A preliminary methods comparison for measurement of dissolved organic nitrogen in seawater

Routine determination of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is performed in numerous laboratories around the world using one of three families of methods: UV oxidation (UV), persulfate oxidation (PO), or high temperature combustion (HTC). Essentially all routine methods measure total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and calculate DON by subtracting the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). While there is currently no strong suggestion that any of these methods is inadequate, there are continuing suspicions of slight inaccuracy by UV methods.This is a report of a broad community methods comparison where 29 sets (7 UV, 13 PO, and 9 HTC) of TDN analyses were performed on five samples with varying TDN and DIN concentrations. Analyses were done in a “blind” procedure with results sent to the first author. With editing out one set of extreme outliers (representing 5 out of 145 ampoules analyzed), the community comparability for analyzing the TDN samples was in the 8–28% range (coefficient of variation representing one standard deviation for the five individual samples by 28 analyses). When DIN concentrations were subtracted uniformly (single DIN value for each sample), the comparability was obviously worse (19–46% cv). This comparison represents a larger and more diverse set of analyses, but the overall comparability is only marginally better than that of the Seattle workshop of a decade ago. Grouping methods, little difference was seen other than inconclusive evidence that the UV methods gave TDN values for several of the samples higher than HTC methods. Since there was much scatter for each of the groups of methods and for all analyses when grouped, it is thought that more uniformity in procedures is probably needed. An important unplanned observation is that variability in DIN analyses (used in determining the final analyte in most UV and PO methods) is essentially as large as the variability in the TDN analyses.This exercise should not be viewed as a qualification exercise for the analysts, but should instead be considered a broad preliminary test of the comparison of the families of methods being used in various laboratories around the world. Based on many independent analyses here, none of the routinely used methods appears to be grossly inaccurate, thus, most routine TDN analyses being reported in the literature are apparently accurate. However, it is not reassuring that the ability of the international community to determine DON in deep oceanic waters continues to be poor. It is suggested that as an outgrowth of this paper, analysts using UV and PO methods experiment and look more carefully at the completeness of DIN conversion to the final analyte and also at the accuracy of their analysis of the final analyte. HTC methods appear to be relatively easy and convenient and have potential for routine adoption. Several of the authors of this paper are currently working together on an interlaboratory comparison on HTC methodology.     

Surface age of the ice–dust mantle deposit in Malea Planum,Mars

The mid- and high-latitudes of Mars are covered by a smooth young mantle that is interpreted as an atmospherically derived air-fall deposit of ice and dust related to recent climate changes. In order to determine relative and absolute ages of this surface unit within the southern hemisphere, a systematic survey of all available HiRISE and CTX images in the Malea Planum region from 55–60°S latitude and 50–70°E longitude was performed and the distribution and the morphology of small impact craters on the mantle deposit were investigated. Using crater size-frequency measurements, we derived absolute model ages of ～3–5 Ma for the surface of the mantle, immediately south of the Hellas basin rim. Morphologic observations of the mantle, its fresh appearance, very low number of craters, and superposition on older units support this very young Amazonian age. Nearly all observed craters on the smooth mantle in Malea Planum are small and show signs of erosion, evidence for the ongoing modification of the ice–dust mantle. However, this modification has not been strong enough to reset the surface age. Compared to the ice–dust mantle at higher latitudes in the northern and southern hemisphere, the surface of the mantle in Malea Planum is older and thus has been relatively stable during obliquity changes in the last ～3–5 Ma. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the ice–dust mantle is a complex surface deposit of different layers, that shows a strong latitude dependence in morphology and has been deposited and degraded at different times in martian history.     

