Higher-degree reference field in the generalized Stokes-Helmert scheme for geoid computation

In this paper we formulate two corrections that have to be applied to the higher-degree reference spheroid if one wants to use it in conjunction with the Stokes-Helmert scheme for geoid determination. We show that in a precise geoid determination one has to apply the correction for the residual topographical potential and the correction for the earth ellipticity. Both these corrections may reach several decimetres; we show how their magnitudes vary within Canada and we give their global ranges.     

Propagation velocity and radiation properties of induced tensile cracks

nua ¶rt;u a¶rt;am m aa ¶rt;uaaa . ¶rt;u aam ¶rt; ¶rt; uu umuo au uu m a u a u am mu ma. mu anmau mu ma n¶rt; auumu m a aa u anau nu au. num ma uu nu un u n mu ma n¶rt;mauu n¶rt;um uu m umua. mam ¶rt;umum mu u aua n au muna ma a umua uu un. ¶rt; aauua am na mu ma, m uam ua u.     

Laboratory measurements of electrical properties of rocks and minerals

In this paper all important results on laboratory measurements of electrical properties of rocks and minerals for the last four years are presented. Although basic results from all over world are reviewed, East European and U.S.S.R. works are described more extensively. Only D.C. conductivity results are considered, however all principal conclusions hold in similar form for both D.C. and A.C. conductivities. At the end the most important areas of further study and measurement are depicted and the main problems of the future are outlined.     

Influence of Atmospheric Carboxylic Acids on Catalytic Oxidation of Sulfur(IV)

The influence of some low weight mono- and di-carboxylic acids, which were selected on the basis of analysis of the water-soluble fraction of size segregated marine and urban aerosols collected in Slovenia, on the kinetics of S(IV) oxidation catalyzed by Mn(II) under conditions representative of tropospheric liquid water, was investigated. Mono-carboxylic acids inhibit the oxidation, with the strongest influence found for formic acid. Inhibition by glycolic and lactic acid was found to be very similar, while the lowest inhibition was caused by acetic acid. Our results are in agreement with the proposed mechanism, i.e. scavenging of sulfate radicals, since the inhibiting effect of the individual acid increases with higher dissociation constant. An exception is formic acid, where the additional inhibiting steps should be responsible for the induction period and thus for higher inhibition. Malic and malonic acids have practically no influence, while oxalic acid slows down the oxidation, although to a lesser extent than mono-carboxylic acids. An extended version of a previously derived generalized simple kinetic model was also derived and applied for predicting the reaction kinetics in the presence of all examined carboxylic acids at pH 3.5 and 4.5.     

Available potential energy of the daily coastal circulation at Zadar (Croatia)

Summary The aim of this study is the evaluation of the sea breeze speed on the basis of its energy. Energetics of the sea breeze can be studied by means of the available potential energy (APE). Part of this energy is transformed into the kinetic energy of the sea breeze. Some similarity exists between the large scale processes of the circulation and the small coastal air circulation due to the fact that both circulations are triggered by the same physics, i.e., solenoidal activity of the baroclinic atmosphere. To evaluate the sea breeze speed, APE was calculated by use of the Lorenz’s equation (1955), and which is possible if the coastal circulation is considered to be a closed system in a hydrostatic equilibrium. For calculations and verifications hourly sea-surface temperatures, near-ground air temperatures and wind speed measurements, as well as the radio-sounding measurements at 12 UTC were used at the Zadar station (ϕ = 44° 08′ N, λ = 15° 13′ E), which is situated in the central part of the eastern Adriatic coast. Two days with an undisturbed sea breeze circulation were extracted using the methods for minimizing other atmospheric influences. Calculated hourly near ground sea breeze speeds obtained in this way were higher than the measured ones. With the assumption that some of the APE is transformed into the kinetic energy it is possible to obtain characteristic speed of the developed sea breeze with small discrepancies to the near-ground measurements. If 6.6% of the mean daily near ground APE was taken to be transformed to the mean daily kinetic sea breeze energy on the 29th and 4.2% on the 30th September 2002, the best agreement was obtained with the mean daily measured near ground sea breeze speed. This range of values can be attributed to inability to extract precise values for the lapse-rate needed in the APE sea breeze calculations. Results show similarities to the general circulation of the atmosphere, since about 10% of the APE is transformed to the kinetic energy of the sea breeze. On the other hand calculated wind speed at the lower branch of the borderline coastal circulation was not dependent on the integral value of the APE over the land, but on its value at the near-ground level.     

