A comparison of total precipitation values estimated from measurements and a 1D cloud model

The purpose of this study is to establish a relation between observed total precipitation values and estimations from a one-dimensional diagnostic cloud model. Total precipitation values estimated from maximum liquid water content, maximum vertical velocity, cloud top height, and temperature excess are also used to provide an equation for the total precipitation prediction. Data for this study were collected in Istanbul during the autumns of 1987 and 1988. The statistical models are developed with multiple regression technique and then comparatively verified with independent data for 1990. The multiple regression coefficients are in the range of 75% to 80% in the statistical models. Results of the test showed that total precipitation values estimated from the above techniques are in good agreement, with correlation coefficient between 40% and 46% based on test data for 1990.     

Soil-structure interaction with Rayleigh waves

Presented is a plane-strain method for soil-structure interaction analysis consisting of the superposition of the free field motions and the interaction motions in a generalized seismic environment. The free field is modelled as a horizontally layered viscoelastic medium and the seismic environment may consist of a combination of S, P and Rayleigh waves. The soil-structure system is modelled with viscoelastic finite elements, transmitting boundaries, viscous boundaries and a three-dimensional simulation. Comparative analyses of the same structure are conducted for an input of R waves and for vertically propagating S and P waves in a rock site and sand site. In the rock site the R waves produce higher peak horizontal spectral acceleration up to 25 per cent, and a significant rocking effect at points away from the centre of gravity of the structure. However, the S and P waves show higher peak vertical spectral acceleration by up to 15 per cent at the centre of the structure. Very similar horizontal response, but higher vertical response only at the centre of the structure for S and P waves, is obtained for the sand site.     

Direct and Indirect pCO2 Measurements in a Wide Range of pCO2 and Salinity Values (The Scheldt Estuary)

Recent improvements in both Infra-red spectroscopy and equilibrator techniqueshave allowed to determine, for the first time, pCO₂using simultaneously and continuously both the direct and indirect methods in an estuary where pCO₂ values range from 500 to 8500 atm and salinity from 0 to 30. Our results show that both methods are in excellent agreement in the wholeestuary (r² = 0.999, n = 1075, p < 0.0001). Thus, the NBS (US National Bureau of Standards) scale, although inadequate for seawater samples, is appropriate for estuarine waters and can be applied with confidence to calculate pCO₂.     

Internal structure and kinematics of Variscan thrust sheets in the valley of the Trubia River (Cantabrian Zone, NW Spain): regional tectonic implications

The Variscan Belt in western Europe shows an arcuate geometry that is usually named Ibero-Armorican Arc. The nucleus of this arc, known as the Asturian Arc, comprises the Cantabrian Zone which is a foreland fold and thrust belt. The Trubia River area is located in the inflexion zone of the Asturian Arc, which is a strategic structural position for unraveling the geometry and kinematics of the Variscan thrust sheets and related folds. Geological mapping, construction of stratigraphic and structural cross sections, analysis of kinematic indicators, and estimate of shortening for each cross section have been carried out. This area consists of two major antiform-synform pairs related to two imbricate thrust systems. These folds are asymmetric, tight, and their axial traces follow the trend of the Asturian Arc. They have been interpreted as fault-propagation folds. The emplacement directions measured in the Trubia River area change from north to south and converge towards the core of the Asturian Arc. The minimum shortening estimated ranges between 16.4 and 17.6 km, which corresponds to 56.9 and 59.4%. The complex cross-cutting relationships between folds and thrusts suggest that, in general, the different structural units followed a forward-breaking sequence of emplacement, with some breaching and a few out-of-sequence thrusts. The analysis of the transport vectors together with the disposition of the fold axes and post-thrusting faults that deform the thrust stack are evidence of a late deformation event that is partially or totally responsible for the arcuate form of the Asturian Arc. The timing of the Asturian Arc, amount of shortening, and sequence of emplacement of the structures are in accordance with previous regional studies of the Cantabrian Zone.     

Natural and anthropogenic C2 to C6 hydrocarbons in the central-eastern Venezuelan atmosphere during the rainy season

The levels of low molecular weight hydrocarbons were measured at pristine sites and rural locations affected by hydrocarbon emissions from oil and gas producing fields in Venezuela. At the clean sites, lower concentrations of C₂ to C₆ alkanes were observed, whereas, in comparison with remotes sites, very much higher levels were measured at the polluted sites. Alkenes present relatively high concentrations, with isoprene being the most abundant, all over the study region. The main sources of alkenes are likely to be natural, mainly from vegetation. The levels of alkanes recorded at the clean sites and the alkene levels found everywhere in the region are in agreement with the values reported for other clean sites in the tropics. The increase of ozone production capacity due to the anthropogenic emissions of alkanes from oil and gas fields was estimated. Due to the presence in the atmosphere of important amounts of naturally emitted isoprene, ethene and propene, which makes a substantial contribution to the reactivity of the hydrocarbon mixture, a small increase (<5%) was estimated to occur in the capacity of the ozone production at a regional scale during the rainy season.     

Cobalt zoning in microscopic pyrite from Kamoto,Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa)

The Kamoto deposit consists of two stratiform orebodies separated by a barren sedimentary unit. It is a copper and cobalt deposit, the main features of which are summarized in the first part of the paper. Above the upper orebody, dolostone beds are found, where pyrite is the only sulfide mineral. This pyrite was investigated with the help of a microprobe: all idiomorphic grains were found to be surrounded by a well-defined rim, where the cobalt content reaches 4%; framboidal grains were also found to be heterogeneous with respect to cobalt. The distribution of nickel and copper is described. These observations afford one more evidence that post-depositional events played an important role in the Mine Series of Katanga, especially with regard to heavy metals geochemistry.

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Resume Le gisement de Kamoto est constitué de deux corps minéralisés stratiformes séparés par une unité sédimentaire stérile. C'est un gisement de cuivre et de cobalt dont les principales caractéristiques sont brièvement résumées. Audessus du corps minéralisé supérieur, on trouve des couches de dolomie, où la pyrite est le seul sulfure présent. Cette pyrite a été étudiée à l'aide d'une microsonde: tous les grains idiomorphes y sont entourés d'une bordure bien nette, où la teneur en cobalt atteint 4%; les grains d'apparence framboïdale sont également hétérogènes au point de vue de leur teneur en cobalt. La distribution du nickel et du cuivre est décrite. Ces observations apportent um témoignage supplémentaire de l'importance des événements postérieurs au dépôt dans la «Série des Mines» katangaise, tout spécialement en ce qui concerne la géochimie des métaux lourds. Elles démontrent que le «système» constitué par la roche sédimentaire est resté ouvert pendant un certain temps après la sédimentation.