Necessity of Defining Biomarkers for Use in Ecological Risk Assessments

Biomarkers have been classified into three separate categories that correspond to three major parameters necessary to conduct ecological risk assessments. To conduct an accurate ecological risk assessment, ecological effects as well as exposure and susceptibility to contaminants must be well-characterized following identification or formulation of a problem. In each of these processes, well-defined biological indicators can be used in certain cases to help make inexpensive predictions regarding the bioavailability (exposure), mechanism of action (effect) and uncertainty of response (susceptibility) elicited by various anthropogenic substances. The following discussion helps define each category and how they may be used in a risk assessment setting.     

Magnetic mapping for the detection and characterization of UXO: Use of multi-sensor fluxgate 3-axis magnetometers and methods of interpretation

Fluxgate vector magnetometers can be powerful instruments in magnetic mapping and in the detection of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Being lightweight and having low power requirements, they allow the development of multi-sensor use. The main problems in using fluxgate magnetometers arise from calibration errors and drift but these can be overcome using a quick and simple method of calibration in the field. This method also has the advantage of compensating permanent and induced magnetic fields generated by magnetized objects carried with the sensors. Measurement accuracy is similar to that obtained with scalar magnetometers. Multi-magnetometer profiling allows direct inversion of raw magnetic data along profiles in order to locate and characterize dipoles typically generated by UXO. The method used is a non-linear inverse procedure that estimates the three coordinates and magnetization vector of the dipole. Application of the technique to both a synthetic case and a field example illustrates the advantages of the method compared with the use of the analytic signal.     

The use of remotely sensed data and ground survey tools to assess damage and monitor early recovery following the 12.5.2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China

The M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake on May 12th, 2008 was the most destructive in China since 1976. The event caused huge damage and loss of life and exposed weaknesses both in the formulation and implementation of the regulations governing building in the affected provinces. Following the earthquake a massive relief and recovery operation was mounted by the Chinese government. The authors took part in field studies in the affected area which took place 5 and 11?months after the event, at which time recovery operations were well-advanced. The aims of the study were to assess the effects caused by the earthquake to the built environment and society, to collect information on the ongoing recovery efforts and future plans, and to demonstrate the use of tools that allow the collection of spatially referenced damage and recovery data. Based on available satellite imagery supplemented by ground observation, geodatabases were constructed containing information on damage and recovery in several parts of the affected area. The paper gives an overview of the recovery process, describes the methods used to construct these geodatabases, and offers some analysis of the data obtained. It is argued that such databases have great potential for the management of post-disaster recovery and for creating a permanent record of the recovery process.