The gloomy greenhouse: Should the world phase out fossil fuels?

In 1988 the Toronto World Conference on the Changing Atmosphere called for a reduction of CO₂ emissions of the industrialized countries by approximately 20% by the year 2005 as compared with 1988. A stabilization of CO₂ concentrations would require an eventual emissions reduction of more than 50% of present levels. Model runs were performed with the Dutch Integrated Model for the Assessment of the Greenhouse Effect (IMAGE) to put these figures into perspective. It was found that the suggested emissions reduction levels could indeed be adequate to prevent global temperature change from moving beyond past climate experience. However, this would only be the case when these reduced levels of emissions were achieved at a global scale and maximum emission control for the other greenhouse gases was implemented. A delayed response analysis shows that the policies of the coming decades are crucial for the eventual control of the greenhouse effect.     

APPLICATION OF A SEDIMENT ROUTING MODEL TO A MIDDLE EUROPEAN WATERSHED1

ABSTRACT: A simulation model that computes sediment yield due to sheet and rill erosion at the outlet of a large watershed requires daily precipitation and the soil, topographic, and vegetative characteristics of the watershed. An important problem, particularly in a large watershed, is the transport of sediment produced in the sub-watersheds to the outlet of the whole watershed. This problem is approached mathematically by a sediment routing model that is used as a component of the total model.     

MODEL FOR PREDICTING TRANSPORT OF PESTICIDES AND THEIR METABOLITES IN THE UNSATURATED ZONE1

ABSTRACT: A finite element model based on Galerkin's upstream weighted residual technique was developed to predict the simultaneous convective-dispersion transport and transformations of pesticides and their metabolites in the unsaturated zone. Transformations of the parent compound and its metabolites were assumed to be first-order reactions for oxidation and hydrolysis, while adsorption of the pesticide species (parent compound and metabolites) to the soil components was assumed to be represented by a linear equilibrium (Freundlich type) isotherm. Volatilization and plant root uptake of pesticides in the solution phase were neglected in the analysis. The proposed model was used to simulate the transport and transformation of aldicarb and its metabolites, aldicarb sulfoxide and aldicarb sulfone, in the soil profile. Several examples are used to demonstrate the accuracy, validity, and applicability of the proposed model. Simulated results indicate that the proposed model can potentially be used to estimate the mass flux of water, and pesticide and pesticide metabolite concentrations in the subsurface environment. However, further verification of the model against actual field data is needed to fully demonstrate the model's potential.     

A NEW LOOK AT FLOOD RISK DETERMINATION1

ABSTRACT: The probability distributions of annual peak flows used in flood risk analysis quantify the risk that a design flood will be exceeded. But the parameters of these distributions are themselves to a degree uncertain and this uncertainty increases the risk that the flood protection provided will in fact prove to be inadequate. The increase in flood risk due to parameter uncertainty is small when a fairly long record of data is available and the annual flood peaks are serially independent, which is the standard assumption in flood frequency analysis. But standard tests for serial independence are insensitive to the type of grouping of high and low values in a time series, which is measured by the Hurst coefficient. This grouping increases the parameter uncertainty considerably. A study of 49 annual peak flow series for Canadian rivers shows that many have a high Hurst coefficient. The corresponding increase in flood risk due to parameter uncertainty is shown to be substantial even for rivers with a long record, and therefore should not be neglected. The paper presents a method of rationally combining parameter uncertainty due to serial correlation, and the stochastic variability of peak flows in a single risk assessment. In addition, a relatively simple time series model that is capable of reproducing the observed serial correlation of flood peaks is presented.     

A modeling assessment of the thermal regime for an urban sport fishery

Water temperature is almost certainly a limiting factor in the maintenance of a self-sustaining rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, formerlySalmo gairdneri) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) fishery in the lower reaches of the Cache la Poudre River near Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Irrigation diversions dewater portions of the river, but cold reservoir releases moderate water temperatures during some periods. The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Stream Network Temperature Model (SNTEMP) was applied to a 31-km segment of the river using readily available stream geometry and hydrological and meteorological data. The calibrated model produced satisfactory water temperature predictions (R ²=0.88,P<0.001, N=49) for a 62-day summer period. It was used to evaluate a variety of flow and nonflow alternatives to keep water temperatures below 23.3°C for the trout. Supplemental flows or reduced diversions of 3 m³/sec would be needed to maintain suitable summer temperatures throughout most of the study area. Such flows would be especially beneficial during weekends when current irrigation patterns reduce flows. The model indicated that increasing the riparian shade would result in little improvement in water temperatures but that decreasing the stream width would result in significant temperature reductions. Introduction of a more thermally tolerant redband trout (Oncorhynchus sp.), or smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) might prove beneficial to the fishery. Construction of deep pools for thermal refugia might also be helpful.     

采场通风方式与瓦斯运移规律研究

采场是煤矿生产的核心地带,而采场通风系统是确保采场作业安全,创造良好生产环境的重要环节。本文以采场风流流动及瓦斯运移理论为基础,通过现场试验、模型模拟试验及计算机模拟研究等方法,着重研究了中国常用的和有发展前途的走向长壁后退式U型通风方式、U+L型通曲方式、后退式Y型通风方式条件下采场风流流动及瓦斯运移规律。     

电旋风除尘模型实验研究

本研究试图将电除尘器与旋风除尘器组合为一体,以求取得较高的除尘效率,并利用旋转气流实现自动清灰。本文介绍了切向进气直流式电旋风除尘的模型试验,通过实测不同工况下的除尘效率和压力损失,应用经典除尘理论,建立了相应的数学模型。     

Prediction of thermal hazards from fireballs

Various models of fireball diameter have been evaluated by statistical techniques. The model of Gayle for fireball diameter estimation showed good agreement between the predicted and experimental data. The models relating to fireball duration, transmissivity and view factor have been selected based on their relative merits. A user interactive computer program has been developed to predict thermal hazards from fireballs in chemical process industries.     

四川酸性物湿沉降模式及预测

酸沉降是一复杂的大气物理和化学过程，涉及诸多复杂影响因素。目前，我国酸雨湿沉降模式还仅限于模拟云下洗脱成酸过程，而对云中的成酸过程还未进行深入研究，这不仅在理论上不完善，而且更重要是在许多情况下与我省实际情况不符。本课题针对四川省特定的地理，气象特点和严重的大气污染情况，并借鉴国外研究成果，提出了考虑酸性沉降的云中和云下成酸过程和各种影响因素的综合酸雨湿沉降模式，并根据此模式来估算和预测四川省酸雨