Middle pleistocene variations in palaeoclimate,palaeoenvironment and vegetation of the las tablas de daimiel national park (Spain)

The Middle Pleistocene palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment evolution of the Las Tablas de Daimiel wetlands is described using a combination of sedimentology, pollen and δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O isotopic records of Unit B of core LT‐199906. This unit mostly contains fluvial and palustrine sediments. U/Th and amino acid racemization (AAR) dating and a comparison of the δ¹⁸O curve of Unit B with oceanic records suggests that Unit B spans the period from the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 10 (340 ka) to the first stages of MIS 7 (ca. 210 ka). MIS 9 was characterised by a regional vegetation dominated by Cupressaceae, with Pinus as a tree element. The water level was high and temperatures were very probably higher than during the Holocene. MIS 8 and the first substages of MIS 7 (7e, 7d and 7c) were dominated by xerophilous steppe vegetation in lowlands (elevations around 610 m above sea level) near to the wetland. At higher altitudes, far away from the wetland, there were fewer Pinus than in MIS 9, and a greater presence of warm, temperate and cool climate tree elements. The aquatic system in MIS 9 became shallower, with eutrophication and the accumulation of organic matter occurring; temperatures were similar to or lower than those of the Holocene. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stability of anchored sheet wall in cohesive‐frictional soils by FE limit analysis

This study extends the limit analysis techniques used for the computation of strict bounds of the load factors in solids to stability problems with interfaces, anchors and joints. The cases considered include the pull‐out capacity of multi‐belled anchors and the stability of retaining walls for multiple conditions at the anchor/soil and wall/soil interfaces. Three types of wall supports are examined: free standing wall, simply supported wall and anchored wall. The results obtained are compared against available experimental and numerical data. The conclusion drawn confirms the validity of numerical limit analysis for the computation of accurate bounds on limit loads and capturing failure modes of structures with multiple inclusions of complex interfaces and support conditions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sr and Nd isotope composition of the metamorphic,sedimentary and ultramafic xenoliths of Lanzarote (Canary Islands): Implications for magma sources

The lavas produced by the Timanfaya eruption of 1730–1736 (Lanzarote, Canary Islands) contain a great many sedimentary and metamorphic (metasedimentary), and mafic and ultramafic plutonic xenoliths. Among the metamorphosed carbonate rocks (calc-silicate rocks [CSRs]) are monomineral rocks with forsterite or wollastonite, as well as rocks containing olivine ± orthopyroxene ± clinopyroxene ± plagioclase; their mineralogical compositions are identical to those of the mafic (gabbros) and ultramafic (dunite, wherlite and lherzolite) xenoliths. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (around 0.703) and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (around 0.512) isotope ratios of the ultramafic and metasedimentary xenoliths are similar, while the ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios show crustal values (0.13–0.16) in the ultramafic xenoliths and mantle values (0.18–0.25) in some CSRs. The apparent isotopic anomaly of the metamorphic xenoliths can be explained in terms of the heat source (basaltic intrusion) inducing strong isotopic exchange (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd) between metasedimentary and basaltic rocks. Petrofabric analysis also showed a possible relationship between the ultramafic and metamorphic xenoliths.     

Numerical experiments on the long-term morphodynamics of the Colorado River Delta

The interaction among tidal currents, sediment transport, and long-term changes of the sea bottom in the Colorado River Delta have been investigated applying a two dimensional nonlinear hydrodynamic-numerical finite differences model. The system was forced by the dominant M ₂ tidal component at the open boundary. We carried out calculations to study the morphodynamics of the actual bathymetry caused by the bedload sediment transport. To investigate the origin of actual morphological features, we performed experiments using a smoothed bathymetry, in which the islands Montague, Gore, and Pelícano were eliminated. Under the imposed tidal hydrodynamics, the results indicate that the bedload transport contributes significantly in the genesis of sandbanks and in the formation and maintaining of the Montague and Gore Islands.     

Short-term effects of gamma ray bursts on oceanic photosynthesis

We continue our previous work on the potential short-term influence of a gamma ray bursts on Earth’s biosphere, focusing on the only important short-term effect on life: the ultraviolet flash which occurs as a result of the retransmission of the γ radiation through the atmosphere. Thus, in this work we calculate the ultraviolet irradiances penetrating the first hundred meters of the water column, for Jerlov’s ocean water types I, II and III. Then we estimate the UV flash potential for photosynthesis inhibition in the whole photic zone, showing that it can be important in the first tens of meters of the water column.     

