Volume 7, Issue 1

The integrated evaluation of borecores from theMezősas-Furta fractured metamorphic hydrocarbon reservoirsuggests significantly distinct microstructural androck mechanical features within the analysed fault rocksamples. The statistical evaluation of the clast geometriesrevealed the dominantly cataclastic nature of the samples.Damage zone of the fault can be characterised byan extremely brittle nature and low uniaxial compressivestrength, coupled with a predominately coarse fault brecciacomposition. In contrast, the microstructural mannerof the increasing deformation coupled with higher uniaxialcompressive strength, strain-hardening nature andlow brittleness indicate a transitional interval betweenthe weakly fragmented damage zone and strongly grindedfault core. Moreover, these attributes suggest this unit ismechanically the strongest part of the fault zone. Gougerichcataclasites mark the core zone of the fault, with theirwidespread plastic nature and locally pseudo-ductile microstructure.Strain localization tends to be strongly linkedwith the existence of fault gouge ribbons. The fault zonewith ∼15 m total thickness can be defined as a significantmigration pathway inside the fractured crystalline reservoir.Moreover, as a consequence of the distributed natureof the fault core, it may possibly have a key role in compartmentalisationof the local hydraulic system.

The first radiocarbon dates available on the evolutionof the freshwater carbonates of the Danube-Tisza Interfluveare presented in this work along with their possibleuses to precisely date paleoecological and paleoenvironmentalchanges. This work also gives the basis of acomparative analysis of the Holocene radiocarbon-datedprofile of Csólyospálos with other Hungarian radiocarbondatedprofiles of the same age (Bátorliget, the Sárrét,etc.) and the implementation of a detailed chronologicaland regional paleoenvironmental study. Furthermore,our findings clearly demonstrate the importance of radiocarbonanalysis in the study of terminal Pleistoceneand Holocene Hungarian sedimentary sequences for accuratelydating and reconstructing the chronological orderof paleoenvironmental changes as well as the evolution ofthe natural endowments plus the regional comparison ofthe various profiles.

The article discusses the variability of total runoff and groundwater run-off affected by global and local climate changes using the example of 17 selected river basins located in south-west Poland. Based on the data collected from 1966 to 2005, the average annual values of the total and groundwater run-off, aswell as the seven-day annual minimum flows, were estimated, which provided useful information about droughts. The calculated parameters were compared with precipitation, air temperature, aridity index (the ratio of the precipitation and potential evapotranspiration), and the NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) and AMO (Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation) indices. There were no significant changes in the total run-off in the research area; however, there was a reduction in the groundwater run-off, which indicates change in groundwater recharge. The strongest relationship of total run-off, groundwater run-off and seven-day annual flow minimum was obtained from the NAO index,which confirms that the run-off from the study area is dependent on global factors. This is important for the estimation of changes in the runoff from the study area in response to the climate scenarios for the years 2011-2030, which indicate a fairly significant increase in air temperature and slight differences in precipitation. Based on extensive investigations, a reduction in the groundwater run-off in favour of increased surface run-off should be expected in the research area.

Manual Land Cover Mapping using aerial photographs provides sufficient level of resolution for detailed vegetation or land cover maps. However, in some cases it is not possible to achieve the desired information over large areas, for example from historical data where the quality and amount of available images is definitely lower than from modern data. The use of automated and semiautomated methods offers the means to identify the vegetation cover using remotely sensed data. In this paper automated methods were tested on aerial photographs and satellite images to extract better and more reliable information about vegetation cover. These testswere performed by using automated analysis of LANDSAT7 images (with and without the surface model of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)) and two temporally similar aerial photographs. The spectral bands were analyzed with supervised (maximum likelihood) methods. In conclusion, the SRTM and the combination of two temporally similar aerial photographs from earlier years were useful in separating the vegetation cover on a floodplain area. In addition the different date of the vegetation season also gave reliable information about the land cover. High quality information about old and present vegetation on a large area is an essential prerequisites ensuring the conservation of ecosystems

The purpose of this study is to spatiotemporallyexplore the characteristics of urban temperaturesbased on multi-temporal satellite data and historical insitu measurements. As one of the most rapidly urbanizedcities in Canada, Saskatoon (SK) was selected as our studyarea. Surface brightness retrieving, Pearson correlation,linear regression modeling, and buffer analysis were appliedto different satellite datasets. The results indicatethat both Landsat and MODIS data can yield pronouncedestimations of daily air temperature with a significantlyadjusted R2 of 0.803 and 0.518 at the spatial scales of 120mand 1000 m, respectively. MODIS monthly LST data ishighly suitable for monitoring the trend of monthly urbanair temperature throughout summer (June, July, and August)due to a high average R2 of 0.8 (P<0.05), especiallyfor the warmest month (July). Our findings also reveal thatboth the Saskatchewan River and urban green spaces havestatistically significant cooling effects on the surroundingurban surface temperatures within 500 m and 200 m, respectively.In addition, a multiple linear regression modelwith four influential factors as independent variables canbe developed to estimate urban surface temperatures witha highest adjusted R2 of 0.649 and a lowest standard errorof 0.076.

The southern part of the Apulia region (theSalento peninsula) has been the site of at least fifteen collapseevents due to sinkholes in the last twenty years. Themajority of these occurred in "soft" carbonate rocks (calcarenites).Man–made and/or natural cavities are sometimesassets of historical and archaeological significance.This paper provides a methodology for the evaluation ofsinkhole hazard in "soft" carbonate rocks, combining seismicand mine engineering methods.Acase study of a naturalcavity which is called Grotta delle Veneri is illustrated.For this example the approach was: i) 2D and 3D seismicmethods to study the physical-mechanical characteristicsof the rock mass that constitutes the roof of the cave; andii) scaled span empirical analysis in order to evaluate theinstability of the crown pillar’s caves.

A review of the entire Neogene climate in Europeis a useful tool for climate researchers, synthesizingpresent day knowledge on a variety of past warmer climatemodes thus facilitating the debate regarding possiblefuture climate scenarios in the Old Continent. This workcentres on the European scenario, debating possible futureprojections and describing the Miocene and Plioceneclimate in the Old Continent. With present evidences ofa global warming scenario, it is highly important that welook at past climatic events in order to better predict futureclimate changes impact in biodiversity. The review presentedhere synthesizes the literature regarding climate,faunal and floral evolution for the European Neogene, andaims to help palaeoclimatic researchers and climatologiststo characterize some of the boundary conditions for modellingpossible analogous of IPPC climate scenarios. If thefuture climate projections come to be true, it is shown thatthe Pliocene, and particularly the Mid Piacenzian WarmPeriod, should be considered as the best analogue for theimpact of a warming climate in Europe.

Comprehensive magnetic-paleomagnetic analysisof physical-geological models developed for the EasternmostMediterranean (northern part of the Sinai plate)accompanied by gravity and seismic data examination enabledthe detection of a zone of inverse magnetizationof submeridional strike with a total volume exceeding120,000 km3. Such a large zone must correspond to theprolonged period of inverse polarity in the Earth’s magneticfield history. We suggest that this inversely magnetizedthick block of the Earth’s crust corresponds tothe known Kiama hyperzone. A paleomagnetic map constructedon the basis of abovementioned geophysical dataanalysis combined with detailed examination of structural,radiometric, petrological, facial, paleogeographicaland some other data indicates that to the west ofthe Kiama zone is situated the Jalal zone, and to theeast – Illawarra, Omolon and Gissar zones. Discovery ofthe Kiama paleomagnetic zone combined with tectonogeodynamicalanalysis and paleobiographical data examinationindicates that the Earth’s oceanic crust blocks mayhave been shifted by transform faults from the eastern partof the Tethys Ocean to their modern position in the EasternmostMediterranean. Analysis of potential geophysicalfields and seismological maps integrated with tectonostructuralexamination show the isolation of the northernpart of Sinai plate from other terranes. For the first timeformation-paleogeographical maps of Triassic and Jurassicfor the Easternmost Mediterranean have been compiledand their tectono-geodynamical explanation hasbeen given. The obtained data create a basis for reconsideringtectonic zonation, paleogeodynamical reconstructionsand searching for economic deposits in this region.

This paper focuses on the flash flood assessmentusing a spatially-distributed hydrological model based onthe Monte Carlo simulation method. The model is implementedas r.sim.water module in GRASS GIS and was appliedto the Malá Svinka Basin in Eastern Slovakia where aheavy rainfall (100 mm/hr.) caused a flash flood event withdeadly consequences in July 1998. The event was simulatedusing standard datasets representing elevation, soilsand land cover. The results were captured in time seriesof water depth maps showing gradual changes in waterdepths across the basin. The hydrological effects of roadsin the study area were simulated using the preferentialflow feature of the model. This simulation helped to identifysource areas contributing to flooding in built-up areas.The implementation in a GIS environment simplifiesthe data preparation and eventual modification for variousscenarios and flood protection measures. The simulationconfirmed excellent robustness and flexibility of themethod.

