Directional wave measurement at Haifa,Israel, and sediment transport along the Nile littoral cell

Results of three years of directional wave measurement at the Eastern Mediterranean coast of Haifa, Israel are presented. The wave-height and energy-flux distributions reveal a moderately high-energy coast with a bimodal annual cycle.The rate of wave-induced longshore sediment transport is estimated from the directional energy flux distributions. It describes an annual cycle with a maximum northward transport of 75 ± 14 × 10³ m³/month in midwinter and a southward transport of 26 ± 5 × 10³ m³/month in summer. The net annual transport is northward and computed at 110 ± 100 × 10³ m³/yr.We show that a wave-induced transport is sufficient in explaining the apparent transport of sediments in the Nile Littoral Cell, from the Nile Delta source to the Haifa Bay sink.     

Precession and nutation in the η Carinae binary system: evidence from the X-ray light curve

It is believed that η Carinae is actually a massive binary system, with the wind–wind interaction responsible for the strong X-ray emission. Although the overall shape of the X-ray light curve can be explained by the high eccentricity of the binary orbit, other features like the asymmetry near periastron passage and the short quasi-periodic oscillations seen at those epochs have not yet been accounted for. In this paper we explain these features assuming that the rotation axis of η Carinae is not perpendicular to the orbital plane of the binary system. As a consequence, the companion star will face η Carinae on the orbital plane at different latitudes for different orbital phases and, since both the mass-loss rate and the wind velocity are latitude dependent, they would produce the observed asymmetries in the X-ray flux. We were able to reproduce the main features of the X-ray light curve assuming that the rotation axis of η Carinae forms an angle of  29°± 4°  with the axis of the binary orbit. We also explained the short quasi-periodic oscillations by assuming nutation of the rotation axis, with an amplitude of about  5°  and a period of about 22 days. The nutation parameters, as well as the precession of the apsis, with a period of about 274 years, are consistent with what is expected from the torques induced by the companion star.     

Effect of Drain Pipes on Uplift Force and Exit Hydraulic Gradient and the Design of Gravity Dams Using the Finite Element Method

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - The effects of diameter and location of drain pipes on the uplift force and exit hydraulic gradient for a gravity dam are investigated. A numerical model...     

Dielectric constants of BeO,MgO, and CaO using the two-terminal method

Using fused SiO₂, CaF₂, and SrF₂ samples with accurately known dielectric constants, we have evaluated the accuracy and precision of two-terminal dielectric constant measurements on small single crystals using empirically determined edge corrections. Values of κ′ at 1 MHz of 3.836±0.05 for silica, 6.814±0.07 for CaF₂ and 6.463±0.09 for SrF₂ indicate an accuracy and precision of 1.0–1.5% for samples having areas of 0.05–1.0 cm². Dielectric constants of BeO, MgO, and CaO measured by this technique are: BeO, κ′_a=6.87 and κ′_c=7.74; MgO, κ′= 9.90; and CaO, κ′=11.95 where κ′_a and κ′_c are the dielectric constants parallel to the a and c axes, respectively. Dielectric loss measurements on CaO in vacuum between 5–400 K at 10–10⁵ Hz indicate significant dispersion at temperatures higher than 300 K, but the effect of the losses on the dielectric constant is less than 1% at 1 MHz and 300 K.     

Kulkeite,a new metamorphic phyllosilicate mineral: Ordered 1∶1 chlorite/talc mixed-layer

