The Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Pc3 Geomagnetic Activity over Canada in 2000, as a Guide to Planning the Times of Aeromagnetic Surveys

Geomagnetic activity affects aeromagnetic surveys. Geomagnetic variations are quite complex and can be quantified in different ways. A measure of geomagnetic activity that is useful for planning aeromagnetic surveys is the Pc3 pulsation index developed by the Australian Space Weather Agency. Purposeful to developing guidelines for planning aeromagnetic surveys in Canada, we study the variations in Pc3 index amplitude over Canada in 2000. This study shows distinct patterns associated with the sub-auroral zone, the auroral zone, and the polar cap. Average Pc3 index activity is higher during the months of February, July, September, and November in the auroral and sub-auroral zones. The station in the polar cap exhibits maximum activity near midday during the summer months. Detailed analysis of a magnetic storm shows that Pc3 index amplitude during the beginning of the solar storm is least important at the polar cap. The mean Pc3 index also relates to solar wind parameters such as the solar wind velocity and the vertical polarity of the interplanetary magnetic field. Analysis of the morning maximum of the Pc3 index observed in the auroral zone can be used to develop guidelines for planning aeromagnetic surveys in Canada and other areas of the world affected by auroral zones.     

The influence of human activity in the Arctic on climate and climate impacts

Human activities in the Arctic are often mentioned as recipients of climate-change impacts. In this paper we consider the more complicated but more likely possibility that human activities themselves can interact with climate or environmental change in ways that either mitigate or exacerbate the human impacts. Although human activities in the Arctic are generally assumed to be modest, our analysis suggests that those activities may have larger influences on the arctic system than previously thought. Moreover, human influences could increase substantially in the near future. First, we illustrate how past human activities in the Arctic have combined with climatic variations to alter biophysical systems upon which fisheries and livestock depend. Second, we describe how current and future human activities could precipitate or affect the timing of major transitions in the arctic system. Past and future analyses both point to ways in which human activities in the Arctic can substantially influence the trajectory of arctic system change.     

Methane-producing bacteria: natural fractionations of the stable carbon isotopes

The ${}^{13}\text{C}{}^{12}\text{C}$ fractionation factors ($\text{CO}{}_2\text{CH}{}_4$) for the reduction of CO₂ to CH₄ by pure cultures of methane-producing bacteria are, for Methanosarcina barkeri at 40°C, 1.045 ± 0.002; for Methanobacterium strain M.o.H. at 40°C, 1.061 ± 0.002; and, for Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum at 65°C, 1.025 ± 0.002. These observations suggest that the acetic acid used by acetate dissimilating bacteria, if they play an important role in natural methane production, must have an intramolecular isotopic fractionation ($\text{CO}{}_2\text{H}\text{CH}{}_3$) approximating the observed $\text{CO}{}_2\text{CH}{}_4$ fractionation.     

Ice-sheet initiation and climatic influences of expanded snow cover in Arctic Canada

It has been suggested that the Laurentide Ice Sheet originated with extensive perennial snow cover, and that the snow cover affected climate so as to aid ice-sheet development. In this study, a large increase in extent of October 1st snow cover in the Canadian Arctic from 1967–1970 to 1971–1975 is compared to changes in October means of other climate variables. Over the area of snow-cover expansion, mean surface air temperature decreased by up to 3°C, mean 500-mbar height was lowered by over 60 m, and precipitation was increased by up to a factor of two. These effects, if applied to the entire summer, together with the temperature change computed by Shaw and Donn for a Northern Hemisphere summer insolation minimum (the Milankovich effect), can account for glacierization of the Central Canadian Arctic.     

Toward spatial understanding of environmentally-based voluntary groups

An attempt is made in this paper to complement existing analyses of voluntary groups by outlining some additional explicitly spatial dimensions which, it is argued, can be useful in examining those organizations with a land use or environmental focus. The distinction is drawn between groups which have direct spatial links and those with indirect spatial links; the hierarchical subdivision of space is considered; the role of scale and its relation to perception and desired use of areas is addressed; and the importance of considering the resolution scale of land use and environmental conflicts noted.     

