Sedimentary evidence of deglacial megafloods in the northern Gulf of Mexico (Pigmy Basin)

Cored sediments from the Pigmy Basin, northern Gulf of Mexico, were analyzed in order to better constrain late deglacial and early Holocene paleoenvironmental and sedimentary changes in response to North American climate evolution. Mineralogical and geochemical proxies indicate the succession of two sedimentary regimes: dominantly detrital during the deglaciation (15–12.9 cal ka BP) whereas biogenic contribution relatively increased later on during the Younger Dryas and early Holocene (12.9 and 10 cal ka BP). Geochemical data reveal that the deglacial record mainly reflects variations of terrigenous supply via the Mississippi River rather than modifications of redox conditions in the basin. Specific variations of almost all the parameters measured in this paper are synchronous with the main deglacial meltwater episode (Meltwater Spike) described or modeled in previous marine or continental studies. During this episode, most parameters display “stair-step-like” – pattern variations highlighting three successive steps within the main meltwater flow. Variations in grain-size and clay mineral assemblage recorded in the Pigmy Basin indicate that the erosional regime was very strong on land during the first part of the Meltwater Spike, and then milder, inducing more subtle modifications in the sedimentary regime in this part of the Gulf. Specific geochemical and mineralogical signatures (notably, clay minerals and trace metal geochemistry) pinpoint a dominant origin from NW North America for detrital particles reflecting meltwater outflow from the south-western Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) margin during the most intense freshwater discharge. The observed decrease of the sedimentation rate from about 200 to 25 cm/ka at ca 12.9 ka evidenced a drastic decrease of erosional processes during late phase of discharge, consistently with the hypotheses of major reduction of meltwater flow. The major modification at 12.9 cal ka BP is interpreted to result from both modifications of the main Mississippi fluvial regime due to eastward and northward rerouting of meltwater flow at the onset of the Younger Dryas, and the increase of sea-surface temperature linked to insolation. Finally, slight grain-size modifications suggest that some freshwater discharges may have episodically reached the Gulf of Mexico after the Younger Dryas reflecting possible small adjustments of the postglacial hydrological regime.     

Calibration of Local Magnitude M<Subscript>L</Subscript> in the Azores Archipelago Based on Recent Digital Recordings

—The development of the digital seismic network in the Azores Archipelago during recent years made it possible to obtain the amplitudes (waveform) of recorded motion in a large set of stations. With this new data, maximum amplitudes of the Wood Anderson seismograph are computed, for each station/component, which, together with epicentral distances, allows for the estimation of local magnitude M _L . We used data recorded in 8 digital permanent three-component stations, with inter-stations distances up to 300 km, in the period June 1998 – June 2000, corresponding to a set of 1315 events with magnitude (M _L or M _D ) 2<M<5.8 and epicenters located in the Azores region, to estimate the coefficients of the equation to compute M _L , as well as to determine the corrections to be applied to each station. The new set of parameters, formed by attenuation coefficients and station corrections, were introduced in the calculations of the M _L , leading to smaller dispersions in the analyzed dataset. We also conclude that the attenuation in the first 150 km is similar to the California values, although higher for longer distances.     

Biogenic carbon flows through the planktonic food web of the Amundsen Gulf (Arctic Ocean): A synthesis of field measurements and inverse modeling analyses

