NOAA/AVHRR图像资料在大雾灾害监测中的应用

通过对NOAA(诺阿卫星 )资料 5个通道光谱特征的分析 ,阐述了利用NOAA/AVHRR(甚高分辨率辐射仪 )图像资料监测大雾灾害的基本原理和方法 ,初步探索了适于监测大雾的通道组合和量化判读指标 ,揭示出综合利用近红外 3通道与 4、5通道资料实施对雾监测 ,可取得比较好的效果 ,并对 2 0 0 3 0 1 12～ 13大雾的监测过程个例进行了分析。研究结果表明 ,卫星遥感技术在大雾灾害的监测方面具有宏观、快速、直观、信息源可靠且成本低等优点 ,是其它任何常规监测手段无法替代的。     

卫星遥感在大雾生消动态监测中的应用

利用ＧＭＳ－５静止气象卫星资料，研究大雾生消动态遥感监测方法，并用此方法对沪宁高速公路大雾进行实时监测，取得了较好的效果。     

大雾消散卫星遥感临近预报及消散型分类——我国中东部案例研究

大雾作为在稳定天气条件下形成的一种天气现象,相关研究较少。大雾生消的预报准确率一直有待提高。尤其是近年来,随着交通运输、航运的发展,大雾造成严重影响的事件日益增多,引起了交通运输、环保、卫生等各行业的重视。在积累的大量卫星探测数据基础上,分析研究了我国中东部地区不同季节、下垫面、地理位置的大雾消散遥感特征。通过加入太阳影响项等,改进了由Gurka等人提出的遥感大雾临近预报方法,提出了使用风云二号等覆盖东亚地区的气象卫星数据来预测中国中东部大雾消散时间的算法和流程,其结果与常规观测、卫星监测进行了比对。就地形、地表状况、季节等影响大雾消散的因素差异进行分析,并作了分类。     

长治市大雾气候特征及预报研究

通过对长治市1971-2004年水平能见度＜1km的大雾的地理分布特征,及其年际、月际和日变化的统计研究,给出了该市大雾天气的气候背景.根据大雾形成的物理机制,对风场、湿度场、温度场、冷却条件分别进行了分析,建立了大雾综合预测模型.通过98个大雾个例的分析,归类了形成大雾的主要500hPa高空天气形势(纬向环流型、弱西北气流型、槽后西北气流型、弱高内部型)和地面主要气压场(弱高压场、均压场、鞍型场),供大雾灾害预警预报参考.     

EOS-MODIS资料在森林火灾监测中的应用研究

对用MODIS资料进行火情监测的原理及通道特性进行厂分析,提出了一种用于林火监测的资料处理流程和量化判识指标.     

FY-2静止卫星监测雾的方法研究

云、雾与下垫面在可见光、中红外和长波红外波段的反射及辐射特性存在差异。FY-2静止卫星资料的时间分辨率高,有助于实时监测雾的形成与演变。根据雾在可见光及红外波段的反射和辐射特性,其与云、地表、水体等之间的差异,通过分析对比分别提取了日出前后雾的监测阈值和监测流程,并利用该方法对2007年12月19-20日华东、华北地区的一次大雾天气进行了监测,准确率达到76.6%。     

灰色关联度在北京地区雾灾评估中的应用

基于北京地区最近20年大雾天气的观测数据和对大雾天气衍生的灾情调查数据,应用灰色关联度方法,对大雾的灾情评估指标、灾害等级划分等进行分析,建立了评估模型,并对22个雾灾个例进行了评估.结果表明,灰色关联度方法具有计算量较小、不要求样本数据量和服从一定分布规律的特点,是一种使用简便、有效可行的定性分析与定量估算结合的灾情评估方法.     

陕西暴雨若干特征的综合分析

以1970年以来发生在陕西的暴雨、大暴雨为研究对象,使用高空及地面探测资料、卫星云图等监测信息,采用天气学分析、动力学诊断、数值模拟等方法,对陕西持续性暴雨、暴雨的高空和地面中尺度系统、暴雨中尺度对流系统(MCS)、近海台风对陕西暴雨的影响等多方面的特征进行了总结分析.加深了对青藏高原东部暴雨实例和理论的进一步认识和理...     

