Red Sea faulting and salt diapirism as a potential geotechnical hazard in Jazan,southwest Saudi Arabia: inferences from gravity data

Natural Hazards - The main objective of this study is to detect the subsurface extension of salt diapirs and structural deformations in the city of Jazan and its suburbs using gravity data. Salt...     

Damage Estimation in Masonry Buildings Based on Excavation-Induced Ground Movements

Excavation-induced ground movements and the resulting damages to adjacent structures and facilities is a source of concern for excavation projects in urban areas. The concern will be even higher if the adjacent structure is old or has low strength parameters like masonry building. Frame distortion and crack generation are predictors of building damage resulted from excavation-induced ground movements, which pose challenges to projects involving excavations. This study is aimed to investigate the relation between excavation-induced ground movements and damage probability of buildings in excavation affected distance. The main focus of this paper is on masonry buildings and excavations stabilized using soil nail wall method. To achieve this purpose, 21 masonry buildings adjacent to 12 excavation projects were studied. Parametric studies were performed by developing 3D FE models of brick walls and excavations stabilized using soil nail wall. Finally, probability evaluations were conducted to analyze the outputs obtained from case studies. Based on the obtained results, simple charts were established to estimate the damage of masonry structures in excavation affected distance with two key parameters including “Displacement Ratio” and “Normalized Distance”. The results also highlight the effects of building distance from excavation wall on its damage probability.

     

Socio-political and ecological stresses on traditional pastoral systems: A review

Journal of Geographical Sciences - Pastoralism is a viable socio-economic system-shaped by landless and agro-pastoral communities in many pastoral regions of the world. This system is mainly based...     

A Major Geoeffective CME from NOAA 12371: Initiation,CME–CME Interactions,and Interplanetary Consequences

In this article, we present a multi-wavelength and multi-instrument investigation of a halo coronal mass ejection (CME) from active region NOAA 12371 on 21 June 2015 that led to a major geomagnetic storm of minimum \(\mathrm{Dst} = -204\) nT. The observations from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory in the hot EUV channel of 94 Å confirm the CME to be associated with a coronal sigmoid that displayed an intense emission (\(T \sim6\) MK) from its core before the onset of the eruption. Multi-wavelength observations of the source active region suggest tether-cutting reconnection to be the primary triggering mechanism of the flux rope eruption. Interestingly, the flux rope eruption exhibited a two-phase evolution during which the “standard” large-scale flare reconnection process originated two composite M-class flares. The eruption of the flux rope is followed by the coronagraphic observation of a fast, halo CME with linear projected speed of 1366 km?s^?1. The dynamic radio spectrum in the decameter-hectometer frequency range reveals multiple continuum-like enhancements in type II radio emission which imply the interaction of the CME with other preceding slow speed CMEs in the corona within \(\approx10\)?–?\(90~\mbox{R} _{\odot}\). The scenario of CME–CME interaction in the corona and interplanetary medium is further confirmed by the height–time plots of the CMEs occurring during 19?–?21 June. In situ measurements of solar wind magnetic field and plasma parameters at 1 AU exhibit two distinct magnetic clouds, separated by a magnetic hole. Synthesis of near-Sun observations, interplanetary radio emissions, and in situ measurements at 1 AU reveal complex processes of CME–CME interactions right from the source active region to the corona and interplanetary medium that have played a crucial role towards the large enhancement of the geoeffectiveness of the halo CME on 21 June 2015.     

Causes of the famine among the rural population of the Sahelian zone of the Sudan

Taking the example of W Sudan, an analysis of the climatic incidents leading to the two recent famine disasters is made. On this natural background, the human side is investigated. Focus is directed towards the fragile economic structure of the famine-prone population groups. An early-warning system for famine in the Sahelian Zone is proposed taking grain production and storage, livestock development and the relationship between the prices of livestock and grain as major indicators.     

Effects of search parameters on kriged reserve estimates

Summary Reliable ore reserve estimates for deposits with highly skewed grade distributions are difficult tasks to perform. Although some recent geostatistical techniques are available to handle problems with these estimations, ordinary kriging or conventional interpolation methods are still widely used to estimate the ore reserves for such deposits. The estimation results can be very sensitive to the search parameters used during the interpolation of grades with these methods.This paper compares the ore reserve estimates from ordinary kriging using several cases in which certain search parameters are varied. The comparisons are extended to different mineralizations to show the changing effects of these parameters.     

The role of rural-rural migration as a survival strategy in the Sahelian zone of the Sudan —

Taking the example of Burush, N Darfur, Sudan, the authors analyse the role of migration as a survival strategy in the desertification-stricken Sahelian zone. It is being argued that the rual-rual migration plays a greater role than the rual-urban migration among the Berti ethnic group of northern Darfur. Their high mobility within their own area is part of their traditional economic pattern for coping with aridity and high rainfall variability     

Hunger-vulnerable groups within the metropolitan food system of Khartoum

Due to the current civil war and the economic and political deterioration in the Sudan, the majority of the Sudanese are suffering from food shortage. The dislocated southern Sudanese in Khartoum, however, belong to the group most affected. This paper tries to analyse the structure of hunger in the capital city of the Sudan. The formal and informal food supply systems are described. The reasons why the southern Sudanese are specially vulnerable to hunger and the indicators of this vulnerability are discussed.     

Protected areas in Saudi Arabia: Sustainable use of natural resources

The present paper reviews the conservation movement in Saudi Arabia as measured against the established protected areas, as well as the basic philosophy regarding natural resource management. The degree of representation of the biophysical diversity of Saudi Arabia in the established protected areas is discussed by using three areas as case studies: Harrat Al-Harrah (lava field), Urug Bani Mu'arid (Cuesta and Sand), and Raydah Escarpment (High Mountain).