The actualization of neoliberal space and the loss of housing affordability in Santa Monica,California

This paper reveals the contingent aspect associated with the actualization of a neoliberal space. The paper examines the material, institutional, and economic conditions necessary for a neoliberal agenda to transform its urban policy objectives into a material reality. The study follows changes in housing conditions in Santa Monica, California from 1990 to 2008. During this period, the confluence of three sets of events led to the actualization of a neoliberal space. First, housing damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake removed “dead capital” from the housing sector. Second, subsequent administrative actions at the local level and more importantly deregulation legislation at the state level eliminated rent control regulations and created market incentives that favored upscale development. Finally, the state’s economic recovery generated a substantial flow of private investments into the real estate market. These combined factors led not only to the dismantling of affordable housing in Santa Monica, but also to the erosion of residents’ and local authorities’ ability to manage housing choices and, consequently, to a historic restructuring of Santa Monica’s physical and social space. These changes had a disproportionately and negative effect on low-income and minority renters.     

Isotopic and chemical variation of organic nanoglobules in primitive meteorites

Organic nanoglobules are microscopic spherical carbon‐rich objects present in chondritic meteorites and other astromaterials. We performed a survey of the morphology, organic functional chemistry, and isotopic composition of 184 nanoglobules in insoluble organic matter (IOM) residues from seven primitive carbonaceous chondrites. Hollow and solid nanoglobules occur in each IOM residue, as well as globules with unusual shapes and structures. Most nanoglobules have an organic functional chemistry similar to, but slightly more carboxyl‐rich than, the surrounding IOM, while a subset of nanoglobules have a distinct, highly aromatic functionality. The range of nanoglobule N isotopic compositions was similar to that of nonglobular ¹⁵N‐rich hotspots in each IOM residue, but nanoglobules account for only about one third of the total ¹⁵N‐rich hotspots in each sample. Furthermore, many nanoglobules in each residue contained no ¹⁵N enrichment above that of bulk IOM. No morphological indicators were found to robustly distinguish the highly aromatic nanoglobules from those that have a more IOM‐like functional chemistry, or to distinguish ¹⁵N‐rich nanoglobules from those that are isotopically normal. The relative abundance of aromatic nanoglobules was lower, and nanoglobule diameters were greater, in more altered meteorites, suggesting the creation/modification of IOM‐like nanoglobules during parent‐body processing. However, ¹⁵N‐rich nanoglobules, including many with highly aromatic functional chemistry, likely reflect preaccretionary isotopic fractionation in cold molecular cloud or protostellar environments. These data indicate that no single formation mechanism can explain all of the observed characteristics of nanoglobules, and their properties are likely a result of multiple processes occurring in a variety of environments.     

THE LOOP CHONDRITE: PETROLOGY,MINERAL CHEMISTRY,AND OPAQUE MINERALOGY

The Loop meteorite was found in 1962 in Gaines County, Texas, at a location very close to that where the Ashmore chondrite was found in 1969. The two specimens were assumed to be fragments of the same meteorite. The Loop meteorite is a type L6 chondrite composed of olivine (Fo_75.4Fa_24.6), orthopyroxene (En_77.6Wo_1.5Fs_20.9), clinopyroxene (En_47.5Wo_45.1Fs_7.4), plagioclase (Ab_84.3Or_5.5An_10.2), Fe-Ni metal, troilite, and chromite. Fe-Ni metal is represented by kamacite (5.8-6.4 wt % Ni, 0.88-1.00 wt % Co), taenite (30.0–52.9 wt % Ni, 0.16-0.34 wt % Co), and plessite (16.8–28.5 wt % Ni, 0.38-0.54 wt % Co). Native copper occurs as rare inclusions in Fe-Ni metal. Both chondrules and matrix have similar mineral compositions. The mineral chemistry of the Loop meteorite is quite different from that of the Ashmore, which was classified as an H5 chondrite by Bryan and Kullerud (1975). Therefore, the Ashmore and Loop meteorites are two different chondrites, even though they were recovered from the same geographic location.     

Sensitivity analysis of the SWMM Runoff-Transport parameters and the effects of catchment discretisation

The use of the SWMM model to simulate the Runoff-Transport phenomenon necessitates the proper calibration of the different parameters involved in the process and the effect of these parameters on the routed hydrograph. A detailed sensitivity analysis is conducted on the main parameters of the Runoff-Transport Blocks to establish which are the most sensitive parameters affecting the Runoff-Transport simulation. The result of the study indicates a relative influence of the major parameters used in both the Runoff and Transport Blocks. Hence, the SWMM default values can be used adequately.The costs of setting up and running a SWMM simulation are largely determined by the level of discretisation used for a particular catchment. The purpose of this part of the study is to investigate the level of discretisation needed to adequately represent an urban watershed and to illustrate the effects of reducing the number of subcatchments on the accuracy of runoff simulation. A methodology is defined to achieve a representative equivalent catchment from theoretical considerations. Verification of the procedures involved a series of applications on both hypothetical and real areas.     

