MAPPING AND INTERPRETATION OF FIELD PHENOMENA FOR GROUNDWATER RECONNAISSANCE IN A PRAIRIE ENVIRONMENT,ALBERTA, CANADA

ABSTRACT

Theoretically, a small drainage basin may be divided into equal areas of downward flow and upward flow of groundwater. In regions where surface water does not obscure the phenomena produced by groundwater, these areas can be differentiated by mapping springs, seepages, groundwater levels, flowing wells, chemical quality of water, natural vegetation, salt precipitates, quality of crops, soap holes, and moist and dry depressions.

Mapping and interpretation of field phenomena have been carried out in a section of the Ghostpine Creek valley in a Prairie environment. The relief is gently rolling, the geology is simple, and the climate is cold, humid, and continental. The area of the “north flow-systems” is apportioned as follows: 26 per cent underlain by downward flow; 42 per cent underlain by a mid-line area; and 32 per cent underlain by upward flow.

Noting that groundwater flow is nearly parallel to the water table in the vicinity of the mid-line these results comply with the above-mentioned theory of groundwater flow distribution in small drainage basins. Thus, the method is suggested for: 1. A reconnaissance study of the groundwater regime in certain areas, and 2. Specific problems related to groundwater in a Prairie environment, such as: finding suitable locations for dug-out type water supplies, estimating prospects for slough-draining and irrigation, and explanation of the development of certain soil types. For such purposes, the method appears to be competitive with test drilling.     

River flow forecasting system with data management,graphical river network control and interactive operation

Abstract

The feasibility and success of a forecasting system depend on many factors. Although the models may be of the highest accuracy, they cannot make a forecasting system effective without a well organized database and interpretable output. The interaction between the processes of data management, computation and output presentation should be dynamic. A complete river forecasting system for IBM (or compatible) personal computers aimed at meeting the above demands has been developed at the Department of Hydrology of Uppsala University. The program package sets up the river network, stores a database for it, supplies the appropriate data for a wide choice of forecasting models, and gives interpretable output. The functions are supported by screen graphics. The paper presents this system, the most important points of the algorithms, and an example application.     

Formational history of the Wicklow Trough: a marine-transgressed tunnel valley revealing ice flow velocity and retreat rates for the largest ice stream draining the late-Devensian British–Irish Ice Sheet

The Wicklow Trough is one of several Irish Sea bathymetric deeps, yet unusually isolated from the main depression, the Western Trough. Its formation has been described as proglacial or subglacial, linked to the Irish Sea Ice Stream (ISIS) during the Last Glacial Maximum. The evolution of the Wicklow Trough and neighbouring deeps, therefore, help us to understand ISIS dynamics, when it was the main ice stream draining the former British–Irish Ice Sheet. The morphology and sub-seabed stratigraphy of the 18 km long and 2 km wide Wicklow Trough is described here from new multibeam echosounder data, 60 km of sparker seismic profiles and five sediment cores. At a maximum water depth of 82 m, the deep consists of four overdeepened sections. The heterogeneous glacial sediments in the Trough overlay bedrock, with indications of flank mass-wasting and subglacial bedforms on its floor. The evidence strongly suggests that the Wicklow Trough is a tunnel valley formed by time-transgressive erosional processes, with pressurised meltwater as the dominant agent during gradual or slow ice sheet retreat. Its location may be fault-controlled, and the northern end of the Wicklow Trough could mark a transition from rapid to slow grounded ice margin retreat, which could be tested with modelling.     

Gravity wave breaking in easterly flow over Greenland and associated low level barrier- and reverse tip-jets

A first evidence of severe turbulence in the lower stratosphere during easterly tropospheric flow over Greenland is presented. A numerical simulation shows the turbulence to be associated with gravity wave breaking and that simulating with a horizontal resolution of 3 km gives substantially greater and more realistic turbulence than at a 9 km horizontal resolution. It is concluded that real-time simulations at high resolutions would improve aviation forecasts. As the atmospheric flow impinges on South-Greenland a barrier jet, a reverse tip jet and amplified mountain waves with secondary wave breaking are generated at the same time.     

Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopic Signatures of Large Atmospheric Ice Conglomerations

Specific studies about the stable isotope composition (¹⁸O/¹⁶O and D/H) of atmospheric icy conglomerations are still scarce. The present work offers, for the first time, a very detailed analysis of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic signatures of unusually large ice conglomerations, or “megacryometeors”, that fell to the ground in Spain during January 2000. The hydrochemical analysis is based on the bulk isotopic composition and systematic selective sampling (deuterium isotopic mapping) of eleven selected specimens. δ¹⁸O and δD (V-SMOW) of all samples fall into the Meteoric Water Line matching well with typical tropospheric values. The distribution of the samples on Craig's line suggests either a variation in condensation temperature and/or different residual fractions of water vapour (Rayleigh processes). Three of the largest megacryometeors exhibited unequivocally distinctive negative values (δ¹⁸O = −17.2%₀ and δD = −127 %₀ V-SMOW), (δ¹⁸O = −15.6%₀ and δD = −112%₀ V-SMOW) and (δ¹⁸O = −14.4%₀ and δD = −100%₀ V-SMOW), suggesting an atmospheric origin typical of the upper troposphere. Theoretical calculations indicate that the vertical trajectory of growth was lower than 3.2 km. During the period in which the fall of megacryometeors occurred, anomalous atmospheric conditions were observed to exist: a substantial lowering of the tropopause with a deep layer of saturated air below, ozone depression and strong wind shear. Moreover, these large ice conglomerations occurred during non-thunderstorm conditions, suggesting an alternative process of ice growth was responsible for their formation.     

