Lithosphere thermal structure at the eastern margin of the Bohemian Massif: a case petrological and geophysical study of the Nied?wied? amphibolite massif (SW Poland)

The crustal section beneath amphibolite Nied?wied? Massif (Fore-Sudetic Block in NE Bohemian Massif), modelled on the basis of geological and seismic data, is dominated by gneisses with subordinate granites (upper and middle crust) and melagabbros (lower crust). The geotherm was calculated based on the chemical analyses of the heat-producing elements in the rocks forming the crust and the measurements of their density and heat conductivity. The results were verified by heat flow calculations based on temperature measurements from 1,600?m deep well in the Nied?wied? Massif and by temperature–depth estimates in mantle xenoliths coming from the nearby ca. 4.5?My basanite plug in Lutynia. The paleoclimate-corrected heat flow in the Nied?wied? Massif is 69.5?mW?m^?2, and the mantle heat flow is 28?mW?m^?2. The mantle beneath the Massif was located marginally relative to the areas of intense Cenozoic thermal rejuvenation connected with alkaline volcanism. This results in geotherm which is representative for lithosphere parts located at the margins of zones of continental alkaline volcanism and at its waning stages. The lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB) beneath Nied?wied? is located between 90 and 100?km depth and supposedly the rheological change at LAB is not related to the appearance of melt.     

The cryosphere and glacial permafrost as its integral component

Since Earth sciences have undertaken studies of other celestial bodies, its various fields have moved beyond the scope of study assigned to them by name. Interest in space makes it necessary to abandon research geocentrism and reverse relations when comparing the structure of the Earth with other celestial bodies. As an exceptional place in the universe, it should not be the Earth which constitutes a reference point, especially in cryospheric research, but rather the other celestial bodies of our planetary system. This approach, referred to as ??Spatial Uniformitarianism,?? is the basis for determining the place of ice in the environment and for assigning it to the lithosphere. Ice can be penetrated by frost just as other minerals and rocks, so the occurrence of permafrost may yet be attributed to glaciers and ice-caps. In the article, the occurrence of glacial permafrost has been worked out on the basis of a thermal classification of glaciers with a thorough understanding of the phenomenon. This allows us to specify permafrost??s presence beneath glaciers and ice-caps, a concept which had been needlessly vague. Further, by considering rock glaciers as a mixture of two types of rocks, and by understanding the importance of movement in their evolution, we are now closer to fruitfully determining their role in the environment, their geomorphological significance.     

3D Lagrangian modelling of saltating particles diffusion in turbulent water flow

A 3D Lagrangian model of the saltation of solid spherical particles on the bed of an open channel flow, accounting for turbulence-induced mechanisms, is proposed and employed as the key tool of the study. The differences between conventional 2D models and a proposed 3D saltation model are discussed and the advantages of the 3D model are highlighted. Particularly, the 3D model includes a special procedure allowing generation of 3D flow velocity fields. This procedure is based on the assumption that the spectra of streamwise, vertical and transverse velocity components are known at any distance from the bed. The 3D model was used to identify and quantify effects of turbulence on particle entrainment and saltation. The analysis of particle trajectories focused on their diffusive nature, clarifying: (i) the effect of particle mobility parameter; (ii) the effect of bed topography; and (iii) the effect of turbulence. Specifically, the results of numerical simulations describing the abovementioned effects on the change in time of the variance are presented. In addition, the change in time of the skewness and kurtosis, which are likely to reflect the turbulence influence on the spread of particles, are also shown. Two different diffusion regimes (local and intermediate) for each of the investigated flow conditions are confidently identified.     

Studies of aerosols advected to coastal areas with the use of remote techniques

This paper presents the results of the studies of aerosol optical properties measured using lidars and sun photometers. We describe two case studies of the combined measurements made in two coastal zones in Crete in 2006 and in Rozewie on the Baltic Sea in 2009. The combination of lidar and sun photometer measurements provides comprehensive information on both the total aerosol optical thickness in the entire atmosphere as well as the vertical structure of aerosol optical properties. Combination of such information with air mass back-trajectories and data collected at stations located on the route of air masses provides complete picture of the aerosol variations in the study area both vertically and horizontally. We show that such combined studies are especially important in the coastal areas where depending on air mass advection directions and altitudes the influence of fine or coarse mode (in this case possibly sea-salt) particles on the vertical structure of aerosol optical properties is an important issue to consider.     

Study of vertical structure of aerosol optical properties with sun photometers and ceilometer during the MACRON campaign in 2007

This paper presents the measurements of a vertical structure of aerosol optical properties performed during the MACRON (Maritime Aerosol, Clouds and Radiation Observation in Norway) campaign, which took place in July and August 2007 at ALOMAR observatory on Andøya island (69.279°N, 16.009°E, elevation 380 m a.s.l.). The mean value of the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) at 500 nm during campaign was 0.12. Significant increase of the AOT above longtime mean value was observed on 7 and 8 August 2007 when the AOT exceeded 0.4 at 500 nm. Analyses of back trajectories show the aerosol transported from over Africa and Central Europe. The aerosol extinction coefficient obtained from the synergy of ceilometer and sun photometer observations reached 0.05–0.08 km^?1 (at 1064 nm) in the dust layer. The single scattering albedo at the ALOMAR observatory decreased during the dust episode to 0.93–0.94, which indicates some absorptive aerosols in the lower PBL.     

