Distinct Slopes Research Articles

Spatiotemporal changes of evaporation in Golestan province based on quantile regressions

Abstract The results reveal statistically significant trends with distinct slopes in distinct quantiles for each station and season so that the changes in the trend of high values (quantile 0.9) of evaporation were more than low values (quantile 0.1). In the spring, medium and high evaporation rates increased in the northern regions of the province (the highest trend slope, 0.15 mm/decade in the northeast), while they fell (with a slope of −0.15 mm/decade) in the southern regions. But the high values of evaporation in summer have increased in most of the stations (the highest trend slope, 0.15 mm/decade). In contrast, high levels of evaporation in autumn and winter grew at a rapid rate in the eastern part of the province (the highest slope according to season, 0.15 and 0.2 mm/decade), but they declined in the western half (the highest slope, −0.1 and −0.15 mm/decade, respectively). In general, there was a significant decreasing trend for evaporation, mostly in the western half, but there was an increasing trend, mostly in the eastern half of the province. Significant increases in daily evaporation, particularly during the dry season, will diminish water supplies, destabilize the agricultural sector, and eventually desertify the area.

Different ramp-incremental slopes elicit similar V̇O2max and fatigability profiles in females and males despite differences in peak power output.

to investigate the effects of different ramp incremental (RI) slopes on fatigability and its recovery in females and males. Ten females and 11 males performed RI tests with distinct slopes, in separated and randomized sessions, 15 (RI15), 30 (RI30), and 45 (RI45) W·min-1. Performance fatigability was assessed by femoral nerve electrical stimuli evoked during and after isometric maximal voluntary contraction (IMVC) of knee extensors at baseline and after task failure at min 0.5,1.5, 2.5, 5 and 10. Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) and peak power output (POpeak) were also measured. There were significant and similar declines from pre to post RI test in RI15, RI30 and RI45 for IMVC (-23%; -25%; -25%, respectively; p<0.05) and potentiated single twitch (-46%; -47%; -49%; p<0.05) whereas, voluntary activation did not change (-1%; -1%; 0%; p>0.05). There were no RI condition effects, nor time × condition interaction for IMVC, potentiated single twitch and voluntary activation (all p > 0.05). V̇O2maxwas not different amongst RI15, RI30 and RI45 conditions (3.30, 3.29, 3.26 L·min-1, respectively; p=0.717), but POpeak was (272, 304, 337 W, respectively; p<0.001). Overall, performance fatigability profiles were similar between sexes after the RI tests and during recovery. Additionally, during recovery, high-frequency doublets and single twitch recovered faster after RI30 and RI45 compared to RI15, regardless of sex (all p>0.05 for sex-differences). RI tests of different slopes that elicited similar V̇O2max but different POpeakdid not affect the profile of performance fatigability at task failure in females and males.

Geological and Morphometric Characteristics of Quaternary Pyroclastic Aquifers in Salak and Pangrango Stratovolcano.

Indonesia is located in a subduction zone formed by the collision of continental and oceanic plates. Many volcanoes form as a result of these conditions along the arc. Springs on the volcano's slopes are widely used for domestic, irrigation, and industry water use. Investigating the characteristics of aquifers and springs is essential to ensure groundwater sustainability by providing a robust geological framework. Meanwhile, groundwater in a volcanic geological setting has good quality characteristics because of its occurrence process, which interacts with many minerals in pyroclastic rocks that act as aquifers. The study area is located in the Lido Catchment Area (LCA), which is situated between two distinct volcanic slopes. Geological and morphometric analysis at LCA is the basis of important information relating to its hydrogeological systems. The analysis of thin rock sections and parameters of the physical properties of water in groundwater springs supports our research. We applied a comprehensive geological and morphometric analysis to obtain detailed information about the aquifer. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of aquifers in pyroclastic rocks and their relationship to the formation of springs. From the research conducted, the characteristic of water can be distinguished based on the geological conditions of its constituents. There are 6 different lithological characteristics in the study area: polymictic breccia, monomictic breccia, lapilli, lapilli tuff, coarse tuff, and fine tuff. From the lithology variations obtained, breccia, lapilli, and coarse tuff can play a good role as aquifers. Geological correlations and groundwater systems in the study area show groups of superficial, mixed, and alteration springs. The system of water flows in aquifers through inter-grains or rock fractures. The types of springs in LCA are dominated by depression and fracture types. These results are fundamental information for understanding hydrogeological systems in future volcanic geological settings.

