Nonseismic phenomena in the generation and augmentation of tsunamis

While earthquakes generate about 90% of all tsunamis, volcanic activity, landslides, explosions, and other nonseismic phenomena can also result in tsunamis. There have been 53 000 reported deaths as a result of tsunamis generated by landslides and volcanoes. No death tolls are available for many events, but reports indicate that villages, islands, and even entire civilizations have disappeared. Some of the highest tsunami wave heights ever observed were produced by landslides. In the National Geophysical Data Center world-wide tsunami database, there are nearly 200 tsunami events in which nonseismic phenomena played a major role. In this paper, we briefly discuss a variety of nonseismic phenomena that can result in tsunamis. We discuss the magnitude of the disasters that have resulted from such events, and we discuss the potential for reducing such disasters by education and warning systems.     

Some elements of mathematical information theory and total inversion algorithm applied to travel time inversion

The total inversion algorithm and some elements of Mathematical Information Theory are used in the treatment of travel-time data belonging to a seismic refraction experiment from the southern segment (Sardinia Channel) of the European Geotraverse Project. The inversion algorithm allows us to improve a preliminary propagating model obtained by means of usual trial and error procedure and to quantify the resolution degree of parameters defining the crust and upper mantle of such a model. Concepts related to Mathematical Information Theory detect some seismic profiles of the refraction experiment which give the most homogeneous coverage of the model in terms of number of trajectories crossing it. Finally, the efficiency of the inversion procedure is quantified and the uncertainties regarding knowledge of different parts of the model are also evaluated.     

Partition of radiotracers between suspended particles and seawater

Distinctive uptake mechanisms of different radiotracers by red clays in seawater are elucidated from the magnitude and change of distribution coefficients (K_d) for up to 17 γ-emitting radiotracers as functions of equilibration time, suspended particle concentration and compositions of solids and seawaters. The adsorption of ionic metals onto colloids and subsequent coagulation of colloids onto larger particles are the dominant removal processes of metals in the aquatic environments of low suspended particle concentration.     

Small channels: Their experimental formation,nature, and significance

The manner in which small channels are generated, from plane beds beneath sheet flows, has been experimentally elucidated. On plane, erodible, sand beds, the transition from thin, supercritical sheet flows to the channelled condition was studied over ranges of discharge, slope, and temperature. Secondary flow of the second kind, its action facilitated by steep vertical velocity gradients in the primary flows, caused sheet-flow instability. Along junctions between neighbouring secondary cells, both either raised or lowered elements of the primary flow. In the latter case, fast surface water was lowered to the bed, causing relatively intense, local, longitudinal scour. Dislodged grains were moved divergently to either side, leaving straight, central trenches. Development of positive feedback between cells and trenches led to rapid enlargement of the latter and concomitant growth of paired levees. The resulting structures, ‘protochannels’, were themselves ephemeral, developing two types of instability associated with secondary flow of the first kind. Firstly, small deviations from bilateral symmetry were enhanced, causing evolution into meandering channels. Secondly, headcutting led to multiple tributary development and, at resulting confluences, the action of strong pairs of secondary cells led to the development of braiding channels. Because they are shortlived, protochannels are but rarely seen in nature. Their seeding is markedly temperature-sensitive, reflecting their frictional origin. The erosive power of shallow overland flow largely depends on flow-energy concentration by secondary flow, firstly into channels, then within the channels themselves. Suppression of secondary flow, as by intense raindrop bombardment, can stabilize sheet flows. In deeper water, the effects of secondary flow appear relatively less dramatic. However, even if such motion is weak, bedload divergence from attachment lines can favour entrainment locally and thus affect bed geometry. Analogy between our results and river behaviour appears close and. on continental shelves where water must often flow as sheets, structures resembling giant protochannels evidently persist.     

A Parametric Approach for Dealing with Compositional Rounded Zeros

In this work, a parametric approach for replacing data below the detection limit, also known as rounded zeros, in compositional data sets is proposed. Compositional rounded zeros correspond to small proportions of some whole that cannot be reliably detected by the analytical instruments under given operating conditions. This kind of zeros appear frequently in the data collection process in geosciences. They must be treated in an adequate way before some multivariate analysis can be applied. Our procedure results from a modification of the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm and is based on the additive log-ratio transformation. Its coherence with the nature of compositional data and with basic operations in the simplex sample space is checked. Using real data sets, we find that this approach improves other parametric and non-parametric techniques for compositional rounded zeros.     

