Contemporary fiddling in human geography while Rome burns: has quantitative analysis been largely abandoned--and should it be?

Chris Hamnett [Geoforum 34 (2003) 1] has certainly been provocative in his claim that the nature of much contemporary human geography means that the discipline ‘will cease to be taken seriously in the world beyond the narrow confines of academe’ (p. 1). Much of his critique focuses on what he terms ‘post-modernism, new cultural geography and the interpretative turn’ (p. 2) practiced by those he identifies as ‘the new intellectual dilettanti’ (p. 3). In responding, however, our concern is not with that aspect of his critique, but rather with Hamnett’s misrepresentation of one section of contemporary human geography.     

Spatial scale and measuring segregation: illustrated by the formation of Chicago’s ghetto

Few studies of residential segregation in cities have directly addressed the issue of spatial scale, apart from noting that the traditional indices of segregation tend to be larger when calculated for small rather than large spatial units. That observation however ignores Duncan et al.’s (Statistical geography: problems in analyzing areal data. Free Press, Glencoe, 1961) explication that any measure of segregation at a fine-grained scale necessarily incorporates, to an unknown extent, segregation at a larger scale within which the finer-grained units are nested. To avoid that problem, a multi-level modelling perspective is introduced that identifies the intensity of segregation at each scale net of its intensity at any larger scale included in the analysis. It is applied to an analysis of the emergence of Chicago’s Black ghetto over the twentieth century’s first three decades, using data at the ward and ED scales. It shows that across Chicago as a whole segregation was equally as intense at the two scales, with statistically significant increases in that intensity at both scales across the three decades. At the finer scale, however, segregation was much more intense across the EDs within those wards that formed the core of the emerging ghetto than it was in the remainder of the city.     

Hydrothermal dolomite marbles associated with charnockitic magmatism in the Proterozoic Bamble Shear Belt,south Norway

Deformed and metamorphosed dolomite marbles in the Kragerø area of the Bamble Shear Belt occur as lenses within metasupracrustal sequences, as matrix in bodies resembling magmatic breccias, and as veins/dykes cutting amphibolites and metagabbros. A common origin is not evident from the field relationships, but is nevertherless probable due to great geochemical similarities between dolomite from the different occurrences. They are characterized by higher REE, Ni, Co, Cr and Sc, and lower Ba and Sr contents relative to metasedimentary marbles occurring nearby. Sm-Nd isotope data shows that the dolomites are of Sveconorwegian age (1175±37 Ma). The dolomite marbles are very weakly LREE-enriched and display in most cases positive Eu anomalies. Their stable isotope compositions are uniform (¹⁸O=+9.6 to +10.7; ¹³C=-8.5 to-6.2), their initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios are high (0.706–0.709), whereas their age corrected _Nd varies from +0.7 to-1.5. Geochemically the dolomitic marbles differ considerably from sedimentary or metasedimentary marbles as well as from carbonatites. The Kragerø dolomite marbles represent deformed and metamorphosed hydrothermal veins or vein-complexes deposited in tensional fractures in the deep crust. Although the dolomitic marbles regionally are of minor volume, the dolomite deposition represents a specific and important event in the geological evolution of the Bamble Shear Belt. Their geochemical and isotopic homogeneity on a regional scale suggest that the hydrothermal solutions were supplied from a very large, homogeneous reservoir. Trace elements, stable and radiogenic isotopes, and field and isotopic age relationships are consistent with a deposition from hydrothermal solutions which were exsolved from crystallizing charnockitic intrusions and subsequently interacted with the crust. The parental magma to these intrusions underplated the crust and raised the geotherm of a carbonated ultramafic uppermost mantle, and imposed decarbonation and fluid release. These fluids were channelled into a large degassing zone now found as a deformed, regional zone with hydrothermal dolomite deposits, albitites, apatite-veins and widespread scapolitization. Whether the CO₂-rich fluids, which precipitated the Kragerø dolomites, pervasively infiltrated crustal rocks at a deeper level and caused granulitization is ambiguous, but possible.     

