Spatial and diurnal distribution of invertebrate and fish fauna of a Zostera marina bed and nearby unvegetated sediments in Damariscotta River, Maine (USA)

Fish, epibenthos and macroinfauna were collected in a Zostera marina bed and nearby unvegetated sediments in the estuary of the Damariscotta River, on the mid-coast of Maine. Samples of epibenthic fauna and fish were collected at low tides both during day and night, and samples of infauna at low tides during the day. The mean density of Zostera shoots in the study area was 335 m⁻². Abundance and species number of fish were greater at night than during the day and greater in eelgrass beds (Z. marina) than in unvegetated habitats. Daytime fish collections were dominated by Atlantic silversides (Medinia medinia), while juvenile winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) dominated night collections. Also Zostera-associated epifaunal abundances and number of species were significantly higher at night than during the day. Mysis stenolepis, Idotea balthica and Littorina obtusata were dominant species in the epifauna samples. Of the total of 37 invertebrate species encountered, only five occurred both in the infaunal and epifaunal samples. Nineteen different taxa were collected from the benthic core samples. The most abundant invertebrate infaunal taxa were sipunculids, the polychaete Nereis virens, and oligochaetes. Infaunal invertebrate abundances and species diversity were significantly higher in eelgrass beds than in unvegetated sediments. The abundance and number of species of benthic invertebrates were also positively correlated to seagrass biomass. Community diversity values (H′) were relatively low but fit well in the general pattern of decreasing diversity towards northern latitudes.     

Estimation of the 3D correlation structure of an alluvial aquifer from surface-based multi-frequency ground-penetrating radar reflection data

Knowledge about the stochastic nature of heterogeneity in subsurface hydraulic properties is critical for aquifer characterization and the corresponding prediction of groundwater flow and contaminant transport. Whereas the vertical correlation structure of the heterogeneity is often well constrained by borehole information, the lateral correlation structure is generally unknown because the spacing between boreholes is too large to allow for its meaningful inference. There is, however, evidence to suggest that information on the lateral correlation structure may be extracted from the correlation statistics of the subsurface reflectivity structure imaged by surface-based ground-penetrating radar measurements. To date, case studies involving this approach have been limited to 2D profiles acquired at a single antenna centre frequency in areas with limited complementary information. As a result, the practical reliability of this methodology has been difficult to assess. Here, we extend previous work to 3D and consider reflection ground-penetrating radar data acquired using two antenna centre frequencies at the extensively explored and well-constrained Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site. We find that the results obtained using the two ground-penetrating radar frequencies are consistent with each other, as well as with information from a number of other studies at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site. In addition, contrary to previous 2D work, our results indicate that the surface-based reflection ground-penetrating radar data are not only sensitive to the aspect ratio of the underlying heterogeneity, but also, albeit to a lesser extent, to the so-called Hurst number, which is a key parameter characterizing the local variability of the fine-scale structure.     

Oil and gas resource assessment: The linkage between geological analysis and discovery process model results

Two widely-used techniques to estimate the volume of remaining oil and gas resources are discovery process modeling and geologic assessment. Both were used in a recent national assessment of oil and gas resources of the United States. Parallel estimates were obtained for 27 provinces. Geological-based estimates can typically see into areas not available to discovery process models (that is areas with little or no exploration history) and thus, on average, yield higher estimates. However, a linear relation does exist between the mean estimates obtained from these two methods. In addition, other variables were found in a multiple regression model that explained much of the difference. Thus, it is possible to perform discovery process modeling and adjust the estimates to yield results that might be expected from geological-based assessments.     

Including spatial distribution in a data‐driven rainfall‐runoff model to improve reservoir inflow forecasting in Taiwan

Multi‐step ahead inflow forecasting has a critical role to play in reservoir operation and management in Taiwan during typhoons as statutory legislation requires a minimum of 3‐h warning to be issued before any reservoir releases are made. However, the complex spatial and temporal heterogeneity of typhoon rainfall, coupled with a remote and mountainous physiographic context, makes the development of real‐time rainfall‐runoff models that can accurately predict reservoir inflow several hours ahead of time challenging. Consequently, there is an urgent, operational requirement for models that can enhance reservoir inflow prediction at forecast horizons of more than 3 h. In this paper, we develop a novel semi‐distributed, data‐driven, rainfall‐runoff model for the Shihmen catchment, north Taiwan. A suite of Adaptive Network‐based Fuzzy Inference System solutions is created using various combinations of autoregressive, spatially lumped radar and point‐based rain gauge predictors. Different levels of spatially aggregated radar‐derived rainfall data are used to generate 4, 8 and 12 sub‐catchment input drivers. In general, the semi‐distributed radar rainfall models outperform their less complex counterparts in predictions of reservoir inflow at lead times greater than 3 h. Performance is found to be optimal when spatial aggregation is restricted to four sub‐catchments, with up to 30% improvements in the performance over lumped and point‐based models being evident at 5‐h lead times. The potential benefits of applying semi‐distributed, data‐driven models in reservoir inflow modelling specifically, and hydrological modelling more generally, are thus demonstrated. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The potential role of Sustainability Science in coastal zone management

Sustainability Science invokes a co-produced approach to research between researchers and managers, involving a shared participatory, policy-centred process. The COREPOINT project which was developed with the principles of Sustainability Science in mind, provides evidence of the effectiveness and challenges involved in the knowledge transfer process between research centres and local government officials involved in coastal research and management. The Expert Couplet Nodes (ECN) embedded within the project aimed to ensure that a paradigm shift in attitude and behaviour towards traditional science and management practices took place. A comparison of the ECN process in two study sites in Ireland provided an opportunity to review the process and outcomes of the collaborative enquiry arrangements by referring to a suite of Sustainability Science principles developed during the project. In doing so, this paper demonstrates how the ECN approach built capacity for improved coastal management and how Sustainability Science has a key role to play in Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). However, weaknesses in the ECN approach also showed that greater innovation from the ICZM community of researchers, policy makers and practitioners is of critical importance to the roll out of Sustainability Science as a societal solution in the transition towards sustainability. This requires capacity building to deal with the complexity of coastal socio-ecological systems.     

