Atmospheric and Surface Water Pollution Interpretation in the Gdańsk Beltway Impact Range by the Use of Multivariate Analysis

The present study deals with the application of the hierarchical cluster analysis and non‐parametric tests in order to interpret the Gdańsk Beltway impact range. The data set represents concentration values for major inorganic ions (Na⁺, NH, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, F⁻, Cl⁻, NO, and SO) as well as electrolytic conductivity and pH measured in various water samples [precipitation, throughfall water, road runoff, and surface water (drainage ditches, surface water reservoirs, and spring water)] collected in the vicinity of the beltway. Several similarity groups were discovered both in the objects and in the variables modes according to the water sample. In the majority of cases clear anthropogenic (fertilizers usage and transport, road salting in winter) and semi‐natural (sea salt aerosols, erosion of construction materials) impacts were discovered. Spatial variation was discovered for road runoff samples and samples collected from surface water reservoirs and springs. Surprisingly no clear seasonal variability was discovered for precipitation chemistry, while some evidences for existing of summer and winter specific chemical profile was discovered for road runoff samples. In general, limited range of the Gdańsk Beltway impact was proven.     

Exploring large wood retention and deposition in contrasting river morphologies linking numerical modelling and field observations

Large wood tends to be deposited in specific geomorphic units within rivers. Nevertheless, predicting the spatial distribution of wood deposits once wood enters a river is still difficult because of the inherent complexity of its dynamics. In addition, the lack of long‐term observations or monitored sites has usually resulted in a rather incomplete understanding of the main factors controlling wood deposition under natural conditions. In this study, the deposition of large wood was investigated in the Czarny Dunajec River, Polish Carpathians, by linking numerical modelling and field observations so as to identify the main factors influencing wood retention in rivers. Results show that wood retention capacity is higher in unmanaged multi‐thread channels than in channelized, single‐thread reaches. We also identify preferential sites for wood deposition based on the probability of deposition under different flood scenarios, and observe different deposition patterns depending on the geomorphic configuration of the study reach. In addition, results indicate that wood is not always deposited in the geomorphic units with the highest roughness, except for low‐magnitude floods. We conclude that wood deposition is controlled by flood magnitude and the elevation of flooded surfaces in relation to the low‐flow water surface. In that sense, the elevation at which wood is deposited in rivers will differ between floods of different magnitude. Therefore, together with the morphology, flood magnitude represents the most significant control on wood deposition in mountain rivers wider than the height of riparian trees. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prospects for Scrutiny of Pulsars with Polish Part of LOFAR

LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) is a new generation digitally controlled radio telescope consisting of phased array antenna stations with sensitivity, bandwidth, range of frequency, and digital processing power that makes it an excellent tool for observations of pulsars. This interferometric instrument is able to work in a single-station mode as well as in group-of-selected-stations mode. This article discusses the great opportunity for conducting unique and independent research of pulsar sources with the three LOFAR stations located in Poland and maintained by the POLFAR consortium.     

Comparison of Two Nonstationary Flood Frequency Analysis Methods within the Context of the Variable Regime in the Representative Polish Rivers

Changes in river flow regime resulted in a surge in the number of methods of non-stationary flood frequency analysis. Common assumption is the time-invariant distribution function with time-dependent location and scale parameters while the shape parameters are time-invariant. Here, instead of location and scale parameters of the distribution, the mean and standard deviation are used. We analyse the accuracy of the two methods in respect to estimation of time-dependent first two moments, time-invariant skewness and time-dependent upper quantiles. The method of maximum likelihood (ML) with time covariate is confronted with the Two Stage (TS) one (combining Weighted Least Squares and L-moments techniques). Comparison is made by Monte Carlo simulations. Assuming parent distribution which ensures the asymptotic superiority of ML method, the Generalized Extreme Value distribution with various values of linearly changing in time first two moments, constant skewness, and various time-series lengths are considered. Analysis of results indicates the superiority of TS methods in all analyzed aspects. Moreover, the estimates from TS method are more resistant to probability distribution choice, as demonstrated by Polish rivers’ case studies.     

Very Low Frequency Electromagnetic Induction Surveys in Hydrogeological Investigations; Case Study from Poland

In 2011, a geophysical survey was carried out in the surroundings of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, using a Very Low Frequency method. The measurements were designed to determine the reason of frequent flooding of the lowest level of the building. The main objective of the study was to find out from where and in which way the rainwater seeps into the building and how this problem can be solved in the least invasive manner. The aim of geophysical methods was also to provide necessary information that will enable the construction of a hydro-geological model of the local environment. The interpretation revealed the presence of a sandy gutter surrounded by impermeable clay. There is a big resistivity contrast between those layers. Their location and approximate dimensions were determined.     

Seismic view on the svalbard passive continental margin

Deep seismic sounding measurements were performed in the continent-ocean transition zone of the western Svalbard and Barents Sea margin, during the expeditions in 1985–2008. Seismic energy (airgun and TNT shots) was recorded along several profiles by onshore seismic stations and ocean bottom seismometers, and hydrophone systems. Good quality reflected and refracted P waves provided an excellent data base for a seismic modelling along the profiles. TNT sources were recorded even up to 300 km distances. A minimal depth of about 6 km of the Moho interface was found east of the Molloy Deep. The Moho discontinuity dips down to 28 km beneath the continental part of the northernmost profile and down to maximum 32 km beneath other profiles. The evolution of the region is considered to be within a shearrift tectonic setting. The continent-ocean transition zone along the northernmost profile is mostly dominated by extension; therefore, the last stage of the development of the margin can be classified as rifting. The uplifted Moho interface close to the Molloy Deep can be interpreted as a south-western end of the Molloy Ridge. The margin of the southern Spitsbergen is rather of sheared character while the western Barents Sea margin is of slow to ultraslow spreading type.     

Analysis and usage of linear relationships between the magnetic field components recorded by INTERMAGNET

An analysis of linear relationships between the ground-level components of the Earth’s magnetic field measured at different sites is a relatively new topic compared to the analysis of data at a single location. The data collected by the INTERMAGNET observation network provide perfect set of data to which this analysis can be used. An important tool in this analysis may be developing a method of determination of the impulse response for linear systems in the time domain. An advantage of calculations in the time domain over the generally known and applied methods in the frequency domain is the possibility of determining prediction of output signals. By that, simultaneously with the analysis of linear relationships, a tool for recovering missing records in incomplete observation data is obtained. Filling-in the missing data may increase interest and possibility of using the observational data by researchers experimenting with the analysis in the frequency domain where gaps in data records are a significant limitation.     

New induction sounding tested in Central Europe

The hourly data of nine geomagnetic observatories situated in Central Europe have been analyzed using the generalized magnetovariation (GMV) method designed recently for induction soundings of inhomogeneous media. In this method, impedance is one of transfer functions in the differential relation between spectra of the magnetic components and their derivatives. The peculiarity of this impedance is its correspondence to the magnetotelluric one estimated from the linear relations. Three transfer functions have been estimated simultaneously for data of geomagnetic observatories, using three different routines working in the period range from three hours up to two days. Noises in the source field components have been compared with noise in the estimated plane field divergence. The multivariate errors-in-variables method was used to extract spatially and temporally coherent geomagnetic field structure from the partially incoherent geomagnetic variations. This method allows estimating reliably impedances and gradient tippers for each observatory, taking into consideration the Earth’s sphericity. The obtained responses have been used for induction soundings and for detecting a deep inhomogeneity in the region.