Influence of long‐period filter cut‐off on elastic spectral displacements

The effect of the long‐period filter cut‐off, T_c, on elastic spectral displacements is investigated using a strong ground‐motion database from Europe and the Middle East. The relation between the filter and oscillator responses is considered to observe the influence of T_c for both analogue and digital records, and the variations with site classification, magnitude, filter order and viscous damping. Robust statistics are derived using the re‐processed European data to generalize the effects of the long‐period filter cut‐off on maximum oscillator deformation demands as a function of these seismological and structural features. Statistics with a 95% confidence interval are derived to suggest usable period ranges for spectral displacement computations as a function of T_c. The results indicate that the maximum period at which spectral displacements can be confidently calculated depend strongly on the site class, magnitude and filter order. The period range where reliable long‐period information can be extracted from digital accelerograms is twice that of analogue records. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trends in marine debris along the U.S. Pacific Coast and Hawai'i 1998-2007

We assessed amounts, composition, and trends of marine debris for the U.S. Pacific Coast and Hawai'i using National Marine Debris Monitoring Program data. Hawai'i had the highest debris loads; the North Pacific Coast region had the lowest debris loads. The Southern California Bight region had the highest land-based debris loads. Debris loads decreased over time for all source categories in all regions except for land-based and general-source loads in the North Pacific Coast region, which were unchanged. General-source debris comprised 30-40% of the items in all regions. Larger local populations were associated with higher land-based debris loads across regions; the effect declined at higher population levels. Upwelling affected deposition of ocean-based and general-source debris loads but not land-based loads along the Pacific Coast. LNSO decreased debris loads for both land-based and ocean-based debris but not general-source debris in Hawai'i, a more complex climate-ocean effect than had previously been found.     

Evaluation of sampling devices for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface microlayer coastal waters

The sea surface microlayer (SML) may play an important role on the transport and fate of persistent organic pollutants in the marine environment. In order to evaluate the appropriateness of a number of sampling devices for the analysis of 14 parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (3-5 aromatic rings), marine SML waters were sampled using a glass plate, a rotating drum/roller, a metal screen and a surface slick sampler. The underlying waters were also sampled for the determination of the corresponding enrichment factors (EF = [C](microlayer)/[C](underlying water)). The EFs were phase dependent, ranging from 1 to 3 for the dissolved phase and between 4 and 7 for the particulate phase. In order to better assess the performance of the different sampling methods, in terms of phase partitioning, the truly dissolved and colloidal phases were also estimated. Generally, no significant differences were found for the enrichment factors provided by the different methods, due to the observed large variability in concentrations that can be attributed to small-scale coastal processes. However, the metal screen is recommended as the most efficient sampling method for the study of PAHs taking into account the amount of water collected versus time.     

Evaporation from the understorey in the Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata Don ex Sm.) forest, southwestern Australia

Annual evaporation from groundflora, litter and soil of the jarrah forest was estimated from measurements of daily evaporation by ventilated chambers on several days over two separate 12-month periods. In the first year, when sampling ranged over 0.1 ha of forest, annual evaporation during daylight hours was estimated as 410 mm (0.32 rainfall). In the second year, sampling was more frequent, on a larger scale, and included the night hours. Annual evaporation was estimated at 360 mm (0.36 rainfall).

Similarly, in the second year, annual evaporation from two trees of the dominant middle storey species, Banksia grandis, was estimated at 7500 and 18,9001 respectively. The leaf area of these two trees was 9.6 and 22.4 m², respectively, so that annual evaporation, when expressed as mm³ per mm² leaf area, was similar for both trees (mean = 820 ± 30 mm). Applying that value to all Banksia trees in a hectare of forest, and using a measured estimate of leaf area index of 0.19, the estimated annual evaporation from the Banksia component was 155 mm (0.16 rainfall). For the upland part of the forest sampled, the combined annual evaporation from the lower and middle storeys accounted for about half (0.51) of the annual rainfall.

We conclude that reduced evaporation from the upper storey following clearing or thinning may be strongly counteracted by increased evaporation from the understorey due to increased availability of energy and water.     

Geomechanical modelling to assess fault integrity at the CO2CRC Otway Project,Australia

This paper presents the first published 3D geomechanical modelling study of the CO2CRC Otway Project, located in the state of Victoria, Australia. The results of this work contribute to one of the main objectives of the CO2CRC, which is to demonstrate the feasibility of CO₂ storage in a depleted gas reservoir. With this aim in mind, a one-way coupled flow and geomechanics model is presented, with the capability of predicting changes to the in situ stress field caused by changes in reservoir pressure owing to CO₂ production and injection. A parametric study investigating the pore pressures required to reactivate key, reservoir-bounding faults has been conducted, and the results from the numerical simulation and analytical analysis are compared. The numerical simulation indicates that the critical pore fluid pressure to cause fault reactivation is 1.15 times the original pressure as opposed to 1.5 times for the comparable analytical model. Possible reasons for the differences between the numerical and analytical models can be ascribed to the higher degree of complexity incorporated in the numerical model. Heterogeneity in terms of lateral variations of hydrological and mechanical parameters, effect of topography, presence of faults and interaction between cells are considered to be the main sources for the different estimation of critical pore pressure. The numerical model, which incorporates this greater complexity, is able then to better describe the state of stress that acts in the subsurface compared with a simple 1D analytical model. Moreover, the reactivation pressures depend mainly on the state of stress described; therefore we suggest that numerical models be performed when possible.     

