Spread-F during the magnetic storm of 22 January 2004 at low latitudes: Effect of IMF-Bz in relation to local sunset time

The paper describes the results of spread-F at low latitude stations around the world during the magnetic storm starting at 0130 UT on 22 January 2004. The storm can be divided into two phases, first phase up to 1000 UT when interplanetary magnetic field IMF-Bz was highly fluctuating around a small positive value and the second phase after a sudden large southward turning of IMF-Bz at 1030 UT. The first phase produced strong spread-F at Jicamarca, Sao Luis, and Ascension Island and caused complete inhibition of spread-F at Thumba and Waltair in India. It generated weak spread-F at Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and strong spread-F at Hainan and Chung Li. The strong spread-F at Hainan and Chung Li were caused by the positive IMF-Bz during the first phase of the storm and not by the negative pulse of IMF-Bz at 1000 UT.     

Lees's topographic correction in heat flow and the geothermal flux in Tasmania

Summary Lees's topographic correction for a simple idealized hill is discussed and extended to a monoclinal structure. It is valuable as giving very simply the order of magnitude of the correction. A number of new measurements of temperature in Tasmanian boreholes has been made and the previous rather high value of over 2 cal/cm² sec for the heat flux has been confirmed. The variation of thermal conductivity through the thickness of a differentiated tholeiite sheet has been measured and found to be in reasonably good agreement with values calculated from chemical and modal analyses.     

Controls on Quaternary coastal evolution of the east-northeastern coast of Brazil: roles of sea-level history, trade winds and climate

East-northeastern Brazil has a wave-dominated, micro- to meso-tidal coast, lying entirely within the southern Atlantic trade wind belt. Integration of geologic mapping, radiocarbon dating and vibracoring data shows that the Quaternary coastal evolution of this area was controlled by three major factors: (1) sea-level history; (2) trade winds; and (3) climate change.

Sea-level history. Along the east-northeastern coast of Brazil, relative sea level has fallen approximately 5 m during the last 5000 y. Correlation of this sea-level history with the evolution of beach-ridge, lagoonal and coastal plain deposits shows that: (1) sea-level rise favours the formation of barrier island—lagoonal systems and the construction of intralagoonal deltas; (2) sea-level lowering is not conductive to barrier island formation. Rather, lagoons and bays become emergent and beach-ridge plains rapidly prograde.

Trade winds. Sediment dispersal systems along the coastal zone of east-northeastern Brazil have been highly persistent since Pleistocene time, as deduced from beach-ridge orientation. This persistence results from the fact that sediment dispersal in wave-dominated settings is ultimately controlled by atmospheric circulation which, for the east-northeastern coast of Brazil is associated with the South Atlantic high-pressure cell. The remarkable stability of this cell through time, has allowed the accumulation of extensive beach-ridge plains at the longshore drift sinks located along the coast.

Climate change. Effects of Quaternary climate changes on coastal sedimentation are twofold. Climate changes may affect rainfall patterns, thus exerting an important control on coastal dune development. Along the coast of northeastern Brazil, active coastal dunes are only present in those areas in which at least four consecutive dry months occur during the year. Mapping of these areas has shown that dune development during the Holocene has been episodic, these episodes being probably controlled by variations in rainfall patterns associated with climate changes. Secondly, despite its overall stability, the position of the high-pressure cell has experienced small shifts in position during the Holocene in response to climate changes. Changes in wind direction associated with these shifts have induced modifications in the coastal dispersion system, which are recorded in the strandplains as small truncations in the beach-ridge alignments.

These results have important implications in understanding accumulation of ancient sandstone shoreline sequences.     

Behaviour of strontium in subsurface calcium chloride brines: Southern Israel and Dead Sea rift valley

Calcium chloride brines are, as a rule, relatively rich in strontium, but the enrichment is usually limited and is found to be related to the concentration of calcium. The limiting mechanisms were evaluated as a model which comprises simple interactions between minerals and solutions. Based on the known ranges of strontium concentration in minerals, mineral solubilities and partition coefficients of strontium (both poorly known in certain cases), six fields of $\text{Sr}\text{Ca}$ molar ratios were defined in terms of participating minerals and processes: (a) 0.38?1.56 × 10^{? 3} by dolomitization of calcite; (b) 1.5?2.2 × 10^{? 2} due to dolomitization of aragonite; (c) 0.4?1.4 × 10^{? 2} as a result of solution-reprecipitation of calcite; (d)0.12?0.20 through transformation of aragonite to calcite; (e)0.10?0.60 through equilibrium of the pair calcite-strontianite; and (f)0.01?0.08 by equilibrium with gypsum and celestite.The model was applied to the analysis of two groups of brines from southern Israel which are originated in the coastal plain (group C) and in the rift valley (group R). The low $\text{Mg}\text{Ca}$ ratios of both water groups point to dolomitization as the main subsurface modifying process. $\text{Sr}\text{Ca}$ ratios of brines belonging to group C are consistent with dolomitization of aragonitic surface sediments at the beginning of their evolution. Brines of group R bear evidence to a similar pathway at the beginning of their evolution, but most of them were further affected by interaction with limestone.     