甲基卡式锂矿田控矿作用与深部找矿方向

锂是我国重要的战略性新兴关键矿产。位于青藏高原东缘的甲基卡锂矿是全球最大的硬岩型锂矿田,同时也伴生大量铍、铌、钽、铷及铯等稀有金属。隐伏花岗岩体的形态,花岗岩与伟晶岩关系,以及细晶岩型和伟晶岩型锂矿体(脉)的空间分布是认识锂成矿控矿作用的关键。本文以甲基卡锂矿田为研究对象,通过高精度重力测量,建立了隐伏花岗岩穹丘的三维模型,推断了花岗岩体的形态及延伸;同时还利用大地电磁测深和钻探验证,揭示了X03、309、134等超大型、大型锂等矿脉与二云母花岗岩的关系。提出了复式(多中心)花岗岩浆底辟穹隆、不混溶Li-F花岗质岩浆脉动式充填-交代以及半开放的剪张裂隙控制大(矿)脉的认识,探讨了以花岗岩细晶岩型锂矿为主体,并与伟晶岩型锂矿共存的成因。这对第四系覆盖程度高的地区的找矿具有重要指导意义。隐伏花岗岩株(枝)形成的多中心小穹窿周缘是找矿有利部位。对隐伏花岗岩体向北北西倾伏的推断、岩石组合特征(是否只有二云母花岗岩单一岩石类型)等的认识还需在矿田北部加强探深科学验证;对于甲基卡式稀有金属超常富集过程的问题还需要继续探索研究,以期深部锂矿找矿突破。     

四川龙门山地区反转构造样式分析及其成因机制探讨

反转构造是当今构造地质学研究的新兴热点领域,本文尝试以反转构造和断层相关褶皱理论来探讨龙门山褶皱冲断带及川西前陆盆地中的反转构造样式及其成因。著者在综合前人研究成果的基础上,通过野外地质调查,室内构造分析与建模系统研究了龙门山地区典型的反转构造样式,讨论了龙门山带的反转性质,主干断裂的成因以及反转动力学机制。研究表明,龙门山的发育机制为一斜向正反转过程,区内发育有反转断层转折褶皱、被动陆缘型反转滑脱褶皱、反转断层传播褶皱以及受古生代裂谷控制的反转构造等反转构造类型;反转时期主要为印支期,本区在印支运动之前同时属被动陆缘和裂谷的构造背景;进入印支期后,受扬子陆块、华北陆块、羌塘陆块之间相互碰撞的影响而造山。该过程在本区不同地段表现存在差异,这种差异受控于前期的构造格局以及后期不同方向挤压应力的叠加。四川前陆盆地的发育和该过程有密切的联系,盆地内部具有裂谷构造反转的证据。     

Geographic signatures of North American West Coast estuaries

West Coast estuaries are geologically young and composed of a variety of geomorphological types. These estuaries range from large fjords to shallow lagoons; from large to low freshwater flows. Natural hazards include E1 Niños, strong Pacific storms, and active tectonic activity. West Coast estuaries support a wide range of living resources: five salmon species, harvestable shellfish, waterfowl and marine birds, marine mammals, and a variety of algae and plants. Although populations of many of these living resources have declined (salmonids), others have increased (marine mammals). West Coast estuaries are also centers of commerce and increasingly large shipping traffic. The West Coast human population is rising faster than most other areas of the U.S. and Canada, and is distributed heavily in southern California, the San Francisco Bay area, around Puget Sound, and the Fraser River estuary. While water pollution is a problem in many of the urbanized estuaries, most estuaries do not suffer from poor water quality. Primary estuarine problems include habitat alterations, degradation, and loss; diverted freshwater flows; marine sediment contamination; and exotic species introductions. The growing West Coast economy and population are in part related to the quality of life, which is dependent on the use and enjoyment of abundant coastal natural resources.     

Chromium Augite - A New Microprobe Reference Sample

A microprobe reference sample was made from a portion of a large and homogeneous single crystal of augite which contains 0.85% of Cr₂O₃. The relatively high chromium content of this augite increases its usefulness as a microprobe reference sample.     

Using GIS and Dispersion Modelling Tools to Assess the Effect of the Environment on Health

A feasibility study in progress to integrate health and air quality information is presented. The methods of using integrated GIS and air quality dispersion modelling tools to assess the effect of the environment on health are discussed. The main aim is to model human personal exposure to air pollutants and compare the predictions to respiratory health data for asthmatics in a health telematics project. The MEDICATE project develops and tests the feasibility of using a health telematic system for asthmatics. Key to this is the determination of the real-time health (lung function) response to the ambient environment. For this, air quality information is related to respiratory measurements by modelling personal exposure through a GIS. The methods of integrating environmental modelling and assessment tools (GIS) in this case are examined. ESRI's ArcView is used to locate and compile environmental information about the patients' locations and lifestyles in the study areas (London and Barcelona). A dispersion modelling extension to ArcView, ADMS Urban, is used to interrogate the spatial environmental databases (e.g. emission inventories) to model air pollution concentrations. Patients' personal exposure is modelled by time-weighted estimates of their exposure to ambient air quality at each defined location. Lung function data can be compared on a time-wise basis with these air quality indicators to see if there is a relationship on an hourly, daily or lagged-day basis. The aim of this paper is to propose a methodology and discuss the integration and practicalities of using air quality assessment tools (inventories, dispersion modelling and a GIS) in assessing the impacts of the environment on human health.