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Salt marshes represent a unique ecosystem at the marine-terrestrial boundary of shallow protected coastlines. Microarthropods form an essential component of soil food webs, but how they colonize new intertidal habitats is little understood. By establishing two experimental systems without animals, we investigated microarthropod colonization (1) at the seashore from the pioneer zone to the lower and upper salt marsh and (2) at the same tidal height on artificial islands 500 m from the seashore. Potential source populations of microarthropods in the respective zones were also investigated. Colonization of microarthropods after 5 years was consistently faster on the seashore than on the artificial islands. Collembola and Mesostigmata colonized all the zones both on the seashore and on the artificial islands, with colonization being faster in the upper salt marsh and in the pioneer zone than in the lower salt marsh. Oribatida colonized the new habitats on the seashore, but only little on the artificial islands. Variations in species composition were more pronounced between salt marsh zones than between experimental systems, indicating that local environmental conditions (i.e., inundation frequency) are more important for the assembly of microarthropod communities than the distance from source populations (i.e., dispersal processes). Variations in community body size of Oribatida and Mesostigmata indicated environmental filtering of traits, with smaller species suffering from frequent inundations. Notably, Mesostigmata most successfully colonized the new habitats across salt marsh zones on both systems. Overall, the results document major mechanisms of colonization of intertidal habitats by microarthropods with different life histories and feeding strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibration force and amplitude are the two most important parameters in the analysis of the drivability ofcompacted sand pile vibration driving. The working amplitude is related to the mechanical equipment capacity and soilproperties, while the necessary amplitude is mainly related to soil properties. There are significant differences in theunderstanding of necessary amplitudes among the existing theories for analyzing the drivability of vibration driven piles. Inorder to better solve the problem of predicting the necessary amplitude for vibration pile driving, based on the analysis of thedrivability of compacted sand piles in the artificial island project of the Hongkong -Zhuhai -Macao Bridge and Tunnel, anacceleration sensor is installed on the sand pile pipe to monitor the entire process of compaction sand pile driving. Theamplitude time curve is obtained through quadratic integration. The measured amplitude under various soil conditions iscompared and analyzed with commonly used methods such as the Jiandiao Kobe Corporation Law of Japan, the ICE pile drivingtheory in the United States, and the PTC pile driving theory in France. Based on the measured results, the applicability andadvantages and disadvantages of the above vibration pile driving theory are compared and analyzed, and suggestions for thenecessary amplitude value method are given. The research results indicate that under the condition of using an electric vibrationhammer for pile driving, the necessary amplitude of the Jiandiao Kobe Corporation Law of Japan is larger, the necessaryamplitude of the French PTC method is smaller, and the regularity of the necessary amplitude of the American ICE method is ingood agreement with the measured results, but the value method is not specific enough. It is recommended to further refine andimprove the necessary amplitude values for vibration pile driving based on the ICE law in the United States and engineeringexperience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South China Sea plays an important role in global geopolitical balances due to its rich energy resources and its location at the crossroads of strategic maritime trade routes. Security concerns in the region and the potential for conflict between various actors increase the geopolitical importance of the South China Sea. Disputes over maritime boundaries, sovereignty claims and a growing military presence in the region make the South China Sea a potential security threat and conflict zone. This situation, especially between the United States and China, makes the competition an important dynamic that shapes security and stability in the region. China is fueling a sovereignty struggle in the region with its claims to islands and maritime territories in the South China Sea. The construction of artificial islands and the establishment of military bases are seen as part of China's strategy to strengthen its maritime claims. While these moves demonstrate China's rise as a maritime power in the region, they deeply affect the balance of power in the region. Moreover, this situation challenges the US policy of ensuring regional security. China's growing influence highlights not only its claims to regional maritime boundaries, but also violations of international law and potential regional instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing offshore wind turbines on artificial islands is considered a viable option, but negative skin friction (NSF) is a significant adverse factor that cannot be ignored. The NSF adversely affects the bearing capacity of pile foundations. Currently, design methods for studying the impact of NSF group effects mainly rely on empirical approaches. Moreover, existing experimental studies do not simulate the NSF experienced by offshore wind turbine pile groups on artificial islands. In order to further explore the impact of pile group effects on NSF experienced by offshore wind turbine pile foundations on artificial islands, this study conducted indoor model tests on single piles and 3 × 3 rectangular pile groups in sandy soil under uniformly distributed loading on surrounding soil. The experiment measured the settlement of piles at various positions within single piles and rectangular pile groups, as well as the settlement of the soil surrounding the piles and the NSF. Through calculations, the experiment determined the neutral points and NSF group effect coefficients for each pile. The results indicate that densely spaced pile groups are advantageous in reducing settlement of the surrounding soil, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of NSF. Due to the influence of pile group effects, different positions within the group experience varying degrees of NSF. Consequently, in practical engineering applications, settlement of both the pile groups and the surrounding soil should be calculated separately. Furthermore, design considerations for the uplift forces and neutral points of piles at different positions within the pile group should adhere to distinct standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides information on various shipwrecks in the Moreton Bay area, with approximately 122 recorded shipwrecks in total. The wrecks are located in different areas such as Bribie Island, Peel Island, North Stradbroke Island, Cape Moreton, and Moreton Island. Specific wrecks mentioned include the PS Avon, PS Kate, No 6 Hopper/Mount Elliot, SD Platypus 1, SS Lady Loch, and Rufus King Liberty Ship EC2-S-C1. The article also includes information about the history and characteristics of these wrecks. Additionally, it mentions several ships that have been sunk at the Curtin Artificial Reef off Moreton Island, including the AHS Centaur, which was a hospital ship sunk by a Japanese submarine during World War II. [Extracted from the article]

