Preliminary gas hazard evaluation in Greece

Natural Hazards - Like other geodynamically active areas, Greece is also affected by a large number of geogenic gas manifestations. These occur either in the form of point sources (fumaroles,...     

A multisource approach for coastal mapping purposes: Limeni bay,Mani and surrounding area,southern Greece

A multipurpose engineering geological map of a natural heritage site including inland and offshore areas has been compiled to provide information on many aspects for land use optimization, sustainable development and environmental protection. The mapping approach was based on data provided by conventional onland field works, marine remote sensing survey and aerial photo interpretation. These data sources were integrated into a GIS platform allowing reliable mapping solutions. The geological formations encountered were grouped into individual geotechnical units according to uniformity in lithological character, while the seabed sub-bottom structure was also obtained through several seafloor thematic map compilation. Shoreline variability and evolution for a long time period (1945–2008) were also investigated and mapped. The synergistic use of the results deducted from those disciplinary surveys is finally presented in a single engineering geological map covering the onshore and offshore area.     

The geodynamic and limnological evolution of Balkan Lake Ohrid,possibly the oldest extant lake in Europe

Studies of the upper 447 m of the DEEP site sediment succession from central Lake Ohrid, Balkan Peninsula, North Macedonia and Albania provided important insights into the regional climate history and evolutionary dynamics since permanent lacustrine conditions established at 1.36 million years ago (Ma). This paper focuses on the entire 584-m-long DEEP sediment succession and a comparison to a 197-m-long sediment succession from the Pestani site ~5 km to the east in the lake, where drilling ended close to the bedrock, to unravel the earliest history of Lake Ohrid and its basin development. ²⁶Al/¹⁰Be dating of clasts from the base of the DEEP sediment succession implies that the sedimentation in the modern basin started at c. 2 Ma. Geophysical, sedimentological and micropalaeontological data allow for chronological information to be transposed from the DEEP to the Pestani succession. Fluvial conditions, slack water conditions, peat formation and/or complete desiccation prevailed at the DEEP and Pestani sites until 1.36 and 1.21 Ma, respectively, before a larger lake extended over both sites. Activation of karst aquifers to the east probably by tectonic activity and a potential existence of neighbouring Lake Prespa supported filling of Lake Ohrid. The lake deepened gradually, with a relatively constant vertical displacement rate of ~0.2 mm a⁻¹ between the central and the eastern lateral basin and with greater water depth presumably during interglacial periods. Although the dynamic environment characterized by local processes and the fragmentary chronology of the basal sediment successions from both sites hamper palaeoclimatic significance prior to the existence of a larger lake, the new data provide an unprecedented and detailed picture of the geodynamic evolution of the basin and lake that is Europe’s presumed oldest extant freshwater lake.     

Finite element analysis of the seismic response of ancient columns

This paper presents a numerical study of the response to earthquake actions of eight ancient Greek multidrum columns, which were chosen as representative of a broad spectrum of the ancient columns preserved to date. The study was conducted using the FE software Abaqus, in three steps. At first, the software efficiency to predict the rocking response of dry-stone structures was verified. Afterwards, various numerical models of one typical ancient multidrum column were seismically excited. Records of four real earthquakes differing in frequency content were used for the excitation of the models. Each column model was different from the others at least in one geometric or modeling parameter. Although the examined parameters affected the numerical results, their variation did not alter significantly the overall behavior of the column. In the last step of the study, numerical models of eight columns were seismically excited using four seismic records. In these analyses, among the simulation approaches tested in the second step, the simpler one was adopted. On the basis of the numerical results, conclusions were drawn regarding the seismic resistance of the columns and its correlation with the dynamic characteristics of the columns (size, slenderness, and frequency parameter) and with the basic intensity measures and frequency content indicator of the seismic motions (PHA, PHV, PHD, and T_g). Thus, criteria of seismic collapse for the multidrum columns are proposed, which can be used for the approximate assessment of the seismic vulnerability of free-standing ancient columns, provided that the columns are in good preservation state.     

Direct estimation of seismic response in reduced-degree-of-freedom isolation and energy dissipation systems

A methodology for the development of design tools for direct estimation of peak inelastic response in reduced-degree-of-freedom (RDOF) isolation and energy dissipation systems is presented. The suggested procedure is an extension of an earlier method addressing purely hysteretic isolation systems. Herein, the dynamic equation of motion is first normalised to reduce the number of design parameters that significantly affect the response. The sensitivity of normalised response quantities to the amplitude of the ground motion is then investigated through extensive parametric nonlinear dynamic analyses of isolated single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems with linear viscous damping using code-based target spectra. Regression analysis is subsequently employed to develop generalised design equations (GDEs) suitable for design. Further investigations are made to address nonlinear viscous damping and the effect of the transverse component of seismic action in two-degree-of freedom (2DOF) systems under bidirectional excitation, making the procedure applicable to common bridge isolation schemes. GDEs constitute an alternative to equivalent linearisation approaches commonly adopted by codes, informing the selection among alternative isolation and energy dissipations schemes without requiring iterative analysis. The approach is incorporated in the Deformation-Based Design methodology for seismically isolated bridges in a forthcoming paper.     

The importance of wind forcing in fjord wave modelling

Ocean Dynamics - Accurate predictions of surface ocean waves in coastal areas are important for a number of marine activities. In complex coastlines with islands and fjords, the quality of wind...     

Using Network Analysis for Emergency Planning in Case of an Earthquake

Populations in several countries including Greece face a continuous earthquake hazard. Planning to explore how the authorities will conduct their actions when such incidents occur is very important. People have to move to safe areas called refuge areas. GIS network analysis tools can help predict how many and which people these refuge areas can host depending on the location of their residence. A network allocation model is used.     

On the theory of the type III burst exciter

In situ satellite observations of type III burst exciters at 1 AU show that the beam does not evolve into a plateau in velocity space, contrary to the prediction quasilinear theory. The observations can be explained by a theory that includes mode coupling effects due to excitation of the parametric oscillating two-stream instability and its saturation by anomalous resistivity. The time evolution of the beam velocity distribution is included in the analysis.NAS/NRC Postdoctoral Resident Research Associate.