Preliminary Study on the Translunar Halo Orbits of the Real Earth–Moon System

The computation of translunar Halo orbits of the real Earth–Moon system (REMS) has been an open problem for a long time, but now, it is possible to compute Halo orbits of the REMS in a systematic way. In this paper, we describe the method used for the numerical computation of Halo orbits for a time span longer than 41 years. Halo orbits of the REMS are computed from quasi-periodic Halo orbits of the quasi-bicircular problem (QBCP). The QBCP is a model for the dynamics of a spacecraft in the Earth–Moon–Sun system. It is a Hamiltonian system with three degrees of freedom and depending periodically on time. In this model, Earth, Moon and Sun are moving in a self-consistent motion close to bicircular. The computed Halo orbits of the REMS are compared with the family of Halo orbits of the QBCP. The results show that the QBCP is a good model to understand the main features of the Halo family of the REMS.     

银河系运动学参数的确定

利用 2 0 2个太阳附近疏散星团的视向速度和自行观测资料 ,对太阳的运动和银河系的运动学参数进行了研究。其中 ,距离在 0 .5kpc到 2kpc之间的 12 8个疏散星团对平均太阳运动分量的解算结果是 (u0 ,v0 ,w0 ) =(- 13.8± 1.4 ,- 5 .0± 1.6 ,- 11.6± 2 .9)km/s ;Oort常数和银河系径向运动参数的解算结果分别为 (A ,B) =(16 .9± 1.1,- 11.6± 2 .6 )km·s- 1·kpc- 1及 (C ,D) =(2 .5± 1.1,- 2 .1± 0 .9)km·s- 1·kpc- 1。     

Reliability assessment of serviceability performance of braced retaining walls using a neural network approach

In urban environments, one major concern with deep excavations in soft clay is the potentially large ground deformations in and around the excavation. Excessive movements can damage adjacent buildings and utilities. There are many uncertainties associated with the calculation of the ultimate or serviceability performance of a braced excavation system. These include the variabilities of the loadings, geotechnical soil properties, and engineering and geometrical properties of the wall. A risk‐based approach to serviceability performance failure is necessary to incorporate systematically the uncertainties associated with the various design parameters. This paper demonstrates the use of an integrated neural network–reliability method to assess the risk of serviceability failure through the calculation of the reliability index. By first performing a series of parametric studies using the finite element method and then approximating the non‐linear limit state surface (the boundary separating the safe and ‘failure’ domains) through a neural network model, the reliability index can be determined with the aid of a spreadsheet. Two illustrative examples are presented to show how the serviceability performance for braced excavation problems can be assessed using the reliability index. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment transport in analogue flume models compared with real‐world sedimentary systems: a new look at scaling evolution of sedimentary systems in a flume

Evolution of sedimentary systems at large temporal and spatial scales cannot be scaled down to laboratory dimensions by conventional hydraulic Froude scaling. Therefore, many researchers question the validity of experiments aiming to simulate this evolution. Yet, it has been shown that laboratory experiments yield stratigraphic responses to allocyclic forcing that are remarkably similar to those in real‐world prototypes, hinting at scale independency with strong dependence on boundary conditions but weak dependence on the actual sediment transport dynamics. This paper addresses the dilemma by contrasting sediment transport rules that apply in the laboratory with those that apply in real‐world geological systems. It is demonstrated that the generation of two‐dimensional stratigraphy in a flume can be simulated numerically by the non‐linear diffusion equation. Sediment transport theory is used to demonstrate that only suspension‐dominated meandering rivers should be simulated with linear diffusion. With increasing grain‐size (coarse sand to gravel) and shallowness of river systems, the prediction of long‐term transport must be simulated by non‐linear, slope‐dependent diffusion to allow for increasing transport rates and thus change in stratigraphic style. To point out these differences in stratigraphic style, three stages in infill of accommodation have been defined here: (i) a start‐up stage, when the system is prograding to base level (e.g. the shelf edge) with no sediment flux beyond the base‐level point; (ii) a fill‐up stage, when the system is further aggrading while progressively more sediment is bypassing base level with the progression of the infill; and (iii) a keep‐up stage, when more than 90% of the input is bypassing the base level and less than 10% is used for filling the accommodation. By plotting the rate of change in flux for various degrees of non‐linearity (varying the exponent in the diffusion equation) it was found that the error between model and real‐world prototype is largest for the suspension‐dominated prototypes, although never more than 30% and only at the beginning of the fill‐up stage. The error reduces to only 10% for the non‐linear sandy‐gravelly and gravelly systems. These results are very encouraging and open up ways to calibrate numerical models of sedimentary system evolution by such experiments.     

