Large eddy simulation of extreme hydrodynamic forces on structures with mitigation walls using OpenFOAM

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of a large eddy simulation (LES) numerical model to assess the influence of mitigation walls with various cross sections on the tsunami-induced loading exerted on a freestanding structure. The validation of the model was performed using laboratory experiment results previously conducted by the second author. The employed experiments simulated a tsunami-like bore at two different impoundment depths, including 55 and 85 cm. The results showed that the one-equation subgrid-scale energy transport LES approach performs better than RANS models such as k-ε, k-ω and LRR and can accurately reproduce experimental data obtained for a wide range of experimental conditions.     

Review of the Kalman-type hydrological data assimilation

ABSTRACT

There is great potential in Data Assimilation (DA) for the purposes of uncertainty identification, reduction and real-time correction of hydrological models. This paper reviews the latest developments in Kalman filters (KFs), particularly the Extended KF (EKF) and the Ensemble KF (EnKF) in hydrological DA. The hydrological DA targets, methodologies and their applicability are examined. The recent applications of the EKF and EnKF in hydrological DA are summarized and assessed critically. Furthermore, this review highlights the existing challenges in the implementation of the EKF and EnKF, especially error determination and joint parameter estimation. A detailed review of these issues would benefit not only the Kalman-type DA but also provide an important reference to other hydrological DA types.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor F. Pappenberger     

Occurrence and use of mineral and thermal waters in Poland

Mineral and thermal waters are defined according to Polish geological and mining law. Their occurrence in particular hydrogeological provinces of the country is characterized. Besides their use in balneotherapeutics, their role as a heat carrier and source of chemical raw materials is stressed. Topics mentioned requiring further research are: the origin of saline formation waters and the origin of CO₂ in carbonated waters.     

Effects of climate change on the intensity and frequency of heavy snowfall events in the Pyrenees

The intensity and frequency of heavy snowfall events in the Pyrenees were simulated using data from the HIRHAM regional climate model for a control period (1960?C1990) and two greenhouse emission scenarios (SRES B2 and A2) for the end of the twenty-first century (2070?C2100). Comparisons between future and control simulations enabled a quantification of the expected change in the intensity and frequency of these events at elevations of 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500?m a.s.l. The projected changes in heavy snowfall depended largely on the elevation and the greenhouse gas emission scenario considered. At 1,000?m a.s.l., a marked decrease in the frequency and intensity of heavy snowfall events was projected with the B2 and A2 scenarios. At 1,500?m a.s.l., a decrease in the frequency and intensity is only expected under the higher greenhouse gas emission scenario (A2). Above 2,000?m a.s.l., no change or heavier snowfalls are expected under both emission scenarios. Large spatial variability in the impacts of climate change on heavy snowfall events was found across the study area.     

Combining climate with other influential factors for modelling the impact of climate change on species distribution

We tested two approaches to forecast species distributions while balancing the impact of climate change against the inertia promoted by other influential factors that have been forecast as not changing. Given that mountain species are presumed to be more at risk due to climate warming, we selected an amphibian, a reptile, a bird, and a mammal species present in the Spanish mountains, to model their distributional response to climate change during this century. The climatic forecasts were made according to the general circulation models CGCM2 and ECHAM4 and to the A2 and B2 emission scenarios. We modelled the response of the species to spatial, topographic, human, and climatic variables separately. In our first approach, we compared each of these single-factor models using the Akaike Information Criterion, and produced a combined model weighting each factor (spatial, topographic, human, and climatic) according to Akaike weights. This procedure overestimated the best model, and the other factors were neglected in the combined model output. In our second approach, we produced a combined model using stepwise selection of the variables previously selected within each factor. In this way every factor was effectively represented in the combined explanatory model of the distributional response of the species to environmental conditions. This enabled the construction of models that combined climate with the other explanatory factors, to be later extrapolated to the future by replacing current climatic and human values with those expected from each emission and socio-economic scenario, while preserving spatial and topographic variables in the model.     

Intensity Spectra Versus Response Spectra: Basic Concepts and Applications

This paper begins with a critical assessment of the concept of macroseismic intensity, on which traditional scales, such as MSK and EMS, are based. The main shortcoming identified is the model's failure to consider the spectral features of ground motion. This omission may lead to erroneous seismic zonation, as shown in the paper. As a result, the model is of little interest to engineers who must design and build safe structures while adopting economical solutions. The paper presents a way to radically improve this situation. The starting point for this approach was the experience of the destructive Vrancea earthquake of 1977.03.04, which made it clear that intensity appears to be different for structures having natural periods pertaining to different spectral domains. The solution proposed to the shortcomings of the traditional intensity concept is postulated on a system of analytical expressions, covering definitions of global intensities, of intensities related to oscillation frequency and of intensities related to a definite spectral band. The latter definition lies at the basis of a definition of discrete intensity spectra. Illustrative applications are presented, in relation to global intensities and to discrete intensity spectra. We then analyze an illustrative case in which the use of traditional macroseismic survey techniques led to erroneous seismic zonation. Finally, some conclusions and recommendations are presented. Based on the authors?? long-term experience, we strongly recommend close interaction between seismologists and engineers in working groups and joint projects targeted on radical improvement of the basic concepts of seismic intensity and of specific analysis procedures.     

