Response analysis of hysteretic multi-storey frames under earthquake excitation

Local incremental stiffness relations are formulated for a class of elasto-plastic beam elements. The earthquake acceleration is modelled as a filtered white noise process. The Itǒ differential equations of the integrated system made up of the structural system and the excitation process are then formulated. Instead of the original system an equivalent nonlinear system is considered, in which the drift vector is given by a series expansion of order n ≧ 1, where n = 1 represents the well-known case of equivalent linearization. Only components of the drift vector representing the non-analytieal constitutive equations are replaced by a polynomial expansion. The coefficients of this expansion are determined from a least mean square criterion, and are sequentially updated. Especially an equivalent system with a cubic expansion to the drift vector is investigated. The hierarchy of statistical moment equations is closed by a cumulant neglect closure scheme. The method has been applied to a two-storey frame. The results are compared to those of numerical simulation, and provide substantial improvements compared to equivalent linearization.     

Evidence for adiabatic decompression melting in the Southern Mariana Arc from high-Mg lavas and melt inclusions

Unusually magnesian (Mg# ∼76) basalts have been sampled from a small submarine volcano situated on the Mariana arc magmatic front. Total alkalis range from 1.7 to 1.94%, Al₂O₃ from 9.09 to 10.3% and CaO from 13.9 to 14.09%. These lavas can be classified based on mineralogy as picrite and ankaramite. Olivine-hosted melt inclusions (MIs) have median MgO contents of 17.17–17.86 wt%, 0.35–0.5% TiO₂, 42–50% SiO₂ and 1.66–3.43% total alkalis, which suggest that the parental magmas were primitive mantle melts. Trace element concentrations for both MIs and lavas are arc-like, although more depleted than most arc lavas. Chlorine (182–334 ppm) and H₂O contents (0.11–0.64 wt%) in the MIs are consistent with the estimated median oxygen fugacities (log ΔFMQ of + 1.53–1.66) which lie at the low end of the range estimates for arc basalts and picrites (ΔFMQ = + 1 to + 3). Isotopic compositions of Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb are similar to those of other Mariana arc lavas and indicate derivation from an Indian Ocean mantle domain. The averaged magmatic temperature estimate from several geothermometers was 1,367°C at 1–1.5 GPa. We propose that high-Mg magmagenesis in this region results from the adiabatic decompression melting of relatively anhydrous but metasomatized mantle wedge. This melting is attributed to enhanced upwelling related to unusual tectonics on the over-riding plate related to a tear or other discontinuity on the subducted slab.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

微亮晶（臼齿）碳酸盐成因及其在元古宙地球演化中的意义

本文应用多种技术方法,对微亮晶碳酸盐岩的成岩作用及其成因从宏观至微观进行了分析。根据岩石矿物学、地球化学和有机地球化学等研究证明,它是早期成岩过程中,在超高压的大气 CO_2,水平急剧下降的转折期,快速石化作用形成的具等粒结构μm级的微亮晶方解石集合体。MT 碳酸盐岩微亮晶成岩作用有两种类型:一是主要发生在海底沉积软泥中,在其底基质软泥中经差异压实作用形成褶皱肠状及复杂形的 MT 构造;二是直接在海水中或重力流搬运过程中形成的微亮晶球粒(核)。简言之,MT 碳酸盐岩石是在地球早期浅海环境下,由于微生物自养作用形成的地球化学成因产物。微亮晶碳酸盐岩是约束古大气圈和古海洋环境变化的最灵敏标志。通过详测 MT 丰度值和编制地球古大气圈 CO_2水平演化模式等,在前寒武纪发现有太古宙末期、早元古宙末期、中元古宙中期和新元古宙早-中期四个 MT 碳酸盐岩发育高峰值期,证明全球古大气圈 CO_2水平发生过四次不连续性、跳跃式下降周期,直到晚新元古宙未,全球雪球事件的发生,导致了 MT 碳酸盐岩的消失。其后,才进入显生宙的 CO_2低水平状态。MT 碳酸盐岩具有重要的油气资源远景,应予以重视。     

Optically stimulated luminescence dating of a Holocene beach ridge plain in Northern Jutland, Denmark

This study presents results from 20 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from one of the world's largest beach ridge plains, the Jerup beach ridge plain at the base of the Skagen Spit in the northernmost part of Jutland, Denmark. The OSL ages were obtained using quartz and a SAR protocol, and used to establish a chronology for the beach ridge plain and for the underlying coastal plain. The accuracy of the chronology is tested both by laboratory tests (recuperation, recycling ratio and dose recovery) and by comparison with independent age controls, e.g. previously reported radiocarbon dates, map sources, anecdotal evidence and settlement names. It is concluded that the OSL signals are internally consistent, and that the derived OSL ages are in good agreement with a large range of independent age controls. The ridge plain is shown to cover a time span from 1000 to 2700 years ago; this chronology is more detailed and precise than those previously available, and gives an average beach ridge formation rate of 15 yr/ridge and an average lateral migration rate of 2.0 m/yr. This study adds to the growing knowledge that OSL dating has a large potential for establishing detailed and precise chronologies in coastal marine sediments, including beach ridges.     

Pc5 pulsations associated with ring current proton drifts: Stare radar observations

Detailed properties of a Pc5 pulsation with large azimuthal wavenumber observed using the STARE radar have recently been reported. A further four examples of this type of pulsation are presented, and it is shown that their properties are generally similar to those of the first example. However, there are some differences, the most important being that the variation of azimuthal phase velocity with latitude is significantly different for different time intervals during individual events, so that a mean phase velocity for a given latitude cannot be defined.When mapped to the equatorial plane in a dipole geomagnetic field, the variation of azimuthal phase velocity with L resembles the gradient-curvature drift of energetic protons in only a few time intervals within the events. The results are interpreted in terms of current theories of drift and bounce resonance of energetic particles with hydromagnetic waves. It is found that no single theory explains all aspects of the observations.     

