Wave Generation from Explosions in Rock Cavities

—?We have developed a measurement method to monitor P- and S-waves generated from laboratory-scale explosions in meter-sized rock samples at a series of stations, as well as invented a device to drill spherical cavities in rock, with diameters up to 10?centimeters. We applied these to experiments in Bedford limestone in which spherical/cylindrical explosives (0.2 to 1.9?g) were centrally placed in 1.2- to 3-cm diameter cavities. Stress waves generated by the explosions were recorded within a radius of 25?cm. The radial stress wave records and post-explosion studies demonstrate that S-waves are generated from explosions in cavities as a result of both wave mode-conversion from the cavity wall and crack propagation in rocks. The experimental results of wave generation from the explosions in spherical and cylindrical cavities demonstrate the cavity geometrical effect on the resulting wave pattern. The P- and S-waves generated by explosions and crack propagation in rocks are analyzed. A simple analytic model for P-wave generation is proposed to explain the differences of P-wave-induced displacement histories between the observed waveforms and those predicted by a step-pressure source. Generally, the qualitative predictions of this model fit the observations. The present results demonstrate the importance of rock cracking and cavities in P- and S-wave generation.     

The Extraction of Urban Surface Water from Hyperspectral Data Based on Spectral Indices

To prevent confusion between water and buildings in the extraction of urban surface water from hyperspectral data, we analyzed the spectra of shadows and water in hyperspectral images, and proposed an anti-shadow water extraction method. This method first uses the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for initial water extraction, then uses the height of the reflectance peak at 588 nm to eliminate the shadow of buildings. The method was validated by two hyperspectral datacubes, which were obtained for Jiaxing City and Zhoushan City in Zhejiang Province, China. Compared to the common spectral indices used to extract a water body, such as the NDVI, normalized difference water index, hyperspectral difference water index, and index of water index, the proposed method could effectively eliminate the shadow of buildings. The commission error reduced from more than 40% to about 15%, and the Kappa coefficient was increased from 60 and 70% to over 80% for the two datacubes. This indicated that the proposed method can inhibit the shadow of buildings and does not have a regional dependence.     

Uranium and thorium series nuclides in oriented ferromanganese nodules: growth rates,turnover times and nuclide behavior

Three ferromanganese nodules handpicked from the tops of 2500 cm² area box cores taken from the north equatorial Pacific have been analysed for their U-Th series nuclides.²³⁰Th_exc concentrations in the surface 1–2 mm of the top side of the nodules indicate growth rates of 1.8–4.6 mm/10⁶ yr. In two of the nodules a significant discontinuity in the²³⁰Th_exc depth profile has been observed at ～0.3 m.y. ago, suggesting that the nodule growth has been episodic. The concentration profiles of²³¹Pa_exc (measured via²²⁷Th) yield growth rates similar to the²³⁰Th_exc data. The bottom sides of the nodules display exponential decrease of²³⁰Th_exc/²³²Th activity ratio with depth, yielding growth rates of 1.5–3.3 mm/10⁶ yr.The²³⁰Th_exc and²³¹Pa_exc concentrations in the outermost layer of the bottom face are significantly lower than in the outermost layer of the top face. Comparison of the extrapolated²³⁰Th_exc/²³²Th and²³⁰Th_exc/²³¹Pa_exc activity ratios for the top and bottom surfaces yields an “age” of (5?15) × 10⁴ yr for the bottom relative to the top. This “age” most probably represents the time elapsed since the nodules have attained the present orientation.The²¹⁰Pb concentration in the surface ～0.1 mm of the top side is in large excess over its parent²²⁶Ra. Elsewhere in the nodule, up to ～1 mm depth in both top and bottom sides,²¹⁰Pb is deficient relative to²²⁶Ra, probably due to²²²Rn loss. The absence of²¹⁰Pb_exc below the outermost layer of the top face rules out the possibility of a sampling artifact as the cause of the observed exponentially decreasing²³⁰Th_exc and²³¹Pa_exc concentration profiles. The flux of²¹⁰Pb_exc to the nodules ranges between 0.31 and 0.58 dpm/cm² yr. The exhalation rate of²²²Rn, estimated from the²²⁶Ra-²¹⁰Pb disequilibrium is ～570 dpm/cm² yr from the top side and >2000 dpm/cm² yr from the bottom side.²²⁶Ra is deficient in the top side relative to²³⁰Th up to ～0.5–1 mm and is in large excess throughout the bottom. The data indicate a net gain of²²⁶Ra into the nodule, corresponding to a flux of (24?46) × 10^?3 dpm/cm² yr. On a total area basis the gain of²²⁶Ra into the nodules is <20% of the²²⁶Ra escaping from the sediments. A similar gain of²²⁸Ra into the bottom side of the nodules is reflected by the high²²⁸Th/²³²Th activity ratios observed in the outermost layer in contact with sediments.     

