The Role of Groundwater for Lake‐Water Quality and Quantification of N Seepage

The heterogeneous nature of both groundwater discharge to a lake (inflow) and nitrate concentrations in groundwater can lead to significant errors in calculations of nutrient loading. Therefore, an integrated approach, combining groundwater flow and transport modelling with observed nitrate and ammonium groundwater concentrations, was used to estimate nitrate loading from a catchment via groundwater to an oligotrophic flow‐through lake (Lake Hampen, Denmark). The transport model was calibrated against three vertical nitrate profiles from multi‐level wells and 17 shallow wells bordering a crop field near the lake. Nitrate concentrations in groundwater discharging to the lake from the crop field were on average 70 times higher than in groundwater from forested areas. The crop field was responsible for 96% of the total nitrate loading (16.2 t NO₃/year) to the lake even though the field only covered 4.5% of the catchment area. Consequently, a small change in land use in the catchment will have a large effect on the lake nutrient balance and possible lake restoration. The study is the first known attempt to estimate the decrease of nitrate loading via groundwater to a seepage lake when an identified catchment source (a crop field) is removed.     

The contribution of PSInSAR interferometry to landslide hazard in weak rock-dominated areas

In the Grande da Pipa river basin, north of Lisbon, 64 % of the total number of landslides inventoried is totally or partially included in a lithological unit composed by marl, clay, and sandstone intercalation complex that is present in 58 % of the study area. The Persistent Scatterer synthetic aperture radar interferometry technique is applied to a data set of TerraSAR-X SAR images, from April of 2010 to March of 2011, firstly to the Laje-Salema test site and further exported to the Grande da Pipa river basin. This work’s specific objectives are the following: (i) to assess the potential of the Persistent Scatterer displacement maps to the identification of new landslides/unstable areas and in the redefinition of landslide limits, (ii) to update the landslide state of activity, and (iii) to evaluate the capacity of the Persistent Scatterer deformation maps in assessing landslide susceptibility at the regional scale. Based on this approach, it was possible to increment the number of landslides and to redefine the landslide limits in the test site in 3.8 %. For 39 landslides, it was possible to update the landslide state of activity, in particular from dormant to reactivated or dormant-reactivated (23 landslides) or from stabilized to reactivated (5 landslides). Landslide susceptibility map based in Persistent Scatterer deformation rates, independently validated with a deep rotational slide map, obtained the best value of area under the curve (0.668).     

Nonsulfide and sulfide-rich zinc mineralizations in the Vazante, Ambrósia and Fagundes deposits, Minas Gerais, Brazil: Mass balance and stable isotope characteristics of the hydrothermal alterations

The Vazante Group hosts the Vazante nonsulfide zinc deposit, which comprises high-grade zinc silicate ore (ZnSiO₄), and late-diagenetic to epigenetic carbonate-hosted sulfide-rich zinc deposits (e.g. Morro Agudo, Fagundes, and Ambrósia). In the sulfide-rich deposits, hydrothermal alteration involving silicification and dolomitization was related with ground preparation of favorable zones for fluid migration (e.g. Fagundes) or with direct interaction with the metalliferous fluid (e.g. Ambrósia). At Vazante, hydrothermal alteration resulted in silicification and dolomite, siderite, jasper, hematite, and chlorite formation. These processes were accompanied by strong relative gains of SiO₂, Fe₂O_3(T), Rb, Sb, V, U, and La, which are typically associated with the nonsulfide zinc mineralization. All sulfide-rich zinc ores in the district display a similar geochemical signature suggesting a common metal source from the underlying sedimentary sequences.Oxygen and carbon isotope compositions of hydrothermally altered rocks reveal a remarkable alteration halo at the Vazante deposit, which is not a notable feature in the sulfide-rich deposits. This pattern could be attributed to fluid mixing processes involving the metalliferous fluid and channelized meteoric water, which may control the precipitation of the Vazante nonsulfide ore. Sulfide deposition resulted from fluid–rock interaction processes and mixing between the ascending metalliferous fluids and sulfur-rich tectonic brines derived from reduced shale units.     

Facies analyses and volcanic setting of the giant Neves Corvo massive sulfide deposit,Iberian Pyrite Belt,Portugal

In the Iberian Pyrite Belt, volcanic rocks are relatively scarce, accounting for approximately only 25% of the geologic record, with the remaining 75% consisting of sedimentary units. This association is very clear in the host succession to the Neves Corvo massive sulfide deposit in Portugal. The Neves Corvo host succession comprises the products of explosive and effusive rhyolitic eruptions intercalated with mudstone that records a submarine below-wave-base environment and provides precise biostratigraphic age constraints. The first and second volcanic events involved eruptions at local intrabasinal vents. The first event generated thick beds of fiamme breccia that are late Famennian in age. The fiamme were originally pumice clasts produced by explosive eruptions and were subsequently compacted. The second event was the late Strunian (latest Famennian) effusion of rhyolitic lava that was pervasively quench-fragmented. The third and final event is younger than the massive sulfide deposits poorly represented in the mine area and minor compared with the two other events. The integration of biostratigraphic data with the volcanic facies architecture indicates that the Neves Corvo ore deposits are similar in age to the late Strunian rhyolitic lava. Although regionally the Iberian Pyrite Belt is essentially a sedimentary succession, ore formation at Neves Corvo can be closely linked to discrete volcanic events that produced a relatively narrow range of volcanic facies.     