AbstractTo address the issues of high porosity and low strength in calcium sand of artificial islands, this study focuses on improving the calcium sand’s mechanical properties. The effects of WER curing methods and coconut fiber modification on the UCS and microscopic mechanisms of calcium sand are investigated. The results indicate that both fiber incorporation and the increase in WER ratio can enhance the unconfined compressive strength of calcareous sand, with the addition of a certain amount of coconut coir fiber showing a more significant strength increase. The optimal recommended dosage of WER is 15%, which results in an UCS of 1218 kPa, an increase of nearly 4.27 times compared to 9% WER dosage. Coconut coir fiber has good tensile strength that can improve the compressive strength of calcareous sand after curing. The UCS of calcareous sand cured with a fiber content of 0.3% to 0.5% is increased by 1247 kPa to 1792 kPa compared to cured soil with no fiber. The strong binding nature of WER addresses the issue of large porosity in calcareous sand. Together with the penetrating coconut coir fibers, it forms a three-dimensional reticular framework structure, thereby enhancing the compressive performance of the calcareous sand-cured soil mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban beaches, oscillating between development and protection, are more frequently and strongly affected by human activities; therefore, comprehensive and detailed studies of the geomorphological evolution of urban beaches affected by coastal engineering are imperative. Based on 769 satellite images from 1986 to 2023, this study employed a transect-focused approach to investigate the historical shoreline change of Haikou Beach, an urban beach with three nearby offshore artificial islands. The satellite-derived mean water line positions have a temporal resolution of 41 days before 2014 and 9 days after 2018, with a random error of 4.9 m, ranking among the state-of-the-art in this field. This study revealed that the constructions of Pearl Island and Millennium Island as well as five beach nourishment projects mainly exerted a positive impact on the evolution of Haikou Beach. The beach in Pearl Island's wave shadow area may form a tombolo in a hundred years. In the context of heightened coastal engineering development, leveraging the existing large and future larger archives of satellite imagery to analyze the complex changes of urban beaches helps mitigate the absence of field data, aiding in the development of targeted beach erosion protection and remediation strategies with scientific, engineering, and societal significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More and more offshore heavy oil resources are discovered and exploited as the focus of the oil and gas industry shifts from land to sea. However, unlike onshore heavy oil reservoirs, offshore heavy oil reservoirs not only have active edge and bottom water but also have different exploitation methods. In this paper, a typical special heavy oil reservoir in China was analyzed in detail, based on geology–reservoir–engineering integration technology. Firstly, it is identified as a self-sealing bottom water heavy oil reservoir by analyzing its geological characteristics and hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism. Secondly, the water cut is initially controlled by oil viscosity, but subsequently, by reservoir thickness through the analysis of oil and water production data. Thirdly, the bottom oil–water contact of the reservoir was re-corrected to build an accurate 3D geological model, based on the production history matching of a single well and the whole reservoir. Lastly, a scheme of thermal production coupled with cold production was proposed to exploit this special reservoir, and the parameters of steam, N2, and CO2 injection and production were optimized to predict oil production. This work can provide a valuable development model for the efficient exploitation of similar offshore special heavy oil reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the concept of islands in international law and its implications for the South China Sea dispute. Islands are important for various reasons, such as territorial sovereignty, maritime rights, and natural resources. However, the legal binding definition of artificial islands has not been enacted by any international document until now. This paper traces the historical development of the concept of islands, from the Hague Conference in 1930 to the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982. It also analyses the challenges and opportunities of artificial islands, which are man-made structures that can serve different purposes but can also create various legal and environmental problems. Artificial islands are especially relevant for the South China sea dispute, which involves multiple costal states, while China has significant geopolitical and economic implications. This paper argues that the South China Sea dispute can be resolved through cooperation and dialogue, based on international law framework. Taking into account the provisions of UNCLOS, South China Sea dispute, state practise, and legal scholarship, this article aims to unpack the complexities surrounding artificial island and implications of artificial islands on the international relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of scholarship examines new cities being built from scratch that are developed and governed by the private sector. While this scholarship explores discourse and rhetoric, economic objectives, and some social and environmental impacts of new private cities, scholars to date have not taken a social or environmental justice approach to analysing new city projects. In this article we examine Forest City, a private city project being built on artificial islands off the coast of Malaysia by one of China's largest property development companies, and its unique governance and claims to being 'eco', despite the significant environmental damage it has caused. Intended as a lush and exclusive gated enclave for Chinese nationals, Forest City is a productive case study through which to consider the consequences of a private city using the frameworks of social and environmental justice. We suggest more critical research that engages with social and environmental justice is needed on the many emerging projects branded as eco-cities of the future, a troubling claim that signals a growing normalisation of mega-scale privatisation and loose or absent regulations regarding social inclusivity and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid development of marine infrastructures can be observed along the global coasts. Offshore wind farms, oil and gas platforms, artificial islands, aquaculture, and more, are being constructed without a proper quantification of these human activities. Therefore, effective monitoring is required to maintain transparency towards environmental standards, marine resource management, inventorying objects, and global security. This study reviews remote sensing-based approaches to offshore infrastructure detection over the past 12 years. We analyzed 89 studies from over 30 scientific journals, highlighting spatial and temporal trends, methodological approaches, and regional and thematic research foci. Our results show a significant increase in research interest, especially since 2019. Asia, and especially China, is the predominant focus region in terms of first authorship, funding, and areas of investigation. Aquaculture is the most studied infrastructure, followed by platforms, offshore wind farms, and artificial islands. Gaofen, Sentinel, and Landsat are the most used satellite sensors for detection. The apparent shift towards automated detection methods, especially Deep Learning algorithms, reflects advances in computer vision. This study highlights the key role of earth observation in the field of off-shore infrastructure detection, which can contribute towards outlining effective monitoring practices for marine activities, as well as highlighting important knowledge gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high amount of nutrients can be found in urban wastewater (UW), which makes it difficult to treat. