Some implications of statistical transport theory in rock mechanics

Summary Recently, a new theory of the subsidence of rock masses has been advanced byLitwiniszyn and coworkers, which is based on the notion that the individual rock particles perform random walks. It is shown in the present paper that the final equations of the random walk theory can be justified from general principles of statistical mechanics in which no specific theoretical model of particle behaviour has to be made. The theory appears to account appropriately for subsidence phenomena.The research reported in this paper was supported by the Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society. Acknowledgment is made to the donors of the Petroleum Research Fund administered by the American Chemical Society for support of this reseach.     

Geomagnetic multipoles, 1829 to 1960

Summary Using the results of spherical harmonic analyses of the geomagnetic field for some fourteen different epochs, includingGauss' first analysis for epoch 1835, and theErman-Petersen analysis for epoch 1829, the strength and axes of geomagnetic multipoles have been computed. In particular, a dipole from the three first order spherical harmonic coefficients, a quadrupole from five second order coefficients, and an octupole from seven third order coefficients. The axes of the quadrupole and octupole have moved quite rapidly when compared with movements of the dipole axis, and show a general movement westwards. Although the strength of the dipole has generally diminished, the strengths of the quadrupole and octupole have generally increased.On leave National University of La Plata, Argentina     

Carte Métallogénique de la Bulgarie

Résumé On peut, en résumé, caractériser ainsi les principales provinces de la Bulgarie: — les Rhodopes constituent une zone typiquement polymétallique avec une prépondérance soulignée de Pb, Zn; le F, Cr, Ni, y existent en quantité subordonnée; en traces viennent encore: le Ba, Mn, Cd, Sb, W, Mo, Bi, As, Au, Ag, V; — la Sredna Gora est caractérisée comme une zone de cuivre typique, avec la présence de Fe, Mn, et en quantitée subordonnée de Pb, Zn, Mo, Ti, V, Au. — les Balkans portent les particularités d'une zone polymétallique (Pb, Zn, Cu) avec fer. On y remarque souvent des gîtes individualisés de cuivre, polymétallique avec fer, argent, ainsi que des gîtes complexes. Le Mn, Ba, Au, Ag, Co, Mo, As, Hg, V, W viennent en quantité subordonnée; — la zone des Kraistides, analogue à la précédente, se caractérise par des gisements polymétalliques pauvres et des gîtes à or et scheelite. Les éléments principaux sont: Au, Ba et secondaires: Pb, Zn, Cu, V et en partie du Fe et Hg; — la plateforme mésique, outre le gaz, se caractérise par le manganèse de la dépression de Varna.

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The metallogenic map of Bulgaria displays the following four major and distinct provinces: The Rhodopes as a typically polymetallic zone, mainly with Pb and Zn, but also with F, Cr and Ni, and minor or trace amounts of Ba, Mn, Cd, Sb, Mo, Bi, As, Au, Ag, V. The Sredna-gora is a distinct copper zone, with Fe and Mn, and minor amounts of Pb, Zn, Mo, Ti, V, Au. The Balkan is again a polymetallic zone of Pb, Zn and Cu with Fe; but Cu-Fe-Ag-deposits also occur. The other elements are present in minor quantities only. The Kraiste-Zone resembles the previous one and contains low grade polymetallic and scheelite deposits. The main elements are Au, Ba, and minor quantities of Pb, Zn, Cu, V and in part Fe and Hg. The zone of the Mésie platform contains only the manganese deposits of the Varna depression, in addition to natural gas.

     

Climatic satellite monitoring of the external heat balance of the oceans and Black Sea

The long-wave outgoing radiation, effective cloudiness equal to the product of the total cloud amount by their optical density, and the sea-surface temperature determined from the satellites are used to determine the annual course of the components of external heat balance on the sea surface whose climatic anomalies, parallel with the meridional heat and water transfer in the ocean-atmosphere system, specify the intraannual and interannual large-scale variations of weather in different regions of the Earth. The development of these studies is connected with the progress of satellite hydrophysics because the data obtained from the space become sufficiently exact, regular, and global. The increase in the existing data array on the external heat balance of the oceans from ∼15–20 to 100 yr and more would promote the solution of the problem of oscillations of Earth's climate. We present examples of coordinated numerical analysis of the heat balance of the upper (0–100 m ) layer of the Black Sea performed on the basis of the shipborne and satellite data. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 6, pp. 59–75, November–December, 2007.     

