Density and magnetic models of the lithosphere along CELEBRATION 2000 profile CEL01

The paper presents 2D density and magnetic models of the crust and upper mantle along the DSS line profile of the CELEBRATION 2000 project that crosses the most important geological units in Central Europe. These are the Alps-Carpathians-Pannonian (ALCAPA) region, the SE part of the Paleozoic Platform (PLZ), the Trans-European Suture Zone (TESZ) and a fragment of the SW portion of the East European Craton (EEC). The density and magnetic models were constructed on the basis of a 2D model of P-wave velocity converted into density model, geological data as well as geothermal data and the results of integrated geophysical modelling for the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary.     

Interstellar CO towards X Persei (HD 24534) – II. Two-component model

The observations made by the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) of molecular CO in absorbing gas towards X Persei are reported. The two-component statistical equilibrium model incorporating radiative excitation of CO by line emission at the same velocity that originates in nearby molecular clouds has been used to reproduce high-resolution GHRS spectra. Earlier analysis indicates that the cloud has a complex structure and at least a two-component model should be used to obtain accurate results. The spectra obtained from the International Ultraviolet Explorer ( IUE ) were used to complement GHRS data and constrain the space of possible solutions. The new oscillator strengths recommended by Eidelsberg et al. for A–X bands have been used. The results show that one of the components may be attributed to the Perseus OB2 molecular cloud, and the other component to an extension of the Taurus dark cloud. The total CO column density N (CO)=(1.0±0.2)×10¹⁶ cm⁻² has been determined. According to the results about 85 per cent of the observed CO belongs to an extension of the Taurus dark cloud. The CO radiation that originates in nearby molecular clouds may be the dominant excitation mechanism of the observed CO. The early results of ¹³CO line analysis indicate a ¹³CO/¹²CO ratio of about 40.     

Preliminary Results of Anthropogenic Seismicity Monitoring in the Region of Song Tranh 2 Reservoir,Central Vietnam

Song Tranh 2 hydropower plant and the reservoir containing backed up water are located in the Quang Nam province (Central Vietnam). The region experiences unusual seismic activity related to the reservoir impoundment, with earthquakes of magnitude up to 4.7. In result of cooperation between the Institute of Geophysics, Vietnam Academy of Sciences and Technology and the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences a seismic network has been built to facilitate seismic monitoring of the Song Tranh 2 area. The network, operating since August 2013, consists of 10 seismic stations. Here we show that the network is sufficient for advanced data processing. The first results of monitoring of the earthquake activity in Song Tranh 2 area in the period between 2012 and 2014, especially the completeness of catalogs, study and comparisons between water level and the seismic activity suggest direct connection between reservoir exploitation and anthropogenic seismicity.     

Tectonic analysis of mine tremor mechanisms from the Upper Silesian Coal Basin

Fault network of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) is built of sets of strike-slip, oblique-slip and dip-slip faults. It is a typical product of force couple which acts evenly with the parallel of latitude, causing horizontal and anti-clockwise movement of rock-mass. Earlier research of focal mechanisms of mine tremors, using a standard fault plane solution, has shown that some events are related to tectonic directions in main structural units of the USCB. An attempt was undertaken to analyze the records of mine tremors from the period 1992–1994 in the selected coal fields. The digital records of about 200 mine tremors with energy larger than 1×10⁴ J (M _L >1.23) were analyzed with SMT software for seismic moment tensor inversion. The decomposition of seismic moment tensor of mine tremors was segmented into isotropic (I) part, compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) part and double-couple (DC) part. The DC part is prevalent (up to 70%) in the majority of quakes from the central region of the USCB. A group of mine tremors with large I element (up to 50%) can also be observed. The spatial orientation of the fault and auxiliary planes were obtained from the computations for the seismic moment DC part. Study of the DC part of the seismic moment tensor made it possible for us to separate the group of events which might be acknowledged to have their origin in unstable energy release on surfaces of faults forming a regional structural pattern. The possible influence of the Cainozoic tectonic history of the USCB on the recent shape of stress field is discussed.     

