The analysis of four cosmic dust particles

A set of four stratospheric particles was reanalysed. These particles registered in the NASA Cosmic Dust Catalogs (CDCs) were classified in the Houston Johnson Space Center (JSC) as the particles of cosmic origin (C). Present energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra confirmed previous classification and revealed additional features in the chemical composition of the cosmic dust particles.The particles are extremely fine-grained aggregates with bulk chondritic composition. Somewhat higher content of oxygen may indicate a presence of hydroxide containing minerals in their phase composition.     

The determination of the regional part of the vertical gradient anomaly by a geodetic method

Summary The significance of the vertical gradients of gravity is great in geophysics and also in geodesy. In geophysics the observed vertical gradients can give valuable information about mass distributions close to the surface of the earth and in geodesy they may be used in determining the shape of the equipotential surfaces. The observed vertical gradients are very sensitive to masses close to the surface of the earth and they change very rapidly. Therefore, they should not be used for purposes such as the reduction of the observed gravity to the sea level. The normal vertical gradients are not the best either for this purpose because they are much too uniform on the surface of the earth. The best values for practical purposes are probably the regional vertical gradients.This paper presents a method to determine the regional vertical gradient anomalies in large areas from geodetic observations which, added to the normal part, will give the regional vertical gradients.     

Neotectonics of the central parts of the Balkan Peninsula: Basic features and concepts

The neotectonic movements on the Balkan Peninsula occurred after the last intense thrusting (Early Miocene), and after the Early — Middle Miocene planation. They were controlled by extensional collapse of the Late Alpine orogen, and by extension behind the Aegean arc, and were influenced by the complicated vertical and horizontal movements in the Pannonian region. The Stara-planina and Dinarian-Hellenic linear neotectonic morphostructures inherited the Alpine orogenic zones (Balkanides and Dinarides-Hellenides) and bounded the Central-Balkan neotectonic region. The linear morphostructures were tilted towards the Pannonian and Euxinian basins and the North-Aegean trough.The Central-Balkan neotectonic region has a complicated block structure (horst-and-graben pattern) dominated by the NNW-SSE Struma and Vardar lineaments, the WNW-ESE Sava and Marica lineaments, and the Middle-Mesta and North Anatolian fault zones. The dominating Serbo-Macedonian neotectonic swell was rifted, and subsided along the Struma and Vardar lineaments. The range of the vertical neotectonic displacements reached a maximum of 3–4 km, and even up to 6 km at the edges of the Pannonian and Aegean basins. The general doming of the region was controlled by the isostatic uplift of a thickened crustal lens (Rhodope Massif) in the southern margin of the Eurasian plate. The collapse of the complicated domal structure began along the main (Struma, Vardar and Marica) lineaments in the central parts of the dome, and continued in the Pliocene and Quaternary along a more external contour bounded by the Stara-planina and Dinarian-Hellenic linear morphostructures.

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Zusammenfassung Die neotektonischen Bewegungen der Balkan-Halbinsel begannen nach den letzten intensiven Überschiebungen (frühes Miozän) und nach der frühbis mittelmiozänen Verebnung. Gesteuert wurden die Bewegungen durch den Dehnungskollaps des spätalpinen Orogens, der Dehnung hinter dem Ägäischen Bogen und den komplizierten vertikalen und horizontalen Bewegungen in der pannonischen Region. Die neotektonische Region des Zentralbalkans liegt zwischen den linearen, neotektonischen Morphostrukturen der Strara-planina und der Dinariden-Helleniden. Sie übernahmen die alpidischen Orogenzonen der Balkaniden und Dinariden-Helleniden und wurden zum Pannonischen-, dem Präkarpatischen- und dem Nordägäischen Trog geneigt.Die Region zeigt einen komplizierten Blockaufbau (Horst- und Grabenstrukturen), der von den NNW-SSE streichenden Struma- und Vardar-Lineamenten, von den WNW-ESE verlaufenden Sava- und Marica-Lineamenten und der Mittelmesta- und der Nordanatolischen Bruchzone dominiert war. Die Serbo-mazedonische neotektonische Schwelle war von Bruchspaltenbildung und Absenkung parallel der Struma- und Vardar-Lineamente betroffen. Die Höhe der vertikalen Versatzbeträge erreichte ein Maximum von 3–4 km; an den Rändern des Pannonischen und Ägäischen Beckens sogar mit bis zu 6 km. Die allgemeine Aufwölbung der Region wurde durch isostatische Hebung der verdickten Krustenteile (Rhodopisches Massiv) am Südrand der Eurasischen Platte bedingt. Der Kollaps der komplizierten Domstruktur begann in dessen Zentralteil entlang der Hauptlineamente (Struma-, Vardar- und Marica-Lineament) und setzte sich, während des Pliozäns und Quartärs, in den peripheren Bereichen, parallel zu den äußeren Begrenzungen (Balkaniden, Dinariden-Helleniden) der linearen Morphostrukturen, fort.

