Cluster analysis on summer precipitation field over Qinghai–Tibet Plateau from 1961 to 2004

The summer day-by-day precipitation data of 97 meteorological stations on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau from 1961 to 2004 were selected to analyze the temporal-spatial dis-tribution through accumulated variance, correlation analysis, regression analysis, empirical orthogonal function, power spectrum function and spatial analysis tools of GIS. The result showed that summer precipitation occupied a relatively high proportion in the area with less annual precipitation on the Plateau and the correlation between summer precipitation and annual precipitation was strong. The altitude of these stations and summer precipitation ten-dency presented stronger positive correlation below 2000 m, with correlation value up to 0.604 (α=0.01). The subtracting tendency values between 1961–1983 and 1984–2004 at five altitude ranges (2000–2500 m, 2500–3000 m, 3500–4000 m, 4000–4500 m and above 4500 m) were above zero and accounted for 71.4% of the total. Using empirical orthogonal function, summer precipitation could be roughly divided into three precipitation pattern fields: the Southeast Plateau Pattern Field, the Northeast Plateau Pattern field and the Three Rivers' Headstream Regions Pattern Field. The former two ones had a reverse value from the north to the south and opposite line was along 35°N. The potential cycles of the three pattern fields were 5.33a, 21.33a and 2.17a respectively, tested by the confidence probability of 90%. The station altitudes and summer precipitation potential cycles presented strong negative corre-lation in the stations above 4500 m, with correlation value of –0.626 (α=0.01). In Three Rivers Headstream Regions summer precipitation cycle decreased as the altitude rose in the sta-tions above 3500 m and increased as the altitude rose in those below 3500 m. The empirical orthogonal function analysis in June precipitation, July precipitation and August precipitation showed that the June precipitation pattern field was similar to the July’s, in which southern Plateau was positive and northern Plateau negative. But positive value area in July precipita-tion pattern field was obviously less than June’s. The August pattern field was totally opposite to June’s and July’s. The positive area in August pattern field jumped from the southern Pla-teau to the northern Plateau.     

分布式侵蚀预报模型中网格面积的选定——以黄土高原丘陵沟壑区为例

在分布式土壤侵蚀过程模型中 ,承载数据以及进行运算的最小单元 ,即基本地块的选取是非常关键的 ,它直接关系到模型的模拟精度和运算数据量。目前大多数分布式模型都采用平均布设矩形网格的方法 ,这种方法在基本网格的大小选取上存在着盲目性和不统一性。本文以黄土高原丘陵沟壑区为例 ,利用GIS和SPSS分析了黄土高原丘陵沟壑区属性均一的基本地块在面积上的统计规律 ,给出了基本地块选取的合理依据 ,以促进建立更好的分布式模型     

Moment tensors of earthquakes in and near the Tibetan Plateau and their scaling law

Moment tensors of eleven major earthquakes in the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding region from 1966 to 1980 are estimated by generalized inverse technique. The seismic source time function and focal depth are immediately determined in the inversion. The results show that moment tensors of some events differ significantly from double couple, the deviation increases with decreasing plunge angle of null axis. All these events occurred in the upper crust, much shallower than those reported so far, for example, in NEIS Bulletin. Focal mechanism solution obtained from the moment tensors are consistent with the idea that the Indian plate collides northwards with the Eurasian plate and that an eastward spreading exists in the crust of the Tibetan Plateau. The stress drops for earthquakes of intraplate are systematically higher than those of earthquakes in suture zone. The source process duration becomes longer with seismic moment, but for the same seismic moment, the process duration for earthquakes in suture zone is about 1.4 times of those for intraplate event, these results suggest that the earthquakes near suture zone may be of a special characteristics in source process differently from those in intraplate. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,14, 423 – 434, 1992.     

