Remote leveling of tide gauges using GNSS reflectometry: case study at Spring Bay,Australia

We further developed a new approach using GNSS reflectometry to determine the leveling connection between a tide gauge and a GNSS antenna. This approach includes the optimization of the unknown receiver bandwidth and the estimation of frequency changes in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) oscillation through an extended Kalman filter/smoother algorithm. We also corrected the geometric bending of the GNSS signals due to tropospheric refraction using local meteorological observations. Using 3 weeks of SNR data in Spring Bay, Australia, from a GNSS antenna placed sideways (i.e., ground plane orientated vertically and directed in azimuth toward the sea surface) to improve the SNR interference near the horizon, we obtained mean leveling differences of approximately 5 mm, with an RMS of approximately 3 cm level with respect to the nominal leveling from classical surveying techniques. SNR data from three different receiver manufacturers, coupled to the same antenna, provided similar leveling results. With a second antenna in the usual upright configuration, we obtained mean leveling differences of 1–2 cm and a RMS of about 10 cm. In the upright configuration, the leveling differences may include errors in the GNSS antenna phase center calibration, which are avoided in our technique but not in the classical surveying techniques. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the reflectometry technique to obtain precisely and remotely the leveling between a GNSS antenna and a tide gauge. In addition, this technique can be applied continuously, providing an independent and economical means to monitor the stability of the tide gauge zero.     

Linking shock textures revealed by BSE,CL, and EBSD with U‐Pb data (LA‐ICP‐MS and SIMS) from zircon from the Araguainha impact structure,Brazil

A silicious impact melt rock from polymict impact breccia of the northern part of the alkali granite core of the Araguainha impact structure, central Brazil, has been investigated. The melt rock is thought to represent a large mass of impact‐generated melt in suevite. In particular, a diverse population of zircon grains, with different impact‐induced microstructures, has been analyzed for U‐Pb isotopic systematics. Backscattered electron and cathodoluminescence images reveal heterogeneous intragrain domains with vesicular, granular, vesicular plus granular, and vesicular plus (presumably) baddeleyite textures, among others. The small likely baddeleyite inclusions are not only preferentially located along grain margins but also occur locally within grain interiors. LA‐ICP‐MS U‐Pb data from different domains yield lower intercept ages of 220, 240, and 260 Ma, a result difficult to reconcile with the previous “best age” estimate for the impact event at 254.7 ± 2.7 Ma. SIMS U‐Pb data, too, show a relatively large range of ages from 245 to 262 Ma. A subset of granular grains that yielded concordant SIMS ages were analyzed for crystallographic orientation by EBSD. Orientation mapping shows that this population consists of approximately micrometer‐sized neoblasts that preserve systematic orientation evidence for the former presence of the high‐pressure polymorph reidite. In one partially granular grain (#36), the neoblasts occur in linear arrays that likely represent former reidite lamellae. Such grains are referred to as FRIGN zircon. The best estimate for the age of the Araguainha impact event from our data set from a previously not analyzed type of impact melt rock is based on concordant SIMS data from FRIGN zircon grains. This age is 251.5 ± 2.9 Ma (2σ, MSWD = 0.45, p = 0.50, n = 4 analyses on three grains), indistinguishable from previous estimates based on zircon and monazite from other impact melt lithologies at Araguainha. Our work provides a new example of how FRIGN zircon can be combined with in situ U‐Pb geochronology to extract an accurate age for an impact event.     

