Effect of near-fault earthquakes with forward directivity on telecommunication towers

In this paper, the effect of pulse-type motions caused by forward directivity that can release huge amounts of energy in a short time period is studied on a telecommunication tower. Since telecommunication towers have longer periods, they are not as affected by seismic forces. Nevertheless, near source earthquakes characterized by high velocity and velocity pulses can change the behavior of these structures. For this reason, a telecommunication tower located near active faults was selected in this study. Considering the probable earthquake magnitude at the site and the distance of the tower from adjacent faults, nine simulated pulses and three near-fault earthquake records with forward directivity are selected and applied to a 3D fi nite element model of the tower. The results of nonlinear dynamic analysis, i.e., displacements and damage in the tower, indicate that the maximum displacement and drift ratio of the tower under the pulses are obviously affected by the ratio of the structure period to pulse period. When this ratio is decreased and close to 1.0, the maximum displacement and drift ratio are sharply increased and cause large displacements in the tower.     

Sumixam maximus gen. and sp. nov., a New Pennsylvanian Species of Archaeorthoptera (Neoptera; Indiana, USA)

A new Mazon-Creek-type fossil specimen is described as Sumixam maximus gen. and sp. nov., assigned to the taxon Archaeorthoptera Béthoux and Nel, 2002 (composed of Orthoptera and some fossil relatives): it exhibits one of the diagnostic character states of this taxon, which is the fusion of CuA (emerging from M + CuA) with CuP, or a branch of it. A more precise taxonomic assignment is out of reach. The new taxon exhibits a fusion of the anterior branch of MA with RP, and a point of divergence of MA and MP located near the point of divergence of CuA (from M + CuA), but lack a branching of CuPa. This unique combination of character states is probably derived with respect to a number of contemporaneous species. Sumixam maximus gen. and sp. nov. is most likely the closest known relative of the panorthopterans, which include all the recent Archaeorthoptera.     

Spatial Distribution and Longitudinal Variation of Clay Minerals in the Central Indian Basin

Grain size and clay mineral distribution up to 45 cm depth in the silty clay sediments from 26 box cores from 10° to 16° S along four longitudes (73.5°–76.5°E) were studied for understanding spatial variability in the Central Indian Basin (CIB). It was observed that the average sand content in the basin is 3.8%, which decreases systematically and longitudinally to 0.3% towards south. The average illite and chlorite major clay mineral abundance also decrease southwards along the four longitudes from 10°S, and show the limit of influence of the Ganges- Brahmaputra river’s supply up to 10° S. However, the average clay content increases from west to east in the basin, and southwards along 73.5°E and either side of the 76.5°E fracture zone (FZ), which strongly suggests the possibility of clay supply due to circulation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) from the south through the FZ. The distribution of four clay minerals along 73° and 76.5° E FZ in the CIB shows dissimilar trends of increase and decrease, and indicate a mix environment in the basin. This study indicates that the FZ in the CIB has an important role in controlling the distribution of clay minerals.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their methoxylated analogs in mullet (Mugil cephalus) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from Bizerte Lagoon, Tunisia

Concentrations of ten polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and eight methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) in mullet (Mugil cephalus) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) collected from the Bizerte Lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea were investigated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of these compounds in marine fishes from Tunisia. The PBDE mean concentrations in fish from Bizerte Lagoon were 45.3 and 96.2 ng g(-1) lw respectively in mullet and sea bass, while the concentrations of these compounds in mullet and sea bass from Mediterranean Sea were 7.80 and 27.9 ng g(-1) lw respectively. MeO-PBDE concentrations in mullet and sea bass from Bizerte Lagoon ranged from 6.46 to 286 ng g(-1) lw and from 49.4 to 798 ng g(-1) lw respectively, while the concentrations of these compounds in mullet and sea bass from Mediterranean Sea ranged from 190 to 401 ng g(-1) lw and from 353 to 578 ng g(-1) lw respectively. The total PBDEs and total MeO-PBDEs concentration in fish from Bizerte Lagoon were similar or slightly lower than those reported for other species from other locations around the world.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111000181

This study investigates the mechanism of formation of convection plumes of mushroom shape in sub-solidus mantle and their prediction.The seismic-tomographic images of columnar structures of several hundreds kilometers in diameter have been reported by several researchers,while the much cherished mushroom-shaped plume heads could only be found in computational geodynamics(CGD) models and simple small-scale laboratory analogue simulations.Our theory of transient instability shows that the formation of conv...     

Opaque Mineralogy as a Tracer of Magmatic History of Volcanic Rocks:an Example from the Neogene-Quaternary Harrat Rahat Intercontinental Volcanic Field, North Western Saudi Arabia

The Neogene-Quaternary Harrat Rahat volcanic field is part of the major intercontinental Harrat fields in western Saudi Arabia.It comprises lava flows of olivine basalt and hawaiite,in addition to mugearite,benmorite,and trachyte that occur mainly as domes,tuff cones and lava flows.Based on opaque mineralogy and mineral chemistry,the Harrat Rahat volcanic varieties are distinguished into Group I(olivine basalt and hawaiite) and Group II(mugearite,benmorite and trachyte).The maximum forsterite content(~85) is encountered in zoned forsteritic olivine of Group I,whereas olivine of Group II is characterized by intermediate(Fo=50),fayalitic(Fo=25) and pure fayalite in the mugearite,benmorite and trachyte,respectively.The more evolved varieties of Group II contain minerals that show enrichment of Fe2+,Mn2+and Na+that indicates normal fractional crystallization.The common occurrence of coarse apatite with titanomagnetite in the benmorite indicates that P5+becomes saturated in this rock variety and drops again in trachyte.Cr-spinel is recorded in Group I varieties only and the Cr#(0.5) suggests lherzolite as a possible restite of the Harrat Rahat volcanics.The plots of Cr# vs.the forsterite content(Fo) suggest two distinct trends,which are typical of mixing of two basaltic magmas of different sources and different degrees of partial melting.The bimodality of Harrat Rahat Cr-spinel suggests possible derivation from recycled MORB slab in the mantle as indicated by the presence of high-Al spinel.It is believed that the subcontinental lithospheric mantle was modified by pervious subduction process and played the leading role in the genesis of the Harrat Rahat intraplate volcanics.The trachytes of the Harrat Rahat volcanic field were formed most probably by melting of a lower crust at the mantle-crust boundary.The increase in fO2 causes a decrease in Cr2 O3,and Al2 O3,and a strong increase in the proportion of Fe3+and Mg# of spinel crystallizing from the basaltic melt at T ~1200°C.The olivine-pyroxene and olivine-spinel geothermometers yielded equilibrium temperature in the range of 935-1025°C,whereas the range of <500-850°C from single-pyroxene thermometry indicates either post crystallization reequilibrium of the clinopyroxene,or the mineral is xenocrystic and re-equilibrated in a cooling basaltic magma.     

离子交换用于矿物中硼的质谱测定

矿物水中硼的含量可以在痕量到几百个ppm 范围内改变。对于不同浓度范围的硼的测定,除了采用许多滴定和比色法以外,现在的同位素稀释法分析被证明是有兴趣的,除了精密和准确以外,还有不需要进行定量分离的优点。分离操作中,使用最多的是甲酯的硼酸蒸馏和离子交换。而硼酸甲酯的蒸馏法