Investigation on the geological and geotechnical factors leading to a major slope failure at a selected site on a Jordanian highway

During and after the very wet 1991/1992 winter experienced in Jordan, significant slope failures occurred along several sections of the new Irbid-Amman highway in Jordan. The topography over most of the route is hilly, and significant amounts of cut and fill were used to construct the highway. One such slope failure lies at 44+800 km on the highway south of Jerash City at a distance of about 5.0 km from Wadi Zerqa bridge. A landslide occurred downslope of the highway embankment resulting in a collapse of the most of the gabbion wall supporting the embankment. This paper deals with the overall stability of the slope at 44+800 km. It presents the geological and geotechnical studies carried out at this site, identifies the causes and mechanism of instability, and presents appropriate remedial measures. The study concluded that the landslide movement occurred within the colluvium material. It resulted primarily from excess piezometric pressures generated within the slope as a direct consequence of inadequate drainage. It is recommended to reconstruct the entire gabbion wall with its foundation seated on the sandstone that underlies the colluvium and to install a surface drainage system at the site.     

Natural hazards in British Columbia: an interdisciplinary and inter-institutional challenge

 Although British Columbia experiences many natural hazards, there is as yet no unified policy to promote natural hazard management in the province. The problem is not in the quantity and quality of geoscience assessment of natural hazards, but instead, it is suggested, in the isolation of that work from broader risk perspectives and in the lack of clarity of division of responsibilities between various levels of government. The example of recent changes in perception of the terrain stability problem illustrates how natural hazard problems are driven by social and political priorities rather than by geoscience priorities. Received: 22 November 1998 / Accepted: 22 November 1998     

AN EXPERIMENT STUDY OF FRONTAL CYCLONES OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN*

By using PSU/NCAR MM5 mesoscale model,a 60-h simulation is performed to reproduce a frontal cyclogenesis over the Western Atlantic Ocean during March 13-15 1992.The model reproduces well the genesis,track and intensity of the cyclone,its associated thermal structure as well as its surface circulation.The major cyclone (M) deepens 45 hPa in the 60-h simulation and 12 hPa in 6 hours from 36 h to 42 h (model time) and 27 hPa in 24 hours from 36 h to 60 h (model time).Cross-section and isentropic analysis tell us that the cyclogenesis is in very close relation with slantwise isentropic surfaces;the cyclone is always superposed on the core of neutral convective stability with nearly vertical isentropic surfaces,which coincides with what the theory of Slantwise Vorticity Development (SVD) says.Beginning with the theory of SVD,the development and propagation of the oceanic frontal cyclone are studied by using high-resolution model output in the context of slantwise isentropic surfaces.The results show that the frontal cyclone deepens rapidly by the interaction with the large-scale environment after occurring over the ocean with weak static stability;and the theory of SVD can well interpret the development and propagation closely related with slantwise isentropic surfaces,The downstream slantwise up-sliding movement along canting isentropic surfaces makes vorticities develop (USVD) under favorable condition (C_D<0,where CD is SVD index),and results in the moving and development of the cyclone.     

大地热流对中国西部环境与生态演变的影响及其研究意义

中国西部地区生态环境的优劣与大地热流的高低有良好的对应关系。大地热流较高的西南地区生态环境优良,孕育了我国最好的生物多样性;而大地热流较低的西北地区环境恶劣,生态脆弱,荒漠化严重。大地热流的脉动影响区域大气系统下垫面的热力背景和气流运动,从而影响降水的分布和区域气候的干湿程度;大地热流的高低决定了一个地区地表生态系统能量供给的下限,是生态系统演变过程中一个重要的物种限制因子,制约了一些地区生态系统物种的多样性,进而影响到区域生态系统的稳健性。对大地热流影响生态系统发育和演变机理的研究将为人类科学干预地表生态系统的演化、恢复与重建退化生态系统提供科学依据与技术方案。提出了西部生态环境整治的一些新的思路。     

Detection of lithium in the spectrum of the symbiotic Mira star V407 Cygni

We detected the resonance lithium doublet, ⁷LiI λ6708, in the spectra of the symbiotic Mira V407 Cyg (P≈763^d) obtained with a resolution R = λ/Δλ ≈ 18 500. The line equivalent width is ～0.34 Å. The presence of lithium in the atmosphere of the Mira, which, judging by its period, appreciably ascended the asymptotic giant branch (AGB), can be explained by the penetration of its convective envelope into the hot-bottom-burning (HBB) hydrogen-shell source. At the same time, the spectrum of V407 Cyg does not reveal the ZrO λ5551, 6474 absorption bands, which are used to classify S-type stars from low-resolution spectra. We found only weak ZrO λ5718, 6412 bands, which are, however, invisible in low-resolution spectra. Thus, the Mira star V407 Cyg should be classified as being of the spectral type M. In general, the spectrum of V407 Cyg is similar to the spectrum of the red giant in the symbiotic star CH Cyg, but the latter exhibits no lithium lines. The switch-on of the HBB process without any significant enrichment of the atmosphere of an AGB star with s-process elements implies that the third dredge-up is not efficient for some of these stars.     

