On the application of fiber optic gyroscopes for detection of seismic rotations

In recent years, the measurement of rotational components of earthquake-induced ground motion became a reality due to high-resolution ring laser gyroscopes. As a consequence of the fact that they exploit the Sagnac effect, these devices are entirely insensitive to translational motion and are able to measure the rotation rate with high linearity and accuracy over a wide frequency band. During the last decade, a substantial number of earthquakes were recorded by the large ring lasers located in Germany, New Zealand, and USA, and the subsequent data analysis demonstrated reliability and consistency of the results with respect to theoretical models. However, most of the observations recorded teleseismic events in the far-field. The substantial mass and the size of these active interferometers make their near-field application difficult. Therefore, the passive counterparts of ring lasers, the fiber optic gyros can be used for seismic applications where the mobility is more important than extreme precision. These sensors provide reasonable accuracy and are small in size, which makes them perfect candidates for strong motion applications. The other advantage of fiber optic gyroscopes is that if the earthquake is local and shallow (like one occurred early this year at Canterbury, New Zealand), the large ring lasers simply do not have the dynamic range??the effect is far too large for these instruments. In this paper, we analyze a typical commercially available tactical grade fiber optic gyroscope (VG-951) with respect to the seismic rotation measurement requirements. The initial test results including translation and upper bounds of seismic rotation sensitivity are presented. The advantages and limitations of tactical grade fiber optic gyroscope as seismic rotation sensor are discussed.     

Testing fractal coefficients sensitivity on real and simulated earthquake data

We examined the behavior of different fractal dimensions when applied to study features of earthquake spatial distribution on different types of data. We first examined simulated spatial fields of points of different clustering level, following the so called Soneira-Peebles model. The model was chosen because it displays some similarity to the real clustering structure of earthquakes occurring on hierarchically ordered faults. The analysis of the capacity, clustering and correlation dimensions revealed that their behavior did not completely correlate with the clustering level of the simulated data sets. We also studied temporal variations of the fractal coefficients, characterizing the spatial distribution of the 1999 İzmit-Düzce aftershock sequence. The calculated coefficient values demonstrated analogous behavior like for the simulated data. They exposed different variability in time, but for all of them a systematic fluctuation was observed before the occurrence of the Düzce earthquake. Our analysis revealed that although fractal coefficients could be applied to measure earthquake clustering, they should be used with caution, trying to figure out the best coefficient for a certain data set.     

Remote sensing and the coast: Development of advanced techniques to map nuisance macro-algae in estuaries

Abstract:   The occurrence of nuisance macro-algae in estuaries is a worldwide problem. Monitoring algal cover has proven difficult in the past, in part due to the lack of adequate, universally accepted mapping protocols. This paper discusses a methodology to map algal cover which was successfully trialled in the Avon-Heathcote Estuary in January 2008.     

Recent paleolimnology of three lakes in the Fraser River Basin (BC,Canada): no response to the collapse of sockeye salmon stocks following the Hells Gate landslides

The use of paleolimnology to reconstruct the collapse of the Fraser River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) populations following the landslides at the Hells Gate section of the Fraser canyon (British Columbia, Canada) is explicitly tested. Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway caused a series of landslides in 1913–1914, partially blocking the Fraser River, preventing spawning salmon migration, and causing a near-complete collapse of upstream salmon stocks. We selected three sockeye nursery lakes upstream of Hells Gate, which varied in spawner density, migration length, and lake catchment characteristics. In each of the lakes, geochemical (stable nitrogen isotopes and C:N) and biological (diatoms) proxies failed to register the impact of a dramatic decrease in marine-derived nutrients (MDN). Additional variations in sockeye abundance, documented by the onset of commercial fishing and modern escapement records, were also not imprinted on the sediment record. Changes in diatom assemblages are coincident with 20th century climate warming and local catchment disturbances and are not attributable to variability in MDN subsidies. These results suggest that MDN do not remain within lakes in the Fraser River drainage long enough to become faithfully archived in the sediment record or that the lakes do not receive sufficient MDN to produce a recognizable sedimentary signature.     

Seismic evidence for the Pleistocene depositional changes in Lake Hovsgol, Mongolia, and implications for the age model and the sediment grain size record of KDP-01 drill core

This paper seeks to arrive at a consistent interpretation of (1) the age model, (2) the grain size record, and (3) seismic reflection data from Lake Hovsgol (a.k.a Khubsugul or Hövsgöl), Mongolia, reported by Fedotov et al. (2007, earlier by Fedotov et al. 2002, 2004). In their most recent contribution, the grain size record of the KDP-01 drill core is interpreted as a climatic signal while little consideration is given to lake-level changes and hence to basin-wide changes in depositional setting evident from seismic profiles; also, a nearly linear age model is at odds with the seismic evidence for a major angular unconformity in the sediment strata. The lack of regional seismic stratigraphic analysis has thus led to an improbable interpretation of the Lake Hovsgol sediment grain size record and ultimately to an improbable scenario of Mongolian glaciation history. Using the available seismic profiles, here we show that the drill core penetrated several transgressive/regressive sedimentary sequences and a major angular unconformity. Therefore, the drilled sediment section cannot represent continuous sediment accumulation and the Brunhes age model across the unconformity cannot be nearly linear; the time interval representing a hiatus remains to be determined. The assumed nearly linear age/depth relationship in the upper 23 m above the angular unconformity is also an unlikely relationship, given the evidence of repeated changes in lake level, and hence in the depositional setting and sedimentation rates. We further propose a qualitative reference model for changes in the Lake Hovsgol depositional setting (presented as a step-by-step animation – see supplementary material) based on manually ‘backstripping and rebuilding’ the seismic pattern. We argue that this model provides a useful template of the likely sediment facies changes in the deep axial part of the Hovsgol basin: our crude model in fact captures the major depositional trends in the KDP-01 drill core section located some 10 km NW along the seismic line. We contend that changes in the depositional setting provide the first-order control on sediment grain size in the Hovsgol record. Our study provides important new constraints on the nature of sedimentary proxy records in Lake Hovsgol and on their interpretation as a record of Mongolian glaciation history.