Morphological analysis of the drainage system in the Eastern Alps

We study the morphology of the major rivers draining the Eastern Alps to test whether the active tectonics of this part of the orogen is reflected in the shape of channel profiles of the river network. In our approach we compare channel profiles measured from digital elevation models with numerically modelled channel profiles using a stream power approach. It is shown that regions of high stream power coincide largely with regions of highest topography and largest uplift rates, while the forelands and the Pannonian Basin are characterised by a significantly lower stream power. From stream power modelling we conclude that there is young uplift at the very east of the Eastern Alps, in the Bohemian Massif and in the Pohorje Range. The impact of the Pleistocene glaciations is explored by comparing properties of rivers that drain in proximal and distal positions relative to the ice sheet during the last glacial maximum. Our analysis shows that most knick points, wind gaps and other non-equilibrium features of catchments covered by ice during the last glaciations (Salzach, Enns) can be correlated with glacial processes. In contrast the ice free catchments of the Mur and Drava are characterized by channels in morphological equilibrium at the first approximation and are showing only weak evidence of the strong tectonic activity within these catchments. Finally, the channel profiles of the Adige and the divide between the upper Rhine and Danube catchments differ significantly from the other catchments. We relate this to the fact that the Adige and the Rhine respond to different base levels from the remainder of the Eastern Alps: The Adige may preserve a record from the Messininan base level change and the Rhine is subject to the base level lowering in the Rhine Graben.     

Development and application of a GIS-based tool for earthquake-induced hazard prediction

An integrated GIS-based tool (GTIS) was constructed to estimate site effects related to the earthquake hazards in the Gyeongju area of Korea. To build the GTIS for the study area, intensive site investigations and geotechnical data collections were performed and a walk-over site survey was additionally carried out to acquire surface geo-knowledge data in accordance with the procedure developed to build the GTIS. For practical applications of the GTIS used to estimate the site effects associated with the amplification of ground motion, seismic microzoning maps of the characteristic site period and the mean shear wave velocity to a depth of 30 m were created and presented as a regional synthetic strategy addressing earthquake-induced hazards. Additionally, based on one-dimensional site response analyses, various seismic microzoning maps for short- and mid-period amplification potentials were created for the study area. Case studies of seismic microzonations in the Gyeongju area verified the usefulness of the GTIS for predicting seismic hazards in the region.     

TEM evidence for intracellular accumulation of lead by bacteria in subsurface environments

We monitored near-surface atmospheric fallout (15-cm above ground) and soil solution (at 15, 35 and 55 cm below ground) derived nanoparticles over an 8-month period by collecting the particles directly onto TEM grids in anthropogenically-influenced (vineyard) and pristine (native forest) sites in France. Particle clusters trapped on the grid were selected randomly and individual particles were binned into eight different groups (euhedral clays, weathered clays, salts, oxi-hydroxides, bacteria, non-living organic matter, aggregates and undetermined). Bacteria represent 9–23% of the collected nanoparticle area (ave. 9.4% and 18% for two atmospheric collection sites and ave. 23% for soil infiltration samples). Bacteria were most often associated with non-living organic matter and comprised a variety of morpho-types. Interestingly, 45% of all the bacteria analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectroscopy (TEM-EDX) showed the presence of intracellular grains significantly enriched in lead and phosphorus. Intracellular sequestration of Pb into polyphosphate bodies has been observed in the laboratory, but this is the first observation of this phenomenon in a natural environment. Furthermore, this suggests that microbial-bound Pb may be an important transport mechanism in subsurface environments.     