新疆地区环境噪声层析成像研究

本文利用北京大学宽频带流动地震台阵和新疆地震监测台网12个月连续地震记录数据,采用环境噪声层析成像方法获得了新疆地区的周期从10~35 s范围内的瑞利面波相速度异常分布图像.研究结果与地表地质构造相一致,新疆地区的天山、两盆大地构造与瑞利面波相速度异常有较好的对应关系.短周期10~20 s的图像显示两个盆地内都呈现低速异常,对应盆地较厚的沉积层.中长周期25~35 s的层析成像结果显示东西天山地区存在明显异常差异.本文获得的新疆地区地壳和上地幔相速度结果,也为进一步结合传统天然地震面波成像方法,最终获得新疆地区的三维剪切波速度结构奠定基础.     

微型抗滑桩单桩设计计算模型及算法研究

考虑微型桩与周围岩土体间摩擦力的作用,提出了一种新的微型抗滑桩单桩设计计算模型,并给出了具体算法。由微型桩加固滑坡体的变形特点,分析微型桩与岩土体之间的相互作用机制,将微型桩与周围岩土体的摩擦作用引入其受力分析中;根据微型桩上各部分受力特点的不同,将微型桩分成上部摩擦受拉段、中部滑坡推力作用段和下部锚固段3段进行分析,推导了微型桩总的变形控制方程及各分段的变形控制方程;采用初参数法对控制方程进行求解,得到了微型抗滑桩上的内力分布及变形规律。计算结果表明,在滑坡推力作用下,微型桩的变形主要发生在滑面附近及以上桩段,滑面附近桩段将产生较大的内力和弯曲变形,受拉段弯曲变形较小,近似水平移动;桩与岩土体间的摩擦力是微型桩与周围岩土体相互作用的重要组成部分,摩擦力的作用能显著减小微型桩的弯曲变形,有效控制滑坡体的位移。     

An approach for shake table performance evaluation during repair and retrofit actions

Large‐scale, servo‐hydraulic shake tables are a central fixture of many earthquake engineering and structural dynamics laboratories. Wear and component failure from frequent use may lead to control problems resulting in reduced motion fidelity, necessitating repairs and replacement of major components. This paper presents a methodology to evaluate shake table performance pre‐ and post‐repair, including the definition of important performance metrics. The strategy suggested is presented in the context of the rebuilding of a 4.9 × 3.1 m, 350‐kN‐capacity uniaxial shake table. In this case, the rebuild consisted of characterization of wear to table components, replacement of worn bearing surfaces, and replacement of hydraulic accumulators. To assess the effectiveness of the repair actions, sinusoidal and triangular waves, white noise, and earthquake histories were run on the table before and after the rebuild. The repair actions were successful in reducing the position and velocity dependence of friction, improving the ability of control algorithms to accurately reproduce earthquake motions. The maximum and average response spectral misfits in the period range of 0.1–2 seconds were reduced from approximately 50% to 15%, and from 5% to less than 2.5%, respectively.     

Quaternary alluvial-fan development, climate and morphologic dating of fault scarps in Laguna Salada, Baja California, Mexico

Late Quaternary slip across the Cañada David detachment has produced an extensive array of Quaternary scarps cutting alluvial-fans along nearly the entire length (~ 60 km) of the range-bounding detachment. Eight regional alluvial-fan surfaces (Q₁ [youngest] to Q₈ [oldest]) are defined and mapped along the entire Sierra el Mayor range-front. Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide ¹⁰Be concentrations from individual boulders on alluvial-fan surfaces Q₄ and Q₇ yield surface exposure ages of 15.5 ± 2.2 ka and 204 ± 11 ka, respectively. Formation of the fans is probably tectonic, but their evolution is strongly moderated by climate, with surfaces developing as the hydrological conditions have changed in response to climate change on Milankovitch timescales. Systematic mapping reveals that the fault scarp array along active range-bounding faults in Sierras Cucapa and El Mayor can be divided into individual rupture zones, based on cross-cutting relationships with alluvial-fans. Quantitative morphological ages of the Laguna Salada fault-scarps, derived from linear diffusive degradation modeling, are consistent with the age of the scarps based on cross-cutting relationships. The weighted means of the maximum mass diffusivity constant for all scarps with offsets < 4 m is 0.051 and 0.066 m²/ka for the infinite and finite-slope solutions of the diffusion equation, respectively. This estimate is approximately an order of magnitude smaller than the lowest diffusivity constants documented in other regions and it probably reflects the extreme aridity and other microclimatic conditions that characterize the eastern margin of Laguna Salada.