Weka‐STPM: a Software Architecture and Prototype for Semantic Trajectory Data Mining and Visualization

Enormous quantities of trajectory data are collected from many sources, such as GPS devices and mobile phones, as sequences of spatio‐temporal points. These data can be used in many application domains such as traffic management, urban planning, tourism, bird migration, and so on. Raw trajectory data, as generated by mobile devices have very little or no semantics, and in most applications a higher level of abstraction is needed to exploit these data for decision making. Although several different methods have been proposed so far for trajectory querying and mining, there are no software tools to help the end user with semantic trajectory data analysis. In this article we present a software architecture for semantic trajectory data mining as well as the first software prototype to enrich trajectory data with both semantic information and data mining. As a prototype we extend the Weka data mining toolkit with the module Weka‐STPM, which is interoperable with databases constructed under OGC specifications. We tested Weka‐STPM with real geographic databases, and trajectory data stored under the Postgresql/PostGIS DBMS.     

Geology,petrology and geochemistry of the “Americano do Brasil” layered intrusion,central Brazil,and its Ni–Cu sulfide deposits

The “Americano do Brasil” Complex (ABC) is part of a cluster of coeval synorogenic mafic–ultramafic intrusions emplaced during the Brasiliano/Pan-African Orogenic Cycle in Brazil. The medium-sized ABC consists of interlayered dunite, peridotite, websterite, and gabbronorite. High Fo values of olivine (up to Fo₈₈) and the crystallization sequence of the ABC (Ol + Chr ≥ Ol + Opx + Chr ≥ Cpx + Opx ≥ Opx + Pl + Cpx ≥ Opx + Pl + Cpx + Ilm + Mag) suggest crystallization from tholeiitic high-MgO parental magmas. Light rare earth element (REE)-enriched mantle-normalized REE profiles and εNd(T) values of +2.4 for cumulate rocks from the ABC suggest a depleted mantle source for the parental magma. The ABC Ni–Cu sulfide deposit (3.1 Mt at 1.12 wt.% Ni and 1.02 wt.% Cu) consists of three distinctively different orebodies (S1, S2, and G2). The S2 orebody, an unusual occurrence of stratiform massive sulfide hosted by dunite and peridotite in the interior of a layered intrusion, results from sulfides accumulated at the transient base of the magma chamber following a new influx of parental magma. The G2 orebody has an irregular and roughly cylindrical shape, consisting mainly of net-textured sulfides. The G2 orebody is hosted by peridotite and pyroxenite and located stratigraphically below the S1 orebody. S2 and G2 orebodies are characterized by low Cu/Cu + Ni ratios (mainly below 0.4). The S1 orebody, hosted by websterite and gabbronorite in the more fractionated sequence of the ABC, is a cluster of several irregular discontinuous orebodies of Ni–Cu disseminated sulfides. The sulfides of the S1 orebody have high Cu/Cu + Ni ratios (mainly between 0.5 and 0.8) and are highly depleted in PGE. The S1 orebody is interpreted to result from a later event of sulfide segregation in the magma chamber, possibly following the event that originated the G2 orebody. The bulk of δ³⁴S values for sulfides of the ABC orebodies and their host rocks fall in the range of 0 ± 2‰. Higher δ³⁴S values (between 3‰ and 5‰) are restricted to pyrite from xenoliths of gneiss located close to the S1 orebody and sulfides from the S1 orebody. Crustal xenoliths and chemical data (lithogeochemistry and sulfur isotope composition) provide evidence of crustal contamination of the igneous rocks hosting the S1 orebody, suggesting that sulfur saturation was induced by contamination with sulfide-bearing crustal rocks. The ABC deposit is an example of Ni–Cu sulfide mineralization hosted by synorogenic mafic–ultramafic intrusions. The S2 orebody is the first documented example of an economic stratiform massive sulfide orebody located within layered intrusions, expanding the opportunities for exploration of Ni–Cu sulfides in orogenic regions worldwide.     

Development of selection algorithms and databases for sea breeze studies

We present an automated and manual algorithm for identifying past sea breeze episodes in the Bay of Alicante (southeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, IP, Spain) for a 6-year study period (2000–2005). The main goal was to provide databases for better understanding the functioning of sea breezes, which have a crucial influence on weather and climate in both coastal and inland areas and therefore affect human life in many ways. The algorithms apply a well-defined set of criteria based on meteorological and sea surface temperature measurements in order to detect past occurrences. The automated and manual identification techniques successfully identified a total of 475 and 1414 sea breeze events, respectively. A large database containing the significant characteristic parameters measured (onset time, cessation time, duration time, maximum wind speed, inland penetration, etc.) for these 475 sea breeze days is presented. We evaluated the accuracy of both selection techniques by means of comparison with independent objective and subjective techniques. Both databases are the major contribution of this paper and have been used in some climatological sea breeze studies and are also presented here for any coastal expert interested in numerical–theoretical, observational–experimental and climatological wind studies.     

