Flash flood mitigation: recommendations for research and applications

Abstract

New technologies promise reduced flash flood losses. However, real-time observations with vast multi-sensor networks, more precise mapping capabilities using remote sensing and GIS, quicker hydrological and meteorological models, and increasing forecast lead times have not reduced losses. In November, 1999, 35 researchers from nine countries met in Ravello, Italy at a NATO sponsored Advanced Study Institute, to discuss these issues and to develop a research agenda that incorporates the various components required to cope with flash floods. The key recommendations from the Institute were: (1) greater emphasis on increasing understanding of the social processes involved in flash flood warning, particularly in the response phases, and (2) the need to reduce vulnerability in sustainable ways compatible with long-term economic and social goals. The relationship between hydrometeorology and social science is seen as critical to advancing our abilities to cope with flash floods.     

Challenges to interdisciplinary research in ecosystem-based management

Despite its necessity, integration of natural and social sciences to inform conservation efforts has been difficult. We examined the views of 63 scientists and practitioners involved in marine management in Mexico's Gulf of California, the central California coast, and the western Pacific on the challenges associated with integrating social science into research efforts that support ecosystem-based management (EBM) in marine systems. We used a semistructured interview format. Questions focused on how EBM was developed for these sites and how contextual factors affected its development and outcomes. Many of the traditional challenges linked with interdisciplinary research were present in the EBM projects we studied. However, a number of contextual elements affected how mandates to include social science were interpreted and implemented as well as how easily challenges could be addressed. For example, a common challenge is that conservation organizations are often dominated by natural scientists, but for some projects it was easier to address this imbalance than for others. We also found that the management and institutional histories that came before EBM in specific cases were important features of local context. Because challenges differed among cases, we believe resolving challenges to interdisciplinary research should be context specific.     

灾害化学的核心原理研究

为完善安全科学原理的内容,促进安全科学的理论发展,基于对安全科学理论体系和灾害化学的研究,提出灾害化学原理的定义及其研究内容。归纳出灾害化学的六个核心原理,即热平衡原理、过程控制原理、平衡移动原理、反应减速原理、条件阻隔原理、质能守恒原理,并分析这些原理的概念和内涵。最后,从本质化安全生产设计、职业安全健康与管理和安全经济效益的角度分析灾害化学原理的应用,并选取具体实例详细阐述了各原理的实用性。     

安全文化学课程内容及其教材框架设计研究

为构建安全文化学课程内容体系,进而为安全文化学教材编著奠定基础,分析安全文化学的内涵及课程地位与性质。基于此,从风险社会视阈与“大安全—大文化”视角介入,建立安全文化学课程内容体系的逻辑结构图,并构建安全文化学课程内容体系结构。在此基础上,对安全文化学课程教材编著从指导思想及内容深度与广度2方面进行思考。结果表明:安全文化学课程内容体系建构及其教材编著意义重大且急需,该研究为安全文化学教材编著,以及高等院校安全工程专业人才培养中开设安全文化学课程奠定了基础。     

黄渤海气溶胶光学厚度的多源卫星遥感产品精度分析和时空分布特征研究

以黄渤海上空大气为目标研究区,基于AERONET观测网,获取该区域2015—2017年的气溶胶光学厚度（AOD）实测数据,并对可见红外成像辐射计VⅡRS,中分辨率成像光谱仪MODIS,静止水色卫星成像仪GOCI与新一代地球同步气象卫星AHI H8的AOD遥感产品展开精度验证.同时,利用长时间的遥感影像探究并分析AOD在不同时空尺度下的分布特征与变化情况.结果表明：同其它AOD遥感产品相比,GOCI AOD展示出了高采样频率及高精度的特性.此外,在研究区域AOD的逐小时遥感影像中未发现明显的变化规律,而月平均图则显示出从黄渤海西部至中部再到东部AOD逐渐递减的趋势,且该趋势在研究区域不同的地方是具有差异的.不仅如此,本文还尝试分析影响AOD反演精度的潜在因子,发现其可能与地表反射率提取的准确度与预设气溶胶模型设置的合理性有关.     

