Plastic ingestion by petrels breeding in Antarctica

Plastic particles were found to be common pollutants in stomachs of Wilson's Storm Petrels and Cape Petrels breeding on the Antarctic continent. Highest incidence of plastics was found in chicks of Wilson's Storm Petrels that had died before fledging. Few or no plastics were found in Snow Petrels and Antarctic Petrels. Evidence suggests that most plastics originate from wintering areas outside the Antarctic, and that relatively few plastics are available in Antarctic waters. Possible hazards of plastic levels observed in Wilson's Storm Petrels are discussed.     

Experimental investigation of turbulent processes in a complex terrain

In the present paper the first results of the international KOPEX-86 experiment are presented. The experiment took place at the Kopisty Atmospheric Observatory of the Institute of Physics of the Atmosphere in Prague as part of a special project of the Commission of the Academy of Sciences in Planetary Geophysics (KAPG) in June and July 1986. Using 4 ultrasonic anemometers at 4 levels up to 80 m, Doppler-SODAR and wind-, temperature- and radiation balance gradients from 2 to 80 m, a complex investigation of the atmospheric boundary layer in an industrial area was made. The authors present the first results of

Trends in planetary wave activity in the upper middle atmosphere inferred from the nighttime LF radio wave absorption measurements

Summary The nighttime LF radio wave absorption in the lower ionosphere measured at two frequencies in central Europe over 1963–1985 is used to infer planetary wave activity and its long-term trend in the upper middle atmosphere (∼90–100 km). The observed positive trend is roughly consistent with results based on daytime absorption. Nighttime results are less pronounced and less statistically significant probably due to perturbing effects of geomagnetic activity. The observed trends, which are probably of anthropogenic origin, are together with the daytime results [3,4] the first evidence of long-term trends in planetary wave activity in the upper middle atmosphere.     

Nonlinear adaptive regression predictors based on singular decomposition

Summary The paper deals with a non-linear regression model, linear in parameters. The least-squares adaptation method has been used to determine the model parameters. The conditionality problem in solving equations, which follows from the dependent predictors, has been suppressed by singular decomposition. This model is especially suitable for treating meteorological problems because non-linear processes, e.g. changes of air masses, changes of circulation patterns, etc., can be treated. The model has been tested in connection with the forecast of daily maximum and minimum temperatures. The RMS error lies in the range of 1–2°C, if the principal PPM is supposed.

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Резюме Оnuсывеamся мamемamuческuŭ annaрam нелuнеŭноŭ ре?rt;рессuонноŭ мо?rt;елu, лuнеŭноŭ оmнос umельно naрaмеmров. Для оnре?rt;еленuя naрaмеmров мо?rt;елu uсnользуеmся меmо?rt; нauменьщuх квa?rt;рamов. Плохaя обусловленносmь сuсmемы нauменьщuх квa?rt;рamов, коmорaя вызвaнa взauмноŭ зaвuсuмосmью nре?rt;uкmоров, всmрaняеmся nрu nомощu сuн?rt;улярноŭ ?rt;екомnозuцuu. Эma мо?rt;ель nо?rt;хо?rt;um ?rt;ля nрuмененuя в меmеороло?rt;uu, maк кaк онa nозволяеm рaбоmamь с нелuнеŭносmямu, кaк нanрuмер uзмененuе воз?rt;ущных мaсс, uзмененuе хaрaкmерa цuркуляцuu u m. n. Мо?rt;ель nроверяеmся нa nро?rt;нозе ?rt;невных мuнuмaльных u мaксuмaльных mемnерamур. Сре?rt;няя квa?rt;рamuческaя ошuбкa нaхо?rt;umся в uнmе?rt;рaле оm 1 ?rt;о 2° (uсnользовaн nрuнцun РРМ).

