The spatial and temporal changes inV p /V s before strong earthquakes in Kamchatka

A method was developed to obtain from a signal station the spatial and temporal distribution ofV _p /V _s ratios before earthquakes of magnitude>6. It was shown thatV _p /V _s values strongly depend upon the relative positions of the stations, the future large earthquake and the foci of the smaller earthquakes used forV _p /V _s determination. The appearance of a zone of anomalousV _p /V _s values with linear dimensions of the order of 100 km was noted at least 4 years before a deep earthquake of magnitude 7. Similar size anomalous zones were detected one year before some magnitude 6 earthquakes. V _p /V _s values decreased by a small but distinct amount during this time. Additionally, local short term minima inV _p /V _s ratios were observed some months before the major event. The epicenters of the large earthquakes were located within the 100 km size zone where the gradients of theV _p /V _s field were largest.     

M TSU : Recovering Seismic Moments from Tsunameter Records

We define a new magnitude scale, M_TSU, allowing the quantification of the seismic moment M₀ of an earthquake based on recordings of its tsunami in the far field by ocean-bottom pressure sensors (``tsunameters') deployed in ocean basins, far from continental or island shores which are known to affect profoundly and in a nonlinear fashion the amplitude of the tsunami wave. The formula for M_TSU, M_TSU = log₁₀ M₀ − 20 = log₁₀ X (ω) + C_D^TSU + C_S^TSU + C₀, where X (ω) is the spectral amplitude of the tsunami, C_D^TSU a distance correction and C_S^TSU a source correction, is directly adapted from the mantle magnitude M_m introduced for seismic surface waves by Okal and Talandier. Like M_m, its corrections are fully justified theoretically based on the representation of a tsunami wave as a branch of the Earth's normal modes. Even the locking constant C₀, which may depend on the nature of the recording (surface amplitude of the tsunami or overpressure at the ocean floor) and its units, is predicted theoretically. M_TSU combines the power of a theoretically developed algorithm, with the robustness of a magnitude measurement that does not take into account such parameters as focal geometry and exact depth, which may not be available under operational conditions in the framework of tsunami warning. We verify the performance of the concept on simulations of the great 1946 Aleutian tsunami at two virtual gauges, and then apply the algorithm to 24 records of 7 tsunamis at DART tsunameters during the years 1994–2003. We find that M_TSU generally recovers the seismic moment M₀ within 0.2 logarithmic units, even under unfavorable conditions such as excessive focal depth and refraction of the tsunami wave around continental masses. Finally, we apply the algorithm to the JASON satellite trace obtained over the Bay of Bengal during the 2004 Sumatra tsunami, after transforming the trace into a time series through a simple ad hoc procedure. Results are surprisingly good, with most estimates of the moment being over 10²⁹ dyn-cm, and thus identifying the source as an exceptionally large earthquake.     

Thermal equation of state of magnesite to 32 GPa and 2073 K

Pressure–volume–temperature relations have been measured to 32 GPa and 2073 K for natural magnesite (Mg_0.975Fe_0.015Mn_0.006Ca_0.004CO₃) using synchrotron X-ray diffraction with a multianvil apparatus at the SPring-8 facility. A least-squares fit of the room-temperature compression data to a third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state (EOS) yielded K₀ = 97.1 ± 0.5 GPa and K′ = 5.44 ± 0.07, with fixed V₀ = 279.55 ± 0.02 Å³. Further analysis of the high-temperature compression data yielded the temperature derivative of the bulk modulus (∂K_T/∂T)_P = −0.013 ± 0.001 GPa/K and zero-pressure thermal expansion α = a₀ + a₁T with a₀ = 4.03 (7) × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹ and a₁ = 0.49 (10) × 10⁻⁸ K⁻². The Anderson–Grüneisen parameter is estimated to be δ_T = 3.3. The analysis of axial compressibility and thermal expansivity indicates that the c-axis is over three times more compressible (K_Tc = 47 ± 1 GPa) than the a-axis (K_Tc = 157 ± 1 GPa), whereas the thermal expansion of the c-axis (a₀ = 6.8 (2) × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹ and a₁ = 2.2 (4) × 10⁻⁸ K⁻²) is greater than that of the a-axis (a₀ = 2.7 (4) × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹ and a₁ = −0.2 (2) × 10⁻⁸ K⁻²). The present thermal EOS enables us to accurately calculate the density of magnesite to the deep mantle conditions. Decarbonation of a subducting oceanic crust containing 2 wt.% magnesite would result in a 0.6% density reduction at 30 GPa and 1273 K. Using the new EOS parameters we performed thermodynamic calculations for magnesite decarbonation reactions at pressures to 20 GPa. We also estimated stability of magnesite-bearing assemblages in the lower mantle.     