Between September 5, 2008 and September 5,2009, near-surface soil moisture time series were collectedin the northern part of a 1.7 km2 watershed in SWHungaryat 14 monitoring locations using a portable TDR-300 soilmoisture sensor. The objectives of this study are to increasethe accuracy of soil moisture measurement at watershedscale, to improve flood forecasting accuracy, and to optimizesoil moisture sensor density. According to our results, in 10 of 13 cases, a strong correlationexists between the measured soil moisture dataof Station 5 and all other monitoring stations; Station 5is considered representative for the entire watershed. Logically,the selection of the location of the representativemeasurement point(s) is essential for obtaining representativeand accurate soil moisture values for the given watershed.This could be done by (i) employing monitoringstations of higher number at the exploratory phase of themonitoring, (ii) mapping soil physical properties at watershedscale, and (iii) running cross-relational statisticalanalyses on the obtained data. Our findings indicate that increasing the number of soilmoisture data points available for interpolation increasesthe accuracy of watershed-scale soil moisture estimation.The data set used for interpolation (and estimation ofmean antecedent soil moisture values) could be improved(thus, having a higher number of data points) by selectingpoints of similar properties to the measurement pointsfrom the DEM and soil databases. By using a higher numberof data points for interpolation, both interpolation accuracyand spatial resolution have increased for the measuredsoil moisture values for the Pósa Valley.

The spatial correlation between different stationsfor individual components in the regional GNSS networksseems to be significant. The mismodelling in satelliteorbits, the Earth orientation parameters (EOP), largescaleatmospheric effects or satellite antenna phase centrecorrections can all cause the regionally correlated errors.This kind of GPS time series errors are referred to ascommon mode errors (CMEs). They are usually estimatedwith the regional spatial filtering, such as the "stacking".In this paper, we show the stacking approach for the setof ASG-EUPOS permanent stations, assuming that spatialdistribution of the CME is uniform over the whole regionof Poland (more than 600 km extent). The ASG-EUPOSis a multifunctional precise positioning system based onthe reference network designed for Poland. We used a 5-year span time series (2008-2012) of daily solutions in theITRF2008 from Bernese 5.0 processed by the Military Universityof Technology EPN Local Analysis Centre (MUTLAC). At the beginning of our analyses concerning spatialdependencies, the correlation coefficients between eachpair of the stations in the GNSS network were calculated.This analysis shows that spatio-temporal behaviour of theGPS-derived time series is not purely random, but there isthe evident uniform spatial response. In order to quantifythe influence of filtering using CME, the norms L1 and L2were determined. The values of these norms were calculatedfor the North, East and Up components twice: beforeperforming the filtration and after stacking. The observedreduction of the L1 and L2 norms was up to 30% dependingon the dimension of the network. However, the questionhow to define an optimal size of CME-analysed subnetworkremains unanswered in this research, due to thefact that our network is not extended enough.

The aim of this study is to test and compare twoprobabilistic based models (frequency ratio and weightsof-evidence) with regard to regional gold potential mappingat Kelantan, Malaysia. Until now these models havenot been used for the purpose of mapping gold potentialareas in Malaysia. This study analyzed the spatial relationshipbetween gold deposits and geological factors such aslithology, faults, geochemical and geophysical data in geographicalinformation system (GIS) software. About eight(8) gold deposits and five (5) related factors are identifiedand quantified for their spatial relationships. Then, all factorswere combined to generate a predictive gold potentialmap. The predictive maps were then validated by comparingthem with known gold deposits using receiver operatingcharacteristics (ROC) and “area under the curve”(AUC) graphs. The results of validation showed accuraciesof 80% for the frequency ratio and 74% for the weightsof-evidence model, respectively. The results demonstratedthe usefulness of frequency ratio and weights-of-evidencemodeling techniques in mineral exploration work to discoverunknown gold deposits in Kelantan, Malaysia.

In hydrocarbon exploration, wave-equation migrationtechniques play an important role in imaging thecomplex geological structures. Usually, post-stack migrationscheme is applied to the seismic data to improve theresolution with restoration of dipping reflectors to theirtrue position. As a result, the migrated time sections areinterpretable in terms of subsurface features. As a numericalstudy, three fault models are considered for the presentstudy. First of all, synthetic time sections are generatedcorresponding to three models. Later, post stack migrationschemes such as Gazdag(PS), Phase-shift with turningrays and reverse time migration (T-K) domain techniquesare applied in order to judge the imaging accuracy, preservationof true amplitude and computational speed. All thethree post stack time migrated sections delineate the structurewith their throw.However, the reverse time migrations(T-K) clearly delineate the reflectors in restoring the throwproperly with minimum computational time. In order totest the validity the numerical results, similar exercise hasbeen undertaken using field seismic data of KG basin, India.The results indicates that the field migrated sectionsare imaged. But, the reverse time migration (T-K ) providesthe best subsurface image with restoration of reflectorsand collapse of diffracted events with least computationaltime. Gazdag (PS) and Phase-Shift with turning migratedsection shows the reduction of amplitude whereas, the reversetime migration preserved the amplitude fully.

A study on sulfur circulation in sediments wascarried out in dam reservoirs (Sulejów, Siemianówka, Turawa)with different hydrological and age characteristicsas well as with a different level of sediment accumulationand organic matter content.Differences in the isotopic composition of SO 2− 4 in the watercolumn and small variations in the concentration ofthis ion were observed in the Turawa reservoir. The investigationsdid not show vertical variation in the watercolumnconcentrations and isotopic composition. This isdue to the small depths of the reservoir and mixing of water.A part of sulfate sulfur from the water column is reducedby incorporating it into cell structures, while a partof it is deposited in the sediment. The study revealed asmall exchange of SO 2− 4 between thewater column and thesediment. Depending on the season of the year and thesediment sampling site, biogeochemical transformationsof sulfur species are observed.A significant variation in the biogeochemical processeswas found between the Siemianówka and Sulejów reservoirs,both in the concentrations and in the isotopic compositionof particular sulfur species. This primarily resultsfrom the different characteristics of either of these reservoirs(flows, sedimentation, and material discharge to thelake). The main source of sulfur supplied to the sedimentsin the Siemianówka reservoir is organic sulfur contained inorganic matter deposited at the bottom. In the sediment,organic sulfur is bacterially oxidized and fixed as SO 2− 4 .This is manifested in a substantial enrichment of sulfate in 34 S. The presence of polysulfides was found in both reservoirs,but a distinct depletion of δ 34 S(S 2− ) in the light sulfurisotope was observed in the Siemianówka reservoir. Ina part of the Sulejów reservoir, polysulfides are oxidized toSO 2− 4 ,probably at the sediment/water interface.

Soil organic matter (SOM) content is one of themost important indicators of soil quality and hence theproductive capacity of soils. Northeast China (NEC) is themost important region in grain production in China. Inthis study,we assessed the spatiotemporal change of croplandSOM content in NEC using sampling data of 2005 andsurvey data of 1985. We also analysed the driving forcesbehind the SOM content change. Our results showed thatSOM content decreased in 39% of all the cropland in NEC,while increase in SOM content was only detected on 16%of the cropland. SOM remained unchanged in nearly half(i.e. 45%) of the cropland. Our results also revealed thatcropping intensity and fertilizer application were the twomost important factors driving SOM change. Overall, resultsfrom this research provided novel details of the spatiotemporalpatterns of cropland SOM content change inNEC which was not revealed in earlier assessments. Thedatasets presented here can be used not only as baselinesfor the calibration of process-based carbon budget models,but also to identify regional soil quality hotspots andto guide spatial-explicit soil management practices.

With the increasing availability of data, geoscienceprovides many methods to model the spatial extentof various phenomena.Acquiring representative, highquality data is the most important criterion to assess thevalue of any spatial analysis, however, there are many situationsin which these criteria cannot be fulfilled. Archiveddata, collected in the past, for which analysis cannot berepeated or supplemented is a very common informationsource. Archaeological data collected at a regional extentduring years of field work and superficial observations arean additional example. Such data rarely provide representativesamples and are usually imbalanced; only very fewexamples contain useful data, while many examples remainwithout any archaeological traces. In spite of theselimitations archaeological information presented in theform of maps can be a useful and helpful tool to analysethe spatial patterns of some phenomena and, from a morepractical point of view, a tool to predict the location ofundiscovered occurrences. The primary goal of this paperis to present a methodology for modelling spatial patternsbased on imbalanced categorical data which do not fulfilthe criteria of spatial representation and incorporatesuncertainty in its decision process. This concept will bediscussed using a collection of Stone Age sites and set ofenvironmental variables from the postglacial lowlands inWestern Poland. We will propose a machine-learning systemwhich adopts CART through bootstrap simulation toincorporate uncertainty into the spatial model and utilisethat uncertainty in the decision-making process. Finally,we will describe the relationships between the model andenvironmental variables and present our results in cartographicform using the principles of decision-tree cartography.

