Effects of bed perturbation and velocity asymmetry on ripple initiation: wave-flume experiments

Laboratory experiments using a wave flume were designed to examine the threshold condition for ripple formation under asymmetrical oscillatory flows on an artificially roughened bed. Three types of sand beds were prepared in the experiments: they were flat, notched, and notch-mounded beds with bed roughness increasing in this order. The beds were constructed with three kinds of well-sorted sand with similar density, but different diameters. Data analyses were made using the two dimensionless parameters: the mobility number, M, a simplified form of the Shields number, and the Ursell number, U, a surrogate for asymmetry of flow field. The result confirmed that the threshold for ripple initiation is decreased with increasing bed perturbation and that as the bed perturbation increases, the dependency of this threshold on the flow asymmetry becomes less and finally null for the notch-mounded bed. This relationship is quantified by the following equations: M=17−14.5e^−0.03U on the flat bed, M=5.0−2.5e^−0.1U for the notched bed, and M=2.5 for the notch-mounded bed. A comparison between the previous field data and the present laboratory findings indicates that the threshold in the notch-mounded bed experiment, M=2.5, seems to provide a critical condition for rippling in the natural environment.     

Remote gully erosion mapping using aster data and geomorphologic analysis in the Main Ethiopian Rift

The Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) is an area of extreme topography underlain by post-Miocene volcanic rocks, Jurassic limestone and a Precambrian basement. A prime concern is the rapid expansion of wide gullies that are impinging on agricultural land. We investigate the potential contribution of Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data and geomorphologic parameters to discern patterns and features of gully erosion in the MER. Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Minimum Distance (MD) classifiers are used to extract different gully shapes and patterns. Several spatial textures based on Grey Level Co-occurrence Matrices (GLCMs) are then generated. Afterwards, the same classifiers are applied to the ASTER data combined with the spatial texture information. We used geomorphologic parameters extracted from SRTM and ASTER DEMs to describe the geomorphologic setting and the gullies’ shapes. The classifications show accuracies varying between 67% and 89%. Maps derived from this quantitative analysis allow the monitoring and mapping of land degradation as a direct result of gully-widening. This study reveals the utility of combining ASTER data and spatial textural information in discerning areas affected by gully erosion.     

Comparing terrain and vegetation-based visibility for explaining sable flight behaviour in a Southern African savanna

In this study, we tested whether terrain-based visibility modelled from a remotely sensed ASTER Digital Elevation Model (DEM) explains sable flight initiation distance (FID) better than vegetation-based visibility measured in the field. We also tested whether the effect of hunting on sable FID varies with spatial scale. We first performed a linear regression analysis relating FID to standardized coefficients of both vegetation- and terrain-based visibility where the variable with the larger coefficient was the better predictor of FID. We latter performed an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) comparing the slopes relating FID to both measures of visibility, first at the large scale and later at the small scale within the hunting area. Our results suggest that remotely sensed terrain-based visibility predicts the FID of sable better than vegetation-based visibility. We also found that the effect of hunting on sable FID varies with spatial scale.     

基于DEM的延安市沟道提取

利用2013年TM遥感图像对基于DEM提取的沟道网络进行人工识别修正后,获取延安市大于或等于1km的沟道总长为35 919km。沟道提取采用单流向坡面流模拟方法中的D8算法,包括填洼处理、流向分析、汇流分析和提取流域特征4个步骤。     

露天矿高台阶爆破的数值分析

高台阶爆破可行性研究属于多因素影响、复杂的系统工程。针对高台阶爆破的研究现状,提出了从爆破机制角度证实高台阶爆破可行性的方法,基于数值模拟方法对台阶爆破过程进行分析。通过对比现行普通台阶爆破与高台阶爆破过程中台阶难爆部位（台阶底部与顶部）应力场变化趋势,发现采用高台阶爆破可以得到与普通台阶爆破相当或更好的爆破效果。从爆破机制角度证实,高台阶爆破技术在巴润铁矿具有可行性。数值分析结果表明,高台阶爆破时采用的最佳起爆方式为全药柱同时起爆方式,其次为中间起爆和两端起爆方式,不适宜采用孔底起爆方式。     

