Location of Moderate-Sized Earthquakes Recorded by the NARS�CBaja Array in the Gulf of California Region Between 2002 and 2006

We relocated the hypocentral coordinates of small to moderate-sized earthquakes reported by the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) between April 2002 and August 2006 in the Gulf of California region and recorded by the broadband stations of the network of autonomously recording seismographs (NARS?CBaja array). The NARS?CBaja array consists of 19 stations installed in the Baja California peninsula, Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico. The events reported by the preliminary determinations of epicenters (PDE) catalog within the period of interest have moment magnitudes (M _w) ranging between 1.1 and 6.7. We estimated the hypocentral location of these events using P and S wave arrivals recorded by the regional broadband stations of the NARS?CBaja and the RESBAN (Red Sismológica de Banda Ancha) arrays and using a standard location procedure with the HYPOCENTER code (Lienert and Havskov in Seism Res Lett 66:26?C36, 1995) as a preliminary step. To refine the location of the initial hypocenters, we used the shrinking box source-specific station term method of Lin and Shearer (J Geophys Res 110, B04304, 2005). We found that most of the seismicity is distributed in the NW?CSE direction along the axis of the Gulf of California, following a linear trend that, from north to south, steps southward near the main basins (Wagner, Delfin, Guaymas, Carmen, Farallon, Pescadero and Alarcon) and spreading centers. We compared the epicentral locations reported in the PDE with the locations obtained using regional arrival times, and we found that earthquakes with magnitudes in the range 3.2?C5.0?mb differ on the average by as much as 43?km. For the M _w magnitude range between 5 and 6.7 the discrepancy is less, differing on the average by about 25?km. We found that the relocated epicenters correlate well with the main bathymetric features of the Gulf.     

Influence of the mean period of ground motion on the inelastic dynamic response of single and multi degree of freedom systems

This paper focuses on examining the effects of frequency content of the ground motion on the inelastic demands imposed on both single degree of freedom (SDF) and multi degree of freedom (MDF) steel‐framed systems. A detailed literature review is conducted to identify the indicator that best represents the frequency content of ground motion. The mean period (T_m) of ground motion is selected owing to its ability to distinguish between various spectral shapes of ground motion, and its relationship with magnitude, distance and site characteristics. Inelastic displacement demands on SDF systems for target ductility levels are first studied in the light of T_m, using a suite of 128 ground motion records. The study is then extended to MDF systems with the help of incremental dynamic analysis by employing the same ground motion ensemble to assess the influence of T_m on various engineering demand parameters. The results obtained indicate that, for SDF systems, the amplification of displacements occurs when the period ratio between elastic period (T_e) and T_m is lower than unity. For MDF systems, the results demonstrate that the influence of higher modes on the base shear and maximum storey drift profile becomes more pronounced, as T_m approaches the higher mode periods of the structure. These observations, for both SDF and MDF systems, tend to be more evident for higher levels of inelasticity. The significance of the results, with particular reference to European seismic design procedures, is highlighted. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reproductive biology of Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Anacardiaceae), an endemic fructiferous species of the caatinga (dry forest), under different management conditions in northeastern Brazil

In areas under different management conditions (management units, MUs) located either on a slope or at the base of a slope and either in a plantation or in a pasture, we compared the flower and fruit production, floral visitors, visitation rates and pre-emergent reproductive success (PERS) of Spondias tuberosa (Anacardiaceae) in an area of dry forest in NE Brazil. Individuals in the plantation MU produced more flowers per inflorescence than those in other MUs, but there were no statistical differences in mean fruit set among MUs. The only difference in mean visitation rates was between the plantation (65.83 ± 38.49) and the slope sites (11.5 ± 12.8). We observed visits by 19 insect species, including bees (31.6%), butterflies (31.6%), wasps (26.3%) and flies (10.5%). A clustering analysis based on the number of visits showed that a) the plantation site is most different from the other MUs, b) the pasture and the site at the base of the slope are similar to the slope site, and c) the higher frequency of visits of pollinators in the plantation MU was responsible for these differences. Of the 19 species of insects visiting the flowers, 12 were considered pollinators. The pollinator similarity analysis indicated a clear separation between areas and suggested that human activity has resulted in the replacement of native pollinators by exotic species. However, these changes apparently have not affected the pre-emergent reproductive success of S. tuberosa. Our results show that plant reproductive biology in semi-arid ecosystems may be modified by human action and that changes in floral production and pollinator guilds are the most conspicuous effects. However, the traditional management performed by local people may not affect the reproductive success of plant species.     

