Seismic anisotropy of the mantle lithosphere beneath the Swedish National Seismological Network (SNSN)

Body-wave analysis — shear-wave splitting and P travel time residuals — detect anisotropic structure of the upper mantle beneath the Swedish part of Fennoscandia. Geographic variations of both the splitting measurements and the P-residual spheres map regions of different fabrics of the mantle lithosphere. The fabric of individual mantle domains is internally consistent, usually with sudden changes at their boundaries. Distinct backazimuth dependence of SKS splitting excludes single-layer anisotropy models with horizontal symmetry axes for the whole region. Based upon joint inversion of body-wave anisotropic parameters, we instead propose 3D self-consistent anisotropic models of well-defined mantle lithosphere domains with differently oriented fabrics approximated by hexagonal aggregates with plunging symmetry axes. The domain-like structure of the Precambrian mantle lithosphere, most probably retaining fossil fabric since the domains' origin, supports the idea of the existence of an early form of plate tectonics during the formation of continental cratons already in the Archean. Similarly to different geochemical and geological constraints, the 3D anisotropy modelling and mapping of fabrics of the lithosphere domains contribute to tracking plate tectonics regimes back in time.     

An entropy-based investigation into the variability of precipitation

Employing the entropy concept spatial and temporal variability of precipitation time series were investigated for the State of Texas, USA. Marginal entropy was used to investigate the variability associated with monthly, seasonal and annual time series. Also, apportionment entropy and intensity entropy were used for investigating the intra-annual and decadal distributions of monthly and annual precipitation amounts and numbers of rainy days within a year and decade respectively. Finally, the Hurst exponent and the Mann–Kendall test were used to evaluate the long-term persistence and trend in the variability of precipitation. Distinct spatial patterns in annual series and different seasons were observed. The variability of precipitation amount as well as number of rainy days within a year increased from east to west of Texas. The results also indicated that highly disorderliness in the amount of precipitation and number of rainy days caused severe droughts during the 1950’s in whole of Texas.     

Prediction of peak particle velocity using multi regression analysis: case studies

Ground vibrations produced from blasting operations cause structural vibrations, which may weaken structure if it occurs at the resonant frequency. Measurable parameters associated with ground vibrations are peak particle velocity (PPV), amplitude and dominant frequency (frequency of highest PPV amongst translational, vertical and horizontal vibrations). In this paper, an attempt is made to correlate measurable parameters associated with ground vibrations with scaled distance. Using the correlated data, it was found that a predictor equation can be determined for the amplitude and PPV, but not for dominant frequency as it is dynamic and depends upon infinitesimal changes that occur within a number of other parameters. Another analysis of the same is made using multiple linear regression analysis. This included predicting the PPV using scaled distance, maximum charge per delay, amplitude as predictors. A considerable improvement is seen in the prediction on adding the interaction of the predictors in multiple regressions. A comparison of different combination of predictors is made so as to assess the best combination giving the best R² value for the given mine. Frequency is also plotted using the aforementioned method. However, it was found that the dominant frequency cannot be predicted with high accuracy even with this method.     

Probabilistic Assessment of Earthquake Hazards in the North-East Indian Peninsula and Hindukush Regions

—The Himalayan region is one of the most seismic prone areas of the world. The North-East (NE) Indian peninsula and the Hindukush regions mark the zone of collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The probability of the occurrence of great earthquakes with magnitude greater than 7.0 during a specified interval of time has been estimated on the basis of four probabilistic models, namely, Weibull, Gamma, Lognormal and Exponential for the NE Indian peninsula and Hindukush regions. The model parameters have been estimated by the method of Maximum Likelihood Estimates (MLE) and the Method of Moments (MOM). The cumulative probability is estimated for a period of 40 years from 1964 and is ranging between 0.881 to 0.995 by the year 1995, using all four models for the NE Indian peninsula. The conditional probability is also estimated and it is concluded that the NE Indian peninsula would expect a great earthquake at any time in the remaining years of the present century. For the Hindukush region, the cumulative probability has already crossed its highest value, but no earthquake of magnitude greater than 7.0 has occurred after 1974 in this area. It may attribute to the occurrence of frequent shocks of moderate size, as seventeen earthquakes of magnitude greater than 6.0, including four greater than 6.4, have been reported until 1994 from this region.     

Goethite Morphology and Composition in Banded Iron Formation, Orissa, India

Iron ore deposits are generally described in terms of size, grade and chemical composition rather than the mineralogical and microstructural characteristic of different ore types. It is essential, however, to know the morphology, microstructure and chemical composition of individual minerals for optimum mineral processing. Goethite is reported to occur as a ubiquitous phase in many iron ore types and is particularly abundant in the Precambrian banded iron ore formation of north Orissa, India. Goethite from the Bonai–Keonjhar Belt in Orissa has been examined in terms of its morphology and microstructure in relation to chemical composition. Electron microscopy indicated several goethite morphotypes including botryoidal, nodular, spheroidal, platy, stalactitic and flaky. These different morphotypes display intergranular, intragranular, wedge, reniform, comb, prismatic, cavity-line and bead microstructures. In situ analysis using electron probe microanalyzer indicated a wide compositional variation among the different morphotypes and microstructures. Goethite replacing hematite is generally devoid of deleterious elements while re-precipitated goethite generally contains adsorbed alumina, silica and/or phosphorus. Nodular goethite commonly has a high phosphorus level while botryoidal, spheroidal and platy goethite often contains increased combined alumina and silica. Goethite having a reniform, wedge, intergranular or intragranular microstructure is highly water bearing and cryptocrystalline in nature. During dehydration, bead, comb, cavity-lined or prismatic goethite develop, which are more crystalline and which have a higher iron concentration. Goethite with a wedge, prismatic or bead-type microstructure has a higher adsorption of silica (2–4%), while goethite having an intergranular, bead or prismatic microstructure invariably contains appreciable phosphorus, generally at levels deleterious to processing.     

