Multi-decadal scale variability in autumn-winter rainfall in south-western Australia since 1655 AD as reconstructed from tree rings of Callitris columellaris

We present the first tree-ring based reconstruction of rainfall for the Lake Tay region of southern Western Australia. We examined the response of Callitris columellaris to rainfall, the southern oscillation index (SOI), the southern annular mode (SAM) and surface sea temperature (SST) anomalies in the southern Indian Ocean. The 350-year chronology was most strongly correlated with rainfall averaged over the autumn-winter period (March–September; r = ?0.70, P < 0.05) and SOI values averaged over June–August (r = 0.25, P < 0.05). The chronology was not correlated with SAM or SSTs. We reconstructed autumn-winter rainfall back to 1655, where current and previous year tree-ring indices explained 54% of variation in rainfall over the 1902–2005 calibration period. Some variability in rainfall was lost during the reconstruction: variability of actual rainfall (expressed as normalized values) over the calibration period was 0.78, while variability of the normalized reconstructed values over the same period was 0.44. Nevertheless, the reconstruction, combined with spectral analysis, revealed that rainfall naturally varies from relatively dry periods lasting to 20–30 years to 15-year long periods of above average rainfall. This variability in rainfall may reflect low-frequency variation in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation rather than the effect of SAM or SSTs.     

Silver in the subarctic northeast Pacific Ocean: Explaining the basin scale distribution of silver

Five vertical profiles of silver (Ag) in the subarctic northeast Pacific are presented. Dissolved (< 0.2 μm) Ag concentrations within the surface mixed layer range from 6–25 pM, with the highest observed values at the most coastal site. Elevated Ag concentrations at this station are most likely attributable to the estuarine circulation in the Juan de Fuca Strait. One open-ocean station (P20) exhibited a strong surface Ag maximum. The station was located at the edge of a Haida eddy which raises the possibility that such eddies transport Ag seaward from the coastal zone. Ag concentrations in the deep waters ranged from 60–80 pM. These measurements are consistent with other recent Ag data collected in the Pacific. Ag profiles throughout the Pacific Ocean yield a strong positive correlation between Ag concentration and dissolved silicic acid concentration. However, Ag is depleted relative to silicic acid at intermediate depths where dissolved O₂ concentrations are low, implying a possible removal of Ag from oxygen-depleted waters by scavenging and/or precipitation.     

An Integrated Numerical Modelling–Discrete Fracture Network Approach Applied to the Characterisation of Rock Mass Strength of Naturally Fractured Pillars

Naturally fractured mine pillars provide an excellent example of the importance of accurately determining rock mass strength. Failure in slender pillars is predominantly controlled by naturally occurring discontinuities, their influence diminishing with increasing pillar width, with wider pillars failing through a combination of brittle and shearing processes. To accurately simulate this behaviour by numerical modelling, the current analysis incorporates a more realistic representation of the mechanical behaviour of discrete fracture systems. This involves realistic simulation and representation of fracture networks, either as individual entities or as a collective system of fracture sets, or a combination of both. By using an integrated finite element/discrete element–discrete fracture network approach it is possible to study the failure of rock masses in tension and compression, along both existing pre-existing fractures and through intact rock bridges, and incorporating complex kinematic mechanisms. The proposed modelling approach fully captures the anisotropic and inhomogeneous effects of natural jointing and is considered to be more realistic than methods relying solely on continuum or discontinuum representation. The paper concludes with a discussion on the development of synthetic rock mass properties, with the intention of providing a more robust link between rock mass strength and rock mass classification systems.     

Global Detection of Infrasonic Signals from Three Large Bolides

We present the infrasonic observations of three large bolides that were observed at numerous International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound arrays on a global scale. First, a simple procedure for the global association of infrasound detections from large infrasound events is outlined. Infrasound signals are associated with large events based on arrival time, backazimuth and uniqueness at a given IMS array. Next, we apply the algorithm to three bolides and investigate some of the factors affecting the detectability of infrasound from large events. Our findings suggest that site-noise effects significantly degrade the capability of the IMS infrasound network, suggesting that more effort is required to reduce ambient site noise. These results have implications for the use of infrasound measurements (in particular those from IMS stations) as a tool for evaluating the global flux of near-Earth objects.     

Sensitivity of AUV added mass coefficients to variations in hull and control plane geometry

The sensitivity of the added mass coefficients of a typical autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to changes in geometric parameters was investigated. Qualitative deductions were made concerning the effect of geometric variations. Then the added mass coefficients for several configurations of body geometry were generated for the Canadian Self-Contained Off-the-shelf Underwater Testbed (C-SCOUT) vehicle using the computer program Estimate Submarine Added Mass (ESAM). The changes in the added mass coefficients have direct relationships to the varied parameter. The results presented here are specific to the C-SCOUT, but may be extended to similar axisymmetric bodies.     

