Long-term summer temperature variations in the Pyrenees

Two hundred and sixty one newly measured tree-ring width and density series from living and dry-dead conifers from two timberline sites in the Spanish Pyrenees were compiled. Application of the regional curve standardization method for tree-ring detrending allowed the preservation of inter-annual to multi-centennial scale variability. The new density record correlates at 0.53 (0.68 in the higher frequency domain) with May–September maximum temperatures over the 1944–2005 period. Reconstructed warmth in the fourteenth to fifteenth and twentieth century is separated by a prolonged cooling from ∼1450 to 1850. Six of the ten warmest decades fall into the twentieth century, whereas the remaining four are reconstructed for the 1360–1440 interval. Comparison with novel density-based summer temperature reconstructions from the Swiss Alps and northern Sweden indicates decadal to longer-term similarity between the Pyrenees and Alps, but disagreement with northern Sweden. Spatial field correlations with instrumental data support the regional differentiation of the proxy records. While twentieth century warmth is evident in the Alps and Pyrenees, recent temperatures in Scandinavia are relatively cold in comparison to earlier warmth centered around medieval times, ∼1450, and the late eighteenth century. While coldest summers in the Alps and Pyrenees were in-phase with the Maunder and Dalton solar minima, lowest temperatures in Scandinavia occurred later at the onset of the twentieth century. However, fairly cold summers at the end of the fifteenth century, between ∼1600–1700, and ∼1820 were synchronized over Europe, and larger areas of the Northern Hemisphere.     

Proterozoic mafic magmatism in Siberian craton: An overview and implications for paleocontinental reconstruction

We present a summary of late Paleoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic mafic magmatism in the Siberian craton, including recently published U–Pb and ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar dates. These new precise ages suggest that at least some of the previously published K–Ar ages of Siberian mafic bodies should be ignored. The time–space geochronological chart, or the ‘barcode’ of mafic magmatic events shows significant differences between northern and southern Siberia. Both are characterized by ∼1900–1700 Ma magmatic events, but then there was an almost 1 Ga mafic magmatic ‘pause’ in south Siberia until ∼800 Ma. Meanwhile there are indications of multiple mafic magmatic events in North Siberia (Anabar shield and Olenek uplift) between ∼1600 and 1000 Ma. A series of magmatic events probably related to the breakup of Rodinia occurred in southern Siberia after ∼800 Ma. So far, there are no indications of late Neoproterozoic mafic magmatism in North Siberia. Ca. 1000–950 Ma mafic sills were reported from Meso- to Neo-Proterozoic sedimentary successions in the Sette-Daban area on the east side of the Siberian craton, but their tectonic setting is debated. Recent Ar–Ar dates of ∼1750 Ma for NW-trending dykes in the Aldan and Anabar shields, together with similar-age NNE-trending Baikal uplift dykes in south-eastern Siberia suggest the existence of a giant radial dyke swarm possibly related to a mantle plume centred in the Vilyui River area.     

Coordination of boron in nominally boron-free rock forming silicates: Evidence for incorporation of BO3 groups in clinopyroxene

To explore mechanisms of B-incorporation in common chain silicates we have investigated synthetic diopside samples produced under boron-saturated conditions by ¹¹B and ²⁹Si magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR and single-crystal NRA, FTIR, EMP and XRD/SREF techniques. Our samples contain 0.14-0.65 wt.% B₂O₃. NMR reveals that B is predominantly present in trigonal coordination in the clinopyroxene structure. This observation is supported by vibrational bands characteristic for B-O stretching in BO₃ groups in the range 1250-1400 cm⁻¹ in polarised single crystal FTIR-spectra. Single crystal structure refinements suggest that boron replaces Si at the T site. Combined, these results suggest that boron replacement for Si at the T-site leads to disruption of one of the T-O bonds of the nominal clinopyroxene structure resulting in replacement of SiO₄ tetrahedra by BO₃ groups. Our results show that high concentrations of boron can be incorporated in the nominally boron-free diopside. Elevated B-concentrations in the present calcic clinopyroxenes are accompanied by modifications of the diopside crystal structure involving the breaking of one T-O bond and simultaneous formation of vacancies at the octahedral M2 site. These structural modifications destabilize the structure and constitute thereby limiting factors for incorporating higher boron concentrations in diopside.     

