Nondestructive density determination on marine sediment cores from gamma-ray attenuation measurements

We describe an improved nondestructive technique for density measurement based on gamma-ray absorption that permits construction of high-resolution density profiles of marine sediment cores. The system is capable of resolving vertical density variations with a spatial resolution of 4 mm and absolute accuracy of ± 1%. Comparison with conventional density determination on samples confirms the absolute accuracy. In addition to standard vertical profiling, a core rotation option is included to measure density as a function of rotation angle. This allows the quantification of the variability of density within a layer and detection of inhomogenities like icerafted debris or biogenic structures.     

An observational study of a spotted W UMa-type binary star CK Bootis

New photoelectric observations of CK Bootis (a binary star suspected of a spot activity) obtained in 1988 at Mt. Suhora Observatory are presented. On the basis of the spectroscopic observations made in May 1990 at the Toru University Observatory the spectral class F6V of the primary component was estimated. The physical parameters of the system with a circular spot were derived making use of the Wilson-Devinney code.     

Human‐affected disturbances in vegetation cover and peatland development in the late Holocene recorded in shallow mountain peatlands (Central Sudetes,SW Poland)

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on peatland formation in the Central Sudetes (central Europe) during the late Holocene. The research methodology adopted allowed us to determine whether vegetation development and shallow peatland formation were affected by human activity. Knowledge of past changes might be useful in evaluating recent and future changes, and to avoid pitfalls in the present management of peatland ecosystems. A palaeoecological research study of four peatlands was conducted in the Sto?owe Mountains (Central Sudetes, SW Poland). The results showed that these shallow peatlands originated in the middle to late Holocene (from 3301 BC to AD 1137). Palaeoecological records reflect continuous human impact on vegetation development and peat accumulation from the Middle Ages to the present (late Holocene). The strongest agrarian settler activity is observed in the High Middle Ages (AD 1200–1500). The human‐induced or wildfires observed in the late Holocene were an integral component of peatland ecosystems in the Central Sudetes. Moreover, palaeoecological analysis (sphagnum spores decline) and radiocarbon dating (AD 1870) confirmed drainage of the study area in the 19th century, which greatly affected the vegetation communities.     

Late‐Holocene wind‐field evolution at the southern Baltic coast as revealed by GPR data from the Mrzeżyno dunefield,NW Poland

All dunes within a dunefield usually show a similar response to the wind regime. However, in the late‐Holocene coastal dunefield in NW Poland the surface topography suggests that slipface orientation may vary significantly with distance from the coast, which is rarely reported in the literature. The dunefield was stabilized with forest in the mid‐19th century, preserving a unique record of atmospheric circulation in the South Baltic region at the end of the Little Ice Age. To elucidate the Holocene processes occurring along the study site a pseudo‐3D GPR data set was collected. Six grids of parallel GPR lines combined with 400 m of GPR profiles (2D) were collected across the dunefield and displayed using GOCAD for interpretation and geostatistical analysis. The geophysical data revealed that the larger dunes almost entirely consist of steeply laminated facies. Most importantly the pseudo‐3D data, supported by geostatistical estimates of strata dip directions, revealed the existence of three zones parallel to the coastline with the mean dip direction almost perpendicular to the coast in the northern coastal strip and almost parallel to it in the southern part. Spreads of the dip directions in pseudo‐3D GPR data sets recorded on the stoss slopes of dunes and crests suggested initial deposition on transverse dunes, which later were transformed into barchanoid dunes. This can probably be linked to changes in the wind regime, i.e. reduction in velocity of the northern and northwestern winds leading to reduced sediment supply from the coast. While the data provide a new interpretation of Holocene dunefield dynamics at this site, they also suggest that the minimum number of pseudo‐3D GPR grids required to establish general trends using geostatistical analysis should be at least 10, with even more data needed at larger, or more complex dunefields.     

