Antioxidants in the black mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as an indicator of Black Sea coastal pollution

The biologically active compounds, antioxidant activities, and free radical scavenging effects of black mussel dry matter (Mytilus galloprovincialis)--(BMDM) were investigated. The extract from BMDM with absolute methanol (BMDMAMet) showed the strongest inhibition of lipid peroxidation as a function of its concentration, and was comparable to the antioxidant activity of butylated hydroxyanisole, at the same concentration of 0.2 mg/ml. The extract with 50%methanol/water (BMDM50%Met) had the weakest antioxidant activity, whereas other extracts such as 1.2 M HCl in 50%methanol/water (BMDM50%Met/HCl) exhibited an average inhibition of lipid peroxidation. BMDMAMet extract showed marked activities in free radical scavenging determined by beta-carotene bleaching (beta-carotene), nitric oxide (NO*) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical cation (ABTS*+ methods. The antioxidant activities of BMDMAMet extract determined beta-carotene, NO* and ABTS*+ methods showed the highest correlation coefficients (R2) such as 0.998, 0.9976 and 0.6103, respectively, with the presence of total polyphenols. BMDM50%Met had lower antioxidant ability than BMDM50%Met/HCl in different scavenging methods, indicating that the major antioxidant components in these extracts must be derived from the polyphenols. Correlation between proteins and antioxidants was very low (0.0318 and 0.0433). The mussel extracts from polluted areas have shown by all using methods higher antioxidant activity than from the clean ones. The results presented in this report indicate that the antioxidant activities of mussel extracts could possibly be an additional index of pollution characterization.     

Transmitted waves in the vicinity of the interface beyond the critical point

Summary The space (time) delay of transmitted waves in the vicinity of the interface beyond the critical point is investigated on two-dimensional seismic models of a low velocity channel; results of laboratory experiments are compared with the conclusions of the theory. The effect of the time delay in field measurements is demonstrated by means of two typical geological formations.     

Instantaneous global ozone balance including observed nitrogen dioxide

The catalytic destruction of stratospheric ozone by the oxides of nitrogen is believed to be an important part of the global ozone balance. The lack of sufficient measurements of NO _x concentrations has impeded efforts to quantify this process. Recent measurements of stratospheric nitrogen dioxide from ground-based stations as well as aircraft and balloons have provided a first approximation to a global distribution of NO₂ vertical columns at sunset. These observed vertical columns have been translated into time-dependent vertical NO₂ profiles by means of a one-dimensional atmospheric photochemical model. Using recent observations of air temperature and ozone along with this information, the independent instantaneous (one second) rates of ozone production from oxygen photolysis P(O₃), of ozone destruction from pure oxygen species (Chapman reactions) L(O _x ), and of ozone destruction by nitrogen oxides L(NO _x ) were estimated over the three-dimensional atmosphere. These quantities are displayed as zonal average contour maps, summed over various latitude zones, summed over various altitude bands, and integrated globally between 15 and 45 km. Although the global summation between 15 and 45 km by no means tells the complete story, these numbers are of some interest, and the relative values are: P(O₃), 100; L(O _x ), 15; L(NO _x ), 45±15. It is to be emphasized that this relative NO _x contribution to the integrated ozone balance is not a measure of the sensitivity of ozone to possible perturbations of stratospheric NO _x ; recent model results must be examined for current estimates of this sensitivity.     

Detection of crustal motion using a spaceborne lasering system

The spaceborne laser ranging (or lasering) system provides a method of precise positioning of a large number of points on the earth's surface in a short period of time. That is, a measure of the relative location of geodetic markers from a space platform can maintain horizontal and vertical control to 2–5 cm. At this level of control, small earth surface crustal motions should be detectable. Development of a model for the strain field can be constructed. Furthermore, the spaceborne lasering system can survey an area in a very short period of time (1–2 weeks) and resurvey the area as required.System design parameters are now being established by NASA for a possible test flight aboard the Shuttle in 1982. These include design specifications of economical corner cubes for ground retroreflectors, coupled with the evolution of engineering model to flight model development. If the experiment of the Shuttle proves successful, it is hoped to put the laser in a free flight satellite. This paper presents the results of a simulated analysis for this contingency.The system is conceived as an orbiting ranging device with a ground base grid of reflectors or transponders (spacing 1.0–30 km), which are projected to be of low cost (maintenance-free and unattended) and which will permit the saturation of a local area to obtain data useful in monitoring crustal movements. The test network includes 75 stations with roughly half of them situated on either side of the San Andreas fault. Critical study comparatively evaluates various observational schemes and statistically analyzes crustal motion recovery.The study considers laser radar as the main ranging system, pending final selection from many possible candidates. The satellite orbit is inclined at 110° and slightly eccentric (e = 0.04) with orbital altitudes varying from 370 to 930 km.     