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Résumé Les mouvements néotectoniques dans la péninsule balkanique ont eu lieu après les derniers charriages d'âge miocène inférieur et la pénéplanation du Miocène inférieur et moyen. Ils ont été régis par l'affaissement extensionnel de l'orogène alpin tardif, par l'extension derrière l'arc égéen et par les mouvements verticaux et horizontaux complexes dans la région panonnienne. La région néotectonique centrebalkanique est située entre les morphostructures néotectoniques linéaires de Stara-Planina et des Dinarides-Hellénides. Celles-ci sont héritées des zones orogéniques alpines des Balkanides et des Dinarides-Hellénides et ont été inclinées vers les bassins panonnien, euxinien et nord-égéen.La région possède une structure en blocs (horsts et grabens) compliquée, dominée par les linéaments NNW-SSE de Struma et du Vardar, les linéaments WNW-ESE de Sava et de Marica et les zones faillées de Moyenne Mesta et d'Anatolie du nord. La ride néotectonique serbo-macédonienne a subi rifting et subsidence au long des linéaments de Struma et du Vardar. Les déplacements néotectoniques verticaux ont atteint 3 à 4 km au maximum, et même 6 km dans les bordures des bassins panonniens et égéen. Le soulèvement en dôme de la région a été provoqué par la montée isostatique d'une portion épaissie de l'écorce (massif du Rhodope) dans la marge méridionale de la plaque eurasiatique. L'affaissement de cette structure en dôme complexe a commencé le long des linéaments principaux (de Struma, Vardar et Marica) dans les parties centrales du dôme et a continué pendant le Pliocène et le Quaternaire le long d'un contour plus externe limité par les morphostructures néotectoniques linéaires de Stara-Planina et dinarohellénique.

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Skills in Professional Geography: An Assessment of Workforce Needs and Expectations

This study compares the skills of professional geographers and the needs of employer organizations across major sectors of the U.S. workforce. Following a series of focus groups, two surveys were developed to explore: (1) the extent to which specific skills were performed by geographers in different professional positions, and (2) the value of and anticipated demand for those skills from the perspective of employers. Overall, respondents in the focus groups and both surveys emphasized the need for general skills ranging from time management and writing ability to information management and computer literacy. Employers also cited many geographic skills as being vital for enhancing the work of professionals in all types of organizations. Competency in field methods, the ability to work across disciplinary boundaries, and spatial thinking were three skill areas that characterized the work of geographic professionals irrespective of specialty.     

Plasmaspheric electron density reconstruction based on the topside sounder model profiler

We apply a model-assisted technique to construct the topside electron density profile based on Digisonde measurements. This technique uses the Topside Sounder Model (TSM), which provides the plasma scale height, O⁺-H⁺ transition height, and their ratio Rt = H _T /h _T , derived from topside sounder data of Alouette and ISIS satellites. The Topside Sounder Model Profiler (TSMP) incorporates TSM and uses the model quantities as anchor points for the construction of topside density profiles. TSMP provides its model ratios with transition height and plasmaspheric scale height. The analysis carried out indicates that Digisonde derived F-region topside scale height Hm is systematically lower than one derived from topside sounder profiles. To construct topside profiles by using Hm, a correction factor of around 3 is needed to multiply the neutral scale height in the α-Chapman formula. It was found that the plasmaspheric scale height strongly depends on latitude and its ratio with the F-region scale height expresses large day-to-day variability.     

Ontogenetic habitat use by mangrove/seagrass-associated coral reef fishes shows flexibility in time and space

Tropical shallow-water habitats such as mangroves and seagrass beds are widely acknowledged as important juvenile habitats for various coral reef fish species, most of which are commercially important to fisheries. Spatio-temporal variability in ontogenetic habitat use by fish among these tropical coastal ecosystems has rarely been investigated, yet there are sufficient reasons to believe that this plays an important role. In the present study, we test the spatio-temporal variability in patterns of ontogenetic habitat use by some mangrove/seagrass-associated coral reef fishes (Lethrinus harak, Lethrinus lentjan, Lutjanus fulviflamma and Siganus sutor). Abundances of these four species were investigated during two years in Tanzanian coastal waters, using underwater visual census in mangrove, seagrass, shallow and deep mudflat, and shallow and deep coral reef habitats. The study covered four distinct seasons of the year and was done at two spatially separated (>40 km) locations. Averaged across locations, seasons and years, juveniles (≤10 cm length) of the four study species had significantly higher relative densities in shallow-water (mangroves and seagrass beds) than in deep-water habitats (deep mudflats or coral reefs), whereas the opposite pattern was found for the adults (>15 cm). These findings suggest a strong and general pattern of ontogenetic habitat shifts from shallow- to deep-water habitats. However, specific habitat-use patterns of juveniles as well as adults differed significantly in time and space. Various species showed subtle to considerable flexibility in juvenile as well as adult habitat use across seasons, years, or at different locations. Furthermore, for some species the data suggest presence of ontogenetic habitat shifts at one location but lack thereof at the other location. In summary, ontogenetic habitat use needs to be considered at various spatial and temporal scales for the interpretation of habitat utilization by fish during different life stages. This is important for conservation and management of these habitats, as essential habitats or seasons may be ignored or over-emphasized with respect to their importance for fish during different parts of their life cycle.     

