Comparisons of xylem sap flow and water vapour flux at the stand level and derivation of canopy conductance for Scots pine

Summary Simultaneous measurements of xylem sap flow and water vapour flux over a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest (Hartheim, Germany), were carried out during the Hartheim Experiment (HartX), an intensive observation campaign of the international programme REKLIP. Sap flow was measured every 30 min using both radial constant heating (Granier, 1985) and two types of Cermak sap flowmeters installed on 24 trees selected to cover a wide range of the diameter classes of the stand (min 8 cm; max 17.5 cm). Available energy was high during the observation period (5.5 to 6.9 mm.day^–1), and daily cumulated sap flow on a ground area basis varied between 2.0 and 2.7 mm day^–1 depending on climate conditions. Maximum hourly values of sap flow reached 0.33 mm h^–1, i.e., 230 W m^–2.Comparisons of sap flow with water vapour flux as measured with two OPEC (One Propeller Eddy Correlation, University of Arizona) systems showed a time lag between the two methods, sap flow lagging about 90 min behind vapour flux. After taking into account this time lag in the sap flow data set, a good agreement was found between both methods: sap flow = 0.745^* vapour flux,r ² = 0.86. The difference between the two estimates was due to understory transpiration.Canopy conductance (g _c ) was calculated from sap flow measurements using the reverse form of Penman-Monteith equation and climatic data measured 4 m above the canopy. Variations ofg _c were well correlated (r ² = 0.85) with global radiation (R) and vapour pressure deficit (vpd). The quantitative expression forg _c =f (R, vpd) was very similar to that previously found with maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) in the forest of Les Landes, South Western France.With 6 Figures     

Seasonal Variability of Carbon Dioxide in the Rivers and Lagoons of Ivory Coast (West Africa)

We report partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) and ancillary data in three rivers (Bia, Tanoé, and Comoé) and five lagoons (Tendo, Aby, Ebrié, Potou, and Grand-Lahou) in Ivory Coast (West Africa), during four cruises covering the main climatic seasons. The three rivers were oversaturated in CO₂ with respect to atmospheric equilibrium, and the seasonal variability of pCO₂ was due to dilution during the flooding period. Surface waters of the Potou, Ebrié, and Grand-Lahou lagoons were oversaturated in CO₂ during all seasons. These lagoons behaved similarly to the oligohaline regions of macrotidal estuaries that are CO₂ sources to the atmosphere due to net ecosystem heterotrophy and inputs of riverine CO₂ rich waters. The Aby and Tendo lagoons were undersaturated in CO₂ with respect to the atmosphere because of their permanent haline stratification (unlike the other lagoons) that seemed to lead to higher phytoplankton production and export of organic carbon below the pycnocline.     

The Nature and Distribution of Particulate Matter in the Mandovi Estuary,Central West Coast of India

Systematic seasonal variations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) along a 44-km transect of the Mandovi estuary reveal that the concentrations of SPM are low at river-end stations, increase generally seaward, and are highest at sea-end stations of the estuary. An estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) occurs at sea-end stations during June–September when river discharge is high and also in February–May when river discharge is low. These are the two windiest times of year, the former associated with the southwest monsoon and the latter characterized by a persistent sea breeze. The salinity vs. SPM plot shows that high SPM is a seaward deposit and skewed landward. Suspended matter comprised of floccules, fecal pellets, and aggregates that consist of clay and biogenic particles occur everywhere in the estuary. Diatoms are the most common and are of marine type at the sea-end and freshwater-dominated at river-end stations of the estuary. SPM is characterized by kaolinite- and smectite-rich clay mineral suites at the river- and sea-end stations, respectively. Smectite concentrations increase seawards with the increase in SPM content and are not influenced by salinity. Wind-driven waves and currents and biogeochemical processes at the mouth of estuary likely play an important role in the formation of ETM in resuspension and transformation of SPM into floccules and aggregates and in their upkeep or removal.     

The total number of spicules on the solar surface and their role in heating and mass balanace in the solar corona

A critical review of determinations of the number of spicules is presented, and the role of both classical and Type 2 spicules in heating and mass balance in the corona is considered. The total number of Type 2 spicules is determined, together with the upward fluxes of energy and mass to which they give rise. The total number of Type 2 spicules on the solar surface is found to be ~10⁵, close to values obtained in other studies. The associated particle flux toward the corona is 2.5 × 10¹⁴ cm^?2 s^?1, an order of magnitude lower than the corresponding flux for classical spicules. The associated energy flux is 10⁴ erg cm^?2 s^?1, an order of magnaitude lower than estimates obtained in other studies. The results indicate that Type 2 spicules can supply the mass lost from the corona, but are not able to fully explain coronal energy losses.     