Pelagic tar off Georgia and Florida in relation to physical processes

Following the Ixtoc I oil rig blowout in Campeche Bay we hypothesized that resulting tarballs should eventually appear in the Gulf Stream off Gerogia and that because of dynamic barriers in the innershelf little would reach nearshore areas. To test these hypotheses, surface tows to collect floating tar were taken off the coasts of Georgia and Florida in October and December, 1979.No tar was found within 40 km of the shore. All samples more than 40 km offshore contained some tar. The mean concentration was 0.82 mg m^?2 with a range of 0.01–5.6 mg m^?2. Closely spaced sampling showed extreme variation but trends were consistent. Perylene was the most abundant compound in the tarballs.     

Seismicity and the subduction process

There is considerable variation between subduction zones in the largest characteristic earthquake within each zone. Assuming that coupling between downgoing and upper plates is directly related to characteristic earthquake size, we have tested for correlations between variation in coupling and other physical features of subduction zones: the lateral extent and penetration depth of Benioff zones, age of subducting lithosphere, convergence rate, and back-arc spreading. Using linear multivariate regression, coupling is correlated with two variables: convergence rate and lithosphere age. Secondary correlations within the data set are penetration depth versus lithosphere age, and lateral extent versus convergence rate. An important additional correlation is that back-arc spreading is found to be associated with subduction zones where coupling is low (those characterised by small earthquakes). Taken together, the observed correlations suggest a simple qualitative model where convergence rate and lithosphere age determine the horizontal and sinking rates, respectively, of slabs: these parameters influence the seismic coupling in the subduction zone. In the limit of a fast sinking rate and slow convergence rate, back-arc spreading occurs and thereby appears to be a passive process.     

Evaluating GCM Output with Impact Models

This study uses empirical agricultural impact models to compare the U.S. climate change predictions of 16 General Circulation Models (GCMs). The impact analysis provides a policy-relevant index by which to judge complex climate predictions. National aggregate impacts vary widely across the 16 GCMs because of varying regional and seasonal patterns of predicted climate change. Examining the predicted impacts from the full set of GCMs reveals that the seasonal detail in the GCM predictions is so noisy that it is not significantly different from a constant annual change. However, a consistent regional pattern does emerge across the set of models. Nonetheless, aggregating climate change across seasons and regions within the United States, using a national-annual climate change provides a reasonable and efficient approximation to the expected impact predicted by the 16 GCM models.     

Characterization of insoluble organic matter in primitive meteorites by microRaman spectroscopy

Abstract— We have analyzed the chemically and isotopically well‐characterized insoluble organic matter (IOM) extracted from 51 unequilibrated chondrites (8 CR, 9 CM, 1 CI, 3 ungrouped C, 9 CO, 9 CV, 10 ordinary, 1 CB and 1 E chondrites) using confocal imaging Raman spectroscopy. The average Raman properties of the IOM, as parameterized by the peak characteristics of the so‐called D and G bands, which originate from aromatic C rings, show systematic trends that are correlated with meteorite (sub‐) classification and IOM chemical compositions. Processes that affect the Raman and chemical properties of the IOM, such as thermal metamorphism experienced on the parent bodies, terrestrial weathering and amorphization due to irradiation in space, have been identified. We established separate sequences of metamorphism for ordinary, CO, oxidized, and reduced CV chondrites. Several spectra from the most primitive chondrites reveal the presence of organic matter that has been amorphized. This amorphization, usually the result of sputtering processes or UV or particle irradiation, could have occurred during the formation of the organic material in interstellar or protoplanetary ices or, less likely, on the surface of the parent bodies or during the transport of the meteorites to Earth. D band widths and peak metamorphic temperatures are strongly correlated, allowing for a straightforward estimation of these temperatures.