Delayed impact of new volcanic ejecta on ground water quality

We observed long-term changes in the concentrations of dissolved ions in ground water caused by leachate from new volcanic ejecta deposited on the ground surface of the volcanic Miyakejima Island, Japan. Water samples were collected from nine wells and two rain collectors over a period of more than 10 years, and samples of runoff water were collected periodically. The samples were analyzed for temperature, pH, alkalinity, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻; some of the samples were also analyzed for δ¹³C. Because the leachate from the volcanic ejecta contained sulfate, we recorded an increase in SO₄²⁻ concentrations in the (unconfined) well water. The increase in SO₄²⁻ was initially detected between less than 1.4 and 5.2 years after the eruption, showing peak concentrations from 2.4 to 6.4 years after the eruption. This delayed response reflects the transit time of downward-moving SO₄²⁻ in the vadose zone, corresponding to an apparent movement rate of 0.4 to 7.2 cm/d. The rate relates to the mean recharge, represented as a fraction of local mean rainfall, and is calculated using the Cl⁻ balance method. The magnitude of the recorded increases reflects the volume of volcanic mudflow on the ground surface within the basin. For the management of ground water after an eruption, it is therefore important to know the chemical properties of the volcanic ejecta and the spatial distribution of mudflow to estimate the magnitude of the effect of ejecta on ground water quality.     

Impacts of macroalgal spores on the dynamics of adult macroalgae in a eutrophic estuary: high versus low hydrodynamic seasons and long-term simulations for global warming scenarios

A model describing macroalgal early life stages and adult dynamics was used to quantify the effects of non-adult forms on the productivity of adult macroalgae in a eutrophic estuary. Predictions indicate that during years with mild winters and low rainfall, spring blooms will occur at the expense of the growth and reproduction of overwintering adults and without the contribution of the spore bank. In these circumstances, there is a positive correlation between the intensity of the blooms and the biomass of overwintering adults until a maximum threshold value. On the contrary, in years with high rainfall and low or inexistent biomass of overwintering adults, the onset of adult’s growth depends on the biomass of viable dormant spores, the growing season occurs later and adult productivity is very limited. Long-term predictions for climate change scenarios suggest that, in general, global warming will have adverse affects on Ulva intestinalis productivity, with the adults being more affected than the early life stages.     

Simplified approach for design of raft foundations against fault rupture. Part Ⅱ： soil-structure interaction

This is the second paper of two, which describe the results of an integrated research effort to develop a four-step simplified approach for design of raft foundations against dip-slip （normal and thrust） fault rupture. The first two steps dealing with fault rupture propagation in the free-field were presented in the companion paper. This paper develops an approximate analytical method to analyze soil-foundation-structure interaction （SFSI）, involving two additional phenomena： （i） fault rupture diversion （Step 3）; and （ii） modification of the vertical displacement profile （Step 4）. For the first phenomenon （Step 3）, an approximate energy-based approach is developed to estimate the diversion of a fault rupture due to presence of a raft foundation. The normalized critical load for complete diversion is shown to be a function of soil strength, coefficient of earth pressure at rest, bedrock depth, and the horizontal position of the foundation relative to the outcropping fault rupture. For the second phenomenon （Step 4）, a heuristic approach is proposed, which ＂scans＂ through possible equilibrium positions to detect the one that best satisfies force and moment equilibrium. Thus, we account for the strong geometric nonlinearities that govern this interaction, such as uplifting and second order （P-△） effects. Comparisons with centrifuge-validated finite element analyses demonstrate the efficacy of the method. Its simplicity makes possible its utilization for preliminary design.     