Hydraulic conductivities (K) can be obtainedfrom pumping and slug tests as well as grain size analysis.Although empirical methods for such estimations are longstanding,there is still insufficient comparison of K valuesamong the various approaches. Six grain-size analysismethods were tested on coarse-grained alluvial sedimentsfrom 12 water wells in NE Slovenia. Values of K from grainsizemethods were compared to those of pumping testsand slug tests. Six grain-size methods (USBR, Slichter,Hazen, Beyer, Kozeny-Carman, and Terzaghi) were usedfor comparison with the Theis and Neuman pumping testmethod and the Bouwer-Rice method for slug tests. Theresults show that the USBR (US Bureau of Reclamation)method overestimates K values and there is no correlationwith other results, so its use is not advised. Conversely,whilst the Slichter method gives much lower estimatesof K, it is the only one to completely fulfill the grainsize requirements. Other methods (Hazen, Beyer, Kozeny-Carman, and Terzaghi) result in intermediate values andare similar to the Slichter method; however they should beused for smaller-sized sediments. Due to their high transmissivityand small radius of inffiuence, slug tests shouldbe avoided in the analysis of gravels, as they only test asmall portion of the aquifer compared to pumping tests.This is confirmed by the low correlation coefficients betweenhydraulic conductivities obtained from pumpingtests and slug tests.

The Middle-Upper Triassic Bagolyhegy Metarhyolite Formation of the Bükk Mts. (Hungary) hosts silicified bodies with high potassic feldspar content formed by Kmetasomatism. The rocks underwent a multistage deformation history including syn- and postmetamorphic folding and faulting. As the outcrop area is covered by soil and debris with some exposed silicified cliffs only, and potassium content is a characteristic feature of the metasomatized rocks, geological mapping was supported by a spectral gamma ray survey with a scintillation detector of NaI(Tl) crystal. A thunderstorm felling the beech forest made the soil horizon B also accessible in several pits, providing the opportunity to make measurements on the weathered debris instead of the topsoil (horizon A). Measurements in different arrangements were designed to test the effects of measuring time, measuring geometry and soil horizon. Our results show that concentration values obtained on the debris with a 2 min measuring time can be compared with those measured on exposed rock surfaces, producing a more reliable geological map than measurements on the topsoil with randomly variable K depletion. Pit geometry effects can be eliminated by the K/(eU+eTh) ratio. This results in a more realistic K distribution map if neither U nor Th enrichments are present. The survey successfully delineated the unexposed outcrop of K-enriched rocks on the survey area.

The storm events in the Baltic Sea are examined in connection with the main weather patterns grouped into the circulation types (CTs), and their changes in present climate. A calendar of storms was derived from results of wave model SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) experiments for 1948-2011. Based on this calendar, a catalogue of atmospheric sea level pressure (SLP) fields was prepared for CTs from the NCEP/NCAR dataset. SLP fields were then analyzed using a pattern recognition algorithm which employed empirical orthogonal decomposition and cluster analysis. For every CT we conducted an analysis of their seasonal and interannual changes, along with their role in storm event formation. An increase of the storm CTs’ frequency in the second part of the 20th century was shown to be in a close agreement with teleconnection circulation patterns such as the Arctic Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation and the Scandinavian blocking.

A diverse vertebrate fauna, dominated by sharkteeth, is recorded from conglomerates within the limestonesof the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) BurgsteinfurtFormation of northwestern Germany. The conglomeratebeds comprise carbonatic, glauconitic and phosphatenodules, as well as Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous extraclasts.The Burgsteinfurt Formation conglomerates containfining-upwards parasequences 2–20 cm in thickness,interpreted as tempestite layers within a unit formed bylarger-scale Milankovitch Cycles. The presence of the inoceramidSphenoceramus patootensis and belemnite Gonioteuthisgranulata indicate a late Santonian age for theunit. The studied vertebrate fauna from the Weiner Eschlocality consists of 20 selachian species (14 macroselachiansand 6 microselachians), a few teleosts, rare marinemosasaur remains, and one tooth from a theropod dinosaur.95% of the vertebrates in the assemblage are depositionallyautochthonous, with the remaining materialreworked from older underlying Cenomanian–Coniacian(lower Upper Cretaceous) limestones. On the basis of observedsedimentary structures, the scarcity of deep-seaselachians, and the dominance of the Mitsukurinidae(59% of the preserved shark fauna) in the fossil assemblage,the unit is interpreted as a shallow (0–3 metresdeep), subtidal, nearshore environment, or even subaerialcarbonate-sand islands, located on the southern marginof a submarine swell. The presence of a Santonian theropodin this deposit, and other dinosaur records in northernGermany, together support the interpretation of ashort-lived uplift event with strong upwelling influence forthe Northwestphalian-Lippe submarine swell north of theRhenish Massif in the southern Proto- North Sea Basin. Anew migration model for dinosaurs moving along carbonatecoasts or intertidal zones of shallow carbonate-sand islandsin Central Europe is presented, which may explainthe scattered distribution of dinosaur remains across Europein the Upper Cretaceous.

This study discusses scientific contributions analyzingsoil-atmosphere relationships. These studies dealwith both the biogeophysical and biogeochemical aspectsof this relationship, with biogeophysical aspects beingin the majority. All of the studies refer either directly orindirectly to the fundamental importance of soil moisturecontent. Moisture has a basic influence on the spatiotemporalpattern of evapotranspiration, and so 1) oncloud formation and precipitation events by regulatingthe intensity of convection, and 2) on the trace-gas exchangesin the near-surface atmosphere. Hungarian modelingefforts have highlighted that soils in the PannonianBasin have region-specific features. Consequently, shallowand deep convection processes are also, to some extent,region-specific, at least in terms of the diurnal changeof the planetary boundary layer height and the spatial distributionof convective precipitation. The soil-dependentregion-distinctiveness of these two phenomena has beenrecognized; at the same time the strength of the relationshipshas not yet been quantified.

This study aims to evaluate the activity concentrationsof 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th, 228 Th and 40 K along thebeaches of Kavala being adjacent to the rock-types of theKavala pluton. These ranged from 14–940, 16–1710, 26–4547, 27–4488 and 194–1307 Bq/kg respectively, representingthe highest values of natural radioactivity measuredin sediments of Greece. The (%wt.) heavy magnetic (HM)(allanite, amphibole, mica, clinopyroxene, magnetite andhematite) fraction, the heavy non-magnetic (HNM) (monazite,zircon, titanite and apatite) fraction and the totalheavy fraction (TH), were correlated with the concentrationsof the measured radionuclides in the bulk samples.The heavy fractions seem to control the activity concentrationsof 238 U and 232Th of all the samples, showingsome local differences in the main 238 U and 232 Th mineralcarrier. The measured radionuclides in the beach sandswere normalized to the respective values measured in thegranitic rocks, which are their most probable parentalrocks, so as to provide data upon their enrichment or depletion.The annual equivalent dose varies between 0.01and 0.35 mSv y −1 for tourists and from 0.03 to 1.48 mSv y −1 for local people working on the beach.

Investigations have been undertaken to assessthe extent to which compositional analysis can be usedto determine trade and interaction on the Great HungarianPlain during the Late Neolithic. Ceramic and clay samplesin the Körös and Berettyó River Basins were analyzedat the Elemental Analysis Facilities (EAF) at The Field Museumof Natural History in Chicago, IL, USA. With the useof laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry(LA-ICP-MS), the aim of the project was to ascertainif micro-regional or site-specific compositional signaturescould be determined in a region that is typically characterizedas highly geologically homogenous. Identifyingsite-specific signatures enables archaeologists to modelprehistoric interactions and, in turn, determine the relationshipbetween interaction and various socio-culturalchanges. This paper focuses on the preliminary compositionalresults of materials analyzed from three differentsites across the Plain and the methodological implicationsfor future anthropological research in the region.

The Lycian Nappes, containing ophiolite andsedimentary rocks sequences, crop out in the southwestTurkey. The Tavas Nappe is a part of the Lycian Nappes.It includes the Lower Jurassic-Upper Cretaceous calciturbidites.Chert occurrences were observed in the lower partof this calciturbidite. These cherts can be classified on thebasis of length, internal structure and host rock. Chertbands are 3.20-35.0min length and 7.0-35.0 cm thick. Chertlenses are 5.0-175.0 cm in length and 1.0-33.0 cm thick. Accordingto its internal structure, granular chert (bladedlargeequitant quartz minerals replaced the big calcitemineral of fossil shell) and porcelanious chert (microcrystallinesilica replaced micrite) have been separated. Chertsare generally associated with calcarenite-calcirudite, theothers with calcilutite. Micritic calcite patches of chertspoint out an uncompleted silicification. The source of silicawas dominantly quartz-rich, older, basal rocks and toa lesser extent radiolarians. The coarse-grained calciturbiditesact as a way for silica transportation. Some calciteveins (formed during transportation and emplacement ofnappes) cut both calciturbidites and cherts. Thus, chert occurrencesevolved before emplacement of nappes (the latestCretaceous-Late Miocene period) during the epigeneticphase.