Kulkeite occurs as platy, colorless, porphyroblastic, single crystals up to 2 mm in size in a low-grade dolomite rock associated with a Triassic meta-evaporite series at Derrag, Tell Atlas, Algeria, It is associated with sodian aluminian talc, unusual chlorite polytypes, and both K and Na phlogopite. Kulkeite is optically biaxial, negative, n _x=1.552, n _y=1.5605, n _z=1.5610, 2V_z=24° (obs.). Based on microprobe analysis the empirical formula is (Na_0.38K_0.01Ca_0.01)(Mg_8.02Al_0.99)[Al_1.43Si_6.57O₂₀](OH)₁₀ with some variation in Na, Si, and tetrahedral Al. The crystals are monoclinic with a=5.319(1), b=9.195(2), c=23.897(10) Å, β=97° 1(3)′; Z=2; the calculated density is 2.70 g cm^?3. The four strongest lines in the X-ray powder pattern are (d, I, hkl): 7.90, 100, 003; 1.533, 100, 060; 7.42, 80, 002; 3.38, 80, 007; the 001 reflection with 23.7 Å has intensity 10. Transmission electron microscopy confirms the nature of a regular 1∶1 mixed-layer, which consists of 14 Å chlorite (clinochlore) sheets alternating with sheets of one-layer (9.5 Å) talc characterized by the lattice substitution NaAl→Si just as in the talc occurring as a discrete mineral co-existing with kulkeite. Kulkeite is intergrown with lamellae of clinochlore that represent two-layer and five-layer (70 Å) polytypes with optical birefringence exceeding the normal value for clinochlore by a factor of 3. The origin of kulkeite is due to low-grade metamorphism with temperatures probably not exceeding 400° C. As the clinochlore lamellae and sodian aluminian talc are found in mutual contact, kulkeite seems to represent a metastable mineral at least during the latest phase of metamorphism. However, at an earlier stage, prior to clinochlore formation, kulkeite might have been stable, and the incorporation of Na and Al into its talc component could indeed be the decisive factor for the formation of the mixed-layer.     

Constraining the orbital orientation of η Carinae from H Paschen lines

During the past decade, several observational and theoretical works have provided evidence of the binary nature of η Carinae. Nevertheless, there is still no direct determination of the orbital parameters, and the different current models give contradictory results. The orbit is, in general, assumed to coincide with the Homunculus equator although the observations are not conclusive. Among all systems, η Car has the advantage that it is possible to observe both the direct emission of line transitions in the central source and its reflection by the Homunculus, which is dependent on the orbital inclination. In this work, we studied the orbital phase-dependent hydrogen Paschen spectra reflected by the south-east lobe of the Homunculus to constrain the orbital parameters of η Car and determine its inclination with respect to the Homunculus axis. Assuming that the emission excess originates in the wind–wind shock region, we were able to model the latitude dependence of the spectral line profiles. For the first time, we were able to estimate the orbital inclination of η Car with respect to the observer and to the Homunculus axis. The best fit occurs for an orbital inclination to the line of sight of   i ∼ 60°± 10°  , and   i *∼ 35°± 10°  with respect to the Homunculus axis, indicating that the angular momenta of the central object and the orbit are not aligned. We were also able to fix the phase angle of conjunction as  ∼−40°  , showing that periastron passage occurs shortly after conjunction.     

Occurrence and Resistance of Pathogenic Bacteria Along the Tietê River Downstream of São Paulo in Brazil

The load of pathogenic bacteria, their fate and their dangerousness in the Tietê River were assessed along 100 km starting from the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The data were compared with those from two German rivers. High loads of pathogens were found in the Tietê River near the city of São Paulo (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella flexneri, and Shigella boydii), which were absent 30 km downstream of São Paulo. The antibiotic resistances observed in the Tietê river were rather low and decreased after the major input in São Paulo to significantly lower levels about 30 km downstream. While the Brazilian isolates were more susceptible for ampicillin than the German ones, the reverse was observed for gentamycin. For optimal control of infections in humans critical areas where these bacteria survived longer and their elimination mechanisms should be identified as well as the extent and the origin of antibiotic resistance should be determined.     

Intermittent chaos in nonlinear wave–wave interactions in space plasmas

There is increasing observational evidence of nonlinear wave–wave interactions in space and astrophysical plasmas. We first review a number of theoretical models of nonlinear wave–wave interactions which our group has developed in the past years. We next describe a nonlinear three-mode truncated model of Alfvén waves, involving resonant interactions of one linearly unstable mode and two linearly damped modes. We construct a bifurcation diagram for this three-wave model and investigate the phenomenon of intermittent chaos. The theoretical results presented in this paper can improve our understanding of intermittent time series frequently observed in space and astrophysical plasmas.