Spatiotemporal variability in channel deformations on rivers of Russia

We assess the spatiotemporal changes in channel processes on rivers of Russia, determine the causes for vertical (incision or directional sediment accumulation) and horizontal (displacement of channel forms) deformations and show the distribution of stream channel of different morphodynamical types and with a different reconfiguration rate. The conditions are revealed, under which the channel types change over time. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of spatiotemporal changes in channels caused by anthropogenic disturbances and by direct technogenic interferences in the life of rivers (hydroelectric schemes, quarries in the river channels, and waterway dredging).     

Strategy of DENIS observations

Doing a homogenious and fast survey requires an intelligent model for the observing-strategy. This contribution shows a model simulating the parameters for the survey of the southern hemisphere. Input parameters are weather statistics and requirements of the photometry and of the technical equipment. It does not include priorities for special zones of the sky or deeper observations, even if the program is already able to consider such parameters.     

Nonradial eruption of a kinking filament observed from STEREO

On 5 April 2008, a filament at the periphery of an active region was observed by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager telescope aboard the STEREO-A spacecraft, which showed up as a prominence eruption in the field-of-view from STEREO-B. The filament at STEREO-A 304 Å was first lengthened toward a region with weak overlying magnetic field so evolved as a large-scale one consisting of bright and dark threads twisting with each other, and then the portion below the weak field underwent an eruption. Meanwhile, the corresponding STEREO-B 304 Å prominence threads exhibited a kinking structure and tilting motion, with its center deflecting from the radial direction. By using three-dimension (3D) reconstruction technology, we obtain the 3D topology for the kinked prominence when its apex arrived at 1.4 radii, from which a clockwise rotation of about 90° is found in the course of the eruption. By comparing the 3D structure with the magnetic-field configuration computed by using the Potential-Field Source-Surface (PFSS) model, it is suggested that the filament erupted against the rather weaker than stronger overlying magnetic field, which make it appear to tilt toward one side.     

Aluminum Consumption and Economic Growth: Evidence from Rich Countries

The article attempts to test the aluminum consumption–economic growth nexus for 20 rich economies for the period 1970–2009. Various panel data unit root and cointegration tests are applied. The series are found to be integrated of order one and cointegrated, especially after controlling for cross-sectional dependence. Moreover, the Blundell–Bond system generalized methods-of-moments is employed to conduct a panel causality test in a vector error-correction mechanism setting. Unidirectional causality running from aluminum consumption to real GDP is uncovered in the short-run, while real GDP is found to Granger-cause aluminum consumption in the long-run. Moreover, a 1% increase in real GDP generates an increase of 0.44% in aluminum consumption in the long-run for the whole panel.     

Geoeffective Disturbances in the Solar Wind near the Solar Activity Minimum according to the Data of a Two-year Series of Observations of Interplanetary Scintillations with the BSA LPI Radio Telescope

Astronomy Reports - A joint analysis of the monitoring data of interplanetary scintillations with solar and geophysical data showed that at the descending phase of the 24 solar activity cycle, the...     

Automatic mapping of lunar landforms using DEM-derived geomorphometric parameters

Developing approaches to automate the analysis of the massive amounts of data sent back from the Moon will generate significant benefits for the field of lunar geomorphology. In this paper, we outline an automated method for mapping lunar landforms that is based on digital terrain analysis. An iterative self-organizing (ISO) cluster unsupervised classification enables the automatic mapping of landforms via a series of input raster bands that utilize six geomorphometric parameters. These parameters divide landforms into a number of spatially extended, topographically homogeneous segments that exhibit similar terrain attributes and neighborhood properties. To illustrate the applicability of our approach, we apply it to three representative test sites on the Moon, automatically presenting our results as a thematic landform map. We also quantitatively evaluated this approach using a series of confusion matrices, achieving overall accuracies as high as 83.34% and Kappa coefficients (K) as high as 0.77. An immediate version of our algorithm can also be applied for automatically mapping large-scale lunar landforms and for the quantitative comparison of lunar surface morphologies.     

Integrated studies of physical geography in China: Review and prospects

Modern physical geography in China grew from Chinese traditional geography and has been profoundly influenced by the geographical disciplines of Euro-America and Russia. Since the 1950s, integrated studies of physical geography in China have made remarkable progress in the fields of comprehensive physical geographical regionalization, land studies, landscape ecology, and land surface geographical processes. During the past few decades, under the background of global change and rapid socio-economic transformation, a series of environmental and resources problems have boomed in China. To solve these problems and promote the development of integrated studies of physical geography, the following issues were proposed as research priorities: (1) coupling of land surface patterns and processes; (2) integrated research on regional responses and adaptation to global change; (3) analysis of human dimensions of the earth system; (4) ecosystem service research from a geographical perspective; (5) integration of multi-source data and model development; (6) integrated studies on unique geographical units; and (7) important global issues and relevant international programs.     