The structure of the crust in TESZ area by kriging interpolation

A precise 3D model of the crust is necessary to start any tectonic or geodynamic interpretation. It is also essential for seismic interpretations of structures lying below as well as for correct analysis of shallow structures using reflection seismics. During the last decades, a number of wide-angle refraction experiments were performed on the territory of central and eastern Europe (POLONAISE’97, CELEBRATION 2000, SUDETES 2003), resulting in many high quality 2D models. It is an interesting and complicated transition zone between Precambrian and Palaeozoic Platforms. This paper presents 3D model of the velocity distribution in the crust and upper mantle interpolated from 2D models of the structure along 33 profiles. The obtained model extends to a depth of 50 km and accurately describes the main features of the crustal structures of Poland and surrounding areas. Different interpolation techniques (Kriging, linear) are compared to assure maximum precision. The final model with estimated uncertainty is an interesting reference of the area for other studies.     

Influence of Elevation Data Source on 2D Hydraulic Modelling

The aim of this paper is to analyse the influence of the source of various elevation data on hydraulic modelling in open channels. In the research, digital terrain models from different datasets were evaluated and used in two-dimensional hydraulic models. The following aerial and satellite elevation data were used to create the representation of terrain–digital terrain model: airborne laser scanning, image matching, elevation data collected in the LPIS, EuroDEM, and ASTER GDEM. From the results of five 2D hydrodynamic models with different input elevation data, the maximum depth and flow velocity of water were derived and compared with the results of the most accurate ALS data. For such an analysis a statistical evaluation and differences between hydraulic modelling results were prepared. The presented research proved the importance of the quality of elevation data in hydraulic modelling and showed that only ALS and photogrammetric data can be the most reliable elevation data source in accurate 2D hydraulic modelling.     

Wavelet Characteristics of Hydrological and Dissolved Oxygen Time Series in a Lowland River

In this study, we investigated the temporal variability of dissolved oxygen and water temperature in conjunction with water level fluctuations and river discharge in the Narew lowland river reach. For this purpose, high resolution hydrologic and water quality time series have been used. Spectral analyses of time series using continuous wavelet transform scheme have been applied in order to identify characteristic scales, its duration, and localisation in time. The results of wavelet analysis have shown a great number of periodicities in time series at the inter-annual time scale when compared to the classical Fourier analysis. Additionally, wavelet coherence revealed the complex nature of the relationship between dissolved oxygen and hydrological variables dependent on the scale and localisation in time. Hence, the results presented in this paper may provide an alternative representation to a frequency analysis of time series.     

Sublimation-driven evolution of the local radius and the moment of inertia of a long-period comet

In this paper we intend to analyze how the sublimation of ice from cometary nuclei affects changes of the moments of inertia. Our aim is to show general trends for different orientations of cometary nucleus’ rotation axis. Thus we apply numerical model of a hypothetical homogeneous and initially spherical nucleus composed of water ice and dust. As an example we present simulations for a model comet of the orbital elements and the nucleus size the same as determined for C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp, a widely analyzed long-period comet. We calculated water production from the nucleus and changes of the shape (initially spherical) and of the moment of inertia versus time. Simulations are performed for the full range (0–90°) of inclinations I of the rotation axis. The second paramater related to the orientation of the rotation axis is the argument Φ (0–360°). The heat conductivity of the nucleus spans over the vast range, 0.04–4 W m⁻¹ K⁻1.     

Geostatistical evaluation of magnetic indicators of forest soil contamination with heavy metals

The goal of the study was the geostatistical evaluation of quantitative magnetic measures, which can be used for effective delineation of the extent of the area polluted with heavy metals. Several parameters of magnetic susceptibility, measured in the soil profile, were proposed as magnetic indicators of soil pollution and analyzed in detail. The following parameters were calculated: maximum magnetic susceptibility, magnetic susceptibility at the depth of 3 cm and 5 cm, and the area under the curve of magnetic susceptibility. Measurements were performed at two forested study areas, located in Upper Silesian Industrial Area (Poland). Analyses were performed using geostatistical methods, and the results were verified using dense chemical measurements. The results showed that the area under curve of magnetic susceptibility was the most effective magnetic indicator of soil contamination with heavy metals. It was possible to detect the entire polluted area, and only about 16% of the study area was assumed to be contaminated while being unpolluted. The results obtained with maximum magnetic susceptibility and magnetic susceptibility at the depth of 3 cm and 5 cm were less effective in comparison with the area under curve of magnetic susceptibility.