ALBERT

Description: The aerosol optical properties and their associated radiative effects are derived from sky-radiometer and surface solar radiation data collected over the Semi-Arid Climate and Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University (SACOL) for the period of March to May (MAM) 2009. The result shows that the seasonal mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 500 nm in MAM is 0.40. The single scattering albedo (SSA) at 500 nm in MAM at SACOL fluctuates significantly ranging from 0.82 to 0.98. The averaged value of SSA there for background aerosol is 0.90 in MAM, while it is smaller (0.87) during the dust event outbreak period. The smaller SSA can be interpreted as the result of larger particles during dust events. The averaged asymmetry factor (ASY) at 500 nm during dust event period is 0.73, which is larger than 0.70 of background aerosols. The averaged shortwave radiative effects of the aerosols during dust event period in MAM are 0.68, −70.02 and 70.70 W m−2, respectively, at the top of the atmosphere (TOA), surface and in the atmosphere. The aerosols heat the atmosphere during dust event period by up to about 2 K day−1 (daily averaged), which is 60 % larger than the heating (1.25 K day−1) of background aerosols. The significant heating effect in the atmosphere of the aerosols during dust event is determined by larger AOD and smaller SSA.

Description: The aerosol optical properties and their associated radiative forcing are retrieved from sky-radiometer and surface solar radiation data collected over the Semi-Arid Climate and Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University (SACOL) for the period of March to May (MAM) 2009. The result shows that the seasonal mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 500 nm in MAM is 0.4. The single scattering albedo (SSA) at 500 nm in MAM at SACOL fluctuates significantly ranging from 0.82 to 0.97. The averaged value of SSA there for background aerosol is 0.92 in MAM, while it is smaller (0.89) during the dust event outbreak period. The smaller SSA can be interpreted as the result of larger particles during dust events. The averaged asymmetry factor (ASY) at 500 nm during dust event period is 0.81, which is much larger than 0.68 of background aerosols. The averaged shortwave radiative effect of the aerosols during dust event period in MAM is −6.25, −86.33 and 80.08 wm−2, respectively, at the top of the atmosphere (TOA), surface and in the atmosphere. The aerosols heat the atmosphere during dust event period by up to 2 K day−1 (daily averaged), which is 67 % larger than the heating (1.2 K day−1) of background aerosols. The significant heating effect in the atmosphere of the aerosols during dust event is determined by larger AOD and smaller SSA.

Description: The PRMS model was established for Zhenjiangguan watershed in the upper reach of the Minjiang River basin, China. The results showed that PRMS had an acceptable performance in simulating monthly runoff in the study area. The analysis on the impacts of precipitation changes on hydrological processes indicated that both runoff and evapotranspiration increased with the increase of precipitation. Moreover, evapotranspiration had larger sensitivity to the change of precipitation than runoff.

Description: The 2012 Haida Gwaii earthquake was a massive Mw 7.8 earthquake that struck the Queen Carlotte Islands Region on 28 October 2012 (UTC). This study analyzed the variations in zenith tropospheric delay (ZTD) following the Mw 7.8 Haida Gwaii earthquake using near real-time ZTD data collected from eleven stations in the seismic region and the forecast ZTD of ECMWF. A new differential method was used to detect anomalies of ZTD time series. Result showed that obvious ZTD anomalies occurred on the day of the earthquake (day-of-year, doy 302). There were anomalous ZTD variations at eight stations in the post-earthquake period on doy 302, possibly due to the processes of earthquake-generated acoustic waves. Propagation of acoustic waves caused variations of tropospheric parameters (e.g., atmospheric pressure, temperate, and atmosphere density), thus influencing ZTD. Absence of anomalous ZTD variations at the remaining three stations was attributed to the special topographic conditions, i.e., the long epicentral distance and the presence of huge mountains as a natural protective screen. Our work provides new insights to the relationship between of earthquake event and ZTD variation. The proposed differential method is superior to conventional method for detecting specific ZTD anomalies caused by earthquake events.

