A test for directional-linear independence,with applications to wildfire orientation and size

A nonparametric test for assessing the independence between a directional random variable (circular or spherical, as particular cases) and a linear one is proposed in this paper. The statistic is based on the squared distance between nonparametric kernel density estimates and its calibration is done by a permutation approach. The size and power characteristics of various variants of the test are investigated and compared with those for classical correlation-based tests of independence in an extensive simulation study. Finally, the best-performing variant of the new test is applied in the analysis of the relation between the orientation and size of Portuguese wildfires.     

The use of cholinesterase as potential biomarker: In vitro characterization in the polychaete Capitella teleta

The ecological relevance of polychaetes coupled with their easy culture and maintenance in the laboratory, has led them to become increasingly used in marine ecotoxicological studies, raising the need to validate frequently applied monitoring tools at various biological levels. The present study was aimed to characterize the cholinesterases (ChE) activity in the polychaete Capitella teleta, using three substrates (acetylthiocholine iodide, propionylthiocholine iodide, and S-butyrylthiocholine iodide) and four known inhibitors (eserine hemisulfate, BW284c51, iso-OMPA and chlorpyrifos-oxon). Results showed that most of the measured cholinesterase activity was acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Inhibition of enzyme kinetic experiments denoted that sensitivity of C. teleta’s ChE to the organophosphorous metabolite chlorpyrifos-oxon (IC₅₀ = 60.72 nM) was analogous to some fish species. This study highlights the relevance of ChE characterization before its use as a biomarker in ecotoxicology and biomonitoring studies.     

Estimation of base motion in instrumented steel buildings using output‐only system identification

A procedure to estimate the seismic motion at the base of a building from measured acceleration response at two or more floors is presented. The proposed method is comprised of two steps. In the first step, the dynamic characteristics of the building are inferred by using an output‐only system identification procedure. In the second step, the motion of the base of the building is estimated by using the transfer function of a simplified building model consisting of a shear and flexural continuous beam together with dynamic properties obtained in the first step. The proposed method is validated first with an analytical model subjected to the 1940 El Centro ground motion and then with an instrumented building in California that experienced the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and the ground motions at the base of the building are available. It is shown that the proposed method is capable of providing very good estimates of the motion at the base. The use of the proposed method is finally illustrated on an instrumented building, where the sensor at the base of the building did not function during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nutrient dynamics in water and sediment of Mediterranean ponds across a wide hydroperiod gradient

In Mediterranean ponds, summer drought enhances seasonality whose intensity varies along topographic and climatic gradients. The alternation of wet and dry periods in rain dependent ponds affects their biogeochemistry and differentiates them from ponds fed by more stable water sources, such as groundwater springs. Superimposed onto this, land use is also a very strong factor of variability. In this study we compared nutrients and organic matter concentrations, in water and in sediment, among different types of Mediterranean ponds based on the source of water, hydroperiod and land use. Forty-three ponds were sampled in Eastern Spain corresponding to five pond types: (1) permanent spring ponds in lowlands, (2) permanent spring ponds in mountains, (3) semi-permanent rain ponds, (4) temporary rain ponds with long hydroperiod and (5) temporary rain ponds with short hydroperiod.The results of this study indicate relevant differences among these pond types. The temporary rain ponds with short hydroperiod are characterized by high turbidity due to suspension of sediment particles rich in phosphorous adsorbed onto them (argillotrophic aquatic systems). They are used for watering domestic sheep that enhance sediment suspension by trampling. Total phosphorous (TP) concentrations in the water are high (like those of hypertrophic lakes), but planktonic chlorophyll a is very low and not correlated with TP, because of the low P-bioavailavility in the water. At the other extreme, we have permanent ponds in lowlands fed by groundwater springs. They are heavily loaded with nitrates due to the surrounding intensive agriculture. In these and other permanent/semipermanent ponds chlorophyll is highly correlated with TP. Sediment characteristics provide a good indication of the hydroperiod, since desiccation has important effects on biogeochemical transformations. A threshold of 5% organic matter (OM) in the sediment separates temporary ponds with a short hydroperiod from those with a long hydroperiod, and a threshold of 8% separates the later from the semi-permanent and permanent ponds. Besides OM reduction, important loss of N occurs during desiccation through mineralization, ammonia volatization and the sequential nitrification/denitrification pathway. On the other hand, the increase of organic P mineralization in dry sediments does not represent a loss of P from the system, since o-P remains adsorbed or bound onto the soil. This leads to a low TN/TP ratio in sediments in temporary ponds with short hydroperiod. These characteristics have to be taken into account when establishing pond typologies and ecological thresholds to assess water quality in these unique aquatic habitats.     

