Fitting optimum order of Markov chain models for daily rainfall occurrences in Peninsular Malaysia

The analysis of the daily rainfall occurrence behavior is becoming more important, particularly in water-related sectors. Many studies have identified a more comprehensive pattern of the daily rainfall behavior based on the Markov chain models. One of the aims in fitting the Markov chain models of various orders to the daily rainfall occurrence is to determine the optimum order. In this study, the optimum order of the Markov chain models for a 5-day sequence will be examined in each of the 18 rainfall stations in Peninsular Malaysia, which have been selected based on the availability of the data, using the Akaike’s (AIC) and Bayesian information criteria (BIC). The identification of the most appropriate order in describing the distribution of the wet (dry) spells for each of the rainfall stations is obtained using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit test. It is found that the optimum order varies according to the levels of threshold used (e.g., either 0.1 or 10.0 mm), the locations of the region and the types of monsoon seasons. At most stations, the Markov chain models of a higher order are found to be optimum for rainfall occurrence during the northeast monsoon season for both levels of threshold. However, it is generally found that regardless of the monsoon seasons, the first-order model is optimum for the northwestern and eastern regions of the peninsula when the level of thresholds of 10.0 mm is considered. The analysis indicates that the first order of the Markov chain model is found to be most appropriate for describing the distribution of wet spells, whereas the higher-order models are found to be adequate for the dry spells in most of the rainfall stations for both threshold levels and monsoon seasons.     

The best fitting distribution of annual maximum rainfall in Peninsular Malaysia based on methods of L-moment and LQ-moment

This paper discusses patterns of annual and monthly precipitation variability at seven weather stations in east central Europe (1851–2007). Precipitation patterns were compared to three simple regional indices of atmospheric circulation, i.e., western circulation, southern circulation and the cyclonicity (C) index and a relationship between precipitation and the North Atlantic Oscillation index was identified. Correlations of the monthly records and multiple regression, using a principal components’ analysis, helped determine the statistical significance of the dependence of precipitation on the circulation indices. The Mann–Kendall test revealed no trend to change in any of the precipitation series, but a certain spatial regularity could be discerned in the phase of the annual periodic component. A common feature of the variability in central European annual precipitation is the dry period identified in the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s. In the northern part of the region, above-average precipitation was noted from the 1960s through to the mid-1970s as a result of the frequent prevalence of depressions. South of the divide, the wettest period was recorded at the turn of 1930s/1940s. After a number of very wet years in the last decade of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century, precipitation began to fall at all of the region’s weather stations. The C index is the strongest circulation-linked factor influencing precipitation in central Europe and it accounts for more than 40% of the variance in spatially averaged wintertime precipitation.     

Generation of a stochastic precipitation model for the tropical climate

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - A tropical country like Malaysia is characterized by intense localized precipitation with temperatures remaining relatively constant throughout the year. A...     

Issues in Eulerian–Lagrangian modeling of sediment transport under saltation regime

The saltation regime is very important for understanding the sediment transport mechanism. However,there is no consensus on a model for the saltation regime. This study answers several questions raised with respect to the Eulerian-Lagrangian modeling of sediment transport. The first question is why the previous saltation models that use different combinations of hydrodynamic forces yielded acceptable results? The second question is which shear lift model(i.e. a shear lift expression and its coefficient) is more appropriate? Another important question is which hydrodynamic forces have greater contributions to the saltation characteristics of a sediment particle? The last question is what are the contributions of the turbulence fluctuations as well as effects of using two-and three-dimensional(2 D and 3 D) models on the simulation results? In order to fairly answer these questions, a systematic study was done by considering different scenarios. The current study is the first attempt to clearly discuss these issues. A comprehensive 3 D saltation model for non-cohesive sediment was developed that includes all the hydrodynamic forces acting on the particle. The random nature of sediment transport was included using turbulent flow and bed-particle collision models. The eddy interaction model was applied to generate a3 D turbulent flow field. Bed-particle collisions were considered using the concept of a contact zone and a corresponding contact point. The validation of the model was done using the available experimental data for a wide range of sediment size(0.03 to 4.8 cm). For the first question, the results indicated that some of the hydrodynamic effects show opposing trends and some have negligible effects. With these opposing effects it is possible to adjust the coefficients of different models to achieve acceptable agreement with the same experimental data while omitting some aspects of the physics of the process. A suitable model for the shear lift force was developed by linking the lift coefficient to the drag coefficient and the contributions of the hydrodynamic forces and turbulence fluctuations as well as the consequences of using of 2 D and 3 D models were studied. The results indicate that the shear lift force and turbulent flow fluctuations are important factors for the saltation of both sand and gravel, and they cannot be ignored.     

First evidence of Middle to Late Triassic radiolarians in the Garba mountains,South Sumatra,Indonesia

A Middle to Late Triassic (Ladinian–Carnian) radiolarian fauna was discovered in cherts of the Situlanglang Member of the Garba Formation, South Sumatra, which is generally regarded as of Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous age. This fauna is characterized by the presence of Annulotriassocampe sulovensis, Triassocampe postdeweveri, Spongotortilispinus tortilis, Poulpus piabyx, Canoptum levis and others. This evidence possibly indicates that the deposition of the Situlanglang cherts took place after the collision of the Sibumasu and East Malaya blocks recorded in the Bentong–Raub Suture in Peninsular Malaysia in Late Permian–Early Triassic times. During the Middle–Late Triassic Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia consisted of submarine horst and graben structures. It is possible that a submarine graben, the Tuhur basin, whose southern boundary was formerly undefined, extends into South Sumatra, to the area in which the Situlanglang cherts were deposited. The Situlanglang Member is proposed to be a rock unit stratigraphically contemporaneous with those of the Middle–Upper Triassic Kualu and Tuhur Formations in North and Central Sumatra.     

