Aviation-Contrail Impacts on Climate and Climate Change: A Ready-to-Wear Research Mantle for Geographers

Although geographers are highly visible in research into contemporary climate changes accompanying greenhouse gas increases (“global warming”), a relatively little explored component by them is the impact of aviation. This contrasts with the atmospheric science community of cloud physicists, chemists, and numerical modelers, who use geographic tools of trade. Geographers are well positioned to investigate aviation-climate impacts, especially related to contrail clouds, given geographic traditions of environment, spatial variation, regionalization, generalization, and the integrative approach to studying physical and human systems (here, climate, transportation, and energy). We highlight the role played by geographers in contrail-climate studies and advocate for a broader involvement in aviation policy formulation.     

Structure of the inhomogeneities of the fields of temperature,wind, and humidity in the tropical tropopause layer and lower stratosphere over West Africa (Burkina Faso, 2006)

Data are presented on some structure parameters of mesoscale turbulence mechanisms playing a significant role in the troposphere-stratosphere exchange in the tropical tropopause layer and in the lower stratosphere. The data are obtained in the framework of the international aircraft AMMA experiment in Burkina Faso (West Africa) in August 2006.     

Gravity change and land uplift in Fennoscandia 1966–1984

An analysis is made of the results from all repeated gravity measurements of the Fennoscandian land uplift gravity line 63°. The line is, thereby, divided into two separate parts: one part west of the land uplift maximum, and the other part east of the land uplift maximum. A statistically significant change of gravity is found both for the western part and the eastern one. Both parts give a relation between gravity change and land uplift of about ?0.22μgal/mm.     

Regularized derivatives of potential fields and their role in semi-automated interpretation methods

Evaluation of higher derivatives (gradients) of potential fields plays an important role in geophysical interpretation (qualitative and/or quantitative), as has been demonstrated in many approaches and methods. On the other hand, numerical evaluation of higher derivatives is an unstable process – it has the tendency to enlarge the noise content in the original data (to degrade the signal-to-noise ratio). One way to stabilize higher derivative evaluation is the utilization of the Tikhonov regularization. In the submitted contribution we present the derivation of the regularized derivative filter in the Fourier domain as a minimization task by means of using the classical calculus of variations. A very important part of the presented approach is the selection of the optimum regularization parameter – we are using the analysis of the C-norm function (constructed from the difference between two adjacent solutions, obtained for different values of regularization parameter). We show the influence of regularized derivatives on the properties of the classical 3D Euler deconvolution algorithm and apply it to high-sensitivity magnetometry data obtained from an unexploded ordnance detection survey. The solution obtained with regularized derivatives gives better focused depth-estimates, which are closer to the real position of sources (verified by excavation of unexploded projectiles).     

INTEGRATION OF CARTOGRAPHIC AND REMOTE SENSING METHODS

The history of the joint use of maps and air photos/space imagery in geographic problem solving is examined, as are general problems which must be addressed before more complete consolidation of map use and image interpretation methods will be possible. The relatively new field of geoiconics, encompassing image theory, processing, and interpretation, is proposed as a branch of knowledge promoting the integration of cartography and remote sensing rather than a megafield that will ultimately replace them. Translated from: Geografiya i prirodnyye resursy, 1985, No. 4, pp. 11-22.     

The Velocity Field and Kinematics of the Galaxy NGC 784 in the Hα Line

In this paper we present the H map, the 2D velocity field and the rotation curve of the galaxy NGC 784 obtained with the ByuFOSC2 scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, attached at the prime focus of the 2.6-m telescope of Byurakan Observatory. The H image shows several HII condensations along the major axis of the galaxy. The galaxy has an asymmetric distribution of the H emission. The rotation curve is quite symmetric with a low gradient in the central part of the galaxy.     

