Simulation of Formation and Spreading of Salinity Minimum Associated with NPIW Using a High-Resolution Model

A series of numerical experiments were conducted with a high-resolution (eddy-permitting) North Pacific model to simulate the formation and spreading of the salinity minimum associated with the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW). It was found that two factors are required to simulate a realistic configuration of the salinity minimum: a realistic wind stress field and small-scale disturbances. The NCEP reanalyzed wind stress data lead to better results than the Hellerman and Rosenstein wind stress data, due to the closer location of the simulated Oyashio and Kuroshio at the western boundary. Small-scale disturbances formed by relaxing computational diffusivity included in the advection scheme promote the large-scale isopycnal mixing between the Oyashio and Kuroshio waters, simulating a realistic configuration of the salinity minimum. A detailed analysis of the Oyashio water transport was carried out on the final three-year data of the experiment with reduced computational diffusivity. Simulated transport of the Kuroshio Extension in the intermediate layer is generally smaller than the observed value, while those of the Oyashio and the flow at the subarctic front are comparable to the observed levels. In the Oyashio-Kuroshio interfrontal zone the zonally integrated southward transport of the Oyashio water (140–155°E) is borne by the eddy activity, though the time-mean flow reveals the existence of a coastal Oyashio intrusion. In the eastern part (155°E–180°) the zonally integrated transport of the Oyashio water indicates a southward peak at the southern edge of the Kuroshio Extension, which corresponds to the branching of the recirculating flow from the Kuroshio Extension. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

小型水电站建设用地地质灾害评估技术研究——以湄尼多河小型水电站为例

现阶段,地质灾害评估技术人员在评估实践中,往往不注重各评估对象的差异性,采取同一评估模式,结果达不到评估的目的。在对小型水电站进行评估时,野外调查的重点,评估过程中所使用的方法以及危险性现状、预测及综合分区评估等与大型水电站、路线工程、矿山开采、民用建筑等工程有所不同。湄尼多河小型水电站工程位于云南省怒江州福贡县马吉乡境内,地质环境条件复杂,评估级别综合为二级。文章以该电站建设用地地质灾害危险性评估为例,对小型水电站建设用地地质灾害危险性评估的方法与理论进行探讨。     

The environmental impact of small-scale gold mining in Ghana: identifying problems and possible solutions

This paper examines the environmental impacts of small-scale gold mining in Ghana, and prescribes a series of recommendations for improving environmental performance in the industry. Since the enactment of the Small Scale Gold Mining Law in 1989, which effectively legalized small-scale gold mining in the country, industrial operations, collectively, have made important contributions to national gold output, foreign exchange earnings and employment. Accompanying this pattern of socio-economic growth, however, have been increased environmental complications – namely, mercury pollution and land degradation. The Ghanaian Minerals Commission has been burdened with most of the jurisdictional responsibilities related to small-scale mining, but with a staff of only 35–40 people working with a pool of highly obsolete research resources, it is clearly incapable of facilitating sufficient environmental improvement on its own. It is concluded that marked environmental improvements can only be achieved if: (1) assistance is provided to the Minerals Commission from local governmental bodies and academic units; (2) industry-specific environmental management tools and strategies are designed and implemented; (3) concerted effort is made to prospect for deposits suitable for small-scale gold mining, a key to preventing unnecessary exploration; and (4) a nation-wide industrial mercury study is commissioned, and a mercury retorting programme is implemented.     

Pressures on an intensive irrigated cash-crop system in coastal Ghana

This paper outlines the results of recent interdisciplinary fieldwork in Anloga on Keta Lagoon, Ghana. Vegetable production has been undertaken at Anloga since the nineteenth century and is now highly intensive and carefully regulated. Farmers produce shallots and other crops utilising irrigation water, mostly from wells which tap a shallow fresh-water perched aquifer. However, farmers have been expanding their cultivation activities from the lagoon-side, encouraged by a World Bank supported programme which provides for well-sinking and some electric pumps. The project has environmental and socio-economic implications which give cause for concern. The research employs field investigation to explore both the physical and political economy context and implications of recent change and considers the opportunities for community-based water and crop regulation.     

