Futher reflections on the Isimila Acheulian

Uranium series dates on bone from the Isimila Prehistoric Site, Tanzania, indicate that this East African Acheulian site may be older than originally estimated. They raise the possibility that the Middle Pleistocene sediments containing Acheulian occurrences span a longer range of time than had been supposed. This could add to the plausibility of a contention by Hansen and Keller that differences between artifacts in the uppermost Acheulian horizon and in lower-lying beds are primarily a reflection of change through time rather than a result of different human activities.A summary of the artifact content and associations of the several archeological stratigraphic units is given, and, although a sort of “developmental sequence” can be seen, the existence of discrepant occurrences suggests that an interpretation of directional change as a “function of time” does not, in fact, well accommodate the evidence.Quantitative changes in artifact class proportions in aggregates seem just as likely to be related to local exploitation potentials for early man which were produced during the process of basin in-filling, while observed qualitative differences in the lower-lying horizons may be due to samples biased because of limited exposures which are restricted to a single sedimentary environment.     

Mapping of seagrass meadows from the lakshadweep islands (India), using aerial photographs

Seagrass meadows from the Lakshadweep islands were mapped with the help of black and white aerial photographs. A maximum of 40 ha seagrass cover was estimated in the lagoon of Minicoy, followed by Kavaratti (34 ha). The total seagrass cover from six major islands of Lakshadweep was estimated to be 112 ha with standing crop of ca 800 metric tonnes. The dominant seagrass species observed wasThalassia hemprichii whileCymodocea rotundata, Halophila ovata, Syringodium isoetifolium andHalodule uninervis were common to these islands.     

An important statistical consideration,and the effect of the interplanetary magnetic field on the quiet time variation of the geomaganetic field

We present an analysis of some interplanetary and geomagnetic field data and at the same time attempt to show that erroneous conclusions may be drawn if the effects of autocorrelation are not taken into account in standard least squares regression methods. We found the following conclusions survived the autocorrelation corrections to simple correlation tests (i) that the directed z component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) affects the first few Fourier terms in the daily variation of the vertical component of the quiet geomagnetic field (ii) ΣK_p correlates with the daily mean magnitude of the IMF.     

Mid-latitude atmospheres,winter and summer

Summary Winter and summer Mid-Latitude (45^oN) atmospheres to 90 km, two of a family of nine atmospheres supplemental to the U.S. Standard Atmosphere (1962), provide information on atmospheric structure by seasons rather than the mean annual data shown in the Standard, which is described for reference. Principal data sources for constructing these atmospheres consisted of summaries of Northern Hemisphere radiosonde observations at stations near, 45^oN, and observations made from rockets and instruments released by rockets, from nearly a dozen Northern Hemisphere launching sites.Winter and summer temperature-height profiles begin with surface temperatures of –1° and +21 °C, respectively, and contain three isothermal layers: –58°C at 19 to 27 km in winter and –57.5°C at 13 to 17 km in summer; –7.5° and +2.5°C at 47 to 52 km; and –79.5 and –99°C at 80 to 90 km, respectively. The temperature-height curve for the U.S. Standard has a surface temperature of +15°C with isothermal regions at 11 to 20 km (–56.5°C), 47 to 52 km (–2.5°C), and 80 to 90 km (–92.5°C). In all three atmospheres, temperature gradients for various segments are linear with geopotential, height. Humidity is incorporated into the lowest 10 km of the Supplemental Atmospheres, whereas the Standard is dry. Figures and tables depict temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and density for winter and summer, and temperature, pressure, density, speed of sound, and dynamic viscosity for the U.S. Standard Atmosphere.The Supplemental Atmospheres are mutually consistent; zonal wind profiles, computed from the geostrophic wind equation and selected pressure heights, compare favorably with existing radiosonde and rocket wind observations.     

