CORRECTION FACTORS IN THE DETERMINATION OF MEAN VELOCITY OF OVERLAND FLOW

The velocity of overland flow has been conventionally measured using tracers, but it is difficult to measure the mean flow velocity directly because the centroid of the tracer plume is not easily identified. Consequently, previous investigators have measured the velocity of the leading edge of the plume and multiplied it by a correction factor α to obtain an estimate of mean velocity. An alternative method is to measure the velocity of the peak concentration in the tracer plume and multiply this velocity by another correction factor β to estimate mean velocity. To investigate the controls of α and β and develop predictive models for these correction factors, 40 experiments were performed in a flume with a mobile sand bed. Multiple regression analyses reveal that both α and β vary inversely with slope and directly with Reynolds number. The derived regression equations may be used to calculate the mean velocity of other shallow overland flows, at least within the range of slope and Reynolds number for which the equations were developed. In the experiments, slope ranged from 2.7;° to 10° and Reynolds number from 1900 to 12 600.     

The formation of a geometrical ridge network by the surge-type glacier Kongsvegen,Svalbard

Traditionally, geometrical ridge networks are interpreted as the product of the flow of subglacial sediment into open basal crevasses at the cessation of a glacier surge (‘crevasse-fill’ ridges). They are widely regarded as a characteristic landform of glacier surges. Understanding the range of processes by which these ridge networks form is therefore of importance in the recognition of palaeosurges within the landform record. The geometrical ridge network at the surge-type glacier Kongsvegen in Svalbard, does not form by crevasse filling. The networks consist of transverse and longitudinal ridges that can be seen forming at the current ice margin. The transverse ridges form as a result of the incorporation of basal debris along thrust planes within the ice. The thrusts were apparently formed during a glacier surge in 1948. Longitudinal ridges form through the meltout of elongated pods of debris, which on the glacier surface are subparallel to the ice foliation and pre-date the surge. This work adds to the range of landforms associated with glacier surges.     

Selection of scale can reverse the importance of stochastic controls on community assembly

Reconciling the long-standing debate on the importance of niche-related and neutral factors on community assembly, recent research suggests that both deterministic and stochastic processes operate simultaneously along a continuum in many biogeographical systems. In particular, stochastic processes seem to lose importance under stressful conditions, which results in the increasing influence of deterministic counterparts. In this paper, I show that, at local scales, this stochasticity–stress relationship can be reversed along the environmental stress gradients within a salt marsh: stochasticity manifested under harshness. Here, low-lying, more stressful sites contained all of the plant species of the local pool (i.e. a greater chance of ecological drift), whereas high-elevation, less stressful sites exhibited reduced species richness due to competitive exclusion (i.e. a lower chance of ecological drift). I conclude that determining whether the importance of stochasticity in shaping community structure is greater under benign or harsh conditions depends on the scale of interest.     

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地秋季陆面过程特征

利用塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地塔中2014年10月的秋季涡动通量数据,分析了塔中秋季陆面过程通量变化特征。结果表明：（1）塔中秋季10月净辐射R_n、感热通量H、潜热通量LE、地表土壤热通量G₀峰值依次为273.0、141.6、5.0、105.0 W·m^-2,平均日总量依次为2.85、2.68、0.08、-0.57 MJ·m^-2,净辐射能量分配以感热能量输送为主。（2）不同典型天气下,净辐射日总量扬沙>晴天>阴天>降水;阴天、扬沙天气H随R_n不同程度削减而减少,降水天气潜热增多导致日变化特征有别于其他天气。（3）10月能量闭合率为79.0%,不同天气能量闭合率阴天>晴天>扬沙>降水,依次为86.8%、83.4%、79.4%、71.4%。（4）地表反照率晴天呈“U”型变化,阴天和扬沙天气地表反照率趋势变缓发生波动现象,降水天气波动较大,趋势先降低后回升。（5）月平均热通量日间为正值,夜间为负值。日间能量闭合率为73.9%,夜间为50.8%,存在较高的能量不闭合。     

干旱区沙漠与河流复合地貌过程研究进展

沙漠-河流过渡带是独特的地理单元,在世界主要沙漠中普遍存在,河岸沙丘地貌发育过程是其独特性的突出表现。一方面,河流通过提供物源和场所控制河岸沙丘地貌的发育过程与格局,另一方面,沙丘发育过程改变河道。本文回顾了沙漠与河流复合地貌过程研究取得的重要进展,包括沙漠与河流交互关系、沙漠和河流交互尺度以及河岸沙丘地貌形成与发育过程等。但水系变迁与沙漠演化、沙丘复杂性与河谷形态之间的关系,以及如何建构沙漠河岸风水复合地貌过程模型等问题,将是未来需要突破的难题,这有助于促进风沙地貌与流水地貌的高度融合,丰富沙漠科学和干旱区水文的理论体系。     

病态数据处理的岭估计迭代解法

岭估计通常无法单次计算使得均方误差达到最小,因此提出岭估计迭代法。将岭估计参数估值代入平差模型,更新观测向量,再次用岭估计法求解参数。依此迭代,每次迭代计算方差和偏差,当均方误差达到最小或收敛时终止。模拟算例验证结果表明,该方法有效、可行。     

Threshold sediment flux for the formation of river deltas in Hainan Island,southern China

Journal of Geographical Sciences - The knowledge of geomorphological evolution from an estuary to a river delta is necessary to form the formulation of comprehensive land-ocean interaction...     

