Integrating Meteosat satellite and rain-gauge information to estimate rainfall patterns

This paper presents the development and the application of techniques for the integration of information coming from Meteosat satellite images and rain-gauge measurements, with the purpose of estimating the rainfall pattern on a certain river basin. The proposed integration techniques are based on the definition of a data coherence problem and on the application of mathematical programming methods. The quality of the estimation procedure is evaluated by using a rainfall/runoff model for the basin which allows the generation of a hydrograph at a given section of the river, on the basis of the above estimated rainfall pattern in the upstream watershed. The comparison of the hydrograph with the observed one allows the parametric tuning of the integration procedure.     

开展矿区环境地质调查与评价为矿山环境保护提供科学依据

随着采矿业的发展,引起矿区地质环境的恶化,如地面形变,边坡失稳,地应力增高,水环境污染等。积极开展矿区环境地质调查与评价,查明现状,预测发展趋势,提出防治意见,从而达到合理开采利用矿产资源和保护地质环境的目的。     

The extent and intensity of the urban heat island in Iași city,Romania

The study underlines the characteristics of the urban heat island of Ia?i (Ia?i’s UHI) on the basis of 3 years of air temperature measurements obtained by fixed-point observations. We focus on the identification of UHI development and intensity as it is expressed by the temperature differences between the city centre and the rural surroundings. Annual, seasonal and daily characteristics of Ia?i’s UHI are investigated at the level of the classical weather observation. In brief, an intensity of 0.8 °C of UHI and a spatial extension which corresponds to the densely built area of the city were delineated. The Ia?i UHI is stronger during summer calm nights—when the inner city is warmer with 2.5–3 °C than the surroundings—and is weaker during windy spring days. The specific features of Ia?i’s UHI bear a profound connection to the specificity of the urban structure, the high atmospheric stability in the region and the local topography. Also, the effects of Ia?i’s UHI upon some environmental aspects are presented as study cases. For instance, under the direct influence of UHI, we have observed that in the city centre, the apricot tree blossoms earlier (with up to 4 days) and the depth of the snow cover is significantly lower (with up to 10 cm for a rural snow depth of 30 cm) than in the surrounding areas.     

Rough evaluation of the water-inflow discharge in abandoned mining tunnels using a simplified water balance model: the case of the Cogne iron mine (Aosta Valley, NW Italy)

One of the most complex hydrogeological problems in the design and maintenance of drainage systems in abandoned mining sites is quantifying the maximum water infiltration and, therefore, the amount that is potentially drainable by the tunnels. This problem is compounded when water-inflow data are limited or lacking. The aim of the study was to present a single but reliable model for making this evaluation; this model was applied to the case history of the abandoned Cogne iron ore mining complex (Western Alps, Aosta Valley Region, NW Italy). The study focused on quantifying the amount of water infiltrating into the mine drifts, using a water balance model in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. In the model, five different infiltration scenarios were calculated, including a detailed analysis of rainfall data, snow density and thickness (Snow Water Equivalent calculation), and melting periods. The maximum water discharge that could affect the mine tunnels was, therefore, determined under several scenarios of normal precipitation conditions and during heavy rainfall, including the case of the Cogne valley flood in October 2000, used as a reference for the limit conditions. Taking into account the various approximations considered, the results can be considered a good indication of the magnitude of the total amount of water that should be drained out through abandoned mine drifts and in the drainage network during implementation of final closure of the mine.     

The Spatial Knowledge of Indigenous People in Mountainous Environments: A Case Study of Three Taiwanese Indigenous Tribes

This article recounts information gleaned from a case study of three indigenous tribes in Taiwan regarding the origin and nature of their spatial knowledge. Sketched mental maps and GIS 3D virtual environment (VE) are used by indigenous elders and hunters to delineate their traditional territories. Spatial components representing the predominant spatial elements are identified. Spatial structures used for locational positioning are analyzed, as are spatial reference systems for orientation and movement. The results show that spatial components are used for daily activities, as well as having historical and cultural meaning; a quadrant structure is used for spatial positioning; and instead of using the directional reference system of east, south, west, and north, these indigenous people rely on the orientation analogies of uphill, downhill, upstream, and downstream for direction.     

