Assessment of Human Impacts on Vegetation in Built-up Areas in China Based on AVHRR,MODIS and DMSP_OLS Nighttime Light Data,1992–2010

Since the reform and opening-up program started in 1978,the level of urbanization has increased rapidly in China.Rapid urban expansion and restructuring have had significant impacts on the ecological environment especially within built-up areas.In this study,ArcGIS 10,ENVI 4.5,and Visual FoxPro 6.0 were used to analyze the human impacts on vegetation in the built-up areas of 656Chinese cities from 1992 to 2010.Firstly,an existing algorithm was refined to extract the boundaries of the built-up areas based on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System(DMSP_OLS)nighttime light data.This improved algorithm has the advantages of high accuracy and speed.Secondly,a mathematical model(Human impacts(HI))was constructed to measure the impacts of human factors on vegetation during rapid urbanization based on Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer(AVHRR)Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)NDVI.HI values greater than zero indicate relatively beneficial effects while values less than zero indicate proportionally adverse effects.The results were analyzed from four aspects:the size of cities(metropolises,large cities,medium-sized cities,and small cities),large regions(the eastern,central,western,and northeastern China),administrative divisions of China(provinces,autonomous regions,and municipalities)and vegetation zones(humid and semi-humid forest zone,semi-arid steppe zone,and arid desert zone).Finally,we discussed how human factors impacted on vegetation changes in the built-up areas.We found that urban planning policies and developmental stages impacted on vegetation changes in the built-up areas.The negative human impacts followed an inverted′U′shape,first rising and then falling with increase of urban scales.China′s national policies,social and economic development affected vegetation changes in the built-up areas.The findings can provide a scientific basis for municipal planning departments,a decision-making reference for government,and scientific guidance for sustainable development in China.

The Incorporation of Precautionary Principle in the Planning of Global System for Mobile Communications Mast Locations in Built-up Areas： Proposals for Jimeta, Nigeria

This paper aimed at incorporating the precautionary principles into the planning and development of GSM （global system for mobile communications） masts within the built-up areas of Jimeta. Using GIS （geographic information system） analysis technique, the zone of precautionary principle was defined to 500 meters radius as the zone within which precautionary measures are exercised. The criteria for siting GSM base station are also equally identified. For instance, the presence of certain elements within the precautionary zone like schools, hospitals, residential density and overlap of RF （radio frequency） occurrences, may disqualify any mast location. Analysis of the land use within precautionary zone has shown various proportions of exposure to RF, whereas, only 3.39% of the masts are suitably located and 94.92% are not and therefore should be relocated. The study recommend measures for addressing physical development within precautionary areas, including land conversion and mast sharing to reduce potential harmful effects of RF emanating from GSM base stations.

Ecological Optimization Design Methods for the Green Space System in Densely Built-up Areas

This paper is aimed at studying the environmental degradation of densely built-up areas in the process of urbanization in Qiina. In consideration of the severe environmental conditions of die densely built-up afeas, such as the lack of green space and. open space, ecological disturbance in some areas, poor landscape quality, this paper focused on the ecological space optimization in the process of urban renewal Firstly, theories related to this field were analyzed, and a comprehensive ecological efficiency evaluation sjrstem was established based on disciplines such as urban ecology, landscape ecology, urban sociology, behavioral psychology, biology, urban planning and design. Secondly, this system was used to judge the ecological efficiency of typical blocks on GIS platform and to find out the key spatial nodes that need to be updated. Thirdly, in different cases, space optimization projects witii different theories were designed, and the spatial model of influence was used to comprehensively evaluate their ecological efficiency. Finally, the parameters under different conditions were corrected to get a systematic system for evaluating the green space system in densely built-up areas＊ Due to the lack of undetstanding of the ecological fonction of green space in the past, die environmental condition of densely built-up areas is not good. Therefore, the most important task of urban oigauic renewal is ecological restoiation. In this paper, die exploiation is based on the reservation for built-up afeas to avoid repeated reconstruction and interference. Authors of this paper tried to find out a way to rebuild green space system that performed more complex functions with limited spatial resources. The application of “micfo-ttansfotmation” of green space system in densely built-up areas turns out to improve the quality of landscape while reducing the construction costrds

