Outflow channel sources, reactivation, and chaos formation, Xanthe Terra, Mars

The undulating, warped, and densely fractured surfaces of highland regions east of Valles Marineris (located north of the eastern Aureum Chaos, east of the Hydraotes Chaos, and south of the Hydaspis Chaos) resulted from extensional surface warping related to ground subsidence, caused when pressurized water confined in subterranean caverns was released to the surface. Water emanations formed crater lakes and resulted in channeling episodes involved in the excavation of Ares, Tiu, and Simud Valles of the eastern part of the circum-Chryse outflow channel system. Progressive surface subsidence and associated reduction of the subsurface cavernous volume, and/or episodes of magmatic-driven activity, led to increases of the hydrostatic pressure, resulting in reactivation of both catastrophic and non-catastrophic outflow activity. Ancient cratered highland and basin materials that underwent large-scale subsidence grade into densely fractured terrains. Collapse of rock materials in these regions resulted in the formation of chaotic terrains, which occur in and near the headwaters of the eastern circum-Chryse outflow channels. The deepest chaotic terrain in the Hydaspis Chaos region resulted from the collapse of pre-existing outflow channel floors. The release of volatiles and related collapse may have included water emanations not necessarily linked to catastrophic outflow. Basal warming related to dike intrusions, thermokarst activity involving wet sediments and/or dissected ice-enriched country rock, permafrost exposed to the atmosphere by extensional tectonism and channel incision, and/or the injection of water into porous floor material, may have enhanced outflow channel floor instability and subsequent collapse. In addition to the possible genetic linkage to outflow channel development dating back to at least the Late Noachian, clear disruption of impact craters with pristine ejecta blankets and rims, as well as preservation of fine tectonic fabrics, suggest that plateau subsidence and chaos formation may have continued well into the Amazonian Period. The geologic and paleohydrologic histories presented here have important implications, as new mechanisms for outflow channel formation and other fluvial activity are described, and new reactivation mechanisms are proposed for the origin of chaotic terrain as contributors to flooding. Detailed geomorphic analysis indicates that subterranean caverns may have been exposed during chaos formation, and thus chaotic terrains mark prime locations for future geologic, hydrologic, and possible astrobiologic exploration.     

Quaternary geology of the Amazonian Lowland

The Quaternary history of the Amazon lowlands is characterized by deposition of sediments of Andean provenance and by the influences of changing sea levels. Areas well above the present water tables were not reached by Pleistocene high-water stages. These areas have been intensively weathered since the Tertiary, forming hard lateritic weathering horizons. These weathering horizons are best explained by the relatively constant, humid tropical climate throughout the Quaternary. In the western Amazonian Lowland, flood plains corresponding to the different Pleistocene sea-level heights were formed. During low sea level, erosion in the drainage areas increased and the water levels of the central Amazon River system were lowered. Valleys drowned and lakes formed in the lower reaches of rivers and creeks during high sea-level stages. These lakes (ria lakes) remained in the valleys with rivers having a low sediment load. Seismic profiling (3.5 kHz) in some of these lakes clearly showed deposits of the three last periods of Quaternary high sea-level stages.     

Numerical simulation of three-dimensional tidal current in the Bobal Sea

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Field Survey and Numerical Simulations: A Review of the 1998 Papua New Guinea Tsunami

— The Papua New Guinea (PNG) tsunami of 1998 is re-examined through a detailed review of the field survey as well as numerous numerical computations. The discussion of the field survey explores a number of possible misinterpretations of the recorded data. The survey data are then employed by a numerical model as a validation tool. A Boussinesq model and a nonlinear shallow water wave (NLSW) model are compared in order to quantify the effect of frequency dispersion on the landslide-generated tsunami. The numerical comparisons indicate that the NLSW model is a poor estimator of offshore wave heights. However, due to what appears to be depth-limited breaking seaward of Sissano spit, both numerical models are in agreement in the prediction of maximum water elevations at the overtopped spit. By comparing three different hot-start initial profiles of the tsunami wave, it is shown that the initial shape and orientation of the tsunami wave is secondary to the initial displaced water mass in regard to prediction of water elevations on the spit. These numerical results indicate that agreement between numerical prediction of runup values with field recorded values at PNG cannot be used to validate either a NLSW tsunami propagation model or a specific landslide tsunami hot-start initial condition. Finally, with the use of traditional tsunami codes, a new interpretation of the PNG runup measurements is presented.     

