A giant catastrophic mud‐and‐debris flow in the Miocene Makran

We challenge the former interpretation of the ‘sedimentary mélange’ of the Makran accretionary complex as a tectonic mélange diapirically emplaced from below and provide evidence for its sedimentary gravitational emplacement from the north during Tortonian–Messinian times (between 11.8 and 5.8 Ma). It is an olistostrome that includes blocks of ophiolites and oceanic sediments derived from the ‘coloured mélange’ to the north, and reworked chunks of the turbidites on which it rests with an erosional truncation. The chaotic scattering of blocks of any size and lithology and the weak, soft‐sediment deformation of the matrix argue against a tectonic emplacement of the chaotic formation. Its size and internal structure, together with the size of the individual blocks, make the olistostrome a fossil equivalent of the large, gravitationally emplaced debris flows observed along present‐day continental margins and unstable volcanic edifices.     

Effects of Dietary Protein Level on Growth and Utilization of Protein and Energy by Juvenile Mangrove Red Snapper （ Lutjanus argentimaculatus ）

A feeding trial was conducted in a recirculating water system to investigate the effects of dietary protein levels on growth, feed utilization, hepatosomatic index and liver lipid deposition of juvenile red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus (average initial wet weight 8.0 ± 0.39 g and total length 3.14 ± 0.3 cm). In the experiment, six fishmeal-based diets were formulated to contain various protein levels (20% to 45% in 5% increments), with dietary energy ranging from 2210.7kJ lOOg to 2250.2kJlOOg dry matter. The protein to energy ratios of diets ranged from 8.58 mg protein kJ⁻¹ to 20.03 mg protein kJ⁻¹. Diets were fed for 90d to triplicate groups of fish stocked in 0.128m³ seawater tanks, 25 individuals each. The daily ration of 2% wet body weight was offered to the fish thrice a day. The fish at the end of the study had more than ten-fold (77.0g) increase in weight compared to the initial (8.0g). Fish fed diets of 40% and 45% protein produced significantly (P<0.05) higher weight gain of 77.2g and 76.5g, and specific growth rate (SGR) of 2.65% and 2.62% than those of 67.0 g and 68.3g, and 2.49% and 2.51% of the other diets. The broken-line regression of SGR against dietary protein level yielded an optimum dietary protein requirement of 42.6% (Y=−1.6295 + 0.1114 X ²,P<0.05). Survival remained 100% among groups. Feed conversion ratio decreased from 0.45 for fish fed 20% dietary protein to 0.35 for fish fed 45% dietary protein. Nitrogen intake increased with an increase in dietary protein, which in turn resulted in an increase in nitrogen gain of fish whole body. Fish fed 40% and 45% protein diets showed higher (P<0.05) nitrogen gain (0.27g and 0.26g) than those (0.23g and 025g) fed all other diets. Gross energy intake (GEI) in fish fed 45% protein was lower (600.67kJ) than that (607.97 kJ) of 40% protein diet, though the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05); GEI ranging from 677.31 kJ to 663.20 kJ at remaining four diets (20% to 35% protein) did not appear to differ significantly (P>0.05). The highest energy gain of 518.33 kJ was obtained with fish fed 40% protein, resulting in the highest energy retention efficiency of 85.26%. The hepatosomatic index of fish fed diets of 20%, 25%, 30% and 35% protein were significantly (P<0.05) higher (2.09% to 2.57%) than those (1.44% and 1.41%) of fish fed diets containing 40% and 45% protein. Liver lipid contents decreased from 8.72% to 7.0% in fish fed dietary protein of 20% to 45% in 5% increments. Results suggest that the diet containing 40% to 42.6% protein with a P/E ratio of 17.6 mg protein kJ⁻¹ is required for good growth of L. argentimaculatus weighing between 8.0 g and 85.2 g under the culture conditions of the present study.     

Archaeological exploration using magnetic and GPR methods at the first court of Hatshepsut Temple in Luxor, Egypt

The Hatshepsut Temple at Luxor, southern Egypt was built as a garden for Amun, and the first court indeed had exotic trees and vegetations. The pathway to the temple was along a sphinx-lined causeway linking the valley to pylons, which are missing now. As an effort to outline remains of the vanished garden and missing pylons and any other possible archaeological structures at this first court site, an extensive integrated magnetic/ground-penetrating radar (GPR) geophysical survey was conducted. The magnetic survey covered the entire area of the first court (100?×?60 m), while the GPR survey covered only an area of 50?×?50 m. The acquired GPR data were processed and presented as 2-D depth sections providing a reasonable vertical/horizontal resolution for the upper 6 m of the investigated site. The acquired magnetic data was processed and presented as 2-D image. The integrated interpretation of the acquired GPR and magnetic data revealed some archaeological features including a rectangular depression which is presumably an ancient man-made pond in the garden of the temple, a rectangular feature that may be a foundation of the missing pylon of the temple, and a suite of aligned anomalies that could be the remnants of sphinx. Such findings reflect the archaeological potentiality of the surveyed site and outline the extension of the temple. Meanwhile, these results necessitate further geophysical investigation or archaeological excavation to be confirmed.     

