Model-based clustering of Baltic sea-level

Long (>30 years) monthly records of relative sea-level heights from tide gauges in the Baltic sea are analyzed. Time series clustering based on forecast densities is applied in order to describe regional sea-level variability in the Baltic Sea in terms of future relative heights. The tide gauge records are clustered on the basis of forecasts at 3-month and 6-month horizons. For the 3-month horizon, the results of the cluster analysis show a fairly spatial coherency in terms of grouping together locations from the same sub-basin, with the northern records in the Bothnian Sea and Gulf of Finland clustering together, followed by the tide gauges in the Baltic Proper and lastly the southernmost stations in the western Baltic. For the 6-month horizon, the results show a higher degree of homogeneity between different locations, but a clear separation between the stations at the Baltic entrance and the tide gauges inside the Baltic basin. Moreover, when considering detrended records, reflecting mainly the seasonal cycle, the clustering results are more homogeneous and suggest a distinct response of coastal sea-level in spring and in summer.     

Petrographic and geochemical evidence for multiphase formation of carbonates in the Martian orthopyroxenite Allan Hills 84001

Martian meteorites can provide valuable information about past environmental conditions on Mars. Allan Hills 84001 formed more than 4 Gyr ago, and owing to its age and long exposure to the Martian environment, and this meteorite has features that may record early processes. These features include a highly fractured texture, gases trapped during one or more impact events or during formation of the rock, and spherical Fe‐Mg‐Ca carbonates. In this study, we have concentrated on providing new insights into the context of these carbonates using a range of techniques to explore whether they record multiple precipitation and shock events. The petrographic features and compositional properties of these carbonates indicate that at least two pulses of Mg‐ and Fe‐rich solutions saturated the rock. Those two generations of carbonates can be distinguished by a very sharp change in compositions, from being rich in Mg and poor in Fe and Mn, to being poor in Mg and rich in Fe and Mn. Between these two generations of carbonate is evidence for fracturing and local corrosion.     

Determination of sediment volumes, accumulation rates and turbidite emplacement frequencies on the Madeira Abyssal Plain (NE Atlantic): a correlation between seismic and borehole data

The sedimentary infill history of the Madeira Abyssal Plain (MAP) is established from correlation of ODP Leg 157 drillsites (Sites 950–952) with an almost regular grid of 7000 km of intermediate-resolution seismic reflection profiles covering the central part of the abyssal plain. The most conspicuous seismic reflectors bounding the seismostratigraphic units have been identified and mapped. Correlation between seismic and borehole data using synthetic seismograms allows the lithological attribution and dating of the reflectors and seismostratigraphic units. Lateral mapping and correlation of seismic units also allows both the volumes and rates of accumulation of sediments within each seismostratigraphic unit and equivalent time periods of deposition to be determined. These calculations have been corrected for the effect of compaction, calculated at around 40% at the base of the drillholes. Three main turbidite types have been identified at the drillsites and their emplacement frequency has been calculated for each site and time period. Our results show that Cretaceous oceanic crust was draped with red pelagic clays, and the fracture-zone valleys were completely infilled and levelled in a geologically rather short time, probably during the latest Oligocene and Early Miocene, by organic-rich turbidites derived from the NW African continental margin. At 16 Ma, the topography was levelled enough to allow large turbidity current flows to cover the entire plain. During the Middle and Late Miocene (16–5.9 Ma), organic-rich turbidites were emplaced on the abyssal plain at a low rate of accumulation (12 m/my). In the uppermost Miocene–Early Pliocene (5.9–3.6 Ma), turbidite emplacement increased markedly in both frequency and accumulation rate (e.g., 26 m/my for organic-rich turbidites). During this time, period emplacement of volcanic-rich turbidites also increased in volume and frequency, a trend that continued into the Pliocene. Increased volcanic-rich turbidite emplacement correlates well with increased volcanic activity on the Canary Islands, and increased organic-rich turbidite emplacement may correlate with periods of erosion on the NW African continental margin. These erosional periods may be related to global cooling and falling sea level, intensification of bottom-water currents, and enhanced upwelling on the margin.     

