Reconstruction and analysis of sub-plinian tephra dispersal during the 1530 A.D. Soufrière (Guadeloupe) eruption: Implications for scenario definition and hazards assessment

The last magmatic eruption of Soufrière of Guadeloupe dated at 1530 A.D. (Soufrière eruption) is characterized by an onset with a partial flank-collapse and emplacement of a debris-avalanche that was followed by a sub-plinian VEI 2–3 explosive short-lived eruption (Phase-1) with a column that reached a height between 9 and 12 km producing about 3.9 × 10⁶ m³ DRE (16.3 × 10⁶ m³ bulk) of juvenile products. The column recurrently collapsed generating scoriaceous pyroclastic flows in radiating valleys up to a distance of 5–6 km with a maximum interpolated bulk deposit volume of 11.7 × 10⁶ m³ (5 × 10⁶ m³ DRE). We have used HAZMAP, a numerical simple first-order model of tephra dispersal [Macedonio, G., Costa, A., Longo, A., 2005. A computer model for volcanic ash fallout and assessment of subsequent hazard. Comput. Geosci. 31, 837–845] to reconstruct to a first approximation the potential dispersal of tephra and associated tephra mass loadings generated by the sub-plinian Phase 1 of the 1530 A.D. eruption. We have tested our model on a deterministic average dry season wind profile that best-fits the available data as well as on a set of randomly selected wind profiles over a 5 year interval that allows the elaboration of probabilistic maps for the exceedance of specific tephra mass load thresholds. Results show that in the hypothesis of a future 1530 A.D. scenario, populated areas to a distance of 3–4 km west–southwest of the vent could be subjected to a static load pressure between 2 and 10 kPa in case of wet tephra, susceptible to cause variable degrees of roof damage. Our results provide volcanological input parameters for scenario and event-tree definition, for assessing volcanic risks and evaluating their impact in case of a future sub-plinian eruption which could affect up to 70 000 people in southern Basse-Terre island and the region. They also provide a framework to aid decision-making concerning land management and development. A sub-plinian eruption is the most likely magmatic scenario in case of a future eruption of this volcano which has shown, since 1992, increasing signs of low-energy seismic, thermal, and acid degassing unrest without significant deformation.     

A Survey of Techniques for Predicting Earthquake Ground Motions for Engineering Purposes

Over the past four or five decades many advances have been made in earthquake ground-motion prediction and a variety of procedures have been proposed. Some of these procedures are based on explicit physical models of the earthquake source, travel-path and recording site while others lack a strong physical basis and seek only to replicate observations. In addition, there are a number of hybrid methods that seek to combine benefits of different approaches. The various techniques proposed have their adherents and some of them are extensively used to estimate ground motions for engineering design purposes and in seismic hazard research. These methods all have their own advantages and limitations that are not often discussed by their proponents. The purposes of this article are to: summarise existing methods and the most important references, provide a family tree showing the connections between different methods and, most importantly, to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

An information-fusion method to identify pattern of spatial heterogeneity for improving the accuracy of estimation

While spatial autocorrelation is used in spatial sampling survey to improve the precision of the feature’s estimate of a certain population at area units, spatial heterogeneity as the stratification frame in survey also often have a considerable effect upon the precision. Under the context of increasingly enriched spatiotemporal data, this paper suggests an information-fusion method to identify pattern of spatial heterogeneity, which can be used as an informative stratification for improving the estimation accuracy. Data mining is major analysis components in our method: multivariate statistics, association analysis, decision tree and rough set are used in data filter, identification of contributing factors, and examination of relationship; classification and clustering are used to identify pattern of spatial heterogeneity using the auxiliary variables relevant to the goal and thus to stratify the samples. These methods are illustrated and examined in the case study of the cultivable land survey in Shandong Province in China. Different from many stratification schemes which just uses the goal variable to stratify which is too simplified, information from multiple sources can be fused to identify pattern of spatial heterogeneity, thus stratifying samples at geographical units as an informative polygon map, and thereby to increase the precision of estimates in sampling survey, as demonstrated in our case research.     

多层次模糊数学在煤层气开发潜力评价中的应用

对影响煤层气勘探开发潜力的各种因素进行了综合研究,确定了煤层气勘探开发潜力评价的4个二级指标(含气丰度、封盖性能、开采条件和产气性能)及相应的三级指标。采用模糊数学方法对各级因素指标赋予了权重,建立了用于煤层气勘探开发潜力评价的多层次模糊数学评判模型。利用该模型,对川南盆地群煤层气资源条件较好的古叙、松藻、筠连和芙蓉4个无烟煤矿区的煤层气开发潜力进行了评价,认为松藻矿区是川南盆地煤层气勘探开发的最佳试验区。建立的评价体系,可以作为高煤阶煤层气资源开发潜力评价的参考体系。      

