Multiple modes of storm runoff generation in a North Carolina coastal plain watershed

The results of field measurements conducted in a small (19·37 ha) agricultural watershed on the North Carolina coastal plain during the summer of 1996 are presented. The objective of the study was to develop a more complete understanding of basin response in the region with respect to stormflow generation and, in particular, to identify the processes that determine storm runoff and the conditions under which such processes occur. Twenty‐four storm events were monitored, including two tropical storm systems and two hurricanes. The data demonstrate considerable spatial and temporal heterogeneity in runoff generation within the watershed. Surface flowpaths, in the form of Hortonian overland flow and saturation overland flow, were found to be the dominant runoff processes during the storm events measured. The hillslope flowpaths had the same response time as the basin streamflow, but significantly shorter time of rise and lag times. The importance of Hortonian flow in a basin with sandy, permeable soils, as well as the rapid stormflow response in a low‐relief area with a humid climate, was contrary to expectations. This, coupled with the contingency of runoff response, suggests that it may be difficult to generalize about runoff generation mechanisms in broad terms, and that a synoptic approach may be more appropriate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characteristics of resuspended sediment from Georges Bank collected with a sediment trap

A sediment trap was deployed 3 m from the bottom at a water depth of 62 m on the southern flank of Georges Bank (41°02·2′N, 67°33·5′W) from 30 September 1978 to 10 March 1979 to qualitatively determine the size of sediments resuspended from the bottom by winter storms and to determine if seasonal changes in the phytoplankton could be observed in the trapped sediment.Bulk X-ray analyses of the trapped sediment showed layers of distinctly different textures preserved in the collection vessel. The median grain size of sampled layers ranged from 2·7 to 6·5 φ (fine sand to silt), but all layers contained a pronounced mode in the 3 φ (fine sand) range. Nine layers containing relatively large amounts of sand were present. The sand content was 75% in the coarest layers and about 32% in the fine layers. The median grain size of bottom sediments at the deployment site was considerably coarser than the trap samples, although the dominant grain size was also 3 φ.Average bottom-current speeds during the deployment period were about 30 cm s^?1 with a range of 10 to 50 cm s^?1. Bottom stress, computed from the observed currents and waves, suggest that 11 storms caused sufficient stress to resuspend 3 φ-sized sediments, in good agreement with the nine layers of relatively coarse sediments collected in the trap. Surface waves had to be included in the calculation of bottom stress because the bottom currents alone were insufficient to cause the resuspension of 3 φ-sized sediment.The trapped sediments contain numerous diatoms and coccoliths that are typical of late fall and winter assemblages. No clear seasonal difference in the flora was noted among sampled layers, probably due to the large influx of resuspended material and a reduced primary flux during this period. An undescribed species of Thalassiosira (G. Fryxell, personal communication), and siliceous scales of unknown systematic position were observed at all levels.     

A review on East Asian dust storm climate, modelling and monitoring

In arid and semi-arid area of Asia, dust storms occur frequently. Asian dust storms have a major impact on the air quality of the densely populated areas of China, Korea and Japan, and are important to the global dust cycle. In extreme cases, they result in the loss of human lives and disruptions of social and economic activities. In recent years, systematic research on Asian dust storms has been carried out. Much progress has been made in the development of integrated dust storm monitoring and modeling systems by making use of advanced numerical models, satellite remote sensing and GIS data. In this paper, we summarize the recent achievements in Asian dust storm research with an emphasis on dust climatology, modeling and satellite monitoring. The concept of integrated dust storm monitoring and modeling system is described and a summary of the developments in key research areas is given, including new dust models and techniques in satellite remote sensing and system integration. We then discuss the current research frontiers and the challenges for future studies.     