上海大雾气候特征及风险区划研究

大雾作为一种比较常见的灾害性天气,对交通运输和人体健康等都会造成严重的影响。基于上海市11个气象站1971-2000年的大雾数据和城市基础地理信息,利用地理信息系统和层次分析法,结合专家调查法,建立了上海市大雾风险的评价指标体系和权重,开展了上海市大雾的风险特征及地理区划研究,获得了1 km空间分辨率的上海大雾气候特征图、上海城市对大雾敏感性特征图和上海市大雾风险区划图。初步研究表明,这种方法对城市大雾评估和风险区划是可行的。     

汶川8.0级地震前后陕西地震活动的变化

在陕西地质构造和地震活动背景的基础上,通过对汶川8.0级地震前后陕西地震活动的分析,认为汶川地震对陕西地区的促震作用明显,对陕西未来地震趋势的影响不容忽视,需加强监测预报和抗震设防工作.     

Cholera in Sudan: An account of an epidemic in a refugee camp in eastern Sudan, May-June 1985

In 1985 cholera has been a serious problem in the horn of Africa, particularly affecting the many famine victims and refugees in that region. In this paper the history of cholera in Africa is briefly summarized, as is the background to the current refugee situation in eastern Sudan. A cholera epidemic involving 1,175 cases in two adjacent refugee camps in eastern Sudan is described. In this epidemic there were thirteen inpatient deaths and thirty-eight known home deaths from cholera. The management of the epidemic is described in detail. Overall an average of 8 1. of intravenous fluid was used per case, a higher figure than was anticipated, probably because of the unexpected degree of vomiting and the shortage of trained nursing staff.
The relationship between cholera and malnutrition is explored and hypochlorhydria is suggested as the main reason for the increased susceptibility to cholera among malnourished populations. It was observed that severely malnourished adults and children appeared to nave less severe diarrhoea with their cholera, presumably because of reduced mucosal surface area and poor enterocyte function. Finally possible means of aborting cholera epidemics are discussed.     

A retrospective statistical review of deaths owing to migration through the southeasternmost land borders of the European Union,Greece 2000–14

The land borders of Evros, Greece, have been a common entry point for undocumented migrants on their way to Europe through Turkey. Adverse conditions, however, have resulted in many human casualties over the years. On the Greek side, 334 cadavers were retrieved between 2000 and 2014. This study provides a detailed forensic account of the humanitarian disaster in Evros to create an official scientific record of the situation. It showcases the gravity of the global issue of migration relating to health and mortality, and encourages communication and continual improvement of the approach and patterns of practices surrounding the subject. A retrospective statistical research review was conducted of border‐related fatalities between 2000 and 2014, assessing the age and gender of victims, the cause of death, the location of bodies, identification rates, and country of origin. Age ranged generally from 24 to 29 years, but infants and children were among the deceased.     

Complexity,continuity and change: livelihood resilience in the Darfur region of Sudan

Darfur farming and pastoralist livelihoods are both adaptations to the environmental variability that characterises the region. This article describes this adaptation and the longer‐term transformation of these specialised livelihoods from the perspective of local communities. Over several decades farmers and herders have experienced a continuous stream of climate, conflict and other shocks, which, combined with wider processes of change, have transformed livelihoods and undermined livelihood institutions. Their well‐rehearsed specialist strategies are now combined with new strategies to cope. These responses help people get by in the short term but risk antagonising not only their specialist strategies but also those of others. A combination of factors has undermined the former integration between farming and pastoralism and their livelihood institutions. Efforts to build resilience in similar contexts must take a long‐term view of livelihood adaptation as a specialisation, and consider the implications of new strategies for the continuity and integration of livelihood specialisations.     

Reflections on 40 years of Disasters, 1977–2017

This reflection, based on a keynote address to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Disasters on 14 September 2017, begins by considering some of the prevailing assumptions that existed at the time of the journal's creation. Next is a summary of significant milestones during the past 40 years, covering major global trends, changing disaster impacts, and key developments in disaster risk management. Contrasting approaches in the first and fourth decade of the journal's history are then followed by examples of changes in terminology in the disaster field as an indication of shifting values. The paper goes on to explore the context of 2017, with observations of problem areas such as the loss of knowledge, failures to tackle the root causes of disasters, shortfalls in international assistance, and some negative attitudes. It closes by evaluating some current positive occurrences, including a reduction in casualties, sharing of experience, technological advances, and dramatic improvements in disaster warning.     

