PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATION OF MAXIMUM KURTOSIS PHASE ESTIMATION1

Methods of minimum entropy deconvolution (MED) try to take advantage of the non-Gaussian distribution of primary reflectivities in the design of deconvolution operators. Of these, Wiggins’(1978) original method performs as well as any in practice. However, we present examples to show that it does not provide a reliable means of deconvolving seismic data: its operators are not stable and, instead of whitening the data, they often band-pass filter it severely. The method could be more appropriately called maximum kurtosis deconvolution since the varimax norm it employs is really an estimate of kurtosis. Its poor performance is explained in terms of the relation between the kurtosis of a noisy band-limited seismic trace and the kurtosis of the underlying reflectivity sequence, and between the estimation errors in a maximum kurtosis operator and the data and design parameters. The scheme put forward by Fourmann in 1984, whereby the data are corrected by the phase rotation that maximizes their kurtosis, is a more practical method. This preserves the main attraction of MED, its potential for phase control, and leaves trace whitening and noise control to proven conventional methods. The correction can be determined without actually applying a whole series of phase shifts to the data. The application of the method is illustrated by means of practical and synthetic examples, and summarized by rules derived from theory. In particular, the signal-dominated bandwidth must exceed a threshold for the method to work at all and estimation of the phase correction requires a considerable amount of data. Kurtosis can estimate phase better than other norms that are misleadingly declared to be more efficient by theory based on full-band, noise-free data.     

Measurement of Al26 in stone meteorites and its use in the derivation of orbital elements

The Al²⁶ activity has been measured by gamma-ray coincidence spectrometry in a total of 30 stony meteorites (13 bronzite, 13 hypersthene, 1 carbonaceous and 1 enstatite chondrite, and 2 achondrites). The measured Al²⁶ content has been compared with calculated values based on the method developed by Lavrukhina and Ustinova (1972a, 1972b), which takes account of the modulation of the galactic cosmic ray intensity along the meteorite orbit due to solar magnetic activity. The predictions have been modified empirically to allow for the difference in chemical composition between H- and L-chondrites. Comparison of the measured value with that predicted in the absence of solar modulation permits the estimation of the aphelion of the orbit of the meteorite. The great majority of the derived aphelia lie within the range 2.05–2.45 AU. While this result must be treated with considerable reserve owing to the uncertainties associated with the model, it is consistent with recent data from photometric observations of the asteroid belt.     

The impact of the Laacher See Volcano (11 000 yr B.P.) on terrestrial vegetation and diatoms

Late-glacial lake sediments containing the Laacher See Tephra (LST, 11 000 yr B.P.) have been analyzed for their pollen and diatom content at three sites at varying distances from the volcano and on different bedrock geologies. The aim was to test the null hypothesis that this major volcanic eruption had no effect on terrestrial pollen or aquatic diatom assemblages. The pollen spectra at all sites show a short-lived increase in grass pollen following the LST. Partial redundancy analysis and associated Monte Carlo permutation tests suggest, however, that the LST had no statistically significant effect at two sites but it had a statistically significant impact on the pollen assemblages at the site nearest (60 km) to the volcano.The diatom assemblages at the three sites changed individualistically after the LST deposition, with increases inAchnanthes minutissima at one site, an expansion ofAulacoseira species at another, and an increase ofAsterionella formosa andFragilaria brevistriata at the third site. Partial redundancy analysis and associated permutation tests suggest a statistically significant change in diatoms in relation to the LST and associated changes in sediment lithology at the one site situated on acidic bedrock. No significant impacts were found at the sites on volcanic or calcareous rocks. Due to the interaction between tephra and sediment lithology, it is not possible to conclude if the statistically significant diatom changes were a direct result of the LST deposition or an indirect result of lithological changes following LST deposition.This is the first paper in a series of papers published in this issue on high-resolution paleolimnology. These papers were presented at the Sixth International Paeolimnology Symposium held 19–21 April, 1993 at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Dr A. F. Lotter and Dr. M. Sturm served as guest editors for these papers.     

Ichnology of Bhuban and Boka Bil Formations,oligocene-miocene deposits of Manipur Western Hill,Northeast India

Oligocene-Miocene deposits of Bhuban and Boka Bil Formations, Surma Group, Manipur Western Hill consist of well preserved ichnofossil assemblages. These formations are represented by eight lithofacies such as Massive sandstone (Sm), Rippled marked argillaceous sandstone (Sr), Wavy laminated sandstone-siltstone-silty shale (Sw), Laminated shale (Fl), Massive mudstone (Fm), Trough cross-bedded sandstone (St), Lenticular laminated sandstonesiltstonesilty shale (Sll) and Laminated to massive sandstone-siltstone (Ssc). Fifteen ichnospecies were identified, which further categories into Skolithos, Cruziana, and Skolithos/Cruziana ichnofacies. Overall distribution pattern and behavioural nature of the ichnoassemblage and sedimentological attributes suggests that the sediments of Bhuban and Boka Bil Formations were deposited under frequent fluctuating sea level, moderate to strong energy condition, subtidal to lower intertidal environment, rich in organic nutrients.     