A new calibration to determine the closure temperatures of Fe‐Mg ordering in augite from nakhlites

Recently it has been shown that the relatively low closure temperature (T_c) of 500 (100)°C calculated for augite from Miller Range nakhlite (MIL 03346,13) using the available geothermometers would correspond to a slow cooling rate inconsistent with the petrologic evidence for an origin from a fast‐cooled lava flow. Moreover, previous annealing experiments combined with HR‐SC‐XRD on an augite crystal from MIL 03346 clearly showed that at 600 °C, the Fe²⁺‐Mg degree of order remained unchanged, thus suggesting that the actual T_c is close to this temperature. In order to clarify this discrepancy, we undertook an ex situ annealing experimental study at 700, 800, and 900 °C, until the equilibrium in the intracrystalline Fe²⁺‐Mg exchange is reached, using an augite crystal from Miller Range nakhlite (MIL 03346,13) with a composition of about En₃₆Fs₂₄Wo₄₀. These data allowed us to calculate the following new geothermometer calibration for Martian nakhlites: where The application of this new equation to other Martian nakhlites (NWA 988 and Nakhla) suggests that for augite with composition close to that of MIL 03346, the T_c is up to 170 °C higher with respect to the one calculated using the previous available geothermometer equation, thus suggesting a significantly faster cooling in agreement with petrologic evidence.     

Polar night vortex breakdown and large-scale stirring in the southern stratosphere

The present paper examines the vortex breakdown and large-scale stirring during the final warming of the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere during the spring of 2005. A unique set of in situ observations collected by 27 superpressure balloons (SPBs) is used. The balloons, which were launched from McMurdo, Antarctica, by the Stratéole/VORCORE project, drifted for several weeks on two different isopycnic levels in the lower stratosphere. We describe balloon trajectories and compare them with simulations obtained on the basis of the velocity field from the GEOS-5 and NCEP/NCAR reanalyses performed with and without VORCORE data. To gain insight on the mechanisms responsible for the horizontal transport of air inside and outside the well-isolated vortex we examine the balloon trajectories in the framework of the Lagrangian properties of the stratospheric flow. Coherent structures of the flow are visualized by computing finite-time Lyapunov exponents (FTLE). A combination of isentropic analysis and FTLE distributions reveals that air is stripped away from the vortex’s interior as stable manifolds eventually cross the vortex’s edge. It is shown that two SPBs escaped from the vortex within high potential vorticity tongues that developed in association with wave breaking at locations along the vortex’s edge where forward and backward FTLE maxima approximately intersect. The trajectories of three SPBs flying as a group at the same isopycnic level are examined and their behavior is interpreted in reference to the FTLE field. These results support the concept of stable and unstable manifolds governing transport of air masses across the periphery of the stratospheric polar vortex.     

Ground-based measurements of the methane distribution on Titan

Using spectra taken with NIRSPEC (Near Infrared Spectrometer) and adaptive optics on the Keck II telescope, we resolved the latitudinal variation of the 3ν₂ band of CH₃D at 1.56 μm. As CH₃D is less abundant than CH₄ by a factor of 50±10×10^-5, these CH₃D lines do not saturate in Titan’s atmosphere, and are well characterized by laboratory measurements. Thus they do not suffer from the large uncertainties of the CH₄ lines that are weak enough to be unsaturated in Titan. Our measurements of the methane abundance are confined to the latitude range of 32°S-18°N and longitudes sampled by a 0.04″ slit centered at ∼195°W. The methane abundance below 10 km is constant to within 20% in the tropical atmosphere sampled by our observations, consistent with the low surface insolation and lack of surface methane [Griffith, C.A., McKay, C.P., Ferri, F., 2008. Astrophys. J. 687, L41-L44].     

The Characteristics of Near-surface Velocity During the Upwelling Season on the Northern Portugal Shelf

