Observational Subseasonal Variability of the PM_(2.5) Concentration in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area during the January 2021 Sudden Stratospheric Warming

It is still not well understood if subseasonal variability of the local PM_(2.5) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH)region is affected by the stratospheric state.Using PM_(2.5) observations and the ERA5 reanalysis,the evolution of the air quality in BTH during the January 2021 sudden stratospheric warming(SSW)is explored.The subseasonal variability of the PM_(2.5) concentration after the SSW onset is evidently enhanced.Stratospheric circumpolar easterly anomalies lasted for 53 days during the January-February 2021 SSW with two evident stratospheric pulses arriving at the ground.During the tropospheric wave weakening period and the intermittent period of dormant stratospheric pulses,the East Asian winter monsoon weakened,anomalous temperature inversion developed in the lower troposphere,anomalous surface southerlies prevailed,atmospheric moisture increased,and the boundary layer top height lowered,all of which favor the accumulation of pollutant particulates,leading to two periods of pollution processes in the BTH region.In the phase of strengthened East Asian winter monsoon around the very beginning of the SSW and another two periods when stratospheric pulses had reached the near surface,opposite-signed circulation patterns and meteorological conditions were observed,which helped to dilute and diffuse air pollutants in the BTH region.As a result,the air quality was excellent during the two periods when the stratospheric pulse had reached the near surface.The increased subseasonal variation of the regional pollutant particulates after the SSW onset highlights the important role of the stratosphere in the regional environment and provides implications for the environmental prediction.

Evaluation and Comparative Study of Industrial Competitiveness in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area

With the industrial competitiveness in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area in 2013 as the object of study,this paper uses principal component analysis to evaluate and compare the industrial competitiveness in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area,in order to provide reference for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei joint development. The results show that in terms of industrial structure competitiveness,Beijing > Tianjin > Hebei; in terms of agricultural competitiveness,Tianjin > Beijing > Hebei; in terms of industrial competitiveness,Tianjin > Beijing > Hebei; in terms of service industry competitiveness,Tianjin > Beijing > Hebei; in terms of high-tech industry competitiveness,Beijing > Tianjin > Hebei. It is suggested that Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei should further optimize industrial structure,and develop modern service industry. In the Beijing-TianjinHebei joint development,Hebei should focus on the development of agriculture,Tianjin should focus on the development of industry,and Beijing should focus on the development of high-tech industry.

Spatial disparities of regional forest land change based on ESDA and GIS at the county level in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area

Forest land is the essential and important natural resource that provides strong support for human survival and development. Research on forest land changes at the county level about its characteristics, rules, and spatial patterns is, therefore, important for regional resource protection and the sustainable development of the social economy. In this study we selected the GIS and Geoda software package to explore the spatial disparities of forest land changes at the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area county level, based on the global and local spatial autocorrelation analyses of exploratory spatial data. The results show that： 1） during 1985-2000, the global spatial autocorrelation of forest land change is significant in the study area. The global Moran＇s I value is 0.3122 for the entire time period and indicates significant positive spatial correlation （p 〈 0.05）. Moran＇s I value of forest land change decreases from 0.3084 at the time stage I to 0.3024 at the time stage II; 2） the spatial clustering characteristics of forest land changes appear on the whole in Beijing- Tianjin-Hebei area. Moran＇s 1 value decreases from the time stage I to time stage II, which means that trend of spatial clustering of forest land change is weakened in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area; 3） the grid map of the local Moran＇s I for each county reflects local spatial homo- geneity of forest land change, which means that spatial clustering about regions of high value and low value is especially significant. The regions with ＂High-High＂ correlation are mainly located in the north hilly area. However, the regions with ＂Low-Low＂ correlation were distributed in the middle of the study area. Therefore, protection strategies and concrete measures should be put in place for each regional cluster in the study area.

Spatial effect of environmental regulation measures on industrial structure upgrading from the empirical analysis of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas

This paper investigates the spatial effect of environmental regulation measures on the upgrading of industrial structure in the integrated development strategy of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas.In order to reflect the effect of the environmental regulation and different regulation measures more truly,this paper constructs indices of the environmental regulation measures through the results of policy texts quantification.On the basis of the previous research,this paper divides environmental regulation into the following types:personnel and administrative measures of command and control;market-oriented fiscal,taxation,financial and other economic measures;guidance measures.Spatial panel regression results show that administrative measures of command control and market-oriented fiscal measures have a significant role in promoting regional industrial structure upgrading,but not conducive to the advancement of the industrial structure of adjacent areas.Their roles in promoting and inhibition are counteracted,which causes the total effect of industrial structure upgrading of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the surrounding areas are not significant.Personnel measures,financial measures,other economic measures and guidance measures do not have the short-term effect and spatial effect on the upgrading of industrial structure.

