Dynamics of an elastically moored floating body by the three-dimensional infinite element method

The three-dimensional problem of the dynamics of a moored floating object under the action of regular waves is solved numerically as a boundary value problem by use of the finite-infinite element method. The cross-sectional shape of the floating body and the mooring arrangements may all be arbitrary. The mathematical formulations of the problem and procedures of the numerical method are presented in this paper. A corresponding computer program WALOAD has been developed, which is capable of computing wave forces on fixed and floating structures. Numerical computations using this program could give very accurate results, even though rather coarse meshes were used. The program is easy to use and is readily applicable in many practical situations.     

Late quaternary seismic stratigraphy and active faults of the Gulf of İzmit (NE Marmara Sea)

The Upper Quaternary seismic stratigraphy and active faults of the Gulf of İzmit were investigated by means of high-resolution shallow seismic profiling data in the source region of 1999 İzmit earthquake. High-resolution seismic reflection data correlated with borehole data indicate that the stratigraphy of İzmit Bay consists of three distinct depositional sequences formed in response to middle Pleistocene-Holocene sea-level changes. Reflector R, separating the pre-Holocene sequences (1 and 2) from the Holocene sequence (3), represents an erosional unconformity produced by the subaerial fluvial erosion of the continental shelves at the time of the last glacial maximum. Occasional, anomalous reflections (acoustic turbidity) observed within the Holocene sequence are interpreted as gas accumulations. The maximum thickness of the Holocene sediments is found to be about 25 m. The isopach map of Holocene sediment implies that the thickness of the Holocene decreases from the east towards the central and western basins of İzmit Bay. Two distinct fault systems are interpreted in İzmit Bay. The main fault system extending roughly in an E-W direction along the Gulf of İzmit is an active right lateral strike slip fault with a normal component. The secondary faults are normal faults striking in different directions and these are identified as being both active and inactive. In addition, prominent compressive features are identified in the seismic cross-sections of some profiles acquired to the east of Hersek Peninsula where the focal mechanisms of the aftershocks of the 1999 İzmit earthquake also reveal predominantly reverse faulting mechanisms, as identified by a local dense seismic network.     

Surface Photometry of Proplyds in the Vicinity of θ1 Ori C

Results of studies of the surface-brightness distributions of a group of young stellar objects located within 16″ of the star θ₁ Ori C are presented. Isophotes around each proplyd are constructed using violet, red, and near-infrared images. No regularity in the sizes of the diametral cross sections of the proplyds in the various photometric bands is observed. The measured relative intensities are converted to absolute fluxes, and the absolute luminosities of the brightest parts of the disks and of the disk peripheries are estimated. The ratio of the semi-major to the semi-minor axes of the objects range from 1.5 to 2.5. The maximum lengths of the proplyd tails in various filters range from 300 to 700 AU. They become shorter with decreasing distance from the illuminating star, possibly due to enhanced dissipation of the disk, due to the growth in the role of photovaporization.

     

Experimental investigation of turbulent processes in a complex terrain

In the present paper the first results of the international KOPEX-86 experiment are presented. The experiment took place at the Kopisty Atmospheric Observatory of the Institute of Physics of the Atmosphere in Prague as part of a special project of the Commission of the Academy of Sciences in Planetary Geophysics (KAPG) in June and July 1986. Using 4 ultrasonic anemometers at 4 levels up to 80 m, Doppler-SODAR and wind-, temperature- and radiation balance gradients from 2 to 80 m, a complex investigation of the atmospheric boundary layer in an industrial area was made. The authors present the first results of

Asymptotic regimes in unstable miscible displacements in random porous media

We study two asymptotic regimes of unstable miscible displacements in porous media, in the two limits, where a permeability-modified aspect ratio, R_L=L/H(k_v/k_h)^1/2, becomes large or small, respectively. The first limit is known as transverse (or vertical) equilibrium, the second leads to the problem of non-communicating layers (the Dykstra–Parsons problem). In either case, the problem reduces to the solution of a single integro-differential equation. Although at opposite limits of the parameter R_L, the two regimes coincide in the case of equal viscosities, M=1. By comparison with high-resolution simulation we investigate the validity of these two approximations. The evolution of transverse averages, particularly under viscous fingering conditions, depends on R_L. We investigate the development of a model to describe viscous fingering in weakly heterogeneous porous media under transverse equilibrium conditions, and compare with the various existing empirical models (such as the Koval, Todd–Longstaff and Fayers models).     

Group method of calculating the perturbations of minor planets

Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy - An expansion of the disturbing functionR is suggested for the special case when the orbits of a group of minor planets have approximately equal major...     

Light variations and flares on V471 tauri

Two-colour photometric observations of the white-dwarf and K-dwarf eclipsing binary V471 Tau were made during the last four years. The resulting light curves and thirteen timings of mid-eclipse are presented. During the observations two flares were obtained on September 23 and December23, 1992. Both events occurred just after the fourth contact. The increment in the brightness was measured as 0 _. ^m 067. The energy liberated by the flare was computed to be 5.43 × 10³² erg s^–1 in the JohnsonB band, which amounts 1.13 times that of the total radiation of the K-dwarf.