Le centenaire de la société Roumaine de géographie (1875–1975)The centennial celebration of the Romanian society of geographical sciences (1875–1975)Hundert jahre Rumänische geographische gesellschart (1875–1975)

The Geographical Society in Romania — founded 15–27 June 1875 — plays an important part in the development of modern Romanian scientific geography. It supports school geography with educational plans and programmes by various treatises and textbooks. The Society has promoted geographical research by recommending several themes relating to Romanian territory, and by publication. In its first decades of activity (1875–1920), it initiated, promoted and supported geographical explorations and expeditions to less-known areas of the world.Its publication — The Bulletin of the Romanian Geographical Society — dealt with especially the results of scientific research work, and the journals Atetura (1949–1968) and Terra (from 1969) published studies, geographical syntheses and methodological articles.The 4000 members of the Geographical Society of Romania are grouped in over 50 branches. The Society has a wide and varied collaboration with many other geographical societies and institutes. In Romania, the Society works with the Institute of Geography, the departments of geography in universities and other institutions.After the experience of the years 1890–1900 (when 32 county dictionaries and the great geographical dictionaries to Romania in 5 volumes were produced), at present the members of our Society are working on 39 geographical monographs to the counties of the S.R. of Romania and the guide to the municipality of Bucharest.     

Public perception of environment in the mountains of Vâlcea County

The Valcea Carpathians are of great value given their scenic attractions combined with specific glacial relief features in the Parang and rare plant and animal species of Cozia. Complemented by a diverse cultural landscape, with monasteries, vernacular buildings and pastoral traditions, the area offers a uniquely attractive backdrop for a cluster of spa resorts of international standing which make Valcea one of Romania's leading tourist regions. Environmental protection is very necessary to regulate private enterprise in the post-communist era, but financial resources and institutions are insufficient at the present time. The paper demonstrates how highly-motivated individuals can play a significant role in advocating a more sustainable future through their own capacities to carry out research and develop personal networks enabling them to extend their influence with the public at large and also with academic and administrative hierarchies. The Romanian author of this paper is one of a number of environmental activists in Valcea county who able to promote environmental issues in the absence of effective NGOs. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

秦巴地区地壳稳定性评价

三峡水库引水工程是南水北调的重要补充工程, 具有重要的战略意义和经济意义。本文在分析现今构造应力场、地壳结构、构造格架、活动断裂、地震活动、工程岩组等影响地壳稳定性主要因素的基础上, 利用模糊数学综合评价模型评价秦巴地区的地壳稳定性。评价结果表明, 秦巴地区地壳稳定性程度较高, 适合兴建大型引水工程。      

Seismicity and structural investigations of the Romanian Vrancea Region: Evidence for azimuthal variations of p-wave velocity and poisson's ratio

A study of the shallow and intermediate depth seismicity of the Romanian Vrancea region in the period 1964–1981 has been performed. The seismic events have been relocated by a standard location procedure using a regional velocity model. From the temporal and spatial distribution of the seismic activity, aspects of the seismicity before the large March 4, 1977 earthquake are treated, in particular the seismic gap in space and time prior to this event, found by Mârze (1979), which is critically discussed and revised. The concept of the precursor time/magnitude relationships of different authors is applied and its validity to the Vrancea region assessed. The hypocentral distribution shows that the intermediate depth seismic activity is confined to a small volume with dimensions of only some tens of kilometers. The results are interpreted in terms of the tectonics of the region. From an analysis of the travel-time residuals at different local stations, evidence for lateral velocity heterogeneities beneath the region is obtained e.g. a high velocity zone southeastwards of the Carpathian chain. Finally mean ratios, (i.e. Poisson's ratios), for various stations are calculated from P- and S-wave travel times. They show azimuthal variations of up to 6% for stations within the area where the intermediate seismic activity occurs in comparison with the station Focsani, situated eastwards in the Carpathian foredeeps. All these results are compatible with the plate tectonic concept for the Vrancea region, that is the subduction of an oceanic lithospheric slab under the Carpathian mountain arc, giving rise to such a highly active seismic zone.     

Calculating snow-avalanche return period from tree-ring data

The return period is a key element used for snow-avalanche characterization. To calculate the return period, historical data regarding past snow-avalanche activity are required. In mountain areas where past snow avalanches are poorly documented, dendrogeomorphic approaches constitute a reliable method for the reconstruction of past snow avalanches at the temporal scale of living trees. This paper presents an automated method for calculating the snow-avalanche return period using a digital elevation model and the location of the trees disturbed by every reconstructed snow-avalanche occurrence. Unlike the existing method, the method we propose requires neither the calculation of return period for every sampled tree nor the use of interpolation. This new method is based on the determination of spatial extent for every past snow-avalanche occurrence using the upslope area algorithm. The number of past snow-avalanche occurrences is calculated for every pixel of the path. The chronology length is divided by the number of past snow-avalanche occurrences to obtain the return period. In the present paper, both the proposed method and the existing method are applied to calculate the return period for three confined snow-avalanche paths located in Parâng Mountains, part of the Romanian Carpathians. Results are compared and discussed.     

