Extreme Rainfall Events and Associated Natural Hazards in Alaknanda Valley, Indian Himalayan Region

Introduction The Himalaya is considered to be the youngest mountains on the earth, and is tectonically very active, and hence inherently (geologically) vulnerable to hazards. Extreme rainfall events, landslides, debris flows, torrents and flash floods due…     

Dynamic properties of green water event in the overtopping of extreme waves on a fixed dock

A statistical model is developed to predict wave overtopping volume and rate of extreme waves on a fixed deck. The probability density function for the volume and rate of overtopping water are formulated based on the truncated Weibull distribution with the assumption of local sinusoidal profile for small amplitude waves. Sensitivity to the wave nonlinearity parameter and deck clearance is discussed. The statistical model is compared to laboratory data of the instantaneous free surface elevation measured in front of a fixed deck, and overtopping volume and overtopping rate measured at the leading edge of the deck. The statistical theory compared well with the measured exceedance probability seaward of the deck. The model prediction of the exceedance probability of deck overtopping gave qualitatively good agreement for large overtopping values.     

Evaluation of long-term extreme response statistics of jack-up platforms

This paper is concerned with the models appropriate for the dynamic assessment of jack-ups, concentrating particularly on the long-term response due to random ocean waves and on work-hardening plasticity models used for spud-can response. A methodology for scaling of short-term statistics, calculated using a Constrained NewWave technique, is shown in a numerical experiment for an example jack-up and central North Sea location. The difference in long-term extreme response statistics due to various footing assumptions is emphasised. Results for two environmental load conditions are described (one excluding and one including wind and current effects) and the role of sea-state severity in the variation of short-term extreme response statistics is also highlighted.     

On the parametric resonance of container ships

This work deals with parametric resonance which poses a great danger especially for container ships sailing in following or head seas. Important parameters that are effective in roll resonance are pointed out. For this purpose, a containership is taken as an example to analyze its stability in longitudinal waves based on the method worked out by American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Unfavorable sailing conditions such as heading and speed, which directly depend on the environmental conditions, have been determined for this particular ship. These conditions may be reported to the master to guide him to keep his ship out of parametric resonance zones. Numerical details of the procedure have been worked out and provided as well.     

Patterns in the Turkish reinsurance claim data, 1998–2002: An application of the extreme value theory

The devastating 1999 Marmara and Düzce earthquakes led to a significant increase in the earthquake studies in Turkey in geological, engineering and financial aspects. Extreme Value Theory (EVT) has a range of applications from stock market changes to natural disasters like floods and hurricanes. Here EVT is fitted to the ordinary and earthquake reinsurance claims of Turkey.     

甘肃省1994～2001年极端干旱气候特征研究

利用甘肃省80站月降水量资料，对1994—2001年连续8a极端干旱气候持续时间、空间分布、干旱影响程度、相似年等进行研究。得出1995年、1997年、2000年是近8a中干旱量严重年，对农业、水资源、生态环境的影响最大。     

Hydro-geomorphic hazards and impact of man-made structures during the catastrophic flood of June 2000 in the Upper Guil catchment (Queyras, Southern French Alps)

The Guil River Valley (Queyras, Southern French Alps) is prone to catastrophic floods, as the long historical archives and Holocene sedimentary records demonstrate. In June 2000, the upper part of this valley was affected by a “30-year” recurrence interval (R.I.) flood. Although of lower magnitude and somewhat different nature from that of 1957 (>100-year R.I. flood), the 2000 event induced serious damage to infrastructure and buildings on the valley floor. Use of methods including high-resolution aerial photography, multi-date mapping, hydraulic calculations and field observations made possible the characterisation of the geomorphic impacts on the Guil River and its tributaries. The total rainfall (260 mm in four days) and maximum hourly intensity (17.3 mm h⁻¹), aggravated by pre-existing saturated soils, explain the immediate response of the fluvial system and the subsequent destabilisation of slopes. Abundant water and sediment supply (landsliding, bank erosion), particularly from small catchment basins cut into slaty, schist bedrock, resulted in destructive pulses of debris flow and hyperconcentrated flows. The specific stream power of the Guil and its tributaries was greater than the critical stream power, thus explaining the abundant sediment transport. The Guil discharge was estimated as 180 m³ s⁻¹ at Aiguilles, compared to the annual mean discharge of 6 m³ s⁻¹ and a June mean discharge of 18 m³ s⁻¹. The impacts on the Guil valley floor (flooding, aggradation, generalised bank erosion and changes in the river pattern) were widespread and locally influenced by variations in the floodplain slope and/or channel geometry. The stream partially reoccupied former channels abandoned or modified in their geometry by various structures built during the last four decades, as exemplified by the Aiguilles case study, where the worst damage took place. A comparative study of the geomorphic consequences of both the 1957 and 2000 floods shows that, despite their poor maintenance, the flood control structures built after the 1957 event were relatively efficient, in contrast to unprotected places. The comparison also demonstrates the role of land-use changes (conversion from traditional agro-pastoral life to a ski/hiking-based economy, construction of various structures) in reducing the Guil channel capacity and, more generally, in increasing the vulnerability of the human installations. The efficiency of the measures taken after the 2000 flood (narrowing and digging out of the channel) is also assessed. Final evaluation suggests that, in such high mountainous environments, there is a need to keep most of the 1957 flooded zone clear of buildings and other structures (aside from the existing villages and structures of particular economic interest), in order to enable the river to migrate freely and to adjust to exceptional hydro-geomorphic conditions without causing major damage.     

