Grid cell distortion and MODFLOW's integrated finite-difference numerical solution

The ground water flow model MODFLOW inherently implements a nongeneralized integrated finite-difference (IFD) numerical scheme. The IFD numerical scheme allows for construction of finite-difference model grids with curvilinear (piecewise linear) rows. The resulting grid comprises model cells in the shape of trapezoids and is distorted in comparison to a traditional MODFLOW finite-difference grid. A version of MODFLOW-88 (herein referred to as MODFLOW IFD) with the code adapted to make the one-dimensional DELR and DELC arrays two dimensional, so that equivalent conductance between distorted grid cells can be calculated, is described. MODFLOW IFD is used to inspect the sensitivity of the numerical head and velocity solutions to the level of distortion in trapezoidal grid cells within a converging radial flow domain. A test problem designed for the analysis implements a grid oriented such that flow is parallel to columns with converging widths. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates MODFLOW IFD's capacity to numerically derive a head solution and resulting intercell volumetric flow when the internal calculation of equivalent conductance accounts for the distortion of the grid cells. The sensitivity of the velocity solution to grid cell distortion indicates criteria for distorted grid design. In the radial flow test problem described, the numerical head solution is not sensitive to grid cell distortion. The accuracy of the velocity solution is sensitive to cell distortion with error <1% if the angle between the nonparallel sides of trapezoidal cells is <12.5 degrees. The error of the velocity solution is related to the degree to which the spatial discretization of a curve is approximated with piecewise linear segments. Curvilinear finite-difference grid construction adds versatility to spatial discretization of the flow domain. MODFLOW-88's inherent IFD numerical scheme and the test problem results imply that more recent versions of MODFLOW 2000, with minor modifications, have the potential to make use of a curvilinear grid.     

Effects of the closure of a major sewage outfall on sublittoral, soft sediment benthic communities

The present study examines the benthos within western inner Swansea Bay (Wales, UK), for the period before, during and immediately after the cessation of a major, sewage discharge from Mumbles Head. There have been significant improvements in seawater quality and changes in the species composition of the benthic communities following the cessation of the sewage discharge. There has been an increase in the diversity of deposit feeders, especially the amphipods, and a decrease in the diversity of the filter feeders, especially the polychaetes. Changes are not attributable either to sediment organic matter content or to gross changes in sediment type, but are related to the significant reduction in suspended particulate organic material and sewage contaminants discharged to the Bay. A recovery model has been proposed to describe how soft sediment benthic communities in a shallow, sublittoral, high tidal energy environment respond to the abrupt cessation of a major sewage discharge.     

大气本底站反应性气体观测数据处理系统功能设计及实现

基于反应性气体多年观测的较为成熟的数据处理和质量控制方法,采用模块化功能结构设计,通过应用Visual Studio开发平台并结合MAP WinGIS等空间和时间显示控件,对反应性气体观测数据处理系统进行了设计和开发.系统实现了观测数据在空间和时间上的可视化显示,实际业务应用表明,具有良好的人机交互和数据处理能力,具备一定的数据统计分析功能.实现了对大气本底站反应性气体观测数据的统一管理和综合处理,已成为大气成分观测数据质量控制业务系统的一个重要组成部分.     

Isotopic mapping of groundwater perchlorate plumes

Analyses of stable isotope ratios of chlorine and oxygen in perchlorate can, in some cases, be used for mapping and source identification of groundwater perchlorate plumes. This is demonstrated here for large, intersecting perchlorate plumes in groundwater from a region having extensive groundwater perchlorate contamination and a large population dependent on groundwater resources. The region contains both synthetic perchlorate derived from rocket fuel manufacturing and testing activities and agricultural perchlorate derived predominantly from imported Chilean (Atacama) nitrate fertilizer, along with a likely component of indigenous natural background perchlorate from local wet and dry atmospheric deposition. Most samples within each plume reflect either a predominantly synthetic or a predominantly agricultural perchlorate source and there is apparently a minor contribution from the indigenous natural background perchlorate. The existence of isotopically distinct perchlorate plumes in this area is consistent with other lines of evidence, including groundwater levels and flow paths as well as the historical land use and areal distribution of potential perchlorate sources.     

