THEORY AND PRACTICE FOR COMPILING THE ATLAS OF NATURAL DISASTERS IN CHINA

CompilinganatlasofnaturaldisastersinChinaisabasistoresearchintoregionaldisasterssystems,torevealthetemPOralandspatialpatternofnaturaldisasters,aswellastoestablishcountermeasuresopinstnamraldisasters.TaldngtheuAtlasOfNaturalDisastersinChina"**asanexample,thisarticleinquiresintotheoreticalandpracticalproblemsaboutcompilinganatlasofregionalnaturaldisasters.ThebasictheoryofcompilinganatlasOfregionaldisastershasbeenfOundedonthecombinati0nofthesciencesofdisasters,cart0graphyandregiotalmhy.Theref…     

Climatic response of thick leaf spruce (Picea crassifolia) tree-ring width at different elevations over Qilian Mountains, northwestern China

Tree-ring cores of thick leaf spruce (Picea crassifolia) taken from four sites at different elevations, in the middle of the Qilian Mountains, in the arid and semi-arid region of northwestern China, were used to develop four tree-ring width chronologies using standard dendrochronological methods. Results indicate that with increasing altitude the chronologies’ year-to-year variations decreased. Hence, the sensitivity of the tree-ring chronologies to climate decreases with altitude. Further analysis showed that the significant limiting factor on tree growth is spring precipitation. Measurements of stomata density and leaf dry weight suggest the species’ ecological adaptation strategy changes with elevation. At high elevation the metabolic rate of thick leaf spruce decreases, thus showing the effect of the climate.     

Possible representation for discovery observations of stellar flares

It is shown that the chronology of flare star discoveries in the Pleiades cluster and the Orion association can be described satisfactorily by various distribution functions (gamma, binomial, decreasing exponential, and delta) for the mean frequencies of stellar flares. However, it has been found that this is due to the uncertainty in the observationally derived distribution function for the mean frequency of stellar flares. The most likely function is that derived by Ambartsumian, which has a physical basis.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 25–32, January–March, 1995.     

Effects of early season defoliation ofAnthyllis cytisoides(a Mediterranean browse species) on further herbivore attack

To determine if defoliation of a woody plant affects foraging by folivorous insects, we examined the infection rate (number of leaves damaged per total number of leaves sampled on marked stems) ofAnthyllis cytisoidesunder three experimental treatments: 10, 50 and 90% plant defoliation. Observations were made for three age classes, established by trunk base perimeter (equal to or lower than 11 cm, between 11 and 20 cm, larger than 20 cm). Plants respond positively to artificial defoliation by increasing total vegetative length of the stem and total inflorescence length. This response is most evident in young individuals.Response to herbivory was measured as overall infection rate and also as infection rate by different feeding guilds—chewing, mining, or sucking insects. We found that increased defoliation elicited increased resistance of leaves to insect attack. This was particularly evident in young plants. Different insect guilds respond in different ways. Attack by chewing insects declines with defoliation for all plant age classes; only sucking insects which feed on the oldest plants reduce feeding rate with plant defoliation. Finally, mining insects present the opposite trend in young and senescent plants.     

当代测绘学科的发展

１９９２年在成都举行的海峡两岸测绘学术交流会上,我曾做了题为“测绘科技的新发展”的发言。那个时候我们已经处在高新科技迅猛发展的时期,测绘科技的发展也不例外,说起发展来总是用划时代的、革命性的、翻天覆地的这些辞句。实际上测绘学科的发展是具体地体现在遥感...     

Neumann stochastic finite element method for calculating temperature field of frozen soil based on random field theory

To study the effect of uncertain factors on the temperature field of frozen soil, we propose a method to calculate the spatial average variance from just the point variance based on the local average theory of random fields. We model the heat transfer coefficient and specific heat capacity as spatially random fields instead of traditional random variables. An analysis for calculating the random temperature field of seasonal frozen soil is suggested by the Neumann stochastic finite element method, and here we provide the computational formulae of mathematical expectation, variance and variable coefficient. As shown in the calculation flow chart, the stochastic finite element calculation program for solving the random temperature field, as compiled by Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) software, can directly output the statistical results of the temperature field of frozen soil. An example is presented to demonstrate the random effects from random field parameters, and the feasibility of the proposed approach is proven by comparing these results with the results derived when the random parameters are only modeled as random variables. The results show that the Neumann stochastic finite element method can efficiently solve the problem of random temperature fields of frozen soil based on random field theory, and it can reduce the variability of calculation results when the random parameters are modeled as spatially random fields.     

