基于卫星夜间灯光数据的中国分省碳排放时空模拟

中国能源统计数据"横向不可比,纵向不可加"现象依然突出,尤其是分省能源消费统计千差万别,给分省碳排放评估带来了较大困难,如何利用卫星遥感数据科学合理地估算中国分省碳排放是当前亟须研究的问题。本文运用DMSP/OLS全球稳定夜间灯光数据,在通过相互校正、年内融合和年际间校正等系列处理得到中国分省稳定夜间灯光数据的基础上,首先分别构建中国分省稳定夜间灯光亮度DN值与人均碳排放和单位面积碳排放之间的时空地理加权回归模型,两个模型整体效果均较好,拟合优度分别高达96.74%和99.24%;其次运用稳定夜间灯光亮度DN值对分省人均碳排放和单位面积碳排放进行时空模拟;最后运用人口规模和土地面积对分省碳排放进行估算。估算结果显示:(1)整体来看,2000—2013年年均碳排放模拟值与实际值6.3349×109t较为接近,两个模型的相对误差均在0.5%以内。(2)分年度来看,所有年份的相对误差均在5%以内,2006年分省加总碳排放模拟值与实际碳排放6.2036×109t最为接近,绝对误差和相对误差均较小,两个模型模拟值的相对误差均为0.04%。(3)分省域来看,2000—2013年年均碳排放模拟值与实际碳排放均非常接近,除海南和宁夏外,其余28个省区市的相对误差均在1%以内。(4)分年度分省域来看,以2013年为例,40%省份的相对误差在2%以内,70%省份的相对误差在5%以内。从整体、分年度、分省域、分年度分省域的估算结果来看,基于稳定夜间灯光数据的中国分省碳排放时空模拟效果良好。因此,运用卫星夜间灯光数据可以较为准确地对中国分省碳排放进行估算和预测,为卫星遥感影像数据服务分省碳排放监测和评估提供一种补充性参考。     

Carbon dioxide emissions from cities in China based on high resolution emission gridded data

Based on the China high resolution emission gridded data (1 km spatial resolution), this article is aimed to create a Chinese city carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission data set using consolidated data sources as well as normalized and standardized data processing methods. Standard methods were used to calculate city CO₂ emissions, including scope 1 and scope 2. Cities with higher CO₂ emissions are mostly in north, northeast, and eastern coastal areas. Cities with lower CO₂ emissions are in the western region. Cites with higher CO₂ emissions are clustered in the Jing-Jin-Ji Region (such as Beijing, Tianjin, and Tangshan), and the Yangtze River Delta region (such as Shanghai and Suzhou). The city per capita CO₂ emission is larger in the north than the south. There are obvious aggregations of cities with high per capita CO₂ emission in the north. Four cities among the top 10 per capita emissions (Erdos, Wuhai, Shizuishan, and Yinchuan) cluster in the main coal production areas of northern China. This indicates the significant impact of coal resources endowment on city industry and CO₂ emissions. The majority (77%) of cities have annual CO₂ emissions below 50 million tons. The mean annual emission, among all cities, is 37 million tons. Emissions from service-based cities, which include the smallest number of cities, are the highest. Industrial cities are the largest category and the emission distribution from these cities is close to the normal distribution. Emissions and degree of dispersion, in the other cities (excluding industrial cities and service-based cities), are in the lowest level. Per capita CO₂ emissions in these cities are generally below 20 t/person (89%) with a mean value of 11 t/person. The distribution interval of per capita CO₂ emission within industrial cities is the largest among the three city categories. This indicates greater differences among per capita CO₂ emissions of industrial cities. The distribution interval of per capita CO₂ emission of other cities is the lowest, indicating smaller differences of per capita CO₂ emissions among this city category. Three policy suggestions are proposed: first, city CO₂ emission inventory data in China should be increased, especially for prefecture level cities. Second, city responsibility for emission reduction, and partitioning the national goal should be established, using a bottom-up approach based on specific CO₂ emission levels and potential for emission reductions in each city. Third, comparative and benchmarking research on city CO₂ emissions should be conducted, and a Top Runner system of city CO₂ emission reduction should be established.     

