Multi-objective optimization of air quality monitoring

A new method for multi-objective optimization of air quality monitoring systems based on satellite remote sensing of the troposphere is described in this work. The technique uses atmospheric turbidity as surrogate for air pollution loading. Through inverse chemical modeling and ancillary information the respective patterns of primary gaseous and particle pollutants are inferred. The optimization algorithm uses the resulting maps of ambient air pollution as input. It focuses on the gain of information with regard to human exposure to high pollution, potential impact on cultural heritage, compliance to ambient air quality standards, monitoring key point and area source emissions, as well as on the associated cost. Application of the method in Brescia, Italy showed its significant potential for improving the cost-effectiveness of air quality monitoring networks at the urban and regional scales.     

Exposure to fall hazards and safety climate in the aircraft maintenance industry

PROBLEM: Falls represent a significant occupational hazard, particularly in industries with dynamic work environments. This paper describes rates of noncompliance with fall hazard prevention requirements, perceived safety climate and worker knowledge and beliefs, and the association between fall exposure and safety climate measures in commercial aircraft maintenance activities. METHODS: Walkthrough observations were conducted on aircraft mechanics at two participating facilities (Sites A and B) to ascertain the degree of noncompliance. Mechanics at each site completed questionnaires concerning fall hazard knowledge, personal safety beliefs, and safety climate. Questionnaire results were summarized into safety climate and belief scores by workgroup and site. Noncompliance rates observed during walkthroughs were compared to the climate-belief scores, and were expected to be inversely associated. RESULTS: Important differences were seen in fall safety performance between the sites. The study provided a characterization of aircraft maintenance fall hazards, and also demonstrated the effectiveness of an objective hazard assessment methodology. Noncompliance varied by height, equipment used, location of work on the aircraft, shift, and by safety system. DISCUSSION: Although the expected relationship between safety climate and noncompliance was seen for site-average climate scores, workgroups with higher safety climate scores had greater observed noncompliance within Site A. Overall, use of engineered safety systems had a significant impact on working safely, while safety beliefs and climate also contributed, though inconsistently. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The results of this study indicate that safety systems are very important in reducing noncompliance with fall protection requirements in aircraft maintenance facilities. Site-level fall safety compliance was found to be related to safety climate, although an unexpected relationship between compliance and safety climate was seen at the workgroup level within site. Finally, observed fall safety compliance was found to differ from self-reported compliance.     

Place attachment,place identity,and place memory: Restoring the forgotten city past

This paper investigates collective memory in inhabitants of two twin cities, Lviv (Ukraine, previously Lwów, Poland) and Wroc?aw (Poland, previously Breslau, Germany). Due to territorial changes in Eastern and Central Europe after World War II, the two cities changed their state belonging and—consequently—their populations. This study focused on memory of residence place and on its relationship with place identity and place attachment.     

地震电磁辐射观测技术应用研究

通过对 6个震例的分析研究 ,总结出电磁辐射源来自陆域空间和海域空间的规律 ;震前电磁异常的识别及非震异常的特征与排除 ,并成功地进行了一次临震预报。     

南京青奥会空气质量保障联合观测分析研究

2014年8月,为做好南京青奥会空气质量保障工作,江苏省环境监测中心联合中科院大气物理所、南京大学等36家单位,开展了为期一个月的空气质量保障联合观测,共获取监测数据5万多个,巡航观测里程超9 000 km,编制预报及分析报告87份,空气质量预报准确率达80%。结果表明,强力管控措施的实施,对缓解空气污染效果显著;通过联合团队观测方式,集中了产、学、研、用的技术优势和科研力量,带动了全省空气质量监测与分析能力的整体提升,为青奥会空气质量保障工作提供了强有力的技术支撑。     

由微振动记录用剥层法研究浅层S波速度结构

根据江苏华电句容发电一期2×1000 MW发电机组场地情况,布设了三角形嵌套和同心圆台阵进行微振动观测,采用空间自相关法计算频散曲线,并用剥层法反演得到该工程场地浅部的S波速度结构。反演结果与钻孔探测结果吻合较好,表明用微振动台阵记录反演浅部地壳S波速度结构在工程上是可行的。该方法具有不需要人工源,对避开噪声要求不苛刻、成本低且精度可满足工程要求等优点,故有良好的应用前景。     