Allometric relations between fluvial impulse and morphometric parameters of floodplain lakes

The general role of river water input in shaping the basic morphometric parameters of floodplain lakes has been previously investigated. However, the process has not been quantitatively described in detail. This study is the first attempt in the literature to determine the allometric relation between fluvial impulse, expressed as Fluvial Connectivity Quotient, and morphometric parameters of six floodplain lakes of Bug River valley in the period 1952–2014. This relationship is given by Y = aX^b, from which the value of b exponent was analysed to determine the strength of the allometric relation. Extreme values of allometric compounds during the time period under study ranged from 5.99 to ?4.91. Volume was the morphometric parameter showing the highest variability in all the lakes. General similarity in allometric relations was observed in the lakes under study. During analysis, no long‐term trends were observed in the relationship between the Fluvial Connectivity Quotient and morphometric parameters. The results obtained show that fluvial impulse was the factor determining the variability of morphometric parameters of the lakes. Direct catchments topography of lake has periodically (during limnophase periods) played a significant role in shaping the morphometry of floodplain lakes. The most stable allometric relations occurred in a confluent lake, with a low limnological effective rise value and consequently, relatively long potamophase periods.Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modeling and neural networks to identify model parameters from piezocone tests: II. Multi‐parameter identification from piezocone data

This paper completes the study presented in the accompanying paper, and demonstrates a numerical algorithm for parameter prediction from the piezocone test (CPTU) data. This part deals with a development of neural network (NN) models which are able to map multi‐variable input data onto typical geotechnical characteristics and constitutive parameters of the modified Cam clay model, which has been applied in this study. The identification procedure is designed for the coupled hydro‐mechanical boundary value problem in normally‐and lightly overconsolidated clayey soils including partially drained conditions that may appear during cone penetration. The NN models are trained with pseudo‐experimental measurements derived with the aid of the numerical model of the piezocone test, presented in the accompanying paper. Different input configurations containing CPTU measurements and some complementary data are studied with respect to the accuracy of predicted parameter values. Finally, the performance of the developed NN predictors is tested with field CPTU data which are derived from three well‐documented characterization sites, and the obtained predictions are compared with benchmark laboratory results. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Search for correlations of GRB and cosmic rays

It is possible that violent processes resulting in Gamma Ray Bursts produce also high energy photons and cosmic rays. The possible correlations of very short GRB with, e.g., CMB, cosmic rays is briefly discussed. We have also begun preparation of the experiment correlating in real time data from Maze cosmic ray detector and Pi of the Sky robotic telescope.     

What future for the voluntary carbon offset market after Paris? An explorative study based on the Discursive Agency Approach

The Paris Agreement heralds a new era in international climate governance. Yet, the Agreement's implementation rulebook is still under negotiation. During this transition, from the Kyoto Protocol to the new regime under the Paris Agreement, many non-state actors are facing a high level of uncertainty. In particular, actors in the voluntary carbon market are struggling to define their new role. The business model of producing carbon credits in developing countries and selling them elsewhere is threatened. Although its financial significance and achieved emission reductions are limited, the voluntary market's role as an incubator for innovation has made it a prominent representative of non-state mitigation mechanisms. Therefore, we ask: What effects will the regime change to the Paris Agreement have on the voluntary carbon offset market (VCM) and how does it react to these effects?

This study analyses perceptions of, and reactions to, the new regulatory environment within the VCM. We apply the Discursive Agency Approach to scrutinize the institutions, discourses and influential agents involved in the VCM, and the strategic practices they apply to manage the transition towards the Paris regime. We find two dominant coping strategies: to align the voluntary offsetting mechanism with the Paris Agreement, and to re-invent its overall purpose as a tool to deliver sustainable development rather than solely emission reductions. Based on these results, we outline ‘thought spaces’ for a future VCM: (1) voluntary and non-party offsetting beyond nationally determined contributions (NDCs), (2) results-based financing for emission reductions and sustainable development, and (3) private climate action under international oversight.

Key policy insights

• The Paris Agreement threatens the VCM's business model, prompting market agents to frame and legitimize their work in new ways.

• The voluntary market's viability depends on the future accounting rules for emission reductions under Paris Agreement Article 6. Discursive struggles surround the risks of double counting and NDC ambitions.

• Based on an understanding of the past, we can draw lessons from agents’ attempts to re-legitimize their role under the new Paris Agreement; their future visions will shape the debates about this nascent regime.