Reconstruction of past climates from stable isotope records of palaeo-precipitation preserved in continental archives

Abstract

The potential of stable isotope ratios (²H/¹H and ¹⁸O/¹⁶0) of water as a modern tool for palaeoclimatic reconstructions on continents is reviewed. Examples of stable isotope records of palaeo-precipitation preserved in various continental archives (polar ice sheets, mid- and low latitude glaciers, lacustrine deposits, groundwater) are presented, and the methodology of their interpretation in terms of climatic changes is briefly discussed. To interpret quantitatively the isotope records preserved in continental archives, the response of the isotopic composition of precipitation to long-term fluctuations of key climatic parameters (temperature, precipitation amount, relative humidity) over the given area should be known. Further, the transfer functions relating the climate-induced changes of the isotopic composition of precipitation to the isotope record preserved in the given archive should be established. Since the isotopic composition of precipitation has been monitored only for the past three decades, alternatives ways of assessing the long-term climatic sensitivity of the isotopic signature of precipitation are being investigated. The isotope composition of precipitation should be viewed not only as a powerful proxy climatic indicator but also as an additional hydrometeorological parameter which should be explored as a diagnostic tool for the modelling of climate-induced changes in the water cycle, both on a regional and a global scale.     

Close binary EHB stars from SPY

We present the results of a radial velocity (RV) survey of 46 subdwarf B (sdB) and 23 helium-rich subdwarf O (He-sdO) stars. We detected 18 (39%) new sdB binary systems, but only one (4%) He-sdO binary. Orbital parameters of nine sdB and sdO binaries, derived from follow-up spectroscopy, are presented. Our results are compared with evolutionary scenarios and previous observational investigations.     

UBV photometry of RT Persei

Photoelectric and absolute elements of the system RT Per have been determined inU, B, andV filters. It is suggested that the primary star may be surrounded by a gaseous disk.     

Surface sensible heat flux over a deep moist convective region and its interplay with synoptic and mesoscale features

The surface parameters are being evaluated using a methodology which considers the vertical temperature structure of MONTBLEX ’90. For this 30 metre micrometeorological tower data are utilised. In this process, a concept of isolated layers has been introduced. The parameters have been evaluated following two successive iterative processes to give a consistent value both in the flux-profile relation and the related similarity relation. The heat flux obtained using the present methodology, is then utilised to examine its interplay with the synoptic as well as mesoscale features. The existence of such an interplay is observed.     

Structure Functions In A Wall-Turbulent Shear Flow

Wavelet and quadrant analyses were applied to turbulent velocity data in order to investigate the transition from the anisotropy of energy-containing eddies to the isotropy of the inertial subrange scales. The quadrant analysis of the wavelet coefficients of longitudinal and vertical velocity components allows the evaluation of the velocity structure functions and the momentum cospectrum as a function of the separation distance and of the quadrants. In an isotropic condition the contribution both of ejections and sweeps (even quadrants), and both of reflections and deflections (odd quadrants), has to be equal. The analysis has shown that in neutrally stratified conditions the transition to isotropy occurs in a frequency range (0.2 < r/z < 3) usually referred to as internal to the inertial subrange (r is separation distance, z is height). In the transition region, as in the isotropic region, the velocity structure functions still agree with the 1941 and 1962 Kolmogorov theories; but on the other hand the structure functions of the even and odd quadrants are fitted by power laws of different slopes in the transition region. The proposed analysis allows the investigation within the transition region of the different dynamical structure in the energy transfer from the energy-containing scales to the isotropic scales.     

Comparative ecophysiology of active zoobenthic filter feeding, essence of current knowledge

The present contribution gives an overview of current knowledge of a comprehensive and steadily growing research field. The first section deals with water pumping and particle retention mechanisms in ciliary and muscular filter feeders. The second section examines the biological filter pumps in order to assess adaptation to the environment. Filter-feeding benthic invertebrates have evolved filter pumps to solve common basic problems. This has led to a large degree of similarity between otherwise distant standing species, which makes comparative studies interesting and important. The present review of zoobenthic filter feeding aims at accentuating such recognition.     

