An improved spectral turning-bands algorithm for simulating stationary vector Gaussian random fields

We propose a spectral turning-bands approach for the simulation of second-order stationary vector Gaussian random fields. The approach improves existing spectral methods through coupling with importance sampling techniques. A notable insight is that one can simulate any vector random field whose direct and cross-covariance functions are continuous and absolutely integrable, provided that one knows the analytical expression of their spectral densities, without the need for these spectral densities to have a bounded support. The simulation algorithm is computationally faster than circulant-embedding techniques, lends itself to parallel computing and has a low memory storage requirement. Numerical examples with varied spatial correlation structures are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and versatility of the proposal.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in urban soils representing different land use categories in Shanghai

An extensive soil survey was carried out in Shanghai to investigate the spatial distribution and possible sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban soils. Soil samples were collected from highways, iron-smelting plants, steel-smelting plants, shipbuilding yards, coking plants, power plants, chemical plants, urban parks, university campuses and residential areas and were analyzed for 16 PAHs by gas chromatography with mass detection. High PAH concentrations were found in all locations investigated, with mean values of soil total PAH concentrations in the range 3,279–38,868 μg/kg DM, and the PAH concentrations were significantly influenced by soil organic matter content. Soil PAH profiles in all districts were dominated by PAHs with 4–6 rings. Principal components analysis and diagnostic ratios of PAHs indicate that they were mainly derived from coal combustion and petroleum but in soils from highways the PAHs were derived largely from vehicle exhaust emissions. The high concentrations of PAHs found indicate that many urban soils in Shanghai represent a potential hazard to public health.     

Transport in fracture processes: Fragmentation and slip

We present a new development in the asymmetric continuum theory with the shear oscillations (twist motions) and independent spin; these motions (displacement velocities and spin) can be shifted in phase to describe the independent rebound processes. Our approach provides an extension of the asymmetric continuum theory by including the microfragmentation processes with a double transport which may appear in an advanced fracture process under very high load. The related nonlinear equations, leading to soliton solutions, are derived.     

Toward the understanding of the treatment of textile industries’ effluents by clay: adsorption of anionic dye on kaolinite

Clays, particularly kaolinite, are promising adsorbents for the treatment of textile effluents, but there is a need of better understanding the mechanisms of adsorption, especially in the case of anionic dyes. Thus, the removal of RR120 anionic dye was investigated using Tunisian raw clay (TBK) composed of kaolinite and illite, and a standard kaolinite (KGa-2), and conducting batch experiments by varying different parameters (contact time, ionic strength, concentration, temperature). We investigated the clays’ surface charges by electrophoretic mobility measures and the dye-clay interactions during adsorption, by the streaming-induced potentials (SIP). The results showed that KGa-2 has higher adsorption capacity for RR120 dye than TBK clay, moreover enhanced by increasing the ionic strength and/or lowering the pH of the aqueous. The SIP results showed an increase of negative charges for both clays, reflecting the adsorption of the anionic dye on the positive charges of the amphoteric surfaces of the clays. The SIP magnitudes indicated a higher adsorption rate for KGa-2 in accordance with the kinetic study. The Sips model that described the best adsorption isotherms indicates lateral interactions of the dye molecules, stronger in the case of KGa-2 than TBK. Also, the dye molecules form a thinner layer on KGa-2 surfaces. In addition, the dye molecule’s structure was not altered, as verified by mass spectrometry. The adsorption process was feasible and spontaneous and favored at ambient temperature. Thus, kaolinite-rich clays are effective in the removal of anionic dyes in aqueous solution and potential good adsorbents in wastewater treatment.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Deepwater Horizon</Emphasis> Oil Spill Impacts on Salt Marsh Fiddler Crabs (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Uca</Emphasis> spp.)

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was the largest marine oil spill in US waters to date and one of the largest worldwide. Impacts of this spill on salt marsh vegetation have been well documented, although impacts on marsh macroinvertebrates have received less attention. To examine impacts of the oil spill on an important marsh invertebrate and ecosystem engineer, we conducted a meta-analysis on fiddler crabs (Uca spp.) using published sources and newly available Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) and Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) data. Fiddler crabs influence marsh ecosystem structure and function through their burrowing and feeding activities and are key prey for a number of marsh and estuarine predators. We tested the hypothesis that the spill affected fiddler crab burrow density (crab abundance), burrow diameter (crab size), and crab species composition. Averaged across multiple studies, sites, and years, our synthesis revealed a negative effect of oiling on all three metrics. Burrow densities were reduced by 39 % in oiled sites, with impacts and incomplete recovery observed over 2010–2014. Burrow diameters were reduced from 2010 to 2011, but appeared to have recovered by 2012. Fiddler crab species composition was altered through at least 2013 and only returned to reference conditions where marsh vegetation recovered, via restoration planting in one case. Given the spatial and temporal extent of data analyzed, this synthesis provides compelling evidence that the Deepwater Horizon spill suppressed populations of fiddler crabs in oiled marshes, likely affecting other ecosystem attributes, including marsh productivity, marsh soil characteristics, and associated predators.     

A laboratory study on groundwater quality and mass movement occurrence

In this study, soil samples collected from the sides of two streams with high debris flow potential at Shenmu and Fengchiou village in Nantou County, Taiwan, were used for seepage tank tests in the laboratory. While the tests were being conducted, observations were made to investigate the relationships among displacement of the slope, quality of the seepage water and occurrence of mass movement. The results showed that according to the change rate, displacement could be divided into two stages, namely, the initial failure displacement stage and primary failure displacement stage. While the displacement of the slope was in primary failure displacement stages, the probability of slope failure became much higher. Before general slope failure, electrical conductivity (EC) and sulfate ion (SO₄ ²⁻) concentration of the seepage water increased significantly. The time when EC of the seepage water started to increase rapidly was much earlier than that when displacement of the slope started to increase significantly. Therefore, from the hazard mitigation view, there will be a longer time for response if EC of the seepage water was monitored.     

