Towards 4U 1630−47: a black-hole soft X-ray transient odyssey

4U 1630−47 is a black-hole X-ray transient with one of the shortest recurrence times. Despite its regular outburst behaviour little is known about this source. Only recently has attention to this system increased. I discuss there the basic known (X-ray) properties of 4U 1630−47 and report on X-ray and radio observations obtained during its recent outburst, starting in February 1998. These observations strengthen some of the similarities seen between 4U 1630−47 and the Galactic superluminal sources GRO J1655−40 and GRS 1915+105, and provide the first detection of 4U 1630−47 in the radio. Using an updated outburst ephemeris I predict the next outburst to occur about a week before Christmas 1999.     

Effects of slight anisotropy on surface waves

We present a complete ray theory for the calculation of surface-wave observables from anisotropic phase-velocity maps. Starting with the surface-wave dispersion relation in an anisotropic earth model, we derive practical dynamical ray-tracing equations. These equations allow calculation of the observables phase, arrival-angle and amplitude in a ray theoretical framework. Using perturbation theory, we also obtain approximate expressions for these observables. We assess the accuracy of the first-order approximations by using both theories to make predictions on a sample anisotropic phase-velocity map. A comparison of the two methods illustrates the size and type of errors which are introduced by perturbation theory. Perturbation theory phase and arrival-angle predictions agree well with the exact calculation, but amplitude predictions are poor. Many previous studies have modelled surface-wave propagation using only isotropic structure, not allowing for anisotropy. We present hypothetical examples to simulate isotropic modelling of surface waves which pass through anisotropic material. Synthetic data sets of phase and arrival angle are produced by ray tracing with exact ray theory on anisotropic phase-velocity maps. The isotropic models obtained by inverting synthetic anisotropic phase data sets produce deceptively high variance reductions because the effects of anisotropy are mapped into short-wavelength isotropic structure. Inversion of synthetic arrival-angle data sets for isotropic models results in poor variance reductions and poor recovery of the isotropic part of the anisotropic input map. Therefore, successful anisotropic phase-velocity inversions of real data require the inclusion of both phase and arrival-angle measurements.     

Permeability and stress in crystalline rocks

Groundwater from crystalline rocks is a significant resource in many areas of the world. It is also an important medium for contaminant transport from, for example, deep nuclear waste repositories. Stress distributions in fractured rocks are important in controlling groundwater flow in several ways: (i) palaeostress fields are responsible for the evolution of fracture systems which transmit groundwater; (ii) current in situ stress fields will influence the shape and aperture of fractures; (iii) humans can influence the natural stress field in a rock mass to enhance fracture flows. The significance of stresses for groundwater flow can be investigated by field techniques (hydraulic fracturing), laboratory techniques (stress cells) or by numerical modelling.     

The World Wide Web and university education in remote sensing

The World Wide Web (YAW) has a potential for improving university education in remote sensing, as the WWW technology may be applied in a way which reduces the amount of resources which are needed to achieve a certain educational objective. The paper presents a survey of this new technology. The main components of the WWW technology are outlined. Reference is made to information resources which are available through the WWW which relates to remote sensing. The technology can be applied not only by individual staff members, but, also, according to decision at the departmental or faculty level. The use of information technology for education is a research field in its own right. This research field is presented as a basis for suggestion of decision issues and decision criteria regarding the use of the WWW for education in remote sensing. The paper may have an European bias.     

Microzonation of the city of Basel

During the past centuries, the city of Basel has suffered damage caused by earthquakes. One extraordinary event described in historical documents is the strong earthquake which occurred in 1356. The 1356 event, one of the strongest earthquakes in northwest-Europe, was obviously much stronger than the low-magnitude earthquakes observed in the area during this century. Even though the present seismicity in the Basel area is low, strong earthquakes have to be expected due to the city's geographical location close to the northern boundary of the African-European convergence zone, at the southern end of the Rhinegraben. A crucial step towards preparedness for future events and mitigation of earthquake risk involves a microzonation study of the city. The study is carried out in three steps: (1) a detailed mapping of the geology and geotechnical properties of the area, (2) measurement, interpretation and modelling of ambient noise data, and (3) numerical modelling of expected ground motions during earthquakes. A qualitative microzonation of the centre of Basel is presented, and it is discussed by comparing it to the historically reported damage of the 1356 earthquake.     

