What is the contribution of time-dependent deformation in tunnel convergence?

Tunnel excavation produces stress changes to the ground and strain to the support lining, leading to the closure (convergence) or instability of the excavated area. Convergence recorded after section excavation is assigned to: (i) strain resulting from the progressive tunnel front advance (face advance effect) and (ii) the time-dependent properties of the soil material (ground creep effect). In the present study, based on the geodetic monitoring records of two recent road tunnels in Greece, a simple methodology to estimate the contribution of each of the two effects is presented. Our analysis reveals that at least half of the total deformation of the examined tunnel sections is due to ground creep, indicating that the major portion of tunnel deformation is due to the time-dependent properties of the ground; a result supported by previous studies from other tunnels as well.     

Star‐forming galaxies observed with X‐shooter

In the last couple of decades hundreds of studies have explored the nature of star‐forming galaxies at different redshifts. This contribution focuses on X‐shooter observations of star‐burst galaxies at 0 < z < 6 from commissioning runs, science verification, and regular observations, and demonstrates the capability of the new instrument in this competitive field. Observations of gravitationally lensed galaxies show that X‐shooter has no limitation in the redshift desert (1.4 < z < 2) where the strong optical emission lines are shifted to the near‐IR region. Physical properties of galaxies, such as masses, metallicities, abundance ratios, and star formation rates can be derived from observations with relatively short integration times for faint galaxies. The simultaneous UV to near‐IR spectral coverage makes derivation of physical quantities more reliable because there are no differential slit losses as may occur when observations from different optical and near‐IR instruments are used. Over the entire redshift range, spectra of faint galaxies will allow us to better measure stellar ages and dominating ionisation sources compared to broad band spectral energy distribution measurements (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Development of the HEFT and NuSTAR focusing telescopes

Hard X-ray/soft gamma-ray astrophysics is on the verge of a major advance with the practical realization of technologies capable of efficiently focusing X-rays above 10 keV. Hard X-ray focusing telescopes can achieve orders of magnitude improvements in sensitivity compared to the instruments based on coded apertures and collimated detectors that have traditionally been employed in this energy band. Compact focal planes enable high-performance detectors with good spectral resolution to be employed in efficient, low-background configurations. We have developed multilayer coated grazing incidence optics and solid state Cadmium Zinc Telluride focal plane systems for the High Energy Focusing Telescope (HEFT) balloon-borne experiment, and for the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) Small Explorer satellite. In this paper we describe the technologies, telescope designs, and performance of both experiments.     

Climate change impacts on groundwater hydrology – where are the main uncertainties and can they be reduced?

ABSTRACT

This paper assesses how various sources of uncertainty propagate through the uncertainty cascade from emission scenarios through climate models and hydrological models to impacts, with a particular focus on groundwater aspects from a number of coordinated studies in Denmark. Our results are similar to those from surface water studies showing that climate model uncertainty dominates the results for projections of climate change impacts on streamflow and groundwater heads. However, we found uncertainties related to geological conceptualization and hydrological model discretization to be dominant for projections of well field capture zones, while the climate model uncertainty here is of minor importance. How to reduce the uncertainties on climate change impact projections related to groundwater is discussed, with an emphasis on the potential for reducing climate model biases through the use of fully coupled climate–hydrology models.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor not assigned     

The influence of trench migration on slab penetration into the lower mantle

A two-dimensional numerical convection model in cartesian geometry is used to study the influence of trench migration on the ability of subducted slabs to penetrate an endothermic phase boundary at 660 km depth. The transient subduction history of an oceanic plate is modelled by imposing plate and trench motion at the surface. The viscosity depends on temperature and depth. A variety of styles of slab behaviour is found, depending predominantly on the trench velocity. When trench retreat is faster than 2–4 cm/a, the descending slab flattens above the phase boundary. At slower rates it penetrates straight into the lower mantle, although flattening in the transition zone may occur later, leading to a complex slab morphology. The slab can buckle, independent of whether it penetrates or not, especially when there is a localised increase in viscosity at the phase boundary. Flattened slabs are only temporarily arrested in the transition zone and sink ultimately into the lower mantle. The results offer a framework for understanding the variety in slab geometry revealed by seismic tomography.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in dated sediments from Green Bay and Lake Michigan

Sediment cores from two locations in Green Bay and two in lake Michigan were analyzed for 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), loss-on-ignition (LOI),²¹⁰Pb,¹³⁷Cs, and⁷Be to study differences in deposition patterns between the freshwater estuary Green Bay, with several local sources, and the open Lake Michigan, dominated by atmospheric inputs. We found that the remote sites receive relatively less high-molecular weight PAHs such as ideno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and dibenz(ah)anthracene and are more depleted in anthracene and pyrene. This may be related to a low Henry’s law constant for the high molecular compounds and to selective photo-oxidation of anthracene and pyrene during transport. While sedimentation rates are higher in Green Bay than in the open lake, the PAH levels are generally comparable (0.3–8.5 μg g^?1) in the two areas. However, the highest PAH levels are found in a core from Green Bay (GB88G). The two Green Bay cores have total PAH concentration maxima in 1985, which appear to be related to the combustion of petroleum. Also, one Green Bay core (GB88G) and the two from Lake Michigan exhibit PAH maxima in the early 1950s in agreement with observations from other study areas. There is a significant correlation between total PAH and LOI, and thus total organic carbon, for the Green Bay cores, but little or no such correlation for the Lake Michigan cores. This may indicate that PAHs in Green Bay are effectively scavenged by settling detritus.     