A Burst with Double Radio Spectrum Observed up to 212 GHz

We study a solar flare that occurred on 10 September 2002, in active region NOAA 10105, starting around 14:52 UT and lasting approximately 5 minutes in the radio range. The event was classified as M2.9 in X-rays and 1N in Hα. Solar Submillimeter Telescope observations, in addition to microwave data, give a good spectral coverage between 1.415 and 212 GHz. We combine these data with ultraviolet images, hard and soft X-ray observations, and full-disk magnetograms. Images obtained from Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager data are used to identify the locations of X-ray sources at different energies, and to determine the X-ray spectrum, while ultraviolet images allow us to characterize the coronal flaring region. The magnetic field evolution of the active region is analyzed using Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. The burst is detected at all available radio frequencies. X-ray images (between 12 keV and 300 keV) reveal two compact sources. In the 212 GHz data, which are used to estimate the radio-source position, a single compact source is seen, displaced by 25″ from one of the hard X-ray footpoints. We model the radio spectra using two homogeneous sources, and we combine this analysis with that of hard X-rays to understand the dynamics of the accelerated particles. Relativistic particles, observed at radio wavelengths above 50 GHz, have an electron index evolving with the typical soft–hard–soft behavior.     

Neural network modelling of planform geometry of headland-bay beaches

The shoreline of beaches in the lee of coastal salients or man-made structures, usually known as headland-bay beaches, has a distinctive curvature; wave fronts curve as a result of wave diffraction at the headland and in turn cause the shoreline to bend. The ensuing curved planform is of great interest both as a peculiar landform and in the context of engineering projects in which it is necessary to predict how a coastal structure will affect the sandy shoreline in its lee. A number of empirical models have been put forward, each based on a specific equation. A novel approach, based on the application of artificial neural networks, is presented in this work. Unlike the conventional method, no particular equation of the planform is embedded in the model. Instead, it is the model itself that learns about the problem from a series of examples of headland-bay beaches (the training set) and thereafter applies this self-acquired knowledge to other cases (the test set) for validation. Twenty-three headland-bay beaches from around the world were selected, of which sixteen and seven make up the training and test sets, respectively. As there is no well-developed theory for deciding upon the most convenient neural network architecture to deal with a particular data set, an experimental study was conducted in which ten different architectures with one and two hidden neuron layers and five training algorithms – 50 different options combining network architecture and training algorithm – were compared. Each of these options was implemented, trained and tested in order to find the best-performing approach for modelling the planform of headland-bay beaches. Finally, the selected neural network model was compared with a state-of-the-art planform model and was shown to outperform it.     

The response of the Sao Paulo Continental Shelf, Brazil, to synoptic winds

The response of the Sao Paulo Continental Shelf (SPCS) to synoptic wind forcing has been analyzed. Two different methods are used for this purpose, one based on hydrographic data, bottom topography, and geographical characteristics, and a second on analyzing currentmeter data directly and using empirical orthogonal functions. Both methods show similar results for an essentially barotropic shelf. The SPCS response in the subinertial frequency band appears to be trapped on the continental shelf. Numerical experiments have also been carried out showing results that qualitatively agree with the observations, including the velocity component parallel to the coastline. Supported by CAPES.     

