Incorporating hydro-mechanical coupling in an analysis of the effects of rainfall patterns on unsaturated soil slope stability

Rainfall-induced landslides can cause loss of life and damage to property, infrastructure, and the environment. Rainfall patterns affect the pore-water pressure of unsaturated soil slopes, and are related to the slopes’ stability. Four rainfall patterns were chosen to represent natural rainfall patterns for an examination of rainfall infiltration into soil slopes using numerical models incorporating coupled water infiltration and deformation in unsaturated soils. Our analysis showed that rainfall patterns play a significant role in the distribution of the pore-water pressure in soil slopes, and influence the slope stability. The pore-water pressure profile of soil slopes and the factor of safety are affected by the ratio of rainfall intensity and the coefficient of permeability. The depth and shape of the shallow sliding plane of the landslide is closely related to the rainfall pattern; moreover, the results showed a correlation between the factor of safety of the slope and the rainfall intensity. This relationship can be described by a dimensionless rainfall intensity. The nonlinear relationship can be used to estimate the slope stability resulting from rainfall infiltration when the hydro-mechanical coupling in unsaturated soil slopes is considered.     

Suitability analysis for sand and gravel extraction site location in the context of a sustainable development in the surroundings of Zaragoza (Spain)

Zaragoza city is located in the central Ebro Basin, in the Iberian Peninsula. The fluvial terraces formed by the Ebro River present a valuable resource of sand and gravel deposits. However, taking advantage of these available resources implies conflicts with other land use interests like urban and industrial development as well as agricultural use, which has also traditionally occupied the alluvial terraces. These deposits represent a substantial groundwater resource that should be preserved for future generations. The development of spatial decision support systems (SDSS) has greatly assisted efforts for solving land-use conflicts. These systems combine the benefits of geographic information systems (GIS) and decision support methodologies and are therefore suitable to manage sustainable development of urban areas. In this contribution, an extraction suitability map taking into consideration a variety of environmental criteria is created with the help of a SDSS. The method used is the analytical hierarchy process which is integrated in ArcGIS. Areas most suitable to sand and gravel extraction are located in the high terraces, and in those terraces covered by pediments where the thickness of resource is relatively high. These areas are far from valuable natural areas, outside areas most vulnerable to groundwater contamination, and beneath soils with poor irrigation characteristics.     

Oxygen isotopic constraints on the origin and parent bodies of eucrites, diogenites, and howardites

A few eucrites have anomalous oxygen isotopic compositions. To help understand their origin and identify additional samples, we have analyzed the oxygen isotopic compositions of 18 eucrites and four diogenites. Except for five eucrites, these meteorites have Δ¹⁷O values that lie within 2σ of their mean value viz., −0.242 ± 0.016‰, consistent with igneous isotopic homogenization of Vesta. The five exceptional eucrites—NWA 1240, Pasamonte (both clast and matrix samples), PCA 91007, A-881394, and Ibitira—have Δ¹⁷O values that lie, respectively, 4σ, 5σ, 5σ, 15σ, and 21σ away from this mean value. NWA 1240 has a δ¹⁸O value that is 5σ below the mean eucrite value. Four of the five outliers are unbrecciated and unshocked basaltic eucrites, like NWA 011, the first eucrite found to have an anomalous oxygen isotopic composition. The fifth outlier, Pasamonte, is composed almost entirely of unequilibrated basaltic clasts. Published chemical data for the six eucrites with anomalous oxygen isotopic compositions (including NWA 011) exclude contamination by chondritic projectiles as a source of the oxygen anomalies. Only NWA 011 has an anomalous Fe/Mn ratio, but several anomalous eucrites have exceptional Na, Ti, or Cr concentrations. We infer that the six anomalous eucrites are probably derived from five distinct Vesta-like parent bodies (Pasamonte and PCA 91007 could come from one body). These anomalous eucrites, like the isotopically normal, unbrecciated eucrites with 4.48 Gyr Ar-Ar ages, are probably deficient in brecciation and shock effects because they were sequestered in small asteroids (10 km diameter) during the Late Heavy Bombardment following ejection from Vesta-like bodies. The preservation of Vesta’s crust and the lack of deeply buried samples from the hypothesized Vesta-like bodies are consistent with the removal of these bodies from the asteroid belt by gravitational perturbations from planets and protoplanets, rather than by collisional grinding.     

Detection of radio recombination lines of hydrogen ionized by cosmic-ray protons in the cool interstellar medium

The emission of hydrogen radio recombination lines from a cloud of cool interstellar matter toward the radio source Cassiopeia A has been detected. The formation of the radio recombination lines is initiated by cosmic rays. The rate of ionization of the interstellar hydrogen by cosmic-ray protons measured from the radio recombination lines using the most direct method is ζ_H = (1 ± 0.25)×10⁻¹⁶ s⁻¹. This value of ζ_H is compared with measurements obtained using other methods.     

