Three-dimensional seismic modelling of crustal structure in the TESZ region based on POLONAISE''97 data

This paper reports the results of 3-D tomographic modelling of crustal structure in the Trans European Suture Zone region (TESZ) of Poland, eastern Germany and Lithuania. The data are the product of a large-scale seismic experiment POLONAISE'97, which was carried out in 1997. This experiment was designed to provide some 3-D coverage. The TESZ forms the boundary between the Precambrian crustal terranes of the East European Craton (EEC) and the younger Phanerozoic terranes to the southwest. The 3-D results generally confirm the earth models derived by earlier 2-D analyses, but also add some important details as well as a 3-D perspective on the structure. The velocity model obtained shows substantial horizontal variations of crustal structure across the study area. Seismic modelling shows low (<6.1 km/s) velocities suggesting the presence of sedimentary rocks down to a depth of about 20 km in the Polish basin. The shape of the basin in the vicinity of the profile P4 shows significant asymmetry. Three-dimensional modelling also allowed tracing of horizontal irregularities of the basin shape as well as variations of the Moho depth not only along profiles, but also between them. The slice between P2 and P4 profiles shows about 10-km variations of the Moho over a 100-km interval. The crustal thickness varies from about 30 km in SW, beneath the Palaeozoic platform, to about 42 km beneath East European Craton in NE. High seismic velocities of about 6.6 km/s were found in the depth range 2–10 km, which coincides with K trzyn anorthosite massif. The results of this 3-D seismic modelling of the POLONAISE'97 data will ultimately be supplemented by inversion of seismic data from previous experiments.     

Radial hypothesis

The axial ratio distribution for a sample of SBc galaxies deviates from a flat distribution in ways that are consistent with predictions of the projection effect model for barred spiral galaxies. The axial ratio distribution for a corresponding sample of non-barred Sc galaxies is shown to have, bin for bin, a reciprocal set of deviations from a flat distribution. When the two samples are combined, the deviations counterbalance each other and a nearly flat axial ratio distribution is recovered. This latter result is also consistent with predictions of the projection effect model.     

Experimental Investigation of Kinetic Energy and Momentum Coefficients in Regular Channels with Stiff and Flexible Elements Simulating Submerged Vegetation

The paper addresses the problem of determination of the energy and momentum coefficients for flows through a partly vegetated channel. These coefficients are applied to express the fluid kinetic energy and momentum equations as functions of a mean velocity. The study is based on laboratory measurements of water velocity distributions in a straight rectangular flume with stiff and flexible stems and plastic imitations of the Canadian waterweed. The coefficients were established for the vegetation layer, surface layer and the whole flow area. The results indicate that the energy and momentum coefficients increase significantly with water depth and the number of stems per unit channel area. New regression relationships for both coefficients are given.     

Modelling the pre-failure instabilities of sand

A simple incremental model describing the pre-failure behaviour of granular soils is presented. The model describes both the dry/fully drained and undrained response. It takes into account an initial anisotropy of soil and an initial state defined as either contractive or dilative. A physically sound definition of loading/unloading is assumed, which differs from elasto-plastic approaches. The model is based on extensive empirical data and gives predictions conformable with experimental results. It also describes pre-failure instabilities of granular soils, both dry/fully drained and undrained. The Hill’s criterion was used to examine stability. It was shown that this condition can be formulated either in terms of the effective stresses or by the total stresses. In the extreme cases of either dry/fully drained or undrained conditions, these alternative formulations are equivalent. This is not so in the case of partial drainage of pore water and associated volumetric deformations as well as pore pressure changes. The model describes the pre-failure instabilities well, and additionally allows for analytical derivation of the instability line. It was shown that the second order work, appearing in the Hill’s condition, is equivalent to the entropy source.     

Organic matter from the Callovian (Middle Jurassic) deposits of Lithuania: Compositions,sources and depositional environments

This study presents the first organic geochemical and petrographical investigation of the Callovian deposits of the eastern part of the Central European Basin. It is shown that in both the terrigenous Papil? Formation (Lower Callovian) and shallow- to deeper-marine facies of the Papartin? and Skinija formations (Middle and Upper Callovian, respectively), terrestrial organic matter predominates. This is reflected by the carbon preference index values higher than 1.2 for all samples and in some cases higher than 2, as well as the occurrence of characteristic higher plant biomarkers like cadalene, dehydroabietane, simonellite and retene. Moreover, in the case of the Papil? Formation, sugiol – a natural product terpenoid produced by distinct conifer families, has been detected in clay sediments. The occurrence of such a biomolecule in the Middle Jurassic clays is reported for the first time. Its occurrence is probably connected with the presence of small wood debris in the clay sediments. In samples of the Papil? Formation, charcoal fragments co-occurring with unsubstituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were detected, indicating that wildfires took place during the Early Callovian of Lithuania and/or neighbouring areas. In the Middle and Upper marine Callovian sediments of Lithuania there is no evidence of anoxic conditions occurring in the water column. However, periodic anoxic or strongly dysoxic episodes may have occurred, most probably below the photic zone, during the deepest phase of the Late Callovian transgression, as is evidenced from pyrite framboid diameter distribution and general impoverishment of benthic fauna. Huminite reflectance (R_r) values for the investigated area are in the range of 0.21–0.31%, suggesting the occurrence of immature organic matter. Such values indicate that these investigated deposits were close to the surface during their whole diagenetic history, and the thickness of younger cover did not exceed ca. 500 m. This is also supported by a biomarker analysis in which less thermally stable ββ-hopanes and hopenes significantly dominated.     

