Fundamental Problems in Astrophysics

Progress of modern astrophysics requires the access to the electromagnetic spectrum in the broadest energy range. The Ultraviolet is a fundamental energy domain since it is one of the most powerful tool to study plasmas at temperatures in the 3,000–300,000 K range as well as electronic transitions of the most abundant molecules in the Universe. Moreover, the UV radiation field is a powerful astrochemical and photoionizing agent.The objective of this review is to describe the crucial issues that require access to the UV range. A summary has been added to the end with a more classic view of UV needs by astronomical object type; this approach is followed at length in the rest of the contributions of this issue.     

Statistical classification of macroscopic folds as cylindrical, circular conical, or elliptical conical

A folded surface can be represented by the orientation of normals to the surface measured at several locations. When plotted on the unit sphere, the pattern of normals determines the type of fold. Poles from a cylindrical fold give a great circle on the unit sphere, whereas poles of a circular conical fold give a small circle, and poles from an elliptical conical fold give the projection of an ellipse onto the surface of the sphere. Several statistical tests that appear in the literature for classifying folds are discussed and compared. All but one of the tests use quantities obtained from an iterative least-squares procedure that fits the appropriate curve on the sphere. The classification procedure is illustrated with folds from the Canadian Rocky Mountains and uses for examples a cylindrical fold and a circular conical fold from the Smoky River coal field near Grande Cache, Alberta, and an elliptical conical fold near Jasper, Alberta. This methodology has resulted in new coal reserves in the Grande Cache area.This paper was presented at Emerging Concepts, MGUS-87 Conference, Redwood City, California, 13–15 April 1987.     

Interactive GIS for environmental risk assessment

Abstract

Geographical Information Systems can be used for processing spatial data to assess the risks of environmental contamination. Their use depends upon the amount and quality of available data, the models for interpolation and calculation of health risk, data processing procedures and interactivity. In this study, it is shown that interactive use of GIS is important for obtaining physically relevant results. Three forms of interactivity are distinguished: interactivity by means of user interfacing, interactivity requiring additional information outside GIS and interactivity when changing the use of GIS. Three stages in which interaction with GIS are crucial can be distinguished: application of geostatistics, choice of appropriate models, and decision making. This study focuses on three cases in The Netherlands dealing with soil contamination and soil stress analysis and with implications for risk assessment in which interactivity within GIS is analysed. Emphasis is given to contour volumes of polluted soil, to combine GIS with deterministic models and to apply land use scenarios. Finally, there is a discussion of how some forms of interactivity could be replaced by expert systems.