Digital underwater acoustic voice communications

This paper describes the design of an underwater acoustic diver communication system controlled by a digital signal processor. The speech signal transmission rate is compressed by using linear predictive coding (LPC) and the extracted parameters are transmitted through the water to a synchronized receiver by employing digital pulse position modulation (DPPM). The pulse position in each time frame is estimated by an energy detection and decision algorithm which enables the received LPC parameters to be recovered and used to synthesize the speech signal     

Proposed support design, Kaletepe tunnel, Turkey

In this paper, preliminary support design of Kaletepe tunnel, located on Bilecik-Istanbul highway, Turkey, was analyzed by empirical and numerical methods. The rock mass rating (RMR) and rock mass quality (Q) systems were employed for empirical rock mass quality determination. Numerical analysis for the stress–strain distribution of the tunnel excavation and support systems was also carried out. The applied support performance was investigated at different sections of the tunnel route. It was seen that empirical and numerical approaches showed similar results. This indicates that when the empirical method is supported by numerical method, the preliminary support design will be more reliable.     

Dietary overlap between invasion ctenophora (M. leidyi ) and anchovy (C. engrauliformis) in the southern parts of Caspian Sea

Mnemiopsis leidyi, native to America, Invaded the Caspian Sea in 1999. By the end of 2000, the entire sea was accupied with them. In parallel, a sharp decline in pelagic fish such accurrred.This survey was studied the relationship between the M. leidyi and this decline. Dietary analysis was conducted on anchovy sprat (Clupeonnela engrauliformis) and M. leidyi from August 2001 to October 2002 in the coastal water in the southern parts of Caspian Sea, in Iran. M. leidyi was caught by plankton net, (the mesh size ～5 mm), at three depth at 5, 10 and 15m. Sprat was caught by fisheries boat at Babolasar fishery harbor. Samples were not fixed in M. leidyi common fixative, 96% Ethanol were used. The Schoener index analysis reflected a similar diet composition of both species, with an critical level of overlap (>89 in Babolsar samples and >84 in Noushahar samples). This competition is one of the reasons for the decline of anchovy sprat. also, the results show M. leidyi is feeding on fish eggs, but effects of this factor on anchovy population is less than feeding competition. Controlling of M. leidyi population is reducing the pressure of its invasion and the effective approach is introduces a predator to the Caspian Sea.     

‘Filament’ marker beds in the Karababa-A Member (Turonian) of the Arabian platform,SE Turkey: Palaeo-environmental significance,stratigraphy and correlation potential

A ‘filament’ event bed/level corresponds to the occurrence of thin elongate calcitic, shells, or plates of pelagic, bivalve or crinoidal, origin, within pelagic, laminated and organic-matter rich limestones. These organic-rich limestones had been generally deposited under hypoxic/anoxic conditions in an outer-ramp environment. These thin elongate, bivalve shells, or crinoidal plates, are found broken in small pieces, disintegrated, or simply preserved parallel to bedding as almost complete specimens. Such ‘filament’ beds were spotted in SE Turkey in deposits, namely the Karababa-A Member, around the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary (C/TB) and above. On a global scale, these filament event beds illustrate sea-level rise related to eustacy and/or climatic change. The abundance of filaments close to the C/TB is a biological marker of high organic productivity resulting from a climatic change to warmer conditions. The prevailing higher sea-level conditions were then favourable to the accumulation and preservation of organic-rich facies, characteristic of the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2). Using both biostratigraphic and carbon isotopic data, those deposits were dated from the latest Cenomanian-Turonian age. ‘Filament’ event beds were recorded in the same order, except for some small differences. A good number of these bio-events are global. Consequently, on a global scale, they are susceptible to constrain the C/TB, especially the base of the Turonian stage, with a significant degree of confidence.     

Power spectra of the interplanetary magnetic field

Power spectra based on Pioneer 6 interplanetary magnetic field data in early 1966 exhibit a frequency dependence of f ^–2 in the range 2.8 × 10^–4 to 1.6 × 10^–2 cps for periods of both quiet and disturbed field conditions. Both the shape and power levels of these spectra are found to be due to the presence of directional discontinuities in the microstructure (< 0.01 AU) of the interplanetary magnetic field. Power spectra at lower frequencies, in the range of 2.3 × 10^–6 to 1.4 × 10^–4 cps, reflect the field macrostructure (> 0.1 AU) and exhibit a frequency dependence roughly between f ^–1 and f ^–3/2. The results are related to theories of galactic cosmic-ray modulation and are found to be consistent with recent observations of the modulation.     