Modeling study of source contributions and emergency control effects during a severe haze episode over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area

In February 2014, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH) area experienced a weeklong episode of heavy haze pollution. Cities such as Beijing(BJ) and Shijiazhuang(SJZ) issued heavy pollution alerts for the first time and took emergency control measures. This study employed the Nested Air Quality Prediction Modeling System(NAQPMS) to simulate and analyze the three-dimensional structure of the source contributions of PM2.5 in the BTH area during this pollution episode and quantitatively assessed the effects of the emergency control measures. The results showed that during the polluted period(February 19–26), surface PM2.5 mainly originated from local sources(48%–72%). In the entire BTH area, southern Hebei(SHB) represented the largest internal contribution(33%), while the main external contributions came from Shandong(SD)(10%) and Henan(HN)(4%). Vertically, the local contribution was constrained below the near-ground layer, and rapidly decreased with altitude. The regional transport path from SHB and Shanxi(SX) to BJ appeared at 0.5–1.5 and 1.5–2.5 km, with contributions of 32%–42% and 13%–27%, respectively. The non-local source regions for the BTH area were SD below 1 km and mainly SX and HN above 1 km. Compared to the non-polluted period(February 27–28), the contribution from regional transport increased during the polluted period, indicating the key role of regional transport in the pollution formation. The emergency control measures had a relatively large effect on NOx and SO2 concentrations, but a limited effect on PM2.5. The stronger regional transport during the polluted period may have weakened the effects of the local emergency control measures. These results indicated that a coordinated emission control should be implemented not only over the BTH area but also over its surrounding provinces(e.g. SD, HN).

Evaluation of Climatic Comfort of Living Environment based on Age Differentials in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area

Somatosensory comfort is mainly determined by the Temperature and Humidity Index(THI)with Wind Efficiency Index(WEI),but this conventional usage of these indicators does not capture the age-related differentials.Here we resolved this gap with a modification of the climatic comfort definition and method in a national standard,denoted as the Relative Climate Sensitive Index(RCSI),which incorporated the age-related vulnerability scores determined through online questionnaires with a scoring method,for each of the age-related and adaptive climatic comfort responses to changes in residence with Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH)region as an example.First,the result showed that the human comfort of living environment decreased with age in the BTH region,implicating age obviously impacted comfort,and weak adaptability made the elderly the relatively most high-risk group-their suitable region was less than a quarter of the whole study region.Second the adverse effects of persistent hot weather on comfort,indicating global warming as the leading driver of dwindling comfort over recent years.As the warming was more significant in the southeastern part,all these forces combined had there a hotspot,appealing for extra attention.Last this improved evaluation accorded with actual situation to captured high-risk groups with their distributions.

Ecological-Based Mining:A Coal-Water-Thermal Collaborative Paradigm in Ecologically Fragile Areas in Western China

A substantial reduction in groundwater level,exacerbated by coal mining activities,is intensifying water scarcity in western China’s ecologically fragile coal mining areas.China’s national strategic goal of achieving a carbon peak and carbon neutrality has made eco-friendly mining that prioritizes the protection and efficient use of water resources essential.Based on the resource characteristics of mine water and heat hazards,an intensive coal-water-thermal collaborative co-mining paradigm for the duration of the mining process is proposed.An integrated system for the production,supply,and storage of mining companion resources is achieved through technologies such as roof water inrush prevention and control,hydrothermal quality improvement,and deep-injection geological storage.An active preventive and control system achieved by adjusting the mining technology and a passive system centered on multiobjective drainage and grouting treatment are suggested,in accordance with the original geological characteristics and dynamic process of water inrush.By implementing advanced multi-objective drainage,specifically designed to address the“skylight-type”water inrush mode in the Yulin mining area of Shaanxi Province,a substantial reduction of 50%in water drillings and inflow was achieved,leading to stabilized water conditions that effectively ensure subsequent safe coal mining.An integrated-energy complementary model that incorporates the clean production concept of heat utilization is also proposed.The findings indicate a potential saving of 8419 t of standard coal by using water and air heat as an alternative heating source for the Xiaojihan coalmine,resulting in an impressive energy conservation of 50.2%and a notable 24.2%reduction in carbon emissions.The ultra-deep sustained water injection of 100 m^(3)·h^(-1)in a single well would not rupture the formation or cause water leakage,and 7.87×10^(5)t of mine water could be effectively stored in the Liujiagou Formation,presenting a viable method for mine-water management in the Ordos Basin and providing insights for green and low-carbon mining.