The health state of the Romanian population during the transition period

The paper attempts to make an assessment of the health state of the Romanian population during the transition period; the evolution of the health indicators, analyzed in the European context, shows the precarious health state of the Romanian population, in comparison both to Western countries and to the countries which are crossing a transition phase themselves. The values of the health indicators by region also show inequalities of health, the north-western and south-eastern areas of the country having to face serious problems. The reduction of living standard, the low quality health services, together with other factors associated with lifestyle seem to be responsible for the deterioration of the health state of the Romanian population. The introduction of adequate health and social policies in the following period could bring about an improvement of the situation. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Attenuation in Southeastern Carpathians area: Result of upper mantle inhomogeneity

The systematic analysis of seismograms recorded on the Romanian territory using Vrancea intermediate-depth earthquakes shows a strong asymmetric pattern relative to the epicentral area: on one side, in the Transylvanian Basin and the Eastern Carpathians (approximately along the inner volcanic chain), the amplitudes are reduced by a factor of 20 on average and the high frequencies are attenuated, in contrast with the other side, in the foreland platform. This pattern is explained by a significant attenuation increase caused by a strong lateral variation of the structure in the upper mantle, immediately towards NW of the Vrancea seismic active volume. This region corresponds to the most recent volcanic activity in the Persani Mountains and with the low-velocity body adjacent toward NW to the high-velocity body subducted beneath Vrancea area as indicated by seismic tomography and heat flow results. The CALIXTO'99 tomography experiment, deployed for 6 months in 1999, provides the largest number of observations for Vrancea earthquakes ever recorded on the Romanian territory. We select data from 8 earthquakes generated in this time interval in the Vrancea nest, which were recorded with signal / noise ratio greater than 5 by at least 25 stations. All of them are small- to moderate-magnitude events (3.6 ≤ M_w ≤ 4.2). The attenuation is much more important in the high-frequency range (> 1 Hz), than at low frequencies. Since the large Vrancea earthquakes can radiate significant energy in the low-frequency range (< 1 Hz), our results show that the seismic hazard level is much more uniform all over the Romanian territory in the low-frequency range than in the high-frequency range.     

Triassic lithostratigraphic correlation in the Moesian Platform (Bulgaria-Romania)

The Moesian Platform occupies a wide area in Bulgaria and Romania, being surrounded to the north and west by the South Carpathians and to the south by the Balkans. The lithostratigraphic division of the representative cross-sections of the Triassic system is performed for both countries. The applied methodology in defining the lithostratigraphic units and their comparison is based on the internationally accepted, widely used stratigraphic rules. The key role of the present work is to unify positions and technical usage of the Triassic lithostratigraphic units. However, they are relatively different in Bulgaria and Romania, which hampers the cross correlation. The Bulgarian part of the Moesian Platform is examined according to the “Regional Lithostratigraphic Scheme of the Triassic sediments from borehole sections in North Bulgaria” compiled by Chemberski in 1985. The lithostratigraphic division for the Romanian part is based on Paraschiv’s work completed in early 1980s. There are three Triassic complexes defined in the Moesian Platform which are divided into formations and horizons. They follow in order of deposition: Lower red bed complex represented by Petrohan Group (Bulgaria) and Rosiori Formation (Romania); Carbonate complex including Iskar Carbonate Group (Bulgaria) and Alexandria Formation and Putinei evaporates (Romania); Upper variegated complex consisting of Moesian Group (Bulgaria) and Segarcea Formation (Romania). The present correlation determines three types of comparative units: analogous units (subjective synonyms); units defined in Bulgarian territory and probably present also in Romania; units located only in the Bulgarian and respectively in the Romanian part of the Moesian Platform.     

The Danube-Black Sea Canal and its impact on Southern Romania

The Romanian Danube-Black Sea Canal, opened in 1984, is the latest development in the European network of Class 6 waterways. Construction began in 1978 and involved the mobilisation of labour and equipment on an unprecedented scale to expedite work in four construction zones between the Danube at Cernavoda and the Black Sea at South Constanta-Agigea. The paper outlines the construction work and also discusses three other themes. First the history of abortive canal projects which extends back for more than a century, including the notorious scheme of 1949–1953 in the Stalin era, which has to be seen in the context of available waterways through the Danube delta and a complex of economic, political and technical issues. Second the interest of the present Romanian government in pressing ahead with the project at a time of severe economic difficulty: the changing economic geography of the country is thoroughly examined. And third the likely impact of the canal which is very difficult to assess in an international context in view of the alternative route through the Danube delta at Sulina. However the hinterland of Constanta has been greatly improved and further canal schemes in Romania will generate more traffic for water transport in the years ahead.     

