A Review of “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World”

In contrast to the conventional gravity model that estimates flows between cities of given sizes, the reverse gravity model attempts to reconstruct the theoretical gravitational attractions of cities from network flow data. This article introduces the particle swarm optimization (PSO) method in solving the reverse gravity model. With comparison to the linear programming (LP) and the simplified algebraic method (SAM), the advantages of the PSO method include flexibility in the impedance function and better goodness of fit. The method is applied to the case study of air passenger transport in China. The results indicate that estimated nodal attractions in cities are generally in line with their population sizes, but there are significant discrepancies between them. A close examination of the discrepancies reveals that a better developed tertiary sector and higher tourism revenue per capita are associated with overestimated attractions in air transport, and stronger railway dominance influences their underestimation. The changes of gravitational attractions in major cities from 2001 to 2008 indicate the declining dominance of the largest cities and a move toward a more balanced development in the air transport system of China.     

广州漱珠涌历史文化景观与旅游开发

位于广州海珠区西北部的漱珠涌在上世纪六七十年代已被覆盖改造成为地下排污渠,从此它作为一条河涌连同名字在广州地图上消失了。百年前,这条涌曾经十分繁华,时人称其不让秦淮。这一带是清代广州"河南"地区商业开发最早的区域,又是清代中国最早对外开放的旅游区之一,曾经蜚声海外。当年许多中外画家、摄影师、诗人和志书编撰者为后人留下了许多有关漱珠涌的文字与形象资料,使我们今天仍能窥得漱珠涌昔日的辉煌。为了让人们留住广州城市发展的这一份历史记忆,文中提出建设一个集休闲、娱乐、美食、购物、旅游于一体的漱珠涌历史文化旅游区,重现漱珠涌的历史文化风貌。这将是一个很大的系统工程。其中,如何治理漱珠涌污染,发挥漱珠涌在水利、生态、美学、休闲游憩等方面的综合功能,是一个困难而又必须解决的关键问题。     

芦山“4·20”地震后宝兴县城打水沟泥石流发育趋势及防治方案

打水沟为宝兴河右岸的一级支流,位于宝兴县城城区,流域面积1.01 km2,主沟长度1.85 km,主沟比降640‰.受芦山“4·20”地震的影响,流域中下游直接引发了大量的崩滑体,加之地形陡峻,且位于青衣江-鹿头山暴雨区边缘,极容易发生泥石流.一旦发生泥石流,将会对沟口建筑和人员的安全造成巨大危害.通过对打水沟地震前后遥感影像的解译,结合野外考察,综合判定该沟为地震触发的潜在性泥石流沟.进一步分析估算,由于地震震动导致流域内发育6处崩塌体,总面积20375 m2,松散固体物质总量为15.20×l04m3.在分析泥石流形成条件与发展趋势的基础上,提出了打水沟泥石流减灾方案,并对泥石流排导槽梯形最佳过流横断面进行了设计.通过计算分析得到,在排泄设计标准的泥石流时,排导槽的最佳过流断面宽度为2.38 m,深度为2.23 m.     

山岳型旅游目的地形象感知研究——以五台山风景名胜区为例

以山岳型旅游目的地五台山风景区为例,利用百度、Google以及国内各旅游网站收集游客记述五台山旅游形象的87篇网络游记和620条网上点评,运用质性研究之扎根理论的方法对五台山申遗后旅游形象的感知进行研究,以期为山岳型旅游目的地形象研究拓展方法和为其管理提供参考和依据.结果表明:1.从71篇网络游记和490条网络点评中提取出佛教胜地、静心拜佛、避暑胜地、建筑精湛、许愿还愿和朝台览胜6大积极感知因素;2.从226句负面评论中,归纳出五台山旅游形象的6个消极感知因素为旅游供给、旅游环境、旅游设施、旅游管理、旅游吸引和旅游服务;3.同时,典故传说、佛缘之地、民风淳朴亦为五台山旅游形象的积极感知因素.     

中国油气页岩分布与存储潜能和前景分析

基于当今化石油气能源的需求还在扩展,它的紧缺势态波及全球,而我国的确需要更多的页岩油气.为此,非常规油气能源,特别是页岩油气的勘探、开发和利用就必然地提到社会进步和经济发展的议程上,并得到世界各个国家的高度重视.因此,页岩油气现已成为我国能源界和科技界及政府部门的热门话题.在经过了一段时间的"热炒"和依据尚不充分的评估后,本文通过对中外有关资料的分析和讨论认为:1)必须在了解世界各国、特别是北美页岩油气赋存与开发的条件下,认识我国页岩的分布状态和页岩油气潜能;2)在理解其它国家页岩属性、页岩油气的前景和勘查及储存背景下,在我国较全面的进行页岩和页岩油气存储的勘探和对其进行要素匹配,并选择远景好的典型地区进行示范研究与探索;3)集理念与实践综合研究制定页岩油气在我国的发展方案和路线图.     

