GPS-measured land subsidence in Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Land subsidence caused by compression of clay layers in Ojiya City, Japan was measured by global positioning system (GPS) between 1 April 1996 and 31 December 1998.

Three baselines were selected in and around the city, and height difference on a WGS-84 ellipsoid was measured by GPS on each baseline. The ground at the GPS station in the city subsides and rebounds 7 cm every winter and spring, respectively. Measurement accuracy was 9.5 mm standard deviation. Ground water level was observed at a well near the GPS station. Regression analysis between total strain, calculated as ratio of the height difference displacement to the total thickness of the clay layers, and the layers' effective stress change with ground water level change gave good correlation. The slope of regression line 7.0×10⁻¹¹ m²/N was obtained as an average apparent coefficient of volume compressibility of the layers.     

Digital model of corrected accumulated flow for peak discharge data acquisition and drainage system design

The design of a drainage system for a roofing slate quarry was implemented by the enhancement of discharge peak estimation, and the uncertainty inevitably associated with the engineering model was reduced.

The development of a topographical, geological, and vegetation cover database developed from a Geographical Information System (GIS) allowed for the definition of the drainage network for a hydraulic system, along with the calculation of the runoff coefficient. This is applied to the digital model of accumulated flow (DMF) as a weight correction coefficient, using a matrix-based model at 5×5 m resolution. The new digital model of corrected accumulated flow (DMCF) is the result of combining the thematic maps with the map of slope <3%, which was previously created from the slope model. It is demonstrated that this new model allows to apply the “Rational Method” on cartographic units defined by the GIS.

The DMCF is compared with other traditional applications of the Rational Method based on the calculation of the discharge peak considering: (1) the drainage basin as a single watershed or (2) defining an average runoff coefficient in each sub-watershed. Both approaches have bigger discharge peaks than those obtained by the DMCF since the slope, lithology, and vegetation cover have average values, and the runoff coefficient is poorly defined, increasing the uncertainty in the discharge peak.     

An experimental investigation of LNAPL migration in an unsaturated/saturated sand

Accidental spills of hydrocarbons, such as Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPLs), are one of the most common sources of subsurface contamination. Migration of LNAPL in a porous medium is influenced by various factors such as the number of fluids present in the unsaturated/saturated zones and the proportion of pores occupied by each fluid. The results for relationship between matric suction and degree of saturation are presented in this paper for water–air, water–LNAPL and LNAPL–air systems in a sand. A simple and reliable setup using Buchner funnel was designed to obtain these relations. It was found that the relationship between matric suction head and degree of saturation is hysteretic for all the fluid systems (water–air, water–LNAPL and LNAPL–air). Furthermore, the amount of hysteresis depended upon the fluid system, with the maximum hysteresis occurring for water–air system. The results suggest that the amount of trapped air depends upon the reversal degree of saturation from drying to wetting.     

Process of Housing Damage Assessment: The 1995 Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster Case

Rebuilding of victims' livelihoods was a crucial issue in the restoration process in the1995 Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster. Housing damage assessment influencedmost of the rebuilding of the livelihood in the long term, because the Victim Certificatesissued by the local governments based on the results of the Housing damage assessmentwas required to receive most of the individual assistance measures. In the process ofHousing damage assessment, many complex problems arose, leading to extensivework on the part of the disaster responders. Consequently, a considerable number ofvictims were dissatisfied with the assessment and applied for a resurvey. Due to a floodof requests for resurvey, disaster responders had to work on damage assessment, leavingrelief activities aside.In order to facilitate Housing damage assessment, this paper discusses thefollowing five points: (1) the processes and the problems of assessments performedin the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster, (2) the changes in the nature of informationneeded by the victims, (3) the improvements over the present damage assessment, (4)the housing situation in Japan, and (5) the international situation on damage assessment.It is obvious from the results that a poor damage assessment system and the size ofthe disaster produced a very large work load. Differences in appreciation among theinvestigators also contributed to unfair assessments and led to the victims beingincreasingly dissatisfied by the survey results. Finally, a design concept for acomprehensive damage assessment system, which has been derived from theabove five points, is proposed for post-disaster management.     

