The status of geological dredging techniques

Scientific sea-floor dredging is currently used in marine geology primarily by the hard-rock community interested in the recovery of basement rock samples from the unsedimented deep ocean floor. The technique has generally been eclipsed by ocean drilling for recovery of sedimentary rocks, because of perceived uncertainties in the location of sampling and in the representativeness of recovered material. This contribution reviews dredging equipment currently in use by marine geological institutions and refers to pinger attachments that allow precise information on the behaviour of the dredge to be telemetered back to the ship. We argue that improvements in ship navigation and transponder navigation at the seafloor, when used in conjunction with surface and/or deeply towed sidescan and swathemapping surveys, now allow for considerably less uncertainty on the location of dredge sampling. Refined sorting criteria for dredge hauls are now also available. Recent comparisons of regional sample recovery by ocean drilling and by dredge sampling indicate that the dredge hauls can usefully supplement the drilling data in the construction of sedimentary and tectonic histories of seafloor areas.     

大亚湾海域重金属潜在生态危害评价

采用金属潜在生态危害系数和危害指数的评估方法，评价了大亚湾海域重金属对海洋生态系统的潜在危害。结果表明，大亚湾海域重金属潜在生态危害轻微，而养殖海区和近岸海区的重金属潜在生态危害则相对较重，大亚湾海域重金属的潜在生态危害较珠江口外浅海轻。     

工程风险分析中的风险当量及其评价标准

目前，量化、半量化风险分析是工程风险分析的主流。在对工程进行量化和半量化风险分析时，无论采用什么方法，风险评价指标和评价标准都是关键的重要问题。只有在建立了统一的评价指标和评价标准体系的基础上，对工程进行的风险分析能够得出正确和一致的结论。文章通过对国内外风险分析理论和实践的研究和总结，提出了在工程风险分析中确定风险评价指标和评价标准的原则和方法。     

Structural modeling and testing of a concrete canoe

A finite element model is set up and experimental tests are performed to help understand the behavior of a concrete canoe and subsequently optimize its design. First, the performance criteria that must be satisfied to participate at the annual ASCE/Master Builders competition are described. Then, the finite element model and the different loading cases that were studied are presented. Results from these loading cases are discussed and used to optimize the material properties as well as the thickness of the hull and the dimensions of the gunwale and reinforcing ribs. Static and dynamic experimental tests were also conducted to validate the results of the finite element analyses. The results indicate that the main stresses and strains are caused by the static load cases. The additional stresses caused during races are small.     

An evaluation of systems for the integrated assessment of capture fisheries

Integrated fishery assessments are intended to take an integrated and wholistic view of fisheries management, to provide comprehensive systems-based evaluations of the sustainability of individual fisheries and their products. Using guidance derived from decision theory and management science, we develop 18 criteria to evaluate the likely effectiveness of nine integrated fishery assessment systems. The assessment systems do not consistently consider four key criteria: the socio-economic impacts of fisheries, the provision of food security, the local relevance of the assessment to the fishery under assessment, and the independent peer review of assessment outcomes. Other important areas of weakness include the lack of appropriate consultation processes relating to both the design of the assessment system and the outcomes of fishery assessments, and limitations in the quality of data and information used in assessments. Improvements will be needed in these areas across all the systems we evaluated if fishers, consumers, managers and other stakeholders are to be provided with consistently reliable assessment outcomes, and an assurance of the sustainability of capture fisheries.     

协方差阵二次型容许估计的一个必要条件

研究协方差阵Σ的二次型容许估计问题。设 y1,y2 ,… ,yniid,n≥ 2 ,y1与 p维正态分布N (β,Σ )有相同的前四阶矩。其中β =(β1,β2 ,… ,βp)′∈ Rp与Σ =(σij) p× p >0均未知。记 y =△ (y1,y2 ,… ,yn)′。在二次损失 L (d ,Σ ) =tr(d -Σ) 2下给出Σ的二次型估计 a S2 + nby-y-′是容许估计的必要条件为 :(n - 1) a + b + 2 max(a,b)≤ 1。此必要条件比张立振等协方差阵的二次型容许估计中的必要条件有了明显的加强     

Examination of empirical formulas for wave shoaling and breaking on steep slopes

Estimation of the wave height transformation of shoaling and breaking is essential for the nearshore hydrodynamics and the design of coastal structures. Many empirical formulas have been well recognized to the wave height transformation, but most of them were only applicable for gentle slopes. This paper reports the experimental results of wave shoaling and breaking over the steep slopes to examine the applicability of the previous empirical formulas. Two steep bottom slopes of 1/3 and 1/5, and one gentle slope of 1/10 were conducted in the present experiments. Experimental results show that the shoaling distance of steep slopes become short and the surface waves may be partially reflected from the steep bottom, thus the estimation of wave shoaling using the well-known previous formula did not conform completely to the experimental results. The previous empirical formulas for the wave breaking criteria were also examined, and the modified equations to the steep beaches were proposed in this work. A numerical model was finally adopted to calculate the wave height transformation in the surf zone by introducing the modified breaking index.