Slow and Fast Rotating Coronal Holes from Geomagnetic Indices

The evolution of the 27-day recurrence in the series of two solar indices (Wolf number WN and 10.7 cm radio flux F) and two geomagnetic indices (Dst and ζ, variance of the geomagnetic field recorded at a magnetic observatory) have been studied over the 1957 – 2007 time span. Spectral energies contained in two period domains (25 – 27.3 and 27.3 – 31 days), designated as E ₁ and E ₂, have been computed. Whereas the evolution of E ₁ is the same for the four indices, that of E ₂ is essentially different for WN and F on the one hand, Dst and ζ on the other hand. Some general conclusions on the dynamics of the solar outer layers are inferred from these results. First the solar activity, as measured by WN, and when averaged over a few years, evolves in the same way whatever the latitude. Second, two families of coronal holes (CHs) are identified; the rapidly and the slowly rotating CHs evolve quite differently.     

Early Norian flora from Partizansk River Basin of Primorye, Russia

IntroductionThe Late Triassic strata andflora developed andwell outcropped in southern Pri morye,Russia.Thestrata are marine and non-marine alternate for eachother and yield abundant mollusk and plant fossilsinwhich the Late Triassic Mongugai flora is well-known in the world.Kryshtofovich(1910,1921,1924)and Kryshtofovich&Prynada(1932)studiedthis florainthe earlier ti me,and consequently,Sre-brodolyskaja(1958,1961,1968),Schorokhova(1975,1977,1997,2004)and Krassilov&Schorokhova(1970,1975)ma…     

Response of alpine chironomid communities (Lake Chuna, Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia) to atmospheric contamination

A short sediment core from the deepest part of an alpine lake (Lake Chuna, Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia), covering about the past 200 yrs of sediment accumulation, was analysed for chironomid head capsule remains. The lake has been receiving acidic precipitation and heavy metals loading from the atmosphere since the 1940's. A total of 22 chironomid taxa were recorded. The most important taxa were typical elements of oligotrophic lakes, i.e.Micropsectra insignilobus, Paratanytarsus penicillatus, Stictochironomus spp. and Heterotrissocladius marcidus. Based on the cluster analyses results for the reconstructed environmental variables and chironomid communities, three developmental stages were distinguished from the lake history: (1) Natural ontogeny stage (before ~1945); (2) Initial stage of anthropogenic ontogeny (~1945-~1982); and (3) Anthropogenic ontogeny stage (~1982-~1996). During the first period, the changes in the chironomid fauna were characterized as an anthropogenically undisturbed community, with M. insignilobus dominating (46-66%). The changes during the second period reflected the initial phase of anthropogenic succession associated with the beginning of acidification and heavy metal pollution. The main species showed opposite distributional patterns in this period; the abundance of the group M. insignilobus/Stictochironomus spp. decreased, whereas the abundance of P. penicillatus/H. marcidus increased. The third period was characterized by a major shift in the faunal assemblages, from M. insignilobus to other dominant species including P. penicillatus (19-30%). The increases of Orthocladiinae relative abundance and total organic content in the uppermost sediment layers may be explained by a decrease in lake productivity. The decreases of cold-stenothermal taxa Stictochironomus spp. and M. insignilobus in the uppermost sediment layers can be explained by the global warming during the 20th century. The lake ecosystem is likely to be affected by both inputs of airborne contaminants and climate changes.     

Petrological and experimental evidence for differentiation of water-rich magmas beneath St. Kitts,Lesser Antilles