A new method for effective parameterization of catchment-scale aquifer through event-scale recession analysis

Accurate estimation of aquifer properties is of critical importance in representing the interactions between hydraulically connected surface-subsurface systems. The variability in recession characteristics (i.e., decline rates and slope nonlinearity) shows that each recession event (RE) occurs under different hydraulic diffusivity conditions between the stream-hillslope. Therefore, the streamflow recession characteristics should be considered in the effective parameterization of the catchment-scale aquifer. This study presents a new method for estimating catchment-scale aquifer properties while accounting for distinct recession characteristics through event-scale recession analysis. In this work, we used the recently developed BE3S (Hong et al., 2020) for (1) explicit incorporation of river stage observations as forcing data to account for the distinct recession characteristics and (2) numerical prediction of outflow from a Boussinesq aquifer to comparatively evaluate analytically derived effective groundwater parameters. We also addressed the relevance of the net subsurface discharge (NSD) observations in event-scale recession analysis for the catchment-scale aquifer parameterization. Specifically, we found that the catchment-scale NSD data plays a role in determining the initial saturated aquifer thickness (Dini) and the size of contributing aquifer (Ac), which varies in individual REs. The applicability of the proposed parameterization scheme was successfully validated for individual REs with distinct recession slopes, demonstrating that hydraulic diffusivity parameters can be estimated by explicitly incorporating recession characteristics. As a catchment-scale application of hydraulic groundwater theory, we expect that the proposed scheme for effective groundwater parameterization will contribute to the accurate representation of the catchment-scale stream-hillslope hydrologic continuum.

Make Bayley III Scores Comparable between United States and German Norms-Development of Conversion Equations.

Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III) determines scaled scores and converts these into composite scores. It was shown that applying the German and the U.S. manual leads to different results. This study aims to systematically analyze the differences between the U.S. and German Bayley-III version and to develop conversion equations. This simulation study generated a dataset of pairs of U.S. and German Bayley-III composite scores (cognitive: n = 4,416, language: n = 240,000, motor: n = 314,000) by converting the same number of achievable tasks for 48 age groups. Bland-Altman plot and regression analyses were performed to develop conversion equations for all age groups. German and US Bayley-III scores demonstrate distinct slope and interception for cognitive, language, and motor composite scores. Lower developmental performance leads to higher composite scores with U.S. norms compared with German norms (up to 15 points). These differences varied between age groups. With newly developed conversion equations, the results can be converted (R 2 > 0.98). This study confirms systematic differences between U.S. and German Bayley test results due to different reference cohorts. Our data consider the full age range and add conversion equations. These findings need to be acknowledged when comparing Bayley Scores internationally.

Seismic analysis of Multi storey Building on Sloping Ground and Flat Ground by using ETABS

Due to urbanization and industrialization, which paved the door for the development of tall, multi-story structures on mountainous terrain, land is scarce in emerging nations like India. Buildings built on hilly terrain differ from those built on flat terrain due of their uneven and asymmetrical vertical and horizontal structures. These buildings are also significantly more vulnerable to earthquake pressures when located in mountainous terrain. The primary goal of the current endeavor is to investigate how structures behave on level and sloping terrain. Hilly places require different construction configurations than level areas. Hill structures vary from those on lowlands in that they are torsionally linked, highly irregular, and asymmetrical in both the horizontal and vertical planes. As a result, they are vulnerable to severe damage when an earthquake strikes. The behavior of a multi-story structure with two distinct slope angles was attempted to be studied in this paper, and a comparison with flat ground was made. by taking Earthquake Zone II into account. Buildings on level ground and buildings on slanted ground are compared. The models are created with the aid of the structural analysis program ETABS. Response spectrum analysis is used for analysis. The analysis’s findings, including storey shear, storey drifts, moments, and displacement, are tabulated and examined.

Diverging Neisseria gonorrhoeae Morbidity in Non-Hispanic Black and White Females: Application of Group-Based Trajectory Modeling to Trends in County-Level Morbidity 2003-2018.