Landslide susceptibility mapping for a landslide-prone area (Findikli,NE of Turkey) by likelihood-frequency ratio and weighted linear combination models

Landslides are very common natural problems in the Black Sea Region of Turkey due to the steep topography, improper use of land cover and adverse climatic conditions for landslides. In the western part of region, many studies have been carried out especially in the last decade for landslide susceptibility mapping using different evaluation methods such as deterministic approach, landslide distribution, qualitative, statistical and distribution-free analyses. The purpose of this study is to produce landslide susceptibility maps of a landslide-prone area (Findikli district, Rize) located at the eastern part of the Black Sea Region of Turkey by likelihood frequency ratio (LRM) model and weighted linear combination (WLC) model and to compare the results obtained. For this purpose, landslide inventory map of the area were prepared for the years of 1983 and 1995 by detailed field surveys and aerial-photography studies. Slope angle, slope aspect, lithology, distance from drainage lines, distance from roads and the land-cover of the study area are considered as the landslide-conditioning parameters. The differences between the susceptibility maps derived by the LRM and the WLC models are relatively minor when broad-based classifications are taken into account. However, the WLC map showed more details but the other map produced by LRM model produced weak results. The reason for this result is considered to be the fact that the majority of pixels in the LRM map have high values than the WLC-derived susceptibility map. In order to validate the two susceptibility maps, both of them were compared with the landslide inventory map. Although the landslides do not exist in the very high susceptibility class of the both maps, 79% of the landslides fall into the high and very high susceptibility zones of the WLC map while this is 49% for the LRM map. This shows that the WLC model exhibited higher performance than the LRM model.     

Simulating climate change impact on soil erosion using RUSLE model <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">−</Emphasis> A case study in a watershed of mid-Himalayan landscape

Climate change, particularly due to the changed precipitation trend, can have a severe impact on soil erosion. The effect is more pronounced on the higher slopes of the Himalayan region. The goal of this study was to estimate the impact of climate change on soil erosion in a watershed of the Himalayan region using RUSLE model. The GCM (general circulation model) derived emission scenarios (HadCM3 A2a and B2a SRES) were used for climate projection. The statistical downscaling model (SDSM) was used to downscale the precipitation for three future periods, 2011–2040, 2041–2070, and 2071–2099, at large scale. Rainfall erosivity (R) was calculated for future periods using the SDSM downscaled precipitation data. ASTER digital elevation model (DEM) and Indian Remote Sensing data – IRS LISS IV satellite data were used to generate the spatial input parameters required by RUSLE model. A digital soil-landscape map was prepared to generate spatially distributed soil erodibility (K) factor map of the watershed. Topographic factors, slope length (L) and steepness (S) were derived from DEM. Normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from the satellite data was used to represent spatial variation vegetation density and condition under various land use/land cover. This variation was used to represent spatial vegetation cover factor. Analysis revealed that the average annual soil loss may increase by 28.38, 25.64 and 20.33% in the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s, respectively under A2 scenario, while under B2 scenario, it may increase by 27.06, 25.31 and 23.38% in the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s, respectively, from the base period (1985–2013). The study provides a comprehensive understanding of the possible future scenario of soil erosion in the mid-Himalaya for scientists and policy makers.     

The Wenchuan Earthquake (May 12, 2008), Sichuan Province,China, and resulting geohazards

On Monday, May 12, 2008, a devastating mega-earthquake of magnitude 8.0 struck the Wenchuan area, northwestern Sichuan Province, China. The focal mechanism of the earthquake was successive massive rock fracturing 15 km in depth at Yingxiu. Seismic analysis confirms that the major shock occurred on the Beichuan–Yingxiu Fault and that aftershocks rapidly extended in a straight northeast–southeast direction along the Longmenshan Fault zone. Fatalities approaching a total of 15,000 occurred, with a significant number resulting from four types of seismically triggered geohazards—rock avalanches and landslides, landslide-dammed lakes (“earthquake lakes”), and debris flows. China Geological Survey has identified 4,970 potentially risky sites, 1,701 landslides, 1,844 rock avalanches, 515 debris flows, and 1,093 unstable slopes. Rock avalanches and landslides caused many fatalities directly and disrupted the transportation system, extensively disrupting rescue efforts and thereby causing additional fatalities. Landslide-dammed lakes not only flooded human habitats in upstream areas but also posed threats to potentially inundated downstream areas with large populations. Debris flows become the most remarkable geohazards featured by increasing number, high frequency, and low triggering rainfall. Earthquake-triggered geohazards sequentially induced and transformed to additional hazards. For example, debris flows occurred on rock avalanches and landslides, followed by landslide-dammed lakes, and then by additional debris flows and breakouts of the landslide-dammed lakes and downstream flooding. Earthquake-induced geohazards occurred mainly along the fault zone and decreased sharply with distance from the fault. It can be anticipated that post-earthquake geohazards, particularly for debris flows, will continue for 5–10 years and even for as long as 20 years. An integrated strategy of continuing emergency response and economic reconstruction is required. The lesson from Wenchuan Earthquake is that the resulted geohazards may appear in large number in active fault regions. A plan for geohazard prevention in the earthquake-active mountainous areas is needed in advance.