Options for accounting carbon sequestration in German forests

Background  

The Accra climate change talks held from 21–27 August 2008 in Accra, Ghana, were part of an ongoing series of meetings leading up to the Copenhagen meeting in December 2009. During the meeting a set of options for accounting carbon sequestration in forestry on a post-2012 framework was presented. The options include gross-net and net-net accounting and approaches for establishing baselines.     

Citizens' perceptions of justice in international climate policy: an empirical analysis

Relying on a recent survey of more than 3400 participants from China, Germany, and the US, this article empirically analyses citizens' perceptions of key guiding principles for sharing mitigation costs across countries, justification of climate policy and trust in climate policy. Our findings suggest that the ranking of the main principles for burden-sharing is identical in China, Germany, and the US: accountability followed by capability, egalitarianism, and sovereignty. Thus, on a general level, citizens across these countries seem to have a common (normative) understanding of fairness. We therefore find no evidence that citizens' (stated) fairness preferences are detrimental to future burden-sharing agreements. In all three countries a majority of citizens considers international climate policy to be justified, but citizens' perceptions differ across specific items and countries. Finally, a substantial portion of citizens in all countries exhibit a lack of trust in international climate agreements.

Policy relevance

Disagreement over the distribution of mitigation costs across countries is blocking current negotiations about a new international climate change agreement to be adopted in 2015. At the heart of this disagreement are different perceptions of distributive justice among those involved in climate policy making. Our findings show that there is no difference in the ranking of fairness principles across citizens in China, Germany, and the US, suggesting that the common ground for crafting a future agreement is larger than expected. In particular, the accountability principle should weigh heavily when deciding on the burden-sharing. In addition, our findings suggest that in order to gain support among citizens, international climate policy may need to take measures to improve trust.     

A new large-eddy simulation model for simulating air flow and warm clouds above highly complex terrain. Part I: The dry model

This paper presents the dry version of a new large-eddy simulation (LES) model, which is designed to simulate air flow and clouds above highly complex terrain. The model is three-dimensional and nonhydrostatic, and the governing equations are sound filtered by use of the anelastic approximation. A fractional step method is applied to solve the equations on a staggered Cartesian grid. Arbitrarily steep and complex orography can be accounted for through the method of viscous topography. The dynamical model core is validated by comparing the results for a spreading density current against a benchmark solution. The model accuracy is further assessed through the simulation of turbulent flow across a quasi two-dimensional ridge. The results are compared with wind-tunnel data. The method of viscous topography is not restricted to moderately sloped terrain. Compared to models using curvilinear grids, it allows this model to be applied to a much wider range of flows. This is illustrated through the simulation of an atmospheric boundary-layer flow over a surface mounted cube. The results show that the dry model version is able to accurately represent the complex flow in the vicinity of three-dimensional obstacles. It is concluded that the method of viscous topography was successfully implemented into a micrometeorological LES model. As will be shown in Part II, this allows the detailed study of clouds in highly complex terrain.     

Paläogezeiten und Erdrotation

Zusammenfassung Gezeitenreibung der Hydrosphäre bewirkt einen Verlust von Rotationsdrehimpuls der Erde, der durch einen Gewinn von Bahndrehimpuls des Mondes ausgeglichen wird. Die Dissipationsrate kann für einen gegebenen Ozean mit Hilfe hydrodynamisch-numerischer Modelle berechnet werden. Die Rückverfolgung der Geschichte des Erde-Mond-Systems erfordert wegen der Änderung der Kontinent-Meer-Verteilung zur Bestimmung des jeweiligen Drehimpulstransfers die Kenntnis der Paläogezeiten. Es werden Ergebnisse (Amplituden, Phasen, Restströme) für Ozeane der Oberen Kreide (vor ca. 70 · 10⁶ Jahren) und des Mittleren Silurs (vor ca. 420 · 10⁶ Jahren) vorgestellt sowie die zugehörigen Änderungen der Rotationsenergie der Erde angegeben.

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Tidal friction of the hydrosphere causes a loss of rotational angular momentum of the Earth that is balanced by a gain of orbital angular momentum of the Moon. The rate of dissipation for a given ocean can be calculated by means of a hydrodynamical-numerical model. Tracing back the history of the Earth-Moon-system, due to the varying distribution of continents and oceans information is needed about the paleotides to determine the transfer of angular momentum. Results (corange-lines, cotidal-lines, residual currents) are presented for oceans of the Upper Cretaceous (70 m. y. b. p.) and the Middle Silurian (420 m. y. b. p.). The corresponding change of the Earth's rotational energy is indicated.

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Résumé La friction des marées de l'hydrosphère fait perdre à la Terre une quantité du moment cinétique angulaire rotationnel compensée par un gain de moment cinétique angulaire orbital de la lune. La distribution des continents et des océans varie. Quand on retrace l'histoire du système Terre-Lune, on a besoin d'informations sur les paléomarées pour déterminer le transfert de moment cinétique angulaire. La dissipation, pour un océan donné, peut être calculée au moyen d'un modèle numérique-hydrodynamique. Des résultats (amplitudes, phases, courants résiduels) sont donnés pour des océans du Créacé supérieur (il y a ca. 70 · 10⁶ années) et du Silurien moyen (il y a ca. 420 · 10⁶ années). Le changement correspondant de l'énergie rotationelle terrestre est indiqué.

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- , . . - -, - . — , — ( 70.10⁶ ) ( 420.10⁶ ), .

