激光剥蚀-等离子体质谱技术及其在地球化学宇宙化学和环境研究中的应用

激光剥蚀-等离子体质谱(LA-ICPMS)已成为地球化学、宇宙化学和环境研究领域元素和同位素原位分析最重要的技术之一。文章介绍了多种类型的质谱仪及其使用的激光器。用途最广的LA-ICPMS仪器之一是单接收器扇形磁场质谱仪,配有Nd:YAG激光剥蚀系统(激光波长分为193 nm和213 nm两种),MPI Mainz实验室使用的就是这套系统,文章对此作一详细介绍。文中阐述了数据优化技术及其多种校正过程;介绍LA-ICPMS在痕量元素和同位素分析领域的一些应用,包括参考物质的研制,Hawaiian玄武岩、Martian陨石、生物骨针和珊瑚虫中痕量元素分析及熔融包裹体和富钙-铝碳质球粒陨石中的铅和锶同位素测量。     

Early MIS 3 glacial lake evolution, ice-marginal retreat pattern and climate at Sokli (northeastern Fennoscandia)

Lake development at Sokli, northern Finland, is traced through the analysis of diatoms and other siliceous micro-fossils in a 2-meter thick minerogenic, laminated clay-silt deposit dated to the early part of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. Fluctuating water levels and changes in lake extent depicted by the siliceous micro-fossil record, together with lithology, suggest that an important part of the sediment sequence was deposited in a glacial lake. The proxy-based glacial lake evolution is tested using a Digital Elevation Model and geomorphologic evidence including eskers dated to the early MIS 3 Tulppio Interstadial at Sokli. Despite the apparent ice-dammed nature of the lake, the sediment is relatively rich in fossils and there are limited signs of re-deposition of older fossil material. The siliceous micro-fossil record together with data from other proxies previously analysed in the same sediment samples provides a coherent picture of past environmental changes around the Sokli site. This is most probably due to the sheltered position of the coring-site in a lake embayment. Quantitative climate reconstructions based on the diatom record show mean July air temperatures as high as present-day values at Sokli, and the temperature ranges indicated by the diatom record are in agreement with temperature reconstructions based on chironomids. The position of Sokli in the northeastern portion of the central area of the Scandinavian glaciations and the northern retreat pattern implies that an important part of eastern Fennoscandia was deglaciated during the early MIS 3 warming event.     

Climate sensitivity estimated from ensemble simulations of glacial climate

The concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere continues to rise, hence estimating the climate system’s sensitivity to changes in GHG concentration is of vital importance. Uncertainty in climate sensitivity is a main source of uncertainty in projections of future climate change. Here we present a new approach for constraining this key uncertainty by combining ensemble simulations of the last glacial maximum (LGM) with paleo-data. For this purpose we used a climate model of intermediate complexity to perform a large set of equilibrium runs for (1) pre-industrial boundary conditions, (2) doubled CO₂ concentrations, and (3) a complete set of glacial forcings (including dust and vegetation changes). Using proxy-data from the LGM at low and high latitudes we constrain the set of realistic model versions and thus climate sensitivity. We show that irrespective of uncertainties in model parameters and feedback strengths, in our model a close link exists between the simulated warming due to a doubling of CO₂, and the cooling obtained for the LGM. Our results agree with recent studies that annual mean data-constraints from present day climate prove to not rule out climate sensitivities above the widely assumed sensitivity range of 1.5–4.5°C (Houghton et al. 2001). Based on our inferred close relationship between past and future temperature evolution, our study suggests that paleo-climatic data can help to reduce uncertainty in future climate projections. Our inferred uncertainty range for climate sensitivity, constrained by paleo-data, is 1.2–4.3°C and thus almost identical to the IPCC estimate. When additionally accounting for potential structural uncertainties inferred from other models the upper limit increases by about 1°C.     

Carbon speciation and composition of natural microbial communities in polluted and pristine sediments of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Sediment samples collected from polluted (Augusta Bay) and pristine regions of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (South Ionian Sea, Thracian Sea) were analyzed for black carbon, aliphatic hydrocarbons and phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids (PLFA). The aim of the study was to investigate the anthropogenic and biogenic inputs into the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and to evaluate the effects of refractory organic matter (e.g. black carbon) and the level of hydrocarbon contamination on benthic microbial community composition. Black carbon, generally considered to be chemically and biologically inert, comprised a significant but highly variable fraction of the sedimentary carbon pool in the analyzed sediments with a ratio to total organic carbon ranging from 0.02 to 0.66. Principal component analysis of the chemical characteristics of the sediments (organic carbon content, black carbon, bioavailable organic carbon, chlorophyll a, phaeopigments, aliphatic hydrocarbons) revealed clustering of samples along a gradient from the most productive and contaminated region of Augusta Bay to the carbon-poor and pristine sediments of the Thracian Sea. PLFA analysis revealed that gram-negative bacteria and microeukaryotes were most abundant in Augusta Bay and in the most impacted station of the Thracian Sea. The high levels of branched and odd-chain fatty acids recorded for these stations is probably linked to the elevated amounts of hydrocarbons at these stations; e.g. microbial communities may have developed the ability to degrade either naturally occurring aliphatic hydrocarbons or hydrocarbons derived from oil contamination.     

