The analysis of drainage network composition

The Horton method of analyzing drainage network composition is reviewed, with the conclusion that it has not been very effective either in improving understanding or in developing useful methods of characterizing drainage basins. New methods which are based on the link rather than the Horton (or Strahler) stream are described. A number of detailed examples of the application of these new methods to the topologic and geometric properties of networks are provided. The results are compared with the predictions of the random model. Data used in the analysis were obtained from 1:24,000 U.S.G.S. topographic maps of eastern Kentucky. Thirty drainage basins were selected and their channel networks were outlined first by the contour-crenulation (CC) method and then by another, more objective, method (SC) in which stream sources were identified by a quantitative slope criterion. The CC and SC samples comprise about 8,700 and 1,700 links, respectively. The three most important results of the analysis are: (1) the channel networks are slightly but significantly more elongated than predicted by the random model, (2) there are fewer second magnitude links than predicted, and (3) the length distribution for interior links depends upon the kind of link (interior or exterior) joined downstream. These features are found in both CC and SC networks.     

Relation between the extreme angular and areal distortion in cartographic representation

Summary The paper presents the method of deriving representations, optimal from the point of view of global characteristics, for areal and extreme angular distortion (3), (7), if one is optional and the other characteristic is minimized at the same time. If a special minimization method (Section 5) is used for computer processing, the problem can be solved in the region of representation equations in the form of polynomials of the 3rd or 5th degree, while assuming symmetry relative to the equator and the central meridian. Thus, the method enables both the fundamental global characteristics to be regulated freely. Their dependence is illustrated in graphs (Figs 2 and 6) depending on the selected examples of representations of the whole globe. The latter shows that method is a contribution for cartographic practice as well.     

Acid volcanism on the south Arabian coast

Along the south coast of Arabia, between Aden and the southern entrance to the Red Sea, there are six central vent volcanoes of probable Pliocene age. All are characterised by the interstratification of basic and acidic extrusives, the formation of large central calderas at a late stage in the volcanic cycle and the subsequent infilling of these calderas with horizontal acidic ignimbrites and basic lavas. Lying 60 miles to the west of Aden and of particular interest is Jebel Khariz, the largest and best preserved of the six volcanic centres, covering a roughly circular area of about 100 square miles and rising to a height of 2,766 feet. The volcanic sequence of Jebel Khariz is broadly divisible into two suites: a) alkali-rich rhyolites and trachytes which occur as flows and pyroclastic horizons and form about 80 per cent of the volume of the cone, and b) effusives of basaltic composition that occur in the caldera, locally on the south-east and south-west flanks and in a small parasitic cone on the northern flank. The alkali-rich acidic suite includes lavas, ash-flow and ash-fall rocks as well as vent and flow breccias, Generally, all rocks of this suite have phenocrysts of anorthoclase, and may contain phenocrysts of fayalitic olivine, aegirine-augite, magnetite and/or quartz. The fine grained matrix is composed of the same minerals with skeletal riebeckite and, in some cases, cossyrite. The basaltic suite is characteristically porphyritic, the phenocrysts being of calcic plagioclase, clinopyroxene, olivine and magnetite in a fine-grained mesostasis of plagioclase, olivine, clinopyroxene and ore. The plagioclase, on initial investigation, appears to lie in the labradorite-bytownite range, the olivine is commonly replaced by iddingsite and the clinopyroxene is most commonly a pale mauve titanaugite. Near the centre of the volcanic pile, as exposed in the caldera wall, masses of rhyolitic composition can be seen to form over half of the volcanic sequence. These masses are markedly lenzoid in cross-section normal to the flow direction and display intricate flow folding; they are considered to have been extruded as viscous lava. Further from the volcanic centre, these acidic extrusives become less markedly lenzoid until in the distal areas of individual units, some 5 miles from the caldera, they have spread out to form sheet-like masses covering as much as 10 square miles to a uniform thickness rarely exceeding 25 feet. The presence of agglomeratic bases, hard compact central sections and less compact upper divisions, together with the ubiquitous presence of columnar jointing and occasional shard textures suggest that these distal parts of each extrusive unit have been formed by an ash-flow/ash-fall mechanism. It is postulated that the majority of the Jebel Khariz volcanic pile was formed by emission of acidic material, effusive in the central area, but deposited mainly by an ash-flow mechanism around the flanks of the cone. This could be due to either the synchronous eruption of viscous lava from the central vent with ash flow eruptions on the flanks; or, more probably, to the progression of an individual volcanic episode through an initial ash-flow phase followed by the effusion of viscous lava, all emanating from the central vent.     

