Milgromian dynamics and dwarf galaxies in galactic voids

We use kinematic data of 103 dwarf galaxies, obtained from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey catalog, to test the Milgromian dynamics (MOND) inside a galactic void. From this data, we compute the line-of-sight velocity dispersions of the dwarf galaxies in the frameworks of MOND and Newtonian dynamics without invoking any dark matter. The prediction for the line-of-sight velocity dispersions from MOND of 53 selected dwarf galaxies is compared with their measured values. For appropriate mass-to-light ratios in the range 1 to 5 for each individual dwarf galaxy, our results for the line-of-sight velocity dispersions predicted by MOND are more compatible with observations than those predicted by Newtonian dynamics.     

Geochemical constraints on the provenance of Oligocene–Miocene siliciclastic deposits (Zivah Formation) of NW Iran: implications for the tectonic evolution of the Caucasus

In this study, the whole-rock geochemistry of 35 Oligocene–Miocene sandstone and shale samples from the Zivah Formation, Moghan area (NW Iran) were collected and analyzed for evaluation of their provenance, tectonic setting and the intensity of paleo-weathering. Low to moderate values of the chemical index of alteration (mean CIA?=?53/68 for sandstones/shales) and relatively high values of index of compositional variability (mean ICV?=?1.23/1.08 for sandstones/shales) suggest weak chemical weathering and an immature source. These results support for the semi-arid and semi-humid paleoclimate conditions in the source area. The geochemistry results reveal that the sediments were deposited in a basin related to the island arc and active continental margin tectonic settings, probably indicating the time of initial collision between Arabia and Eurasia. The enrichment of Cr, Ni and V in the sandstone and shales are consistent with mafic input from the source area. However, La/Th vs. Hf and La/Sc vs. Co/Th plots reveal mixed source of felsic and intermediate volcanic rocks. The data indicate that the sediments most likely originated from a mixture of mafic, intermediate and felsic igneous source areas, possibly as the erosional products of localized topography of the Talysh and the Lesser Caucasus mountains (south to southwest), created by compression in the Moghan region during the syn-collisional development of the Caucasus.     

Modeling of the Shale Volume in the Hendijan Oil Field Using Seismic Attributes and Artificial Neural Networks

Petrophysical properties have played an important and definitive role in the study of oil and gas reservoirs, necessitating that diverse kinds of information are used to infer these properties. In this study, the seismic data related to the Hendijan oil field were utilised, along with the available logs of 7 wells of this field, in order to use the extracted relationships between seismic attributes and the values of the shale volume in the wells to estimate the shale volume in wells intervals. After the overall survey of data, a seismic line was selected and seismic inversion methods (model-based, band limited and sparse spike inversion) were applied to it. Amongst all of these techniques, the model-based method presented the better results. By using seismic attributes and artificial neural networks, the shale volume was then estimated using three types of neural networks, namely the probabilistic neural network (PNN), multi-layer feed-forward network (MLFN) and radial basic function network (RBFN).     

A review of cyclone track shifts over the Great Lakes of North America: implications for storm surges

Natural Hazards - Cyclone tracks over the Great Lakes of North America shift, both East–West as well as North–South. The reasons for the shifts are various small-scale as well as...     

Propagation of seismic waves through liquefied soils

To predict the earthquake response of saturated porous media it is essential to correctly simulate the generation, redistribution, and dissipation of excess pore water pressure during and after earthquake shaking. To this end, a reliable numerical tool requires a dynamic, fully coupled formulation for solid–fluid interaction and a versatile constitutive model. Presented in this paper is a 3D finite element framework that has been developed and utilized for this purpose. The framework employs fully coupled dynamic field equations with a u–p–U formulation for simulation of pore fluid and solid skeleton interaction and a SANISAND constitutive model for response of solid skeleton. After a detailed verification and validation of the formulation and implementation of the developed numerical tool, it is employed in the seismic response of saturated porous media. The study includes examination of the mechanism of propagation of the earthquake-induced shear waves and liquefaction phenomenon in uniform and layered profiles of saturated sand deposits.     

