Quaternary sediments in the axial zone of the Brazil Basin

Lithological and micropaleontological studies of sediments were carried out along the meridional profile across the Brazil Basin. Based on nannoplankton and diatom assemblages, the sediments represented by oxidized miopelagic clays, differently reduced hemipelagic clays, and clayey-siliceous (Ethmodiscus) and calcareous (coccolith-foraminiferal) oozes are attributed to the Pleistocene-Holocene. Specific features of sedimentary material indicate its redeposition by Antarctic bottom waters, mudflows, slumps, and rockslides. It is shown that sedimentation in the Brazil Basin corresponds to the incomplete pelagic (miopelagic) type of oceanic lithogenesis transitional to the near-continental one.     

Palaeoflood activity and climate change over the last 1400 years recorded by lake sediments in the north‐west European Alps

A high‐resolution sedimentological and geochemical study of a high‐altitude proglacial lake (Lake Blanc, Aiguilles Rouges, 2352 m a.s.l.) revealed 195 turbidites, 190 of which are related to flood events over the last 1400 years. We used the coarsest sediment fraction of each turbidite as a proxy for the intensity of each flood event. Because most flood events at this locality are triggered by localized summer convective precipitation events, the reconstructed sedimentary record reveals changes in the frequency and intensity of such events over the last millennium. Comparisons with other temperature, palaeohydrological and glacier reconstructions in the region suggest that the most intense events occurred during the warmest periods, i.e. during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (AD 800–1300) and the current period of global warming. On a multi‐decadal time scale, almost all the flood frequency peaks seem to correspond to warmer periods, whereas multi‐centennial variations in flood frequency appear to follow the regional precipitation pattern. Consequently, this new Alpine flood record provides further evidence of a link between climate warming and an increase in the frequency and intensity of flooding on a multi‐decadal time scale, whereas the centennial variability in flood frequencies is related to regional precipitation patterns. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Some foundation stability problems of the railway bridge over the Mala Rijeka

SummarySome Foundation Stability Problems of the Railway Bridge over the Mala Rijeka The authors presented an outlay of problems occurring in estimating the stability of rocky slopes loaded by large vertical forces. General attitudes, kept by the authors during the stability analysis for an actual case — foundation of piers No. 3 and 4 of the railway bridge across the Mala Rijeka, are also presented. The results of calculation as well as the advantages of the approach applied are outlined in the paper. Finally, general conclusions are drawn regarding the method to be kept in solving the stability of slopes loaded by large artificial loading.With 7 Figures     

Combination Scattering by Anisotropic Langmuir Turbulence with Application to Solar Radar Experiments

We develop a theory for radar signal scattering by anisotropic Langmuir turbulence in the solar corona due to a t+l ⇄ t process. Langmuir turbulence is assumed to be generated within a cone by a narrow type III burst electron beam. Using wave-kinetic theory we obtain expressions for the frequency shift, scattering cross-section of the turbulence, coefficient of absorption (due to scattering) and optical depth. On the basis of those expressions we give some estimates for an echo spectrum. We show that the minimum radar echo frequency shift is determined by the minimal phase velocity of the Langmuir waves, the maximum shift is determined by the electron beam velocity, but in any case it can not exceed −wt/2 (decay) and wt (coalescence), where wt is the frequency of a radar signal. The angular characteristics of the scattered signal differ dramatically for the cases of coalescence and decay. The signal is scattered into a narrow cone high above the specular reflection point (wp ≪ wt), but in the vicinity of wp ∼ wt/2 the red-shifted echo is scattered isotropically, while the blue-shifted echo is scattered into a even narrower cone. We show that absorption (due to scattering) increases with increasing radar frequency. The dependence of the absorption on the local plasma frequency is strongly determined by the Langmuir turbulence spectrum. Our theory shows that the role of the nonlinear scattering process t+l ⇄ t is essential and that such process can be used for radar studies of the spectral energy density of anisotropic Langmuir turbulence.     

