Evaluating coastal scenery using fuzzy logic: Application at selected sites in Western Black Sea coastal region of Turkey

Coastal areas of the world are under treat due to the conflicting requirements of functions such as habitation and/or recreation, which affect the strategic asset of coastal scenery itself. Coastal managers, together with planners, need coastal landscape inventories, where the quality of coastal scenery is a part of the inventory. In order to provide an evidence-based approach for sound coastal management decisions, [Ergin et al., 2004] and [Ergin et al., 2006] developed a novel technique ‘coastal scenic evaluation’ (CSE), which addresses the evaluation of coastal scenery. The CSE technique utilizes fuzzy logic to derive values obtained from a checklist of 26 physical and human parameters. The methodology enables the calculation of an evaluation index (D), which categorizes the scenic values of coastal sites into five distinct classes. Using this technique, coastal scenic evaluations were carried out at 34 selected sites on the Western Black Sea coast of Turkey. Based on the calculated D values, a five-class differentiation was obtained for the selected sites, to provide baseline information for any envisaged subsequent management plans for these areas.     

Implications for behavior of volatile elements during impacts—Zinc and copper systematics in sediments from the Ries impact structure and central European tektites

Moldavites are tektites genetically related to the Ries impact structure, located in Central Europe, but the source materials and the processes related to the chemical fractionation of moldavites are not fully constrained. To further understand moldavite genesis, the Cu and Zn abundances and isotope compositions were measured in a suite of tektites from four different substrewn fields (South Bohemia, Moravia, Cheb Basin, Lusatia) and chemically diverse sediments from the surroundings of the Ries impact structure. Moldavites are slightly depleted in Zn (~10–20%) and distinctly depleted in Cu (>90%) relative to supposed sedimentary precursors. Moreover, the moldavites show a wide range in δ⁶⁶Zn values between 1.7 and 3.7‰ (relative to JMC 3‐0749 Lyon) and δ⁶⁵Cu values between 1.6 and 12.5‰ (relative to NIST SRM 976) and are thus enriched in heavy isotopes relative to their possible parent sedimentary sources (δ⁶⁶Zn = ?0.07 to +0.64‰; δ⁶⁵Cu = ?0.4 to +0.7‰). In particular, the Cheb Basin moldavites show some of the highest δ⁶⁵Cu values (up to 12.5‰) ever observed in natural samples. The relative magnitude of isotope fractionation for Cu and Zn seen here is opposite to oxygen‐poor environments such as the Moon where Zn is significantly more isotopically fractionated than Cu. One possibility is that monovalent Cu diffuses faster than divalent Zn in the reduced melt and diffusion will not affect the extent of Zn isotope fractionation. These observations imply that the capability of forming a redox environment may aid in volatilizing some elements, accompanied by isotope fractionation, during the impact process. The greater extent of elemental depletion, coupled with isotope fractionation of more refractory Cu relative to Zn, may also hinge on the presence of carbonyl species of transition metals and electromagnetic charge, which could exist in the impact‐induced high‐velocity jet of vapor and melts.     

Bioremediation perspective of historically contaminated sediment with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The purpose of the current study is to compare the influence of different aerobic conditions(biostimulation(BS),bioaugmentation(BA),and a combination of biostimulation and bioaugmentation(BB))on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH)degradation and compare the degraded amount with single step XAD-4 extraction as a new tool for bioavailability assessment for chronically contaminated sediment samples obtained from territory of Autonomous Province Vojvodina of Serbia(S1,S2,and S3).A great number of papers dealing with biodegradation of PAHs in spiked sediment or soil have been published,but to the authors’knowledge,a limited number of papers studied aged,historically polluted sediment and a sum of chosen U.S.Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA)PAHs.A significant reduction(up to67%)in PAH concentration was observed,while the percentage of reduction varied depending on the sediment sample and treatment used.BS treatment successfully stimulated growth of indigenous bacteria.Further,PAH-degrading strain Sphingomonas paucimobilis F8 inoculated in BA and BB treatment survived for up to 7 weeks after it was suppressed by unfavorable conditions or native microbes.Degraded amounts generally showed good correlation with results obtained from XAD-4 extraction.Results obtained in the current study represent a good start for standardizing a XAD-4 extraction technique as a simplified,easier,and lower cost method for bioavailability assessment.     

Impoverishment of recent floodplain forest mollusc fauna in the lower Ohře River (Czech Republic) as a result of prehistoric human impact

Analyses of fossil mollusc successions have rarely been used to study the development of floodplain forests during the Holocene. The Oh?e River, located in a prehistorically settled chernozem area in the Czech Republic, is partly situated in Cretaceous marlstones, yielding sediments suitable for fossilization directly in floodplain deposits. We analysed five fossil mollusc successions situated in the lower stretch of the Oh?e River and compared the results with recent mollusc assemblages studied along the entire 256 km of the river. Fossil samples were composed mostly of open‐country species throughout the Holocene or the whole preserved succession. Only some samples also contained woodland assemblages, but these were always greatly impoverished, with a very low frequency of strictly woodland species. Although the natural‐looking appearance of the present‐day floodplain forests of the lower river stretch has resulted in its being declared a nature reserve, modern floodplain forest mollusc assemblages there are also impoverished. This reduction in the distribution of strictly woodland species compared with modern assemblages in the upper stretch of the river seems to be the result of an ancient human settlement and continuous disturbances of the floodplain forest development since the Neolithic. Thus, fully developed floodplain forest assemblages occur recently only in the upper non‐impacted stretch of the river. Based on the studied fossil successions we can conclude that the lower Oh?e River floodplain was probably a mosaic of open and disturbed forest habitats throughout the Holocene. This area is part of a central European landscape island, where forests probably never fully developed and open patches from the early Holocene continually developed into an agricultural landscape.     