Predicting seismic permanent displacement of soil walls under surcharge based on limit analysis approach

Seismic permanent displacement of the soil walls plays an important role in design of these structures. Due to the increase in growth of urban areas and the limitations in use of flat grounds, many structures are built near slopes and retaining walls. During earthquakes, these structures can apply an additional surcharge on the wall. The intensity and location of the surcharge is of considerable importance on the seismic displacements of the soil wall. In this study, by using the limit analysis and upper bound theorem, seismic permanent displacement of the soil wall under surcharge has been analyzed. Thus, a formulation is presented for calculating the yield acceleration and seismic displacement for different surcharge conditions. The effect of seismic acceleration, surcharge intensity, its location and soil properties is investigated. A parameter called the “displacement coefficient” is proposed, and is a potential modification for Newmark’s sliding-block method.     

Nonlinear modeling of cyclic response of RC beam–column joints reinforced by plain bars

Experience of previous earthquakes shows that a considerable portion of buildings reinforced with plain bars sustain relatively large damages especially at the beam–column joints where the damages are mostly caused by either diagonal shear cracks or intersectional cracks caused by bar slippage. While previous works mainly focus on shear failure mode, in this study, the emphasis is placed on slip based cracks as the dominant failure mode. A systematic procedure is introduced to predict the dominant failure mode at the joint which is based on the dimensional properties, reinforcement details, and axial and shear load at the joint. In addition, a relatively simple and efficient nonlinear model is proposed to simulate pre- and post-elastic behavior of the joints which fail under bar slippage mode. In this model, beam and column components are represented by linear elastic elements, dimensions of the joint panel are defined by rigid elements, and effect of slip is taken into account by a nonlinear rotational spring at the end of the beam. The proposed method is validated by experimental results for both internal and external joints .     

Modeling cyclic shearing of sands in the semifluidized state

Liquefaction is associated with the loss of mean effective stress and increase of the pore water pressure in saturated granular materials due to their contractive tendency under cyclic shear loading. The loss of mean effective stress is linked to loss of grain contacts, bringing the granular material to a “semifluidized state” and leading to development and accumulation of large cyclic shear strains. Constitutive modeling of the cyclic stress-strain response in earthquake-induced liquefaction and post-liquefaction is complex and yet very important for stress-deformation and performance-based analysis of sand deposits. A new state internal variable named strain liquefaction factor is introduced that evolves at low mean effective stresses, and its constitutive role is to reduce the plastic shear stiffness and dilatancy while maintaining the same plastic volumetric strain rate in the semifluidized state. This new constitutive ingredient is added to an existing critical state compatible, bounding surface plasticity reference model, that is well established for constitutive modeling of cyclic response of sands in the pre-liquefaction state. The roles of the key components of the proposed formulation are examined in a series of sensitivity analyses. Their combined effects in improving the performance of the reference model are examined by simulating undrained cyclic simple shear tests on Ottawa sand, with focus on reproducing the increasing shear strain amplitude as well as its saturation in the post-liquefaction response.     

Determining safe yield and mapping water level zoning in groundwater resources of the Neishabour Plain

Groundwater is a crucial sources of water supply, especially in arid and semi-arid areas around the world. With uncontrolled withdrawals and limited availability of these resources, it is essential to determine the safe yield of these valuable resources. The Hill method approach was used in this study to determine the safe yield the Neishabour aquifer in Khorasan Razvi province in Iran. The results showed that the safe yield in the Neishabour aquifer is 60% lower than the current pumping amounts...     

A GIS-based time-dependent seismic source modeling of Northern Iran

The first step in any seismic hazard study is the definition of seismogenic sources and the estimation of magnitude-frequency relationships for each source. There is as yet no standard methodology for source modeling and many researchers have worked on this topic. This study is an effort to define linear and area seismic sources for Northern Iran. The linear or fault sources are developed based on tectonic features and characteristic earthquakes while the area sources are developed based on spatial distribution of small to moderate earthquakes. Time-dependent recurrence relationships are developed for fault sources using renewal approach while time-independent frequency-magnitude relationships are proposed for area sources based on Poisson process. GIS functionalities are used in this study to introduce and incorporate spatial-temporal and geostatistical indices in delineating area seismic sources. The proposed methodology is used to model seismic sources for an area of about 500 by 400 square kilometers around Tehran. Previous researches and reports are studied to compile an earthquake/fault catalog that is as complete as possible. All events are transformed to uniform magnitude scale; duplicate events and dependent shocks are removed. Completeness and time distribution of the compiled catalog is taken into account. The proposed area and linear seismic sources in conjunction with defined recurrence relationships can be used to develop time-dependent probabilistic seismic hazard analysis of Northern Iran.