Southernmost outcrops of marine lower Tertiary carbonate rocks in NE-Africa (Gebel Abyad,Sudan)

Early Tertiary carbonates (Gebel Abyad Formation) are described from an isolated limestone plateau from the northwestern Sudan. They represent the southernmost outskirts of marine, Tertiary sediments in northeast Africa, which can be connected with transgressive/regressive cycles of the Tethys onto the African craton. Microfacies studies of the carbonates yielded exclusively shallow marine sediments which dried up temporarily, and with changing rates of terrigenous input. They contain a low diverse fauna and flora, poor in individuals. The paleogeographic reconstruction of this isolated occurrence was possible by comparing sediments from southern Egypt.

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Zusammenfassung Aus dem nordwestlichen Sudan werden alttertiäre Karbonate (Gebel Abyad Formation) beschrieben, die ein isoliertes Vorkommen darstellen. Diese repräsentieren die südlichsten marinen tertiären Ablagerungen in Nordost-Afrika, die mit transgressiv/regressiven Zyklen der Tethys auf den afrikanischen Kraton in Verbindung gebracht werden können. Die mikrofaziell bearbeiteten Kalke stellen ausschlie\lich flachmarine Ablagerungen dar, mit Anzeichen für zeitweiliges Trockenfallen, und wechselnden Anteilen terrigener Zufuhr. Sie enthalten eine gering-diverse, individuenarme Fauna und Flora. Faziell vergleichbare Ablagerungen in Südägypten lassen eine Rekonstruktion dieses isolierten Kalkvorkommens zu einem paläogeographischen Modell zu.

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Résumé Cette note décrit des roches carbonatées d'âge tertiaire inférieur (formation du Jebel Abyad) qui font partie d'un plateau isolé dans le nord-ouest du Soudan. Elles représentent l'extension méridionale maximale de la sédimentation marine tertiaire dans le nord-est de l'Afrique, sédimentation qui peut Être reliée aux cycles de transgressionsrégressions de la Téthys sur le bloc continental africain. L'étude des microfacies amène à les identifier comme des dépÔts marins de faible profondeur, temporairement asséchés et mÊlés d'apports terrigènes en quantité variable. Ils renferment une flore et une faune pauvres en espèces et en individus. La comparaison avec des sédiments du Sud égyptien permet de les intégrer dans un modèle paléogéographique.

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Rhondonite solubility and thermodynamic properties of aqueous MnCl2 in the system MnOSiO2HClH2O

The solubility of rhodonite, represented by the reaction MnSiO₃ (rhodonite) + 2HCl⁰ = MnCl₂⁰ + SiO₂ (quartz) + H₂O, was investigated experimentally in the temperature range 400°–700°C at 1 and 2 kbar by rapid-quench hydrothermal techniques and the Ag-AgCl buffer methods. Variations in the molalities of associated hydrogen chloride (m_HCl⁰) as a function of the molalities of total Mn indicate that Mn in the fluid in equilibrium with the assemblage rhodonite + quartz is predominantly associated as MnCl₂⁰. The Mn:Cl in the fluid ?2, indicating that Mn⁺² is the dominant oxidation state.The solubility data were used to calculate the equilibrium constant of the above reaction as a function of temperature, pressure, and the difference in Gibbs free energy of formation between MnCl₂⁰ and HCl⁰. The equilibrium constants of solubility for Mn minerals for which thermochemical data are available were also calculated. Calculated mineral solubilities were used in conjunction with the data of Frantz et al. (1981) to calculate the composition of supercritical fluids in equilibrium with Mn-bearing phases and assemblages. At 400°C and 1000 bars, supercritical fluids in equilibrium with olivines of compositions similar to those present in MORB tend to be enriched in Mn, despite the low mole fraction of tephroite in the olivine. Supercritical fluids in equilibrium with the assemblage quartz-hematite-rhodonite at 500° and 400°C and 1000 bars show high concentrations of Mn relative to Fe. Manganese concentrations in the fluids increase with decrease in the mole fraction of H, whereas Fe concentrations decrease. The data indicate that H fugacity plays a significant role in the separation of Mn from Fe in chloride-bearing hydrothermal fluids at supercritical temperatures.     

Response of a circular cylindrical shell to disturbances in a half-space

The response of a circular cylindrical shell to disturbances in an elastic half-space is the subject of this paper. Two methods of solution are presented. The first is a method of matched asymptotic expansions, and the second is a method of successive reflections.     

