Self-sedimentation of phytoplankton blooms in the geologic record

Understanding the formation of laminated, organic-rich sediments is an essential topic for researchers interested in fossil fuels, biogeochemical cycles, Earth's environmental history and global change. Biologists have very recently demonstrated that some marine phytoplankton blooms actively govern their own sedimentation by the formation of sticky transparent gels that facilitate rapid aggregation, accelerated sinking and efficient export flux. Here we present fossil evidence of unfragmented, low-diversity phytoplankton assemblages preserved as sedimentary laminae and irregular flocs that are attributable to a similar phytoplankton-driven sedimentary mechanism we term ‘self-sedimentation’. The geological evidence suggests that self-sedimentation precludes significant heterotrophic grazing, propels the formation of some conspicuous hemipelagic sedimentary laminae and results in efficient carbon and opal flux to the sediments. We suggest that the self-sedimentation phenomenon may have broad implications for the geological history of biogeochemical cycling, oceanic ecological dynamics, and abrupt atmospheric/environmental change. Broader recognition of the self-sedimentation phenomenon as explicitly defined here is a prerequisite to testing these unconventional hypotheses.     

表生风化作用下多年冻土土壤的理论粒径分布

The paper discusses the distinctive features of grain size distribution of permafrost soils formed under conditions of continental lithogenesis and cryogenic weathering of rocks. As a functional consequence of surface erosion of mineral particles, the log-normal distribution of the density function of grain size is derived confirmed for any conditions and sediment types.     

Controls on modern alluvial fan processes in the central Alps,northern Italy

Alluvial fan development in Alpine areas is often affected by catastrophic sedimentary processes associated with extreme ?oods events, causing serious risks for people living on the fans. Hazard assessment in these areas depends on proper identi?cation of the dominant sedimentary processes on the fans. Data from a set of 209 alluvial fans from the central Alps of Italy are presented in this paper and analysed with the help of various statistical techniques (linear regression, principal components analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis and logistic regression). First, we used modern sedimentary facies and historical records (?ood events since 15th century), to distinguish between the two dominant sedimentary processes on alluvial fans: debris ?ows and stream?ows. Then, in order to analyse the main controls on past and present fan processes, 36 morphological, geological and land‐use variables were analysed. As with observations for arid‐environment fans, catchment morphology is the most in?uential factor in the study area, whereas geology and land use are minor controls. The role of climatic change and landsliding within the catchments also seems to be very important and is discussed. Statistical techniques also help in differentiating groups of alluvial fans by sets of controlling factors, including stage and type of evolution. Finally, by using discriminant analysis and logistic regression, we classi?ed alluvial fans according to the dominant sedimentary process, with a success rate ranging between 75 and 92 per cent. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

土体冻结过程中的盐分场研究

As to salty soil, salt migrates with water in freezing soils, assembles and crystallizes continuously. Consequently the swelling of the soil volume leads to the phenomenon of salt heaving. It has a practical significance for solving salt-heaving and frost-heaving damage in engineering to deepen the understanding of salt heaving mechanism. In this paper a general overview about new research results at this aspect was presented. And then the study of salt migration and salt heaving mechanism and present salt heaving models were summarized. For further researching the field of salt transfer it is urgent to continually strengthen the salt migration and the numerical simulation study of salt heaving mechanism to expect perfecting the general evaluation of salt heaving prediction models so as to have a better service for engineering.     

类石材料--灰泥的冻融过程

Serious failure on the slope of rock ground can be caused by a cyclic action of freezing and thawing in the cold regions. The frost susceptibility and the effect of freezing and thawing onthe rock material, however, have not been well investigated. In order to find out the freezing effect on the rock materials, mortar specimens are frozen as a pseudo-rock material under the constant rate of freezing by means of controlling the temperature of both ends of specimen. The freezing process is given one-dimensionally to the cylindrical samples in the laboratory to simulate the in-situ freezing phenomena in the natural ground. Formation of ice lens, frost heave and water intake during freezing process are observed on the mortar specimen under constant freezing rate, which probably causes cracks or large deformation in the real rock ground. The values of the velocity of elastic wave propagation are compared before and after freezing process to estimate the degree of weathering due to freezing and thawing.     

