Generalised observations of wave characteristics on near‐horizontal shore platforms: Synthesis of six case studies from the North Island,New Zealand

Most field studies of wave processes on shore platforms in front of eroding cliffs focus on a single site, revealing aspects of wave dynamics at that location. Here, we analyse data from six platforms around northeastern New Zealand and describe the fundamental control of shore platform width, gradient and elevation on wave processes, including greater attenuation of short‐period waves at lower tidal stages and increases in longer period wave energy towards the cliff toe. These data suggest that empirical formulae developed from coral‐reef environments provide better predictions of wave height on platforms than formulae currently used in shore platform models.     

Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) Morphology and Climate/Growth Responses Along a Physiographic Gradient in North Carolina

Geographic differences in tree morphology and climate and growth responses of longleaf pine have been documented, yet how these differences vary at a larger scale has not. In this study, we documented changes in tree morphology and climate and radial growth responses of six longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) stands in three physiographic regions in North Carolina. We sampled from more than fifteen trees per stand and compared site- and regional-level total and latewood ring width values to temperature, precipitation, and drought. All morphological characteristics expressed a strong west–east gradient. Climate and radial growth response was strongest for the Sandhills region and then Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions. The distinct morphological characteristic gradient did not covary with climate and radial growth response, suggesting that additional environmental influences affect needle length, trunk diameter, and height.     

Recent Trends in Geography Education in Louisiana

Geography at elementary and middle schools in Louisiana, USA., remains a social studies strand along with civics, economics, and history, with no state-required geography course at any level. But because schools may require more geography than the state standard, this research examines the extent to which K–12 students are exposed to geography in Louisiana, using an electronic survey and an interview with state department of education officials. Results suggest that geography remains underemphasized, but the 2011 implementation of new social studies standards, the Advanced Placement Human Geography course, and other initiatives offer promise for more geographically literate Louisiana citizens.     

A topical evaluation and discussion of data movement technologies for data-intensive scientific applications

Transferring large volumes of information from one location to potentially many others that are geographically distributed and across varying networks is still prevalent in modern scientific data systems. This is despite the movement to push computation to the data and to reduce data movement needed to compute answers to challenging scientific problems, to disseminate information to the scientific community, and to acquire data for curation and enrichment. Because of this, it is imperative that decisions made regarding data movement systems and architectures be backed by both analytical rigor, and also by empirical evidence and measurement. The purpose of this study is to expand on the work performed by our research team over the last decade and to take a fresh look at the evaluation of multiple topical data transfer technologies in use cases derived from data-intensive scientific systems and applications in the areas of Earth science. We report on the evaluation of a set of data movement technologies against a set of empirically derived comparison dimensions. Based on this evaluation, we make recommendations towards the selection of appropriate data movement technologies in scientific applications and scenarios.     

Three-dimensional supervirtual seismic refraction interferometry

Improved supervirtual interferometry (SVI) method that enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of noisy seismic refraction data is presented. This 3D supervirtual algorithm is helpful in removal of side lobes caused by convolution in the conventional 3D SVI method. In this study, we extend the supervirtual seismic refraction interferometry method to 3D geometries commonly used in active seismic exploration. To achieve this objective, synthetic 3D seismic refraction data were created using single patch orthogonal geometry. Simple two-layers velocity model was used. A zero phase wavelet was convolved with the refraction travel time to create the seismic wiggle trace. The refraction arrival is computed using the equation for horizontal refractor case and is not adapted for dipping refractor. Noise of Gaussian distribution with zero mean and 0.25 standard deviation was added to simulate a case of moderate ambient noise. The supervirtual algorithm, consisting of crosscorrelation, alignment, summation, and first arrival calculation is performed. By aligning and summation of all the correlogram, the stationary position of source-receiver pairs as required in the 2D supervirtual method are eliminated in this case. Synthetic data presented in this study shows accurate first arrivals after the application of the 3D SVI and traces with much better SNR than the actual traces.     

