Developing open space networks in shrinking cities

Urban green spaces provide essential ecosystem services and improve resident quality of life, but open space networks are often fragmented by urban development, and it is difficult to reclaim natural lands after they have been built up. Shrinking cities (i.e., cities experiencing population decline) typically contain an abundance of vacant and abandoned residential buildings that are demolished for safety and maintenance reasons. The resulting empty lots can potentially be reclaimed as natural areas to defragment the green network and increase open space connectivity. To date however, planning efforts have largely ignored post-demolition land uses for these lots, allowing many to become empty wastelands. This research approaches this gap by presenting an alternative plan for residential demolition sites using landscape ecology principles and methods to incorporate them into the open space network. Using Buffalo, NY – a typical rustbelt shrinking city – as a case study, areas most at risk for experiencing demolitions are identified using a clustering technique, and each building within the cluster is assigned a likelihood it will be demolished using a logit model. Properties with the highest risk for demolition are then prioritized based on their ability to contribute to and connect the open space network using landscape connectivity metrics. Results indicate the approach can foster large increases in green network connectivity using small parcels (a 356% increase in total open space area was observed in this study after three years of purposeful selection), allowing cities to reclaim unused urban areas and defragment the open space network.     

Turbulent mechanisms in open channel sediment-laden flows

The effects of turbulence on water-sediment mixtures is a critical issue in studying sediment-laden flows. The sediment concentrations and particle inertia play a significant role in the effects of turbulence on mixtures. A two-phase mixture turbulence model was applied to investigate the turbulence mechanisms affecting sediment-laden flows. The two-phase mixture turbulence model takes into account the complicated mechanisms arising from interphase transfer of turbulent kinetic energy, particle collisions, and stratification. The turbulence in sediment-laden flows is the result of the interaction of four factors, i.e. the production, dissipation, diffusion, and inter-phase transfer of turbulent kinetic energy of mixtures. The turbulence production and dissipation are two dominant processes which balance the turbulent kinetic energy of mixtures. The turbulence production represents turbulence intensity, while the inter-phase transfer of turbulent kinetic energy denotes the effect of particles on the turbulence of sediment-laden flows. Although, the magnitude of the inter-phase interaction term is much less than that of the turbulence production and dissipation terms, due to an approximate local balance between production and dissipation of the turbulent kinetic energy, even the small order of the inter-phase interaction has a significant impact on the turbulent balance of sediment-laden flows. The presence of particles plays a duel role in the turbulence dissipation of mixtures: both promotion and suppression. An important parameter used to determine the turbulent viscosity of mixtures, which is constant in clear water, is the function of the sediment concentration and particle inertia in sediment-laden flows.     

Computational reproducibility in geoscientific papers: Insights from a series of studies with geoscientists and a reproduction study

Reproducibility is a cornerstone of science and thus for geographic research as well. However, studies in other disciplines such as biology have shown that published work is rarely reproducible. To assess the state of reproducibility, specifically computational reproducibility (i.e. rerunning the analysis of a paper using the original code), in geographic research, we asked geoscientists about this topic using three methods: a survey (n = 146), interviews (n = 9), and a focus group (n = 5). We asked participants about their understanding of open reproducible research (ORR), how much it is practiced, and what obstacles hinder ORR. We found that participants had different understandings of ORR and that there are several obstacles for authors and readers (e.g. effort, lack of openness). Then, in order to complement the subjective feedback from the participants, we tried to reproduce the results of papers that use spatial statistics to address problems in the geosciences. We selected 41 open access papers from Copernicus and Journal of Statistical Software and executed the R code. In doing so, we identified several technical issues and specific issues with the reproduced figures depicting the results. Based on these findings, we propose guidelines for authors to overcome the issues around reproducibility in the computational geosciences.     

