Province Of Groningen Research Articles

GPS tracking data of Western marsh harriers breeding in Belgium and the Netherlands.

In this data paper three datasets are described containing GPS tracking and acceleration data of Western marsh harriers (Circus aeruginosus) breeding in Belgium and the Netherlands. The Western marsh harrier is included as a threatened bird species in Annex I of the European Bird Directive due to the steep decline in population densities. In order to collect data of habitat use and migration behaviour, Western marsh harriers were equipped with light-weight solar powered GPS trackers developed by the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) at the University of Amsterdam (University of Amsterdam Bird Tracking System, UvA-BiTS). These trackers automatically collect and store data on the bird’s activity and 3D position in time and transmit these data to ground stations.The datasets were collected by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) and the Dutch Montagu’s Harrier Foundation. Tracked Western marsh harriers were breeding in the northeast of the Dutch province of Groningen and on the opposite side of the river Ems in Germany (H_GRONINGEN), in the region of Waterland-Oudeman near the Belgian-Dutch border (MH_WATERLAND), and at the left bank of the Scheldt estuary, close to the Belgian-Dutch border and north of the city of Antwerp (MH_ANTWERPEN). Most individuals remained within 10 km from their nesting sites during the breeding season and wintered in West Africa. H_GRONINGEN contains 987,493 GPS fixes and 3,853,859 acceleration records of four individuals since 2012. MH_WATERLAND contains 377,910 GPS fixes of seven individuals. Sampling in this region began in 2013. Three more Western marsh harriers were tagged in the Scheldt estuary near Antwerp more recently in 2018 (one individual) and 2019 (two individuals) for the MH_ANTWERPEN study, which contains 47,917 GPS fixes and 227,746 acceleration records.The three Western marsh harrier datasets were published as separate studies in Movebank (https://www.movebank.org) and archived as data packages in Zenodo (https://www.zenodo.org) to ensure long-term preservation and versioning of the data.

Dyke failures in the Province of Groningen (Netherlands) associated with the 1717 Christmas flood: a reconstruction based on geoscientific field data and numerical simulations

AbstractThe 1717 Christmas flood is one of the most catastrophic storm surges the Frisian coast (Netherlands and Germany) has ever experienced. With more than 13,700 casualties it is the last severe storm surge with a death toll of this order. At the same time, little is known about the hydrodynamic conditions and the morphological effects associated with this storm surge.In this study, 41 potential dyke failures in the Province of Groningen (Netherlands) associated with the 1717 Christmas flood were systematically reconstructed and mapped by using historical maps and literature and by analysing the recent topography in search of typical pothole structures and sediment fans. The dimensions of the sediment fans as derived from the topography show a good accordance with the dimensions documented by vibracore profiles, direct push tests and electrical resistivity tomography data taken at three fieldwork sites. Moreover, the fan dimensions closely agree with the dimensions as simulated using a process-based morphodynamic numerical model for one of the three sites, the village of Wierhuizen. Consequently, the recent topography is still indicative for the locations and dimensions of dyke failures and sediment fans associated with the 1717 Christmas flood. Considering the large number of detected dyke failures (41) and the large dimensions of the potholes and particularly of the sediment fans up to a few hundred metres wide and up to 0.7 m thick, this study proves significant morphological effects of the 1717 Christmas flood on the mainland of the Province of Groningen.Based on the numerical simulation approach and the comparison with field data and field observations, a maximum seaward water level of 5 m NAP for the dyke failure at Wierhuizen during the Christmas flood can be derived. A similar maximum water level is indicated for the two other fieldwork sites Vierhuizen and Kohol, which is in good agreement with the maximum storm surge level of 4.62 m NAP historically documented for the city of Emden located almost 50 km to the east of Wierhuizen.The results of the current study demonstrate that the reconstruction of historical dyke failures based on (i) historical sources, (ii) recent lidar/high-resolution topographical data, (iii) multi-proxy sedimentary field data and (iv) hydro- and morphodynamic numerical simulations is a highly promising approach to derive hydrodynamic conditions and the morphological onshore response of the 1717 Christmas flood in the Province of Groningen. This knowledge is essential to improve our understanding of extreme storm surge dynamics, their influence on the coastal landscape and the associated hazards for the coastal population.

