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For spatially dependent functional data, a generalized Karhunen-Loève expansion is commonly used to decompose data into an additive form of temporal components and spatially correlated coefficients. This structure provides a convenient model to investigate the space-time interactions, but may not hold for complex spatio-temporal processes. In this work, we introduce the concept of weak separability, and propose a formal test to examine its validity for non-replicated spatially stationary functional field. The asymptotic distribution of the test statistic that adapts to potentially diverging ranks is derived by constructing lag covariance estimation, which is easy to compute for practical implementation. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed test via simulations and illustrate its usefulness in two real examples: China PM 2.5 data and Harvard Forest data. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical Chinese gardens have a distinct layout structure. By studying the traditional Chinese conception of space–time and its characteristics, this article explores the spatiotemporal narrative structure and typological patterns of the Lingering Garden, which is highly representative of Souzhou gardens in China. While existing literature addresses the sagittal and cyclical concepts of space–time, this paper advances a separate and interactive view of space–time using Yin-Yang transformation logic. Field research revealed that three space–time natures emerge as three spatiotemporal narratives in the Lingering Garden (sagittal, cyclical, and separate-and-interactive) with different characteristics. These modes intertwine in different ways in the garden's five areas to form the Lingering Garden's holistic spatiotemporal narrative structure, which nurtures dynamic experiences and infinite imagination. This result helps us better understand other Chinese gardens and supplements the theory of gardening art; however, more case studies should be done to determine its generalisability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of urban crashes brings huge challenges and threats to local police and governments, especially in many cities in developing countries such as China. To reduce the frequency and severity of urban crashes, the local government in China has gradually taken interest in conducting detailed actions of traffic safety improvement at the microzone-level. Therefore, the primary goal of this study is to try a new method in spatiotemporal data mining techniques, the space-time cube method, to find high-risk crash spots at the spatiotemporal level and to obtain their spatiotemporal evolution patterns. The cumulative frequency curve method was performed to identify high-risk crash spots, and the contributory factors of forming these spots were analyzed by the latent class analysis method. The results showed that: (1) key parameters' selection is crucial in the space-time cube construction; (2) the exit ramp gore point in interchanges, intersections, and entrances of neighborhoods were prone to have many high-risk crash spots at the spatiotemporal scale; and (3) locations with consecutive, persistent, and sporadic hotspots patterns need different risk monitoring strategies and traffic safety improvement. The feasibility and advantages of the space-time cube method in hotspots identification at the microzone-level were confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 outbreaks in China in late December 2019, then in the United States (US) in early 2020. In the initial wave of diffusion, the virus respectively took 14 and 33 days to spread across the provinces/states in the Chinese mainland and the coterminous US, during which there are 43% and 70% zero entries in the space-time series for China and US respectively, indicating a zero-inflated count process. A logistic growth curve as a function of the number of days since the first case appeared in each of these countries accurately portrays the national aggregate per capita rates of infection for both. This paper presents two space-time model specifications, one based upon the generalized linear mixed model, and the other upon Moran eigenvector space-time filtering, to describe the spread of COVID-19 in the initial 19 and 58 days across the Chinese mainland and the coterminous US, respectively. Results from these case studies show both models shed new light on the role of spatial structures in COVID-19 diffusion, models that can forecast new cases in subsequent days. A principal finding is that describing the spatio-temporal diffusion of COVID-19 benefits from including a hierarchical structural component to supplement the commonly employed contagion component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political actors communicate strategic narratives to shape the meaning of place-images in the past, present and future. Whether narratives about the past are persuasive depends on the translation of historical ideas embedded in these narratives across time and space. Moreover, the imagination and re-imagination of historical place-images in foreign policy communication are contentious, because they stand for specific power relations and identity narratives. Therefore, actor's selective uses of history require disambiguation to increase positive perception. This abstract argument is theorised in an investigation of China's Belt and Road Initiative, specifically the communication of a New Silk Road. China's promotion of the Silk Road legacy is frequently contested with Great Game interpretations. Through the novels of Marco