Understanding historical coastal spit evolution: A case study from Spurn,East Yorkshire,UK

Globally sandy coastlines are threatened by erosion driven by climatic changes and increased storminess. Understanding how they have responded to past storms is key to help manage future coastal changes. Coastal spits around the world are particularly dynamic and therefore potentially vulnerable coastal features. Therefore, how they have evolved over the last few centuries is of great importance. To illustrate this, this study focuses on the historical evolution of a spit at Spurn on the east coast of the UK, which currently provides critical protection to settlements within the Humber estuary. Through the combination of digitized historical mapping and luminescence dating, this study shows that Spurn has been a consistent coastal feature over at least the past 440 years. No significant westward migration was observed for the last 200 years. Results show a long-term extension of the spit and a decrease in its overall area, particularly in the last 50 years. Breaches of the neck cause temporary sediment pathway changes enabling westward extension of the head. Use of digitized historical maps in GIS combined with OSL dating has allowed a more complete understanding of long-term spit evolution and sediment transport modes at Spurn. In doing so it helps inform future possible changes linked to pressures, such as increases in storm events and sea-level rise. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

High temporal and spatial resolution observations of meso-scale features of pre- and mature summer monsoon cloud systems over Bangladesh

Meso-scale characteristics of disturbances that bring about atmospheric disasters in pre- and mature monsoon seasons in Bangladesh are analyzed. Several types of meteorological instruments capable of observations with high temporal and spatial resolutions were introduced for the first time in this area to capture the meso-scale structure of rainfall systems. We installed an automatic weather station (AWS) and several automatic raingauges (ARGs) and utilized the weather radar of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). From the radar image in the summer of 2001 (16–18 July), a striking feature of the systematic diurnal variation in this area was elucidated. In these 3 days, the diurnal evolutions of convective activity were remarkably similar to each other, implying that this pattern can be understood as a typical response of local cloud systems to the diurnal variation of insolation under some summer monsoon situations. The ARG data show the difference in characteristics of rainfall between pre- and mature monsoon seasons. The short intense downpour tends to occur more frequently in the pre-monsoon season than in the mature monsoon season. The pre-monsoon rainfall also has clear diurnal variation with a peak that is more strongly concentrated in time. In the northern part the rainfall peak is found in between midnight and early morning, while it is observed in the daytime in central to western parts of the country. Two disaster cases caused by meso-scale disturbances are analyzed. Although they occurred in the same season, the structures of the cloud systems were largely different from each other. The disturbance brought about tornadoes on 14 April 2004, consisting of many spherical cloud systems of approximately 20 km size. On the other hand, another one that caused the tragic river water transport accident on 23 May 2004 had meso-scale rain band structure. The latter case was captured by the AWS located at Dhaka. Sudden changes in temperature, wind and pressure were observed clearly, showing the typical structure of convective rain bands.     

Losses from sleet storms in the United States

Increasing losses of life and property and damages to the environment due to sleet and related winter storm conditions have increased the need for long-term sleet storm data to better assess the point and regional risks of sleet and their long-term variations. The areas of greatest losses and frequency of catastrophes caused by sleet during 1971–2007 are the Northeast and Central regions of the U.S. These two regions experienced 72% of all the nation’s sleet losses. Most of the western U.S. had no damaging sleet-related events or losses. When sleet losses occurred, they tended to be in 2, 3, or 4 adjacent states. Sleet catastrophes were most common in January with 15 of the 30 events. The earliest storm occurred in October and the latest in March. The temporal distributions of catastrophes and their losses during 1971–2007 were similar. Both showed a secondary peak in 1976–1979, a low in 1988–1991, and then high values during the 1996–2007 period. The temporal distributions of damaging storms and losses indicate an upward trend over time.     