Pelagic production and respiration in the Gulf of Papua during May 2004

The metabolic balance between production and respiration in plankton communities of the Gulf of Papua was investigated in May 2004. Water samples taken at 19 stations were allocated to groups on the basis of physico-chemical characteristics. Oxygen consumption and production in flasks incubated in the dark and in the light was determined by micro-Winkler titration. Dark bottle respiration in samples influenced by the estuarine plume averaged 3.09±1.92 (SD) mmol O₂ m⁻³ d⁻¹ and production within surface light bottles averaged 7.63±3.36 (SD)  mmol O₂ m⁻³ d⁻¹. Corresponding values in stations more typical of the central Gulf of Papua were 1.68±1.30 (SD) mmol O₂ m⁻³ d⁻¹ and 1.08±2.25 (SD) mmol O₂ m⁻³ d⁻¹. Despite a shallow (<10 m) euphotic zone within the plume stations, phytoplankton production in the surface layers was sufficiently high to subsidise total water column respiration. Integrating production and respiration over the water column resulted in a calculation of net community production (NCP) of 626±504 (SD) mg C m⁻² d⁻¹, and community respiration (CR) of 712±492 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ at the plume stations, with an average P:R ratio of 1.97. In the offshore group NCP was 157±450 (SD) mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ and CR was 1620±1576 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹. The average P:R ratio was 1.27. Three of the 7 stations allocated to the offshore group were net heterotrophic. In contrast to earlier studies in the area indicating that the Gulf of Papua waters is heterotrophic [Robertson, A.I., Dixon, P., Alongi, D.M., 1998. The influence of fluvial discharge on pelagic production in the Gulf of Papua, Northern Coral Sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 46, 319–331], our data indicate that in May 2004 the Gulf was in positive metabolic balance, but by only ∼120 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹. We conclude that waters of the Gulf of Papua under riverine influence are net autotrophic, but that within the central Gulf there is a fine metabolic balance alternating between autotrophy and heterotrophy.     

Magnetization of immobilized particle dispersions with two distinct particle sizes

The magnetic properties of specimens containing dispersed magnetic particles, at low concentrations, containing two distinct size ranges, have been measured. The results have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of several parameters which have been used to discriminate the type of particles in a dispersion. The location of the point representing the properties of a specimen on a graph of $\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>RS</mtext>}}\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>S</mtext>}}$ and $\text{H}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>R</mtext>}}\text{H}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>c</mtext>}}$ indicates a possible particle dispersion which would produce a model with equivalent magnetic properties. The behaviour of dispersions of titomagnetic is also considered and these produce ambiguities in the interpretation of the graph. The possibility of modelling a dispersion which has equivalent properties to specimens from a single lava is considered.     

Sulla turbolenza delle correnti marine nello stretto di messina

Riassunto Gli Autori espongono i risultati di un tentativo di valutazione del grado di turbolenza verticale delle correnti marine davanti alle imboccature Nord e Sud dello Stretto di Messina. I valori massimi ottenuti per il coefficiente di diffusione verticale della salinitàK _z sono dell'ordine di 10³–10⁴ cm²/sec.

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Summary The Authors present the results of some calculations carried out to obtain values of the vertical turbulence (by means of the coefficient of eddy-diffusion of salinityK _z ) of the currents in the Strait of Messina. The maximum values ofK _z are of the order of 10³–10⁴ cm²/sec.

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Comunicazione presentata il 24 Aprile 1957 alla Quinta Assemblea Generale della «Società Italiana di Geofisica e Meteorologia» (Genova: 23–25 Aprile 1957).     

