Innovation for sustainable energy from a pro-poor perspective

The development and transfer of clean energy technologies to achieve universal energy access is challenging due to the inherent complexities of the energy sector, and the energy governance and financial systems in developing economies. Innovation is an essential part of successfully addressing these difficulties. Duplicating the energy infrastructure models of developed countries will not be sufficient to meet the needs of poor consumers. To the extent that innovation can accelerate energy access, it is important to understand the specific types of innovations that are necessary and how they might be facilitated. The general features of existing international clean energy innovation systems, which are predominantly driven by the markets and emissions reduction mechanisms of developed and rapidly growing emerging economies, are reviewed and the alignment of these systems to the innovation processes required to extend energy access globally is evaluated. Drawing on the innovation policy literature, the attributes of effective international and domestic energy innovation systems that are pro-poor and the associated policy approaches are identified.     

Experimental determination of REE partition coefficients between zircon,garnet and melt: a key to understanding high‐T crustal processes

The partitioning of rare earth elements (REE) between zircon, garnet and silicate melt was determined using synthetic compositions designed to represent partial melts formed in the lower crust during anatexis. The experiments, performed using internally heated gas pressure vessels at 7 kbar and 900–1000 °C, represent equilibrium partitioning of the middle to heavy REE between zircon and garnet during high‐grade metamorphism in the mid to lower crust. The D_REE (zircon/garnet) values show a clear partitioning signature close to unity from Gd to Lu. Because the light REE have low concentrations in both minerals, values are calculated from strain modelling of the middle to heavy REE experimental data; these results show that zircon is favoured over garnet by up to two orders of magnitude. The resulting general concave‐up shape to the partitioning pattern across the REE reflects the preferential incorporation of middle REE into garnet, with D_Gd (zircon/garnet) ranging from 0.7 to 1.1, D_Ho (zircon/garnet) from 0.4 to 0.7 and D_Lu (zircon/garnet) from 0.6 to 1.3. There is no significant temperature dependence in the zircon–garnet REE partitioning at 7 kbar and 900–1000 °C, suggesting that these values can be applied to the interpretation of zircon–garnet equilibrium and timing relationships in the ultrahigh‐T metamorphism of low‐Ca pelitic and aluminous granulites.     

Modelling of Ocean Shallow Convection under Fast Ice in the Arctic

Ocean convection in the Antarctic has been studied many times and has been revealed to be responsible for ice-cover reduction. In the Arctic, proof of that phenomenon has not been documented. It is believed that this phenomenon happens on a smaller scale in the Arctic when local circulation of deep warmer water melts and slows ice production. An example of this is the North Water (NOW) polynya in northern Baffin Bay. A polynya is an area of open water in an otherwise ice-covered area. As ice forms under the fast ice near the boundary of the polynya, ocean salts (brine) are ejected from the newly formed ice. This water, which has an increased concentration of salt, sinks and is replaced by warmer water from below, and this slows ice formation. In our study a coupled one-dimensional thermodynamic snow–fast ice model incorporating ocean heat flux input via a shallow convection model was used. Ice thickness was calculated using a thermodynamic model that included a current-induced entrainment model and a convection model to account for brine rejection during ice growth. Atmospheric observations from Grise Fiord and Thule and ocean profiles around the NOW polynya near these sites were used as input to the model. This purely thermodynamic study enables us to obtain ice thickness values that can be compared with qualitative observations. This modelling study compares two sites related to the NOW polynya. The results indicate that the shallow convection model simulates the reduction of fast ice near Thule but not near Grise Fiord.     

Hydro-climatic trends in the Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin,Ethiopia

Trends of the three hydro-meteorological variables precipitation, temperature and stream flow, represented by 13, 12, and 9 gauging stations, respectively, within the Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin have been studied to support water management in the region. The Trends were evaluated over different time periods depending on data availability at the stations. The statistical Mann–Kendall and Pettitt tests have been used to assess trends and change points respectively. The tests have been applied to mean annual, monthly, seasonal, 1- and 7-days annual minimum and maximum values for streamflow, while mean annual, monthly and seasonal timescales were applied to meteorological variables. The results are heterogeneous and depict statistically significant increasing/decreasing trends. Besides, it showed significant abrupt change of point upward/downward shift for streamflow and temperature time series. However, precipitation time series did not show any statistically significant trends in mean annual and seasonal scales across the examined stations.Increasing trends in temperature at different weather stations for the mean annual, rainy, dry and small rainy seasons are apparent. The mean temperature at Bahir Dar – typical station in the Lake Tana sub basin, has been increasing at the rate of about 0.5 °C/decade, 0.3 °C/decade in rainy season (June–September), 0.6 °C/decade in small rainy season (March–May), and 0.6 °C/decade in dry season (October–February). Other stations in the Abay/Upper Blue Nile show comparable results. Overall it is found that trends and change point times varied considerably across the stations and catchment to catchment. Identified significant trends can help to make better planning decisions for water management. However, the cause attributes to the observed changes in hydro-meteorological variables need further research. In particular the combined effects of land use/land cover change and climate variability on streamflow of Abay/Blue Nile basin and its tributaries needs to be understood better.     