Magnetotelluric Investigation of the Hydrothermal System and Heat Source in the Muine-Toyoha Geothermal Area, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract. Magnetotelluric (MT) surveys were carried out around the Muine volcano, Hokkaido, Japan, where it is expected that the heat and metal source forming the polymetallic Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu-In Toyoha deposit is present at depth. Measurements were performed at 20 sites, 18 of which were located along a WSW-ENE profile traversing the north ridge of Mt. Muine. A resistivity model obtained from 2D inversion of the MT data shows subsurface specific conductive and resistive features. Conductive layers are present at the surface of Mt. Muine. The low resistivity is probably due to the clay-rich rocks associated with the hydrothermal alteration. A high resistivity layer, which corresponds to the pre-Tertiary Usubetsu Formation, crops out east of Mt. Muine and dips westward. At the west foot of Mt. Muine, relatively high resistive layers are widely exposed. The resistivity increases with depth and exceeds 1000 ohm-m. This fact indicates that this region is not influenced by the recent hydrothermal activity. An extremely conductive zone about 3–6 km wide and 6–9 km thick exists at a depth of 2 km below Mt. Muine. This zone mostly corresponds to an elastic wave attenuation zone detected by a seismic survey. It is interpreted as a large hydrothermal reservoir or melted magma, which is a heat source of the hydrothermal system in this area.     

Regional Fault Systems of Qaidam Basin and Adjacent Orogenic Belts

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the regional fault systems of Qaidam basin and ad-jacent orogenic belts. Field investigation and seismic interpretation indicate that five regional fault sys-tans occurred in the Qaidam and adjacent nment.qin belts, controlling the development and evolution of the Qaidam basin. These fault systems are: (1)north Qaidam-Qilian Mountain fault system; (2) south Qaidam-East Kunhm Mountain fault system;（3）Altun strike-slip fault system; (4) Elashan strike-slip fault system, and (5) Gansen-Xiaochaidan fault system. It is indicated that the fault systems controlled the orientation of the Qaidam basin, the formation and distribution of secondary faults within the basin,the migration of depocenters and the distribution of hydrocarbon accmnulation belt.     

Technology and Its Application： MIS with Geographical Information

Despite the constant expansion of the application of GIS, in recent years, the data process-ing ability of the application system developed with GIS_Tool is quite limited. Management information system with the geographical information can not only be used to deal with data commonly, but also deal with digitized maps as GIS_Tool does. Thus it can help the user develop an application system high-qual-ified both in maps and traditional data. This paper, by taking the method of integrated MapInfo in the application of Visual Basic as an example, mainly illustrates two technological problenm-integrated map technology and the multiuserization of Maplnfo geographical information. And also the concrete solu-tions to the problems are provided.     

Spatial Database Management System of China Geological Survey Extent

The spatial database management system of China geological survey extent is a social service system. Its aim is to help the government and the whole social public to expediently use the spatial database, such as querying, indexing, mapping and product outputting. The management system has been developed based on MAPGIS6. x SDK and Visual C , considering the spatial database contents and structure and the requirements of users. This paper introduces the software structure, the data flow chart and some key techniques of software development.     

用卫星高光谱数据提取江西德兴铜矿矿山废水的pH值污染指标

在对德兴铜矿矿山废水的光谱特征深入分析研究的基础上,总结了不同类型水体(酸性水、碱性水以及河流水)的特征光谱,并利用地物谱特征开展矿山废水pH值污染指标提取研究。针对水体光谱反射率低、特征光谱不明显的特点,采用矿区卫星Hyperion高光谱数据,应用ISA算法和掩膜技术识别出水体分布并进一步与MNF变换有效结合,根据波段散点图进行不同pH值水体的有效分割。为矿山废水污染的诊断和监测提供了新技术和理论支撑。     

沙尘暴天气监测预警服务业务系统设计思路及其实现

文中全面介绍了中国西北地区沙尘暴天气监测预警服务业务系统的设计思路及其先进性。该系统由沙尘天气资料库、沙尘天气监测预警和沙尘天气服务3个子系统构成。它的成功建设为西部大开发气象服务提供了有力的技术保障，为西部地区环境保护和环境监测奠定了基础。