Natural radioactivity in sediment of Wei River,China

The concentrations of natural radionuclides in sediment of Wei River of China were measured using γ-ray spectrometry with the aim of estimating the radiation hazard as establishing a database for radioactivity levels of river sediment of China. The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in sediment samples ranged from 10.4 to 39.9 Bq kg⁻¹, 15.3 to 54.8 Bq kg⁻¹ and 514.8 to 1,175.5 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides were compared with the typical world values and the average activities of Chinese soil and Shaanxi soil. Radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq), external hazard index (H _ex) and representative level index (I _γr) were calculated for the samples to assess the radiation hazards arising due to the use of these sediment samples in the construction of dwellings. All the sediment samples have Ra_eq lower than the limit of 370 Bq kg⁻¹, H _ex less than unity and I _γr close to 1 Bq kg⁻¹. The overall mean outdoor terrestrial gamma dose rate is 64.8 nGy h⁻¹ and the corresponding outdoor annual effective dose is 0.079 mSv. None of the studied location is considered a radiological risk and sediment can be safely used in construction.     

黄河三角洲地貌环境体系

黄河三角洲是由三角洲上部冲积平原一下部冲积海积平原（超潮滩）─周边潮滩三个区带的地貌系列构成．它们之间形成三条地貌环境岸线，是一个复杂而统一的陆上─潮滩堆积地貌体系．该体系研究对三角洲发育．环境及其开发利用有一定理论和实践意义．     

Upstream dams and downstream clams: growth rates of bivalve mollusks unveil impact of river management on estuarine ecosystems (Colorado River Delta, Mexico)

We studied how the extensive diversion of Colorado River water, induced by dams and agricultural activities of the last 70 years, affected the growth rates of two abundant bivalve mollusk species (Chione cortezi and Chione fluctifraga) in the northern Gulf of California. Shells alive on the delta today (‘Post-dam’ shells) grow 5.8–27.9% faster than shells alive prior to the construction of dams (‘Pre-dam’ shells). This increase in annual shell production is linked to the currently sharply reduced freshwater influx to the Colorado River estuary. Before the upstream river management, lower salinity retarded growth rates in these bivalves. Intra-annual growth rates were 50% lower during spring and early summer, when river flow was at its maximum. Growth rates in Chione today are largely controlled by temperature and nutrients; prior to the construction of dams and the diversion of the Colorado River flow, seasonal changes in salinity played an important role in regulating calcification rates.Our study employs sclerochronological (growth increment analysis) and geochemical techniques to assess the impact of reduced freshwater influx on bivalve growth rates in the Colorado River estuary. A combination of both techniques provides an excellent tool to evaluate the impact of river management in areas where no pre-impact studies were made.     

珠江三角洲地质灾害的模糊综合评价

珠江三角洲地质灾害种类的多样性与其所处的复杂地质环境和多变的气候条件密切相关。文章选用了地震活动、活动断裂、地壳升降运动、软土地基、地面塌陷以及冲、淤积等６个主要因素作为评价指标，并用模糊数学方法对珠江三角洲内１７个小区作了计算，结果表明该区大部分地区属于轻灾害区，只有滨海沿岸地区属于较重灾害区。     

风暴期间黄河水下三角洲波浪变形

为确定适用黄河三角洲的波动理论，对黄河三角洲风暴期间及前后波浪连续观测资料进行了处理，将其投在komar波浪理论分区图中后，分析了风暴期间黄河水下三角洲波浪的波形特征，发现站位所在地适合的波浪理论主要为艾里波和斯托克斯波，风暴期间波浪变形，还存在少量超过极限波陡线的波浪，通过比较常见的极限波陡线，看出Miche曲线比较适合该研究区。     

Benthic Metabolism and Standing Stock in the Central and Northern Deep Red Sea

Abstract. Benthic metabolism and standing stocks were investigated in the deep Red Sea between 21^o and 27^oN, Activity was assessed by the determination of respiration rates with a shipboard method and by calculating oxygen consumption from the activity in the electron transport system. We attempted to compare results from different latitudes within the warm Red Sea and with data from cold Atlantic environments. Our investigations were part of an environmental risk assessment to evaluate future mining of metalliferous sediments from the Atlantis II Deep.     