Van boerderij naar klooster naar weeshuis. De gebruiksplanten op het terrein van de Roode Weeshuisstraat, Groningen

From farm to monastery to orphanage. The use plants on the grounds of the Roode Weeshuisstraat, Groningen. This paper focuses on the analysis of plant remains that were recovered from the archaeological excavations at the Roode Weeshuisstraat, in the city of Groningen (province of Groningen), which took place in 1990 and 1991. The excavation results revealed three different phases of occupation: early medieval farms, a late medieval monastery and an early-modern orphanage. Botanical samples were taken from different contexts belonging to these different phases in order to examine the diet of the different types of inhabitants (farmers, nuns and orphans).

‘Van koper blijf je proper, van ijzer wordt je niets wijzer’: klooster Yesse, metaalvondsten uit 2017 en 2018

The Yesse monastery: Metal finds from 2017 and 2018. The female Cistercian monastery at Yesse (1215–1594), situated on what is today the southern edge of city of Groningen (province of Groningen), has recently experienced increased archaeological interest in its history and inhabitants. In addition to ceramic, botanical and zooarchaeological finds, metal objects reflect economic activities as well as activities of daily life which, at first glance, may not present the sobriety of monastic life. On the contrary, they tell of (supra-)regional trade, craftsmanship, metalworking, administrative duties, and the presence of books, that allowed the convent to flourish and become an important economic actor. While the reconstruction of the cloister lay-out on the basis of metal finds is not conclusive, the find locations of specific objects seem to indicate that Yesse followed the classic pattern of Cistercian cloisters, with a secular western side and a religious eastern side.

Schop, spade of stuurriem? Een bijzondere vondst uit Ezinge

Shovel, spade or side rudder? A special find from Ezinge. In 1933, excavations in the terp of Ezinge (province of Groningen) uncovered an object made out of oak in a house dating from the beginning of the 5th century BC. The object was recorded as a wooden shovel. Its asymmetrical shape, in combination with its lack of handle and its perforated shaft, however, suggest that it may not be a shovel (or a spade), although the possibility cannot be ruled out altogether. The shape of the object seems suitable for use as a side rudder, used to steer a long, dugout canoe powered by multiple paddlers. The earliest side rudders reported in the literature from northwestern Europe are from the late Roman period in southern Scandinavia. If the object could be proven to be a side rudder, it would be a rare find. It would also be one of a very small number of finds that can be associated with boats in the maritime landscape where Ezinge was situated. We recommend experimental research to better understand the use of dugout canoes and side rudders, and to reassess similar objects that have been recorded as shovels or spades.

Collapse shake-table testing of a clay-URM building with chimneys

This paper discusses the results of a unidirectional shake-table test carried out on a full-scale unreinforced clay-brick masonry building with chimneys. The specimen embodied construction details representative of old detached single-storey houses of the Groningen province in the Netherlands, without any specific seismic-resistant detailing. The house featured a typical Dutch gambrel roof that allowed for living space above the attic floor, with high gables that were vulnerable to out-of-plane excitation. The floor consisted of timber joists and planks, resulting in a flexible diaphragm. Two clay-brick chimneys were included to investigate the performance of falling non-structural masonry elements in earthquakes. A cumulative incremental dynamic test was performed up to collapse conditions, using input ground motions compatible with induced seismicity scenarios for the examined region. The paper summarises the key characteristics of the specimen and the observations from the shake-table tests, illustrating the evolution of the structural and non-structural damage, and the dynamic response of the building. The attainment of significant damage limit states is correlated with experimentally defined engineering demand parameters and ground-motion intensity measures for the performance-based seismic assessment of unreinforced masonry buildings. All data from the tests are available upon request on www.eucentre.it/nam-project.

