Application of visual,statistical and artificial neural network methods in the differentiation of water from the exploited aquifers in Kuwait

The ability of artificial neural network to differentiate water samples from the two aquifers of Kuwait on the basis of their major ion chemistry has been demonstrated. The major ion concentration distribution in the groundwater of the Kuwait Group and the Dammam Formation aquifers of Kuwait appears very similar. Cross-plots, supported by the discriminant function analysis of the data, however, suggest that there are some subtle differences in the overall composition of the water from the two aquifers that make it possible to differentiate the water from the two aquifers in almost 80% of the cases. An artificial neural network improved the differentiation capability to 90% of the cases. It is also possible to estimate the fraction of Kuwait Group water in the flow stream of dually completed wells with the help of an artificial neural network developed for this purpose. Electronic Publication     

A coupled,dynamical and chemical model for the prestellar core L1544: Comparison of modeled and observed C<Superscript>18</Superscript>O,HCO<Superscript>+</Superscript>, and CS emission spectra

We consider radiative transfer in C¹⁸O, HCO⁺, and CS molecular lines in a spherically symmetrical, coupled, dynamical and chemical model of a prestellar core whose evolution is determined by ambipolar diffusion. Theoretical and observed line profiles are compared for the well-studied core L1544, which may be a collapsing protostellar cloud. We study the relationship between the line shapes and model parameters. The structure of the envelope and kinematic parameters of the cloud are the most important factors determining the shape of the lines. Varying the input model parameters for the radiative transfer—the kinetic temperature and microturbulent velocity—within the limits imposed by observations does not result in any substantial variations of the line profiles. The comparison between the model and observed spectra indicates that L1544 displays a flattened structure, and is viewed at an oblique angle. A two-dimensional model is needed to reproduce this structure.     

2D stabilised analytic signal method in DC pole-pole potential data interpretation

Using analytic signal method, interpretation of pole-pole secondary electric potentials due to 2D conductive/resistive prisms is presented. The estimated parameters are the location, lateral extent or width and depth to top surface of the prism. Forward modelling is attempted by 2D-Finite Difference method. The proposed stabilised analytic signal algorithm (RES2AS) uses Tikhonov’s regularization scheme and FFT routines. The algorithm is tested on three theoretical examples and field data from the campus of Roorkee University. The stability of RES2AS is also tested on synthetic error prone secondary pole-pole potential data.     

Predators of juvenile blue crabs outside of refuge habitats in lower Chesapeake Bay

Blue crabsCallinectes sapidus in lower Chesapeake Bay are subject to high rates of predation during the late summer of their first year of growth as they migrate out of vegetated nursery habitats. Predators, potentially contributing to this pattern, were identified in video-recorded field observations of tethered juvenile crabs (20–25 mm carapace width). Predators were also tested in large laboratory tanks containing similarly-sized untethered crabs as prey. Seven different predators attacked tethered crabs in the field. Only two predators, larger blue crabs and northern puffers,Sphoeroides maculatus, consistently succeeded in preying on crabs in both field and laboratory settings. These results confirm the importance of cannibalism on juvenile blue crabs and identify puffers as a potentially overlooked source of predation pressure.     

Causes of Land Subsidence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The occurrence of land subsidence in the Kingdom Saudi Arabia is either natural or man-made. Natural land subsidence occurs due to the development of subterranean voids by a solution of host rocks in carbonate and evaporite terrains, over many areas of Saudi Arabia. Man-induced land subsidence is either due to the removal of groundwater in the agricultural areas or to wetting of unstable soils. Therefore, earth fissures and a lowering of the ground surface in unconsolidated sediments took place in alluvial plains and volcanic vent terrains. Unstable soils include Sabkha soils and loess sediments. These types of soils occur in coastal plains, desert areas and volcanic terrains. When this soil is wetted either during agricultural activities, waste disposal or even during a rain storm, subsidence takes place due to either the removal of salts from the Sabkha soil or the rearrangement of soil particles in loess sediments.     

Study of charge structure and radiation characteristic of intracloud discharge in thunderstorms of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The comprehensive observations on lightning discharges were conducted in Naqu area of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in summer of 2002. The electric structures of thunderstorms and the characteristics of lightning discharges at initial stage were analyzed by using the observation data. The results show that most of intracloud (IC) lightning flashes were polarities inverted in thunderstorms with tripole electric charge structure and occurred between negative charge region located in the middle of the thunderstorm and positive charge region located at the bottom of the thunderstorm. The radiation characteristics of discharge processes in cloud with longer lasting time involved in Cloud-to-Ground (CG) lightning flashes were similar to that of IC discharges. A lot of radiation pulses were produced in these discharge processes. Because the IC discharges took place at the bottom of thundercloud and were near the ground, they may produce more serious damage to equipment on the ground therefore should not be neglected in lightning protection.