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With the development of detrital zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotope analysis as conventional sedimentological research methods, a large number of studies have been conducted in the Tarim, West Kunlun, Tajik, Pamir and Tianshuihai regions and abundant data have been accumulated. Summarizing these data to characterize sedimentary units and source regions is more important than local studies of specific geological epochs; therefore, we compiled a database of detrital zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotope analyses from the Tarim, West Kunlun, Pamir, Tajik and Tianshuihai terranes. The database contains data from 90 papers, including 35,281 individual U–Pb ages and 4,181 Hf isotope analyses. The database records the literature source, petrologic sample information, regional geological information, geographic coordinates and analytical parameters for each data point in as much detail as possible to allow readers to review, process, analyse and use the data. The database relies on the Deep‐time Digital Earth (DDE) platform and uses an open database update system to enable sharing and collaborative building. We encourage other researchers to contribute relevant published data to facilitate wider use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kazakh is one of the multilingual languages of China and is widely spoken in some areas of Xinjiang, China. However, due to the fact that Kazakh is a language in which several characters are glued together to form a continuous word with a unique shape and complex structural combinations of relationships. This paper explores a solution for offline image retrieval of handwritten Kazakh words, which is a challenging task because, due to the lack of relevant datasets and the special writing morphology of the Kazakh language, traditional text image retrieval algorithms often struggle to achieve satisfactory results when dealing with writing styles that are varied and adherent to the language. Therefore, a dataset of offline Kazakh handwritten document images was created in this paper. The dataset contains 300 pages of document images with 20 500 words. Then, a new model called the ‘AENet’ is proposed. The model utilizes an attention mechanism to focus more finely on focal regions such as centers, inflection points, and contours of handwritten word images and to capture important local features from different scales. Fusion space pyramid pooling, feature aggregation, encoding operations, and feature downscaling and reconstruction are used to extract and reconstruct more representative feature representations from local to global to capture the overall information in the word images. Through experimental evaluation on Kazak‐80, Zilla‐64, and HWDB1.1‐375 datasets, it is verified that the method significantly improves the mAP for image retrieval of handwritten words, which is especially applicable to adhesive languages like Kazakh. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snowmelt floods are highly hazardous meteorological disasters that can potentially threaten human lives and property. Hence, snowmelt susceptibility mapping (SSM) plays an important role in flood prevention systems and aids emergency responders and flood risk managers. In this paper, a method of identifying snowmelt flood hazards is proposed, and a large‐scale snowmelt flood hazard zonation scheme based on historical recordings and multisource remote sensing data is established. To assess the quality of our approach, the proposed model was tested in the cold and arid region of Xinjiang, China. Overall, 140 historical snowmelt flood events and 27 explanatory factors were selected to construct a geospatial dataset for SSM of the contemporary period. GridSearchCV was used to comprehensively search the candidate parameters from the grid of given parameters obtained with the random forest (RF) algorithm. Then, the geospatial dataset was divided into two subsets: 70% for training and 30% for testing. Next, SSM results were obtained with the RF algorithm using optimized parameters. The results indicate that our optimized RF classifier performs well for the task of SSM, with a high AUC value (0.975) for the test dataset. The validation and analysis suggest that the proposed method can efficiently identify snowmelt flood hazards in undersampled arid areas at a regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop insurance is critical in risk management in global agricultural production (e.g. by helping stabilise farmers' incomes in the long term and reducing risk‐bearing costs). In this paper, using field survey data on cotton farmers in Xinjiang, China, we examine the influence of crop insurance on farmers' behaviours regarding agrochemical inputs and aim to investigate the synergy between crop insurance and reductions in fertiliser and pesticide usage. We find evidence that crop insurance significantly negatively affects farmers' use of fertilisers and pesticides, as well as significantly positively affects their adoption of green agricultural technologies (GAT) that can replace or complement traditional fertilisers and pesticides. Moreover, our results reveal that compared with small‐scale farmers, crop insurance has a stronger effect on large‐scale farmers' use of agrochemicals. Finally, when the insured amount is higher or the relative deductible is lower, farmers are more likely to reduce fertiliser and pesticide usage and adopt GAT. Overall, this paper scientifically identifies crop insurance can improve farmers' agrochemical input behaviour, by reducing farmers' use of traditional agrochemical inputs and increasing their adoption of GAT, which is of great significance for ensuring the safety of the agricultural ecological environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the pioneer palaeontologists, Professor Zhuoting Liao has contributed his lifetime to promoting palaeontological and stratigraphical research in China for 60 years, and he passed away in the field excursion in South China on June 20, 2020. In his palaeontological career, Liao has worked on Late Palaeozoic to Mesozoic palaeontology and stratigraphy of almost all regions across China, and his interests have also extended to the Permian–Triassic (P‐Tr) boundary and mass extinction. He has worked on palaeontology, palaeobiogeography, biostratigraphy, tectonostratigraphy, and their implications in mineral and oil‐gas industries. Liao has established 22 new genera and 172 new species of brachiopods, and, together with his colleagues, proposed 11 new genera and 25 new species of echinoderms. He dedicated his lifetime to work on Late Palaeozoic palaeontology and stratigraphy of the previously remote and tectonically complex Xinjiang and adjacent regions, north‐west China, and established integrated stratigraphical frameworks for the Carboniferous to Permian strata, providing fundamental basis for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration in the poorly understood Central Asian terranes. In addition, he has mentored many young palaeontologists and stratigraphers in various ways. This volume assembles 30 papers addressing the Late Palaeozoic to Mesozoic palaeontology and stratigraphy of China and adjacent regions, which pays tribute to the achievement of Professor Zhuoting Liao. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize the high‐efficiency utilization of iron‐rich coal, it is necessary to conduct in‐depth research on the ash fusion characteristics and regulation mechanism. In this paper, the ash fusion temperature test of iron‐rich coal in Xinjiang (ZC) under different atmospheres was first carried out. Then, red mud (HJ) from Huajin Aluminum Industry and black water pipe scale (GDG) were selected as the additives. After the same ashing procedure, the two additives were mixed with iron‐rich coal ash in different proportions to realize the regulation of the chemical composition of the coal ash to improve the ash fusion characteristic. The ash fusion temperature (AFT) experiment was carried out in the automatic ash melting point analyzer, and high‐temperature ash melting slags at different temperatures were prepared. The mineral phases of coal ash and slag were characterized by XRD and compared with the Factsage simulation calculation results to reveal the influence mechanism of coal ash fusion temperature. The result shows that the fusion temperature of ZC iron‐rich coal ash is significantly different between oxidizing atmosphere and weak reducing atmosphere. Compared with the oxidizing atmosphere, the four characteristic temperatures of ZC iron‐rich coal ash are significantly lower under weak reducing conditions, and the difference is about 150°C. The addition of red mud and pipeline scale increased the fusion temperature of ZC coal ash to varying degrees. The addition of HJ ash has little effect on the deformation temperature of ZC coal ash, while the addition of different proportions of HJ ash significantly increases the flow temperature of ZC coal ash. When the addition ratio of HJ ash is 40%, the flow temperature FT of ZC coal ash increases most obviously, which is about 50°C. The addition of HJ ash and GDG ash will lead to an increase in the content of iron‐containing spinel, thereby increasing the ash flow temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize the high‐efficiency utilization of iron‐rich coal (ZC), it is necessary to conduct in‐depth research on its ash fusion characteristics and regulation mechanism. In this paper, the fusion temperature test of ZC coal ash was first carried out in a weak reducing atmosphere, and diatomite (GZT) and Naomaohu high‐calcium coal (NMH) were selected as additives. The results show that the four characteristic temperatures of ZC coal ash are all low under weak reducing conditions. The addition of NMH ash lowered the fusion temperature of ZC coal ash, while the GZT ash increased the fusion temperature to varying degrees. When the addition ratio of NMH ash is less than 40 %, the effect of increasing the difference between the deformation temperature and flow temperature of ZC coal ash is still positive. The addition of NMH ash made the slag system generate a high content of calcium‐magnesium feldspar and calcium‐iron feldspar, decreasing the fusion temperature of the blended coal ash. The addition of GZT ash increased the content of SiO2 in the slag system and promoted the increase of the iron‐pyroxene content, and the formation of the iron‐aluminum pyroxene and cordierite mineral phases, thereby increasing the coal