Southern Oscillation simulation in the OSU coupled upper ocean-atmosphere GCM

The Southern Oscillation is a major component in the interannual variations of global climate. The Oregon State University global climate model, with a dynamically interactive upper ocean, reproduces in qualitatively correct fashion some of the major characteristics of the Southern Oscillation. This model simulates the observed anti-correlation of annually averaged sea-level pressure (SLP) between the eastern Pacific and the Indonesian region, the primary atmospheric signal of the Southern Oscillation. In the composite of the simulated warm events positive sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies expand eastward towards South America from the tropical western Pacific during the first half of the calendar year. The SST anomalies develop in conjunction with eastward mixed layer current anomalies in the tropical Pacific. In the late summer and early fall anomalously warm water near South America develops and moves westward to merge with the central Pacific anomalies. This lagged development in the eastern Pacific is analogous to the evolution of the 1982/83 and 1986/87 El Ninos. The temperature of the thermocline layer also increases, with the slope of the equatorial Pacific thermocline decreasing in response to the relaxation of the surface forcing. Enhanced precipitation occurs in the mid-Pacific while in the Indian and Australian monsoon regions a deficit occurs. The peak of the warm phase occurs in late northern fall/early winter, somewhat earlier than during observed El Ninos. The cold phase of the Southern Oscillation, enhancement of the zonal circulation, evolves in a fashion similar to the warm phase with the signs of the anomalies reversed, similar to observations. Occurrence of Southern Oscillation in this coarse resolution GCM indicates that high resolution ocean waves do not play a crucial role in the generation of this phenomenon as suggested by Pacific basin models. These results also show that ocean-atmosphere global climate models are useful tools for investigation of time dependent changes on the interannual timescale in addition to their hitherto accepted use for studying equilibrium properties of climate.     

An equation of state for carbon dioxide valid from zero to extreme pressures

A new form of equation of state is described with application to carbon dioxide from 215 K to T>2000 K and from zero pressure to more than 10⁵ bar (10 GPa). The equation was calibrated using properties predicted by existing formulations at low to moderate PT conditions, original experimental PVT data at higher pressures, corresponding states comparisons at higher temperatures and using shock compression data at still higher PTs. Extensive comparisons illustrating the correlation of our new EOS with available phase equilibria and volumetric data are provided. Fugacities of carbon dioxide at high pressures and temperatures predicted using our EOS are in agreement with mineral equilibria calculated from internally consistent thermodynamic data for minerals.     

Rare earth element, 87Sr/86Sr,and 143Nd/144Nd compositions of Cenozoic orogenic dacites from Baja California,northwestern Mexico,and adjacent west Texas: evidence for the predominance of a subcrustal component

Dacitic lavas and ignimbrites were examined from seven localities that span the entire 700 km width of the mid- to late Cenozoic magmatic arc of northwestern Mexico and adjacent west Texas. These rocks have remarkably similar REE patterns that are parallel in the heavy REE and have modest negative Eu anomalies. Samples from three localities including Baja California, the Sierra Madre Occidental, and the Chihuahuan Basin and Range have initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr between 0.7044 and 0.7050 and _Nd near 0.0±1.0. These dacites are isotopically similar to associated basalts, and they show no systematic isotopic variation that is correlated with age or composition of the basement. There is no evidence that magmas parental to these dacites interacted significantly with continental crust. Samples form three other localites in the Basin and Range vary in initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from 0.7051 to 0.7070 and _Nd from about -1 to –2. The composition of these rocks reflects contamination of the parental magmas by relatively small amounts of Precambrian crust. Collectively, the dacites of this study show much less isotopic variation than do Mesozoic granitoids (Farmer and DePaolo 1983) and late Cenozoic olivine tholeiites (Hart 1985) from similar transects of the western United States. The distinctive source region for the magmas parental to the Mexican dacites was relatively uniform isotopically, but it was enriched in LIL and HFS elements beneath the eastern Basin and Range.     

