Corundum- and kyanite-bearing anatexites from the Precambrian of tanzania

In the Precambrian near Morogoro (East Tanzania) there are anatectic gneisses which are composed of two different domains: (1) Medium grained gneiss with the assemblage (+ rutile + baddeleyite): albite (ab₉₅an₀₃or₀₂) + muscovite + phlogopite_ss + corundum, and albite (ab₈₈an₀₉or₀₃ + kyanite or sillimanite + phlogopite_ss. (2) Coarse grained nests of corundum and antiperthite with minor albite, muscovite, phlogopite, rutile, baddeleyite, and tourmaline. The bulk composition of the antiperthite id ab₇₅an₀₂or₂₃, the composition of the Na-phase ab₉₅an₀₃or₀₂, that of the K-phase ab₁₃an₀₀or₈₇. Phase relationship of the rock can be modelled in the Na-rich, Si-undersaturated part of the KNASH system. P-T conditions are close to the intersection of the melting curve muscovite_ss + H₂O = corundum + liquid with the kyanite-sillimanite transition, i.e. 7.7 kb/695°C assuming a_H2O = 1.     

Variations in climatic and hydrological parameters in the Selenga River basin in the Russian Federation

The variations in average annual surface air temperature, precipitation, and runoff in the Selenga River basin (within Russia) are analyzed. It is demonstrated that the considerable increase in average annual temperature of surface air layers occurred in the 1980s-1990s. The decrease in peak water discharge in the rivers and the increase in the frequency of low-water periods were revealed in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of the Selenga River basin in 2001-2010. In the southwestern mountain regions (the Dzhida River basin) the river runoff increased during that period.     

Improving the efficiency of ant algorithms using adaptive refinement: Application to storm water network design

The ant algorithm is a new evolutionary optimization method proposed for the solution of discrete combinatorial optimization problems. Many engineering optimization problems involve decision variables of continuous nature. Application of the ant algorithm to the optimization of these continuous problems requires discretization of the continuous search space, thereby reducing the underlying continuous problem to a discrete optimization problem. The level of discretization of the continuous search space, however, could present some problems. Generally, coarse discretization of the continuous design variables could adversely affect the quality of the final solution while finer discretization would enlarge the scale of the problem leading to higher computation cost and, occasionally, to low quality solutions. An adaptive refinement procedure is introduced in this paper as a remedy for the problem just outlined. The method is based on the idea of limiting the originally wide search space to a smaller one once a locally converged solution is obtained. The smaller search space is designed to contain the locally optimum solution at its center. The resulting search space is discretized and a completely new search is conducted to find a better solution. The procedure is continued until no improvement can be made by further refinement. The method is applied to a benchmark problem in storm water network design discipline and the results are compared with those of existing methods. The method is shown to be very effective and efficient regarding the optimality of the solution, and the convergence characteristics of the resulting ant algorithm. Furthermore, the method proves itself capable of finding an optimal, or near-optimal solution, independent of the discretization level and the size of the colony used.     

Modeling rhamnolipids production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa from immiscible carbon source in a batch system

A mathematical model to predict the rhamnolipids production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa from oleic acid in a two phase liquid-liquid batch reaction system, was developed in this study. The model was based on two theoretical assumptions: 1) the convective oleic acid mass transfer is coupled to a bioreaction in the aqueous liquid bulk, and 2) the volume of the immiscible oleic acid drops and the saturation concentration at the interface are a function of rhamnolipids production. The model was able to accurately predict the experimental growth of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain, and the rhamnolipids production data with oleic acid as carbon source. This mathematical approach indicated a high correspondence between the saturation dimensionless profiles of oleic acid at the interface and the experimental profiles of surface tension difference. This modeling approach may constitute a useful tool in the design and scaling-up of bioreactors applied to the production of biosurfactants with immiscible carbon sources.     

AIRFLOW PATTERNS FROM PHOTOGRAMMETRIC MEASUREMENTS OF WINDBLOWN TIMBER

Aerial photography may be used to quickly locate and measure the extent and severity of forest damage due to windblow. This paper describes such an application in a small area of semi-natural woodland in central Scotland after the “Great Gale” of 14th and 15th January, 1968. A 1 : 2000 scale map, showing the location and direction of fall of each windblown tree, suggests certain relationships between topography and the severity of woodland damage and gives considerable information on the airflow pattern existing over the area during the gale.     

Chemical composition of Russian Arctic precipitation in 2007-2015

The results of observations of the chemical composition of precipitation in the Russian Arctic in 2007-2015 are summarized including the data from NP-35 drifting ice station obtained in 2007-2008 in the framework of the joint program of Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory. The qualitative and quantitative difference in the chemical composition of precipitation in the Atlantic, Siberian, and Pacific sectors of the Russian Arctic is revealed. It is found that the concentration of microelements (heavy metals) in precipitation at NP-35 ice station did not exceed 12% of total ions at the lowest mineralization. The comparative analysis is presented of the concentration of sulfate ions in precipitation in Norilsk and at NP-35 ice stations.     

The temple of apollo (Delphi) strengthens novel thermoluminescence dating method

The temple of Apollo in Delphi (Greece), built in 550 B.C., has been used to reconfirm a novel method of dating carved megalithic stone buildings using thermoluminescence (TL) (Liritzis, 1994). A calcitic (marble) sample was taken from the western side of the well-known inscribed polygonal wall, which constitutes the southern external support foundations of the temple. A partially bleached TL methodology was devised to determine first the ancient residual TL and then the correct archaeological dose. The obtained TL age of 420 ± 300 B.C. is compatible, within the margin of error, with the archaeological age. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the atomic constants of ReI

We have experimentally studied the excitation of the rhenium atom by collisions with slow monoenergetic electrons and measured 47 excitational cross sections for lines of ReI at an electron energy of 50 eV. Previously published information about the probabilities of radiative transitions of ReI is analyzed. The data for two experimental studies of the ratios Iλ/gA for transitions with a common upper level differ by three orders of magnitude.     

Experimental evaluation of biases associated with sampling estuarine fishes with seines

Beach seines are widely used to estimate the density and species richness of fishes in estuaries. We evaluated the causes and extent of bias in estimates from seines using a series of field experiments in small estuaries in southern California, USA. Seining in spatially paired areas that were either enclosed by block nets or not, revealed that seines used without block nets und erestimated density by more than 4-fold and species richness by more than 2-fold relative to blocked areas. Seining in paired blocked areas with seines of two lengths revealed that net length affected estimates of density, but not species richness; a 7.6-m long seine produced 1.6-fold higher estimates of total density than did a 15.2-m long seine due to increased catches of demersal fishes, but not midwater species. Paired sampling in blocked areas also revealed that many fishes initially evaded capture by the seine. Estimates of density but not species richness were significantly higher in areas through which a seine was swept 5 times compared to once. This was due to higher catches of demersal fishes but not midwater fishes in areas seined 5 times. Repeated seining through blocked areas revealed that the vast majority (90% or more) of species and individuals of midwater fishes were captured within the first 5 sweeps, compared to only about 50% of the individuals of demersal species. A mark-recapture study in blocked areas revealed lower probabilities of capture for demersal species relative to midwater species.