Application of Chebyshev theorem to data preparation in landslide susceptibility mapping studies:an example from Yenice(Karabük,Turkey) region

Landslide database construction is one of the most crucial stages of the landslide susceptibility mapping studies. Although there are many techniques for preparing landslide database in the literature, representative data selection from huge data sets is a challenging, and, to some extent, a subjective task. Thus, in order to produce reliable landslide susceptibility maps, data-driven, objective and representative database construction is a very important stage for these maps. This study mainly focuses on a landslide database construction task. In this study, it was aimed at building a representative landslide database extraction approach by using Chebyshev theorem to evaluate landslide susceptibility in a landslide prone area in the Western Black Sea region of Turkey. The study area was divided into two different parts such as training (Basin 1) and testing areas (Basin 2). A total of nine parameters such as topographical elevation, slope, aspect, planar and profile curvatures, stream power index, distance to drainage, normalized difference vegetation index and topographical wetness index were used in the study. Next, frequency distributions of the considered parameters in both landslide and nonlandslide areas were extracted using different sampling strategies, and a total of nine different landslide databases were obtained. Of these, eight databases were gathered by the methodology proposed by this study based on different standard deviations and algebraic multiplication of raster parameter maps. To evaluate landslide susceptibility, Artificial Neural Network method was used in the study area considering the different landslide and nonlandslide data. Finally, to assess the performances of the so-produced landslide susceptibility maps based on nine data sets, Area Under Curve (AUC) approach was implemented both in Basin 1 and Basin 2. The best performances (the greatest AUC values) were gathered by the landslide susceptibility map produced by two standard deviation database extracted by the Chebyshev theorem, as 0.873 and 0.761, respectively. Results revealed that the methodology proposed by this study is a powerful and objective approach in landslide susceptibility mapping.     

Behaviour of steel cushions subjected to combined actions

Mild steel is relatively low-cost and easily accessible material to fabricate some structural members. It would be a significant advantage if seismic energy dissipaters that are used in structures constructed in the earthquake prone areas, could also be produced on site. In this paper, a promising seismic energy dissipater made of mild steel, so-called steel cushion (SC) is presented. It is provided experimental and analytical responses of SCs subjected to bi-axial loadings. SC rolls under the lateral loading that allows relocation of the plasticized cross-section. Henceforth, SC dissipates considerable amount of seismic energy. A series of tests were performed to achieve experimentally the behavior of SC subjected to longitudinal and transversal loading. Finite Element Models (FEMs) were also generated to reproduce the experimental backbone curves and to predict the bi-directional response properties for discrete transversal forces and plate thicknesses. Closed-form equations were derived to determine yield and ultimate forces and the corresponding displacements as well as location of the plasticized sections. The behavior of SC could either be projected by the FEMs with the exhibited parameters or by means of the proposed closed-form equations and the normalized design chart.     

Increasing numerical efficiency of iterative solution for total least-squares in datum transformations

Cartesian coordinate transformation between two erroneous coordinate systems is considered within the Errors-In-Variables (EIV) model. The adjustment of this model is usually called the total Least-Squares (LS). There are many iterative algorithms given in geodetic literature for this adjustment. They give equivalent results for the same example and for the same user-defined convergence error tolerance. However, their convergence speed and stability are affected adversely if the coefficient matrix of the normal equations in the iterative solution is ill-conditioned. The well-known numerical techniques, such as regularization, shifting-scaling of the variables in the model, etc., for fixing this problem are not applied easily to the complicated equations of these algorithms. The EIV model for coordinate transformations can be considered as the nonlinear Gauss-Helmert (GH) model. The (weighted) standard LS adjustment of the iteratively linearized GH model yields the (weighted) total LS solution. It is uncomplicated to use the above-mentioned numerical techniques in this LS adjustment procedure. In this contribution, it is shown how properly diminished coordinate systems can be used in the iterative solution of this adjustment. Although its equations are mainly studied herein for 3D similarity transformation with differential rotations, they can be derived for other kinds of coordinate transformations as shown in the study. The convergence properties of the algorithms established based on the LS adjustment of the GH model are studied considering numerical examples. These examples show that using the diminished coordinates for both systems increases the numerical efficiency of the iterative solution for total LS in geodetic datum transformation: the corresponding algorithm working with the diminished coordinates converges much faster with an error of at least 10^-5 times smaller than the one working with the original coordinates.     

Tectonics related to the North Anatolian Fault in the Sea of Marmara: evidence from seismic reflection data

The North Anatolian Fault crosses the Sea of Marmara from east to west. Tectonic features of the Sea of Marmara were studied using multi-channel deep seismic reflection data. The northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault is active as a right lateral strike-slip fault zone and indicates both negative and positive flower structures. The North Anatolian Fault splays into two faults at the Sea of Marmara as a northern branch and north segment of the southern branch. The northern branch named the Main Marmara Fault extends in a complicated manner from the north of the Kapıdağı Peninsula to westward in the Sea of Marmara. The north segment of southern branch extends between the Gemlik and Bandırma gulfs in the south of the Sea of Marmara. In addition, uplift areas arose by compression and a push-up style in between the Kapıdağı Peninsula and the Main Marmara Fault. The North Anatolian Fault is characterized by a negative flower structure in basins and push-up style in uplift areas in the Sea of Marmara. An uplift area arose between the north segment of the southern branch and the northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault. The north segment of the southern branch of the North Anatolian Fault is a strike-slip fault and displays a pull-apart style in the seismic reflection data.     

