Wind‐driven depth‐averaged circulation in Queen Charlotte Sound and Hecate Strait

Abstract

We develop a wind‐driven depth‐averaged model of the circulation on the continental shelf around the Queen Charlotte Islands. The model captures a major feature of the winter current‐meter observations: a flow in Moresby Trough against the direction of the prevailing winds. Moresby Trough is a steep submarine canyon cutting across the shelf from the Pacific Ocean to the mainland. The flow patterns revealed by simulated drifters lead to four generalizations about the depth‐averaged, wind‐driven flow: (1) the flow is subject to strong topographic steering, (2) the exchange between Queen Charlotte Sound and the Pacific Ocean is limited to small regions near Cape St James and Cape Scott, (3) the exchange between Queen Charlotte Sound and Hecate Strait is controlled by Moresby Trough, and (4) the observed outflows past Cape St James are not explained by the dynamics of this model.     

Analysis of satellite‐based and in situ hydro‐climatic data depicts water storage depletion in North China Region

Water storage depletion is an increasing hydrological threat to agricultural production and social stability across the globe. It is fast approaching threshold levels especially in arid/semiarid regions with low precipitation and excessive evapotranspiration (ET). This study analyses water storage dynamics in the North China Region (NCR) – an important grain‐production base in China. It uses monthly Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) and field‐measured precipitation data products for 2002–2009. The datasets are analysed in a basin‐scale water balance equation to determine the state of storage in the NCR study area. Based on the validated satellite‐based data products with field‐measured values, average error/bias in the datasets is <10%. The analysis also shows favourable agreements among the GRACE‐derived and flux‐based storage changes at various temporal scales. Whereas the amplitudes and phases of the precipitation and ET fluxes are largely stable for 2002–2009, those of GLDAS runoff and GRACE total water storage anomaly apparently narrow out. The linear trends in the monthly, seasonal and annual storage changes are negative for the study period, suggesting storage loss. There is an apparent seasonality of storage change in the study area; with summer storage gain, winter storage loss and an overall storage loss that is on the average of 16.8 mm/yr. Storage loss is most severe in the central floodplain region (the main irrigated production zone) of the study area. Storage depletion in this important agro‐based semi‐arid region could have negative implications for the millions of people in the region and beyond in terms of water supply, crop production, food security and social stability. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analytical solution for 1D consolidation under haversine cyclic loading

Presented and discussed in this paper is an exact analytical solution of the nonhomogeneous partial differential equation governing the conventional one‐dimensional consolidation under haversine repeated loading. The derived analytical solution to the 1D consolidation equation is compared with the numerical solution of the same consolidation problem via FEM. The series solution takes into account the frequency of repeated loading through a dimensionless time factor T₀. The paper reveals that an increase in the frequency of imposed repeated haversine loading (a decrease in period of repeated loading) causes an increase in the number of cycles required to achieve the steady state, whereas the effect of frequency on the maximum excess pore water pressure at the bottom of a clay layer with permeable top and impermeable bottom for the range of frequencies studied is generally insignificant. The effective stress at the bottom of the clay deposit with permeable top and impermeable bottom increases with time but with some fluctuations without changing the sign. These fluctuations become more pronounced for increasing values of T₀. An increase in T₀ also causes an increase in maximum effective stress. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Paired bedrock and boulder 10Be concentrations resulting from early Holocene ice retreat near Jakobshavn Isfjord,western Greenland

We measured in situ cosmogenic ¹⁰Be in 16 bedrock and 14 boulder samples collected along a 40-km transect outside of and normal to the modern ice margin near Sikuijuitsoq Fjord in central-west Greenland (69°N). We use these data to understand better the efficiency of glacial erosion and to infer the timing, pattern, and rate of ice loss after the last glaciation. In general, the ages of paired bedrock and boulder samples are in close agreement (r² = 0.72). Eleven of the fourteen paired bedrock and boulder samples are indistinguishable at 1σ; this concordance indicates that subglacial erosion rates are sufficient to remove most or all ¹⁰Be accumulated during previous periods of exposure, and that few, if any, nuclides are inherited from pre-Holocene interglaciations. The new data agree well with previously-published landscape chronologies from this area, and suggest that two chronologically-distinct land surfaces exist: one outside the Fjord Stade moraine complex (～10.3 ± 0.4 ka; n = 7) and another inside (～8.0 ± 0.7 ka; n = 21). Six ¹⁰Be ages from directly outside the historic (Little Ice Age) moraine show that the ice margin first reached its present-day position ～7.6 ± 0.4 ka. Early Holocene ice margin retreat rates after the deposition of the Fjord Stade moraine complex were ～100–110 m yr^?1. Sikuijuitsoq Fjord is a tributary to the much larger Jakobshavn Isfjord and the deglaciation chronologies of these two fjords are similar. This synchronicity suggests that the ice stream in Jakobshavn Isfjord set the timing and pace of early Holocene deglaciation of the surrounding ice margin.     

Climate-induced boreal forest change: Predictions versus current observations

For about three decades, there have been many predictions of the potential ecological response in boreal regions to the currently warmer conditions. In essence, a widespread, naturally occurring experiment has been conducted over time. In this paper, we describe previously modeled predictions of ecological change in boreal Alaska, Canada and Russia, and then we investigate potential evidence of current climate-induced change. For instance, ecological models have suggested that warming will induce the northern and upslope migration of the treeline and an alteration in the current mosaic structure of boreal forests. We present evidence of the migration of keystone ecosystems in the upland and lowland treeline of mountainous regions across southern Siberia. Ecological models have also predicted a moisture-stress-related dieback in white spruce trees in Alaska, and current investigations show that as temperatures increase, white spruce tree growth is declining. Additionally, it was suggested that increases in infestation and wildfire disturbance would be catalysts that precipitate the alteration of the current mosaic forest composition. In Siberia, 7 of the last 9 yr have resulted in extreme fire seasons, and extreme fire years have also been more frequent in both Alaska and Canada. In addition, Alaska has experienced extreme and geographically expansive multi-year outbreaks of the spruce beetle, which had been previously limited by the cold, moist environment. We suggest that there is substantial evidence throughout the circumboreal region to conclude that the biosphere within the boreal terrestrial environment has already responded to the transient effects of climate change. Additionally, temperature increases and warming-induced change are progressing faster than had been predicted in some regions, suggesting a potential non-linear rapid response to changes in climate, as opposed to the predicted slow linear response to climate change.     

