New insights from legacy seismic data: reprocessing of legacy 2D seismic data for imaging of iron-oxide mineralization near Sishen Mine,South Africa

Two overlapping legacy seismic profiles, 130 km long end to end, were shot in the 1990s over the Kuruman Hills on the western margin of the Kaapvaal Craton in southern Africa. The 6-s profiles were aimed at investigating the crustal structure of the western Kaapvaal Craton as well as to locate potential continuation of the Witwatersrand gold-bearing horizons beneath the cover rocks, the latter of which was unsuccessful. In this study, the legacy seismic data are reprocessed and used to image the iron-oxide (mainly haematite) mineralization found in the Kuruman Formation of the Griqualand-West Supergroup, which outcrops along the two seismic profiles. The seismic profiles are located close to the Sishen open pit iron mine, where one of the world's largest iron ore concentrations (986 Mt) is mined. The reprocessed and merged seismic data are combined with magnetic, magnetotelluric, borehole and outcrop data to constrain the interpretation, and all indicate the mineralization host rocks to have ∼500 m thickness and 950 m depth. The seismic data further reveal seismic reflections associated with multiple iron ore horizons, which are affected by a first-order scale syncline and numerous near-vertically dipping (∼65–80°) normal and reverse faults of various orientations and throws, thus providing insight into the structurally controlled iron ore mineralization in the area. Seismic tomography and magnetotellurics characterize the sediments to have a velocity ranging between 5000 and 6000 m/s and a resistivity of <10 Ωm. The seismic imaging of the syncline and associated structural disruptions is important for future mining purposes and plans in the area as these structures might have preserved iron-oxide mineralization from erosion. The reprocessed data thus provide information that could be incorporated in potential future underground mine planning in the area, improving the resource evaluation of the iron-oxide deposit. Legacy seismic data are thus shown to hold intrinsic quality and possible untapped potential that can be realized via data reprocessing.     

The Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (Canada) in the NE subarctic Pacific

This volume of DSR II is dedicated to the Canadian Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) in the NE subarctic Pacific. This oceanic province is one of three High Nitrate Low Chlorophyll (HNLC) regions in the world oceans. Furthermore, this region is characterised by a shallow (ca. 100–120 m) permanent pycnocline during winter, which permits relatively high numbers of phytoplankton and micro-grazers to subsist over winter, which in turn strongly influences pelagic community structure. The 5-year field study encompassed two phases – phase 1 (seven voyages between September 1992 and May 1995), and the intensive phase 2 (six voyages between September 1995 and June 1997). Each voyage transected line P – from the coastal ocean westward to the open ocean. In addition to the JGOFS study, this volume also includes analyses of long time-series (>20 yr) data sets from Ocean Station Papa (OSP; 50°N 145°W) and other stations in the coastal and open ocean.     

A philosophical basis for hydrological uncertainty

ABSTRACT

Uncertainty is an epistemological concept in the sense that any meaningful understanding of uncertainty requires a theory of knowledge. Therefore, uncertainty resulting from scientific endeavors can only be properly understood in the context of a well-defined philosophy of science. Our main message here is that much of the discussion about uncertainty in hydrology has lacked grounding in these foundational concepts, and has resulted in a controversy that is largely the product of logical errors rather than true (axiomatic) disagreement. As an example, we explore the current debate about the appropriate role of probability theory for hydrological uncertainty quantification. Our main messages are: (1) apparent (and/or claimed) limitations of probability theory are not actually consequences of that theory, but rather of deeper underlying epistemological (and ontological) issues; (2) questions about the appropriateness of probability theory are only meaningful if posed as questions about our preferred philosophy of science; and (3) questions about uncertainty may often be better posed as questions about available information and information use efficiency. Our purpose here is to discuss how hydrologists might ask more meaningful questions about uncertainty.     

CMEs in the Heliosphere: I. A Statistical Analysis of the Observational Properties of CMEs Detected in the Heliosphere from 2007 to 2017 by STEREO/HI-1

