Comparing palaeolimnological and instrumental evidence of climate change for remote mountain lakes over the last 200 years

This paper compares the palaeolimnological evidence for climate change over the last 200 years with instrumental climate data for the same period at seven European remote mountain lakes. The sites are Øvre Neådalsvatn (Norway), Saanajärvi (Finland), Gossenköllesee (Austria), Hagelseewli (Switzerland), Jezero v Ledvici (Slovenia), Estany Redó (Spain, Pyrenees), and Niné Terianske Pleso (Slovakia). We used multiple regression analysis to transfer homogenised lowland air temperature records to each of the sites, and these reconstructions were validated using data from on-site automatic weather stations. These data showed that mean annual temperature has varied over the last 200 years at each site by between 1 and 2 °C, typical of the high frequency variability found throughout the Holocene, and appropriate, therefore, to test the sensitivity of the various proxy methods used. Sediment cores from each site were radiometrically dated using ²¹⁰Pb, ¹³⁷Cs and ²⁴¹Am and analysed for loss-on-ignition, C, N, S, pigments, diatoms, chrysophytes, Cladocera and chironomids. Comparisons between the proxy data and the instrumental data were based on linear regression analysis with the proxy data treated as response variables and the instrumental data (after smoothing using LOESS regressions) as predictor variables. The results showed few clear or consistent patterns with generally low or very low r² values. Highest values were found when the data were compared after smoothing using a broad span, indicating that some of the proxy data were capturing climate variability but only at a relatively coarse time resolution. Probable reasons for the weak performance of the methods used include inaccurate dating, especially for earlier time periods, the influence of confounding forcing factors at some sites e.g., air pollution, earthquakes, and the insensitivity of some methods to low amplitude climate forcing. Nevertheless, there were trends in some proxy records at a number of sites that had a relatively unambiguous correspondence with the instrumental climate records. These included organic matter and associated variables (C and N) and planktonic diatom assemblages at the majority of sites and chrysophytes and chironomids at a few sites. Overall for longer term studies of the Holocene, these results indicate the need to be cautious in the interpretation of proxy records, the importance of proxy method validation, the continuing need to use reinforcing multi-proxy approaches, and the need for careful site and method selection.     

QUEST on DASI: a South Pole CMB polarization experiment

QUEST on DASI is a ground-based, high-sensitivity, high-resolution (ℓ_max2500) experiment designed to map CMB polarization at 100 and 150 GHz and to measure the power spectra from E-modes, B-modes from lensing of the CMB, and B-modes from primordial gravitational waves. The experiment comprises a 2.6 m Cassegrain optical system, equipped with an array of 62 polarization-sensitive bolometers (PSBs), located at the South Pole. The instrument is designed to minimize systematic effects; features include differencing of pairs of orthogonal PSBs within a single feed, a rotatable achromatic waveplate, and axisymmetric rotatable optics. In addition the South Pole location allows both repeatable and highly controlled observations. QUEST on DASI will commence operation in early 2005.     

Facies recognition of some Tertiary coals applied to prediction of oil source rock occurrence

Coals are oil source rocks in many of the Tertiary basins of Southeast Asia. The precursors of these hydrogen rich and oxygen poor coals are coastal plain peats which have mainly developed in an everwet and tropical climate. In these environments water flow and reworking can concentrate liptinitic kerogen in preference to vitrinitic kerogen. The distribution, petrography and chemistry of the coaly Miocene source rocks present in the Kutai Basin are described. The recognition of environmental controls on the accumulation of potentially oil-prone coals and coaly shales in deltaic environments is an aid to predictive source bed recognition in petroleum exploration. Comments on the environment of deposition of coaly sediments in the basins of the Norwegian Sea are discussed with reference to their possible oil and/or gas sourcing potential. The Triassic - Jurassic coals of the Haltenbanken area may become more oil-prone towards the delta margins, and facies mapping could aid oil exploration in this area.     