WTO“稀土案”与中国自然资源出口管制的完善

举世瞩目的 WTO"稀土案"于2014年8月7日终落帷幕。同先前的"原料案"一样,中国还是难逃败诉的命运。上诉机构支持申诉方的大部分指控,再次否决了《1994年关税与贸易总协定》(General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 1994,以下简称GATT)第20条对中国《入世议定书》的可适用性,从而确认中国对稀土、钨、钼三种原材料采取的出口税及配额等管制措施违背了WTO相关规则和入世所作的特殊承诺。作为自然资源的进出口大国,在自然资源贸易纠纷(特别是出口管制问题)不断"升温"和WTO争端解决机制运用愈来愈频繁的今天,中国应认真总结和反思这场"稀土保卫战"失利带来的经验教训,以从源头上破解中国出口管制措施在WTO体制下遭遇的法律困境,避免今后类似案件败诉的重现。基于此,本文综合应用案例分析、文本分析、历史分析和比较分析等方法对"稀土案"争讼的焦点和争端解决机构(DSB)的裁决意见做了详尽的透析,结果发现此案中DSB的审理不同程度存在着解释僵化、无视中国缔约真意及主观随意、前后矛盾等失范之处,对中国颇为不公。不过,该案也从另外一方面暴露出中国出口管制立法的疏漏与实施缺陷。是故,本文建议中国:1请求部长级会议/总理事会对GATT与《入世议定书》关系做出统一解释,并单独将出口税承诺纳入减让表;2重视DSB既有的裁决思路,根据WTO规则修改相关出口管制法规;3加强资源开采的法律管控,提高资源税的征收标准;4确保对内外资源需求企业的管制一致,优化出口许可管理,努力从WTO法和国内法两个层面推动现行自然资源出口秩序的完善,使中国今后对自然资源的出口管制既能符合WTO规则又能达致确保本国经济可持续性发展之目的。     

Flow‐Biology Relationships Based on Fish Habitat Guilds in North Carolina

The health of freshwater biota is dependent on streamflow, yet identification of the flow regimes required to maintain ecological integrity remains challenging to states in the United States seeking to establish ecological flows. We tested the relationship between decreases in streamflow and Shannon‐Weaver diversity index of fish species for four flow‐based habitat guilds: riffle, riffle‐run, pool‐run, and pool in North Carolina. We found species that prefer shallow habitats, such as riffles and riffle‐runs were the most sensitive to decreases in streamflow; whereas no significant relationships were found for pool or pool‐run species. The sensitivity to decreases in streamflow was greatest during summer and fall, when streams are naturally lower. When all fish habitat guilds were included in the assessment of flow‐biology relationships, there were no significant relationships to decreases in streamflow. As the sensitivity of fish to reductions in streamflow is not constant across habitat guilds, combining all fish species together for flow‐biology analyses may greatly underestimate the response of fish species to decreases in flow and should be acknowledged when establishing ecological flows.     

Designing and Implementing a Network for Sensing Water Quality and Hydrology across Mountain to Urban Transitions

Water resources are increasingly impacted by growing human populations, land use, and climate changes, and complex interactions among biophysical processes. In an effort to better understand these factors in semiarid northern Utah, United States, we created a real‐time observatory consisting of sensors deployed at aquatic and terrestrial stations to monitor water quality, water inputs, and outputs along mountain to urban gradients. The Gradients Along Mountain to Urban Transitions (GAMUT) monitoring network spans three watersheds with similar climates and streams fed by mountain winter‐derived precipitation, but that differ in urbanization level, land use, and biophysical characteristics. The aquatic monitoring stations in the GAMUT network include sensors to measure chemical (dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, pH, nitrate, and dissolved organic matter), physical (stage, temperature, and turbidity), and biological components (chlorophyll‐a and phycocyanin). We present the logistics of designing, implementing, and maintaining the network; quality assurance and control of numerous, large datasets; and data acquisition, dissemination, and visualization. Data from GAMUT reveal spatial differences in water quality due to urbanization and built infrastructure; capture rapid temporal changes in water quality due to anthropogenic activity; and identify changes in biological structure, each of which are demonstrated via case study datasets.     

