Drag and bulk aerodynamic coefficients over shallow water

From direct measurements of the vertical turbulent fluxes of momentum, heat, and water vapor over shallow water, the drag and bulk aerodynamic coefficients are computed and compared with those obtained via the profile technique. The results show thatC _D =C _T =C _E =1.2×10^?3, with variability among their mean values being ? 20 %. All measurements were taken at 8 m above the water surface at Lake Hefner, Oklahoma. The measurement platform was a rectangular tower located within the lake and approximately 1 km from the nearest shore. The depth of the lake at the tower was 8 m.     

A simple non-linear model for the investigation of the effects of the gap closure at the abutment joints of short bridges

Closure of the gap at the abutment joints of bridges has been the source of extensive damage during the 1971 San Fernando and more recent earthquakes. In this paper a model for the investigation of the effects of this gap closure is presented and analysed. The focus of the model is the representation of the non-linear response of the bridge abutments, the foundation and the columns. The model is used for the investigation of the response of a short bridge located in California.     

Kinetic fractionation of Fe isotopes during transport through a porous quartz-sand column

Sorption and desorption processes are an important part of biological and geochemical metallic isotope cycles. Here, we address the dynamic aspects of metallic isotopic fractionation in a theoretical and experimental study of Fe sorption and desorption during the transport of aqueous Fe(III) through a quartz-sand matrix. Transport equations describing the behavior of sorbing isotopic species in a water saturated homogeneous porous medium are presented; isotopic fractionation of the system (Δ_{sorbedmetal-soln}) being defined in terms of two parameters: (i) an equilibrium fractionation factor, α_e; and (ii) a kinetic sorption factor, α₁. These equations are applied in a numerical model that simulates the sorption-desorption of Fe isotopes during injection of a Fe(III) solution pulse into a quartz matrix at pH 0-2 and explores the effects of the kinetic and equilibrium parameters on the Fe-isotope evolution of porewater. The kinetic transport theory is applied to a series of experiments in which pulses of Na and Fe(III) chloride solutions were injected into a porous sand grain column. Fractionation factors of α_e = 1.0003 ± 0.0001 and α₁ = 0.9997 ± 0.0004 yielded the best fit between the transport model and the Fe concentration and δ⁵⁶Fe data. The equilibrium fractionation (Δ⁵⁶Fe_{sorbedFe-soln}) of 0.3‰ is comparable with values deduced for adsorption of metallic cations on iron and manganese oxide surfaces and suggests that sandstone aquifers will fractionate metallic isotopes during sorption-desorption reactions. The ability of the equilibrium fractionation factor to describe a natural system, however, depends on the proximity to equilibrium, which is determined by the relative time scales of mass transfer and chemical reaction; low fluid transport rates should produce a system that is less dependent on kinetic effects. The results of this study are applicable to Fe-isotope fractionation in clastic sediments formed in highly acidic conditions; such conditions may have existed on Mars where acidic oxidizing ground and surface waters may have been responsible for clastic sedimentation and metallic element transport.     

A classification of gem corundum deposits aimed towards gem exploration

This classification of gem corundum (ruby and sapphire) deposits takes into consideration petrographic data, and the mode of genesis of the deposits. It is aimed at being practical and useful in the field, particularly for prospecting purposes.Deposits are classified into primary and secondary deposits. Primary deposits include igneous and metamorphic deposits. Igneous gem corundum deposits are rare and include sapphire-bearing syenites from Kenya. Emphasis is put on metamorphic deposits, that are subdivided into metamorphic s.s., metasomatic, and anatectic deposits. Many gem corundum deposits result from metasomatic processes. Small-scale metasomatism mostly involves desilication reactions between silico-aluminous rocks (pegmatites, gneisses, etc) and silica-poor rocks (ultramafites, meta-carbonates), and leads to the formation of limited-size deposits. Large-scale (diffuse) metasomatism is usually more difficult to characterize, and therefore is not separated from isochemical metamorphism in this classification. In metamorphic deposits, gem corundum results from transformation of an Al-rich and/or Si-poor protolith. Such deposits include ruby-bearing mafic granulites, ruby-bearing meta-limestones, and ruby/sapphire-bearing gneisses and granulites. An intermediate category includes anatectic deposits. Secondary deposits encompass sedimentary and volcanic (xenoclastic) occurrences. In sedimentary deposits, gem corundum occurs as clasts originating from other lithologies. In volcanic deposits, gem corundums are xenocrysts that have a range of origins.The proposed classification outlines geological environments favorable to the crystallization and distribution of gem corundum, thus facilitating prospecting and mining of this gemstone.     

Palynostratigraphy of some Pleistocene deposits in the Western Alps: A review

In the Alps, interglacial and interstadial deposits are rarely preserved due to the intense erosive effect of glaciers in the valleys. Fortunately, some outcrops and cored sequences located in the field area ranging from Lyon to Evian provided sedimentary profiles datable by palynostratigraphy in a highly documented geomorphological context. An overview of several palynological sequences studied in this large area is proposed, and their position in a general chronostratigraphical pattern is discussed. Particular attention is paid to palynostratigraphical evidence whose relevance is tested with systematic comparisons with long reference European pollen sequences spanning several glacial cycles. Minimum ages are suggested for non-glacial episodes corresponding to the deposits studied.     

Natural Resources Research Publications on Resourcing Future Generations,and Introduction of Papers in this Special Issue

The Journal of Natural Resources Research (NRR) has, since its foundation in 1992, published and continues to publish peer-reviewed articles that make significant impact on resourcing future generations. This is in keeping with its aims and scope of publishing articles on quantitative analyses of natural (mainly but not limited to mineral) resources with regard to exploration, evaluation and exploitation, as well as environmental and risk-related aspects. However, the new papers introduced in this special issue of NRR are mostly qualitative studies with implications for policy decision-making relevant to the issue of resourcing future generations. These new papers and the recent inclusion of NRR for coverage in the Science Citation Index Expanded? (or SciSearch^®) and Journal Citation Reports^® (JCR) Science Edition will make NRR more attractive to researchers in the fields that are relevant to the issue of resourcing future generations, both as a source of knowledge as well as a medium for publication of research results.     

MapMosaic: dynamic layer compositing for interactive geovisualization

GIS software applications and other mapping tools enable users to correlate data from multiple layers and gain insight from the resulting visualizations. However, most of these applications only feature basic, monolithic layer compositing techniques. These techniques do not always support users effectively in their tasks, as we observed during interviews with GIS experts. We introduce MapMosaic, a novel approach based on dynamic visual compositing that enables users to interactively create and manipulate local composites of multiple vector and raster map layers, taking into account the semantics and attribute values of objects and fields in the compositing process. We evaluate MapMosaic ’s interaction model against that of QGIS (a widely used desktop GIS) and MAPublisher (a professional cartography tool) using the ‘Cognitive Dimensions’ framework and through an analytical comparison, showing that MapMosaic ’s model is more flexible and can support users more effectively in their tasks. We also report on feedback obtained from experts, which further confirms the potential of this highly dynamic approach to map layer compositing.