An Advanced Remote Sensing Mapping Technique Aimed at a Better Rainfall Water Preservation in Syria

The scarcity of water resources in Syria, due to its major arid to semi-arid climate （precipitation less 100 mm/year） in a large part of the country, imposes a better rainfall water management in the humid to semi-humid Syrian coast （precipitation over 1,000 mm/year）, where a high water quantity is lost in the sea. Various hydraulics constructions can be used aimed at a more rainfall water preservation： superficial wells, trenches, ponds, hilly lakes and small dams. Remote sensing techniques can help to build these constructions in places where the geomorphology is appropriate, and the filtration rate relatively limited. They are emplaced according to an advanced remote sensing mapping technique, based on the combination of several thematic maps： tectonics-, linear lineament （including density）, lithological facies drainage and filtration maps. This advanced mapping technique has been used to quantitatively verify ancient established constructions along the Syrian coast, and to propose optimal localizations for future hydraulics constructions. This technique presents a simple, quick and cheap solutions to be applied in Syria and the Arab world.

Application of Mulching Materials of Rainfall Harvesting System for Improving Soil Water and Corn Growth in Northwest of China

The ridge and furrow rainfall harvesting（RFRH） system is used for dryland crop production in northwest of China.To determine the effects of RFRH using different mulching materials on corn growth and water use efficiency（WUE）,a field experiment was conducted during 2008-2010 at the Heyang Dryland Experimental Station,China.Four treatments were used in the study.Furrows received uncovered mulching in all RFRH treatments whereas ridges were mulched with plastic film（PF）,biodegradable film（BF） or liquid film（LF）.A conventional flat field without mulching was used as the control（CK）.The results indicated that the average soil water storage at depths of 0-200 cm were 8.2 and 7.3%,respectively higher with PF and BF than with CK.However,LF improved soil water storage during the early growth stage of the crop.Compared with CK,the corn yields with PF and BF were increased by 20.4 and 19.4%,respectively,and WUE with each treatment increased by 23.3 and 21.7%,respectively.There were no significant differences in corn yield or WUE with the PF and BF treatments.The net income was the highest with PF,followed by BF,and the 3-yr average net incomes with these treatments were increased by 2 559 and 2 430 CNY ha-1,respectively,compared with CK.BF and PF had similar effects in enhancing the soil water content,crop yield and net income.Therefore,it can be concluded that biodegradable film may be a sustainable ecological alternative to plastic film for use in the RFRH system in northwest of China.

Differences and Links between the East Asian and South Asian Summer Monsoon Systems:Characteristics and Variability

This paper analyzes the differences in the characteristics and spatio–temporal variabilities of summertime rainfall and water vapor transport between the East Asian summer monsoon（EASM） and South Asian summer monsoon（SASM） systems. The results show obvious differences in summertime rainfall characteristics between these two monsoon systems. The summertime rainfall cloud systems of the EASM show a mixed stratiform and cumulus cloud system, while cumulus cloud dominates the SASM. These differences may be caused by differences in the vertical shear of zonal and meridional circulations and the convergence of water vapor transport fluxes. Moreover, the leading modes of the two systems＇ summertime rainfall anomalies also differ in terms of their spatiotemporal features on the interannual and interdecadal timescales. Nevertheless, several close links with respect to the spatiotemporal variabilities of summertime rainfall and water vapor transport exist between the two monsoon systems. The first modes of summertime rainfall in the SASM and EASM regions reveal a significant negative correlation on the interannual and the interdecadal timescales. This close relationship may be linked by a meridional teleconnection in the regressed summertime rainfall anomalies from India to North China through the southeastern part over the Tibetan Plateau, which we refer to as the South Asia/East Asia teleconnection pattern of Asian summer monsoon rainfall. The authors wish to dedicate this paper to Prof. Duzheng YE, and commemorate his 100 thanniversary and his great contributions to the development of atmospheric dynamics.

Effects of Doubled Carbon Dioxide on Rainfall Responses to Radiative Processes of Water Clouds

The effects of doubled carbon dioxide on rainfall responses to radiative processes of water clouds are investigated in this study.Two groups of two-dimensional cloud-resolving model sensitivity experiments with regard to pre-summer heavy rainfall around the summer solstice and tropical rainfall around the winter solstice are conducted and their five-day averages over the model domain are analyzed.In the presence of radiative effects of ice clouds,doubled carbon dioxide changes pre-summer rainfall from the decrease associated with the enhanced atmospheric cooling to the increase associated with the enhanced infrared cooling as a result of the exclusion of radiative effects of water clouds.Doubled carbon dioxide leads to the reduction in tropical rainfall,caused by the removal of radiative effects of water clouds through the suppressed infrared cooling.In the absence of radiative effects of ice clouds,doubled carbon dioxide changes pre-summer rainfall from the increase associated with the strengthened atmospheric warming to the decrease associated with the weakened release of latent heat caused by the elimination of radiative effects of water clouds.The exclusion of radiative effects of water clouds increases tropical rainfall through the strengthened infrared cooling,which is insensitive to the change in carbon dioxide.

Analysis of Precipitation Resource and Weather Modification Potential in Anyang

Using ground water vapor pressure and precipitation data at four times of one day during 1985- 2014 in each county（ city） of Anyang,precipitable water at each station was calculated,and temporal-spatial distribution of atmospheric maximum precipitable water and its change trend over the years in the city were analyzed. Results showed that atmospheric maximum precipitable water in Anyang City had the characteristics of summer far more than winter,autumn slightly higher than spring,west and south more,and east and north less,and presented the increasing trend year by year. We further analyzed the characteristic of monthly rainfall enhancement potential in each county,and mean in whole year was 80%. In spring and winter,rainfall enhancement potential in the west was bigger than east,while rainfall enhancement potential in the east was bigger than west in summer and autumn. The research provides reference basis for rationally carrying out artificial rainfall work,which could effectively ease uneven temporal-spatial distribution problem of water resource in Anyang City.

云县地震台DSQ水管倾斜仪与VP垂直摆观测资料对比分析

云县地震台架设DSQ水管倾斜仪和VP垂直摆2套数字化地倾斜观测仪器,2套仪器的结构和原理差别较大,但观测的物理量一致。本文从数据完整率、内在精度、年变幅度、相关性、形态特征等角度出发,对数据进行对比分析,结果表明:2套仪器稳定性均较强,数据完整率较高,且地倾斜变化规律一致,均能反映监测区域大地倾斜变化特征,年变趋势受降雨干扰明显。