CO 2 emission trading model with trading prices

In this paper we consider the buying/selling prices of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission permits in trading models with uncertainty. Permission prices, although usually omitted from standard models, may significantly influence the trading market. We thus undertook to construct a more realistic trade model and to compare it with the standard one. To do this, we introduced several important changes to the standard model, namely, (1) a new optimized quality function; and (2) transactions with price negotiations between regions. We also enhanced the model using methods described in the literature to allow it to deal with reported emissions uncertainty. Additionally, we used an original method of simulating this kind of market based on a specialized evolutionary algorithm (EA).     

Binary gas sorption/desorption experiments on a bituminous coal: Simultaneous measurements on sorption kinetics,volumetric strain and acoustic emission

There is still no clear understanding of the specific interactions between coal and gas molecules. In this context sorption–desorption studies of methane and carbon dioxide, both in a single gas environment and gas mixtures, are of fundamental interest. This paper presents the results of unique simultaneous measurements of sorption kinetics, volumetric strain and acoustic emission (AE) on three tetragonal coal samples subjected to sorption of carbon dioxide and methane mixtures. The coal was a high volatile bituminous C coal taken from the Budryk mine in the Upper Silesia Basin, Poland. Three different gas mixtures were used in the sorption tests, with dominant CO₂, with dominant CH₄ and a 50/50 mixture.The experimental set-up was designed specially for this study. It consisted of three individual units working together: (i) a unit for gas sorption experiments using a volumetric method, (ii) an AE apparatus for detecting, recording and analysing AE, and (iii) a strain meter for measuring strains induced in the coal sample by gas sorption/desorption. All measurements were computer aided.The experiments indicated that the coal tested showed preferential sorption of CH₄ at 2.6 MPa pressure and exhibited comparable affinities for CH₄ and CO₂ at higher pressures (4.0 MPa). The results of chromatographic analysis of the gas released on desorption suggested that the desorption of methane from the coal was favoured. The relationship between the volumetric strain and the amount of sorbed gas was found to be non-linear. These results were contrary to common opinions on the coal behaviour. Furthermore, it appeared that the swelling/shrinkage of coal was clearly influenced by the network of fractures. Besides, the AE and strain characteristics suggested common sources of sorption induced AE and strain.The present results may have implications for the sequestration of carbon dioxide in coal seams and enhanced coalbed methane recovery (ECBM).     

Meteoroid Stream Searching: The Use of the Vectorial Elements

In this initial study, we propose a new distance function D _V involving heliocentric vectorial orbital elements. The function measures differences between: the orbital energies, the angular momentums vectors and the Laplace vectors. In comparison with the widely used D _SH criterion of Southworth and Hawkins, D _D criterion of Drummond and their hybrid D _H by Jopek, the new function contains one invariant with respect to the principal secular perturbation: the orbital energy. The new function proved to be useful in the classification amongst the IAU2003 meteoroids which we searched for streams by D _V function and also using D _SH and D _N -function given by Valsecchi et al. For major streams, the results agree very well. For minor, and near-ecliptical streams the results sometimes differ markedly.     

Intercomparison of measurements of bulk snow density and water equivalent of snow cover with snow core samplers: Instrumental bias and variability induced by observers

Manually collected snow data are often considered as ground truth for many applications such as climatological or hydrological studies. However, there are many sources of uncertainty that are not quantified in detail. For the determination of water equivalent of snow cover (SWE), different snow core samplers and scales are used, but they are all based on the same measurement principle. We conducted two field campaigns with 9 samplers commonly used in observational measurements and research in Europe and northern America to better quantify uncertainties when measuring depth, density and SWE with core samplers. During the first campaign, as a first approach to distinguish snow variability measured at the plot and at the point scale, repeated measurements were taken along two 20 m long snow pits. The results revealed a much higher variability of SWE at the plot scale (resulting from both natural variability and instrumental bias) compared to repeated measurements at the same spot (resulting mostly from error induced by observers or very small scale variability of snow depth). The exceptionally homogeneous snowpack found in the second campaign permitted to almost neglect the natural variability of the snowpack properties and focus on the separation between instrumental bias and error induced by observers. Reported uncertainties refer to a shallow, homogeneous tundra-taiga snowpack less than 1 m deep (loose, mostly recrystallised snow and no wind impact). Under such measurement conditions, the uncertainty in bulk snow density estimation is about 5% for an individual instrument and is close to 10% among different instruments. Results confirmed that instrumental bias exceeded both the natural variability and the error induced by observers, even in the case when observers were not familiar with a given snow core sampler.     

