Sm−Nd dating of multiple garnet growth events in an arc-continent collision zone,northwestern U.S. Cordillera

Integrated petrologic and Sm–Nd isotopic studies in garnet amphibolites along the Salmon River suture zone, western Idaho, delineate two periods of amphibolite grade metamorphism separated by at least 16 million years. In one amphibolite,P–T studies indicate a single stage of metamorphism with final equilibration at 600°C and 8–9 kbar. The Sm–Nd isotopic compositions of plagioclase, apatite, hornblende, and garnet define a precise, 8-point isochron of 128±3 Ma (MSWD=1.2) interpreted as mineral growth at the metamorphic peak. A⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age for this hornblende indicates cooling through 525°C at 119±2 Ma. In a nearby amphibolite, garnets with a two-stage growth history consist of inclusion-rich cores surrounded by discontinuous, inclusion-free overgrowths. Temporal constraints for core and overgrowth development were derived from Sm–Nd garnet — whole rock pairs in which the garnet fractions consist of varying proportions of inclusion-free to inclusion-bearing fragments. Three garnet fractions with apparent ages of 144, 141, and 136 Ma are thought to represent mixtures between late Jurassic (pre-144 Ma) inherited radiogenic components preserved within garnet cores and early Cretaceous (128 Ma) garnet overgrowths. These observations confirm the resilience of garnet to diffusive exchange of trace elements during polymetamorphism at amphibolite facies conditions. Our geochronologic results show that metamorphism of arc-derived rocks in western Idaho was episodic and significantly older than in arc rocks along the eastern margin of the Wrangellian Superterrane in British Columbia and Alaska. The pre-144 Ma event may be an expression of the late Jurassic amalgamation of marginal oceanic arc-related terranes (e.g., Olds Ferry, Baker, Wallowa) during the initial phases of their collision with North American rocks. Peak metamorphism at 128 Ma reflects tectonic burial along the leading edge of the Wallowa arc terrane during its final penetration and suturing to cratonic North America.     

A GIS-Based Tool for Spatial and Distributed Hydrological Modelling: CLASS Spatial Analyst

CLASS Spatial Analyst is a GIS tool which can be used to support spatially distributed hydrological modelling. The tool generates a number of spatial layers that can be used for many practical applications. These include climate zoning, multi‐resolution DEMs, Compound Topographic Index (CTI) (also referred to as Topographic Wetness Index, TWI), lateral multiple flow paths, accumulation and dispersion of water and solutes from hazard areas, estimation of soil depth, soil material/horizon distribution and soil moisture storage capacity in different parts of the landscape. Although each of these tasks can be undertaken separately using spatial software packages such as ArcGIS, GRASS, TIME, and MapInfo, this tool puts together all these tasks into a single application which provides the user with an option of undertaking some or all of them within this application. The technology used in this tool is supported by various peer‐reviewed publications (e.g. Tarboton 1997 , Gallant and Dowling 2003 ).     

A GIS‐based variable source area hydrology model

Effective control of nonpoint source pollution from contaminants transported by runoff requires information about the source areas of surface runoff. Variable source hydrology is widely recognized by hydrologists, yet few methods exist for identifying the saturated areas that generate most runoff in humid regions. The Soil Moisture Routing model is a daily water balance model that simulates the hydrology for watersheds with shallow sloping soils. The model combines elevation, soil, and land use data within the geographic information system GRASS, and predicts the spatial distribution of soil moisture, evapotranspiration, saturation‐excess overland flow (i.e., surface runoff), and interflow throughout a watershed. The model was applied to a 170 hectare watershed in the Catskills region of New York State and observed stream flow hydrographs and soil moisture measurements were compared to model predictions. Stream flow prediction during non‐winter periods generally agreed with measured flow resulting in an average r² of 0·73, a standard error of 0·01 m³/s, and an average Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency R² of 0·62. Soil moisture predictions showed trends similar to observations with errors on the order of the standard error of measurements. The model results were most accurate for non‐winter conditions. The model is currently used for making management decisions for reducing non‐point source pollution from manure spread fields in the Catskill watersheds which supply New York City's drinking water. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Strategic priorities for assessing ecological impacts of marine renewable energy devices in the Pentland Firth (Scotland,UK)

The Pentland Firth, located between the north coast of mainland Scotland (UK) and the Orkney Islands, is recognised as an excellent location for the utilisation of tidal stream technology. Potential ecological impacts associated with tidal stream technology may ultimately depend on device design, array size and deployment location. Available ecological data for the Pentland Firth is summarised and strategic priorities for assessing ecological impacts are provided. Baseline data on marine species and habitats in the Pentland Firth is severely lacking and consequently the integrity of any environmental impact assessment could be compromised by this lack of data.     

Using an inverse modelling approach with equifinality control to investigate the dominant controls on snowmelt nutrient export

There is great interest in modelling the export of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from agricultural fields because of ongoing challenges of eutrophication. However, the use of existing hydrochemistry models can be problematic in cold regions because models frequently employ incomplete or conceptually incorrect representations of the dominant cold regions hydrological processes and are overparameterized, often with insufficient data for validation. Here, a process‐based N model, WINTRA, which is coupled to a physically based cold regions hydrological model, was expanded to simulate P and account for overwinter soil nutrient biochemical cycling. An inverse modelling approach, using this model with consideration of parameter equifinality, was applied to an intensively monitored agricultural basin in Manitoba, Canada, to help identify the main climate, soil, and anthropogenic controls on nutrient export. Consistent with observations, the model results suggest that snow water equivalent, melt rate, snow cover depletion rate, and contributing area for run‐off generation determine the opportunity time and surface area for run‐off–soil interaction. These physical controls have not been addressed in existing models. Results also show that the time lag between the start of snowmelt and the arrival of peak nutrient concentration in run‐off increased with decreasing antecedent soil moisture content, highlighting potential implications of frozen soils on run‐off processes and hydrochemistry. The simulations showed TDP concentration peaks generally arriving earlier than NO₃ but also decreasing faster afterwards, which suggests a significant contribution of plant residue Total dissolved Phosphorus (TDP) to early snowmelt run‐off. Antecedent fall tillage and fertilizer application increased TDP concentrations in spring snowmelt run‐off but did not consistently affect NO₃ run‐off. In this case, the antecedent soil moisture content seemed to have had a dominant effect on overwinter soil N biogeochemical processes such as mineralization, which are often ignored in models. This work demonstrates both the need for better representation of cold regions processes in hydrochemical models and the model improvements that are possible if these are included.     

A new project to monitor land subsidence in the northern Venice coastland (Italy)

The paper deals with the implementation of a levelling and Global Positioning System (GPS) network to control land subsidence in the coastal area north of the Venice Lagoon. About 480 km of levelling lines with 527 benchmarks, 45 of which suited for Differential GPS measurements, were established in 2004. A complete survey of the net was carried out in 2004 soon after its establishment. The 2004 records have been compared with previous scattered data obtained by the use of levelling surveys, DGPS and SAR interferometry. The results show a trend in land settlement that increases from the lagoon margin to the north and jeopardize the Venice coastland. Groundwater withdrawals for domestic, agricultural, and health spas uses, peat oxidation of reclaimed marshlands for farming, natural consolidation of the Holocene deposits, and tectonics of the pre-Quaternary basement are the causes of land subsidence in the study area. Since most of the area lies below the mean sea level and on account of the expected sea level rise due to global change, a detailed monitoring of land displacements in the near future will be of paramount importance to plan necessary works for coastland protection.