DENDROGEOMORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSES ON EXPOSED ROOTS ALONG TWO MOUNTAIN HIKING TRAILS IN THE CENTRAL ITALIAN ALPS

ABSTRACT. Mountain landscapes show rapid evolution, especially at high altitudes, in response to current climate changes. In addition, the greater number of routes and trails made available and the increase in tourism have caused some impacts on mountain areas. Gradual soil erosion has been observed along some hiking trails, with the latter tending to deepen, and with stronger erosion where the trail cuts the slope. Where trails cross forested areas, trees can suffer root damage from foot trampling as roots become exposed. A dendrogeomorphological study was conducted on trees along two hiking trails in upper Valtellina (Italian Alps). On the first trail, in Valle dei Forni, European larches and stone pines, mostly with exposed roots, were sampled. A mean erosion rate of 2.7 mm/a, related to deepening of the footpath, was obtained, and various degrees of root growth disturbance along the trail were observed. In particular, the growth of many sampled roots shows an increase in ring width corresponding with the moment when root exposure occurred, followed, after 3–5 years, by rapid growth suppression. The exposure of many roots has taken place since the 1980s. No significant variations in stem growth were observed, even when there were exposed and damaged roots. Along the second trail, in Valle Alpisella, exposed roots of mountain pines were analysed. A mean erosion rate of 3.2–3.7 mm/a, related to the escarpments bordering the footpath, was obtained, while no significant changes were detected in root growth.     

Early formed regional antiforms and synforms that fold younger matrix schistosities: their effect on sites of mineral growth

In the metamorphic cores of many orogenic belts, large macroscopic folds in compositional layering also appear to fold one or more pervasive matrix foliations. The latter geometry suggests the folds formed relatively late in the tectonic history, after foliation development. However, microstructural analysis of four examples of such folds suggests this is not the case. The folds formed relatively early in the orogenic history and are the end product of multiple, near orthogonal, overprinting bulk shortening events. Once large macroscopic folds initiate, they may tighten further during successive periods of sub-parallel shortening, folding or reactivation of foliations that develop during intervening periods of near orthogonal shortening. Reactivation of the compositional layering defining the fold limbs causes foliation to be rotated into parallelism with the limbs.Multiple periods of porphyroblast growth accompanied the multiple phases of deformation that postdated the initial development of these folds. Some of these phases of deformation were attended by the development of large numbers of same asymmetry spiral-shaped inclusion trails in porphyroblasts on one limb of the fold and not the other, or larger numbers of opposite asymmetry spirals on the other limb, or similar numbers of the same asymmetry spirals on both limbs. Significantly, the largest disparity in numbers from limb to limb occurred for the first of these cases. For all four regional folds examined, the structural relationships that accompanied these large disparities were identical. In each case the shear sense operating on steeply dipping foliations was opposite to that required to originally develop the fold. Reactivation of the folded compositional layering was not possible for this shear sense. This favoured the development of sites of approximately coaxial shortening early during the deformation history, enhancing microfracture and promoting the growth of porphyroblasts on this limb in comparision to the other. These distributions of inclusion trail geometries from limb to limb cannot be explained by porphyroblast rotation, or folding of pre-existing rotated porphyroblasts within a shear zone, but can be explained by development of the inclusion trails synchronous with successive sub-vertical and sub-horizontal foliations.     

变斑晶晶内显微构造特征及其成因综述

变斑晶晶内包体径迹的成因研究是当代变质岩岩石学研究的一个重大方向。变斑晶是联系变质的变形的重要媒介，对研究造山过程及机制、ｐ－Ｔ－ｔ轨迹，褶皱作用机制，变质过程，变形过程、物质运移机制等起着关键性的作用，晶内包体径迹按几何形态分为９大类，综合当前的模拟结果，观察事实，分别对其成因问题作了探讨。     

Student Perceptions of a Recreation Trail Assignment as a Valuable Learning Experience for Geography Undergraduates

Charging undergraduate geography students with the task of designing a recreational trail in their local community offers an engaging experiential opportunity with potential to advance geographic learning in a real-world setting. This article presents an assignment in which students were asked to develop a recreational trail proposal for an undeveloped local conservation area and the results of a survey that asked the students to reflect and report upon the educational value of this experience one year later. Results of the survey validated the assignment's lasting value to the students across the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains.     

带权约束参数平差在工程控制网优化中的应用

介绍用带权约束平差原理编制的工程控制网试验修正法设计和平差程序,并用于设计工程导线和平差变形观测控制网等实际工程的例子,据此提供一些结论和建议.     

Microstructural features of albite porphyroblasts as indicators of sequential Barrovian metamorphic mineral growth in the Caledonides of the SW Scottish Highlands