This paper presents an investigation of naturallyoccurring CO2 emissions from the Florina natural analoguesite in Greece. The main objective was to interpretpreviously collected depth sounding data, convert theminto surfaces, and use them as input to develop, for thefirst time, 3D geological models of the Florina basin. Byalso locating the extent of the aquifer, the location of theCO2 source, the location of other natural CO2 accumulations,and the points where CO2 reaches the surface, wewere able to assess the potential for CO2 leakage. Geologicalmodels provided an estimate of the lithological compositionof the Florina Basin and allowed us to determinepossible directions of groundwater flow and pathways ofCO2 flow throughout the basin.Important modelling parameters included the spatial positionsof boundaries, faults, and major stratigraphic units(which were subdivided into layers of cells). We used variousfunctions in Petrel software to first construct a structuralmodel describing the main rock boundaries.We thendefined a 3D mesh honouring the structural model, andfinally we populated each cell in the mesh with geologicproperties, such as rock type and relative permeability.According to the models, the thickest deposits are locatedaround Mesochorion village where we estimate thataround 1000 m of sediments were deposited above thebasement. Initiation of CO2 flow at Florina Basin couldhave taken place between 6.5 Ma and 1.8 Ma ago. The NESWoriented faults, which acted as fluid flow pathways,are still functioning today, allowing for localised leakageat the surface. CO2 leakage may be spatially variable andepisodic in rate. The episodicity can be linked to the timingof Almopia volcanic activity in the area.

The paper presents a model of contemporarysedimentation in the forefield of Hornbreen, tidewaterglacier in Brepollen. The model is based on the results ofgrain-size analyses of bottom sediments and the informationabout dominant sedimentary processes in glaciatedfjords. It is concluded that apart from the tidewater glacierwhich is the main source of sediment in this area, the materialis transported also from the shores. Subsequently,the material is redeposited by iceberg-caused reworking,slides and gravity flows. Strong decreasing trend of particles’diameters with increasing distance from the ice cliffis observed.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the vulnerabilityafter point source contamination and characterizewater circulations in volcanic flows located in theArgnat basin volcanic system (Chaîne des Puys, FrenchMassif Central) using a tracer test performed by injectinga iodide solution. The analysis of breakthrough curves allowedthe hydrodispersive characteristics of the massivelava flows to be determined. Large Peclet numbers indicateda dominant advective transport. The multimodal featureof breakthrough curves combined with high valuesof mean velocity and low longitudinal dispersion coefficientsindicated thatwater flows in an environment analogousto a fissure system, and only slightly interacts with alow porosity matrix (ne < 1%). Combining this informationwith lava flow stratigraphy provided by several drillingsallowed a conceptual scheme of potential contaminant behaviourto be designed. Although lava flows are vulnerableto point source pollution due to the rapid transfer of waterwithin fractures, the saturated scoriaceous layers locatedbetween massive rocks should suffice to strongly bufferthe transit of pollution through dilution and longer transittimes. This was consistent with the low recovery rate ofthe presented tracer test.

Serbia represents one of those countries whichhave not yet differentiated themselves on the worldtourism map. However, it has an immense but still unrevealedpotential for geotourism development. In this paperwe analyzed several remarkable canyons and gorgesof great scientific importance and geotourism potential.These sites include the Djerdap Gorge and Lazar RiverCanyon, located in Eastern Serbia and the Ovcar-KablarGorge and Uvac Canyon located in Western Serbia. One ofthe main goals of this paper was to analyze and comparethe current state and tourism potential of these geosites byusing the M-GAM model for geosite assessment. However,the principal aim of the paper is to analyze how importantis each subindicator in the assessment process for differentmarket segments. In this paper, we also analyzed howgiving different importance to subindicators can influencethe position of the geosites in the matrix indicating differentassessment done by two chosen market segments.The research showed that general geotourists appreciateconsiderably different values when assessing a geosite incomparison to pure geotourists. The paper can be used asframework for developing the tourism management strategyof geosites taking into consideration the needs andpreferences of the target market segments.

This research investigates the behavior of sandreinforced with polypropylene fiber. To do this, 40 directshear tests and 40 triaxial tests were performed on thecoastal beaches of Babolsar, a city in the North of Iran. Theeffect of parameters such as fiber content, length of fiberand normal or confining pressure on the behavior of Babolsarsand have been studied. In this study, four various fibercontents (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 percent), three different lengthsof fiber (6, 12 and 18 mm) and four normal or confiningpressures (50, 100, 200 and 400 kPa) have been employed.The test results show that fiber inclusion has a significanteffect on the behavior of sand. In both direct shear and triaxialtests, the addition of fibers improved shear strengthparameters (C, '), increased peak shear strength and axialstrain at failure, and also limited the amount of post-peakreduction in shear resistance. The comparison of the testresults revealed that due to better fiber orientation towardthe direction of principal tensile strain in triaxial test ascompared to direct shear tests, the fiber efficiency and itseffect on soil behavior is much more significant in triaxialspecimens.

In this paperwe describe a microzonation surveycarried out at a mountain Municipality (Piteglio, NorthernApennines). We complemented the available data by conducting106 microtremor measurements for Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) analysis. Most of the dataconcern the three major rural villages (Piteglio-Prataccio,Popiglio and Prunetta). Furthermore, we installed a fieldmobile seismic station at two of the major villages, in orderto obtain earthquakes recordings.The HVSR analysis shows amplification effects due to eluvialor colluvial deposits overlying the seismic bedrock,even for areas previously mapped as bedrock outcrops.Most zones characterized by sandstone outcrops showpeaked HVSR traces. This observation could be also interpretedin terms of a topographic effect. In contrast, areascharacterised by chaotic materials (olistostrome) generallyexhibit a flat HVSR. Other areas of seismic amplificationwere identified on alluvial and landslide deposits.Results byHVSR analysis arewell correlated with availabledata from geo-technical and geophysical surveys, thus allowingto invert HVSRs for the physical properties of thesubsoil. Subsoil properties can thus be extrapolated alsoin areas for which only measurements of seismic noise areavailable. Moreover, noise HVSRs agree well with thosefrom earthquakes recorded at the different selected sites.

Comprehensive chronological, geological andpaleontological investigations were conducted as part ofarchaeological excavations in 2011 and 2012, prior to theconstruction of the M85 motorway between Gyor andCsorna, Hungary. These studies clearly show that the alluvialfan that underlies much of the Little Hungarian Plainwas built up by streams flowing in a southeasterly to northwesterlydirection from the nearby Bakony Hills, and continuedto form until the end of the last glacial period. Thenorthern part of the fan, now named the Csorna Plain,became inactive (i.e. became a fossil river-bed system) atabout 25–15 ka, when the Rába and Marcal rivers changedtheirflowdirection fromsouth–north towest–east.As a resultof this change in flow direction, the Rába and Marcalrivers became incised, capturing the Bakony stream beds,stopping sediment deposition on the northern side of thealluvial fan (essentially the left bank of the Rába-Marcalriver system), although the southern part of the fan continueto form as before. On the northern side of the fan, thesediment surface dried out due to falling groundwater levels,and aeolian sand-drifts began to form. Eventually, accumulationof the sand-drift sediments ceased due to thedeposition of loess-type sediments, which fixed the surface,conserved the sand-drift shapes, and contributed tothe straightening and eventual canalization of the fluvialchannels. Geoarchaeological examinations indicate thatthe development of present fluvial features were stronglyaffected by the settlement and tillage activity of humancommunities on the Csorna Plain.

The distribution and abundance of pyrrolic compoundsin sediments and crude oils are most likely influencedby inorganic sedimentary components. In thispaper, thermal simulation experiments on the systempyrrole-hematite-water were carried out at elevated temperaturesand pressures in order to investigate the effectof organic-inorganic interactions on the preservationof pyrrolic compounds. Compositions of the reactionproducts were analyzed with GC-MS and GC-FIDmethods. In the closed system pyrrole-hematite-water, thenitrogen-oxygen exchange obviously occurred at temperaturesabove 350ºC in accordance with the thermochemicalcalculation. Large amounts of furan and ammonia weregenerated after simulation experiments, indicating thatthe conversion of pyrrole into furan was the dominant reaction.Thermochemical exchange effect between organicnitrogen and inorganic oxygen was obviously facilitatedby elevated temperatures and found to be catalyzed byhematite, but inhibited by the increasing volume of water.Thermodynamically water spontaneously reacts with pyrroleabove 300ºC. The reaction of pyrrole-hematite-wateris an exothermic process in which the reaction heat positivelycorrelates with temperature. The heat released wasestimated as 9.0 KJ/(mol) pyrrole - 15.0 KJ/(mol) pyrrole intypical oil reservoirs (100ºC–150ºC) and 15.0–23.0 KJ/(mol)pyrrole in typical gas reservoirs (150ºC–200ºC). The calculatedactivation energy of the nitrogen-oxygen atom exchangeis about 129.59 kJ/mol. According to the experimentalresults, a small amount of water may effectivelyinitiate the nitrogen-oxygen exchange. The study wouldimprove our evaluating of the preservation and fate ofpyrrolic compounds in deeply buried geologic settings andfurther understanding of thermochemical processes behindthe degradation of petroleum.

