Composite detrital and thermal remanent magnetization in tuffs from Aeolian Islands (southern Tyrrhenian Sea) revealed by magnetic anisotropy

This paper reports on the complex relation between rock emplacement and remanence acquisition in tuffs deposited by pyroclastic density currents, disclosed by systematic measurements of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and natural remanent magnetization (NRM). Thermal demagnetization shows that the NRM consists of two components with different blocking-temperature spectra. The direction of the low-temperature component is consistent with the geocentric axial dipole value, whereas the high-temperature component has dispersed directions. The magnetic fabric is oblate, the magnetic foliation is close to the bedding and the lineations are generally dispersed along a girdle within the foliation plane. The directions of the magnetic lineation and the high-temperature remanence component of individual specimens are close to each other. This correspondence suggests that the high blocking-temperature grains acquired a remanence aligned to their long dimension before deposition, while cooling within the explosive cloud and the moving pyroclastic current. Thereafter, during deposition, the traction processes at the base of the current oriented the grains along the flow direction and affected both fabric and high-temperature remanence. This NRM component results from mechanical orientation of previously magnetized grains and is thus detrital in origin. A second, thermal component was then acquired during the cooling of the low blocking-temperature grains after deposition. These results show that NRM in fine-grained pyroclastic rocks is affected by the Earth’s magnetic field as well as the emplacement processes and that magnetic fabric data are essential to unravel its complex nature.     

Land use change effects on catchment streamflow response in a humid tropical montane cloud forest region,central Veracruz,Mexico

Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) are recognized for their capacity to maintain high dry-season baseflow and a host of other ecosystem services. Substantial areas of TMCF have been converted to pasture and crops such as coffee, while in other areas TCMF are recovering. However, little is known about the effects of this complex dynamic on catchment hydrology. We investigated the effect of land use on rainfall-runoff response in five neighbouring headwater micro-catchments in central Veracruz, Mexico, dominated by either mature TMCF (MF), young (20 year-old) and intermediate (40 year-old) naturally regenerating TMCF (YF and IF, respectively), shaded coffee (SC), and an intensively grazed pasture (IP). We used a 4-year record of high-resolution rainfall and streamflow (10 min) data collected from 2015 to 2019. These data were analysed via comparison of hydrologic metrics that summarize streamflow responses at various time scales and magnitudes. Results showed no statistical difference in the regulation capacity of high flows in the micro-catchment with 20 years of natural regeneration, compared to the MF. In terms of baseflow sustenance, our results support the hypothesis that MF and IF better promote this hydrologic service than the other land uses. SC exhibited a high capacity to modulate peak flows comparable to that of MF, and an intermediate capacity to sustain baseflow, suggesting that the integrated functioning of this micro-catchment was largely preserved. Finally, 40 years of intense pasture management was found to have degraded the soil hydraulic properties of IP; mainly, reducing its infiltration capacity, causing a fivefold greater peak flow response and a lower baseflow compared to MF.     

Multi-site bias correction of climate model outputs for hydro-meteorological impact studies: An application over a watershed in China

Bias correction methods remove systematic differences in the distributional properties of climate model outputs with respect to observations, often as a means of pre-processing model outputs for use in hydrological impact studies. Traditionally, bias correction is applied at each weather station individually, neglecting the dependence that exists between different sites, which could negatively affect simulations from a distributed hydrological model. In this study, three multi-variate bias correction (MBC) methods—initially proposed to correct the inter-variable correlation or multi-variate dependence of climate model outputs—are used to correct biases in distributional properties and spatial dependence at multiple weather stations. To reveal the benefits of correcting spatial dependence, two distribution-based single-site bias correction methods are used for comparison. The effects of multi-site correction on hydro-meteorological extremes are assessed by driving a distributed hydrological model and then evaluating the model performance in terms of several meteorological and hydrological extreme indices. The results show that the multi-site bias correction methods perform well in reducing biases in spatial correlation measures of raw global climate model outputs. In addition, the multi-site methods consistently reproduce watershed-averaged meteorological variables better than single-site methods, especially for extreme values. In terms of representing hydrological extremes, the multi-site methods generally perform better than the single-site methods, although the benefits vary according to the hydrological index. However, when applying the multi-site methods, the original temporal sequence of precipitation occurrence may be altered to some extent. Overall, all multi-site bias correction methods are able to reproduce the spatial correlation of observed meteorological variables over multiple stations, which leads to better hydrological simulations, especially for extremes. This study emphasizes the necessity of considering spatial dependence when applying bias correction to ccc outputs and hydrological impact studies.     

Equilibrium H/H fractionations in organic molecules. II: Linear alkanes, alkenes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, alcohols and ethers

Equilibrium ²H/¹H fractionation factors (α_eq) for various H positions in alkanes, alkenes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, alcohols, and ethers were calculated between 0 and 100 °C using vibrational frequencies from ab initio QM calculations (B3LYP/6-311G**). Results were then corrected using a temperature-dependent linear calibration curve based on experimental data for H_α in ketones (Wang et al., 2009). The total uncertainty in reported α_eq values is estimated at 10–20‰. The effects of functional groups were found to increase the value of α_eq for H next to electron-donating groups, e.g. OR, OH or O(CO)R, and to decrease the value of α_eq for H next to electron-withdrawing groups, e.g. (CO)R or (CO)OR. Smaller but significant functional group effects are also observed for H_β and sometimes H_γ. By summing over individual H positions, we estimate the equilibrium fractionation relative to water to be −90‰ to −70‰ for n-alkanes and around −100‰ for pristane and phytane. The temperature dependence of these fractionations is very weak between 0 and 100 °C. Our estimates of α_eq agree well with field data for thermally mature hydrocarbons (δ²H values between −80‰ and −110‰ relative to water). Therefore the observed δ²H increase of individual hydrocarbons and the disappearance of the biosynthetic δ²H offset between n-alkyl and linear isoprenoid lipids during maturation of organic matter can be confidently attributed to H exchange towards an equilibrium state. Our results also indicate that many n-alkyl lipids are biosynthesized with δ²H values that are close to equilibrium with water. In these cases, constant down-core δ²H values for n-alkyl lipids cannot be reliably used to infer a lack of isotopic exchange.     

