Cyclicity in ridge patterns on the prograding coasts of Estonia

Recent LiDAR surveys have revealed that on postglacially uplifting coasts of Estonia rhythmic coastal landforms (beach ridge sequences and foredune plains) occur to a considerable extent. We studied four of them to reveal age and periodicity in these multiple ridge systems and discussed their genesis in the Subatlantic (semi‐continental) conditions of the Baltic Sea area. Using recent models of Fennoscandian uplift due to glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA), we constructed Holocene apparent sea level curves for the study sites at Õngu, Mänspe, Haldi and Keibu; converted distance–height shore profiles into time series (including corrections on shore profile non‐linearity and variations in GIA‐eustasy balance); and analysed the patterns using spectral analysis. It was suggested that due to non‐tidal conditions, relatively low‐energy hydrodynamic forcing and small aeolian contribution, the ridges mark ancient shorelines. They are relatively modest in height (mostly 0.2–1 m), form regular and extensive (up to 150 ridges) patterns, and date back to ~9000 years before present. We studied <5‐ka‐old sections. The mean ridge spacing varied, depending also on coastal slope, between 21 and 39 m. Both simple counting and spectral analysis involved some specific limitations, yet the estimates for typical spacing were alike, at 32 (±5) years. The regular nature of the low‐ridge patterns originated from relative sea level lowering and gradual sediment accretion/erosion. However, the progradation was rather uplift‐ than accretion‐driven and the stepwise process in ridge formation was probably not autocyclic. It was governed or modulated by quasi‐periodic 25–40 year cyclicity in local wave forcing, relative sea level variations and wind conditions. Being most likely connected to the North Atlantic Oscillation, the quasi‐regular, decadal‐scale, similarly phased variations may magnify each other's effect on the westerly exposed coasts of Estonia. Additionally, some other (e.g. event‐driven) mechanisms may also be present.     

Clam community composition and prey shell size impacts moon snail (Gastropod: Naticidae) drilling frequencies in South Carolina,USA

Moon snail predation on clams is a common model system of predator–prey interactions. In this system, the predator bores through the shell of its prey, leaving a distinct and identifiable hole. Some paleoecological and behavioral research on moon snails suggests a trend in predation preference directed toward clams with small shells. Rarely, however, have studies tested relative drilling frequencies across species and size ranges in natural assemblages of clam communities. We examined the clam community composition at two beaches in South Carolina, USA, and we then tested moon snail predator preferences for (a) clam prey species and (b) whether their selection is related to prey shell size. We collected a total of 1,879 clam shells, identified each shell to species and recorded their anteroposterior length. The species composition of clams differed significantly between the two beaches; Anadara ovalis was dominant at both sites, but three of ten total species were only collected at one beach. Folly Beach had nearly a 60% higher the overall drilling frequency (34.6%) versus Edisto Beach (21.8%), and this may be linked to the differences in clam community compositions at the sites. For A. ovalis and Mulinia lateralis, shells with larger lengths have lower probabilities of being bored by a moon snail. Anadara brasiliana, which generally is a thinner‐shelled clam species, had the highest total drilling frequency (77.2%), and Noetia ponderosa, a thicker‐shelled clam, had a considerably lower drilling frequency (12.0%). We conclude that both community level factors (species composition) and population characteristics (shell size distributions) may influence the local drilling frequency by moon snails.     

