The whaling issue: Conservation,confusion, and casuistry

Morishita's “multiple analysis” of the whaling issue [Morishita J. Multiple analysis of the whaling issue: Understanding the dispute by a matrix. Marine Policy 2006;30:802–8] is essentially a restatement of the Government of Japan's whaling policy, which confuses the issue through selective use of data, unsubstantiated facts, and the vilification of opposing perspectives. Here, we deconstruct the major problems with Morishita's article and provide an alternative view of the whaling dispute. For many people in this debate, the issue is not that some whales are not abundant, but that the whaling industry cannot be trusted to regulate itself or to honestly assess the status of potentially exploitable populations. This suspicion has its origin in Japan's poor use of science, its often implausible stock assessments, its insistence that culling is an appropriate way to manage marine mammal populations, and its relatively recent falsification of whaling and fisheries catch data combined with a refusal to accept true transparency in catch and market monitoring. Japanese policy on whaling cannot be viewed in isolation, but is part of a larger framework involving a perceived right to secure unlimited access to global marine resources. Whaling is inextricably tied to the international fisheries agreements on which Japan is strongly dependent; thus, concessions made at the IWC would have potentially serious ramifications in other fora.     

A Model to Study the Bias on Q Estimates Obtained by Applying the Rise Time Method to Earthquake Data

—Among Q-estimation methods a simple linear technique consists of the evaluation of the increasing rise time of body waves with the increase of their travel time. This method, known as the rise time method, was theoretically justified for an impulsive source time function (Dirac delta function). Wu and Lees (1996), throughout finite difference calculations, showed that, when considering finite source time functions, characterized by a cut-off frequency around 20 Hz, the rise time method can be satisfactorily applied to invert earthquake data.¶In order to establish the applicability of the rise time method to an arbitrary earthquake source we analytically solved the problem of the propagation, throughout an anelastic medium, of a signal generated by a finite dimensions seismic source the shear dislocation fault of Brune (1970). Analyzing theoretical rise time vs. travel-time curves, we were able to distinguish two different corner frequency ranges in which the trend is different. When corner frequency is below 10 Hz the discrepancies with the rise time method increase with a decrease of the corner frequency. When corner frequency is above 10 Hz no meaningful differences are observed.¶The application of the model to a synthetic data set, based on the sources-receivers configuration of the 15 November 1995 Border Town, Nevada, earthquake sequence, shows that a significant bias affects Q estimates obtained with the rise time method, for seismic events characterized by a Brune corner frequency less than 5 Hz.     

Geology and geochemistry of high-grade, volcanic rock-hosted, mercury mineralisation in the Nuevo Entredicho deposit, Almadén district, Spain

The Nuevo Entredicho deposit contains the richest concentration of mercury in the Almadén district, locally grading as much as 45% Hg. This ore deposit is hosted within an alkaline, conically shaped diatreme, about 150 m in diameter, which was subsequently filled with phreatomagmatic breccias. The diatreme cuts an Ordovician to Silurian clastic sedimentary rock sequence that is intercalated with basaltic sills. Structural analysis reveals a complex tectonic history with three main phases of Hercynian deformation. Mineralisation occurs as cinnabar replacements in volcanic tuffs and breccias and as recrystallised veins in tensions cracks associated with pyrophyllite and hydrothermal pyrite, which is strongly enriched in Cu, Pb and Hg. Lead isotopes in pyrite are characterised by high ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios (15.70-15.75), suggesting a contribution of ancient upper continental crust remobilised by Silurian-Devonian volcanism, with no mantle involvement. Sulphur isotopes of epigenetic cinnabar and pyrite range from +10.3 to +10.8‰ and from +10.6 to +11.9‰ respectively, suggesting a uniform sulphur source or a constant mixing ratio in the ore fluids. These isotopic compositions differ from those measured in the syngenetic deposits of the Almadén district; they suggest a higher temperature of ore formation of about 300 °C, and a genesis related to a distinct hydrothermal flow path at the Nuevo Entredicho deposit. Deposition of anomalously high-grade mercury ore at Nuevo Entredicho is related to a combination of (1) an abundance of black shale that provided sulphur and increasingly reducing conditions with high sulphide/sulphate ratios, (2) explosive Silurian-Devonian mafic magmatism that provided an initial source of mercury, (3) tectonic activity that lead to structurally favourable sites for ore deposition, and (4) replacement of secondary, carbonate-rich volcanic rocks.     

Association between Messinian drainage network formation and major tectonic activity in the Marche Apennines (Italy)

The Marche Apennines (Italy) offer an excellent opportunity to constrain the temporal and spatial relationships between drainage network formation and tectonic activity. Using a combination of field data, seismic lines and boreholes we show that the main deformation phase took place during the Messinian when the area, affected by the Messinian sea level drop, emerged and evolved from marine to continental conditions. The results highlight that during the Messinian emersion a drainage network developed contemporaneously with an increase in tectonic activity that could be related to sea level fall and river erosion. The present‐day river system, which is dominated by transverse rivers that cut straight across the tectonic grain, is located in older Messinian palaeovalleys, even though the region was subsequently covered by water until the late Pliocene–early Pleistocene.     

