The role of blocking system in heavy precipitation of Iran (a case study: southeast of Iran January 2008)

This article concerns the analysis of the heavy precipitation, which allows investigating the effect of the blocking system on the unusual precipitation and temperature occurrence in Iran. The days of January 2008 have been the coldest days during the history of recorded data in Iran. Variation of precipitation during January 2008 compared with long-term data (30 years) shows the maximum positive anomaly in the stations located in southeast of Iran. However, the precipitation in consecutive days, 14–15 and 15–16 of January, produce a more important proportion of the heavy precipitation in this region. In order to study the role of the blocking system related to heavy precipitation in January 2008, the position and movement of the atmospheric systems including cyclones, anticyclones, fronts, and wind fields have been analyzed by the use of synoptic maps by the environment to circulation approach. Consequently, the weather maps indicated that the blocking system over the north of the Caspian Sea has caused the relatively deep low trough on January 5, 7, 14, 15, and 16, 2008, while the thermal and moisture gradients in the warm section of air masses have produced heavy precipitation. As a result, wind field of low levels (850 hPa) provided remarkable moisture fed by the Arabian Sea, Oman Sea, and Persian Gulf in the study area. Furthermore, the speed of wavelength and the position of the blocking system associated with the heavy precipitation can be clearly identified.     

Pore pressure assessment from well data and overpressure mechanism: Case study in Eastern Tunisia basins

Abstract

Independent and complementary methods were used for pore pressure assessment in the eastern Tunisian basins. Drilling data and surveys allow settling the pore pressure profile in these basins. The main used parameters are mud weights, formation pressure surveys, drilling parameters, well logs, fluids exchange with formation and borehole issues. In the eastern Tunisia platform, the pore pressure profiles show changes in overpressure magnitude in all the three dimensions of the basin (location and depth/stratigraphy). We highlighted two overpressure intervals form bottom to top: The late Cretaceous in the North-eastern part, and the Tertiary overpressure interval hosted in the Palaeocene to Miocene series. The structural analysis of overpressure location shows that the Tertiary interval is likely to have originated in a disequilibrium compaction in Cenozoic grabens. Pore pressure cross sections and maps confirm the link between active normal faults that segmented the basin to grabens and highs and pore pressure anomalous area. In the Senonian interval, we noted mature source-rocks that can explain the overpressure in the late Cretaceous interval. In addition, the recent to active compressive tectonics may have contributed to both pore pressure anomaly generations. The fluid overpressures characterization in the eastern Tunisian sedimentary basins helps in hydrocarbons exploration. Indeed, the overpressure interval in the reservoir levels stimulates and improves the production in the oilfields and contributes to hydrocarbon trapping. Moreover, the adequate prediction of pore pressure profile contributes to reduce drilling cost and enhance the drilling operations safety.     

Mapping and classification of hydrological parameters from digital terrain data in the Musandam Peninsula,UAE and Oman

Groundwater exploration and modelling requires hydrological parameters and a large volume of hydrologic database. This study integrates remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) to map and classify hydrological parameters indicates areas of groundwater recharge and discharge. Bivariate quadratic surfaces with moving window size of 5 × 5 were fitted to the digital elevation model and drainage basins, drainage network, topographic wetness index (TWI) and hydroforms were derived. The eight-direction algorithm (D8) that determines in which neighbouring pixel any water in a central pixel will flow naturally was used to delineate drainage basin and drainage network in the study area. The TWI was used to quantify the effect of local topography on hydrological processes and for modelling soil moisture. The results indicate the presence of intensive of stream network (1336 km²), wettest zones and accumulation zones (63.99 km²) within Wadi Bih, the UAE and Wadi Khasb, Oman, suggesting regional recharge.     

Temporal trends of hydro-climatic variables and their relevance in water resource management

Identification of temporal changes in hydrological regimes of river basins is an important topic in contemporary hydrology because of the potential impacts of climate change on river flow regimes.For this purpose,long-term historical records of rainfall(P),runoff(Q)and other climatic factors were used to investigate hydrological variability and trends in the Tajan River Basin over the period 1969e1998.Actual evaporation(E),rainfall variability index(d),evaporation ratio(CE)and runoff ratio(CQ)were estimated from the available hydroclimatological records.Mann-Kendall trend analysis and nonparametric Sen's slope estimates were performed on the respective time series variables to detect monotonic trend direction and magnitude of change over time.Rainfall variability index showed that 1973 was the wettest year(δ=+2.039)while 1985 was the driest(δ=-1.584).Also,decades 69e78 and 89e98 were recognized as the wettest and driest decades respectively.The gradient of variation of climatological parameters showed that during the study period,all three parameters of rainfall,evaporation and runoff have decreased and the variations of rainfall and evaporation were significant at the 95%level.Investigation of hydrological changes due of dam construction(1999)showed that the amount and annual distribution of discharge were completely different pre and post-dam construction.Discharge decreased in high water months and increased in low water months to meet water supply demands,especially for agriculture.The relationship between temperature and rainfall trends is compared for three stations in Mazandaran Province(Gorgan,Babolsar and Ramsar)from 1956 to 2003 and nine other stations with different statistical periods of 19e36 years,relating trends to northern hemisphere and global trends.Decreases in temperature were accompanied by decreases in rainfall,and vice versa.These trends were not observed in northern hemisphere and world scales,where temperature increases are accompanied by decreases in rainfall.These variations of hydroclimatological parameters show undesirable water resources situations during the statistical periods if the trend continues severe water resource crises.     

