Gradient Zone Research Articles

Radiographic biomarkers on grayscale gradient transition zone improve differentiation of deep caries/reversible pulpitis and chronic pulpitis through diagnostic model analysis.

To explore the effectiveness of radiographic biomarkers on transition area (TA)-the grayscale gradient zone from carious lesion to normal dentine on radiographs-for identifying deep caries/reversible pulpitis and chronic pulpitis via diagnostic model analysis. This retrospective study included 392 caries cases. Canny edge detection was used to define the TA region. Texture parameters were extracted from the carious lesions (S1) and TA region (S2) by MaZda software on radiographs. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to select biomarkers. Diagnostic models were fitted and model performance was furtherly evaluated by internal and external validation, decision curve analysis was applied to evaluate clinical benefits. TA-based biomarkers (e.g., TA thickness, TA ratio, S2-S(5,-5) contrast and S2-WavEnLL-s-4) were significantly associated with the diagnosis of deep caries/reversible pulpitis versus chronic pulpitis, model performance significantly improved when adding the above biomarkers (likelihood-ratio test; p < 0.05, with an increase of AUC from 0.67 (reference model) to 0.89), and these results were maintained in a small external validation cohort. Clinical benefit was greater with the application of TA-based biomarkers. TA-based biomarkers are proven to be an effective tool in differentiating deep caries/reversible pulpitis and chronic pulpitis, preoperative diagnosis was improved with the above biomarkers compared to the reference model.

Evaluating Urban Heat Islands Dynamics and Environmental Criticality in a Growing City of a Tropical Country Using Remote-Sensing Indices: The Example of Matara City, Sri Lanka

Urbanization has undeniably improved human living conditions but has also significantly altered the natural landscape, leading to increased Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects. While many studies have examined these impacts in other countries, research on this topic in Sri Lanka remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of changes in built-up areas (BAs) and Vegetation Cover (VC) on UHI and environmental criticality (EC) in Matara cityCity, Sri Lanka, utilizing Landsat data. This study employed the commonly used remote-sensing (RS) indices such as the land surface temperature (LST), the UHI Index, and the Environmental Criticality Index (ECI). Various techniques were utilized including supervised image classification, Urban–Rural Gradient Zone (URGZ) analysis, grid-based analysis, UHI profiles, and regression analysis. The results revealed that built-up areas increased by 12.21 km2, while vegetation cover decreased by 9.94 km2, and this urban expansion led to a 2.7 °C rise in mean LST over 26 years. By 2023, newly developed BA showed the highest LST and environmental criticality, with mean LST values ranging from 25 °C to 21 °C in URGZs 1 to 15 near the city center, and lower values of 15 °C to 16 °C in URGZs 40 to 47 further from the core. The correlation analysis highlighted a strong positive relationship between the NDBI and LST, underscoring the significant impact of BA expansion on LST. Consequently, high-density built-up areas are experiencing high environmental criticality. To minimize these effects, planning agencies should prioritize green urban planning strategies, particularly in high LST and environmental criticality zones. This approach can also be applied to other cities to assess the UHI and LST phenomena, with the goal of protecting the natural environment and promoting the health of urban dwellers.

Velocity structure of crust and mid-strong earthquake preparation characteristics in the Huoshan region, East China

The Huoshan region, located on the northern margin of the Dabie Orogenic Belt at the junction of the North China Plate and the Yangtze Plate, is one of the most seismically active and concentrated areas in the Dabie Orogenic Belt and adjacent regions. Utilizing the travel time data from 4,427 seismic events observed by 202 stations, we investigated the deep medium structure of the Huoshan region using the double-difference tomography method. The results reveal the medium structure and characteristics of mid-strong earthquake preparation in the region. The crustal medium in the study area exhibits significant lateral heterogeneity. The Dabie Orogenic Belt shows notably high velocity, whereas the North China Plate and the Yangtze Plate display relatively lower velocities. The Tan-Lu Fault Zone exhibits segmentation characteristics; with the crustal medium velocity south of Lujiang being relatively high, north of Jiashan being relatively low, and between Lujiang and Jiashan being intermediate. The epicenters of mid-strong earthquakes are located on the gradient zones of velocity and Poisson’s ratio. The source regions of these earthquakes show significant anomalies of high Poisson’s ratio and low S-wave velocity, which may indicate the presence of fluids. These anomalies possibly reflect the intrusion of deep materials along the fault zone, which could be the driving force for the preparation of mid-strong earthquakes.

