CMA propagation diagrams for the Jovian magnetosphere

Local electromagnetic and hydromagnetic noise in the Jovian magnetosphere is expected to be intense due to the variety of wave-particle interactions and plasma instabilities that may be present. In order to qualitatively assess the nature of the radio noise, configuration space analogues of the well-known Clemmow-Mullaly-Allis (CMA) propagation diagrams have been prepared, based on recent models of the magnetic field and plasma density. These diagrams identify the loci of electron and ion resonances and cutoffs where absorption and reflection of wave energy occur, and specify the propagation modes and frequency bands that are anticipated in various regions. Such information may guide the selection of wave detection instruments, influence the choice of flyby trajectories, and assist in the interpretation of measurements.     

Annual variation in the nocturnal nekton assemblage of a tropical estuary

A nocturnal demersal nekton assemblage was sampled fortnightly for two years at five sites in the Labu estuary using a 3 m beam trawl with a 3·2 cm mesh net. Forty-eight species were caught, totalling 31 458 individuals with the five most abundant species comprising over 95% of the catch. Using multiple regression techniques with Fourier transformations, the mean number of species, S, the mean abundance, N, and mean weight, W, were found to conform to a regular annual cycle with maxima in April and May. Seven of the 11 most abundant species demonstrated regular annual cycles of abundance. S, N and W were greatest in the wider, middle sites and lowest in a shallow, stagnant side branch of the estuary. Catch weights and abundances were significantly correlated with physical data.Salinity and temperature values in the estuary exhibited an annual cycle with maxima occurring in February/March. The annual thermal variation of surface water outside the estuary followed a similar cycle. The salinity at the mouth of the Markham River is lowest during January/February, which corresponds with the rainy season in the Markham River catchment. Significant annual variation existed between years in estuarine bottom salinity and salinity values in Labu Bay.Several species exhibited a greater variation in abundance and mass between years than within years. This supports the hypothesis that in the tropics between-year variation in coastal marine biotic communities is greater than within-year variation.     

Reconstruction of climatic and environmental changes in NW Romania during the early part of the last deglaciation (15,000–13,600 cal yr BP)

High resolution pollen, plant macrofossil, charcoal, mineral magnetic and sedimentary analyses, combined with AMS ¹⁴C measurements, were performed on multiple sediment sequences along a transect through the former crater lake Preluca iganului in northwestern Romania in order to reconstruct the climatic and environmental changes during the early part of the Last Termination. Lake sediments started to accumulate at 14,700 cal yr BP. Initially the upland vegetation consisted of an open forest with mainly Betula and Salix and few Pinus sp., but from 14,500 cal yr BP onwards, Pinus mugo, P. sylvestris and Populus and later on also Larix became established around the lake. Between 14,150 and 13,950 cal yr BP, Pinus cembra seems to have replaced P. mugo and P. sylvestris. At 13,950 cal yr BP the tree cover increased and Picea appeared for the first time, together with Pinus cembra, P. mugo and Larix. From 13,750 cal yr BP onwards, a Picea forest developed around the site. Based on the combined proxy data the following climatic development may be inferred: 14,700–14,500 cal yr BP, cooler and wet/humid; 14,500–14,400 cal yr BP: gradually warmer temperatures, wet/humid with dry summers; 14,400–14,320 cal yr BP: warm and dry; 14,320–14,150 cal yr BP: cooler and wet/humid; 14,150–14,100 cal yr BP: warm and dry; 14,100–13,850 cal yr BP: warmer and wet/humid; <13,850 cal yr BP: warm and dry. The tentative correlation of this development with the North Atlantic region assumes that the period >14,700 cal yr could correspond to GS-2a, the time span between 14,700 and 14,320 to GI-1e, the phase between 14,320 and 14,150 cal yr BP to GI-1d and the time frame between 14,150 and 13,600 cal yr BP to the lower part of GI-1c.     

Marine biogeochemistries of Be and Al: A study based on cosmogenic10Be, Be and Al in marine calcite, aragonite, and opal

The geochemical behaviors of Be and Al in ocean waters have been successfully studied in recent years using natural, cosmogenic, radioactive¹⁰Be and²⁶Al as tracers. The present day dissolved concentrations and distribution of the stable and radioactive isotopes of Be and Al in ocean waters have revealed their short residence times and appreciable effects of exchange fluxes at the coastal and ocean-sediment interfaces. It follows that concentrations of these particle-active elements must have varied in the past with temporal changes in climate, biological productivity and aeolian flux of continental detritus to the oceans. We therefore investigated the feasibility of extending the measurements of Be and Al isotope concentrations in marine systems to the 10³–10⁶ y BP time scale. We report here the discovery of significant amounts of intrinsic Be and Al in marine foraminiferal calcite and coral aragonite, and of Al in opal (radiolarians) and aragonite (coral), which makes it possible to determine¹⁰Be/Be and²⁶Al/Al in oceans in the past. We also report measured¹⁰Be/⁹Be in foraminiferal calcite in Pacific Ocean cores, which reveal that the concentrations and ratios of the stable and cosmogenic isotopes of Be and Al have varied significantly in the past 30 ky. The implications of these results are discussed.     