Organochlorine pesticide residues in sediments and biota from the coastal area of Dar es Salaam city,Tanzania

Sediment and biota samples were collected from Msimbazi and Kizinga rivers and from the coastal marine environment of Dar es Salaam during both dry and wet seasons. The samples were analyzed for various organochlorine pesticide residues using GC-ECD and GC-MS. Dieldrin, p,p^′-DDT, p,p^′-DDE, p,p^′-DDD, o,p^′-DDT and γ-HCH were detected at significantly greater concentrations above the method detection limits. Recoveries of pesticide residues ranged 86.5–120% in sediments and 62–102% in biota. The average concentrations of total DDT in sediments for the two seasons were almost the same. Biota samples showed significant difference in levels of residues depending on mode of feeding and age of analyzed biota. p,p^′-DDT to total DDT ratios in all matrices indicated recent use of DDT. The levels of residues in sediments suggest possible adverse effects to humans consuming biota that are directly exposed to the sediments. This effect, which is associated with bio-concentration of residues in the tissues of edible aquatic biota, should not affect wildlife. In spite of concern on the adverse effect to humans posed by pesticide residues in sediments, edible biota from the examined water bodies were found to be safe for human consumption.     

Chemical Mechanism Development: Laboratory Studies and Model Applications

Within the German Tropospheric Research Programme (TFS) numerous kinetic and mechanistic studies on the tropospheric reaction/degradation of the following reactants were carried out: oxygenated VOC, aromatic VOC, biogenic VOC, short-lived intermediates, such as alkoxy and alkylperoxy radicals.At the conception of the projects these selected groups were classes of VOC or intermediates for which the atmospheric oxidation mechanisms were either poorly characterised or totally unknown. The motivation for these studies was the attainment of significant improvements in our understanding of the atmospheric chemical oxidation processes of these compounds, particularly with respect to their involvement in photooxidant formation in the troposphere. In the present paper the types of experimental investigations performed and the results obtained within the various projects are briefly summarised. The major achievements are highlighted and discussed in terms of their contribution to improving our understanding of the chemical processes controlling photosmog formation in the troposphere.     

云南地热资源及其开发前景

云南地热异常多且显著。滇西高温水热活动区是藏滇水热带的南延，滇东断陷盆地中低温水热活动区的形成得益于独特的地质结构，滇西、滇南花岗岩地热系统则主要吸收地层中K^40同位索放射热而成。开发前景极为广阔。     

Conservation and community in the new South Africa: A case study of the Mahushe Shongwe Game Reserve

The idealization of natural landscapes and peoples during colonialism, coupled with the popularity of sustainable development in the postcolonial era, has contributed to the expansion of conservation planning throughout the African continent. Concerns surrounding the promotion of national and international conservation agendas at the expense of local livelihood needs have generated interest in community conservation projects that attempt to include local participation and knowledge in natural resource management. The early excitement associated with community conservation has waned in light of recent assessments that it has been unsuccessful in meeting its ecological and social goals. This parallels other research that suggests communities are understood in generic or homogenous ways that influence how these initiatives are understood. Using a case study of the Mahushe Shongwe Game Reserve, this paper evaluates how rural households access environmental and economic resources to produce livelihoods, and how these access patterns impact their views of the project. It is argued that there are significant livelihood variations within the community that shape the ways households engage with, and benefit from, conservation planning. Rather than strictly viewing Mahushe Shongwe as a constraint to environmental resource access or site for limited employment, community members identify a number of benefits from its existence including education and development opportunities. Additionally, transformations in governance systems in the region impact community views of the project since younger residents are less likely to engage with the Matsamo Tribal Authority, which participates in managing the reserve. The consequence is that conservation has various impacts and meanings within a specific community that remain tied to the livelihood and governance systems being renegotiated in the post-apartheid era.