Modulation Cycles of Galactic Cosmic Ray Diurnal Anisotropy Variation

The diurnal variation of the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) count rates measured by a ground-based neutron monitor (NM) station represents an anisotropic flow of GCR at 1 AU. The variation of the local time of GCR maximum intensity (we call the phase) is thought in general to have a period of two sunspot cycles (22 years). However, other interpretations are also possible. In order to determine the cyclic behavior of GCR anisotropic variation more precisely, we have carried out a statistical study on the diurnal variation of the phase. We examined 54-year data of Huancayo (Haleakala), 40-year data from Rome, and 43-year data from Oulu NM stations using the ‘pile-up’ method and the F-test. We found that the phase variation has two components: of 22-year and 11-year cycles. All NM stations show mainly the 22-year phase variation controlled by the drift effect due to solar polar magnetic field reversal, regardless of their latitudinal location (cut-off rigidity). However, the lower the NM station latitude is (the higher the cut-off rigidity is), the higher is the contribution from the 11-year phase variation controlled by the diffusion effect due to the change in strength of the interplanetary magnetic fields associated with the sunspot cycle.     

Landslide susceptibility maps comparing frequency ratio and artificial neural networks: a case study from the Nepal Himalaya

This study considers landslide susceptibility mapping by means of frequency ratio and artificial neural network approaches using geographic information system (GIS) techniques as a basic analysis tool. The selected study area was that of the Panchthar district, Nepal. GIS was used for the management and manipulation of spatial data. Landslide locations were identified from field survey and aerial photographic interpretation was used for location of lineaments. Ten factors in total are related to the occurrence of landslides. Based on the same set of factors, landslide susceptibility maps were produced from frequency ratio and neural network models, and were then compared and evaluated. The weights of each factor were determined using the back-propagation training method. Landslide susceptibility maps were produced from frequency ratio and neural network models, and they were then compared by means of their checking. The landslide location data were used for checking the results with the landslide susceptibility maps. The accuracy of the landslide susceptibility maps produced by the frequency ratio and neural networks is 82.21 and 78.25%, respectively.     

Quantitative landslide susceptibility mapping at Pemalang area,Indonesia

For quantitative landslide susceptibility mapping, this study applied and verified a frequency ratio, logistic regression, and artificial neural network models to Pemalang area, Indonesia, using a Geographic Information System (GIS). Landslide locations were identified in the study area from interpretation of aerial photographs, satellite imagery, and field surveys; a spatial database was constructed from topographic and geological maps. The factors that influence landslide occurrence, such as slope gradient, slope aspect, curvature of topography, and distance from stream, were calculated from the topographic database. Lithology was extracted and calculated from geologic database. Using these factors, landslide susceptibility indexes were calculated by frequency ratio, logistic regression, and artificial neural network models. Then the landslide susceptibility maps were verified and compared with known landslide locations. The logistic regression model (accuracy 87.36%) had higher prediction accuracy than the frequency ratio (85.60%) and artificial neural network (81.70%) models. The models can be used to reduce hazards associated with landslides and to land-use planning.     

Tidal variability in benthic silicic acid fluxes and microphytobenthos uptake in intertidal sediment

Silicic acid (DSi) benthic fluxes play a major role in the benthic–pelagic coupling of coastal ecosystems. They can sustain microphytobenthos (MPB) development at the water–sediment interface and support pelagic diatoms when river DSi inputs decrease. DSi benthic fluxes have been studied at the seasonal scale but little is known about their dial variations. This study measured the amplitude of such variations in an intertidal area over an entire tidal cycle by following the alteration of DSi pore water concentrations at regular intervals over the flood/ebb period. Furthermore we independently estimated the potential DSi uptake by benthic diatoms and compared it to the variations of DSi pore water concentrations and fluxes. The microphytobenthos DSi demand was estimated from primary production measurements on cells extracted from the sediment. There were large changes in DSi pore water concentration and a prominent effect of tidal pumping: the DSi flushed out from the sediment at rising tide, occurs in a very short period of time, but plays a far more important role in fueling the ecosystem (800 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹), than diffusive fluxes occurring throughout the rest of the tidal cycle (2 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹). This process is not, to our knowledge, currently considered when describing the DSi cycling of intertidal sediments. Moreover, there was a large potential MPB requirement for DSi (812 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹), similar to the advective flow periodically pumped by the incoming tide, and largely exceeded benthic diffusive fluxes. However, this DSi uptake by benthic diatoms is almost undetectable given the variation of DSi concentration profiles within the sediment.     

Disparities in accessibility of public high schools,in metropolitan Baton Rouge,Louisiana 1990–2010

In this study, we use a Geographic Information System-based index to measure spatial accessibility of public high schools. The index is applied to the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area in 1990, 2000, and 2010. Overall, urban areas had consistently worse accessibility scores compared with suburban and rural areas. High schools with more African American students tended to have poorer accessibility levels. Schools with lower accessibility tended to be associated with poorer average student performance, and the effect strengthened between 2000 and 2010. In developing a better understanding of the accessibility of public high schools, this paper reaffirms the significance of space, place, and race, and challenges the notion of declining relevance of accessibility in Louisiana public education policymaking.     

Routing procedures for observed dispersion coefficients in two-dimensional river mixing

Routing procedures have been used for determining the observed values of the dispersion coefficient in river mixing studies. In order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing routing procedures, we developed a new routing procedure capable of being applied under a transient concentration situation while accounting for river irregularities. The proposed routing procedure is based on the exact solution of the depth-averaged, two-dimensional, mass transport equation combined with the stream-tube concept and was verified through the tracer data acquired from field tests conducted in natural rivers located in Korea. The observed dispersion coefficients evaluated by the routing procedure exhibited a stream-wise variation along the rivers, in that a minimum value was seen in the straight region and a maximum value downstream of the apex of the bend. This variation was attributed to the flow dynamics of secondary currents induced by the meandering of the rivers. The dispersion coefficients obtained by the new method over the reach were in the same range of those calculated by other methods.