Seismic activity accompanying the outbreak of the 1991–1993 eruption of Mt. Etna (Italy)

The character and location of seismic activity accompanying the onset of the 1991–1993 eruption at Mt. Etna are compatible with the surface evidence of the volcanic pile rupture. Both the epicentral distribution and the focal mechanisms of a swarm that occurred on December 14, 1991, agree with magma ascent occurring along the main NNW-SSE-trending structure of the volcano and the consequent opening of a system of effusive fissures with the same trend. A typical mainshock-aftershock sequence, recorded the day after and indicating transcurrent displacement occurring along the second-principal structure of Etna (NE-SW), depicts the tectonic response of the volcanic pile and the underlying basement to major stresses applied by the magma push.     

Climate Change driven evolution of hazards to Europe’s transport infrastructure throughout the twenty-first century

Air circulation due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect can influence the dispersion of air pollutants in a metropolis. This study focusses on the influence of the UHI effect on particulate matter (PM; including PM_2.5 and PM_2.5–10) between May and September 2010–2012 in the Taipei basin. Meteorological and PM data were obtained from the sites, owned by the governmental authorities. The analysis was carried out using t test, relative indices (RIs), Pearson product–moment correlation and stepwise regression. The results show that the RI values for PM were the highest at moderate UHI intensity (MUI; 2 °C ≤ UHI < 4 °C) rather than at strong UHI intensity (SUI; 4 °C ≤ UHI) during the peak time for anthropogenic emissions (20:00 LST). Neither the accumulation of PM nor the surface convergence occurred in the hot centre, as shown by the case study. At MUI, more than 89 % of the synoptic weather patterns showed that the weather was clear and hot or that the atmosphere was stable. The variation in PM was associated with horizontal and vertical air dispersion. Poor horizontal air dispersion, with subsidence, caused an increase in PM at MUI. However, the updraft motion diluted the PM at SUI. The stepwise regression models show that the cloud index and surface air pressure determined the variation in PM_2.5–10, while cloud index, wind speed and mixing height influenced the variation in PM_2.5. In conclusion, a direct relationship between UHI effect and PM was not obvious.     

Covariance-Based Variable Selection for Compositional Data

Omitting variables in compositional data analysis may lead to a substantial change in results from that of multivariate statistical analysis. In particular, this is the case for principal component analysis and the compositional biplot, where both the interpretation of loadings and scores of the remaining subcomposition are affected. A stepwise procedure is introduced that allows for a reduction of the original composition to a subcomposition by avoiding a substantial change of the information, like those carried by the compositional biplot. The subcomposition is easier to handle and interpret. Numerical results give evidence of the usefulness of the procedure.     

Interpreting maps through the eyes of expert and novice users

The experiments described in this article combine response time measurements and eye movement data to gain insight into the users' cognitive processes while working with dynamic and interactive maps. Experts and novices participated in a user study with a ‘between user’ design. Twenty screen maps were presented in a random order to each participant, on which he had to execute a visual search. The combined information of the button actions and eye tracker reveals that both user groups showed a similar pattern in the time intervals needed to locate the subsequent names. From this pattern, information about the users' cognitive load could be derived: use of working memory, learning effect and so on. Moreover, the response times also showed that experts were significantly faster in finding the names in the map image. This is further explained by the eye movement metrics: experts had significantly shorter fixations and more fixations per second meaning that they could interpret a larger part of the map in the same amount of time. As a consequence, they could locate objects in the map image more efficiently and thus faster.     

Time–Latitudinal Development of the White-Light Coronal Structures over a Solar Cycle

Large-scale coronal structures (helmet streamers) observed in the white-light corona during total solar eclipses and/or with ground-based coronagraphs are mostly located only above quiescent types of prominences. These helmet streamers are maintained due to the magnetic fields of the Sun. Time–latitudinal distribution of prominences during a solar cycle, however, shows both the poleward and equatorward migrations, similar to the 530.3 nm emission corona (the green corona) intensities. Distribution of observed coronal helmet streamers during total solar eclipses, enlarged with the helmet streamers as were obtained by the ground-based coronagraph observations, are compared with the heliographic distribution of prominences and the green corona intensities for the first time. It is shown that the distribution of above-mentioned helmet streamers, reflects – roughly – the time–latitudinal distribution of prominences and emission corona branches, and migrates together with them over a solar cycle.     

New aspects for new generation telescopes

A selection of future observing facilities relevant to galaxy evolution science covering the wavelength range from X-rays to the radio regime are summarized. Scientific aspects that can be investigated with these next generation telescopes are briefly discussed. While prospects look bright for highly advanced and innovative future facilities, it will be important to ensure that human resources in observational astronomy and theory – both in terms of expertise, funding, and available positions – are keeping pace with the technological developments. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evidence for an Ionized Rotating Structure Around RW Aur

Profiles of the UV semiforbidden lines of C III and Si III of RW Aur have been obtained with the HST/STIS. The C III profile shows two high velocity components at v = ± 170 km s^?1 and a central one. The Si III profile is very broad (FWHM = 293 km s^?1) and the high velocity components are unresolved. It is shown that the high velocity components are most probably produced in a rotating belt alike the detected in other sources of bipolar outflows. A radius between 2.7 R _* and the corotation radius (6.1 R _*) is derived and a log T _e (K) ?4.7 and log n _e(cm ^?3) = 11.6 are estimated. The belt is clumpy and the most likely source of heating is local X-rays radiation, probably associated with the release of magnetic energy.     

Normalized evaluation of the performance,capacity and availability of catalogue services: a pilot study based on INfrastruture for SPatial InfoRmation in Europe

Geographic information has a great potential to be re-used when supported by mechanisms for its discovery. Above all, the quality of a catalogue service is the key feature supporting users in the discovery process. So far, there have been in existence various methodologies dealing with the normalized evaluation of quality with respect to catalogue services. Their biggest weakness seems to be in the depth of quality testing, i.e. some influences are beyond the scope of evaluation of these methodologies with respect to quality in catalogue services. In this study, the quality of 45 catalogue services across Europe was verified with the proposed normalized evaluation methodology originating from documents within the INfrastruture for SPatial InfoRmation in Europe (INSPIRE) framework. This paper discusses the (statistical) influence of factors that may significantly change the results of catalogue service testing. The proposals for improving the existing INSPIRE normalized evaluation procedure are applicable for any spatial data infrastructure and/or Digital Earth component using the Open Geospatial Consortium Catalogue Service for the Web as a basis.