Late-Quaternary supply of terrigenous organic matter to the Congo deep-sea fan (ODP site 1075): implications for equatorial African paleoclimate

Late-Quaternary sections (about 1 Ma) from the Congo deep-sea fan (ODP Leg 175, site 1075) were used to reconstruct the terrigenous organic matter supply to the easternmost equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Variations in quantity and quality of the riverine organic matter reflect the interaction between the paleoclimatic development within the continental catchment area and the paleoceanographic conditions in the Congo river plume. To characterize the delivery of organic matter from terrigenous and marine sources, we used elemental and bulk carbon isotopic analyses, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, lignin chemistry, and organic petrology. High-amplitude fluctuations occurring about every 15-25 ka reveal a mainly precessional control on organic sedimentation. Results from Rock-Eval pyrolysis indicate a mixed kerogen type III/II, as would be anticipated in front of a major river. Fluctuations in T_max from Rock-Eval pyrolysis demonstrate pronounced cyclic changes in the delivery of low- and high-mature organic matter. Contribution of the low-mature organic fraction was strongest during warm climates supporting enhanced marine production offshore of the Congo. Organic petrological observations confirm the existence of abundant terrigenous plant tissues, both non-oxidized (vitrinite) and oxidized (inertinite). Charcoal-like organic matter (fusinite) is attributed to periods of increased bush fires in the continental hinterland, and implies more arid climatic conditions. Results from ratios of specific phenolic lignin components suggest that terrigenous organic matter in Late-Quaternary sections of site 1075 mainly derives from non-woody angiosperm tissue, i.e., grasses and leaves. Correlation between the amount of specific lignin phenols and the bulk '¹³C_org signature fosters the conclusion that an appreciable amount of the terrigenous organic fraction derives from C4 plant matter. This may cause an underestimation of the terrigenous proportion of bulk organic matter when assessments are based on bulk carbon isotopic signatures alone.     

Peculiarities of the primary production process in the Kara Sea at the end of the vegetation season

Research was implemented from September 15 through October 4, 2011 in the Kara Sea along transects located southeastwards Novaya Zemlya, in the St. Anna Trough, the Yenisei River estuary, and the adjacent shelf. The concentration of chlorophyll a was the highest in the photic zone (0.05–2.30 mg/m³, on average, 0.80 ± 0.37 mg/m³). The maximal concentration of Chl a at most of the stations located in the water layer of 7–30 m. Integral primary production in the water column varied from 3.0 to 151.0 mg C/m² per day, on average, 37.2 ± 36.6 mg C/m² per day. The maximal rate of primary production at most of the stations has been observed for the surface layer of the water column. Within the upper mixed water layer, relative primary production was from 31 to 100% (on average, 77 ± 20%). The most productive zone was the waters along Yenisei transect. In the estuary and at the adjacent shelf, primary production was 50 mg C/m² per day, exceeding the range observed for other areas by 1.5–2.0 times. The concentrations of silica and nitrogen together with light regime and water temperature were the major limiting factors affecting the primary production rate in the Kara Sea in autumn.     

Hydrologic and sedimentologic aspects of mining aggregate from the shipsk bank (Baltic sea)

Abstract

Investigations aimed at obtaining knowledge about the environmental effects of mining aggregate from the sea bottom were carried out on the Stupsk Bank. Special attention was given to the magnitude and reach of changes of hydrologic conditions, in that to changes in concentration of matter suspended in sea water, and to dynamics of the sea bottom—change of bottom relief, resulting from both natural causes and from mining of the aggregate.     

Mixed-function oxygenases as biological monitors around petroleum hydrocarbon development sites: Potential for induction by diesel and other drilling mud base oils containing reduced levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The use of oil-based drilling muds has been discouraged in hydrocarbon exploration and production in the marine environment but these muds are presently being used to a considerable degree in the United Kingdom and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea. Field studies in the North Sea have demonstrated only localized impacts around individual drilling sites,^1,2 even including those sites where ‘toxic’ diesel oils were employed as base fluids in drilling muds. Yet the question of disposal of cuttings contaminated with oil from drilling muds remains somewhat controversial. The induction of mixed-function oxygenases (MFO) has been validated on a number of occasions in the field as a sensitive index of low level hydrocarbon exposure (reviewed by Payne),³ including sites in the North Sea where diesel-based muds were used.⁴ The present study demonstrates that any potential for induction by hydrocarbon contaminated cuttings will probably be reduced by substitution of low-aromatic base oils for diesel in drilling mud formulations.