Assessment of the impact of greenhouse rainwater harvesting managed aquifer recharge on the groundwater system in the southern Jeju Island, South Korea: Implication from a numerical modeling approach

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is increasingly being adopted worldwide to mitigate groundwater depletion and ensure the sustainability of water resources. Rainwater harvesting (RWH)-MAR can augment aquifer storage and reduce flood damage in rural areas with dense greenhouse facilities. This study has assessed the feasibility of greenhouse RWH-MAR in Namwon agricultural areas in the southern part of Jeju Island, South Korea, by considering the injection rate and location of MAR using a numerical model. The model results showed that groundwater level increases were directly related to the infiltration rate, although spatial differences in head rise were observed owing to the spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity. In addition, installing the RWH-MAR in highland areas (>100 masl) enhanced the water level rise when compared to the expected values, indicating that a higher hydraulic gradient and thick unsaturated zone facilitated more effective MAR outcomes than in lowland areas. To optimize the contribution of source water to the agricultural water demand, placing the RWH-MAR near the pumping well improved the availability of injected rainwater to agricultural wells. This study highlights the importance of designing RWH-MAR schemes considering MAR objectives and the topographic and hydrogeological characteristics of the site.

Microdeformation and strengthening mechanism of 3D printed TC4/TC11 gradient titanium alloy subjected to tensile loading

3D printing of heterogeneous alloys holds promising application potentials in industry, especially in the field of aerospace. However, the relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties of heterogeneous gradient titanium alloys produced by this technique, especially the micromechanical properties and mechanisms within the gradient zones, remains largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the tensile micromechanical properties and deformation mechanism of 3D printed TC4/TC11 titanium alloy using the digital image correlation method in combination with scanning electron microscopy. The results show that this heterogeneous gradient titanium alloy possesses superior tensile properties. Furthermore, we elucidated the influence of microstructure and grain size on the alloy’s mechanical properties. Notably, an increased presence of secondary α phases and refined grain size were found to reduce the likelihood of microcrack initiation and propagation. Interestingly, all samples fractured on the TC4 side, with the microcracks predominantly extending at a 45° angle to the tensile direction. This observation underscores the necessity for optimizing the fabrication process of the TC4 alloy. Additionally, the strengthening mechanism of the gradient-bonded region of the alloy was also explored. The heterogeneous deformation-induced strengthening was identified as a key factor enhancing the strength of the dual alloyed zone. Collectively, this study provides valuable insights for optimizing the 3D printing process of heterogeneous gradient titanium alloys. It also lays a solid foundation for future investigation in this burgeoning field.

Effects of Urbanization on Soil Quality in the Rural‒Urban Gradient of Bengaluru, India

Understanding the impact of urbanization on soil quality is crucial for sustainable land management practices. This study was conducted in Bengaluru, India, to estimate the soil quality index (SQI) under different rural‒urban gradient (RUG) zones. Twenty-four sampling sites were identified along the RUG, and soil samples were collected monthly over five months during the October to February of 2020-2021. The soil quality assessment involved selecting the minimum data set (MDS) via principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation, scoring soil indicators, and combining these scores to create the soil quality index (SQI). PCA was used to identify key soil properties, which included microbial biomass carbon (MBC), SOC, N, manganese (Mn), and urease for different RUG zones derived from the MDS. The rural zones had the highest SQI (0.57), followed by the peri-urban (0.47 and 0.48) and urban (0.45 and 0.47) zones. These findings emphasize the importance of sustainable land management practices to preserve and boost soil quality across diverse regions, particularly in the face of rapid urbanization and industrialization.