Estimation of Biomass Heat Storage Using Thermal Infrared Imagery: Application to a Walnut Orchard

A new method to estimate tree biomass heat storage from thermal infrared (TIR) imaging of biomass surface temperature is presented. TIR images of the canopy are classified into trunk, branches, and leaves. The one-dimensional heat equation in cylindrical coordinates is forced with trunk and branch surface temperatures to simulate the temperature distribution and heat storage in tree trunks and branches. Assuming uniform leaf temperatures, heat storage in leaves is computed from the surface temperature of the leaves separately for the sunlit upper and shaded lower canopy. The sum of trunk, branches, leaf, and air heat storage gives the canopy heat storage. Measurements in a walnut orchard near Davis, California, in early June 2007 showed that biomass heat storage was of the same order as air heat storage and about 1% of daytime and 9% of nighttime net radiation.     

A reconstructed dynamic Indian monsoon index extended back to 1880

The authors present a reconstruction of summer (June–July–August) mean dynamic Indian monsoon index (DIMI) back to 1880 based on a large number of historical surface observation data as well as information from the upper air data. The reconstruction shows a satisfying skill in terms of both the value of reduction of error and an evaluation against other independent monsoon indices. The skill of reconstruction increases over time with more predictor data (in particular upper-level data) becoming available. A comparison with the observed all Indian summer monsoon rainfall index (AIRI) shows a high consistence in both inter-decadal and inter-annual variability. The reconstruction shows stronger than normal monsoon during the 1880s, 1915–1925 (around 1920) and 1930–1945 (around 1940) as the AIRI. The El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO)—monsoon relationship is reasonably captured in the reconstruction. Powers concentrating within quasi-biennial band stand out in the reconstruction as well as in the AIRI. A comparison of the reconstruction against an atmospheric general circulation model simulation with specified SST and external forcing agents spanning 1901–1999 indicates a slightly higher reproducibility of monsoon circulation than monsoon rainfall in terms of interannual variability. The relationship between the Asian continent warming and the ENSO–monsoon connection is also discussed by using the new dynamic index.     

Sectoral approaches to improve regional carbon budgets

Humans utilise about 40% of the earth’s net primary production (NPP) but the products of this NPP are often managed by different sectors, with timber and forest products managed by the forestry sector and food and fibre products from croplands and grasslands managed by the agricultural sector. Other significant anthropogenic impacts on the global carbon cycle include human utilization of fossil fuels and impacts on less intensively managed systems such as peatlands, wetlands and permafrost. A great deal of knowledge, expertise and data is available within each sector. We describe the contribution of sectoral carbon budgets to our understanding of the global carbon cycle. Whilst many sectors exhibit similarities for carbon budgeting, some key differences arise due to differences in goods and services provided, ecology, management practices used, land-management personnel responsible, policies affecting land management, data types and availability, and the drivers of change. We review the methods and data sources available for assessing sectoral carbon budgets, and describe some of key data limitations and uncertainties for each sector in different regions of the world. We identify the main gaps in our knowledge/data, show that coverage is better for the developed world for most sectors, and suggest how sectoral carbon budgets could be improved in the future. Research priorities include the development of shared protocols through site networks, a move to full carbon accounting within sectors, and the assessment of full greenhouse gas budgets.     

A dimensional analysis to quantify the thermal budget around lithospheric‐scale shear zones

The thermal evolution around shear zones is controlled by three major thermal processes: diffusion, advection and shear heating. We present a dimensional analysis to quantify, to first‐order, the relative contributions of these three processes to the thermal evolution around lithospheric‐scale shear zones. We consider 11 parameters that control the kinematics, the three‐dimensional (3‐D) geometry, the initial thermal structure and the average strength of the shear zone. Three dimensionless parameters are presented to quantify the relative contributions of the three thermal processes. We validate the dimensional analysis with 2‐D thermo‐kinematic numerical models. The applicability of the dimensional analysis to any kind of shear zone (i.e. thrust, normal‐slip and strike‐slip shear zones) makes it a useful tool that is complementary to previous numerical and analytical studies. Finally, thrust‐type shear zones are used to illustrate how the three thermal processes control the thermal evolution.