Annual variation of the geomagnetic field

Summary. Horizontal and vertical intensity data, obtained between 1957.0 and 1961.0 at 69 observatories, are analysed to determine the worldwide distribution of the annual variation of the geomagnetic field. Only data observed near local midnight are used, to avoid the small, but significant contamination from Sq. Over most of the world the variation is found to be small, with a clear dependence on latitude, but near the poles it is larger and more erratic. The non-polar variation is subjected to spherical harmonic analysis and separated into parts of internal and external origin. The polar variations are shown to be consistent with a north—south oscillation of the mean position of the auroral electrojets during the year. It is suggested that, with the exception of the polar effect, the annual variation is not due to ionospheric currents (as was hitherto believed), but results from an annual variation in the latitude of the ring current.     

Linear and planar structure in ordered multivariate data as applied to progressive demagnetization of palaeomagnetic remanence

Summary. Consider a sequence of, say, 10 to 20 vector observations in three-dimensional space. It is suspected that a few subsets of consecutive observations are made up of collinear points. The purpose of this paper is to construct a statistically based algorithm to find such linear segments and to assess their accuracy. A similar assessment is made for coplanar sets of points.
This algorithm is applied here to palaeomagnetic data and is claimed to be superior to previous methods of palaeomagnetic analysis in terms of completeness and balance of analysis, treatment of measurement errors and other sources of scatter, criteria for identification of linear and planar sets of points, and statistical rigour. Stability spectra, with statistically based confidence limits, are obtained as a by-product.     

Palynology of the circum-mediterranean triassic: Phytogeographical and palaeoclimatological implications

Following a tentative evaluation of palynological information from Ladinian and, more particularly, Karnian successions, there seems to be every indication that qualitative and quantitative compositional differences of palynological assemblages could well be applied in testing concepts of Triassic phytogeography and palaeoclimatology. The following implications are emphasized:

1. There is sufficient palynological evidence that the Mediterranean region includes a domain of mixed northern (Laurasian) and southern (Gondwana) types of floras.
2. The concept of an essentially arid nature of a wide equatorial climatic belt during Triassic times finds palynological support.
3. Palynological evidence does not contradict a concept of pronounced decrease in precipitation towards the western part of the Mediterranean region.
4. In Europe, occurrences of hygrophytic palynofloras and coals within an arid climatic zone can be explained by the water-supply of extensive river-systems.

     

Intraplutonic Quench Zones in the Kap Edvard Holm Layered Gabbro Complex, East Greenland

The Kap Edvard Holm Layered Gabbro Complex is a large layeredgabbro intrusion (>300 km²) situated on the opposite sideof the Kangerdlugssuaq fjord from the Skaergaard Intrusion.It was emplaced in a continental margin ophiolite setting duringearly Tertiary rifting of the North Atlantic. Gabbroic cumulates, covering a total stratigraphic thicknessof >5 km, have a typical four-phase tholeiitic cumulus mineralogy:plagioclase, clinopyroxene, olivine, and Fe–Ti oxides.The cryptic variation is restricted (plagioclase An_81–51,olivine Fo_85–66, clinopyroxene Wo_43–41 En_46–37Fs_20–11) and there are several reversals in mineral chemistry.Crystallization took place in a low-pressure, continuously fractionatingmagma chamber system which was periodically replenished andtapped. Fine-grained (0•2–0•4 mm) equigranular, thin(0•5–3 m), laterally continuous basaltic zones occurwithin an {small tilde}1000 m thick layered sequence in theTaco Point area. Twelve such zones define the bases of individualmacrorhythmic units with an average thickness of {small tilde}80m. The fine-grained basaltic zones grade upwards, over a fewmetres, into medium-grained (>1 mm) poikilitic, olivine gabbrowith smallscale modal layering. Each fine-grained basaltic zoneis interpreted as an intraplutonic quench zone in which magmachilled against the underlying layered gabbros during influxalong the chamber floor. Supercooling by {small tilde}50C isbelieved to have caused nucleation of plagioclase, olivine,and clinopyroxene in the quench zone. The nucleation rate isbelieved to have been enhanced as the result of in situ crystallizationin a continuously flowing magma. The transition to the overlyingpoikilitic olivine gabbro reflects a decreasing degree of supercooling. Compositional variation in the Taco Point sequence is typicalfor an open magma chamber system: olivine (Fo_{77–68 5})and plagioclase cores (An_80–72) show a zig-zag crypticvariation pattern with no overall systematic trend. Olivinehas the most primitive compositions in the quench zones andmore evolved compositions in the olivine gabbro; plagioclasecores show the opposite trend. Although plagioclase cores arebelieved to retain their original compositions, olivines re-equilibratedby reaction with trapped liquid. Some plagioclase cores containrelatively sodic patches which retain quench compositions. Whole-rock compositions of nine different quench zones varyover a range from 10 to 18% MgO although the mg-number remainsconstant at {small tilde}0•78. The average composition(47•7% SiO₂, 13•3%MgO, 1•57% Na₂O+K₂O) is takenas a best estimate of the parental magma composition, and isequivalent to a high-magnesian olivine tholeiite. The compositionalvariation of the quench zones is believed to reflect burstsof nucleation and growth of olivine and plagioclase during quenching. Magma emplacement is believed to have taken place by separatetranquil influxes which flowed along the interface between alargely consolidated cumulus pile and the residual magma. Theresident magma was elevated with little or no mixing. At certainlevels in the layered sequence the magma drained back into thefeeder system; such a mechanism is referred to as a surge-typemagma chamber system.     

