Paleoecological Successions from Shallow-marine Depositional Environments in Upper Silurian Carbonate Rocks of Blair County, Pennsylvania

Studies of paleoenvironment and paleoecology are important for investigating relationships between the different environmental and biological variables that influenced biodiversification patterns during the Silurian Period. The mixed carbonate and siliciclastic rocks of the Bloomsburg and Mifflintown Formations in central Pennsylvania represent transitions between carbonate ramp and deltaic settings. The goal of this study was to assess changes in depositional environment and paleoecology of an undescribed Bloomsburg/Mifflintown locality in Bellwood, Pennsylvania. In central Pennsylvania, the interfingered relationship of mixed carbonate and siliciclastic mudstones of the Mifflintown Formation with red fine-grained sandstones and shales of the Bloomsburg Formation presented challenges for deciphering the formations. Five stratigraphic sections were measured and described, in addition to identification of fossils and petrographic analysis of rock samples. A relatively diverse range of marine invertebrate fossils was observed, including ostracods, brachiopods, mollusks, crinoids, tentaculitids, bryozoa. orthocerid nautiloids, sponges, tabulate corals, and a rare eurypterid tergite. Nine lithologies were identified, including: (1) bioclastic wackestone-packstone, (2) siliciclastic mudstone, (3) mottled nodular-bedded packstone (4) fossiliferous mudstone-wackestone, (5) laminated peloidal grainstone, (6) recrystallized skeletal packstone, (7) intraclastic conglomerate and detrital carbonates, (8) massive microcrystalline carbonate, and (9) laminated brown calcareous mudstone. The observed fossil taxa were identified to study patterns in paleoecological and faunal community composition across different depositional environments. Based on lithological associations, four lithofacies were identified: (1) distal slope, (2) open lagoon and subtidal channels, (3) intertidal channels, and (4) tidal flat and channels. Most paleoenvironmental shifts were gradual. Paleoecology patterns assessed at the community-level illustrated variation in fauna based on substrate consistency and energy levels. The majority of paleoecommunities consisted of open marine fauna, with one community dominated by semi-restricted, brackish fauna. Faunal communities showed more variation in open marine environments such as ramp, open lagoon, and reef shoals. The undifferentiated Bloomsburg and Mifflintown Formations at Bellwood, Pennsylvania illustrate a general coarsening-upward sequence that reflects a shallowing of depositional environments likely relating to fluxes in siliciclastic sediment input, relating to lateral migration of a coastal delta, relative sea level change, or potentially both. Deposition was dominated by storm-driven processes, with lesser influence of tidal energy during periods of fair weather. The stratigraphy exposed at the Bellwood outcrop represents the evolution of a semi-protected, muddy, low-gradient carbonate ramp system, as it became influenced by siliciclastic influx associated with coastal delta progradation

Arab Spring - Concepts and Characteristics (Case of Egypt)

This study aims to shed light on the revolutions of the Arab Spring, especially in the case of Egypt, where the conceptual side will be reviewed and to identify the most important features and highlights of this event. During the second decade of the twenty-first century, the Arab region has marked a flurry of unusual at the political level. This flurry has created a very important phenomenon not only for the Arab region, but also worldwide. This phenomenon is known as the Arab Spring, which came as a result of the ongoing suffering of the peoples of the region from injustice, oppression and inequality in all spheres of life. Thus, to achieve this purpose, revolutionary concepts and the theoretical concept of revolution will be analyzed and studied, a comparison between western concept and the Arab revolution, as well as concentration on a particular focus on the concept of Egyptian Spring and the most prominent features of it. Through this work will be provided insights on the reality of revolutionary concepts and specifically the depth of the dimensions, aspects and characteristics that belong to the concept of the Revolution of Arab Spring in general, and Egypt in particular. There is no doubt that the study of this event cannot be stopped to the limits or the time, and that this event is not just about Arab nations or peoples of the Middle East region, but it has to do will all the peoples of the world living under the pressure of the same reasons and conditions of these revolutions

Impacts of Revolutions in the Arab Spring Countries and in the entire Middle East Region

