Who uses the Clean Development Mechanism? An empirical analysis of projects in Chinese provinces

China is by far the largest host of projects implemented under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). However, earlier studies shed little light on the determinants of the distribution of CDM projects across Chinese provinces. Given China's large size and political-economic diversity, this dearth of research is troubling. We provide an empirical analysis of 2097 CDM projects in 30 Chinese provinces, 2004–2009. We find that high electricity consumption, low per capita income, and a lack of foreign direct investment are all associated with CDM project implementation. The findings are particularly strong for electricity and foreign direct investment. These findings are consistent with the economic theory of CDM project implementation. Project developers focus on minimizing the cost of carbon abatement. Moreover, they suggest that the CDM can, despite its limitations, contribute to reducing economic inequality and uneven development in China.     

Integrated geophysical and geological methods to investigate the inner and outer structures of the Quaternary Mýtina maar (W-Bohemia,Czech Republic)

The Mýtina maar is the first known Quaternary maar in the Bohemian Massif. Based on the results of Mrlina et al. (J Volcanol Geother Res 182:97–112, 2009), a multiparametric geophysical (electrical resistivity tomography, gravimetry, magnetometry, seismics) and geological/petrochemical research study had been carried out. The interpretation of the data has provided new information about the inner structure of the volcanic complex: (1) specification of the depth of post-volcanic sedimentary fill (up to ~100 m) and (2) magnetic and resistivity signs of one (or two) hidden volcanic structures interpreted as intrusions or remains of a scoria cone. The findings at the outer structure of the maar incorporate the (1) evidence of circular fracture zones outside the maar, (2) detection and distribution of volcanic ejecta and tephra-fall deposits at the surface, and (3) indications from electrical resistivity tomography and gravity data in the area between the Mýtina maar and ?elezná h?rka scoria cone, interpreted as a palaeovalley, filled by volcaniclastic rocks, and aligned along the strike line (NW–SE) of the Tachov fault zone. These findings are valuable contributions to extend the knowledge about structure of maar volcanoes in general. Because of ongoing active magmatic processes in the north-east part of the Cheb Basin (ca. 15–30 km north of the investigation area), the Mýtina maar-diatreme volcano and surroundings is a suitable key area for research directed to reconstruction of the palaeovolcanic evolution and assessment of possible future hazard potential in the Bohemian Massif.     

Kollisions- und Kompressionstektonik am Ostsaum des Golfes von aqaba

Zusammenfassung Am Ostsaum des Golfes von Aqaba (Midyan-Region, NW-Saudi Arabien) konnte in vielfältiger und sehr deutlicher Weise Kollisions- und Kompressionstektonik festgestellt werden, wie sie für diesen pull-apart-beanspruchten Blattverschiebungsraum mit seinen bekannten rhombisch begrenzten Grabensegmenten (Abb. 1) in der gegebenen Weise keinesfalls erwartet worden war. Nach bisherigen Kenntnissen ging man von einer tensional wirkenden, sinistralen, absetzigen Blattverschiebungsstruktur aus, die lediglich im Rahmen zu erwartender Begleiteffekte kompressionsbeanspruchte Elemente aufweist, welche jedoch der tensionalen Beanspruchung eindeutig nachgeordnet sind. Am Ostsaum des Golfes von Aqaba wurden einige der erwartbaren kompressiven Begleitstrukturen z. T. in allerjüngsten geologischen Einheiten gefunden und andererseits zeigte der Südwesten der Midyan-Halbinsel tektonische Kollisionsstrukturen, die nicht als Begleitelemente zur lateralen Großstruktur zu erklären sind, sondern lediglich durch multiple Kollisionen von Midyan und Sinai zu begründen sind. Wie der tektonische Geländebefund zeigt, müssen mehrfache Kollisionen in einer frühen Phase des Blattverschiebungsmechanismus geschehen sein und dürften sich vor allem aus dem vom nördlichen Roten Meer gebogen einsetzenden Blattverschiebungsverlauf erklären. Die Hypothese, daß die Aqaba-Levante-Struktur als eine Verbindung zu einer transform fault aus dem Roten Meer anzusehen ist, erhält durch die nachstehend aufgeführten Befunde eine wesentliche Untermauerung.

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At the eastern margin of the Gulf of Aqaba (Midyan-region, NW Saudi Arabia) in manifold and distinct way collision and compression tectonics can be registrated, which in the given density and kind is not usual for a pull-apart structurated strike-slip-system with his wellknown rhombed shaped graben segments (fig. 1). The previous knowledge considered a sinistral, intermitted, tensional performing strike-slip structure, which only in frame of expected accompaying effects produces compression stressed elements. They are however unequivocal pursued to the important tensional stressed tectonic elements. At the eastern margin of the Gulf of Aqaba some of the expected accompanying compressive structures could be found in some part in the youngest geological units and on the other hand collision structures could be indicated in the southwest of the Midyan peninsular. Those are not to explain as resulting adjoining elements to the lateral master structure, but are only reasoning by a former collision between Midyan and Sinai. As the tectonic field investigations show several tectonic collisions must have happened in an early stage of the strike-slip mechanism and are to explain mainly by a curved strike-slip fault lane setting in the northern Red Sea. The hypothesis of the Aqaba-Levante-structure to have a connection to a transform fault coming from the Red Sea area receives by the field results, described in the following, an essentually foundation.

