Some results of biogeographic research on meadows in the Dyje-Svratka basin in the Czech Republic

Some results of biogeographic research on meadows in the Dyje-Svratka basin in the Czech Republic. The paper shows one example of biogeographic inventory of natural ecosystems in an unflooded meadow in the Dyje-Svratka basin. It is part of the complex physio-geographic research of the Geographic Department of the Masaryk University in Brno aimed at gaining a basis for territorial interpretation of ecological regularities and territorial application of general ecological optimizing principles. A segment of biocenosis of Ulmi-fraxineta carpini has been analyzed (Zlatník 1956).The endeavour of Czech geographers to study geosystems of various dimensions completely gets in the limelight. In question is the understanding of mutual relationship of components of geosystems based on the exchange of mass and energy. There are two ways of studying them: spatial relations or approaches concentrated on processes. In contrast to the above unilateral concept, the endeavour to make the approaches compatible appears rarely. This complex view is made possible by geobiocenologically taken biogeography in papers of Zlatník and Rauer, their students and successors. This paper shows only one example of the results of biogeographic stock-taking of meadows in the Dyje-Svratka basin, indicating relations of eco- and geosystems which confirm the necessity of ecological orientation of the present biogeography and its potential contribution to ecology.     

Die Rheingrabenrandverwerfung im Wattkopftunnel bei Ettlingen (Nordschwarzwald)

The Wattkopftunnel, near Ettlingen (Nordschwarzwald), drives through the eastern margin of the Rheingraben. The tunnel passes cenozoic and mesozoic sediments. Early quarternary and tertiary beds are situated west of the main thrust of the Rheingraben. Fossil record indicates upper Oligocene age (Chatt) for parts of the tertiary sediments. At the eastern border of the Rheingraben, wedges of jurassic and middle triassic series are squeezed. East of the Rheingraben the tunnel drives in the lower triassic Bausandstein. The eastern margin of the Rheingraben was investigated in detail during tunneling. Faults of the Rheingraben margin are distributed in an 130 meter wide fault zone in the tunnel. Total stratigraphic separation by the normal faults reaches more than 2 000 meters. The cenozoic sequence suffered synsedimentary to early diagenetic deformation, while the mesozoic series are characterized by ruptural deformation. The fault- and joint system is directed in the rheinische Richtung (SSW-NNE). East of the Rheingraben a second direction occur, running parallel to the lower Albtal (W-E).

     

Generalized Lyapunov exponents indicators in Hamiltonian dynamics: An application to a double star system

The Lyapunov characteristic numbers (LCNs) which are defined as the mean value of the distribution of the local variations of the tangent vectors to the flow (=ln _k ⁱ ) (see Froeschlé, 1984) have been found to be sensitive indicators of stochasticity. So we computed the distribution of these local variations and determined the moments of higher order for the integrable and stochastic regions in a binary star system with =0.5.     

Questions concerning the existence of sympathetic flares

Earlier results concerning sympathetic flares - physically related flares occurring in different active regions practically in the same time - and time-correlated radio bursts are compared with magnetic situation in active regions with related flaring and with the history and dynamics of its development. We found observational evidence abou the reality of sympathetic flares, demonstrating also that active regions in which they appear are physically related through common dynamical elements in which the evolution of their magnetic fields goes parallel. Such a process may sometimes occupy a very large volume of the photosphere and we believe that it might be related to the large-scale convective motions.     

Chemical abundance behavior of type I planetary nebulae

In this work 13 Planetary Nebulae have been classified as Type I according to Peimbert's criteria (Peimbert, 1978). These objects have been added to a previous sample (Maciel and Faúndez-Abans, 1985) and diagrams of O/H versus N/H, S/H, Ne/H and Ar/H, as well as N/H versus S/H, Ne/H and Ar/H have been drawn. All of them exhibit a tendency for linear correlation; moreover, the behavior of O and N versus Ar and S are very similar, with approximately the same slope. When the excitation class parameter was included in the diagrams, no clear tendency can be discerned, for any class.     

The role of bathymetry and directional wave conditions on observed crescentic bar dynamics