Relation of streams, lakes, and wetlands to groundwater flow systems

 Surface-water bodies are integral parts of groundwater flow systems. Groundwater interacts with surface water in nearly all landscapes, ranging from small streams, lakes, and wetlands in headwater areas to major river valleys and seacoasts. Although it generally is assumed that topographically high areas are groundwater recharge areas and topographically low areas are groundwater discharge areas, this is true primarily for regional flow systems. The superposition of local flow systems associated with surface-water bodies on this regional framework results in complex interactions between groundwater and surface water in all landscapes, regardless of regional topographic position. Hydrologic processes associated with the surface-water bodies themselves, such as seasonally high surface-water levels and evaporation and transpiration of groundwater from around the perimeter of surface-water bodies, are a major cause of the complex and seasonally dynamic groundwater flow fields associated with surface water. These processes have been documented at research sites in glacial, dune, coastal, mantled karst, and riverine terrains. Received, April 1998 · Revised, July 1998, August 1998 · Accepted, September 1998     

Rapid quantification of humic and fulvic acids by HPLC in natural waters

A simple method based on high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) has been developed for rapid quantification of humic and fulvic acids (HA and FA) in stream waters. A Tsk-gel column was used to separate natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) into two components: peak A and B. In terms of HPSEC chromatograms and fluorescence patterns, peak A and B were similar to the corresponding XAD-extracted HA and FA, respectively. It is suggested that peak A fraction mainly consisted of HA, and peak B fraction FA. The similar separation of HA and FA using HPSEC and a conventional XAD method suggests the consistency of molecular size distribution and physical–chemical properties of DOM. HPSEC offers a simple and rapid method for the quantification of HA and FA instead of tedious extractions of humic substances. Analyses of natural water samples show that the calculation of HA/FA based on UV absorbance was under- or over-estimated, the calibration using the extracted HS allows a more accurate quantification. The fast screening of HA and FA provides useful quantitative and qualitative information that can be used in environmental or monitoring studies.     

Severity, duration and frequency of drought in SE England from 1697 to 2011

Severe droughts have affected much of Europe over the last 40 years. A limitation to current understanding of droughts is based around drought characteristics (e.g. frequency, severity and duration) as there are limited long series (>100 years) with well documented severe droughts. This is further complicated with future climate projections, and the potential implications that these will have on drought characteristics. This paper presents reconstructed drought series from 1697, 1726 and 1767 to 2011 for three sites in southeast England. Precipitation and temperature series are reconstructed to generate long drought series using the self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index, enabling determination of drought characteristics. The reconstructions identify multiple drought-rich periods, 1730–1760 and 1890-present, with an increasing tendency towards more severe droughts during the latter period. Prolonged rainfall deficiencies are found to be the primary cause of severe droughts, with rising temperatures increasing soil moisture deficit, therefore intensifying drought conditions. Cycles at the 6–10 year period identify a sub-decadal to decadal signal during drought-rich periods. Analysis of the spatial variability of droughts finds that whilst severe events are predominantly regionally coherent, there are notable variations in severity and duration between sites, which are attributed to localised rainfall variability. This study extends the temporal range of previous drought studies and places recent drought events in a longer context improving upon existing ‘benchmark’ drought analyses in southeast England; with far-reaching implications for local, national and continental scale reduction of drought vulnerability and risk.