Mio-Pliocene magnetostratigraphy in the southern Carpathian foredeep and Mediterranean–Paratethys correlations

A full understanding of the Mio-Pliocene palaeogeographical and palaeoenvironmental changes in the circum-Mediterranean region during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) is at present hampered by the lack of reliable chronostratigraphic correlations between the Mediterranean and Paratethys regions. Here, we present magnetostratigraphic ages for the Upper Miocene to Pliocene deposits of the southern Carpathian foredeep in Romania. These ages are in good agreement with those recently obtained from the eastern Carpathian foredeep and define a new chronology for the eastern Paratethys. The Meotian/Pontian boundary is not biostratigraphically constrained in our sections, but according to the geological map of the region arrives at ∼5.8 Ma. The Pontian/Dacian boundary is dated at c. 4.8 Ma and the Dacian/Romanian boundary at c. 4.1 Ma. The main part of the MSC (5.96–5.33 Ma) is thus represented by the Pontian Stage, but the observed palaeoenvironmental and biostratigraphic changes in our sections of the eastern Paratethys do not indicate any relation with the dramatic desiccation and reflooding events of the Mediterranean.     

西藏那曲南部早白垩世闪长玢岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄

北冈底斯带东部那曲地区存在中三叠世、中—晚侏罗世和晚白垩世岩浆活动,却鲜有早白垩世岩浆活动的报道。对北冈底斯带东部那曲地区的罗马区闪长玢岩进行了系统的采样研究,并对其中2件样品进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年,结果分别为116.1Ma±0.4Ma和115.9Ma±0.5Ma,在误差范围内几乎一致,应该代表了其形成的时代。表明北冈底斯带东部地区亦存在早白垩世晚期岩浆活动,这对探讨北冈底斯带早白垩世的地质演化具有重要意义。     

西藏那曲南部早白垩世闪长玢岩LA-ICP-MS 锆石U-Pb年龄

北冈底斯带东部那曲地区存在中三叠世、中—晚侏罗世和晚白垩世岩浆活动,却鲜有早白垩世岩浆活动的报道。对北冈底斯带东部那曲地区的罗马区闪长玢岩进行了系统的采样研究,并对其中2件样品进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年,结果分别为116.1Ma±0.4Ma和115.9Ma±0.5Ma,在误差范围内几乎一致,应该代表了其形成的时代。表明北冈底斯带东部地区亦存在早白垩世晚期岩浆活动,这对探讨北冈底斯带早白垩世的地质演化具有重要意义。     

Key pluvial parameters in assessing rainfall erosivity in the south-west development region,Romania

Located in the south-western part of Romania, the south-west development region overlaps the main relief forms: the Carpathians mountains, the Getic Subcarpathians, the Getic piedmont, the Romanian plain and the Danube valley. The study aims at providing an overview on the main pluvial parameters and their role in assessing rainfall erosivity in the study area. The authors assessed the occurrence, frequency and magnitude of some of the most significant pluvial parameters and their impact on the climatic aggressiveness in the study area. Thus, the monthly and annual mean and extreme climatic values for different rainfall related parameters (e.g., maximum amounts of precipitation/24 hr, heavy rainfall), as well as relevant indices and indicators for pluvial aggressiveness (Fournier, Fournier Modified, Angot) were calculated. The rainfall erosivity was assessed in order to provide both the spatial distribution of the triggering extreme weather phenomena and the resulted intensity classes for the analysed indices and indicators. The authors used long-term precipitation records (1961–2010) for the selected relevant meteorological stations distributed throughout all analysed relief units.     

江苏省水泥用灰岩资源供需形势和对策

水泥用灰岩矿是水泥工业的主要原料,对经济发展意义重大。从水泥灰岩资源及其开发现状着手,分析了江苏省水泥灰岩资源的供需形势,从而提出了合理配置水泥灰岩资源的6条对策和建议。     

Aussiedler migration and its impact on Braşov's ethnic German population and built environment

The expression of different ethnic identities in the landscape is a product of the creation, destruction and preservation of the built environment. This may illustrate the changing processes over the evolution of a landscape. In the case of Braşov, Romania, it is possible to see in the urban landscape a reflection of the changing nature of the relationship between the ethnic German and Romanian populations, and the German and Romanian governments. This paper will demonstrate the persistence of ethnic German culture in the built environment and social organisation of Braşov in spite of the exodus of the ethnic German population. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

