Mechanism for the rapid motion of the Qianjiangping landslide during reactivation by the first impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam reservoir, China

The first impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam reservoir in China started from a water surface elevation of 95 m on June 1, 2003 and reached 135 m on June 15, 2003. Shortly after the water level reached 135 m, many slopes began to deform and some landslides occurred. The Qianjiangping landslide is the largest one; it occurred on the early morning of July 14, 2003 and caused great loss of lives and property. Field investigation revealed that, although failure occurred after the reservoir reached 135 m, the stability of the slope was already reduced by preexisting sheared bedding planes. To study the mechanism of the rapid motion of this reactivated landslide, two soil samples were taken from a yellow clay layer and a black silt layer in the sliding zone, respectively, and a series of ring shear tests were conducted on the samples. One series of ring shear tests simulates the creep deformation behavior, while the other series simulates different shear rates. Conclusions drawn from analysis of the ring shear tests indicate that the mechanism of the rapid motion of the reactivated landslide was caused by the rate effect of the black silt layer during the motion phase after the creep failure. The yellow clay layer did not play any important role in the rapid motion in the 2003 event.     

Particle size dependent response of aerosol counters

During an international workshop at the Institute for Experimental Physics of the University of Vienna, Austria, which was coordinated within the Committee on Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols (IAMAS-IUGG), 10 instruments for aerosol number concentration measurement were studied, covering a wide range of methods based on various different measuring principles. In order to investigate the detection limits of the instruments considered with respect to particle size, simultaneous number concentration measurements were performed for monodispersed aerosols with particle sizes ranging from 1.5 to 50 nm diameter and various compositions.The instruments considered show quite different response characteristics, apparently related to the different vapors used in the various counters to enlarge the particles to an optically detectable size. A strong dependence of the 50% cutoff diameter on the particle composition in correlation with the type of vapor used in the specific instrument was found. An enhanced detection efficiency for ultrafine hygroscopic sodium chloride aerosols was observed with water operated systems, an analogous trend was found for n-butanol operated systems with nonhygroscopic silver and tungsten oxide particles.     

Quantitative Evaluation of Water Deposited By Dew on Monuments

Samples of White and Green Carrara marble, and three types oflimestone and brick exposed in the field vertically and horizontally were used to evaluate condensationon monuments during clear sky nights. Experiments in a simulation chamber under controlledconditions led to a general equation for the actual amount of water deposited on a surface by dew.This is determined by: How much and for how long the surface temperature falls below the dew point,the moisture content in the air and the ventilation. On clear nights, the condensation on buildingstructures facing the sky may reach some 0.2 kg m^-2 (or 0.2 mm), whereas condensation on verticalsurfaces is very small. Computation of the seasonal trend of night-time condensationshowed that the maximum amount of water condensed per night occurs in the autumn, with the moreabundant concentration of moisture in the air. The total amount of water condensed per month isfound to be a maximum in the summer-autumn period. Morning condensationfor the thermal inertia of monuments is also relevant, and has been calculated to reach the same order of magnitude as thenocturnal dew. A detailed analysis of the temperature and mixing ratio profiles near a condensingsurface has shown two different situations. In still air, the two profiles follow an exponentiallaw and the thermal and the concentration layers lie within a few tens of millimetres. Inthe presence of turbulence, the thickness of these two layers is dramatically reduced. In still air, infront of a vertical, chilly surface, the deposition rate of air pollutants by thermophoresis and/orStefan flow is increased by 3 or 4 times in comparison with a horizontal surface. In the presence ofturbulence, the thickness of the thermal and concentration layers was dramatically reduced, makingthese two kinds of deposition much faster.     

中国周边地区强震与中国大陆7级以上地震活动的关系

通过对中国周边地区强震与中国大陆地区强震活动的关系分析，发现中国大陆周边地区活跃时段期间和其后3年是中国大陆地区7级以上地震活动的主要活动时期，周边地区强震活动增强后，中国大陆内部有可能发生7级以上地震，强震活动可能会逐步进入高潮，南北地震带中段未来数年发生7级以上地震的危险性较大．     

Seasonal Variation of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet and Its Association with the Heating Field over East Asia

The structure and seasonal variation of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet （EAWJ） and associations with heating fields over East Asia are examined by using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. Obvious differences exist in the westerly jet intensity and location in different regions and seasons due to the ocean-land distribution and seasonal thermal contrast, as well as the dynamic and thermodynamic impacts of the Tibetan Plateau. In winter, the EAWJ center is situated over the western Pacific Ocean and the intensity is reduced gradually from east to west over the East Asian region. In summer, the EAWJ center is located over the north of the Tibetan Plateau and the jet intensity is reduced evidently compared with that in winter. The EAWJ seasonal evolution is characterized by the obvious longitudinal inconsistency of the northward migration and in-phase southward retreat of the EAWJ axis. A good correspondence between the seasonal variations of EAWJ and the meridional differences of air temperature （MDT） in the mid-upper troposphere demonstrates that the MDT is the basic reason for the seasonal variation of EAWJ. Correlation analyses indicate that the Kuroshio Current region to the south of Japan and the Tibetan Plateau are the key areas for the variations of the EAWJ intensities in winter and in summer, respectively. The strong sensible and latent heating in the Kuroshio Current region is closely related to the intensification of EAWJ in winter. In summer, strong sensible heating in the Tibetan Plateau corresponds to the EAWJ strengthening and southward shift, while the weak sensible heating in the Tibetan Plateau is consistent with the EAWJ weakening and northward migration.     

