Marine science and technology transfer: Can the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission advance governance of biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction?

Marine scientific research is crucial to forge solutions in the development of a new international legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea . The transfer of marine technology, capacity development and marine genetic resources are key issues. This paper examines how the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), as a competent international organisation for marine scientific research and technology transfer, can inform the development of the instrument. Synergies between marine technology transfer and non-monetary benefit sharing of genetic resources are illustrated. Four key lessons from the IOC are examined: 1. Coordinating international cooperation in marine scientific research; 2. Enabling open access to data and knowledge; 3. Facilitating capacity development through scientific training and education; and 4. Governance of marine scientific research. Realising the potential of the IOC to advance governance solutions for ABNJ will depend on increased political will from Member States and strengthened partnerships to reduce resource constraints and enhance the IOC's capacity at global and regional scales.     

“To Understand the Place”: Geographical Knowledge and Diplomatic Practice

Diplomats produce a great deal of geographical knowledge: By reporting on distant places to their governments, they create particular understandings of political space. Yet these professionals rarely link their work to geography: What a geographer might call a geographical sensibility is labeled cultural knowledge by a diplomat. This article clarifies the relationship between geographical knowledge and diplomatic practice. Empirically, it draws from nearly 100 interviews with foreign policy professionals to offer a more “peopled” or quasi-ethnographic account of diplomacy than is usually available in scholarly literature. Conceptually, the article contributes to our understanding of how geographical knowledge is created inside diplomatic and bureaucratic institutions.     

GIS professional development for teachers: lessons learned from high-needs schools

University faculty partners from the Departments of Geography and Instruction and Teacher Education at a large, public university collaborated with K-12 teachers and the leadership of a rural school district in order to investigate the crosscutting content of science, mathematics, and geography through the integration of web-based GIS technologies. The project explored the critical connections among technology, pedagogy, and content with a particular emphasis on developing technology-enhanced, inquiry-based lessons in which the teachers and their students used GIS technologies to analyze, visualize, and present data in real-world contexts. The findings highlight the importance of well-structured professional development that builds community, integrates diverse content and pedagogical expertise, provides feedback and coaching, and is of sufficient duration to effect change.     

美国极地钻探科学目标分析与钻探技术进展

极地钻探是获取极地冰层或冰下环境样品和在极地冰层或冰下布放科学观测仪器的最直接方法,是开展极地科学研究的必要技术手段。美国是开展极地钻探较早的国家之一,也是极地钻探强国。相比美国,我国极地钻探技术尚处于起步阶段。本文以《美国冰钻委员会长期科学规划2021-2031》为基础,结合其官方网站和相关文献资料,梳理了美国极地钻探科学目标和极地钻探技术现状,并简要介绍了过去10年美国极地钻探的现场工作情况及其在未来3年的工作计划,以期为我国极地钻探发展提供参考。     

活动断裂带岩石的变形机制和摩擦性质—以圣·安德列斯断层为例

岩石的变形机制和力学性质对认识活动断裂带的孕震机制和发震过程都具有重要意义。圣·安德列斯（San Andreas）转换断层是太平洋板块与北美板块的构造边界,也是重要的地震活动带,总结了美国南加州地震中心对圣·安德列斯断层钻孔断层岩的研究进展。对断层泥的高速摩擦实验发现：动力弱化现象只在高速滑移时才发生,伴随着摩擦生热,岩石的摩擦系数显著降低。断层泥中富镁黏土矿物的富集可以显著降低断层的摩擦系数,促进蠕滑,黏土矿物的不均一分布可导致断裂带变形行为和地震分布的突变。与断层泥和碎裂岩不同,粉碎岩形成于快速传播地震的断裂端部,具高孔隙率和高渗透率,流体活动性强。此外,断层岩的有机质成熟度可用来追溯古地震造成的热异常。在川滇中国地震科学实验场开展科学钻探项目,研究断层岩样品的显微结构、物理性质和变形历史,以期为理解大陆汇聚与转换挤压过程中复杂的地震活动提供重要信息。     

Structural characteristics of the KPR-CBR triple-junction inferred from gravity and magnetic interpretations,Philippine Sea Plate

