Nocturnal Near-Surface Temperature,but not Flow Dynamics,can be Predicted by Microtopography in a Mid-Range Mountain Valley

We investigate nocturnal flow dynamics and temperature behaviour near the surface of a 170-m long gentle slope in a mid-range mountain valley. In contrast to many existing studies focusing on locations with significant topographic variations, gentle slopes cover a greater spatial extent of the Earth’s surface. Air temperatures were measured using the high-resolution distributed-temperature-sensing method within a two-dimensional fibre-optic array in the lowest metre above the surface. The main objectives are to characterize the spatio-temporal patterns in the near-surface temperature and flow dynamics, and quantify their responses to the microtopography and land cover. For the duration of the experiment, including even clear-sky nights with weak winds and strong radiative forcing, the classical cold-air drainage predicted by theory could not be detected. In contrast, we show that the airflow for the two dominant flow modes originates non-locally. The most abundant flow mode is characterized by vertically-decoupled layers featuring a near-surface flow perpendicular to the slope and strong stable stratification, which contradicts the expectation of a gravity-driven downslope flow of locally produced cold air. Differences in microtopography and land cover clearly affect spatio-temporal temperature perturbations. The second most abundant flow mode is characterized by strong mixing, leading to vertical coupling with airflow directed down the local slope. Here variations of microtopography and land cover lead to negligible near-surface temperature perturbations. We conclude that spatio-temporal temperature perturbations, but not flow dynamics, can be predicted by microtopography, which complicates the prediction of advective-heat components and the existence and dynamics of cold-air pools in gently sloped terrain in the absence of observations.     

COMBINED EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF FORMULAE FOR EROSION AND DEPOSITION OF COHESIVE SEDIMENTS

1 mTsonvCTIoxTIansport of fine cOhesive sedinds inevitably leads to the develoPment of sediment deposits inreservoirs or zones with small flow velocihes in lowland rivers. Such sediment dePosits often conshtUte aconsiderable ecological danger, as cOhesive sediInnts have the ability to bind POllutants like heavymetals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocrtons or chlorinated hydrocaIbons (F6f8iner, l989). In the case of anextreme hydraUlic event like a flood or a reservoir dePlehon, erosion of cone…     

Fractional crystallization in open systems of variable composition: Correlations between element concentrations

Fractional crystallization in open systems is modelled in a general mathematical form. The estimation of element concentrations in liquid and solid phases is done by means of a system of coupled nonlinear first order differential equations. With special, physically founded assumptions on distribution coefficients and source terms in the equations several special cases can be derived which are known in the literature.As an application, correlations between solid-phase concentrations of major elements, trace elements and isotopes are derived which can be used for the interpretation of geological processes. Especially the changes of strontium and rubidium concentrations of magmatic rocks are discussed in the progression of magma differentiation. In a second example the evolution of trace elements in the West-Erzgebirge (G.D.R.) as an open crystallizing magmatic system is discussed.     

A Comparison of In Situ Analytical Methods for Trace Element Measurement in Gold Samples from Various South African Gold Deposits

Trace element concentrations in gold grains from various geological units in South Africa were measured in situ by field emission‐electron probe microanalysis (FE‐EPMA), laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) and synchrotron micro X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy (SR‐μ‐XRF). This study assesses the accuracy, precision and detection limits of these mostly non‐destructive analytical methods using certified reference materials and discusses their application in natural sample measurement. FE‐EPMA point analyses yielded reproducible and discernible concentrations for Au and trace concentrations of S, Cu, Ti, Hg, Fe and Ni, with detection limits well below the actual concentrations in the gold. LA‐ICP‐MS analyses required larger gold particles (> 60 μm) to avoid contamination during measurement. Elements that measured above detection limits included Ag, Cu, Ti, Fe, Pt, Pd, Mn, Cr, Ni, Sn, Hg, Pb, As and Te, which can be used for geochemical characterisation and gold fingerprinting. Although LA‐ICP‐MS measurements had lower detection limits, precision was lower than FE‐EPMA and SR‐μ‐XRF. The higher variability in absolute values measured by LA‐ICP‐MS, possibly due to micro‐inclusions, had to be critically assessed. Non‐destructive point analyses of gold alloys by SR‐μ‐XRF revealed Ag, Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, Ti, Sb, U, Cr, Co, As, Y and Zr in the various gold samples. Detection limits were mostly lower than those for elements measured by FE‐EPMA, but higher than those for elements measured by LA‐ICP‐MS.