遥感在沙尘暴监测领域中的应用

沙尘是全球气溶胶系统的主要特征之一,其对地表辐射收支平衡具有显著影响。在过去的几年中,卫星遥感技术已被广泛应用于空气质量监测。本文整理了不同传感器在该领域中的应用,并分析提出了新的理论和方法。文中提供了一份国内外对雾霾监测研究的简要概述,并有针对性地评估了各种方法和经典指数。最后提出一些观点和建议,希望提高遥感在探测全球沙尘暴事件中所起到的作用。     

泰山CD与济南SA天气雷达探测强冰雹风暴参数对比分析

利用泰山CD雷达和济南SA雷达探测资料,对2016年6月13—14日和9月11日4个长寿命强冰雹风暴参数进行了对比分析。结果表明,4个强冰雹风暴成熟阶段济南SA雷达探测到的DBZM值都在60 dBZ以上,C-VIL值基本在50 kg·m-2以上,TOP值基本在9 km以上, 0613平阴风暴和0614章丘风暴不仅持续时间相差不多,而且DBZM、C-VIL、TOP值基本相近,DBZM基本在 64 dBZ以上,最大达到70 dBZ,C-VIL基本在60 kg·m-2以上,最大在80 kg·m-2左右,TOP值基本在10～5 km以上;SA雷达和CD雷达监测到的风暴参数有明显差异,SA雷达观测到的强风暴DBZM、C-VIL和TOP值明显大于CD雷达观测到的值,特别是DBZM和C-VIL在风暴强盛阶段差异更加明显,风暴强盛阶段, SA和CD雷达观测到的0613阳谷风暴、0613平阴风暴、0614章丘风暴和0911高青风暴的DBZM平均差值分别为10 dBZ、10 dBZ、9 dBZ和7 dBZ,C-VIL平均差值分别为30 kg·m-2、28 kg·m-2、29 kg·m-2和28 kg·m-2。造成强风暴参数差异性的主要因素是大的粒子或者强降雨对CD雷达电磁波强烈衰减,同时泰山CD雷达的地理环境和观测模式也是原因之一。     

Accretion of a New England (U.S.A.) Salt Marsh in Response to Inlet Migration, Storms, and Sea-level Rise

Sediment accumulation rates were determined at several sites throughout Nauset Marsh (Massachusetts, U.S.A.), a back-barrier lagoonal system, using feldspar marker horizons to evaluate short-term rates (1 to 2 year scales) and radiometric techniques to estimate rates over longer time scales (¹³⁷Cs,²¹⁰Pb,¹⁴C). The barrier spit fronting theSpartina-dominated study site has a complex geomorphic history of inlet migration and overwash events. This study evaluates sediment accumulation rates in relation to inlet migration, storm events and sea-level rise. The marker horizon technique displayed strong temporal and spatial variability in response to storm events and proximity to the inlet. Sediment accumulation rates of up to 24 mm year⁻¹were recorded in the immediate vicinity of the inlet during a period that included several major coastal storms, while feldspar sites remote from the inlet had substantially lower rates (trace accumulation to 2·2 mm year⁻¹). During storm-free periods, accumulation rates did not exceed 6·7 mm year⁻¹, but remained quite variable among sites. Based on¹³⁷Cs (3·8 to 4·5 mm year⁻¹) and²¹⁰Pb (2·6 to 4·2 mm year⁻¹) radiometric techniques, integrating sediment accumulation over decadal time scales, the marsh appeared to be keeping pace with the relative rate of sea-level rise from 1921 to 1993 of 2·4 mm year⁻¹. At one site, the²¹⁰Pb-based sedimentation rate and rate of relative sea-level rise were nearly similar and peat rhizome analysis revealed thatDistichlis spicatarecently replaced this onceS. patenssite, suggesting that this portion of Nauset Marsh may be getting wetter, thus representing an initial response to wetland submergence. Horizon markers are useful in evaluating the role of short-term events, such as storms or inlet migration, influencing marsh sedimentation processes. However, sampling methods that integrate marsh sedimentation over decadal time scales are preferable when evaluating a systems response to sea-level rise.     

