Application of real time recurrent neural network for detection of small natural earthquakes in Poland

This study is an application of a Real Time Recurrent Neural Network (RTRN) in the detection of small natural seismic events in Poland. Most of the events studied are from the Podhale region with a magnitude of 0.4 to 2.5. The population distribution of the region required that seismic signals be recorded using temporary stations deployed in populated areas. As a consequence, the high level of seismic noise that cannot be removed by filtration made it impossible to detect small events by STA/LTA based algorithms. The presence of high noise requires an alternate method of seismic detection capable of recognizing small seismic events. We applied the RTRN, which potentially can detect seismic signals in the frequency domain as well as in the phase arrival times. Data results of small local seismic events showed that the RTRN has the ability to correctly detect most of the events with fewer false detections than STA/LTA methods.     

Towards a More Realistic Depiction of the Earth’s Surface on Maps

In 2000, the shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) produced the most complete, highest resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the Earth. These data were used to create global 3″ DEM and to correct 30″ DEM which are both available on the internet. After a careful survey in the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Poland, these elevation data were recognized as extremely valuable and worth developing a unique form of visualization. As a result, a new design of a physical map of Europe at scale of 1:10 million was developed. For depicting the shape of the terrain, an original modification of combined shaded relief was employed, to reveal all the nuances of elevation data. True colors of the Earth’s surface represented on the map originated from MODIS satellite image. The combination of true colors and terrain features made a realistic map, showing the landscapes as if from a point above the Earth. The image of the terrain is extremely detailed as it is based on the abundance of data defining the elevation of each point of land.     

Hoarfrost and rime chemistry in Poland—An introductory analysis from meteorological perspective

Hoarfrost and rime analysis was based on the collection of samples between 2003 and 2006 from 8 sites, which represent both lowland (northern) and mountainous (southern) parts of Poland. On the other hand 4 of these sites belong to “urban” and 4 to “rural” category. pH, conductivity, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, Cl⁻, H⁺, NH₄⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺ have been determined in order to study the chemistry of hoarfrost and rime. Higher total inorganic ionic content (TIC) in hoarfrost and rime (2.46 meq·l⁻¹ and 1.23 meq·l⁻¹ respectively) was observed when compared with precipitation (0.37 meq·l⁻¹). Large variability of TIC and chemical composition of individual samples were typical at each of the measurement sites depending on emission patterns, atmospheric conditions and local terrain topography. Higher concentrations of both hoarfrost and rime occurred in southern (mountainous) rather than in northern (lowland) part of Poland which can be explained by worse pollutant dispersion conditions in the south. The surprisingly low hoarfrost concentrations in urban coastal stations in the area of the Bay of Gdansk were attributed to the cleaning effect of nocturnal breeze-type circulation, best pronounced in cool part of the year. Due to relatively high pollutant concentration and long duration, hoarfrost and rime are at least significant factors in environmental processes in different ecosystems in Poland.     

Production of gas from coal seams in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland in the post-injection period of an ECBM pilot site

A pilot site for CO₂ storage in coal seams was set-up in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland in the scope of the RECOPOL project, funded by the European Commission. About 760 tons CO₂ were injected into the reservoir from August 2004 to June 2005. Breakthrough of the injected CO₂ was established, which resulted in the production of about 10% of the injected CO₂ in this period. This paper reports on activities performed under the European Commission project MOVECBM that aimed at the assessment of the storage performance of the reservoir in the follow-up period, i.e. whether the injected CO₂ was adsorbed onto the coal or whether it was still present as free gas in the pore space. The injection well was used for this purpose, as the production well had to be abandoned for permitting reasons. Several operational periods can be defined between the last injection in June 2005 and the abandonment of the well in October 2007. In the first period the well was shut-in to observe the pressure fall-off, from about 15.0 MPa at the wellhead after the last injection until about 4.5 MPa at the end of 2005. This pressure fall-off curve showed that the reservoir permeability was very low. This seemed to confirm the observed swelling of the coal during the injection period. In the first months of 2006 the pressure at the wellhead was decreased by releasing gas in a controlled way. The amount and composition of the gas were measured. As a result of the pressure reduction, the well flooded with water. A production pump was placed on the former injection well, enabling active production from the coal from March to September 2007. Results of these operations showed that whereas the gas production rates were as expected based on the experience with the production well, the water production was remarkably low. This could be related to permeability issues or, alternatively, indicate a drying effect of the CO₂ in the reservoir. Further, the gas composition showed a predominance of CO₂ over CH₄ during the gas release that changed gradually into a predominance of CH₄ over CO₂ during the production phase. Although stabilization was not reached within the given production period, the composition approached a 60% methane, 40% CO₂ ratio. This indicates that the exchange of these gases is more complex than often envisaged. After removal of the pump the well was filled with water, which ceased the gas release. This indicates that the pressure in the reservoir was back to its original, hydrostatic, state. As the total volume of CO₂ produced was only a fraction of the amount that was injected, it can be concluded that the CO₂ was taken up by the coal and is currently adsorbed. This gives confidence in the long-term stability of the injected CO₂.     

Fragmenting and isolating neighbourhoods: a way of creating flexible spaces and flexible behaviours?