A Comparative Study of Landsat‐7 and Landsat‐8 Data Using Image Processing Methods for Hydrothermal Alteration Mapping

Comparing spaceborne satellite images of Landsat‐8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Landsat‐7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) was undertaken to investigate the relative accuracy of mapping hydrothermal alteration minerals. The study investigated the northern part of Rabor, which contains copper mineralization occurrences, and is located in the Kerman Cenozoic magmatic assemblage (KCMA), Iran. Image processing methods of band ratio, principal component analysis (PCA), and spectral angle mapper (SAM) were used to map the distribution of hydrothermally altered rocks associated with the porphyry copper mineralization. The band ratio combination of both sensors for mapping altered areas showed similar outcomes. PCA exposed variations in the spatial distribution of hydroxyl‐bearing minerals. The representation of hydrothermal areas using OLI data was more satisfactory than when using ETM+ data. SAM analysis found similar results for mapping hydroxyl‐bearing zones. Verification of the results came through ground investigation and laboratory studies. Rock samples (n = 56) were collected to validate results using thin sections, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and spectral analyses. Field observations and laboratory analysis revealed that phyllic and propylitic alterations dominate the alteration zones in the study area. Argillic and iron oxides/hydroxides alterations were observed to a lesser degree. The results indicate that alteration maps prepared by OLI data using PCA for visual interpretation are more suitable than those of ETM+ due to a higher radiometric resolution and lower interference between vegetation and altered areas. As the spectral bandwidth of ETM+ band 7 covers absorption feature of propylitic alteration, better mapping of propylitic alterations is achieved using ETM+ data.     

The effectiveness of the very low frequency electromagnetic method (VLF-EM) in the exploration of sulphide mineralization in arid environments,case study from South Sinai Peninsula,Egypt

Very low frequency electromagnetic (VLF-EM) measurements were carried out in Wadi Isbayia area, south Sinai Peninsula, to test the efficiency of the VLF-EM method in the exploration of sulphide mineralization in arid environments. The VLF-EM field measurements, including tilt angle, real and imaginary components of the received VLF field, were carried out along fifteen profiles covering a quartz monzonite bedrock. Interpretation of the VLF measurements, in the light of geological information, has showed that sulphide minerals in the Wadi Isbayia area extend from the ground surface to a depth of about 200 m. However, the structural lineaments, especially faults, have controlled the distribution of the sulphide mineralization. A few of polished sections for rock samples, collected from the sites of the VLF-EM anomalies in the study area, have been prepared and examined by ore microscopy which confirmed the presence of pyrite and chalcopyrite as well as iron oxides, disseminated in the quartz monzonite bedrock. These results showed that the VLF-EM method is an effective tool in the exploration of sulphide minerals in the arid environments.     

Multi-criteria decision-making analysis in selecting suitable plotting positions for IDF curves of storm events

Selecting suitable distributions for rainfall data is usually subjective and complex since it requires decision-makers to consider results from various measures of goodness-of-fit indices. In this study, the VIKOR method in multi-criteria decision-making analysis is modified to select the most suitable plotting positions to represent extreme storm intensities in order to build the intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves of storm events. This is done by considering the rankings provided by all goodness-of-fit indices used to obtain a compromise solution. Nine plotting positions are considered: Weibull (W), Adamowski (A), Gringorten (G), Hazen (H) and Gumbel (EV I) and two known plotting positions for generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution using Pearson’s skewness and another two using L-skewness. The IDF curves obtained are compared to a reference IDF curves which was found using the GEV distribution. The mean and median for three goodness-of-fit indices, the coefficient of variation of root mean square error, CV_RMSE, the mean percentage of difference, Δ, and the coefficient of determination, R ², are taken as the criteria for selection process. The results show that six plotting positions, A, H, W, G and the two plotting positions with L-skewness, are equally superior compared to the other three plotting positions.     

Morphotectonic controls of groundwater flow regime and relating environmental impacts in Northwest Sinai,Egypt

The frequent appearance of some hydro-environmental hazard features, such as waterlogging and soil salinization along the susceptible zones at Northwest Sinai area (NWSA), has put serious challenges and obstacles for a correct and efficient land use planning of this region, for several decades. Although previous studies have shown that the whole region of Northern Sinai is greatly affected by the tectonic movements associated with the Syrian Arc folding system (SAS), NWSA is barren of any obvious surficial structures. The current work aims to investigate the effect of subsurface tectonic features on the hydrogeologic regime of NWSA.Hydrogeological and remote sensing data were integrated with ground geophysical gravity and magnetic measurements, using the geographic information system. Data integration asserts the role played by buried tectonic features not only in governing the landforms of the upper water-bearing quaternary formations but also in controlling their flow regime.Two major subsurface structures were identified through interpreting the geophysical measurements. A buried dome-like structure, dominating the central part of the mapped area, coincides with the radial flow pattern observed on the water table map. At the southwestern corner of the study area, an elevated groundwater level, caused by continuous groundwater accumulation at the discharge boundary, is superimposing a subsurface block-faulted depression. The waterlogging features (saturation of the soil by groundwater and inundation of local depressions due to rising of water table) dominating the discharge lowlands of NWSA support the conclusion that a buried block-faulted structure exerts a strong influence on the thickness and groundwater flow regime of the shallow quaternary aquifer.