The use of SfM-photogrammetry to quantify and understand gully degradation at the temporal scale of rainfall events: an example from the Ethiopian drylands

Abstract

With the recent technological advances offered by SfM-photogrammetry, we now have the possibility to study gully erosion at very high spatial and temporal scales from multi-temporal DEMs, and thus to enhance our understanding of both gully erosion processes and controls. Here, we examine gully degradation and aggradation at a gully headcut and at four re-incisions along a gully reach in Northern Ethiopia. Environmental controls recorded are topography rainfall, runoff, land use and cover, land management, and soil characteristics. The overall vulnerability of the catchment to erosion is low as calculated from the RUSLE (average 11.83 t ha^?1 y^?1). This reflects the successful land management of the past years. The runoff coefficient was on average 7.3% (maximum 18.2%). Runoff events caused most geomorphic change in the gully, but slumping of the gully bank also occurred on dry days. Most geomorphic change was caused by one major rainfall event of 54.8 mm d^?1, and smaller runoff events caused both degradation and aggradation, often asynchronous between studied sites. Although most research focuses on gully heads alone, re-incisions at lower locations can still cause important gully degradation, which ultimately will reach the gully head and cause instability.     

Trace element associations with Fe- and Mn-oxides in soil nodules: Comparison of selective dissolution with electron probe microanalysis

Selective dissolution methods have been largely used to get insight on trace element association with solid phases. Modern instrumental techniques offer many tools to test the validity of selective dissolution methods and should be systematically used to this end. The association of trace elements with Fe- and Mn-oxides in soil nodules has been studied here by electron probe microanalysis. The results were compared with findings from an earlier study on selective dissolution of the same nodules by hydroxylamine hydrochloride, acidified hydrogen peroxide, and Na-citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite. Electron probe microanalysis results were consistent with previous findings using selective dissolution and showed that P, As and Cr were mainly present in Fe-oxides, while Co was mainly associated with Mn-oxide phases. These results support the applicability of the studied selective dissolution methods for fractionation of trace elements in soils and sediments containing appreciable amounts of Fe and Mn-oxide phases.     

Monitoring moored instrument motion by optimal estimation

Many oceanographic applications require the positioning of the underwater sensor at measurement times. We consider here the case of subsurface moored tomographic instruments, where the distance between source and receiver must be known within a few meters. For that purpose, a long baseline array is deployed: this system includes a navigator, attached to the mooring element and an array of three transponders set on the ocean bottom. To process the navigation data collected with such system, we have developed a method based on optimal estimation. The triangulation problem is not a basic spherical constraints one and the specificity of deep underwater positioning, related to the variability of the ocean sound speed profile are pointed out. Correcting terms are proposed and introduced into the system. Simultaneous inversion of all data, defining an overconstrained problem allows to estimate biases and errors. The algorithm is applied here to a dataset collected in the Azores-Canary basin during CAMBIOS experiment.     

Tectonic and eustatic control on a mixed siliciclastic–carbonate platform during the Late Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian (La Rochelle platform,western France)

Boreal and Tethyan realms of Western Europe present significant sedimentological, paleontological, and stratigraphic differences. The purpose of this study is to constrain regional versus global controls on the dynamics of a sedimentary system located at the interface of these two realms in order to better understand the origin of their differences. Detailed sedimentological, palynofacies and calcareous nannofossil analyses were performed on two sections from the La Rochelle platform (western France). The Pas section includes part of the Late Oxfordian and Early Kimmeridgian, and the Rocher d'Yves section is assigned to the Late Kimmeridgian. They correspond to monotonous marl–argillaceous limestone alternations. Limestones are essentially mudstones with echinoderms, bivalves and foraminifera that suggest low-energy, open-marine conditions. Highly bioclastic and/or peloidal deposits occur commonly, and show wackestones to wacke-pack-grainstones textures. These deposits indicate frequent high-energy events, and are interpreted as storm deposits. Marls dominate in the most proximal depositional environments, while calcareous deposits are more important in more distal environments. The Rocher d'Yves section is globally more marly than the Pas section, suggesting a more proximal setting. Palynofacies are dominated by woody particles, suggesting shallow-water, proximal depositional environments. Calcareous nannofossils are ascidian spicules, coccoliths, and schizospheres. Watznaueria britannica dominate calcareous nannofossil assemblages in the Pas section. The Rocher d'Yves assemblages are quasi-exclusively composed of Cyclagelosphaera margerelii, and indicate more proximal paleoenvironments than those of the Pas section. Different orders of depositional sequences are defined, with sequence boundaries corresponding to the most rapid relative sea-level falls. They are hierarchically stacked, and correlate, on the basis of ammonite zones, with the sequences of contemporaneous sections from Tethyan and boreal realms. The stacking pattern of these sequences suggests an orbital control on sedimentation. Small-, medium- and large-scale sequences correspond to precession (20 ky) cycles and to 100 ky and 400 ky eccentricity cycles, respectively. The elementary sequences have durations shorter than 20 ky. The Kimmeridgian was a period of global sea-level rise that ended in the Late Kimmeridgian. More proximal depositional environments in the Rocher d'Yves section (Late Kimmeridgian) than in the Pas section (Early Kimmeridgian) imply a progradation of the La Rochelle platform during the Kimmeridgian. This progradation resulted from a slowdown of the subsidence in the Aquitaine Basin during the Kimmeridgian, corresponding to the first steps of Atlantic Ocean opening. High-frequency cycles on the La Rochelle platform formed in sync with Milankovitch orbital cycles, while tectonics controlled the formation of the low-frequency cycles.     