Pulse phase dependence of the magnetar bursts

We report here results from a study of X-ray bursts from 3 magnetar candidates (SGR 1806-20, SGR 1900+14 and AXP 1E 2259+586). We have searched for a pulse phase dependence of the X-ray burst rate from these sources. X-ray light curves were obtained with the Proportional Counter Array on-board the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer during the periods of intense burst activity in these sources. On detailed analysis of the three sources, we found a very significant burst rate for all pulsar phases. However, some locations appear to produce bursts slightly more often, rendering the non-isotropic distribution. Only in the case of SGR 1900+14, there is a clear pulse phase dependence of burst rate.     

The Impact of Precipitation Scavenging on the Transport of Trace Gases: A 3-Dimensional Model Sensitivity Study

With the global Chemistry-Transport model MATCHsensitivity simulations were performed to determinethe degree to which especially upward transport ofgases from the earth's surface is limited byconvective and large-scale precipitation scavenging.When only dissolution of species in the liquid phaseis taken into account, mixing ratio reductions in themiddle and upper troposphere by 10% arecalculated for gases with a Henry's Law constant H of10³ mol/l/atm. The removal increases to 50% forH = 10⁴ mol/l/atm, and to 90% for H =10⁵ mol/l/atm. We also consider scavenging by theice phase, which is generally much less efficient thanby the aqueous phase. In fact, rejection of gases fromfreezing water droplets may be a source of trace gasat higher altitudes.H₂O₂ and the strong acids (H₂SO₄,HNO₃, HCl, HBr, HI) have such large solubilitiesthat they become largely removed by precipitation.When significant concentrations of these gases andsulfate aerosol exist above the liquid water domain ofthe atmosphere, they have likely been produced thereor at higher altitudes, although some could have comefrom trace gas rejection from ice particles or fromevaporating hydrometeors. Several other gases areaffected by precipitation, but not strongly enough toprevent fractional transfer to the middle and uppertroposphere: e.g., HNO₄, HNO₂ at pH 5,CH₂O, the organic acids at pH 6,CH₃SOCH₃, HOCl, HOBr, and HOI. NH₃ islargely removed by liquid phase scavenging at pH 7 and SO₂ atpH 7. At pH less thanabout 6, upward transport of SO₂ should largelydepend on the efficiency of oxidation processes in thewater droplets by O₃ and H₂O₂.Most gases have solubilities which are too low forsignificant precipitation scavenging and aqueous phaseoxidation to occur. This holds, e.g., for O₃, CO,the hydrocarbons, NO, NO₂, HCN, CH₃CN,CH₃SCH₃, CH₃O₂H, CH₃CHOandhigher aldehydes, CH₃OH and higher alcohols,peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN), CH₃COCH₃ andother ketones (note that some of these are not listedin Table I because their solubilities are below 10mol/l/atm). Especially for the short-lived gases,transfer from the boundary layer to the middle andupper troposphere is actually promoted by the enhancedupward transport that occurs in clouds.     

A comparison of the midlevel kinematic characteristics of a pair of supercell thunderstorms observed by airborne Doppler radar

The midlevel kinematic characteristics of two supercell thunderstorms observed during the Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX), one tornadic and the other nontornadic, are compared using airborne pseudo-dual-Doppler wind retrievals. The most significant difference between the two cases was that a midlevel rear-inflow jet was observed in the nontornadic supercell (12 May 1995), whereas such rear-to-front, storm-relative flow was absent at midlevels in the tornadic supercell (16 May 1995). The midlevel jet in the nontornadic supercell was located on the north flank of a prominent region of anticyclonic vertical vorticity. Some speculations are provided pertaining to the possible importance of the midlevel kinematic differences between the two storms.     

An ocean observation system for monitoring the affects of climate change on the ecology and sustainability of pelagic fisheries in the Pacific Ocean

Climate change presents an emerging challenge to the sustainable management of tuna fisheries, and robust information is essential to ensure future sustainability. Climate and harvest affect tuna stocks, populations of non-target, dependent species and the ecosystem. To provide relevant advice we need an improved understanding of oceanic ecosystems and better data to parameterise the models that forecast the impacts of climate change. Currently ocean-wide data collection in the Pacific Ocean is primarily restricted to oceanographic data. However, the fisheries observer programs that operate in the region offer an opportunity to collect the additional information on the mid and upper trophic levels of the ecosystem that is necessary to complement this physical data, including time-series of distribution, abundance, size, composition and biological information on target and non-target species and mid trophic level organisms. These observer programs are in their infancy, with limited temporal and spatial distribution but recent international and national policy decisions have been made to expand their coverage. We identify a number of actions to initiate this monitoring including: consolidating collaborations to ensure the use of best quality data; developing consistency between sub-regional observer programmes to ensure that they meet the objectives of ecosystem monitoring; interrogating of existing time series to determine the most appropriate spatial template for monitoring; and exploring existing ecosystem models to identify suitable indicators of ecosystem status and change. The information obtained should improve capacity to develop fisheries management policies that are resilient and can be adapted to climate change.