Detention Outlet Retrofit Improves the Functionality of Existing Detention Basins by Reducing Erosive Flows in Receiving Channels

By discharging excess stormwater at rates that more frequently exceed the critical flow for stream erosion, conventional detention basins often contribute to increased channel instability in urban and suburban systems that can be detrimental to aquatic habitat and water quality, as well as adjacent property and infrastructure. However, these ubiquitous assets, valued at approximately $600,000 per km² in a representative suburban watershed, are ideal candidates to aid in reversing such cycles of channel degradation because improving their functionality would not necessarily require property acquisition or heavy construction. The objective of this research was to develop a simple, cost‐effective device that could be installed in detention basin outlets to reduce the erosive power of the relatively frequent storm events (~ < two‐year recurrence) and provide a passive bypass to maintain flood control performance during infrequent storms (such as the 100‐year recurrence). Results from a pilot installation show that the Detain H₂O device reduced the cumulative sediment transport capacity of the preretrofit condition by greater than 40%, and contributed to reduced flashiness and prolonged baseflows in receiving streams. When scaling the strategy across a watershed, these results suggest that potential gains in water quality and stream channel stability could be achieved at costs that are orders of magnitude less than comparable benefits from newly constructed stormwater control measures.     

Nanocatalyzed biodiesel synthesis from the oily contents of Marine brown alga Dictyota dichotoma

This research article demonstrates biodiesel synthesis through the methanolysis of the oily contents (4.02 ± 0.27% w/w on dried basis) of Dictyota dichotoma collected from the coast of Hawksbay, Pakistan. The metal oxides (CaO, MgO, ZnO, and TiO₂) used as nanocatalysts were refluxed (5% K₂SO₄), calcinated (850 °C) and characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) which produced 93.2% w/w FAME (biodiesel) at relatively mild condition (5% catalyst, 65 °C, 3 h, 18:1 molar ratio) using CaO. Whereas, MgO, ZnO, and TiO₂ produced 92.4%, 72.5%, and 31.8% w/w FAME, respectively at elevated condition (225 °C). Thus, CaO was considered to be the best catalyst among the others. This tri-phase reaction require continuous fast mixing and the yield depends on the reaction parameters like catalyst amount, temperature, reaction time and molar ratio (methanol: oil). The reusability of these heterogeneous catalysts simplified the purification step, reduced the waste generation and make the final product technically and economically viable.     

Producing biodiesel from waste animal oil by modified ZnO

Biodiesel produced by transesterification of waste animal oil is a promising green fuel in the future. ZnO-Al₂O₃ and ZnO/Zn₂Al composition oxides were prepared by co-precipitation method and impregnation method, respectively. The above catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer--Emmett--Teller (BET) and CO₂ adsorption and temperature-programmed desorption (CO₂-TPD) and show that the high activity for the catalyst is attributed to its high alkalinity. The reaction parameters were optimized and the results show that the transesterification ratio of waste animal oil can reach 98.7% with 10% ZnO/Zn₂Al catalyst after 2 h. Moreover, 10%ZnO/Zn₂Al compound oxides can be active for the successive cycles. The glycerol as a predominant by-product after transesterification is of high purity with high use value.     

A Two-Stage Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm for MPPT of Partially Shaded PV Arrays

The power-voltage (P-V) characteristic curves of a PV array are nonlinear and have multiple peaks under partially shaded conditions (PSCs). This paper proposes a novel maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method for a PV system with reduced steady-state oscillation based on a two-stage particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The grouping method of the shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA) is incorporated in the basic PSO algorithm (PSO-SFLA), ensuring fast and accurate searching of the global extremum. An adaptive speed factor is also introduced into the improved PSO to further enhance its convergence speed. Test results show that the proposed method converges in less than half the time taken by the conventional PSO method, and the power is improved by 33% under the worst PSCs, which confirms the superiority of the proposed method over the standard PSO algorithm in terms of tracking speed and steady-state oscillations under different PSCs.     

Investigation of titanium liquid/gas diffusion layers in proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

In a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cell (PEMEC), liquid/gas diffusion layer (LGDL) is expected to transport electrons, heat, and reactants/products to and from the catalyst layer with minimum voltage, current, thermal, interfacial, and fluidic losses. In addition, carbon materials, which are typically used in PEM fuel cells (PEMFCs), are unsuitable in PEMECs due to the high ohmic potential and highly oxidative environment of the oxygen electrode. In this study, a set of titanium gas diffusion layers with different thicknesses and porosities are designed and examined coupled with the development of a robust titanium bipolar plate. It has been found that the performance of electrolyzer improves along with a decrease in thickness or porosity of the anode LGDL of titanium woven meshes. The ohmic resistance of anode LGDL and contact resistance between anode LGDL and the anode catalyst play dominant roles in electrolyzer performance, and better performance can be obtained by reducing ohmic resistance. Thin titanium LGDLs with straight-through pores and optimal pore morphologies are recommended for the future developments of low-cost LGDLs with minimum ohmic/transport losses.