Stardust-NExT,Deep Impact,and the accelerating spin of 9P/Tempel 1

The evolution of the spin rate of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 through two perihelion passages (in 2000 and 2005) is determined from 1922 Earth-based observations taken over a period of 13 year as part of a World-Wide observing campaign and from 2888 observations taken over a period of 50 days from the Deep Impact spacecraft. We determine the following sidereal spin rates (periods): 209.023 ± 0.025°/dy (41.335 ± 0.005 h) prior to the 2000 perihelion passage, 210.448 ± 0.016°/dy (41.055 ± 0.003 h) for the interval between the 2000 and 2005 perihelion passages, 211.856 ± 0.030°/dy (40.783 ± 0.006 h) from Deep Impact photometry just prior to the 2005 perihelion passage, and 211.625 ± 0.012°/dy (40.827 ± 0.002 h) in the interval 2006–2010 following the 2005 perihelion passage. The period decreased by 16.8 ± 0.3 min during the 2000 passage and by 13.7 ± 0.2 min during the 2005 passage suggesting a secular decrease in the net torque. The change in spin rate is asymmetric with respect to perihelion with the maximum net torque being applied on approach to perihelion. The Deep Impact data alone show that the spin rate was increasing at a rate of 0.024 ± 0.003°/dy/dy at JD2453530.60510 (i.e., 25.134 dy before impact), which provides independent confirmation of the change seen in the Earth-based observations.The rotational phase of the nucleus at times before and after each perihelion and at the Deep Impact encounter is estimated based on the Thomas et al. (Thomas et al. [2007]. Icarus 187, 4–15) pole and longitude system. The possibility of a 180° error in the rotational phase is assessed and found to be significant. Analytical and physical modeling of the behavior of the spin rate through of each perihelion is presented and used as a basis to predict the rotational state of the nucleus at the time of the nominal (i.e., prior to February 2010) Stardust-NExT encounter on 2011 February 14 at 20:42.We find that a net torque in the range of 0.3–2.5 × 10⁷ kg m² s^?2 acts on the nucleus during perihelion passage. The spin rate initially slows down on approach to perihelion and then passes through a minimum. It then accelerates rapidly as it passes through perihelion eventually reaching a maximum post-perihelion. It then decreases to a stable value as the nucleus moves away from the Sun. We find that the pole direction is unlikely to precess by more than ～1° per perihelion passage. The trend of the period with time and the fact that the modeled peak torque occurs before perihelion are in agreement with published accounts of trends in water production rate and suggests that widespread H₂O out-gassing from the surface is largely responsible for the observed spin-up.     

Inter-laboratory calibration of low-field magnetic and anhysteretic susceptibility measurements

