Trophic State Index derivation through the remote sensing of Case-2 water bodies in the Mediterranean region

The main goal of this study is the derivation of Carlson’s Trophic State Index (TSI) through the remote sensing of four different Case-2 waters in the Mediterranean region such as Cyprus and Greece. TSI _SD is derived through extensive field ground campaign of Secchi Disk Depth measurements for the Asprokremmos Dam, located in Paphos District in Cyprus; Alyki Salt Lake, located in Larnaca District in Cyprus; and in Karla Lake, located in Volos District in Greece; and finally to three coastal water areas in the Limassol coastal area. Several regression models have been applied in order to develop the best regression model between the TSI _SD and in-band reflectance values for Landsat TM/ETM derived from spectroradiometric measurements using a GER-1500 field spectroradiometer over the main case study area in Asprokremmos Dam in Cyprus. Finally, we apply several regression models for Asprokremmos Dam for retrieving the suitable Landsat TM/ETM band or band combinations (obtained from field spectroradiometric measurements) in which TSI _SD can be determined. Indeed, the best regression model has been obtained by correlating ‘TSI Versus Band2/Band3’, with R²=0.89. All field TSI _SD and in-band reflectance values from the four different water bodies have been used to develop the best fitted model for the established TSI _SD Versus Band2/Band3 model. We find that the exponential regression model provides the best fitted equation over the four different water bodies.     

Perihelion Shift in the Reissner-Nordstroem Field

The formula giving the shift in the perihelion of the orbit of a charged particle moving around a Reissner-Nordstroem black hole is derived in the approximation 1/c².This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Groundwater and soil geochemistry of the Eastern Kopaida region (Beotia, central Greece)

The Kopaida plain is a cultivated region of Eastern Greece, with specific characteristics related to the paleogeographic evolution and the changes in land use of the area. This study examines the geochemical conditions of the groundwater and soil, and the correlations between them. 70 samples (50 samples of groundwater and 20 samples of soil) were collected in order to asses the geochemical status and the major natural and manmade affecting processes in the region. Extended chemical analyses were carried out including the assessment of 28 parameters for groundwater and 13 for soil samples. The results revealed that groundwater geochemistry is influenced primary by natural processes such as the geological background, and secondary by manmade impact mainly deriving from the extended use of Nitrogen-fertilizers and the over-exploitation of boreholes. Soil geochemistry is influenced exclusively by natural processes, such as weathering of the prevailing geological formations. Chemical analyses and the statistical processing of data revealed that the major factor for the geochemical status of soils is the weathering of the karstic substrate, as well as the existing lateritic horizons and a weak sulfide mineralization.     

The summer circulation over the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East: influence of the South Asian monsoon

The summer circulation over the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East (EMME) is dominated by persistent northerly winds (Etesians) whose ventilating effect counteracts the adiabatic warming induced by large scale subsidence. The ERA40 dataset is used to study the vertical distribution of these circulation features, which both appear to be reconciled manifestations of the South Asian monsoon influence. As predicted by past idealized modeling studies, in late spring a westward expanding upper level warm structure and subsidence areas are associated with Rossby waves excited by the monsoon convection. Steep sloping isentropes that develop over the EMME facilitate further subsidence on the western and northern periphery of the warm structure, which is exposed to the midlatitude westerlies. The northerly flow and descent over the eastern Mediterranean have maxima in July that are strikingly synchronous to the monsoon convection over northern India, where the weaker easterly jet favors a stronger Rossby wave response and consequent impact on the EMME circulation. The pronounced EMME topography modifies the monsoon induced structure, firstly, by inducing orographically locked summer anticyclones. These enhance the mid and low level northwesterly flow at their eastern flanks, leading to distinct subsidence maxima over the eastern Mediterranean and Iran. Secondly, topography amplifies the subsidence and the northerly flow over the Aegean, Red Sea, the Iraq—Gulf region and to the east of the Caspian Sea.     

Combining geographic information system, multicriteria evaluation techniques and fuzzy logic in siting MSW landfills

This study presents a methodology for siting municipal solid waste landfills, coupling geographic information systems (GIS), fuzzy logic, and multicriteria evaluation techniques. Both exclusionary and non-exclusionary criteria are used. Factors, i.e., non-exclusionary criteria, are divided in two distinct groups which do not have the same level of trade off. The first group comprises factors related to the physical environment, which cannot be expressed in terms of monetary cost and, therefore, they do not easily trade off. The second group includes those factors related to human activities, i.e., socioeconomic factors, which can be expressed as financial cost, thus showing a high level of trade off. GIS are used for geographic data acquisition and processing. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is the multicriteria evaluation technique used, enhanced with fuzzy factor standardization. Besides assigning weights to factors through the AHP, control over the level of risk and trade off in the siting process is achieved through a second set of weights, i.e., order weights, applied to factors in each factor group, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, thus taking into account the local site characteristics. The method has been applied to Evros prefecture (NE Greece), an area of approximately 4,000 km². The siting methodology results in two intermediate suitability maps, one related to environmental and the other to socioeconomic criteria. Combination of the two intermediate maps results in the final composite suitability map for landfill siting.