Surface roughness and geological mapping at subhectometer scale from the High Resolution Stereo Camera onboard Mars Express

The quantitative measurement of surface roughness of planetary surfaces at all scales provides insights into geological processes. A characterization of roughness variations at the scale of a few tens of meters is proposed that complements the analysis of local topographic data of the martian surface at kilometer scale, as achieved from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data, and at the subcentimeter scale using photometric properties derived from multi-angular observations. Relying on a Gabor filtering process, an algorithm developed in the context of image classification for the purpose of texture analysis has been adapted to handle data from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC). The derivation of roughness within a wavelength range of tens of meters, combined with analyses at even longer wavelengths, gives an original view of the martian surface. The potential of this approach is evaluated for different examples for which the geological processes are identified and the geological units are mapped and characterized in terms of roughness.     

Holocene colluvial (debris‐flow and water‐flow) processes in eastern Norway: stratigraphy,chronology and palaeoenvironmental implications

Very little is known about the temporal pattern and the palaeoenvironmental implications of Holocene colluvial processes (debris‐flow and water‐flow processes) in eastern Norway. In this study, well‐dated sedimentary successions from 19 deep excavations are used to reconstruct Holocene colluvial activity in upper Gudbrandsdalen, eastern Norway. Following deglaciation, debris‐flow and water‐flow events have been common in upper Gudbrandsdalen throughout the Holocene, with 62% of the recognised debris‐flow and water‐flow units deposited prior to 5000 cal. yr BP. Relatively high colluvial activity is recorded at ca. 8600–7400, 2400–1900 and 800–400 cal. yr BP, with a conspicuous peak at ca. 8500–8100. Periods of relatively low colluvial activity are recorded at ca. 7100–6500, 5900–5300 and 3500–2500 cal. yr BP. Two different weather situations, unusually heavy rains and warm periods during the snowmelt season, are responsible for triggering colluvial processes in this area. These different weather situations may in turn be related to different climatic conditions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predicting river water temperatures using stochastic models: case study of the Moisie River (Québec,Canada)

Successful applications of stochastic models for simulating and predicting daily stream temperature have been reported in the literature. These stochastic models have been generally tested on small rivers and have used only air temperature as an exogenous variable. This study investigates the stochastic modelling of daily mean stream water temperatures on the Moisie River, a relatively large unregulated river located in Québec, Canada. The objective of the study is to compare different stochastic approaches previously used on small streams to relate mean daily water temperatures to air temperatures and streamflow indices. Various stochastic approaches are used to model the water temperature residuals, representing short‐term variations, which were obtained by subtracting the seasonal components from water temperature time‐series. The first three models, a multiple regression, a second‐order autoregressive model, and a Box and Jenkins model, used only lagged air temperature residuals as exogenous variables. The root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) for these models varied between 0·53 and 1·70 °C and the second‐order autoregressive model provided the best results. A statistical methodology using best subsets regression is proposed to model the combined effect of discharge and air temperature on stream temperatures. Various streamflow indices were considered as additional independent variables, and models with different number of variables were tested. The results indicated that the best model included relative change in flow as the most important streamflow index. The RMSE for this model was of the order of 0·51 °C, which shows a small improvement over the first three models that did not include streamflow indices. The ridge regression was applied to this model to alleviate the potential statistical inadequacies associated with multicollinearity. The amplitude and sign of the ridge regression coefficients seem to be more in agreement with prior expectations (e.g. positive correlation between water temperature residuals of different lags) and make more physical sense. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The geotectonic characteristics and geodynamic evolution of the Red Sea Rift and its adjacent areasSCIEI北大核心CSCD

红海是地球上最年轻的大洋,其板块构造活动正处于威尔逊旋回的幼年期。红海南北两端分别连接着威尔逊旋回的胚胎期和终结期,即东非大裂谷和地中海。这一独特的地理位置和构造部位使其成为板块构造理论研究的圣地。本文通过对已有的地质、地球物理和地球化学资料进行综合分析,了解了红海地区的地形、重磁异常和沿脊的玄武岩地球化学组成等地质构造特征,探讨了红海裂谷的洋壳分布、地幔源区不均一性以及扩张演化历史等问题。红海地形中间深、南北两端浅,可以分为北、中北、中南、南等四段。重磁异常的条带主要出现在中南段,其他段不明显,因而限制了以往对红海扩张历史的认识。目前认为红海全段存在洋壳,红海两岸的沿岸悬崖是共轭扩张陆缘,呈向南开口的喇叭型扩张,而非对应红海岸线的梭子型。红海裂谷沿脊的地幔源区具有明显的不均一性,南段玄武岩显示E-MORB特征,表现为阿法尔地幔柱的影响。红海的发育经历了裂谷前火山作用(31~29Ma)、大陆张裂(29~13Ma)和洋底扩张(<13Ma)三个主要阶段。红海裂谷的形成演化与非洲大陆的裂解、阿法尔地幔柱的活动、新特提斯洋的闭合等密切相关,了解红海的地球动力学过程将为揭示区域大地构造演化以及板块运动规律提供依据。     

Effects of the undecomposed layer and semi-decomposed layer of Quercus variabilis litter on the soil erosion process and the eroded sediment particle size distribution

