Strain softening of K0-consolidated Changi sand under plane-strain conditions

Experimental results are presented in this paper to study the strain softening behaviour of a marine dredged sand under plane-strain conditions. K₀ consolidated drained and undrained tests were conducted using a new plane-strain apparatus to characterize the strain softening behaviour of the sand under plane-strain conditions. For medium dense specimens, strain softening and shear bands were observed to occur under both drained and undrained conditions. For very loose specimens, no shear bands were observed and critical states were reached within the homogeneous deformation region in both drained and undrained tests. Strain softening was observed to occur at small strain for very loose specimens under undrained conditions. Two types of strain softening, the homogenous softening and banding softening, were identified and the conditions for strain softening were established. The results obtained from this study were compared with the studies by Han and Vardoulakis (Géotechnique 41(1):49–78, 1991), Finno et al. (J Geotech Eng ASCE 122(6):462–473, 1996, Géotechnique 47(1):149–165, 1997) and Mokni and Desrues (Mech Cohes-Frict Mat 4:419–441, 1998).     

Ionosphere Disturbances Preceding Earthquakes according to the Data of Ground Based Station of the Vertical Ionospheric Sounding Wakkanai

The paper analyzes the data of manual ionograms processing of hourly measurements of the critical frequency foF2 of the F2 ionospheric layer at the Wakkanai ionospheric vertical sounding station (Japan) in a geomagnetically quiet environment before a series of earthquakes with magnitude M > 6.0, for which the station entered the earthquake preparation zone, in order to detect possible Ionospheric Disturbances Preceding Earthquakes (IDPE), and to determine their quantitative characteristics. Detected IDPE, in the opinion of the authors, can be related to the processes of preparation of the corresponding earthquakes, i.e., to be Ionospheric Precursors of Earthquakes (IPE).     

Crustal structure beneath Spain from deep seismic sounding experiments

Major tectonic units of Spain have been investigated by deep seismic sounding experiments since 1974 to determine crustal structures and to delineate their differences. These areas are the central part of the Hercynian Meseta, and the Alpine chains: the Betic Cordillera in the south, including the Balearic promontory and the Alboran Sea, and the Pyrenees in the north.The main features of the crust and the upper mantle along a NNE-SSW cross-section from the Pyrenees to the Alboran Sea are described.The crust under the Meseta is typical of Hercynian areas found elsewhere in Europe, with an average thickness of 31 km, whereas the two Alpine regions are characterized by very large lateral inhomogeneities, such as rapid thickening of the crust to 50 and 40 km under the Pyrenees and the Betics, respectively. The deep-reaching E-W-trending North Pyrenean fault has a throw of 10–15 km at the base of the crust. A P_n velocity of 8.1 km s^?1 is found under the entire Iberian Peninsula.In the Alboran Sea, strongly varying thicknesses of sediments, shallow variable depths to the Moho (～ 13 km under the Alboran ridge), and strong variations of P_n velocity between 7.5 and 8.2 km s^?1 have been found.     

New seismic data in the Mozambique Channel

This paper presents seismic reflection and refraction data from the Mozambique Channel, collected between 1971 and 1973. A deep sedimentary basin (up to 5 km of sediments) opens southwards to the Mozambique Basin, and is bounded to the east by the Davie Ridge and beyond by the marginal plateau of Malagasy. A continuous reflector (C), possibly of Cretaceous age, is identified between layers having seismic interval velocities of 2.4–2.8 km/s and 3.1–3.4 km/s. The deepest sediments have velocities of 4.5–4.9 km/s and overlie a layer with velocity 5.5 km/s, which may be volcanic in the north-east of the Channel.The crust occupying most of the Channel is probably pre-Cretaceous in age, and may be largely continental in nature. This is supported by subdued magnetic anomalies and the possibility of a continuous Karroo sedimentary section across the northern Channel. The oceanic crust of the Mozambique Basin may extend as far north as 24°S, into the western Channel only. The problem of the origin of the Mozambique Channel remains unresolved, although a long sedimentary history indicates that Malagasy may have separated from Mainland Africa prior to Karroo times. The Davie Ridge may possibly represent a relict strike-slip fault, which permitted movement along a north-south line.     

Block removal and step backwearing as erosion processes on rock shore platforms: a preliminary case study of the chalk shore platforms of south‐east England

Shore platforms frequently exhibit steps or risers facing seaward, landwards or obliquely across‐shore. A combination of soft copy photogrammetry, ortho‐rectification, geo referencing and field measurement of step height are linked in a GIS environment to measure step retreat on chalk shore platforms at sample sites in the south of England over two periods, 1973–2001, 2001–2007. The methods used allow for the identification, delineation and measurement of historic change at high spatial resolution. The results suggest that while erosion of chalk shore platforms by step backwearing is highly variable, it appears to be of similar magnitude to surface downwearing of the same platforms measured by micro‐erosion meters (MEMs) and laser scanning, in a range equivalent to 0·0006 – 0·0050 m y^?1 of surface downwearing. This equates to annual chalk volume loss from the platforms, by the two erosion processes combined, of between 0·0012 m³ m^?2 and 0·0100 m³ m^?2. Results from the more recent years' data suggests that step retreat has variability in both space and time which does not relate solely to climatic variability. The results must be viewed with caution until much larger numbers of measurements have been made of both downwearing and step erosion at higher spatial and temporal resolution. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Orion: A 1–5 Micron Focal Plane for the 21st Century

The Orion program is a project to develop a 2K × 2K infrared focal plane using InSb p-on-n diodes for detectors. It is the natural follow-up to the successful Aladdin 1K × 1K program started in the early 90's. The work is being done at the Raytheon Infrared Operations Division (RIO, previously known as the Santa Barbara Research Center) by many of the same people who created the Aladdin focal plane. The design is very similar to the successful Aladdin design with the addition of reference pixels, whole array readout (no quadrants), two-adjacent-side buttability, and a packaging design that includes going directly to the ultimate focal plane size of 4K × 4K. So far we have successfully made a limited number of hybrid modules with InSb detectors. In this paper we will describe the design features and test data taken from some of these devices. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Spatially explicit measures of production of young alewives in Lake Michigan: Linkage between essential fish habitat and recruitment

The identification and protection of essential habitats for early life stages of fishes are necessary to sustain fish stocks. Essential fish habitat for early life stages may be defined as areas where fish densities, growth, survival, or production rates are relatively high. To identify critical habitats for young-of-year (YOY) alewives (Alosa pseud oharengus) in Lake Michigan, we integrated bioenergetics models with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to generate spatially explicit estimates of potential population production (an index of habitat quality). These estimates were based upon YOY alewife bioenergetic growth rate potential and their salmonine predators’ consumptive demand. We compared estimates of potential population production to YOY alewife yield (an index of habitat importance). Our analysis suggested that during 1994–1995, YOY alewife habitat quality and yield varied widely throughout Lake Michigan. Spatial patterns of alewife yield were not significantly correlated to habitat quality. Various mechanisms (e.g., predator migrations, lake circulation patterns, alternative strategies) may preclude YOY alewives from concentrating in areas of high habitat quality in Lake Michigan.     

Geodynamic models and their application in the combined interpretation of geological and geophysical data (a review)

The paper presents a review of investigations in the field of the theory and practice of the interpretation of geological and geophysical data with geodynamic models that were carried out mainly by researchers of the Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences. Evolutionary models of platform structures, passive continental margins, rift zones, and orogens are examined. The review presents formulations of inverse problems and results of interpretation for various regions, including sedimentary basins of the East European Platform, Atlantic Ocean margins, the Caucasus, the South Urals, and others.