Recycling of Coal Fly Ash and Paper Waste to Improve Low Productive Red Soil in Okinawa,Japan

Coal fly ash (CFA) and paper waste (PW) related environmental problems and its recycling techniques have been a major challenge to society. Therefore, it is of crucial importance to develop new recycling methods for CFA and PW. This work proposes a potential new way of developing synthetic aggregates (SA) using CFA, PW, starch waste and ammonium sulfate (AS) as a granular nitrogen fertilizer medium, and their utilization as a soil amendment to improve crop production in the low productive acidic red soil of Okinawa, Japan. Three types of SA with three different nitrogen (N) percentages were produced and used to amend acidic red soil in a pot experiment for the cultivation of Komatsuna, which is also called as Japanese mustard spinach (Brassica rapa var. pervidis). SA had a low bulk density (0.58–0.62 g/cm³), high water holding capacity (0.60–0.64 kg/kg), high saturated hydraulic conductivity (2.34·10^–2 cm/s), high mean weight diameter (MWD) (4.32–4.48 mm), alkaline pH (8.58–8.61), high electrical conductivity (EC) (82.18–84.35 mS/m) and high carbon (C) content (68.71–70.07 g/kg) in comparison with the acidic red soil. The trace element concentrations of the developed SA were below the maximum pollutant concentration of individual metals for land application of sewage sludge given by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies showed the higher structural surface area of SA, where round shaped CFA particles were embedded into the fibrous PW matrix. Incorporation of SA into the acidic red soil not only enhanced soil fertility but also improved the physical and chemical properties of the soil compared to soil without SA addition. SA addition to the acidic red soil significantly increased the growth and yield parameters of Komatsuna compared to soil without SA addition.     

从陕西“周老虎”想到广州“麦船台”——评麦英豪的“广州秦汉考古三大发现”

以陕西"周老虎"做比较,指出广州"麦船台"同为假点.上世纪70年代麦英豪定性的"秦汉造船工场遗址",30多年来始终得不到造船工程界和船史学界的认同,地理和地质学界认为这里并不存在造船和下水的条件,建筑工程和建筑考古学界则以大量出土文物证实其为南越王宫苑遗址.被国务院确定为国家重点文物保护单位的"秦造船工场遗址"既无保护,又无展出,也没有专著出版,在全国的学术界出现一片质疑和遣责声.这是麦英豪以排他性的专家"鉴研会"排斥多学科的全国性学术研讨会.文中呼吁麦英豪应正视现实,修正失误,广州的文物部门领导也应当检讨不作为的过失.     

三峡库区重庆段水土流失的时空格局特征

Soil and water loss has been the most serious eco-environmental problem in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area of Chongqing. In this paper the authors studied the spatiotemporal features of soil and water loss from 1999 to 2004 based on RS and GIS techniques. The results showed that: (1) The soil and water loss area decreased from 1999 to 2004. (2) Soil and water loss mainly exists in purple soil, yellow soil, limestone soil, paddy soil and yellow brown soil distributed areas. (3) The dry slope land and sparse woodland that are intensively influenced by human activities experienced most serious soil and water loss. (4) Soil and water loss in the study area indicated an obvious vertical differentiation characteristic. (5) There is a significant correlation between soil and water loss and slope. (6) There is no obvious correlation between soil and water loss and aspect. (7) Soil and water loss mainly exists in the values of R between 300 and 340 distribution area. The very-high soil and water loss has obvious correlation with R. Foundation: National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40801077; Science & Technology Research Project Supported by Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, No.KJ070811; Doctoral Fund of Chongqing Normal University, No.06XLB004; Project by Chongqing Water Conservancy Bureau Author: Li Yuechen (1974–), Ph.D and Associate Professor, specialized in the study of remote sensing application and land use/land cover change.     

湖南中强地震活动地区Ⅱ类场地放大效应研究

利用工程场地地震安全性评价工作中大量实际钻孔和土工实验资料,建立了实际工程场地模型,在50年超越概率为63%、10%、2%共3种地震动输入下,采用SHAKE91和ELSSRA两种等效线性化方法,研究了湖南省Ⅱ类场地土层的放大效应.计算结果表明:湖南省50年超越概率10%的场地效应放大因子为1.30,若使用<中国地震动参数区划图(GB18306-2001)>认定的1.25系数,将低估湖南中强地震活动地区的场地放大效应.湖南省50年超越概率63%、10%、2%这3个设定水准的场地效应放大因子满足1.10:1.00:0.95的关系.这些结果有益于为湖南省提供更为合理的抗震设防标准.     

长江三峡工程库首区胡家坪M_S4.1水库诱发地震研究

本文在系统收集有关资料并对地震现场进行考察的基础上,分析了2008年11月22日发生在秭归县归州镇香溪村胡家坪 M_S4.1级地震及其发生的地质-水文地质与地震活动背景条件,介绍了地震灾害. 并进一步讨论了相关的地震前兆异常、地震成因等科学问题,认为该地震是在水库水体荷载与库水下渗的共同作用下沿仙女山断裂发生的构造型水库诱发地震, 并认为震前有一定的前兆异常,这个地震的发生除了水库蓄水作用之外,可能还与汶川地震对该区应力场的影响有关.     

