Diurnal variation of horizontal wind direction fluctuations in complex terrain at Geysers,Cal.

Horizontal diffusion in the surface layer is dependent on the standard deviation of wind direction fluctuations . Diurnal variation of this parameter in complex terrain was studied for the July 1979 Geysers, Cal., experiment using data from a network of 11 short meteorological towers in the 25 km² Anderson Creek watershed Valley side slopes are roughly 20 ° and maximum terrain difference is about 1 km.Values of for wind directions sampled for one hour at a height of 10 m are about 35 ° during the daytime. They slowly decrease to about 20 ° by 8 to 10 p.m. as stability increases but wind speeds are still relatively high. After 10 p.m. the drainage flow sets in at most stations, with speeds of 1 to 2 m s^-1, and average increases to about 30° during the period 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. In general, highest values of at night are associated with lowest values of wind speed and greatest static stability. This enhancement of by the terrain suggests that horizontal diffusion at night always conforms to that expected during nearly neutral stabilities. That is, Pasquill class D diffusion applies to the horizontal component all night in complex terrain.     

Array filters for sidelobe elimination

The response of an array of sensors to coherent undesired noise interfering with the measurement of a desired signal can be optimized if special filters are applied to the outputs of the sensors. In this paper, we derive analytic expressions for filters which minimize the power spectrum of the array response to the undesired coherent signal while simultaneously providing an all-pass condition for the desired signal. These filters are shown to yield an array rejection response which has zero-width main lobes and no sidelobes. An example illustrating the results is also presented.     

The exponential probability density function and concentration fluctuations in smoke plumes

Observations of 1-s average concentration fluctuations during two trials of a U.S. Army diffusion experiment are presented and compared with model predictions based on an exponential probability density function (pdf). The source is near the surface and concentration monitors are on lines about 30 to 100 m downwind of the source. The observed ratio of the standard deviation to the mean of the concentration fluctuations is about 1.3 on the mean plume axis and 4 to 5 on the mean plume edges. Plume intermittency (fraction of non-zero readings) is about 50%; on the mean plume axis and 10%; on the mean plume edges. A meandering plume model is combined with an exponential pdf assumption to produce predictions of the intermittency and the standard deviation of the concentration fluctuations that are within 20%; of the observations.     

Overwater dispersion in coastal regions

Air pollution sources such as oil platforms and ships are sometimes located near coastlines where the plumes can impact population centers. Models of overwater dispersion must account for the stability of the overwater boundary layer. An overwater dispersion model based on the standard Gaussian formula is described which uses measurements of the air-sea temperature difference, the wind speed, and the mixing depth to predict concentration patterns at the coastline. Internal boundary layers and complex terrain at the coastline are accounted for. This new model is evaluated using the results of three tracer experiments in United States coastal zones.     

Time series analyses of concentration and wind fluctuations

Analyses of concentration fluctuation (C) spectra from boundary-layer smoke plume experiments at six separate locations show that the spectra from these experiments generally exhibit an inertial subrange at high frequencies with a slope of -5/3 and indicate peak energy at a time period of about 50 to 100 s. These periods of peak energy are a factor of two to five less than those for the peak of the wind speed fluctuation (u or v) spectra. A general spectral formula fits normalized spectra from the U.S. and Australia, where the frequency, n, is made dimensionless by multiplying by the plume dispersion parameter, _y , and dividing by the wind speed, u. Peak energy occurs at a dimensionless frequency of n _y/u equal to about 0.15. The Kolmogorov constant in the inertial subrange is estimated from a set of averaged spectra. Cross-spectra indicate little relation between concentration and wind fluctuations. However, most of the correlation that exists is due to periods larger than about 10 or 20 s.     

Pullout resistance of single vertical shallow helical and plate anchors in sand

This paper presents analytical models to predict the pullout capacity and the load–displacement relationship for shallow single vertical helical and plate anchors in sand. The models were developed based on the failure mechanism deduced from laboratory testing and utilize the limit equilibrium technique. Expression was given to estimate the critical depth for a given anchor/soil conditions, which separates deep from shallow anchors. Furthermore, the radius of influence of a individual anchor on the ground surface is established, and accordingly, the spacing between anchors can be determined to avoid anchors interactions between anchors. The proposed theory compared well with the theories and the experimental data available in the literature.

---

Résumé Cet article présente un model analytique pour prédire la résistance à l’arrachement et la relation charge-diplacement pour les ancrages à vis et plats verticaux superficiels ancrés dans le sable. Le model est basé sur le mécanisme de rupture déduit des essais de laboratoire et utilise la méthode d’analyse à l’équilibre limite. En outre, une expression a été proposé pour éstimer la profondeur critique pour un ancrage donné permettant d’identifier l’ancrage comme superficiel ou profond. Le rayon d’influence d’un ancrage à la surface du sable autour de l’ancrage a été établi, et par conséquent, l’espacement entre ancrages peut être déterminer pour éviter toute interaction. La théorie proposée montre une bonne concordance avec des résultats theoriques et expérimentaux rapports dans la literature.

---

     

An empirical formula for the height of the coastal internal boundary layer

Observations of the height of the daytime coastal internal boundary layer at several sites are used to justify an empirical formula in the Offshore and Coastal Dispersion (OCD) model, which states that the boundary-layer slope is 0.1 in the first 2km from the shoreline, and 0.03 therafter.     

Advanced techniques in site characterization and mining hazard detection for the underground coal industry

Today's highly productive coal mining systems represent large capital investments. Careful geotechnical planning and design are essential to protect these systems and to help ensure their overall success. Too often, however, the ability of the mine operator to adequately characterize the geotechnical environment and keep up with changing geologic conditions lags the advance rate of the mining equipment. Seismic tomographic imaging, based on the same principles as medical Computer-Aided-Tomography (CAT) Scans, offers the ability to identify changing geologic conditions, loading patterns, and the location of nearby abandoned mine workings. Although seismic tomography has been used for many years in the oil industry, until recently its practicality in the mining industry has been limited because the processes involved interfered with mining productivity and were labor-intensive in terms of data collection and interpretation. New advancements in signal processing have greatly enhanced the speed, resolution, and range of applications of tomographic imaging in underground coal mine settings.Many tomography applications in the mining industry use seismic velocity and/or attenuation tomography within a volume enclosed by the seismic source and receiver array. Although results obtained using this geometry work well in many situations, recent developments in reflection tomography show promise in eliminating the requirement that the target volume be surrounded by sources/receivers. For example, in-seam seismic reflection tomography may now be used to image structures and/or old workings from one general location in the mine (e.g., face areas of mains and panel developments) well ahead of planned developments—largely eliminating the need to probe-hole drill on regular intervals. These new developments have greatly expanded the ability of the mine operator to cost-effectively characterize previously inaccessible areas of the property.This paper gives an overview of the theories and processes involved in seismic tomography applicable to coal mine settings. Recent examples are presented of tomographic imaging applied to a variety of coal mine ground control problems and old works detection in the United States and Europe. The applicability of both seismic refraction and seismic reflection tomography is discussed.