Alterations of the nitrogen mineralization rates in soils of forest community depending on the ski run construction (Mount Uluda?, Bursa, Turkey)

Since 1940s, Mount Uludağ (Bithynian Olympus) has been considered famous with winter sports center in Turkey. In addition, it is one of the rare places because of its plant diversity and is also one of the important plant areas of Turkey. The ski run constructions are rapidly increased in the past decades in the alpine and subalpine belts of the mountain. Rate of nitrogen mineralization and some properties of soil were investigated in the soils of the three ski runs and undisturbed neighborhood forest sites. These ski runs are at the upper part of the forest belt in the mountain. Abies bornmuelleriana forest community is the postclimax and very sensitive to destruction. The rates of the nitrogen mineralization in the soils were determined in controlled conditions (60% water-holding capacity, 20°C). Nitrification and nitrogen mineralization were in the ski run inside where the natural recovery started, increased compared with the outside of the ski runs. Waterholding capacity, organic carbon, and total nitrogen were decreased in the massive damaged ski run, and due to these changes, the rates of mineralization and nitrification were also decreased.     

Fuzzy process capability indices for quality control of irrigation water

Water covers over 70% of the Earth surface and is a very important resource to people and the environment. Water pollution affects drinking water, rivers, lakes and oceans all over the world. This consequently harms human health and the natural environment. Water pollution can also affect the crops. So, water pollution is an important issue for humanity. Therefore, the control of irrigation water is a necessity. In this paper, a methodology based on process capability indices (PCIs) has been presented to control the levels of pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature (T) in dam’s water for irrigation. Fuzzy PCIs have been proposed for this aim. The fuzzy estimates of $ \hat C_p Water covers over 70% of the Earth surface and is a very important resource to people and the environment. Water pollution affects drinking water, rivers, lakes and oceans all over the world. This consequently harms human health and the natural environment. Water pollution can also affect the crops. So, water pollution is an important issue for humanity. Therefore, the control of irrigation water is a necessity. In this paper, a methodology based on process capability indices (PCIs) has been presented to control the levels of pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature (T) in dam’s water for irrigation. Fuzzy PCIs have been proposed for this aim. The fuzzy estimates of and are obtained for pH, DO, and T based on Buckley’s interval estimation approach and based on fuzzy specification limits. An application has been made for Kesikk?prü Dam in Ankara, Turkey. In this paper, Buckley’s approach is re-arranged to obtain a triangular fuzzy membership function because it cannot be obtained from Buckley’s approach in some situation.     

Correlation of TBM and drilling machine performances with rock brittleness

The correlations between three different methods of measuring brittleness and both drillability and borability were statistically investigated using the raw data obtained from the experimental works of different researchers.

Strong exponential relationships between the penetration rates of tunnel boring machine (TBM) and the brittleness of B₁ (the ratio of compressive strength to tensile strength) and B₂ (the ratio of compressive strength minus tensile strength to compressive strength plus tensile strength) were found. There is no correlation between the penetration rates of the diamond drilling tool and the brittleness values. Strong exponential correlations exist between the penetration rates of rotary drills and the brittleness of B₁ and B₂. However, no correlation between the penetration rate of rotary drills and the brittleness of B₃ (the product of percentage of fines in impact strength test and compressive strength) was found. The penetration rate of percussive drills does not exhibit a correlation with the brittleness of B₁ and B₂, but the penetration rate of percussive drills is strongly correlated with the brittleness of B₃.

It was concluded that each method of measuring brittleness has its usage in rock excavation depending on practical utility.     

The effect of aquifer heterogeneity on natural attenuation rate of BTEX

Monitored natural attenuation can be a viable option for remediation of groundwater contamination by BTEX compounds. Under the field conditions, the rate of contaminant mass attenuation through natural processes, such as biodegradation, to a large extent affected by the groundwater flow regime, which is primarily controlled by the aquifer heterogeneity. Numerical simulation techniques were used to describe quantitatively the relationship between biodegradation rate of BTEX and aquifer heterogeneity. Different levels of aquifer heterogeneity were described by random hydraulic conductivity fields (K) having different statistical parameters, the coefficient of variation (CV) and the correlation length (h). The Turning Bands Algorithm was used to generate such K fields. Visual MODFLOW/RT3D was used to simulate the fate and transport of dissolved BTEX plume within heterogeneous aquifers. The multispecies reactive transport approach described BTEX degradation using multiple terminal electron-accepting processes. First-order biodegradation rate constants were calculated from simulated BTEX plumes in heterogeneous flow fields. The results showed that aquifer heterogeneity significantly affected biodegradation rate; it decreased with increasing CV when h was in the range of up to 12 m, whereas it increased with increasing CV when h was greater than about 12 m. For well characterized aquifers, this finding could be of great value in assessing the effectiveness of natural attenuation during feasibility studies at BTEX contaminated sites.     

Photometric observations of the binary system V350 Lacertae

DifferentialUBV observations of the small amplitude (0.12 mag inV) single-lined active binary V350 Lac are presented. It was observed that the light minima occur in conjunction time. A shift of the light curve (0.05 in orbital phase) towards lower phases could be due to a small error in the light elements. The primary minimum is about 0.04 mag deeper than the secondary. It was shown that different depths of two light minima are not produced by the reflection effect but due primarily to gravity darkening on the tidally elongated and synchronously rotating visible component. An O'Connel effect observed as the brighter primary maximum could be an indication of starspot activity or gas streaming between the components.     

Fault rupture and stress changes associated with the November 27, 2005 Qeshm Island (Iran) earthquake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>W</Subscript> = 6.0)

The November 27, 2005 Qeshm Island earthquake (M_w 6.0) occurred along the Zagros Thrust and Fold Belt which accommodates about half of the deformation caused by the Arabian and Eurasian Plates convergence. As typical for the belt, the earthquake was associated with buried reverse faulting and produced no surface rupture. Here, teleseismic broadband P velocity waveforms of the earthquake are inverted to obtain coseismic finite-fault slip distribution of the earthquake. It is obtained that rupture was controlled by failure of a single asperity with largest displacement of approximately 0.6 m, which occurred at a depth of 9 km. The slip model indicated radial rupture propagation from the hypocentre and confirmed blind reverse faulting within deeper part (below the depth of 6 km) of the sedimentary cover above the Hormuz Salt, lying between the cover and the basement, releasing a seismic moment of about 1.3?×?10¹⁸ Nm (M_W?=?6.0). The results also confirm that the Hormuz Salt behaves as a barrier for rupture propagation to the basement below and occurrence of the aftershock activity downdip from the rupture within the Hormuz Salt. Calculated Coulomb stress variations caused by the coseismic rupture indicates stress coupling between the 2005 Qeshm Island earthquake and both the largest aftershock several hours later and the 2008 Qeshm Island earthquake (M_W?=?5.9). The stress calculations further indicated stress load at the depth range (15–20 km) of the well-located aftershocks, corresponding to depths of the Hormuz Salt and top of the basement and providing plausible explanation for occurrence of the aftershocks within those layers.