Tropospheric refractivity and zenith path delays from least-squares collocation of meteorological and GNSS data

Precise positioning requires an accurate a priori troposphere model to enhance the solution quality. Several empirical models are available, but they may not properly characterize the state of troposphere, especially in severe weather conditions. Another possible solution is to use regional troposphere models based on real-time or near-real time measurements. In this study, we present the total refractivity and zenith total delay (ZTD) models based on a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data and ground-based meteorological observations. We reconstruct the total refractivity profiles over the western part of Switzerland and the total refractivity profiles as well as ZTDs over Poland using the least-squares collocation software COMEDIE (Collocation of Meteorological Data for Interpretation and Estimation of Tropospheric Pathdelays) developed at ETH Zürich. In these two case studies, profiles of the total refractivity and ZTDs are calculated from different data sets. For Switzerland, the data set with the best agreement with the reference radiosonde (RS) measurements is the combination of ground-based meteorological observations and GNSS ZTDs. Introducing the horizontal gradients does not improve the vertical interpolation, and results in slightly larger biases and standard deviations. For Poland, the data set based on meteorological parameters from the NWP Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and from a combination of the NWP model and GNSS ZTDs shows the best agreement with the reference RS data. In terms of ZTD, the combined NWP-GNSS observations and GNSS-only data set exhibit the best accuracy with an average bias (from all stations) of 3.7 mm and average standard deviations of 17.0 mm w.r.t. the reference GNSS stations.     

The integrated use of GPS/GLONASS observations in network code differential positioning

GPS Solutions - We present the methodology and results of GPS/GLONASS integration in network code differential positioning for regional coverage across Poland using single frequency. Previous...     

Stable isotopes and trace elements in modern ostracod shells: implications for reconstructing past environments on the Tibetan Plateau,China

Stable isotopes and trace elements in ostracod shells have been used widely in paleolimnological investigations of past lake hydrochemistry and climate because they provide insights into past water balance and solute evolution of lakes. Regional differences in lake characteristics and species-specific element fractionation, however, do not permit generalization of results from other regions or ostracod species to the southern Tibetan Plateau, in part because most common taxa from the southern Tibetan Plateau are endemic to the area. This study evaluated relations between present-day environmental conditions and the geochemical composition of modern ostracod shells from the southern Tibetan Plateau, to assess the suitability of using shell chemistry to infer hydrological conditions. We studied nine lakes and their catchments, located along a west–east transect in the south-central part of the Tibetan Plateau. Stable oxygen and carbon isotope values and trace element concentrations in recent shells from the four most abundant ostracod species (Leucocytherella sinensis, ?Leucocythere dorsotuberosa, Limnocythere inopinata, Tonnacypris gyirongensis) were measured, together with hydrochemical properties of host waters at the time of sampling. Results revealed significant between-species differences in stable isotope fractionation and trace element incorporation into shell calcite. Stable oxygen and carbon isotope values of ostracod shells were correlated significantly with the stable isotope composition of the respective water body \( \left( {\updelta^{18} {\text{O}}_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} \,{\text{and }}\updelta^{13} {\text{C}}_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} } \right) \), reflecting salinity and productivity, respectively. Offsets between δ¹⁸O_shell and δ¹³C_shell and inorganic calcite, the latter representing isotopic equilibrium, suggest shell formation of T. gyirongensis during spring melt. L. sinensis reproduces throughout the monsoon season until September and shows several consecutive generations, and L. inopinata molts to the adult stage after the monsoon season in August/September. The influence of pore water δ¹³C was displayed by L. inopinata, suggesting shell calcification within the sediment. Mg/Ca_shell is primarily influenced by water Mg/Ca ratios and salinity and confirms the use of this shell ratio as a proxy for precipitation-evaporation balance and lake level. In addition, Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca can be used to infer changes in salinity, at least in closed-basin lakes with calcite saturation. Observed effects of water Sr/Ca and salinity on Sr/Ca incorporation are biased by the presence of aragonite precipitation in the lakes, which removes bioavailable Sr from the host water, resulting in low Sr/Ca_shell values. Changes in carbonate mineralogy affect the bioavailability of trace elements, a process that should be considered in paleoclimate reconstructions. Oxygen isotopes and Mg/Ca_shell ratios were unaffected by water temperature. Positive correlations among Fe/Ca, Mn/Ca and U/Ca in ostracod shells, and their negative correlation with δ¹³C, which reflects organic matter decay, show the potential to infer changes in redox conditions that can be used to reconstruct past oxygen supply to bottom waters and thus past water-circulation changes within lakes. The intensity of microbial activity, associated with organic matter decomposition, can be inferred from U/Ca ratios in ostracod shells. These findings highlight the value of fossil ostracod records in lake deposits for inferring paleoenvironmental conditions on the southern Tibetan Plateau.     