Simulated rainfall experiments were performed on bare, undecomposed litter layer and semi-decomposed litter layer slopes with litter biomasses of 0, 50, 100 and 150 g m⁻², respectively, to evaluate the effect of the undecomposed layer and semi-decomposed layer of Quercus variabilis litter on the soil erosion process and the particle size distribution of eroded sediment. The undecomposed layer and semi-decomposed layer of litter reduced the runoff rate by 10.91–27.04% and 12.91–36.05%, respectively, and the erosion rate by 13.35–40.98% and 17.16–59.46%, respectively. The percentage of smaller particles (clay and fine silt particles) decreased and the percentage of larger particles (coarse silt and sand particles) increased with an increased rainfall duration on all treated slopes, while the extent of the eroded sediment particle content varied among the treated slopes with the rainfall duration, with bare slopes exhibiting the largest variability, followed by undecomposed litter layer slopes and finally semi-decomposed litter layer slopes. The clay and sand particles were transported as aggregates, and fine silt and coarse silt particles were transported as primary particles. Compared with the original soil, sediment eroded from all treated slopes was mainly enriched in smaller particles. Furthermore, the loss of the smaller particles from the undecomposed litter layer slopes was lower than that from the semi-decomposed litter layer slopes, indicating that the undecomposed litter layer alleviated soil coarsening to some extent. The findings from this study improve our understanding of how litter regulates slope erosion and provide a reference for effectively controlling soil erosion.     

Using stable isotopes to identify major flow pathways in a permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope during summer rainfall period

Global warming has leaded to permafrost degradation, with potential impacts on the runoff generation processes of permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope. Stable isotopes have the potential to trace the complex runoff generation processes. In this study, precipitation, hillslope surface and subsurface runoff, stream water, and mobile soil water (MSW) at different hillslope positions and depths were collected during the summer rainfall period to analyse the major flow pathway based on stable isotopic signatures. The results indicated that (a) compared with precipitation, the δ²H values of MSW showed little temporal variation but strong heterogeneity with enriched isotopic ratios at lower hillslope positions and in deeper soil layers. (b) The δ²H values of middle-slope surface runoff and shallow subsurface flow were similar to those of precipitation and MSW of the same soil layer, respectively. (c) Middle-slope shallow subsurface flow was the major flow pathway of the permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope, which turned into surface runoff at the riparian zone before contributing to the streamflow. (d) The slight variation of δ²H values in stream water was shown to be related to mixing processes of new water (precipitation, 2%) and old water (middle-slope shallow subsurface flow, 98%) in the highly transmissive shallow thawed soil layers. It was inferred that supra-permafrost water levels would be lowered to a less conductive, deeper soil layer under further warming and thawing permafrost, which would result in a declined streamflow and delayed runoff peak. This study explained the “rapid mobilization of old water” paradox in permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope and improved our understanding of permafrost hillslope hydrology in alpine regions.     

Preliminary evaluation of the runoff processes in a remote montane cloud forest basin using Mixing Model Analysis and Mean Transit Time

In this study, the Mean Transit Time and Mixing Model Analysis methods are combined to unravel the runoff generation process of the San Francisco River basin (73.5 km²) situated on the Amazonian side of the Cordillera Real in the southernmost Andes of Ecuador. The montane basin is covered with cloud forest, sub‐páramo, pasture and ferns. Nested sampling was applied for the collection of streamwater samples and discharge measurements in the main tributaries and outlet of the basin, and for the collection of soil and rock water samples. Weekly to biweekly water grab samples were taken at all stations in the period April 2007–November 2008. Hydrometric data, Mean Transit Time and Mixing Model Analysis allowed preliminary evaluation of the processes controlling the runoff in the San Francisco River basin. Results suggest that flow during dry conditions mainly consists of lateral flow through the C‐horizon and cracks in the top weathered bedrock layer, and that all subcatchments have an important contribution of this deep water to runoff, no matter whether pristine or deforested. During normal to low precipitation intensities, when antecedent soil moisture conditions favour water infiltration, vertical flow paths to deeper soil horizons with subsequent lateral subsurface flow contribute most to streamflow. Under wet conditions in forested catchments, streamflow is controlled by near surface lateral flow through the organic horizon. Exceptionally, saturation excess overland flow occurs. By absence of the litter layer in pasture, streamflow under wet conditions originates from the A horizon, and overland flow. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

扩散年代学原理及其在岩浆体系研究中的应用SCIEI北大核心CSCD

扩散年代学是近年来发展极为迅速的一种研究特定过程持续时间的方法,目前已在岩浆体系研究中得到了极大的应用。该方法利用精细的原位测试分析技术研究扩散环带,模拟各种岩浆过程中再平衡的时间尺度。本文对这种方法的原理、发展简史和研究基础做了全面的回顾,重点介绍了其在限定岩浆喷发各个过程时间尺度上的运用,包括岩浆分异和岩浆混合后在岩浆房中的滞留,喷发前岩浆从浅部岩浆房上升至地表过程,以及岩浆同化混染和去气作用。最后,对扩散年代学应用中可能存在的问题进行了讨论,包括如何选择扩散体系,如何区分生长与扩散效应,如何正确认识扩散的边界条件和各向异性等。     

陆面过程与天气研究

陆面作为大气运动的下边界,通过动量、热量及物质交换与大气发生复杂的相互作用。陆面过程被认为是影响天气气候的关键过程之一。关于陆面过程对气候的影响已经开展了大量较为深入的研究,相比之下,针对陆面过程对天气的影响研究并没有受到足够的重视。近年来,陆面过程与天气研究也开始受到了越来越多的关注。本文从陆面基本要素、下垫面构成、陆面诱发的局地环流3个方面,回顾了土壤湿度、地形、土地利用、山谷-平原环流等要素和过程对强对流、暴雨、台风、高温热浪等天气事件影响研究的相关进展,以期为今后的研究提供参考。需要指出,尽管此方面的研究已取得了一定进展,但关于陆面过程对天气,尤其是极端(高影响)天气的影响及机制还有待深入研究,进而从陆面过程的角度来理解重要天气形成、发生和发展的机理,从而为数值模式发展和天气预报业务提供更有力的科学支撑。