Fish Interactions with a Commercial-Scale Tidal Energy Device in the Natural Environment

Fish are a key part of the marine ecosystem likely to be affected by hydrokinetic tidal turbines, but little is known about their behavior around such obstacles in the natural environment. In September 2010, two DIDSON acoustic cameras were used to observe fish interactions with a commercial-scale turbine in Cobscook Bay, Maine. Twenty-two hours (nearly two tidal cycles) of footage were collected. Behaviors of individual fish and schools were classified (e.g., entering, avoiding, passing, or remaining in the wake of the turbine). We analyzed the effects of turbine motion (rotating or not rotating), diel condition (day or night), and fish size (small, ≤10 cm; large, >10 cm) on individual fish behaviors, and compared behaviors of individual fish to schools of fish. When the turbine was rotating, the probability of fish entering the turbine decreased by over 35 % from when it was not. The probability that fish would enter the turbine was higher at night than during the day, and this difference was greater for small fish than for large fish (probability of small fish entering?=?0.147 day, 0.513 night; large fish?=?0.043 day, 0.333 night). Fish were almost always present in the wake of the turbine. Schools of fish had a 56 % lower probability of entering the turbine than individual fish, and reacted at greater distances from the turbine (median distance of 2.5 m for schools, 1.7 m for individuals). This study indicates that fish behavior in response to tidal turbines appears to be similar to responses to obstacles such as trawls, and highlights the importance of environmental context in determining the effects of a tidal turbine on fish.     

Stable carbon isotopes (δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C) of total organic carbon and long-chain <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-alkanes as proxies for climate and environmental change in a sediment core from Lake Petén-Itzá, Guatemala

Sediment core PI-6 from Lake Petén Itzá, Guatemala, possesses an ~85-ka record of climate and environmental change from lowland Central America. Variations in sediment lithology suggest large and abrupt changes in precipitation during the last glacial and deglacial periods, and into the early Holocene. We measured stable carbon isotope ratios of total organic carbon and long-chain n-alkanes from the core, the latter representing a largely allochthonous (terrestrial) source of organic matter, to reveal past shifts in the relative proportion of C₃–C₄ terrestrial biomass. We sought to test whether stable carbon isotope results were consistent with other paleoclimate proxies measured in the PI-6 core, and if extraction and isotope analysis of n-alkanes is warranted. The largest δ¹³C variations are associated with Heinrich Events. Carbon isotope values in sediments deposited during the last glacial maximum indicate moderate precipitation with little fluctuation. The deglacial was a period of pronounced climate variability, e.g. a relatively warm and moist Bølling–Allerød, but a cool and dry Younger Dryas. Arid periods of the deglacial were inferred from samples with high δ¹³C values in total organic carbon, which reflect times of greater proportions of C₄ plants. These inferences are supported by stable isotope measurements on ostracod shells and relative abundance of grass pollen from the same depths in core PI-6. Similar trends in carbon stable isotopes measured on bulk organic carbon and n-alkanes suggest that carbon isotope measures on bulk organic carbon in sediments from this lake are sufficient to infer past climate-driven shifts in local vegetation.     

Data-Driven Predictive Modeling of Mineral Prospectivity Using Random Forests: A Case Study in Catanduanes Island (Philippines)

The Random Forests (RF) algorithm is a machine learning method that has recently been demonstrated as a viable technique for data-driven predictive modeling of mineral prospectivity, and thus, it is instructive to further examine its usefulness in this particular field. A case study was carried out using data from Catanduanes Island (Philippines) to investigate further (a) if RF modeling can be used for data-driven modeling of mineral prospectivity in areas with few (i.e., <20) mineral occurrences and (b) if RF modeling can handle predictor variables with missing values. We found that RF modeling outperforms evidential belief (EB) modeling of prospectivity for hydrothermal Au–Cu deposits in Catanduanes Island, where 17 hydrothermal Au–Cu prospects are known to exist. Moreover, just like EB modeling, RF modeling allows analysis of the spatial relationships between known prospects and individual layers of predictor data. Furthermore, RF modeling can handle missing values in predictor data through an RF-based imputation technique whereas in EB modeling, missing values are simply represented by maximum uncertainty. Therefore, the RF algorithm is a potentially useful method for data-driven predictive modeling of mineral prospectivity in regions with few (i.e., <20) occurrences of mineral deposits of the type sought. However, further testing of the method in other regions with few mineral occurrences is warranted to fully determine its usefulness in data-driven predictive modeling of mineral prospectivity.     

无线电波透视快速勘探技术及其应用

无线电波透视技术作为探测煤层工作面内地质构造的一种较为成熟方法,具有快速、轻便、透距大、成本低等优点,但也存在现场观测系统单一、耗时长、接收操作员劳动强度大等缺点。通过对无线电波透视技术现场观测系统的改进,提出"一发双收"数据采集方法及数据校正处理技术。由于"一发双收"的数据是由两个接收机同时接收,因此其数据必须经过校正才能使用。在数据采集中:一是要求两台接收机在一条测线同一地点的场强值差别很小;二是要求做到数据采集中至少存在一个重合接收点,且其重合点数据比值应在0.98～1.02范围内。"一发双收"数据使用无线电波透视CT软件系统处理软件进行拼接,若数据曲线出现阶梯跳跃,则应把低值(或者高值)乘以该重合点数据的比值以保证曲线平滑。在张集煤矿1114(3)工作面探测实践中,使用该技术探测画出其工作面存在三个主要异常区:1#异常区在退尺20~100m处为断层影响区;2#异常区退尺480~560m处为断层影响区;3#异常区在退尺1200~1300m处为断层和薄煤影响区。目前该工作面探测区已经回采,探测结果与实际回采验证结果比较吻合,说明一发双收的探测方式可行。     