St. Kitts lies in the northern Lesser Antilles, a subduction-related intraoceanic volcanic arc known for its magmatic diversity and unusually abundant cognate xenoliths. We combine the geochemistry of xenoliths, melt inclusions and lavas with high pressure–temperature experiments to explore magma differentiation processes beneath St. Kitts. Lavas range from basalt to rhyolite, with predominant andesites and basaltic andesites. Xenoliths, dominated by calcic plagioclase and amphibole, typically in reaction relationship with pyroxenes and olivine, can be divided into plutonic and cumulate varieties based on mineral textures and compositions. Cumulate varieties, formed primarily by the accumulation of liquidus phases, comprise ensembles that represent instantaneous solid compositions from one or more magma batches; plutonic varieties have mineralogy and textures consistent with protracted solidification of magmatic mush. Mineral chemistry in lavas and xenoliths is subtly different. For example, plagioclase with unusually high anorthite content (An_≤100) occurs in some plutonic xenoliths, whereas the most calcic plagioclase in cumulate xenoliths and lavas are An₉₇ and An₉₅, respectively. Fluid-saturated, equilibrium crystallisation experiments were performed on a St. Kitts basaltic andesite, with three different fluid compositions (XH₂O = 1.0, 0.66 and 0.33) at 2.4 kbar, 950–1025 °C, and fO₂ = NNO ? 0.6 to NNO + 1.2 log units. Experiments reproduce lava liquid lines of descent and many xenolith assemblages, but fail to match xenolith and lava phenocryst mineral compositions, notably the very An-rich plagioclase. The strong positive correlation between experimentally determined plagioclase-melt Kd_Ca–Na and dissolved H₂O in the melt, together with the occurrence of Al-rich mafic lavas, suggests that parental magmas were water-rich (> 9 wt% H₂O) basaltic andesites that crystallised over a wide pressure range (1.5–6 kbar). Comparison of experimental and natural (lava, xenolith) mafic mineral composition reveals that whereas olivine in lavas is predominantly primocrysts precipitated at low-pressure, pyroxenes and spinel are predominantly xenocrysts formed by disaggregation of plutonic mushes. Overall, St. Kitts xenoliths and lavas testify to mid-crustal differentiation of low-MgO basalt and basaltic andesite magmas within a trans-crustal, magmatic mush system. Lower crustal ultramafic cumulates that relate parental low-MgO basalts to primary, mantle -derived melts are absent on St. Kitts.     

GhostNet marine debris survey in the Gulf of Alaska--satellite guidance and aircraft observations

Marine debris, particularly debris that is composed of lost or abandoned fishing gear, is recognized as a serious threat to marine life, vessels, and coral reefs. The goal of the GhostNet project is the detection of derelict nets at sea through the use of weather and ocean models, drifting buoys and satellite imagery to locate convergent areas where nets are likely to collect, followed by airborne surveys with trained observers and remote sensing instruments to spot individual derelict nets. These components of GhostNet were first tested together in the field during a 14-day marine debris survey of the Gulf of Alaska in July and August 2003. Model, buoy, and satellite data were used in flight planning. A manned aircraft survey with visible and IR cameras and a LIDAR instrument located debris in the targeted locations, including 102 individual pieces of debris of anthropogenic or terrestrial origin.     

Mineralogy and oxygen isotope systematics of magnetite grains and a magnetite‐dolomite assemblage in hydrated fine‐grained Antarctic micrometeorites

We report the mineralogy and texture of magnetite grains, a magnetite‐dolomite assemblage, and the adjacent mineral phases in five hydrated fine‐grained Antarctic micrometeorites (H‐FgMMs). Additionally, we measured the oxygen isotopic composition of magnetite grains and a magnetite‐dolomite assemblage in these samples. Our mineralogical study shows that the secondary phases identified in H‐FgMMs have similar textures and chemical compositions to those described previously in other primitive solar system materials, such as carbonaceous chondrites. However, the oxygen isotopic compositions of magnetite in H‐FgMMs span a range of ?¹⁷O values from +1.3‰ to +4.2‰, which is intermediate between magnetites measured in carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites (CCs and OCs). The δ¹⁸O values of magnetites in one H‐FgMM have a ~27‰ mass‐dependent spread in a single 100 × 200 μm particle, indicating that there was a localized control of the fluid composition, probably due to a low water‐to‐rock mass ratio. The ?¹⁷O values of magnetite indicate that H‐FgMMs sampled a different aqueous fluid than ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites, implying that the source of H‐FgMMs is probably distinct from the asteroidal source of CCs and OCs. Additionally, we analyzed the oxygen isotopic composition of a magnetite‐dolomite assemblage in one of the H‐FgMMs (sample 03‐36‐46) to investigate the temperature at which these minerals coprecipitated. We have used the oxygen isotope fractionation between the coexisting magnetite and dolomite to infer a precipitation temperature between 160 and 280 °C for this sample. This alteration temperature is ~100–200 °C warmer than that determined from a calcite‐magnetite assemblage from the CR2 chondrite Al Rais, but similar to the estimated temperature of aqueous alteration for unequilibrated OCs, CIs, and CMs. This suggests that the sample 03‐36‐46 could come from a parent body that was large enough to attain temperatures as high as the OCs, CIs, and CMs, which implies an asteroidal origin for this particular H‐FgMM.     