Comparing the Use of Remote Sensing with Traditional Techniques to Detect Nitrogen Stress in Wheat

Abstract

An experiment was designed to compare ground‐based methods of nitrogen (N) stress detection with N stress detection using remote sensing. The study area, located in Minidoka, Idaho, is a 64 ha center pivot with a crop of Penawawa spring white wheat. Nitrogen was varied on four transects approximately 40 m wide and 805 m long. The N application rates chosen for the research were 0%, 40%, 100%, and 130% of normal. Nitrogen deficiency was quantified from tissue sampling, which was used as the response variable. Nitrogen was then measured or estimated at key stages in the wheat growth cycle using visual observation, a chlorophyll meter, and remotely‐sensed data. Visual observation was the normally‐employed method for area farmers. These methods of N stress detection were compared for accuracy, timeliness, usefulness, and cost. Remote sensing was comparable to the chlorophyll meter in accuracy. The chlorophyll meter was the timeliest method for obtaining a quantitative measurement.     

Characterization of between-receiver GPS-Galileo inter-system biases and their effect on mixed ambiguity resolution

The Global Positioning System (GPS) and Galileo will transmit signals on similar frequencies, that is, the L1–E1 and L5–E5a frequencies. This will be beneficial for mixed GPS and Galileo applications in which the integer carrier phase ambiguities need to be resolved, in order to estimate the positioning unknowns with centimeter accuracy or better. In this contribution, we derive the mixed GPS + Galileo model that is based on “inter-system” double differencing, that is, differencing the Galileo phase and code observations relative to those corresponding to the reference or pivot satellite of GPS. As a consequence of this, additional between-receiver inter-system bias (ISB) parameters need to be solved as well for both phase and code data. We investigate the size and variability of these between-receiver ISBs, estimated from L1 and L5 observations of GPS, as well as E1 and E5a observations of the two experimental Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element (GIOVE) satellites. The data were collected using high-grade multi-GNSS receivers of different manufacturers for several zero- and short-baseline setups in Australia and the USA. From this analysis, it follows that differential ISBs are only significant for receivers of different types and manufacturers; for baselines formed by identical receiver types, no differential ISBs have shown up; thus, implying that the GPS and GIOVE data are then fully interoperable. Fortunately, in case of different receiver types, our analysis also indicates that the phase and code ISBs may be calibrated, since their estimates, based on several datasets separated in time, are shown to be very stable. When the single-frequency (E1) GIOVE phase and code data of different receiver types are a priori corrected for the differential ISBs, the short-baseline instantaneous ambiguity success rate increases significantly and becomes comparable to the success rate of mixed GPS + GIOVE ambiguity resolution based on identical receiver types.     

ENERGY SOURCES FOR EVAPORATION ON TROPICAL ISLANDS

The sources of energy for evaporation on tropical islands were explored by studying 49 lowland sites in the Hawaiian Islands with concurrent pan evaporation and solar radiation measurements. The Priestley-Taylor (1972) method was used to quantify the contribution of solar radiation in evaporation and the residual term between estimated and measured evaporation was attributed to heat advection. Pearson correlation coefficients between monthly measured and estimated evaporation (using solar radiation data) were greater than 0.95 at 26 of the sites, 0.90 for 37 sites, and 0.80 at 46 of the 49 sites used in the study. As expected, solar radiation supplies the bulk of the energy absorbed by evaporation at low elevations in Hawaii. However, a pattern of negative advection in summer and positive advection in winter from the surrounding ocean modifies the monthly evaporation values. For the 20 sites showing the greatest oceanic influence, departures ranged, on average, from +0.84 mm/day in November to -0.71 mm/day in June. This onshore advection corresponds to the seasonal lag in sea surface temperatures. At inland and wet lee sites, the effect of advection from oceanic sources diminishes. At dry lee sites, strong positive advection is evident in summer and autumn, enhancing evaporation by up to 2.8 mm/day. [Key words: evaporation, energy, tropical islands, radiation, advection]     

MEASURED ALTITUDINAL PROFILES OF UV-B IRRADIANCE IN HAWAI'I

Erythemally weighted UV-B irradiance was measured between sea level and 4,205 m in several midday altitudinal transects and continuously for several months at sea level and 3,400 m on the Island of Hawai'i. Between sea level and 4,205 m, standardized UV-B increased 25% and 29% for solar zenith angles of 10° and 45°, respectively, under clear-sky conditions. The standardized diffuse component constituted 28% to 58% of the total as a function of optical path length. Under all sky conditions, the monthly average UV-B irradiance increased 50% in summer and 103% in winter from a cloudy, windward, sea-level location to a site at 3,400 m in generally clear skies above the trade-wind inversion. [Key words: solar radiation, ultraviolet-B irradiance, Hawai'i.]     