发展钻孔应变观测的战略构想

钻孔应变观测正在成为一种与测震和GPS相提并论的地壳形变观测。曾经处于领先地位的我国钻孔应力一应变观测的发展需要回顾历史,面对现实,借鉴国外,放眼长远。建立比测基地、实验场和完善国家前兆监测网,三位一体,应该成为发展我国钻孔应变观测的基本方针。     

应变软化在甘肃红柳河辉长质糜棱岩形成中的作用

本文论述的辉长质糜棱岩发现于甘肃北山红柳河蛇绿岩套中。在简单说明了糜棱岩的地质背景及特征、描述了变形岩石的显微构造特征之后，重点对糜棱岩形成过程中的应变软化机制作了论述。探讨了软化岩的存在、组构调整、粒度缩小，长石的动态重结晶，水以及主导变形机制的不断调整与转化等应变软化机制，在应力作用下使岩石逐步软化过程中所起的作用，得出这种糜棱岩是在拆离剪切作用下，应力在蛇绿岩中的软化岩石辉长岩中集中，从而形     

基于浅层反射地震勘探技术的大庆地区近地表构造特征研究

目前,对于大庆地区的地质构造研究成果仅局限在深部构造上,该地区从未开展过针对近地表隐伏断裂的探查工作.本文采用浅层反射地震勘探方法,查明了克山—大安断裂嫩江组以上地层的详细地层信息以及断裂的展布形态;同时,在主干断裂上覆的背斜构造中,发现了许多次级断裂,这些次级断裂在前人的成果中并未提出过,并且在本区的断裂-褶皱构造体系中,次级断裂的活动特性同样受主干断裂活动的影响;然后通过钻孔验证,证实了浅层反射地震勘探结果的可靠性,并且确定了次级断裂的最新活动时代;最后综合编制了松辽盆地长垣隆起地区浅层地质模型,并讨论了本地区的构造体系受晚白垩纪以来太平洋板块俯冲方向变化的影响而形成的构造特征.本次研究中的方法和成果可为大庆市城市发展规划、重大工程建设选址和大庆油田安全高效生产等提供科学依据,可为其他地区开展近地表断裂探查提供借鉴和参考,为本地区浅层地质构造后续研究提供了基础资料,填补该地区近地表地球物理勘探构造研究的空白.

     

Application du réseau des neurones artificiels à la prévision des débits horaires: Cas du bassin versant de l’Eure,France

RÉSUMÉ

Les modèles pluie–débit sont fortement utilisés dans la gestion des risques hydrologiques et la prévision des crues. Dans cette étude, nous présentons un modèle pluie–débit pour la prévision des débits horaires basé sur la technique des réseaux de neurones artificiels (RNA). Ce modèle a été développé et appliqué sur le bassin versant de l’Eure au Nord-Ouest de la France afin de dépasser les problèmes dus à la non-linéarité de la relation pluie–débit et à l’imprécision des données collectées. La création de ce modèle a nécessité plusieurs étapes pendant lesquelles nous avons pu déterminer les paramètres du modèle permettant la compréhension de la complexité hydrologique et la production des informations nécessaires à la prévision. Elles ont abouti à un modèle de réseau de neurones artificiels capable d’effectuer, en quelques secondes, des prévisions des crues efficaces jusqu’à un horizon de prévision de 48 h. Ces résultats confirment que les modèles RNA peuvent jouer un rôle important dans le domaine de la prévision car capables de modéliser la non-linéarité des relations pluie–débit rencontrées sur certains bassins hydrologiques.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz Associate editor E. Gargouri     

Dynamics of unsaturated poroelastic solids at finite strain

We derive the governing equations for the dynamic response of unsaturated poroelastic solids at finite strain. We obtain simplified governing equations from the complete coupled formulation by neglecting the material time derivative of the relative velocities and the advection terms of the pore fluids relative to the solid skeleton, leading to a so‐called u^s ? p^w ? p^a formulation. We impose the weak forms of the momentum and mass balance equations at the current configuration and implement the framework numerically using a mixed finite element formulation. We verify the proposed method through comparison with analytical solutions and experiments of quasi‐static processes. We use a neo‐Hookean hyperelastic constitutive model for the solid matrix and demonstrate, through numerical examples, the impact of large deformation on the dynamic response of unsaturated poroelastic solids under a variety of loading conditions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大直径灌注桩的桩身完整性检测

桩身完整性检测的目的是查明桩的完整性,查清缺陷及其位置,以保证工程质量,不遗留事故隐患。常用的高、低应变,声波透射法三种动力测试方法在大直径灌注桩中所具有的特性及三种测试方法互为验证、多角度的分析研究可综合评价桩身完整性。