Scenarios of Earthquake-Generated Tsunamis for the Italian Coast of the Adriatic Sea

We calculated the expected impact on the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea of a large set of tsunamis resulting from potential earthquakes generated by major fault zones. Our approach merges updated knowledge on the regional tectonics and scenario-like calculations of expected tsunami impact. We selected six elongated potential source zones. For each of them we determined a Maximum Credible Earthquake and the associated Typical Fault, described by its size, geometry and kinematics. We then let the Typical Fault float along strike of its parent source zone and simulated all tsunamis it could generate. Simulations are based on the solution of the nonlinear shallow water equations through a finite-difference technique. For each run we calculated the wavefields at specified simulation times and the maximum water height field (above mean sea level), then generated travel-time maps and maximum water height profiles along the target coastline. Maxima were also classified in a three-level code of expected tsunami threat. We found that the southern portion of Apulia facing Albania and the Gargano promontory are especially prone to the tsunami threat. We also found that some bathymetric features are crucial in determining the focalization-defocalization of tsunami energy. We suggest that our results be taken into account in the design of early-warning strategies.     

Tsunami threat in the Indian Ocean from a future megathrust earthquake west of Sumatra

Several independent indicators imply a high probability of a great (M > 8) earthquake rupture of the subduction megathrust under the Mentawai Islands of West Sumatra. The human consequences of such an event depend crucially on its tsunamigenic potential, which in turn depends on unpredictable details of slip distribution on the megathrust and how resulting seafloor movements and the propagating tsunami waves interact with bathymetry. Here we address the forward problem by modelling about 1000 possible complex earthquake ruptures and calculating the seafloor displacements and tsunami wave height distributions that would result from the most likely 100 or so, as judged by reference to paleogeodetic data. Additionally we carry out a systematic study of the importance of the location of maximum slip with respect to the morphology of the fore-arc complex. Our results indicate a generally smaller regional tsunami hazard than was realised in Aceh during the December 2004 event, though more than 20% of simulations result in tsunami wave heights of more than 5 m for the southern Sumatran cities of Padang and Bengkulu. The extreme events in these simulations produce results which are consistent with recent deterministic studies. The study confirms the sensitivity of predicted wave heights to the distribution of slip even for events with similar moment and reproduces Plafker's rule of thumb. Additionally we show that the maximum wave height observed at a single location scales with the magnitude though data for all magnitudes exhibit extreme variability. Finally, we show that for any coastal location in the near field of the earthquake, despite the complexity of the earthquake rupture simulations and the large range of magnitudes modelled, the timing of inundation is constant to first order and the maximum height of the modelled waves is directly proportional to the vertical coseismic displacement experienced at that point. These results may assist in developing tsunami preparedness strategies around the Indian Ocean and in particular along the coasts of western Sumatra.     

Ultraviolet spectra of the Cygnus loop-depletion of the heavy elements

A comparison between the observed UV spectra and detailed consistent calculations of the Cygnus Loop is presented. The results demonstrate that the spectra can be explained by supposing that the Cygnus Loop (C.L.) moves into a fully ionized gas. The [O III]/H ratio is shown to be an indicator to the fraction of He⁺⁺ in the gas entering the shock.Further results are:(a) Observed shocks of higher velocity propagation move into regions of lower density; (b) the optical and UV spectra are emitted by very close and almost overlapping shocks (c) fast shocks (v240 km s^–1) propagation in the intercloud medium produce the X-ray emission, however, they can also produce faint H on impinging interstellar clouds.We find that carbon (C_I, C_II, C_III, and C_IV) depletion relative to other heavy elements is not more than a factor 3; whereas, we confirm that all heavy elements, relative to their solar abundance, are depleted by a factor 10. Heavy elemental depletion is likely to result formation of grains, sputtering and molecules in ISM.     

Lamproitic rocks from Cabezo Negro de Zeneta: Brown micas as a record of magma mixing

Summary Phlogopite and biotite coexist in the ultrapotassic rocks from Cabezo Negro de Zeneta (SE Spain). The compositional range of the early crystallizing phlogopite is comparable to other Spanish lamproitic occurrences, except that it is higher in Al₂O₃, probably reflecting the higher Al₂O₃ and/or different oxygen fugacity of the Zeneta magma. Magmatic Al-rich and metamorphic Al-poor biotites also occur in these rocks. The magmatic biotite probably crystallised from intermediate to silicic peraluminous magma(s), whereas the metamorphic type comes from crustal relics of metapelitic rocks entrained and dismembered into the lamproitic melt. It is concluded that the melt of Zeneta was generated through the mixing of a Mg-rich lamproitic component, quantitatively dominant, with a crustal-derived anatectic component, both already partially crystallised before mixing. The mixed melt attained chemical homogenization as suggested by the development of late overgrowths of similar composition on the two micas.

