Precision abundance analysis of bright H ii galaxies

We present high signal-to-noise ratio spectrophotometric observations of seven luminous H  ii galaxies. The observations have been made with the use of a double-arm spectrograph which provides spectra with a wide wavelength coverage, from 3400 to 10 400 Å free of second-order effects, of exactly the same region as that of a given galaxy. These observations are analysed applying a methodology designed to obtain accurate elemental abundances of oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen, neon, argon and iron in the ionized gas. Four electron temperatures and one electron density are derived from the observed forbidden line ratios using the five-level atom approximation. For our best objects, errors of 1 per cent in t _e([O  iii ]), 3 per cent in t _e([O  ii ]) and 5 per cent in t _e([S  iii ]) are achieved with a resulting accuracy of 7 per cent in total oxygen abundances, O/H.
The ionization structure of the nebulae can be mapped by the theoretical oxygen and sulphur ionic ratios, on the one side, and the corresponding observed emission line ratios, on the other – the η and η' plots. The combination of both is shown to provide a means to test photoionization model sequences presently applied to derive elemental abundances in H  ii galaxies.     

Record of recent river channel instability, Cheakamus Valley, British Columbia

Rivers flowing from glacier-clad Quaternary volcanoes in southwestern British Columbia have high sediment loads and anabranching and braided planforms. Their floodplains aggrade in response to recurrent large landslides on the volcanoes and to advance of glaciers during periods of climate cooling. In this paper, we document channel instability and aggradation during the last 200 years in lower Cheakamus River valley. Cheakamus River derives much of its flow and nearly all of its sediment from the Mount Garibaldi massif, which includes a number of volcanic centres dominated by Mount Garibaldi volcano. Stratigraphic analysis and radiocarbon and dendrochronological dating of recent floodplain sediments at North Vancouver Outdoor School in Cheakamus Valley show that Cheakamus River aggraded its floodplain about 1–2 m and buried a valley-floor forest in the early or mid 1800s. The aggradation was probably caused by a large (ca. 15–25×10⁶ m³) landslide from the flank of Mount Garibaldi, 15 km north of our study site, in 1855 or 1856. Examination of historical aerial photographs dating back to 1947 indicates that channel instability triggered by this event persisted until the river was dyked in the late 1950s. Our observations are consistent with data from many other mountain areas that suggest rivers with large, but highly variable sediment loads may rapidly aggrade their floodplains following a large spike in sediment supply. Channel instability may persist for decades to centuries after the triggering event.     

Air-sea fluxes over the global oceans during the FGGE year

Summary Vertical fluxes of momentum, sensible and latent heat have been estimated over the surface of the global oceans. A three-dimensional mesh grid 32 longitude points, 17 latitude points and 365 days from December 1, 1978 to November 30, 1979 is used to obtain seasonal and annual mean values of the surface fluxes. The global climatology shows the seasonal variation, the continental influence, the principal ocean currents and the typical middle latitude (30°–50°) and tropical effects (30°S–30°N). The annual mean of latent heat shows greater flux over the subtropical regions (~ 280 W/m²) than in the polar regions (~ 80 W/m²). On the other hand, the annual mean of sensible heat shows greater flux over the polar regions (~ 100 W/m²) than in the tropics (~ 40 W/m²). Time series analyses of the daily estimates of the surface fluxes show greater energy at high frequencies due to the surface effect; however, the low-frequency spectra show relatively high energy at the 30- to 50-day mode, especially for the middle latitude regions. The 30–50 day filtered data for the surface fluxes, presented in time/latitude cross-sections for the middle latitude regions show a westerly wave propagation with wave numberK = 2 and phase speed of the order of 12 degrees/day from June to August over the southern hemisphere at 55°S.

