Decadal variability and trends of oceanic barrier layers in tropical Pacific

Decadal variability and trends of the isothermal layer depth (ILD), mixed layer depth (MLD), and barrier layer thickness (BLT) were analyzed for the tropical Pacific during 1979–2015. The decadal variability of ILD, MLD, and BLT shows a close connection with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). At PDO positive phase, the eastward shift of precipitation and weakened trade winds result in thinner BLT in western Pacific and thicker BLT in central and eastern Pacific. The situation is reversed at PDO negative phase. The differences in BLT can be up to 9–15 m. The spatial distributions of decadal trends of ILD and MLD are complex, but a thickening of BLT in the western tropical Pacific is clearly present. The raw trends of ILD, MLD, and BLT averaged in the tropical Pacific (30° N–30° S, 120° E–75° W) from 1979 to 2015 are 1.62, 1.20, and 0.51 m per decade, respectively. PDO can explain about 25% of the increasing trends of BLT, while El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) only explains about 1.7%. Global warming and/or variability at longer time scales is responsible for the remaining increasing trends. The BLT change is related to the warming and freshening of the western Pacific warm pool in recent decades. The ocean-atmosphere interactions about trade winds, wind-driven ocean circulation, temperature, and precipitation/evaporation are discussed.     

Radioactive anomalies associated with the graphite-bearing metasediments,Wadi Umm Gheig area,Central Eastern Desert,Egypt

The study area is located in the central part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt and is mainly covered by different varieties of Precambrian basement rocks represented mainly by younger and older granites, metadiorite, metavolcanics, and metasediments. The analysis and interpretation of airborne gamma-ray spectrometric survey data are essentially based on the computation of the three radioelements (U, Th, and K) favorability indices, estimation of uranium migration rate percentage, variation of eU with eTh and eU/eTh ratio, and the construction of the contour map of the (eU-eTh/3.5) in the different rock units. The highest percent of uranium migration- out or leaching rate is connected with the red and pink granites of Gebel Kadabora El-hamra, metadiorite, and red and pink granites of G. Umm Rakham (??20.8%, ??18.57%, and ??8.45% respectively), which indicates that they could represent a major U-source bodies in the area. It was observed that the metasediments and associated graphite-bearing schists west and northwest of G. Kadabora El-hamra reflect more precipitation than the other locations around the pluton (the uranium migration rates varies between 2.59 and 30%) which mean that the graphite may have acted as a reducing agent for uranium carried in oxidizing fluids (surface meteoric water) and resulted in its precipitation. In the light of the availability of uranium source, its mobility, and graphite-bearing metasediments, the area has a good potential for the possible occurrence of uranium mineralization.     

Diatoms grow faster using ammonium in rapidly flushed eutrophic Dokai Bay,Japan

The importance of the nitrogen source for phytoplankton growth in a highly eutrophic embayment, Dokai Bay, was investigated. The DIN concentration often exceeded 100 μM of which 40–70% was NH₄ ⁺. During two incubation experiments, the natural assemblage of mainly diatoms took up NH₄ ⁺ instead of NO₃ ⁻. The growth of two Skeletonema species isolated in Dokai Bay were significantly faster on NH₄ ⁺ (1.86 and 1.27 div. d⁻¹ respectively) than on NO₃ ⁻ (1.55 and 1.04 div. d⁻¹ respectively). Our results indicated that these diatoms could grow faster by using NH₄ ⁺ compared to NO₃ ⁻ in this eutrophic bay.     

Eddy covariance imaging of diffuse volcanic CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions at Mammoth Mountain,CA, USA

Use of eddy covariance (EC) techniques to map the spatial distribution of diffuse volcanic CO₂ fluxes and quantify CO₂ emission rate was tested at the Horseshoe Lake tree-kill area on Mammoth Mountain, California, USA. EC measurements of CO₂ flux were made during September–October 2010 and ranged from 85 to 1,766 g m⁻² day⁻¹. Comparative maps of soil CO₂ flux were simulated and CO₂ emission rates estimated from three accumulation chamber (AC) CO₂ flux surveys. Least-squares inversion of measured eddy covariance CO₂ fluxes and corresponding modeled source weight functions recovered 58–77% of the CO₂ emission rates estimated based on simulated AC soil CO₂ fluxes. Spatial distributions of modeled surface CO₂ fluxes based on EC and AC observations showed moderate to good correspondence (R ² = 0.36 to 0.70). Results provide a framework for automated monitoring of volcanic CO₂ emissions over relatively large areas.     

Peierls dislocation modelling in perovskite (CaTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>): comparison with tausonite (SrTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>) and MgSiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> perovskite

We present here a numerical modelling study of dislocations in perovskite CaTiO₃. The dislocation core structures and properties are calculated through the Peierls–Nabarro model using the generalized stacking fault (GSF) results as a starting model. The GSF are determined from first-principles calculations using the VASP code. The dislocation properties such as collinear, planar core spreading and Peierls stresses are determined for the following slip systems: [100](010), [100](001), [010](100), [010](001), [001](100), [001](010), and All dislocations exhibit lattice friction, but glide appears to be easier for [100](010) and [010](100). [001](010) and [001](100) exhibit collinear dissociation. Comparing Peierls stresses among tausonite (SrTiO₃), perovskite (CaTiO₃) and MgSiO₃ perovskite demonstrates the strong influence of orthorhombic distortions on lattice friction. However, and despite some quantitative differences, CaTiO₃ appears to be a satisfactory analogue material for MgSiO₃ perovskite as far as dislocation glide is concerned.     

