The Phase Space Structure Around L4 in the Restricted Three-Body Problem

The phase space structure around L ₄ in the restricted three-body problem is investigated. The connection between the long period family emanating from L ₄ and the very complex structure of the stability region is shown by using the method of Poincarés surface of section. The zero initial velocity stability region around L ₄ is determined by using a method based on the calculation of finite-time Lyapunov characteristic numbers. It is shown that the boundary of the stability region in the configuration space is formed by orbits suffering slow chaotic diffusion.     

Multivariate analysis of landscape wildfire dynamics in a Mediterranean ecosystem of Greece

This paper focuses on spatial distribution of long-term fire patterns versus physical and anthropogenic elements of the environment that determine wildfire dynamics in Greece. Logistic regression and correspondence analysis were applied in a spatial database that had been developed and managed within a Geographic Information System. Cartographic fire data were statistically correlated with basic physical and human geography factors (geomorphology, climate, land use and human activities) to estimate the degree of their influence at landscape scale. Land cover types of natural and agricultural vegetation were the most influential factors for explaining landscape wildfire dynamics in conjunction with topography and grazing.     

Impacts of simultaneous action of drought and overpumping on Quaternary aquifers of Glafkos basin (Patras region, western Greece)

 The Glafkos river basin extends southeast of Patras and is the city's main groundwater reservoir. In the last few years, a steady decline of the groundwater level has been observed in 19 wells due to overpumping and prolonged drought periods. The present paper assesses the adverse simultaneous effects of drought and overpumping on the groundwater regime. Analysis of the rainfall data of the last 60 years shows a decrease of precipitation during the last decade. Runoff measurements show a decrease in the outflow of the Glafkos river. The increased water pumping and the decrease of recharge during the last decades have resulted in depletion of the aquifers. Chemical analyses showed a constant reduction of the groundwater quality. Comparison of piezometric maps of two periods with a 19-year interval shows a clear decline of the general piezometry as a result of overpumping and drought. Received: 11 January 1995 · Accepted: 21 November 1995     

Universal properties of escape in dynamical systems

This paper summarizes a numerical study of the escape properties of three two-dimensional, time-independent potentials possessing different symmetries. It was found, for all three cases, that (i) there is a rather abrupt transition in the behaviour of the late-time probability of escape, when the value of a coupling parameter, , exceeds a critical value, 2. For e > e2, it was found that (ii) the escape probability manifests an initial convergence towards a nearly time-independent value, p _o(), which exhibits a simple scaling that may be universal. However, (iii) at later times the escape probability slowly decays to zero as a power-law function of time. Finally, it was found that (iv) in a statistical sense, orbits that escape from the system at late times tend to have short time Lyapounov exponents which are lower than for orbits that escape at early times.     

The summer maximum in total ozone over northwest Europe

Station records of ozone observations have been critically reviewed to investigate the reality of the reported maximum in total ozone over northwest Europe in July. The existence of a longitudinal excess of ozone over the British Isles is confirmed but strong horizontal gradients can be verified only over central Europe and there is no evidence for east-west gradients over the Atlantic. Ozone sounding data as well as total ozone daily variability make it most plausible that the ozone excess over northwest Europe is confined to the lower stratosphere. The isopleths in the region of strong ozone gradients are parallel to the mean flow at 100 mb as required by the calculated constraint on the magnitude of the mean flow advection. It is proposed that analyses of the ozone distribution over oceanic areas could be improved by extending ozone isopleths parallel to the mean lower stratospheric flow from land areas where the pattern is better defined.     

The grey-green divide: multi-temporal analysis of greenness across 10,000 urban centres derived from the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL)

ABSTRACT

The presence of green spaces within city centres has been recognized as a valuable component of the city landscape. Vegetation provides a variety of benefits including energy saving, improved air quality, reduced noise pollution, decreased ambient temperature and psychological restoration. Evidence also shows that the amount of vegetation, known as ‘greenness’, in densely populated areas, can also be an indicator of the relative wealth of a neighbourhood. The ‘grey-green divide’, the contrast between built-up areas with a dominant grey colour and green spaces, is taken as a proxy indicator of sustainable management of cities and planning of urban growth. Consistent and continuous assessment of greenness in cities is therefore essential for monitoring progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11. The availability of multi-temporal greenness information from Landsat data archives together with data derived from the city centres database of the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) initiative, offers a unique perspective to quantify and analyse changes in greenness across 10,323 urban centres all around the globe. In this research, we assess differences between greenness within and outside the built-up area for all the urban centres described by the city centres database of the GHSL. We also analyse changes in the amount of green space over time considering changes in the built-up areas in the periods 1990, 2000 and 2014. The results show an overall trend of increased greenness between 1990 and 2014 in most cities. The effect of greening is observed also for most of the 32 world megacities. We conclude that using simple yet effective approaches exploiting open and free global data it is possible to provide quantitative information on the greenness of cities and its changes over time. This information is of direct interest for urban planners and decision-makers to mitigate urban related environmental and social impacts.     