Dual aspects of mantle convection through time: Changes in global upper mantle temperature, Earth’s rotation, and global plate motion acceleration induced by mantle avalanches

The mean depth of the mantle transition zone depends on the global mantle temperature through the Clapeyron slope. Numerical models of mantle convection with endothermic phase change at 670 km are characterized by quiet periods of partial layering alternating with catastrophic events. During an avalanche, global thermal anomalies, reaching several tens of degrees, and lasting several tens of million years occur that induce a global deepening of the mantle transition zone. The resulting inertia tensor perturbations lead to acceleration of the Earth’s rotation. The bottom heat fluxes remains strong as a consequence of the steep thermal gradient at the CMB level; whereas it decreases to a low level during quiet periods. The upper surface heat flux displays a more complex behavior due to the re-heating of upper mantle by plumes generated at the transition zone and at the CMB. Following these numerical results, two significantly different regimes of mantle convection may have alternated several times during the Earth’s history. The avalanche periods are also associated with a global increase of plate tectonic activity (ridge accretion and continental break-up) due to an increase of the surface velocity during the avalanche process. This work shows the richness of the behavior in surfaces and bottom heat fluxes that arises from the alternation of quiet periods of partial layering with catastrophic avalanche events. Complexities in the real Earth displays are surprisingly simular to those caused by the consequences of mantle avalanches.     

Effective velocities in fractured media: a numerical study using the rotated staggered finite‐difference grid

The modelling of elastic waves in fractured media with an explicit finite‐difference scheme causes instability problems on a staggered grid when the medium possesses high‐contrast discontinuities (strong heterogeneities). For the present study we apply the rotated staggered grid. Using this modified grid it is possible to simulate the propagation of elastic waves in a 2D or 3D medium containing cracks, pores or free surfaces without hard‐coded boundary conditions. Therefore it allows an efficient and precise numerical study of effective velocities in fractured structures. We model the propagation of plane waves through a set of different, randomly cracked media. In these numerical experiments we vary the wavelength of the plane waves, the crack porosity and the crack density. The synthetic results are compared with several static theories that predict the effective P‐ and S‐wave velocities in fractured materials in the long wavelength limit. For randomly distributed and randomly orientated, rectilinear, non‐intersecting, thin, dry cracks, the numerical simulations of velocities of P‐, SV‐ and SH‐waves are in excellent agreement with the results of the modified (or differential) self‐consistent theory. On the other hand for intersecting cracks, the critical crack‐density (porosity) concept must be taken into account. To describe the wave velocities in media with intersecting cracks, we propose introducing the critical crack‐density concept into the modified self‐consistent theory. Numerical simulations show that this new formulation predicts effective elastic properties accurately for such a case.     

Late Holocene local vegetation dynamics in the marsh of Gravgaz(southwest Turkey)

Late Holocene local vegetation succession is reconstructed in twodifferent sites in a small-scale open marsh ecosystem in southwest Turkey.This is done by comparison of the fossil local pollen assemblage zones in twocores with the local pollen data of 40 surface samples from the marsh. Thepollen data are supplemented with sedimentological and archaeological data. Theinsertion of the mean pollen data of the local pollen zones as passive samplesinto the canonical correspondence analysis triplot of the modern samples allowsus to detect modern analogues for the fossil pollen zones. From this numericalcomparative approach it is concluded that the marsh area was relatively dryuntil ca 2500 BP. After 2500 BP the area shifts towards a wet area dominated bySparganium and/or Typha angustifolia. A diversification of the marsh vegetationstarts at ca 2400/2300 BP. The area around one core site seems to have beensituated in an area with slowly flowing source water, whereas the other coresite is likely to have been characterised by damp conditions. The steadilyincreasing dryness of the marsh area starts after ca 680 BP. The drying upappears to be associated with recent agricultural and grazing pressure.     

Policy Contestation over the Ecosystem Services Approach in Sweden

Ecosystem services (ES) is an important approach to biodiversity protection in political rhetoric and policy practice, but it is also highly contested. This paper analyzes the introduction of ES in Swedish environmental policy and how it is contested by key stakeholders and discusses its implications for biodiversity governance. The results show that although ES is widely accepted on an abstract and conceptual level, critical features and functions are highly contested. These primarily concern the valuation of nature, appropriateness of different policy instruments, and institutional structures. The paper concludes that while the controversy surrounding ES fills an important role by reinvigorating debate and stimulating reflections on biodiversity loss, it also illustrates how ES is used to further particular values and beliefs and to challenge traditional biodiversity-protecting strategies. Understanding these policy controversies is central to addressing the challenges of transforming the promises of ES into practical policies.