Absolute Calibration of Jason-1 and TOPEX/Poseidon Altimeters in Corsica

The double geodetic Corsica site, which includes Ajaccio-Aspretto and Cape Senetosa (40 km south Ajaccio) in the western Mediterranean area, has been chosen to permit the absolute calibration of radar altimeters. It has been developed since 1998 at Cape Senetosa and, in addition to the use of classical tide gauges, a GPS buoy is deployed every 10 days under the satellites ground track (10 km off shore) since 2000. The 2002 absolute calibration campaign made from January to September in Corsica revealed the necessity of deploying different geodetic techniques on a dedicated site to reach an accuracy level of a few mm: in particular, the French Transportable Laser Ranging System (FTLRS) for accurate orbit determination, and various geodetic equipment as well as a local marine geoid, for monitoring the local sea level and mean sea level. TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter calibration has been performed from cycle 208 to 365 using M-GDR products, whereas Jason-1 altimeter calibration used cycles from 1 to 45 using I-GDR products. For Jason-1, improved estimates of sea-state bias and columnar atmospheric wet path delay as well as the most precise orbits available have been used. The goal of this article is to give synthetic results of the analysis of the different error sources for the tandem phase and for the whole studied period, as geophysical corrections, orbits and reference frame, sea level, and finally altimeter biases. Results are at the millimeter level when considering one year of continuous monitoring; they show a great consistency between both satellites with biases of 6 ± 3 mm (ALT-B) and 120 ± 7 mm, respectively, for TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1.     

Effect of rainfall as a component of climate change on estuarine fish production in Queensland, Australia

The speculation that climate change may impact on sustainable fish production suggests a need to understand how these effects influence fish catch on a broad scale. With a gross annual value of A$ 2.2 billion, the fishing industry is a significant primary industry in Australia. Many commercially important fish species use estuarine habitats such as mangroves, tidal flats and seagrass beds as nurseries or breeding grounds and have lifecycles correlated to rainfall and temperature patterns. Correlation of catches of mullet (e.g. Mugil cephalus) and barramundi (Lates calcarifer) with rainfall suggests that fisheries may be sensitive to effects of climate change. This work reviews key commercial fish and crustacean species and their link to estuaries and climate parameters. A conceptual model demonstrates ecological and biophysical links of estuarine habitats that influences capture fisheries production. The difficulty involved in explaining the effect of climate change on fisheries arising from the lack of ecological knowledge may be overcome by relating climate parameters with long-term fish catch data. Catch per unit effort (CPUE), rainfall, the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and catch time series for specific combinations of climate seasons and regions have been explored and surplus production models applied to Queensland's commercial fish catch data with the program CLIMPROD. Results indicate that up to 30% of Queensland's total fish catch and up to 80% of the barramundi catch variation for specific regions can be explained by rainfall often with a lagged response to rainfall events. Our approach allows an evaluation of the economic consequences of climate parameters on estuarine fisheries, thus highlighting the need to develop forecast models and manage estuaries for future climate change impact by adjusting the quota for climate change sensitive species. Different modelling approaches are discussed with respect to their forecast ability.     

Knowledge production, organisation and agglomeration economies

The increasing attention for the economic value of the scientific work produced in universities has resulted in a multitude of concepts concerning the production and transfer of knowledge and possible linkages with the business community. Many universities are engaged in activities aimed at improving the economic development of their respective regions. They often participate in Science Parks, Techno Parcs, and Technopoles. They attempt to stimulate spin-offs and to promote the further use of the knowledge produced in their departments. The regional economic impact varies with the kind of knowledge involved. Only certain parts can be put to commercial use, more in particular the technological products of the knowledge output. Property rights of knowledge have to be defended, which makes it less easy to imitate or use the knowledge in other regions. The current trend to sell knowledge makes it necessary to build a strong organisational structure, especially in the first stages of the production of knowledge that is commercially applicable. Such an organisation requires huge funds and the establishment of strong teams of experts, to prevent valuable knowledge from premature dissipation. These teams and departments have better prospects in larger urban areas with a strongly differentiated economy, with agglomeration economies and lower transaction costs. In these regions it will be easier to have spin-offs (new firms) and to retain a linkage with entrepreneurs-alumni from the universities. An efficient organisation is an important precondition for successful universities and regions.     