The paper discusses changes that have occurred in Poznań neighbourhoods over the last decades. All issues discussed in the article are in the context of two kinds of flexibility: flexibility of neighbourhood spaces (city-planning meaning) and flexibility of neighbourhood behaviour (sociological meaning). A flexible neighbourhood space is understood here as one allowing various groups of inhabitants conflict-free and liberal use to pursue their individual lifestyles, but also a possibility of entering collective life. Flexible neighbourhood behaviours are such life strategies which are chosen by an individual without restraints resulting from a strictly developed area, formal commands, or cultural rituals. The aim of the paper is to seek an answer to the question of the extent to which fragmented and isolated neighbourhoods turn into a rigidly defined common territory and the extent to which they are a space allowing flexible behaviour patterns, and what social behaviours can be found in those areas. I examine this issue in two perspectives: city-planning (flexibility of neighbourhood spaces) and sociological (flexibility of neighbourhood behaviour).     

Along-strike shear-sense reversal in the Vals-Scaradra Shear Zone at the front of the Adula Nappe (Central Alps,Switzerland)

The Adula Nappe in the Central Alps comprises pre-Mesozoic basement and minor Mesozoic sediments, overprinted by Paleogene eclogite-facies metamorphism. Peak pressures increase southward from ca. 1.2 GPa to values over 3 GPa, which is interpreted to reflect exhumation from a south-dipping subduction zone. The over- and underlying nappes experienced much lower Alpine pressures. To the north, the Adula Nappe ends in a lobe surrounded by Mesozoic metasediments. The external shape of the lobe is simple but the internal structure highly complicated. The frontal boundary of the nappe represents a discontinuity in metamorphic peak temperatures, between higher T in the Adula Nappe and lower T outside. A shear zone with steeply dipping foliation and shallowly-plunging, WSW-ENE oriented, i.e. orogen-parallel stretching lineation overprinted the northernmost part of the Adula Nappe and the adjacent Mesozoic metasediments (Vals-Scaradra Shear Zone). It formed during the local Leis deformation phase. The shear sense in the Vals-Scaradra Shear Zone changes along strike; from sinistral in the W to dextral in the E. Quartz textures also vary along strike. In the W, they indicate sinistral shearing with a component of coaxial (flattening) strain. A texture from the middle part of the shear zone is symmetric and indicates coaxial flattening. Textures from the eastern part show strong, single c-axis maxima indicating dextral shearing. These relations reflect complex flow within the Adula Nappe during a late stage of its exhumation. The structures and reconstructed flow field indicate that the Adula basement protruded upward and northward into the surrounding metasediments, spread laterally, and expelled the metasediments in front towards west and east.     

Order-disorder model of cation exchange in silicates

Order-disorder theory has been used to treat ion-exchange equilibrium for ions of A and B on a uniform group of exchange sites more numerous than the number of monovalent cations required for electrical neutrality. The method allowed consideration of the effects of extra relaxation energy terms arising from one, two or three of the pairs AA, AB and BB on two nearest neighbour sites. These energies are additional to the energies of 2(OA), (OA + OB) and 2(OB) respectively where O denotes an empty site. Isotherms and thermodynamic equilibrium constants have been compared for different site co-ordination numbers, ion valences, and choices of the three extra energies and of the ratio, n, of the total number of sites to the number of cationic charges needed for electrical neutrality. Miscibility gaps in the isotherms occurred less readily the larger the value of n and the smaller the co-ordination number. Such gaps were also less in evidence when the two exchange ions carried different charges. The model has been considered in relation to the random interstratification of cation layers sometimes observed in clay minerals.     

Web-enabled spatial decision analysis using Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA)

 This paper presents a spatial decision support tool that implements the Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) method. OWA is a family of multicriteria evaluation operators characterised by two sets of weights: criterion importance weights and order weights. We propose a highly interactive way of choosing, modifying, and fine-tuning the decision strategy defined by the order weights. This exploratory approach to OWA is supported by a graphical representation of the operator's behaviour in terms of decision risk and tradeoff/dispersion between criteria. Our prototype implementation is based on the CommonGIS software, and thus, Web-enabled and working with vector data. We successfully demonstrate online, exploratory support of spatial decision strategies using a data set of skiing resorts in Wallis, Switzerland. Received: 24 September 2002 / Accepted: 10 January 2003     

First application of MC2-AQ to multiscale air quality modelling over Europe

A three-dimensional air quality model (MC2-AQ) developed for studying oxidant chemistry on regional to urban scales over North America was adapted and implemented for European conditions. The modelling system is based on the Canadian Mesoscale Compressible Community (MC2) Model, a non-hydrostatic meteorological model, to which modules permitting on-line calculations of chemical transformations, anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, and deposition were added. The transport of chemical species is done on the same grid and with the same advection, convection, and diffusion schemes as are used for the meteorological fields. The developed model is highly flexible and was adapted to different scales by allowing for self-nesting. In this paper we present model results for a high-ozone episode, June 18–26, 2000, over Europe. The modelling system was able to reproduce general characteristics (growth, extent, and dissipation) of the pollution episode. Accumulation of ozone precursors during weak wind and high-temperature synoptic conditions was essential for episode formation. Subsequent episode development and advancement across Europe was driven by frontal systems. A stationary front associated with a low-pressure system over Ukraine prevented the further eastward transport of the polluted air mass. The episode was terminated after the passage of a cold front advecting relatively clean Atlantic air mass.