A high magnitude storm and flood in a hyperarid catchment,Nahal Zin,Negev Desert,Israel

In October 1991 a high magnitude rainstorm flood, estimated return period 40 years, occurred in Nahal Zin, a 1400 km² catchment in the hyperarid Negev Desert. The meso-scale structure of the storm was a curved squall line that developed from a thunderstorm in accordance with the topography of the catchment divide, by which it was strongly affected. Tropical moisture reached the area via the subtropical jet stream, in conjunction with a lower level northward intrusion of the Red Sea trough (RST-N) into the Mediterranean Sea. Rainfall, as measured at the few and sparse gauging stations, was much too small to account for the resulting large flood. Peak flow and other hydraulic characteristics of the flood were indirectly reconstructed. The techniques of palaeoflood hydrology used were based on sedimentological evidence of fine-grained flood sediments deposited in back-flooded tributaries, as well as on other stage indicators. The HEC-2 procedure was employed to determine water surface profiles. The spatial and temporal characteristics of the event were studied through a combination of rainstorm analysis, remote sensing, hydrological and sedimentological data; they jointly explain the magnitude and timing of tributary contributions producing the integrated flood in the main channel. The flood as reconstructed reveals a three-peak hydrograph: two peaks were generated by the same storm but had different floodwave arrival times in the main channel; the third resulted from a local rainstorm which occurred on the following day and covered only one tributary. The curved structure of the storm and its dynamics in relation to catchment orientation resulted in storm move- ment in tandem with the floodwave. The synchronous contribution from all main tributaries preserved evidence of the floodwave both in stage and volume by replacing the transmission losses in the sections with thick alluvium. Other high magnitude floods on record for the large Negev Desert catchments are caused by a cold upper air incursion associated with the RST-N. Most of them occur in the autumn and are caused by storms with high-intensity rainfall. This is in stark contrast with the flooding behaviour of the semi-arid zone further north, which is linked primarily to the core of the Mediterranean winter. The complexities involved in the generation of a large desert flood, as revealed by this study, illustrate the fallacy of applying routine hydrological modelling to such events, and underline the need to study the processes involved in adequate detail. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physical dynamics and biological implications of Cyclone Noah in the lee of Hawaii during E-Flux I

Quasi-synoptic observations of the horizontal and vertical structure of a cold-core cyclonic mesoscale eddy feature (Cyclone Noah) were conducted in the lee of Hawai’i from November 4–22, 2004 as part of the E-Flux interdisciplinary collaborative research program. Cyclone Noah appears to have spun up to the southwest of the ‘Alenuihaha Channel (between Maui and Hawai’i) as a result of strong and persistent northeasterly trade winds through the channel. Shipboard hydrographic surveys 2.5 months later suggest that Noah weakened and was in a hypothesized spin-down phase of its life cycle. Although the initial surface expression of Noah was limited in scale to 40 km in diameter and, as evidenced by surface temperatures, 2–3 °C cooler than the surrounding waters, depth profiles revealed a fully developed semi-elliptical shallow feature (200 m), 144 km long and 90 km wide (based on sigma-t=23 kg m⁻³) with tangential speeds of 40–80 cm s⁻¹, and substantial isopycnal doming. Potential vorticity distribution of Noah suggests that radial horizontal flow of the core water was inhibited from the surface to depths of 75 m, with high vorticity confined above the sigma-t=23.5 kg m⁻³ isopycnal surface. Upward displacements of isopycnal surfaces in the eddy's center (50 m) were congruent with enhanced pigment concentrations (0.50 mg m⁻³). Comparisons of the results obtained for E-Flux I (Noah) and E-Flux III (Opal) suggest that translation characteristics of cyclonic Hawaiian lee eddies may be important in establishing the biogeochemical and biological responses of the oligotrophic ocean to cyclonic eddies.     

The transient oasis: Nutrient-phytoplankton dynamics and particle export in Hawaiian lee cyclones

Macronutrients, photosynthetic pigments, and particle export were assessed in two eddies during the E-Flux I and III cruises to investigate linkages between biogeochemical properties and export flux in Hawaiian lee cyclonic eddies. Cyclone Noah (E-Flux I), speculated to be in the ‘decay’ stage, exhibited modest increases in macronutrients and photosynthetic pigments at the eddy center compared to ambient waters. Cyclone Opal (E-Flux III) also exhibited modest increases in macronutrient concentrations, but a 2-fold enhancement in total chlorophyll a (TChl a) concentration within the eddy center. As indicated by fucoxanthin concentrations, the phytoplankton community in the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) of Opal was comprised mainly of diatoms. During an 8-day time series in the center of Opal, TChl a concentration and fucoxanthin in the DCM decreased by 50%, which was potentially triggered by silicic acid limitation. Despite the presence of a substantial diatom bloom, Opal did not deliver the expected export of particulate carbon and nitrogen, but rather a large biogenic silica export (4-fold increase relative to export in surrounding waters). Results suggest that controls on the life cycle of a Hawaiian lee cyclone are likely a combination of physical (eddy dynamics), chemical (nutrient limitation), and biological (growth and grazing imbalance) processes. Comparisons between Noah and Opal and previously studied cyclones in the region point to a relationship between the spin-up duration of a cyclone and the resulting biological response. Nonetheless, Hawaiian lee cyclones, which strongly influence the biogeochemistry of areas 100's of km in scale in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean, still remain an enigma.     

