Variations in temperature and extent of Atlantic Water in the northern North Atlantic during the Holocene

We compare six high-resolution Holocene, sediment cores along a S–N transect on the Norwegian–Svalbard continental margin from ca 60°N to 77.4°N, northern North Atlantic. Planktonic foraminifera in the cores were investigated to show the changes in upper surface and subsurface water mass distribution and properties, including summer sea-surface temperatures (SST). The cores are located below the axis of the Norwegian Current and the West Spitsbergen Current, which today transport warm Atlantic Water to the Arctic. Sediment accumulation rates are generally high at all the core sites, allowing for a temporal resolution of 10–10² years. SST is reconstructed using different types of transfer functions, resulting in very similar SST trends, with deviations of no more than ±1.0/1.5 °C. A transfer function based on the maximum likelihood statistical approach is found to be most relevant. The reconstruction documents an abrupt change in planktonic foraminiferal faunal composition and an associated warming at the Younger Dryas–Preboreal transition. The earliest part of the Holocene was characterized by large temperature variability, including the Preboreal Oscillations and the 8.2 k event. In general, the early Holocene was characterized by SSTs similar to those of today in the south and warmer than today in the north, and a smaller S–N temperature gradient (0.23 °C/°N) compared to the present temperature gradient (0.46 °C/°N). The southern proxy records (60–69°N) were more strongly influenced by slightly cooler subsurface water probably due to the seasonality of the orbital forcing and increased stratification due to freshening. The northern records (72–77.4°N) display a millennial-scale change associated with reduced insolation and a gradual weakening of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC). The observed northwards amplification of the early Holocene warming is comparable to the pattern of recent global warming and future climate modelling, which predicts greater warming at higher latitudes. The overall trend during mid and late Holocene was a cooling in the north, stable or weak warming in the south, and a maximum S–N SST gradient of ca 0.7 °C/°N at 5000 cal. years BP. Superimposed on this trend were several abrupt temperature shifts. Four of these shifts, dated to 9000–8000, 5500–3000 and 1000 and 400 cal. years BP, appear to be global, as they correlate with periods of global climate change. In general, there is a good correlation between the northern North Atlantic temperature records and climate records from Norway and Svalbard.     

P‐wave velocity distribution in basalt flows of the Enni Formation in the Faroe Islands from refraction seismic analysis

The main objective of this work is to establish the applicability of shallow surface‐seismic traveltime tomography in basalt‐covered areas. A densely sampled ～1300‐m long surface seismic profile, acquired as part of the SeiFaBa project in 2003 ( Japsen et al. 2006 ) at Glyvursnes in the Faroe Islands, served as the basis to evaluate the performance of the tomographic method in basalt‐covered areas. The profile is centred at a ～700‐m deep well. V_P, V_S and density logs, a zero‐offset VSP, downhole‐geophone recordings and geological mapping in the area provided good means of control. The inversion was performed with facilities of the Wide Angle Reflection/Refraction Profiling program package ( Ditmar et al. 1999 ). We tested many inversion sequences while varying the inversion parameters. Modelled traveltimes were verified by full‐waveform modelling. Typically an inversion sequence consists in several iterations that proceed until a satisfactory solution is reached. However, in the present case with high velocity contrasts in the subsurface we obtained the best result with two iterations: first obtaining a smooth starting model with small traveltime residuals by inverting with a high smoothing constraint and then inverting with the lowest possible smoothing constraint to allow the inversion to have the full benefit of the traveltime residuals. The tomogram gives usable velocity information for the near‐surface geology in the area but fails to reproduce the expected velocity distribution of the layered basalt flows. Based on the analysis of the tomogram and geological mapping in the area, a model was defined that correctly models first arrivals from both surface seismic data and downhole‐geophone data.     

Accumulation of Copper and Zinc in Danish Agricultural Soils in Intensive Pig Production Areas

Geografisk Tidsskrift, Danish Journal of Geography 105(2):15–22, 2005

The change of Cu and Zn concentrations in Danish agricultural soils was studied in areas with intensive pig production. Cu and Zn are found in pig manure as the metals are added to pig feed as growth promoters. The changes in concentrations of total and 0.02 MEDTA extractable Cu and Zn in soils from 1986 to 1998 were determined from samples taken at two depths (0–25 cm and 25–50 cm) from 73 sites. Pig manure and mineral fertilizer was added to 60 sites whereas fertilizer only was used on 13 sites. During the survey period soil Cu concentrations increased in both depths but mostly in the sites where pig manure was added. Furthermore, the results indicated that some plant-available Cu and Zn were transported from the topsoil to the subsoil. No significant change in soil Zn concentration was found although a slight reduction was observed. Comparing soil metal concentrations observed in 1998 to the total pig manure application in a 12-year period, it was observed that application of manure caused an accumulation of Cu and of Zn in the upper 50 cm soil. The accumulation rates correspond to the Cu and Zn concentrations in the pig manure.     

Meteorological Observations in 1995 at the Arctic Station,Qeqertarsuaq (Godhavn), Central West Greenland/Concentrational Agriculture: Types,Functions, and Derivation/Den Danske Nationalkomité for Geografi

In October 1990 an automatic meteorological station was established at the Arctic Station (69°15'N, 53°31'W), Qeqertarsuaq (Godhavn), Central West Greenland, The station register parameters each 20 min, and the parameters have been described in an earlier paper in this journal by Nielsen et al. (1995). The present paper summarises main points of the climate during 1995.

Concentrational agriculture, defined as types of agriculture based on local concentration of plant nutrients, encompasses two main types: shifting cultivation and infield-outfield systems. They may ecologically be characterised by their mode of concentration: either by a vertical or a horisontal transfer (‘pumping’) of nutrients, respectively. The use of the general term ‘concentrational agriculture’ for the two forms is advocated by demonstrating that functional substitution of one by the other is possible, and by showing that the one type theoretically can be derived from the other. Historically, infield-outfield systems are supposed to be developed from some form of shifting cultivation.

Kort beretning om virksomheden i 1995

Justering af medlemskredsen. I forbindelse med valg af repræsentanter fandt en justering af repræsentationsområder sled (Århus Universilet har ikke længere fagområdet ‘kulturgeografi’). Videnskabernes Selskab har i samme forbindelse bifaldet, at fire observatører, repræsenterende undervisningstrinene i geografi deltager i møderne.     

Airborne Gravimetry Survey for the Marine Area of the United Arab Emirates

The Military Survey Department (MSD) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) undertook an airborne gravity survey project for the marine area of the country in 2009, especially to strengthen the marine and coastal geoid in the near-shore regions. For the airborne gravity survey, 5 km spacing coast-parallel flight lines were planned and surveyed. These lines were supplemented by cross-lines in order to assess the quality of the airborne gravity surveys. The flight lines were extended 10 km, spacing lines further offshore. A Beech King Air 350 aircraft was used for the surveys, collecting data at a typical flight speed of 170 knots and a typical flight elevation of 900–1500 m, depending on weather conditions and topography. Gravity was measured with a ZLS-modified LaCoste and Romberg gravimeter (S-99), augmented with a Honeywell strap-down inertial navigation system unit. The estimated accuracy for the airborne gravity data is better than 2.0 mGal r.m.s., as judged from the airborne track crossovers. The new airborne gravimetry data changed the UAE coastal geoid by up to 30 cm in some regions, highlighting the importance of airborne gravity coastal surveys.     

Modelling the dynamics of snow cover, soil frost and surface ice in Norwegian grasslands

Studying the winter survival of forage grasses under a changing climate requires models that can simulate the dynamics of soil conditions at low temperatures. We developed a simple model that simulates depth of snow cover, the lower frost boundary of the soil and the freezing of surface puddles. We calibrated the model against independent data from four locations in Norway, capturing climatic variation from south to north (Arctic) and from coastal to inland areas. We parameterized the model by means of Bayesian calibration, and identified the least important model parameters using the sensitivity analysis method of Morris. Verification of the model suggests that the results are reasonable. Because of the simple model structure, some overestimation occurs in snow and frost depth. Both the calibration and the sensitivity analysis suggested that the snow cover module could be simplified with respect to snowmelt and liquid water content. The soil frost module should be kept unchanged, whereas the surface ice module should be changed when more detailed topographical data become available, such as better estimates of the fraction of the land area where puddles may form.     

On the role of domain size and resolution in the simulations with the HIRHAM region climate model

We investigate the simulated temperature and precipitation of the HIRHAM regional climate model using systematic variations in domain size, resolution and detailed location in a total of eight simulations. HIRHAM was forced by ERA-Interim boundary data and the simulations focused on higher resolutions in the range of 5.5–12 km. HIRHAM outputs of seasonal precipitation and temperature were assessed by calculating distributed model errors against a higher resolution data set covering Denmark and a 0.25° resolution data set covering Europe. Furthermore the simulations were statistically tested against the Danish data set using bootstrap statistics. The results from the distributed validation of precipitation showed lower errors for the winter (DJF) season compared to the spring (MAM), fall (SON) and, in particular, summer (JJA) seasons for both validation data sets. For temperature, the pattern was in the opposite direction, with the lowest errors occurring for the JJA season. These seasonal patterns between precipitation and temperature are seen in the bootstrap analysis. It also showed that using a 4,000 × 2,800 km simulation with an 11 km resolution produced the highest significance levels. Also, the temperature errors were more highly significant than precipitation. In similarly sized domains, 12 of 16 combinations of variables, observation validation data and seasons showed better results for the highest resolution domain, but generally the most significant improvements were seen when varying the domain size.     

