A Simplified Analytical Procedure for the Determination of Organically Bound Halogens in Salt‐containing Water Samples

A method was developed for the determination of organic halogens in water samples with the aim of minimizing matrix effects and simplifying the sample preparation technique commonly used. The method is based on the adsorption of organic halogens in modified hydrophilic divinylbenzene polymer columns and their elution with methanol. The adsorbent used enables rapid adsorption and desorption due to comparatively high operating flow rates and minimized solvent amounts. Furthermore, no additional reconcentration steps are needed. The methanol extract obtained is combusted with a standard EOX (extractable organic halogen) analyzer and the concentration of organically bound halogens is determined by microcoulometric analysis. The matrix effects are considerably reduced compared to the standard procedure (EN 1485) commonly used. A detection limit of 13 μg/L was established.     

Observation-based blended projections from ensembles of regional climate models

We consider the problem of projecting future climate from ensembles of regional climate model (RCM) simulations using results from the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP). To this end, we develop a hierarchical Bayesian space-time model that quantifies the discrepancies between different members of an ensemble of RCMs corresponding to present day conditions, and observational records. Discrepancies are then propagated into the future to obtain high resolution blended projections of 21st century climate. In addition to blended projections, the proposed method provides location-dependent comparisons between the different simulations by estimating the different modes of spatial variability, and using the climate model-specific coefficients of the spatial factors for comparisons. The approach has the flexibility to provide projections at customizable scales of potential interest to stakeholders while accounting for the uncertainties associated with projections at these scales based on a comprehensive statistical framework. We demonstrate the methodology with simulations from the Weather Research & Forecasting regional model (WRF) using three different boundary conditions. We use simulations for two time periods: current climate conditions, covering 1971 to 2000, and future climate conditions under the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A2 emissions scenario, covering 2041 to 2070. We investigate and project yearly mean summer and winter temperatures for a domain in the South West of the United States.     

The chronostratigraphy of a quaternary sequence at the distal part of the nile littoral cell,Haifa Bay,Israel

The current detailed chronostratigraphic framework of the last 1 Ma of an eastern Mediterranean sequence (Haifa Bay, Israel) aims to examine the relative roles of sea‐level changes, climate and tectonics. Seven continuous marine cores, up to ～120 m long, were recovered from shallow water depths. The cores were dated by optically stimulated luminescence, ¹⁴C, magnetostratigraphy, ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U, ²⁶Al/¹⁰Be, occurrence of index fossils and correlated to the global sea‐level curve and Marine Isotope Stages (MIS). The sedimentary sequence accumulated during the last ca. 1.0 Ma consists of 21 transgression–regression units with hiatuses between them. Five marine/terrestrial cycles, which occur in the lower part of the sequence, are attributed to the Jaramillo subchron and the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary, and correspond to MIS 29–21. The top ～50 m includes three sedimentary cycles deposited in the last ca. 400 ka. The regressive phases during this interval correspond to Glacial MIS 8, 6 and 2, while the transgressions correspond to Interglacial MIS 11, 7, 5 and 1. Thus, for the first time, this study documents the longest Quaternary succession dated so far in a key area of the Levant, sensitive to global history of sea‐level changes and glacial/interglacial fluctuations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Skyline-based registration of 3D laser scans

Acquisition and registration of terrestrial 3D laser scans is a fundamental task in mapping and modeling of cities in three dimensions. To automate this task marker-free registration methods are required. Based on the existence of skyline features, this paper proposes a novel method. The skyline features are extracted from panoramic 3D scans and encoded as strings enabling the use of string matching for merging the scans. Initial results of the proposed method in the old city center of Bremen are pre-sented.     

Two centuries of coastal change at Caesarea,Israel: natural processes vs. human intervention

The coast at Caesarea, Israel, has been inhabited almost continuously for the last 2,400 years, and the archeological sites are today a major international tourist attraction. Because the sites straddle the shoreline, they are subject to constant damage by wave action, and must therefore be frequently restored. In this paper, local shoreline migrations over the last 200 years are investigated with the aim of distinguishing between natural and man-made coastal changes. In order to assess these changes accurately, geomorphological and sedimentological data were examined based on detailed beach profile measurements, bathymetric surveys, and grain-size analyses. In addition, series of old aerial photographs, as well as historical topographic maps and nautical charts were consulted. The results show that shoreline changes can be grouped into two main time periods. During the first period from 1862 to 1949 before the expansion of modern settlements, the position of the shoreline changed irregularly by up to 30 m. In the second period from 1949 onward, numerous coastal structures have been erected, and various coastal modifications have been carried out. The evaluation of the data suggests that human interventions have had relatively little effect on the overall position of the shoreline, as displacements ranged only from 5 to 18 m. Thus, coastal changes at Caesarea are predominantly due to natural wave action reflected in the heterogeneous geomorphological and sedimentological characteristics of the shore. This contradicts the common assumption that human activities are always mainly responsible for large-scale shoreline modifications in the region. It is concluded that, in order to implement meaningful mitigating countermeasures, coastal archeological sites need to be individually assessed with respect to the dominant factors causing local coastal change.     