A Validation of MODIS Snowcover Products in Romania: Challenges and Future Directions

The MODIS snowcover product is one of many geophysical products derived from MODIS data. A cross‐validation of the MODIS snowcover daily products with data obtained from the meteorological network stations was conducted for the entire territory of Romania. The validation time interval covered the period between 29 October, 2004 and 1 May, 2005. The overall accuracy for the whole set of cloud‐free useful data proved to be 95%. The validation time interval included the three common snow situations: (1) late autumn months where 37.1% of the initial set of the data was used, and the overall accuracy was 98.6%; (2) the “winter” months where the clouds reduced the set of useful data – 31.75%– and the overall accuracy was 93.7%; and (3) the months of February and March which returned the highest accuracy (> 95%). Additionally, a cross‐validation using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) high‐resolution imagery was carried out. Furthermore, the MODIS, meteorological data and ASTER data were integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment to perform flexible and comprehensive cross‐checking followed by a thematic analysis based on additional sets of data such as digital elevation models (DEMs) and land‐cover datasets.     

Numerical modeling of 3D fully nonlinear potential periodic waves

A simple and exact numerical scheme for long-term simulations of 3D potential fully nonlinear periodic gravity waves is suggested. The scheme is based on the surface-following nonorthogonal curvilinear coordinate system. Velocity potential is represented as a sum of analytical and nonlinear components. The Poisson equation for the nonlinear component of velocity potential is solved iteratively. Fourier transform method, the second-order accuracy approximation of vertical derivatives on a stretched vertical grid and the fourth-order Runge–Kutta time stepping are used. The scheme is validated by simulation of steep Stokes waves. A one-processor version of the model for PC allows us to simulate evolution of a wave field with thousands degrees of freedom for hundreds of wave periods. The scheme is designed for investigation of nonlinear 2D surface waves, generation of extreme waves, and direct calculations of nonlinear interactions.     

Hydrological and geochemical control of metals and arsenic in a Mediterranean river contaminated by acid mine drainage (the Amous River,France); preliminary assessment of impacts on fish (Leuciscus cephalus)

Dissolved and particulate concentrations of metals (Fe, Al, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Tl, Pb) and As were monitored over a 5 year period in the Amous River downstream of its confluence with a creek severely affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) originating from a former Pb–Zn mine. Water pH ranged from 6.5 to 8.8. Metals were predominantly in dissolved form, except Fe and Pb, which were in particulate form. In the particulate phase, metals were generally associated with Al oxides, whereas As was linked to Fe oxides. Metal concentrations in the dissolved and/or particulate phase were generally higher during the wet season due to higher generation of AMD. Average dissolved (size < 0.22 μm) metal concentrations (μg/L) were 1 ± 4 (Fe), 69 ± 49 (Al), 140 ± 118 (Mn), 4 ± 3 Co, 6 ± 4 (Ni), 1.3 ± 0.8 (Cu), 126 ± 81 (Zn), 1.1 ± 0.7 (Cd), 0.9 ± 0.5 (Tl), 2 ± 3 (Pb). Dissolved As concentrations ranged from 5 to 134 μg/L (30 ± 23 μg/L). During the survey, the concentration of colloidal metals (5 kDa < size < 0.22 μm) was less than 25% of dissolved concentrations. Dissolved metal concentrations were generally higher than the maximum concentrations allowed in European surface waters for priority substances (Ni, Cd and Pb) and higher than the environmental quality standards for other compounds. Using Diffusion Gradient in Thin Film (DGT) probes, metals were shown to be in potentially bioavailable form. The concentrations in Leuciscus cephalus were below the maximum Pb and Cd concentrations allowed in fish muscle for human consumption by the European Water Directive. Amongst the elements studied, only As, Pb and Tl were shown to bioaccumulate in liver tissue (As, Pb) or otoliths (Tl). Bioaccumulation of metals or As was not detected in muscle.