Examining Rate of Built-Up Areas on the Vegetation Cover along River Riara Riparian within Kiambu Town, Kenya

Urban river riparian spaces and their natural systems are valuable to urban dwellers;but are increasingly affected and ruined by human activities and in particular, urbanization processes. In this research, land sat and sentinel satellite imagery apt for change detection in vegetation cover, both landsat and sentinel imagery, covering the period between 1970 and 2021 in epochs of 1973, 1984, 1993, 2003, 2015 and 2021 years were used to establish the correlation between vegetation cover and built-up area along River Riara river reserve. The images were analysed to extract the built-up areas along the river reserve, including the buildings, and the rate of human settlements, which influenced vegetation cover. Normalized Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were computed using the Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) and the Near Infra-Red (NIR) bands to show the rate of change over the years. Results indicate NDVI values were high, compared to NDBI values along river Riara in the years 1973 and 1993 implying that there was more vegetation cover then. However, in the year 2021, the NDVI indicated the highest value at 0.88, with the complementary NDBI indicating the highest NDBI value at 0.47. This represents a significant increase in built-up areas since 2015 more than in previous epochs. Either, there was a significant increase in NDBI values, from 0.24 in 1993 to 0.47 in 2021. More so, the R-squared value at 0.80 informed 80% relationship between NDBI and NDVI values indicating a negative correlation.

Using negative exponential function to characterize built-up land density along slope gradient for 19 urban areas in China

In China,numerous cities are expanding into sloping land,yet the quantitative distribution patterns of urban built-up land density along the slope gradient remain unclear,limiting the understanding of sloping land urbanization.In this paper,a simple negative exponential function was presented to verify its applicability in 19 typical sloping urban areas in China.The function fits well for all case urban areas(R^(2)≥0.951,p<0.001).The parameters of this function clearly describe two fundamental attributes:initial value a and decline rate b.Between 2000 and 2020,a tends to increase,while b tends to decrease in all urban areas,confirming the hypothesis of mutual promotion between flatland densification and sloping land expansion.Multiple regression analysis indicates that the built-up land density and the ruggedness of background land can explain 70.7%of a,while the average slope ratio of built-up land to background land,the built-up land density and the built-up land area can explain 82.1%of b.This work provides a quantitative investigative tool for distribution of urban built-up land density along slope gradient,aiding in the study of the globally increasing phenomenon of sloping land urbanization from a new perspective.

Global mapping of urban built-up areas of year 2014 by combining MODIS multispectral data with VIIRS nighttime light data

An improved methodology for the extraction and mapping of urban built-up areas at a global scale is presented in this study.The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)-based multispectral data were combined with the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite(VIIRS)-based nighttime light(NTL)data for robust extraction and mapping of urban built-up areas.The MODIS-based newly proposed Urban Built-up Index(UBI)was combined with NTL data,and the resulting Enhanced UBI(EUBI)was used as a single master image for global extraction of urban built-up areas.Due to higher variation of the EUBI with respect to geographical regions,a region-specific threshold approach was used to extract urban built-up areas.This research provided 500-m-resolution global urban built-up map of year 2014.The resulted map was compared with three existing moderate-resolution global maps and one high-resolution map in the United States.The comparative analysis demonstrated finer details of the urban built-up cover estimated by the resultant map.