Implications of turbulent shear on clay floc break-up along the Atlantic estuary (Bouregreg), Morocco

Water depth,salinity,current,and suspended sediment concentration(SSC)were measured along with the grain size distribution of bed sediment along an estuarine longitudinal section.The floc size increased with increase in the percentage of clay and silt,while decreased with increase in the percentage of sand content of bed sediment.The turbulent shear,G,had a direct effect on floc size with its value increasing with increase in G up to a G value of 15 s^-1,while an inverse relation existed between floc size and G at higher G(G>15 s^-1).Further,higher turbulence enabled sand to get resuspended and cause additional shear leading to the break-up of flocs.An attempt was made to modify G to account for the combined effect of water turbulence(G)and shear imparted by sand(Ga)and the impact of the modification of G on the predictability of floc size was evaluated.A new model was developed which explains floc size in terms of sediment concentration(C),salinity gradient(S),and G for different scenarios based on the value of G.Sensitivity analysis was done for observed floc size(FS)and predicted floc size using four approaches:(I)FSαC^x;(II)FSαC^xS-y;(III)FSαC^xS^-yGz for G<15 s^-1and FSαC^xS^-yG-z for G>15 s^-1;and(IV)FSαC^xS^-yG_m^-zfor G>15 s^-1and G_m=G+Ga,where x,y,and z are determined by calibration.It was observed that the predictability of the floc size improved when the turbulence was modified to account for shear imparted by sand so that the coefficient of determination was increased from 0.78 for model III to 0.89 for model IV.Further,the settling velocity was expressed as a function of suspended sediment concentration,turbulent shear,and salinity gradient.The predictability of settling velocity was improved(R2 increased from 0.77 to 0.86)when the additional turbulence created by sand was incorporated in the non-dimensional empirical equation.The study highlights the influence of sand in causing the break-up of flocs and suggests that for turbulence shear values high enough to resuspend sand,and G has to be modified to account for the additional shear imparted by sand in mixed sediment estuarine environments.     

Numerical simulations of transport of non-ergodic solute plumes in heterogeneous aquifers

Transport of non-ergodic solute plumes by steady-state groundwater flow with a uniform mean velocity, μ, were simulated with Monte Carlo approach in a two-dimensional heterogeneous and statistically isotropic aquifer whose transmissivity, T, is log-normally distributed with an exponential covariance. The ensemble averages of the second spatial moments of the plume about its center of mass, <S _{i i} (t)>, and the plume centroid covariance, R _{i i} (t) (i=1,2), were simulated for the variance of Y=log T, σ _Y ²=0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 and line sources normal or parallel to μ of three dimensionless lengths, 1, 5, and 10. For σ _Y ²=0.1, all simulated <S _{i i} (t)>−S _{i i} (0) and R _{i i} (t) agree well with the first-order theoretical values, where S _{i i} (0) are the initial values of S _{i i} (t). For σ _Y ²=0.5 and 1.0 and the line sources normal to μ, the simulated longitudinal moments, <S ₁₁(t)>−S ₁₁(0) and R ₁₁(t), agree well with the first-order theoretical results but the simulated transverse moments <S ₂₂(t)>−S ₂₂(0) and R ₂₂(t) are significantly larger than the first-order values. For the same two larger values of σ _Y ² but the line sources parallel to μ, the simulated <S ₁₁(t)>−S ₁₁(0) are larger than but the simulated R ₁₁ are smaller than the first-order values, and both simulated <S ₂₂(t)>−S ₂₂(0) and R ₂₂(t) stay larger than the first-order values. For a fixed value of σ _Y ², the summations of <S _{i i} (t)>−S _{i i} (0) and R _{i i} , i.e., X _{i i} (i=1,2), remain almost the same no matter what kind of source simulated. The simulated X ₁₁ are in good agreement with the first-order theory but the simulated X ₂₂ are significantly larger than the first-order values. The simulated X ₂₂, however, are in excellent agreement with a previous modeling result and both of them are very close to the values derived using Corrsin's conjecture. It is found that the transverse moments may be significantly underestimated if less accurate hydraulic head solutions are used and that the decreasing of <S ₂₂(t)>−S ₂₂(0) with time or a negative effective dispersivity, defined as , may happen in the case of a line source parallel to μ where σ _Y ² is small.     