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Zusammenfassung Die vorliegende Studie beschäftigt sich mit der Einschätzung der vertikalen Impuls-Flüsse und der Flüsse von sensibler und latenter Wärme über der gesamten Meeresoberfläche. Ein dreidimensionales Gitter mit 32 × 17 Punkten und Daten von 365 Tagen (von 1. 12. 1978 bis 30. 11. 1979) wird benutzt, um sowohl Jahreszeiten als auch Jahresmittelwerte der Oberflächenflüsse zu erhalten. Die globale Klimatologie zeigt die jahreszeitlichen Schwankungen, den kontinentalen Einfluß, die wichtigsten Meeresströmungen und die typischen Effekte der mittleren Breiten (30°–50°) und der Tropen (30°S–30°N). Das Jahresmittel latenter Wärme weist größere Flüsse über subtropischen Regionen (ca. 280 W/m²) als über polaren Regionen (ca. 80 W/m²) auf, während andererseits das Jahresmittel sensibler Wärme über Polarregionen (ca. 100 W/m²) größere Flüsse als über den Tropen (ca. 40 W/m²) aufweist. Zeitreihen-Analysen der täglichen Schätzwerte von Oberflächenflüssen deuten auf mehr Energie bei hohen Frequenzen aufgrund des Oberflächeneffekts hin; in jedem Fall zeigen die Niederfrequenz-Spektren relativ hohe Energie in den 30 – 50-Tage-Perioden, besonders für mittlere Breiten. Die über einen Zeitraum von 30 – 50 Tagen gesammelten Daten der Oberflächenflüsse dargestellt in Zeit-Breiten-Querschnitten für mittlere Breiten zeigen von Juni bis August über der südlichen Hemisphäre bei 55°S eine Ausbreitung der westlichen Wellen mit der WellenzahlK = 2 und einer Phasengeschwindigkeit im Ausmaß von 12° pro Tag.

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With 7 Figures     

Qualitative landslide susceptibility assessment by multicriteria analysis: A case study from San Antonio del Sur, Guantánamo, Cuba

Geomorphological information can be combined with decision-support tools to assess landslide hazard and risk. A heuristic model was applied to a rural municipality in eastern Cuba. The study is based on a terrain mapping units (TMU) map, generated at 1:50,000 scale by interpretation of aerial photos, satellite images and field data. Information describing 603 terrain units was collected in a database. Landslide areas were mapped in detail to classify the different failure types and parts. Three major landslide regions are recognized in the study area: coastal hills with rockfalls, shallow debris flows and old rotational rockslides denudational slopes in limestone, with very large deep-seated rockslides related to tectonic activity and the Sierra de Caujerí scarp, with large rockslides. The Caujerí scarp presents the highest hazard, with recent landslides and various signs of active processes. The different landforms and the causative factors for landslides were analyzed and used to develop the heuristic model. The model is based on weights assigned by expert judgment and organized in a number of components such as slope angle, internal relief, slope shape, geological formation, active faults, distance to drainage, distance to springs, geomorphological subunits and existing landslide zones. From these variables a hierarchical heuristic model was applied in which three levels of weights were designed for classes, variables, and criteria. The model combines all weights into a single hazard value for each pixel of the landslide hazard map. The hazard map was then divided by two scales, one with three classes for disaster managers and one with 10 detailed hazard classes for technical staff. The range of weight values and the number of existing landslides is registered for each class. The resulting increasing landslide density with higher hazard classes indicates that the output map is reliable. The landslide hazard map was used in combination with existing information on buildings and infrastructure to prepare a qualitative risk map. The complete lack of historical landslide information and geotechnical data precludes the development of quantitative deterministic or probabilistic models.     