Correlation of periodontal inflamed surface area with glycated hemoglobin,interleukin-6 and lipoprotein(a)in type 2 diabetes with retinopathy

BACKGROUND The two-way relationship between periodontitis and type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is well established.Prolonged hyperglycemia contributes to increased periodontal destruction and severe periodontitis,accentuating diabetic complications.An inflammatory link exists between diabetic retinopathy(DR)and periodontitis,but the studies regarding this association and the role of lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)]and interleukin-6(IL-6)in these conditions are scarce in the literature.AIM To determine the correlation of periodontal inflamed surface area(PISA)with glycated Hb(HbA1c),serum IL-6 and Lp(a)in T2DM subjects with retinopathy.METHODS This cross-sectional study comprised 40 T2DM subjects with DR and 40 T2DM subjects without DR.All subjects were assessed for periodontal parameters[bleeding on probing(BOP),probing pocket depth,clinical attachment loss(CAL),oral hygiene index-simplified,plaque index(PI)and PISA],and systemic parameters[HbA1c,fasting plasma glucose and postprandial plasma glucose,fasting lipid profile,serum IL-6 and serum Lp(a)].RESULTS The proportion of periodontitis in T2DM with and without DR was 47.5%and 27.5%respectively.Severity of periodontitis,CAL,PISA,IL-6 and Lp(a)were higher in T2DM with DR group compared to T2DM without DR group.Significant difference was observed in the mean percentage of sites with BOP between T2DM with DR(69%)and T2DM without DR(41%),but there was no significant difference in PI(P>0.05).HbA1c was positively correlated with CAL(r=0.351,P=0.001),and PISA(r=0.393,P≤0.001)in study subjects.A positive correlation was found between PISA and IL-6(r=0.651,P<0.0001);PISA and Lp(a)(r=0.59,P<0.001);CAL and IL-6(r=0.527,P<0.0001)and CAL and Lp(a)(r=0.631,P<0.001)among study subjects.CONCLUSION Despite both groups having poor glycemic control and comparable plaque scores,the periodontal parameters were higher in DR as compared to T2DM without DR.Since a bidirectional link exists between periodontitis and DM,the presence of DR may have contributed to the severity of periodontal destruction and periodontitis may have influenced the progression of DR.

Research on the Relationship Between Environmental and Economic Coupling Systems in Bohai Bay Area Based on a Vector Autoregression(VAR)Model

This study analyzed the impact of land-based contaminants and tertiary industrial structure on economic development in the selected Bohai Bay area,China.Based on panel data spanning 2011-2020,a vector autoregressive(VAR)model is used to analyze and forecast the short-run and long-run relationships between three industrial structures,pollutant discharge,and economic development.The results showed that the environmental index had a long-term cointegration relationship with the industrial structure economic index.Per capital chemical oxygen demand(PCOD)and per capita ammonia nitrogen(PNH_(3)N)had a positive impact on delta per capita GDP(dPGDP),while per capita solid waste(PSW),the secondary industry rate(SIR)and delta tertiary industry(dTIR)had a negative impact on dPGDP.The VAR model under this coupling system had stability and credibility.The impulse response results showed that the short-term effect of the coupling system on dPGDP was basically consistent with the Granger causality test results.In addition,variance decomposition was used in this study to predict the long-term impact of the coupling system in the next ten periods(i.e.,ten years).It was found that dTIR had a great impact on dPGDP,with a contribution rate as high as 74.35%in the tenth period,followed by the contribution rate of PCOD up to 3.94%,while the long-term contribution rates of PSW,SIR and PNH3N were all less than 1%.The results show that the government should support the development of the tertiary industry to maintain the vitality of economic development and prevent environmental deterioration.