Major pathways of biogenic carbon (C) flow are resolved for the planktonic food web of the flaw lead polynya system of the Amundsen Gulf (southeast Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean) in spring-summer 2008. This period was relevant to study the effect of climate change on Arctic marine ecosystems as it was characterized by unusually low ice cover and warm sea surface temperature. Our synthesis relied on a mass balance estimate of gross primary production (GPP) of 52.5 ± 12.5 g C m⁻² calculated using the drawdown of nitrate and dissolved inorganic C, and a seasonal f-ratio of 0.64. Based on chlorophyll a biomass, we estimated that GPP was dominated by phytoplankton (93.6%) over ice algae (6.4%) and by large cells (>5 μm, 67.6%) over small cells (<5 μm, 32.4%). Ancillary in situ data on bacterial production, zooplankton biomass and respiration, herbivory, bacterivory, vertical particle fluxes, pools of particulate and dissolved organic carbon (POC, DOC), net community production (NCP), as well as selected variables from the literature were used to evaluate the fate of size-fractionated GPP in the ecosystem. The structure and functioning of the planktonic food web was elucidated through inverse analysis using the mean GPP and the 95% confidence limits of every other field measurement as lower and upper constraints. The model computed a net primary production of 49.2 g C m⁻², which was directly channeled toward dominant calanoid copepods (i.e. Calanus hyperboreus 20%, Calanus glacialis 10%, and Metridia longa 10%), other mesozooplankton (12%), microzooplankton (14%), detrital POC (18%), and DOC (16%). Bacteria required 29.9 g C m⁻², a demand met entirely by the DOC derived from local biological activities. The ultimate C outflow comprised respiration fluxes (82% of the initial GPP), a small sedimentation (3%), and a modest residual C flow (15%) resulting from NCP, dilution and accumulation. The sinking C flux at the model limit depth (395 m) supplied 60% of the estimated benthic C demand (2.8 g C m⁻²), suggesting that the benthos relied partly on other C sources within the bottom boundary layer to fuel its activity. In summary, our results illustrate that the ongoing decline in Arctic sea ice promotes the growth of pelagic communities in the Amundsen Gulf, which benefited from a ∼80% increase in GPP in spring-summer 2008 when compared to 2004 – a year of average ice conditions and relatively low GPP. However, 53% of the secondary production was generated within the microbial food web, the net ecological efficiency of zooplankton populations was not particularly high (13.4%), and the quantity of biogenic C available for trophic export remained low (6.6 g C m⁻²). Hence it is unlikely that the increase in lower food web productivity, such as the one observed in our study, could support new harvestable fishery resources in the offshore Beaufort Sea domain.     

Monitoring and modelling of hydrological processes in the semiarid region of Brazil: The Cariri experimental basins

Catchments have highly variable yields of runoff and soil erosion. The size, land use and the surface cover play a significant role and influence the catchment response and parameter values of simulation models. Two experimental basins—the Cariri basins—were equipped in a semi-arid region of Brazil, for obtaining runoff and sediment yield at different catchment scales, as well as, to evaluate the influence of the land use and surface cover. In the first basin, located in the municipality of Sumé, the field studies were carried out at two different scales: four micro-catchments with an area of around 0.5 ha and nine standard Wischmeier-type erosion plots of 100 m². The experimental units had varied vegetation and management. They were subjected only to natural rainfall events, and were monitored from 1982 to 1991. The total runoff and total sediment yield were determined for each of the events. The installations in the second basin, in the municipality of São João do Cariri, from 1999, include two erosion plots, three micro-catchments, and two sub-catchments of a small basin. These basins are still being monitored for runoff and sediment production. Among the micro-catchments two are nested to detect any scale effect at the micro-catchment level. Nearly 600 events of precipitation, that produced runoff in at least one of the experimental units, have been registered. These data have been used to evaluate the influence of various factors, including cultivation practices and to calibrate hydrological models for plots and micro-catchments. Parameters have been tested by means of cross validations among micro-catchments and sub-catchments. The data sets are made available to all the catchment hydrology researchers and others at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4690886 .     

Pliocene and late Pleistocene (MIS 5e) decapod crustaceans from Santa Maria Island (Azores Archipelago: Central Atlantic): systematics,palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography

The presence of decapod crustaceans in the Pliocene and Pleistocene (MIS 5e) fossil record of Santa Maria Island (Azores Archipelago) is herein reviewed. Our study raises the number of fossil decapods from this island from one species to 10 taxa (three for the Pliocene and seven for the Last Interglacial). Four of these 10 taxa are reported for the first time in the fossil record, worldwide. A new species of a mud shrimp is also described (Upogebia azorensis n. sp.). Our study suggests that the Plio–Pleistocene decapod assemblages of the Azores did not differ significantly from modern ones, being dominated by species that are today widespread across the Webbnesia ecoregion, the Mediterranean Sea, and the eastern Atlantic shores, including the Azores. As far as can be judged from the limited fossil record, apparently no tropical crab species with a Cabo Verdean/Senegalese provenance reached the Azores during windows of opportunity associated with Glacial Termination 2 or with the initial setting of the Last Interglacial period. This contribution increases the total number of marine taxa reported for the Pliocene and Pleistocene outcrops of Santa Maria Island to 218 and 155, respectively, highlighting the scientific relevance of its palaeontological heritage.     

