Climatic variability in the Late Copper Age: stable isotope fluctuation of prehistoric Unio pictorum (Unionidae) shells from Lake Balaton (Hungary)

Geochemical records of bivalve shells have been increasingly studied in the last decade to obtain information on climate conditions. In this paper we present stable isotope compositions of living and prehistoric shells of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) and their relationships with climate conditions in a shallow lake environment of Lake Balaton, West-Central Hungary. Physical conditions and stable oxygen isotope compositions of lake water samples were monitored where living bivalves were collected. Comparisons between seasonal variations in ambient temperature, water composition and within-shell isotopic variations indicate that the shells of Unio pictorum do reflect local changes at high resolution and thus can be used to study past conditions. Additionally, shells covering the last two decades were gathered at several locations along the lake in order to determine spatial and temporal variations in the shells’ isotopic compositions as a function of weather conditions. As an application, prehistoric shells collected in archaeological excavations were analysed in order to study past environmental variations. Climate variations during the Late Copper Age (5460–4870 cal. yr BP) have been assumed on the basis of geomorphological and archaeozoological observations at the site Balatonkeresztúr-Réti-dűlő (south of Lake Balaton), that suggested increasing humidity as a cause of changes in settlement location and domestic livestock husbandry. Stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of prehistoric bivalve shells were analyzed from excavations representing five archaeological subphases (Boleráz subphase, 5460–5310 cal. yr BP; two transitional subphases around 5310 cal. yr BP; Early Classic subphase, 5310–5060 cal. yr BP; Late Classic subphase, 5040–4870 cal. yr BP). The analyses revealed significant negative C and O isotope shifts in the transitional subphases relative to the earlier and later subphases. The isotopic variations indicate that the local climate became relatively wet and possibly cold around 5310 cal. yr BP, then it returned to drier (and likely warmer) conditions during the Classic subphases. This interpretation is in agreement with previous studies on climate changes related to the “5.3 ky event” in the European continental area and the North Atlantic Region, indicating an Atlantic influence in the Carpathian Basin.     

Correlation of trace elements with hydrocarbon microseepage

Direct correlation have been observed between certain trace element and hydrocarbon anomalies in the near subsurface soils of Vindhyan basin, India. This relationship with hydrocarbon is very useful in hydrocarbon exploration. 52 soil samples from Vindhyan basin were collected from a depth of 2.5m. All the soil samples were analyzed for light hydrocarbon, isotope and trace element concentrations. The adsorbed light gaseous hydrocarbon analyses show the presence of methane (8–328 ppb), ethane (0–27 ppb) and propane (0–11 ppb) respectively and these values indicate the presence of hydrocarbon micro-seepage in the study area. The carbon isotopic values determined for methane and ethane for these soil samples are (?26.41 to ?47.70 ‰ PDB) and (?20.07 to ?35.30 ‰ PDB) respectively and they are thermogenic in nature. The trace element concentrations of nickel (33–220 ppm), vanadium (72–226 ppm), copper (20–131 ppm), chromium (94–205 ppm), zinc (66–561 ppm) and cobalt (9–39 ppm) have higher than the normal concentrations in soils. Trace element concentrations are used to plot with the data obtained from light gaseous hydrocarbon concentrations and carbon isotopic values of soil samples of the Vindhyan basin. Trace element anomalies have been observed around the hydrocarbon anomalies in the study area.     

Determinants and characteristics of female migration: a case study of Salem City in Tamil Nadu,India

A random sample of 521 male and 481 female migrants surveyed in Salem city in Tamil Nadu, India, during 1980-1981 was analyzed on the basis of a classification related to reasons (association, marriage, distress, and voluntary) for migration. Women were found to outnumber males in associational migration, both in rural to urban and urban to urban streams. They also formed almost all the marriage migrants. They were more numerous in distress migration as well. There were, however, comparatively few women among voluntary migrants. The incidence of illiteracy among migrant women was generally high, except for voluntary migrants who had completed high school. The share of working women was not negligible, but in most cases present work status was achieved after migrating.     

