A year in the physical oceanography of the Chukchi Sea: Moored measurements from autumn 1990–1991

Year-long time-series of temperature, salinity and velocity from 12 locations throughout the Chukchi Sea from September 1990 to October 1991 document physical transformations and significant seasonal changes in the throughflow from the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean for one year. In most of the Chukchi, the flow field responds rapidly to the local wind, with high spatial coherence over the basin scale—effectively the ocean takes on the lengthscales of the wind forcing. Although weekly transport variability is very large (ca. -2 to ), the mean flow is northwards, opposed by the mean wind (which is southward), but presumably forced by a sea-level slope between the Pacific and the Arctic, which these data suggest may have significant variability on long (order a year) timescales. The high flow variability yields a significant range of residence times for waters in the Chukchi (i.e. one to six months for half the transit) with the larger values applicable in winter.Temperature and salinity (TS) records show a strong annual cycle of freezing, salinization, freshening and warming, with sizable interannual variability. The largest seasonal variability is seen in the east, where warm, fresh waters escape from the buoyant, coastally trapped Alaskan Coastal Current into the interior Chukchi. In the west, the seasonally present Siberian Coastal Current provides a source of cold, fresh waters and a flow field less linked to the local wind. Cold, dense polynya waters are observed near Cape Lisburne and occasional upwelling events bring lower Arctic Ocean halocline waters to the head of Barrow Canyon. For about half the year, at least at depth, the entire Chukchi is condensed into a small region of TS-space at the freezing temperature, suggesting ventilation occurs to near-bottom, driven by cooling and brine rejection in autumn/winter and by storm-mixing all year.In 1990–1991, the ca. 0.8 Sv annual mean inflow through Bering Strait exits the Chukchi in four outflows—via Long Strait, Herald Valley, the Central Channel, and Barrow Canyon—each outflow being comparable (order 0.1–0.3 Sv) and showing significant changes in volume and water properties (and hence equilibrium depth in the Arctic Ocean) throughout the year. The clearest seasonal cycle in properties and flow is in Herald Valley, where the outflow is only weakly related to the local wind. In this one year, the outflows ventilate above and below (but not in) the Arctic halocline mode of 33.1 psu. A volumetric comparison with Bering Strait indicates significant cooling during transit through the Chukchi, but remarkably little change in salinity, at least in the denser waters. This suggests that, with the exception of (in this year small) polynya events, the salinity cycle in the Chukchi can be considered as being set by the input through Bering Strait and thus, since density is dominated by salinity at these temperatures, Bering Strait salinities are a reasonable predictor of ventilation of the Arctic Ocean.     

Centrifuge tests on installation of suction anchors in soft clay

Three centrifuge model tests were performed in normally consolidated Speswhite Kaolin to study the penetration of suction anchors in soft clay. The suction anchors could be penetrated by means of underpressure to a depth of about 12.4 to a little more than 14.5 times the diameter. When the anchors were penetrated by underpressure, all clay displaced by the skirt moved into the anchor. At a penetration depth of about half the maximum penetration depth, the volume of the soil heave inside the anchor actually increased more than the volume of the displaced clay. When a material coefficient of 1.5 against plug failure was mobilized, more than the clay displaced by the skirts had accumulated inside the anchor. The penetration resistance increased by 42 and 26% during rest periods of 4.5 and 0.8 days prototype time, respectively. Some uncertainty in the shear strength of the clay beds gave some uncertainty with respect to the interpretation, but the observed behaviour generally confirmed the theoretical analyses.     

Balancing aquaculture with other coastal interests: A study of regional planning as a tool for ICZM in Norway

Coastal zone planning at regional level has been introduced in Norway to deal with the problems of integration that coastal zone planning at municipal level has not been able to solve. In particular, this relates to coordination between the relevant sectors at regional level. The present article discusses the effects of different planning strategies at regional (county) level in terms of achieving integration between the interests of the aquaculture industry with those of other coastal interests. The findings are based on a study comparing the experiences in three counties. The authors argue that the individual county's choice of planning strategy influence the way in which the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is carried out. The more active the county authorities have been as a meta-governor in the planning and implementation processes, the higher level of integration is achieved.     

A search for shocked quartz grains in the Allerød‐Younger Dryas boundary layer

The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis suggests that multiple airbursts or extraterrestrial impacts occurring at the end of the Allerød interstadial resulted in the Younger Dryas cold period. So far, no reproducible, diagnostic evidence has, however, been reported. Quartz grains containing planar deformation features (known as shocked quartz grains), are considered a reliable indicator for the occurrence of an extraterrestrial impact when found in a geological setting. Although alleged shocked quartz grains have been reported at a possible Allerød‐Younger Dryas boundary layer in Venezuela, the identification of shocked quartz in this layer is ambiguous. To test whether shocked quartz is indeed present in the proposed impact layer, we investigated the quartz fraction of multiple Allerød‐Younger Dryas boundary layers from Europe and North America, where proposed impact markers have been reported. Grains were analyzed using a combination of light and electron microscopy techniques. All samples contained a variable amount of quartz grains with (sub)planar microstructures, often tectonic deformation lamellae. A total of one quartz grain containing planar deformation features was found in our samples. This shocked quartz grain comes from the Usselo palaeosol at Geldrop Aalsterhut, the Netherlands. Scanning electron microscopy cathodoluminescence imaging and transmission electron microscopy imaging, however, show that the planar deformation features in this grain are healed and thus likely to be older than the Allerød‐Younger Dryas boundary. We suggest that this grain was possibly eroded from an older crater or distal ejecta layer and later redeposited in the European sandbelt. The single shocked quartz grain at this moment thus cannot be used to support the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis.     

