Submarine groundwater discharge and benthic biogeochemical zonation in the Huanghe River Estuary

Submarine groundwater discharge(SGD) has received increasing attention by studies on coastal areas; however,its effects on biogeochemical zonation have not been investigated to date. The Huanghe River Estuary(HRE) is a world class river estuary with high turbidity, and heavy human regulation. This study investigated how SGD is related to the benthic biogeochemistry of the HRE. Based on the distribution of several parameters(e.g., salinity,temperature, dissolved oxygen(DO) levels, p H, radium iso...     

Defining dynamic pelagic habitats in oceanic waters off eastern Australia

Although many species in the pelagic ocean are widespread, they are not randomly distributed. These species may have associations with particular water masses or habitats, but to best understand patterns in the ocean, these habitats must be identified. Previous efforts have produced static or seasonal climatologies, which still represent smearing over habitats. The Eastern Tuna and Billfish Longline Fishery (ETBF) targets a range of high trophic level species in oceanic waters off eastern Australia. In this study, dynamic ocean habitats in the region were identified for each month based on cluster analysis of five oceanographic variables averaged at a monthly time scale and a spatial scale of 0.5° for the period 1995-2006. A total of seven persistent habitats were identified off eastern Australia with intra and interannual variation in size and location, indicating the importance of spatial and temporal variation in the dynamics of the region. The degree to which these dynamic habitats were distinguished was tested using (i) stable isotope analysis of top fish predators caught in the region and (ii) estimates of variation in estimated abundance generated from catch data from the fishery. More precise estimates (measured as lower total CV) of isotopic values from swordfish (Xiphias gladius), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and albacore (Thunnus alalunga) were obtained for 4 of 6 isotope comparisons using the dynamic habitat groupings, which indicate that stratifying by pelagic habitat improved precision. Dynamic habitats produced more precise abundance estimates for 7 of 8 large pelagic species examined, with an average reduction in total CV of 19% compared to when abundance was estimated based on static habitat stratification. These findings could be used to guide development of effective monitoring strategies that can distinguish patterns due to environmental variation, and in the longer term, climate change.     

A tracer study in an Alaskan gravel beach and its implications on the persistence of the Exxon Valdez oil

Despite great efforts including bioremediation, the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spills persist in many gravel beaches in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA. To explore this mystery, a lithium tracer study was conducted along two transects on one of these beaches. The tracer injections and transports were successfully simulated using the 2-dimensional numerical model MARUN. The tracer stayed much longer in the oil-persisting, right transect (facing landwand) than in the clean, left transect. If the tracer is approximately regarded as oils, oils in the upper layer would have more opportunities to enter the lower layer in the right transect than in the left one. This may qualitatively explain the oil persistence within the right transect. When the tracer is regarded as nutrients, the long stay of nutrients within the right transect implies that the oil persistence along the right transect was not due to the lack of nutrients during the bioremediation.     

The Morávka meteorite fall: 1. Description of the events and determination of the fireball trajectory and orbit from video records

Abstract— The Morávka (Czech Republic) meteorite fall occurred on May 6, 2000, 11:52 UT, during the daytime. Six H5–6 ordinary chondrites with a total mass of 1.4 kg were recovered. The corresponding fireball was witnessed by thousands of people and also videotaped by 3 casual witnesses. Sonic booms were recorded by 16 seismic stations in the Czech Republic and Poland and by one infrasonic station in Germany. A total of 2.5% of the fireball eyewitnesses reported electrophonic sounds. Satellites in Earth orbit detected part of the fireball light curve. In this first paper from a series of 4 papers devoted to the Morávka meteorite fall, we describe the circumstances of the fall and determine the fireball trajectory and orbit from calibrated video records. Morávka becomes one of only 6 meteorites with a known orbit. The slope of the trajectory was 20.4° to the horizontal, the initial velocity was 22.5 km/s, and the terminal height of the fireball was 21 km. The semimajor axis of the orbit was 1.85 AU, the perihelion distance was 0.982 AU, and the inclination was 32.2°. The fireball reached an absolute visual magnitude of ?20 at a height of 33 km.     

The hydrological response of soil surfaces to rainfall as affected by cover and position of rock fragments in the top layer

Rainfall experiments have been conducted in the laboratory in order to assess the hydrological response of top soils very susceptible to surface sealing and containing rock fragments in different positions with respect to the soil surface. For a given cover level, rock fragment position in the top soil has an ambivalent effect on water intake and runoff generation. Compared to a bare soil surface rock fragments increase water intake rates as well as time of runoff concentration and decrease runoff volume if they rest on the soil surface. For the same cover level, rock fragments reduce infiltration rate and enhance runoff generation if they are well embedded in the top layer. The effects of rock fragment position on infiltration rate and runoff generation are proportional to cover percentage. Micromorphological analysis and measurements of the saturated hydraulic conductivity of bare top soils and of the top layer underneath rock fragments resting on the soil surface reveal significant differences supporting the mechanism proposed by Poesen (1986): i.e. runoff generated as rock flow or as Horton overland flow can (partly) infiltrate into the unsealed soil surface under the rock fragments, provided that they are not completely embedded in the top layer. Hence, rock fragment position, beside other rock fragment properties, should be taken into account when assessing the hydrological response of soils susceptible to surface sealing and containing rock fragments in their surface layers. A simple model, based on the proportions of bare soil surface, soil surface occupied by embedded rock fragments, and soil surface covered with rock fragments resting on the soil surface, describes the runoff coefficient data relatively well.     