A modified genetic algorithm for precise determination the geometrical orbital elements of binary stars

The paper presents a modified genetic algorithm called adapted genetic algorithm with adjusting population size (AGA-POP) for precise determination the orbital elements of binary stars. The proposed approach is a simple, robust way that can be considered to be a new member in the class of self organizing genetic algorithms. The proposed AGA-POP is applied on the star η Bootis of MK type G0 IV to find a set of optimal orbital elements. This leads to obtain the best fitting of Keplerian and phase curves. The modified method is compared with other different methods such as standard genetic algorithm, adapted genetic algorithm (AGA) and least square methods. Simulation results show the effectiveness of using AGA-POP compared with other different classic genetic algorithms in reducing the computation time. Also, better performances have been achieved when using the proposed technique.     

Kepler’s celestial two-body equation: a second attempt to establish a continuous and integrable solution via the <Emphasis Type="Italic">BPES</Emphasis>: Boubaker Polynomials Expansion Scheme

The propagation of nonlinear waves in warm dusty plasmas with variable dust charge, two-temperature ions, and nonthermal electrons is studied. By using the reductive perturbation theory, the Kadomtsev–Petviashivili (KP) equation is derived. The energy of the soliton has been calculated. By using standard normal modes analysis a linear dispersion relation has been obtained. The effects of variable dust charge on the energy of the soliton and the angular frequency of the linear wave are also discussed. It is shown that the amplitude of solitary waves of the KP equation diverges at the critical values of plasma parameters. We derive solitons of a modified KP equation with finite amplitude in this situation.     

Effect of sewage effluent on the sediments of Nordåsvatnet (a land-locked fjord), Norway

Nordåsvatnet is a land-locked anoxic fjord along the west coast of Norway which is used as a natural recipient of untreated domestic sewage. The study of four core sediments collected from the heavily polluted basin of the fjord reflects the enrichment of surface sediments by Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and organic matter. This surface enrichment is entirely attributed to the anthropogenic input.     

Total dissolved and particulate lead in the Western Harbor of Alexandria,a Mediterranean basin under stress

The Western Harbor of Alexandria, the largest harbor of Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea, receives different internal and external untreated pollutants affecting dramatically its water, sediments and biota. Surface and bottom water samples were collected bimonthly from this harbor for studying vertical, regional and monthly distributions of total suspended matter (TSM), total dissolved lead (TDPb) and total particulate lead (TPPb). The high surface TSM values coincided with air-borne dust, organic aggregates, plankton productivity and discharged wastes. The high TSM averages in winter resulted mainly from turbulence of the water column by wind action. The highest averages of TDPb in the petroleum and coal basins in the Western Harbor reflect their effects on the water column, while the lowest averages of TDPb and TPPb were found at a location far away from pollution sources. For the water column, the maximum and minimum monthly averages of TPPb and TDPb respectively in June reflect the increase in the rate of lead uptake by phytoplankton abundant in summer, favored by temperature elevation. The annual mean concentration of TPPb was nearly double that of TDPb, indicating that lead was transported to the Western Harbor mainly in particulate form. This reflects the high TSM content in the harbor water onto which a considerable part of lead was adsorbed.     

Responses of Ras El Bar seafloor characteristics to the protective engineering structures, Nile delta, Egypt

Bathymetry of the seafloor in the area in front of Ras El Bar coast, the characters of the seafloor sediments and the effects of protective structures on seafloor bathymetry were examined. Seafloor depths in front of Ras El Bar seawall ranged between 2 and 4 m. These depths, coupled with wave climate, result in waves breaking directly onto the wall and exerting high, dynamic pressures on the area at the structure’s toe. The sandy seafloor in front of the wall has been scoured. Sea water has undermined the wall causing removal of sediment, destabilization of its slope and the whole face of the wall has slipped. Toe protection in the form of a rocky apron is required to prevent such damage. West of the seawall, the constructed breakwater system has affected the bathymetry of the seafloor in the area. Shoaling and submerged spits have been formed in the shadow of each breakwater unit. The gaps between the breakwater units have attained deep depths and steep slopes. Scours and steep slopes adjacent to the head of the breakwater units have been recorded. Seaward of the breakwater system, deeper depths and gentle slopes characterize the seafloor. Offshore–onshore current and sediment movements toward the northeast is inferred from the configuration of the bottom contour lines.