Characteristics of the 1912 co-seismic rupture along the North Anatolian Fault Zone (Turkey): implications for the expected Marmara earthquake

Evidence of right‐lateral offsets associated with the 1912 earthquake (M_w 7.4) along the North Anatolian Fault (Gaziköy–Saros segment) allow us to survey (using DGPS) the co‐seismic and cumulative slip distribution. The damage distribution and surface breaks related with the earthquake show an elongated zone of maximum intensity (X MSK) parallel to the fault rupture on land but this may extend offshore to the north‐east and south‐west. Detailed mapping of the fault using topographic maps and aerial photographs indicates the existence of pull‐apart basins and pressure ridges. At several localities, the average 1912 offset along strike is 3.5–4 m and cumulative slip is 2–6 times that of individual movement. The fault rupture geometry and slip distribution suggest the existence of three subsegments with a combined total length of 110–120 km, a fault length and maximum slip similar to those of the 1999 Izmit earthquake. The amount of slip at the north‐easternmost section and in the coastal region of the Sea of Marmara reaches an average 4 m, thereby implying the offshore extension of the 1912 rupture. The results suggest that the 1912 event generated up to 150 km of surface faulting, which would imply a M_w 7.2–7.4 earthquake and which, added with rupture lengths of the 1999 earthquakes, help to constrain the remaining seismic gap in the Sea of Marmara.     

Malaysian trawlers: economics of vessel size

This article focuses on the economics of trawling in a location-specific fishery that is affected by seasonal monsoons. Both field evaluation and econometric models were used to determine the economic performances of trawlers of different tonnages. The findings indicate that in a multispecies monsoon-affected fishery medium-sized vessels in the category of 20–30 tons were most efficient.     

Qualité des eaux du cours principal de la Medjerda (Tunisie et Algérie) et trois de ses affluents Nord

Résumé

Une étude a été effectuée dans la zone Nord-Ouest du bassin versant de la Medjerda avec pour objectif de fournir de nouvelles connaissances sur la qualité des eaux ainsi que sur le type de relation qui peut exister entre les variables physico-chimiques, bactériologiques et les indices de diversité/densité de la méiofaune. Les résultats montrent une dégradation de la qualité du cours principal de la Medjerda et de trois de ses affluents Nord (augmentation de la salinité, teneur en nitrate, matière organique, coliformes…). Les indices de diversité et d’équitabilité suivent cette évolution régressive des variables physico-chimiques et apportent de nouvelles connaissances sur le type et la qualité du sédiment.

Editeur Z.W. Kundzewicz ; Editeur associé B. Touaïbia     

High-order Statistics of Spatial Random Fields: Exploring Spatial Cumulants for Modeling Complex Non-Gaussian and Non-linear Phenomena

The spatial distributions of earth science and engineering phenomena under study are currently predicted from finite measurements and second-order geostatistical models. The latter models can be limiting, as geological systems are highly complex, non-Gaussian, and exhibit non-linear patterns of spatial connectivity. Non-linear and non-Gaussian high-order geostatistics based on spatial connectivity measures, namely spatial cumulants, are proposed as a new alternative modeling framework for spatial data. This framework has two parts. The first part is the definition, properties, and inference of spatial cumulants—including understanding the interrelation of cumulant characteristics with the in-situ behavior of geological entities or processes, as examined in this paper. The second part is the research on a random field model for simulation based on its high-order spatial cumulants. Mathematical definitions of non-Gaussian spatial random functions and their high-order spatial statistics are presented herein, stressing the notion of spatial cumulants. The calculation of spatial cumulants with spatial templates follows, including anisotropic experimental cumulants. Several examples of two- and three-dimensional images, including a diamond bearing kimberlite pipe from the Ekati Mine in Canada, are analyzed to assess the relations between cumulants and the spatial behavior of geological processes. Spatial cumulants of orders three to five are shown to capture directional multiple-point periodicity, connectivity including connectivity of extreme values, and spatial architecture. In addition, they provide substantial information on geometric characteristics and anisotropy of geological patterns. It is further shown that effects of complex spatial patterns are seen even if only subsets of all cumulant templates are computed. Compared to second-order statistics, cumulant maps are found to include a wealth of additional information from underlying geological patterns. Further work seeks to integrate this information in the predictive capabilities of a random field model.     

Surface water quality contamination source apportionment and physicochemical characterization at the upper section of the Jakara Basin, Nigeria

The present study investigates the surface water quality of three important tributaries of Jakara Basin, northwestern Nigeria to provide an overview of the relationship and sources of physicochemical and biological parameters. A total of 405 water samples were collected from 27 sampling points and analyzed for 13 parameters: dissolved oxygen (DO), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids (SS), pH, ammonia-nitrogen (NH₃NL), dissolved solids (DS), total solids (TS), nitrates (NO₃), chloride (Cl), phosphates (PO₄), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and fecal coliform bacteria (FCB). Pearson’s product–moment correlation matrix and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to distinguish the main pollution sources in the basin. Four varimax components were extracted from PCA, which explained 84.86, 83.60, and 78.69 % of the variation in the surface water quality for Jakara, Tsakama, and Gama-Kwari Rivers, respectively. Strong positive loading included BOD₅, COD, NH₃NL, E. coli, and FCB with negative loading on DO attribute to a domestic waste water pollution source. One-way ANOVA revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean of the three water bodies (p?>?0.05). It is therefore recommended that the government should be more effective in controlling the point source of pollution in the area.