Mapping Game Mechanics for Learning in a Serious Game for the Energy Transition

The integration of learning goals with game mechanics in serious games used in urban and spatial planning processes has the potential to enable game designers and planners to create games with narratives tightly aligned to particular processes and lead to increased learning outcomes. This study presents the results from testing Energy Safari, a serious game for the energy transition in the province of Groningen, and empirically associates specific game mechanics with learning events, derived from players' reports. The research is based on the analysis of post-play questionnaires. Play-testing Energy Safari illustrates that different learning events can be triggered by the same game mechanics, an observation which can be applied in serious game design to facilitate players with different learning needs and styles. In addition, play testing to evaluate the learning performance of serious games should be integrated in the game design process. However, to achieve lasting learning and actionable knowledge, serious games should be used complementarily with other civic participation methods.

Probabilistic assessments of flood defence performance subject to induced seismicity

Gas extraction in the Groningen Province in the Netherlands has caused seismicity. A method was needed for probabilistic assessments of the seismic performance of the levees that protect low-lying polders against flooding. By combining the First Order Reliability Method with response surfaces it proved possible to strongly reduce the required number of simulations with advanced numerical models to obtain reliable failure probability estimates. To illustrate the workings of the method, an application to a levee cross-section along the Eemscanal with a sheet pile wall is presented. The probabilistic method can be used for probabilistic assessments and the probability-based calibration of partial factors, and it could serve as a starting point for quantitative risk analyses for levee systems in earthquake prone regions.

A comprehensive in situ and laboratory testing programme supporting seismic risk analysis of URM buildings subjected to induced earthquakes

The reliability of a risk assessment procedure is strictly dependent on the adopted hazard, exposure, fragility and consequence models. This paper presents the methodology adopted to support the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of buildings in the Groningen province of the Netherlands by means of a comprehensive in situ and laboratory testing programme. The area, historically not prone to tectonic ground motions, experienced seismic events induced by gas extraction and subsequent reservoir depletion in the last decades. The peculiarity of the input ground motions, the distinctive features and a general lack of knowledge on the seismic response characteristics of the Dutch building stock, and the goal to also assess the collapse risk drove the design and execution of a comprehensive test campaign comprising in situ tests and full-scale shaking table tests of buildings. An overview of the whole campaign is presented, focusing on the merits and roles of the different experimental techniques. The main outcomes of the experimental tests are summarized and additional and wider research findings together with potential research avenues for future studies are also identified.

Participatory game prototyping – balancing domain content and playability in a serious game design for the energy transition

ABSTRACTGame design mostly engages future players as users and testers, whereas in the field of serious game design, approaches involving players more substantially are slowly emerging. This paper documents the participatory prototyping process of Energy Safari, a serious game for the energy transition in the Province of Groningen, and reports on the differences of the contributions made to the game development by separate groups of stakeholders. Each group contributed the most to the game elements that are most relevant to their interests. Overall, this study points to the potential of participatory game prototyping as a method to develop serious games that are balanced both in terms of domain content and playability, are meaningful for future players, and well embedded in the local context.

Numerical evaluation of dynamic levee performance due to induced seismicity

Occurrence of gas-extraction-induced earthquakes in the Groningen Province of the Netherlands raised the need for dynamic performance assessments of the regional flood defence system, consisting of an extended levee network. The soils underlying parts of the levees comprise Holocene tidal deposits, susceptible to liquefaction and cyclic strain softening. This paper describes the numerical methodology adopted to evaluate the seismic performance of such important flood protection structures, including: (1) the development of ground motions consistent with regional seismic hazard, (2) two dimensional, effective-stress, dynamic numerical simulations of levees, (3) use of calibrated advanced constitutive models to simulate complex soil behavior, (4) estimation of post-seismic deformations, and (5) validation against centrifuge experiments. The application of this methodology captured the important mechanisms governing these types of problems, resulted in an improved characterization of system behavior and allowed for a more rational and reliable prediction of levee performance.