Secular polar motion,crustal movements,and international latitude service observations

Summary The latitude variations observed by optical astrometry at five International Latitude Service (ILS) stations since the beginning of the century are analyzed to estimate the secular motion of the pole and the correction of the proper motions of the observed stars. The geophysical model of tectonic plate motions NUVEL-1 is used to correct the observed latitude drifts, thus referring the derived secular polar motion to the "no net rotation" terrestrial reference system. It is shown that one of the ILS stations, Ukiah (near the U.S. west coast), very probably exhibits an anomalous drift which differs significantly from the motion of both the Pacific and North American plates.     

On the transformation of planetary waves of tropospheric origin into waves in radio wave absorption in the lower ionosphere

Summary Calculations are carried out of upward propagation of a tropospherically forced 10-day planetary wave into the upper middle atmosphere with the use of the COMMA-R model of the University of Cologne, of its transformation into a wave in electron density by means of the model of the Comenius University, and of its final transformation into a wave in radio wave absorption in the lower ionosphere applying the computer code of the Geophysical Institute. The calculations show that the absorption may be used for investigating the planetary wave activity, particularly of its long-term trends. The possibility of propagation of planetary waves from the winter hemisphere to the summer hemisphere is illustrated, which could contribute to explanation of the occurrence of travelling planetary waves in the mesosphere in summer.Dedicated to the Memory of Professor Karel P     

Early Eocene sea floor spreading and continent-ocean boundary between Jan Mayen and Senja fracture zones in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea

Sea floor spreading anomalies in the Lofoten-Greenland basins reveal an unstable plate boundary characterized by several small-offset transforms for a period of 4 m.y. after opening. North of the Jan Mayen Fracture Zone, integrated analysis of magnetic and seismic data also document a distinct, persistent magnetic anomaly associated with the continent-ocean boundary and a locally, robust anomaly along the inner boundary of the break-up lavas. These results provide improved constraints on early opening plate reconstructions, which include a new anomaly 23-to-opening pole of rotation yielding more northerly relative motion vectors than previously recognized; and a solution of the enigmatic, azimuthal difference between the conjugate Eocene parts of the Greenland-Senja Fracture Zone if the Greenland Ridge is considered a continental sliver. The results confirm high, 2.36–2.40 cm yr^–1, early opening spreading rates, and are consistent with the start of sea floor spreading during Chron 24r. The potential field data along the landward prolongations of the Bivrost Fracture Zone suggest that its location is determined by a Mesozoic transfer system which has acted as a first-order, across-margin tectono-magmatic boundary between the regional Jan Mayen and Greenland-Senja Fracture Zone systems, greatly influencing the pre-, syn- and post-breakup margin development.     

Biochemical and physiological disturbances in fish inhabiting coastal waters polluted with bleached kraft mill effluents

An extensive trial to examine physiological and biochemical changes in perch (Perca fluviatilis) inhabiting coastal waters polluted by bleached kraft mill effluents has been carried out. The results from this investigation show profound effects of bleached kraft mill effluents on several fundamental biochemical and physiological functions on four different sampling occasions. Typical symptoms in perch from the polluted areas were reduced gonad growth, enlarged liver, and very strong induction of certain cytochrome P-450-dependent activities. Elevated content of ascorbic acid in liver tissue and strongly affected carbohydrate metabolism show that the effluent causes metabolic disorders. Marked effects on the white blood cell pattern indicate a suppressed immune defence. Alterations in the red blood cell status and the ion balance suggest an impaired gill function. This extensive symptom picture is strengthened by the relatively good agreement with the effects previously observed in fish exposed to bleached kraft mill effluents (BKME) in the laboratory.^1–3