Organophosphates and Synthetic Musk Fragrances in Freshwater Streams in Hessen/Germany

Four small freshwater river systems in Hessen, Germany, have been investigated with respect to seasonal and spatial concentration variations and transported load of the organophosphates tri‐n‐butyl phosphate (TBP), tris(2‐butoxyethyl)phosphate (TBEP), tris(2‐chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), tris(1‐chloro‐2‐propyl)phosphate (TCPP), and tris(1,3‐dichloro‐2‐propyl)phosphate (TDCPP) and the synthetic musk fragrances 1,3,4,6,7,8‐hexahydro‐4,6,6,7,8,8‐hexa‐methylcyclopenta‐[γ]‐2‐benzopyran (HHCB) and 7‐acetyl‐1,1,3,4,4,6‐hexamethyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene (AHTN). Data originate from water samples collected in the time span from September 2003 to April 2005 at 25 sampling locations. The detection frequency for all compounds was about 90%. Mean concentration levels of organophosphates were 502 ng/L (TCPP), 276 ng/L (TBP), 183 ng/L (TBEP), 118 ng/L (TCEP), and 117 ng/L (TDCPP). The synthetic musk fragrances HHCB and ATHN were detected with mean concentrations of 141 and 46 ng/L, respectively. The variability of the concentration of all compounds was high with respect to space and time. The highest concentrations were observed in the Schwarzbach system characterized by the highest proportion of wastewater compared to the other river systems. Concentration levels of synthetic musk fragrances were significantly lower in summer times compared to winter times.     

An Atlas of ShakeMaps and population exposure catalog for earthquake loss modeling

We present an Atlas of ShakeMaps and a catalog of human population exposures to moderate-to-strong ground shaking (EXPO-CAT) for recent historical earthquakes (1973–2007). The common purpose of the Atlas and exposure catalog is to calibrate earthquake loss models to be used in the US Geological Survey’s Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER). The full ShakeMap Atlas currently comprises over 5,600 earthquakes from January 1973 through December 2007, with almost 500 of these maps constrained—to varying degrees—by instrumental ground motions, macroseismic intensity data, community internet intensity observations, and published earthquake rupture models. The catalog of human exposures is derived using current PAGER methodologies. Exposure to discrete levels of shaking intensity is obtained by correlating Atlas ShakeMaps with a global population database. Combining this population exposure dataset with historical earthquake loss data, such as PAGER-CAT, provides a useful resource for calibrating loss methodologies against a systematically-derived set of ShakeMap hazard outputs. We illustrate two example uses for EXPO-CAT; (1) simple objective ranking of country vulnerability to earthquakes, and; (2) the influence of time-of-day on earthquake mortality. In general, we observe that countries in similar geographic regions with similar construction practices tend to cluster spatially in terms of relative vulnerability. We also find little quantitative evidence to suggest that time-of-day is a significant factor in earthquake mortality. Moreover, earthquake mortality appears to be more systematically linked to the population exposed to severe ground shaking (Modified Mercalli Intensity VIII+). Finally, equipped with the full Atlas of ShakeMaps, we merge each of these maps and find the maximum estimated peak ground acceleration at any grid point in the world for the past 35 years. We subsequently compare this “composite ShakeMap” with existing global hazard models, calculating the spatial area of the existing hazard maps exceeded by the combined ShakeMap ground motions. In general, these analyses suggest that existing global, and regional, hazard maps tend to overestimate hazard. Both the Atlas of ShakeMaps and EXPO-CAT have many potential uses for examining earthquake risk and epidemiology. All of the datasets discussed herein are available for download on the PAGER Web page (). T. I. Allen and M. G. Hearne—contracted through Synergetics Incorporated.     

Enacting things through numbers: Taking nature into account/ing

In this article I make use of a combination of actor-network-theory, governmentality studies and feminist studies of science to show how nature is done or enacted within politics and administration. In particular I show how it relates to the theories and practices of economics and accounting. I explore the process by which the ‘critical limits’ of nature under the impact of acidification was created as a part of the politics and negotiations about acid rain. I demonstrate that even though the outcome was not ‘Nature’ as such, understood as a form of moral high-ground, the effect of this process was to produce ‘a nature as a whole’, in a process of unification. This I argue can only be understood relationally: ‘Nature’ is taken into account by way of accounting. In doing this I engage with Latour’s work on the politics of Nature and argue that nature is not necessarily such a deadly tool to politics as is sometimes taken for granted. Before we throw Nature out with our empirical studies of sciences, natures and politics, in the plural, we need to look first at how Nature-wholes emerge, are enacted, and take part in politics.     

