Evaluation of the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) precipitation fields in a topographically complex domain

ABSTRACT

The North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) precipitation product was evaluated using station observations and catchment water yield in British Columbia (BC), Canada, at inter-annual, monthly, and daily time scales. A structural break occurred in 2003, associated with exclusion of Canadian precipitation gauge data from NARR’s data assimilation process beginning in that year. The NARR product under-predicted precipitation in mountainous regions, over-predicted in the northern region of BC’s Interior Plateau, and catchment-averaged NARR precipitation was less than observed water yield in coastal BC. The product was unable to reproduce even the seasonal pattern at three stations. This study highlights uncertainties associated with the NARR precipitation product, and presents a cautionary tale that is likely relevant not only to the application of NARR in BC, but may be relevant for other re-analysis products and other regions with complex topography and sparse station networks.     

Magnitude scale for the Central American tsunamis

Based on the tsunami data in the Central American region, the regional characteristic of tsunami magnitude scales is discussed in relation to earthquake magnitudes during the period from 1900 to 1993. Tsunami magnitudes on the Imamura-Iida scale of the 1985 Mexico and 1992 Nicaragua tsunamis are determined to bem=2.5, judging from the tsunami height-distance diagram. The magnitude values of the Central American tsunamis are relatively small compared to earthquakes with similar size in other regions. However, there are a few large tsunamis generated by low-frequency earthquakes such as the 1992 Nicaragua earthquake. Inundation heights of these unusual tsunamis are about 10 times higher than those of normal tsunamis for the same earthquake magnitude (M _s =6.9–7.2). The Central American tsunamis having magnitudem>1 have been observed by the Japanese tide stations, but the effect of directivity toward Japan is very small compared to that of the South American tsunamis.     

Trace metal content in the American oyster

Information about the transfer of pollutants from adult aquatic animals to their progeny is relatively unknown. The present study was designed to measure the transfer of metals from adults to eggs of the American oyster. Two groups of oysters containing significantly different levels of copper and cadmium were induced to spawn, the eggs were collected and trace metal contents measured. The eggs from both groups of oysters contained the same amount of copper, while cadmium levels were below detectable limits in both groups of eggs. Silver, lead, and zinc concentrations also were determined. The concentrations of these metals were similar for both groups of adults and eggs; thus, no conclusion could be made about the transfer of these three metals from adults to eggs of oysters.     

Meridional equatorial electrojet current in the American sector

Huancayo is the only equatorial electrojet station where the daytime increase of horizontal geomagnetic field (H) is associated with a simultaneous increase of eastward geomagnetic field (Y). It is shown that during the counter electrojet period when H is negative, Y also becomes negative. Thus, the diurnal variation of Y at equatorial latitudes is suggested to be a constituent part of the equatorial electrojet current system. Solar flares are known to increase the H field at an equatorial station during normal electrojet conditions (nej). At Huancayo, situated north of the magnetic equator, the solar flare effect, during nej, consists of positive impulses in H and Y and negative impulse in Z field. During counter electrojet periods (cej), a solar flare produces a negative impulse in H and Y and a positive impulse in Z at Huancayo. It is concluded that both the zonal and meridional components of the equatorial electrojet in American longitudes, as in Indian longitudes, flows in the same, E region of the ionosphere.     

南美西海岸(智利)地震科学研究回顾及其对地震监测预报的启示

智利俯冲带是全球地震活动最为活跃的地区之一,2010年以来已经发生了3次8级强震。本文在调研了该地区地震地质、历史地震、运动学特征等方面研究成果的基础上,梳理了其中与地震预测预报有关的观测现象,总结了相关科学问题的研究进展和认识过程。结果显示:(1)智利俯冲带历史地震记录丰富,基于现代大地测量的断层震间闭锁研究深入,近年来多次8级地震均发生在历史地震破裂空段和滑动亏损较大的强闭锁区;(2) 2010年Maule M_W8.8地震和2014年Iquique M_W8.1地震震前均有不同程度的前兆变化,Maule M_W8.8地震前主要是"一类空区"和"二类空区"的嵌套;而Iquique M_W8.1地震前还伴有b值持续降低,前震活动频繁,GPS时间序列瞬态变化等一系列短临异常变化;(3)同震位错和震间闭锁的空间分布显示智利俯冲带断层摩擦性质复杂;(4)孕震物理力学机制复杂,不同学者不同方法之间还存在一些认识争议。     

Hydroclimatology of the North American Monsoon region in northwest Mexico

The North American Monsoon (NAM) system controls the warm season climate over much of southwestern North America. In this semi-arid environment, understanding the regional behavior of the hydroclimatology and its associated modes of variability is critically important to effectively predicting and managing perpetually stressed regional water resources. Equally as important is understanding the relationships through which warm season precipitation is converted into streamflow. This work explores the hydroclimatology of northwestern Mexico, i.e. the core region of the NAM, by (a) presenting a thorough review of recent hydroclimatic investigations from the region and (b) developing a detailed hydroclimatology of 15, unregulated, headwater basins along the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains in western Mexico. The present work is distinct from previous studies as it focuses on the intra-seasonal evolution of rainfall-runoff relationships, and contrasts the sub-regional behavior of the rainfall-runoff response. It is found that there is substantial sub-regional coherence in the hydrological response to monsoon precipitation. Three physically plausible regions emerge from a rotated Principal Components Analysis of streamflow and basin-averaged precipitation. Month-to-month streamflow persistence, rainfall-runoff correlation scores and runoff coefficient values demonstrate regional coherence and are generally consistent with what is currently known about sub-regional aspects of NAM precipitation character.     