基于GIS的侵蚀冲沟与地貌因子的关系

冲沟是多种外力作用的结果,展示为多种地貌现象。选择胶东半岛北岩子口小流域作为研究对象,以正射影像（DOM）和数字高程模型（DEM）为数据源,选择土地利用、地形湿度指数、坡度坡长因子、水流动力指数、坡向、平面曲率和地表粗糙度等7个地貌因子,计算小流域土壤侵蚀敏感性,研究侵蚀冲沟与地貌因子的关系。结果表明:冲沟多发生在坡度坡长较大、水流动力强、地表湿度较低的林草地区域,多分布在阳坡的凹面;冲沟大多分布在土壤侵蚀中等敏感性及以上的区域,约占总冲沟的96.4%;在土壤侵蚀中等敏感性及以上区域,实验权重值对验证区冲沟分布的响应精度为87.9%,与实际值93.3%相差较小,精度较高。研究结果可为区域内冲沟侵蚀的评价提供一定科学依据。     

Balkas – a new look at a common landform of the East European Plain,from a Quaternary perspective

Balkas (large Quaternary gullies) of the south‐western part of the East European Plain (and their analogues in Central and Western Europe) are considered in terms of their geomorphology, lithology, sedimentology, modern surface processes, stratigraphy and palaeogeography. Features attributed to balkas in comparison with regular gullies and small river valleys are described. Balkas are widespread elements of the modern landscape with the same characteristic gentle‐concave bottom as regular gullies, and with or without weakly incised river channels. Buried gully incisions of different ages (post‐Gelasian) with the same shape are also revealed below modern Balkas. They are infilled by characteristic balka alluvial, slope and even lacustrine‐bog deposits, in places representing compound sequences of fluvial‐aeolian sedimentation. The fluvial part reflects multiple series of ephemeral episodes of increased water and sediment supply within temporary streams. Two conspicuous series supposedly fall within the final stages of the Dnieper (late Middle Pleistocene) and Valdai (Late Pleistocene) glaciations. Different ideas concerning the increase of surface runoff and erodibility of soils that might favour active balkas under conditions of land‐ice decay and permafrost, including its degradation, are discussed. The development of balkas included relatively short phases of incision and accumulation interrupted by much longer periods of inactivity, when they were subjected to surface processes in a subaerial environment or left as a relic. However, during active phases they served as important and powerful depositories and arteries of rill–gully–balka sedimentation systems, collecting and transmitting eroded material to the river valleys. These phases are related to climatic oscillations and were to some degree independent of fluvial processes affecting the permanent streams. Most of the Middle‐Late Pleistocene balkas retained their primary features, having subsequently been incorporated into the erosional network. In contrast, some of them were totally infilled and disappeared from the landscape. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

汶川震区龙门山镇高架子沟“8·18”泥石流灾害机理与特征

2012年8月18日四川省彭州市龙门山镇地区遭受50年一遇的暴雨,引发大规模群发性泥石流灾害,其中以高架子沟最为突出,导致银厂沟内居民生活和交通严重受损。本文据现场调查和航空影像解译,分析高架子沟流域、物源特征的基础上讨论该次泥石流的演化过程、启动方式及灾害机理。结果表明：高架子沟在震前是一条非泥石流沟,震后流域内物源丰富,泥石流形成及演化过程为：地震-滑坡、崩塌-降雨-泥石流,其成灾启动过程包括启动阶段、加速阶段、下切拉槽阶段、堆积四个阶段,启动模式为沟床启动型。该泥石流形成过程中,＂消防水管效应＂使沟道水流快速集中,并强烈冲刷沟床中的松散堆积体,导致沟床固体物质移动形成大规模的泥石流灾害。     

EVALUATION OF RILL AND EPHEMERAL GULLY EROSION IN CULTIVATED AREAS OF NAVARRE （SPAIN）

Although there is much evidence of intense soil erosion in cultivated areas of Navarre （Spain）, scarce information currently is available regarding soil loss rates, the spatial and temporal distribution of erosion, and the factors controlling these processes. Rills and ephemeral gullies are frequently responsible for a high percentage of total soil erosion, and these features can be considered a good approximation for the minimum erosion rates. With the main purpose of determining the annual soil loss rates in cultivated areas of Central Navarre, a detailed assessment of rainfall and rill and gully erosion was made in 19 small watersheds cultivated with winter grains or vineyards. The study period spanned from 1995 to 2001. For cereal watersheds, soil losses were caused by only one or two rainfall events each year. High erosion rates were observed （0.20-11.50 kg/m^2 per year）. In vineyards, soil losses were caused by several rainfall events each year, occurring year round. High erosion rates were observed in these vineyards （0.33 y 16.19 kg/m^2 per year）. No erosion was observed in those cultivated watersheds with no-till practices. It can be concluded that rill and ephemeral gully erosion can be very significant in Mediterranean regions, and much more attention should be paid to the problem.