The Amazon River headstream area in the Cordillera Chila,Peru: hydrographic,hydrological and glaciological conditions

Abstract

The source of the world's largest river has fascinated scientists and adventurers for a long time. Extensive studies have been undertaken in the unexplored Llogueta River valley, Cordillera Chila, to identify the main stream of the Amazon River. Analysis of the Lloqueta River network and measurements of its hydrographic and hydrometric characteristics are presented in this study. On the basis of the acquired data, the northern hillside of the Cordillera Chila massif, concretely the basins of four mountainous courses—the Carhuasanta, Apacheta, Ccaccansa and Sillanque rivers—should be regarded as the headwaters territory of the Amazon River. Factors influencing the river system—glaciers and soils—were examined for each catchment. Glacier retreat in the last 50 years has left perennial snowfields only in the highest part of the study area, resulting in modification of the headwater runoff regimes. Preliminary results are afforded by the continual automatic water-level monitoring of the Lloqueta River since June 2008. Our investigations have determined that all types of soil in the area could be classified into two main categories: hydromorphic soils or poorly developed cryic soils.

Citation Janský, B., Engel, Z., Kocum, J., ?efrna, L. & ?esák, J. (2011) The Amazon River headstream area in the Cordillera Chila, Peru: hydrographical, hydrological and glaciological conditions. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(1), 138–151.     

Geochemical evidence for peat bog contribution to the streamflow generation process: case study of the Vltava River headwaters,Czech Republic

ABSTRACT

A geochemical approach using stable oxygen isotopes was used to understand streamflow generation processes in the highly peaty catchment of the Rokytka Brook in the headwaters of the Vltava River, Czech Republic. The contribution of water from peat bog areas to the total surface runoff was assessed using a hydrological time series, as well as geochemical, hydrochemical and isotope-hydrological approaches for unit hydrogram separation by means of anion deficiency. Using data from the hydrological year 2008, the role of an existing peat bog in the runoff formation dynamics of the Rokytka Brook catchment was determined, and the hydrological cycle was described and assessed using stable ¹⁸O/¹⁶O isotopes. The research findings strongly support the fact that peatland areas within the studied catchment do not significantly communicate hydraulically with surface streams, and their hydrological function in this region is insignificant.

Editor M. C. Acreman; Associate editor not assigned     

Macroseismic effects of the north-Italian earthquake of May 6th, 1976, on the territory of Czechoslovakia

Summary The method of treatment of the macroseismic data obtained on the territory of the CSSR after the main 1976 Friuli earthquake is described and the preliminary results are confronted with the geologic structure.     

Computation of ray integrals and ray amplitudes in radially symmetric media

Summary A new approximation of the velocity-depth distribution in radially symmetric media is suggested. This approximation guarantees the continuity of velocity and its first and second derivatives, and does not generate false low-velocity layers. It removes false anomalies from the amplitude-distance curve and considerably increases its stability. The evaluation of ray integrals and ray amplitudes using this velocity-depth approximation does not require the computation of any transcendental function and is, therefore, very fast. Numerical examples are presented.     

Source radiation pattern andPKP amplitudes from the Tonga region

Summary The relation of short period PKP1 and PKP2 amplitudes from deep earthquakes in the Tonga region observed at a seismological station in Central Europe, is compared with the theoretical relations computed for different source radiation parameters and depths. The Preliminary Earth Model was used in the computations. Qualitatively good agreement of observed and calculated values was found for the radiation pattern corresponding to the likely geometry of the Tonga subduction zone. The influence of the variation of some source and model parameters on the calculated PKP1 and PKP2 relation is discussed.

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¶rt;a au mu anum¶rt; mnu¶rt; PKP1 u PKP2 mu mu a, anua ¶rt; u mau ma n, mmmuu mmuuu uuau, aumau ¶rt; a naam ua umua uu aa. ama unaa ¶rt; PREM. a¶rt; u auma uu ¶rt;am am au ¶rt; a uu, mmm mmuu ¶rt;uu a a. ¶rt;am uu auau naam umu u ¶rt;u a uu am mu anum¶rt; PKP1 u PKP2.

     

Approximative ray tracing and the accuracy of earthquake localization in media approximated by block structures

Summary Localization errors made by approximating a given medium by a homogeneous rectangular block model and due to the approximative solution of two-point ray tracing are estimated for four different structures. The separate influence of the individual characteristics of the medium is discussed. The iterative Geiger method supplemented by a generalized inversion of the damped least-squares and Marquardt algorithm is used for localizating five hypothetical hypocentres using 9 stations. Travel times in the original structures, used as input data for localization, are calculated using a special ray tracing system.

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am uu auauu a annuau a ¶rt; ¶rt; ma u ma ¶rt;¶rt; u annuau m a ¶rt; munau nuuum .

     

地震体积的体波研究

在地球内部的大部分区域地震体波的传播是线弹性过程,仅在震源周围区域由于波的辐射和传播效应可能导致非线性。本研究主要涉及对非线性过程占优势区域的尺度估计。     

Fresnel volumes corresponding to PKP waves in the IASP91 model

Fresnel volumes provide a suitable tool for estimating the resolution limits or accuracy of tomographic methods based only on the arrival times of these seismic waves, which penetrate the deep interior of the Earth. The standard definition of the Fresnel volume was modified to include effects of multipathing, i.e., multivalued travel times. Computations were performed in the IASP91 model for three representative epicentral distances and two prevailing signal periods. Preliminary results have been obtained. They place a rather strong restriction on the resolution limits of tomographic methods, depending on the prevailing period, due to the relatively large fatness of PKP Fresnel volumes.