Inventory and Ventilation Efficiency of Nonnative and Native Phragmites australis (Common Reed) in Tidal Wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay

Nonnative Phragmites is among the most invasive plants in the U.S. Atlantic coast tidal wetlands, whereas the native Phragmites has declined. Native and nonnative patches growing side by side provided an ideal setting for studying mechanisms that enable nonnative Phragmites to be a successful invader. We conducted an inventory followed by genetic analysis and compared differences in growth patterns and ventilation efficiency between adjacent native and nonnative Phragmites stands. Genetic analysis of 212 patches revealed that only 14 were native suggesting that very few native Phragmites populations existed in the study area. Shoot density decreased towards the periphery of native patches, but not in nonnative patches. Ventilation efficiency was 300?% higher per unit area for nonnative than native Phragmites, likely resulting in increased oxidation of the rhizosphere and invasive behavior of nonnative Phragmites. Management of nonnative Phragmites stands should include mechanisms that inhibit pressurized ventilation of shoots.     

First Imaging of Coronal Mass Ejections in the Heliosphere Viewed from Outside the Sun – Earth Line

We show for the first time images of solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) viewed using the Heliospheric Imager (HI) instrument aboard the NASA STEREO spacecraft. The HI instruments are wide-angle imaging systems designed to detect CMEs in the heliosphere, in particular, for the first time, observing the propagation of such events along the Sun – Earth line, that is, those directed towards Earth. At the time of writing the STEREO spacecraft are still close to the Earth and the full advantage of the HI dual-imaging has yet to be realised. However, even these early results show that despite severe technical challenges in their design and implementation, the HI instruments can successfully detect CMEs in the heliosphere, and this is an extremely important milestone for CME research. For the principal event being analysed here we demonstrate an ability to track a CME from the corona to over 40 degrees. The time – altitude history shows a constant speed of ascent over at least the first 50 solar radii and some evidence for deceleration at distances of over 20 degrees. Comparisons of associated coronagraph data and the HI images show that the basic structure of the CME remains clearly intact as it propagates from the corona into the heliosphere. Extracting the CME signal requires a consideration of the F-coronal intensity distribution, which can be identified from the HI data. Thus we present the preliminary results on this measured F-coronal intensity and compare these to the modelled F-corona of Koutchmy and Lamy (IAU Colloq. 85, 63, 1985). This analysis demonstrates that CME material some two orders of magnitude weaker than the F-corona can be detected; a specific example at 40 solar radii revealed CME intensities as low as 1.7×10⁻¹⁴ of the solar brightness. These observations herald a new era in CME research as we extend our capability for tracking, in particular, Earth-directed CMEs into the heliosphere.     

Modeling determinants of urban growth in Dongguan,China: a spatial logistic approach

This paper examines spatial variations of urban growth patterns in Chinese cities through a case study of Dongguan, a rapidly industrializing city characterized by a bottom-up pattern of development based on townships. We have employed both non-spatial and spatial logistic regression models to analyze urban land conversion. The non-spatial logistic regression has found the significance of accessibility, neighborhood conditions and socioeconomic factors for urban development. The logistic regression with spatially expanded coefficients significantly improves the orthodoxy logistic regression with lower levels of spatial autocorrelation of residuals and better goodness-of-fit. More importantly, the spatial logistic model reveals the spatially varying relationship between urban growth and its underlying factors, particularly the local influence of environment protection and urban development policies. The results of the spatial logistic model also provide clear clues for assessing environmental risks to take the local contexts into account.