Properties of the detached F-type eclipsing binary,BK Pegasi

A misunderstanding of our interpretation of photometry of the detached eclipsing binary, BK Peg, is clarified.     

Assessing past changes in bioavailable zinc from a terrestrial (Zn/Si)opal record

Historical changes in bioavailable Zn concentrations of the surface waters of Lake Geneva were assessed by analyzing the zinc content of fossil diatoms. The measured ratios of Zn to Si in the opal ((Zn/Si)_opal) were consistent with both data obtained for cultured freshwater diatoms that were representative of lake Geneva and with field data. Reconstructed variations suggested that increased Zn uptake by phytoplankton occurred in the period from 1960–1980 resulting from an increased loading of Zn to the lake. Nonetheless, observed concentrations were sufficiently low that no adverse effects were expected on the pelagic community. The data presented here suggest that (Zn/Si)_opal records may become a valuable tool to assess past changes in bioavailable Zn concentrations in freshwater systems.     

Channel Representation in Physically Based Models Coupling Groundwater and Surface Water: Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Recent models that couple three‐dimensional subsurface flow with two‐dimensional overland flow are valuable tools for quantifying complex groundwater/stream interactions and for evaluating their influence on watershed processes. For the modeler who is used to defining streams as a boundary condition, the representation of channels in integrated models raises a number of conceptual and technical issues. These models are far more sensitive to channel topography than conventional groundwater models. On all spatial scales, both the topography of a channel and its connection with the floodplain are important. For example, the geometry of river banks influences bank storage and overbank flooding; the slope of the river is a primary control on the behavior of a catchment; and at the finer scale bedform characteristics affect hyporheic exchange. Accurate data on streambed topography, however, are seldom available, and the spatial resolution of digital elevation models is typically too coarse in river environments, resulting in unrealistic or undulating streambeds. Modelers therefore perform some kind of manual yet often cumbersome correction to the available topography. In this context, the paper identifies some common pitfalls, and provides guidance to overcome these. Both aspects of topographic representation and mesh discretization are addressed. Additionally, two tutorials are provided to illustrate: (1) the interpolation of channel cross‐sectional data and (2) the refinement of a mesh along a stream in areas of high topographic variability.     

The 2011 Lorca seismic series: Temporal evolution,faulting parameters and hypocentral relocation

The Lorca 2011 seismic series was recorded by an unprecedented set of high quality on scale broadband seismograms and strong motion accelerograms. The waveforms from permanent and temporary broadband seismic networks deployed in the region by different institutions allowed to invert regional moment tensor for the fore, main and largest aftershock of the complete seismic sequence. Using double-difference algorithm we have performed a precise relocation of the seismic series, where body wave travel times from strong ground motion accelerograms were included in the data set. Regional moment tensor inversion for the three main events show similar oblique-reverse faulting regime with a northeast-southwest fault orientation. The scalar seismic moment, moment magnitude and focal depth retrieved from the inversion yield the following values for each event: \(\hbox {Mo}=6.5\times 10^{16}\) Nm (Mw = 5.2) for the mainshock, \(\hbox {Mo}= 9.6 \times 10^{15}\) Nm (Mw = 4.6) for the foreshock and \(\hbox {Mo}=7.3\times 10^{14}\) Nm (Mw = 3.9) for the large aftershock. The centroid depths range between 4 and 6 km. The double-difference relocation of the seismic series shows significant epicentral differences with the preliminary routine location. The epicentral solutions given by this relocation show a seismic sequence distributed following a NE–SW strike, subparallel to the Alhama de Murcia fault and compatible with the faulting parameters inverted from the moment tensor analysis. The hypocenters of the series generate a subvertical trend in depth distribution, being concentrated between 2 and 6 km. The depth distribution of the main events, which range from 4.6 to 5.5 km, is in good relationship with the faulting and depth parameters deduced from the moment tensor inversion technique. The regional moment tensor solutions for the three largest earthquakes, the epicentral distribution and the focal depths show good relationship with the surface geometry and tectonic regime of the Alhama de Murcia fault. The stress drop deduced for the mainshock gives a value ranging between 58 and 85 bars, which does not support the idea of a high stress drop release as a main factor contributing to the high ground acceleration recorded at Lorca. The PGA values observed at Lorca, which contributed to the high damage independently of structural deficiencies, could be generated mainly by shallowness and proximity to the seismic source together with a directivity effect in the seismic radiation.     

Predicting evaporation from mountain streams

Evaporation can be an important control on stream temperature, particularly in summer when it acts to limit daily maximum stream temperature. Evaporation from streams is usually modelled with the use of a wind function that includes empirically derived coefficients. A small number of studies derived wind functions for individual streams; the fitted parameters varied substantially among sites. In this study, stream evaporation and above-stream meteorological conditions (at 0.5 and 1.5 m above the water surface) were measured at nine mountain streams in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, covering a range of stream widths, temperatures, and riparian vegetation. Evaporation was measured on 20 site-days in total, at approximately hourly intervals, using nine floating evaporation pans distributed across the channels. The wind function was fit using mixed-effects models to account for among-stream variability in the parameters. The fixed-effects parameters were tested using leave-one-site-out cross-validation. The model based on 0.5 m measurements provided improved model performance compared to that based on 1.5 m values, with RMSE of 0.0162 and 0.0187 mm h⁻¹, respectively, relative to a mean evaporation rate of 0.06 mm h⁻¹. Inclusion of atmospheric stability and canopy openness as predictors improved model performance when using the 1.5 m meteorological measurements, with minimal improvement when based on 0.5 m measurements. Of the wind functions reported in the literature, two performed reasonably while five others exhibited substantial bias.     