青藏高原东缘晚新生代成都盆地物源分析与水系演化

成都盆地位于青藏高原东缘,夹于龙门山与龙泉山之间,盆地中充填了3.6Ma以来的大邑砾岩、雅安砾石层和晚更新世—全新世砾石层,其物源均来源于盆地西侧的龙门山,具横向水系和单向充填的特征。本次以物源区分析作为切入点,以岷江和青衣江水系为重点,采用砾岩成分分析、砂岩岩屑成分分析、重矿物分析和砾石的地球化学分析等基本方法,开展青藏高原东缘晚新生代以来的古水系重建工作,研究结果表明,成都盆地主要有两个物源区,其中成都盆地北部的都江堰街子场、崇州白塔山、大邑白岩沟、大邑氮肥厂、彭州丁家湾、彭州葛仙山等剖面中的砾石层在碎屑成分、重矿物和花岗岩砾石的地球化学成分等方面相似,应为古岷江的产物,而其与现代岷江在砾岩成分和重矿物特征等方面的差异性则表明古岷江可能存在改道的现象;成都盆地南部的庙坡剖面和熊坡东剖面中的砾石层在碎屑成分、重矿物和花岗岩砾石的地球化学成分等方面相似,应为古青衣江的产物,但其流向却与现代青衣江的流向不同,表明熊坡背斜是在大邑砾岩沉积之后隆起的,它的隆起迫使古青衣江改道。     

Predictive modelling of dump water impact on the surroundings of the lignite dump site Jänschwalde (Eastern Germany)

Open cast mining of lignite leads to dumps containing highly mineralised pore waters. To predict the impact of the dump waters on the undisturbed aquifers two steps are necessary. (1) The prediction of dump water quality at times when steady state flow conditions will be established. (2) The simulation of the dump ground water migration with a model that is able to handle the complexity of the homogeneous and heterogeneous interactions of the migration process.For the investigated site Jänschwalde, which is still dewatered, a chemical mass balance was performed. The predicted alkalinity potentials exceed acidity potentials for the dump as a whole. The distribution of these parameters show high alkalinity potentials for the northern part.In order to model the migration process the transport code PCGEOFIM^® [Anwenderdokumentaion, IBGW Leipzig, (in German)] was coupled with the geochemical equilibrium code PHREEQC [USGS, Water-Resources Investigations Report]. This was done to simulate redox reactions, mineral dissolution and precipitation, and cation exchange in the ground water zone. The model is verified by a column flow test. The results of the simulations show a small effect of the migrating dump waters on the quartenary aquifer with respect to acidity changes. This results from calcite buffering and cation exchange. The impact on the quartenary aquifer by sulphate is much higher.     

A priori fully populated covariance matrices in least-squares adjustment—case study: GPS relative positioning

In this contribution, using the example of the Mátern covariance matrices, we study systematically the effect of apriori fully populated variance covariance matrices (VCM) in the Gauss–Markov model, by varying both the smoothness and the correlation length of the covariance function. Based on simulations where we consider a GPS relative positioning scenario with double differences, the true VCM is exactly known. Thus, an accurate study of parameters deviations with respect to the correlation structure is possible. By means of the mean-square error difference of the estimates obtained with the correct and the assumed VCM, the loss of efficiency when the correlation structure is missspecified is considered. The bias of the variance of unit weight is moreover analysed. By acting independently on the correlation length, the smoothness, the batch length, the noise level, or the design matrix, simulations allow to draw conclusions on the influence of these different factors on the least-squares results. Thanks to an adapted version of the Kermarrec–Schön model, fully populated VCM for GPS phase observations are computed where different correlation factors are resumed in a global covariance model with an elevation dependent weighting. Based on the data of the EPN network, two studies for different baseline lengths validate the conclusions of the simulations on the influence of the Mátern covariance parameters. A precise insight into the impact of apriori correlation structures when the VCM is entirely unknown highlights that both the correlation length and the smoothness defined in the Mátern model are important to get a lower loss of efficiency as well as a better estimation of the variance of unit weight. Consecutively, correlations, if present, should not be neglected for accurate test statistics. Therefore, a proposal is made to determine a mean value of the correlation structure based on a rough estimation of the Mátern parameters via maximum likelihood estimation for some chosen time series of observations. Variations around these mean values show to have little impact on the least-squares results. At the estimates level, the effect of varying the parameters of the fully populated VCM around these approximated values was confirmed to be nearly negligible (i.e. a mm level for strong correlations and a submm level otherwise).     

