Remote detection of bare soil moisture using a surface-temperature-based soil evaporation transfer coefficient

An approach for estimating soil moisture is presented and tested by using surface-temperature-based soil evaporation transfer coefficient (h_a), a coefficient recently proposed through the equation h_a = (T_s − T_a)/(T_sd − T_a), where T_s, T_sd, and T_a are land surface temperature (LST), reference soil (dry soil without evaporation) surface temperature, and air temperature respectively. Our analysis and controllable experiment indicated that h_a closely related to soil moisture, and therefore, a relationship between field soil moisture and h_a could be developed for soil moisture estimation. Field experiments were carried out to test the relationship between h_a and soil moisture. Time series Aqua-MODIS images were acquired between 11 Sep. 2006 and 1 Nov. 2007. Then, MODIS derived h_a and simultaneous measured soil moisture for different soil depths were used to establish the relations between the two variables. Results showed that there was a logarithmic relationship between soil moisture and h_a (P < 0.01). These logarithmic models were further validated by introducing another ground-truth data gathered from 46 meteorological stations in Hebei Province. Good agreement was observed between the measured and estimated soil moisture with RMSE of 0.0374 cm³/cm³ and 0.0503 cm³/cm³ for surface energy balance method at two soil depths (10 cm and 20 cm), with RMSE of 0.0467 cm³/cm³ and 0.0581 cm³/cm³ for maximum temperature method at two soil depths. For vegetated surfaces, the ratio of h_a and NDVI suggested to be considered. The proposed approach has a great potential for soil moisture and drought evaluation by remote sensing.     

Dynamics and driving mechanisms of asymmetric human water consumption during alternating wet and dry periods

Increases in human water consumption (HWC) and consequent degradation of the ecological environment are common in arid regions. Understanding the mechanisms behind these processes is important for sustainable development. Analyses of changes in HWC between alternating wet and dry periods are carried out in four arid inland basins in Central Asia and China (Syr Darya, Tarim, Heihe and Shulehe river basins). Based on runoff records, the presence of an asymmetric HWC response is proved (p < 0.01), with an increase in HWC during wet periods and a muted decrease during subsequent dry periods. This behaviour is interpreted by invoking theories from behavioural economics at the individual and community levels. A simple model based on these theories is shown to be able to reproduce the observed dynamics and is used to discuss the importance of strengthening institutional factors for water sustainability.     

Analysis of Stock Market Development and CO2 Emissions on OECD Countries via an Empirical Model

Accompanying economic growth, CO₂ emissions have polluted the natural environment worldwide. This study highlights the special problems with stock market development and CO₂ emissions in 25 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries during 1971–2007 to trace the trend of CO₂ emissions while countries grow their economies. A panel‐data model is applied to analyze the relationships between stock market (SM) development, energy consumption, gross domestic product (GDP), and CO₂ emissions in 25 OECD countries. Low‐GDP countries show different results from high‐GDP countries in the trends of SM development and CO₂ emissions, and dynamic effects occur in SM development and CO₂ emissions under various GDP conditions. There is a negative relationship between SM development and CO₂ emissions if countries enjoy high economic growth, which means that these countries avoid CO₂ emissions through SM development. However, a positive relationship is found between SM development and CO₂ emissions if countries experience low economic growth, which means that SM development does not show the boycott‐effect relationship with CO₂ emissions when countries experience low levels of economic development. This study shows a correlation between SM development and CO₂ emissions among OECD countries.     

民勤荒漠区几种主要固沙植物群落的水分平衡特性

 为了研究在自然状态下植物群落的自然稀疏密度、水分营养面积和耗水量等水分平衡特性,选择民勤荒漠几种典型植物群落,运用连续4 a的样方观测资料,分析了天然沙蒿、天然麻黄和人工梭梭林群落在自然降水条件下植物群落的自然稀疏密度、水分营养面积和耗水量等水分平衡特性。结果表明:天然沙蒿、天然麻黄和人工梭梭林群落在当地的自然稀疏密度相对稳定。群落中成年梭梭林的年耗水量与他人在同一地区用蒸渗仪且地下水位控制在1.4 m时测定的3 a幼苗的耗水量相当,梭梭密度较他人用降水量和蒸腾量、蒸发量推算的密度偏小。实验条件下单株植物的耗水量并不等于群落中个体的平均耗水量,在自然状态下研究得到的单株耗水量较在实验条件的下结论更为真实。植物蒸腾耗水量方面研究的真正有意义的是其在接近凋萎时的蒸腾耗水量,而不是特定供水条件下的几个特定值。     

双平板式透空堤消能效果评价方法

双平板式透空堤具有较为优越的消浪性能备受专家学者关注。目前关于其消浪性能的评价多采用透射波高法开展,仅考虑波高一个参数。本文采用透射波高法、波浪能量法和波能流法分别对平板式透空堤的消能效果进行评价,结果表明,综合考虑波高、水深和周期三个参数的波能流法更加全面与深入。探讨了双平板式透空堤迎浪向与背浪向处波能流的主要影响因素,结果表明,相对板宽、位置参数和波高大小对波能流的影响较板间距和潜深更加显著。     

污水可生化性及其影响因素研究

以自行设计的生化呼吸线测定装置研究了印染污水的可生化性,该装置通过反应体系的溶解氧浓度跟踪生物降解过程.采用本文设计的模拟污水处理装置探讨了污泥驯化时间、污水投加量等对污水可生化性的影响.测定了污水经可生化性调控后的处理效果.结果表明,生化呼吸线法判断污水处理体系的可生化性是1种可靠易行的方法,提高体系的可生化性是增加污水处理效果的关键因素.     

