Classification of near-surface anomalies in the seismic refraction method according to the shape of the time–distance graph: A theoretical approach

Results obtained by SASW and PS-logging (in-hole) seismic techniques are compared with the relatively new ReMi (Refraction microtremor) method at a common site with a well-known soil profile: a recently constructed high-speed railway embankment. PS-logging is the most accurate technique in identifying the soil profile of the embankment followed by Re-Mi and SASW. Mean shear wave velocity estimations are also higher for PS-logging, followed by SASW and ReMi, while mean deviation is similar in each technique. The ReMi technique has provided very accurate results in the study of the embankment profile, which in addition to its high operability and its fast data processing, makes it a very convenient technique for extensive geotechnical surveys.     

Earthquake prediction: 20 years of global experiment

Earthquake professionals have for many decades recognized the benefits to society from reliable earthquake predictions, but uncertainties regarding source initiation, rupture phenomena, and accuracy of both the timing and magnitude of the earthquake occurrence have oftentimes seemed either very difficult or impossible to overcome. The problem is that most of these methods cannot be adequately tested and evaluated either because of (a) lack of a precise definition of “prediction” and/or (b) shortage of data for meaningful statistical verification. This is not the case for the pattern recognition algorithm M8 designed in 1984 for prediction of great, Magnitude 8, earthquakes, hence its name. By 1986, the algorithm was rescaled for applications aimed at smaller magnitude earthquakes, down to M5+ range, and since then it has become a useful tool for systematic monitoring of seismic activity in a number of test seismic regions worldwide. After confirmed predictions of both the 1988 Spitak (Armenia) and the 1989 Loma Prieta (California) earthquakes, a “rigid test” to evaluate the efficiency of the intermediate-term middle-range earthquake prediction technique has been designed. Since 1991, each half-year, the algorithm M8 alone and in combination with its refinement MSc has been applied in a real-time prediction mode to seismicity of the entire Earth, and this test outlines, where possible, the areas in the two approximations where magnitude 8.0+ and 7.5+ earthquakes are most likely to occur before the next update. The results of this truly global 20-year-old experiment are indirect confirmations of the existing common features of both the predictability and the diverse behavior of the Earth’s naturally fractal lithosphere. The statistics achieved to date prove (with confidence above 99 %) rather high efficiency of the M8 and M8-MSc predictions limited to intermediate-term middle- and narrow-range accuracy. These statistics support the following general conclusions—(1) precursory seismic patterns do exist; (2) the size of an area where precursory seismic patterns show up is much larger than that of the source zone of the incipient target earthquake; (3) many precursory seismic patterns appear to be similar, even in regions of fundamentally different tectonic environments; and (4) some precursory seismic patterns are analogous to those in advance of extreme catastrophic events in other complex nonlinear systems (e.g., magnetic storms, solar flares, “starquakes”, etc.)—that are of high importance for further searches of the improved earthquake forecast/prediction algorithms and methods.     

Altitude variation of the plasmapause signature in the main ionospheric trough

The projection of the plasmapause magnetic-field lines to low altitudes, where the light-ion chemistry is dominated by O⁺, tends to occur near the minimum electron density in the main (midlatitude) electron density trough at night. With increasing altitude in the trough, where H⁺ emerges as the dominant ion on the low-latitude boundary, we have found cases where the plasmapause field lines are located on the sharp low-latitude side of the trough as expected if this topside ionosphere H⁺ distribution varies in step with the plasmapause gradient in the distant plasmasphere. These conclusions are based on near-equatorial crossings of the plasmapause (corresponding to the steep gradient in the dominant species H⁺) by the Explorer-45 satellite as determined from electric-field measurements by Maynard and Cauffman in the early 1970s and ISIS-2 ionospheric topside-sounder measurements. The former data have now been converted to digital form and made available at http://nssdcftp.gsfc.nasa.gov. The latter provide samples of nearly coincident observations of ionospheric main trough crossings near the same magnetic-field lines of the Explorer 45-determined equatorial plasmapause. The ISIS-2 vertical electron density profiles are used to infer where the F-region transitions from an O⁺ to a H⁺ dominated plasma through the main trough boundaries.     

AMSR-E sea surface temperature (SST) charts enhancement

Microwave satellite images used for retrieving sea surface temperatures often have such distortions as noise and blurring of the thermal fronts. An image processing approach based on the Mumford-Shah model of optimal image approximation is considered for the solution to this problem. We divide images into flat areas and frontal zones, and then process these areas separately. Image fragmentation is based on automatic detection of the thermal front lines. SST enhancement in frontal zones is achieved by using image deconvolution methods. It has been shown that SST errors in high gradient areas reach 1–3 °C. The proposed approach can decrease this discrepancy.     