Role of microstructure on the development of local orientation gradients in polycrystals

In this work, we study the relationship between slip localizations and local orientation gradients in a polycrystalline material. We employ a 3D spatially resolved crystal plasticity-based micromechanics technique that includes explicit intragranular slip band modeling, called SB-FFT (slip band fast Fourier transform). EBSD analysis reveals the development of slip localizations, with a rare few generating relatively large local orientation gradients in the neighboring grain. Our results find that several conditions need to be met simultaneously for large zone of intense orientation gradients to form within a grain and with this, offer an explanation for their scarcity. These conditions entail the localization of slip to a sufficient high intensity in the grain neighbor, the grain experiencing higher stress levels than the average stress of its nearest grain neighborhood, and a crystallographic orientation suitable for activating secondary slip under the stress field produced by the slip localization. Analysis of the 3D orientation distributions as they evolve in strain indicates that orientation gradient zones cause the distribution to become highly skewed, with the extreme tails extending further as strain increases. The numerical simulations with various grain neighborhoods show that this feature is, however, not a sufficient signature for such orientation gradients associated with slip localizations since triple junctions or quadruple points can also produce intragranular orientation gradients that have a similar impact on the grain orientation distribution. Last, comparison with several previously proposed slip transmission criteria indicates that this phenomenon is not relevant, contrary to current belief.

Delineation of deep-seated crustal structures from magnetic data in the southeastern part of the Niger Delta basin, Nigeria

Regional magnetic data in the southeastern segment of the Nigerian Niger Delta were evaluated with the aim of mapping deep-seated tectonic elements. Enhanced filtering operations and 3D forward modelling were applied on the magnetic data. These geologic features triggered the formation of rollover anticlines and faults that serve as structural traps in the study area. The filtered residual magnetic data revealed geologic structures characterized with NE - SW, N - S, and E - W orientations. The 3-D models detected the faulted crustal blocks, gradient zones, and intra-basement compositional magnetic variations. Furthermore, some prominent horst and graben structures as well as related normal faults characterized with distinct magnetic signatures were observed. Faults of base magnetic (of various compositions) were observed to be the fabricating mechanisms of the magnetic anomalies. Collectively, these structures influenced the patterns of magnetic anomalies with direct effects on the hydrocarbon trapping systems, as well as the pathways and accumulation zones for hydrothermal minerals. On the whole, the interpreted results revealed that the basement surface is rippling. Additionally, the depth result showed sedimentary thicknesses that ranged from 4–10 km. Again, the estimated crustal thickness varied from 14 to 19 km. This study has displayed the capabilities of the magnetic method in mapping the depth and configuration of basement rocks, which are crucial in controlling the formation of structural traps. Identifying these basement structures early helps in understanding the overall geological framework and potential hydrocarbon systems.

Enabling Invar to Ti6Al4V transitions through copper in functionally graded laser powder bed fused components

This study examines the microstructural evolution, elemental distribution, phase composition, and hardness variations in multi-material samples fabricated using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) with Invar and Ti6Al4V with compositional gradients mediated by copper. A range of compositional transitions from Invar to Ti6Al4V with different copper fractions are reported. Defects such as gas and keyhole pores were detected in well-deep keyhole mode areas, while lack of fusion defects were observed in samples with pure Cu interlayers due to poor wettability and processing parameter variations. Crack formation between interlayer gradient zones and Invar regions was linked to FeNi and CuNi intermetallic phases. Intermetallic compounds (e.g., FeNi, CuNi, TiFe, TiNi) significantly influenced the microstructure and mechanical performance. Vickers hardness testing shows varying hardness across different builds, with the highest hardness being observed in the gradient zone enabled by pure copper (approximately 620 HV). This study also underscores the need for tailored component design linking build processing parameters and compositional transitions in multi-material LPBF to achieve desired properties and component structural behaviour.

Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Landscape Pattern Gradient Transformation of Small-Scale Agroforestry Patches in Mountain Cities

Small-scale agroforestry patches possess irreplaceable value compared to large-scale patches. In southwestern mountainous cities of China, the complex terrain and urbanization have led to the presence of numerous small, fragmented agroforestry patches around urban areas. These patches serve as crucial habitats for endemic species and provide essential space for wild food sources, thereby contributing to a range of ecosystem services. Consequently, their proper conservation and utilization planning are of paramount importance. This study investigates the transformation characteristics of landscape patterns of mountainous small-scale agroforestry patches and their constituent elements across urban–rural gradients, identifying the driving factors behind these transformations to support conservation and utilization planning. From an urban–rural gradient perspective, four directional transects were selected and divided into uniform sample grids. Using Fragstats 4.3, landscape indices of small-scale agroforestry patches were calculated, analyzing the transformation characteristics of these patches and their elements across different gradients. Spearman correlation coefficients in SPSS were employed to assess the influence of terrain and relevant anthropogenic factors on the transformation of agroforestry patches. The findings reveal the following: (1) Small-scale agroforestry patches and their elements exhibit similar patterns in terms of size, fragmentation, dispersion, and connectivity, showing an “increasing trend in size and connectivity, decreasing fragmentation, and fluctuating dispersion” from urban centers to natural areas, with slight variations in orchard patches. However, patch cohesion and shape complexity display nonlinear differentiated transformation characteristics. (2) Overall, small-scale agroforestry patches are significantly influenced by anthropogenic construction factors, with the landscape pattern of forest patches notably affected by terrain factors. (3) Across urban–rural gradient zones, the landscape patterns of small-scale agroforestry patches in urban centers, suburbs, and rural natural areas are more affected by terrain factors, whereas those in urban construction zones are significantly influenced by anthropogenic construction factors. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for the conservation and planning of mountainous small-scale agroforestry patches.

Experimental and numerical simulation of the attenuation effect of blast shock waves in tunnels at different altitudes

Traffic engineering such as tunnels in various altitudinal gradient zone are at risk of accidental explosion, which can damage personnel and equipment. Accurate prediction of the distribution pattern of explosive loads and shock wave propagation process in semi-enclosed structures at various altitude environment is key research focus in the fields of explosion shock and fluid dynamics. The effect of altitude on the propagation of shock waves in tunnels was investigated by conducting explosion test and numerical simulation. Based on the experimental and numerical simulation results, a prediction model for the attenuation of the peak overpressure of tunnel shock waves at different altitudes was established. The results showed that the peak overpressure decreased at the same measurement points in the tunnel entrance under the high altitude condition. In contrast, an increase in altitude accelerated the propagation speed of the shock wave in the tunnel. The average error between the peak shock wave overpressure obtained using the overpressure prediction formula and the measured test data was less than 15%, the average error between the propagation velocity of shock waves predicted values and the test data is less than 10%. The method can effectively predict the overpressure attenuation of blast wave in tunnel at various altitudes.

Implementation and validation of a generalized wall stress function

The generalized wall function by Shih et al. [Report No. M-1999-209398 (1999)], which accounts for non-equilibrium effects by the presence of favorable and adverse pressure gradients in turbulent flows, is addressed with the aim of performing high Reynolds number large-eddy simulations of the wall-bounded flow. The model uses a corrected law of the wall with a pressure gradient contribution to approximate the wall stress and applies to the entire viscous layer, buffer layer, and inertial region. A fully developed channel flow is first tested to validate the solver and model implementation, and then the wall function is assessed for the flow over a periodic hill. Wall-resolved simulations are in good agreement with reference results. A priori investigation with own experimental results corroborates the mathematical form of the model and suggests using different coefficients. The wall-modeled simulations show that the implemented wall model is able to improve the wall shear stress predictions compared to a standard equilibrium wall model. It corrects the underestimation of wall shear stresses by equilibrium models in the favorable pressure gradient region and the overestimation of wall shear stresses in the adverse pressure gradient region. The positions of the separation and reattachment points are also in good agreement with reference results. Furthermore, the prediction of the wall shear stress maximum in the favorable pressure gradient zone at the windward side of the hill is quite robust against coarsening the wall-normal grid spacing.

