Effects of heavy metals on the survival ofDiacypris compacta (Herbst) (Ostracoda) from the Coorong,South Australia

The hypermarine southern Coorong is threatened by proposals to drain relatively fresh surface water and groundwater from adjacent agricultural areas into the Coorong. These influent waters carry moderate loads of heavy metals. Acute toxicity of heavy metals toDiacypris compacta, an abundant ostracod in the Coorong, was measured in the laboratory at 18°C in a static system using Coorong water (pH 7.8 salinity 50 ppt). At 4 days (96 h) the mean values of LC₅₀ for copper, zinc, lead and, cadmium respectively were 0.8, 2.1, 3.1 and 4.3 mg L^–1, and at 8 days the respective mean LC₅₀ s were 0.4, 0.7, 2.2 and 1.1 mgL^–1. The effect of two or three metals on mortality was additive in some cases and synergistic in other cases, but generally less than additive. However, in all cases mortality was greater in the presence of two or three metals than in the presence of a single metal. According to ANZECC (1992) guidelines, maximum acceptable concentrations of heavy metals should be no higher than 0.01 x the lowest LC₅₀ value. Using the lowest LC₅₀ values forDiacypris compacta obtained at 8 days, maximum acceptable concentrations in the Coorong would be 4, 5, 9 and 22 gL^–1 for copper, zinc, cadmium and lead respectively, the values for zinc and copper failling below those recommended by ANZECC (1992) for marine waters. Reported concentrations of copper and zinc in surface water and groundwater in areas adjacent to the Coorong sometimes exceed these values, hence drainage of these waters into the Coorong represents a significant hazard to the Coorong biota.     

Resonant structure of the outer asteroid belt

An analysis of ordered and chaotic regions of motion in the outer asteroid belt has shown that once the eccentricity of Jupiter is introduced the chaotic regions of the circular model are quite easily depleted. This suggests that also objects in neighbouring regions must be strongly perturbed. Therefore it is not surprising that many outer belt asteroids have been reported in the literature as resonant or anyway dynamically protected. By using the planar elliptic restricted 3-body model we have investigated the motion of outer belt asteroids which had not been suspected to librate. We find 3 cases of libration and 11 cases of e, coupling that can be explained within the theory of secular resonances. It is thus established that in the outer belt only resonant and dynamically protected asteroids can have lifetimes of the same order as the age of the Solar System.     

The nature of η carinae

We give an overview of the Car phenomenon on the basis of ground and space observations. We discuss in particular the IRAS images. We conclude that Car, initially with a mass > 100M , is presently an intermediate-type hypergiant withL=5×10⁶ L , in a rapid evolutionary stage. This phase started with a large increase of mass loss in mid-1800 followed by dust condensation and a large visual fading, at constant bolometric luminosity.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Geochemistry of low-molecular weight hydrocarbons in hydrothermal fluids from Middle Valley, northern Juan de Fuca Ridge

Hydrothermal vent fluids from Middle Valley, a sediment-covered vent field located on the northern Juan de Fuca Ridge, were sampled in July, 2000. Eight different vents with exit temperatures of 186-281 °C were sampled from two areas of venting: the Dead Dog and ODP Mound fields. Fluids from the Dead Dog field are characterized by higher concentrations of ΣNH₃ and organic compounds (C₁-C₄ alkanes, ethene, propene, benzene and toluene) compared with fluids from the ODP Mound field. The ODP Mound fluids, however, are characterized by higher C₁/(C₂ + C₃) and benzene:toluene ratios than those from the Dead Dog field. The aqueous organic compounds in these fluids have been derived from both bacterial processes (methanogenesis in low temperature regions during recharge) as well as from thermogenic processes in higher temperature portions of the subsurface reaction zone. As the sediments undergo hydrothermal alteration, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons are released to solution as organic matter degrades via a stepwise oxidation process. Compositional and isotopic differences in the aqueous hydrocarbons indicate that maximum subsurface temperatures at the ODP Mound are greater than those at the Dead Dog field. Maximum subsurface temperatures were calculated assuming that thermodynamic equilibrium is attained between alkenes and alkanes, benzene and toluene, and carbon dioxide and methane. The calculated temperatures for alkene-alkane equilibrium are consistent with differences in the dissolved Cl concentrations in fluids from the two fields, and confirm that subsurface temperatures at the ODP Mound are hotter than those at the Dead Dog field. Temperatures calculated assuming benzene-toluene equilibrium and carbon dioxide-methane equilibrium are similar to observed exit temperatures, and do not record the hottest subsurface conditions. The difference in subsurface temperatures estimated using organic geochemical thermometers reflects subsurface cooling processes via mixing of a hot, low salinity vapor with a cooler, seawater salinity fluid. Because of the disparate temperature dependence of alkene-alkane and benzene-toluene equilibria, the mixed fluid records both the high and low temperature equilibrium conditions. These calculations indicate that vapor-rich fluids are presently being formed in the crust beneath the ODP Mound, yet do not reach the surface due to mixing with the lower temperature fluids.     