Diatom and thecamoebian signatures of Red River (Manitoba and North Dakota) floods: Data collected from the 1997 and 1999 spring freshets

Overbank deposits that aggraded during the severe and moderate Red River, Manitoba and North Dakota floods of 1997 and 1999 were examined to characterize the typical diatom and thecamoebian flood assemblages. The deposits contain diatom assemblages dominated by Nitzschia spp., Stephanodiscus spp. and Navicula spp. as well as large quantities of Hantzschia amphioxys, Luticola imbricata and L. mutica and lesser amounts of Aulacoseira italica, A. granulata, A. ambigua, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Amphora montana and Synedra ulna. Samples collected from the Red River in late summer are dominated by the plankton Cyclotella atomus, species of Stephanodiscus, Cyclostephanos sp. 1 (cf. delicatus), Cyclotella meneghiniana, Nitzschia reversa and Nitzschia acicularis. Late summer, floodplain lake plankton are dominated by Fragilaria capucina, Cocconeis placentula, Stephanodiscus parvus/minutulus and Cyclotella atomus. Red River thecamoebian flood assemblages are dominated by Cyclopyxis spp., with lesser amounts of Centropyxis aculeata and Arcella vulgaris. Late summer water samples from the Red River contain very few thecamoebian remains. The majority of the taxa present are Centropyxis aculeata, Arcella vulgaris and Cyclopyxis spp. Floodplain lakes are dominated by benthic thecamoebians, especially Difflugia oblonga and Cucurbitella tricuspis, a eutrophic indicator. The results of this baseline study suggest that diatom and thecamoebian assemblages can characterize flood deposits, within floodplain lake basins, during both very high and moderately high flood years, and that these assemblages are inherently different from those typically found in lakes along the Red River.     

Single-zircon Pb-evaporation and 40Ar/39Ar dating of the metamorphic and granitic rocks in north-west Spitsbergen

North-west Spitsbergen consists of a complex of Caledonian and Grenvillian crystalline rocks, situated at the north-west corner of the Barents Shelf. The aim of this study is to understand the extent of pre-Caledonian basement rocks and their protoliths. Micas and zircon grains from six rocks from north-west Spitsbergen have been dated by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and single-zircon Pb-evaporation methods. Two grey granites yielded Late Caledonian mica ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and zircon ages of ca. 420-430 My, with inherited zircon grains as old as 1725 My. Zircon grains from a gneissose granite xenolith in a grey granites gave crystallization ages of ca. 960 My; some grains from a migmatite neosome show similar ages. Zircon grains yielding Archean and late Palaeoproterozoic ages (1600-1800 My) are interpreted as xenocrysts of detrital origin. The youngest ages obtained from detrital zircon grains from a greenschist facies quartzite of the Signehamna unit are ca. 1800 My. Similar schists are included as xenoliths in the 960 My old gneissose granite; therefore, the sedimentary protoliths of the unit are Mesoproterozoic. The dating results suggest a significant tectonothermal event during Grenvillian time; subsequent Caledonian events had less extensive thermal effects. However, it is still a matter of debate whether Grenvillian or Caledonian metamorphism produced the majority of the migmatites. A large population of zircon grains with Late Palaeoproterozoic ages suggests a wide surface exposure of rocks of this age in the source area, with some Archean zircons.     

Tourmaline in a low grade clastic metasedimentary rock: an example of the petrogenetic potential of tourmaline

Detrital tourmaline grains and their associated tourmaline overgrowths provide a means to unravel the provenance and petrogenetic history of low grade clastic metasedimentary rocks. Evidence derives from tourmaline grains found in a lithic wacke metamorphosed to chlorite zone conditions. The detrital tourmaline cores are diagnostic indicators of the source rocks of the sediment whereas the overgrowths record both diagenetic and metamorphic reactions in the rock. Tourmaline grains consist of a detrital core surrounded by asymmetric overgrowths comprised of inner and outer rims. Abrupt chemical discontinuities between each of these zones implies that volume diffusion within tourmaline was minor under the conditions of formation. Compositions of the detrital cores vary widely, yet can be correlated with source rock types that are consistent with lithic fragments recognizable in the metawacke. At either the analogous or antilogous pole, inner rim compositions proximal to the detrital cores converge, despite the substrate tourmaline composition, indicating an approach to chemical equilibrium. However, significant dufferences in Al and X-site vacancies at the expense of Mg, Na and Ti between the analogous and antilogous poles of the inner rims demonstrate the presence of significant amounts of compositional polarity. Outer rim compositions at either pole also converge but compositional polarity between the analogous and antilogous poles persists. The presence of the inner and outer rims separated by a compositional discontinuity suggests punctuated evolution of the overgrowth. This implies that boron was sporadically available during diagenesis and metamorphism. Based on boron contents of minerals, this may correspond to a mechanism such as boron release due to polytypic change of illite or consumption of illite and/or muscovite. As such, tourmaline growth stages may serve as a monitor of chemical reactions in low grade metamorphic rocks.     

Extreme events in a changing climate: Variability is more important than averages

Extreme events act as a catalyst for concern about whether the climate is changing. Statistical theory for extremes is used to demonstrate that the frequency of such events is relatively more dependent on any changes in the variability (more generally, the scale parameter) than in the mean (more generally, the location parameter) of climate. Moreover, this sensitivity is relatively greater the more extreme the event. These results provide additional support for the conclusions that experiments using climate models need to be designed to detect changes in climate variability, and that policy analysis should not rely on scenarios of future climate involving only changes in means.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Statistical description of anisotropic and inhomogeneous turbulence

Statistical functions such as correlation functions and spectra yield length scales, each of which describes a certain aspect of the large-scale structure of turbulence. In this study not only statistics of wind fluctuations measured at the same place have been analysed but also statistics of fluctuations at different heights. Thus a spatial picture of the energy-containing and the momentum-transporting eddies has been obtained and some features of the momentum transport are described.