High Plateau Research Articles

New strain configuration of convergence in the Arabia-Eurasia collisional zone: A comprehensive analysis of large shear zones inferred from geodetic and seismic observations

New strain configuration of convergence in the Arabia-Eurasia collisional zone: A comprehensive analysis of large shear zones inferred from geodetic and seismic observations

Solvation Barrier Remodeling‐Dictated Fast‐Kinetics Top–Down Zn Stripping/Plating in Water‐Lean Organic Electrolytes

AbstractDifferent from “bottom–up” Zn plating/stripping, “top–down” Zn stripping/plating provides a new perspective to reinvent current aqueous Zn batteries (AZBs), yet related studies remain absent. Herein, a chelation‐induced solvation barrier remodeling strategy is initiated toward fast‐kinetics “top–down” Zn stripping/plating in original Zn2+‐free water‐lean organic electrolytes (WLOE) for durable Zn batteries. It is found that in WLOE, the initial Zn stripping kinetics of the Zn anode remarkably limits the “top–down” Zn stripping/plating. The intervention of multidentate chelant (2‐methoxyethylamine, MEA) in WLOE greatly lowers the solvation reorganization energy of in situ stripped Zn2+ from the Zn anode, enabling the fast‐kinetics “top–down” Zn stripping/plating. Spectral characterization and fitted overpotential‐reorganization energy correlation strongly confirm the underlying mechanism. As such, the Zn stripping/plating in the MEA‐mediated WLOE shows a 90‐fold‐enhanced current response, triple‐lowered overpotential, and 170‐fold‐prolonged cyclability (over 1700 h at 0.5 mA cm−2) of those in MEA‐free counterpart. The assembled Zn||LiFePO4 hybrid full cell in MEA‐regulated WLOE exhibits a distinct and high voltage plateau of 1.50 V and a low polarization voltage of 0.14 V, far surpassing those in conventional WLOE. This work opens a new avenue to break the kinetics bottleneck of Zn stripping/plating in WLOE for durable Zn batteries.

Bi-continuous interpenetrated porous composite integrating the high strength and long plateau stress stage prepared by an in situ method

Bi-continuous interpenetrated porous composite integrating the high strength and long plateau stress stage prepared by an in situ method

In-situ induction of porous coral structure by phosphomolybdic acid activating V4+/V5+ redox couple of Na3V2(PO4)3

In-situ induction of porous coral structure by phosphomolybdic acid activating V4+/V5+ redox couple of Na3V2(PO4)3

A Displaced Lower Mantle Source of the Hainan Plume in South China Revealed by Receiver Function Imaging of the CEArray

AbstractWe analyzed 49,592 teleseismic receiver functions (RFs) recorded by 278 CEArray stations to image the mantle transition zone (MTZ) beneath the South China Block to understand the origins of deep velocity anomalies and their potential links to subduction and intraplate volcanism. We employed a fast‐marching method and a high‐resolution 3‐D velocity model (FWEA18) derived from full waveform inversion in computing P‐to‐S conversion times to better image the 410‐ and 660‐km discontinuities. Our results indicate that the common‐conversion‐point stacking of RFs using 3‐D conversion times yielded better migration images of the two discontinuities. The images revealed a slightly depressed 410‐km with a few small uplifted patches, and showed that the 660‐km beneath the western Yangtze Craton is depressed by 10–25 km, which is likely caused by the stagnant Paleo‐Pacific slab. The 660‐km beneath the southern Cathaysia Block has a 5–15 km high plateau with a topographic low at its central part. The lateral dimension of the topographic low is ∼150 km and is located beneath the central Pearl River Mount Basin near Hong Kong. We speculate that the topographic low occurs within the Hainan plume with a temperature excess of ∼300–400 K and is caused by the garnet phase transition. The displaced deep plume enters the MTZ and spreads nearly horizontally at the base. The plume evolves into two channels with a minor one toward the northeast and a major one toward the southwest, which keep moving upward to the 410‐km. The southwest channel is likely the source that feeds the Hainan volcanoes.

