Improved Geometric Model of Extensional Fault–bend Folding

Extensional fault–bend folds, also called rollovers, are one of the most common structures in extensional settings. Numerous studies have shown that oblique simple shear is the most appropriate mechanism for quantitative modeling of geometric relations between normal faults and the strata in their hanging walls. However, the oblique simple shear has a rather serious issue derived from the shear direction, particularly above convex bends. We use geometric and experimental methods to study the deformation of extensional fault–bend folds on convex bends. The results indicate that whether the fault bends are concave or convex, the shear direction of the hanging wall dips toward the main fault. On this basis, we improve the previous geometric model by changing the shear direction above the convex bends. To illustrate basin history, our model highlights the importance of the outer limit of folding instead of the growth axial. Moreover, we propose a new expression for the expansion index that is applicable to the condition of no deposition on the footwall. This model is validated by modeling a natural structure of the East China Sea Basin.     

晚中新世-上新世黄土高原佳县红粘土剖面碳同位素记录与C4植被演化

新生代C4植被开始扩张的年代、过程和驱动机制是全球古气候变化研究的焦点问题.中国黄土高原的黄土-红粘土剖面保存了连续的古生态演化记录,是研究这一关键科学问题的理想载体.本文选择黄土高原北部佳县厚达64m的红粘土剖面(8.2～2.7Ma),对190个层位的次生方解石矿物进行了无机碳同位素测试,由此分析了晚中新世-上新世末的C4植被扩张和演化过程.C4植被持续增长与全球冰盖的扩张基本一致,表明气候变冷很可能导致了黄土高原区域气候的干旱化与降雨季节性的增强.C4植被的扩张存在明显的3个阶段,分别以6.6Ma和3.6Ma为界限,每一次扩张增加10％左右,暗示了全球性的构造事件对黄土高原植被演化的控制.此外,佳县红粘土剖面呈现10次持续时间为10 ～ 20万年的碳同位素正漂移事件,平均每40万年发生一次,说明40万年轨道周期也控制着C4植被的演化.     

Administrative hierarchy and urban land expansion in transitional China

In a growing body of literature on urbanization in China, scholars have emphasized the proactive role of the Chinese local state in urban land expansion. Drawing upon official land use change data from 1998 to 2008, this study investigates the relationship between the hierarchical structure of the Chinese urban administrative system and urban land expansion. We find that urban land expansion coincides with administrative hierarchy, and cities with higher administrative levels (ranked by central government) tend to expand more rapidly while controlling for other economic and demographic drivers of urban expansion. Spatial regime models reveal that economic and demographic drivers of urban growth are also sensitive to a city's administrative rank. By quantifying the link between a city's rank and urban land expansion, we conclude that considering the hierarchical structure of the Chinese cities will result in a fuller understanding of the rapid urban growth in China.     

Converting Brazil's pastures to cropland: An alternative way to meet sugarcane demand and to spare forestlands

Brazil seeks to rapidly increase its agricultural production to meet future demands, especially for sugarcane, which is an agricultural commodity and a biofuel source. In this paper, we explore how to achieve this increase without compromising existing forestlands. We propose that it is possible to substantially expand sugarcane production in Brazil while avoiding further environmental losses and the indirect land use changes often associated with them, such as deforestation. This task could be accomplished by converting existing pasturelands with agricultural potential into cropland. A great deal of pastureland exists in Brazil. Thus, we addressed the following questions in this study: (1) where are the most suitable pasturelands for sugarcane located geographically and (2) what potential do these pasturelands have for sugarcane production regarding their physical suitability and other significant factors, such as infrastructure availability and socioeconomic factors. We conducted a land suitability analysis using a spatial location model based on multicriteria decision-making and geographic information systems (GIS) to identify the cultivated pasturelands most suitable for conversion to sugarcane production in Brazil. “What if” scenarios were built to determine how changes in the subjectively derived weights of the priority criteria would modify the spatial distribution of the suitability classes relative to the MCDA model and demonstrate the robustness of the crop suitability assessment. The most suitable pastureland areas for conversion to sugarcane production were predominantly located in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso and Pará. These zones have large contiguous areas of pasture with moderate and high agricultural potentials for sugarcane production. The total estimated area of cultivated pasturelands with moderate or high suitability for sugarcane production was 50 million hectares, which is much larger than the area currently used for sugarcane production in Brazil.     