The millennium eruption of Hekla in February 2000

The 18th historic eruption of Hekla started on 26 February, 2000. It was a short-lived but intense event, emitting basaltic andesitic (55.5 wt% SiO₂) pyroclastic fragments and lava. During the course of the eruption, monitoring was done by both instruments and direct observations, together providing unique insight into the current activity of Hekla. During the 12-day eruption, a total of 0.189 km³ DRE of magma was emitted. The eruptive fissure split into five segments. The segments at the highest altitude were active during the first hours, while the segments at lower altitude continued throughout the eruption. The eruption started in a highly explosive manner giving rise to a Subplinian eruptive column and consequent basaltic pyroclastic flows fed by column collapses. After the explosive phase reached its maximum, the eruption went through three more phases, namely fire-fountaining, Strombolian bursts and lava effusion. In this paper, we describe the course of events of the eruption of Hekla and the origin of its magma, and then show that the discharge rate can be linked to different style of eruptive activity, which are controlled by fissure geometry. We also show that the eruption phases observed at Hekla can be linked with inferred magma chamber overpressure prior to the eruption.     

Exploring controls of the early and stepped deglaciation on the western margin of the British Irish Ice Sheet

New optically stimulated luminescence dating and Bayesian models integrating all legacy and BRITICE-CHRONO geochronology facilitated exploration of the controls on the deglaciation of two former sectors of the British–Irish Ice Sheet, the Donegal Bay (DBIS) and Malin Sea ice-streams (MSIS). Shelf-edge glaciation occurred ~27 ka, before the global Last Glacial Maximum, and shelf-wide retreat began 26–26.5 ka at a rate of ~18.7–20.7 m a^–1. MSIS grounding zone wedges and DBIS recessional moraines show episodic retreat punctuated by prolonged still-stands. By ~23–22 ka the outer shelf (~25 000 km²) was free of grounded ice. After this time, MSIS retreat was faster (~20 m a^–1 vs. ~2–6 m a^–1 of DBIS). Separation of Irish and Scottish ice sources occurred ~20–19.5 ka, leaving an autonomous Donegal ice dome. Inner Malin shelf deglaciation followed the submarine troughs reaching the Hebridean coast ~19 ka. DBIS retreat formed the extensive complex of moraines in outer Donegal Bay at 20.5–19 ka. DBIS retreated on land by ~17–16 ka. Isolated ice caps in Scotland and Ireland persisted until ~14.5 ka. Early retreat of this marine-terminating margin is best explained by local ice loading increasing water depths and promoting calving ice losses rather than by changes in global temperatures. Topographical controls governed the differences between the ice-stream retreat from mid-shelf to the coast.     

Pattern,style and timing of British–Irish Ice Sheet retreat: Shetland and northern North Sea sector

The offshore sector around Shetland remains one of the least well-studied parts of the former British–Irish Ice Sheet with several long-standing scientific issues unresolved. These key issues include (i) the dominance of a locally sourced ‘Shetland ice cap’ vs an invasive Fennoscandian Ice Sheet; (ii) the flow configuration and style of glaciation at the Last Glacial Maximum (i.e. terrestrial vs marine glaciation); (iii) the nature of confluence between the British–Irish and Fennoscandian Ice Sheets; (iv) the cause, style and rate of ice sheet separation; and (v) the wider implications of ice sheet uncoupling on the tempo of subsequent deglaciation. As part of the Britice-Chrono project, we present new geological (seabed cores), geomorphological, marine geophysical and geochronological data from the northernmost sector of the last British–Irish Ice Sheet (north of 59.5°N) to address these questions. The study area covers ca. 95 000 km², an area approximately the size of Ireland, and includes the islands of Shetland and the surrounding continental shelf, some of the continental slope, and the western margin of the Norwegian Channel. We collect and analyse data from onshore in Shetland and along key transects offshore, to establish the most coherent picture, so far, of former ice-sheet deglaciation in this important sector. Alongside new seabed mapping and Quaternary sediment analysis, we use a multi-proxy suite of new isotopic age assessments, including 32 cosmogenic-nuclide exposure ages from glacially transported boulders and 35 radiocarbon dates from deglacial marine sediments, to develop a synoptic sector-wide reconstruction combining strong onshore and offshore geological evidence with Bayesian chronosequence modelling. The results show widespread and significant spatial fluctuations in size, shape and flow configuration of an ice sheet/ice cap centred on, or to the east of, the Orkney–Shetland Platform, between ~30 and ~15 ka BP. At its maximum extent ca. 26–25 ka BP , this ice sheet was coalescent with the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet to the east. Between ~25 and 23 ka BP the ice sheet in this sector underwent a significant size reduction from ca. 85 000 to <50 000 km², accompanied by several ice-margin oscillations. Soon after, connection was lost with the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet and a marine corridor opened to the east of Shetland. This triggered initial (and unstable) re-growth of a glaciologically independent Shetland Ice Cap ca. 21–20 ka BP with a strong east–west asymmetry with respect to topography. Ice mass growth was followed by rapid collapse, from an area of ca. 45 000 km² to ca. 15 000 km² between 19 and 18 ka BP , stabilizing at ca. 2000 km² by ~17 ka BP. Final deglaciation of Shetland occurred ca. 17–15 ka BP , and may have involved one or more subsidiary ice centres on now-submerged parts of the continental shelf. We suggest that the unusually dynamic behaviour of the northernmost sector of the British–Irish Ice Sheet between 21 and 18 ka BP – characterized by numerous extensive ice sheet/ice mass readvances, rapid loss and flow redistributions – was driven by significant changes in ice mass geometry, ice divide location and calving flux as the glaciologically independent ice cap adjusted to new boundary conditions. We propose that this dynamism was forced to a large degree by internal (glaciological) factors specific to the strongly marine-influenced Shetland Ice Cap.