The coral communities of the Islas Marias archipelago,Mexico: structure and biogeographic relevance to the Eastern Pacific

Various authors have suggested that the Islas Marias archipelago, Mexico, may play a significant biogeographic role in the dispersal of Indo Pacific coral species into the Eastern Pacific; however, the coral communities of this archipelago have received scarce attention to date. Here, we first addressed coral community structure across the islands and, by employing ordination analysis, minimum spanning tree and particle‐tracking experiments, used this information to evaluate the relevance of the archipelago for coral dispersal. Twenty‐four coral communities were recorded in the archipelago. Coral cover varied significantly among islands: Maria Cleofas had large values (38.5%), intermediate values were observed for Maria Madre (26.5%) and Maria Magdalena (22.84%), and relatively low values were recorded for San Juanito (18.5%). Coral communities mainly consisted of Pocillopora (57.3%) and Porites (25.5%) species, while species of Pavona (16%) and Psammocora (0.6%) made relatively minor contributions. Thirteen stony coral species were identified in the archipelago; of these Psammocora profundacella and Pavona duerdeni represent new records. Ordination analysis, minimum spanning tree and particle‐tracking experiments suggested similar connecting paths in the studied area; in general, the Islas Marias stands as a route for coral dispersal of Indo Pacific species into the Northeastern Pacific. In a regional context, the Islas Marias has three major biogeographic implications to coral dispersal: (i) the archipelago stands as a major stepping stone for the transport of species and individuals among the Revillagigedo archipelago, the Gulf of California and the tropical Mexican Pacific; (ii) the Islas Marias may play a seminal role in maintaining the genetic connectivity between southern and northern coral populations along the Mexican Pacific and (iii) because of its relatively pristine status and low levels of human impact, the archipelago may potentially serve as a source of coral propagules for ecosystem recovery in the Gulf of California and along the Pacific coast of the Mexican mainland following natural and/or human induced perturbations.     

The Risk Atlas of Mexico City,Mexico: a tool for decision-making and disaster prevention

Natural Hazards - We present a Risk Atlas of Mexico City based on a Geographical Information System (RA-GIS). We identified the prevalent social risk to the more relevant hazards in Mexico City...     

Late Pleistocene (Last Interglacial) terrace deposits, Bahia Coyote, Baja California Sur, México

Late Pleistocene age terrace deposits are exposed in the narrow cliffed coastal plain of Bahia Coyote, Baja California Sur, resting unconformably on the lagoonal-shallow water volcaniclastics of the early Miocene Cerro Colorado Member of the El Cien Formation. The terrace is dissected by widely spaced arroyos and partically covered by alluvial fans in the inner and central areas. The marine deposits vary in thickness from 0.5 to 10 m and were laid down in pre-existing erosional channels and depressions in the Pleistocene landscape. The sequence begins with a cobble conglomerate with oyster shells, overlain by poorly bedded molluscan-rich bioclastic sands and coral rubble, beds of massive Porites in growth position and coral-rhodolith sands and marls. Beach sands and gravels and coastal dunes cap the sequence.Samples of Porites panamensis selected for U/Th dating are well-preserved aragonite (>95%). Preliminary results yield U/Th ages of 109–209 ka but the corals have initial δ ²³⁴U values in excess of modern seawater values. This indicates open-system behavior and uncertainty associated with the ages. A corrected age for the top of the massive Porites unit suggests that the corals grew during the last interglacial, marine isotope stage (MIS) 5e sea level high stand.Assuming global sea level during MIS 5e was ca. 4–5 m above present-day sea level (McCulloch and Esat, 2000) and the growth position of the corals was 1–5 m below sea level, the terraces have been uplifted between 12 and 25 m (12–15 cm/kyr). This is consistent with other terrace-based uplift rates for the central Baja California peninsula, north of the La Paz fault.     

中国有壳变形虫Argynnia(Vucetich,1974)属的修订及若干环境重建问题探讨

有壳变形虫是一类具外壳的陆相淡水根足纲(Rhizopoda)原生动物,广泛栖息于湖泊、泥炭、沼泽、土壤等各种淡水潮湿环境,由于其壳体具有很好的抗腐蚀性而在沉积物中保存下来,近年来广泛应用于泥炭和湖泊湿地的古环境重建研究中.大部分有壳变形虫是世界广泛分布的,但是也有一些种类具有一定的地带性分布格局.形态学和分子生物学的研...