Quasi-biennial variations in ozone and meteorological parameters over western Europe from ozonesonde data

Quasi-biennial variations in vertical profiles of ozone, temperature, air pressure, and zonal and meridional wind velocities are analyzed from ozonesonde data obtained at the western European stations of Lindenberg, Hohenpeissenberg, and Payerne. The effect of quasi-biennial variations manifests itself variously in different variables and is nonuniform in altitude. The period of quasi-biennial variations is not constant, and the values of the mean period group mainly around 2 and 2.5 years. As in the North American region, the effects of quasi-biennial variations in different parameters of the stratosphere and troposphere over western Europe are due to a combination of the effects of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in the equatorial stratosphere, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The observed 2.5-year variations in stratospheric ozone are related to the equatorial QBO to a larger extent in comparison with variations in other variables. It seems likely that a determining influence on variations in stratospheric wind and temperature is exerted by the ENSO. Variations in tropospheric and stratospheric parameters with a mean period of about 2 years are due to the ENSO and NAO effects.     

Sample treatment with focused ultrasound and bath sonication as a powerful tool for the evaluation of cadmium pollution in estuarine waters

A new sample treatment was developed for the determination of dissolved cadmium in Tagus estuarine waters, based on focused ultrasound in conjunction with small volumes in the extraction steps for Cd pre-concentration. Cadmium was first pre-concentrated using a classical approach (APDC as the complexing agent and MIBK as the organic phase) and then back-extracted into HNO₃ with the aid of focused ultrasound, which reduced the acid concentration by more than one order of magnitude (from 4 to 0.1 mol L^− 3). This sample treatment was accomplished in less than 5 min, using low sample volume (20 mL), and low-volume, low-concentration reagents. The pre-concentration factor used in this work was 25, but different sample/organic volume ratios may be used in order to increase that value. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification in Tagus water samples were 0.03 nmol L^− 1 and 0.1 nmol L^− 3, respectively. Recoveries from spiked Tagus water were higher than 90%. The procedure was validated using the reference estuarine water NRC-SLEW-3. In the solubilization of Cd particulate, bath ultrasonication was used in conjunction with HNO₃ + HCl, followed by H₂O₂, which took about 2 instead of the usual 12 h (cooling included) when high-pressure microwave digestion is used.     

Suspended sediment concentration in a buoyant plume: Fraser River,Canada

A study of suspended sediment concentration in the buoyant plume of the Fraser River, Canada, showed that unstratified flow conditions at the river mouth caused resuspension of sandy bed material and high concentrations of coarse sediment. When flow at the mouth was stratified, sediment was fine-grained and concentrations were low. Application of a multivariate model revealed that suspended sediment concentration along the plume axis was controlled primarily by distance seaward of the river mouth, secondly by tidal height, and least by sediment concentration in the river.     

Suspended barite as a tracer of biological activity in the Southern Ocean

During two cruises in the Southern Ocean (INDIGO 3, Indian sector and EPOS 2, Scotia-Weddell Confluence) suspended matter samples were collected for analysis of several biogenic elements including Ba, Si and particulate organic carbon (POC).The good agreement between particulate barium in subsurface water with oxygen minimum concentrations as well as with nitrate depletions suggests that it reflects the intensity of new production over the past season. As a consequence of new production in the Southern Ocean being performed mainly by diatoms, the occurrences of barite and diatoms are related in the water column. In areas characterized by diatom-poor phytoplankton, barite does occur, but in lower concentrations.     

A nomogram method for predicting the movement of oil slicks

In order to obtain quick initial guidance on a first estimation of motion of the spilled oil, a simple manual procedure incorporating advection and spreading processes has been devised. This procedure involves the utilization of a nomogram based on simplified equations. Spill displacements throughout a given forecast period can be easily read from the nomogram. The technique is demonstrated with a real spill case.     

Structure of the Wave Bottom Boundary Layer over Smooth and Rough Bottoms

The comparison of six well-known models of the wave bottom boundary layer shows that they are identical in the case of a smooth bottom but exhibit serious differences for the other types of conditions. The thickness of the wave bottom boundary layer and the coefficient of vertical diffusion of momentum are studied by using the relations of the k-ε-model. The validity of these estimates is checked by comparing the measured and computed values of the friction velocity. This comparison demonstrates fairly good agreement between the results characterized by a coefficient of correlation equal to 0.851. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 6, pp. 54–67, November–December, 2005.     

Marine mammals from northeast Atlantic: relationship between their trophic status as determined by delta13C and delta15N measurements and their trace metal concentrations

The relationship between trophic position through delta13C and delta15N and trace metal concentrations (Zn, Cd, Cu and Hg) was investigated in the tissues of six marine mammal species from the Northeast Atlantic: striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba, common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, Atlantic white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus, harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena, white beaked-dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris, grey seal Halichoerus grypus stranded on French Channel and Irish coasts. White-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, white-sided dolphins, common and striped dolphins display the same relative and decreasing trophic position, as measured by delta15N values, along both the Irish and French channel coasts, reflecting conservative trophic habits between these two places. Hepatic and renal Cd concentrations were significantly correlated to muscle delta13C and delta15N values while Hg, Zn and Cu did not. These results suggest that Cd accumulation is partly linked to the diet while other factors such as age or body condition might explain Hg, Zn or Cu variability in marine mammals. Combined stable isotope and trace metal analyses appear to be useful tools for the study of marine mammal ecology.