Responses of estuarine phytoplankton communities to nitrogen form and mixing using microcosm bioassays

We examined the effects of different forms of nitrogen and mixed versus static conditions on the structure and function of natural Neuse River estuary phytoplankton communities incubated in 66-liter microcosms in March, May, August, and November 1999. Significant differences were found between effects of mixed versus static treatments in three of four experiments, but no differences were observed between effects of different forms of nitrogen. Mixed incubations resulted in higher contributions of diatoms to total community biomass (measured as chlorophylla) than in static tanks in May. Significantly higher rates of carbon fixation were also observed, likely due to increased suspension of diatoms in surface (illuminated) layers of the tanks. In August, we found significantly higher abundances of cyanobacteria, total community biomass, and rates of carbon fixation in static tanks than in tanks that were mixed. In November, static incubations showed significantly higher abundances of cryptophytes resulting in higher total community biomass and rates of carbon fixation in static tanks than in mixed tanks. Nitrogen additions significantly increased total community biomass relative to controls in May and August, indicating that the communities were nitrogen-limited at these times. We conclude that while nitrogen additions may result in increases in phytoplankton biomass when nitrogen is limiting, phytoplankton community structure in the Neuse River Estuary may be determined more by the hydrodynamics of the system (mixing versus stratification) than by the form of nitrogen available for growth.     

Solución Numérica de la Ecuación del Efecto Regulador de un Lago

Resumen Presentamos un método numérico para la determinación del efecto regulador de un lago. Este método se basa en una transformación de la integral de la ecuación diferencial del efecto de embalse, utilizando una ley lineal del desagüe.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird ein numerisches Verfahren zur Berechnung der Seeretention dargelegt, das aus einer Umformung des Integrals der Retentionsgleichung mit linearem Abflußgesetz entwickelt wird.

     

Bemerkungen zu einer von Djounkovski und Bojitch angegebenen Beziehung zur Berechnung des Seegangs aus den Windverhältnissen

Zusammenfassung Es werden Vergleiche angestellt zwischen einer von N. N. Djounkovski und P. K. Bojitch [1959] wiedergegebenen Gleichung zur Berechnung der Wellenhöhe im See-ang und den entsprechenden Angaben bei hindcasting-Verfahren anderer Autoren.

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Notes on a relation discussed by N. N. Djounkovski and P. K. Bojitch [1959] for computing sea waves from wind conditions

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Notes sur une relation exposÉe par N. N. Djounkovski et P. K. Bojitch qui montrent que les agues dans la mer du vent se laissent dÉriver des conditions des vents

     

Glendonite — Indikatoren des polarmarinen Ablagerungsmilieus

Zusammenfassung Glendonite sind Pseudomorphosen von überwiegend Calcit (in mehreren Generationen) nach Thenardit (Na₂SO₄). Die meistens sternförmigen Kristallaggregate von Walnuß- bis Faustgröße bildeten sich im unterkühlten Meereswasser (cold salinity currents) in oder auf der oberen Lage des Meeresbodens. Sie sind an marine Tonsteine gebunden und kommen in ihrem Verbreitungsgebiet in großer Zahl vor. Rezente Glendonite treten nur im Arktischen Ozean und seinen Nebenmeeren (Weißes Meer) auf. Fossile gibt es in Perm und Kreide Australiens (permisches Vereisungsgebiet) und in den jeweils hohen Breiten der Nordhalbkugel im Domerium, mittleren Jura, Valangin, Ober-Apt/Unter-Alb, Oligozän/Miozän und Pleistozän/Holozän. Für diese Zeiten ist eine erhebliche Abkühlung zu postulieren.Beim Vergleich mit den entsprechenden Schichtenfolgen Mitteleuropas fällt auf, daß in den Zeiten der Glendonit-Vorkommen der arktischen Gebiete im borealen Europa dunkle Tonsteine abgelagert wurden. In Zeiten starker Kalksedimentation (Ober-Oxford, Kimmeridge, Ober-Kreide) und arider oder subtropischer Klimate in Mitteleuropa (Tithon: Münder Mergel-Fazies und Berrias: Wealden-Fazies) fehlen Glendonite auch im hohen Norden.Alle diese Befunde verweisen auf ausgeprägte, langfristige Klimaschwankungen vom Lias ab. Zur Zeit der kälteren Phasen müssen in den hohen Breiten mit den heutigen Verhältnissen vergleichbare polare Klimate geherrscht haben.

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Glendonites are pseudomorphs of mainly calcite (in several generations) after Thenardit (Na₂SO₄). The crystal aggregates are preponderantly star shaped and range in size between walnut and fist dimensions. They were formed by cold salinity currents in the uppermost layer of the ocean floor. They are restricted to marine shales and mudstones and occur in great quantities in their area of distribution. Recent glendonites are known only from the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas (e. g. the White Sea). Fossil glendonites occur in the Permian and Cretaceous of Australia (Permian area of glaciation) and in high latitudes of the Northern hemisphere in the Domerian, middle Jurassic, Valanginian, late Aptian — early Albian, Oligocene — Miocene, and Pleistocene — Holocene. For these periods a considerable cooling has to be postulated.If the sediments of these periods are compared with the corresponding ones of central Europe it is obvious that in those periods during which glendonites were formed in high latitudes dark shales were deposited in the boreal part of Europe. In periods of high lime accumulation (Upper Oxfordian, Kimmeridgian, Upper Cretaceous) and arid or subtropical climates in central Europe (e. g. the Münder Mergel facies of the Tithonian and the Purbeck and Wealden facies of the Berriasian) glendonites are absent from the high latitudes.All these observations point to intensive and long term variations of climate from the early Jurassic on. During the cold phases, comparable polar climates must have predominated in the high latitudes as exist today.