Soil-precipitation feedbacks during the South American Monsoon as simulated by a regional climate model

We summarize the recent progress in regional climate modeling in South America with the Rossby Centre regional atmospheric climate model (RCA3-E), with emphasis on soil moisture processes. A series of climatological integrations using a continental scale domain nested in reanalysis data were carried out for the initial and mature stages of the South American Monsoon System (SAMS) of 1993–92 and were analyzed on seasonal and monthly timescales. The role of including a spatially varying soil depth, which extends to 8 m in tropical forest, was evaluated against the standard constant soil depth of the model of about 2 m, through two five member ensemble simulations. The influence of the soil depth was relatively weak, with both beneficial and detrimental effects on the simulation of the seasonal mean rainfall. Secondly, two ensembles that differ in their initial state of soil moisture were prepared to study the influence of anomalously dry and wet soil moisture initial conditions on the intraseasonal development of the SAMS. In these simulations the austral winter soil moisture initial condition has a strong influence on wet season rainfall over feed back upon the monsoon, not only over the Amazon region but in subtropical South America as well. Finally, we calculated the soil moisture–precipitation coupling strength through comparing a ten member ensemble forced by the same space–time series of soil moisture fields with an ensemble with interactive soil moisture. Coupling strength is defined as the degree to which the prescribed boundary conditions affect some atmospheric quantity in a climate model, in this context a quantification of the fraction of atmospheric variability that can be ascribed to soil moisture anomalies. La Plata Basin appears as a region where the precipitation is partly controlled by soil moisture, especially in November and January. The continental convective monsoon regions and subtropical South America appears as a region with relatively high coupling strength during the mature phase of monsoon development.     

Water flow path interactions with soil hydraulic properties in till soil at Gårdsjön, Sweden

In 1989, in a hydrological research programme within a deacidification project in the Gårdsjön area in southwest Sweden, flow paths and residence times of soil water and groundwater in microcatchments were examined to support the interpretation of the hydrochemical changes. Saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil water retention were analysed on more than 100 cylinder samples. The catchments have shallow sandy-silty till soil with a mean depth in the main catchment of 43 cm. Porosity of the mineral soil in the main catchment was high and ranged from 38 to 85%. The samples from the B-horizon had generally higher porosity. Porosity and the content of organic matter were correlated. The soil water retention was relatively high at all tensions, likely owing to the high content of organic matter. Dissolved organic substances were most probably transported from the shallow soil on the steep sides of the catchment down to the valley where it precipitated. The high porosities could be a consequence of long-term weathering, provided that the organic substances present have increased the leaching of the weathering products. Measured values of saturated hydraulic conductivity were close to log-normally distributed with a mean for all samples of 3 × 10⁻⁵ m s⁻¹. There was a significant increase in conductivity toward the ground surface with the mean conductivity of the samples in the uppermost 10 cm of the mineral soil of 4 × 10⁻⁵ m s⁻¹, which was about 13 times higher than the conductivity of 3 × 10⁻⁶ m s⁻¹ at 1 m depth. From the relationship between runoff at the catchment outlet and groundwater levels, the conductivity was estimated to be 15–200 times higher in the upper soil layer than in the deeper ones. In one profile, 44–64% of the yearly lateral flow was estimated to occur above 30 cm depth. The conductivity was correlated with the content of drainable water, which indicated the importance of the largest pores for the saturated hydraulic conductivity.     

Nahrungsfauna und Kanadische Seeforelle in Berner Gebirgsseen

Ohne Zusammenfassung English Summary: Lake trout and its prey fauna in Swiss mountain lakes) Die Nahrungsfauna wurde vonGrim⇘s, Nahrungs?kologie und Wachstum der Fische vonNilsson bearbeitet.     

Optical Absorption Spectra of (Mg,Fe)SiO3 Silicate Perovskites

Electronic absorption spectra have been measured at room temperature and pressure for polycrystalline samples of (Mg, Fe)SiO₃ silicate perovskites synthesized by multi-anvil device. One strong near-infrared band at about 7000 cm^-1 and several weak bands in the visible region were found. The near-infrared band at 7000 cm^-1 is assigned to a spin-allowed transition of Fe²⁺ at the 8–12 coordinated site in perovskite. However, definite assignments of the weak bands in the visible region are difficult because of their low intensities and the scattering effect at the gain boundaries. Crystal field calculations for Fe²⁺ at different sites in perovskite have been carried out based on the crystal structure data. The results agree with the assignment of Fe²⁺ to the 8–12 coordinated site in perovskite. Crystal field stabilization energy of Fe²⁺ with coordination number of 8 in perovskite is 3332 cm^-1 which is small compared to the octahedral site of magnesiowüstite (4320 cm^-1), another important lower-mantle mineral.     

Zur Anwendung der Kathodolumineszenz in der Karbonatpetrographie

Mn-activated cathodoluminescence can be used in several fields of carbonate petrography. It may, for instance, be possible to recognize

1. cement sequences and their correlation (Tab. 1, Figs. 1, 2, 4; Tab. 2, Fig. 1)
2. growth fabrics of skeletons (Tab. 2, Figs. 2, 3, 4; Tab. 3, Figs. 1, 2)
3. dolomitisation processes and problems (Tab. 1, Figs. 1, 2; Tab. 4, Fig. 2)
4. transformation paths from Mg-calcite to calcite and from aragonite to calcite (Tab. 2, Fig. 1; Tab. 3, Figs. 3, 4; Tab. 4, Fig. 1)
5. growth structures in certain types of ooids (Tab. 1, Fig. 4; Tab. 3, Fig. 3; Tab. 4, Fig. 1)
6. reworked skeletal particles (Tab. 3, Fig. 4)
7. phantom grains and fossil-outlines in a micro- or macrocrystalline groundmass (Tab. 4, Figs. 2, 3)
8. healed fissures crossing micro- or macrocrystalline carbonate rocks (Tab. 4, Fig. 4).

