Intrinsic sample methods for mineral exploration and resource assessment

We report on an objective methodology, referred to as intrinsic sample methodology, for the delineation of exploration target areas or resource areas for assessment. Important features of the methodology include (1) identification of recognition criteria for critical genetic factors, (2) synthesis of new variables from enhanced geodata, (3) estimation of logit probability models, and (4) cutting of estimated logit probabilities to delineate exploration targets or resource areas. The methodology is demonstrated on the Walker Lake quadrangle of Nevada and California.     

国家经济地图集的设计和制图可视化的方法技术

国家经济地图集是第一部全面,系统反映我国当前经济社会发展面貌和空间分布的大型科学参考地图集,它的编制是一项重大的制图系统工程,本文简要地阐述了图集编制研究的主要方面,包括从分析我国经济社会发展和现状出发,确定图集设计总体目标,为科学和形象地表达我国经济社会特征,而采用的可视化方法技术,以及智能化的计算机制图系统在图集制中的应用。     

基于GIS的TM数据分类及辅助制图研究

本文初步研究了遥感、GIS和制图一体化实用技术方法。对黄土丘陵区和沙漠地区TM数据进行了特征信息分析;给出了分层分类和GIS辅助分类结果;经模糊推理和人机交互修改,将提“纯”的遥感专题数据作为GIS的动态信息源,对GIS进行扩充与更新;最后在GIS支持下分层提取专题图并进行辅助制图。     

Geography (or geographers) and earth system science

A response to Pitman’s recent arguments regarding a perceived invasion of geographers’ territory within the academic division of labour by earth system science. Geography is not the grand synthesiser, the only discipline which can explain the big picture, and arrogant claims that it is are counter-productive, both within and outwith the discipline. Geographers should just get on with what they are doing—well.     

Preparation of a geotechnical microzonation model using Geographical Information Systems based on Multicriteria Decision Analysis

The purpose of this study is to develop a geotechnical microzonation model using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) based on Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). As study area, the Eskişehir downtown area has been chosen. Eskişehir is one of the most rapidly growing cities in central Turkey. The model inputs include slope, flood susceptibility, soil, depth to groundwater table, swelling potential, and liquefaction potential. The weight and rank values are assigned to the layers and to the classes of each layer respectively. The assignment of the weight/rank values and the analysis are realized by the application of two different decision models, namely Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods. The geotechnical microzonation maps prepared as outputs of these methods are found to be consistent with each other and confirmed by the experts within the study area. The geotechnical microzonation map prepared using the AHP method is recommended as the final map of the study.     

The political geography of religion: historical state-church relations in Europe and recent challenges

Historical processes of state formation and nation building are crucial for an understanding of the geography of religions and churches in Europe. Each country has developed its own model of state-church relations, giving rise to a ‘bewildering variety’ as Grace Davie aptly remarks. The aim of this paper is to bring some order to this variety by developing a framework for the comparative study of church-state relations based on Stein Rokkan’s famous conceptual map and recent extensions of it to Central and Eastern Europe by John Madeley. According to that framework Europe has been divided into three mono-confessional (Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox) blocs and two multi-confessional culture belts from Northwest to Southeast, and from Northeast to Southeast. This historical pattern has been challenged by secularisation, which started with the Enlightenment and the French Revolution (Western Europe) and the Russian Revolution (Eastern Europe until the velvet revolutions of 1989/1991) and then became widespread after the ‘cultural revolutions’ of the 1960s. A second challenge has to do with globalisation and its consequences, such as massive immigration and the rise of immigrant religions, and in general deterritorialisation, which means the disembeddedness of religion from its national territory. A third challenge concerns reterritorialisation at other (supranational, regional, transnational, and local) scales, of which the new territorial order of the European Union seems to be the most important. Finally, this paper serves as an introduction to the case studies on church-state relations in this special issue.     

Assessment of sand encroachment in Kuwait using GIS

Assessment of sand encroachment in Kuwait using Geographical Information System (GIS) technology has been formulated as a Multi-Criteria Decision Making problem. The Delphi method and Analytical Hierarchy Process were adopted as evaluating techniques, in which experts’ judgments were analyzed for objectively estimating and weighting control factors. Seven triggering factors, depicted in the form of maps, were identified and ordered according to their priority. These factors are (1) wind energy; (2) surface sediment; (3) vegetation density; (4) land use; (5) drainage density; (6) topographic change and (7) vegetation type. The factor maps were digitized, converted to raster data and overlaid to determine their possible spatial relationships. Applying a susceptibility model, a map of sand encroachment susceptibility in Kuwait was developed. The map showed that the areas of very high and high sand encroachment susceptibility are located within the main corridor of sand pathway that coincides with the northwesterly dominant wind direction.     

The changing relationship between state and church/religion in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is part of the historic Northwest-Southeast multi-confessional culture belt according to the comparative framework of church-state relations in Europe as recently developed by Madeley on the basis of Rokkan’s conceptual map. The aim of this paper is to describe the development of the church-state relations in the Netherlands within this historic framework of state-formation and nation-building, and to interpret recent challenges of its historic state-church model, such as secularisation, the rise of immigrant religions, and general ‘de- and re-territorialisation’ tendencies. The Netherlands developed from a relatively very tolerant polity dominated by the Calvinist Church to a ‘pillarised’ society, in which the Rome-Reformation divide (which also had a strong geographical dimension) was institutionalised in the political system. After the 1960s, very strong secularisation put this ‘pillarised’ system under severe pressure, but the remnants of this system offered a favourable opportunity structure for religious newcomers (Muslims in particular), who could establish their mosques and Muslim schools relatively easily. However, while the main Protestant churches, and even Catholic and Protestant political parties have merged, failing integration of these newcomers in Dutch society and terrorist attacks at the global level as well as in the Netherlands encouraged a new divide between Muslims and non-Muslims. The metropolitan areas in particular became the scene of this new divide.     

论信息时代的城市发展

城市信息化是中国城市发展的新主题与新动力,是解决目前我国城市发展中诸多难题的重要途径。本文首先对比了数字城市和信息城市,然后指出了建设信息城市的迫切性和重要性,最后提出了城市信息科学的学科范畴。     

基于GIS的城镇土地定级信息系统建模方法探讨

基于GIS的城镇土地定级信息系统在建设过程中,定级方法确定、定级单元大小确定和定级因素/子权重值的生成是关键,且三者都具有不同的确定方法,因此选择什么样的方法决定了系统建立的优劣。本文着重归纳、总结了城镇土地定级信息系统定级方法,通过对比分析,探讨了最优定级方法、最优网格单元大小划分方法和最优因素/子权重值计算方法。