Risk Assessment based on the Mathematical Model of Diffuse Exogenous Geological Processes

The estimation of the risk caused by hazardous geological processes is a common problem. The aim of this paper is to present a method for solving problems involving a wide spectrum of diffuse exogenous geological processes, based on the mathematical morphology of landscapes. Diffuse processes develop as random rounded sites within certain areas and include karstification, subsidence, thermo-karstification and aeolian processes. Model assumptions take into consideration spatial and temporal randomness of occurrence, independent growth under occasional conditions, and cessation of growth given a ‘stop factor’, with transformation into degenerate sites. Based on these model assumptions, the following probabilities of impact by diffuse exogenous geological processes are solved for analytically. Firstly, the probability of impact on engineering constructions of round shape given the size of the diffuse processes and the known average impact risk; secondly, the probability of impact on small engineering constructions (points); and lastly, the probability of impact on linear engineering constructions of specified length. The computed impact probabilities are verified in various areas within Western Siberia.     

Entrained Macrocryst Minerals as a Key to the Source Region of Olivine Nephelinites: Humberg, Kaiserstuhl, Germany

Olivine nephelinites commonly contain macrocrysts of olivineand clinopyroxene. Some of these macrocrysts might representfragments of the source region of the host magma transportedto the Earth's surface. If this hypothesis is correct thesefragments can be used to characterize the composition of thesource region and to put constraints on the magma generationprocess. In this study, we investigate the origin of macrocrystsand mineral aggregates from an olivine nephelinite from theKaiserstuhl, Germany. We focus on clinopyroxenes (Cpx), whichcan be divided into three groups. Cpx I is relict Cpx from aggregateswith deformed olivine that is depleted in Ca and characterizedby strong light rare earth element (LREE) fractionation, lowTi/Eu and negative high field strength element (HFSE) anomalies.Its geochemical signature is consistent with formation by carbonatitemetasomatism and with equilibration in the presence of orthopyroxene.Cpx II is Ca-rich Cpx, forming both aggregates with deformedolivine and individual macrocrysts. The LREE, as for Cpx I,are strongly fractionated. Convex REE patterns may be present.The depletion in HFSE is less pronounced. Cpx III is oscillatoryzoned Cpx phenocrysts showing enrichment in Ca, convex REE patternsand no HFSE anomalies. The transition in the trace element abundancesbetween the Cpx of the three groups is gradual. However, CpxI and II did not crystallize from the host magma, as demonstratedby the presence of kink-bands and undulose extinction in theassociated olivine and by the composition of alkali aluminosilicateglass inclusions in Cpx II. Based on the Cpx relationships,we interpret the studied suite of macrocrysts and mineral aggregatesas a mixture of disintegrated fragments of the source regionof the host olivine nephelinite. The process of melt generationwas multi-stage. A primary carbonatite melt ascending from deeperlevels in the mantle, probably from the dolomite–garnetperidotite stability field, reacted with mantle peridotite alongthe solidus ledge in the system lherzolite–CO₂ (< 20–22kbar) and started to crystallize carbonate minerals. Becauseof its low solidus temperature, the resulting carbonate-wehrliteassemblage melted incongruently with the formation of additionalclinopyroxene. The carbonatite melt evolved during crystallizationof carbonate minerals and concomitant incongruent melting ofthe carbonate-wehrlite, accompanied by the segregation of incipientalkali aluminosilicate melts. As a consequence of fast reactionrates in the presence of a carbonatite melt, this process probablytook place under disequilibrium conditions. Further meltingof the assemblage wehrlite + alkali aluminosilicate melt ledto the generation of the olivine nephelinite magma. It entrainedfragments of the wehrlite and brought them to the surface. KEY WORDS: carbonatite; metasomatism; source region; clinopyroxene macrocrysts; wehrlite; olivine nephelinite; Kaiserstuhl     

Equivalent time-average and effective medium for periodic layers

The propagation of acoustic waves through a periodic layered medium is analyzed by an eigenvalue decomposition of the propagator matrix. This reveals how the velocity and attenuation of the layered medium vary as function of the periodic structure, material parameters and frequency. There are two important parameters which control the wave propagation in the periodic medium: the reflection coefficient and the ratio between one‐way traveltimes of the two parts of the cyclic layered medium. For low frequencies (large values of wavelength to layer thickness), the layered structure behaves as an effective medium, then there is a transition zone, and for higher frequencies (small values of wavelength to layer thickness) the medium is described by the time‐average velocity. In this paper we mostly concentrate on the transition zone between an effective medium and time‐average medium regimes. The width of the transition zone increases with larger values of the reflection coefficient. The transition zone corresponds to a blocking regime for which the transmission response of the layered structure is close to zero. For even higher frequencies, the time‐average medium is replaced by a new transition zone, and then again a time‐average medium. This pattern is periodically repeated with higher frequencies. For small values of the reflection coefficient, the transition between effective medium and time‐average medium occurs around a value of wavelength to layer thickness equal to 4.     

Generalized Problem of Two and Four Newtonian Centers

We consider integrable spherical analog of the Darboux potential, which appear in the problem (and its generalizations) of the planar motion of a particle in the field of two and four fixed Newtonian centers. The obtained results can be useful when constructing a theory of motion of satellites in the field of an oblate spheroid in constant curvature spaces.     