Positive feedback fishery: Population consequences of ‘crab-tiling’ on the green crab Carcinus maenas

Collection of marine invertebrates for use as fishing bait is a substantial activity in many parts of the world, often with unknown ecological consequences. As new fisheries develop, it is critical for environmental managers to have high quality ecological information regarding the potential impacts, in order to develop sound management strategies. Crab-tiling is a largely unregulated and un-researched fishery, which operates commercially in the south-west UK. The target species is the green crab Carcinus maenas. Those crabs which are pre-ecdysis and have a carapace width greater than 40 mm are collected to be sold to recreational anglers as bait. Collection involves laying artificial structures on intertidal sandflats and mudflats in estuaries. Crabs use these structures as refugia and are collected during low tide. However, the effect that this fishery has on populations of C. maenas is not known. The impact of crab-tiling on C. maenas population structure was determined by sampling crabs from tiled estuaries and non-tiled estuaries using baited drop-nets. A spatially and temporarily replicated, balanced design was used to compare crab abundance, sizes and sex ratios between estuaries. Typically, fisheries are associated with a reduction in the abundance of the target species. Crab-tiling, however, significantly increased C. maenas abundance. This was thought to be a result of the extra habitat in tiled estuaries, which probably provides protection from natural predators, such as birds and fish. Although crabs were more abundant in tiled estuaries than non-tiled estuaries, the overall percentage of reproductively active crabs in non-tiled estuaries was greater than in tiled estuaries. As with most exploited fisheries stocks, crabs in exploited (tiled) estuaries tended to be smaller, with a modal carapace width of 20–29 mm rather than 30–39 mm in non-tiled estuaries. The sex ratio of crabs however; was not significantly different between tiled and non-tiled estuaries. These results illustrate the potential to manage fished populations using habitat provision to mitigate the effects of fishing pressure.     

Photometric Variability of Neptune, 1972-2000

We present Strömgren b (472-nm) and y (551-nm) photometry of Neptune based on photoelectric measurements obtained at every apparition from 1972 to 2000. Neptune has brightened by 11% in b and 10% in y since 1980 with most of the increase occurring after 1990. By appending b data to published B magnitudes measured at Lowell from 1950 to 1966 and transformed to b, we show that Neptune is now brighter than at any time during the past half century. The nature of the year-to-year variations changed around 1990 when a steady rising trend overshadowed what appeared to be an inverse correlation with cyclic solar activity. By matching observations in b and y with near-infrared J (1.2-μm) and K (2.2-μm) photometry before, during, and after Neptune's 1976 infrared outburst, we show that the pattern of visible albedo variation parallels the infrared variation but with an amplitude 20-50 times smaller. A detailed comparison of photometry with ground-based and Voyager images at visible and red wavelengths during the 1989 Voyager encounter shows that small brightness variations occur when large discrete features rotate across Neptune's disk. This provides a rough association between visible features and photometric effects that we use to infer the state of Neptune's atmosphere for years when only photometry was available. A year-by-year analysis of variance of the photometry suggests that the 1976 and 1986-1989 infrared outbursts were isolated episodes of unusually vigorous atmospheric activity. Detrended magnitudes of Neptune are correlated with solar activity over the entire 29-year interval as well as 22-year subintervals, with solar UV now being favored as a causative mechanism rather than solar modulated galactic cosmic rays.     

The Aristarchus-Harbinger region of the moon: Surface geology and history from recent remote-sensing observations

