Authigenic smectite on diatom frustules in Bolivian saline lakes

Observation under the electron microscope of diatom frustules from Bolivian Altiplano saline lakes shows that many of these are coated with particles occurring as tiny sheets. The frustules can be found to be almost completely replaced by these sheets. Isolated sheet aggregates seem to have resulted from completely transformed frustules. Section observations of altered frustules bear out that the sheets have grown from biogenic silica through replacement. Selected area diffraction, dark field observation, microdiffraction, and elemental microanalysis show that the particles on the diatom frustules consist of a poorly crystallized MG-smectite.The unambiguous localisation of this authigenesis allows us to reconstruct its hydrochemical and sedimentological environment. Observation of the most recent lake sediments has pointed out that at least two main conditions are required for this authigenesis at 5°C: saturation with respect to amorphous silica, and a pH above 8.2. Variations in the Mg concentration have no significant effect.     

Fracturation tertiaire et évolution des contraintes en Bavière orientale: le Jura franconien et la forêt bavaroise (R.F.A.)

Résumé L'analyse géométrique et cinématique de la fracturation dans le Jura franconien et la bordure occidentale du Massif bohémien met en évidence les mécanismes de la tectonique cassante d'âge teriaire, essentiellement ceux des grands accidents SE-NW (lignes de Pfahl et de Franconie) qui ont présenté successivement des jeux en coulissement dextre, en faille normale et en faille inverse. Cinq états de contrainte ont été caractérisés et comparés à ceux définis antérieurement dans le Jura souabe, en liaison avec la cinématique des plaques Europe et Afrique: compression N-S, distension E-W, compression NE-SW puis E-W, distension N-S.

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The analysis of both the geometric and the kinematic cenozoic faulting in the Franconian Jura and in western Bohemia enables to characterize the mechanisms of cenozoic tectonics. More especially dextral strike-slip, normal fault and reverse fault have successively occurred along large SE-NW fault line, as the Pfahl and the Franconian fault systems. Five main stress patterns have thus been identified and then compared with those previously described in Swabian Jura. They are related to the kinematic of Europe and Africa plates, i. e.: (1) N-S compression, (2) E-W distension, (3) SW-NE compression, (4) E-W compression, (5) N-S distension.

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Zusammenfassung Durch die geometrische und kinematische Analyse der Brüche wird die tertiäre Bruchtektonik (tectonique cassante) im Fränkischen Jura und am westlichen Rand des Böhmischen Massifs belegt. Es handelt sich im wesentlichen um die großen SE-NW orientierten Störungen der Linie von Pfahl und der Fränkischen Linie, die nacheinander als dextrale Blattverschiebungen, als Normalverwerfungen und als inverse Verwerfungen wirkten. Fünf Spannungszustände können charakterisiert und mit jenen, die bereits im Schwäbischen Jura definiert wurden, verglichen werden. Sie spiegeln die verschiedenen Stadien der kinematischen Entwicklung der europäischen und afrikanischen Platte wider: Kompression N-S, Zerrung E-W, Kompression NE-SW, sodann E-W, Zerrung N-S.

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Earthquakes in the Czech Republic and Surrounding Regions in 1995–1999

In the time span from January 1995 to December 1999 the Czech National Seismological Network (CNSN), consisting of ten permanent digital broadband stations, several local networks and two data centers, detected and recorded 9530 regional natural seismic events, 27 greater than magnitude 2. Most of these events were located by the Czech Seismological Service (CSS), and the most prominent of them were analyzed in detail. A large number of quarry blasts were recorded as well but were not included in the analysis. We provide basic information on the configuration of the CNSN and on the way of routine data processing employed by the CSS in this paper. The over-all regional seismicity monitored by the CNSN in 1995–1999 is briefly reviewed. The main results of observations and evaluation of the local (NW-Bohemia/Vogtland, South Bohemia, Sudeten) and induced (Kladno, Píbram, Upper Silesia, Lubin/Poland) seismic activity within this period are presented in a condensed form. Finally, a summary on macroseismic observations on the territory of the Czech Republic in 1995–1999 is also presented.     

Numerical Modeling of the Ston-Slano (Croatia) Aftershock Sequence

The rate of aftershock occurrence after the M6 Ston-Slano (Croatia) earthquake is modeled as the Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS). Increase of the modeled cumulative number of aftershocks with time was fitted to observations by the least-squares criterion using the combined grid-search and Monte-Carlo approach. This enabled not only the estimation of the most probable ETAS parameters, but also the determination of their confidence limits, as well as the estimation of the bias between them. It has been found that the bias is significant for some of the parameter pairs, regardless of the threshold magnitude assumed. Residual analyses revealed that all strong aftershocks (M _L 4.5) occurred during the periods of normal to high aftershock activity. There were two periods of quiescence in the sequence, both of which were followed by a strong aftershock.     

