Benthic boundary layer processes in coastal environments: An introduction

This special issue ofGeo-Marine Letters Benthic Boundary Layer Processes in Coastal Environments includes 20 papers devoted to results of recent near-shore experiments supported by the Coastal Benthic Boundary Layer (CBBL) program. Experiments were conducted in gas-rich muddy sediments of Eckernförde Bay of the Baltic Sea and on relict sandy sediments of the West Florida Sand Sheet. In this introductory paper we present scientific justification for experiments and summarize preliminary results.     

Taxonomic distinctness in the diet of two sympatric marine turtle species

Marine turtles are considered keystone consumers in tropical coastal ecosystems and their decline through overexploitation has been implicated in the deterioration of reefs and seagrass pastures in the Caribbean. In the present study, we analysed stomach contents of green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) harvested in the legal turtle fishery of the Turks and Caicos Islands (Caribbean) during 2008–2010. Small juveniles to adult‐sized turtles were sampled. Together with data from habitat surveys, we assessed diet composition and the taxonomic distinctness (and other species diversity measures) in the diets of these sympatric marine turtle species. The diet of green turtles (n = 92) consisted of a total of 47 taxa: including three species of seagrass (present in 99% of individuals), 29 species of algae and eight sponge species. Hawksbill turtles (n = 45) consumed 73 taxa and were largely spongivorous (16 species; sponges present in 100% of individuals) but also foraged on 50 species of algae (present in 73% of individuals) and three species of seagrass. Plastics were found in trace amounts in 4% of green turtle and 9% of hawksbill turtle stomach samples. We expected to find changes in diet that might reflect ontogenetic shifts from small (oceanic‐pelagic) turtles to larger (coastal‐benthic) turtles. Dietary composition (abundance and biomass), however, did not change significantly with turtle size, although average taxonomic distinctness was lower in larger green turtles. There was little overlap in prey between the two turtle species, suggesting niche separation. Taxonomic distinctness routines indicated that green turtles had the most selective diet, whereas hawksbill turtles were less selective than expected when compared with the relative frequency and biomass of diet items. We discuss these findings in relation to the likely important trophic roles that these sympatric turtle species play in reef and seagrass habitats.     

Curvilinear features in the southern hemisphere observed by Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

We have used the complete set of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Daily Global Maps (MDGMs) to study martian weather in the southern hemisphere, focusing on curvilinear features, including frontal events and streaks. “Frontal events” refer to visible events that are morphologically analogous to terrestrial baroclinic storms. MDGMs show that visible frontal events were mainly concentrated in the 210-300°E (60-150°W) sector and the 0-60°E sector around the southern polar cap during L_s = 140-250° and L_s = 340-60°. The non-uniform spatial and temporal distributions of activity were also shown by MGS Thermal Emission Spectrometer transient temperature variations near the surface. “Streaks” refer to long curvilinear features in the polar hood or over the polar cap. They are an indicator of the shape of the polar vortex. Streaks in late winter usually show wavy segments between the 180° meridian and Argyre. Model results suggest that the zonal wave number m = 3 eastward traveling waves are important for their formation.     

Galactic Cosmic Ray Intensity Response to Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections/Magnetic Clouds in 1995 – 2009

We summarize the response of the galactic cosmic ray (CGR) intensity to the passage of the more than 300 interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and their associated shocks that passed the Earth during 1995 – 2009, a period that encompasses the whole of Solar Cycle 23. In ∼ 80% of cases, the GCR intensity decreased during the passage of these structures, i.e., a “Forbush decrease” occurred, while in ∼ 10% there was no significant change. In the remaining cases, the GCR intensity increased. Where there was an intensity decrease, minimum intensity was observed inside the ICME in ∼ 90% of these events. The observations confirm the role of both post-shock regions and ICMEs in the generation of these decreases, consistent with many previous studies, but contrary to the conclusion of Reames, Kahler, and Tylka (Astrophys. J. Lett. 700, L199, 2009) who, from examining a subset of ICMEs with flux-rope-like magnetic fields (magnetic clouds) argued that these are “open structures” that allow free access of particles including GCRs to their interior. In fact, we find that magnetic clouds are more likely to participate in the deepest GCR decreases than ICMEs that are not magnetic clouds.     