Probabilistic modeling of ship powering performance using full-scale operational data

The energy efficiency of ocean-going vessels can be increased through various operational considerations, such as improved cargo arrangements and weather routing. The first step toward the goal of maximizing the energy efficiency is to analyze how the ship's powering performance changes under different operational settings and weather conditions. However, existing analytical models and empirical methods have limitations in reliably estimating the powering performance of full-scale ships in real operating conditions. In this study, machine learning techniques are employed to estimate the powering performance of a full-scale ship by constructing regression models using the ship's operational data. In order to minimize the risk of overfitting in the regression process, domain knowledge based on physical principles is combined into the regression models. Also, the uncertainty of the estimated performance is evaluated with consideration of the environmental uncertainties. The obtained regression models can be used to predict the ship speed and engine power under different operational settings and weather conditions.     

江苏中部海岸西洋潮流通道区域晚更新世古地貌与沉积体系研究

南黄海曾是长江和黄河两大河流输送的陆源沉积物重要的汇,其沉积记录含有河流演化的丰富信息。江苏海岸中部、南黄海西侧、辐射沙脊群西北的西洋潮流通道及其邻区受到古黄河与古长江的交互影响,其古地貌与沉积地层等研究尚显不足。利用该区多次采集获得的长约380 km的浅层地震剖面数据,结合钻孔资料,分析了西洋浅部地震层序,探讨了其沉积环境特征。研究结果表明,西洋潮流通道区域在平均海面以下33~49 m处,存在一个强振幅、中频率、高连续性的区域性反射界面,与对比钻孔中滨岸沼泽沉积的顶面相对应,代表一个不整合的古地貌面;该界面深度的空间插值结果反演的古地貌面与下伏的沟槽状切割-充填反射结构,揭示了数条沿NE方向延伸的古水道,并集中分布于古地貌面北部相对低洼的区域,为南黄海内陆架晚更新世某古水系的一部分;该古地貌面系末次冰消期的海侵冲刷面,其上覆是全新世滨浅海沉积,下伏是晚更新世末期的洪泛平原或滨岸沼泽或充填下切古河道或古潮道等沉积。对该区域性反射界面的深入研究有助于弄清南黄海西部晚更新世以来的沉积体系演化历史,提升对辐射沙脊群形成演化的认识。     

陆架海岸台风沉积记录及信息提取

长时间尺度风暴强度–频率关系与气候变化相关联,而器测记录和历史记载难以提供充分的信息,因此从沉积记录中提取风暴信息成为一个前沿科学问题。在应用上,这项研究可为海岸带城市群应对未来气候和海面变化提供决策依据。本文回顾了台风沉积记录研究进展,显示陆架泥质沉积、海滩及海岸沙丘、潮滩、潟湖、巨砾是台风事件记录的良好载体,可通过层序形态和物质特性分析而识别。同时,还需进一步完善分析方法,以区分台风、冬季风暴、河流洪水和海啸等不同类型的极端事件沉积。在台风强度信息提取方面,陆架泥质沉积所含贝壳–粗颗粒沉积物可作为海底再悬浮强度的指标,但需更多实测数据的率定;海滩及海岸沙丘顶部的台风沉积分布高程指示了台风激浪流的上冲高度,而台风巨砾的重量可以与近岸波浪的波高建立联系。以上数据经过换算后可以得出台风强度的信息,虽然这些间接的沉积学信息还不足以建立风暴强度–频率关系,但有助于台风强度大数据的建立。潮滩、潟湖沉积连续性好,可构成台风事件的时间序列,然而关于台风强度却是多解的,台风最大风力、持续时间、移动路径、登陆地点的不同组合可能产生同样的事件沉积。我们建议,应发展台风信息提取的新方法,来解决这个问题。进行现代过程模拟,根据已知的台风事件资料构建沉积物输运堆积模型,使之能够复演事件沉积的特征;进行多个地点事件沉积的反演模拟,在此情形下,即便每个站位的结果是多解的,但针对多个站位上求取其解的交集之后,多解性将下降,这种模拟方法可称之为“解空间收缩法”;采用大数据融合方式,将其他来源的台风强度数据纳入模拟体系,可进一步降低风暴信息提取的不确定性。动力过程模拟与大数据融合方法的建立,有助于获得与沉积记录同样时间尺度的台风强度–频率关系曲线,进而分析台风动态与气候变化的关系。