Electrical triggering of earthquakes: results of laboratory experiments at spring-block models

Recently published results of field and laboratory experiments on the seismic/acoustic response to injection of direct current(DC) pulses into the Earth crust or stressed rock samples raised a question on a possibility of electrical earthquake triggering. A physical mechanism of the considered phenomenon is not clear yet in view of the very low current density(10~(-7)–10~(-8) A/m~2) generated by the pulsed power systems at the epicenter depth(5–10 km) of local earthquakes occurred just after the current injection. The paper describes results of laboratory‘‘earthquake' triggering by DC pulses under conditions of a spring-block model simulated the seismogenic fault. It is experimentally shown that the electric triggering of the laboratory ‘‘earthquake'(sharp slip of a movable block of the spring-block system) is possible only within a range of subcritical state of the system, when the shear stress between the movable and fixed blocks obtains 0.98–0.99 of its critical value. The threshold of electric triggering action is about 20 A/m~2 that is 7–8 orders of magnitude higher than estimated electric current density for Bishkek test site(Northern Tien Shan, Kirghizia) where the seismic response to the man-made electric action was observed. In this connection, the electric triggering phenomena may be explained by contraction of electric current in the narrow conductive areas of the faults and the corresponding increase in current density or by involving the secondary triggering mechanisms like electromagnetic stimulation of conductive fluid migration into the fault area resulted in decrease in the fault strength properties.     

Seismic characterization of hyperconcentrated flows in a volcanic environment

We present direct observations and monitoring data of a hyperconcentrated flow that occurred along La Lumbre ravine, one of the most active channels of Volcán de Colima in Mexico. Flow properties were inferred from video images and seismic data recorded by a geophone installed outside the channel. We collected flow samples 400 m upstream from the monitoring station and analyzed the variation of sediment concentration and grain‐size distribution over time. A joint analysis of hydrological (i.e. flow velocity, wetted perimeter) and rheological (i.e. yield stress τ_y and dynamic viscosity μ_m ) parameters was performed to characterize the flow. Different flow regimes and sediment transport processes were identified and analyzed in comparison with both the amplitude and spectral features of the seismic signal. We observed differing sediment concentrations at the same discharge, suggesting a decoupling between sediment transport processes and discharge for low‐magnitude flows. A straightforward correlation was found between the amplitude of the seismic signal and the sediment concentration, and a value of 1.8 × 10^?3 mm/s was identified that can be used as a threshold to recognize the hyperconcentrated phase of the flow. This information was tested on the complete seismic dataset gathered at La Lumbre ravine during the 2015 rainy season. We identified the transition from streamflow to hyperconcentrated flow (and/or vice versa) in 16 low‐magnitude events and we validated this result using the video recordings. The correlation between seismic amplitude and sediment concentration is valid at La Lumbre ravine but would need to be tested in other locations for the development of automatic flow classification methods. This work contributes to standardized seismic methods for characterizing flow processes in volcanic environments, also for the development of lahar early warning systems. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Particle transport mechanics and induced seismic noise in steep flume experiments with accelerometer-embedded tracers

Recent advances in fluvial seismology have provided solid observational and theoretical evidence that near-river seismic ground motion may be used to monitor and quantify coarse sediment transport. However, inversions of sediment transport rates from seismic observations have not been fully tested against independent measurements, and thus have unknown but potentially large uncertainties. In the present study, we provide the first robust test of existing theory by conducting dedicated sediment transport experiments in a flume laboratory under fully turbulent and rough flow conditions. We monitor grain-scale physics with the use of ‘smart rocks’ that consist of accelerometers embedded into manufactured rocks, and we quantitatively link bedload mechanics and seismic observations under various prescribed flow and sediment transport conditions. From our grain-scale observations, we find that bedload grain hop times are widely distributed, with impacts being on average much more frequent than predicted by existing saltation models. Impact velocities are observed to be a linear function of average downstream cobble velocities, and both velocities show a bed-slope dependency that is not represented in existing saltation models. Incorporating these effects in an improved bedload-induced seismic noise model allows sediment flux to be inverted from seismic noise within a factor of two uncertainty. This result holds over nearly two orders of magnitude of prescribed sediment fluxes with different sediment sizes and channel-bed slopes, and particle–particle collisions observed at the highest investigated rates are found to have negligible effect on the generated seismic power. These results support the applicability of the seismic-inversion framework to mountain rivers, although further experiments remain to be conducted at sediment transport near transport capacity. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tropical Cyclone Impacts on Coastal Regions: the Case of the Yucatán and the Baja California Peninsulas,Mexico