Inclusion – porphyroblast and porphyroblast – porphyroblast relationships show that abundant albite in mica schists in the Caledonides of the SW Scottish Highlands are part of the Barrovian metamorphic assemblage. Growth early in the D2 deformational phase of porphyroblast cores followed the growth of Mn‐rich garnet but preceded the growth of porphyroblasts of the index mineral almandine. Two sets of inclusion trails in the albite correspond to the regionally expressed S1 and S2. Straight trails of muscovite, chlorite, quartz, epidote and the earliest growth of biotite make up S1. Crenulated trails express deformation of S1 early in D2 with muscovite, chlorite, biotite, quartz, epidote and the Mn‐rich garnet associated with the development of S2 crenulation cleavage. The geometries of these trails uniquely record early stages of D2 deformational history. An _0?3 growth is related to the temporal coincidence of the formation of S1–S2 crenulation cleavage hinges as favourable sites for nucleation and the release of large amounts of water from prograde reactions during tectonothermal reconstitution of first cycle immature sediments with a volcanic component. The main characteristics of the regionally expressed D2 schistosity were developed during the major grain coarsening that followed both albite and almandine porphyroblast growth. Essentially inclusion‐free An _4?19 rims grew on the inclusion‐containing cores in the almandine zone in the later stages of schistosity growth and unoriented porphyroblasts of muscovite, biotite and chlorite indicate that mineral growth extended from the later stages of D2 to post‐D2. Previous interpretations of the albite porphyroblast growth having been during D4 to post‐D4 contemporaneous with retrogression are inconsistent with the microstructural evidence.     

Orbital Elements of 2004 Perseid Meteoroids Perturbed by Jupiter

Jupiter and Saturn produce important gravitational impulses on meteoroids released by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The meteoroids from this comet once released follow retrograde orbits that during their periodic approaches to these planets (within 1.6 and 0.9 A.U., respectively) are impulsed gaining orbital energy. This perturbation effect is translated into a net inward shift in the node of the perturbed meteoroids. Such geometry with Jupiter occurred in 2004 over a meteoroid trail ejected by this comet during the 1862 A.D. return of the comet to perihelion. In order to study the predicted outburst produced by one-revolution meteoroids, the Spanish Photographic Meteor Network (SPMN) performed an extensive campaign. As a part of this observational effort here are presented 10 accurate meteoroid orbits. We discuss their origin by comparing them with the theoretical orbital elements of the dust trails intercepting the Earth during the 2004 Perseid return.     

Evaluating post-wildfire logging-slash cover treatment to reduce hillslope erosion after salvage logging using ground measurements and remote sensing

Continuing long and extensive wildfire seasons in the Western US emphasize the need for better understanding of wildfire impacts including post-fire management scenarios. Advancements in our understanding of post-fire hillslope erosion and watershed response such as flooding, sediment yield, and debris flows have recently received considerable attention. The potential impacts of removing dead trees, called salvage logging, has been studied, however the use of remotely sensed imagery after salvage logging to evaluate spatial patterns and recovery is novel. The 2015 North Star Fire provided an opportunity to evaluate hillslope erosion reduction using two field experiments and coincidental remotely sensed imagery over 3 years. Simulated rill experiments with four flow rates were used to quantify hillslope erosion on skidder trails with and without added logging slash compared with a burned-only control. Seven replicated hillslope silt fence plots with the same treatments were also evaluated for natural rainfall events. WorldView-2 satellite imagery was used to relate ground cover and erodible bare soil between the two experiments using multi-temporal Normalized Differenced Vegetation Index (NDVI) values. Results indicate that the skid trails produced significantly more sediment (0.70 g s⁻¹) than either the slash treated skid trail (0.34 g s⁻¹) or controls (0.04 g s⁻¹) with the simulated rill experiment. Similarly, under natural rainfall conditions sediment yield from hillslope silt fence plots was significantly greater for the skid trail (3.42 Mg ha⁻¹) than either the slash treated skid trail (0.18 Mg ha⁻¹) or controls (0 Mg ha⁻¹). An NDVI value of 0.32 on all plots over all years corresponded to a ground cover of about 60% which is an established threshold for erosion reduction. Significant relationships between NDVI, ground cover, and sediment values suggest that NDVI may help managers evaluate ground cover and erosion potential remotely after disturbances such as a wildfire or salvage logging.     

非开挖可控冲击矛轨迹变化的试验研究

冲击矛技术作为非开挖技术的一个重要手段,由于其自身所具有的一些优势而被广泛采用。但是,冲击矛从其形成产品到现在,在施工时方向是不可控的,而可控冲击矛目前国内外还没有成形产品。欲使冲击矛的钻进方向可控,可以改变冲击矛的方向,使钻头轴线与冲击器轴线存在一定夹角是一个有效的办法。影响可控冲击矛轨迹变化的因素很多,由于目前没有成形冲击矛,因此,制做可控冲击矛的模型来进行模拟试验。通过试验去发现可控冲击矛轨迹的曲率半径变化与上述各种影响因素之间的关系,并通过建立数学模型来说明。     

华东地区具有短期预测意义的特殊显著性地震事件识别

依据华东地区中强地震前的地震活动特点,初步提出“特殊显著性地震事件”SPE的概念及其可能的识别方法.具有前兆指示意义的SPE可划分为三类,三类SPE分别表达了主震前中小地震与主震之间的时空位置关系.I类SPE距主震时、空距离均较近,在一定程度上与“直接前震”具有相似之处;II类SPE距主震时间较近、而空间距离可能较远,但与主震之间有一定的构造联系,具有时间上的“信号地震”的意义.Ⅲ类必须首先通过地震活动性方法对可能的SPE进行筛选,之后通过比较其与之前在同一位置发生的一系列中小地震的地震波参数之间的差异,在一定程度上进一步确认其短期预测意义.华东6次中强地震震例的研究结果表明,当可能的SPE的单台波速比小于此前该区域长时期的均值、归一化尾波持续时间大于此前该区域长时期的均值以及振幅衰减系数与此前该区域长时期均值之差大于长时期均值的30％时,可进一步认定其短期前兆意义.