A new 11 year (2004–2014) monthly 1° gridded Argo temperature and salinity data set with 49 vertical levels from the surface to 1950 m depth (named BOA‐Argo) is generated for use in ocean research and modeling studies. The data set is produced based on refined Barnes successive corrections by adopting flexible response functions based on a series of error analyses to minimize errors induced by nonuniform spatial distribution of Argo observations. These response functions allow BOA‐Argo to capture a greater portion of mesoscale and large‐scale signals while compressing small‐sale and high‐frequency noise relative to the most recent version of the World Ocean Atlas (WOA). BOA‐Argo data set is evaluated against other gridded data sets, such as WOA13, Roemmich‐Argo, Jamestec‐Argo, EN4‐Argo, and IPRC‐Argo in terms of climatology, independent observations, mixed‐layer depth, and so on. Generally, BOA‐Argo compares well with other Argo gridded data sets. The RMSEs and correlation coefficients of compared variables from BOA‐Argo agree most with those from the Roemmich‐Argo. In particular, more mesoscale features are retained in BOA‐Argo than others as compared to satellite sea surface heights. These results indicate that the BOA‐Argo data set is a useful and promising adding to the current Argo data sets. The proposed refined Barnes method is computationally simple and efficient, so that the BOA‐Argo data set can be easily updated to keep pace with tremendous daily increases in the volume of Argo temperature and salinity data.

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Surface mining involves drastic disturbances to regional ecosystem and soil properties. Recovery of soil physicochemical characteristics is essential for successful restoration of the landscape and the soil itself after mining. To identify the changes in the soil profile after mining and reclamation, we studied the soils of the largest opencast coal mine in China, Pingshuo, located in the Loess Plateau. Soil samples representing three different land use types and six different reclamation times were collected in the soil profiles (0-100 cm) in 2012 and were analyzed for field capacity, bulk density, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), N, P, K, available P, and available K. Results showed that most reclaimed mine soil properties (including bulk density, pH, P, K, available P and available K) increased in comparison with those of the natural soils, whereas SOM and N decreased after mining and reclamation, especially in the topsoil (0-40 cm). Trend lines of P and available K in the reclaimed mine soils and natural soils were similar tested by Anova. Trend lines of P in the natural soils, and pH, P and K in the reclaimed mine soils were relatively stable and showed no difference in the soil profile (P<0.05). Soil properties and their trend lines in forest land were more similar to natural soils than were cultivated land and grass land in deeper (60-100 cm) soil layers. Reclamation time (time that has passed after reclamation was finished) was positively associated with SOM, N, P, and available P in cultivated land; pH decreased with the increase of reclamation time in forest land but N showed the opposite trend; pH and P were positively correlated with reclamation time but K and available K showed negative relationships with reclamation time in grassland. Bulk density vs. field capacity and available K vs. pH showed significant correlations in the soil profile (0-100 cm) (P<0.05). Significant correlations were also observed for available K vs. bulk density in the topsoil layer (0-30 cm) and bottom layer (below 60 cm) (P<0.05). P and pH showed positively significant correlation in the subsoil layer (30-60 cm) and bottom layer (below 60 cm) (P<0.05). Most of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Hg) of cultivated land exceeded their corresponding background values in Shanxi province, where our sites were located. However, compared with Chinese soil guidelines (Grade II values) (GB15618-1995), heavy metals were all below the threshold values.