Assessment of Wavefront Aberrations in Children with Myopia Against the Background of Ocular Surface Disorders in Combination with Computer Vision Syndrome Digital and Eye Strain

Purpose: to assess the state of the wavefront in children with myopia, who have various manifestations of digital eye strain and symptoms of ocular surface disorders, and to evaluate the diagnostic significance of wavefront criteria for assessing the state of the ocular surface.Patients and methods. The study involved 76 children (152 eyes) with myopia aged 8 to 18 years who used gadgets and computers for more than 2 hours a day. All patients used glasses as a method of optical correction and were constantly worn. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 1st with symptoms of ocular surface disorder, 2nd — comparison group. Subjective signs were studied using the online questionnaire “State of the ocular surface”. Using the “Keratograph 5M Oculus” the following parameters were assessed: non­invasive tear film breakup time (NTBR), including the first tear film breakup time, average tear film breakup time, breakup time gradient and maximum tear film breakup zone, the same device was used to perform infrared meibography and study of the lipid layer of the tear film. All patients underwent wavefront aberrometry in a darkened room without cycloplegia.Results. It was found that in the group of patients with the presence of subjective phenomena of disturbance of the state of the ocular surface, identified using the online questionnaire “State of the ocular surface”, rotor aberrations were statistically significantly higher than in the comparison group. At the same time, the indicators of higher­order corneal aberrations have comparable values. Correlation analysis between indicators of the state of the ocular surface and parameters of the wavefront in the group of children with disturbances of the state of the ocular surface showed that a higher level of corneal aberrations corresponds to a higher number of points on the questionnaire of disturbances of the ocular surface and the state of visual comfort, in turn, when comparing data on non­invasive tear film breakup time, a negative correlation was established, which means that with a higher number of points on the questionnaire, and therefore, with a more significant degree of impairment of the ocular surface, the tear film breakup time was shorter.Conclusion. The structure of the wavefront in children with myopia against the background of a disorder of the ocular surface in combination with CVS and digital eye strain is significantly different from the structure of the wavefront in the comparison group.

Microstructural evolution and mechanical property correlation in boron-added modified 9Cr-1Mo steel

Castable B-containing steels have immense manufacturing possibilities owing to their wide range of potential applications. This paper focuses on the microstructural evolution and its correlation with the mechanical properties of boron-added (0.5, 2.5, and 5 wt%) modified 9Cr-1Mo steel. A relatively lower quantity of B (0.5 wt%) results in a hypo-eutectic alloy with a ferrite matrix and borides at the prior austenite grain boundaries. Interestingly, this material exhibits even higher uniform ductility than the conventional 9Cr-1Mo martensitic steel. In contrast, the 2.5B system forms a near-eutectic microstructure, while the 5B has a hyper-eutectic microstructure with large boride phases, resulting in the formation of a ferrite-boride composite structure. The composite microstructure exhibits enhanced material strength with significant fracture resistance compared to the pure phase due to the presence of a relatively softer and ductile ferrite phase. The significant increase in uniform ductility of the 0.5B sample has been attributed to the local misorientation near the grain boundary gradient zone. Whereas, for the 2.5B and the 5B samples, the increased strength primarily stems from the second phase ((Fe,Cr)2B) strengthening. Such varied microstructures and properties can be tuned to suit desirable applications.

Three-Dimensional Electrical Structure and Metallogenic Background of the Southeastern Hubei Ore Concentration Area

The Southeastern Hubei Ore Concentration Area (SHOCA) is located in the west section of the Middle and Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt in China, and it is a significant copper and iron mining region in China. Here, 117 pieces of magnetotelluric array data were used to obtain a three-dimensional resistivity model of the SHOCA and to investigate the relationship between the deep electrical features and the genesis of mineral deposits. The model shows that the Qinling-Dabie Orogenic Belt exhibits high-resistivity characteristics, representing Mesozoic granites and high-pressure to ultra-high-pressure metamorphic rocks. There are several low-resistivity anomalies in the upper crust of the SHOCA, which are connected to the widespread low-resistivity anomaly in the middle-lower crust. Near the Yangxin-Changzhou Fault, there is evidence of an electrical gradient zone. The Xiangfan-Guangji Fault, located at the south margin of the Qinling-Dabie Orogenic Belt, also exhibits distinct high- and low-resistivity boundaries at the upper crust. However, the Yangtze Fault and the Tancheng-Lujiang Fault manifest as resistivity gradient zones at the lithospheric scale. These faults are connected the low-resistivity anomaly in the middle to lower crust, possibly serving as upwelling channels of deep thermal fluids, exerting control over shallow diagenesis and mineralization processes. The low-resistivity anomaly in the middle to lower crust of the SHOCA is explained as partial melting resulting from the mixing of crustal and mantle materials. These low-resistivity anomalies play a role as source components in the mineralization system, where mineral-rich hydrothermal fluids migrate upward along intra-basin faults, exerting control over the distribution of shallow mineral deposits.