Saxothuringian-Moldanubian Suture and Predisposition of Seismicity In The Western Bohemian Massif

We modelled the thickness and seismic anisotropy of the subcrustal lithosphere from the variations of P-wave delay times and the shear-wave splitting observed at seismological observatories and portable stations in the western part of the Bohemian Massif. The Saxothuringian lithosphere is characterized by a total thickness between 90 and 120 km, the Moldanubian lithosphere is generally thicker –120-140 km, on the average. The subcrustal lithosphere of both units is characterised by divergently dipping anisotropic structures and the suture between them is marked by a lithosphere thinning to about 80km. Within the subcrustal lithosphere a complex structure of the transition of both units extends to about 150 km toward the south. We suggest that the Saxothuringian-Moldanubian suture has created a zone of mechanical predisposition for the Tertiary Ohe (Eger) Graben, as well as for the occurrence of earthquake swarms in the region. Most earthquakes occur within the brittle part of the upper crust above the crossing of the suture between the Saxothuringian in the north and the Moldanubian and the Tepl´-Barrandian in the south, with the tectonically active Mariánské Lázn fault.     

Choosing an arbitrary calibration period for hydrologic models: How much does it influence water balance simulations?

The selection of calibration and validation time periods in hydrologic modelling is often done arbitrarily. Nonstationarity can lead to an optimal parameter set for one period which may not accurately simulate another. However, there is still much to be learned about the responses of hydrologic models to nonstationary conditions. We investigated how the selection of calibration and validation periods can influence water balance simulations. We calibrated Soil and Water Assessment Tool hydrologic models with observed streamflow for three United States watersheds (St. Joseph River of Indiana/Michigan, Escambia River of Florida/Alabama, and Cottonwood Creek of California), using time period splits for calibration/validation. We found that the choice of calibration period (with different patterns of observed streamflow, precipitation, and air temperature) influenced the parameter sets, leading to dissimilar simulations of water balance components. In the Cottonwood Creek watershed, simulations of 50-year mean January streamflow varied by 32%, because of lower winter precipitation and air temperature in earlier calibration periods on calibrated parameters, which impaired the ability for models calibrated to earlier periods to simulate later periods. Peaks of actual evapotranspiration for this watershed also shifted from April to May due to different parameter values depending on the calibration period's winter air temperatures. In the St. Joseph and Escambia River watersheds, adjustments of the runoff curve number parameter could vary by 10.7% and 20.8%, respectively, while 50-year mean monthly surface runoff simulations could vary by 23%–37% and 169%–209%, depending on the observed streamflow and precipitation of the chosen calibration period. It is imperative that calibration and validation time periods are chosen selectively instead of arbitrarily, for instance using change point detection methods, and that the calibration periods are appropriate for the goals of the study, considering possible broad effects of nonstationary time series on water balance simulations. It is also crucial that the hydrologic modelling community improves existing calibration and validation practices to better include nonstationary processes.     

Potential application of remote sensing in monitoring ecosystem services of forests,mangroves and urban areas

The application of remote sensing (RS) techniques to monitor ecosystem services has increased in recent years. Nevertheless, the potential application of RS to monitor some of ecosystem services is still challenging. The paper reviews the applications of RS to monitor ecosystem services of forests, mangroves and urban areas. Satellite data provide substantial information about dynamics of environmental changes over time from local to global scale. These information are useful data sources for the people who are involved in the on-going evaluation and decision-making process to manage ecosystem. Many recent research papers on the topic were reviewed to find new applications and limitations of RS for monitoring ecosystem services. Advanced RS techniques have high potential to monitor ecosystem services with the advancement of sensors ranging from aerial photography to high and medium resolution optical RS and from hyperspectral RS to microwave RS.     

Slope Stability Analysis Using Rf,Gbm, Cart,Bt and Xgboost

Slopes in geotechnical and mining engineering are the most crucial geo-structure. Predicting or forecasting the stability or instability of the slope and then classifying the slope accordingly helps in mitigating the risks and enhancing the design by maximizing the safety. Computing techniques have overpowered the analytical and statistical models used for predicting the stability of the slopes. To reduce the uncertainties and ambiguity of the previously used models, lately, researchers have come up with the novel techniques for Slope Stability Classification (SSC) which are Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Machine, Extreme Gradient Boosting, Boosted Trees and Classification and Regression Trees. These computational algorithms are employed in this research paper and the slope details are taken from a literature i.e. 221 input datasets are used and slopes are classified accordingly using the mentioned models. The relation between the inputs such as height (H), slope angle (β), cohesion (c), pore water pressure ratio (ru), unit weight (γ), angle of internal friction (φ) and slope stability (output) is established and slopes are categorized according to their failure and stability. Performance analysis is done thereafter to analyses and compare different models and let the readers and researchers know that which model sufficed and fitted best to the study.

     

User interactive multiple aerial view analysis for reconstructing a large number of 3D architectural models

An effective 3D method incorporating user assistance for modeling complex buildings is described. This method utilizes the connectivity and similar structure information among unit blocks in a multi-component building structure, to enable the user to incrementally construct models of many types of buildings. The system attempts to minimize the complexity and the number of user interactions needed to assist an existing automatic system in this task. Several examples are presented that demonstrate significant improvement and efficiency, compared with other approaches and with purely manual systems.