The Preboreal climate reversal and a subsequent solar‐forced climate shift

Accurate chronologies are essential for linking palaeoclimate archives. Carbon‐14 wiggle‐match dating was used to produce an accurate chronology for part of an early Holocene peat sequence from the Borchert (The Netherlands). Following the Younger Dryas–Preboreal transition, two climatic shifts could be inferred. Around 11 400 cal. yr BP the expansion of birch (Betula) forest was interrupted by a dry continental phase with dominantly open grassland vegetation, coeval with the PBO (Preboreal Oscillation), as observed in the GRIP ice core. At 11 250 cal. yr BP a sudden shift to a humid climate occurred. This second change appears to be contemporaneous with: (i) a sharp increase of atmospheric ¹⁴C; (ii) a temporary decline of atmospheric CO₂; and (iii) an increase in the GRIP ¹⁰Be flux. The close correspondence with excursions of cosmogenic nuclides points to a decline in solar activity, which may have forced the changes in climate and vegetation at around 11 250 cal. yr BP. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochronological evidence for late‐Grenvillian magmatic and metamorphic events in central Taimyr,northern Siberia*

U–Th–Pb analyses of zircons from six granites and one metasediment collected in the accretionary Central belt of Taimyr, Arctic Siberia, demonstrate that Neoproterozoic (c. 900 Ma) granites intrude late Mesoproterozoic/early Neoproterozoic amphibolite facies metamorphic rocks. This is the first time in the Mamont–Shrenk region that Neoproterozoic ages have been recognized for these lithologies, previously thought to be Archaean/Palaeoproterozoic in age. The Mamont–Shrenk Terrane (MST) represents a Grenvillian age (micro?) continent intercalated with younger Neoproterozoic ophiolites during thrusting and accreted to the northern margin of the Siberian craton sometime before the late Vendian. Basement to the MST may have been derived from the Grenvillian belt of east Greenland. Viable tectonic reconstructions must allow for an active margin along northern Siberia (modern day coordinates) in the middle Neoproterozoic.     

A model for the constant-head pumping test conducted in vertically fractured media

An analytical model for the constant-head pumping test is developed for a partially penetrating well that has a finite thickness skin, and intersects a single vertical fracture. In the model, the fracture is fully confined and flow occurs only in the fracture. The model is developed using Laplace transform and finite Fourier transform methods. The model is to be used for analysing well test data from vertically fractured media and for verifying numerical models. Dimensionless curves are used to study the effects of a finite thickness skin and a partially penetrating wellbore. In the presence of a finite thickness skin, or a partially penetrating wellbore, a typical flow response for the constant-head pumping test has three distinct periods of flow corresponding to small-, intermediate- and large-time. Small- and large-time approximations are presented for the model. For tests where the wellbore is fully penetrating, or the partial penetration ratio is known, these approximations can be used to analyse field data.     

Harpacticoida taxocen diversity in the silty-sandy littoral zone of Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea

The fauna composition, ecological groups, and life forms of Harpacticoids of soft littoral grounds from 15 sites off the Karelian coast in Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea were studied. Six types of harpacticoid taxocens with different sets of dominating species are described. On silty sands with clear signs of desalination, the Stenchelia palustris taxocen is common; medium-grained sands are characterized by the Heterolaophonte minuta, Paraleptastacus kliei — Huntemannia jadensis, and Amphiascoides nanus — Scottopsyllus minor taxocens; while on coarse sands, the Ameira parvula and Ameira scotti — Mesochra lilljeborgi taxocens have developed. The diversity of the taxocens is partly explained by the differences in the grain-size composition and salinity at different sites. In addition, groups of various taxocens dwelling on the same type of the sediments were found in different minor bights of the coastline.     

The wadic project: A comprehensive field evaluation of directional wave instrumentation

The results of a comprehensive field trial of nearly all commercially available directional wave measurement systems at the Edda field in the North Sea during winter 1985-86 are presented. The results summarize the accuracy of the principal engineering wave parameters from each system and the dependence on sea state. Limiting factors on system performance and operational problems are also included in the assessment. Overall experience has been good with systems utilizing widely different measurement principles returning consistent results.     

Heat flow near obstacles in the solar convection zone

Disturbances in the heat flow in the solar convection zone are calculated with a turbulent thermal diffusion coefficient based on a mixing length approximation. As a consequence of the radiative boundary condition at the surface and the strong increase of the diffusion coefficient with depth, the convection zone resembles a thermally superconducting shell enclosed between a thin surface layer and an interior core of low thermal conductivity. Thermal disturbances originating in the convection zone do not penetrate into the interior, and penetrate only weakly through the solar surface. A thermally isolating obstacle buried entirely in the convection zone casts a shadow of reduced temperature at the solar surface; the brightening surrounding this shadow is undetectable. The shadow is weak unless the object is located close to the surface (less than 2000 km). Assuming a sunspot to be an area of reduced thermal conductivity which extends a finite depth into the convection zone, the heat flow around this obstacle is calculated. The heat flux blocked below the spot (missing flux) spreads over a very extended area surrounding the spot. The brightening corresponding to this missing flux is undetectable if the reduction of the thermal conductivity extends to a depth greater than 1000 km. It is concluded that no effect other than a decrease of the convective efficiency is needed to explain the temperature change observed at the solar surface in and around a sunspot. The energy balance is calculated between magnetic flux tubes, oriented vertically in the solar surface, (magnetic elements in active regions and the quiet network) and their surroundings. Near the visible surface radiation enters the tube laterally from the surrounding convection zone. The heating effect of this influx is important for small tubes (less than a few arcseconds). Due to this influx tubes less than about 1 in diameter can appear as bright structures irrespective of the amount of heat conveyed along the tube itself. Through the lateral influx, small tubes such as are found in the quiet network act as little leaks in the solar surface through which an excess heat flux escapes from the convection zone.