Delineating groundwater potential zones in a hard-rock terrain using geospatial tool

Abstract

Geospatial techniques have become one of the leading tools in the field of natural sciences for assessment, monitoring and management of natural resources, particularly in groundwater research. The paper discusses the demarcation and assessment of groundwater potential zones using geospatial techniques in the Deccan Volcanic Province of Maharashtra, India, using multi-criteria analyses. The study incorporates integration of thematic information (geomorphology, lithology, drainage density, slope and lineaments) in a GIS environment in order to identify groundwater potential zones. The methodology adopted can be used as a rapid assessment tool in groundwater exploration and is helpful in predictive groundwater resource management. Multi-criteria evaluation techniques were used to integrate all the thematic layers. Individual themes and their corresponding categories were assigned a knowledge base ranking from 1 to 5, depending on their importance for groundwater potential. Using the Raster calculator tool in Arc GIS software, all thematic maps were integrated to produce a composite groundwater potential map of the study area. The identified groundwater potential zones were classified into four classes, from excellent to poor. The generated groundwater potential zones were validated with field checks and borewell/dugwell yield data, and showed consistency with the observations.

Citation Singh, P., Thakur, J. K., and Kumar, S. (2013) Delineating groundwater potential zones in a hard-rock terrain using geospatial tools. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (1), 1–11.     

Modelling potential areas of groundwater development for agriculture in northern Ghana using GIS/RS

Abstract

Groundwater development potential in northern Ghana (108 671 km²) has been assessed by combining spatial layers for five critical factors—recharge rate, regolith thickness, transmissivity, borehole success rate and static water level—through a multi-criteria analysis approach to rank development potential from the viewpoint of groundwater availability and accessibility at a resolution of 1 km². The results indicate a high potential for development in the study area, as about 70% of the area was found to have high to moderate groundwater availability, while 83% has high to medium groundwater accessibility. Comparing the two main hydrogeological environments, the Precambrian Basement rocks (PCB) area was found to generally have a higher groundwater development potential than the Voltaian Sedimentary rocks (VSB). More detailed investigation revealed that the VSB can produce a small proportion of exceptionally high-yielding boreholes that can support large-scale irrigation. A test of the reliability of results showed that generally, the majority of high- and low-yielding boreholes fall in areas predicted by the model as having high and low groundwater availability, respectively.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor D. Hughes

Citation Forkuor, G., Pavelic, P., Asare, E., and Obuobie, E., 2013. Modelling potential areas of groundwater development for agriculture in northern Ghana using GIS/RS. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (2), 437–451.     

Mapping of climatic parameters under climate change impacts in Iran

ABSTRACT

This research aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of climate change effects on temperature, precipitation and potential evapotranspiration over the country of Iran for the time periods 2010–2039, 2040–2069 and 2070–2099, and under scenarios A2 and B2. After preparation of measured temperature and precipitation data and calculation of potential evapotranspiration for the base time period of 1960–1990 for 46 meteorological stations (with a nationwide distribution), initial zoning of these three parameters over the country was attempted. Maximum and minimum temperatures and values of precipitation were obtained from the HadCM3 model under scenarios A2 and B2 for the three time periods, and these data were downscaled. Corresponding maps were prepared for the three parameters in the three time periods, and spatial and temporal variations of these climatic parameters under scenarios A2 and B2 were extracted and interpreted. Results showed that the highest increase in temperature would occur in western parts of the country, but the highest increase of potential evapotranspiration would occur in the central region of Iran. However, precipitation would vary temporally and spatially in different parts of the country depending on the scenario used and the time period selected.

Editor Z. W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor not assigned     

The flux ejection dynamo effect

Abstract

The mean-field effects of cyclonic convection become increasingly complex when the cyclonic rotation exceeds ½-π. Net helicity is not required, with negative turbulent diffusion, for instance, appearing in mirror symmetric turbulence. This paper points out a new dynamo effect arising in convective cells with strong asymmetry in the rotation of updrafts as against downdrafts. The creation of new magnetic flux arises from the ejection of reserve flux through the open boundary of the dynamo region. It is unlike the familiar α-effect in that individual components of the field may be amplified independently. Several formal examples are provided to illustrate the effect. Occurrence in nature depends upon the existence of fluid rotations of the order of π in the convective updrafts. The flux ejection dynamo may possibly contribute to the generation of field in the convective core of Earth and in the convective zone of the sun and other stars.