Tracer hydrology of the data-scarce and heterogeneous Central American Isthmus

Numerous socio-economic activities depend on the seasonal rainfall and groundwater recharge cycle across the Central American Isthmus. Population growth and unregulated land use changes resulted in extensive surface water pollution and a large dependency on groundwater resources. This work combines stable isotope variations in rainfall, surface water, and groundwater of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras to develop a regionalized rainfall isoscape, isotopic lapse rates, spatial–temporal isotopic variations, and air mass back trajectories determining potential mean recharge elevations, moisture circulation patterns, and surface water–groundwater interactions. Intra-seasonal rainfall modes resulted in two isotopically depleted incursions (W-shaped isotopic pattern) during the wet season and two enriched pulses during the mid-summer drought and the months of the strongest trade winds. Notable isotopic sub-cloud fractionation and near-surface secondary evaporation were identified as common denominators within the Central American Dry Corridor. Groundwater and surface water isotope ratios depicted the strong orographic separation into the Caribbean and Pacific domains, mainly induced by the governing moisture transport from the Caribbean Sea, complex rainfall producing systems across the N-S mountain range, and the subsequent mixing with local evapotranspiration, and, to a lesser degree, the eastern Pacific Ocean fluxes. Groundwater recharge was characterized by (a) depleted recharge in highland areas (72.3%), (b) rapid recharge via preferential flow paths (13.1%), and enriched recharge due to near-surface secondary fractionation (14.6%). Median recharge elevation ranged from 1,104 to 1,979 m a.s.l. These results are intended to enhance forest conservation practices, inform water protection regulations, and facilitate water security and sustainability planning in the Central American Isthmus.     

South American palaeozoic palaeomagnetic results and the welding of Pangaea

The Muntsche Tundra basic pluton is well known for its high K-A ages (4 to 10 by). Using a precise⁸⁷Rb-⁸⁷Sr technique an age of 2.02 by has been measured. The (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) initial determined for this pluton is 0.702, higher than the predicted values using modern tholeiites and closed system extrapolation to BABI or ADOR.     

Source of lead in Central American and Caribbean mineralization,II. Lead isotope provinces

In an earlier study of Mesozoic and Cenozoic mineralization in Central America and the Caribbean region, we found that lead isotopic compositions of deposits in northern Central America, which is underlain by a pre-Mesozoic craton, ranged to higher²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb compositions than did deposits from elsewhere in the region, where the basement is Mesozoic oceanic material. Using 16 analyses for 12 new deposits, as well as new analyses for 11 of the samples studied previously, we have found that lead isotopic compositions correlate closely with crustal type but show little or no correlation with depth to the M-discontinuity. The deposits are divisible into three main groups including (in order of increasing²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratio): (1) deposits in southern Central America and all deposits in the Greater Antilles except Cuba; (2) all deposits in northern Central America; and (3) the Cuban deposits. Southern Central American and Caribbean lead is higher in²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb than most mid-ocean ridge basalts but could have been derived directly or indirectly from undepleted mantle. Northern Central America can be divided into the Maya block, which belongs to the Americas plate, and the Chortis block, which belongs to the Caribbean plate. Maya block deposits fall along a linear array whereas those of the Chortis block (except the Monte Cristo deposit) form a cluster. These results suggest that the Maya block is underlain by crust or mantle with a large range of U/Pb and Th/U ratios, whereas the Chortis block basement is more homogeneous. Two-stage model calculations indicate an age of about 2280±310 m.y. for the Maya block basement, although no such rocks are known in the region. Comparison of the Chortis block data to our recently published lead isotopic analyses of Mexican deposits shows considerable similarities suggesting that the Chortis block could have been derived from Mexico.     

Flow variability and the bankfull depth of sand-bed streams of the American midwest

The bankfull depths of 15 midwestern sand-bed streams increase with increasing variability of flow. Depths are also well represented by a simple one-dimensional model of vertical floodplain accretion. Thus, the correlation between depth and flow variability may be explained by the ability of deep, sediment-laden flows to construct high floodplains. Bankfull depths are also strongly correlated with the average annual maximum flow. Apparently, the average annual maximum flow adequately represents the cumulative influence of varying flows on rivers studied here. These observations further validate the concept of a dominant channel-forming discharge of moderate return frequency in humid temperate climates.     

A strong-motion database from the Central American subduction zone

Subduction earthquakes along the Pacific Coast of Central America generate considerable seismic risk in the region. The quantification of the hazard due to these events requires the development of appropriate ground-motion prediction equations, for which purpose a database of recordings from subduction events in the region is indispensable. This paper describes the compilation of a comprehensive database of strong ground-motion recordings obtained during subduction-zone events in Central America, focusing on the region from 8 to 14° N and 83 to 92° W, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. More than 400 accelerograms recorded by the networks operating across Central America during the last decades have been added to data collected by NORSAR in two regional projects for the reduction of natural disasters. The final database consists of 554 triaxial ground-motion recordings from events of moment magnitudes between 5.0 and 7.7, including 22 interface and 58 intraslab-type events for the time period 1976–2006. Although the database presented in this study is not sufficiently complete in terms of magnitude–distance distribution to serve as a basis for the derivation of predictive equations for interface and intraslab events in Central America, it considerably expands the Central American subduction data compiled in previous studies and used in early ground-motion modelling studies for subduction events in this region. Additionally, the compiled database will allow the assessment of the existing predictive models for subduction-type events in terms of their applicability for the Central American region, which is essential for an adequate estimation of the hazard due to subduction earthquakes in this region.