The mapping of induced currents around the Kenya Rift: a comparison of techniques

Summary. Single-station and inter-station transfer functions are derived from data recorded by a magnetometer array in and around the Kenya Rift Valley. Different methods of presentation of the transfer function estimates are compared in terms of their ability to define lateral variations in electrical conductivity. When, as in East Africa, the conductivity structure is complex and three-dimensional, by far the most useful method of presentation is to use the transfer functions to simulate the anomalous internal fields associated with regional current flow at a particular azimuth. The use of inter-station rather than single-station transfer functions is almost essential where the amplitudes of anomalous horizontal fields are of the same size or greater than the normal fields. Horizontal field transfer functions prove to be just as useful as those usually calculated for the vertical component, and provide strong additional constraints on the internal current system.
Maps of simulated vertical and horizontal fields of internal origin indicate the importance of current channelling around the Rift Valley. A conductor just to the east of Nairobi apparently funnels regionally induced currents into two conductors associated with the Rift and dome; one at shallow depths beneath the Rift floor, and a deeper body to the east.     

Constraints to effective adoption of innovative livestock production technologies in the Rift Valley (Kenya)

We surveyed small-scale farmers in the Kenyan Rift Valley province (Narok and Nakuru districts) to describe constraints to, and changes in, livestock production and to assess the extent to which farmers have adopted new technologies promoted by extension services. In the arid areas of southern Narok, farmers' main constraints were drought and disease. Farmers in Nakuru district, situated in the fertile highlands of the Rift Valley, were also affected by disease but also lacked markets and capital. Although 83% of the farmers had regular contact with extension services that provided advice on new technologies and livestock production innovations, only about half of the respondents implemented the proposed changes. Many of those who did change (38%) improved pasture/nutrition/manure management and relatively few (16%) improved their animal breeding practices. Results of a multinomial logit model revealed that, apart from the significant differences between the two districts, the nature of the advice and the expected outcomes had the strongest influence on the probability of successfully implementing changes to livestock production. The results further suggest that adoption of new technologies is limited by lack of knowledge, inadequate support and a failure to target local needs and conditions and empower livestock keepers.     

Early Holocene water budget of the Nakuru-Elmenteita basin, Central Kenya Rift

The Nakuru-Elmenteita basin in the Central Kenya Rift, contains two shallow, alkaline lakes, Lake Nakuru (1770 m above sea level) and Lake Elmenteita (1786 m). Ancient shorelines and lake sediments at 1940 m suggest that these two lakes formed a single large and deep lake as a result of a wetter climate during the early Holocene. Here, we used a hydrological model to compare the precipitation–evaporation balance during the early Holocene to today. Assuming that the Nakuru-Elmenteita basin was hydrologically closed, as it is today, the most likely climate scenario includes a 45% increase in mean-annual precipitation, a 0.5°C decrease in air temperature, and an increase of 9% in cloud coverage from the modern values. Compared to the modeling results from other East African lake basins, this dramatic increase in precipitation seems to be unrealistic. Therefore, we propose a significant flow of water from the early Holocene Lake Naivasha in the south towards the Nakuru-Elmenteita basin to compensate the extremely negative hydrological budget of this basin. Since we did not find any field evidence for a surface connection, as often proposed during the last 70 years, the hydrological deficit of the Nakuru-Elmenteita basin could have also been compensated by a subsurface water exchange.     

Falling water-levels in saline lakes of the central Rift Valley of Kenya: The case of Lake Elmenteita

Reasons why Lake Elmenteita and rivers flowing into it decreased in volume during 1958–1987 were investigated. The effects of changing climate, landcover and landuse were considered. The study suggested that falling lake water-levels are not due to climate change alone: landuse changes and river abstraction and damming may also be important. Long-term trends in rainfall and evaporation reveal various patterns: monthly evaporation has slightly decreased recently but with no effect on lake levels; rainfall has remained more or less constant in total amount, but monthly falls show increased variability. Although flows in rivers and streams are primarily determined by rainfall, other factors operate near the lake so discharge into the lake cannot be predicted from rainfall. Increased settlement and farming on former forested areas within the catchment and irrigation along rivers also indirectly affect discharge values. Additionally, accelerated soil erosion from farmed lands has led to a reduced lake volume following soil deposition in the lake. It is noted that landuse changes need to be carefully monitored because of their effect on lake levels.     

中国西部河谷型城市地域结构与形态研究

河谷型城市是城市主体在河谷中形成和发育的一类城市。文章讨论了中国西部河谷型城市地域结构的现状、特征及演化过程。中国西部现代河谷型城市中心一般布局在河流隘口处、河流交汇处和河谷地形宽阔处,然后沿河谷向外围廷伸。它的地域结构及其形态演化可分为孕育期与生长期、突变形、稳定发展期和成熟期几个阶段。     

海南开发过程中的西部边缘化研究

边缘化是一个过程,有其自然地理基础和社会历史基础.海南西部地区是海南开发较早的区域,但唐代以后海南开发逐渐向东部和南部地区转移,西部地区出现被边缘化现象.自然机制和社会机制是促使西部地区边缘化的双重机制.西部的干旱缺水、植物资源不够丰富、不适宜农业耕作和生活促使西部居民不断往海南其他地区迁移.促使西部地区边缘化的社会机制主要来自两方面:(1)历史上来自于大陆的高级官员贬谪到海南西部的少,他们对西部地区的带动作用比较小;(2)自明朝到1980年代海南岛在行政上隶属广东,省内移民登岛后沿东海岸线南下.东部南部地区成为开发的重点地区.未来海南西部地区发展的关键是找出逆边缘化的有效途径.     

Recent tectonics in the Turkana Rift (North Kenya): an integrated approach from drainage network, satellite imagery and reflection seismic analyses

The Turkana rifted zone in northern Kenya is a long‐lived and polyphased rift system where the lack of well‐marked rift morphology makes it difficult to identify the zone of active deformation. A high‐density river network is exceptionally well developed over the study area and shows evidence of drainage anomalies that suggest recent fault‐induced movements at various scales. Correlation of surface drainage anomalies with Landsat remote sensing and deep seismic reflection data permits to characterize the deep geometry of the inferred fault structures. Seismic stratigraphy further allows distinction between the inherited (Oligocene–Pliocene) and the newly formed (<3.7 Ma) origin of the recent deformation. Evidence for neotectonics are observed (1) along a large‐scale transverse (EW) fault rooted at depth along a steep basement discontinuity (Turkwell), (2) along a rift‐parallel (NS) fault zone probably emplaced during the Pliocene–Pleistocene and currently bounding the Napedet volcanic plateau to the west and (3) over a round‐shaped uplifted zone caused by positive inversion tectonics (Kalabata). The major contribution of this work is the recognition of a broad (80 km wide) zone of recent/active extensional deformation in the Turkana Rift in contrast with the narrow (20 km wide) N10°E‐trending axial trough forming the Suguta valley to the south, and the Chew Bahir faulted basin to the north. These along‐strike variations in structural style are partly controlled by the occurrence of rejuvenated Oligocene–Miocene rift faults and long‐lived transverse discontinuities in the Turkana Rift area. More generally, this study has implications for the use of river drainage network about recent/active extensional domains with subdued topography and slow deformation rate.