Convergence, Patenting Activity and Geographic Spillovers: A Spatial Econometric Analysis for European Regions

In this paper, we investigate the impact of geographical spillovers in the patenting activity and convergence process for a sample of 131 European regions over the 1981-2001 period. Using spatial econometrics methods (Anselin, 1988, 2001), we detect spatial autocorrelation and heterogeneity in the regional distribution of patent applications to the European Patent Office. Then, we include successively these spatial effects in a convergence analysis. A first specifcation taking into account the spatial dependence reveals a global convergence process between European regions as also a positive effect of geographical spillovers on this convergence process. Secondly, the spatial heterogeneity is taking into account by a specification with two spatial regimes, a "Core-Periphery" type. Finally, ours results show that the global convergence process is hiding disparities and different convergence processes for the two regimes. Only regions that belong to the "Core" of the EU are converging.

Aspects macrogéographiques des accidents de la route : essai de comparaison Québec-Belgique

Cet article a pour objectif de démontrer, par comparaison, que la structure spatiale des accidents de la route est indépendante du pays dans lequel le phénomène est mesuré et que seul le facteur d'échelle constitue une différence. Les entités spatiales choisies pour cette démonstration sont le Québec et la Belgique. La structure spatiale des accidents de la route est modélisée et comparée sur la base de trois variables à expliquer et de quatre variables potentiellement explicatives, définissant 52 districts belges et 97 municipalités régionales de comté (MRC) et communautés urbaines (CU) québécoises pour l'année 1991. Les résultats indiquent certaines similitudes quant à la structure spatiale de la densité d'accidents, des taux d'accidents et des taux de mortalité et une différence relative à la structure spatiale de la motorisation. Au Québec comme en Belgique, la densité de population se révèle un bon prédicteur de la densité d'accidents corporels et des taux de mortalité.This paper compares highway crashes in Québec and Belgium in order to understand their broad geographical distribution. The goal is to prove that highway accidents in both places follow an identical pattern of distribution, the only differentiating factor being the dimension (scale) of the territory in which accidents occur. The study uses models in which three dependent variables are explained by four independent ones, in 52 districts of Belgium and 97 regional municipalities of Québec. Results show some similarities in spatial distribution of accident density, accidents rates and mortality rates and some differences in spatial distribution of motor vehicle ownership. In both cases, highway accidents density and mortality rates are related to the density of population

Spatial distribution of an eel population (Anguilla anguilla L.) in a small coastal catchments of northern Brittany (France). Consequences hydraulic works.

The Frémur is a 60 km2 catchment of Brittany where many hydraulic works (dams, weirs, gauging structures, etc.) have reduced the recruitment by elvers and glass eels since at least 50 years. In 1992, an eel lift was built on the main dam (14 m high) and in 1996, two other dams (5 m high) located downstream were equipped with eel passes to improve upstream migration. In 1995, before the construction of the passes, eel population parameters (density, biomass and size distribution) were assessed at the scale of the whole watershed by electrofishing (removal method) in 33 stations. The average biomass was high (19 g/m2 ) despite the numerous physical obstructions. However, there was an accumulation of eels downstream many hydraulic works and very low densities immediately upstream. Moreover, downstream the first obstruction, at 2 km from the sea, the population is dominated by boot lace eels and elvers (< 100 mm), whereas this size class is absent in upstream reaches. These results suggest that the standing capacity of the watershed is not reached and that the population could be enhanced in the next years by the recently installed eel passes

Evaluating the Temporal and the Spatial Heterogeneity of the European Convergence Process, 1980-1999

In this paper, we suggest a general framework that allows testing simultaneously for temporal heterogeneity, spatial heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation in b-convergence models. Based on a sample of 145 European regions over the 1980-1999 period, we estimate a Seemingly Unrelated Regression Model with spatial regimes and spatial autocorrelation for two sub-periods: 1980-1989 and 1989-1999. The assumption of temporal independence between the two-periods is rejected and the estimation results point to the presence of spatial error autocorrelation in both sub-periods and spatial instability in the second sub-period, indicating the formation of a convergence club between the peripheral regions of the European Union.b-convergence models, spatial autocorrelation, convergence clubs, temporal instability

Les vertisols de Nouvelle-Calédonie

Cet article présente la distribution spatiale des vertisols en Nouvelle-Calédonie ainsi que leurs caractéristiques morphologiques et analytiques. Trois ensembles sont définis : vertisol calcimagnésien, vertisol hypermagnésien, vertisol sodique et acid

Flexible Automatic Scheduling For Autonomous Telescopes: The MAJORDOME

We have developped a new method for the scheduling of astronomical automatic telescopes, in the framework of the autonomous TAROT instrument. The MAJORDOME software can handle a variety of observations, constrained, periodic, etc., and produces a timeline for the night, which may be modified at any time to take into account the specific conditions of the night. The MAJORDOME can also handle target of opportunity observations without delay.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Experimental Astronom

Thermal H₂O emission from the Herbig-Haro flow HH 54

The first detection of thermal water emission from a Herbig-Haro object is presented. The observations were performed with the LWS (Long Wavelength Spectrograph) aboard ISO (Infrared Space Observatory). Besides H2O, rotational lines of CO are present in the spectrum of HH 54. These high-J CO lines are used to derive the physical model parameters of the FIR (far-infrared) molecular line emitting regions. This model fits simultaneously the observed OH and H2O spectra for an OH abundance X(OH)=10-6 and a water vapour abundance X(H2O)=10-5. At a distance of 250pc, the total CO, OH and H2O rotational line cooling rate is estimated to be 1.3x10-2 L⊙, which is comparable to the mechanical luminosity generated by the 10km s-1 shocks, suggesting that practically all of the cooling of the weak-shock regions is done by these three molecular species alone

L’autocorrélation spatiale et les données de santé : une étude préliminaire

L'analyse de l'autocorrélation spatiale cherche à mesurer jusqu'à quel point la variation dans un ensemble de données réparties dans l'espace est due aux relations decontiguïté. Du point de vue mathématique, il existe deux façons d'aborder le problème : l'analyse de variance et le calcul d'un coefficient d'autocorrélation. Dans cette étude, une méthode du deuxième type est appliquée d'abord à un ensemble de carrelages d'essai possédant divers degrés d'autocorrélation spatiale et puis à la distribution spatiale de mortalité due aux maladies chroniques, à Montréal, en 1972. On conclut qu'elles révèlent une autocorrélation faible mais significative par rapport aux données de mortalité, et que d'autres facteurs suggérés dans la littérature récente de la géographie médicale pourraient bien avoir plus d'influence que la contiguïté spatiale elle-même.Spatial autocorrelation analysis attempts to measure the extent to which variation in spatially distributed data is due to the existence of contiguity relationships. From a mathematical point of view there are two general approaches to the problem : analysis of variance, and the calculation of a coefficient of spatial autocorrelation. In this study a method of the second type is applied, first to a series of test patterns with varying degrees of spatial autocorrelation, and then to the spatial distribution of chronic disease mortality in Montréal in 1972. The conclusion of the mortality data analysis were that a slight but significant autocorrelation effect was present and that other factors indicated in the recent medical geography literature could well be more influental than spatial contiguity itself