Space-time ray method for seismic wave fields

Summary The space-time ray method can be applied to the evaluation and continuation (extrapolation) of the complete seismic wave field in laterally inhomogeneous media with curved interfaces. The wave field propagates along certain space-time curves, called space-time rays. Their space projections correspond to standard rays. Examples of possible applications of the space-time ray method, where the standard ray method fails, are as follows: a) The propagation of seismic waves in slightly dissipative media, b) The computation of seismic wave fields generated by seismic sources with direction-dependent source-time variations. c) Downward continuation of the seismic wave field (actual seismograms) measured at the Earth's surface.     

Improvement of inertial surveys through post-mission network adjustment and self-calibration

Present day inertial surveys are limited to single traverse runs in which the number of unknown system parameters to be determined are few, depending on the number of control points available along the traverse. Further, conventional inertial surveys are generally restricted to the determination of coordinates with no possibility for a rigorous post-mission adjustment of the observations. The consequence is the continued presence of systematic trends in the residuals, even after the use of error models such as those proposed by Ball, Gregerson or Kouba. Future work aiming at higher accuracies obviously requires more comprehensive models and rigorous adjustment procedures. These can be accomplished by the development of such error models and by the use of “area surveys”, instead of the single traverses, together with rigorous adjustment procedures suitable for the network of criss-crossing lines inertially surveyed. In such a network the cross-over points serve as constraints for the geodetic parameters (latitude, longitude, height, gravity anomaly, deflection components) and allow the addition of hardware and software related error parameters. Thus an opportunity is provided to effectively self-calibrate the system—a concept successfully used, for example, in photogrammetry or in satellite tracking. The number and the strength of such parameters depend on the number of control and cross-over points. The adjustment, of course, also provides the necessary statistical information on the adjusted parameters, such as their precision and the correlation between them. The presentation will describe current work at OSU in this area. Presented at the Second International Symposium on Inertial Technology for Surveying and Geodesy, Banff, Canada, June 1–5, 1981.     

Inertial survey systems in the geodetic arsenal

After reviewing the overall goals of geodesy, the paper focuses on the unique properties of inertial survey systems in the geodetic arsenal: three-dimensionality; ability to determine relative positions and changes in the anomalous components of the earth’s gravity field; and independence of line-of-sight observations and the effects of refraction, both traditional antagonists in geodetic operations. Inertial survey systems, including field and office computational procedures, are briefly reviewed. Their short-comings are pointed out and certain remedies offered. Future possible improvements in hardware and software, as well as the development of hybrid systems (e.g., with gravity gradiometers), are discussed. “Apart from the refinement of existing techniques through the use of computers and the introduction of electromagnetic and optical distance measurement devices, instrumental research and development has been conducted by scientists and engineers outside the geodetic profession. This separateness of geodetic instrument research and development is seen as a deficiency by some, because of the reduced interaction between measurement techniques and the problems to which they apply. However, geodesy does not seem extraordinarily different from other environmentally oriented sciences in this respect and certainly has been quick to adopt new techniques once the benefits become evident.” (NAS 1978, p. 6) From the Keynote Address presented at Second International Symposium on Inertial Technology for Surveying and Geodesy, June 1–5, 1981, Banff, Alberta, Canada.     

Continuous computer contouring

Summary A method is proposed for determining the precise shape of the isolines, corresponding to any continuous and non-constant function of two variables. The co-ordinates of the points of the isolines are determined by solving numerically two ordinary differential equations of the first order which describe the isoline. A model example is given, in which the isolines of a function, determined by bicubic spline interpolation from values, given in a regular network, are found.