Seismic response of a mid-story isolated structure considering SSI in mountainous areas under long-period earthquakes

At present,there is not much research on mid-story isolated structures in mountainous areas.In this study,a model of a mid-story isolated structure considering soil-structure interaction(SSI)in mountainous areas is established along with a model that does not consider SSI.Eight long-period earthquake waves and two ordinary earthquake waves are selected as inputs for the dynamic time history analysis of the structure.The results show that the seismic response of a mid-story isolated structure considering SSI in mountainous areas can be amplified when compared with a structure that does not consider SSI.The structure response under long-period earthquakes is larger than that of ordinary earthquakes.The structure response under far-field harmonic-like earthquakes is larger than that of near-fault pulse-type earthquakes.The structure response under near-fault pulse-type earthquakes is larger than that of far-field non-harmonic earthquakes.When subjected to long-period earthquakes,the displacement of the isolated bearings exceeded the limit value,which led to instability and overturning of the structure.The structure with dampers in the isolated story could adequately control the nonlinear response of the structure,effectively reduce the displacement of the isolated bearings,and provide a convenient,efficient and economic method not only for new construction but also to retrofit existing structures.

Seasonal Characteristics of Forecasting Uncertainties in Surface PM_(2.5)Concentration Associated with Forecast Lead Time over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

Forecasting uncertainties among meteorological fields have long been recognized as the main limitation on the accuracy and predictability of air quality forecasts.However,the particular impact of meteorological forecasting uncertainties on air quality forecasts specific to different seasons is still not well known.In this study,a series of forecasts with different forecast lead times for January,April,July,and October of 2018 are conducted over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH)region and the impacts of meteorological forecasting uncertainties on surface PM_(2.5)concentration forecasts with each lead time are investigated.With increased lead time,the forecasted PM_(2.5)concentrations significantly change and demonstrate obvious seasonal variations.In general,the forecasting uncertainties in monthly mean surface PM_(2.5)concentrations in the BTH region due to lead time are the largest(80%)in spring,followed by autumn(~50%),summer(~40%),and winter(20%).In winter,the forecasting uncertainties in total surface PM_(2.5)mass due to lead time are mainly due to the uncertainties in PBL heights and hence the PBL mixing of anthropogenic primary particles.In spring,the forecasting uncertainties are mainly from the impacts of lead time on lower-tropospheric northwesterly winds,thereby further enhancing the condensation production of anthropogenic secondary particles by the long-range transport of natural dust.In summer,the forecasting uncertainties result mainly from the decrease in dry and wet deposition rates,which are associated with the reduction of near-surface wind speed and precipitation rate.In autumn,the forecasting uncertainties arise mainly from the change in the transport of remote natural dust and anthropogenic particles,which is associated with changes in the large-scale circulation.

Spatial and temporal variation of water clarity in typical reservoirs in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region observed by GF 1-WFV satellite data

Rapidly monitoring regional water quality and the changing trend is of great practical and scientific significance,especially for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH)region of China where water resources are relatively scarce and inland water bodies are generally small.The remote sensing data of the GF 1 satellite launched in 2013 have characteristics of high spatial and temporal resolution,which can be used for the dynamic monitoring of the water environment in small lakes and reservoirs.However,the water quality remote sensing monitoring model based on the GF 1 satellite data for lakes and reservoirs in BTH is still lacking because of the considerable differences in the optical characteristics of the lakes and reservoirs.In this paper,the typical reservoirs in BTH-Guanting Reservoir,Yuqiao Reservoir,Panjiakou Reservoir,and Daheiting Reservoir are taken as the study areas.In the atmospheric correction of GF 1-WFV,the relative radiation normalized atmospheric correction was adopted after comparing it with other methods,such as 6 S and FLAASH.In the water clarity retrieval,a water color hue angle based model was proposed and outperformed other available published models,with the R 2 of 0.74 and MRE of 31.7%.The clarity products of the four typical reservoirs in the BTH region in 2013-2019 were produced using the GF 1-WFV data.Based on the products,temporal and spatial changes in clarity were analyzed,and the main influencing factors for each water body were discussed.It was found that the clarity of Guanting,Daheiting,and Panjiakou reservoirs showed an upward trend during this period,while that of Yuqiao Reservoir showed a downward trend.In the influencing factors,the water level of the water bodies can be an important factor related to the water clarity changes in this region.