青藏高原地面加热场与四川主汛期降水及伏旱关系

分析了高原地面加热场强度距平指数与四川盆地伏旱及主汛期降水的联系。结果表明,高原前期加热强度同四川盆汛期降水和伏旱程度密切相关。把这些关系引入汛期降水预测模型对提高短期气候预测能力有一定积极意义。     

冬季青藏高原大气热状况分析Ⅱ：年际变化

通过诊断3套再分析资料的非绝热加热场,研究冬季青藏高原上空大气的热力特征.结果表明,与夏季为强热源的特征不同,冬季高原上空不是欧亚大陆上最强的冷源中心.冬季高原上空整体是偏弱的冷源,在高原西侧及东南地区上空甚至出现非绝热加热正值区,这一分析对以往研究提出的高原是冷源的特性给出了修正.各种非绝热加热分量的诊断表明,冬季高原上空这种总的非绝热加热分布主要是由于高原主体的长波辐射冷却较周边地区弱,以及西侧至东南地区凝结潜热释放造成的.为了说明再分析的非绝热加热资料对冬季高原上空大气的这种热力特征描述的可信性,文中还利用了地表辐射能量、TRMM及PREC/L降水、垂直速度等资料进一步辅助分析,证实了由于高原位势较高造成大气整层温度偏低,向外长波辐射偏少,以及高原地势的隆起造成局地较强的上升运动,高原西侧至东南角降水大值区潜热偏大,最终造成高原上空总非绝热加热负值偏小.最后理想高原隆起的水球试验结果说明,冬季,高原的存在减弱了陆地上空的冷却效应,因而其上为弱冷源,再次证实了资料分析的结果.     

玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚和重力测量——2001年诺贝尔物理学奖评介

介绍了2001年诺贝尔物理学奖获得者康奈尔，韦曼，克特勒的科学研究成果，实验玻色－爱因斯坦凝聚（BEC）及其在理论上的意义和应用前景，讨论了BEC在研制高精度重力仪方面的应用问题，为此回顾了重力测量现状，朱棣文等研制的原子干涉重力仪和ClauserJ提出的物质波干涉重力仪，分析表明，如果利用BEC，则重力仪的测量精度在朱棣文等工作基础上将会有很大的提高。     

郑州市冬季采暖期气候变化特征及节能潜力分析

利用郑州市1951—2007年日平均气温资料,按照国家采暖规范从气候角度上确定了符合郑州特点的采暖初终日,较规定的初、终日（11月15日至次年3月15日）有明显推迟和提前的趋势,并分析了采暖期长度及采暖期的气候变化特征,结果表明：进7．90年代特别是21世纪初采暖期明显缩短,平均较80年代缩短了14d左右。在此基础上研究了近57a来采暖期气候条件的变化,并通过构建采暖强度、采暖指数指标,讨论这种变化对能源消耗和环境保护的影响,从科学角度提出节能的可能性。     

THERMAL FORCING IMPACTS OF THE EASTERLY VORTEX ON THE EAST-WEST SHIFT OF THE SUBTROPICAL ANTICYCLONE OVER WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN

By employing the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data sets(1 000 to 10 hPa,2.5°× 2.5°),the thermal forcing impacts are analyzed of an easterly vortex(shortened as EV) over the tropical upper troposphere on the quasi-horizontal movement of the Western Pacific Subtropical Anticyclone(shortened as WPS A) during 22-25 June 2003.The relevant mechanisms are discussed as well.It is shown that the distribution and intensity of the non-adiabatic effect near the EV result in the anomalous eastward retreat of the WPSA.The WPSA prefers extending to the colder region,i.e.,it moves toward the region in which the non-adiabatic heating is weakening or the cooling is strengthening.During the WPSA retreat,the apparent changes of non-adiabatic heating illustrate the characteristics of enhanced cooling in the east side of the EV.Meanwhile,the cooling in the west side exhibits a weakened eastward trend,most prominently at 300 hPa in the troposphere.The evidence on the factors causing the change in thermal condition is found:the most important contribution to the heating-rate trend is the vertical transport term,followed in turn by the local change in the heating rate term and the horizontal advection term.As a result,the atmospheric non-adiabatic heating generated by the vertical transport and local change discussed above is mainly connected to the retreat of the WPSA.