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the potential of the aquatic macrophytes Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, and Salvinia molesta in the treatment of UW. To evaluate the potential of each macrophyte, phytoremediation bioassays were established; the hydraulic retention time for each bioassay was 15 days. The physicochemical analysis of the water samples considered pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total carbon (TC), phosphates (PO43-P), nitrate (NO3-N), and total nitrogen (TN). To evaluate the phytoremediation potential of each plant, the bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs) for NO3-N and PO43-P were evaluated. Likewise, the relative growth rates (RGRs) and total chlorophyll production of the macrophytes were measured. The results showed that the highest efficiency was achieved with the bioassays with E. crassipes, with removal values of 69.7%, 68.8%, 58.7%, 69.4%, 56.3%, and 40.9% for turbidity, COD, TOC, PO43-P, NO3-N, and TN, respectively. The phytoremediation potential results showed that, for BCF, the highest value was 4.88 mg/g of PO43-P with E. crassipes, and for TF, it was 6.17 mg/g of PO43-P with S. molesta. The measurement of RGR and total chlorophyll for E. crassipes showed an increase of 0.00024 gg−1d−1 and an increase of 4.5%, respectively. On the other hand, the other macrophytes suffered decreases in chlorophyll content and RGR. Thus, E. crassipes is defined as the macrophyte with the greatest potential for the UW phytoremediation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay explores the role of quarantine stations as sites of creation and disruption of Mediterranean borderlands. It considers the early history of the "new lazaretto," the maritime quarantine station created in Ancona, a city in the Papal States, after Pope Clement XII declared the city a free port in 1732. Big and beautiful, the new lazaretto was built on an artificial island and marked Ancona's cityscape. This essay reconstructs how it functioned as a dynamic border space where concerns about disease transmission were addressed through the deployment of practices of environmental and sensory control. It argues that the new lazaretto embodied a liminal environment that was established at the crossroads of medical, economic, religious, and political entanglements and reflected the geopolitical dynamics of the eastern Mediterranean world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands have announced their interest in constructing artificial 'energy islands' to enable the integration of large-scale offshore wind energy into the energy system. This raises several legal questions, such as how do these developments fit in the balance of interests required by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, what European Union law is applicable to artificial islands and how Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands approach the construction of artificial islands. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the applicable legal framework and shows the variety of approaches and strategic choices States may have when developing energy islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the effects of climate change become apparent in line with IPCC projections, the normative aspects of international affairs are being increasingly challenged. The context of rising sea levels, coastal inundation, and salinization in low-lying atoll States points to an unprecedented scenario that beckons revisitations into 'what is natural in international affairs' and 'what turns it into being natural'. Under UNCLOS and a common understanding in international affairs, a State is primarily defined by natural territory. Oppenheim claimed that 'a State without (natural) territory is not possible'. In contrast, Gottmann's instructive approach urges a transition from viewing geographical spaces in a vacuum to understanding the relationship they share with human existence. The article explores the potential of artificial islands such as Hulhumalé in the Maldives as a climate adaptation and human resettlement strategy and their long-term legal identity in international affairs. The article aims to answer two questions: first, what is the role of human inhabitation in the characterisation of geographical spaces as 'natural' in international affairs? and, second, why and how do the definitions around artificial islands need to be revisited amidst contemporary conditions of climate change to offset the normative costs being borne by low-lying atoll States? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field observations were combined with a coupled hydrodynamic and water quality model to investigate the spatial and temporal variation in Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in Jinmeng Bay, China. The relatively high Chl-a values were distributed in the inshore waters, mainly due to the abundant nutrient inflow from the Tanghe River. The model's results indicate that the Chl-a concentration was much higher in seaweed beds surrounded by artificial islands and reefs under the southeasterly wind, largely due to the fact that pollutants are prone to accumulate in coastal areas where flow is attenuated by the presence of natural and artificial marine structures. It was also found that the southwesterly winds suppress the inflow of nutrients from the Tanghe River to the coastal areas, and, therefore, lower the Chl-a levels. River input and wind forcing are the major factors that influence Chl-a concentrations in the anthropogenically influenced bay. This finding provides useful guidance for the prediction and mitigation of green tides in Jinmeng Bay in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legal regulation of exploration and exploitation of oil and gas resources in marine areas, which are subject to the sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, is of great practical importance for our country, Russian legal entities and individuals. This is confirmed by the Strategy for the Development of Maritime Activities in the Russian Federation until 2030, the Energy Strategy of the Russian Federation for the period until 2035 and the Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation, which were adopted in 2019 - 2022. These issues are no less important for foreign entities in connection with their participation in oil and gas marine projects in these territories.The scientific significance of the study is related to the development of International Energy Law, a significant amount of the rules of which are applicable to oil and gas activities in marine areas. The purpose of the study is to comprehensively analyze the development of legal norms of the Russian Federation governing the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas resources in marine areas, which are subject to the sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, in the period 2014 - 2023, as well as identifying trends in their development in connection with measures taken by unfriendly states against Russia, Russian legal entities and individuals. The objectives of the study include identifying and analyzing trends in the development of legislation of the Russian Federation governing the exploration, exploitation and transportation of oil and gas resources in the specified marine areas, the interconnection of legislative innovations with changes in world politics and international legal problems that arose during this period.The methodological basis of the study is comparative legal and formal legal. The article identifies and analyzes certain trends in the development of legislation of the Russian Federation related to the restriction of the rights of foreign entities in the implementation of subsoil use in offshore subsoil areas of federal significance, the regulation of artificial islands, installations and structures, as well as support for the Russian flag and the domestic manufacturer of sea vessels within the framework of oil and gas activities in the specified marine areas. The author concludes that it is necessary to take timely legislative measures and an integrated approach to the legislative regulation of the issues under consideration.

