Space in geography

The concept of space is one of the most fundamental of geographical concepts. There is no work in geography that does not certain it. Nevertheless, geography has not as yet formulated an explicit and unambiguous definition of geographical space. This fact has had negative consequences for geographical theory, methodology and application. In the effort of contributing to its elimination we will try to outline the basic connotations of the concept.The concept of geographical space is a relational one. It acquires meaning and sense only when related to other concepts. The concept of space may be conceived as a supplement to things, i.e. substantively conceived objects. Space conceived in this way is the synonym of emptiness. The concept of space may be also conceived in relation ti individual landscape elements as their environments. Space conceived in this way has the character of a field of force. And, finally, space may be conceived also with respect to the totality of landscape elements, i.e. the system expressed by the term synergic. It is only this third variant of space which should be understood as the geographical space in the full menaing of the term. It is only this conception of geographical space as the space filled with qualities in relations and proportions that is considered as one of the basic prerequisites for the formulation of the theory of geography as science capable of prediction and thus also of practical utilization.     

The Relegation Algorithm

The relegation algorithm extends the method of normalization by Lie transformations. Given a Hamiltonian that is a power series = ₀+ ₁+ ... of a small parameter , normalization constructs a map which converts the principal part ₀into an integral of the transformed system — relegation does the same for an arbitrary function [G]. If the Lie derivative induced by [G] is semi-simple, a double recursion produces the generator of the relegating transformation. The relegation algorithm is illustrated with an elementary example borrowed from galactic dynamics; the exercise serves as a standard against which to test software implementations. Relegation is also applied to the more substantial example of a Keplerian system perturbed by radiation pressure emanating from a rotating source.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Entropy‐based equation to assess hillslope sediment production

A new equation to assess hillslope sediment production, based on physical and probabilistic approaches, is presented. The equation, which allows the computation of the delivery ratio for every event, considers the physical variables of travel distance, stream power, settling velocity and gross erosion. The probability density function that arises from the new formulation is solved using the principle of maximum entropy. Based on data from five watersheds in both tropical and temperate zones, the new delivery parameter K_v is calibrated and associated with vegetation cover and conservation practice. The proposed equation is rationally based in relation to parameter K_v. The entropy‐based equation was applied to assess sediment yield in two other experimental watersheds, showing good predictability for the set (mean absolute error of 20·8%). No systematic error was found in the analysed data. The entropy‐based equation showed good predictability for long‐term sets of data and for high‐erosivity events, but did not perform well for the low‐erosivity ones. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finding regions of influence on SO2 and SO= 4 daily concentration measurements at four sites in Spain

Contamination by the pollutants SO₂ and SO⁼₄ was analyzed for the 1989–1992 period at four regional stations in Spain under the auspices of the EMEP-BAPMON program. The evolution of the time series of the daily pollution has also been assessed, and high mean concentrations at La Cartuja and Logroño observed, with values of 3.8 and 4.5 g m⁻³ for SO₂, respectively. Maximum annual concentrations were recorded in 1989, when SO₂ reached values of 6.24, 5.39, 5.71, and 9.30 g m⁻³ for the stations of La Cartuja, San Pablo de los Montes, Roquetas, and Logroño, respectively. This work attempts to establish a relationship between the concentrations of the pollutants - both SO₂ gas and SO⁼₄ aerosol - and the zones of emission or persistence of these long-range transported pollutants. In this way, those regions showing a greater impact on the air quality in each season have been determined. To achieve this, the trajectories of the air masses carrying away the pollution to each of the receiving stations were considered and followed by a sectorial analysis. Nonparametric statistical methods were implemented to contrast the chemical homogeneity among the different sectors. The criterion that several homogeneous sectors form a chemically homogeneous region was used. To improve this sectorial analysis, we have proposed a new technique based on the Potential-Source-Contribution Function (PSCF). Starting out from a set of specified regions, considered to be chemically homogeneous domains, it is possible to determine the likelihood that an air mass with particular characteristics (e.g., that a value of the daily concentration higher than the mean recorded at the station has been obtained) will arrive at a given station after having crossed one of the previously defined regions. Using this technique, it is possible to determine the source regions through which the air masses circulate and bring high pollution concentrations to the studied stations. Thanks to the PSCF, these statistical methods offer, through a sectorial analysis, the possibility to pass from a qualitative to a more quantitative view.     

