Citizens as sensors: the world of volunteered geography

In recent months there has been an explosion of interest in using the Web to create, assemble, and disseminate geographic information provided voluntarily by individuals. Sites such as Wikimapia and OpenStreetMap are empowering citizens to create a global patchwork of geographic information, while Google Earth and other virtual globes are encouraging volunteers to develop interesting applications using their own data. I review this phenomenon, and examine associated issues: what drives people to do this, how accurate are the results, will they threaten individual privacy, and how can they augment more conventional sources? I compare this new phenomenon to more traditional citizen science and the role of the amateur in geographic observation.     

吉林夹皮沟金矿稳定同位素地质及找矿方向

吉林夹皮沟金矿床成因,多年来一直存在变质热液和岩浆热液之争。在金矿带北侧海西期花岗岩内和南侧白山镇一带变质岩地区进行外围找矿始终没有突破性进展。在前人研究基础上,通过一些补测工作对夹皮沟金矿稳定同位素地质给予新的认识。Ｓ和Ｃ、Ｈ、Ｏ流体主要来自地幔,部分Ｓ和Ｓｉ、Ｐｂ、Ａｕ主要来自花岗岩和古老变质层状岩系,成矿远景区应重点选定在夹皮沟—大砬子深大断裂两侧中生代脉岩体附近。     

陕西子长油田成藏地质特征

从烃源岩、储集层、圈闭、油气运移及富集条件等方面入手，对子长油田成藏地质特征进行了研究。认为子长油田延长组油气生成及油气初次运移条件均较好，但储层、油气二次运移及富集条件相对较差。延长组主要有五种油藏类型，油气分布主要受储层物性、岩性、岩相等条件所控制。     

超然于时代的写作——论曹聚仁二十世纪五六十年代的随笔散文

20世纪50年代和60年代是曹聚仁随笔散文写作的高峰期。这一时期,无论是内地还是港台,政治气氛都十分浓厚。而作为国共两党的联系人的曹聚仁疏离政治,可以自由地往来于大陆和港台之间,仍然保持与母体文化联系,从而使他在写作上保持一定的文化优势。曹聚仁在随笔写作中重在对所游之地、所读之书的文史挖掘,显示出深厚的文化底蕴。曹聚仁以随笔散文的方式传承着民族文化的血脉,独自守望着古老而深厚的民族文化,具有十分重要的意义。     

The effects of soil sand contents on characteristics of humic acids along soil profiles

It is generally accepted that the compositions and properties of soil organic matter (SOM) are influenced by many factors. In order to reveal the effects of soil texture on characteristics and dynamics of SOM and its sub-fraction, humic acid (HA), along two soil profiles, a yellow soil profile and a purplish soil profile, under the same climate and vegetation conditions were determined. Results indicate that the decomposition and humification degrees of SOM and HA of the purplish soils are higher than those of the corresponding yellow soils indicated by A/O–A ratios of HAs, TOCs and HA yields of bulk soil samples, nevertheless, the development degree of the purplish soil is lower than that of the yellow soil. The variations of E₄/E₆ ratios of HAs along the soil profiles indicate the overall molecular sizes of HAs decreased downward along the soil profiles. A/O–A ratios of HAs decreased downward along both the soil profiles indicate that humification processes decrease downward along both the soil profiles. Leaching of SOM shows significant effects on the distribution and characteristics of HAs in the yellow soil profile but the purplish soil profile, which is consistent with the higher hydrophobicity of HAs in purplish soils, shows that the distribution characteristics of SOM along the soil profiles are a complex result of the combination of soil texture and characteristics of SOM itself. The remarkably different sand contents are concluded tentatively as one of reasons to the different distributions and dynamics of HAs along the soil profiles, however, to profoundly understand the evolution and transport of SOM along soil profiles needs more researches.     

The effect of annealing on the luminescence decay-time of synthetic calcite:Mn

Calcite was synthesized by four methods, and the luminescence decay-time was measured for nine samples before and after heating hydrothermally in the temperature range 200–400°C. Decay-time data were collected between room temperature and approximately 15 K. The decay time at room temperature is approximately 50 ms, with little difference between a given calcite before and after hydrothermal treatment. The decay time at 15 K is always greater than at room temperature as the effect of thermal quenching diminishes. Differences in decay time before and after heating are more apparent at low temperature owing to this reduction in thermal quenching. The decay time decreased significantly in two samples, and an increase in decay time was observed in the remaining seven samples following heating. Among the latter group, the change in decay time was insignificant in three samples. The results are compared with previous data in which it was shown that the effect of heating is to increase the intensity of luminescence.     

