Evidence for geographic variation in the diets of late Pleistocene and early Holocene Bison in North America, and differences from the diets of recent Bison

During the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, Bison was widely dispersed across North America and occupied most regions not covered by ice sheets. A dietary study on Bison paleopopulations from Alaska, New Mexico, Florida, and Texas was performed using two methods that relate dental wear patterns to diet, mesowear analysis and microwear analysis. These data were compared to a mixed sample of extant Bison from the North American central plains, extant wood Bison from Alberta (Canada) and a variety of other modern ungulates. Mesowear relates macroscopic molar facet shape to levels of dietary abrasion. The mesowear signature observed on fossil Bison differs significantly from the hyper-abrasive grazing diet of extant Bison. Tooth microwear examines wear on the surface of enamel at a microscopic scale. The microwear signal of fossil samples resembles to modern Bison, but the fossil samples show a greater diversity of features, suggesting that fossil Bison populations regularly consumed food items that are texturally inconsistent with the short-grass diet typical of modern plains Bison. Mesowear and microwear signals of fossil Bison samples most closely resemble a variety of typical mixed feeding ungulates, all with diets that are substantially less abrasive than what is typical for modern plains Bison. Furthermore, statistical tests suggest significant differences between the microwear signatures of the fossil samples, thus revealing geographic variability in Pleistocene Bison diets. This study reveals that fossils are of value in developing an understanding of the dietary breadth and ecological versatility of species that, in recent times, are rare, endangered, and occupy only a small remnant of their former ranges.     

Tsunami Simulations for Regional Sources in the South China and Adjoining Seas

We present 14 scenarios of potential tsunamis in the South China Sea and its adjoining basins, the Sulu and Sulawezi Seas. The sources consist of earthquake dislocations inspired by the the study of historical events, either recorded (since 1900) or described in historical documents going back to 1604. We consider worst-case scenarios, where the size of the earthquake is not limited by the largest known event, but merely by the dimension of the basin over which a coherent fault may propagate. While such scenarios are arguably improbable, they may not be impossible, and as such must be examined. For each scenario, we present a simulation of the tsunami??s propagation in the marine basin, exclusive of its interaction with the coastline. Our results show that the South China, Sulu and Sulawezi Seas make up three largely independent basins where tsunamis generated in one basin do not leak into another. Similarly, the Sunda arc provides an efficient barrier to tsunamis originating in the Indian Ocean. Furthermore, the shallow continental shelves in the Java Sea, the Gulf of Thailand and the western part of the South China Sea significantly dampen the amplitude of the waves. The eastern shores of the Malay Peninsula are threatened only by the greatest??and most improbable??of our sources, a mega-earthquake rupturing all of the Luzon Trench. We also consider two models of underwater landslides (which can be triggered by smaller events, even in an intraplate setting). These sources, for which there is both historical and geological evidence, could pose a significant threat to all shorelines in the region, including the Malay Peninsula.     

Transition spectra of dynamical systems

The spectra of ‘stretching numbers’ (or ‘local Lyapunov characteristic numbers’) are different in the ordered and in the chaotic domain. We follow the variation of the spectrum as we move from the centre of an island outwards until we reach the chaotic domain. As we move outwards the number of abrupt maxima in the spectrum increases. These maxima correspond to maxima or minima in the curve a(θ), where a is the stretching number, and θ the azimuthal angle. We explain the appearance of new maxima in the spectra of ordered orbits. The orbits just outside the last KAM curve are confined close to this curve for a long time (stickiness time) because of the existence of cantori surrounding the island, but eventually escape to the large chaotic domain further outside. The spectra of sticky orbits resemble those of the ordered orbits just inside the last KAM curve, but later these spectra tend to the invariant spectrum of the chaotic domain. The sticky spectra are invariant during the stickiness time. The stickiness time increases exponentially as we approach an island of stability, but very close to an island the increase is super exponential. The stickiness time varies substantially for nearby orbits; thus we define a probability of escape P_n(x) at time n for every point x. Only the average escape time in a not very small interval Δx around each x is reliable. Then we study the convergence of the spectra to the final, invariant spectrum. We define the number of iterations, N, needed to approach the final spectrum within a given accuracy. In the regular domain N is small, while in the chaotic domain it is large. In some ordered cases the convergence is anomalously slow. In these cases the maximum value of a_k in the continued fraction expansion of the rotation number a = [a₀,a₁,... a_k,...] is large. The ordered domain contains small higher order chaotic domains and higher order islands. These can be located by calculating orbits starting at various points along a line parallel to the q-axis. A monotonic variation of the sup {q}as a function of the initial condition q₀ indicates ordered motions, a jump indicates the crossing of a localized chaotic domain, and a V-shaped structure indicates the crossing of an island. But sometimes the V-shaped structure disappears if the orbit is calculated over longer times. This is due to a near resonance of the rotation number, that is not followed by stable islands. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

