Comparison of two techniques for applying disjunctive kriging: The Gaussian anamorphosis model versus the direct statistical inference of the bivariate distributions

Indicator cokriging is an alternative to disjunctive kriging for estimation of spatial distributions. One way to determine which of these techniques is more accurate for estimation of spatial distributions is to apply each to a particular type of data. A procedure is developed for evaluation of disjunctive kriging and indicator cokriging for such an application. Application of this procedure to earthquake ground motion data found disjunctive kriging to be at least as accurate as indicator cokriging for estimation of spatial distributions of peak horizontal acceleration. Indicator cokriging was superior for all other types of earthquake ground motion data.     

A STATISTICAL APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM OF MISSING SPATIAL DATA USING A FIRST-ORDER MARKOV MODEL*

Geographical data sets sometimes contain missing observations that need to be estimated. A statistical approach to the problem is discussed for multivariate normal spatial data sets satisfying the first-order spatial Markov property with constant mean, where the information at neighboring or contiguous observed sites is used to estimate the missing values. The completed data are used to estimate the parameters of the distribution. The procedure is iterative. The approach is a special case of the Orchard and Woodbury missing information principle. The paper concludes with an illustrative empirical example using rainfall data from an area of Kansas and Nebraska. The quality of the estimates for different sites are compared.     

Vertical distribution of trace elements in the surface waters offshore Nova Scotia

Concentrations of the trace elements Fe, Al, Mn, Cu, Cd, Zn and Ni were measured in shallow vertical profiles (maximum depth 500 m) off the Scotian Shelf in the western North Atlantic. The distributions of the trace elements show variations with depth, the most consistent of which are for Fe and Zn. A minimum concentration near the surface followed by an increase with depth is attributed to in situ mechanisms.     

Activities to Develop a Spatial Perspective Among Students in Introductory Geography Courses

Abstract

Teaching students to gain a spatial perspective is one of the most difficult yet important components of geographic education. This paper presents a series of activities designed to develop a more comprehensive understanding of spatial concepts among students in introductory geography courses. The activities and content are most appropriate for high school or university undergraduate students. An evaluation of these activities demonstrates that they enhance the student's spatial perspective and their understanding of the role of spatial concepts in geography.     

GPS-RTK用于矿山高精度沉陷监测的可行性研究

针对复杂地表条件下采用水准测量和导线测量等常规方式进行地表变形周期观测、任务量大甚至无法实施等问题,提出了建立研究区域的似大地水准面精化模型,同时采用GPS-RTK技术获取观测站三维空间信息,进而获得概率积分法预计参数。最后以内蒙古准格尔旗某煤矿的生产实践说明该技术的有效性和可行性,极大地提高了工作效率,为保护煤柱的留设提供了科学的依据。     

低纬地区平流层准零风层时空分布特征分析

利用ERA-Interim逐日再分析资料,使用EOF（Empirical Orthogonal Function）等统计方法,分析了中国低纬地区平流层准零风层（Quasi-Zero Wind Layer,QZWL）的时空分布特征,旨在为平流层飞艇寻找合适的运行区域及时段。低纬地区QZWL主要受到热带平流层大气环流季节性变化和平流层准两年振荡（Quasi-BiennialOscillation,QBO）的影响。在二者共同作用下,低纬地区QZWL高概率带可分为南北两支:“北支”出现在10月至次年4月间,QBO东风位相时期,“北支”中心纬度基本维持在20°N附近,西风位相时期,“北支”中心纬度随高度降低南移明显;“南支”仅出现在QBO西风位相期间,5~11月在5°N附近,其余时段与“北支”合并,可以认为是“北支”向南延伸。通过对比海口站和南沙站Weibull概率密度函数与风速资料的拟合结果,表明Weibull分布可以很好拟合不同QBO位相下平流层逐月风速频率分布,根据Weibull分布计算特定的累积概率风速值,可以作为选取适宜平流层飞艇运行的低风速风场的判据。海口站30~50 hPa高度11月至次年4月、南沙站50~70 hPa高度QBO西风位相时期全年均较为适合平流层飞艇运行。     

Conditional probabilistic estimates of 21st century greenhouse gas emissions based on the storylines of the IPCC-SRES scenarios

The conditional probabilistic scenario analysis combines statistical methods of uncertainty analysis at parameter level with storylines which recognize the deep uncertainty that exists for several underlying trends. The model calculations indicate that cumulative 21st century emissions could range from 800 to 2500 GtC in the absence of climate policy. This range originates partly from the underlying storylines, and partly from the probabilistic analysis. Among the most important parameters contributing to the uncertainty range are uncertainty in income growth, population growth, parameters determining energy demand, oil resources and fuel preferences. The contribution of these factors is also scenario-dependent.     

Joint PDF Modelling of Turbulent Flow and Dispersion in an Urban Street Canyon

The joint probability density function (PDF) of turbulent velocity and concentration of a passive scalar in an urban street canyon is computed using a newly developed particle-in-cell Monte Carlo method. Compared to moment closures, the PDF methodology provides the full one-point one-time PDF of the underlying fields containing all higher moments and correlations. The small-scale mixing of the scalar released from a concentrated source at the street level is modelled by the interaction by exchange with the conditional mean (IECM) model, with a micro-mixing time scale designed for geometrically complex settings. The boundary layer along no-slip walls (building sides and tops) is fully resolved using an elliptic relaxation technique, which captures the high anisotropy and inhomogeneity of the Reynolds stress tensor in these regions. A less computationally intensive technique based on wall functions to represent the boundary layers and its effect on the solution are also explored. The calculated statistics are compared to experimental data and large-eddy simulation. The present work can be considered as the first example of computation of the full joint PDF of velocity and a transported passive scalar in an urban setting. The methodology proves successful in providing high level statistical information on the turbulence and pollutant concentration fields in complex urban scenarios.     

未来极端降水对气候平均变暖敏感性的蒙特卡罗模拟试验

利用Weibull分布拟合逐日降水的原始分布模式,并基于统计降尺度和蒙特卡罗随机模拟方法,对中国东部区域各站逐日极端降水量在未来气候变暖条件下的响应特征进行统计数值试验.结果表明,在全球变暖背景下,区域平均温度的改变即可导致区域极端降水概率分布特征的变动.从两个典型代表区域的预估结果中可见,长江中下游南部平均降水量对平均温度升高有正响应,模拟得到的区域极端降水概率分布曲线有明显的向右平移,导致大量级的极端降水的再现期缩短即概率增大.山东及渤海湾区域平均降水量对平均温度升高有负响应,模拟得到的区域极端降水概率密度分布尺度参数变小更明显,即方差增大,表现为左右两侧概率密度增加,同样导致大量级的极端降水再现期缩短即概率增大.本文仅考察了气候均值改变条件下,未来区域气候极端值的概率预估的可行性方案.对于未来气候方差的变化并未作试验,但理论上已经证明,未来气候极端值的概率对于气候方差变化的敏感性可能更大.由于目前尚未整卵出考察方差变化的较为完整的实际观测资料,该问题还有待进一步深入研究.