Qatar's rapid industrialization, notably in its capital city Doha, has spurred a surge in land reclamation projects, leading to a constriction of the entrance to Doha Bay. By reducing and deflecting the ocean circulation, land reclamation projects have reduced the effective dispersion of wastewater introduced into the bay and hence degraded the water quality. Here, we assess fluctuations in water residence time across three distinct eras (1980, 2000, and 2020) to gauge the impact of successive land reclamation developments. To do this, we couple the multi-scale ocean model SLIM with a Lagrangian model for water residence time within Doha's coastal area. We consider three different topographies of Doha's shoreline to identify which artificial structures contributed the most to increase water residence time. Our findings reveal that the residual ocean circulation in Doha Bay was predominantly impacted by northern developments post-2000. Between 1980 and 2000, the bay's residence time saw a modest rise, of about one day on average. However, this was followed by a substantial surge, of three to six days on average, between 2000 and 2020, which is mostly attributable to The Pearl mega artificial island development. Certain regions of the bay witnessed a tripling of water residence time. Given the ongoing population expansion along the coast, it is anticipated that the growth of artificial structures and coastal reclamation will persist, thereby exacerbating the accumulation of pollutants in the bay. Our findings suggest that artificial offshore structures can exert far-reaching, non-local impacts on water quality, which need to be properly assessed during the planning stages of such developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure the safety and reliability of a sea -crossing bridge project under more severe extreme weather conditions, and coordinate the design of the artificial island flood control and drainage facilities for the main project, two wave physical model tests were carried out to verify and optimize the design scheme of drainage facilities on artificial island. According to the technical requirements of the test, under the condition of different wave, different top elevations of retaining wall and different width of peak platform, the test is accepted to determine the wave overtopping rate at the top of the north and south revetment in artificial island, the maximum height of upstream, the flood plain situation in artificial island, and check the drainage capacity of the overtopping drainage facilities. Under the initial design conditions and more extreme supplementary review wave conditions, by performing the experiment, the original design scheme of the north and south revetment was verified whether to satisfy the requirement of overtopping flood discharge requirement, and the design scheme was optimized to meet the drainage requirements under more extreme conditions, which provides a scientific basis for the engineering design. The research findings from this study have been successfully applied to the practical implementation of this project. Over the past few years, despite several super typhoon events, the bridge and artificial island has remained undamaged, preventing any casualties or economic losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloride profiles can be used to assess the durability of concrete structures against corrosion in the marine environment. However, the models proposed to adjust these chloride profiles are diverse and have varied complexities. Therefore, the objective of this article was to compare the performance of five chloride penetration models using a database with different profiles found in the literature. For this, 63 chloride profiles were selected. The response of the models was evaluated through a strong statistical analysis to compare the accuracy of these equations. The results demonstrated that standardized models based on Fick's second law should adjust only the data in the diffusion zone of the profiles by minimizing the sum of the squared residuals and applying a simple iteration, showing a coefficient of determination (R2) above 0.90, mean absolute error (MAE) below 0.20, and root mean square error (RMSE) close to 0.20. However, traditional models were less effective to fit the entire profiles (convection and diffusion zones), especially when a triple iteration was applied. For this case, Holliday's model showed better results (R2=0.84 , MAE=0.25 , and RMSE=0.30). Therefore, a new analysis method is suggested in this article to better adjust the chloride profiles by the diffusion models. The analysis of chloride profiles is an important tool to evaluate the service life of reinforced concrete structures. In this case, considering the reinforcement corrosion as the main degradation mechanism observed in these structures, the knowledge regarding the service life of field structures highlights the importance of research on this area, mainly if the structure is present in the marine environment, since the port infrastructure is vital to several international trade relations. Furthermore, artificial islands have been built to expand the marine infrastructure for tourists up to aeronautical purposes, thus increasing the number of structures exposed to this severe aggressive environment. Different models have been proposed to represent the chloride penetration in concrete structures, although many of them have difficulty representing the chloride penetration, adjusting only the diffusion zone by the solution of Fick's second law of diffusion for a semi-infinite medium. The full representation of the chloride profiles, with clear physical variables, has been the subject of research in the last years. In this sense, a general model based on the modified Holliday equation was successfully applied to chloride profile modeling in different coastal structures around the world, attesting its worldwide applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential for regional climate engineering is gaining interest as a means of solving regional environmental problems like water scarcity and high temperatures. In the hyper-arid United Arab Emirates (UAE), water scarcity is reaching a crisis point due to high consumption and over-extraction and is being exacerbated by climate change. To counteract this problem, the UAE has conducted cloud-seeding