Subliquidus glass-glass immiscibility along the albite-diopside join

A calorimetric study has shown that glasses along the albite-diopside join in the system albiteanorthite-diopside have positive enthalpies of mixing. Thermodynamic calculations based on these data describe a nearly symmetric, metastable, subliquidus irascibility gap along the join with a critical temperature at 910 K. The existence of the miscibility gap was tested experimentally by annealing an Ab₅₀Di₅₀ glass at 748 K and 823 K. Annealed glasses were examined by optical microscopy and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The glasses showed morphological and chemical features consistent with unmixing of two glass phases. The apparent mechanism of phase separation involves initial spinodal decomposition followed by coarsening to produce 0.1 μm–0.3 μm spherical glass phases.     

Evaluation of biotite-garnet geothermometers: application to the English River subprovince,Ontario

In recent years, there have been numerous calibrations of the biotite-garnet Fe-Mg exchange geothermometer. The Eastern Lac Seul region of the English River subprovince, Ontario, provides an excellent field area in which to compare these calibrations.Trend surface analysis using the temperatures obtained from garnet cores and matrix biotites-showed almost identical trends in the eastern Lac Seul region regardless of the calibration used. The absolute temperatures and the precision of each calibration do, however, show large variation. Geothermometers based solely on lnK_D were found to give more precise results than the calibrations that attempt to incorporate non-Fe-Mg components. The Perchuk and Lavrent'eva (1983) thermometer yields the most precise and accurate results. If a sufficient number of samples are collected over a region, it can be used to estimate metamorphic temperature trends to ±30° C. Metamorphism and migmatization of the English River subprovince occurred during the Kenoran orogeny, 2.68 b.y. ago. Our results show that a thermal anticline has been preserved, with temperatures of 600° C at the north and south contacts with Uchi and Wabigoon Greenstone belts, increasing to 725 °C at the center of the subprovince. A garnet-cordierite in isograd occurs at 650° C and an orthopyroxene in isogradat 700° C.     

Application of organic petrology and geochemistry to coal waste studies

Coal wastes produced during mining activities are commonly deposited in nearby dumps. These wastes mostly composed of minerals and variable amounts (usually 20-30%) of organic matter start to weather immediately after deposition. Oxidation of the organic matter can lead to self heating and self combustion as a result of organic and mineral matter transformations. The degree of alteration depends on the properties of the wastes, i.e., the maceral and microlithotype composition of the organic matter and its rank.Alteration of wastes also depends on the heating history, i.e., the rate of heating, final heating temperature, duration of heating, and the degree of air access. Although air is probably necessary to initiate and drive the heating processes, these usually take place under relatively oxygen depleted conditions. With slow heating, color of organic matter particles changes, irregular cracks and oxidation rims develop around edges and cracks, and bitumen is expelled. As a result, massive and detritic isotropic and strongly altered organic matter forms. On the other hand, higher heating rates cause the formation of devolatilization pores, oxidation rims around these pores and along cracks, vitrinite-bands-mantling particles, and bitumen expulsions.Organic compounds generated from the wastes include n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, acyclic isoprenoids, mainly pristane, phytane and, in some cases, farnesane, sesquiterpanes, tri- and tetracyclic diterpanes, tri- and pentacyclic triterpanes, and steranes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (mostly with two- to five rings, rarely six rings), and phenols. The compounds formed change during the heating history. The fact that phenols are found in dumps where heating has not yet been completed, but are absent in those where heating ceased previously suggests the presence of water washing. The organic compounds formed may migrate within the dumps. However, when they migrate out of the dumps, they become a hazard to environment.This paper is a review on transformations of organic matter (both maceral composition and reflectance and chemical composition) in coal wastes deposited in coal waste dumps. Immediately after deposition the wastes are exposed to weathering conditions and sometimes undergo self heating processes.     

Internal tides and waves near the continental shelf edge

Abstract

The subject is reviewed from the viewpoints of theory, internal tide and wave structure and their implications.

A wider theoretical context suggests scope for further investigation of natural or nearly-trapped forms above the inertial frequency.

Although internal tides in many locations are observed to have first-mode vertical structure, higher modes are seen offshore from shallow shelf-break forcing and for particular Froude numbers, and may be expected locally near generation. Bottom intensification is often observed where the sea floor matches the characteristic slope. Solitons form from internal tides of large amplitude or at large changes of depth.

Internal tides and solitons are observed also at many sills and in straits, and to intensify in canyons.

Non-linear effects of the waves, especially solitons, include the conveyance of water, nutrients, ‘‘mixing potential'’ etc. away from their source to other locations, and the generation of mean currents. The waves transfer energy and possibly heat between the ocean and shelf, may be a source of medium frequency waves on the shelf (periods of minutes) and can contribute to interior mixing and overturning, bottom stirring and sediment movement.