Toroidal versus poloidal magnetic fields in Sun-like stars: a rotation threshold

From a set of stellar spectropolarimetric observations, we report the detection of surface magnetic fields in a sample of four solar-type stars, namely HD 73350, HD 76151, HD 146233 (18 Sco) and HD 190771. Assuming that the observed variability of polarimetric signal is controlled by stellar rotation, we establish the rotation periods of our targets, with values ranging from 8.8 d (for HD 190771) to 22.7 d (for HD 146233). Apart from rotation, fundamental parameters of the selected objects are very close to the Sun's, making this sample a practical basis to investigate the specific impact of rotation on magnetic properties of Sun-like stars.
We reconstruct the large-scale magnetic geometry of the targets as a low-order  (ℓ < 10)  spherical harmonic expansion of the surface magnetic field. From the set of magnetic maps, we draw two main conclusions. (i) The magnetic energy of the large-scale field increases with rotation rate. The increase in chromospheric emission with the mean magnetic field is flatter than observed in the Sun. Since the chromospheric flux is also sensitive to magnetic elements smaller than those contributing to the polarimetric signal, this observation suggests that a larger fraction of the surface magnetic energy is stored in large scales as rotation increases. (ii) Whereas the magnetic field is mostly poloidal for low rotation rates, more rapid rotators host a large-scale toroidal component in their surface field. From our observations, we infer that a rotation period lower than ≈12 d is necessary for the toroidal magnetic energy to dominate over the poloidal component.     

Some studies on the solar microwave bursts in relation to the slowly varying component

The occurrences of 5772 microwave bursts recorded by the Sagamore Hill and Manilla Solar Radio Observatories over the period January 1968 to July 1970, covering the maximum phase of the current solar cycle at frequencies 2695, 4995 and 8800 MHz and their energy excesses have been examined in relation to the S-component of solar radio emission. The average slowly varying component has been determined by the superposed epoch method commonly known as the Chree analysis. Similar treatment of the bursts, data, mentioned above has been made to examine any probable 27-day variation and the results obtained have been compared with that of the S-component. Further, spectra of the microwave bursts under the so-called spectral type - inverted U, particularly those having a peak at 4995 MHz, have also been examined and compared with the average spectrum of the S-component. Some of the important results obtained from the present analysis are: (1) the nature of variation of both the average number of occurrences and energy excesses of the microwave bursts follow in general the average 27-day variation of the S-component, (2) the number of occurrences and energy excesses of the microwave bursts are comparatively greater in the ascending phase of the 27-day cycle than those in the descending phase, (3) bursts at progressively higher frequencies originate at lower levels in the solar atmosphere than those of the associated S-component, and (4) the average spectrum of the microwave bursts of inverted U spectral type having a peak at 4995 MHz is quite identical in nature to that of the S-component.     

Performance‐based design using structural optimization

A new methodology for seismic design is proposed based on structural optimization with performance‐based constraints. Performance‐based criteria are introduced for the seismic design of new buildings. These criteria are derived from the National Guidelines for Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings (Reference [19], Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), ‘NHERP Guidelines for seismic rehabilitation of buildings’, Report Nos 273 and 274, Washington, DC, 1997) for retrofitting existing structures. The proposed design methodology takes into account the non‐linear behaviour of the structure. The goal is to incorporate in the design the actual performance levels of the structure, i.e. how much reserve capacity the structure has in an earthquake of a given magnitude. The optimal design of the structure minimizes the structural cost subjected to performance constraints on plastic rotations of beams and columns, as well as behavioural constraints for reinforced concrete frames. Uncertainties in the structural period and in the earthquake excitation are taken into account using convex models. The optimization routine incorporates a non‐linear analysis program and the procedure is automated. The proposed methodology leads to a structural design for which the levels of reliability (performance levels) are assumed to be quantifiable. Furthermore, the entire behaviour of the structure well into the non‐linear range is investigated in the design process. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.