Engineering characteristics and uses of duricrusts in Australia

The uses and shortcomings of duricrusts (ferricrete, calcrete and silcrete) in engineering construction (as used for road‐base, aggregate, foundation materials and aquifers) are reviewed. Australian production of these materials represents about one‐third of all unprocessed road‐base and they are especially important as pavement courses for lightly trafficked, low‐cost rural and outback roads. However, duricrusts are regarded as marginal materials at best because of their typically poor grading, particle unsoundness, high fines plasticity, and absorption of water and bitumen. These materials are used because they are available locally in areas that are otherwise lacking in hard rock materials, such as deeply weathered and sedimentary rock terrains. The weathering profiles of which they form part are characterized by high permeability (despite being clay‐rich), variable cementation, low compressibility and a tendency to become weaker with depth. Although the more indurated layers are unrippable, they are also difficult to blast. Pedogenic (nodular) duricrusts were formerly sought for natural road‐base, because they occur widely and require only rudimentary processing. However, well‐cemented groundwater (vadose) duricrusts are now the preferred deposits, even though they require crushing and screening. Ferricrete is the most widely exploited of the duricrusts for engineering purposes, especially in northern and southwestern Australia, although calcrete is important in South Australia and in the Murray Basin. Silcrete is only a minor source of aggregate and road‐base, mainly in western Queensland.     

Interpolation by regularized spline with tension: II. Application to terrain modeling and surface geometry analysis

A general approach to the computation of basic topographic parameters independent of the spatial distribution of given elevation data is developed. The approach is based on an interpolation function with regular first and second order derivatives and on application of basic principles of differential geometry. General equations for computation of profile, plan, and tangential curvatures are derived. A new algorithm for construction of slope curves is developed using a combined grid and vector approach. Resulting slope curves better fulfill the condition of orthogonality to contours than standard grid algorithms. Presented methods are applied to topographic analysis of a watershed in central Illinois.     

地形图等高线成组综合的试验

本文在讨论制图自动综合一般问题的基础上,着重分析了两种等高线自动综合的技术路线存在的优缺点。笔者提出,采用模拟人类专家智能的方法,从二维的等高线输入数据出发,提取地貌结构信息,从而对等高线进行成组的综合,直接形成经综合的二维等高线输出数据,有可能获得较为简捷,效果良好的综合结果。在对这条技术路线进行实验的过程中所涉及的人工智能问题,主要包括:对无序数字化等高线数据的整理、等高线上重要特征点的识别、正负向地貌特征的确定、谷地点的选出、谷底线的自动跟踪、谷地重要性的计算、谷间距的自动量算、对称谷地的寻找、综合后图形的生成等。     

矿岩界线的自动推连

着重讨论了如何利用人工智能技术进行矿岩界线的自动推断和连接，包括对所研制的基于知识的矿岩界线自动推连系统（ＡＩＳＭＢ）的措述，关于数据与知识的表示和组织、推理过程、策略以及系统实现等内容。     

任意阶次磁多极子场力线方程的解析表示

本文证明任意阶次磁多极子场力线方程总可以用有限形式解析地表示，并对偶极族和四极族磁多极子场力线的位形给予注记。     

Hydrogen recombination lines near 327 MHz−II: A Galactic plane survey with a 2°×6′ beam

In a previous paper we presented a low-resolution (2°×2°) survey of radio recombination lines (RRLs) at 327 MHz in the longitude rangel=330° to 0° to 89°. In this paper, we present the results of a higher resolution (2°×6′) survey of RRLs from seven 2°-wide fields and two 6°-wide fields in the same longitude range. Observations were made using the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT). A total of 252 spectra that were obtained are presented. RRLs were detected in almost all the individual positions within the fields withl<35° and at several individual positions within the fields in the longitude rangel=35° to 85°. Detailed analysis of the data towards the field centered at G45.5+0.0, shows that the line emission consists of discrete zones of ionized gas. The angular extent of these zones are likely to be one degree or more corresponding to a linear size of >110 pc at the kinematic distance.     

基于启发式图搜索的遥感影像道路半自动提取

启发式图搜索法用于线状目标识别的原理是：用图结构表示边缘点和边缘段，根据启发函数计算顶点权值，在图的路径上建立相应的代价函数，通过在图中搜索对应的最小代价的通道以找到最优路径。图搜索法是一种全局最优方法，它在受噪声影响较大时效果仍然较好。文中使用了启发式图搜索法（A*算法）实现了道路的半自动跟踪。它的基本思路是：首先利用自适应平滑滤波算子进行道路信息增强，然后对传统的道路数学模型进行了进一步的扩展，突出了对道路几何特性和辐射特性的描述，并依此构建图搜索的代价函数，实现了基于启发式图搜索法A*算法的道路半自动跟踪。经实验证明，该方法进行遥感影像的道路半自动提取效果较好。     

城市交通网络面向对象的时空数据模型研究

原有的城市交通网络数据模型无法对大比例地图中道路的面状特征进行描述。本文引入面向对象的时空数据模型 ,把各种实体作为对象 ,把道路作为面状要素描述。作为面状要素的道路对象直接继承原有道路的非空间特征 ,通过道路中心线对象和交点对象来继承原有线状要素的道路特征 ,包括网络关系和叠加关系等 ,通过车道段对象来增加作为面状要素的道路特征     

Conference Reports

18th International Symposium of Cipa by D. M. Barber, p.505
48th Photogrammetric Week by A. T. Smart, p.506
5th Conference on Optical 3D Measurement Techniques by G. Hunter, p.509     

Book Review

Books reviewed:
S. Openshaw and R. J. Abrahart, Geocomputation
M. Craglia and H. Onsrud, Geographic Information Research: Transatlantic Perspectives
P. J. Halls, Spatial Information and the Environment
J. Sievers and T. Schneider, Second International Symposium on Geographical Names: Geonames 2000
J. C. Leachtenauer and R. G. Driggers, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Imaging Systems: Modelling and Performance Prediction
P. A. Longley, M. F. Goodchild, D. J. Maguire and D. W. Rhind, Geographic Information Systems and Science
Y. Q. Chen and Y. C. Lee, Geographical Data Acquisition
K. Borre, Plane Networks and their Applications.
A. Hirschfield and K. Bowers, Mapping and Analysing Crime Data: Lessons from Research and Practice
O. Koelbl, Proceedings of the Oeepe Workshop on Automation in Digital Photogrammetric Production
RICS Books, Vertical Aerial Photography and Derived Digital Imagery: Client Specification Guidelines
D. E. Reeve and J. R. Petch, Gis Organisations and People: A Socio-Technical Approach