Evaluation of Sea Water Quality in the Coastal Zone of Primor'e Using the Method of Microbial Indication

The response of marine microorganism community to variations in the concentrations of heavy metals in the environment is investigated for the coastal waters of Peter the Great Bay and the northern part of Primor'e. The fact of the existence and sensitivity of the individual response of plankton community microorganisms to variations in the concentrations of metals in the water under the conditions of water contamination with a complex of metals are confirmed on the basis of microbiological data and the results of their comparison to the data of chemical analysis. Microbial indication is shown to serve as an operative method of monitoring and short-term forecasting of changes in the environmental conditions of sea coastal waters. This method allows obtaining preliminary information at the stage of selecting environmental quality observation stations.     

A critical state interpretation for the cyclic liquefaction resistance of silty sands

Contrary to many laboratory investigations, common empirical correlations from in situ tests consider that the increase in the percentage of fines leads to an increase of the cyclic liquefaction resistance of sands. This paper draws upon the integrated Critical State Soil Mechanics framework in order to study this seemingly not univocal effect. Firstly the effect of fines on the Critical State Line (CSL) is studied through a statistical analysis of a large data set of published monotonic triaxial tests. The results show that increasing the content of non-plastic fines practically leads to a clockwise rotation of the CSL in (e–ln p) space. The implication of this effect on cyclic liquefaction resistance is subsequently evaluated with the aid of a properly calibrated critical state elasto-plastic constitutive model, as well as a large number of published experimental results and in situ empirical correlations. Both sets of data show clearly that a fines content, less than about 30% by weight, may prove beneficial at relatively small effective stresses (p₀<50–70 kPa), such as the in situ stresses prevailing in most liquefaction case studies, and detrimental at larger confining stresses, i.e. the stresses usually considered in laboratory tests. To the extent of these findings, a correction factor is proposed for the practical evaluation of liquefaction resistance in terms of the fines content and the mean effective confining stress.     

Modelling of oxygen and nitrogen cycling as a function of macrophyte community in the Thau lagoon

A three-dimensional model coupling physical and biological processes for the whole Thau lagoon (Mediterranean coast of France) was developed in order to assess the relationships between macrophytes and the oxygen and nitrogen cycles. Ten species have been inserted as forcing variables in the model. Plankton dynamics, shellfish cultivation impact and mineralization of organic matter are also considered, as well as nutrient and oxygen exchanges between the sediment and the water column.Simulations with and without the macrophytes have shown that the system can be characterized as having a highly structured pattern involving lagoon nitrogen and oxygen cycles. This pattern is created by the combined influence of macrophytes, watershed and oyster farming.The model has been also used to assess the total annual macrophyte production at the whole lagoon scale. Comparisons with phytoplankton production and with results from other temperate lagoons have underlined the high productivity of the Thau lagoon supported by active nutrient regeneration.     

Inelastic displacement ratios for evaluation of existing structures

Results of a detailed statistical study of constant relative strength inelastic displacement ratios to estimate maximum lateral inelastic displacement demands on existing structures from maximum lateral elastic displacement demands are presented. These ratios were computed for single‐degree‐of‐freedom systems with different levels of lateral strength normalized to the strength required to remain elastic when subjected to a relatively large ensemble of recorded earthquake ground motions. Three groups of soil conditions with shear wave velocities higher than 180m/s are considered. The influence of period of vibration, level of lateral yielding strength, site conditions, earthquake magnitude, distance to the source, and strain‐hardening ratio are evaluated and discussed. Mean inelastic displacement ratios and those associated with various percentiles are presented. A special emphasis is given to the dispersion of these ratios. It is concluded that distance to the source has a negligible influence on constant relative strength inelastic displacement ratios. However, for periods smaller than 1s earthquake magnitude and soil conditions have a moderate influence on these ratios. Strain hardening decreases maximum inelastic displacement at a fairly constant rate depending on the level of relative strength for periods of vibration longer than about 1.0s while it decreases maximum inelastic displacement non‐linearly as the period of vibration shortens and as the relative‐strength ratio increases for periods of vibration shorter than 1.0s. Finally, results from non‐linear regression analyses are presented that provide a simplified expression to be used to approximate mean inelastic displacement ratios during the evaluation of existing structures built on firm sites. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the circulation in the East Frisian Wadden Sea: numerical modeling and data analysis

