Guidelines for sampling bedload transport with minimum uncertainty

The stability of river channels and their suitability as habitat for aqueous organisms is strongly controlled by the rate of bedload transport. Quantification of bedload transport rates in rivers is difficult, not only because of the temporal variation in transport, but also because of the cross‐channel variation in transport. The objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the effect of cross‐channel variation in bedload transport on the uncertainty of width‐integrated transport rates; and to use this knowledge (ii) to improve guidelines for bedload sampling. This was done through a thorough statistical evaluation of stochastic and systematic uncertainties involved in bed‐load transport measurements. Based on this evaluation, new guidelines are presented for determination of the number of samples and sampling positions across the channel that are required for bedload measurements in several types of sand‐bed rivers and gravel‐bed rivers. The guidelines relate to bedload measurements made with pressure‐difference (Helley‐Smith type) samplers that require numerous bedload samples of short duration at several positions across the channel. The results show that generally more sampling positions across the channel are required in gravel‐bed rivers than in sand‐bed rivers. For gravel‐bed rivers with unknown cross‐channel distribution of transport, at least 10 sampling positions are recommended, whereas for most sand‐bed rivers five positions suffice. In addition, at least 12 short‐duration samples are required at each position to obtain bedload estimates with uncertainties below 20%. If the same level of uncertainty is desired in the case of high spatial and temporal variation in transport rates, the number of short‐duration samples needed per sampling position increases to 40.     

Geological evaluation of EIGEN-6C4 and GOCE derived gravity models in and around Karakoram shear zone,Leh, India

New generation high resolution gravity models derived from space-borne gravity data, integrated with land based surveys, have enabled understanding of regional gravity field over regions, which are till date considered to be inaccessible for land surveys, especially in mountainous terrains. In this study, we evaluate two high resolution gravity models EIGEN-6C4 and GO_CONS_GCF_2_TIM_R5 in order to understand its usability in identification of meso-scale regional geological features and lithological boundaries around the Karakoram shear zone, in Leh, India. The EIGEN-6C4 is a “hybrid” model integrating data from space-borne sensors and terrestrial data, whereas GO_CONS_GCF_2_TIM_R5 is a model derived from the latest space-borne GOCE sensor. Bouguer gravity anomaly has been derived for both the models and compared. It is seen that, the GOCE derived model pertains to the regional gravity field of the region and compares well with the regional derivative of the EIGEN-6C4 model. Further, the EIGEN-6C4 has been analyzed using horizontal derivatives (dx, dy), analytical signal (ANS) and tilt derivative (TDR) techniques. These, derived maps are then overlain on published geological map of the area to understand the correlation between sub-surface geology vis a vis gravitational signal. The major and distinct geological signatures as derived from the various derivative maps correlate well with the existing geological map. The source boundaries derived from the TDR map agrees reasonably well with the lithological boundaries. Further, the anomaly and derivative maps from EIGEN-6C4 indicates towards a possible continuation of the Shyok suture zone in the region. Therefore, for the given spatial extent of the area under consideration, the GOCE derived model represents the regional field, whereas the EIGEN-6C4 data and derivatives are of sufficient resolution for understanding the geological variability in and around the Karakoram shear zone.     

Coastal erosion vs man-made protective structures: evaluating a two-decade history from southeastern India

Remote sensing images of AD 1991–2011 and field observations help evaluate shoreline changes (erosion and accretion) in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu states of southeastern India. A minor harbor was constructed during AD 1986–1989 in the coast of Puducherry, and it initiated the gradual process of shoreline modification. In the subsequent years, beaches located toward the north of the harbor suffered erosion (?0.12–?4.19 m/year) and there was accretion (0.27–7.25 m/year) in the southern beaches. However, the man-made structures (seawall and groin) have reduced the shoreline changes after AD 2004. In the last two decades, the rate of erosion area-wise gradually decreased (0.24–0.013 km²/year) and accretion remained constant (0.019 km²/year). Our results suggest that accretion happened in the southern side of the breakwaters and erosion occurred in the northern part. Presence of groins structures in the region in the northern part has also provoked accretion in the south and erosion in the northern side close to the State of Tamil Nadu.

     

New marine ΔR values for Arctic Canada

For more than four decades, the reporting of ¹⁴C dates on marine molluscs from Arctic Canada has been notable for the lack of consistently applied marine reservoir corrections. We propose that the common approach of reporting Canadian Arctic marine ¹⁴C dates using presumed time-invariant reservoir corrections be abandoned in favour of calibration of ¹⁴C dates, using the current standard protocol. This approach best facilitates inter- and intra-regional correlation, and correlation with other geochronometers. In order to enable the consistent calibration of marine ¹⁴C dates from Arctic Canada, we analysed a ¹⁴C database of 108 marine mollusc samples collected live between 1894 and 1956, and determined regional reservoir offset values (ΔR) for eight oceanographically distinct regions. The following new ΔR values should be used for ¹⁴C calibration: NW Canadian Arctic Archipelago, 335 ± 85 yrs; Foxe Basin, 310 ± 90 yrs; NE Baffin Island, 220 ± 20 yrs; SE Baffin Island, 150 ± 60 yrs; Hudson Strait, 65 ± 60 yrs; Ungava Bay, 145 ± 95 yrs; Hudson Bay, 110 ± 65 yrs; and James Bay, 365 ± 115 yrs.     