Juvenile contribution of the Neoproterozoic Rio Negro Magmatic Arc (Ribeira Belt,Brazil): Implications for Western Gondwana amalgamation

The ca. 790–600 Ma Rio Negro Complex (RNC) of the Ribeira belt (Brazil) consists of a plutonic portion of a magmatic arc built by the E-vergent subduction of the ESE border of the São Francisco paleoplate during the amalgamation of Western Gondwana.The plutonic series comprises low- to medium-K granitoids (ca. 790–620 Ma) and high-K granitoids and shoshonite rocks (ca. 610–605). The age span of 185 m.y. is suggestive of a long history of arc-related magmatism, continuously or not in time. The Nd isotopic signatures of the RNC consist of εNd(t) ratios from ? 3 to + 5 for the medium-K series shoshonite series and from ? 14 to ? 3 for the younger high-K group. This time-dependent trend of Nd isotopes is indicative of progressive maturity of the arc over time. The same evolution is indicated by Sr data, as the medium-K rocks have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ratios < 0.705 while the high-K rocks yield values between 0.705 and 0.710. The predominance of intermediate rocks over mafic ones suggests an initial intra-oceanic to transitional stage, possibly developed in a distal portion of a passive margin, such as the Japanese arc, evolving to a more developed, differentiated felsic rock associations.The role of transform fault zones, such as the Luanda shear zone, is emphasized in order to explain the consumption of a wide oceanic plate in the inner portion of Western Gondwana.     

Influence of the properties of tropical soils in the toxicity and bioavailability of heavy metals in sewage sludge-amended lands

The toxicity and potential bioavailability of heavy metals were studied in sewage sludge-amended ferralsols and chernosols, using bioassays with earthworms (Eisenia andrei). Acute toxicity tests and avoidance assays were performed according to standard protocols. Potentially bioavailable concentrations of heavy metals were estimated by quantifying their concentrations in tissues of survival earthworms. The results revealed that soil properties played an important role in the toxicity and bioavailability of heavy metals. In this respect, higher levels of toxicity were detected for the ferralsol. The abundance of 2:1 clay minerals, high fertility and more basic values of pH seem to be very important in the reduction of toxicity levels for earthworms. Organisms exposed to the chernosols were able to uptake higher amount of metals. In that case, higher contents of nutrients in chernosols may have influenced such bioavailability processes. Avoidance responses were the most sensible indicator of toxicity. In the near future, such data can subsidize the establishment of toxic reference concentrations able to reflect the characteristics of important tropical pedological occurrences, supporting the definition of sustainable indicators for using sewage sludge in the tropical agriculture.     

Producing time series of river water height by means of satellite radar altimetry—a comparative study

Abstract

Satellite radar altimetry is complementary to in situ limnimetric surveys as a means of estimating the water height of large rivers, lakes and flood plains. Production of water height time series by satellite radar altimetry technology requires first the selection of radar ground target locations corresponding to water body surfaces under study, i.e. the definition of “virtual limnimetric stations”. We propose to investigate qualitative and quantitative differences between three representative virtual station creation methodologies: (a) a fully manual method, (b) a semi-automatic method based on a land cover characterization that allows the water body surface under study to be located; and (c) an original fully automatic procedure that exploits a digital elevation model and an estimation of the river width. The results yielded by these three methods are comparable: maximum absolute magnitudes of water height differences being 0.46, 0.26 and 0.15 m for, respectively, 95, 90 and 80% of the water height values obtained. Moreover, more than 67% and 92% of time series jointly produced by the methods present root mean square differences lower than 20 and 50 cm, respectively. The results show that the fully automatic method developed herein provides as reliable results as the fully manual one. This opens the way to use of satellite radar altimetry for the generation of water height time series on a large scale, and considerably extends the applicability of satellite radar altimetry in hydrology.

Citation Roux, E., Santos da Silva, J., Vieira Getirana, A. C., Bonnet, M.-P., Calmant, S., Martinez, J.-M. & Seyler, F. (2010) Producing time series of river water height by means of satellite radar altimetry—comparative study. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(1), 104–120.     

