TSUNAMI INFORMATION SOURCES PART 3

This is Part 3 of Tsunami Information Sources published by Robert L. Wiegel, as Technical Report UCB/HEL 2006-3 of the Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering of the University of California at Berkeley. Part 3 is published in "SCIENCE OF TSUNAMI HAZARDS" -with the author's permission -so that it can receive wider distribution and use by the Tsunami Scientific Community

TSUNAMI INFORMATION SOURCES PART 2

Tsunami Information Sources (Robert L. Wiegel, University of California, Berkeley, CA, UCB/HEL 2005-1, 14 December 2005, 115 pages), is available in printed format, and on a diskette. It is also available in electronic format at the Water Resources Center Archives, University of California, Berkeley, CA http:www.lib.berkeley.edu/WRCA/tsunamis.htmland in the International Journal of The Tsunami Society, Science of Tsunami Hazards (Vol. 24, No. 2, 2006, pp 58-171) at http://www.sthjournal.org/sth6.htm.This is Part 2 of the report. It has two components. They are: 1.(Sections A and B). Sources added since the first report, and corrections to a few listed in the first report. 2.(Sections C and D). References from both the first report and this report, listed in two categories:Section C. Planning and engineering design for tsunami mitigation/protection; adjustments to the hazard; damage to structures and infrastructureSection D. Tsunami propagation nearshore; induced oscillations; runup/inundation (flooding) and drawdown

Insights into plant biomass conversion from the genome of the anaerobic thermophilic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii DSM 6725

Caldicellulosiruptor bescii DSM 6725 utilizes various polysaccharides and grows efficiently on untreated high-lignin grasses and hardwood at an optimum temperature of ∼80°C. It is a promising anaerobic bacterium for studying high-temperature biomass conversion. Its genome contains 2666 protein-coding sequences organized into 1209 operons. Expression of 2196 genes (83%) was confirmed experimentally. At least 322 genes appear to have been obtained by lateral gene transfer (LGT). Putative functions were assigned to 364 conserved/hypothetical protein (C/HP) genes. The genome contains 171 and 88 genes related to carbohydrate transport and utilization, respectively. Growth on cellulose led to the up-regulation of 32 carbohydrate-active (CAZy), 61 sugar transport, 25 transcription factor and 234 C/HP genes. Some C/HPs were overproduced on cellulose or xylan, suggesting their involvement in polysaccharide conversion. A unique feature of the genome is enrichment with genes encoding multi-modular, multi-functional CAZy proteins organized into one large cluster, the products of which are proposed to act synergistically on different components of plant cell walls and to aid the ability of C. bescii to convert plant biomass. The high duplication of CAZy domains coupled with the ability to acquire foreign genes by LGT may have allowed the bacterium to rapidly adapt to changing plant biomass-rich environments

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

TSUNAMI INFORMATION SOURCES - PART 4

I have expanded substantially my list of information sources on: tsunami generation (sources, impulsive mechanisms), propagation, effects of nearshore bathymetry, and wave run-up on shore - including physical (hydraulic) modeling and numerical modeling. This expanded list includes the subjects of field investigations of tsunamis soon after an event; damage effects in harbors on boats, ships, and facilities; tsunami wave-induced forces; damage by tsunami waves to structures on shore; scour/erosion; hazard mitigation; land use planning; zoning; siting, design, construction and maintenance of structures and infrastructure; public awareness and education; distant and local sources; tsunami warning and evacuation programs; tsunami probability and risk criteria. A few references are on "sedimentary signatures" useful in the study of historic and prehistoric tsunamis (paleo-tsunamis). In addition to references specifically on tsunamis, there are references on long water wave and solitary wave theory; wave refraction, diffraction, and reflection; shelf and basin free and forced oscillations (bay and harbor response; seiches); edge waves; Mach- reflection of long water waves ("stem waves"); wave run-up on shore; energy dissipation. All are important in understanding tsunamis, and in hazard mitigation. References are given on subaerial and submarine landslide (and rockfall) generated waves in reservoirs, fjords, bays, and ocean; volcano explosive eruptions/collapse; underwater and surface explosions; asteroid impact. This report is in two parts: 1) Bibliographies, books and pamphlets, catalogs, collections, journals and newsletters, maps, organizations, proceedings, videos and photos; 2) Articles, papers, reports listed alphabetically by author.Many papers on the Indian Ocean (Sumatra) tsunami of 26 December 2004, were given at the 22nd IUGG International Tsunami Symposium, Chania, Crete, 27-29 June 2005, but had not been published at the date of this report. For the program, see http://www.gein.noa.gr/English/tsunamis.htmThis list of tsunami information sources (115 pp, about 3,300 entries) is also available on a diskette, at the Water Resources Center Archives, 410 O'Brien Hall, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720-1718. Most of the publications are available in the Water Resources Center Archives or the Earth Sciences Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA.I wish to acknowledge my appreciation of the great help of the staff of the Water Resources Center Archives in finding some difficult to obtain publications; in particular Paul S. Atwood for his help for those on websites and other computer sources. I want to thank John M. Wiegel for his continuous help in searching for sources on websites via computer search-engines

