Urbanization and sustainable metropolitan development in China: Patterns, problems and prospects*

The path of urbanization in the People's Republic of China is largely shaped by the nation's industrial development strategies. In the first three decades of socialist construction, and especially after the Sino-Soviet rift at the end of the 1950s, the adoption of strategies of self-reliance had led to urban biased patterns of development. The introduction of economic reforms and the open door policy in 1978 paved the way for and facilitated national economic development. Two issues, which feature significantly in the processes of development in China, are assessed. The first is the relationship between economic development and the protection of arable land. The second is the quest for a coordinated hyper-development in both urban and rural areas. This paper concludes by proposing a sustainable metropolitan development strategy that suits the case of China. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Regional and urban population size weights in Saudi Arabia, 1962–1974

The aim of this paper 3s to study the development of population weights for regions and urban centres in Saudi Arabia through the period 1962–1974. In order to achieve this aim some non-parametric statistical rules have been used such as rank-size rule and the four-city index. The results show non-balanced distribution of population on both regional and urban scales. The concentration of people in urban centres is more pronounced than the concentration in regions. This is due to internal and external movement of population towards largesized urban centres. The paper recommends that the official authorities should give more consideration to economic and service development in rural and urban areas that are retreating in ranking and decreasing in population.     

Momentum transport of wave zero during March: A possible predictor for the Indian summer monsoon

Analysis of monthly momentum transport of zonal waves at 850 hPa for the period 1979 to 1993, between ‡S and ‡N for January to April, using zonal (u) and meridional (v) components of wind taken from the ECMWF reanalysis field, shows a positive correlation (.1% level of significance) between the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (June through September) and the momentum transport of wave zero TM(0) over latitudinal belt between 25‡S and 5‡N (LB) during March. Northward (Southward) TM(0) observed in March over LB subsequently leads to a good (drought) monsoon season over India which is found to be true even when the year is marked with the El-Nino event. Similarly a strong westerly zone in the Indian Ocean during March, indicates a good monsoon season for the country, even if the year is marked with El-Nino. The study thus suggests two predictors, TM(0) over LB and the strength of westerly zone in the Indian Ocean during March.     

大气和植被生态及土壤系统水文过程相互作用的一些研究

利用我国测站的降水资料、卫星测得的OLR和高云量资料、SST和137°E次表层海温资料以及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,分析了东亚夏季风的爆发和北进的年际变化特征及其与热带西太平洋热状态的关系.分析结果表明:当春季热带西太平洋处于暖状态,菲律宾周围对流活动强,在这种情况下,南海上空对流层下层有气旋性距平环流,西太平洋副热带高压偏东,从而使得南海夏季风爆发早;并且,当夏季热带西太平洋也处于暖状态,菲律宾周围对流活动也很强,在这种情况下,西太平洋副热带高压北进时,在6月中旬和7月初存在明显的突跳,从而使得东亚季风雨带在6月中旬明显由华南北跳到江淮流域,并于7月初由江淮流域北跳到黄河流域、华北和东北地区.这将引起江淮流域和长江中、下游夏季风降水偏少,并往往发生干旱,而黄河流域、华北和东北地区的夏季降水正常或偏多.相反,当春季热带西太平洋处于冷状态,菲律宾周围对流活动弱,在这种情况下,南海上空对流层下层有反气旋性距平环流,西太平洋副热带高压偏西,从而使得南海夏季风爆发晚;并且,当夏季热带西太平洋也处于冷状态,菲律宾周围对流活动也很弱,在这种情况下,西太平洋副热带高压北进时,在6月中旬或7月初向北突跳并不明显,而是以渐进式向北移动,从而使得东亚季风雨带一直维持在长江流域和淮河流域.这将引起此两流域夏季风降水偏多,并往往发生洪涝,而黄河流域、华北和东北地区的夏季降水偏少,发生干旱.作者还从非线性多平衡态动力理论说明了菲律宾周围对流活动强弱对西太平洋副热带高压北进时以突跳或渐进式向北移动起到重要作用.     

