Rainfall-triggering response patterns of post-seismic debris flows in the Wenchuan earthquake area

Several giant debris flows occurred in southwestern China after the Wenchuan earthquake, causing serious casualties and economic losses. Debris flows were frequently triggered after the earthquake. A relatively accurate prediction of these post-seismic debris flows can help to reduce the consequent damages. Existing debris flow prediction is almost based on the study of the relationship between post-earthquake debris flows and rainfall. The relationship between the occurrence of post-seismic debris flows and characteristic rainfall patterns was studied in this paper. Fourteen rainfall events related to debris flows that occurred in four watersheds in the Wenchuan earthquake area were collected. By analyzing the rainfall data, characteristics of rainfall events that triggered debris flows after the earthquake were obtained. Both the critical maximum rainfall intensity and average rainfall intensity increased with the time. To describe the critical conditions for debris flow initiation, intensity–duration curves were constructed, which shows how the threshold for triggering debris flows increased each year. The time that the critical rainfall intensities of debris flow occurrences return to the value prior to the earthquake could not be estimated due to the absent rainfall data before the earthquake. Rainfall-triggering response patterns could be distinguished for rainfall-induced debris flows. The critical rainfall patterns related to debris flows could be divided on the basis of antecedent rainfall duration and intensity into three categories: (1) a rapid triggering response pattern, (2) an intermediate triggering response pattern, and (3) a slow triggering response pattern. The triggering response patterns are closely related to the initiation mechanisms of post-earthquake debris flows. The main difference in initiation mechanisms and difference in triggering patterns by rainfall is regulated by the infiltration process and determined by a number of parameters, such as hydro-mechanical soil characteristics, the thickness of the soil, and the slope gradient. In case of a rapid triggering response rainfall pattern, the hydraulic conductivity and initial moisture content are the main impact factors. Runoff erosion and rapid loading of solid material is the dominant process. In case of a rainfall pattern with a slow triggering response, the thickness and strength of the soil, high hydraulic conductivity, and rainfall intensity are the impact factors. Probably slope failure is the most dominant process initiating debris flows. In case of an intermediate triggering response pattern, both debris flow initiation mechanisms (runoff erosion and slope failure) can play a role.     

On the calculation of two-dimensional added mass and damping coefficients by simple Green's function technique

This paper describes a numerical method for calculating the two-dimensional hydrodynamic coefficients of one or two infinitely long, arbitrary cylinders forced to oscillate in or below the free water surface. The oscillation modes, amplitudes and phases of the cylinders may be different from one another. Finite water depth and a quay can be taken into account. Special consideration has been given to the radiation boundary conditions.The computer program developed has been tested in various two-dimensional boundary situations; it has produced results in good agreement with results obtained by other methods.     

»Late Jurassic« petroleum geology of the Dutch Central North Sea Graben

The Callovian to Ryazanian (late Middle Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous; here referred to as »Late Jurassic«) sediments of the Dutch Central North Sea Graben, comprising the Central Graben and Scruff Groups, form several potential reservoirs. Source rocks are present within both these groups and the Carboniferous and Late Triassic-Early Jurassic.The structural development of the area is illustrated by a number of cross-sections. A structural subdivision has been made into platform, intermediate platform, outer graben, and inner graben. The complex history of rifting, wrench-faulting, halokinesis, and structural inversion strongly influenced the palaeogeography and ensuing sandstone developments. A few selected burial-history plots are presented as examples of the relationship between the structural subdivision and the hydrocarbon potential of the area.

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Zusammenfassung Die Sedimente des Callov bis zum Ryazan (oberer Mitteljura bis unterste Kreide, hier als »Oberjura« bezeichnet) des zentralen niederländischen Nordsee-Grabens, der den Zentralgraben und die Scruff-Gruppe umfaßt, stellen mehrere potentielle Erdölspeichergesteine dar. In jeder dieser beiden Gruppen sowie im Karbon und von der Obertrias bis zur Unterkreide existieren Speichergesteine.Die strukturelle Entwicklung des Gebietes wird anhand mehrere Profile veranschaulicht. Außerdem schien eine Untergliederuntg in Plattform, Zwischenplattform, äußerer sowie innerer Graben sinnvoll. Die komplexe Entwicklungsgeschichte, die durch Riftingphasen, Wrench-Tektonik, Halokinese und Strukturinversion bestimmt wurde, hat die Paläogeographie und die resultierende Sandsteinbildung intensiv beeinflußt. Eine Anzahl ausgewählter Darstellungen der Geschichte der Sedimentüberlagerung dienen als Beispiele für den Zusammenhang zwischen den strukturell bestimmten Untergruppen und dem Kohlenwasserstoffpotential des Untersuchungsgebietes.

