Estimating the upper limit of prehistoric peak ground acceleration using an in situ, intact and vulnerable stalagmite from Plavecká priepast cave (Detrekői-zsomboly), Little Carpathians, Slovakia-first results

Earthquakes hit urban centres in Europe infrequently, but occasionally with disastrous effects. Obtaining an unbiased view of seismic hazard (and risk) is therefore very important. In principle, the best way to test probabilistic seismic hazard assessments (PSHAs) is to compare them with observations that are entirely independent of the procedure used to produce PSHA models. Arguably, the most valuable information in this context should be information on long-term hazard, namely maximum intensities (or magnitudes) occurring over time intervals that are at least as long as a seismic cycle. The new observations can provide information of maximum intensity (or magnitude) for long timescale as an input data for PSHA studies as well. Long-term information can be gained from intact stalagmites in natural caves. These formations survived all earthquakes that have occurred over thousands of years, depending on the age of the stalagmite. Their 'survival' requires that the horizontal ground acceleration (HGA) has never exceeded a certain critical value within that time period. Here, we present such a stalagmite-based case study from the Little Carpathians of Slovakia. A specially shaped, intact and vulnerable stalagmite in the Plavecká priepast cave was examined in 2013. This stalagmite is suitable for estimating the upper limit of horizontal peak ground acceleration generated by prehistoric earthquakes. The critical HGA values as a function of time going back into the past determined from the stalagmite that we investigated are presented. For example, at the time of Jókő event (1906), the critical HGA value cannot have been higher than 1 and 1.3 m/s2 at the time of the assumed Carnuntum event (∼340 AD), and 3000 years ago, it must have been lower than 1.7 m/s2. We claimed that the effect of Jókő earthquake (1906) on the location of the Plavecká priepast cave is consistent with the critical HGA value provided by the stalagmite we investigated. The approach used in this study yields significant new constraints on the seismic hazard, as tectonic structures close to Plavecká priepast cave did not generate strong earthquakes in the last few thousand years. The results of this study are highly relevant given that the two capitals, Vienna and Bratislava, are located within 40 and 70 km of the cave, respectively.

A colorimetric assay for xyloglucan-endotransglycosylase from germinating seeds

One of the key enzymes involved in the breakdown of reserve xyloglucan in seeds of some dicotyledonous plants during germination is the specific endo-beta-(1,4)-glucanase. The enzyme operates predominantly by a transglycosylic mechanism, i.e., by random splitting the beta-(1,4)-linked polyglucose backbone of xyloglucan molecules and rejoining the newly created reducing ends by beta-(1,4) glycosidic bonds to nonreducing ends of other xyloglucan molecules or xyloglucan subunit oligosaccharides. For this reason, the enzyme is regarded primarily as xyloglucan-endotransglycosylase (XET). Since almost no net formation of reducing ends occurs in the course of transglycosylation, the conventional reductometric methods used for the assessment of glycanase activities are not applicable for detection and determination of XET activity. The described colorimetric assay is based on the property of xyloglucan-derived subunit oligosaccharides (DP 5-10) to stimulate selectively the breakdown of xyloglucan by endotransglycosylation while serving as additional glycosyl acceptors. The depolymerization of xyloglucan in the course of reaction is followed colorimetrically by measuring the disappearance of the blue--green-colored iodine:xyloglucan complex. The transglycosylase activity is calculated as the difference of activities measured in the presence of stimulating xyloglucan-derived oligosaccharides and in their absence. The advantages of the described colorimetric method include its low cost, simplicity, speed, and the possibility to analyze multiple samples simultaneously.