Helical probe tests in residual soils of the Appalachian Piedmont

Helical probe tests (HPT) are a quick and economical means for manual field testing of soils to depths of 1.5 m with readings taken at 0.15-m intervals in only 10 min. The equipment is lightweight (only 2 kg) and thus amenable to deploy on initial site reconnaissance explorations, shallow pavement projects, earth retention walls, and/or compaction of fills. Although suitable for use in a variety of geomaterials: sands, silts, clays, and mixed soils, the specific application to residual fine sandy silts and silty fine sands of the Appalachian Piedmont and Blue Ridge geologic provinces is shown here. Existing relationships for converting the measured HPT torque reading to equivalent cone penetration testing (CPT) tip resistances are reviewed, as well as other trends.     

Towards a Digital Earth: using archetypes to enable knowledge interoperability within geo-observational sensor systems design

Earth System Science (ESS) observational data are often inadequately semantically enriched by geo-observational information systems to capture the true meaning of the associated data sets. Data models underpinning these information systems are often too rigid in their data representation to allow for the ever-changing and evolving nature of ESS domain concepts. This impoverished approach to observational data representation reduces the ability of multi-disciplinary practitioners to share information in a computable way. Object oriented techniques that are typically employed to model data in a complex domain (with evolving domain concepts) can unnecessarily exclude domain specialists from the design process, invariably leading to a mismatch between the needs of the domain specialists, and how the concepts are modelled. In many cases, an over simplification of the domain concept is captured by the computer scientist. This paper proposes that two-level modelling methodologies developed by health informaticians to tackle problems of domain specific use-case knowledge modelling can be re-used within ESS informatics. A translational approach to enable a two-level modelling process within geo-observational sensor systems design is described. We show how the Open Geospatial Consortium’s (OGC) Observations & Measurements (O&M) standard can act as a pragmatic solution for a stable reference-model (necessary for two-level modelling), and upon which more volatile domain specific concepts can be defined and managed using archetypes. A rudimentary use-case is presented, followed by a worked example showing the implementation methodology and considerations leading to an O&M based, two-level modelling design approach, to realise semantically rich and interoperable Earth System Science based geo-observational sensor systems.     

Formation by silicate–fluoride + phosphate melt immiscibility of REE-rich globular segregations within aplite dikes

Aplite dikes intruding the Proterozoic 1.42(±?3) Ga Longs Peak-St. Vrain Silver Plume-type peraluminous granite near Jamestown, Colorado, contain F, P, and rare earth element (REE)-rich globular segregations, with 40–46% REE, 3.7–4.8 wt% P₂O₅, and 5–8 wt% F. A combination of textural features and geochemical data suggest that the aplite and REE-rich globular segregations co-existed as two co-genetic liquids prior to their crystallization, and we propose that they are formed by silicate–fluoride?+?phosphate (+?S?+?CO₂) melt immiscibility following ascent, cooling, and decompression of what was initially a single homogeneous magma that intruded the granite. The REE distribution coefficients between the silica-rich aplites and REE-rich segregations are in good agreement with experimentally determined distribution coefficients for immiscible silicate–fluoride?+?phosphate melts. Although monazite-(Ce) and uraninite U–Th–Pb microprobe ages for the segregations yield 1.420(±?25) and 1.442(±?8) Ga, respectively, thus suggesting a co-genetic relationship with their host granite, ε_Nd1.42Ga values for the granites and related granitic pegmatites range from ??3.3 to ??4.7 (average ??3.9), and differ from the values for both the aplites and REE-rich segregations, which range from ??1.0 to ??2.2 (average ??1.6). Furthermore, the granites and pegmatites have (La/Yb)_N <50 with significant negative Eu anomalies, which contrast with higher (La/Yb)_N >100 and absence of an Eu anomaly in both the aplites and segregations. These data are consistent with the aplite dikes and the REE-rich segregations they contain being co-genetic, but derived from a source different from that of the granite. The higher ε_Nd1.42Ga values for the aplites and REE-rich segregations suggest that the magma from which they separated had a more mafic and deeper, dryer and hotter source in the lower crust or upper mantle compared to the quartzo-feldspathic upper crustal source proposed for the Longs Peak-St. Vrain granite.     

Characterization of fluid inclusions from mineralized pegmatites of the Damara Belt,Namibia: insight into late-stage fluid evolution and implications for mineralization

Mineralogy and Petrology - Mineralized NYF and LCT pegmatites occur throughout the northeast-trending Neoproterozoic Damara Belt, Namibia. Mineralization in the pegmatites varies geographically,...