Determination of subcatchment and watershed boundaries in a complex and highly urbanized landscape

Urban development significantly alters the landscape by introducing widespread impervious surfaces, which quickly convey surface run‐off to streams via stormwater sewer networks, resulting in “flashy” hydrological responses. Here, we present the inadequacies of using raster‐based digital elevation models and flow‐direction algorithms to delineate large and highly urbanized watersheds and propose an alternative approach that accounts for the influence of anthropogenically modified land cover. We use a semi‐automated approach that incorporates conventional drainage networks into overland flow paths and define the maximal run‐off contributing area. In this approach, stormwater pipes are clustered according to their slope attributes, which define flow direction. Land areas drained by each cluster and contributing (or exporting) flow to a topographically delineated catchment were determined. These land masses were subsequently added or removed from the catchment, modifying both the shape and the size. Our results in a highly urbanized Toronto, Canada, area watershed indicate a moderate net increase in the directly connected watershed area by 3% relative to a topographically forced method; however, differences across three smaller scale subcatchments are greater. Compared to topographic delineation, the directly connected watershed areas of both the upper and middle subcatchments decrease by 5% and 8%, respectively, whereas the lower subcatchment area increases by 15%. This is directly related to subsurface storm sewer pipes that cross topographic boundaries. When directly connected subcatchment area is plotted against total streamflow and flashiness indices using this method, the coefficients of variation are greater (0.93 to 0.97) compared to the use of digital elevation model‐derived subcatchment areas (0.78 to 0.85). The accurate identification of watershed and subcatchment boundaries should incorporate ancillary data such as stormwater sewer networks and retention basin drainage areas to reduce water budget errors in urban systems.     

Dynamic modelling of retrogressive landslides with emphasis on the role of clay sensitivity

This paper presents a detailed numerical study of the retrogressive failure of landslides in sensitive clays. The dynamic modelling of the landslides is carried out using a novel continuum approach, the particle finite element method, complemented with an elastoviscoplastic constitutive model. The multiwedge failure mode in the collapse is captured successfully, and the multiple retrogressive failures that have been widely observed in landslides in sensitive clays are reproduced with the failure mechanism, the kinematics, and the deposition being discussed in detail. Special attention has been paid to the role of the clay sensitivity on each retrogressive failure as well as on the final retrogression distance and the final run‐out distance via parametric studies. Moreover, the effects of the viscosity of sensitive clays on the failure are also investigated for different clay sensitivities.     

On the Nonlinear Thermal Evolution of Solar Corona Structures

The thermal evolution of structures is investigated for different values of the size of structure. A simplified cooling function and a constant heating mechanism are assumed. Analytical criteria for thermal instability are obtained. It is found that the response of the thermal structure not only depends on the amplitude of the disturbances, but also on whether the disturbance increases or decreases the initial steady temperature. Additionally, the evolution of the structure is examined numerically by using a time-dependent code under the assumption that the inertia terms are small. In particular, the analytical criteria obtained for thermal instability are verified.     

南海北缘北东东向构造活动性研究

从地形地貌特征、重磁地球物理场、深部构造与断裂构造以及地震活动、震源机制等多方面论述北东东向构造是南海北缘的主要活动构造。对于长期以来认为新华夏系北东向构造是该区主要活动构造的观点来说，这是一种新的学术思想。     

Search For Correlations Between Batse Gamma-Ray Bursts and Supernovae

We report on our statistical research of space–time correlated supernovae and CGRO-BATSE gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). There exists a significantly higher abundance of core-collapse supernovae among the correlated supernovae, but the subset of all correlated objects does not seem to be physically different from the whole set.     

Baryon loading and the Weibel instability in gamma-ray bursts

The dynamics of two counter-streaming electron–positron–ion unmagnetized plasma shells with zero net charge is analysed in the context of magnetic field generation in gamma-ray burst internal shocks due to the Weibel instability. The effects of large thermal motion of plasma particles, arbitrary mixture of plasma species and space charge effects are taken into account. We show that, although thermal effects slow down the instability, baryon loading leads to a non-negligible growth rate even for large temperatures and different shell velocities, thus guaranteeing the robustness and the occurrence of the Weibel instability for a wide range of scenarios.     

On the self-consistency of evolutionary synthesis models

Evolutionary synthesis models have been used to study the physical properties of unresolved populations in a wide range of scenarios. Unfortunately, their self-consistency is difficult to test and there are some theoretical open questions without an answer: (1) The change of the homology relations assumed in the computation of isochrones due to the effect of stellar winds (or rotation) and the discontinuities in the stellar evolution are not considered. (2) There is no consensus about how the isochrones must be integrated. (3) The discreteness of the stellar populations (that produce an intrinsic statistical dispersion) usually are not taken into account, and model results are interpreted in a deterministic way instead of a statistical one. The objective of this contribution is to present some inconsistencies in the computation and some cautions in the application of the results of such codes. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

黄淮海平原地下水开采的水文效应

黄淮海平原是我国地下水开发最早,利用程度最高的地区。随着地下水开采量急剧增长,已产生了一系列水文效应变化,其中包括区域地下水位下降和地下水降落漏斗的形成;开采浅层地下水对地表径流和降雨入渗补给的地下水量的影响,井灌井排在盐碱土的改良作用等。     

再论贺兰山南部北西向构造成因

贺兰山南部分布着多个方向的构造，其中最明显地是一系列的北西向构造，目前这些构造的相互关系以及形成机制还没有得到合理地解释，争论很大；野外构造研究表明，贺兰山南部北西向构造的形成与青铜峡一固原断裂活动有密切的关系，是该断裂由走滑运动向挤压运动转换时的派生构造；从另一角度也说明，在中新生代由青铜峡一固原断裂所限定的地块(卫宁北山)向东运动，而这些北西向构造的形成主要发生在新生代。由于卫宁北山向东运动的动力来源于青藏高原，因此，贺兰山南部北西向构造的形成与青藏高原的演化有密切的联系。所以。作为中国重要地质界限的南北向构造——贺兰山已经被青藏高原的构造活动所叠加。