A standardized dataset of built-up areas of China’s cities with populations over 300,000 for the period 1990-2015

China’s urbanization has attracted a lot of attention due to its unprecedented pace and intensity in terms of land,population,and economic impact.However,due to the lack of consistent and harmonized data,little is known about the patterns and dynamics of the interaction between these different aspects over the past few decades.Along with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,a standardized dataset for assessing the sustainability of urbanization in China is needed.In this paper,we used remote sensing data from multiple sources(time-series of Landsat and Sentinel images)to map the impervious surface area(ISA)at five-year intervals from 1990 to 2015 and then converted the results into a standardized dataset of the built-up area for 433 Chinese cities with 300,000 inhabitants or more.This dataset was produced following the well-established rules adopted by the United Nations(UN).Validation of the ISA maps in urban areas based on the visual interpretation of Google Earth images showed that the average overall accuracy(OA),producer’s accuracy(PA)and user’s accuracy(UA)were 91.24%,92.58%and 89.65%,respec-tively.Comparisons with other existing urban built-up area datasets derived from the National Bureau of Statistics of China,the World Bank and UN-habitat indicated that our dataset,namely the stan-dardized urban built-up area dataset for China(SUBAD-China),provides an improved description of the spatiotemporal character-istics of the urbanization process and is especially applicable to a combined analysis of the spatial and socio-economic domains in urban areas.Potential applications of this dataset include combin-ing the spatial expansion and demographic information provided by UN to calculate sustainable development indicators such as SDG 11.3.1.The dataset could also be used in other multidimensional syntheses related to the study of urbanization in China.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Metropolitan Housing Development in Urban Fringe Areas-A Case Study of Three Metropolitan Cities of South Africa: Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane

Purpose:The metropolitan cities of Johannesburg,Ekurhuleni and Tshwane play an important role in the economy of the Gauteng province in South Africa.The region constitutes to 22.4 percent of the total population of South Africa and has a strong presence and contributes in areas of manufacturing sector,financial and business services,retail and wholesale trade,etc.The rapid urban population,increase in the informal settlements and socio-economic opportunities has resulted in considerable urban sprawl in and around the urban fringe areas of these metropolitan cities.The urban fringe areas of these metros often come under the influence of rapid urbanization process and pressures.Coupled with the economical and potential land dynamics and lack of priority of spatial development guidelines,these areas attract rapid and haphazard development from communities and developers.Research Design/Methodology:This research is based on a qualitative approach through a comprehensive literature review that included content analysis of key documents on housing sector such as IDPs(Integrated Development Plans),Municipal Annual Reports,Growth Development Strategies,and among other sectoral documents on housing sector.Some of the key priority issues considered in the housing sector included:eradication of housing backlogs,spatial restructuring of housing,provision of choice in terms of location,tenure and housing typology.Findings:The current paper discusses the approaches of metropolitan housing development processes in three metropolitan cities of South Africa from Gauteng region,namely:Johannesburg,Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.The paper discusses the existing housing sectoral scenario along with the fringe areas in three cities with focus on:formal and informal settlements,housing segregation and the backlogs,current institutional arrangements,role of public private participation,and scope for alternate mechanisms.The paper concludes in discussion on sustainable development options for housing development in urban fringe areas.

Mapping ecosystem services in urban and peri-urban areas.A systematic review

Urban and peri-urban ecosystems are subjected to an intense impact.The demand for ecosystem services(ES)is higher in these areas.Nevertheless,despite the anthropogenic pressures,urban and peri-urban ecosystems supply important ES.Mapping is a crucial exercise to understand ES dynamics in these environments better.This work aims to systematically review mapping ES in urban and peri-urban areas studies,following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-alpha Methods.A total of 207 studies were selected.The results show increased work between 2011 and 2023,mainly conducted in Europe and China.Most work were developed in urban areas and did not follow an established ES classification.Most studies focused on the ES supply dimension,the regulation and maintenance section.Regarding provisioning ES,most studies focused on Cultivating terrestrial plants for nutrition,regulating and maintainin g Atmospheric composition and conditions,and for cultural ES on Physical and experiential interactions with the natural environment.Quantitative methods were mostly applied following Indicator-based(secondary data:biophysical,socio-economic)models.Very few work validated the outputs.Several studies forecasted ES,primarily based on land use changes using CA-Markov approaches.This study provides an overview of the most mapped urban and peri-urban ES globally,the areas where more studies need to be conducted,and the methods developed.

