Single-grain and multigrain luminescence dating of on-ice and lake-bottom deposits at Lake Hoare,Taylor Valley,Antarctica

The large radiocarbon (¹⁴C) reservoir effect in Antarctica varies regionally and with settings. Luminescence sediment dating has potential as an alternate geochronometer. Extending our earlier tests of the effectiveness of resetting of photon-stimulated-luminescence (PSL) that employed only multi-aliquot analyses of fine-silt grains, we applied single-aliquot multigrain, and single-grain-quartz (SGQ) PSL procedures to a variety of samples from on and under the meters-thick perennial ice cover at Lake Hoare. These procedures yielded quartz sand age estimates for ice-surface sand (the source of the lake-bottom sand) of 10–80 a. Sand within a small dune on the perennial lake ice in front of Canada Glacier gave an SGQ age estimate of 48 ± 23 a. These methods produced realistic age estimates in lake-bottom short cores that are at least 5–20 times younger than comparable (uncorrected-for-reservoir) ¹⁴C results. Near-core-top PSL age estimates ranged from zero to ～500 a, depending on the core site. Four of the 7 short cores revealed clear linear age-depth trends for the upper few cm of core. These results demonstrate that for such lake-core deposits, single-aliquot and single-grain PSL dating can replace ¹⁴C dating, at least in Lake Hoare, because PSL dating lacks a significant ‘zero-point’ offset such as the ¹⁴C reservoir effect, and because PSL dating of quartz is applicable to samples as old as ～150 ka under normal sedimentary conditions. Moreover, these results imply that isolated paleo-lake-bottom deposits (e.g., microbial-mat sand mounds above present lake levels) throughout the McMurdo Dry Valleys can now be dated directly.     

Using genetic techniques to investigate the sources of the invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia in three new locations in Australia

The invasive green alga Caulerpa taxifolia has gained a high profile due to 'outbreaks' in the Mediterranean and California. During the year 2000 three new discrete locations colonised by abundant C. taxifolia were discovered in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA was used to explore the source(s) of these new records, which is an important prerequisite for subsequent environmental management responses. Our results indicate that the NSW C. taxifolia originated from several sources and, hence, through different invasion events. For two of the new records (Port Hacking, Careel Bay) it can be excluded that they are derived from the so-called "aquarium strain" of C. taxifolia, closely related to the invasive Mediterranean populations. Port Hacking is likely to have originated from tropical native populations. However, samples from Lake Conjola cannot be sufficiently distinguished with the applied technique from native C. taxifolia in Moreton Bay and the Mediterranean/"aquarium strain".     

Neogene carbonate stratigraphy of Ontong Java Plateau (Western Equatorial Pacific): three unexpected findings

The Neogene carbonate stratigraphy of five sites drilled on Ontong Java Plateau during Leg 130 reveals a number of patterns which are unexpected, and which we refer to as loss paradox, equatorial insensitivity , and climate paradox . They denote the following unresolved questions.

• 1

  The loss of carbonate at depth (as derived from differences in accumulation rates) is much greater than suggested by the change in carbonate percentages (calculated under the assumption that carbonate dissolution is the cause of loss). This indicates an important role for redeposition processes, such as winnowing (bottom currents), sifting (resuspension and catabatic flow) and episodic sloughing or solifluction (presumably stimulated by earthquakes).
• 2

  Accumulation rates are not markedly increased at the time a site crosses the equator. There are several possible reasons. Equatorial upwelling may be unimportant in controlling sedimentation rates this far in the western Pacific, or its output may be spread over a considerable distance from the equator. Alternatively, increased supply below the equator is compensated for by increased removal (e.g. from resuspension by bioturbation, combined with catabatic flow). It is conceivable that errors in the timescale could also produce the effect seen.
• 3

  There is an overall tendency for agreement between the stratigraphic patterns of carbonate content and of accumulation rates, but neither pattern is readily explained by reference to changes in climate (represented by benthic δ¹⁸O) or in sea-level (as derived from sequence stratigraphy).