The Dynamics of the India‐Eurasia Collision: Faulted Viscous Continuum Models Constrained by High‐Resolution Sentinel‐1 InSAR and GNSS Velocities

AbstractThe distribution and magnitude of forces driving lithospheric deformation in the India‐Eurasia collision zone have been debated over many decades. Here we test a two‐dimensional (2‐D) Thin Viscous Shell approach that has been adapted to explicitly account for displacement on major faults and investigate the impact of lateral variations in depth‐averaged lithospheric strength. We present a suite of dynamic models to explain the key features from new high‐resolution Sentinel‐1 Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar as well as Global Navigation Satellite System velocities. Comparisons between calculated and geodetically observed velocity and strain rate fields indicate: (a) internal buoyancy forces from Gravitational Potential Energy acting on a relatively weak region of highest topography (>2,000 m) contribute to dilatation of the high plateau and contraction on the margins; (b) a weak central Tibetan Plateau (∼1021 Pa s compared to far‐field depth‐averaged effective viscosity of at least 1022–1023 Pa s) is required to explain the observed long‐wavelength eastward velocity variation; (c) localized displacement on fault systems enables strain concentration and clockwise rotation around the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis. We discuss the tectonic implications for rheology of the lithosphere, distribution of geodetic strain, and partitioning of active faulting and seismicity.

Oxygen-driven closing pore formation in coal-based hard carbon for low-voltage rapid sodium storage

Oxygen-driven closing pore formation in coal-based hard carbon for low-voltage rapid sodium storage

High cyclic stability and low plateau of Ti2V2Zr/NaH/Al hydrogen storage composite system prepared by ultrasound-assisted ball milling

High cyclic stability and low plateau of Ti2V2Zr/NaH/Al hydrogen storage composite system prepared by ultrasound-assisted ball milling

Plane and vertical design research on end-around taxiways at high plateau airports

The end-around taxiways have been proven to effectively reduce the risk of runway incursions caused by frequent aircraft crossings on closely spaced parallel runways, thus enhancing airport capacity. This practice has gained popularity in recent years, especially in large airports. However, there is currently limited experience in designing and operating end-around taxiways, particularly in high plateau airports facing challenging conditions such as a high water table and low obstacle clearance gradient. In this paper, we present a case study of the second runway project at a specific airport and propose various operational schemes for end-around taxiway construction, including straight, oblique, and controlled designs. We calculate aircraft payload under different obstacle clearance gradients using flight performance analysis. Taking into account both operational and groundwater levels, we determine the appropriate plane and vertical design of end-around taxiways. The findings of this research provide valuable references for the design of end-around taxiways.

High resolution Tibetan Plateau regional reanalysis 1961-present

With the rapid global warming in recent decades, the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has suffered severe impacts, such as glacier retreat, glacial lake expansion, and permafrost degradation, which threaten the lives and properties of the local and downstream populations. Regional Reanalysis (RR) is vital for TP due to the limitations of observations. In this work, a 62-year (1961–2022) long atmospheric regional reanalysis with spatial resolution of 9 km (convective gray-zone scale) and temporal resolution of 1 hour over the TP (TPRR) was developed using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, combined with re-initialization method, spectral nudging (SN), and several optimizations. TPRR is forced by ERA5 at hourly intervals. TPRR outperforms ERA5, realistically capturing climatological characteristics and seasonal variations of precipitation and T2m (air temperature at 2m above ground level). Moreover, TPRR better reproduces the frequency and intensity of precipitation, as well as the diurnal cycle of precipitation. This study also quantifies the wetting trend of 0.0071 mm/year over the TP amid global warming using TPRR.

Landscape modelling of the Yalong River catchment during the uplift of Southeast Tibet

Landscape modelling of the Yalong River catchment during the uplift of Southeast Tibet

Restoration of Pulmonary Compliance after Laparoscopic Gynecologic Surgery Using a Recruitment Maneuver.

This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that an alveolar recruitment maneuver can restore lung compliance to initial values after laparoscopic gynecological surgery. A total of 31 patients who underwent laparoscopic gynecological surgery were enrolled. Protective mechanical ventilation was applied, and the radial artery was catheterized in all patients. An alveolar recruitment maneuver (incremental and decremental positive end-expiratory pressure) was applied ten minutes after the release of pneumoperitoneum. The respiratory mechanics and blood gas results were recorded at eight different time points: after induction of anesthesia (T1), in the lithotomy position (T2), in the Trendelenburg position (T3), 10 and 90 min after insufflation of carbon dioxide (T4 and T5), in the supine position (T6), after desufflation (T7), and 10 min after an alveolar recruitment maneuver at the end of surgery (T8). Pneumoperitoneum and the Trendelenburg position caused a decline of 15 units in compliance (T7 vs. T1; p < 0.05) compared to baseline. After the alveolar recruitment maneuver, compliance increased by 17.5% compared with the mean value of compliance at time T1 (T8 vs. T1; p < 0.05). The recruitment maneuver had favorable results in patients with low initial compliance (41.5 mL/cmH2O, IQR: 9.75 mL/cmH2O), high Body Mass Index 30.32 kg/m2 (IQR: 1.05 kg/m2), and high initial plateau airway pressure (16.5 cmH2O, IQR: 0.75 cmH2O). Lung compliance does not return to initial values after performing laparoscopic gynecological procedures. However, after the release of pneumoperitoneum, an alveolar recruitment maneuver is beneficial as it improves compliance and gas exchange.