A comparison of results from geomorphological diversity evaluation methods in the Polish Lowland (Toruń Basin and Chełmno Lakeland)

Geomorphological diversity is part of geodiversity. Study and evaluation of geodiversity, including geomorphological diversity, is often conducted in uplands and mountains, despite the fact that lowland areas are of equal importance. This paper evaluates geomorphological diversity in a small area of the Polish Lowland, using a variety of methods that have been applied in recent times for evaluating geodiversity, and presents the results on maps. By comparing these maps and analyzing the correlation coefficients of the results obtained, it was possible to identify the two methods that were best suited to indicating areas with the greatest geomorphological diversity in the lowlands. These two methods are least affected by the choice of elementary fields and data classification methods applied. The study identified the two areas with the greatest relief diversity and showed that they distinctly differ from one another. They demonstrate the major influence of processes, not only on the topographic parameters and landform types, but above all on identifying and defining total geomorphological diversity. These methods, which can be used to identify the areas with the greatest total geomorphological diversity, could readily be used in applied studies relating to abiotic ecosystem services and landscape management.     

Holocene paleohydrological reconstruction of Lake Strzeszyńskie (western Poland) and its implications for the central European climatic transition zone

Western Poland is located in the central European climatic transition zone, which separates the mild and humid Atlantic climate of Western Europe and the East European continental climate. This region is sensitive to lateral shifts of the European climate zones and is particularly suitable for reconstructing Holocene climate variability. This paper presents detailed analyses of the sedimentary record from Lake Strzeszyńskie since the Late Pleistocene. These include smear-slide and thin-section observations, X-ray fluorescence core scanning, magnetic susceptibility measurements, pollen analyses, and radiocarbon dating. The sediment record reveals three distinct sedimentary units consisting of: (1) an alternation of sand layers and laminated silt and clay deposits accumulated prior to 14,600 cal yr BP; (2) faintly laminated calcareous sediments intercalated with organic matter-rich layers deposited between 14,600 and 10,200 cal yr BP; and (3) massive calcareous mud deposited after 10,200 cal yr BP. The Holocene period is marked by nine phases of organic-rich sedimentation and enhanced Fe deposition, which occurred at ca. 10.1, 9.3, 6.4–6.1, 5.5–5.1, 4.7–4.5, 2.7–2.4, 1.3–1.2, 0.8–0.6, 0.4–0.2 kyr cal BP. These phases are associated with high lake levels and correspond with wet periods recognized in several other records from Poland and central Europe. These phases partly coincide with North Atlantic cold periods, which may suggest that high lake levels are triggered by an ocean-continent linking mechanism.