Design of small GPS drifters for current measurements in the coastal zone

Field observations of flows in coastal zone are scarce, but important for understanding the spatial variability of currents. The design of small, low-cost GPS drifters for collecting accurate Lagrangian data in the coastal zone is described. The drifters are intended for using in nearshore environments, lakes and estuaries over timescales of a few minutes up to several hours and are a low-cost alternative for applications which do not require drifter’s sea-going capability. Two field tests of GPS drifters in the south coast of Caspian Sea in Anzali port, Iran, in November 2008 and July 2009 were successful.     

Costs related to drowning and near drowning in northern Iran (Guilan province)

In Iran and many other low- and middle-income countries, few studies have been carried out in order to assess which cost analysis methods should be undertaken at the household and community level in relation to incidences of drowning. In this study, we have attempted to develop a model for estimating the impact of the economic burden that drowning and near drowning events incur for victims’ families in the Guilan province in the north of Iran by using an incidence approach. During the financial year of March 2007 to 2008, the following cost-related aspects of drowning episodes were evaluated: (note: main cost elements were income adjusted by family and years) medical costs, productivity loss costs and death costs. A total of 137 drowning fatalities and 104 near drowning incidents were recorded. Males in the age span of 10-29 years constitute a majority of the epidemiology and economy data. When the number of variables included in cost analysis was expanded, the estimated burden of economic duress increased dramatically; however, drowning cost for one drowned victim was equivalent to 17 times the country’s gross domestic product(GDP) per capital. Identification of injured person-based costs in this study will enable development of more effective prevention programs and provide indicators of other costs related to drowning episodes such as property damage and the impact of these accidents on community services and the public health care system.     

Integrated coastal management plan in free trade zones, a case study

Free Trade Zones (FTZs) around the world offer special advantages to investors and facilitate import/export of goods in order to boost the regional economy. Integrated coastal management in these areas faces special challenges in addition to what ordinary ICZMs usually encounter. For a successful ICZM plan, the very strong business orientation in FTZs has to be taken into account, while other important aspects such as environmental, social, and cultural issues should not be overlooked. The problem becomes more difficult where the free zone is situated in sensitive and valuable environmental circumstances.Kish Island, a free trade zone in the Persian Gulf region, has recently been the focus of a major ICZM study. In order to address the different needs of various stakeholders in the island, four strategic management plans are prepared. The investigations carried out in the course of this study indicated that the required management plans for this free trade zone should be provided with a spatial-plan-oriented approach, otherwise the integration can hardly be achieved and implemented.This article describes Kish FTZ characteristics and problems that required ICZM initiatives, the methodology for ICZM study, the preparation and implementation of strategic management plans considering the free zone obligations, and the need for a spatial umbrella plan to facilitate the integration among different plans in the implementation process.     

Effect of environmental factors on photodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the water-soluble fraction of Kuwait crude oil in seawater

Photodegradation of PAHs in the water-soluble fraction of Kuwait crude oil in seawater was investigated under various environmental factors (temperature, light intensity, oxygen levels and presence of a sensitizer) in laboratory conditions. All factors investigated had significant effect on the degradation rates of PAHs. At 15 °C almost all PAHs optimally degraded at an oxygen level of 4 ppm. For lower molecular weight PAHs a light intensity of 500 W/m² in the presence of the sensitizer worked well. Higher molecular weight PAHs degraded at faster rates at a light intensity 750 W/m². At 30 °C, most of the PAHs degraded optimally at an oxygen level of 0 ppm and light intensity of 500 or 750 W/m² in presence of the sensitizer. At 40 °C, most of PAHs degraded optimally at low oxygen concentrations (0 and 4 ppm) and a light intensity of 500 W/m² in the presence of the sensitizer. Linear regression indicated that for most of the compounds, light intensity had the greatest effect on degradation rates.     

Appraisal of relative tectonic activity along the Kazerun Fault Zone,Zagros Mountains,Iran: insight from spatial analysis of geomorphic indices