Maximum-likelihood ambiguity resolution based on Bayesian principle

 Based on the Bayesian principle and the fact that GPS carrier-phase ambiguities are integers, the posterior distribution of the ambiguities and the position parameters is derived. This is then used to derive the maximum posterior likelihood solution of the ambiguities. The accuracy of the integer ambiguity solution and the position parameters is also studied according to the posterior distribution. It is found that the accuracy of the integer solution depends not only on the variance of the corresponding float ambiguity solution but also on its values. Received: 27 July 1999 / Accepted: 22 November 2000     

High-resolution profiles of iron, manganese, cobalt, cadmium, copper and zinc in the pore water of estuarine sediment

The remobilization of iron, manganese, cobalt, cadmium, copper and zinc in the pore water of estuarine sediment cores at Yingkou was assessed using diffusive equilibrium in thin films and diffusive gradients in thin films techniques. A relatively anoxic system (+33.7 to ?224.1 mV) in the sediment cores might cause the reductive release of iron, manganese and cobalt into pore water from the estuarine sediment. High-average concentrations of iron (47.85 μg ml^?1) and manganese (3.81 μg ml^?1) were observed using diffusive equilibrium in thin films on the sediment core, but the concentration of cobalt (18.02 ng ml^?1) was relatively low. A strong correlation between iron and cobalt was observed based on the vertical profiles of the metals. Manganese and iron were more readily released from the solid phase to the solution. The peak cobalt, copper and zinc concentrations were observed in the upper layer (2–4 cm) measured using diffusive gradients in thin films. However, the peak iron, manganese and cobalt concentrations were located in the deeper layer (≥7 cm). In addition, the concentration profiles measured using diffusive gradients in thin films of cobalt, copper and zinc were independent of the iron, manganese and cobalt distribution with respect to depth.     

Holocene reef growth in Torres Strait

The platform and fringing reefs of Torres Strait are morphologically similar to reefs of the northern Great Barrier Reef to the south, except that several are elongated in the direction of the strong tidal currents between the Coral Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria. Surface and subsurface investigations and radiocarbon dating on Yam, Warraber and Hammond Islands reveal that the initiation and mode of Holocene reef growth reflect antecedent topography and sea-level history. On the granitic Yam Island, fringing reefs have established in some places over a Pleistocene limestone at about 6 m depth around 7000 years BP. Emergent Holocene microatolls of Porites sp. indicate that the reefs have prograded seawards while sea level has fallen gradually from at least 0.8 m above present about 5800 years BP. On the Warraber Island reef platform drilling near the centre indicated a Pleistocene limestone foundation at a depth of about 6 m over which reefs established around 6700 years BP. Reef growth lagged behind that on Yam Island. Microatolls on the mature reef flat indicate that the reef reached sea level around 5300 years BP when the sea was around 0.8–1.0 m above present. On the reef flat on the western side of Hammond Island bedrock was encountered at 7–8 m depth, overlain by terrigenous mud. A progradational reef sequence of only 1–2 m thickness has built seaward over these muds, as sea level has fallen over the past 5800 years. Reef-flat progradation on these reefs is interpreted to have occurred by a series of stepwise buildouts marked by lines of microatolls parallel to the reef crest, marking individual coalescing coral heads. Detrital infill has occurred between these. This pattern of reef progradation is consistent with the radiocarbon dating results from these reefs, and with seismic investigations on the Torres Reefs.     

