Emerging trends and research frontiers in spatial multicriteria analysis

ABSTRACT

A majority of research on Spatial Multicriteria Analysis (SMCA) has been spatially implicit. Typically, SMCA uses conventional (aspatial) multicriteria methods for analysing and solving spatial problems. This paper examines emerging trends and research frontiers related to the paradigm shift from spatially implicit to spatially explicit multicriteria analysis. The emerging trend in SMCA has been spatially explicit conceptualizations of multicriteria problems focused on multicriteria analysis with geographically varying outcomes and local multicriteria analysis. The research frontiers align with conceptual and structural elements of SMCA and pertain to, among others, theoretical frameworks, problem structuring, model parameter derivation, decision problem contextualization, scale representation, treatment of uncertainties, and the very meaning of decision support. The paper also identifies research directions and challenges associated with developing spatially explicit multicriteria methods and integrating concepts and approaches from two distinct fields: GIS and multicriteria analysis.     

Weiwoboidae fam.nov.of 'Higher' Fulgoroidea (Hemiptera:Fulgoromorpha) from the Eocene Deposits of Yunnan,China

<正>A new family of so-called‘higher' planthoppers,Weiwoboidae fam.nov.,from the Lower Eocene of Yunnan is described.A new monotypic genus,Weiwoboa gen.nov.,with Weiwoboa meridiana sp.nov.is also described and illustrated.The characters of tegmen venation of the new family,its evolution,and supposed relationships are briefly discussed.     

Production of gas from coal seams in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland in the post-injection period of an ECBM pilot site

A pilot site for CO₂ storage in coal seams was set-up in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland in the scope of the RECOPOL project, funded by the European Commission. About 760 tons CO₂ were injected into the reservoir from August 2004 to June 2005. Breakthrough of the injected CO₂ was established, which resulted in the production of about 10% of the injected CO₂ in this period. This paper reports on activities performed under the European Commission project MOVECBM that aimed at the assessment of the storage performance of the reservoir in the follow-up period, i.e. whether the injected CO₂ was adsorbed onto the coal or whether it was still present as free gas in the pore space. The injection well was used for this purpose, as the production well had to be abandoned for permitting reasons. Several operational periods can be defined between the last injection in June 2005 and the abandonment of the well in October 2007. In the first period the well was shut-in to observe the pressure fall-off, from about 15.0 MPa at the wellhead after the last injection until about 4.5 MPa at the end of 2005. This pressure fall-off curve showed that the reservoir permeability was very low. This seemed to confirm the observed swelling of the coal during the injection period. In the first months of 2006 the pressure at the wellhead was decreased by releasing gas in a controlled way. The amount and composition of the gas were measured. As a result of the pressure reduction, the well flooded with water. A production pump was placed on the former injection well, enabling active production from the coal from March to September 2007. Results of these operations showed that whereas the gas production rates were as expected based on the experience with the production well, the water production was remarkably low. This could be related to permeability issues or, alternatively, indicate a drying effect of the CO₂ in the reservoir. Further, the gas composition showed a predominance of CO₂ over CH₄ during the gas release that changed gradually into a predominance of CH₄ over CO₂ during the production phase. Although stabilization was not reached within the given production period, the composition approached a 60% methane, 40% CO₂ ratio. This indicates that the exchange of these gases is more complex than often envisaged. After removal of the pump the well was filled with water, which ceased the gas release. This indicates that the pressure in the reservoir was back to its original, hydrostatic, state. As the total volume of CO₂ produced was only a fraction of the amount that was injected, it can be concluded that the CO₂ was taken up by the coal and is currently adsorbed. This gives confidence in the long-term stability of the injected CO₂.     

Towards a More Realistic Depiction of the Earth’s Surface on Maps

In 2000, the shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) produced the most complete, highest resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the Earth. These data were used to create global 3″ DEM and to correct 30″ DEM which are both available on the internet. After a careful survey in the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Poland, these elevation data were recognized as extremely valuable and worth developing a unique form of visualization. As a result, a new design of a physical map of Europe at scale of 1:10 million was developed. For depicting the shape of the terrain, an original modification of combined shaded relief was employed, to reveal all the nuances of elevation data. True colors of the Earth’s surface represented on the map originated from MODIS satellite image. The combination of true colors and terrain features made a realistic map, showing the landscapes as if from a point above the Earth. The image of the terrain is extremely detailed as it is based on the abundance of data defining the elevation of each point of land.     