operations and intensive desalination for many years but is now considering other means of increasing water resources. Very large "artificial black surfaces" (ABSs), made of black mesh, black-painted, or solar photovoltaic (PV) panels have been proposed as a means of enhancing convective precipitation via surface heating and amplification of vertical motion. Under the influence of the daily UAE sea breeze, this can lead to convection initiation under the right conditions. Currently it is not known how strong this rainfall enhancement would be or what scale of black surface would need to be employed. This study simulates the impacts at different ABS scales using the WRF-Noah-MP model chain and investigates impacts on precipitation quantities and underlying convective processes. Simulations of five square ABSs of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 km sizes were made on four 1 d cases, each for a period of 24 h. These were compared with a Control model run, with no land use change, to quantify impacts. The ABSs themselves were simulated by altering land cover static data and prescribing a unique set of land surface parameters like albedo and roughness length. On all 4 d, rainfall is enhanced by low-albedo surfaces of 20 km or larger, primarily through a reduction of convection inhibition and production of convergence lines and buoyant updrafts. The 10 km square ABS had very little impact. From 20 km upwards there is a strong scale dependency, with ABS size influencing the strength of convective processes and volume of rainfall. In terms of rainfall increases, 20 km produces a mean rainfall increase over the Control simulation of 571 616 m 3 d -1 , with the other sizes as follows: 30 km (∼ 1 million m 3 d -1), 40 km (∼ 1.5 million m 3 d -1), and 50 km (∼ 2.3 million m 3 d -1). If we assume that such rainfall events happen only on 10 d in a year, this would equate to respective annual water supplies for > 31 000, > 50 000, > 79 000, and > 125 000 extra people yr -1 at UAE per capita consumption rates. Thus, artificial heat islands made from black panels or solar PV offer a means of enhancing rainfall in arid regions like the UAE and should be made a high priority for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2nd Inter-Island Festival in Hong Kong, held in November 2023, focused on the outer islands of Cheung Chau, Peng Chau, Lantau's Mui Wo, and Chi Ma Wan. The festival aimed to showcase the unique identities and cultures of these islands, as well as the variety of environments they offer. It featured research-based projects that paired academics and researchers with local artists to generate knowledge about the territory. The festival had a community-oriented approach and engaged with local residents to anchor the festival within their daily lives. It aimed to change the perception of the islands as exotic and foster awareness of island life, while also highlighting the importance of abandoned spaces and island history, the urban-rural relationship, and the interconnectedness of island communities. [Extracted from the article]

In April 2023, Indonesia passed Law No. 16 of 2023, related to the continental shelf which supersedes Law No. 1 of 1973 which was based on the 1958 Convention on the Continental Shelf. The new continental shelf law aligns Indonesia's domestic legislation with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The new law also reaffirms the practice of using separate lines for Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf delimitations and explicitly respects previously negotiated delimitation treaties with neighbouring States. However, there are some rules that might potentially diverge from the general practices of States particularly in relation to artificial islands, platforms, and submarine cables and pipelines. This article examines significant aspects and concerns associated with this legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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المدن المائية مصطلح يطلق على التجمعات العمرانية المتداخلة مع المسطحات المائية، أشهرها مدينتي البندقية بإيطاليا وامستردام بهولندا التي تتسم بالقنوات المائية والكباري. ويوجد مدن حديثة مثل جزيرة النخلة الصناعية بدبي، والمنتجعات السياحية بالمالديف المشتهرة بالبناء على دعامات فوق الماء. وتنتشر في مصر التجمعات المائية مثل بعض قري الصيادين في البحيرات الشمالية ومنطقة المكس بالإسكندرية ومدينة الجونة بالغردقة. ويساعد دمج القنوات والمساحات المائية في المدن علي زيادة النشاط الاقتصادي والسياحة والنقل بتكلفة وتلوث أقل، وتوفر إطلالات جمالية وراحة حرارية، ويمكن ان تساعد على مواجهة مخاطرارتفاع مستوي سطح البحر.وبالرغم من انتشار المدن المائية وتعدد فوائدها وأنواعها، مازال لا يوجد تعريف أو تصنيف متفق عليه، فنجد المصطلح يطلق على أي تجمع متداخل مع الماء، بالرغم من وجود اختلاف في السمات والخصائص بين تجمعاتها. وهنا يأتي دور البحث في تحديد وتصنيف الأنماط الرئيسية للمدن المائية، واستنتاج خصائص وسمات كل نوع، لكي يساهم في فهم المدن المائية القائمة وتطويرها والحفاظ عليها أو تخطيط وتصميم مدن مائية جديدة على أساس علمي واضح. ولقد قام البحث من خلال منهج وصفي تحليلي تحديد هيكل عام لتصنيف أنواع المدن المائية من خلال تحليل مقارن لخمسة وثلاثين حالة دراسية حول العالم. ولقد تم تطبيق هذا الهيكل على الحالات الدراسية من خلال منهج تطبيقي تحليلي لتحديد للأنماط الرئيسية للمدن المائية. وخلص البحث الي أن التصنيف الرئيسي لأنماط المدن المائية هو الذي ينبني على طرق التخطيط والتشكيل العمراني للمدينة وهي (مدن القنوات، مدن الجزر الاصطناعية، المدن العائمة، مدن القوائم). كما تم استنتاج السمات الرئيسية لكل لنوع من خلال دراسة مقارنة بين الأنماط الرئيسية للمدن المائية والهيكل العام للتصنيف. Water cities are urban communities that overlap water bodies, most notably cities such as Venice in Italy and Amsterdam in the Netherlands, which are characterized by aqueducts and bridges. There are modern cities, such as Dubai's Palm Jumeirah Artificial Island, as well as tourist attractions in the Maldives famous for their pillars built on water. Water communities are widely distributed in Egypt, such as some fishermen's villages in the northern lakes, Al Max area in Alexandria, and the city of El Gouna in Hurghada. The integration of aqueducts and water bodies in cities helps increase economic activity, tourism and transportation at lower cost and pollution. It provides scenic views and thermal comfort and helps address the risks of rising sea levels. Despite the wide distribution of water cities and their variety of strengths and