Middle East, especially the Arab spring countries live one of the most dangerous and most critical periods of their ancient or modern history. The fact that spring has turned into a harsh and painful winter, is undeniable. The fact that the peoples of these countries have failed to achieve success in the performance test of democracy in modern time and at least so far, is undeniable. Arab Spring has reflected and discovered many unexpected facts. This study aims to shed light on the most important and most dangerous consequences, positive and negative impacts of these revolutions in the countries of the Arab spring, either nationally or internationally, especially in the economic and geopolitical aspect as well as the degree of impact in the entire Middle East Region. This study focuses on the most serious negative aspects of these revolutions represented by the growth of the phenomenon of violence, terrorism and religious extremism, the entry of the entire region into an unprecedented catastrophic situation of international conflict, and finally responding to specific question, the Arab spring...did succeeded or failed

Response Of Cable Roofs To Wind

A nonlinear solution is formulated for a single hanging cable and flat rectangular and circular cable roofs under the effect of the initial tension and the applied loads. The solution is based on a small strain large displacement theory.;The linear deflection of a curved tension roof under additional static loads is studied using the assumption that the deflection under these additional loads is small with respect to that under the initial loads. Approximate analytical solutions for the initial and additional deflections are obtained.;The linear undamped free vibration problem of a flat cable tension roof with any boundary is considered using the assumption that an orthogonal, isotropic network can be replaced by an equivalent membrane found by energy considerations. Free vibration is solved for rectangular, circular and elliptical boundaries. For the elliptical flat cable roof, a simplified solution, very well suited for practical applications, is derived.;The partial differential equation of free undamped vibration of a general curved membrane surface is formulated and solved, with some simplifications, for a rectangular hyperbolic paraboloid cable roof. The general solution outlined above is extended to include the case of the circular hyperbolic paraboloid cable roof.;The problem of a free vibrating membrane backed by a cavity with openings is theoretically studied and complemented by experimental verification of the theory. Theoretical and experimental values for frequency reduction due to inertia are given.;The statistical theory of wind forces is reviewed and applied to determine the dynamic response of cable roofs to wind loading. The problem of air-structure interaction is outlined and parameters for the aerodynamic and acoustical damping ratio are described. The behaviour of cable roofs in turbulent wind is studied in the wind tunnel using two aeroelastic models. The similarity requirements for modelling are reviewed with special attention being paid to the effect of the air enclosed under the roof. A similarity law for the modelling of this enclosure is presented and its role in free vibration as well as wind induced vibration is investigated. A wind tunnel study of a large tension roof is described.;The design implications of cable tension roof behaviour under turbulent wind load are discussed

Treatment of Greywater Using Bio filtration and Permeable Pavement Systems

Municipal wastewater can be divided into two categories, greywater and black water. Greywater occupies about 75% of total wastewater and are relatively less polluted than the black water. Reuse of greywater is becoming popular in many arid and semiarid regions in order to reduce the municipal water demand. They can be reused for groundwater recharge, landscape irrigation and for toilet flushing. However, the main challenges are their collection, storage and selection of the appropriate treatment system. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located in a hyper arid region, having an annual average rainfall of less than 100 mm. Reliable survey data for surface water resources are not available here. Three main sources of water resources in the UAE are groundwater, desalinated water and reclaimed wastewater. Despite their scarce water resources, residential water consumption in the UAE is significantly high, of which more than half of the municipal water are used for outdoor activities. The water demand reduction and diversification of water sources are very important for the security of its urban water supply. The study investigated the quantity and characteristics of greywater, and the efficiency of two alternative treatment systems, the biofiltration and the permeable pavement with an underlying reservoir. The study was conducted in the city of Al Ain. Both treatment systems are conventionally used for urban stormwater treatment. They are popularly known as the Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) systems. Laboratory scale prototypes of both systems were prepared and investigated. The estimated greywater generation rate was found about 190 liter/capita/day. The ablution and laundry greywater exhibits the least and most deteriorated greywater, respectively. Both systems performed well in improving the greywater quality, but the vegetative biofiltration unit performed better than the permeable pavement unit. The study revealed that the permeable pavement with an underlying reservoir can be used as a storage unit and subsequent treatment can be achieved in the vegetative biofiltration system. Both systems are well fitted within the urban landscape of UAE