GIS in the K-12 Curriculum: A Cautionary Note

Two qualitative case studies, one focusing on K-12 teachers and the other on middle school students, explore key factors associated with using Geographic Information Systems in the classroom. In both studies, access to appropriate hardware is a critical barrier. Time is another critical barrier—time to learn the GIS software and time in the curriculum to incorporate GIS as a learning experience. In both case studies, learning the technology at the expense of learning spatial analysis was a danger, suggesting the need for conscious focus on the goal of using GIS to learn how to “do geography.”     

A wavelet method for detecting S‐waves in seismic data

Seismic signals consist of several typically short energy bursts, called phases, exhibiting several patterns in terms of dominant frequency, amplitude and polarisation. We present a fast algorithm to detect the so‐called S‐phase in a three‐component seismic signal. This new approach combines traditional S‐phase detection methods and the discrete wavelet transform. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

富锂尖晶石锂锰氧化物的电化学性能

以LiOH.H2O和Mn(CH3COO)2.2H2O为原料,通过微波烧结和固相烧结的两段烧结法合成了锂离子电池正极材料Li3.22Na0.569Mn5.78O12尖晶石。研究表明,在380℃的固相烧结温度下,微波处理有利于生成纯尖晶石相。在2.5~4.5V电压区间,样品的初始放电容量高于132 mAh/g。在充放电过程中,40循环的放电容量几乎不衰减。微波烧结使该样品的Mn-O键被加强,晶格结构在充放电过程中保持稳定。     

Variations of the alpine precipitation from an ice core record of the Laohugou glacier basin during 1960-2006 in western Qilian Mountains,China

The net accumulation record of ice core is one of the most reliable indicators for reconstructing precipitation changes in high mountains. A 20.12 m ice core was drilled in 2006 from the accumulation zone of Laohugou Glacier No.12 in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China. We obtained the precipitation from the ice core net accumulation during 1960-2006, and found out the relationship between Laohugou ice core record and other data from surrounding sites of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Results showed that during 1960-2006, the precipitation in the high mountains showed firstly an increasing trend, while during 1980 to 2006 it showed an obvious decreasing trend. Reconstructed precipitation change in the Laohugou glacier basin was consistent with the measured data from the nearby weather stations in the lower mountain of Subei, and the correlation coefficient was 0.619 (P<0.001). However, the precipitation in the high mountain was about 3 times more than that of the lower mountain. The precipitation in Laohugou Glacier No.12 of the western Qilian Mountains corresponded well to the net accumulation of Dunde ice core during the same period, tree-ring reconstructed precipitation, the measured data of multiple meteorological stations in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, and also the changes of adjacent PDSI drought index. Precipitation changes of the Laohugou glacier basin and other sites of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau had significantly positive correlation with ENSO, which implied that the regional alpine precipitation change was very likely to be influenced by ENSO.     

2014年2月12日新疆于田7．3级地震抗震安居（安居富民）房破坏比初步分析

2014年2月12日新疆于田Ms7．3地震是新疆开展抗震安居（安居富民）房建设以来首次产生较大规模成灾破坏震例,以震区抗震房不同结构类型破坏程度和抽样调查数据确定震区抗震房Ⅵ度区和Ⅶ度区的破坏比,与新疆历史破坏性地震相似结构类型房屋的破坏比进行对比分析。     

祁连山老虎沟12号冰川退缩对细菌优势种群影响的初步研究

随着全球冰川正在越来越多的地区融化, 冰川微生物资源很可能会由于冰川退缩而未被人类所发现就已受到生存的威胁而濒危.以祁连山老虎沟12号冰川消融区和末端雪样及末端土样为研究对象, 采用培养方法、分子鉴定, 研究冰川雪样优势菌群在冰川末端土样的分布状况及生理生化指标变化情况, 分析冰川细菌优势菌群在冰川退缩后适应非雪环境的能力.结果表明: 冰川末端雪样优势菌为1BW1和1BW2所代表的Pedobacter, 该属在冰川消融区雪样和冰川末端土样中未分离到; 冰川消融区雪样优势菌为2BW所代表的Acinetobacter, 该属在冰川末端雪样中的数量较少, 在冰川末端土样中的数量更少.不同采样位点16S rRNA序列相似性高的菌株其生理生化特征比相同采样位点的大.因此, 冰川冰退缩可能会引发冰川雪样中的优势种群不能适应新环境而灭绝. 应加强冰川细菌资源利用和保护的研究基础.     

广东雷州地区3种滨珊瑚系统发生关系的研究

对雷州常见的3种滨珊瑚科珊瑚：澄黄滨珊瑚（Porites lutea）、灰黑滨珊瑚（Porites nigrescens）、普哥滨珊瑚（Porites pukoensis）,共32个样本的12S rRNA基因序列进行了PCR扩增和测序,研究其系统发生关系。结果显示,所得的3种珊瑚的12S rRNA基因长度在728～908 bp之间,G+C含量在34.3%～39.2%之间,遗传距离在0.004~0.019之间。利用邻接（NJ）法、最大似然（ML）法和不加权对群分析(UPGMA)法构建的系统进化树显示：3种珊瑚被分成了2个支系,澄黄滨珊瑚和灰黑滨珊瑚聚合在一个分支上,而普格滨珊瑚在另一支,这一研究结果与传统形态学分类研究的结果存在一定差异。     

含钙铝铁水解聚合产物的矿物学研究Ⅱ:热分解特性

分别以NaOH和Ca(OH)2作为碱化剂,合成了聚合氯化铝铁(PAFCNa,PAFCCa),比较样聚合氯化铝(PACNa,PACCa)、聚合氯化铁(PFCNa,PFCCa),制成低温干燥样进行热分解检测.热重分析证明,PAFCCa中的含水量高,主要是配位水与结晶水.当n(Al)/n(Fe)>5:5后,PAFCCa的含水量平均为42.3%.按Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12·26H2O分子式计算,钙矾石的结构水(含OH水)含量为43.06%,两者含水量相当接近.TG-DTG热分析结果支持XRD对PAFCCa中存在含Ca3Al2(OH)12柱体的类钙矾石结构体的认定.PAFC-Ca根据其DTG曲线上的125℃和180℃两个脱水速率(肩)峰可以判别其中有无钙矾石结构体,以及相对量的多少.     

Using geospatial technology to strengthen data systems in developing countries: The case of agricultural statistics in India

Despite significant progress in the development of quantitative geography techniques and methods and a general recognition of the need to improve the quality of geographic data, few studies have exploited the potential of geospatial tools to augment the quality of available data methods in developing countries. This paper uses data from an extensive deployment of geospatial technology in India to compare crop areas estimated using geospatial technology to crop areas estimated by conventional methods and assess the differences between the methods. The results presented here show that crop area estimates based on geospatial technology generally exceed the estimates obtained using conventional methods. This suggests that conventional methods are unable to respond quickly to changes in cropping patterns and therefore do not accurately record the area under high-value cash crops. This finding has wider implications for commercializing agriculture and the delivery of farm credit and insurance services in developing countries. Significant data errors found in the conventional methods could affect critical policy interventions such as planning for food security. Some research and policy implications are discussed.