Observational estimation of heat budgets on drifting ice and open water over the Arctic Ocean

It is of major scientific interests to determine the parameters of momentum, heat and vapor exchange in the planetary boundary layer in order to study the effects of ocean-ice-atmosphere interactions and their feedback mechanisms on global climate[1]. Lin…     

The geometry and petrogenesis of hydrothermal dolomites at Navan, Ireland

The dolomites at Navan, Ireland, formed in Courceyan peritidal and shallow-shelf limestones. The dolomite body has a plume-like geometry, cross-cutting both lithological boundaries and diagenetic barriers generated by sea-floor cementation and emergence. The dolomitizing fluids rose parallel to major faults to diffuse laterally through the succession, controlled by variations in permeability that reflect both facies variation on deposition and pre-dolomitization diagenesis. Cathodoluminescent zones reveal three principal stages of dolomite emplacement, separated by dissolution surfaces, with each stage reflecting several changes in the character of dolomitizing solutions. The predominance of dull zones indicates burial rather than surface conditions. The dolomites formed some time after burial in response to an areally limited hydrothermally-driven flow. Isotope values (σ¹⁸O of — 6σ6 to — 10.4%_δ and σ¹³C of — 0σ2 to +2σ5%_δ PDB), and fluid inclusion data, suggest that these fluids had compositions similar to those of Carboniferous seawater. However, these became hotter with time, with temperature increasing from 60 to 160δC. The Navan dolomites are closely associated with Europe's largest zinc-lead deposit. The distribution of the ores follows the same trend as that of the dolomites and paragenetic relationships indicate that dolomitization and mineralization were temporally and genetically related.     

Intraplate deformation and 3D rheological structure of the Rhine Rift System and adjacent areas of the northern Alpine foreland

The lithosphere of the Northern Alpine foreland has undergone a polyphase evolution during which interacting stress-induced intraplate deformation and upper mantle thermal perturbations controlled folding of the thermally weakened lithosphere. In this paper we address relationships among deeper lithospheric processes, neotectonics and surface processes in the Northern Alpine foreland with special emphasis on tectonically induced topography. We focus on lithosphere memory and neotectonics, paying special attention to the thermo-mechanical structure of the Rhine Graben System and adjacent areas of the northern Alpine foreland lithosphere. We discuss implications for mechanisms of large-scale intraplate deformation and links with surface processes and topography evolution.     

Models of rapidly rotating neutron stars: remnants of accretion-induced collapse

Equilibrium models of differentially rotating nascent neutron stars are constructed, which represent the result of the accretion-induced collapse of rapidly rotating white dwarfs. The models are built in a two-step procedure: (1) a rapidly rotating pre-collapse white dwarf model is constructed; (2) a stationary axisymmetric neutron star having the same total mass and angular momentum distribution as the white dwarf is constructed. The resulting collapsed objects consist of a high-density central core of size roughly 20 km, surrounded by a massive accretion torus extending over 1000 km from the rotation axis. The ratio of the rotational kinetic energy to the gravitational potential energy of these neutron stars ranges from 0.13 to 0.26, suggesting that some of these objects may have a non-axisymmetric dynamical instability that could emit a significant amount of gravitational radiation.     

School vulnerability to disaster: examination of school closure,demographic, and exposure factors in Hurricane Ike’s wind swath

Damage and destruction to schools from climate-related disasters can have significant and lasting impacts on curriculum and educational programs, educational attainment, and future income-earning potential of affected students. As such, assessing the potential impact of hazards is crucial to the ability of individuals, households, and communities to respond to natural disasters, extreme events, and economic crises. Yet, few studies have focused on assessing the vulnerability of schools in coastal regions of the USA. Using Hurricane Ike’s tropical storm wind swath in the State of Texas as our study area, we: (1) assessed the spatial distribution patterns of school closures and (2) tested the relationship between school closure and vulnerability factors (namely physical exposure and school demographics) using zero-inflated negative binomial regression models. The regression results show that higher probabilities of hurricane strikes, more urbanized school districts, and school districts located in coastal counties on the right side of Ike’s path have significant positive associations with an increase in the number of school closure days. Socioeconomic characteristics were not significantly associated with the number of days closed, with the exception of proportion of Hispanic youth in schools, a result which is not supported by the social vulnerability literature. At a practical level, understanding how hurricanes may adversely impact schools is important for developing appropriate preparedness, mitigation, recovery, and adaptation strategies. For example, school districts on the right side of the hurricane track can plan in advance for potential damage and destruction. The ability of a community to respond to future natural disasters, extreme events, and economic crises depends in part on mitigating these adverse effects.     