三江盆地前进坳陷油气地质调查新进展

随着东北大型含油气沉积盆地油气勘探难度越来越大,老油田开发程度已进入中后期,亟需新的油气区接替。三江盆地作为松辽盆地外围7个一级远景盆地之一,具有较大的油气勘探潜力。最近在三江盆地前进坳陷开展了一系列油气地质调查工作,在中生界泥页岩、晚古生界暗色泥岩地层及硅质岩生烃潜力方面取得了新的进展与认识,对评价该区油气资源潜力、进行下一步油气勘探工作具有重要意义。     

上扬子西部茅口组灰岩顶部古喀斯特地貌的厘定及地质意义

上扬子西部滇东、黔西茅口组之上多为峨眉山玄武岩所覆盖，长期以来人们一直认为两者不存在沉积间断和地层剥蚀。作者通过野外实地考察和室内综合研究首次系统地厘定上扬子西部茅口组顶部的古喀斯特地貌，其形态多种多样，包括起伏不平的古剥蚀面、溶蚀洼地、溶斗、峰林、溶丘、洞穴以及洞穴充填物和古剥蚀面上红壤土。古喀斯特地貌在一个地区的地质发展中具有重要的意义，它代表了一次地壳上升运动。本区古喀斯特的系统研究不仅丰富了中国古喀斯特研究的内容，而且对确定云南地区东吴运动的存在和峨眉山地幔柱的活动提供了重要佐证。     

沐川太平砂岩型铼钼（饿）矿点的地质特征和矿化时代

四川沐川县民主-太平-带含钼砂岩为一新矿化类型——沉积砂岩型铼钼（锇）矿点。X-射线粉晶衍射分析结果表明其中微-细晶鳞片状含钼矿物为晶质辉钼矿；高精度质谱分析发现辉钼矿中分散元素Re和铂族元素Os含量很高，具有重要的综合利用价值；高精度Re-Os同位素测年证明辉钼矿形成年龄与含矿的中生代红物学和矿床学均具有重要的理论意义和应用价值。     

Urban development and urban geography in Romania: The contribution of Vintila Mihailescu

Urban development has been a dramatic consequence of modernisation in Romania over the last hundred years. Although there are some differences between the periods of capitalism and socialism — notably the socialist emphasis on the central planning of industrial growth rather than the development of a well-rounded urban society — the population resident in towns has increased inexorably from 2.08 million in 1912 (16.3% of the total population to the country) to 3.71 million (23.4%) in 1948 and 10.49 million (47.3%) in 1980. The scope of Romanian geography has plainly altered in response to the shift in the rural-urban balance, all the more so in view of the long-standing concentration of effort on domestic issues. The paper examines the relationship between urban development and urban geography during this century: urban geography has become an integral part of the discipline whereas in 1900 interest was negligible. The transition has not been entirely smooth but considerable coherence arises from the work of Vintila Mihailescu (1890–1978) : a complete geographer but one who always emphasised the importance of urban geography. Since his death new leaders have emerged to ensure a continued commitment to what is now a fundamental element of Romanian geography.     

Inelastic displacement demand of RC buildings subjected to earthquakes generated by intermediate-depth Vrancea seismic source

Evaluating inelastic displacement demand of structures exposed to seismic hazard is required for the design of new buildings as well as for seismic risk assessment of existing structures. Most of the buildings are designed to withstand strong earthquakes by responding in the nonlinear range. Having special parts of the structure designed to develop a stable hysteretic behaviour allows the structure to deform in order to accommodate the displacement demand imposed by strong ground motions. This paper is centred on finding a correspondence between the maximum elastic and inelastic displacement responses of the single degree of freedom (SDOF) systems subjected to earthquakes generated by Vrancea seismic source. Vrancea intermediate-depth earthquakes are responsible for the seismic hazard throughout Romanian territory. They have distinctive features, such as large displacement demand and large predominant periods, which makes Romania a special seismic environment. Using a database of Romanian and Japanese strong ground motions generated by intermediate-depth earthquakes and performing nonlinear dynamic analysis on the SDOF oscillators following the Takeda model, this study estimates the inelastic to elastic displacement ratio of reinforced concrete systems. Soil conditions, epicentral distance and magnitude influence on inelastic response is analysed using constant ductility response spectra. The main findings of the study are: the local increase of the inelastic to elastic displacement ratio for type C soil (Eurocode 8 classification) for large magnitude earthquakes and the significant effect of soil conditions on the inelastic response of the SDOF systems. The inelastic amplification was evaluated using a functional form depending on system ductility, soil conditions and earthquake magnitude.