基于GIS/RS的流域水文过程分布式模拟——Ⅰ模型的原理与结构

面向流域水资源管理,提出了一个基于GIS/RS的流域分布式水文模型,模型主要包括单元水文模型与河网汇流模型两大部分。单元水文模型涉及到冠层截留、融雪、蒸散发、坡面流、非饱和土壤水运动和地下水出流等水文物理过程。产流计算考虑到地形坡度的影响采用基于地形指数的计算方法。汇流演算基于河网结构采用分段马斯京根方法。模型的大部分参数与输入信息可以利用GIS和RS技术获取,能够对气候变化和人类活动对下垫面的改变,做出快速的模拟与响应。     

人工土层冻结法加固在盾构出洞施工中的应用

软土地区盾构出洞施工中洞口土体易失稳、渗水,上海明珠线二期工程浦东大道站至张扬路站区间,隧道在盾构出洞施工中,为确保地面建筑及地下管线的安全及正常使用,首次采用了人工土层冻结加固,取得了良好的效果;本文介绍了该工程出洞口土体加固的方案选择、关键技术处理及实际取得的效果,并探讨了人工土层冻结加固在含水松软土层的地下工程中的应用前景.     

Hydro-thermal performance of multilayer capillary barriers in arid lands

In this study, a capillary barrier system was designed and tested for an arid land environment. To simulate arid land conditions of high temperature and sub-irrigation systems, the barrier was subjected to thermal and hydraulic gradients in opposite directions; to test the barrier system under these severe conditions, an experimental apparatus was designed and fabricated. The multilayer capillary barrier consisted of three layers made of silica sand, a mixture of sand and bentonite in equal portions, and a mixture of clay (25%) and aggregate (75%). Several one dimensional coupled heat and moisture tests were performed. Temperature variations along the thickness of the barrier were recorded as a function of time, and at the end of each test, the barrier was sliced into small sections, for the determination of volumetric water content as a function of distance from the heat source. The experimental results were discussed in view of the barrier's intended purpose of its ability to store moisture for long time durations. Coupled heat and moisture flow equations were developed and solved numerically via a finite difference method. Diffusivity parameters were calculated by using experimental results, a numerical model, and Powell's conjugate directions method of nonlinear optimization. The model was calibrated and the results were discussed. Good agreement between calculated and experimental results was obtained. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Simulations of a coupled hydro-chemo-mechanical system in rocks

A coupled hydro-chemo-mechanical numerical model is developed for these coupled phenomena in many engineering fields. The model has been applied to predicting the response of a stressed rockmass column to an injected reactive fluid (reagent) flow. The response includes evolutions of porosity, permeability, reagent and mineral concentrations during dissolution. In the model, the progress of dissolution is defined by the change in porosity ratio and the porosity increases with dissolution assuming there is no precipitation. The numerical evolutions of porosity, permeability, reagent and mineral concentrations during dissolution are validated against steady state solutions. The model results show that these evolutions are regulated to a certain extent by the applied external loadings: an applied extensional stress enhances the progress of the dissolution process while an applied compression stress slows the progress of the dissolution process. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

中国西部干旱区生态环境演变过程

根据湖沼沉积、黄土沉积和冰积等地质记录，运用地理信息系统、遥感、生态景观学等方法．从万年、千年和百年及百年以下四个时间尺度对中国西部干旱区生态环境演变过程进行研究。结果表明，全新世以来，中国西部干旱区的气候变化经历了多次的相对暖干和相对冷湿交替变化，变化历程较为复杂。早全新世、中全新世、晚全新世气候特点因地因时而异，但总体特征以干旱化为主，280～350a来，降水量有明显的减少趋势，并表现出显著的周期性。但在近半个世纪以来，中国天山地区的气候变化特征表现为气温升高，降水量增加。总的来说，从20世纪80年代以来，新疆的气候趋于好转，植被覆盖状况改善明显，山地森林、草甸、人工绿洲的面积均呈增加趋势。研究结果还表明，在一定尺度的气候背景条件下，地表的植被覆盖对调节绿洲区域气候有着积极的作用，可增加局部地区的降水。