Description: On 20 April 2013, an earthquake of M =7.0 occurred in Lushan, Sichuan province, China. This paper investigates the coseismic ionospheric anomalies using GPS (Global Positioning System) data from 23 reference stations in Sichuan province that are a part of the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC). The recorded results show that a clear ionospheric anomaly occurred within 15 min after the earthquake near the epicenter, and the occurrence time of the anomalies recorded by various stations is related to the distance from the epicenter. The maximum anomaly is 0.25 TECu, with a 2 min duration and the distance of the recording station to the epicenter is 83 km. Acoustic waves generated by the crustal vertical movement during the earthquake propagate up to the height of the ionosphere lead to the ionospheric anomaly, and the propagation speed of the acoustic wave is calculated as 0.72 ± 0.04 km s-1 based on the propagation time and propagation distance, consistent with the average speed of sound waves within a 0–450 km atmospheric height.

Description: The Jialu River, a secondary tributary of the Huaihe River, has been severely contaminated from major contaminant sources, such as a number of untreated or lightly treated sewage waste in some cities. Groundwater along the river is not an isolated component of the hydrologic system, but is instead connected with the surface water. This study aims to investigate temporal and spatial variations in water chemistry affected by humans and to characterize the relationships between surface water (e.g. reservoirs, lakes and rivers) and groundwater near the river in the shallow Quaternary aquifer. Concentration of Cl− in north Zhengzhou City increased prominently due to the discharge of a large amount of domestic water. Nitrate and potassium show maximum concentrations in groundwater in Fugou County. These high levels can be attributed to the use of a large quantity of fertilizer over this region. Most surface water appeared to be continuously recharged from the surrounding groundwater (regional wells) based on comparison surface water with groundwater levels, stable-isotopes and major ion signatures. However, the groundwater of a transitional well (location SY3) seemed to be recharged by river water via bank infiltration in September 2010. Fractional contributions of river water to the groundwater were calculated based on isotopic and chemical data using a mass-balance approach. Results show that the groundwater was approximately composed of 60–70% river water. These findings should be useful for a better understanding of hydrogeological processes at the river-aquifer interface and ultimately benefit water management in the future.

Description: Subsurface lateral flow from agricultural hillslopes is often overlooked compared with overland flow and tile drain flow, partly due to the difficulties in monitoring and quantifying. The objectives of this study were to examine how subsurface lateral flow generated through soil pedons from cropped hillslopes and to quantify its contribution to nitrate loading in the streams through an agricultural catchment in the subtropical region of China. Profiles of soil water potential along hillslopes and stream hydro-chemographs in a trenched stream below a cropped hillslope and at the catchment outlet were simultaneously recorded during two rainstorm events. The dynamics of soil water potential showed positive matrix soil water potential over impermeable soil layer at 0.6 to 1.50 m depths during and after the storms, indicating soil water saturation and drainage processes along the hillslopes irrespective of land uses. The hydro-chemographs in the streams, one trenched below a cropped hillslope and one at the catchment outlet, showed that the concentrations of particulate nitrogen and phosphorus corresponded well to stream flow during the storm, while the nitrate concentration increased on the recession limbs of the hydrographs after the end of the storm. All the synchronous data revealed that nitrate was delivered from the cropped hillslope through subsurface lateral flow to the streams during and after the end of the rainstorms. A chemical mixing model based on electricity conductivity (EC) and H+ concentration was successfully established, particularly for the trenched stream. The results showed that the subsurface lateral flow accounted for 29% to 45% of total stream flow in the trenched stream, responsible for 86% of total NO3−-N loss (or 26% of total N loss), and for 5.7% to 7.3% of total stream flow at the catchment outlet, responsible for about 69% of total NO3−-N loss (or 28% of total N loss). The results suggest that subsurface lateral flow through hydraulically stratified soil pedons have to be paid more attention for controlling non-point source surface water pollution from intensive agricultural catchment particularly in the subtropical areas with great soil infiltration.