Multivariate statistical analysis for the assessment of groundwater quality under different hydrogeological regimes

Multivariate statistical analysis has been widely used for hydrogeochemical characterization of groundwater quality. In this study, hydrochemical data from three hydrological basins were used and two methods (factor and cluster analyses) were applied. The first area is the coastal area of Eastern Thermaikos Gulf where groundwater is influenced by seawater intrusion and geothermal fluids. The other two areas are the inland basins of Gallikos and Perdikas in which agricultural and industrial activities constitute the main anthropogenic pollution sources of groundwater. Initially, the aforementioned methods were applied for each area separately and resulted in a different number of significant factors and clusters, while the natural and anthropogenic influences were spatially determined in each area. Additionally, factor and cluster analyses were applied coupling data from all areas. Therefore, five clusters and three major factors were determined distinguishing the hydrochemical processes and impacts from anthropogenic activities in more detail. It is worth mentioning that the application of cluster analysis in the coupled groundwater samples of all studied areas resulted beneficially in the most hydrochemically complex area. Salinization dominates in the coastal area, while in Gallikos and Perdikas basins high concentrations of NO₃ occur mainly due to agricultural activities and small livestock units. The numerous hydrochemical samples are identified as the main issue for the higher discretization and reliability of the second approach. Nevertheless, this study is associated with a number of limitations of multivariable statistical analysis regarding extreme concentrations of Cl and Na. This issue stimulates further research in overcoming and understanding these drawbacks.     

Biological Test for the Detection of Low Concentrations of Infectious Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts in Water

An in vivo SCID mouse infectivity assay was used to determine its capacity to detect the infectivity of low concentrations of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in water. This biological test can be applied to demonstrate oocysts infectivity in water samples derived from drinking water supply and/or environmental sources.     

Optimum seismic design of reinforced concrete frames according to Eurocode 8 and fib Model Code 2010

Traditional seismic design, like the one adopted in Eurocode 8 (EC8), is force‐based and examining a single level of seismic action. In order to provide improved control of structural damage for different levels of seismic action, the new fib Model Code 2010 (MC2010) includes a fully fledged displacement‐based and performance‐based seismic design methodology. However, the level of complexity and computational effort of the MC2010 methodology is significantly increased. Hence, the use of automated optimization techniques for obtaining cost‐effective design solutions becomes appealing if not necessary. This study employs genetic algorithms to derive and compare optimum seismic design solutions of reinforced concrete frames according to EC8 and MC2010. This is important because MC2010 is meant to serve as a basis for future seismic design codes. It is found that MC2010 drives to more cost‐effective solutions than EC8 for regions of low seismicity and better or similar costs for regions of moderate seismicity. For high‐seismicity regions, MC2010 may yield similar or increased structural costs. This depends strongly on the provisions adopted for selecting the set of ground motions. In all cases, MC2010 provides enhanced control of structural damage. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial patterns of biodiversity in the Black Sea: An assessment using benthic polychaetes

The current study broadens the biodiversity information available for the Black Sea and neighbouring regions and improves our knowledge about the polychaete biogeographic patterns to be discerned in them. There appears to be a well-defined zoogeocline from the Marmara Sea and Bosphorus Strait to the inner parts of the region (Azov Sea), depicted both as a multivariate pattern and in terms of species (or taxa) numbers. The emergent multivariate pattern complies, to a certain extent, with Jakubova’s (1935) views: three main sectors can be defined in the basin: (a) Prebosphoric, (b) the Black Sea and, (c) the Azov Sea, whereas the Bosphorus Strait and Marmara Sea show less faunal affinities with the afore-mentioned sectors. Patterns derived both from the cosmopolitan and Atlanto-Mediterranean species closely follow the one coming from the polychaete species and genera inventories. As a general trend, species numbers decrease along with the decrease in salinity towards the inner parts of the region. The trend is homologous to that seen in the benthic invertebrate inventories of all the major European semi-enclosed regional seas. Salinity and food availability appear to be the dominant abiotic factors correlated, though weakly, with the various patterns deriving from the taxonomic/zoogeographic categories. With the exception of the Anatolia, polychaete inventories from all sectors appear to be random samples of the total inventory of the region, in terms of taxonomic distinctness values. Therefore, these sectoral inventories can be used for future biodiversity/environmental impact assessment studies. A massive invasion of Mediterranean species after the opening of the Black Sea, in the lower Quaternary period, appears to be the likely biogeographic mechanism through which the old Sarmatic fauna was almost completely replaced by species of marine origin.