North Atlantic Oscillation sensitivity to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation polarity in a large-ensemble simulation

A large ensemble modeling experiment with the Melbourne University General Circulation Model is presented. Thirty 17-year-long independent simulations were performed. All integrations were forced by the same observed sea surface temperatures, obtained from the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project II. The simulations were analyzed to assess the sensitivity of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) polarity. The results show signals of the ENSO phases both in the mean strength of the NAO as well as in its internal variability. During the cold ENSO phase, the probability density function of the NAO index presents a small but positive mean value, whereas it is negative during the warm ENSO phase. Also, the NAO variability associated with each ENSO phase shows a different behavior: during the warm phase the probability density function of the NAO index presents a larger variance and suggests a bimodality, whereas no bimodality is suggested in the cold phase.     

Iodine concentrations of soils near Trabzon, Turkey: a region of endemic goiter

Iodine contents of soils developed over the major rock formations of the northern zone of the Eastern Pontide Tectonic Belt (Northeastern Turkey) have been investigated with respect to soil-parent rock relationship, effect of topography, elevation, and climate to construe its effect on the health of the local population. Samples were collected from the A and B horizons of the soils developed over the major stratigraphic units constituting the eastern Pontides, including the Lower Basic Complex of Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous age, the Berdiga limestone (Jurassic-lower Cretaceous), the Dagbasi granitoid (Upper Cretaceous), volcano-sedimentary sequence of Upper Cretaceous age, ore-bearing and barren dacites of Upper Cretaceous age, and Neogene alkaline basalts. Chemical analyses of soil samples indicate significantly lower iodine abundances for all the soils studied (5–28 ppm) in comparison to the average abundance of iodine in analogous soils of other parts of the world (22–93 ppm). The concentration of iodine in soils developed over the same geologic formation decrease with increasing elevation. In certain cases, this decrease may reach up to 70%. Goiter is highly common throughout this region in Turkey. The results of this study suggest that the iodine deficiency of region’s soils may be a principal underlying cause for this area of Turkey being an endemic goiter region.     

How can the epikarst zone influence the karst aquifer hydraulic behaviour?

The role of an epikarst zone in the karst aquifer hydraulic behaviour was brought into focus in our studies referring to the catchment area of the Hubelj spring (SW Slovenia). This study points out the significance of effects of the fast preferential flow—epiflow, which is the main factor controlling solute/contaminant transport towards the aquifer saturated zone. The so-called epikarstic hypothesis is verified on the basis of the most significant research results that are supported by the most important findings from the literature.     

High-Frequency Hydroacoustic Monitoring in an Underground Iron Mine

The monitoring of the stability of old mines constitutes an important research objective for our institution, BRGM. The study reported here shows the contribution of high-frequency (>30 kHz) acoustic emissions to the detection of the damage within a rock mass, during an experiment within a pilot site of an old flooded iron mine. The experiment consisted of recording all the hydroacoustic events in a broad frequency band (between 30 Hz and 180 kHz), during 18 months. The monitoring network has been calibrated by a triggered block fall that made it possible to highlight a relationship between the occurrence of high-frequency/low-frequency hydroacoustic emissions and rock falls. The events recorded have been associated with the micro-failure of the rock mass near the roof, prior to the detachment of the blocks. This monitoring showed important high-frequency hydroacoustic activity, which may be associated with mechanical instabilities generated by the evolution of water pressure during the experiment. In conclusion, the high-frequency hydroacoustic activity appears to be a good indicator of instability and, therefore, this new technique constitutes a promising tool for monitoring abandoned underground cavities.     

Prediction of the median IDA curve by employing a limited number of ground motion records

A methodology has been proposed which can be used to reduce the number of ground motion records needed for the reliable prediction of the median seismic response of structures by means of incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). This methodology is presently limited to predictions of the median IDA curve only. The reduction in the number of ground motion records needed to predict the median IDA curve is achieved by introducing a precedence list of ground motion records. The determination of such a list is an optimization problem, which is solved in the paper by means of (1) a genetic algorithm and (2) a proposed simple procedure. The seismic response of a simple, computationally non‐demanding structural model has been used as input data for the optimization problem. The presented example is a three‐storey‐reinforced concrete building, subjected to two sets of ground motion records, one a free‐field set and the other a near‐field set. It is shown that the median IDA curves can be predicted with acceptable accuracy by employing only four ground motion records instead of the 24 or 30 records, which are the total number of ground motion records for the free‐field and near‐field sets, respectively. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.