Improved target illumination at Ludvika mines of Sweden through seismic-interferometric surface-wave suppression

In mineral exploration, new methods to improve the delineation of ore deposits at depth are in demand. For this purpose, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio through suitable data processing is an important requirement. Seismic reflection methods have proven to be useful to image mineral deposits. However, in most hard rock environments, surface waves constitute the most undesirable source-generated or ambient noise in the data that, especially given their typical broadband nature, often mask the events of interest like body-wave reflections and diffractions. In this study, we show the efficacy of a two-step procedure to suppress surface waves in an active-source reflection seismic dataset acquired in the Ludvika mining area of Sweden. First, we use seismic interferometry to estimate the surface-wave energy between receivers, given that they are the most energetic arrivals in the dataset. Second, we adaptively subtract the retrieved surface waves from the original shot gathers, checking the quality of the unveiled reflections. We see that several reflections, judged to be from the mineralization zone, are enhanced and better visualized after this two-step procedure. Our comparison with results from frequency-wavenumber filtering verifies the effectiveness of our scheme, since the presence of linear artefacts is reduced. The results are encouraging, as they open up new possibilities for denoising hard rock seismic data and, in particular, for imaging of deep mineral deposits using seismic reflections. This approach is purely data driven and does not require significant judgment on the dip and frequency content of present surface waves, which often vary from place to place.     

Ellipsoidal Neumann geodetic boundary-value problem based on surface gravity disturbances: case study of Iran

An ellipsoidal Neumann type geodetic boundary-value problem (GBVP) for the computation of disturbing potential on the surface of the Earth based on the surface gravity disturbance as the boundary data is formulated. The solution methodology of the GBVP can be algorithmically summarized as follows: (i) using global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) coordinates of the gravity stations, the surface gravity disturbances are generated as the boundary data. (ii) Applying the deflection correction to the gravity disturbances to arrive at the derivative of the surface disturbing potential along the ellipsoidal normal. (iii) Removing the low frequencies part of the gravity field using harmonic expansion to degree and order 110. (iv) Using the short wavelength part of the corrected gravity disturbances derived in the previous section as the boundary data within the constructed GBVP to derive the short wavelength disturbing potential over the Earth surface. (v) The computed shortwave length signals of disturbing potentials are converted to disturbing potential values by restoring the removed effects.     

The effects of hydrometer reading times on the spatial variability of soil textures in southeast Iran

Soil texture is an important physical soil property that may contribute to variations in many soil functions as well as nutrient storage and availability, water retention, and soil erosion. Although several methods for determining the texture classes of soil particles have been proposed, differences among hydrometer reading times have presented challenges in determining the precise soil texture classes. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of hydrometer reading time on the spatial variability of soil textures in the Rafsanjan area, southeast Iran. To accomplish this, 77 soil samples were collected on a 500-m square sampling grid from depths of 0–40, 40–80, and 80–120 cm, and their particle sizes were determined through analysis for 40 s, 2 h, 6.5 h, and 8 h using the Bouyoucos hydrometer method. The results showed a strong spatial correlation in the soil particles among sampling soil layers and across the study area. Moreover, the differences among hydrometer reading times did not have a significant impact on determination of coarse soil texture classes, although they did influence determination of the finer classes. Although the 8 h reading time provided the most accurate response with respect to mechanical analysis of a soil, after 6.5 h the hydrometer could also largely (more than 80.0 %, on average) achieve this goal. Additionally, the 2 h hydrometer reading time could also be useful for the initial assessment or general overview of the soil texture in a certain region; however, it is not recommended for precision agriculture or site-specific management.     

Prediction of TBM Penetration Rate Using Fuzzy Logic,Particle Swarm Optimization and Harmony Search Algorithm

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) penetration rate prediction is one of the most important problem in tunneling projects. Estimating of Tunnel Boring Machine...     

Using hydrologic and hydraulically derived geometric parameters of perennial rivers to determine minimum water requirements of ecological habitats (case study: Mazandaran Sea Basin—Iran)

This paper studies one of the most important problems of dry countries that are confronted with water deficit and the competition of rivals to allocate water. Some common methods have been investigated for computing the minimum water requirement to save a river's biological activity. After a discussion of the currently used method in Iran (the Tenant Method), the application of some other methods, which are known as Hydraulic and Hydrological Methods, is illustrated. The case study is a river in the northern part of Iran and this research addresses the critical situation of this river in near future regarding the planned anthropogenic alteration and its consequences. It has been shown that the application of environmental water allocation methods that have no background in a region could be misleading. The first proposed method is the Texas Method, in which flexibility in water allocation helps to develop an integrated river management paradigm in the study area. The second preferred method is a Hydraulic Method, by which the implementation of morphological parameters or flow geometrical properties could sustain physical habitat within an acceptable range in terms of depth, width, velocity, and bed shear stress. In the case study, the Maximum Curvature Method was superior to the Slope Method. The investigation revealed that using a widely recommended slope of 1 for the discharge‐wetted perimeter function can lead to an overestimated and unacceptable discharge. The Tenant Method in respect to minimum environmental flow requirement yielded the weakest result, and it has been illustrated that its application might impose irrecoverable shock to the ecosystem. The Flow Duration Curve Method (the Q₉₅ Method), in spite of its subjectivity, showed more compatibility with the river's condition in comparison with the Tenant Method. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling of infiltration using artificial intelligence techniques in semi-arid Iran

