The thermal springs of Jordan

The thermal springs alongside Wadi Araba, Dead Sea and Jordan valley, Jordan, were investigated and sampled in a comprehensive field study of 2 weeks. Conventional physicochemical properties were measured in situ; dissolved solids and isotopic composition were analyzed. Two main spring locations on the east side of the Dead Sea were mapped. It became evident, that the hottest springs are among the closest to prominent faults; some springs are controlled by gas lift. Jordan’s hot springs are described by means of a broad hydrochemical and physicochemical data set and several figures are presented. Based on their hydrochemistry, the thermal springs are classified into four thermal provinces. Water genesis is discussed. Several geothermometers are applied to estimate reservoir temperatures. Observed discharge rate, water temperature and isotopic composition are compared with data from the literature. Although discharge and water temperature are reported to be constant over the last decades, groundwater overexploitation led to a shift of the isotopic composition, what is documented for the first time in Jordan. Thus, the effect of groundwater mining on Jordan’s hot springs can be stated as a fact.     

准噶尔盆地滴西地区石炭系火山岩识别与预测

准噶尔盆地腹部滴西地区石炭系火山岩储层中已获重要的工业气流。然而由于成岩环境复杂,岩性多变,火山机构受后期风化剥蚀和构造作用的影响,保存不完整,使得该区火山岩研究难度大,认识程度较低。本文对滴西地区石炭系巴塔玛依内山组火山岩特征进行了研究,分析了该区典型岩性的岩心、岩石薄片及测井响应特征,提出了一套火山岩测井识别的方法。在此基础上,总结了典型岩性组合的地震反射特征,并对岩性的展布情况进行了预测。最后,对火山岩形成的环境进行了探讨。研究结果显示,滴西地区巴塔玛依内山组顶面的火山岩分布具有一定的分段特征,可以分为东部、中部、西部三段: 从成分上看,东部以酸性岩为主,西部以基性岩为主,中部则酸性岩、中性岩和基性岩皆较发育; 从火山岩产状上看,东部和西部以喷出产状为主,中部则侵入产状和喷出产状皆发育。巴塔玛依内山组火山岩体具有多期次的特点,各火山机构彼此叠置,时间和空间上具有一定的相关性。层状火山机构发育。本文的研究方法对准噶尔盆地内石炭系火山岩研究及火山机构的解剖具有借鉴意义,同时也为该区的油气勘探和开发提供一定的依据。     

用于公路滑溜状况预测的数值预报系统

该文论述对丹麦公路站点滑溜路面状况进行自动预测的一个数值预报系统。该系统建立在由大气有限区域业务模式输入的路面状况模式的基础之一。在经过改进的、包括能对每个测站的通量资料进行订正的初始化程序中，使用了各公路站点观测的云量、温度和温度等观测资料。该系统在丹麦气象研究所答询业务中投入运行。目前２００个公路站点每小时的新的预报，可在５ｈ前作出，两个选定时段的模式预报和业务运动结果表明，该系统具有潜在的优     

西秦岭凤太矿集区丝毛岭金矿床地质地球化学特征

西秦岭凤太矿集区丝毛岭金矿床位于八卦庙造山型金矿床西侧5km左右,是一个新探明的剪切带型金矿。其成矿作用过程可分为早期石英-绢云母-硫化物阶段、中期多金属-硫化物阶段和晚期碳酸盐阶段。对早、中期的石英流体包裹体测试结果表明,丝毛岭金矿床成矿流体以富CO2、中温、低盐度为特征,总体上属于中温低盐度CO2-H2O体系,流体包裹体类型的多样性是流体不混溶性的产物。从早阶段到主成矿阶段成矿流体的温度、压力和盐度均有降低,硫逸度增高,有利于金的沉淀富集。H、O、S、C同位素研究结果,以及与八卦庙金矿床的对比分析表明,二者的成矿流体具有相似性和同源性,都是以深部来源为主的多源流体。由于丝毛岭金矿床产出的层位高于八卦庙金矿床,其成矿环境相对开放。     

Disturbance,geomorphic processes and recovery of wildfire slopes in North Tyrol

Wildfires in the sub‐alpine belt of the Austrian Limestone Alps sometimes cause severe vegetation and soil destruction with increased danger of secondary natural hazards such as avalanches and debris flows. Some of the affected areas remain degraded to rocky slopes even decades after the fire, raising the question as to whether the ecosystems will ever be able to recover. The mean fire interval, the duration of recovery and the role of geomorphic processes for vegetation regeneration are so far unknown. These questions were tackled in a broad research approach including investigation of historical archives to determine the frequency of historical wildfires, mapping vegetation regeneration on 20 slopes of different post‐fire ages, and soil erosion measurements on two slopes. To date, > 450 historical wildfires have been located in the study area. The mean fire interval per square kilometre is c. 750 years, but can be as low as 200–500 years on south‐facing slopes. Vegetation regeneration takes an extremely long time under unfavourable conditions; the typical window of disturbance is between 50 and 500 years, which is far longer than in any other wildfire study known to us. Soil erosion constantly increases in the years after the fires and the elevated intensity can be maintained for decades. A two‐part vegetation regeneration model is proposed depending upon the degree of soil loss. In the case of moderate soil erosion, spreading grassland communities can slow down shrub re‐colonization. In contrast, after severe soil destruction the slopes may remain degraded for a century or longer, before rather rapid regeneration occurs. The reasons are not fully understood but are probably governed by geomorphic process intensity. The interdependence of vegetation regeneration and geomorphic processes is a paradigm of ecology–geomorphology interaction, and is a unique example of a very long‐lasting disturbance response caused by wildfire in a non‐resilient ecosystem. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Whole-lake addition of coarse woody habitat: response of fish populations

