Einsatz von Pflanzenkläranlagen zur Behandlung von schadstoffbelastetem Oberflächenabfluß städtischer Straßen

A combination of retention pond and reed bed was tested for its effectiveness in reducing non-point source runoff pollution from an urban area. This paper presents data on the development of reed plants (Phragmites australis Cav. Trin.), on the effectiveness of runoff purification and on the accumulation of contaminants in the pond sediment and the reed bed for the years 1993–1995. P. australis was well established and grew according to normal development. The measured length and biomass values of P. australis were larger on sand than on gravel and coarse materials. Toxic levels of heavy metals in the plants were not reached. Harvested plants can be composted. The purification system is effective within the following ranges: The rate of retention of suspended solids and heavy metals varies between 16% and 91%. For chemical oxygen demand the average values is 25%. Poor retention rates usually occur along with very low input concentrations. Generally retention within the reed bed is higher than in the pond. Between 1993 and 1995 the concentration of contaminants within the organic layer of the reed bed increased by 50% for lead and by 90% for poly aromatic hydrocarbons. Until 1994 the concentrations of mineral oil hydrocarbons also increased by 60%. Between 1994 and 1995 however the concentration of mineral oil hydrocarbons in the reed bed decreased rapidly by more than 50%: Mineral oil hydrocarbons underlie biological degradation within the reed bed. In the pond sediment a significant accumulation of heavy metals, poly aromatic hydrocarbons and mineral oil hydrocarbons has also been found. The concentrations of these contaminants are still far from inhibiting the function of the system.     

Clay mineralogy of a red clay–loess sequence from Lingtai, the Chinese Loess Plateau

The Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) comprises an extensive record of eolian deposition that contains important information about climate change. The objective of this study is to investigate if mineralogy can provide more insight into the long-term evolution of the East Asian monsoon. Comparisons between mineralogy and other paleoclimatic records (grain size and magnetic susceptibility) from the CLP have been made to evaluate the efficacy of mineralogy as a paleoclimatic tool.Here we present data from a mineralogical study of a red clay–loess sequence at Lingtai, central Chinese Loess Plateau. Changes related to source area(s), transport processes and weathering regime over time are recorded in mineral variation.Higher average concentrations of kaolinite, chlorite and quartz in the red clay, together with abrupt changes in relative mineral abundances across the red clay–loess boundary suggest a change of source area at 2.6 Ma. From 2.6 Ma to about 1.7 Ma the summer monsoon influence increases, destroying chlorite and contributing fine illite particles to the sediment. At around 1.7 Ma the mineralogy becomes relatively constant, suggesting that the monsoon was fairly stable during this period. At 0.7–0.5 Ma an increase of both summer monsoon and winter monsoon activity is inferred from illite, kaolinite, chlorite and plagioclase concentrations. Over the last 0.5 Ma mineralogy suggests an aridification of source area(s) as chlorite and plagioclase concentrations increase where illite concentration decreases. The last major change occurred around 0.07 Ma and indicates reducing summer monsoon influence as chlorite and quartz concentrations increase and illite concentration, as well as the < 2 μm size fraction, decreases. The mineralogical trends and differences between loess and paleosols units suggest different source areas in the last 0.5 Ma.     

Relationships between environmental variables and zooplankton subfossils in the surface sediments of 36 shallow coastal brackish lakes with special emphasis on the role of fish

Subfossil zooplankton assemblages (Cladocera 22 taxa, Rotifera 1 taxon) were identified from the surface sediments of 36 shallow (median depth = 0.7 m) Danish coastal brackish lakes differing in epilimnic salinity (SAL, range 0.2–17.4), summer-mean total phosphorus (TP, 27–327 g l^–1) and total nitrogen (TN, 0.850–2.629 mg l^–1), as well as in submerged macrophyte coverage and planktivorous fish density (PL-CPUE). Cladoceran species richness declined significantly with increasing SAL, TP and TN, while no significant correlation was found to either PL-CPUE, macrophyte coverage or lake surface area. Bonferroni-adjusted forward selection within canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that 22.1% of the variation in zooplankton data was explained by PL-CPUE, SAL and TP uniquely; each variable explaining an almost equally significant amount of variation in the zooplankton data. Predictive models to infer PL-CPUE, SAL and TP were developed using variance weighted-averaging (WA) procedures. Almost similar values of boot-strapped coefficient of determination (r²_{boot-strapped} 0.22–0.38) were produced by the WA inference models of PL-CPUE, SAL and TP, while the inference models of TP produced the lowest boot-strapped root-mean-squared-error of prediction (RMSEP_{boot-strapped} 0.29–0.36 log(TP + 1), g l^–1). Yet, zooplankton TP and SAL optima (WA) were strongly correlated (r² = 0.46), while PL-CPUE optima (WA) were independent of both TP and SAL optima, indicating that only the PL-CPUE inference models are suitable for making reconstructions.     