Do river deltas in east India retreat? A case of the Krishna Delta

The construction of multiple dams and barrages in many Indian River basins over the last few decades significantly reduced river flow to the sea and affected the sediment regime. More reservoir construction is planned through the proposed National River Linking Project (NRLP), which will transfer massive amounts of water from the North to the South of India. The impacts of these developments on fertile and ecologically sensitive deltaic environments are poorly understood and quantified at present. In this paper an attempt is made to identify, locate and quantify coastal erosion and deposition processes in one of the major river basins in India—the Krishna—using a time series of Landsat images for 1977, 1990 and 2001 with a spatial resolution ranging from 57.0 m to 28.5 m. The dynamics of these processes are analyzed together with the time series of river flow, sediment discharge and sediment storage in the basin. Comparisons are made with similar processes identified and quantified earlier in the delta of a neighboring similarly large river basin—the Godavari. The results suggest that coastal erosion in the Krishna Delta progressed over the last 25 years at the average rate of 77.6 ha yr^− 1, dominating the entire delta coastline and exceeding the deposition rate threefold. The retreat of the Krishna Delta may be explained primarily by the reduced river inflow to the delta (which is three times less at present than 50 years ago) and the associated reduction of sediment load. Both are invariably related to upstream reservoir storage development.     

On the use of JMA intensity in earthquake early warning systems

The estimation of strength of shaking at a site from the initial P-wave portion of ground motion is the key problems for shortening the alert time of the earthquake Early Warning (EEW). The most of the techniques proposed for the purpose utilize (a) ground motion models based on the estimated magnitude and hypocentral distance, or (b) the interim proxies, such as initial vertical displacement P _d . We suggest the instrumental Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) intensity (JMA_I) as a characteristic for fast estimation of damage potential in the EEW systems. We investigated the scaling relations between JMA_I measured using the whole earthquake recordings (overall intensity) and using particular time intervals of various duration (2.0–8.0 s) starting from the P-wave arrival (preliminary intensity). The dataset included 3,660 records (K-NET and the KiK-net networks) from 55 events (M _W 4.1–7.4) occurred in 1999–2008 in Japan. We showed that the time interval of 4–5 s from the P-wave arrival can be used for reliable estimations of the overall intensity with the average standard error of about 0.5 JMA units. The uncertainty in the prediction may be reduced by consideration of local site conditions or by development of the station-specific models.     

Observational Evidence for a Double-Helix Structure in CMEs and Magnetic Clouds

We compare recent observations of a solar eruptive prominence as seen in extreme-UV light on 30 March 2010 by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) with the multi-tube model for interplanetary magnetic clouds (Osherovich, Fainberg, Stone, Geophys. Res. Lett. 26, 2597, 1999). Our model is based on an exact analytical solution of the plasma equilibrium with magnetic force balanced by a gradient of scalar gas pressure. Topologically, this solution describes two magnetic helices with opposite magnetic polarity embedded in a cylindrical magnetic flux tube that creates magnetic flux inequality between the two helices by enhancing one helix and suppressing the other. The magnetic field in this model is continuous everywhere and has a finite magnetic energy per unit length of the tube. These configurations have been introduced as MHD bounded states (Osherovich, Soln. Dannye 5, 70, 1975). Apparently, the SDO observations depict two non-equal magnetically interacting helices described by this analytical model. We consider magnetic and thermodynamic signatures of multiple magnetic flux ropes inside the same magnetic cloud, using in situ observations. The ratio of magnetic energy density to bulk speed solar wind energy density has been defined as a solar wind quasi-invariant (QI). We analyze the structure of the QI profile to probe the topology of the internal structure of magnetic clouds. From the superposition of 12 magnetically isolated clouds observed by Ulysses, we have found that the corresponding QI is consistent with our double helix model.     

Provenance of Precambrian Fe- and Al-rich Metapelites in the Yenisey Ridge and Kuznetsk Alatau, Siberia： Geochemical Signatures

Major, trace and rare earth element contents of Fe- and Al-rich metapelites from the Korda （Yenisey Ridge） and Amar （Kuznetsk Alatau） formations were determined to examine the nature, origin and evolution of their protoliths. Results indicate that these rocks are the redeposited and metamorphosed products of Precambrian kaolinitic weathering crusts, while the geochemical distinctions between the studied metapelites are determined by different weathering conditions in the source area and tectonic settings. The protolith of the Korda Formation metapelites was produced by erosion products of the post-Archean granitoid rocks, which accumulated under humid climate conditions in shallow-water basins along the continental margin. The geochemical characteristics of the deeper primary deposits of the Amar Formation suggest that volcanogenic material of mafic composition derived from an island-arc environment had a major role in supplying the erosion zone. These results agree with lithofacies data and with the geodynamic reconstruction of the evolution of the Yenisey Ridge and Kuznetsk Alatau during the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic, respectively. It was shown that REEs had limited mobility during contact metamorphism. The coherent mobility of REEs during collisional metamorphism may be attributed both to mineral reactions responsible for modal changes and to local chemical heterogeneity inherited from the initial protolith.     

An Integrated Study to Analyze Salt Lake Microbial Community Structure(Novosibirsk Oblast,Russia)

正Salt Lake is one of the lakes in the system,consisting of a huge amount of salt and bitter-salty lakes in Novosibirsk Oblast and Altai Krai.These lakes are unique and highly unstable systems where the parameters of geochemical