The influence of physical and biological processes on the ichthyoplankton communities in the Gulf of Sirte (Southern Mediterranean Sea)

This paper reports on the first study on the ichthyoplankton community structure in the Gulf of Sirte and its spatial distribution in relation to environmental conditions and zooplankton abundance. The results make an important contribution to the future management of fisheries in this unexplored, but much exploited, area. Biological samples were collected in July 2008 using a Bongo40 net. In total, 1914 larvae were found and 1652 of these were identified. In particular, bathypelagic taxa were the most abundant, followed by demersal, mesopelagic, pelagic and epipelagic taxa. The ichthyoplankton community had a patchwork distribution influenced by oligotrophic conditions, the bottom depth and oceanographical features. The results suggest that environmental forcings were able to transport the ichthyoplankton to productive areas. Indeed, maximum fish egg densities were found in coastal stations in correspondence with the Atlantic Tunisian Current inflow, whereas larvae were mainly concentrated in the east side of the Gulf, probably as a result of advection by the anticyclonic circulation. Additionally, the distribution patterns of the total larvae density and the different assemblages were well matched with the abundance of the zooplankton, probably determining final larval survival, growth and recruitment.     

Improved regional groundwater flow modeling using drainage features: a case study of the central northern karst aquifer system of Puerto Rico (USA)

In northern Puerto Rico (USA), subsurface conduit networks with unknown characteristics, and surface features such as springs, rivers, lagoons and wetlands, drain the coastal karst aquifers. In this study, drain lines connecting sinkholes and springs are used to improve the developed regional model by simulating the drainage effects of conduit networks. Implemented in an equivalent porous media (EPM) approach, the model with drains is able to roughly reproduce the spring discharge hydrographs in response to rainfall. Hydraulic conductivities are found to be scale dependent and significantly increase with higher test radius, indicating scale dependency of the EPM approach. Similar to other karst regions in the world, hydraulic gradients are steeper where the transmissivity is lower approaching the coastline. This study enhances current understanding of the complex flow patterns in karst aquifers and suggests that using a drainage feature improves modeling results where available data on conduit characteristics are minimal.     

Performance of seismic arrays in the presence of weathering layer variations

Near-surface layer variations can degrade the desired response of seismic arrays which are typically used to attenuate horizontally traveling coherent noise and enhance vertically traveling signal. We investigate the effect of variations in the near-surface layer thickness on the performance of arrays by studying their impulse and wavelet responses. The models considered include the topographic variations and a channel in the base of weathering layer. The topographic variations include a dipping surface layer as well as a surface layer that follows a sine wave. The geological channel is assumed to be present under the entire receiver array as well as partially under a few receivers. We use Ricker wavelet and model plane wavefronts with incidence angles (90, 70, 45, 20, and 5 °) on a 12-element equally weighted array for the weathering layer models. We found that the array responses are more degraded for near-vertically traveling waves in all cases. The array responses are also found to be more degraded when channel variations are present underneath a few receivers as compared to the entire array length. We recommend designing a spatial filter or using single-sensor records after correcting for intra-array statics to preserve the reflection amplitudes in the presence of weathering layer variations.     

赣南地热水形成条件分析与赣县区地热水勘查靶区圈定

为巩固脱贫攻坚成果,迈向乡村振兴,赣县人民梦寐以求在赣县探测到地热水资源.本文探讨了赣南山地隆起区构造裂隙地热水形成规律,分析了江西赣南地区地热水形成的条件:①燕山-喜山期岩浆侵入、热液活动是热供给来源;②红层盆地中巨厚的白垩系是储热盖层;③元古代至早古生代浅变质岩分布区岩石受多期次构造运动作用,裂隙发育、岩体破碎,有...     

Possible impact melt and debris flows at Tooting Crater, Mars

Candidate examples of impact melt flows and debris flows have been identified at Tooting crater, an extremely young (<2 Myr), 29 km diameter impact crater in Amazonis Planitia, Mars. Using HiRISE and CTX images, and stereo-derived digital elevation models derived from these images, we have studied the rim and interior wall of Tooting crater to document the morphology and topography of several flow features in order to constrain the potential flow formation mechanisms. Four flow types have been identified; including possible impact melt sheets and three types of debris flows. The flow features are all located within 2 km of the rim crest on the southern rim or lie on the southern interior wall of the crater ∼1500 m below the rim crest. Extensive structural failure has modified the northern half of the crater inner wall and we interpret this to have resulted in the destruction of any impact melt emplaced, as well as volatile-rich wall rock. The impact melt flows are fractured on the meter to decameter scale, have ridged, leveed lobes and flow fronts, and cover an area >6 km × 5 km on the southern rim. The debris flows are found on both the inner wall and rim of the crater, are ∼1-2 km in length, and vary from a few tens of meters to >300 m in width. These flows exhibit varying morphologies, from a channelized, leveed flow with arcuate ridges in the channel, to a rubbly flow with a central channel but no obvious levees. The flows indicate that water existed within the target rocks at the time of crater formation, and that both melt and fluidized sediment was generated during this event.     