安徽宁芜地区铁氧化物-磷灰石矿床中金云母Ar-Ar定年及其地球动力学意义

铁氧化物-磷灰石型铁矿床是长江中下游成矿带的重要组成部分,对其成岩成矿时限的精确厘定,是理解长江中下游地区中生代大规模成矿作用的动力学演化的关键。本文分别对宁芜盆地南部白象山、和睦山及中部的陶村三个大-中型铁矿床中与磁铁矿密切共生的金云母单矿物进行了Ar-Ar同位素测年,获得白象山矿床金云母Ar-Ar坪年龄为134.9±1.1Ma,对应的反等时线年龄为133±2Ma;和睦山矿床金云母Ar-Ar坪年龄为132.9±1.1Ma,对应的反等时线年龄为133.9±2.4Ma;陶村矿床金云母的反等时线年龄为128±14Ma。该区铁氧化物-磷灰石型矿床与该区火山-次火山岩具有密切的时间联系,成岩成矿时限主要集中于135～126Ma。综合研究表明,长江中下游第二期成岩成矿作用的时限为135～126Ma,对应于岩石圈的大规模快速减薄的地球动力学背景。     

A ballistics analysis of the Deep Impact ejecta plume: Determining Comet Tempel 1's gravity, mass, and density

In July of 2005, the Deep Impact mission collided a 366 kg impactor with the nucleus of Comet 9P/Tempel 1, at a closing speed of 10.2 km s⁻¹. In this work, we develop a first-order, three-dimensional, forward model of the ejecta plume behavior resulting from this cratering event, and then adjust the model parameters to match the flyby-spacecraft observations of the actual ejecta plume, image by image. This modeling exercise indicates Deep Impact to have been a reasonably “well-behaved” oblique impact, in which the impactor-spacecraft apparently struck a small, westward-facing slope of roughly 1/3-1/2 the size of the final crater produced (determined from initial ejecta plume geometry), and possessing an effective strength of not more than . The resulting ejecta plume followed well-established scaling relationships for cratering in a medium-to-high porosity target, consistent with a transient crater of not more than 85-140 m diameter, formed in not more than 250-550 s, for the case of (gravity-dominated cratering); and not less than 22-26 m diameter, formed in not less than 1-3 s, for the case of (strength-dominated cratering). At , an upper limit to the total ejected mass of 1.8×¹⁰⁷ kg (1.5-2.2×¹⁰⁷ kg) is consistent with measurements made via long-range remote sensing, after taking into account that 90% of this mass would have stayed close to the surface and then landed within 45 min of the impact. However, at , a lower limit to the total ejected mass of 2.3×¹⁰⁵ kg (1.5-2.9×¹⁰⁵ kg) is also consistent with these measurements. The expansion rate of the ejecta plume imaged during the look-back phase of observations leads to an estimate of the comet's mean surface gravity of (0.17-0.90 mm s⁻²), which corresponds to a comet mass of mt=4.5×¹⁰¹³ kg (2.3-12.0×¹⁰¹³ kg) and a bulk density of (200-1000 kg m⁻³), where the large high-end error is due to uncertainties in the magnitude of coma gas pressure effects on the ejecta particles in flight.     

Near-Earth Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections During Solar Cycle 23 (1996 – 2009): Catalog and Summary of Properties

In a previous study (Cane and Richardson, J. Geophys. Res. 108(A4), SSH6-1, 2003), we investigated the occurrence of interplanetary coronal mass ejections in the near-Earth solar wind during 1996 – 2002, corresponding to the increasing and maximum phases of solar cycle 23, and provided a “comprehensive” catalog of these events. In this paper, we present a revised and updated catalog of the ≈300 near-Earth ICMEs in 1996 – 2009, encompassing the complete cycle 23, and summarize their basic properties and geomagnetic effects. In particular, solar wind composition and charge state observations are now considered when identifying the ICMEs. In general, these additional data confirm the earlier identifications based predominantly on other solar wind plasma and magnetic field parameters. However, the boundaries of ICME-like plasma based on charge state/composition data may deviate significantly from those based on conventional plasma/magnetic field parameters. Furthermore, the much studied “magnetic clouds”, with flux-rope-like magnetic field configurations, may form just a substructure of the total ICME interval.     

Propagation of the Bastille Day 2000 CME Shock in the Outer Heliosphere

The Bastille Day (14 July) 2000 CME is a fast, halo coronal mass ejection event headed earthward. The ejection reached Earth on 15 July 2000 and produced a very significant magnetic storm and widespread aurora. At 1 AU the Wind spacecraft recorded a strong forward shock with a speed jump from ∼ 600 to over 1000 km s⁻¹. About 6 months later, this CME-driven shock arrived at Voyager 2 (∼ 63 AU) on 12 January 2001 with a speed jump of ∼ 60 km s⁻¹. This provides a good opportunity to study the shock propagation in the outer heliosphere. In this study, we employ a 2.5-D MHD numerical model, which takes the interaction of solar wind protons and interstellar neutrals into account, to investigate the shock propagation in detail and compare the model predictions with the Voyager 2 observations. The Bastille Day CME shock undergoes a dramatic change in character from the inner to outer heliosphere. Its strength and propagation speed decay significantly with distance. The model results at the location of Voyager 2 are in good agreement with in-situ observations. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1014293527951