Along-strike shear-sense reversal in the Vals-Scaradra Shear Zone at the front of the Adula Nappe (Central Alps,Switzerland)

The Adula Nappe in the Central Alps comprises pre-Mesozoic basement and minor Mesozoic sediments, overprinted by Paleogene eclogite-facies metamorphism. Peak pressures increase southward from ca. 1.2 GPa to values over 3 GPa, which is interpreted to reflect exhumation from a south-dipping subduction zone. The over- and underlying nappes experienced much lower Alpine pressures. To the north, the Adula Nappe ends in a lobe surrounded by Mesozoic metasediments. The external shape of the lobe is simple but the internal structure highly complicated. The frontal boundary of the nappe represents a discontinuity in metamorphic peak temperatures, between higher T in the Adula Nappe and lower T outside. A shear zone with steeply dipping foliation and shallowly-plunging, WSW-ENE oriented, i.e. orogen-parallel stretching lineation overprinted the northernmost part of the Adula Nappe and the adjacent Mesozoic metasediments (Vals-Scaradra Shear Zone). It formed during the local Leis deformation phase. The shear sense in the Vals-Scaradra Shear Zone changes along strike; from sinistral in the W to dextral in the E. Quartz textures also vary along strike. In the W, they indicate sinistral shearing with a component of coaxial (flattening) strain. A texture from the middle part of the shear zone is symmetric and indicates coaxial flattening. Textures from the eastern part show strong, single c-axis maxima indicating dextral shearing. These relations reflect complex flow within the Adula Nappe during a late stage of its exhumation. The structures and reconstructed flow field indicate that the Adula basement protruded upward and northward into the surrounding metasediments, spread laterally, and expelled the metasediments in front towards west and east.     

Magneto- and biostratigraphy of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary in the Lókút section (transdanubian range,Hungary)

Jurassic-Cretaceous sediments of Transdanubian Range in Northern Hungary mostly retain their primary magnetizations and are suitable for detailed bio- and magnetostratigraphic studies. The Lókút section, 13 m in thickness, is localized in the central part of the Transdanubian Range. It contains the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary in pelagic carbonate facies. Although the colour of the rocks changes from reddish-pinkish in the bottom to almost white at the top of the section, magnetite was identified as a magnetic carrier without evidence of hematite. Integrated bio- and magnetostratigraphical investigations resulted in construction of chronostratigraphical scheme. The section, embraces magnetozones from M21r to M18r, of upper Lower Tithonian (Parastomiosphaera malmica Zone) to Lower Berriasian age (Calpionella alpina Subzone). Sedimentation rate of pelagic limestones increased from 1–3 m/My during Tithonian to 5–7 m/My during Berriasian. The sedimentation rate and its changes up the section are comparable to those from the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary sections of Trento plateau (Southern Alps, Italy) — sedimentary environments of Trento plateau and central Transdanubian Range in that time might be similar. Sedimentation rate within Umbrian Apennine basins and Križna unit in the Western Tatra Mts. seems significantly higher. Analysis of rock magnetic parameters reveals that detrital input was much lower into the Lókút section than into Križna basin in the Tatra Mts. (Zliechov trough). Increase of sedimentation rate occurs in both sections in the Upper Tithonian — Lower Berriasian. It coincides with the onset of calpionellid limestone facies and is related to increased productivity of calcareous micro- and nannoplankton. Detailed correlation of both sections basing on rock magnetic parameters and susceptibility changes is, however, not possible. They are dependent mostly on the local sedimentary conditions (Bakony Mts. — deep water plateau; Križna unit — deep water trough) and correlation with any “global” paleoenvironmental (climatic, eustatic) trends is not straightforward.     

#Earthquake: Twitter as a Distributed Sensor System

Social media feeds are rapidly emerging as a novel avenue for the contribution and dissemination of information that is often geographic. Their content often includes references to events occurring at, or affecting specific locations. Within this article we analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of the twitter feed activity responding to a 5.8 magnitude earthquake which occurred on the East Coast of the United States (US) on August 23, 2011. We argue that these feeds represent a hybrid form of a sensor system that allows for the identification and localization of the impact area of the event. By contrasting this with comparable content collected through the dedicated crowdsourcing ‘Did You Feel It?’ (DYFI) website of the U.S. Geological Survey we assess the potential of the use of harvested social media content for event monitoring. The experiments support the notion that people act as sensors to give us comparable results in a timely manner, and can complement other sources of data to enhance our situational awareness and improve our understanding and response to such events.     

Seismic Monitoring of Poland–Description and Results of Temporary Seismic Project with Mobile Seismic Network

The paper describes a temporary seismic project aimed at developing the national database of natural seismic activity for seismic hazard assessment, officially called “Monitoring of Seismic Hazard of Territory of Poland” (MSHTP). Due to low seismicity of Poland, the project was focused on events of magnitude range 1–3 in selected regions in order to maximize the chance of recording any natural event. The project used mobile seismic stations and was divided into two stages.Five-year measurements brought over one hundred natural seismic events of magnitudes M_L range 0.5–3.8. Most of them were located in the Podhale region in the Carpathians. Together with previously recorded events this made it possible to conduct a preliminary study on ground motion prediction equation for this region. Only one natural event, of magnitude M_L = 3.8, was recorded outside the Carpathians in a surprising location in central-west Poland.