Geometry,distribution and fill of erosional scours in a heterolithic,distal lower shoreface sandstone reservoir analogue: Grassy Member,Blackhawk Formation,Book Cliffs,Utah, USA

Many shoreface sandstone reservoirs host significant hydrocarbon volumes within distal intervals of interbedded sandstones and mudstones. Hydrocarbon production from these reservoir intervals depends on the abundance and proportion of sandstone beds that are connected by erosional scours, and on the lateral extent and continuity of interbedded mudstones. Cliff‐face exposures of the Campanian ‘G2’ parasequence, Grassy Member, Blackhawk Formation in the Book Cliffs of east‐central Utah, USA , allow detailed characterization of 128 erosional scours within such interbedded sandstones and mudstones in a volume of 148 m length, 94 m width and 15 m height. The erosional scours have depths of up to 1·1 m, apparent widths of up to 15·1 m and steep sides (up to 35°) that strike approximately perpendicular (N099 ± 36°) to the local north–south palaeoshoreline trend. The scours have limited lateral continuity along strike and down dip, and a relatively narrow range of apparent aspect ratio (apparent width/depth), implying that their three‐dimensional geometry is similar to non‐channelized pot casts. There is no systematic variation in scour dimensions, but ‘scour density’ is greater in amalgamated (conjoined) sandstone beds over 0·5 m thick, and increases upward within vertical successions of upward‐thickening conjoined sandstone beds. There is no apparent organization of the overall lateral distribution of scours, although localized clustering implies that some scours were re‐occupied during multiple erosional events. Scour occurrence is also associated with locally increased amplitude and laminaset thickness of hummocky cross‐stratification in sandstone beds. The geometry, distribution and infill character of the scours imply that they were formed by storm‐generated currents coincident with riverine sediment influx (‘storm floods’). The erosional scours increase the vertical and lateral connectivity of conjoined sandstone beds in the upper part of upward‐thickening sandstone bed successions, resulting in increased effective vertical and horizontal permeability of such intervals.     

鄂尔多斯盆地旬邑地区延长组砂质碎屑流沉积特征及其风暴成因探讨

鄂尔多斯盆地南部延长组长8-长6油层组沉积相为曲流河三角洲-半深湖、深湖,重力流沉积发育。以前认为这些重力流沉积物是浊流沉积。本文通过对旬邑地区延长组岩心、测井资料的研究,认为研究区长8-长6油层组发育砂质碎屑流沉积。岩心中常见大段块状砂岩、面状碎屑组构、顶底突变接触、漂砾、底部剪切带及滑塌变形构造等,相应测井曲线特征以箱型为主。砂质碎屑流为风暴诱因,可见丰富的风暴沉积特征,如侵蚀构造、底模、浪成沙纹层理、波痕、生物逃逸迹等。研究区理想的风暴沉积单元由下向上可概括为:块状层理段(A);滞留沉积段(B);平行层理段(C);丘状交错层理或浪成沙纹层理段(D);泥页岩段(E)。根据岩心风暴沉积特征总结出风暴岩的3个垂向沉积序列组合。砂质碎屑流及风暴作用的研究对于研究区油气勘探及古地理、古气候研究具有重要意义。     

METEOROLOGICAL TSUNAMIS IN SOUTHERN BRITAIN: AN HISTORICAL REVIEW*

ABSTRACT. Meteorological tsunamis, or meteo‐tsunamis, are long‐period waves that possess tsunami characteristics but are meteorological in origin, although they are not storm surges. In this article we investigate the coast of southern Britain‐the English Channel, the Bristol Channel, and the Severn Estuary‐for the occurrence of tsunami‐like waves that, in the absence of associated seismic activity, we recognize as meteo‐tsunamis. The passage of squall lines over the sea apparently generated three of these events, and two seem to have been far‐traveled, long‐period waves from mid‐North Atlantic atmospheric low‐pressure systems. The remaining three wave events appear to have been associated with storms that, among possible explanations, may have induced large‐amplitude standing waves‐such as seiches‐or created long‐period waves through the opposition of onshore gale‐force winds and swells with high ebb tidal current velocities. This coastal hazard has resulted in damage and loss of life and should be considered in future coastal defense strategies and in beachuser risk assessments.     

