Hydraulics of sediment-laden sheetflow and the influence of simulated rainfall

Laminar sheetflows, transporting sediment at their capacity rates, both with and without rainfall disturbance, were investigated. Values of flow depth and relative submergence were very small. In the flows without rainfall, measured velocities exceeded the predictions of the smooth-surface, clear-water laminar model by an average of 12 per cent. Reduced flow resistance due to high sediment concentrations may explain this result. Velocities in the rainfall-disturbed flows were not significantly different from the predictions of the smooth-surface, clear-water model, and the velocity reduction due to rainfall was about 12 per cent. Although the uniformity of rainfall intensity under the single-nozzle rainfall simulator is high, variation of momentum and kinetic energy fluxes along the 1-5 m long flume was significant. The rainfall angle of incidence was highly correlated with deviations from expected flow velocities in the upper and lower sections of the flume.     

Distribution of heavy minerals in Nizampatnam-Lankavanidibba coastal sands,Andhra Pradesh,East Coast of India

Heavy mineral analysis was carried out for the beach and fore dune sediments along 60 transects of Nizampatnam-Lankavanidibba coastal area. The heavy mineral assemblage in this area with decreasing abundance of opaques (Ilmenite + magnetite, 47.67%), pyriboles (20.35%), garnets (3.66%), epidote (3.23%) and with less than 3.0% concentration of sillimanite, zircon, staurolite, kyanite, apatite, spinel, monazite, biotite, topaz, leucoxene and chlorite. The heavy mineral concentrations are high in the finer fractions i.e., +120 and +230 (ASTM) than the coarse fraction (+60) of sand. In the seven sectors, heavy mineral assemblage is same but their concentrations are different. The sectors nearer to the river mouth contain high concentration of high specific gravity heavy minerals (ilmenite and magnetite) than sectors away from the river mouth. The redistribution of heavy minerals is controlled by creek dynamics, longshore currents, size and specific gravity of the heavy minerals.     

Comparison of atmospheric aerosol backscattering and air mass back trajectories

Summary Atmospheric backscattering from aerosol particulates has been measured over the Atlantic at 10.6 μm wavelength with an airborne, coherent heterodyne, lidar, and corresponding air mass back trajectories have been calculated. These back trajectories (usually extended up to 10 days prior to the backscatter measurement) have shown very diverse origins for the air parcels at different altitudes. In many cases it has been possible to attribute the observed levels of scattering to these origins over oceanic, arctic, continental, industrial etc. regions. This is illustrated by 6 flight records: out of Ascension Island in the South Atlantic; over the Azores in the mid North Atlantic; over the UK and the North Sea; and in the Arctic along 71° North. In each of these regions the profiles of backscatter versus altitude show highly variable features; remarkably different origins for air masses at different altitudes are evident from the corresponding back trajectory analyses. It is thus possible for the first time to present probable explanations for the different levels of scattering observed at different altitudes. Received July 14, 2000 Revised May 14, 2001     

Sinkhole hazards along the eastern Dead Sea shoreline area, Jordan: a geological and geotechnical consideration

For the last four decades, the level of the Dead Sea has been subjected to continual variation which, among other important factors, has led to the occurrence of much subsidence and many sinkholes in the southern Dead Sea area. Sinkhole activities occurred repetitively and were observed in open farms, across roads, near dwellings and near an existing factory, thus causing a serious threat to the locals and farmers of the area and their properties. This paper presents the main results from detailed geological and geotechnical studies of this area. Aerial photo interpretation and borehole drilling aided these studies. Parallel geophysical investigations (vertical electrical sounding and seismic refraction) and hydrological and hydrogeological studies were made by others in the same area to also investigate this phenomenon. It was found that sinkholes are aligned to and follow old water channels and are concentrated parallel to the recent shoreline of the Dead Sea. The development of subsurface cavities is associated mainly with the variation in the level of the Dead Sea over the four past decades, the presence of regional salt intrusion under the surface of salt beds, the fluctuation of the water table and continuous dissolution and the active tectonism of the area. Moreover, this work showed that the area is still under active sinkhole hazards and other parts of the area will be inevitably affected by sinkholes in the future.No practical engineering solution to this problem is feasible. Received: 1 July 1999 / Accepted: 11 October 1999     

The response of the azimuthal component of the ionospheric electric field to auroral arc brightening

We have analyzed the response of azimuthal component of the ionospheric electric field to auroral arc activity. We have chosen for analysis three intervals of coordinated EISCAT and TV observations on 18 February, 1993. These intervals include three kinds of arc activity: the appearance of a new auroral arc, the gradual brightening of the existing arc and variations of the arc luminosity. The arcs were mostly east-west aligned. In all cases, the enhancement of arc luminosity is accompanied by a decrease in the westward component of the ionospheric electric field. In contrast, an increase of that component seems to be connected with arc fading. The observed response is assumed to have the same nature as the short circuit of an external electric field by the conductor. The possible consequence of this phenomenon is discussed.     

Digital Elevation Models of the Bottom in the Operational Oceanography System

Oceanology - A new area of oceanography, operational oceanography, involves a comprehensive assessment and forecast of the variability of the state of the marine environment. This requires...     

Magma mixing: the Marsco suite,Isle of Skye,Scotland

Magma mixing has been proposed as a major mechanism for the origin of a wide variety of rock suites. In mid-ocean basalts there are few obstacles to mixing because of the similarities in chemical and physical properties of the proposed end-members. However, in calc-alkaline rocks the proposed end-members have disparate properties and these present obstacles to mixing.The Marsco suite is ideal to evaluate the process of magma mixing because it is considered to be a classic example of magma mixing of diverse magma types and because compositionally diverse, coexisting liquids were present throughout the area.The results of this study are that the chemical data for the Marsco suite fit a mixing model remarkably well and that the mixing did not take place at the present level of exposure. The Marsco mixed suite is similar to the experiments of Kouchi and Sunagawa (1982, 1983) in which mixing was produced by forced convection. Based on the Marsco suite, a similar occurrence in Ardnamurchan, and the experimental data, we conclude that mixing was dominated by mechanical mixing and this mechanical mixing was efficient enough to allow diffusional processes to homogenize the liquids.It is postulated that injection of mafic magma into the base of a silicic magma system leads to mixing and mobilization of the system. The mechanical interaction that produces the mixing also leads to disruption of the system. Liquids involved with the mixing process at depth are mobilized and coexist at shallower levels.     

A statistical riverine litter propagation model.

A statistical riverine litter propagation (RLP) model based on importance sampling Monte Carlo (ISMC) simulation was developed in order to predict the frequency distribution of certain litter types in river reaches. The model was preliminarily calibrated for plastic sheeting by a pilot study conducted on the River Taff, Wales (UK). Litter movement was predominantly controlled by reach characteristics, such as vegetation overhang and water-course obstructions. These affects were modeled in the simulations, by utilizing geometric distributions of river reaches in the time domain. The proposed model satisfactorily simulated the dosing experiments performed at the River Taff. It was concluded from the preliminary calibrations that, the RLP model can be efficiently utilized to portray litter propagation at any arbitrarily selected river site, provided that the stream flows and reach characteristics are calibrated by representative probability distributions of similar sections. Therefore, the RLP model can be considered as a new statistical technique that can predict litter propagation in river sections.