Large-Eddy Atmosphere–Land-Surface Modelling over Heterogeneous Surfaces: Model Development and Comparison with Measurements

A model is developed for the large-eddy simulation (LES) of heterogeneous atmosphere and land-surface processes. This couples a LES model with a land-surface scheme. New developments are made to the land-surface scheme to ensure the adequate representation of atmosphere–land-surface transfers on the large-eddy scale. These include, (1) a multi-layer canopy scheme; (2) a method for flux estimates consistent with the large-eddy subgrid closure; and (3) an appropriate soil-layer configuration. The model is then applied to a heterogeneous region with 60-m horizontal resolution and the results are compared with ground-based and airborne measurements. The simulated sensible and latent heat fluxes are found to agree well with the eddy-correlation measurements. Good agreement is also found in the modelled and observed net radiation, ground heat flux, soil temperature and moisture. Based on the model results, we study the patterns of the sensible and latent heat fluxes, how such patterns come into existence, and how large eddies propagate and destroy land-surface signals in the atmosphere. Near the surface, the flux and land-use patterns are found to be closely correlated. In the lower boundary layer, small eddies bearing land-surface signals organize and develop into larger eddies, which carry the signals to considerably higher levels. As a result, the instantaneous flux patterns appear to be unrelated to the land-use patterns, but on average, the correlation between them is significant and persistent up to about 650 m. For a given land-surface type, the scatter of the fluxes amounts to several hundred W $\text{ m }^{-2}$ , due to (1) large-eddy randomness; (2) rapid large-eddy and surface feedback; and (3) local advection related to surface heterogeneity.     

High Resolution Simulation of the Variability of Surface Energy Balance Fluxes Across Central London with Urban Zones for Energy Partitioning

The parameterization of surface heat-flux variability in urban areas relies on adequate representation of surface characteristics. Given the horizontal resolutions (e.g. $\approx $ 0.1–1 km) currently used in numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, properties of the urban surface (e.g. vegetated/built surfaces, street-canyon geometries) often have large spatial variability. Here, a new approach based on Urban Zones to characterize Energy partitioning (UZE) is tested within a NWP model (Weather Research and Forecasting model; WRF v3.2.1) for Greater London. The urban land-surface scheme is the Noah/Single-Layer Urban Canopy Model (SLUCM). Detailed surface information (horizontal resolution 1 km) in central London shows that the UZE offers better characterization of surface properties and their variability compared to default WRF-SLUCM input parameters. In situ observations of the surface energy fluxes and near-surface meteorological variables are used to select the radiation and turbulence parameterization schemes and to evaluate the land-surface scheme and choice of surface parameters. For radiative fluxes, improved performance (e.g. $>$ 25 W m $^{-2}$ root-mean-square error reduction for the net radiation) is attained with UZE parameters compared to the WRF v3.2.1 default for all three methods from the simplest to the most detailed. The UZE-based spatial fluxes reproduce a priori expectations of greater energy storage and less evaporation in the dense city centre compared to the residential surroundings. Problems in Noah/SLUCM partitioning of energy between the daytime turbulent fluxes are identified with the overestimation of the turbulent sensible heat and underestimation of the turbulent latent heat fluxes.     

Igneous and shock processes affecting chassignite amphibole evaluated using chlorine/water partitioning and hydrogen isotopes

Amphibole in chassignite melt inclusions provides valuable information about the volatile content of the original interstitial magma, but also shock and postshock processes. We have analyzed amphibole and other phases from NWA 2737 melt inclusions, and we evaluate these data along with published values to constrain the crystallization Cl and H₂O content of phases in chassignite melt inclusions and the effects of shock on these amphibole grains. Using a model for the Cl/OH exchange between amphibole and melt, we estimate primary crystallization OH contents of chassignite amphiboles. SIMS analysis shows that amphibole from NWA 2737 currently has 0.15 wt% H₂O. It has lost ~0.6 wt% H₂O from an initial 0.7–0.8 wt% H₂O due to intense shock. Chassigny amphibole had on average 0.3–0.4 wt% H₂O and suffered little net loss of H₂O due to shock. NWA 2737 amphibole has δD ≈ +3700‰; it absorbed Martian atmosphere‐derived heavy H in the aftermath of shock. Chassigny amphibole, with δD ≤ +1900‰, incorporated less heavy H. Low H₂O/Cl ratios are inferred for the primitive chassignite magma, which had significant effects on melting and crystallization. Volatiles released by the degassing of Martian magma were more Cl‐rich than on Earth, resulting in the high Cl content of Martian surface materials.     

Towards an integration of process measurements, archive analysis and modelling in geomorphology — the Kärkevagge experimental site, Abisko area, northern Sweden

The analysis of Holocene geomorphic process activity demands long–term data sets, which are available for the Kärkevagge catchment due to 50 years of intensive geomorphologic field studies. This data set is used in combination with additional field measurements, remote sensing and digital elevation model (DEM) analysis to provide input data for modelling Holocene valley development. On the basis of this information, geomorphic process units (GPUs) are defined by means of GIS modelling. These units represent areas of homogeneous process composition that transfer sediments. Since the data base enables the quantification of single processes, the interaction of processes within the units can also be quantified. Applying this concept permits calculation of recent sediment transfer rates and hence leads to a better understanding of actual geomorphic landscape development activity. To extrapolate these data in time and space the process–related sediments in the valley are analysed for depth and total volume, primarily using geophysical methods. In this fashion the validity of measured process rates is evaluated for the Holocene time scale. Results from this analysis are exemplified in a cross–profile showing some of the principal sediment units in the valley. For example, the measured modern rates on a slush torrent debris fan seem to represent the Holocene mean rate. This approach should also be suitable for revealing Holocene geomorphic landscape development in terms of climate change.     

Clues to starburst evolution: The tale of dense gas

The dense gas tracers HNC and CN prove to be detectable in sensitive single dish studies of infrared luminous starburst galaxies. Their line intensity with respect to both the standard tracer of molecular gas, CO, and the dense, starforming component, HCN, varies significantly. This opens a new, extinction-free window into the investigation of the properties and the evolutionary stage of starbursts. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.