MANUFACTURING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN A PERIPHERAL REGION: THE CASE OF LIMBURG,BELGIUM *

The scope of manufacturing research and development (R&D) in the intermetropolitan region of Limburg, Belgium, is analyzed within the context of the spatial, organizational, and size-theoretical attributes of R&D and of the core-periphery model. In spite of its peripheral location, Limburg exhibits vivid R&D activity associated with the trickled-down manufacturing from neighboring West European industrial cores. R&D in Limburg is mostly centered in multinational/locational branch plants, but also in a few modernizing, old sector establishments engaged in high and medium-level “off the shelf” technology processes. R&D was significant in terms of spending, number of newly developed prototypes, and number of patents registered. It revealed strong sector concentration with relatively dispersed spatial patterns. R&D departments and spending disclosed a positive correlation with plant size, but showed particularly high concentration coefficients when medium-size high- and medium-level technology plants were considered.     

Observed oil and gas field size distributions: A consequence of the discovery process and prices of oil and gas

If observed oil and gas field size distributions are obtained by random samplings, the fitted distributions should approximate that of the parent population of oil and gas fields. However, empirical evidence strongly suggests that larger fields tend to be discovered earlier in the discovery process than they would be by random sampling. Economic factors also can limit the number of small fields that are developed and reported. This paper examines observed size distributions in state and federal waters of offshore Texas. Results of the analysis demonstrate how the shape of the observable size distributions change with significant hydrocarbon price changes. Comparison of state and federal observed size distributions in the offshore area shows how production cost differences also affect the shape of the observed size distribution. Methods for modifying the discovery rate estimation procedures when economic factors significantly affect the discovery sequence are presented. A primary conclusion of the analysis is that, because hydrocarbon price changes can significantly affect the observed discovery size distribution, one should not be confident about inferring the form and specific parameters of the parent field size distribution from the observed distributions.This paper was presented at Emerging Concepts, MGUS-87 Conference, Redwood City, California, 13–15 April 1987.     

Simulation of the size distribution and erosivity of raindrops and throughfall drops

This paper presents a model that simulates the size distribution and erosivity of raindrops and throughfall drops. It utilizes existing models of rainfall drop size distribution and fall velocity and combines them with newly collated evidence of throughfall drop size distributions. A sensitivity analysis reveals that the model is sensitive to parameters that are easily measured or estimated: rainfall intensity, the mean volume drop diameter of the intercepted throughfall, canopy cover, and canopy height. The results of the model may be used at two levels. Firstly, to calculate specifically the size and fall velocity of individual drops, parameters that are needed in studies examining the response of soil surfaces to forces applied by rainfall. Secondly, to produce erosivity indices, based on rainfall intensity but which take account of the effects of a vegetation canopy. The paper shows that while the kinetic energy of rainfall (E(0), J mm^?1 m^?2) may be calculated from an equation of the familiar form: the kinetic energy of throughfall under any canopy may be calculated by combining this equation with another that relates the energy of drops under a 100 per cent canopy cover (E(100)) and the canopy height: .     

Determination of Intraseasonal Variation of Precipitation Microphysics in the Southern Indian Ocean from Joss–Waldvogel Disdrometer Observation during the CINDY Field Campaign

To date, the intraseasonal variation of raindrop size distribution(DSD) in response to the Madden–Julian Oscillation(MJO) has been examined only over the Indonesian Maritime Continent, particularly in Sumatra. This paper presents the intraseasonal variation of DSD over the Indian Ocean during the Cooperative Indian Ocean experiment on Intraseasonal Variability in the Year 2011(CINDY 2011) field campaign. The DSDs determined using a Joss–Waldvogel disdrometer,which was installed on the roof of the anti-rolling system of the R/V Mirai during stationary observation(25 September to 30 November 2011) at(8°S, 80.5°E), were analyzed. The vertical structure of precipitation was revealed by Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Precipitation Radar(version 7) data. While the general features of vertical structures of precipitation observed during the CINDY and Sumatra observation are similar, the intraseasonal variation of the DSD in response to the MJO at each location is slightly different. The DSDs during the active phase of the MJO are slightly broader than those during the inactive phase, which is indicated by a larger mass-weighted mean diameter value. Furthermore, the radar reflectivity during the active MJO phase is greater than that during the inactive phase at the same rainfall rate. The microphysical processes that generate large-sized drops over the ocean appear to be more dominant during the active MJO phase, in contrast to the observations made on land(Sumatra). This finding is consistent with the characteristics of radar reflectivity below the freezing level, storm height, bright band height, cloud effective radius, and aerosol optical depth.     

