On The Determination Of The Earth's Model – The Mean Equipotential Surface

The sea surface cannot be used as reference for Major Vertical Datum definition because its deviations from the ideal equipotential surface are very large compared to rms in the observed quantities. The quasigeoid is not quite suitable as the surface representing the most accurate Earth's model without some additional conditions, because it depends on the reference field. The normal Earth's model represented by the rotational level ellipsoid can be defined by the geocentric gravitational constant, the difference in the principal Earth's inertia moments, by the angular velocity of the Earth's rotation and by the semimajor axis or by the potential (U ₀ ) on the surface of the level ellipsoid. After determining the geopotential at the gauge stations defining Vertical Datums, gravity anomalies and heights should be transformed into the unique vertical system (Major Vertical Datum). This makes it possible to apply Brovar's (1995) idea of determining the reference ellipsoid by minimizing the integral, introduced by Riemann as the Dirichlet principle, to reach a minimum rms anomalous gravity field. Since the semimajor axis depends on tidal effects, potential U ₀ should be adopted as the fourth primary fundamental geodetic constant. The equipotential surface, the actual geopotential of which is equal to U ₀ , can be adopted as reference for realizing the Major Vertical Datum.     

The Polarimetry of Нα-prominences

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - A brief comparative analysis determining the magnetic field in optical and radio range prominences is presented; a tendency to increase averaged magnetic fields two to...     

The International Latitude Service – A Historical Review, From The Beginning To Its Foundation In 1899 And The Period Until 1922

The study of Polar Motion (PM) is associated withthe work of the InternationalLatitude Service (ILS), the International PolarMotion Service (IPMS) and theBureau International de l'Heure (BIH), andthen the International Earth RotationService (IERS). After reviewing briefly thehistory of early PM research, thescientific objective of the ILS including itsrealizing, and the activities of all thecited services and giving information on thePM time series available from mid-19thcentury to the present, important details onthe events and results are presentedover the period until 1922. It is shown, inwhich way the Geodetic Institute Potsdamcontributed to the foundation of the ILS andtook part in its activities through thework of Helmert, Albrecht, Wanach and Mahnkopf.Based on international scientificcooperation, the results were the rectangularcoordinates of the Polar Motion from1890.0 to 1922.7 at 0.1 year intervals, inparticular those derived from the latitudeobservations at independent stations from 1890.0to 1899.8, and those derived fromthe latitude observations at the ILS stationsfrom 1899.9 to 1922.7.     

Radiocarbon calibration:The next generation

The discovery of the radiocarbon(14C)dating technique in the mid-twentieth century by Willard Libby and colleagues(Libby et al.,1949)revolutionised such fields as archaeology and palaeoclimatology that require robust chronological information to inform their study.Any sample yielding sufficient quantities of carbon could be dated in this manner,with the older age limit of the method(currently circa 50 to 60 thousand years ago)having been pushed back significantly since its inception.     

Refined Locations of The Swarm Earthquakes In The Nový Kostel Focal Zone and Spatial Distribution of The January 1997 Swarm In Western Bohemia,Czech Republic

In order to improve the accuracy of the spatial distribution of earthquake foci in the principal Novy Kostel focal zone, refined focal locations of about 1500 micro-earthquakes of the 1991 – 1997 period were determined using the relative Master-Event location method. To estimate the reduction in the scatter of located hypocentres, the results were compared with those obtained by routinely used FASTHYPO method and cluster analysis (the nearest-neighbour method) was applied to the located foci to evaluate the spatial distribution of the foci. Based on the results of refined location and of the cluster analysis, a concept of seismic energy release in space and time in the main focal zone was developed. Especially the January 1997 earthquake swarm was studied in detail: 946 events were located with the Master-Event location method, and the dimensions and geometry of focal clusters were determined. Type analysis was applied to waveforms to divide approximately 800 located events into eight multiplet groups to each of which a characteristic source mechanism was assigned. The spatial distribution of the foci as well as of the eight types of source mechanisms was revealed in this way and also the planes fitting the clusters of foci with two predominant source mechanisms were determined fairly well.     

The Klyuchevskoi Eruptions of 2015–2016

This paper deals with the summit eruptions of 2015–2016, as well as with the 2016 subterminal eruption of Klyuchevskoi. We estimate the dimensions of the depression that was produced by a landfall in the southeastern trough of the volcano. We estimated the volume and area of landfall deposits. The observed volumes of landfalls during the terminal eruptions of 1944?1945, 1985, and 2016 can vary within 0.006?0.140 km³. The theoretical volumes can reach 4?8 km³. We discuss the leading factors that cause landfalls on Klyuchevskoi. These include irreversible creep at depth, the influence of cracks and fissuring in the volcanic cone, as well as the constant intrusive activity of the volcano. Geodetic measurements revealed that the rates of sliding for several individual patches on the slopes varied between 6.7 cm/yr and 19.4 cm/yr. Video and photographic observations were used to estimate the thermal power of stable steam–gas and ash jets, volume of pyroclastics, and the volume of the erupted lava. The thermal power of the steam–gas jets for 2015 was approximately 122 × 10⁶ kW, that of the gas–ash jets was 5.9 × 10⁶ kW. The volume of discharged pyroclastic material was V = 0.00007 km³ for 2015 and V = 0.0003 km³ for 2016.     

