The structural index is an important quantitative parameter for revealing the structural properties of loess. However, there is no a widely accepted measurement method for structural index at present. This study aims at presenting a novel method for obtaining the loess structural index (LSI), based on the application of computed tomography (CT) scanning techniques and laboratory physico-mechanical tests. The mountainous area of Lvliang in northwest China was taken as the study area, and Late Pleistocene loess samples were taken from various sites in the region.

The rise of urban populations has rendered cities in both developed and developing countries vulnerable to poor health and diseases that are associated with urban living conditions and environments. Therefore, there is a growing consensus that while personal factors are critical in determining health, the urban environment exacerbates or mitigates health outcomes, and as such the solution for improving health outcomes in urban settings can be found in addressing socio-environmental factors that shape urban environments.

The surface fluxes calculated in land surface models (LSMs) are sensitive to the determination of the stability parameter. Further, calculation of the surface fluxes over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is crucial in the simulation of regional and global weather and climate. In this study, we use 2-year micrometeorological data measured from Shiquanhe, located in the western TP, to evaluate the performance of the widely used Noah LSM with five stability parameterization schemes.