Preliminary aspects of rainfall rates in the north east of Spain

Summary A series of charts of rainfall rates recorded by means of a Jardí pluviograph in Barcelona, Spain, and covering a period of 20 years have been digitised. The time intervals of exceedance of certain pre-set rainfall rate thresholds were computed and expressed in percentages of the whole 20-year period. The average worst month period and the absolute worst month were defined and computed. Results are found to agree well with those obtained elsewhere in Southern Europe; they are also compared with some published results for Kew. Frequency-distribution of rates as well as time of occurrence are presented. Rainfall amounts pertaining to several rainfall rate categories have been analysed in order to obtain the ratio of convective to total rainfall amount. Comparison of this ratio with results of some other authors is inconclusive.

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Zusammenfassung Eine Anzahl von Tabellen über Niederschlagsraten, die in Barcelona (Spanien) durch einen Jardí Niederschlagsmesser über eine Zeitspanne von 20 Jahren aufgezeichnet wurden, werden bearbeitet. Die Andauer von gewissen festliegenden Niederschlagsraten wurde berechnet und in Prozenten von der gesamten 20jährigen Zeitspanne ausgedrückt. Die durchschnittliche Dauer im schlechtesten Monat, sowie der absolut schlechteste Monat werden definiert und berechnet. Die Ergebnisse stimmen im allgemeinen mit solchen anderer südeuropäischer Gebiete überein; sie werden mit schon veröffentlichten Ergebnissen aus Kew verglichen. Häufigkeits- als auch Verteilungsraten sowie die Eintrittszeit der Ereignisse werden angegeben. Die Niederschlagsmengen, die jeweils zu verschiedenen Niederschlagsraten gehören, wurden analysiert, um das Verhältnis des konvektiven zum gesamten Niederschlag zu ermitteln. Ein Vergleich dieses Verhältnisses mit den Ergebnissen anderer Autoren sind noch nicht abgeschlossen.

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With 7 Figures     

Erosional and depositional patterns in the Valencia Channel mouth: An example of a modern channel-lobe transition zone

Recent deep-towed, high resolution sidescan sonar records and seismic profiles have been collected on the lower Valencia Fan (Northwestern Mediterranean). Three morphological zones, channelled, transition and unchannelled, have been recognized in the Valencia Channel mouth. Sonographs from the transition zone show a progresive transversal gradation from depositional to erosional bedforms. This asymmetry may be due to the lateral inputs of sediment flows from the Rhone deep-sea fan and to the effect of the Coriolis force, which could have diverted the flows to the southwest. Bedforms recorded in the study area include trains of starved ripples and dunes, sand ribbons, and fields of elongated scours. Most morphological features, bedforms and seismic characteristics of the Valencia Channel mouth are typical of channel-lobe transition zones.     

Physical and Geotechnical Properties and Assessment of Sediment Stability on the Continental Slope and Basin of the Bransfield Basin (Antarctica Peninsula)

Our investigation is centred on the continental slope of the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent basin. Type of sediments, sedimentary stratigraphy, and physical and geotechnical characterization of the sediments have been integrated. Four different types of sediments have been defined: diamictons, silty and muddy turbidites, muddy, silty and muddy matrix embedded clast contourites. There is a close correspondence between the physical properties (density, magnetic susceptibility and p-wave velocity) and the texture and/or fabric as laminations and stratification. From a quantitative point of view, only a few statistical correlations between textural and physical properties have been found. Within the geotechnical properties, only water content is most influenced by texture. This slope, with a maximum gradient observed (20°), is stable, according to the stability under gravitational loading concepts, and the maximum stable slope that would range from 22° to 29°. Nevertheless, different instability features have been observed. Volcanic activity, bottom currents, glacial loading-unloading or earthquakes can be considered as potential mechanisms to induce instability in this area.     