These are, however, no general luminescence criteria indicating the depositional environment. Luminescence of calcite and dolomite requires 20–40 ppm Mn, with the equipments used in this study. Aragonite is not yet investigated systematically. Zonal luminescence in carbonate cements may indicate changes of the chemical composition of the aquifer and may be used for “cement stratigraphy”. In skeletons it rather indicates physiological changes. While aragonitic skeletons lose their luminescence Zonation during replacement by calcite, Mg-calcite skeletons may keep parts of it, because their replacement preserves the original crystal fabric. Blotchy luminescence developes in Mg-calcitic particles during their adjustment to lower Mg-calcites by dissolution-precipitation processes in solutions with changing Mn/Fe-ratios.     

The Uppsala urban meteorology project

An extensive urban meteorology project in Uppsala, Sweden, is described. The city itself is considered suitable as a kind of model city, being almost circular, having sharp urban/rural boundaries and being situated in a relatively flat area. The project incorporates numerous measurements. A main station with a 100-m mast is situated at the NE urban/rural border. Its instrumentation consists of a slow-response (profile) system and a turbulence system. The profile instrumentation is described in detail. In addition to the main station, the project comprises: measurements from two 14-m masts, one on the top of a centrally located building, the other mobile; pilot balloon ascents; tethered balloon soundings, car-borne temperature traverses etc. Some preliminary results are presented: analyses of wind profiles from the mast and three-dimensional heat island studies.     

Meridional heat transport on a part of the northern hemisphere in November 1947, July 1949, and February 1950

Summary Horizontal flux of enthalpy and latent heat has been computed from synoptic maps over a large part of the northern hemisphere for several isobaric levels during 3 months. The flux of enthalpy and also the flux of latent heat is lowest in July and 3 to 4 times larger in winter. The flux is largest at 850 mb. The large scale eddy conductivity for the enthalpy increases with the horizontal meridional temperature gradient showing that the atmospheric energy exchange processes become more effective when the gradients are strong. From the convergence of the flux values the mean heating of an air column has been computed. This heating has a winter maximum of about 1° C/24 hrs at latitude 60°–70° N. The values for the polar region are considerably lower, indicating a considerable mean descending motion in the region. The correlation between flux or convergence of flux and circulation indices is found to be rather small. There is even a negative correlation between convergence of enthalpy and the zonal index.

---

Zusammenfassung Der horizontale Transport von Enthalpie und latenter Wärme wurde auf Grund von Wetterkarten für verschiedene Druckniveaus über einem großen Teil der nördlichen Hemisphäre für drei verschiedene Monate berechnet. Sowohl der Enthalpie- wie der latente Wärmestrom ist am geringsten im Juli und drei- bis viermal größer im Winter; am größten ist er bei 850 mb. Der Großaustauschkoeffizient der Enthalpie nimmt mit dem horizontalen meridionalen Temperaturgradienten zu, was sich durch die Steigerung der atmosphärischen Energieaustauschprozesse bei Verstärkung des Gradienten erklärt. Aus der Strömungskonvergenz wurde die durchschnittliche Erwärmung einer Luftsäule berechnet. Diese Erwärmung zeigt ein Maximum von zirka 1° C/24 Studen im Winter in einer Breite von 60 bis 70° N. Die Werte für das Polargebiet sind beträchtlich niedriger und lassen eine merkliche absinkende Strömung erkennen. Die Korrelation zwischen Strömung oder Strömungskonvergenz und Zirkulationsgrößen hat sich als eher niedrig erwiesen. Die Korrelation zwischen der Konvergenz der Enthalpie und dem Zonalindex ist sogar negativ.

---

Résumé Le flux horizontal d'enthalpie et de chaleur latente a été calculé à partir de cartes synoptiques couvrant une grande partie de l'hémisphère nord et cela pendant 3 mois pour plusieurs niveaux isobariques. Le flux d'enthalpie ainsi que celui de chaleur latente est à son minimum en juillet et est 3 à 4 fois plus grand en hiver. Le flux le plus important se trouve au niveau de 850 mb. Le coefficient de la conductivité turbulente de l'enthalpie à grande échelle croît avec le gradient horizontal méridional de température, et montre ainsi que les processus de l'échange d'énergie atmosphérique augmentent avec la force du gradient. L'auteur a calculé le réchauffement moyen d'une colonne d'air en partant de la convergence des valeurs du flux. Ce réchauffement atteint un maximum hivernal d'environ 1° C/24 h à 60°–70° de latitude N. Les valeurs des régions polaires sont notablement plus petites et laissent reconnaître un mouvement descendant considérable dans cette région. La corrélation entre le courant ou la convergence de flux et les valeurs de la circulation s'est avérée plutôt petite. Il y a même une corrélation négative entre la convergence de l'enthalpie et l'index zonal.

---

---

With 6 Figures.