Origin of the salt valleys in the Canyonlands section of the Colorado Plateau: Evaporite-dissolution collapse versus tectonic subsidence

The salt valleys over the axis of the salt-cored anticlines in the Paradox fold and fault belt (Canyonlands, Utah and Colorado) are created by subsidence of the anticline crests. Traditionally, the collapse of the anticlinal crests was attributed to dissolution of the salt walls (diapirs) forming the anticline cores. Recent studies based on scaled physical models and field observations propose that the salt valleys are a result of regional extension and that salt dissolution had only a minor influence in the development of the axial depressions. This paper presents several arguments and lines of evidence that refute the tectonic model and support the salt dissolution subsidence interpretation.The development of contractional structures in salt dissolution experiments led the advocates of the tectonic interpretation to reject the dissolution-induced subsidence explanation. However, these salt dissolution models do not reproduce the karstification of salt walls in a realistic way, since their analog involves removal of salt from the base of the diapirs during the experiments. Additionally, numerous field examples and laboratory models conducted by other authors indicate that brittle subsidence in karst settings is commonly controlled by subvertical gravity faults.Field evidence against the regional extension model includes (1) a thick cap rock at the top of the salt walls, (2) the concentration of subsidence deformation structures along the crest of the anticlines (salt walls), (3) deformational structures not consistent with the proposed NNE extension, like crestal synforms and NE–SW grabens, (4) dissolution-induced subsidence structures controlled by ring faulting, revealing deep-seated dissolution, (5) large blocks foundered several hundred meters into the salt wall, (6) evidence of recent and active dissolution subsidence, and (7) the aseismic nature of the recently active collapse faults. Although underground salt dissolution seems to be the main cause for the generation of the salt valleys, this phenomenon may have been favored by regional extension tectonics that enhance the circulation of groundwater and salt dissolution.     

黄土高原地区土地覆盖变化对气候的反馈作用数值模拟

区域尺度土地覆盖变化是自然变化和人类活动共同驱动的结果,同时又对区域气候环境产生反馈。利用欧洲中值数值预报中心（ECMWF） ERA-Interim再分析资料,驱动RegCM4.5区域气候模式,进行了两个时间段（1980-2014、2005-2014）的数值模拟试验。以1：250 000土地利用图为基础,结合植被图、土壤图制作具有高精度、极强现势性的土地覆盖资料,区域模式中陆面过程模式采用BATS,模拟了现实的土地覆盖改变对气候要素的影响,分析了黄土高原地区土地覆盖变化对气候的反馈作用。结果表明：（1） RegCM4.5不但能够较好描述黄土高原气温、降水的时间空间分布特征,也能够模拟土地覆盖变化对黄土高原局地气候变化的反馈。（2）不同土地覆盖变化特征对气候反馈作用不同,荒漠化会引起局部地区气温升高和降水减少,并通过正反馈机制,致使自然植被生长发育受阻;水域旱化会导致夏季气温升高和降水增加,从而加剧干旱洪涝灾害风险;草地覆盖增加会导致春夏季降水量与气温的降低,秋冬季降水量与气温升高。（3）土地覆盖变化对气温与降水的影响在夏季较强。该研究可促进对黄土高原生态治理环境效应的理解,也能深化对土地利用-气候变化之间互馈作用的过程认识,并为区域生态建设对策选择提供参考。     

青藏高原东部多年冻土退化对环境的影响

退化是本区多年冻土变化的基本趋势，不同区段退化幅度有差异，影响退化的因素除了全球气候转暖外，还有局地气候和地下水迳流。在退化敏感的地带，工程建设，牧区生态平衡都有不可忽视的影响。     