History of crustal growth and recycling at the Pacific convergent margin of South America at latitudes 29°–36° S revealed by a U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope study of detrital zircon from late Paleozoic accretionary systems

Detrital zircon provides a powerful archive of continental growth and recycling processes. We have tested this by a combined laser ablation ICP-MS U–Pb and Lu–Hf analysis of homogeneous growth domains in detrital zircon from late Paleozoic coastal accretionary systems in central Chile and the collisional Guarguaráz Complex in W Argentina. Because detritus from a large part of W Gondwana is present here, the data delineate the crustal evolution of southern South America at its Paleopacific margin, consistent with known data in the source regions.Zircon in the Guarguaráz Complex mainly displays an U–Pb age cluster at 0.93–1.46 Ga, similar to zircon in sediments of the adjacent allochthonous Cuyania Terrane. By contrast, zircon from the coastal accretionary systems shows a mixed provenance: Age clusters at 363–722 Ma are typical for zircon grown during the Braziliano, Pampean, Famatinian and post-Famatinian orogenic episodes east of Cuyania. An age spectrum at 1.00–1.39 Ga is interpreted as a mixture of zircon from Cuyania and several sources further east. Minor age clusters between 1.46 and 3.20 Ga suggest recycling of material from cratons within W Gondwana.The youngest age cluster (294–346 Ma) in the coastal accretionary prisms reflects a so far unknown local magmatic event, also represented by rhyolite and leucogranite pebbles. It sets time marks for the accretion history: Maximum depositional ages of most accreted metasediments are Middle to Upper Carboniferous. A change of the accretion mode occurred before 308 Ma, when also a concomitant retrowedge basin formed.Initial Hf-isotope compositions reveal at least three juvenile crust-forming periods in southern South America characterised by three major periods of juvenile magma production at 2.7–3.4 Ga, 1.9–2.3 Ga and 0.8–1.5 Ga. The ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf of Mesoproterozoic zircon from the coastal accretionary systems is consistent with extensive crustal recycling and addition of some juvenile, mantle-derived magma, while that of zircon from the Guarguaráz Complex has a largely juvenile crustal signature. Zircon with Pampean, Famatinian and Braziliano ages (< 660 Ma) originated from recycled crust of variable age, which is, however, mainly Mesoproterozoic. By contrast, the Carboniferous magmatic event shows less variable and more radiogenic ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf, pointing to a mean early Neoproterozoic crustal residence. This zircon is unlikely to have crystallized from melts of metasediments of the accretionary systems, but probably derived from a more juvenile crust in their backstop system.     

Delineation of groundwater protection zones by the backward particle tracking method: theoretical background and GIS-based stochastic analysis

The backward particle tracking method, an effective and powerful tool that can be used to delineate groundwater protection zones, is presented. The theoretical background and insights on the applicability of this method are provided. Moreover, the present work enriches the backward particle tracking method with an uncertainty analysis concerning the porosity values, applying a Monte Carlo (MC) approach, coupled with the use of geographical information systems (GIS). As an application example, a wellfield in the Komotini area, Greece, is investigated. The present study may serve as a potential guideline for wellfield delineation, particularly in areas like Greece where lack of data related to the hydrogeological system is often a problem.     

Numerical modeling assessment of three-gate structures for capturing contaminated groundwater

This modeling study evaluated the capability of alternative funnel-and-gate structures with three gates for capturing contaminated groundwater in a hypothetical unconfined aquifer. Simulated interceptor structures were linear and 45 m wide, consisting of three gates and two funnels (walls). One gate occupied the center and two gates occupied the ends of the interceptor structures. The structures, positioned perpendicular to regional groundwater flow, traversed the entire thickness of the aquifer. A total of four structures were evaluated (numbers designate widths of end, center, and end gates, respectively, in meters): 3-3-3, 2-5-2, 1-7-1, and 4-1-4. Particle tracking and zonal water budgets identified shapes of capture zones and discharge patterns for each interceptor structure. A mass transport model, accounting for advection and hydrodynamic dispersion, tested the capability of each structure for capturing a contaminant plume. Results suggest that: time-dependent capture zones underestimate the amount of time to capture a contaminant plume, wide center gates facilitate plume capture, and wide end gates facilitate lateral containment of contaminants. Of the structures simulated, the 2-5-2 configuration was relatively efficient at processing and containing the simulated contaminant plume.