Free cupric ion concentrations and Cu complexation in selected Swiss lakes and rivers

[Cu²⁺] and Cu complexation parameters in some selected freshwater systems in Switzerland were determined by the technique of ligand-exchange and DPCSV. Results from the water columns of some eutrophic and oligotrophic lakes are presented and compared to small acid lakes. Cu is strongly complexed by organic ligands which with very high stability constants at low concentrations are probably biologically produced, as indicated by the seasonal variations in the eutrophic lakes and by the relationship between Cu complexation and algal activity in the eutrophic (pCu=15–16), oligotrophic (pCu=13–14) and acidic (pCu=9–10) lakes. The extent of Cu complexation in river waters was generally lower than in the eutrophic lakes, at similar DOC levels. No obvious correlation between Cu complexation and DOC was observed, indicating that Cu complexing ligands are specific organic compounds.     

An experiment on reservoir representation schemes to improve hydrologic prediction: coupling the national water model with the HEC-ResSim

ABSTRACT

This study experiments with reservoir representation schemes to improve the ability to model active water management in the National Water Model (NWM). For this purpose, we developed an integrated water management model, NWM-ResSim, by coupling the NWM with HEC-ResSim, and two reservoir representation schemes are tested: simulation of reservoir operations and retrieval of scheduled operations. The experiments focus on a pilot reservoir domain in the Russian River basin – Lake Mendocino, California – and its contributing watershed. The evaluation results suggest that the NWM-ResSim improves the simulation performance of reservoir outflow from this managed reservoir over the NWM default level pool routing scheme. The degree of this improvement depends on the suitability of the operation guidance; the reservoir operations simulation scheme could have acceptable errors for the purposes of water resources management, but not for flood operations. Results of the retrieval scheme of scheduled operations demonstrated better performance for sub-daily flood operations.     

Variation of the gradient and balmer discontinuity during the eclipse of the variable RW Tauri: Comparison between observations and theory

For the first time after Barbier and Chalonge's (1938, 1941) pioneering works, the variations of b andD during the eclipse of a variable (RT Tau), have been observed. The observations have been performed at the Observatories of Jungfraujoch and Haute Provence with the photoelectric system in seven colors of Geneva (Golay, 1964; Hauck, 1968). The comparison between the observed curves ofD and the theoretical ones, provides the limb darkening coefficients; the same comparison between the observed b (reddened) and theoretical ones (not reddened) together with that ofD, points out some anomalies of the variable RW Tau.

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Sommario Per la prima volta, dopo i primi lavori di Barbier e Chalonge (1938, 1941), sono state osservate le variazioni di b eD durante l'eclisse di una variabile (RW Tau). Le osservazioni sono state fatte agli Osservatori della Jungfraujoch e di Haute Provence col sistema fotoelettrico in sette colori di Ginevra (Golay, 1964; Hauck, 1968). Il confronto fra le curve osservate e teoriche diD, fornisce i coefficienti di oscuramento al bordo; lo stesso confronto fra i b osservati (arrossati) e quelli teorici (non arrossati) unitamente a quello delleD mette in evidenza alcune anomalie della variabile RW Tau.

     

A statistical estimator of the spatial distribution of the water-table altitude

An algorithm was designed to statistically estimate the areal distribution of water-table altitude. The altitude of the water table was bounded below by the minimum water-table surface and above by the land surface. Using lake elevations and stream stages, and interpolating between lakes and streams, the minimum water-table surface was generated. A multiple linear regression among the minimum water-table altitude, the differerence between land-surface and minimum water-table altitudes, and the water-level measurements from surficial aquifier system wells resulted in a consistently high correlation for all groups of physiographic regions in Florida. A simple linear regression between land-surface and water-level measurements resulted in a root-mean-square residual of 4.23 m, with residuals ranging from -8.78 to 41.54 m. A simple linear regression between the minimum water table and the water-level measurements resulted in a root-mean-square residual of 1.45 m, with residuals ranging from -7.39 to 4.10 m. The application of the multiple linear regression presented herein resulted in a root-mean-square residual of 1.05 m, with residuals ranging from -5.24 to 5.63 m. Results from complete and partial F tests rejected the hypothesis of eliminating any of the regressors in the multiple linear regression presented in this study.     

