Nonsingular cosmological model with background field in flat space-time theory of gravitation

A previously studied theory of gravitation in flat space-time is applied to homogeneous, isotropic cosmological models. In addition to radiation a two-component fluid model consisting of dust and of a background field is studied. This universe starts from a nonsingular state and expands for ever. The energy of radiation, of dust and of the background are emerged from the gravitational energy. Entropy is produced. The age of the universe is infinite measured in units of absolute time whereas the proper-time of the universe is finite. The sum of the density parameters of dust, of radiation and of the background field is about one. There is no flatness and no monopole problem.     

Morphology,structure and kinematics of a rainfall controlled slow‐moving Andean landslide,Peru

The large slow‐moving landslide of Maca is located in the upper Colca valley (southern Peru), a region characterized by a well pronounced rainy period, and intense and recurrent sustained seismicity. The landslide, developed in deep lacustrine deposits, has recently accelerated, threatening the Maca village. This work aims at understanding the rupture mechanism and the causes of the recent landslide reactivation/acceleration. We present a multidisciplinary characterization of the Maca landslide that includes: (i) geological and morphological mapping in the field; (ii) remote sensing analysis using an historical aerial photograph of 1955 and the Pléiades satellite images (2013); (iii) global positioning system (GPS) including time‐series of surveys over 13 years, and continuous measurements over 14 months; (iv) a geophysical campaign with deep electrical resistivity tomography profiles acquired across the landslide mass. Our study shows that this 60 Mm³ landslide, which can be classified as a clay/silt compound landslide, moved by 15 m between 2001 and 2014 with a large inter‐annual velocity variation (up to a factor of 500) depending on the rainfall intensity. We suggest that these dramatic changes in velocity are the result of the combination of a threshold mechanism and the short intense rainy season in Peru. This study reveals three main driving factors acting at different timescales: (i) over several decades, the river course has significantly changed, causing the Maca landslide reactivation in the 1980s due to the erosion of its toe; (ii) at the year scale, a minimum amount of rainfall is required to trigger the motion and this amount controls the landslide velocity; (iii) transient changes in slide velocity may occur anytime due to earthquakes. This study particularly highlights the non‐linear behaviour of the motion with rainfall. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Compression of ephemerides

Approximations in the normL ₁ by Chebyshev polynomials are generated to represent astronomical ephemerides over large intervals of time.     

The accessibility of nodes in the Belgian road network

This paper presents an analysis of the accessibility of nodes in the Belgian road network. The intersection of roads are considered as the nodes and their connecting roads as the edges of a network. By means of the Dijkstra algorithm accessibility values are computed for each node by summing shortest travel times to a reference system of 158 nodes spread evenly over the Belgian territory. A comparison of the measured actual accessibility with that determined from an optimal situation provides an indication of the quality of directness of the Belgian road system. Accessibility and directness are shown cartographically. An isochronal map illustrates the access to Brussels.     

Impact of three-dimensional attitude variations of an unmanned aerial vehicle magnetometry system on magnetic data quality

Optically pumped vapour magnetometers have an orientation dependency in measuring the scalar component of the ambient magnetic field which leads to challenges for integration with mobile platforms. Quantifying the three-dimensional attitude variations (yaw, pitch and roll) of an optically pumped vapour magnetometer, while in-flight and suspended underneath a rotary unmanned aerial vehicle, aids in the successful development of reliable, high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle magnetometry surveys. This study investigates the in-flight three-dimensional attitude characteristics of a GEM Systems Inc. GSMP-35U potassium vapour magnetometer suspended 3 m underneath a Dà-Jiāng Innovations S900 multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle. A series of unmanned aerial vehicle-borne attitude surveys quantified the three-dimensional attitude variations that a simulated magnetometer payload experienced while freely (or semi-rigidly) suspended underneath the unmanned aerial vehicle in fair weather. Analysis of the compiled yaw, pitch and roll data resulted in the design of a specialized semi-rigid magnetometer mount, implemented to limit magnetometer rotation about the yaw axis. A subsequent unmanned aerial vehicle-borne magnetic survey applying this specialized mount resulted in more than 99% of gathered GSMP-35U magnetic data being within industry standards. Overall, this study validates that maintaining magnetometer attitude variations within quantified limits (±5° yaw, ±10° pitch and roll) during flight can yield reliable, continuous and high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle-borne magnetic measurements.     

Factors influencing the salinity regime of Lake Pontchartrain,Lousiana, a shallow coastal lagoon: Analysis of a long-term data set

Lake Pontchartrain., Louisiana is a 1,630 km² shallow brackish lagoon with a mean salinity from 1.2‰ in the west to 5.4‰ in the east., The construction of a 120 km long deep-water connection to the Gulf of Mexico in 1963, was expected to cause a 5‰ increase in lagoon salinity. However, the actual increase was everywhere in the lagoon less than 2‰ Analysis of 31 years of daily salinity and discharge records indicates that discharge is the most important factor controlling salinity variations in Lake Pontchartrain., Seventy-four percent of low-frequency salinity variations are explained by freshwater discharge and the completion of the deep-water canal. Lake Pont.-chartrain experiences annual variations of salinity as high as 8‰ This salinity signal has remained constant since the beginning of the salinity records in 1946. It appears that the deep-water canal is not responsible for observed die-back of freshwater swamps and retreat of lagoon shorelines.     

Evidence for climatic variability and its impact on human development during the Neolithic from Loughmeenaghan,County Sligo,Ireland

High‐resolution pollen and geochemical analyses conducted on a sediment profile from a small lake in County Sligo, Ireland, revealed that human development during the Neolithic was influenced by pronounced climatic oscillations. The primeval woodland around the lake experienced a considerable transformation coinciding with the elm decline at 3810 BC. The subsequent increase in summer temperatures and decrease in precipitation favoured wheat cultivation in the lake's catchment area, which was practised for approximately 140 years. A shift towards pastoral farming took place with the establishment of exceptionally dry conditions between 3650 and 3560 BC, when lake level and influx of allochthonous material were notably low. The onset of cool and wet conditions at the transition from the Early to Middle Neolithic possibly caused the initial decline of human activity in the area. Periods of particularly high precipitation during the Middle and early Late Neolithic contributed to the abandonment of the area by the first farmers. Comparison of the proxy record from the study site with other palynological and archaeological records from Ireland suggests that climatic variability on the decadal to centennial scale represented a primary control on the nature and duration of farming practices during the Neolithic. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.