台湾海峡西岸第四纪沉积层中的老红砂

本文对采自福建沿海的老红砂作了粒度分析、矿物鉴定和石英电镜扫描。结果表明,组成老红砂的成分主要为中细砂,砂含量大于70%,粘土和粉砂含量较少。概率累积曲线多为跳跃、悬浮两段式,其次为滚动、跳跃、悬浮三段式。轻矿物以石英为主,长石含量居次。含量较高的重矿物有磁铁矿、钛铁矿、白钛石,其次有锆石、赤铁矿、褐铁矿、电气石、绿帘石等。文章对老红砂的成因提出一些粗浅的看法。     

Giant ancient landslide in the Alma water gap (Crimean Mountains,Ukraine): notes to the predisposition,structure, and chronology

Large-scale ancient landslides of the area of more than 5 km² and volume exceeding 200 × 10⁶ m³ are characteristic features of the valleys incised in the northern periphery of the Crimean Mountains (Ukraine). The largely affected area is located in the outermost cuesta range of the Crimean Mountains which consists of rigid Sarmatian limestones overlying weak Middle Miocene and Upper Palaeogene deposits. A giant landslide arose in the Alma water gap as a reflection of several coincident preparatory factors such as suitable bedrock stratification, smectite-rich bedrock exposed to swelling activity, presence of faults parallel to the valley trend, and river capture event which preceded the landslide event. The occurrence of such ancient megaslides is particularly interesting in the area which is characterized by low precipitation (<500 mm/year) and weak contemporary seismicity. It probably reflects a more dynamic environment in humid phases of the Holocene; however, seismic triggering along the Mesozoic suture zone cannot be rejected. Compressional features such as gravitational folds in the central and distal parts of the landslide, which probably correlate with the whole landslide genesis or its significant reactivation, arose, according to the radiocarbon dating, during the Holocene climatic optimum in the Atlantic period. The slope deformation has been relatively quiescent since that time, except minor historic reactivization which took place in the frontal part of the landslide. We suppose that the studied landslide could be classified as a transitional type of slope deformation with some signs of spreading and translational block slides.     

Climate changing characteristics of Zhangye City in Heihe River basin during 1968–2005

At present, researches on climate change of the Heihe River basin mainly focus on the relationship between basin climate change and regional water resources, regional desertification and dynamic climatic seasons of sandstorm, but less on climate change of oasis region, where there are more intense and frequent human activities. Based on data of precipitation, temperature, strong wind and dust events frequencies obtained from the six meteorological stations of Zhangye region in Heihe River basin, the features of climate change during 1968–2005 were carefully studied. Results show that the regional temperature rise rate exceeded the average level of China. The annual precipitation changed a little, but the precipitation had a slowly increasing trend in spring and winter. Frequencies of strong wind and sandstorm days show obviously descending trends, which had a close correlation with the regional temperature rise and the precipitation increase in spring and winter. Meanwhile, further human economic activities and exploitations to the oasis in the inland valley of arid regions also affected the climate change of this region, which has a sensitive and fragile eco-environment. __________ Translated from Journal of Desert Research, 2007, 27(6): 1048–1054 [译自: 中国沙漠]     

黄河影响下开封城市的历史演变

河流对城市的形成和发展起着重要的作用,古人形象地把其比喻为“城市之血脉”。文章从不同的历史时期黄河及其分支对开封城市演变的影响进行分析,得出黄河与开封城市的关系存在着利与害的统一。开封城市的历史发展,即得益于黄河充足的水源,又受害于其频繁的决溢、泛滥、改道。因此,要采用先进的科学技术对黄河进行综合治理开发,使其恢复它应有的美好环境,更好地造福于人民。