Design of a 3D Chirp Sub-bottom Imaging System

Chirp sub-bottom profilers are marine acoustic devices that use a known and repeatable source signature (1–24 kHz) to produce decimetre vertical resolution cross-sections of the sub-seabed. Here the design and development of the first true 3D Chirp system is described. When developing the design, critical factors that had to be considered included spatial aliasing, and precise positioning of sources and receivers. Full 3D numerical modelling of the combined source and receiver directivity was completed to determine optimal source and receiver geometries. The design incorporates four source transducers (1.5–13 kHz) that can be arranged into different configurations, including Maltese Cross, a square and two separated pairs. The receive array comprises 240 hydrophones in 60 groups whose group-centres are separated by 25 cm in both horizontal directions, with each hydrophone group containing four individual elements and a pre-amplifier. After careful consideration, it was concluded that the only way to determine with sufficient accuracy the source–receiver geometry, was to fix the sources and receivers within a rigid array. Positional information for the array is given by a Real Time Kinematic GPS and attitude system incorporating four antennas to give position, heading, pitch and roll. It is shown that this system offers vertical positioning accuracy with a root-mean-square (rms) error less than 2.6 cm, while the horizontal positioning rms error was less than 2.0 cm. The system is configured so that the Chirp source signature can be chosen by software aboard the acquisition vessel. The complete system is described and initial navigational and seismic data results are presented. These data demonstrate that the approach of using fixed source-receiver geometry combined with RTK navigation can provide complete 3D imaging of the sub-surface.     

Sediment deposition from flow at low gradients into a buffer strip—a critical test of re-entrainment theory

The spatial and size distribution of sediment deposited from short periods of overland flow due to the effect of a simulated grass buffer strip was measured for low slopes of 1.6, 3.4 and 5.1%. These data were analysed so as to critically evaluate two alternative models of the process of re-entrainment of recently deposited sediment. A model of re-entrainment, previously thought to be appropriate only for a steady-state or equilibrium situation, was found to give better agreement with experiments than did a model previously used in the literature on this subject.     

Lapis lazuli from Baffin island — a precambrian meta-evaporite

On Baffin Island, the major minerals in lapis lazuli are calcite, lazurite, diopside, nepheline and phlogopite in the Main Occurrence and calcite, lazurite, diopside, plagioclase and scapolite in the North Occurrence. The abundances of Na, K, S, Cl, Br, F and Fe, the well-developed layering parallel to the regional foliation, and the scarcity of intrusive rocks, support the hypothesis that the deposit evolved from an evaporite parent during regional metamorphism. After sedimentation, considerable reduction of sulfur was effected by CO, perhaps aided by H₂, Cl^? and anaerobic bacteria. Chemographic analysis suggests that the observed phase assemblages represent local equilibrium within small volumes, where SiO₂-Al₂O₃-MgO-Na₂O-K₂O behaved as inert components at the peak of metamorphism. The lack of systematic zoning of phase assemblages, and the uniformity of mineral compositions within the deposit, also argue against a metasomatic origin. Most phases equilibrated at or near the peak of metamorphism (granulite facies).     

赣南地区石雷石英闪长岩的成因:岩石化学、副矿物微量元素、锆石U-Pb年代学与Sr-Nd-Hf同位素制约

石雷石英闪长岩是赣南崇-余-犹地区比较特殊的闪长质侵入体。锆石的原位U-Pb定年表明,该岩体侵位于433.5±3.4Ma。全岩主量元素特征上显示出中偏酸性(SiO2=56.92%～64.70%),富Al(Al2O3=14.10%～14.83%),富碱(Alk=6.41%～7.40%)特别是富钾(K2O=3.86%～4.85%),镁、铁含量较高,MgO:3.47%～5.95%,FeOT:5.23%～8.14%以及低磷(P2O5=0.27%～0.4%)的特点;微量元素上主要富集K、Rb、Cs等大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素,亏损Nb、Ta、Ti、P等高场强元素。磷灰石微量元素特征上显示高度富集稀土元素特别是轻稀土元素的特征;具有Eu的负异常(δEu=0.37～0.45)。ISr位于0.7073～0.7132之间,εNd(t)变化于-8.41～-4.97之间,两阶段钕模式年龄介于1.58～1.86Ga之间,Hf同位素组成相对均一,εHf(t)主要集中变化于-8～-2之间,两阶段Hf模式年龄加权平均为1.77±0.09Ga,这些特征都暗示了该石英闪长质岩体的形成是强烈壳幔相互作用的产物,区内加里东晚期可能发生了局部的岩石圈的减薄。     

