Active and passive ocean regimes in a low‐order climate model

A low‐order climate model is studied which combines the Lorenz‐84 model for the atmosphere on a fast time scale and a box model for the ocean on a slow time scale. In this climate model, the ocean is forced strongly by the atmosphere. The feedback to the atmosphere is weak. The behaviour of the model is studied as a function of the feedback parameters. We find regions in parameter space with dominant atmospheric dynamics, i.e., a passive ocean, as well as regions with an active ocean, where the oceanic feedback is essential for the qualitative dynamics. The ocean is passive if the coupled system is fully chaotic. This is illustrated by comparing the Kaplan–Yorke dimension and the correlation dimension of the chaotic attractor to the values found in the uncoupled Lorenz‐84 model. The active ocean behaviour occurs at parameter values between fully chaotic and stable periodic motion. Here, intermittency is observed. By means of bifurcation analysis of periodic orbits, the intermittent behaviour, and the rôle played by the ocean model, is clarified. A comparison of power spectra in the active ocean regime and the passive ocean regime clearly shows an increase of energy in the low frequency modes of the atmospheric variables. The results are discussed in terms of itinerancy and quasi‐stationary states observed in realistic atmosphere and climate models.     

Toxic metal adsorption in the triassic sandstone aquifer of the English Midlands

Laboratory experimental results show that adsorption can be an important mechanism in taking up heavy metals contained in groundwaters in the sandstones. The adsorption can be described in terms of Freundlich isotherms and can be simply modeled mathematically. The adsorption function has been integrated into a mass balance equation, and tested using a laboratory sand tank model and in a small field study. The results show that the transport-adsorption models are not easily applied in the field because of hydrogeological complications.     

Apatite from African carbonatites

Apatite from three African carbonatites (sövites) are of the carbonate-hyoxy-fluorapatite type with a marked similarity in composition and structural formula. However, apatite from an apatite-magnetite dyke, associated with a carbonatite complex, differs in Ca, P and trace element content. Calculated and observed cell dimensions and ω refractive indices of these apatite phases correspond very well and support the validity of such calculations. The minor element content in apatite from these samples is fairly constant but differs from that of apatite of igneous or metamorphic origin.     

A MODIFIED WEATHER GENERATOR(WGEN)FOR THE GENERATION OF DAILY WEATHER VARIABLES

Long series of daily weather data are frequently needed to evaluate diachronic climatic impacton water resources,the effects of watershed changes on hydrology and to use in a variety ofweather and general circulation models.A computer generation model called WGEN that wasdeveloped in the United States of America,was modified in this study and applied to Nigerianweather data spanning the period between 1969 to 1988 and covering 17 sites located in thedifferent climatic zones in Nigeria.The model generated the monthly mean maximum and minimumtemperatures,solar radiation,total rainfall,and number of wet and dry days with high accuracy,95% of the times.The Mann-Whitney U-test revealed that the number of months per year forwhich observed and generated weather variables were significant,was less than 4 in majority of thesites.     

The African Climate as Predicted by the IAP Grid-Point Nine-Layer Atmospheric General Circulation Model (IAP-9L-AGCM)

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Intercomparison of Two Hydroxyl Radical Measurement Techniques at the Atmosphere Simulation Chamber SAPHIR

At the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR in Jülich both Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy (LIF) and Long-Path Differential Optical Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) are operational for the detection of OH radicals at tropospheric levels. The two different spectroscopic techniques were compared within the controlled environment of SAPHIR based on all simultaneous measurements acquired in 2003 (13 days). Hydroxyl radicals were scavenged by added CO during four of these days in order to experimentally check the calculated precisions at the detection limit. LIF measurements have a higher precision (σ= 0.88×10⁶ cm^–3) and better time resolution (Δt = 60 s), but the DOAS method (σ= 1.24×10⁶ cm^–3, Δt = 135 s) is regarded as primary standard for comparisons because of its good accuracy. A high correlation coefficient of r = 0.95 was found for the whole data set highlighting the advantage of using a simulation chamber. The data set consists of two groups. The first one includes 3 days, where the LIF measurements yield (1 – 2) ×10⁶ cm^–3 higher OH concentrations than observed by the DOAS instrument. The experimental conditions during these days are characterized by increased NO_x concentration and a small dynamic range in OH. Excellent agreement is found within the other group of 6 days. The regression to the combined data of this large group yields unity slope without a significant offset.     

The role of antelope trampling on scarp erosion in a hyper-arid environment, Skeleton Coast, Namibia

The role of animal trampling in a hyper-arid environment is evaluated. Field observations on fluvial terraces of the Uniab fan in Namibia suggest that animal impact on level surfaces with gravel armouring is minimal. However, animal trampling along tracks across scarp slopes results in scarp recess and initiate cutback development. With continued growth ephemeral fluvial processes become more dominant and obscure the animal impact. Animal trampling effects are pronounced in hyper-arid environments due to the low rates of other slope processes. However, it is argued that large herd migration may have contributed significantly to cutback development in other environments, especially in Africa, but may be very difficult to substantiate by landform analysis.     

Paleomagnetic studies combined with fission-track datings on the western arc of Sulawesi, east Indonesia

Paleomagnetic studies in conjunction with fission-track dating on the western arc of Sulawesi yield important evidence bearing on the tectonic history of the area. During the Paleogene to Early Miocene time interval the paleomagnetic pole for southwestern Sulawesi was situated at 36.5°E 44.8°N. This pole position is significantly different from that in the time interval Middle Miocene to Recent, which is consistent with the north pole of the axial geocentric dipole. This fact suggests that subsequent to the Paleogene to Early Miocene period, possibly 19–13 m.y. B.P., a major tectonic event occurred which caused about 40 degrees of anticlockwise rotation of the area. It is suggested by the present work that the postulated collision followed by welding of eastern Sulawesi with western Sulawesi during the Pliocene (Katili, 1978) may be the tectonic event mentioned above. In addition, our data does not support the hypothesis that western Sulawesi has been derived from the dispersal of Gondwanaland.     

Late Carboniferous foreland basin formation and Early Carboniferous stretching in Northwestern Europe: inferences from quantitative subsidence analyses in the Netherlands

The large thickness of Upper Carboniferous strata found in the Netherlands suggests that the area was subject to long-term subsidence. However, the mechanisms responsible for subsidence are not quantified and are poorly known. In the area north of the London Brabant Massif, onshore United Kingdom, subsidence during the Namurian–Westphalian B has been explained by Dinantian rifting, followed by thermal subsidence. In contrast, south and east of the Netherlands, along the southern margin of the Northwest European Carboniferous Basin, flexural subsidence caused the development of a foreland basin. It has been proposed that foreland flexure due to Variscan orogenic loading was also responsible for Late Carboniferous subsidence in the Netherlands. In the first part of this paper, we present a series of modelling results in which the geometry and location of the Variscan foreland basin was calculated on the basis of kinematic reconstructions of the Variscan thrust system. Although several uncertainties exist, it is concluded that most subsidence calculated from well data in the Netherlands cannot be explained by flexural subsidence alone. Therefore, we investigated whether a Dinantian rifting event could adequately explain the observed subsidence by inverse modelling. The results show that if only a Dinantian rifting event is assumed, such as is found in the United Kingdom, a very high palaeowater depth at the end of the Dinantian is required to accommodate the Namurian–Westphalian B sedimentary sequence. To better explain the observed subsidence curves, we propose (1) an additional stretching event during the Namurian and (2) a model incorporating an extra dynamic component, which might well explain the very high wavelength of the observed subsidence compared with the wavelength of the predicted flexural foreland basin.