Microbial Degradation of Tar Oil Compounds under Different Redox Conditions

The microbial transformation of typical tar oil compounds such as acridine, benzo(b)thiophene, dibenzofuran, indane, and indene under different redox conditions was investigated in microcosm studies. Under aerobic conditions the inherent contamination in polluted soil as well as the added N‐, S‐, O‐ heterocyclic and homocyclic compounds were transformed predominantly apart from thiophene. 1‐Indanone was detected by RP‐HPLC‐DAD and GC‐MS as an intermediate metabolite from indane and indene. Under nitrate and sulfate reducing conditions indane, benzo(b)thiophene, and dibenzofuran were transformed in assays with the polluted soil samples from well B 65 and B 66 within 426 days, whereas they were persistent in assays with the highly polluted soil B 67. All heterocyclic and homocyclic compounds added to the non‐contaminated soil from well B 85 were not degraded under nitrate and sulfate reducing conditions, too. The results indicate that for the decision, wether natural attenuation can be implemented in the remediation of contaminated site, in addition to BTEX and PAHs especially the fate of further tar oil compounds in anoxic aquifers has to be considered.     

Weather as a Chronic Hazard for Road Transportation in Canadian Cities

Inclement weather creates a chronic hazard for Canadian travellers. Past studies indicate that road collision rates increase during precipitation, although the magnitude of theincrease varies from study to study, partly as a result of variations in weather and driving conditions,but also because of differences in methods. The goal of the current study is to improve ourunderstanding of the links between weather and travel risk in mid-sized Canadian cities by using astandardized method for analyzing data from six cities with different climates: Halifax-Dartmouth,Ottawa, Québec, Hamilton, Waterloo Region, and Regina. The study has four interrelated objectives: (1) Toconduct a sensitivity analysis to determine the extent to which risk estimates vary depending onthe criteria used to define precipitation events and `normal' conditions; (2) To compare therelative risk of collision and injury during precipitation relative to `normal' conditions; (3) Todetermine the extent to which weather-related risks vary fordifferent Canadian cities; and (4) To explore any differences in collision characteristics between events and controls, especially as theyvary from city to city. Results are based on a matched-pair analysis, using six-hour time blocks over afour-year period, 1995 to 1998. Results indicate only modest sensitivity to the criteria used to define precipitation events and `normal' conditions. On average, precipitation is associated with a 75 percentincrease in traffic collisions and a 45 percent increase in related injuries, as compared to `normal'seasonal conditions, but risk levels vary depending on the characteristics of the weather event.Both sensitivity to specific weather conditions and weather-related accident profiles vary from city tocity in ways that are not easily explained.     

地质灾害勘查的地球物理方法及其发展趋势

地质灾害的勘查是地质灾害评估、灾害治理方案设计、防治工程实施的重要保证，其中物探技术可以发挥重要作用。近年来，物探勘探技术在此方面的实验研究工作发展迅速，本文对这种新的应用技术进行了简要的综述，以利于地质灾害勘查工作的进一步发展。     

黄连山自然保护区的土壤及其地理分布规律

本文根据野外调查，土样室内理化分析及对前人工作成果的系统分析结果表明，黄连山自然保护区的土壤及其地理分布规律是；海拔800m以下为砖红壤；海拔800－1100m为砖红壤性红壤；海拔1100—1600m为山地红壤；海拔1600—1900m为山地黄壤；海拔1900m以上为山地黄棕壤。     

自然灾害研究中几个观念问题的讨论

本文从人类生活环境系统的整体观角度讨论了自然灾害的两重性、关连性及人类圈之形成和生态环境保护问题。认为自然灾害从短时间尺度和小范围看是灾变, 从长时间尺度和大范围看是一种自调节、自平衡过程；自然灾害与人类社会存在着双向效应关系；自然灾害的关联性(群发共生现象)是由其同源性、链发性和韵律性决定的；人类圈是地球演化进入新阶段的产物, 它具有进行层次深、作用强度高、活动领域宽和通过信息实现调控的特点。建立上述观念, 对灾害研究、减轻灾害损失, 走可持续发展的道路, 都具有重要意义。     

