Use of Pyracantha coccinea Roem. as a possible biomonitor for the selected heavy metals

In this study, copper, iron, manganese and nickel levels of branches and leaves of Pyracantha coccinea Roem. (firethorn) were measured for determining the heavy metal pollution in Mugla Province. Plant samples were collected from 34 different localities in four different areas of Mugla Province, during 2006 vegetation period. Unwashed and washed leaf samples and unwashed branch samples were subjected to analysis and copper, iron, manganese and nickel concentrations of samples were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The obtained data were analyzed with “statistical package for the social sciences” statistics program. As a result of measurements, the highest average and lowest values and their collected stations were as follows; the highest average (5.89 ± 0.04 μg/g dw) and the lowest (5.20 ± 0.03 μtg/g dw) values of copper were measured near highways. The average highest iron value (9.53 ±1.68 μtg/g dw) was in industrial area while the lowest was near highways (1.73 ± 0.54 μtg/g dw). The highest value of magnesium accumulation (1.00 ± 0.16 μtg/gdw) was measured near highways. The lowest value was determined in urban area (0.40 ± 0.14 μtg/g dw). The average highest level of nickel was in industrial area while the lowest was determined in urban area. The values were 14.34 ± 1.59 μtg/g and 4.05 ± 0.51 μtg/g dw. As a result, it was proven that P. coccinea could be used as a biomonitor species for some of these heavy metals especially for copper and nickel.     

Climate modification by future ice sheet changes and consequences for ice sheet mass balance

The future evolution of global ice sheets under anthropogenic greenhouse forcing and its impact on the climate system, including the regional climate of the ice sheets, are investigated with a comprehensive earth system model consisting of a coupled Atmosphere–Ocean General Circulation Model, a dynamic vegetation model and an ice sheet model. The simulated control climate is realistic enough to permit a direct coupling of the atmosphere and ice sheet components, avoiding the use of anomaly coupling, which represents a strong improvement with respect to previous modelling studies. Glacier ablation is calculated with an energy-balance scheme, a more physical approach than the commonly used degree-day method. Modifications of glacier mask, topographic height and freshwater fluxes by the ice sheets influence the atmosphere and ocean via dynamical and thermodynamical processes. Several simulations under idealized scenarios of greenhouse forcing have been performed, where the atmospheric carbon dioxide stabilizes at two and four times pre-industrial levels. The evolution of the climate system and the ice sheets in the simulations with interactive ice sheets is compared with the simulations with passively coupled ice sheets. For a four-times CO₂ scenario forcing, a faster decay rate of the Greenland ice sheet is found in the non-interactive case, where melting rates are higher. This is caused by overestimation of the increase in near-surface temperature that follows the reduction in topographic height. In areas close to retreating margins, melting rates are stronger in the interactive case, due to changes in local albedo. Our results call for careful consideration of the feedbacks operating between ice sheets and climate after substantial decay of the ice sheets.     

Simulation of heavy rainfall events over Indian monsoon region using WRF-3DVAR data assimilation system

We present the results of the impact of the 3D variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to simulate three heavy rainfall events (25–28 June 2005, 29–31 July 2004, and 7–9 August 2002) over the Indian monsoon region. For each event, two numerical experiments were performed. In the first experiment, namely the control simulation (CNTL), the low-resolution global analyses are used as the initial and boundary conditions of the model. In the second experiment (3DV-ANA), the model integration was carried out by inserting additional observations in the model’s initial conditions using the 3DVAR scheme. The 3DVAR used surface weather stations, buoy, ship, radiosonde/rawinsonde, and satellite (oceanic surface wind, cloud motion wind, and cloud top temperature) observations obtained from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). After the successful inclusion of additional observational data using the 3DVAR data assimilation technique, the resulting reanalysis was able to successfully reproduce the structure of convective organization as well as prominent synoptic features associated with the mid-tropospheric cyclones (MTC). The location and intensity of the MTC were better simulated in the 3DV-ANA as compared to the CNTL. The results demonstrate that the improved initial conditions of the mesoscale model using 3DVAR enhanced the location and amount of rainfall over the Indian monsoon region. Model verification and statistical skill were assessed with the help of available upper-air sounding data. The objective verification further highlighted the efficiency of the data assimilation system. The improvements in the 3DVAR run are uniformly better as compared to the CNTL run for all the three cases. The mesoscale 3DVAR data assimilation system is not operational in the weather forecasting centers in India and a significant finding in this study is that the assimilation of Indian conventional and non-conventional observation datasets into numerical weather forecast models can help improve the simulation accuracy of meso-convective activities over the Indian monsoon region. Results from the control experiments also highlight that weather and regional climate model simulations with coarse analysis have high uncertainty in simulating heavy rain events over the Indian monsoon region and assimilation approaches, such as the 3DVAR can help reduce this uncertainty.     

Tracing groundwater nitrate sources in the Dakar suburban area: an isotopic multi‐tracer approach

