Maximum entropy method: an unconventional approach to explore observables related to the electron density in phengites

The maximum entropy method (MEM) is used here to get an insight into the electron density [ρ(r)] of phengites 2M ₁ and 3T, paying special attention to the M1-formally empty site and charge distribution. Room temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction data have been used as experimental input for MEM. The results obtained by MEM have been compared with those from conventional structure refinement which, in turn, has provided the prior-electron density to start the entropy maximization process. MEM reveals a comparatively non-committal approach, able to produce information related to the M1-site fractional occupancy, and yields results consistent with those from the difference Fourier synthesis, but free of the uncertainties due to the abrupt truncation of the series. The charge distribution is investigated by means of the notion of ‘‘site basin’’, i.e., those site-centered volumes delimited by a surface such as ∇ρ·n = 0. In particular, we observe: (1) the overall partitioning of the basin total charge between cation and anion sites, and the interlayer site charge seems to depend on sample composition, and (2) the apical-oxygen plane total basin charge and hydroxyl basin charge are presumably related to the polytype. The MEM-determined electron density does not allow full exploration of the critical points for very complex structures as micas, insofar as conventional room temperature experimental diffraction data are used.     

Variation in DOC and trace metal concentration along the heavily urbanized basin in Kathmandu Valley,Nepal

Water samples were analyzed for DOC and trace metals from Bagmati River within Kathmandu valley, Nepal, to understand the variation trends of DOC and trace metals and their relationship along the drainage network. The variability in organic matter and wastewater input within the Bagmati drainage basin appeared to control DOC and most of the trace metal concentration. The large input of organic matter and wastewater creates anoxic condition by consuming dissolved oxygen and releasing higher concentrations of DOC, trace elements such as nickel, arsenic, barium, cadmium, and copper with downstream distance. Concentrations of DOC and trace metals like barium and zinc showed strong relationships with human population density and suggest that human activities have strong control on these parameters along the drainage network. The DOC and most of the trace metal concentration increased with downstream distance and appeared to be directly associated with human activities. The variation trends of most of the trace metals appeared to be the same; however, concentration varied widely. Inputs of organic matter and wastewater due to human activities appeared directly to be associated for the variation of DOC and trace metals along the Bagmati drainage network within Kathmandu valley.     

Stabilization of Expansive Clays Using Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS) and GBFS-Cement

Expansive clays undergo swelling when subjected to water. This can cause damage, especially to light weight structures, water conveyance canals, lined reservoirs, highways, and airport runways unless appropriate measures are taken. In this study, granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and GBFS-cement (GBFSC) were utilized to overcome or to limit the expansion of an artificially prepared expansive soil sample (sample A). GBFS and GBFSC were added to sample A in proportions of 5–25% by weight. The effects of these stabilizers on grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, swelling percentage and rate of swell of soil samples were determined. GBFS and GBFSC were shown to successfully decreasing the total amount of swell while increasing the rate of swell.     

3-D assessment of peak-metamorphic conditions by Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material: an example from the margin of the Lepontine dome (Swiss Central Alps)

This study monitors regional changes in the crystallinity of carbonaceous matter (CM) by applying Micro-Raman spectroscopy to a total of 214 metasediment samples (largely so-called Bündnerschiefer) dominantly metamorphosed under blueschist- to amphibolite-facies conditions. They were collected within the northeastern margin of the Lepontine dome and easterly adjacent areas of the Swiss Central Alps. Three-dimensional mapping of isotemperature contours in map and profile views shows that the isotemperature contours associated with the Miocene Barrow-type Lepontine metamorphic event cut across refolded nappe contacts, both along and across strike within the northeastern margin of the Lepontine dome and adjacent areas. Further to the northeast, the isotemperature contours reflect temperatures reached during the Late Eocene subduction-related blueschist-facies event and/or during subsequent near-isothermal decompression; these contours appear folded by younger, large-scale post-nappe-stacking folds. A substantial jump in the recorded maximum temperatures across the tectonic contact between the frontal Adula nappe complex and surrounding metasediments indicates that this contact accommodated differential tectonic movement of the Adula nappe with respect to the enveloping Bündnerschiefer after maximum temperatures were reached within the northern Adula nappe, i.e. after Late Eocene time.     

A comparative study of landslide susceptibility mapping using weight of evidence,logistic regression and support vector machine and evaluated by SBAS-InSAR monitoring: Zhouqu to Wudu segment in Bailong River Basin,China

The determining of landslide-prone areas in mountainous terrain is essential for land planning and hazard mitigation. In this paper, a comparative study using three statistical models including weight of evidence model (WoE), logistic regression model (LR) and support vector machine method (SVM) was undertaken in the Zhouqu to Wudu segment in the Bailong River Basin, Southern Gansu, China. Six conditionally independent environmental factors, elevation, slope, aspect, distance from fault, lithology and settlement density, were selected as the explanatory variables that may contribute to landslide occurrence based on principal component analysis (PCA) and Chi-square test. The relation between landslide distributions and these variables was analyzed using the three models and the results then used to calculate the landslide susceptibility (LS). The performance of the models was then evaluated using both the highly accurate deformation signals produced by using the Small Baseline Subset Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar technique and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. Results show more deformation points in areas with high and very high LS levels, and also more stable points in areas with low and very low LS levels for the SVM model. In addition, the SVM has larger area under the ROC curve. It indicates that the SVM has better prediction accuracy and classified ability. For the interpretability, the WoE derives the class of factors that most contributed to landsliding in the study area, and the LR reveals that factors including elevation, settlement density and distance from fault played major roles in landslide occurrence and distribution, whereas the SVM cannot provide relative weights for the variables. The outperformed SVM could be employed to determine potential landslide zones in the study area. Outcome of this research would provide preliminary basis for general land planning such as choosing new urban areas and infrastructure construction in the future, as well as for landslide hazard mitigation in Bailong River Basin.     