Silica depleted melting of pelites. Petrogenetic grid and application to the Susqueda Aureole, Spain

Metapelitic rocks in the low pressure contact metamorphic aureole around the Susqueda igneous complex, Spain show a number of features that make them an ideal testing ground for the modelling of silica‐undersaturated melting. Rocks in the aureole experienced localized depletion in silica by the segregation of quartz veins during a pre‐anatectic, regional cordierite‐andalusite grade metamorphic event. These rocks were then intruded by gabbroic to dioritic rocks of the Susqueda igneous complex that formed a migmatitic contact metamorphic aureole in the country rocks. This migmatisation event caused quartz‐saturated hornfels and restite formation in rocks that had experienced no quartz vein segregation in the previous regional metamorphic event, but silica‐undersaturated melting in those rocks that were previously depleted in silica. Silica‐undersaturated melting is investigated using a new petrogenetic P–T projection and equilibrium pseudosections calculated in the KFMASH and NCKFMASH systems, respectively. The grid considers quartz absent equilibria and a range of phases that form typically in silica‐undersaturated bulk compositions, for example corundum. It is shown that the quartz‐rich precursors in the Susqueda contact aureole produced about 10% melt during contact metamorphism. However, most of this melt was extracted leaving behind rocks with restitic bulk compositions and minor leucosome segregation. It is suggested that the melt mixed with the host igneous rocks causing an apparent magmatic zoning from diorite in the centre of the complex to tonalite at the margins. In contrast, the quartz‐poor precursors (from which the quartz veins segregated) melted in the silica‐undersaturated field producing a range of assemblages including peritectic corundum and spinel. Melting of the silica‐undersaturated rocks produced only negligible melt and no subsequent melt loss.     

The OSO-1 solar neutron experiment

BF₃ counters on OSO-1 were used to look for solar neutrons by trying to observe a diurnal variation in count rate. No effect was observed and an upper limit was placed on the solar neutron flux at the earth of J _n < 2 × 10^–3 neut/cm²/sec of 10 keV < E _n < 10 meV for the period March to May 1962. No proton-producing flares occurred during this time, so the most obvious source of solar neutrons could not be studied. The emulsion experiment of Apparao et al., flown during this period, which seemed to indicate solar neutrons has probably been misinterpreted.     

Spatial patterns of sub-tidal seagrasses and their tissue nutrients in the Torres Strait,northern Australia: Implications for management

The distribution and nutritional profiles of sub-tidal seagrasses from the Torres Strait were surveyed and mapped across an area of 31,000 km². Benthic sediment composition, water depth, seagrass species type and nutrients were sampled at 168 points selected in a stratified representative pattern. Eleven species of seagrass were present at 56 (33.3%) of the sample points. Halophila spinulosa, Halophila ovalis, Cymodocea serrulata and Syringodium isoetifolium were the most common species and these were nutrient profiled. Sub-tidal seagrass distribution (and associated seagrass nutrient concentrations) was generally confined to northern-central and south-western regions of the survey area (<longitude 142.60), where mean water depth was relatively shallow (approximately 13 m below MSL) and where sediments were comprised primarily muddy sand to gravelly sand. Seagrass nitrogen and starch content, the most important nutrients for marine herbivores, were significantly correlated with species and with the plant component (above or below ground). For all seagrass species, the above-ground component (shoots and leaves) possessed greater nitrogen concentrations than the below-ground component (roots and rhizomes), which possessed greater starch concentrations. S. isoetifolium had the highest total nitrogen concentrations (1.40±0.05% DW). However, it also had higher fibre concentrations (38.2±0.68% DW) relative to the other four species. H. ovalis possessed the highest starch concentrations (2.76±0.12% DW) and highest digestibility (83.24±0.66% DW) as well as the lowest fibre (27.2±0.66% DW). The high relative abundance (found at 55% of the sites that had seagrass) and nutrient quality characteristics of H. ovalis make it an important source of energy to marine herbivores that forage sub-tidally in the Torres Strait. There were two regions in Torres Strait (north-central and south-western) where sub-tidal seagrass meadows were prevalent and of relatively higher nutritional value. This spatial and nutritional information can be used by local agencies to manage and to protect the ecological, economic and cultural values of the sub-tidal seagrass ecosystems and associated fisheries of the Torres Strait.