Morphology and downslope sediment displacement in a deep-sea valley,the Valencia Valley (Northwestern Mediterranean)

The Valencia Valley is a Quaternary, 200 km long deep-sea valley in the Valencia Trough, Western Mediterranean Sea. A swathmapping survey approximately mid-way along the valley length, where the floor has an average gradient of 1:250 (0.2°), shows valley walls that rise 200 to 350 m above the valley floor, with slopes of 2 to 18°. Sediment forming the walls is undergoing retrogressive, upslope-directed slumping with increasing bedding disruption along steeper walls. The valley exhibits a winding course with steep outer and gentler inner walls around bends, and bedforms on the valley floor. Lateral migration around bends is less than 5 km and the valley is deeply entrenched into Quaternary-bedded sediments.     

A Deep-sea Channel in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea: Morphology and seismic structure of the Valencia Channel and its surroundings

The 400 km long Valencia Channel occupies the axis of the Valencia Trough in the Northwestern Mediterranean. Four different types of seismic reflection profiles were used to analyze the morphology and structure of the Valencia Channel with regard to the role played by both margins, Balearic and Iberian, of the Valencia Trough. From a detailed morphoseismic analysis of the Valencia Channel, its upper, middle, and lower courses can be characterized as follows: (1) in the upper course, tributaries are short and only slightly incised, with recent mass-transport deposits occurring on the adjacent continental slopes; (2) in the middle course, the channel deepens, and tributary valleys merge into it; and (3) the lower course begins after a sudden change in the direction of the channel, has a meandering path, is flanked by levees, and is fed by some valleys.During the Pliocene and Quaternary, at least four erosional and filling phases are observed in seismic profiles of the lower course of the Valencia Channel. The varying intensity of mass-transport processes and associated retrogressive slumping, which are related with fluctuations in sediment supply and relative sea-level changes, have played a major role in the formation, maintenance and deepening of the Valencia Channel. In addition to these sedimentary processes, a basement tectonic control and some morphostructural features affect the direction of the Valencia Channel locally.     

Impact of the lateral boundary conditions resolution on dynamical downscaling of precipitation in mediterranean spain

Conclusions on the General Circulation Models (GCMs) horizontal and temporal optimum resolution for dynamical downscaling of rainfall in Mediterranean Spain are derived based on the statistical analysis of mesoscale simulations of past events. These events correspond to the 165 heavy rainfall days during 1984–1993, which are simulated with the HIRLAM mesoscale model. The model is nested within the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts atmospheric grid analyses. We represent the spectrum of GCMs resolutions currently applied in climate change research by using varying horizontal and temporal resolutions of these analyses. Three sets of simulations are designed using input data with 1°, 2° and 3° horizontal resolutions (available at 6 h intervals), and three additional sets are designed using 1° horizontal resolution with less frequent boundary conditions updated every 12, 24 and 48 h. The quality of the daily rainfall forecasts is verified against rain-gauge observations using correlation and root mean square error analysis as well as Relative Operating Characteristic curves. Spatial distribution of average precipitation fields are also computed and verified against observations. For the whole Mediterranean Spain, model skill is not appreciably improved when using enhanced spatial input data, suggesting that there is no clear benefit in using high resolution data from General Circulation Model for the regional downscaling of precipitation under the conditions tested. However, significant differences are found in verification scores when boundary conditions are interpolated less frequently than 12 h apart. The analysis is particularized for six major rain bearing flow regimes that affect the region, and differences in model performance are found among the flow types, with slightly better forecasts for Atlantic and cold front passage flows. A remarkable spatial variability in forecast quality is found in the domain, with an overall tendency for higher Relative Operating Characteristic scores in the west and north of the region and over highlands, where the two previous flow regimes are quite influential. The findings of this study could be of help for dynamical downscaling design applied to future precipitation scenarios in the region, as well as to better establish confidence intervals on its results.