Flood vulnerability and buildings’ flood exposure assessment in a densely urbanised city: comparative analysis of three scenarios using a neural network approach

Natural Hazards - Advances in the availability of multi-sensor, remote sensing-derived datasets, and machine learning algorithms can now provide an unprecedented possibility to predict flood events...     

Tracing exhumation record in high-pressure micaschists: A new tectonometamorphic model of the evolution of the eastern part of the Fore Sudetic Block,Kamieniec Metamorphic Belt,NE Bohemian Massif,SW Poland

The Kamieniec Metamorphic Belt comprises a volcano-sedimentary succession exposed within a collision zone between the Saxothuringian and Brunovistulian crustal domains of the European Variscides. The studied rocks recorded two metamorphic episodes. The first episode, M₁, occurred at conditions of c. 485 ± 25 °C and 18 ± 1.8 kbar related to burial within a subduction zone. The subsequent episode, M₂, was linked to the final phases of exhumation to mid-crustal level, associated with pressure and temperature (P–T) conditions ranging from c. 520 ± 26 °C and 6 ± 0.6 kbar through 555 ± 28 °C and 7 kbar ± 0.7 to ~590 ± 30 °C and 3–4 ± 0.4 kbar. The documented deformation record is ascribed to three events, D₁ to D₃, interpreted as related to the burial and subsequent exhumation of the Kamieniec Metamorphic Belt. The D₁ event must have witnessed the subduction of the Kamieniec Metamorphic Belt rock succession whereas the D₂ event was associated with the exhumation and folding of the Kamieniec Metamorphic Belt in an E-W-directed shortening regime. A subsequent folding related to the D₂ event was initiated at HP conditions, however, the planar fabric produced during a late stage of the D₂ event, defined by a low-pressure mineral assemblage M₂, indicates that the D₂ final stage was synchronous with the onset of the M₂ episode. Consequently, the entire D₂ event seems to have been associated with the exhumation of the Kamieniec Metamorphic Belt to mid crustal level. The third deformation event D₃, synchronous with the M₂ episode, marked the last stage of the exhumation, and was linked to emplacement of granitoid veins and lenses. The latter resulted in heating and rheological weakening of the entire rock succession and in the formation of non-coaxial shear zones.     

Tides and Arp's hypothesis about distribution of Hii regions

We discuss Arp's hypothesis that the HII regions are more numerous and more conspicuous on the side of a galaxy facing its companion. Arp's hypothesis seems not to be true if we add to Hodge's sets of galaxies only the most probably tidally-interacting cases.     

The asymmetry of the velocity distribution in the rotating ring in U Gem stars

It is shown that the non-keplerian character of the rotation of the ring of gas particles in a close binary system gives too large an amplitude of the radial velocity curve if this amplitude is determined from the positions of the emission lines of the ring.     

CO 2 emission trading model with trading prices

In this paper we consider the buying/selling prices of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission permits in trading models with uncertainty. Permission prices, although usually omitted from standard models, may significantly influence the trading market. We thus undertook to construct a more realistic trade model and to compare it with the standard one. To do this, we introduced several important changes to the standard model, namely, (1) a new optimized quality function; and (2) transactions with price negotiations between regions. We also enhanced the model using methods described in the literature to allow it to deal with reported emissions uncertainty. Additionally, we used an original method of simulating this kind of market based on a specialized evolutionary algorithm (EA).     

Application of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to examination of carbonized coal blends

Paramagnetic centers in two- and three-component coal blends carbonized at 1000 °C were studied by X-band (9.3 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technique. The blends were prepared from three different Polish coals with carbon contents [wt.%]: 88.66, 86.21, and 82.67, respectively. The aim of this work was to compare EPR parameters and concentrations of paramagnetic centers in the initial and carbonized coal samples. Furthermore the spin–spin and spin–lattice interactions were characterized.EPR spectra were measured with magnetic modulation 100 kHz and microwave power 0.7 mW. Amplitudes and linewidths of EPR spectra were obtained. g-Factors were calculated from resonance condition. Concentrations of paramagnetic centers in the samples were determined. Influence of microwave power in the range 0.7–70 mW on EPR spectra was analyzed.All the studied samples revealed paramagnetism. Unpaired electrons are localized in the same atoms, because similar g-values in the range 2.0035–2.0038 were obtained for all the original samples. The EPR parameters of coal blends were additive in comparison with the parent coals. EPR spectra strongly changed after carbonization of the coal samples. Narrower EPR lines were measured for the original coal samples than for carbonized ones. We detected lower concentrations of paramagnetic centers in carbonized three-component coal blends than in two-component carbonized blends. EPR lines of the studied carbonized blends were not saturated at the microwave power used, which suggests fast spin–lattice relaxation processes in the samples. EPR examination proved chemical interactions between coal constituents during carbonization of coal blends.