Paleomagnetism of early Aphebian diabase dykes from the slave structural province, Canada

Early Aphebian dykes (lowermost Proterozoic) intrude the Archean terrain of the Slave Structural Province of the Canadian Shield and paleomagnetic results from them are reported. The Dogrib dykes, with an Rb/Sr age of 2692 ± 80 mm.y., have directions of magnetization directed toward the NW without reversals (16 sites; 309, + 37; α₉₅ = 4°; pole 35S, 050W). The Indin dykes, with an Rb/Sr age of 2093 ± 86 mm.y., have magnetization directed toward the SE with reversals (13 sites; 131, + 58; α₉₅ = 8°; pole 19N, 076W). Other, less well-documented data from a third dyke swarm (the “X” dykes) and a basic sill (the Duck Lake Sill), are also presented, and a very tentative polar path for the Slave Province in the earlier Proterozoic is given. This path is not greatly different from a similar very tentative early Aphebian polar path from the Archean Superior Province, considering the uncertainties in the paleomagnetic and age determinations. We interpret this to mean either that the intervening Hudsonian Structural Province (−1850 m.y.) was not the site of a wide plate-style opening and closing ocean, or if it was, the two bounding Archean cratons returned approximately to their original relative position.     

The visualization of turbulence data using a wavelet‐based method

This technical communication presents some MATLAB^® routines for visualizing the structure in turbulent signals based on a standard conditional averaging and thresholding approach. Up to three velocity components may be analysed and the resulting output highlights the time at which important flow events occur as well as the frequency levels that contribute the greatest energy to this particular event. The latter information is derived from a wavelet decomposition of the signal and may assist in providing a process‐based explanation of observed flow features. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In-well time-of-travel approach to evaluate optimal purge duration during low-flow sampling of monitoring wells

A common assumption with groundwater sampling is that low (<0.5 L/min) pumping rates during well purging and sampling captures primarily lateral flow from the formation through the well-screened interval at a depth coincident with the pump intake. However, if the intake is adjacent to a low hydraulic conductivity part of the screened formation, this scenario will induce vertical groundwater flow to the pump intake from parts of the screened interval with high hydraulic conductivity. Because less formation water will initially be captured during pumping, a substantial volume of water already in the well (preexisting screen water or screen storage) will be captured during this initial time until inflow from the high hydraulic conductivity part of the screened formation can travel vertically in the well to the pump intake. Therefore, the length of the time needed for adequate purging prior to sample collection (called optimal purge duration) is controlled by the in-well, vertical travel times. A preliminary, simple analytical model was used to provide information on the relation between purge duration and capture of formation water for different gross levels of heterogeneity (contrast between low and high hydraulic conductivity layers). The model was then used to compare these time–volume relations to purge data (pumping rates and drawdown) collected at several representative monitoring wells from multiple sites. Results showed that computation of time-dependent capture of formation water (as opposed to capture of preexisting screen water), which were based on vertical travel times in the well, compares favorably with the time required to achieve field parameter stabilization. If field parameter stabilization is an indicator of arrival time of formation water, which has been postulated, then in-well, vertical flow may be an important factor at wells where low-flow sampling is the sample method of choice.     

Concentration of trace gases in the lower troposphere,simultaneously recorded at neighboring alpine stations Part III: Sulfur dioxide,nitrogen dioxide,nitric oxide

Summary The importance of representative and long-term recordings of the trace gases SO₂, NO _x , and NO is explained. Recordings taken under different background conditions and, moreover, simultaneously at neighboring mountain stations, together with other meteorological parameters, are of special interest.The recording stations for the determination of the mentioned gases (a valley station at 740 m a.s.l., a nearby mountain station at 1780 m a.s.l.), the measuring methods, calibration procedures, and zero-air supply are described.The main part deals with the representation of consistent data of trace gases obtained at the two stations (NO only in the valley floor). Special attention was given not only to longterm trends but also to the seasonal and diurnal variations, and to the dependence of the gas concentrations on meteorological parameters. Only on the basis of such a parameterization, the time variations become understandable and the causes can be explained as well as possible. Finally, correlations between the concentrations of the different gas components are shown.With 15 Figures