Liability issues in gas and coal mining for damage caused by soil subsidence, earthquakes, and groundwater management under Dutch law or: a tale of two provinces—Groningen and Limburg

Mining typically may cause soil subsidence problems. In the Netherlands, that has been the case in the old coal mining district of Limburg (southern Netherlands) and also, more recently, in the new gas and salt mining areas in the north of the country. In the Province of Groningen, three decades of gas mining have caused a soil subsidence of over 35 centimetres. Furthermore, since earthquakes increasingly occur and have even passed 3.3 on the Richter scale, which is the threshold of danger to property, in the late 1990s, their relation to mining activities is no longer denied by the industry after some decades of stubborn negation. In this article, a number of reasons are presented, including arguments derived from liability under tort law (strict liability, combined with reversal of proof, as applied in Limburg since the 1920s), for why the 2003 Dutch Mining Law (as amended in 2017) does not appear to be successful in reflecting the state of the art. One would have expected more in a field with so much at stake, not just for the mining industry but also for citizens and the environment at large. Therefore, it is observed that the liability of mine operators is treated better by the legislation in adjacent European countries. The analysis of the current Dutch Mining Law, concentrating on the issue of liability for damage caused by soil subsidence and earthquakes to private property and the environment, is made from a comparative perspective, with special attention to French, German, and British mining law.

New data from terp excavations on sea-level index points and salt marsh sedimentation rates in the eastern part of the Dutch Wadden Sea

AbstractThis paper presents new geological data from two terp excavations at Englum and Ezinge, in the Dutch province of Groningen, and compares them to similar data from the western part of Friesland, in particular from the terp of Wijnaldum-Tjitsma. This terp is situated at a salt marsh ridge of the same height and thickness as Englum and Ezinge, although habitation started 650 years later at Wijnaldum. The measured levels of the tidal-flat/salt-marsh boundary underneath these terps make it possible to reconstruct palaeo-Mean High Water (MHW) levels. These sea-level index points show that palaeo-MHW in the Groningen part of the Wadden Sea was at the upper limit of the range of palaeo-MHW that has been reconstructed for the Dutch Wadden Sea on the basis of data from its western part. The deviating levels indicate that there are differences between regions of the Wadden Sea; this has earlier been established for the German section of the Wadden Sea. In the eastern part of the Dutch Wadden Sea, MHW nowadays is considerably higher than in the western part of the Wadden Sea; the data suggest that this may have been the case already in the 1st millennium BC. Salt marsh levels under dated terp layers make it possible to establish the rate of sedimentation of the developing salt marsh, at 23–91 cm per century for the pioneer zone and low marsh. This rate of development slowed to 4–5 cm per century for the middle marsh and 3–4 cm per century for the high salt marsh.

Tradable earthquake certificates

This article presents a market-based idea to compensate for earthquake damage caused by the extraction of natural gas and applies it to the case of Groningen in the Netherlands. Earthquake certificates give homeowners a right to yearly compensation for both property damage and degradation of living space. The level of compensation is a percentage of the joint annual gas revenues of the Dutch government, Shell and ExxonMobil and may vary based on the intensity of earthquakes in the previous year. These certificates are tradable within the Netherlands to stimulate the illiquid housing market in the province of Groningen. Although frequent earthquakes have decreased property values in this province, a seller will still receive an efficient price for his house because he can also sell his earthquake certificate. A buyer of this certificate receives an annual stream of income and may use these revenues, for instance, to repay his mortgage or to maintain his house at reduced tax levels. However, multiple implementation problems make the viability of this market-based instrument difficult if not questionable, such as the political decision on the aforementioned level of revenue sharing and the behavioral complexity of the options that tradable earthquake certificates offer to homeowners.

Correction to: The effect of earthquakes on the housing market and the quality of life in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands

Correction to: The effect of earthquakes on the housing market and the quality of life in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands

High V.LO-City adds PitPoint hydrogen station in Delfzijl

PitPoint Clean Fuels and QBuzz have inaugurated a new hydrogen refueling station in the Netherlands, at Delfzijl in the northern province of Groningen. The station, part of the EU-supported High V.LO-City project, will serve two fuel cell buses running between Delfzijl and Assen.