Diversity of Orchids in Terms of Their Distribution, Uses and Conservation in Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal

The Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), the first conservation area and the largest protected area (PA) in Nepal, is incredibly rich in biodiversity. Notwithstanding this, orchids in the ACA have not been explored enough yet thus making the need for ambitious research to be carried out. Previous study only included 81 species of orchids within ACA. This study aims to update the record of species and genera richness in the ACA. In total 198 species of orchids, belonging to 67 genera (40% and 62% of the total recorded orchid species and genera in Nepal) has been recorded in ACA. This represents an increase of 144% in species and 56% in genera over the previous data. Out of the 198 species, 99 were epiphytes, 6 were holomycotrophic and 93 were terrestrial. Among the 67 genera, Bulbophyllum (17) species were dominant, followed by Dendrobium (16), Herminium (10), Coelogyne, Plantanthera (9 each), Eria, Habenaria, Oberonia (8 each), Calanthe (7), and Liparis (6). Fifty-six species were found to be ornamentally significant and 85 species medicinally significant.

The environmental analysis and site selection of mussel and large yellow croaker aquaculture areas based on high resolution remote sensing

Mussel aquaculture and large yellow croaker aquaculture areas and their environmental characteristics in Zhoushan were analyzed using satellite data and in-situ surveys.A new two-step remote sensing method was proposed and applied to determine the basic environmental characteristics of the best mussel and large yellow croaker aquaculture areas.This methodology includes the first step of extraction of the location distribution and the second step of the extraction of internal environmental factors.The fishery ranching index(FRI1,FRI2)was established to extract the mussel and the large yellow croaker aquaculture area in Zhoushan,using Gaofen-1(GF-1)and Gaofen-6(GF-6)satellite data with a special resolution of 2 m.In the second step,the environmental factors such as sea surface temperature(SST),chlorophyll a(Chl-a)concentration,current and tide,suspended sediment concentration(SSC)in mussel aquaculture area and large yellow croaker aquaculture area were extracted and analyzed in detail.The results show the following three points.(1)For the extraction of the mussel aquaculture area,FRI1 and FRI2 are complementary,and the combination of FRI1 and FRI2 is suitable to extract the mussel aquaculture area.As for the large yellow croaker aquaculture area extraction,FRI2 is suitable.(2)Mussel aquaculture and the large yellow croaker aquaculture area in Zhoushan are mainly located on the side near the islands that are away from the eastern open waters.The water environment factor template suitable for mussel and large yellow croaker aquaculture was determined.(3)This two-step remote sensing method can be used for the preliminary screening of potential site selection for the mussels and large yellow croaker aquaculture area in the future.the fishery ranching index(FRI1,FRI2)in this paper can be applied to extract the mussel and large yellow croaker aquaculture areas in coastal waters around the world.

Earthquake relocation using a 3D velocity model and implications on seismogenic faults in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

To enhance the understanding of the geometry and characteristics of seismogenic faults in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region,we relocated 14805 out of 16063 earthquakes(113°E-120°E,36°N-43°N)that occurred between January 2008 and December 2020 using the double-difference tomography method.Based on the spatial variation in seismicity after relocation,the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region can be divided into three seismic zones:Xingtai-Wen'an,Zhangbei-Ninghexi,and Tangshan.(1)The Xingtai-Wen'an Seismic Zone has a northeastsouthwest strike.The depth profile of earthquakes perpendicular to the strike reveals three northeast-striking,southeast-dipping,high-angle deep faults(>10 km depth),including one below the shallow(<10 km depth)listric,northwest-dipping Xinghe fault in the Xingtai region.Two additional deep faults in the Wen'an region are suggested to be associated with the 2006 M 5.1 Wen'an Earthquake and the 1967 M 6.3 Dacheng earthquake;(2)The Zhangbei-Ninghexi Seismic Zone is oriented north-northwest.Multiple northeast-striking faults(10-20 km depth),inferred from the earthquake-intensive zones,exist beneath the shallow(<10 km depth)Xiandian Fault,Xiaotangshan Fault,Huailai-Zhuolu Basin North Fault,Yangyuan Basin Fault and Yanggao Basin North Fault;(3)In the Tangshan Seismic Zone,earthquakes are mainly concentrated near the northeast-striking Tangshan-Guye Fault,Lulong Fault,and northwest-striking Luanxian-Laoting Fault.An inferred north-south-oriented blind fault is present to the north of the Tangshan-Guye Fault.The 1976 M 7.8 Tangshan earthquake occurred at the junction of a shallow northwest-dipping fault and a deep southeast-dipping fault.This study emphasizes that earthquakes in the region are primarily associated with deep blind faults.Some deep blind faults have different geometries compared to shallow faults,suggesting a complex fault system in the region.Overall,this research provides valuable insights into the seismogenic faults in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region.Further studies and monitoring of these faults are essential for earthquake mitigation efforts in this region.

