Dehydration-related deformation during regional metamorphism, NW Sardinia, Italy

The relationship between deformation and dehydration has been investigated in Hercynian regionally metamorphosed rocks exposed on NW Sardinia. Two episodes of prograde mineral growth (M₁ & M₂) involving dehydration are recognized: growth of chlorite/phengite porphyroblasts at anchizone metamorphic conditions, contemporaneous with the first phase of deformation, D₁, and growth of biotite from chlorite and phengite coincident with the second phase of deformation, D₂. Deformation during both episodes of dehydration is characterized by penetrative axial planar foliations defined by well-developed phyllosilicate preferred orientations quantified by XRD textural goniometry, tight to isoclinal similar folds (interlimb angles <40°), and mineral-filled veins (hydrofractures) orientated parallel to axial planar foliations, that formed contemporaneously with the development of the penetrative foliations. No prograde mineral growth occurred during D₂ at chlorite-zone conditions. D₂ deformation in the absence of dehydration is characterized by non-penetrative crenulation cleavages, poorly developed phyllosilicate preferred orientations, relatively open (interlimb angles >40°), low-strain similar folds and minor brittle deformation. Systematic variations in macrofold interlimb angles, with respect to the timing of mineral growth, indicate that enhanced shortening (c. 80%) occurred during dehydration. Microfabrics show that the onset of dehydration is associated with the transition from a crenulation cleavage to a penetrative foliation. The presence of axial planar hydrofractures that formed coevally with dehydration and fabric development requires that supralithostatic fluid pressures and low differential stresses (<c. 20 MPa) accompanied dehydration. These features demonstrate a connection between the timing of dehydration and the style of deformation.     

The generation and redistribution of overland flow on a massive oxic soil in a eucalypt woodland within the semi-arid tropics of North Australia

There is a dearth of knowledge on the runoff processes of eucalypt woodland communities in the semi-arid tropics of Australia. The work was undertaken on a 100 m transect of a 0·8 degree hillslope typical of the ‘smooth plainlands’ of central-north Queensland. This paper introduces a new experimental design for measuring overland flow in such areas by way of a cascade system of unbounded runoff plots which allow the inputs and outputs between troughs to be calculated. Most storms generate overland flow. Time to overland flow ranges between 1 and 18 min where rain intensities are above 10mm hr⁻¹ and when the average detention storage of 3·6 mm is exceeded. The bare soil surfaces within the scattered grass understory control the runoff generation process through the temporal variability of field saturated hydraulic conductivity. The study demonstrated that overland flow is mainly redistributed over the freely-draining oxic soil. Some areas export more overland flow than they gain from upslope (runoff), others gain more overland flow than they export (runon). Over the study period only 2 per cent of total rain is transferred out of this 100 m transect as overland flow due to the short duration of storms, the relatively high soil permeability, and the low slope angle. The remainder adds to the large soil water store or deep drainage. The variability of runoff–runon over these ‘smooth plainlands’ highlights how results from bounded plots would be misleading in such areas.     

Economic evaluation of vessel traffic service (VTS): A contingent valuation study

Maritime safety has become a major concern in Korea. As an alternative to improve maritime safety, the Korean government is considering enhancing infrastructure associated with maritime safety, in the form of a vessel traffic service (VTS) facility for high density waterways. This study estimates the public value of a VTS facility construction project using the contingent valuation (CV) method. A CV survey using person-to-person interviews was administered to 400 randomly selected households to elicit their willingness to pay (WTP) for the project. Overall, the respondents accepted the contingent market, and on average, Korean households were willing to pay a significant amount toward the project. The mean WTP for the project is estimated to be approximately KRW 4149.5 (USD 3.7) per year per household, which is statistically significant. The estimate of the fiduciary benefit to Korean households is approximately KRW 11.07 billion (USD 9.91 million) per year for five years. The results are expected to be useful for policy-makers in determining the economic feasibility of a VTS.     

斑马鱼GSTM单核苷酸多态性与低温耐受性的相关分析

为分析谷胱甘肽硫-转移酶M基因(glutathione S-transferases M,GSTM)与鱼类低温耐受性的相关性,本实验运用PCR-SSCP技术研究了130尾斑马鱼(Danio rerio)GSTM基因5?UTR、3?UTR和第一内含子序列的单核苷酸多态性(Single nucleotide polymorphisms,SNPs),同时分析了筛选到的基因型与其低温耐受性状的关联性。结果显示,在其5UTR区域检测到AB、BC、AC 3种基因型个体,共A、B、C 3个等位基因,其观测杂合度和期望杂合度分别是1.000和0.570,多态信息含量为0.472,所检测群体在该座位偏离了Hardy-Weinberg平衡;第1内含子中检测到DD、DE和EE 3种基因型个体,共D、E两个等位基因,其观测杂合度和期望杂合度分别为0.408和0.477,多态信息含量为0.362,群体在该座位符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡。3'UTR区域中没有发现多态性。上述2个SNP座位与斑马鱼低温耐受性状的关联分析结果表明,5'UTR区3种基因型与低温耐受性状均没有显著相关性(χ2=4.029,P0.05)。而第1内含子3种基因型与低温耐受性状显著相关(χ2=8.498,P0.05):DD基因型在耐低温群体中占优势(50.00%),并表现为对受低温胁迫斑马鱼的保护性因素(OR=0.520,95%CI=0.255–1.061),而DE基因型在不耐低温群体中占优势(51.31%),表现为低温胁迫下斑马鱼的危险因素(OR=3.012,95%CI=1.413–6.419)。研究结果为GSTM基因SNPs位点与斑马鱼低温耐受性能关联分析提供了依据,也将为海水经济鱼类抗寒标记筛选育种提供参考。     

