Regional Economic Types and Development Strategy of Small Towns in Suburb Beijing

The purpose of this article is to classify the regional economic types and development dynamics of small towns in suburb Beijing by applying the classification methods developed by Nelson's method and Location Quotient method into 183 small towns in Beijing.Four types of small towns are thus identified,including urban agriculture dominated towns,manufacturing dominated towns,service industry dominated towns and comprehensive type towns with balanced economic development.Within the environment of geographical information system,the spatial distribution pattern of four types of small towns with their evolution trend is analyzed.The results indicate that four types of small towns have obvious 'core-periphery' spatial structure but with different functional orientations and evolution mechanisms.Based on this,the different development strategies for each type of small towns are summarized,providing a scientific reference for the differentiating planning and development strategies of these small towns.     

An integrated simulation and optimization approach for managing human health risks of atmospheric pollutants by coal-fired power plants

This research developed a simulation-aided nonlinear programming model (SNPM). This model incorporated the consideration of pollutant dispersion modeling, and the management of coal blending and the related human health risks within a general modeling framework. In SNPM, the simulation effort (i.e., California puff [CALPUFF]) was used to forecast the fate of air pollutants for quantifying the health risk under various conditions, while the optimization studies were to identify the optimal coal blending strategies from a number of alternatives. To solve the model, a surrogate-based indirect search approach was proposed, where the support vector regression (SVR) was used to create a set of easy-to-use and rapid-response surrogates for identifying the function relationships between coal-blending operating conditions and health risks. Through replacing the CALPUFF and the corresponding hazard quotient equation with the surrogates, the computation efficiency could be improved. The developed SNPM was applied to minimize the human health risk associated with air pollutants discharged from Gaojing and Shijingshan power plants in the west of Beijing. Solution results indicated that it could be used for reducing the health risk of the public in the vicinity of the two power plants, identifying desired coal blending strategies for decision makers, and considering a proper balance between coal purchase cost and human health risk.

Implications:A simulation-aided nonlinear programming model (SNPM) is developed. It integrates the advantages of CALPUFF and nonlinear programming model. To solve the model, a surrogate-based indirect search approach based on the combination of support vector regression and genetic algorithm is proposed. SNPM is applied to reduce the health risk caused by air pollutants discharged from Gaojing and Shijingshan power plants in the west of Beijing. Solution results indicate that it is useful for generating coal blending schemes, reducing the health risk of the public, reflecting the trade-off between coal purchase cost and health risk.     

Ongoing ascent to the helium production plateau—Insights from system dynamics

Recent, pre-downturn, disturbance in the global helium market can be traced to the tight supply–demand position, which characterizes today’s changing helium supply structure. A detailed System Dynamics model provides fresh insight into the helium question and suggests a production path that is closely associated with future natural gas production. Venting of un-extracted helium to the atmosphere remains a central issue. The model indicates that improving resource exploitation strategies might extend a production plateau that emerges in the 2030s. Substitution will result in more helium being vented. To mitigate this, the industry needs to ensure security of supply (particularly after the Bureau of Land Management reserve is sold).     

Water stress, water transfer and social equity in Northern China--implications for policy reforms

Water stress in Northern China is characterized with major, inefficient irrigation water use and rapidly growing non-agricultural water demands, as well as limited water quantity and declining water quality. Water use in the region is undergoing transfer from agricultural to municipal and industrial sectors. Currently, part of the economic loss and environmental damage due to water stress can be considered as a consequence of water transfer failures, including the current transfers, which hurt farmers' livelihood and income, and the needed transfers, which industry and cities have been waiting for but have not received. This paper starts with a discussion of the causes of water stress in Northern China, which is fundamental to understand the necessity and complexity of agricultural water transfers. Following that, it reviews water transfers in Northern China as a cause for concern over the social stability, economy and environment of the region. Based on an integrated analysis of economic, environmental, fiscal and social implications, this paper begins by identifying critical barriers to smooth water redistribution; and ends with implications for policy reforms, ensuring that farmers can and will save water. It is concluded that the decisions of water reallocation under water stress should be shared by communities at all levels, from the local to the national, to ensure equal access of water, especially the availability of the basic water need for all groups.     

PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB in Hong Kong air in relation to their regional transport in the Pearl River Delta region

PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB were measured in 142 air samples of Hong Kong. The annual average PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB concentrations obtained for Hong Kong air at Tap Mun (PCDD/F: 1724+/-1984; dioxin-like PCB: 1572+/-1170 fg m(-3)), Yuen Long (PCDD/F: 2927+/-2695; dioxin-like PCB: 4331+/-1962 fg m(-3)) and Tsuen Wan (PCDD/F: 1875+/-1502; dioxin-like PCB: 2972+/-1510 fg m(-3)) from January 2004 to March 2005 were comparable to other urban centers around the world and were within the Japanese and USA ambient air quality guidelines. A clear seasonal pattern was observed for PCDD/F, generally with a 50-60 times higher air concentration in winter when background northerly wind was weaker and land-sea breeze prevailed, resulting in regional transport; and a lower concentration in summer, due to the inflow of clean oceanic southeasterly wind from the South China Sea. A higher WHO-TEQ value of dioxin-like PCB (mainly attributed to the relatively higher WHO-TEQ value of PCB 126) in Yuen Long during winter, compared with other months, could also be related to the regional transport by the winter monsoon wind and the low mixing height in winter. Spatially, air concentrations of PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB demonstrated a west-to-east gradient (with Yuen Long>Tsuen Wan>Tap Mun). It is suggested that PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB were transported into the western airshed of Hong Kong from the Pearl River Delta by land-sea breeze circulation and confined to the northwestern part, due to the blocking effect of the northwestern airshed in Hong Kong.     

基于风险的工业管道在线检测技术研究

化工装置工业管道面临焊接和腐蚀两大问题,装置的长期运行与管道定期检验的矛盾日益突出。通过对数字射线、脉冲涡流、超声导波三种管道在线检测技术的对比分析,结合基于风险的检验(RBI)理念,探索出一套适用于工业管道在线检验的技术,对节约企业成本、保障管道安全具有重要意义。     

华北地区CO2净排放比较优势时空特性分析

采用显示性比较优势理论,对2005-2010年我国华北地区5个省市人均CO2净排放和单位GDP CO2净排放的显示性比较优势做了分析;同时采用变异系数差异分析,结合空间自相关分析方法,对其空间格局和演变规律做了深入研究.研究发现,华北地区5省市人均CO2净排放高于全国平均水平.北京、天津、河北、山西4个省市出现下滑势头,而内蒙古自治区呈现大幅上升势头.山西单位GDP CO2净排放在全国最高,天津和北京低于全国平均水平.华北地区人均CO2净排放和单位GDP CO2净排放比较优势空间分别呈现负相关和正相关特性.     

贵州万山汞矿区汞的环境污染及对生态系统的影响

通过对贵州万山汞矿地区环境样品(水、土壤、植物、农作物和动物)的系统研究,发现该地区的环境汞污染以土壤、大气污染为主,水体基本处于正常范围.土壤汞含量为24.31～347.52mg·kg^-1,比全国土壤平均值高出2～3个数量级;水中汞含量除了冶炼厂荷花池中含量较高外,其它水体为0.10～0.68ng·mL^-1.由于矿山长期的开采和冶炼,整个环境的汞污染严重,当地的植被、农作物、动物中存在明显的汞蓄积,各种植物不同部位的汞含量为0.47～331.4mg·kg^-1;苔藓可以高度富集汞.