Relative role and extent of marine and groundwater inundation on a dune‐dominated barrier island under sea‐level rise scenarios

Climate change and sea‐level rise will have severe impacts on coastal water resources around the world. However, whereas the influence of marine inundation is well documented in the literature, the impact of groundwater inundation on coastal communities is not well known. Here, core analysis, groundwater monitoring, and ground penetrating radar are utilized to assess the groundwater regime of the surficial aquifer on Bogue Banks Barrier Island (USA). Then, geospatial techniques are used to assess the relative roles and extents of groundwater and marine inundation on the dune‐dominated barrier island under sea‐level rise scenarios of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 m above current conditions by 2100. Additionally, the effects of rising water tables on onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are modelled using the projected sea‐level rise scenarios. The results indicate that the surficial aquifer comprising fine to medium sands responds quickly to precipitation. Water‐level measurements reveal varying thicknesses of the vadose zone (>3 to 0 m) and several groundwater mounds with radial flow patterns. Results from projected sea‐level rise scenarios suggest that owing to aquifer properties and morphology of the island, groundwater inundation may occur at the same rate as marine inundation. Furthermore, the area inundated by groundwater may be as significant as that affected by marine inundation. The results also show that the proportion of land in the study area where OWTS may be perpetually compromised by rising water tables under worst case scenarios may range from ~43 to ~54% over an 86‐year‐period. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

河系几何相似性的层次度量方法

已有的线群目标几何相似性度量方法主要基于数理统计的思想,通过统计整体变化信息计算几何相似性,缺少对局域特征的表达,并不适用于具有高度分形特征的河系。为此,本文将河系几何特征划分为3层次的信息特征：单条河流的形状特征、局部区域的结构特征、全局范围的分布特征。首先,结合角链码法与Hausdorff距离计算单条河流的形状相似度;然后,根据 “二八定律”确定局部特征区域,通过坐标系转换计算M： N的河系局域结构相似度;最后综合整体描述子得到全局分布相似度,并在该基础上,构建差异指标进行河系多尺度相似性计算与综合质量评价。实验表明,该方法的计算结果优于均值指标法,能有效应用于制图综合的质量评价。     

水下滑翔器整体外形设计及水动力性能分析

对水下滑翔器的整体外形设计与水动力性能进行研究。在Slocum等几种典型水下滑翔器样机的基础上,对滑翔器的主体和附体进行一体化设计,得到阻力最小的新型水下滑翔器构型设计。利用CFD方法对水下滑翔器进行模拟仿真,通过分析对比五种主体构型,得到了比较合理的主体线型,然后用正交设计方法和曲线拟合法对附体进行了优选工作,最后得到了性能更优的整体载体外形。模拟仿真实验表明,滑翔器在8°左右攻角航行时,具有最大的升阻比;和Slocum等经典样机相比,新的载体具有更好的水动力性能。通过上述研究工作,也可以缩短水下滑翔器研制周期,降低设计成本,并为水下滑翔器的更优设计提供了有力的技术指导和参考。     

形态学和小波域滤波级联的杂波抑制算法研究

为保留目标的同时尽可能多地抑制图像背景杂波,在研究形态学滤波、空域平滑滤波、小波域平滑滤波以及它们级联的背景杂波抑制算法的基础上,提出形态学滤波和小波域平滑滤波级联的杂波抑制算法。该算法先对含有微弱目标和白高斯噪声的原始图像进行空域形态学滤波,然后对形态学滤波结果进行小波变换,在小波域中对各小波系数分别平滑滤波,用滤波前的小波系数减去滤波后的小波系数得到差值系数,对差值系数再进行逆小波变换。仿真测试表明,提出的算法在得到的残差图像中目标邻域信杂比(SCNR)平均增益比空域形态学滤波算法和空域平滑滤波算法等均有较明显的提高,为后续的目标检测与跟踪提供了良好的保障。     

Resilience of traditional knowledge systems: The case of agricultural knowledge in home gardens of the Iberian Peninsula

The resilience of a social–ecological system largely depends on its capacity to learn by absorbing new information to cope with change. But, how resilient are traditional knowledge systems? We explore the resilience of the traditional agricultural knowledge system of home gardeners in the Iberian Peninsula (n = 383). We use multivariate analysis to explore the co-existence of agricultural information derived from two different knowledge systems: (i) knowledge and use of landraces (representative of traditional agricultural knowledge) and (ii) knowledge and use of commercial crop varieties (representative of modern agricultural knowledge). Our analyses show a positive association between both types of knowledge: overall gardeners who are more knowledgeable about commercial crop varieties are also more knowledgeable about landraces. Despite this overall tendency, results from hierarchical cluster analysis showed different groups of traditional and modern knowledge holders. Our results suggest that (a) traditional knowledge is not a frozen and static corpus of knowledge and (b) modern and traditional agricultural knowledge are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Both maintenance of some aspects of the traditional knowledge and incorporation of some aspect of the modern knowledge seem to be core elements of home gardeners’ body of agricultural knowledge which is constantly evolving in response to changing environmental and socioeconomic conditions. Changes in traditional knowledge can be seen as a part of the general self-organizing process of this knowledge system.     