The effect of earthquakes on the housing market and the quality of life in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands

The Netherlands is not known for the occurrence of earthquakes. This is, however, a hot topic in the province of Groningen. Because of gas extraction, this area suffered from more than 1000 earthquakes. Most of them are not very intensive, but also bigger earthquakes of between 2 and 3 on the scale of Richter have been measured. In the last few years, thousands of houses are damaged, house prices have dropped, and the liveability is at stake. This paper pays attention to the effects of these earthquakes on the functioning of the housing market and the quality of life in the region. An extensive survey was conducted, focus groups were organized, housing market statistics were analyzed, and several econometric models were evaluated to give an answer to the question in which way the earthquakes influence the local housing market and the liveability.

Estimating the maximum possible earthquake magnitude using extreme value methodology: the Groningen case

The area-characteristic, maximum possible earthquake magnitude $T_M$ is required by the earthquake engineering community, disaster management agencies and the insurance industry. The Gutenberg-Richter law predicts that earthquake magnitudes $M$ follow a truncated exponential distribution. In the geophysical literature several estimation procedures were proposed, see for instance Kijko and Singh (Acta Geophys., 2011) and the references therein. Estimation of $T_M$ is of course an extreme value problem to which the classical methods for endpoint estimation could be applied. We argue that recent methods on truncated tails at high levels (Beirlant et al., Extremes, 2016; Electron. J. Stat., 2017) constitute a more appropriate setting for this estimation problem. We present upper confidence bounds to quantify uncertainty of the point estimates. We also compare methods from the extreme value and geophysical literature through simulations. Finally, the different methods are applied to the magnitude data for the earthquakes induced by gas extraction in the Groningen province of the Netherlands.

Field-wide reservoir compressibility estimation through inversion of subsidence data above the Groningen gas field

AbstractNot long after discovery of the Groningen field, gas-production-induced compaction and consequent land subsidence was recognised to be a potential threat to groundwater management in the province of Groningen, in addition to the fact that parts of the province lie below sea level. More recently, NAM's seismological model also pointed to a correlation between reservoir compaction and the observed induced seismicity above the field. In addition to the already existing requirement for accurate subsidence predictions, this demanded a more accurate description of the expected spatial and temporal development of compaction.Since the start of production in 1963, multiple levelling campaigns have gathered a unique set of deformation measurements used to calibrate geomechanical models. In this paper we present a methodology to model compaction and subsidence, combining results from rock mechanics experiments and surface deformation measurements. Besides the optical spirit-levelling data, InSAR data are also used for inversion to compaction and calibration of compaction models. Residual analysis, i.e. analysis of the difference between measurement and model output, provides confidence in the model results used for subsidence forecasting and as input to seismological models.

The effect of imposed production measures on gas extraction induced seismic risk

AbstractShaking and damage in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands, resulting from production-induced seismicity has caused increased public anxiety. Since 2014, production offtake has been reduced stepwise by over 50% in an attempt to minimise production-induced seismicity. The earthquake catalogue, combined with comprehensive data of the changes in production offtake, shows a clear response of seismic activity following the production measures taken. Associated temporal variations in the proportionality between smaller- and larger-magnitude events (theb-value of the Gutenberg–Richter relation) are observed. Since production measures were imposed, theb-value has tended to increase, thus lowering the probability of a larger-magnitude event. The analysis also shows increases in activity rate andb-value prior to larger-magnitude events. Subsequently, the probability of a larger-magnitude event seems to be decreasing prior to the events occurring. This implies that for short-term earthquake prediction of hydrocarbon-production-induced seismicity, these types of analysis could be misleading. However, regional analysis is necessary to explain the observations in terms of rupture initiation. At present, each event felt still draws the interest of both public and press. As some clustering of events in both time and space is still observed, managing both the seismicity and the public perception provides a continuing challenge.