Brazilian Solar Spectroscope (bss)

Digital, decimetric (200–2500 MHz) Brazilian Solar Spectroscope (BSS) with high time (10–1000 ms) and frequency (1–10 MHz) resolution is in regular operation since April, 1998, at National Space Research Institute (INPE) at São José dos Campos, Brazil. BSS operates in conjunction with a 9-m diameter polar mounted antenna. It allows to select suitable observing frequency range, frequency and time resolutions and data can be digitized up to 100 channels. BSS has capabilities of quasi-real time display of the ongoing dynamic spectra of the solar activity that enables the observer to modify observational parameters so as to suit a specific type of activity such as spikes and improve the quality of data acquisition and storage. Minimum detectable flux density of the spectroscope, for different combinations of the observational parameters, is 3 s.f.u. Observations are carried out routinely from 11 UT to 19 UT. Necessary software for data acquisition and reductions has been developed in IDL 5.3 environment. Data are available in FITS and ASCII formats. Absolute timing accuracy of the station is less than 3 ms. Here, we present examples of the bursts which have been recorded by BSS and available display facilities.     

Microstructural deformation mechanisms of unsaturated granular soils

A discrete model for unsaturated granular soils has been developed. Three discrete entities have been defined: particles, water menisci and pores. Local interaction forces and water transfer mechanisms have been integrated into a model through the appropriate equilibrium and balance equations. The results of several numerical tests using this model have been described and discussed. Simulations include wetting and drying under load tests, the application of suction cycles and the effect of a deviatoric stress ratio on wetting‐induced collapse. The model reacts just as true granular soil samples behave in laboratory tests. The model provides a new insight into the internal mechanisms leading to large‐scale features of behaviour such as wetting‐induced collapse or the increase in soil strength provided by suction. The paper also stresses that matric suction changes acting on a granular structure are capable of explaining most of the macroscopic features of stress–strain behaviour. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Boron isotope composition of geothermal fluids and borate minerals from salar deposits (central Andes/NW Argentina)

We have measured the boron concentration and isotope composition of regionally expansive borate deposits and geothermal fluids from the Cenozoic geothermal system of the Argentine Puna Plateau in the central Andes. The borate minerals borax, colemanite, hydroboracite, inderite, inyoite, kernite, teruggite, tincalconite, and ulexite span a wide range of δ¹¹B values from −29.5 to −0.3‰, whereas fluids cover a range from −18.3 to 0.7‰. The data from recent coexisting borate minerals and fluids allow for the calculation of the isotope composition of the ancient mineralizing fluids and thus for the constraint of the isotope composition of the source rocks sampled by the fluids. The boron isotope composition of ancient mineralizing fluids appears uniform throughout the section of precipitates at a given locality and similar to values obtained from recent thermal fluids. These findings support models that suggest uniform and stable climatic, magmatic, and tectonic conditions during the past 8 million years in this part of the central Andes. Boron in fluids is derived from different sources, depending on the drainage system and local country rocks. One significant boron source is the Paleozoic basement, which has a whole-rock isotopic composition of δ¹¹B=−8.9±2.2‰ (1 SD); another important boron contribution comes from Neogene-Pleistocene ignimbrites (δ¹¹B=−3.8±2.8‰, 1 SD). Cenozoic andesites and Mesozoic limestones (δ¹¹B≤+8‰) provide a potential third boron source.     

A comparative study between two cases of extreme rainfall events in Catalonia

A diagnostic study of the synoptic aspects of two cases of heavy rain producing floods in Catalonia (northeast corner of the Iberian peninsula) is presented. The diagnosis consists in the determination of the area where large scale circulation induces favorable conditions for development of thunderstorms. We identify these conditions as upward quasi-geostrophic forcing, convergence of water vapor at low levels and convective instability in the lower troposphere. A composite chart showing where the three synoptic mechanisms overlap determines the area. Local studies of instability are carried out from upper air data given by the radiosonde ascents of Palma de Mallorca, looking for both the Convective Available Potential Energy and Bulk Richardson number and its temporal evolution during the events.     

Foundation analysis of an arch dam. Comparison of two modelling techniques: No tension and jointed rock material

Summary The paper describes the application of a recently developed joint element to the analysis of a jointed rock foundation of an arch dam. The most relevant joint system and the concrete-rock interfaces were simulated by means of joint elements. Parameters for the constitutive behaviour of the joints were derived from large scale in situ shear tests. The analysis showed the suitability of the jointed model to predict not only stresses and deformations but also the shape of the failure surface al ultimate conditions. This allows an easy determination of conventional safety factors. A parallel no tension analysis incorporating a cohesion threshold was also carried out. The comparison of both approaches indicates that the no tension hypothesis is a crude approximation of the rock response to dam loads and may lead to unsafe estimates of stability and stress conditions.The analysis performed also showed the relevance of initial stress conditions inside the rock mass in controlling the overall foundation response.     