A numerical study on the occurrence of flowing wells in the discharge area of basins due to the upward hydraulic gradient induced wellbore flow

The occurrence of flowing wells in basins has been found to be closely related to the discharge area with an upward hydraulic gradient. Unfortunately, previous studies on upward gradient induced wellbore flow with equaling total inflow (Q_in) in the deep and total outflow (Q_out) in the shallow could not explain the occurrence of flowing wells. By representing wells using the MNW2 Package imbedded in MODFLOW 2005, we obtain the exchange of groundwater between the aquifer and the well in the discharge area of 3D unit basins and identify three scenarios: Q_in = Q_out, Q_in > Q_out > 0 and Q_in > Q_out = 0. The relationship of Q_in > Q_out well explains why flowing wells only develop in a limited part of the discharge area. Sensitivity analysis shows that well location, water table undulation, and basin length–depth ratio do not change the profile of the ratio of cumulative flow rate in a flowing well to total inflow (Q_v/Q_in) versus the relative elevation in the inflow segment, z_in*, but could significantly change the length of the inflow segment; well depth could change both the length of the inflow segment and the profile of Q_v/Q_in versus z_in*. Based on the numerical results in homogeneous and isotropic basins with different basin length–depth ratios in the current study, the ratio of inflow in the lower half part of a flowing well to the total inflow is found to be at least 67% and could be close to 100%, indicating that water at the outlets of flowing wells with long open sections is mainly from the deep part of the well.     

On coda waves of earthquakes

Summary Coda waves viz. the tail portion of an earthquake record have been observed and analysed byCarder, Macelwane and others. They showed that the periods of such waves increase with the increase of epicentral distances.Carder observed that these waves have very little transverse component so that these may be considered as of the type of Rayleigh waves. RecentlyOmote showed that the Coda waves contain three periodsT ₁,T ₂,T ₃ of whichT ₁ increases with epi-central distances as observed by previous observers. ButT ₂,T ₃ remain constant for all earthquakes from different epicentral distances.Omote tried to explain this phenomenon by considering that the surface of the earth consists of several layers andT ₂,T ₃ are free oscillation periods of the surface layers.T ₁ period has been explained bySezawa and also byJeffreys which has been shown byGutenberg. The author has attempted to explain the periodsT ₂,T ₃ by considering passage of cracks at the focal region. The Rayleigh wave character of Coda waves and low velocity of such waves have been explained.     

Lg Coda Q and its Relation to the Structure and Evolution of Continents: A Global Perspective

—Tomographic maps of Lg coda Q (Q ^c _Lg) variation are now available for nearly the entire African, Eurasian, South American, and Australian continents, as well as for the United States. Q ^c _Lg at 1 Hz (Q ₀) varies from less than 200 to more than 1000 and Q ^c _Lg frequency dependence (<eta>) varies between 0.0 and nearly 1.0. Q ₀ appears to increase in proportion to the length of time that has elapsed since the most recent major episode of tectonic or orogenic activity in any region. A plot of Q ₀ versus time since that activity indicates that a single Q ₀-time relation approximates most mean Q ₀ values. Those that deviate most from the trend lay in Australia, the Arabian Peninsula, and the East African rift. The increase in Q ₀ with time may be due to a continual increase in crustal shear wave Q (Q ) caused by the loss of crustal fluids and reduction of crustal permeability following tectonic or orogenic activity. Extrapolated values of Q ^c _Lg at 5 Hz (using Q ₀ and <eta> values measured at 1 Hz and assuming that <eta> is constant in all regions between 1 and 5 Hz) show a similar percentage-wise increase with times that has elapsed since the most recent activity. Other factors that can reduce Q ₀ in continental regions include thick accumulations of sediment (especially sandstone and shale of Mesozoic age and younger), severe velocity gradients at the crust-mantle transition and, possibly, lateral variations in the depth, thickness, and severity of those gradients. Severe and large increases of Q in the mid-crust of some regions can cause relatively large values of <eta>, even if the frequency dependence of Q is small.     

