Amplitude curves ofP waves for the region of central Asia

Summary The amplitude-distance curves of P waves, valid for the region of Central Asia, were derived in the distance range between 13° and 36° using observations of a network of eight Caucasian seismic stations. The curves are characterized by an anomalous increase of amplitudes between 13° and 20° followed by a large decrease of amplitudes in the distance range between 20° and 35°. Both the increase and decrease of amplitudes are interrupted by several local maxima. A comparison of the present amplitude curves with those derived for the regions of South-Eastern Europe and Asia Minor enabled us to correlate the individual local maxima of amplitude curves and to investigate the variation of their position due to the lateral inhomogeneity of the upper mantle structure in Eurasia.A. Tskhakaya deceased in 1970.     

Paleomagnetism of the triassic chugwater redbeds revisited (Wyoming, U.S.A.)

Paleomagnetic results from 107 samples of the Chugwater Group near Lander, Wyoming, show a regular progression in pole positions from bottom to top of the sequence. This pole position trend of about 25° matches very well the North American apparent polar wander path between Early Permian and Early Triassic. It could be argued that this “agreement” results in a conflict between the apparent magnetic age (Permian) and the Early to Late Triassic age generally assigned to the Chugwater Group. However, similar progressions of paleomagnetic pole positions have been reported for the Early Triassic Moenkopi Formation in Colorado; thus it appears that long-term variations and swings characterized the geomagnetic field at that time. With detailed paleomagnetic sampling, these features can be utilized for stratigraphic correlation in addition to magnetic-reversal stratigraphy. This will eliminate, to some degree, part of the non-uniqueness inherently present in correlations based on reversal stratigraphy only.     

Formation of artifacts in sediments upon freeze-drying

Comparison of the analytical data on the alkenes extracted from both dried and wet Messel shale sediment points to the formation of artifacts, presumably as a result of clay-catalyzed dehydration reactions.     

Thermochemical remanent magnetization in Jurassic silicic volcanics from Nevada,U.S.A.

Characteristic magnetizations from Middle Jurassic dacitic to andesitic subaerial volcanics (the Fulstone and Artesia Formations) in the Buckskin Mountain Range, western central Basin and Range Province, are well-grouped, generally display univectorial decays to the origin in demagnetization and have hematite blocking temperatures restricted almost entirely to above 620°C. Petrographic, rock magnetic and electron microprobe investigations confirm that nearly pure hematite is the essential magnetic phase (up to about 10 vol. %) occurring as a replacement of coarse titaniferous magnetite phenocrysts and fine groundmass particles, as a secondary alteration product of ferromagnesian phenocrysts and as a mobilized phase filling cracks and other open spaces. The presence of antipodal directions in each flow unit and in interbedded volcanoclastic units (some having retained magnetite as a major magnetic phase) and magnetite-dominated remanences in time-equivalent intrusives cutting the flows indicates that the volcanics acquired their hematite remanence, a faithful record of the geomagnetic field, in high-temperature, deuteric oxidation during and following their emplacement, not during a later thermal event such as regional metamorphism. The remanence is probably a thermochemical remanent magnetization, although part may be of thermoremanent origin.     

Paleomagnetic and rock magnetic results from the Twin Creek Formation (Middle Jurassic), Wyoming

A magnetization which passes the fold test has been observed in 73 limestone samples (10 sites) from the Middle Jurassic Twin Creek Formation. The pole calculated from the site mean poles is located at 68.4°N, 145.0°E (K = 31.8,A₉₅ = 8.7°). This pole lies in a segment of the North American apparent polar wander (APW) path for which there are only a few reliable poles in the literature. The results corroborate earlier studies which conclude that the Jurassic segment of the APW path does not include the present north pole. However, the position of the Twin Creek pole suggests that significantly more APW took place prior to the late Jurassic than previous studies indicated.     

The worldwide character of the 1969–1970 impulse of the secular acceleration rate

This paper continues earlier studies to ascertain whether the distribution of the 1969–1970 jump of the secular variation rate has a worldwide character. The geometry of the jump presents some similarities with the geometry of the secular variation itself. We give a new estimation of the westward drift rate and information about spatial and temporal variations of the secular variation field.     

Perception of urban retailing environments: An empirical analysis of consumer information and usage fields

This article reports on an empirical analysis of consumer information and usage fields in the city of Eindhoven. The main purposes of this study are to investigate the distance, sectoral and directional biases of these fields, to analyse whether the degree of biases is related to personal characteristics of consumers and to identify the factors of the basis on which a model which predicts the probability that a shopping centre will be known by consumers can be developed. The findings of the study suggest that strong distance, sectoral and directional biases are present in the information and usage fields of consumers and that no systematic relationships exist between these characteristics of information and usage fields and personal variables of consumers. Finally, the present studies suggests that a model which describes the formation of consumer choice sets should include spatial factors such as distance, size, intervening opportunities and direction towards the city centre.     

Periodicities in blue crab population of Chesapeake Bay

Analysis of the annual blue crab catch in Chesapeake Bay for the years 1922–1976 shows that there are variations with periods of 18.0, 10.7, and 8.6 years. Analysis of Philadelphia air temperatures shows periods of 17.5, 9.8, and 7.4 years. The periods of 18.0 and 17.5 years agree with the 18.6 year period of the Earth-Moon-Sun tidal force, and the periods of 8.6 and 7.4 years agree with the 8.8 year period of the Earth-Moon-Sun tidal force, within experimental error. The periods of 9.8 and 10.7 years, for the temperatures and crabs, respectively, are probably related to the 10.5 year sunspot cycle within experimental error.