Modeling and presenting incomplete and uncertain data on historical settlement units

When entering information about changes of settlements in time into a database, we are dealing with direct facts from historical sources and with interpretations. The source information generally relates to an event or situation at a specific time. This means that we only fill in the parts of the timeline with data objects called (partial) manifestations; however, lack of data does not mean that settlement did not exist. It would take a lot of time to interpret and enter missing information manually. In this article we present a database schema, database procedures and algorithms to generate aggregated settlement unit manifestations in an automated way from their partial manifestations. As a result, it is possible to obtain a continuous history of a given settlement so as to present it on a map.     

High‐precision U–Pb age and duration of the latest Devonian (Famennian) Hangenberg event,and its implications

Precise U–Pb zircon dates from three volcanic ash beds that bracket the Hangenberg Shale in the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland, constrain the age and duration of one of the most significant palaeobiological events of the Palaeozoic Era, the Hangenberg Event. It is linked to a terminal Devonian global shift from greenhouse to icehouse climate conditions, a global transgression, and widespread black shale deposition. Our results constrain the Hangenberg Event to between 358.97 ± 0.11 Ma and 358.89 ± 0.20 Ma, with a calculated duration of 0.05 +0.14/?0.05 Ma. A third, underlying ash bed yielded a distinctly older age of 359.97 ± 0.46 Ma. The duration of ~50–100 ka. for the event is comparable to those of Quaternary glaciations, and is consistent with both a glacio‐eustatic origin for the eustatic fluctuations and changes in ocean chemistry that led to this major reorganization of the biosphere.     

Sunshine duration and its variability in the main ridge of the Karkonosze Mountains in relation to with atmospheric circulation

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - Sunshine duration analysis was based on a series of measurements spanning the period from 1901 to 2014 for Śnieżka (1603 m a.s.l.)...     

Characteristics of mining tremors within the near-wave field zone

Mining in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland, induces tremors with magnitudes ranging up to 4.3. The recordings of mining tremors from the near-wave fiel and the far-wave field show different characteristics of ground motion.Knowledge of these characrteristics, has an enormous practical importance when solving the problems of resistance of underground workings against seismic impacts. The near-wave field is characterized by a domination of the high frequency components of motion, and the seismograms often are a single pulse Geomechanical interpretation of them leads to the conclusion that this pulse corresponds to a single exciting force. This fact is also reflected in the rockbursts: the potentially damaging ground motion which is restricted to the seismic source region.The seismometric data have shown that the peak particle velocities from a hypocentral distance of 200–300 m, resulted in more than 3 cm/s. The peak ground velocities appear to be dependent on stress drop , and peak particle velocities reaching 5 m/s may occur. The computational example proves that in a thick coal seam the pulse with the stress =1.8 MPa from the tremor at the short source distance can generate the rockburst.     

In search of historical roots of the meteorite impact theory: Franz von Paula Gruithuisen as the first proponent of an impact cratering model for the Moon in the 1820s

Franz von Paula Gruithuisen (1774–1852), the Bavarian medic, physician, and astronomer, enfant terrible of German science, is known for his insightful observations and many extravagant conceptions. However, since the seminal monograph of Baldwin (1949), he is also referenced for early contributions to the meteoritic origin concept of lunar craters. His most commonly cited paper of 1828 is analyzed here for the first time in some detail. For Gruithuisen, impact phenomena were only an outcome of a more general cosmogenic theory, which assumed planet and satellite growth by concentric shell‐like coalescence of the cosmic bodies. The aggregation theory thus defined was initiated in 1794 by Chladni, developed by the Bierberstein brothers and Anton Zach. Gruithuisen was notably the first person to formulate a nascent concept of lunar crater mechanics. This cratering process, as he thought, is based on an uneven gravitational subsidence of concentrically layered spherical impactors (=the solid core of comet) into the plastic sediments. Only the more resistant and heavy central portion of the body was submerging deeper, and therefore, the circular terrace‐like rim of the ring mountains was formed. Gruithuisen tried also to recognize terrestrial equivalents of large‐scale crater‐like mountains on the Moon, and speculated on other impact consequences, such as a catastrophic influence on the history of the biosphere and a cometary source of the terrestrial hydrosphere. These ideas found several conceptual followers in the vital German science of the last decades of 19th century. Thus, despite principal errors in the gravitationally penetrative cratering model, we confirm the claim of recognition of Gruithuisen as one of the founders of the impact hypothesis.