A Janus-faced biodiversity change and the partiality of ecological knowledge in a world biodiversity hotspot in Ghana: Implications for biodiversity rehabilitation

The Gyamfiase-Adenya-Obom cluster of villages in the forest-savanna region of Ghana is located within one of Conservation International’s 34 “World Biodiversity Hotspots” of the most biodiversity-threatened regions of the world. In collaboration with local farmers in this area since 1993, the People, Land Management and Ecological Change Project in Ghana (PLEC-Ghana) has been working on promoting biodiversity rehabilitation to address problems of biodiversity change. This goal is expected to be achieved through agrobiodiversity or biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices. However, farmers’ employment of these practices has been lackluster, even while they acknowledge biodiversity changes, dominated by Chromolaena odorata and other herbaceous species, that are driving the decline in forests and their biodiversity. In interpreting the difficulties of biodiversity rehabilitation in Gyamfiase-Adenya-Obom, this study outlines the diverging ecological knowledge of non-residents/outsiders and local farmers about biodiversity change, which it describes as Janus-like with two diverging faces. One face of biodiversity change shows the detrimental impacts on biodiversity and its observers—non-residents/outsiders—insist on biodiversity rehabilitation that nurtures forests, and the growth and domination of tree species. The other face of biodiversity change shows its agronomic advantages and its observers—the local farmers—are skeptical of current biodiversity rehabilitation practices. Farmers see agronomic benefits in biodiversity change, in particular the benefit of faster soil regeneration within the predominant bush fallow system of farming. And as a result of this observation, farmers continue with practices that sustain a decline in forests and biodiversity. Based on social and ecological research that explores three biodiversity-friendly practices promoted by PLEC-Ghana (fallow management, mulching, and intensive weeding to protect tree seedlings), this article discusses the partiality of ecological perspectives that emphasize either face of biodiversity change but not both, and the implications for biodiversity rehabilitation.     

John’s creek valley: a mountainous catchment for long-term interdisciplinary human-environment system research in Upper Styria (Austria)

The John’s creek valley (Johnsbachtal) is presented as a long-term, interdisciplinary cooperation platform in upper Styria (Austrian Alps) that brings together the interests and knowledge of persons with different backgrounds (scientists, teachers, students, as well as local actors and the population) with the central aim to generate mutual benefit for all involved parties. It covers an area of around 65 km² with elevations between 600 and 700 m in the valley to over 2,300 m in the summit regions. Annual mean temperature ranges from approximately 8 °C in the lower elevations of the valley to below 0 °C in the summit regions. Annual precipitation mounts to values of 1,500 mm and more than 1,800 mm in the lower elevations and summit regions, respectively. To allow for a long-term monitoring of the complex meteorological and hydrological conditions in the area, a hydroclimatological monitoring network has been installed that is described in detail in this paper. A special characteristic of the installed meteorological stations is that they cover a large range of altitudes and, therefore, allow to capture the gradients in meteorological variables induced by the complex Alpine topography. Furthermore, the hydroclimatological monitoring network in John’s creek valley is largely independent of regular third-party project funding, and therefore, not temporarily limited in its existence. A number of catchment research activities that cover a variety of disciplines (e.g., climatology, hydrology, (hydro)geology, geomorphology) and that largely benefit from the hydroclimatological data recorded in John’s creek valley are presented together with preliminary results. The latter include spatial distributions of meteorological and hydrological variables (e.g., precipitation, evapotranspiration and snowmelt) calculated for the test site using the hydrometeorological model AMUNDSEN. Furthermore, the results of hydrogeological investigations that have been carried out at the Etzbach spring are presented and discussed.     

Impacts of hydrous manganese oxide on the retention and lability of dissolved organic matter

Minerals constitute a primary ecosystem control on organic C decomposition in soils, and therefore on greenhouse gas fluxes to the atmosphere. Secondary minerals, in particular, Fe and Al (oxyhydr)oxides—collectively referred to as “oxides” hereafter—are prominent protectors of organic C against microbial decomposition through sorption and complexation reactions. However, the impacts of Mn oxides on organic C retention and lability in soils are poorly understood. Here we show that hydrous Mn oxide (HMO), a poorly crystalline δ-MnO₂, has a greater maximum sorption capacity for dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from a deciduous forest composite O_i, O_e, and O_a horizon leachate (“O horizon leachate” hereafter) than does goethite under acidic (pH 5) conditions. Nonetheless, goethite has a stronger sorption capacity for DOM at low initial C:(Mn or Fe) molar ratios compared to HMO, probably due to ligand exchange with carboxylate groups as revealed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy–near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy coupled with Mn mass balance calculations reveal that DOM sorption onto HMO induces partial Mn reductive dissolution and Mn reduction of the residual HMO. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy further shows increasing Mn(II) concentrations are correlated with increasing oxidized C (C=O) content (r = 0.78, P < 0.0006) on the DOM–HMO complexes. We posit that DOM is the more probable reductant of HMO, as Mn(II)-induced HMO dissolution does not alter the Mn speciation of the residual HMO at pH 5. At a lower C loading (2 × 10² μg C m^?2), DOM desorption—assessed by 0.1 M NaH₂PO₄ extraction—is lower for HMO than for goethite, whereas the extent of desorption is the same at a higher C loading (4 × 10² μg C m^?2). No significant differences are observed in the impacts of HMO and goethite on the biodegradability of the DOM remaining in solution after DOM sorption reaches steady state. Overall, HMO shows a relatively strong capacity to sorb DOM and resist phosphate-induced desorption, but DOM–HMO complexes may be more vulnerable to reductive dissolution than DOM–goethite complexes.     