Observations made on the northern Portugal mid-shelf between May 13 and June 15,2002 were used to characterise the near-surface velocity during one upwelling season. It was found that in the surface mixed layer,the 'tidal current' was diurnal,but the tidal elevation was semi-diurnal. Both the residual current and the major axes of all tidal constituents were nearly perpendicular to the isobaths and the tidal current ellipses rotated clockwise;the major axis of the major tidal ellipse was about 3 cm s-1. The extremely strong diurnal current in the surface layer was probably due to diurnal heating,cooling,and wind mixing that induced diurnal oscillations,including the diurnal oscillation of wind stress. This is a case different from the results measured in the other layers in this area. The near-inertial spectral peaks occurred with periods ranging from 1 047 min to 1 170 min,the longest periods being observed in deeper layers,and the shortest in the surface layer. Weak inertial events appeared during strong upwelling events,while strong inertial events appeared during downwelling or weak subinertial events. The near-inertial currents were out of phase between 5 m and 35 m layers for almost the entire measurement period,but such relationship was very weak during periods of irregular weak wind. Strong persistent southerly wind blew from May 12 to 17 and forced a significant water transport onshore and established a strong barotropic poleward jet with a surface speed exceeding 20 cm s-1. The subinertial current was related to wind variation,especially in the middle layers of 15 m and 35 m,the maximum correlation between alongshore current and alongshore wind was about 0.5 at the 5 m layer and 0.8 at the 35 m layer. The alongshore current reacted more rapidly than the cross-shore current. The strongest correlation was found at a time lag of 20 h in the upper layer and of 30 h in the deeper layer. The wind-driven surface velocity obtained from the PWP model had maximum amplitude of about 7 cm s-1,corresponding to a wind stress at 0.1 Pa,and the horizontal velocity shear due to thermal wind balance had the order of 3 cm s-1. So the local wind and thermal wind would only explain a part of the strong surface velocity variations.     

Application of rock mass classifications: a case study from Ituango hydroelectric diversion tunnel,Colombia

ABSTRACT

The local site experience is a valuable component for the success of rock mass classification systems as tunnel design methods. The Ituango hydroelectric project is a very important source of information in order to evaluate the usefulness of the main rock mass classification systems. The objective of this research is to improve understanding of some important features of excavated rock mass, such as discontinuities, block size, shear strength and joint alteration, by analyzing some hundreds of data obtained during excavation cycle.

The field study included a survey of exposures after drilling and blasting rounds. Rock mass classification and support measures for each type of terrain along 1400 m tunnel were performed. The rock mass classes could be better explained if shear strength, alteration or block size is calculated. The assessment of these data allows evaluating the block fall risk, improving support and liner. A local correlation between the RMR and Q system was also obtained.     

Holocene History of the Chocó Rain Forest from Laguna Piusbi, Southern Pacific Lowlands of Colombia

A high-resolution pollen record from a 5-m-long sediment core from the closed-lake basin Laguna Piusbi in the southern Colombian Pacific lowlands of Chocó, dated by 11 AMS¹⁴C dates that range from ca. 7670 to 220¹⁴C yr B.P., represents the first Holocene record from the Chocó rain forest area. The interval between 7600 and 6100¹⁴C yr B.P. (500–265 cm), composed of sandy clays that accumulated during the initial phase of lake formation, is almost barren of pollen. Fungal spores and the presence of herbs and disturbance taxa suggest the basin was at least temporarily inundated and the vegetation was open. The closed lake basin might have formed during an earthquake, probably about 4400¹⁴C yr B.P. From the interval of about 6000¹⁴C yr B.P. onwards, 200 different pollen and spore types were identified in the core, illustrating a diverse floristic composition of the local rain forest. Main taxa are Moraceae/Urticaceae,Cecropia,Melastomataceae/Combretaceae,Acalypha, Alchornea,Fabaceae,Mimosa, Piper, Protium, Sloanea, Euterpe/Geonoma, Socratea,andWettinia.Little change took place during that time interval. Compared to the pollen records from the rain forests of the Colombian Amazon basin and adjacent savannas, the Chocó rain forest ecosystem has been very stable during the late Holocene. Paleoindians probably lived there at least since 3460¹⁴C yr B.P. Evidence of agricultural activity, shown by cultivation ofZea maissurrounding the lake, spans the last 1710 yr. Past and present very moist climate and little human influence are important factors in maintaining the stable ecosystem and high biodiversity of the Chocó rain forest.