Avalonian, Ganderian and East Cadomian terranes in South Carpathians, Romania, and Pan-African events recorded in their basement

New U-Pb geochronology is used to refine the provenance and evolution of northwest Gondwana Pan-African terranes preserved in the South Carpathians of Romania. The Dr?g?an terrane of Avalonian affinity, from the Danubian domain of the South Carpathians originated in the Panthalassa Ocean and accreted to the Amazonian part of Rodinia not much before 800 Ma, when the F?ge?el orthogneiss was intruded, at around 807–810 Ma. After this event no other Neoproterozoic magmatic pulse is known in the basement of the Dr?g?an terrane. The Ganderian type Lainici-P?iu? terrane from the same domain of the South Carpathians, recorded magmatic pulses at 782 Ma, 739 Ma, 708 Ma, 639 Ma, 600–587 Ma and 574–568 Ma. The East Cadomian Sebe?-Lotru terrane from the Getic domain of the South Carpathians recorded magmatic pulses at 817 Ma, 768 Ma, 685 Ma, 620 Ma, 584 Ma and 550 Ma. Post 630 Ma the northwestern Gondwana margin evolved as an active continental margin at least until 550 Ma, but the pre-630 Ma magmatism could be associated to some island arcs docked with different pre-Gondwanan continental fragments. Independent of the tectonic setting, the post 750 Ma orogens dated in the basement of the peri-Gondwanan terranes are discussed in the frame of the Cadomian orogens, as constituents of the Pan-African orogens in a broader sense. The detrital zircon may also record magmatic pulses from Pan-African orogens other than the Cadomian ones.     

Carpathian peri-Gondwanan terranes in the East Carpathians (Romania): A testimony of an Ordovician,North-African orogeny

The eastern branch of the Romanian Carpathians – the East Carpathians – is essentially an Alpine thrust and fold belt made up in its median part by a Crystalline–Mesozoic zone. This, in turn, is built up by several Alpine nappes (top to bottom): the Wildflysch, Bucovinian, Subbucovinian and Infrabucovinian. In the basement of the Bucovinian and Subbucovinian nappes the following Variscan tectonic units have been identified (top to bottom): Rar?u, Putna, Pietrosu Bistri?ei and Rodna. The Infrabucovinian nappes comprise the Rar?u nappe only. The Alpine nappes have an eastward vergence, opposite to the Variscan ones (present coordinates). In terms of pre-Variscan terranes distribution, the Rar?u nappe involved the Bretila terrane basement and its late Paleozoic cover, Putna the Tulghe? terrane basement, Pietrosu Bistri?ei the Negri?oara terrane basement and Rodna the Rebra terrane basement. These terranes originated along northwestern Gondwana margin during some Ordovician thermotectonic events. They do not represent Cadomian terranes and we call them Carpathian-type terranes. Two igneous protoliths from Bretila terrane basement (i.e. Anie? orthogneiss and H?ghima? granitoid) yield U/Pb LA-ICP-MS zircon ages of 462 ± 3 Ma and 469.2 ± 6.5 Ma, respectively. An orthogneiss from Tulghe? terrane basement yield 462.6 ± 3.1 Ma; the Pietrosu porphyritic orthogneiss from Negri?oara terrane basement yield 461.1 ± 5.2 Ma; and the Nichita? orthogneiss from Rebra terrane basement yield 447.9 ± 2.8 Ma. All these ages suggest the magma crystallization time. Two paragneisses from the Rebra terrane basement show a detrital zircon age distribution characteristic of a NE-African provenance. Regarding the tectonic settings, the lithology of the Bretila terrane suggests a magmatic arc on a continental margin, while of the Tulghe? terrane suggests a back arc environment, and those of the Rebra and Negri?oara terranes suggest a passive continental margin. An Ordovician metamorphism of medium grade (staurolite–kyanite zone) affected the basements of Bretila, Negri?oara and Rebra terranes, whereas a low grade (chlorite to biotite zone) event affects the Tulghe? terrane. With regard to the Variscan orogeny, the existence of a Paleotethys suture is proposed within the metamorphic basement of the East Carpathians. In this interpretation, the Bretila terrane was the upper plate, the Rebra and Negri?oara terrane pair formed the lower plate and the Tulghe? terrane was a component of the suture. The Variscan thermotectonic events reflect isothermal decompression with andalusite + cordierite in the basement of the Rebra terrane and retrogression in the basement of the other terranes.     

塔里木盆地西北缘二叠系礁灰岩的时空分布特征及其油气地质意义

对塔里木盆地西北缘二叠系礁灰岩的岩石、岩相、沉积演化和油气地质特征的分析表明,生物礁主要发育于中二叠统栖霞阶昆克拉契组和巴立克立克组,以亮晶藻粘结灰岩为主,具有堤礁的特点。二叠系礁灰岩较大的厚度表明,当时礁体生长速率与礁基沉降（或水体加深）的速率匹配较好,具有进积型沉积的特点,这与当时塔里木地块内部的退积型沉积特点是不一致的。礁灰岩的原生孔隙较小,可以作为中等烃源岩,在哈拉峻盆地的东南侧和乌什凹陷北缘的覆盖区之下可能构成与礁灰岩相关的油气远景区。