Integrating process‐based flow and temperature models to assess riparian forests and temperature amelioration in salmon streams

The importance of riparian tree cover in reducing energy inputs to streams is increasingly recognized in schemes to mitigate climate change effects and protect freshwater ecosystems. Assessing different riparian management strategies requires catchment‐scale understanding of how different planting scenarios would affect the stream energy balance, coupled with a quantitative assessment of spatial patterns of streamflow generation. Here, we use the physically based MIKE SHE model to integrate simulations of catchment‐scale run‐off generation and in‐stream hydraulics with a heat transfer model. This was calibrated to model the spatio‐temporal distribution of hourly stream water temperature during warm low flow periods in a Scottish salmon stream. The model was explored as a “proof of concept” for a tool to investigate the effects of riparian management on high stream water temperatures that could affect juvenile Atlantic salmon. Uncertainty was incorporated into the assessment using the generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation approach. Results showed that by decreasing both the warming (daylight hours) and the cooling (night‐time hours) rates, forest cover leads to a reduction of the temperature range (with a delay of the time to peak by up to 2 hr) and can therefore be effectively used to moderate projected climate change effects. The modelling presented here facilitated the quantification of potential mitigating effects of alternative riparian management strategies and provided a valuable tool that has potential to be utilized as an evidence base for catchment management guidance.     

Axisymmetric Simulations of Pulsar Wind Nebulae with a New Central-Type Scheme for Relativistic MHD

A third-order shock-capturing numerical scheme for three-dimensional special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (3-D RMHD) is presented. Due to the difficulties in developing exact or even approximate Riemann solvers in RMHD, a simple two-speed central-type solver that requires the knowledge of only the local fast magnetosonic velocities is employed. First results from axisymmetric simulations of Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe) are finally presented. We show that when the wind magnetization is high enough, magnetic hoop stresses at work downstream of the termination shock are able to collimate a polar jet-like outflow, with velocities similar to those observed in the Crab and Vela Nebulae (v ≈ 0.5-0.7c).     

The pairwise velocity dispersion of galaxies: effects of non-radial motions

I discuss the effect of non-radial motions on the small-scale peculiar pairwise velocity dispersions (PVD) of galaxies in a cold dark matter (CDM) model and calculate the PVD for the SCDM model by means of the refined cosmic virial theorem (CVT), taking account of non-radial motions by means of the Del Popolo & Gambera model. I compare the results of the present model with the data from Davis & Peebles, the IRAS value at 1  h ⁻¹ Mpc of Fisher et al. and Marzke et al. I show that while the SCDM model disagrees with the observed values, as pointed out by several authors, taking account of non-radial motions produces smaller values for the PVD. At r ≤1  h ⁻¹ Mpc the result is in agreement with Bartlett & Blanchard. In the light of this last paper, the result may be also read as a strong dependence of the CVT prediction on the model chosen to describe the mass distribution around galaxies, suggesting that the CVT cannot be taken as a direct evidence for a low-density Universe. Similarly to what is shown by Del Popolo & Gambera and Del Popolo et al., the agreement of our model to the observational data is because of a scale-dependent bias induced by the presence of non-radial motions. As the assumptions on which CVT is based have been questioned by several authors, I also calculated the PVD using the redshift distortion in the redshift-space correlation function, ξ _z( r _p, π), and compared it with the PVD measured from the Las Campanas Redshift Survey by Jing et al. The result confirms that non-radial motions influence the PVD making them agree better with the observed data.     

The Ferrara hard X-ray facility for testing/calibrating hard X-ray focusing telescopes

We will report on the current configuration of the X-ray facility of the University of Ferrara recently used to perform reflectivity tests of mosaic crystals and to calibrate the experiment JEM–X aboard Integral. The facility is now located in the technological campus of the University of Ferrara in a new building (named LARIX laboratory= ̳LARge ̳Italian ̳X-ray facility) that includes a tunnel 100 m long with, on the sides, two large experimental rooms. The facility is being improved for determining the optical axis of mosaic crystals in Laue configuration, for calibrating Laue lenses and hard X-ray mirror prototypes.     

