Interfacing the DIGICO flux-gate spinner magnetometer to an APPLE IIe microcomputer

Summary. A hardware configuration and program are described for interfacing a DIGICO spinner rock magnetometer to an APPLE microcomputer. This configuration provides full control of measurements and permits storage of the results on floppy or hard discs. A similar configuration can be used to operate the anisotropy unit.     

A new class of stratified viscoelastic models by analytical techniques

Multilayer, spherically stratified, self-gravitating relaxation models with a large number of layers (more than 100) can be dealt with analytically. Relaxation processes are studied for both Heaviside surface loads and tidal forcings. Simulations of the relaxation process of a realistic earth model with an incompressible Maxwell rheology show that models containing about 30 to 40 layers have reached continuum limits on all timescales and for all harmonic degrees up to at least 150 whenever an elastic lithosphere is present, irrespective of the viscosity profile in the mantle. In particular, fine-graded stratification of the shallow layers proves to be important for high harmonic degrees in these models. The models produce correct long-time (fluid) limits. It is shown that differences in the transient behaviour of the various models are due to the applied volume-averaging procedure of the rheological parameters. Our earlier proposed hypothesis that purported shortcomings in the fundamental physics of (discrete) normal-mode theory are artificial consequences of numerical inaccuracies, theoretical misinterpretations and the use of incomplete sets of normal modes is reinforced by the results presented. We show explicitly that the models produce both continuous behaviour resulting from continuous rheological stratifications and discrete behaviour resulting from sharp density contrasts, as at the outer surface and the core-mantle boundary. The differences between volume-averaged models and fixed-boundary contrast models are outlined. Reducing many-layer models with a volume-averaging procedure before employing a normal mode analysis is both economical and highly accurate on all timescales and for all spherical harmonic degrees. The procedure minimizes the chances of missing contributing modes, while using models with more layers will not result in any substantial increase of accuracy.     

An automated superconducting magnetometer and demagnetizing system

Summary. A novel 3-axis superconducting magnetometer has been constructed using just one SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) sensor. The magnetometer has been placed in a large mu-metal shield together with a non-magnetic oven and 3-axis af demagnetizer. Once a sample is entered into the system a microprocessor controller executes a predetermined measuring and demagnetizing/remagnetizing sequence. The system was originally designed automatically to determine field magnitude values from ceramics and igneous rocks but has proved itself to be a useful general purpose palaeomagnetic instrument.     

Observations of geomagnetic pulsations and variations with a new borehole magnetometer down to depths of 3000 m

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A triaxial magnetometer has been developed for investigating the in situ skin effect of horizontal geomagnetic pulsations and variations in deep boreholes. The observations were carried out in the pilot borehole of the Continental Deep Drilling Program of Germany (KTB) down to depths of 3000 m and up to temperature of 90 C. A weak skin effect, due to the known very low conductivity of the penetrated crystalline rocks, of 90 to 95 per cent in amplitude and -5 to -10 rotation in phase has been observed at periods of 10 s and magnetometer depth of 2400 m.
An essential prerequisite for all calculations is the accurate determination of the orientation of the downhole magnetometer. It is demonstrated how oriented record samples of temporal variations at depth correlate precisely with those from the surface.
Results from surface magnetotelluric (MT) investigations show strong local distortions of the telluric field. The distortion of the MT tensor response has been determined by means of newly introduced skin-effect transfer functions, which are assumed to be undistorted.     

A study of two polar magnetic substorms with a two-dimensional magnetometer array

Summary. The paper reports studies of the three-dimensional magnetospheric—ionospheric current systems which produced polar magnetic substorms on 1974 September 7 and September 18. The data were magnetic perturbation fields observed with a two-dimensional array of 23 three-component magnetometers located in western Canada beneath the auroral oval. In an earlier study of a substorm of September 11 (Bannister & Gough) the fields fitted calculated field for a Boström Type 1 current loop with field-aligned currents at east and west ends of the ionospheric segment, and with uniform current density across the width. The substorms here reported could not be modelled with uniform current density. An inverse method due to Oldenburg was therefore used to estimate current density distributions, and satisfactory fits of calculated to observed field resulted. Each substorm was modelled at six representative epochs. In general the principal ionospheric current seem by the array was westward. At four epochs of the September 7 substorm and throughout the September 18 substorm, significant eastward ionospheric current (or its equivalent in terms of the fields produced) was observed north of the westward electrojet. Northwestward bends in the ionospheric current segments were found at four epochs on September 7 and at three epochs on September 18. As in the September 11 substorm (Paper 1), these bends were either west of or close to magnetic midnight. In some cases the bends may follow the auroral oval, but in others they are sharper and may be associated with the Harang discontinuity. East of geomagnetic the ionospheric currents tend to run in a constant geomagnetic midnight latitude range. The developments of the three substorms, of September 7, 11 (Paper 1) and 18, are compared. They showed a variety of shifts in longitude, though all moved eastward relative to magnetic midnight.     

