Predicting average annual groundwater levels from climatic variables: an empirical model

On the basis of one-dimensional theoretical water flow model, we demonstrate that the groundwater level variation follows a pattern similar to recharge fluctuation, with a time delay that depends on the characteristics of aquifer, recharge pattern as well as the distance between the recharge and observation locations. On the basis of a water budget model and the groundwater flow model, we propose an empirical model that links climatic variables to groundwater level. The empirical model is tested using a partial data set from historical records of water levels from more than 80 wells in a monitoring network for the carbonate rock aquifer, southern Manitoba, Canada. The testing results show that the predicted groundwater levels are very close to the observed ones in most cases. The overall average correlation coefficient between the predicted and observed water levels is 0.92. This proposed empirical statistical model could be used to predict variations in groundwater level in response to different climate scenarios in a climate change impact assessment.     

长江巨洪前期物理因子的配置

提出了长江巨洪前期物理因子配置的概念，在每一次巨洪发生之前，影响巨洪的主要物理因子之间一般都会表现出相似的特征，即出现一些固有的配置，这些配置正是长江发生巨洪的强信号，对长江巨洪的预测研究具有重要的指示作用。     

Global heat budget, plate tectonics and climatic change

For the past 2000 Ma, the temperature of the Earth's surface has fluctuated around a mean similar to that of today, although individual locations have undergone long-term changes of ∼30°C at different times in different places. Water bodies absorb at least five times as much solar radiation as land surfaces, and ocean currents transport the excess heat absorbed in the tropics towards the poles. Changes in the distribution of land and sea due to plate tectonics explain the major temperature fluctuations (>25°C) around the globe in the last 350 Ma, and are first-order controls. Large-scale changes in ocean currents and thermohaline circulations are probably second-order controls (15–25°C). The Milankovitch orbital cycles are third-order controls producing variations in air temperature of the order of 10°C, while massive volcanic eruptions and changes in carbon dioxide are amongst the fourth-order controls producing minor perturbations (<5°C). The major climatic fluctuations are continuous but regional in effect and not global. Extraterrestrial factors may not cause major changes in climate when viewed from a geological perspective.     

Pauperizing the pastoral periphery: the marginalization of herding communities in the world's dry lands

Environmental degradation and other socio-economic problems are too often discerned in contemporary pastoral systems in the wake of global economic change. This paper identifies cases where pastoral people respond to external pressures and opportunities in positive ways and adapt to changes. We hope that by doing this a framework of pastoral adaptations can be developed. The first part of this paper focuses on impacts of global economic change, which are mostly negative in nature. Through an extensive literature search in geography, anthropology, range management, and development field, the second part introduces cases that we categorize as positive adaptations.     

(Re)surveying the uses of Geographical Information Systems in Health Authorities 1991–2001

This paper provides a comparative analysis of two separate national surveys of the uptake and use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) by Health Authorities (HAs) in England and Wales. The surveys were undertaken at two different time points (1991 and 2001), and the intervening period has been characterized by major (and continuing) health sector restructuring. The substantial number of HA mergers between 1991 and 2001 provide a methodological challenge in attempting to make comparisons. A pragmatic approach is adopted and the presentation of results has to be restricted solely to English and Welsh HA data. Our findings show that there has been a considerable increase in the use of GIS since the early 1990s, and there is some evidence of more sophisticated uses for a wider range of policy-related and application tasks. However, we conclude that there is still considerable scope for the wider uptake and use of GIS within the NHS. In addition, our findings provide a baseline with which to monitor the impacts of future organizational restructuring on the uses of GIS within the NHS. We suggest that this is important given the replacement of 95 English HAs with 28 new Strategic HAs (StHAs) from April 2002, and the repercussions of the anticipated shift in GIS responsibility to Primary Care Trusts.     

图像处理技术在地质灾害监测中的应用

三维激光微位移监测技术是一种对地质灾害进行长期监测的新方法。该技术用激光作为光源，用CCD摄像器作为镜头，通过图象采集卡把视频信号采入计算机中，用与该仪器配套的专门软件对采集到的光斑图像进行处理，计算出光斑的三维中心坐标值，把该值和原点坐标值进行比较，就可以算出灾害体滑动的距离。该系统可以对灾害体进行长期、非接触监测，监测时间、监测频率可以任意设定。文章概括介绍该监测的原理，各个组成部分，重点介绍软件部分，即采集的视频信号进入计算机后的图像处理过程和数据库结构。该监测系统已在三块地区试运行了3个月，效果较好。     

宁南汤家坪地壳形变异常的调查研究

根据宁南汤家坪流动水准、基线测量出现的重大异常，进行了野外实地考察。发现点位是稳定的；A点与B、C点之间是跨断层的；但原始选点报告所提供的断层产状与作者实测的断层产状有一定的偏差。通过对相关资料分析，认为该场地的地壳形变异常是可靠的。并对其形成机理作了初步探讨。     

兰州数字遥测地震台网信号传输方式的设计

介绍了地震信号传输的常用方式及各自的优缺点，提出了数字遥测地震台网信号传输方式设计的总原则和基本原则。实际应用表明，兰州数字遥测地震台网信号传输方式的是符合要求的，提出的数字遥测地震台网信号传输方式的总原则和基本原则，对数字遥测地震台网建设有直接的借鉴作用。     

GIS支持下珠江三角洲城镇建筑覆盖变化遥感监测分析

从珠江三角洲区域总体出发，探讨大范围城镇建筑覆盖变化的遥感监测方法。分析了城镇建筑覆盖变化专题信息提取方法概况，比较了最大似然法、上下文分类法、人工神经网络三种分类方法的优缺点。借助GIS技术的术持，在计算机自动分类的基础上利用专家知识改进了分类结果。根据遥感监测结果，对1988—1998年间珠江三角洲城镇建筑覆盖变化特征进行了分析。