The Impact Of Urban Development On Recharge And Groundwater Quality In A Coastal Aquifer Near Perth,Western Australia

AbstractNear Perth, Western Australia, thirty boreholes were drilled at eleven sites in similar hydrogeological settings. The sites represent three levels of urban development: an uncleared area, a new residential area (less than 20 years old) and an old residential area (more than 60 years old). The objective was to assess the impact of sewered urban development on recharge and groundwater quality. Tritium data suggest that a greater proportion of recharge in the urban areas is from point sources, and this probably caused high redox potentials (up to 291 mV) in groundwater in the old residential area. Recharge in the new urban area is estimated to be about 37 percent of the average annual rainfall of about 0.8 m, and this value is probably greater than recharge in undeveloped areas. Concentrations of sulphate increase progressively with the age of urban development, from an average of 8 mg/L to 69 mg/L, probably as a result of fertilizer input and the oxidation of soil-held sulphides with land clearing. Nitrate concentrations are significantly higher in urban areas (average concentration >1 mg/L as N) than in the non-urban areas (average concentration <0.5 mg/L as N). However, the measured concentrations are all lower than expected from current fertilizer inputs in sewered urban areas of about 80 kg/ha, indicating that denitrification is taking place. A limited reservoir of reducing agents may be available from denitrification, and this may have implications for the sustained use of groundwater as a potable supply in coastal suburbs of Perth. RÉSUMÉ: Près de Perth, en Australie occidentale, 30 forages ont été réalisés en 11 sites dans les mêmes conditions hydrogéologiques. Ces sites présentent trois degrés de développement urbain: une zone non aménagée, une zone résidentielle nouvelle (de moins de 20 ans), une zone résidentielle ancienne (de plus de 60 ans). L'objectif était de déterminer l'impact de l'assainissement urbain sur la recharge et sur la qualité des eaux souterraines. Les données de tritium indiquent qu'une recharge plus importante se produit ponctuellement dans les zones construites, ce qui est probablement responsable des potentiels redox élevés (jusqu'à 291 mV) dans l'eau souterraine à long temps de séjour. La recharge dans la zone nouvellement urbanisée est d'environ 37% des précipitations moyennes annuelles (800 mm); cette valeur parait supérieure à celle de la recharge dans les zones non urbanisées. Les concentrations en sulfates augmentent progressivement avec l'âge du développement urbain, de 8 à 69 mg/l en moyenne, probablement à cause des apports d'engrais et de l'oxydation des sulfures lors du lessivage des sols. Les teneurs en nitrates sont significativement plus fortes en zones urbanisées (concentration moyenne supérieure à 1 mg/l en N) qu'en zones non urbanisées (concentration moyenne inférieure à 0.5 mg/l en N). Ces teneurs restent cependant nettement inférieurs à celles que produiraient, comme on le connait, des apports continus d'engrais de 80 kg/ha en zone urbanisée avec assainissement, ce qui prouve qu'une dénitrification se produit. Un réservoir limité d'agents réducteurs doit donc intervenir dans la d'énitrification, ce qui peut avoir des implications pour une utilisation durable des eaux souterraines pour l'alimentation en eau potable dans la banlieue côtière de Perth. RESUMEN: Cerca de Perth, Australia Occidental, se perforaron treinta sondeos en once localizaciones con similares características hidrogeológicas. Las localizaciones representan tres niveles de desarrollo urbano: un area no desarrollada, un area residencial moderna (menos de veinte años de edad) y un área residencial antigua (más de 60 años). El objetivo era evaluar el impacto del desarrollo en las redes de saneamiento urbanas en la recarga y calidad de las aguas subterráneas. Los datos de tritio sugieren que una gran proporción de la recarga en áreas urbanas procede de focos puntuales; esto es una posible causa de los altos potenciales redox (hasta 291 mV) de las aguas subterráneas en el área residencial antigua. La recarga en el área urbana moderna se estima sobre el 37% de la precipitación anual media, de alrededor de 0.8 m, y este valor es probablemente mayor que la recarga en áreas no desarrolladas. Las concentraciones de sulfato aumentan progresivamente con la edad del desarrollo urbano, desde una media de 8 mg/l hasta 69 mg/l, probablemente como resultado del aporte de fertilizantes y de la oxidación de los sulfuros retenidos durante la explanación del terreno. Las concentraciones de nitratos son significativamente más altas en áreas urbanas (concentración media > 1mg/l en forma de N) que en áreas no urbanas (concentración media < 0.5 mg/l en forma de N). Sin embargo, las concentraciones medidas son todas menores que las esperadas a partir de los valores de aporte de fertilizantes habituales en áreas urbanas con red de saneamiento, que son del orden de 80 kg/ha. Esto indica que está teniendo lugar un proceso de desnitrificación. Esta desnitrificación puede ser posible por la presencia de una acumulación limitada de agentes reductores, lo que puede tener implicaciones para el uso sostenido del agua subterránea como suministro de agua potable en los suburbios costeros de Perth.