Influence of the total atmospheric optical depth and cloud cover on solar irradiance components

Broadband solar irradiance data obtained in the spectral range 400–940 nm at Kwangju, South Korea from 1999–2000 have been analyzed to investigate the effects of cloud cover and atmospheric optical depth on solar radiation components. Results from measurements indicate that the percentage of direct and diffuse horizontal components of solar irradiance depend largely on total optical depth (TOD) and cloud cover. During summer and spring, the percentages of diffuse solar irradiance relative to the global irradiance were 5.0% and 4.9% as compared to 2.2% and 3.0% during winter and autumn. The diffuse solar irradiance is higher than the direct in spring and summer by 24.2%, and 40.6%, respectively, which may largely be attributed to the attenuation (scattering) of radiation by heavy dust pollution and large cloud amount. In cloud-free conditions with cloud cover ≤2/10, the fraction of the direct and diffuse components were 66.0% and 34.0%, respectively, with a mean daily global irradiance value of 7.92±2.91 MJ m⁻² day⁻¹. However, under cloudy conditions (with cloud cover ≥8/10), the diffuse and direct fractions were 97.9% and 2.2% of the global component, respectively. The annual mean TOD under cloudless conditions (cloud cover≤2/10) yields 0.74±0.33 and increased to as much as 3.15±0.67 under cloudy conditions with cloud amount ≥8/10. An empirical formula is derived for estimating the diffuse and direct components of horizontal solar irradiance by considering the total atmospheric optical depth (TOD). Results from statistical models are shown for the estimation of solar irradiance components as a function of TOD with sufficient accuracy as indicated by low standard error for each solar zenith angle (SZA).     

Development of joints and shear fractures in the Kuqa depression and its implication to regional stress field switching

The superimposed basin must have undergone the changes of regional stress field. Study on the nature and switch of regional stress field of superimposed basin is very useful to understanding its stress state and tectonic events during its formation and evolution. As sensitive markers of small stress changes, joint and shear fracture, characterized by consistency of orientation over wide area, can be used to reconstruct paleostress state and its evolution. Detailed observations and analysis on the orientations, geometrical patterns, sequences of joints and shear fractures and their chronological relation to faults and folds show that, the NEE-SWW systematic joints and NNW-SSE systematic joints developed in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata are much more prominent than NW-SE systematic joints and shear fractures with different orientations. And the NWW-SEE and NW-SE systematic joints formed later than NEE-SWW systematic joints but earlier than shear fractures with different orientations. According to the relationships between joint and shear fractures and stress, the NEE-SWW systematic joints are inferred to result from lateral weak extension caused by the late Cretaceous regional uplift, while the NNW-SSE and NW-SE systematic joints are interpreted as syn-tectonic deformation relating to strong N-S compression in the Neogene. But some conjugate shear fractures occur probably due to sinistral strike-slip faulting in the Kuqa depression. At the beginning of the Neogene, the stress field changed and the maximal principal stress σ1 switched from vertical to horizontal.     

Are open fractures necessarily aligned with maximum horizontal stress?

Fluid flow in fractured rock is an increasingly central issue in recovering water and hydrocarbon supplies and geothermal energy, in predicting flow of pollutants underground, in engineering structures, and in understanding large-scale crustal behaviour. Conventional wisdom assumes that fluids prefer to flow along fractures oriented parallel or nearly parallel to modern-day maximum horizontal compressive stress, or S_Hmax. The reasoning is that these fractures have the lowest normal stresses across them and therefore provide the least resistance to flow. For example, this view governs how geophysicists design and interpret seismic experiments to probe fracture fluid pathways in the deep subsurface. Contrary to these widely held views, here we use core, stress measurement, and fluid flow data to show that S_Hmax does not necessarily coincide with the direction of open natural fractures in the subsurface (>3 km depth). Consequently, in situ stress direction cannot be considered to predict or control the direction of maximum permeability in rock. Where effective stress is compressive and fractures are expected to be closed, chemical alteration dictates location of open conduits, either preserving or destroying fracture flow pathways no matter their orientation.     