High‐definition frequency decomposition

Spectral decomposition is a widely used technique in analysis and interpretation of seismic data. According to the uncertainty principle, there exists a lower bound for the joint time–frequency resolution of seismic signals. The highest temporal resolution is achieved by a matching pursuit approach which uses waveforms from a dictionary of functions (atoms). This method, in its pure mathematical form can result in atoms whose shape and phase have no relation to the seismic trace. The high‐definition frequency decomposition algorithm presented in this paper interleaves iterations of atom matching and optimization. It divides the seismic trace into independent sections delineated by envelope troughs, and simultaneously matches atoms to all peaks. Co‐optimization of overlapping atoms ensures that the effects of interference between them are minimized. Finally, a second atom matching and optimization phase is performed in order to minimize the difference between the original and the reconstructed trace. The fully reconstructed traces can be used as inputs for a frequency‐based reconstruction and red–green–blue colour blending. Comparison with the results of the original matching pursuit frequency decomposition illustrates that high‐definition frequency decomposition based colour blends provide a very high temporal resolution, even in the low‐energy parts of the seismic data, enabling a precise analysis of geometrical variations of geological features.     

Fish community responses to invasive fish removal and installation of an exclusion barrier at Lake Ohinewai,Waikato

Introduced common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are a recognised threat to New Zealand’s freshwater ecosystems. In 2011, an invasive fish removal programme was undertaken in 16.8 ha Lake Ohinewai, a Waikato riverine lake. Active fish removal using netting and boat electrofishing was supported by installation of a one-way exclusion barrier on the outflow to Lake Ohinewai. The barrier was designed to allow fish passage downstream out of the lake, while preventing adult carp from moving upstream. The estimated carp population was reduced from 8,548 fish (5,863–12,937, 95% confidence limits) in 2011–454 fish (251–889, 95% CL) in 2014. However, by 2016 the carp population had recovered to 2,063 fish (1,070–4,328, 95% CL) with increased abundance in invasive brown bullhead catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus) also observed. This research demonstrates that carp populations can be reduced to low abundances in the short to medium term, but continued removal will be required for on-going control.     

Geochronology of Mount Morning, Antarctica: two-phase evolution of a long-lived trachyte-basanite-phonolite eruptive center

Mount Morning is a Cenozoic, alkaline eruptive center in the south-west Ross Sea, Antarctica. New ages on 17 Mount Morning volcanic rocks (combined with 34 existing ages) allows division of Mount Morning volcanism into two phases, erupted between at least 18.7 Ma and 11.4 Ma, and 6.13 and 0.02 Ma. The position of Mount Morning on the active West Antarctic Rift System within the stationary Antarctic plate is a key factor in the eruptive center’s longevity. The earliest, mildly alkaline, Phase I volcanism comprises predominantly trachytic rocks produced by combined assimilation and fractional crystallization processes over 7.3 m.y. Strongly alkaline Phase II volcanism is dominated by a basanite – phonolite lineage, with the youngest (post last glacial maximum) activity dominated by small volume primitive basanite eruptions. The evolution from mildly to strongly alkaline chemistry between phases reflects magma residence time in the crust, the degree of mantle melting, or the degree of magma—country-rock interaction. Phase I magmatism occurred over a comparable area to the present-day, Phase II shield. The 5.2 m.y. volcanic hiatus separating Phase I and II coincides with a cycle of eruption and glacial erosion at the nearby Minna Bluff eruptive center. Mount Morning is the likely source of volcanic detritus in Cape Roberts drill-core (about 24.1 to 18.4 Ma) and in ANDRILL drill-hole 1B (about 13.6 Ma), located 170 km north and 105 km north-east respectively, of Mount Morning. Based upon the timing of eruptions and high heat-flow, Mount Morning should be considered a dormant volcano.     

Geophysical evidence for gas geohazards off Iskenderun Bay, SE Turkey

High-resolution seafloor and sub-surface data were acquired as part of a site survey in Iskenderun Bay, SE Turkey to characterize the geohazards at the location of the proposed drilling site. A 3 km×3 km geophysical study reveals a pockmark field which trends NE and NNE, similar to the trend of major fault systems in the area. The pockmarks, with an average diameter of 35 m, reach their highest density in the northern part of the detailed survey area, with 13 features/km². Acoustic anomalies in the seismic records (acoustic turbidity, blanking, enhanced reflectors) below the proposed drilling site indicated potential shallow gas beneath it. The local seismic anomalies (amplitude and frequency) parallel to stratigraphy were assigned a low gas risk. As a result of the active neotectonics in the area, the pockmark field presented a potential hazard for drilling at the original location. The geohazard study resulted in moving the proposed drilling site eastward to an area of fewer pockmarks, less sub-surface seismic anomalies, and thus a location interpreted as a lower geohazard environment.     

Detection and mapping of maize streak virus using RapidEye satellite imagery

The aim of this study was to detect and map MSV using RapidEye multispectral sensor in Ofcolaco farm. To achieve this objective, the acquired RapidEye sensor was classified using the robust Random Forest algorithm. Furthermore, the variable importance technique was used to determine the influence of each spectral band and indices on the mapping accuracy. For better performance of image data, the value of the commonly used vegetation indices in improving the classification accuracy was tested. The results revealed that the use of RapidEye spectral bands in detection and mapping of MSV yielded good classification results with an overall accuracy of 82.75%. The inclusion of vegetation indices computed from RapidEye sensor improved the classification accuracies by 3.4%. The most important RapidEye spectral bands in classifying MSV were near infrared, blue and red-edge. On the other hand, the most important vegetation indices were the Soil adjusted vegetation index, Enhanced vegetation index, Red index and Normalized Vegetation Index. The current study recommends future studies to assess the importance of multi-temporal remote sensing applications in detecting and monitoring the spread of MSV.