Towards medium-term (order of months) morphodynamic modelling of the Teign estuary, UK

The main objective of this paper is to address the principal mechanisms involved in the medium-term (order of months to years) morphodynamic evolution of estuaries through the application of a process-based numerical modelling. The Teign estuary (Teignmouth, UK) is the selected site. The system is forced by the macrotidal semi-diurnal tide in the English Channel and is perturbed to a minor extent by high river discharge events (freshets). Although waves have a definite influence on the adjacent coastal area, Wells (Teignmouth Quay Development Environmental Statement: Changes to Physical Processes. Report R.984c:140. ABP Marine Environmental Research Ltd., Southampton, 2002b) suggested that swell waves do not enter the estuary. Hence, wave effects are neglected in this study, as only tides and the river discharge are taken into account. The sediment grain size is highly variable, but mainly sandy. Within the frame of the COAST3D project (), four bathymetric surveys of the adjacent coastal area were carried out at a nearly weekly intervals. The outer estuary and the adjacent coastal area were also surveyed every 6 months as part of the COASTVIEW project (). Based on these data and on continuously measured parameters, such as water level, waves, wind and river discharge, numerical modelling of the morphodynamic processes can be tested. To replicate the morphological changes in the medium-term within a feasible simulation time, forcing conditions are reduced through the use of an input reduction method (called ensemble technique). In this study, simulations are based on the coupling between Telemac-2D and its non-cohesive sediment transport module, Sisyphe (version 5.3 for both modules). Three different sediment transport formulae were tested: (1) Engelund and Hansen (A monograph on sediment transport in alluvial streams, 3rd edn. Technological University of Denmark, Copenhagen, 1967) including the modifications proposed by Chollet and Cunge (J Hydraul Eng 17(1):1–13, 1979); (2) Bijker (Mechanics of sediment transport by the combination of waves and current. In: Design and reliability of coastal structures. 23rd international conference on Coastal Engineering, pp 147–173, 1968) and (3) Soulsby (Dynamics of Marine Sands. A manual for practical applications. HR Wallingford, Wallingford, p 142, 1997) modified version of van Rijn [J Hydraul Eng 110(10):1431–1456, 1984a, J Hydraul Eng 110(11):1613–1641, 1984b] formulation. Both a qualitative (i.e. visual comparison) and a quantitative tool [Brier Skill Score (BSS); described in Sutherland et al. in Coast Eng 51:917–939, 2004b] are applied to assess the similarity of simulations when compared to model predictions and observations. Tests confirmed the reliability and time efficiency of the ensemble technique, since it reproduced very well the results of a reference run, a computation based on the observed boundary conditions. For the spring-neap cycle modelled, the BSS was of 0.91 (a perfect modelling would have a BSS of 1), with a reduction in the simulation time on the order of 80%. For the 6-month-period simulation, results were also excellent: BSS=0.92 and a computer time reduction of 85%. In principle, this method has the advantage of being applied to any process-based numerical model.     

Ice flow direction during late Paleozoic glaciation in western Paraná Basin, Brazil

The recent discovery of ice-striated surfaces associated with the late Paleozoic Aquidauana Formation suggests that glaciers coming from southwest Africa reached westernmost parts of the Paraná Basin in central Brazil. Abrasion features were developed by glaciers moving from SSE towards NNW, mainly on an unconsolidated bed. These records expand to about 1,050,000 km², the coverage of the late Paleozoic glaciation in the region of the Paraná Basin in Western Gondwana.

Resumen

A recente descoberta de superfícies estriadas associadas à Formação Aquidauana, de idade permocarbonífera, sugere que as geleiras provenientes do sudoeste da África alcançaram as porções ocidentais da Bacia do Paraná, na região central do Brasil. As feições de abrasão foram geradas pelo deslocamento de geleiras de SSE para NNW, principalmente sobre substrato inconsolidado. Estes novos registros evidenciam que a glaciação neopaleozóica cobriu uma área de pelo menos de 1.050.000 km² na região ocupada pela Bacia do Paraná no Gondwana Ocidental.     

