Live shearing free-ranging guanacos (Lama guanicoe) in Patagonia for sustainable use

Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) populations declined after the introduction of domestic sheep and the emerging conflicts with sheep breeders and their livestock. Apart from conflicts with sheep ranching, guanacos have declined due to poaching, legal overhunting, and lack of sound management schemes. Guanacos have been proposed as a key species for rural development in Latin America, so research on tools for their sustainable use is required. We tested a mobile corral trap (MCT) designed for live-trapping and shearing free-ranging guanacos at four ranches along Patagonia. We assessed mortality and injury rates related to our procedures and calculated and compared roundup and capture efficiencies. We captured a total of 55 guanacos (13 females, 38 males, and 4 calves), and live-sheared 30. No mortalities were recorded. Average roundup and capture efficiencies were 11.9 guanacos roundup⁻¹ (range 8–20) and 11% (range 0.3–31.5%), respectively. Mean fleece weight was 307±15 g for females and 338±12 g for males. The MCT employed seems promising for capturing and shearing free-ranging guanacos for their sustainable use. Management implications include: (1) sheep ranches may obtain benefits, generating a positive perception toward guanacos; (2) guanaco populations may increase and even colonize devoid areas due to an increased protection level.     

Effect of foundation embedment on seismic behavior of elevated tanks considering fluid–structure-soil interaction

This paper investigates the effects of foundation embedment on the seismic behavior of fluid-elevated tank-foundation–soil system with a structural frame supporting the fluid containing tank. Six different soil types defined in the well-known seismic codes were considered. Both the sloshing effects of the fluid and soil-structure interaction of the elevated tanks located on these six different soils were included in the analyses. Fluid-elevated tank-foundation–soil systems were modeled with the finite element (FE) technique. The fluid-structure interaction was taken into account using Lagrangian fluid FE approximation implemented in the general purpose structural analysis computer program, ANSYS. FE model with viscous boundary was used to include elevated tank-foundation–soil interaction effects. The models were analyzed for the foundations with and without embedment. It was found that the tank roof displacements were affected significantly by the embedment in soft soil, however, this effect was smaller for stiff soil types. Except for soft soil types, embedment did not affect the other response parameters, such as sloshing displacement, of the systems considered in this study.     

High‐Precision Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb Isotopic Composition of Chinese Geological Standard Glass Reference Materials CGSG‐1, CGSG‐2, CGSG‐4 and CGSG‐5 by MC‐ICP‐MS and TIMS

To assess the homogeneity of and provide the first Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotopic reference values for the Chinese Geological Standard Glasses CGSG‐1, CGSG‐2, CGSG‐4 and CGSG‐5, we measured these isotopes in several measurement sessions over the course of nearly 3 years. The results were obtained by high‐precision MC‐ICP‐MS and TIMS. Our investigation indicates that these CGSG glass reference materials are homogenous with regard to Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotopic distribution and are therefore suitable geochemical materials for Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotope measurements. Clear differences in Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotopic composition were observed between the glasses and the original powdered rock reference materials (CGSG‐2 and GSR‐7, and especially CGSG‐5 and GSR‐2) because of flux addition during preparation of the glasses. The new Sr‐Nd‐Hf‐Pb isotope data provided here might be useful to the geochemical community for in situ and bulk analysis.     

Seismic Damage to Owner-Built RC Frames in Charikot during the 2015 Nepal Earthquake Sequence

The damage to the masonry-infilled reinforced concrete (RC) frame buildings in Charikot, the capital city of Dolakha district in Nepal, during the 2015 April-to-May Nepal earthquake sequence is reported. Most of these buildings were built by the owners with little governmental inspections regarding their structural design or constructional quality. Although they generally performed better than other structural systems such as stone-masonry houses, the RC frames sustained extensive damage ranging from cracking of infill to complete collapse. In particular, eight of the 72 inspected RC frames alongside an uphill street collapsed in different ways. In addition to the un-engineered nature of these RC frames, their collapse could also be attributed to multiple technical reasons including the effect of terrain, the pounding between adjacent buildings and the accumulative damage in the earthquake sequence.     

Using tephrostratigraphy and cryptotephrostratigraphy to re-evaluate and improve the Middle Pleistocene age model for marine sequences in northeast Japan (Chikyu C9001C)

We refine the tephrostratigraphy and cryptotephrostratigraphy of the Middle Pleistocene deep-sea sediments in the C9001C cores and reconstruct the age model of the cores to provide a standard stratigraphy for the NW Pacific Ocean area. In the lower half of the cores (corresponding to marine isotopic stages [MISs] 9–18), we newly identify nine concentrations (spikes) of glass shards (numbered G17–G25 from top to bottom) below sixteen previously reported spikes (numbered G1–G16) in the upper half of the cores (MISs 1–9). We correlated two spikes (both cryptotephras) with known widespread tephras: G18 with Naruohama-IV (MIS 10d; 357 ka) and G19 with Kasamori 5 (MIS 12b–c; 434–458 ka). Although the two cryptotephra spikes cannot be distinguished by the major- and trace-element compositions of glass shards, these correlations are based upon their stratigraphic occurrence within separate glacial periods (MISs 10 and 12) as indicated by the δ¹⁸O stratigraphy of the C9001C sequence. Based on the stratigraphic positions of the Naruohama-IV and Kasamori 5 tephras, we assign the sediment units corresponding to MISs 10, 11, and 12, and revise the previous assignment of core segments corresponding to MISs 7, 8, and 9. The resulting tephra-based age model is consistent with the last occurrence of Proboscia curvirostris, but it is inconsistent with the first occurrence of Emiliania huxleyi. According to the new age model, the sedimentation rate during MISs 18–2 has ranged from 0.21 m/ky (during MIS 17) to 0.74 m/ky (during MISs 8 and 9), however, the sedimentation rate was never as high as the rate of 1.1 m/ky indicated by an earlier age model.     