The Luingo caldera: The south-easternmost collapse caldera in the Altiplano–Puna plateau,NW Argentina

This article identifies the Pucarilla–Cerro Tipillas Volcanic Complex and its major eruptive source, the Luingo caldera (26° 10′S–66° 40′W). Detailed geological mapping, stratigraphic sections, facies analysis and correlations, including the identification of typical caldera components, allow us to infer the position of a collapse caldera, elongated at N65° and with a diameter of 19 km × 13 km, which is responsible for an eruption of 135 km³ (DRE) of magma. The high-crystal contents of the associated ignimbrites, combined with its tectonic setting, indicate that regional and local tectonic structures played a crucial role in the formation of the caldera.     

The research on Hainan earthquake insurance system

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The Navier–Stokes-α equations revisited

The Navier–Stokes-α equation is a regularised form of the Euler equation that has been employed in representing the sub-grid scales in large-eddy simulations. Determined efforts have been made to place it on a secure deductive foundation. This requires two steps to be completed. The first is fundamental and consists of establishing from the equations governing the fluid flow, a relationship between two velocities called by Holm (Chaos, 2002a, 12, 518) the “filtered” and “unfiltered” velocities. The second consists of the relation between these two velocities. Until now, the preferred route to the first objective has been variational, by varying the action using Hamilton's principle. Soward and Roberts (J. Fluid Mech., 2008, 604, 297) followed that variational route and established the existence of an important but unwelcome term omitted by Holm in his derivation. It is shown here that the Soward and Roberts result may be derived from Euler's equation by a direct approach with considerably greater efficiency. Holm achieved the second objective by making a “Taylor hypothesis”, which we use here to evaluate the unwelcome term missing from his analysis of the first step. The resulting model equations differ from those of Holm's α model, and the attractive mean Kelvin's circulation theorem that follows from his α equations is no longer valid. For that reason, we call the term omitted by Holm unwelcome.     

The Seto Inland Sea--eutrophic or oligotrophic?

The present water quality conditions in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan are described along with an historical background before and after the measures taken to reduce eutrophication. The directive to reduce phosphorus discharge into this area was very effective, reducing the number of red tides from about 300 cases per year at their peak in 1976 to the recent level of about 100 cases per year, indicating the improvement of seawater quality. However, the hastiness of the measures taken to reduce phosphorous seems to have led to a depletion of dissolved inorganic phosphorus that is an essential nutrient for the growth of phytoplankton. Fishery production has also decreased with the reduction of phosphorus, showing a time lag, and the relationship between them shows a hysteresis-like pattern indicating that the condition of fishery production is currently in a critical stage of collapse. This implies that the phosphorus reduction could have lowered the phytoplankton primary production and also caused a detrimental effect on the fishery production. Noteworthy is the change in the phytoplankton species composition. The dominant species that form red tides have changed from non-harmful diatoms to harmful raphidophytes in the eutrophication process and then finally to harmful/toxic dinoflagellates in the oligotrophication process. This indicates that the measures to reduce phosphorus have caused a change in phytoplankton species composition, thereby altering the food web structure, suggesting that this might be the major cause of the reduction of fishery production. In conclusion, the Seto Inland Sea of Japan is apparently in an oligotrophic condition, and it could be said to be in the state of "cultural oligotrophication" caused by the hasty reduction of phosphorus loading. Dam construction, as another possible cause of the cultural oligotrophication, is also discussed, and evidence relating to the existence of numerous dams in this area is also shown. Stress is placed on the regulation of the level of nutrients and their elemental ratio in the seawater, because these factors are considered to be effective in preventing the generation of harmful algae and in sustaining the fishery production through preservation of the natural environment. A proposal is also described regarding how these factors could be controlled.     

The effect of spall on Lg waves

Introduction The Lg phase plays a central role in nuclear test detection, discrimination, and yield estima-tion because of its stability in propagation, but the excitation mechanisms of Lg phase are not fully understood. Regional Lg is a short-period guided wave composed mainly of a sequence of multi-ply reflected post-critical S waves trapped in the crustal wave guide. Several studies carried out recently (Gupta et al, 1992; Patton and Taylor, 1995; Gupta et al, 1997; Wallace, 1991) have …