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Résumé Les glendonites sont des pseudomorphoses, principalement de calcite (en plusieurs générations), de thénardite (Na₂SO₄). Les agrégats, le plus souvent de forme radiée, de la taille d'une noix à celle du poing, se sont formés dans de l'eau marine surrefroidie (»courants de salinité froide«) dans la couches supérieure des fonds marins ou à sa surface. Ils sont liés à des argiles marines et se présentent en grande quantité dans leur aire d'extension. Les glendonites récentes se rencontrent seulement dans l'Océan arctique et dans les mers annexes (Mer blanche). Elles existent à l'état fossile dans le Permien et le Crétacique de l'Australie (région de la glaciation permienne) et dans les hautes latitudes de l'époque de l'hémisphère nord dans le Domérien, le Jurassique moyen, le Valanginien, l'Aptien supérieur/inférieur, l'Oligocène/Miocène, et le Pleistocène/Holocène. Pour ces périodes il y a lieu de postuler un net refroidissement.Par comparaison avec les séries correspondantes de l'Europe centrale, il apparaît que des argiles foncées ont été déposées, lors des occurrences de Glendonites des régions arctique, dans l'Europe boréale. Lors de sédimentations calcaires intenses (Oxfordien supérieur, Kimméridgien, Crétacique supérieur) et dans les climats arides ou subtropicaux dans l'Europe centrale (Tithonique: facies marneux de Münder, et Berriasien: facies wealdien) les glendonites sont absentes également dans les hautes latitudes septentrionales.Toutes ces occurrences indiquent des modifications climatiques bien marquées, de longue durée à partir du Lias. Au moment des phases plus froides, il a dû régner dans les hautes latitudes un climat polaire comparable à celui de nos jours.

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( ) . — cold salinity currents, . . — . — — , , , / , / / . . , . ( , , ) , (; : ) . . , .

     

Experiments with scale models of oil collectors for subsea well blowouts — Part II

A previous paper of the same title indicated the feasibility of the collection of oil by an open bottom collector above a blowout with a marine riser above the collector; the whole collection system being driven by gas lift from the blowout gas. That paper was based on small-scale laboratory experiments and it identified the salient dimensionless parameters governing those experiments. This paper describes laboratory experiments on a refinement of the collection system and also describes the results of intermediate scale experiments. The length scale of these experiments was about four times greater than laboratory scale and about one-fourth of full scale. Generally, the intermediate scale results are consistent with the laboratory predictions. Furthermore, two scale-dependent parameters have been identified. The effects of these have been included in an analysis of the results.     

Anthropogenic Climate Change: A Reason for Concern Since the 18th Century and Earlier

During the last 20 years the concept of anthropogenic climate change has left academic circles and become a major public concern. Some people consider ‘global warming’ as the major environmental threat to the planet. Even though mostly considered a novel threat, a look into history tells us that claims of humans deliberately or unintentionally changing climate is a frequent phenomenon in Western culture. Climate change, due to natural and anthropogenic causes, has often been discussed since classical times. Environmental change including climate change was seen by some as a biblical mandate, to ‘complete the Creation’. In line with this view, the prospect of climate change was considered as a promising challenge in more modern times. Only since the middle of the 20th century, has anthropogenic climate change become a menacing prospect. The concept of anthropogenic climate change seems to be deeply embedded in popular thinking, at least in Europe, which resurfaces every now and then after scientific discoveries. Also, extreme weather phenomena have in the past often been explained by adverse human interference. A list of claims of anthropogenic climate modifications is presented; the remarkable similarity of the anthropogenic climate change debate in the second half of the 19th century is compared to the present situation. Of course, the present threat seems much more real than any of the historical predecessors, which turned out to be overestimated.     

Ein Klein-Rammkolbenlot zur Gewinnung ungestörter Sedimentprofile

Zusammenfassung Es wird ein Rammkolbenlot beschrieben, welches die Entnahme ungest?rter und lückenloser Bohrkerne bis etwa 2 m L?nge aus Tiefen bis etwa 300 m erm?glicht. Das Ger?t ist besonders für die routinem?ssige Untersuchung von Ablagerungsfolgen neuerer und neuester Zeit gedacht und leicht bedienbar.

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Summary A drilling rig, constructed as a combination of ramimer and piston sampler, is being described. The device enables to secure undistorted, complete drilling cores, up to 6 feet in length, from as deep as 1000 feet below surface. Routine investigations on the effects of recent sediment deposits are easily practiced.

     

UBV photometry at geographic latitude 69°22′ North

UBV measurements of the light of the night sky in the auroral zone during three seasons are presented. The mean brightness of the night sky in theV band is found to be equal one 18^m1 star (arc sec)^–2, with considerable variations. The observed meanB-V andU-B indicies are +0 _. ^m 7 and –1 _. ^m 6, respectively.Light curves of variable stars during strong auroral activities are also shown. On the basis of measurements we briefly discuss the possibility of accurate stellar photometry in the auroral region.     

The collision singularity in a perturbedN-body problem

Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy - Consider the perturbedN-body problem $$Z_k = - \gamma \sum\limits_{\mathop {j \ne k}\limits^{j = 1} }^N {\frac{{Z_k - Zj}}{{|Z_k - Zj|^3 }}} + P_k...