Bedload hysteresis in a glacier‐fed mountain river

Sediment transport during flood events often reveals hysteretic patterns because flow discharge can peak before (counterclockwise hysteresis) or after (clockwise hysteresis) the peak of bedload. Hysteresis in sediment transport has been used in the literature to infer the degree of sediment availability. Counterclockwise and clockwise hysteresis have been in fact interpreted as limited and unlimited sediment supply conditions, respectively. Hysteresis has been mainly explored for the case of suspended sediment transport, but it was rarely reported for bedload transport in mountain streams. This work focuses on the temporal variability of bedload transport in an alpine catchment (Saldur basin, 18.6 km², Italian Alps) where bedload transport was monitored by means of an acoustic pipe sensor which detects the acoustic vibrations induced by particles hitting a 0.5m‐long steel pipe. Runoff dynamics are dominated by snowmelt in late spring/early summer, mostly by glacier melt in late summer/early autumn, and by a combination of the snow and glacier melt in mid‐summer. The results indicate that hysteretic patterns during daily discharge fluctuations are predominantly clockwise during the snowmelt period, likely due to the ready availability of unpacked sediments within the channel or through bank erosion in the lower part of the basin. On the contrary, counterclockwise hysteresis tend to be more frequent during late glacier melting period, possibly due to the time lag needed for sediment provided by the glacial and peri‐glacial area to be transported to the monitoring section. However, intense rainfall events occurring during the glacier melt period generated predominantly clockwise hysteresis, thus indicating the activation of different sediment sources. These results indicate that runoff generation processes play a crucial role on sediment supply and temporal availability in mountain streams. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Empirical-statistical downscaling and error correction of regional climate models and its impact on the climate change signal

Realizing the error characteristics of regional climate models (RCMs) and the consequent limitations in their direct utilization in climate change impact research, this study analyzes a quantile-based empirical-statistical error correction method (quantile mapping, QM) for RCMs in the context of climate change. In particular the success of QM in mitigating systematic RCM errors, its ability to generate “new extremes” (values outside the calibration range), and its impact on the climate change signal (CCS) are investigated. In a cross-validation framework based on a RCM control simulation over Europe, QM reduces the bias of daily mean, minimum, and maximum temperature, precipitation amount, and derived indices of extremes by about one order of magnitude and strongly improves the shapes of the related frequency distributions. In addition, a simple extrapolation of the error correction function enables QM to reproduce “new extremes” without deterioration and mostly with improvement of the original RCM quality. QM only moderately modifies the CCS of the corrected parameters. The changes are related to trends in the scenarios and magnitude-dependent error characteristics. Additionally, QM has a large impact on CCSs of non-linearly derived indices of extremes, such as threshold indices.     

<Superscript>57</Superscript>Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy,X-ray single-crystal diffractometry,and electronic structure calculations on natural sinhalites

Natural sinhalites, MgAlBO_4, from the Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka, and from Bodnar Quarry near Hamburg, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA, have been characterized by ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, electron microprobe, X-ray single-crystal diffractometry and by electronic structure calculations in order to determine the oxidation state and site occupancy of iron in the sinhalite structure. The samples contain about 3.35 and 1.46 wt% of total iron oxide, respectively. The structure refinement is successful and reproduces the total iron content provided that the substitution of Mg²⁺ by Fe²⁺ on the M2 position only is assumed. The ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra at 77, 293, 573 and 773 K can be resolved into two doublets with hyperfine parameters common for octahedrally coordinated high-spin Fe²⁺. There is no evidence for iron in the tetrahedral site. Electronic structure calculations in local spin density approximation yield hyperfine parameters for Fe²⁺ on the M2-site at 0, 293, 573 and 773 K in quantitative agreement with experiments. Calculated spectroscopic properties for Fe²⁺ on the M1-site are at variance with the experimental data and, thus, indicate that substitution of Al³⁺ by Fe²⁺, if occurring at all, must be accompanied by considerable local expansion and distortion of the M1-octahedron.     