ash fusion temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) has recently experienced a series of policies seeking economic development and intensive methods of social coercion. A unique leader, Chen Quanguo, brought these changes to the XUAR in 2016. This paper seeks to examine the effects of Chen's regime. We specifically examine three outcomes: GDP per capita, arrest rates, and spending on public security. Using the synthetic control method, we find that Chen's regime had no significant effect on the development. However, his policies led to much higher rates of arrest and larger spending on public security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to an accident analysis report, with regard to sub-synchronous oscillation (SSO) in Xinjiang, China, dynamic reactive compensation devices have great influence on the existence of sub-synchronous harmonics. This paper based on the practical phenomenon for further study, focuses on the interaction between direct-drive permanent synchronous generators (D-PMSGs)-based wind farm and static var compensator (SVC). Detailed electro-magnetic transient simulation model, such as D-PMSGs-based wind farm compensated by SVC, is established in PSCAD/EMTDC. Time-domain simulation results demonstrate that there is interaction between D-PMSGs-based wind farm and SVC, which is closely related with the control parameters of SVC and D-PMSGs-based wind farm. This type of control interaction will lead to sub-synchronous oscillation. Therefore, the influence of above control parameters on the oscillation characteristics is further studied here. The practical significance of this paper is indicating the necessity of coordinating and optimising control parameters in large-scale wind farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of each carbonate reservoir are greatly different, and current databases are insufficient to support engineering scheme design and optimization of carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration and enhanced oil recovery. In this paper, the behavior of CO2‐brine‐rock interactions was investigated under supercritical CO2 (50°C and 8.5 MPa) conditions. Five experiments were carried out, including CO2 solubility in brine, mass loss analysis by static reaction of CO2–brine–rock, mineralogical composition analysis by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), core surface morphology analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and wettability alteration by contact angle analysis. The experimental results showed that: (a) the CO2 solubility in brine increases with increasing pressure, but it increases slowly and gradually reaches equilibrium; (b) the mass loss of carbonate increases with reaction time, but its increments decrease with reaction time; (c) the calcite content gradually decreases and the quartz content slightly increases with reaction time, as evidenced by XRD analysis; (d) based on SEM image analysis, calcite was dissolved into brine by carbonic acid to make the pores larger, and then subsequent precipitation made the pores smaller; and (e) the carbonate rock surface became more water‐wet after CO2–brine–rock interaction experiments due to surface corrosion and increased quartz content. Using the experimental results, a mathematical model was developed to predict CO2 sequestration capacity under reservoir conditions. The results suggest that CO2 solubility in brine was the main aspect compared with mineral trapping in carbonate reservoirs, and CO2 sequestration capacity increased with increasing temperature and pressure. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long before the East–West "Silk Road" appeared, cultural communication as well as exchanges of materials and technologies had existed between different populations across the Eurasian Steppe. Xinjiang, located at a crossroads of the East and the West, is particularly important for exploring human interactions. The present paper contributes to this end from a stable isotopic perspective. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis were applied to 51 human and four animal bone remains collected from three types of tombs—namely, the earthen vertical tomb‐pit, earthen vertical tomb‐pit with second‐tier ledge, and earthen vertical tomb‐pit with side chamber—excavated from the Dalujiao cemetery, dated to the Early Iron Age (542 BCE–59 CE), in Xinjiang of northwest China. The δ13C (mean: −18.6 ‰) and δ15N (mean: 7.5‰) results of the faunal remains suggest that the two herbivore species (horse and sheep) were fed mainly by C3 terrestrial plants. By contrast, the human bone specimens differ in δ13C values (from −16.0‰ to −11.6‰, with a mean of −14.1‰ ± 1.1‰, n = 51). People buried in vertical tomb‐pits show a narrow range of δ13C values, an indication that they consumed quite stable sources of food. In contrast, those buried in vertical tomb‐pits with a second‐tier ledge or with a side chamber consumed more diverse foods and probably adopted different subsistence strategies. Taking into consideration both isotopic results and types of tombs, we propose that at least three groups of populations with diverse dietary and subsistence strategies are identifiable at the Dalujiao cemetery. Our study reveals not only human diets and subsistence patterns in the study area but also interactions among different populations prior to the rise of "Silk Road." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xiaorequanzi copper–zinc deposit, located in the eastern Tianshan, is considered as a medium‐sized polymetallic deposit in Xinjiang, NW China. Understanding the structural framework and delineating the location of intrusions as well as the distribution of ore‐controlling strata in this mining area are vital for identifying new potential exploration areas. This paper aims to provide new information on the subsurface structures of the Xiaorequanzi copper–zinc deposit and to explore new target area for the ore prospecting based on comprehensive interpretation of multiple geophysical datasets. Several potential field filtering methods were used to study the spatial distribution of the geological structure. The structural lineament was delineated based on various source boundary detection results. Euler deconvolution method was used to estimate the field source depth, and the structure model was constructed from 2.5D forward gravity modelling, constrained by borehole and electromagnetic data. The results indicate that the local gravity highs may be the concentration of mineralized rocks with high density extending to depths of several hundred meters; the magnetic highs are related to mineralized rocks/intrusive rocks that are close to the surface. The tectonic framework of the whole ore bed is mainly controlled by NW‐SE, E‐W and NE‐SW structures, in which NE‐SW structures are related closely to mineralization and may provide optimum conditions for magma emplacement and fluid migration. Our research will help to study the tectonic evolution and guide further exploration of the deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mengqiguer deposit in the southern Yili basin Ili Basin is a large interlayer‐oxidation‐zone type uranium deposit. In this paper, we applied multiple methods including microscopic observation, scanning electron microscope and electronic probe, to analyze the systematical alteration characteristics of the ore‐bearing sandstone layer. Fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies on the ore‐bearing sandstone have also been carried out to discuss the internal relations between fluid activities, epigenetic alteration and the uranium mineralization. Major epigenetic alteration include clay alteration, carbonatization and pyritization, of which biogenetic pyritization is most closely related to the uranium mineralization. This suggests the existence of microorganism during the uranium mineralization process. The mineralization fluids of low temperature, medium density but varied salinities are suggested to be derived from multi‐source, including the meteoric water and organic acidic vapor components from coal‐bearing strata. Uranium mineralization, grain‐dispersed kaolinite, limonite, colloidal pyrite, and the carbonate cements associated with sulfate‐reducing bacteria were formed by meteoric water and vermicular‐shaped kaolinite, autologous pyrite, and the carbonate cementation associated with the dehydroxylation of organic matter was formed by organic acidic. Based on these results, we consider that the uranium mineralization and epigenetic alteration both resulted from the reciprocity of organic–inorganic fluid and fluid–rock during the formation of the interlayer oxidation zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As water‐related ecosystem services (WRES) encounter unprecedented threats with climate change and human activities, it is important to understand the impact of variations in the supply and demand for WRES on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Previous studies commonly overlooked water quality and water‐use sectors when using comprehensive supply‐demand index (SDIcom), defined as the difference between water supply and demand, leading to challenges in applying WRES estimation to SDGs assessment. We constructed a refined supply‐demand framework for WRES, categorizing the water supply by water quality and the water demand by sectors. It allows the calculation of refined supply‐demand index (SDIref), addressing the limitations of SDIcom. Our findings demonstrate that SDIref could be effectively employed to assess SDGs and rectify the overestimation of SDIcom in the case study in Xinjiang. The supply‐demand relationship of water resources indicates surpluses in domestic and industrial water use and deficits in agricultural and ecological water use, with the latter worsening. SDIref is projected to be higher in the scenario with SSP2‐4.5 and high growth rate of irrigation efficiency. Our study suggested informed decisions based on SDG‐specific targets to either maintain or enhance SDG progress scores. The proposed refined supply‐demand framework of WRES established a quantitative link between WRES and human well‐being, providing applicable insights for other ecosystem service assessments in other regions. Plain Language Summary: The study on the supply and demand of water‐related ecosystem services (WRES) describes the process of WRES transmission from water‐related ecosystems to human society. The variations in these transmissions arising from internal differences in water quality and water‐use sectors are pivotal factors in the