敦煌造山带南部红柳峡混杂带基质的沉积学、地球化学和年代学特征及其大地构造意义

敦煌造山带南部红柳峡混杂带基质的研究,为认识敦煌造山带的形成和演化提供了新的依据。本文从沉积学、地球化学和年代学等方面系统讨论了该混杂带基质的特征和形成环境。结果显示,基质的岩石类型主要包括变泥质岩(云母石英片岩)和变质砂岩,普遍发生强烈变形。局部弱变形变质的基质仍保留有原生沉积构造(如T_(ab)、T_(de)、T_(bde)组合的鲍马序列),反映原岩是一套浊积岩复理石。显微岩相学特征显示,基质碎屑组分以长石、石英和岩屑为主,长石和岩屑含量较高,分别为47%和27%,反映大量火成岩物质的加入,且碎屑颗粒的分选性和磨圆度较差,说明搬运距离较近。地球化学方面,低的化学蚀变指数(CIA=49~67),反映复理石基质物源区母岩经历的风化程度较低。高的成分变化指数(ICV0.8)以及Zr/Sc-Th/Sc投图结果显示,沉积物再循环程度低,为近物源区的初次沉积。基质Sc、Cr、Co、Ni含量低,Eu/Eu*、La/Sc、Th/Sc、La/Co、Th/Co和Cr/Th等元素比值类似于来自长英质源区的沉积物,暗示其物源区母岩以中-酸性岩石为主。La/Sc-Ti/Zr和Th-ScZr/10投图结果显示,复理石基质形成于陆缘弧或活动大陆边缘构造背景。弱变形浅变质砂岩的碎屑模式表明,基质的物源来自"切割型弧-过渡型弧"源区。综上,红柳峡混杂带基质在碎屑组成方面,以再循环程度低、近物源堆积的"切割型弧-过渡型弧"源区长英质碎屑组分为主,在沉积构造方面,发育鲍马序列和深水块体搬运沉积(MTD)构造,表明基质形成于陆缘弧或活动大陆边缘的俯冲带海沟环境。碎屑锆石年代学显示三组年龄:2300Ma、1850Ma和423Ma,结合区域地质背景分析,初步认为物源碎屑可能来自混杂带北侧的三危山弧和东巴兔-蘑菇台弧的古生代花岗岩类以及俯冲折返的变质基性岩岩块。复理石基质的变质砂岩中获得的最年轻的岩浆碎屑锆石年龄为389Ma,说明该砂岩形成于中泥盆世之后,暗示敦煌造山带南部红柳峡地区洋盆尚未俯冲完毕,碰撞作用尚未开始。     

Unsteady soil erosion due to rainfall impact: a model of sediment sorting on the hillslope

A new method is presented for predicting sediment sorting associated with soil erosion by raindrop impact for non-equilibrium conditions. The form of soil erosion considered is that which results from raindrop impact in the presence of shallow overland flow itself where the flow is not capable of eroding sediment. The method specifically considers early time runoff and erosion when sediment leaving an eroding area is generally finer and thus may have a higher potential for transport of sorbed pollutants. The new mechanism described is the formation of a deposited layer on the soil surface, which is shown to lead to sediment sorting during an erosion event. The deposited layer is taken to have two roles in this process: to temporarily store sediment on the surface between successive trajectories, and to shield the underlying soil from erosive stresses. Equations describing the dynamics of the suspended sediment mixture and the deposited layer are developed. By integrating these equations over the length of eroding land element and over the duration of the erosion event, an event-based solution is proposed which predicts total sediment sorting over the event. This solution is shown to be consistent with experimentally observed trends in enrichment of fine sediment. Predictions using this approach are found to only partly explain measured enrichment for sets of experimental data for two quite different soils, but to be in poor agreement for an aridsol of dispersive character. It is concluded that the formation of the deposited layer is a significant mechanism in the enrichment of fine sediment and associated sorbed pollutants, but that processes in the dispersive soil are not as well described by the theory presented.     

A simple method for the rapid determination of exponential soil-water diffusivity in the laboratory

We present a simple method in two dimensions for the determination of exponential soil-water diffusivity. This determination is made by measuring the wetting front position when water is injected in the soil at different fluxes. The results are exact and represent an improvement over previous techniques both in terms of ease and accuracy.¹     

Longer distance commuting as a substitute for migration in Britain: a review of trends,issues and implications

"Drawing on analyses of commuting data from secondary sources as well as on selected results from a research project on long-distance commuting in Britain, this article investigates the extent to which, and why, households may choose to substitute longer distance commuting for migration. Reasons for long-distance weekly commuting, and associated advantages and disadvantages from individual, household and employer perspectives, are outlined. The evidence points to increasing complexity in home and working lives, with important implications for housing, transport and human resource management policies, as well as for family life."     

Explosive impulse on plates

This paper describes a series of very small scale model tests that were conducted in support of a full scale test program conducted by the Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen, Maryland for the US Navy to investigate the impulse delivered to a military vehicle by a buried land mine. The full scale tests were conducted in July of 2004 and investigated the effect of various parameters on the impulse delivered. The vehicle was represented by a steel plate and depth of burial, standoff distance, and explosive size (up to 10 pounds of TNT) were changed in the seven tests conducted for the Navy. The full scale tests were conducted in saturated sand. The tests described in this paper used a maximum charge size of 3.3 gm of RDX and PETN. Each of the tests conducted for the Navy were simulated by the small scale tests and a prediction of the impulse that would be measured for each of the tests was made. The small scale tests (as well as the full scale tests results) were also used by the developers of various numerical codes that were also used to predict the impuse that would be measured in the full scale test series.This paper is accompanied by a paper by Taylor et al. (Taylor, L. C., Skaggs, R. R. and Gault, W., 2005, Vertical impulse measurement of mines buried in saturated sand, Fragblast, International Journal for Blasting and Fragmentation, 9, 19-28) in this issue of FRAGBLAST. In the next issue of FRAGBLAST several additional papers will be published. These will be the results of the numerical codes that were used to predict the impulse.