An experimental study of rip channel flow

A laboratory study of the flow over a bar with a single rip channel has been performed. First, the well-known pattern of a bar circulation cell with a strong offshore-directed current out through the rip channel and a weaker onshore-directed return flow over the bar is documented. Then measurements of the three-dimensional structure of the flow in the area where the rip channel, the bar and the trough meet and well inside the rip channel are presented. These measurements reveal that 3D effects play an important role, and that a depth-integrated viewpoint may not always be sufficient for predicting the flow in the near bed region. Particle-tracking experiments illustrate the near bed flow pattern over the entire area. These demonstrate how the overall trajectory pattern changes as a function of the distance of wave breaking from the bar crest: For some conditions, the rip current is fed from the trough and for other conditions it is fed directly from the bar. Both the 3D measurements and the trajectory tests show the existence of a weaker onshore-directed near-bed drift in the area where the rip current ceases. Finally, in a series of sensitivity tests, measurements of the rip current intensity for different wave climate and water level conditions reveal a strong correlation between the rip current intensity and the wave height (both normalized).     

Oceanic Velocity Microstructure Measurements in the 20th Century

The science of ocean turbulence was started more than 50 years ago by a small research group using a surplus mine-sweeping paravane to measure the velocity and temperature fluctuations in the ocean. The field has grown considerably and measurements are now conducted by researchers in many countries. A wide variety of sophisticated instrument systems are used to profile horizontally and vertically through the marine environment. Here we review the historical development of velocity micro-structure profiles over the past four decades and summarize the basic requirements for successful measurements. We highlight critical technological developments and glance briefly at some of the scientific discoveries made with these instruments. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Response of Arctic marine microalgae to changes of salinity

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The Role of Higher Trophic Levels in a Sublittoral Benthic Community

Abstract. The ingestion of carnivores and omnivores was determined during the investigation of higher trophic levels in a North Adriatic benthic community. The ingestion rate was calculated from respiration data using a respiration-production equation and an assumed assimilation efficiency. In the case of the starfish Astropecten aranciacus the ingestion rate obtained by this indirect method was in good agreement with the ingestion rate calculated directly from gut contents, taking the retaining period of food items in the gut into consideration. These results are compared to previously published ingestion rates. The influence of A aranciacus on the community is briefly discussed.     

The concept of “representative tides” in morphodynamic numerical modelling

Process-based numerical modelling of coastal morphodynamics involves model and data reduction schemes in order to cope with computational limitations. Model reduction, on the one hand, may involve the discretisation of an interactive multidimensional, diverse natural system into a reduced set of coupled process-simulation modules. Data reduction schemes, on the other hand, are used to parameterise processes. The use of schematised open-boundary conditions, which are considered as representative in terms of their cumulative morphological effect, is based on the concept of “morphological” or “representative” boundary conditions. Recent model applications show realistic tendencies in terms of depositional and erosional areas. By contrast, the reproduction of characteristic changes in morphology such as the migration of bars, banks and channels is only occasionally achieved. Using field data on observed morphological impact of a single storm event and numerical model data, it is demonstrated that the concept of representative tides may lead to simulations of morphological development lacking natural dynamics. It is proposed that rather than being based on “representative” single tides, morphodynamic models should be applied with open-boundary conditions which take variations in longer-term tidal and meteorological forcing into account.     

Prä- und synsideritische Tektonik auf Grube Pfannenberger Einigkeit im Siegerland

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Secondary Fe–Mn-oxides in minerals heavily damaged by α-recoil: possible implications for palaeomagnetism

Sub-micron Fe,Mn-oxides in columbite–tantalite minerals are bound to metamict domains in the host. These nano-oxides are secondary minerals as the metamict zones formed through accumulation of damages from α-recoil, each of which in a small volume destroys the crystal lattice of the U and Th bearing columbite–tantalite host. Transmission electron microscope investigations demonstrate that the oxides fall in the compositional range of magnetite–jacobsite–iwakiite (Fe,Mn)₃O₄ and of hematite-type minerals along the Fe₂O₃–Mn₂O₃ join, i.e., minerals that are known to be major carriers of magnetic remanence. Measured magnetic properties of isolated columbite–tantalite crystals demonstrate in some samples magnetic remanence, which is bound to sub-micron pseudosingle-domain crystals rather than to the host. Thus, the magnetic remanence is not related to the formation of columbite–tantalite, but to the crystallization of the nano-oxides, which occur in metamict domains of the host and therefore are secondary. Depending on the content and distribution of U and Th, the nano-oxides may form diachronously within an individual and among several host crystals. Magnetic secondary nano-oxides are not restricted to columbite–tantalite minerals, but may occur in other minerals where high contents of Fe and Mn are associated with high contents of U and Th. Rocks that show the same spatial distribution for U and Fe, as for instance some red sandstones, may display magnetic properties that are controlled by recoil-induced growth of secondary Fe-oxides.

Dependency of geodynamic parameters on the GNSS constellation

Significant differences in time series of geodynamic parameters determined with different Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) exist and are only partially explained. We study whether the different number of orbital planes within a particular GNSS contributes to the observed differences by analyzing time series of geocenter coordinates (GCCs) and pole coordinates estimated from several real and virtual GNSS constellations: GPS, GLONASS, a combined GPS/GLONASS constellation, and two virtual GPS sub-systems, which are obtained by splitting up the original GPS constellation into two groups of three orbital planes each. The computed constellation-specific GCCs and pole coordinates are analyzed for systematic differences, and their spectral behavior and formal errors are inspected. We show that the number of orbital planes barely influences the geocenter estimates. GLONASS’ larger inclination and formal errors of the orbits seem to be the main reason for the initially observed differences. A smaller number of orbital planes may lead, however, to degradations in the estimates of the pole coordinates. A clear signal at three cycles per year is visible in the spectra of the differences between our estimates of the pole coordinates and the corresponding IERS 08 C04 values. Combinations of two 3-plane systems, even with similar ascending nodes, reduce this signal. The understanding of the relation between the satellite constellations and the resulting geodynamic parameters is important, because the GNSS currently under development, such as the European Galileo and the medium Earth orbit constellation of the Chinese BeiDou system, also consist of only three orbital planes.