STARE doppler spectral studies of westward electrojet radar aurora

This paper presents crossed-beam Doppler spectral measurements of radar aurora during westward electrojet conditions made with the STARE system in northern Scandinavia. The averaged spectral characteristics (e.g. spectral shape, relative power, spectrum width, spectrum asymmetry) are examined relative to the electron drift velocity estimated by combining the mean Doppler shifts from both radars. The type of spectrum was found to depend on the flow angle θ defined as the angle between drift velocity and radar wavevector. Typically, narrow spectra, similar to equatorial type I spectra, are observed for angles θ up to 60° while for larger angles the spectra become much broader and less stable in space and time. The observed spectral types are closely identified with primary and secondary irregularities. On average, a power law relationship was found to exist between the relative backscatter power and the drift velocity magnitude. A weak trend was found for the narrow spectra to become narrower for larger drifts contrary to broad spectrum width which increases linearly with drift magnitude. The spectra are often asymmetric with elongated tails toward zero Doppler shifts but this asymmetry is of a different nature for the narrow and broad spectra. The averaged spectral properties presented in this paper are similar to those reported by Nielsen et al. (1984) for eastward electrojet radar aurora.     

Excess B‐modes extracted from the Planck polarization maps

One of the main obstacles for extracting the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) from mm/submm observations is the pollution from the main Galactic components: synchrotron, free‐free and thermal dust emission. The feasibility of using simple neural networks to extract CMB has been demonstrated on both temperature and polarization data obtained by the WMAP satellite. The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility of neural networks for extracting the CMB signal from the Planck polarization data with high precision. Both auto‐correlation and cross‐correlation power spectra within a mask covering about 63 % of the sky have been used together with a “high pass filter” in order to minimize the influence of the remaining systematic errors in the Planck Q and U maps. Using the Planck 2015 released polarization maps, a BB power spectrum have been extracted by Multilayer Perceptron neural networks. This spectrum contains a bright feature with signal to noise ratios 4.5 within 200 ≪ l ≪ 250. The spectrum is significantly brighter than the BICEP2 2015 spectrum, with a spectral behaviour quite different from the “canonical” models (weak lensing plus B‐modes spectra with different tensor to scalar ratios). The feasibility of the neural network to remove the residual systematics from the available Planck polarization data to a high level has been demonstrated. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Noctilucent cloud in the western Arctic in 2005: Simultaneous lidar and camera observations and analysis

We report observations of a noctilucent cloud (NLC) over central Alaska by a ground-based lidar and camera on the night of 9–10 August 2005. The lidar at Poker Flat Research Range (PFRR), Chatanika (65°N, 147°W) measured a maximum integrated backscatter coefficient of 2.4×10^?6 sr^?1 with a peak backscatter coefficient of 2.6×10^?9 m^?1 sr^?1 corresponding to an aerosol backscatter ratio of 120 at an altitude of 82.1 km. The camera at Donnelly Dome, 168 km southeast of PFRR, recorded an extensive NLC display across the sky with distinct filamentary features corresponding to wave structures measured by the lidar. The occurrence of the maximum integrated backscatter coefficient corresponded to the passage of a bright cloud band to the southwest over PFRR. The camera observations indicate that the cloud band had a horizontal width of 50 km and a length of 150 km. The horizontal scale of the cloud band was confirmed by medium-frequency radar wind measurements that reported mesopause region winds of 30 m/s to the southwest during the period when the cloud band passed over PFRR. Comparison of these measurements with current NLC microphysical models suggests a lower bound on the water vapor mixing ratio at 83 km of 7–9 ppmv and a cloud ice mass of 1.5–1.8×10³ kg. Satellite measurements show that this NLC display occurred during a burst of cloud activity that began on 5 August and lasted for 10 days. This cloud appeared 10 days after a launch of the space shuttle. We discuss the appearance of NLCs in August over several years at this lower polar latitude site in terms of planetary wave activity and space shuttle launches.     

Resurge deposits associated with the shallow marine early Cambrian Vakkejokk impact,north Sweden

The lower Cambrian Vakkejokk Breccia is a proximal ejecta layer from a shallow marine impact. It is exposed for ~7 km along a steep mountainside in Lapland, northernmost Sweden. In its central parts, the layer is up to ~27 m thick. Here the breccia shows a vertical differentiation into (1) a lower subunit consisting of strongly deformed target sediments mixed with up to decameter size, mainly crystalline basement clasts (i.e., lower polymict breccia [LPB]); (2) a middle subunit consisting of a polymict, blocky to gravelly breccia, commonly graded (i.e., graded polymict breccia [GPB]), that, in turn, is sporadically overlain by (3) a few dm thick, sandy bed (i.e., top sandstone [TS]). Previous work interpreted the graded beds as deposited by resurging water during early crater modification. We made three short (<1.35 m) core drillings through the graded beds. The line‐logging technique previously used on cores from other marine‐target craters was complemented by logging of equal‐sized cells in photos made along the cores. Granulometry and clast lithology determinations provide further evidence for the top beds of the breccia being resurge deposits. However, the magnitude of this resurge can only be assessed by future deep core drilling of the infill of the crater hidden below the mountain.     

Holocene tephra deposits in the northern Okinawa Trough

1 Introduction Volcanic activities have played an important role in the process of global climatic changes. Being good stratigraphic markers, widespread tephra layers in ma- rine sediments can provide reliable evidences for the regional paleoceanographic …