Weichselian history of the Fennoscandian ice sheet in southern Sweden and the southwestern Baltic Basin

This study presents the Weichselian stratigraphy on Kriegers Flak in the southwestern Baltic Sea, and correlates it to new sections in southernmost Sweden and to previously published stratigraphic sequences from SW Skåne. A total of four Weichselian advances are identified based on our correlations. The oldest till, observed only on Kriegers Flak, is dated to the Early or Middle Weichselian and tentatively correlated to the Ristinge advance, previously identified in Denmark. It is overlain by three interstadial sediment units, starting with brackish clay and followed by terrestrial and lacustrine deposits, which have been dated to 42–36 ka, and finally by glaciolacustrine clay dated to 28.5–26 ka. After 30 ka, the Fennoscandian ice sheet advanced through the Baltic Basin and into the coastal areas of southernmost Sweden where the Allarp Till was deposited, followed by a deglaciation sequence. The uppermost tills, the Dalby Till and the Lund till, were deposited during the LGM advance and the subsequent re‐advances through the Baltic Basin. Based on the new evidence it has been possible to identify and date a Middle and Late Weichselian till succession in southern Sweden and provide a strong correlation to the established glacial stratigraphies in Sweden and Denmark.     

Diffusion,degradation or on-site stabilisation – Identifying causes of kinetic processes involved in metal–humate complexation

The applicability of equilibrium models for humic-bound transport of toxic or radioactive metals is affected by kinetic processes leading to an increasing inertness of metal–humic complexes. The chemical background is not yet understood. It is widely believed that bound metals undergo an in-diffusion process within the humic colloids, changing from weaker to stronger binding sites. This work is focussed on the competition effect of Al(III) on complexation of Tb(III) or Eu(III) as analogues of trivalent actinides. By using ion exchange and spectroscopic methods, their bound fractions were determined for solutions of Al and humic acid that had been pre-equilibrated for different periods of time. Whilst the amount of bound Al remained unchanged, its blocking effect was found to increase over a time frame of 2 days, which corresponds to the kinetics of the increase in complex inertness reported in most pertinent studies. Thus, the derived “diffusion theory” turned out to be inapplicable, since it cannot explain an increase in competition for the “initial” sites. A delayed degradation of polynuclear species (as found for Fe) does not occur. Consequently, the temporal changes must be based on structural rearrangements in the vicinity of bound Al, complicating the exchange or access. Time-dependent studies by laser fluorescence spectroscopy (steady-state and time-resolved) yielded evidence of substantial alterations, which were, however, immediately induced and did not show any significant trend on the time scale of interest, suggesting that the stabilisation process is based on comparatively moderate changes.     

Microscale oxygen isotope variations in 1.9 Ga Gunflint cherts: Assessments of diagenesis effects and implications for oceanic paleotemperature reconstructions

Variations in the oxygen isotope composition (δ¹⁸O) of five cherts from the 1.9 Ga Gunflint iron formation (Canada) were studied at the micrometer scale by ion microprobe to try to better understand the processes that control δ¹⁸O values in cherts and to improve seawater paleotemperature reconstructions. Gunflint cherts show clearly different δ¹⁸O values for different types of silica with for instance a difference of ≈15‰ between detrital quartz and microquartz. Microquartz in the five samples is characterized by large intra sample variations in δ¹⁸O values, (δ¹⁸O of quartz varies from 4.6‰ to 6.6‰ at the 20 μm scale and from ≈12‰ to 14‰ at 2 μm scale). Isotopic profiles in microquartz adjacent to hydrothermal quartz veins demonstrate that microquartz more than ≈200 μm away from the veins has preserved its original δ¹⁸O value.At the micrometer spatial resolution of the ion probe, data reveal that microquartz has preserved a considerable δ¹⁸O heterogeneity that must be regarded as a signature inherited from its diagenetic history. Modelling of the δ¹⁸O variations produced during the diagenetic transformation of sedimentary amorphous silica precursors into microquartz allows us to calculate seawater temperature (T_sw at which the amorphous silica precipitated) and diagenesis temperature (T_diagenesis at which microquartz formed) that reproduce the δ¹⁸O distributions (mean, range and shape) measured at micrometer scale in microquartz. The two critical parameters in this modelling are the δ¹⁸O value and the mass fraction of the diagenetic fluid. Under these assumptions, the most likely ranges for T_sw and T_diagenesis are from 37 to 52 °C and from 130 to 170 °C, respectively.     