Microfossils from the Lower Kundelungu (Late Precambrian) of Zambia

Lower Kundelungu black argillites and silty dolomicrites from the Ndola area contain a rich microfossil assemblage, of which several forms can be attributed to the form-genus Fibularix Pflug, 1965. The same assemblage has also been found in fine-grained, mildly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks from Kalengwa and Karibarembi (North-Western Province). These findings support the Kundelungu correlation of the Kalengwa and Karibarembi successions.Three new species of Fibularix are described and illustrated. Seven types of sphaeromorphs are described and illustrated, though treated informally. Some sphaeromorphs are detached parts of Fibularix chains.The Lower Kundelungu microfossils resemble very closely some palynomorphs that occur in the Brioverian (Late Precambrian) of France, in the Libby Formation (Belt) of the northwestern United States, and in other formations of Late Precambrian age.     

Hanford tank residual waste – Contaminant source terms and release models

Residual waste is expected to be left in 177 underground storage tanks after closure at the US Department of Energy’s Hanford Site in Washington State, USA. In the long term, the residual wastes may represent a potential source of contamination to the subsurface environment. Residual materials that cannot be completely removed during the tank closure process are being studied to identify and characterize the solid phases and estimate the release of contaminants from these solids to water that might enter the closed tanks in the future. As of the end of 2009, residual waste from five tanks has been evaluated. Residual wastes from adjacent tanks C-202 and C-203 have high U concentrations of 24 and 59 wt.%, respectively, while residual wastes from nearby tanks C-103 and C-106 have low U concentrations of 0.4 and 0.03 wt.%, respectively. Aluminum concentrations are high (8.2–29.1 wt.%) in some tanks (C-103, C-106, and S-112) and relatively low (<1.5 wt.%) in other tanks (C-202 and C-203). Gibbsite is a common mineral in tanks with high Al concentrations, while non-crystalline U–Na–C–O–P ± H phases are common in the U-rich residual wastes from tanks C-202 and C-203. Iron oxides/hydroxides have been identified in all residual waste samples studied to date. Contaminant release from the residual wastes was studied by conducting batch leach tests using distilled deionized water, a Ca(OH)₂-saturated solution, or a CaCO₃-saturated water. Uranium release concentrations are highly dependent on waste and leachant compositions with dissolved U concentrations one or two orders of magnitude higher in the tests with high U residual wastes, and also higher when leached with the CaCO₃-saturated solution than with the Ca(OH)₂-saturated solution. Technetium leachability is not as strongly dependent on the concentration of Tc in the waste, and it appears to be slightly more leachable by the Ca(OH)₂-saturated solution than by the CaCO₃-saturated solution. In general, Tc is much less leachable (<10 wt.% of the available mass in the waste) than previously predicted. This may be due to the coprecipitation of trace concentrations of Tc in relatively insoluble phases such as Fe oxide/hydroxide solids.     

古代西域南道上的若干历史地理问题

本文探讨塔克拉玛干沙漠南沿、和田以东至若羌间的几个历史地理问题。1,历史时期,塔里木盆地南沿上是否有过一条与北方塔里木河相对应的“南河”?笔者认为是没有的。2,自古以来,和田以东的绿洲数目是在逐期增多或是逐期减少?笔者认为是逐期增多。3,历史时期,和田以东出现过几处绿洲城镇废弃和交通路线改线的现象,笔者就其中的安迪尔、且末、尼雅三地的历史演变作了初步探讨。     

Improved Resolution of Ambient Flow through Fractured Rock with Temperature Logs

In contaminant hydrogeology, investigations at fractured rock sites are typically undertaken to improve understanding of the fracture networks and associated groundwater flow that govern past and/or future contaminant transport. Conventional hydrogeologic, geophysical, and hydrophysical techniques used to develop a conceptual model are often implemented in open boreholes under conditions of cross-connected flow. A new approach using high-resolution temperature (±0.001°C) profiles measured within static water columns of boreholes sealed using continuous, water-inflated, flexible liners (FLUTe™) identifies hydraulically active fractures under ambient (natural) groundwater flow conditions. The value of this approach is assessed by comparisons of temperature profiles from holes (100 to 200 m deep) with and without liners at four contaminated sites with distinctly different hydrogeologic conditions. The results from the lined holes consistently show many more hydraulically active fractures than the open-hole profiles, in which the influence of vertical flow through the borehole between a few fractures masks important intermediary flow zones. Temperature measurements in temporarily sealed boreholes not only improve the sensitivity and accuracy of identifying hydraulically active fractures under ambient conditions but also offer new insights regarding previously unresolvable flow distributions in fractured rock systems, while leaving the borehole available for other forms of testing and monitoring device installation.