Zonal circulation indices, 500 hPa April ridge position along 75° E and Indian summer monsoon rainfall: Statistical relationships

Summary This paper presents an examination of the statistical relationship between summer monsoon rainfall over all India, and two sub-regions (north west India and peninsular India) and the indices of mid-latitude (35° to 70° N) zonal circulation at 500 hPa level, over different sectors of the hemisphere, based on 19 years (1971–1989) data. The results indicate that summer monsoon rainfall (June–September) over India shows; (i) a significant and direct relationship with the strength of the zonal circulation index during concurrent July over the sector 90° E to 160° E. (ii) a significant inverse relationship with the strength of the zonal index during the previous April over the sector 160° E to 45° W and a similar relationship with the whole northern hemisphere and (iii) a significant and direct relationship with the frequency of the zonal index during the previous January over the sector 45° W to 90° E.Significant relationships are also observed between the zonal circulation indices of the above mentioned months and sectors with the 500 hPa ridge location in April at 75° E over India.With 4 Figures     

Infrared imagery of a turbulent intrusion in a stratified environment

A time sequence of airborne infrared imagery provides a unique view of phenomena associated with a turbulent tidal intrusion into a stratified bay. During flood tide, cooler water from the Strait of Juan de Fuca is observed to penetrate Sequim Bay (Washington, U.S.V.) as a turbulent jet. After separating from the shoreline, the jet collapses into the stratified middle part of the bay, forming a mushroom-shaped head consisting of a semicircular plunge front and areas of recirculating flow. As the plunge front advances into the estuary, a set of nonlinear internal waves emerges and propagates toward the relatively stagnant southern part of the bay, where they are a potential source of vertical mixing. This range of phenomena is expected based on laboratory studies, but has not been seen previously in a natural setting.     

Exploring self-affine properties in seismograms

Self-affine properties have been observed in a large variety of rough profiles and time series from natural data sets. In this work, seismograms used for oil prospecting, which contain information of distinct subsurface features collected by seismic waves reflected or scattered at their interfaces, are taken into consideration. It is expected that any self-affine property, measured by the Hurst exponent H, depends on the depth. For each seismic trace, H is evaluated locally within a moving window, which is chosen narrow enough to reveal space dependency but also wide enough to display scale invariance. With the use of color code diagrams, it is possible to draw two-dimensional diagrams that show the local dependence of H for the analyzed seismogram. The reliability of the method is tested by the investigation of seismograms that contain ground roll components, as well as multiple reflections. The effect of different kinds of filter in the scaling properties is also investigated. In this case, comparisons are drawn among the diagrams obtained from original seismograms and those subjected to appropriate filter to eliminate spurious components. Work supported by the Brazilian agencies CNPq, FINEP-CTPETRO and Petrobras.     

The main ionospheric trough in the East Asian region: Observation and modeling

Research results concerning the main ionospheric trough (MIT) in the afternoon sector are present. Data are used from the meridional chain of stations located in the East Asian region. The analysis of ionospheric storms with different intensities reveals that the depletion in the F2 layer ionization in the afternoon/evening sector can be observed in the subauroral latitudes in the storm recovery phase predominantly during equinoxes and is associated with the formation of the MIT equatorward wall. Model calculations of the evening trough show that its location coincides with the belt of westward drift in the geomagnetic latitudes 55–65° at 13–17 MLT. Hence the simulated results support the assumption that the narrow and deep trough in the afternoon sector is formed by the westward drift with high velocities (～700 m/s). the drift transports the low-density plasma from the night side. The eastward drift with high velocities (～1000–1200 m/s) transports the low-density plasma from the night to morning side forming a trough in the morning sector.     

Directionality of surface high-frequency geoacoustic emission during deformational disturbances

Changes in the directionality of surface high-frequency geoacoustic emission during periods of deformational disturbances on the diurnal time scale prior to strong seismic events on Kamchatka have been investigated. It has been shown that while the emission intensity grows by over an order of magnitude, sharp maxima appear in the direction of longitudinal acoustic oscillations. Based on their position, the orientation of the major compression axis can be determined, whose chaotic motion exhibits two metastable states around the direction to the epicenter of the earthquake.