On the assessment of hydrodynamic coefficients of cylinders in heaving

A detailed comparison is made of the common two-dimensional methods for the evaluation of the hydrodynamic coefficients. Special attention was given to the conformal transformation method and the parameters which influence the accuracy of this method are studied. The results were compared with the Frank close-fit method with respect to accuracy and time taken. Finally the correlation between the geometric and hydrodynamic errors is examined and some relations are proposed.     

Inertial and hydrodynamic inertial loads on floating units

The analysis of the dynamic behavior of floating units usually employs a coordinate system with origin in the unit's center of gravity, which significantly simplifies the global mass matrix. Hydrodynamic coefficients are then computed considering the same coordinate system. However, to analyze other conditions of mass distribution and maintain the simplicity of a global mass matrix, it is necessary to determine again the hydrodynamic coefficients, thereby reducing the efficiency of the entire process. Another important point is that the geometries frequently used in floating units are such that the cross-terms of an added mass are relatively unimportant when compared with the main terms, and it is, therefore, common to use only some of them to analyze the unit's dynamic behavior. Recently, however, in the search for production systems suitable for water depths greater than 3000 m, other geometries have been considered in technical and economic feasibility studies. It is possible that for these new geometries all terms of the added mass matrix must be included in the analysis. This paper presents the full development used to determine the complete global mass matrix, the inertial and hydrodynamic inertial loads that make use of the added mass matrices considering any coordinate system and the six degrees of freedom, including all cross-terms.     

Some Morphological Aspects and Hydrological Characterization of the Tagus Floods in the Santarém Region, Portugal

In Portugal, few studies have been made of the historical floods of the RiverTagus (the longest in the Iberian Peninsula). This fact led to the study of theLower Tagus (Santarém region) using written historical documents,cartographic documents and hydrological data, consisting mainly of waterlevel records. With the support of the historical documents and the analysisof all the maps, it was possible to verify that the human intervention has beenfundamental in the morphological changes of the Tagus' channel. It becameaware that the river changed from a braided to a single channel with alternatebars. From the hydrological data, return periods for the floods were determined,using the Pearson Type 3 distribution. The selection of the most important floods,from 1855 to 1998, enabled to build a ``flood hazard scale' for this region.     

Analysis of village accessibility and its impact on land use dynamics in a mountainous province of northern Vietnam

Surveys carried out in mountainous areas of northern Vietnam at research sites selected across a gradient of market integration, revealed strong relationships between the location of the village with respect to the national road network and the nature of its land-use systems, its poverty level and more generally its potential for development. We developed and tested in Bac Kan province a method to give an objective and quantitative definition of accessibility over a large geographic area. Accessibility maps integrated in a provincial GIS showed that despite recent improvements to the road network, some remote areas do not benefit from recent development.     

Latitudinal patterns of export production recorded in surface sediments of the Chilean Patagonian fjords (41–55°S) as a response to water column productivity

The Chilean Patagonian fjords region (41–56°S) is characterized by highly complex geomorphology and hydrographic conditions, and strong seasonal and latitudinal patterns in precipitation, freshwater discharge, glacier coverage, and light regime; all of these directly affect biological production in the water column. In this study, we compiled published and new information on water column properties (primary production, nutrients) and surface sediment characteristics (biogenic opal, organic carbon, molar C/N, bulk sedimentary δ¹³C_org) from the Chilean Patagonian fjords between 41°S and 55°S, describing herein the latitudinal pattern of water column productivity and its imprint in the underlying sediments. Based on information collected at 188 water column and 118 sediment sampling sites, we grouped the Chilean fjords into four main zones: Inner Sea of Chiloé (41° to ～44°S), Northern Patagonia (44° to ～47°S), Central Patagonia (48–51°S), and Southern Patagonia (Magellan Strait region between 52° and 55°S). Primary production in the Chilean Patagonian fjords was the highest in spring–summer, reflecting the seasonal pattern of water column productivity. A clear north–south latitudinal pattern in primary production was observed, with the highest average spring and summer estimates in the Inner Sea of Chiloé (2427 and 5860 mg C m^?2 d^?1) and Northern Patagonia (1667 and 2616 mg C m^?2 d^?1). This pattern was closely related to the higher availability of nutrients, greater solar radiation, and extended photoperiod during the productive season in these two zones. The lowest spring value was found in Caleta Tortel, Central Patagonia (91 mg C m^?2 d^?1), a site heavily influenced by glacier meltwater and river discharge loaded with glacial sediments. Biogenic opal, an important constituent of the Chilean fjord surface sediments (Si_OPAL ～1–13%), reproduced the general north–south pattern of primary production and was directly related to water column silicic acid concentrations. Surface sediments were also rich in organic carbon content and the highest values corresponded to locations far away from glacier influence, sites within fjords, and/or semi-enclosed and protected basins, reflecting both autochthonous (water column productivity) and allochthonous sources (contribution of terrestrial organic matter from fluvial input to the fjords). A gradient was observed from the more oceanic sites to the fjord heads (west–east) in terms of bulk sedimentary δ¹³C_org and C/N ratios; the more depleted (δ¹³C_org ?26‰) and higher C/N (23) values corresponded to areas close to rivers and glaciers. A comparison of the Chilean Patagonian fjords with other fjord systems in the world revealed high variability in primary production for all fjord systems as well as similar surface sediment geochemistry due to the mixing of marine and terrestrial organic carbon.     

