On a damaging earthquake-induced landslide in the Algerian Alps: the March 20, 2006 Laâlam landslide (Babors chain,northeast Algeria), triggered by the Kherrata earthquake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>w</Subscript> = 5.3)

On March 20, 2006, an earthquake (M _w = 5.3; SED) struck the mountainous region of the Babors chain (Wilaya of Bejaia, northeast Algeria). The seismic epicenter was located near the Kherrata village. This earthquake was felt on a large area of the northeastern part of Algeria. It reached an intensity of VII (EMS scale) at the Laalam village, situated at about 20 km northeast of Kherrata. Here, many old and recent houses were damaged or collapsed totally, four people died and 68 were injured. Field investigations revealed that these casualties were caused by a landslide triggered by the earthquake. Many fissures were visible on ground throughout the site. They were generated by both sliding and settling phenomena. The Laalam site is prone to landslide, as revealed by some evidences on old instabilities. This is due to two main factors: local geomorphology and geology. These factors intervene synchronously for reducing the slope instability at the Laalam village. The March 20, 2006 Kherrata earthquake was the trigger that released the Laalam landslide.     

Metal fluxes to the sediments of the Moulay Bousselham lagoon,Morocco

The metal content in surface sediments (0–2 cm, 26 samples), in a sediment core (120, 1 cm slices), taken from Moulay Bousselham (Morocco) was investigated. Concentrations of Al, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg were evaluated in surface and cored sediments of Moulay Bousselham lagoon. Significantly high concentrations in μg g⁻¹ dw of Pb (31.7–6.2), Zn (758.9–167), Cu (310.7–22), Ni (96–10.5), Cr (113–18.9), Cd (0.84–0.02), As (1–0.1), and Hg (0.61–0.02) were found in sediment samples from Moulay Bousselham lagoon. Calculated enrichment factors [EF_Me = (Me/Al)_sample/(Me/Al)_background], using Al as a normalizer, and correlation matrices showed that metal pollution in Merja Zerga of Moulay Bousselham lagoon was the product of anthropogenic sources, while the metal content in Merja Kehla was of natural origins. The results suggest that a major change in the sedimentary regime of the lagoon, associated with internal trapping and re-distribution of heavy metal, has been occurring in the past few decades. The cause would appear to be the construction of a Nador Canal at the lagoon. Probable effects concentrations (PEC) were often exceeded for heavy metals in the lagoon sediments, especially for Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr, and four stations, stations MZ-11, MZ-12, MZ-13, MZ-14, MZ-16, and MZ-17, had multiple metals at presumptively toxic levels. These comparisons suggest that sediment metal levels in the river are clearly high and probably pose an environmental risk at some stations. The levels of most of the metals were not greatly enriched, a consideration that is of the utmost importance when contamination issues are at stake. Metal concentrations found in Moulay Bousselham lagoon were comparable to aquatic systems classified as contaminated from other regions of the world.     

Evidence for an underground runoff and soil permeability at the Ouled Fayet (Algiers,Algeria) subsurface landfill pilot project from geophysical investigations

Results from geophysical investigations (electrical resistivity, electromagnetic mapping and seismic refraction) on an excavated cell of the Ouled Fayet (Algiers, Algeria) pilot landfill indicated the presence of an underground runoff and permeable soil underneath the cell. These results contradict those obtained by a feasibility study, based, however, only on the analysis of seventy-six 10-m drilling cores. The 1D boreholes information has been proven to be insufficient and to give biased results. The presence of water at depth is evidenced by lower resistivity, high conductivity anomalies and increase of P-wave velocity. Thus, to the contrary of what is claimed in the feasibility study, a threat of leachate pollution is real. This study shows that landfill construction studies cannot give trustful results without geophysical investigations. More specifically, in Algeria, it is imperative to elaborate a landfill construction code, which should include mandatory geophysical prospecting and deeper drilling cores.     

First Research on Marine and Nonmarine Sedimentary Sequences and Micropaleontologic Significance across Permian／Triassic Boundary in Iran （Isfahan and Abadeh）

Abundant ichthyoid remains, conodonts and holothurians sclerites were recovered near the Permian/Triassic boundary from a section south of Isfahan. Recovered ichthyoid remains include shark micro teeth and scales. The ichthyolith material is similar to a Fasanian ichthyolith from the Zakazane area in the Slovak karst of the Western Carpathians, which represents a subspecies of Acodina triassia. Conodont species are mostly neogondolellids. This fauna indicates that the sedimentary environment was marine, while to the north of localities near Isfahan and Zagross, terrestrial deposition was dominant at that time. Aluminasilicate and kaolin are present in a continental unit in Dopolan refractory main (Shahid Nilchian mine) and a section south of Chahriseh Village, north of Isfahan. Pisolitie, ironstone facies and bauxite clay are common near the Permian/Triassic boundary in the Chahriseh region.     

Strong motion dataset of Turkey: data processing and site classification

Strong motion records of Turkey are studied in order to prepare a catalog to be used as a database for further studies (for instance empirical attenuation laws). The network started to be installed in 1973, and the first record was obtained in 1976. The instruments are of SMA-1 analog recorders and SIG SM-2 and GeoSys GSR-16 digital types. Out of a total of 426 records released on the web sites of the General Directorate of the Disaster Affairs and of Kandili Observatory, a set of 210 records was selected with a satisfactory quality, for which it was possible to associate correctly determined source parameters (source magnitudes and epicentral distances). Most of the records are obtained from around North and East Anatolian Fault zones, as well as from western and southwestern parts of Turkey. The main outcome of this paper is a strong motion catalog of Turkey, with the indication of site conditions, of the frequency band of the reliability of the records, peak values of acceleration, velocity and displacements, source parameters (magnitude, epicentral and macroseismic distances), intensity and finally the fault plane solutions whenever possible. The aim is to have, with other regional dataset, a homogenous and good quality dataset.     

An Improved Workflow for Permeability Estimation from Image Logs with Uncertainty Quantification

Natural Resources Research - Production forecasts are extremely sensitive to the spatial distribution of certain reservoir parameters, especially permeability, which controls fluid flow and...     

Identification of Pitch Dynamics of An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Using Sensor Fusion

This paper presents a method for identification of the hydrodynamic coefficients of the dive plane of an autonomous underwater vehicle. The proposed identification method uses the governing equations of motion to estimate the coefficients of the linear damping, added mass and inertia, cross flow drag and control. Parts of data required by the proposed identification method are not measured by the onboard instruments. Hence, an optimal fusion algorithm is devised which estimates the required data accurately with a high sampling rate. To excite the dive plane dynamics and obtain the required measurements, diving maneuvers should be performed. Hence, a reliable controller with satisfactory performance and stability is needed. A cascaded controller is designed based on the coefficients obtained using a semi-empirical method and its robustness to the uncertainties is verified by the μ-analysis method. The performance and accuracy of the identification and fusion algorithms are investigated through 6-DOF numerical simulations of a realistic autonomous underwater vehicle.