National trends in gonorrhea rates may obscure informative local variations in morbidity. We used group-based trajectory models to identify groups of counties with similar gonorrhea rate trajectories among non-Hispanic White (NHW) and non-Hispanic Black (NHB) females using county-level data on gonorrhea cases in US females from 2003 to 2018. We assessed models with 1-15 groups and selected final models based on fit statistics and identification of divergent trajectory groups with distinct intercepts and/or slopes. We mapped counties by assigned trajectory group and examined the association of county characteristics with group membership. We identified 7 distinct gonorrhea trajectory groups for NHW females and 9 distinct trajectory groups for NHB females. All identified groups for NHW female morbidity experienced increasing gonorrhea rates with a limited range (11.6-183.3/100,000 NHW females in 2018); trajectories of NHB female morbidity varied widely in rates (146.6-966.0/1000 NHB females in 2018) and included 3 groups of counties that experienced a net decline in gonorrhea rates. Counties with higher NHW female morbidity had lower adult sex ratios, lower health insurance coverage, and lower marital rates among NHW adults. Counties with higher NHB female morbidity were more urban, experienced higher rates of poverty, and had lower rates of marriage among NHB adults. Morbidity patterns did not always follow geographic proximity, which could be explained by variation in social determinants of health. Our results demonstrated a highly heterogenous gonorrhea epidemic among NHW and NHB US females, which should prompt further analysis into the differential drivers of gonorrhea morbidity.

Extinction Effect of Foliar Dust Retention on Urban Vegetation as Estimated by Atmospheric PM10 Concentration in Shenzhen, China

Foliar dust retention is a crucial source of uncertainty when monitoring the vegetation index using satellite remote sensing. As ground sampling conditions are limited by vegetation dust retention, separating the extinction effect of foliar dust retention from the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) poses a significant challenge. In this study, we conducted a correlation test between the relative change in NDVI (δNDVI, an indicator of extinction effect) retrieved by the Gaofen-4 satellite and the atmospheric PM10 concentration in different meteorological periods (before, during, and after rainfall) across 14 stations in Shenzhen City, China. The results showed a significant correlation between δNDVI and atmospheric PM10 concentration during the before-rainfall period and weaker correlations for the other periods (R = 0.680, p &lt; 0.001, n = 63 when excluding the during- and after-rainfall data). The correlation was more significant for the stations with low NDVI values, and a coastal station had a distinct regression slope of δNDVI versus PM10 from the other stations, indicating that the extinction effect of foliar dust retention in high-NDVI and coastal areas may not be well predicted by the general δNDVI–PM10 relationship. This provides a new quantitative basis for estimating the extinction effect of foliar dust retention using PM10 data for future improvement of the accuracy of vegetation monitoring by remote sensing.

Demarcation of Early Pennsylvanian paleovalleys in depozones of the Appalachian foreland-basin system based on detrital-zircon U-Pb and Hf analysis

Abstract Detrital-zircon (DZ) U-Pb data show that Appalachian-affiliated sediment was transported to western Laurentia by the Carboniferous, yet additional DZ U-Pb data from the eastern United States suggest that sediment-routing systems were oriented south toward the Ouachita deepwater sink. Within this context, this study presents DZ U-Pb ages from the Lower Pennsylvanian Caseyville Formation of Illinois, and U-Pb ages and εHf values from the coeval Pottsville Formation of Alabama as well as sandstone petrographic data from the Caseyville Formation, the Pottsville Formation, and the Jackfork Group of the Ouachita Basin to document provenance, delineate drainage divides in the Appalachian foreland-basin system, and comment on the unlikelihood of transcontinental sediment routing from the eastern United States to western United States at this time. Two DZ U-Pb age distributions from quartz arenite sandstones of the Caseyville Formation display prominent ca. 1250–950 Ma, 1550–1300 Ma, 1800–1600 Ma, and 3500–3000 Ma ages, consistent with ultimate derivation from Grenville, Midcontinent granite–rhyolite, Yavapai–Mazatzal, and Superior provinces, as well as minor contributions from ca. 500–400 Ma and 2000–1800 Ma grains. Two DZ U-Pb age distributions from sublitharenite sandstones of the Pottsville Formation display prominent ca. 500–400 Ma, 1250–950 Ma, 1550–1300 Ma, and 1800–1600 Ma ages, consistent with ultimate derivation from Appalachian, Grenville, Midcontinent granite–rhyolite, and Yavapai–Mazatzal provinces, as well as minor contributions from ca. 2000–1800 Ma and 3500–3000 Ma grains. The Pottsville Formation samples demonstrate a greater percentage of Appalachian and Grenville ages relative to the Caseyville Formation samples, whereas the Caseyville Formation samples have elevated Yavapai–Mazatzal and Superior percentages relative to the Pottsville. We interpret these differences to suggest parallel fluvial systems in the foredeep and back-bulge depozones of the Appalachian foreland-basin system. Like DZ studies of modern deep-sea fans that demonstrate an affinity to feeder fluvial systems, this study demonstrates fidelity between endmember segments of ancient fluvial-to-deepwater systems. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis shows that DZ samples from the Pottsville and Caseyville formations cluster with deepwater Jackfork Group samples, and we infer a source-to-sink relationship from these two distinct source areas to the Ouachita terminal sink. One example of large-scale inclined strata thickness from the Caseyville Formation also suggests a drainage basin area of &amp;gt; 105 km2. Contextualized with these observations, we suggest that the foredeep and backbulge depozones of the Appalachian foreland-basin system steered distinct Early Pennsylvanian rivers across emergent continental shelves during periods of low sea-level, which discharged to distinct slope canyons and sourced &amp;gt; 100-km-long deep-sea fans. Clearly circumscribed, southward- or southwestward-oriented paleodrainage areas provide a template of the Appalachian foreland-basin system, and as such the central and southern Appalachians were an unlikely source for the Appalachian signature observed in the western United States at this time.

