Field survey of the 1994 Mindoro Island,Philippines tsunami

This is a report of the field survey of the November 15, 1994 Mindoro Island, Philippines, tsunami generated by an earthquake (M=7.0) with a strike-slip motion. We will report runup heights from 54 locations on Luzon, Mindoro and other smaller islands in the Cape Verde passage between Mindoro and Luzon. Most of the damage was concentrated along the northern coast of Mindoro. Runup height distribution ranged 3–4 m at the most severely damaged areas and 2–4 in neighboring areas. The tsunami-affected area was limited to within 10 km of the epicenter. The largest recorded runup value of 7.3 m was measured on the southwestern coast of Baco Island while a runup of 6.1 m was detected on its northern coastline. The earthquake and tsunami killed 62 people, injured 248 and destroyed 800 houses. As observed in other recent tsunami disasters, most of the casualties were children. Nearly all eyewitnesses interviewed described the first wave as a leading-depression wave. Eyewitnesses reported that the main direction of tsunami propagation was SW in Subaang Bay, SE in Wawa and Calapan, NE on Baco Island and N on Verde Island, suggesting that the tsunami source area was in the southern Pass of Verde Island and that the wave propagated rapidly in all directions. The fault plane extended offshore to the N of Mindoro Island, with its rupture originating S of Verde Island and propagating almost directly south to the inland of Mindoro, thereby accounting for the relatively limited damage area observed on the N of Mindoro.     

Plutonic inclusions and olivines in high-K volcanics from Ulreung island,Korea

Summary Major and trace element data are presented for four alkali gabbroic inclusions, two monzonitic inclusions, and nine syenitic inclusions from Ulreung island, Korea. Analytical results are also given for the mineral constituents. Although the major element chemistry suggests that the plutonic inclusions are comagmatic with the associated volcanic rocks, the trace element data demonstrate that they do not represent a simple liquid line of descent. In addition, the mineralogical data indicate that they are not likely to represent cumulates on the floor of the magma chamber from which the observed volcanic rocks have been derived. Titanbiotite crystallization preceded kaersutite crystallization in the plutonic rocks but that order was inverse in the volcanic rocks. The trachytic-phonolitic rocks contain Fe-rich olivine phenocrysts, whereas the plutonic inclusions do not. These discrepancies can be accounted for by the assumption that the investigated plutonic rocks represent some cumulus parts of intrusive bodies solidified at shallower depth than the magma reservoir beneath the island. Petrographic features of the gabbroic inclusions are suggestive that olivine was probably in a reaction relationship with liquid to form titanbiotite. Comparison with petrological data of the volcanic rocks also implies that olivine was in a reaction relationship with an intermediate alkalic magma in both the intruded magmas at shallow depth and in the magma chamber at great depth. This is the cause of the olivine compositional gap in the high-K volcanic suite. Titanbiotite is a major reaction product.

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Plutonische Einschlüsse und Olivine in Kalium-reichen Vulkaniten von Ulreung Island, Korea

Zusammenfassung Haupt- und Spurenelementdaten von vier alkalischen gabbroiden, zwei monzonitische Haupt- und Spurenelementdaten von vier alkalischen gabbroiden, zwei monzonitische und neun syenitischen Einschlüssen von Ulreung Island, Korea, sowie analytische Daten der Mineralkomponenten werden vorgelegt. Obwohl der Hauptelementchemismus andeutet, daß die plutonischen Intrusionen und die vergesellschafteten vulkanischen Gesteine comagmatisch sind, zeigen die Spurenelementdaten, daß diese nicht eine einfache Magmenlinie darstellen. Außerdem zeigen die mineralogischen Daten an, daß die Gesteine wahrscheinlich keine Kumulate vom Boden der Magmenkammer sind, von welcher die beobachteten vulkanischen Gesteine herstammen. In den plutonischen Gesteinen kristallisierte Titan-Biotit früher als der Kaersutit. In den vulkanischen Gesteinen ist diese Reihenfolge jedoch umgekehrt. Die trachitischen/phonolitischen Gesteine enthalten im Gegensatz zu den plutonischen Einschlüssen Fe-reiche Olivin-Phenokrysten. Diese Unterschiede können durch die Annahme erklärt werden, daß die untersuchten plutonischen Gesteine bestimmte Kumulate eines intrusiven Körpers sind, der in geringerer Tiefe als das Magmenreservoir unterhalb der Inseln erstarrte. Petrographische Kennzeichen von gabbroischen Einschlüssen deuten darauf hin, daß der Olivin wahrscheinlich mit der Schmelze reagiert hat und Titan-Biotit bildete. Ein Vergleich der petrographischen Daten der vulkanischen Gesteine Vergleich der petrographischen Daten der vulkanischen Gesteine läßt ebenfalls den Schluß zu, daß Olivin mit einem intermediären alkalischen Magma in beiden, dem intrudierten Magma in geringer Tiefe und der Magmakammer in großer Tiefe, reagierte. Dies ist der Grund für die Lücke in der Olivinzusammensetzung in der Kalium-reichen vulkanischen Suite. Titan-Biotit ist ein Hauptreaktionsprodukt.

