Assessing soil erosion in Mediterranean karst landscapes of Lebanon using remote sensing and GIS

Maps showing the potential for soil erosion at 1:100,000 scale are produced in a study area within Lebanon that can be used for evaluating erosion of Mediterranean karstic terrain with two different sets of impact factors built into an erosion model. The first set of factors is: soil erodibility, morphology, land cover/use and rainfall erosivity. The second is obtained by the first adding a fifth factor, rock infiltration. High infiltration can reflect high recharge, therefore decreasing the potential of surface runoff and hence the quantity of transported materials. Infiltration is derived as a function of lithology, lineament density, karstification and drainage density, all of which can be easily extracted from satellite imagery. The influence of these factors is assessed by a weight/rate approach sharing similarities between quantitative and qualitative methods and depending on pair-wise comparison matrix.The main outcome was the production of factorial maps and erosion susceptibility maps (scale 1:100,000). Spatial and attribute comparison of erosion maps indicates that the model that includes a measure of rock infiltration better represents erosion potential. Field investigation of rills and gullies shows 87.5% precision of the model with rock infiltration. This is 17.5% greater than the precision of the model without rock infiltration. These results indicate the necessity and importance of integrating information on infiltration of rock outcrops to assess soil erosion in Mediterranean karst landscapes.     

Structural investigation of the synthetic CaAn(PO4)2 (An = Th and Np) cheralite-like phosphates

The crystallographic structures of the synthetic cheralite, CaTh(PO₄)₂, and its homolog CaNp(PO₄)₂ have been investigated by X-ray diffraction at room temperature. Rietveld analyses showed that both compounds crystallize in the monoclinic system and are isostructural to monazite LnPO₄ (Ln = La to Gd). The space group is P2₁/n (I.T. = 14) with Z = 2. The refined lattice parameters of CaTh(PO₄)₂ are a = 6.7085(8) Å, b = 6.9160(6) Å, c = 6.4152(6) Å, and β = 103.71(1)° with best fit parameters R _wp = 4.87%, R _p = 3.69% and R _B = 3.99%. For CaNp(PO₄)₂, we obtained a = 6.6509(5) Å, b = 6.8390(3) Å, c = 6.3537(8) Å, and β = 104.12(6)° and R _wp = 6.74%, R _p = 5.23%, and R _B = 6.05%. The results indicate significant distortions of bond length and angles of the PO₄ tetrahedra in CaTh(PO₄)₂ and to a lesser extent in CaNp(PO₄)₂. The structural distortions were confirmed by Raman spectroscopy of CaTh(PO₄)₂. A comparison with the isostructural compounds LnPO₄ (Ln = Ce and Sm) confirmed that the substitution of the large rare earth trivalent cations with Ca²⁺ and Th⁴⁺ introduces a distortion of the PO₄ tetrahedra.     

La pénétration de l'air froid dans une vallée alpine

Résumé Les observations de deux stations situées à l'entrée de la vallée du Rhône et à l'intérieur de celle-ci permettent de déterminer dans une certaine mesure comment l'air froid pénètre dans cette longue vallée des Alpes suisses. L'accès se fait beaucoup plus souvent par-dessus les montagnes de l'Ouest ou du Nord que par le chenal de la vallée seulement.

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Summary The observations of two stations at the entrance and in the interior of the Rhône valley allow to a certain degree to determine how cold air penetrates this long extended valley of the Swiss Alps. The influx of air takes much more frequently place over the mountains in the West and North than through the trough of the valley.

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Zusammenfassung Die Beobachtungen von zwei Stationen, die am Eingang und im Inneren des Rhonetals gelegen sind, erlauben einigermaßen festzustellen, wie die Kaltluft in dieses langgestreckte Tal der Schweizeralpen eindringt. Dabei erfolgt der Luftzustrom viel häufiger über die Berge im W und N als ausschließlich durch die Talrinne.

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Avec 1 Figure     

Relation between basin morphometric features and dynamic characteristics of debris flows——a case study in Siberia,Russia

Extreme and prolonged rainfall in the Tunka Ridge caused several debris flows in the vicinity of the Arshan village(Siberia, Russia) on June 28, 2014. These debris flows, in spite of similar geological conditions, had different velocity, peak discharge and alluvial fan volume values. The flow velocity was from 3.5 m/s to 19.6 m/s, the peak discharge ranged from 63 m3/s to 13566 m3/s, and the alluvial fan volume varied from 4.13×103 to 8.45×105 m3. Such a great range of values is due to the morphometric parameters of the debris flow basins. The article deals with the influence of morphometric parameters of debris flow basins, such as the basin area, the average slope, Melton ratio, relief ratio on the debris flow velocity, peak discharge and volume of alluvial fans. In this debris flow event the average values of slope angle and total basin relief of the debris flow basins did not affect the values of debris flow velocity, peak discharge and alluvial fan volume. The highest correlations were observed with the debris flow basin area that was connected with the water inflow volume into the debris flow basins during the rainfall. The unequal water distribution among debris flow basins also had an impact on the debris flow velocity, peak discharge and volume of alluvial fans.     

