Intelligent ship traffic monitoring for oil spill prevention: risk based decision support building on AIS

The paper describes a model, which estimates the risk levels of individual crude oil tankers. The intended use of the model, which is ready for trial implementation at The Norwegian Coastal Administrations new Vard? VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) centre, is to facilitate the comparison of ships and to support a risk based decision on which ships to focus attention on. For a VTS operator, tasked with monitoring hundreds of ships, this is a valuable decision support tool. The model answers the question, "Which ships are likely to produce an oil spill accident, and how much is it likely to spill?".     

Secondary production in a Laminaria hyperborea kelp forest and variation according to wave exposure

The secondary production of mobile invertebrate fauna in the Laminaria hyperborea (Gunn.) Foslie kelp forest increases with wave exposure level. This faunal group has a key function in transferring kelp carbon to higher levels in the food web. By using a size-frequency method the calculated production was 68 (±18) g D.W. m⁻² yr⁻¹ (±S.E.) at low, 250 (±57) at medium and 308 (±64) at high exposure levels. The calculations included 30 macrofauna species, which accounted for 96% of the specimens registered, with Gastropods, amphipods and bivalves being the most abundant taxa. The calculated secondary production is high, but comparable to that previously reported from other macrophyte systems and was 3%, 8% and 8% of the total primary production at low, medium and high exposure levels, respectively. Our results indicate that large quantities of Laminaria kelp are exported from the system, although the production of sessile animals was not taken into account. The most important factor in determining faunal densities and secondary production was probably habitat size but at low exposure levels the percentage of egg-carrying crustacean females and juveniles were lower than at medium and high exposure levels, thereby indicating lower fitness for animals at low exposure stations.     

Sulphur isotope compositions in the Åmmeberg Zn-Pb ore deposit,south-central Sweden: Genetic implications

The distribution of sulphur isotope compositions in the Åmmeberg sulphide ore deposit is discussed. The ³⁴S values for various sulphides show a complex pattern of fluctuations between isotopic equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions. This feature as well as the observed variations in the ³⁴S values of galena and sphalerite are interpreted to have originated from successive pulses of sulphide-forming solutions. On the basis of geological field criteria and sulphur isotope data, the Ammeberg deposit is considered to be a typical distal mineralization, belonging to the volcanic-exhalative group of ore deposits. The banded structure of the ore, the spatial separation of Pb and Zn and the presence of discrete, persistant ore layers probably relate to the type of convective system that created the mineral-forming solutions and to the various processes taking place when the brines were expelled onto the sea floor.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird die Verteilung von Schwefelisotopenzusammensetzungen in der Åmmeberg Sulfidlagerstätte diskutiert. Die ³⁴S-Werte für verschiedene Sulfide zeigt ein kompliziertes Schwankungsmuster zwischen Isotopengleichgewichts- und Isotopenungleichgewichtsbedingungen. Dieses Merkmal zusammen mit den beobachteten ³⁴S Schwankungen von Bleiglanz und Zinkblende werden dahingehend interpretiert, daß sie ihren Ursprung im anhaltenden Zustrom von sulfidhaltigen Lösungen hatten. Auf der Basis von geologischen Geländebefunden und Schwefelisotopendaten wird die Åmmeberg Lagerstätte als eine typische distale Mineralisation eingestuft, welche zur vulkanisch-exhalativen Lagerstättengruppe gehört. Die gebänderte Struktur des Erzes, die räumliche Trennung von Blei und Zink und die Anwesenheit von gesondert durchziehenden Erzlagen sind zum konvektiven System in Beziehung zu setzen, welches die mineralformenden Lösungen lieferte. Ebenfalls zeigt sich ein Zusammenhang zu den verschiedenen Prozessen, welche abliefen als die Sole auf den Meeresboden ausgestoßen wurde.

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Résumé L'auteur discute la distribution des compositions du soufre dans le gisement de sulfure d'Åmmeberg. Les valeurs de ³⁴S pour divers sulfures présentent des fluctuations complexes entre les conditions d'équilibre et de non-équilibre isotopique.Cette distribution, ainsi que les variations observées de ³⁴S de la galène et de la blende sont interprétées comme résultant d'arrivées successives de solutions sulfurantes. Sur la base de critères géologiques de terrain et des données relatives aux isotopes du soufre, le gisement d'Åmmeberg est considéré comme une minéralisation typiquement distale, appartenant au groupe volcanique exhalatif. La structure rubanée du minerai, la séparation spatiale du Pb et du Zn et la présence de couches de minerai discrètes et continues doivent vraisemblablement être mises en relation avec le type de système convectif qui a engendré les solutions minéralisantes et avec les divers processus qui sont entrés en jeu lorsque les saumures se sont répandues sur le fond de la mer.

