Chironomids as quantitative indicators of mean July air temperature: validation by comparison with century-long meteorological records from northern Sweden

This study evaluates the potential of using chironomid assemblages to estimate past temperature changes by comparing chironomid-inferred temperatures to meteorological data for the last 87 years. This comparison is made using high-resolution (i.e., sub-decadally resolved) short cores of four lakes along a gradient of altitude (Lake Njulla, 999 m a.s.l., Lake 850, 850 m a.s.l., Lake Alanen Laanijavri, 365 m a.s.l. and Lake Vuoskkujavri, 348 m a.s.l.), vegetation (pine forest to alpine tundra vegetation) and temperature (mean July temperature of 12.4 to 8.1°C). Patterns of chironomid-inferred changes in mean July air temperature were highly comparable to changes in the meteorological data. Moreover, instrumental data were almost always within the specific errors of the quantitative estimates using chironomids. These results indicate that chironomids can be used as a powerful tool to reconstruct temperatures and that chironomids are sensitive enough to record temperature changes of low magnitude such as those recorded during the Holocene. Although this relationship between temperature and chironomid community is strong for the last 87 years, we cannot assume that other environmental factors such as organic matter, changes of lake water depth or oxygen availability were not more significant over longer temporal scales of the Holocene, or longer.     

A technique for modeling transport/conversion processes applied to smectite-to-illite conversion in HLW buffers

This paper describes an application of a technique developed for modeling chemical processes in buffer materials that are controlled by a reaction rate and by the transport of one component, which is essential for the process in question to occur. The application described here is the illitization of smectite by fixation of potassium ions in cation exchange positions, and with diffusion of dissolved potassium being the transport process. The technique is verified by comparison with analytical solutions. An overview, based on small models, is given which outlines under what constellations of assumptions the time scale for conversion of the buffer is controlled by reaction rate parameters and under which conditions transport controls this time scale. Examples are given of calculations performed for deposition holes, with potassium being supplied from the surroundings to the upper parts of the highly compacted bentonite buffer. It is concluded that restrictions in nearfield transport capacity have a very significant effect on the conversion time scale. Towards the end of the heating period about 98% of the smectite is found to remain, even for reaction rates and buffer transport conditions that would have left only 10% of the smectite unconverted without nearfield transport restrictions. It is also concluded that the modeling technique can be applied to other, similar, transport/conversion processes.     

Differential geodetic stereo SAR with TerraSAR-X by exploiting small multi-directional radar reflectors

In this paper, we report on the direct positioning of small multi-directional radar reflectors, so-called octahedrons, with the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite TerraSAR-X. Its highest resolution imaging mode termed staring spotlight enables the use of such octahedron reflectors with a dimension of only half a meter, but still providing backscatter equivalent to 1–2 cm observation error. Four octahedrons were deployed at Wettzell geodetic observatory, and observed by TerraSAR-X with 12 acquisitions in three different geometries. By applying our least squares stereo SAR algorithm already tested with common trihedral corner reflectors (CRs), and introducing a novel differential extension using one octahedron as reference point, the coordinates of the remaining octahedrons were directly retrieved in the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). Contrary to our standard processing, the differential approach does not require external corrections for the atmospheric path delays and the geodynamic displacements, rendering it particularly useful for joint geodetic networks employing SAR and GNSS. In this paper, we present and discuss both methods based on results when applying them to the aforementioned Wettzell data set of the octahedrons. The comparison with the independently determined reference coordinates confirms the positioning accuracy with 2–5 cm for the standard approach, and 2–3 cm for the differential processing. Moreover, we present statistical uncertainty estimates of the observations and the positioning solutions, which are additionally provided by our parameter estimation algorithms. The results also include our 1.5 m CR available at Wettzell, and the outcomes clearly demonstrate the advantage of the multi-directional octahedrons over conventional CRs for global positioning applications with SAR.     

Effect of diurnal and seasonal temperature variation on Cussac cave ventilation using co2 assessment

Cussac cave was investigated to assess the cave air temperature variations and to understand its ventilation regime. This cave is located in an active karst system in the south west part of France. It has a single entrance and is considered as a cold air trap. In this study, air mass exchanges were probed. Measurements of temperature and Pco₂ with a 30-min frequency were made in several locations close to the cave entrance. Speed of the air flow was also measured at the door of cave entrance. Results show that cave air Pco₂ varies from 0.18 to 3.33 %. This cave appears to be a CO₂ source with a net mass of 2319 tons blown in 2009. Carbon-stable isotope of CO₂ (¹³Cco₂) ranges from −20.6 ‰ in cold season to −23.8 ‰ in warm season. Cave air is interpreted as a result of a mix between external air and an isotopically depleted air, coming from the rock environment. The isotopic value of the light member varies through time, from −23.9 to −22.5 ‰. Furthermore, this study ascertains that the cave never stops in communicating with the external air. The ventilation regime is identified. (1) In cold season, the cave inhales at night and blows a little at the warmest hours. However, in warm season, (2) cave blows at night, but (3) during the day, a convection loop takes place in the entrance area and prevents the external air from entering the cave, confirming the cold air trap.