A Search for Warm Neutral Gas Associated with the Giant HII Region NGC 604

The characteristics of the halo gas and its interaction with the galactic disk in spiral galaxies are poorly known; this is particularly true for the warm neutral gas associated with HVCs and galactic chimneys. The detection of absorption features such as the NaI D or the CaII (H,K)lines is instrumental to study its detailed physical properties but requires very long integration times. In this work very deep optical spectra of NGC 604, the brightest giant HII region among the nearby spirals, are presented. The detection of two absorption components at LSR velocities -255 km/s and −20 km/s respectively, is reported; the first component is associated with the HII region. The inferred line width after deconvolution is 155 km/s; this large width is produced by the blending of the multiple absorption components produced by the diverse sources of internal motion (expanding shells and general turbulence). The radial velocity of the CaII absorption is slightly larger than the measured in the HII emission lines suggesting a possible flow of gas into the halo above the young star cluster. The large ratio x = W _λ (NaID_2)/W _λ (CaIIK) = 0.7indicates the probable presence of shocks which release Ca from the dust grains into the gas phase. The lower velocity component most likely trace galactic gas. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The far-UV spectrum of T Tauri stars – I. The relevance of the IUE Newly Extracted Spectra

The far-UV spectrum of the T Tauri stars (TTSs) provides important clues about the structure of the stellar atmospheres, winds and accretion shocks. The IUE ( International Ultraviolet Explorer ) Final Archive contains the most complete data base for such studies. A new extraction system, the IUE Newly Extracted Spectra ( ines ), has been developed to overcome the disadvantages of the extraction system used in the IUE Final Archive, the Signal Weighted Extraction Technique ( swet ). We have compared the ines spectra of the whole sample of TTSs in the far-UV range (1200–2000 Å) with the swet low-resolution spectra available in the IUE Final Archive. Although in most of the cases there is a good agreement between both samples, an important enhancement of the ines line fluxes with respect to the swet line fluxes is reported for particular spectra. The line fluxes are enhanced by as much as a factor of ∼2.5 in some objects, which is significant for variability studies of TTSs because the variations of the UV lines are typically of this order. The emission-measure distributions built to study the atmospheres of these stars are based on the UV emission line fluxes, so the new system is susceptible to introduce changes in these models. Moreover, the non-linear enhancement of the ines line fluxes produces variations in diagnostic line ratios usually taken as temperature and density tracers in late-type stars. These line ratios can vary by as much as a factor of 3 when the ines data are compared with the swet , with the subsequent variation of the physical parameters derived from them.     

TPH and PAH concentrations in the subsoil of polyduct segments, oil pipeline pumping stations, and right-of-way pipelines from Central Mexico

For the year 1996, 366 incidents related with clandestine poaching of oil-products were reported in Mexico, 159 in 1997, and 240 in 1998. For the year 2003 (the most recently reported figure), there were 136 events. Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), very concerned with the environmental agenda, has developed programs oriented to diminish contamination levels in all of its oil facilities. This work was aimed at characterizing zones around polyduct segments, pipelines, pumping stations, and right-of-way pipelines located in the center of Mexico. The TPH contaminated sites were, in decreasing order, polyduct km 39 + 150 > polyduct km 25 + 020 > Zoquital > Tepetitlan > Catalina > Venta Prieta > Ceiba. Most of the sampled points showed the presence of more than one of the 16 PAHs considered by USEPA as priority pollutants. Except point TEPE 2A, where no PAHs were detected, all the sampled points showed values from low to medium concentrations; however, values found at the sites did not exceed the limits according to the Mexican or the American legislation. The place with the largest contaminated area corresponded to the polyduct km 39 + 150, with 130 m² and 260 m³ to be treated. The least contaminated area was that around the JUAN 4 point at Juandho station, with 20 m² and 22 m³ of contaminated soil. The total area to be treated is about 230 m² and 497 m³.