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are large-scale natural disturbances that generate strong winds and heavy rainfall, impacting coastal and inland environments. TCs also influence biogeochemical and hydrological cycles controlling aquatic primary productivity in tropical and subtropical coastal ecosystems. We assessed TC landfall activity and identified sites along the Mexican east and west coasts with high frequency in the period 1970–2010 and evaluated TCs with significant precipitation. Changes in chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations before and after storm impacts were estimated using remotely sensed ocean color. There were 1,065 named TCs with a wide diversity in tracks. Three states with the highest number of landfalls were identified: Baja California Sur and Sinaloa on the west coast and Quintana Roo on the east coast. While a relative increase in Chl-a values following TC landfalls in the Baja California and Yucatán Peninsula regions appeared to be strongly linked to TC strength, the intensity of precipitation, the spatial scales of the two peninsulas, and the relative movement of TCs appeared to have contributed to Chl-a variability. Satellite estimates of Chl-a in the nearshore coastal waters following TC passage were likely enhanced by coastal morphology and water discharge along with constituents such as suspended particulate, colored dissolved organic matter and nutrients from rivers, tributaries, and groundwater.     

Prediction of Blast-Induced Ground Vibration Intensity in Open-Pit Mines Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and a Novel Intelligence System

Natural Resources Research - Predicting and reducing blast-induced ground vibrations is a common concern among engineers and mining enterprises. Dealing with these vibrations is a challenging issue...     

Evaluation of DNA Damage in the Marine Mussel Crenomytilus grayanus as a Genotoxic Biomarker of Pollution

Marine pollution affects all life processes in aquatic organisms. The genotoxic effect of pollution on the mussel Crenomytilus grayanus was assessed. Bivalves were collected from the ‘clean'(Vostochnaya Cove) and polluted(Nakhodka Bay) areas in the Peter the Great Bay. The degree of DNA damage in C. grayanus was determined by alkaline comet assay as mean percentage of DNA in tail, and the genetic damage index was calculated. Our results indicate that almost one-third of DNA in cells of gills and digestive gland of C. grayanus inhabiting the Nakhodka Bay had destructive changes compared to the individuals of this species from the Vostochnaya Cove. This study has shown that chronic pollution of the aquatic environment causes destructive changes to DNA in gill and digestive gland cells of C. grayanus.     

In situ experimental study of reed leaf decomposition along a full salinity gradient

An experimental study on Phragmites australis leaf litter decomposition was conducted in the estuarine environment, Ria de Aveiro, Western Portugal, using the leaf-bag technique, with fine- (1 mm) and coarse-mesh (5 mm) bags. The leaf bags were placed in the field sites at day 0, covering a complete salinity gradient, and replicates were collected over time, at days 3 (leaching), 7, 15, 30 and 60. The biomass loss through the leaching phase, about 20% of the initial leaf mass, was independent of both the salinity and the bag mesh size. The biomass decay pattern along the salinity gradient varied through time and presented strong similarities between the two mesh sizes, with the remaining biomass always lower in the 5 mm mesh-size bags. At days 7 and 15, the lowest remaining biomass was observed at the head of the estuary, the preferential distribution area of P. australis. At day 30, the remaining biomass was higher in the marine area and diminished under a direct relationship with salinity, reaching the lowest value in the freshwater environment, with values ranging from 66% to 44% of the initial weight in 5 mm bags, and from 79% to 51% in 1 mm bags. The largest heterogeneity in the remaining biomass among the study areas positioned along the salinity gradient was found close to days 30 (5 mm) and 40 (1 mm). The overall results indicate that the relationship between leaf decay rate and salinity depends on the decay time considered (k₁₅, k₃₀ or k₆₀) and, for the later stages (k₆₀), also on the leaf-bag mesh size. This implies that the use of leaf litter decay rates as a functional indicator in transitional waters will need to take into consideration the factor location in the salinity gradient and leaf litter stage at which the decay rate is determined. The differences between the decay rates with the mesh size acted mainly at the level of the absolute k value and not at the level of the pattern along the salinity gradient. Even so, the data obtained at the mouth of the estuary, in the area closest to a fully marine environment, indicated that after the initial biomass loss through leaching, P. australis decayed either very slowly, in the 5 mm, or not at all, in the 1 mm mesh bags.