Evaluating lacustrine groundwater discharge to a large glacial lake using regional scale radon-222 surveys and groundwater modelling

Lacustrine groundwater discharge (LGD) can be an important pathway for delivering pollutants to lakes but this pathway is often poorly characterized. Evaluating the potential impact of LGD on lake water quality requires understanding the magnitude and spatial variability of LGD, as well as understanding the age and flow paths of the discharging groundwater (e.g., recharge area, groundwater flow paths, and travel times). This study first compares LGD rates along two ~40 km shoreline lengths of a large glacial lake, Lake Simcoe, Canada, that were independently estimated via a radon-222 (²²²Rn) field survey and via regional scale groundwater-surface water modelling. Backward particle tracking analysis is then used to examine the age and flow paths of the LGD and thereby assess the potential for the LGD to deliver anthropogenic pollutants to the lake. The field and modelling results compare well with respect to the magnitude and spatial variability of LGD. However, the comparison highlights the need for well-defined hydrogeological characterization if regional scale models are to be applied for LGD estimation. The particle tracking analysis indicates large variation in the groundwater flow path lengths and travels times (>1000 years to <50 years) for LGD along the shoreline. This illustrates that the LGD along different shoreline areas has varying potential to deliver anthropogenic pollutants to the lake. The study findings demonstrate the benefits of comparing independent field measured and model-simulated LGD estimates, and moreover suggest that it may be possible, in some cases, to use existing regional scale groundwater-surface water models, purpose-built for other water resource and quality objectives, to conduct preliminary evaluation of LGD contributions to lakes. Preliminary model-based evaluation would enable field efforts aiming to quantify and manage LGD to be better targeted rather than relying solely on regional scale field techniques that are often highly resource intensive.     

Imaging of the Antarctic ionosphere: Experimental results

Ground-based dual-frequency GPS observations can be used to create images of electron density. This is well established for the Arctic ionosphere; here one of the first results is presented for the Antarctic. In this study, the GPS receivers in the Antarctic are supplemented with another GPS receiver onboard CHAMP. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the technique for investigating geophysical events, for example, an ionospheric disturbance period on 11 February 2004. The images have been validated by in-situ measurements from DMSP and CHAMP satellites, as well as Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) convection patterns, which are able to confirm the location, presence, and transportation of large-scale plasma patches. This study indicates that although the convection still dominates in the high-latitude ionosphere, soft precipitation within the polar cap may play a role in the evolution of the polar patches. It also illustrates the potential for future multi-instrument studies of the Antarctic.     

Diurnal variability in riverine dissolved organic matter composition determined by in situ optical measurement in the San Joaquin River (California,USA)

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration and composition in riverine and stream systems are known to vary with hydrological and productivity cycles over the annual and interannual time scales. Rivers are commonly perceived as homogeneous with respect to DOM concentration and composition, particularly under steady flow conditions over short time periods. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of short term variability (<1 day) on DOM dynamics. This study examined whether diurnal processes measurably altered DOM concentration and composition in the hypereutrophic San Joaquin River (California) during a relatively quiescent period. We evaluated the efficacy of using optical in situ measurements to reveal changes in DOM which may not be evident from bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) measurement alone. The in situ optical measurements described in this study clearly showed for the first time diurnal variations in DOM measurements, which have previously been related to both composition and concentration, even though diurnal changes were not well reflected in bulk DOC concentrations. An apparent asynchronous trend of DOM absorbance and chlorophyll‐a in comparison to chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence and spectral slope S_290–350 suggests that no one specific CDOM spectrophotometric measurement explains absolutely DOM diurnal variation in this system; the measurement of multiple optical parameters is therefore recommended. The observed diurnal changes in DOM composition, measured by in situ optical instrumentation likely reflect both photochemical and biologically‐mediated processes. The results of this study highlight that short‐term variability in DOM composition may complicate trends for studies aiming to distinguish different DOM sources in riverine systems and emphasizes the importance of sampling specific study sites to be compared at the same time of day. The utilization of in situ optical technology allows short‐term variability in DOM dynamics to be monitored and serves to increase our understanding of its processing and fundamental role in the aquatic environment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High albedos of low inclination Classical Kuiper belt objects

We present observations of thermal emission from fifteen transneptunian objects (TNOs) made using the Spitzer Space Telescope. Thirteen of the targets are members of the Classical population: six dynamically hot Classicals, five dynamically cold Classicals, and two dynamically cold inner Classical Kuiper belt objects (KBOs). We fit our observations using thermal models to determine the sizes and albedos of our targets finding that the cold Classical KBOs have distinctly higher visual albedos than the hot Classicals and other TNO dynamical classes. The cold Classicals are known to be distinct from other TNOs in terms of their color distribution, size distribution, and binarity fraction. The Classical objects in our sample all have red colors yet they show a diversity of albedos which suggests that there is not a simple relationship between albedo and color. As a consequence of high albedos, the mass estimate of the cold Classical Kuiper belt is reduced from approximately 0.01 M_⊕ to approximately 0.001 M_⊕. Our results also increase significantly the sample of small Classical KBOs with known albedos and sizes from 21 to 32 such objects.     