Deriving incline values for street networks from voluntarily collected GPS traces

ABSTRACT

When producing optimal routes through an environment, considering the incline of surfaces can be of great benefit in a number of use cases. For instance, steep segments need to be avoided for energy-efficient routes and for routes that are suitable for mobility-restricted people. Such incline information may be derived from digital elevation models (DEMs). However, the corresponding data capturing methods (e.g. airborne LiDAR, photogrammetry, and terrestrial surveying) are expensive. Current low-cost and open-licensed DEM (e.g. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission [SRTM] and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer [ASTER]) generally do not have sufficient horizontal resolution or vertical accuracy, and lack a global coverage. Therefore, we have investigated an alternative low-cost approach which derives street incline values from GPS traces that have been voluntarily collected by the OpenStreetMap contributors. Despite the poor absolute accuracy of this data, the relative accuracy of traces seems to be sufficient enough to compute incline values with reasonable accuracy. A validation shows that the accuracy of incline values calculated from GPS traces slightly outperforms incline values derived from SRTM-1 DEM, though results depend on how many traces per street segment are used for computation.     

Use of Picard and Newton iteration for solving nonlinear ground water flow equations

This study examines the use of Picard and Newton iteration to solve the nonlinear, saturated ground water flow equation. Here, a simple three-node problem is used to demonstrate the convergence difficulties that can arise when solving the nonlinear, saturated ground water flow equation in both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems with and without nonlinear boundary conditions. For these cases, the characteristic types of convergence patterns are examined. Viewing these convergence patterns as orbits of an attractor in a dynamical system provides further insight. It is shown that the nonlinearity that arises from nonlinear head-dependent boundary conditions can cause more convergence difficulties than the nonlinearity that arises from flow in an unconfined aquifer. Furthermore, the effects of damping on both convergence and convergence rate are investigated. It is shown that no single strategy is effective for all problems and how understanding pitfalls and merits of several methods can be helpful in overcoming convergence difficulties. Results show that Picard iterations can be a simple and effective method for the solution of nonlinear, saturated ground water flow problems.     

Volcanogenic Tsunamis in Lakes: Examples from Nicaragua and General Implications

This paper emphasizes the fact that tsunamis can occur in continental lakes and focuses on tsunami triggering by processes related to volcanic eruptions and instability of volcanic edifices. The two large lakes of Nicaragua, Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua, host a section of the Central American Volcanic Arc including several active volcanoes. One case of a tsunami in Lake Managua triggered by an explosive volcanic eruption is documented in the geologic record. However, a number of events occurred in the past at both lakes which were probably tsunamigenic. These include massive intrusion of pyroclastic flows from Apoyo volcano as well as of flank-collapse avalanches from Mombacho volcano into Lake Nicaragua. Maar-forming phreatomagmatic eruptions, which repeatedly occurred in Lake Managua, are highly explosive phenomena able to create hugh water waves as was observed elsewhere. The shallow water depth of the Nicaraguan lakes is discussed as the major limiting factor of tsunami amplitude and propagation speed. The very low-profile shores facilitate substantial in-land flooding even of relatively small waves. Implications for conceiving a possible warning system are also discussed.     

Assessing streams in Germany with benthic invertebrates: development of a practical standardised protocol for macroinvertebrate sampling and sorting

In the past, no single standardised method for sampling and sorting benthic macroinvertebrates has been implemented in Germany. Therefore, we tested the suitability of two common sorting protocols, RIVPACS and AQEM/STAR, by taking samples with each protocol at 44 sampling sites. Our results reveal that different methods deliver slightly different assessment results. Moreover these two methods differ in costs. Although the AQEM/STAR protocol takes longer than the RIVPACS protocol, we favoured the AQEM/STAR protocol because of its higher level of standardisation. In order to limit costs to an acceptable level, a modification of the AQEM/STAR protocol (MAS method) is developed. This method is highly standardised, gives stable assessment results and is relatively inexpensive (€ 224.00 for processing of an average sample). A detailed protocol of the newly developed method is given.