Vapour source and spatiotemporal variation of precipitation isotopes in Southwest Spain

The δ²H and δ¹⁸O composition of 77 precipitation samples collected between January 2014 and April 2019 from two sites across the Guadalquivir Basin, SW Spain, were analysed. The first site is located in an urban area of Seville at 100 km distance to the Atlantic coast and the second site is located in a dune area of the Doñana National Park a few kilometres from the coast. Sampling was performed within intervals of at least 14 days if rain occurred but frequently intervals were longer according to the rainfall incidence. Samples from both sites are available for the period February 2016 to June 2018 with six samples containing identical rain events at both locations. Precipitation weighted averages and local meteoric water lines produced by weighting and non-weighting regression methods are presented for its use in hydrological applications. Results show a remarkably high variability in δ²H and δ¹⁸O values and precipitation weighted average d-excess values of 11.8‰ and 13‰ at the sites Plaza de España and Doñana, respectively. Temperature and amount effects were found to be weak. A significant influence of secondary evaporation for single rainfall events during summer was identified by enriched isotopic signatures with reduced d-excess values plotting close or below the global meteoric water line. Backward trajectory analysis of 115 days with daily rainfall above 3 mm yield a predominant Atlantic Ocean vapour source with negligible Mediterranean influence and therefore, d-excess variability is attributed to the different ocean surface conditions of relative humidity and sea surface temperature. Parallel sampling indicate very similar isotopic signatures at both sites and point to the existence of thermal effects of the Plaza de España site in Seville city during the summer season.     

Exploring possible connections between hydrological extreme events and climate change in central south Chile

Abstract

Motivated by recent extreme flow events in the Mataquito River located in the Mediterranean region of Chile, we performed a detailed trend analysis of critical hydroclimatic variables based on observed daily flow, precipitation and temperature within the basin. For the period 1976–2008, positive trends in temperature were observed, especially during spring and summer months. At the same time, we found negative trends in the frequency and intensity of precipitation, especially during spring months. We observed an increasing difference between average streamflow in the rainy season as compared to the snowmelt season. Part of this trend is caused by larger flows during autumn months, although no positive precipitation trends are observed for these months. Finally, significant reductions in minimum flow during spring/summer and a disproportionate concentration of high-flow events occurring in the last 10 years were also identified. These high-flow events tend to happen during autumn months, and are associated with high precipitation and high minimum temperatures. Based on a simple assessment of changes in irrigated agriculture and land use, we concluded that other non-climatic factors seem not to be as relevant to the detected flow trends. All these results are in accord with future climate change scenarios that show an increase in temperature, a reduction in average precipitation and a reduction in snow accumulation. Such future scenarios could seriously hamper the development of economic activities in this basin, exemplifying also a fate that may be shared by other similar basins in Chile and in other regions of the world.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz

Citation Vicuña, S., Gironás, J., Meza, F.J., Cruzat, M.L., Jelinek, M., Bustos, E., Poblete, D., and Bambach, N., 2013. Exploring possible connections between hydrological extreme events and climate change in central south Chile. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (8), 1598–1619.     

Grenvillian remnants in the Northern Andes: Rodinian and Phanerozoic paleogeographic perspectives

Grenvillian crust is encountered in several basement inliers in the northern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and is also represented as a major detrital or inherited component within Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic sedimentary and magmatic rocks. This review of the tectonic and geochronological record of the Grenvillian belt in the northern Andes suggests that these crustal segments probably formed on an active continental margin in which associated arc and back-arc magmatism evolved from ca. 1.25 to 1.16 Ga, possibly extending to as young as 1.08 Ga.The lithostratigraphic and tectonic history of the Grenvillian belt in the northern Andes differs from that of the Sunsas belt on the southwest Amazonian Craton and from the Grenvillian belt of Eastern Laurentia. It is considered that this belt, along with similar terranes of Grenvillian age in Middle America and Mexico define a separate composite orogen which formed on the northwestern margin of the Amazonian Craton. Microcontinent accretion and interaction with the Sveconorwegian province on Baltica is a feasible tectonic scenario, in line with recent paleogeographic reconstructions of the Rodinian supercontinent. Although Phanerozoic tectonics may have redistributed some of these terranes, they are still viewed as para-autocthonous domains that remained in proximity to the margin of Amazonia. Paleogeographic data derived from Phanerozoic rocks suggest that some of the Colombian Grenvillian fragments were connected to northernmost Peru and Ecuador until the Mesozoic, whereas the Mexican terranes where attached to the Colombian margin until Pangea fragmentation in Late Triassic times.