Seismic Ground Motion Expected for the Eastern District of Naples

The seismic ground motion of a test area in the eastern district of Naples is computed with a hybrid technique based on the mode summation and the finite difference methods. This technique allows us the realistic modelling of source and propagation effects, including local soil conditions. In the modelling, we consider the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, a good example of strong shaking for the area of Naples, which is located about 90 km from the epicenter.The detailed geological setting is reconstructed from a large number of drillings. The sub-soil is mainly formed by alluvial (ash, stratified sand and peat) and pyroclastic materials overlying a pyroclastic rock (yellow neapolitan tuff), representing the neapolitan bedrock. The detailed information available on mechanical properties of the sub-soil and its geometry warrants the application of the sophisticated hybrid technique.As expected, the sedimentary cover causes an increase of the signal's amplitudes and duration. If thin peat layers are present, the amplification effects are reduced, and the peak ground accelerations are similar to those observed for the bedrock model. This can be explained by the backscattering of wave energy at such layers, that tend to seismically decouple the upper from the lower part of the structure.For SH-waves, the influence of the variations of the S-wave velocities on the spectral amplification is studied, by considering locally measured velocities and values determined from near-by down-hole measurements. The comparison between the computed spectral amplifications confirms the key role of an accurate determination of the seismic velocities of the different layers.The comparison performed between a realistic 2-D seismic response and a standard 1-D response, based on the vertical propagation of waves in a plane layered structure, shows considerable difference, from which it is evident that serious caution must be taken in the modelling of expected ground motion at a specific site.     

Platinum-group elements in alpine-type ultramafic rocks and related chromite ores of the main ophiolite belt of the Urals

On the basis of a representative collection of ultramafic rocks and chromite ores and a series of technological samples from the largest (Central and Western) deposits in the Rai-Iz massif of the Polar Urals and the Almaz-Zhemchuzhina and Poiskovy deposits in the Kempirsai massif of the southern Urals, the distribution and speciation of platinum-group elements (PGE) in various type sections of mafic-ultramafic massifs of the Main ophiolite belt of the Urals have been studied. Spectral-chemical and spectrophotometric analyses were carried out to estimate PGE in 700 samples of ultramafic rocks and chromite ores; 400 analyses of minerals from rocks, ores, and concentrates and 100 analyses of PGE minerals (PGM) in chromite ores and concentrates were performed using an electron microprobe. Near-chondritic and nonchondritic PGE patterns in chromitebearing sections have been identified. PGE mineralization has been established to occur in chromite ore from all parts of the mafic-ultramafic massifs in the Main ophiolite belt of the Urals. The PGE deposits and occurrences discovered therein are attributed to four types (Kraka, Kempirsai, Nurali-Upper Neiva, and Shandasha), which are different in mode of geological occurrence, geochemical specialization, and placer-forming capability. Fluid-bearing minerals of the pargasite-edenite series have been identified for the first time in the matrix of chromite ore of the Kempirsai massif (the Almaz-Zhemchuzhina deposit) and Voikar-Syn’ya massif (the Kershor deposit). The PGE grade in various types of chromite ore ranges from 0.1–0.2 to 1–2 g/t or higher. According to technological sampling, the average PGE grade in the largest deposits of the southeastern ore field of the Kempirsai massif is 0.5–0.7 g/t. Due to the occurrence of most PGE as PGM 10–100 mm in size and the proved feasibility of their recovery into nickel alloys, chromites of the Kempirsai massif can be considered a complex ore with elevated and locally high Os, Ir, and Ru contents. The Nurali-Upper Neiva type of ore is characterized by small-sized primary deposits, which nevertheless are the main source of large Os-Ir placers in the Miass and Nev’yansk districts of the southern and central Urals, respectively.     

利用Sentinel-3A OLCI可见光通道反演台湾岛气溶胶光学厚度

OLCI（Ocean Land Colour Instrument）作为MERIS（Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer）的后继升级版传感器,在气溶胶反演中存在潜在优势,但是目前利用OLCI数据进行气溶胶监测的研究较少。因此,本文针对OLCI多通道反射特征开发了OLCI云检测算法,并对传统查找表构建方法进行改进,根据观测几何特征提出动态查找表法,并通过光谱卷积方式等效转换MODIS和OLCI红蓝通道地表反射率并获取OLCI红蓝通道地表反射率固定关系,进而实现台湾岛550 nm处的AOD反演。与550 nm处AERONET level 2.0 AOD验证结果首先表明不同季节、不同站点的精度表现存在一定差异,其次相对于同期MOD04_3K AOD产品,本文反演结果与全球气溶胶自动观测网（AERONET）站点实测值之间表现出更显著 的相关性（R²=0.8199）,均方根误差（RMSE）从0.175下降到0.113,相对平均误差（RME）从33.6%下降到26.7%,且67.5%的OLCI AOD落在预测误差（EE）区间内,明显大于MOD04_3K AOD落在预测误差区间的百分比（55.7%）。此外,误差分析表明,当实际AOD值较低时,红蓝通道地表反射率之间关系的误判会导致较为明显的AOD反演相对误差。     

Microbial community changes in the digestive tract of the clam Meretrix petechialis in response to Vibrio parahaemolyticus challenge

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - Disease in clams frequently occurred over the last decade and has become a serious threat to the clam aquaculture industry and natural stocks. Mass clam...     