Les Facies de Transgression du Trias sur la Bordure Nord-est du Massif Central Français

Résumé La transgression triasique est suivie d'Est en Ouest sur la bordure du Massif Central français. Les formations sont de plus en plus récentes vers l'Ouest, indépendamment de leur faciès. Les limites du Buntsandstein et du Trias supérieur semblent locales et d'origine tectonique, tandis que la limite du Ladinien supérieur parait plus générale et correspond à la période où le caractère marin de la transgression sur les massifs hercyniens était le plus franc.Le début de la transgression aniso-ladinienne est daté pour l'Anisien par des empreintes de Reptiles et pour les faciès les plus marins du Ladinien par des Foraminifères et des pollens. A cette période, des microfaunes mésogéennes de mer ouverte apparaissent sur les bordures.Dans les faciès de transgression réduits, le Trias est constitué de grès fins silteux à pseudomorphoses de sel gemme et empreintes de Reptiles, étalés par une mer pelliculaire sur une surface plate. Le socle sous-jacent a fourni peu de matériel clastique et les courants sont orientés du Nord au Sud. Les évaporites sont plus concentrées sur la bordure que plus au large, ce qui implique une certaine aridité pendant toute la période de la transgression.Les faciès de bordure les plus avancés sur le socle sont formés d'une dolomie paralique supratidale déposée dans des lagunes évaporitiques. Sur les massifs hercyniens, des fractures et des failles ouvertes ont permis des circulations auxquelles sont liés des remplissages carbonates et des minéralisations.

---

Conditions of the triassic transgression are analysed from East to West across the eastern border of the Central Massif. Formations directly overlying the basement get younger and younger westwards, without relation with the environment. Buntsandstein and upper Triassic boundaries appear to be syntectonic local limits. The upper Ladininian boundary seems to be more general and connected with the main period of the marine environment for the transgression on the variscan basement rocks. The anisoladinian transgression beginns during the anisian age as indicated by fooprints, while ladinian age is supported by mesogean foraminifera and palynology during the climax of the transgression, in an open sea environment.Silty fine sandstones with footprints and salt casts constitute the triassic transgression facies on the flattened border of the Central Massif. The underlying basement supplied only a little arenaceous material and the currents are oriented from Nord to South. Evaporites are more concentrated at the boundary of the transgression than towards the basin, what means aridity.Paralic supratidal dolomite constitutes the most external deposits at the transgression limit, in a syntectonic environment. Dolomite infillings and ore deposits are connected with water circulations along faults and fractures.

---

Zusammenfassung Die Triastransgressionsschichten werden von Osten nach Westen am Nordrand des französischen Zentralmassivs beschrieben. Die auf dem Grundgebirge auflagernden Basisschichten werden, unabhängig von ihrer Faziesausbildung, nach Westen stets jünger. Die Begrenzungen der Ablagerungen des Buntsandsteins und der oberen Trias werden nur lokal, wahrscheinlich in Abhängigkeit von synsedimentären, tektonischen Strukturen angetroffen. Die Beckenausdehnung am Top des oberen Ladiniums ist dagegen zusammenhängend zu erkennen. Sie entspricht den eindeutigeren marinen Transgressionsverhältnissen auf dem variskischen Sockel.Die einsetzende Transgression des Aniso-Ladiniums wird durch Reptilienfährten als anisisch und die stärker marinen Ablagerungen durch Foraminiferen und Pollen als ladinisch datiert. In diesem Zeitabschnitt dringen offenmarine, mesogäische Mikrofossilien bis zum Beckenrand vor.Die geringmächtigen Transgressionsablagerungen bestehen aus siltigen Feinsanden mit Steinsalzpseudomorphosen und Reptilienfährten. Diese Sande wurden von einem sehr seichten Meer auf dem stark eingeebneten Grundgebirge verteilt. Das Grundgebirge hat nur sehr wenige klastische Abtragungsprodukte geliefert. Die Strömungen waren von Norden nach Süden ausgerichtet. Evaporite treten stärker in den randlichen Gebieten als zum offenen Becken hin auf. Dies zeigt auf eine ausgeprägte Aridität während der gesamten Transgressionszeit hin.Die am weitesten zum Festland hin vorgeschobenen Transgressionssedimente bestehen aus paralischen, subpratidalen Dolomiten, die sich in evaporitischen Lagunen bildeten. Die in den offenen Spalten und Verwerfungen des Grundgebirges zirkulierenden Lösungen führten zu Dolomitausfällungen und zu schichtgebundenen Vererzungen.

---

. , , , . , , , . . . - , — . , , . . , . . , . . , , . , , .