Assessing the effect of domain size over the Caribbean region using the PRECIS regional climate model

This study investigates the sensitivity of the one-way nested PRECIS regional climate model (RCM) to domain size for the Caribbean region. Simulated regional rainfall patterns from experiments using three domains with horizontal resolution of 50 km are compared with ERA reanalysis and observed datasets to determine if there is an optimal RCM configuration with respect to domain size and the ability to reproduce important observed climate features in the Caribbean. Results are presented for the early wet season (May–July) and late wet season (August–October). There is a relative insensitivity to domain size for simulating some important features of the regional circulation and key rainfall characteristics e.g. the Caribbean low level jet and the mid summer drought (MSD). The downscaled precipitation has a systematically negative precipitation bias, even when the domain was extended to the African coast to better represent circulation associated with easterly waves and tropical cyclones. The implications for optimizing modelling efforts within resource-limited regions like the Caribbean are discussed especially in the context of the region’s participation in global initiatives such as CORDEX.     

Sedimentology and evolution of Omaro Spit,Coromandel Peninsula

The sedimentary structures, composition, and texture of sediments from the barrier coast complex (Matarangi Beach—Omaro Spit—Whangapoua Harbour) at Whangapoua, Coromandel Peninsula, are described. Sediments are mainly fine sands, rarely muddy or silty, and most are plagioclase feldsarenites, reflecting derivation from a predominantly Tertiary volcanic hinterland. Sediments from each of the modern environments, namely nearshore, foreshore, back‐shore, frontal dunes, tidal flats, and tidal channels, are characterised by a particular combination of sedimentary structures and subtle textural parameters. Dune ridge and barrier flat paleoenvironments on Omaro Spit were successfully identified by comparing their lithologic properties with the modern sediments. ‘Surficial’ sediments of the well‐preserved dune ridge system developed immediately inland from Matarangi Beach closely resemble those in the modern frontal dunes, and the ‘in depth’ dune ridge sediments are more analogous to the present foreshore sands. The barrier flat deposits separating the dune ridge system from Whangapoua Harbour have similar characteristics to the modern tidal flat sediments in the harbour.

Omaro Spit probably began as an offshore bar across the mouth of Whangapoua Harbour, an embayment formed by the post‐glacial drowning of a Late Tertiary dislocated fault‐block. Tidal flat sedimentation within the harbour formed the ancient barrier flat deposits which rise to at least 2 m above the modern harbour flats, suggesting local sea level at the time was higher than at present. During a subsequent cyclic fall in sea level, supratidal aeolian deposition led to a succession of 15 to 18 parallel dune ridges developed on high‐tide berms. Linear regression analyses of dune ridge and swale heights and the height distribution of positive (aeolian) and negative (beach foreshore) skewness values and of contrasting sedimentary structures in dune ridgL paleosediments, together with the stages in dune soil development across the barrier, suggest initial sedimentation occurred from 4000–5000 years ago when local sea level was 2–3 m above present mean high water level. Barrier progradation was interrupted by an important period of coastal erosion during a temporary rise in sea level immediately before deposition in the dune ridge system of a layer of 2000‐year‐old sea‐rafted Leigh Pumice. Sea level probably reached its modern position at Whangapoua about 1000 years ago, since when some evidence suggests the barrier spit may have experienced minor uplift.     

Mechanisms for the prevention of marine bioinvasions for better biosecurity

Biosecurity management allows countries to meet a number of international obligations and provides some protection from potential degradation of environmental, economic, social and cultural values. Ocean governance relies on the precepts of ecologically sustainable development to manage the multiple uses in the coastal zone. The increasing reliance on aquaculture to provide food security and economic development has led to an increase in the use of non-native target species grown as food sources. Increased economic activity has led to shifting trade patterns and increased efficiencies in vessels with the resulting increase in the number of introduced marine species via ballast water and hull fouling. Herein we review the different marine biosecurity strategies and legislation that have been implemented internationally and locally that aid in preventing and managing introduced marine species, with some attention to Australia and New Zealand as examples. Typical tools being used include quarantine, Import Health Standards, voluntary cleaning guidelines, and risk assessment, all of which aim to prevent introductions.     