Risk communication in emergency response to a simulated extreme flood

Risk communication in flood incident management can be improved through developing hydrometeorological and engineering models used as tools for communicating risk between scientists and emergency management professionals. A range of such models and tools was evaluated by participating flood emergency managers during a 4-day, real-time simulation of an extreme event in the Thamesmead area in the Thames estuary close to London, England. Emergency managers have different communication needs and value new tools differently, but the indications are that a range of new tools could be beneficial in flood incident management. Provided they are communicated large model uncertainties are not necessarily unwelcome among flood emergency managers. Even so they are cautious about sharing the ownership of weather and flood modelling uncertainties.     

Fiji, land of tropical cyclones and hurricanes: A case study of agricultural rehabilitation

Tropical cyclones and hurricanes have a severe impact on the social and economic activities of affected communities. For small island nations in the Pacific region, the effects can be devastating because of their smallness. FQi and several other countries in the region are vulnerable to such disasters as they are situated in the zone where cyclones occur frequently.
During the last decade, the frequency of natural disasters and their adverse impact on die economic and social development of small nations like Fiji, has aroused awareness mat relief efforts must go beyond immediate "mopping up" operations to those which contribute to attaining longer term benefits through reconstruction and rehabilitation.
The paper outlines the 1985 agricultural rehabilitation program and discusses related issues and problems.     

Tsunami survivors' perspectives on vulnerability and vulnerability reduction: evidence from Koh Phi Phi Don and Khao Lak, Thailand

This paper presents the results of primary research with 40 survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in two communities: Khao Lak (n=20) and Koh Phi Phi Don (n=20), Thailand. It traces tsunami survivors' perceptions of vulnerability, determines whether residents felt that the tsunami affected different communities differently, identifies the populations and sub-community groups that survivors distinguished as being more vulnerable than others, highlights community-generated ideas about vulnerability reduction, and pinpoints a range of additional vulnerability reduction actions. Tsunami survivors most consistently identified the 'most vulnerable' community sub-populations as women, children, the elderly, foreigners, and the poor. In Khao Lak, however, respondents added 'Burmese migrants' to this list, whereas in Koh Phi Phi Don, they added 'Thai Muslims'. Results suggest that the two case study communities, both small, coastal, tourism-dominated communities no more than 100 kilometres apart, have differing vulnerable sub-groups and environmental vulnerabilities, requiring different post-disaster vulnerability reduction efforts.     

Epidemiology of tornado destruction in rural northern Bangladesh: risk factors for death and injury

The epidemiology of tornado-related disasters in the developing world is poorly understood. An August 2005 post-tornado cohort study in rural Bangladesh identified elevated levels of death and injury among the elderly (≥ 60 years of age) (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 8.9 (95 per cent confidence interval (CI): 3.9-20.2) and AOR = 1.6 (95 per cent CI: 1.4-1.8), respectively), as compared to 15-24 year-olds, and among those outdoors versus indoors during the tornado (AOR = 10.4 (95 per cent CI: 5.5-19.9) and AOR = 6.6 (95 per cent CI: 5.8-7.5), respectively). Females were 1.24 times (95 per cent CI: 1.15-1.33) more likely to be injured than males. Elevated risk of injury was significantly associated with structural damage to the house and tin construction materials. Seeking treatment was protective against death among the injured, odds ratio = 0.08 (95 per cent CI: 0.03-0.21). Further research is needed to develop injury prevention strategies and to address disparities in risk between age groups and between men and women.     

Risk and the neoliberal state: why post-Mitch lessons didn't reduce El Salvador's earthquake losses

Although El Salvador suffered light losses from Hurricane Mitch in 1998, it benefited from the increased international aid and encouragement for advance planning, especially mitigation and prevention interventions. Thus, one would have supposed, El Salvador would have been in a very advantageous position, able more easily than its economically crippled neighbours, Honduras and Nicaragua, to implement the 'lessons of Mitch'. A review of the recovery plan tabled by the El Salvador government following the earthquakes of early 2001 shows that despite the rhetoric in favour of 'learning the lessons of Mitch', very little mitigation and prevention had actually been put in place between the hurricane (1998) and the earthquakes (2001). The recovery plan is analysed in terms of the degree to which it deals with root causes of disaster vulnerability, namely, the economic and political marginality of much of the population and environmental degradation. An explanation for the failure to implement mitigation and preventive actions is traced to the adherence by the government of El Salvador to an extreme form of neoliberal, free market ideology, and the deep fissures and mistrust in a country that follow a long and bloody civil war.