     

Compositional changes of minerals associated with dynamic recrystallizatin

The rate of compositional and isotopic exchange between minerals may be enhanced significantly if the rock is deformed simultaneously. The enhanced exchange rate may result from a reduction in grain size (shorter distance for volume diffusion), dissolution and growth of grains by diffusion creep (pressure solution), or the movement of high-angle grain boundaries through strained grains during recrystallization in the dislocation creep regime. The migration of high-angle grain boundaries provides high diffusivity paths for the rapid exchange of components during recrystallization. The operation of the latter process has been demonstrated by deforming aggregates consisting of two plagioclases (An₁ and An₇₉) at 900°C, 1 GPa confining pressure, and a strain rate of ∼2x10^-6s^-1. The polygonal, recrystallized grains were analyzed using an analytical transmission electron microscope and have a variable but often intermediate composition. At the conditions of these experiments, the volume interdiffusion rate of NaSi/CaAl is too slow to produce any observable chemical change, and microstructural-chemical relations indicate that the contribution from diffusion creep was insignificant except for initially fine-grained (2–10 μm) aggregates. These results indicate that strain-induced recrystallization can be an effective mechanism for enhancing the kinetics of metamorphic reactions and for resetting the isotope systematics of minerals such as feldspars, pyroxenes, and amphiboles.     

Increased levels of petroleum hydrocarbons in the surface sediments of Swedish coastal waters

Petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediments of the Bothnian Bay, Baltic proper, Öresund, Kattegatt and Skagerrak were analysed in a survey of oil pollution along the Swedish coast in 1974 and 1975. Sixty-one of these sediment stations were revisited in 1982 and analysed with the methods used in the first survey. The mean content of petroleum hydrocarbons (paraffin-naphthene fraction) in the sediment surface showed a statistically significant increase from 199 to 252 μg g^?1 dry wt. The main increase had taken place in the coastal areas. Within 0–20 km distance of urbanized areas (>20 000 inhabitants) petroleum hydrocarbons had increased from 371 to 447 μg g^?1. Sediment levels increased from 76 to 117 μg g^?1, 20–50 km from urbanized areas. The increase in these areas was equivalent to 0.119 g m^?2 yr^?1.     

H-chondrites: Trace element clues to their origin

We have analyzed 10 H-chondrites for 20 trace elements, using RNAA. The meteorites included 4 of petrologic type 4 and 2 each of types 3, 5 and 6.The data show that H-chondrites are not isochemical. H3's are depleted by some 10% not only in Fe (Dodd, 1976), but also in the siderophiles Os, Re, Ir, Ni, Pd, Au, and Ge. Moreover, the abundance pattern of siderophiles varies systematically with petrologic type. As similar fractionations of REE have been observed by Nakamura (1974), it appears that both the proportions and compositions of the main nebular condensates varied slightly during accretion of the H-chondrites. Thus the higher petrologic types are independent nebular products, not metamorphosed descendants of lower petrologic types.Abundances of highly volatile elements (Cs, Br, Bi, Tl, In, Cd, Ar³⁶) correlate with petrologic type, declining by ≤ 10^?3 from Type 3 to Type 6. The trends differ from those for artificially heated Type 3's (Ikramuddinet al., 1977b; Herzoget al., 1979), but agree passably with theoretical curves for nebular condensation. Apparently the low volatile contents of higher petrologic types are a primary feature, not the result of metamorphic loss.The mineralogy of chondrites suggests that they accreted between 405 K (absence of Fe₃O₄) and 560 K (presence of FeS), and the abundances of Tl, Bi, and In further restrict this interval to 420–500 K. Accretion at 1070 ± 100 K, as proposed by Hutchisonet al. (1979, 1980), leads to some extraordinary problems. Volatiles must be injected into the parent body after cooling, which requires permeation of the body by 10¹¹ times its volume of nebular gas. This process must also achieve a uniform distribution of the less volatile elements (Rb, Cu, Ag, Zn, Ga, Ge, Sn, Sb, Se, F), without freezeout in the colder outer layers.Factor analysis of our data shows 3 groupings: siderophiles (Os, Re, Ir, Ni, Pd, Au, and Ge), volatiles (Ag, Br, In, Cd, Bi, and Tl) and alkalis (Rb and Cs). The remaining 5 elements (U, Zn, Te, Se, and Sb) remain unassociated.     

Magnetic susceptibility anisotropy of deformed rocks

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