TBT toxicity on the marine microalga Nannochloropsis oculata

Commercial antifouling formulations containing TBT are the major source of organotin contamination in coastal waters. In view of the persisting TBT residues (13 ng Sn l⁻¹) in the coastal waters of South Korea, an attempt has been made to evaluate the growth response and biochemical composition of laboratory-cultured Nannochloropsis oculata to TBT toxicity. It is evident that the persisting concentration level of TBT is high enough to cause adverse effect on the microalgal species. The EC₅₀ (24 h) was found to be at 0.89 nM level of TBT for this marine eustigmatophyte N. oculata. Photosynthetic pigment content was significantly affected. At elevated TBT concentrations of 1.0 nM, especially pronounced changes in biochemical composition was found. TBT tolerance of N. oculata and its growth as well as biochemical responses are discussed.     

A method of calculating the non‐linear seismic response of a building braced with viscoelastic dampers

Buildings are continually subject to dynamic loads, such as wind load, seismic ground motion, and even the load from internal utility machines. The recent trend of constructing more flexible high‐rise buildings underscores the importance of including viscoelastic dampers in building designs. Viscoelastic dampers are used to control the dynamic response of a building. If the seismic design is based only on the linear response spectrum, considerable error may occur when calculating the seismic response of a building; rubber viscoelastic dampers show non‐linear hysteretic damping that is quite different from viscous damping. This study generated a non‐linear response spectrum using a non‐linear oscillator model to simulate a building with viscoelastic dampers installed. The parameters used in the non‐linear damper model were obtained experimentally from dynamic loading tests. The results show that viscoelastic dampers effectively reduce the seismic displacement response of a structure, but transmit more seismic force to the structure, which essentially increases its seismic acceleration response. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of groundwater chemistry in a coastal region (Kunsan, Korea) having complex contaminant sources: a stoichiometric approach

Groundwater chemistry in a coastal region (Kunsan, Korea) having complex contaminant sources was investigated. Water analysis data for 197 groundwater samples collected from the uniformly distributed sixty-six wells were used. Chemical analysis results indicate that groundwaters show wide concentration ranges in major inorganic ions, reflecting complex hydrochemical processes. Due to the complexity of groundwater chemistry, the samples were classified into four groups based on Cl and NO₃ concentrations and the processes controlling water chemistry were evaluated based on the reaction stoichiometry. The results explained the importance of mineral weathering, anthropogenic activities (nitrification and oxidation of organic matters), and Cl-salt inputs (seawater, deicer, NaCl, etc.) on groundwater chemistry. It was revealed that mineral dissolution is the major process controlling the water chemistry of the low Cl and NO₃ group (Group 1). Groundwaters high in NO₃ (Groups 2 and 4) are acidic in nature, and their chemistry is largely influenced by nitrification, oxidation of organic matters and mineral dissolution. In the case of chloride rich waters (Group 3), groundwater chemistry is highly influenced by mineral weathering and seawater intrusion associated with cation-exchange reactions.     

TEM and XRD determination of crystallite size and lattice strain as a function of illite crystallinity in pelitic rocks

Average crystallite size and mean-square strain of illite in rock specimens and clay separates were measured independently in TEM images and by single-line Fourier (Voigt method) profile analysis of the c. 1 nm peak of XRD patterns for a prograde sequence of pelitic rocks (illite crystallinity indices=0.17–0.58°Δ2θ) from the Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec. The TEM-determined crystallite sizes in clay separates approximate those determined by Fourier profile analyses and those calculated from illite crystallinity indices by the Scherrer equation, with the exception of the diagenetic sample. The crystallite sizes and mean-square strains of illite in rock samples exhibit a trend similar to that determined by profile analyses, but the average crystallite sizes are up to five times larger than those measured for clay separates. TEM images show that all rock samples have a wide range of crystallite sizes, and the proportions of larger crystallites increase with metamorphic grade. The diagenetic illite is defect-rich, fine-grained (mean thickness by volume=c. 70 nm), 1M_d material. Anchizonal illite tends to occur as separate aggregates of small 1M_d and larger 2M₁ crystals (c. 200 nm), comprising arrays of subparallel coalescing packets. The epizone sample has thick (c. 400 nm), defect-free crystals of muscovite occurring in stacks of parallel layers, or subhedral crystals intergrown with large-angle boundaries. Cleaved crystals that are free of intracrystalline layer terminations are dominant in clay separates of all samples, having ranges of smaller sizes with volume-average thicknesses of c. 43, 43, and 81 nm (c. 14, 28, 67 nm by the Voigt method), respectively, for the three zones. The results suggest that illite crystallinity indices do not provide a direct measure of a single microstructural state of illite in rocks, although they yield consistent limits for average crystallite sizes for the anchizone (23 & 48 nm here). Therefore, they serve as a general parameter of the degree of recrystallization on a relative basis, in part because the contributions of all peak-broadening variables (mixed layering, size and strain) decrease regularly with prograde regional metamorphism of pelites. The microstructural changes caused by rock disaggregation are probably a function of those variables as well. The data collectively demonstrate a trend from metastable, defect-rich, small crystals towards a stable assemblage of larger, defect-free crystals, through dissolution of strained crystals and neocrystallization, consistent with the Ostwald step rule.     