Earthquakes in the Czech Republic and Surrounding Regions in 1995–1999

In the time span from January 1995 to December 1999 the Czech National Seismological Network (CNSN), consisting of ten permanent digital broadband stations, several local networks and two data centers, detected and recorded 9530 regional natural seismic events, 27 greater than magnitude 2. Most of these events were located by the Czech Seismological Service (CSS), and the most prominent of them were analyzed in detail. A large number of quarry blasts were recorded as well but were not included in the analysis. We provide basic information on the configuration of the CNSN and on the way of routine data processing employed by the CSS in this paper. The over-all regional seismicity monitored by the CNSN in 1995–1999 is briefly reviewed. The main results of observations and evaluation of the local (NW-Bohemia/Vogtland, South Bohemia, Sudeten) and induced (Kladno, Píbram, Upper Silesia, Lubin/Poland) seismic activity within this period are presented in a condensed form. Finally, a summary on macroseismic observations on the territory of the Czech Republic in 1995–1999 is also presented.     

Utilisation of the image analysis method for the detection of the morphological anisotropy of calcite grains in marble

This paper presents the development and utilisation of an automated image processing algorithm for detection and analysis of grains. Using optical polarising microscopy, a set of colored images are collected from an area on a thin section. A filtering operation, using rotation of a morphological alternating sequence filter (based on a structuring element), is used to remove twinning features within individual grains. Filtering is followed by the watershed segmentation technique to determine grain boundaries. The method is used for the identification of calcite grains in marble and the subsequent analysis of morphological anisotropy.     

Tidal evolution of hierarchical and inclined systems

We investigate the dynamical evolution of hierarchical three-body systems under the effect of tides, when the ratio of the orbital semi-major axes is small and the mutual inclination is relatively large (greater than 20°). Using the quadrupolar non-restricted approximation for the gravitational interactions and the viscous linear model for tides, we derive the averaged equations of motion in a vectorial formalism which is suitable to model the long-term evolution of a large variety of exoplanetary systems in very eccentric and inclined orbits. In particular, it can be used to derive constraints for stellar spin-orbit misalignment, capture in Cassini states, tidal-Kozai migration, or damping of the mutual inclination. Because our model is valid for the non-restricted problem, it can be used to study systems of identical mass or for the outer restricted problem, such as the evolution of a planet around a binary of stars. Here, we apply our model to various situations in the HD 11964, HD 80606, and HD 98800 systems.     

The reconstruction of a glacial lake outburst flood using HEC-RAS and its significance for future hazard assessments: an example from Lake 513 in the Cordillera Blanca,Peru

In April 2010, an ice/rockfall into Lake 513 triggered a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) along the Chucchun River in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. This paper reconstructs the hydrological characteristics of this as yet undocumented event using a 1D flood model prepared with HEC-RAS. The principle model inputs were obtained during detailed field surveys of surface characteristics and topography within the river and across the adjacent floodplain; a total of 120 cross-sections were surveyed. These inputs were refined further by eyewitness accounts and additional geomorphological observations. The flood modelling has enabled us to constrain the extent of the water surface and its elevation at each cross-section in addition to defining the peak discharge (580 m³ s^?1). These modelling results show good agreement with other information about the flood including: flood marks and minimum flood levels; the lake displacement wave height; the extent of the flooded area; and the travel time from Lake 513 to the confluence with the Santa River. This demonstrates that the model offers a reliable reconstruction of the basic hydrological characteristics of the GLOF. It provides important information about the flood intensity and significantly improves our ability to model future flood scenarios along both the studied river and within neighbouring catchments. The flood hazard, defined by the flood depth during peak discharge, shows that the majority of the damaged infrastructure (houses, bridges, and a drinking water treatment plant) was only subjected to low or medium flood intensities (defined by a maximum water depth of less than 2 m). These low flood intensities help to explain why the flooding caused comparatively minor damage despite the significant public attention it attracted.