Comparison of existing triangulation methods for regularly and irregularly spaced height fields

Over the last two decades, the Delaunay triangulation has been the only choice for most geographical information system (GIS) users and researchers to build triangulated irregular networks (TINs). The classical Delaunay triangulation for creating TINs only considers the 2D distribution of data points. Recent research efforts have been devoted to generating data-dependent triangulation which incorporate information on both distribution and values of input data in the triangulation process. This paper compares the traditional Delaunay triangulations with several variant data-dependent triangulations based on Lawson's local optimization procedure (LOP). Two USGS digital elevation models (DEMs) are used in the comparison. It is clear from the experiments that the quality of TINs not only depends on the vertex placement but also on the vertex connection. Traditonal two step processes for TIN construction, which separate point selection from the triangulation, generate far worse results than the methods which iteratively select points during the triangulation process. A pure data-dependent triangulation contains a large amount of slivers and steep triangles, which greatly affect the quality of TINs constructed. Among the triangulation methods tested, the classical Delaunay triangulation is still the most successful technique for constructing TINs for approximating natural terrain surfaces.     

Studies of neutron stars at optical/IR wavelengths

In the last years, optical studies of Isolated Neutron Stars (INSs) have expanded from the more classical rotation-powered ones to other categories, like the Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs) and the Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters (SGRs), which make up the class of the magnetars, the radio-quiet INSs with X-ray thermal emission and, more recently, the enigmatic Compact Central Objects (CCOs) in supernova remnants. Apart from 10 rotation-powered pulsars, so far optical/IR counterparts have been found for 5 magnetars and for 4 INSs. In this work we present some of the latest observational results obtained from optical/IR observations of different types of INSs.     

Challenges to the development of carbon markets in China

China has introduced several pilot emission trading schemes to build the basis for a national scheme. The potential scale of this initiative raises prospects for a regional carbon trading network as a way to further engage other major Asian economies. However, the Chinese carbon markets rest upon a unique political-economic context and institutional environment that are likely to limit their development and viability. This article offers an overview of such structural economic and political constraints. Four main challenges are identified, namely, inadequate domestic demand, limited financial involvement, incomplete regulatory infrastructure, and excessive government intervention. The first two challenges concern economic dimensions and may be partially addressed by the incentives created by the newly introduced emission trading schemes. The other two are more deeply entrenched in the dominant political system and governing practice. They require fundamental changes to the ways in which the state and the market interact. The success of China's carbon market reform depends crucially on the ability of the ongoing efforts to transform the distorted state–market relationship.

Policy relevance

The burgeoning carbon markets offer opportunities for emissions mitigation at lower costs and enable circulation of a new form of capital, i.e. carbon credits, across borders. China accounts for a gigantic share of global GHG emissions and has the potential to significantly scale up these opportunities. There are clear implications for market developers and participants worldwide, including climate policy makers who attempt to link their emission trading schemes to other schemes, firms who seek to take advantage of the inexpensive carbon offsets generated in developing countries, international financial institutions who endeavour to establish their business in an emerging major carbon market, etc. This article can inform their decisions by identifying key issues that may undermine their ability to achieve these goals. Policy makers and stakeholders will benefit from this analysis, which shows how the Chinese carbon markets operate in ways that may be different from their experience elsewhere.     

A Combined Analytical and Numerical Approach for the Evaluation of Radial Loads on the Lining of Vertical Shafts

The evaluation of the load acting on a shaft support is of fundamental importance for the correct dimensioning of the structure. The load acting on the support can appear somewhat complex. One approach to define the load on the lining may be to use the convergence-confinement method (CCM) normally used in the tunneling design. This process involves intersecting the convergence-confinement (CC) curve with the support reaction line. However, in order to be able to adopt this technique, it is necessary to know the radial displacement of the shaft wall at the point in which the support is to be installed. Using the equations of Vlachopoulos and Diederichs (Rock Mech Rock Eng 42:131–146, 2009) the reaction line of the support can be calculated. Numerical models developed with Flac 2D v.6.0 considering the Mohr–Coulomb criterion and an ideal elasto-plastic behavior simulating stepwise excavation and support installation were developed. The relation between applied internal stress and radial displacement of the wall shaft, obtained by the numerical simulation was compared with the CC curve obtained by the CCM and it showed a good match between the two methods. However, an iterative procedure has also been used to insert the reaction line in the CC graph. The result shows lower initial displacements (and therefore greater radial stress) when compared with the values obtained by numerical calculation with the axisymmetric model. It is therefore recommended the combined use of the CCM (analytical method) and the axisymmetric numerical model (step by step simulation) to obtain the values of the final load on the lining and the final plastic radius, necessary for the correct design of supporting structures on the shaft wall.