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With 9 Figures     

Ekman motion in shallow open sea in the presence of time-harmonic variation of water depth

The time variation of the wind-induced flow in a homogeneous unbounded sea region has been analytically investigated. The time-dependent Ekman solution in a homogeneous, shallow open sea has been further extended by taking into account the time variation in water depth which might be caused by either tidal motion or change in the mixed layer thickness. The solution approach taken in this study is based on the Galerkin-eigenfunction method originally developed by Heaps [1972. On the numerical solution of three-dimensional hydrodynamical equations for tides and storm surges. Memoires de la Societe Royale des Sciences de Liege Serie 6(2), 143–180]. A series of calculations have been made with emphasis on the influence of the time variation in water depth upon the build-up of Ekman spirals in the presence of oscillatory variations in water depth. It has been found that two oscillations contribute to the wind drift current, the inertial oscillation and the depth-variation-induced oscillation; the inertial oscillation decays with time, but the depth-variation-induced oscillation remains undamped despite the presence of bottom friction. The presence of time-harmonic variation produces peculiar forms of hodograph with a curled or circular pattern according to the angular frequency of the water depth variation.     

Risk assessment for the Yucca Mountain high-level nuclear waste repository site: Estimation of volcanic disruption

In this article, we model the volcanism near the proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, U.S.A. by estimating the instantaneous recurrence rate using a nonhomogeneous Poisson process with Weibull intensity and by using a homogeneous Poisson process to predict future eruptions. We then quantify the probability that any single eruption is disruptive in terms of a (prior) probability distribution, since not every eruption would result in disruption of the repository. Bayesian analysis is performed to evaluate the volcanic risk. Based on the Quaternary data, a 90% confidence interval for the instantaneous recurrence rate near the Yucca Mountain site is (1.85×10^–6/yr, 1.26×10^–5/yr). Also, using-these confidence bounds, the corresponding 90% confidence interval for the risk (probability of at least one disruptive eruption) for an isolation time of 10⁴ years is (1.0×10^–3, 6.7×10^–3), if it is assumed that the intensity remains constant during the projected time frame.     

凝结反馈对云层垂直发展影响的一个线性理论

根据小尺度垂直运动的线性分析,作者证明凝结反馈对云层的垂直发展有着很强的制约作用。这种制约作用在温度和湿度较大的情况下更为明显。作者引出了在凝结反馈作用下非定常运动中的频率公式和定常运动下的波速公式。这样,南方雨季中每次雨停时常常见到的云层迅速分层的现象得到了可能的理论解释。     