登陆热带风暴较强与较弱降水环境场实例的对比分析

对在青岛登陆后给青岛及周边地区造成暴雨、大暴雨及特大暴雨的1997年7号热带风暴(9907)与在同一地点登陆，过程降雨量仅为中雨的2002年9号(0209)热带风暴环境场作对比分析，结果表明：大的环流背景的不同导致了热带风暴登陆时其登陆点(青岛)的低层辐合高层辐散、上升运动速度、低层水汽通量辐合、湿层厚度以及位势不稳定度等物理量场不同，因而造成降水强度的不同。     

Effects of instream processes,discharge, and land cover on nitrogen export from southern Appalachian Mountain catchments

Catchments with minimal disturbance usually have low dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) export, but disturbances and anthropogenic inputs result in elevated DIN concentration and export and eutrophication of downstream ecosystems. We studied streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA, an area dominated by hardwood deciduous forest but with areas of valley agriculture and increasing residential development. We collected weekly grab samples and storm samples from nine small catchments and three river sites. Most discharge occurred at baseflow, with baseflow indices ranging from 69% to 95%. We identified three seasonal patterns of baseflow DIN concentration. Streams in mostly forested catchments had low DIN with bimodal peaks, and summer peaks were greater than winter peaks. Streams with more agriculture and development also had bimodal peaks; however, winter peaks were the highest. In streams draining catchments with more residential development, DIN concentration had a single peak, greatest in winter and lowest in summer. Three methods for estimating DIN export produced consistent results. Annual DIN export ranged from less than 200 g ha^?1 year^?1 for the less disturbed catchments to over 2,000 g ha^?1 year^?1 in the catchments with the least forest area. Land cover was a strong predictor of DIN concentration but less significant for predicting DIN export. The two forested reference catchments appeared supply limited, the most residential catchment appeared transport limited, and export for the other catchments was significantly related to discharge. In all streams, baseflow DIN export exceeded stormflow export. Morphological and climatological variation among watersheds created complexities unexplainable by land cover. Nevertheless, regression models developed using land cover data from the small catchments reasonably predicted concentration and export for receiving rivers. Our results illustrate the complexity of mechanisms involved in DIN export in a region with a mosaic of climate, geology, topography, soils, vegetation, and past and present land use.     

Use of the Connectivity of Runoff Model (CRUM) to investigate the influence of storm characteristics on runoff generation and connectivity in semi‐arid areas

Much attention has been given to the surface controls on the generation and transmission of runoff in semi‐arid areas. However, the surface controls form only one part of the system; hence, it is important to consider the effect that the characteristics of the storm event have on the generation of runoff and the transmission of flow across the slope. The impact of storm characteristics has been investigated using the Connectivity of Runoff Model (CRUM). This is a distributed, dynamic hydrology model that considers the hydrological processes relevant to semi‐arid environments at the temporal scale of a single storm event. The key storm characteristics that have been investigated are the storm duration, rainfall intensity, rainfall variability and temporal structure. This has been achieved through the use of a series of defined storm hydrographs and stochastic rainfall. Results show that the temporal fragmentation of high‐intensity rainfall is important for determining the travel distances of overland flow and, hence, the amount of runoff that leaves the slope as discharge. If the high‐intensity rainfall is fragmented, then the runoff infiltrates a short distance downslope. Longer periods of high‐intensity rainfall allow the runoff to travel further and, hence, become discharge. Therefore, storms with similar amounts of high‐intensity rainfall can produce very different amounts of discharge depending on the storm characteristics. The response of the hydrological system to changes in the rainfall characteristics can be explained using a four‐stage model of the runoff generation process. These stages are: (1) all water infiltrating, (2) the surface depression store filling or emptying without runoff occurring, (3) the generation and transmission of runoff and (4) the transmission of runoff without new runoff being generated. The storm event will move the system between the four stages and the nature of the rainfall required to move between the stages is determined by the surface characteristics. This research shows the importance of the variable‐intensity rainfall when modelling semi‐arid runoff generation. The amount of discharge may be greater or less than the amount that would have been produced if constant rainfall intensity is used in the model. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regression modeling method of space weather prediction

A regression modeling method of space weather prediction is proposed. It allows forecasting Dst index up to 6 hours ahead with about 90% correlation. It can also be used for constructing phenomenological models of interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere. With its help two new geoeffective parameters were found: latitudinal and longitudinal flow angles of the solar wind. It was shown that Dst index remembers its previous values for 2000 hours.