Emerging Technologies and Synergies for Airborne and Space-Based Measurements of Water Vapor Profiles

A deeper understanding of how clouds will respond to a warming climate is one of the outstanding challenges in climate science. Uncertainties in the response of clouds, and particularly shallow clouds, have been identified as the dominant source of the discrepancy in model estimates of equilibrium climate sensitivity. As the community gains a deeper understanding of the many processes involved, there is a growing appreciation of the critical role played by fluctuations in water vapor and the coupling of water vapor and atmospheric circulations. Reduction of uncertainties in cloud-climate feedbacks and convection initiation as well as improved understanding of processes governing these effects will result from profiling of water vapor in the lower troposphere with improved accuracy and vertical resolution compared to existing airborne and space-based measurements. This paper highlights new technologies and improved measurement approaches for measuring lower tropospheric water vapor and their expected added value to current observations. Those include differential absorption lidar and radar, microwave occultation between low-Earth orbiters, and hyperspectral microwave remote sensing. Each methodology is briefly explained, and measurement capabilities as well as the current technological readiness for aircraft and satellite implementation are specified. Potential synergies between the technologies are discussed, actual examples hereof are given, and future perspectives are explored. Based on technical maturity and the foreseen near-mid-term development path of the various discussed measurement approaches, we find that improved measurements of water vapor throughout the troposphere would greatly benefit from the combination of differential absorption lidar focusing on the lower troposphere with passive remote sensors constraining the upper-tropospheric humidity.     

Paleoenvironmental evolution of the Paratethys in the Slovenian Basin during the Late Paleogene

Several sections from the uppermost Eocene and Oligocene of northern Slovenia have been investigated with respect to sedimentary facies, foraminiferal assemblages, stable isotopes, carbonate microfacies, and palynology. The main objective was to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental history of the Paleogene Paratethys in this region of the eastern Alpine realm. The sediments exhibit a transgressive succession beginning with conglomerates, sandstones, and mudstones of fluvial and lacustrine origin followed by carbonates and muddy marls indicating marine conditions. The foraminiferal faunal changes from brackish to shallow marine to deeper marine assemblages and the distribution of the palynofloras corroborate the sedimentological results. Microfacies analysis of the limestones shows a wide variation of shallow water, generally mud-rich facies dominated by coralline algae, foraminifera, and corals. Microfaunas adapted to low-oxygen conditions indicate temporal sluggish bottom-water circulation which can be associated with high fresh-water fluxes. These results are discussed as reflecting both the global sea-level rise during the Early Oligocene and the regional tectonic and climatic evolution.     

Inverse modeling and uncertainty analysis of potential groundwater recharge to the confined semi-fossil Ohangwena II Aquifer,Namibia

The identification of potential recharge areas and estimation of recharge rates to the confined semi-fossil Ohangwena II Aquifer (KOH-2) is crucial for its future sustainable use. The KOH-2 is located within the endorheic transboundary Cuvelai-Etosha-Basin (CEB), shared by Angola and Namibia. The main objective was the development of a strategy to tackle the problem of data scarcity, which is a well-known problem in semi-arid regions. In a first step, conceptual geological cross sections were created to illustrate the possible geological setting of the system. Furthermore, groundwater travel times were estimated by simple hydraulic calculations. A two-dimensional numerical groundwater model was set up to analyze flow patterns and potential recharge zones. The model was optimized against local observations of hydraulic heads and groundwater age. The sensitivity of the model against different boundary conditions and internal structures was tested. Parameter uncertainty and recharge rates were estimated. Results indicate that groundwater recharge to the KOH-2 mainly occurs from the Angolan Highlands in the northeastern part of the CEB. The sensitivity of the groundwater model to different internal structures is relatively small in comparison to changing boundary conditions in the form of influent or effluent streams. Uncertainty analysis underlined previous results, indicating groundwater recharge originating from the Angolan Highlands. The estimated recharge rates are less than 1% of mean yearly precipitation, which are reasonable for semi-arid regions.     

Improved regional groundwater flow modeling using drainage features: a case study of the central northern karst aquifer system of Puerto Rico (USA)

In northern Puerto Rico (USA), subsurface conduit networks with unknown characteristics, and surface features such as springs, rivers, lagoons and wetlands, drain the coastal karst aquifers. In this study, drain lines connecting sinkholes and springs are used to improve the developed regional model by simulating the drainage effects of conduit networks. Implemented in an equivalent porous media (EPM) approach, the model with drains is able to roughly reproduce the spring discharge hydrographs in response to rainfall. Hydraulic conductivities are found to be scale dependent and significantly increase with higher test radius, indicating scale dependency of the EPM approach. Similar to other karst regions in the world, hydraulic gradients are steeper where the transmissivity is lower approaching the coastline. This study enhances current understanding of the complex flow patterns in karst aquifers and suggests that using a drainage feature improves modeling results where available data on conduit characteristics are minimal.     

