Sub-fossil Chironomidae from East Africa. 2. Chironominae (Chironomini and Tanytarsini)

This paper and a companion article present illustrated guides to the identification of sub-fossil chironomid larvae (Insecta: Diptera: Chironomidae) preserved in the sediments of low- and mid-elevation lakes in East Africa. They are based on analysis of surface-sediment death assemblages from 61 lakes located in the humid to semi-arid environments in equatorial East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania), supplemented with similar surface-sediment samples from 12 lakes in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia), and sub-recent core samples from six lakes in Kenya and two in Uganda. We analyzed about 11,000 specimens and identified 98.4% of these to species, species group, genus, or tribe level, depending on current -taxonomic knowledge of the various considered genera and the taxonomic resolution of preserved diagnostic features. We distinguished 90 different sub-fossil morphotypes, of which 16 are Tanypodinae, 19 are Orthocladiinae, and 55 are Chironominae. In this paper we focus on the subfamily Chironominae (tribes Chironomini and Tanytarsini). The diagnostic characters distinguishing these morphotypes from each other resemble differences at the species level in the better-known Holarctic fauna, hence we consider most of our morphotypes equivalent to morphological species or groups of closely related species. Given that core samples yielded only seven morphotypes not also found in the surface-sediment samples, the current inventory of 90 taxa likely represents the large majority of distinct sub-fossil chironomid larval types to be found in East African lakes, excluding the few very large Rift lakes, cold-water lakes above treeline, and special standing-water environments such as fens and bogs. Consistent use of a single set of morphological characters to identify both fossil and living chironomid larvae would ensure exchangeability of information between modem and paleoenvironmental studies on aquatic invertebrate communities in African lakes, and increase the relevance of paleoenvironmental reconstructions to water-quality evaluations aimed at sustainable management of scarce, fluctuating surface-water resources in tropical East Africa.     

On the absence of critical levels in the solar atmosphere

We consider the propagation of linear oscillations in a stratified atmosphere permeated by an oblique but nearly horizontal uniform magnetic field. Our results do not show any of the strong characteristics associated with critical level singularities in the exactly horizontal field case. This suggests that critical levels may be of more mathematical interest than physical relevance in the solar atmosphere where the planar horizontal field approximation is seldom adequate.Currently a Nuffield Foundation Science Research Fellow.     

A Biogeochemical View of Estuarine Eutrophication: Seasonal and Spatial Trends and Correlations in the Delaware Estuary

The Delaware River and Bay Estuary is one of the major urbanized estuaries of the world. The 100-km long tidal river portion of the estuary suffered from major summer hypoxia in the past due to municipal and industrial inputs in the urban region; the estuary has seen remarkable water quality improvements from recent municipal sewage treatment upgrades. However, the estuary still has extremely high nutrient loading, which appears to not have much adverse impact. Since the biogeochemistry of the estuary has been relatively similar for the past two decades, our multiple year research database is used in this review paper to address broad spatial and seasonal patterns of conditions in the tidal river and 120 km long saline bay. Dissolved oxygen concentrations show impact from allochthonous urban inputs and meteorological forcing as well as biological influences. Nutrient concentrations, although high, do not stimulate excessive algal biomass due to light and multiple nutrient element limitations. Since the bay does not have strong persistent summer stratification, there is little potential for bottom water hypoxia. Elevated chlorophyll concentrations do not exert much influence on light attenuation since resuspended bottom inorganic sediments dominate the turbidity. Dissolved inorganic carbon and dissolved and particulate organic carbon distributions show significant variability from watershed inputs and lesser impact from urban inputs and biological processes. Ratios of dissolved and particulate carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus help to understand watershed and urban inputs as well as autochthonous biological influences. Owing to the relatively simple geometry of the system and localized anthropogenic inputs as well as a broad spatial and seasonal database, it is possible to develop these biogeochemical trends and correlations for the Delaware Estuary. We suggest that this biogeochemical perspective allows a revised evaluation of estuarine eutrophication that should have generic value for understanding other estuarine and coastal waters.     

Topology of induced lunar magnetic fields

Using the asymmetric theory of lunar induction derived by Schubertet al. (1973a), we have obtained the total and induced magnetic field line structure within the Moon and the diamagnetic cavity. Total field distributions are shown for orientations of the oscillating interplanetary field parallel, perpendicular and at 45° to the cavity axis. Induced field lines are shown only for the orientations of the interplanetary field parallel and orthogonal to the cavity axis. When compared with the field lines derived using the long wavelength limit of spherically symmetric vacuum induction theory, the configurations obtained using the asymmetric theory exhibit significant distortion. For all orientations of the interplanetary field, the field lines are strongly compressed on the sunlit hemisphere because of the confining solar wind pressure at the lunar surface and the exclusion of the field by the lunar core. Field line compression is also observed in the antisolar region in agreement with the experimental observations of Schubertet al. (1973b). and Smithet al. (1973). For the parallel orientation of the interplanetary field, antisolar compression is caused by cavity confinement of the induced field. For the interplanetary field perpendicular to the cavity axis there is, in addition to compression by the cavity boundary, redistribution of field lines from the sunlit to the night side. In this case field lines entering the Moon just forward of the limb pass through the lunar crust on the night side and then exit forward of the limb. This phenomenon manifests itself as a displacement of the null in the induced magnetic field at the surface sunward of the limb, in striking similarity to the magnetospheric field lines of the Earth.Paper dedicated to Professor Harold C. Urey on the occasion of his 80th birthday on 29 April, 1973.     