 In this paper we use a combination of numerical modeling and data analysis to gain a better understanding of the major characteristics of the circulation in the East Frisian Wadden Sea. In particular, we concentrate on the asymmetry of the tidal wave and its modulation in the coastal area, which results in a complex pattern of responses to the sea-level forcing from the North Sea. The numerical simulations are based on the 3-D primitive equation General Estuarine Transport Model (GETM) with a horizontal resolution of 200 m and terrain-following vertical coordinates. The model is forced at its open boundaries with sea-level data from an operational model for the German Bight (German Hydrographic Office). The validation data for our model simulations include time series of tidal gauge data and surface currents measured at a pile in the back-barrier basin of the Island Langeoog, as well as several ADCP transects in the Accumer Ee tidal inlet. Circulation and turbulence characteristics are investigated for typical situations driven by spring and neap tides, and the analysis is focused on dominating temporal and spatial patterns. By investigating the response of five back-barrier basins with rather different morphologies to external forcing, an attempt is made to elucidate the dominating physical balances controlling the circulation in the individual sub-basins. It is demonstrated that the friction at the seabed tends to slow down the tidal signal in the shallow water. This leads to the establishment of flood dominance in the shallow sea north of the barrier islands. South of the islands, where the water volume of the channels at low tide is smaller than the tidal prism, the asymmetry of the tidal signal is shifted towards ebb dominance, a feature which is particularly pronounced at spring tide. At the northern open boundary, the tidal wave propagating from west to east generates a sea-level difference of ∼1 m along the boundary, and thereby triggers vigorous alongshore currents. The frictional control in the model is located in the inlets, as well as along the northern boundary. The correlation between velocity and turbulent kinetic energy tends to the establishment of a net southward transport, giving theoretical support to the observed accumulation of sediments on the intertidal flats. Weak turbulence along the northern shores of the barrier islands and the small magnitude of the residual currents there promote accumulation of suspended matter in these areas, although wave action will generally counteract this effect. Received: 29 May 2002 / Accepted: 26 September 2002 Responsible Editor: Jean-Marie Beckers Acknowledgements We are indebted to S. Dick for providing the data from the operational model of BSH and to B. Flemming for the useful discussions. The topography data and Fig. 1 have been prepared in cooperation with F. Meyer. Figure 2 has been prepared by G. Brink-Spalink. We also thank for the comments from an anonymous reviewer which helped to improve our paper.     

Two and Half Dimensional Simulation of Ridge Effects on the Ground Motion Characteristics

— Seismic responses of weathered and non-weathered ridge models were simulated to study the ridge effects on the ground motion characteristics. The range of ridge slope from 19.98° to 45° was considered to produce a possible set of generalized results. 2.5-D modeling based on parsimonious staggered grid approximation of elastodynamic wave equations was adopted in simulations. Computed results reveal an increase of amplitude of incoming waves with both elevation and the slope of the ridge. Further, the characteristics of surface waves are highly ridge slope dependent. The analysis of responses of weathered and non-weathered ridge models reveals that ridge has caused a strong generation of surface waves near its top. The surface waves are not dominating on the top of the ridge but at some lower elevation. The increase of weathering of ridge further intensified the ridge effect. Analysis in frequency domain, based on spectral ratio method, does not indicate any pattern in the spectral amplification factor and is very much sensitive to slope, source focal mechanism and location. However, on an average there is a continuous decrease of amplification with slope in the vertical component and increase in the transverse component, and it is increasing in the radial component up to slope =38.0° and thereafter decreasing.     

Lateral tidal mixing in the Antarctic marginal seas

Tidal mixing plays an important role in the modification of dense water masses around the Antarctic continent. In addition to the vertical (diapycnal) mixing in the near-bottom layers, lateral mixing can also be of relevance in some areas. A numerical tide simulation shows that lateral tidal mixing is not uniformly distributed along the shelf break. In particular, strong mixing occurs all along the Ross Sea and Southern Weddell Sea shelf breaks, while other regions (e.g., the western Weddell Sea) are relatively quiet. The latter regions correspond surprisingly well to areas where indications for cross-shelf exchange of dense water masses have been found. The results suggest that lateral tidal mixing may account for the relatively small contribution of Ross Sea dense water masses to Antarctic Bottom Water.     

Viscosity of hydrous Etna basalt: implications for Plinian-style basaltic eruptions

Water dissolved in a silicate melt can strongly influence its physical properties and thus magma behavior during crystallization, degassing, foaming and fragmentation. Etna is a basaltic volcano whose activity is dominated by effusive eruptions which have long represented a threat to the densely populated, surrounding area. Recently, recognition of the products of a Plinian eruption (122 B.C.) has raised further issues for hazard assessment at Etna and other basaltic volcanoes. Constraining the behavior of Etna magma under conditions relevant to both effusive and explosive hazards requires viscosity data under conditions near the glass transition. Here we have investigated the viscosity of hydrous Etna lava in order to better understand eruptive processes which characterize this volcano. The experimental methods which have been used include piston cylinder synthesis of the hydrated melts, micropenetration viscometry for low-temperature viscosity measurements, and near-infrared spectroscopy for the evaluation of sample homogeneity and measurements of water content. Additionally, scanning calorimetric determinations were performed to check whether incipient crystallization had occurred. Sample compositions were determined using electron microprobe analysis and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Results from this study are compared with previous reports of trachytic, phonolitic and model calc-alkaline rhyolite (HPG8) compositions. The viscosity of the basaltic melt (dry and wet) has been parameterized in terms of temperature and water content via the non-Arrhenian equation: log₁₀-=-4.643+(5,812.44-427.042H₂O)/(T(K)-499.31+28.742ln(H₂O)) where - is the viscosity in Pa s, H₂O is the water content in wt%, and T is the temperature in Kelvin. We observe that the viscosity of alkali basalt (at more than 0.5 wt% H₂O) is similar to that of an alkaline trachyte (Agnano-Monte Spina eruption, Phlegrean Fields) and much higher than that of a peralkaline phonolite (Teide, Tenerife) at similar silica contents and NBO/T. For water contents above 1.5 wt%, the viscosity of the basalt is similar to that of rhyolitic melts with similar water contents. At temperatures ranging from 1,050 to 1,150 °C and with water contents between 0.5 and 2.3 wt% (eruptive conditions), the viscosities calculated using the equation defined in this study are (1) in reasonable agreement with those calculated using Shaw's model, and (2) much lower than those experimentally determined in a previous study. However, outside these temperature and water content ranges, the agreement with Shaw's model (1972) breaks down.