Human Response to Extreme Events: a review of three post-tsunami disaster case studies

Investigating survivors' behaviour prior to, during and after a disaster provides emergency management agencies with greater understanding of the complexities which influence public response. This information can then be used to develop better community-based disaster risk-reduction strategies. In this paper, we review three post-tsunami disaster case studies: the Indian Ocean tsunami (IOT) on 26 December 2004, the Java tsunami on 17 July 2006 and the South Pacific tsunami on 29 September 2009. The 2004 IOT and 2006 Java tsunami surveys involved delayed-response post-disaster research using video interviewing. The 2009 South Pacific tsunami entailed rapid-response post-disaster research using questionnaire interviews. We highlight the major outcomes of each case study and, based on these, make recommendations for improving tsunami education programs in Australia. These include educating the public about tsunami risk, natural warning signs of tsunamis and regionally specific behavioural response. To help facilitate improvements to future post-disaster research, discussion on survey-related issues from each case study is provided.     

Mineralogy and geochemistry of lunar meteorite Queen Alexandra Range 93069

Abstract— Queen Alexandra Range (QUE) 93069 is a glass-rich regolith breccia derived from the lunar highlands. The high abundance of glassy fragments, the presence of agglutinates, the small size of all mineral and glass fragments, the presence of mostly melt rocks, and the low abundance of pristine lunar crustal rocks, all indicate that QUE 93069 is derived from a mature regolith. This conclusion is also supported by its high siderophile element content. The most common mafic mineral is pyroxene, with compositions that indicate derivation from ferroan ANT suite rocks. Rare gabbro differentiation products may be indicated by the presence of silica, fayalitic olivine, and one pyroxferroite grain. Lithic fragments are mostly meta-melt rocks of ANT composition. The glass compositions are dominated by troctolitic anorthosite compositions, followed by gabbroic anorthosite and noritic anorthosite. Most glasses are ol-normative in composition. Some rare basic glasses of noritic composition were observed. Glass fragments and matrix glasses are alkali-poor, except for some rare alkali-rich shards. The bulk chemical composition of QUE 93069, as well as the rare-earth-element (REE) abundance pattern, is very similar to that of other highlands meteorites, such as MAC 88105 and Y-86032 and to average lunar highlands crust. One small porous clast was found to be very rich in volatile elements, as well as in most lithophile and siderophile elements. As this sample also contains abundant sulfides, the enrichments could be related to element mobilization and redistribution by volatile sulfur species.     

Buddha from space—An ancient object of art made of a Chinga iron meteorite fragment*

Abstract– The fall of meteorites has been interpreted as divine messages by multitudinous cultures since prehistoric times, and meteorites are still adored as heavenly bodies. Stony meteorites were used to carve birds and other works of art; jewelry and knifes were produced of meteoritic iron for instance by the Inuit society. We here present an approximately 10.6 kg Buddhist sculpture (the “iron man”) made of an iron meteorite, which represents a particularity in religious art and meteorite science. The specific contents of the crucial main (Fe, Ni, Co) and trace (Cr, Ga, Ge) elements indicate an ataxitic iron meteorite with high Ni contents (approximately 16 wt%) and Co (approximately 0.6 wt%) that was used to produce the artifact. In addition, the platinum group elements (PGEs), as well as the internal PGE ratios, exhibit a meteoritic signature. The geochemical data of the meteorite generally match the element values known from fragments of the Chinga ataxite (ungrouped iron) meteorite strewn field discovered in 1913. The provenance of the meteorite as well as of the piece of art strongly points to the border region of eastern Siberia and Mongolia, accordingly. The sculpture possibly portrays the Buddhist god Vai?ravana and might originate in the Bon culture of the eleventh century. However, the ethnological and art historical details of the “iron man” sculpture, as well as the timing of the sculpturing, currently remain speculative.     

Genesis of garnets in some magmatic rocks from Hungary

Summary Garnets from Miocene di-normative, medium-K andesites as well as from a Mesozoic fine-grained albite granite have been petrologically investigated. The chemical compositions of the garnets from the andesites as determined by electron microprobe (alm 57–65,pyr 14–22,gross 10–24,spess 2–5, -all in mol.-%) are compatible with the garnets being high pressure megacrysts. Garnets from the granite (alm 71–74,pyr 12–18,gross 3.5–5.5,spess 5.6–11) apparently crystallized in a low pressure environment. They are believed to have formed in an autometasomatic event.

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Die Genese von Granaten in einigen magmatischen Gesteinen Ungarns

Zusammenfassung Granate aus miozänen di-normativen, medium-K Andesiten und aus einem mesozoischen feinkörnigen Albit-Granit wurden petrologisch untersucht. Die chemische Zusammensetzung der Granate, (Alm 57–65,Pyr 14–22,Gross 10–24,Spess 2–5 Mol.-%), gemessen mittels Elektronenstrahl-Mikrosonde, macht es wahrscheinlich, daß diese Granate Hochdruck-Megakristalle sind. Die Granate im Granit (Alm 71–74,Pyr 12–18,Gross 3,5–5,5,Spess 5,6–11) kristallisierten bei niedrigen Drücken und sind wahrscheinlich das Produkt autometasomatischer Vorgänge.