渭北台塬县级城市空间扩张的分形研究

基于RS与GIS技术,采用分形理论对渭北台塬县级城市空间扩张特征进行分析。结果表明:1990—2010年台塬区县级城市加速扩张,总面积扩大了2.86倍,年均增长率达8.7%。1990,2000,2010年县级城市空间形态分维值均值分别为1.08,1.09,1.21,变异系数分别为3.06,3.09,3.93,城市空间形态总体简单但渐趋复杂且不断分化。异速生长模型标度因子b值均小于1,人均城市空间较为合理但远未达到最优状态。1990—2000年城市以填充型扩张为主,2000—2010年以外延型扩张为主,用地集约性呈下降趋势。空间上,铜川塬、宝鸡塬扩张较快,人地关系较差;咸阳塬扩张最快,人地关系一般;渭南塬扩张相对较慢,人地关系较优。总体上,亟待加强城市规划以构建节约型城市空间增长模式。     

城镇化、郊区化与中国城市空间扩张

城市经济学的理论表明,城市人口增长和交通改善等因素都会导致城市的空间扩张,但其作用的机理不同。结合中国的情况,将城市空间扩张的影响因素分为城镇化和郊区化2个市场化动力,二者都会推动城市空间扩张,导致城市边界向外延伸。历年截面数据和面板数据分析结果都表明,在中国城市空间扩张进程中,城镇化动力和郊区化动力都在起作用,城镇化动力占主导地位,与此同时,郊区化动力也有增强的趋势。人口增长和交通改善推动城市空间扩张,城市建成区面积扩张的推动力远大于阻力。作为城市空间扩张速度变化的分水岭以及市场作用下收入水平显著性改变的分界点,1998年的住房制度改革对于中国城市空间扩张进程有着里程碑式的意义。     

政府规划约束下的城市空间增长多智能体模拟模型

构建政府规划约束下的包含多种类型智能体和环境因素的城市空间增长多智能体模拟模型,通过居民、开发商和政府三类智能体之间以及智能体与环境之间的相互作用模拟了城市空间增长情况。模型将城市建设用地规划区纳入政府的土地利用政策,探讨了政府规划因素对城市建设用地增长的影响,并根据土地集约利用的原则对模拟结果进行了优化。在Repast和ArcGIS的实验环境下,以南京市中心城区(长江以南)为研究区设置了四组土地利用情景,模拟了2001-2007年研究区的城市建设用地增长情况,对比不同情景下模型的模拟精度,说明正确合理的政府规划引导对城市空间增长的重要作用以及对模拟结果进行优化的必要性。该模型有助于揭示城市空间增长机制,为政府宏观调控政策和规划制定提供参考。     

Optical Spectroscopy of Comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) at the Guillermo Harro Astrophysical Observatory in Mexico

We present a preliminary analysis of medium resolution optical spectra of comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) obtained on 22 November 2001. Theemission lines of the molecules C₂, C₃, CN, NH₂,H₂O⁺ and presumably CO (Asundi and triplet bands) and C₂ ^-were identified in these spectra. By analysing the brightnessdistributions of the C₂, C₃, CN emission lines along theslit of the spectrograph we determined some physical parameters of theseneutrals, such as their lifetimes and expansion velocities inthe coma. The Franck–Condon factors for the CO Asundi bands and C₂ ^- bands were calculated using a Morse potential model.     

Polynomial expansions in likelihoods for spatial data: A case study

This paper illustrates the computational benefits of polynomial representations for quantities in the likelihood function for the spatial linear model based on the power covariance scheme. These benefits include a comprehensive study of likelihoods and maximum likelihood estimators for data. For simplicity, we focus on a relatively simple covariance scheme and data observed at equal intervals along a transect; we briefly indicate how generalizations to more complicated covariance functions and higher dimensions will operate.