Soil–pile–structure interaction: experimental outcomes from shaking table tests

An effective way to study the complex seismic soil‐structure interaction phenomena is to investigate the response of physical scaled models in 1‐g or n‐g laboratory devices. The outcomes of an extensive experimental campaign carried out on scaled models by means of the shaking table of the Bristol Laboratory for Advanced Dynamics Engineering, University of Bristol, UK, are discussed in the present paper. The experimental model comprises an oscillator connected to a single or a group of piles embedded in a bi‐layer deposit. Different pile head conditions, that is free head and fixed head, several dynamic properties of the structure, including different masses at the top of the single degree of freedom system, excited by various input motions, e.g. white noise, sinedwells and natural earthquake strong motions recorded in Italy, have been tested. In the present work, the modal dynamic response of the soil–pile–structure system is assessed in terms of period elongation and system damping ratio. Furthermore, the effects of oscillator mass and pile head conditions on soil–pile response have been highlighted, when the harmonic input motions are considered. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Oxidative stress in two populations of killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) with differing contaminant exposure histories

A population of killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) inhabiting a creosote-polluted inlet of the Elizabeth River demonstrates tolerance to the acute toxic effects exerted by contaminated sediments on reference site killifish. Previous data have suggested that upregulated antioxidant defenses contribute to short-term tolerance in killifish exposed to Elizabeth River sediments. This study investigated population differences in antioxidant defenses from wild caught Elizabeth River and reference population killifish in different seasons, and after being held in the laboratory. Parameters measured in the killifish were total glutathione concentrations (GSH(T)), activities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and lipid peroxidation (LPO), all in adult hepatic tissues. The Elizabeth River population exhibited greater GSH(T), higher GPx activities, and increased LPO as compared to the reference population. Sex specific population differences were also observed in GSH(T) and GPx. Both populations displayed decreased GSH(T) and increased GR from early to late summer, as well as after being held in the laboratory. This study indicates that there are many factors that may contribute to differences in levels of antioxidant defenses in addition to exposure to contaminants, including reproductive status and environmental conditions.     

Depositional architecture and sequence stratigraphy of the Karoo basin floor to shelf edge succession, Laingsburg depocentre, South Africa

The Laingsburg depocentre of the SW Karoo Basin, South Africa preserves a well-exposed 1200 m thick succession of upper Permian strata that record the early filling of a basin during an icehouse climate. Uniformly fine-grained sandstones were derived from far-field granitic sources, possibly in Patagonia, although the coeval staging and delivery systems are not preserved. Early condensed shallow marine deposits are overlain by distal basin plain siltstone-prone turbidites and volcanic ashes. An order of magnitude increase in siliciclastic input to the basin plain is represented by up to 270 m of siltstone with thin sandstone turbidites (Vischkuil Formation). The upper Vischkuil Formation comprises three depositional sequences, each bounded by a regionally developed zone of soft sediment deformation and associated 20-45 m thick debrite that represent the initiation of a major sand delivery system. The overlying 300 m thick sandy basin-floor fan system (Unit A) is divisible into three composite sequences arranged in a progradational-aggradational-retrogradational stacking pattern, followed by up to 40 m of basin-wide hemipelagic claystone. This claystone contains Interfan A/B, a distributive lobe system that lies 10 m beneath Unit B, a sandstone-dominated succession that averages 150 m thickness and is interpreted to represent a toe of slope channelized lobe system. Unit B and the A/B interfan together comprise 4 depositional sequences in a composite sequence with an overall basinward-stepping stacking pattern, overlain by 30 m of hemipelagic claystone. The overlying 400 m thick submarine slope succession (Fort Brown Formation) is characterized by 10-120 m thick sand-prone to heterolithic packages separated by 30-70 m thick claystone units. On the largest scale the slope stratigraphy is defined by two major cycles interpreted as composite sequence sets. The lower cycle comprises lithostratigraphic Units B/C, C and D while the upper cycle includes lithostratigraphic Units D/E, E and F. In each case a sandy basal composite sequence is represented by an intraslope lobe (Units B/C and D/E respectively). The second composite sequence in each cycle (Units C and E respectively) is characterized by slope channel-levee systems with distributive lobes 20-30 km down dip. The uppermost composite sequence in each cycle (Units D and F respectively) are characterised by deeply entrenched slope valley systems. Most composite sequences comprise three sequences separated by thin (<5 m thick) claystones. Architectural style is similar at individual sequence scale for comparable positions within each composite sequence set and each composite sequence. The main control on stratigraphic development is interpreted as late icehouse glacio-eustasy but along-strike changes associated with changing shelf edge delivery systems and variable bathymetry due to differential substrate compaction complicate the resultant stratigraphy.     

Algorithms for automatic,real-time tsunami detection in wind–wave measurements Part I: Implementation strategies and basic tests

Several, although not all, wind–wave gages are equipped with sensors capable of detecting sea-level oscillations within the tsunami frequency band. The present paper looks at the algorithms to be implemented in the software of these gages in order to automatically perform the real-time detection of a possible tsunami within recorded signals. In particular, a new algorithm is proposed and tested. The first part of the paper concentrates on the algorithms' characteristics, implementation strategies and basic testing. First of all, the situations in which wind–wave measurements are either essential, or useful for real-time tsunami detection are discussed. In the second place, already existing algorithms are recalled, specifying their characteristics and fields of application. Then, the characteristics of the new proposed algorithm – mainly based on an infinite impulse response, time domain filter – are illustrated and analyzed. Performance and efficiency of the considered algorithms are compared using synthetic time series. The second part of the paper discusses the algorithms' use in the framework of Tsunami Early Warning Systems (TEWS), testing them in actual cases.     