On the seismic response of under-designed caisson foundations

The seismic behaviour of caisson foundations supporting typical bridge piers is analysed with 3D finite elements, with due consideration to soil and interface nonlinearities. Single-degree-of freedom oscillators of varying mass and height, simulating heavily and lightly loaded bridge piers, founded on similar caissons are studied. Four different combinations of the static ( $\text{ FS }_\mathrm{V}$ FS V ) and seismic ( $\text{ FS }_\mathrm{E}$ FS E ) factors of safety are examined: (1) a lightly loaded ( $\text{ FS }_\mathrm{V}= 5$ FS V = 5 ) seismically under-designed ( $\text{ FS }_\mathrm{E} < 1$ FS E < 1 ) caisson, (2) a lightly loaded seismically over-designed ( $\text{ FS }_\mathrm{E} >1$ FS E > 1 ) caisson, (3) a heavily loaded ( $\text{ FS }_\mathrm{V} = 2.5$ FS V = 2.5 ) seismically under-designed ( $\text{ FS }_\mathrm{E} < 1$ FS E < 1 ) caisson and (4) a heavily loaded seismically over-designed caisson. The analysis is performed with use of seismic records appropriately modified so that the effective response periods (due to soil-structure-interaction effects) of the studied systems correspond to the same spectral acceleration, thus allowing their inelastic seismic performance to be compared on a fair basis. Key performance measures of the systems are then contrasted, such as: accelerations, displacements, rotations and settlements. It is shown that the performance of the lightly loaded seismically under-designed caisson is advantageous: not only does it reduce significantly the seismic load to the superstructure, but it also produces minimal residual displacements of the foundation. For heavily loaded foundations, however ( $\text{ FS }_{V} = 2.5$ FS V = 2.5 ), the performance of the two systems (over and under designed) is similar.     

Statistical correlation of earthquake and ambient noise spectral ratios

The Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio from earthquake (HVSR) and from ambient noise (HVN) recordings realistically indicate the fundamental frequency of soil response but, for the majority of the worldwide examined sites, they do not provide reliable amplification curves as calculated by the earthquake standard Spectral Ratio (SSR). Given the fact that HVSR and especially HVN can be easily obtained, it is challenging to search for a meaningful correlation with SSR amplification functions for the entire frequency band and to use the results for the SSR estimate at a further site where only noise measurements are available. To this aim we used recordings from 75 sites worldwide and we applied a multivariate statistical approach (canonical correlation analysis) to investigate and quantify any correlation among spectral ratios. The canonical correlation between SSR and HVN is then used to estimate the expected SSR at each site by a weighted average of the SSR values measured at the other sites; the weights are properly set to account more for sites with similar behaviour in terms of the canonical correlation results between HVN and SSR. This procedure, repeated for all sites in turn, constitutes the basis of a cross validation. The comparison between the inferred and the original SSR highlights the improvements of site response estimation with respect to the use of ambient noise techniques. The goodness and limitations of the reconstruction procedure are explained by specific geological settings.     