Modelling of rutting of two flexible pavements with the shakedown theory and the finite element method

This paper presents a finite element program, for the modelling of rutting of flexible pavements. In its present version, the program incorporates a permanent deformation model for unbound granular materials based on the concept of the shakedown theory developed by Zarka for metallic structures under cyclic loadings and has been used to estimate the permanent deformations of unbound granular materials (UGM) subjected to traffic loading. The calculation is performed in two steps: the first step consists in modelling the resilient behaviour of the pavement in 3D, using non-linear elastic models, to determine the stress field in the pavement. Then stress paths are derived and used to calculate the permanent deformations and the displacements, using a Drucker–Prager yield surface. An application to the prediction of the permanent deformations of experimental pavements with an unbound granular base, tested on the LCPC pavement testing facility is presented.     

Sand transport measurements in Chioggia inlet,Venice lagoon: Theory versus observations

This paper presents results of recent measurements of sand transport made in Chioggia inlet as part of an extensive monitoring programme in the Venetian inlets. Measurements were made in order: (1) to define a relationship between sand transport magnitude and tidal flow; (2) to derive the thresholds for sand transport; (3) to identify the dominant modes of transport; (4) to evaluate the concentration profiles of sand within the benthic boundary layer; (5) to compare bedload transport observations with model predictions using existent bedload formulae; and (6) to produce yearly estimates of bedload transport across the inlet. The vertical distribution of sand in the water column was sampled using modified Helley–Smith bedload samplers at three sites. Transport was found to vary according to the flow and bed grain size, with considerable temporal and spatial variability. A difference of up to three orders of magnitude in transport was observed through the inlet, with higher transport rates measured on the seaward part. The dominant mode of transport in the central inlet was suspension, while bedload was dominant in the mouths. The measured profiles of sand concentration varied with the tidal stage and seabed grain size according to the Rouse parameter (R). R was high at the inlet mouths (1<R<2), indicative of a well-developed bedload layer. The inverse movability number (W_s/U_*) was also higher at these sites and appeared to be grain size dependant. Formulae for bedload transport were tested against field data; stochastic methods such as Einstein–Brown, Engelund–Hansen and Van Rijn produce the best fits. The coupled model SHYFEM-Sedtrans05 appears to simulate well observed transport for most conditions of flow. Long-term bedload predictions indicate a dominant export of sand, with a yearly average of 4500 m³.     

Moisture budget variations in the Yangtze River Basin, China, and possible associations with large-scale circulation

We analyzed seasonal and annual variations of the whole layer atmospheric moisture budget and precipitation during 1961–2005 and their associations with large-scale circulation in the Yangtze River basin, China. The results indicated increasing moisture budget in summer and winter, but decreasing moisture budget in spring and autumn. Positive correlations between moisture budget and precipitation illustrate tremendous impacts the moisture budget has on the precipitation changes across the Yangtze River basin. In terms of seasonal variations, significant correlations were observed between precipitation and moisture budget in spring and autumn in the upper Yangtze River basin. Besides, we also analyzed changes of geopotential height. The positive trends of the geopotential height (850 hPa) were observed in the East Asia and the negative trends in the middle and west Pacific Ocean, indicating increasing geopotential height from south to north in east Asia which largely limited the moisture propagation to north China. While decreasing meridional geopotential height from west to east along the Yangtze River basin caused more moisture propagation from the west to the east parts of the study region, which may benefit more precipitation in the middle and lower Yangtze River basin.     

Hybrid analytical and finite element numerical modeling of mass and heat transport in fractured rocks with matrix diffusion

Quantification of mass and heat transport in fractured porous rocks is important to areas such as contaminant transport, storage and release in fractured rock aquifers, the migration and sorption of radioactive nuclides from waste depositories, and the characterization of engineered heat exchangers in the context of enhanced geothermal systems. The large difference between flow and transport characteristics in fractures and in the surrounding matrix rock means models of such systems are forced to make a number of simplifications. Analytical approaches assume a homogeneous system, numerical approaches address the scale at which a process is operating, but may lose individual important processes due to averaging considerations. Numerical stability criteria limit the contrasts possible in defining material properties. Here, a hybrid analytical–numerical method for transport modeling in fractured media is presented. This method combines a numerical model for flow and transport in a heterogeneous fracture and an analytical solution for matrix diffusion. By linking the two types of model, the advantages of both methods can be combined. The methodology as well as the mathematical background are developed, verified for simple geometries, and applied to fractures representing experimental field conditions in the Grimsel rock laboratory.     