京沪高速铁路饱和粉土液化特性试验研究

饱和粉土地基在动荷载作用下的液化问题是高速铁路抗震设计中重要的研究内容。为了能够定量地分析京沪高速铁路饱和粉土地基在加固前后的抗液化强度和地震时的变形特性,在室内对加固前后两种不同密度的饱和粉土进行了3组围压条件下一系列振动三轴液化试验。试验研究获得了两种不同密度饱和粉土的抗液化强度曲线、动强度及超静孔隙水压力的增长规律,为进一步分析饱和粉土地基在加固前后的液化变形特性提供了科学数据。     

生态地球化学:从调查实践到应用理论的系统工程

生态地球化学是以多目标区域地球化学调查为基础,以生态地球化学评价、生态地球化学评估、生态地球化学预警和生态地球化学修复为主体的系统工程。文章系统地介绍了我国近年来生态地球化学研究成果,对长江流域河流生态系统、山西农田生态系统,北京城市生态系统,鄱阳湖、洞庭湖、太湖等湖泊湿地生态系统的区域生态地球化学评价进展进行了归纳总结。文章从区域尺度上综述了土壤碳库,土壤元素基准值和土壤背景值,土壤污染等级划分等基础研究方面的进展。面向未来,指出了生态地球化学发展趋势,提出生态地球化学研究需要进一步延伸和发展的领域。     

全球风险和脆弱性评估方法及其尺度转换的局限性

近年来,国际上采用一系列指标,从全球的、区域的视角测度风险和脆弱性的工作不断增多.从全球尺度看,风险和脆弱性评估方法主要包括:UNDP的灾害风险指数、哥伦比亚大学的热点项目,以及哥伦比亚国家大学环境研究所开发的美洲项目;从区域尺度看,以GTZ和印度尼西亚社区合作伙伴共同开发的基于社区的风险指数最为典型.通过国际主要文献的综述,介绍了几种主要评估方法的目标、框架、测算指标和基本要求,分析了这些评估方法在应用中的局限性,指出了不同方法在空间尺度降次、升级转换过程中的不足和难点.     

三江源地区土壤侵蚀特点

三江源地区地域辽阔,土壤侵蚀复杂多样.近年来土壤侵蚀加剧,生态环境严重退化.以2000年土壤侵蚀调查的数据成果为基数.并与更新后的2005年数据成果比较,进行土壤侵蚀动态变化分析.对三江源地区不同类型土壤侵蚀区的土壤侵蚀现状做了较全面的分区评价.同时对作为典型区域的黄河源头区12个县的2000年1:10万Landsat 5 TIM假彩色合成影像,通过野外调查建它解译标志来分析该区植被覆盖状况,对该区典型区域的土壤侵蚀现状做了定量评价.根据评价结果,对三江源地区土壤侵蚀的发展趋势做了预测.     

The integrated risk assessment and zoning of meteorological disaster in Heilongjiang Province of China

This paper describes studies on the integrated risk assessment and zoning of meteorological disaster in Heilongjiang Province,in northeastern China,by using information-diffusion theory and cluster method with 35 years of summer temperature and precipitation data from 74 meteorological stations from 1971 through 2005.The information-diffusion theory has been used extensively in risk assessment,yet almost no one has done research about risk assessment by information-diffusion theory based on meteorological disaster standards.Some research results are as follows:the risk probability of low temperature and cold damage in the northern region is higher than that in the southern region;the risk probability of general low temperature and cold damage in the southwestern region is the highest;the risk probability of serious low temperature and cold damage in the northern region is the highest,followed by the central and southeast region;the high-risk region of arid disaster in Heilongjiang Province was primarily located in the southwestern,central,and southern parts of the province;the high-intensity arid disaster was located in the south-eastern region;the high-risk region of flood in Heilongjiang Province was primarily located from the southwest and then across the central part to the western part of Heilongjiang Province;the high-intensity flood disasters were located in almost every part of Heilongjiang Province.We can conclude from the integrated meteorological disaster risk zoning that the high-risk region of mete-orological disaster is primarily located in the southern and northern part of the province,the moderate-risk region is distributed in the central southern region and western region,the low-risk region is located in the eastern part,and the light-risk region is located in the central western part of Heilongjiang Province.     

Emergency Seismic Damage Assessment of the M_S8.0 Great Wenchuan Earthquake Based on Remote Sensing Imagery

The fast processing, seismic damage data extraction and loss evaluation from RS imagery acquired immediately after a destructive earthquake occurs, are important means for compen-sating the insufficiency of seismic damage information from ground-based investigations and provide an important basis for emergency command and rescue. The paper introduces the method of emergency seismic damage assessment using remote sensing data and its application to the great Wenchuan earthquake of magnitude 8.0 occurring in southwest Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008. The practical effectiveness of the method is also evaluated in the paper.