Nearshore sandbars are important features in the surf zone of many beaches because they strongly influence the mean circulation and evolving morphology. Due to variations in wave conditions, sandbars can experience cross-shore migration and vary in shape from alongshore uniform (shore-parallel) to alongshore rhythmic (crescentic). Sandbar dynamics have been studied extensively, but existing observational studies usually do not quantify the processes leading to crescentic bar formation and straightening. This study analyses the dynamics of crescentic bar events at the fetch-limited beach of Castelldefels (northwestern Mediterranean Sea, Spain) using 7.5 years of hourly time-exposure video images and detailed wave conditions. The results show that, despite the generally calm wave conditions, the sandbars were very dynamic in the cross-shore and longshore directions. They often migrated rapidly offshore during storms (up to 70 m in one day) and more slowly onshore during post-storm conditions. Crescentic bars were often present at the study site (48% of the time), but only when the sandbar was at least 10 m from the shoreline. They displayed a large variability in wavelengths (100–700 m), alongshore migration speeds (0–50 m/day) and cross-shore amplitudes (5–20 m). Wavelengths increased for larger bar–shoreline distances and the alongshore migration speeds were strongly correlated with the alongshore component of the radiation stresses. Crescentic patterns typically developed during low–medium energetic waves with limited obliquity ( $\theta \lesssim 20$° at 10 m depth), while bar straightening occurred during medium–high energetic waves with strong oblique angles of incidence ( $\theta \gtrsim 15$°). Overall, this study provides further proof for the important role of wave direction in crescentic bar dynamics and highlights the strong dependence of crescentic bar development on the initial bathymetric configuration.     

A Step Towards Evaluation of the Seismic Response Reduction Factor in Multistorey Reinforced Concrete Frames

A seismic nonlinear time-history analysis was made for four-, six-, and eight-storey reinforced concrete buildings. These buildings were made as three-dimensional space frame structures with shear walls in both orthogonal directions. They have five bays with 4.8 m spacing each in the horizontal direction, and three bays with 4.2 m spacing each in the transversal direction. The frames were designed according to the Jordanian Seismic Code of practice for Seismic Zones 4, 3, 2, and 1 as proposed for Jordan by several authors. Time-history analysis was made using the El Centro (N-S) earthquake record of May 1940 as an actual earthquake excitation. The response reduction factor (R) that primarily consists of two factors that are the ductility reduction (Rµ) and the overstrength (), is obtained. It has been seen that the seismic zoning has a slight effect on the ductility reduction factor for different buildings, since it ranges from Zone 4 to Zone 1 as 2.37 to 2.52, 1.72 to 1.78, and 1.14 to 1.18 for four-, six-, and eight-storey buildings, respectively. Moreover, it is observed that, for different buildings and different seismic zones, the ductility reduction factor (Rµ) is slightly different from the system ductility factor (µ) especially for higher values of µ (i.e., Rµ µ). The response reduction factor, called overstrength (), was evaluated. The overstrength factor was found to vary with seismic zones (Z) , number of stories, and design gravity loads. However, the dependency on seismic zones was the strongest. The average overstrength of these buildings in Zones 4 and 1 was 2.61 and 6.94, respectively. The overstrength increased as the number of storeys decreased: overstrength of a four-storey building was higher than an eight-storey building by 36% in Zone 4, and 39% in Zone 1. Furthermore, buildings of the three heights had an average overstrength 165.9% higher in Zone 1 than in Zone 4. These observations have a significant implications for the seismic design codes which currently do not take into account the variation of the response reduction factor, R (i.e., ductility reduction factor times overstrength).     

A calibration system for superconducting gravimeters

A new method for the calibration of a superconducting gravity meter is described, in which a 273 Kg annular mass is placed around the meter and is moved up and down. The geometry of the apparatus is easy to model and the accuracy in the computation of the gravity variation induced by the mass, 6.7µgal, is limited only by the accuracy in the knowledge of value of the gravitational constant. Measurements done in 91 and 92 for the calibration of the instrument GWR-T015 are described. The calibration factor has been determined with a precision of about 0.3%.     

The use of rogation ceremony records in climatic reconstruction: a case study from Catalonia (Spain)

The use of rogation ceremonies due to environmental causes constitutes an important source of information in paleoclimatic reconstructions. Their specific characteristics and full documental records permit highly reliable series to be reconstructed with daily, monthly, seasonal or annual resolution over periods of several centuries (3–4 centuries in the case of Catalonia). The levels of intensity, reflected in the type of religious ceremony enacted, allows quantification. Comparative analysis is made possible by the similarity of the mechanisms developed in different localities. The use of these series in paleoclimatological studies is a promising line of research, particularly as regards the pro pluvia rogations celebrated in the Mediterranean countries and in South America.     

Ozone production due to emissions from vegetation burning

Ozone has been observed in elevated concentrations by satellites over areas previously believed to be background. There is meteorological evidence, that these ozone plumes found over the Atlantic Ocean originate from vegetation fires on the African continent.In a previous study (DECAFE-88), we have investigated ozone and assumed precursor compounds over African tropical forest regions. Our measurements revealed large photosmog layers at altitudes from 1.5 to 4 km. Both chemical and meteorological evidence point to savanna fires up to several thousand km upwind as sources.Here we describe ozone mixing ratios observed over western Africa and compare ozone production ratios from different field measurement campaigns related to vegetation burning. We find that air masses containing photosmog ingredients require several days to develop their oxidation potential, similar to what is known from air polluted by emissions from fossil fuel burning. Finally, we estimate the global ozone production due to vegetation fires and conclude that this source is comparable in strength to the stratospheric input.