Quartz from Allchar as monitor for cosmogenic 26Al: Geochemical and petrogenetic constraints

Summary Results of a multidisciplinary study on quartz concentrates (mineralogically separated) and etched concentrates (stoichiometric quartz) from three locations at Allchar (Macedonia) are presented. The investigation of quality and composition of these quartz samples is of great interest because the same material has been previously used as monitor for ²⁶Al Acceleration Mass-Spectrometry (AMS) erosion rate estimates. Two genetically different types of quartz are distinguished in the studied samples which petrologically can be described as hydrothermally altered dacites or quartz latites; i.e. volcanic (Q_V) and hydrothermal (Q_H) quartz with relative proportions of Q_H:Q_V around 3:2. Q_H is genetically related to the Allchar Sb–As–Tl–S mineralization having very high Sb (85–785 ppm), As (7.6–78 ppm) and (Tl 3.3–4.0 ppm) contents. This type of quartz is also characterized by very high Li (129–138 ppm), Al (2424–2520 ppm) and Ti (153–219 ppm) concentrations. Q_V appears to be much less enriched in trace elements having Al and K contents ranging from 0 to 280 ppm and from 50 to 85 ppm, respectively. ²⁶Al AMS measurements were done on the samples containing two genetically different types of quartz but this had no effects on the interpretation and erosion rate determinations. However, the extremely high Al concentrations in the analyzed quartz have generally negative effects, mainly by decreasing ²⁶Al/²⁷Al ratios and thus causing an increase of the detection limit. The disagreement between the results of ²⁶Al AMS analyses and quantitative geomorphologic data for one location is probably caused by different geographical position with respect to the direction of cosmic rays.     

Selective leaching of antimony and arsenic from mechanically activated tetrahedrite,jamesonite and enargite

In this study, the changes in surface area, morphology and leachability of antimony and arsenic from tetrahedrite, jamesonite and enargite mechanically activated by a high-energy planetary mill were investigated. It appears that the leaching of antimony from tetrahedrite and jamesonite and arsenic from enargite in alkaline solution of sodium sulphide is temperature-sensitive reaction. The temperature dependencies of all reactions were investigated in the interval 313–363 K. Resulting experimental activation energies were E_a = 111–182 kJ mol^− 1 for mechanically activated minerals. The values of E_a are characteristic for processes controlled by surface chemical reactions.     

Hazard distribution and risk assessment in the network systems

In the age when transport flows in the railway and road systems, information flows in the internet channels, etc. intensify, hazard distribution in the network systems becomes a more relevant and important issue. In the paper various theoretical hazard type distributions in the network systems are analysed. Conditions and assumptions that hazard in the network system cells would settle and became steady are defined. Cases are analysed, when hazard is initiated in one or several network nodes, while in other nodes hazard is decreased, i.e. they have immunity to the hazard. In all cases hazard distribution equilibrium equations are constructed and their solutions‘ existence conditions are defined. Theoretical results are illustrated by simulation of hazard fuel transportation in the Lithuanian roads. It is shown that using this methodology it is possible to construct an algorithm, which enables to operate and decrease fuel transportation hazard and risk. The novelty of the work is associated with employing Markov process to describe hazard distribution mechanism and to determine limited hazard distribution in the nodes of networks. The hazard of tank trucks in the network of Lithuanian roads has been assessed for the first time.     

Recent Advances and Difficulties of Infrasonic Wave Investigation in the Ionosphere

Acoustic waves have a remarkable ability to transfer energy from the ground up to the uppermost layers of the atmosphere. On the ground, there are many permanent sources of infrasound, and also pulsed and/or sporadic sources (e.g., sea waves, infrasonic and sonic noise of cities, lightning, earthquakes, explosions, etc.). The infrasonic waves carry away the major part of their energy upwards through the atmosphere. What are the consequences of the upward energy transfer? What heights of the atmosphere are supplied by energy from various sources of an infrasonic wave? In most cases, the answers to these questions are not well known at present. The only opportunity to monitor the propagation of an infrasonic wave to high altitudes is to watch for its influence on the ionospheric plasma. Unfortunately, most of standard equipment for ionospheric sounding, as a rule, cannot detect plasma fluctuations in the infrasonic range. Besides, the form of an infrasonic wave strongly varies during propagation due to nonlinear effects. However, the development of the Doppler method of radiosounding of the ionosphere has enabled progress to be made. Simultaneously, the ionospheric method for sensing aboveground and underground explosions has been developed. Its main advantage is the remote observation of an explosion in the near field zone by means of short radio waves, i.e., the radio sounding of the ionosphere directly above the explosion. The theory of propagation of an acoustic pulse produced by an explosion on the ground up to ionospheric heights has been developed better than the theory for other sources, and has been quantitatively confirmed by experiments. A review of some advances in the area of infrasound investigations at ionospheric heights is given and some current problems are presented.