Investigation of upper crust anisotropy in Ghaen-Birjand region, east-central Iran

IntroductionWhenpropagatingthroughananisotropicmedium,ashearwavesplitsintotwo(quasi)shearwaveswithdifferentpropagationspeedsandpolarizedorthogonally.Owingtotherecentdevel-opmentofseismicobservationsystem,detectionofshearwavessplittingwithverysmalldelaytimesbetweenfasterandslowershearwavesbecameavailableandprovidedpowerfulapproachfordetectionofcrustalanisotropy.Crampin(1978)emphasizedtheroleofalignedmicrocracksasacauseofcrustalanisotropyandpointedoutthatforverticallyalignedmicrocracksthedirecti…     

Period formulas of shear wall buildings with flexible bases

The evaluation of the fundamental period of shear wall buildings considering the flexibility of the base is investigated in this paper. This research is motivated by the discrepancy reported between the formulas used in different building codes and the measurement of real buildings. Both experimental and analytical approaches are used to assess the effect of the base flexibility on the fundamental period of shear wall structures. In total, twenty buildings built on different types of soil are tested under ambient vibration. The fundamental period is identified using a non‐parametric linear model in the frequency domain. The results show that fundamental period formulas used by UBC‐97 and NBCC‐95 are inadequate since they do not include the effect of the foundation stiffness. To improve the estimation of the fundamental period of shear wall buildings, an analytical approach is presented. The structure and the foundation are represented by a continuous‐discrete system. The stiffnesses of the base are represented by translational and rotational discrete springs. The rigidities of these springs are evaluated from the elastic uniform compression of the soil mass and the size of the foundation. The analytical predictions improve the estimation of the fundamental period and keep the computation simple. The error between the measured period and the analytical results is, on average, less than 10%. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The seismic shear of ductile cantilever wall systems in multistorey structures

The distribution of seismic base shear demand among ductile flexural cantilever walls, comprising the lateral load resisting system of a multistorey building, is studied. It is shown that the base shear force demand depends on the sequence of hinge formation at the wall bases, and this in turn depends on the relative wall lengths. Hence, the routine elastic approach in which the shear forces are allocated per relative flexural rigidity or (when some consideration is given to plastic hinge formation) to moment capacity at the wall base, may appreciably underestimate the shear force demand on the walls, particularly the shorter (usually the more flexible) ones. A simple procedure yielding the results of ‘cyclic’ pushover analysis is proposed to predict the peak seismic wall forces for a given total base shear when plastification is confined to the wall base. The effects of plastic hinges developing at higher floors on (1) shear distribution among the walls and (2) the in‐plane floor forces are also considered. Two numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the main points made. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating of shear deformation of the Xianshuihe fault zone in west Sichuan and its tectonic significance

TheNW-SEstrikingXianshuihefaultzoneslicesthesoutheasternTibetanPlateauandconnectssoutheastwardwiththeAnninghe-Zemuhe-Xiaojiangfaultzone,whichformahuge,activesinistralstrike-slipfaultzone(fig.1).ThisfaultzoneisanimportantseismicfaultineastTibet[1-5].EarthquakegeologystudiesandoffsetpatternsofyounggeologicalfeatureshaveshownthatlateQuaternarysinistralsliprateoftheXianshuihefaultzonereaches13mm/a[1,2].TheXianshuhefaultzoneconsistsoftwomainbranches,theDaofufaultbranchinthewestandtheXianshuih…     

晴空日中尺度切变环境场与对流云团发展条件

重点应用雷达回波资料结合常规气象资料、卫星云图 ,综合分析了 50 0hPa中尺度切变与陕北南部地区对流阵性降水形成、发展条件 ,指出了 50 0hPa不同的中尺度切变与有利的环境合理配置 ,是导致对流云团发展的重要因素 ,不同特征环境风切变配置与对流单体的发展趋势、强度变化、移动和合并息息相关。     

陕西略阳铧厂沟金矿床地质与矿床类型

铧厂沟金矿床位于勉略缝合带中泥盆系三河口群郭镇岩组中。含矿与容矿岩系为泥盆系三河口群郭镇岩组中的细碧岩和结晶灰岩。主控矿构造为寨子湾韧-脆性剪切构造带。围岩蚀变包括退化蚀变和矿化蚀变。在矿区内产出南北两条矿化带，矿石类型为蚀变细碧岩型、黄铁绢英片岩型和石英脉型。主要的金属矿物为黄铁矿和黄铜矿，金矿物是自然金。韧脆性剪切构造叠加和岩石强烈变形、彻底退化蚀变以及后期含矿热液交代与充填是主要的成矿作用，属于火山-沉积岩系中的类卡林型金矿床。     

南秦岭夏家店卡林型金矿床构造特征与成矿关系

从地质背景、矿床地质、控矿构造分析了夏家店金矿床特征及其形成过程及成矿机理；矿床产于南秦岭陡岭古隆起边缘寒武系-震旦系碳-泥-硅质板岩及白云岩中；控矿构造具有二次韧性剪切变形、二次构造角砾岩化及二次脉体矿化的特征，显示出式样多种、性质多样、形式多变、活动期次与阶段多次叠加的特点；具体阐述了各构造作用阶段与矿化蚀变之间的关系，建立了地层建造-剪切与张裂构造-热液渗流的成矿系统。属于沉积岩系、构造、热液活动3种地质作用叠加改造的卡林型金矿床。