Water surface resonance in the L-shaped channel of seawater exchange breakwater

The resonance period of the L-shaped channel in the caisson is predicted analytically for the seawater exchange breakwater of “Applicability Study of the Seawater Exchange Breakwater (1). Korea Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (in Korean) (1999a)”. Hydraulic experiments are conducted for a composite breakwater with a rear reservoir that is one of the seawater exchange breakwaters developed by them. For regular waves, the water surface elevation in the channel and the flow rate through the breakwater are measured. For irregular waves, the flow rate through the breakwater and the reflection coefficient on the breakwater are measured. The resonant maximum values in both the surface elevation and the flow rate, and the resonant minimum values in the reflection coefficient are all at wave periods slightly longer than analytically predicted ones. The measured resonance period for irregular waves is closer to the predicted one than for regular waves. If the resonance period of the L-shaped channel is fitted to the dominant period of incident waves, there would be high efficiency of seawater exchange between inside and outside the harbor.     

E-monitoring the nature of water

ABSTRACT

The critical need for hydrological observations in support of water resources management, particularly during extreme events, has transformed traditional methods of hydrological data management. This transformation has given rise to a framework of e-monitoring the hydrological cycle, the aim of which is to improve understanding of the nature of water. New trends in data science, coupled with increasing technological evolution, make the new generation of data systems more agile and responsive to the needs and expectations for efficient and effective data sharing and service delivery. The WMO Hydrological Observing System was designed around the integration of observations, data exchange, research, data processing, modelling and forecasting, in such a way that societal needs for disaster risk reduction, improved sustainability of environmental resources, climate resilience and economic growth can be effectively met. With its implementation of conceptual functionalities for sustainable data management, the WHOS operational architecture is hydrology’s system for the future.     

The crystal structure of sarkinite,Mn2AsO4(OH)

Summary Sarkinite is a basic manganese arsenate, Mn₂AsO₄(OH). The lattice parameters are:a=12.779 (2) Å,b=13.596 (2) Å,c=10.208 (2) Å, =108°53 (6). Space groupP2₁/a,Z=16. The crystal structure has been solved by direct methods from three-dimensional X-ray diffractometer data and refined by least-squares methods toR=0.052 for 3519 independent reflections. The crystal structure is built up by a three-dimensional framework of MnO₄(OH)₂ octahedra, MnO₄(OH) trigonal bipyramids and AsO₄ tetrahedra, as found in wagnerite. Isotypy of sarkinite with triploidite is confirmed.

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Die Kristallstruktur des Sarkinits, Mn₂AsO₄(OH)

Zusammenfassung Die Kristallstruktur des basischen Manganarsenates Sarkinit, Mn₂AsO₄(OH), mit den Gitterkonstantena=12,779 (2) Å,b=13,596 (2) Å,c=10,208 (2) Å, =108°53 (6). RaumgruppeP2₁/a,Z=16, wurde mit dreidimensionalen Röntgendiffraktometermessungen durch direkte Methoden gelöst und nach dem kleinste-Quadrate-Verfahren verfeinert (R=0,052 für 3519 unabhängige Reflexe). Die Struktur besteht aus einem dreidimensionalen Gerüst aus MnO₄(OH)₂-Oktaedern, trigonalen Bipyramiden von MnO₄(OH) und AsO₄-Tetraedern wie in Wagnerit. Die Isotypie von Sarkinit mit Triploidit wurde bestätigt.

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Esterase activities in the bivalve mollusc Adamussium colbecki as a biomarker for pollution monitoring in the Antarctic marine environment

Marine environments are continuously being threatened by a large number of xenobiotics from anthropogenic sources. Even in sparsely populated and relatively pristine areas, such as Antarctica, hazardous chemicals can pose a serious environmental problem. The main aims of the present study were to (1) validate and optimize an analytical technique utilizing a microtitre-plate photometer to ascertain background levels of esterase activities in the Antarctic bivalve Adamussium colbecki, (2) carry out in situ monitoring of esterase activities to assess any potential environmental impacts of the Italian Scientific Antarctic Base "Terra Nova Bay" on the surrounding marine area. Results showed the presence of organophosphorous-sensitive cholinesterase (ChE) and carboxylesterase (CbE) activities in the gills of A. colbecki and optimal assay conditions were comparable with those found for bivalve species from temperate areas. A higher sensitivity of ChE versus acetylthiocholine activity in A. colbecki to chlorpyrifos compared to species from temperate areas may also be inferred. The in situ study indicated no differences in the environmental quality of the three study sites located around the Italian Base.     