Fast inversion of rupture process of the 14 April 2010 Yushu,Qinghai, earthquake

Four results of the rupture process of 14 April 2010 Yushu, Qinghai, earthquake, obtained by inverting the broadband seismic data of Global Seismographic Network (GSN) based on the inversion method of earthquake rupture process, were compared and discussed. It is found that the Yushu earthquake has several basic characteristics as follows: ① There exist two principal sub-events which correspond to two slip-concentrated patches being located near the hypocenter and to the southeast of the epicenter. The rupture of the slip-concentrated patch to the southeast of the epicenter broke though the ground surface; ② The peak slip and peak slip-rate are about 2.1 m and 1.1 m/s, respectively, indicating that the Yushu earthquake is an event with large slip-rate on the fault plane; ③ Overall the Yushu earthquake is a unilateral rupture event with the rupture mainly propagating southeastward. The strong focusing of the seismic energy in the southeast of the epicenter due to the &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;seismic Doppler effect&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; reasonably accounts for the tremendous damage in the Yushu city.     

Subsurface temperature field of the Bohemian Massif

Summary On the basis of temperature measurements in 190 boreholes we constructed a map of temperature distribution at a depth of 100 m below the terrain level and maps of temperature gradients in different depth intervals below the Earth's surface in the territory of the Bohemian Massif. Investigations were made into the effects of hydrogeological, geomorphological, structure geological and microclimatic factors on the subsurface temperature field in the Bohemian Massif together with an assessment of effects of these factors on heat flow determinations in shallow boreholes 100 – 200 m deep.

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Резюме Нa основaнuu uзмеренuя mемnерamуры в 190 сквaжuнaх былa nосmроенa кaрma рaсnре?rt;еленuя mемnерamуры нa ?rt;лубuне 100 м nо?rt; nоверхносmью Землu u кaрmы ?rt;рa?rt;uенma mемnерamуры в рaзных nо?rt;nоверхносmных uнmервaлaх нa mеррumорuu Чешско?rt;о мaссuвa. Иссле?rt;овaлось осложненuе mеnлово?rt;о nоля у nоверхносmu Землu целым ря?rt;ом фaкmоров: эффекmы рельефa nоверхносmu Землu, ?rt;вuженuя nо?rt;земных во?rt;, mеnлоnрово?rt;носmu ?rt;орных nоро?rt;, мuкроклuмamuческuе эффекmы u ?rt;р. u влuянuе эmuх фaкmоров нa uзмеренuе mеnлово?rt;о nоmокa в не?rt;лубокuх сквaжuнaх (100 – 200 м).

     

Trophic interactions of the pelagic ciliate Stentor spp. in North Patagonian lakes

The zooplankton of oligotrophic lakes in North Patagonia is often dominated by mixotrophic ciliates, particularly Stentor amethystinus and Stentor araucanus. Therefore, we tested whether Stentor spp. (i) is an important food for juvenile endemic (Cheirodon australe, Galaxias maculatus, Odontesthes mauleanum, Percichthys trucha) and introduced (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fish species, and (ii) represents a remarkable grazer of bacteria. Ingestion rates of fish estimated by disappearance of Stentor in feeding experiments ranged between 8 (G. maculatus) and 53 (C. australe) ciliates per fish and day, and assimilation rates measured by using radioactively labelled Stentor ranged between 3 (P. trucha) and 52 (C. australe) ciliates per fish and day. However, although we detected the consumption of Stentor by fish, the daily consumption amounted to at most 0.2% of the fish biomass which can not cover the energy requirement of the fish. Furthermore, the daily consumption was equivalent to a maximum of 1.6% of the Stentor standing stock so that fish predation does not seem to be an important mortality factor for the ciliates. The clearance rate of Stentor sp. on natural bacteria was on average 3.8 μl cil⁻¹ h⁻¹. The daily ingestion (mean 3.9 ng C cil⁻¹ d⁻¹) was about 3.5% of the individual biomass of Stentor sp. Therefore, bacteria ingestion might explain a ciliate growth rate of appr. 1% d⁻¹, which was about 17% of the photosynthesis of endosymbiotic algae. The maximum density of Stentor sp. in the lake could ingest about 1 μg C L⁻¹ d⁻¹ bacteria which is only 3% of average bacterial production. Thus, grazing by Stentor sp. does not seem to be a main loss factor for the bacteria.     