Freely meandering (quasi)natural reaches oflowland rivers represent a rare phenomenon in Central Europe.Increasing attention is currently being paid to thedynamics of quasi-natural (artificially influenced) meanderingrivers as this attention represents the basic prerequisitefor the development of appropriate restorationstrategies on regulated rivers. This study focused on a 5.5km long reach of the Morava River in the Strážnické Pomoravíregion, Czech Republic that is characterised byquasi-natural evolution after substantial engineering adjustmentswere made in the first decades of the twentiethcentury. Based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS)analysis of aerial photographs, the spatio-temporal dynamicsof bank erosion and accretion rates were quantitativelydescribed and variables that control channel migrationrates were identified. High rates of lateral shifts werelocalised in high sinuosity segments (sinuosity 1.17-2.37),whereas segments with very low rates were straight orformed into slightly curved bends (sinuosity 1.05-1.18). Asa key factor, engineering works that influenced local riverbed slope and induced a dramatic increase in bank erosionrates were identified. River engineering works induced adramatic increase in bank erosion rate (2.19 m/year for1938-53 and 1.47 m/year for 1953-63). An interval of approximately25 years was needed before the erosion ratesdropped back to values documented before river regulation(0.35-1.09 m/year for 1841-1938). Other important controllingvariables included radius of curvature, frequencyand magnitude of floods and, locally, river bank materialproperties and floodplain land cover.

Thermal anomalies which are known to be significantprecursors of strong earthquakes can be evidencedby spectral thermal infrared (TIR) bands recordedby sensors on board of NOAA-AVHRR and Terra/Aqua-MODIS satellite. In order to locate relevant thermal anomalousvariations prior to some strong even moderate earthquakesrecorded in Vrancea tectonic active zone in Romania,satellite derived geophysical parameters have beenused: land surface temperature (LST), outgoing long-waveradiation (OLR) and mean air temperature (AT). Spatiotemporalvariations of LST, OLR, and AT before and afterthree strong earthquakes in Vrancea area (M w = 7.4, 4March 1977; M w = 7.1, 30 August 1986; M w = 6.9, 30 May1990) and a moderate earthquake (M w = 5.9, 27 October2004) have been analyzed. Anomalous spatio-temporalpatterns of these parameters developed a few days up tofew weeks before the earthquakes disappeared after themain shocks. Significant increases in land surface temperature,outgoing long-wave radiation, and mean air temperaturecan be assigned to energy exchange mechanismduring earthquake preparatory events. Such preseismicanomalies can be considered to be associated with thethermodynamic, degassing and ionization geochemicalprocesses which seem to be activated due to the increasedstress in the ground, and microfracturing of the rocks especiallyalong area’s active faults.

Satellite imagery has been widely used to monitorthe extent of environmental change in both mine andpost mine areas. This study uses Remote sensing and GeographicalInformation System techniques for the assessmentof land use/land cover dynamics of mine relatedareas in Wa East District of Ghana. Landsat satellite imageriesof three different time periods, i.e., 1991, 2000 and2014 were used to quantify the land use/cover changes inthe area. Supervised Classification using Maximum LikelihoodTechnique in ERDAS was utilized. The images werecategorized into five different classes: Open Savannah,Closed Savannah, Bare Areas, Settlement and Water. Imagedifferencing method of change detection was used toinvestigate the changes. Normalized Differential VegetativeIndex valueswere used to correlate the state of healthyvegetation. The image differencing showed a positive correlationto the changes in the Land use and Land coverclasses. NDVI values reduced from 0.48 to 0.11. The landuse change matrix also showed conversion of savannahareas into bare ground and settlement. Open and closesavannah reduced from 50.80% to 36.5% and 27.80% to22.67% respectively whiles bare land and settlement increased.Overall accuracy of classified 2014 image andkappa statistics was 83.20% and 0.761 respectively. Thestudy revealed the declining nature of the vegetation andthe significance of using satellite imagery. A higher resolutionsatellite Imagery is however needed to satisfactorilydelineate mine areas from other bare areas in such Savannahzones.

We aimed to reveal the risk of arsenic in a Hungarianriver (the Tisza) at the mouth of a polluted canal.Four sampling sites were involved in this work and sampleswere collected on a weekly basis for arsenic andsodium, and on a monthly basis for nutrients. Significantdifferences were found concerning each studied componentbetween the sampling locations of the River Tisza.Statistical analysis also revealed that the values of the upperand lower river tracts did not differ significantly. Thus,water carried by the canal is being diluted before it reachesthe farthest sampling location.

One devastating landslide event in northernThailand occurred in 2006 at Ban Nong Pla village, ChiangKlang highland of Nan province after, a massive amountof residual soil moved from upstream to downstream, viacreek tributaries, into a main stream after five days of unusualheavy rainfall. In this paper, the geological and engineeringproperties of residual soil derived fromsedimentaryrocks were analyzed and integrated. Geological mapping,electrical resistivity survey and test pits were carriedout along three transect lines together with systematiccollection of undisturbed and disturbed residual soilsamples. As a result, the average moisture content in soilis 24.83% with average specific gravity of 2.68,whereas theliquid limit is 44.93%, plastic limit is 29.35% and plastic indexis 15.58%. The cohesion of soil ranges between 0.096–1.196 ksc and the angle of internal friction is between 11.51and 35.78 degrees. This suggests that the toughness propertiesof soil change when moisture content increases. Resultsfrom electrical resistivity survey reveal that soil thicknessesabove the bedrock along three transects range from2 to 9 m. The soil shear strength reach the rate of high decreasesin the range of 72 to 95.6% for residual soil fromshale, siltstone and sandstone, respectively. Strength ofsoil decreaseswhen the moisture content in soil increases.Shear strength also decreases when the moisture contentchanges. Therefore, the natural soil slope in the study areawill be stable when the moisture content in soil level isequal to one, but when the moisture content between soilparticle increases, strength of soil will decrease resultingin soil strength decreasing.

The studied rock samples belong to the classic1615–1645 Ma Wiborg Rapakivi granite terrane of southeasternFinland. Geochemical studies show that the rapakivigranites and associated rocks form metaluminousto peraluminous A-type granites and plot in the "withinplate granites (WPG)" field on the tectonic discriminate diagramsfrom the Onkamaa, Suomenniemi and Luumäki.The rapakivi granite displays enrichment of light overheavy REE (LREE/HREE = 2-34) and usually negative Euanomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.01 - 1.4). Enrichment in REE in somestudied samples is confined to highly fractionated portionsof the Rapakivi granite. Fractional crystallization ofthe evolving fluorite-rich peraluminous granitic magmawas accompanied, particularly at later stages by fluid fractionation,which plays an important role in the genesis ofthe REE-mineralization.The studied rapakivi granites host REE-minerals includingmonazite-(Ce), allanite (Ce), bastnäsite (Ce), xenotime,thorite and REE-bearing mineral apatite. Monazite and allaniteare the most important REE carriers in the studiedgranites and these minerals are strongly enriched in theLREE.Monazites are hosted in apatite, quartz, plagioclase,K-feldspar, and biotite. Grain size of monazite is variableranging from 50 to >100 μm.Monazite contains 48-68 wt%REE2O3, 24.3-29.3 wt% P2O5 and low Th<1.5 wt%ThO2. TheY, REE, U, Th-bearing minerals are not commonly associatedwith the primary minerals except for Th-bearingminerals, which occur as silicates (e.g. thorite, ThSiO4);and/or replace other elements in the structure of some accessorymineral, especially xenotime, brabantite, zircon,and apatite.Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) provides an indicationof solid solution series between thorite-xenotimezircon,which are related to hydrothermal solutions enrichedin REE, Y, P, U, F, and Zr.

Geopark information and interpretation systemsare both necessary infrastructure in geopark planning andconstruction program, and they are also essential for geoeducationand geoconservation in geopark tourism. Thecurrent state and development of information and interpretationsystems in China’s geoparks were presented andanalyzed in this paper. Statistics showed that fewer thanhalf of geoparks run websites, and less than that amountmaintained database, and less than one percent of allInternet/smartphone applications were used for geoparktourism. The results of our analysis indicated that smartphoneapplications in geopark information and interpretationsystems would provide benefits such as acceleratedgeopark science popularization and education and facilitatedinteractive communication between geoparks andtourists.

