Verification of the Contribution of Vehicular Traffic to the Total NMVOC Emissions in Germany and the Importance of the NO3 Chemistry in the City Air

In 1997 and 1998 several field campaigns for monitoring non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) were carried out in a road traffic tunnel and in the city center of Wuppertal, Germany. C₂–C₁₀ aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons were monitored using a compact GC instrument. DOAS White and long path systems were used to measure aromatic hydrocarbons and oxygenated aromatic compounds. A formaldehyde monitor was used to measure formaldehyde. Chemiluminescence NO analysers with NO₂ converter were used for measuring NO and NO₂. The high mixing ratios of the NMVOCs observed in the road traffic tunnel, especially 2.9 ppbv phenol, 1.5ppbv para-cresol and 4.4 ppbv benzaldehyde, in comparison with themeasured background concentration clearly indicate that these compounds were directly emitted from road traffic. Para-Cresol was for the first timeselectively detected as primary pollutant from traffic. From the measured data a NMVOC profile of the tunnel air and the city air, normalised to benzene (ppbC/ppbC), was derived. For most compounds the observed city air NMVOC profile is almost identical with that obtained in the traffic tunnel. Since benzene originates mainly from road traffic emission, the comparison of the normalised emission ratios indicate that the road traffic emissions in Wuppertal have still the largest impact on the city air composition, which is in contrast to the German emission inventory. In both NMVOC profiles, aromatic compounds have remarkably large contributions of more than 40 ppbC%. In addtion, total NMVOC/NO_x ratios from 0.6 up to 3.0ppbC/ppb in the traffic tunnel air and 3.4± 0.5 in the city air of Wuppertal were obtained. From the observed para-cresol/toluene and ortho-cresol/toluene ratios in the city air, evidence was found thatalso during daytime NO₃ radical reactions play an important role in urban air.     

Correct treatment of rotation of sliding surfaces in a kinematic model of the triple friction pendulum bearing

This paper addresses the treatment of the rotation of the internal components of the triple friction pendulum (TFP) isolation bearing in a numerical model previously presented by the authors. The numerical model is based on the kinematic behavior of the individual sliding surfaces and the constitutive relationships between them. The modification suggested in this paper improves the performance of the model so that the results exactly match that of the one‐dimensional piecewise linear behavior previously derived for the TFP bearing for restricted properties. The improved numerical model simulates bidirectional shear response and places no a priori restrictions on the bearing properties. The modification is put in the form of a technical communication so that the notation used and the basis of the correction could be presented with adequate clarity and so that an example of the benefit of the correction could be presented. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Approximating peak responses in seismically isolated buildings using generalized modal analysis

Although the ability to simulate accurately the detailed behavior of nonlinear isolation bearings and the effects of this nonlinearity on dynamic response of the isolated building is desirable, such detailed analyses are not feasible during initial design stages when bearing properties are being selected. However, it would be very beneficial to be able to estimate accurately key engineering demand parameters at the early stages of design to understand the dynamic response characteristics of the isolated structure and to balance and optimize the bearing and structural characteristics to achieve the performance goals set for the building. Unfortunately, classical modal response spectrum analysis methods do not provide accurate results for problems with large, nonclassical damping, as is characteristic of isolated buildings. To find a method capable of predicting peak building responses even with large nonclassical damping, generalized modal response spectrum analysis is implemented. The responses of several buildings having different heights and isolated by linear viscous as well as triple friction pendulum and single friction pendulum isolation systems are investigated. Generalized modal response spectrum analysis methods were found to give significantly better predictions for all systems compared with classical methods. The behavior of buildings isolated with single friction pendulum systems exhibiting sudden changes in stiffness could not be well predicted by either general or classical modal response spectrum analysis when effective damping was increased. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Connectivity clues from short-term variability in settlement and geochemical tags of mytilid mussels

The use of geochemical tags in calcified structures of fish and invertebrates is an exciting tool for investigating larval population connectivity. Tag evaluation over relatively short intervals (weeks) may detect environmental and ecological variability at a temporal scale highly relevant to larval transport and settlement. We collected newly settled mussels (Mytilus californianus and M. galloprovincialis) weekly during winter/spring of 2002 along the coast of San Diego, CA, USA, at sites on the exposed coast (SIO) and in a protected coastal bay (HI), to investigate temporal patterns of geochemical tags in mussel shells. Analyses of post-settlement shell via LA-ICP-MS revealed statistically significant temporal variability for all elements we examined (Mg, Mn, Cu, Sr, Cd, Ba, Pb and U). Despite this, our ability to distinguish multielemental signatures between sites was largely conserved. Throughout our 13-week study, SIO and HI mussels could be chemically distinguished from one another in 78–87% of all cases. Settlement varied between 2 and 27 settlers gram-byssus^?1 week^?1 at SIO and HI, and both sites were characterized by 2–3 weeks with “high” settlement. Geochemical tags recorded in early larval shell of newly settled mussels differed between “high” and “low” settlement weeks at both sites (MANOVA), driven by Mg and Sr at SIO (p = 0.013) and Sr, Cd, Ba and Pb at HI (p < 0.001). These data imply that shifts in larval sources or transport corridors were responsible for observed settlement variation, rather than increased larval production. In particular, increased settlement at HI was observed concurrent with the appearance of geochemical tags (e.g., elevated Cd), suggesting that those larvae were retained in upwelled water near the mouth of the bay. Such shifts may reflect short-term changes in connectivity among sites due to altered transport corridors, and influence the demography of local populations.     

Das Gebiet des Yangtze-Deltas mit den Nanking-Bergen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Introduction

This is the second topical volume on “Recent Advances in Nuclear Explosion Monitoring” that started with Pure and Applied Geophysics Topical Volume 167 (2010), and again reports on the most recent advances in science and technology that have been achieved to monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). This progress in the development and testing of new sensor technologies and analysis methodologies in all relevant scientific disciplines improves the capabilities in detection, location and characterization of CTBT-relevant events. In particular, the latter poses a challenge for smaller events, where natural or manmade but CTBT-irrelevant sources can generate false-positive events. The efficient discrimination of these events pursued at a minimum risk of missing a nuclear explosion is the overall challenge. The 29 papers of this volume can be structured into 16 waveform studies, eight in the field of radionuclide monitoring and related atmospheric backtracking, and five papers related to on-site inspection or overhead detection of relevant events, with many of these originally presented at a special session on “Research and Development in Nuclear Explosion Monitoring” at the most recent annual General Assemblies of the European Geosciences Union.