Mapping long-period soil resonances in the Kathmandu basin using microtremors

This study reports the geostatistical analysis of a set of 40 single-station horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) passive seismic survey data collected in the Kathmandu basin (Nepal). The Kathmandu basin is characterized by a heterogeneous sedimentary cover and by a complex geo-structural setting, inducing a high spatial variability of the bedrock depth. Due to the complex geological setting, the interpretation and analysis of soil resonance periods derived from the HVSR surveys is challenging, both from the perspective of bedrock depth estimation as well as of seismic-site effects characterization. To exploit the available information, the HVSR data are analyzed by means of a geostatistical approach. First, the spatial continuity structure of HVSR data is investigated and interpreted taking into consideration the geological setting and available stratigraphic and seismic information. Then, the exploitation of potential auxiliary variables, based on surface morphology and distance from outcropping bedrock, is evaluated. Finally, the mapping of HVSR resonance periods, together with the evaluation of interpolation uncertainty, is obtained by means of kriging with external drift interpolation. This work contributes to the characterization of local seismic response of the Kathmandu basin. The resulting map of soil resonance periods is compatible with the results of preceding studies and it is characterized by a high spatial variability, even in areas with a deep bedrock and long resonance periods

Tributyltin in crustacean tissues: Analytical performance and validation of method

The hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus is a typical organism from intertidal regions being considered as a good bioindicator of tributyltin presence at these environments. Thus this study presents the analytical performance and validation method for TBT quantification in tissues of C. vittatus by gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detector (GC-PFPD) after extraction with an apolar solvent (toluene) and Grignard derivatization. The limits of detection of the method (LOD) were 2.0 and 2.8 ng g -1 for TBT and DBT (dibutyltin), respectively, and its limits of quantification (LOQ) were 6.6 and 8.9 ng g-1 for TBT and DBT, respectively. The method was applied to samples from Santos Estuary, São Paulo State, Brazil. TBT and DBT concentrations ranged from 26.7 to 175.0 ng g -1 and from 46.2 to 156.0 ng g -1, respectively. These concentrations are worrisome since toxic effects (such as endocrine disruption) have been reported for other organisms even under lower levels of registred at this study. © 2012 Sociedade Brasileira de Química

Informática para a terceira idade – características de um curso bem sucedido

The increase in life expectancy of humans brings new demands, particularly in the areas of health, in which actions must be planned to ensure a healthy elderly ageing. Among these are the actions that stimulate mental and social activities of the individual, slowing the degenerative processes of the mind and depression due to isolation. In this sense, computer courses have been of great importance to this age group, providing both benefits. However, activities geared to call elderly should be specific to it, so as to meet their needs without causing discomfort and/or feelings of failure. This article reports a study that is being developed in a course in basic computing for the elderly, offered at the Chemistry Institute at UNESP, Araraquara campus whose proposal is to focus in its planning and development, the peculiarities of the elderly. Therefore, the methodology adopted for the teaching-learning is different and the material is adequately prepared for the course.El aumento de la expectativa de vida de los seres humanos acarreta nuevas necesidades, especialmente en las áreas de salud, cuyas acciones deben estar previstas con el propósito de garantizar al anciano un envejecimiento saludable. Entre estas acciones estan las que estimulan las actividades mentales y sociales del individuo, retardando los procesos degenerativos y depresivos de la mente, que son resultados del aislamiento. En este sentido los cursos de imformática han sido de gran importancia para esa faja de edad,proporcionando benefícios en ambos lados de la actividad individual.Aún más, las actividades dirigidas especialmente para la tercera edad deben ser bastante específicas, visando atender a las necesidades, sin causar deconfort o sensación de incapacidad. Este articulo relata un trabajo desarrollado en un curso de informática Básica para la Tercera Edad, ofrecido por el Instituto de Química de la UNESP Campus de Araraquara, cuya propuesta visa en su plan el desarrollo peculiar del idoso. Asi, la metodología adoptada en el proceso de enseñanza -aprendizaje es diferenciada como también el material adecuado para el curso.O aumento da expectativa de vida dos seres humanos traz consigo novas demandas, especialmente nas áreas da saúde, na qual devem estar previstas ações no sentido de garantir ao idoso um envelhecimento saudável. Entre estas ações estão as que estimulam as atividades mentais e sociais do indivíduo, retardando os processos degenerativos e os depressivos da mente, resultantes do isolamento. Neste sentido, os cursos de informática têm sido de grande relevância para esta faixa etária, proporcionando benefícios aos dois âmbitos de atividade do indivíduo. Todavia, as atividades voltadas para a chamada terceira idade devem ser específicas para ela, de modo a atender às suas necessidades sem causar desconforto e/ou sensação de incapacidade. Este artigo relata um trabalho que vem sendo desenvolvido em um curso de Informática Básica para a Terceira Idade, oferecido no Instituto de Química da UNESP, campus de Araraquara, cuja proposta é focar, no seu planejamento e desenvolvimento, as peculiaridades do idoso. Assim, a metodologia adotada para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem é diferenciada e o material é adequadamente preparado para o curso