The relation between the magnitude derived from surface and from body waves for station průhonice

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Planning Ground Water Monitoring Field Projects

Project organization problems are not uncommon in ground water monitoring projects, particularly those which occur at sites remote from the office. Successful project management depends on coordination of the personnel, supplies, and equipment necessary to carry out each phase of the project. Procedures for planning and organizing field projects involving well installation, ground water sampling, and aquifer testing are outlined. Methods are suggested that will aid the Project Manager in planning and scheduling field work to make efficient use of personnel and material resources. Cautions are given regarding common pitfalls of projects involving operations at remote sites, and means of avoidance are enumerated. A checklist of commonly used field equipment and supplies is provided.     

The generation ofK indices from digitally recorded magnetic data

TheK index was developed by Bartels and is a measure of geomagnetic activity. The important feature of this index is that it is a measure of solar activity superimposed on the regular daily variation.It is the most used estimate of activity being of particular interest to researchers in ionospheric physics and telecommunications.In response to increased availability of digital data from magnetic observatories and their demand by the scientific community it becomes desireable to check whetherK indices produced from magnetograms plotted from digital data are consistent with those handscaled from La Cour charts.This paper presents results of these comparisons and also reports on several methods tested to produce theK index directly from the digital data.Handscaled indices from digital plots are suitable for producing theK index. Computations using digital data do not reproduceK as defined by Bartels precisely but do provide an equivalent index which is satisfactory for most user and research purposes.     

The Longdendale landslides

Throughout its geomorphological history the South Pennine valley of Longdendale has been especially prone to landsliding and some ten landslide areas have been identified. These prove on analysis to be bedding plane slides with a strong degree of translation but often exhibiting non-circular rotational elements as well. Instability in the lower slopes has often led to cambering and valley bulging so that the slopes become deformed and slump earth flows developed at some sites. Several different types of landslide are examined in detail and by means of pollen analysis the slides are dated from the early postglacial to at least as recently as two thousand years B.P. although it has not yet been possible to decide when these slides started. The causes of sliding are identified, and comments are made upon.

• (a) The location of slip surfaces–which are frequently at the base of the Grindslow Shales above a sandstone aquifer.
• (b) The geomorphic processes which built up high pore-water pressures and steep pressure gradients in the past.
• (c) The effects of sliding on the development of hillslopes in the post-glacial period.

     

Remote sensing for landscape parameters and scale effect

Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing - Development activities must be compatible for possibilities and limitation of natural environment and resources. Predevelopmental analysis must...     

Developing a large‐scale water‐balance approach to seasonal forecasting: application to the 2012 drought in Britain

Seasonal hydrological forecasts, or outlooks, can potentially provide water managers with estimates of river flows and water resources for a lead time of several months ahead. An experimental modelling tool for national hydrological outlooks has been developed which combines a hydrological model estimate of sub‐surface water storage across Britain with a range of seasonal rainfall forecasts to provide estimates of area‐wide hydrological conditions up to a few months ahead. The link is made between a deficit in sub‐surface water storage and a requirement for additional rainfall over subsequent months to enable sub‐surface water storage and river flow to return to mean monthly values. The new scheme is assessed over a recent period which includes the termination of the drought that affected much of Britain in the first few months of 2012. An illustration is provided of its use to obtain return‐period estimates of the ‘rainfall required’ to ease drought conditions; these are well in excess of 200 years for several regions of the country, for termination within a month of 1 April 2012, and still exceed 40 years for termination within three months. National maps of sub‐surface water storage anomaly show for the first time the current spatial variability of drought severity. They can also be used to provide an indication of how a drought situation might develop in the next few months given a range of possible future rainfall scenarios. © 2013 CEH/Crown and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.