A cross-border regional earthquake early warning system: PRESTo@CE3RN

Since 2002 the Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS) in Udine (Italy), the Agencija Republike Slovenije za Okolje (ARSO) in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and the Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik (ZAMG) in Vienna (Austria), are collecting, analyzing, archiving and exchanging seismic data in real time, initially in the framework of the EU Interreg IIIa Italia-Austria project “Trans-national seismological networks in the South-Eastern Alps”. As outcome of the successful cooperation, in the 2013 OGS, ARSO and ZAMG decided to officially merge their seismic monitoring efforts into the “Central and Eastern European Earthquake Research Network—CE³RN”. This work reports the results of a nine-month real-time test of the earthquake early warning (EEW) algorithm probabilistic and evolutionary early warning system carried out at the CE³RN. The study allowed identifying the actions to be implemented in order to let the CE³RN become in the next future an efficient cross-border EEW system.

     

第纳尔(Dinaric)喀斯特台地的一些大型漏斗

Dinaric喀斯特的主要特征是各种各样的洼地,包括坡立谷、漏斗、塌陷漏斗及其它类似塌陷漏斗的洼地.这类地形的一些大尺度洼地分布于高喀斯特台地(如斯洛文尼亚的Pokljuka,Jelovica和Sne(z)nik)、喀斯特接触带(如(S)kocjanske溶洞)、坡立谷上的基面(如Imotski坡立谷上的红湖)和大型喀斯特泉群之后(如Malni泉群上的Un(s)ka koli(s)evka漏斗).喀斯特洼地的许多术语都是依据据斯洛文尼亚的地貌定义的.     

Line emission from accretion discs around black holes: the analytic approach

The broad X-ray iron line observed in many active galactic nuclei spectra is thought to originate from the accretion disc surrounding the putative supermassive black hole. We show here how to perform the analytical integration of the geodesic equations that describe the photon trajectories in the general case of a rotating black hole (Kerr metric), in order to write a fast and efficient numerical code for modelling emission line profiles from accretion discs.     

Determination of masonry building fundamental frequencies in five Slovenian towns by microtremor excitation and implications for seismic risk assessment

Site effects studies using microtremor free-field measurements were performed recently in five Slovenian towns characterized by increased seismic hazard to determine resonance frequency of soft sediments. In this study, microtremor investigations were extended to the measurements inside buildings to determine their fundamental frequencies and to assess the possible occurrence of soil-structure resonance. Measurements were performed in 66 buildings, and by spectral analysis, it was possible to determine reliably fundamental frequencies (longitudinal and transverse) for 58 buildings. Residential masonry houses with two or three floors prevail, but some buildings of up to six-floor height were also surveyed. Microtremor measurements have proved to be an effective tool for assessment of fundamental frequencies of buildings. Such experimental approach is very valuable, as analytical seismic evaluation of an existing building is usually very difficult. Statistical analysis of the fundamental frequency versus number of floors (height) was performed to generalize identification of potential soil-structure resonance. The difference in average fundamental frequency is very clear between buildings with two and three floors. The average value of both horizontal components for two-floor buildings is 9.11?±?1.94?Hz, and for three-floor buildings, 7.03?±?1.46?Hz. On the other hand, the difference in frequencies between three- and four-floor buildings (average for later is 6.52?±?0.80?Hz) is very small. The average fundamental frequencies for five- and six-floor buildings are lower, 4.62?±?0.64?Hz and 5.30?±?0.70?Hz, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between both types. Most Slovenian towns are located in shallow sedimentary basins where the free-field soft covers frequencies are in the range 2?C20?Hz. On the other hand, houses with two and three floors represent the large majority of the building stock. To assess the possible occurrence of soil-structure resonance in general, an average fundamental frequency?±?one standard deviation interval is obtained for these two building heights, which gives the range 5.6?C11.1?Hz. The free-field data show that this frequency range occupies from 22?% of the surveyed area in the Kobarid basin to up to 59?% in the Bovec basin and is in between for other three basins. This leads to the conclusion that the possible occurrence of soil-structure resonance is a serious issue for typical geological situations, in which towns are located.     

Database of molecular masers and variable stars

We present the database of maser sources in H2 O, OH and Si O lines that can be used to identify and study variable stars at evolved stages. Detecting the maser emission in H2 O, OH and Si O molecules toward infrared-excess objects is one of the methods for identifing long-period variables(LPVs, including miras and semiregulars), because these stars exhibit maser activity in their circumstellar shells. Our sample contains 1803 known LPV objects. Forty-six percent of these stars(832 objects) manifest maser emission in the line of at least one molecule: H2 O, OH or Si O. We use the database of circumstellar masers in order to search for LPVs which are not included in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars(GCVS). Our database contains 4806 objects(3866 objects without associations in GCVS) with maser detection in at least one molecule. Therefore it is possible to use the database in order to locate and study the large sample of LPV stars. The database can be accessed at http://maserdb.net.     

Deductions from the Indication of Eclipses of Nova V1493 Aql

Our mainly R band photometry of V1493 Aql (1999) during its outburst, indicates periodic variations with a period of 0.156 days, seen only 5 days after the maximum in V. This period can be orbital. The light curve indicates in addition, the presence of a faint eclipse like feature. We try to explain its extremely low amlitude, as being due to the eclipse of an expanded white dwarf component of the binary below an optically thick wind. We discuss what conditions would be required for such an interpretation to work.     