Whole Ecosystem Evidence of Eutrophication Enhancement by Wetland Dredging in a Shallow Tropical Lake

The purpose of this research was to assess the effects of dredging performed in a marginal wetland colonized by aquatic macrophytes on eutrophication of the adjacent shallow tropical lake (Imboassica Lake, Brazil). The river mouth of the Imboassica River that drains into Imboassica Lake had been densely colonized by aquatic vegetation dominated by Typha domingensis (Pers.) when it was dredged. Total and dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were measured monthly over 13 years at four stations in the Imboassica river-lake system. Dredging activities reduced phosphorus and nitrogen retention at the river mouth and subsequently increased these nutrient stocks in the lake waters. Nutrient retention by non-dredged wetland was estimated to be ca. 1,200 kg year⁻¹ (87.3 g m⁻² year⁻¹) for nitrogen and 60 kg year⁻¹ (4.5 g m⁻² year⁻¹) for phosphorus. Our whole-lake approach suggested that dredging might intensify rather than mitigate eutrophication in shallow tropical lakes when the removal of aquatic macrophytes is coupled to the persistence of anthropogenic nutrient inputs from the watershed.     

利用雷达差分干涉测量技术获取汶川MS 8.0地震形变场

利用ENVISAT/ASAR和ALOS/PALSAR数据,结合两路差分干涉测量技术获得了汶川地震的同震形变信息和震前、震后地面在卫星视线(light of sight,简称LOS)方向上的形变特征。结果表明,汶川地震引起的地面形变范围广,程度大,地震形变沿断层向北北东向扩展,所形成的差分干涉条纹明显。地面的形变特征对于推断断层的性质,研究地震形变和地震发育特征具有重要的参考价值。另外,将同震雷达差分干涉测量的结果与利用USGS发布的汶川地震有限元断层模型(finite fault model)反演的LOS方向的形变进行了对比验证,发现二者在断裂带的上盘具有较好的一致性,但在下盘却有较大的误差。通过不同传感器干涉结果的对比发现,L波段的雷达干涉结果更能够反映汶川大地震在龙门山断裂带附近的地面形变信息。     

A global solution for the Mars static and seasonal gravity, Mars orientation, Phobos and Deimos masses, and Mars ephemeris

With the collection of six years of MGS tracking data and three years of Mars Odyssey tracking data, there has been a continual improvement in the JPL Mars gravity field determination. This includes the measurement of the seasonal changes in the gravity coefficients (e.g., , , , , , ) caused by the mass exchange between the polar ice caps and atmosphere. This paper describes the latest gravity field MGS95J to degree and order 95. The improvement comes from additional tracking data and the adoption of a more complete Mars orientation model with nutation, instead of the IAU 2000 model. Free wobble of the Mars' spin axis, i.e. polar motion, has been constrained to be less than 10 mas by looking at the temporal history of and . A strong annual signature is observed in , and this is a mixture of polar motion and ice mass redistribution. The Love number solution with a subset of Odyssey tracking data is consistent with the previous liquid outer core determination from MGS tracking data [Yoder et al., 2003. Science 300, 299-303], giving a combined solution of k₂=0.152±0.009 using MGS and Odyssey tracking data. The solutions for the masses of the Mars' moons show consistency between MGS, Odyssey, and Viking data sets; Phobos GM=(7.16±0.005)×¹⁰⁻⁴ km³/s² and Deimos GM=(0.98±0.07)×¹⁰⁻⁴ km³/s². Average MGS orbit errors, determined from differences in the overlaps of orbit solutions, have been reduced to 10-cm in the radial direction and 1.5 m along the spacecraft velocity and normal to the orbit plane. Hence, the ranging to the MGS and Odyssey spacecraft has resulted in position measurements of the Mars system center-of-mass relative to the Earth to an accuracy of one meter, greatly reducing the Mars ephemeris errors by several orders of magnitude, and providing mass estimates for Asteroids 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas, 3 Juno, 4 Vesta, and 324 Bamberga.     

Can industrial pollution cause intersexuality in the amphipod, Echinogammarus marinus?

Following recent studies, in which intersex and/or reproductive abnormalities have been observed in a number of crustaceans in association with pollution, the prevalence of intersexuality in the amphipod, Echinogammarus marinus was monitored at sites receiving industrial discharges for one year in 2002/2003. Based upon reports of intersexuality occurring in amphipods due to feminising microsporidian parasites, the occurrence, and role of microsporidian parasites in causing intersex was investigated through histological examination. Results demonstrate a significantly higher prevalence of intersex organisms was found at sites receiving industrial discharges throughout the year when compared to a reference site, with the phenotype of intersex (intersex male and intersex female) varying in its dominance between impacted sites. Intersex specimens were significantly more likely to be infected with microsporidian parasites at sites receiving discharges than reference sites, however relatively few specimens (normal or intersex) were infected at reference sites suggesting parasitism is not the only cause of intersex. The direct/indirect role of pollution in the observed intersexuality is discussed.