中国省会城市国际化水平比较研究

城市国际化不仅是一个结果更是一个与其他国际城市逐步接轨的过程,在此过程中,通过与其他城市的物质、文化与信息的交流,实现城市发展利益的最大化。在目前城市国际化比较研究的基础上,针对现有方法的不足,运用因子分析法,进行了分因素排名比较分析和综合得分排名的分类比较分析,最后根据综合得分通过类间距法将所有省会城市分为三类,并提出各类城市在不同城市国际化发展阶段应选择不同的发展策略。     

Evapotranspiration management based on the application of SWAT for balancing water consumption: A case study in Guantao,China

Rapid social and economic development results in increased demand for water resources. This can lead to the unsustainable development and exploitation of water resources which in turn causes significant environmental problems. Conventional water resource management approaches, such as supply and demand management strategies, frequently fail to restore regional water balance. This paper introduces the concept of water consumption balance, the balance between actual evapotranspiration (ET) and target ET, and establishes a framework to realize regional water balance. The framework consists of three stages: (1) determination of target ET and actual ET; (2) quantification of the water-saving requirements for the region; and (3) reduction of actual ET by implementing various water saving management strategies. Using this framework, a case study was conducted for Guantao County, China. The SWAT model was utilized to aid in the selection of the best water saving management strategy by comparing the ET of different irrigation methods and crop pattern adjustments. Simulation results revealed that determination of SWAT model parameters using remote sensing ET is feasible and that the model is a valuable tool for ET management. Irrigation was found to have a greater influence on the ET of winter wheat as compared to that of maize, indicating that reduction in winter wheat cultivation is the most effective way to reduce regional ET. However, the effect of water-saving irrigation methods on the reduction of ET was not obvious. This indicates that it would be difficult to achieve regional ET reduction using water-saving irrigation methods only. Furthermore, selecting the best water saving management strategy by relying solely on the amount of reduced ET was insufficient, because it ignored the impact of water conservation measures on the livelihood of the agricultural community. Incorporating these considerations with our findings, we recommend changing the current irrigation method to sprinkler irrigation and replacing 20% of the winter wheat-maize cultivated area with cotton, as the best strategy to achieve water balance in the study area.     

山西地区的震源机制解结果

选用山西地区丰富的地震资料,利用单台小震综合断面解、4级以上地震的P波初动解、多台小震综合断面解的结果,叙述了山西地区震源机制结果的特点.得出山西地区震源机制结果有一定的复杂性,小震综合断面解的结果与华北地区的震源机制结果相似,单个地震的震源机制结果一致性较差的结论.     

三峡井网井水位对汶川8.0级地震的同震响应特征研究h

系统分析了三峡井网8口井水位对汶川8.0级地震的同震响应及其后效特征,揭示出这些特征因井而异,其差异性在井孔结构相似的条件下主要取决于井点的构造部位、观测含水层的地下水埋藏类型、含水层的导水系数等条件;深入研究了井水位同震后效特征中残留阶升与阶降的力学含义及其地震预测意义,并用仙女山断裂带上近期地震活动验证了残留阶升区可能是未来地震危险区的科学推论．      

An application of three-dimensional electrical resistivity imaging for the detection of an underground waste-water system

A 3D electrical resistivity imaging survey is presented in this paper. The objective was to investigate an underground wastewater system at the University of Malaya, Malaysia. Apparent resistivity data were collected along ten parallel lines using a Wenner-Schlumberger configuration; electrode cables were oriented in the x-direction with 3 m spacing. Roll-along measurements using a line spacing of 3 m were carried out covering a grid of 20 × 10 electrodes. All data sets were merged into a single data file in order to perform a 3D inversion. Two different 3D least squares algorithms, based on the robust inversion method and the smoothness-constrained technique, were used for the inversion of the apparent resistivity data. Both the horizontal and vertical extents of the anomalous zones found by inversion are displayed. The results indicate the superiority of the robust inversion method over the smoothness-constrained technique at this site. The results are in sufficient accordance with previously known information about the investigation area. The results show that 3D electrical resistivity imaging surveys, in combination with an appropriate 3D inversion method, can be highly useful for engineering and archaeological investigations as well as for environmental applications.     

The 23 April 1909 Benavente earthquake (Portugal): macroseismic field revision

The 23 April 1909 earthquake, with epicentre near Benavente (Portugal), was the largest crustal earthquake in the Iberian Peninsula during the twentieth century (M _w = 6.0). Due to its importance, several studies were developed soon after its occurrence, in Portugal and in Spain. A perusal of the different studies on the macroseismic field of this earthquake showed some discrepancies, in particular on the abnormal patterns of the isoseismal curves in Spain. Besides, a complete list of intensity data points for the event is unavailable at present. Seismic moment, focal mechanism and other earthquake parameters obtained from the instrumental records have been recently reviewed and recalculated. Revision of the macroseismic field of this earthquake poses a unique opportunity to study macroseismic propagation and local effects in central Iberian Peninsula. For this reasons, a search to collect new macroseismic data for this earthquake has been carried out, and a re-evaluation of the whole set has been performed and it is presented here. Special attention is paid to the observed low attenuation of the macroseismic effects, heterogeneous propagation and the distortion introduced by local amplifications. Results of this study indicate, in general, an overestimation of the intensity degrees previously assigned to this earthquake in Spain; also it illustrates how difficult it is to assign an intensity degree to a large town, where local effects play an important role, and confirms the low attenuation of seismic propagation inside the Iberian Peninsula from west and southwest to east and northeast.