Evidence for solar forcing of climate variation from δ18O of peat cellulose

There have been a number of investigations for examining the possible link between long-term climate variability and solar activity. A continuous δ¹⁸O record of peat cellulose covering the past 6 000 years and the response of climate variation inferred from the proxy record to solar forcing are reported. Results show that during the past 5 000 years the abrupt climate variations, including 17 warming and 17 cooling, and a serious of periodicities, such as 86, 101, 110, 127, 132, 140, 155, 207, 245, 311, 820 and 1 050 years, are strikingly correlative to the changes of solar irradiation and periodicity. These observations are considered as further evidence for a close relationship between solar activity and climate variations on time scales of decades to centuries.     

Some studies on the solar microwave bursts in relation to the slowly varying component

The occurrences of 5772 microwave bursts recorded by the Sagamore Hill and Manilla Solar Radio Observatories over the period January 1968 to July 1970, covering the maximum phase of the current solar cycle at frequencies 2695, 4995 and 8800 MHz and their energy excesses have been examined in relation to the S-component of solar radio emission. The average slowly varying component has been determined by the superposed epoch method commonly known as the Chree analysis. Similar treatment of the bursts, data, mentioned above has been made to examine any probable 27-day variation and the results obtained have been compared with that of the S-component. Further, spectra of the microwave bursts under the so-called spectral type - inverted U, particularly those having a peak at 4995 MHz, have also been examined and compared with the average spectrum of the S-component. Some of the important results obtained from the present analysis are: (1) the nature of variation of both the average number of occurrences and energy excesses of the microwave bursts follow in general the average 27-day variation of the S-component, (2) the number of occurrences and energy excesses of the microwave bursts are comparatively greater in the ascending phase of the 27-day cycle than those in the descending phase, (3) bursts at progressively higher frequencies originate at lower levels in the solar atmosphere than those of the associated S-component, and (4) the average spectrum of the microwave bursts of inverted U spectral type having a peak at 4995 MHz is quite identical in nature to that of the S-component.     

Modelling phytoplankton succession on the Bering Sea shelf: role of climate influences and trophic interactions in generating Emiliania huxleyi blooms 1997–2000

Several years of continuous physical and biological anomalies have been affecting the Bering Sea shelf ecosystem starting from 1997. Such anomalies reached their peak in a striking visual phenomenon: the first appearance in the area of bright waters caused by massive blooms of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (E. huxleyi). This study is intended to provide an insight into the mechanisms of phytoplankton succession in the south-eastern part of the shelf during such years and addresses the causes of E. huxleyi success by means of a 2-layer ecosystem model, field data and satellite-derived information. A number of potential hypotheses are delineated based on observations conducted in the area and on previous knowledge of E. huxleyi general ecology. Some of these hypotheses are then considered as causative factors and explored with the model. The unusual climatic conditions of 1997 resulted most notably in a particularly shallow mixed layer depth and high sea surface temperature (about 4 °C above climatological mean). Despite the fact that the model could not reproduce for E. huxleyi a clear non-bloom to bloom transition (pre- vs. post-1997), several tests suggest that this species was favoured by the shallow mixed layer depth in conjunction with a lack of photoinhibition. A top-down control by microzooplankton selectively grazing phytoplankton other than E. huxleyi appears to be responsible for the long persistence of the blooms. Interestingly, observations reveal that the high N:P ratio hypothesis, regarded as crucial in the formation of blooms of this species in previous studies, does not hold on the Bering Sea shelf.     

Atmospheric electrical measurements in the Hawaiian islands

Summary An exploration of the electrical properties of the atmosphere on and above the island of Hawaii, as indicated by a portable corona current unit, is described. A 30 foot telescopic mast having a radioactive probe mounted on an insulated bushing and connected by shielded cable to a sensitive microammeter was used. Corona currents were measured at a number of geographic locations ranging from sea level under conditions of heavy surf to the 10,000 foot level on Mauna Kea several thousand feet above the exchange layer, and over the land and ocean in a light plane. Observations were made under clear, cloudy and rainy conditions. Fair weather and cloudy conditions gave currents from air to earth of positive sign. With warm rain falling the currents had a negative sign and increased in value with intensity of precipitation. In several instances indications of incipient discharges similar to that observed in mild lightningstorms were noted.The island of Hawaii has many desirable features to recommend it for an extensive research program in atmospheric electricity. A simple and inexpensive approach to inaugurating such a program is suggested.     