types, no agreed definition or classification has yet been reached. The term refers to any community overlapped with water, although there were differences in features and characteristics between its communities. The research identifies and classifies the main types of water cities, and deduces the features and characteristics of each type, in order to help understand, develop and protect the existing water cities or plan and design new water cities on a clear scientific basis. Using a descriptive and analytical approach, the research identifies a general structure of water city typology through a comparative analysis of thirty-five case studies around the world. It is done by applying the analytical methods to identify the main types of water cities. The research concluded that the main classification of water city models is mainly based on urban planning and urban formation methods, namely (canal city, artificial island city, floating city, stilt city). The main characteristics of each type are deduced through the comparative study of the main types of water cities and the overall structure of the classification.

Rapid urbanization and the increase in world population have led to the generation of substantial volumes of laundry wastewater. In the present research work, the efficiency of Eichhornia crassipes for the treatment of wastewater from domestic laundries was studied. It was created in a system of artificial floating islands and placed in polyethylene cells with a useful volume of 20 L of capacity, a hydraulic retention time of 21 d was established. During the treatment, the parameters of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and phosphate-phosphorus ions (PO4-P) were determined. All parameters decreased significantly. The pH decreased from 9.33 to 8.29, the EC from 3,999 to 1,745 mS/cm, TDS from 2,000 to 847 mg/L, as well as the COD from 945 to 71 mg/L, and finally the PO43- ions of 202.5 to 5.7 mg/L. According to the results obtained, the system of artificial floating islands with E. crassipes is considered efficient and adequate for the removal of contaminants present in laundry wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Urban Heat Island phenomenon happens due to the differences in the thermal behavior between urban and rural areas which many factors such as vegetated, water, impervious and built-up areas could affect this phenomenon. Urban Heat Island consists of three types: Canopy heat island, Boundary heat island, and surface heat island. In this study, the surface type of urban heat island is analyzed. In this paper, 13 TM/ETM+ images have been obtained from 1990 to 2015(an image biennially). Urban Heat Islands effects are much more severe in summer; therefore, all images have been taken in summer. NDVI, IBI, albedo, and also land surface temperature were derived from images. Various neural network topologies have been used to identify the best model for predicting the urban heat island intensity. The LST of 2016 has been considered as validation data, thus the best result from fitting structures was obtained from Cascade which the Bayesian Regularization was its training algorithm (R-squared=0.62, RMSE=1.839 K). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to assess differential vertical and horizontal deformations for the offshore Kashagan oilfield located in the Northern Caspian Sea. Sentinel-1 (SNT1) and COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) images (9 January 2018–6 April 2022) were processed using persistent scatterer interferometric SAR (PS-InSAR) technique with further 2D decomposition of line-of-sight (LOS) measurements to differential vertical and horizontal deformations. Differential vertical deformation velocity was observed to be between −4 mm/y and 4 mm/y, whereas horizontal was between −4 mm/y and 5 mm/y during 2018–2022. However, it was possible to observe the spatial deformation patterns with the subsidence hotspots reaching differential cumulative vertical displacement of −20 mm from both satellite missions. PS-InSAR differential vertical deformation measurements derived from SNT1 and CSK satellite images showed identical spatial patterns with moderate agreement, whereas poor agreement was observed for differential horizontal deformations. The differential vertical deformation hotspots were observed for the oilfield areas installed on piles with obviously higher vulnerability to dynamic movements. Through this study, based on the interferometric measurements, marine geotechnical expert feedback, and no reported deformation-related incidents since 2013, it was possible to conclude that the Kashagan oilfield had not been impacted by significant differential vertical and horizontal deformations on the oilfield. However, since long-term GPS measurements were not accessible from the oilfield to be used as the reference for PS-InSAR measurements, we were not able to judge the long-term displacements of the entire oilfield or possible oscillations, even though it is built on the artificial island. Considering the broad range of PS-InSAR measurements using time-series radar images, the interferometric measurements could play a significant role in the prioritization of insitu risk assessment activities, operational cost reduction, strengthening of safety factors, and planning of further targeted insitu measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on significant improvements in engineering materials, three advanced engineering measures have been proposed—super anchor cables, high-strength concrete anti-fault caverns, and grouting modification using high-strength concrete-to resist fault dislocation in the surrounding rock near tunnels crossing active strike-slip faults. Moreover, single- or multiple-joint advanced engineering measures form the local rock mass-anti-fault (LRAF) method. A numerical method was used to investigate the influence of LRAF methods on the stress and displacement fields of the surrounding rock, and the anti-fault effect was evaluated. Finally, the mechanism of action of the anchor cable was verified using a three-dimensional numerical model. The numerical results indicated that the anchor cable and grouting modification reduced the displacement gradient of the local surrounding rock near the tunnels crossing fault. Furthermore, anchor cable and grouting modifications changed the stress field of the rock