Prevalence of Malnutrition and Anaemia in Children ≤ 5 Years of Age in Some Conflict Hit Areas of Meme Division of the South West Region of Cameroon

Malnutrition refers to the deficiency, imbalances, or excesses in a person’s intake of energy or nutrients [1]. Khan defines anaemia as below level of Haemoglobin in red blood shown by a lower number of functioning red blood cells [2]. The crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon has led to several negative effects on children’s living conditions. There has been an increase in malnutrition and anaemia in the South West Region and Kumba in particular. The main objective of this study was “to examine the prevalence of malnutrition and anaemia in children ≤ 5 years of age in some conflict-hit areas of Meme Division”. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 from March to June. We recruited 200 children ≤ 5 years into the study from three hospitals. The regional hospital annex in Kumba, Presbyterian General Hospital Kumba and the Ntam Hospital in Kumba. Socio-demographic factors were assessed using questionnaire, nutritional status was assessed by the use anthropometric measurements and an auto haematology analyser was used to determine anaemia. The overall prevalence of malnutrition in the study area was 40.5%. The prevalence of malnutrition varied significantly (P < 0.001) with the study sites. The overall prevalence of anaemia in the study area was 70.5%. The prevalence of anaemia was not significantly associated with the study sites. The prevalence of Malnutrition and Anaemia in children ≤ 5 years of age is very high in the Kumba municipalities. This could be attributed to the ongoing crisis which has caused a lot of social migrations from rural areas to Urban areas which are safer.

Formation mechanisms and resource potential of carbonate geothermal reservoirs in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei plain

Investigating the formation mechanisms of carbonate geothermal reservoirs is of theoretical and practical significance for summarizing the formation pattern of geothermal resources and further guiding their effective exploitation.The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Plain(BTHP),predominantly located within the Jizhong Depression and Cangxian Uplift in the Bohai Bay Basin,serves as the primary region for geothermal exploitation and utilization in China.More than 1500 geothermal wells have been drilled therein,with water temperature at the wellhead ranging from 55 to 110°C,single-well flow rate ranging between 80 and 120 m^(3)/h,and cumulative heating area exceeding 100×10^(6)m^(3).However,the exploration and research in the region remain limited overall.As per the previous geothermal and petroleum exploration results and the latest geothermal drilling data,this study comprehensively evaluated the geothermal resources of karst geothermal reservoirs.The results show that two suites of carbonate karst reservoirs,namely the Jxw Formation and the Ordovician strata,have primarily developed in the BTHP,and their formation and evolution can be divided into four stages:the Mesoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic stage with carbonate sedimentation and the development of interlayer karst,the Late Paleozoic stage with the development of direct sedimentary cover,the Mesozoic stage with compressional uplifting and development of buried hill karst,and the Cenozoic stage with regional cover deposition and the modification and finalization of karst geothermal reservoirs.Accordingly,the porosity evolution history of the geothermal reservoirs is composed of three stages,namely a significant decrease followed by a minor increase,a gradual decline,and then a small fluctuation from increase to decrease before slowly rising again.The karstification in geothermal reservoirs can be summarized into quasi-syngenetic karstification,epigenetic karstification,and burial karstification,which can be subdivided into seven subcategories.The carbonate geothermal reservoirs in the study area boast total geothermal resources of 53.821×10^(9)GJ,or 184.155×10^(9)t of standard coal equivalent(tce),and the annual exploitable geothermal resources in the urban area can heat an area of(400‒500)×10^(6)m^(3),indicating great potential of geothermal exploitation.

