Comparative study of electron density from incoherent scatter measurements at Arecibo with the IRI-95 model during solar maximum

Arecibo (18.4 N, 66.7 W) incoherent scatter (IS) observations of electron density N(h) are compared with the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-95) during midday (10/14 h), for summer, winter and equinox, at solar maximum (1981). The N(h) profiles below the F2 peak, are normalized to the peak density NmF2 of the F region and are then compared with the IRI-95 model using both the standard B0 (old option) and the Gulyaeva-B0 thickness (new option). The thickness parameter B0 is obtained from the observed electron density profiles and compared with those obtained from the IRI-95 using both the options. Our studies indicate that during summer and equinox, in general, the values of electron densities at all the heights given by the IRI model (new option), are generally larger than those obtained from IS measurements. However, during winter, the agreement between the IRI and the observed values is reasonably good in the bottom part of the F2 layer but IRI underestimates electron density at F1 layer heights. The IRI profiles obtained with the old option gives much better results than those generated with the new option. Compared to the observations, the IRI profiles are found to be much thicker using Gulyaeva-B0 option than using standard B0.     

Water renewal estimates for aquaculture developments in the Richibucto estuary,Canada

Water renewal in semi-enclosed coastal areas is crucial for the supply of oxygen and seston and for the removal of organic loadings from finfish or shellfish aquaculture sites. Water renewal depends on hydrodynamic processes and can have a complex spatial distribution due to irregular topographic features. This study describes some physical oceanography observations gathered in the Richibucto estuary, New Brunswick, Canada, and provides an estimate of the spatial distribution of water renewal in the North Arm, a location in the estuary where the largest American oyster (Crassostrea virginica) aquaculture operation in eastern Canada is located. The estuary changes from a well mixed estuary to a partially stratified estuary depending on runoff conditions. Tides are mixed but mainly diurnal due to the nearby presence of the second M₂ amphidromic point in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Tidal amplitudes vary from 0.3 to 0.6 m and show a slight increase some 35 km upstream. Currents in the main channel can reach over 0.60 m s⁻¹ during ebb and 0.3 m s⁻¹ during flood, with a slack water period of approximately 8 h. Low frequency sea level fluctuations have a range of 0.5 m at the mouth and are coherent within the estuary. Hydrodynamic and advection-dispersion models are used to calculate the spatial distribution of the local renewal time (LRT) in the North Arm for high and low freshwater discharge conditions, using the dissolved tracer method. Results show that the LRT varies from less than 5 d at the downstream end of the North Arm to over 100 d further upstream. When averaged over the entire North Arm, the integral renewal time (IRT) is estimated to vary only from 8 to 21 d depending on the season. The LRT and IRT estimates are major improvements over conventional renewal estimates using tidal prism methods.     

Porewater pressure increases in soil and rock from underground chemical and nuclear explosions

A review and analysis of chemical and nuclear explosive-induced porewater pressure increases and induced rise in groundwater table elevations (groundwater mounding) is presented. Our analysis indicates that residual pore pressure increases and groundwater mounding can be induced by underground chemical and nuclear explosions to scaled distances of 879 m/(kt)^1/3. This relationship is linear over seven orders of magnitude of explosive energy ranging from a 0.01 kg chemical explosion to a 100 kt nuclear explosion and is valid for a wide variety of saturated geological profiles. Underground chemical explosions, and probably underground nuclear explosions have the potential to induce liquefaction of water-saturated soils to scaled distances of about 260 m/(kt)^1/3.     

Phanerozoic within-plate magmatism of North Asia: Absolute paleogeographic reconstructions of the African large low-shear-velocity province

The phanerozoic within-plate magmatism of Siberia is reviewed. The large igneous provinces (LIPs) consecutively arising in the Siberian Craton are outlined: the Altai-Sayan LIP, which operated most actively 400–375 Ma ago, the Vilyui LIP, which was formed from the Middle Devonian to the Early Carboniferous, included; the Barguzin-Vitim LIP (305–275 Ma); the Late Paleozoic Rift System of Central Asia (318–250 Ma); the Siberian flood basalt (trap) province and the West Siberian rift system (250–247 Ma); and the East Mongolian-West Transbaikal LIP (230–195 Ma), as well as a number of Late-Mesozoic and Cenozoic rift zones and autonomous volcanic fields formed over the last 160 Ma. The trace-element and isotopic characteristics of the igneous rocks of the above provinces are reviewed; their mantle origin is substantiated and the prevalence of PREMA, EM2, and EM1 mantle magma sources are shown. The paleogeographic reconstructions based on paleomagnetic data assume that the Iceland hot spot was situated beneath the Siberian flood basalts 250 Ma ago and that the mantle plumes retained a relatively stable position irrespective of the movements of the lithospheric plates. At present, the Iceland hot spot occurs near the northern boundary of the African large low shear velocity province (LLSVP). It is suggested that the within-plate Phanerozoic magmatism of Siberia was related to the drift of the continent above the hot spots of the African LLSVP.     