King Canute muses in the South Seas: Why aren’t Pacific Islands transitioning to low carbon sea transport futures?

Transition to low carbon sea transport is a logical response to the extreme dependency of the Pacific Islands region on imported fossil fuel, its significant vulnerability to the effects of climate change and the critical shipping needs of Pacific Island countries (PICs). Building on previous work in low carbon sea transport in the Pacific, this paper further considers the barriers to achieving such transition by assessing, through a ‘post-Paris Agreement’ lens, the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted by PICs and contrasting these to the near total lack of investment and planning for low carbon transition in the transport sector with the parallel occurrence in the electricity sector where ~USD 2 billion of donor investment is deployed or queued despite electricity using only ~20% of fossil fuel across the region. Consistent with recent international studies, inadequate and inappropriate financing and policy have been identified as dominant transition barriers for low carbon sea transport development in PICs. This paper further examines the regional level barriers to policy development, and finds them inhibited by the silo nature of the major regional actors. The implications that the Paris Agreement has for climate financing to support the essential research and capacity development needed to underpin a successful low carbon sea transport transition strategy at any useful scale and speed are also considered in this paper.     

Experimental Investigation and Numerical Analysis to Develop Low-Energy Large-Midwater Trawls

Fuel consumption in fisheries is a primary concern because of its effects on the environment and the costs incurred by fishermen. Many studies have been conducted to reduce the fuel consumption in fishing operations. Fuel consumption due to fishing gear during a fishing operation is generally related to the hydrodynamic resistance on the gear. This means that fuel consumption is proportional to the drag created by the towing speed. Based on numerical methods, this study suggests a new approach to reduce fuel consumption in fisheries. The results of the simulation are in good agreement with those of model experiments. The total as well as partial resistance forces on the gear are calculated by simulation. The simulation results suggest improved materials and gear structure for reducing the hydrodynamic forces on the gear while maintaining gear performance. The method for assessing the gear performance involves measuring the height and width of the net mouth. Furthermore, this study investigates the efficiency of a low-energy trawl from an economic point of view. The findings of this study will be useful in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in fishing operations, and thereby contribute toward lowering fishing costs by saving fuel.     

pH值对单环刺螠呼吸排泄的影响

为研究pH值对单环刺螠(Urechis unicinctus)呼吸排泄的影响,采用静水密封法,研究了不同pH值(5、6、7、8、9)对体质量5.65±1.06g单环刺螠耗氧率、排氨率、能量代谢率、O/N值的影响.结果表明,pH值对单环刺螠耗氧率、排氨率、能量代谢率、O/N值均有显著影响(p0.05).单环刺螠耗氧率随pH值的升高而增大,pH值为8时达到最大值,之后随pH值的升高而减小.单环刺螠耗氧率与pH值之间的拟合方程为:OR=-2.977X2+55.188X-176.380,R2=0.937.单环刺螠排氨率的变化与耗氧率相似,在pH值为7时排氨率达到最大值;pH值为9时排氨率最小,与pH值为8的组差异不显著(p0.05).排氨率与pH值之间的拟合方程为:NR=-0.350X2+4.442X-6.822,R2=0.724.单环刺螠能量代谢率、O/N值均随pH值的升高呈先增大后减小的趋势,拟合方程分别为:M=-0.040X2+0.424X-0.044,R2=0.937;A=0.053X2+1.879X-7.470,R2=0.901.pH值为8的环境中,单环刺螠体内蛋白质代谢水平最低,有利于蛋白质的积累.研究表明,单环刺螠在一定pH值范围内可以通过调整生理代谢水平适应水体pH值,其适宜生活在弱碱性水中,生存最适pH值为8.     

基于能量运算的磁共振信号尖峰噪声抑制方法

磁共振探测信号微弱,使用高灵敏度的核磁共振地下水探测仪,极易受到环境噪声干扰.其中,工频谐波噪声和尖峰噪声,是影响信号质量最严重的两类噪声.国内外研究表明,通过参考线圈的布设,依据探测线圈和参考线圈中噪声相关性,利用自适应参考对消算法,能够有效抑制工频谐波噪声.然而,尖峰噪声的存在严重影响了主通道与参考道的数据相关性,成为了参考对消算法应用的难题与障碍.为解决这一问题,本文提出磁共振信号中尖峰噪声的抑制方法,推导了能量域磁共振信号表达式,通过计算信号能量,可有效检测尖峰噪声并突出不易识别的小幅度尖峰噪声,采用基于中位数的绝对偏差法确定阈值,进而剔除尖峰噪声.为了验证去噪效果,与应用较广的统计叠加法进行对比研究.仿真结果表明,对于干扰幅度较大、持续时间较长的尖峰噪声,能量运算法和统计叠加法均能识别并剔除,且不损失有效的磁共振信号,标准差偏差控制在0.3%以内,可以满足实际应用的要求;对于小于信号幅度1.5倍的尖峰噪声,能量运算法可有效识别并剔除,而统计叠加法无法实现.针对多通道探测系统,使用能量运算法剔除尖峰噪声后,可明显提高主通道和参考道的数据相关性,为后续自适应参考对消算法的应用奠定了基础.实测数据处理结果进一步证明了本文方法的实用性.