Quaternary Stratigraphy and Paleogeography of the Galilee Coastal Plain, Israel

The Quaternary deposits in the Galilee coastal plain comprise alternating calcareous sandstone, red loam, dark clay, and uncemented sand. The calcareous sandstone in the lower part of the sequence represents a Pliocene to early Pleistocene marine transgression, and is covered unconformably by the late Quaternary sequence. The base of this sequence has an estimated age of 500,000 yr. It is covered unconformably by marine calcareous sandstone in the west, which represents the global high sea-level stand of isotope stage 7.1, and is known as one of the “Tyrrhenian” events in the Mediterranean area. The overlying members represent the low sea-level stand of stage 6, the first a red paleosol indicating a relatively wet phase and the second an eolianite unit representing a drier phase. The eolianite forms longitudinal, subparallel ridges that formed contemporaneously. The overlying marine sandstone, which contains one of the diagnostic fossils of the “Tyrrhenian” events, the gastropodStrombus buboniusLMK, accumulated during the global high stand of stage 5.5. The last glacial period left no sedimentary record. The Holocene is represented by a marine clay unit that is covered by sand. The present study establishes a complete and detailed chronostratigraphic sequence for an eastern Mediterranean beach, which contains the gastropodS. buboniusLMK.S. buboniuson the Galilee coast is attributed to stage 5.5 and, therefore, establishes an east–west Mediterranean correlation, which can be used for linking Mediterranean events to paleo-sea levels and global climate changes.     

The shale gas potential of Tournaisian, Visean, and Namurian black shales in North Germany: baseline parameters in a geological context

Carboniferous black mudrocks with known petroleum potential occur throughout Northern Germany. However, despite numerous boreholes exploring for conventional hydrocarbons, the potential for shale gas resources remains uncertain. Therefore, an integrated investigation was conducted to elucidate the shale gas potential for three different Carboniferous facies incorporating baseline parameters from sedimentological and organic-geochemical analyses. Tournaisian–Namurian fine-grained rocks of the Culm-facies, with Type II + III kerogen were deposited in the basin center. TOC contents of up to 7 % occur in the Lower Alum Shale (3.6 % VRr) and up to 6 % in the Upper Alum Shale (4.4 % VRr). Bands of organic-rich black shales, reflecting sea-level variations controlled by global eustatic cycles, occur within the Tournaisian–Visean “Kohlenkalk”-facies north of the Rhenish Slate Mountains and in the Rügen island area. In both areas the organic matter is characterized by a kerogen Type II + III with TOC contents of up to 7 % and maturities of up to 4.2 and 1.8 % VRr, respectively. Black hemipelagites intercalated with coarser-grained silt- and sandstones occur in the Synorogenic Flysch Formation of the Namurian A along the southern basin margin. TOC contents vary from 0.5 to 2.0 % with Type III kerogen dominated organic matter and maturities of up to 2.5 % VRr. The baseline parameters presented in this paper indicate a shale gas potential for the sediments of the Culm-facies on the southern basin margin and of the “Kohlenkalk”-facies in the Rügen area.     

The origin and disappearance of the late Pleistocene-early Holocene short-lived coastal wetlands along the Carmel coast, Israel

The formation of short-lived backswamps along the Carmel coast of Israel coincides with the rapid global sea-level rise during the late Pleistocene-early Holocene transition. The current study shows that the wetland phenomena originated around 10,000 yr ago and dried up shortly before the local Pre-Pottery Neolithic humans settled on the wetland dark clay sediments 9430 cal yr BP. Palaeontological and stable-isotope data were used in this study to elucidate previously published sedimentological reconstruction obtained from a core drilled into the western trough of the Carmel coastal plain. The water body contained typical brackish calcareous fauna, with variable numerical abundance and low species richness of ostracods and foraminifera. The δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C of the ostracod Cyprideis torosa show close similarity to the present Pleistocene coastal aquifer isotopic values. This study therefore concludes that the wetlands were shallow-water bodies fed by groundwater, with no evidence of sea-water mixing. It seems that they developed as the result of high groundwater levels, transportation of sediments landward, and deposition of sand bars at the paleo-river mouths. It is still not fully understood why these wetlands deteriorated abruptly and disappeared within less than 1000 yr.