A generalized approach for long-term modelling of extreme crest-to-trough wave heights

This paper deals with the long-term modelling of high sea waves. The solution is given for the return period of sea storms during which an arbitrary chosen number of waves, with crest-to-trough heights exceeding a fixed threshold, occur. This return period is derived starting from the Equivalent Triangular Storm (ETS) model, which associates a triangle to each actual storm and thus represents a significant wave height time series at a fixed location by means of a sequence of triangular storms. The short-term statistics is then applied to investigate the occurrence of large crest-to-trough wave heights during a given storm. Finally, by combining the statistical distribution of significant wave heights, the ETS model and the short-term wave statistics, the solution is given for the return periods R_N and R_N of a sea storm in which N or at least N waves higher than a fixed threshold occur. The values of R_N are then calculated, starting from data of two buoys moored in the Pacific Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea.     

Primary production in the Strait of Gibraltar: Carbon fixation rates in relation to hydrodynamic and phytoplankton dynamics

Primary production was studied at nine sites distributed within the Strait of Gibraltar (Southern Spain) and North-Western (NW) Alboran Sea by analyzing photosynthesis-irradiance (P–I) relationships and integrated primary production rates in relation to the different types of Deep Chlorophyll Maxima (DCM) detected in the area. The characteristics of the DCM were examined by several methods, including flow cytometry, quantification of transparent expolymer particles and fluorimetric measurements that were applied in order to assess the photo-physiological state of the phytoplankton assemblages with respect to their species composition and water column structure (hydrology). The photosynthetic parameters (derived from P–I relationships) and integrated primary production (range 6–644 mg m⁻² d⁻¹) responded greatly to the diverse DCM identified and thereby the spatial variability of the primary production observed in the region was found to depend upon the occurrence of the different types of phytoplankton accumulations, which were themselves indicative of the previous history of the water column. The net contribution of the primary production to the air–sea CO₂ exchange process was also evaluated in the area. Results indicated that this region behaved as a net sink for the atmospheric CO₂, with the intensity of the flux being strongly modulated by the wind intensity.     

Wave pressure acting on a seawave slot-cone generator

Any kind of Wave Energy Converter (WEC) requires information on how optimize the device in terms of hydraulic performances and structural responses. This paper presents results on wave loading acting on an innovative caisson breakwater for electricity production. The Seawave Slot-Cone Generator (SSG) concept is based on the known principle of overtopping and storing the wave energy in several reservoirs placed one above the other. Using this method practically all waves, regardless of size and speed are captured for energy production. In the present SSG setup three reservoirs have been used. Comprehensive 2D and 3D hydraulic model tests were carried out at the Department of Civil Engineering, Aalborg University (Denmark) in the 3D deep water wave tank. The model scale used was 1:60 of the SSG prototype at the planned location of a pilot plant at the west coast of the Kvitsøy island (Stavanger, Norway).     

Resolution-dependent subsonic non-thermal line dispersion revealed by ALMA

We report here Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array(ALMA)N2H+(1-0)images of the Orion Molecular Cloud 2 and 3(OMC-2/3)with high angular resolution(3"or 1200 au)and high spatial dynamic range.Combining a dataset from the ALMA main array,Atacama Compact Array(ACA),Nobeyama 45-m Telescope and Very Large Array(VLA)(providing temperature measurement on matching scales),we find that most of the dense gas in OMC-2/3 is subsonic(σQNT/cs=0.62)with a mean line width(△v)of 0.39 kms-1 full width at half maximum(FWHM).This is markedly different from the majority of previous observations of massive star-forming regions.In contrast,line widths from the Nobeyama Telescope are transonic at 0.69 km s-1(σNT/cs=1.08).We demonstrated that the larger line widths obtained by the single-dish telescope arose from unresolved sub-structures within their respective beams.The dispersions from larger scalesσls(as traced by the Nobeyama Telescope)can be decomposed into three components such thatσls2=σss2+σbm2+σrd2,where small-scaleσss is the line dispersion of each ALMA beam,bulk motionσbm is dispersion between peak velocity of each ALMA beam andσrd is the residual dispersion.Such decomposition,though purely empirical,appears to be robust throughout our data cubes.Apparent supersonic line widths,commonly found in massive molecular clouds,are thus likely due to the effect of poor spatial resolution.The observed non-thermal line dispersion(sometimes referred to as’turbulence’)transits from supersonic to subsonic at~0.05 pc scales in the OMC-2/3 region.Such transition could be commonly found with sufficient spatial(not just angular)resolution,even in regions with massive young clusters,such as the Orion molecular clouds studied here.     