Palaeozoic flysch series in the Coastal Cordillera of Northern Chile

A discontinuous outcrop of Palaeozoic rhythmic clastites appears in the North Chilean Coastal Cordillera. The Formación El Toco (21°15–22°15S) whose scarce flora points to a presumably Upper Devonian age forms the northernmost part of the outcrop. It is discordantly overlain by Lower Jurassic volcanics (Fm. La Negra), its base, however, is not exposed. Hercynian heteromorphous deformation led to predominantly NW trending folds strongly inclined mostly to the SW. Chevron-like folds of 0.1 to 30 m occur locally and seem to display properties transitional between synsedimentary-gravitational and early tectonic deformation.The series which is at least 2300 m thick consists of proximal, in parts pebbly turbidites with non-turbiditic finegrained intercalations. Incomplete BOUMA-sequences frequently begin with A-beds of grey to green immature, badly sorted coarse sandstones of up to 6 m thickness containing isolated quartz- and pelite-clasts.Measurements of flute casts and f oresets show palaeocurrents which came from NW and NNE. Along with petrographic observations they indicate southward directed transport of detritus from low metamorphic sedimentary and magmatic source areas into an Upper Devonian nonvolcanic basin.

---

Zusammenfassung Die Formación El Toco ist der nördlichste Aufschluß einer Kette von Vorkommen paläozoischer rhythmischer Klastite in der nordchilenischen Küstenkordillere. Diese Formation (21°15–22°15S), deren spärliche Flora vorbehaltlich dem Oberdevon zuzuordnen ist, wird diskordant von unterjurassischen Vulkaniten (Fm. La Negra) überlagert —das Liegende ist nicht aufgeschlossen. Variszische heteromorphe Deformation führte zu vorherrschend NW-streichender Faltung, die meist starke SW-Vergenz zeigt. Lokal tritt eine scharfe Verfaltung im 0,1 bis 30 m-Bereich hinzu, die sowohl synsedimentär-gravitative als auch frühtektonische Deformationsmerkmale zeigt.Die mindestens 2300 m mächtige Serie ist ein proximaler Flysch mit z. T. kiesführenden Turbiditen, in die nichtturbiditische feinkörnige Partien eingeschaltet sind. Die unvollständigen BOUMA-Sequenzen beginnen häufig mit einer aus grauen bis grünen unreifen und schlechtsortierten Grobsandsteinen bestehenden A-Division von bis zu 6 m Mächtigkeit, die isolierte Quarz- und Pelitklasten enthalten kann.Flute cast- und Foreset-Messungen weisen auf Paläoströmungsrichtungen aus NW und NNO hin. Zusammen mit petrographischen Analysen läßt sich daraus ein südwärts gerichteter Transport von schwachmetamorphsedimentärem und magmatischem Detritus in ein oberdevonisches nicht-vulkanisches Becken ableiten.

---

Résumén Ritmitas clásticas de edad paleozoica forman afloramientos discontinuos en la Cordillera de la Costa del Norte de Chile. La Formación El Toco (21°15–22°15S), que contiene una flora escasa de probable edad Devónico Superior, constituye la parte más septentrional de estos afloramientos. La base no se conoce, mientras que el techo infrayace discordantemente a volcanitas jurásicas inferiores (Fm. La Negra). Deformaciones hercínicas heteromórficas llevan a la formación de pliegues orientados predominantemente al NW inclinados fuertemente al SW. Localmente aparecen pliegues en forma de chevron de un tamano de 0.1 a 30 m que muestran caracteristicas de deformación transicional entre sinsedimentana-gravitativa y tectónica temprana.La serie que tiene una potencia de por lo menos 2300 m consiste en turbiditas proximales parcialmente con gravas e intercalaciones finas no-turbidíticas. Secuencias incompletas de BOUMA empiezan frecuentemente con capas de la division A (espesor maximo 6 m) los cuales se componen con frecuencia de areniscas gruesas gris-verdes, composicionalmente inmaduras y mal seleccionadas, con clastos aislados de cuarzo y pelita.Medidas de flute casts y foresets muestran paleocorrientes provenientes de NW y NNE. Junto con observaciones petrográficas, las paleocorrientes indican un transporte de material detrítico, originado de áreas con rocas sedimentarias, metamórficas de bajo grado e ígneas, dirigido al sur hacia una cuenca no volcánica de edad Devónico Superior.

---

- , - . (21°15 - 22°15 ) , ; - ( -). . , . . NW , SW. 0,1 30 , , - , - . 2300 , . , . , NW a NNE. , , .