Quantifying Sub-Meter Surface Heterogeneity on Mars Using Off-Axis Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) Data.

Surface heterogeneities below the spatial resolution of thermal infrared (TIR) instruments result in anisothermality and can produce emissivity spectra with negative slopes toward longer wavelengths. Sloped spectra arise from an incorrect assumption of either a uniform surface temperature or a maximum emissivity during the temperature-emissivity separation of radiance data. Surface roughness and lateral mixing of different sub-pixel surface units result in distinct spectral slopes with magnitudes proportional to the degree of temperature mixing. Routine Off-nadir Targeted Observations (ROTO) of the Thermal Emission Imaging Spectrometer (THEMIS) are used here for the first time to investigate anisothermality below the spatial resolution of THEMIS. The southern flank of Apollinaris Mons and regions within the Medusae Fossae Formation are studied using THEMIS ROTO data acquired just after local sunset. We observe a range of sloped TIR emission spectra dependent on the magnitude of temperature differences within a THEMIS pixel. Spectral slopes and wavelength-dependent brightness temperature differences are forward-modeled for a series of two-component surfaces of varying thermal inertia values. Our results imply that differing relative proportions of rocky and unconsolidated surface units are observed at each ROTO viewing geometry and suggest a local rock abundance six times greater than published results that rely on nadir data. High-resolution visible images of these regions indicate a mixture of surface units from boulders to dunes, providing credence to the model.

Two types of charge order with distinct interplay with superconductivity in the kagome material CsV3Sb5

The kagome metals of the family AV3Sb5, featuring a unique structural motif, harbor an array of intriguing phenomena such as chiral charge order and superconductivity. CsV3Sb5 is of particular interest because it displays a double superconducting dome in the region of the temperature-pressure phase diagram where charge order is still present. However, the microscopic origin of such an unusual behavior remains an unsolved issue. Here, to address it, we combine high-pressure, low-temperature muon spin relaxation/rotation with first-principles calculations. We observe a pressure-induced threefold enhancement of the superfluid density, which also displays a double-peak feature, similar to the superconducting critical temperature. This leads to three distinct regions in the phase diagram, each of which features distinct slopes of the linear relation between superfluid density and the critical temperature. These results are attributed to a possible evolution of the charge order pattern from the superimposed tri-hexagonal Star-of-David phase at low pressures (within the first dome) to the staggered tri-hexagonal phase at intermediate pressures (between the first and second domes). Our findings suggest a change in the nature of the charge-ordered state across the phase diagram of CsV3Sb5, with varying degrees of competition with superconductivity.