Is proximity to land-based sources of coral stressors an appropriate measure of risk to coral reefs? An example from the Florida Reef Tract

Localized declines in coral condition are commonly linked to land-based sources of stressors that influence gradients of water quality, and the distance to sources of stressors is commonly used as a proxy for predicting the vulnerability and future status of reef resources. In this study, we evaluated explicitly whether proximity to shore and connections to coastal bays, two measures of potential land-based sources of disturbance, influence coral community and population structure, and the abundance, distribution, and condition of corals within patch reefs of the Florida Reef Tract. In the Florida Keys, long-term monitoring has documented significant differences in water quality along a cross-shelf gradient. Inshore habitats exhibit higher levels of nutrients (DIN and TP), TOC, turbidity, and light attenuation, and these levels decrease with increasing distance from shore and connections to tidal bays. In clear contrast to these patterns of water quality, corals on inshore patch reefs exhibited significantly higher coral cover, higher growth rates, and lower partial mortality rates than those documented in similar offshore habitats. Coral recruitment rates did not differ between inshore and offshore habitats. Corals on patch reefs closest to shore had well-spread population structures numerically dominated by intermediate to large colonies, while offshore populations showed narrower size-distributions that become increasingly positively skewed. Differences in size-structure of coral populations were attributed to faster growth and lower rates of partial mortality at inshore habitats. While the underlying causes for the favorable condition of inshore coral communities are not yet known, we hypothesize that the ability of corals to shift their trophic mode under adverse environmental conditions may be partly responsible for the observed patterns, as shown in other reef systems. This study, based on data collected from a uniform reef habitat type and coral species with diverse life-history and stress-response patterns from a heavily exploited reef system, showed that proximity to potential sources of stressors may not always prove an adequate proxy for assigning potential risks to reef health, and that hypothesized patterns of coral cover, population size-structure, growth, and mortality are not always directly related to water quality gradients.     

Dichotomy in host environments and signs of recycled active galactic nuclei

We analyse the relation between active galactic nuclei (AGN) host properties and large-scale environment for a representative red and blue AGN host galaxy sample selected from the Data Release 4 Sloan Digital Sky Survey. A comparison is made with two carefully constructed control samples of non-active galaxies, covering the same redshift range and colour baseline. The cross-correlation functions show that the density distribution of neighbours is almost identical for blue galaxies, either active or non-active. Although active red galaxies inhabit environments less dense compared to non-active red galaxies, both reside in environments considerably denser than those of blue hosts. Moreover, the radial density profile of AGN relative to galaxy group centres is less concentrated than galaxies. This is particularly evident when comparing red AGN and non-active galaxies.
The properties of the neighbouring galaxies of blue and red AGN and non active galaxies reflect this effect. While the neighbourhood of the blue samples is indistinguishable, the red AGN environs show an excess of blue-star-forming galaxies with respect to their non-active counterpart. On the other hand, the active and non-active blue systems have similar environments but markedly different morphological distributions, showing an excess of blue early-type AGN, which are argued to be late-stage mergers. This comparison reveals that the observable differences between active red and blue host galaxy properties including star formation history and AGN activity depends on the environment within which the galaxies form and evolve.     

Forecasting monthly precipitation in Central Chile: a self-organizing map approach using filtered sea surface temperature

Western South America is subject to considerable inter-annual variability due to El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) so forecasting inter-annual variations associated with ENSO would provide an opportunity to tailor management decisions more appropriately to the season. On one hand, the self-organizing maps (SOM) method is a suitable technique to explore the association between sea surface temperature and precipitation fields. On the other hand, Wavelet transform is a filtering technique, which allows the identification of relevant frequencies in signals, and also allows localization on time. Taking advantage of both methods, we present a method to forecast monthly precipitation using the SOM trained with filtered SST anomalies. The use of the SOM to forecast precipitation for Chillan showed good agreement between forecasted and measured values, with correlation coefficients (r ²) ranging from 0.72 to 0.91, making the combined use filtered SST fields and SOM a suitable tool to assist water management, for example in agricultural water management. The method can be easily tailored to be applied in other stations or to other variables.     

