A cartographic modeling approach to isopleth mapping

Isopleth maps depict different types of standardized data densities, general ratios/rates, and proportions/percentages. In this study, we describe different paths each type of standardized data takes to construct isoplethic surfaces in a cartographic modeling framework. As suggested in previous research, an area-based pycnophylactic interpolator is preferred to point interpolators in isopleth mapping not only because it preserves the total volume in each aggregation unit but also because it is non-parametric and is able to incorporate ancillary data to increase the accuracy of a surface representation. Here, a general pycnophylactic method is used to generate isopleth maps of density surfaces, but a hybrid approach is proposed to address the small denominator problem that arises when mapping ratio/rate and proportion/percentage surfaces. Finally, we propose a value-by-perspective height mapping procedure to resolve the visual equalization problem associated with ratio/rate and proportion/percentage surfaces that enable one to distinguish among high rate/large denominator, high rate/small denominator, low rate/large denominator, and low rate/small denominator regions of the surface.     

“卫星导航定位”课程实践教学创新体系改革

"卫星导航定位"课程是我校测绘类专业本科生的一门具有较强理论性和实践性的专业基础课,为强化学生知识运用能力、测绘实践操作能力、程序设计能力及科技创新能力,从实践教学内容更新及实践教学方法和手段优化等方面对该课程的实践教学创新体系(课间实验和集中实习)探索性改革,经两年的教学实践与持续改进,实际效果显著。     

Characterization of lake water and ground water movement in the littoral zone of Williams Lake,a closed‐basin lake in north central Minnesota

Williams Lake, Minnesota is a closed‐basin lake that is a flow‐through system with respect to ground water. Ground‐water input represents half of the annual water input and most of the chemical input to the lake. Chemical budgets indicate that the lake is a sink for calcium, yet surficial sediments contain little calcium carbonate. Sediment pore‐water samplers (peepers) were used to characterize solute fluxes at the lake‐water–ground‐water interface in the littoral zone and resolve the apparent disparity between the chemical budget and sediment data. Pore‐water depth profiles of the stable isotopes δ¹⁸O and δ²H were non‐linear where ground water seeped into the lake, with a sharp transition from lake‐water values to ground‐water values in the top 10 cm of sediment. These data indicate that advective inflow to the lake is the primary mechanism for solute flux from ground water. Linear interstitial velocities determined from δ²H profiles (316 to 528 cm/yr) were consistent with velocities determined independently from water budget data and sediment porosity (366 cm/yr). Stable isotope profiles were generally linear where water flowed out of the lake into ground water. However, calcium profiles were not linear in the same area and varied in response to input of calcium carbonate from the littoral zone and subsequent dissolution. The comparison of pore‐water calcium profiles to pore‐water stable isotope profiles indicate calcium is not conservative. Based on the previous understanding that 40–50 % of the calcium in Williams Lake is retained, the pore‐water profiles indicate aquatic plants in the littoral zone are recycling the retained portion of calcium. The difference between the pore‐water depth profiles of calcium and δ¹⁸O and δ²H demonstrate the importance of using stable isotopes to evaluate flow direction and source through the lake‐water–ground‐water interface and evaluate mechanisms controlling the chemical balance of lakes. Published in 2003 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Minimum Step Linkage Algorithm and Cumulative Cost Model for Time‐Dependent Shortest Paths

Real‐word road networks are typically time‐dependent, but research on time‐dependent shortest paths (TDSPs) is not as rich as that on static shortest paths (SSPs). For large networks, some speed‐up techniques are usually applied to compute SSPs. Unfortunately, many of these techniques are impractical for TDSPs, especially the techniques requiring a precomputation because the number of time instances may be incredibly large or even infinite. Therefore, this study introduced a new TDSP technique that is able to overcome the issue of infinite time instances by utilizing network geometry alone for the pre‐computation, namely the Minimum Step Linkage (MSL) algorithm. It works with a data model called Cumulative Cost Model (CCM). The theoretical concepts of the new data model and algorithm are described, and its performances were tested and compared with existing algorithms through a series of simulations.     

Exceptional preservation of Upper Carboniferous (lower Westphalian) fossils from Edlington,Doncaster, South Yorkshire,UK

A new fossil‐bearing, Upper Carboniferous (lower Westphalian) locality in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK, is reported and an account of the fossils is presented. The diverse flora and fauna consists of plants, bivalves, arthropods (primarily xiphosurans), tentaculitids (microconchids), fish scales, shark egg capsules and coprolites. Fossils are preserved in siderite nodules and shales, and display excellent preservation and detail. Previous collecting of Carboniferous fossils in the Doncaster area has been minimal. The discovery of this locality addresses this deficit and is of further importance as such localities in the UK are diminishing in number with the cessation of coal‐mining and the reclamation of mine dumps, further demonstrating the importance and recognition of the Edlington site. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hybrid Iterative Ensemble Smoother for History Matching of Hierarchical Models

Mathematical Geosciences - The choice of a prior model can have a large impact on the ability to assimilate data. In standard applications of ensemble-based data assimilation, all realizations in...