The Nootka Fault Zone — a new plate boundary off western Canada

Summary. Relative motion across a boundary between the main Juan de Fuca plate and its northern extension, the Explorer plate, had earlier been suggested from sea-floor magnetic anomaly analysis and from earthquakes recorded on the western Canada land seismic network. The location of the boundary, called the Nootka fault zone, and the motion across it have been examined through seismic reflection profiles, accurate location of earthquakes with an array of ocean bottom seismometers and through analysis of magnetic, gravity and bathymetric data. The fault zone extends from a ridge-fault—fault triple point at the northern end of the Juan de Fuca ridge to a fault—trench—trench triple junction at the margin off north-central Vancouver Island. The active portion of the fault zone is about 20 km wide, and has produced extensive disturbance in the 0.5 to 1 km of overlying sediments. Magnetic anomaly analysis suggests present left-lateral strike slip motion of about 3 cm/yr, with convergence at the margin being more rapid to the south than to the north of the fault zone. Because of rapidly changing spreading parameters on the Explorer and Juan de Fuca ridges over the past 5 Myr the Nootka fault zone has had a very complex history.     

全球气候变化下南海诸岛保护优先区识别分析

全球变化下,珊瑚礁保护区是保护生物多样性、增强珊瑚礁对气候变暖抵抗力的有效方式,而维持珊瑚礁弹性是其核心内容。针对珊瑚礁最具有威胁性的热压力因子,基于南海1982—2009年卫星观测海表面温度（SST）数据和CMIP5加拿大地球系统模式CanESM2模型预估的2006—2100年南海SST数据构建热压力强度模型,从维持珊瑚礁弹性的角度识别IPCC RCP 4.5和RCP 8.5情景下南海诸岛保护优先区。结果表明：RCP 4.5和RCP 8.5情景下13%左右的南海诸岛珊瑚礁识别为保护优先区。根据热压力强度与珊瑚抵抗力及避难所关系,西沙群岛七连屿和晋卿岛近年观测与未来预估的热压力强度均比较低,在保障其服务功能的基础上建议实施完全保护;东沙群岛东沙环礁和中沙环礁排洪滩近年观测急性热压力强度较高但未来预估热压力强度较低,建议实施50%禁止利用保护;中沙群岛黄岩岛近年观测和未来预估的急性热压力强度均比较低,建议实施50%多用途保护。南沙群岛有14%左右的珊瑚礁识别为保护优先区,根据其热压力强度可实施30%~100%禁止利用保护或30%~50%多用途保护。RCP 4.5和RCP 8.5情景下的南海诸岛保护优先区及保护对策,可为维持珊瑚礁生态弹性及应对全球气候变化提供重要的参考价值。     

Survival of organic phases in porous IDPs during atmospheric entry: A pulse‐heating study

Abstract— In this study, we have performed pulse‐heating experiments at different temperatures for three organic molecules (a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon [PAH], a ketone, and an amino acid) absorbed into microporous aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) in order to imitate the heating of the organic molecules in interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and micrometeorites (MMs) during atmospheric entry and to investigate their survival. We have shown that modest amounts (a few percent) of these organic molecules survive pulse‐heating at temperatures in the 700 to 900 °C range. This suggests that the porosity in IDPs and MMs, combined with a sublimable phase (organic material, water), produces an ablative cooling effect, which permits the survival of organic molecules that would otherwise be lost either by thermal degradation or evaporation during atmospheric entry.     

Residual deformations and seismic hazard of fault zones in underground workings

The results of long-term measurements of residual deformations in the area of the Severomuiskii tunnel during its construction are given. Comparison of spatial and temporal distributions between deformations and earthquakes shows that they are interrelated. The nonlinear behavior of disintegrated and waterlogged rocks within tectonic fault zones should be taken into account even for moderate intensity earthquakes, since they are accompanied by ground subsidence. Underground workings within such sites are subjected to loads that are greater than expected according to current hypotheses, which are the basis for calculations of rock pressure. It is established that the most probable mechanism of ground subsidence and residual deformation in underground workings could be the gravity load of the overlying strata of disintegrated and waterlogged rocks within a fault zone, which leads to instability of the rocks. Approximate stress estimations are made on the basis of the results of measurements of residual deformations of roof supports (linings).