Frequency-dependent Attenuation of High-frequency P and S Waves in the Upper Crust in Western Nagano, Japan

—Borehole seismograms from local earthquakes in the aftershock region of the 1984 western Nagano Prefecture, Japan earthquake were analyzed to measure the frequency-dependent characteristics of P- and S-wave attenuation in the upper crust. The records from a three-component velocity seismometer at the depth of 145m exhibit high S/N-ratio in a wide frequency range up to 100 Hz. Extended coda normalization methods were applied to bandpass-filtered seismograms of frequencies from 25 to 102 Hz. For the attenuation of high-frequency P and S waves, our measurements show Q _P ^-1? 0.052?^-0.66 and Q _S ^-1? 0.0034?^-0.12 respectively. The frequency dependence of the quality factor of S waves is very weak as compared with that of P waves. The ratio of Q _P ^-1/Q _S ^-1 is larger than unity in the entire analyzed frequency range.     

Lg amplitude ratios H/Z and station terms in the six eastern provinces of China

Using the data set of about 1 Hz Lg amplitudes from 80 stations in the six eastern provinces of China, the ratios of horizontal to vertical amplitude of Lg waves,H/Z are determined. The mean lg(H/Z)-value is equal to 0.13. For the station bases of soft deposit,granite and sedimentary rock, lg(H/Z)-values average 0.55, 0.04 and 0.10, respectively. For the three kinds of station bases, the station terms of horizontal amplitude,C _h average 0.65, −0.09 and 0.00; that of vertical amplitude,C _z average 0.32, −0.04 and 0.00, respectively. There are the relations betweenC _h ,C _z and lg(H/Z):C _h =0.01+2.10C _z andC _h =−0.15+1.46 lg(H/Z). The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 281–286, 1991. Project sponsored by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation.     

New marine ΔR values for Arctic Canada

For more than four decades, the reporting of ¹⁴C dates on marine molluscs from Arctic Canada has been notable for the lack of consistently applied marine reservoir corrections. We propose that the common approach of reporting Canadian Arctic marine ¹⁴C dates using presumed time-invariant reservoir corrections be abandoned in favour of calibration of ¹⁴C dates, using the current standard protocol. This approach best facilitates inter- and intra-regional correlation, and correlation with other geochronometers. In order to enable the consistent calibration of marine ¹⁴C dates from Arctic Canada, we analysed a ¹⁴C database of 108 marine mollusc samples collected live between 1894 and 1956, and determined regional reservoir offset values (ΔR) for eight oceanographically distinct regions. The following new ΔR values should be used for ¹⁴C calibration: NW Canadian Arctic Archipelago, 335 ± 85 yrs; Foxe Basin, 310 ± 90 yrs; NE Baffin Island, 220 ± 20 yrs; SE Baffin Island, 150 ± 60 yrs; Hudson Strait, 65 ± 60 yrs; Ungava Bay, 145 ± 95 yrs; Hudson Bay, 110 ± 65 yrs; and James Bay, 365 ± 115 yrs.     

Influences of coupled wind–water processes on suspended sediment grain size: an example from tributaries of the Yellow River / Influences de processus couplés éoliens-hydriques sur la granulométrie des matières en suspension: exemple d'affluents du Fleuve Jaune