mass in the modified area. The tensile stress field of the rock mass in the modified anchor cable area was converted into a compressive stress field. The stress field in the modified grouting area changed from shear stress in the fault slip direction to tensile stress in the axial tunnel direction. The anti-fault cavern resisted the dislocation displacement and reduced the maximum dislocation magnitude, displacement gradient, and shear stress. Among the three advanced engineering measures, the anchor cable was the core of the three advanced engineering measures. An anchor cable, combined with other LRAF measures, can form an artificial safety island at the cross-fault position of the rock mass to protect the tunnel. The research results provide a new supporting idea for the surrounding rock of tunnels crossing active strike-slip faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of plug-in steel cylinders in bridge-tunnel systems has a bright future in the development of cross-sea traffic. As for the wall of the man-made island, the lateral wave force is the main threat for the stability of the cylinder. This study analysed the influence of the properties of backfilled soil on the stability of cylinders using a numerical simulation method. The stability of cylinder filled with clay was also compared to that of a cylinder filled with sand. Results show that every 1 kN/m3 increment in the weight of sand and every 1° increment in the inner frictional angle of sand result in approximately 1300 and 180 kN increment in wave load, respectively. The variation in weight could increase the critical wave load only if the cohesion of the backfilled clay was larger than 40 kPa. In addition, it is reliable to replace the backfilled sand with clay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Artificial island habitats such as human‐made wetlands are emerging novel ecosystems. Understanding the drivers of diversity in such artificial systems is essential for balancing the goals of biodiversity conservation and human socio‐economic needs. Location: Telangana state, India. Methods: We surveyed water birds in a network of 57 artificial wetlands and assessed four macroecological biodiversity patterns: spatial betadiversity, temporal betadiversity, species‐abundance distributions (SADs), and the species–area relationship (SAR). We employed a mix of phenomenological and mechanistic models to examine the four macroecological patterns. We hypothesized that the wetland bird communities are primarily structured by immigration–extinction dynamics and thus that spatial and temporal betadiversity would be high, the within‐wetland SADs would exhibit a large number of rare species and a monotonically declining overall shape, and that the SAR across wetlands would be strongly increasing. Results: Spatial and temporal betadiversity were both high and mostly attributable to turnover rather than nestedness. While the pooled SAD exhibited an interior mode, the SAD for individual wetlands was generally log‐series distributed, consistent with a model in which immigration among wetlands is high. The SAR exhibited an increasing trend, with the 'small‐island effect', which reflects constraints on immigration and is often observed for true island archipelagos, being absent. Main Conclusions: We tentatively conclude that bird diversity in this network of artificial wetlands is mainly structured by immigration–extinction dynamics, although we acknowledge that some of the patterns are also consistent with niche dynamics and future research should measure relevant biotic and abiotic variables in these wetlands. We encourage future work in which our rich dataset is used to fit dynamic models that permit more‐detailed quantitative inferences about mechanisms structuring diversity in this novel ecosystem, which can ultimately also inform conservation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian Amazon supports an extremely diverse avifauna and serves as the diversification center for avian malaria parasites in South America. Construction of hydroelectric dams can drive biodiversity loss by creating islands incapable of sustaining the bird communities found in intact forest sites. Besides anthropogenic actions, the presence of parasites can also influence the dynamics and structure of bird communities. Avian malaria (Plasmodium) and related haemosporidian parasites (Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) are a globally distributed group of protozoan parasites recovered from all major bird groups. However, no study to date has analyzed the presence of avian haemosporidian parasites in fragmented areas such as land bridge islands formed during artificial flooding following the construction of hydroelectric dams. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and molecular diversity of haemosporidians in bird communities inhabiting artificial islands in the area of the Balbina Hydroelectric Dam. The reservoir area covers 443,700 ha with 3546 islands on the left bank of the Uatumã River known to contain more than 400 bird species. We surveyed haemosporidian infections in blood samples collected from 445 understory birds, belonging to 53 species, 24 families, and 8 orders. Passeriformes represented 95.5% of all analyzed samples. We found a low overall Plasmodium prevalence (2.9%), with 13 positive samples (two Plasmodium elongatum and 11 Plasmodium sp.) belonging to eight lineages. Six of these lineages were previously recorded in the Amazon, whereas two of them are new. Hypocnemis cantator, the Guianan Warbling Antbird, represented 38.5% of all infected individuals, even though it represents only 5.6% of the sampled individuals. Since comparison with Plasmodium prevalence data prior to construction of Balbina is not possible, other studies in artificially flooded areas are imperative to test if anthropogenic flooding may disrupt vector-parasite relationships leading to low Plasmodium prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sand compaction pile (SCP) with a high area replacement ratio (>50%) has been recently employed to improve the soft clay ground in offshore projects, but its performance is still not completely known. Therefore, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the SCP method, a series of laboratory model tests were performed on the SCP-improved clay ground using high (70% and 100%) and the