Converted‐wave beam migration with sparse sources or receivers

Gaussian beam depth migration overcomes the single‐wavefront limitation of most implementations of Kirchhoff migration and provides a cost‐effective alternative to full‐wavefield imaging methods such as reverse‐time migration. Common‐offset beam migration was originally derived to exploit symmetries available in marine towed‐streamer acquisition. However, sparse acquisition geometries, such as cross‐spread and ocean bottom, do not easily accommodate requirements for common‐offset, common‐azimuth (or common‐offset‐vector) migration. Seismic data interpolation or regularization can be used to mitigate this problem by forming well‐populated common‐offset‐vector volumes. This procedure is computationally intensive and can, in the case of converted‐wave imaging with sparse receivers, compromise the final image resolution. As an alternative, we introduce a common‐shot (or common‐receiver) beam migration implementation, which allows migration of datasets rich in azimuth, without any regularization pre‐processing required. Using analytic, synthetic, and field data examples, we demonstrate that converted‐wave imaging of ocean‐bottom‐node data benefits from this formulation, particularly in the shallow subsurface where regularization for common‐offset‐vector migration is both necessary and difficult.     

The impact of the oblateness of Regulus on the motion of its companion

The fast spinning B-star Regulus has recently been found to be orbited by a fainter companion in a close circular path with orbital period P _b=40.11(2) d. Being its equatorial radius R _e 32% larger than the polar one R _p, Regulus possesses a remarkable quadrupole mass moment Q. We investigate the effects of Q on the orbital period P _b of its companion in order to see if they are measurable, given the present-day level of accuracy in measuring P _b. Conversely, we will look for deviations from the third Kepler law, attributed to the quadrupole mass moment Q of Regulus, to constrain the ratio γ=m/M of the system’s masses. The impact of Q on the orbital period is analytically worked out with a straightforward perturbative approach. The resulting correction P ^Q is compared to other competing dynamical effects. P ^Q and the Keplerian period P ^Kep are expressed in terms of the phenomenologically determined system’s parameters; γ is treated as an unknown. P ^Q is compared to the observational accuracy in measuring the orbital period δ P _b=0.02 d and to the systematic uncertainty δ(P ^Kep) due to the errors in the system’s parameters entering it. The discrepancy ΔP=|P _b?P ^Kep| is examined in order to see for which values of γ it becomes statistically significant. The physical meaning of the obtained range of values for γ is discussed in terms of Q. P ^Q is larger than δ P _b but still smaller than the systematic uncertainty in P ^Kep by two orders of magnitude. The major sources of bias are the velocity semiamplitude K of the motion of the primary and its mass M. Assuming edge-on configuration, i.e. i=90 deg, if γ?0.096 Q would be positive, i.e. Regulus would be prolate, contrary to the observations. If γ?0.078 Q would be negative, but its magnitude would be one-two orders of magnitude larger than the approximate estimate Q≈M(R _p ² ?R _e ² )=?2.4±0.5×10⁴⁹ kg?m². Regulus is the first extrasolar binary system in which the orbital effects of the asphericity of the primary are larger than the observational sensitivity; moreover, no other competing aliasing orbital effects are present. Thus, it is desirable that it will become the object of future intensive observational campaigns in order to reduce the systematic uncertainty due to the system’s parameters below the measurability threshold.     

Determination of tidal distortion in the eclipsing binary system V621 Cen by means of deviations from the third Kepler law

In this paper we determine the tidal distortion parameter k_m of the secondary partner (mass loser) of the semi-detached eclipsing binary system V621 Cen by comparing the phenomenologically determined orbital period P_b=3.683549(11) d to the Keplerian one P^Kep computed with the values of the relevant system’s parameters determined independently of the third Kepler law itself. Our result is k_m=-1.5±0.6. Using the periastron precession, as traditionally done with other eclipsing binaries in eccentric orbits, would have not been possible because of the circularity of the V621 Cen path.     

An integrated approach for investigating geomorphic response to extreme events: methodological framework and application to the October 2011 flood in the Magra River catchment,Italy

A high‐magnitude flash flood, which took place on 25 October 2011 in the Magra River catchment (1717 km²), central‐northern Italy, is used to illustrate some aspects of the geomorphic response to the flood. An overall methodological framework is described for using interlinked observations and analyses of the geomorphic impacts of an extreme event. The following methods and analyses were carried out: (i) hydrological and hydraulic analysis of the event; (ii) sediment delivery by event landslide mapping; (iii) identification and estimation of wood recruitment, deposition, and budgeting; (iv) interpretation of morphological processes by analysing fluvial deposits; (v) remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) analysis of channel width changes. In response to the high‐magnitude hydrological event, a large number of landslides occurred, consisting of earth flows, soil slips, and translational slides, and a large quantity of wood was recruited, in most part deriving from floodplain erosion caused by bank retreat and channel widening. The most important impact of the flood event within the valley floor was an impressive widening of the overall channel bed and the reactivation of wide portions of the pre‐event floodplain. Along the investigated (unconfined or partly confined) streams (total investigated length of 93.5 km), the channel width after the flood was up to about 20 times the channel width before the event. The study has shown that a synergic use of different methods and types of evidence provides fundamental information for characterizing and understanding the geomorphic effects of intense flood events. The prediction of geomorphic response to a flood event is still challenging and many limitations exist; however a robust geomorphological analysis can contribute to the identification of the most critical reaches. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Land cover and land use change in the Italian central Apennines: A comparison of assessment methods

Analyses of land-use cover changes (LUCC) are fundamental to the understanding of numerous social, economical and environmental problems and can be carried out rapidly, using either cartographic or census data. However, the trends of the two methods differ in direction and quantity.For this study, a historical and a recent remote sensing-derived map were homogenized to reduce misleading changes and to assess spatial aggregation errors. This was carried out by means of a data integration procedure based on landscape metrics, allowing cartographic and census trends to be compared. Discrepancies between data were thus highlighted, both in absolute surface value and in evolution.The methodology presented, and the results obtained, could be employed to evaluate and improve LUCC analyses aimed at assessing landscape identity, both in the case of analyses based only on LU census data, or of those based only on LC cartographic data. This could lead to benefits for both biodiversity conservation and environmental planning on a large scale.