This paper investigates the impact of active tectonics on the geomorphic processes and landscape evolution along the Kazerun Fault Zone (KFZ) in the Zagros Mountains of Iran using spatial analysis of geomorphic indices. We document how topography and morphology are influenced by active tectonic deformation. The Zagros fold–thrust belt is an area of active crustal shortening where northwest–southeast oriented fault‐related folds become younger from north to south and from southeast to northwest. This temporal and spatial evolution of the belt was tested using geomorphic indices of active tectonics that include mountain front sinuosity index (Smf), the valley width/height ratio (Vf), drainage basin asymmetry factor, hypsometric integral, drainage basin shape ratio and mean axial slope of the channel. Change in the geomorphic indices is the result of active fold growth and change in the uplift rate. Decreasing Smf and Vf values from north (Smf = 2.01; Vf = 0.5) to south (Smf = 1.12; Vf = 0.2) and from southeast (Smf = 1.84; Vf = 0.8) to northwest (Smf = 1.54; Vf = 0.1) points to a migration of the active crustal shortening towards W–SW. The combined geomorphic (field evidences) and morphometric data (quantitative analysis of geomorphic indices) provide evidence of relative variation in the tectonic activity along the Kazerun Fault Zone and related landforms. The utilization of geomorphic parameters with comparison to the field observations exhibits change in relative tectonic activities mostly corresponding to the change in mechanism of the prominent fault zones in the study area. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Helical Eruptive Prominence Associated with a Pair of Overlapping CMEs on 21 April 2001

The eruption of limb prominence on 21 April 2001 associated with two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is investigated. Hα images reveal two large-scale eruptions (a prominence body and a southern foot-point arch), both showing helical internal structure. These two eruptions are found to be spatially and temporally associated with the corresponding CMEs. The kinematics and the study of geometrical parameters of the prominence show that the eruption was quite impulsive (with peak acceleration ≈470 m s⁻²) and has taken place for relatively low pitch angle of helical threads, not exceeding tan θ≈1.2. The stability criteria of the prominence are revisited in the light of the model of Vršnak (1990, Solar Phys. 129, 295) and the analysis shows that the eruption violates the instability criteria of that model. Finally, the energy stored in the prominence circuit and the energies (kinetic, potential, and magnetic) of the associated CMEs are estimated and it is found that there was enough energy stored in the prominence to drive the two CMEs. S.S. Ali is on leave from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202 002, India.     

Study of a large helical eruptive prominence associated with double CME on 21 April 2001

Here we present a preliminary analysis of a helical eruptive prominence at the east limb of the Sun on 21 April 2001. Unusually this eruption is associated with a double CME. We have tried to study the morphology of the event, energy budget of the prominence and associated CMEs. Our analysis shows that the prominence and first CME started simultaneously from the limb and prominence carries sufficient energy to feed both the CMEs. Moreover, it is also concluded that CMEs are magnetically driven and internally powered.     

Perfect-fluid sources for the Levi-Civita metric

Cylindrically symmetric perfect fluid solutions are derived for the Levi-Civita metric. The pressure P is finite. The matter density is greater than the stresses in the material. The solutions are inside cylinders of bounded radius at which the pressure vanishes. The range of σ, for which the sources have been matched to the Levi-Civeta metric is ∞>σ>0. The solutions are regular and satisfy energy conditions     

Effects of Replacing Fishmeal with Animal By-products Meal Supplementation in Diets on the Growth and Nutrient Utilization of Mangrove Red Snapper

A feeding trial was conducted for 75 d to evaluate the nutritive value of a mixture of animal by-products(MAB) as a possible protein source in diets for juvenile mangrove red snapper,Lutjanus argentimaculatus(mean initial body weight,30 g). Fish were fed one of five isonitrogenous diets(40% crude protein) replacing 0,25%(MAB25),50%(MAB50),75%(MAB75) and 100%(MAB100) of fish meal protein with similar percentages of MAB. The MAB consisted of 25% cow liver meal,20% leather meal,20% meat and bone meal,15% blood meal,10% APC(poultry feather meal),8% poultry manure dried,1.5% choline and 0.5% chromic oxide. After 75 d of feeding,fish fed with diets MAB50,MAB75 and MAB100 exhibited significantly lower growth per-formance than that of fish fed with control and MAB25 diets. The optimum level of MAB was estimated to be 23%. Replacement of fish meal by MAB23% showed the following performance:maximum weight gain,510%;SGR,2.39% and FCE,2.83%. The MAB substitution up to 75% of fish meal protein in diets did not show differences in apparent protein digestibility(83.6% for MAB25,79.2% for MAB50,78.7% for MAB75) compared with control(83.4%),whereas in MAB100 group digestibility(65.3%) was sig-nificantly lower than in other groups. The apparent phosphorus absorption of test diet groups was significantly higher(37.1% for MAB25,28.5% for MAB50,55.6% for MAB75 and 54.5% for MAB100) than that of control(11.2%). The levels of protein and ash in the whole body,carcass and viscera increased as MAB substitution in diets increased,whereas lipids and moisture remained con-sistent among all treatment groups. These results showed that approximately 23% of fish meal protein could be replaced by a mixture of animal by-products for juvenile snapper growing from 30 g to 167 g in 75 d without compromising growth performance and feed efficiency.