Carbon isotope fractionation of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) due to outgassing of carbon dioxide from a headwater stream

The stable isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ¹³C‐DIC) was investigated as a potential tracer of streamflow generation processes at the Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont, USA. Downstream sampling showed δ¹³C‐DIC increased between 3–5‰ from the stream source to the outlet weir approximately 0·5 km downstream, concomitant with increasing pH and decreasing PCO₂. An increase in δ¹³C‐DIC of 2·4 ± 0·1‰ per log unit decrease of excess PCO₂ (stream PCO₂ normalized to atmospheric PCO₂) was observed from downstream transect data collected during snowmelt. Isotopic fractionation of DIC due to CO₂ outgassing rather than exchange with atmospheric CO₂ may be the primary cause of increased δ¹³C‐DIC values downstream when PCO₂ of surface freshwater exceeds twice the atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Although CO₂ outgassing caused a general increase in stream δ¹³C‐DIC values, points of localized groundwater seepage into the stream were identified by decreases in δ¹³C‐DIC and increases in DIC concentration of the stream water superimposed upon the general downstream trend. In addition, comparison between snowmelt, early spring and summer seasons showed that DIC is flushed from shallow groundwater flowpaths during snowmelt and is replaced by a greater proportion of DIC derived from soil CO₂ during the early spring growing season. Thus, in spite of effects from CO₂ outgassing, δ¹³C of DIC can be a useful indicator of groundwater additions to headwater streams and a tracer of carbon dynamics in catchments. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of freak wave measurements in the Sea of Japan

This paper presents an analysis of a set of available freak wave measurements gathered from several periods of continuous wave recordings made in the Sea of Japan during 1986–1990 by the Ship Research Institute of Japan. The analysis provides an ideal opportunity to catch a glimpse of the statistics of freak waves in the ocean. The results show that a well-defined freak wave may occur in the developed wind–wave condition: S(f)∝f⁻⁴, with single-peak directional spectra. The crest and trough amplitude distributions of the observed sea waves including freak waves are different from the Rayleigh distribution, although the wave height distribution tends to agree with the Rayleigh distribution. Freak waves can be readily identified from the wavelet spectrum where a strong energy density occurs in the spectrum, and is instantly surged and seemingly carried over to the high-frequency components at the instant the freak wave occurs.     

Occurrence probability of a freak wave in a nonlinear wave field

The Edgeworth’s form of a cumulative expansion of the probability density function (PDF) of surface elevation expands the maximum wave height distribution to predict the occurrence probability of freak waves. This study investigated the enhancement of the occurrence probability of freak waves due to the fourth order moment of surface elevation, kurtosis, change and found that the nonlinear effects on the occurrence probability of a freak wave linearly depends on kurtosis for a small number of waves N=250. The statistical theory was compared with field data, and freak waves sometimes appear when not expected by the Rayleigh theory, but they were predicted by the proposed theory.     

Effects of wave breaking on wave statistics for deep-water random wave train

The experimental studies of the breaking effects on wave statistics for deep-water random waves are presented. It is especially focused on the behavior of kurtosis of surface elevations due to wave breaking. Wave breaking suppresses the maximum limit of kurtosis of the surface elevation, although skewness depends on characteristic wave steepness. The mean instantaneous wave steepness of breaking waves defined using the zero-down-crossing method was much lower than expected from the Stokes waves.     

Effects of hillslope topography on runoff response in a small catchment in the Fudoji Experimental Watershed,central Japan

We investigated the role of different hillslope units with different topographic characteristics on runoff generation processes based on field observations at two types of hillslopes (0·1 ha): a valley‐head (a convergent hillslope) and a side slope (a planar hillslope), as well as at three small catchments having two types of slopes with different drainage areas ranging from 1·9 to 49·7 ha in the Tanakami Mountains, central Japan. We found that the contribution of the hillslope unit type to small catchment runoff varied with the magnitude of rainfall. When the total amount of rainfall for a single storm event was < 35 mm, runoff in the small catchment was predominantly generated from the side slope. As the amount of rainfall increased (>35 mm), the valley‐head also began to contribute to the catchment runoff, adding to runoff from the side slope. Although the direct runoff from the valley‐head was greater than that from the side slope, the contribution from the side slope was quantitatively greater than that from the valley‐head due to the proportionally larger area occupied by the side slope in the small catchment. The storm runoff responses of the small catchments reflected the change in the runoff components of each hillslope unit as the amount of rainfall increased and rainfall patterns changed. However, similar runoff responses were found for the small catchments with different areas. The similarity of the runoff responses is attributable to overlay effects of different hillslope units and the similar composition ratios of the valley‐head and side slope in the catchments. This study suggests that the relative roles of the valley‐head and side slope are important in runoff generation and solute transport as the catchment size increases from a hillslope/headwater to a small catchment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying aggregation and change in runoff source in accordance with catchment area increase in a forested headwater catchment