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Résumé Sur la rive E du Golfe d'Aquaba (région de Midyan, dans le NW de l'Arabie Séoudite), il est possible de mettre en évidence, de plusieurs manières et avec certitude une tectonique de collision et de compression, chose inattendue dans une région d-ouverture et de décrochements, comportant classiquement des segments de grabens de forme rhombique (fig. 1. Les travaux antérieurs font état d'une structure de décrochement sénestre intermittante engendrant dans certains volumes, à titre d'effets secondaires, des contrainte compressives dont l'importance est toutefois mineure par rapport aux sollicitations distensives de l'ensemble. Sur la rive E du Golfe d'Aquaba, on observe effectivement certaines de ces structures compressives secondaires; mais on trouve aussi, dans le SW de la presqu'île de Midyan, des structures de collision qui ne peuvent pas être considérées comme des accopagnateurs de l'allure décrochante majeure, mais qui ont été engendrées par une cncienne collision entre le Midyan et le Sinai. Comme le montre l'étude de terrain, plusieurs collisions ont dû se produire à un stade précoce du mécanisme de décrochement; elles s'expliquent essentiellement par la forme courbe de la faille de décrochement dans la partie N de la Mer Rouge. Les observations de terrain, reprises ci-dessous, confirment l'hypothèse selon laquelle la structure Aquaba-Levant est le prolongement d'une faille transformante de la Mer Rouge.

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The Philippine National Collection of Microorganisms (PNCM): Repository of microbial diversity of the country

The prime function of the Philippine National Collection of Microorganisms (PNCM), being the national repository of microbial strains, is to collect and preserve strains for their continued viability and availability for future use. To date, a total of 2144 strains of bacteria (1357), yeasts (250), filamentous, fungi (377), algae (14), and strains still to be identified (146) are maintained at the PNCM. These are preserved and maintained using various methods which include modified liquid drying (lyophilization), ultra-low temperature (−70°C) storage in 10% glycerol, storage in sterile soil, distilled water and overlaying with mineral oil. Periodic viability testing is done to assess the stability of these preserved cultures under storage. Aside from preservation and maintenance of cultures, the PNCM is also involved in several research activities. One of these is the isolation, characterization and identification of some Vibrio isolates from the Philippines. Details on this particular study is presented in this report.     

Gravity signals from the lithosphere in the Central European Basin System

We study the gravity signals from different depth levels in the lithosphere of the Central European Basin System (CEBS). The major elements of the CEBS are the Northern and Southern Permian Basins which include the Norwegian–Danish Basin (NDB), the North-German Basin (NGB) and the Polish Trough (PT). An up to 10 km thick sedimentary cover of Mesozoic–Cenozoic sediments, hides the gravity signal from below the basin and masks the heterogeneous structure of the consolidated crust, which is assumed to be composed of domains that were accreted during the Paleozoic amalgamation of Europe. We performed a three-dimensional (3D) gravity backstripping to investigate the structure of the lithosphere below the CEBS.Residual anomalies are derived by removing the effect of sediments down to the base of Permian from the observed field. In order to correct for the influence of large salt structures, lateral density variations are incorporated. These sediment-free anomalies are interpreted to reflect Moho relief and density heterogeneities in the crystalline crust and uppermost mantle. The gravity effect of the Moho relief compensates to a large extent the effect of the sediments in the CEBS and in the North Sea. Removal of the effects of large-scale crustal inhomogeneities shows a clear expression of the Variscan arc system at the southern part of the study area and the old crust of Baltica further north–east. The remaining residual anomalies (after stripping off the effects of sediments, Moho topography and large-scale crustal heterogeneities) reveal long wavelength anomalies, which are caused mainly by density variations in the upper mantle, though gravity influence from the lower crust cannot be ruled out. They indicate that the three main subbasins of the CEBS originated on different lithospheric domains. The PT originated on a thick, strong and dense lithosphere of the Baltica type. The NDB was formed on a weakened Baltica low-density lithosphere formed during the Sveco-Norwegian orogeny. The major part of the NGB is characterized by high-density lithosphere, which includes a high-velocity lower crust (relict of Baltica passive margin) overthrusted by the Avalonian terrane. The short wavelength pattern of the final residuals shows several north–west trending gravity highs between the Tornquist Zone and the Elbe Fault System. The NDB is separated by a gravity low at the Ringkøbing–Fyn high from a chain of positive anomalies in the NGB and the PT. In the NGB these anomalies correspond to the Prignitz (Rheinsberg anomaly), the Glueckstadt and Horn Graben, and they continue further west into the Central Graben, to join with the gravity high of the Central North Sea.