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Lamproitische Gesteine von Cabezo Negro de Zeneta: Braune Glimmer als Hinweis auf Magma-Mischung

Zusammenfassung Phlogopit und Biotit koexistieren in den ultrapotassischen Gesteinen von Cabézo Negro de Zeneta (Südost-Spanien). Die Zusammensetzung des frühkristallisierenden Phlogopits ist mit der anderer spanischer Lamproit-Lokalitäten vergleichbar, mit der einen Ausnahme, daß die Al₂O₃-Gehalte höher sind. Letzteres geht wahrscheinlich auf den höheren Al₂O₃-Gehalt, und/oder auf verschiedene Sauerstoff-Fugazität des Zeneta-Magmas zurück. Magmatische Al-reiche und metamorphe Al-arme Biotite kommen auch in diesen Gesteinen vor. Der magmatische Biotit kristallisierte wahrscheinlich aus intermediären bis sauren Al-reichen Magmen, während der metamorphe Typ auf krustale Relikte metapelitischer Gesteine in der lamproitischen Schmelze zurückgeht. So ergibt sich die SchluBfolgerung, daß die Schmelze von Zeneta durch Mischung eines Mg-reichen lamproitischen, und quantitativ dominierenden Magmas, mit einer anatektischen Komponente von Krusten-Herkunft entstanden ist. Beide dürften vor der Mischung bereits teilweise kristallisiert gewesen sein. Die gemischte Schmelze erreichte chemische Homogenisierung wie durch die Entwicklung späterer Überwachsungszonen von ähnlicher Zusammensetzung auf beiden Glimmertypen gezeigt wird.

     

Model reduction and discretization using hybrid finite volumes for flow in porous media containing faults

In this paper, we study two different model reduction strategies for solving problems involving single phase flow in a porous medium containing faults or fractures whose location and properties are known. These faults are represented as interfaces of dimension N ? 1 immersed in an N dimensional domain. Both approaches can handle various configurations of position and permeability of the faults, and one can handle different fracture permeabilities on the two inner sides of the fracture. For the numerical discretization, we use the hybrid finite volume scheme as it is known to be well suited to simulating subsurface flow. Some results, which may be of use in the implementation of the proposed methods in industrial codes, are demonstrated.     

Analysis of raw soils and their re-suspended PM10 fractions: Characterisation of source profiles and enrichment factors

In this work, the inorganic chemical profiles of soil samples collected at different sites in the Salentum peninsula (Italy, Apulia region) are discussed. The samples were re-suspended in the laboratory, for PM10 sampling, using a ventilated wooden chamber and were then chemically analysed measuring the abundances of 17 elements. Different land use categories of soils (olive grove, arable land, vineyards, sand, and urban dust) were included in the 50 samples analysed: 45 collected in background areas and five collected in the urban area of Lecce. The objectives were to compare the chemical profiles of raw soil and re-suspended PM10 for different crustal sources and to estimate the potential improvements in the calculation of the enrichment factors of atmospheric PM10. The variability of elemental abundances in samples of the same category of soil collected in different zones was of the same order of magnitude as the differences observed between the various categories of soil. This allows the calculation of a weighted average composition of soil and urban dust and the corresponding weighted average composition of re-suspended PM10. In re-suspended PM10 from average background soil, all of the elements except Ca, Na, K and V have larger abundances with respect to raw soil. In urban dust, this is limited to Ca, V and Mg. The crustal enrichment factors (EFs) of atmospheric PM10 were evaluated by considering different reference elements and different reference tables. Results indicated that it is possible to apply a two-threshold (S₁ and S₂) scheme for the interpretation of EF, with thresholds derived from uncertainty in soil categories and from the choice of the reference element. A specific element is likely of crustal origin if EF < S₁ and likely of anthropogenic origin if EF > S₂. Between the two thresholds, the element can be considered of mixed origin. The thresholds vary according to the geological composition used in the evaluation of EF. If the average composition of local re-suspended soils is used, the thresholds are S₁ = 2 and S₂ = 4. If raw soil is used, the thresholds become S₁ = 5 and S₂ = 10. If the average upper-crust composition from literature data is used, the thresholds further increase to S₁ = 10 and S₂ = 20.