Problems of the solution: intervention into small-scale irrigation for drought proofing in the Mekele Plateau of northern Ethiopia

The Mekele Plateau, located in the semi-arid northern highland region of Ethiopia, is a drought-prone, highly degraded area. It has long been neglected by policymakers and thus recurring famine, widespread poverty, armed conflicts and mass outmigration have contributed to the near collapse of the farming systems and the livelihoods of the population. Traditional stream diversion irrigation has been practised in this area for several centuries. The systems of water management in particular may be considered inappropriate owing to the need for thriftiness in water use imposed by the local environment. The systems of headworks and canals are crude and wasteful on water. Recent interventions to improve the small-scale irrigation systems of the area have not been successful. Most interventions have preferred to introduce rainwater harvesting systems using micro-dams rather than trying to upgrade the traditional diversion schemes. Evaluation of irrigation structures in the field, interviews with key informants in government, analysis of documents and discussions with irrigators indicate that both the Ministry of Agriculture and SAERT-Commission's rainwater harvesting programmes have generally failed. The case of the most recent intervention by SAERT has failed because of myopic project planning, inadequate engineering studies, unsound designs, too short a time for implementation, and lack of full farmer involvement at different levels of project planning and implementation.     

VENTILATION FLOW IN A BAROCLINIC VORTEX RELATED TO TROPICAL CYCLONE MOTION*

The tropical cyclone motion is numerically simulated with a quasi-geostrophic baroclinic model.The flow field of a tropical cyclone is decomposed into its axisymmetric and asymmetric components.The relation between the ventilation flow vector and the motion vector of the tropical cyclone is investigated.The results of numerical experiments indicate:(1) There are both large-scale beta gyres and small-scale gyres in the asyrnmetric flow field.(2) The interaction between small-scale gyres and large-scale beta gyres leads to the oscillation of translation speed and translation direction for the tropical cyclone.(3) There are the large deviations between the ventilation flow vector calculated by means of Fiorino and Elsberry's method and the motion vector of tropical cyclone.(4) The ventilation flow vector computed using the improved method closely correlates with the motion vector of the tropical cyclone.     

The role and value of local knowledge in Jamaican agriculture: adaptation and change in small-scale farming

Local knowledge has played an active role in the lives of rural communities in virtually every part of the world. In Jamaica, traditional cropping systems based on local informal knowledge have been practiced since the days of slavery and play a vital role in meeting food security. Yet, some negative attitudes remain about the legitimacy and relevance of small-scale farmers' local and traditional knowledge. This paper discusses some conceptual and empirical issues related to the application of local knowledge among small-scale food farmers in central Jamaica. The paper argues that contextually speaking, local and traditional knowledge is valuable, adaptable and necessary in coping with risk and uncertainty in a changing world, while cautioning against a misguided notion of traditional knowledge as a panacea to all the ills of local agriculture.     

Present situation of the research and application of engineering multiwave seismic prospecting in China

ＰｒｅｓｅｎｔｓｉｔｕａｔｉｏｎｏｆｔｈｅｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈａｎｄａｐｐｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎｏｆｅｎｇｉｎｅｅｒｉｎｇｍｕｌｔｉｗａｖｅｓｅｉｓｍｉｃｐｒｏｓｐｅｃｔｉｎｇｉｎＣｈｉｎａＸＩＡＯ－ＰＩＮＧＷＵ（吴小平），ＨＯＮＧ－ＲＵＺＨＡＯ（赵鸿儒）（Ｄ...     

VENTILATION FLOW IN A BAROCLINIC VORTEX RELATED TO TROPICAL CYCLONE MOTION

The tropical cyclone motion is numerically simulated with a quasi-geostrophic baroclinic model.The flow field of a tropical cyclone is decomposed into its axisymmetric and asymmetric components.The relation between the ventilation flow vector and the motion vector of the tropical cyclone is inves-tigated.The results of numerical experiments indicate:(1) There are both large-scale beta gyres andsmall-scale gyres in the asyrnmetric flow field.(2) The interaction between small-scale gyres andlarge-scale beta gyres leads to the oscillation of translation speed and translation direction for the tropi-cal cyclone.(3) There are the large deviations between the ventilation flow vector calculated bymeans of Fiorino and Elsberry's method and the motion vector of tropical cyclone.(4) The ventila-tion flow vector computed using the improved method closely correlates with the motion vector of thetropical cyclone.     

成矿带1∶20万水系沉积物地球化学分区的方法及地质意义:以西藏冈底斯铜多金属成矿带为例

以冈底斯铜多金属成矿带为例,阐述了利用1∶20万和1∶50万水系沉积物地球化学测量开展成矿区带地球化学分区的方法和思路,进一步对其地质意义进行了探讨。结果表明:小比例尺的水系沉积物地球化学数据具有地球化学分区示踪意义。总结出一套操作性强的地球化学分区方法,其方法具有指示找矿方向的实际意义,对区域构造单元划分具参考价值。地球化学分区为该区的找矿方向、成矿远景评价及基础地质调查奠定了基础。