Evaluation of groundwater quality and contamination around fluorite mineralization,Kaman region,Central Anatolia,Turkey

Groundwater can be exposed to pollution and therefore the quality will be affected in areas of fluorite mineralization. Distribution of fluorite mineralization in the area, its formation type and hydrogeological characteristics of these rocks are a factor of the pollution parameters in groundwater. Syenite, nephelinesyenite and micro gabbro type alkaline rocks are exposed in the Kaman region. Hydrothermal fluorite mineralization is formed in fractures and fissures of the syenite and nepheline-syenites in the study area. The fluoride values of these rocks vary between 480–11990 ppm. These high fluoride concentrations in the rocks result in fluoride contamination in groundwater.     

A quantitative appraisal of earthquake hazard parameters computed from Gumbel I method for different regions in and around Turkey

Useful information concerning the earthquake hazard parameters distributed in Turkey and the adjacent areas are estimated in the present work. Based on Gumbel’s I distribution parameters we are able to estimate the hazard values of the investigated area which are the mean return periods, the most probable maximum magnitude in the time period of t-years and the probability for an earthquake occurrence of magnitude ≥M during a time span of t-years. Figures concerning the spatial distribution of probabilities and the return periods are plotted and we considered them of particular interest for mapping the earthquake hazard in Turkey and the surrounding areas. These figures effectively produce a brief earthquake hazard atlas. The quantitative appraisal of the hazard parameters is useful for engineers, planners, etc., because it provides a tool for earthquake resistant design.     

The impact of natural and anthropogenic forcings on climate and hydrology since 1550

A climate simulation of an ocean/atmosphere general circulation model driven with natural forcings alone (constant “pre-industrial” land-cover and well-mixed greenhouse gases, changing orbital, solar and volcanic forcing) has been carried out from 1492 to 2000. Another simulation driven with natural and anthropogenic forcings (changes in greenhouse gases, ozone, the direct and first indirect effect of anthropogenic sulphate aerosol and land-cover) from 1750 to 2000 has also been carried out. These simulations suggest that since 1550, in the absence of anthropogenic forcings, climate would have warmed by about 0.1 K. Simulated response is not in equilibrium with the external forcings suggesting that both climate sensitivity and the rate at which the ocean takes up heat determine the magnitude of the response to forcings since 1550. In the simulation with natural forcings climate sensitivity is similar to other simulations of HadCM3 driven with CO₂ alone. Climate sensitivity increases when anthropogenic forcings are included. The natural forcing used in our experiment increases decadal–centennial time-scale and large spatial scale climate variability, relative to internal variability, as diagnosed from a control simulation. Mean conditions in the natural simulation are cooler than in our control simulation reflecting the reduction in forcing. However, over certain regions there is significant warming, relative to control, due to an increase in forest cover. Comparing the simulation driven by anthropogenic and natural forcings with the natural-only simulation suggests that anthropogenic forcings have had a significant impact on, particularly tropical, climate since the early nineteenth century. Thus the entire instrumental temperature record may be “contaminated” by anthropogenic influences. Both the hydrological cycle and cryosphere are also affected by anthropogenic forcings. Changes in tree-cover appear to be responsible for some of the local and hydrological changes as well as an increase in northern hemisphere spring snow cover.

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Optical imaging and spectroscopic observation of the galactic supernova remnant G85.9-0.6

Optical CCD imaging with Hα and [SII] filters and spectroscopic observations of the galactic supernova remnant G85.9-0.6 have been performed for the first time. The CCD image data are taken with the 1.5 m Russian-Turkish Telescope (RTT150) at TüBİTAK National Observatory (TUG) and spectral data are taken with the Bok 2.3 m telescope on Kitt Peak, AZ. The images are taken with narrow-band interference filters Hα, [SII] and their continuum. [SII]/Hα ratio image is performed. The ratio obtained from [SII]/Hα is found to be ∼0.42, indicating that the remnant interacts with HII regions. G85.9-0.6 shows diffuse-shell morphology. [SII]λ λ6716/6731 average flux ratio is calculated from the spectra, and the electron density N _e is obtained to be 395 cm⁻³. From [OIII]/Hβ ratio, shock velocity has been estimated, pre-shock density of n _c =14 cm⁻³, explosion energy of E=9.2×10⁵⁰ ergs, interstellar extinction of E(B−V)=0.28, and neutral hydrogen column density of N(HI)=1.53×10²¹ cm⁻² are reported.