Brazil’s Financial Centers in the Twenty-first Century: Hierarchy,Specialization, and Concentration

The purpose of this article is to examine how the geography of Brazil’s financial centers changed since 2000 in terms of financial center hierarchy, specialization, and spatial concentration. To address these questions, we use data on employment and mergers and acquisitions in financial and business services, complemented with data on remuneration and bank assets. Our results show that São Paulo has consolidated its dominance as Brazil’s primary financial center, with market for corporate control as an important channel of this process. Rio’s decline as a financial center, which started more than fifty years ago, has continued into this century. At the same time, Brasília has emerged as the third most important financial center of Brazil. We document the recent dynamic of this territorial division of labor, with Rio’s specialization in insurance and Brasília’s dependence on government-owned banks. Finally, we show signs that Brazil’s financial center activities might be following an inverse U-shaped pattern whereby increasing geographical concentration is followed by its slow decline. Key Words: Brazil, concentration, financial centers, São Paulo, territorial division of labor.     

A MIXTURE MODEL OF ANNUAL PRECIPITATION IN PERU*

A two component mixed log-normal distribution effectively models annual precipitation totals at two stations in Peru characterized by widely differing interannual patterns of precipitation. Physical evidence supports the division of station records into two subsamples. Years with ENSO events and years without ENSO events identify the components of a mixed probability model. The mixed model produces a superior fit to the two parameter log-normal distribution. Model application provides a reliable means of precipitation prediction and also quantitatively describes the highly variable temporal and spatial pattern of annual precipitation in western Peru.     

The impact of overfishing and El Niño on the condition factor and reproductive success of Peruvian hake, Merluccius gayi peruanus

In this study we examine physiological responses of Peruvian hake (Merluccius gayi peruanus) to changes in their population structure and physical environment during the period 1971–2004. In particular, we assess the relative investment of energy in growth and/or reproduction of small (20–35 cm) and large (35–50 cm) hake. We calculated the (i) condition (Fulton’s K), (ii) gonad and (iii) gut fullness indices for 42,761 female hakes sampled from commercial landings; these indices indicate fish somatic, reproductive and feeding condition, respectively. Using Generalized Additive Models we then examined potential relationships between these indices and sea surface temperature anomalies and date. Drastic energy exhaustion and a decrease in female hake fecundity were observed during El Niño events. The long-term trend showed a general increase in condition factor and a decrease in gonad index for large hake between 1971 and 2004. Small hake exhibited a different trend with an increase in reproductive activity, which was accompanied by an earlier maturation. We hypothesise that the observed low investment of energy in reproduction by large female hake might be related to the lack of large males, due to a sex-selective fishery and the impact of El Niño. We suggest that fishing diminished hake reproductive capacity, modified the sex ratio in favour of females and increased population vulnerability to environmental stress, in particular to the El Niño. The impact of multidecadal variability and predators like the squid, Dosidicus gigas, remain unresolved until longer time series become available.     

云南省者竜—嘎洒地区Cr、Ni地球化学特征及土壤污染风险防控建议

依据云南省者奄—嘎洒地区土地质量地球化学调查数据,研究了表层土壤中Cr、Ni地球化学特征及主要影响因素,分析了农产品Cr、Ni含量特征.结果 表明,研究区表层土壤中Cr、Ni含量受控于地质背景,光山—和平丫口岩体(σ)发育的土壤中Cr、Ni含量明显高于其他地层发育的土壤;不同类型土壤中Cr、Ni含量差异较大,且土地利用...     

Long bone histology of a eusuchian crocodyliform from the Upper Cretaceous of Spain: Implications for growth strategy in extinct crocodiles

The long bone histology of a Late Cretaceous eusuchian crocodyliform from the Iberian Peninsula reveals clear variations in the cortical structure which reflects changes in the speed of bone deposition (i.e., skeletal growth) related to ontogeny. The presence of secondary woven-fibred bone tissue in the perimedullar region of the cortex, and the existence of an external fundamental system in the most external periostic cortex, which is a proxy for somatic maturity and effective cessation of growth, challenges the former idea that the growth strategy of extinct crocodylians fit in the typical ectotherm condition, according to which these animals grew slowly during life under an indeterminate growth strategy. The analysed specimen lived for a minimum of 16 years and the highest preserved apposition rates took place in an advanced ontogenetic stage. The study suggests that the general aspects of the modern crocodylian growth strategy were already in place in some lineages by the Cretaceous.     

中条山西南段与变基性岩有关的铜矿地质特征及成因浅析

与变基性岩有关的铜矿 ,是在中条山西南段新发现的一种新的铜矿类型 ,其形成是在原始基性岩浆侵入或喷发作用形成的矿源岩或矿化体基础上 ,经过区域变质和印支 -燕山期构造 -岩浆热液的改造加富而成 ,其成因应属与变基性岩有关的变质 -热液改造型铜 (镍、铁 )矿床。     

Ice flow direction during late Paleozoic glaciation in western Paraná Basin, Brazil

The recent discovery of ice-striated surfaces associated with the late Paleozoic Aquidauana Formation suggests that glaciers coming from southwest Africa reached westernmost parts of the Paraná Basin in central Brazil. Abrasion features were developed by glaciers moving from SSE towards NNW, mainly on an unconsolidated bed. These records expand to about 1,050,000 km², the coverage of the late Paleozoic glaciation in the region of the Paraná Basin in Western Gondwana.