effects of WRES to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unfortunately, these critical factors were generally neglected. Based on above‐mentioned gap, we proposed a refined supply‐demand framework of WRES, introducing the refined supply‐demand index (SDIref). SDIref, which accounts for water quality in supply and water‐use sectors in demand, exhibits superior performance in SDGs assessment. In the case study of Xinjiang, SDIref could more accurately capture the supply‐demand relationship of water resources compared to the comprehensive supply‐demand index (SDIcom) that is the difference between water supply without considering quality and demand without sectors. Domestic and industrial water resources are projected to be in surplus and agricultural and ecological water resources will face worsening deficit. The most sustainable water supply‐demand relationship is anticipated in the scenario with moderate greenhouse gas emissions and a high growth rate of irrigation efficiency. In light of the specific SDG assessment, we posed appropriate recommendations aimed at improving SDG progress scores. This study could offer valuable insights for integrating WRES into decision‐making towards enhancing human well‐being. Key Points: This study proposed a refined supply‐demand framework for ecosystem services to assess the Sustainable Development GoalsThe refined supply‐demand index could provide more accurate assessments on ecosystem services compared to the comprehensive supply‐demand indexThe relationship between water supply and demand in Xinjiang will undergo a worsening deficit in the future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camponotus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is an omnivorous social insect which builds sizable colonies in sparse woodlands or cropland and spreads across multiple climatic zones in the Chinese mainland. This study aims to reveal the role of climate changes and geological events in driving the genetic structure of social insect populations by investigating the phylogenetics and historical demography of C. japonicus in the Chinese mainland. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted based on the mitochondria DNA dataset using MrBayes and IQ‐TREE. We constructed a haplotype network, calculated analyses of molecular variance, estimated the divergence time, and reconstructed the maximum clade credibility tree. Mismatch distribution and Bayesian skyline plots were used to infer historical population fluctuations. Additionally, ecological niche modeling was employed to predict the potential distribution of the species during the present, mid‐holocene, and last glacial maximum periods in the Chinese mainland. The phylogenetic tree and median‐joining network analyses support the presence of four distinct lineages in C. japonicus. These lineages exhibit significant genetic differentiation and limited gene flow. The divergence among the four lineages began in the early Pleistocene, approximately 1.41 million years ago (Ma). Subsequently, the central lineage diverged from both the northern and southern lineages around 1.16 Ma, while the northern and southern lineages diverged from each other at approximately 1.07 Ma. Population expansion was observed in the southern, central, and northern lineages prior to the last glacial maximum, while the Yunnan‐Sichuan lineage experienced a slight increase in population size in more recent times. The predicted distribution of the species corresponds well with the actual distribution. Furthermore, the current suitable habitat areas in northern Xinjiang, southern Tibet, and the southeast coastal regions have significantly decreased compared to the last glacial maximum and the mid‐holocene periods. Our results suggest that climate oscillations and geological events play an important role in driving genetic patterns and differentiation of C. japonicus. Mountain barriers isolate populations from each other, hinder the flow of genes, and effectively prevent the spread of this species. But at the same time, it also formed refugia at low altitudes areas such as Qinling‐Bashan Mountains and Yanshan‐Taihang Mountains and provide suitable habitats during glaciation. This study provides a good model for understanding how complex climate changes and geological events affect population genetic differentiation of social insects in the Chinese mainland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of stream-aquifer interaction and water balance for a catchment often requires specific information on streambed parameters, such as streambed hydraulic conductivity, seepage flux across the streambed and so on. This paper describes a simple, inexpensive instrument that is used to measure these streambed parameters under the condition of a stream disconnected from groundwater. Our method includes a seepage cylinder for simulation of river water depth. The proposed method was applied to estimate the vertical hydraulic conductivity of a streambed and the changes in vertical seepage rate from stream to groundwater with varied stream water depth in the Manasi River of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The vertical hydraulic conductivities of the streambed determined from 12 sites along the Manasi River vary from 1.01 to 29.m/day where the stream disconnects from the groundwater. The experimental results suggest that there are two kinds of relations between the vertical seepage rate and the simulated stream water depth. One is a linear relation between the two variables with low Reynolds numbers (less than 10); the other is a nonlinear relation (exponential relation) between the two variables with larger Reynolds numbers (greater than 10). This second relationship is quite different from the traditional model that usually calculates the vertical seepage rate from stream to groundwater under the condition of disconnection using a linear relation (Darcy's Law). Our results suggest that a linear relation can only be used for a limited range of river water depth. This method gives a convenient tool for rapidly estimating the streambed hydraulic conductivity and the changes in the vertical seepage rate across streambed with varied stream water depths for the case of a stream disconnected from groundwater. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the spatial and temporal variability of the statistical structures of precipitation across Xinjiang, China, by analysing the time series of daily precipitation from 50 weather stations during the period from 1961 to 2008. Three indices precipitation concentration index (CI), precipitation concentration degree (PCD) and precipitation concentration period (PCP) were used to detect precipitation concentrations and the associated spatial patterns. The results show that higher precipitation CI values were mainly observed in Southern Xinjiang, whereas lower precipitation CI values were mostly detected in Northern Xinjiang. The precipitation CI values are noticeably larger in places where both annual total precipitation and number of rainy days are lower. The Mann-Kendall trend test demonstrates that the most parts of Xinjiang are characterized by no significant trends of precipitation CI at the 0.05 significance level. The periodicity characteristic of precipitation CI time series in Xinjiang could be detected by wavelet power spectrum analysis, and significant periods of that in most of Xinjiang were concentrated on 2-5 years band. The results of PCP reveal that rainfall in Xinjiang mostly occurs in summer, and the rainy season arrives earlier in Eastern Xinjiang than Western Xinjiang, whereas the results of PCD indicate that the rainfall in Northern Xinjiang was more dispersed within a year than that in Southern Xinjiang. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ili River Valley is located in western Xinjiang as a 'wet island' in an arid region, and is rich with unique plant species. In this paper, TWINSPAN (two-way indicator species analysis) and DCCA (detrended canonical correspondence analysis) were performed to analyze the vegetation patterns and influential factors based on data from a field investigation in the mountainous region of the valley. 259 species were recorded in the 85 plots, up to 235 species all appeared in the herb layer, and species of woody plants were very limited. The species composition varied widely between the northern slope and the southern slope. 35 plots on the northern slope were clustered into 10 groups, and 50 plots on the southern slope were clustered into 11 groupes. The DCCA ordination indicated that elevation as a compound factor was the critical driver of species composition on both the slopes. The vegetation patterns were also related to slope gradient, aspect, soil water, soil pH, organic matter and total nitrogen. Available phosphorus and available potassium were important factors on the southern slope only, maybe because of the appearance of shrubs there. The proportion of variation explained was 49.54% on the northern slope and 41.08% on the southern slope. Edaphic variables were more important than topographical variables on the northern slope, while topographical variables seemed to be more influential on the southern slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land–atmosphere coupling (LAC) is a critical process in the climate system, and has great effects on surface air temperature over the humid–dry transition zones. Using ERA5/ERA5‐land reanalysis datasets, we show that the summer temperature anomalies over Northwest China (NWC), known as one of the most important LAC hotpots in China, are significantly correlated with the LAC strength during 1981–2020. The stronger the coupling strength between air temperature and land surface, the more pronounced decrease in air temperature and extreme hot days over NWC. Among the four pathways of land–air temperature coupling, including soil moisture (SM)/soil temperature–latent heat flux/sensible heat flux–air temperature coupling, SM–sensible heat flux–air temperature pathway corresponds most closely with the temperature changes in summer. By analyzing the possible local and non‐local physical links in this relationship, we show that the wave trains composed of the intensification of Ural ridge and Central–Asia trough stimulate a meridional fluctuation of westerly airflow over the mid–high latitudes of Eurasia. Large moisture, therefore, converges into NWC, leading to excessive precipitation and deficient incident solar radiation reaching the land surface. In such case, wetter and cooler soil states accelerate the cooling of the