Tectono-stratigraphy of Lower Cretaceous Tanan sub-basin,Tamtsag Basin,Mongolia: Sequence architecture,depositional systems and controls on sediment infill

Tanan sub-basin is an active-fault bounded basin. The spatial distribution and temporal evolution of depositional systems were significantly influenced by tectonics. Fault movement and stages of basin development controlled the subsidence rates and the potential for erosion and the rate of sediment supply. Distinct stages of rift evolution during the early Cretaceous can be recognized, namely the early syn-rift, rift climax and late syn-rift stages. Three types of lacustrine sequence, consisting of distinctive depositional systems, are distinguished: (1) the early syn-rift sequences (SQ1 + SQ2), which are composed mainly of fan delta and shallow lacustrine depositional systems; (2) the rift climax sequences (SQ3) which developed in response to rapid and differential tectonic subsidence rates, and consist of fan delta, deep lacustrine and sublacustrine fan depositional systems; and (3) the late syn-rift sequences (SQ4) which are comprised of braided-delta and shallow lacustrine depositional systems. Each of the three lacustrine sequence architectures stands for a particular stage of basin fill and reflects variable rates of basin subsidence. Within each sequence, depositional systems and their stacking patterns are interpreted to have been a function of the interaction between tectonics and sediment supply. Differential subsidence across the basin, related to rotation of fault blocks, resulted in the formation of distinct paleomorphologies in different structural settings. These settings were fault-scarp zones controlling the development of fan-deltas, fault-terrace zones controlling the development of fan-delta and sublacustrine fans, half-graben dip-slope zones controlling the development of braided river and braided deltas, and intra-basinal fault-break zones controlling the development of sublacustrine fans. During the late syn-rift stage, active tectonism, displacement on the boundary faults had ceased. At this stage the depositional systems and their stacking patterns were dominantly related to the sediment supply rates, and not to tectonic activity.     

Debris flow disaster prevention and mitigation of non-structural strategies in Taiwan

Taiwan has disadvantageous conditions for sediment-related disasters such as debris flows. The construction of engineering structures is an effective strategy for reducing debris flow disasters. However, it is impossible to construct engineering structures in all debris flow areas in a short period. Therefore, the government aims to gradually develop non-structural preventive strategies, including evacuation planning, debris flow disaster emergency action system, disaster resistant community program, recruitment of debris flow professional volunteers, debris flow warning systems, and land management strategies, to mitigate disasters and secure the safety of residents. This review describes the processes and effects of recent debris flow non-structural preventive strategies in Taiwan. The average number of casualties prior to the year 2000 was far higher than the corresponding number after 2000 because debris flow evacuation drills have been promoted since 2000 and the debris flow disaster emergency action system has been progressively improved since 2002. Furthermore, the changes in risks caused by debris flow disasters before and after the implementation of non-structural preventive strategies were used to explain the effectiveness of these strategies at the community level. The results showed that software-based non-structural preventive strategies can effectively reduce the casualties caused by debris flows at both the national and community levels.     

青海省北部绿草山地区化探元素组合分类信息探讨

对化探元素组合分类信息的研究可以为下一步的化探异常查证及成矿预测有很大的帮助。该文利用因子分析法对大柴旦行委绿草山地区23个元素、6026件样品的化探分析测试数据进行了元素的组合分类信息探讨。结果表明,因子得分图可以是分类元素组浅表地球化学场的一种反映,高低异常突变区域可能为不同性质地球化学场界面或者作为构造线的反映,处于构造部位的局部低缓异常区也应在化探异常查证工作中引起重视。     

Filling the gap: The geospatial skills shortage in New Zealand

Geospatial technologies span governmental, academic and private commercial sectors, and their potential for growth is considerable. The USA and Australia have trouble meeting demand for geospatial skills. This paper reports on a national survey of 157 organisations that identified a similar geospatial shortage in New Zealand. The paper also details dimensions of the shortage and the current frameworks for meeting the shortfall of skilled professionals. Arising from this skills gap, key challenges facing both the geography and geospatial communities are identified and discussed: raising student numbers, gaining experience, up‐skilling current professionals and raising awareness of the value of the geospatial skillset.     

Research Approaches for Understanding,Enhancing, and Monitoring Community Resilience

The growing interest in the understanding of community resilience suggests a need for improving research approaches. This article reviews methods used to date, and suggests opportunities for expanding the range and efficacy of approaches used to understand, improve, and monitor the coupled social and ecological aspects of community resilience. We explore three potential foci: research approaches that enhance understanding of community resilience; those that help to improve community resilience through the research process; and the further development of methods to guide monitoring. Most studies have relied on mixed and multistaged methods, including in-depth interviews and case studies. We comment on the wide range of approaches used, and suggest others that could be valuable. There is particular scope for greater use of cumulative studies, historical or retrospective studies, participatory methods, and systems approaches, and a need for more methods that explore the coupling of social and ecological dimensions.