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Non-integrability of a Weakly Integrable Hamiltonian System

The geometric approach to mechanics based on the Jacobi metric allows to easily construct natural mechanical systems which are integrable (actually separable) at a fixed value of the energy. The aim of the present paper is to investigate the dynamics of a simple prototype system outside the zero-energy hypersurface. We find that the general situation is that in which integrability is not preserved at arbitrary values of the energy. The structure of the Hamiltonian in the separating coordinates at zero energy allows a perturbation treatment of this system at energies slightly different from zero, by which we obtain an analytical proof of non-integrability.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Estimation of winter leaf area index and sky view fraction for snow modelling in boreal coniferous forests: consequences on snow mass and energy balance

Leaf area index (LAI) and canopy coverage are important parameters when modelling snow process in coniferous forests, controlling interception and transmitting radiation. Estimates of LAI and sky view factor show large variability depending on the estimation method used, and it is not clear how this is reflected in the calculated snow processes beneath the canopy. In this study, the winter LAI and sky view fraction were estimated using different optical and biomass‐based approximations in several boreal coniferous forest stands in Fennoscandia with different stand density, age and site latitude. The biomass‐based estimate of LAI derived from forest inventory data was close to the values derived from the optical measurements at most sites, suggesting that forest inventory data can be used as input to snow hydrological modelling. Heterogeneity of tree species and site fertility, as well as edge effects between different forest compartments, caused differences in the LAI estimates at some sites. A snow energy and mass balance model (SNOWPACK) was applied to detect how the differences in the estimated values of the winter LAI and sky view fraction were reflected in simulated snow processes. In the simulations, an increase in LAI and a decrease in sky view fraction changed the snow surface energy balance by decreasing shortwave radiation input and increasing longwave radiation input. Changes in LAI and sky view fraction affected directly snow accumulation through altered throughfall fraction and indirectly snowmelt through the changed surface energy balance. Changes in LAI and sky view fraction had a greater impact on mean incoming radiation beneath the canopy than on other energy fluxes. Snowmelt was affected more than snow accumulation. The effect of canopy parameters on evaporation loss from intercepted snow was comparable with the effect of variation in governing meteorological variables such as precipitation intensity and air temperature. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of Flexible Marine-Risers

A nonlinear dynamic analysis model is estabilished on the basis of "lumped mass" approach, which takes the influence of the fluid flow within the pipe into consideration. Numerical results are compared with the published works, and the effects of internal fluid flow, internal pressure, dyanmics as well as the nonlinear characteristics on the behavior of flexible risers are discussed. From this work, some useful conclusions are drawn.     

Origin and chemical partitioning of heavy metals in riverbed sediments

In the present investigation, bulk and chemical partitioning of elements in the Shefa-Rud riverbed sediments are studies. Higher concentrations of elemental concentrations have been observed in estuarine zone when compared with riverine sediments (except for AI, Fe, Pb and Mn). Manganese is mobilized under anoxic conditions prevailing in the Caspian Sea. Lithogenous materials are greatly diluted in the estuarine zone by various pollutants present in the Caspian Sea. Organic metallic bonds are not significantly present in the area of study. Geological units of the area of study have resulted in the lower concentrations of elemental concentrations of riverbed sediments when compared with published values for mean crust and world sediments ones. Though, cluster analysis has clearly shown the importance of alumina-silicates in controlling the distribution of Fe and Mn in riverbed sediments but it could not depict controlling mechanism for other studied elements. Geochemical Index (Igeo) and Enrichment Factor (EF) values are indicative of a clean environment throughout the river course. These values are in a well agreement with results of chemical partitioning data. Quantification of EF values is not logically possible and therefore Igeo values can be used more effectively.     

Computer studies of the evolution of planetary and satellite systems I. Description of the program: Preliminary tests

In this paper we describe a CDC-Cyber 74 program for computer simulation of the evolution of a system consisting of a large number of objects in orbit around a central body or primary. Some preliminary tests done with the program will also be described.     

Acidic compounds in biodegraded petroleum

Twelve oil samples have been characterised by titration, FT-IR and chromatographic analysis to determine the differences between the organic acid composition of biodegraded and non-biodegraded oils. The biodegraded oils have higher total acid and total base contents, both by titration and extraction. The molecular weight ranges of the extracted acids are lowest in the biodegraded oils, and the equivalent weight calculations indicate a dominance of multi-functional molecules. Gel permeation chromatography gives a molecular weight range with most of the molecules between 300 and 500 g/mol. FT-IR shows that the extracted acids from biodegraded oils are more carboxylic and aliphatic while the non-degraded oils are more phenolic. Molecular analysis of the derivatised extracts give UCM envelopes for biodegraded oils, and no molecular identification. The results indicate that the acidic constituents in biodegraded oils are a product of the biodegradation, as the composition is very different from the non-biodegraded oils.