Structural similarity and variety at the tips in a wide range of strike–slip faults: a review

Strike–slip faults are often accompanied by a variety of structures, particularly at their tips. The zones of additional fracturing are classified as tip‐damage zones. These zones can be subdivided into several different damage patterns based on the nature and orientation of faults and fractures developed. Damage zones at the ends of small strike–slip faults (mode II tips) develop wing cracks, horsetail splays, antithetic faults, synthetic branch faults and solution surfaces. Similar tip‐damage patterns are also commonly observed at larger (regional) scales, but with a dominance of faulting over tensile cracks and solution surfaces. Wing cracks and horsetail splays developed at small‐scale faults are replaced by normal faults in large‐scale faults. Antithetic faults and synthetic branch faults are observed at small and large scales. Thrust faults are developed at large scales, in a similar pattern to solution surfaces at a small scale. All these structures may show slightly different angular relationships to the master fault at small and large scale, but develop in response similar stress distribution and mechanics around the fault. Thus, mode II tip‐damage zones show similar patterns over a wide range of fault scales.     

Food Deserts in the Prairies? Supermarket Accessibility and Neighborhood Need in Edmonton,Canada*

The U.S. and U.K. literatures have discussed “food deserts,” reflecting populated, typically urban, low‐income areas with limited access to full‐service supermarkets. Less is known about supermarket accessibility within Canadian cities. This article uses the minimum distance and coverage methods to determine supermarket accessibility within the city of Edmonton, Canada, with a focus on high‐need and inner‐city neighborhoods. The results show that for 1999 both of these areas generally had higher accessibility than the remainder of the city, but six high‐need neighborhoods had poor supermarket accessibility. We conclude by examining potential reasons for differences in supermarket accessibility between Canadian, U.S., and U.K. cities.     

Structural damage detection using the optimal weights of the approximating artificial neural networks

This work presents a novel neural network‐based approach to detect structural damage. The proposed approach comprises two steps. The first step, system identification, involves using neural system identification networks (NSINs) to identify the undamaged and damaged states of a structural system. The partial derivatives of the outputs with respect to the inputs of the NSIN, which identifies the system in a certain undamaged or damaged state, have a negligible variation with different system errors. This loosely defined unique property enables these partial derivatives to quantitatively indicate system damage from the model parameters. The second step, structural damage detection, involves using the neural damage detection network (NDDN) to detect the location and extent of the structural damage. The input to the NDDN is taken as the aforementioned partial derivatives of NSIN, and the output of the NDDN identifies the damage level for each member in the structure. Moreover, SDOF and MDOF examples are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of using the proposed method for damage detection of linear structures. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A mathematical hysteretic model for elastomeric isolation bearings

An analytical model for high damping elastomeric isolation bearings is presented in this paper. The model is used to describe mathematically the damping force and restoring force of the rubber material and bearing. Ten parameters to be identified from cyclic loading tests are included in the model. The sensitivity of the ten parameters in affecting the model is examined. These ten parameters are functions of a number of influence factors on the elastomer such as the rubber compound, Mullins effect, scragging effect, frequency, temperature and axial load. In this study, however, only the Mullins effect, scragging effect, frequency and temperature are investigated. Both material tests and shaking table tests were performed to validate the proposed model. Based on the comparison between the experimental and the analytical results, it is found that the proposed analytical model is capable of predicting the shear force–displacement hysteresis very accurately for both rubber material and bearing under cyclic loading reversals. The seismic response time histories of the bearing can also be captured, using the proposed analytical model, with a practically acceptable precision. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tests on low‐ductility RC frames under high‐ and low‐frequency excitations

The response of low‐ductility reinforced concrete (RC) frames, designed typically for a non‐seismic region, subjected to two frequencies of base excitations is studied. Five half‐scaled, two‐bay, two‐storey, RC frames, each approximately 5 m wide by 3.3 m high, were subjected to both horizontal and/or vertical base excitations with a frequency of 40 Hz as well as a lower frequency of about 4 Hz (close to the fundamental frequency) using a shake table. The imposed acceleration amplitude ranged from 0.2 to 1.2g. The test results showed that the response characteristics of the structures differed under high‐ and low‐frequency excitations. The frames were able to sustain high‐frequency excitations without damage but were inadequate for low‐frequency excitations, even though the frames exhibited some ductility. Linear‐elastic time‐history analysis can predict reasonably well the structural response under high‐frequency excitations. As the frames were not designed for seismic loads, the reinforcement detailing may not have been adequate, based on the crack pattern observed. The effect of vertical excitation can cause significant additional forces in the columns and moment reversals in the beams. The ‘strong‐column, weak‐beam’ approach for lateral load RC frame design is supported by experimental observations. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.