A Climatology of the Southwest Vortex during 1979–2008

Using a new vortex detection and tracing method, a dataset of the Southwest Vortex(SWV) is established based on Japanese 25-year Reanalysis(JRA-25) reanalysis data during 1979–2008. The spatiotemporal features of the SWV are derived from the dataset. In comparison to other seasons, summer yields the least SWVs, but with the highest probability that they will migrate from their region of origin. SWVs mostly emerge in the southwest of the Sichuan Basin and the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau. Migratory SWVs mainly move along either an eastward or southeastward path. Detailed composite analysis of warm-season SWVs shows that the subtropical high is a key factor in determining the direction of migratory SWVs. Furthermore, the steering wind at 700 hPa dominates the moving direction of migratory SWVs. Potential stability diagnosed by pseudo-equivalent potential temperature ? se is of certain significance for the evolution and movement of SWVs. On the other hand, migratory SWVs possess relatively greater strength than stationary SWVs, due to a stronger low-level jet with enhanced baroclinicity and moisture transport providing more energy to support the growth of SWVs along their paths of movement.

Long-term Activity of Earthquake-induced Landslides: A Case Study from Qionghai Lake basin, Southwest of China

Earthquake-triggered landslides are a major geological hazard in the eastern Tibetan Plateau, and have prolonged impact on earth surface processes and fluvial system. To determine how long co-seismic landslides affect basins, a massive number of landslides existing in Qionghai Lake Basin were investigated for landslide distribution characteristics and geomorphological evidences, with further comparison and analysis using historic seismic analog method. The landslides found in Qionghai Lake Basin showed clear features of seismic triggering with strongly controlled by Zemuhe fault. These landslides are still active at present. Some new slides generally occur in ancient slope failure zones causing serious secondary hazards in recent years. In this study we strengthen the idea that the landslides triggered by the 185o Xichang earthquake （Ms7.5） have long term activity and prolonged impact on the mountain disasters with a period of more than 16o years. Our results support growing evidence that coseismic landslides have a prolonged effect on secondary disasters in a basin, and invite more careful consideration of the relationship between current basin condition and landslide history for a longer period.

Sap Flow of Abies georgei var. smithii and Its Relationship with the Environment Factors in the Tibetan Subalpine Region, China

Abies georgei var. smithii is a dominant species playing an important role in protecting biodiversity and sustaining the forestry ecosystems in Southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Stem sap flows of five different diameters at the breast height(DBH) A. georgei var. smithii samples were monitored continuously with the thermal dissipation probe for the entire growing period in order to understand the water transportation mechanism and the effects of environmental factors on its transpiration and growth. Relative environment factors, temperature and humidity of air, photosynthetically active radiation, rainfall, and wind speed, soil moisture, etc. were measured by the automatic weather stations. Diurnal and seasonal variations in sap flow rate with the different stem diameters and their correlations with meteorological factors were analyzed. The diurnal change in sap flow velocity showed a single-peak curve at the daily time scale, whereas a lower sap flow velocity can be observed in the largest DBH sample tree at night. The maximum average velocity was observed in August, whereas the minimum velocity was observed in January, and a large amount of water evaporated in summer owing to the higher sap flow velocity. In addition, sap flow velocity was closely related to changes in the micrometeorological factors, with average sap flow velocity showing significant linear correlations with air temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, rainfall, and vapor pressure deficit of air and soil moisture. Therefore, some measures, improving the light and temperature conditions, should be taken for protecting A. georgei var. smithii population in the Tibetan Plateau.

新生的大凉山断裂带--鲜水河-小江断裂系中段的裁弯取直

部分由于缺乏破坏性地震记录，部分由于处于边远山区，作为鲜水河-小江断裂系一部分的大凉山断裂带长期被研究者们忽视，以至于在描述该断裂系时，往往不把大凉山断裂带算在其中．造成大凉山断裂带被忽视的另一个重要的原因是该断裂带是一条新生的构造带，新生性决定了其成熟度低于鲜水河-小江断裂系中的其他断裂带，所反映的线性断裂地貌特征不如其他断裂带明显．两年多详细的遥感解译和野外调查结果表明大凉山断裂是一条新生的断裂带：（1）具有复杂几何结构的大凉山断裂带无论是连续性还是成熟度都明显低于鲜水河．小江断裂系中的其他断裂带；（2）大凉山断裂带南、北两段的活动性高于中段，而且北段的左旋位错量是南段的3倍，小震活动在中段也存在一个明显的空区，说明大凉山断裂带还没有完全贯通，尚处于从两端向中间发展的早期阶段；（3）大凉山断裂带上地质体反映的总位错和水系的位错基本相同，说明大凉山断裂带开始于该地区水系成型之后，而鲜水河-小江断裂系中其他断裂带上的总位错远大于水系所反映的位错；（4）探槽揭示的古地震事件和用断错地貌和GPS观测结果估计的水平滑动速率3～4mm／a，都表明大凉山断裂带与安宁河、则木河断裂带一样也是一条强震构造带；（5）在滑动速率大致相当的情况下，并假定各断裂带在整个发育历史中滑动速率基本不变，大凉山断裂带产生11km的滑移量需要2．7～3．7Ma，而安宁河和则木河断裂带完成47～53km的位错量需要12～18Ma．进一步推断，新生的大凉山断裂带产生于鲜水河-小江断裂系中段的“裁弯取直”，而“裁弯取直”是由于青藏高原南东块体相对刚性的顺时针旋转造成的．随着“裁弯取直”的持续发展，大凉山断裂带将可能逐渐取代安宁河和则木河断裂带在鲜水河-小江断裂系中作用，并最终使后者逐渐消亡．

