Equilibrium and Stability of Prominence Flux Ropes

Realistic models of solar prominence flux ropes are numerically constructed. The models are in 2.5 dimensions, including the effects of non-isothermal temperature, density and gravity, and pressure. Stability of the equilibria to pressure- and gravity-driven instabilities is numerically investigated, using the ballooning formalism of fusion plasma theory. The equilibrium models can become unstable to pressure- and gravity-driven modes at plasma parameters characteristic of prominences.     

Early warning system for rainfall-triggered landslides based on real-time probabilistic hazard assessment

Natural Hazards - A methodology to define rainfall-landslide thresholds, using a probabilistic model in which the accumulated rainfall at any time is treated as a random variable, is proposed. The...     

Radon and thoron content in atmospheric air at Giza,Egypt

Summary The radon and thoron content in atmospheric air at Giza was determined through the period from January (1958 to July 1959) by using the emanometrical technique. The concentration of radon and its decay products was equal to (88±4) 10^–18 Curie/c.c. and that of thoron and its decay products was equal to (51±11) 10^–18 Curie/c.c.     

Air pollution hazard assessment using decision tree algorithms and bivariate probability cluster polar function: evaluating inter-correlation clusters of PM10 and other air pollutants

ABSTRACT

The automated classification of ambient air pollutants is an important task in air pollution hazard assessment and life quality research. In the current study, machine learning (ML) algorithms are used to identify the inter-correlation between dominant air pollution index (API) for PM10 percentile values and other major air pollutants in order to detect the vital pollutants’ clusters in ambient monitoring data around the study area. Two air quality stations, CA0016 and CA0054, were selected for this research due to their strategic locations. Non-linear RPart and Tree model of Decision Tree (DT) algorithm within the R programming environment were adopted for classification analysis. The pollutants’ respective significance to PM10 occurrence was evaluated using Random forest (RF) of DT algorithms and K means polar cluster function identified and grouped similar features, and also detected vital clusters in ambient monitoring data around the industrial areas. Results show increase in the number of clusters did not significantly alter results. PM10 generally shows a reduction in trend, especially in SW direction and an overall minimal reduction in the pollutants’ concentration in all directions is observed (less than 1). Fluctuations were observed in the behaviors of CO and NO_x during the day while NOx displayed relative stability. Results also show that a direct and positive linear relationship exists between the PM10 (target pollutant) and CO, SO₂, which suggests that these pollutants originate from the same sources. A semi-linear relationship is observed between the PM10 and others (O₃ and NO_x) while humidity shows a negative linearity with PM10. We conclude that most of the major pollutants show a positive trend toward the industrial areas in both stations while tra?c emissions dominate this site (CA0016) for CO and NOx. Potential applications of nuggets of information derived from these results in reducing air pollution and ensuring sustainability within the city are also discussed. Results from this study are expected to provide valuable information to decision makers to implement viable strategies capable of mitigating air pollution effects.     

Reliability‐based control algorithms for nonlinear hysteretic systems based on enhanced stochastic averaging of energy envelope

Current reliability‐based control techniques have been successfully applied to linear systems; however, incorporation of stochastic nonlinear behavior of systems in such control designs remains a challenge. This paper presents two reliability‐based control algorithms that minimize failure probabilities of nonlinear hysteretic systems subjected to stochastic excitations. The proposed methods include constrained reliability‐based control (CRC) and unconstrained reliability‐based control (URC) algorithms. Accurate probabilistic estimates of nonlinear system responses to stochastic excitations are derived analytically using enhanced stochastic averaging of energy envelope proposed previously by the authors. Convolving these demand estimates with capacity models yields the reliability of nonlinear systems in the control design process. The CRC design employs the first‐level and second‐level optimizations sequentially where the first‐level optimization solves the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation and the second‐level optimization searches for optimal objective function parameters to minimize the probability of failure. In the URC design, a single optimization minimizes the probability of failure by directly searching for the optimal control gain. Application of the proposed control algorithms to a building on nonlinear foundation has shown noticeable improvements in system performance under various stochastic excitations. The URC design appears to be the most optimal method as it reduced the probability of slight damage to 8.7%, compared with 11.6% and 19.2% for the case of CRC and a stochastic linear quadratic regulator, respectively. Under the Kobe ground motion, the normalized peak drift displacement with respect to stochastic linear quadratic regulator is reduced to 0.78 and 0.81 for the URC and CRC cases, respectively, at comparable control force levels. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Strike-slip faults parallel to crustal spreading axes: data from Iceland and the Afar Depression

Slickenside studies in regions of crustal spreading such as Iceland and the Afar Depression, East Africa, reveal that a significant number of faults parallel and close to rift axes are strike-slip rather than normal. Therefore, the pattern of brittle deformation in these regions does not conform to the classic two-dimensional schemes of oceanic tectonics and pre-oceanic rifting. Dip-slip and strike-slip faulting presumably alternated along or in the vicinity of spreading axes, indicate a varying stress field and a combination of transverse and longitudinal movements. In Iceland, strike-slip faults parallel to rifts are observed both west and east of the rift system as well as in a median area between overlapping rifts; the mechanisms proposed for their origin include accommodation of oblique convergence or divergence of crustal sections due to variations of spreading directions along axis and the interaction of overlapping rifts. In the Afar Depression this kind of fault is recorded west of the rift of Asal and can be imputed to reflect an interaction among rifts in the vicinity of the Afar triple junction. Rift-parallel strike-slip faults cannot however be assumed to be a feature of all crustal spreading axes due to the peculiarity of the examined regions: both of them are hot-spot areas and the Afar Depression lies at a triple junction.     