Volcano hazards program in the United States

Volcano monitoring and volcanic-hazards studies have received greatly increased attention in the United States in the past few years. Before 1980, the Volcanic Hazards Program was primarily focused on the active volcanoes of Kilauea and Mauna Loa, Hawaii, which have been monitored continuously since 1912 by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. After the reawakening and catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the program was substantially expanded as the government and general public became aware of the potential for eruptions and associated hazards within the conterminous United States. Integrated components of the expanded program include: volcanic-hazards assessment; volcano monitoring; fundamental research; and, in concert with federal, state, and local authorities, emergency-response planning.In 1980 the David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory was established in Vancouver, Washington, to systematically monitor the continuing activity of Mount St. Helens, and to acquire baseline data for monitoring the other, presently quiescent, but potentially dangerous Cascade volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest. Since June 1980, all of the eruptions of Mount St. Helens have been predicted successfully on the basis of seismic and geodetic monitoring.The largest volcanic eruptions, but the least probable statistically, that pose a threat to western conterminous United States are those from the large Pleistocene-Holocene volcanic systems, such as Long Valley caldera (California) and Yellowstone caldera (Wyoming), which are underlain by large magma chambers still potentially capable of producing catastrophic caldera-forming eruptions. In order to become better prepared for possible future hazards associated with such historically unpecedented events, detailed studies of these, and similar, large volcanic systems should be intensified to gain better insight into caldera-forming processes and to recognize, if possible, the precursors of caldera-forming eruptions.     

Review of coking phenomena in relation to an occurrence of prismatically fractured natural coke from the Castle Mountain mine, Matanuska coal field, Alaska

Brief consideration is given to the formation and characteristics of natural coke and its similarities to industrial coke. Observations relating to an occurrence of prismatically fractured natural coke at the Castle Mountain coal mine of the central Matanuska Valley, Alaska are discussed. The temperature gradient across the naturally coked seam here is estimated to have ranged from 350°C at the top to 550°C at the bottom of the seam directly adjacent to the sill. The importance of studying coal-intrusive relationships and natural coking phenomena stems from the effects that intruding dikes and sills have on coal continuity, quality, and potential minability.     

Hydrogeochemical exploration for Mississippi valley-type deposits, Arkansas, U.S.A.

Three areas located in northern Arkansas, U.S.A., representing differing host rock and mineralization, were selected to investigate the usefulness of hydrogeochemical exploration for Mississippi Valley-type Pb-Zn mineralization. Despite the geologic differences among the areas, there were no great differences in groundwater chemistry and threshold values. Anomalous Pb concentrations, and also anomalous Zn concentrations to a lesser extent, are useful in detecting the Pb-Zn mineralized areas; however, specific deposits could not be located. Because of the low threshold values (about 20 μg/1) for Pb and Zn, spring water must be utilized in order to avoid plumbing contamination.     

Uranium geochemistry in groundwater from tertiary sediments

Dissolved U concentrations and activity ratios (ARs) of the U isotopes in the ²³⁸U decay series were measured in ground and surface waters as part of an investigation to delineate the water quality in a proposed uranium mining area of northwest Nebraska. In oxidizing groundwaters from 67 wells completed in the Tertiary sediments, increasing U concentrations in the direction of groundwater flow generally were associated with a maturation of the formation water as evidenced by evolutionary trends in major ion character. The increased U levels probably are associated with leaching as shown by the positive correlation between U concentrations and total dissolved solids (TDS) (r = +0.83). The inverse relationships between TDS and U ARs (r = ?0.73) and U levels and ARs (r = 0.72) indicate that the decay of excess U-234 is related to maturation of the formation water and to sediment leaching along the flowpath. The data are described by a model which incorporates etching, decay and recoil and suggests that aquifer residence time can be estimated from the TDS level.The levels of soluble U in a reducing uraniferous hydrogeologic unit near Crawford, Nebraska are affected by the proximity of the sample collection to ore. In groundwater samples having similar chemistries (Na-SO₄ + Cl type), similar Ehs, and collected from a close-knit pattern, U concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 2,037 μg l^?1 and ARs ranged from 0.75 to 12.6. This high variability in U levels and ARs is indicative of uranium ore in small areal studies where low ARs almost always are associated with high U concentrations.     

The nursery role of seagrass meadows in the upper and lower reaches of the Chesapeake Bay

A two-year trawling and gill-netting study of vegetated and unvegetated bottoms near Parson’s Island, Maryland and near the mouth of the York River, Virginia was carried out to assess the nursery function of submerged vegetation for populations of fishes and decapod crustaceans in the Chesapeake Bay. Results revealed that vegetated bottoms supported substantially larger numbers of decapods, but not fishes, than unvegetated substrates. The lower Bay grassbed was an important nursery area for juvenile blue crabs, although neither of the grassbeds functioned as a nursery for commercially or recreationally valuable fishes. Our results suggest that: (1) further decreases in lower Bay Seagrass biomass would result in reduced numbers of adult blue crabs, but should not substantially affect populations of valuable fish species; (2) additional decreases in Upper Bay submerged vegetation should not produce dramatic change in the population sizes of either adult blue crabs or fishes.