic plate motion. Third, the formation of some backarc basins was triggered by the approach of a hot spreading center. Fourth, the spreading mode or direction of backarc basins was greatly affected by the configuration of the surrounding continent and was also rearranged to spread approximately parallel to oceanic plate motion.The formation of backarc basins and their spreading direction can be reasonably explained by plate kinematics. However, the generative force responsible for their formation is possibly within the subduction system, particularly to form horizontal tensional force in backarc side.     

Geodynamic Information in Peridotite Petrology

Systematic differences are observed in the petrology and majorelement geochemistry of natural peridotite samples from thesea floor near oceanic ridges and subduction zones, the mantlesection of ophiolites, massif peridotites, and xenoliths ofcratonic mantle in kimberlite. Some of these differences reflectvariable temperature and pressure conditions of melt extraction,and these have been calibrated by a parameterization of experimentaldata on fertile mantle peridotite. Abyssal peridotites are examplesof cold residues produced at oceanic ridges. High-MgO peridotitesfrom the Ronda massif are examples of hot residues producedin a plume. Most peridotites from subduction zones and ophiolitesare too enriched in SiO₂ and too depleted in Al₂O₃ to be residues,and were produced by melt–rock reaction of a precursorprotolith. Peridotite xenoliths from the Japan, Cascades andChile–Patagonian back-arcs are possible examples of arcprecursors, and they have the characteristics of hot residues.Opx-rich cratonic mantle is similar to subduction zone peridotites,but there are important differences in FeO_T. Opx-poor xenolithsof cratonic mantle were hot residues of primary magmas with16–20% MgO, and they may have formed in either ancientplumes or hot ridges. Cratonic mantle was not produced as aresidue of Archean komatiites. KEY WORDS: peridotite; residues; fractional melting; abyssal; cratonic mantle; subduction zone; ophiolite; potential temperature; plumes; hot ridges     

The Barranco de Arás flood of 7 August 1996 (Biescas, Central Pyrenees, Spain)

Geomorphic effects observed in the Barranco (creek) de Arás basin are used to characterize the flood. Sediment features allow to qualify the flood as essentially a water flow. Using the critical section method, the peak flood discharge is estimated to be between 400 and 600 m³ s⁻¹. Similar results were obtained using a paleohydraulic formula based on the size of the largest mobilized clasts. Using the rational method with available rainfall data, the discharge for a recurrence interval of 500 years is estimated to be between 150 and 200 m³ s⁻¹. These results agree with predictions obtained using curves of peak discharge versus basin area based on regional data. Several trenches dug on the fan showed that the size of boulders mobilized by the event is larger that those left by previous floods at the same place. When the estimated peak flood discharge is related to the basin area, values between 20 and 30 m³ s⁻¹ km⁻² are obtained, demonstrating that the Barranco de Arás flood was most unusual.