Quantifying the impact of earthquakes and geological factors on spatial heterogeneity of debris-flow prone areas:A case study in the Hengduan Mountains

Understanding the spatial heterogeneity of debris-flow-prone areas holds significant implications for regional risk management, particularly in seismically active regions with geological faults. Despite the significance of this knowledge, a comprehensive quantification of the influence of regional topographical and geological factors on the spatial heterogeneity of debris-flow-prone areas has been lacking. This study selected the Hengduan Mountains, an earthquake-prone region characterized by diverse surface conditions and complex landforms, as a representative study area. An improved units zoning and objective factors identification methodology was employed in earthquake and fault analysis to assess the impact of seismic activity and geological factors on spatial heterogeneity of debrisflow prone areas. Results showed that the application of GIS technology with hydrodynamic intensity and geographical units analysis can effectively analyze debris-flow prone areas. Meanwhile, earthquake and fault zones obviously increase the density of debrisflow prone catchments and make them unevenly distributed. The number of debris-flow prone areas shows a nonlinear variation with the gradual increase of geomorphic factor value. Specifically, the area with 1000 m-2500 m elevation difference, 25°-30° average slope, and 0.13-0.15 land use index is the most favorable conditions for debris-flow occurrence;The average annual rainfall from 600 to 1150 mm and landslides gradient from 16° to 35° are the main causal factors to trigger debris flow. Our study sheds light on the quantification of spatial heterogeneity in debris flow-prone areas in earthquake-prone regions, which can offer crucial support for post-debris flow risk management strategies.

Impact of typical environments in China’s western mountainous areas on the durability of railway concrete:a review

Purpose–This study aims to analyze the impact mechanism of typical environments in China’s western mountainous areas on the durability of railway concrete and propose measures to improve durability.Design/methodology/approach–With the continuous promotion of infrastructure construction,the focus of China’s railway construction has gradually shifted to the western region.The four typical environments of large temperature differences,strong winds and dryness,high cold and low air pressure unique to the western mountainous areas of China have adverse effects on the durability of typical railway structure concrete(bridges,ballastless tracks and tunnels).This study identified the characteristics of four typical environments in the western mountainous areas of China through on-site research.The impact mechanism of the four typical environments on the durability of concrete in different structural parts of railways has been explored through theoretical analysis and experimental research;Finally,a strategy for improving the durability of railway concrete suitable for the western mountainous areas of China was proposed.Findings–The daily temperature difference in the western mountainous areas of China is more than twice that of the plain region,which will lead to significant temperature deformation and stress in the multi-layered structure of railway ballastless tracks.It will result in cracking.The wind speed in the western plateau region is about 2.5 to 3 times that of the plain region,and the average annual rainfall is only 1/5 of that in the plain region.The drying effect on the surface of casting concrete will significantly accelerate its cracking process,leading to serious durability problems.The environmental temperature in the western mountainous areas of China is generally low,and there are more freeze-thaw cycles,which will increase the risk of freeze-thaw damage to railway concrete.The environmental air pressure in the western plateau region is only 60%of that in the plain region.The moisture inside the concrete is more likely to diffuse into the surrounding environment under the pressure difference,resulting in greater water loss and shrinkage deformation of the concrete in the plateau region.The above four issues will collectively lead to the rapid deterioration of concrete durability in the western plateau region.The corresponding durability improvement suggestions from theoretical research,new technology development and standard system was proposed in this paper.Originality/value–The research can provide the mechanism of durability degradation of railway concrete in the western mountainous areas of China and corresponding improvement strategies.