Groundwater contamination with arsenic and other trace elements in an area of the pampa,province of Córdoba,Argentina

A geochemical study of groundwater of the pampa in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, was performed; the area covered approximately 10,000 km².Physical-chemical parameters, dissolved solids, and seven trace elements were determined in 60 selected water samples. Systematic and accurate measurements of arsenic, flourine, and vanadium were performed for the first time. Three trace element contaminants not reported earlier were found: an important one, selenium, and two others of less known effects, uranium and molybdenum.Eighty-four percent of the water analyzed showed arsenic contents over 0.05 mg/L, maximum contaminant level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1982). The frequency distribution of trace elements was analyzed, and its fit to the lognormal distribution was proved by means of the Pearson and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; the geographic distribution of the seven trace elements was mapped and its correlation with the anion-cation composition of the water was studied.The maximum arsenic, fluorine, vanadium, and uranium contents were found in the western part of the area under study, in waters containing dominant alkali metals in the cation composition. Maximum selenium and antimony contents were found in the eastern part of the area, while molybdenum distribution does not show any relationship with the other two groups. In addition, the geographic distribution of the trace elements seems to be related to the subsurface structure, which has been inferred using interactive digital analysis of Landsat imagery. The movements of the subsoil have disturbed surface and subsurface drainage influencing the water salinity and trace element contents.In order to investigate the origin of the contamination, 54 loess samples were collected in wells at depths ranging from the surface down to the water table. This loess, which has a high proportion of volcanic components, mainly rhyolitic glass, exhibits a chemical composition corresponding to that of a dacite.The loess and the volcanic glass show anomalous contents of all contaminant trace elements, mainly arsenic and selenium. For this reason loess is considered the most important contamination source in the groundwater under study.     

Future regional projections of extreme temperatures in Europe: a nonstationary seasonal approach

This paper analyzes changes of maximum temperatures in Europe, which are evaluated using two state-of-the-art regional climate models from the EU ENSEMBLES project. Extremes are expressed in terms of return values using a time-dependent generalized extreme value (GEV) model fitted to monthly maxima. Unlike the standard GEV method, this approach allows analyzing return periods at different time scales (monthly, seasonal, annual, etc). The study focuses on the end of the 20th century (1961?C2000), used as a calibration/validation period, and assesses the changes projected for the period 2061?C2100 considering the A1B emission scenario. The performance of the regional models is evaluated for each season of the calibration period against the high-resolution gridded E-OBS dataset, showing a similar South-North gradient with larger values over the Mediterranean basin. The inter-RCM changes in the bias pattern with respect to the E-OBS are larger than the bias resulting from a change in the boundary conditions from ERA-40 to ECHAM5 20c3m. The maximum temperature response to increased green house gases, as projected by the A1B scenario, is consistent for both RCMs. Under that scenario, results indicate that the increments for extremes (e.g. 40-year return values) will be two or three times higher than those for the mean seasonal temperatures, particularly during Spring and Summer in Southern Europe.     

Transfer of fishing effort between areas and fishery units in Spanish fisheries as side effects of the prestige oil spill management measures

This paper shows how post-oil spill management measures can affect the general pattern of fishing effort exerted on two particular species of great commercial value in northern Spanish fisheries: anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius and Lophius budegassa) and mackerel (Scomber scombrus). Data time series of catches and fishing efforts were analysed corresponding to the area and time period affected by the oil spill fishing restrictions (December 2002–June 2003) and similar previous and post-spill periods. This was done to detect shifts that could be due to either the oil spill per se or the management measures taken to minimise pollution effects. Then, analyses and simulations with Arcview GIS module FAST (Fishing Activity Simulation Tool v. 1.1) were carried out with the aim of studying the fishing effort spatial distribution. Changes were observed in the Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) of anglerfish and mackerel by area or fishery unit. Results show a spatial displacement of fishing effort to other fishing areas in the case of anglerfish, and the transfer of fishing effort between different fishery units in the case of mackerel. Although both effects were caused primarily by the management measures in force after the oil spill, they are considered side or collateral effects. The management measures that have to be taken after any disaster should also consider these kinds of ancillary effects as well as evaluating the likely positive or negative impact of these side effects.     

Horizontal dynamic stiffness of pile groups: Approximate expressions

A number of solutions and computer programs are already available to determine the dynamic stiffness of complete pile foundations, assuming linear elastic soil behavior and perfect bonding between the piles and the surrounding soil. These are assumptions that would be generally valid for properly designed machine foundations where very small strains should be expected. A number of approximate formulations have also been developed. Among these the most commonly used one is that proposed by Poulos (1971) [12] for the static case, computing interaction coefficients between the heads of two piles considered by themselves, then forming a matrix of these coefficients to obtain the interaction between the heads of all the piles in the group. Additional approximations have been suggested, particularly for the computation of the interaction coefficients, using closed form expressions. In this paper, approximate expressions that can be used for preliminary estimates, at the very early stages of the design, without the need of computers, are presented. They are intended for pile groups with pile spacing of the order of 3 diameters, typical relations between the modulus of elasticity of the piles and that of the soil between 100 and 1000, and very small amplitude vibrations.