Impacts of spatial heterogeneity of anthropogenic aerosol emissions in a regionally refined global aerosol–climate model

Abstract. Emissions of anthropogenic aerosol and their precursors are often prescribed in global aerosol models. Most of these emissions are spatially heterogeneous at model grid scales. When remapped from low-resolution data, the spatial heterogeneity in emissions can be lost, leading to large errors in the simulation. It can also cause the conservation problem if non-conservative remapping is used. The default anthropogenic emission treatment in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) is subject to both problems. In this study, we introduce a revised emission treatment for the E3SM Atmosphere Model (EAM) that ensures conservation of mass fluxes and preserves the original emission heterogeneity at the model-resolved grid scale. We assess the error estimates associated with the default emission treatment and the impact of improved heterogeneity and mass conservation in both globally uniform standard-resolution (∼ 165 km) and regionally refined high-resolution (∼ 42 km) simulations. The default treatment incurs significant errors near the surface, particularly over sharp emission gradient zones. Much larger errors are observed in high-resolution simulations. It substantially underestimates the aerosol burden, surface concentration, and aerosol sources over highly polluted regions, while it overestimates these quantities over less-polluted adjacent areas. Large errors can persist at higher elevation for daily mean estimates, which can affect aerosol extinction profiles and aerosol optical depth (AOD). We find that the revised treatment significantly improves the accuracy of the aerosol emissions from surface and elevated sources near sharp spatial gradient regions, with significant improvement in the spatial heterogeneity and variability of simulated surface concentration in high-resolution simulations. In the next-generation E3SM running at convection-permitting scales where the resolved spatial heterogeneity is significantly increased, the revised emission treatment is expected to better represent the aerosol emissions as well as their lifecycle and impacts on climate.

Influence of ageing treatment time on microstructural evolution, sensitization and self-healing of Inconel 600

Samples of Inconel 600 were thermally aged at 739 °C from 1 up to 300 h followed by water quenching. The changes in microstructure were characterized and its effect on sensitization was evaluated by subjecting the heat-treated samples to double-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) tests. The evolution of the microstructure was analysed in terms of grain size, carbide formation and chromium diffusion by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the formation of chromium carbides is rapid at this temperature, increasing the density of carbides at the grain boundaries in the early stages of the ageing treatment. The formation of Cr7C3 and Cr23C6 along the grain boundaries and within the austenitic matrix modified the corrosion behaviour as seen in the measurements of the degree of sensitization (DOS). A decrement in DOS was seen with ageing time up to 200 h, due to the redistribution of chromium, induced by the equilibrium between chromium at grain boundaries and within the matrix. Electron backscattering diffraction suggested that self-healing of the alloy may be due to the mechanism of near-boundary gradient zones, where the increased number of dislocations leads to precipitation of carbides by promoting diffusion and thereby decreasing the Cr-depleted zones.