Evolution of the north flank of Tenerife by recurrent giant landslides

Geomorphologic analysis of submarine and subaerial surface features using a combined topographic/bathymetric digital elevation model coupled with onshore geological and geophysical data constrain the age and geometry of giant landslides affecting the north flank of Tenerife. Shaded relief and contour maps, and topographic profiles of the submarine north flank, permit the identification of two generations of post-shield landslides. Older landslide materials accumulated near the shore (<40-km) and comprise 700 km³ of debris. Thickening towards a prominent axis suggests one major landslide deposit. Younger landslide materials accumulated 40–70 km offshore and comprise the products of three major landslides: the La Orotava landslide complex, the Icod landslide and the East Dorsal landslide complex, each with an onshore scar, a proximal submarine trough, and a distal deposit lobe. Estimated lobe volumes are 80, 80 and 100 km³, respectively. The old post-shield landslide scar is an amphitheatre, 20–25 km wide, partly submarine, now completely filled with younger materials. Age–width relationships for Tenerife's coastal platform plus onshore geological constraints suggest an age of ca. 3 Ma for the old collapse. Young landslides are all less than 560 ka old. The La Orotava and Icod slides involved failures of slabs of subaerial flank to form the subaerial La Orotava and Icod valleys. Offshore, they excavated troughs by sudden loading and basal erosion of older slide debris. The onshore East Dorsal slide also triggered secondary failure of older debris offshore. The slab-like geometry of young failures was controlled by weak layers, deep drainage channels and flank truncation by marine erosion. The (partly) submarine geometry of the older amphitheatre reflects the absence of these features. Relatively low H/L ratios for the young slides are attributed to filling of the slope break at the base of the submarine edifice by old landslide materials, low aspect ratios of the failed slabs and channelling within troughs. Post-shield landslides on Tenerife correlate with major falls in sea level, reflecting increased rates of volcanism and coastal erosion, and reduced support for the flank. Landslide head zones have strongly influenced the pattern of volcanism on Tenerife, providing sites for major volcanic centres.     

Nature and significance of the Neoproterozoic Sturtian–Marinoan Boundary,Northern Adelaide Geosyncline,South Australia

The Cryogenian succession of the Northern Flinders Ranges reveals a complex sedimentary record between the Sturtian and Marinoan glacial deposits. A major unconformity separates the Sturtian and Marinoan-aged sedimentary successions in the area. This forms a subaerial erosion surface with terrestrial and marginal marine infill directly above the Angepena and Balcanoona Formations in their respective localities. This exposure surface is here correlated with the previously documented submarine unconformity between the Yankaninna Formation and the underlying deep marine Tapley Hill Formation. This erosional event provides a chronostratigraphic marker horizon that coincides approximately with thepreviously defined Sturtian–Marinoan Time Series boundary in the Northern Flinders Ranges. These stratigraphic relationships also constrain lateral facies relationships between the Oodnaminta ReefComplex (Balcanoona Formation) and the Angepena Formation. Similarly, the shallow-water Weetootla Dolomite is correlated with the deeper water carbonates of the Yankaninna Formation.     

A Colliding-Winds Interpretation of the U Orbital Variation of the Symbiotic Binary AG Pegasi

The photometric U orbital variations of the symbiotic binary AG Peg, caused by occultation of a bright gaseous region by the M giant in this system, are used to determine the geometry of this region whose existence is explained in the framework of the colliding winds model. The emission of the bright region varies and a particular value of its mean density of 2–3 10¹⁰ cm^-3 has been derived. The causes for the irregular variations of the light in the orbital minimum and maximum are discussed. It is also obtained, when the mass-loss rate of the hot companion of the system decreases to about 5 10^-10 Ms _⊙ yr^-1, this bright region will disappear. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Review of: “Making Population Geography”

Ryan, James R. Picturing Empire: Photography and theVisualization of the British Empire

Sizoo, Edith (ed.) Women's Lifeworlds: Women's Narratives on Shaping their Realities.

Teaford, Jon Post-Suburbia Government and Politics in the Edge Cities.

Warhus, Mark Another America: Native American Maps and the Historyof Our Land

Yeung, Y. M. and Chu, David K. Y. (eds.) Guangdong: Survey of aProvince Undergoing Rapid Change

Young, E. M. World Hunger