Salivary testosterone in male and female youth with and without autism spectrum disorder: considerations of development, sex, and diagnosis

BackgroundPuberty is characterized by significant physical, hormonal, and psychological changes, which may be especially challenging for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although the etiology of ASD remains uncertain, studies suggest imbalances in hormones, such as testosterone, may modulate the autism phenotype. While differences in fetal and postnatal testosterone have been reported, there is limited literature regarding testosterone variations during adolescence in ASD. We investigated morning salivary testosterone levels in youth with ASD and typical development (TD) to explore hypothesized differences, expecting elevated hormonal levels in ASD compared to TD.MethodsYouth with ASD (n = 140) and TD (n = 104), ages 10 to 13 years, were enrolled as part of a longitudinal study on pubertal development. Pubertal stage was determined by gold standard physical examination, and salivary testosterone was collected in the morning immediately upon waking and 30 min after waking and averaged across 3 days. Diagnostic (ASD/TD) and sex (male/female) differences, as well as interactions with age and puberty, were examined using robust linear mixed effect models.ResultsYouth with ASD showed significantly elevated testosterone concentrations compared to same-age TD peers. After the inclusion of natural cubic splines to account for nonlinearity in age, a significant age-by-sex interaction emerged with distinct developmental slopes for males and females. At younger ages, females had higher testosterone, until about 11.5 years of age, when levels began to plateau, while male testosterone concentrations continued to rapidly increase and surpass females. As expected, more advanced pubertal development was associated with elevated testosterone. In contrast, no significant effect of parent-reported social communication symptoms was observed.LimitationsLimitations include an unequal sex distribution, non-representative sample (e.g., cognition and race/ethnicity), and inability to examine afternoon/evening testosterone due to detection limits.ConclusionsTestosterone may play a unique role in the presentation of ASD, especially during periods of dynamic hormonal changes including puberty. Inherent developmental (age, puberty) and sex-based (male, female) factors play a more prominent role in changes in testosterone levels during adolescence. Even so, future research is warranted to determine the differential expression and impact of exposure to excess testosterone during the pubertal transition for youth with ASD.

Effect of Various Rainfall Conditions on the Roadside Stabilisation of Slopes in Gippsland

A distinctive slope stabilisation method that integrates two well-developed methods for slope stabilisation is analysed in this paper. The slope stabilisation method utilises embedded piles and geogrid-reinforced retaining walls with gabion basket wall facing. To study the effect of this integrated slope stabilisation method on the stability of the slope under the negative impacts of rainfall, a three-dimensional finite element model with fluid–solid coupling is adopted to indicate the rainfall infiltration process and investigate the corresponding slope responses. The shear strength reduction method is applied after fluid–solid coupling analysis to investigate the impact of various rainfall intensities and rainfall patterns on the stability of slopes with different configurations. The results from the comparison of slope responses among various configurations indicate that under the highest rainfall intensity, the integrated method improves the stability of the slope up to 41.2% and restrains the displacement increment of the road edge to a maximum of 12.5 mm. The most critical rainfall pattern for the stability of the slope has also been recognised in terms of the factor of safety and the variation in the negative pore-water pressure of the slope. The numerical results indicate that the back-loaded rainfall pattern always yields the lowest factor of safety and induces the highest loss of matric suction, which can be 23 kPa at the toe of the slope. Moreover, a comparison between two construction scenarios under various rainfall intensities was also conducted, which demonstrates that the reinforced filled slope configuration is preferable when the site conditions permit.

DC-offset-induced hidden and asymmetric dynamics in Memristive Chua's circuit

Hidden attractors have been discovered in classical Chua's circuits with special Chua's diode nonlinearities. But designing such physical Chua's circuits is a challenge due to the distinct slopes of Chua's diodes. The analog-circuit-based measurements of hidden dynamical behaviors are also difficult since their attraction basins are relatively small and independent of any equilibrium points. In this paper, a DC-offset method is proposed for obtaining hidden dynamics from preexisting nonlinear circuits. An improved memristive Chua's circuit with hidden dynamical behaviors is constructed by inserting a DC voltage source into the inductor branch therein. The DC-offset-induced hidden and asymmetric dynamical behaviors are revealed via equilibrium point analyses, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements. The coexistence of hidden attractors is demonstrated when the modified memristive Chua's circuit possesses at least one unstable equilibrium point or only one stable equilibrium point. Furthermore, a reconstituted model is formulated using the incremental integral transformation method to facilitate the measurements of hidden and coexisting attractors having relatively small attraction basins. With this model, the self-excited and hidden properties of the coexisting attractors are maintained, while their attraction basins are transferred to the neighborhood of the easily circuit-implemented origin point. Thus, the existence of hidden and coexisting attractors is readily verified via hardware circuit measurements.