There has been a great deal of research interest regarding changes in flow path/runoff source with increases in catchment area. However, there have been very few quantitative studies taking subscale variability and convergence of flow path/runoff source into account, especially in relation to headwater catchments. This study was performed to elucidate how the contributions and discharge rates of subsurface water (water in the soil layer) and groundwater (water in fractured bedrock) aggregate and change with catchment area increase, and to elucidate whether the spatial variability of the discharge rate of groundwater determines the spatial variability of stream discharge or groundwater contribution. The study area was a 5‐km² forested headwater catchment in Japan. We measured stream discharge at 113 points and water chemistry at 159 points under base flow conditions. End‐member mixing analysis was used to separate stream water into subsurface water and groundwater. The contributions of both subsurface water and groundwater had large variability below 1 km². The contribution of subsurface water decreased markedly, while that of groundwater increased markedly, with increases in catchment area. The specific discharge of subsurface water showed a large degree of variability and decreased with catchment area below 0.1 km², becoming almost constant above 0.1 km². The specific discharge of groundwater showed large variability below 1 km² and increased with catchment area. These results indicated that the variabilities of stream discharge and groundwater contribution corresponded well with the variability of the discharge rate of groundwater. However, below 0.1 km², it was necessary to consider variations in the discharge rates of both subsurface water and groundwater. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of mean residence times of subsurface waters using seasonal variation in deuterium excess in a small headwater catchment in Japan

We measured deuterium excess (d = δD ? 8δ¹⁸O) in throughfall, groundwater, soil water, spring water, and stream water for 3 years in a small headwater catchment (Matsuzawa, 0·68 ha) in the Kiryu Experimental Watershed in Japan. The d value represents a kinetic effect produced when water evaporates. The d value of the throughfall showed a sinusoidal change (amplitude: 6·9‰ relative to Vienna standard mean ocean water (V‐SMOW)) derived from seasonal changes in the source of water vapour. The amplitude of this sinusoidal change was attenuated to 1·3–6·9‰ V‐SMOW in soil water, groundwater, spring water, and stream water. It is thought that these attenuations derive from hydrodynamic transport processes in the subsurface and mixing processes at an outflow point (stream or spring) or a well. The mean residence time (MRT) of water was estimated from d value variations using an exponential‐piston flow model and a dispersion model. MRTs for soil water were 0–5 months and were not necessarily proportional to the depth. This may imply the existence of bypass flow in the soil. Groundwater in the hillslope zone had short residence times, similar to those of the soil water. For groundwater in the saturated zone near the spring outflow point, the MRTs differed between shallow and deeper groundwater; shallow groundwater had a shorter residence time (5–8 months) than deeper groundwater (more than 9 months). The MRT of stream water (8–9 months) was between that of shallow groundwater near the spring and deeper groundwater near the spring. The seasonal variation in the d value of precipitation arises from changes in isotopic water vapour composition associated with seasonal activity of the Asian monsoon mechanism. The d value is probably an effective tracer for estimating the MRT of subsurface water not only in Japan, but also in other East Asian countries influenced by the Asian monsoon. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regional projection of future extreme wave heights around Korean Peninsula

In this study, future changes in regional extreme wave heights around the Korean Peninsula are projected by using the results of an atmosphere general circulation model and a third-generation wave model. The direct use of the model output at each grid point is not appropriate even though high resolution of 20 km is used for the models. Therefore, the model output is grouped into six regions around the Korean Peninsula. The grouping approach is reasonable in assessing climate change effects with alleviated model uncertainty. The extreme wave heights are simulated for two climate periods of 1979–2003 (present climate) and 2075–2099 (future climate). The model results are validated by comparing the simulated wave heights for the present climate with observed and hindcasted wave data. The extreme wave heights for the future climate are then projected for different seasons and in different regions. The 50-year return wave height in summer is projected to increase in most regions, especially in the high-latitude Yellow Sea and the East Sea, while the wave height in winter is projected to decrease in all the regions, especially in the East Sea.     

Estimation of property loss and business interruption loss caused by storm surge inundation due to climate change: a case of Typhoon Vera revisit

This paper estimates property loss and business interruption loss under scenarios of storm surge inundation to explore the economic impact of climate change on Ise Bay, Japan. Scenarios-based analyses are conducted with respect to Typhoon Vera, which caused the most severe storm surge in the recorded history of Japan in 1959. Four different hazard scenarios are chosen from a series of typhoon storm surge inundation simulations: Typhoon Vera’s landfall with respect to the condition of the past seawall; Typhoon Vera’s landfall with respect to the condition of the current seawall; intensifying Typhoon Vera, but retaining its original tracks; and intensifying Typhoon Vera, but choosing the worst tracks from various possible typhoon tracks. Our economic loss estimation takes advantage of fine geographical scale census and economic census data that enable us to understand the spatial distribution of property loss and business interruption loss as well as identify the most potentially affected areas and business sectors on a sub-city scale. By comparing the property loss and business interruption loss caused by different hazard scenarios, the effect of different seawalls is evaluated and the economic impact of future climate change is estimated. The results indicate that although the current seawall can considerably reduce the scale of losses, climate change can cause Ise Bay to experience more serious storm surge inundation. Moreover, the resulting economic losses would increase significantly owing to a combination of climate change and the worst track scenario. It is, therefore, necessary to consider more countermeasures to adapt to climate change in this area.