One-Step Construction of Closed Pores Enabling High Plateau Capacity Hard Carbon Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries: Closed-Pore Formation and Energy Storage Mechanisms.

Closed pores play a crucial role in improving the low-voltage (<0.1 V) plateau capacity of hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the lack of simple and effective closed-pore construction strategies, as well as the unclear closed-pore formation mechanism, has severely hindered the development of high plateau capacity hard carbon anodes. Herein, we present an effective closed-pore construction strategy by one-step pyrolysis of zinc gluconate (ZG) and elucidate the corresponding mechanism of closed-pore formation. The closed-pore formation mechanism during the pyrolysis of ZG mainly involves (i) the precipitation of ZnO nanoparticles and the ZnO etching on carbon under 1100 °C to generate open pores of 0.45-4 nm and (ii) the development of graphitic domains and the shrinkage of the partial open pores at 1100-1500 °C to convert the open pores to closed pores. Benefiting from the considerable closed-pore content and suitable microstructure, the optimized hard carbon achieves an ultrahigh reversible specific capacity of 481.5 mA h g-1 and an extraordinary plateau capacity of 389 mA h g-1 for use as the anode of SIBs. Additionally, some in situ and ex situ characterizations demonstrate that the high-voltage slope capacity and the low-voltage plateau capacity stem from the adsorption of Na+ at the defect sites and Na-cluster formation in closed pores, respectively.

New fossiliferous sites from the mid-Cretaceous Tendrara dome (High Plateaus, Morocco): biostratigraphical, paleoenvironmental and paleogeographical implications

New fossiliferous sites from the mid-Cretaceous Tendrara dome (High Plateaus, Morocco): biostratigraphical, paleoenvironmental and paleogeographical implications

Anthropogenic influence on altitudinally amplified temperature change in the Tibetan Plateau

As the highest plateau on the Earth, the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has experienced rapid warming in the last decades, affecting natural ecosystem and water resources extending far beyond the plateau itself. A distinctive characteristic known as elevation-dependent warming (EDW) in the high mountain regions was particularly pronounced in the TP, whereby the magnitude of temperature warming was amplified with increasing altitudes. Different mechanisms have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, however, the link between the root cause of warming, human activities, and the EDW remains poorly understood. Here we used the homogenized observation and simulations by the newest climate models to discern human influence on both mean and extreme temperatures within the region. An optimal fingerprinting method was applied in a vertical space rather than in traditional horizontal space. We found that the long-term trends in mean and extreme temperature amplified with increasing elevation, with larger magnitude of trends at higher elevations. The response to external forcing, primarily driven by human activities, was robustly detected in altitudinal amplification of temperature increase, providing clear evidence of human causes of EDW. As warming increases, the EDW in the region will continue, with more pronounced EDW corresponding to larger magnitude of warming under a high emission scenario. These findings mark the first evidence of human influence on temperature across different vertical altitudes of climate system.

High ammonia storage capacity in LiCl nanoparticle-embedded metal-organic framework composites

High ammonia storage capacity in LiCl nanoparticle-embedded metal-organic framework composites

Health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in road dust via dermal exposure pathway from a low latitude plateau provincial capital city: The importance of toxicological verification

The human health risk assessment through the dermal exposure of metal (loid)s in dust from low latitude and high geological background plateau cities was largely unknown. In this study, the road dust samples were harvested from a typical low-latitude plateau provincial capital city Kunming, Southwest China. The total concentration and dermal bioaccessibility of heavy metal (loid)s in road dust were determined, and their health risks as well as cytotoxicity on human skin keratinocytes were also assessed. The average concentrations of As (28.5mg/kg), Cd (2.65mg/kg), Mn (671mg/kg), and Zn (511mg/kg) exceeded the soil background values. Arsenic had the highest bioaccessibility after 2h (3.79%), 8h (4.24%), and 24h (16.6%) extraction. The dermal pathway when bioaccessibility is considered has a higher hazard quotient than the conventional method using total metal(loid)s in the dust. In addition, toxicological verification suggested that the dust extracts suppressed the cell viability, increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and DNA damage, and eventually activated the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway, evidenced by the upregulation of Caspase-3/9, Bax, and Bak-1. Cadmium was positively correlated with the mRNA expression of Bax. Taken together, our data indicated that both dermal bioaccessibility and cytotoxicity should be considered for accurate human skin health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in road dust, which may provide new insight for accurate human health risk assessment and environmental management.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF REPRESENTATIVE SMALL SCALE DAIRY PRODUCTION UNITS TO 2027