Polo and Rudyard Kipling, which present historical imaginations of the Silk Road and the Great Game, this study shows the contentiousness of historical place-images across time and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean played an important role in the Palaeozoic tectono-metallogenesis in Southeast Asia, in which diverse blocks amalgamated due to its closure. Previous researches focused mostly on endogenic metallogenesis related to the evolution of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean. However, the tectonic control on the numerous Mn ore deposits in the southwestern South China Block (SCB) developed during Palaeo-Tethys evolution is largely unknown. In this article, we review Palaeo-Tethys evolution and define its four evolutionary stages from initial opening, maturity, incipient subduction, to post-closure. This study further investigated the geology and palaeogeography of Mn ore deposits in Upper Devonian, lower Carboniferous, middle Permian, and Lower-Middle Triassic formations in the southwestern SCB. We show that each of the four Mn metallogenic episodes was a response to each of the four evolutionary stages of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean. Wall rocks of orebodies transitioned from chert-mudstone-carbonate in the Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian to siltstone-mudstone in Lower-Middle Triassic. The ores of the four episodes of Mn mineralization are composed primarily of rhodochrosite, manganocalcite, and rhodonite. The carbonate C–O isotope and ore trace element composition data suggest that ore-forming fluids were dominated by seafloor water with involvement of magmatic hydrothermal fluids and organic matter as well. Palaeogeography reconstructions indicate the Mn-ore deposits formed along the margins or in the centre of the abyssal basins. Despite the diverse tectonic settings of the four Mn mineralization episodes, it is proposed that the crustal sagging, restricted seafloor environment, and hydrothermal activities that occurred in the southwestern margin of SCB contributed to Mn mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the background of increased interest in subjectively experienced well-being in economics, psychology, and the social sciences, this article analyzes how such well-being is associated with geographical context, social contacts, and life circumstances. The empirical analysis of data collected in Hong Kong is used to elaborate and support two main claims. The first is that geography matters to not only overall well-being but also momentary well-being and that researchers should be careful to specify the influence of geographical context correctly. We therefore employ an approach that is informed by various strands of time–geographical thought and find that life satisfaction is associated more strongly with geographical context than is momentary well-being. Second, we confirm positive relations between social contacts and experienced well-being but extend earlier research by showing that these relations stretch across multiple timescales and depend to some extent on the duration of an activity episode and with whom the activity episode is undertaken. This means that the use of simple indicators of social capital is inadequate for making the complex linkages between well-being and people's social contacts understandable in empirical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The space–time behavior approach has become an influential methodology in Chinese urban geography. In this article I provide an overview of space–time behavior research in China, focusing on theoretical and methodological progress as well as key themes and findings from recent empirical studies. I argue that space–time behavior research offers a new perspective for understanding the complexity and diversity of human behavior patterns during the large-scale spatial and institutional transition in Chinese cities. Yet although Chinese urban geographers have made more methodological progress in data collection and analytic tools, theoretical development still lags behind compared to the space–time behavior approach in the West. The article concludes by discussing key theoretical and practical challenges for future development of space–time activity research in China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper challenges current perspectives on Hong Kong heritage that are based predominantly on a dichotomous juxtaposition of traditional Chineseness vis-a-vis post-colonial romanticism, and argues for a deeper appreciation of its industrial history and identity. Textured narratives are proposed that highlight the socio-economic relationships that were/are essential components of the industrial (hi)story. Specifically, the paper identifies the time/space dimension as unique, and hence it should be valorised using context-sensitive, carefully thought-through and executed approaches. The paper presents an 'other Hong Kong heritage story' that foregrounds the compressed time-space nature of the city's industrial history, the spatial organisation of manufacturing, and the dynamic spatial stretch that has been taken by the industrialisation process. Furthermore, a stretching of governance space for the identification, (re)presentation and conservation of heritage using a participatory approach is proposed. In the face of rapid deindustrialisation and pressure for urban renewal, prompt, well-conceptualised and time/space-sensitive efforts to valorise, preserve and manage this fast-disappearing heritage in Hong Kong are vital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]