environment through feedbacks between the lands, land–atmosphere exchanging fluxes and air temperature locally, accompanied by a significant enhancement in LAC strength. Our study provides insight into the physical processes causing variations in summer temperature over a typical LAC hotspot and suggests that the role of land surface–atmosphere interactions needs to be considered when studying temperature extremes under climate change. Plain Language Summary: There exist strong interactions between land surface and air temperature over Northwest China (NWC) in summer. In the meantime, NWC region (especially Xinjiang province) has undergone severe hot extremes recently and suffered great loss of life and property. In this case, this study is presented to investigate the relationship of variation in surface air temperature with the land–air temperature coupling strength using reanalysis‐based datasets. We revealed that the stronger the coupling strength, the more pronounced decrease in air temperature and extreme hot days there. Both local and non‐local factors contribute to this process. The large‐scale anomalous Arctic Oscillation–East Atlantic/West Russia‐like patterns are conducive to extra water vapor convergence in southern Xinjiang, accompanied by reduced net solar radiation. Such changes further result in significant variations in land states, and local land–air temperature interactions had also been exacerbated, collectively leading to air temperature decreases. These findings are expected to deepen our understanding of the variation of surface air temperature and related extreme temperature events in NWC. Key Points: The stronger the land–atmosphere coupling (LAC), the more decrease of air temperature and extreme hot days (HDs) during summer in Northwest China (NWC)Anomalous circulation patterns correlate with the LAC strength and air temperature variations in NWCThe local land–air temperature interactions enhance the impacts from non‐local atmospheric forcings [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Escherichia coli infections are common in Xinjiang, a major region of cattle and sheep breeding in China. Therefore, strategies are required to control E. coli. The aim of this study was to investigate the phylogenetic groups, virulence genes, and antibiotic resistance characteristics of E. coli isolates. Methods: In this study, 116 tissue samples were collected from the organs of cattle and sheep that were suspected of having E. coli infections between 2015 and 2019. Bacteria in the samples were identified using a biochemical identification system and amplification of 16S rRNA, and the phylogenetic groupings of E. coli isolates were determined by multiplex polymerase chain reactions. In addition, PCR detection and analysis of virulence factors, antibiotic resistance genes, and drug‐resistant phenotypes of E. coli isolates were performed. Results: A total of 116 pathogenic E. coli strains belonging to seven phylogenetic groups were isolated, with the majority of isolates in groups A and B1. Among the virulence genes, curli‐encoding crl had the highest detection rate of 97.4%, followed by hemolysin‐encoding hlyE with the detection rate of 94.82%. Antimicrobial susceptibility test results indicated that the isolates had the highest rates of resistance against streptomycin (81.9%). Conclusion: These characteristics complicate the prevention and treatment of E. coli‐related diseases in Xinjiang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Cow milk proteins is one of the major food allergens, and some probiotics can abate allergenicity to some extent. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AHQ‐14 isolated from the traditional dairy products in Xinjiang Province, China, has good ability to reduce the allergenicity of β‐lactoglobulin (LG) and good probiotic properties. In the presented study, L. plantarum AHQ‐14 was used to replace half of the commercial yoghurt starter to ferment yoghurt, and the effects of L. plantarum AHQ‐14 fortification on microstructure, textural and rheological attributes of yoghurt were investigated. In addition, milk protein hydrolysis, antigenicity and allergenicity of yoghurts during 28 days of cold storage were detected. The results indicated that AHQ‐14 and YC‐X11 fermentation could enhance the texture and rheological properties of yoghurt by reducing the syneresis (37%) and firmness (14%) and improving the cohesiveness by 50%. In addition, AHQ‐14 and YC‐X11 fermentation can shorten the fermentation time by about 30 min, SDS‐PAGE displayed that AHQ‐14 and YC‐X11 fermentation had stronger hydrolysis of whey protein compared with YC‐X11 yoghurt. Additionally, the fermentation by L. plantarum AHQ‐14 and YC‐X11 could significantly reduce the antigenicity and IgE‐binding ability of skim milk by 82% and 94%, respectively, thus reducing milk‐allergic reactions in patients significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the Han dynasty's imperial expansion to the west, Xinjiang became a frontier region for political negotiation, military conflict, and cultural contact. The recent excavation at Shichengzi military fort has rendered an opportunity to examine animal exploitation in the empire's frontiers. The results of our zooarchaeological analysis suggest that meat production primarily relied on caprines and cattle. Horses, donkeys, and camels were exploited for labor. Pig husbandry was a novel addition to the local agropastoral regime, and pork became a signature food particular to the identity of the garrison community. A "meat‐not‐milk" dietary preference also underscores this cultural identity. Animal exploitation was a combined result of subsistence adaptation and military reinforcement. Our work further highlights the tension between the flexible husbandry strategy adapted to the new environment and the conservative culinary attitude held by immigrants toward certain new foods. This case study helps contextualize the interaction and integration of different ways of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate status prediction is critical for detecting potential failures of Doubly‐fed induction generator (DFIG). A unique Digital Twin (DT) fault prediction paradigm is put forth in this research, which uses an edge intelligence paradigm to ensure high‐performance fault prediction. Edge‐based DT provides compute and storage capabilities on edge devices to enable effective data processing. The stator current spectrum and instantaneous power spectrum of the DFIG are simulated and assessed, followed by the development of a verification prototype on the DFIG and the qualitative observation of the internal performance of the DFIG. The encoder is constructed using Squeeze‐and‐Excitation (SE) Convolutional Neural Network (SE‐CNN) with the channel attention mechanism, and the decoder is constructed based on a long short‐term memory (LSTM) network to form the self‐encoding model named SE‐CNN‐LSTM. In order to forecast problems and provide a foundation for predictive maintenance, the status indicator is built based on the prediction residuals of the status variables. Based on the outcomes of edge‐cloud co‐simulation and data collected from the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system at the Da Bancheng Wind Farm in Xinjiang, China, it is demonstrated that the framework and technology are workable and capable of predicting generator failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinjiang sits in the northwesternmost part of China and played an active role in facilitating the flow of technologies, cultivars, and livestock long before the Silk Road. While mixed pastoralism was developed in neighboring Central Asia, the local lifeways in Xinjiang, as well as the possible interactions in‐between these regions, have still not been fully understood. Here, we conduct zooarchaeological analyses at two Iron Age sites of Quanshuigou and Dumuduebudege in western Xinjiang, to clarify the local subsistence and animal management strategies. Our results reveal that sheep/goats were the most exploited animals in this region, followed by horses and cattle in the managed herd. Apart from meat and marrow, renewable secondary products such as wool and milk might also be used, suggesting an intensive livestock exploitation managed by the local pastoral communities. Such mixed pastoralism not only continues throughout the Iron Age but also is visible today in Xinjiang, demonstrating its profound and lasting influence for nomadic groups in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three‐dimensional unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) oblique photogrammetric data were used to infer mountainous gravel braided river lithofacies, lithofacies associations and architectural elements. Hierarchical architecture and lithofacies associations with detailed lithofacies characterizations were comprehensively described to document the architectural model, architectural element scale and gravel particle scale. (1) Nine lithofacies (i.e., Gmm, Gcm, Gcc, Gci, Gcl, Ss, Sm, Fsm and Fl) were identified and classified as gravel, sand and fine matrix deposits. These are typical depositional features of a mountainous dryland gravel‐braided river. (2) Three architectural elements were identified, including channel (CH), gravel bar (GB) and overbank (OB). CH can be further divided into flow channel and abandoned channel, while GB consists of Central Gravel bar (CGB) and Margin Gravel bar (MGB). (3) The gravel bar is the key architectural element of the gravel braided river, with its geological attributes. The dimensions of GBs and their particles are various, but exhibit good relationships with each other. The grain size of GB decreases downstream, but the dimensions of GB do not. The bank erosion affects the GB dimensions, whereas channel incision and water flow velocity influence the grain size of GB. The conclusions can be applied to the dryland gravel braided river studies in tectonically active areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

