Ionization State in PDR (IC 63 nebula)

We investigated the chemical evolution in IC 63 nebula, a photo-dominated region (PDR). The chemical structure and the ionization state depend directly on the intensity of the incident UV radiation. The electron density is also affected by the incident UV radiation. It decreases gradually with the increase of the depth in the cloud varying from 5.9×10^-5 at the surface to 9.6×10^-9 in the core. Ionic carbon(C⁺) dominates the electron density in the outer region while ionic metals and other ions (H⁺, CH₂D⁺, and HCO⁺) are the most dominant in the deepest region. Our results at A _V = 6.7 mag are in good agreement with observations except in the case of H₂S, where the calculated value is lower than the observed value by about two orders of magnitude.     

Multiobjective analysis of chaotic dynamic systems with sparse learning machines

Sparse learning machines provide a viable framework for modeling chaotic time-series systems. A powerful state-space reconstruction methodology using both support vector machines (SVM) and relevance vector machines (RVM) within a multiobjective optimization framework is presented in this paper. The utility and practicality of the proposed approaches have been demonstrated on the time series of the Great Salt Lake (GSL) biweekly volumes from 1848 to 2004. A comparison of the two methods is made based on their predictive power and robustness. The reconstruction of the dynamics of the Great Salt Lake volume time series is attained using the most relevant feature subset of the training data. In this paper, efforts are also made to assess the uncertainty and robustness of the machines in learning and forecasting as a function of model structure, model parameters, and bootstrapping samples. The resulting model will normally have a structure, including parameterization, that suits the information content of the available data, and can be used to develop time series forecasts for multiple lead times ranging from two weeks to several months.     

A new evaluation of seismic hazard for the northwestern part of Saudi Arabia

Natural Hazards - A new evaluation of seismic hazard in the northwestern part of Saudi Arabia area has been carried out, for the minimization and mitigation of earthquake losses. The study area...     

Geology and Genesis of Barite Deposits of Lasbela and Khuzdar Districts, Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract: Geology and genesis of the sediment-hosted barite deposits in the Lasbela and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan, Pakistan have been studied and described. Hot solutions generated in rifting environments during the initial stage of separation of the continental crustal block related to the Gondwanaland fragmentation subsequently reposed in Jurassic rocks, most probably played an important role on barite formation.
Paragenetic relationships indicate that the period of barite mineralization was distinctly later than that of zinc-lead sulphide mineralization in the Lasbela and Khuzdar districts. The barite deposits occur on top and in peripheral to the zinc-lead sulphides. The earliest barite mineralization took place in the clastic rock sequence of the lower Spingwar Formation as cross cutting veins. Younger mineralization as stratabound-replacement type occurred within the platform limestones of Loralai Formation, just above the Spingwar Formation. The youngest mineralization as stratiform is hosted within black shales, mudstones and argillaceous limestones of Anjira Formation at the top of Loralai Formation. In the light of the evidences gathered from field and laboratory investigations a genetic model has been deduced.     

Influence of Degree of Saturation in the Electric Resistivity–Hydraulic Conductivity Relationship

The relationship between aquifer hydraulic conductivity and aquifer resistivity, either measured on the ground surface by vertical electrical sounding (VES) or from resistivity logs, or measured in core samples have been published for different types of aquifers in different locations. Generally, these relationships are empirical and semi-empirical, and confined in few locations. This relation has a positive correlation in some studies and negative in others. So far, there is no potentially physical law controlling this relation, which is not completely understood. Electric current follows the path of least resistance, as does water. Within and around pores, the model of conduction of electricity is ionic and thus the resistivity of the medium is controlled more by porosity and water conductivity than by the resistivity of the rock matrix. Thus, at the pore level, the electrical path is similar to the hydraulic path and the resistivity should reflect hydraulic conductivity. We tried in this paper to study the effect of degree of groundwater saturation in the relation between hydraulic conductivity and bulk resistivity via a simple numerical analysis of Archie’s second law and a simplified Kozeny-Carmen equation. The study reached three characteristic non-linear relations between hydraulic conductivity and resistivity depending on the degree of saturation. These relations are: (1) An inverse power relation in fully saturated aquifers and when porosity equals water saturation, (2) An inverse polynomial relation in unsaturated aquifers, when water saturation is higher than 50%, higher than porosity, and (3) A direct polynomial relation in poorly saturated aquifers, when water saturation is lower than 50%, lower than porosity. These results are supported by some field scale relationships.     

Vorticity analysis in the Zagros orogen,Shiraz area,Iran

International Journal of Earth Sciences - Quantitative vorticity analyses in orogenic belts are essential for studying the kinematics of deformation and can be performed using a range of methods....     

Usage of strain and vorticity analyses to interpret large‐scale fold mechanisms along the Sanandaj–Sirjan HP‐LT metamorphic belt,SW Iran

3D finite strain analyses and kinematic vorticity measurements were carried out on the Loghon Anticline within the HP‐LT Sanandaj–Sirjan metamorphic belt (Neyriz area, SW Iran). Rƒ/φ and Fry methods were used on the strain markers (e.g. deformed fossils) to interpret geometric relationships between the fold axis, strain ellipsoid axes and shear zone boundaries. The results indicate the predominance of prolate strain in the anticline. Quantitative kinematic analyses show that the W_k parameter is 0. 67 ± 0. 06 (i.e. pure‐shear dominated non‐coaxial flow). This study quantitatively supports the establishment of a dextral transpressive system, which is responsible for the development of the large‐scale right‐lateral shear zones that strike sub‐parallel to the major folds. Flexural shear combined with regional dextral‐shear is suggested to be the most common mechanism of folding in this area. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.