Weather and traffic accidents in the Czech Republic, 1979–2020

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - Police records, kept in the form of yearbooks, enabled analysis of the possible relationships between traffic accidents and the weather in the Czech Republic...     

Inversion of travel times obtained during active seismic refraction experiments CELEBRATION 2000, ALP 2002 and SUDETES 2003

A series of kinematic inversions based on robust non-linear optimization approach were performed using travel time data from a series of seismic refraction experiments: CELEBRATION 2000, ALP 2002 and SUDETES 2003. These experiments were performed in Central Europe from 2000 to 2003. Data from 8 profiles (CEL09, CEL10, Alp01, S01, S02, S03, S04 and S05) were processed in this study. The goal of this work was to find seismic velocity models yielding travel times consistent with observed data. Optimum 2D inhomogeneous isotropic P-wave velocity models were computed. We have developed and used a specialized two-step inverse procedure. In the first “parametric” step, the velocity model contains interfaces whose shapes are defined by a number of parameters. The velocity along each interface is supposed to be constant but may be different along the upper and lower side of the interface. Linear vertical interpolation is used for points in between interfaces. All parameters are searched for using robust non-linear optimization (Differential Evolution algorithm). Rays are continuously traced by the bending technique. In the second “tomographic” step, small-scale velocity perturbations are introduced in a dense grid covering the currently obtained velocity model. Rays are fixed in this step. Final velocity models yield travel time residuals comparable to typical picking errors (RMS ∼ 0.1 s). As a result, depth-velocity cross-sections of P waves along all processed profiles are obtained. The depth range of the models is 35–50 km, the velocity varies in the range 3.5–8.2 km/s. Lowest velocities are detected in near-surface depth sections crossing sedimentary formations. The middle crust is generally more homogeneous and has typical P wave velocity around 6 km/s. Surprisingly the lower crust is less homogeneous and the computed velocity is in the range 6.5–7.5 km/s. The MOHO is detected in the depth ≈30–45 km.     

Comparison of true-height electron density profiles derived by POLAN and NHPC methods

The changing state of the ionosphere is generally monitored by networks of vertical ionosondes that provide us with regular ionospheric sounding. Many ionospheric applications require determination of the true-height electron density profiles. Therefore, ionograms must be further inverted into real-height electron density profiles. The paper presents the comparison study of the true-height electron density profiles inverted from ionograms using two different methods POLAN (Titheridge, 1985) and NHPC (Huang and Reinish, 1996; Reinish et al., 2005), widely used by the ionospheric research community. Our results show significant systematic differences between electron density profiles calculated by these two inversion methods. pkn@ufa.cas.cz     

Origin of layered continental mantle (Karelian craton, Finland): Geochemical and Re–Os isotope constraints

Studies of mantle xenolith and xenocryst studies have indicated that the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) at the Karelian Craton margin (Fennoscandian Shield) is stratified into at least three distinct layers cited A, B, and C. The origin and age of this layering has, however, remained unconstrained. In order to address this question, we have determined Re–Os isotope composition and a comprehensive set of major and trace elements, from xenoliths representing all these three layers. These are the first Re–Os data from the SCLM of the vast East European Craton.

Xenoliths derived from the middle layer B (at  110–180 km depth), which is the main source of harzburgitic garnets and peridotitic diamonds in these kimberlites, are characterised by unradiogenic Os isotopic composition. ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os shows a good correlation with indices of partial melting implying an age of  3.3. Ga for melt extraction. This age corresponds with the oldest formation ages of the overlying crust, suggesting that layer B represents the unmodified SCLM stabilised during the Paleoarchean. Underlying layer C (at 180–250 km depths) is the main source of Ti-rich pyropes of megacrystic composition but is lacking harzburgitic pyropes. The osmium isotopic composition of layer C xenoliths is more radiogenic compared to layer B, yielding only Proterozoic T_RD ages. Layer C is interpreted to represent a melt metasomatised equivalent to layer B. This metasomatism most likely occurred at ca. 2.0 Ga when the present craton margin formed following continental break-up. Shallow layer A (at  60–110 km depth) has knife-sharp lower contact against layer B indicative of shear zone and episodic construction of SCLM. Layer A peridotites have “ultradepleted” arc mantle-type compositions, and have been metasomatised by radiogenic ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os, presumably from slab-derived fluids. Since layer A is absent in the core of the craton, its origin can be related to Proterozoic processes at the craton margin. We interpret it to represent the lithosphere of a Proterozoic arc complex (subduction wedge mantle) that became underthrusted beneath the craton margin crust during continental collision  1.9 Ga ago.     

Die Schwerewirkungen eines elliptischen Zylindersegmentes

Summary A method has been derived for computing the gravity effect of a segment of an infinite homogeneous elliptical cylinder. The initial data was represented by formulae expressing the components of the field of gravity of a homogeneous two-dimensional body by means of line integrals. The method is based on the integration of theln R function over the boundary of the cross-section of the attracting body, R being the distance from a fixed point in which the gravity effect is determined. The problem was solved in confocal co-ordinates.     

Schlierenoptische Untersuchungen der kinematischen und dynamischen Parameter von Oberflächenwellen

Summary An attempt was made to apply the Schlieren method for the investigation of kinematic and dynamic parameters of surface waves. The wave field generated by an exploding wire was studied in two-dimesional plexiglas models of a half space. Travel-time curves of the observed wave groups are given. Densitograms of surface waves obtained by microphotometric profiling parallel or perpendicular to the direction of the wave propagation enable to estimate the horizontal or vertical components of compressional stresses forming these waves.