     

Probability Density Functions as Botanical-Climatological Transfer Functions for Climate Reconstruction

We present a new procedure, the pdf method (pdf=probability density function), for reconstructing Quaternary climate utilizing botanical data. The procedure includes the advantages of the indicator species method by considering the fossil and modern presence and absence of taxa rather than their frequencies, thus avoiding the need for modern analog plant communities. Overcoming the problematic use of absolute limits to describe climate response ranges is the main progress of the pdf method in comparison to the indicator species method. This advantage results from estimating probability density functions (pdfs) for monthly mean January and July temperature conditional on the present day occurrence of single taxa. Gaussian distributions sufficiently approximate pdfs of many, although not all, studied taxa. On the assumption of statistical independence, the procedure calculates a joint pdf as the product of the pdfs of the individual taxa. This algorithm weights each taxon according to the extent of its climate response range expressed by its covariance structure. We interpret the maximum of the resulting pdf as the most likely climate and its confidence interval as the uncertainty range. To avoid an artificial reduction of uncertainty arising from the use of numerous similar pdfs, a preselection method is proposed based on the Mahalanobis distance between pdfs. The pdf method was applied to the Carpinus phase of a profile from Gröbern, Germany, that spans the last interglaciation (Eemian). The reconstructed most probable January and July temperatures of about 0.0°C and 18.4°C barely differ from the modern values of −0.5°C and 18.3°C.     

Mapping the hydraulic connection between a coalbed and adjacent aquifer: example of the coal-seam gas resource area,north Galilee Basin,Australia

Coal-seam gas production requires groundwater extraction from coal-bearing formations to reduce the hydraulic pressure and improve gas recovery. In layered sedimentary basins, the coalbeds are often separated from freshwater aquifers by low-permeability aquitards. However, hydraulic connection between the coalbed and aquifers is possible due to the heterogeneity in the aquitard such as the existence of conductive faults or sandy channel deposits. For coal-seam gas extraction operations, it is desirable to identify areas in a basin where the probability of hydraulic connection between the coalbed and aquifers is low in order to avoid unnecessary loss of groundwater from aquifers and gas production problems. A connection indicator, the groundwater age indictor (GAI), is proposed, to quantify the degree of hydraulic connection. The spatial distribution of GAI can indicate the optimum positions for gas/water extraction in the coalbed. Depressurizing the coalbed at locations with a low GAI would result in little or no interaction with the aquifer when compared to the other positions. The concept of GAI is validated on synthetic cases and is then applied to the north Galilee Basin, Australia, to assess the degree of hydraulic connection between the Aramac Coal Measure and the water-bearing formations in the Great Artesian Basin, which are separated by an aquitard, the Betts Creek Beds. It is found that the GAI is higher in the western part of the basin, indicating a higher risk to depressurization of the coalbed in this region due to the strong hydraulic connection between the coalbed and the overlying aquifer.     

Coherent structures and flux contribution over an inhomogeneously irrigated cotton field

The turbulence data measured at two levels (i.e., 8.7 and 2.7?m) in the Energy Balance Experiment (EBEX), which was conducted in San Joaquin Valley in California during the period from July 20 to August 24, 2000, are used to study the characteristics of coherent structures over an irrigated cotton field. Patch-to-patch irrigation in the field generated the dry-to-wet horizontal advection and the oasis effects, leading to the development of a stably internal boundary layer (SIBL) in the late mornings or the early afternoons. The SIBL persisted in the rest of the afternoons. Under this circumstance, a near-neutral atmospheric surface layer (ASL) developed during the period with a stratification transition from the unstable to stable conditions during the daytime. Therefore, EBEX provides us with unique datasets to investigate the features of coherent structures that were generated over the patches upstream and passed by our site in the unstable ASL, the near-neutral ASL, and the SIBL. We use an objective detection technique and the conditional average method that is developed based on the wavelet analysis. Our data reveal some consistencies and inconsistencies in the characteristics of coherent structures as compared with previous studies. Ramp-like structures and sweep?Cejection cycles under the daytime SIBL have similar patterns to those under the nocturnal stable ASL. However, some features (i.e., intermittence) are different from those under the nocturnal stable ASL. Under the three stratifications, thermal and mechanical factors in the ASL perform differently in affecting the ramp intensity for different quantities (i.e., velocity components, temperature, and specific humidity), leading to coherent structures that modulate turbulence flow and alter turbulent transfer differently. It is also found that coherent structures contribute about 10?C20% to the total fluxes in our case with different flux contributions under three stratifications and with higher transporting efficiency in sensible heat flux than latent heat and momentum fluxes.