Lethal toxicity of industrial detergent on bottom dwelling sentinels

We used fresh and brackish water shrimp （Desmoscaris trispinosa and Palaemonetes africanus）, in sediment bioassays to assess the toxicity of an industrial detergent containing high levels of anionic surfactant （linear alkylbenzene sulphonate （LAS））. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development （OECD）, # 218 direct sediment toxicity assessment was employed. The organisms were exposed to different concentrations （31.25, 62.5, 125,250 and 500 mg/kg） of the chemical （Neatex） in replicate treatments. Percentage mortality was measured as the ecological endpoint. Mean mortality and estimated lethal concentration LCso values varied with species type, concentration and exposure duration. The statistical variation in the observed mean mortality of the test organisms in the chemical and the control treatment shows that mortality may be induced by the effect of the chemicals. The lethal concentration （LCso） was significantly different at levels ofp 〈 0.05 for the fresh and brackish water experiments. Consequently, assessment of water and sediment quality as a result of chemical pollutants was necessary for protecting some of the more sensitive benthic invertebrates representing the major proportion of the diet of many species in the Niger Delta ecological zone.     

2009年意大利中部阿奎拉地震DInSAR同震位移的有限断层反演

根据环境卫星Envisat和COSMO—SkyMed模型（为同震位错研究而首次设计的X波段反演干涉图）的DInSAR干涉图,确定了2009年4月6日阿奎拉Mw=6．3级地震时激发的断层几何形状及运动特征。我们的主震最佳拟合解为一个约16km长、12km宽的正断层,存在小的右旋分量,向西南倾斜47°,最大滑动约90cm。虽然地震位错可能只有1km深,但是断层面的上倾投影与标绘的帕加尼卡-南德米特里奥断层的北段相符合,在现场观察到了该断层地表破裂的迹线。该断层在现有震源目录中的缺失表明,需要对具体的地表和地下进行进一步的地质和地球物理勘测,以便对局部规模的地震危险性做出更准确的评估。     

使用高分辨率的地形数据作为地震场地条件替代指标的研究

近年来,从美国航天飞机雷达地形测绘使命（SRTM）30弧秒（arcsec）的数字高程模型（DEM）中提出一种估计全球地震场地条件或者地下30m的平均剪切波速（Vs30）的新方法。在缺少基于地质和岩土的场地条件分布图的地区,使用该方法的前提是通过Vs30的测量值和地形坡度的相关性,可以把地形坡度作为一个可靠估计Vs30的替代指标。在这里,我们来检验使用高分辨率（3弧秒和9弧秒）的数字高程模型数据是否能够解析出比使用低分辨率航天飞机雷达地形测绘数据更详细的Vs30数据。在全球范围内,并不能全部获得比30弧秒更高分辨率的数字高程模型数据。然而,在存在这些数据的许多地区,这些数据被用来解译地形坡度的精尺度变化,并最终解译Vs30。我们使用美国地质调查局地球资源观测和科学（EROS）数据中心的国家高程数据集（NED）,在美国几个地区研究使用高分辨率的数字高程模型数据来估计VS30,这些地区包括加利福尼亚州的旧金山湾地区、洛杉矶、加利福尼亚州及密苏里州圣路易斯市。我们将这些结果与全球范围内都能获取的台湾台北市使用9弧秒航天飞机雷达地形测绘数据的例子作比较。使用较高分辨率的美国国家高程数据集重新得到更精细尺度的地形坡度变化,这可更好地与地质和地貌特征相关联,特别是在丘陵—盆地之间的过渡带,确保使用30弧秒的航天飞机雷达地形测绘数据是可行的。然而,统计分析表明,与低分辨率地形所得到的Vs30测量值相比,测量值很少或者没有得到改善提高。这表明一些地形平滑处理可能会提供更稳定的Vs30估计。此外我们发现,在精度高于30弧秒的航天飞机雷达地形测绘数据有遮盖的地区高程变化范围过大,不能解译出可靠的坡度,特别是在较低坡度的沉积盆地．     

应用于丹麦海岸铺管工程的钻进液系统

本文介绍了在丹麦的一项用于光缆安装工程的水平定向钻进泥浆系统,对泥浆使用的必要性、泥浆的性能和泥浆处理设备进行了论述。