We present a statistical analysis of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) imaged by the Heliospheric Imager (HI) instruments on board NASA’s twin-spacecraft STEREO mission between April 2007 and August 2017 for STEREO-A and between April 2007 and September 2014 for STEREO-B. The analysis exploits a catalogue that was generated within the FP7 HELCATS project. Here, we focus on the observational characteristics of CMEs imaged in the heliosphere by the inner (HI-1) cameras, while following papers will present analyses of CME propagation through the entire HI fields of view. More specifically, in this paper we present distributions of the basic observational parameters – namely occurrence frequency, central position angle (PA) and PA span – derived from nearly 2000 detections of CMEs in the heliosphere by HI-1 on STEREO-A or STEREO-B from the minimum between Solar Cycles 23 and 24 to the maximum of Cycle 24; STEREO-A analysis includes a further 158 CME detections from the descending phase of Cycle 24, by which time communication with STEREO-B had been lost. We compare heliospheric CME characteristics with properties of CMEs observed at coronal altitudes, and with sunspot number. As expected, heliospheric CME rates correlate with sunspot number, and are not inconsistent with coronal rates once instrumental factors/differences in cataloguing philosophy are considered. As well as being more abundant, heliospheric CMEs, like their coronal counterparts, tend to be wider during solar maximum. Our results confirm previous coronagraph analyses suggesting that CME launch sites do not simply migrate to higher latitudes with increasing solar activity. At solar minimum, CMEs tend to be launched from equatorial latitudes, while at maximum, CMEs appear to be launched over a much wider latitude range; this has implications for understanding the CME/solar source association. Our analysis provides some supporting evidence for the systematic dragging of CMEs to lower latitude as they propagate outwards.     

A high spatial resolution synchrotron Mössbauer study of the Tazewell IIICD and Esquel pallasite meteorites

Metallic phases in the Tazewell IIICD iron and Esquel pallasite meteorites were examined using ⁵⁷Fe synchrotron Mössbauer spectroscopy. Spatial resolution of ~10–20 μm was achieved, together with high throughput, enabling individual spectra to be recorded in less than 1 h. Spectra were recorded every 5–10 μm, allowing phase fractions and hyperfine parameters to be traced along transects of key microstructural features. The main focus of the study was the transitional region between kamacite and plessite, known as the “cloudy zone.” Results confirm the presence of tetrataenite and antitaenite in the cloudy zone as its only components. However, both phases were also found in plessite, indicating that antitaenite is not restricted exclusively to the cloudy zone, as previously thought. The confirmation of paramagnetic antitaenite as the matrix phase of the cloudy zone contrasts with recent observations of a ferromagnetic matrix phase using X‐ray photoemission electron spectroscopy. Possible explanations for the different results seen using these techniques are proposed.     

Energy analysis of open regions of turbulent flows — mean eddy energetics of a numerical ocean circulation experiment

The concepts involved in the interpretation of energy budgets in subregions of a turbulent flow are examined in order to determine the processes responsible for the production, transport, and dissipation of energy throughout a dynamically inhomogeneous circulation. An interpretation of the effects of Reynolds stress—mean flow interaction work for open regions is presented in terms of the change in the total mean kinetic energy. In an arbitrary volume of fluid the changes in kinetic energy of the mean flow and the mean kinetic energy of the eddy flow are not generally equal and opposite, so this process is not generally responsible for a conversion of energy between the two forms. These ideas are then applied to a regional kinetic energy analysis of the mesoscale resolution general ocean circulation numerical experiment of Robinson et al. (1977). The spatial structure of the various terms in the equation for the mean eddy kinetic energy is examined. The issues involved in selection of a set of analysis regions are discussed and explored via examination of budgets over different subregions of this flow. Thereby a relatively simple picture of the regional energetics emerges. Mean eddy kinetic energy is produced by conversion of kinetic energy of the mean flow in the net over the recirculation and near field of the northern boundary current system and roughly half of this energy is lost to each of mean eddy pressure work transport and diffusion work. Budgets over subregions of this net source region are much more complex. The interior eddy field is driven by pressure work influx, while the southwestern region has eddy buoyancy work conversion of mean potential energy as its energy source. At every depth level the eddy field draws its kinetic energy from the mean flow, when averaged over the horizontal extent of the basin or over the recirculation and near field.     

A Regional, Multi-sectoral And Integrated Assessment Of The Impacts Of Climate And Socio-economic Change In The Uk

Policy makers and stakeholders are increasingly demanding impact assessments which produce policy-relevant guidance on the local impacts of global climate change. The ‘Regional Climate Change Impact and Response Studies in East Anglia and North West England’ (RegIS) study developed a methodology for stakeholder-led, regional climate change impact assessment that explicitly evaluated local and regional (sub-national) scale impacts and adaptation options, and cross-sectoral interactions between four major sectors driving landscape change (agriculture, biodiversity, coasts and floodplains and water resources). The ‘Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response’ (DPSIR) approach provided a structure for linking the modelling and scenario techniques. A 5 × 5 km grid was chosen for numerical modelling input (climate and socio-economic scenarios) and output, as a compromise between the climate scenario resolution (10 × 10 km) and the detailed spatial resolution output desired by stakeholders. Fundamental methodological issues have been raised by RegIS which reflect the difficulty of multi-sectoral modelling studies at local scales. In particular, the role of scenarios, error propagation in linked models, model validity, transparency and transportability as well as the use of integrated assessment to evaluate adaptation options to climate change are examined. Integrated assessments will provide new insights which will compliment those derived by more detailed sectoral assessments.     