Biomarkers reveal the effects of hydrography on the sources and fate of marine and terrestrial organic matter in the western Irish Sea

A suite of lipid biomarkers were investigated from surface sediments and particulatematter across hydrographically distinct zones associated with the western Irish Sea gyre and the seasonal bloom. The aim was to assess the variation of organic matter (OM) composition, production, distribution and fate associated with coastal and southern mixed regions and also the summer stratified region. Based on the distribution of a suite of diagnostic biomarkers, including phospholipid fatty acids, source-specific sterols, wax esters and C25 highly branched isoprenoids, diatoms, dinoflagellates and green algae were identified as major contributors of marine organic matter (MOM) in this setting. The distribution of cholesterol, wax esters and C20 and C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids indicate that copepod grazing represents an important process for mineralising this primary production. Net tow data from 2010 revealed much greater phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass in well-mixed waters compared to stratified waters. This appears to be largely reflected in MOM input to surface sediments. Terrestrial organic matter (TOM), derived from higher plants, was identified as a major source of OM regionally, but was concentrated in proximity to major riverine input at the Boyne Estuary and Dundalk Bay. Near-bottom residual circulation and the seasonal gyre also likely play a role in the fate of TOM in the western Irish Sea

Seismic hazard for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Part 2: broadband scenarios at the Fier Compressor Station (Albania)

AbstractTo ensure environmental and public safety, critical facilities require rigorous seismic hazard analysis to define seismic input for their design. We consider the case of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is a pipeline that transports natural gas from the Caspian Sea to southern Italy, crossing active faults and areas characterized by high seismicity levels. For this pipeline, we develop a Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) for the broader area, and, for the selected critical sites, we perform deterministic seismic hazard assessment (DSHA), by calculating shaking scenarios that account for the physics of the source, propagation, and site effects. This paper presents a DSHA for a compressor station located at Fier, along the Albanian coastal region. Considering the location of the most hazardous faults in the study site, revealed by the PSHA disaggregation, we model the ground motion for two different scenarios to simulate the worst-case scenario for this compressor station. We compute broadband waveforms for receivers on soft soils by applying specific transfer functions estimated from the available geotechnical data for the Fier area. The simulations reproduce the variability observed in the ground motion recorded in the near-earthquake source. The vertical ground motion is strong for receivers placed above the rupture areas and should not be ignored in seismic designs; furthermore, our vertical simulations reproduce the displacement and the static offset of the ground motion highlighted in recent studies. This observation confirms the importance of the DSHA analysis in defining the expected pipeline damage functions and permanent soil deformations

The leading digit distribution of the worldwide Illicit Financial Flows

Benford's law states that in data sets from different phenomena leading digits tend to be distributed logarithmically such that the numbers beginning with smaller digits occur more often than those with larger ones. Particularly, the law is known to hold for different types of financial data. The Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) exiting the developing countries are frequently discussed as hidden resources which could have been otherwise properly utilized for their development. We investigate here the distribution of the leading digits in the recent data on estimates of IFFs to look for the existence of a pattern as predicted by Benford's law and establish that the frequency of occurrence of the leading digits in these estimates does closely follow the law.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables, additional data analyi

Benford's law predicted digit distribution of aggregated income taxes: the surprising conformity of Italian cities and regions

The yearly aggregated tax income data of all, more than 8000, Italian municipalities are analyzed for a period of five years, from 2007 to 2011, to search for conformity or not with Benford's law, a counter-intuitive phenomenon observed in large tabulated data where the occurrence of numbers having smaller initial digits is more favored than those with larger digits. This is done in anticipation that large deviations from Benford's law will be found in view of tax evasion supposedly being widespread across Italy. Contrary to expectations, we show that the overall tax income data for all these years is in excellent agreement with Benford's law. Furthermore, we also analyze the data of Calabria, Campania and Sicily, the three Italian regions known for strong presence of mafia, to see if there are any marked deviations from Benford's law. Again, we find that all yearly data sets for Calabria and Sicily agree with Benford's law whereas only the 2007 and 2008 yearly data show departures from the law for Campania. These results are again surprising in view of underground and illegal nature of economic activities of mafia which significantly contribute to tax evasion. Some hypothesis for the found conformity is presented.Comment: 18 pages, 5 tables, 4 figures, 61 references, To appear in European Physical Journal