郯庐断裂带形成演化的年代学研究

通过对郯庐断裂带东侧张八岭蓝片岩带内白云母4 0 Ar - 3 9Ar年龄、断裂带内片麻状花岗岩中钾长石4 0 Ar- 3 9Ar年龄以及断裂带内断层泥K -Ar、ESR年龄的测定 ,并结合有关的地质和古地磁资料 ,厘定了郯庐断裂带形成和演化的过程 :(1)三叠纪 (2 44～ 2 0 9Ma)由于华北与扬子地块碰撞 ,郯庐断裂带形成为其主要左行平移时期 ;(2 )侏罗纪 (189～ 16 4Ma)时郯庐断裂东侧下扬子地块可能经历了逆时针转动 ;(3)白垩纪 (10 3～ 94Ma)开始郯庐断裂带伴随走滑平移而发生正断活动 ;(4)晚白垩—第三纪右旋平移阶段。郯庐断裂的形成与大别 -苏鲁变质带有关。     

APPLICATION OF THE ICP-MS TECHNIQUE TO TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF PERIDOTITES AND THEIR MINERALS

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been applied to the determination of Rb, Sr, Ba, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Th, U, Pb, Sc and 14 REE in peridotites and their constituent minerals: garnet, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene and olivine. Determination limits for most elements are 1–10 ppb (in the solid sample), with accuracy and precision comparable to those of thermal ionisation and spark-source mass spectrometry. New data on international standards PCC-1, DTS-1, UB-N and JP-1 are reported.     

Geochemistry of the submarine Vityaz Ridge at the pacific slope of the Kurile island arc

This paper reports the results of geological studies at the submarine Vityaz Ridge carried out during cruises 37 and 41 on the R/V “Akademik Lavrent’ev” in 2005 and 2006. The studied area is located at the near-island trench of the slope in the central part of the Kurile island arc. Morphologically, it consists of two parts: inner volcanic arc represented by the Great Kurile Range and outer arc corresponding to the submarine Vityaz Ridge. Diverse rocks that compose the basement and sedimentary cover of the ridge were recovered by dredging. Based on K-Ar dating and geochemistry, the volcanics were divided into Paleocene, Eocene, late Oligocene, and Pliocene-Pleistocene complexes. Each of the distinguished complexes reflects the tectonomagmatic stage in the ridge evolution. The geochemical and isotope data on the volcanics indicate the contribution of ancient crustal material in magma source and, correspondingly, the formation of this structure on the continental basement. Two-stage model ages, T_DM2, vary in a wide range from zero values in the mafic rocks to 0.77 Ga in felsic varieties, pointing to the presence of Precambrian protolith in the source of the felsic rocks of the Vityaz Ridge. The Pliocene-Pleistocene volcanics are classed with the tholeiitic, calc-alkaline, and subalkaline series, which differ in alkali contents and REE fractionation. The values of (La/Sm)_N and (La/Yb)_N ratios vary from 0.74 and 0,84 in the tholeiitic varieties to 1.19 and 1.44 in the calcalkaline and 2.32 and 3.73 in the subalkaline rocks. All three varieties occur within the same volcanic edifices and were formed during differentiation of magmatic melt that were channeled along fault zones from the mantle source slightly enriched in crustal component     

Correlation of the Meishucunian Stage in South Asia

The determination of boundary points and their correlation are prerequisites for defining the PrecambrianCambrian boundary and the intercontinental correlation. A large number of good Precambrian-Cambrian boundary sections in South Asia not only possess the conditions for selection of a boundary stratotype, but also provide the basis for the long-distance correlation of those boundary sections.Through a detailed study of the latest data obtained from the typical sections in South China, the Lesser Himalaya Mountains and the Alborz Mountains. the locations of boundary points have been defined, and a correlation scheme is proposed, which contributes to the solution of the problem of worldwide correlation of boundary sections.     

Upgrading of calcareous phosphate ores by flotation: Effect of ore characteristics

Sedimentary phosphates contain-besides the phosphate minerals-, various associated gangue minerals such as: clays, silica, calcareous minerals (mainly calcite and dolomite), carbonaceous matter, iron oxides and/or pyrite. The common practiced flow-sheets for concentrating these types of phosphate ores consist of a combination of various mineral processing units such as: crushing and screening, attrition, washing, magnetic separation, and/or flotation. However, none of these combinations was successfully efficient to upgrade the calcareous ores because of the close similarity of the physical properties (density, particle size, particle shape, etc.) as well as the surface physico-chemical properties of the carbonate and phosphate minerals. For the last five decades extensive efforts have been spent to adopt flotation for separating carbonates from phosphate ores. These efforts include thermodynamic analysis, modification of the technique, controlling the pulp environment, and finding new reagents that can specifically differentiate between carbonates and phosphates.This paper reviews some of the published work on the separation of carbonates from phosphate ores by flotation and presents the flotation results of phosphate ore samples different in their physical properties and mineralogical composition. The results obtained reflect the effect of ore nature on the flotation performance and the reagents consumption.