The effect of asymmetric dune roughness on tidal asymmetry in the Weser estuary

The bed of estuaries is often characterized by ripples and dunes of varying size. Whereas smaller bedforms adapt their morphological shape to the oscillating tidal currents, large compound dunes (here: asymmetric tidal dunes) remain stable for periods longer than a tidal cycle. Bedforms constitute a form roughness, that is, hydraulic flow resistance, which has a large-scale effect on tidal asymmetry and, hence, on hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphodynamics of estuaries and coastal seas. Flow separation behind the dune crest and recirculation on the steep downstream side result in turbulence and energy loss. Since the energy dissipation can be related to the dune lee slope angle, asymmetric dune shapes induce variable flow resistance during ebb and flood phases. Here, a noncalibrated numerical model has been applied to analyze the large-scale effect of symmetric and asymmetric dune shapes on estuarine tidal asymmetry evaluated by residual bed load sediment transport at the Weser estuary, Germany. Scenario simulations were performed with parameterized bed roughness of symmetric and asymmetric dune shapes and without dune roughness. The spatiotemporal interaction of distinct dune shapes with the main drivers of estuarine sediment and morphodynamics, that is, river discharge and tidal energy, is shown to be complex but substantial. The contrasting effects of flood- and ebb-oriented asymmetric dunes on residual bed load transport rates and directions are estimated to be of a similar importance as the controls of seasonal changes of discharge on these net sediment fluxes at the Lower Weser estuary. This corroborates the need to consider dune-induced directional bed roughness in numerical models of estuarine and tidal environments.     

A Rb-Sr whole rock isochron date on an igneous rock-body from the Stavanger area,South Norway

The Ormakam-Moldhesten granite, from the Stavanger area, South Norway, has been dated by the Rb-Sr whole rock method. The isochron ages obtained (1180 m.y., 1243 ±160m.y. and 1534±125 m.y.) show that the granite complex is of Precambrian age. The 1543 m. year age is thought to refer to a period of early granulite facies metamorphism, the 1180 m.y. isochron age is taken as the crystallisation age of a later intrusion of biotite granite. This is within the limits of error of the 1160 m.y. metamorphic event shown earlier to have affected the paragneisses in the area. The results demonstrate clearly the allochthonous position of the gneisses and granitic intrusives overlying the fossiliferous Cambrian beds in the Stavanger area. The tectonostratigraphic succession in this area is thus consistent with the observation of Precambrian nappes to the north (Hardangervidda-Ryfylke area).     

Glacial conglomerates of late precambrian age from the Bunyoro Series,W. Uganda

The Bunyoro Series of W. Uganda is a sequence of sandstones and pelitic sediments of fairly low metamorphic grade resting unconformably on crystalline Precambrian basement rocks. Conglomerates and pebbly mudstones are found predominantly in the lower part of the sequence. The present paper describes the result of fieldwork carried out by the author, mainly in the Hoima and Masindi areas. The author supports the conclusion reached by earlier workers (Davies, 1939) that the conglomerates of the Bunyoro Series are of glacial origin and probably of Late Precambrian age. The conglomerates of the northern part of the Bunyoro District (Masindi) are strongly deformed and elongated, defining a very distinct pebble lineation dipping in a northerly direction. This lineation was most probably formed during isoclinal folding with tectonic movement from the North to the South, producing extensive inversions. This folding is most likely to have taken place in Late Precambrian or Early Palaeozoic times and may tentatively be correlated with the Katanga orogeny.

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Zusammenfassung Die Bunyoro-Serie in West-Uganda besteht aus wenig metamorphen Sandsteinen und pelitischen Sedimenten, die diskordant auf dem kristallinen präkambrischen Grundgebirge ruhen. Konglomerate und geröllhaltige Ton- und Siltsteine dominieren in den tieferen Teilen der Serie. In dieser Abhandlung beschreibt der Verfasser die Resultate seiner Feldarbeit hauptsächlich aus den Gebieten Hoima und Masindi. Frühere Ergebnisse (Davies, 1939) werden gestützt insofern, als die Konglomerate der Bunyoro-Serie glazialen Ursprungs sind und wahrscheinlich spät-präkambrisches Alter haben. Die Konglomerate der nördlichen Teile des Bunyoro-Gebietes sind stark deformiert, und die Geröllachsen fallen in nördlichen Richtungen ein, Diese Liniation ist wahrscheinlich während einer isoklinalen Faltungsperiode mit tektonischer Bewegung von Norden gegen Süden entstanden. Die Faltung hat extensive Überkippungen hervorgerufen und hat wahrscheinlich in spätpräkambrischen oder frühen paläozoischen Zeiten stattgefunden. Sie kann versuchsweise mit der Katanga-Orogenese korreliert werden.

