Optimised Ferrozine Micro‐Method for the Determination of Ferrous and Ferric Iron in Rocks and Minerals

The ferrozine wet chemical method was optimised for the determination of the total iron content and speciation in small geological samples. The ferrozine micro‐method involves dissolution by a mixture of HF and H₂SO₄ followed by spectrophotometric analysis using the complexing agent ferrozine. The method was tested for twenty‐one replicates of eight rock RMs using test portions of 5–14 mg and containing 0.37–5.45 mg total Fe and more than 0.29 mg Fe(II). The optimised ferrozine method was accurate to within 0.23% m/m FeO and 0.34% m/m total Fe, which compares favourably to other wet chemical methods.     

Incorporating ‘catastrophic’ climate change into policy analysis

Although existing economic research is informative with regard to the importance of including potential ‘catastrophic’ climate change impacts in the analysis of GHG mitigation benefits, the generic and abstract form of the ‘catastrophe’ implemented has led to a lack of specific policy implications. This article provides an important starting point for a discussion of how to improve economic modelling of potential large-scale impacts of climate change. It considers how the term ‘abrupt climate change’ has been used in the scientific literature to describe changes in the climate system and carefully reviews the characteristics of the events that have been discussed in this context. The findings are compared to the way in which the economic literature has modelled potential economic and human welfare impacts of these ‘catastrophic’ events. In general, the economics literature is found to have modelled such impacts in a uniform way that fails to account for differences in relevant end points and timescales. The result is policy recommendations based on events that do not resemble those of concern. Better treatment of these events in integrated assessment modelling would help ensure that future research efforts can serve as meaningful policy input.     

Corrigendum to: Incremental CH4 and N2O mitigation benefits consistent with the U.S. Government's SC-CO2 estimates

The light bulb ban introduced by the EU is used as an example to illustrate how to assess the climate impact of a policy that overlaps with a cap-and-trade scheme. The European Commission estimates that by 2020 the reduction in GHG emissions induced by banning incandescent light bulbs will reach 15 million tons annually. The number is a conservative estimate for the reduction in emissions from lighting if the total residential stock of incandescent light bulbs in 2008 is replaced by more efficient lighting sources. However, it ignores that use-phase and some non-use-phase emissions are covered by the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). This drastically reduces the amount of GHG emissions saved.

Policy relevance

Several policies such as the EU-wide ban on incandescent light bulbs, energy efficiency mandates and support mechanisms for renewable energy overlap with the EU ETS. While there are typically several justifications for these policies, a chief reason is the reduction of GHG emissions. However, given that the aggregate emissions of the industries covered are fixed by the EU ETS, the climate change mitigation aspect of these policies is not obvious. Using the light bulb ban as an example, this article illustrates how a focus on non-EU ETS emissions changes the assessment of an intervention in terms of GHG reductions.     

Use of geothermal methods in outlining deep groundwater flow systems in Paleozoic interior basins of Brazil

Results of regional-scale geothermal studies are presented, providing new insights into the characteristics of deep groundwater flow systems in the Paleozoic sedimentary basins in the Amazon, Paraná and Parnaíba regions of Brazil. The study makes use mainly of bottom-hole temperature data sets for oil wells, the depths of which vary from 1,000 to 4,000 m. The techniques employed in data analysis have allowed identification of non-linear features in vertical distributions of temperature, produced by deep groundwater flows in the study area. According to the results obtained, vertical velocities of subsurface flows are found to fall in the range 10^?10 to 10^?9 m/s, while the horizontal velocities are significantly higher, of the order 10^?8 m/s. Identification of large-scale down flows has allowed inferences as to the existence of lateral movements of groundwater. The basins in the Amazon region are found to be characterized by widespread down flow of groundwater, implying the existence of distributed recharge systems operating on regional scales. There is a systematic decrease in horizontal velocities along the direction from west to east. This feature is considered indicative of gravity driven flows induced by episodes of uplift, since Miocene times, in the Andean region.     

Absolute dating of brittle fault movements: Late Permian and late Jurassic extensional fault breccias in western Norway

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronological and palaeomagnetic dating methods applied to fault breccias in western Norway have isolated two brittle reactivation episodes of the syn-post-Caledonian, extensional Nordfjord-Sogn Detachment. These events, of latest Permian and latest Jurassic–Early Cretaceous ages, demonstrate temporal relationships between development of chemical remanent magnetism and partial resetting of Ar isotopic systems during distinct breccia-forming episodes. A third event of Carboniferous age was also identified in the breccias with the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar technique and is a relict unroofing signature inherited from the fault wall-rocks. These brittle faults are significant time markers and become relevant to interpretations of offshore seismic data which attempt to place ages on faults that have undergone multiple reactivation episodes.     