Deep alpine valleys: examples of geophysical explorations in Austria

Results from geophysical explorations of three deep valleys, selected from different tectonic regimes in the Eastern Alps (Ötz-, Oichten-, and Drau Valley), are presented and discussed. Ongoing tectonic deformation may use tectonic structures related to these valleys. However, seismic activity is low there. During the Würm ice age, the thickness of the ice cover ranged between 300 and 1,500 m above present ground elevation. The geophysical investigations comprised reflection seismology, gravity- and resistivity surveys. The maximum depth down to the erosional base of the valleys varies from ~340 to 700 m. Distinct layer packages of the valley-infill at depths greater than 250 m were termed “old valley-fill”. Geophysical parameters and a comparison with the reflection seismic image of an intermediate layer at the recent Pasterze glacier suggest that the top of the “old valley-fill” represents the glacier bed during the decay of the Würm glaciation. Deep erosion is not related to high basal shear stress. The confluence of tributary glaciers is apparently not a significant factor for deep erosion in our examples of deep alpine valleys. We conclude that deep erosion may be related to high water pressure at the glacier bed, supported by specific processes of tectonic weakening.     

Organochlorine, Heavy Metal and Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon Pollutant Concentrations in the Great Barrier Reef (Australia) Environment: a Review

Past monitoring of heavy metals, organochlorine compounds and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has found that pollutant concentrations are generally low within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area and are indicative of a relatively unpolluted environment. The exceptions are sites that are adjacent to human activity such as ports and harbours, urban centres and areas adjacent to intensive agricultural activity. These sites have elevated concentrations of a range of pollutants. Concentrations of dioxins have also been found to be elevated in marine park sediments. Elevated pollutant concentrations are generally the consequence of effluent discharge, urban stormwater, and agricultural and industrial runoff. However, a majority of Great Barrier Reef pollutant data are now dated, and contemporary information is required concerning the distribution and impact of pollutants in the Queensland marine environment. The utility of specialized monitoring tools such as biomarkers for tropical marine environments urgently needs to be examined. With this information, appropriate risk assessment and monitoring can be implemented and effective management strategies developed to protect tropical marine ecosystems including the Great Barrier Reef.     

Climate Variability and Land-use Change in Danangou Watershed, China—Examples of Small-Scale Farmers' Adaptation

With global concern on climate change impacts, developing countries are given special attention due their susceptibility. In this paper, change and variability in climate, land use and farmers' perception, adaptation and response to change are examined in Danangou watershed in the Chinese Loess Plateau. The first focus is to look at how climate data recorded at meteorological stations recently have evolved, and how farmers perceived these changes. Further, we want to see how the farmers respond and adapt to climate variability and what the resulting impact on land use is. Finally, other factors causing change in land use are considered. Local precipitation and temperature instrumental data and interview data from farmers were used. The instrumental data shows that the climate is getting warmer and drier, the latter despite large interannual variability. The trend is seen on the local and regional level. Farmers' perception of climatic variability corresponds well with the data record. During the last 20 years, the farmers have become less dependent on agriculture by adopting a more diversified livelihood. This adaptation makes them less vulnerable to climate variability. It was found that government policies and reforms had a stronger influence on land use than climate variability. Small-scale farmers should therefore be considered as adaptive to changing situations, planned and non-consciously planned.     

Shapes and rotational properties of thirty asteroids from photometric data

We have analyzed photometric lightcurves of 30 asteroids, and present here the obtained shapes, rotational periods and pole directions. We also present new photometric observations of five asteroids. The shape models indicate the existence of many features of varying degrees of irregularity. Even large main-belt asteroids display such features, so the resulting poles and periods are more consistent than those obtained by simple ellipsoid-like models. In some cases the new rotational parameters are rather different from those obtained previously, and in a few cases there were no proper previous estimates at all.