     

Review of non-local mixing in turbulent atmospheres: Transilient turbulence theory

Some of the larger eddies in a turbulent region can be coherent structures that turbulently advect air parcels across large vertical distances before smaller eddies mix the parcels with the environment. Such a process is nonlocal rather than diffusive. Transilient turbulence theory, named after a Latin word maaning jump over, provides a framework for considering the ensemble-averaged effect of many eddies of different sizes on the net nonlocal mixing in the vertical. Nonlocal turbulence statistics can then be examinated, and nonlocal first-order closure can be formulated.     

The Hohonu Batholith of North Westland, New Zealand: granitoid compositions controlled by source H2O contents and generated during tectonic transition

Geochemical studies on the Hohonu Batholith, of the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand, have recognised two distinct but chemically related suites of mid-Cretaceous granitoids. The suites are characterised by restricted radiogenic isotopic compositions (Sr_(i) = 0.7062 to 0.7085; ɛNd_(i) = −4.4 to −6.1), and represent melting of a mafic lithosphere source followed by interaction with Ordovician metasediments. The two suites (Te Kinga Suite and Deutgam Suite) are distinguished by contrasting contents of Al₂O₃, Na₂O, Sr, Ba, Eu and HREE, attributable to different residual asssemblages controlled by differing H₂O contents during melting of a metabasaltic source. The relatively mafic, metaluminous, I-type Deutgam Suite represents magmas derived by dehydration melting in equilibrium with an amphibolitic (plagioclase + amphibole) residue. In contrast, the peraluminous, high silica compositions of the Te Kinga Suite were produced by melting at higher H₂O contents, reducing the stability of plagioclase and resulting in a melt in equilibrium with a plagioclase-free eclogitic (garnet + amphibole) residue. Residual plagioclase during generation of the Deutgam Suite resulted in lower Al₂O₃, Na₂O, Sr, Ba and Eu contents, whereas residual garnet during generation of the Te Kinga suite resulted in depleted HREE contents. The mid-Cretaceous granitoids of the Hohonu Batholith were generated during a period of rapid tectonic transition from crustal thickening during collision to crustal thinning and core complex formation during extension. Received: 23 July 1996 / Accepted: 21 August 1997     

Deformation measurements using SAR interferometry: potential and limitations

Most applications of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) make only use of the amplitude information in just one image. Interferometric SAR (InSAR) makes use mainly of the phase measurements in two or more SAR images of the same scene, acquired at two different moments and/or at two slightly different locations. By interference of the two images, very small slant-range changes of the same surface can be inferred. These slant-range changes can be related to topography and/or surface deformations. InSAR thus has the potential of mapping centimeter-scale ground displacements over a region many tens of kilometers in size at a resolution of a few meters making it one of the most promising space-geodetic techniques for monitoring Earth's surface deformations. The goal of this paper is to discuss some of the potential new applications of InSAR for the monitoring of deformations, and to show its major limitations. Some potential new applications of InSAR related to surface-change detection including earthquake and crustal studies, the monitoring of volcanoes and anthropogenic effects, and the monitoring of glaciers and ice sheets are presented. The discussion on the limitations of InSAR for surface-change detection focuses on atmospheric perturbations and the problem of temporal decorrelation.     

Distribution and Fluxes of Calcium Carbonatealong the Continental Margin in the Gulf of Biscay

Compositions of major components in suspended matter,collected by centrifugation, in situ pumping andsediment traps, in the Gulf of Biscay during the OMEXproject were determined and compared. The resultsshow a strong and rapid decrease in the concentrationof biogenic fraction in the upper 200 m of the watercolumn which may be attributed to the preferentialremoval of this component due to the production offaecal pellets and to the formation of marine snow. Concurrent decrease with depth of the organic andinorganic carbon contents demonstrate the importanceof the respiration of organic matter and thedissolution of calcium carbonate in the oceanic carboncycling. Lithogenic and carbonate fluxes across thecontinental slope in the Goban Spur area wereevaluated based on sediment trap records. The rate ofproduction of calcium carbonate in the surface waters(100 g CaCO3 m-2y-1), deduced from theprimary production measurements, is much largercompared to the fluxes of this component observed inthe sediment traps (5–21 g CaCO3 m-2y-1)and to its rate of burial (9–31 gCaCO3 m-2y-1). It strongly suggeststhe occurrence of carbonate dissolution, even inwaters oversaturated with respect to the mineral phaseconsidered. This is likely to be associated with therespiration of organic matter within the faecalpellets, or at the surface of biogenic calcite oraragonite     

Balloon Intercomparison Campaigns: Results of remote sensing measurements of HCl

All of the techniques used to measure stratospheric HCl during the two BIC campaigns involved high resolution infrared spectroscopy. The balloon-borne instruments included five different spectrometers, three operating in the solar absorption mode and two in emission (at distinctly different wavelengths). Ground-based and aircraft correlative measurements were made close to the balloon locations, again by near-infrared spectroscopy.Within this set of results, comparisons between different techniques (absorption vs emission) viewing the same airmass (i.e., on the same gondola) were possible, as were comparisons between the same technique used on different gondolas spaced closely in time and location. The final results yield a mean profile of concentration of HC1 between 18 and 40 km altitude; an envelope of ±15% centered on this profile encompasses all of the results within one standard deviation of their individual mean values. The absolute accuracy of the final profile is estimated to be no worse than 10%. It is concluded also that the measurement techniques for HCl have reached a level of performance where a precision of 10% to 15% can be confidently expected.