Factors determining the element concentration in sediments

For geochemical purposes, it is most convenient to give the rate of sedimentation, in units of weight per unit of area and time which can be called sedimentation intensity. The sedimentation intensity can be determined by means of formulae or a graph if the rate of sedimentation is stated in units of thickness per year and if the water content and the density of the sediment are also known. From the given weight percentages of an element in the sediment it is easy to calculate the sedimentation intensity of the element under consideration. An element can be transported to or away from the bottom, either in solution or in minerals carried in suspension. Assuming the chemical state to be more or less constant over a wide area or for a long period of time, the sedimentation intensity of an element may be divided by statistical methods into two components. The final concentration of the element in the sediment is determined by the content of the element in the minerals transported in suspension together with the element intensity of the chemically transported part. Thus it is possible to determine at least the direction of the chemical transport of the element. Three examples are discussed.     

Umbral oscillations and penumbral waves in Hα

We present examples of umbral oscillations observed on Big Bear H filtergram movies and investigate the relation between umbral oscillations and running penumbral waves occurring in the same sunspot. Umbral oscillations near the center of the umbra are probably physically independent of the penumbral waves because the period of these umbral oscillations (150 s) is shorter than the penumbral wave period (270 s) but not a harmonic. We also report dark puffs which emerge from the edge of the umbra and move outward across the penumbra, and which have the same period as the running penumbral waves. We interpret these dark puffs to be the extension of chromospheric umbral oscillations at the edge of the umbra. It is suggested that the dark puffs and the running penumbral waves have a common source: photospheric oscillations just inside the umbra.     

Clustering of groundwater chemistry data with implications for reservoir appraisal in West Siberia

Division of sedimentary strata according to groundwater chemistry is discussed with implications for petroleum reservoir potential. It is suggested to process multiparametric water chemistry data from West Siberia using formalized clustering techniques. The efficiency of this approach has been tested for Neocomian clinoform reservoirs with reference to regional-scale appraisal and subregional petroleum division.     

Organic tracers in sediments from the coastal zone of Ras Abu el-Darag,Gulf of Suez

Sediment samples from the coastal zone of the Gulf of Suez contain a variety of organic compounds from anthropogenic and natural sources. A total of 12 surface samples of bottom sediments were collected with an Ekman grab sampler along an off-shore transect south of Ras Abu el-Darag. The samples were extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol (3:1 v/v) after drying and sieving through 250 μm mesh. The extracts were derivatized and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in order to characterize the chemical composition and sources of the organic components. Marine with minor terrestrial biota were the major natural sources of organic tracers and included n-alkanoic acids, sterols and saccharides (5.7–76.7%). Anthropogenic sources, from petroleum related activities, detergent usage for spill cleaning and littering, are indicated by the presence of n-alkanes with carbon preference index ≤1.0, hopanes, steranes, unresolved complex mixture of branched and cyclic hydrocarbons, alkyl nitriles, alkamides and plasticizers. Their total relative concentrations ranged from 23.3 to 97.3% of the total extracts. Petroleum residues from natural seepage may also be part of these hydrocarbons. The levels of anthropogenic inputs decrease from about 94% in coastal zone sediments to about 20% in sediments from the reef front.     

Eliminierung und Rückgewinnung von Metallionen aus Abwässern — eine Übersicht

The present state and the trends of the recovery of heavy metals from wastewaters are presented. The classical precipitation techniques are insatisfactory due to increases of solubility in the presence of impurity ions and/or complexing agents. At present, ion-exchange processes constitute the most frequently used method of metal recycling with an effective enrichment of metal ions. For the effective separation of metals from solutions of a low concentration the electrolytic reduction demands large electrode surface areas. In cells with fixed-bed or fluidized cathodes one can obtain specific electrode surface areas of some 10³ m²/m^m3. For the future, processes of extraction and especially membrane separation will gain in importance. In the past few years, a large number of highly selective metal extracting agents as well as the liquid membrane permeation with suitable carriers were developed. Combinations of membrane separation processes with chemical reactions may attain the same importance, as e.g. ultrafiltration in connection with the fixation of metal ions to watersoluble polymers. In the long run, especially techniques will prevail which will not only result in metal enrichment but also in the recovery of the raw material water.     

Magnetometer Array Study in North-Northeast Brazil: Conductivity Image Building and Functional Induction Modes

—Magnetovariational fields recorded by an array of magnetometers in the equatorial region of north-northeast Brazil are analyzed to infer the configuration of internal induced currents in and around the extensive intracratonic Parnaíba basin. Only nighttime magnetovariational fields were used because of the prevailing uniform source field conditions. For periods exceeding 40 min. the vertical fields at all inland sites are dominated by the effects of electric currents originating in the northeast, in the deep Atlantic Ocean. Below this period, although best developed in the 12–15 min. period range, the anomalous signatures are principally controlled by two distinct continental current paths. The first is associated with a N60°E trending graben-like structure in the southeastern part of the basin (named the Parnaíba Basin Conductivity Anomaly—PBCA) and the second appears as a subsurface sedimentary channel, from the NW corner of the array to the central part of the basin. This is named the LINK anomaly, as it connects the northwestern Marajó basin with the Parnaíba basin. While the PBCA is shown to highlight the importance of basement tectonics in the geological evolution of the Parnaíba basin, the LINK anomaly provides strong geophysical evidence of the direction of the sea intrusion into the region of the basin and possibly indicates the connectivity of the Parnaíba basin to the adjoining Amazon basin through the Marajó basin. Frequency and polarization dependence suggest that the induction response of individual structures is not determined by the local conductivity alone but also by their interconnectivity as well as by their linkage to the continental shelf and deep oceanic region.