The missing layer: Geo-technologies, communities, and implications for marine spatial planning

The assessment and management of marine resources is an increasingly spatial affair dependent upon emerging geo-technologies, such as geographic information systems, and the subsequent production of diverse layers of spatial information. These rapid developments are, however, focused on biophysical processes and data collection initiatives; the social landscape of the marine environment is undocumented and remains a “missing layer” in decision-making. As a result, the resource areas upon which stakeholders and communities are dependent are neither mapped nor integrated into planning processes. We report on a participatory method to map the presence of fishing communities at-sea. The lessons learned concerning the spatial representation of communities informs not only fisheries, but other sectors struggling to incorporate similarly the human dimensions of the marine environment in assessment and planning.     

High-resolution simulations of the impacts of asteroids into the venusian atmosphere III: further 3D models

We report on high-resolution three-dimensional calculations of oblique impacts into planetary atmospheres, specifically the atmosphere of Venus, extending the results of Korycansky et al. (2000, Icarus 146, 387-403; 2002, Icarus 157, 1-23). We have made calculations for impacts at 0°, 45°, and 60° from the vertical, different impactor velocities (10, 20, and 40 km s⁻¹), and different impactor masses and orientations. We present results for porous impactors using a simple model of porosity. We have investigated the sensitivity to initial conditions of the calculations [as a follow-up to the results found in Korycansky et al. (2002)] and resolution effects. For use in cratering calculations, we fit simple functions to the numerical results for mass and momentum that penetrate to a given altitude (column mass) and investigate the behavior of the fit coefficients as functions of impactor parameters such as mass, velocity, and impact angle. Generally speaking, the mass and momentum (and hence resulting crater diameters) depend primarily on impactor mass and mass of atmosphere encountered and weakly or not at all on other parameters such as impactor velocity, impact angle, or porosity. The column mass to which the last portion of the impactor penetrates is approximately equal to the mass of impactor at the top of the atmosphere before the impact takes place. Finally, we present the beginnings of a simplified but physically based model for the impactor and its fragments to reproduce the mass and momentum fluxes as a function of height during the impact.     

The Meteoritical Bulletin,No. 92, 2007 September

Abstract— In this edition of The Meteoritical Bulletin, 1394 recognized meteorites are reported, 27 from specific locations within Africa, 133 from Northwest Africa, 1227 from Antarctica (from ANSMET, PNRA, and PRIC expeditions), and 7 from Asia. The Meteoritical Bulletin announces the approval of four new names series by the Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society, two from Africa and one from Asia, including Al Haggounia, from Al Haggounia, Morocco, which is projected to be on the order of 3 metric tons of material related to enstatite chondrites and aubrites. Approved are two falls from Africa, Bassikounou (Mauritania) and Gashua (Nigeria). Approved from areas other than Antarctica are one lunar, two Martian, 32 other achondrites, three mesosiderites, two pallasites, one CM, two CK, one CR2, two CV3, one CR2, and four R chondrites. The Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society announces 48 newly approved relict meteorites from two new name series, Österplana and Gullhögen (both from Sweden).     

Correction to: Evaluation of a synthetic rainfall model,P-CLIPER,for use in coastal flood modeling

Natural Hazards - Equation 3 was found to have a typographical error that produced negative rainfall rates.     

Modelling inorganic aluminium with WHAM in environmental monitoring

Due to the varying toxicity of different Al species, information about Al concentration and speciation is important when assessing water quality. Modelling Al speciation can support operational monitoring programmes where Al speciation is not measured directly. Modelling also makes it possible to retroactively speciate older samples where laboratory fractionation was not undertaken. Organic-rich waters are a particular challenge for both laboratory analysis and models. This paper presents the modelling of Al speciation in Swedish surface waters using the Windermere Humic Acid Model (WHAM). The model was calibrated with data from operational monitoring, the Swedish national survey of lakes and rivers, and covers a broad spectrum of physical and chemical conditions. Calibration was undertaken by varying the amount of DOC active in binding Al. A sensitivity analysis identified the minimum parameters required as model input variables primarily to be total Al, organic C, pH, F⁻, and secondly Fe, Ca and Mg. The observed and modelled Ali had no significant differences (Spearman rank, p < 0.01), however, lake samples modelled better than rivers. Samples were placed in the correct toxicological category in 89–95% of the cases. The importance of the size of the calibration data set was assessed, and reducing the calibration data set resulted in poorer correlations, but had little impact on the toxicological placement. Overall, the modelling gave satisfactory results from samples covering a broad spectrum of physical and chemical conditions. This indicates the potential value of WHAM as a tool in operational monitoring of surface waters.     

