Impact of lightning on organic matter-rich soils: influence of soil grain size and organic matter content on underground fires

A detailed study was carried out on a piece of land that had been struck by lightning during the violent rainstorm that raged over the Island of S?o Miguel (Azores Archipelago) in late October 2006. Temperature and gas measurements (CO₂, CO, H₂S and CH₄) were performed in four study trenches, dug in an area of ∼3 m², where an underground fire had been initiated by the impact with a lightning stroke, followed by the emission of a column of gases and smoke. The soil under study was originally a well-pedogenized about 80 cm thick bed, made of volcanic clayey to silty tephra fallouts and contained 5.5–9.7% of organic matter. The underground fire was monitored for one week and revealed a peak release of 404 ppm CO and 3.4% CO₂ originating from a horizon located about 45 cm under the soil surface. Measurements of temperature, performed one week after the impact, indicated a maximum value of 326°C inside the soil, while 516.5°C were measured on the surface of a lava block interred about 20 cm under the surface. Subsequently, a stratigraphic and sedimentologic study proved the role of the grain-size of the soil and of the organic matter content of the different horizons of the impact area, in determining the ratio between anoxic/oxidised combustion conditions and in the progress of the process itself. It was also noticed that combustion was not total all over in the soil bed and that the process had slightly migrated toward SW during the observation period. The combustion process went on for about ten days, in spite of several other violent rainstorms, until it was artificially extinguished through the excavations made to obtain study trenches. This particular circumstance evidenced the potential natural hazard represented by this kind of atmospheric event, especially in a land where the volcanic nature of the soil may easily mislead inexperienced observers and, consequently, delay proper action.     

Physical model for dynamic analysis of structures with FPS isolators

This article presents a physical model for frictional pendulum isolators (FPS) that is ready to be implemented in most commercial software. The model is capable of accounting for effects such as large deformations, sticking, and uplift and impact by sensing the normal loads in the isolators through a gap element. Sticking has been incorporated into the model by extending the Park–Wen hysteretic model to the case of large deformations. The proposed model has been tested against a theoretically ‘exact’ formulation leading to essentially identical results. To facilitate its use, the physical FPS model has been cast into a typical non‐linear structural element format, i.e. with deformation as input and restoring force as output. Examples of a building and a bridge have been chosen to show the potential of the element and to provide further insight into the earthquake response of structures with FPS isolators; in particular, in aspects such as the orientation in placement of the isolator, sticking, P? Δ, and other large deformation effects. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identity of the characteristics of electrodynamic seismographs with non-standard periods of seismometers and galvanometers

Summary The maximum changes of magnification were determined for electrodynamic seismographs with standard characteristics and for some experimental long-period seismographs, the constants of which are given in Tab. 1, when the period of the seismometer or galvanometer has a deviation of not more than 5% from the standard value. Under the assumption of control of the other constants of the seismograph, identical amplitude and phase responses with a small change of the absolute magnification of the seismograph may be achieved with characteristicsAII ( ² >0.2), AIV ( ² 0.4), B ( ² >0.3) Nos28, 32 and33. This deviation can also be compensated by adjusting the optical distance. The procedure of adjusting the identical characteristics is suitable for systems with which an accurate setting of the period is difficult and for systems with an uncontrollable period, provided their values are within the limits of allowed deviations from the standard constants.     

3D-Monitoring Big Geo Data on a seaport infrastructure based on FIWARE

Many organizations of all kinds are using new technologies to assist the acquisition and analysis of data. Seaports are a good example of this trend. Seaports generate data regarding the management of marine traffic and other elements, as well as environmental conditions given by meteorological sensors and buoys. However, this enormous amount of data, also known as Big Data, is useless without a proper system to organize, analyze and visualize it. SmartPort is an online platform for the visualization and management of a seaport data that has been built as a GIS application. This work offers a Rich Internet Application that allows the user to visualize and manage the different sources of information produced in a port environment. The Big Data management is based on the FIWARE platform, as well as “The Internet of Things” solutions for the data acquisition. At the same time, Glob3 Mobile (G3M) framework has been used for the development of map requirements. In this way, SmartPort supports 3D visualization of the ports scenery and its data sources.     

The Relegation Algorithm

The relegation algorithm extends the method of normalization by Lie transformations. Given a Hamiltonian that is a power series = ₀+ ₁+ ... of a small parameter , normalization constructs a map which converts the principal part ₀into an integral of the transformed system — relegation does the same for an arbitrary function [G]. If the Lie derivative induced by [G] is semi-simple, a double recursion produces the generator of the relegating transformation. The relegation algorithm is illustrated with an elementary example borrowed from galactic dynamics; the exercise serves as a standard against which to test software implementations. Relegation is also applied to the more substantial example of a Keplerian system perturbed by radiation pressure emanating from a rotating source.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A multiple linear statistical model for estimating the mean maximum urban heat island

Summary ¶This study examines the spatial and quantitative influence of urban factors on the surface air temperature field of the medium-sized of Szeged, Hungary, using mobile measurements under different weather conditions in the periods of March 1999–February 2000 and April–October 2002. Efforts have been concentrated on the development of the urban heat island (UHI) in its peak development during the diurnal cycle. Tasks included: (1) determination of spatial distribution of mean maximum UHI intensity and some urban surface parameters (built-up and water surface ratios, sky view factor, building height) using the standard Kriging procedure, as well as (2) development of a statistical model in the so-called heating and non-heating seasons using the above mentioned parameters and their areal extensions. In both seasons the spatial distribution of the mean maximum UHI intensity fields had a concentric shape with some local irregularities. The intensity reaches more than 2.1°C (heating season) and 3.1°C (non-heating season) in the centre of the city. For both seasons statistical model equations were determined by means of stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. As the measured and calculated mean maximum UHI intensity patterns show, there is a clear connection between the spatial distribution of the urban thermal excess and the examined land-use parameters, so these parameters play an important role in the evolution of the strong UHI intensity field. From the above mentioned parameters the sky-view factor and the building height were the most determining factors which are in line with the urban surface energy balance. Therefore in the future, using our model it will be possible to predict mean maximum UHI intensity in other cities, which have land-use features similar to Szeged.Received September 26, 2002; revised February 25, 2003; accepted March 22, 2003 Published online July 30, 2003     