Tropospheric Box-Modelling and Analytical Studies of the Hydroxyl (OH) Radical and Related Species: Comparison with Observations

Calculated and observed hydroxyl (OH) fields are presented. Calculated OH was obtained in three ways using (1) a photochemical box-model (2) a simple OH steady state approach and (3) a variant on (2) – the multiple equation steady state approach which assumes steady state for OH, HO2 and RO2 and hence obtains three simultaneous, non linear, equations. All three methods used data collected in June 1995 during the Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory Summer Experiment (WAOSE'95). Julian Days 169, 178, 179 and 180 displayed especially good data capture and were consequently chosen for study. The two steady state methods are essentially driven purely by observations and derive OH from the ratio of the relevant source and sink terms. The box-model was constrained where possible to observations; remaining unmeasured volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were initialised to an arbitrary low value of 10 ppt. Agreement between theory and experiment was usually around 50% and often better than this value, especially on J169, though discrepancies of up to a factor of 3 were occasionally apparent. Despite the inherent scatter, neither the box-model nor the simple steady state method were found to consistently over-estimate OH (a common feature of many numerical approaches) although this did occur to a certain extent using the multiple equation steady state approach, probably due to breakdowns in the steady state approximation. More data spread was evident in the box-model approach compared with the other methods. An analysis of the major sources and sinks of OH is presented for the three methods of calculation. Calculated and observed peroxy radicals are also presented. Calculated peroxy radicals were generally lower than that observed at night yet higher, sometimes by up to a factor of 7, during the day. Possible explanations for this result are explored.     

Understanding how physical-biological coupling influences harmful algal blooms,low oxygen and fish kills in the Sea of Oman and the Western Arabian Sea

In the last decade, green Noctiluca scintillans with its symbiont and other dinoflagellates such as Cochlodinium polykrikoides, Prorocentrum micans and Scrippsiella trochoidea have become the dominant HABs, partially replacing the previously dominant diatoms and red Noctiluca scintillans, especially during the northeast monsoon. Fish kills in the Sea of Oman are linked to a slow seasonal decline in oxygen concentration from January to November, probably due to the decomposition of a series of algal blooms and the deep, low oxygen waters periodically impinging the Omani shelf. In the western Arabian Sea, cyclonic eddies upwell low oxygen, nutrient-rich water and the subsequent algal bloom decays and lowers the oxygen further and leads to fish kills. Warming of the surface waters by 1.2 °C over the last 5 decades has increased stratification and resulted in a shoaling of the oxycline. This has increased the probability and frequency of upwelling low oxygen water and subsequent fish kills.     

Magnetic anomalies near Apollinaris Patera and the Medusae Fossae Formation in Lucus Planum, Mars

The nature of strong martian crustal field sources is investigated by mapping and modeling of Mars Global Surveyor magnetometer data near Apollinaris Patera, a previously proposed volcanic source, supplemented by large-scale correlative studies. Regional mapping yields evidence for positive correlations of orbital anomalies with both Apollinaris Patera and Lucus Planum, a nearby probable extrusive pyroclastic flow deposit that is mapped as part of the Medusae Fossae Formation. Iterative forward modeling of the Apollinaris Patera magnetic anomaly assuming a source model consisting of one or more uniformly magnetized near-surface disks indicates that the source is centered approximately on the construct with a scale size several times larger and comparable to that of the Apollinaris Patera free-air gravity anomaly. A significantly lower rms deviation is obtained using a two-disk model that favors a concentration of magnetization near the construct itself. Estimates for the dipole moment per unit area of the Lucus Planum source together with maximum thicknesses of ∼3 km based on topographic and radar sounding data lead to an estimated minimum magnetization intensity of ∼50 A/m within the pyroclastic deposits. Intensities of this magnitude are similar to those obtained experimentally for Fe-rich Mars analog basalts that cooled in an oxidizing (high fO₂) environment in the presence of a strong (?10 μT) surface field. Further evidence for the need for an oxidizing environment is provided by a broad spatial correlation of the locations of phyllosilicate exposures identified to date using Mars Express OMEGA data with areas containing strong crustal magnetic fields and valley networks in the Noachian-aged southern highlands. This indicates that the presence of liquid water, which is a major crustal oxidant, was an important factor in the formation of strong magnetic sources. The evidence discussed here for magnetic sources associated with relatively young volcanic units suggests that a martian dynamo existed during the late Noachian/early Hesperian, after the last major basin-forming impacts and the formation of the northern lowlands.