How Cr<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Fe<Superscript>3+</Superscript> affect Mg–Al order–disorder transformation at high temperature in natural spinels

Three natural Mg(Al_2-yCr_y)O₄ spinels (y 0.07–0.16), highly ordered in terms of Mg–Al, and one Mg(Al_2–yFe³⁺_y)O₄ spinel (y0.08), highly ordered also in terms of Fe³⁺, were studied by means of X-ray single-crystal diffraction. All samples were heated in situ from 25 to 1000 °C in order to follow both thermal expansion and evolution of the structural state of spinel with temperature. Thermal expansion was monitored by means of the variation of cell edge a with temperature, and found to be well represented throughout the temperature range by a regression line a = a₀ (1+T), slightly different at lower and higher temperatures. Thermal expansion coefficient ₁, referring to the lower temperature range (i.e. during pure thermal expansion), was slightly lower than ₂, calculated only over the highest temperatures. The trend showed different slopes for individual crystals. Structural evolution with temperature was studied by means of the variation of oxygen positional parameter u, which is strongly influenced by intersite cation exchange and thus closely correlated with inversion parameter x. In particular, in the three Cr samples, in which Cr resides only in the octahedral site, u parameter variations and hence the order–disorder process, started at about 700 °C. Instead, in the Fe³⁺ sample, this process was triggered at lower temperatures, starting at 550 °C with Fe³⁺–Mg exchange followed at higher temperatures by that of Mg–Al. Cr contents in the Cr samples affected the occupancy of Al in the tetrahedral site at the highest temperatures. In both Mg–Al–Cr and Mg–Al–Fe³⁺ compositions, if CrFe³⁺, parameter u reached the same value only when the Mg–Al exchange was dominant, i.e. at the highest temperatures, but not before. Cation distribution at each temperature was obtained by the bond-length model, applying thermal expansion to pure bond lengths. This method is applied here to complex compositions for the first time.     

意大利埃特纳火山的三维速度结构与地震活动性

本文的研究工作,得到了埃特纳火山下面的一组新的三维速度模型。作者们用１９８０年以来地方性地震在永久和临时地震台网在４个或更多台记录到的１２４９次地震的Ｐ和Ｓ波,被选来作走时反演。选择了几种判别标志与参数化办法以显示其类似的基本特征。表明在火山的东南象限在浅层,有Ｐ波的高速分怖,它同布格重力高异常有密切关系。在该区存在低的Ｖｐ／Ｖｓ比值;沿着中央火山管道,分布有高速Ｐ波和高的Ｖｐ／Ｖｓ比值;建议该处存在有稠密的侵入的岩浆体,延伸到２０千米左右的深度,该区附近有低速的Ｐ波速度。对震源的重新定位也显示出向外倾斜的易碎区,与中央火山管道延伸出一段Ｐ波高速异常区,位于中央火山口的附近。沿着中央火山口附近,有Ｐ波的低速区,它同次生的火山锥的分布有关,与部份熔融的深部岩浆库有联系。     

Shallow landslides in pyroclastic soils: a distributed modelling approach for hazard assessment

An effective assessment of shallow landslide hazard requires spatially distributed modelling of triggering processes. This is possible by using physically based models that allow us to simulate the transient hydrological and geotechnical processes responsible for slope instability. Some simplifications are needed to address the lack of data and the difficulty of calibration over complex terrain at the catchment's scale. We applied two simple hydrological models, coupled with the infinite slope stability analysis, to the May 1998 landslide event in Sarno, Southern Italy. A quasi-dynamic model (Barling et al., 1994) was used to model the contribution to instability of lateral flow by simulating the time-dependent formation of a groundwater table in response to rainfall. A diffusion model [Water Resour. Res. 36 (2000) 1897] was used to model the role of vertical flux by simulating groundwater pressures that develop in response to heavy rainstorms. The quasi-dynamic model overestimated the slope instability over the whole area (more than 16%) but was able to predict correctly slope instability within zero order basins where landslides occurred and developed into large debris flows. The diffusion model simulated correctly the triggering time of more than 70% of landslides within an unstable area amounting to 7.3% of the study area. These results support the hypothesis that both vertical and lateral fluxes were responsible for landslide triggering during the Sarno event, and confirm the utility of such models as tools for hazard planning and land management.     

A systematic analysis of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">XMM-Newton</Emphasis> background: II. Properties of the in-Field-Of-View excess component

We present an accurate characterization of the particle background behaviour on XMM-Newton based on the entire EPIC archive. This corresponds to the largest EPIC data set ever examined. Our results have been obtained thanks to the collaboration between the FP7 European program EXTraS and the ESA R&D ATHENA activity AREMBES. We used as a diagnostic an improved version of the diagnostic which compares the data collected in unexposed region of the detector with the region of the field of view in the EPIC-MOS. We will show that the in Field-of-View excess background is made up of two different components, one associated to flares produced by soft protons and the other one to a low-intensity background. Its origin needs to be further investigated.     

A systematic analysis of the XMM-Newton background: I. Dataset and extraction procedures

XMM-Newton is the direct precursor of the future ESA ATHENA mission. A study of its particle-induced background provides therefore significant insight for the ATHENA mission design. We make use of ～12 years of data, products from the third XMM-Newton catalog as well as FP7 EXTraS project to avoid celestial sources contamination and to disentangle the different components of the XMM-Newton particle-induced background. Within the ESA R&D AREMBES collaboration, we built new analysis pipelines to study the different components of this background: this covers time behavior as well as spectral and spatial characteristics.