The shoaling of nutrient-enriched subsurface waters as a mechanism to sustain primary productivity off Central Baja California during El Niño winters

Using CalCOFI data for coastal shallow stations (above 100 m depth), higher than expected nitrate concentrations were detected in near-surface high-temperature waters off of Central Baja California during some El Niño winters. Though recent data are not available for Central Baja California, past El Niño data, though limited, showed nitrate concentrations above 16 μM at temperatures above 16 °C, and nitrate concentrations between 1 and 2 μM at 19 °C, while the previously established relationship of temperature and nitrate for California Current waters predicts nitrate depletion above 14 or 15 °C. The anomalous, high temperature–high nitrate enrichment events documented in Central Baja California were detected as shallow as 9 m and as deep as 73 m, were associated with low-oxygen (between 2 and 4 ml/l) and high-salinity (between 33.8 and 34.3 psu) waters, and occurred during the winter months of an El Niño year. Using recent data for San Diego, CA, similar but weaker enrichment events were detected for the El Niño winter of 1997–1998. The periodic shoaling of a subsurface subtropical water mass of high temperature, high salinity, low oxygen and high nutrients during some El Niño winters is proposed to cause periodic enrichment and to maintain productivity during warming events in this area. Enrichment events were not detected off Ensenada, in Northern Baja California, possibly due to the amplification of the onshore flow during El Niño there, or due to the Ensenada front. The proposed mechanism of periodic enrichment of nutrient-depleted surface waters during some El Niño winters by subsurface waters from the California Undercurrent may explain the following: (1) survival of giant kelp forests at their southern limit in Central Baja California documented during past El Niño events in warm waters, (2) the rapid recovery and high carrying capacity of giant kelp documented after the mass disappearance during El Niño 1997–1998, and (3) the increase in the extent of mesotrophic chlorophyll detected in the area during the 1997–1998 and 1982–1983 El Niño events.     

Stability and competition in intermodal container shipping: finding a balance

This article considers the perennial topic of how to acheive an equilibrium balance between stability and competition in intermodal shipping. It argues that competition is becoming destructive, but that the imbalance is difficult to correct in a climate where competitive pressures are strog everywhere and restraints on competiiton are unfashionable. In this context, pricing of intermodal services, the emergence of multi-trade alliances, the revelance of contestable market theory and developments in regulatory policies are all examimned. Some points towards restoring an equilibrium balance are offered.     

Sediment geochemistry and mineralogy in Milos bay, SW Kyklades, Aegean Sea, Greece

This work aims at studying the geochemistry and mineralogy of Milos bay surface sediments. The bay forms an enclosed marine area, supplied totally by volcanic formations. Totally 16 samples were subjected to sedimentological (grain size), mineralogical (microscope examination and X-ray diffraction of the bulk sample and the pelitic fraction), and geochemical analyses (X-ray fluorescence in the pelitic fraction). Also the carbonate content was determined. Sediments were sandy with a high carbonate content (14–58%). The dominant minerals recognized in the pelitic fraction were smectite, kaolinite and illite, followed by chlorite, quartz, calcite, Mg-calcite and feldspars. In general, element concentrations appeared to be within the normal range, except Pb and Zn, which exhibited relatively high values. The Index of Geoaccumulation I_geo was computed, in order to investigate a possible enrichment of the surface sediments in metals. The analysis revealed again high values of I_geo class for both Pb and Zn. A careful study of the area, in relation to the quality of the catchment basins petrology, lead to a non-anthropogenic origin of these high concentrations. The enrichment of the surface sediments in Pb and Zn is attributed to the weathering of several mineral deposits, pyroclastic rocks and lavas, covering almost all Milos vicinity. A study of the geochemical data correlation coefficient matrix revealed three major groups of elements: (i) the elements of detrital origin represented by Si, Al, K and a part of the metals; (ii) the carbonates group; and (iii) a Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides–oxides group, which attracts a part of Pb, Cr and Ni.     

Shipping and investment incentives: a trilogy Part 3. The effectiveness of investment incentives for shipping—the UK experience 1950-1987

This paper concentrates on the determinants of investment and examines both theoretical and empirical work on the investment function. The major determinants are considered and a case study of the United Kingdom shipping industry in the period 1963-1987 is undertaken. The analysis is unable to find any real link between the value of the investment incentives packages available to the UK shipping industry and the size of the UK fleet during this period. The conclusion follows that while financial factors (e.g. favourable credit arrangements) or individual components (e.g. investment grants) of fiscal packages may influence the decision to invest, the total package has not affected the level of shipping investment in the manner expected.     