There are several competing hypotheses for theorigin of loess in Europe but quantitative evidence is stillrare. Here, Sr-Nd isotopic and bulk elemental compositionof loess from Marine Isotope Stages 2 and 3 fromthree study regions in Central Europe – Nussloch (Germany),Grub (Austria) and Tokaj (Hungary) - are analyzed.This study aims at examining differences and similaritiesof loess deposits throughout Europe, correlating loesswith potential source rocks from major mountain rangesand comparing loess with floodplain sediments from mainrivers as integrated samples of the drainage areas. The resultsshow that European loess deposits are largely uniformand that sediment sources have been rather stablein the Southern and Eastern parts of Central Europeand more variable in West Central Europe. However, themethods used are not sufficient to unequivocally confirmand reject potential sediment sources but, in combination,help to identify the most likely sediment origins. While adirect correlation of loess and potential source rocks is dif-ficult, the comparison with floodplain sediments is mostpromising and confirms previous hypotheses. Loess fromTokaj and Grub is most likely a mix of material transportedby the Danube River and sediments from the surroundingmountains. Rhine River sediments are probably the mainsource of loess at Nussloch.

Remarkably high arsenic (As) contents havebeen reported in numerous Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary(KPB) clays worldwide including those from Spain (atCaravaca and Agost) and New (N.) Zealand (at WoodsideCreek). Two interpretations have been offered to explainthis anomaly. The first one suggests that this As was generatedby the combustion of fossil fuels (such as crude oil,coal or oil shales) near the Chicxulub impact site and thesecond interpretation proposes the post-impact combustionof the global biomass at the KPB. Both types of combustionwere presumably triggered by the Chicxulub impactor.This report shows that the estimated surface densitiesof As in Spain and N. Zealand strongly contradict thefossil fuel hydrocarbons/biomass hypotheses. In addition,we also show that previously reported global abundancesof As at KPB are greatly overestimated.The high abundances of iron (Fe) in the ejecta layers fromSpain and N. Zealand lead us to a working hypothesis thata major fraction of their anomalous As was adsorbed fromseawater by the Fe-oxides. These oxides were mainly derivedof Fe from the vaporized carbonaceous chondrite impactor.These were originally deposited on the local (topographicallyhigh) oxic soils in Spain and N. Zealand andthen laterally transported to the KPB sites by the impactinducedsurface waters.

There is increasing evidence for crop cultivationat sites of the Neolithic Swifterbant culture fromca. 4300 B.C. onwards. Presence of cereal fields at theSwifterbant S2, S3 and S4 sites has been corroborated frommicro morphological studies of soil samples. Swifterbantsites with evidence for cultivated plants are still scarcethough and only emerging, and have produced very lownumbers of charred cereals only. The major aim of ourwork was to elucidate the environmental background ofthe Dutch Neolithic site Swifterbant S4 based on the investigationof phytolith remains retrieved from soil samples.In addition to find evidence for crop cultivation independentlyfrom other studies. Samples were taken at1 cm intervals vertically from the soil section at the centralprofile of site S4. Additional samples were taken frompocket-like structures and adjacent horizons above andbelow. Pig coprolites yielded an astonishing phytolith assemblagewhich was compared to that of the soil samples.A pig tooth also yielded evaluable material via detailed investigationusing SEM. The evaluation of phytolith assemblagesretrieved from the soil horizons plus those endingup in the droppings of pigs feasting in the area enabledto draw a relatively reliable environmental picture of thearea. All these refer to the presence of a Neolithic horticulture(cereal cultivation) under balanced micro-climaticconditions as a result of the vicinity of the nearby floodplain.These findings corroborate those of previous soilmicro-morphological studies.

Soil hydraulic properties are among the most importantparameters that determine soil quality and its capabilityto serve the ecosystem. Land use can significantlyinfluence soil properties, including its hydraulic conditions;however, additional factors, such as changes in climate(temperature and precipitation), can further influencethe land use effects on soil hydraulic properties. Inorder to develop possible adaptation measures and mitigateany negative effects of land use and climatic changes,it is important to study the impact of land use and changesin land use on soil hydraulic properties. In this paper,we summarize recent studies examining the effect of landuse/land cover and the associated changes in soil hydraulicproperties, mainly focusing on agricultural scenariosof cultivated croplands and different tillage systems.

A marine/limnic vertebrate fauna is describedfrom the enodis/posseckeri Bonebed mixed in a bivalveshell-rich bioclastic carbonate rudstone at the easterncoastal margin of the Rhenish Massif mainland at Lamerden(Germany) within the western Germanic Basin (CentralEurope). The condensation layer is of Fassanian (Ladinian,Middle Triassic) in age. The vertebrate biodiversityincludes five different shark, and several actinopterygianfish species represented by teeth and scales. Abundantisolated bones from a small- and a large-sized pachypleurosaurNeusticosaurus species, which can be composedas incomplete skeletons, originate from dense populationsof different individual age stages. Important faciesindicator reptiles are from the thalattosaur Blezingeriaichthyospondyla which postcranial skeleton is reconstructedhypothetically using additional postcranialbones from similar aged various German localities. Thevertebrate biodiversity of the enodis/posseckeri bonebedof Lamerden reflect a limnic/fluvial freshwater influencedfauna (amphibians/terrestrial and marine reptiles) withdominance of normal saline marine influences. Macroalgaemeadow adapted placodont reptiles are absent inLamerden, as well as open marine-adapted ichthyosaurs,supporting a lagoon with fresh water influence position atthe Rhenish Massif mainland coast. In those contemporanousbrackish lagoons, which seem to be isochronousto northern Tethys lagoons of the Kalschieferzone at theMonte San Giorgio (Switzerland/Italy), small pachypleurosaurswere abundant prey in both regions for reptilepredators, especially large paraxial swimming alligatorhabitus-like Paranothosaurus, which even contain stomachcontents of pachypleurosaurs.

The Petény Cave located on the Hungarian Highlandsyielded one of the most well-documented vertebratefauna of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene in Hungary. Inaddition to the vertebrate remains, considerable numbersof mollusc shells and charcoals were retrieved from theprofile of the rock shelter. Furthermore, a pollen sequenceclose to the cavewas also evaluated in order to reconstructthe flora of the region. A new radiocarbon analysis of samplesfrom the Petény Cave was used to correlate data ofdifferent methods and to correct the earlier outcomes. Thecave sequence exposes layers from 15.180 cal BP to 483 calBP. Nevertheless, based on our new radiocarbon data, thesequence is incomplete and layers corresponding to thePleistocene/Holocene boundary are missing from the profile.The results of our radiocarbon analysis clearly supportconsiderable amounts of thermo-mesophylous gastropodspecies appearing as early as 15.180 cal BP. The appearanceof deciduous woodlands in the Carpathian Basin alongwith the concomitant mollusc elements is much earlierthan previously assumed, supporting the presence of temperatewoodland refugia in the study area.

This study deals with the possibilities of expertdrivensemi-automated recognition of planation surfacesand other flat landforms in the area of the Aggtelek Karst,Hungary. Planation surfaces are the most debatable andvague landforms and can be defined as parts of terrainformed by long-lasting erosion-denudation processes underthe stagnant erosion base conditions. In terms of denudationchronology they can be considered as morphologicalindicators of different evolution stages of area. Inkarst areas planation surfaces and river terraces are mostlycorrelated with cave levels, which originated in relation tothe same stagnant erosion base. Because there is no generalmethod of delineation of planation surfaces, the mainobjective of the study was to find a suitable method forsemi-automated recognition of flat landforms in the AggtelekKarst, which should correspond to different phasesof the Jósva River incision and therefore could be correlatedto the multilevel cave system of the study area.Several methods for semi-automated landform classificationwere tested for recognition of flat surfaces in a relativelyobjective way. Slope gradient thresholding tool, andr.param.scale and r.geomorphon modules implemented inGRASS GIS were tested. As a result, the r.geomorphonmodule was proven as the most suitable method for delineationof relatively flat surfaces. Findings of the presentedwork can be used as a morphological indicator ofthe comprehensive reconstruction of evolution of the AggtelekKarst and the Slovak Karst.

The main objective of this article is to analysethe multiannual variability of frost occurrence and thelength of the frost-free period in Poland and neighbouringcountries between 1971 and 2010. A frost day was de-fined as a day onwhich the minimum temperaturewas below0°C and the maximum temperature was above 0°C.On average, between March and November, there were 30frost days in Poland and neighbouring countries, and theirnumber ranged between 12 and 61. In the analysed multiannualperiod, there was a statistically significant tendencyfor the last spring frost to be earlier. Conversely,the first autumn frost occurred increasingly late, althoughthe changes were not statistically significant. All but threestations (Augsburg, Kaliningrad, Olsztyn) recorded an increasein the length of frost-free periods, which was statisticallysignificant in 51% of stations. The pressure conditionconducive to the occurrence of frosts was anticycloniccirculation, as confirmed by the SLP and z500 hPa mapswhich were drawn up, and the Grosswetterlagen (GWL)classification types which were distinguished.