Resumen

A recente descoberta de superfícies estriadas associadas à Formação Aquidauana, de idade permocarbonífera, sugere que as geleiras provenientes do sudoeste da África alcançaram as porções ocidentais da Bacia do Paraná, na região central do Brasil. As feições de abrasão foram geradas pelo deslocamento de geleiras de SSE para NNW, principalmente sobre substrato inconsolidado. Estes novos registros evidenciam que a glaciação neopaleozóica cobriu uma área de pelo menos de 1.050.000 km² na região ocupada pela Bacia do Paraná no Gondwana Ocidental.     

近年来厄尔尼诺期间北赤道流输运的年际变化

为了研究近年来厄尔尼诺期间北赤道流输运的年际变化,本文利用海洋客观分析数据MOAA GPV(Grid Point Value of the Monthly Objective Analysis)以及P-vector方法计算了北太平洋绝对地转流,探讨了2001~2013年期间厄尔尼诺与北赤道流输运之间的关系。在此期间发生的4次厄尔尼诺事件中,北赤道流输运在2002~2003、2006~2007、2009~2010年的厄尔尼诺成熟期都出现了明显的增强,但是在2004~2005年的厄尔尼诺成熟期并没有明显的增强。进一步分析发现,在2002~2003年、2006~2007年、2009~2010年的厄尔尼诺成熟期,10°N以南的热带西北太平洋区域出现了负的海面高度异常和气旋式环流异常,这主要是由热带环流区域出现的西风异常和正的Ekman抽吸通过Rossby波西传到热带西太平洋区域所致;但是在2004~2005年厄尔尼诺成熟期,海面温度异常的分布明显不同,西风异常和正的Ekman抽吸异常明显北移,导致负的海面高度异常和气旋式环流异常出现在了10°N以北的西北太平洋区域,使得北赤道流输运在2004~2005年的厄尔尼诺成熟期没有明显的增强。     

GEOGRAPHY AND THE LESSONS FROM EL NIÑO*

Recognized for years as a major environmental disruption, El Niño generated intense public interest in 1982–1983. During its last occurrence, this phenomenon, which develops in the tropical Pacific and usually affects rimlands of the Pacific basin, exceeded its boundaries and its effects were transmitted to continental North America, Europe, Africa and East Asia. Notwithstanding its vast areal extent, the interest of geographers in El Niño events, past and recent, has been comparatively less than that demonstrated by natural scientists and ecologists: little has been accomplished to place these climatic-ecological crises within global perspective. Lessons from El Niño include the acknowledgement of new concepts of climatic transitivity, ocean dynamics and energy exchanges that must find a place within the conceptual wealth of geography if this science intends to keep up with the rapid progress of other geosciences.     

板片俯冲过程中Co、Ni的分布及迁移特征——以西南天山为例

在板片俯冲过程中, 基性洋壳、下伏蛇纹石化岩石圈地幔和覆盖在俯冲洋壳上的大洋沉积物在不同深度会依次发生板片脱水作用和沉积物熔融, 形成的俯冲带熔/流体可携带某些元素交代地幔楔, 进而通过弧岩浆作用返回地壳。同时, 俯冲板片内不同组分之间也会发生化学成分的迁移和交换, 并最终进入深部地幔, 造成地幔不均一性和不同程度壳幔相互作用。本文报道了我国西南天山典型高压-超高压变质带中蛇纹岩、辉石岩、绿片岩、蓝片岩和榴辉岩内各矿物相的主量元素及Cu、Co、Ni含量数据。结果表明, 除辉石岩中透辉石的Cu含量较高(1.26×10^-6~76.9×10^-6)外, 其它硅酸盐矿物的Cu含量均在1.0×10^-6~10.0×10^-6左右; 而Co和Ni在不同岩性及不同矿物之间显示较大的含量差异: 蛇纹岩中蛇纹石的Co和Ni含量分别为22.6×10^-6~49.6×10^-6和482×10^-6~1097×10^-6, 榴辉岩中绿辉石的Co和Ni含量分别为6.0×10^-6~66.2×10^-6和21.6×10^-6~506×10^-6, 辉石岩中透辉石的Co和Ni含量分别为20.8×10^-6~289×10^-6和69.5×10^-6~351×10^-6, 蓝片岩中蓝闪石的Co和Ni含量分别为9.0×10^-6~94.3×10^-6和75.5×10^-6~495×10^-6。绿片岩、蓝片岩和榴辉岩中均含石榴子石, Co、Ni含量变化范围分别为1.2×10^-6~134×10^-6和7.7×10^-6~26.9×10^-6。相较于绿片岩, 蓝片岩和榴辉岩中石榴子石的Co、Ni含量较高。矿物成分剖面分析表明, 蓝片岩和榴辉岩的石榴子石中由核至边Co含量明显增加, 而Ni含量无太大变化。这些矿物中Cu、Co和Ni的分布特征揭示, 随着板片持续俯冲深度的增加, 变质作用程度从绿片岩至榴辉岩, 硅酸盐矿物中Cu含量几乎不发生变化, 而Co和Ni的含量显示升高的趋势, 这可能与蛇纹岩和辉石岩的参与程度有关, 也显示Co具有较强的熔流体活动性和可迁移性。三种元素的迁移特征和变化规律表明俯冲板片对产于俯冲带的富Cu矿床中金属Cu的贡献可能主要来自于其中的硫化物而非硅酸盐矿物, 残余板片中硅酸盐矿物的熔融可能对俯冲结束后形成的岩浆Cu-Ni硫化物矿床提供Ni和Co元素的贡献。结合西南天山高压-超高压变质带所揭示的俯冲熔/流体的还原性特征, 上述推论可为解释中亚造山带南缘古生代斑岩铜矿, 尤其是还原性斑岩铜矿的发现, 并对岩浆铜镍硫化物矿床的时空分布和成矿特征提供重要制约。