A joint hypocentre location and velocity inversion technique applied to the Central Aleutians

Summary. Travel times of seismic waves from teleseismically recorded events that occurred within the Adak Island region of the Central Aleutian Islands are used to constrain both the velocity structure of the region and the locations of events. It is found that the P-wave velocity within the descending lithosphere is approximately 7–8 per cent faster than that in the surrounding mantle for a slab length of 300–400 km.
The velocity structure so determined is then used as a model for the relocation of events recorded only locally. It is found that features of the Benioff zone seen in locations made with a spherically symmetric model can be seriously in error. In particular, an apparent increase in dip of the zone with depth disappears when the locations are made with the inhomogeneous model. The new locally determined hypocentres are now also more consistent with the locations based on teleseismic data.     

Deciphering some unique paleotemperature indicators in halite-bearing saline lake deposits from Death Valley, California, USA

Saline lake deposits are arguably the best source of mid- to low-latitude terrestrial paleoclimate data. Alternating clastic sediments and evaporites of different chemical composition have long been recognized as sensitive records of changes in inflow and aridity related to a variety of climate parameters. Several sources of paleotemperature information from a halite-bearing saline lake deposit are described here – pseudomorphs of a cold-temperature evaporite mineral, homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in halite, and stable-isotope compositions of fluid inclusions in halite. Examples of these paleoclimate data come from analysis of the lower half of a 185-m core drilled in Pleistocene saline lake deposits at Death Valley, California. Daily and seasonal temperature variations in saline lake waters create conditions for the appearance and disappearance of temperature-dependent mineral phases. In the Death Valley core, hexagonal-shaped halite crystals, probable pseudomorphs of the cold-temperature hydrous mineral, hydrohalite (NaCl2H₂O), provide evidence of brine temperatures below about 0 °C. Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in primary halite offer an actual (not proxy) record of surface-brine temperatures. Samples with primary fluid-inclusion textures are carefully selected and handled, and data are collected from single-phase aqueous-brine inclusions chilled to nucleate vapor bubbles. Temperature variations are observable at scales of individual halite crystals (hours to days), single halite beds (weeks to months or years), and multiples of beds to entire facies (hundreds to tens of thousands of years). A ¹⁸O/D stable isotope record from the minute quantities of brines in fluid inclusions in halite is accessible using a method recently developed at the University of Calgary. The stable isotope record from the Death Valley core, a complex response to climate variables including temperature, humidity, storm patterns or seasons, and inflow sources, compliments and expands the interpretation emerging from the stratigraphy and homogenization temperatures.     

Visualising data distributions with kernel density estimation and reduced chi-squared statistic

The application of frequency distribution statistics to data provides objective means to assess the nature of the data distribution and viability of numerical models that are used to visualize and interpret data. Two commonly used tools are the kernel density estimation and reduced chi-squared statistic used in combination with a weighted mean. Due to the wide applicability of these tools, we present a Java-based computer application called KDX to facilitate the visualization of data and the utilization of these numerical tools.     

Spatial variability of metals in the inter-tidal sediments of the Medway Estuary,Kent, UK

Concentrations of major and trace metals were determined in eight sediment cores collected from the inter-tidal zone of the Medway Estuary, Kent, UK. Metal associations and potential sources have been investigated using principal component analysis. These data provide the first detailed geochemical survey of recent sediments in the Medway Estuary. Metal concentrations in surface sediments lie in the mid to lower range for UK estuarine sediments indicating that the Medway receives low but appreciable contaminant inputs. Vertical metal distributions reveal variable redox zonation across the estuary and historically elevated anthropogenic inputs. Peak concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn can be traced laterally across the estuary and their positions indicate periods of past erosion and/or non-deposition. However, low rates of sediment accumulation do not allow these sub surface maxima to be used as accurate geochemical marker horizons. The salt marshes and inter-tidal mud flats in the Medway Estuary are experiencing erosion, however the erosion of historically contaminated sediments is unlikely to re-release significant amounts of heavy metals to the estuarine system.     

An improved optimal elemental method for updating finite element models

The optimal matrix method and optimal elemental method used to update finite element models may not provide accurate results. This situation occurs when the test modal model is incomplete, as is often the case in practice. An improved optimal elemental method is presented that defines a new objective function, and as a byproduct, circumvents the need for mass normalized modal shapes, which are also not readily available in practice. To solve the group of nonlinear equations created by the improved optimal method, the Lagrange multiplier method and Matlab function fmincon are employed. To deal with actual complex structures, the float-encoding genetic algorithm (FGA) is introduced to enhance the capability of the improved method. Two examples, a 7degree of freedom (DOF) mass-spring system and a 53-DOF planar frame, respectively, are updated using the improved method.The example results demonstrate the advantages of the improved method over existing optimal methods, and show that the genetic algorithm is an effective way to update the models used for actual complex structures.