Simulating low flows over a heterogeneous landscape in southeastern Poland

This paper presents a scheme describing low flow formation processes in areas with different environmental conditions, including the impact of the selection and explanatory power of predictors for a probabilistic model based on the Logit model. The research was carried out using 29 daily streamflow gauges located in the Lublin region of southeastern Poland for the hydrological period 1976–2018. Analysis resulted in two distinct low flow schemes. In the lowland rivers, low flows occur during the warm season and are related to evaporation exceeding precipitation. In the upland rivers, hydrogeological factors related to water levels in the local Cretaceous aquifers determine the occurrence of low flows. This differentiation affects the quality of the predictive models. For lowland rivers, models based on the climatic water balance with a monthly shift have a better fit, while these models used for upland rivers are characterized by an approximately 10% decrease in accuracy. For upland rivers, the combined C_tH_t models without shifts produce the best model fit. The generalized precision of the Logit models is around 80%–90%.     

Pounding of superstructure segments in isolated elevated bridge during earthquakes

Past severe earthquakes indicate that pounding may cause considerable damage or even lead to collapse of colliding structures. The aim of this paper is to present an analysis of pounding between superstructure segments of an isolated elevated bridge induced by the propagating seismic wave. High-damping rubber bearings (HDRBs), used as isolation devices, are modelled by proposed non-linear formulation and the significance of the bearings model for pounding is indicated. The results of the study show that pounding leads to the increase or decrease of the forces acting on piers, depending on the gap size between superstructure segments. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

“Laser Discoverers” – Web‐based User‐generated Content in Heritage Detection in Poland

This article presents the results and potential of using volunteered geographic information (VGI) in heritage detection. Research was completed under the project entitled “Laser Discoverers – non‐invasive examination and documentation of archeological and historical objects in the ?wi?tokrzyskie Voivodeship”, carried out as a part of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education program entitled “The Paths of Copernicus”. Within the project, strong emphasis was placed on promotional and awareness‐raising activities, to involve as many voluntary users as possible. Project participants had at their disposal a web application, which provided access to a digital terrain model (DTM) where they identified possible heritage objects. All samples of data were additionally available in eight variants of sunshine, based on the simulation of sunlight from eight directions and at a constant angle. In total, 5,989 elementary areas with dimensions of 100 × 100 m were used for the project. After conducting a field inventory, Internet users together with specialists were able to recognize several thousands of potential archaeological and historic objects. During the project, approximately 10% of those features were verified through non‐invasive (field survey) work, with 75% success.     

The influence of a turbulent region on the flux of auroral electrons

The influence of low-frequency electrostatic turbulence on the flux of precipitating magnetospheric electrons is analyzed in the framework of the quasilinear kinetic equation. It is shown that an electron population in a turbulent region, with an electric field parallel to the ambient magnetic field, can be separated into two parts by introducing a pitch angle dependent runaway velocity v_r(θ). Lower energy electrons with parallel velocity v_∥ < v_r are effectively scattered by plasma waves, so that they remain in the main population and are subjected to an anomalous transport equation. A distribution function f ∞ v^?4 (or the particle flux vs energy J ∞ E^?1) is established in this velocity range. Faster electrons with v_∥ ? v_r are freely accelerated by a parallel electric field, so that they contribute directly to hot electron fluxes which are observed at ionospheric altitudes. New expressions are derived for the magnetic-field aligned current and the electron energy flux implied by this model. These expressions agree well with empirical relations observed in auroral inverted-V structures.     

Normalization algorithms of Hamiltonian near an equilibrium point

Algorithms of linear and nonlinear normalization of a Hamiltonian system near an equilibrium point are described. They were applied to determination of stability libration point in photogravitational restricted problem and to refinement of periodic orbits in the restricted three body problem.     

A dynamical analysis of the 14 Herculis planetary system

Precision radial velocity measurements of the Sun-like dwarf 14 Herculis published by Naef et al., Butler et al. and Wittenmyer, Endl & Cochran reveal a Jovian planet in a 1760-d orbit and a trend indicating the second distant object. On the grounds of dynamical considerations, we test a hypothesis that the trend can be explained by the presence of an additional giant planet. We derive dynamical limits to the orbital parameters of the putative outer Jovian companion in an orbit within ∼13 au. In this case, the mutual interactions between the Jovian planets are important for the long-term stability of the system. The best self-consistent and stable Newtonian fit to an edge-on configuration of Jovian planets has the outer planet in 9-au orbit with a moderate eccentricity of ∼0.2 and confined to a zone spanned by the low-order mean motion resonances 5:1 and 6:1. This solution lies in a shallow minimum of (χ²_ν)^1/2 and persists over a wide range of the system inclination. Other stable configurations within 1σ confidence interval of the best fit are possible for the semimajor axis of the outer planet in the range of (6,13) au and the eccentricity in the range of (0, 0.3). The orbital inclination cannot yet be determined but when it decreases, both planetary masses approach ∼10 m _J and for i ∼ 30° the hierarchy of the masses is reversed.     

SHRIMP zircon geochronology and geochemistry of the Orlica-Śnieżnik gneisses (Variscan belt of Central Europe) and their tectonic implications

Abstract

The Orlica-?nie?nik dome comprises large orthogneiss bodies interbedded with amphiblite-grade metasediments and minor metavolcanics. New U-Pb and Pb-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages for two major gneiss units of the dome, the ?nie?nik and Giera?tów gneiss, yielded similar ages of ca. 500 Ma. This is interpreted to reflect the magmatic crystallization age from the same or similar igneous precursors, in agreement with the geochemical characteristics of these rocks. Some zircon cores in both gneisses, interpreted to be inherited xenocrysts, have ages of ca. 530–540 Ma, and, additionally, of ca. 565 Ma and 2.6 Ga in the ?nie?nik gneiss. Igneous grains in both gneiss types have high-U rims, which are dark under cathodoluminescence. They are much better developed in the Giera?tow gneiss and they yield a well-defined weighted mean U-Pb age of 342 ± 6 Ma. These high-U rims are interpreted to have grown close to the peak of HT metamorphism which is responsible for the migmatitic texture of the Giera?tow gneiss. The Visean HT-LP metamorphism in the Orlica-?nie?nik dome is interpreted as a result of rapid uplift and decompression due to overthrusting of high grade rocks over the Moravo-Silesian nappe pile. Our data support geodynamic models that ascribe a predominant influence in the tectonic evolution of the West Sudetes to the Variscan oro- genic events. This is suggested by the inheritance of zircon xenocrysts from the Cadomian basement and by the Late Cambrian- Early Ordovician magmatic event, both typical of the Armorican terrane assemblage, as well as by the Early Carboniferous age of the metamorphism. © 2000 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS