Chemical alteration of tephra in the depositional environment: theoretical stability modelling

The study of the chemical stability of vitreous material in aqueous media is well‐established. There has to date been little consideration of the implications of variations in the chemical durability of tephra in Quaternary tephrochronology. Chemical alteration can take the form of cationic leaching from the matrix, or complete destruction of the silica network, either of which could constrain the ability to chemically identify distal tephra. Here we apply established models of vitreous durability to the published chemical analyses of a large number of Icelandic tephras in order to predict their relative durabilities under equivalent conditions. This suggests that some important tephras have relatively poor chemical stability, and that rhyolitic tephras are, in general, more stable than basaltic. We conclude that tephras should be expected to show predictable differential chemical stability in the post‐depositional environment. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nitrogen uptake,ammonium oxidation and nitrous oxide (N2O) levels in the coastal waters of western Cook Strait,New Zealand

Vertical measurements of $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, $\text{NO}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ and N₂O concentrations, $\text{NO}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ and $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ uptake, and $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ oxidation rates were measured at 5 sites in western Cook Strait, New Zealand, between 31 March and 3 April 1983. Nitrate increased with depth at all stations reaching a maximum of 10.5 μg-atom $\text{NO}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{N l}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ at the most strongly stratified station whereas $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ was relatively constant with depth at all stations (～0.1 μg-atom $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{N l}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$). The highest rates of $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ oxidation generally occurred in the near surface waters and decreased with depth. N₂O levels were near saturation with respect to the air above the sea surface and showed no obvious changes during 24 h incubation. $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ oxidation by nitrifying bacteria may account for about 30% of the total $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ utilization (i.e. bacterial+agal) and, assuming oxidation through to $\text{NO}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{?}}$, may supply about 40% of the algal requirements of $\text{NO}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ in the study area. These results suggest that bacterial nitrification is of potential importance to the nitrogen dynamics of the western Cook Strait, particularly with respect to the nitrogen demands of the phytoplankton.     

Precursory slope distress prior to the 2010 Mount Meager landslide,British Columbia

In 2010, the south flank of Mount Meager failed catastrophically, generating the largest (53 ± 3.8 × 10⁶ m³) landslide in Canadian history. We document the slow deformation of the edifice prior to failure using archival historic aerial photographs spanning the period 1948–2006. All photos were processed using Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. We used the SfM products to produce pre-and post-failure geomorphic maps that document changes in the volcanic edifice and Capricorn Glacier at its base. The photographic dataset shows that the Capricorn Glacier re-advanced from a retracted position in the 1980s then rapidly retreated in the lead-up to the 2010 failure. The dataset also documents 60 years of progressive development of faults, toe bulging, and precursory failures in 1998 and 2009. The 2010 collapse was conditioned by glacial retreat and triggered by hot summer weather that caused ice and snow to melt. Meltwater increased pore water pressures in colluvium and fractured rocks at the base of the slope, causing those materials to mobilize, which in turn triggered several secondary failures structurally controlled by lithology and faults. The landslide retrogressed from the base of the slope to near the peak of Mount Meager involving basement rock and the overlying volcanic sequence. Elsewhere on the flanks of Mount Meager, large fractures have developed in recently deglaciated areas, conditioning these slopes for future collapse. Potential failures in these areas have larger volumes than the 2010 landslide. Anticipated atmospheric warming over the next several decades will cause further loss of snow and glacier ice, likely producing additional slope instability. Satellite- and ground-based monitoring of these slopes can provide advanced warning of future landslides to help reduce risk in populated regions downstream.     

Developing coastal adaptation to climate change in the New York City infrastructure-shed: process, approach, tools, and strategies

While current rates of sea level rise and associated coastal flooding in the New York City region appear to be manageable by stakeholders responsible for communications, energy, transportation, and water infrastructure, projections for sea level rise and associated flooding in the future, especially those associated with rapid icemelt of the Greenland and West Antarctic Icesheets, may be outside the range of current capacity because extreme events might cause flooding beyond today??s planning and preparedness regimes. This paper describes the comprehensive process, approach, and tools for adaptation developed by the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC) in conjunction with the region??s stakeholders who manage its critical infrastructure, much of which lies near the coast. It presents the adaptation framework and the sea-level rise and storm projections related to coastal risks developed through the stakeholder process. Climate change adaptation planning in New York City is characterized by a multi-jurisdictional stakeholder?Cscientist process, state-of-the-art scientific projections and mapping, and development of adaptation strategies based on a risk-management approach.     

An Intercomparison of Large-Eddy Simulations of the Stable Boundary Layer

Results are presented from the first intercomparison of large-eddy simulation (LES) models for the stable boundary layer (SBL), as part of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment Atmospheric Boundary Layer Study initiative. A moderately stable case is used, based on Arctic observations. All models produce successful simulations, in as much as they generate resolved turbulence and reflect many of the results from local scaling theory and observations. Simulations performed at 1-m and 2-m resolution show only small changes in the mean profiles compared to coarser resolutions. Also, sensitivity to subgrid models for individual models highlights their importance in SBL simulation at moderate resolution (6.25 m). Stability functions are derived from the LES using typical mixing lengths used in numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate models. The functions have smaller values than those used in NWP. There is also support for the use of K-profile similarity in parametrizations. Thus, the results provide improved understanding and motivate future developments of the parametrization of the SBL.     

Small-scale mantle flows and induced lithospheric stress near island arcs

Summary. This paper explores the middle ground between complex thermally-coupled viscous flow models and simple corner flow models of island arc environments. The calculation retains the density-driven nature of convection and relaxes the geometrical constraints of corner flow, yet still provides semianalytical solutions for velocity and stress. A novel aspect of the procedure is its allowance for a coupled elastic lithosphere on top of a Newtonian viscous mantle. Initially, simple box-like density drivers illustrate how vertical and horizontal forces are transmitted through the mantle and how the lithosphere responds by trench formation. The flexural strength of the lithosphere spatially broadens the surface topography and gravity anomalies relative to the functional form of the vertical flow stresses applied to the plate base. I find that drivers in the form of inclined subducting slabs cannot induce self-driven parallel flow; however, the necessary flow can be provided by supplying a basal drag of 1–5 MPa to the mantle from the oceanic lithosphere. These basal drag forces create regional lithospheric stress and they should be quantifiable through seismic observations of the neutral surface. The existence of a shallow elevated phase transition is suggested in two slab models of 300 km length where a maximum excess density of 0.2 g cm⁻³ was needed to generate an acceptable mantle flow. A North New Hebrides subduction model which satisfies flow requirements and reproduces general features of topography and gravity contains a high shear stress zone (75 MPa) around the upper slab surface to a depth of 150 km and a deviatoric tensional stress in the back arc to a depth of 70 km. The lithospheric stress state of this model suggests that slab detachment is possible through whole plate fracture.     

Southern high latitude climate variability in the Late Cretaceous greenhouse world

A palynological study of oil exploration wells in the Gippsland Basin southeastern Australia has provided a record of southern high latitude climate variability for the last 12 million years of the Cretaceous greenhouse world. During this time, the vegetation was dominated by a cool to temperate flora of Podocarpaceae, Proteaceae and Nothofagidites spp. at a latitude of 60°S. Milankovitch forced cyclic alternations from drier to wetter climatic periods caused vegetation variability from 72 to 77 Ma. This climate change was probably related to the waxing and waning of ephemeral (100 ky) small ice sheets in Antarctica during times of insolation minima and maxima. Drying and cooling after 72 Ma culminated from 68 to 66 Ma, mirroring trends in global δ¹⁸O data. Quantitative palynofloral analyses have the potential to provide realistic proxies for small-scale climate variability in the predominantly ice-free Late Cretaceous.