Study of an Extended EUV Filament Using SoHO/SUMER Observations of the Hydrogen Lyman Lines

A?filament and its channel close to the solar disk were observed in the complete hydrogen Lyman spectrum, and in several EUV lines by the SUMER (Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation) and CDS (Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer) spectrographs on the SoHO satellite, and in H?? by ground-based telescopes during a multi-instrument campaign in May 2005. It was a good opportunity to get an overview of the volume and the density of the cold plasma in the filament channel; these are essential parameters for coronal mass ejections. We found that the width of the filament depends on the wavelength in which the filament is observed (around 15?arcsec in H??, 30?arcsec in L??, and 60?arcsec in EUV). In L?? the filament is wider than in H?? because cool plasma, not visible in H??, is optically thick at the L?? line center, and its presence blocks the coronal emission. We have derived physical plasma properties of this filament fitting the Lyman spectra and H?? profiles by using a 1D isobaric NLTE model. The vertical temperature profile of the filament slab is flat (T??7000?K) with an increase to ???20?000?K at the top and the bottom of the slab. From an analysis of the L?? and H?? source functions we have concluded that these lines are formed over the whole filament slab. We have estimated the geometrical filling factor in the filament channel. Its low value indicates the presence of multi-threads.     

Foreshock cavities and internal foreshock boundaries

We present two case studies of cluster encounters with foreshock cavities. For one event, we are able, for the first time, to accurately relate the observation of a foreshock cavity to the measured position of the bow shock. This allows us to compute the shock angle, a vital parameter in models of foreshock cavity formation, with greater confidence than any previous study. This cavity appears to be elongated along the magnetic field and we use the multispacecraft nature of the Cluster mission to constrain its field-parallel and -perpendicular extent. We show that this event is embedded within a region of field-aligned ion beams. This is the first time a foreshock cavity has been shown to be surrounded by foreshock ion beams. A second foreshock cavity is associated with a small rotation in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We show that this event appears on the boundary between an interval when the spacecraft were inside the ion foreshock, and an excursion upstream. This is the first report of a foreshock cavity observed during the traversal of the global foreshock. This second event has some features expected from the new Sibeck et al. (2008) model of cavities as brief encounters with a spatial boundary in the global foreshock.     

Slushflows: science and planning considerations for an expanding hazard

Slushflows are natural hazards that pose considerable danger to communities across the globe. These events are characterized by the rapid mass movement of water-inundated snow downslope, and they cause economic damage as well as fatalities in many different climates and regions. As the global climate changes and human populations and industries potentially expand to higher latitudes, it will be important to fully understand the slushflow hazard since an anticipated increase in the frequency of rain-on-snow events and an earlier spring thaw would likely increase the probability of slushflows. This article: (1) summarizes the factors that favor the development of slushflows; (2) discusses the hazard management implications of slushflows; (3) examines the policies employed to prevent and mitigate slushflow damage; and (4) sets out the need for modifications in hazard management systems. Conclusions drawn hope to address future research needs in an effort to create policies that better suit the needs of at-risk communities.     

Use of multi-point analysis and modelling to address cross-scale coupling in space plasmas: Lessons from Cluster

The properties of plasmas (in space) are fundamentally governed by both ‘cross-scale’ coupling and comparative temporal behaviour operating over the micro-, meso-, and (MHD-) fluid regimes: for example, under conditions of turbulence, during magnetic reconnection and in shocks and other plasma boundaries. These themes map to a number of related and overlapping, phenomena, where known phenomena play different roles in each theme. Detailed understanding of fundamental plasma processes therefore requires analysis of both theoretical models (to distinguish the collisionless from the collisional regimes) and multi-scale measurements (suitable to address issues of stationarity). In particular, the investigation of phenomena requires analysis techniques which can distinguish and quantify temporal behaviour and the multi-scale spatial behaviour. The analysis of existing, multi-point data sets has led to a number of data co-ordination methods, such as the four spacecraft analysis tools developed for cluster, and we consider examples here. Advanced analysis concepts may be investigated with suitable considerations of measurement quality:adequate sampling of phenomena (for example, to extract the necessary information on the mechanisms operating) requires suitable spacecraft configurations and directly relates to the measurement quality achievable. A particular issue is how to resolve temporal behaviour across the spatial regimes, so that the data set is suitably coordinated. With the addition of theoretical modelling (in the context of particular phenomena) both the space and laboratory plasma regimes may be compared and we give an example of nonlinear wave coupling across spatial scales in this context.     

Factors affecting channel infiltration of floodwaters in Nahal Zin basin,Negev desert,Israel

Although floods in arid environments have been documented, considerable uncertainties still exist as to the floodwater and in‐channel infiltration relationships. In desert alluvial channels, the prime cause of flood discharge attenuation is water loss by infiltration into the alluvium. The present study documents flows in Nahal Zin, Israel, their infiltration into the channel bed, and the resultant change in the alluvium moisture content. The study uses a systematic combination of two experimental scales, the cross‐section scale and the reach scale. Direct measurements of moisture distribution in the active channel during floods were made using time domain reflectometry. Twelve flow events were recorded. Flow patterns and their respective alluvium moisture content were analysed. A trench was dug in the alluvium for the study of alluvium properties and time domain reflectometry sensor installation. The alluvium was characterized in terms of size distribution and sediment stratigraphy, structure, and composition. Two main alluvial structures (closed and open) affected the advance of the wetting front and water losses. Alluvial units with an open structure (clast‐supported) reached their maximum moisture content faster than closed structure units (matrix‐supported). Small‐sized particles and matrix‐supported layers reduced infiltration rate. The measured velocities of the wetting front were 0.33 and 2.88 m h^?1 for small and large floods respectively. The wetting front moved downward. Lateral movement was negligible. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.