An example of fingerprint detection of greenhouse climate change

As an example of the technique of fingerprint detection of greenhouse climate change, a multivariate signal or fingerprint of the enhanced greenhouse effect is defined using the zonal mean atmospheric temperature change as a function of height and latitude between equilibrium climate model simulations with control and doubled CO₂ concentrations. This signal is compared with observed atmospheric temperature variations over the period 1963 to 1988 from radiosonde-based global analyses. There is a significant increase of this greenhouse signal in the observational data over this period.These results must be treated with caution. Upper air data are available for a short period only, possibly too short to be able to resolve any real greenhouse climate change. The greenhouse fingerprint used in this study may not be unique to the enhanced greenhouse effect and may be due to other forcing mechanisms. However, it is shown that the patterns of atmospheric temperature change associated with uniform global increases of sea surface temperature, with El NinoSouthern Oscillation events and with decreases of stratospheric ozone concentrations individually are different from the greenhouse fingerprint used here.     

Seismic reflection and refraction investigations of Lake Kinneret - central Jordan Valley, Israel

Seismic reflection and refraction studies in Lake Kinneret, which is located in the northern part of the Dead Sea Rift have been carried out. In the seismic reflection work several instruments including sparker, boomer and air guns were used. The acoustic penetration was limited, giving information on the uppermost sediments only. In the seismic refraction study the energy source was seismic explosives charges placed below the water table in shotholes located onshore at either end of two lines. The seismic signals were picked up by hydrophones and transmitted to the shore-based recording stations by special radio transmitters.

The seismic refraction profiles show different sedimentary structures at various parts of the lake. The layer underlying the top sedimentary sequence is of higher seismic velocity in the northern section than in the southern section. This suggests a difference in the stratigraphic section between the two parts. Unconformities and faults which account for the structures observed here probably exist under the lake.

The shallow reflection data indicate active tectonic processes in this area. Folds and faults have been observed in the uppermost sediments. The most deformed areas are along the margins but some deformation also occurs at the center of the lake in its deepest portion. The area is also seismically active.     

m-Benzene disulfonic acid (BDS) as a superior accompanying acid for routine silicate rock analysis

We recommend that m-benzene disulfonic acid (BDS) be used with hydrofluoric acid during the dissolution of silicate rocks and minerals for purposes of routine analysis of RO and R₂O groups and trace elements. This recommendation is based on several properties that make it superior to the alternative acids. These properties include: (1) a relatively high boiling point (resulting in more effective removal of HF and silica); (2) the high solubility of virtually all salts of BDS; (3) the non-complexing characteristics of BDS salts; (4) the thermal stability of BDS (resulting in very slight degassing at elevated temperatures, thus reducing splattering); and (5) the safety of BDS compared with highly oxidizing acids such as perchloric.     

Volcanic gaps due to oblique consumption of aseismic ridges

The present-day consumption of oceanic ridges and other buoyant rises and fragments at circum-Pacific subduction zones, and presumably elsewhere, are closely related to existing gaps in volcanism. Examples are the gaps associated with the Nazca, Juan Fernandez, Cocos, Marcus-Necker and Louisville ridges. The buoyancy of these ridges breaks the continuity of the subducted plate, which may lead to reduced water supply required for melting of magma, and therefore create temporary volcanic gaps. The oblique consumption of these ridges causes the gap to migrate with time. This mechanism may be useful in interpreting time-space patterns of past volcanic chains associated with subduction in terms of the consumption of the disruptive oceanic plateaus and ridges.     

A case study of sub-basalt imaging in land region covered with basalt flows

In this study, a set of 20 2D seismic lines, acquired over the Golan Heights basaltic plateau, was processed and analysed. Although the data were acquired and processed by standard techniques, in some cases good-quality seismic images were obtained under several hundred metres of basalts. We describe how the seismic characteristics of the top basalt layer were defined and show the effect of the numerous widespread volcanic sources on the quality of the final images. The new data reveal the first images of the sedimentary sequence under the basalt flows, and indicate that strands of the Dead Sea Transform extend into this area. The entire region was found to be very deformed. Several attractive traps for hydrocarbon exploration were also identified on the output sections.     

Assessment of downstream trends in channel gradient, total and specific stream power: a GIS approach

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyses of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) coupled with catchment area based discharge estimation techniques provide a relatively simple means of modelling contiguous downstream trends in channel gradient, total stream power, and in riverscapes conducive to regime analysis, also specific stream power. For a small, high relief, coastal catchment in SE Australia, good agreement was obtained between channel gradients derived from a 25 m cell-size DEM and field survey equivalents over distances of several kilometres, indicating that channel gradients derived from DEMs can have a reasonable degree of absolute as well as relative accuracy over multi-kilometre reach scales. Assessment of downstream rates of change in channel gradient and specific stream power across four river systems suggests that some of the river reaches most responsive to high magnitude floods occur in zones where these variables rapidly decrease downstream. Modelling of downstream trends in channel gradient, total and specific stream power from catchment-wide DEMs has potential to provide a framework with which to investigate conceptual and empirical models between channel gradient, stream power and the form and dynamics of river systems.