     

Paleogeographic and paleotopographic evolution of the Swiss and Eastern Alps since the Oligocene

The Alps are representing the most prominent topographic feature of central Europe in the last 30 Million years. Integration of sediment budget and thermochronological data show that crustal blocks within the Swiss and Eastern Alps experienced differential erosion and uplift, with eastward decreasing rates. Since 30 Ma, in the course of collision and slab breakoff, the Swiss and western Eastern Alps were uplifted and formed a mountain range. Moderate erosion rates stabilized  2 Myr later after adaption to the new base level. Between 28 Ma and 5 Ma, erosion rates shifted above and below different regional mean levels. These shifts of erosion rates were governed by changes of the tectonic setting. Moderate temporary drops of erosion rates and lowering of topography occurred at  21 Ma and  15 Ma in the course of lateral extension. Temporary rises occurred between 24 and 22 Ma during thrust loading and between 18 and 16 Ma during axial updoming of core complexes. By 5 Ma, a sustainable strong increase of erosion rates occurred in the Swiss and Western Alps. A much weaker increase is detected in the Eastern Alps somewhat later, which makes a tectonic trigger, probably a 2nd slab breakoff, more reasonable than a climatic trigger. However, this controversial 5-Ma event is superimposed by accelerated erosion after 2.7 Ma, governed by the onset of cyclic glaciations. Effective valley incision and sediment evacuation by glacial erosion caused isostatic compensation and pronounced young uplift of the Alps.The post-Eocene paleotopographic evolution of key areas is indirectly assessed on the base of erosion rates. Spatial change of paleotopography of the Alps and central Europe is estimated and illustrated in 3 paleogeographic maps.     

The graininess of dark matter haloes

We use the recently completed one billion particle Via Lactea II Λ cold dark matter simulation to investigate local properties like density, mean velocity, velocity dispersion, anisotropy, orientation and shape of the velocity dispersion ellipsoid, as well as the structure in velocity space of dark matter haloes. We show that at the same radial distance from the halo centre, these properties can deviate by orders of magnitude from the canonical, spherically averaged values, a variation that can only be partly explained by triaxiality and the presence of subhaloes. The mass density appears smooth in the central relaxed regions but spans four orders of magnitude in the outskirts, both because of the presence of subhaloes as well as of underdense regions and holes in the matter distribution. In the inner regions, the local velocity dispersion ellipsoid is aligned with the shape ellipsoid of the halo. This is not true in the outer parts where the orientation becomes more isotropic. The clumpy structure in local velocity space of the outer halo cannot be well described by a smooth multivariate normal distribution. Via Lactea II also shows the presence of cold streams made visible by their high 6D phase space density. Generally, the structure of dark matter haloes shows a high degree of graininess in phase space that cannot be described by a smooth distribution function.     

对气候变化背景下中欧易北河流域可用水的评估

The Elbe region is representative of humid to semi-humid landscapes in Central Europe,where water availability during the summer season is the limiting factor for plant growth and crop yields.especially in the loess areas with high crop productivity having annual precipitation lower than 500 mm.This paper summarizes the results of the first phase of the GLOWA(GLObal WAter)-Elbe project and tries to assess the reliability of water supply in the German part of the Elbe river basin for the next 50 years,a time scale relevant for the implementation of water and land use management plans.One focus of the study was developing scenarios which are consistent with climate and land use changes considering possible uncertainties.The concluding result of the study is that nature and communities in parts of Central Europe will have to deal with considerably lower water resources under scenario conditions.     

Multimass spherical structure models for N-body simulations

We present a simple and efficient method to set up spherical structure models for N -body simulations with a multimass technique. This technique reduces by a substantial factor the computer run time needed in order to resolve a given scale as compared to single-mass models. It therefore allows to resolve smaller scales in N -body simulations for a given computer run time. Here, we present several models with an effective resolution of up to  1.68 × 10⁹  particles within their virial radius which are stable over cosmologically relevant time-scales. As an application, we confirm the theoretical prediction by Dehnen that in mergers of collisionless structures like dark matter haloes always the cusp of the steepest progenitor is preserved. We model each merger progenitor with an effective number of particles of approximately 10⁸ particles. We also find that in a core–core merger the central density approximately doubles whereas in the cusp–cusp case the central density only increases by approximately 50 per cent. This may suggest that the central regions of flat structures are better protected and get less energy input through the merger process.     

Neoendemic ground beetles and private tree haplotypes: two independent proxies attest a moderate last glacial maximum summer temperature depression of 3–4 °C for the southern Tibetan Plateau

Previous findings regarding the Last Glacial Maximum LGM summer temperature depression (maxΔT in July) on the Tibetan Plateau varied over a large range (between 0 and 9 °C). Geologic proxies usually provided higher values than palynological data. Because of this wide temperature range, it was hitherto impossible to reconstruct the glacial environment of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we present for the first time data indicating that local neoendemics of modern species groups are promising proxies for assessing the LGM temperature depression in Tibet. We used biogeographical and phylogenetic data from small, wingless edaphous ground beetles of the genus Trechus, and from private juniper tree haplotypes. The derived values of the maxΔT in July ranged between 3 and 4 °C. Our data support previous findings that were based on palynological data. At the same time, our data are spatially more specific as they are not bound to specific archives. Our study shows that the use of modern endemics enables a detailed mapping of local LGM conditions in High Asia. A prerequisite for this is an extensive biogeographical and phylogenetic exploration of the area and the inclusion of additional endemic taxa and evolutionary lines.