黄土高原沟谷地貌发育演化研究进展与展望

黄土沟谷是黄土地貌中最有活力、最具变化、最富特色的对象单元,黄土高原千沟万壑的地貌形态以及触目惊心的侵蚀状态也让区域内沟谷地貌的形成、发育及演化问题成为研究中焦点及前沿性科学问题。近年来,诸多学者采用地学测年法、特征表达法、监测模拟法力图实现对黄土沟谷发育演化进程中“过去-现代-未来”的科学认知。这些研究在相当程度上丰富了黄土沟谷发育过程的认知。本文梳理了黄土高原沟谷地貌演化相关研究的现状,并从黄土高原地貌演化、黄土沟谷发育、基于DEM的沟谷信息提取与表达等研究进行了系统的回顾、梳理与分析。此外,本文提出“黄土沟道剖面群组”概念与方法,试图从新的视角审视黄土沟谷地貌发育演化过程。沟道剖面在黄土沟谷发育演化进程中传递物质能量和累积地形动力,并通过径流节点的串联实现剖面群的连接与组合,形成独特的剖面“群组”模式;该沟道剖面群组是集黄土沟谷地貌特征与过程于一体的综合信息集成体,其三维空间结构是对黄土沟谷地貌发育演化的高度抽象与映射,并可望进一步丰富黄土高原数字地形分析理论与方法体系,为黄土高原黄土地貌成因机理与空间分异格局带来创新的认识。     

半干旱黄土丘陵区人工植被深层土壤干化效应

科学评估不同植被恢复模式的土壤干化效应是目前黄土高原生态恢复一个亟需解决的关键问题。本文以半干旱黄土丘陵区14种典型人工植被为例,通过构建土壤水分相对亏缺指数CSWDI和样地土壤水分相对亏缺指数PCSWDI,定量评估了不同植被深层土壤干化效应。研究发现:除农地和撂荒草地外,各植被深层土壤水分均随土层深度的增加而升高,深层土壤水分含量同土层深度之间呈一元线性关系。不同人工植被深层土壤相对干化程度存在差异,以油松林地最高,杨树侧柏混交林地最低。不同植被类型受其自身蒸腾耗水、根系特征和耕作等影响,土壤干化的程度在剖面上存在差异,但总体趋势为随深度增加而降低。针阔叶植被配置模式土壤水分状况要稍好于阔叶纯林的配置模式。     

常量元素氧化物含量及其比值揭示的中晚全新世以来玛曲高原的环境演变

对玛曲高原具有代表性的黄土-古土壤-风成砂剖面(OL剖面)常量元素氧化物含量及其比值的地球化学特征分析表明:(1)常量元素氧化物总含量为91.93%且SiO₂(67.93%) >Al₂O₃(11.2%) >Fe₂O₃(3.97%) >CaO(3.76%)>K₂O(2.16%) >Na₂O(1.81%) >MgO(1.1%);(2)玛曲高原处于较弱的脱Ca、Na初级风化阶段,并伴有碳酸盐的淋失;(3)玛曲高原的气候经历了冷干-凉润-温湿-凉干的冷暖旋回。依据常量元素氧化物含量及其比值揭示的环境特征并结合¹⁴C测年将玛曲高原中晚全新世以来的环境演变划分为4.6 ka BP以前的风沙活动强烈期、4.6～4.3 ka BP的风沙活动较弱期、4.3～0.3 ka BP的固结成壤期和0.3 ka BP至今的风沙活动增强期4个阶段。     

Diurnal surface temperature difference index derived from ground-based meteorological measurements for assessment of moisture availability

Droughts have become widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, including in China, where they have affected farmland resources on the Loess Plateau. Given this background, we proposed a new index, the Normalized Day-Night Surface Temperature Index (NTDI), to estimate moisture availability (m_a), defined as the ratio of actual to reference evapotranspiration. The NTDI is defined as the ratio of the difference between the maximum daytime surface temperature and the minimum nighttime surface temperature, to the difference between the maximum and minimum surface temperatures estimated from meteorological data by applying energy balance equations.To calculate the index, we used data of 20 clear-sky meteorological observations made during the 2005 growing season at a natural grassland station in the Liudaogou River basin on the Loess Plateau. The NTDI showed a significant inverse exponential correlation with m_a (R² = 0.97, p < 0.001), whereas the numerator of the index (the maximum daytime surface temperature minus the minimum nighttime surface temperature) was only weakly correlated with m_a (R² = 0.24, p = 0.03). This result indicates that normalization relative to the index denominator (maximum surface temperature − minimum surface temperature) dramatically improved the accuracy of the estimate.