Non-Linear Elasto-Plastic Behaviour of Lacustrine Clay

The paper presents the experimental investigation and analysis of the non-linear elasto-plastic stress–strain behaviour of normally consolidated lacustrine clay. Drained triaxial stress path tests were performed on natural block samples of Swiss lacustrine clay. Data were analysed using plasticity theory and the shape and extent of kinematic yield and bounding surfaces were determined and found to be elliptical but not congruent. Cross-anisotropic elasticity was used to quantify elastic strains to permit plastic strain increment vectors and hence a plastic potential surface to be defined.     

Assessment of Nitrate—Nitrogen Distribution in Kansas Groundwater, 1990–1998

Nitrate-nitrogen (nitrate-N) in groundwater is a potential problem in many parts of Kansas.From 1990 to 1998, 747 water samples were collected from domestic, irrigation, monitoring,and public water supply wells primarily from the western two-thirds of the state, and analyzedfor nitrate-N by the Kansas Geological Survey. Nitrate-N concentrations of the 747 samplesanalyzed range from 29% with less than or equal to 3 mg/L, 51% between 3 and 10 mg/L,and 20% greater than or equal to 10 mg/L. Factors that show a statistically significantrelationship with the occurrence of nitrate-N in Kansas groundwater in this assessment includegeographic area of the state, depth of well, and age of well. Nitrate-N levels of wells screenedin the High Plains aquifer in south-central Kansas showed a statistically higher concentrationthan samples collected from the High Plains aquifer in the western portion of the state.Comparison of nitrate-N with depth of well indicated that shallower wells throughout the stategenerally have higher nitrate-N values than deeper wells. Irrigation wells older than 1975showed statistically higher nitrate-N concentration than wells installed during and since 1975,possibly related to changes in well-construction practices and regulations that occurred in 1975.     

Geoinformational Mapping of Landscapes in the Northwestern Part of Western Siberia Using the Hansen Mosaic Dataset

Presented are the technique and results of studying the landscape structure of the north-west of Western Siberia on the basis of the Hansen mosaic dataset consisting of elements covering the entire territory of the Earth. To study this area used a synthesis of classical methods of thematic system mapping as described in the doctrine of geosystems of V. B. Sochava, and automated interpretation of remote sensing data and mapping using GIS technologies. The method of geoinformational mapping of the landscape structure with the use of MultiSpec and Quantum GIS software programs for the purpose of drawing up real-time raster landscape maps is shown. In drawing up the map and the legend, the principle of geomic system-hierarchical representation of the territory as a complex multi-level “bottom-up” structure from topological-level geosystems (groups and classes of landscape facies) to regional-level geosystems (geoms, groups and classes of geoms) was used. Compilation of operational raster landscape maps of the north-west of Western Siberia involved multilevel automated interpretation of the Hansen mosaic dataset and mapping of areas (clusters) on images with different brightness characteristics, with the landscape structure of key areas and stationary physical and geographical profiles. A characteristic of this approach also implies using a dynamic classification of geosystems based on the study of their variable states. Such an approach permits a monitoring of changes in landscape structure and its areas and the intensity of anthropogenic impacts on forest and marsh landscapes, and determination of permissible pressure on geosystems in areas with high technogenic pressure of the oil and gas complex represented by the north-west of Siberia. An automated processing of data based on a supervised classification of territorial objects allows for the elimination of inaccuracies arising in visual image interpretation. Raster landscape maps can be used both for a further generation of vector maps and as a real-time information base for purposes of environmental management and protection.     

地下卤水体系中水活度的计算方法评定

在温度 1 2 .1～ 60 .5℃范围内测定了地下卤水体系的饱和蒸汽压 ,并采用Clausius -Clapeyron方程进行关联 ,计算水活度 ;比较强电解质混合体系水活度的理论计算模型 ,探索计算地下卤水体系水活度的最佳方法     

Seasonal temperatures for the past ∼400 years reconstructed from diatom and chironomid assemblages in a high-altitude lake (Lej da la Tscheppa,Switzerland)

We analysed a 42 cm long sediment record from Lej da la Tscheppa, a high-altitude lake (2,616 m a.s.l.) in the Upper Engadine valley (Switzerland) for subfossil diatoms, chironomids and pollen. The chronology of the top 21 cm of the record was established using ²¹⁰Pb analysis using a constant-rate-of-supply model, and validated with ¹³⁷Cs measurements and the content of spheroidal carbonaceous particles. A tentative chronology for the lower part of the core was obtained through extrapolation of the sedimentation rates in the uppermost part of the record. Pollen assemblages in the record reflect regional changes in forestation and land-use patterns in the Upper Engadine valley and show no evidence of significant local human activity in the lake’s catchment. Diatom assemblages record a distinct increase in planktonic taxa since the early 19th century, suggesting a decrease in the duration of ice-cover. In contrast, chironomid assemblages remained stable during a large part of the record. We applied an established chironomid-based July air temperature transfer function and a newly developed diatom-based spring air temperature transfer function to reconstruct past seasonal air temperature changes at Lej da la Tscheppa. The reconstructions indicate a diatom-inferred warming trend in spring temperatures during the past ca. 400 years, whereas chironomid-inferred summer temperatures suggest a slight cooling trend. These biota-based reconstructions are in good agreement with the centennial-scale temperature trend in an independent reconstruction of regional temperatures in the Upper Engadine region based on instrumental records and documentary proxy evidence from the Alps. Our results suggest that, in high-altitude lakes, independent chironomid- and diatom-based seasonal temperature reconstruction is possible and can be successfully used to track seasonal temperature trends.     

Images of Gradual Millimeter Emission and Multi-Wavelength Observations of the 17 august 1994 Solar Flare

We present a comprehensive analysis of the 17 August 1994 flare, the first flare imaged at millimeter (86 GHz) wavelengths. The temporal evolution of this flare displays a prominent impulsive peak shortly after 01:02 UT, observed in hard X-rays and at microwave frequencies, followed by a gradual decay phase. The gradual phase was also detected at 86 GHz. Soft X-ray images show a compact emitting region (20), which is resolved into two sources: a footpoint and a loop top source. Nonthermal emissions at microwave and hard X-ray wavelengths are analyzed and the accelerated electron spectrum is calculated. This energy spectrum derived from the microwave and hard X-ray observations suggests that these emissions were created by the same electron population. The millimeter emission during the gradual phase is thermal bremsstrahlung originating mostly from the top of the flaring loop. The soft X-rays and the millimeter flux density from the footpoint source are only consistent with the presence of a multi-temperature plasma at the footpoint.