A modified landform development model for the topography of drained thermokarst lake basins in fine‐grained sediments

Permafrost degradation associated with the expansion of thermokarst lakes is commonly interrupted by catastrophic drainage. Subsequently, in tundra areas, permafrost aggradation in drained basins leads to uneven topography characterized by raised centres and wet, depressed margins. The genesis of such topography has been investigated in Old Crow Flats (OCF), a glaciolacustrine plain in the continuous permafrost of northern Yukon. The thermokarst lakes of OCF have a mean depth of only 1.5 m because excess ice is dominantly found only in the uppermost 10 m of the ground. Surface conditions were measured in three drained thermokarst lake basins, including relief, snow conditions, ground temperatures, near‐surface ground ice, and sediment stratigraphy. Four nearby lakes provided information on wave base, shore recession patterns, and bathymetry before drainage: the bottoms of these lakes were not raised in the centre. An elevation difference of up to 2 m was recorded between drained basin margins and centres but was not associated with variations in ice‐wedge density or segregated ice content. Hence basin topography was not controlled by differences in volumetric ground‐ice content between margins and centres. We propose that transport of fine sediment away from eroding lake margins during lake development is the primary mechanism for the genesis of depressed margins and raised centres in drained basins of OCF. Over time, the transport results in the deposition of more and finer sediment in the central parts of lakes, where the lake bottom has subsided below wave base, than at the shallow margins, where resuspension by wave action occurs frequently. This difference in sediment volume is revealed in the topography after drainage, when permafrost aggrades in the lake‐bottom sediment and underlying talik. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sustainability Through an Alternative Property‐Rights Regime for Bangladesh's Mangrove Forest

This study examines the challenges of achieving sustainable management of the world's largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans, in Bangladesh. The Sundarbans is currently managed by the Bangladesh Department of Forest, under a state property‐rights regime, while our study explores an alternative property‐rights regime. We employed a mixed‐method approach to examine the prospects of alternative management and livelihood strategies to achieve sustainability. Both focus groups and household surveying were used to assess the opportunities for, and barriers to, achieving sustainability. It was found that two conflicting groups—forest‐dependent communities and foresters—are responsible for policy failures due to the absence of power‐sharing arrangements, nor is it likely a common property‐rights regime will be enough to cap degradation and achieve sustainability, while supply‐and‐demand policy interventions may well could help achieve sustainable management of the Sundarbans.     

Spatial Patterns of Seasonal Level Diurnal Variations of Ozone and Respirable Suspended Particulates in Hong Kong

In this study we analyzed the diurnal spatial patterns of cycles of ozone (O₃) and respirable suspended particulate (RSP) matter in Hong Kong between 2001 and 2011. We used harmonic analysis to reveal the diurnal cycle in the seasonal-level spatial patterns. The diurnal cycle of O₃ is stronger in the northeast rural areas of Hong Kong than in the urban center due to the lower titration effects of nitric oxide in the rural areas. For RSP, the southern sections show the strongest diurnal cycle and the northeastern sections show the weakest diurnal cycle, which could be explained by the heavy vehicular traffic in the southern urban areas and light vehicular traffic in the northeast rural areas. The diurnal patterns of O₃ and RSP both show stronger cycles in the summer months, which might be related to the diurnal rainfall pattern. The time of maximum for O₃ is around 1400 Local Standard Time (LST) in the afternoon in summer, whereas a wider range in the time of maximum, between 1100 and 1400 LST, was observed in winter. The spatial pattern of the time of maximum for RSP showed a gradual progression from the center of the city to the west, between 1300 and 1700 LST, which is consistent with rush hour traffic.     

Complex deep seismic anisotropy below the Scandinavian Mountains

Several seismological projects focused on the deep structure of the Scandinavian Mountains, in Norway and neighbouring Sweden. We use these recordings to study seismic anisotropy by analysing the birefringence of SKS and SKKS phases. These phases, which should be polarised radially, are split into an additional transverse component if they propagate through an anisotropic medium. Our results are directions Φ of the apparent fast shear wave polarisation and delay times δt between the split phases. For station KONO in Southern Norway, we find frequency-dependent Φ and δt values, indicating a depth-dependent anisotropy. Additionally, Φ and δt values vary with epicentre backazimuths in Norway, indicating a complex anisotropic structure in the crust and upper mantle. Stacking of the SKS/SKKS waveforms improves the signal-to-noise ratio along one station line and allows us to better determine the splitting parameters. A unique and complete model of the complex anisotropy cannot be obtained due to the limited observed backazimuth range. Near-surface tectonic structures correlate with the splitting pattern and thus the crust is one anisotropic layer in the region. Partly preferred orientations in the rock fabric at the surface can be correlated with Φ. Below one or more anisotropic layers must exist to explain the backazimuth- and frequency-dependent observations, as well as the long δt values (>2 s) which cannot be explained with crustal anisotropy alone. The spatial distribution of the splitting results indicates that different tectonics units, e.g. the Sveconorwegian, the Central and Northern Svecofennian and the Caledonian nappes, are each characterised by specific anisotropic signatures.     

Seismic demand of plan-asymmetric structures: a revisit

In view of the recognition of the importance of the interdependent behavior of strength and stiffness of walltype structural elements,the seismic demand of plan-asymmetric systems is revisited.Useful strength distribution strategies,i.e.,’Center of Strength-Center of Mass(CV-CM) coinciding’ and ’Balanced Center of Strength-Center of Resistance(CVCR)’ are adopted.Design charts for the seismic demand of classical uni-directionally and bi-directionally asymmetric systems are developed in a simple unified format.A conceptual framework is also outlined to conveniently apply the design charts.Illustrations are included to explain the use of the current recommendations in practical design.The study also highlights the relative performance of ’CV-CM coinciding’ and ’Balanced CV-CR’ criteria.