Deep low-salinity groundwater in sedimentary basins: petrophysical methods from a case study in Somalia

Oil and gas exploration data for the Northern Somalia and Horn of Africa region have been utilised for deep freshwater resources exploration. This unique geophysical and petrophysical dataset is integrated into a regional hydrogeological study and it allows for targeting of unmapped and unknown deep aquifers that would otherwise be beyond the conventional reach of the groundwater sector. The database includes open-hole well logging surveys (resistivity, gamma ray, and spontaneous potential), mud logging and drill stem test (DST) data. The results from the data analysis are combined with the geological interpretation to assess the freshwater potential of each mapped hydrostratigraphic unit in the region. The results highlight the presence of several previously unknown deep low-to-medium salinity (<9  g/L total dissolved solids (TDS)) aquifers within the Jurassic to Eocene units, including the Adigrat, Hamanlei, Gabredarre, Gumburo, Jessoma, and Auradu formations. With tested intervals of water containing less than 3.8 g/L total dissolved solids, the Auradu, Jessoma, and Gumburo formations are the most promising deep freshwater aquifers. Additional results on the analysis of groundwater parameters, such as hydraulic head, provide the basis for further groundwater modelling. The results show that the method has good potential, in particular for use in drought-stricken areas of arid regions. Ultimately, the results from this region have global significance, as the method can provide a new means of boosting fresh groundwater resources in water-poor regions, and supporting sustainable development and utilization of the resources in the medium and long term.

     

Integrating Regional Management Needs into a Mid-Atlantic Shorelines Research Project

We provide an example of how one estuarine research project engaged regional managers to help guide the research towards the needs of managers and policymakers dealing with shoreline management in the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA. Elements of the approach that contributed to success included a well-targeted initial request for proposals, a review process that included management input both as a review criterion and on the review panel, a careful process in choosing advisory members at the appropriate level in the agencies, regular opportunities for interactions between the management advisory group and the science team, and active involvement of a program manager as liaison throughout the life of the project. Engagement of a management advisory group changed some of the scientific approaches, helped to communicate results, and formed a foundation for incorporation into regional management and initiatives.     

Watershed-Estuary Coupling in Pacific Panama: Isotopic Evidence of Forest and Pasture Land Covers on Watersheds and Marine Contributions to Suspended Particulate Matter in Mangrove Estuaries

Tropical estuaries are increasingly altered by inputs from watersheds subject to widespread deforestation, as well as by globally driven hydrodynamic changes in adjoining seas. To assess contributions of C4 and C3 plants (from pasture and forest vegetation cover, respectively) to particulates exported from Pacific Panama watersheds, we measured δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in suspended particulate matter (SPM) within eight mangrove estuaries whose watersheds differed in degree of conversion from forest to pasture land cover. These measurements also allowed evaluation of down-estuary transformations and the relative marine influence on transport and exchanges of particles between land, estuary, and sea. Imprint of watershed mosaic was detectable in δ¹³C of SPM within upper reaches of estuaries but disappeared down-estuary. Detectably heavier δ¹³C suggested that C4 plants contributed to SPM in upper reaches of estuaries. δ¹³C signatures were sufficiently sensitive to reveal presence of a small, but still detectable, contribution by C4 grasses to SPM. Influence of heavier marine-derived sources increased down-estuary, erasing terrestrial imprints. δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in SPM, and in mangrove species present, became enriched down-estuary, likely from increased inputs of particulates bearing heavier signatures from upwelled waters. In this tropical Pacific region, estuarine particulates are subject to increasing shifts in land cover as deforestation increases, and to global-scale changes in hydrodynamic forcing of upwelled waters.     

The GLARE Survey – II. Faint z≈ 6 Lyα line emitters in the HUDF

The galaxy population at   z ≈ 6  has been the subject of intense study in recent years, culminating in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF) – the deepest imaging survey yet. A large number of high-redshift galaxy candidates have been identified within the HUDF, but until now analysis of their properties has been hampered by the difficulty of obtaining spectroscopic redshifts for these faint galaxies. Our 'Gemini Lyman-Alpha at Reionization Era' (GLARE) project has been designed to undertake spectroscopic follow-up of faint  ( z ' < 28.5)  i '-drop galaxies at   z ≈ 6  in the HUDF. In a previous paper we presented preliminary results from the first 7.5 h of data from GLARE. In this paper we detail the complete survey. We have now obtained 36 h of spectroscopy on a single GMOS slitmask from Gemini-South, with a spectral resolution of  λ/Δλ_FWHM≈ 1000  . We identify five strong Lyα emitters at   z > 5.5  , and a further nine possible line emitters with detections at lower significance. We also place tight constraints on the equivalent width of Lyα emission for a further ten i '-drop galaxies and examine the equivalent width distribution of this faint spectroscopic sample of   z ≈ 6  galaxies. We find that the fraction of galaxies with little or no emission is similar to that at   z ≈ 3  , but that the   z ≈ 6  population has a tail of sources with high rest-frame equivalent widths. Possible explanations for this effect include a tendency towards stronger line emission in faint sources, which may arise from extreme youth or low metallicity in the Lyman-break population at high redshift, or possibly a top-heavy initial mass function.