Biogeochemistry of mineral-organic associations across a long-term mineralogical soil gradient (0.3-4100 kyr), Hawaiian Islands

Organic matter (OM) in mineral-organic associations (MOAs) represents a large fraction of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems which is considered stable against biodegradation. To assess the role of MOAs in carbon cycling, there is a need to better understand (i) the time-dependent biogeochemical evolution of MOAs in soil, (ii) the effect of the mineral composition on the physico-chemical properties of attached OM, and (iii) the resulting consequences for the stabilization of OM. We studied the development of MOAs across a mineralogical soil gradient (0.3-4100 kyr) at the Hawaiian Islands that derived from basaltic tephra under comparable climatic and hydrological regimes. Mineral-organic associations were characterized using biomarker analyses of OM with chemolytic methods (lignin phenols, non-cellulosic carbohydrates) and wet chemical extractions, surface area/porosity measurements (N₂ at 77 K and CO₂ at 273 K), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that in the initial weathering stage (0.3 kyr), MOAs are mainly composed of primary, low-surface area minerals (olivine, pyroxene, feldspar) with small amounts of attached OM and lignin phenols but a large contribution of microbial-derived carbohydrates. As high-surface area, poorly crystalline (PC) minerals increase in abundance during the second weathering stage (20-400 kyr), the content of mineral-associated OM increased sharply, up to 290 mg C/g MOA, with lignin phenols being favored over carbohydrates in the association with minerals. In the third and final weathering stage (1400-4100 kyr), metastable PC phases transformed into well crystalline secondary Fe and Al (hydr)oxides and kaolin minerals that were associated with less OM overall, and depleted in both lignin and carbohydrate as a fraction of total OM. XPS, the N₂ pore volume data and OM-mineral volumetric ratios suggest that, in contrast to the endmember sites where OM accumulated at the surfaces of larger mineral grains, topsoil MOAs of the 20-400-kyr sites are composed of a homogeneous admixture of small-sized PC minerals and OM, which originated from both adsorption and precipitation processes. The chemical composition of OM in surface-horizon MOAs, however, was largely controlled by the uniform source vegetation irrespective of the substrate age whereas in subsoil horizons, aromatic and carboxylic C correlated positively with oxalate-extractable Al and Si and CuCl₂-extractable Al concentrations representing PC aluminosilicates and Al-organic complexes (r² > 0.85). Additionally, XPS depth profiles suggest a zonal structure of sorbed OM with aromatic carbons being enriched in the proximity of mineral surfaces and amide carbons (peptides/proteins) being located in outer regions of MOAs. Albeit the mineralogical and compositional changes of OM, the rigidity of mineral-associated OM as analyzed by DSC changed little over time. A significantly reduced side chain mobility of sorbed OM was, however, observed in subsoil MOAs, which likely arose from stronger mineral-organic bindings. In conclusion, our study shows that the properties of soil MOAs change substantially over time with different mineral assemblages favoring the association of different types of OM, which is further accentuated by a vertical gradient of OM composition on mineral surfaces. Factors supporting the stabilization of sorbed OM were (i) the surface area and reactivity of minerals (primary or secondary crystalline minerals versus PC secondary minerals), (ii) the association of OM with micropores of PC minerals (via ‘sterically’ enhanced adsorption), (iii) the effective embedding of OM in ‘well mixed’ arrays with PC minerals and monomeric/polymeric metal species, (iv) the inherent stability of acidic aromatic OM components, and (iv) an impaired segmental mobility of sorbed OM, which might increase its stability against desorption and microbial utilization.     