low-to-medium (0%, 14%, and 38%) area replacement ratios. The internal stress and strain responses of SCP-improved ground with a high area replacement ratio were different from those with a low-to-medium ratio. Typically, under high ratios, the loaded SCPs bulged, resulting in the bending of the adjacent SCPs, while under low-to-medium ratios, the SCPs deformed individually. Essentially, the additional lateral confinement is provided by the adjacent SCPs under the high replacement ratio. An improved model to predict the bearing capacity of the SCP-improved ground was proposed by incorporating a coefficient of lateral pile interaction that reflects the failure mechanism. The prediction using the proposed model showed good agreement with the observations in the west artificial island of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge project. This study provides a universal mathematical model to predict the bearing capacity of the clay ground improved by SCP varying from low to high area replacement ratios, leading to a comprehensive understanding of the performance of this modern technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the design practice of the interchange between Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link and the airport — the first large underground interchange in the sea in China, the paper investigates the key design technologies in view of the project characteristics, such as the interchange hub selection, bridge and tunnel conversion, construction operation, operation guarantee, complex hydrogeology and surrounding constraints. The results show that: 1) A large underground interchange in the sea is adopted to effectively solve the traffic conversion demand of airport hub under complex conditions. 2) The scheme of a "one body with two wings" artificial island and double-row steel sheet pile short cofferdam is adopted, which effectively solve the conversion of large underground interchange with the tube tunnel, construction on land and the operational support needs. 3)A supporting structure of impact-cone cast-in-place pile + pilot-hole with clay replacement and high-pressure jet grouted pile is adopted, which effectively solve the construction of foundation pit in complex marine silt with riprapped rock and sand fill and water-stopping problem. 4) A locking steel pipe pile integrated enclosure scheme is adopted, which provides effective protection for the highway bridge piers during the construction of the artificial island and the excavation of the foundation pit. 5)A double exhaust shaft scheme is adopted, which effectively solve the problem of building of longitudinal through exhaust ducts in ramp tunnels in complex marine environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In port and harbour areas, soft soils such as dredged soil can be solidified by mixing them with cement and other solidifiers in a pumping pipe. This method is known as pneumatic flow mixing. In this method, the soil and solidifiers are stirred and mixed using the turbulence effect of the plug flow generated in the pipe. The authors investigate the long-term durability of the treated soil on the artificial island where this method was first fully introduced. This paper summarises the results of five investigations on the island immediately after construction and 4, 10, 15, and 20 years after construction. No reduction in the unconfined compressive strength or needle penetration gradient was observed in the treated soil. Some degradation was observed at the top and bottom exposed surfaces of the treated soil, similar to that of soil subjected to other treatments. In addition to needle penetration and chemical tests, elemental mapping using an electron beam microanalysis was performed to determine the degree of degradation. The depth of degradation 20 years after construction was 18–25 mm. Although the amount of cement added in the pneumatic flow mixing method was relatively small, this value was within the range of degradation depths over time investigated in previous studies and did not represent a significant degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to overcome the influence of shallow seas, low headroom and existing bridge structure on the construction of jet grouting piles, the construction technology of mobile working platform + jet grouting with connecting rods at sea was studied and put into practical application, based on the contraction practice of the East Artificial Island of Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link. Engineering practice shows that: 1) the construction technology of mobile working platform + jet grouting with connecting rods effectively solves the technical problems in jet grouting pile construction at sea and the working platform has a wider applicable range; 2) the dynamic speed control system based on theoretical calculation formulae can better ensure the quality of jet grouting pile construction, and the deviation rate of cement dosage is only 2.4% ; 3) the impact of the construction process on the existing bridge structure is mainly manifested in horizontal displacement in the down-bridge direction and the deformation value fluctuates in the range of -1.3 ~1.7 mm, which meets the high requirements for deformation control of extremely sensitive buildings (structures). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery and documentation of a new breeding species in a defined area, such as a state, is a crucial first step in understanding the basic natural history of a species and its consequent needs for management and conservation. The American White Pelican has gradually expanded its breeding range from the prairies of North America into the Great Lakes region. While conducting a census on Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) at least 4 nests of pelicans with either eggs or young were found. Further census showed a minimum of 12 almost fledged young. This report documents the first confirmed nesting of the American White Pelican in Ohio. This first nesting was observed in May 2023 on Turning Point Island, an artificial island in Sandusky Bay, Erie County, Ohio, in the western basin of Lake Erie. Continued nesting of pelicans in Ohio is expected in future years at this location and other suitable sites in the area. This species is likely to need future monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]