Energy Conversion Law of Refuse Gasifi cation/Incineration in Low-Oxygen Plateau Areas—A Case Study of Lhasa,China

Combusting refuse for energy production is promising for their treatment and disposal. However, because of geographical constraints, there has not been a stable model for the energy utilization of refuse in low-oxygen plateau areas. This paper took Lhasa as an example to conduct gasification and incineration experiments on local representative combustible refuse,and relevant energy conversion laws were investigated. Results showed that under gasification and incineration modes, the energy conversion rate of any component of refuse can reach 75% and 85% in low-oxygen plateau areas at temperatures of 450 and 650 ℃, respectively, which were 5%–10% lower than those in plain areas. The regional distribution of energy conversion of refuse in Lhasa showed that the energy conversion rate under the gasification mode was 3%–5% lower than that of the incineration mode at 450 and 650 ℃. In terms of temperature, the energy conversion rates of refuse were 5%–10% lower at 450 ℃ than those at 650 ℃, but an energy conversion rate of more than 85% can still be achieved. Thus, gasification, incineration, or gasification-assisted secondary incineration at temperatures of at least 450 ℃ is suitable for energy recovery of refuse in low-oxygen plateau areas.

Formation process of cover collapse sinkholes related to groundwater level decline in karst areas

The decline in groundwater level is a key factor contributing to cover collapse in karst areas.In this study,the model tests and numerical simulations are conducted to reveal the breeding process and formation mechanism of cover collapse sinkholes caused by the decline of groundwater level in karst area.Firstly,the model tests confirm that the decline of groundwater level generates negative pressure at the lower edge of overlying soil.The negative pressure experiences four distinct phases during the groundwater drawdown process:rapid rise,slow decline,rapid decline,and gradual dissipation.The maximum negative pressure is influenced by the particle size distribution of the overlying soil.Then,the numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the change process of negative pressure caused by the loss of fillers in karst pipe.The simulated results indicate that the rate of groundwater decline and the thickness and initial void ratio of the overlying soil can affect the maximum negative pressure.As groundwater level drops,a negative pressure zone forms underground,causing tensile failure in the surrounding soil and creating an arched soil hole,which weakens the support for the overlying soil.This phenomenon can also lead to the collapse of the overlying soil under its self-weight.Groundwater table decline in karst areas can result in both internal and surface collapses.When the overlying soil is thin,internal and surface collapses occur simultaneously.In contrast,for thick overlying soil,internal collapse happens first,followed by a layer-by-layer collapse,ultimately forming sinkholes.Finally,the breeding process and formation mechanism of the Yujiawan Reservoir sinkholes are discussed.Geological conditions and groundwater level decline significantly affect internal collapse in karst areas,requiring careful consideration from on-site engineers.

The Generalised Settlement Area:mapping the Earth surface in the vicinity of built-up areas

Geo-information on settlements from Earth Observation offers a base for objective and scalable monitoring of the evolution of cities and settlements,including their location,extent and other attributes.In this work,we deploy the best available global knowledge on the presence of human settlements and built-up structures derived from Earth Observation to advance the understanding of the human presence on Earth.We start from a concept of Generalised Settlement Area to identify the Earth surface within which any built-up structure is present.We further characterise the resulted map by using an agreement map among the state of the art of remote sensing products mapping built-up areas or other strictly related semantic abstractions as urban areas or artificial surfaces.The agreement map is formed by a grid of 1 km2,where each cell is classified according to the number of EO-derived products reporting any positive occurrence of the abstractions related to the presence of built-up structures.The paper describes the characteristics of the Generalised Settlement Area,the differences in the agreement map across geographic regions of the world,and outlines the implications for potential users of the EO-derived products used in this study.

Study on green power supply modes for heavy load in Remote Areas

In this study,the present situation and characteristics of power supply in remote areas are summarized.By studying the cases of power supply projects in remote areas,the experience is analyzed and described,and the applicability of related technologies,such as grid-forming storage and power load management,is studied,including grid-connection technologies,such as grid-forming converters and power load management.On this basis,three power-supply modes were proposed.The application scenarios and advantages of the three modes were compared and analyzed.Based on the local development situation,the temporal sequences of the three schemes are described,and a case study was conducted.The study of the heavy-load power supply mode in remote areas contributes to solving the problem of heavy-load green power consumption in remote areas and promoting the further development of renewable energy.