Contributions to Geophysics and Geodesy

Delineation of subsurface features by electrical resistivity tomography and induced polarization in upstream basin of Chaq-Chaq dam – northeastern Iraq

2024-09-25T11:10:37+00:00

The construction of dam is important for many reasons. Prior to construction, it is essential to assess the dam's base reservoir to identify any subsurface cavities. This study was conducted along nine electrical resistivity (ERT) profiles and eight induced polarization (IP) profiles, which are traditional ERT profiles, trending SW to NE direction in the reservoir part of the failed Chaq-Chaq dam NW of Sulaimaniyah city. The aim of this study was to delineate subsurface layers, underground features, determine the depth to bedrock, and investigate indications of the causes of collapse of the constructed Chaq-Chaq dam. The Res2Dinvx64 program used in the inversion method to obtain true 2D resistivity sections using a Schlumberger-Wenner array, which is highly sensitive to changes in resistivity both vertically and laterally. Based on the resistivity values, it was found that the area consists of three geological layers; the first layer consists of soil, while the second layer consists of rock fragments, the interface between them has disappeared because the first layer is thin, and the third layer is specified as consolidated and cohesive limestone of the Kometan Formation. The surface of the Kometan limestones is irregular due to weathering and faulting resulting from tectonic movements leading to the collapse of the area and later filled with sediments of recent deposition. The IP method was only used to distinguish clay and water. According to IP values, water is present in the subsurface of the study area. According to the ERT sections, a sinkhole with a depth range of (15 – 39 m) was encountered at the beginning of most of the profiles.

Continuity of long-term climate data series after the transition from manual to automatic weather station

2024-09-25T11:10:39+00:00

In climatology, transitioning from conventional manual weather stations (MWS) to automatic weather stations (AWS) presents challenges in maintaining the homogeneity of long-term data series. At the Skalnaté Pleso Observatory (1778 m a.s.l., High Tatras), manual meteorological measurements have been conducted since 1943 using the same methods and devices at the same location. In 2014, the AWS Physicus was installed to record meteorological data parallelly with manual measurements. This study processed six years of parallel measurements (2017–2022) to derive corrections for AWS monthly atmospheric precipitation totals and maximum (Tmax), minimum (Tmin) and mean air temperatures (Tmean) measured in 2023. Two correction approaches were proposed: monthly regressions (MR) and cumulative distribution functions (CDF), including Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution, normal distribution (GAUSS), and Gamma distribution (GAMMA). Analyses of monthly data revealed an underestimation of precipitation totals in AWS data, with a mean bias error (MBE) of −6.8 mm and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 20.0 mm. The most suitable correction method was the MR, which decreased MBE to 1.5 mm and RMSE to 11.1 mm. AWS monthly air temperature data were overestimated by 0.1 °C, 0.3 °C, and 0.1 °C for Tmax, Tmin, and Tmean, respectively. For Tmax, correction using the MR and GEV methods reduced the MBE to 0.0 °C and achieved RMSE of 0.1 °C for both. After applying GAUSS, MBE and RMSE decreased to 0.1 °C. The most appropriate correction method for Tmin was the MR resulting in MBE of 0.0 °C and RMSE of 0.3 °C. For Tmean, the MR and GEV methods reduced the MBE to 0.0 °C and the RMSE to 0.1 °C for both methods. These results demonstrate that AWS monthly data, when corrected using the presented methods, have the potential to maintain the continuity of historical climate data series at Skalnaté Pleso.

Seismic activity on the territory of Slovakia in 2022

2024-09-25T11:10:42+00:00

The National Network of Seismic Stations of Slovakia (NNSS) consists of eight short period and six broadband permanent seismic stations and a data centre located at the Earth Science Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (ESI SAS). The NNSS recorded and detected 11996 seismic events from all epicentral distances in 2022. Totally 76 earthquakes originated in the territory of Slovakia in 2022. This paper provides basic information on the configuration of the NNSS, routine data processing, seismic activity on the territory of Slovakia in 2022 as well as macroseismic observations collected in 2022.

The structural elements controlling the subsurface mineralization as deduced from the integration of magnetic and self-potential methods, Wadi Khosh El-Daba area, southern Sinai, Egypt

2024-09-25T11:10:44+00:00

Significant copper mineralization are observed to be associated, in most cases, with some radioactive anomalies related to increased uranium and thorium contents in Southern Sinai, Egypt. These mineralizations are related to intense post-magmatic, structurally controlled hydrothermal activities in many localities. Wadi Khosh El-Daba area is one of these locations which is mainly composed of monzogranites dissected by andesite dyke and pegmatite vein. This work deals with the application of ground magnetic and self-potential methods to establish the magnetic sources governing the mineralization, to interpret the significant trends that affected the study area, and to delineate the mineralized zones. The magnetic data were processed, enhanced and interpreted using advanced techniques, such as the first-order vertical derivative (FVD), the tilt derivative (TD), Euler deconvolution (ED), and source parameter image (SPI). The main structural lineaments/contacts that control the distribution of hydrothermal alterations and mineral distributions are oriented to the NW–SE, NE–SW, and NNW–SSE directions. The self-potential (SP) data show that there are numerous mineralized zones; most of them are distributed mainly along the structural lineaments deduced from the magnetic study. The quantitative interpretation revealed that the mineralized bodies are at shallow depths ranging from 5.6 m to 12.7 m, with half-width from 5 m to 13 m. These bodies are shallow to moderate dipping towards the south and north directions. Based on this study an anomaly map is originated to locate the preferred structural elements that may be controlling the mineralization in the area for further future exploration.