Identification of probable groundwater paths in the Amargosa Desert vicinity

In this study, the hydrogeochemical program PHREEQC was used to determine the chemical speciation and mineral saturation indices (SIs) of groundwater in the vicinity of the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada (USA). In turn, these data were used to interpret the origin and recharge mode of groundwater, to elucidate the mechanisms of flow and transport, and to determine potential sources of groundwater contamination. PHREEQC was run to determine aqueous dissolved species and minerals that would be in equilibrium with the study area’s groundwater. Selected major ions, associated SI, F⁻ and Ca/Na ion exchange were then examined using the multivariate statistical methods of principal component factor analysis and k-means cluster analysis. Analysis of dissolved ion concentrations, SIs, and Ca/Na ion exchange allows simultaneous consideration of arithmetic (raw concentrations) and logarithmic (SI, ion exchange) variables that describe the hydrochemical system and, therefore, can provide further insight into the system’s behavior. The analysis indicates that the dominant processes and reactions responsible for the hydrochemical evolution in the system are (1) evaporative concentration prior to infiltration, (2) carbonate equilibrium, (3) silicate weathering reactions, (4) limited mixing with saline water, (5) dissolution/precipitation of calcite, dolomite and fluorite, and (6) ion exchange. Principal component factor analysis and k-means cluster analysis of factor scores allow the reduction of dimensions describing the system and the identification of hydrogeochemical facies and the processes that defined and govern their evolution.Statistical analysis results indicate that the northern, west face and southern Yucca Mountain groundwater is fresh water with low concentrations of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, Ca²⁺/(Na⁺)², and CaF₂. The Fortymile Wash groundwater is dilute. The carbonate signature is shown in the Ash Meadows and Death Valley waters with high fluorite SI. Finally, the Crater Flat, Stripped Hills, and Skeleton Hills are dominated by Ca/Na ion exchange, Mg and Ca. The hydrochemical and statistical analyses showed three main groundwater signatures or hydrochemical processes indicating groundwater evolution, potential flowpaths, and recharge areas. The flowpaths are the trace of the Amargosa River, the trace of Fortymile Wash, and its convergence with the Amargosa River. This appears to represent not just a groundwater flow path, but traces of surface runoff infiltration as well.     

Time-series maps of aboveground biomass in dipterocarps forests of Malaysia from PALSAR and PALSAR-2 polarimetric data

Background

Malaysia typically suffers from frequent cloud cover, hindering spatially consistent reporting of deforestation and forest degradation, which limits the accurate reporting of carbon loss and CO₂ emissions for reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) intervention. This study proposed an approach for accurate and consistent measurements of biomass carbon and CO₂ emissions using a single L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor system. A time-series analysis of aboveground biomass (AGB) using the PALSAR and PALSAR-2 systems addressed a number of critical questions that have not been previously answered. A series of PALSAR and PALSAR-2 mosaics over the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015 and 2016 were used to (i) map the forest cover, (ii) quantify the rate of forest loss, (iii) establish prediction equations for AGB, (iv) quantify the changes of carbon stocks and (v) estimate CO₂ emissions (and removal) in the dipterocarps forests of Peninsular Malaysia.

Results

This study found that the annual rate of deforestation within inland forests in Peninsular Malaysia was 0.38% year^?1 and subsequently caused a carbon loss of approximately 9 million Mg C year^?1, which is equal to emissions of 33 million Mg CO₂ year^?1, within the ten-year observation period. Spatially explicit maps of AGB over the dipterocarps forests in the entire Peninsular Malaysia were produced. The RMSE associated with the AGB estimation was approximately 117 Mg ha^?1, which is equal to an error of 29.3% and thus an accuracy of approximately 70.7%.

Conclusion

The PALSAR and PALSAR-2 systems offer a great opportunity for providing consistent data acquisition, cloud-free images and wall-to-wall coverage for monitoring since at least the past decade. We recommend the proposed method and findings of this study be considered for MRV in REDD+?implementation in Malaysia.

     

Source and origin of glacial paleovalley-fill sediments (Upper Ordovician) of Sarah Formation in central Saudi Arabia

A study was carried out on the combination of petrographies, geochemistry (major and trace), weathering and the digenesis of 31 sandstones samples to determine their provenance and depositional tectonic setting of sedimentary basins. Based on the composition of Detrital grains (point counting), most of the Sarah sandstones were classified as quartz arenites types (99% on an average). The petrographic data indicated that the resultant mature sandstones are derived from recycled and craton interior tectonic provenance. Tectonic setting discrimination diagrams based on major elements suggest that sandstones were deposited in a passive margin and polycyclic continental tectonic setting. The relationship between K₂O/Na₂O ratio and SiO₂ showed that the Sarah sandstone samples fall into the passive margin field. The chemical index of alteration (CIA?=?63.84%) of sandstones suggested moderate weathering or reworking in the area. The concentration of trace elements indicates that the sediments were probably derived from the mixed sedimentary-meta sedimentary provenance and changes in sedimentary process due to climatic variations. The main diagenetic events were in the form of cements, which occur as grain coats and as pore fillings. An integrated approach showed that the parent area of paleovalley-fill sediment is probably a complex of granite, metasedimentary and pre-existing sedimentary rocks.