Salinity in Soils and Tsunami Deposits in Areas Affected by the 2010 Chile and 2011 Japan Tsunamis

The accumulation of data sets of past tsunamis is the most basic but reliable way to prepare for future tsunamis because the frequency of tsunami occurrence and their magnitude can be estimated by historical records of tsunamis. Investigation of tsunami deposits preserved in geological layers is an effective measure to understand ancient tsunamis that occurred before historical records began. However, the areas containing tsunami deposits can be narrower than the area of tsunami inundation, thus resulting in underestimation of the magnitude of past tsunamis. A field survey was conducted after the 2010 Chile tsunami and 2011 Japan tsunami to investigate the chemical properties of the tsunami-inundated soil to examine the applicability of tsunami inundation surveys considering water-soluble salts in soil. The soil and tsunami deposits collected in the tsunami-inundated areas are rich in water-soluble ions (Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^?, Br^? and SO ₄ ^2? ) compared with the samples collected in the non-inundated areas. The analytical result that the ratios of Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Br^? and SO ₄ ^2? to Cl^? are nearly the same in the tsunami deposits and in the tsunami-inundated soil suggests that the deposition of these ions resulting from the tsunami inundation does not depend on whether or not tsunami deposits exist. Discriminant analysis of the tsunami-inundated areas using the ion contents shows the high applicability of these ions to the detection of tsunami inundation during periods when the amount of rainfall is limited. To examine the applicability of this method to palaeotsunamis, the continuous monitoring of water-soluble ions in tsunami-inundated soil is needed as a future study.     

A new scenario for related IOCG and Ni–(Cu) mineralization: the relationship with giant mid-crustal mafic sills, Variscan Iberian Massif

Both magmatic Ni–(Cu) and hydrothermal iron oxide–copper–gold mineralization coexist in ancient belts but their relationship remains poorly known. Geochronology and field geology evidence show that in SW Iberia both styles of mineralization were coeval with widespread metaluminous to peraluminous Variscan magmatism (350–330 Ma). We propose that mineralization was probably related to a hidden large layered mafic–ultramafic layered complex, recently inferred from geophysics, that was emplaced in a mid-crustal decollement zone. Contamination of a primitive mantle-derived magma with continental crust in the layered complex led to fractional crystallization accompanied by high-T–low-P metamorphism and the incorporation of volatiles into the melt. Hot hypersaline CO₂–CH₄-bearing brines were subsequently released and focused along major thrusts and strike-slip faults to produce the IOCG mineralization. Assimilation of continental crust also led to the formation of sulphide magmas that were tectonically injected high into the crust, leading to the formation of pipe-like breccia-hosted Ni–(Cu) ore bodies. All these processes took probably place as a consequence of oblique ridge– and/or continent–continent collision.     

A unified assessment of marine Mediterranean assemblages: a lesson from benthic hydroids

Hydroids are important components of the communities of rocky bottom shallow coastal areas. The hydrozoan fauna of the Mediterranean Sea is probably one of most investigated in the world, with lots of faunistic and biogeographical studies. However, quantitative studies using the same sampling methodology and controlled sampling effort have been restricted to areas in the Western and Central Mediterranean. We compared hydroid assemblages in four areas of the Mediterranean Sea, from the Gulf of Cádiz to the South Adriatic Sea, following the same sampling and quantification methodology. Our analysis showed the dominant Atlantic character of the assemblages of the Gulf of Cádiz and the South Alboran Sea because of the influence of the inflowing Atlantic waters. Conversely, the hydroid assemblages of the North Alboran Sea were more similar to the assemblages in the Ligurian and in the South Adriatic, and with a number of species ranking between the observed in these two Mediterranean zones. Fourteen species were identified as making the most significant contributions to characterizing the Mediterranean hydroid species pool from a quantitative point of view. These taxa include species previously named as typical components of the Mediterranean hydroid fauna as well as those only recently recorded in the region (Eudendrium moulouyensis) and invaders such as Clytia hummelincki.     

Probabilistic landslide risk assessment in water supply basins: La Liboriana River Basin (Salgar-Colombia)

Landslides are natural hazards that represent a huge economic burden and cause the loss of human life around the world. In countries such as Colombia, the mass movement events that cause the highest number of deaths and economic losses are often related to river or stream flooding caused by landslides in basins. Therefore, it is necessary to develop tools that estimate and assess landslide risk in such areas. This study presents a methodology to assess the risk associated with landslides in streams or river basins. The hazard posed by landslides is evaluated considering probabilistic methods that include the effects of rainfall and earthquakes. In addition, this study assesses the probability of a sliding mass reaching riverbeds and the probability of riverbed obstruction. Vulnerability is then estimated using impact curves based on the obstruction height. Finally, risk is estimated as the probability that economic losses occur along the riverbed. This methodology is based on probability methods, such as the first-order second-moment (FOSM) method, and the punctual estimates method (PEM). The methodology was applied in the La Liboriana River basin, in the municipality of Salgar in the northwestern Colombian Andes. On May 18, 2015, this mountainous and tropical area suffered a flash flood caused by landslides in the basin, which killed more than 100 inhabitants and caused infrastructure damage and significant economic losses. The results suggest that the proposed method coherently assesses the hazard posed by landslides and that the expected losses are comparable with the records from previous events.