Iron isotopic analyses of geological reference materials on MC-ICP-MS with instrumental mass bias corrected by three independent methods

Here we report iron (Fe) isotopic data of three pure Fe solution standards (IRMM-014, GSB Fe, and NIST 3126a) and five widely used geological reference materials (RMs) from the United States Geological Survey and Geological Survey of Japan obtained on a Neptune Plus multi-collector–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) in our laboratory over the past 3 years. The instrumental mass bias was corrected by three independent methods: sample-standard bracketing (SSB), Ni doping?+?SSB, and ⁵⁷Fe–⁵⁸Fe double spike?+?SSB. Measurements reveal that both the Ni doping and double spike methods helped calibrate short-term fluctuations in mass bias. Collectively, almost all measurements of RMs yielded δ⁵⁶Fe within?±?0.05 of recommended values, provided that each sample was measured four times on MC-ICP-MS. For the first time, new recommended values for NIST SRM3126a are reported (δ⁵⁶Fe?=?0.363?±?0.006, 2SE, 95% CI; and δ⁵⁷Fe?=?0.534?±?0.010, 2SE).     

Doming in the southern foreland of the Dabieshan (Yangtse block, China)

In China, the foreland of the Dabieshan is characterized by E–W trending domes and basins. From South to North the Wugongshan, Jiulingshan, Lushan and Dabieshan domes consist of Proterozoic metamorphics unconformably covered by late Proterozoic to Triassic sediments. Ductile and brittle extensional structures are described along the margins of the metamorphic domes. Along the N–S striking lineation, kinematic indicators show divergent top-to-the-north and -south shear in the north and south flanks of the domes, respectively. The superposition of Proterozoic phyllite over Permian–Triassic carbonates is reinterpreted as extensional allochthons formed by tilting, shearing and sliding on the layers. Plate convergence is responsible for continental subduction in the Dabieshan and deep-seated thrusting in the Yangtse plate. As compression continued, the thrust contacts were folded and several antiformal stacks developed. Domal uplift induced the formation of gravity-driven extensional structures.     

Effects of natural attenuation processes on groundwater contamination caused by abandoned waste sites in Berlin

The aim of this research project is to identify, characterize and quantify natural attenuation (NA) processes in groundwater affected by emissions of abandoned waste disposal sites in Berlin-Kladow/Gatow, Germany. It is part of the funding priority called KORA established by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) to explore the extent to which NA can be used for remedial purposes for varied forms of soil and groundwater contamination. Information on the emission behaviour of individual parameters is generated on the basis of hydrogeochemical comparison of 20 years old and new data. Using groundwater-modelling and CFC-analysis, information on the transport and retention of pollutants in groundwater is compiled. The microbial colonization of contaminated aquifers is characterized by molecular biological methods [polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)] to differentiate between contaminated and not contaminated zones.     

Assessing the vulnerability of social–environmental system from the perspective of hazard,sensitivity, and resilience: a case study of Beijing,China

Despite a recent increase in the number of vulnerability analyses there has been relatively little discussion of vulnerability assessment of social–environment system, especially when they face multiple hazards. In this study, we developed an applicable and convenient method to assess vulnerability of social–environment system at a regional scale. Vulnerability is quantified by measuring three critical elements (i.e. hazards, sensitivity, and resilience) through some key variables. The results showed that vulnerability is high in Miaofeng Mountain in Mengtougou District, the hills of Pinggu County and the riparian zones of the lower courses of the Beiyun and Yongding Rivers; but low in the city of Beijing and the southwestern part of the Fangshan District. Areas of very high, high, medium, and low-vulnerability account for 6.19, 25.48, 33.06, and 35.27% of the total area, respectively. The degree of vulnerability decreases in a northwest direction in mountainous areas and declines from watercourses to riparian zones along a lateral direction in the plain. Some adaptive strategies are also proposed.