Free and open source software for geospatial applications (FOSS4G) to support Future Earth

ABSTRACT

The development, integration, and distribution of the information and spatial data infrastructure (i.e. Digital Earth; DE) necessary to support the vision and goals of Future Earth (FE) will occur in a distributed fashion, in very diverse technological, institutional, socio-cultural, and economic contexts around the world. This complex context and ambitious goals require bringing to bear not only the best minds, but also the best science and technologies available. Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial Applications (FOSS4G) offers mature, capable and reliable software to contribute to the creation of this infrastructure. In this paper we point to a selected set of some of the most mature and reliable FOSS4G solutions that can be used to develop the functionality required as part of DE and FE. We provide examples of large-scale, sophisticated, mission-critical applications of each software to illustrate their power and capabilities in systems where they perform roles or functionality similar to the ones they could perform as part of DE and FE. We provide information and resources to assist the readers in carrying out their own assessments to select the best FOSS4G solutions for their particular contexts and system development needs.     

Establishing the wave climate influence on the morphodynamics of a coastal lagoon inlet

The morphologic changes in estuaries and coastal lagoons are very complex and constitute a challenging task in coastal research. The bathymetric changes result from the combined action of tides, waves, rivers discharge and wind stress in the area of interest. Additionally, an accurate knowledge of the sediment transport is essential to achieve a good morphological characterization. This work establishes the influence of the wave climate on the morphodynamics of the Ria de Aveiro lagoon inlet by analysing the numerical results of the morphodynamic modelling system MORSYS2D. The numerical simulations considered a realistic coupled forcing of tidal currents and waves. The computed sediment fluxes and bathymetric changes are analysed and compared with the erosion and accretion trends obtained from the numerical simulations forced only by tidal currents, in order to establish the wave climate influence. The final bathymetry and the corresponding changes are compared with bathymetric data collected through surveys. It is concluded that: (a) the morphodynamics of the study area is dominated by the wave regime in the lagoon inlet and nearshore areas, while in the inner areas is tidally dominated; and (b) the inclusion of the wave regime forcing constitutes an improvement in order to accurately reproduce the local morphodynamics.     

Kinematics and Dynamics of Galaxies in Compact Groups for a sample of 31 groups

A long-term program based on Fabry-Perot Hα velocity field data of compact groups has been undertaken in order to analyse the kinematics of the compact group galaxies and the extent of their dark halos. The data are taken at the ESO and the CFH 3.6 m telescopes. The main goals of our project are: • To determine the evolutionary stages of the studied groups, • To search for tidal dwarf galaxy candidates in heavily interacting systems and • in combination with photometry available in the literature, to determine the Tully-Fisher relation for the group galaxies. The sample contains examples of groups at a variety of dynamical stages: from a false group that is in fact one single irregular galaxy with several star-forming blobs (e.g. H18) to a group whose members are strongly interacting and possibly forming tidal dwarf galaxies (e.g. H92) to a group in the final process of merging. We have so far identified five HCG classes: 1. merging groups2. strongly interacting, 3. weakly interacting, 4. non-groups, 5. single irregular galaxies. The ones which can be used in the TF studies are those in classes (2) and (3), for which comprehensive rotation curves can be derived. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Tentative Model for U(1) GAUGE VORTEX

Some observations on the flat space-time with topological defects are made. An example of a model source that can be approximated by a localU(1) gauge string with Bogomol'nyi parameter equal to unity and winding number equal to 1 is discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Preliminary analysis of the first digital recordings obtained in the Portuguese seismographic network — Attenuation studies

During experiments with digital stations in the period 1985–1987, twenty five earthquakes with magnitudes m _b in the range 2.9 to 4.8 and epicentres located within the area 36°–42.3° (N) and 4.5°–13.6° (W) were recorded at Montemor (MOE) and Montachique (MTH). The three-component recordings were obtained by Geotech S13 instruments with 1 second period. A preliminary analysis of the recordings consisted in the determination of amplitudes and spectral contents of P and S waves, and led to the following observations: (1) The attenuation of waves is expressed by the equation V = exp(C ₂).R ^C ₁. exp(C ₃.M), where V stands for acceleration, velocity or displacement; M-magnitude; R-focal distance; C ₁, C ₂ and C ₃ are constants to be obtained by least square fitting. The application of this equation led to C ₁ of the order 1.7 for displacement, 1.8 for velocity and 2.0 for acceleration, with an average mean square error 0.8. (2) The ratios L/T (longitudinal/transversal amplitudes), for velocity and displacement, showed a tendency to reduce with increasing focal distance, being 2 for short distances (<50 km) and 1 for long distances (400 km). (3) The ratios S/P (S-wave/P-wave amplitudes), although with a large dispersion, showed a slight tendency for increasing with focal distance. (4) The predominant frequencies also showed a slight tendency to decrease with increasing focal distance and with magnitude. (5) The dependence of C ₁ with frequency (3 to 12 Hz) is well behaved from 0.95 to 1.75 (for the velocity trace).