To improve the accuracy of an initial in-situstress field determined by inversion, we describe a modified initial in-situ stress inversion method that uses partialleast-squares regression based on FLAC3D. First, eachstress component is regressed to improve the fitting accuracyof locally abnormal stress regions, and then the relationshipbetween element stress and unbalanced nodeforce is analyzed according to the computational principlesof FLAC3D. The initial in-situ stresses obtained fromthese regression calculations are added to a numericalmodel, and the unbalanced node forces are recalculated.An external force equal to the recalculated unbalancednode force is then exerted on the node in the direction opposingthe original unbalanced node force to satisfy theequilibrium condition. For the in-situ stresses of elementsthat do not satisfy the strength conditions, they are modified by assuming the average stress is constant and reducingthe partial stress to satisfy the equilibrium andstrength conditions, which also resolves the unreasonabledistribution of the boundary nodal forces and results ingood regression estimates. A three-dimensional hypersurfacespline interpolation method is developed to calculatethe in-situ stress tensor at arbitrary coordinates. Finally,we apply this method to an underground engineeringproject, and the results are shown to agree well withthose obtained from field monitoring. Therefore, it is concludedthat this modified in-situ stress inversion methodcould effectively improve the fitting accuracy of locally abnormalstress regions.

Most of the inland lakes do not have up-to-datebathymetry. However, a significant progress in surveyingtechnologies creates a possibility to quickly and accuratelydescribe the underwater environment. Modern geodeticand global positioning techniques integrated with hydroacousticsystems provide a great opportunity to study thebottom shape with high resolution. Our study presentsa reliable methodology for investigation of bathymetryand morphometric parameters with the use of GNSS positioningtechniques and single beam echosounder. Theresearch was implemented on the deepest, glacial reservoirin the central part of European Depression - LakeHancza. Direct hydroacoustic and geodetic measurementscompleted by sediment study were conducted by the authorsin 2010-2013. After performing a field survey the DigitalElevation Model was constructed and the new bathymetricmap and morphometric card were elaborated. Themaximum depth was confirmed to be 105.55 m. The finalconclusions show that the available bathymetric data andmorphometric parameters of lakes are highly dependenton the research methodology used, the precision and accuracyof measurement techniques, proper water level determination,digital elevation model and bathymetric mapelaboration processes.

In the petroleum industry, drilling optimizationinvolves the selection of operating conditions for achievingthe desired depth with the minimum expenditurewhile requirements of personal safety, environment protection,adequate information of penetrated formationsand productivity are fulfilled. Since drilling optimizationis highly dependent on the rate of penetration (ROP), estimationof this parameter is of great importance duringwell planning. In this research, a novel approach called‘optimized support vector regression’ is employed for makinga formulation between input variables and ROP. Algorithmsused for optimizing the support vector regressionare the genetic algorithm (GA) and the cuckoo search algorithm(CS). Optimization implementation improved thesupport vector regression performance by virtue of selectingproper values for its parameters. In order to evaluatethe ability of optimization algorithms in enhancing SVRperformance, their results were compared to the hybridof pattern search and grid search (HPG) which is conventionallyemployed for optimizing SVR. The results demonstratedthat the CS algorithm achieved further improvementon prediction accuracy of SVR compared to the GAand HPG as well. Moreover, the predictive model derivedfrom back propagation neural network (BPNN), which isthe traditional approach for estimating ROP, is selectedfor comparisons with CSSVR. The comparative results revealedthe superiority of CSSVR. This study inferred thatCSSVR is a viable option for precise estimation of ROP.

The article is focused on the evaluation of accumulationvolume changes in 9 water reservoirs nearBanská Štiavnica (Slovakia) by comparing historical mapsand using modern bathymetric surveying technologies.The mining region of Banská Štiavnica has been inscribedinto the UNESCO List of the World and Cultural Heritagein 1993. Accumulation and transfer of sediments dependmainly on changes of land cover in the watersheds thatlead to the loss of retention capacity and reduction oflife span of reservoirs. The results of a comparison oftwo 3D models, one created from historic documentationand the other created from data of field surveying haveshown overall reduction in the volume of water totalling446484m3, i.e. 16.70%from past to current time. Causes ofsedimentation were searched in watersheds changes overtime. These were identified by comparison of historicalaerial imagery (1949) with existing aerial photographs.

Socio-political changes in the countries of Easternand Central Europe in the era of socialism had significant effects on agricultural landscape. Collectivisation(1950 - 1970) lost almost all of traditional agricultural landscapes.On the other hand, the phenomenon of agriculturalabandonment started to be significant after 1989. Inthe model area (part of The Polana Biosphere Reserve)these two processes that formed the agricultural landscapestructure were analysed. The analyses were carriedout using orthophotos that represented the landscapestructure in 1949, 1986 and 2006. It was found that almostcomplete extinction of the traditional agricultural landscaperepresented by a mosaic of narrow fields and permanentgrasslands occurred during the period. At the sametime, increasing trend of abandonment processes was observed.In 2006, non-forestwoody vegetation covered 48%of agricultural land.Natural reforestation as the final stageof agricultural abandonment extended to 46% on the formeragricultural land in 2006. Abandonment processeswere the most significant already in the period of socialistagriculture. To describe the changes, landscape metricssuch as Number of patches (NP), Mean patch size (MPS),Patch size standard deviation (PSSD) and Mean shape index(MSI) were used.

This is the second part of a two-volumespecial issueof Open Geoscience (formerly Central European Journalof Geosciences) that aims to be instrumental in providingan update of Mafic-Ultramafic Rocks and Alkaline-Carbonatitic Magmatism and Associated HydrothermalMineralization. Together, these two volumes provide a detailedand comprehensive coverage of the subjects thatare relevant to the research work of P.Comin-Chiaramonti(Italy) and LiaN. Kogarko (Russia) towhomPart-I and Part-II have been respectively dedicated.To a significant extent, the development of advanced samplingtechnologies related to alkaline and carbonatiticmagmatism by Lia N. Kogarko, has allowed geoscientiststo measure and sample the deep crust of the planet notonly for the exploration for the mineral deposits, but alsoto answer basic scientific questions about the origin andevolution of alkaline rocks (kimberlites, lamproites and relatedrocks associated with carbonatites). The papers presentedin this Part-II of the special issue cover the petrologyand geochemistry of the rocks collected from the surfaceand penetrated by drilling. Lia Kogarko proposed anew theory for the evolution of alkaline magmatism in thegeological history of the Earth – that the appearance of alkalinemagmatism at the Archaean-Proterozoic boundary(~2.5 – 2.7 Ga), and its growing intensity, was related tochanges in the geodynamic regime of the Earth and oxidationof the mantle due to mantle-crust interaction.

The Cana Brava Complex is the northernmostand least well known layered intrusion of a discontinuousbelt of mafic-ultramafic massifs within the Brasilia Belt,which also comprises theNiquelândia and Barro Alto complexes.Available geochronological data from a range oftechniques (K/Ar, Ar/Ar, Rb/Sr, Sm/Nd and U/Pb) providea range of possible ages (time span from 3.9 Ga to 450 Ma),hence a precise and reliable age for the Cana Brava Complexis still lacking. Also, preliminary isotopic and geochemicaldata of the Cana Brava Complex suggest a significantcrustal contamination, which could have affectedbulk-rock Sr and Nd systematics resulting in meaninglessage determinations. In this paper, we present new U-PbSHRIMP zircon analyses from four samples of differentunits of the Cana Brava Complexwhich suggest that the intrusionoccurred during the Neoproterozoic, between 800and 780 Ma, i.e. at the same age ofNiquelândia. Discordantolder 206 Pb/ 238 U ages are provided by inherited zircons,and match the age of the metamorphism of the embeddingPalmeirópolis Sequence.

Eocene to Oligocene volcano-plutonic rocks arewidespread throughout NW Iran. The Tarom-Hashtjinmetallogenic province is one of the most promisingepithermal-porphyry ore mineralized districts in NW Iran.The Glojeh gold deposit, located in the center of thisprovince, is a typical high to intermediate sulfidation epithermalsystem, spatially and temporally associated witha granite intrusion and associated high-K calc-alkalineto shoshonitic volcano-plutonic rocks. The intrusive complexesof the Glojeh district are characterized by: SiO 2 contents of 60.9 to 70.7 wt.%, K 2 O+Na 2 O of 7.60 to 8.92wt.%, and K 2 O/Na 2 O ratios of 0.9 to 1.8. They are enrichedin light rare earth elements (LREEs), and large ionlithophile elements (LILEs), depleted in high field strengthelements (HFSEs), and have weak negative Eu anomalies(Eu/Eu*= 0.5 to 0.9). 40Ar/39Ar geochronology appliedto biotite and feldspar, separated from two intrusives(Goljin and Varmarziar), and two feldspar aliquotsseparated from hydrothermal veins at North Glojeh andSouth Glojeh, was carried out to constrain magmatic andhydrothermal events. Plagioclase (± sericite), from NorthGlojeh and South Glojeh produced ages (42.20±0.34 Ma,and 42.56±1.47 Ma respectively) that overlap with the ageof the Goljin intrusion (41.87±1.58 Ma).Geochemical data for the volcano-plutonic rocks in theGlojeh district, that have87Sr/86Sr isotopic compositionsthat range from 0.706344 to 0.708331, suggest an origin involvingpartial melting of a depleted mantle source duringNeo-Tethyan subduction.