Factors that contributed to recent eutrophication of two Slovenian mountain lakes

Increased eutrophication was recently observed in the 5th (5J) and 6th (6J) Triglav Lakes, two remote Slovenian mountain lakes. Sediment phosphorus (P) pools were analysed and potential external P sources affecting the lakes (atmospheric deposition, terrestrial export and nearby hut) evaluated, to assess the effects of internal and external changes on the lakes. A sequential extraction procedure was used to quantify five P fractions from the sediments: adsorbed (NH₄Cl–P), redox-sensitive (BD–P), aluminium- (NaOH–P) and calcium- (HCl–P) bound, and refractory organic (Res–P) P. Total phosphorus (TP) contents in surface sediment of 5J and 6J were 1430 and 641 µg P g^?1 dry weight sediment (dw), respectively. TP varied with depth in 5J sediments, but displayed no discernible pattern, whereas it decreased steadily downcore in 6J. Contents of all P forms were distinctly higher in 5J than 6J, but their rank order and relative abundances were similar in the two lakes. Res–P was the most abundant P fraction, followed by HCl–P. Together, the two P forms accounted for nearly 80 and 90% of TP in 5J and 6J sediments, respectively. BD–P and NaOH–P were less abundant, with each fraction accounting for 3 to 9% of TP, whereas NH₄Cl–P was least abundant. Atmospheric deposition and terrestrial export were substantial sources of P for the lakes. Delivery of the former was estimated to be at least 7.5 mg P m^?2 yr^?1 and the latter around 20 mg P m^?2 yr^?1. We concluded that P was not retained in the catchment effectively, likely because of only slightly acidic soil pH (5.9), relatively low aluminium content and high organic matter content (53%) in soils, resulting in higher vulnerability of the studied lakes to eutrophication. The mountain hut could also be a significant source of P for the lakes. Each year, it could potentially contribute ~12 kg of soluble P to the environment, but the true impact of the hut on lake trophic status remains unclear.     

Application of diffracted wave analysis to time‐lapse seismic data for CO2 leakage detection

Time‐lapse seismic analysis is utilized in CO₂ geosequestration to verify the CO₂ containment within a reservoir. A major risk associated with geosequestration is a possible leakage of CO₂ from the storage formation into overlaying formations. To mitigate this risk, the deployment of carbon capture and storage projects requires fast and reliable detection of relatively small volumes of CO₂ outside the storage formation. To do this, it is necessary to predict typical seepage scenarios and improve subsurface seepage detection methods. In this work we present a technique for CO₂ monitoring based on the detection of diffracted waves in time‐lapse seismic data. In the case of CO₂ seepage, the migrating plume might form small secondary accumulations that would produce diffracted, rather than reflected waves. From time‐lapse data analysis, we are able to separate the diffracted waves from the predominant reflections in order to image the small CO₂ plumes. To explore possibilities to detect relatively small amounts of CO₂, we performed synthetic time‐lapse seismic modelling based on the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) Otway project data. The detection method is based on defining the CO₂ location by measuring the coherency of the signal along diffraction offset‐traveltime curves. The technique is applied to a time‐lapse stacked section using a stacking velocity to construct offset‐traveltime curves. Given the amount of noise found in the surface seismic data, the predicted minimum detectable amount of CO₂ is 1000–2000 tonnes. This method was also applied to real data obtained from a time‐lapse seismic physical model. The use of diffractions rather than reflections for monitoring small amounts of CO₂ can enhance the capability of subsurface monitoring in CO₂ geosequestration projects.     

Mapping the thickness of sediments in the Ljubljana Moor basin (Slovenia) using microtremors

The Ljubljana Moor basin is characterized by moderate bedrock topography and thicknesses of Quaternary lacustrine and fluvial sediments ranging from 0 to 200 m. More than 65 boreholes which reached the bedrock were drilled in the area, but their distribution in the basin is very uneven and some data from the boreholes uncertain. There are also no data on S-velocity distribution within the basin, but seismic refraction measurements pointed out a rather uniform increase of P-velocity with depth, great impedance contrast with the bedrock and relatively small lateral velocity variations. The microtremor horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method was therefore applied as a complementary tool to seismic refraction survey to map the thickness of sediments. First, microtremors were measured at the locations of boreholes which reached the bedrock and the resonance frequencies determined. The inverse power relationship between the resonance frequency and the thickness of sediments was then determined from 53 data pairs. The quality of the correlation is moderate due to possible heterogeneities in sediments and possible 3D effects in some minor areas, but the obtained parameters correspond well to the values obtained in six other European basins. Secondly, a 16 km-long discontinuous seismic refraction profile was measured across the whole basin, leaving uncovered some larger segments where active seismic measurements were not possible. Microtremors were then measured at 64 locations along the same profile, using 250 m point spacing, without leaving any gaps. The frequency–thickness relationship was used to invert resonance frequencies to depths. These were first validated using the results of the seismic refraction survey, which showed good agreement, and finally used for interpolation in the segments of missing refraction data to obtain a continuous depth profile of the bedrock. The study has shown that the microtremor method can be used as a complementary tool for mapping the thickness of unconsolidated sediments also in areas characterized by moderate bedrock topography. As the input data are always to some extent uncertain, it is important to have a sufficiently large number of borehole data to establish a frequency–thickness relationship, as well as some additional independent geophysical information for its validation.