The region including the Aristarchus Plateau and Montes Harbinger is probably the most diverse, geologically, of any area of comparble size on the Moon. This part of the northwest quadrant of the lunar near side includes unique dark mantling material; both the densest concentration and the largest of the sinuous rilles; apparent volcanic vents, sinks, and domes; mare materials of various ages and colors; one of the freshest large craters (Aristarchus) with ejecta having unique colors and albedos; and three other large craters in different states of flooding and degradation (krieger, Herodotus, and Prinz). The three best-authenticated lunar transient phenomena were also observed here.This study is based principally on photographic and remote sensing observations made from Earth and Apollo orbiting space craft. Results include (1) delineation of geologic map units and their stratigraphic relationships; (2) discussion of the complex interrelationships between materials of volcanic and impact origin, including the effects of excavation, redistribution and mixing of previously deposited materials by younger impact craters; (3) deduction of physical and chemical properties of certain of the geologic units, based on both the remote-sensing information and on extrapolation of Apollo data to this area; and (4) development of a detailed geologic history of the region, outlining the probable sequence of events that resulted in its present appearance.A primary concern of the investigation has been anomalous red dark mantle on the Plateau. Based on an integration of Earth- and lunar orbit-based data, this layer seems to consist of fine-grained, block-free material containing a relatively large fraction of orange glass. It is probably of pyroclastic origin, laid down at some time during the Imbrian period of mare flooding.     

3D triangulation of a Sun-grazing comet

The bright Kreutz Comet C/2007 L3 (SOHO) entered the fields of view of the twin Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) COR1 telescopes on 7–8 June 2007. The 12° separation between the two spacecraft at the time afforded the opportunity to derive the position of the comet's tail in three-dimensional space using direct triangulation. The track of the comet's orbit is compared against more traditional orbital calculations using observations from the STEREO COR2 telescopes, and from the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The shape of the comet's tail shows that it is composed of dust particles released when the comet was between 18 and 22 solar radii, with no significant dust production after that. The comet did not survive perihelion passage, but a rare faint remnant of the comet tail persisted for several hours after the break-up, and was seen by both the SOHO and STEREO coronagraphs to drift slowly away from the Sun. This tail remnant was found to be composed of particles far back from the head of the comet. The motion of the tail remnant shows a loss of angular momentum during the passage through the solar corona. Atmospheric drag is estimated to account for a significant fraction of this change in angular momentum, but indications are that other mechanisms may be required to completely account for the total amount of change.     

GLAST large area telescope multiwavelength planning

Gamma-ray astrophysics depends in many ways on multiwavelength studies. The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) Large Area Telescope (LAT) Collaboration has started multiwavelength planning well before the scheduled 2007 launch of the observatory. Some of the high-priority multiwavelength needs include: (1) availability of contemporaneous radio and X-ray timing of pulsars; (2) expansion of blazar catalogs, including redshift measurements; (3) improved observations of molecular clouds, especially at high galactic latitudes; (4) simultaneous broad-band blazar monitoring; (5) characterization of gamma-ray transients, including gamma ray bursts; (6) radio, optical, X-ray and TeV counterpart searches for reliable and effective sources identification and characterization. Several of these activities are needed to be in place before launch.      

Time – Distance Analysis of the Emerging Active Region NOAA 10790

We investigate the emergence of Active Region NOAA 10790 by means of time?–?distance helioseismology. Shallow regions of increased sound speed at the location of increased magnetic activity are observed, with regions becoming deeper at the locations of sunspot pores. We also see a long-lasting region of decreased sound speed located underneath the region of the flux emergence, possibly relating to a temperature perturbation due to magnetic quenching of eddy diffusivity, or to a dense flux tube. We detect and track an object in the subsurface layers of the Sun characterised by increased sound speed which could be related to emerging magnetic-flux and thus obtain a provisional estimate of the speed of emergence of around 1 km?s^?1.     

Organized Subsurface Flows near Active Regions

Local helioseismic techniques, such as ring analysis and time-distance helioseismology, have already shown that large-scale flows near the surface converge towards major active regions. Ring analysis has further demonstrated that at greater depths some active regions exhibit strong outflows. A critique leveled at the ring-analysis results is that the Regularized Least Squares (RLS) inversion kernels on which they are based have negative sidelobes near the surface. Such sidelobes could result in a surface inflow being misidentified as a diverging outflow at depth. In this paper we show that the Optimally Located Averages (OLA) inversion technique, which produces kernels without significant sidelobes, generates flows markedly similar to the RLS results. Active regions are universally zones of convergence near the surface, while large complexes evince strong outflows deeper down.