Relevance of transition turbulent model for hydrodynamic characteristics of low Reynolds number propeller

The propeller of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) operates at low Reynolds number in laminar to turbulent transition region. The performance of these propellers can be calculated accurately using RANSE solver with γ − Re_θ transition model. In this study, the global and local hydrodynamic characteristics of open and ducted propeller are investigated using the γ − Re_θ transition model. The capability of the γ − Re_θ transition model to capture laminar to turbulent transition on the surface of the open propeller is demonstrated by comparison with published experimental results. The application of transition model for the propeller K_a-4-70 inside the duct 19A shows that the centrifugal forces are dominant at low Reynolds number and the flow is mainly directed in the radial direction. The transition model is able to predict complex flow physics such as leading-edge separation, tip leakage vortex, and the separation bubble on outer surface of the duct. The accurate prediction of these flow phenomenon can lead to correct calculation of global hydrodynamic forces and moments acting on the propeller at low Reynolds number.     

Hybrid spatiotemporal simulation of future changes in open wetlands: A study of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region,Québec,Canada

Among the most productive ecosystems around the world, wetlands support a wide range of biodiversity such as waterfowl, fish, amphibians, plants and many other species. They also provide ecosystem services that play important roles in relation to nutrient cycling, climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as food security. In this research, we examined and projected the spatiotemporal trends of change in open wetlands by coupling logistic regression, Markov chain methods and a multi-objective land allocation model into a hybrid geosimulation model. To study the changes in open wetlands we used multi-temporal land cover information interpreted from LANDSAT images (1985, 1995, and 2005). We predicted future spatial distributions of open wetlands in the administrative region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, Canada for 2015, 2025, 2035, 2045 and 2055. A comparison and assessment of the model’s outcomes were performed using map-comparison techniques as well as landscape metrics. Change analysis between 1985 and 2005 showed an increase of about 63% in open wetlands, while simulation results indicated that this tendency would persist into 2055 with a continuous augmentation of open wetlands in the region. The spatial distribution of predicted trends in open wetlands could provide support to local biodiversity assessments, management and conservation planning of the open wetlands in Quebec, Canada.     

Economic feasibility of using offshore oil and gas structures in the Gulf of Mexico for platform-based aquaculture

The increasing global demand for animal protein is a major ecological concern due to its impacts on land use, climate change, global grain supply and fisheries. One method for harvesting animal protein is to grow marine fish. This is widely practiced in coastal environments, but also leads to environmental problems associated with habitat loss and nutrient loading. One alternative is to move marine aquaculture further offshore, away from coastal land-use conflicts and towards ocean currents, which can efficiently dispose wastes. This concept creates a logistical challenge, however, since operators have to transport large amounts of food, fish and fuel to and from offshore cages on a regular basis and in varied weather conditions. In this paper, we discuss the economic feasibility of using offshore oil and gas platforms as bases for open ocean aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico. We develop net-present value models of a platform-based operation and describe sensitivity analysis of the model output. We conclude that offshore platform-based mariculture may be commercially viable under favorable assumptions, that its viability requires economies of scale and depends principally on the yield per unit of cage volume achieved. The limitations of the analysis are described.     

一种基于拓扑三角形集的地上下空间数据集成方法

地上下空间数据集成是数字城市、数字矿山与数字岩土工程建设中地上下无缝集成建模的关键.在空间数据集成内涵分析的基础上,讨论了地上下空间数据集成的机制与原理,提出地上下空间数据集成的初步方案.通过对Open GIS简单要素规范进行扩展,强调"体"的引入对三维空间数据集成的重要性,针对地上建筑、地形和地层建模分别采用CSG、CD-TIN和GTP模型的特例.提出了对CSG+CD TIN+GTP模型数据进行集成的数据组织结构;并且设计了一种基于拓扑三角形集(TTS)进行地上下空间数据集成的技术框架,提出集成模型数据表达的方法.结合某城市地上下空间建模应用实例,给出基于TTs进行地上下空间数据集成与建模的效果.     