Spinels in Harzburgite and Lherzolite inclusions from the San Giovanni Ilarione Quarry,Lessini Mountains,Veneto Region,Italy

Summary Chrome-bearing spinels in 21 ultramafic nodules contained in a basanite from San Giovanni Ilarione (SGI), Veneto Region, Italy, have been grouped from a textural and chemical standpoint into five types: (1) Interstitial, surrounded by silicates, homogeneous, with a Cr/(Cr + Al) ratio averaging 0.11; (2) Within alteration pods and veinlets, in contact with either silicates or alteration products, showing zonation with Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺), Cr, and Ti increasing and Al decreasing from core to rim; (3) In contact with the basalt or surrounded by basalt but distinct from ground-mass grains. The former are strongly zoned while the latter, referred to as xenocrysts, are relatively homogeneous. Both belong to a trend distinct from that of (2); (4) Symplectic, intergrown with pyroxenes and homogeneous, or in contact with plagioclase and/or reaction products and showing more variable composition than the former. Both are generally richer in Cr than all other spinet types and define a trend parallel to and with higher Cr/(Cr + Al) and Cr values than that of (3); and (5) groundmass grains within the host basalt, showing lower Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺) and Cr/(Cr + Al), and higher Fe values than for all other, types.Group 1 spinels and the cores of group 2 and group 3 spinets display very similar compositions, suggesting a common origin, modified by later events such as partial melting, solid-liquid reactions, and subsolidus reactions which occurred prior to, during, and subsequent to interaction with the host basalt. Group 2 and 3 spinels define trends diverging from a common composition—i.e., the same origin. Group 4 spinels are probably due to exsolution which occurred after formation of the original spinels, while group 5 spinels are not directly related to types 1–4.

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Spinelle in Harzbugit- und Lherzolitheinschlüssen vom Steinbruch San Giovanni Ilarione, Lessini-Berge, Region Veneto, Italien

Zusammenfassung Chromhaltige Spinelle 21 ultramafischer Knollen aus einem Basanit von San Giovanni Ilarione (SGI), Region Veneto, Italien, wurden nach texturellen und chemischen Gesichtspunkten in fünf Gruppen eingeteilt: 1. Interstitiell, von Silikaten umgeben, mit einem durchschnittlichen Cr/(Cr + Al)-Verhältnis von 0,11.2. In Umwandlungstaschen und -gängchen, in Kontakt entweder mit Silikaten oder mit Umwandlungsprodukten, zoniert mit Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺), Cr und Ti vom Kern zum Rand zunehmend, Al aber abnehmend. 3. Im Kontakt zum Basalt oder vom Basalt umgeben, aber von den Körnern der Grundmasse verschieden. Die ersteren sind stark zonar, während die Letzteren, die als Xenokrysten angesehen werden, relativ homogen sind. Beide gehören zu einem Trend, welcher von jenem der Gruppe 2 verschieden ist. 4. Simplektitisch, mit Pyroxenen verwachen und homogen, oder im Kontakt zu Plagioklas und/oder Reaktionsprodukten und von variablerer Zusammensetzung ab die ersteren. Beide sind allgemein reicher an Cr als alle anderen Spinelltypen und sie definieren einen Trend parallel zu und mit höheren Cr/(Cr + Al)- und Cr- Werten als jene von Gruppe 3. 5. Körner der Grundmasse des Wirtsbasaltes, die niedrigere Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺)- und Cr/(Cr + Al)- Werte und höhere Fe-Werte zeigen als alle anderen Typen.Die Spinelle der Gruppe 1 und die Kerne der Spinelle der Gruppen 2 und 3 zeigen sehr ähnliche Zusammensetzungen, die auf einen gemeinsamen Ursprung hinweisen, der später modifiziert wurde durch Ereignisse wie partielles Schmelzen, fest-flüssig-Reaktionen und subsolidus-Reaktionen, die vor, wärend und nach der Wechselwirkung mit dem Wirtsbasalt stattfanden. Die Spinelle der Gruppen 2 und 3 definieren Trends, die von einer gemeinsamen Zusammensetzung und damit von einem gemeinsamen Ursprung her auseinanderlaufen Spinelle der Gruppe 4 entstanden wahrscheinlich durch Entmischung, die nach Bildung der Ursprungsspinele eintrat, während die Spinelle der Gruppe 5 zu denen der Gruppen 1 bis 4 in keiner direkten Beziehung stehen.