Carbonate shedding and sedimentary cyclicities of a distally steepened carbonate ramp (Miocene, Great Bahama Bank)

Received: 10 May 1999 / Accepted: 16 October 1999     

Yield Forecasting of Spring Maize Using Remote Sensing and Crop Modeling in Faisalabad-Punjab Pakistan

Real time, accurate and reliable estimation of maize yield is valuable to policy makers in decision making. The current study was planned for yield estimation of spring maize using remote sensing and crop modeling. In crop modeling, the CERES-Maize model was calibrated and evaluated with the field experiment data and after calibration and evaluation, this model was used to forecast maize yield. A Field survey of 64 farm was also conducted in Faisalabad to collect data on initial field conditions and crop management data. These data were used to forecast maize yield using crop model at farmers’ field. While in remote sensing, peak season Landsat 8 images were classified for landcover classification using machine learning algorithm. After classification, time series normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST) of the surveyed 64 farms were calculated. Principle component analysis were run to correlate the indicators with maize yield. The selected LSTs and NDVIs were used to develop yield forecasting equations using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Calibrated and evaluated results of CERES-Maize showed the mean absolute % error (MAPE) of 0.35–6.71% for all recorded variables. In remote sensing all machine learning algorithms showed the accuracy greater the 90%, however support vector machine (SVM-radial basis) showed the higher accuracy of 97%, that was used for classification of maize area. The accuracy of area estimated through SVM-radial basis was 91%, when validated with crop reporting service. Yield forecasting results of crop model were precise with RMSE of 255 kg ha^?1, while remote sensing showed the RMSE of 397 kg ha^?1. Overall strength of relationship between estimated and actual grain yields were good with R² of 0.94 in both techniques. For regional yield forecasting remote sensing could be used due greater advantages of less input dataset and if focus is to assess specific stress, and interaction of plant genetics to soil and environmental conditions than crop model is very useful tool.     

Equilibrium Evaporation and the Convective Boundary Layer

A theory is developed for surface energy exchanges in well-mixed, partlyopen systems, embracing fully open and fully closed systems as limits.Conservation equations for entropy and water vapour are converted intoan exact rate equation for the potential saturation deficit D in a well-mixed, partly open region. The main contributions to changes in D arise from (1) the flux of D at the surface, dependent on a conductance g_q that is a weighted sum of the bulk aerodynamic and surface conductances; and (2) the exchange flux of D with the external environment by entrainment or advection, dependent on a conductance g_e that is identifiable with the entrainment velocity when the partly open region is a growing convective boundary layer (CBL). The system is fully open when g_e/g_q , and fully closed when g_e/g_q 0. The equations determine the steady state surface energy balance (SEB) in a partly open system, the associated steady-state deficit, and the settling time scale needed to reach the steady state. The general result for the steady-state SEB corresponds to the equations of conventional combination theory for the SEB of a vegetated surface, with the surface-layer deficit replaced by the external deficit and with g_q replaced by the series sum (g_q ^-1 + g_e ^-1)^-1. In the fully open limit D is entirely externally prescribed, while in the fully closed limit, D is internally determined and the SEB approaches thermodynamic equilibrium energy partition. In the case of the CBL, the conductances g_q and g_e are themselves functions of D through short-term feedbacks, induced by entrainment in the case of g_e and by both physiological and aerodynamic (thermal stability) processes in the case of g_q. The effects of these feedbacks are evaluated. It is found that a steady-state CBL is physically achievable only over surfaces with at least moderate moisture availability; that entrainment has a significant accelerating effect on equilibration; that the settling time scale is well approximated by h/(g_q + g_e), where h is the CBL depth; and that this scale is short enough to allow a steady state to evolve within a semi-diurnal time scale only when h is around 500 m or less.     

Large-scale mass wasting in ancient volcanic materials

Giant landslides are significant hazards associated with many active volcanic edifices. We describe a similar feature on ancient (>4 Ma) volcanic deposits subject to active tectonism. The landslide is approximately 3 km long by 1 km wide, with an estimated depth of 400 m. Side margins are straight and parallel, mimicking regional structure; narrow valleys incised down these margins provide low-strength side-release surfaces. Between these is a giant slump consisting of at least four, largely intact, discrete blocks that have moved down-dip a distance of >500 m. A series of flows with areal extents ranging from 0.01 to 0.5 km² extends from the front of the failure. The materials represent an eroded sequence of andesite flows on the flanks of a stratovolcano. These have undergone two phases of hydrothermal alteration, and are deeply weathered to low-density (1040±80 kg m⁻³) silt (59%) and clay (35%) materials with strength properties typical of weathered silts (c=26±3 kN m⁻²; φ=42±8°). The size and location of this landslide preclude detailed geotechnical investigation of the failure. The worth of numerical stability analysis as an alternative technique in assessing the nature of the failure and hence the risk it poses to nearby communities is investigated. Sensitivity analysis identified likely conditions under which initial failure may have occurred: analyses for sensitivity to strength and earthquake acceleration needed conversion to critical combinations (F=1.0) of water table and strength/acceleration to remove the overriding influence of water table fluctuations. Failure was likely initiated either by a high water table level (83-84%), or some combination of intensity VII-IX earthquake waves together with water table heights of 40-80%. A general hazard assessment indicates that the risk associated with creep and catastrophic failure of the main mass is small, whereas the risk from flow failures near the toe of the landslide may be high. Important parameters (hydrological regime, flow failure morphology, age of initiation, and rates of movement) requiring closer investigation are identified. Development of a model is crucial to assessing the hazard associated with a feature such as that described here. With limited resources, a detailed stability analysis is a powerful tool as an initial stage in hazard analysis.     