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With 7 Figures     

Nonporphyritic chondrules from equilibrated Rumuruti and ordinary chondrites: Chemical evidence of secondary processing

Abstract– Nineteen nonporphyritic pyroxene and pyroxene/olivine chondrules, chondrule fragments, and irregular objects were studied from two equilibrated chondrites, the ordinary (L/LL5) Knyahinya chondrite and the Rumuruti type (R4) Ouzina chondrite. Major element contents for almost all objects in the chondrites are disturbed from their chondritic ratios, most probably during metamorphic re‐equilibration. However, the volatile elements (Na₂O + K₂O) in Ouzina scatter around the CI line, probably the result of being generated and/or processed in different environments as compared with those for Knyahinya. All studied objects from Knyahinya and Ouzina possess systematically fractionated trace element abundances. Depletion of LREE with respect to HREE and ultra‐refractory HFSE documents variable degrees of LREE transport into an external mineral sink and restricted mobility of most of the HREE and HFSE. Moderately volatile elements preserve volatility‐controlled abundances. Strongly fractionated Rb/Cs ratios (up to 10× CI) in all studied objects suggest restricted mobility of the large Cs ion. All studied objects sampled and preserved Y and Ho in solar proportions, a feature that they share with the nonporphyritic chondrules of unequilibrated ordinary chondrites.     

Origin of Mercury’s double magnetopause: 3D hybrid simulation study with A.I.K.E.F.

During the first and second Mercury flyby the MESSENGER spacecraft detected a dawn side double-current sheet inside the Hermean magnetosphere that was labeled the “double magnetopause” (Slavin, J.A. et al. [2008]. Science 321, 85). This double current sheet confines a region of decreased magnetic field that is referred to as Mercury’s “dayside boundary layer” (Anderson, M., Slavin, J., Horth, H. [2011]. Planet. Space Sci.). Up to the present day the double current sheet, the boundary layer and the key processes leading to their formation are not well understood. In order to advance the understanding of this region we have carried out self-consistent plasma simulations of the Hermean magnetosphere by means of the hybrid simulation code A.I.K.E.F. (Müller, J., Simon, S., Motschmann, U., Schüle, J., Glassmeier, K., Pringle, G.J. [2011]. Comput. Phys. Commun. 182, 946–966). Magnetic field and plasma results are in excellent agreement with the MESSENGER observations. In contrast to former speculations our results prove this double current sheet may exist in a pure solar wind hydrogen plasma, i.e. in the absence of any exospheric ions like sodium. Both currents are similar in orientation but the outer is stronger in intensity. While the outer current sheet can be considered the “classical” magnetopause, the inner current sheet between the magnetopause and Mercury’s surface reveals to be sustained by a diamagnetic current that originates from proton pressure gradients at Mercury’s inner magnetosphere. The pressure gradients in turn exist due to protons that are trapped on closed magnetic field lines and mirrored between north and south pole. Both, the dayside and nightside diamagnetic decreases that have been observed during the MESSENGER mission show to be direct consequences of this diamagnetic current that we label Mercury’s “boundary-layer-current“.     

Phosphorus-bearing sulfides and their associations in CM chondrites

Phosphorus-bearing Fe and Ni sulfides represent a new type of phosphorus compounds and are characteristic accessory phases of CM chondrites. The proportions of atoms in the sulfides can be approximated by the equation (Fe + Ni)/P = 0.965 ± 0.003 (1σ) · S/P + 1.255 ± 0.036 (1σ). Sulfides with high S/P ratios are systematically richer in Fe and poorer in Ni compared with low-S/P sulfides. Their characteristic minor elements are Cr, Ca, Co, K, and Na. The contents of Cr and Ca may reach several weight percent, but their incorporation does not affect the relation between (Fe + Ni)/P and S/P. This is also true of light elements (O and H), which probably occur in the P-bearing sulfides in certain amounts. The sulfides are usually associated with schreibersite, barringerite, eskolaite, and daubreelite. A negative correlation was observed between the Fe/Ni ratios of coexisting P-bearing sulfides and phosphides. Metallic iron was never found in association with the sulfides. It can be suggested that P-bearing sulfide is a primary phase rather than a secondary alteration product formed under the conditions of the CM chondrite parent body. This phase had to be stable in the solar nebula after the formation of Ca-Al inclusions and before the condensation of Fe-Ni metal. At high temperatures, P-bearing sulfide with low Fe/Ni and S/P ratios coexists with schreibersite in the solar gas. During condensation schreibersite is replaced by barringerite, which is accompanied by a decrease in the Fe/Ni ratio of phosphides and an increase in the S/P and Fe/Ni ratios of P-bearing sulfides. Trace element data suggest that the P-bearing sulfides could be formed in the solar nebula by the sulfidization of a precursor phase of extrasolar origin.     

Druse clinopyroxene in D'Orbigny angritic meteorite studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction,electron microprobe analysis,and Mössbauer spectroscopy

Abstract— The crystal structure of druse clinopyroxene from the D'Orbigny angrite, (Ca_0.944 Fe²⁺_0.042 Mg_0.010Mn_0.004) (Mg_0.469Fe²⁺_0.317Fe³⁺_0.035Al_0.125Cr_0.010Ti_0.044) (Si_1.742Al_0.258) O₆, a = 9.7684(2), b = 8.9124(2), c = 5.2859(1) Å, β = 105.903(1)°, V = 442.58 ų, space group C2/c, Z = 2, has been refined to an R₁ index of 1.92% using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data. The unit formula, calculated from electron microprobe analysis, and the refined site scattering values were used to assign site populations. The distribution of Fe²⁺and Mg over the M1 and M2 sites suggests a closure temperature of 1000 °C. Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements were done at room temperature on a single crystal and a powdered sample. The spectra are adequately fit by a Voigt‐based quadrupole‐splitting distribution model having two generalized sites, one for Fe²⁺with two Gaussian components and one for Fe³⁺with one Gaussian component. The two ferrous components are assigned to Fe²⁺at the M1 site, and arise from two different next‐nearest‐neighbor configurations of Ca and Fe cations at the M2 site: (3Ca,0Fe) and (2Ca,1Fe). The Fe³⁺/Fe_tot ratio determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy is in agreement with that calculated from the electron microprobe analysis. The results are discussed in connection with the redox and thermal history of D'Orbigny.