East Junggar is an important part of the Central Asia Orogenic Belt and has developed a multi‐epoch and multi‐type metallogenic system. Yundukala is a recently discovered large intrusion‐related Au–Cu–Co deposit. The No. 1 main mineralization zone mainly occurs in the contact area between fine‐grained diorite and basalt. Massive and vein mineralization have developed there, but the ore‐bearing stratum, ore‐bearing intrusive rocks, and metallogenic ages are not clear. Zircon SHRIMP U–Pb dating of the porphyritic diorite and fine‐grained diorite yields ages of 416.1 ± 3.9 Ma and 411.1 ± 7.5 Ma, respectively. The dioritoid intruded into the ore‐bearing stratum, indicating that this formation is part of the Early Palaeozoic strata rather than the Middle Devonian Beishan Formation. The Re–Os isochron age of the chalcopyrite in the massive mineralization is 402.6 ± 5.2 Ma; thus, the massive mineralization is related to fine‐grained diorite and formed in the Early Devonian. Six sulphides and four sulphides from the vein mineralization yield Re–Os isochron ages of 352.8 ± 1.8 Ma and 354 ± 23 Ma, respectively, and the limited vein mineralization was formed during 353–354 Ma. The massive and vein mineralizations in the Yundukala deposit were formed in the Early Devonian and Early Carboniferous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chickpeas are a very important legume crop and have abundant protein, carbohydrate, lipid, fiber, isoflavone, and mineral contents. The chemical compositions of the four chickpea species (Muying‐1, Keying‐1, Desi‐1, Desi‐2) from Xinjiang, China, were analyzed, and 46 different flavonoids in Muying‐1 were detected. The moisture content ranged from 7.64 ± 0.01 to 7.89 ± 0.02 g/100 g, the content of starch in the kabuli chickpeas was greater than that in the desi chickpeas, the total ash content ranged from 2.59 ± 0.05 to 2.69 ± 0.03 g/100 g and the vitamin B1 content of the chickpeas ranged from 0.31 to 0.36 mg/100 g. The lipid content ranged from 6.35 to 9.35 g/100 g and the major fatty acids of chickpeas were linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Both kabuli and desi chickpeas have a high content of unsaturated fatty acids (USFAs), Muying‐1 and Desi‐1 contained the highest level of linoleic acid, and Keying‐1 had the highest oleic acid content. The protein level ranged from 19.79 ± 2.89 to 23.38 ± 0.30 g/100 g, and the main amino acids were aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and arginine acid. The four chickpea species had significant amounts of essential amino acids (EAAs). Forty‐six varieties of flavonoids in Muying‐1 were determined by ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QqQ‐MS) analysis, and there were higher levels of conjugate flavonoids (55.95%) than free flavonoids (44.05%). Isoflavones were the most abundant flavonoids in Muying‐1, and among the isoflavones, daidzin had the highest content, followed by biochanin A and genistin. Muying‐1 was rich in daidzin, biochanin A, genistin, troxerutin, isorhamnetin, astilbin, L‐epicatechin, astragalin, acacetin, hyperoside, and myricitrin. Information provided in the study will be helpful to further understand the chemical composition of chickpeas and be beneficial to the development of chickpeas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has long been a vital link between Europe and Eastern Asia. Xinjiang's geographical location and natural environment have led to unique dietary habits and traditions among both the region's modern inhabitants and their ancient forebears. Here, we report on the analysis of human dental residue samples unearthed from the Jiayi Cemetery, a 10th to 2nd century BCE mortuary complex located in the Turpan Basin, Xinjiang, generating ancient starch granules produced by vegetal foodstuffs. Morphological analysis of starch granules and comparative data indicate that crops of Triticeae tribe and subfamily Panicoideae comprised a large portion of the diet, whereas common legumes, nuts, root, and tuber were also present, although in relatively smaller proportions. The discovery of these plant starch granules in archaeological context provides direct evidence of the Jiayi population's vegetal diet and sheds light on agricultural practices during this period. With supporting evidence drawn from zooarchaeological, archaeobotanical, and paleo‐isotopic studies of Bronze Age sites in Xinjiang, we conclude that the people interred in the Jiayi Cemetery practiced cereal crop cultivation and animal husbandry in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. The species of cereal crops represented suggest meaningful economic communication between Central and West Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government has launched the Rural Living Environment Improvement Initiative (RLEII) to solve the poor living conditions in rural areas. The initiative enhances rural greenery; provides sanitary toilets; and promotes proper disposal of animal manure, sewage, and household waste in rural areas. We collected data using in‐person interviews with 938 rural residents in Xinjiang, China, to elicit their preference, preference intensity, and preference heterogeneity for RLEII. Results indicated that rural residents prefer to see shortcomings of the RLEII addressed. Rural greening construction is identified with the highest preference intensity. We also find significant heterogeneity in rural residents' preferences for each attribute of RLEII. The preference heterogeneity is rooted in the region's economic condition (poor vs. nonpoor region). It is essential to understand rural residents' choice for rural public goods supply and to respect their preference intensity, sequence, and heterogeneity for RLEII to enhance the implementation performance. We discuss the implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a year‐to‐year increment approach, a statistical downscaling model is developed for winter temperature prediction over Xinjiang of northwest China by using the predicted 200‐hPa westerly wind in winter over the Ural Mountains from the Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) as well as the observed sea ice over the Barents Sea–Laptev Sea in the preceding September. The statistical downscaling hindcasts on the 1983–2018 winter temperature over Xinjiang show that the statistical downscaling method has significantly improved the prediction capability compared with the original CFSv2. Specifically, the temporal correlation coefficients increase from negative to positive in most of Xinjiang, with the values passing the significance test at 90% confidence level at 81% of the stations. The regional averaged root‐mean‐square error reduces by more than 20%. In addition, the anomaly correlation coefficient increases from 0.08 to 0.26, passing the significance test at 95% confidence level. For two typical cases of the extreme cold winter in 2011 and the extreme warm winter in 2016, the spatial distribution characteristics of temperature anomaly are well reproduced, which are generally consistent with the observations. Overall, the statistical downscaling model based on the year‐to‐year increment strategy is a relatively effective method for predicting the winter temperature in Xinjiang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change is projected to increase the probability of occurrence and severity of droughts. Increased CO2 concentration drives partial closure of plant stomata and reduces evapotranspiration. However, the impact of reduced evapotranspiration due to CO2 on future droughts characteristics in China is unclear. In this study, we have used the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) global climate model simulations (GCMs) under historical period, and four shared socioeconomic pathway scenarios (SSP1‐2.6, SSP2‐4.5, SSP3‐7.0, and SSP5‐8.5) to estimate drought. We used a widely applicable drought index (i.e., the self‐calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index [scPDSI]) to evaluate the historical and future drought conditions, using the Penman–Monteith formula with and without the CO2 concentrations. The results show that the increasing trend of scPDSI slows down when the CO2 effect is considered in all scenarios, especially in Heilongjiang, northern Xinjiang, and the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The divergence in the slowdown trend among the different scenarios becomes greater after 2030, with higher emission scenarios implying a greater slowdown in the increasing trend of scPDSI. After considering CO2, drought characteristics such as the drought frequency, intensity, and drought area decrease. Increased CO2 concentration on vegetation physiological processes could mitigate future drought. Therefore, the effects of CO2 on plant physiology should be considered in studies of future drought trends to develop more realistic response and adaptation policies to future drought changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the relationship among summer atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over the Taklimakan Desert (TD), its land surface parameters and large scale meteorological field, the Urumqi Institute of Desert Meteorology of China Meteorological Administration conducted a comprehensive observation of boundary layer in Tazhong, the hinterland of TD from July 1 to 31, 2016. The correlations between the ABL height and surface sensible heat, latent heat, air temperature, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and buoyancy term are analyzed by using the observed GPS sounding data, the surface layer micro meteorological data in the hinterland of the TD and ERA5 reanalysis data so as to study the correlation of the ABL height and Eurasian circulation field. The research results indicate: (1) The height of summer ABL over the TD does not fully correspond with the variation tendency of surface sensible heat flux. In addition to surface sensible heat, large scale advection and residual mixed layer (RML) are also crucial factor influencing ABL. (2) The surface TKE over the TD is consistent with ABL height variation, with the correlation coefficient of 0.62. Hence the equation of ABL height and TKE is expressed as: Y = 1609.2X4 – 12,828X3 + 35,617X2 –39,514X + 15,858. (3) When the ABL height over the TD is quite high, 500 hPa altitude in Xinjiang is mostly controlled by anticyclone circulation, and the easterly low level jet (LLJ) tends to be formed at 850 hPa the next night. (4) The high correlation areas of summer ABL height over the TD and Eurasian temperature field are Xinjiang and Balkash Lake region. Significant positive correlation is identified between the ABL height and the temperature field at 850, 700, and 500 hPa of the above regions. The maximum correlation coefficient reaches 0.7. The study deepens the understanding of the relationship among the ABL process over the TD, land surface parameters and Eurasian circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Permian Fengcheng Formation of the Mahu Sag in the Jungar Basin is one of the most important hydrocarbon source rocks in Xinjiang oil field. The preservation of the