     

Thin Threads of Solar Filaments

High-resolution images obtained in H with the new Swedish Solar Telescope at La Palma, Spain, have been used for studies of fine-scale threads in solar filaments. The widths of the thin threads are 0.3 arcsec. The fact that the width of the thinnest threads is comparable to the diffraction limit of the telescope of about 0.14 arcsec, at the wavelength of H, suggests that even thinner threads may exist. Assuming that the threads represent thin magnetic strings, we conclude that only a small fraction of these are filled with observable absorbing plasma, at a given time. The absorbing plasma is continuously flowing along the thread structures at velocities 15± 10 kms^–1, which suggests that the flows must be field-aligned. In one case where a bundle of thin threads appears to be rooted in the nearby photosphere, we find that the individual threads connects with intergranular, dark lanes in the photosphere. We do not find signs of typical network fields at the roots of the fine threads, as normally evidenced by bright points in associated G-band images. It is suggested that filament threads are rooted in relatively weak magnetic fields.     

Future Climatic Changes: Are We Entering an Exceptionally Long Interglacial?

Various experiments have been conducted using theLouvain-la-Neuve two-dimensional Northern Hemisphereclimate model (LLN 2-D NH) to simulate climate for thenext 130 kyr into the future. Simulations start withvalues representing the present-day NorthernHemisphere ice sheet, using different scenarios forfuture CO₂ concentrations. The sensitivity of themodel to the initial size of the Greenland ice sheet,and to possible impacts of human activities, has alsobeen tested. Most of the natural scenarios indicatethat: (i) the climate is likely to experience a longlasting (50 kyr) interglacial; (ii) the next glacialmaximum is expected to be most intense at around 100kyr after present (AP), with a likely interstadial at60 kyr AP; and (iii) after 100 kyr AP continentalice rapidly melts, leading to an ice volume minimum 20kyr later. However, the amplitude and, to a lesserextent, the timing of future climatic changes dependon the CO₂ scenario and on the initial conditionsrelated to the assumed present-day ice volume.According to our modelling experiments, man'sactivities over the next centuries may significantlyaffect the ice-sheet's behaviour for approximately thenext 50 kyr. Finally, the existence of thresholds inCO₂ and insolation, earlier shown to besignificant for the past, is confirmed to be alsoimportant for the future.     

Water use by intensively cultivated willow using estimated stomatal parameter values

Large land areas in Sweden are planned to be planted with high producing, short rotation forest stands of willow in the beginning of the 1990s. Since willow is a highly hydrophilic species, this new land use may have strong implications on water resources. To assess these implications, evaporation of Salix viminalis and Salix viminalis x caprea stands in lysimeters was analysed with the simple, yet physically realistic KAUSHA model. Parameter values for the Lohammar equation were deduced (b = 100 m³ kg^?1, k_max = 0.01 m s^?1), believed to be applicable to other sites. Simulated evaporation during the 1980 growth season for a normal stand with a production of 12 tonnes of dry matter per hectare per season was 526 mm, of which 375 mm was transpiration, 56 mm interception evaporation, and 95 mm soil evaporation. For an optimally irrigated 20-tonnes stand, the total evaporation was 584 mm, of which 430 mm was transpiration. As a comparison, Penman open water evaporation was 430 mm. To avoid soil water stress in the 20-tonnes stand, 140 mm was needed as irrigation, equivalent to 25 per cent of the mean annual precipitation. Since intensively cultivated willow plantations seemed to be using much water, it was concluded that introduction of this agri-forestry practice must be carefully planned to make use of this property, e.g. in biological filters or in reclaiming water-logged land.     

Avalanche Hazard Mitigation Strategies Assessed by Cost Effectiveness Analyses and Cost Benefit Analyses—evidence from Davos,Switzerland

This paper demonstrates the application of cost effectiveness analysis and cost benefit analysis to alternative avalanche risk reduction strategies in Davos, Switzerland. The advantages as well as limitations of such analysis for natural hazards planning are discussed with respect to 16 avalanche risk reduction strategies. Scenarios include risk reduction measures that represent the main approaches to natural hazards planning in Switzerland, such as technical, organisational, and land use planning measures. The methodologies used outline how concepts and techniques from risk analysis, hazard mapping, Geographic Information System, and economics can be interdisciplinary combined. The results suggest important considerations, such as possible sources of uncertainty due to different choices in the calculation of cost effectiveness ratio and net present value. Given the parameters and assumptions, it seems as if the current approach to avalanche risk reduction in the study area approximates to economic and cost efficiency and serves the aim of reducing risk to human fatalities.