Wetland buffers: numerical modeling of wave dissipation by vegetation

The resiliency of coastal communities is imperative because these areas experience risk of damage from coastal storms as well as increasing population pressures and development. The severity of this hazard is compounded by sea level rise and a potential increase in storm intensities due to climate change. The ability of coastal communities to plan for, resist, and quickly and completely recover from severe coastal storm events and flooding is of critical importance. There is a growing interest in applying complementary and redundant approaches to reduce the flood risk of these vulnerable communities, such as incorporating natural and nature‐based features into the project planning process. However, accounting for the benefits of these nature‐based features in coastal design is still challenging. One of the natural features generally acknowledged to offer coastal protection benefits is wetlands. Using laboratory experiments of artificial vegetation as a foundation, the bounds of wave dissipation by vegetation are explored analytically and the effectiveness of wave dissipation by vegetation over large scales is investigated using the spectral wave model STWAVE. Wave heights modeled using a vegetation dissipation formulation are compared to those modeled with the current practice of representing vegetation using bottom friction, particularly the Manning formulation. The vegetation dissipation formulation reduced more wave energy than the Manning bottom friction formulation for submerged wetlands. Because the Manning formulation does not integrate vegetation properties, to achieve consistent results would require varying the Manning n coefficient to account for the spatial and temporal variation in form drag induced by the plants due to changes in plant density, diameter, and degree of plant submergence. Thus, a re‐evaluation of existing methods for assessing wave dissipation by vegetation is recommended for wider application of vegetation dissipation formulations in numerical models. Such models are critical for evaluating coastal resiliency of communities protected by wetland features. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

2005年8月24日磁暴主相期间亚暴过程的多卫星联合观测分析

本文根据OMNI、TC-2卫星、LANL系列卫星、Cluster星簇卫星(C1-C4)以及加拿大的8个中高纬地磁台站的观测数据,研究了2005年8月24日强磁暴(SYM-H_min~ -179 nT)主相期间的强亚暴(AL_min~ -4046 nT)事件特征.该强磁暴在大振幅(IMF B_{z min}~ -55.57 nT)、短持续时间(~90 min)的行星际磁场条件下产生,有明显的磁暴急始(SSC),强度较大且持续时间较短.发生在磁暴主相期间的亚暴发展的主要特征如下:亚暴增长相期间,C1-C4卫星先后穿越中心等离子体片;亚暴膨胀相触发后,在近地磁尾(X~-6R_E)可观测到磁场偶极化现象;等离子体无色散注入区在亚暴onset开始后迅速沿经向扩展,但被限制在有限的经度范围;磁纬60°附近,Pi2地磁脉动振幅超过了100 nT.膨胀相开始后,在中、高磁纬地磁台站可观测到负湾扰,近地磁尾可观测到Pi2空间脉动,中磁尾区域可观测到尾向流、磁重联以及O⁺/H⁺数密度比值在亚暴onset之后增大等现象.分析表明该强磁暴主相期间的强亚暴现象发生时序是自内向外:X~-6R_E处TC-2观测到磁场偶极化(~09:42:30 UT),同步轨道卫星LANL1994-084观测到等离子体无色散注入(~09:44:30 UT),X~-17.8R_E处C1观测到磁场重联(~09:45:30 UT),由此推断该亚暴事件很可能是近地磁尾不稳定性触发产生,其发生区域距离地球很近.     

“8.26”成都区域性短时暴雨天气过程的对流指数分析

利用常规探空资料以及MICAPS3.0系统软件计算的对流指数对2009年8月25~26日发生在成都的短时区域性暴雨过程进行分析,结果表明：稳定度指数与此次暴雨的发生、发展存在一定的关系。LI指数和IC指数在短时暴雨发生前达到最强,K指数和SI指数具有一定的超前性,在强降水发生前12小时达到最强;能量指数在暴雨发生前有一个明显的突变过程,峰值与强降水开始时刻对应;SSI指数与SHR有着一致的变化趋势,在强降水发生前也具有明显的突变性,这说明短时暴雨过程是强动力作用和强热力作用共同作用的结果。对流指数具有的这种突变性可作为预报短时暴雨的一种指标。