An anthropo-ecological approach to landscape use optimization

A method of landscape evaluation based on the anthropo-ecological approach is worked out. The procedure consists of three stages, viz., general, special and optimization. Within the general stage, the structural arrangement of the landscape is evaluated by means of the concept of geo-ecological sites (GES), which are distributed into four zones (A, B, C, D) according to the degrees of their anthropic disturbance. The zoning performed makes it possible to select those geo-ecological sites where eco-critical relationships can be expected to appear; in order to eliminate such situations, transition zones are calculated for the geo-ecological sites concerned. The outcome of this approach is a proposal of a new structural arrangement of the geo-ecological sites, solving eco-critical situations and serving as a basis for the special and optimization stages of the anthropo-ecological method.     

On the relation between solar motion and the long term variability of solar activity

Summary The Sun's motion round the barycentre of the solar system was found to consist of two basic alternately repeating elements of the noose and of the arc. The mean time for solar motion around each of these elements was found to be 9.93 yr. The relation between solar motion and solar variability was determined as follows: Approximately coincident periodicities ranging from 60 to 2200 yr were traced in both phenomena and a coincidence of all prolonged minima in solar activity with the epochs of the highest deviations from the Jupiter—Saturn order was found over a time interval of 3100 yr.

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ma, m ¶rt;uu a ma mmu um mum u ¶rt; , n nmu m — u nmu u u au. uu a a¶rt; u mu m ¶rt;um ¶rt; 9.93¶rt;a. am a maa ¶rt; ¶rt;uu a u au amumu: a mu m n¶rt;anum—am a aa nuuum maa u¶rt;um ¶rt;uuu a n¶rt;ea 60–2200 m, a u amumu, a mu umaa ¶rt;umm 3100 m a¶rt; n na¶rt;u ¶rt; uu amumu nu¶rt;au aua mu m n¶rt;a — u am.

     

Stick-slip unstable shear failure as a source of high frequency elastic radiation

Summary The results of laboratory measurements on square perspex models with a stress concentrator under uniaxial compression are presented. An attempt was made to interpret these results in order to determine the mutual relations between the mechanical parameters characterizing the treated models, including their focal zones, parameters of model loading, parameters of seismogenic displacement and parameters of radiated elastic pulses. Particular attention was given to the study of slip displacement, slip velocity, rupture velocity, nucleation points of rupture propagation, nucleation points of elastic radiation and to the frequency analysis of radiated pulses. Measurements of the displacement in the focal zone enabled us to determine the source function, to construct theoretical seismograms in a far field and to compare them with the real pulses from ultrasonic transducers located there. This allowed testing theoretical and experimental approaches to the study of how slip displacement, slip velocity and rupture velocity are related to the parameters of radiated pulses.     

Measurement of a freezing nucleus content in a water sample — Evaluation of the method

Summary A drop freezing technique applied in laboratory research to heterogeneous ice nucleation is described. The quality of the obtained experimental data is studied both theoretically and experimentally. Attention is focused on the range of measurable freezing nucleus concentration, the accuracy, the correctness and the reproducibility of the results. Some mechanisms which could influence the correctness of the method are discussed. No mechanism significantly influencing the measurements was found. It is concluded that the present experimental method is an effective method of measuring a freezing nucleus content in a water sample.

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ama na uu m¶rt;a n¶rt;u mauu ¶rt; ¶rt; a ¶rt;. ¶rt;m ama mam n nuu m¶rt;a. uau ua a ¶rt;uana uum mauu ¶rt; ¶rt;, a mm, naum u nmumm mam. umum m uu a naum m¶rt;a, m u u ma.

     

Tidal deformations of viscoelastic body

Summary The tidal deformations of a viscoelastic body are studied using the simple Kelvin-Voigt model. Expressions for the phase lag and amplitude change of the displacement vector are derived. The energy dissipation rate is calculated for the main disturbing bodies and for diurnal and semidiurnal tidal waves.

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am nuu ¶rt;auu n ma ua-ma. ¶rt; au ¶rt; ana¶rt;au a u uu anum¶rt; ma u. aumaa m ¶rt;uunauu uu ¶rt; u a a m u nm .

     

On the gravitation absorption hypothesis

Summary It is recommended that the data from measurements with supraconducting gravity meters be also analysed with regard to verifying the gravitation absorption hypothesis. Based on theoretical data from a3-year period, the spectrum of the assumed effect of shielding the gravitational influence of the Sun by the Earth's body on the value of the acceleration of gravity has been calculated for the tidal station Brussels (Figs 2a–e).

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¶rt;aam aauuam ¶rt;a uu n¶rt;uaumau ma mu u nuunm n¶rt;auaumauu. a mmuu ¶rt;a a mmu nu¶rt; u nm n¶rt;naa ma auauaumau ¶rt;mu a m a uu u u mmu ¶rt; nuu mauu (u. 2a–).