Educating the compassionate water engineer–a remedy to avoid future water management failures? / Former des spécialistes de l’eau citoyens–une solution pour éviter de futurs échecs en gestion de l’eau?

Abstract

Abstract The number of local and regional-scale water management failures appears steadily to increase despite an apparently higher level of engineering solutions at hand. The objective of this paper is to examine the challenges the existing education system needs to meet in order to produce water engineers capable of responding to the complexity of contemporary and future water problems in relation to societal needs. The next generation of water engineers may stay in their professional functions until 2040 or 2050. It is likely that in this period more critical water management and environmental problems will be experienced than have been encountered so far. The question then arises whether the present water engineers have the proper background education to understand environmental, hydrological, ecological and socio-economic problems to resolve related water management problems. Future water engineers must, to a greater extent, include socio-economic consequences in planned and/or designed water management systems and convey greater transparency regarding risks and societal effects.     

Fuzzy logic model approaches to daily pan evaporation estimation in western Turkey / Estimation de l’évaporation journalière du bac dans l’Ouest de la Turquie par des modèles à base de logique floue

Abstract

Abstract Evaporation is one of the fundamental elements in the hydrological cycle, which affects the yield of river basins, the capacity of reservoirs, the consumptive use of water by crops and the yield of underground supplies. In general, there are two approaches in the evaporation estimation, namely, direct and indirect. The indirect methods such as the Penman and Priestley-Taylor methods are based on meteorological variables, whereas the direct methods include the class A pan evaporation measurement as well as others such as class GGI-3000 pan and class U pan. The major difficulty in using a class A pan for the direct measurements arises because of the subsequent application of coefficients based on the measurements from a small tank to large bodies of open water. Such difficulties can be accommodated by fuzzy logic reasoning and models as alternative approaches to classical evaporation estimation formulations were applied to Lake Egirdir in the western part of Turkey. This study has three objectives: to develop fuzzy models for daily pan evaporation estimation from measured meteorological data, to compare the fuzzy models with the widely-used Penman method, and finally to evaluate the potential of fuzzy models in such applications. Among the measured meteorological variables used to implement the models of daily pan evaporation prediction are the daily observations of air and water temperatures, sunshine hours, solar radiation, air pressure, relative humidity and wind speed. Comparison of the classical and fuzzy logic models shows a better agreement between the fuzzy model estimations and measurements of daily pan evaporation than the Penman method.     

Analysis of flood propagation changes in the Kienstock—Bratislava reach of the Danube River/Analyse des changements de propagation des crues dans le tronçon Kienstock—Bratislava du Fleuve Danube

Abstract

In the first part of this study, a flood wave transformation analysis for the largest historical floods in the Danube River reach Kienstock–Bratislava was carried out. For the simulation of the historical (1899 and 1954) flood propagation, the nonlinear river model NLN-Danube (calibrated on the recent river reach conditions) was used. It was shown that the simulated peak discharges were not changed significantly when compared to their historical counterparts. However, the simulated hydrographs exhibit a significant acceleration of the flood wave movement at discharges of between 5000 and 9000 m³ s^-1. In the second part, the travel time-water level relationships between Kienstock and Bratislava were analysed on a dataset of the flood peak water levels for the period 1991–2002. An empirical regression routing scheme for the Danube short-term water level forecast at Bratislava station was derived. This is based on the measured water level at Kienstock gauging station.     

胶东半岛乳山地区低角度韧性剪切带几何学、运动学特征:对中国东部岩石圈减薄作用的启示

大规模伸展构造是华北克拉通东部岩石圈减薄的重要表现形式。部分低角度韧性剪切带是地壳伸展变形后所展现的构造形式。本文研究了王格庄韧性剪切带的岩石学、几何学、运动学等特征显示:韧性剪切带走向近南北向,剪切带断层面倾向多变(倾向西、西南、西北方向)。大部分区域面理低角度倾向西,矿物拉伸线理近东西向,不对称旋转碎斑及S-C组构指示顶端指向西的剪切特征。结合研究区西侧与伸展构造相匹配的半地堑伸展盆地证据:本研究认为伸展构造的形成可能与西太平洋板块的后撤相关,即大规模伸展构造作用引发了华北克拉通东部的地壳减薄作用。     

利用小波阈值消噪改进M-W组合周跳探测性能

受伪距噪声的影响,Turbo Eidt法中M-W组合难以探测所有周跳。分析了M-W组合观测量的误差特性,指出伪距误差导致周跳漏检、探测延迟的原因。采用小波阈值消噪方法对M-W组合观测值进行处理,阈值估计使用Visushrink方法可削弱伪距噪声、增加周跳的辨识度。消噪后,周跳会发生扩散,除当前历元外,前后多个历元均会超出阈值,便于探测。实测数据结果表明:经小波消噪后的M-W组合观测值能够准确定位小至1周的所有周跳,避免漏检现象,增强周跳探测的可靠性。     