Late Quaternary history of contourite drifts and variations in Labrador Current flow,Flemish Pass,offshore eastern Canada

Contourite drifts of alternating sand and mud, shaped by the Labrador Current, formed during the late Quaternary in Flemish Pass seaward of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, Canada. The drifts preserve a record of Labrador Current flow variations through the last glacial maximum. A high-resolution seismic profile and a transect of four cores were collected across Beothuk drift on the southeast side of Flemish Pass. Downcore and lateral trends in grain size and sedimentation rate provide evidence that, between 16 and 13 ka, sediment was partitioned across Beothuk drift and the adjacent Flemish Pass floor by a strong current flow but, from 29 to 16 ka, sedimentation was more of a blanketing style, represented by draped reflections interpreted as being due to a weaker current. The data poorly resolve the low sedimentation rates since 13 ka, but the modern Labrador Current in Flemish Pass is the strongest it has been in at least the past 29 ka. Pre-29 ka current flow is interpreted based on reflection architecture in seismic profiles. A prominent drift on the southwestern side of Flemish Pass formed above a mid-Miocene erosion surface, but was buried by a mass-transport deposit after the penultimate glacial maximum and after drift deposition switched to eastern Flemish Pass. These findings illustrate the temporal complexity of drift sedimentation and provide the first detailed proxy for Labrador Current flow since the last glacial maximum.     

Using time‐domain reflectometry to characterize shallow solute transport in an oak woodland hillslope in northern California,USA

The natural heterogeneity of water and solute movement in hillslope soils makes it difficult to accurately characterize the transport of surface‐applied pollutants without first gathering spatially distributed hydrological data. This study examined the application of time‐domain reflectometry (TDR) to measure solute transport in hillslopes. Three different plot designs were used to examine the transport of a conservative tracer in the first 50 cm of a moderately sloping soil. In the first plot, which was designed to examine spatial variability in vertical transport in a 1·2 m² plot, a single probe per meter was found to adequately characterize vertical solute travel times. In addition, a dye and excavation study in this plot revealed lateral preferential flow in small macropores and a transport pattern where solute is focused vertically into preferential flow pathways. The bypass flow delivers solute deeper in the soil, where lateral flow occurs. The second plot, designed to capture both vertical and lateral flow, provided additional evidence confirming the flow patterns identified in the excavation of the first plot. The third plot was designed to examine lateral flow and once again preferential flow of the tracer was observed. In one instance rapid solute transport in this plot was estimated to occur in as little as 3% of the available pore space. Finally, it was demonstrated that the soil anisotropy, although partially responsible for lateral subsurface transport, may also homogenize the transport response across the hillslope by decreasing vertical solute spreading. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The RHESSI Spectrometer

RHESSI observes solar photons over three orders of magnitude in energy (3 keV to 17 MeV) with a single instrument: a set of nine cryogenically cooled coaxial germanium detectors. With their extremely high energy resolution, RHESSI can resolve the line shape of every known solar gamma-ray line except the neutron capture line at 2.223 MeV. High resolution also allows clean separation of thermal and non-thermal hard X-rays and the accurate measurement of even extremely steep power-law spectra. Detector segmentation, fast signal processing, and two sets of movable attenuators allow RHESSI to make high-quality spectra and images of flares across seven orders of magnitude in intensity. Here we describe the configuration and operation of the RHESSI spectrometer, show early results on in-flight performance, and discuss the principles of spectroscopic data analysis used by the RHESSI software.     

Instruments, Detectors and the Future of Astronomy with Large Ground Based Telescopes

Results of a survey of instrumentation and detector systems, either currently deployed or planned for use at telescopes larger than 3.5 m, in ground based observatories world-wide, are presented. This survey revealed a number of instrumentation design trends at optical, near, and mid-infrared wavelengths. Some of the most prominent trends include the development of vastly larger optical detector systems (> 10⁹ pixels) than anything built to date, and the frequent use of mosaics of near-infrared detectors – something that was quite rare only a decade ago in astronomy. Some future science applications for detectors are then explored, in an attempt to build a bridge between current detectors and what will be needed to support the research ambitions of astronomers in the future.