东亚大陆、西亚大陆和东地中海地区地震活动性异同的初步综述

本文初步综述了东亚大陆、西亚大陆和东地中海地震区地震活动性异同。地震活动性的含义不仅指地震的时空强图像,也包括地震的构造和动力学背景分析。结果表明,总体上东亚大陆、西亚大陆和东地中海地区的地震活动性和变形,都和欧亚板块与周边(北美、太平洋、菲律宾海、印度、阿拉伯和非洲等)板块等相互作用(汇聚、碰撞、俯冲和速度)密切相关。宏观上,东亚大陆、西亚大陆和东地中海地区的地震活动性都表现为疏密相间的震中分布图像以及断裂走向的对称性等。然而,在这些大陆地震区相关的板块相互作用的边界上以及内部的地震活动、构造和动力学背景等方面仍存在不少差异。

Structures and Evolutions of Explosive Cyclones over the Northwestern and Northeastern Pacific

In this study, the structures and evolutions of moderate(MO) explosive cyclones(ECs) over the Northwestern Pacific(NWP) and Northeastern Pacific(NEP) are investigated and compared using composite analysis with cyclone-relative coordinates. Final Operational Global Analysis data gathered during the cold seasons(October–April) of the 15 years from 2000 to 2015 are used. The results indicate that MO NWP ECs have strong baroclinicity and abundant latent heat release at low levels and strong upper-level forcing, which favors explosive cyclogenesis. The rapid development of MO NEP ECs results from their interaction with a northern cyclone and a large middle-level advection of cyclonic vorticity. The structural differences between MO NWP ECs and MO NEP ECs are significant. This results from their specific large-scale atmospheric and oceanic environments. MO NWP ECs usually develop rapidly in the east and southeast of the Japan Islands; the intrusion of cold dry air from the East Asian continent leads to strong baroclinicity, and the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension provides abundant latent heat release at low levels. The East Asian subtropical westerly jet stream supplies strong upper-level forcing. While MO NEP ECs mainly occur over the NEP, the low-level baroclinicity, upper-level jet stream, and warm ocean currents are relatively weaker. The merged cyclone associated with a strong middle-level trough transports large cyclonic vorticity to MO NEP ECs, which favors their rapid development.

Large-Scale Circulation Features Typical of Wintertime Extensive and Persistent Low Temperature Events in China

A pair of northeast-southwest-tilted mid-tropospheric ridges and troughs on the continental scale was observed to be the key circulation feature common among wintertime extensive and persistent low tempera-ture events (EPLTE) in China.During the persistence of such anomalous circulations,the split flow over the inner Asian continent and the influent flow over the southeast-ern coast of China correspond well to the expanded and amplified Siberian high with tightened sea level pressure gradients and hence,a strong,cold advection over south-eastern China.The western Pacific subtropical high tends to expand northward during the early stages of most EPLTEs.

Roads on the Plateau

CHINA’S scenic province of Yunnan is located in the transitional belt between the Indo-China Peninsula and the South Asian subcontinent. It neighbors four provinces and autonomous regions and borders three countries. Since ancient times it has served as an important land gateway linking China with Southeast and South Asia.

Sedimentary Precambrian deposits in southwestern Transbaikalia (Siberia): phytoliths content, lateral correlations and geodynamics

The Baikal Group is one of the most important stratigraphic units in the geology of East Siberia (Upper Riphean). This paper focuses on litological-facies features based on the analysis of organic remains (stromatolites, microphitolites and microfossils), in order to better precise the age and environmental deposit conditions of the Baikal Group. The results are used to draw a correlation between all the Precambrian of deposits of the South of East Siberia. The stratigraphy of the Baikal Group is then compared to the geodynamic evolution of this region, characterized by the break-up of the supercontinent Rodinia and subsequent opening of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Stratigraphic analogs to the Baikal Group display in most areas deposits of various minerals (complex ores, phosphoresces, bauxites etc. have been dated of the same age), so the present study would also provides an economic interest.

