Along-Coast Features of Bora-Related Turbulence

The along-coast, offshore turbulence structure of the Bora flow that occurred on 7 November 1999 during the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP) Intensive Observation Period 15 is examined. In this analysis we employ the aircraft and dropsonde data obtained over the Adriatic Sea, where the turbulence structure is determined by estimating turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and its dissipation rate along the flight legs. The turbulence characteristics of Bora in the lee of the Dinaric Alps is greatly influenced by the mesoscale Bora flow structure over the Adriatic Sea, which in the cross-wind direction features an interchange of jets and wakes related to mountain gaps and peaks. In order to establish the origin of turbulence, the Weather Research and Forecasting—Advanced Research WRF (WRF-ARW) numerical model is used and its results are compared to the measurements. All five TKE-prediction parametrization schemes available in the model show reasonable agreement with the measured values. Since these parametrization schemes do not have horizontal advection included, they suggest that the along-flight structure of the Bora turbulence is principally generated by the local vertical wind shear. Further evidence is needed to support this hypothesis.     

The evolution of a tropical rainforest/grassland mosaic in southeastern Brazil since 28,000 C yr BP based on carbon isotopes and pollen records

The lack of paleoecological records from the montane Atlantic Rainforest of coastal Brazil, a hotspot of biological diversity, has been a major obstacle to our understanding of the vegetational changes since the last glacial cycle. We present carbon isotope and pollen records to assess the impact of the glaciation on the native vegetation of the Serra do Mar rainforest in São Paulo, Brazil. From ca. 28,000 to  22,000 ¹⁴C yr BP, a subtropical forest with conifer trees is indicative of cool and humid conditions. In agreement carbon isotopic data on soil organic matter suggest the presence of C₃ plants and perhaps C₄ plants from  28,000 to  19,000 ¹⁴C yr BP. The significant increase in the sedimentation rate and algal spores from  19,450 to  19,000 ¹⁴C yr BP indicates increasing humidity, associated to an erosion process between  19,000 and  15,600 ¹⁴C yr BP. From  15,600 ¹⁴C yr BP to present there is a substantial increase in arboreal elements and herbs, indicating more humid and warmer climate. From  19,000 to  1000 ¹⁴C yr BP, δ¹³C values indicated the predominance of C₃ plants. These results are in agreement with studies in speleothems of caves, which suggest humid conditions during the last glacial maximum.     

New discoveries of vertebrate remains from the Triassic of Riba de Santiuste,Guadalajara (Spain)

The palaeontological sites of Riba de Santiuste and Sienes (Riba de Santiuste area) are located in the province of Guadalajara, Spain. They include a stratigraphic interval in Muschelkalk facies belonging to the “Cuesta del Castillo Sandstones” Formation and “Royuela Dolostones, Marls and Mudstones” Formation. These sites include numerous fossil plants, direct vertebrate remains, and vertebrate swim traces. The vertebrate remains correspond to a multitude of anatomical elements of Sauropterygia (Nothosauroidea, Placodontia) and possible Archosauria (Rauisuchia) remains. The fossil material attributed to nothosaurs includes teeth, coracoids, a thoracic vertebra, some isolated vertebral centra, humerus, rib fragments, and some dorsal and caudal vertebrae. The remains attributed to placodonts correspond to fragments of skull, quadrate, teeth and osteoderms. Other undetermined sauropterygian remains, such as ulnas, fragments of long bones, fragments of ribs, and articular facets of ribs have been also recovered. Additionally, a fragment of mandible and an intervertebral disk of indeterminate reptiles whose size could be compatible with archosaurs are also described. These bones are exceptionally well-preserved because the fossilization processes have preserved the microstructure of the tissues. The sites also show vertebrate traces, with parallel scratch impressions interpreted as swim traces. The relative stratigraphic position and the palaeontological content of these sites suggest a Ladinian age (Middle Triassic). The interpretation of the sedimentary facies here described also suggests that the sites could correspond to detrital-carbonate mixed deposits of coastal intertidal to supratidal environments.     

The influence of extreme floods from the River Danube in 2006 on phytoplankton communities in a floodplain lake: Shift to a clear state

The influence of extreme floods from the River Danube in 2006 on the species composition and vertical distributions of phytoplankton was studied in a shallow floodplain lake, Lake Sakadaš (Kopa?ki Rit Nature Park, Croatia) which in the last few decades was in a turbid state characterised by high phytoplankton concentrations. As a consequence of extremely high floods, the whole floodplain area (approximately 16 km²) became one lentic habitat with well developed macrophyte vegetation. Seasonal dynamics of chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration in the lake had a characteristic pattern for the shallow lakes with dense macrophyte vegetation. Extremely low mean phytoplankton abundance and biomass were found in the conditions of very high nutrient concentrations. Dominant phytoplankton species were diatoms and chlorococcal green algae from the functional groups characteristic for a mixed environment. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) demonstrated that nutrients and temperature were significant environmental variables for their development. The sequence of phytoplankton seasonality, vertical distribution of phytoplankton, as well as the domination of rapidly acclimating phytoplankton forms (R-strategists) indicated clear, well-mixed conditions and a highly disturbed environment. Our results suggest that the occurrence of extreme flooding can be a stressor high enough for the transition from a turbid to a clear state of the floodplain lake. Possibly, cyclic shifts between alternative stable states in floodplain ecosystems can be expected as a consequence of the impact of extreme hydrological events induced by a climate change.     

Trace-element variability of native copper within a large ore body: The Kingston mine,Michigan, USA

This study attempts both single-site and regional trace-element variability assessments focusing on the Kingston Mine, Keweenaw County, Michigan, USA, and other sources of native copper in the Lake Superior region of the United States and Canada. This information is of potential significance to all studies trying to characterize and distinguish between individual mineral sources. It is of particular importance to geoarchaeologists/archaeometrists who are attempting to assign geologic/geographic origin to prehistoric copper artifacts and to those interested in the trace-element variability (vertically and horizontally) within large ore bodies.