The Influence of Local Stability on Heat and Momentum Transfer within Open Canopies

Eddy-covariance data have been analyzed to investigate the influence of local stability on heat transfer within open canopies. The flux–gradient relationship for heat is derived from the temperature variance equation, and the stability dependence of the flux–gradient relationship is examined and discussed. The results indicate that the strong stability dependence of the nondimensional standard deviation of temperature, and the small contributions of turbulent transport to the temperature variance, lead to a strong stability dependence of the nondimensional temperature gradient within open canopies. Quadrant analysis and hole size analysis were performed for momentum and heat fluxes in the subcanopy, and the results indicate that the contribution of each quadrant to the total flux depends on both the local stability and canopy depth. The intermittency of the turbulent flux does not show a clear dependence on local stability. As the contribution of ejections to the heat flux increases, the vertical flux of the temperature variance changes sign from negative to positive, leading to small temperature variance transport in unstable conditions. Multi-resolution analysis indicates that heat and momentum are transported with different dominant time scales in very unstable conditions, suggesting a different role of local buoyancy in heat and momentum transfer.     

The depositional environment and mineralogical and chemical compositions of high ash brown coal resting on early Tertiary saprock (Schirnding Coal Basin, SE Germany)

The late Tertiary high ash brown coal (R_r=0.26%) of the Schirnding Seam Zone is mainly composed of huminite. The seam is underlain by a thick saprock (mica saprockkaolinite-mica saprock) some tens of meters thick which gradually developed from phyllitic basement rocks and a thin Footwall Series of coarse-grained clastic sediments which, however, occur only in a few places. The roof rocks ‘ Hanging Wall Series' abruptly appear on top of the seam and consist of massive gray mudstones and arenites, intercalated with some tuffites. These Tertiary series were studied in open-pit mines operated for coal and clay and in bore holes. Chemical investigation involved the analyses of TOC, TSC, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Ga, Be, V, Cr, U, Th, P, Zr, REE and organic compounds of extracted organic matter (=OM). Early Tertiary chemical weathering was responsible for the monotonous kaolinite-mica-goethite mineral assemblage in the saprock and the footwall series. In the coal-bearing basin a more variegated mineral association including, pyrite, kaolinite, illite, smectite, illite-smectite mixed layers and siderite was brought about by volcanic processes, intrastratal solution set free in course of coalification and early diagenesis and by meteoric waters infiltrating the coal-bearing series from uplifted parts of the basin, which underwent strong oxidation. The environment of deposition is interpreted in terms of peatswamps that were fed by small streams and crevasse splays of a meandering drainage system grading towards the basin margin into a braided stream system on an alluvial fan plain. Strongly fluctuating water levels were responsible for the pronounced cyclicity to be encountered across the coal-bearing series. The processes of element redeposition and element migration in the Schirnding Basin are operative across the interface coal-saprolite (detrital influx of heavy minerals and intrastratal solution, hydrocarbon infiltration and redistribution of organic matter, reworking of duricrusts), in the saprolite proper (weathering leachats) and across the redox boundaries between the Schirnding Seam Zone and the Hanging Wall Series (input of physils and diagenetic alteration) as well as its strongly oxidized stratigraphic equivalents at the basin edge (volcanic influx, intrastratal solutions). Chemical and mineralogical variations across the coal basin which are directly controlled by the variation in the environment of deposition, weathering and groundwater movements may be directly correlated to changes in the saprock due to the immediate contact between coal and bedrock.     

欧亚持续性阻塞对6月大兴安岭地区气温和降水的影响及气温的前兆信号研究

根据国际新开发的可识别持续闭合性阻塞和开放性高压脊事件的判别方法,讨论了欧亚地区不同区域500 hPa持续性高值事件(PMZ)的发生频率及其对中国大兴安岭地区夏季气温和降水的影响.结果表明:欧亚105°—125°E区域内PMZ事件与夏季尤其是6月大兴安岭地区气温关系最为紧密.105°—125°E地区PMZ事件频发时,贝...