Fleet deployment optimization for liner shipping Part 1. Background, problem formulation and solution approaches

The background and the literature in liner fleet scheduling is reviewed and the objectives and assumptions of our approach are explained. We develop a detailed and realistic model for the estimation of the operating costs of liner ships on various routes, and present a linear programming formulation for the liner fleet deployment problem. Independent approaches for fixing both the service frequencies in the different routes and the speeds of the ships, are presented.     

The Dynamic Effects of Conventional Freight Car Running over a Dipped-joint

Available experimental data of the dynamic force at a rail joint are used to validate the Discrete Support (DS) model of vehicle-track system. The validated DS model is employed to investigate the characteristics of dynamic forces due to a dipped rail joint. The results show that increasing axle load and rail equivalent mass significantly increases the first peak load. The wheel (unsprung) mass, stiffness of bearing rubber pad, and ballast stiffness mainly affect the second peak load. Properly designing a profile near the rail joint may reduce the dynamic load at the joint. The results obtained also indicate that the dynamic load generated at one wheel partially transmits to a neighboring wheel.     

修理用统一型薄轮缘车轮踏面外形

针对运用中因轨距减小而导致轮缘磨加剧的问题，设计并试验了统一型减薄轮缘厚度的修理用车轮踏面外形，试验表明，对减少轮缘磨耗，延长车轮使用寿命均有明显效果。     

Design and shared use of a terminal departure lounge for new large aircraft operations

New Large Aircraft (NLA) are new aircraft developments larger than any existing aircraft. The NLA's higher seat capacity will significantly impact passenger terminal design and operations. This paper focuses on the issues regarding the departure lounge. Deterministic queuing theory is used to determine the size and seating configuration of the lounge, as well as to decide whether a second level should be built to accommodate the increase in the number of passengers. The paper also discusses the use of the satellite section of a pier‐satellite terminal as a single lounge for the NLA. Spreadsheets are used to implement the analyses.     

Assessing asymmetric response effect of behavioral intention to service quality in an integrated psychological decision-making process model of intercity bus passengers: a case of Taiwan

This study introduces the concept of loss aversion to consumer behavioral intention at the personal psychological level to develop an integrative structural equation model for analyzing traveler psychological decision making. In this model, the relationship between behavioral intention and service quality is a non-smooth function based on the theory of loss aversion. The expectation service quality in the SERVQUAL model proposed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (PZB) serves as a reference point. This model can be applied to analyze the effect of non-smooth response of behavioral intention to service quality in a traveler psychological decision-making process model. Intercity travel among cities in Taiwan is used as an empirical example. Data were gathered in cities in Taiwan via a questionnaire survey, and the model was tested using path analysis performed by LISREL. The empirical result shows that all causal relationships are statistically significant. Service quality loss influences repurchase intention more than does Service quality gain. Finally, this study concludes by discussing managerial implications and suggesting directions for future research.

Prediction of fatigue life and estimation of its reliability on the parts of an air suspension system

Air suspension systems have been implemented in various commercial vehicles, such as buses and special purpose trucks, because of the comfortable ride and easy height control. An evaluation of the durability of vehicle parts has been required for service life and safety starting in the early stages of design. The cyclic load applied to the vehicle can cause fatigue failure of parts, such as the suspension frame. This paper presents a method to predict the fatigue life of the suspension frame at the design stage of the air suspension system used in a heavy-duty vehicle. To estimate the fatigue life using the SN method, the Dynamic Stress Time History (DSTH) is necessary for the part of interest. DSTH can be obtained from the results of the flexible body dynamic analysis using the Belgian road simulation and the Modal Stress Recovery (MSR) method. Furthermore, the reliability of the predicted fatigue life can be evaluated by considering the variations in material properties. The probability and distribution of the expected life cycle can be obtained using experimental design with a minimum number of simulations. The advantage of using statistical methods to evaluate the life cycle is the ability to predict replacement time and the probability of failure of mass-produced parts. This paper proposes a rapid and simple method that can be effectively applied to the design of vehicle parts.