Die interdiurnen Änderungen von Druck und Temperatur in der unteren Troposphäre bis 5 km Höhe und ihre gegenseitigen Beziehungen in statistischsynoptischer Betrachtungsweise

Zusammenfassung Im ersten Teil der Arbeit wird ein homogenes, auf 44 Stationen verteiltes Material von 48048 24stündigen Änderungen von Bodendruck, Höhe der 500 mb-Fläche und barometrischer Mitteltemperatur zwischen 500 und 1000 mb-Fläche über Mitteleuropa nach den Methoden der beschreibenden Statistik bearbeitet. Variationsbreite, interdiurne Veränderlichkeit, Streuung, Schiefe und Exzeß werden ermittelt. Der Vergleich der Häufigkeitsverteilungen mit der Gaußschen Fehlerverteilungsfunktion zeigt als wichtigste Abweichung den durchwegs positiven Exzeß. Die am Festland positive, am Meer negative Schiefe ergibt zusammen mit der Anzahl der positiven und negativen Änderungen, daß am Festland der Druckfall häufiger, der Druckanstieg intensiver, am Meer dagegen der Druckanstieg häufiger, der Druckfall intensiver ist.Die Zahl der mit Mitteltemperaturänderungen entgegensetzten, bzw. gleichen Vorzeichens verbundenen Bodendruckänderungen wird nur von der Land-Meer-Verteilung bestimmt. Nur am Festland sind die Bodendruckänderungen auch im Mittel mit inversen Temperaturänderungen kombiniert. Die relative Intensität der niedrig-thermischen Bodendruckänderungen nimmt außerdem mit abnehmender Breite zu.Im zweiten Teil wird ein um 26 Stationen vermehrtes, insgesamt 67044 analoge Änderungswerte umfassendes Material im Raum Nordatlantik bis Innerasien und Spitzbergen bis Nordafrika mit der Korrelationsmethode untersucht. Es ergibt sich, daß am Ozean die 24stündigen Bodendruckänderungen weitgehend den gleichzeitigen Druckänderungen in 5,5 km Höhe entsprechen, währen am Kontinent diese Beziehung nur lose ist (Abb. 16). Dagegen fehlt am Ozean der Zusammenhang zwischen Änderungen von Bodendruck und Mitteltemperatur, der am Kontinent ausgesprochen invers ist (Abb. 17). Die Beziehung zwischen Druckänderungen in 5,5 km Höhe und Mitteltemperaturänderungen der Troposphäre unterhalb dieser Höhe ist durchwegs positiv, aber relativ am schlechtesten über den Zonen größter horizontaler Temperaturgegensätze (Abb. 18).Der dritte Teil enthält eine Diskussion der Ergebnisse, die sich erstreckt auf den vertikalen Aufbau der Isallobarengebiete, die Kompensation hoher Druckänderungen in der unteren Troposphäre, die Leewirkung, die Natur der Bodendruckänderungen und die Zyklonenentstehung. Dabei ergibt sich innerhalb der Grenzen, die einer statistischen Untersuchung gezogen sind, daß besonders durch das infolge der Land-Meer-Verteilung wechselnde Vermögen der unteren Troposphäre, obere Druckänderungen zu kompensieren, das vielfältige Bild der gegenseitigen Beziehungen der Änderungen von Druck und Temperatur in der unteren Troposphäre verstanden werden kann.