Application of VES and TDEM techniques to investigate sea water intrusion in Sidi Abdel Rahman area, northwestern coast of Egypt

The present study is an approach to detect the sea/freshwater interface in Sidi Abdel Rahman area, northwestern coast of Egypt using both vertical electrical sounding and time domain electromagnetic. The measured vertical electrical soundings are interpreted in 1D and 2D manner. The 1D inversion is carried out using the commercial software (RESIST), whereas 2D resistivity nonlinear iterative inversion scheme based on the finite element technique and regularization method was used. The time domain electromagnetic stations are interpreted using Temixxl-4 software by Interpex Ltd. To have the advantages of the vertical electrical sounding in shallow depths and time domain electromagnetic in deep depths, a joint inversion algorithm is applied for the electric profile and the nearby electromagnetic profile. Very low resistivity values have been observed near the coast as well as a considerable salt/fresh water interface. The tip-top portion of the interface lies approximately 1,000 m from the shore line.     

A new spectral index for the extraction of built-up land features from Landsat 8 satellite imagery

Abstract

Extracting built-up areas from remote sensing data like Landsat 8 satellite is a challenge. We have investigated it by proposing a new index referred as built-up land features extraction index (BLFEI). The BLFEI index takes advantage of its simplicity and good separability between the four major component of urban system, namely built-up, barren, vegetation and water. The histogram overlap method and the spectral discrimination index (SDI) are used to study separability. BLFEI index uses the two bands of infrared shortwaves, the red and green bands of the visible spectrum. OLI imagery of Algiers, Algeria, was used to extract built-up areas through BLFEI and some new previously developed built-up indices used for comparison. The water areas are masked out leading to Otsu’s thresholding algorithm to automatically find the optimal value for extracting built-up land from waterless regions. BLFEI, the new index improved the separability by 25% and the accuracy by 5%.     

An initial formal model for spatial data infrastructures

The Commission on Spatial Data Standards of the International Cartographic Association is working to define formal models and technical characteristics of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI). To date, this work has been restricted to the Enterprise and Information Viewpoints from the ISO Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing standard. The Commission has developed models for these two viewpoints. These models describe how the different parts of an SDI fit together in the viewpoints in question. These models should be seen as a contribution towards the overall model of the SDI and its technical characteristics. During the model development process, the roles of the different Actors in an SDI in the Enterprise and Information Viewpoints have also been identified in Use Case diagrams of an SDI. All the models have been developed using the Unified Modeling Language.     

Field Treatment of MTBE‐Contaminated Groundwater Using Ozone/UV Oxidation

Methyl‐tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is often found in groundwater as a result of gasoline spills and leaking underground storage tanks. An extrapolation of occurrence data in 2008 estimated at least one detection of MTBE in approximately 165 small and large public water systems serving 896,000 people nationally (United States Environmental Protection Agency [U.S. EPA] 2008). The objective of this collaborative field study was to evaluate a small groundwater treatment system to determine the effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV)/ozone treatment in removing MTBE from contaminated drinking water wells. A pilot‐scale advanced oxidation process (AOP) system was tested to evaluate the oxidation efficiency of MTBE and intermediates under field conditions. This system used ozone as an oxidizer in the presence of UV light at hydraulic retention times varying from 1 to 3 min. MTBE removal efficiencies approaching 97% were possible with this system, even with low retention times. The intermediate t‐butyl alcohol (TBA) was removed to a lesser extent (71%) under the same test conditions. The main intermediate formed in the oxidation process of the contaminated groundwater in these studies was acetone. The concentrations of the other anticipated intermediates t‐butyl formate (TBF), isopropyl alcohol (IPA), methyl acetate (MAc), and possible co‐occurring aromatics (BTEX) in the effluent were negligible.     

A critical evaluation of 3D spatial information models for managing legal arrangements of multi-owned developments in Victoria,Australia

Three-dimensional (3D) spatial information models are increasingly being adopted to help communicate the spatial dimensions of complex built environments. Land administration practices in multi-owned developments include the subdivision, registration and management of legal interests associated with private, communal and public properties, which are often located along the vertical dimension. The spatial structure of each legal interest is normally composed of invisible spaces, defined as the inside and outside of multi-owned developments, as well as physically built structures. Additionally, a wide variety of legal boundary types mark out the spatial limits of the individual parts of each legal interest. These legal boundaries are typically delineated by either relying on fixed surveying measurements or referencing physically existent objects. This article provides a critical assessment of 3D spatial information models in terms of their capabilities for modelling legal interests and legal boundaries defined in the Victorian jurisdiction. We classify these models into three categories: purely legal, purely physical and integrated. This assessment provides the basis for developing a new 3D spatial information model, which would subsequently support a pathway towards realising the Victorian land administration system in a 3D digital environment.     

Volcanogenic dark matter and mass extinctions

The passage of the Earth through dense clumps of dark matter, the presence of which is predicted by certain cosmologies, would produce large quantities of heat in the interior of this planet through the capture and subsequent annihilation of dark matter particles. This heat would lead to large-scale volcanism which could in turn have caused mass extinctions. The periodicity of such volcanic outbursts agrees with the frequency of paleontological mass extinctions as well as the observed periodicity in the occurrence of the largest flood basalt provinces on the globe.     

Marine administration and spatial data infrastructure

This paper reviews the emergence of the spatial dimension of marine and coastal zone administration, and examines several initiatives around the world that contribute to this idea. Spatial data have been recognised as an important resource to improve decision-making and resource management in both the land and marine environments in terms of sustainable development. Many countries are developing Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) to improve access and sharing of spatial data, however, most of these initiatives stop at the coastline. Recently, global and regional activities such as the 3rd United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) have brought to international attention the importance of effective administration of the marine and coastal environments.