Effect of sill spacing and sediment size grading on scouring at grade‐control structures

Sequences of arti?cial steps are sometimes used to reproduce the natural step–pool morphology of high‐gradient streams. The depth, length and shape of the scour holes in gravel‐bed rivers can be predicted reasonably using recently developed formulae. However, the properties of the scour holes can sometimes be affected by the distance between structures. This effect is called ‘geometrical interference’ and leads to a reduction of the scour hole compared to its potential size. Geometrical interference may occur in sequences of arti?cial steps in high‐gradient torrents, where structures are sometimes built at distances of a few tens of metres apart, but may also apply to natural step–pool systems. In this paper, a series of tests have been conducted to determine the effect of bed sill spacing and sediment grading on the potential erosion by jets forming over the sills. A new formula is derived, applicable to high‐gradient streams (slope > 0·04), which can be applied to the special case of scour holes developed by interfering sills. Sediment size gradation, not accounted for in previous formulae, is found to have a signi?cant effect on the scour dimensions and is included in the new predictive formula. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Banda Sea earthquake of 24 November 1983: evidence for intermediate depth thrust faulting in the Benioff zone

On 24 November 1983, a major earthquake occurred at 180 km depth beneath the Banda Sea. In the focal mechanism solution the pressure axis is almost horizontal, (azimuth 191°, plunge 02°) and the tension axis nearly vertical (plunge 88°). A comparison with the foreshock-aftershock pattern suggests that shear failure took place within the north-north-westerly dipping Benioff zone by thrust faulting along a southerly dipping plane. The focal mechanism solution does not conform to the usual pattern of the tension or compression axis being roughly parallel to the dip of the Benioff zone. Consequently the faulting could not have been caused by down-dip tension or compression within a sinking slab.     

Use of large Acacia trees by the cavity dwelling Black-tailed Tree Rat in the Southern Kalahari

Recent extensive harvesting of large, often dead Acacia trees in arid savanna of southern Africa is cause for concern about the conservation status of the arid savanna and its animal community. We mapped vegetation and nests of the Black-tailed Tree Rat Thallomys nigricauda to assess the extent to which the rats depend on particular tree species and on the existence of dead, standing trees. The study was conducted in continuous Acacia woodland on the southern and eastern edge of the Kalahari, South Africa. Trees in which there were tree rat nests were compared with trees of similar size and vigour to identify the characteristics of nest sites. Spatial analysis of tree rat distribution was conducted using Ripley's-L function. We found that T. nigricauda was able to utilize all available tree species, as long as trees were large and old enough so that cavities were existing inside the stem. The spatial distribution of nest trees did not show clumping at the investigated scale, and we therefore reject the notion of the rats forming colonies when inhabiting continuous woodlands. The selection of a particular tree as a nest site was furthermore depending on the close proximity of the major food plant, Acacia mellifera. This may limit the choice of suitable nest sites, since A. mellifera was less likely to grow within a vegetation patch containing a large trees than in patches without large trees.     

Examining high-resolution survey methods for monitoring cliff erosion at an operational scale

This paper aims to compare models from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), terrestrial photogrammetry (TP), and unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry (UAVP) surveys to evaluate their potential in cliff erosion monitoring. TLS has commonly been used to monitor cliff-face erosion (monitoring since 2010 in Normandy) because it guarantees results of high precision. Due to some uncertainties and limitations of TLS, TP and UAVP can be seen as alternative methods. First, the texture quality of the photogrammetry models is better than that of TLS which could be useful for analysis and interpretation. Second, a comparison between the TLS model and UAV or TP models shows that the mean error value is mainly from 0.013 to 0.03 m, which meets the precision requirements for monitoring cliff erosion by rock falls and debris falls. However, TP is more sensitive to roughness than UAVP, which increases the data standard deviation. Thus, UAVP appears to be more reliable in our study and provides a larger spatial coverage, enabling a larger cliff-face section to be monitored with a regular resolution. Nevertheless, the method remains dependent on the weather conditions and the number of operators is not reduced. Third, even though UAVP has more advantages than TP, the methods could be interchangeable when no pilot is available, when weather conditions are bad or when high reactivity is needed.     

Effects of metallic system components on marine electromagnetic loop data

Electromagnetic loop systems rely on the use of non-conductive materials near the sensor to minimize bias effects superimposed on measured data. For marine sensors, rigidity, compactness and ease of platform handling are essential. Thus, commonly a compromise between rigid, cost-effective and non-conductive materials (e.g. stainless steel versus fibreglass composites) needs to be found. For systems dedicated to controlled-source electromagnetic measurements, a spatial separation between critical system components and sensors may be feasible, whereas compact multi-sensor platforms, remotely operated vehicles and autonomous unmanned vehicles require the use of electrically conductive components near the sensor. While data analysis and geological interpretations benefit vastly from each added instrument and multidisciplinary approaches, this introduces a systematic and platform-immanent bias in the measured electromagnetic data. In this scope, we present two comparable case studies targeting loop-source electromagnetic applications in both time and frequency domains: the time-domain system trades the compact design for a clear separation of 15 m between an upper fibreglass frame, holding most critical titanium system components, and a lower frame with its coil and receivers. In case of the frequency-domain profiler, the compact and rigid design is achieved by a circular fibreglass platform, carrying the transmitting and receiving coils, as well as several titanium housings and instruments. In this study, we analyse and quantify the quasi-static influence of conductive objects on time- and frequency-domain coil systems by applying an analytically and experimentally verified 3D finite element model. Moreover, we present calibration and optimization procedures to minimize bias inherent in the measured data. The numerical experiments do not only show the significance of the bias on the inversion results, but also the efficiency of a system calibration against the analytically calculated response of a known environment. The remaining bias after calibration is a time/frequency-dependent function of seafloor conductivity, which doubles the commonly estimated noise floor from 1% to 2%, decreasing the sensitivity and resolution of the devices. By optimizing size and position of critical conductive system components (e.g. titanium housings) and/or modifying the transmitter/receiver geometry, we significantly reduce the effect of this residual bias on the inversion results as demonstrated by 3D modelling. These procedures motivate the opportunity to design dedicated, compact, low-bias platforms and provide a solution for autonomous and remotely steered designs by minimizing their effect on the sensitivity of the controlled-source electromagnetic sensor.     

