The drainage pattern of Hansbreen and Werenskioldbreen, two polythermal glaciers in Svalbard

To improve our understanding of Svalbard-type polythermal glacier drainage, hydraulic geometry models of the subglacial hydrology of two contrasting glaciers in Svalbard have been constructed. The models are tested against a uniquely long and rich set of field observations spanning 45 years. Digital elevation models (DEMs) were constructed from bedrock data measured with ground penetrating radar and surface data of two medium-sized polythermal glaciers, Hansbreen and Werenskioldbreen, in south-west Spitsbergen. Hansbreen has a low angle bed with over-deepenings and a calving front, while Werenskioldbreen has steeper bed and terminates on land. Together they are representative of many Svalbard glaciers. The DEMs were used to derive maps of hydraulic potential and subglacial drainage networks. Validation of the models was done using field observations including location mapping and speleological exploration of active moulins, positions of main river outflows, dyetracing and water chemistry studies, and observations of water pressure inside moulins. Results suggest that the water pressure is generally close to ice overburden pressure but varies greatly depending on local conditions such as bed location, the thickness of cold ice layer, the thickness of the glacier and seasonal changes in meltwater input.     

2-Gyr Simulation of the Oort-Cloud Formation. I. Introduction on a New Model of the Outer Oort-Cloud Formation

The study of the reservoirs of small bodies in the Solar System can help us to refine our theory of the origin and evolution of the whole planetary system we live in. In this contribution, we introduce a simulation of the evolution of an initial proto-planetary disc (PPD) for 2 Gyr period, in which 10,038 studied test particles (TPs), representing the disc, are perturbed by four giant planets in their current orbits and having their current masses. In addition, Galactic-tide and stellar perturbations are considered. The outer Oort cloud (OC) appears to be formed within about 0.5 Gyr. At 2 Gyr, only 0.14% of all TPs reside in the outer OC, according to our simulation. This is the largest discrepancy with the results of previous authors. The TPs in the outer OC originate from almost all regions of the PPD. Specifically, 14, 7, 29, 21, and 29% of all TPs, that are the members of the outer OC at 2 Gyr, originate in the Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Edgeworth-Kuiper-belt regions, respectively. The largest number of the TPs, 6,669 (66.4%), was ejected into the interstellar space. Besides other results, we found a dominance of high galactic inclinations of outer-OC orbits. Obviously, this is a consequence of the action of Galactic tide.     

Few Comments on the Relation Between the Initial Proto-planetary Disc Model and the Oort Cloud Formation

A fraction of small bodies from the once existing proto-planetary disc was ejected, by the giant planets, to large heliocentric distances and start to build the comet Oort cloud. Considering four models of initial proto-planetary disc, we attempt to roughly map a dependence between the initial disc’s structure and some properties of the Oort cloud. We find that it is difficult to construct the proto-planetary disc if (i) the amount of heavy chemical elements in Jupiter and Saturn is as high as currently accepted and (ii) the total mass of the minimum-mass solar nebula is assumed to be lower than $\approx0.05\,\hbox{M}_{\odot}.$ The behaviour of the Oort cloud formation does not crucially depend on the initial disc model. Some differences in its structure are obvious: since the cloud is known to be filled mainly by Uranus and Neptune, the efficiency of its formation is higher when the initial amount of particles in the Uranus-Neptune region is relatively higher. A significantly large number of Jupiter Trojans in our simulation appears, however, only in the case of the initially non-gapped disc, with the particles situated also close to the Jupiter’s orbit.     

An empirical test of household identification risk in geomasked maps

ABSTRACT

Geomasking techniques displace point data to new locations in order to protect privacy while maintaining overall spatial distributions. If the end users of geomasked data are unaware that the data are masked, there is a risk that they will incorrectly associate individuals at the new locations with the masked data attributes. The probability of correct and false household identification depends on human understanding of whether maps contain masked coordinates and the spatial relationships of the points to contextual geographic data. Using a map-based experiment, this study finds that confidence in performing a household identification is substantially lowered when masked points are situated equidistantly between residential parcels. Despite initial notifications that data are masked, map users often report confidence in assigning masked points to specific households. Only map users who receive frequent notifications that the points are masked have reduced confidence in associating them with particular households, thereby lowering identification risk.     

Apparent stress scaling and statistical trends

Statistical relations between different earthquake parameters, such as M₀ (seismic moment), E_S (seismic energy), τ_a (apparent stress), A (rupture area), g (average slip acceleration), are investigated. For this purpose, a kinematic earthquake model representing averaged earthquake rupture process is formulated. The model implies a scaling relationship for τ_a as a function of three other parameters, related to kinematic (M₀), geometric (A) and material (g) source characteristics, which, according to the model, can change independently. This scaling relation is used to explain statistical trends that characterize different earthquake data sets (including micro-, small, moderate and large events) plotted in the log τ_a − log M₀ space, and to determine the area in this space, where typical earthquakes occur. The scaling relationship is interpreted in terms of the apparent stress minimum (i.e., the most uniform among the possible earthquake rupture patterns). It is concluded that, although the apparent stress increases on an average with increasing seismic moment, small and large earthquakes are essentially similar.     

Short-Period Secular Variations (SPSV) of the geomagnetic field recorded in highly scattered palaeomagnetic records of Holocene lake sediments from North Poland

A simple method of calculating running means over different intervals within palaeomagnetic records has been used to identify short-period secular variations of the geomagnetic field. The records from Polish lake sediments reveal variations in declination with a period between 290 and 372 years. The periodicity of variations in the inclination has been estimated to be between 522 and 670 years.     

Origin and post-glacial evolution of surface cracks: A case study from the area of the Last Glaciation,north-eastern Poland

The analysis of LiDAR-based digital elevation models revealed the existence of groups of longitudinal fractures in the ground in northern Poland at the limit of the ice sheet's extent during its last maximum. Our research on the closed elongated depressions (CEDs) of the Jedwabno test field (Szuć site, north-east Poland) focuses on explaining their origins and their post-glacial history. This region was covered by an ice sheet and glacitectonically active during the Vistulian, and at least some surface fractures are possible witnesses to this activity. Using geomorphological mapping, sedimentological and geophysical research, we assumed it was related that the origin of these features here is associated with groundwater migration at the end of the Vistulian glaciation or later when groundwater flow intensified due to a rapid climate warming that caused permafrost to melt. The thawing of permafrost caused to transition from continuous permafrost to discontinuous, which in turn created groundwater flow that was probably responsible for the development of the surface cracks (fractures). Radiocarbon, palaeobiological (pollen, Cladocera) and geochemical studies allowed for an estimation of the formation time of these unique surface cracks in the Older Dryas. Prevailing conditions were also reconstructed for the later dynamic changes of the end of the Late Vistulian glaciation and in the Late Holocene until the Subatlantic Period (Megalayan stage). The surface cracks with steep slopes, despite their small area, are extraordinary sedimentation traps that have, in a special way, retained an almost complete record of the environmental and climate changes of the Late Glacial. There are sedimentological gaps in the Holocene, especially after the Preboreal (old part of the Greenlandian Stage), caused by changes in water levels, aeolian processes and human activity.     

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.