Strategies for managing reservoir sedimentation

Sediment deposition in reservoirs has caused the loss of 66% of the reservoir capacity in China. The main sedimentation control strategies are： 1） storing the clear water and releasing the turbid water; 2） releasing turbidity currents; 3） Draw-down flushing and empty flushing; and 4） dredging, The paper summarizes these strategies with examples. Sediment transport in many Chinese rivers occurs mostly during the 2-4 month flood season, that is, 80-90% of the annual sediment load is transported with 50-60% of the annual runoff. By storing the clear water after the flood season and releasing the turbid water during the flood season, less sediment deposits in the reservoir while the reservoir is still able to store enough water for power generation in the low flow season. The Three Gorges and Sanmenxia reservoirs apply this strategy and control sedimentation effectively. Turbidity currents have become the main sedimentation control strategy for the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. Empty flushing involves reservoir draw-down to temporarily establish riverine flow along the impound reach, flushing the eroded sediment through the outlets. Case studies with the Hengshan Reservoir and Zhuwo Reservoir are presented. Jet dredgers have been used to agitate the reservoir deposit so that the deposit is released from the reservoir with currents. The sediment releasing efficiency is 30-100% for storing the clear and releasing the turbid; 6-40 % for turbidity current; and 2,400-5,500% for empty flushing. Empty flushing causes high ecological stress on the ecosystem to the downstream reaches. Storing the clear and releasing the turbid is the best strategy to control reservoir sedimentation while achieving hydro-power benefit and maintain ecological stability.     

Source mechanisms of the June 2004 Tabuk earthquake sequence, Eastern Red Sea margin, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

A sequence of earthquakes took place in June 2004 approximately 60 km southeast of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The first felt event (M _W = 3.9) occurred on June 9 and caused minor damage in the epicentral area according to the National Earthquake Information Center and the local reports. Another moderate size event occurred on June 22 (M _W = 5.1) and was followed by a few felt aftershocks without any reported damage. This earthquake sequence caused considerable alarm at Tabuk and highlights the fact that damaging earthquakes can occur in this region away from the major plate boundary in the Red Sea. Being the largest well-recorded event in the area for which the digital and broadband records from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Cyprus, and Kuwait are available, it provides an excellent opportunity to study the tectonic process and present day stress field acting on this area. The digital records from these regional networks were used to relocate the largest three events of this sequence. Focal mechanisms were obtained from full waveform inversion and indicate normal faulting mechanisms with two nodal planes oriented NW–SE in parallel to the faults bounding the Tabuk graben and the Red Sea rift axis. These events originated at shallow focal depths of 4–5 km, possibly contributing to the widely felt ground motions. These events offer a unique opportunity to study the active tectonics of the region as well as inform future studies of seismic hazard in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the Gulf of Aqaba, and eastern Egypt.     

Spatiotemporal features of soil and water loss in Three Gorges Reservoir Area of Chongqing

Soil and water loss has been the most serious eco-environmental problem in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area of Chongqing. In this paper the authors studied the spatiotemporal features of soil and water loss from 1999 to 2004 based on RS and GIS techniques. The results showed that: (1) The soil and water loss area decreased from 1999 to 2004. (2) Soil and water loss mainly exists in purple soil, yellow soil, limestone soil, paddy soil and yellow brown soil distributed areas. (3) The dry slope land and sparse woodland that are intensively influenced by human activities experienced most serious soil and water loss. (4) Soil and water loss in the study area indicated an obvious vertical differentiation characteristic. (5) There is a significant correlation between soil and water loss and slope. (6) There is no obvious correlation between soil and water loss and aspect. (7) Soil and water loss mainly exists in the values of R between 300 and 340 distribution area. The very-high soil and water loss has obvious correlation with R.     

统计预测模型对三峡库区诱发地震预测的应用

通过实地考察并结合前人的研究成果,在地震地质背景研究的基础上,将长江三峡工程坝址至巫山库段划分为5个预测区共12个预测单元,选用8个诱震因素,运用统计预测模型预测了水库诱发地震的可能性及诱发地震震级。结果表明,库水蓄至最高水位,三峡工程坝址至巫山库段中多数预测单元诱发微震和不发生地震的概率值高,无震可能性较大。但九湾溪断层沿线、仙女山断层库段具备诱发3.0～4.5级或4.5～6.0级地震的可能;考虑到龙会观5.1级地震与高桥断裂的关系,预测结果显示高桥断裂沿线具有诱发强烈水库地震(≥6.0级)的可能性,其预测概率值为0.23     

三峡重点监视区构造地震与矿震时频谱特征分析

基于三峡数字遥测地震台网记录的数字化波形资料,利用谱图时频分析方法,研究了三峡地区构造地震和矿震波谱的时频特征,发现二者的时频谱特征存在着明显的差异:1)构造地震波主频高于矿震;2)构造地震波的频率成分比矿震丰富,能量密度频谱随频率轴展布较宽,前者带宽是后者的4倍;3)矿震能量强度的峰值在整个波列中出现的时间较构造地震早,且能量衰减较快