Characterizing the sea-ice floe size distribution in the Canada Basin from high-resolution optical satellite imagery

Abstract. The sea-ice floe size distribution (FSD) characterizes the sea-ice response to atmospheric and oceanic forcing and is important for understanding and modeling the evolving ice pack in a warming Arctic. FSDs are evaluated from 78 floe-segmented high-resolution (1 m) optical satellite images capturing a range of settings and sea-ice states during spring through fall from 1999 to 2014 in the Canada Basin. For any given image, the structure of the FSD is found to be sensitive to a classification threshold value (i.e., to specify an image pixel as being either water or ice) used in image segmentation, and an approach to account for this sensitivity is presented. The FSDs are found to exhibit a single power-law regime between floe areas 50 m2 and 5 km2, characterized by exponents (slopes in log-log space) in the range −2.03 to −1.65. A distinct linear relationship between slopes and sea-ice concentrations is found, with steeper slopes (i.e., a larger proportion of smaller to larger floes) corresponding to lower sea-ice concentrations. Further, a seasonal variation in slopes is found for fixed sites in the Canada Basin that undergo a seasonal cycle in sea-ice concentration, while sites with extensive sea-ice cover year-round do not exhibit any seasonal change in FSD properties. Our results suggest that sea-ice concentration should be considered in any characterization of a time-varying FSD (for use in sea-ice models, for example).

Seismic hazard prediction using multispectral amplification maps in a complex topographic area: A case study of Qiaozhuang town, Sichuan Province, Southwest China

Earthquakes can cause widely distributed slope failures and damage in mountainous areas. The accurate prediction of ground motions in mountainous areas is essential for managing the seismic risk of urban cities near mountains but is restricted primarily by complex seismic site amplification effects in areas of uneven terrain. This study selected Qiaozhuang town located in the Qingchuan—Pingwu fault zone, Southwest China, as a case study. A simulator for mapped seismic responses using a hybrid model (SiSeRHMap) was applied to compute the multispectral seismic topographic amplification maps at the three slope units surrounding Qiaozhuang town (Weigan hill, Mt. Dong, and Mt. Shizi). Post-earthquake damage survey maps, 1D seismic site response spectral ratios, and H/V spectral ratios of earthquake data were used to validate the computed seismic site amplification factors and resonance frequencies. The results suggest that strong topographic amplification effects usually occur at distinct slope locations, such as hilltops, convex slope positions, upslope, and narrow ridges. The computed topographic amplification factors in the study area reached up to 2.4 at upslope or hilltops, and the resonance frequencies were between 3 and 10 Hz. Topographic effects can be as important as stratigraphic effects when assessing seismic amplification effects in the study area. We conclude that both topographic and stratigraphic effects should be considered in the comprehensive seismic hazard assessment of the study area or other similar mountain towns.

Petrography and geochemistry of sandstones from the Injana Formation, Hemrin South Mountain, Northern Iraq: Implications for provenance, weathering and tectonic setting

The sandstones of Upper Miocene Injana Formation were studied petrographically and geochemically in the Hemrin South Mountain area, northern Iraq. The sandstones vary between arkose and lithic arkose in composition (Q50F24L26) and are compositionally and texturally immature; meanwhile, the Log(Fe2O3/K2O)–Log(SiO2/Al2O3) diagram shows that they are divided between arkose, litharenite and wacke. These sandstones contain a wide spectrum of heavy minerals ranging from the most resistant ultrastable minerals (zircon, rutile and tourmaline), to the least resistant non‐stable minerals (amphiboles and pyroxenes). The provenance indicator diagrams QmFLt and QtFL indicate multi‐sources for these sandstones ranging from transitional craton, arc and recycled sediments. The major element provenance discriminant function plot shows that they are derived mostly from intermediate igneous provenance. All these suggest that the probable source of these sandstones is the igneous‐metamorphic rocks including the ophiolites of the Suture Zone, the imbricate zone, the Shalair‐Sanandaj‐Sirjan Terrane and the complimentary rock units in Turkey and Iran. The presence of glaucophane as the provenance indicator mineral for subduction zones is a further proof of the ophiolites having acted as the source rocks. Geochemically, the sandstones are enriched in Ca, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mo, Sn and Sb and depleted in all othe major, trace and rare earth elements (REE) relative to upper continental crust (UCC). The chondrite‐normalized REE pattern shows a distinct negative slope for the LREEs and a slight negative slope for the HREEs with an enrichment of LREE/HREE of 8.11–10.90 and a negative Eu anomaly of 0.70–0.83. The most probable source of REEs is the heavy minerals detected in the sandstones. Tectonically, the studied rocks were derived from collision rifting arc–related settings. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) and Index of Composition Variation (ICV) values of the Injana sandstones suggest that they are compositionally immature and suffered from very weak weathering indicating the proximity of their source rocks and their deposition under dry continental conditions.