Towards a multi-scale approach for an Earth observation-based assessment of natural resource exploitation in conflict regions

The exploitation of resources, if not properly managed, can lead to spoiling natural habitats as well as to threatening people’s health, livelihoods and security. The paper discusses a multi-scale Earth observation-based approach to provide independent information related to exploitation activities of natural resources for countries which are experiencing armed conflict. The analyses are based on medium to very high spatial resolution optical satellite data. Object-based image analysis is used for information extraction at these different scales. On a subnational level, conflict-related land cover changes as an indication of potential hot spots for exploitation activities are classified. The regional assessment provides information about potential activity areas of resource exploitation, whereas on a local scale, a site-specific assessment of exploitation areas is performed. The study demonstrates the potential of remote sensing for supporting the monitoring and documentation of natural resource exploitation in conflict regions.     

Inorganic nitrogen in coral reef sediments

Representative profiles of inorganic nitrogenous species dissolved in interstitial waters of coral reef sands are presented. Ammonium is the dominant nitrogenous species in these pore waters with concentrations of up to 40 μm. Nitrate is present but in lower concentrations. Nitrite is found only occasionally in trace amounts. Computations of diffusive fluxes and inferences concerning microbial activity are derived from the profile structures. Computed flux rates of nitrogenous species from the sediment to the water column range between 0.75 and 1.37 μM m⁻¹ h⁻¹. These inputs may represent a significant source of recycled nitrogen to the primary producers of the coral reef ecosystem.     

Effects of suspended sediment characteristics and bed sediment transport on streambed clogging

Fine sediment deposition in streambeds can reduce pore water fluxes and the overall rate of hyporheic exchange, producing deleterious effects on benthic and hyporheic ecological communities. To increase understanding of the factors that control the reduction of hyporheic exchange by fine sediment deposition, we conducted experiments in a laboratory flume to observe changes in the rates of solute exchange and kaolinite clay deposition as substantial amounts of kaolinite accumulated in the streambed. Two long‐term experiments were conducted, with durations of 14 days and 29 days. Use of a laboratory flume system allowed steady stream flow conditions to be maintained throughout both experiments, and alternating injections of known quantities of kaolinite and a sodium chloride tracer were used to assess the effect of clay accumulation on hyporheic exchange directly. In the first experiment, there was no bed sediment transport and kaolinite deposition formed a highly clogged near‐surface layer that greatly reduced hyporheic exchange. Application of a fundamental model for advective hyporheic exchange indicated that the effective permeability and porosity of the streambed decreased substantially during the course of the experiment. In the second experiment, the kaolinite was prepared with different surface properties to be more mobile, and the experiment was conducted with a small degree of bed sediment transport. As a result, no distinct clogged layer developed, and the rate of hyporheic exchange was found to remain approximately constant throughout the experiment (29 days). These results indicate that increasing fine sediment loads, e.g. those that occur from changes in land use, can have substantially different impacts on hyporheic exchange and associated ecological processes depending on the stream flow conditions, the rate and frequency of bed sediment transport, and the extent of interaction of the introduced fines with bed sediments. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physics of the Omori law: Inferences from interevent time distributions and pore pressure diffusion modeling

Empirical laws and statistics of earthquakes are valuable as a basis for a better understanding of the earthquake cycle. In this paper we focus on the postseismic phase and the physics of aftershock sequences. Using interevent time distributions for a catalogue of Icelandic seismicity, we infer that the parameter C₂ in the Omori law, often considered to represent incomplete detection of aftershocks, is at least in part related to the physics of the earthquake process. We investigate the role of postseismic pore pressure diffusion after two Icelandic earthquakes on the rate of aftershocks and what we can infer about the physical meaning of C₂ from the diffusion process. Using the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion we obtain a rate of triggered points in our diffusion model that agrees with the modified Omori law, with a value of C₂ that is consistent with data. Our pore pressure diffusion model suggests that C₂ is related to the process of reducing high pore pressure gradients existing across a fault zone at short times after a main shock.