Cosmogenic nuclide chronology of pre-last glacial maximum moraines at Lago Buenos Aires, 46°S, Argentina

At Lago Buenos Aires, Argentina, ¹⁰Be, ²⁶Al, and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages range from 190,000 to 109,000 yr for two moraines deposited prior to the last glaciation, 23,000–16,000 yr ago. Two approaches, maximum boulder ages assuming no erosion, and the average age of all boulders and an erosion rate of 1.4 mm/10³ yr, both yield a common estimate age of 150,000–140,000 yr for the two moraines. The erosion rate estimate derives from ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al concentrations in old erratics, deposited on moraines that are >760,000 yr old on the basis of interbedded ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dated lavas. The new cosmogenic ages indicate that a major glaciation during marine oxygen isotope stage 6 occurred in the mid-latitude Andes. The next five youngest moraines correspond to stage 2. There is no preserved record of a glacial advance during stage 4. The distribution of dated boulders and their ages suggest that at least one major glaciation occurred between 760,000 and >200,000 yr ago. The mid-latitude Patagonian glacial record, which is well preserved because of low erosion rates, indicates that during the last two glacial cycles major glaciations in the southern Andes have been in phase with growth and decay of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets, especially at the 100,000 yr periodicity. Thus, glacial maxima are global in nature and are ultimately paced by small changes in Northern Hemisphere insolation.     

Analyses of the chondritic meteorite Orvinio (H6): Insight into the origins and evolution of shocked H chondrite material

Abstract— We have studied the petrography, reflectance spectra, and Ar‐Ar systematics of the Orivinio meteorite. Orvinio is an H chondrite not an L chondrite as sometimes reported. The material in the meteorite was involved in several impact events. One impact event produced large swaths of impact melt from H chondrite material surrounding relict clasts of chondrule‐bearing material. Not only were portions of a bulk H chondrite planestesimal melted during the impact event, but shock redistribution of metal and sulfide phases in the meteorite dramatically altered its reflectance spectra. Both the melt and relict clasts are darker than unshocked H chondrite material, bearing spectral similarities to some C‐class asteroids. Such shock metamorphism, which lowers the albedo of an object without increasing its spectral slope, may partially explain some of the variation among S‐class asteroids and some of the trends seen on asteroid 433 Eros. Noble gases record the evidence of at least two, and perhaps three, impact events in the meteorite and its predecessor rocks. The most significant evidence is for an event that occurred 600 Ma ago or less, perhaps ?325 Ma ago or less. There is also a signature of 4.2 Ga in the Ar‐Ar systematics, which could either reflect complete degassing of the rock at that time or partial degassing of even the most retentive sites in the more recent event.     

The glaciotectonic deformation of Quaternary sediments by fault-propagation folding

Fault-propagation folding is an important yet seldom recognised structural style within sediments affected by glacier-induced deformation. Fault-propagation folds develop in the hanging wall of low angle thrust faults and compensate part of the slip along the fault. Field examples are recognised across northern Europe, in glaciotectonic complexes of north Germany, Wales and the Isle of Man. The recognition of the fault-propagation fold mechanism in glaciotectonic deformation is important because resultant structures are related to exactly the same phase of deformation (i.e. the same phase of ice advance), and thus play a critical role in analyses of the temporal and spatial evolution of glacier-induced deformation. Some field examples show monoclinal geometries that are in good agreement with predictions of trishear kinematic theory. The trishear approach is appropriate to model these structures because the structures analysed in the field and simulated below show characteristics that are compatible with fault-propagation folds that were produced by trishear kinematics. The curved forelimb and the monocline geometry of the fault-propagation folds fit to the trishear model. The occurrence of footwall synclines is also in good agreement with trishear kinematics. These synclines show the typical thickening of the strata in the hinge. With respect to the modelling output, most important factors for the structural evolution of the fault-propagation folds is the ramp angle of the thrust, the position of the tip line and the propagation-to-slip ratio along the fault. This fits to observations made by previous studies at large scale fault-propagation folds in fold-and-thrust belts.     

Close interval sampling of interstitial silicate and porosity in marine sediments

A method was developed to measure porosity and dissolved interstitial silicate at millimeter intervals or less in a sediment core. In cores from Emerald Basin (Scotian Shelf), interstitial concentrations near the sediment surface did not drop rapidly to bottom-water concentrations as measured in bottle casts (28 μM) but remained as high as 166 μM in the upper 0.5 mm of sediment High rates of benthic silicate release were measured which could not be accounted for by interstitial concentration gradients or by ventilation of macro-invertebrate burrows. The silicate discontinuity observed between the sediments and water column suggests that a diffusive sublayer exists in a zone of viscous flow above the sediment surface. This is possible only if a surface reaction is primarily responsible for silicate release. By assuming a linear concentration gradient across this diffusive sublayer, the silicate release rates were used to estimate the thickness of the sublayer to be about 2 mm.     

Measurement of Mass-Independent Perturbations of Cadmium in Nuclear Debris Samples

The isotopic composition of cadmium in nuclear debris was measured by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). Mass-independent perturbations due to fission product decay on the isotopes of Cd were observed. Relative fission yields for masses 111, 112, 114 and 116 were determined in each sample of nuclear debris and compared with reported values found in irradiated plutonium and uranium fuels. Mass spectrometry measurements of the valley fission product endpoints are extremely challenging due to the low cumulative fission yields and small amounts of each isotope that are produced. To overcome these challenges, a new purification method for Cd was developed and validated by examination of a number of geological reference materials.