Description: The energy observed in the surface layer, when using eddy-covariance techniques to measure turbulent fluxes, is not balanced. Important progress has been made in recent years in identifying potential reasons for this lack of closure in the energy balance, but the problem is not yet resolved. In this paper, long-term data that include output of tower, radiation, surface turbulence flux and soil measurement collected from September 2006 to August 2010 in the Semi-Arid Climate Change and Environment Observatory, Lanzhou University, in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of Northwest China, were analysed, focusing on the seasonal characteristics of the surface energy and the factors that have impact on the energy balance closure (EBC). The analysis shows that (1) the long-term observations are successful; the interaction between the land and the atmosphere in semi-arid climates can be represented by the turbulent transport of energy. In addition, even though the residual is obvious, this suggests that the factors that impact the EBC are stable, and their seasonal variations are identical. The analysis also shows that (2) four factors have obvious impact on the EBC: the diverse schemes for surface soil heat flux, the flux contribution from the target source area, the low-frequency part of the turbulence spectra, and the strength of atmospheric turbulence motion. The impact of these four factors on the EBC are similar in all seasons. Lastly, the results indicate that (3) atmospheric turbulence intensity is a very important factor in terms of its impact on the EBC. The relative turbulence intensity, RIw, characterises the strength of atmospheric turbulence motion, and is found to exert a noticeable impact on the EBC; in all seasons, the EBC is increased when the relative turbulence intensity is enlarged.

Description: Compared with overland flow from agricultural hillslopes, subsurface lateral flow is often overlooked partly due to monitoring difficulties and the lack of quantitative identification its role in nutrient delivery to surface water. The objectives of this study were to examine how subsurface lateral flow generates from hillslopes to streams and to quantify its contribution to nutrient loading in streams. Hillslope hydrology and stream hydrology were simultaneously monitored during two typical storms and subsurface flow was separated by chemical mixing model. Positive soil water potential at the soil depths from 0.60 to 1.50 m was observed at the middle course of the storm events, suggesting soil water was saturated following the storms and the drained after the end of the storms. The hydro-chemographs in the stream in a trench below a hillslope showed that suspended sediment, particulate N and P were dominant in the stream during the storms, while after the end of the rainstorms the nitrate concentration and electricity conductivity (EC) in the stream increased with time on the recession limbs of the hydrographs. Meanwhile, a rebound or delayed curve appeared on the recession limbs for several hours immediately after the end of rainstorms. All the synchronous data confirmed nitrate was delivered from the hillslope through subsurface lateral flow to the streams even after the end of rainstorms. A chemical mixing model based on EC and pH showed that the subsurface lateral flow during the rainstorm events accounted for 29% to 45% of the stream flow and about 86% of total NO3−-N loss (or 26% of total N loss) from the peanut hillslope and for 5.7% to 7.3% of the stream flow about 69% of total NO3−-N loss (or 28% of total N loss) from the catchment outlet. The results suggest that subsurface lateral flow generated within a shallow soil profile have to be paid more attention for controlling non-point source surface water pollution from intensive agricultural catchment.

Description: The Jialu River, a secondary tributary of the Huaihe River, has been severely contaminated for the major contaminant sources, such as a number of untreated or lightly treated sewage wastes in some cities. Groundwater along the river is not an isolated component of the hydrologic system, but instead connected with the surface water. This study aims to characterize the relationships between surface water (e.g. reservoirs, lakes and rivers) and groundwater near the river in the shallow Quaternary aquifer. The concentration of Cl− in North Zhengzhou City increased prominently due to the discharge of a large amount of domestic water. Nitrate and potassium show maximum concentrations in groundwater in Fugou County. These high levels can be attributed to the use of a large quantity of fertilizer over this region. The regional well had water with a constant stable isotopic signature, which illustrates that the groundwater never or rarely receive recharge from surface water. However, the groundwater of transitional well (location SY3) seemed to be recharged by river water via bank infiltration in September 2010. Fractional contributions of river water to the groundwater were calculated based on isotopic and chemical data using a mass-balance approach. Results show that the groundwater was approximately composed of 60–70% river water. These findings would be useful for a better understanding of hydrogeological processes at the river-aquifer interface and ultimately benefit water management in the future.