Dynamical downscaling simulation and projection for mean and extreme temperature and precipitation over central Asia

Climate Dynamics - As a typical arid and semi-arid area, central Asia (CA) has scarce water resources and fragile ecosystems that are particularly sensitive and vulnerable to climate change. In...     

Application of <Superscript>137</Superscript>Cs fingerprinting technique to interpreting sediment production records from reservoir deposits in a small catchment of the Hilly Loess Plateau,China

According to variations of 137Cs and clay contents, 44 flood couplets were identified in a profile of reservoir deposit with a vertical length of 28.12 m in the Yuntaishan Gully. Couplet 27 at the middle of the profile had the highest average 137Cs content of 12.65 Bq kg-1, which indicated the 1963s' deposits, then 137Cs content decreased both downward and upward in the profile. The second top and bottom couplets had average 137Cs contents of 2.15 Bq kg-1 and 0.92 Bq kg-1, respectively. By integrated analysis of reservoir construction and management history, variations of 137Cs contents over the profile, sediment yields of flood couplets and rainfall data during the period of 1958-1970, individual storms related to the flood couplets were identified. 44 floods with a total sediment yield of 2.36×104 m3 occurred and flood events in a year varied between 1 and 10 times during the period of 1960-1970. 7-10 flood events occurred during the wet period of 1961-1964 with very wet autumn, while only 1-2 events during the dry period of 1965-1969. Average annual specific sediment yield was 1.29×104 t km-2 a-1 for the Yuntaishan Gully during the period of 1960-1970, which was slightly higher than 1.11 ×104 t km-2 a-1 for the Upper Yanhe River Basin above the Ganguyi Hydrological Station and slightly lower than 1.40 ×104 t km-2 a-1 for the nearby Zhifang Gully during the same period. Annual specific sediment yields for the Yuntaishan Gully were correlated to the wet season's rainfalls well.     

Hydrologic implications of the isotopic kinetic fractionation of open-water evaporation

The kinetic fractionation of open-water evaporation against the stable water isotope H_2 ~(18)O is an important mechanism underlying many hydrologic studies that use ~(18)O as an isotopic tracer. A recent in-situ measurement of the isotopic water vapor flux over a lake indicates that the kinetic effect is much weaker(kinetic factor 6.2‰) than assumed previously(kinetic factor14.2‰) by lake isotopic budget studies. This study investigates the implications of the weak kinetic effect for studies of deuterium excess-humidity relationships, regional moisture recycling, and global evapotranspiration partitioning. The results indicate that the low kinetic factor is consistent with the deuterium excess-humidity relationships observed over open oceans.The moisture recycling rate in the Great Lakes region derived from the isotopic tracer method with the low kinetic factor is a much better agreement with those from atmospheric modeling studies than if the default kinetic factor of 14.2‰ is used. The ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration at global scale decreases from 84±9%(with the default kinetic factor) to 76±19%(with the low kinetic factor), the latter of which is in slightly better agreement with other non-isotopic partitioning results.     

莫里青断陷西部双阳组（始新世）的浊积扇沉积特征

莫里青断陷西部在始新世双阳组沉积时期发育ＮＥ,ＳＷ和ＮＷ方向三个浊积扇体,其中ＮＥ向浊积扇体仅发育于湖平面上升初期（双一段沉积时期）,ＳＷ向浊积扇体在湖平面上升初期、上升早期和快速上升时期（双一,双二和双三段沉积时期）始终存在,而ＮＷ向浊积扇体形成于湖平面上升早期（双二段沉积时期）,并一直持续到湖平面快速上升时期（双三段沉积时期）。目前在区内仅钻遇中扇水道、中扇过渡带和外扇沉积。     

Deformation features and failure mechanism of steep rock slope under the mining activities and rainfall

Underground mining activities and rainfall have potential important influence on the initiation and reactivation of the slope deformations, especially on the steep rock slope. In this paper, using the discrete element method (UDEC), numerical simulation was carried out to investigate deformation features and the failure mechanism of the steep rock slope under mining activities and rainfall. A steep rock slope numerical model was created based on a case study at the Wulong area in Chongqing city, China. Mechanical parameters of the rock mass have been determined by situ measurements and laboratory measurements. A preliminary site monitoring system has been realized, aiming at getting structure movements and stresses of unstable rock masses at the most significant discontinuities. According to the numerical model calibrated based on the monitoring data, four types of operation conditions are designed to reveal the effect of mining excavation and extreme rainfall on the deformation of the steep rock slope.     

Selenium isotopes trace the source and redox processes in the black shale-hosted Se-rich deposits in China

We analyzed the Se isotopic composition of black shales and related kerogen and sulfide fractions from the Zunyi Ni-Mo-Se deposit, the La’erma Se-Au deposit and the Yutangba Se deposit in southern China to constrain metal sources and accumulation processes, both subjects of disagreement in the scientific community. Se at the Zunyi Ni-Mo-Se polymetallic deposit displayed a restricted range of δ⁸²Se values (−1.6‰ to 2.4‰ with a mean of 0.6‰) suggesting a major hydrothermal origin where aqueous Se was probably transported as H₂Se, along with H₂S, and precipitated directly as selenides or in sulfides. Se at the La’erma Se-Au deposit covers a larger range in δ⁸²Se values (−3.8‰ to 5.4‰ with a mean of 0.3‰), suggesting Se redistribution following redox transformations, leading to kinetic isotopic fractionation. The largest Se isotopic variation so far in natural terrestrial samples was found in the Yutangba Se deposit, with δ⁸²Se values varying from −12.77‰ to 4.93‰. On the basis of variations in Se isotopes in the deposit, along with other geological and geochemical evidence, the “redox model” (supergene alteration) explains the occurrence of native Se in the deposit. Overall, hydrothermal systems may be a potentially important Se source to form economic deposits in comparison to seawater sources. Significantly, our study indicates that either secondary hydrothermal or supergene alteration is a key factor in Se enrichment in black shales. Redistribution of Se, and probably other redox-sensitive metals like Mo, Cr and V, leads to isotopic fractionation which may be used to fingerprint such alteration/precipitation processes.     

四川宝兴大板桥堵江滑坡作坝的可行性分析

针对四川宝兴县大板桥堵江滑坡堆积体,在现场调查分析的基础上,对其作坝存在的主要工程地质问题及作坝的可行性进行了分析研究,为开展堵江滑坡作坝提供参考。