Neogene alkaline intraplate volcanic depositsin the Pannonian Basin (Hungary) contain many lowercrustal granulite-facies xenoliths. U-Pb ages have been determinedfor zircons separated from a metasedimentaryxenolith, using LA-ICPMS and SHRIMP techniques. Thezircons show typical metamorphic characteristics and arenot related to the hostmagmatism. The oldest age recordedis late Devonian, probably related to Variscan basementlithologies. Several grains yield Mesozoic dates for theircores, which may correspond to periods of orogenic activity.Most of the zircons show young ages, with some beingPalaeocene-Eocene, but the majority being youngerthan 30Ma. The youngest zircons are Pliocene (5.1-4.2 Ma)and coincide with the age of eruptions of the host alkalibasalts. Such young zircons, so close to the eruption age,are unusual in lower crustal xenoliths, and imply that theheat flow in the base of the Pannonian Basin was sufficiently high to keep many of them close to their blockingtemperature. This suggests that metamorphism is continuingin the lower crust of the region at the present day.

Unusual mafic dykes occur in the proximity of the Ambadongar Carbonatite Complex, Lower Narmada Valley, Gujarat, India. The dykes contain dense population of quartz xenocrysts within the basaltic matrix metasomatised by carbonate-rich fluids. Plagioclase feldspars, relict pyroxenes, chlorite, barite, rutile, magnetite, Fe-Ti oxides and glass were identified in the basaltic matrix. Quartz xenocrysts occur in various shapes and sizes and form an intricate growth pattern with carbonates. The xenocrysts are fractured and contain several types of primary and secondary, single phase and two-phase fluid inclusions. The two-phase inclusions are dominated by aqueous liquid, whereas the monophase inclusions are composed of carbonic gas and the aqueous inclusions homogenize to liquid between 226°C and 361°C. Majority of the inclusions are secondary in origin and are therefore unrelated to the crystallization of quartz. Moreover, the inclusions have mixed carbonic-aqueous compositions that inhibit their direct correlation with the crustal or mantle fluids. The composition of dilute CO 2 -rich fluids observed in the quartz xenocrysts appear similar to those exsolved during the final stages of evolution of the Amba Dongar carbonatites. However, the carbonates are devoid of fluid inclusions and therefore their genetic relation with the quartz xenocrysts cannot be established.

The Kondapalli Layered Complex (KLC) is a dismembered mafic-ultramafic layered intrusion, mainly composed of gabbroic and anorthositic rocks with subordinate ultramafics and chromitite. Chromitite occurs as lenses, pods, bands and disseminations. Platinum group of minerals (PGMs) occur as inclusions within chromite and silicates. The study indicates an inhomogeneous distribution of PGMs and distinct dominance of IPGEs over the PPGEs. The average ΣPGE content of chromite of KLC varies from 64 ppb to 576 ppb with Pt ranging from 5 to 495 ppb, Pd 5 to 191 ppb, Ir 3 to 106 ppb, Ru 3 to 376 ppb and Rh 3 to 135 ppb. The PGMs identified in the KLC indicate primary deposition of the IPGE, preceding chromite, indicating its orthomagmatic nature. Most of the PGM grains are usually below 10 μm. The identified PGMs are Laurite (RuS 2 ), irarsite (Ir, As, S), iridosmine (Os, Ir), undetermined Os-Ir sulphide and Ru-Os-Ir-Zn alloys. Chromite also contains inclusions of pentlandite, millerite, chalcopyrite and pyrite. Study indicating that the KLC have orthomagmatic origin for PGE which are dominated by IPGE group and formed under surpa-subduction zone peridotite setting.

Prakasam Igneous Province (PIP) is an important geological domain in the Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC), found in the junction zone between the EDC and Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB). The Pedda Cherlo Palle (PCP) gabbros are massive, leucocratic-mesocractic, and show cumulus textures with minerals plagioclase, cpx, and amphiboles. Compositionally, plagioclase is a labradorite-bytownite, cpx is diopside to augite, olivines are hyalosiderites and amphiboles are magnesiohornblendes. PCP gabbros have normal SiO 2 , high Al 2 O 3 , moderate to high TiO 2 , Na 2 O and medium Fe 2 O 3 , so, classified as subalkaline tholeiitic gabbros. Fractionated rare earth element (REE) patterns, high abundance of large ion lithofile elements (LILE) and transitional metals coupled with light REE (LREE) relative enrichment over heavy REE (HREE) and Nb are characteristics of partial melting of depleted mantle and melts that have undergone fractional crystalisation. These partial melts are enriched in LREE and LILE, due to the addition of slab derived sediment and fluids. PCP gabbros contain low abundance (5.1 to 24.6 ng/g) of platinum group elements (PGE), and show an increase in the order Ir>Os>Pt>Ru»Pd>Rh. We propose that the subduction related intraoceanic island arc might have accreted to the southeastern margin of India to the east of Cuddapah basin in a collisional regime that took place during Ur to Rodinia amalgamations.

Cenozoic basalts carrying ultramafic mantlexenoliths occur in the Matilde, León and Chenque hillsin the Paso de Indios region, Argentina. The mantle xenolithsfrom the Chenque and León hills mainly presentporphyroclastic textures, whereas the Matilde hill xenolithshave coarse-grained to porphyroclastic textures. Theequilibrium temperatures are in the range of 780 to 940ºC,indicating a provenance from shallow sectors of the lithosphericmantle column that were subjected to a relativelylow heat ffiux at Cenozoic Era. According to the modal compositions of xenoliths, themantle beneath Matilde and León hills was affected bygreater than 22% partial melting, while less depleted peridotitesoccur in the Chenque suite (starting from 10%partial melting). Such an observation is confirmed by thepartial melting estimates based on Cr#Sp, which vary from8 to 14% for the selected Chenque samples and from 14 to18% for the Matilde ones. The common melting trend is overlapped by small-scalecross cutting local trends that may have been generated byopen-system processes, such as open-system partial meltingand/or post partial-melting metasomatic migration ofexotic Na-Cr-rich melts. The two main mineralogical reaction schemes are: i) thedissolution of pyroxenes and the segregation of newolivine in olivine-rich peridotites, and ii) the replacementof primary olivine by orthopyroxene±clinopyroxenein orthopyroxene-rich peridotites. These were producedby channelled and/or pervasive melt extraction/migration. Enhanced pyroxene dissolution isattributed to channelling of silica- undersaturatedmelts, whereas the replacement of primary olivine byorthopyroxene±clinopyroxene points to reaction withsilica-saturated melts. Late disequilibrium reactions identified in the xenolithscomprise: the breakdown of orthopyroxene in contact withthe host basalt, and (rarely) reaction coronae on orthopyroxene,clinopyroxene and spinel linked to glassy veins.Such features are apparently related to the injection ofmelt, likely during entrainment into the host basalts andascent to the surface.

A paleomagnetic studystudywork was carriedout on the Alto Paraguay Province (APP), a belt of alkalinecomplexes that parallel the Paraguay river for morethan 40 km at the border of Brazil and Paraguay. Theprovince is well dated by 40Ar/39Ar method giving ages inthe range 240–250 Ma with a preferred age of 241 Ma. Intrusiverocks are predominant but the stocks may be toppedby lava flows and ignimbrites. Paleomagnetic work onstocks, dikes and flows of the APP identified normal andreversed magnetic components which are carried mainlyby titanomagnetites. The calculated paleomagnetic polelocated at 319ºE 78ºS (α 95 = 6º; k = 23) is in agreementwith other South American poles of Permo-Triassic age.Most of the sampling sites showed large variations in rockmagnetization, but similar patterns in the variation of thewithin-site magnetizations, mainly in dikes, suggest geomagneticpolarity transition records. The magnetizationdata along with the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibilitydeterminations suggested that the South and North areasof the province have different evolution characteristics.

The southern part of the Bundelkhand cratoncontains a series of a E-W trending mafic and ultramaficrocks, about 40 km in length and 2–4 km wide, that occuras intrusions within the Bundelkhand Gneissic Complex(BnGC). They are confined between the Madawara-Karitoran and Sonrai-Girar shear zones. Dunite, harzburgite,lherzolite and websterite are the commonly occurringultramafic rocks that have high MgO, Ni, Cr, PGE andlow Al2O3, CaO, K2O, TiO2 and V contents, and showsperidotitic affinity. A distinct trend of crystallization fromperidotite to komatiitic basalt has been inferred from geochemicalplots, which also indicates the occurrence ofat least two varieties among the ultramafic suite of theMadawara ultramafic complex, namely, Group I comprisingdunite, spinel peridotite, harzburgite and lherzolite,and Group II consisting of pyroxenite, websterite andolivine websterite. In several places, the rocks of Group IIhave an intrusive relationship with Group I, and are relativelyenriched in total platinum group elements (PGE ~300 ppb). The discrimination diagrams suggest that thePGE are enriched in low sulphur-fugacity source magma atmoderate to deeper depths by high degree of partial meltingof the mantle.