Remote Sensing Methods to Investigate Boundary-layer Structures relevant to Air Pollution in Cities

Simultaneous surface-based remote sensing with optical (Ceilometer) and acoustic (Sodar) methods allows the diurnal variation of the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer to be deduced with high temporal resolution. Primarily the convective boundary layer, the nocturnal stable surface layer, and the residual layer can be identified from the measured vertical profiles of aerosol concentration and thermal fluctuations. The ability of the two remote sensing techniques is shown in different examples from two different locations and two seasons. The impact on urban air quality assessment is addressed.     

Climatic and geographic patterns of river runoff formation in Northern Eurasia

Siberian rivers are of global importance as they impact on the freshwater budget of the Arctic Ocean, which affects the Thermo-Haline circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean. Siberian rivers, in particular the tributaries to the larger rivers, are under-represented in the international river-regime databases. The runoff of three Russian rivers in the Central Siberian taiga (Kureyka, Karabula and Erba) is modelled to analyse the relative influence of climate. In addition three rivers (Rhine, Maas and Odra) in Western Europe are similarly assessed as a control. The results show that the role of precipitation and autocorrelation as factors in the formation of river runoff is stronger under oceanic climate conditions, increasing from the central regions of Northern Eurasia towards the Arctic Ocean in the North and the Atlantic in the West. At the same time the influence of summer temperatures is weakened. The formation of Northern Eurasian river runoff appears to be influenced by periodically thawing top horizons of permafrost soil. Time served as an indicator for land use change after inclusion of meteorological data in the models. Maas and Erba showed a significant influence of the time factor. For the Erba the onset of agricultural land use in the catchment coincides with a drop in runoff. A similar causal relationship is suggested for the Maas. Land use can change the formation of runoff, which in turn can be used as an environmental indicator for sustainable land use.     

Structure of flow over alluvial bedforms: an experiment on linking field and laboratory methods

This paper presents results of a field study designed to examine the structure of flow over mobile and fixed bedforms in a natural stream and to compare the results with findings of previous laboratory studies within the framework of double time–space averaging approach. Measurements of turbulence were obtained in a small river in Illinois, USA, over a fine spatial grid of sampling points above a mobile sandy bedform and its artificially moulded replica. Flow structure over the artificial bedform is similar to that observed in laboratory studies, but is markedly different from the flow structure over natural bedforms. These differences are most pronounced in the roughness sublayer, whereas flow in the logarithmic layer over natural and artificial sand waves is fairly similar and exhibits spatial uniformity. The double time–space averaged distributions of turbulence statistics conform to the multilayer model of flow structure over bedforms. Mean velocity distributions indicate neither classical flow recirculation nor substantial reduction of velocities in the lee of bedform crests. However, vertical patterns of turbulence statistics over depth suggest that stacked wakes similar to those observed in laboratory studies exist above the bedforms. Thus, despite the absence of flow separation, wake development seems to be induced by the systematic influence of upstream bedforms on the vertical structure of turbulence. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fire Danger Monitoring Using ERS-1 SAR Images in the Case of Northern Boreal Forests

Research was carried out to assess the potential of imaging radar systems formonitoring forest fire danger. In Canada, daily forest fire danger ratings are generated by the Canadian ForestFire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS), based on estimates of fire weather indices (FWI) and measured foliar moisturecontent (FMC). To evaluate the potential of imaging radar, an experiment was conducted using test sitesconsisting of jack pine, black spruce and white spruce stands located in the MacKenzie river basin, NorthwestTerritories, Canada. Radar image intensity values from ERS-1 SAR imagery collected over these stands in 1994 werecompared to FWI indices and FMC data. FWI indices were calculated using data from local weather stations.Seasonal trends in radar backscatter (⁰) were shown to correlate with temperature and precipitation. Significant relationships were found between ⁰ and FWI codes and indices, particularly in thecase of the black spruce stands, with slow-drying fuels, like duff moisture code (DMC), drought code (DC), and build-upindex (BUI). Rates of changes in ⁰were related to rates of changes in FMC, particularly in the case ofthe jack pine stands for old FMC and in the case of white spruce stands for composite FMC.     

A review and assessment of tributyltin contamination in the North Sea,based on surveys of butyltin tissue burdens and imposex/intersex in four species of neogastropods

It is evident from measures of butyltin tissue burdens and imposex or intersex in neogastropods that tributyltin (TBT) contamination of coastal waters and open parts of the North Sea is now low. It has been declining for at least the past decade. This is probably due to two measures. First, regulations prohibiting the use of TBT-based paints on small boats and fish farms have reduced inputs of TBT from these sources so that they are now negligible (except possibly where the regulations are flaunted). Second, there is evidence from sites, where commercial vessels are the sole source of TBT, that the adoption of TBT SPC paints has been effective in reducing environmental levels of these contaminants. However, poor dockyard practices, allowing TBT-contaminated wastes, including paint flakes, to accumulate in sediments have left a legacy of hot-spots of contamination in some ports. The impact is localised so that TBT contamination is low in coastal areas immediately adjacent to ports.     