Single-Well Injection-Drift Test to Estimate Groundwater Velocity

A simple algebraic equation is presented here to estimate the magnitude of groundwater velocity based on data from a single-well injection-drift test thereby eliminating the time-consuming and costly extraction phase. A volume of tracer-amended water was injected by forced-gradient into a single well followed by monitoring of the conservative solute tracers under natural-gradient conditions as their upgradient portions drifted back through the well. The breakthrough curve data from the single well during the drift phase was analyzed to determine the mean travel times of the tracers. The estimated mean upgradient travel distance back through the single well and the mean travel times of the tracers were used in a simple algebraic equation to estimate groundwater velocity. The groundwater velocity based on the single-well injection-drift test was estimated to be approximately 0.64 ft per day. Two transects of observation wells were used to monitor the natural-gradient tracer transport downgradient of the injection well. The one-dimensional, or dual-well, transport of the tracer from the injection well to the nearest downgradient observation well indicated that the groundwater velocity was 0.55 ft per day. The two-dimensional, or multi-well, transport of the center of mass of the tracers indicated that the groundwater velocity was 0.60 ft per day; the dual- and multi-well results were in excellent agreement with those from the single-well and validated the simple algebraic equation. The new single-well method presented here is relatively simple, rapid, and does not require an extraction phase.     

The East Pacific Rise and its flanks 8–18° N: History of segmentation,propagation and spreading direction based on SeaMARC II and Sea Beam studies

SeaMARC II and Sea Beam bathymetric data are combined to create a chart of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) from 8°N to 18°N reaching at least 1 Ma onto the rise flanks in most places. Based on these data as well as SeaMARC II side scan sonar mosaics we offer the following observations and conclusions. The EPR is segmented by ridge axis discontinuities such that the average segment lengths in the area are 360 km for first-order segments, 140 km for second-order segments, 52 km for third-order segments, and 13 km for fourth-order segments. All three first-order discontinuities are transform faults. Where the rise axis is a bathymetric high, second-order discontinuities are overlapping spreading centers (OSCs), usually with a distinctive 3:1 overlap to offset ratio. The off-axis discordant zones created by the OSCs are V-shaped in plan view indicating along axis migration at rates of 40–100 mm yr^–1. The discordant zones consist of discrete abandoned ridge tips and overlap basins within a broad wake of anomalously deep bathymetry and high crustal magnetization. The discordant zones indicate that OSCs have commenced at different times and have migrated in different directions. This rules out any linkage between OSCs and a hot spot reference frame. The spacing of abandoned ridges indicates a recurrence interval for ridge abandonment of 20,000–200,000 yrs for OSCs with an average interval of approximately 100,000 yrs. Where the rise axis is a bathymetric low, the only second-order discontinuity mapped is a right-stepping jog in the axial rift valley. The discordant zone consists of a V-shaped wake of elongated deeps and interlocking ridges, similar to the wakes of second-order discontinuities on slow-spreading ridges. At the second-order segment level, long segments tend to lengthen at the expense of neighboring shorter segments. This can be understood if segments can be approximated by cracks, because the propagation force at a crack tip is directly proportional to crack length.There has been a counter-clockwise change in the direction of spreading on the EPR between 8 and 18° N during the last 1 Ma. The cumulative change has been 3°–6°, producing opening across the Orozco and Siqueiros transform faults and closing across the Clipperton transform. The instantaneous present-day Cocos-Pacific pole is located at approximately 38.4° N, 109.5° W with an angular rotation rate of 2.10° m.y.^–1 This change in spreading direction explains the predominance of right-stepping discontinuities of orders 2–4 along the Siqueiros-Clipperton and Orozco-Rivera segments, but does not explain other aspects of segmentation which are thought to be linked to patterns of melt supply to the ridge axis.There are 23 significant seamount chains in the mapped area and most are created very near the spreading axis. Nearly all of the seamount chains have trends which fall between the absolute and relative plate motion vectors.     

The study of fluorescence characteristics and biochemical composition of a marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana 3H in light and dark cycles Ⅰ. The effects of nutrients

The effects of nutrients on the fluorescence characteristics and biochemical composition of marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana 3H in light and dark cycles were investigated with continuous culture. The results show that with the increase of nutrient deficiency, the ratio of enhanced fluorescence to fluorescence (Fd/F), cellular chloropyll-a and protein content of the algae decline, but the fluorescence yield (F/Chl), DCMU enhanced fluorescence yield (Fd/Chl), cellular carbohydrate content, carbohydrate/Chl, protein/Chl, carbohydrate/protein increase. The changing amplitude of each parameter is different at different nutrition status, sampling time and different light intensity.