Evidence for freeze–thaw events and their implications for rock weathering in northern Canada: II. The temperature at which water freezes in rock

Many undertakings have used either a single value or a narrow window of temperatures as a threshold for the freezing of water within rock. These temperatures vary from 0 to ?5 C, with most windows being in the range ?1 to ?4 C. Based on thermal data, these thresholds are commonly used to ‘count’ the number of freeze–thaw events as a basis for determining freeze–thaw weathering. Data collected from northern Canada indicate that the temperature at which freezing occurs can vary substantially, even for the same site. Using exotherm and zero curtain observations from bricks, at angles of 90 and 45, aligned to the four cardinal aspects, the various temperatures at which water froze are shown. Bricks on the north and east commonly did exhibit freezing, based on exotherms, within the window ?1 to ?5 C, while data for the south and west aspects showed substantial variation, with freezes sometimes between ?6·4 and ?8·9 C. The data were evaluated for evidence of zero curtain effects (indicative of water freezing), but no unequivocal events could be found, and it is suggested that, at the scale of observation used here, they are unlikely. It would therefore appear that the use of thermal thresholds may not be meaningful for evaluation of freeze–thaw events. The available data also indicate many instances when temperatures went substantially sub‐zero (e.g. ?20 C) and yet no indication of water freezing occurred – most likely because there was no water available to freeze. This indicates that any form of freeze–thaw event counting, in the absence of some indicator of the presence of water and that it actually froze, is flawed, as thermal conditions alone are not adequate to indicate the occurrence or not of actual freeze–thaw weathering events. These data suggest that evaluations of freeze–thaw occurrence based simply on thermal thresholds may be substantially in error. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Defect distribution and dissolution morphologies on low-index surfaces of α-quartz

The dissolution of prismatic and rhombohedral quartz surfaces by KOH/H₂O solutions was investigated by atomic force microscopy. Rates of dissolution of different classes of surface features (e.g., steps, voids, and dislocation etch pits) were measured. The prismatic surface etched almost two orders of magnitude faster than the rhombohedral surface, mostly due to the difference in the number and the rate of dissolution of extended defects, such as dislocations. Because of the presence of imperfect twin boundaries, defect densities on the prismatic surface were estimated at 50-100 μm⁻², whereas the rhombohedral surface possessed only ∼0.5-1.0 μm⁻², mostly in the form of crystal voids. Crystal voids etched almost one order of magnitude faster on the prismatic surface than on the rhombohedral surface due to differences in the number and the density of steps formed by voids on the different surfaces. In the absence of extended defects, both surfaces underwent step-wise dissolution at similar rates. Average rates of step retreat were comparable on both surfaces (∼3-5 nm/h on the prismatic surface and ∼5-10 nm/h on the rhombohedral surface). Prolonged dissolution left the prismatic surface reshaped to a hill-and-valley morphology, whereas the rhombohedral surface dissolved to form coalescing arrays of oval-shaped etch pits.     

Large-scale Vertical Momentum,Kinetic Energy and Moisture Fluxes in the Antarctic Sea-ice Region

There are very strong thermal gradients between the Antarctic continent and the sea-ice zone, and between that zone and the ocean to the north. As a result of these contrasts the sea-ice domain is one of strong cyclogenesis and high cyclone frequency. In this study we explore many aspects of that cyclonic behaviour and investigate the manner in which these systems influence, and are influenced by, the sea ice. Using the NCEP-DOE re-analyses (1979–2002) we have determined variables that are proportional to the mean of the wind stress and the mean rate at which mechanical energy is imparted to the surface. Using two decompositions of the wind field we have obtained estimates of how much of these fluxes are contributed to by the transient eddies. We find these to be significant over the sea ice and the ocean to the north, particularly when a new decomposition is used. The presence of frequent and vigorous cyclones is a central factor that determines the positive mean freshwater flux over the sea-ice zone in all seasons. This transfer to the ocean is smallest in summer (0.49 mm day⁻¹) and assumes a maximum of 1.27 mm day⁻¹ in winter.