geological records of Milankovitch cycles can be studied to understand the history of the Earth's evolution and sedimentary processes, and high‐resolution astronomical time scales (ATS) can be obtained by analysing (quasi) periodic sedimentary signals in geological records. In this study, the natural gamma ray (GR) and density (DEN) logging data are used to carry out a detailed spectrum analysis, including 2π‐Multi‐taper Method (MTM), Evolutive Harmonic Analysis (EHA), Correlation coefficient method (COCO) and DYNOT simulation. GR and DEN data analysis results show sedimentary cycles of 39.3, 9.1 m, 3.6–2.7 m and 2.1–1.7 m, 37.5, 9.7, 3.7 m and 2.4–1.9 m in MY‐1 well; MH‐15 well recorded the significant peaks at 81, 20, 8.6 m and 3.6–3.4 m and 66, 17.6, 6.8 m and 3.3–2.7 m; FN‐14 well revealed high‐confidence level frequencies with wavelength of 97, 23, 8.8 and 3.9 m and 88, 22, 8.5 m and 4–3.4 m respectively. The average sediment accumulation rates (SAR) are estimated at 9–9.7 cm/kyr for MY‐1, 14.5–19 cm/kyr for MH‐15, 13.5–14.5 cm/kyr for FN‐14 by using the COCO. In addition, we construct a continuous time scale for Fengcheng Formation, yielding a deposition duration of about 3.5 ± 0.2 Myr for these three drilling cores. Finally, we used the DYNOT sea‐level change model to analyse the GR and DEN logging series of three wells, for reconstructing the lake‐level changes of the Fengcheng Formation in the Junggar Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude oil is the most exploited energy source and the best way to increase the yield of oil recovery is the use of middle‐phase microemulsions. But the consecutive formation of water‐in‐oil emulsions needs oil–water separation. Reversible middle‐phase microemulsions were prepared with tetradecane (equivalent alkane for crude oil from Xinjiang oilfields, China) and aqueous solutions containing 1‐pentanol, N,N‐dimethyltetradecylamine and NaCl, and stimulated with CO2. By adding and removing CO2, the conductivity of aqueous solutions without NaCl increases from 20 μS/cm to 3.6 mS/cm reversibly. Additionally, the surface and interfacial tensions of aqueous solution show reversible changes. The middle‐phase microemulsion is stable in CO2 atmosphere. After removing CO2, it becomes separated into oil and aqueous phases. However, by sparging CO2 and standing for 2 days, it becomes middle‐phase microemulsion again. This research is expected to launch a brand‐new avenue for the CO2‐stimulated reversible microemulsification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate conditions significantly affect the energy conversion behaviour of solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine (WT) power systems. However, the quantified relationship between the systems performance and regional climate data remains unclear. This study aims to reveal the techno‐economic performance of renewable power systems under temperate continental climate based on a multi‐criteria analysis. Through simulating the systems' long‐term operation by collecting the local meteorological data and equipment costs as inputs, solar photovoltaic/wind hybrid renewable power systems in fourteen representative cities of Xinjiang province were assessed and optimized. The results show that there is an obvious linear correlation between technical and economic indicators and solar radiation or wind speed, and the fitting effects with wind speed are always better. In Xinjiang, photovoltaic systems in almost all cities have satisfactory technical and economic performance, but the wind power systems in most cities are not profitable and even lead to unpleasant investment losses. Sensitivity analysis shows that both climatic conditions and feed‐in tariff have a negative impact on the system costs. These findings obtained from this study would provide theoretical support for further rationally enhancing penetration for renewable energy generation in contemporary distribution networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the porous sorbent‐assisted atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) method has emerged as an effective approach for solving water crises without geographical restrictions. However, there is a limited array of porous adsorbent materials that can be used for AWH, which are inadequate to meet the needs under different climatic conditions. In light of this, herein, we synthesize a new crystalline porous organic salt (CPOS; denoted as CPOS‐6) possessing a dual hydrogen bond system and verify its applicability toward AWH for the first time. Unlike other reported CPOSs, CPOS‐6 displays an S‐shaped water sorption isotherm owing to the presence of the dual hydrogen bond system. Under simulated drought conditions in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, CPOS‐6 exhibits long‐term water adsorption‐desorption cycling stability, low water desorption temperature, and ultrarapid adsorption‐desorption kinetics. The results confirm that CPOS‐6 is an effective sorbent material for AWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid zones, ecological barriers can affect the agricultural development and sustainable development of oases. Therefore, balancing cropland and desert vegetation is the key to realizing ecological and rural revitalization. Then, we proposed a theoretical framework from the perspective of rural revitalization to analyze the key drivers that affect the balance of cropland and desert vegetation during 1990–2020. The results showed that cropland area in Xinjiang decreased by 881 km2 during 1990–1995, while it continually increased by 34,086 km2 during 1995–2020. However, grassland and woodland increased by 8,086 km2 during 2015–2020, indicating that the balance between cropland gain and desert vegetation loss began to improve. Most cropland expansions were reclaimed from woodland/grassland and unused land. During 1990–2005, changes between cropland and unused land in Xinjiang were mainly affected by gross domestic product (GDP). GDP and population most significantly affected the conversion (17,939 km2) of woodland/grassland to cropland during 1995–2015. Although population and economic growth led to an increase in cropland, the implementation of simultaneous and consistent policies on ecological conservation offset the reduction in desert vegetation. The findings can provide suggestions for smart cropland management and rural revitalization in Xinjiang, Central Asian countries and other countries with similar backgrounds worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first spaceborne Doppler wind lidar, Aeolus, was launched, global wind field observations from space have been possible. Several ground‐ and air‐based validations followed, although most of these comparisons remained below 10 km in the troposphere, with rare validation work for the stratosphere. The Rayleigh Doppler lidar developed by the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) was deployed in Xinjiang, China, in 2017. It can observe wind speed and temperature in the stratosphere and mesosphere. By setting two geographical ranges centered on the USTC lidar, the Aeolus Rayleigh winds within these ranges can be compared with ground‐based lidar wind data. Furthermore, after eliminating the effect of particulate backscatter on the USTC lidar, the lower limit of the detection range was extended to 10 km to obtain more samples. The mean biases between the Aeolus winds and the USTC lidar winds were 1.05 ± 5.98 (−0.35 ± 4.78) m/s, 1.80 ± 6.30 (−1.88 ± 4.97) m/s, and 0.17 ± 5.45 (0.51 ± 4.44) m/s for all data, ascending orbits, and descending orbits, respectively, in a large (small) geographical range. The geographical distance between the USTC lidar and the Aeolus observation swaths has a significant effect on the wind bias, the farther the distance between Aeolus observation swaths and the USTC lidar, the greater the bias. Whereas, the wind biases have no significant dependency on the time difference of the USTC lidar observation to Aeolus overflight time. Overall, the Aeolus winds are consistent with the USTC lidar winds in the stratosphere. Key Points: Comparison between the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) Rayleigh Doppler lidar winds and the Aeolus Level‐2B Rayleigh winds in the stratosphere in 2019Ground‐based measurements are utilized for the validation of stratospheric wind data from AeolusOverall, the Aeolus winds are consistent with the USTC lidar winds with acceptable biases [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three‐dimensional (3‐D) inversion of regional lithospheric magnetic anomaly data not only needs to be performed in the spherical coordinate system but also requires valid constraint information to suppress the nonuniqueness. We present a constrained inversion approach of regional magnetic data at near‐surface altitudes to recover a 3‐D susceptibility model in spherical coordinates. First, we use a synthetically forward modeling experiment to illustrate that a 3‐D model with susceptibility variations along the depth direction should be considered when the altitude of magnetic data is 5 km above the WGS84 ellipsoid. We then choose the least‐squares algorithm to recover the lithospheric susceptibility model. Meanwhile, a model objective function including sensitivity‐based weighting function and bottom depth constraint of the source (i.e., Curie point depth, CPD) is introduced to stabilize the inversion and guide an optimal solution. Both the synthetic test and the application to the real data over the Northern Xinjiang indicate that the constrained inversion approach is effective to obtain a geologically reasonable result above the CPD. The recovered 3‐D susceptibility distribution under the Northern Xinjiang corresponds well to the extension of the main tectonic frame. All the rigid and cold blocks are imaged as high‐susceptibility anomalies, whereas the pronounced low‐susceptibility anomalous body is observed beneath the Tianshan. In addition, the earthquakes are mostly (>95%) located in areas where the susceptibility is smaller than 0.03 SI and vertically integrated susceptibility is smaller than 0.8 SI· $\cdot $km. Plain Language Summary: Magnetic susceptibility is an important physical parameter of rocks in the lithosphere. Obtaining the lithospheric susceptibility distributions not only can help to describe the lithological and temperature architectures as well as understand the geological structure, evolution history, and mantle dynamics, but also is useful for natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes and volcanos) studies and explorations of