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Summary In the first part of the paper a homogeneous material of 48048 data, distributed over 44 stations of Europe, including 24 hours' variations of ground pressure, height of the 500 mb surface, and barometric mean temperature between 500 and 1000 mb, is statistically evaluated. Calues are given for the range of variation, interdiurnal variability, standard deviation, skewness, and excess. comparison of the frequency distributions with the Gaussian function of error distribution shows unexceptionally a positive excess. From the skewness being positive on the continent and negative on the ocean, together with the number of positive and negative variations, it can be concluded that on the continent pressure fall is more frequent and pressure rise more intensive, whereas on the ocean pressure rise is more frequent and pressure fall more intensive.The number of ground pressure variations connected with respective variations of mean temperature is dependent on the land-sea distribution solely. Only on the continent the ground pressure variations are combined with inverse temperature variations also on the average. Besides, the relative intensity of the low-thermic ground pressure variations increases with decreasing latitude.In the second part, material consisting of 67044 analogous data with 26 more stations covering the area from the North-Atlantic to Inner Asia and from Spitzbergen to North-Africa is examined by means of the correlation method. On the ocean, the 24 hours' ground pressure variations were found to correspond mostly with the simultaneous pressure variations at the height of 5,5 km, whereas on the continent no such close relation exists (fig. 16). On the other hand, there is no connection between pressure variations and mean temperature on the ocean, this relation being markedly inverse on the continent (fig. 17). The relation between pressure variations at 5,5 km height and variations of mean temperature in the troposphere below this height is positive throughout, however, least positive in the zones of greatest horizontal temperature contrasts (fig. 18).Results are discussed in part 3, concerning the vertical structure of isallobaric areas, the compensation of high pressure variations in the lower troposphere, the lee-effect, the nature of ground pressure variations and the cyclogenesis. Therefrom it is concluded that, within the limits of accuracy of statistical investigations, the various mutual relations between variations of pressure and temperature in the lower troposphere can be accounted for by the varying conditions in the lower troposphere according to the land-sea distribution which in one case allows compensation of upper pressure variations and in another not.

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Résumé La première partie contient le dépouillement d'observations faites en 44 endroits de la variation de la pression au sol en 24 h., de la hauteur de la surface isobare de 500 mb et de la température moyenne entre les surfaces de 500 et 1000 mb en Europe centrale; on calcule les fluctuations moyennes, la variabilité interdiurne, la déviation, le moment du 3ième ordre et le moment du 4ième ordne. En comparant la répartition des fréquences avec la loi des erreurs deGauss, on constate avant tout le moment du 4ième ordre positif. Le moment du 3ième ordre positif sur terre, négatif sur mer, combinée avec le nombre des variations positives et négatives montre que sur terre la baisse de pression est plus fréquente et la hausse plus forte, tandis que sur mer la hausse est plus fréquente et la baisse plus intense. Le nombre des variatione de pression au sol liées à des variations de température moyenne de signs contraire ou de même signe ne dépend que de la distribution des surfaces terrestres et océaniques. Sur terre seulement les variations de pression sont en moyenne combinées avec des variations de température de signe contraire. L'intensité relative des variations de pression au sol d'origine thermique s'accroît avec la diminution de la latitude.Dans la deuxième partie, on étudie par la méthode de corrélation un matériel d'observations comprenant 26 stations de plus, soit au total 67 044 valeurs réparties dans l'espace de l'Atlantique nord à l'Asie centrale et du Spitzberg à l'Afrique du nord. Il en résulte que sur mer la variation de pression au sol en 24 h. correspond essentiellement aux variations de pression à 5,5 km d'altitude, alors que sur le continent la relation n'est que peu accusée. Par contre sur mer le lien entre les variations de pression et celles de la température fait défaut, tandis que sur terre la relation est nettement inverse. La relation entre les variations de pression au niveau de 5,5 km et les variations de la température moyenne de la troposphère au-dessous de ce niveau est partout positive, mais est la moins apparente au-dessus des régions à forts gradients horizontaux de température.La troisième partie contient une discussion des résultats s'étendant sur la structure verticale des domaines isallobariques, sur la compensation des variations de pression en altitude dans la basse troposphère, sur l'effet orographique, sur la nature des variations de pression au sol et sur la cyclogénèse. On conclut que dans le domaine ici exploré l'image complexe des relations mutuelles entre les variations de pression et de température dans la troposphère inférieure peut se comprendre grâce au fait que la distribution des océans et des continents crée dans la basse troposphère une compensation variable des variations de pression des hautes couches.

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