Inter-laboratory and absolute calibrations of rock magnetic parameters are fundamental for grounding a rock magnetic database and for semi-quantitative estimates about the magnetic mineral assemblage of a natural sample. Even a dimensionless ratio, such as anhysteretic susceptibility normalized by magnetic susceptibility (K_a/K) may be biased by improper calibration of one or both of the two instruments used to measure K_a and K. In addition, the intensity of the anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) of a given sample depends on the experimental process by which the remanence is imparted. We report an inter-laboratory calibration of these two key parameters, using two sets of artificial reference samples: a paramagnetic rare earth salt, Gd₂O₃ and a commercial “pozzolanico” cement containing oxidized magnetite with grain size of less than 0.1 μm according to hysteresis properties. Using Gd₂O₃ the 10 Kappabridges magnetic susceptibility meters (AGICO KLY-2 or KLY-3 models) tested prove to be cross-calibrated to within 1%. On the other hand, Kappabridges provide a low-field susceptibility value that is ca. 6% lower than the tabulated value for Gd₂O₃, while average high-field susceptibility values measured on a range of instruments are indistinguishable from the tabulated value. Therefore, we suggest that Kappabridge values should be multiplied by 1.06 to achieve absolute calibration. Bartington Instruments magnetic susceptibility meters with MS2B sensors produce values that are 2-13% lower than Kappabridge values, with a strong dependence on sample centering within the sensor. The K_a/K ratio of ca. 11, originally obtained on discrete cement samples with a 2G Enterprises superconducting rock magnetometer and a KLY-2, is consistent with reference parameters for magnetites of grain size <0.1 μm. On the other hand, K_a values from a 2G Enterprises magnetometer and K values from a Bartington Instruments MS2C loop sensor for u-channel and discrete cement samples, will produce average K_a/K values that are unrealistically high if not properly corrected for the nominal volume detected by the sensors for these instruments. Inter-laboratory measurements of K and K_a for standard paleomagnetic plastic cubes filled with cement indicate remarkable differences in the intensity of the newly produced ARMs (with a standard deviation of ca. 21%), that are significantly larger than the differences observed from the calibration of the different magnetometers employed in each laboratory. Differences in the alternating field decay rate are likely the major source of these variations, but cannot account for all the observed variability. With such large variations in experimental conditions, classical interpretation of a “King plot” of K_a versus K would imply significant differences in the determination of grain size of magnetite particles on the same material.     

Anthropogenic contamination of groundwater with nitrate in arid region: case study of southern Hodna (Algeria)

In southern Hodna, an arid region of Algeria, the extension of irrigated agriculture and overexploitation of groundwaters have led to a rupture with traditional land use by pastoralism. Due to the arid conditions, groundwaters are the only water resources for man and irrigation. This study focuses on nitrate contamination of groundwaters and its increase since the last 40 years, on the basis of two archives and recent analyses. The chemical facies of waters is sulphate-chloride, the risk of salinity is moderate to large. The sodicity risk, as estimated by the SAR, is low due to the large salinity and the sandy soil texture. Nitrate contamination of deep groundwater is a clear evidence when recent data are compared to the historical data. From 1996 to 2008, the proportion of samples with NO ₃ ^? concentrations larger than 50 mg/L increases from 24 to 61 %, the proportion of samples with NO ₃ ^? concentrations larger than 100 mg/L increases from 12 to 27 %. The study points at a general contamination of aquifers from anthropic origin: phreatic water was already contaminated when pastoralism was dominant (1967); as population increased and irrigation agriculture developed with large use of N-fertilizers and organic amendments, contamination extended spatially and vertically to deep aquifer. To remediate this contamination, fertilizers should be fractionated and limited to plant requirements on the basis of soil and plant analyses. Excess of irrigation should be avoided. Soil surface should be continuously covered to prevent nitrate leaching. Secondly, more efficient irrigation techniques, such as localized irrigation, should be implemented, with adaptation of crop systems and fertilizer inputs to arid conditions. Farmers should then be trained; simultaneously, local agronomic references that are presently lacking should be acquired.     

Integrated marine and terrestrial evidence for abrupt Congo River palaeodischarge fluctuations during the last deglaciation

We present a high‐resolution reconstruction of tropical palaeoenvironmental changes for the last deglacial transition (18 to 9 cal. kyr BP) based on integrated oceanic and terrestrial proxies from a Congo fan core. Pollen, grass cuticle, Pediastrum and dinoflagellate cyst fluxes, sedimentation rates and planktonic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O ratios, u₃₇^K′ sea‐surface temperature and alkane/alkenone ratio data highlight a series of abrupt changes in Congo River palaeodischarge. A major discharge pulse is registered at around 13.0 cal. kyr BP which we attribute to latitudinal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) during deglaciation. The data indicate abrupt and short‐lived changes in the equatorial precipitation regime within a system of monsoonal dynamics forced by precessional cycles. The phases of enhanced Congo discharge stimulated river‐induced upwelling and enhanced productivity in the adjacent ocean. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.