Integrity of Clay Till Aquitards to DNAPL Migration: Assessment Using Current and Emerging Characterization Tools

Field investigations were carried out to determine the occurrence of tetrachloroethene (PCE) dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL), the source zone architecture and the aquitard integrity at a 30‐ to 50‐year old DNAPL release site. The DNAPL source zone is located in the clay till unit overlying a limestone aquifer. The DNAPL source zone architecture was investigated through a multiple‐lines‐of‐evidence approach using various characterization tools; the most favorable combination of tools for the DNAPL characterization was geophysical investigations, membrane interface probe, core subsampling with quantification of chlorinated solvents, hydrophobic dye test with Sudan IV, and Flexible Liner Underground Technologies (FLUTe) NAPL liners with activated carbon felt (FACT). While the occurrence of DNAPL was best determined by quantification of chlorinated solvents in soil samples supported by the hydrophobic dye tests (Sudan IV and NAPL FLUTe), the conceptual understanding of source zone architecture was greatly assisted by the indirect continuous characterization tools. Although mobile or high residual DNAPL (S _t > 1%) only occurred in 11% of the source zone samples (intact cores), they comprised 86% of the total PCE mass. The dataset, and associated data analysis, supported vertical migration of DNAPL through fractures in the upper part of the clay till, horizontal migration along high permeability features around the redox boundary in the clay till, and to some extent vertical migration through the fractures in the reduced part of the clay till aquitard to the underlying limestone aquifer. The aquitard integrity to DNAPL migration was found to be compromised at a thickness of reduced clay till of less than 2 m.     

Surficial properties in Gale Crater, Mars, from Mars Odyssey THEMIS data

We examine the nature of the surface layer in Gale Crater as determined from high-resolution thermal and visible Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) data as well as how our conclusions compare to past analyses. At THEMIS resolution, the thermal surface structure is dominated by local control, thus providing us with detailed images that contain thermophysical information as well. Using these data sets we have created a map of the area, defining units based primarily on their geomorphology as determined from the daytime thermal and visible images and then using the nighttime thermal data to interpret the nature of the surface layer within each unit. Seven units have been defined: (i) partially blanketed knobby plateaus, (ii) crater walls with terrain similar to that on the plateaus on the upper half and exposed, rocky surfaces on the lower half, (iii)-(v) three floor units with varying combinations of bedrock and indurated and/or particulate deposits, (vi) sand sheets, and (vii) a central mound, consisting of indurated and/or rocky material forming layers, terraces, and slides, covered by particulate material that tapers in thickness downslope. Additionally, dozens of channels have been observed on the crater walls and central mound. The results indicate that aeolian processes have played a major role in shaping much of the present surface layer within Gale and may still be active today. Because of the dramatic size and structure of Gale, the winds are most likely controlled by the local topography. Additionally, the presence and frequency of channels within Gale bolster hypotheses involving aqueous episodes in the history of the crater.     

Depletion of background galaxies owing to the cluster lens CL0024+1654: U- and R-band observations

We have obtained U - and R -band observations of the depletion of background galaxies resulting from the gravitational lensing of the galaxy cluster CL0024+1654 ( z =0.39). The radial depletion curves show a significant depletion in both bands within a radius of 40–70 arcsec from the cluster centre. This is the first time that depletion is detected in the U band. This gives independent evidence for a break in the slope of the U -band luminosity function at faint magnitudes. The radially averaged R -band depletion curve is broader and deeper than in the U band. The differences can be attributed to the wavelength dependence of the slope of the luminosity function and to the different redshift distribution of the objects probed in the two bands. We estimate the Einstein radius, r _E, of a singular isothermal sphere lens model using maximum-likelihood analysis. Adopting a slope of the number counts of α =0.2 and using the background density found beyond r =150 arcsec, we find r _E=17±3 and 25±3 arcsec in the U and R bands, respectively. When combined with the redshift of the single background galaxy at z =1.675 seen as four giant arcs around 30 arcsec from the cluster centre, these values indicate a median redshift in the range 〈 z _S〉≈0.7 to 1.1 for the U _AB≥24 mag and R _AB≥24 mag populations.