Uncertainty of Climate Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Forcings Due to Different Land Use Scenarios

The A.M.Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics,Russian Academy of Sciences (IAP RAS) climate model (CM) of intermediate complexity is extended by a spatially explicit terrestrial carbon cycle module.Numerical experiments with the IAP RAS CM are performed forced by the reconstructions of anthropogenic and natural forcings for the 16th to the 20th centuries and by combined SRES (Special Report on Emission Scenarios) A2-LUH (Land Use Harmonization) anthropogenic scenarios for the 21st century.Hereby,the impact of uncertainty in land-use scenarios on results of simulations with a coupled climate-carbon cycle model is tested.The simulations of the model realistically reproduced historical changes in carbon cycle characteristics.In the IAP RAS CM,climate warming reproduced in the 20th and 21st centuries enhanced terrestrial net primary production but terrestrial carbon uptake was suppressed due to an overcompensating increase in soil respiration.Around year 2100,the simulations the model forced by different land use scenarios diverged markedly,by about 70 Pg (C) in terms of biomass and soil carbon stock but they differed only by about 10 ppmv in terms of atmospheric carbon dioxide content.     

How well do coupled models replicate ocean energetics relevant to ENSO?

Accurate replication of the processes associated with the energetics of the tropical ocean is necessary if coupled GCMs are to simulate the physics of ENSO correctly, including the transfer of energy from the winds to the ocean thermocline and energy dissipation during the ENSO cycle. Here, we analyze ocean energetics in coupled GCMs in terms of two integral parameters describing net energy loss in the system using the approach recently proposed by Brown and Fedorov (J Clim 23:1563?C1580, 2010a) and Fedorov (J Clim 20:1108?C1117, 2007). These parameters are (1) the efficiency ?? of the conversion of wind power into the buoyancy power that controls the rate of change of the available potential energy (APE) in the ocean and (2) the e-folding rate ?? that characterizes the damping of APE by turbulent diffusion and other processes. Estimating these two parameters for coupled models reveals potential deficiencies (and large differences) in how state-of-the-art coupled GCMs reproduce the ocean energetics as compared to ocean-only models and data assimilating models. The majority of the coupled models we analyzed show a lower efficiency (values of ?? in the range of 10?C50% versus 50?C60% for ocean-only simulations or reanalysis) and a relatively strong energy damping (values of ??^?1 in the range 0.4?C1?years versus 0.9?C1.2?years). These differences in the model energetics appear to reflect differences in the simulated thermal structure of the tropical ocean, the structure of ocean equatorial currents, and deficiencies in the way coupled models simulate ENSO.     

A 96-antenna radioheliograph

Here we briefly present some design approaches for a multifrequency 96-antenna radioheliograph. The configuration of the array antenna, transmission lines and digital receivers is the main focus of this work. The radioheliograph is a T-shaped centrally condensed radiointerferometer operating in the frequency range 4–8 GHz.The justification for the choice of such a configuration is discussed. The signals from antennas are transmitted to a workroom by analog optical links. The dynamic range and phase errors of the microwave-over-optical signal are considered. The signals after downconverting are processed by digital receivers for delay tracking and fringe stopping. The required step of delay tracking and data rates are considered. Two 3-bit data streams(I and Q) are transmitted to a correlator with the transceivers embedded in Field Programmed Gate Array chips and with PCI Express cables.     

Oxygen Consumption in Permeable and Cohesive Sediments of the Gulf of Aqaba

Oxygen profiles were measured in the sediments of the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea), an oligotrophic marine system affected by episodic seasonal flash floods and intense aeolian dry deposition. Sediment cores were retrieved from shallow (15–45 m), intermediate (250–561 m) and deep (700 m) water sites of south–north and east–west transects. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were measured simultaneously by using microelectrodes and microoptodes immediately after sampling and after transportation. Oxygen penetration depths were found to increase from 2 to 5 mm at the shallow water sites with sandy permeable sediments to 10–21 mm at the deeper sites with cohesive muddy sediments. This increase corresponds to decrease in oxygen diffusive fluxes at the sediment–water interface and oxygen consumption rates with depth. Oxygen consumption rates exhibit local maxima at the oxic–anoxic sediment boundary, which may be attributed to oxygen reduction coupled to oxidation of dissolved Fe(II) and Mn(II) at deep and intermediate water sites and of hydrogen sulfide at shallow water sites. Microelectrodes and microoptodes measurements of cohesive sediments from deep and intermediate water sites yielded similar results. By comparison, the microoptodes displayed more robust measurements than microelectrodes in sandy near-shore sediments. This was attributed to their flexible fiber structure that is less likely to break or to abruptly displace sand particles. After transportation of sediment cores from Eilat to Beer Sheva followed by ≤?24-h storage, no changes in oxygen fluxes and consumption rates were detected.     

Roof model recommendation for complex buildings based on combination rules and symmetry features in footprints

Currently, very few roof shape information for complex buildings is available on OSM. Moreover, additional data requirements (e.g. 3D point clouds) limit the applicability of many roof reconstruction approaches. To mitigate this issue, we propose an approach to roof shape recommendations for complex buildings by exploring the inherited characteristics of building footprints: the disclosure of rectangles combinations in a partition of footprints and the symmetrical features of footprints. First, it decomposes a complex footprint into rectangles by using an advanced minimal non-overlapping cover algorithm. Second, a graph-based symmetry detection algorithm is proposed to identify all the symmetrical sub-clusters in partitions. Then, a set of selection rules are defined to rank partitions, and the best ones are chosen for roof shape recommendation. Finally, a set of combination rules and a symmetry rule are defined. It enables to evaluate the probability of a footprint being a certain combination of roof shapes. Experimental results show the growth of the probability of correctly recommending roof shapes for single rectangles and buildings from a prior probability of 17–45% and from a prior probability of 0.29–14.3%, removing 60% and 93% of the incorrect roof shape options, respectively.     

In-depth improvement of soil at the base of roads on taliks

The article presents a new technological solution to improve the safety of embankment bases on taliks during construction periods. The use of geotextile-sleeved sand columns and geogrids on low-temperature permafrost is investigated. The correlations between mechanical and temperature processes under this in-depth base improvement method are calculated.