Geotechnical Hazards Associated with Desert Environment

The aridity of the Arabian Peninsula's deserts ranges between arid to hyperarid with hot dry climate, scarce precipitation and sparse vegetation. These harsh environmental conditions enhance some geomorphologic processes more than others, cause specific geotechnical problems, and increase desertification.From west to east, the general physiography of Saudi Arabia shows the Red Sea coastal plains and the escarpment foothills called Tihama followed by the Arabian Shield mountains, the Arabian Shelf plateau and finally the Arabian Gulf coastal plains. Sand moves by wind either as drifting sand or migrating dunes in four major sand seas, over the Arabian Shelf, and in the inter-mountain valleys, in the Arabian Shield causing problems of erosion and deposition. Human activities in the deserts may cause more instability to the sand bodies, enlarging the magnitude of the problem. Fine silty soil particles also move by wind, depositing loess mainly in selected areas downwind in the Tihama. These loess deposits subside and may form earth fissures by the process of hydrocompaction upon wetting. The addition of water can be either natural through storms or man-made through human agricultural or civil activities. Extensive sabkhas exist along the coastal plains of both the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. The sabkha soil may also heave by salt re-crystallization or collapse by wetting. The shallow groundwater brines present in sabkhas also attack and corrode civil structures. Urbanization and excessive groundwater pumping may also deplete the fresh groundwater resources and may cause subsidence, ground fissuring and surface faulting as observed in some locations in the Arabian Shield. Although the average annual precipitation is very low, rain usually falls in the form of torrential storms, collected by dry valley basins and causing floods to unprotected downstream areas on the coastal plains of the Red Sea.The desert environment, being a fragile echo system, needs to be treated with care. Intercommunications between different national and international agencies and education of the layman should help to keep the system balanced and reduce the resulting environmental hazards. In addition, any suggested remedial measures should be planned with nature and engineered with natural materials.     

The Natural Probability Distribution of Load and Unload Response Ratio

In this paper,the Gutenberg-Richter model is used to generate seismic events.The events that satisfy the random distribution are also generated.With those events,the natural probability distribution of Load and Unload Response Ratio(LURR),which measures quantitatively the degree of instability of a nonlinear system,is discussed.The study is based on stress energy release,which is chosen as the response of nonlinear system F3.The comparative results from the observation catalogue and generating data are also studied.It is revealed that the natural probability of LURR is mostly stable when the sample number is sufficient.The lower the natural probability of LURR,the more the precursory is information it may contain.The influence of Y3 resulting from the sample number and the magnitude range of events is also discussed.     

河北省阳原县地质灾害调查与区划

结合地质灾害调查与区划项目中“以人为本”的思想，根据阳原县具体的地理情况、地质环境，分析引起地质灾害的主要因素，查明区内存在的地质灾害隐患，对地质灾害进行区划，划分出地质灾害危险区、易发区、稳定区，并依据区划结果提出治理阳原县地质灾害的切实可行的建议，指出在不同地质灾害区中采取不同处理措施。     

地—空界面天然中子辐射场的扰动及其环境意义

介绍了地—空界面天然中子流的来源和轻便型天然中子流测量仪器。论述了地—空界面天然中子辐射场的扰动。理论与长期观测表明,在地—空界面上天然中子流注量率随高程的增加而呈指数规律增加,而在近地表(20m内)却随距地面高度的增加而呈指数规律减少;天然中子流注量率与大气压力呈负相关关系,气压系数为(-0.060～-0.064)中子计数/30min/kPa;地—空界面天然中子流的纬度效应与高空中更显著;天然中子流注量率异常与气象的变化密切相关;地表介质的含水率增高,则地—空界面上升快中子流明显降低。通过对地一空界面天然中子流测量,可以揭示气象的瞬态变化、确定地表介质的含水率的关系,以及在地震预报与环境电离辐射评价方面具有重要的科学意义与实用价值。     

建设用地地质灾害危险性评估中几个问题的思考

结合工作实践，就建设用地地质灾害危险性评估及其成果审查工作中经常遇到的5个问题——评估灾害类型的确定原则，评估区环境条件分析深度的把握，现状、预测及综合地质灾害危险性评估内容的侧重点，土地适宜性评价的依据以及优秀评估成果的判定标准，提出了个人的理解和认识。供从事类似工作的同志参考。