Barium-rich fluids and melts in a subduction environment (La Corea and Sierra del Convento mélanges,eastern Cuba)

Whole-rock compositions of muscovite-bearing amphibolite, trondhjemite, pegmatite and quartz-muscovite rocks from Sierra del Convento and La Corea mélanges (eastern Cuba), as well as mineralogy, record complex circulation of Ba-rich fluids and melts in the subduction environment. Partial melting of fluid-fluxed, MORB-derived amphibolite produced trondhjemite magmas that crystallized at depth, in some cases evolving into pegmatites. Qtz-Ms rocks probably crystallized from primary fluids derived from subducted sediments. All these rocks have elevated concentrations of large-ion lithophile elements, especially Ba (up to 11,810 ppm), presumably released from slab sediments by fluids and/or melts. Fluid–rock interaction produced crystallization of phengite in parental amphibolites. The phengite crystallized in all types of rocks is rich in Ba, with concentric zoning, characterized by Ba-rich cores and Ba-poor rims, indicating a compatible behaviour of Ba in the studied systems. Zoning in phengite is governed primarily by the celadonite (tschermak) exchange vector ((Mg,Fe)Si-(Al)_-2), with more moderate contributions of the celsian (BaAl-(KSi)_-1) and paragonite (NaK_-1) exchange vectors. Late remobilization of Ba at relatively low temperature formed retrograde celsian. The compatible behaviour of Ba in the studied rocks strengthens the importance of the stability of phengite for the transfer of LIL elements from the subduction to the volcanic arc environments.     

Small-strain behaviour of unsaturated silty clay: experiments and model interpretation

Acta Geotechnica - The experimental data dealing with the so-called small strain stiffness of soils are indispensable in developing and calibrating advanced numerical models. A literature review...     

Controls on the morphological evolution of embayed beaches: Morphometry versus external forcing

The morphological evolution of embayed beaches on a microtidal coast is assumed to largely respond to the degree of exposure to wave conditions, decreasing the mobility with increasing beach indentation (and vice versa). However, the number of sediment arrivals at the beach or the impact of extreme storms can modify this relationship. Here, we present an analysis of 10 embayed beaches along the Catalan coast with different morphometric and sedimentary characteristics to identify the most relevant parameters controlling the morphological evolution of these embayed beaches at the inter-annual and decadal scales. The study was mostly based on LiDAR topographic data collected from 2012 to 2017, aerial photographs from 1945 to 2021, sediment sampling and a long-term series analysis of the forcing parameters (waves, sea level, precipitation and land-use changes). The results show a net loss of volume on all the studied beaches at an inter-annual scale and a general shoreline retreat during the last few decades, suggesting the influence of common processes on the evolution of the studied beaches. Smaller pocket beaches with medium-to-high indentations are more sensitive to changes induced by local factors and show higher variability in the volume of the emerged beach and shoreline position than larger beaches. The most relevant factors influencing the evolution of the studied beaches on a decadal scale were identified as changes in sea level and the reduction in sediment inputs provided by streams due to land-use changes in the drainage basin. At the inter-annual scale, the impact of extreme events is the main factor controlling beach behaviour. These general trends can be opposite locally for beaches that receive large amounts of sediment via longshore transport from adjacent beaches.     

Shear wave crustal velocity model of the Western Bohemian Massif from Love wave phase velocity dispersion

We propose a new quantitative determination of shear wave velocities for distinct geological units in the Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic (Central Europe). The phase velocities of fundamental Love wave modes are measured along two long profiles (~200 km) crossing three major geological units and one rift-like structure of the studied region. We have developed a modified version of the classical multiple filtering technique for the frequency-time analysis and we apply it to two-station phase velocity estimation. Tests of both the analysis and inversion are provided. Seismograms of three Aegean Sea earthquakes are analyzed. One of the two profiles is further divided into four shorter sub-profiles. The long profiles yield smooth dispersion curves; while the curves of the sub-profiles have complicated shapes. Dispersion curve undulations are interpreted as period-dependent apparent velocity anomalies caused both by different backazimuths of surface wave propagation and by surface wave mode coupling. An appropriate backazimuth of propagation is found for each period, and the dispersion curves are corrected for this true propagation direction. Both the curves for the long and short profiles are inverted for a 1D shear wave velocity model of the crust. Subsurface shear wave velocities are found to be around 2.9 km/s for all four studied sub-profiles. Two of the profiles crossing the older Moldanubian and Teplá-Barrandian units are characterized by higher velocities of 3.8 km/s in the upper crust while for the Saxothuringian unit we find the velocity slightly lower, around 3.6 km/s at the same depths. We obtain an indication of a shear wave low velocity zone above Moho in the Moldanubian and Teplá-Barrandian units. The area of the Eger Rift (Teplá-Barrandian–Saxothuringian unit contact) is significantly different from all other three units. Low upper crust velocities suggest sedimentary and volcanic filling of the rift as well as fluid activity causing the earthquake swarms. Higher velocities in the lower crust together with weak or even missing Moho implies the upper mantle updoming.