一种CORS站高程序列噪声识别算法

针对能量密度谱判断噪声与信号主导模态分界点性能不稳定的问题,该文提出基于夹角余弦的分界点判断方法。该方法首先利用EEMD对CORS站高程数据进行分解,其次计算原始信号与各阶模态分量的夹角余弦值,最后根据夹角余弦值的首次逆向转折位置判定噪声主导模态和信号主导模态的分界点。以4个CORS基准站近20年原始高程时间序列信号为研究对象,对噪声与信号模态分量分界点进行判定,实验结果表明采用基于夹角余弦的判定方法可以一次判断出噪声和信号模态分量的分界点。该方法应用到CORS站高程信号与噪声序列的识别中性能更加稳定。     

Latest Devonian to earliest Carboniferous conodont and carbon isotope stratigraphy of a shallow‐water sequence in South China

To improve regional and intercontinental correlation of the uppermost Devonian–lowermost Carboniferous, we examined the conodont faunas and carbon isotopic records of the Tangbagou Formation in the Qilinzhai section, southern Guizhou, South China. The Tangbagou Formation is a succession of mixed carbonate–siliciclastic rocks that accumulated on a shallow‐water platform under normal marine conditions. Seven conodont zones for shallow‐water biofacies in South China, the Cl. gilwernensis–Cl. unicornis Zone, the Po. spicatus Zone, the Si. homosimplex Zone, the Si. sinensis Zone, the Si. eurylobata Zone, the Ps. multistriatus Zone and the Po. co. porcatus Zone in ascending order, are recognized in the Tangbagou Formation. Although apparently limited in its value for global correlation, this conodont zonation is more applicable to shallow‐water biofacies in South China. Carbonate samples have yielded carbon isotopic signatures consistent with those recorded in Euroamerica sections, in particular showing four distinct characteristics: (1) the peak values of Hangenberg Carbon Isotope Excursion (HICE) during the latest Devonian, (2) a minor positive shift (P1) in the Si. homosimplex Zone during the early Tournaisian, (3) a second minor positive shift (P2) in the Si. sinensis Zone and (4) the middle Tournaisian Carbon Isotope Excursion (TICE) in the middle part of the Tangbagou Formation. The similarity in peak values (~5.5‰) and magnitude of TICE for the Qilinzhai and Belgian sections indicates that the Euro‐asia δ¹³C_carb trends may reflect the changes in global mean ocean δ¹³C_DIC, rather than having been overprinted by local carbon cycling. Integration of conodont biostratigraphy and δ¹³C stratigraphy provides a powerful tool for stratigraphic correlation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Marine debris review for Latin America and the wider Caribbean region: from the 1970s until now, and where do we go from here?

The available literature on marine debris from Latin America and the Wider Caribbean Region was collected and linked, reviewing their methodologies and principal results (quantities, composition and spatial-temporal patterns). The study region comprises 52 coastal countries of which only 14 had registers of works on marine debris. A total of 70 works were available and 69 had their full contents accessed. Brazil dominated the available literature with 70% of the documents. Beaches were the most studied environment, and plastics the prevalent form of contamination in the whole region. The exposure of marine biota (species, type of contact, consequences) was highlighted. The studied region, although still little exploited by this sort of research, shows the same contamination patterns observed world-wide. We also contacted 40 researchers in the area, collecting scientific contributions, opinions and suggestions for improvement of this research field. Further advances and new (urgently needed) lines of research are also discussed.     

Extrinsic and intrinsic forcing of fluvial development: understanding natural and anthropogenic influences

This paper introduces a special issue arising from the biennial meeting of the Fluvial Archives Group (FLAG) that took place in September 2008 in Budapest, Hungary. Combining a two-day conference and three-day field excursion, this meeting provided an excellent opportunity for presentation and discussion of recent advances in research on fluvial evolution from the Plio-Pleistocene to the historical period. This editorial seeks to place these advances within the contexts both of long-term geomorphological research and the achievements of FLAG. It thus highlights progress towards a better understanding of fluvial responses to internal and external (including anthropogenic) forcing. It also points out some of the main obstacles, which can be targeted as goals for further research. Typically these relate to observed discrepancies in fluvial system responses, such as in patterns of lateral erosion and the timing of terrace incision, despite apparently similar fluvial parameters. Possible explanations for these discrepancies are mentioned, and the potential of new methods (especially in geochronology and modelling) to clarify such discrepancies is underlined. Finally the editorial provides brief reviews of the ten papers in this special issue (many of them developed from presentations in Budapest), which cover various areas in Europe (Hungary, England, Germany, Portugal, Russia), Asia (India) and South America (Bolivian Andes), placing them, in turn, within the context of this wider review of fluvial research.     

水平定向钻进铺管孔／管直径比设计取值方法

孔／管直径比是水平定向钻进铺管工程的重要基础设计参数,其取值大小直接关系到工程的成败、效率、安全和铺设后的管道运行安全。采用力学分析方法建立的回拖阻力数值模型及开发的专用软件,可以方便快捷地对孔管直径比取值进行精确的量化评价,并能够较好地解决工程设计中的一些复杂的数值计算问题,具有良好的推广应用前景。     

山东省聊城市水资源演变形势初步探讨

以地处华北平原的缺水城市——聊城市为代表,从降水、地表水资源、地下水资源分析了该市水资源演变情势,对影响水资源变化情势的主要人类活动如城市化、水利工程拦蓄、调、引水、地下水开采等进行分析,最后得出结论：由于人类活动对区域水资源下垫面基础条件及地下水补给能力的影响改变,致使聊城市地表水,地下水资源的数量、质量及时空分布规律发生了显著变化。