Outlying plasmasphere structure detected by whistlers

Whistlers recorded at Eights ($\text{L ? 4}$) and Byrd ($\text{f ? 7}$), Antarctica have been used to study large-scale structure in equatorial plasma density at geocentric distances $\text{?3–6}\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{E}}$. The observations were made during conditions of magnetic quieting following moderate disturbance. The structures were detected by a “scanning” process involving relative motion, at about one tenth of the Earth's angular velocity or greater, between the observed density features and the observing whistler station or stations. Three case studies are described, from 26 March 1965, 11 May 1965 and 29 August 1966. The cases support satellite results by showing outlying high density regions at $\text{?4–6}\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{E}}$ that are separated from the main plasmasphere by trough-like depressions ranging in width from $\text{?0.2}$ to 1 R_E. The structures evidently endured for periods of 12 hr or more. In the cases of deepest quieting their slow east-west motions with respect to the Earth are probably of dynamo origin. The cases observed during deep quieting (11 May 1965 and 29 August 1966) suggest the approximate rotation with the Earth of structure formed during previous moderate disturbance activity in the dusk sector. The third case, from 26 March 1965, may represent a structure formed near local midnight. The reported structures appear to be closely related to the bulge phenomenon. The present work supports other experimental and theoretical evidence that the dusk sector is one of major importance in the generation of outlying density structure. It is inferred that irregularities of the type reported here regularly develop near 4–5 R_E during moderate substorm activity. This research suggests that at least a major class of the density structures that develop near 4 R_E are tail-like in nature, joined to the main body of the plasmasphere. The apparent disagreement with Chappell's results from OGO 5, which are interpreted as showing regions of “detached” plasma beyond 5 R_E, may be related to the pronounced spatial structure of electric fields observed in high-latitude ionospheric regions that are conjugate to the magnetospheric regions in which the OGO-5 observations were made.     

An overview of toxicant identification in sediments and dredged materials

The identification of toxicants affecting aquatic benthic systems is critical to sound assessment and management of our nation's waterways. Identification of toxicants can be useful in designing effective sediment remediation plans and reasonable options for sediment disposal. Knowledge of which contaminants affect benthic systems allows managers to link pollution to specific dischargers and prevent further release of toxicant(s). In addition, identification of major causes of toxicity in sediments may guide programs such as those developing environmental sediment guidelines and registering pesticides, while knowledge of the causes of toxicity which drive ecological changes such as shifts in benthic community structure would be useful in performing ecological risk assessments. To this end, the US Environmental Protection Agency has developed tools (toxicity identification and evaluation (TIE) methods) that allow investigators to characterize and identify chemicals causing acute toxicity in sediments and dredged materials. To date, most sediment TIEs have been performed on interstitial waters. Preliminary evidence from the use of interstitial water TIEs reveals certain patterns in causes of sediment toxicity. First, among all sediments tested, there is no one predominant cause of toxicity; metals, organics, and ammonia play approximately equal roles in causing toxicity. Second, within a single sediment there are multiple causes of toxicity detected; not just one chemical class is active. Third, the role of ammonia is very prominent in these interstitial waters. Finally, if sediments are divided into marine or freshwater, TIEs perforMed on interstitial waters from freshwater sediments indicate a variety of toxicants in fairly equal proportions, while TIEs performed on interstitial waters from marine sediments have identified only ammonia and organics as toxicants, with metals playing a minor role. Preliminary evidence from whole sediment TIEs indicates that organic compounds play a major role in the toxicity of marine sediments, with almost no evidence for either metal or ammonia toxicity. However, interpretation of these results may be skewed because only a small number of interstitial water (n = 13) and whole sediment (n = 5) TIEs have been completed. These trends may change as more data are collected.     

Freeze thaw cycles in Toronto, Canada in a changing climate

Summary Freeze thaw cycles are examined in Toronto Canada. Using data from 1960 to 1989 for three Toronto area weather stations, trends in freeze thaw activity, the relationship to mean monthly temperature and projections of freeze thaw activity are examined. For downtown Toronto the annual frequency of freeze thaw cycles is decreasing significantly, most notably in the shoulder months of October and April. At the Pearson International Airport and the Toronto Island Airport similar annual trends were not found, however there was evidence of decreased freeze thaw activity in April and October. Polynomial curve fitting provided functional relationships between mean monthly temperature and freeze thaw activity. These relationships enabled the assessment of freeze thaw activity under synthetic warming conditions. The results of this analysis show that the warming of the magnitude typically projected for the rest of this century will not likely generate a significant change in the freeze thaw activity although there are indications that the freeze thaw season will contract.