Mineral resource appraisal and mineral deposits computer files in the Geological Survey of Canada

The Geological Survey of Canada (G.S.C.) has been involved in national appraisal of resources of certain commodities for nearly two decades beginning with a national study of iron deposits in 1955. In 1972, the first national appraisal to rapidly estimate total resources of Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Fe, Mo, and U in Canada was carried out largely by economic geologists. This exercise produced, among other things, a better definition of G.S. C. needs for building computer files in support of mineral deposits studies and mineral resource appraisal. Objectives of this paper are threefold: (1) to outline general methodology for the kind of mineral resource appraisal carried out by the G.S.C. in 1972; (2) to identify types of information required in that appraisal; and (3) to indicate types of information on mineral deposits for which it seems advantageous for the G.S.C. to construct computer files, and how these files relate to mineral resource appraisal. Methodology is fairly straightforward for appraisal of reserves (known, measured resources), but is much more problematic for appraisal of undiscovered resources. For the latter, G.S.C. economic geologists make use of two basic concepts: the deposit model, which is a generalized deposit type, distinguished by its geological attributes and host rock environment, and containing characteristic amounts of specified commodities; and the metallogenic region, which is a geographic area of more or less homogeneous geology deemed favorable for the presence of a particular deposit model. Background information required for appraisal of undiscovered resources includes the following: (a) data on distribution and geology of Canadian deposits and occurrences; (6) data on geology of important, foreign deposits; (c) knowledge of Canadian geology, commensurate with metallogenic requirements; (d) knowledge of current theories of ore-forming processes; and (e) appreciation of the amount, location, and effectiveness of past exploration in Canada. At present, only identity, location, and certain simple geological features of Canadian deposits are considered practical for a general computer file of mineral deposits. The fundamental activity of the G.S.C. in the sphere of mineral deposits is a number of broad studies on the geology of certain commodities in Canada carried out by economic geologists. Appraisal of mineral resources is based directly on the results of those studies, and is done by the same economic geologists. Construction of G.S.C. computer files is in response to needs defined by economic geologists, mainly in the context of their broad studies.This paper was presented at the International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP) Project 98 entitled Standards for Computer Applications in Resource Studies held at Loen, Norway, September 27–October 1, 1976.     

When are relative variograms useful in geostatistics?

The relative variogram has been employed as a tool for correcting a simple kind of nonstationarity, namely that in which local variance is proportional to local mean squared. In the past, this has been linked in a vague way to the lognormal distribution, although if {Z_t; t D}is strongly stationary and normal over a domain D,then clearly {exp (Z_t); t D}will stillbe stationary, but lognormal. The appropriate link is made in this article through a universal transformation principle. More general situations are considered, leading to the use of a scaled variogram.     

On smoothing techniques for the removal of periodic noise of known period

This paper is concerned with the analysis of the linear modely(n)=X(n)+S(n)+(n) for the data sequencey(n) (n=1, 2, ..., N) whereX={x _IJ} is a knownJ × M matrix of full rankM. Here, the(n) are unknown vectors, which we wish to estimate for eachn; S(n) (n=1, 2, ..., N) is a periodic component (which we wish to estimate or remove) superimposed on the linear structureX(n); and(n) is an error vector which is specified as having zero expectation (with possible further properties). Such models commonly occur in geophysical data analysis.Modified from Technical Report No. 33, Computer Centre, The Australian National University.     

Statistical Properties of the Highest Pulses in Gamma-Ray Bursts

We study the statistical properties of the highest pulses within individual gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). A wavelet package analysis technique and a developed pulse-finding algorithm have been applied to identify the highest pulses from burst profiles observed by BATSE on board CGRO from 1991 April 21 to 1999 January 26. The statistical light curves of the highest pulses in four energy channels have been derived by an aligning method, which illustrate the temporal evolution of the pulse emission. Our result that narrower pulses go with higher energies is consistent with previous findings. By normalizing both the pulse durations and counts to unity, “characteristic” profiles of the highest pulses in the four channels are also derived. The four characteristic profiles are turned out to be almost the same, thus strongly support the previous conclusion that the temporal profiles in different energy channels are self-similar and the previous conjecture on GRB pulses, implying that the emission process is similar at different energies. The cosmological time dilation effect is examined by investigating the relationship between the pulse flux and pulse duration. An anti-correlation between the two was found, which agrees with the expectation of the cosmological time dilation effect. Also, the evolution of the pulse duration with the observational epoch is studied. The result shows that the pulse duration tends to be shorter in later epochs. This trend cannot be explained by the present theoretical models, and may represent a great challenge to current theories.     