A Qslope-based empirical method to stability assessment of mountain rock slopes in multiple faults zone: A case for North of Tabriz

The present article provides an empirical relationship for rock slope stability assessment based on Qslope classification. The relationship is used as a correction procedure for classic Qslope for mountain regions with multiple fractures related to several faults. The relationship is derived from 25 distinct jointed slopes near the North Tabriz Fault (NTF). The NTF triggered numerous micro-faults and fractures in rocky landscapes, resulting in sliding on a variety of scales. The present empirical method is introduced based on a field survey and a stability analysis of the studied slopes based on Qslope principles. The results indicate that the classic formulation of Qslope can be modified to β = 62.6 log10 (Qslope) + 36 for mountain regions with multiple fault zones.• This empirical method can be useful for fast stability assessment on jointed rock slopes.• This relationship can use as a modification for the original formula in multiple faults zones.

Soil organic carbon content and stock change after half a century of intensive cultivation in a chernozem area

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a significant soil parameter controlling soil quality and productivity and also playing an essential role in the global carbon cycle. Assessment of long-term SOC content and stocks changes is only possible by comparing historical and present data. The Czech Republic holds a national database of agricultural soils completed during the 1960s, which we used to assess SOC changes. SOC content and stock changes were detected after more than 50 years of intensive cultivation in a rolling chernozem landscape prone to soil erosion by re-sampling soil profiles from the 1960s and assessing these changes in relation to local topography. Each re-sampled soil profile was classified based on its position within the terrain, into one of three distinct slope positions namely shoulder slope (SH), backslope (BS), and foot slope (FS) which refers to a predisposition to soil erosion (SH, BS) or deposition (FS). Despite previous studies reporting SOC content decline over the past several decades, our results showed an increase in SOC content in all slope positions, being the most pronounced at FS position. However, median value for the SOC stock significantly decreased at SH positions primarily due to intensive erosion (decreased by 2.82 kg·m−2). At the FS positions, the median value for the SOC stock increased but not significantly (increased by 5.51 kg·m−2). Changes in the SOC stock were primarily driven by changes in the topsoil depth, which significantly decreased at the SH positions by 22 cm; the opposite result was found for the FS position. The local topography as a driver of SOC stock changes was further supported by the significant correlation between SOC stock changes and topographical attributes (predominantly with Multiresolution Valley Bottom Flatness index, Topographic position index or Topographic wetness index) showing increasing SOC stocks in terrain depressions or valley bottoms due to soil accumulation. We concluded that soil erosion is a dominant process in our study area, explaining the long-term changes in SOC stock.

Impedance spectroscopy and magnetic studies on Co2Z ferrite sintered with SiO2 and Bi2O3 additives

Z-type (Ba3Co2Fe24O41) ferrites with Bi2O3 and SiO2 additives were prepared by solid-state reaction method. The electrical transport properties were systematically investigated and analyzed by impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range of 1 Hz to 1 MHz at different temperatures. The peak broadening in real and imaginary part of impedance spectra demonstrates the existence of multiple relaxations. Two distinct slopes of relaxation time observed represent the deviation from non-Debye type relaxation. Partially overlapped scaling behavior illustrated that the dynamic process of charge carriers was temperature dependent. The additives got segregated along the grain boundaries and exhibit their own resistance, which is verified by fitting of the Nyquist plots. This relaxation process was explained on the basis of Maxwell-Wagner effect with three heterogeneous dielectric media (grain, grain boundary and additive layer). The translatory motion of dynamic charge carriers and lattice ions is governed by small and large polaron hopping in the material. The saturation magnetization of Co2Z-Si is higher compared to Co2Z-P and Co2Z-Bi samples, due to formation of minor M-type phase.