旅游业区位分析--以云南为例

通过对云南省旅游地分布和旅游业发展状况的分析,提出新的适合于解释旅游业的区位理论,其关键是区位的旅游轩边际效用分析模型。研究发现旅游地分布存在一种类似杜能环的旅游业区位结构,以旅游集散地为中心,由内向外,依次为“历史古迹带”、“奇异风景带”、“旅游业滞带”和“自然风光与民族风情带”的四条环带状分布。这种结构是廖什理论不能解释的,需要应用边际效用模型。     

长江三角洲地区对流层臭氧的变化趋势

根据TOR卫星数据分析,我国长江三角洲地区对流层O3柱含量的长期变化就全年和大多数月份而言均为增长趋势,1978-2000年间其年均值的增长趋势为0.82 DU/10 a。这种长期变化趋势所引起的气候效应及其对大气氧化性的影响值得进一步研究。结果表明,长江三角洲地区对流层O3柱含量的季节变化与该地区的临安区域大气本底站的地面O3季节变化有着显著的相关关系,临安站的观测数据具有区域代表性。     

中国地质灾害伤亡事件的空间格局及影响因素（英文）

Analysis of casualties due to landslides from 2000 to 2012 revealed that their spatial pattern was affected by terrain and other natural environmental factors, which resulted in a higher distribution of landslide casualty events in southern China than in northern China. Hotspots of landslide-generated casualties were in the western Sichuan mountainous area and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau region, southeast hilly area, northern part of the loess hilly area, and Tianshan and Qilian Mountains. However, local distribution patterns indicated that landslide casualty events were also influenced by economic activity factors. To quantitatively analyse the influence of natural environment and human-economic activity factors, the Probability Model for Landslide Casualty Events in China(LCEC) was built based on logistic regression analysis. The results showed that relative relief, GDP growth rate, mean annual precipitation, fault zones, and population density were positively correlated with casualties caused by landslides. Notably, GDP growth rate ranked only second to relative relief as the primary factors in the probability of casualties due to landslides. The occurrence probability of a landslide casualty event increased 2.706 times with a GDP growth rate increase of 2.72%. In contrast, vegetation coverage was negatively correlated with casualties caused by landslides. The LCEC model was then applied to calculate the occurrence probability of landslide casualty events for each county in China. The results showed that there are 27 counties with high occurrence probability but zero casualty events. The 27 counties were divided into three categories: poverty-stricken counties, mineral-rich counties, and real-estate overexploited counties; these are key areas that should be emphasized in reducing landslide risk.     

Interactive effects of UV, benzo[alpha] pyrene, and cadmium on DNA damage and repair in embryos of the grass shrimp Paleomonetes pugio

We examined the link between DNA strand breaks and hatching rates in grass shrimp, (Paleomonetes pugio), embryos exposed to 0.2 microM benzo[alpha] pyrene (BP), 5 microM cadmium (Cd) and 330 kJ/m(2) UV light, either alone or together. After exposure, embryos were transferred to clean seawater with or without 5 microM Cd. Hatching rates and DNA strand breaks (Comet Assay) were determined. DNA lesions caused by exposure to BP, UV light, or BP/cadmium were rapidly repaired and were not associated with any effects on hatching. Exposure to Cd after exposure to BP or UV did not affect embryological development or DNA repair. Exposure to BP/UV resulted in a high level of DNA lesions which were slowly repaired. Exposure to cadmium following BP/UV exposure inhibited hatching and DNA repair. Adducts formed during exposure to BP/UV exposure may be difficult to excise or may saturate the nucleotide excision repair system.     

The impact of oil-derived products on the behaviour and biochemistry of the eleven-armed asteroid Coscinasterias muricata (Echinodermata)

The present study examines the impact of exposure to oil-derived products on the behaviour and physiology of the Australian 11-armed asteroid Coscinasterias muricata. Asteroids were exposed to dilutions of water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of Bass Strait stabilised crude oil, dispersed oil or burnt oil (n = 8) for 4 days whereby, prey-localisation behaviour was examined immediately after exposure, and following 2, 7, and 14 days depuration in clean seawater. The prey-localisation behaviour of asteroids exposed to WAF and dispersed oil was significantly affected though recovery was apparent following 7 and 14 days depuration, respectively. In contrast, there was no significant change in the prey-localisation behaviour of asteroids exposed to burnt oil. Behavioural impacts were correlated with the total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations (C6-C36) in each exposure solution, WAF (1.8 mg l(-1)), dispersed oil (3.5 mg l(-1)) and burnt oil (1.14 mg l(-1), respectively. The total microsomal cytochrome P450 content was significantly lower (P(Dunnett test) < 0.01) in asteroids exposed to dispersed oil than in any other asteroids, whilst asteroid alkaline phosphatase activity was not significantly affected (P(ANOVA) = 0.11). This study further documents the deleterious impact of dispersed oil to marine organisms and supports further research in the area of in situ burning as a less damaging oil spill response measure towards benthic macro-invertebrates.