From the editors

<正>Dear JEEEV Contributors, Readers and Friends,This issue of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration (Vol. 9, No. 3) includes five papers that were presented at the 4th     

Cryogenic Core Collection (C3) from Unconsolidated Subsurface Media

We evaluated tools and methods for in situ freezing of cores in unconsolidated subsurface media. Our approach, referred to as cryogenic core collection (C₃), has key aspects that include downhole circulation of liquid nitrogen (LN) via a cooling system, strategic use of thermal insulation to focus cooling into the core, and controlling LN back pressure to optimize cooling. Two cooling systems (copper coil and dual‐wall cylinder) are described. For both systems, the time to freeze a single 2.5‐foot (76‐cm) long by 2.5‐inch (63‐mm) diameter core is 5 to 7 min. Frozen core collection rates of about 30 feet/day (10 m/day) were achieved at two field sites, one impacted by petroleum‐based light nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) and the other by chlorinated solvents. Merits of C₃ include (1) improved core recovery, (2) potential control of flowing sand, and (3) improved preservation of critical sediment attributes. Development of the C₃ method creates novel opportunities to characterize sediment with respect to physical, chemical, and biological properties. For example, we were able to resolve water, LNAPL, and gas saturations above and below the water table. By eliminating drainage of water, gas and LNAPL saturations in the range of 6 to 23% and 1 to 3% of pore space, respectively, were measured in LNAPL‐impacted intervals below the water table.     

The effect of nested grid sampling on the parameter estimation of a spatial Gompertz diffusion

This paper evaluates the effects of using data observed on regular nested grids on the parameter estimates of a two-parameter Gompertz diffusion model. This new spatial diffusion process represents a technically more complex stage of Gompertz modeling. Firstly, the diffusion model is introduced through an appropriate transformation of a two-parameter Gaussian diffusion process. Probabilistic characteristics of this model, such as the transition densities and the trend functions, are obtained. Secondly, statistical estimation is considered using data obtained on a regular or irregular grid; the explicit expression of the likelihood equations and the parameter estimators are given for regular grids. Finally, a simulation experiment illustrates the results of this paper.     

Robe's restricted three-body problem with drag

Robe's restricted three-body problem is investigated with regards to the effects of a linear drag force. In particular. the stability of the model's equilibrium points is studied in this respect. Two scenarios are envisaged: the one originally discussed by Robe himself and the one suggested by him and recently analyzed by the present authors, that assumes for the fluid body the structure of a Roche's ellipsoid.     

Geochemical affinities of cobalt and germanium toward metal,silicate, and sulfide phases at high temperature

Hydrothermal studies indicate that Co and Ge are strongly siderophile when metallic iron is in equilibrium with olivine at 900°C and 500 bars. If the metal is replaced by troilite (FeS), Ge is strongly lithophile whereas Co tends to concentrate in the sulfide phase. If iron meteorites were formed in a core derived from the sulfide phase, they would be depleted in Ge but retain Co.     

Foraminiferids from the London Clay at Lower Swanwick and their palaeoecological interpretation

Sixteen foraminiferid assemblages have been studied from the London Clay succession at Lower Swanwick brickyard. These are divided into three faunules which are interpreted as indicating a shallow shelf regime with strong deltaic influences.     

Design Screening Tools for Passive Funnel and Gate Systems

The funnel and gate remediation concept (Star and Cherry 1993) represents a promising, yet relatively under-developed, technology for the passive control and in situ remediation of contaminated ground water. Effective design and implementation of such a system may, however, prove difficult under conditions of large or unpredictable variations in contaminant migration or ground water flow.
Numerical modeling of two-dimensional ground water flow has been used to predict the hydraulic performance of passive, straight, or winged funnel and gate configurations over a range of hydrogeologic and ambient ground water flow conditions. The results of these analyses were used to construct generic correlation diagrams relating upstream capture zone or gale through put to the barrier, gale, and aquifer characteristics. These diagrams serve as useful screening tools to (1) quantitatively estimate the capture zone of pre-determined funnel and gale configurations, or (2) develop preliminary funnel and gale designs that will yield a desired capture zone, independent of aquifer characteristics.