Thin coating on ultrafine aerosol particles

This article presents the results of an experimental investigation on gas-phase coating of nanometer-sized NaCl aerosol particles with a condensing vapor of ZnCl₂. The coating process has been carried out in a commercially available Venturi aspirator, where the NaCl at ambient temperature is mixed with the supersaturated ZnCl₂ vapor. The operating conditions (ZnC1₂ vapor temperature, and ZnCl₂/NaCl flow rate ratio) at which the ZnCl₂ vapor preferentially nucleates onto the surface of the seed NaCl particles forming a coating layer on them, have been determined. Particle size growth as a function of the original seed diameter has also been determined. Smaller particles undergo a larger relative size growth ratio. It has also been shown that the presence of a coating layer does not affect the charge distribution of the original seed particles.     

Pyrite-induced hydroxyl radical formation and its effect on nucleic acids

Background  

Pyrite, the most abundant metal sulphide on Earth, is known to spontaneously form hydrogen peroxide when exposed to water. In this study the hypothesis that pyrite-induced hydrogen peroxide is transformed to hydroxyl radicals is tested.     

Tectonic indentation in the central Alboran Sea (westernmost Mediterranean)

The Alboran Sea constitutes a Neogene–Quaternary basin of the Betic–Rif Cordillera, which has been deformed since the Late Miocene during the collision between the Eurasian and African plates in the westernmost Mediterranean. NNE–SSW sinistral and WNW–ESE dextral conjugate fault sets forming a 75° angle surround a rigid basement spur of the African plate, and are the origin of most of the shallow seismicity of the central Alboran Sea. Northward, the faults decrease their transcurrent slip, becoming normal close to the tip point, while NNW–SSE normal and sparse ENE–WSW reverse to transcurrent faults are developed. The uplifting of the Alboran Ridge ENE–WSW antiform above a detachment level was favoured by the crustal layering. Despite the recent anticlockwise rotation of the Eurasian–African convergence trend in the westernmost Mediterranean, these recent deformations—consistent with indenter tectonics characterised by a N164°E trend of maximum compression—entail the highest seismic hazard of the Alboran Sea.     

Mélanges and other types of block-in-matrix formations in the Cantabrian Zone (Variscan Orogen,northwest Spain): origin and significance

Block-in-matrix formations in the Variscan foreland of Spain (Cantabrian Zone) occur in two different geological settings. The major block-in-matrix formations are mélanges, which appear as carpets beneath or ahead of submarine thrust systems. These mélanges may reach up to kilometric thickness and are mostly composed of broken formations (boudinaged sequences) of late Carboniferous age and scattered ‘exotic’ blocks derived from older Palaeozoic formations. Moreover, the mélanges in the Cantabrian Zone also include subordinate debris flow deposits with a chaotic block-in-matrix fabric (olistostromes). The source of the mélange blocks was the front of advancing nappes, chiefly the upper part of the nappe stacks. Therefore, the Cantabrian mélanges are interpreted as originated through submarine sliding and slumping associated with steep slopes at the orogenic front. The different types of rock bodies of these mélanges may be related to the degree of lithification of the sediments or rocks during slumping. So, broken formations are boudinaged sequences where the boudins or blocks resulted from extensional faults developed in lithified or semilithified limestones and sandstones, whereas the unlithified muddy matrix underwent continuous deformation. The scattered ‘exotic’ blocks ranging in age from early Cambrian to early Carboniferous were incorporated into the mélanges as individual blocks from competent well-lithified formations, originally located in the lower part of the nappe stacks. Although the Cantabrian Zone mélanges include olistostromic intervals, most of the olistostromes of this zone occur in a different geological setting. They are usually intercalated in the normal marine deposits of the Variscan foreland basin and, in contrast to the mélanges, they are mostly related to the margins of carbonate platforms, ahead of moving nappes. Finally, other instances of olistostromes are related to slopes generated by limb rotation of growth folds, which developed on submarine wedge-top successions.     

Magmatic source and metamorphic grade of metavolcanic rocks from the Granjeno Schist: was northeastern Mexico a part of Pangaea?

The geochemistry of the metavolcanic rocks from the Granjeno Schist in northeastern Mexico indicates an origin in different tectonic environments: mid‐ocean ridge and ocean island. High ratios of Hf/Th and Th/Nb (4.4–14 and 0.08–0.15), low ratios of LaN/YbN and LaN/SmN (0.74–1.7 and 0.60–1.4) and depleted LREE patterns in metabasalt display mid‐ocean ridge characteristics. In contrast, the pattern of trace‐element ratios and REEs in metabasalt and metapillow lava 60 km to the west indicates a magma source with ocean‐island basalt characteristics. Both areas were metamorphosed during the Late Carboniferous (300 ± 4 Ma). Estimated metamorphic conditions deduced from white mica and chlorite compositions, distinguish greenschist facies (350 °C and 4 kbar) for the mid‐ocean ridge basalt, and prehnite–pumpellyite facies (250 °C and 2.5 kbar) for the ocean‐island‐type basalt. This metamorphism took place at an active continental margin during Pennsylvanian time. Our new tectonic model, which differs from earlier models, suggests that the origin of the Granjeno Schist is related to a subduction zone located at the western margin of Pangaea, active after Laurentia–Gondwana collision. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.