An Analytical Study of Fluid Flow Through a Porous Filled Channel with Permeable Wall: Suction/Injection Wall Conditions

To depict fluid movement in a channel with a rectangle-shaped cross-section and porous walls, the twodimensional Darcy Brinkman equation of motion with uniform suction and injection is analytically solved using the perturbation method. The analytical expressions for non-dimensional axial velocity, normal velocity, skin friction coefficient and pressure drop are obtained using the perturbation method at a low Reynolds number. Graphical analysis has been done for the derived quantities for different Darcy and Reynolds numbers. At higher Reynolds numbers, the emergence of the velocity overshoots and the presence of an unfavourable pressure gradient zone are significantly less noticeable. The streamlines follow the same pattern since the flow is steady. When the Darcy number is large, the non-dimensional stream function expression reduces to the stream function expression available in the literature. Non-dimensional pressure drop increases up to a specific entry length. The skin friction coefficient decreases as the Reynolds number increases. Acceleration of the fluid in the porous region leads to lesser skin friction; hence, pressure drop rises.

Iceberg danger in the seas of the Russian Federation Arctic Zone under modern climate change conditions

The aim of the research was to study the relationship between the intensity of iceberg formation in the Russian Arctic including the number of icebergs calving annually from outlet glaciers and surface air temperature anomalies. The research was carried out on the basis of satellite monitoring using non-commercial, freely distributed satellite information from optical-electronic satellites Landsat-8 (spatial resolution 15 m) and Sentinel-2 (spatial resolution 10 m) and the radar satellite Sentinel-1 (pixel size 20×40 m). To achieve the aim, an iceberg detection technique was used based on statistical criteria for searching for gradient zones in the analysis of two-dimensional fields of satellite images. Based on the analysis of satellite data of the visible spectral range of the Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 satellites and Sentinel-1 radar data the maximum spatial dimensions of icebergs formed by the outlet glaciers of Severnaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land (ZFI) and Novaya Zemlya in 2012–2022 were estimated. Satellite monitoring of the Severnaya Zemlya region was carried out using visible range images in the spring season (March–May), characterized by the best observation conditions in terms of cloudiness, natural light, and monitoring of icebergs most of which are located in fast ice at this time. Monitoring of the ZFI area was carried out using radar data in the period August-September, corresponding to the minimal ice cover conditions. Satellite monitoring of the Novaya Zemlya region was carried out using visible images in the summer season. In total, about 500 satellite images were analyzed. The discusses the dependence of the intensity of the iceberg formation process on the ice shelf and outlet glaciers with a floating edge on the surface air temperature and the maximum thickness of fast ice. It is shown that the abnormally warm weather that set in 2020 during the period of ice melting led to a sharp intensification of the process of glacier melting in the Russian Arctic and the formation of almost 8,000 icebergs near Severnaya Zemlya, more than 6,600 icebergs near ZFI and over 1,000 icebergs near the western coast of Novaya Zemlya. For all the areas of the Russian Arctic studied in the period 2012–2022 an increase was noted in the maximum observed sizes of icebergs calving from glaciers. The largest iceberg, whose length was 5 km, broke off in 2020 from the Matusevich ice shelf.

Small-scale regional engineering geological study of the Czech Republic evaluating the relationship between slope gradients and engineering geological zones

The aim of the small-scale regional engineering geological study of the Czech Republic was to evaluate the relationship between slope gradient and engineering geological zones. The research motivation was to determine the average slope gradient, 25%, 50% (median) and 75% quantiles related to the different engineering geological zones. This scientific information is critical from the perspectives of engineering geology, geotechnical engineering, and foundation engineering because an increasing slope gradient evokes the need to create a cut respectively foundation excavation or another excavation in the geological structure, which increases the probability of occurrence of the problem in terms of differential settlement and bearing capacity of the structures. The research was carried out in the territory of the Czech Republic in 8 Quaternary zones with soil foundation ground and 10 pre-Quaternary zones with rocks and semi-rocks and their eluvia. A significant difference in the statistical characteristics of slope gradients was found in the group of Quaternary engineering geological zones (evaluated group I) compared to the group of pre-Quaternary zones (evaluated group II). The value range of the average slope gradient was 1.65° (16.9%) to 5.89° (60.3%) for the Quaternary engineering geological zones (soil foundation ground), representing 43.4% difference. Whereas for the over-quaternary engineering geological zones (rocks, semi-rocks and their eluvia), the difference was much higher, 3.59° (36.8%) to 9.76° (100%—value determined as a referential because it was the maximum), which is also reflected in a more significant percentage difference of 63.2%.