Biosensors for marine pollution research,monitoring and control

Measurement of ecological, climatic and anthropogenic changes underpins the formulation of effective management strategies for sustainable use and protection of the marine environment. Sensors are traditionally used in marine studies to determine physical parameters, but there is increasing demand for real-time information about chemical and biological parameters. These parameters are currently measured in samples collected at sea and subsequently analysed in the laboratory. Biosensors fuse the exquisite sensitivity and specificity of living systems with the processing power of microelectronics to deliver simple, inexpensive measurement systems for use in the field or deployment in situ. While their potential for use in the marine environment is enormous, much published work to date has focussed on applications in freshwater and wastewater. Marine applications pose a substantial challenge in the robustness required for remote application, but recent developments in portable medical devices and receptor design suggest that these demands can now be realistically tackled.     

Gaseous and Particulate Oxidized and Reduced Nitrogen Species in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer in Scandinavia in Spring

Observations of the concentration of several nitrogen containing compounds at five rural Scandinavian sites during March–June 1993 are reported. Total nitrate (NO ₃ ^- + HNO₃) and total ammonium (NH ₄ ⁺ + NH₃) were measured by denuder and filter pack. In general the methods agree well. At all sites the particulate fraction dominated, with the largest fraction of NO ₃ ^- and the lowest of NH ₄ ⁺ at the sites which were closest to the emission sources. The fraction of NO ₃ ^- of total nitrate increased with increasing NO₂ concentrations, indicating that the nighttime conversion of NO₂ to NO ₃ ^- is an important route of formation for NO ₃ ^- . A positive correlation was found between HNO₃ and O₃ in June at all sites, while no correlation was found early in the spring. Model calculations were made with a lagrangian boundary layer photooxidant model for the whole period, and compared to the measured concentrations. The calculated ratio between mean observed and modelled daily maximum concentrations of ozone over the measurement period were within +/–10% at all sites. The models ability to describe the daily ozone maximum concentration was satisfactory with an average deviation of 19–22% from the observed concentrations. HNO₃ was underestimated by over 50% at all sites except the one closest to the emission sources. The correlation between modelled and observed concentrations was generally best for the sites with shortest transport distance from the sources of emission.     

Backazimuthal Variations of Splitting Parameters of Teleseismic SKS Phases Observed at the Broadband Stations in Germany

—SKS phases observed at broadband stations in Germany show significant shear-wave splitting. We have analyzed SKS and SKKS phases for shear-wave splitting from 13 stations of the German Regional Seismic Network (GRSN), from 3 three-component stations of the Gräfenberg array (GRF) and from one Austrian station (SQTA). The data reveal strong differences in the splitting parameters (fast direction φ and delay time δt from a single event at various stations as well as variations at the individual stations for events with different backazimuths. The backazimuthal variations of the splitting parameters at some stations can be explained by two-layer anisotropy models with horizontal symmetry axes. The best resolved two-layer model is the GRA1 model (upper layer φ = 40°, δt = 1.15s; lower layer φ = 115°, δt = 1.95s). The upper layer can be attributed to the lithosphere. Because of the magnitude of the delay time of the upper layer, the lower layer must lie within the asthenosphere. At other stations splitting parameters are consistent with an anisotropic one-layer model for the upper mantle. Stations near the Bohemian Massif show fast directions near EW. Throughout NE Germany the directions are oriented NW/SE. The reason for this direction is probably the nearby Tornquist-Teisseyre line. The observed fast axes are subparallel to this prominent Transeuropean suture zone. At stations in southern Germany near the Alps we observed ENE/WSW directions. Below some stations we also found indications of inclined anisotropic layers.     

Integral Equations for Kinematic Dynamo Models

A new technique for the treatment of the kinematic dynamo problem is presented. The method is applicable when the dynamo is surrounded by a medium of finite conductivity and is based on a reformulation of the induction equation and boundary conditions at infinity into an integral equation. We show that the integral operator involved here is compact in the case of homogeneous conductivity, which is important for both mathematical and numerical treatment. A lower bound for the norm of then yields a necessary condition for the generation of magnetic fields by kinematic dynamos. Numerical results are presented for some simple ²-dynamo models. The far-field asymptotics for stationary and time-dependent field modes are discussed.