秦皇岛市泥石流发育特征及防治措施

近年来,随着社会经济的发展,人类工程活动频繁,泥石流地质灾害在我市每年新增灾害中占有相当大的比重,严重威胁着人民的生命财产安全。秦皇岛市泥石流主要发育在北部低山丘陵区,规模小,危害大。通过对泥石流发育特征的研究,阐明其形成条件与地形、地质环境、植被和降雨等因素的关系,并据此提出了群测群防,加强采矿活动正确管理、工程治理等防治措施。     

Relationship between variations of Be, Pb and Pb concentrations and sub-regional atmospheric transport: Simultaneous observation at distant locations

In order to investigate the applicability of ²¹²Pb as a tracer for atmospheric transport in the sub-regional scale (few hundred kilometers in horizontal direction and up to ∼1 km by height), we measured the air concentrations of the short-lived radionuclide ²¹²Pb along with the long-lived ⁷Be and ²¹⁰Pb near the ground surface. For this purpose, simultaneous observations were continued for several days at three locations: a reference point representative for standard land surface atmosphere conditions, a second location at an altitude 650 m near the reference point, and on a solitary island ∼180 km from the reference point. Measurements of radioactivity in aerosol particle samples collected at intervals of 2-3 h with a high-volume air sampler were performed by extremely low background gamma-ray spectrometry with the use of Ge detectors located at the Ogoya Underground Laboratory. Concentration of ⁷Be or ²¹⁰Pb and their variation patterns was found to be similar among the three points during the whole observation period except for moment of the passage of a cold front. The results indicate that distributions of concentrations of the long-lived nuclides were uniform in this range. On the other hand, concentration levels and the variation patterns of the short-lived ²¹²Pb differed greatly from one location to another, reflecting differences in geographical location and altitude of the observation points. Additionally, there were certain indications that observed concentration of ²¹²Pb contained two components: an autogenous component from sources nearby and a heterogenous one from faraway sources carried by atmospheric horizontal transport. Results of this study provide experimental proof that ²¹²Pb can be used as a tracer of sub-regional atmospheric transport.     

Influence of Riffle and Snag Habitat Specific Sampling on Stream Macroinvertebrate Assemblage Measures in Bioassessment

Stream macroinvertebrate communities vary naturally among types of habitats where they are sampled, which affects the results of environmental assessment. We analyzed macroinvertebrates collected from riffle and snag habitats to evaluate influences of habitat-specific sampling on taxon occurrence, assemblage measures, and biotic indices. We found considerably more macroinvertebrate taxa unique to snags (143 taxa) than to riffles (75 taxa), and the numbers of taxa found in both riffles and snags (149 taxa) were similar to that found in snags. About 64% of the 47 macroinvertebrate measures we tested differed significantly between riffles and snags. Eighty percent intercepts of regressions between biotic indices and urban or agricultural land uses differed significantly between riffles and snags. The Hilsenhoff biotic index calculated from snag samples explained 69% of the variance of riffle samples and classified 66% of the sites into the same stream health group as the riffle samples. However, four multimetric indices for snag samples explained less than 50% of the variance of riffle samples and classified less than 50% of the sites into the same health group as the riffle samples. We concluded that macroinvertebrate indices developed for riffle/run habitat should not be used for snag samples to assess stream impairment. We recommend developing an index of biotic integrity specifically for snags and using snags as an alternate sampling substrate for streams that naturally lack riffles.     

Web-based surveys as an alternative to traditional mail methods

Environmental economists have long used surveys to gather information about people's preferences. A recent innovation in survey methodology has been the advent of web-based surveys. While the Internet appears to offer a promising alternative to conventional survey administration modes, concerns exist over potential sampling biases associated with web-based surveys and the effect these may have on valuation estimates. This paper compares results obtained from a travel cost questionnaire of visitors to Fraser Island, Australia, that was conducted using two alternate survey administration modes; conventional mail and web-based. It is found that response rates and the socio-demographic make-up of respondents to the two survey modes are not statistically different. Moreover, both modes yield similar consumer surplus estimates.