Scale and the other: Levinas and geography

This paper seeks to contribute to Geography's recent conversation of identity, landscape, scale and difference. It brings into dialogue previously divergent discussions about space, place and difference and proposes an approach that treats time, space, place and scale as co-equal conceptual and/or analytical elements of cultural landscapes. It argues that many philosophical debates about embodiment, emplacement and difference abstract a universalized notion of `place', `body' and `self' which confounds and conflates scale issues and consequently confuses the dialectical interplay of `time', `space', `being' and `culture' across scales. The paper takes the work of Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995) and the discursive communities around it as a philosophical entry point into these debates.     

Transforming ellipsoidal heights and geoid undulations between different geodetic reference frames

Transforming height information that refers to an ellipsoidal Earth reference model, such as the geometric heights determined from GPS measurements or the geoid undulations obtained by a gravimetric geoid solution, from one geodetic reference frame (GRF) to another is an important task whose proper implementation is crucial for many geodetic, surveying and mapping applications. This paper presents the required methodology to deal with the above problem when we are given the Helmert transformation parameters that link the underlying Cartesian coordinate systems to which an Earth reference ellipsoid is attached. The main emphasis is on the effect of GRF spatial scale differences in coordinate transformations involving reference ellipsoids, for the particular case of heights. Since every three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system ‘gauges’ an attached ellipsoid according to its own accessible scale, there will exist a supplementary contribution from the scale variation between the involved GRFs on the relative size of their attached reference ellipsoids. Neglecting such a scale-induced indirect effect corrupts the values for the curvilinear geodetic coordinates obtained from a similarity transformation model, and meter-level apparent offsets can be introduced in the transformed heights. The paper explains the above issues in detail and presents the necessary mathematical framework for their treatment. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Vernacular heritage and evolving environmental policy in Australia: Lessons from the Murray–Darling Outreach Project

The interface between environmentalism and neoliberalism in industrialised nations is dynamic and evolving with each of these significant socio-political movements exerting influence on the other. In the context of Australian environmental policy, ideas of heritage, sense of place and belonging are increasingly invoked to support the current policy emphasis on the role of regional communities for realising goals for land and water conservation and environmental restoration. To explore the broader meaning and consequences of these developments, we focus on the manner in which ideas of heritage are employed and evoked within the Murray–Darling Outreach Project, a collaboration between the Murray–Darling Basin Commission, a key natural resource management agency, and the National Museum of Australia. The Murray–Darling Outreach Project has the aim of increasing community involvement in local environmental issues by promoting ideas of vernacular heritage.     

The Geographies of the Justice for Janitors

On the heels of the successes of its Justice for Janitors (J4J) model to organize cleaners in the United States, the Service Employees International Union is exporting this model to Canada and Australia. In this article we examine the geographies of the implementation of the J4J model in these two contexts. And while the “ramping up” of the J4J to the globe makes sense to organize an increasingly globalizing cleaning industry, the model must nonetheless pay attention to the local scale and histories of existing organizations.     

Refinement of the geopotential scale factorR 0 on

Altimetric measurements of the GEOSAT satellite were used for the determination of geopotential scale factorR ₀. The geopotential valueW ₀ on the geoid surface was then computed (W ₀ =GM/R ₀).The GEOSAT Geophysical Data Records (GDR's) covering an initial period of the Exact Repeat Mission (ERM) were filtered and processed. The necessary corrections were made in order to allow a precise detection of the sea surface. Gravitational geopotential, rotation and permanent tides were taken into account and the equipotential surface which is the best approximation of the sea surface was found.The determination of the potential valueW ₀ on the mean geoid surface in this way is very promising. An associated value withW ₀ - the geopotential scale factorR ₀ - seems to be a very good Earth dimension defining quantity. Moreover, there are many possible applications ofW ₀ (R ₀) in modern geophysics.The incorporation of one of these parameters - we now recommendR ₀ - into the set of the Primary Geodetic Parameters (PGP) is discussed and suggested.     

Modelling runoff and erosion for a semi-arid catchment using a multi-scale approach based on hydrological connectivity

Runoff and erosion processes are often non-linear and scale dependent, which complicate runoff and erosion modelling at the catchment scale. One of the reasons for scale dependency is the influence of sinks, i.e. areas of infiltration and sedimentation, which lower hydrological connectivity and decrease the area-specific runoff and sediment yield. The objective of our study was to model runoff and erosion for a semi-arid catchment using a multi-scale approach based on hydrological connectivity. We simulated runoff and sediment dynamics at the catchment scale with the LAPSUS model and included plot and hillslope scale features that influenced hydrological connectivity. The semi-arid Carcavo catchment in Southeast Spain was selected as the study area, where vegetation patches and agricultural terraces are the relevant sinks at the plot and hillslope scales, respectively. We elaborated the infiltration module to integrate these runoff sinks, by adapting the parameters runoff threshold and runoff coefficient, which were derived from a rainfall simulation database. The results showed that the spatial distribution of vegetation patches and agricultural terraces largely determined hydrological connectivity at the catchment scale. Runoff and sediment yield for the scenario without agricultural terraces were, respectively, a factor four and nine higher compared to the current situation. Distributed hydrological and erosion models should therefore take account of relevant sinks at finer scales in order to correctly simulate runoff and erosion-sedimentation patterns.     