中国区域性极端降水事件及人口经济暴露度研究

基于中国1960-2014年771个气象站的逐日降水资料,选取有效降水序列95百分位数作为极端降水阈值,将既定持续时间尺度和连续面积上超过阈值的降水事件定义为区域性极端降水事件。采用强度-面积-持续时间（Intensity-Area-Duration,IAD）法,根据极端降水事件空间和时间上的连续性特征,对不同持续时间的区域性极端降水事件演变趋势及暴露于极端降水事件下的人口和国内生产总值进行研究。结果表明:（1）相对强度最大的区域性极端降水事件主要集中在1960-1968、1991-1999和2006-2013年3个时段;（2）区域性极端降水事件最强中心主要分布在长江以南和东北地区,发生在北方的多为单日极端降水,南方多为持续多日的极端降水;（3）1960-2014年区域性极端降水事件影响面积有所增大,相对强度变化不明显;（4）暴露于极端降水事件影响区域内的人口和国内生产总值均呈显著增大趋势,暴露人口最多的年份在1983年,达到2408万人/d,暴露国内生产总值最多的年份在1998年,达到20亿元/d。      

1960-2014年湖南省极端气温事件变化特征分析

利用1960-2014年湖南省88个地面气象站日最高和最低气温的均一化资料,运用百分位阈值法统计暖日、暖夜、冷日和冷夜数,采用线性回归、M-K突变检验、Morlet小波分析等方法,研究湖南省55a以来极端气温事件的时空变化特征。结果表明：(1)湖南省暖日和暖夜数呈上升趋势,其年际变化倾向率分别为0.68d.(10a)-1、2.73 d.(10a)-1,冷日和冷夜数呈下降趋势,其年际变化倾向率分别为-0.45d.(10a)-1、-2.46d.(10a)-1,夜间增暖幅度大于白天增暖幅度;(2)湖南省大部分地区的暖日、暖夜数呈上升趋势,冷日数、冷夜数呈下降趋势,其中湘北、湘南部分地区变化趋势明显;(3)暖日、暖夜、冷夜数有明显的阶段性变化,其突变检验特征较明显,暖日、暖夜分别在2008、2003年突变增加,冷夜在1986年突变减少;(4)湖南省极端气温日数在不同的时间段存在着长短不同的振荡周期。     

不同气候背景下新疆冬季极端冷(暖)事件的变化特征

利用1961—2013年新疆89站逐日气温和NCEP再分析高度场资料,分析了不同气候背景下新疆1961年以来冬季(12月—翌年2月)出现的极端冷(暖)事件年代际变化及与其相联系的环流特征。根据对新疆冬季极端冷(暖)事件的气候背景划分,认为新疆冬季极端冷(暖)事件在不同气候背景中都有明显的不同,全疆冬季极端冷事件存在随气候背景转变而发生区域一致变化的特征,但冬季极端暖事件的变化则有南北反相的区域差异。总体而言,新疆极端冷暖事件发生的日数趋于减少,极端冷暖事件强度也具有显著减小的趋势;北疆西部和天山两侧是气候极端性变化最显著的区域。从冷暖期环流特征的差异来看,北疆型极端冷事件减少的主要原因来自于突变后极涡减弱,而南疆型极端冷(暖)事件减少(增加)则主要受欧亚范围内大片正变高区的影响。