Comparison of risk from pyroclastic density current hazards to critical infrastructure in Mammoth Lakes,California, USA,from a new Inyo craters rhyolite dike eruption versus a dacitic dome eruption on Mammoth Mountain

Renewed volcanic activity near Mammoth Lakes, California, in the form of dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) from either a new eruption at Mammoth Mountain or the Inyo craters would pose a significant hazard to critical infrastructure there. This paper compares the risk from PDC impact hazards upon selected critical infrastructure from: (1) a 100 m tall dacite dome on Mammoth Mountain and (2) three 200 m tall rhyolite domes at the southern end of the Inyo craters. For each scenario, maximum estimated dynamic pressure and velocity from two PDC volumes (10⁶ and 10⁷ m³) are modeled with the EXPLORIS PDC software (Toyos et al. Nat Hazards 41(1):99–112, 2007). Risk to critical infrastructure from Mammoth Mountain PDCs would be much greater than the Inyo PDCs because of both location and the greater kinetic energy of the Mammoth PDC material, providing comparative insight to planners should a real eruption at one location or the other be forthcoming.     

Lyttelton Volcano, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand: Primary volcanic landforms and eruptive centre identification

Lyttelton Volcano, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand, has historically been viewed as a simple volcanic cone. This paper uses digital terrain models (DTM) and primary volcanic landforms to reinterpret Lyttelton Volcano as having multiple eruptive centres. Primary volcanic landforms are features produced during active volcanism, classified as constructional, hypabyssal, and erosional volcanic features. Constructional volcanic features are lava flows, scoria cones and domes; hypabyssal volcanic features are dykes and sills; and erosional volcanic features are valley and ridge patterns and orientations. Lava flow trends are recognised from aerial photograph analysis and supported by field observations, highlighting radiating lava trends around specific locations within Lyttelton Harbour. Scoria cones and domes occur on the outer flanks of volcanic cones, and are used as such in the identification of remnant cone surfaces. Dyke orientations are plotted and then projected to the interior of the volcano, defining 13 zones of convergence. The projected arrays of these orientations highlight defined regions along the erosional crater rim, each indicating a radial dyke swarm, from which the projected trends of the associated dykes indicate an eruptive centre. Valley and ridge orientations are projected from the longest valley or ridge segment, towards the inner harbour. Radiating erosive patterns are incepted during the growth and degradation of a volcanic cone, with the resulting trends orienting to the summit. Zones of convergence/eruptive centres are identified from lava flow orientations, onlapping lava sequences, scoria cones, and intrusive locations. The summit of a volcanic edifice can be identified from the orientations of valleys and ridges, while radial dyke systems determine whether this summit was a volcanic centre or simply a local topographic high. Volcanic landforms are used to identify cone sectors, the preserved sector associated with a particular eruptive centre. Cone sector limits are defined by a basal footprint and an erosional crater rim, with similar arcuate features (remnant cone features) being exposed in the interior of the volcano. Lyttelton Volcano comprises fifteen volcanic cones, with vent locations controlled by underlying fault lineaments. The growth and erosion of each volcanic cone is reflected in primary volcanic landforms, with the preserved features of cones confined to cone sectors and cone artefacts.     

Seismic hazard and risk in Shanghai and estimation of expected building damage

The People's Republic of China is in the process of rapid demographic, economic and urban change including nationwide engineering and building construction at an unprecedented scale. The mega-city of Shanghai is at the centre of China's modernisation. Rapid urbanisation and building growth have increased the exposure of people and property to natural disasters. The seismic hazard of Shanghai and its vicinity is presented from a seismogenic free-zone methodology. A PGA value of 49 cm s⁻² and a maximum intensity value of VII for the Chinese Seismic Intensity Scale (a scale similar to the Modified Mercalli) for a 99% probability of non-exceedance in 50 years are determined for Shanghai city. The potential building damage for three independent districts of the city centre named Putuo, Nanjing Road and Pudong are calculated using damage vulnerability matrices. It is found that old civil houses of brick and timber are the most vulnerable buildings with potentially a mean probability value of 7.4% of this building structure type exhibiting the highest damage grade at intensity VII.