Mineralogy and fluid inclusion study of polymetallic veins in the Madjarovo ore field,Eastern Rhodope,Bulgaria

Summary The formation of the Madjarovo polymetallic ore deposit is closely related to Paleogene magmatism of intermediate character represented by subvolcanic and volcanic rocks. Six stages of vein type mineralization were established: 1. quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite with Bi-sulphosalts; 2. quartz-hematite-chlorite with gold; 3. quartz-galena-sphalerite; 4. quartz-barite-chalcedony with Sb-sulphosalts; 5. quartz-arsenic sulphosalts; 6. calcite-siderite. Ag-bearing galena and Fe-poor sphalerite are the main minerals. Galena of early formation is Bi-bearing, while in late stages it carries more Sb. Gold was found in two generations in different parageneses. The early gold is Ag-poor and related to hematite, while the late one is Ag-rich and closely associated with quartz and sulphosalts. Three groups of sulphosalts were established: Se-bearing Bi-sulphosalts; Sb-sulphosalts, a part of them Cl-bearing, and As-sulphosalts with more or less Ag. Fluid inclusion data obtained in quartz, amethyst, sphalerite and barite from several representative ore veins show formation temperatures in the range of 370° to 150°C for different stages of mineralization. Evidence of boiling fluids suggests pressures of 70 to 180 bars which correspond to an average depth of mineralization near 1.000 m. The low salinities of the fluids (a/v 3.5 eq. wt% NaCI) indicate influx of meteoric waters during mineralization. On the basis of mineralogical and fluid inclusion data physicochemical conditions and source of the ore forming fluids are discussed.

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Mineralogie und Flüssigkeitseinschlüsse in polymetallischen Erzgngen der Lagerstätte Madjarovo, Ost-Rhodopen, Bulgarien

Zusammenfassung Die Bildung der polymetallischen Lagerstätte Madjarovo war eng verknüpft mit einem Paläogenen Magmatismus von intermediärem Charakter, der durch Subvulkanite und Vulkanite repräsentiert wird. Es wurden sechs Bildungsstadien der Gangvererzung festgestellt: 1. Quarz-Pyrit-Chalcopyrit mit Bi-Sulfosalzen; 2. Quarz-Hämatit-Chlorit mit Gold; 3. Quarz-Galenit-Sphalerit; 4. Quarz-Baryt-Chalzedon mit Sb-Sulfosalzen; 5. Quarz-As-Sulfosalze; 6. Calcit-Siderit. Ag-führender Galenit und Fe-armer Sphalerit sind die Hauptminerale. Früh gebildeter Galenit is Bi-haltig, während Galenite der späteren Bildungsstadien mehr Sb führen. Gold wurde in zwei Generationen in unterschiedlichen Paragenesen gefunden. Das Früh-Gold (Ag-arm) ist verknüpft mit Hämatit, während das Spät-Gold (Ag-reich) mit Quarz und Sulfosalzen eng assoziiert ist. Es wurden drei Gruppen von Sulfosalzen festgestellt: Se-führende Bi-Sulfosalze; Sb-Sulfosalze, die z.T. Cl-führend sind, und As-Sulfosalze mit mehr oder weniger Ag-Gehalten. Flüssigkeitseinschlüsse in Quarz, Amethyst, Sphalerit und Baryt aus mehreren repräsentativen Erzgängen zeigen Bildungtemperaturen von 370°–150°C für unterschiedliche Mineralisationsstadien. Siedende Lösungen weisen auf einen Druckbereich von 70–180 Bar hin, der einer durchschnittlichen Bildungstiefe von 1.000 m entspricht. Die durchweg niedrige Salinität der Lösungen (durchschnittlich 3.5. Gew.% NaCl äq.) wird auf einen Zufluß von meteorischen Wässern während der Mineralisation zurückgeführt. Auf der Basis der mineralogischen Ergebnisse und der Daten fluider Einschlüse werden die physikochemischen Bedingungen und die Herkunft der Erzlösungen diskutiert.

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With 4 Figures