A focal plane detector design for a wide-band Laue-lens telescope

The energy range above 60 keV is important for the study of many open problems in high energy astrophysics such as the role of Inverse Compton with respect to synchrotron or thermal processes in GRBs, non thermal mechanisms in SNR, the study of the high energy cut-offs in AGN spectra, and the detection of nuclear and annihilation lines. Recently the development of high energy Laue lenses with broad energy bandpasses from 60 to 600keV have been proposed for a Hard X ray focusing Telescope (HAXTEL) in order to study the X-ray continuum of celestial sources. The required focal plane detector should have high detection efficiency over the entire operative range, a spatial resolution of about 1mm, an energy resolution of a few keV at 500keV and a sensitivity to linear polarization. We describe a possible configuration of the focal plane detector based on several CdTe/CZT pixelated layers stacked together to achieve the required detection efficiency at high energy. Each layer can operate both as a separate position sensitive detector and polarimeter or work with other layers to increase the overall photopeak efficiency. Each layer has a hexagonal shape in order to minimize the detector surface required to cover the lens field of view. The pixels would have the same geometry so as to provide the best coupling with the lens point spread function and to increase the symmetry for polarimetric studies.     

Hydrogeochemical investigations and groundwater provinces of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Plain aquifers,northeastern Italy

Water resources are a key factor, particularly for the planning of the sustainable regional development of agriculture, as well as for socio-economic development in general. A hydrochemical investigation was conducted in the Friuli Venezia Giulia aquifer systems to identify groundwater evolution, recharge and extent of pollution. Temperature, pH, electric conductivity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, total hardness, SAR, Ca²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄ ²⁻, NO₃ ⁻, HCO₃ ⁻ _, water quality and type, saturation indexes and the environmental stable isotope δ¹⁸O were determined in 149 sampling stations. The pattern of geochemical and oxygen stable isotope variations suggests that the sub-surface groundwater (from phreatic and shallow confined aquifers) is being recharged by modern precipitations and local river infiltrations. Four hydrogeological provinces have been recognised and mapped in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Plain having similar geochemical signatures. These provinces have different degrees of vulnerability to contamination. The deep confined groundwater samples are significantly less impacted by surface activities; and it appears that these important water resources have very low recharge rates and would, therefore, be severely impacted by overabstraction.     

Manganese and iron distributions off central California influenced by upwelling and shelf width

In July 2002, a combination of underway mapping and discrete profiles revealed significant along-shore variability in the concentrations of manganese and iron in the vicinity of Monterey Bay, California. Both metals had lower concentrations in surface waters south of Monterey Bay, where the shelf is about 2.5 km wide, than north of Monterey Bay, where the shelf is about 10 km wide. During non-upwelling conditions over the northern broad shelf, dissolvable iron concentrations measured underway in surface waters reached 3.5 nmol L⁻¹ and dissolved manganese reached 25 nmol L⁻¹. In contrast, during non-upwelling conditions over the southern narrow shelf, dissolvable iron concentrations in surface waters were less than 1 nmol L⁻¹ and dissolved manganese concentrations were less than 5 nmol L⁻¹. A pair of vertical profiles at 1000 m water depth collected during an upwelling event showed dissolved manganese concentrations of 10 decreasing to 2 nmol L⁻¹, and dissolvable iron concentrations of 12–20 nmol L⁻¹ in the upper 100 m in the north, compared to 3.5–2 nmol L⁻¹ Mn and 0.6 nmol L⁻¹ Fe in the upper 100 m in the south, suggesting the effect of shelf width influences the chemistry of waters beyond the shelf.These observations are consistent with current understanding of the mechanism of iron supply to coastal upwelling systems: Iron from shelf sediments, predominantly associated with particles greater than 20 μm, is brought to the surface during upwelling conditions. We hypothesize that manganese oxides are brought to the surface with upwelling and are then reduced to dissolved manganese, perhaps by photoreduction, following a lag after upwelling.Greater phytoplankton biomass, primary productivity, and nutrient drawdown were observed over the broad shelf, consistent with the greater supply of iron. Incubation experiments conducted 20 km offshore in both regions, during a period of wind relaxation, confirm the potential of these sites to become limited by iron. There was no additional growth response when copper, manganese or cobalt was added in addition to iron. The growth response of surface water incubated with bottom sediment (4 nmol L⁻¹ dissolvable Fe) was slightly greater than in control incubations, but less than in the presence of 4 nmol L⁻¹ dissolved iron. This may indicate that dissolvable iron is not as bioavailable as dissolved iron, although the influence of additional inhibitory elements in the sediment cannot be ruled out.     

On the effectiveness of the ocean's biological pump in global CO2 scenarios

An evaluation is made of the effectiveness of the ocean's biological pump in driving the deep-sea excess CO₂ from the atmosphere. It is based on sediment-trap data available in the literature and on estimates of present and future inputs of anthropogenic nitrogen and phosphorous. The fraction of annual CO₂ production from fossil fuel combustion going into this sink turns out to be insignificant in the total budget of man-made CO₂. A discussion is presented on the formation of macroflocs under oceanic conditions, a process that has been believed to be important for the effectiveness of the biological pump.