Heavy metal and arsenic distributions in soils surrounding Palapye, Botswana： An evaluation of environmental impact of coal mining and combustion in a sub-arid region

Coal is an important natural resource in Botswana. The best coals so far found occur in the Morupule coalfield, west of Palapye, where nearly 8000 million tons have been identified （Carney et al., 1994）. In this study we investigate the environmental impact of the mining and consumption of the high-ash, medium-calorific value bituminous coal in the eastern part of Botswana, which may serve as a reference for other coal mines and coal-based power stations around the globe. More than two hundred surface soil samples and three profile soil samples were collected around Morupule Colliery, Morupule Power Station and Palapye.     

Seasonal and ontogenetic changes of mycosporine-like amino acids in planktonic organisms from an alpine lake

We studied the quantitative and qualitative mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA) composition in phytoplankton and the copepod Cyclops abyssorum tatricus from an alpine lake over a 15-month period. Up to eight MAAs were identified in the samples, with shinorine being predominant. The MAAs occurred year round and showed a strong seasonal pattern. Compared with ice-cover periods, concentrations during the summer were on average 3.6 and 3.0 times higher in phytoplankton and C. abyssorum tatricus, respectively. During the summer, the contents of MAAs in phytoplankton decreased with depth, suggesting their photoprotective role. Chlorophyll a-specific concentrations of MAAs in phytoplankton correlated significantly with the incident solar radiation and ultraviolet (UV) water transparency (r(2) ≤ 0.36), however, the strongest relationship was found with water temperature (r(2) = 0.67). In zooplankton, highest contents of MAAs were found in eggs, nauplii, and young copepodids, presumably providing a high level of photoprotection for progeny. Proportions of the dominant MAAs in the copepod showed seasonal and ontogenetic variations, which were consistent with relative changes in the predominant MAA, but not other abundant MAAs, in phytoplankton. Considering a time lag of approximately 1 month between the synthesis and subsequent accumulation of these compounds, MAA concentrations in late copepodid to adult life stages were significantly correlated to those in phytoplankton. Annual patterns in MAAs with high concentrations during periods of elevated environmental stress are consistent with the idea that these compounds play an important role in protecting aquatic organisms against UV damage.     

耕作土壤中砷的物质平衡模拟

本文描述了砷在耕作土壤中的作用过程中，有关砷的物质平衡的数学表述形式。需要用许多模型参数定义所涉及砷的物质平衡的数学表述形式，即使是简化的数学形式。根据参数值的范围和源于出版的文献的初始条件进行实例模拟。研究结果表明，由于对耕作土壤施肥和灌溉水，植被对砷的摄入量引起根部区总砷含量逐渐增加。搞清楚植物对砷的吸收和析出与弄清楚对增加砷的去除途径同等重要。反过来，矿物相的溶解动力学和吸附相的分布系数影响植物吸收和浸出的可用性。根据实验室砷矿相的分解、As（III）的矿化和氧化推导出参数，而砷植物的吸收似乎对砷在土壤中的传输估计过高。数学模型的研究是一个简明的过程，而用自信度定义的模型参数值的不同阻碍了它在实际情况中的应用。目前对土壤一一植被系统中砷的传输过程和作用的了解是不充分的，所以要校准或者验证模型。研究必须了解土壤中砷矿物分解和沉淀的动力学原理和土壤中根部生长以及植被砷吸收的动力学原理。     

北加州多参数地球物理观测台的实时传输

在数字记录和遥测领域的最新技术进展使设计和使用能够记录到各种具有所需采样率的地球物理参数的仪器成为可能,而且能够将那些数据以近实时的方式传输到中心处理机构。在这里我们描述在伯克利地震实验室(BSL,前伯克利地震台)一方面我们是如何利用这个最新技术来获     

勘探数据集成的GIS技术

１９８７－１９９７年这十年中,ＧＩＳ已从商业推广深入到地球科学,并应用于矿产勘查,ＧＩＳ地图形,图像和数据表提供了计算环境,并为数据传输,可视化,分析,模型和空间决策支持提供了强有力的工具,采用ＧＩＳ技术,可方便地通过集成勘查数据群生成矿产资源远景图,并可根据先期勘查程度选用于知识的或基于专家系统的预测方法,迄今为止的结果表明,采用这些方法在勘查模型的确定,各单元与不同的前景和背景之间的基本联系,