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Résumé Dans le secteur néerlandais du Graben Central de la Mer du Nord, plusieurs réservoirs potentiels sont constitués par les sédiments calloviens à ryazaniens (ensemble allant du sommet du Jurassique moyen au Crétacé inférieur et désigné ici par «Late Jurassic»). Ces sédiments comprennent le groupe du Graben central et le groupe de Scruff. Des rochesmères existent dans chacun de ces deux groupes ainsi que dans le Carbonifère et dans la série Trias terminal-Eojurassique.La constitution structurale de cette région est illustrée par une série de coupes. On distingue, au point de vue structural: une plate-forme, une plate-forme intermédiaire, un graben externe et un graben interne. L'histoire géologique complexe, avec ses processus de rifting, de décrochement, d'halokinèse et d'inversion structurale, s'est répercutèe de manière significative sur la paléogéographie et, par voie de conséquence, sur l'extension des faciès arénacés. Quelques reconstitutions de l'histoire sédimentaire sont présentées à titre d'exemple de manière à illustrer la relation entre les unités structurales et le potentiel en hydrocarbure de la région.

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Predicting groundwater level of wells in the Diyala River Basin in eastern Iraq using artificial neural network

Al-Mansourieh zone is a part of Al-Khalis City within the province of Diyala and located in the Diyala River Basin in eastern Iraq with a total area about 830 km2.Groundwater is the main water source for agriculture in this zone.Random well drilling without geological and hydraulic information has led the most of these wells to dry up quickly.Therefore,it is necessary to estimate the levels of groundwater in wells through observed data.In this study,Alyuda NeroIntelligance 2.1 software was applied to predict the groundwater levels in 244 wells using sets of measured data.These data included the coordinates of wells(x,y),elevations,well depth,discharge and groundwater levels.Three ANN structures(5-3-3-1,5-10-10-1 and 5-11-11-1)were used to predict the groundwater levels and to acquire the best matching between the measured and ANN predicted values.The coefficient of correlation,coefficient determination(R2)and sum-square error(SSE)were used to evaluate the performance of the ANN models.According to the ANN results,the model with the three structures has a good predictability and proves more effective for determining groundwater level in wells.The best predictor was achieved in the structure 5-3-3-1,with R2 about 0.92,0.89,0.84 and 0.91 in training,validation,testing and all processes respectively.The minimum average error in the best predictor is achieved in validation and testing processes at about 0.130 and 0.171 respectively.On the other hand,the results indicated that the model has the potential to determine the appropriate places for drilling the wells to obtain the highest level of groundwater.     

Using neural networks for the derivation of Runge-Kutta-Nyström pairs for integration of orbits

In this paper we present Runge-Kutta-Nyström (RKN) pairs of orders 4(3) and 6(4). We choose a test orbit from the Kepler problem to integrate for a specific tolerance. Then we train the free parameters of the above RKN4(3) and RKN6(4) families to perform optimally. For that we form a neural network approach and minimize its objective function using a differential evolution optimization technique. Finally we observe that the produced pairs outperform standard pairs from the literature for Pleiades orbits and Kepler problem over a wide range of eccentricities and tolerances.     

Dissolved Carbohydrate Concentration,Composition, and Bioavailability to Microbial Heterotrophs in Stream Water

Dissolved total carbohydrates (DTCH), dissolved free monosaccharides (DFMS), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), biodegradable DOC (BDOC), and humic substances (HS) were measured in White Clay Creek (WCC), a stream in southeastern Pennsylvania Piedmont, USA. Samples were collected over different seasons and under baseflow and stormflow conditions. DOC concentrations ranged from 1.0 to 12.8 mg/L C with the highest concentrations associated with stormflows. Carbohydrates ranged from 0.42 to 12.4 μM and accounted for 2.9 to 12.7% of the DOC. Humic substances represented the major DOC fraction, accounting for 55 to 72% of the DOC pool under all flow conditions. The humic fraction had a lower carbohydrate content (4.4%) than the non-humic fraction of DOC (7.2%). Stormflow DOC was enriched in carbohydrates relative to baseflow DOC, but the percentage of humic-C changed little. Carbohydrates were primarily present as dissolved polysaccharides (55%), but a significant fraction was bound to humic substances (40%), while a small proportion was present as monosaccharides (5%). The major monosaccharides in stream water, listed in order of decreasing concentration, included glucose, galactose, rhamnose, xylose, arabinose, mannose, and fucose. On average (30.6 ± 7.4)% (n = 44) of the stream water DOC was biodegradable, and carbohydrates accounted for 9.9 to 17.7% of the BDOC.