Effects of common reed (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis>) expansions on nitrogen dynamics of tidal marshes of the northeastern U.S.

Several recent studies indicate that the replacement of extant species withPhragmites australis can alter the size of nitrogen (N) pools and fluxes within tidal marshes. Some common effects ofP. australis expansion are increased standing stocks of N, greater differentiation of N concentrations between plant tissues (high N leaves and low N stems), and slower whole-plant decay rates than competing species (e.g.,Spartina, Typha spp.). Some of the greater differences between marsh types involveP. australis effects on extractable and porewater pools of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and N mineralization rates. Brackish and salt marshes show higher concentrations of DIN in porewater beneathSpartina spp. relative toP. australis, but this is not observed in freshwater tidal marshes whenP. australis is compared withTypha spp. or mixed plant assemblages. With few studies of concurrent N fluxes, the net effect ofP. australis on marsh N budgets is difficult to quantify for single sites and even more so between sites. The magnitude and direction of impacts ofP. australis on N cycles appears to be system-specific, driven more by the system and species being invaded than byP. australis itself. WhereP. australis is found to affect N pools and fluxes, we suggest these alterations result from increased biomass (both aboveground and belowground) and increased allocation of that biomass to recalcitrant stems. Because N pools are commonly greater inP. australis than in most other communities (due to plant and litter uptake), one of the most critical questions remaining is “From where is the extra N inP. australis communities coming?” It is important to determine if the source of the new N is imported (e.g., anthropogenic) or internallyproduced (e.g., fixed, remineralized organic matter). In order to estimate net impacts ofP. australis on marsh N budgets, we suggest that further research be focused on the N source that supports high standing stocks of N inP. australis biomass (external input versus internal cycling) and the relative rates of N loss from different marshes (burial versus subsurface flow versus denitrification).     

Size Fractionation (Dissolved, Colloidal and Particulate) of Trace Metals in the Thur River, Switzerland

The distribution of some trace metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Co,Fe, Mn) and of DOC over a particulate (> 1 m),a colloidal (size < 0.45 m and molecular weight > 10 kD) and an ultrafiltered fraction (< 10 kD)was determined at several sites on the Thur River,Switzerland, at various times of the year. Thecomplexation of Cu by strong ligands in theultrafiltrate and in the conventional filtrate (<0.45 m) was compared using a ligand-exchange/CSV method.The <0.45 m concentrations of Cu (from anaverage of 7 nM to 24 nM), Zn (<5–23 nM), Ni (5–13 nM),Co (1.5–3 nM) and Mn (7–92 nM)increased downstream. The major part of Cu, Zn, Niand Co usually occurred in the ultrafiltratefraction at all sites, whereas Fe and Mn were mostlyin the particulate fraction, under conditions of lowsuspended matter content (< 10 mg L^-1) in theriver. The percentage of metal in the colloidalfraction, with respect to the 0.45-m filtrate,decreased in the order: Cu (median 11%) > Zn Ni(median 5–6%) > Mn Co (median < 5%). DOCalso consisted mostly of molecules in the < 10 kDrange.Cu was strongly complexed by natural organic ligandsin all filtrate and ultrafiltrate samples. A largepart of the strong Cu binding ligands consisted ofcompounds in the < 10 kD range, but colloidalligands with similar properties also occurred. Cu wasdistributed among the dissolved and the colloidalligands, roughly in proportion to organic carbon.The colloidal fraction (as defined here) did notincrease in its proportional amount downstream and wasonly of limited significance in transporting traceelements in the Thur River under low discharge conditions.