Hydrogeological mapping in Switzerland

The 1:500,000 geological, tectonic and hydrogeological maps of Switzerland have been updated using a new approach for a geographical information system (GIS). Geological, tectonic and hydrogeological data are combined in a single polygon data set. Specific data (point and line elements) are additionally represented on a separate GIS layer for each map respectively. The new 1:500,000 hydrogeological map of Switzerland consists of two different sheets. The first sheet provides information on the near-surface groundwater resources and qualitative estimates of their yield. The second sheet displays the groundwater resource vulnerability and the capacity of lateral contaminant transport. The 1:100,000 hydrogeological map of Switzerland shows the distribution and use of groundwater in a selected area. The near-surface consolidated and unconsolidated rocks are classified in this map according to their permeability and lithological and petrographical properties. The map is available as a pixel map.

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Résumé  Les cartes aux 1:500,000 de la Suisse, portant sur la géologie, la tectonique et l’hydrogéologie, ont été mises à jour en utilisant une nouvelle approche pour un système d’information géographique (GIS, en anglais). Les données géologiques, tectoniques et hydrogéologiques ont été combinées sur un seul set de polygones. Les données plus spécifiques (points et lignes) sont représentées dans une couverture séparée, pour chaque carte respectivement. La nouvelle carte hydrogéologique de Suisse au 1:500,000 est constituée de deux différentes feuilles. La première feuille apporte des informations sur les ressources proches de la surface et sur leur rendement. La seconde feuille montre la vulnérabilité des ressources souterraines et le risque de pollution par transport latéral. La carte hydrogéologique de Suisse au 1:100,000 montre la distribution et l’utilisation de l’eau souterraine dans la région sélectionnée. Les roches consolidées ou meubles de sub-surface, sont classées au regard de leur perméabilité et de leurs propriétés lithologique et pétrographique. La carte est disponible pixellisée.

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Resumen  Los mapas geológico, tectónico e hidrogeológico de Suiza a escala 1:500,000 han sido actualizados utilizando un nuevo enfoque para un sistema de información geográfico (SIG). Los datos geológicos, tectónicos e hidrogeológicos se combinan en un conjunto de datos en un solo polígono. Por otra parte, para cada uno de los mapas, los datos específicos (elementos puntuales y lineales) se representaron en una capa separa del SIG. El nuevo mapa hidrogeológico de Suiza a escala 1:500,000 contiene dos capas diferentes. La primera de ellas suministra información de los recursos hídricos subterráneos poco profundos y estimaciones cualitativas de sus rendimientos. La segunda capa muestra la vulnerabilidad de este recurso y el riesgo debido al transporte lateral de contaminantes. El mapa hidrogeológico de Suiza a escala 1:100,000 muestra la distribución y uso del agua subterránea en un área seleccionada. Los sedimentos consolidados y no consolidados cercanos a la superficie se clasifican en este mapa en función de su permeabilidad y propiedades litológicas y petrográficas. El mapa se encuentra disponible como un mapa de pixeles.

     

Geomorphic considerations for erosion prediction

 Current soil-erosion prediction technology addresses processes of rainsplash, overland-flow sediment transport, and rill erosion in small watersheds. The effects of factors determining sediment yield from larger-scale drainage basins, in which sediment movement is controlled by the combined small-scale processes and a complex set of channel and other basin-scale sediment-delivery processes, such as soil creep, bioturbation, and accelerated erosion due to denudation of vegetation, have been poorly evaluated. General suggestions are provided for the development of erosion-prediction technology at the geomorphic or drainage-basin scale based on the separation of sediment-yield data for channel and geomorphic processes from those of field-scale soil loss. An emerging technology must consider: (1) the effects on sediment yield of climate, geology and soils, topography, biotic interactions with other soil processes, and land-use practices; (2) all processes of sediment delivery to a channel system; and (3) the general tendency in most drainage basins for progressively greater sediment storage in the downstream direction. Received: 8 November 1995 · Accepted: 20 November 1995     

An observational study of 300 mb winds in the tropical belt. Part II: Dynamical interpretation

An estimate of the magnitudes of the absolute vorticity advection terms and the terms in the balance equation suggest that the use of the barotropic vorticity equation within 5 degrees of latitude of the equator is not very good and that the linear balance equation is as good as the nonlinear balance equation in the equatorial region. Zonal Fourier analysis has revealed that the contribution from planetary scale waves is much larger than that from synoptic scale waves, being more in the winter hemisphere than in the summer hemisphere. In classical scale analysis there must be a distinction in wavelength between the zonal and the meridional directions for planetary scale waves. This distinction does not appear to be necessary for synoptic scale waves.     

景观格局与水土流失的尺度特征与耦合方法

景观格局与生态过程的耦合研究是景观生态学研究的核心科学问题,也是综合自然地理学深化和发展的关键.尺度广泛存在于生态学现象中,尺度效应与尺度转换是景观生态学研究面临的挑战,探讨格局与过程之间相互作用机理与尺度特征是为解决尺度问题提供理论依据的必然途径.水土流失作为一种生态过程,是国内外颇为关注的生态问题.依据多种研究手段,在不同尺度上开展景观格局与水土流失的相互关系与尺度特征的研究,在分析景观格局的时空异质性、水土流失的影响因子与尺度效应的基础上,揭示流域景观格局与水土流失的耦合机理,发展尺度转换方法和景观格局-水土流失过程耦合模型,是完善景观生态学的理论基础,是为水土流失区生态建设提供科学依据的重要途径.