Lakeshore residential development (LRD) reduces coarse woody habitat (CWH) in lakes resulting in negative effects on fishes. We tested whether the addition of CWH could reverse those effects. We added CWH to Camp Lake, a lake with CWH abundances similar to developed lakes, following 2 years of study of the fish populations in the reference and treatment basins. Both basins were monitored for 4 years following the manipulation. Specifically, we tested for changes in the population dynamics (densities, size-structure, growth), diet, and behavior (habitat use) of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). CWH addition had no discernible effect on fish population dynamics. Diet and behavioral responses were more pronounced in the treatment basin. Prey diversity and availability increased. Piscivory increased, with decreased reliance upon terrestrial prey, for largemouth bass. Habitat use was positively correlated with CWH branching complexity and abundance. Our study suggests that negative effects observed in fish populations through CWH reductions cannot be reversed in the short-term by adding CWH. We recommend that regulations governing the LRD process be protective of CWH.     

Combining airborne and terrestrial laser scanning for quantifying erosion and deposition by a debris flow event

We quantified the sediment volume transported by a major debris flow event in the Halltal, Austrian Alps, using a combination of terrestrial (TLS) and airborne laser scanning (ALS) which has rarely been carried out before. A digital terrain model (DTM) derived from ALS data (pre-event surface) was combined with a DTM derived from TLS data (post-event surface). Both datasets were aligned and compared in a cut and fill analysis estimating differential volumes.The main focus lay on the evaluation and accuracy assessment of the applied method. Tie-point based registration of both datasets proved to be insufficient; additional alignment by Multi Station Adjustment was necessary to minimise the averaged height error between both datasets, amounting for a volumetric error of less than 10% which is comparable to pure ALS-campaigns. Larger errors were estimated for complex terrain with low scanning resolutions. A particular problem in data processing was the low and dense shrub vegetation in the study area which required a specifically adapted filter algorithm. An insufficient ground representation was observed for the ALS-data overestimating ground heights for averaged 70 cm. Despite these limitations, the approach proved to be suitable for accurate extreme event quantification.The starting zones of the debris flows lie at the bedrock-debris interface where runoff is concentrated. Volumes of 5000 to 12,000 m³ were assessed. Volume estimation worked better for the erosional than for the depositional features; this is because the erosional gullies are relatively deep and the calculation is not affected by pre-event vegetation. While erosion and sedimentation are balanced for one of the three catchments investigated, the deposited volumes are higher than the detected eroded volumes for the other two. The reasons are not fully understood. The magnitude of the flows was determined by catchment size, topographical characteristics and deforestation by a major wildfire in 1946.     

Heat flow from eastern Panama and northwestern Colombia

Heat flows were determined at 12 sites in four distinct areas between longitude 77° and 80°W in eastern Panama and northwestern Colombia. Evidently, most of the region is underlain by mafic oceanic crust so that the crustal radiogenic component of heat flow is very small (～ 0.1 μcal cm^?2 sec^?1). Low heat-flow values (～ 0.7 μcal cm^?2 sec^?1) in northwestern Colombia may reflect thermal transients associated with shallow subduction. The normal values (～ 1) at about 78°W are consistent with the mean heat flow from the western Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. At 80°W, a fairly high value of 1.8 may define the easterly limit of thermal transients due to Cenozoic volcanic activity in Central America.     

Comparing geophysical methods for talus slope investigations in the Turtmann valley (Swiss Alps)

Three geophysical methods, ground penetrating radar, 2D-resistivity and seismic refraction were applied to two landform complexes in a high-alpine valley in Switzerland to investigate their internal structure. Results of the different methods were analysed separately, before conclusions about sediment thickness and geomorphologic implications were drawn. The results from the three methods were compared to focus on the quality of the methods and their field utility, with respect to portability of equipment, required man-power and measurement time. In this study, ground penetrating radar and seismic refraction proved to be the most suitable with respect to the quality and resolution of the subsurface information and the level of field utility. Sediment thicknesses of 15 m on a rectilinear slope and more than 30 m on a talus cone have been measured; a backweathering rate of approximately 700 mm ka^− 1 was established. Furthermore, the radar delivered detailed internal sediment structure as well as interfaces between talus and rock glacier. The combined geophysical investigation produced a detailed image of the subsurface composition of the two landform complexes that enhance the understanding of the paraglacial landform evolution in this hanging valley.