A Methodology for Monitoring Vertical Dynamic Sub-Centimeter Displacments with GPS

This article describes a methodology to monitor dynamic vertical sub-centimeter displacement, of a GPS antenna. The dynamic movement of an antenna is determined by choosing the appropriate reference satellite for measurement differencing and by applying a FFT filter on the double-difference phase residuals. The validity of the method depends on the time variations of the GPS residuals and errors, such as, receiver noise, atmospheric contribution, multipath effects, and the antenna movement. This research is under development and results for simulated motion are presented here. ? 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Changing fire regimes in the temperate rainforest region of southern Chile over the last 16,000 yr

A high-resolution macroscopic charcoal record from Lago Melli (42°46′S, 73°33′W) documents the occurrence of forest fires in the lowlands of Isla Grande de Chiloé, southern Chile, over the last 16,000 yr. Our data suggest that fire activity in this region was largely modulated by the position/intensity of the southern westerlies at multi-millennial time scales. Fire activity was infrequent or absent between 16,000-11,000 and 8500-7000 cal yr BP and was maximal between ∼ 11,000-8500 and 3000-0 cal yr BP. A mosaic of Valdivian/North Patagonian rainforest species started at ∼ 6000 cal yr BP, along with a moderate increase in fire activity which intensified subsequently at 3000 cal yr BP. The modern transition between these forest communities and the occurrence of fires are largely controlled by summer moisture stress and variability, suggesting the onset of high-frequency variability in summer precipitation regimes starting at ∼ 5500 cal yr BP. Because negative anomalies in summer precipitation in this region are teleconnected with modern El Niño events, we propose that the onset of El Niño-like variability at ∼ 5700-6200 cal yr BP led to a reshuffling of rainforest communities in the lowlands of Isla Grande de Chiloé and an increase in fire activity.     

Multivariate techniques as alternative statistical tools applied to magnetic proxies for pollution: a case study from Argentina and Antarctica

Several statistical analyses—as alternative tools—were applied to magnetic monitoring studies. Magnetic and chemical data from two environments have been gathered from previous papers and studied separately. Univariate and multivariate analyses were first examined, revealing a link between magnetic and chemical variables. The latter analyses, in particular, canonical correlation analysis, showed very good canonical correlations: R = 0.950 (Antarctica) and R = 0.891 (Argentina). On the other hand, in order to classify the data according to the degree of contamination, principal coordinates and discriminant analyses, as well as the comparison of several multivariate means were performed. Three groups were distinguished in both case studies, which were well classified at a low margin of error and quite different from each other at a significant level: 0.01 (Antarctica) and 0.05 (Argentina). The joint use of these statistical analyses also showed, in agreement with previous studies, that the relevant variables in order to identify atmospheric pollution are: magnetic susceptibility, saturation of isothermal remanent magnetisation, anhysteric susceptibility/magnetic susceptibility, remanent coercivity, and copper, lead, zinc and chromium contents.     

Unravelling the widening of the earliest Andean northern orogen: Maastrichtian to early Eocene intra‐basinal deformation in the northern Eastern Cordillera of Colombia