Elastic behavior of vanadinite,Pb<Subscript>10</Subscript>(VO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>6</Subscript>Cl<Subscript>2</Subscript>, a microporous non-zeolitic mineral

The high-pressure behavior of a vanadinite (Pb₁₀(VO₄)₆Cl₂, a = b = 10.3254(5), c = 7.3450(4) Å, space group P6₃/m), a natural microporous mineral, has been investigated using in-situ HP-synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction up to 7.67 GPa with a diamond anvil cell under hydrostatic conditions. No phase transition has been observed within the pressure range investigated. Axial and volume isothermal Equations of State (EoS) of vanadinite were determined. Fitting the P–V data with a third-order Birch-Murnaghan (BM) EoS, using the data weighted by the uncertainties in P and V, we obtained: V ₀ = 681(1) Å³, K ₀ = 41(5) GPa, and K′ = 12.5(2.5). The evolution of the lattice constants with P shows a strong anisotropic compression pattern. The axial bulk moduli were calculated with a third-order “linearized” BM-EoS. The EoS parameters are: a ₀ = 10.3302(2) Å, K ₀(a) = 35(2) GPa and K′(a) = 10(1) for the a-axis; c ₀ = 7.3520(3) Å, K ₀(c) = 98(4) GPa, and K′(c) = 9(2) for the c-axis (K ₀(a):K ₀(c) = 1:2.80). Axial and volume Eulerian-finite strain (fe) at different normalized stress (Fe) were calculated. The weighted linear regression through the data points yields the following intercept values: Fe _a (0) = 35(2) GPa for the a-axis, Fe _c (0) = 98(4) GPa for the c-axis and Fe _V (0) = 45(2) GPa for the unit-cell volume. The slope of the regression lines gives rise to K′ values of 10(1) for the a-axis, 9(2) for the c-axis and 11(1) for the unit cell-volume. A comparison between the HP-elastic response of vanadinite and the iso-structural apatite is carried out. The possible reasons of the elastic anisotropy are discussed.     

Geochemical hazard evaluation of sulphide-rich iron mines: The Rio Marina district (Elba Island,Italy)

Rio Marina mining district (Elba Island) is characterised by hematite + pyrite ore association and was exploited for iron till 1981, leaving waste rock dumps of several millions m³. The effect of open pit mining activity in this site is to produce acid mine drainage (AMD) processes leading to environmental pollution, testified by all the sampled waters (Giove stream, drainage channels, superficial pools and settling basin) which have pH values ranging from 2.08 to 3.35 and heavy metal concentrations that reach 903.16 mg/l for Fe, 45.02 mg/l for Mn, 10.08 mg/l for Zn and 1.75 mg/l for Cu. In the present work a space and time related approach to geochemical hazard evaluation was applied. The geochemical hazard is mainly related to high heavy metal concentration, acid mine drainage processes development and topographic setting. As all these parameters are related in space, hazard evaluation was performed by geostatistical methods. Fifty-four earth material samples (residual soils, waste rocks or debris materials) were collected in a central aligned 100 m mesh square grid. These were analysed for major elements by XRF, for Cu, Pb, Zn by ICP-AES and for AMD potential following the AMIRA procedure. The concentration of heavy metals was compared with Italian law limits. The overlap of Cu, Pb and Zn content maps show that at least one of these heavy metals exceed law limits in all the area. The AMD test results show that more than 50% of samples have a positive NAPP (Net Acid Producing Potential) that could reach 258.9 kg H₂SO₄/t. According to the obtained data, three main geochemical hazard classes were established and their distribution in the mining area was assessed. About 51% of the mining area surface belongs to the major hazard class, where AMD process occurs, about 49% belongs to an intermediate hazard class, where AMD process could occur only if certain conditions are met. Finally, the persistence of the AMD process in the Rio Marina area was evaluated on the basis of yearly rainfall, mining waters pH and NAPP values. A complete leaching of the first 0.25 m of the earth materials can retain the current environmental conditions for several centuries.     

The first crocodyliform from the Chubut Group (Chubut Province, Argentina) and its phylogenetic position within basal Mesoeucrocodylia

A new crocodyliform specimen is presented here found in the Cerro Castaño Member of the Cerro Barcino Formation (Chubut Group). The material consists of cranial and postcranial remains that represent a new taxon that has strong affinities with Peirosauridae, but also shares derived features present in Araripesuchus. The phylogenetic relationships of this new taxon were tested through a cladistic analysis depicting it as a member of the Peirosauridae. The inclusion of Barcinosuchus within this clade of basal mesoeucrocodylians is supported by the presence of hypapophyses up to the third or fourth dorsal vertebrae, anterolateral facing edge on postorbital, quadrate dorsal surface divided in two planes by a ridge; mandibular symphysis tapering anterirorly in ventral view, lateral surface of dentary convex anterior to mandibular fenestra, distal body of quadrate well developed, anteroposteriorly thin and lateromedially broad. The new specimen broadens the temporal and geographical distribution of Peirosauridae during the Cretaceous of Gondwana, representing the southern-most and the most ancient record of the group in Patagonia. The new material also provides insights on the postcranial anatomy of peirosaurids, a group that has been so far studied almost exclusively from cranial material.