Size distribution of urban blocks in the Tokyo Metropolitan Region: estimation by urban block density and road width on the basis of normative plane tessellation

The size distribution of urban blocks is important for the characterisation of urban block patterns and is known to follow several parametric statistical distributions. However, it has not previously been analysed on the basis of a normative plane tessellation and in terms of urban block density and mean road width. In this article, we formulate the size distribution of Voronoi cells using the gamma distribution estimated by urban block density and mean road width. We found that (1) both log-normal and gamma distributions can be good candidates for the size distribution of urban blocks at the scale of a region that consists of regular urban blocks and that has a uniform road width; and (2) the size distribution of urban blocks depends on the balance between pattern and width improvement effects. Based on one study region in Tokyo, if the pattern improvement effect is more prominent than the width improvement effect, the mode of urban block sizes tends to be larger than if it is not. These findings are expected to provide scientific support for urban planning (e.g. land readjustment projects).     

A Study on the Spatial Distribution of China’s Potential Foreign Cooperation on Grain from Geographical View

Further utilization of global agricultural resources and the expansion of potential international cooperation space are necessary measures to promote a new level of China’s national food security and optimize the structure of domestic food consumption. This study measured the global potential cultivated land area and national grain self-sufficiency. Based on the two-above measures, the authors made a classification of China’s foreign agricultural cooperation countries and depicted the spatial pattern of cooperation based on the grain trades of those countries with China. The grain exporters include Australia, North America, South America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia; and the target countries for “going abroad” of Chinese grain enterprises are mainly located in Sub-Saharan Africa and northern Latin America. This study proposes that China’s policy of cooperation on grain should be shifted to non-traditional partners alongside the “Belt and Road Initiative” region. Specifically, China could expand grain imports from Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and other East European and Central Asian countries, and the direction for China’s agricultural enterprises “going abroad” should shift to Sub-Sahara Africa.     

Comparison of Microphysical Characteristics Between Warm-sector and Frontal Heavy Rainfall in the South of China

During the April-June raining season,warm-sector heavy rainfall(WR) and frontal heavy rainfall(FR) often occur in the south of China,causing natural disasters.In this study,the microphysical characteristics of WR and FR events from 2016 to 2022 are analyzed by using 2-dimensional video disdrometer(2DVD) data in the south of China.The microphysical characteristics of WR and FR events are quite different.Compared with FR events,WR events have higher concentration of D<5.3 mm(especially D <1 ...     

Study of the Surface Morphology of Gas Hydrate

Study of the surface morphology of gas hydrate is of great importance in understanding its physical properties and occurrence.In order to investigate the surface morphology of different types(sI and sII)and occurrences(pore-filling and fracture-filling)of gas hydrate,both lab-synthesized and drilled-gas hydrate samples were measured using cryo-scanning electron microscopy(cryo-SEM).Results showed that the surface of s I hydrate was relatively smooth,and spongy nano-pores(200–400 nm)gradually occurred at the surface during continuous observation.The surface of sII hydrate was more compact,showing a tier-like structure.Hydrate occurred in quartz sand and usually filled the pores of the sediments and both hydrate and sediments were cemented with each other.SEM observation of the gas hydrates collected from the South China Sea showed that the surface morphology and contact relation with sediments varied with hydrate occurrence.For instance,hydrates dispersed in sediments mainly filled the pores of the sediments.The existence of microorganism shells,such as foraminifera,was beneficial to the formation of gas hydrate.When hydrate occurred as a massive or vein structure,it was easily distinguished from the surrounding sediments.The surface of hydrate with massive or vein structure showed two distinct characters:one was dense and smooth,the other is porous(several to tens of micrometers in diameter).The occurrence of different hydrate morphologies was probably caused by the supplement rates of methane gas.     

Redox environment effect on redox sensitive elements in surface sediments of the Changjiang Estuary hypoxia zone

The grain size and element (including redox sensitive elements and terrigenous elements) concentration of surface sediments from the Changjiang Estuary hypoxia zone and its adjacent sea area were measured in this research. Based on the obtained data, the hypoxic environment’s influence on the distribution of elements in surface sediments was further studied. We believe that the “redox environment effect” greatly influences the distribution of the RSE, which reveals the “patchy enrichment pattern” offshore in the hypoxia zone, while the distribution of the terrigenous elements which shows the “stripped enrichment pattern” near shore is mainly affected by “granularity effects”. Due to the existence of the hypoxia zone of the Changjiang Estuary, the distribution of the RSE such as Mo, Cd and V in the study area exhibits the characteristics of “redox environment effects”. __________ Translated from Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2007, 27(3):1–8 [译自: 海洋地质与第四纪地质]