The intersection of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR) and the Central Basin Rift (CBR) of the West Philippine Basin (WPB) is a relic of a trench-trench-rift (TTR) type triple-junction, which preserves some pivotal information on the cessation of the seafloor spreading of the WPB, the emplacement and disintegration of the proto-Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) Arc, and the transition from initial rifting to steady-state spreading of the Parece Vela Basin (PVB). However, the structural characteristics of this triple-junction have not been thoroughly understood. In this paper, using the newly acquired multi-beam bathymetric, gravity, and magnetic data obtained by the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, the authors depict the topographic, gravity, and magnetic characteristics of the triple-junction and adjacent region. Calculations including the upward continuations and total horizontal derivatives of gravity anomaly are also performed to highlight the major structural features and discontinuities. Based on these works, the morphological and structural features and their formation mechanisms are analyzed. The results show that the last episode amagmatic extension along the CBR led to the formation of a deep rift valley, which extends eastward and incised the KPR. The morphological and structural fabrics of the KPR near and to the south of the triple-junction are consistent with those of the western PVB, manifesting as a series of NNE-SSW- and N-S-trending ridges and troughs, which were produced by the extensional faults associated with the initial rifting of the PVB. The superposition of the above two reasons induced the prominent discontinuity of the KPR in deep and shallow crustal structures between 15°N–15°30′N and 13°30′N–14°N. Combined with previous authors’ results, we propose that the stress produced by the early spreading of the PVB transmitted westward and promoted the final stage amagmatic extension of the CBR. The eastward propagation of the CBR destroyed the KPR, of which the magmatism had decayed or ceased at that time. The destruction mechanism of the KPR associated with the rifting of the PVB varies along strike the KPR. Adjacent to the triple-junction, the KPR was destroyed mainly due to the oblique intersection of the PVB rifting center. Whereas south of the triple-junction, the KPR was destroyed by the E-W-directional extensional faulting on its whole width.©2021 China Geology Editorial Office.     

四川盆地云和降水观测科学试验设计与实践

2014—2017年四川地区开展了大范围云系观测科学试验。观测对象以盆地层状云系和积层混合云系为主,积状云(对流云)为辅。本文围绕试验目标、区域、观测要素、观测布局设计、观测方案设计、设备技术参数和典型个例等7个方面进行介绍,根据不同类型云系和降水变化特征,设计有针对性的观测方案,获得了不同类型云系和降水的多尺度连续性观测数据,为四川地区开展云和降水关系研究提供详实的综合型外场观测数据。层状降水云典型个例云高可达8km,云强核心部位的云雷达反射率可达28dBz,径向速度可达-6m·s~(-1),在0℃附近,反射率和退偏振因子LDR上有一条明显的亮带,表现为极大值,液态水主要集中于4.5km以下,随着雨强增大,液水含量增加,降水滴谱分布较窄,随着雨强减小,雨滴谱和速度谱变窄,但小粒径数浓度增加,说明对层状云雨强起主导作用的是雨滴直径,而不是数浓度;无降水层状云典型个例云层厚度为3.2km,云顶约为4km,云雷达反射率不超过0dBz,径向速度不超过5m·s~(-1),层状云内整层水汽含量和液水含量较为稳定,云中主要为液态粒子且粒径偏小、小粒径数浓度较高。     

地质岩芯科技资源科普化工作探索与实践——以自然资源实物地质资料中心为例

岩芯科技资源科普化是打通地质科研—科普链条的重要途径,本文通过梳理我国岩芯科技资源现状,分析了岩芯科技资源科普化的现实意义,重点阐述了岩芯科技资源在向地质科普转化5个方面的探索与实践,提出了今后岩芯科技资源科普化工作应建立良好政策机制制度、转变科研人员观念、科技知识向科普转化水平、新技术新手段的应用以及做好科普活动的实施总结等5项工作建议。     

Knowledge integration in sustainability governance through science-based actor networks

Understanding how science, technology and innovation can best help to accelerate progress in achieving sustainable development remains a grand challenge for researchers and practitioners. In the context of the global consultation process for preparing a post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda, various science-based actor networks have emerged, aiming to translate research into political decision-making and to inform transformations towards sustainability. Over the last years, these networks seem to have taken an ever-growing role in structuring the science-policy interface in global sustainability governance. The question arises, however, how they understand and organize ‘scientific knowledge integration’ in sustainability politics.This study offers a structured comparison of twelve global science-based actor networks engaged in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. It shows that these networks use two types of strategies to foster scientific knowledge integration in sustainability governance. A new framework emerges, in which each strategy corresponds to two main approaches of scientific knowledge integration: The entrepreneurial strategy generally seeks to advance advice-oriented and solution-oriented knowledge processes, while assessment-oriented and learning-oriented processes in scientific knowledge integration are mainly promoted through a mediating strategy.     

An object-oriented knowledge representation structure for exploration data integration

Knowledge representation structure and reasoning processes are very important issues in the knowledge-based approach of integrating multiple spatial data sets for resource exploration. An object-oriented knowledge representation structure and corresponding reasoning processes are formulated and tested in this research on the knowledge-based approach of integrating spatial exploration data. The map-based prototype expert system developed in this study has self-contained knowledge representation structure and inference mechanisms. It is important to distinguish between lack of information and information providing negative evidence for a map-based system because the spatial distribution of data sets are uneven in most cases. Error and uncertainty estimation is also an important component of any production expert system. The uncertainty propagation mechanisms developed here work well for this type of integrated exploration problem. Evidential bellef function theory provides a natural theoretical basis for representing and integrating spatially uneven geophysical and geological information. The prototype system is tested using real mineral exploration data sets from the Snow Lake area, northern Manitoba, Canada. The test results outline the favorable exploration areas successfully and show the effectiveness of the knowledge representation structure and inference mechanisms for the knowledge-based approach.