Beiträge zur Dynamik der Biomasse in Oxydationsteichen. Teil 3: Untersuchungen an der Teichanlage Greifswald-Ladebow nach Einsatz einer Kreiselbelüftungsanlage

The wastewater treatment is carried out in two parallel pond groups: South–9200 m³/d, 1748 kg/d BOD₅, preliminary clarifier (1.1 ha, 22000 m³), three ponds (9.8 ha, 88000 m³), naturel aeration; North ?5700 m³/d, 2394 kg/d BOD₅, Imhoff tank, three ponds (7.9 ha, 71000 m³), the pond 1 artificially aerated by gyroscopic units. The different loads of 15.9 and 33.7 g/m³ d BOD₅ results in rates of removal of 11.2 and 22.5 g/m³d BOD₅, resp. Therefore, the efficiency of the naturally aerated system is higher than that of the artificially aerated system. In the aerated system mainly the bacterial growth is promoted, a typical algal state being achieved only slowly, whereas the naturally aerated system gains a summer-time algal maximum in the ponds 2 and 3, which is accompanied already by zooplankton populations. In the dynamics of the biomass development, the higher efficiency of the four-stage, naturally aerated system is especially obvious.     

Risks and hazards caused by groundwater during tunnelling: geotechnical solutions used as demonstrated by recent examples from Tyrol, Austria

As demonstrated by recently excavated reconnaissance tunnels, uncontrolled water ingresses frequently pose a risk to tunnels and the tunnelling crew despite ever-improving tunnelling methods. This is regardless of the type of rock encountered and can result in significantly increased construction costs.     

Variscan amphibolite-facies rocks from the Kurtoğlu metamorphic complex (Gümüşhane area,Eastern Pontides,Turkey)

The Kurtoğlu metamorphic complex, that forms part of the pre-Liassic basement of the Sakarya zone in northern Turkey, consists of at least two tectonic units. Blueschist-facies rocks of unknown metamorphic age in the southern part of the complex are tectonically overlain by Variscan low-pressure high-temperature metamorphic rocks. The latter comprise mica schists and fine-grained gneisses, cut by metaleucogranitic dikes, as well as migmatitic biotite gneisses and subordinate amphibolite intercalations. Structural data indicate that metamorphism and penetrative deformation occurred after dyke intrusion. Peak metamorphic conditions of the mica schists, fine-grained gneisses and metaleucogranites are estimated to ∼650°C and ∼0.4 GPa, based on phase relationships in the system NCKFMASH, Fe–Mg partitioning between garnet and biotite as well as garnet-aluminosilicate-quartz-plagioclase (GASP) and garnet-plagioclase-biotite-quartz (GBPQ) barometry. Peak temperatures of the migmatitic biotite gneisses and amphibolite intercalations are not well constrained but might have been significantly higher (690–740°C), as suggested from hornblende-plagioclase thermometry. ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar incremental dating on muscovite and biotite fractions from the mica schists and fine-grained gneisses yielded plateau ages of ∼323 Ma. Significantly older model ages of ∼329 and ∼337 Ma were obtained on muscovite fractions from two metaleucogranite samples. These fractions contain both relict igneous and newly formed metamorphic muscovite.     

The two Suvasvesi impact structures,Finland: Argon isotopic evidence for a “false” impact crater doublet

The two neighboring Suvasvesi North and South impact structures in central‐east Finland have been discussed as a possible impact crater doublet produced by the impact of a binary asteroid. This study presents ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronologic data for impact melt rocks recovered from the drilling into the center of the Suvasvesi North impact structure and melt rock from glacially transported boulders linked to Suvasvesi South. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar step‐heating analysis yielded two essentially flat age spectra indicating a Late Cretaceous age of ~85 Ma for the Suvasvesi North melt rock, whereas the Suvasvesi South melt sample gave a Neoproterozoic minimum (alteration) age of ~710 Ma. Although the statistical likelihood for two independent meteorite strikes in close proximity to each other is rather low, the remarkable difference in ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of >600 Myr for the two Suvasvesi impact melt samples is interpreted as evidence for two temporally separate, but geographically closely spaced, impacts into the Fennoscandian Shield. The Suvasvesi North and South impact structures are, thus, interpreted as a “false” crater doublet, similar to the larger East and West Clearwater Lake impact structures in Québec, Canada, recently shown to be unrelated. Our findings have implications for the reliable recognition of impact crater doublets and the apparent rate of binary asteroid impacts on Earth and other planetary bodies in the inner solar system.     

Driving processes and recognition criteria for complex subaerial unconformities in a non-marine succession: Implications for basin margin shaping during forced regressions

