Solar constant and sunspots

Summary The relationship, already found by the authors, between sunspot numbers and the solar constant, as deduced from the highest global irradiance values at noon, is here reexamined and confirmed. Some attempts at explanation and further inferences are presented.     

Finite element analysis of land subsidence above depleted reservoirs with pore pressure gradient and total stress formulations

The solution of the poroelastic equations for predicting land subsidence above productive gas/oil fields may be addressed by the principle of virtual works using either the effective intergranular stress, with the pore pressure gradient regarded as a distributed body force, or the total stress incorporating the pore pressure. In the finite element (FE) method both approaches prove equivalent at the global assembled level. However, at the element level apparently the equivalence does not hold, and the strength source related to the pore pressure seems to generate different local forces on the element nodes. The two formulations are briefly reviewed and discussed for triangular and tetrahedral finite elements. They are shown to yield different results at the global level as well in a three‐dimensional axisymmetric porous medium if the FE integration is performed using the average element‐wise radius. A modification to both formulations is suggested which allows to correctly solve the problem of a finite reservoir with an infinite pressure gradient, i.e. with a pore pressure discontinuity on its boundary. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Putative ice flows on Europa: Geometric patterns and relation to topography collectively constrain material properties and effusion rates

Europa's surface exhibits numerous small dome-like and lobate features, some of which have been attributed to fluid emplacement of ice or slush on the surface. We perform numerical simulations of non-Newtonian flows to assess the physical conditions required for these features to result from viscous flows. Our simulations indicate that the morphology of an ice flow on Europa will be, at least partially, influenced by pre-existing topography unless the thickness of the flow exceeds that of the underlying topography by at least an order of magnitude. Three classes of features can be identified on Europa. First, some (possibly most) putative flow-like features exhibit no influence from the pre-existing topography such as ridges, although their thicknesses are generally on the same order as those of ridges. Therefore, flow processes probably cannot explain the formation of these features. Second, some observed features show modest influence from the underlying topography. These might be explained by ice flows with wide ranges of parameters (ice temperatures >230 K, effusion rates >10⁷ m³ year⁻¹, and a wide range of grain sizes), although surface uplift (e.g., by diapirism) and in situ disaggregation provide an equally compelling explanation. Third, several observed features are completely confined by pre-existing topographic structures on at least one side; these are the best known candidates for flow features on Europa. If these features resulted from solid-ice flows, then temperatures >260 K and grain sizes <2 μm are required. Such small grain sizes seem unlikely; low-viscosity flows such as ice slurries or brines provide a better explanation for these features. Our results provide theoretical support for the view that many of Europa's lobate features have not resulted from solid-ice flows.     

The cassiterite-polymetallic sulfide deposits of Dachang (Guangxi,People's Republic of China)

The Dachang mining district is the second largest producer of Sn in China and an important source of other metals. The known mineralizations can be divided into four groups: (1) cassiterite + Cu-Fe-Pb-Zn sulfides and sulfosalts, (2) Zn-Cu skarn, (3) Sb-W veins and (4) residual and placer concentrations of Sn and Fe oxides. Most orebodies are hosted by Upper Devonian calcareous, marly and quartzitic formations in spatial association with Cretaceous Yanshanian magmatites. A characteristic feature is the occurrence of stratiform, lens-shaped orebodies which appear to represent the root zone of overlying stockwork mineralizations. The metallogeny of the district may be interpreted in terms of an Upper Devonian Sn and polymetallic concentration with subsequent remobilization and, possibly, the introduction of additional elements during the late stages of the Yanshanian magmatism.     

Error analysis in hypocentral locations at Phlegraean Fields

The location reliability of the earthquakes occurred at Phlegraean Fields has been analyzed, and the theoretical errors, inferred from the diagonal elements of the covariance matrix, have been estimated. Using only first P-phase arrivals to the local network (22 stations) and assuming a reading error of 0.05 sec., the average error on the spatial coordinates is estimated to be of the order of 0.2 km.Shallow events (depth<1 km) are very poorly constrained in depth at the borders of the network. The use of both P and S arrival times, recorded by a smaller three component network (10 stations), improves the depth determination.Further analysis has been performed on a set of about 350 selected earthquakes, using two different velocity models.Differences in depth considerably greater than the theoretical errors, and showing highly different patterns have been found.Tests with artificial events, randomly distributed in space, indicate that the observed depth distribution is essentially due to the used velocity model.     

A direct scaling analysis for the sea level rise

The estimation of long-term sea level variability is of primary importance for a climate change assessment. Despite the value of the subject, no scientific consensus has yet been reached on the existing acceleration in observed values. The existence of this acceleration is crucial for coastal protection planning purposes. The absence of the acceleration would enhance the debate on the general validity of current future projections. Methodologically, the evaluation of the acceleration is a controversial and still open discussion, reported in a number of review articles, which illustrate the state-of-art in the field of sea level research. In the present paper, the well-proven direct scaling analysis approach is proposed in order to describe the long-term sea level variability at 12 worldwide-selected tide gauge stations. For each of the stations, it has been shown that the long-term sea level variability exhibits a trimodal scaling behaviour, which can be modelled by a power law with three different pairs of shape and scale parameters. Compared to alternative methods in literature, which take into account multiple correlated factors, this simple method allows to reduce the uncertainties on the sea level rise parameters estimation.     

Middle-Late Pleistocene polycyclic evolution of a stable coastal area (southern Apulia, Italy)

The Otranto–Leuca coastal tract is marked by the presence of numerous sea caves placed close to present sea level. They are located generally at the back of a shore platform covered by a sequence of breccia deposits, marine sediments and speleothems. At Grotta di Masseria dell'Orte, marine cemented sands rest on a narrow shore platform at about 6.2 m above mean sea level and are covered by speleothems older than 185 ka. At Grotta del Diavolo, which is mostly filled by breccia deposits, three beach levels have been detected at about 3.0, 3.5 and 5.9 m above msl. They are either covered by or overlie speleothems that yield an U/Th age of 340, 78 ka and between 170.3 and 146.5, respectively. Geomorphological evidence and radiometric ages indicate that the area after a period of uplift has been tectonically stable since the last part of the Middle Pleistocene so that marine landforms close to the present shoreline underwent a polycyclic evolution. The sedimentary fills of sea caves formed during Middle-Late Pleistocene glacial stages, when arid or semiarid conditions promoted the removal of regolith and the development of thick breccia deposits. During Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 9.3, 5.5 and 5.1, cave sediments were partially eroded whereas beach layers and related speleothems developed. These are, in fact, the only marine isotope stages marked by a sea level position which in this Mediterranean region was either close to, or slightly higher than, the present one.