Changes of oceanographic characteristics and the state of pollution in the Izmit bay following the earthquake of 1999

The Izmit Bay is an elongated semi-enclosed bay in the Marmara Sea. It is being increasingly polluted by both domestic and industrial waste discharge since 1970’s. A monitoring program was conducted between 1999-2000 to document the state of pollution in the bay. This includes the effect of Marmara (Izmit) earthquake (magnitude 7.4) that occurred in August 1999. A stable two-layer ecosystem exists in the bay throughout the year due to continuous inflows of the saltier Mediterranean and brackish Black Sea waters to the Marmara basin. Therefore, the principal biochemical characteristics of the bay are governed by the two-layer flow system over the basin. Dissolved oxygen (DO) is generally at a saturated levels in the surface layer which is 10 to 15 m thick, but it is depleted to 60–70 μM in the lower layer, exhibiting a steep gradient in the sharp halocline. When the earthquake occurred, great loads of industrial wastes were released into the bay surface waters, which enhanced primary production in the upper layer and thus large export of particulate organic matter to lower layer and eventually to the bottom. Accordingly, DO was consumed and anoxic condition was established even in the upper layer/halocline interface, the halocline and bottom waters of the eastern and central bay. In this period, concurrent increases were observed in phosphate and ammonia contents at the halocline and in deep waters whilst the nitrate was almost consumed via denitrification processes in the anoxic water. Recently, the industrial C, N and P loads increased by as much as 8 fold within five years (1995–2000) whilst domestic inputs increased by 50%. Total organic matter discharged to the bay increased more than double within the last 15 years. Besides, most factories in the region release toxic wastes into the bay after only partial treatment.     

Mineralogical,geochemical and microfabric evidences of gypsum crusts: a case study from Budapest

High levels of SO₂ and particulate pollution enable the rapid development of gypsum-rich weathering crusts in Budapest. Two types of white crusts, thin and thick ones, and two forms of black crusts, laminar and framboidal ones, were studied in limestone buildings of the parliament and Citadella. The percentage of crust cover and damage categories were documented on selected walls. Petrographic, XRD, XRF and sulphur isotope analyses were performed under laboratory conditions to understand the mechanism of crust formation. White crusts found both on exposed and sheltered walls display a calcite-rich layer with gypsum, while black crusts are enriched with gypsum. The sulphur isotopic composition of white and black crusts overlaps, but the crusts are slightly enriched in heavy isotopes compared to rainwater. S content, Si/Al ratios and particulates in black crusts suggest that air pollution (SO₂, dust) contributes to black crust formation. The accumulation of sulphur and Zn enrichment of white crusts were also documented indicating that under high pollution levels, even these compound can accumulate on exposed facades.     

A method for generating uniform size-segregated pyrite particle fractions

Background  

Standardized sample preparation techniques allow comparison of pyrite dissolution experiments under diverse conditions. Our objective was to assess dry and wet sieving preparation methodologies, and to develop a reproducible technique that yields uniformly size-distributed material within a limited size range of interest.     

Composition of Kerogen in Kupferschiefer from Southwest Poland

Thirty-seven Kupferschiefer samples from southwestern Poland were analyzed by microscopy, Rock-Eval approach and instrumental neutron activation analysis to understand the geochemical and morphological characteristics of kerogen present in the samples. The analytical results indicate that there are two different types of kerogens. One type was only subjected to thermal alteration processes, and the other was further oxidized after deposition of the sediment.In the oxidized samples migrabitumen was transformed into pyrobitumen. Rock-Eval analyses show a significant decrease in HI values in the oxidized samples and an increase in OI values in relation to the samples that were not influenced by oxidation. Variations in S2 versus Corg contents indicate a change in kerogen from Type II to Type III with progressing oxidation. The presence of pyrobitumen and the depletion of hydrogen in the altered kerogen allow one to conclude that the kerogen was used as hydrogen donor for thermochemical sulfate reduction(TSR).     

藏北龙木错—双湖—澜沧江板块缝合带发现晚石炭世—早二叠世洋岛型岩石组合

天泉群岛出露于龙木错—双湖—澜沧江板块缝合带的中西段,也是目前该缝合带上所发现的第一套洋岛型岩石组合。通过野外踏勘、剖面测制等对天泉群岛进行了较为详细的研究,结果显示,天泉群岛由9个孤立、岩石组合不同的洋岛组成,其中独泉沟洋岛、屏风岭洋岛的洋岛组分齐全,见玄武岩、灰岩、砾岩、硅质岩等,其他洋岛的洋岛组分不全。天泉群岛与展金组复理石沉积为整合接触,表明其形成时代为晚石炭世—早二叠世。天泉群岛的厘定,说明龙木错—双湖—澜沧江大洋在晚石炭世—早二叠世仍具有成熟的洋壳。该项研究进一步丰富了龙木错—双湖—澜沧江板块缝合带的演化内容,为反演区域地质演化历史提供了依据。