An investigation into the three-dimensional cloud structure over East Asia from the CALIPSO-GOCCP Data

The spatial distribution of clouds and their seasonal variations, and the three-dimensional(3D) cloud structures over East Asia have been analyzed with the CALIPSO-GOCCP data during the period from 2007 to 2012. The results show that there is a large cloud fraction greater than 0.7 over southern China, and the largest cloud fraction appears in southwest China. Besides, a large cloud fraction occurs over the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau. The total and high cloud fractions show notable variations with seasons, while the middle and low cloud fractions vary a little. As for cloud vertical structure, significant differences of the cloud vertical distributions are observed between over land and ocean. Cloud fractions and the height of the maximum cloud fractions decline gradually with the increasing latitude, except for the vertical-latitude profiles over the Tibetan Plateau regions. The longitude-vertical cross sections show similar patterns from the longitude 70° E to 140° E, except the profiles with large cloud fractions over the Tibetan Plateau. From the horizontal distribution patterns and vertical structures of the clouds over East Asia, it is concluded that the huge terrain of the Tibetan Plateau has significant impacts on the cloud formation over the Tibetan Plateau region and the areas to the east. At last, the clouds from the CALIPSO-GOCCP observations are compared to those from the ERA-Interim reanalysis data. The results indicate that the ERA-Interim reanalysis data provide reasonable spatial distribution patterns and the vertical structures in terms of the total cloud fraction over East Asia. However, the total cloud fraction was underestimated about 20% by the ERA-Interim reanalysis data over most parts of East Asia, especially over the neighboring areas east of the Tibetan Plateau. Additionally, the ERA-interim reanalysis data overestimate the cloud fractions at each level in the vertical direction.

Tree ring-dated fluctuation history of Midui glacier since the Little Ice Age in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Fluctuation history of Midui glacier in the southeastern Tibet since the Little Ice Age(LIA) was reconstructed by the dating of lateral and terminal moraines using tree rings.Four conversions of glacier advance/stabilization to retreat were identified at around 1767,1875,1924 and 1964.The glacier reached its LIA maximum position at 1767.The fluctuations are consistent with those of other glaciers from the Tibetan Plateau,the Rockies and the Alps,suggesting high spatial coherency of glacier fluctuations in the Northern Hemisphere.Comparison with the summer temperature reconstruction in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau indicated that the Midui glacier fluctuation may be related to temperature variation on the centennial timescale.On the decadal scale,the fluctuation could correspond to cold/warm variation with an 8-year lag on average.

The Indian monsoonal influence on altitude effect of δ^(18)O in surface water on southeast Tibetan Plateau

The altitude effect of δ18O is essential for the study of the paleo-elevation reconstruction and possible to be solved through modern process studies. This study presents new δ18O results from southeast Tibetan Plateau along two transects, the Zayu transect and the Lhasa-Nyang transect, with δ18O data from June to September representative of monsoon period and δ18O data during the rest of the year of non-monsoon period. Altitude effect outweighs the longitude and latitude effects in determining regional δ18O variation spatially. Relevant δ18O data from previous studies in the nearby region have also been combined to comprehensively understand the influence of different moisture sources on δ18O from local scale to regional scale. The δ18O in surface water in the southeast Tibetan Plateau and its nearby regions influenced by the Indian summer monsoon shows that single dominant moisture source or simple moisture sources lead to smaller altitudinal lapse rate, whilst growing contributions from local convection to precipitation enlarge δ18O-altitude rate. It thereupon reveals the significance of the Indian summer monsoon to the altitude effect of δ18O in surface water, and the complicated effect of local convection or westerlies evolution to the variation of altitudinal lapse rate. Paleo-monsoon evolution therefore should be considered when altitude effect is applied to paleo-elevation reconstruction for the Tibetan Plateau.