Quasi-3-yr Cycle of Rainy Season Precipitation in Tibet Related to Different Types of ENSO during 1981–2015

The rainy season precipitation in Tibet (RSPT) is a direct cause for local floods/droughts. It also indirectly affects the thermal conditions of the Tibetan Plateau, which can result in anomalous patterns of atmospheric circulation over East Asia. The interannual variability of the RSPT is often linked with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), but the relevant mechanisms are far from being understood, particularly for different types of ENSO events. We investigated the interannual variation of the RSPT in association with different types of ENSO. A quasi-3-yr period of the RSPT (less–more–more precipitation) was significant at the 95% confidence level. A joint multi-taper method with singular value decomposition analysis of the coupled field between the RSPT and the sea surface temperature (SST) revealed that the developing eastern Pacific type El Niño was accompanied by a decrease in the RSPT. The shift from the central Pacific type El Niño to the eastern Pacific La Niña was accompanied by an increase in the RSPT. Weakening of the central Pacific La Niña was accompanied by an increase in the RSPT. Analysis of the mechanism of this coupling, using the same analysis method but other climatic factors, indicated that the gradually strengthening eastern Pacific El Niño can inhibit the Walker circulation, weakening the South Asian summer monsoon, and resulting in transport of less water vapor from the Bay of Bengal to Tibet. The change from the central Pacific El Niño to the eastern Pacific La Niña led to continued strengthening of the Walker circulation with westward movement of the ascending area. This enhanced the South Asian summer monsoon over the Arabian Sea and transported more water vapor to Tibet. The decreasing central Pacific La Niña accompanied by persistent cooling of SSTs in the equatorial Pacific led to a strong eastern North Pacific summer monsoon, causing an anomaly in the easterly transport of water vapor from the Sea of Japan to Tibet and increased RSPT.     

Time‐series photometric spot modelling – VI. A new computer code and its application to 23 years of photometry of the active giant IM Pegasi

We present and apply a new computer program named SpotModeL to analyze single and multiple bandpass photometric data of spotted stars. It is based on the standard analytical formulae from Budding and Dorren. The program determines the position, size, and temperature of up to three spots by minimizing the fit residuals with the help of the Marquardt‐Levenberg non‐linear least‐squares algorithm. We also expand this procedure to full time‐series analysis of differential data, just as real observations would deliver. If multi‐bandpass data are available, all bandpasses can be treated simultaneously and thus the spot temperature is solved for implicitly. The program may be downloaded and used by anyone. In this paper, we apply our code to an ≈23 year long photometric dataset of the spotted RS CVn giant IM Peg. We extracted and modelled 33 individual light curves, additionally, we fitted the entire V dataset in one run. The resulting spot parameters reflect the long term light variability and reveal two active longitudes on the substellar point and on the antipode. The radius and longitude of the dominant spot show variations with 29.8 and 10.4 years period, respectively. Our multicolour data suggests that the spot temperature is increasing with the brightening of the star. The average spot temperature from V, I_C is 3550 ± 150 K or approximately 900 K below the effective temperature of the star.     

沈北煤田煤中琥珀的植物来源和稳定同位素的古环境意义

琥珀是由古代植物代谢产生的树脂聚合物形成的化石。琥珀中的有机质保存环境稳定、封闭,能很好地记载其形成时期的古植物和古环境等信息。本次研究运用气象色谱质谱联用仪（GC-MS）和元素分析稳定同位素质谱仪（EA-IRMS）等测试方法,研究了沈北煤田煤中琥珀的有机地球化学组成、稳定同位素和化合物单体碳同位素特征。结果表明,琥珀中的饱和烃以二萜化合物为主（占73.45%）,芳香烃以松香烷型化合物为主（56.17%）;高含量的贝壳杉烷、雪松烷、扁枝烷和松香烷型化合物指示琥珀来源于松柏类植物,且以柏科植物为主。沈北琥珀的δ13C值为-22.8‰ ~ -21.2‰,与同时期其他地区琥珀的δ13C值相似;氢同位素变化范围较小（-297.2‰ ~ -276.0‰）,氧同位素值为17.4‰ ~ 31.6‰。琥珀的稳定同位素组成（碳、氢和氧）进一步证明琥珀来源于裸子植物。琥珀的δ13C值主要与其形成时的全球气温变化和大气组成有关。沈北琥珀的氢和氧同位素组成主要受植物种类（松柏类）以及植物生长的局部气温和降水条件有关。琥珀稳定碳同位素有望成为研究古气候和古大气组成的良好载体,琥珀的氢和氧同位素可以反映形成时期的古环境条件,但仍需进一步深入研究。     

Application of a distributed erosion model for the assessment of spatial erosion patterns in the Lushi catchment,China

A grid-based erosion model is developed by integrating the distributed hydrological model, BTOPMC, with the modified USLE to estimate soil erosion and sediment outflow during single storms. The possible sheet, rill, channel erosion types, and sediment transport processes are considered within each grid under the model structure. Instead of representing the sheet erosion and rill erosion separately, the classic USLE method is modified to simulate the lumped sheet–rill erosion during storms. In the modification, the runoff ratio and a relevant correction coefficient are brought into the R-factor which improves the model’s applicability in predicting erosion during single storms. Instead of representing a grid with a unique erosion type, a channel component is assumed to exist in each grid, and its width varies with the upstream contributing area of the grid. This assumption avoids the problems that are caused by the difference between the channel widths in the upstream area and the downstream area if the grid is simply recognized as a channel grid. It also enables the model to be applicable in simulating soil erosion and sediment outflow from a large catchment. Through a case study in the Lushi catchment, China, the results show an overall satisfactory accuracy for the selected events. Moreover, by analyzing the spatial distribution of soil erosion or deposition, the erosion-prone areas are identified for the prioritization purpose.