Inverse problem in hydrogeology

The state of the groundwater inverse problem is synthesized. Emphasis is placed on aquifer characterization, where modelers have to deal with conceptual model uncertainty (notably spatial and temporal variability), scale dependence, many types of unknown parameters (transmissivity, recharge, boundary conditions, etc.), nonlinearity, and often low sensitivity of state variables (typically heads and concentrations) to aquifer properties. Because of these difficulties, calibration cannot be separated from the modeling process, as it is sometimes done in other fields. Instead, it should be viewed as one step in the process of understanding aquifer behavior. In fact, it is shown that actual parameter estimation methods do not differ from each other in the essence, though they may differ in the computational details. It is argued that there is ample room for improvement in groundwater inversion: development of user-friendly codes, accommodation of variability through geostatistics, incorporation of geological information and different types of data (temperature, occurrence and concentration of isotopes, age, etc.), proper accounting of uncertainty, etc. Despite this, even with existing codes, automatic calibration facilitates enormously the task of modeling. Therefore, it is contended that its use should become standard practice.

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Resumen Se sintetiza el estado del problema inverso en aguas subterráneas. El énfasis se ubica en la caracterización de acuíferos, donde los modeladores tienen que enfrentar la incertidumbre del modelo conceptual (principalmente variabilidad temporal y espacial), dependencia de escala, muchos tipos de parámetros desconocidos (transmisividad, recarga, condiciones limitantes, etc), no linealidad, y frecuentemente baja sensibilidad de variables de estado (típicamente presiones y concentraciones) a las propiedades del acuífero. Debido a estas dificultades, no puede separarse la calibración de los procesos de modelado, como frecuentemente se hace en otros campos. En su lugar, debe de visualizarse como un paso en el proceso de entendimiento del comportamiento del acuífero. En realidad, se muestra que los métodos reales de estimación de parámetros no difieren uno del otro en lo esencial, aunque sí pueden diferir en los detalles computacionales. Se discute que existe amplio espacio para la mejora del problema inverso en aguas subterráneas: desarrollo de códigos amigables al usuario, acomodamiento de variabilidad a través de geoestadística, incorporación de información geológica y diferentes tipos de datos (temperatura, presencia y concentración de isótopos, edad, etc), explicación apropiada de incertidumbre, etc. A pesar de esto, aún con los códigos existentes, la calibración automática facilita enormemente la tarea de modelado. Por lo tanto, se sostiene que su uso debería de convertirse en práctica standard.

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Résumé Létat du problème inverse des eaux souterraines est synthétisé. Laccent est placé sur la caractérisation de laquifère, où les modélisateurs doivent jouer avec lincertitude des modèles conceptuels (notamment la variabilité spatiale et temporelle), les facteurs déchelle, plusieurs inconnues sur différents paramètres (transmissivité, recharge, conditions aux limites, etc.), la non linéarité, et souvent la sensibilité de plusieurs variables détat (charges hydrauliques, concentrations) des propriétés de laquifère. A cause de ces difficultés, le calibrage ne peut être séparé du processus de modélisation, comme cest le cas dans dautres cas de figure. Par ailleurs, il peut être vu comme une des étapes dans le processus de détermination du comportement de laquifère. Il est montré que les méthodes dévaluation des paramètres actuels ne diffèrent pas si ce nest dans les détails des calculs informatiques. Il est montré quil existe une large panoplie de techniques d ‹inversion : codes de calcul utilisables par tout-un-chacun, accommodation de la variabilité via la géostatistique, incorporation dinformations géologiques et de différents types de données (température, occurrence, concentration en isotopes, âge, etc.), détermination de lincertitude. Vu ces développements, la calibration automatique facilite énormément la modélisation. Par ailleurs, il est souhaitable que son utilisation devienne une pratique standardisée.

     

The inverse compton effect in the electrons of the Van Allen radiation belt

A first estimate of the energy that reaches the Earth's surface and is produced by the inverse Compton effect between the electrons in the Van Allen belt and the solar flux was made. Since in the belt there are electrons with energies between 0.5 and 7 MeV, it was possible to use the Klein-Nishina formula in an approximate form and estimate the energy that is Compton scattered by all the electrons in the Van Allen belt by using Vette, Lucero and Bright's model. The result was compared (a) with the measurements of the continuum in the regions of soft X-rays, and (b) with the energy that is produced by the trapped electrons through the synchrotron mechanism.This paper was presented at the COSPAR meeting held in leningrad on May 20–29, 1970.     