A sonic well log of the basement complex of the Walvis Ridge

A sonic well log was obtained within the basement complex of the Walvis Ridge during Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 74. The top of the basement complex is characterized by smooth acoustic reflectors. The rocks recovered within the basement complex consist of basalts with intercalated sediments. According to the log ～-50% of the upper 75 m of basement are igneous rocks and the other 50% sedimentary. Sonobuoy results indicate that the ratio of sediments to basalt increases with depth for an additional 225 m until a typical oceanic velocity structure is observed. Paleontological results suggest that the processes forming this upper 300 m of the basement complex was accomplished within a short time interval.     

Interpolation and extrapolation of hydrodynamic coefficients

The solution to the problem of calculating the hydrodynamic forces on multiple floating bodies is summarised. The complex coefficients which characterise the forces at each frequency of oscillation are expensive to compute; interpolation of intermediate values and extrapolation to high frequencies appear difficult since the coefficients seem to vary arbitrarily with frequency. Interpolation and extrapolation schemes based on a novel representation of the coefficients are proposed and tested. The excellent numerical results indicate that the values of the coefficients at a few frequency points can characterise the hydrodynamics at all frequencies. These techniques can save economically significant amounts of computer time and permit investigations which would otherwise be prohibitively expensive.     

Response of the suspended sediment transport system to continental shelf dynamics

Surface currents influenced by a wind-driven upwelling event in San Pedro Bay moved total suspended matter (TSM) confined to the inner shelf on 19 April 1978 seaward, so that by 27 April surface TSM had increased over the outer shelf. Near-bottom concentrations of TSM also increased across the shelf during this time. This is explained by sediment resuspended by large surface waves being advected from the inner shelf seaward by the mean flow after this flow had turned from southeasterly to southerly when upwelling ceased on 26 April. These complex shelf dynamics contribute to the off-shelf transport of mud to the slope and deep basins.     

An ocean-bottom hydrophone recorder for seismic refraction experiments

A new and inexpensive pop-up ocean-bottom hydrophone recorder has been developed for use in seismic refraction experiments. It is capable of operating in water depths of up to 4000 m and in very rugged topography, and uses an acoustic command system built by the U.K. Institute of Oceanographic Sciences for recovery. The instrument is mounted in an inexpensive cylindrical pressure case based on commercially available extruded aluminium alloy tubing, and uses glass spheres and syntactic foam for buoyancy. Hydrophone and clock signals are frequency modulated and recorded on tape cassettes, with a recording duration of three hours allowing up to 18 programmed shot windows. The prototype has made seven free descents on the Mid-Atlantic ridge and in the Gulf of Oman, and successfully recorded shots under operational conditions for the first time in September 1979. The total component cost of the prototype was £2740 (1979 prices).(Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge Contribution No. ES135).     

Carbon dioxide partial pressures in North Pacific surface waters — Time variations

Observations were made of time variations of the carbon dioxide partial pressures (Pco₂) of the atmosphere and surface sea waters in the Pacific subarctic region. Data were obtained on a cruise of the USC & GSSSURVEYOR in October, 1968 and on the TRANSPAC expedition of the CNAVENDEAVOUR in March–April, 1969. A rise in surface water Pco₂ of 18×10^–6 atm occurred in a period of 30–45 days in March–April due principally to spring warming of surface waters. An average increase of 60×10^–6 atm occurred between October, 1968 and March, 1969 as a result mainly of cessation of summer phytoplankton production and the onset of winter-storm-driven vertical mixing. Because the air-sea Pco₂ gradient not only changed appreciably in magnitude but also changed sign, there are important implications for calculations of air-sea exchange of carbon dioxide on the ocean wide scale.Data contained in this paper comprise part of a dissertation to be submitted by Louis I. Gordon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph. D. at Oregon State University.