metallic mineral and geothermal resources. Inversion of the lithospheric magnetic data is an effective approach to recover the three‐dimensional (3‐D) susceptibility model of the lithosphere. Especially for regional and even global studies, the proposed 3‐D inversion approach not only needs to be performed in the spherical coordinate system but also requires valid constraint information (e.g., the bottom of the magnetic layer) to suppress the nonuniqueness. This approach is first tested by using a synthetic susceptibility model and then applied to the magnetic anomaly over Northern Xinjiang in northwestern China. Both the results show that the constrained inversion obviously improves the reliability of the 3‐D susceptibility imaging. The recovered 3‐D susceptibility structure corresponds well to the extension of the main tectonic units. The proposed inversion approach will be submitted as an open‐source program and be updated for efficiently continental even global scale applications. Key Points: A constrained approach by Curie point depth (CPD) for the 3‐D inversion of lithospheric magnetic anomaly data in a spherical coordinate system is proposedCPD distribution and 3‐D susceptibility structure of the Northern Xinjiang are constructed using WDMAMv2 and LCS‐1 modelsThe recovered 3‐D susceptibility model of the Northern Xinjiang has a high vertical resolution and correlates well with the tectonic units [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Awareness of spatio‐temporal patterns in the fruit industry is important for planning planting structures and improving yield. Xinjiang is famous for its fruit because of their unique natural features. However, overall quality and yields lag behind international and national levels owing to technological and economic limitations. Using seven perennial fruits, this study investigated the spatio‐temporal features and trends in the Xinjiang fruit industry during the period 1988–2017. The best‐fitting regression models of fruit production, determined by Akaike's information criterion, revealed improvements over these years. Spatial autocorrelation and comparative advantage analyses revealed an expanding fruit industry in the south and east of Xinjiang and the fruit concentration in some areas revealed higher suitability than that in others. Natural conditions were the dominant factors affecting the suitability for fruit planting, whereas anthropological activities were the driving factors. Economic growth can promote yield efficiency when combined with better management, product composition, sort selection, and planting technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human immune deficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and syphilis are the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) worldwide, as well as in China. The objective of this study is to describe the trend of spatial and temporal variation of HIV/AIDS and syphilis in mainland China from 2007 to 2017. Stratified analysis was conducted according to age and the GDP per capita. Estimated Annual Percentage Change (EAPC) was calculated and spatial autocorrelation analysis was used to evaluate the epidemiology and identify clusters. The morbidity of new HIV infection increased from 2.5034/100 000 in 2007 to 6.9247/100 000 in 2017, with an EAPC of 9.84 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.07–10.60). From 2007 to 2017, the morbidity of syphilis presented a significant upward trend from 15.8834/100 000 to 34.4867/100 000 (EAPC = 6.48, 95% CI: 4.23–8.73). The number of new HIV infections (205 084) and syphilis (921 279) were highest in the 20–30 years old group, where the incidence decreased with age over 20 years. In general, HIV and syphilis infection had the same incidence trend according to age and time stratification. The morbidity of new HIV infection was mainly reported from Xinjiang and southwestern China. As for syphilis, the highest was found in Zhejiang in Xinjiang and southeast coastal areas. Both HIV and syphilis infection showed a nonrandom positive correlation by Moran's I value. The High‐High cluster areas of HIV infection were concentrated in southwestern and eastern China due to syphilis. A highly significant positive correlation was found between gross domestic product per capita and syphilis infection (p < 0.05) but was not associated with HIV infection. The incidence of AIDS/HIV and syphilis is increasing year by year, and a higher prevalence is found in younger individuals. More attention should be paid to HIV infection in the southwest, syphilis in southeast coastal areas, and both the two diseases in Xinjiang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable development of agriculture in Xinjiang Province, China has been threatened by soil salinization. Biochar can be an effective amendment to improve salt‐affected soils. An appropriate amount of biochar application and incorporation depth are key factors for amending performance. However, few studies have investigated the effects of differing biochar application amounts on saline soil properties, including soil water infiltration, using a combination of experiments and simulations. In this study, acidulated biochar was applied at rates of 0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 t ha−1 to a farmland topsoil to investigate the impacts of biochar on Xinjiang saline soil's physical and chemical properties and infiltration characteristics. The soil's physical and chemical properties that were investigated included soil pH, soil organic carbon content, soil salt content, saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), soil water retention curves, and infiltration characteristics including cumulative infiltration (CI) and wetting front (Zf). HYDRUS‐1D was applied to predict soil water movement under different biochar incorporation depths. Results showed that the rate of change of soil pH, soil organic carbon content, soil salt content and Ks were −0.009, 0.102 g kg−1, 0.045 g kg−1 and 0.035 cm day−1, respectively, per ton of biochar applied. Soil water retention curves showed that biochar enhanced soil water retention capacity and available soil water content (AWC) in the silt clay loam soil. The Philip model was a good (R2 > 0.80) fit to soil water infiltration and indicated that biochar amendment promoted infiltration rates. The van Genuchten model was good for describing soil hydraulic parameters (R2 > 0.99) and could be used for HYDRUS‐1D simulations (R2 > 0.99, RRMSE <6.8% and NSE >0.98). The optimum biochar application amount for the light salinised soil in Xinjiang was recommended as 25 t ha−1 incorporated to 30 cm depth based on the AWC, soil salt content and incorporation depths. The study provides a reference for future field experiment design. Highlights: Effects of biochar on salt‐affected soil studied using a combination of experiments and simulations.Acidulated biochar amendment of saline soils can reduce pH and increase SOC.Biochar incorporation depth was considered to affect soil water infiltration.The biochar application amount at 25 t ha−1 incorporated to 30 cm depth was recommended [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinjiang, China has experienced a significant wetting trend since the mid‐1980s in the context of climate warming. However, the features and mechanism associated with the water cycles in this region remain unclear. In this study, the contributions of the precipitation‐recycling process to the wet‐season (May‐August) wetting trend are investigated using a dynamic recycling model and the Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Application version 2 reanalysis product from 1982 to 2020. The results show that the mean precipitation recycling ratio is 37.91%, implying that Xinjiang precipitation is mainly contributed by external moisture. Moreover, the recycling ratio exhibits a significantly increasing trend of 2.29% per decade, and this increased recycled precipitation contributes 55.55% to the wet‐season wetting trend in Xinjiang. The amount of externally advected moisture transported to Xinjiang has also increased in recent decades, accounting for 44.45% of the wetting trend. Further analysis reveals that a deepening anomalous trough over Central Asia accompanied by strengthening moisture inflow through the southwest and south boundaries induce the increased inflow of moisture to Xinjiang, thereby increasing external‐cycle precipitation in Xinjiang. Along with the strengthened ascending movement in the lower troposphere, the increasing atmospheric moisture content induced by enhanced evapotranspiration is beneficial for recycling precipitation in Xinjiang. These results imply that both the internal and external water cycles deserve further attention when exploring the wetting phenomenon in Xinjiang. Key Points: The mean wet‐season precipitation over Xinjiang is mainly contributed by externally advected moistureThe enhanced precipitation‐recycling process dominates the wet‐season wetting trend over XinjiangBoth increasing evapotranspiration and external‐cycle precipitation enhance the precipitation‐recycling process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crucial role that Xinjiang played in cultural communication across the Eurasian steppe in prehistory is evidenced by the large number of copper‐based objects that represent the early metallurgical technologies found across this region. Our research adds new chemical and isotopic analyses of 44 copper‐based objects dated to the early Iron Age of Ili in Xinjiang, western China. As noted in a number of publications, tin bronze and arsenic copper/bronze were the dominant alloying types across Xinjiang during the second and first millennium BC, whereas some specific types of objects such as cauldrons are often made from pure copper. The western Tianshan Mountain, including the well‐known mining site Nulasai, is the most likely copper source for the Ili metalworking. Meanwhile, a combination of lead isotopes, lead concentrations and trace elemental data reveals new evidence for the mixing and recycling of different sources of copper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological visibility of the production and consumption of gold and silver ornaments increased substantially during the Iron Age. A large number of precious metalworks rendered with distinctive 'animal style' motifs have been recovered from elite tombs in north‐west China, and have attracted great interest when investigating the dynamics of exchange, mobility and transcultural encounters in Eurasian antiquity. However, little scientific