Abstract

This research quantitatively recognized the wind speed change using wind speed trend and trend of wind speed variability from 1961 to 2012 and regionalized the wind speed change on a county-level basis. The mean wind speed observation data and linear fitting method were used. The findings suggested that level-I regionalization includes six zones according to wind speed trend value in different regions, viz . Northeast China–North China substantial declining zone, East–Central China declining zone, Southeast China slightly declining zone, Southwest China very slightly declining zone, Northwest China declining zone, and Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau slightly declining zone. Level-II regionalization divides China into twelve regions based on trend of wind speed variability and the level-I regionalization results.

Abstract

The position of Europe in maritime flows is demonstrated by the connections of its port gateways with the rest of the world. Such connections vary from one port to another in terms of traffic concentration and geographic coverage, dependent on multiple factors including origin-destination time and cost factors, shipper and ocean carrier decisions, and the size, quality, and specialization of local port infrastructures. A key research challenge is therefore to unravel the relationships between internal and external dynamics; in other words, how do the emergence and position of European maritime flows interplay with the distribution of its port system and how have such patterns been influenced by the evolution of other regions, such as Asia, where port dynamics are profound and rapid.