Abstract

Some unique coupled wind–water erosion processes exist in the desert-loess transitional zone in the middle Yellow River basin. Based on data from 40 stations on 29 rivers, a study was made on the influence of such processes on suspended sediment grain-size characteristics of the tributaries of the Yellow River. Results show that the percentage of >0.05-mm grain size decreases with the increased annual mean precipitation, but increases with the increase in the annual mean number of sand-dust storm days. The percentage of <0.01-mm grain size increases with the increase in the annual mean precipitation, but decreases with the increase in the annual number of sand-dust storm days. Based on annual mean data from 40 stations, multiple regression equations were established between the percentages of >0.05-mm grain size (r _>0.05) and <0.01-mm grain size (r _<0.01), annual mean precipitation (P _m) and annual mean number of sand-dust storm days (D _ss). On this basis, the relative contributions of the variations in D _ss and P _m to the variation in r _>0.05 and r _<0.01 were estimated. The results indicate that the variation in sand-dust storm frequency exerts greater influences on the variation in grain-size characteristics of suspended load than does the variation in annual mean precipitation. With the increase in the coupled wind–water processes index, expressed by P _m/D _ss, the percentage of >0.05-mm grain size in suspended sediment decreases and the percentage of <0.01-mm grain size increases. With the variation in P _m/D _ss, different combinations of r _>0.05 with r _<0.01 appear, which have some influence on the formation of hyperconcentrated flows. There exist some optimal ratios of coarse to fine fractions in suspended sediment that make sediment concentrations of hyperconcentrated flows the highest. The optimal r _>0.05/r _<0.01 value is related to some range of the index P _m/D _ss. When the P _m/D _ss index falls in this range, the optimum combination of relative coarse with fine sediments in the suspended load appears, and thus results in the peak values of sediment concentration.     

Scattering and intrinsic attenuation in Cairo metropolitan area using genetic algorithm

A total number of 46 local earthquakes (2.0≤ML≤4.0) recorded in the period 2000–2011 by the Egyptian seismographic network (ENSN) were used to estimate the total (Q_t⁻¹), intrinsic (Q_i⁻¹) and scattering attenuation (Q_sc⁻¹) in Cairo metropolitan area, Egypt. The multiple lapse time window analysis (MLTWA) under the assumption of multiple isotropic scattering with uniform distribution of scatters was firstly applied to estimate the pair of L_e⁻¹, the extinction length inverse, and B₀, the seismic albedo, in the frequency range 3–24 Hz. To take into account the effect of a depth-dependent earth model, the obtained values of B₀ and L_e⁻¹ were corrected for an earth structure characterized by a transparent upper mantle and a heterogeneous crust. The estimated values of Q_t⁻¹, Q_sc⁻¹ and Q_i⁻¹ exhibited frequency dependences. The average frequency-dependent relationships of attenuation characteristics estimated for the region are found to be: Q_t⁻¹=(0.015±0.008)f ^{(−1.02±0.02)}, Q_sc⁻¹=(0.006±0.001)f ^{(−1.01±0.02)}, and Q_i⁻¹=(0.009±0.008)f ^{(−1.03±0.02)}; showing a predominance of intrinsic absorption over scattering attenuation. This finding implies that the pore-fluid contents may have great effect on the attenuation mechanism in the upper crust where the River Nile is passing through the study area. The obtained results are comparable with those obtained in other tectonic regions.     

Adsorption of Au(III) and Au(I) complexes on δ-MnO2

The sorption of AuCl₄ ⁻,AuCl₂ ⁻ and Au(S₂O₃)^3- on δ-MnO₂ was investigated at pH2–11.6, 0.01 mol/L and 0.1 mol/L NaNO₃ solutions. At pH 4 in two electrolyte strength solutions, Au sorption densities on δ-MnO₂ are 0.18–0.21 and 0.28μmoL/m² for AuCl₄ ⁻ and Au(S₂O₃)₂ ^3-, respectively, and the Au surface coverage is approximate to or lower than 1%. This adsorption of the two Au complexes decreases as the solution pH increases, which conforms to the sorption regularity of the anion on δ-MnO₂. The Au sorption decreases in the sequence of Au(S₂O₃)₂ ^3- >AuCl₄ ⁻ >AuC1₂ ⁻. The intrinsic equilibrium constants (logK ^int) of the three Au complexes are 1.17–2.7, much higher than those of Cu and Cd. The hydrolysis products of AuCl₄ ^- are preferentially adsorbed by δ-MnO₂ and the inner-sphere Au-surface complexes are formed on the surface. Project supported by the National Studying-abroad Foundation, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49573200) and the Australian Mining Industry.