A regional sedimentological and sequence stratigraphic analysis is presented in this paper to provide new insights into the morphological complexity and sedimentary mechanisms of unconformities giving shape to basin margins. Although the development of unconformities entails significant sediment delivery to be considered when analysing ‘source to sink’ systems, as well as large palaeogeographical changes related to basin reconfiguration episodes, the complexity that unconformities can reveal towards basin margins has been scarcely explored. A sedimentological and architectural analysis combining outcrop and subsurface datasets shows five palaeoenvironmental evolutionary stages and four key stratigraphic surfaces in a constrained ca 2 Ma Valanginian interval on the southern margin of the Neuquén back-arc basin (Argentina). A complex-type subaerial unconformity was identified, composed in turn of two subaerial unconformities exhibiting both single and composite motifs, different morphologies and facies shifts representative of large palaeogeographical changes. In the studied stratigraphic interval, two erosional stages occur linked to combinations of exclusively non-marine-driven processes involved in unconformities developing. The two subaerial unconformities differ in nature and distribution, representing a novel case of complex unconformities and stratigraphic architectures in non-marine lowstand wedges. The Valanginian complex subaerial unconformity entails a high diachroneity along strike and depositional dip, implying that the hiatus created in landward settings occurred during relative sea-level fall and rise stages during a period longer than in basinward areas. Disagreeing with classical sequential models, two third-order sequence components of a complex lowstand wedge are preserved in proximal settings. Subsidence-controlled accommodation and interplay between second-order and third-order cycles were combined, increasing the prospects of sediment storage and preservation potential of composite sequences towards landward areas. This work improves current comprehension about complex subaerial unconformities formation and related lowstand architectures in proximal settings, providing criteria to understand and revaluate lowstand wedge geometries, particularly for more complex examples, such as the case reported in this contribution.     

Wildfire impacts on schools and hospitals following the 2018 California Camp Fire

Natural Hazards - Wildfire impacts on communities have become more pronounced in recent years as the intensity and frequency of wildfires have increased in densely populated areas of the...     

The galactic surface density derived from K giants

We compare theW velocity dispersions of Brosche, Schwan & Schwarz (2001) with more recent results. The increase with the distance |z | from the galactic plane is confirmed, although perhaps with reduced amplitude. This could be interpreted either as one homogenous population or as a superposition of (at least) two populations with two constant dispersions and two scale heights. For each of the possibilities we propose a simple model. Combined with two observational variants for the velocity variation, we obtain surface densities up to |z | = 250 pc ranging from 5 to 44 M_⊙ pc^–2. Thus the case for considerable dark matter in the neighbourhood of the galactic plane is not supported     

Evaluation of hydrologic impact of an irrigation curtailment program using Landsat satellite data

Upper Klamath Lake (UKL) is the source of the Klamath River that flows through southern Oregon and northern California. The UKL Basin provides water for 81,000+ ha (200,000+ acres) of irrigation on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project located downstream of the UKL Basin. Irrigated agriculture also occurs along the tributaries to UKL. During 2013–2016, water rights calls resulted in various levels of curtailment of irrigation diversions from the tributaries to UKL. However, information on the extent of curtailment, how much irrigation water was saved, and its impact on the UKL is unknown. In this study, we combined Landsat-based actual evapotranspiration (ETa) data obtained from the Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance model with gridded precipitation and U.S. Geological Survey station discharge data to evaluate the hydrologic impact of the curtailment program. Analysis was performed for 2004, 2006, 2008–2010 (base years), and 2013–2016 (target years) over irrigated areas above UKL. Our results indicate that the savings from the curtailment program over the June to September time period were highest during 2013 and declined in each of the following years. The total on-field water savings was approximately 60 hm³ in 2013 and 2014, 44 hm³ in 2015, and 32 hm³ in 2016 (1 hm3 = 10,000 m³ or 810.7 ac-ft). The instream water flow changes or extra water available were 92, 68, 45, and 26 hm³, respectively, for 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Highest water savings came from pasture and wetlands. Alfalfa showed the most decline in water use among grain crops. The resulting extra water available from the curtailment contributed to a maximum of 19% of the lake inflows and 50% of the lake volume. The Landsat-based ETa and other remote sensing datasets used in this study can be used to monitor crop water use at the irrigation district scale and to quantify water savings as a result of land-water management changes.     

Spatial and seasonal variation in soil respiration along a slope in a rubber plantation and a natural forest in Xishuangbanna,Southwest China

Soil respiration is a key component of the global carbon cycle, and even small changes in soil respiration rates could result in significant changes in atmospheric CO₂ levels. The conversion of tropical forests to rubber plantations in SE Asia is increasingly common, and there is a need to understand the impacts of this land-use change on soil respiration in order to revise CO₂ budget calculations. This study focused on the spatial variability of soil respiration along a slope in a natural tropical rainforest and a terraced rubber plantation in Xishuangbanna, Southwest (SW) China. In each land-use type, we inserted 105 collars for soil respiration measurements. Research was conducted over one year in Xishuangbanna during May, June, July and October 2015 (wet season) and January and March 2016 (dry season). The mean annual soil respiration rate was 30% higher in natural forest than in rubber plantation and mean fluxes in the wet and dry season were 15.1 and 9.5 Mg C ha^-1 yr^-1 in natural forest and 11.7 and 5.7 Mg C ha^-1 yr^-1 in rubber plantation. Using a linear mixed effects model to assess the effect of changes in soil temperature and moisture on soil respiration, we found that soil temperature was the main driver of variation in soil respiration, explaining 48% of its seasonal variation in rubber plantation and 30% in natural forest. After including soil moisture, the model explained 70% of the variation in soil respiration in natural forest and 76% in rubber plantation. In the natural forest slope position had a significant effect on soil respiration, and soil temperature and soil moisture gradients only partly explained this correlation. In contrast, soil respiration in rubber plantation was not affected by slope position, which may be due to the terrace structure that resulted in more homogeneous environmental conditions along the slope. Further research is needed to determine whether or not these findings hold true at a landscape level.