The Dakar region is a mega city with multiple contaminant sources from urban expansion as well as industrial and agricultural activities. The major part of the region is underlain by unconfined sandy aquifer, which is vulnerable to contaminants derived from human land use. At present, the contaminated groundwater which extends over a large area in the suburban zone of Thiaroye poses a threat to the future of this valuable resource, and more specifically, a health threat. This study focuses on nitrate pollution occurrences and associated processes using nitrate isotope data (¹⁵N_NO3, ¹⁸O_NO3) combined with environmental isotopic tracers (¹⁸O, ²H, and ³H). Samples from 36 wells were collected to determine the level, distribution, and sources of contamination in relation to land use. Results indicate that shallow groundwater in the urbanized area of Thiaroye shows distinct evidence of surface contamination with nitrate as much as 300 mg/l NO₃^?. In rural area not serviced by water supply distribution network, much higher NO₃^? contents were found in few wells due to household and livestock feedlots. In most groundwater samples δ¹⁵N values ranged from + 10 to + 22‰, indicative of predominantly human and animal wastes. This was confirmed by environmental isotope data which suggest a mixture of polluted recharge waters. By using the dual δ¹⁵N vs δ¹⁸O as well as δ¹⁵N vs NO₃^? approach, denitrification may occur to some extent but it is blurred by mixing with new infiltrated nitrates and cycling derived from continuous leaky septic system. Results suggest that nitrate contamination of the aquifer is a consequence of unregulated urbanisation (homemade latrines), continuing contaminant transfer in shallow water depth where aerobic conditions prevail. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochronology of high-pressure mafic granulite dykes in SW Sweden: tracking the P–T–t path of metamorphism using Hf isotopes in zircon and baddeleyite

Although the U–Pb zircon chronometer has been widely used for dating metamorphism in moderate‐ to high‐grade rocks, it is generally difficult to link the U–Pb age of zircon to specific metamorphic reactions. In this study, the initial Hf isotopic composition of secondary zircon is compared with the evolution of Hf isotopic composition of the bulk sample, back‐projected from the measured value through time. This approach may enhance the interpretation of radiometric ages performed on metamorphic mineral assemblages. Here, U–Pb, Sm–Nd and Lu–Hf geochronology and thermobarometry have been integrated and applied to two metamorphosed diabase dykes in the Sveconorwegian orogen, SW Sweden. The dykes are located ～5 km east of the NNE‐trending Göta Älv deformation zone in the Idefjorden terrane, and trend parallel to this zone. The Lunden dyke is recrystallized into a coronitic, granulite facies assemblage. U–Pb isotopic analyses of baddeleyite in this dyke indicate an emplacement age of c. 1300 Ma. Thermobarometric techniques applied to garnet and omphacitic clinopyroxene coronas indicate high‐pressure metamorphism at ～15 kbar and ～740 °C. The growth of polycrystalline zircon at the expense of baddeleyite occurred at 1046 ± 6 Ma. The identical Hf isotopic composition of polycrystalline zircon and baddeleyite shows that the baddeleyite‐to‐zircon transition took place before Hf equilibration among the other metamorphic minerals and, hence the c. 1046 Ma age of polycrystalline zircon sets an upper age limit of metamorphism of this sample. The Haregården dyke is recrystallized into a granoblastic transitional upper amphibolite to granulite facies assemblage. The estimated P–T conditions are ～10 kbar and ～700 °C. Analyses of small (～30 μm), clear and round zircon in this sample yield a Concordia U–Pb age of 1026 ± 4 Ma, which is indistinguishable from the Lu‐Hf and Sm‐Nd mineral isochron ages of 1027 ± 9 and 1022 ± 34 Ma, respectively. This type of secondary zircon plots at the lower end of the Lu‐Hf isochron and indicates simultaneous growth with garnet at c. 1026 Ma, a time when Hf isotopic equilibrium among minerals must have been reached.     

Recent studies on surface water–groundwater relationships at hydro‐projects in India using environmental isotopes

Environmental isotopes (²H or D, ¹⁸O, ³H), along with geology, hydrochemistry and in situ physicochemical parameters (EC, T, DO, pH) were employed to study surface water (reservoir, lake)–groundwater (spring) relationships at (1) Nagewadi, a minor irrigation project in the State of Maharashtra, Western India; (2) Kanhirapuzha reservoir in the State of Kerala, Southern India and (3) Ghatghar Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project in the State of Maharashtra, Western India for the purpose of understanding the seepage/leakage and its associated problems. The studies concluded that the springs found downstream of the Nagewadi project originate from the reservoir and not from the abutments or shallow aquifers. The Kanhirapuzha reservoir receives a substantial base‐flow component compared to riverine inputs. The reason for the water‐logging problem at a nearby downstream village during the non‐summer periods is due to the change in the upstream groundwater flow direction under reservoir filling conditions and is not due to reservoir leakage. Most of the springs in the approach tunnel to the underground power house of the Ghatghar Project originate from the lower reservoir and not from the upper reservoir or the overburden rock matrix. The above case studies illustrate the diversity of environmental isotope applications in surface water (reservoir, lake)–groundwater (spring) relationships related to sustainability of hydro‐projects. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of RTK-GPS and Total Station for applications in land surveying

Accuracies of Real-Time Kinematic Global Positioning (RTK-GPS) system and Total Station (TS) were investigated in GIS environment. In geostatistical evaluations, Kriging method was used with spherical, exponential, and Gaussian models. The survey results demonstrated that an area of 3.5 ha or smaller can be best explained with Gaussian model, while the larger areas require a spherical model. A vertical error of 60 cm and a horizontal error of 30 cm can be observed when the survey points outside the construction area are eliminated. The optimum area per survey point was calculated to be 20×20 m² to increase the accuracy. This case study showed that an inaccurate survey can result cost over estimations up to 27%.     

Parameters of the apparent relative orbit of the third body in the SZ Cam system

A complete set of parameters of the apparent relative orbit of the third body in the SZ Cam system is determined for the first time based on new speckle-interferometric and photometric observations of the eclipsing binary SZ Cam made with the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences and 0.5-m telescope of the Astronomical Observatory of Ural State University and published data. The mass of the third body and the distance to SZ Cam are estimated at M ₃ = 23.4M _⊙ and d = 1125 kpc, respectively. The binary nature of the third body is confirmed. It is suggested that SZ Cam is possibly not a member of the open star cluster NGC 1502 onto whose center it projects. A total of 16 new times of minima of SZ Cam are reported.