Exploring well-being disparities between urban and rural areas:A case study in the Stavropol Territory,Russia

Rural areas are crucial for a country’s sustainable economy.New strategies are needed to develop rural areas to improve the well-being of rural population and generate new job opportunities.This is especially important in countries where agricultural production accounts for a significant share of the gross product,such as Russia.In this study,we identified the key indicators of satisfaction and differences between rural and urban citizens based on their social,economic,and environmental backgrounds,and determined whether there are well-being disparities between rural and urban areas in the Stavropol Territory,Russia.We collected primary data through a survey based on the European Social Survey framework to investigate the potential differences between rural and urban areas.By computing the regional well-being index using principal component analysis,we found that there was no statistically significant difference in well-being between rural and urban areas.Results of key indicators showed that rural residents felt psychologically more comfortable and safer,assessed their family relationships better,and adhered more to traditions and customs.However,urban residents showed better economic and social conditions(e.g.,infrastructures,medical care,education,and Internet access).The results of this study imply that we can better understand the local needs,advantages,and unique qualities,thereby gaining insight into the effectiveness of government programs.Policy-makers and local authorities can consider targeted interventions based on the findings of this study and strive to enhance the well-being of both urban and rural residents.

Glacier area change (1993-2019) and its relationship to debris cover, proglacial lakes, and morphological parameters in the Chandra-Bhaga Basin, Western Himalaya, India

Glacier inventories serve as critical baseline data for understanding the impacts of climate change on glaciers.The present study maps the outlines of glaciers in the Chandra-Bhaga Basin(western Himalaya)for the years 1993,2000,2010,and 2019 using Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM),Enhanced Thematic Mapper(ETM),and Operational Land Imager(OLI)datasets.A total of 251 glaciers,each having an area above 0.5 km^(2),were identified,which include 216 clean-ice and 35 debris-covered glaciers.Area changes are estimated for three periods:1993-2000,2000-2010,and 2010-2019.The total glacierized area was 996±62 km^(2) in 1993,which decreased to 973±70 km^(2) in 2019.The mean rate of glacier area loss was higher in the recent decade(2010-2019),at 0.036 km^(2),compared to previous decades(0.029 km^(2) in 2000-2010 and 0.025 km^(2) in 1993-2000).Supraglacial debris cover changes are also mapped over the period of 1993 and 2019.It is found that the supraglacial debris cover increased by 14.12±2.54 km^(2)(15.2%)during 1993-2019.Extensive field surveys on Chhota Shigri,Panchi II,Patsio,Hamtah,Mulkila,and Yoche Lungpa glaciers were carried out to validate the glacier outlines and supraglacial debris cover estimated using satellite datasets.Controls of various morphological parameters on retreat were also analyzed.It is observed that small,clean ice,south oriented glaciers,and glaciers with proglacial lakes are losing area at faster rates than other glaciers in the basin.

Acetylacetone-TiO_(2) Promoted Large Area Compatible Cascade Electron Transport Bilayer for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

In designing efficient perovskite solar cells(PSCs),the selection of suitable electron transport layers(ETLs)is critical to the final device performance as they determine the driving force for selective charge extraction.SnO_(2)nanoparticles(NPs)based ETLs have been a popular choice for PSCs due to superior electron mobility,but their relatively deep-lying conduction band energy levels(ECB)result in substantial potential loss.Meanwhile,TiO_(2)NPs establish favorable band alignment owing to shallower ECB,but their low intrinsic mobility and abundant surface trap sites impede the final performance.For this reason,constructing a cascaded bilayer ETL is highly desirable for efficient PSCs,as it can rearrange energy levels and exploit on advantages of an individual ETL.In this study,we prepare SnO_(2)NPs and acetylacetone-modified TiO_(2)(Acac-TiO_(2))NPs and implement them as bilayer SnO_(2)/Acac-TiO_(2)(BST)ETL,to assemble cascaded energy band structure.SnO_(2)contributes to rapid charge carrier transport from high electron mobility while Acac-TiO_(2)minimizes band-offset and effectively suppresses interfacial recombination.Accordingly,the optimized BST ETL generates synergistic influence and delivers power conversion efficiency(PCE)as high as 23.14%with open-circuit voltage(V_(oc))reaching 1.14 V.Furthermore,the BST ETL is transferred to a large scale and the corresponding mini module demonstrates peak performance of 18.39%PCE from 25 cm^(2)aperture area.Finally,the BST-based mini module exhibit excellent stability,maintaining 83.1%of its initial efficiency after 1000 h under simultaneous 1 Sun light-soaking and damp heat(85℃/RH 85%)environment.