德国莱布尼兹汉诺威大学景观规划系主任德国联邦环保和交通政策顾问Chirstina von Haaren:景观规划在德国的目标、方法和实施

景观规划的内容是什么？它呵以提供一些有关自然因素的证据，一些环境证据，比如说土壤、水、空气、气候、植被、生物多样性等等，此外，它也是唯一的预警性的概念式的工具。斟为景观规划是建立在自然资源及其规划的基础之上的，它们听起来，似乎是用于娱乐的目的，但其实不然。事实上，我们的目标是把这个景观规划和部门规划，比如说农业规划、水资源管理规划整合起来。另外，我们任做的一项重要的工作是要将所有的有关不同生态系统方面的信息。汇总到一个信息库，放到互联网上，向开发商、设计师开放。我认为，景观规划一定要有一个非常好的关于土地和景观方面的信息基础。     

Aerosol remote sensing over land: A comparison of satellite retrievals using different algorithms and instruments

An inter-comparison study of the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) at 0.55 μm retrieved using different satellite instruments and algorithms based on the analysis of backscattered solar light is presented for a single scene over central Europe on October 13th, 2005. For the first time comparisons have been performed for as many as six instruments on multiple satellite platforms. Ten different algorithms are briefly discussed and inter-compared. It was found that on the scale of a single pixel there can be large differences in AOT retrieved over land using different retrieval techniques and instruments. However, these differences are not as pronounced for the average AOT over land. For instance, the average AOT at 0.55 μm for the area 7–12E, 49–53N was equal to 0.14 for MISR, NASA MODIS and POLDER algorithms. It is smaller by 0.01 for the ESA MERIS aerosol product and larger by 0.04 for the MERIS BAER algorithm. AOT as derived using AATSR gives on average larger values as compared to all other instruments, while SCIAMACHY retrievals underestimate the aerosol loading. These discrepancies are explained by uncertainties in a priori assumptions used in the different algorithms and differences in the sensor characteristics. Validation against AERONET shows that MERIS provides the most accurate AOT retrievals for this scene.     

Identification of magnetic Fe–Ti oxides in marine sediments by electron backscatter diffraction in scanning electron microscopy

In paleomagnetic and environmental magnetic studies the magnetomineralogical identification is usually based on a set of rock magnetic parameters, complemented by crystallographic and chemical information retrieved from X-ray diffraction (XRD), (electron) microscopy or energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) of selected samples. While very useful, each of these supplementary techniques has its limitations when applied to natural sample material which are related to low particle concentrations (down to the ppm range in marine sediments) and very fine grain sizes (down to the nm scale). Therefore, meaningful application of such techniques depends on sample quality. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) of individual grains in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) enables mineralogical identification of grains down to ∼0.2 micrometer and is particularly powerful when combined with EDS. In this study, we show the merits of EBSD for rock magnetic investigations by analyzing titanomagnetites and hemoilmenites of various compositions and submicron lamella of titanomagnetite–hemoilmenite intergrowths. Such particles often occur in natural marine sediments where EDS often has a semi-quantitative character and compositionally similar intergrowths may be difficult to distinguish. With the mineralogical information provided by EBSD unambiguous identification of spinel-type and trigonal oxides is obtained. Optimal EBSD patterns are gathered from smooth, polished surfaces, but here we show that interpretable EBSD patterns can be obtained directly from the surface of unconsolidated, so called 'non-embedded' particles from marine sediments. This information enhances the interpretative value of rock magnetic parameters.     

Time delayed control of structural systems

Time delays are ubiquitous in control systems. They usually enter because of the sensors and actuators used in them. Traditionally, time delays have been thought to have a deleterious effect on both the stability and the performance of controlled systems, and much research has been done in attempting to eliminate them, compensate for them, or nullify their presence. In this paper we take a different view. We investigate whether purposefully injected time delays can be used to improve both the system's stability and performance. Our analytical, numerical, and experimental investigation shows that this can indeed be done. Analytical results of the effects of time delays on collocated and non‐collocated control of classically damped and non‐classically damped systems are given. Experimental and numerical results confirm the theoretical expectations. Issues of system uncertainties and robustness of time delayed control are addressed. The results are of practical value in improving the performance and stability of controllers because these characteristics (performance and stability) improve dramatically with the intentional injection of small time delays in the control system. The introduction of such time delays constitutes a ‘minimal change’ to a controller already installed in a structural system for active control. Hence, from a practical standpoint, time delays can be implemented in a nearly costless and highly reliable manner to improve control performance and stability, an aspect that cannot be ignored when dealing with the economics and safety of large structural systems subjected to strong earthquake ground shaking. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Active mud volcanoes on- and offshore eastern Makran, Pakistan

To study the activity, source and driving force of the venting of fluidized mud in the coastal Makran, we carried out reconnaissance surveys of two active onshore mud volcano fields (Chandragup and Jebel-u-Ghurab) and of a newly born (March 1999) offshore mud volcano (Malan Island). All studied on- and offshore mud volcanoes line up along one southwest/northeast-trending structural lineament, the axis of the Dhak Anticline. Isotopic data point to a bacterial origin of the gas (mainly methane). Mixed benthic foraminiferal faunas and calcareous nannofloras suggest that the source level of the extruded mud is at a sub-surface depth of 2-3 km. Observed mud discharge varied between 0 and 1.4 m³ h^-1 and gas discharge rates between negligible amounts to 1 m³ s^-1. Mud temperatures in the crater lake of Chandragup I are near-ambient temperatures. They rise slightly (Б.5°C) during episodes of modest mud outflow. An area of 160,000 m³ of soft mud was vigorously extruded from the sea floor at a water depth of 10 m within days after 15 March 1999, forming Malan Island. The island was destroyed within a few months after its birth by deep-reaching wave action during the SW monsoon. This was possibly aided by local subsidence of the mud volcano structure due to the volume loss following rapid degassing and mud extrusion.