Age and significance of core complex formation in a very curved orogen: Evidence from fission track studies in the South Carpathians (Romania)

Twenty-four new zircon and apatite fission track ages from the Getic and Danubian nappes in the South Carpathians are discussed in the light of a compilation of published fission track data. A total of 101 fission track ages indicates that the Getic nappes are generally characterized by Cretaceous zircon and apatite fission track ages, indicating cooling to near-surface temperatures of these units immediately following Late Cretaceous orogeny.The age distribution of the Danubian nappes, presently outcropping in the Danubian window below the Getic nappes, depends on the position with respect to the Cerna-Jiu fault. Eocene and Oligocene zircon and apatite central ages from the part of the Danubian core complex situated southeast of this fault monitor mid-Tertiary tectonic exhumation in the footwall of the Getic detachment, while zircon fission track data from northwest of this fault indicate that slow cooling started during the Latest Cretaceous. The change from extension (Getic detachment) to strike-slip dominated tectonics along the curved Cerna-Jiu fault allowed for further exhumation on the concave side of this strike-slip fault, while exhumation ceased on the convex side. The available fission track data consistently indicate that the change to fast cooling associated with tectonic denudation by core complex formation did not occur before Late Eocene times, i.e. long after the cessation of Late Cretaceous thrusting.Core complex formation in the Danubian window is related to a larger-scale scenario that is characterized by the NNW-directed translation, followed by a 90° clockwise rotation of the Tisza-Dacia “block” due to roll-back of the Carpathian embayment. This led to a complex pattern of strain partitioning within the Tisza-Dacia “block” adjacent to the western tip of the rigid Moesian platform. Our results suggest that the invasion of these southernmost parts of Tisza-Dacia started before the Late Eocene, i.e. significantly before the onset of Miocene-age rollback and associated extension in the Pannonian basin.     

Expression of heat shock protein 70 in a permanent cell line (EPC) exposed to sediment extracts from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Heat shock proteins 70 (hsp70) are known to be induced by a great variety of chemical stressors. The effects of different environmental contaminants, which were identified in sediments of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as main contaminants or as contaminants of special toxicological interest, on the extent of expression of hsp70 in a permanent cell line Epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) were investigated. Concentrations of the single contaminants leading to elevated hsp70 levels were compared to the respective concentrations of these contaminants encountered in the sediment extracts thus allowing an assessment of their contribution to the toxicity of these sediments. Analysis of hsp70 was performed using western blotting techniques with subsequent comparative quantification by densitometry. Eleven of thirteen contaminants have shown a dose-dependent increase in hsp70 levels. An expression of hsp70 was observed in most cases between 0.1 and 10 microg/mL test solution. Some of the investigated stressors led to extremely high hsp70 contents even at low concentrations. However, in most cases contaminant concentrations in sediments were too low to cause an effect. For this reason, effects of the tested sediments are attributed to other contaminants or rather to mixtures of stressors.     

Intensity of tropical cyclones during pre- and post-monsoon seasons in relation to accumulated tropical cyclone heat potential over Bay of Bengal

The aim of the present study is to understand the impact of oceanic heat potential in relation to the intensity of tropical cyclones (TC) in the Bay of Bengal during the pre-monsoon (April–May) and post-monsoon (October–November) cyclones for the period 2006–2010. To accomplish this, the two-layer gravity model (TLGM) is employed to estimate daily tropical cyclone heat potential (TCHP) utilizing satellite altimeter data, satellite sea surface temperature (SST), and a high-resolution comprehensive ocean atlas developed for Indian Ocean, subsequently validated with in situ ARGO profiles. Accumulated TCHP (ATCHP) is estimated from genesis to the maximum intensity of cyclone in terms of minimum central pressure along their track of all the cyclones for the study period using TLGM generated TCHP and six-hourly National Centre for Environmental Prediction Climate Forecast System Reanalysis data. Similarly, accumulated sea surface heat content (ASSHC) is estimated using satellite SST. In this study, the relationship between ATCHP and ASSHC with the central pressure (CP) which is a function of TC intensity is developed. Results reveal a distinct relationship between ATCHP and CP during both the seasons. Interestingly, it is seen that requirement of higher ATCHP during pre-monsoon cyclones is required to attain higher intensity compared to post-monsoon cyclones. It is mainly attributed to the presence of thick barrier layer (BL) resulting in higher enthalpy fluxes during post-monsoon period, where as such BL is non-existent during pre-monsoon period.