SEDIMENT TRANSPORT CAPACITY -AN IMPROVED BAGNOLD FORMULA

This paper re-examines Bagnold’s theorem of sediment transport. Different from the stream power defined by Bagnold, i.e., τoV, this study shows that the total load of sediment-laden flow, gt, is related to near bed energy dissipation rate, i.e., τou*’. An attempt is made to explain the empirical relation. The ratio (=k) of measured total load, gt, to the product of near bed velocity, u*’, and energy dissipation rate, τou*’, is analyzed. It is found that k is independent of the Rouse number, Z, if Z is greater than 2.6, but the coefficient k decreases with the increase of Z when Z < 2.6. An empirical relation between k and Z is developed. A systematic and thorough analysis of 1,458 sets of data collected from 16 rivers and canals confirms that the proposed formula can be used to compute the total load with accuracy.     

2002年3月21—22日影响韩国的沙尘天气分析

利用气象卫星、天气形势场和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,分析了2002年3月21—22日影响韩国沙尘天气的原因。结果表明:影响韩国沙尘天气的沙尘主要源地是蒙古国和中国内蒙古地区。沙尘天气发生在地面冷锋后部,高压伸展的前面;19日和20日沙尘暴发生后,沙尘沿着西北风输送,21日早晨影响韩国;PM10最高值达到2 778.2μg/m³,由于西北风较强,沙尘暴发生后很快影响到韩国,但在韩国持续的时间较短。     

Capturing the heterogeneity of urban growth in South Korea using a latent class regression model

This study aims to analyze the spatial patterns of urban growth in South Korea between 2000 and 2010. Fourteen suspected causative independent variables were selected and latent class regression (LCR) was used to analyze the relationship between dependent (urban growth) and independent (causative) variables. The goodness‐of‐fit was assessed by comparison to logistic regression (LR) analysis. The LR analysis produced consistent coefficients for each independent variable across the study area. In contrast, an LCR analysis, with a three‐class assumption, resulted in a different magnitude and directional effects of the coefficients for each class. The LCR analysis enabled the identification of both spatially homogeneous and heterogeneous areas. In addition, the LCR analysis performed better than the LR analysis with a lower Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion value, and a higher receiver operating characteristic value. We conclude that LCR analysis should be used to establish causative “driving” factors for efficient urban growth planning and urban spatial policy.     

Impact of UV-A radiation on erythemal UV and UV-index estimation over Korea

Because total UV(TUV) in the UV-A region is 100 times higher than in the UV-B region,UV-A is a considerable component when calculating erythemal UV(EUV) and UV-index.The ratio of EUV to TUV in the UV-A value [EUV(A)/TUV(A)]is investigated to convert the EUV(A) from TUV(A) for broadband observation. The representative value of EUV(A)/TUV(A),from the simulation study,is 6.9 × 10-4,changing from 6.1 × 10-4to 7.0 × 10-4as aerosol optical depth,total ozone and solar zenith angle change. By adopting the observational data of EUV(B) and TUV(A) from UV-biometer measurements at Yonsei University [(37.57?N,126.95?E),84 m above sea level],the EUV irradiance increases to 15% of EUV(B) due to the consideration of EUV(A) from the data of TUV(A) observation. Compared to the total EUV observed from the Brewer spectrophotometer at the same site,the EUV(B) from the UV-biometer observes only 95% of total EUV,and its underestimation is caused by neglecting the effect of UV-A. However,the sum of EUV(B) and EUV(A) [EUV(A+B)] from two UV-biometers is 10% larger than the EUV from the Brewer spectrophotometer because of the spectral overlap effect in the range 320–340nm. The correction factor for the overlap effect adjusts 8% of total EUV.