Characteristics of chaotic pulse trains generated by lightning flashes

Pulse trains of irregular pulse characteristics and erratic amplitudes are observed in lightning flashes. These are termed “chaotic pulse trains” in this study. The average width of the individual pulses of these pulse trains is in the range of a few microseconds, with the lower limit of individual measurements extending into the sub-microsecond region. The typical pulse separation lies in the range of 2–. The pulse duration shows a consistent distribution with the most probable value at 400–. Chaotic pulse trains occur most often immediately prior to subsequent strokes. However, they occur also a few milliseconds to several tens of milliseconds prior to return strokes and sometimes do not precede return strokes at all. Twenty-six percent of the total subsequent strokes recorded in this study were preceded by chaotic pulse trains. A few of these pulse trains have occurred in a sequence of several tens of millisecond intervals in between return strokes. We have also found them to occur within very intense cloud flashes. These chaotic pulse trains have features that are different from those of other known pulse trains reported in the lightning literature. Hence, they may be caused by a physical process that has not yet been identified.     

Evaluation of ASCE 7 equations for designing acceleration‐sensitive nonstructural components using data from instrumented buildings

This study uses instrumented buildings and models of code‐based designed buildings to validate the results of previous studies that highlighted the need to revise the ASCE 7 F_p equation for designing nonstructural components (NSCs) through utilizing oversimplified linear and nonlinear models. The evaluation of floor response spectra of a large number of instrumented buildings illustrates that, unlike the ASCE 7 approach, the in‐structure and the component amplification factors are a function of the ratio of NSC period to the supporting building modal periods, the ground motion intensity, and the NSC location. It is also shown that the recorded ground motions at the base of instrumented buildings in most cases are significantly lower than design earthquake (DE) ground motions. Because ASCE 7 is meant to provide demands at a DE level, for a more reliable evaluation of the F_p equation, 2 representative archetype buildings are designed based on the ASCE 7‐16 seismic provisions and exposed to various ground motion intensity levels (including those consistent with the ones experienced by instrumented buildings and the DE). Simulation results of the archetype buildings, consistent with previous numerical studies, illustrate the tendency of the ASCE 7 in‐structure amplification factor, [1 + 2(z/h)] , to significantly overestimate demands at all floor levels and the ASCE 7 limit of to in many cases underestimate the calculated NSC amplification factors. Furthermore, the product of these 2 amplification factors (that represents the normalized peak NSC acceleration) in some cases exceeds the ASCE 7 equation by a factor up to 1.50.     

Effects of the improper modeling of viscous damping on the first-mode and higher-mode dominated responses of base-isolated buildings

In many finite element platforms, a classical global damping matrix based on the elastic stiffness of the system (including isolators) is usually developed as part of the solution to the equations of motion of base-isolated buildings. The conducted analytical and numerical investigations illustrate that this approach can lead to the introduction of unintended damping to the first and higher vibration modes and the spurious suppression of the respective structural responses. A similar shortcoming might be observed even when a nonclassical damping model (ie, an assembly of the superstructure and isolation system damping sub-matrices) is used. For example, the use of Rayleigh damping approach to develop the superstructure damping sub-matrix can lead to the undesired addition of damping to the isolated mode arising from the mass-proportional component of the superstructure damping. On the other hand, the improper use of nonclassical stiffness-proportional damping (eg, determining the proportional damping coefficient, β_k , based on the first mode) can result in assigning significant damping to the higher-modes and the unintended mitigation of the higher-mode responses. Results show that a nonclassical stiffness-proportional model in which β_k is determined based on the second modal period of a base-isolated building can reasonably specify the intended damping to the higher modes without imparting undesirable damping to the first mode. The nonclassical stiffness-proportional damping can be introduced to the numerical model through explicit viscous damper elements attached between adjacent floors. In structural analysis software such as SAP2000®, the desired nonclassical damping can be also modeled through specifying damping solely to the superstructure material.