Using climate information for supporting climate change adaptation in water resource management in South Africa

Water resources, and in particular run-off, are significantly affected by climate variability. At present, there are few examples of how the water management sector integrates information about changing intra-annual climate conditions in a systematic manner in developing countries. This paper, using the case study of Cape Town in the Western Cape, South Africa, identifies processes and products to facilitate increased uptake of seasonal climate forecasts among water resource managers. Results suggest that existing seasonal forecasts do not focus enough on specific users’ needs. In order to increase uptake, forecasts need to include information on the likely impact of precipitation variability on runoff and water availability. More opportunities are also needed for those with climate knowledge to interact with water resource managers, particularly in the developing country context where municipal managers’ capacity is strained. Although there are challenges that need to be overcome in using probabilistic climate information, seasonal forecast information tailored to the needs of water resource planners has the potential to support annual planning and is therefore a means of adapting to climate change.     

A microstructural and microchemical study of cleavage lamellae in a slate

The results of a detailed microstructural and microchemical study of a slate from the Chewton area, Victoria, Australia are reported in which it was found that cleavage developed from microcrenulations. Phyllosilicates in P-domains differed in their chemistry from those in Q-domains and were concentrated in the P-domains by localized metamorphic reactions which were aided by mechanical rotation and solution processes. Wide, dark cleavage lamellae, often taken as evidence for the passive concentration of insoluble minerals, appear to have had a similar origin. The P-domains exhibited two types of microstructure, one which was consistent with annealing and the other with deformation within the domain. Cataclasites had formed along some P-domains, suggesting that they had become preferential sites for late phase brittle deformation.     

The geography of federal allocations in the United States preliminary tests of some hypotheses for political geography

Governments are among the largest spenders in most countries, and their spatial allocation policies have considerable impact on variation in levels of well-being. In a preliminary attempt to develop a theory to account for the geography of government spending, this note uses electoral variables to estimate interstate variations in federal allocations to states within the U.S.A., based on a model of the politician as a vote-plurality maximizer. Results of the preliminary tests are encouraging and suggest lines for further investigation.     

Jarosite and akaganéite from White Island volcano,New Zealand: An X-ray and Mössbauer study

Computer-based Mössbauer spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction procedures have been used to study the yellow/brown surface deposits, occurring on andesite boulders and rock fragments near gently steaming areas, fumarole vents, boiling pools and streams on White Island, New Zealand. These deposits result from alteration of the rock, and consist chiefly of a potassium-sodium-hydronium jarosite, (K_0.56Na_0.39H⁺₃O_0.05) (Al_0.16Fe_0.84)₃ (SO₄)₂(OH)₆ and akaganéite, β-FeOOH, with lesser amounts of goethite, α-FeOOH, in some cases.     

Theory of the piezomagnetic effect in titanomagnetite-bearing rocks

Summary The stress sensitivitiesS _x andS _R of susceptibility and remanence for titanomagnetite-bearing rocks are calculated in terms of magnetostriction constants ₁₀₀ and ₁₁₁ and anisotropy constantsK ₁,K ₂ of the magnetic minerals.S _x andS _R are represented by quite different algebraic expressions but happen to have comparable numerical values over the whole range of titanomagnetite compositions. Both increase strongly with titanium content. This leads to more optimistic calculations of tectonomagnetic effects than with the previously assumed stress sensitivity for pure magnetite.     

Changing bodies, spaces, places and politics: Feminist geography at the University of Waikato

Abstract: ‘Place matters’ in the production of knowledge. This article examines the production of feminist geographical knowledge at a particular place – the Department of Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning at the University of Waikato. Feminist geography at Waikato represents a nexus of international, national, regional, and local politics. It represents the efforts, personalities, political and personal motivations of particular individuals, at particular times, in a particular space. While international trends are important, they can also mask the unfolding of events in different ways in ‘other’ places.     

RXTE spectroscopy of GRS 1915+105

The galactic superluminal motion source GRS 1915+105 has been extensively observed with the RXTE satellite over the last two years. More than 250 RXTE pointings have been performed until mid-May 1998 with more than 1.5 Msec exposure time on roughly a weekly basis. Here we report on first results of our spectral analysis of a major part of these pointed RXTE observations. We establish the existence of at least 5 spectral components and present the changes of these components over the last two years.