Development of a polar magnetic substorm: a two-dimensional magnetometer array study

A polar magnetic substorm on 1974 September 11 was recorded by a two-dimensional array of 25 three-component magnetometers, so located that the westward ionospheric current passed over the array. The mean perturbation fields over five-minute intervals are presented at six representative epochs of the substorm, the first just before its onset and the sixth 21/2 hr later in the coda of the event. At four of the resulting 'time frames', the perturbation fields have been fitted, on a least-squares criterion, by calculated fields of three-dimensional current loops having downward field-aligned current at the east end of the ionospheric westward current, upward field-aligned current at the west end and closure in the magnetotail. The current density was constant across the width of each of these model currents. In three of the four time frames it proved necessary to introduce a bend to the northwest in the ionospheric current; this bend occurred within 27° (geomagnetic) west of geomagnetic midnight. An association with the Harang discontinuity is possible. The field-aligned current nearer to the array (in one time-frame the downward, east-end current, in two others the upward current at the west end) proved essential to secure any reasonable fit to the data. The ionospheric segment of the current loop moved at least 20° of longitude eastward, relative to the surface of the earth, between 07.48 and 08.58 UT. In this 70-min period the ionospheric segment moved at least 38° eastward relative to magnetic midnight.     

A Geography of Place: principles and application for defining ‘eco-civic’ resource governance regions

River catchments have been the dominant form of regionalisation for natural-resource management in many countries since the 1980s. Local governments play a considerable role in planning with ever-increasing responsibilities for sustainable environmental management, planning and development controls. There has also been an increasing emphasis on community participation in resource management, which emphasises the need to re-examine the requirements for spatial definition of resource governance regions. This paper proposes three principles. First, the nature and reach of environmental externalities of resource use should determine the size and nesting of resource management regions. Second, the boundaries of resource governance regions should enclose areas of greatest interest and importance to local residents. Third, the biophysical characteristics of a resource governance region should be as homogenous as possible, which provides resource planning and management efficiencies. The paper describes a range of concepts and empirical techniques used to apply these principles to the derivation of a resource governance regionalisation of the State of New South Wales, Australia.     

南极普里兹湾船载地磁三分量数据处理分析

船载地磁三分量测量仪(STCM)具有易携带、无时空限制、多参数测量等特点,在极地恶劣环境下,显然比拖曳磁力仪更具优势。对第29次南极科学考察获得的船载地磁三分量数据进行船磁干扰场的校正分离,获得相应的三分量数据以及总场。校正后地磁三分量数据与拖曳磁力数据进行对比,其标准差为47.56 n T,表明其在极区内工作性能良好,数据质量可靠。计算结果为我国首次在极区海域内获得的地磁三分量磁异常,有关的技术流程方法将为今后中国极地科考实施船载地磁三分量测量提供有效的技术支持。     

Reconstructing pre-erosion topography using spatial interpolation techniques:A validation-based approach

Understanding the topographic context preceding the development of erosive landforms is of major relevance in geomorphic research, as topography is an important factor on both water and mass movement-related erosion, and knowledge of the original surface is a condition for quantifying the volume of eroded material. Although any reconstruction implies assuming that the resulting surface reflects the original topography, past works have been dominated by linear interpolation methods, incapable of generating curved surfaces in areas with no data or values outside the range of variation of inputs. In spite of these limitations, impossibility of validation has led to the assumption of surface representativity never being challenged. In this paper, a validation-based method is applied in order to define the optimal interpolation technique for reconstructing pre-erosion topography in a given study area. In spite of the absence of the original surface, different techniques can be nonetheless evaluated by quantifying their capacity to reproduce known topography in unincised locations within the same geomorphic contexts of existing erosive landforms. A linear method (Triangulated Irregular Network, TIN) and 23 parameterizations of three distinct Spline interpolation techniques were compared using 50 test areas in a context of research on large gully dynamics in the South of Portugal. Results show that almost all Spline methods produced smaller errors than the TIN, and that the latter produced a mean absolute error 61.4% higher than the best Spline method, clearly establishing both the better adjustment of Splines to the geomorphic context considered and the limitations of linear approaches. The proposed method can easily be applied to different interpolation techniques and topographic contexts, enabling better calculations of eroded volumes and denudation rates as well as the investigation of controls by antecedent topographic form over erosive processes.     