A lumped conceptual approach for modeling hydrological processes: the case of Scopia catchment area,Central Greece

In the catchment area of Scopia, Central Greece, a lumped applied approach of water balance was accomplished, by applying the Zygos model, which delineates an essential water balance forms. The model is in view of Thornthwaite model, in its modified version. It can be adjusted automatically, with the evolutionary annealing-simplex technique for nonlinear optimization, or manually and the input data are precipitation and the potential evapotranspiration. In the present study, both programmed and manual calibration occurred. Programmed calibration took place, utilizing a specimen of measured runoff values from October 2009 to March 2011. Despite the fact that the Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient (NSC) value was high (0.87), the simulated parameters of water balance had abnormal significance for Scopia catchment area. On the contrary, manual calibration uncovered that the actual evapotranspiration constitutes 64.6% (450.1 mm) of the precipitation. Runoff and percolation represent 20.6% (143.6 mm) and 14.8% (102.9 mm) of the precipitation, respectively. The NSC (0.70) and the validation criteria exhibit an ideal adjustment of simulated to measured runoff, while the hydrological parameters appeared to have a physical significance for the study site. Zygos model connects the emergence of springs with the development of the karstification in the carbonate rocks of the region and affirms the predominance of runoff versus percolation due to the hydrolithological structure of the Scopia catchment. This is related to the presence of episodic floods in the area. The yearly precipitation values were found with an error of 0.2% and are viewed as insignificant.     

Intrinsic Qp seismic attenuation from the rise time of microearthquakes: a local scale application at Rio‐Antirrio,Western Greece

We determine the attenuation structure of a three‐dimensional medium based on first pulse‐width measurements from microearthquake data. Ninety‐five microearthquakes from a seventy stations local network were considered in this study. Measurements of the first half cycle of the wave, the so‐called rise time τ were carried out on high quality velocity seismograms and inverted to estimate the P‐waves intrinsic quality factor Q_p. The results of this investigation indicate that first pulse width data from a local microearthquake network permit retrieval with sufficient accuracy of the heterogeneous Q_p structure. The inferred attenuation variability corresponds to the known geological formations in the region.     

Evidence of beneficial role of inclined piles: observations and summary of numerical analyses

The behaviour under seismic loading of inclined piles embedded in two idealized soil profiles, a homogeneous and a non-homogenous “Gibson” soil, is analysed with 3D finite elements. Two structures, modeled as single-degree-of-freedom oscillators, are studied: (1) a tall slender superstructure (H _st = 12 m) whose crucial loading is the overturning moment, and (2) a short structure (H _st = 1 m) whose crucial loading is the shear force. Three simple two-pile group are studied: (a) one comprising a vertical pile and a pile inclined at 25°, (b) one consisting of two piles symmetrically inclined at 25°, and (c) a group of two vertical piles. The influence of key parameters is analysed and non-dimensional diagrams are presented to illustrate the role of raked piles on pile and structure response. It is shown that this role can be beneficial or detrimental depending on a number of factors, including the slenderness of the superstructure and the type of pile-to-cap connection.     

Spectra of stretching numbers and helicity angles in dynamical systems

We define a stretching number (or Lyapunov characteristic number for one period) (or stretching number) a = In % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGGipm0dc9vqaqpepu0xbbG8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaaqWaaeaada% Wcaaqaaiabe67a4jaadshacqGHRaWkcaaIXaaabaGaeqOVdGNaamiD% aaaaaiaawEa7caGLiWoaaaa!3F1E!\[\left| {\frac{{\xi t + 1}}{{\xi t}}} \right|\]as the logarithm of the ratio of deviations from a given orbit at times t and t + 1. Similarly we define a helicity angle as the angle between the deviation % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGGipm0dc9vqaqpepu0xbbG8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaeqOVdGNaam% iDaaaa!3793!\[\xi t\]and a fixed direction. The distributions of the stretching numbers and helicity angles (spectra) are invariant with respect to initial conditions in a connected chaotic domain. We study such spectra in conservative and dissipative mappings of 2 degrees of freedom and in conservative mappings of 3-degrees of freedom. In 2-D conservative systems we found that the lines of constant stretching number have a fractal form.