Exploring the history of cultural exchange in prehistoric Eurasia from the perspectives of crop diffusion and consumption

The history of cultural exchange in prehistoric Eurasia(CEPE) has been widely investigated. Based on archaeological evidence, this process is thought to date back to at least the early Bronze Age, although details about timings and routes remain unclear. It is likely that CEPE promoted the spread and exchange of crops that originated in different parts of Eurasia; since these remains can be definitely identified and directly dated, they provide ideal research materials to explore the history of CEPE. In this paper, we review the available archaeobotanical evidence and direct radiocarbon dates for crop remains, alongside carbon isotopic data from human bones unearthed from prehistoric sites in Eurasia, in order to investigate the history of the spread of millet crops, and wheat and barley, that were first domesticated in the eastern and western parts of Eurasia during prehistoric times.In combination with other archaeological evidences, we discuss the history of CEPE. Our results suggest that wheat and barley were domesticated in western Asia around 10500 a BP, spread into Europe and western Central Asia before 8000 a BP, and reaching eastern Central Asia and northwestern China between 4500 and 4000 a BP. Data show that both broomcorn and foxtail millet were domesticated in eastern Asia before 7700 a BP, spread into eastern Central Asia between 4500 and 4000 a BP, and into western Asia and Europe prior to 3500 a BP. Wheat, barley, and millet crops were first utilized together in eastern Kazakhstan within Central Asia around 4400 a BP, the region where earliest CEPE is likely to have taken place. These crops were mixedly used mainly in eastern central Asia and northwest China between 4500 and 3500 a BP, and then across the Eurasia before 2200 a BP. The results of this study suggest that transcontinental CEPE might have been initiated during the fifth millennium, before intensifying during the Bronze Age to lay the foundations for the creation of the ancient Silk Road during the Han Dynasty(between 202 BC and 220AD).

Prevalent thickening and local thinning of the mantle transition zone beneath the Baikal rift zone and its dynamic implications

The Baikal rift is the most seismically active continental rift in the world and is significant for studying the dynamics of continental rifts, although its precise dynamic mechanisms remain controversial. We calculated receiver functions (1748) from Global Seismographic Network seismic stations TLY and ULN and stacked receiver functions in different bins. Here we present discontinuities at depths of 410km and 660km and thickness of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) beneath the study area. The MTZ structure shows an obvious thickening (292km) in the Baikal rift zone except for an area of limited thinning (230km), whereas it is basically normal (250km) beneath the Mongolian area, to the southeast of the Baikal rift. Combining these results with previous findings, we propose that the large-scale thickening beneath the Baikal rift zone is likely to be caused by the Mesozoic collision between the Siberian Platform and the Mongolia-North China Block or magmatic intrusion into the lower crust, which would result in crust and lithosphere thickening. Thus, the lower crust becomes eclogitized and consequently detached into the deep mantle because of negative buoyancy. The detachment not only induces asthenosphere upwelling but also accelerates mantle convection of water detached from the subducted slab, which would increase mantle melting, while both processes promote the development of the rift. Our preliminary results indicate that the detachment and the consequent hot upwelling have an important influence on the development of the Baikal rift, and a small-scale mantle upwelling indicated by the located thinning may have destroyed the lithosphere and promoted this development.

A survey on pollen dispersal in the western Pacific Ocean and its paleoclimatological significance as a proxy for variation of the Asian winter monsoon

Pollen grains deposited in marine sediments are transported from land to sea by wind or surface water flows.We analyzed pollen collected from the air and seawater from the coast of the Yellow Sea near China and into the western Pacific Ocean between December 2008 and January 2009 during the cruise "KX08-973".Results showed that abundant pollen grains of Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae were probably transported to the continental shelf of the East China Sea,the East Philippine Sea and the equatorial regions of the Pacific Ocean by the winter monsoon.Some pollen may have even traveled over 2000 km from the East Asia continent to the tropical Pacific Ocean.However,a gradual decline of temperate components and an increase in tropical components was observed towards the tropical regions.Fern spores were rare in the air samples,but much more abundant in seawater samples,even though they were collected in nearly the same areas,which indicates that most fern spores were carried to the ocean by flowing water.These results suggest that the winter monsoon may be the major pollen carrier and transporter in the study area during winter.

How will climate change affect the potential distribution of Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus in North America？

Habitat suitability models have been used to predict the present and future potential distribution of a variety of spe- cies. Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus, native to Eurasia, have established populations in other parts of the world. In North America, their current distribution is limited to a relatively small region around its original introduction to St. Louis, Missouri. We combined data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility with current and future climate data to create habitat suitability models using Maxent for this species. Under projected climate change scenarios, our models show that the distribution and range of the Eurasian tree sparrow could increase as far as the Pacific Northwest and Newfoundland. This is potentially important in-formation for prioritizing the management and control of this non-native species [Current Zoology 57 （5）： 648--654, 2011].