Step-on versus step-off signals in time-domain controlled source electromagnetic methods using a grounded electric dipole

The time-domain controlled source electromagnetic method is a geophysical prospecting tool applied to image the subsurface resistivity distribution on land and in the marine environment. In its most general set-up, a square-wave current is fed into a grounded horizontal electric dipole, and several electric and magnetic field receivers at defined offsets to the imposed current measure the electromagnetic response of the Earth. In the marine environment, the application often uses only inline electric field receivers that, for a 50% duty-cycle current waveform, include both step-on and step-off signals. Here, forward and inverse 1D modelling is used to demonstrate limited sensitivity towards shallow resistive layers in the step-off electric field when transmitter and receivers are surrounded by conductive seawater. This observation is explained by a masking effect of the direct current signal that flows through the seawater and primarily affects step-off data. During a step-off measurement, this direct current is orders of magnitude larger than the inductive response at early and intermediate times, limiting the step-off sensitivity towards shallow resistive layers in the seafloor. Step-on data measure the resistive layer at times preceding the arrival of the direct current signal leading to higher sensitivity compared to step-off data. Such dichotomous behaviour between step-on and step-off data is less obvious in onshore experiments due to the lack of a strong overlying conductive zone and corresponding masking effect from direct current flow. Supported by synthetic 1D inversion studies, we conclude that time-domain controlled source electromagnetic measurements on land should apply both step-on and step-off data in a combined inversion approach to maximize signal-to-noise ratios and utilize the sensitivity characteristics of each signal. In an isotropic marine environment, step-off electric fields have inferior sensitivity towards shallow resistive layers compared to step-on data, resulting in an increase of non-uniqueness when interpreting step-off data in a single or combined inversion.     

Short-term (≤2 yrs) estuarine mudflat and saltmarsh sedimentation: High-resolution data from ultrasonic altimetery, rod surface-elevation table, and filter traps

Rates of short-term (up to 2 years) bed elevation change and sedimentation from mudflats to salt marshes were measured in a rapidly infilling macrotidal estuary using an original combination of three high-resolution techniques: an ultrasonic altimeter, the Rod Surface-Elevation Table (RSET) method, and filter traps. The Authie estuary is located on a straight, sand-rich coast and is undergoing rapid infill under the influence of flood-dominant tides reinforced by wave action. The estuarine sediment suite consists of both mud and sand derived from the sea, of sand derived from storm wave erosion of dunes lining the north bank of the estuary, and, to a much smaller extent, of mud from the river catchment. Bed elevation change and sedimentation rates show an expected increase with the duration of tidal flooding (hydroperiod) in both space and time. The estuarine bed sediment suite changes from sandy at the mouth to muddy within the low-energy inner estuary, where mudflats are rapidly accreting, paving the way for the formation of increasingly denser and mature salt marshes from the high-sedimentation pioneer zone to the upper marsh where annual sedimentation is very low. Recorded variability in rates of bed elevation change and sedimentation reflect the influence of estuarine macro-scale and local sediment transport and depositional processes in a macrotidal context dominated by high inputs of allochthonous sediments.     

New evidence of orographic precipitation suppression by aerosols in central China

The correlation between light precipitation events and visibility at Mt. Hua, (Shannxi Province, China) and at the surrounding plains stations was analyzed. Trends and changes in visibility, precipitation, the precipitation difference between Mt. Hua and the plains stations (De) and wind speed over the study area during the years 1980–2009 were also investigated. The significant positive correlation between visibility and light precipitation throughout the study period indicates that light precipitation events, notably orographic precipitation, are suppressed by aerosol pollution in this region. The trend of increasing air pollution aerosols since 1980, represented by visibility at Mt. Hua, ended in 2002 with a decreasing trend observed in more recent years. These changes were mirrored by corresponding changes in De. However, the total precipitation trends at Mt. Hua and the plains stations are consistent in both frequency and amount during the two periods, suggesting that the suppressive effect of pollution aerosols on light and moderate precipitation is the most likely cause for the changes in orographic precipitation at Mt. Hua during this time. The analysis of wind strength suggests that the increase in winds at Mt. Hua is highly related to the aerosol radiative effects; this increase of mountain winds is therefore a potential cause for the reduction in precipitation at Mt. Hua. This research provides further support for the hypothesis that aerosol microphysical effects can reduce orographic precipitation and suggests that aerosol radiative effects might act to suppress orographic precipitation through changes in wind speed.