Holocene paleolimnological changes in Lake Skallen Oike in the Syowa Station area of Antarctica inferred from organic components in a sediment core (Sk4C-02)

Antarctic climate changes influence environmental changes at both regional and local scales. Here we report Holocene paleolimnological changes in lake sediment core Sk4C-02 (length 378.0 cm) from Lake Skallen Oike in the Soya Kaigan region of East Antarctica inferred from analyses of sedimentary facies, a range of organic components, isotope ratios of organic carbon and nitrogen, and carbon-14 dating by Tandetron accelerator mass spectrometry. The sediment core was composed of clayish mud (378.0–152.5 cm) overlain by organic sediments (152.5 cm-surface). The age of the surface and the core bottom were 150 (AD1950-1640) and ca. 7,030 ± 73 calibrated years before present (cal BP), respectively, and the mean sedimentation rate was estimated to be 0.55 mm/year. Multi-proxy analyses revealed that the principal environmental change in the core is a transition from marine to lacustrine environments which occurred at a depth of 152.5 cm (ca. 3,590 cal BP). This was caused by relative sea level change brought about by ongoing retreat of glaciers during the mid-Holocene warming of Antarctica, and ongoing isostatic uplift which outpaced changes in global (eustatic) sea level. The mean isostatic uplift rate was calculated to be 2.8 mm/year. The coastal marine period (378.0–152.5 cm, ca. 7,030–3,590 cal BP) was characterized by low biological production with the predominance of diatoms. During the transition period from marine to freshwater conditions (152.5-approximately 135 cm, ca. 3,590–3,290 cal BP) the lake was stratified with marine water overlain by freshwater, with a chemocline and an anoxic (sulfidic) layer in the bottom of the photic zone. Green sulfur bacteria and Cryptophyta were the major photosynthetic organisms. The Cryptophyta appeared to be tolerant of the moderate salinity and stratified water conditions. The lacustrine period (approximately 135 cm-surface, ca. 3,290 cal BP-present) was characterized by high biological production by green algae (e.g. Comarium clepsydra and Oedegonium spp.) with some contributions from cyanobacteria and diatoms. Biological production during this period was 8.7 times higher than during the coastal marine period.     

A 60-year record of rainfall from the sediments of Jinheung Pond,Jeongeup, Korea

This paper describes mean grain-size data from the ¹³⁷Cs- and ²¹⁰Pb-dated sediment core BS-3 (33-cm long) recovered from Jinheung Pond, located in the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula. Grain-size analysis of the Jinheung Pond sediments shows a clear signal for changes in annual precipitation over the past 60 years. Instrumental records of annual precipitation (AP) and the annual summation of the precipitation of >50 mm per day (AP50), which reflects the energy available for sediment transport, correlate well with the mean grain-size distributions measured in the core. The most plausible mechanism for this response in mean grain size is variations in the annual amount and intensity of precipitation. Heavy precipitation enhances soil erosion over the catchment area and increases the transport capacity of streams and rivers. Thus, coarser mean grain size should reflect higher precipitation, and smaller mean grain size should reflect lower rainfall. In the data from core BS-3, however, grain-size peaks attributed to increased annual precipitation are not prominent. This is because a dam prevents removal of fine particles from the pond via the outflow. Therefore, the mean grain-size value represents somewhat larger sediments together with fine clays. The results of this study show that sediments of dammed lakes and ponds are well suited for high-resolution environmental investigations, especially for records of changes in precipitation over time.     

Experiment study on RC frame retrofitted by the external structure

A new retrofitting method is proposed herein for reinforced concrete (RC) structures through attachment of an external structure. The external structure consists of a fiber concrete encased steel frame, connection slab and transverse beams. The external structure is connected to the existing structure through a connection slab and transverse beams. Pseudostatic experiments were carried out on one unretrofitted specimen and three retrofitted frame specimens. The characteristics, including failure mode, crack pattern, hysteresis loops behavior, relationship of strain and displacement of the concrete slab, are demonstrated. The results show that the load carrying capacity is obviously increased, and the extension length of the slab and the number of columns within the external frame are important influence factors on the working performance of the existing structure. In addition, the displacement difference between the existing structure and the outer structure was caused mainly by three factors: shear deformation of the slab, extraction of transverse beams, and drift of the conjunction part between the slab and the existing frame. Furthermore, the total deformation determined by the first two factors accounted for approximately 80% of the damage, therefore these factors should be carefully considered in engineering practice to enhance the effects of this new retrofitting method.     

Finite element analysis and experimental verification of the scrap tire rubber pad isolator

A new base isolation system using scrap tire rubber pads (STRP) has been introduced for seismic mitigation of ordinary residential buildings. The rubber and the steel reinforcing cords used in manufacturing the tire are the alternative materials of the proposed base isolation system. The steel reinforcing cords represent the steel plates used in conventional laminated rubber bearings. These steel reinforcing cords shall prevent the lateral bulging of the rubber bearing. The proposed base isolation system has no bonding between the superstructure and the foundation beam which allows for rollover deformation. In the first part of the study, the STRP layers were just stacked one on top of another without applying the adhesive. This paper presents loading test as well as finite element analysis (FE analysis) of strip STRP isolators that are subjected to any given combination of static vertical and lateral loads. The results of the static vertical and horizontal loading test conducted on STRP isolators were used to calculate the mechanical properties of the isolators, including stiffness and damping values. The load–displacement relationship of STRP isolators were compared between experimental and FE analysis results and the results were found to be in close agreement. The stress state within the STRP isolators was also analyzed in order to estimate the maximum stress demand in the rubber and steel reinforcing cords. These STRP isolators have several advantages over conventional laminated rubber bearings including superior damping properties, lower incurred cost, light weight and easily available material. This study suggests that using the STRP as low cost base isolation device for ordinary residential buildings is feasible.     