ABSTRACT

Infiltration plays a fundamental role in streamflow, groundwater recharge, subsurface flow, and surface and subsurface water quality and quantity. In this study, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF) models were used to determine cumulative infiltration and infiltration rate in arid areas in Iran. The input data were sand, clay, silt, density of soil and soil moisture, while the output data were cumulative infiltration and infiltration rate, the latter measured using a double-ring infiltrometer at 16 locations. The results show that SVM with radial basis kernel function better estimated cumulative infiltration (RMSE = 0.2791 cm) compared to the other models. Also, SVM with M4 radial basis kernel function better estimated the infiltration rate (RMSE = 0.0633 cm/h) than the ANFIS and RF models. Thus, SVM was found to be the most suitable model for modelling infiltration in the study area.     

Comparison of conventional and Monte Carlo simulation-based probabilistic seismic hazard analyses for Shiraz city,southern Iran

Estimation of ground-motion amplitudes of different hazard levels is of paramount importance in planning of urban development of any metropolis. Such estimation can be computed through a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA). This paper concentrates on the PSHA of an area located in Shiraz city, southern Iran. The area includes whole of Shiraz city (i.e., one of the largest and most populous cities of Iran) and its outskirts. Conventional and Monte Carlo simulation-based approaches are utilized to perform the PSHA of the studied area. Two areal seismic source models are delineated, and thence seismicity parameters of all zones associated with their corresponding uncertainties are computed. Uncertainties in ground-motion prediction are accounted for via three ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) within the logic tree framework. These GMPEs are applied to estimate bedrock ground shaking (V_s30?=?760 m/s) for several return periods (i.e., 75, 475, 975, and 2475 years). In general, the results of the two abovementioned PSHA approaches show relatively similar results. However, the Monte Carlo simulation-based approach overpredicts bedrock spectral accelerations at periods of 0.4–2.5 s compared to the conventional PSHA approach for return periods of 475, 975, and 2475 years.     

Bedload resistance in supercritical flow

The movement of bedload in subcritical flow produces additional roughness as compared to flow in a rigid bed. The magnitude of this bed load roughness is proportional to the thickness of the sediment layer moving along the bed, the particle size and the sediment concentration. In a supercritical flow, however, further resistance is expected due to the momentum absorption by the high flow velocity. In this study the effect of sediment movement on the flow resistance in supercritical flow was experimentally investigated. The experiments included flows over smooth and rough beds carrying sediment of mean diameters D50=2.80, 5.42 and 7.06 mm in a rigid rectangular channel. The results show that the sediment transport may increase the friction factor by up to 90% and 60% in smooth and rough beds, respectively. Bedload extracts its momentum from the flow, which causes a reduction of near bed flow velocity and steeper velocity gradient near the bed resulting in an increase in shear velocity as well as in roughness height. The increase in friction factor is directly related to bedload concentration and particle size.     

A new ellipsoidal gravimetric, satellite altimetry and astronomic boundary value problem, a case study: The geoid of Iran

A new gravimetric, satellite altimetry, astronomical ellipsoidal boundary value problem for geoid computations has been developed and successfully tested. This boundary value problem has been constructed for gravity observables of the type (i) gravity potential, (ii) gravity intensity (i.e. modulus of gravity acceleration), (iii) astronomical longitude, (iv) astronomical latitude and (v) satellite altimetry observations. The ellipsoidal coordinates of the observation points have been considered as known quantities in the set-up of the problem in the light of availability of GPS coordinates. The developed boundary value problem is ellipsoidal by nature and as such takes advantage of high precision GPS observations in the set-up. The algorithmic steps of the solution of the boundary value problem are as follows:

- Application of the ellipsoidal harmonic expansion complete up to degree and order 360 and of the ellipsoidal centrifugal field for the removal of the effect of global gravity and the isostasy field from the gravity intensity and the astronomical observations at the surface of the Earth.

- Application of the ellipsoidal Newton integral on the multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection surface for the removal from the gravity intensity and the astronomical observations at the surface of the Earth the effect of the residual masses at the radius of up to 55 km from the computational point.

- Application of the ellipsoidal harmonic expansion complete up to degree and order 360 and ellipsoidal centrifugal field for the removal from the geoidal undulations derived from satellite altimetry the effect of the global gravity and isostasy on the geoidal undulations.

- Application of the ellipsoidal Newton integral on the multi-cylindrical equal-area map projection surface for the removal from the geoidal undulations derived from satellite altimetry the effect of the water masses outside the reference ellipsoid within a radius of 55 km around the computational point.

- Least squares solution of the observation equations of the incremental quantities derived from aforementioned steps in order to obtain the incremental gravity potential at the surface of the reference ellipsoid.

- The removed effects at the application points are restored on the surface of reference ellipsoid.

- Application of the ellipsoidal Bruns’ formula for converting the potential values on the surface of the reference ellipsoid into the geoidal heights with respect to the reference ellipsoid.

- Computation of the geoid of Iran has successfully tested this new methodology.