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Résumé La Série du Bunyoro de l'Ouest de l'Ouganda consiste en grès et sédiments pélitiques peu métamorphiques reposant en discordance sur le socle cristallin Antécambrien (Précambrien). Des conglomérats et argiles à galets sont surtout localisés dans la partie inférieure de la série. Le présent article décrit les résultats du travail de terrain effectué par l'auteur, principalement dans les districts de Hoima et de Masindi. L'auteur confirme la conclusion à laquelle sont arrivés ses prédécesseurs (Davies, 1939), c.-à-d. que les conglomérats de la Série du Bunyoro ont une origine glaciaire effectué par l'auteur, principalement dans les districts de Hoima et de Masindi. conglomérats de la partie Nord du District du Bunyoro (Masindi) sont fortement déformés et étirés avec une linéation de galets très marquée, plongeant vers le Nord. Cette linéation s'est probablement développée lors d'un plissement isoclinal avec transport tectonique du Nord vers le Sud, ce qui a produit d'importantes inversions. Apparemment cette phase de plissement s'est produite vers la fin de la période infracambrienne ou bien au début de l'ère Paléozoïque, et l'on peut tenter de la mettre en liaison avec l'orogènese du Katanga.

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The short term response to eutrophication abatement

We compare results of a new model for predicting the short term inter annual changes in chlorophyll-a (chl-a) in lakes after reductions in total phosphorus (TP) to predictions made by least squares regression models. In the new method, slopes of chl-a/TP graphs (both axes in mg · m^–3) are depicted in frequency diagrams and used to extract information on the expected, short term chl-a/TP response. The short term response for nine shallow (< 10 m deep) and nutrient rich lakes to changes in TP was found to be: Chl-a = 0.49 · TP + 17.3, and for nine deep, P-limited lakes: Chl-a = 0.08 · TP + 3.5. If the TP-reduction is known to be greater than 10 mg · m^–3, the expected slope increases to 0.58 for shallow lakes and to 0.26 for deep lakes. The slope, 0.58, is 8% lower than the slope for the long term response calculated by regression for the shallow lakes. For deep lakes the slope, 0.26, is 2 to 3 times higher than that calculated by regression, indicating that reductions in TP for deep lakes give greater effects than least squares regression equations suggest. We have also calculated the reduction in TP which will give about 80% probability that a reduction in chl-a will be observed next year. For shallow, P-limited lakes this reduction is about 30 mg · m^–3 (5% of average initial in-lake TP concentration), and for deep lakes about 14 mg · m^–3 (35% of average initial in-lake TP concentration).     

Sediment sequences and paleosols in the Kyichu Valley, southern Tibet (China), indicating Late Quaternary environmental changes

Abstract The Tibetan Plateau is highly sensitive to environmental changes and affects the settings of a far larger territory in Central Asia and beyond. Thus, knowledge on past environmental changes in that area is essential. Even though the Kyichu (Lhasa River) Valley and its tributaries is an easily accessible area, the Late Quaternary landscape evolution of southern Tibet is in general scarcely known. Therefore, 12 sedimentary sections in the middle and lower catchment were subjected to multidisciplinary analyses (sedimentology, paleopedology, AMS ¹⁴C and luminescence dating, and charcoal determination) aiming at results on regional paleoenvironmental changes. At the altitude studied (3600–4000 m above sealevel), no glacial relics could be detected, indicating that the valley positions have been unglaciated since the Last Interglacial. The lack of fluvial–lacustrine structures above the floodplain is due to the aggradational character of this tectonically (sub‐)active valley, which caused an alluvial burying of older valley bottoms. During the Late Pleistocene the mouth area of the Kyichu was occupied by a lake which was part of a larger dam‐lake in the superordinate Yarlung Zhangbo Valley. On the valley flanks, loesses were predominantly deposited before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), whereas eolian sands were predominantly deposited around and after the LGM. Paleosols of Last Interglacial, Last Glacial and Holocene ages regularly occur at terrestrial sites representing temperate to cool and humid to semiarid conditions during soil formation. Ages of colluvial sediments indicate that the widespread barren valley slopes were primarily formed by Late Pleistocene erosion followed by a secondary Holocene erosion phase. Charcoal spectra indicate a Late Holocene change from a forest environment to a pastoral environment with sparse grasses, herbs and dwarf shrubs. It is assumed that the Late Holocene environmental changes, such as loss of forests/woodlands and erosion, have at least been reinforced by humans, enhancing a regional climatic aridification and cooling trend.