Transfer of Taiwanese ideas and technology to The Gambia, West Africa: a viable approach to rural development?

The development of Taiwan's agricultural sector contributed significantly to the country's transformation from virtual poverty after World War II to a modern industrial nation. Success resulted from the use of appropriate technologies, developed through an exceptionally close working relationship between government, research and development institutions, extension services and farmers in Taiwan. As part of their overseas development aid programme, the Republic of China on Taiwan has established Technical Missions in those developing countries where it receives political recognition. Among these is The Gambia, West Africa, where one focus of Taiwan's current Technical Mission is the development of women's market gardens. Although the gardens have proved successful, there is doubt as to whether their achievements will be sustained once Taiwan's Technical Mission in The Gambia has ended. Field research in Taiwan and in The Gambia, based largely on participatory techniques, has revealed that the low-tech methods introduced from Taiwan are appropriate for the Gambian environment. However, much depends on whether women participating in the schemes can commit sufficient time and energy to the gardens, as at present this is a limiting factor. The potential of the gardens may also be constrained by a lack of appropriate institutional infrastructure, particularly the scope for profitable disposal of garden produce. A major conclusion of the article is that successful transfer of appropriate technology to The Gambia is likely to be impeded by poorly developed coordination between groups that proved to be key 'players' in the development of agriculture in Taiwan: government, research and development institutions, extension services and producers.     

2003年2月14日新疆石河子南5.0和5.4级地震灾害减轻因素的分析

2003年2月14日新疆石河子南发生了5．0和5．4级地震。地震发生在北天山石场东南高山区内，位于亚马特断裂与斜切天山的博罗科努断裂所夹持断块的南缘。地震仅对石河子南山矿区所属的红沟煤矿、小沟煤矿与沙湾县煤矿等50、60年代建造的部分危房造成了轻微的破坏，大部分地区的房屋基本完好。造成地震灾害减轻的主要原因为多条断裂的隔震作用与居民点位于山区较平缓地带、场地条件较好等因素。     

晋北区中小地震活动与晋冀蒙交界区6级地震的关系

分析了晋北区中小地震(3.0≤ML≤5.0)的活动特征。统计发现,在1989 年山西大同-阳高6.1、1996年内蒙包头6.4和1998年河北张北6.2 级中强地震前1~2 年内晋北地区的中小地震活动年频次有明显的增强-衰减-发震这一特征;震前主震近场区的地震条带活动对主震位置有预示意义,而较远场的地震活动仅反映主震前应力水平的增强。并有震前活动向未来强震区靠近的特征。     

新疆北天山中东段地区震源参数研究

本文首先利用经验格林函数方法证明了新疆北天山中东段地区的震源谱基本满足ω-2 模型。在此基础上 ,通过对S波观测谱中的噪音、仪器、路径、场地等影响的逐一消除 ,得到了研究区 10 5次ML2 5～ 5 7地震的震源谱 ,进而根据Brune的圆盘震源模型计算了地震矩、应力降、震源半径等震源参数。结果表明 ,这些地震的标量地震矩M0 与ML 震级线性相关较好 ,关系为Log10 M0 =1 10ML+ 17 2 0 ;震源半径在 10 0～ 15 0 0m之间 ;应力降介于 1～ 16 0bar之间 ,优势分布于 1～ 10 0bar。地震矩与拐角频率的关系呈现出两段趋势 ,可能表明了研究区震源的多重标度特征 :当M0 小于 4× 10 2 1dyne cm时 (相当于ML4 0地震 ) ,应力降显示出对M0 有依赖关系 ;当M0 大于 4× 10 2 1dyne cm时 ,地震的应力降不依赖于M0 。     

Slow mass movement in the Kangchenjunga area, eastern Nepal Himalaya

Abstract   The rates of the accumulated and continuous displacement of solifluction lobes in the Kangchenjunga area, eastern Nepal Himalaya, were determined using glass fiber tubes and a strain probe. Ground temperature, precipitation and soil moisture were monitored at two sites, whose altitude differed by approximately 100 m, to understand the solifluction process. The average movement rate of the glass fiber tubes on a 31° slope at altitudes of 5412–5414 m a.s.l. was approximately 11 mm/year, being almost threefold greater than that observed on a 22° slope at 5322–5325 ma.s.l. There was no significant difference in the depth of displacement at these sites. The continuous displacement measurement near the ground surface at 5414 m showed permanent downslope movement from early July. Such movement may be attributed to additional moisture supply during the monsoon season. The amplitude of the displacement cycle was highest at the ground surface, and decreased to virtually zero at and below 20 cm in depth. Probable factors leading to the relatively slow rates of downslope displacement at the surface and depth at the studied altitudes are the lack of concurrence of the freeze–thaw cycles and the high moisture condition in the soil, and the low moisture retention capacity of the soil because of steep slopes and superficial desiccation. The rate of displacement may be more pronounced at altitudes above 5600 m because of the freeze–thaw cycles during the summer season.     