GIS作为新一代地理学语言的特征(英文)

Language plays a vital role in the communication, sharing and transmission of information among human beings. Geographical languages are essential for understanding, investigating, representing and propagating geo-spatial information. Geographical languages have developed and evolved gradually with improvements in science, technology and cognitive levels. Concerning the theoretical progress from geographical information ontology, epistemology and linguistic theory, this paper firstly puts forward the concept of a GIS language and discusses its basic characteristics according to changes in the structures, functions and characteristics of geographical languages. This GIS language can be regarded as a system of synthetic digital symbols. It is a comprehensive representation of geographical objects, phenomena and their spatial distributions and dynamic processes. This representation helps us generate a universal perception of geographical space using geographical scenarios or symbols with geometry, statuses, processes, spatio-temporal relationships, semantics and attributes. Furthermore, this paper states that the GIS language represents a new generation of geographical language due to its intrinsic characteristics, structures, functions and systematic content. Based on the aforementioned theoretical foundation, this paper illustrates the pivotal status and contributions of the GIS language from the perspective of geographical researchers. The language of GIS is a new geographical language designed for the current era, with features including spatio-temporal multi-dimension representation, interactive visualization, virtual geographical scenarios, multi-sensor perception and expedient broadcasting via the web. The GIS language is the highest-level geographical language developed to date, integrating semantic definitions, feature extraction, geographical dynamic representation and spatio-temporal factors and unifying the computation of geographical phenomena and objects. The GIS language possesses five important characteristics: abstraction, systematicness, strictness, precision and hierarchy. In summary, the GIS language provides a new means forpeople to recognize, understand and simulate entire geo-environments. Therefore, exploration of the GIS language’s functions in contemporary geographical developments is becoming increasingly important. Similarly, construction of the conceptual model and scientific systems of the GIS language will promote the development of the disciplines of geography and geographical information sciences. Therefore, this paper investigates the prospects of the GIS language from the perspectives of digital technology, geographical norms, geographical modeling and the disciplinary development of geography.     

Areal interpolation of spatially extensive variables: A comparison of alternative techniques

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology which provides a practicable solution to a specific class of areal interpolation problems. The method allows for the transformation of the areal basis of land use data from a set of reporting units to a set of land capability classes within each of which land use mix is assumed to be homogeneous. Three alternative procedures, based on least squares criteria, are suggested for estimation of the land use mix in each land class. Although these are shown to produce similar and broadly plausible results in an empirical application, choice of procedure may be guided by consideration of the particular application and computational ease.     

Geographical investigation of the network world: Basic principles and promising directions

Some specific characteristics typical of the emerging network society are considered by the author in the context of achievements of geography as a science. New directions and topics for investigations related to (i) the network business, (ii) the existing social and political networks are formulated. Analysis of the available experience bound up with geographical investigations of social-economic networks is given. The starting principles of a new (network) paradigm of social geography are outlined. Some promising directions of geographical investigations related to the information networks are defined and described.     

Ontario conservation authorities: principles, practice and challenges 50 years later

In 1996, Ontario conservation authorities are 50 years old. This paper reviews the origins and founding principles of the conservation authority programme. After describing recent events in Ontario water management, the six founding principles—watershed jurisdiction, local initiative, a provincial-municipal partnership, coordination and cooperation, a healthy environment required for a healthy economy, and a comprehensive approach—are used to examine the practices of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA). Conclusions suggest that the six principles were and are sound, although they have been ‘rediscovered’ under new names. The formation of new forms of partnerships and broadening the funding base have been the UTRCA's primary responses to recent developments in Ontario resource management. Given the strong probability of future changes, conservation authorities and all other public and private resource managers must create new ways of delivering an even greater level of service to the public.