Giant versus small porphyry copper deposits of Cenozoic age in northern Chile: adakitic versus normal calc-alkaline magmatism

Cenozoic magmatic activity in northern Chile led to the formation of two contrasting porphyry copper belts: (1) a Paleocene-Early Eocene belt comprising small porphyry copper deposits (e.g., Lomas Bayas) of normal calc-alkaline affinity; and (2) a Late Eocene-Early Oligocene belt hosting huge porphyry copper deposits (e.g., Chuquicamata) of adakitic affinity. Although the first belt comprises both volcanic and plutonic rocks (andesitic-basaltic and rhyolitic lavas and tuffs, and associated sub-volcanic porphyries and felsic stocks), the latter only includes intrusions (mostly granodioritic types, including porphyry copper deposits). We suggest that the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene belt formed when fast and oblique convergence between the South America and Farallon plates led to flat subduction and direct melting of the subducting plate, hence giving rise to plutonic rocks of adakitic affinity. The absence of volcanism, under prevailing compressional conditions, prevented the escape of SO₂ from the adakitic, sulfur-rich, highly oxidized magmas ("closed porphyry system"), which allowed formation of huge mineral deposits. On the contrary, coeval volcanic activity during formation of the Paleocene-Early Eocene calc-alkaline porphyries allowed development of "open systems", hence to outgassing, and therefore, to small mineral deposits.     

Three-dimensional seismic structure of the upper mantle beneath the central part of the Eurasian continent

This work is a study of the upper-mantle seismic structure beneath the central part of the Eurasian continent, including the northern Mongolia, Altai and Sayan orogenic areas and the Baikal rift zone. Seismic velocity models are reconstructed using the inverse teleseismic scheme. This scheme uses information from earthquakes located within the study area recorded by the Worldwide Network. The seismic anomaly structure is obtained for different volumes in the study area that partially overlap one another. Special attention has been paid to the reliability of the results: several noise and resolution comparisons are made.
The main results are as follows. (1) A cell structure of anomalies is observed beneath the Altai–Sayan region: positive, cold anomalies correspond to regions of recent orogenesis, negative anomalies are located beneath the depression of the Great Lakes in Mongolia and Hubsugul Lake. (2) A large negative anomaly is observed beneath the Hangai dome in Mongolia. (3) Strong velocity variations are obtained in a zone around Baikal Lake. A large negative anomaly is traced beneath the southern margin of the Siberian craton down to a depth of 700 km. Contrasting positive anomalies (4–5 per cent) are observed at a depth of 100–300 km beneath the Baikal rift. Our geodynamical interpretation of the velocity structure obtained beneath central Asia involves the existence of two processes in the mantle: thermal convection with regular cells, and a narrow plume beneath the southern border of the Siberian plate.     

Summer rainstorm associated with a debris flow in the Amarilla gully affecting the international Agua Negra Pass (30°20′S), Argentina

The Central-West region of Argentina was seriously affected by a series of convective summer storms on January–February of 2013 generating many debris flows and rockfall in the Central Andes mountain regions. In particular, the unreported 8th February event caused the sad death of a 10-year-old child being completely ignored by society and local authorities. Despite this, meteorological conditions associated with this event and further episodes were rarely measured and determined mainly due to scarce meteorological stations in Andean mountain areas. In this paper, meteorological data from CMORPH algorithm and measurements of surrounding gauges were analyzed for estimating the triggering precipitation value of this event. As well, the particular debris flow channeled into the main branch of the Amarilla gully in the Agua Negra valley was geomorphologically described. The amount of precipitation associated with this debris flow was 5.5 and 13.2 mm accumulated previous to the event. This violent debris flow was generated in a talus zone in a periglacial environment located just below a covered rock glacier. However, the influence of the permafrost thawing in this process is not feasible. The altitude of the 0 °C isotherm was lower during the previous days of the event, and no monitoring on permafrost is available for this area. The volume of removed mass was estimated in 5 × 10⁴ m³, and the mean velocity was 35 km/h. Boulders of 4 m diameter were found in the source area, while the deposit is up to 75% sandy with clasts that hardly exceed 10 cm in the alluvial fan distal part. Herein the main objective is to advice about the probable catastrophic impact of similar events in the future. These findings could be useful for hazard remediation, mitigation, and prevention plans for the Agua Negra international pass under construction.