Seismic response of steel structures with seesaw systems using viscoelastic dampers

Vibration control systems are being used increasingly worldwide to provide enhanced seismic protection for new and retrofitted buildings. This paper presents a new vibration control system on the basis of a seesaw mechanism with viscoelastic dampers. The proposed vibration control system comprises three parts: brace, seesaw member, and viscoelastic dampers. In this system, only tensile force appears in bracing members. Consequently, the brace buckling problem is negligible, which enables the use of steel rods for bracing members. By introducing pre‐tension in rods, long steel rods are applicable as bracing between the seesaw members and the moment frame connections over some stories. Seesaw mechanisms can magnify the damper deformation according to the damper system configuration. In this paper, first, the magnification factor, that is, the ratio of the damper deformation to the story drift, is delivered, which includes the rod deformation. Results of a case study demonstrate that the magnification factor of the proposed system is greater than unity for some cases. Seismic response analysis is conducted for steel moment frames with the proposed vibration control system. Energy dissipation characteristics are examined using the time‐history response results of energy. The maximum story drift angle distributions and time‐history response results of displacement show that the proposed system can reduce the seismic response of the frames effectively. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of CO2 on benthic biota: An in situ benthic chamber experiment in Storfjorden (Norway)

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) methods, either sub-seabed or in ocean depths, introduces risk of CO₂ leakage and subsequent interaction with the ecosystem. It is therefore important to obtain information on possible effects of CO₂. In situ CO₂ exposure experiments were carried out twice for 10 days during 2005 using a Benthic Chamber system at 400 m depth in Storfjorden, Norway. pCO₂ in the water above the sediment in the chambers was controlled at approximately 500, 5000 and 20,000 μatm, respectively. This article describes the experiment and the results from measured the biological responses within the chamber sediments. The results show effects of elevated CO₂ concentrations on biological processes such as increased nanobenthos density. Methane production and sulphate reduction was enhanced in the approximately 5000 μatm chamber.     

Sub-daily noise in horizontal GPS kinematic time series due to thermal tilt of GPS monuments

The sub-daily noise in horizontal global positioning system (GPS) kinematic time series arising from monument tilts is quantitatively evaluated using tiltmeter data at GPS stations from the Japanese nationwide global navigation satellite system network. The estimated tilt-induced monument displacements show characteristics that are typical of those caused by thermal tilts of the monuments. The root mean square of the displacements is typically a few millimetres, with notable inter-seasonal variations. The stacked amplitude spectra of the monument displacements have peaks at the tidal bands S1 and S2, and their higher tones. The peaks at the S1 and S2 bands in the amplitude spectra are reduced by 41 and 43 % for the north–south component and 36 and 53 % for the east–west component, respectively, after correcting for the monument displacements. The monument displacements due to the thermal tilts of the monuments may also be a favourable candidate for sub-daily noise at the S1 and S2 bands found in other GPS networks.     

Interannual and synoptic-scale features of two types of cold-air outbreaks over the East China Sea during 1988�C2006

For the 1988?C2006 cold seasons, we investigated the characteristic structures of two types of cold-air outbreaks over the East China Sea: Type N, for which a thick layer of northerly meridional wind was formed during the cold-air outbreak; and Type S, for which an initially thin layer of northerly meridional wind was gradually thickened as the cold-air outbreak developed. The emergence frequencies of Type N and Type S outbreaks are sensitive to winter monsoon intensity at the 500-hectopascal (hPa) level. Type S outbreaks are dominant during strong El Ni?o events, leading to enhanced southerly meridional flow at 500?hPa over the East China Sea. The development of the 500-hPa Pacific High strongly influences the synoptic-scale structures of the two different types of outbreaks over the East China Sea.     

Bioaccumulation of nitroarenes in bivalves at Osaka Bay, Japan

This paper reports for the first time the detection and occurrence of nitroarenes (NPAHs) in marine organisms. Mussels and oysters collected from Osaka Bay, Japan, had total NPAHs concentrations that ranged from 2380 to 24,688 pg/g dry and 2672 to 25,961 pg/g dry, respectively. Relatively higher concentrations were detected in sampling sites located near the central district and suburbs of Osaka City implying that the most probable sources of NPAHs in the two bivalves are exhaust gases and smokes emitted by automobiles and industrial plants. Bivalves had relatively higher residues of 1-nitronaphthalene, 2-nitronaphthalene, 3-nitrophenanthrene, and 9-nitrophenanthrenes. Residues of 2-nitrofluorene, 1-nitropyrene, 4-nitropyrenes, and 6-nitrochrysene were much lower compared to nitronaphthalenes and nitrophenanthrenes. Inter-species differences was only observed for 2-nitronaphthalene with oysters exhibiting significantly higher residues than mussels.