The onset of deformation in the northern Andes is overprinted by subsequent stages of basin deformation, complicating the examination of competing models illustrating potential location of earliest synorogenic basins and uplifts. To establish the width of the earliest northern Andean orogen, we carried out field mapping, palynological dating, sedimentary, stratigraphic and provenance analyses in Campanian to lower Eocene units exposed in the northern Eastern Cordillera of Colombia (Cocuy region) and compare the results with coeval succession in adjacent basins. The onset of deformation is recorded in earliest Maastrichtian time, as terrigenous detritus arrived into the basin marking the end of chemical precipitation and the onset of clastic deposition produced by the uplift of a western source area dominated by shaly Cretaceous rocks. Disconformable contacts within the upper Maastrichtian to middle Palaeocene succession document increasing supply of quartzose sandy detritus from Cretaceous quartzose rocks exposed in eastern source areas. The continued unroofing of both source areas produced a rapid shift in depositional environments from shallow marine in Maastrichtian to fluvial‐lacustrine systems during the Palaeocene‐early Eocene. Supply of immature Jurassic sandstones from nearby western uplifts, together with localized plutonic and volcanic Cretaceous rocks, caused a shift in Palaeocene sandstones composition from quartzarenites to litharenites. Supply of detrital sandy fragments, unstable heavy minerals and Cretaceous to Ordovician detrital zircons, were derived from nearby uplifted blocks and from SW fluvial systems within the synorogenic basin, instead of distal basement rocks. The presence of volcanic rock fragments and 51–59 Ma volcanic zircons constrain magmatism within the basin. The Maastrichtian–Palaeocene sequence studied here documents crustal deformation that correlates with coeval deformation farther south in Ecuador and Peru. Slab flattening of the subducting Caribbean plate produced a wider orogen (>400 km) with a continental magmatic arc and intra‐basinal deformation and magmatism.     

Quaternary tectonics in a passive margin: Marajó Island,northern Brazil

Marajó Island is located in a passive continental margin that evolved from rifting associated with the opening of the Equatorial South Atlantic Ocean in the Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous period. This study, based on remote sensing integrated with sedimentology, as well as subsurface and seismographic data available from the literature, allows discussion of the significance of tectonics during the Quaternary history of marginal basins. Results show that eastern Marajó Island contains channels with evidence of tectonic control. Mapping of straight channels defined four main groups of lineaments (i.e. NNE–SSW, NE–SW, NW–SE and E–W) that parallel main normal and strike‐slip fault zones recorded for the Amazon region. Additionally, sedimentological studies of late Quaternary and Holocene deposits indicate numerous ductile and brittle structures within stratigraphic horizons bounded by undeformed strata, related to seismogenic deformation during or shortly after sediment deposition. This conclusion is consistent with subsurface Bouguer mapping suggestive of eastern Marajó Island being still part of the Marajó graben system, where important fault reactivation is recorded up to the Quaternary. Together with the recognition of several phases of fault reactivation, these data suggest that faults developed in association with rift basins might remain active in passive margins, imposing important control on development of depositional systems. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A test for directional-linear independence,with applications to wildfire orientation and size

A nonparametric test for assessing the independence between a directional random variable (circular or spherical, as particular cases) and a linear one is proposed in this paper. The statistic is based on the squared distance between nonparametric kernel density estimates and its calibration is done by a permutation approach. The size and power characteristics of various variants of the test are investigated and compared with those for classical correlation-based tests of independence in an extensive simulation study. Finally, the best-performing variant of the new test is applied in the analysis of the relation between the orientation and size of Portuguese wildfires.     

A method for finding the optimal predictor indices for local wave climate conditions

In this study, a method to obtain local wave predictor indices that take into account the wave generation process is described and applied to several locations. The method is based on a statistical model that relates significant wave height with an atmospheric predictor, defined by sea level pressure fields. The predictor is composed of a local and a regional part, representing the sea and the swell wave components, respectively. The spatial domain of the predictor is determined using the Evaluation of Source and Travel-time of wave Energy reaching a Local Area (ESTELA) method. The regional component of the predictor includes the recent historical atmospheric conditions responsible for the swell wave component at the target point. The regional predictor component has a historical temporal coverage (n-days) different to the local predictor component (daily coverage). Principal component analysis is applied to the daily predictor in order to detect the dominant variability patterns and their temporal coefficients. Multivariate regression model, fitted at daily scale for different n-days of the regional predictor, determines the optimum historical coverage. The monthly wave predictor indices are selected applying a regression model using the monthly values of the principal components of the daily predictor, with the optimum temporal coverage for the regional predictor. The daily predictor can be used in wave climate projections, while the monthly predictor can help to understand wave climate variability or long-term coastal morphodynamic anomalies.