RegCM3区域气候模式对中国气候的模拟

使用RegCM3区域气候模式嵌套ERA40再分析资料,对东亚地区进行了15 a（1987-2001年）时间长度的数值积分试验。结果表明：模式可较好地模拟中国地面气温的分布和季节变化,但存在系统性的冷偏差;对降水的变化模拟也较好,但其地理分布模拟存在一定偏差。     

The possible influences of the increasing anthropogenic emissions in India on tropospheric ozone and OH

A 3-D chemical transport model (OSLO CTM2) is used to investigate the influences of the increasing anthropogenic emission in India. The model is capable of reproducing the observational results of the INDOEX experiment and the measurements in summer over India well. The model results show that when NOx and CO emissions in India are doubled, ozone concentration increases, and global average OH decreases a little. Under the effects of the Indian summer monsoon, NOx and CO in India are efficiently transported into the middle and upper troposphere by the upward current and the convective activities so that the NOx, CO, and ozone in the middle and upper troposphere significantly increase with the increasing NOx and CO emissions. These increases extensively influence a part of Asia, Africa, and Europe, and persist from June to September.     

Condensed water in tropical cyclone “Oliver”, 8 February 1993

On February 8, 1993, the NASA DC-8 aircraft profiled from 10,000 to 37,000 feet (3.1–11.3 km) pressure altitude in a stratified section of tropical cyclone “Oliver” over the Coral Sea northeast of Australia. Size, shape and phase of cloud and precipitation particles were measured with a 2-D Greyscale probe. Cloud/ precipitation particles changed from liquid to ice as soon as the freezing level was reached near 17,000 feet (5.2 km) pressure altitude. The cloud was completely glaciated at −5°C. There was no correlation between ice particle habit and ambient temperature. In the liquid phase, the precipitation-cloud drop concentration was 4.0 × 10³ m⁻³, the geometric mean diameter D_g=0.5−0.7 mm, and the liquid water content 0.7−1.9 g m⁻³. The largest particles anywhere in the cloud, dominated by fused dendrites at concentrations similar to that of raindrops (2.5 × 10³ m⁻³) but a higher condensed water content (5.4 g m⁻³ estimated) were found in the mixed phase; condensed water is removed very effectively from the mixed layer due to high settling velocities of the large mixed particles. The highest number concentration (4.9 × 10⁴ m⁻³), smallest size (D_g=0.3−0.4 mm), largest surface area (up to 2.6 × 10² cm² m⁻³ at 0.4−1.0 g m⁻³ of condensate) existed in the ice phase at the coldest temperature (−40°C) at 35,000 feet (10.7 km). Each cloud contained aerosol (haze particles) in addition to cloud particles. The aerosol total surface area exceeded that of the cirrus particles at the coldest temperature. Thus, aerosols must play a significant role in the upscattering of solar radiation. Light extinction (6.2 km⁻¹) and backscatter (0.8 sr⁻¹ km⁻¹) was highest in the coldest portion of the cirrus cloud at the highest altitude.     

Loose threads: The translocal making of public space policy in Hanoi

This paper analyses the recent developments in public space policy in the city of Hanoi, Vietnam. It has three aims. The first is to look at a potentially progressive urban policy in contrast to most work on ‘policies in motion’ that has primarily been concerned with neoliberal policies. The second is to put the process of public space policymaking in Hanoi in historical and cultural perspective. We therefore describe public space in Hanoi as historically constituted by different layers of meaning and physical urban patterns. The paper's third aim is to analyse the translocal connections involved in a policy that is still in the making, and therefore characterized by a series of ‘loose threads’. We show how different types of connections – policy mobility, topological relations and inter‐referencing – relate Hanoi to multiple locales elsewhere. The conclusion reflects on the ‘politics of reception’ showing how analysing a policy in the making develops a critical analysis of policies in motion.