Tsunami Information Sources

I have expanded substantially my list of information sources on: tsunami generation (sources, impulsive mechanisms), propagation, effects of nearshore bathymetry, and wave run-up on shore - including physical (hydraulic) modeling and numerical modeling. This expanded list includes the subjects of field investigations of tsunamis soon after an event; damage effects in harbors on boats, ships, and facilities; tsunami wave-induced forces; damage by tsunami waves to structures on shore; scour/erosion; hazard mitigation; land use planning; zoning; siting, design, construction and maintenance of structures and infrastructure; public awareness and education; distant and local sources; tsunami warning and evacuation programs; tsunami probability and risk criteria. A few references are on "sedimentary signatures" useful in the study of historic and prehistoric tsunamis (paleotsunamis). In addition to references specifically on tsunamis, there are references on long water wave and solitary wave theory; wave refraction, diffraction, and reflection; shelf and basin free and forced oscillations (bay and harbor response; seiches); edge waves; Mach-reflection of long water waves ("stem waves"); wave runup on shore; energy dissipation. All are important in understanding tsunamis, and in hazard mitigation. References are given on subaerial and submarine landslide (and rockfall) generated waves in reservoirs, fjords, bays, and ocean; volcano explosive eruptions/collapse; underwater and surface explosions; asteroid impact. This report is in two parts: 1) Bibliographies, books and pamphlets, catalogs, collections, journals and newsletters, maps, organizations, proceedings, videos and photos; 2) Articles, papers, reports listed alphabetically by author

San Pedro Bay Delta, in Southern California Shore and Shore Use Changes During Past 1-1/2 Centuries from a Coastal Engineering Perspective

The flood plain formed by detritus deposited by the Los Angeles, San Gabriel, and Santa Ana Rivers, and several streams is a multi-river delta at the coast and shelf of San Pedro Bay, a hook-shaped bight in southern California. It is between Point Fermin (southeastern tip of Palos Verdes Hills) on the northwest and Newport Bayl Corona del Mar bluffs at the southeast. The 30-mile long shore has been extensively modified by anthropogenic activities and by natural events which are described; construction of dams for flood control (which also traps sediments), river mouth structures, ground subsidence owing to oil, gas and water withdrawal, structures and dredging at the entrances of landlocked bays (Alamitos, Anaheim, Newport), development and operation of marinas and navigation channels, encroachment by buildings and infrastructure. Sand beaches are along almost the entire shore: Long Beach Municipal Beach, Belmont Shore Beach, Seal Beach, Surfside Beach, Sunset County Beach, Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington Cliffs, Huntington City Beach, Huntington State Beach, Santa Ana River Mouth County Beach, West Newport Beach, Balboa Beach. The sand is light in color, and is mostly silicate (quartz and some feldspar). The beaches and surf, which are easily accessible, are popular and extensively used by residents and visitors. The natural supply of sediment to the coast became severely restricted, and beach erosion studies have been made since the 1930's; these are documented. There have been extensive beach nourishment (replenishment) projects for many decades which have successfully mitigated negative effects of sediment trapping, coastal structures, and ground subsidence. Dates, quantities and sources of the sediment placed as nourishment are given. Beach profile surveys and "Clancy beach width" measurements made during many decades were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Surfside-Sunset beach project (including West Newport Beach). The wave climate in the Southern California Bight is complex. Six different meteorological patterns are the sources of the waves; they include North Pacific storms, local seas, and southern swell that have traveled thousands of miles from storms in the south 40 to 50 deg. latitudes. The waves are affected (refraction, diffraction, reflection, shoaling) by the islands, banks, submarine canyons, and local bathymetry of the California Continental Borderland. Sources of wave measurements, analysis, storage, and retrieval are given. The region is subject to storm waves, floods, droughts, seawater intrusion, earthquakes, tsunamis; some details of which are given. Damages caused by several severe wave events are described. A coastal lowland/wetland that was substantially impacted in the past century was restored recently, the Bolsa Chica Lowlands Restoration Project. Its history and restoration (a modification of the original) is described. The largest seaport complex in the USA, by volume, is in the northwest part of San Pedro Bay, the contiguous Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports/Harbors; with 9.2 miles of breakwaters (in 3 sections, with 2 navigation entrances). The region has become extensively urbanized; it is part of the Los Angeles (Coastal) Megacity

The Nile River Delta Coast and Alexandria Seaport, Egypt: A Brief Overview of History, Problems, and Mitigation

The main objective of the International Conference on Coastal Zone Management of River Deltas and Low Land Coastlines, Alexandria, Egypt, 6-10 March 2010 is/was to bring together engineers, scientists, managers, and officials and staff of government agencies (national and local) to address outstanding problems and programs associated with erosion! accretion! subsidence of shores of river deltas and other low land coastal areas. The venue is on the Nile Delta, southeastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Port of Alexandria, and its ancient predecessors is probably the oldest in the world. This paper gives a brief history of the venue -- the delta and the ancient and present port of Alexandria The delta has a large population, extensive irrigation-based agriculture, and industrial! commercial! municipal requirements. The delta has been affected by great decreases in the delivery of water and sediment to the sea (almost a total cessation) during the past half-century. This has resulted in major changes to the delta coast, many of them adverse. Nile Delta sedimentation, coastal processes, coastal erosion and accretion have been studied extensively for the past several decades. A Shore Protection Master Plan for the Nile Delta has been developed. Mitigation works have been recommended, and are in various stages of implementation; they are being monitored. Many of the studies of processes, procedures, and mitigations are cited herein

Tsunami Information Sources: Part 4 (With a section on impulsively generated waves by a rapid mass movement, either submerged, or into a body of water)

A great amount of technical information on tsunamis is available in journals, books, reports, newspapers, and websites. After the Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake and the accompanying Indian Ocean Tsunami of 26 December 2004, the author updated his list of tsunami information sources, and made the citations available in a 115 page report. The sources are listed in the following categories: Articles, papers, reports, by author(s) Bibliographies Books, monographs, pamphlets Catalogs of events Collections Journals, newsletters Maps Organizations Proceedings, symposia, workshops Videos, photographs For convenience, some sources are listed twice, under title and under author(s)