Methods for estimating the velocities of the Brazil Current in the pre-salt reservoir area off southeast Brazil (23∘ S–26∘ S)

The Brazil Current (BC) is likely the least observed and investigated subtropical western boundary current in the world. This study proposes a simple and systematic methodology to estimate quasi-synoptic cross-sectional speeds of the BC within the Santos Basin (23^° S–26^° S) based on the dynamic method using several combinations of data: Conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD), temperature profiles, CTD and vessel-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (VMADCP), and temperature profiles and VMADCP. All of the geostrophic estimates agree well with lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (LADCP) velocity observations and yield volume transports of -5.56 ±1.31 and 2.50 ±1.01 Sv for the BC and the Intermediate Western Boundary Current (IWBC), respectively. The LADCP data revealed that the BC flows southwestward and is ～100 km wide, 500 m deep, and has a volume transport of approximately -5.75 ±1.53 Sv and a maximum speed of 0.59 m s^?1. Underneath the BC, the IWBC flows northeastward and has a vertical extent of approximately 1,300 m, a width of ～60 km, a maximum velocity of ～0.22 m s?¹, and a volume transport of 4.11 ± 2.01 Sv. Our analysis indicates that in the absence of the observed velocities, the isopycnal (σ ₀) of 26.82 kg m^?3 (～500 dbar) is an adequate level of no motion for use in geostrophic calculations. Additionally, a simple linear relationship between the temperature and the specific volume anomaly can be used for a reliable first estimate of the BC-IWBC system in temperature-only transects.     

Uncovering spatiotemporal micromobility patterns through the lens of space–time cubes and GIS tools

Journal of Geographical Systems - In the past ten years, cities have experienced a burst of micromobility services as they offer a flexible transport option that allows users to cover short trips...     

The droughts of 1996–1997 and 2004–2005 in Amazonia: hydrological response in the river main‐stem

Severe hydrological droughts in the Amazon have generally been associated with strong El Niño events. More than 100 years of stage record at Manaus harbour confirms that minimum water levels generally coincide with intense warming in the tropical Pacific sea waters. During 2005, however, the Amazon experienced a severe drought which was not associated with an El Niño event. Unless what usually occurs during strong El Niño events, when negative rainfall anomalies usually affect central and eastern Amazon drainage basin; rainfall deficiencies in the drought of 2005 were spatially constrained to the west and southwest of the basin. In spite of this, discharge stations at the main‐stem recorded minimum water levels as low as those observed during the basin‐wide 1996–1997 El Niño‐related drought. The analysis of river discharges along the main‐stem and major tributaries during the drought of 2004–2005 revealed that the recession on major tributaries began almost simultaneously. This was not the case in the 1996–1997 drought, when above‐normal contribution of some tributaries for a short period during high water was crucial to partially counterbalance high discharge deficits of the other tributaries. Since time‐lagged contributions of major tributaries are fundamental to damp the extremes in the main‐stem, an almost coincident recession in almost all tributaries caused a rapid decrease in water discharges during the 2005 event. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coastal vulnerability in barrier islands: The high risk areas of the Ria Formosa (Portugal) system

Coastal vulnerability in barrier island systems is extremely high. The barrier island shoreline is exposed to many threats, such as storm erosion, reductions in sediment longshore drift and sea level rise. Many of these threats to coastal areas, such as Ria Formosa, are likely to increase in the near future. The main objectives of the present study are to identify the areas in the system that are at most risk by assessing the evolution of the Ria Formosa barrier island system since the 1940s, and determine which interventions would be necessary to protect these areas.The coastal vulnerability of the system was assessed based on current literature, data available from official institutions, and aerial and terrestrial in situ examination. The results obtained for the evolution of the Ria Formosa coastal system reveal that there are several vulnerable areas that have very dynamic processes, such as extremely high evolution rates of islands and inlets. Human actions that affect the whole system, namely the construction of many physical structures, are the main cause of the instability. Moreover, as several stakeholders are involved, efficient management of the coastal system is imperative. Extensive and careful interventions are urgently needed to avoid irreversible negative impacts on the barrier island system. Three types of techniques could be adopted to deal with the threats to barrier islands: hard stabilization, soft techniques, and non-structural alternatives. However, using hard techniques has many negative effects compared to soft techniques, and as a result it is necessary to remove existing structures from the areas at most risk.