Bedrock morphology and structures within overlying sediments,Start Bay,Southwest England,determined by continuous seismic profiling,side-scan sonar,and core sampling

The bedrock morphology of Start Bay, Southwest England, and the Structures within overlying sediments have been determined by a combined geophysical and geological survey. It has been established that the Skerries Bank consists of a drape of possibly coarse, unconsolidated material (bank deposits) overlying medium- to fine-grained silty sand (bay deposits). A break of slope in the bedrock surface, traced along the entire length of the Bay, and a step profile in the southern part of the Bay, may be either a legacy of submerged topography produced by vigorous tidal action, or alternatively the product of subaerial and marine processes. Other significant geological features in the Bay include infilled valleys, and “terraces” possibly pertaining to relict barrier beaches.     

Remarks on dynamical ellipticity at the Earth's

In this paper, two factors — the redistribution of the density and the variation in the angular velocity of the Earth rotation, that affect the adopted value of the flattening for equidensity surface within the Earth, are discussed. The computational results show that the contribution of the redistribution of the density in the Earth interior (especially in the core) on the change of the flattening at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) is marginal, and that the calculated value of the flattening at the CMB can be in good agreement with the VLBI observed value so long as the fact that the angular velocity of the Earth rotation has undergone the tidal evolution is taken into account. As a result, this paper presents a set of recommended values of the dynamical parameters of the Earth (see Table III) for computing Earth's forced nutation series.     

Lagrangian measurements and modelling of fluid advection in the inner surf and swash zones

New laboratory and field data are presented on fluid advection into the swash zone. The data illustrate the region of the inner surf zone from which sediment can be directly advected into the swash zone during a single uprush, which is termed the advection length. Experiments were conducted by particle tracking in a Lagrangian reference frame, and were performed for monochromatic breaking waves, solitary bores, non-breaking solitary waves and field conditions. The advection length is normalised by the run-up length to give an advection ratio, A, and different advection ratios are identified on the basis of the experimental data. The data show that fluid enters the swash zone from a region of the inner surf zone that can extend a distance seaward of the bore collapse location that is approximately equal to half of the run-up length. This region is about eight times wider than the region predicted by the classical swash solution of Shen and Meyer [Shen, M.C., Meyer, R.E., 1963. Climb of a bore on a beach. Part 3. Runup. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 16, 113–125], as illustrated by Pritchard and Hogg [Pritchard, D., Hogg, A.J., 2005. On the transport of suspended sediment by a swash event on a plane beach. Coastal Engineering 52, 1–23]. Measured advection ratios for periodic waves show no significant trend with Iribarren number, consistent with self-similarity in typical swash flows. The data are compared to recent characteristic solutions of the non-linear shallow water wave (NLSW) equations and both finite difference and finite volume solutions of the NLSW equations.     

Incrustations and fumarolic condensates at kilauea volcano, Hawaii: field, drill-hole and laboratory observations

Hawaiian volcanoes characteristically have but few of the many types of minerals found in incrustations of other volcanic areas. In Hawaii sulfates resulting from air oxidation of volatiles predominate, and fluorides produced during rock alteration by fumarolic gases are prominent. Halides are generally found where reducing conditions exist in fumaroles and lava lake drill holes. The most common mineral types are sulfur, opaline silica, gypsum, ralstonite, and thenardite. Minerals from the same deposit are found to vary markedly in the content of the less abundant components. Condensates from vapor issuing from fumaroles show little quantitative relationship in component content to incrustations deposited at the same fumaroles. It is believed that an energetically favorable isomorphic substitution of some elements in the crystal lattice of a depositing mineral may lead to the build-up of a high concentration of an element from a lean vapor. Equilibrium calculations applied to condensate studies give a good quantitative approximation to the concentrations of the elements found in natural systems, but when applied to incrustations they serve only to indicate general compositional relations. Laboratory studies have shown the important role of chlorides in metal transfer in the gas phase in high-temperature aqueous systems, but only in the absence of oxygen. These studies also demonstrated the important role of HF in rock alteration and in the transfer of silica.     

河北张家口水泉沟岩体SHRIMP年代学研究及其意义

采用先进的 SHRIMP测年技术对河北水泉沟碱性杂岩体进行了年龄测定，获得东坪金矿区水泉沟岩体二长岩锆石 U- Pb年龄为 (390± 6)Ma，后沟金矿区水泉沟岩体正长岩年龄 (386± 6)Ma，比较可信地确定了水泉沟岩体的成岩时代为晚加里东期—早海西期。这表明北部温都尔庙-西拉木伦河加里东俯冲造山运动强烈地影响本区，水泉沟岩体是这次运动的产物。根据前人测得的东坪和后沟金矿床蚀变围岩钾长石的 Ar- Ar和 K- Ar年龄，金矿化的时代是中生代燕山期，与岩体的成岩年龄有 200 Ma的时差，成因上可能与碱性杂岩体关系不大，因此，东坪和后沟等金矿床可能不属于碱性岩型金矿床。