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Small-scale dairy systems are vital in rural communities and strategic for livelihoods an economic development. &lt;strong&gt;Objective:&lt;/strong&gt; To estimate the economic and financial viability of small-scale dairy Representative Production Units (RPU) in the high plateau of the State of Mexico using a Monte Carlo simulation. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology:&lt;/strong&gt; Net yields were estimated for a 5-year planning horizon via simulated values for the distribution of input and product processes, establishing 2022 as the base scenario. A stochastic modelling approach was used to determine the economic and financial outlook considering the cost of two sources of labor for the simulations: (1) Cost of family labor (FL); and (2) Cost of external hired labor (EL). &lt;strong&gt;Results&lt;/strong&gt;: A panorama of economic viability was evidenced. However, a lack of financial wellbeing was also determined. When FL was factored in, net income was estimated in $17.99 thousand USD in 2023 and $26.35 thousand USD in 2027. On the other hand, considering EL resulted in a net income of $9.88 thousand USD in 2023 and $16.31 USD in 2027. The Net Present Value in 2027 was calculated at $-161.84 thousand USD and $-191.27 thousand USD, with FL and EL, respectively. While the RPUs were determined to be competitive, the level of risk was significant due to the high monetary value, limited degree of specialization of the RPUs, and the prevailing volatile scenario at the time. &lt;strong&gt;Implications: &lt;/strong&gt;This study can enable decision-makers, on one hand, to analyze and design policies and differentiated strategies for small-scale dairy production systems. On the other hand, it can empower dairy farmers to assess scenarios of technical and productive intervention. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/strong&gt; The financial and economic weakening of the studied RPU could have negative implications in terms of public policy, labor, marketing, value chains, and the persistence of producers in such activity.&lt;/p&gt;

From Inorganic to Organic Iodine: Stabilization of I+ Enabling High-Energy Lithium-Iodine Battery.

Organic materials have been considered a class of promising cathodes for metal-ion batteries because of their sustainability in preparation and source. However, organic batteries with high energy density and application potential require high discharge voltage, multielectron transfer, and long cycling performance. Here, we report an exceptional lithium-iodine (Li//I2) battery, in which the organic iodine (BPD-HI) cathode formed by the Lewis acid-base coordination between hydroiodic acid (HI) and 4,4'-bipyridine (BPD) allows 2e- transfer via the I-/I0 and I0/I+ redox couples. The I+ stabilized by BPD exhibits a high discharge voltage plateau at ∼3.4 V. Remarkably, from inorganic to organic iodine, it realizes a 2-fold increase in the achieved capacity, up to ∼400 mA h gI-1 (Theor. 422 mA h gI-1 and 245.6 mA h g-1 based on the mass of BPD-HI), and an over 2-fold energy density, reaching 1160 W h kgI-1 (Theor. 1324 W h kgI-1). More importantly, a capacity retention rate of 85% over 850 cycles is attained for the Li//BPD-HI battery at a current density of 2 A gI-1. This facile strategy enables positively charged I+ to be electrochemically active in a rechargeable lithium battery. The new redox chemistry discovered provides new insights for developing organic batteries with high energy density.

A new species of Mecodema Blanchard, 1853 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Nothobroscina) restricted to the north-eastern arm of the Parataiko Range, Northland, Aotearoa – New Zealand

ABSTRACT In recent years the high plateaus and escarpments of the north-eastern area of the Parataiko Range, Northland, Aotearoa – New Zealand have been recognised by taxonomists as a biodiversity hotspot with several new plant species unique to the whenua (land) above the Waima Valley. The wet and cool climate limits the growth of kauri (Agathis australis) but has allowed for unique species (e.g. Coprosma waima, Olearia crebra) to adapt to the steep-sided slopes and damp soils of the plateaus. Northland is also recognised as a biodiversity hotspot for the ground beetle genus Mecodema, with 15 described species endemic to this region, almost double that of an equivalent North Island entomological region. We describe, M. haakuturi sp. nov., which is restricted to the north-eastern arm of the Parataiko Range and is one of only a few Mecodema species found above an altitude of 500 m in Northland. We provide an updated key of Mecodema species from the Northland region, including the northern Auckland/Northland boundary species M. rusticulus and the widespread coastal M. antarcticum. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CB67CF55-C486-4AFD-B0C1-5F7CAB86A419