The impact of hurricanes on sedimenting particulate matter in the semi-arid Bahía de La Paz,Gulf of California

From 2002 through 2004, time-series sediment trap samples were collected from a depth of 410 m in Cuenca Alfonso, Bahía de La Paz, on the SW coast of the Gulf of California. The instrument recorded the impact of the local passage of hurricanes “Ignacio” (24–26 August) and “Marty” (21–23 September) in 2003. These two events accounted for 82% of the total rainfall measured in 2003, equivalent to the annual average precipitation in years without hurricanes. Mean total mass fluxes (TMFs) of 2.88 and 3.58 g m⁻² d⁻¹ were measured during the week of each hurricane as well as the following week. This may have been enough to produce a lamina in the underlying sediment with characteristics peculiar to such events. The terrigenous component was particularly abundant, with notably higher concentrations of Fe, Sc, Co and Cs and REEs. In contrast, TMFs throughout 2002–2004 (excluding the hurricane periods) averaged only 0.73 g m⁻² d⁻¹ and had a larger marine biogenic component. The extraordinary elemental fluxes during the 29 days of hurricane-influenced sedimentation represented a great proportion of the totals over an entire “normal” year: Co (67.8%) >Sc (62.6) >Fe (59.6) >Cs (53.4)>Lu (51.5)>La (51.3)>Yb (51.0)>Ce (49.5) >Tb (48.4) >Sm (44.7)>Cr (36.5) >Ca (31.0)>Eu (25.4%). The terrigenous fraction was calculated using (a) TMF minus the sum of CaCO₃, biogenic silica and organic matter and (b) the ratio of Sc in the trap samples to the average in the Earth's crust. The latter was consistently smaller, but the two methods offered similar results following hurricanes (78% vs. 63%, respectively). For normal sedimentation, however, the difference method yielded values twice as large as the Sc method (58% vs. 30%) This suggests that the mineralogy of the terrigenous fraction may also vary, with unsorted dessert soil being carried to sea by the powerful flash floods associated with hurricanes. Eolian supply of particles, particularly Sc-free quartz grains, possibly from beyond the limited fluvial drainage basin, apparently dominates normal sedimentation.     

Seismic,petrologic, and geodetic analyses of the 1999 dome-forming eruption of Guagua Pichincha volcano,Ecuador

Guagua Pichincha, located 14 km west of Quito, Ecuador, is a stratovolcano bisected by a horseshoe-shaped caldera. In 1999, after some months of phreatic activity, Guagua Pichincha entered into an eruptive period characterized by the extrusion of several dacitic domes, vulcanian eruptions, and pyroclastic flows. We estimated the three-dimensional (3-D) P-wave velocity structure beneath Guagua Pichincha using a tomographic inversion method based on finite-difference calculations of first-arrival times. Hypocenters of volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes and long-period (LP) events were relocated using the 3-D P-wave velocity model. A low-velocity anomaly exists beneath the caldera and may represent an active volcanic conduit. Petrologic analysis of eruptive products indicates a magma storage region beneath the caldera, having a vertical extent of 7–8 km with the upper boundary at about sea level. This zone coincides with the source region of deeper VT earthquakes, indicating that a primary magma body exists in this region. LP swarms occurred in a cyclic pattern synchronous with ground deformation during magma extrusions. The correlation between seismicity and ground deformation suggests that both respond to pressure changes caused by the cyclic eruptive behavior of lava domes.     

Heavy metals pollution of aquatic ecosystems in the vicinity of a recently closed underground lead-zinc mine (Basque Country, Spain)

A presentation is made of the study of an underground polymetallic sulphide mine and the pollution caused by this in the adjoining aquatic ecosystems. Troya Mine is in the Basque Cantabrian region (northern Spain). The annual production of the ore deposit of over 3.7 million tons of Pb (0.9%), Zn (11.2%) and Cu (0.2%) was 300,000 t. It was open and producing from 1986-1993. The mineralization was made up of pyrite, marcasite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite. Only the Zn and the Pb were mined. We studied the distribution and behaviour of the heavy metals Zn, Pb, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr and Cd in the water column, dissolved and suspended fractions, and in the sediments of Estanda Stream and of Gezala Creek. Zn, Cd and Mn tend to be found in the water; Fe, Pb, Cu and Cr appear as an adsorbed fractionin the solid phases. Those of the second group are significantly linked to the fluvial sediments and present very high levels. The concentrations of the metals are conditioned by the waters from the mine galleries, by the leached waste, by the surface runoff, and by overflow from the spillway of the tailings pond. Our observations provide knowledge on the extent of the polluting power of the metals, the physico-chemical effects in play and the subsequent chances of recovering these highly affected environments.     

Groundwater contamination: risk management and assessment for landfills in Mar del Plata, Argentina

 This study presents a program for risk management in the contamination of groundwater resulting from leachate in landfills at Mar del Plata (Argentina). The program includes prediction, prevention, monitory observation and mitigation as actions that must be taken prior to, during, and after contamination occurs. This routine aids in the identification of weak points and failures of the program for those who are in charge of making decisions, and will allow better use of limited financial and technical resources based on planning, thus minimizing disconnected determinations. Results of the prediction stage were confirmed through monitoring. The presence of a plume of contamination more than 100 m from the landfill was shown, thus proving that implementation of a monitoring plan to follow the development of the contaminated plume must be implemented, particularly in populated areas which depend on residential wells for their water supply. Received: 8 May 2000 · Accepted: 14 August 2000