Survey on germination and species composition of dinoflagellates from ballast tanks and recent sediments in ports on the South Coast of Finland, North-Eastern Baltic Sea

Cyst beds in ships and ports in Finland have previously been unstudied. Therefore, sediments from ships' ballast water tanks and four Finnish ports were sampled for dinoflagellate cysts and other phytoplankton. Untreated sediments were incubated at 10 degrees C and 20 degrees C in the local 6 psu salinity for 1, 4 and 7 days, and vegetative cells were examined with light and scanning electron microscope. Sediments were inhabited by various dinoflagellates, diatoms, chlorophytes, cyanophytes and small flagellates. Germinated dinoflagellates were found in 90% of ballast tanks and in all ports. Gymnodiniales spp. and Heterocapsa rotundata formed a major proportion of the proliferating dinoflagellate cells. One species, Peridinium quinquecorne, not previously reported from the Baltic Sea, was identified with SEM. The study emphasises that ships are potential transport vehicles for dinoflagellate cysts even in the low salinity Finnish waters, and small-sized dinoflagellates should be focused upon in ballast water studies.     

The impact of extreme heat on morbidity in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Given predictions of increased intensity and frequency of heat waves, it is important to study the effect of high temperatures on human mortality and morbidity. Many studies focus on heat wave-related mortality; however, heat-related morbidity is often overlooked. The goals of this study are to examine the historical observed relationship between temperature and morbidity (illness), and explore the extent to which observed historical relationships could be used to generate future projections of morbidity under climate change. We collected meteorological, air pollution, and hospital admissions data in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the years 1989–2005, and employed a generalized additive model (GAM) to quantify the relationship between morbidity (as measured by hospital admissions) and high temperatures with adjustment for the effects of potential confounders. We also estimated temperature threshold values for different causes of hospital admissions and then quantified the associated percent increase of admissions per degree above the threshold. Finally, the future impact of higher temperatures on admissions for the years 2059–2075 was examined. Our results show that five causes of admission (endocrine, genitourinary, renal, accidental, and self-harm) and three age groups (15–64, 75–84, >85 years) were affected by high temperatures. Future projections indicate a larger number of days above the current temperature threshold leading to an increase in admissions. Our results indicate that climate change may increase heat-related hospital admissions in the US urban mid-West and that health systems should include heat wave planning.     

A high-precision heuristic model to detect home and work locations from smart card data

Smart card-automated fare collection systems now routinely record large volumes of data comprising the origins and destinations of travelers. Processing and analyzing these data open new opportunities in urban modeling and travel behavior research. This study seeks to develop an accurate framework for the study of urban mobility from smart card data by developing a heuristic primary location model to identify the home and work locations. The model uses journey counts as an indicator of usage regularity, visit-frequency to identify activity locations for regular commuters, and stay-time for the classification of work and home locations and activities. London is taken as a case study, and the model results were validated against survey data from the London Travel Demand Survey and volunteer survey. Results demonstrate that the proposed model is able to detect meaningful home and work places with high precision. This study offers a new and cost-effective approach to travel behavior and demand research.     

Assessment of Metal Pollution in Water and Surface Sediments of the Seyhan River,Turkey, Using Different Indexes

The aim of this study was to assess the level of heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) contamination and enrichment in the surface sediments of the Seyhan River, which is the receiving water body of both treated and untreated municipal and industrial effluents as well as agricultural drainage waters generated within Adana, Turkey. Sediment and water samples were taken from six previously determined stations covering the downstream of the Seyhan dam during both wet and dry seasons and the samples were then analyzed for the heavy metals of concern. When both dry and wet seasons were considered, metal concentrations varied significantly within a broad range with Al, 7210–33 967 mg kg^?1 dw; Cr, 46–122 mg kg^?1 dw; Cu, 6–57 mg kg^?1 dw; Fe, 10 294–26 556 mg kg^?1 dw; Mn, 144–638 mg kg^?1 dw; Ni, 82–215 mg kg^?1 dw; Pb, 11–75 mg kg^?1 dw; Zn, 34–146 mg kg^?1 dw in the sediments while Cd was at non‐detectable levels for all stations. For both seasons combined, the enrichment factor (EF) and the geo‐accumulation index (I_geo) for the sediments in terms of the specified metals ranged from 0.56 to 10.36 and ?2.92 to 1.56, respectively, throughout the lower Seyhan River. The sediment quality guidelines (SQG) of US‐EPA suggested the sediments of the Seyhan River demonstrated “unpolluted to moderate pollution” of Cu, Pb, and Zn, “moderate to very strong pollution” of Cr and Ni. The water quality data, on the other hand, indicated very low levels of these metals suggesting that the metal content in the surface sediments were most probably originating from fine sediments transported along the river route instead of water/wastewater discharges with high metal content.