Linking pesticides and human health: A geographic information system (GIS) and Landsat remote sensing method to estimate agricultural pesticide exposure

Accurate pesticide exposure estimation is integral to epidemiologic studies elucidating the role of pesticides in human health. Humans can be exposed to pesticides via residential proximity to agricultural pesticide applications (drift). We present an improved geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing method, the Landsat method, to estimate agricultural pesticide exposure through matching pesticide applications to crops classified from temporally concurrent Landsat satellite remote sensing images in California. The image classification method utilizes Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values in a combined maximum likelihood classification and per-field (using segments) approach. Pesticide exposure is estimated according to pesticide-treated crop fields intersecting 500 m buffers around geocoded locations (e.g., residences) in a GIS. Study results demonstrate that the Landsat method can improve GIS-based pesticide exposure estimation by matching more pesticide applications to crops (especially temporary crops) classified using temporally concurrent Landsat images compared to the standard method that relies on infrequently updated land use survey (LUS) crop data. The Landsat method can be used in epidemiologic studies to reconstruct past individual-level exposure to specific pesticides according to where individuals are located.     

The Reliability of Assigned Values from the GeoPT Proficiency Testing Programme from an Evaluation of Data for Six Test Materials that have been Characterised as Certified Reference Materials

Assigned values derived from the GeoPT proficiency testing programme were compared with certified values for six certified reference materials that have been used as test materials in the GeoPT programme. Statistical analysis showed that there were few significant differences between these sets of data and that these differences had no significant impact on the GeoPT assessment when fitness‐for‐purpose criteria were taken into account.     

Mass Fractions of S,Cu, Se,Mo, Ag,Cd, In,Te, Ba,Sm, W,Tl and Bi in Geological Reference Materials and Selected Carbonaceous Chondrites Determined by Isotope Dilution ICP‐MS

Mass fractions of S, Cu, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Te, Ba, Sm, W and Tl were determined by isotope dilution sector field ICP‐MS in the same sample aliquot of reference materials using HF‐HNO₃ digestion in PFA beakers in pressure bombs and glassy carbon vessels in a high‐pressure asher (HPA‐S) for comparison. Additionally, Bi was determined by internal standardisation relative to Tl. Because isobaric and oxide interferences pose problems for many of these elements, efficient chromatographic separation methods in combination with an Aridus desolvator were employed to minimise interference effects. Repeated digestion and measurement of geological reference materials (BHVO‐1, BHVO‐2, SCo‐1, MAG‐1, MRG‐1 and UB‐N) gave results with < 5% relative intermediate precision (1s) for most elements, except Bi. Replicates of NIST SRM 612 glass digested on a hot plate were analysed by the same methods, and the results agree with reference values mostly within 2% relative deviation. Data for the carbonaceous chondrites Allende, Murchison, Orgueil and Ivuna are also reported. Digestion in a HPA‐S was as efficient as in pressure bombs, but some elements displayed higher blank levels following HPA‐S treatment. Pressure bomb digestion yielded precise data for volatile S, Se and Te, but may result in high blanks for W.     

Seasonal inundation patterns in two large savanna floodplains of South America: the Llanos de Moxos (Bolivia) and the Llanos del Orinoco (Venezuela and Colombia)

Inundation patterns in two of the largest savanna floodplains of South America were studied by analysis of the 37‐GHz polarization difference observed by the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (Nimbus‐7 satellite). Flooded area was estimated at monthly intervals for January 1979 through to August 1987 using mixing models that account for the major landscape units with distinctive microwave emission characteristics. Results are presented separately for five subregions in each of the two floodplain regions to show the spatial as well as temporal variability in inundation patterns. The total area inundated during the 9 years varied between 2069 and 78 460 km² in the Llanos de Moxos (also spelled as Mojos; median area, 23 383 km²) and 1278 and 105 454 km² in the Llanos del Orinoco (median, 25 374 km²), not including the open‐water area of permanent lakes and river channels. The correlation between flooded area and river stage was used to extend the inundation records over a 30‐year period in the Moxos (1967–97) and a 58‐year period (1927–85) in the Orinoco. Interannual variability in inundation is greater in the Moxos than the Orinoco. Comparison of these data, however, with a previously published analysis of the Pantanal wetland shows that inundation patterns in these two floodplain regions are not as variable across years as they are in the Pantanal. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.