research has been undertaken to examine the manufacturing techniques and metal composition of such 'animal style' artefacts found in north‐west China and its neighbouring areas in a broader Eurasian context. Using multiple non‐invasive analytical methods, we conducted a detailed scientific analysis of two groups of precious metals excavated from Dongheigou Tomb 12 (fourth–second centuries bce) and Xigou Tomb 1 (third–second centuries bce) in present‐day Balikun county, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The results suggest that mould‐pressing technology was employed for the production of the 'animal style' appliqués found in these two tombs. The current analysis provides a definitive explanation for the traces of superficial crafting through their specific microstructure and the tool marks of manufacturing, and will thus be of significant interest for further research concerning the metallurgic knowledge and technological practice of precious metalworking industry in north‐west China and Central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magma source, petrogenesis, tectonic setting and geochronology of the late Paleozoic A‐type granites widely exposed in the Zhaheba area, East Junggar, have thus far not been well‐constrained. A better understanding of these issues will help to reveal the magmatic processes and continental growth of Central Asia. The A‐type granites in Zhaheba include the Ashutasi alkaline granites and the Yuyitasi syenogranites, which were emplaced at 321.5 ± 4.8 Ma and 321.7 ± 0.6 Ma, respectively. The major rock‐forming minerals are orthoclase, perthite, arfvedsonite and quartz, which exhibit the following principal geochemical characteristics of A2‐type granites. (1) Their REE distribution curves each exhibit a 'V'‐shaped pattern and a marked depletion in Eu. They are rich in large‐ion lithophile elements Rb, Th and U as well as high‐field‐strength elements Nb, Ta, Zr and Hf, but significantly depleted in Ba, Sr, P and Ti. (2) Their (87Sr/86Sr)i values (0.7021–0.7041), εNd(t) values (4.57–5.16) and REE distribution patterns are in basic agreement with those of the Kalamaili A‐type granite belt in East Junggar. The TDM2 values of the alkaline granites and syenogranites range from 661 to 709 Ma. The A‐type granites may be the products of upwelling asthenosphere‐triggered partial melting of immature lower crust. The alkaline granites were late‐stage products of crystallization and differentiation. Compared to the syenogranites, the alkaline granites are significantly lower in K2O, Na2O, Al2O3, FeO, MgO and CaO, but significantly higher in incompatible elements (e.g., SiO2, Rb, and Sr). The magmatic crystallization temperatures of the syenogranites and alkaline granites are 874°C and 819°C, respectively. As their age gradually decreases (peak ages: 322 Ma and 307 Ma, respectively), there is a gradual decrease in the TDM2 of the A‐type granites and a gradual increase in the εNd(t) value from the Ulungur belt to the Kalamaili belt in East Junggar. The study of A‐type granites is therefore one of the keys to understanding the laws and mechanisms of crustal accretion during the Phanerozoic period, as well as also being of great significance for understanding the Paleozoic accretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical signs, symptoms, and the etiology of sensitive skin (SS) in general populations have been extensively studied over the last decades, but the characteristics of SS in Xinjiang, particularly the age‐related characteristics, still remain unknown. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the SS facial skin in normal adolescents of Xinjiang. Methods: A questionnaire was developed based on SS and given to each participant. The clinical signs, symptoms, associated trigger factors, and DQLI of facial SS were compared in normal young Chinese males versus females. Results: A total of 3584 freshmen were investigated, wherein 83 were diagnoses as self‐reported facial SS (2.3%). The prevalence of SS was found to be significantly higher in females than in males. Spicy food, mood change, and skin care products are the major contributors to facial SS (p < 0.01). Moreover, family history and sun exposure are closely related to the onset of SS (p < 0.05). More SS patients were sensitive to emotional factors and had a greater difficulty with shopping or housework, dressing, socializing, or other leisure activities. The main manifestations of SS are flushing, erythema, and dry skin on buccal, frontal, and temporal sputum. The symptoms mainly include skin burning and dry itching, and two or more symptoms at the same time. The absolute value of red area and pores of SS were higher than that of normal skin (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence, symptoms, clinical characteristics, and triggering factors of facial SS in normal young of Xinjiang, especially freshmen in the 17–21 age group, were not similar with SS, which might be due to racial and regional differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Permian black shales from the eastern Junggar Basin of northern Xinjiang, north‐west China are one of the richest and thickest lacustrine hydrocarbon source rocks in China. The palaeoenvironmental settings and controlling factors of organic matter accumulation along the margins of the Middle Permian lacustrine basin remain unclear, although the same works have been undertaken in the centre of the Middle Permian lacustrine basins. Here, we performed a combination of mineralogical and geochemical analyses on the black shales of the Middle Permian Pingdiquan Formation from the eastern margin areas of the Junggar Basin. The results show that the Pingdiquan Formation black shales in the study areas are organic‐rich, with total organic carbon (TOC) contents of 0.74–17.61 wt% (avg. 5.81 wt%). Salinity proxies including Sr/Ba and Rb/K ratios, combined with traces of gypsum and halite in a few samples, suggest brackish to saline water conditions. Palaeoclimate proxies indicate a warm‐humid environment during the deposition of the Pingdiquan Formation black shales. The redox proxies V/(V + Ni), V/Cr and U/Th ratios, and Eu and Ce anomalies together indicate dysoxic‐anoxic conditions of lake water. Strong positive correlations between palaeoproductivity proxies (P/Al, Ni/Al, Cu/Al, and Zn/Al) and TOC contents imply that palaeoproductivity may have played an essential role in organic matter accumulation during the deposition of the black shales. In contrast, negative correlations between terrestrial detrital input proxies (Al and Ti) and TOC contents indicate that terrestrial detrital input may have acted as a diluent to organic matter accumulation. Additionally, although the correlation between redox proxies [V/(V + Ni) and U/Th] and TOC contents is not straightforward, dysoxic‐anoxic conditions of lake water are an essential prerequisite for organic matter accumulation in the Pingdiquan Formation black shales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal power plants in Zhundong area of Xinjiang equip Π‐typed boiler widely in recent years. With the increasing ratio of Zhundong coal in blended fuels, the slagging is strengthened. And the boiler shutdown was caused by ash deposition on the convective heating surface frequently. In order to study the mechanism of this problem, a 0.4‐MWth pilot‐scale facility was built and expected to study ash deposition and heat transfer characteristics on the convective heating surface of 100% burning calcium‐rich Zhundong coal. Thermodynamic model calculation was implemented on the heat transfer characteristics of two groups of tube panels, on which ash samples were collected after experiments. Then, simulation calculation was applied by software for verification. The ash samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X‐ray detector (EDX). FactSage 7.3 thermochemical software package and a high‐temperature viscometer were also used to figure out the viscosity‐temperature characteristics. Results showed that a "step change" of heat transfer characteristics occurred when the flue gas temperature of inlet tube panel #2 approached to 1000°C. After the "step change," the heat transfer characteristics became stable. The ash deposition mainly consisted of silicon‐calcium compounds of tube panel #1, while in contrast, that of tube panel #2 consisted of gehlenite, CaSO4, and Na2SO4. The ratio of liquid phase in raw coal ash samples increased sharply when the flue gas temperature exceeded 1030°C. With the increase of surface temperature of fouling tube panel, the CaSO4 would be decomposed to release CaO, which reacted with gehlenite or other compounds to form low temperature eutectics. The fouling of ash would transfer to slagging and lead to the deterioration of ash deposition, which induced the formation of "step change" during the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litter size is one of the important economic traits of livestock. Seasonal oestrus, ovulation and lambing of sheep have severely restricted the development of sheep farming in Xinjiang, China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the polymorphisms and genetic correlation between GRM1, GNAQ and HCRTR1 genes and the seasonal reproduction and litter size in three sheep breeds. The DNA mixed pool sequencing and PCR‐SSCP methods were used to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of GRM1, GNAQ and HCRTR1 genes in seasonal oestrous (Kazakh and Chinese Merino [Xinjiang Junken type]) and perennial oestrous (Hu) sheep breeds. The association between genetic polymorphism and litter size was also analysed. The results showed that T945C in exon 2 of GRM1 gene, C589T in exon 2 of HCRTR1 gene and A191G in exon 2 of GNAQ gene were identified by Sanger sequencing, and three genotypes were existed in each SNP site, which all belonged to the synonymous mutation. GRM1 (CC), GNAQ (GA) and HCRTR1 (TC) were the dominant genotypes of seasonal reproduction and litter size in Kazakh sheep and Chinese Merino sheep, respectively, while, in perennial oestrous Hu sheep populations, the dominant genotypes were GRM1 (TC), GNAQ (GA) and HCRTR1 (TC), respectively, and association analysis also confirmed the results. The above results implied that GRM1, GNAQ and HCRTR1 genes are significantly associated with lambing traits in Kazakh, Chinese Merino and Hu sheep. Among them, the locus of GRM1 (T945C), GNAQ (A191G) and HCRTR1 (C589T) might be considered as a potential molecular marker, which controls seasonal reproduction and litter size in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]