应用模式识别定量划分潜在震源区

本文以陕西关中及部分邻区为例,考虑地质构造、地震活动及地球物地场等因素,采用不同的模式识别方法和多种计算方案,以定量判定潜在震源区。其结果表明,模式识别方法有利于地质、地震活动及地球物理场等多种因素综合应用,并能选择和显示判定潜有震源区的主要特征。不同模式识别方法的比较和多种试验方案的综合,则可提高潜在震源区判定的可靠性和稳定性。     

On the Temporal Variability of the “Strahl” and Its Relationship with Solar Wind Characteristics: STEREO SWEA Observations

The “strahl” is a specific population of the solar wind, constituted by strongly field aligned electrons flowing away from the Sun, with energies >60 eV. Using the Solar Wind Electron Analyzer (SWEA) onboard STEREO, we investigate the short time scale fluctuations of this population. It is shown that its phase space density (PSD) at times presents fluctuations larger than 50% at scales of the order of minutes and less. The fluctuations are particularly strong for periods of a few tens of hours in high-speed streams, following the crossing of the corotating interaction region, when the strahl is also the most collimated in pitch angle. The amplitude of the fluctuations tends to decrease in conjunction with a broadening in pitch angle. Generally, the strongly fluctuating strahl is observed when the magnetic field is also highly perturbed. That SWEA is able to perform a very rapid 3D analysis at a given energy is essential since it can be demonstrated that the observed magnetic turbulence can only marginally perturb the PSD measurements.     

广西填海项目海籍调查结果与存在问题探析

海籍调查资料是海域管理的重要资料,本文遵照海域、测绘等规范,结合围填海现状调查,对广西壮族自治区海岸带确权填海项目海籍调查资料进行分析,发现项目填海位置与海域批复的位置存在偏移,为优化海域管理,针对海籍调查中宗海图绘制过程所涉及的海岸线、坐标系统、控制点等要素进行研究,得出应严格按照现行海域管理要求,使用统一的坐标系统及法定岸线,以确保准确可靠的海籍调查资料,发挥其在海域使用及自然资源规划管理方面中的作用。     

Unveiling controls of the latitudinal gradient of surface pCO2 in the Kuroshio Extension and its recirculation regions（northwestern North Pacific） in late spring

In the northwestern North Pacific, annual net air-sea CO₂ flux is greatest in the Kuroshio Extension（KE） zone,owing to its low annual mean partial pressure of CO₂（pCO₂）, and it decreases southward across the basin. To quantify the influences of factors controlling the latitudinal gradient in CO₂ uptake, sea surface pCO₂ and related parameters were investigated in late spring of 2018 in a study spanning the KE, Kuroshio Recirculation（KR）, and...     

影响龙须菜果孢子体形成内外因素的初步研究

龙须菜是中国重要的人工栽培海藻,主要用途是琼胶生产原料和鲍鱼饵料。目前龙须菜大规模栽培采用的是人工夹苗的方式,而其孢子采苗的生产方式也得到越来越多的关注。本文将人工培育的由四分孢子萌发长成的一对龙须菜雌、雄配子体进行受精,测试了雌雄配子体藻枝部位、温度、硝酸盐浓度等因素对果孢子体形成过程的影响,结果表明:龙须菜雌配子体藻枝的不同等级分枝表现出不同的生殖力,一级分枝最尖端新生细胞的成熟速度快于其它等级;温度对果孢子体形成有极显著影响(P<0.01),20℃为最适温度;硝酸盐浓度没有显著影响。     

Brittle–ductile–brittle deformation during cooling of tonalite (Adamello, Southern Italian Alps)

Late- to post-magmatic deformation in slightly diachronous contiguous intrusions of the north-western Adamello batholith (Southern Alps, Italy) is recorded as, from oldest to youngest: (i) joints, (ii) solid-state ductile shear zones, (iii) faults associated with epidote-K-feldspar veins and (iv) zeolite veins and faults. Structures (ii) to (iv) are localized on the pervasive precursory network of joints (i), which developed during the earliest stages of pluton cooling. High temperature ( 500 °C), ductile overprinting of joints produced lineations, defined by aligned biotite and hornblende, on the joint surfaces and highly localized mylonites. The main phase of faulting, producing cataclasites and pseudotachylytes, occurred at  250 °C and was associated with extensive fluid infiltration. Cataclasites and pseudotachylytes are clustered along different E–W-striking dextral strike-slip fault zones correlated with the activity of the Tonale fault, a major tectonic structure that bounds the Adamello batholith to the north. Ductile deformation and cataclastic/veining episodes occurred at P = 0.25–0.3 GPa during rapid cooling of the batholith to the ambient temperatures ( 250 °C) that preceded the exhumation of the batholith. Timing of the sequence of deformation can be constrained by ³⁹Ar–⁴⁰Ar ages of  30 Ma on pseudotachylytes and various existing mineral ages. In the whole composite Adamello batholith, multiple magma pulses were intruded over the time span 42–30 Ma and each intrusive body shows the same ductile-to-brittle structural sequence localized on the early joint sets. This deformation sequence of the Adamello might be typical of intrusions undergoing cooling at depths close to the brittle–ductile transition.