京郊挖沙废弃地能源草生产潜力评价

能源草是一种良好的生物质资源。为分析其在边际土地上的应用前景,在京郊挖沙废弃地上开展了柳枝稷(Panicum virgatum L.)与芦竹(Arundo donax L.)两种能源草的规模化种植,并从生物质产量和生态经济价值角度研究了其生产潜力。在京郊挖沙废弃地上,两种能源草均能获得较高的生物质产量,分别为3.77、 11.45 t·hm^-2;从固定二氧化碳、释放氧气、吸收二氧化硫、滞降粉尘4个方面核算其生态价值,按标准煤折算、纤维素乙醇制备两种方式核算其经济价值,两种能源草的生态经济价值非常可观。柳枝稷和芦竹两种能源草在京郊挖沙废弃地上的发展前景广阔。     

依靠科技进步 发展低碳农业

在全球携手应对气候变暖、减少温室气体排放的背景下,发展低碳经济是解决气候变化与经济发展矛盾的有效途径。通过描述气候变化、固碳减排对粮食安全、土壤碳汇、森林固碳、资源循环利用等影响和促进作用,深入分析发展低碳经济与可持续发展的关系,探讨如何在农业领域内开发高效循环生产体系,从而实现农业生产过程的固碳减排目的。由此,提出发展低碳农业是实现低碳经济的目标之一,它是一个复合技术体系,涉及了绿色农业、循环农业、生态文明、可持续发展理念。必须通过科学技术的突破,改造、提升低碳农业技术,改变农业现有的＂高能耗、高污染＂的生产状况,实现低碳生产、生活方式的转变。最后提出发展现代的低碳农业产业经济的对策和思考。     

Quantitative assessment in safety reports of the consequences from the detonation of solid explosives

Safety reports are mandatory documents in member states of European Union whenever any threshold limits of amounts of either stored or processed hazardous substances are exceeded. After a short introduction to EU Seveso Directives on major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances and to the transposition and implementation by member states, with a brief comment on last 2012/18/EU Directive (also known as Seveso III directive), the paper focuses on drafting of safety reports for industrial activities involving solid explosives. Specifically, the quantitative assessment of consequences from detonation is tackled respect to the side-on overpressure and the debris production. Both direct and inverse problems are illustrated to determine respectively the overpressure value at a given distance, and the explosive amount that allows respecting the regulations. Their solution is based on either analytic or numerical techniques and being based on recent scientific publications on the matter either evaluates or zeroes nonlinear algebraic equations. The availability of these equations avoids grounding the consequences assessment on diagrams and nomograms that otherwise would lead to interpretation and usage errors besides avoiding the automatic solution of the inverse problem. The paper focuses also on details such as embankment, crater, munitions, rocket propellant, building structure, and wall material that, at different levels, play a role in the assessment of detonation consequences. A discussion on debris formation, the available literature, and the evaluation of the impact probability of fragments on both fixed and moving targets closes the paper.     

Community epidemiology and environmental health risk from dioxin contamination in Paritutu

This article explores community-awareness perspectives and actions towards dioxin-related health exposure in Paritutu Community, New Plymouth, New Zealand. The actions are analysed through media reports, covering a 10-year period from 1998 to 2008. Since 1964, Paritutu Community residents have expressed concern about increased morbidity associated with dioxin contamination from a nearby agrichemical plant. Upon investigation, official agencies were at first unable to verify a causal link between dioxin and morbidity, precipitating community activism and increasing public pressure on relevant authorities. Residents played a major role in alleviating further damage to their community by analysing and evaluating data and providing information that ultimately resulted in both official recognition of their environmental health risk and preventative strategies to alleviate their morbidity. This article backgrounds the Paritutu Community Epidemiology approach and evaluates stages in how the Paritutu Community overcame indifference and lack of precaution and exerted influence leading to the removal of the source of contamination and positive policy changes in public health including the setting up of ameliorative health services for affected people. The findings of this research support theories of popular, lay, community and worker epidemiology.     

关于科技提升安全保障能力的几点思考

安全科技是经济社会安全发展的重要基石,是企业安全生产和人民生命财产安全的重要保障,是安全监管监察工作的重要支撑,是提高企业本质安全生产水平的根本途径。当前,我国安全科技工作即面临挑战,又面临重大机遇。加快安全科技转化为提升安全保障能力,要以科学发展、安全发展理念为指导,坚持企业为主体、市场为导向的原则,主要从实施安全科技“四个一批”、强化安全科技顶层设计、推广先进适用技术装备等方面进行努力探索。