Formation of submarginal and proglacial end moraines: implications of ice‐flow mechanism during the 1963–64 surge of Brúarjökull,Iceland

The morphology, sedimentology and architecture of an end moraine formed by a ～9 km surge of Brúarjökull in 1963–64 are described and related to ice‐marginal conditions at surge termination. Field observations and accurate mapping using digital elevation models and high‐resolution aerial photographs recorded at surge termination and after the surge show that commonly the surge end moraine was positioned underneath the glacier snout by the termination of the surge. Ground‐penetrating radar profiles and sedimentological data reveal 4–5 m thick deformed sediments consisting of a top layer of till overlying gravel and fine‐grained sediments, and structural geological investigations show that the end moraine is dominated by thrust sheets. A sequential model explaining the formation of submarginal end moraines is proposed. The hydraulic conductivity of the bed had a major influence on the subglacial drainage efficiency and associated porewater pressure at the end of the surge, thereby affecting the rates of subglacial deformation. High porewater pressure in the till decreased its shear strength and raised its strain rate, while low porewater pressure in the underlying gravel had the opposite effect, such that the gravel deformed more slowly than the till. The principal velocity component was therefore located within the till, allowing the glacier to override the gravel thrust sheets that constitute the end moraine. The model suggests that the processes responsible for the formation of submarginal end moraines are different from those operating during the formation of proglacial end moraines.     

Late Quaternary Carnivora from the Balck Belt, Mississippi

Rancholabrean and/or Holocene remains record the presence of the following species of Carnivora in the Black Belt; Canis Latrans, Urocyon cinereoargentatus, Ursus amenricanus, Tremarctors floridanus. Arctodus simus, Felis amnicola, and Lynx rufus . A temporal size reduction was noted in the case of Canis latrans and Ursus americans     

An 800-year long, radiocarbon-dated varve chronology from south-eastern Sweden

More than 50 varve-thickness diagrams, which were established from glacial varved clays in south-eastern Sweden were correlated with each other to form an 800-year long floating varve chronology. AMS |214|0C measurements on terrestrial macrofossils from the varved clays enabled synchronization of the record with other high-resolution archives. The synchronization indicates that the chronology spans between c. 13 150 and c. 12 350 calendar years BP and covers the later part of the Allerørd and the early part of the Younger Dryas. Calibrated radiocarbon dates, which were obtained on varved clays south of the floating chronology, indicate that the ice recession in south-eastern Sweden may have started during late Bølling. Our results indicate a longer time-span in varve years for the deglaciation than has been previously estimated     

Impact of swell on simulations using a regional atmospheric climate model

When long, fast swell waves travel in approximately the same direction as the wind, the surface stress is reduced compared with under wind-sea conditions. Using measurements from the Östergarnsholm site in the Baltic Sea, new expressions of the roughness length were developed for wind sea and swell. These new expressions were implemented in the RCA3 regional climate model covering Europe. A 3-year simulation and two case studies using the wavefield from the ECMWF reanalysis (ERA-40) were analysed using the improved formulations. Wind-following swell led to a significant reduction of mean wind stress and heat fluxes. The mean surface layer wind speed was redistributed horizontally and the marine boundary layer cooled and dried slightly. This cooling was most pronounced over North Sea and the Norwegian Sea (almost 0.2 °C annually on average) whereas the drying was most pronounced over the Mediterranean Sea (almost 0.4 g kg⁻¹). Somewhat less convective precipitation and low-level cloudiness over the sea areas were also indicated, in particular over the Mediterranean Sea. The impact on the atmosphere, however, is significantly locally greater in time and space.     

A New Video and Digital Camera System for Studies of the Dynamics of Microtopographic Features on Tidal Flats

A newly developed video and camera system for tidal flat microtopographic studies is presented. It consists of a SONY handy cam placed in an underwater housing mounted on a frame about 70?cm above the sediment surface. A rectangular surface area of 30?×40?cm is imaged by the camera. The camera records video sequences and/or digital images at predetermined time lapses. The total number of images is about 540, and a similar number of 10-second long video sequences can be recorded. The camera is programmed with a PC before deployment, and the total deployment time depends on the time lapse between recordings. The camera is connected to an external power supply (12?volt), and a halogen projector pointing towards the sediment surface ensures that the system is operable on a 24-hours scale. The system has been tested in the Danish Wadden Sea. It has proved to be a very useful tool in studies of topographic effects of erosion and deposition sequences, and for studies of benthic organisms-sediment interactions. The test site was further equipped with sensors for water and seabed measurements, which proved to be indispensable regarding the interpretation of recorded image time-series.     

Heavy metal contents in growth bands of Porites corals: record of anthropogenic and human developments from the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba

In order to assess pollutants and impact of environmental changes in the coastal region of the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba, concentrations of six metals were traced through variations in 5 years growth bands sections of recent Porties coral skeleton. X-radiography showed annual growth band patterns extending back to the year 1925. Baseline metal concentrations in Porites corals were established using 35 years-long metal record from late Holocene coral (deposited in pristine environment) and coral from reef that is least exposed to pollution in the marine reserve in the Gulf of Aqaba. The skeleton samples of the collected corals were acid digested and analyzed for their Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn content using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (FAAS). All metal profiles (except Fe and Zn) recorded the same metal signature from recent coral (1925–2005) in which low steady baseline levels were displayed in growth bands older than 1965, similar to those obtained from fossil and unpolluted corals. Most metals showed dramatic increase (ranging from 17% to 300%) in growth band sections younger than 1965 suggesting an extensive contamination of the coastal area since the mid sixties. This date represents the beginning of a period that witnessed increasing coastal activities, constructions and urbanization. This has produced a significant reduction in coral skeletal extension rates. Results from this study strongly suggest that Porites corals have a high tendency to accumulate heavy metals in their skeletons and therefore can serve as proxy tools to monitor and record environmental pollution (bioindicators) in the Gulf of Aqaba.     

INFORMATION NOT DATA: FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF ROAD WEATHER INFORMATION SYSTEMS

The Swedish Road Weather Information System is a tool for road winter maintenance giving warnings about risk of slipperiness and severe weather conditions. The system is based on climatological research at the University of Göteborg and was initiated by Professor Sven Lindqvist during the 1970s. Knowledge about micro‐and local climate variations is crucial when it comes to forecasting and giving warnings about different kinds of weather‐related traffic disturbances. The progress of climatological research has made it possible to increase the use of road weather data into different applications. Future development will be focused upon development of the road weather information system towards a user‐friendly maintenance decision support system which will enhance the benefits of the road weather information system.