Flood hazards in the upper and middle Odra River basin – A short review over the last century

During the 20th century many floods of different intensity and extent have occurred on the Odra River and its tributaries. On the basis of long-term water level observations five major floods, that affected the entire upper and middle Odra River basin, were chosen for further analysis: June 1902, July 1903, August 1977, August 1985 and July 1997. However, hazardous floods were not only those that covered the whole upper and middle Odra River basin, so several local floods were also studied. Detailed historical analysis was made of meteorological conditions, with special emphasis on precipitation patterns and amounts. Then, on the basis of flood peak time occurrence, the stages of flood wave formation were formulated. The natural flood wave of the Odra River is often modified by hydro-technical infrastructure, the development and improvement of which is briefly described in this paper. In conclusion, a comparison of flood wave characteristics such as rising time, falling time, duration, peak flow and volume is presented.     

The Quantitative Identification of Regional Mine and Natural Earthquakes and Its Application

INTRODUCTIONThe structural mine earthquake in coal mines refers to the quake induced by excavationengineeringthatleadstorupturingor change of geological structure and weakness surfaceintheinteriorof rock mass.According to the origin,mine earthquakes can b…     

Environmental pollution impact on water and sediments of Kumaun lakes, Lesser Himalaya, India: a comparative study

A study of the water and sediment chemistry of the Nainital, Bhimtal, Naukuchiyatal and Sattal Lakes of Kumaun, has shown that the water of these lakes are alkaline and that electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid and bicarbonate HCO ₃ ⁻ are much higher in Nainital than in the other three lakes. The weathering of limestone lithology and anthropogenic pollution, the latter due to the very high density of population in the Nainital valley, are the primary sources of enhanced parameters. The low pH of Nainital Lake water is due to low photosynthesis and enhanced respiration, increasing CO₂ in the water and the consequent enhancement of Ca²⁺ and HCO ₃ ⁻ . The dissolved oxygen in Nainital Lake is less compared to other lakes, indicating anoxic conditions developing at the mud–water interface at depth. The PO ₄ ³⁻ content in Nainital is higher (124 μg/l), showing an increasing trend over time leading to eutrophic conditions. The trace metals (Cu, Co, Zn, Ni, Mn, and Sr) are present in greater amounts in the water of Nainital Lake than in the other three lakes, though Fe and Cr are high in Bhimtal and Fe in Naukuchiyatal. The higher abundance is derived from the leaching of Fe–Mg from metavolcanic and metabasic rocks. Most of the heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, Mn, Fe, Sr, and Zn) significantly enrich the suspended sediments of the lakes compared to the bed sediments which due to their adsorption on finer particles and owing to multiple hydroxide coating and organic content, except for Fe, which is enriched in the bed sediments. The high rate of sedimentation, 11.5 mm/year in Nainital, compared to Bhimtal with 4.70 mm/year, Naukuchiyatal with 3.72 mm/year, and Sattal with 2.99 mm/year, has resulted in shorter residence time, poor sorting of grains, and lesser adsorption of heavy metals, leading consequently, their depletion in the bed sediments of Nainital Lake.     

贵州台江五河剖面灯影组顶部微体动物化石

贵州台江灯影组白云岩中发现了30～70μm的锥形微体动物化石,它们具有典型的锥管状、似几丁质壳壁和平行纤维结构等生物结构,可能分属软体动物Carinachitids、Arthrochites、Punctatus、Spondylotubus和似几丁虫类化石等5种类型。其中建立了一新属、种Spondylotubus taijiangensis Yang(gen.etsp.nov.)。在灯影组白云岩中这一类群的发现对研究前寒武纪寒武纪界线附近生物的多样性和生物地层,以及寒武纪生物大爆发都具有一定的科学意义。