Three-Dimensional Back-Analysis of an Instrumented Shallow Tunnel Excavated by a Conventional Method

The excavation of a shallow tunnel induces deformations of the soil volume in the vicinity and above the tunnel and consequently on the nearby buildings. The range of these deformations depends among other on the geological conditions, the geometry of the tunnel, and the excavation method. In this context, this research focuses on the 3D numerical modeling of a shallow tunnel instrumented during its construction, located on the Toulouse (France) subway line B for which the excavation has been carried out in a conventional manner in an over consolidated molassic geological context. The objective of this analysis is to estimate the tunnel behavior in terms of vertical and horizontal movements of the surrounding soil and the deformations of the existing buildings. The explicit finite differences numerical code FLAC^3D is used to model the various implementation phases of the work where the fluid–soil interaction is taken into account through an undrained coupled analysis. The results of this 3D model are compared to those of the in situ measurements in order to validate the geotechnical characteristics of the molasses. The latter are a useful basis for the back-analysis of the different monitoring sections implemented in areas where the tunnel excavation is made by TBM with pressurized front.     

Hydrogeochemistry and geothermometry of thermal springs from the Guelma region,Algeria

This paper reports the results of our studies, the chemical analysis of thermal spring’s waters and their geological settings, the use of different statistical methods to evaluate the origin of the dissolved constituents of spring waters and the estimation of the reservoir temperature of the associated geothermal fields of the Guelma region, Algeria. A major component in 13 spring water samples was analyzed using various techniques. The waters of the thermal springs at Guelma basin vary in temperature between 20 and 94oC. Q-mode hierarchical cluster analysis suggests three groups. The water springs were classified as low, moderate and high salinity. Mineral saturation indices (SI) calculated from major ions indicate the spring waters are supersaturated with the most of the carbonate minerals, and all of the spring water samples are under-saturated with evaporite minerals. The thermal spring waters have a meteoric origin, and all samples are immature with strong mixing between warm and shallow waters, where the temperatures of reservoirs to which the thermal waters are related ranged between 64° and 124°C. The deep circulation of meteoric waters in the study area is supplied by the high geothermal gradient around 4.5°C per 100 m and reaches a high temperature before rising to the surface. The estimated circulation depths ranged from 1425 and 3542 m.     

Impact des rejets urbains et industriels sur la qualité des eaux de la plaine de la Meboudja (Algérie)

Un site aquifère contaminé, situé en bordure de l’oued Meboudja (Annaba, Algérie), a été caractérisé en mettant en place une surveillance de la qualité des eaux de surface et souterraines affectées par les nombreux rejets industriels et urbains sur une période de 11 ans (1999?2009). Les déchets industriels sont déposés directement sur le sol et les effluents sont déversés dans l’oued Meboudja sans aucun traitement préalable. Les eaux souterraines présentent une conductivité électrique élevée (de 1000 à 6000 μS/cm), de fortes teneurs en chlorure et en sodium avec respectivement un maximum de 1400 et 730 mg/L. Partant des résultats de l’analyse en composantes principales effectuée sur 33 puits en juillet 2009, les trois principaux processus responsables de l’évolution chimique observée au niveau de l’aquifère ont été identifiés: (a) l’apport salifère du lac Fetzara et le lessivage des formations métamorphiques carbonatées (responsables de l’augmentation de la minéralisation) ; (b) l’alimentation de la nappe par les eaux de l’oued Meboudja, recevant de nombreux polluants industriels (responsable des fortes teneurs en fer et en manganèse) ; et (c) l’utilisation des produits chimiques dans l’agriculture (responsable de l’augmentation des teneurs en nitrates). Les fortes minéralisations sont enregistrées notamment dans les puits situés à proximité des rejets industriels. En outre, de fortes concentrations métalliques en fer et en manganèse sont observées dans les eaux de l’oued. L’évolution de ces deux éléments dans les eaux de la nappe au cours d’un cycle hydrologique montre que l’augmentation des teneurs est liée notamment à une réalimentation de la nappe par l’oued et à une mauvaise oxygénation de la nappe. L’existence de niveaux argileux peut en effet jouer le rôle d’écran en surface et favoriser les conditions réductrices dans la nappe. La Meboudja agit par conséquent comme une source diffuse de contaminants tout au long de son parcours. Les caractéristiques hydrodynamiques de l’aquifère ont été estimées à l’aide de l’interprétation des données des pompages d’essai effectués dans plus d’une dizaine de puits. Des modèles d’écoulement et de transport de polluants ont été élaborés en utilisant le code MODFLOW-MT3D. L’ampleur de la migration des contaminants a été évaluée pendant une période de 11 ans (1999?2009). L’interaction oued-nappe est considérée comme responsable de la migration des contaminants dans la plaine de la Meboudja.

EDITEUR Z. W. Kundzewicz

EDITEUR ASSOCIÉ C. Leduc