Geological and Isotopic Constraints on the Metallogenic Evolution of the Proterozoic Sediment-Hosted Pb-Zn (Ag) Deposits of Brazil

Integrated studies of seven Proterozoic sediment-hosted, Pb-Zn-Ag sulfide deposits of Brazil, permit the estimation of the age of the hosting sequence and the mineralization, the nature of the sulfur and metal sources, the temperature range of sulfide formation and the environment of deposition. These deposits can be classified into three groups, according to their ages. (a) Archean to Paleoproterozoic: the Boquira deposit, in Bahia state, consists of stratiform massive and disseminated sulfides hosted by parametamorphic sequences of grunnerite-cummingtonite+magnetite that represent a silicate facies of the Boquira Formation (BF). Lead isotope data of galena samples indicate a time span between 2.7 and 2.5 Ga for ore formation, in agreement with the stratigraphic position of the BF. The relatively heavy sulfur isotope compositions for the disseminated and stratiform sulfides (+8.3 to +12.8 ‰ CDT)suggest a sedimentary source for the sulfur. (b) Paleo to Mesoproterozoic: stratiform and stratabound sulfides in association with growth faults are present in the Canoas mine (Ribeira, in Paraná state) and in the Caboclo mineralization (Bahia state). They are hosted by calcsilicates and amphibolites in the Canoas deposit, whereas in the Caboclo area the mineralization is associated with hydrothermally altered dolarenites at the base of the 1.2 Ga Caboclo Formation. The interpreted Pb-Pb age of the Canoas mineralization is coeval with the 1.7 Ga host rocks. Sulfur isotopic data for Canoas sulfides (+1.2 to +16 ‰ CDT) suggest a sea water source for the sulfur. The range between −21.1 and +8.8 ‰ CDT for the Caboclo sulfides could suggest the action of bacterial reduction of seawater sulfates, but this interpretation is not conclusive. (c) Neoproterozoic: stratiform and stratabound sulfide deposits formed during the complex diagenetic history of the host carbonate rocks from the Morro Agudo (Bambui Group), Irecê and Nova Redenção (Una Group), yield heavy sulfur isotope values (+18.9 to +39.4 ‰ CDT). The uniform heavy isotope composition of the barites from these deposits (+25.1 to +40.9 ‰) reflect their origin from Neoproterozoic seawater sulfates. The late-stage, and most important, metallic concentrations represent sulfur scavenged from pre-existing sulfides or from direct reduction of evaporitic sulfate minerals. Lead isotope data from the Bambui Group suggest focused fluid circulation from diverse Proterozoic sediment sources, that probably was responsible for metal transport to the site of sulfide precipitation. (d) Late Proterozoic to Early Paleozoic: lead-zinc sulfides (+pyrite and chalcopyrite) of Santa Maria deposits, in Rio Grande do Sul, form the matrix of arkosic sandstones and conglomerates, and are closely associated with regional faults forming graben structures. Intermediate volcanic rocks are intercalated with the basal siliciclastic members. Lead isotope age of the mineralization (0.59 Ga) is coeval with the host rocks. Sulfur isotopic values between −3.6 and +4.1 are compatible with a deep source for the sulfur.Geological, petrographic and isotopic data of the deposits studied suggest that they were formed during periods of extensional tectonics. Growth faults or reactivated basement structures probably were responsible for localized circulation of metal-bearing fluids within the sedimentary sequences. Sulfides were formed by the reduction of sedimentary sulfates in most cases. Linear structures are important controls for sulfide concentration in these Proterozoic basins.     

Relationship between global mean sea-level and global mean temperature in a climate simulation of the past millennium

The possibility of using global mean near-surface temperature, its rate of change or the global mean ocean heat-flux as predictors to statistically estimate the change of global mean sea-level is explored in the context of a long climate simulation of the past millennium with the climate model ECHO-G. Such relationships have recently been proposed to by-pass the difficulty of estimating future sea-level changes based on simulations with coarse-resolution climate models. It is found that, in this simulation, a simple linear relationship between mean temperature and the rate of change of sea level does not exist. A regression parameter linking both variables, and estimated in sliding 120-year windows, varies widely along the simulation and, in some periods, even attains negative values. The ocean heat-flux and the rate-of-change of mean temperature seem to better capture the rate-of-change of sea level due to thermal expansion.     

Daily hydrological modeling in the Amazon basin using TRMM rainfall estimates

Rainfall measurements by conventional raingauges provide relatively accurate estimates at a few points of a region. The actual rainfield can be approximated by interpolating the available raingauge data to the remaining of the area of interest. In places with relatively low gauge density such interpolated rainfields will be very rough estimates of the actual events. This is especially true for tropical regions where most rainfall has a convective origin with high spatial variability at the daily level. Estimates of rainfall by remote sensing can be very useful in regions such as the Amazon basin, where raingauge density is very low and rainfall highly variable. This paper evaluates the rainfall estimates of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite over the Tapajós river basin, a major tributary of the Amazon. Three-hour TRMM rainfall estimates were aggregated to daily values and were compared with catch of ground-level precipitation gauges on a daily basis after interpolating both data to a regular grid. Both daily TRMM and raingauge-interpolated rainfields were then used as input to a large-scale hydrological model for the whole basin; the calculated hydrographs were then compared to observations at several streamgauges along the river Tapajos and its main tributaries. Results of the rainfield comparisons showed that satellite estimates can be a practical tool for identifying damaged or aberrant raingauges at a basin-wide scale. Results of the hydrological modeling showed that TRMM-based calculated hydrographs are comparable with those obtained using raingauge data.