流域地理景观的GIS数据三维可视化

应用以"GIS"为核心的空间信息技术,是开展"数字流域"工程建设自然和最佳的选择。结合"清江流域水文水情与洪水演进仿真系统"的具体研制,分析流域地理数据特点及传统GIS在"数字流域"建设中的优缺点,在应用传统GIS二维方式展示形式管理和预处理先期各类基础流域地理空间数据及其相应属性数据的基础上,为满足仿真系统系列三维可视化要求,建立面向流域空间实体对象的数据模型,定义流域地理空间对象数据结构,将流域地理常规的GIS数据以三维形式展示,在实际的系统开发过程中,取得较好的三维可视化效果,并可满足"数字清江"建设各阶段综合处理、分析、评价、决策以及可视化等方面的需求。     

La prévision du climat : de l'échelle saisonnière à l'échelle décennale

The atmosphere and the ocean are subject to many dynamical instabilities, which limit the time during which their behaviour can be deterministically forecasted. At longer timescales, the atmosphere can be predicted at best using statistical methods, as a response to external forcing linked to sea- and land-surface anomalies. Climate being defined as the mean of atmospheric states, it appears that it can be predicted up to a few months in advance, which is the characteristic time of the so-called slow components of the climate system. Forecasting can sometimes be extended to longer time ranges, especially when the coupled ocean–atmosphere system exhibits internal variability modes, with characteristic times of a few years. Seasonal climate forecasting is most often based upon Monte-Carlo simulations, where the various realisations correspond to slightly different initial conditions. The present sate-of-the-art in Europe (ECMWF) and/or in the USA (IRI) allows to forecast such major phenomena, as El Niño, up to six months in advance. Finally, some parameters may exhibit predictability at still longer time-ranges (inter-annual to decadal), but only for certain regions. The example of electricity production is used to underline the potentially large economical benefit of seasonal climate forecasting. To cite this article: J.-C. André et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1115–1127.

Résumé

L'atmosphère et l'océan sont le siège d'instabilités dynamiques, qui limitent la durée pendant laquelle il est possible d'en prévoir l'évolution de façon déterministe. Au-delà, l'atmosphère n'est plus prévisible, au mieux, que de façon statistique, en fonction du forçage externe qu'exerce(nt) sur elle l'océan et/ou la surface des continents. Le climat (au sens d'une moyenne des états atmosphériques) se révèle ainsi prévisible jusqu'à des échéances temporelles de quelques mois, échelle de temps caractéristique des composantes dites « lentes » du système climatique. La prévision peut s'étendre à des échéances parfois plus longues, dans le cas où le système couplé océan–atmosphère posséderait des modes de variabilité temporelle de périodes caractéristiques de quelques années. La prévision climatique saisonnière est très souvent construite à partir de simulations de type Monte-Carlo, avec des ensembles de réalisations utilisant des conditions initiales légèrement différentes. Dans l'état actuel de ces prévisions, qu'elles soient réalisées en Europe (CEPMMT) ou aux États-Unis (IRI), il est possible de prévoir environ six mois à l'avance un certain nombre de phénomènes climatiques, en particulier ceux liés aux épisodes dits « El Niño », pour lesquels l'amplitude des variations est suffisamment importante. Il existe, par ailleurs, une prévisibilité à encore plus longue échéance (inter-annuelle à décennale), mais seulement pour certains paramètres et certaines régions. L'exemple de la production d'électricité montre l'importance économique potentielle très grande de la prévision climatique saisonnière. Pour citer cet article : J.-C. André et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1115–1127.     

地理信息系统数据的不确定性问题

在总结当前GIS数据不确定性问题的研究进展和动态的基础上,论述GIS数据不确定性的框架体系,并分析探讨GIS数据不确定性的核心理论和主要研究内容,特别是位置不确定性、属性不确定性、时域不确定性、不确定性传播和管理等问题,最后对GIS数据不确定性的数学研究方法进行分析、归纳和阐述。     

导航电子地图数据格式Kiwi中主地图数据的提取

提出了用面向对象思想与C 语言解释和提取Kiwi中主地图数据的方法,实现了主地图数据向Map-Info的MIF明码格式的转换,并给出了实例。     

对空间数据不确定性研究的思考

对GIS中空间数据不确定性研究中存在的问题进行思考后提出了5点建议.主要包括:1) 要区分GIS中确定性目标和不确定性目标;2) 要区分用离散点逼近曲线/曲面的逼近误差和离散点自身量测误差及其传播;3) 要研究GIS中的几何不确定性,更要重视研究属性和时态不确定性;4) 要研究空间数据质量,更要研究空间信息服务的质量;5) 空间数据不确定性研究要努力向实际应用转化.     

方向数据插值方法研究

方向数据是矢量数据的标量表示,通常标量数据的插值方法不适用于方向数据。本文根据方向数据的特征,把其分解成沿坐标轴的分量,通过对分量数据的插值形成表面,最后合成反算出方向数据,给出了一种对于方向数据的行之有效的插值方法;并用实验进行了验证,对其插值结果和精度进行了统计和分析,取得了较为理想的内插结果。