Compositions of glass in proximal tephras from eruptions in the Azores archipelago and their links with distal sites in Ireland

The Azores archipelago is one of the most active volcanic areas in the North Atlantic region, with approximately 30 eruptions during the last 600 years. The geochemical composition of associated tephra-derived glass is, however, not well characterized. This study presents major element compositions of glass shards from five major eruptives on the Azores: a trachybasaltic eruptive on the island of Faial (Capelinhos AD, 1957) and four explosive trachytic eruptives on the island of São Miguel (Fogo A c. 5600 cal yrs. BP, Sete Cidades c. AD 1440, Fogo AD 1563 and Furnas AD 1630). The major element compositions suggest that tephras from three active stratovolcanoes on São Miguel, Sete Cidades, Fogo and Furnas, can be distinguished from one another using bi-plots of FeO_tot vs. TiO₂ and FeO_tot vs. CaO. Late Holocene tephras found on Ireland have previously been attributed to eruptions occurring on Jan Mayen but possess a strong geochemical similarity to proximal tephras from the Azores, especially those from the Furnas volcano. The similarity of the proximal tephras on São Miguel, especially Furnas AD 1563 and Furnas AD 1630 and distal tephras in Ireland is demonstrated by strong similarity coefficients (>0.95) and the closeness of major element composition. The dominant wind direction over the Azores is favourable for tephra dispersal to western Europe and we suggest that at least three tephras found in Ireland were erupted from the Furnas volcano, and that trachytic tephras erupted from explosive eruptions on São Miguel have a potential to contribute to the construction of a European-wide tephrostratigraphic framework.     

Reprint of Glass compositions and tempo of post-17 ka eruptions from the Afar Triangle recorded in sediments from lakes Ashenge and Hayk,Ethiopia

Numerous volcanoes in the Afar Triangle and adjacent Ethiopian Rift Valley have erupted during the Quaternary, depositing volcanic ash (tephra) horizons that have provided crucial chronology for archaeological sites in eastern Africa. However, late Pleistocene and Holocene tephras have hitherto been largely unstudied and the more recent volcanic history of Ethiopia remains poorly constrained. Here, we use sediments from lakes Ashenge and Hayk (Ethiopian Highlands) to construct the first <17 cal ka BP tephrostratigraphy for the Afar Triangle. The tephra record reveals 21 visible and crypto-tephra layers, and our new database of major and trace element glass compositions will aid the future identification of these tephra layers from proximal to distal locations. Tephra compositions include comendites, pantellerites and minor peraluminous and metaluminous rhyolites. Variable and distinct glass compositions of the tephra layers indicate they may have been erupted from as many as seven volcanoes, most likely located in the Afar Triangle. Between 15.3−1.6 cal. ka BP, explosive eruptions occurred at a return period of <1000 years. The majority of tephras are dated at 7.5−1.6 cal. ka BP, possibly reflecting a peak in regional volcanic activity. These findings demonstrate the potential and necessity for further study to construct a comprehensive tephra framework. Such tephrostratigraphic work will support the understanding of volcanic hazards in this rapidly developing region.     

可用于边坡工程和地下工程排水的一种新技术

岩土工程中广泛采用的普通排水孔技术常常会出现泥砂堵孔现象,相应的排水孔随之也失去应有的排水功能。为此,作者提出了一种具有长期排水效果的新技术,即纤维束导渗排水孔技术。通过对比试验可以发现:即使发生泥砂堵孔的现象,利用该项新技术也可以实现长期有效排水的目的。与普通排水孔相比,新型排水孔的造价也不高,可望在岩土工程领域得到广泛应用。     

加肋圆柱曲板房顶的非线性垂直地震响应

因纵横向加肋密度不同, 故把题述房顶当做各向异性弹性体［１］ , 则问题的控制方程组为两个四阶偏微分方程（ 有一个是非线性） , 代满足边界条件的振型函数入内并用富氏级数的正交性并结合逐次逼近法, 化控制方程组为一个非线性ｖａｎ ｄｅｒ Ｐｏｌ 方程, 得出问题的解析解, 并且讨论了解的跳跃即动力稳定丧失出现的情况。     

钢筋混凝土柱低周疲劳性能的试验研究

结构的地震破坏可看作是超过屈服后的非弹性阶段的低周疲劳问题,而单根柱的破坏分析是整个框架失效分析的基础,本文通过八根１／２比例的钢筋混凝土柱在不同位移幅值下的等幅低周疲劳试验和六根非对称位移循环下低疫疲劳试验,探讨了在不同位移幅值下降筋混凝土柱累积损伤的发展规划以及低周疲劳寿命的表达式,给出了低周疲劳寿命不同位移水平下正负位移幅值比之间关系的表达式。希望以此为基础,建立更为合理的结构抗震破坏准则。