Lake sedimentary processes and vegetation changes over the last 45k cal a bp in the uplands of south-eastern Amazonia

This study addresses paleoclimate influences in a southern Amazonia ecotone based on multiproxy records from lakes of the Carajás region during the last 45k cal a bp. Wet and cool environmental conditions marked the initial deposition in shallow depressions with detrital sediments and high weathering rates until 40k cal a bp. Concomitantly, forest and C3 canga plants, along with cool-adapted taxa, developed; however, short drier episodes enabled expansion of C4 plants and diagenetic formation of siderite. A massive event of siderite formation occurred approximately 30k cal a bp under strong drier conditions. Afterwards, wet and cool environmental conditions returned and persisted until the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The LGM was marked by lake-level lowstands and subaerial exposure. The transition from the LGM to the Holocene is marked by the onset of oscillations in temperature and humidity, with an expansion of forest and canga plants. Cool taxa were present for the last time in the Carajás region ~ 9.5–9k cal a bp. After 10k cal a bp , shallow lakes became upland swamps due to natural infilling processes, but the current vegetation types and structures of the plateaus were acquired only after 3k cal a bp under wetter climatic conditions.     

Re‐establishment of soil water repellency after destruction by intense burning in a Mediterranean heathland (SW Spain)

Soil water repellency has been conventionally considered as a fire‐induced effect, but an increasing number of studies have suggested that natural background repellency occurs in many soil types, and many of them have suggested that water repellency can be re‐established over time after being destroyed. An experimental fire was conducted to study changes of the soil surface during the first 18 months following intense burning. The main objectives of this paper are as follows: (1) to investigate in situ water repellency changes at three soil depths (0, 2 and 4 cm) immediately after burning; (2) to evaluate the medium‐term evolution of water repellency under field conditions; and (3) to outline the main hydrological consequences of these changes. Also, different water repellency tests (water drop penetration time, ethanol percentage test (EPT) and contact angle (CA) between water drops and the soil surface) were carried out for comparison purposes. Field experiments showed that soil water repellency was partly destroyed after intense burning. Changes were relatively strong at the soil surface, but diminished progressively with depth. Levels of water repellency were practically re‐established 18 months after burning. This suggests that water repellency in the studied area is not necessarily a consequence of fire, but can instead be a natural attribute. Finally, although limited in time, destruction of soil water repellency has important consequences for runoff flow generation and soil loss rates, and, indirectly, for water quality. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Radon in soil anomaly observed at Los Azufres geothermal field,Michoacan: a possible precursor of the 1985 Mexico earthquake (Ms = 8.1)

A radon anomaly in a nuclear track detector placed on a fault was detected prior to the destructive (Ms = 8.1) Mexican earthquake of 19 September 1985. The fault is a structural feature of the geothermal field Los Azufres, 260 km NE of the epicentral area. Since no other phenomenon can be found as a possible cause for the radon anomaly, it is proposed that preseismic regional stress perturbations may produce changes in the fluid transport patterns at the fault, suggesting that radon measurements in similar conditions could provide a good precursor in high seismic risk areas.     

Proterozoic metavolcanics from western Sierras Pampeanas terrane, Argentina

A series of medium grade metamorphic rocks of the western sector of the Sierras Pampeanas Terrane in central western Argentina are represented by amphibolites, gneisses and schists derived from sedimentary as well as from igneous rocks. The metavolcanics consist of amphibolites, quartz-K-feldspar-muscovite schists, and hornblende-biotite and biotite-epidote-plagioclase schists. Based on petrographic and geochemical data they are interpreted as originating as basaltic tholeiites, rhyolites and mesosilicic volcanics. The distribution and geochemical behavior are similar to present day western Pacific lavas, mainly those developed on island arcs or heavily attenuated continental crust. Based on these characteristics, an accretionary tectonic model involving a series of island-arc collisions is proposed for the Proterozoic. The complex Proterozoic tectonic history of the western Sierras Pampeanas has been partially obliterated by the emplacement of the Early Paleozoic magmatic arc rocks.