Evaluation of MM5 mesoscale model at local scale for air quality applications over the Swedish west coast: Influence of PBL and LSM parameterizations

Summary The performance of MM5 mesoscale model (Version 3.6.3) using different planetary boundary layer (PBL) and land surface model (LSM) parameterizations is evaluated and compared using high temporal and spatial resolution G?TE2001 campaign data at local scale (a few kilometers) over the Greater G?teborg area along the Swedish west coast during 7–20 May 2001. The focus is on impact of PBL and LSM parameterizations on simulated meteorological variables important for air quality applications such as global radiation, diurnal cycle of near-surface air temperature and wind, diurnal cycle intensity, near-surface vertical temperature gradient, nocturnal temperature inversion, boundary layer height, and low-level jet (LLJ). The model performance for daytime and nighttime and under different weather conditions is also discussed. The purpose is to examine the performance of the model using different PBL and LSM parameterizations at local scale in this area for its potential applications in air quality modeling. The results indicate that the influence of PBL and LSM parameterizations on simulated global radiation, diurnal cycle of near-surface air temperature and wind speed, diurnal cycle intensity, vertical temperature gradient, nocturnal temperature inversion and PBL heights, which are critical parameters for air quality applications, is evident. Moreover, the intensity and location of LLJ are simulated well by all schemes, but there also exist some differences between simulated results by using different PBL and LSM schemes. Therefore, the choice of PBL and LSM parameterizations is important for MM5 applications to air quality studies. Correspondence: Junfeng Miao, Department of Earth Sciences, G?teborg University, P.O. Box 460, 405 30 G?teborg, Sweden     

Statistical downscaling estimation of recent rainfall trends in the eastern slope of the Andes mountain range in Argentina

Statistical models for rainfall downscaling based on multiple linear regression techniques have been developed and tested in the Andean Region of west Argentina, an extended mountainous region where three different rain regimes predominate and rainfall has great spatial and temporal variability. The verification procedure was focused on the model’s ability to reproduce observed rainfall trends in recent decades. In the northwest of Argentina, domain of the tropical summer rain regime, the monthly rainfall variance accounted for by downscaling models was 77% on average and models reproduced satisfactorily the negative linear trend observed in the last two decades of the past century. In the arid central-west Argentina, a region of rapid transition between two different rain regimes, model performance was rather poor (an average of 50% of explained variance), even so models were able to capture outstanding differences in the linear trend between the northern and southern sectors of the region. In the southwest of Argentina, domain of the mid-latitude winter rain regime, the monthly variance accounted for by downscaling models was 71% on average and models were capable to reproduce a singular change in the onset of the rainy season that occurred during the 1990s. The results achieved demonstrate that it is feasible to establish significant and useful statistical relationships between atmospheric variables and rainfall at monthly and river basin scales, even for a topographically complex region like western Argentina.     

Leveraging modern climatology to increase adaptive capacity across protected area networks

Human-driven changes in the global environment pose an increasingly urgent challenge for the management of ecosystems that is made all the more difficult by the uncertain future of both environmental conditions and ecological responses. Land managers need strategies to increase regional adaptive capacity, but relevant and rapid assessment approaches are lacking. To address this need, we developed a method to assess regional protected area networks across biophysically important climatic gradients often linked to biodiversity and ecosystem function. We plot the land of the southwestern United States across axes of historical climate space, and identify landscapes that may serve as strategic additions to current protected area portfolios. Considering climate space is straightforward, and it can be applied using a variety of relevant climate parameters across differing levels of land protection status. The resulting maps identify lands that are climatically distinct from existing protected areas, and may be utilized in combination with other ecological and socio-economic information essential to collaborative landscape-scale decision-making. Alongside other strategies intended to protect species of special concern, natural resources, and other ecosystem services, the methods presented herein provide another important hedging strategy intended to increase the adaptive capacity of protected area networks.