Detection of the Long Period Long Duration (LPLD) Events in Time-and Frequency-Domain

Long Period Long Duration (LPLD) signals are unusual seismic events that can be observed during hydraulic fracturing. These events are very similar in appearance to tectonic tremors sequences, which were first observed in subduction zones. Their nature is not well known. LPLD might be related to the productivity of the reservoir. Different methods of the LPLD events’ detection recorded during hydraulic fracturing are presented. The author applied two methods for LPLD detection–Butterworth filtering and Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). Additionally, a new approach to LPLD events detection–instantaneous seismic attributes–was used, common in a classical seismic interpretation but not in microseismic monitoring.     

A reinterpretation of two chertbreccias from the Proterozoic basins of India

Several horizons of a unique lithotype called “chertbreccia” are interbedded within the Proterozoic platform sediments of the Peninsular India. These cherty rocks with brecciated texture appearing as blocky masses were earlier diversely interpreted as being products of disparate processes such as fault-zone breccias, collapse breccias, and so on. Two of these horizons, one from the Kaladgi Basin (Dharwar Craton) and the other from the Dhar Forest Inlier of the Vindhyanchal Basin (Bundelkhand — Aravalli Craton) are compared in context of their geological setting, field relations and petrological constitution. A model of the mode of development of these peculiar rocks is reconstructed, taking into account their characters and limitations of previous interpretations. They are interpreted as transported debris deposits of syntectonogenic material released during the episodic activity of the growth faults of the Kaladgi and Vindhyanchal Basins that was diagenetically silicified.     

The effect of seafloor topography in the Southern Ocean on tabular iceberg drifting and grounding

Antarctic tabular icebergs are important active components in the ice sheet-ice shelf-ocean system. Seafloor topography is the key factor that affects the drifting and grounding of icebergs, but it has not been fully investigated. This study analyzes the impact of seafloor topography on the drifting and grounding of Antarctic tabular icebergs using Bedmap-2 datasets and iceberg route tracking data from Brigham Young University. The results highlight the following points. (1) The quantitative distributions of iceberg grounding events and the tracking points of grounded icebergs are mainly affected by iceberg draft and reach their peak values in sea water with depths between 200 m and 300 m. The peak tracking point number and linear velocity of free-drifting icebergs are found in the Antarctic Slope Front (water depth of approximately 500 m). (2) The area of possible grounding regions of small-scale icebergs calved from ice shelf fronts accounts for 28% of the sea area at water depths less than 2000 m outside the Antarctic coastline periphery (3.62 million km²). Their spatial distribution is mainly around East Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula. The area of possible grounding regions of large tabular icebergs with long axes larger than 18.5 km (in water depths of less than 800 m) accounts for 74% of the sea area. (3) The iceberg drifting velocity is positively correlated with ocean depth in areas where the depth is less than 2000 m (R=0.85, P<0.01). This result confirms the effect of water depth variations induced by seafloor topography fluctuations on iceberg drifting velocity.     

Precise photorealistic visualization for restoration of historic buildings based on tacheometry data

This paper puts forward a 3D reconstruction methodology applied to the restoration of historic buildings taking advantage of the speed, range and accuracy of a total geodetic station. The measurements representing geo-referenced points produced an interactive and photorealistic geometric mesh of a monument named ‘Neoria.’ ‘Neoria’ is a Venetian building located by the old harbor at Chania, Crete, Greece. The integration of tacheometry acquisition and computer graphics puts forward a novel integrated software framework for the accurate 3D reconstruction of a historical building. The main technical challenge of this work was the production of a precise 3D mesh based on a sufficient number of tacheometry measurements acquired fast and at low cost, employing a combination of surface reconstruction and processing methods. A fully interactive application based on game engine technologies was developed. The user can visualize and walk through the monument and the area around it as well as photorealistically view it at different times of day and night. Advanced interactive functionalities are offered to the user in relation to identifying restoration areas and visualizing the outcome of such works. The user could visualize the coordinates of the points measured, calculate distances and navigate through the complete 3D mesh of the monument. The geographical data are stored in a database connected with the application. Features referencing and associating the database with the monument are developed. The goal was to utilize a small number of acquired data points and present a fully interactive visualization of a geo-referenced 3D model.     

Evaluation of hydrogeochemical processes and groundwater quality for suitability of drinking and irrigation purposes: a case study in the Aosta Valley region,Italy

The present study aims to discuss the hydrogeochemical processes in the Aosta Valley region and assess the quality of its groundwater for suitability of drinking and irrigation purposes. One hundred twenty-two samples were collected from the Aosta Valley region in the years 2007 and 2008 (61 per year), and analysed for pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, major cations and anions. The pH of the samples in both years indicated a near-neutral to alkaline nature of the groundwater. The cation and anion chemistry showed the general ionic abundance as: Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ and HCO₃ ^?>SO₄ ^2?>Cl^?>NO₃ ^?>F^? in both years. Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-HCO₃ ^? and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-Cl^?-SO₄ ^2? were the dominant hydrogeochemical facies. The computed saturation indices demonstrated that the groundwater was supersaturated with respect to dolomite and calcite in both years. The groundwater chemistry of the study area was mainly controlled by the dissolution of carbonate, sulphate and silicate minerals, as well as ion exchange processes. A comparison of the groundwater quality in relation to drinking water standards showed that most of the water samples were suitable for drinking and domestic uses. The computed water quality index (WQI) values of the study area groundwater ranged from 24 to 84 in the year 2007 and from 22 to 82 in the year 2008, and all the location fell under the Excellent to Good category. Quality assessment for irrigation uses revealed that the groundwater was good to permissible quality for irrigation; however, locally higher salinity, residual sodium carbonate (RSC) and magnesium hazard (MH) restricted its suitability for irrigation at a few sites. These results will be useful in implementing future measures in groundwater resource management at regional and national level.