Mapping groundwater conditions in different geological environments in the northern area of UAE using 2D earth resistivity imaging survey

A water resources database was developed and used to characterize the geological and hydrogeological settings of groundwater aquifers in the northern part of the United Arab Emirates. An intensive 2D Earth Resistivity Imaging (ERI) survey was conducted in selected areas to assess the available groundwater resources and delineate the salt-water intrusion. Drilling information of the existing monitoring wells as well as their records of water table elevations and groundwater salinity were used to measure the horizontal and vertical variations in lithology, degree of saturation, and groundwater salinity and thus to improve the interpretation of ERI data. The results of the chemical analyses of water samples collected from the wells along with the 2D ERI survey profiles were used to obtain an empirical relationship between the inferred earth resistivity and the amount of total dissolved solids. This relationship was used along with the true resistivity sections resulting from the inversion of 2D ERI data to identify and map three zones of water-bearing formation (fresh, brackish, and salt-water zones) in the coastal areas. The results indicated that the depth to the fresh-brackish interface exceeded 50 m at the upstream of the wadies and was in the order of 10 m or less in the vicinity of shoreline. Because of the high resistivity contrast between dry and water saturated fractured rocks; this method was very successful in detecting water-filled fractures and cavities in the carbonate aquifer. The application of this method was unsuccessful in clayey aquifers as it was not possible to isolate lenses of gravel and/or saturated with saline or brackish water from the surrounding clayey materials.     

Shear flow driven counter rotating vortices in an inhomogeneous dusty magnetoplasma

The coupling of Shukla-Varma (SV) and convective cell modes is discussed in the presence of non-Boltzmannian electron response and parallel equilibrium shear flow. In the linear case, a new dispersion relation is derived and analyzed. It is found that the coupled SV and convective cell modes destabilize in the presence of electron shear flow. On the other hand, in the nonlinear regime, it is shown that Shukla-Varma mode driven counter rotating vortices can be formed for the system under consideration. It is found that these vortices move slowly by comparison with the ion acoustic or electron drift-wave driven counter rotating vortices. The relevance of the present investigation with regard to space plasmas is also pointed out.     

Thermally distinct craters near Hrad Vallis, Elysium Planitia, Mars

Evidence of volcano-ground ice interactions on Mars can provide important constraints on the timing and distribution of martian volcanic processes and climate characteristics. Northwest of the Elysium Rise is Hrad Vallis, a ∼370 m deep, 800 km long sinuous valley that begins in a source region at 34° N, 218° W. Flanking both sides of the source region is a lobate deposit that extends ∼50 km perpendicular from the source and is an average of ∼40 m thick. Previous studies have suggested the formation of the Hrad Vallis source region was the result of explosive magma-ice interaction and that the lobate deposit is a mudflow; here we use newly available MOLA, MOC, and THEMIS data to investigate the evidence supporting this hypothesis. Within the lobate deposit we have identified 12 craters with thermal infrared signatures and morphologies that are distinct from any other craters or depressions in the region. The thermally distinct craters are distinguished by their cool interiors surrounded by warm ejecta in the nighttime THEMIS IR data and warm interiors surrounded by cool ejecta in the daytime THEMIS IR data. The craters are typically 1100-1800 m in diameter (one crater is ∼2300 m across) and 30-40 m deep, but may be up to 70 m. The craters are typically circular and have central depressions (several with interior dune fill) surrounded by ∼1 to >6 concentric fracture sets. The distribution of the craters and their morphology suggests that they are likely the result of the interaction between a hot mudflow and ground ice.     

Determination of the initial firing conditions of Ayyubid/Mamluk painted pottery excavated from northern Jordan

A combination of different scientific techniques has been utilized to estimate the initial firing temperature and kiln atmosphere of a collection of Islamic painted sherds excavated from an archaeological site in northern Jordan. Scanning electron microscope investigation of samples refired at different temperatures proves that the pottery was fired at around 750°C in an oxidizing atmosphere. Similar results were obtained by the thermal analysis study using thermogravometric, differential thermogravemetric and differential thermal analysis and by the temperature-minerological scale analysis. The obtained results shed light on the manufacturing techniques adopted by the Islamic potter of the period. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.